Glasgow Safer Drug Consumption Facility
Debate between Jim Shannon and Patricia Ferguson
Patricia Ferguson
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that public confidence in the facility is paramount if it is to have a future—and even for the duration of the three-year pilot. Committee members who attended the forum were very struck by the fact that although forum members from the community and local businesses were raising questions with the operators of the Thistle and those involved most closely with it, there was no mechanism for a response to be given between meetings. We suggested that the communications strategy needed to be much more responsive so that if a problem is raised, or a good comment made, the Thistle can respond to it rather than wait until the next meeting. That would give the public a lot more confidence and reassurance that their concerns were being addressed.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Committee Chair for bringing this statement forward. I share the concerns in the questions asked earlier about the recommendations; I would be concerned about the addiction aspect as well. But I recognise that some of the problems in Belfast city, for instance, are the same as those at the Thistle pilot scheme in Glasgow, which the hon. Lady outlined. Ever mindful of my own opinion, I think it would be worth while sharing the information from that pilot scheme with those in Belfast, who may have a similar outlook and point of view.
Patricia Ferguson
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. Many reports have been done on international facilities, which he might want to bring to the attention of his colleagues in Belfast. He is absolutely right that it is not just Glasgow or Scotland that have these problems, although Scotland seems to be suffering particularly badly. There are other models. In Lisbon, we saw a mobile model that accompanied the fixed facility. That seemed to be popular; a queue of people was waiting to use it when we were there—a small queue, but a queue. There are other ways of addressing the issue, and he may wish to consider those.
St Patrick’s Day: UK Bank Holiday
Debate between Jim Shannon and Patricia Ferguson(6 months, 4 weeks ago)
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Jim Shannon
I believe that when we look past the myths to the message of the man, few in this House would disagree that the holiday should be UK-wide, as indeed should all the national saints’ days for each nation. St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born to a Christian family in Wales, in Roman Britain, in the late fourth century AD.
Madam Deputy Speaker
Order. The hon. Lady needs to be sitting in the appropriate part of the Chamber to make an intervention. Mr Shannon, you should continue.
Jim Shannon
Shortly before he was 16, Patrick was captured from the villa of his father, Calpurnius, by a group of Irish raiders who took him to Ireland and forced him into slavery. Six years later, he escaped home to Britain, his religious faith strengthened during his time in slavery. The story of St Patrick is a wonderful one. It is a great story of love, of a missionary and of Christianity.
Patricia Ferguson
I thank the hon. Member for giving way, and I thank you for your guidance, Madam Deputy Speaker—my apologies.
The legend of St Patrick is a very famous one. We Scots like to think he was born in Kilpatrick in Scotland, but wherever he was born, the things he represents, as the hon. Member says, are things that we can all gather around. I think the fact that the celebrations around St Patrick’s day are so lively probably does have something to do with the fact that, actually, he was Scottish.