14/10/2016 - Live Morning Session SNP Conference


14/10/2016 - Live Morning Session

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 14/10/2016 - Live Morning Session. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Good morning, delegates. I'l sorry for the slight delay. I know that a

:04:05.:04:19.

number of you were at fringd meetings, but the huge auditorium is

:04:20.:04:22.

filling up, so welcome back. We turn to resolution ten on dementha care.

:04:23.:04:28.

The motion will be proposed by Roderick Campbell and seconded by

:04:29.:04:32.

Maureen Watt, MSP. Please wdlcome back what Rick Campbell. -- Roderick

:04:33.:04:41.

Campbell. Thank you, Derek. Conference, amongst the manx health

:04:42.:04:44.

challenges facing us, none hs perhaps as far ranging and `ffecting

:04:45.:04:47.

more and more families in Scotland and other mainly developed countries

:04:48.:04:52.

in the world as dementia. Ddmentia costs the health service a huge

:04:53.:04:56.

amount of money and as we know from Police Scotland, a police thme and

:04:57.:05:00.

money too. One UK study suggests that the health and social care

:05:01.:05:05.

costs of dementia are almost match the combined costs of cancer, heart

:05:06.:05:08.

disease and stroke. As a result of our ageing population, the numbers

:05:09.:05:13.

with dementia are likely to increase. The motion refers to a

:05:14.:05:17.

current figure of 90,000, a figure which on current estimates were

:05:18.:05:22.

almost double in 20 years. But if we can delay the onset of dementia by

:05:23.:05:27.

even two or three years, thhs will have a significant effect not only

:05:28.:05:31.

on families, but on spending. That is why research is vital. L`st week

:05:32.:05:37.

in Birmingham, we had anothdr party conference. We heard much t`lk of a

:05:38.:05:41.

world where health services rely on locally trained doctors and medical

:05:42.:05:46.

staff. But what is clear about dementia is that it does not respect

:05:47.:05:51.

borders. It is perhaps appropriate to reflect on the international

:05:52.:05:55.

dimension of dementia. It w`s the G8 in London in December 2013 which

:05:56.:06:00.

encouraged an international approach to dementia. David Cameron

:06:01.:06:08.

championed it, stating that Britain would lead the search for what he

:06:09.:06:10.

described as one of the gre`test enemies of humanity. At least he was

:06:11.:06:17.

right about that. But at prdsent, over 47 million people are living

:06:18.:06:21.

with dementia worldwide. Ond of the recommendations of the World Health

:06:22.:06:24.

Organisation boss that everx country should have a national plan. The G8

:06:25.:06:30.

has accelerated progress on that, and the numbers of countries with

:06:31.:06:34.

such plans continues to risd. A global action plan is due for

:06:35.:06:39.

finalisation next summer. As we approach our third national plan in

:06:40.:06:42.

Scotland, we can see that Scotland is ahead of the curve. Scotland has

:06:43.:06:47.

a good record, a better record on early diagnosis than elsewhdre in

:06:48.:06:51.

the UK, with approximately 43,5 0 formally diagnosed with demdntia on

:06:52.:06:56.

the recent figures. The previous national plan incorporated that

:06:57.:07:04.

aspiration. Since that plan, the Scottish Government has madd a

:07:05.:07:07.

commitment to one year's post-diagnostic support for

:07:08.:07:09.

individuals and most import`ntly, their families, in the year

:07:10.:07:14.

following diagnosis. The next plan must build on this, making the

:07:15.:07:22.

process of getting support dasier, less daunting and more conshstent

:07:23.:07:26.

throughout Scotland. And it must build on the dementia champhons and

:07:27.:07:28.

ambassadors who have been a feature of the NHS and workplaces

:07:29.:07:32.

respectively over the last few years. And we should continte to

:07:33.:07:35.

recognise that where practical, we should aim to keep those living with

:07:36.:07:39.

dementia in their own home. Outside the home, we need to build on the

:07:40.:07:45.

plant established last year in Aberdeen and this year in Glasgow,

:07:46.:07:48.

providing information and stpport for those living with dementia and

:07:49.:07:52.

their families. But it is ilportant to recognise the importance of the

:07:53.:07:55.

integration of health and social care which came on stream this year.

:07:56.:08:01.

It is early days to assess the benefits of integration, but

:08:02.:08:03.

undoubtedly, it is tied with support for those living with dementia.

:08:04.:08:13.

Will need to recognise that we have a proud record on personal care it

:08:14.:08:21.

is an absolute must for those living with dementia, and we should be

:08:22.:08:25.

proud that we have a governlent that supports the Balmoral invaltable

:08:26.:08:32.

army of care workers from the EU and non-EU countries as well as Scotland

:08:33.:08:35.

by payment of the living wage from this month, and we also need to

:08:36.:08:38.

encourage the use of telly care adaptations at home, to makd living

:08:39.:08:40.

at home less stressful, and we need to recognise the importance of small

:08:41.:08:43.

things like electrical safety at home. And we should not forget the

:08:44.:08:48.

needs of many dementia suffdrers for palliative and and applied care

:08:49.:08:51.

They often have very signifhcant other health needs. Marray Keary

:08:52.:08:56.

produced a good report last year and I am pleased that the draft plan

:08:57.:08:59.

recognises this issue, becatse dementia is a terminal dise`se.

:09:00.:09:04.

Although its needs may slightly differ from other terminal diseases,

:09:05.:09:09.

as Mariko Oi argue, we need to obtain proper data and information,

:09:10.:09:13.

so that we can commit to providing from our end of life care in

:09:14.:09:17.

Scotland. In that respect I have noted the amendment to the lotion,

:09:18.:09:23.

which I am happy to support. Finally, the plan does need to

:09:24.:09:26.

recognise, as I said earlier, the importance of research, an

:09:27.:09:31.

organisation such as the clhnical research network and the Scottish

:09:32.:09:34.

dementia research Consortiul, as they seek to support research both

:09:35.:09:39.

at national, UK, and dare I say it European and international levels.

:09:40.:09:44.

Conference, can I commend this motion and the amendment to you

:09:45.:09:49.

APPLAUSE Thank you, Roderick. Maureen Watt to

:09:50.:10:00.

second the resolution. Roderick said he will accept the amendment but can

:10:01.:10:05.

I ask for a formal second over the amendment? Thank you. Mauredn. Thank

:10:06.:10:11.

you very much Derek and good morning delegates. I am very proud to be

:10:12.:10:17.

contributing to this debate today as Scotland's very First Minister for

:10:18.:10:21.

mental health, the first evdr dedicated minister to mental health

:10:22.:10:26.

champion mental health and physical champion mental health and physical

:10:27.:10:33.

health for parity of esteem, that we see the whole person, and rdcognise

:10:34.:10:37.

that mental health is as important as physical health throughott our

:10:38.:10:44.

lives. Starting well, living well, and ageing well, and that is why I

:10:45.:10:48.

dementia policy. Dementia h`s been a dementia policy. Dementia h`s been a

:10:49.:10:55.

priority of this government since 2007, and it very much remahn so. We

:10:56.:11:02.

have, as Rob said, have two National strategies and the third ond will

:11:03.:11:06.

come before the end of the xear We have seen significant progrdss in

:11:07.:11:09.

many aspects of dementia care and support. Dementia diagnosis rates

:11:10.:11:16.

have improved and Scotland compares well across the UK and

:11:17.:11:21.

internationally. In 2011, wd introduced the human rights -based

:11:22.:11:25.

standards of care for dementia in Scotland, and the National dementia

:11:26.:11:30.

workforce training and educ`tion framework, called promoting

:11:31.:11:34.

excellence, it is to support services across Scotland to meet the

:11:35.:11:38.

new standards, and of coursd this has been backed financially. In

:11:39.:11:45.

2013, we introduced what is still a world leading national post

:11:46.:11:50.

diagnosis service, offering a minimum of a year's work of

:11:51.:11:54.

dedicated support by a named and trained link worker for people newly

:11:55.:11:59.

diagnosed with dementia. Thd official data on how we are doing on

:12:00.:12:05.

this will be published shortly. We also have in place national bespoke

:12:06.:12:08.

improvement programmes for both general and specialist NHS dementia

:12:09.:12:16.

care, supporting the care of outside the Scotland dimension nursd

:12:17.:12:18.

consultants. We have trained over 600 dementia champions. 1000

:12:19.:12:28.

dementia ambassadors in sochal care. I am delighted we are seen `s world

:12:29.:12:31.

leading internationally and that is why Jeff wagons from the Scottish

:12:32.:12:35.

Government is leading for the UK in Europe. He is coordinator of the

:12:36.:12:41.

joint action on dementia and is coordinating the work shames on

:12:42.:12:46.

dementia. So the new strategy will take further action on diagnosis and

:12:47.:12:51.

post-diagnostic support, appropriate services in the community for all of

:12:52.:12:55.

our families. I'd take my h`t off to those who work in dementia care and

:12:56.:13:01.

we are going to make sure that through education and trainhng and

:13:02.:13:04.

developing of the workforce that continues. We have much to be proud

:13:05.:13:10.

of in Scotland, and I and your government are determined to make it

:13:11.:13:16.

even more consistently bettdr, so supports this motion, and the

:13:17.:13:19.

amendment. Thank you. Thank you Maureen. Tony McCandless will move

:13:20.:13:27.

the amendment to be followed by Michelle Campbell, who will speak in

:13:28.:13:32.

favour of the resolution. Tony. Thank you, Derek. Good mornhng,

:13:33.:13:39.

conference. My branch is very honoured to have amongst its

:13:40.:13:42.

membership many people that spend their time caring for others. I

:13:43.:13:49.

would like to make a note to conference that they are part of an

:13:50.:13:52.

NHS system in this country that we should be damp rather. Thesd are

:13:53.:14:00.

amazing people. APPLAUSE And they felt that they werd

:14:01.:14:04.

certainly behind the resolution here. They believe it is long

:14:05.:14:08.

overdue, the work taking pl`ce is fantastic. But there was also a part

:14:09.:14:16.

of dementia that impacts not simply the person suffering from

:14:17.:14:20.

themselves, but very much ilpacts the family around them, and it is,

:14:21.:14:26.

as has been said, a terminal condition. And sometimes it is when

:14:27.:14:30.

you reach the end of that journey that families need assistance, to be

:14:31.:14:37.

able to know what to expect, and how to react, and therefore the branch

:14:38.:14:42.

felt that we wanted to incltde education for families and carers

:14:43.:14:47.

both on the nature and the needs of people who are coming to thd end of

:14:48.:14:54.

their lives suffering from dementia. And on a personal basis, I have seen

:14:55.:14:59.

two parents pass away, and ht would have been helpful, I think, for

:15:00.:15:04.

somebody to tell me, you know, what I could expect, but also how I could

:15:05.:15:09.

best help them make a graceful exit, and therefore the amendment that has

:15:10.:15:13.

been proposed, and thankfully accepted, is really to help the

:15:14.:15:16.

families as well as the people. Thank you for your time this

:15:17.:15:21.

morning, conference. APPLAUSE Thank you very much, Tony. @nd

:15:22.:15:27.

Michelle Campbell to speak hn favour of the resolution to be followed by

:15:28.:15:30.

Hazel Gardner, who will also speak in favour of the resolution. Please

:15:31.:15:36.

welcome Michelle, who is a first-time speaker at conference,

:15:37.:15:39.

and also a mental health nurse in the NHS. APPLAUSE

:15:40.:15:45.

Thank you, convenor, and good morning conference. When I read this

:15:46.:15:50.

resolution, it really poured my heartstrings. I have specialised in

:15:51.:15:53.

the care of the older adult, and maturity by choice, I might add for

:15:54.:15:58.

a number of years. I am working in the NHS. I believe as a sochety and

:15:59.:16:04.

we need to be more informed and more supportive of individuals in the

:16:05.:16:08.

community. I have had hundrdds of patients coming into my card, and

:16:09.:16:12.

the teams have worked in, and some of those needs can be reallx complex

:16:13.:16:20.

and distressing. I still fedl that dementia is an illness we tried to

:16:21.:16:23.

hide from until it is in thd forefront of our mind because there

:16:24.:16:27.

is a fear of the loss of a person. And we can't continue to kedp facing

:16:28.:16:32.

it in that way. I am very privileged in the job that I do that I get to

:16:33.:16:37.

nurse people at end stage of their illness, and there has to bd dignity

:16:38.:16:42.

in dying. I feel that the individual's personality max feel

:16:43.:16:45.

that it has disintegrated for those who have known them to their lives

:16:46.:16:49.

but when I am nursing them hn those end moment and I say the sm`ll

:16:50.:16:52.

things I have seen in that individual and the family slile I

:16:53.:16:55.

am able to give them that moment because they see that part hs still

:16:56.:16:58.

there. I would like us for ` society to embrace dementia until wd find a

:16:59.:17:03.

cure to be able to give thel the support and together with the fear

:17:04.:17:07.

that they feel as well. Thank you very much, please support this

:17:08.:17:09.

resolution. APPLAUSE Thank you, Michelle. Hazel Gardner

:17:10.:17:17.

to speak in favour of the resolution. This is also Hazel's

:17:18.:17:21.

first time speaking at confdrence as well, so please give her a warm

:17:22.:17:25.

welcome. APPLAUSE To be followed by Dr Maggie

:17:26.:17:30.

Robertson. Thank you, Derek, I will try to keep within time and not get

:17:31.:17:35.

a red light. I am looking ott on a sea of faces. Amongst those faces, I

:17:36.:17:41.

know there are many people who are in a position of knowing soleone

:17:42.:17:48.

with dementia. We have heard today that dementia is a terminal illness,

:17:49.:17:54.

we have heard that dementia is impacting on society more and more,

:17:55.:17:58.

and I want to just bring it down to the very, very personal. And I just

:17:59.:18:04.

want to share with you a story of the Lady I call my AJ. That is sort

:18:05.:18:12.

-- short for aunt Jean, who was my Mum's best friend, and she still is.

:18:13.:18:19.

She was a scientist. She worked for British rail in the laboratories,

:18:20.:18:23.

she bought me my first dog, she bought me my first gold bracelet.

:18:24.:18:30.

She provided fun and endless support, and when my mum didd, she

:18:31.:18:37.

begets my second mum. So my AJ is enormously important in my life but

:18:38.:18:42.

that is not why I wanted to share with you simply for personal

:18:43.:18:49.

reasons, the journey that you go on when somebody suffers from dementia,

:18:50.:18:57.

for my AJ it went like this, she was a scientist, she netted change. She

:18:58.:19:01.

found it fascinating. She would look at the way her memory was f`iling,

:19:02.:19:04.

she would look at the fact she could not find the keys or the cigarettes,

:19:05.:19:12.

or anything like that any more. She would look at how her emotions were

:19:13.:19:18.

changing, and she got a powdr of attorney through her lawyer to take

:19:19.:19:22.

air of things because she h`d no children, and her cousin was in New

:19:23.:19:29.

Zealand. In a sense, I am hdr closest relative, although H'm not a

:19:30.:19:32.

relative, and that puts people like me in a very particular sittation.

:19:33.:19:37.

We hear about how people ard impacted by this. That is not just

:19:38.:19:44.

the family, but can I impress the need for support for familids,

:19:45.:19:48.

except sure, it is absolutely vital. I have had tremendous support from

:19:49.:19:55.

the house where my aunt is being taken care of. She fought a great

:19:56.:19:58.

fight but eventually her illness became so severe that she h`d to

:19:59.:20:05.

give up her independence, and she had to give up her pets, and she had

:20:06.:20:11.

to move into care accommodation And she is excellently cared for, I

:20:12.:20:15.

can't thank the staff enough for the care they take of her. But H didn't

:20:16.:20:20.

know what kind of dementia she had, I didn't know what stages she was

:20:21.:20:24.

in, and it took a lot of working to and fro between the house and I to

:20:25.:20:30.

understand my place in her life and to understand that, for me to

:20:31.:20:38.

understand her place in lifd. I support this motion, becausd as a

:20:39.:20:42.

community, we care for people, whether it is our neighbours, our

:20:43.:20:49.

AJs, whether it is our own lum, or whether it is other relativds. And I

:20:50.:20:56.

just want to say to conference that this motion is vitally important.

:20:57.:21:02.

Dignity in dying is vitally important. Support the motion,

:21:03.:21:12.

support my AJ. Thank you. APPLAUSE And Dr Maggie Robertson will speak

:21:13.:21:23.

in favour of the resolution. Maggie is a dementia researcher and a

:21:24.:21:26.

first-time speaker also. Th`nks Derek. Good morning conference, I

:21:27.:21:35.

have been working in Tampa hn various guises, first as a nurse,

:21:36.:21:41.

then a lecturer, then as a researcher. I am very proud to say

:21:42.:21:44.

that Scotland continues to lead the way in dementia care across the UK

:21:45.:21:49.

but improvements can and nedd to be made. My aim is to

:21:50.:21:57.

an area not always given full attention. It is not hard for us to

:21:58.:22:02.

understand that for each person living with dementia and thd family

:22:03.:22:08.

members, their experience of dementia will be different, not

:22:09.:22:11.

least because there are a ntmber of different types of dementia but not

:22:12.:22:15.

everyone will have the same symptoms or share the same experiencds.

:22:16.:22:23.

However, it is often not recognised that the fears and expectathons of

:22:24.:22:27.

the person living with dementia and other family members will also be

:22:28.:22:34.

unique. And it is the uniqudness of these expectations, their fdars and

:22:35.:22:40.

concerns, that ultimately m`nifest as a unmet needs, which may be

:22:41.:22:45.

emotional and all education`l. Posted diagnostic support ndeds to

:22:46.:22:50.

be able to address these nedds more. One important emotional need

:22:51.:22:56.

currently being reported is the need to have time alone with the care

:22:57.:23:01.

provider. No one asks me how I'm doing is a phrase heard oftdn from

:23:02.:23:08.

spouses. Care is often seen to be directed only to the person with

:23:09.:23:12.

dementia. Given the time thdy need, individuals would have a safe space

:23:13.:23:17.

to get things off their chest, talk things through with a dementia nurse

:23:18.:23:21.

or support worker a loan th`t they feel they would offend her or anger

:23:22.:23:25.

their significant other. Having this time could provide opportunhties to

:23:26.:23:34.

discuss and explore and unddrstand people's expectations around

:23:35.:23:34.

palliative care or end of lhfe care. Besides wanting to know mord about

:23:35.:23:45.

what to expect as dementia progresses, people often sax things

:23:46.:23:49.

like, it doesn't kill you, does it? Most don't view dementia is a

:23:50.:23:53.

illness. Other educational `spects include requests for genetic

:23:54.:23:57.

testing, risk estimates, iddas about how to reduce a person's risk. So

:23:58.:24:03.

attending to a person or falily s needs post-diagnostic support will

:24:04.:24:07.

have to tailor the response in more bespoke ways. Care providers will

:24:08.:24:11.

need adequate knowledge to respond to family requests for some

:24:12.:24:16.

families, support will need to continue beyond the current time

:24:17.:24:19.

frames to ensure that familhes receive the help they need `t the

:24:20.:24:23.

time they need it and at thd that suits them. Conference, ple`se

:24:24.:24:27.

support the resolution and hts amendments. Thank you, Magghe. I

:24:28.:24:37.

have time for one more speaker in favour of the resolution, Dtncan

:24:38.:24:47.

Ross. Please come forward. Good for you, you were lingering abott the

:24:48.:24:57.

stage, hopeful as ever. Thank you, Derek. Conference, dementia is not a

:24:58.:25:01.

disease from which you die. Dementia is a condition with which you live.

:25:02.:25:06.

That is the most important lesson I have learned from caring for my

:25:07.:25:13.

Father over the last six ye`rs. My father was diagnosed about six years

:25:14.:25:19.

ago. I have managed his card first at home through the fantasthc

:25:20.:25:22.

self-directed support systel that the Scottish Government introduced,

:25:23.:25:25.

and more recently through hhs transition to a care home. H am a

:25:26.:25:32.

member of the national dementia carers action network. We are proud

:25:33.:25:37.

of the work the Scottish Government has done. Building the third

:25:38.:25:43.

strategy now puts Scotland well into the vanguard of looking aftdr people

:25:44.:25:54.

with dementia, providing post-diagnostic support is

:25:55.:25:56.

fantastic. But it is still very patchy, and I am here to encourage

:25:57.:26:02.

Maureen to make sure local authorities are delivering through

:26:03.:26:05.

the health and social care partnerships, which are really

:26:06.:26:07.

important in delivering for their families. The in-home support and

:26:08.:26:16.

adaptations are helpful, but I want to ask you all to recognise that it

:26:17.:26:19.

takes a community to look after people with dementia. I ask you all

:26:20.:26:25.

to go on the Alzheimer's Scotland website, become a dementia friend,

:26:26.:26:29.

educate yourself about what dementia looks like in people that you might

:26:30.:26:36.

see and not know that they have the condition. Become a dementi` friend

:26:37.:26:42.

and make our communities more involved. In the way that it takes a

:26:43.:26:46.

village to raise a child, it takes a community to look after people with

:26:47.:26:51.

dementia. So I am grateful to the Scottish Government for the things

:26:52.:26:54.

they are doing. I'm here to push them further and I want to dncourage

:26:55.:26:58.

all of you to recognise that dementia is part of all of our

:26:59.:27:02.

communities. So please take whatever steps you can to help it be a safer

:27:03.:27:07.

and better community for all of our older people. Thanks very mtch.

:27:08.:27:18.

Thank you, Duncan. Tony, wotld you wave your right to sum up? @nd

:27:19.:27:29.

Roderick, would you like to sum up? Happy to waive you're right. There

:27:30.:27:33.

is no opposition to the amendment, so by your applause, can yot show

:27:34.:27:36.

that the amendment is passed? Thank you. And is the resolution passed by

:27:37.:27:53.

Acclaim? It is. Moving to rdsolution 11 on litter, to be proposed by

:27:54.:27:59.

Linda Vine and seconded by Councillor Jeevan Blackett.

:28:00.:28:09.

Welcome, Lynne. Good morning, Derek. Good morning, conference. I will try

:28:10.:28:19.

not to speak too much rubbish this morning(!). I would like yot to do

:28:20.:28:24.

something for me first of all, though, and don't be shy. H`nds up

:28:25.:28:32.

if you drop litter regularlx. Hmm. I didn't think so. In fact, I speak to

:28:33.:28:36.

no one who does. Most peopld I speak to hate litter and complain about it

:28:37.:28:44.

loudly and vociferously. So who are these people who litter our streets,

:28:45.:28:49.

our beaches, our verges, our roundabouts? It definitely hsn't

:28:50.:28:53.

just young people, but whoever they are, they are making this country of

:28:54.:28:58.

ours less than beautiful. I would go so far as to say that in sole

:28:59.:29:03.

places, especially approachhng roundabouts, it looks like ` dump.

:29:04.:29:10.

And there is no thought givdn to the staff who have to collect it in

:29:11.:29:15.

these dangerous situations dither. It is a huge irritation to lany of

:29:16.:29:20.

us, but it is so much more than that. It is a huge cost to our

:29:21.:29:28.

country in terms of collecthon, in terms of tourist goodwill. We are

:29:29.:29:33.

losing millions of bottles `nd cans which could be recycled or reused.

:29:34.:29:39.

In a way, it almost undermines our sense of pride in our country. It is

:29:40.:29:44.

certainly embarrassing to host people from abroad, as I did this

:29:45.:29:47.

summer, touring around Scotland These were French people who, as you

:29:48.:29:52.

know, go out on loads of big picnics in family groups and when they

:29:53.:29:57.

finished, you would not know they had been there because they have a

:29:58.:30:00.

black bin bag. They fill it and take it away. But it wasn't alwaxs like

:30:01.:30:09.

that in France. When I was `bout 16, I remember it well. 30 years ago,

:30:10.:30:15.

the government sponsored a campaign around French pride. Unforttnately,

:30:16.:30:17.

I have not been able to gather the details of this campaign, btt

:30:18.:30:22.

whatever it is comprised of, it worked. Now people in Francd, as in

:30:23.:30:25.

most European countries, Australia and Canada, just don't think about

:30:26.:30:31.

dropping litter. It is not hn their psyche. So why is it in the Scottish

:30:32.:30:38.

and British psyche that we drink from a can, and we got bit when it

:30:39.:30:44.

is finished? We don't even look for a bit, and there are loads of bins.

:30:45.:30:54.

I am an Angus councillor, and like all councillors just now, wd are

:30:55.:30:58.

having to take horrible dechsions about redesigning services `nd

:30:59.:31:03.

cutting services. While our collection of litter just ottside

:31:04.:31:06.

our eight secondary schools costs 75,000 per annum. On top of that,

:31:07.:31:13.

you have the cost of emptying litter bins, clear and staff etc, 0.8

:31:14.:31:20.

million. We are a small authority. Our costs for cleaning just a

:31:21.:31:24.

portion of the red 90 are about half a million. -- the red 90. When you

:31:25.:31:30.

multiply all of that all ovdr the country, it comes to between ?5

:31:31.:31:36.

million and ?56 million per annum. And that should make us angry in the

:31:37.:31:40.

days of austerity. It is unacceptable. So far, our lhtter

:31:41.:31:51.

strategy seems to be about giving responsibility to keep Scotland

:31:52.:31:54.

beautiful to charity to org`nise litter the country is. Don't get me

:31:55.:31:57.

wrong, I don't want to crithcise their efforts, because therd are

:31:58.:32:04.

loads of people cleaning be`ches, parks, towns. But they cannot take

:32:05.:32:09.

on the huge and dangerous t`sk of the verges and roundabouts. In

:32:10.:32:16.

essence, they are only doing a sticking plaster job. What we need

:32:17.:32:20.

is for people to drop far ldss bitter and stop selling the beauty

:32:21.:32:25.

of our country. -- they shotld stop dropping litter. But how do we do

:32:26.:32:31.

that? It has been talked about for long enough. I think we need to

:32:32.:32:37.

employ psychologists and PR experts to think up a national camp`ign for

:32:38.:32:45.

us, based on Scottish pride. We have had lots of wonderful ppbs, so we

:32:46.:32:51.

know we have the expertise. There has been a considerable amotnt done

:32:52.:32:56.

in primary schools over the years, but that can only work if the adult

:32:57.:33:03.

role models from them is a family and community are reached through

:33:04.:33:06.

this campaign. Don't throw `way your future could be a slogan, btt I will

:33:07.:33:16.

leave that to the experts. Please support this motion. Thank xou,

:33:17.:33:20.

Lynne. Can I copy and Lynn that Platt was exactly five minutes, so

:33:21.:33:24.

that was perfectly on time. For those delegates that were not here

:33:25.:33:28.

yesterday, I am being disciplined and ruthless with the magic button

:33:29.:33:32.

that cuts off the mike if speakers go over the time. But peopld have

:33:33.:33:40.

been very good this morning. Thank you, Derek. I hear what you say It

:33:41.:33:46.

wasn't personal! Conference, good morning. I am lucky enough to have

:33:47.:33:51.

been elected to represent one of the most stunningly beautiful areas of

:33:52.:34:02.

our country. Tourism is vit`l to our economy. My husband has unofficially

:34:03.:34:05.

adopted the roadside between home and Braemar, which is exactly 2 2

:34:06.:34:13.

miles. And he regularly collects a carrier bag and more of rubbish in

:34:14.:34:17.

most weeks. It is mostly food and drink containers, bought locally and

:34:18.:34:27.

then discarded when consumed. 2 2 miles outside each village, it is

:34:28.:34:30.

the same, because that is how long it takes to eat crisps and drink

:34:31.:34:36.

Coke and out of the window. We live in a national park. We are so have

:34:37.:34:43.

campers who stop overnight on attractive roadside areas of grass.

:34:44.:34:48.

But some then leave behind some or all of their waste, and somdtimes,

:34:49.:34:54.

that includes the tenth, thd deckchair, the air bed and worse,

:34:55.:35:02.

sometimes even discarded neddles. This is not responsible camping so

:35:03.:35:06.

they are breaking the law. But who has the time or the resourcds to

:35:07.:35:12.

police this? What sort of example are these adults setting thd next

:35:13.:35:19.

generation, and what can be done? I agree with my colleague, and that is

:35:20.:35:23.

why I have agreed to second this resolution. We need a total change

:35:24.:35:29.

in mindset, a strategy designed as my colleague says, by psychologists

:35:30.:35:34.

and PR experts. We need to start in the primary schools, linked to the

:35:35.:35:42.

curriculum for excellence come because then we are educating the

:35:43.:35:46.

next generation. Perhaps a competition in each council area,

:35:47.:35:50.

sponsored by government, to come up with localised campaigns th`t

:35:51.:35:54.

resonate with locals and visitors alike, and make dumping litter as

:35:55.:35:59.

socially unacceptable as tobacco barons. I am very happy to second

:36:00.:36:09.

this. Thank you. Thank you, Geva. Michael Cate Campbell, who will

:36:10.:36:16.

speak in favour of the resolution. She is a first-time speaker, one of

:36:17.:36:20.

many fantastic first speakers at conference. Welcome. Thank xou,

:36:21.:36:28.

Derek. Conference, there is nothing I disagree with in this resolution,

:36:29.:36:35.

but there is something misshng. Tourism and the money it brhngs into

:36:36.:36:40.

our economy is of course important. But our own communities must be

:36:41.:36:44.

forgotten. The areas that are worst affected by litter tend be the

:36:45.:36:47.

communities that score the highest on things like Scottish inddx of

:36:48.:36:52.

multiple deprivation. Communities that have suffered neglect from

:36:53.:36:57.

successive Labour led counchls. In the constituency that I livd in in

:36:58.:37:01.

Edinburgh East and, there is an excellent charity called colmunity

:37:02.:37:04.

renewal who are doing local working some of our most deprived

:37:05.:37:14.

communities. They are knockhng on doors and asking people, wh`t is

:37:15.:37:17.

good about your community? What is bad about your community, and what

:37:18.:37:23.

would you change? In one of these communities, rubbish came as the

:37:24.:37:26.

second-highest on the list of things that were bad. In the other

:37:27.:37:32.

community, it came first. A national awareness campaign is a good thing,

:37:33.:37:35.

but many people already havd a strong sense of civic pride. The

:37:36.:37:38.

problem is that they lack the tools as individuals to do somethhng about

:37:39.:37:44.

it, and they need help. Conference, we know that for many peopld, their

:37:45.:37:48.

main interaction with polithcs is through their experience of local

:37:49.:37:52.

services, and it is vital that we get this right. We must pledge next

:37:53.:37:56.

year, would we take over a great many councils, not just to `ddress

:37:57.:38:00.

the problem in the areas th`t shout the loudest, but also to address the

:38:01.:38:03.

problem in the areas where the need is greatest. Our environment has an

:38:04.:38:08.

effect on our mental and phxsical health and well-being, on how we

:38:09.:38:12.

feel about ourselves. It has a direct impact on our

:38:13.:38:16.

self-confidence, the confiddnce we have in our community and also the

:38:17.:38:19.

confidence that we have an ourselves as a nation.

:38:20.:38:27.

To become an independent cotntry. But for Scotland to become `n

:38:28.:38:33.

independent country, we need our citizens to believe that Scotland

:38:34.:38:38.

can be an independent country. Conference, pass this motion, but

:38:39.:38:43.

let's tackle litter not just for the tourist buffer ourselves. Ldt's sure

:38:44.:38:47.

the people of Scotland that the SNP will take on the issues that

:38:48.:38:51.

mattered to them and that ilpact on their everyday lives, and m`ke

:38:52.:38:54.

improvements to our communities that will give us confidence as ` nation.

:38:55.:38:58.

Thank you. APPLAUSE Thank you very much. There `re no

:38:59.:39:12.

cards in against, conferencd, does the resolution passed? APPL@USE

:39:13.:39:20.

It is and we now turn to resolution 12, becoming a good food nation to

:39:21.:39:24.

be proposed by Heather Anderson and seconded by Gale Ross, MSP.

:39:25.:39:40.

Welcome, Heather. APPLAUSE Has the time started. It has begun.

:39:41.:39:51.

Heather Anderson, organic f`rmer and campaigner for a better foods

:39:52.:39:55.

assistance in Scotland. I w`nt to thank Richard Lochhead, our previous

:39:56.:39:58.

Cabinet secretary on food and environment because he did `ll the

:39:59.:40:01.

groundwork of this bill and Richard understood that food was thd vehicle

:40:02.:40:06.

that brought together land reform, community empowerment, health and

:40:07.:40:09.

food citizenship, so thanks Richard, we will carry on the good work. So

:40:10.:40:14.

why do we need a good food bill now? We live in revolutionary tiles,

:40:15.:40:20.

three times over. Firstly, we are living in revolutionary timds

:40:21.:40:23.

because the way we farm is `bout to fundamentally change. We know that

:40:24.:40:27.

chemical farming is destroyhng our topsoil. 40% of the antibiotics used

:40:28.:40:34.

in Europe are used in livestock and human resistance to antibiotics is

:40:35.:40:37.

compromising basic medical procedures. We have lost 50$ of our

:40:38.:40:42.

wildlife in the last 40 years. We are told that unless we change the

:40:43.:40:47.

way we farm, there are less than 100 harvests left in England, qtite

:40:48.:40:50.

simply, we can't keep wreckhng the joint. So the chemical revolution is

:40:51.:40:57.

failing and the smart money is on Agro ecology. Scotland is vdry well

:40:58.:41:03.

suited to it, we can do carbon neutral beef, we can do org`nic

:41:04.:41:07.

whiskey, we can do carbon ndutral dairy, we are sorted. Secondly we

:41:08.:41:11.

are living in revolutionary times because Brexit changes ever thing.

:41:12.:41:15.

The loss of capital payments immediately wipes 20% out of farming

:41:16.:41:21.

income in Scotland, 20% of the money in Scottish farming is from Europe.

:41:22.:41:27.

75% of the net income in Scottish farming is subsidy, so leavhng

:41:28.:41:29.

Europe is potentially life-threatening for farming. This

:41:30.:41:36.

year, the sub city payments were a few months late, in three ydars

:41:37.:41:38.

time they will be gone, everything we previously believed to bd true

:41:39.:41:42.

about farming in Scotland h`s just been tipped on the floor. In the

:41:43.:41:45.

Brexit referendum, we were `ssured that Defra would save us, btt that

:41:46.:41:49.

would be a bit like believing the big numbers on the big red bus that

:41:50.:41:57.

Boris used to drive round. So anyone who believes... APPLAUSE

:41:58.:42:01.

Anyone who believes with -- that the Westminster Treasury will hdlp

:42:02.:42:06.

Scottish hill farmers in thd politest possible terms needs their

:42:07.:42:10.

heads looked. Thirdly it is revolutionary times because Paris

:42:11.:42:13.

changes ever thing, the Parhs climate change agreement ch`nge the

:42:14.:42:17.

future, and Scotland is now committed to world leading targets

:42:18.:42:20.

and reduce in carbon emissions by 50% by 2020. 22% of our emissions

:42:21.:42:28.

come from farming, mainly mdthane and nitrous oxide, so setting a

:42:29.:42:31.

nitrogen budget for Scotland and help meet those targets and it

:42:32.:42:37.

reduces our emissions in farming by reducing organically by 22%. We have

:42:38.:42:42.

a perfect storm, Brexit and climate change and chemical burn but we also

:42:43.:42:46.

have an amazing opportunity to do something world leading and radical.

:42:47.:42:50.

In revolutionary times it is sometimes good to remember some

:42:51.:42:55.

revolutionary thinkers. One such man was breaking ball and John Boyd all.

:42:56.:42:59.

A Nobel Peace Prize winner for his work on nutrition, an MP, a director

:43:00.:43:04.

of the food and agricultural organisation. John Boyd was a

:43:05.:43:08.

humanitarian, a teacher and somebody who did something radical about food

:43:09.:43:15.

in Scotland. In the 1920s hd proved the link between poverty and diet.

:43:16.:43:22.

John Boyd Orr completely understood you cannot bridge the attainment gap

:43:23.:43:27.

if you don't bridge the nutrition gap. He introduced school mhlk,

:43:28.:43:32.

saving the Scottish dairy industry. In 1936, this is the book that John

:43:33.:43:37.

Boyd Orr made the case for ` food plan based on nutritional ndeds His

:43:38.:43:42.

thinking and writing informdd rationing, and we have the best diet

:43:43.:43:46.

we have ever had during the war He set the gold standard for nttrition,

:43:47.:43:52.

saying basically there should be the best standard for nutrition would be

:43:53.:43:58.

that you could not improve xour health by eating better. It is fair

:43:59.:44:04.

to say that John Boyd Orr would be horrified by food banks in Scotland.

:44:05.:44:09.

So let's on John Boyd Orr whth this bill. This bill must be world

:44:10.:44:14.

leading, like climate changd and land reform and it must be

:44:15.:44:18.

crosscutting. Not just about farming. It must link climate change

:44:19.:44:26.

with land use. We must shapd our new agricultural policy. We must support

:44:27.:44:33.

farmers in what we want thel to do and pay them to do. It needs to

:44:34.:44:36.

engineer direct supply change between farmers and ourselvds to

:44:37.:44:42.

reduce waste and to end food poverty in Scotland. The red button is

:44:43.:44:45.

going. The bill must be of hts time and speak to its time. It mtst

:44:46.:44:51.

address the agricultural tr`in wreck that is Brexit. Hold out hope for

:44:52.:44:55.

our farmers and we must all be involved in making sure it hs the

:44:56.:44:59.

best built it possibly could be Please make an old revolutionary

:45:00.:45:05.

proud. APPLAUSE Thank you, Heather. That was cutting

:45:06.:45:11.

it close to the wire there. The red light doesn't mean I'm moving on to

:45:12.:45:16.

conclude, it means you are `bout to get cut off. I'm sure that won't

:45:17.:45:20.

happen to Gale Ross MSP, who is seconding the resolution. Thank you.

:45:21.:45:32.

Conference, in our manifesto, we committed to bringing forward a good

:45:33.:45:35.

food bill. We want to build on the significant achievements th`t have

:45:36.:45:39.

been made since the first n`tional strategy in 2008, so how do we use

:45:40.:45:43.

our land and what grows on ht for the benefit of the people that live

:45:44.:45:47.

there? In Scotland we produce of the best food and drink in the world. We

:45:48.:45:52.

export our salmon and sea food, our whiskey and beef and lamb, `nd in a

:45:53.:45:56.

recent survey of the adult population, not everyone kndw that

:45:57.:46:00.

eggs came from chickens, or that beef cattle were different from

:46:01.:46:06.

dairy cattle. We have plentx of land, sea, growers, chefs and cooks,

:46:07.:46:10.

but many people, especially in more deprived areas, they lack connection

:46:11.:46:13.

to their food and where it comes from. We have drifted away from the

:46:14.:46:17.

notion that they can producd food themselves, and now they ard overly

:46:18.:46:20.

dependent on processed convdnience foods. Through the good food bill,

:46:21.:46:25.

we will draw together all the aspects of the Scottish Govdrnment's

:46:26.:46:29.

work on food and drink. We will look to strengthen the link betwden

:46:30.:46:35.

industry and the public sector, profession our food and drink

:46:36.:46:38.

strategy and look how procurement can be introduced to ensure that

:46:39.:46:44.

more Scottish projects is procured by local authorities and public

:46:45.:46:49.

bodies. We will look at food waste, food standards, and we will

:46:50.:46:52.

implement our good food nathon policy, drawing on the expertise of

:46:53.:46:55.

the Scottish food commission and the general public. Through the

:46:56.:47:01.

community empowerment act wd will cease to increase access -- sick to

:47:02.:47:04.

increase access to land the food growing purposes as part of our

:47:05.:47:08.

strong commitment to develop allotments and community gardens. We

:47:09.:47:12.

will appoint a national chef and set up a ?5 million fund to prolote

:47:13.:47:17.

Ireland and regional food and drink. Conference, it's time to talk and

:47:18.:47:21.

it's time to act. Heather c`ptured the moment perfectly in her intro

:47:22.:47:26.

and this is exactly what we need. Ideas input and vision. The food and

:47:27.:47:32.

drink industry employs over 350 000 people, and it is vital to the

:47:33.:47:37.

economic stability of the n`tion. We need to ensure growth, training

:47:38.:47:41.

opportunities, marketing strategy and encourage greater levels of

:47:42.:47:44.

research in order for the sdctor to prosper. And to the many thousands

:47:45.:47:49.

of workers from the EU countries that work in the industry, the

:47:50.:47:54.

message could not be clearer. You are not bargaining chips. Wd need

:47:55.:47:59.

you. You are valued. Scotland welcomes you. APPLAUSE

:48:00.:48:08.

Conference, child and adult obesity is rising rapidly around thd world.

:48:09.:48:13.

In 2014, 30 1% of Scotland's children were at risk at becoming

:48:14.:48:17.

overweight, and 70% were at the risk of becoming obese. It is about

:48:18.:48:22.

growing your own, it is abott every school growing and eating and

:48:23.:48:26.

selling their own progress. Not every school has an allotment and

:48:27.:48:30.

today I call on the Scottish Government to ensure policy is

:48:31.:48:34.

available so that every new school has the land to be able to grow

:48:35.:48:40.

their own food and learn about food. Conference, we want policy that

:48:41.:48:43.

reconnects the people. Sorrx, Gale, time is up, you want your! Thank you

:48:44.:48:51.

APPLAUSE I'll pay for that. The next speaker

:48:52.:48:58.

in favour of the resolution is John Gilchrist. John, can you cole

:48:59.:49:02.

forward? I understand you promote and eat yourself healthy programme.

:49:03.:49:10.

And with your card you attach the programme for my attention. I don't

:49:11.:49:15.

know what he was trying to say, but welcome, John. APPLAUSE

:49:16.:49:24.

Good morning, conference. I bring you greetings from the largd branch

:49:25.:49:28.

down in North Ayrshire. I would like to support this very import`nt

:49:29.:49:34.

resolution. It recognises that the annual cost of the NHS to the

:49:35.:49:39.

country is ?13 billion a ye`r and rising. It recognises that over 60%

:49:40.:49:50.

of ill health is diet and lhfestyle related. That's how important food

:49:51.:49:57.

is. We increasingly hear about all of the toxic chemical residtes in

:49:58.:50:02.

the food in our supermarket shelves. And the trouble is mostly wd do not

:50:03.:50:08.

know what we're eating. We do not know how many of the ingredhents

:50:09.:50:15.

were genetically modified. We do not know how contaminated the soil was

:50:16.:50:20.

it was groaning. Or how oftdn they crop was sprayed in the field. Or

:50:21.:50:26.

what chemicals have been added to it during the processing and p`ckaging.

:50:27.:50:32.

So we cannot know how healthy or unhealthy the food is, unless,

:50:33.:50:38.

whenever possible, we buy organic food. Free from chemical residues.

:50:39.:50:45.

We buy local food, so we know where it has come from. And, whendver

:50:46.:50:53.

possible, we cook from fresh, we don't use processed food. I know

:50:54.:50:59.

that many people think organic food is expensive, but if we eat

:51:00.:51:04.

nutritional food, we only e`t half as much. We actually save money And

:51:05.:51:12.

it is our best investment in ensuring the health of our family.

:51:13.:51:18.

But who is to blame for the cheap food that we find in the shops? The

:51:19.:51:24.

ridiculous agricultural polhcy from Brussels, which encouraged farmers

:51:25.:51:30.

to buy ridiculously big tractors that crushed the life out of the

:51:31.:51:35.

soil and inject toxic residtes into the food chain? Or do we bl`me

:51:36.:51:42.

Westminster and Holyrood, why have they not sorted this out? Or do we

:51:43.:51:48.

blame the supermarkets for filling their shelves with poor quality

:51:49.:51:54.

food? But they only stock what we buy. Actually, I am responshble you

:51:55.:52:04.

are responsible, you are to blame. Every time we enter a shop we

:52:05.:52:10.

determined by what we buy the agricultural policies of Scotland.

:52:11.:52:17.

And every time we buy local, we strengthen the Scottish economy and

:52:18.:52:25.

create jobs. As a good food nation, Scotland is well able to be

:52:26.:52:30.

self-sufficient in food. Thhs bill will enable each one of us to step

:52:31.:52:35.

up to the mark, take responsibility for our family's health and take

:52:36.:52:41.

responsibility for developing a vibrant and robust Scottish economy.

:52:42.:52:47.

Conference, I urge you to stpport the motion. APPLAUSE

:52:48.:52:54.

Thank you, John. Our final speaker on this resolution will be Tom Gray,

:52:55.:53:11.

a farmer and counsellor. Welcome, Tom. I saw a girl cut off there I

:53:12.:53:30.

hope I can carry on. Anyway, a good food nation is dependent on an

:53:31.:53:33.

enthusiastic population, skhlled in all levels of food production. Yet

:53:34.:53:37.

there is a distinct scarcitx of people to produce food. How can that

:53:38.:53:43.

be? We have schools and colleges at all levels, offering training in

:53:44.:53:49.

food production. 85% of our land is a less favoured area, more suited to

:53:50.:53:52.

livestock rearing and we ard an animal loving nation. The s`d truth

:53:53.:53:57.

is that there is a distinct lack of appropriate opportunity, lack of

:53:58.:54:03.

appropriate rural housing and lack of available land. Time and again, I

:54:04.:54:06.

hear the call for more people to join the farming industry. The

:54:07.:54:11.

government does, the farming industry does. Yet curiouslx,

:54:12.:54:15.

industry leaders persistently call for the scrapping of agricultural

:54:16.:54:21.

wages. How many students do you suppose studied agriculture with the

:54:22.:54:24.

ambition to work for someond else? I think they would rather go hnto

:54:25.:54:29.

agricultural College and le`rn about food production because thex wish to

:54:30.:54:31.

produce food for themselves and their communities. It is cldar to me

:54:32.:54:36.

that they invariably aspire to farm on their own account. But what

:54:37.:54:41.

chance? Available farms and subsidies are gobbled up by

:54:42.:54:49.

established farmers. Land is developed into suburbia likd hamlets

:54:50.:54:51.

for semi retired people. Farm cottages become holiday homds. Where

:54:52.:54:58.

do you suppose rural workers go Affordable homes in the nearest

:54:59.:55:03.

village? In effect, that is more subsidy to landowners. Is it any

:55:04.:55:11.

wonder our own fit and able turn their back on the farming industry?

:55:12.:55:15.

Is it any wonder our fruit `nd vegetable growers are dependent on

:55:16.:55:19.

migrant workers? Is it any wonder tractor drivers are thin on the

:55:20.:55:22.

ground and shepherds are like hens teeth? All my life, I have witnessed

:55:23.:55:28.

the needless loss of enterprise and generations have been denied the

:55:29.:55:30.

opportunity to produce and develop food products from their beloved

:55:31.:55:36.

countryside. Considering thd vast sums of public funds poured annually

:55:37.:55:40.

into the farming industry, this is a disgrace. We are seeking to become a

:55:41.:55:45.

good food nation, and I belheve we should and we can. We must dig deep

:55:46.:55:49.

into the real needs of people who are keen to contribute and stop

:55:50.:55:53.

pandering to the greed and complacency of those alreadx there.

:55:54.:56:03.

Give these people their own hill and Glen and home in the countrxside.

:56:04.:56:08.

Radical land reform with tedth on taxation and planning poliches all

:56:09.:56:12.

have their place in creating opportunities for enterprisd to

:56:13.:56:15.

maximise the diversity and sustainability of a good food

:56:16.:56:32.

nation. Perfect. Thank you. Can we move straight to decision? Hs the

:56:33.:56:42.

resolution passed by a clail? - acclaim. It is. Resolution 03,

:56:43.:56:47.

welfare powers devolved to the Scottish parliament, will bd

:56:48.:56:51.

proposed by Sandra White MSP and seconded by Francis Morrison. Sandra

:56:52.:57:01.

White. Thank you. Good mornhng, conference. As convener of the

:57:02.:57:05.

social security committee in the Scottish Parliament, it is ly

:57:06.:57:10.

committee post my job to scrutinise the new social security bill. When I

:57:11.:57:14.

talk about scrutiny, I mean we need to look at this to make surd we get

:57:15.:57:21.

the best policy for all of our people who are on benefits. And we

:57:22.:57:24.

need to treat them with dignity and respect. That is the only w`y to go

:57:25.:57:32.

forward. I want to thank thd ministers for the work they have

:57:33.:57:37.

done and all the people who have put forward their ideas and givdn

:57:38.:57:41.

evidence to the committee. They have been very helpful. You will

:57:42.:57:47.

understand that the Scottish parliament only has 15% of the

:57:48.:57:51.

powers of welfare devolved. Whilst we would have liked 100%, or we only

:57:52.:57:57.

have 15%. Westminster reserves the right of 85%. That is difficult but

:57:58.:58:03.

it is something we will work around and we were ensure that the powers

:58:04.:58:06.

we have devolved to the Scottish Parliament will work for thd people

:58:07.:58:10.

of Scotland and make sure they get a fair system and a better system

:58:11.:58:17.

Conference, it has been said that people will no longer have to have

:58:18.:58:23.

an assessment because of a long term condition. Assessments are something

:58:24.:58:30.

that cause a lot of problems, as do sanctions, for people with

:58:31.:58:38.

disabilities. I would take Damian Green's words just now, but there

:58:39.:58:41.

are questions to be answered about that. What constitutes a long term

:58:42.:58:46.

conditions? We can see physhcal illness, but we can't always see

:58:47.:58:54.

mental illness. Assessments and sanctions are causing great

:58:55.:58:58.

difficulty for our most vulnerable citizens, particularly thosd with

:58:59.:59:02.

mental health problems. In some cases, it is killing them. H have a

:59:03.:59:08.

case in my constituency where this unfortunately did happen. A man was

:59:09.:59:15.

sanctioned. The only way thdy found out that he didn't turn up for his

:59:16.:59:18.

assessment was when they broke down the door and unfortunately, the man

:59:19.:59:23.

was there. He didn't survivd. He had no money. Is that the kind of

:59:24.:59:27.

country we want to live in? Absolutely not. When people are

:59:28.:59:30.

sanctioned because they havd mental health problems in the diffhcult

:59:31.:59:39.

lifestyle? And I cannot put themselves forward for assessment,

:59:40.:59:43.

so they cut their money. Thhs poor gentleman had no money whatsoever

:59:44.:59:50.

for food or anything else. He is not the only one. There are lots of

:59:51.:59:53.

people like that, and we nedd to make sure we stop that. That is why

:59:54.:00:01.

I want to make sure this resolution is talking about the diffictlties of

:00:02.:00:06.

mental health. People who present themselves with mental health

:00:07.:00:09.

issues, or even don't present themselves with mental health issues

:00:10.:00:12.

because they feel that they are all right, they don't have a phxsical

:00:13.:00:18.

disability. They may present themselves and they are find, but

:00:19.:00:21.

once they go through that assessment and once they get sanctioned, they

:00:22.:00:28.

cannot go back again. That hs why this resolution is here, to make

:00:29.:00:30.

sure that people who do havd mental health issues who have more

:00:31.:00:36.

difficulty than others with physical disabilities are treated in the best

:00:37.:00:41.

way possible. I know our ministers will do that. I hope people are

:00:42.:00:53.

treated with dignity and respect. I have issued this resolution today

:00:54.:00:56.

for the sake of all the people out there who have mental health

:00:57.:00:59.

problems and do present thelselves and who get sanctioned. We have the

:01:00.:01:06.

responsibility to ensure thdse people are treated as everyone else,

:01:07.:01:09.

with respect and dignity. Thank you very much. Thank you, Sandr`. And to

:01:10.:01:19.

second this, Francis Morrison and Pam Mitchell will speak in favour of

:01:20.:01:30.

the resolution. Francis is ` first-time speaker. Welcome. As a

:01:31.:01:38.

health care worker, I have witnessed the emotional devastation pdople

:01:39.:01:41.

with mental illness experience when involved with the benefits system.

:01:42.:01:45.

The fear of the brown envelope hitting the doormat, the te`rs, the

:01:46.:01:50.

shaking hands and worse can occur as frequently as every three months

:01:51.:01:54.

when reassessments are calldd for. Reassessments done by doctors who

:01:55.:01:58.

are not psychiatrists and do not know the patient, nor do thdy seek

:01:59.:02:02.

the guidance of the general practitioner. We call upon our

:02:03.:02:09.

government when ESA and PIP devolved to give people with mental health

:02:10.:02:13.

issues the dignity they desdrve to reject the Tory template of

:02:14.:02:18.

operation mastered by Iain Duncan Smith and stamp compassion `nd

:02:19.:02:23.

dignity through their decishons and practices. I am happy to second this

:02:24.:02:39.

motion. Thank you, Frances. And in speaking less than I thought you

:02:40.:02:43.

might have done, we were just wait a moment for Pam Mitchell, who will

:02:44.:02:50.

speak in favour of the resolution, to be followed by Lackey McNeill,

:02:51.:02:57.

who will speak in favour of the resolution. And Angela Crawley, MP,

:02:58.:03:02.

stands by to support the resolution also. Please welcome Pam Mitchell.

:03:03.:03:15.

Thank you. Good morning, conference. This particular resolution hs close

:03:16.:03:22.

to my heart. I am ex-RAF, and too many of my colleagues who h`ve PTSD,

:03:23.:03:29.

which is a mental health condition, ended up on when -- on welf`re and

:03:30.:03:37.

then promptly had their income from welfare sanctioned. I know two, who

:03:38.:03:43.

will not mention for family reasons, who commit suicide. This cannot be

:03:44.:03:48.

acceptable in this day and `ge. It simply can't. Intimidating `ssessors

:03:49.:04:03.

who, when they do the assessment, failed to put all of the information

:04:04.:04:11.

in their report. Consequently, people who are on DLA or PIP either

:04:12.:04:15.

have it taken away completely or it is reduced dramatically to the point

:04:16.:04:20.

where they have to choose bdtween food or hit. Again, not accdptable

:04:21.:04:30.

-- they have to choose betwden food or heat. Humiliation at varhous

:04:31.:04:37.

assessments. People with conditions like blood cancer, not being

:04:38.:04:46.

recognised as a disease that is terminal in many cases. The constant

:04:47.:04:51.

assessment, the constant having to prove your disability, parthcularly

:04:52.:04:57.

when it is mental health, and I worked in pharmaceutical mental

:04:58.:05:00.

health. You cannot expect to treat people that way and for thel to

:05:01.:05:09.

survive. I therefore welcomd the new powers of the Scottish Government

:05:10.:05:12.

and I hope they will address some of these issues. There are so lany

:05:13.:05:18.

things I could talk about, but I don't have time. But when a friend

:05:19.:05:23.

of mine who has had no legs from birth is denied DLA, there hs

:05:24.:05:37.

something very, very wrong. I think we all need to be aware that mental

:05:38.:05:44.

health isn't always visible. So look out for one another. Look for the

:05:45.:05:48.

signs, learn about it and ghve them your support. But most importantly,

:05:49.:05:56.

please support this motion. Thank you, Pam. And to speak in f`vour of

:05:57.:06:10.

the resolution, Lachie McNehll. He will be followed by Angela Crawley.

:06:11.:06:21.

Conference, there are three reasons for passing this resolution. The

:06:22.:06:29.

first is that it sets an objective which is both good and important.

:06:30.:06:37.

The second is that it is an objective which is now capable of

:06:38.:06:48.

being achieved and implemented. And the third is that whenever the

:06:49.:06:54.

Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government used the powers that are

:06:55.:07:01.

at their disposal to make Scotland a better country, we take one step

:07:02.:07:06.

closer to that day when the people of this nation demand to take full

:07:07.:07:13.

responsibility for their cotntry's future and for their countrx's

:07:14.:07:17.

engagement with the rest of the world. Support the resolution.

:07:18.:07:30.

Angela Crawley will speak in favour of the resolution, to be followed by

:07:31.:07:37.

Emma Cunningham. Angela Crawley MP. APPLAUSE

:07:38.:07:45.

Conference, I would like to start by saying thank you, first ball to

:07:46.:07:48.

right for opening this motion and thank you to my colleague 's, the

:07:49.:07:54.

MSP 's and Scottish Governmdnt ministers in Holyrood, for work that

:07:55.:08:00.

they do each and every day, and the work that they have undertaken to

:08:01.:08:04.

build a new social security system is not an easy task. Designhng a new

:08:05.:08:10.

system that offers dignity `nd respect as its hallmark is ` huge

:08:11.:08:16.

challenge, but it is an ambhtion, an ambition that every governmdnt

:08:17.:08:23.

should have. Now, it's a sad reality that this UK Government does not

:08:24.:08:30.

have this in its priorities. It does not consider this its first

:08:31.:08:33.

priority. That is a damning indictment of our UK Governlent

:08:34.:08:40.

APPLAUSE As the SNP spokesperson at

:08:41.:08:45.

Westminster for women and epuality is, this week has been one of the

:08:46.:08:50.

highlights since being elected, as I and my fellow SNP MPs from `cross

:08:51.:08:53.

this country and it over thousands upon thousands of signatures, on the

:08:54.:09:02.

half of all SP women, while on the other hand I have never been prouder

:09:03.:09:07.

to represent my constituents in Lanark and Hamilton East, and while

:09:08.:09:10.

I have never been prouder to make Scotland's was heard, one thing is

:09:11.:09:17.

clear. This UK Tory austerity of first government to not havd their

:09:18.:09:22.

priorities right, whether it is Brexit, state authorise drone

:09:23.:09:26.

strikes insular, renewable Trident nuclear weapons, is this re`lly a

:09:27.:09:31.

United Kingdom? One thing is for sure, Scotland, here in Scotland,

:09:32.:09:35.

the new powers through the Scotland Bill, we can start to changd and

:09:36.:09:39.

build the kind of society that we want to live in. 15% of Sochal

:09:40.:09:46.

Security powers cannot and will not mitigate for the worst effects of

:09:47.:09:48.

this Tory austerity obsessed government. 85% of the power

:09:49.:09:54.

continues to lie with Westmhnster, we still have no work to do. While

:09:55.:09:59.

80% of women are affected bx it Tory austerity cuts, hard-working

:10:00.:10:03.

families up and down this country are struggling to make ends meet. In

:10:04.:10:07.

my constituency one in five children grow up in poverty. That is one

:10:08.:10:12.

child to many, never mind the one in five. We have already heard about

:10:13.:10:15.

the devastating impact of mdntal ill health. As a child who lost their

:10:16.:10:22.

mum to suicide, we must get this right. Because inequality costs

:10:23.:10:28.

everyone in society, and we must get this right. So I trust that Scotland

:10:29.:10:34.

will chart its own course and that in the future we must evolvd each

:10:35.:10:39.

and every aspect of the Dep`rtment for Work and Pensions to Scotland.

:10:40.:10:42.

Let's get this right. Thank you Angela. CHEERING

:10:43.:10:49.

Thank you, Angela, and our final speaker on this resolution hs Emily

:10:50.:10:57.

cunning ham from the London branch, who is a first-time speaker, so

:10:58.:11:07.

welcome Emily. Hello, conference. The current tick box system of work

:11:08.:11:13.

capability assessment is fahling those with crippling or fluctuating

:11:14.:11:16.

mental health problems, which means sufferers can be. Like when they are

:11:17.:11:20.

completely psychologically tnfit to do so. Mental health problels are

:11:21.:11:25.

not always obvious. People with depression don't always go `round

:11:26.:11:29.

looking sad, people with obsessive-compulsive disorddr that

:11:30.:11:31.

necessarily have an urge to wash their hands all the time. I myself

:11:32.:11:35.

had battled with a mental hdalth problems eight years but I `m lucky

:11:36.:11:39.

I have managed to live and work with my condition. Others are not so

:11:40.:11:46.

lucky. That is why it is essential that we have a Social Securhty

:11:47.:11:49.

system that fully recognises mental health outcomes can have devastating

:11:50.:11:58.

impacts. The UK Government continue to ignore the evidence that these

:11:59.:12:03.

assessments are not fit for work. In stark contrast, the SNP govdrnment

:12:04.:12:06.

in Scotland have committed to creating a Social Security system

:12:07.:12:10.

with dignity and respect at its core. And they are consulting widely

:12:11.:12:14.

with a variety of sectors to ensure a system as robust and incltsive as

:12:15.:12:20.

possible. I fully trust the SNP government to deliver on thhs

:12:21.:12:23.

resolution and I want to th`nk the Kelvin branch for bringing this

:12:24.:12:26.

extremely important matter to the attention of conference, th`nk you.

:12:27.:12:33.

APPLAUSE Thank you, Emily. There are no cards

:12:34.:12:42.

in against. Sandra, are you willing to waive your right to sum tp? Yes,

:12:43.:12:49.

you are, thank you very much. So can I ask, conference, is the rdsolution

:12:50.:12:52.

passed by a claim? APPLAUSE Moving slightly ahead of schedule,

:12:53.:13:15.

which will take us to her sdssion on the work of our Westminster group. I

:13:16.:13:20.

am going to invite a number of MPs to join us, but who better to give

:13:21.:13:29.

the report, the update from our Westminster group than the new

:13:30.:13:33.

deputy leader of the Scottish National Party, please welcome Angus

:13:34.:13:34.

Robertson MP. APPLAUSE

:13:35.:13:54.

Thank you. Thank you very mtch. Thank you, colleagues. Thank you,

:13:55.:14:00.

thank you. Conference, it is a huge honour to be able to report on the

:14:01.:14:07.

work of the SNP in Westminster, the strong communities, effective

:14:08.:14:09.

opposition to the Tories in the House of Commons. Make no doubt that

:14:10.:14:16.

with Labour in disarray, it is only the SNP that will stand up for

:14:17.:14:20.

Scotland against this right wing Tory UK Government. APPLAUSD

:14:21.:14:33.

Indeed. And as we sort the votes of people in last year's gener`l

:14:34.:14:35.

election, we promised we wotld be stronger for Scotland and that is

:14:36.:14:39.

exactly what we have done. Hf you haven't already noticed, it its SNP

:14:40.:14:43.

's MPs who are leading from the front when it comes to the campaigns

:14:44.:14:47.

and to the causes that really, really matter. An example, Han

:14:48.:14:53.

Blackford took up the cause of the brain family, Greg, Catherine, and

:14:54.:14:59.

their sun block Lynn, who moved to Dingwall in 2011 on their student

:15:00.:15:05.

Visa, and who wanted to stax and contribute to Scotland. But they

:15:06.:15:09.

were told by the UK Governmdnt that they weren't welcome here. Han was a

:15:10.:15:16.

formidable opponent to this patented nonsense from the Home Office, and

:15:17.:15:21.

working with Scottish Government and First Minister Nicola Sturgdon, Ian

:15:22.:15:24.

was successful in his campahgn to win the right for the Brains to

:15:25.:15:29.

stay. I am very, very proud that we have MPs like Ian fighting for the

:15:30.:15:34.

people of Scotland, and I al very proud... APPLAUSE

:15:35.:15:42.

I am very proud that Greg, Catherine and Loch Lomond are with us here

:15:43.:15:47.

today. That show the Brain family a worm SNP conference welcome.

:15:48.:15:55.

CHEERING -- a warm welcome.

:15:56.:16:05.

Now it has not all been good news stories. The conflict has ldd to an

:16:06.:16:12.

unprecedented displacement of people. There is now huge global

:16:13.:16:18.

challenge and SNP MPs have been at the forefront of efforts to pressure

:16:19.:16:24.

the government to do more to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.

:16:25.:16:28.

There are almost 90,000 reftgee children alone in Europe without

:16:29.:16:30.

their families but the UK Government would not commit to putting a number

:16:31.:16:33.

one Hamley children they wotld give a home in the UK too. Joann` and

:16:34.:16:38.

Stuart have visited the camp at Calais and seeing the kids `ffected

:16:39.:16:42.

by this crisis. They have bden relentless in their efforts to

:16:43.:16:44.

secure protection for his children, and I know that they will continue

:16:45.:16:48.

their hard work to ensure that the UK Government takes a more humane

:16:49.:16:55.

approach to this crisis. Just last week SNP MPs delivered petitions to

:16:56.:16:57.

the House of Commons supporting thousands of women in Scotl`nd who

:16:58.:17:00.

will be affected by the UK Government's unfair pension changes.

:17:01.:17:04.

When Mhairi Black took up the cause of the Waspy women should ddlivered

:17:05.:17:09.

one of the most impassioned speeches in the House of Commons. Shd rightly

:17:10.:17:13.

accused the scoring governmdnt of the wrong priorities, of choosing to

:17:14.:17:18.

find billions of pounds the new nuclear weapons and said of choosing

:17:19.:17:20.

to provide some security and dignity to women in their time on. Ht is

:17:21.:17:25.

Mhairi Black and the SNP th`t had that fair solutions on the table,

:17:26.:17:30.

and the UK Government must `ct. Conference, we will never stop

:17:31.:17:33.

fighting for a fairer deal for the Waspy women and please show your

:17:34.:17:36.

appreciation to them and to Mhairi Black. CHEERING

:17:37.:17:49.

And, conference, I think we have to contrast the hard work of SNP MPs

:17:50.:17:56.

with what can only be called the shambles of the Labour Partx. As

:17:57.:18:01.

David Cameron sought approv`l for a bombing campaign in Syria, ht was

:18:02.:18:06.

the SNP that secured and led the cross-party opposition to the plans,

:18:07.:18:12.

whilst Labour fought with itself. As Labour let the Tories away with

:18:13.:18:15.

writing a blank cheque for the renewal of Trident, it was the SNP

:18:16.:18:18.

that have been the principldd opposition in Parliament. L`bour had

:18:19.:18:23.

the opposition to vote, havd the opportunity to vote down thd

:18:24.:18:27.

Tories's austerity Charter. They were found wanting and only the SNP

:18:28.:18:32.

have been clear and consistdnt in our opposition to Tory austdrity.

:18:33.:18:37.

And as we approach and expand's open statement the SNP will conthnue to

:18:38.:18:42.

argue for an end to austerity, that is damaging economic growth and

:18:43.:18:46.

public services, for meaningful fiscal stimulus to mitigate against

:18:47.:18:50.

the impact of leaving the Etropean Union, and tangible support for our

:18:51.:18:53.

oil and gas industry. This hs the Brexit recovery plan that the UK

:18:54.:18:59.

Government must deliver. Indeed an effective opposition to the Tories

:19:00.:19:03.

is more important now than dver before. Conference, we are hn a

:19:04.:19:10.

bleak Brexit Britain. And wd are in the eye of the storm, and there is

:19:11.:19:13.

worse, much much worse still to come. In contrast to the work taken

:19:14.:19:19.

by our First Minister in thd Scottish Government to reassure EU

:19:20.:19:23.

nationals living in Scotland, the UK Government has referred to them as

:19:24.:19:29.

cards to be bargained with. How shameful. How shameful. APPLAUSE

:19:30.:19:41.

The UK Government's plans to name and shame firms by making them

:19:42.:19:43.

reveal what proportion of their workforce is foreign is deplorable,

:19:44.:19:51.

it is xenophobic. And as thd First Minister says, the fact that they

:19:52.:19:54.

now want to keep this inforlation in secret lists will be of no

:19:55.:19:59.

consolation to anybody. And as much as to who is a monster run `nd hide

:20:00.:20:02.

from her record, how can we forget, how can anybody forget her hnfamous

:20:03.:20:17.

go home foreigners vans. APPLAUSE It is a disgrace that race `nd

:20:18.:20:20.

religious hate crime has increased in some parts of the UK by over 40%,

:20:21.:20:26.

and conference, let us be clear that those politicians that funeral a

:20:27.:20:30.

climate of xenophobia with their damaging policies and their reckless

:20:31.:20:35.

words must access to their share of responsibility for this. APPLAUSE

:20:36.:20:44.

The SNP will always stand up against prejudice and hatred, and stand by

:20:45.:20:50.

those EU nationals that do ts the honour, the honour, of making

:20:51.:20:56.

Scotland their home, and make such a valued contribution to our society.

:20:57.:21:07.

APPLAUSE And so, conference, that is why

:21:08.:21:11.

today I can confirm the SNP will be using our opposition day debate in

:21:12.:21:15.

the House of Commons next wdek to demand that the UK Government end

:21:16.:21:21.

this unacceptable situation right now and give EU nationals a

:21:22.:21:23.

cast-iron guarantee that thdir status will be protected. CHEERING

:21:24.:21:36.

I am proud as I know you ard right, that Scotland is a welcoming and

:21:37.:21:43.

outward looking country. Thdre are thousands of EU nationals who study

:21:44.:21:47.

at our universities and thex make up around 5% of the NHS workforce in

:21:48.:21:52.

Scotland. EU citizens who come to live and work in Scotland are also

:21:53.:21:55.

critical to key sectors of our economy. In Scotland, where

:21:56.:21:59.

employment is high, we requhre more people to come and work in Scotland

:22:00.:22:03.

and help our economy prosper. Over 12% of the people who work hn our

:22:04.:22:07.

agricultural centre and 11% of people who work in our food, fish

:22:08.:22:15.

and meat processing sector `re EU citizens were supposed to come to

:22:16.:22:18.

live and work in Scotland contribute to our economy, they make a switch

:22:19.:22:22.

and more diverse. Scotland hs their home, and they are welcome here

:22:23.:22:36.

APPLAUSE On the issues that matter to

:22:37.:22:39.

Scotland, the Tories aren't listening. When they sought the

:22:40.:22:42.

votes of the people of Scotland to take us out of the EU, they made all

:22:43.:22:48.

kinds of promises. That mord powers currently held by the EU wotld come

:22:49.:22:52.

to Scotland. But in Westminster the Tory environment minister told us,

:22:53.:22:56.

and I quote, these policies are devolved now, but the gener`l

:22:57.:23:00.

consensus is that there needs to be a UK wide framework.

:23:01.:23:08.

Conference, this is not just failing to meet their promise. The Tories

:23:09.:23:13.

are now talking about reverse devolution, about taking powers away

:23:14.:23:16.

from Scotland as part of thdir Brexit power grab. In her conference

:23:17.:23:20.

speech, Theresa May said th`t there will be no opt out from Brexit. She

:23:21.:23:25.

said the UK Government would negotiate its departure frol the EU

:23:26.:23:30.

as one United Kingdom, and we will leave the European Union is one

:23:31.:23:34.

United Kingdom. And Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, rditerated

:23:35.:23:39.

that Scotland has no veto over the UK leaving the EU. This is despite

:23:40.:23:44.

being told in 2014 that we were an equal partner in this United

:23:45.:23:51.

Kingdom. It is time for Theresa May to prove it. Scotland's membership

:23:52.:24:01.

of the single market... The single market of 500 million peopld is

:24:02.:24:07.

vital to Scotland's interests. With a reputation for punching above

:24:08.:24:12.

their weight in ensuring access to competitive research funding and the

:24:13.:24:17.

global collaborations that flow from it matter. For a country th`t needs

:24:18.:24:20.

to grow its population to hdlp address skills gaps and deal with an

:24:21.:24:24.

ageing population, free movdment of people matters. All of that is now

:24:25.:24:30.

at risk, and it will be the people who pay the price of this in real

:24:31.:24:36.

life, in jobs and investments and living standards, and they will

:24:37.:24:40.

suffer as a result. Take our financial services sector. Scotland

:24:41.:24:43.

has a distinguished history in banking that dates back over 30

:24:44.:24:48.

years. We are one of Europe's leading financial centres, `nd the

:24:49.:24:52.

second financial hub in the UK outside London. Over 150,000 people

:24:53.:24:57.

in Scotland are employed in financial services. The success of

:24:58.:25:02.

this industry, which brings big jobs and revenue to Scotland, relies upon

:25:03.:25:05.

our membership of the singld market. We cannot allow that to be

:25:06.:25:09.

threatened by the reckless behaviour of Theresa May and her right-wing

:25:10.:25:13.

Tory government. But there hs an alternative. The alternativd is

:25:14.:25:25.

economic vandalism. The report by the Fraser of our land Insthtute

:25:26.:25:29.

published last week made for spine chilling reading. The real hmpact of

:25:30.:25:35.

leaving the EU is between 30000 and 80,000 Scottish jobs lost, `nd our

:25:36.:25:40.

GDP being 5% lower. It is clear that the Tories represent a clear and

:25:41.:25:43.

present danger to Scotland's interests. Theresa May says that

:25:44.:25:50.

options for keeping Scotland in the EU are impractical, that we have had

:25:51.:25:53.

our referendum and that there will be a UK approach to Brexit. She

:25:54.:26:00.

refuses to accept that for Scotland, for us, Remain means Remain.

:26:01.:26:18.

My message to the Prime Minhster is this. If you continue to ignore the

:26:19.:26:26.

expressed will of the peopld of Scotland, if you refuse to dven

:26:27.:26:31.

consider how we might protect Scotland's place in the EU, then be

:26:32.:26:39.

in no doubt. Your days as Prime Minister of a United Kingdol are

:26:40.:26:40.

numbered. So conference, let our mess`ge to

:26:41.:27:06.

the people of Scotland B thhs. Whether you voted yes or whdther you

:27:07.:27:11.

voted no in 2014, and whethdr you voted Remain or whether you voted

:27:12.:27:16.

Leave in 2016, we know that you just want what is best for you, best for

:27:17.:27:23.

your community, best for Scotland. And in addressing all of Scotland's

:27:24.:27:28.

people, 100% of this countrx, regardless of where you comd from,

:27:29.:27:35.

we will put all of your intdrests first. That is our promise to you.

:27:36.:27:36.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Angus. We now

:27:37.:28:15.

turn to the next part of thd Westminster update, for which I will

:28:16.:28:22.

put you in the capable hands of an MP who will discuss this session for

:28:23.:28:27.

a discussion with your MPs. Please welcome John Nicholson. Thank you,

:28:28.:28:39.

Derek and thank you, conferdnce I have said this before, but xou have

:28:40.:28:42.

no idea how thrilling it is for those of us who are MPs to hear that

:28:43.:28:52.

curiously progressive noise, this. We have to put up with what Murray

:28:53.:28:57.

Black once called weird donkey braying noises. It is a curhous

:28:58.:29:05.

thing. Do you sometimes find this happens to you and you sometimes

:29:06.:29:14.

find yourself making that noise No. That is just you, John. I'm afraid

:29:15.:29:26.

that is what I feared. Without further ado, let me introduce you to

:29:27.:29:33.

my shy, self-deprecating colleagues on the stage, beginning of course

:29:34.:29:36.

with Stuart MacDonald from Glasgow South. Dr Phillipa Whitford from

:29:37.:29:53.

Central Ayrshire. It is not a cheering contest! I'm winning!

:29:54.:30:13.

Kirsty Blackmon from Aberdedn North. Just another Calum MacLeod was not

:30:14.:30:20.

on stage there. Drew Hendry from Inverness Nairn. And that is our

:30:21.:30:30.

panel. Let me begin with yot, Kirsty. The most important thing

:30:31.:30:37.

that has happened to you in recent weeks is overtaking Callum's Twitter

:30:38.:30:49.

followers. That was my life's work, but I have now done it, so H can

:30:50.:30:54.

rest on my laurels. You havd to follow thousands of people to get a

:30:55.:31:01.

few thousand back, but we whll not dwell on that. The main thing people

:31:02.:31:06.

have read about recently is your extreme bad behaviour in thd House

:31:07.:31:10.

of Commons, because you had the effrontery to bring your chhldren to

:31:11.:31:19.

Parliament. What was going on? I don't know if any of you have seen

:31:20.:31:23.

what happened in the Icelandic parliament this week, when one of

:31:24.:31:27.

the MPs was breast-feeding whilst speaking. Very good. I think that is

:31:28.:31:37.

what a progressive, forward,looking parliament looks like. The

:31:38.:31:40.

parliament at Westminster is not progressive or forward-lookhng. It

:31:41.:31:44.

is incredibly traditional and some of the standing orders and rules

:31:45.:31:47.

were made 300 years ago and haven't changed. I took my children to a

:31:48.:31:54.

public meeting. The Westminster summer recess dates don't t`ke into

:31:55.:31:58.

account Scottish school holhdays, because only English MPs ard

:31:59.:32:08.

important. Every parent durhng the summer holidays has child-c`re

:32:09.:32:11.

issues. They are trying to juggle, and I have one of those problems, so

:32:12.:32:16.

I took my kids to Parliament. And there is no creche. There is a

:32:17.:32:19.

nursery in parliament, which is good if you want to put your children

:32:20.:32:22.

into six weeks. But they will not take your children for one

:32:23.:32:26.

afternoon, so I took them to select committee, which was allowed. It was

:32:27.:32:30.

a public meeting and they wdre quiet and sat at the back. Sign up with

:32:31.:32:33.

the problem is not just takhng the kids in. You are allowed to do that.

:32:34.:32:42.

It is the touching the children that is the problem. There was no issue

:32:43.:32:46.

until I picked my daughter tp, and I was told I was not allowed to have a

:32:47.:32:52.

sleeping child at the table. And you shall left her to lie on thd floor?

:32:53.:32:59.

I should have left her to sleep It is so bizarre, and that the kind of

:33:00.:33:05.

thing we feel we have to ch`nge We want it to be a modern, progressive

:33:06.:33:09.

place and when we leave, we want to leave it as a modern, progrdssive

:33:10.:33:17.

place for parliamentarians. I think it would be easier for Parlhament

:33:18.:33:20.

and for government to make ` difference in the workplace if they

:33:21.:33:23.

were able to say, look at the good things we are doing. We can do it as

:33:24.:33:28.

employers, why are you not doing it? So why were you not allowed to pick

:33:29.:33:33.

up your child? Because she was classed as a stranger. And xou are

:33:34.:33:41.

not allowed to have strangers at the table. And did someone look at you

:33:42.:33:44.

with a straight face and sax you have a stranger baby? How dhd they

:33:45.:33:50.

explain it? The clerk came over and said, you can't have your child at

:33:51.:33:55.

the table. I said, are you kidding? She said no. Really? I couldn't

:33:56.:34:02.

believe it. It is one of those rules in Westminster that you don't know

:34:03.:34:05.

about, and you find out abott when you do something wrong. There are so

:34:06.:34:11.

many things like that. Nobody teaches you where you are mdant to

:34:12.:34:15.

sit. You cannot wear a hat hn the chamber unless you are female.

:34:16.:34:20.

Stuart MacDonald came badly unstuck on that in the first couple of

:34:21.:34:28.

weeks. It is indeed absolutdly odd. Thank you for the moment. Dr

:34:29.:34:36.

Phillipa, you also got into trouble, but this time you got into trouble

:34:37.:34:41.

with some of the press. As H recall, for those of you who don't know her,

:34:42.:34:44.

and I can't imagine there are many in that condition, but for those of

:34:45.:34:49.

you who don't know her, Dr Phillipa is a distinguished breast c`ncer

:34:50.:34:52.

surgeon, and in order to kedp her hand in, she works in her holidays.

:34:53.:34:58.

That is what you need to do to keep registered. But one of the papers

:34:59.:35:03.

said she was moonlighting bx doing operations, is that right? Xes. It

:35:04.:35:07.

was last Christmas and new xear We only had the two weeks of. @nd

:35:08.:35:13.

obviously, I had swanned off to London. One of my colleagues was on

:35:14.:35:17.

maternity leave, and that is left two, and one of them took ill and

:35:18.:35:21.

was off for several months, which left one. And she was plannhng to

:35:22.:35:25.

have a break over Christmas and new year, which was going to le`ve my

:35:26.:35:30.

hospital with no breast clinics and no breast operations, so I

:35:31.:35:34.

grudgingly agreed to do fivd days to help out. And in January, I got

:35:35.:35:39.

contacted by a paper in Scotland that shall remain nameless. It took

:35:40.:35:46.

me about ten minutes on the phone to understand, you are doing this as a

:35:47.:35:53.

bad story? And yes, they did. SNP MP moonlights in the NHS. Which is a

:35:54.:35:59.

bad thing, but shortly afterwards, I read a headline said moonlighting Dr

:36:00.:36:05.

Phillipa a hero for working in Gaza during the holidays. I am jtst not

:36:06.:36:18.

very good at holidays. But xou made the issue of health your central

:36:19.:36:23.

concern, because you are thd shadow health spokesperson. I love watching

:36:24.:36:27.

when Dr Phillipa stands up opposite Jeremy Hunt. And you see thd beads

:36:28.:36:37.

of perspiration on non-Doctor Hunt's face. And I always think of the line

:36:38.:36:55.

by Burns. One of the things that has the got my time has been thd junior

:36:56.:36:59.

doctors' strike. A lot of this comes out of real fear and misery. One in

:37:00.:37:05.

ten jobs are not filled. We are short, UK-wide, of doctors, and then

:37:06.:37:08.

he decides last year to pick an absolute fight, based on misleading

:37:09.:37:15.

information, misleading resdarch and he basically pulled out a phn and

:37:16.:37:19.

threw the grenade at the profession. One of the things we had thhs week,

:37:20.:37:25.

you also that Tory conference, was the shocking language that was used

:37:26.:37:31.

last week, talking about expanding medical students, which I approve of

:37:32.:37:34.

as we need more doctors, but it was so that they could replace foreign

:37:35.:37:41.

doctors. I'm sorry - we will never replace foreign doctors. We will

:37:42.:37:44.

always need more. Some of them come here to learn and eventuallx go

:37:45.:37:48.

home, and it was just xenophobic nonsense. How are they going to fill

:37:49.:38:01.

those one in ten jobs? I'm guessing one of the real frustrations is if

:38:02.:38:04.

you happen to know what you're talking about, that is often a

:38:05.:38:11.

disadvantage in the Commons. And where Angus has played a blhnder is

:38:12.:38:16.

that he has chosen people to do positions who actually know about

:38:17.:38:19.

the subject matter. None of us expected to be elected two xears

:38:20.:38:22.

ago. You know, we have had previous

:38:23.:38:35.

careers. What he has tried to do is slot people into positions where

:38:36.:38:38.

they never subject matter. Ht must be very frustrating for you, I sit

:38:39.:38:42.

and listen to you muttering with fury on the benches. Don't lake

:38:43.:38:51.

animal noises. It must be vdry frustrating for you because you know

:38:52.:38:57.

as a doctor, you have the experience, and Jamie Hundal

:38:58.:38:59.

exhuming the eye and he says that black is white. It must makd you

:39:00.:39:04.

want to scream. It does, but I am a doctor, I am used to dealing with

:39:05.:39:08.

stress, crisis, mental health issues, I just keep calm, I stay in

:39:09.:39:15.

the zone. APPLAUSE And occasionally I resort to my key

:39:16.:39:24.

weapon, Mike Ross Wallace. But what John says is absolutely trud and we

:39:25.:39:27.

do get positive comments from other parties. They say where did you find

:39:28.:39:33.

all these people, because more than half of us are not career

:39:34.:39:39.

politicians, we are like me, in the street, and we bring a life

:39:40.:39:42.

experience with us, and the clever thing as John says is that @ngus has

:39:43.:39:46.

put people in briefs, so we don t just go with some notes or some

:39:47.:39:50.

written speech, we will havd worked in that business, and that hs

:39:51.:39:53.

something none of the other parties can match. APPLAUSE

:39:54.:40:08.

Drew, I noticed that the narrative has changed, do you remember when we

:40:09.:40:11.

were first elected and we bdnt down to Parliament, some of the papers

:40:12.:40:14.

were saying look at them, they are out of control, they are sitting

:40:15.:40:18.

anywhere in the Commons, thdy are not sitting in their allocated

:40:19.:40:22.

seats, they are refusing to use their sword hooks. Some of them are

:40:23.:40:29.

eating chips. LAUGHTER Howell will pour Nicola control

:40:30.:40:33.

them? And that has morphed seamlessly into a new narrative

:40:34.:40:38.

which is that they turn up on time, they work incredibly hard, they are

:40:39.:40:41.

obviously scarcely human, they are robots controlled by Nicola.

:40:42.:40:44.

LAUGHTER APPLAUSE

:40:45.:40:55.

Your microchip that has been fitted, how are you finding it? It hs very

:40:56.:40:59.

comfortable. You talked abott the cervix, I decided to hang a pen on

:41:00.:41:02.

mine because I think the pen is mightier than the sword. APPLAUSE

:41:03.:41:13.

I think you have got all of the Parliamentary things, we have all

:41:14.:41:18.

broken rules, it is an incrddibly weird place, like groundhog day in a

:41:19.:41:25.

ski village and most of the time. Your microchip cost a bit more

:41:26.:41:30.

because of the constituency living, the delivery charges were

:41:31.:41:49.

expensive to get you there, he shoehorned into the discusshon. That

:41:50.:41:54.

is something you have been fighting very hard about because you

:41:55.:41:55.

represent a Highland constituency, you are the first high profhle MP to

:41:56.:41:58.

hold the seat as we all know. And this is a problem that should have

:41:59.:42:01.

been sorted out a long time ago Why do you have to pace much more to get

:42:02.:42:04.

goods and services delivered to the Highlands? It's not that far away.

:42:05.:42:07.

It's not. One of the issues that goes across my belief is th`t the

:42:08.:42:09.

two long Scotland has been `t the back of the queue when it comes to

:42:10.:42:12.

getting a fair deal. Nowherd more obvious than delivery chargds and I

:42:13.:42:15.

was pleased to take for the first bill of its kind to introduce a bill

:42:16.:42:19.

for further delivery charges. When you see adverts that say frde

:42:20.:42:21.

delivery to the UK mainland, that doesn't mean it will be 90 puid to

:42:22.:42:31.

deliver your mobile phone, or that somehow Inverness or other parts of

:42:32.:42:35.

turf or other parts of the borders are not actually on the mainland,

:42:36.:42:40.

somehow floated off to the sea. We have delivered that Bill and

:42:41.:42:43.

unfortunately it got talked out by the Parliamentary rules that I am

:42:44.:42:46.

going to bring it back in the consumer bill that is coming through

:42:47.:42:54.

the parliament soon. APPLAUSE Talking about bills for those of you

:42:55.:43:02.

who don't know about this obscure business is that if you introduce a

:43:03.:43:07.

bill, one of the almost alw`ys Tory backbenchers will stand up `nd talk

:43:08.:43:12.

about trees in Serbia, or whatever, and will keep the discussion going

:43:13.:43:17.

for as long as is humanly possible, so that you're very important bill

:43:18.:43:20.

doesn't get the chance to progress to the next age, and I right? And it

:43:21.:43:27.

is a weird, weird system. So who tried to talk out your bill, and why

:43:28.:43:32.

did they try and talk it out? What happens is all these bills get put

:43:33.:43:36.

on too one day, usually it hs a Friday, and they are given ` very

:43:37.:43:42.

limited amount of time. So ht is actually a general number of the

:43:43.:43:46.

Tory and sometimes Labour MPs who actually go and talk at length on

:43:47.:43:51.

the early numbers of the bill so that you just run out of tile. I

:43:52.:43:56.

have a special interest in this myself, because I came top of the

:43:57.:43:59.

Private member 's ballot, I didn't have to do anything to achidve that,

:44:00.:44:03.

they just put little balls hnto a jar and one is pulled out, H came

:44:04.:44:07.

first. That is the first tile this has ever happened to any SNP member

:44:08.:44:11.

of Parliament since we arrived in the 1940s. APPLAUSE

:44:12.:44:19.

And I have introduced a bill, which will pardon gay men found gtilty of

:44:20.:44:23.

a crime which is no longer ` crime. APPLAUSE

:44:24.:44:34.

And it was a funny thing, you know, when I chose the bill I was called

:44:35.:44:40.

in to the Tory whips office, and it is off the central lobby. Now SNP

:44:41.:44:45.

member of Parliament had evdr been there before, I suspect, and you go

:44:46.:44:48.

down a long corridor, hung with posters of some of your favourite

:44:49.:44:52.

people, you now Norman Tebbht, Margaret Thatcher in their prime,

:44:53.:44:58.

and the whips came forward `nd they said Mr Nicholson, if you go forward

:44:59.:45:02.

with this bit of progressivd legislation, we promise you on

:45:03.:45:06.

behalf of the Conservatives there will be no tricks, no games, we will

:45:07.:45:10.

support you. And I said I fdel as if I am in an episode of the House of

:45:11.:45:14.

Cards here. LAUGHTER But the proof of the pudding is in

:45:15.:45:20.

the eating, because a week today my bill will come before the House of

:45:21.:45:24.

Commons, and it will bring closure, I hope, to generations of g`y men

:45:25.:45:31.

who were arrested for crimes, in inverted commas, that we today would

:45:32.:45:35.

think are utterly ludicrous. APPLAUSE

:45:36.:45:45.

And our MPs will be there en masse voting for it. We have been promised

:45:46.:45:50.

Labour support, Conservativd support, and what we have got to

:45:51.:45:56.

hope is that no one tries to talk it out, so watch this space. Stuart

:45:57.:45:59.

MacDonald. Last but by no mdans least. APPLAUSE

:46:00.:46:05.

Stuart, you have made the rtnning on lots of very important transport

:46:06.:46:09.

stories. You have a special interest in lorries yourself, I know. And

:46:10.:46:15.

other transport, I tease hil about lorries, but he does love a good

:46:16.:46:22.

track. LAUGHTER -- a good track. The story had

:46:23.:46:28.

managed to get into the papdrs and done so well with is Volksw`gen

:46:29.:46:31.

Tell us about what you have been doing at Volkswagen, becausd you

:46:32.:46:37.

have shown what MPs can do when they work hard on an issue, get the story

:46:38.:46:41.

into the papers and champion the consumer. Obviously, most pdople

:46:42.:46:49.

will know about the emissions fixing scandal that has engulfed Volkswagen

:46:50.:46:54.

or around the world. They mhght not, tell us. This is very technhcal

:46:55.:47:01.

Asoro won't go into -- this is very technical, they say that it was much

:47:02.:47:05.

better for the environment than they were, so they were sword on a false

:47:06.:47:10.

basis. We have watched countries all around the world, in South @merica,

:47:11.:47:14.

Australia, America itself, take action against Hawks wagon, while

:47:15.:47:19.

the UK Government has liter`lly sat on its hands the entire timd. The

:47:20.:47:25.

platform I have used has bedn the select committees, and they are

:47:26.:47:28.

really interesting to watch, particularly the lorry commhttee, if

:47:29.:47:31.

you don't mind, and that is where you can really interrogate them So

:47:32.:47:38.

I have been banging away at this for about a year and finally thd

:47:39.:47:40.

government has said they ard now exploring options the legal action

:47:41.:47:46.

but have been dragged kicking and screaming. Are used to be a reporter

:47:47.:47:50.

on Watchdog at one point, and this affects large and as a people, and

:47:51.:47:55.

the sense of huge frustration people have not knowing whether thdir

:47:56.:47:57.

vehicle is safe or not, the government dragging its feet and

:47:58.:48:00.

knowing that across the world of the government is being an awful lot

:48:01.:48:04.

tougher, so Volkswagen runs rings around our government down `t

:48:05.:48:07.

Westminster while knuckling under, I write, to other governments? You are

:48:08.:48:16.

absolutely right. People don't like this idea of big corporations

:48:17.:48:19.

scamming them and getting away with it. I think that's wrong. APPLAUSE

:48:20.:48:28.

We have had another situation with Vauxhall, with their Zafira cars

:48:29.:48:36.

randomly going on fire. I dhd a survey in the summer and let me tell

:48:37.:48:42.

you, people in England are just so amazed and thankful that it is an

:48:43.:48:46.

SNP MP that has taken it up to them, because lots of them come from these

:48:47.:48:50.

kind of Tory shires, where they are just not interested in challenging

:48:51.:48:57.

these people. One of us -- one thing was have in common I would hmagine

:48:58.:49:03.

is the of e-mails we get from people who say can I vote for the SNP?

:49:04.:49:14.

APPLAUSE So, looking forward, what are the

:49:15.:49:19.

things that we are most energised about, looking ahead? For md it is

:49:20.:49:30.

looking after European Union citizens who feel this enorlous

:49:31.:49:34.

sense of uncertainty. It is a massive issue, not least thd new Dr,

:49:35.:49:42.

because your man is a foreigner Yes, my husband, Hants, is German,

:49:43.:49:48.

has worked in the NHS fears and downloaded the application for

:49:49.:49:51.

British citizenship, but at the moment has just left it in the in

:49:52.:49:54.

tray to think about. But thd way people have been treated, there are

:49:55.:49:59.

130,000 EU nationals, and f`r more from that around the world, who have

:50:00.:50:03.

lived and worked here and sdttled exactly as Andrea said. And the

:50:04.:50:09.

problem is -- as Angus said, they have been hanging here for four

:50:10.:50:12.

months not with any securitx, and to be using them in a bargain hs

:50:13.:50:17.

impossible. The idea that otr NHS, even in Scotland, England or any of

:50:18.:50:21.

the UK nations, could survive without them is just ludicrous.

:50:22.:50:32.

Ungrateful and xenophobic. @PPLAUSE And, Drew, one of the weird thing is

:50:33.:50:36.

when you listen to the debate, somebody said to me in London

:50:37.:50:39.

recently that they thought that 40% of people living in the United

:50:40.:50:43.

Kingdom were from the Europdan Union. That is a man in a shop.

:50:44.:50:48.

Because they are so London centric often. Actually you might think that

:50:49.:50:52.

in parts of London, but frol a constituency like yours, whhch has

:50:53.:50:55.

been artificially depopulatdd for the reasons we know, the Highland

:50:56.:50:59.

clearances, which till had ` visual and social effect in Scotland, you

:51:00.:51:03.

need people, we all need people in Scotland, to come here, bec`use

:51:04.:51:08.

people are living longer, greater demands on the National Health

:51:09.:51:12.

Service, we need people, we need energetic folk who want to become

:51:13.:51:16.

new Scots to settle not least in constituencies like yours.

:51:17.:51:21.

Absolutely, and for too long we have seen a drain of the young pdople,

:51:22.:51:25.

and it is so valuable to have European citizens coming to the

:51:26.:51:29.

Highlands and islands to work in our communities. I'm inch and ski

:51:30.:51:32.

villages earlier, we have a wonderful ski village in Albie

:51:33.:51:35.

Morkel which would not be able to function in its wonderful tourist

:51:36.:51:39.

proposition without the help of the people that come to help and support

:51:40.:51:46.

our tourism economy. For thd same reasons, the health service of the

:51:47.:51:52.

Highlands also needs foreign citizens, EU nationals. We need that

:51:53.:51:56.

diversity to keep us healthx and to keep us moving forward, and we

:51:57.:52:01.

really value the people who are our friends and neighbours, who have

:52:02.:52:04.

chosen to make their lives with us. That is a privilege that we should

:52:05.:52:09.

embrace, and I'm glad to sax that is the message coming out of this party

:52:10.:52:13.

and this conference. APPLAUSE And Kirsty... It is good for the

:52:14.:52:22.

gene pool as well. And Kirsty of course as an Aberdeen MP, you have

:52:23.:52:26.

seen the benefits that people who come from all across the world have

:52:27.:52:32.

brought to Aberdeen. And to the oil economy, though sadly we have not

:52:33.:52:36.

always benefited as much as we should have done over the ddcades.

:52:37.:52:37.

But you have seen at first hand Absolutely. Aberdeen has always been

:52:38.:52:50.

very multicultural. Our hotdls and shops, local communities have seen

:52:51.:52:53.

the benefit of the impact of the money coming in, not so much the

:52:54.:52:58.

indirect impact, as the tax goes to Westminster before it is allowed to

:52:59.:53:04.

come back to us. Going forw`rd, the oil and gas stuff is really

:53:05.:53:10.

important, not just in terms of Brexit and how, when the UK exits

:53:11.:53:16.

the EU, how that will be protected, but in terms of making sure that our

:53:17.:53:20.

industry is talked up rather than talked down. We are going through a

:53:21.:53:24.

dip in terms of the price jtst now, but oil and gas are going to be

:53:25.:53:28.

around for many years into the future, certainly until at least

:53:29.:53:33.

2040. We are still going to be a hub for oil and gas, and we need to make

:53:34.:53:37.

sure people know that and pdople are positive about the oil industry and

:53:38.:53:42.

that those jobs are kept in our local area. I am going to ldave the

:53:43.:53:46.

last word of our Westminster discussion to Stuart. We ard on his

:53:47.:53:56.

homehome turf in Glasgow, and Stuart is a passionate Glasgow nathonalist.

:53:57.:54:01.

He talks about Glasgow at every turn, as indeed he should as the

:54:02.:54:04.

member of Parliament for Gl`sgow South. Glasgow needs foreigners

:54:05.:54:09.

doesn't it? You wander around the centre of Glasgow and there are

:54:10.:54:14.

areas of Glasgow which have become so depopulated. We need to build

:54:15.:54:19.

Glasgow up. For Glasgow, totrism is vital. Absolutely, and you know my

:54:20.:54:28.

interest in Glasgow, but all of the tourism that comes to the UK goes to

:54:29.:54:33.

London. We want to pull people up. If there is anyone here frol

:54:34.:54:38.

Edinburgh, you can go now! @s we move forward, we want Glasgow to

:54:39.:54:43.

move from being the second city of the empire to becoming the first

:54:44.:54:46.

city of Europe. That is my `mbition as a Glasgow MP, as a major hub for

:54:47.:54:54.

bright, energetic, enthusiastic people to come to Glasgow from all

:54:55.:55:00.

over Europe and the world, `nd turn us into that big, dynamic Etropean

:55:01.:55:04.

city that I know, particularly our council group who will hopefully win

:55:05.:55:10.

here in May in the local eldctions, I know that is an ambition that they

:55:11.:55:14.

share as well. Well, I would like to say thank you very much to xou all

:55:15.:55:19.

for attending our Westminstdr half-hour. It has been a pldasure to

:55:20.:55:23.

chair it. A big round of applause to my friends and colleagues hdre.

:55:24.:55:34.

Thank you. Conference, as your business

:55:35.:56:22.

convener of five years, welcome to the 82nd national conferencd of the

:56:23.:56:33.

Scottish National Party. And of course, welcome to the wonddrful

:56:34.:56:37.

city of Glasgow. The first thing I would like to do is for you to give

:56:38.:56:45.

a warm welcome to your fant`stic candidates for the deputy ldadership

:56:46.:56:48.

of the party. Please welcomd your candidates.

:56:49.:56:59.

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS