FMQs: Recap what happened as Humza Yousaf questioned on cancer waiting times
Recap what happened at FMQs.
FMQs: Follow along live as Humza Yousaf faces questions
Key Events
- Humza Yousaf will face FMQs after he criticised the decision to develop the Rosebank oilfield
- This comes only hours after rebel backbencher Fergus Ewing was suspended from the SNP - and leadership rival Kate Forbes stood by his side in support
- We are expecting a question on drug consumption rooms after Glasgow was given the go-ahead to introduce one
Welcome to our live blog!
Hello and once again welcome to this week’s FMQs live blog!
I’m Rachel Amery and I’m The Scotsman’s political correspondent - I’m here in Holyrood to bring you all the latest from first minister’s questions.
Before we get started ...
It’s been another busy week in Scottish politics, so a quick recap of what’s happened before we get started.
- Yesterday approval was granted to develop the Rosebank oilfield off the coast of Shetland. The UK Government says this is great news because it helps with our energy security and protects jobs in the north-east - the Scottish Government, not so much. Humza Yousaf criticised the decision as “climate denial” and Net Zero Secretary Màiri McAllan says this is not in line with international climate change commitments: https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/what-does-drilling-the-rosebank-oil-field-mean-for-bill-payers-energy-supplies-and-the-climate-4350836
- Last night rebel backbencher Fergus Ewing was suspended from the SNP. His suspension doesn’t kick in for another couple of weeks, but it will be interesting to see if there’s any fall out from it today at FMQs: https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/fergus-ewings-suspension-was-inevitable-but-its-a-headache-for-yousaf-4351929
- Glasgow has been given the go-ahead to open the UK’s first drug consumption room after a recommendation from a Westminster committee. We are expecting a question on this at FMQs: https://www.scotsman.com/health/uks-first-drug-consumption-room-approved-for-glasgow-4350420
Why was Fergus Ewing suspended?
Last night Fergus Ewing was suspended from the SNP last night after repeatedly criticising the Scottish Government, coming to a head in June when he voted against the government in a vote of no confidence in Green minister Lorna Slater.
He’s recently been branded a “rebel backbencher” after speaking out on issues such as highly-protected marine areas, the deposit return scheme, gender reforms, holiday lets licensing, and the Bute House Agreement.
Last night SNP MSPs agreed to suspend him for a week - notably neither Humza Yousaf or Nicola Sturgeon were present for the vote.
Another interesting point - afterwards when he spoke to journalists, Mr Ewing was flanked by his sister Annabelle Ewing MSP and allies Kate Forbes MSP and Christine Grahame MSP. Kate Forbes of course ran against Humza Yousaf to be First Minister and won a fair chunk of the votes, so it will be interesting to see if there’s any fall out from this.
Our Deputy Political Editor Conor Matchett was there last night and has this analysis of what happened: https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/fergus-ewings-suspension-was-inevitable-but-its-a-headache-for-yousaf-4351929
Political Editor Alistair Grant will try to doorstep the First Minister after FMQs today to get his thoughts on this suspension.
Douglas Ross kicks off FMQs
Douglas Ross is going on Margret McCall being diagnosed with ovarian cancer 3 month wait for NHS treatment in Scotland and she didn’t know if she had that long so used private funds to get treatment in England.
This is something Anas Sarwar grilled Humza Yousaf on at FMQs recently: https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/nhs-scotland-crisis-tens-of-thousands-paying-for-private-healthcare-due-to-spiralling-nhs-waiting-lists-4336842
Humza Yousaf says he fully accepts Douglas Ross calling this “unacceptable”. He said one of the biggest decisions made during the coronavirus pandemic was waiting to pause cancer screening, and said Scotland is still dealing with the impact of this decision now.
He said 94.7% of women receive their first treatment for ovarian cancer within 31 days of diagnosis.
Humza Yousaf is taking a rather sombre tone in replying to Douglas Ross on these questions - and should know his stuff as the former health secretary.
Douglas Ross says Mr Yousaf’s answers are “bitterly disappointing” for the hundreds of people distressed at having to pay thousands for private treatment.
He says Cancer Research UK says cancer care problems are fixable, but only if the government funds the cancer strategy properly.
Mr Ross said one in four patients suspected of having cancer don’t start their treatment within 62 days, and said there is one patient in NHS Grampian who has waited 156 days to start chemotherapy.
Anas Sarwar also going in on cancer waiting times
Anas Sarwar now and he is also going in on cancer waiting times.
He said: “Cancer remains Scotland’s biggest killer and there is a direct link between the speed of diagnosis and treatment.”
He said one in four cancer treatments were delayed in the last three months, and said Macmillan Cancer Support said staff are stretched to breaking point.
Anas Sarwar getting a bit angry at Humza Yousaf now.
He says the First Minister needs to “cut the excuses” rather than simply blaming the coronavirus pandemic because the 62-day waiting time target has not been met for 11 years.
He says last year there were 389 more cancer deaths last year than what would have been expected, and said the fact life expectancy has dropped shows the SNP’s failure.
He’s now asking Humza Yousaf to apologise for this.
Humza Yousaf said the government would of course apologise, but Scottish Labour forgets to mention “a decade of austerity”.
Catch up on life expectancy falling here: https://www.scotsman.com/health/drop-in-scottish-life-expectancy-for-third-successive-year-a-truly-sorry-reflection-of-nations-health-4349354
Anas Sarwar ends by saying the pandemic doesn’t excuse the woeful record of the SNP when it comes to cancer waiting times in Scotland over the past decade.
Contaminated beaches and rivers
Liz Smith from the Scottish Conservatives now asking about bathing water contamination.
She says that on three occasions recently Lower Largo Beach in Fife was 50 times the contamination limit, which is a “very serious health hazard” - apparently this is the most polluted beach in Scotland.
Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie, who represents North East Fife, said he is “astonished” by Humza Yousaf’s answers that 98% are meeting standards because he says 50 out of 89 of Scotland’s most popular beaches are beyond safe standards for bathing, which “should be an alarm bell”. He says the government needs to set legally binding targets to end sewage dumping.
Humza Yousaf says Scottish Water and Sepa are taking this seriously.
You can read our piece on Lower Largo Beach from earlier this week:
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