An amended Scottish Government motion passed the Parliament this week. The motion calling for the “strengthening of Scotland’s partnership with the third sector” passed with MSPs voting overwhelmingly in favour.
The debate, led by Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, proposed a motion which commends “the essential role that the third sector plays in supporting people and communities”, and laying out what a future partnership agreement could look like.
Shirley-Anne Somerville said “Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations Scottish charity awards. The positive impact of the third sector and the incredible people in it was on display once again that night, as it is in every community, every day, right across Scotland. Their work and volunteering change lives, strengthen communities and provide support to people where and when they need it most. However, to be clear, for that support to continue, a sustainable, thriving and independent third sector is essential. It is on that note that we will be supporting the amendments from the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish Greens and Labour today.
The third sector works across a huge number of policy areas, from healthcare and education to reducing the impact of child poverty and advancing climate action. As one of our key partners, the third sector directly contributes to the Government’s four missions. What sets the third sector apart is its deep knowledge of communities, which makes it uniquely placed to identify and deliver real solutions. That knowledge cannot be replicated by any Government, national or local.
The Government recognises that, to tackle the biggest challenges of the day, we need to work in partnership with the sector. Further, we recognise that we have a responsibility to protect the independence of the sector and respect the remarkable work of those organisations. The Government fully supports the rights of charities to campaign on behalf of those whom they represent and to influence changes in policy, regardless of their funding status. Questioning the integrity of the third sector erodes trust and harms communities at a time when community support could not be more important.”
You can read the full motion here https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/votes-and-motions/S7M-00356
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