Speaking after attendingthe event commemorating the 52nd Anniversary of the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh at Holyrood on 25th April, Foysol Choudhury MSP said:“The Independence and National Day of Bangladesh event at the Parliament was a fantastic success.
“It was both a poignant commemoration of the lives lost and affected by the Bangladesh Liberation War and a vibrant celebration of Bangladesh’s success, history and culture.
“It was great to see Scotland’s Bangladeshi community join together in the celebrations, coming together to celebrate over food, speeches, music and dancing.
“It was also fantastic to have on display a painting commemorating the meeting between the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh with Bangladesh’s founding father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“It was a great night and a fantastic reminder of the links between Bangladesh, Scotland and the UK. I’ll continue to promote these strong ties between Scotland and Bangladesh through my work in CPG Bangladesh in the Scottish Parliament.
“I thank all of my MSP colleagues and the many Consul Generals from around the world who attended to share in this event, all of the speakers including the Assistant High Commissioner for Bangladesh Kazi Ziaul Hasan, all of our performers who made the night so much fun and the Bangladeshi Community in Scotland, who organised this event.”
Speaking after his Members’ Business Debate on Damp Housing in Scotland at the Scottish Parliament last week (20/04/23), Foysol Choudhury MSP said:“The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died after exposure to extensive mould in his home in England, was a stark warning of the dangers that mould can cause when not dealt with properly.
“That’s why it was so important for me to bring this Members’ Business Debate to the Scottish Parliament, to highlight that we must act now to stop preventable deaths like Awaab’s from occurring in Scotland.
“Unfortunately, too many Scottish residents today live in dangerous housing.
“The Scottish Government’s recent House Condition Survey supposedly found that 40,000 homes in our nation fall below tolerable standards, with a third of these being due to rising or penetrating damp.
“Given there are on average two people per household, that’s 80,000 Scottish residents living in homes that their own Government considers to be intolerable, with 27,000 of these due to damp.
“One of my constituents lives with their partner and four children in a council house in Edinburgh.
“Two of the children have asthma, which has gotten worse, and another has developed a constant hacking cough as a result of damp and mould.
“My constituent has told me they fear for their children because of their prolonged exposure to mould and has even had to call an ambulance at one point due to their child having severe chest pains.
“The ambulance report actually cited mould as an environmental factor at their property.
“Another of my constituents has been living in a mould infested house for 16 months with their 21-month-old son, leading to a disastrous effect on their mental health.
“Many constituents are left feeling helpless and like nothing is being done to ensure they have permanent, safe accommodation.
“Negligent behaviour of private landlords must be tackled, especially as almost half of private-sector-rented homes in Scotland supposedly failed the Scottish Housing Quality Standards.
“The experience of my constituents, who have had to move out of their privately rented accommodation because of fears the effects of damp and mould would have on their very young child, speaks for itself.
“Letting agents and private landlords must ensure tenants are aware of the ways in which mould and damp occurs and how to prevent it.
“In addition, landlords should not be renting out houses or flats that need structural repairs to avoid mould forming.
“Ultimately, housing providers should be held responsible for ensuring that the accommodation they provide is clean and safe for every resident or tenant that moves in there.
“The Scottish Government need to do more to help them and hold them accountable when crucial repair work is not being done properly.
“How many trips to the hospital, long-term illnesses, or deaths caused by damp housing is it going to take for the Scottish Government to take this seriously?
“I am asking for the Scottish Government to consider setting up a grant scheme to tackle dampness problems in council, housing association and private sector properties. We need to address both the long and short-term problems with damp housing and consider extra investment for a whole house retrofitting programme, across Scotland.
“Too many of our citizens are living in dangerous accommodation and landlords are getting away with doing nothing about it.
“We, as the Scottish Parliament, have to do more. “
A recent ONS survey showed that an estimated 2.3 million people in the UK suffer from long COVID. Of these, nearly 10 thousand NHS workers are currently absent because of long COVID, according to a recent BBC panorama documentary (writes FOYSOL CHOUDHURY MSP).
Sadly, many of these key workers have contracted Covid-19 through their essential work to save lives during the worst of the pandemic, having been put more at risk by working on the frontline, often without adequate PPE.
Now, a far cry from the weekly applauses and hero’s welcome given during the COVID-19 lockdowns, key workers with long COVID have sadly been seemingly abandoned and forced to face severe financial impact due to contracting COVID-19 in their line of work.
It is simply unacceptable that these same key workers who risked their lives are now in a position where they are being forced to declare themselves bankrupt or to sell their house, as they face the prospect of halved and altogether stopped standard sick pay.
This is the situation my constituent Cass Macdonald is in. On Tuesday, I spoke in my colleague, Jackie Baillie’s, debate on long COVID to highlight the impact of long COVID on my constituents like Cass.
Cass was a full-time NHS nurse who contracted COVID-19 when they were advised it was safe to work in an office nursing role, despite multiple underlying health conditions and advice by the same Government to shield.
Shockingly, the Keyworker Petition UK team’s recent survey showed that Cass is part of the 20% of key workers with long COVID surveyed who said they were at risk of losing their home due to financial circumstances. The survey also showed that 68.7% of those surveyed said they were struggling financially. This is simply unacceptable. But not only are key workers with long COVID facing unacceptable financial burden-they also have to battle with a health service which does not properly understand the complex nature and consequences of long COVID.
Another of my constituents, Marie-Claire, who is an NHS doctor with long COVID, told me that there was growing stigma towards long COVID in the medical community and that her colleagues often had little understanding about the severity or specifics of the illness.When key workers are having to battle long COVID and the severe financial impact of contracting this condition, they should not also have to face the frustrating situation of having to educate the public, politicians and medical professionals on this debilitating condition.
On Wednesday, Cass and other key workers will deliver a petition with over 118, 000 backers to Westminster, urging the UK Government to create a pension and compensation scheme for all keyworkers who have developed long COVID as a result of their frontline, and often not adequately protected, work during the pandemic.
As noted in my speech on Tuesday, the Scottish Government has a role to play too. Not only must it do more to ensure adequate support and compensation for key workers who are struggling with long COVID, but it has an important role to play in reducing the stigma around long COVID and ensuring that health authorities in Scotland have the tools to adequately identify and treat long COVID in patients. Recent figures suggest that up to 175, 000 people in Scotland have reported suffering from long COVID, which is approximately 3.3% of the population.
The Scottish Government must ensure employers are supported in recognising the importance of flexibility and phased returns to work for employees with long COVID. It must do more to increase public awareness of the dangers of long COVID and highlight how you could be affected by this despite being vaccinated.
TODAY 15th of March is International Long COVID Awareness Day. I’ve lodged questions to the Scottish Government on support for key workers with long COVID before and now I am imploring the Scottish Government again, in recognition of this day, to act now to help people like Cass, Marie-Claire and the thousands of others suffering from long COVID across Scotland.
NUS Scotland’s latest Cost of Survival report found that:
37% of students have considered dropping out for financial reasons (a rise from 36% in February 2022). The most common reason is not having enough money in their loan or bursary (34%) but the cost-of-living was cited by 1 in 5 considering dropping out (19%).
52% have skipped a meal because of lack of money and 11% have used a foodbank (up from 8%)
45% have gone without heating because of lack of money
35% have been unable to pay their rent in full
21% have missed a class due to travel costs and a further 7% missed a placement.
13% of all students have either been unable to find somewhere to live by the time their classes began in September 2023 (11%) or still hadn’t found somewhere (2%).
12% of students had experienced homelessness (10%) or were currently homeless (2%)
The research is based on a survey of over 5,300 college and university students and apprentices. The report covers a wide range of issues including: homelessness, housing, student finances, and mental health and wellbeing.
The results show that student poverty is more widespread than was previously thought.
In almost all cases, the students struggling the most were from widening-access backgrounds, including estranged, disabled, and care-experienced students, as well as students who are carers and come from low-income households.
This comes just a day after the stage three budget debate ignored students’ asks including for an increase in grants and bursaries and rent controls on student housing.
Commenting, NUS Scotland President, Ellie Gomersall said: “These figures should be deeply troubling for the Scottish Government. It is a shocking indictment of their governance that over half of all students have skipped meals because they could not afford to eat. If more is not done to support students through the cost-of-living crisis, we risk all but the richest people being unable to access education.
“Further and higher education is free in Scotland because we want our education system to be accessible to all, but if students cannot afford to live whilst accessing that free education, we have failed to make it so. Students are already missing classes and even considering dropping out because they cannot afford to learn.
“Though the figures keep getting worse, student poverty is not a new problem; it did not originate with the cost-of-living crisis and solutions to the cost-of-living crisis will not make it go away. The Scottish Government need to develop bespoke solutions for students that include increased grants and bursaries, rent controls on student housing, and half price bus and rail fares for all students.”
Lydia Rohmer is the Principal Designate, UHI North, West and Hebrides, and a joint Lead Principal for poverty with Colleges Scotland.She said: “The figures published today are incredibly stark. I know as a college Principal many of our students are really struggling with the cost of living, which is closely linked to poor mental health, stress and anxiety.
“Choosing college is a route out of poverty, but students have to be able to afford to come to class and complete their course so that they can move into good careers.
“Many colleges are using their own budgets to provide free breakfast or soup to students alongside other mitigations like referral to foodbanks and money advice. However, college budgets are falling and student support is being cut in real terms as well, so there does need to be a much more sustainable way to help our students.
“Colleges would welcome a real debate about the impact of student poverty, especially around housing and energy costs. This research is an alarming insight into the day-to-day financial pressures students are facing.”
Responding to the NUS Scotland’s ‘The Cost of Survival’ Report released in February, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “The National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland’s shocking recent report addresses a number of issues facing students. Housing and a lack of money for food and bills were cited at an alarming rate.
“This is putting pressure on students who are already dealing with the typical stresses of university. It is affecting performance and many more students are needing to take on more hours at work. Students’ mental health is suffering as a result.
“The report cited students from low-income households and those that are estranged, disabled, or carers being most effected. We need to get rid of financial barriers within the system because educational success should not be reserved for the wealthy.
“The NUS Scotland have made it clear that there needs to be an increase in grants and bursaries. Affordable and appropriate housing needs to be made widespread.
“This is why I have submitted a motion in the Scottish Parliament to bring attention to this student housing crisis.
“I have also hosted a roundtable with students in Lothian to understand what issues they are facing and how is best to solve them.
“Having university educated young people could help Scotland to grow and expand economically. By not facilitating certain sections of society to access a higher education, we are reducing their ability to achieve their goals.
“If Scotland wants a strong future, we must invest in our students and we must do it before it is too late.”
Responding to this year’s 2023 International Women’s Day, Foysol Choudhury MSP said:“International Women’s Day is a wonderful celebration dating back over 100 years. It is a chance to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness of the continued fight for equality.
“International Women’s Day highlights the ever-evolving issues women have faced: voting rights, equality in the workplace and under the law and changing social attitudes.
“It is important that we also use International Women’s Day to highlight the experience of women from a diverse range of backgrounds.
“For example, in Ukraine, we are seeing women struggle disproportionately with human trafficking when being displaced. This is something I have addressed in the Scottish Parliament’s debate marking a year of war in Ukraine.
“In 2022, I spoke to the Scottish Parliament about the importance of creating opportunities that specifically target women from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to get involved in sport, as hostility and abuse within sport can lead to low-levels of participation from BAME women and girls.
“For International Women’s Day 2023, I spoke in the Scottish Parliament debate on Wednesday to address how women from ethnic minorities can face overlapping systems of discrimination: both racism and misogyny.
“Many women from ethnic minorities experience misogyny in different ways and we need to recognise this multiplicity of experience in order to tackle misogyny.
“I am also particularly worried about the treatment of women when wearing items such as the hijab. Many Muslim women wear these as a sign of modesty and faith, but in the UK they have been met with violence and harassment.
“I’ve even heard cases of women avoiding train stations in fear that someone would push them on to the tracks.
“International Women’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to make efforts to combat these issues.
“There are already tracks being made on some of these issues, for example Scottish Rugby recently announced a system was being put in place to allow concerns to be raised over racism and misogyny.
“This can’t be the end point, however. The commitment to these underrepresented women needs to remain a core element of all sports, and indeed all sectors, across Scotland.
“The involvement of ethnic and religious minority women to the same level as everyone else needs to happen before Scotland can confidently say it is a diverse and accepting nation with equality for all.”
Labour list MSP for Lothian region Foysol Choudhury returned to the Public Petitions Committee yesterday to continue his support for a local constituent, Lewis Condy, who is highlighting the importance of children having access to swimming lessons.
His petition was last discussed in November last year when the Committee decided to write to key write to key sector organisations to gather more information.
The Committee heard evidence that over 40% of children leave primary education unable to swim and that there is a direct correlation between a child’s social and economic background and their opportunity to learn to swim.
Mr Choudhury said: “We know that having access to swimming lessons gives people a benefit to their safety in and around water, and to their health, fitness and wellbeing.
“The Committee has heard that there are significant gaps in the provision of swimming lessons with the availability of facilities and the cost of lessons being significant factors driving unequal access.
“Resolving these inequalities is a matter of equality opportunity.
“Currently, there is no statutory curriculum for learning to swim in Scotland.
“We have seen from the responses to my constituent’s petition, there is widespread support within the sector and from the public for doing more on this issue.
“I am delighted that the Committee has agreed to keep this petition open and write to Scottish Government to find out how they intend to proceed.
Fellow Labour committee member Paul Sweeney MSP said: “Teaching kids to swim is a fundamental lifesaving exercise.
“It is not a recreational activity, necessarily. I think it’s important to consider it as a public safety matter rather than a sporting matter”.
To see a video of the discussion please click here
Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury has warned that NHS Lothian is in crisis as another week of dismal A&E figures has been recorded.
Statistics published yesterday show that only 64.8 per cent of attendances in NHS Lothian at A&E in the week ending 31st October were seen within four hours.
363 patients spent over eight hours in A&E, with 132 waiting over 12 hours.
1,504 patients waited over 4 hours.
These are among the worst weekly A&E times on record for NHS Lothian.
Scottish Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury said:“Yet another week of shocking statistics showing the reality of SNP mismanagement of our NHS.
“Lothian patients are in dire need of medical help and they are not receiving the swift attention they deserve. These are truly shocking figures that show once again just how out of depth the SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousef is.
“The SNP has left NHS doctors and nurses over-worked, under-staffed and under-resourced – and it is patients who are paying the price.’’
NHS Lothian has warned patients not to attend A&E unless their condition was life-threatening.
It comes after statistics published this week have revealed the worst weekly A&E statistics on record.
Chief executive of NHS Lothian, Calum Campbell, said a request has been submitted for mutual aid from other health boards after services became caught in the grip of a “perfect storm” caused by staffing and bed pressures, combined with high volumes of patients presenting with complex and serious cases.
Lothian list Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury said: “Patients in the Lothians are being put in danger due to the SNP’s catastrophic failure to support A&E services.’’
‘’Lives are on the line and the Health Secretary’s current strategy is clearly not dealing whatsoever with this crisis.’’
‘’ The NHS is under-resourced, under-staffed and under pressure, and the Scottish Government must fund the NHS properly so that people can access care and treatment at A&E when they need it.’’
“If action is not taken now, we risk a winter of chaos in A&E departments across the Lothians.
