Report to the People
12th September 2005
The
Far From Light Programme
The Scottish Parliament might be one of
the world’s youngest, but it is already developing its own traditions.
One of these is that, at the start of every session, the Executive sets
out its legislative programme which MSPs then debate - a sort of Queen’s
Speech without men in tights (well, none that we know about).
And so it was when we
returned to Holyrood last week.
While the strengths and
weaknesses of the various Bills can (and will) be examined in turn, you get a
better flavour of what the Executive is aiming for by looking at the programme
as a whole.
As I said in the debate,
there is a thread running through the programme of giving everyone the chance to
take advantage of the opportunities available today.
There will be, for example,
action to reduce the number of 16 to 19 year-olds not in education, employment
or training.
And more will be done to
reduce health inequalities - especially in communities like ours.
Indeed, when I recently met with Professor Graham Watt, Professor of
General Practice at Glasgow University, he told me that the “inverse care
law” - whereby good medical care tends to be most available to those who need
it least - is still alive and well.
Key to closing the health divide will be putting everyone in the position where they can make informed, correct decisions. An opportunity you can’t take is, after all, no opportunity at all.
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