ALLIANCE congratulate new First Minister and share priorities for years ahead

Reforming social care, promoting human rights, addressing inequalities, and strengthening the third sector must be top of the agenda.

The ALLIANCE wish to congratulate Humza Yousaf on his election as First Minister of Scotland. We recognise that this a moment of pride for many across the country as he becomes the first person from the Scots Asian community – indeed, any minoritised community – to be elected to the highest office in Scotland. Following the first woman to hold the office, this reflects on the diversity of modern Scotland, and demonstrates that the role of First Minister is one that anyone can aspire to.

As a strategic partner and critical friend of the Scottish Government, the ALLIANCE has enjoyed a constructive relationship with successive administrations. This has recently included Mr Yousaf in his capacity as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, as well as the newly appointed Deputy First Minister Shona Robison in a range of government roles going back many years, including opening our current offices in 2009.

The ALLIANCE recognise that the newly appointed government will have a great many issues in its in-tray. However, we would like to take the opportunity to share the ALLIANCE’s hopes for that government, and how it can best support disabled people, people living with long term conditions, and unpaid carers. Underpinning this, strengthening support for the third sector as an equal and strategic delivery partner must be a key priority.

The proposed National Care Service Bill has been the highest priority for the ALLIANCE, and we have engaged extensively with the Scottish Government, third sector partners, and our own members including those with lived experience, with the hope of seeing the recommendations arising from the Feeley Review delivered as fully as possible. Whilst we acknowledge there has been significant debate surrounding this legislation, we believe it is vitally important that long-overdue reforms to social care are implemented.

These include abolishing non-residential charges, ending geographic inequalities in access to care, ensuring that human rights rather than cost are at the centre of care provision, extending greater support to unpaid carers, and delivering on a fair work agenda that significantly improves pay and conditions for staff. As the passage of the bill through parliament has been briefly delayed, we hope this is an opportunity to progress with the co-design process to ensure that the final form of the National Care Service is the best it can possibly be.

We would also like to reaffirm our calls for the proposed Human Rights Bill to be progressed as quickly as possible. The Scottish Government’s commitment to upholding and realising human rights is welcome, and the best way to do so is through direct incorporation of treaties including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

We welcomed Mr Yousaf’s response and commitment to incorporation of human rights in response to the ALLIANCE commissioned research report, ‘The opportunity is now’ . The report emphasised the need to prioritise incorporation, and in particular the importance of embedding human rights within Scotland’s health and social care systems.

Finally, addressing socioeconomic inequalities must remain a core driver for Scottish Government activity. The ALLIANCE have welcomed the investment in the new Scottish social security system, and in particular the more dignified approach taken to disability payments, as well as the significant expansion in coverage and increase in value of the new Scottish Child Payment.

We recognise the difficulties that have arisen from the cost of living crisis, which we investigated in our report ‘Disabled People, Unpaid Carers and the Cost of Living Crisis: Impacts, Responses and Long Term Solutions’. As we continue to rebuild from the dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living, we would urge further investment in social security system and energy efficiency measures, and a longer term rebalancing of the economy away from one centred on GDP and instead on wellbeing and human rights.

In addition to these headline priorities, the ALLIANCE’s ‘Equally Valued‘ manifesto ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliament includes a range of asks that we would strongly urge the new government to consider. We look forward to working with the new First Minister, Deputy First Minister and their cabinet, to ensure that people are at the centre of policymaking and public services.

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