‘A weight of responsibility’

Jackie Macadam meets the recently-elected Edinburgh MP Dr Scott Arthur and learns of his passion for supporting local charities as he offers an insight into his faith.

“WHEN you think about it, it’s a lot of pressure. I’m doing it for so many people. There’s a weight of responsibility in that.”

Dr Scott Arthur, MP for Edinburgh South West, is talking about his Private Members’ Bill, currently awaiting Committee time in Westminster. Scott’s Bill, The Rare Cancers Bill, designed to initiate a review into ‘orphan drug’ regulations – drugs that are not sufficiently funded because they don’t affect enough people to make the money spent on researching them cost-efficient for drug companies – and their treatment of rare cancers holds a special place in Scott’s heart.

“Rare cancers are defined as those that affect one in 2000 people or less, though you’ll have heard of many of them, like Glioblastoma, a type of aggressive brain cancer; liver cancer; salivatory gland cancer and so on.

“When the ballot for private members’ bills was held, I was drawn out sixth. To stand any chance of a Bill being made law, you need to come in the first seven names called. I decided the Rare Cancers Bill was the one I would pursue, partly in tribute to my father-in-law who died of glioblastoma himself.”

Working on the Bill involves sustaining a network with numerous cancer charities, he said.

“So many people are overlooked because their cancer is just not common enough to be profitable.

“I’m collaborating with around 40 cancer charities, all working away to raise awareness and get some research done on the cancer they focus on. I meet with them regularly, and so far they’ve been super helpful. They are pleased with the progress we are making, though the Bill still has a long way to go. The passage of the Bill has already raised awareness of so many overlooked cancers I’m told that sarcoma was mentioned more in three hours of my Bill’s debate than ever before in Parliament, and that when I spoke about saliva gland cancer, it was only the second time it has been mentioned.

“The people who are working with me on getting this bill through are really positive. When you work with them, they become very important to you.

“There’s the local head teacher who lost his the three-year old daughter, the MP whose family member is affected. It’s very real, very personal. I want to get this Bill through. I do not want to let these people down.

“So many people are overlooked because their cancer is just not common enough to be profitable. I sincerely hope that as this Bill progresses – and we’ve just recently got a date for it to go before Committee. It’s been held up, in effect, due to the length of time that’s been spent on the Assisted Dying Bill making its way through ahead of us. I can’t imagine my Bill will be faced with the same difficult discussions that Assisted Dying gave rise to!

“Many MPs are in favour of it; some have stood up and have spoken about their own personal, family or constituency experiences with rare cancers. It’s been humbling, but, as I say, I feel pressure to be able to use the opportunity to actually get it into law at the end of it.”

Scott was born in Kirkcaldy in Fife. His parents attended the local Episcopalian Church and he was a regular worshipper there as a child.

“Unfortunately,” he says, “My parents split up and divorced when I was quite young, and I drifted away from Church.

“I went to Abertay University in Dundee and became a civil engineer.”

While Scott was at Abertay, he volunteered for a three-legged race which would change his life.

“So back then, I was doing a traditionally male course – civil engineering, and once a year the Faculty would get together with the women who were doing the nursing course and we’d have a joint social event. This particular occasion there was a three-legged pub crawl to raise money for charity. Long story short, I was tied up to a young lady called Audrey who would go on to become my wife. I’m sure she’d tell the story differently but that’s the essence of it! Lucky three-legged pub crawl!”

Scott served as a local councillor in Edinburgh before being elected as MP, so has got to know the area well over the years. He has been able to follow some projects within his constituency through for many years as a result. One such project is Waverley Care, Scotland’s leading HIV and Hepatitis C charity, based in Oxgangs, Edinburgh.

“I’ve supported Waverley Care for a long time,” Scott says. “They opened the first AIDS Hospice in Scotland and have been instrumental in helping affected people have a voice when it comes to influencing local and national policy. It took a long time initially for AIDS to be thought of with compassion in the public mind, but Princess Diana, her visit to, and direct interaction with, people who were fighting AIDS, made a huge change to the public attitude. The focus now is on detecting new cases among people who don’t realise they even have the condition.

“Though Scotland has a government target of no new cases by 2030, we are, unfortunately, at risk of sliding backwards a little when it comes to testing. We need to do much more of it. “The highest rate of infection is among the heterosexual community now,” he says. “The groups who are at high-risk tend to be much more aware and take precautions against it. Unfortunately, there is a great complacency among the heterosexual population when it come to assessing their own risk of contracting HIV.

“It’s certainly a charity I fully support, and have followed for many years.”

Faith is important to Scott who says he is far from alone as a Christian in Parliament.

“There are quite a few practising Christians at Westminster,” he says. “We have a Communion service before the start of Parliamentary business Wednesday and another at lunchtime.

“We usually start each day off with a Christian prayer. Members who are not Christian or who are atheists, can either choose to sit in and stay seated or not come along.”

But despite working at Westminster, he does not lose sight of the people he represents.

“My constituency has houses worth millions of pounds and has foodbanks. I am the MP to all of the people in my constituency, irrespective of their background.

“They are my community, and it’s my job to represent and advocate for each and every one of them in Parliament, whilst trying to close the gap between the richest and poorest.” ¤