Members' Business — S6M-10378 Jeremy Balfour: Addressing the Availability of Changing Places Toilets

That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the importance of providing Changing Places toilets in suitable locations across Scotland, including in the Lothian region, to ensure that the country is as accessible and inclusive as possible; notes that the Scottish Government, in its 2021-22 Programme for Government, set out to “invest £10 million to increase the number of Changing Places toilets across the country”, but notes with concern reports that no fund has yet been set up to allow this budget to be allocated; further notes that the UK Government made a similar commitment in its 2021 budget to invest £30.5 million in a Changing Places toilet fund and has already allocated the first round of funding, which amounted to £23.5 million, and is now in the process of allocating the further £7 million to complete its programme, on target, by the end of the financial year 2023-24; notes the comments made by the Scottish Government Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport in June 2023, in relation to the Petition PE2027, which is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament, who stated that “funding for the construction of Changing Places Toilets has not yet been allocated and the timeframes for the distribution of this funding have not yet been announced”, and further notes the calls urging the Scottish Government to open this promised fund to ensure that Scotland is welcoming and accessible for all people with disabilities who require a Changing Places toilet.