Scotland’s MSPs should not be able to hide on attendance
I will bow down to no man, or woman, over my commitment to devolution and the institution of the Scottish Parliament, now over a quarter of a century old. Within the Highlands, we are fortunate to have hard-working and dedicated MSPs, such as Rhoda Grant, Fergus Ewing and Edward Mountain.
I did, however, almost choke on my cornflakes on Monday morning when I read in the morning paper that the official logs which record for voters how often MSPs attend parliament have been made confidential, to protect the safety of politicians.
On many occasions in this column I have condemned the actions of keyboard warriors who abuse local politicians and their staff. The physical attacks on elected members across the UK, including the murders of Jo Cox in 2016 and Sir David Amess in 2021, are appalling.
No-one will criticise MSPs who are off work with genuine illnesses and the Scottish Parliament has excellent human resources staff who can support and advise members and staff – but I also have some sympathy for the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) when they describe the parliament bosses’ decision as a “skivers’ charter”.
Attendance at parliament, be it to be an active participant during the legislative processes, committees or First Minister’s Questions, is an essential prerequisite of being an elected member and serving your local constituents.
It is the crucial currency of democracy.
You cannot opt out of letting the constituents you represent know how you voted - or how often you attend.
To conflate safety of MSPs with their attendance record is faulty logic. Yes, we must keep our MSPs safe and secure, but hiding their participation records is not the way to do it.
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We are facing an obesity crisis in Scotland. Nearly 70 per cent of Scots are overweight, with a direct link between deprived communities and obesity.
Obesity is a leading cause of death in Scotland and having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 35 increases the risk of diabetes, cancer, joint problems and heart disease.
It has been estimated that the cost of obesity in Scotland is over £5 billion every year.
Are weight reduction drugs the answer? There are a number of drugs approved for use in Scotland, such as Wegavy and Mounjaro. To access the drug you must be obese AND suffer from a weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or cardiovascular disease. However, Professor Naveed Sattar of Glasgow University, who leads the UK government’s obesity healthcare goals programme, warns that providing weight-loss drugs to everyone who needs them, “would simply bankrupt the NHS”.
A programme of drug therapy costs around £3000 a year. Previous Tory Prime Minister Sunak introduced a two year £40 million pilot in England in 2023 to make obesity drugs more accessible to patients outwith hospital settings. There has been some positive feedback from the pilot. The weight-loss drugs can help adults to lose up to 15 per cent of body weight, when prescribed alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support.
In Scotland, where obesity rates are the highest in the UK, tackling this chronic problem could cut waiting lists by reducing the number of people who suffer from weight-related illnesses.
It could also make sense in the long-term as a preventative tool, as many people with obesity end up needing operations linked to their weight, such as gallstone removal and knee replacements.
In order to succeed, our NHS needs to be more adaptable and flexible and have a strategy for the long-term.
Weight reduction medication, as part of a wider programme of improved fitness, is a sensible and logical strategy, worthy of further consideration.
