Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):

I, too, congratulate George Foulkes on securing the debate and, more important, I congratulate Mark Cooper on his determination and perseverance.

The barred campaign is all about improving accessibility for all patrons of Scotland's pubs. Disabled access to pubs affects pubs in Edinburgh and all parts of Scotland. Mark Cooper's success has been widespread. I am always impressed by people who have Facebook group memberships of more than 700, and I understand that Mark's group has 1,000 members worldwide.

The need for disabled access is universal. In the chamber last year, during the debate on the Disabled Persons' Parking Places (Scotland) Bill, which is now an act, I related a story about a constituent of mine. I will do so again, because his story is also about access. My constituent is a disabled driver who, due to the nature of his disability, required to park in the marked disabled bay right outside his front door so that he could access his home. Now I pause, and introduce members to his neighbour. He was a man who, for reasons best known to himself, decided that he should regularly park in that disabled bay. He caused untold misery for my constituent, who became afraid to leave his home in case his bay had been taken by the time he got back. Naturally, I asked the council for help, but it could do nothing. Equally, the police could do nothing because the bay was advisory, and they were unable to enforce it. Not one to be deterred, I put the neighbour on the front page of the local newspaper for two weeks running, but still he would not move.

My illustration might be about disabled parking, but this is a wider issue about access to shops, facilities, and the other things that we all take for granted.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): Does Jackie Baillie agree that some accessibility issues are about the attitude and the discrimination that underpins the fact that somebody would use a disabled parking bay or be hostile towards disabled people? I have experience of a pub being hostile to people who were not wheelchair users, but who were perceived to be different because of their disability.

Jackie Baillie: Johann Lamont is absolutely right. We need to challenge the underlying discrimination and the attitude that does not recognise us all as equal. The story about my constituent demonstrates the hardship that can be faced by members of society who have a disability. Many daily actions that those of us who do not live with disabilities take for granted can create an incredible challenge in the daily lives of those who have disabilities. Even going out at night with friends can be a challenge when one is bound to a wheelchair.