►
Description
Members' Business Debate on the subject of—
S5M-01493 Monica Lennon: Feminine Hygiene Products—That the Parliament notes the burden of the cost of feminine hygiene products on women and girls in the Central Scotland region and throughout Scotland; further notes that the average woman uses around 12,000 feminine hygiene products in their lifetime; recognises that these products are a necessity to maintaining good health; considers that some women and girls may be unable to buy vital feminine hygiene products due to the cost; commends charities such as Scottish Women’s Aid, The Trussell Trust and Barnardo’s for the great work they are doing to provide feminine hygiene products free of charge to women and girls who struggle to pay for them, and recognises the work being done internationally on the issue of menstrual equity, for example in New York City, where feminine hygiene products are now free in schools, prisons and homeless shelters.
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A
Okay,
the
final
item
of
business:
it
is
members
business
to
be
on
motion
number
one:
four,
nine
three:
in
the
name
of
Monica
Lennon
on
feminine
hygiene
products,
this
debate
will
be
concluded
without
any
questions
being
put
with
those
members
who
wish
to
speak
in
the
debate.
Please
press
the
request
to
speak
buttons
now
and
I
call
on
Monica
Lennon
to
open
the
debate
around
seven
minutes.
Please
miss
Layla
Thank.
B
You,
deputy
presiding
officer,
I'm
really
delighted
to
have
the
opportunity
to
leave
this
discussion
or
an
access
to
feminine
hygiene
products
in
Scotland
and
I,
say
a
discussion
because
I
am
encouraged
by
the
potential
for
consensus.
That
I
sense
is
building
I.
Don't
this
issue
and
everything
spider
cause
part
of
support
for
the
motion,
and
my
name
I
hope
this
debate
can
help
to
raise
awareness
of
the
financial
and
health
and
equalities
like
to
menstruation
austerity,
and
the
poverty
it
creates
has
a
disproportionate
impacts
on
women
and
period.
B
Poverty
is
a
secret
but
very
real
occurrence
of
shame
and
embarrassment
for
women
and
ghettos.
Less
distressing
gender
inequality
is
one
that
must
be
confronted
and
I
am
optimistic
that
women
and
girls
across
Scotland
will
be
able
to
look
to
the
Aquatics
Parliament
tonight
and
know
that
this
generation
of
mas
peace
well
rise
to
the
challenge
to
remain
healthy
and
safe.
During
menstruation.
B
Women
in
ghettos
need
adequate
access
to
tampons
sandwiches,
housed
and
related
to
adults,
but
it
is
an
uncomfortable
truth
that
not
every
women
in
ghetto
and
Scotland
can
afford
to
buy
essential
feminine
hygiene
products
when
they
need
them.
My
discussions
with
organizations
such
as
Bernardo
Scotland,
Scottish,
women's
AIDS
and
the
Trussell
trust
confirm
this,
and
yesterday
a
former
food
bank
manager
and
Dundee
told
me
the
heartbreaking
story
about
young
women
who
declined
the
offer
of
sanitary
products
because
she
had
another
periods
and
seven
months.
Dirty
lack
of
foods
and
malnourishment.
B
Their
stories
have
convinced
me
that
this
is
a
national
issue
and
one
that
a
decent
and
feared
man,
the
Scottish
society
simply
can't
ignore
I've,
also
been
following
with
and
trace
the
growing
mental
equity
movement
across
the
globe.
My
family's
heart
that
over
to
dance
when
New
York,
City
Council
voted
for
t920
serve
a
measure
to
have
women
in
ghettos
and
skills,
Pleasants
and
homeless,
shelters
access,
the
feminine
hygiene
products
free
of
charge.
After
a
successful
pilot
and
queens
in
the
bronx,
it
brought
three
pads
and
time
points
to
students
and
25
public
high
skills.
B
B
So
why
are
we
having
this
debate
today?
At
the
beginning
of
this
summer,
I
asked
the
Scottish
government
some
questions.
What
recent
action
had
it
taken
to
assess
the
affordability
of
feminine
hygiene
products
and
the
cost
of
periods
to
women
and
ghettos,
whether
it
considered
fairman
hygiene
to
be
a
health
issue
and
more
action
was
it
taking
to
tackle
the
stigma
I,
don't
periods?
B
Last
month
the
health
secretary
Shaun
had
Orbison
and
harder
play
advised
that
North
Pacific
what
had
been
done
to
examine
this
I
find
that
apply
and
feel
rather
disappointing
on
a
number
of
counts.
One.
The
nor
consolidation
was
being
given
to
the
labs
experience
of
women
in
ghettos
and
poverty
and
relation
to
their
periods.
To
that,
the
link
between
feminine
hygiene,
poverty
and
health
was
dismissed
and
three
that
the
Scottish
government
did
not
think
there
was
any
particular
stigma.
B
They
were
have
to
pay
tribute
to
Daniel
Sanderson
particle
reporter
at
The
Herald's,
first
of
all,
paying
attention
to
Parliament
equations,
but
for
taking
an
unchaste
and
the
poor.
The
issue
in
a
way
that's
allowed
to
be
to
open
up
and
protect
your
load,
I'm
grateful
to
the
team
at
engendered
and
to
nakiri
Bernardo
scotland's
for
speaking
out
about
the
needs
for
the
Scottish
government
to
undertake
further
work
to
build
the
evidence
base
and
take
appropriate
action
and
I'm
also
grateful
to
the
Minister
for
public
health
and
sport
healing
Campbell.
B
For
her
recent
reply
and
the
chamber
when
she
committed
to
licensee
women's
organisations
and
look
into
the
issues
that
have
been
raised.
Women
and
girls
in
Scotland
need
the
Scottish
Government
to
undertake
a
comprehensive
assessment
into
the
accessibility
and
affordability
of
their
men.
Hygiene
products
and
I
hope
we
can
get
our
own
commitments
or
Ness
I'm,
also
grateful
to
Mia,
but
across
the
chamber
tonight,
including
Gilroy's
jelly
Martin
and
Elaine
Smith
have
been
particularly
encouraging
and
council,
Islamic,
Donald
and
so
Flajnik
chef,
but
assisting
me
with
some
local
fact-finding
visits
in
all
of
our
communities.
B
Women
are
helping
women
daily
and
I
recognize
the
efforts
made
by
groups,
including
wonderful
independence,
to
collect
donations
of
sanitary
products.
Debates
a
bit
more,
there's
no
being
tempted
to
equity
are
not
they're,
not
new.
Back
in
1986
glorious
day
nominating
that
if
men
got
periods,
they
were
brag
about
them.
How
long
and
how
much
that
boys
would
talk
about
their
menstruation
as
the
beginning
of
their
manhoods,
that
there
will
be
guests?
B
Well,
let's
just
say
the
monies
and
sanitary
supplies
would
be
federally
funded
and
free
later
how
to
period
jokes
aside
there
as
I'm
a
sort
of
serious
principle
here,
men
still
care
as
health
care,
women's
rights
are
human
rights.
So
I
finished
with
a
couple
of
questions.
Three,
in
fact,
let's
ask
ourselves
what
yes
is:
a
free
prescription
for
period
pain,
relief
if
floor,
pay
and
unsecured
zero
oil
contracts
are
forcing
menstruating
women
to
stuff
their
pants
with
toilet
paper?
B
Should
we
really
say:
try
a
food
bank
to
a
mother
and
her
daughters
fleeing
domestic
violence
when
there
is
no
guarantee
whatsoever
that
the
donation,
pile
well
include,
the
time
points
and
tiles
that
they
are
gently
meets
deputy
presiding
officer.
It's
been
a
privilege
to
open
this
debate
and
I
look
forward
to
the
Scottish
Government
and
indeed
the
entire
Scottish
Parliament,
proving
that
we
are
ready
and
willing
to
tackle
this
gendered
and
equality,
so
that
terms
like
on
the
rag
really
add
banished
to
history
books.
Oh.
C
You
presiding
officer,
what
kind
of
societal
issue
is
access
to
P
the
appropriate
products?
Well,
it's
not
just
a
single
issue.
It
is,
of
course,
a
poverty
issue.
Households
with
low
incomes
will
play
all
the
ties
how
they
spend
what
little
money
they
have
top
of
that
play.
Royalty
less,
would
be
food,
then
rent,
then
heating,
power,
woman,
managing
a
household
for
which
getting
food
in
the
table
was
a
struggle
every
week.
C
Just
simply
won't
have
the
money
to
spend
on
period
products
for
themselves,
so
targeted
preservation
for
women
and
low
incomes
could
be
an
option
and,
of
course,
at
the
extreme
end
of
poverty.
We
have
women
in
the
streets
without
homes,
but
every
month
must
find
a
way
to
cope
with
the
demeaning
and
distressing
situation
of
bleeding
for
five
days,
with
no
access
to
their
own
bathroom,
much
less
towels
and
tampons.
C
It's
also
an
attainment
issue
due
to
lack
of
access
to
period
products.
Young
women
from
low-income
families
often
forced
to
miss
school.
If
you
do
the
arithmetic,
a
young
woman
with
no
access
to
period
products
may
stay
at
home
until
her
period
is
over,
which
could
be
around
five
days
a
month.
Added
up.
C
This
could
lead
to
a
young
women
with
no
access
to
missing
a
quarter
of
her
schooling,
so
targeted
school
provision
could
also
be
an
option
and
I'm
interested
to
hear
that
Monica
Lane
has
already
mentioned
the
issue
in
New
York,
which
made
my
heart
sing
too.
It's
also
a
women's
health
issue
when
I
accessed
the
products
is
limited.
Women
may
not
change
that
tampons
or
pads,
as
often
as
a
safe,
toxic
shock
and
sepsis
is
more
likely
to
happen
to
women
and
low
incomes.
C
Women
who
do
not
have
the
luxury
of
changing
tampons
every
couple
of
errors,
as
is
recommended,
but
it's
also
a
control
and
abuse
issue.
Often
women
who
subjected
to
domestic
abuse
or
corrosive
control
by
their
partner
had
denied
access
to
anything.
That's
simply
for
their
own
use
and
I
was
shocked
to
discover
this
often
unspoken
issue
as
I
met
with
Cyrenians
and
Aberdeen,
who
provides
support
for
people
from
a
range
of
challenging
circumstances
and
their
domestic
abuse.
C
Support
Officer
told
me
that
many
women
don't
have
access
to
period
products
because
their
partner
stands
between
them
and
access
to
them
through
a
range
of
abusive
behaviors
behaviors
like
prohibiting
the
purchase
or
use
rationing,
their
availability
to
control
the
movement
of
their
partner
or
giving
access
to
a
range
of
hygiene
products
only
in
exchange
for
sex
or
simply
keeping
our
women
from
accessing
her
own
money,
so
that
purchasing
them
is
impossible.
Not
all
women
who
can't
buy
tampons
come
from
low-income
homes.
C
An
ideal
situation
would
be
to
an
ideal
solution,
rather
would
be
to
have
an
open
and
universal
access.
But
we
must
be
realistic
about
what
our
national
health
service
can
afford
to
do.
In
a
situation
where
we
have
limited
fiscal
control
and
a
set
budget.
The
significant
demands
on
it
in
an
ideal
world
would
have
some
kind
of
mechanism,
perhaps
a
card
available
to
all
women,
to
use
at
their
discretion.
To
access
period
products
when
they
need
them
may
be
similar
to
the
C
card,
which
gives
access
to
free
condoms
at
the
SNP
national
council.
C
In
May
we
passed
a
motion
to
look
into
the
possibility
of
such
a
mechanism
and
I
believe,
there's
merit
and
piloting
such
a
scheme
to
investigate
how
it
could
work,
what
the
take-up
would
be
and
what
the
costs
associated
it
with
it
would
be.
Could
we
see
a
reduction
in
admissions
to
hospital?
Could
we
see
more
girls
into
private
areas
accessing
the
right
to
education?
Can
we
see
more
women
having
control
over
the
health
and
their
lives?
Some
creative
thinking
around
desk
you'd
unlock
the
answers.
Thank
you.
D
Thank
You
a
deputy
presiding
officer
as
their
quality
spokesperson
for
the
Scottish
Conservatives
I,
am
pleased
to
have
the
opportunity
to
speak
about
our
topic
today.
I
think
we're
all
familiar
with
the
debates
that
ending
the
much
opposed
tampon
tax
that
she
didn't
last
and
I
was
pleased
to
see
the
UK
government
acting
decisively
on
the
issue
to
the
designer
two
products
of
the
5%
vibrate
and
March
UK
government
leaders
sparred
on
the
debate,
which
led
to
all
20
of
the
EU
leaders.
D
Again,
individual
states
should
have
the
option
of
removing
tax
from
sauna
to
products,
although
some
have
accused
the
government
of
going
silent
on
the
issue,
I
would
like
to
reiterate
that
only
this
summer,
Minister
David
Koch,
said
during
a
committee
trajan
meeting
in
July
that
the
government
anticipated
the
0v
being
in
place
by
the
1st
of
April
next
year,
even
if
not
yet
formally
legislated
for.
In
the
meantime,
in
the
50
million
pound,
revenue
raised
by
the
tax
is
still
being
transferred
to
women's
charities.
D
I
think
we're
all
in
agreement
that
sanitary
products
are
a
necessity
and,
as
a
starting
point,
I
would
like
to
buy.
Today's
motion
to
make
feminine
hygiene
products
more
accessible
to
women
and
families
who
struggle
to
afford
them
particular
when
we
consider
the
contraception,
for
example,
has
already
provided
free
of
charge
when
women
in
ghettos,
lack
access
to
affordable
and
hygienic
products.
The
can
resort
to
using,
as
Monika
have
said,
all
drags
forth
or
other
unhygenic
materials.
In
some
cases,
the
lack
of
access
can
result
in
ghettos,
Muslims
kill
and
women
avoid
in
their
workplaces.
D
D
Last
year,
a
group
of
students
from
the
University
of
Glasgow
launched
their
own
campaign
group,
the
homeless
period,
advocating
becca,
better
access
to
sanitary
products
for
homeless
women
and
at
Christmastime.
The
glasgow
university
readily
society
collected
hundreds
of
essential
toiletries,
including
such
products
to
donate
to
homeless
charity
nationally,
as
Monica's
point
today.
D
I
would
also
like
to
thank
the
efforts
of
women's
AIDS
and
the
Trussell
trust
and
all
and,
of
course,
Barnardo's
for
the
work
they
have
done
in
raising
awareness
of
this
issue
and
to
conclude
for
this
evening,
I
support
the
salesmen
first
motion
today
and
make
him
feminine
hygiene
products
accessible
to
those
who
can't
afford
them
and
I
bite
morning's
motion.
Thank
you
very
much.
E
Any
Thank,
You
presiding
officer
can
I
congratulate
Monica
linen
for
securing
this
debate
and
it's
a
very
important
issue
for
all
women,
but
especially
women
with
medical
conditions,
or
indeed,
in
financial
hardship.
Nothing.
This
was
brought
home
to
me
a
couple
of
weeks
ago
and
when
Kezia
Dugdale
was
collecting
for
edinburgh
woman's
each
in
a
box
in
her
office,
and
she
was
encouraging
us
all
to
make
contributions
and
what
they
really
needed
there
for
women
in
their
service
was
toiletries
and
sanitary
products.
It
was
quite
sad
that
that
was
something
that
we
were.
E
We
were
collecting
for
and
wasn't
to
supply
it
as
a
very
basic
necessity
for
them.
It's
a
big
problem
throughout
Scotland
for
people
in
don't
have
the
finance
in
for
those
very
basic
supplies,
but
it's
a
bigger
problem
in
rural
Scotland,
because
everything
costs
so
much
more
in
the
small
shops
that
supply
in
those
areas.
E
They
also
have
less
access
to
people,
organizations
like
the
Tressel,
trust
and
Monica
mentioned,
and
their
work
and
supplying
such
products
to
women
and
and
that
will
provide
a
lifeline,
but
they
don't
operate
as
much
in
rural
areas
as
well.
So
we
need
to
can
look
at
other
ways
of
doing
it
because
it
is
a
health
risk.
E
Others
have
mentioned
toxic
shock
syndrome
and-
and
that
is
really
important,
that
we
encourage
people
to
change
products
as
often
as
possible,
because
if
not,
it
can
have
a
real
health
risk
and
we
can't
be
prescriptive
about
the
types
of
product
use
because
everybody
has
different
needs.
Health
conditions
can
lead
to
a
much
greater
need
for
different
products.
Things
like
polycystic
ovaries,
fibroids
and
the
like
can
make
periods
very
long
and
very
heavy
and
can
mean
that
people
need
and
a
lot
of
products
rather
than
what
a
woman
you'd
normally
use
in
a
month.
E
The
motion
talks
about
New,
York
and
I
think
we
all
applaud
them
for
what
they
have
done,
supplying
three
sanitary
products
in
schools,
prisons
and
in
homeless,
shelters.
But,
as
others
have
said,
in
contraceptive
supplies
are
free
on
the
health
service
from
GPS
and
other
health
providers
and
I'm
not
indicates
that
we
see
that
as
an
essential
intervention,
the
same
with
incontinence
supplies
they're,
provided
by
community
nurses
free
of
charge
to
those
who
need
them.
Surely
we
should
look
at
sanitary
products
and
exactly
the
same
way.
It's
about
dignity.
E
It's
a
bay
aim,
rights
to
hygiene
on
health
and
I'm
wondering
if
maybe
we
can
look
at
some
way
of
getting
those
products
out
to
people
either
through
em
health,
the
health
service,
but
people
may
complain
well.
This
is
not
a
health
issue.
Someone
might
not
be
accessing
their
that
they're
a
community
nurse
or
GP,
because
they
just
simply
need
the
product.
So
maybe
we
could
look
at
people
on
benefits
or
people
who
have
needs
that
they
could
apply,
maybe
for
a
voucher
once
or
a
card
once
to
get
them
supplies
and
not.
E
E
It
kind
of
brought
to
mind
rapport
I
heard
of
I
think
it
was
last
week
by
M
women
taking
time
of
work
because
of
men,
stroke,
programs
such
as
PMT
and
pain,
and
they
would
embarrass
to
tell
their
employer
the
real
cause
of
their
absence
because
one
they
were
pretty
sure
they
wouldn't
get
off
a
adhering
and
that
they
should
be
pitching
up
and
doing
that
work,
and
it
was
only
an
excuse.
So
really
it
really
is
an
equality
issue
for
a
women.
E
They
should
be
able
to
take
time
off
if
they're
not
well
and
affair
and
pain
and
discomfort,
and
we
need
to
make
sure
that
access
to
very
basic
products
is
a
human
right
and
there's
a
dignity
right
and
that
should
be
fee.
It
should
be
met
with
understanding
and
care,
and
we
should
do
something
about
this.
To
make
sure
you,
people
have
access
to
those
products.
F
Allison
Harris,
thank
you
for
saying
so.
I
also
thank
Monica
Lennon
for
bringing
this
important
subject
before
Parliament
and
also
can
I
pay
tribute
to
the
excellent
speeches
that
have
come
before
me
as
well.
Thank
you
very
much.
I
welcome
the
chance
to
try
and
dispel
the
stigma
that
exists
in
society,
around
periods
and
feminine
hygiene
products
for
many
women,
feminine
hygiene
products
such
as
tampons,
pads
and
panty
liners
are
just
thrown
and
with
the
weekly
shop
and
the
price
isn't
taken
into
consideration
as
women,
we
have
no
choice.
F
These
items
are
as
essential
as
the
other
items
of
food
in
our
trolley
and
whilst
I
applaud
Morrison
runner,
Kieran
Gandhi
for
bringing
the
issue
and
to
focus
when
she
freeblade
during
the
London
Marathon.
This
was
to
make
a
statement
and
I
don't
think
it's
entirely
appropriate
in
everyday
life,
but
I
do
agree
with
Monica
linens
motion
when
it
says
that
sanitary
products
should
be
freely
available
for
women
in
shelters,
skills
and
presence,
and
indeed
we
should
be
looking
at
ways
that
this
can
be
done.
Rhoda
grant
mentioned
before
the
only
last
week.
F
Kezia
Dugdale
did
a
great
thing
and
collected
toiletries
for
edinburgh
women's
heed
after
they
made
a
plea
for
supplies,
but
I
wonder
how
many
packs
of
tampons
and
pads
would
be
would
have
been
donated
if
it
didn't
see
toiletries
and
sanitary
products,
because
a
lot
of
time,
the
term
toiletries
just
conjures
up
pictures
of
toothpaste
and
shampoo
and
deodorants,
because
menstruation
has
really
talked
about.
It
can
be
easily
forgotten
about
all
they
ever
mention
in
jest.
When
a
woman
seems
to
be
on
edge
yeah,
it
must
be
that
time
of
the
month.
F
But
there
is
another
issue:
Annie
Wales
touched
on
it
and
we
need
to
talk
about
it.
Currently,
women's
feminine
hygiene
products
are
still
taxed
at
5%
by
Westminster
and
S
was
only
dropped
in
2001
because
it
used
to
be
at
seventeen
point
five
percent
and
was
the
straight
since
1973,
Natacha,
Prius
C
and
the
under
pendant
last
year
says:
there's
nothing
luxurious
about
myperiod.
So
why
is
the
government
taxing
tampons
as
f?
F
There's
it's
essentially
having
a
tax
on
a
uterus
and
there
is
rightly
been
outrage
that
sanitary
products
have
been
subject
even
to
the
five
percent
ve
t
as
luxuries
and
so
not
a
zero
rated
essential,
unlike
things
like
jaffa,
cakes,
flapjacks,
flapjacks
and
that
B's,
amongst
other
things,
the
SNP
2015
general
election
manifesto
said
that
we
would
support
the
abolition
of
ve
T
on
sanitary
products.
No
other
manifesto
had
that
commitment
and
we
have
laid
out
possession
to
the
tampon
tax
at
Westminster.
F
Alison
Thewlis
MP
for
glasgow
central
tabled
an
amendment
to
the
finance
bell
calling
on
the
Westminster
Government
to
energist
zero
in
on
tampons
and
sanitary
towels,
and
the
SNP
supported
the
Labour
amendment.
That
did
the
same.
Although
the
amendment
did
not
pass
changes
in
EU
policy
have
been
agreed
and
changes
to
the
tampon
tax
should
be
reflected
in
the
autumn
statement
and
I
welcome.
Annie
Wales
at
any
whales
tale
in
the
chamber
today
that
this
is
to
be
saw.
F
Snp
is
long
called
for
the
abolition
of
the
unfair
contacts
and
it
took
five
years
of
inaction
from
the
Tory
government
for
george
george
osborne
to
say
out
when
we
can
expect
the
v80
rules
to
be
changed,
because,
unlike
the
UK
government,
his
austerity
has
disproportionately
hurt
women
des
Parliament
as
committed
to
the
cause
of
gender
equality.
I've
said
this
before
and
I
will
say
again:
sanitary
products
are
not
an
optional
luxury;
they
are
an
essential
product
for
over
half
the
population,
presiding
officer.
F
In
conclusion,
women
should
not
be
made
to
pay
over
the
odds
for
sanitary
or
feminine
hygiene.
Products
that
are
a
necessary
part
of
life.
I
want
us
to
be
able
to
speak
more
freely
about
periods
and
menstruation
now
after
WestBow,
it's
that
time
in
a
month
or
make
excuses
to
hide
our
short
Ami's
or
make
a
joke
about
our
mood
swings.
These
things
are
real,
it's
not
embarrassing,
it
shouldn't
be
hidden.
This
is
nature,
and
none
of
us
would
be
here
without
it.
Thank
you.
G
Presiding
officer
I'm
pleased
to
contribute
to
this
debate
today
and
that
they
don't
say
it
wish
to
state
that
I
also
believe
that
feminine
health
products
are
not
a
luxury
but
are
very
much
a
necessity
as
such.
A
welcome
that,
following
discussions
earlier
this
year
with
the
European
Commission,
the
UK
government
will
next
year
be
able
to
reduce
the
existing
5%
VAT
rate
on
these
products
to
zero
I
congratulate
all
those
involved
in
pushing
for
the
removal
of
the
so-called
tampon
tax.
For
centuries
we
have
lived
in
what
was
very
much
a
man's
world.
G
Men
wrote
the
medical
books
became
doctors
designed
medical
products
and
often
paid
only
cursory
interest
in
the
result
of
the
regular
cycle
of
women's
bodies,
women
were
left
to
improvise
and
use
whatever
material
was
readily
at
hand
to
make
an
attempt
at
maintaining
hygiene
and
dignity.
The
first
mention
of
any
feminine
hygiene
product
occurred
in
an
account
of
a
fourth
century
Greek
woman
who
was
said
to
have
hurled
one
of
her
used
menstrual
rags
at
an
unwanted
gentleman
caller.
The
word
rag
were
literal
as
from
the
earliest
times
old,
dicks
animal
skin.
G
Even
more
just
some
of
the
components
used
later
cotton
pads
became
more
common,
but
of
course,
hygiene
and
often
the
inability
to
wash
the
past
caused
many
infections.
The
later
Victorian
era
saw
the
arrival
of
the
first
commercial
products.
Despite
their
increased
effectiveness,
few
Victorian
women
were
prepared
to
ask
a
shopkeeper
in
Veda
Blee,
a
man
for
them
and,
of
course,
cost
was
also
a
factor.
G
Even
then,
it
is
ironic,
deputy,
presiding
officer
that
I
love
the
horrors
of
the
first
world
war
came
products
that
would
lead
to
major
advances
in
the
field
of
feminine
hygiene.
French
nurses
tending
the
would
indeed
notice
the
great
ability
of
the
cured
military
bandages
to
absorb
blood
and
started
using
them
in
place
of
their
homemade
menstrual
rags.
At
the
end
of
the
war
brought
great
changes
for
women.
It
brought
the
first
race
to
vote,
and
women
became
more
confident
as
the
world
entered
into
the
rolling
20s.
G
Few
women
now
fell
any
embarrassment
at
buying
products
essential
to
their
health
and
well-being.
The
interwar
years
brought
the
introduction
of
the
product,
which
was
in
which
the
inventor
dr.
Hass
named
Tampax.
Since
then,
this
product
and
other
tampons,
towels
and
pads
have
been
further
developed
and
become
easier
to
use
better
shaped
and
more
absorbent.
G
However,
convenience
has
come
at
a
place
not
only
to
the
environment
as
many
of
the
components
of
the
modern
tampon
or
pad
take
just
as
long
to
degrade
as
disposable
nappies,
but
also
to
our
purses,
I
hope,
deputy
presiding
officer
that
this
potted
history
of
feminine
hygiene
products
does
show
just
how
essential
feminine
hygiene
products
in
whatever
forum
have
been
throughout
history
in
the
past
and
sadly,
in
many
places.
Even
today,
women
have
resorted
to
improvised
and
uncomfortable
solutions,
often
risking
their
health
and
comfort.
G
As
a
result
of
the
natural
cycle
of
their
bodies,
Victorian
women
were
reluctant
to
purchase
the
early
commercial
products
for
fear
of
embarrassment.
It
is
therefore
good
that
today,
the
Scottish
Parliament
can
discuss
this
matter
openly
fully
and
not
with
the
slightest
embarrassment
I
congratulate
:
and
bringing
this
motion
forward.
Thank
you.
I.
H
I
know,
too
that
there
has
been
discussion,
and
certainly
in
Australia,
about
the
free
provision
of
mainship
products
in
public
buildings,
such
as
libraries
or
in
homeless,
shelters.
The
conversation
and
certainly
has
I
understand,
been
set
in
the
context
of
facilities
which
are
most
often
used
by
disadvantaged
communities.
But
in
all
of
these
examples
the
unifying
element
is
poverty,
and
that
is
why
the
Scottish
governor
is
doing
what
it
can
to
mitigate
the
impact
of
austerity
and
is
why
we
are
responding
to
the
need
a
and
to
tackle
poverty
and
inequality
with
action.
H
Because
sanitary
products
are
not
a
luxury
as
Gil
Ross
and
others
have
pointed
out.
And
so
when
it
comes
to
cost,
there
are
items
that
simply
should
never
have
been
taxed.
And
that
is
why
the
SNP
highlighted
and
placed
action
on
the
issue
on
dat
unsanitary
products,
a
no
manifesto
in
2015
and
was
the
only
party
to
do
so.
A
scale
Ross.
H
A
pointed
out
and
I'm
proud
that
the
SNP
has
championed
the
case
for
removing
the
unfair
and
discriminatory
dat
that
has
been
levied
on
sanitary
products
in
the
UK
and
pay
tribute
to
the
work
of
my
friend
and
colleague,
Alison
Thewlis.
For
her
efforts.
Women
in
Scotland
well
face
lower
costs
for
sanitary
products
once
the
zero
rate
of
that
takes
place.
B
H
A
H
What
I
also
said
in
my
response
to
the
question
that
you
had
last
week
that
me
and
a
whole
host
of
other
ministers
are
interested
and
that's
because
it
does
a
transcend
many
narrow
portfolio,
boundaries
and
I?
Don't
think
that's
a
weak
I
think
that's
a
strength
that
we
should
try
and
make
sure
that
we
look
at
this
in
the
round,
whether
that's
my
colleague,
Jean
Freeman,
with
Social,
Security
or
others
who
have
an
interest
in
equalities
issues.
H
Now
part
of
the
debate
in
New
York
that
Monica
and
Jillian
have
mentioned
was
that
young
girls
can
sometimes
feel
embarrassed
if
they
have
to
go
and
ask
for
someone
for
sanity,
applaud
executing
the
school
day
and
while
I
knew
that
most
schools
in
Scotland
will
provide
sanitary
products
in
some
way,
either
through
dispensers
and
toilets
or
through
supply
by
staff.
No
girl
who
needs
access
to
products
while
in
school
should
feel
embarrassed.
H
H
These
are
areas
that
I
think
we
across
government
need
to
engage
with
this
third
sector
about
and
those
who
have
a
deeper
understanding
of
the
problems
that
are
persistently
a
happening
across
our
country.
Furthermore,
I
think
with
the
grant,
also
needs
a
an
excellent
contribution
about
the
cost
for
women
in
rural
and
remote
areas,
both
in
terms
of
them
being
more.
H
These
products
be
more
costly
and
smaller
shops
are
also
needing
to,
in
addition
to
finding
the
money
to
buy
products
to
need
to
find
the
money
to
buy
the
transport
to
get
to
the
shops
in
the
first
place.
So,
in
conclusion,
a
presiding
officer
I'm
grateful
to
Monica
layman
for
raising
this
topic
for
discussion.
H
I
didn't
mean
context,
or
what
more
can
be
done
to
tackle
this
gendered
inequality
within
the
limitations
of
the
current
state
or
me
settlement
motivated,
though
both
by
my
role
as
like
that
I
hold
as
Minister
for
public
health,
but
also
as
a
woman
United
with
the
other
female
speakers
this
evening
to
do
what
I
can
to
improve
the
lives
of
girls
and
women
in
our
country
and
ensure
that
in
2016
they
can
live
in
dignity.
Thank
you.
I.