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Hansard

Every contribution to the Official Report — chamber and committee — searchable in one place. Pulled from data.parliament.scot, indexed for full-text search, linked through to every MSP.

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2,096,833

Hansard contributions

1999–2026

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Official Report

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Showing 60 of 2,096,833 contributions. Latest 30 days: 2,655. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 09 Jun 2026.

Angela Constance SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

It is disappointing that Mr Hoy does not welcome the prospect of a GP walk-in service for Stranraer. The important point is that the purpose of GP walk-in services is to free up capacity in the primary care system, so that people across our constituencies and regions can be se...

Craig Hoy (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

It is 77 miles from Sanquhar to Stranraer, which is a journey that takes a minimum of two hours by car or at least four hours by bus. Given that my constituents will be expected to make that journey to access the GP walk-in centre in Stranraer, does that not expose the policy ...

Angela Constance SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

I expect the Glasgow site to open later this month. I very much appreciate the health board’s hard work to get the services up and running. I am sure that Michelle Campbell will join me in welcoming the opening of the sites and thanking our hard-working national health service...

Michelle Campbell (Renfrewshire North and Cardonald) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

Work is well under way in preparation for Glasgow’s first walk-in clinic opening. Can the Scottish Government offer an update on when that wonderful resource for the good people of Cardonald will be open?

Angela Constance SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

Ms Gibson has made an important point about reducing health inequality by improving access to healthcare. The Government is committed to providing a North Ayrshire walk-in service, which was one of the 14 additional services that were announced. That brings the total number of...

Patricia Gibson SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

North Ayrshire’s people have Scotland’s lowest healthy life expectancy. The average adult remains in full health until just 53 years old. More than 28 per cent of people live with a long-term health condition, which is 6 per cent higher than the Scottish average. In view of th...

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care (Angela Constance) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

I have committed to expanding the walk-in service programme and will set out how I will do so in the first 100 days of this Government. Health boards were previously asked to generate proposals that considered their populations’ needs, taking into account local issues and circ...

Patricia Gibson (Cunninghame South) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects a general practitioner walk-in centre to open in North Ayrshire. (S7O-00023)

Neil Gray SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

The short answer is yes. I am happy to meet Ms Minto or any other member to discuss the matter further. The challenge of multiple organisations drawing on small rural populations is not new. The SFRS works collaboratively with a range of partners, including the coastguard serv...

Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

I appreciate that these are independent decisions to be made by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, but I am interested to know whether the Scottish Government is looking at the cumulative impact of those changes on, for example, other rescue services such as the coastguard,...

Neil Gray SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

I am more than happy to explore that with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in order to ensure that we are in a position to respond to the changing nature of fire and flood risk across Scotland. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s very successful prevention activities, a...

Stephen Kerr (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

Ministers previously told Parliament that almost £1 million of specialist wildfire pumping units would be deployed within weeks. A Scottish Conservative freedom of information request later revealed that they were still not operational, during Scotland’s worst wildfire season ...

Neil Gray SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

These are independent decisions for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to make, but it is open to Parliament to take a view on those matters—in the way that a view is normally taken, for example, on investigations undertaken through the committee structure—or otherwise. Obvi...

Joe Fagan Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

There is profound concern about the potential outcomes of the service delivery review, not least from the firefighters and their union. Given the gravity of the decisions that are about to be made, does the Government agree that there should be full parliamentary scrutiny and ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Neil Gray) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

I met the SFRS board chair on 4 June, when we discussed the overall objectives of the service delivery review and the consultation and outreach process that the SFRS has undertaken. Recent large fires in Glasgow and Fife have been dealt with commendably by our front-line firef...

Joe Fagan (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service board regarding the outcome of the service delivery review that is due to be considered on 22 June. (S7O-00022)

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I am happy to answer.If Mr Cole-Hamilton wishes to write to me, I will write back to him as swiftly as I possibly can.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

That was not quite on the nose for the general question, but do you want to respond, cabinet secretary?

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD) LD Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I hope that the cabinet secretary will agree that one of the safest ways to get students from Kirkliston in my constituency to their catchment high school in South Queensferry is via the council-funded coach service that has been operating well there for several years. A decis...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I realise that everyone is finding their feet, including me. I remind members that they should only press their button if they want to ask a supplementary to the general question that has been asked.Alex Cole-Hamilton has a supplementary.

Lloyd Melville (Angus South) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

My apologies, Presiding Officer. I pressed my button in error, thinking that I would have to do that for my general question later on.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

Lloyd Melville has a supplementary.

Julie MacDougall Reform Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

That is not relevant to this question. We are on supplementaries to the question that Patrick Harvie asked.

Julie MacDougall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) Reform Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I recently met the chief executive of Forth Valley College. It was incredibly harrowing to hear about how apprenticeship courses are being cut—

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

Julie MacDougall has a supplementary.

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

Mr Harvie will be pleased to know that £3.2 million is still going to regional transport partnerships—£1.6 million will be available for local direct awards and £1.4 million is going to bikeability schemes, which all our weans can benefit from. Of course, that forms part of a ...

Patrick Harvie Green Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I am sorry that the cabinet secretary did not choose to answer that question by explaining why the cut took place and why it took place during the election purdah period. I have returned to my job to meet local community organisations that are doing the work that the Scottish ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport (Stephen Flynn) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I thank Patrick Harvie for his question, because it gives me the opportunity to restate what the First Minister said. We support cycling, walking and wheeling, which is why £226 million-worth of investment is going into sustainable and active travel. I am very proud of that—I ...

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) Green Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments made by the First Minister in the Parliament on 2 June that the Scottish Government prioritises active and safe travel routes and the encouragement of cycling, walking and wheeling, for what reason Transport Scotland reporte...

Stephen Kerr Con Chamber

Committee Conveners

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Stephen Kerr (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con Chamber

Committee Conveners

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. For guidance, would it be possible for the same person to be nominated again in those circumstances?

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

The process is opened again for further nominations. However, to be clear, any other member who is nominated will have to come from the party from which the original member was selected.

Helen McDade Reform Chamber

Committee Conveners

What happens then?

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

If a candidate receives the majority of votes, that candidate will become the committee convener. If the majority is against it, that candidate will not be the committee convener.

Helen McDade (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) Reform Chamber

Committee Conveners

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I just wonder what the process is. Can you explain what happens once a vote has been cast when there is only one candidate, so that we know what we are voting against?

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Willie Rennie’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Fifteen out of 15 convenerships will be subject to secret ballots.I have also received two valid nominations for convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. The nomin...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Craig Hoy’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Willie Rennie has been nominated as convener of the Transport Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was received.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Mark Ruskell’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Craig Hoy has been nominated as convener of the Social Justice, Housing and Local Government Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button n...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Bob Doris’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Mark Ruskell has been nominated as convener of the Rural Affairs Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Paul Sweeney’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Bob Doris has been nominated as convener of the Public Service Reform Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Neil Bibby’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Paul Sweeney has been nominated as convener of the Public Petitions Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Helen McDade’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Neil Bibby has been nominated as convener of the Public Audit Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Clare Haughey’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Helen McDade has been nominated as convener of the Health, Care and Sport Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection wa...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Patrick Harvie’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Clare Haughey has been nominated as convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Katie Hagmann’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Patrick Harvie has been nominated as convener of the Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Karen Adam’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Katie Hagmann has been nominated as convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button n...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Duncan Massey’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Karen Adam has been nominated as convener of the Education and Gaelic Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was no...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Calum Kerr’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Duncan Massey has been nominated as convener of the Economy, Tourism and Energy Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Alyn Smith’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Calum Kerr has been nominated as convener of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objectio...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Stuart McMillan’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Alyn Smith has been nominated as convener of the Criminal Justice Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer (Kenneth Gibson) NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Colleagues, we turn to the election of committee conveners. When more than one nomination for convener of a committee has been received, an election will be conducted by secret ballot. I will give you instructions on this shortly.When a single nomination has been received, the...

Speaker unknown Chamber

Committee Conveners

Rabbi Moshe Rubin (Rabbi of Giffnock Synagogue and Senior Rabbi of Scotland) Chamber

Time for Reflection

Thank you, Presiding Officer. On behalf of the Scottish Jewish community, I wish you and all newly elected MSPs every success in your service to our beautiful country of Scotland.It is no secret that Jewish communities across the United Kingdom are facing increasing hostility....

The Presiding Officer (Kenneth Gibson) NPA Chamber

Time for Reflection

Our first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection, and our time for reflection leader today is Rabbi Moshe Rubin of Giffnock synagogue, the Senior Rabbi of Scotland.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

That concludes decision time.Meeting closed at 17:20.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

The result of the division on motion S7M-00249, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, on wealth taxation for public services, as amended, is: For 84, Against 28, Abstentions 10.Motion, as amended, agreed to,That the Parliament believes in fair, progressive and sustainable taxation to ...

Speaker unknown Chamber

ForAdam, George (Paisley) (SNP)Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)Anderson, Heather (Dundee City West) (SNP)Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley) (SNP)Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)Barratt, David ...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

The final question is, that motion S7M-00249, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, on wealth taxation for public services, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.

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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 09 February 2012

09 Feb 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Review of Teacher Employment

Henry, Hugh Lab Renfrewshire South Watch on SPTV

I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of his statement.

The McCrone review was about improving morale in Scottish education, supporting professionalism among teachers and fairly rewarding experience and expertise. The McCormac review, on the other hand, will, I fear, help to destabilise and demoralise the teaching profession. It is a charter for cost cutting by managers and is an academic fig leaf to allow the Scottish National Party Government to facilitate budget cuts across Scotland, building on previous education betrayals by the SNP, including the pledge to cut class sizes and the pledge to maintain teacher numbers.

I disagree profoundly with the cabinet secretary’s decision to abandon the chartered teacher scheme. I believe that it can be amended and improved, but the concept—that we should find a way of supporting and rewarding excellent teachers who want to remain in the classroom—remains the right one. The cabinet secretary has said nothing about supporting teachers who see that as a preferred career option.

I welcome the cabinet secretary’s rejection of the Renfrewshire Council model of replacing teachers with unqualified staff, and I hope that any suggestion of bringing others into our schools will be based on teacher professionalism, with proper safeguards and checks built in.

I do not oppose the idea of supporting teachers to improve and develop their skills, but does the cabinet secretary recognise that there are fears that there could be an attempt to introduce reaccreditation, and will he rule that out?

The cabinet secretary has said nothing about probationary teachers. Will he rule out any attempts to move away from the current structure on class contact time, and will he guarantee that hours will not be blocked to allow schools to use probationers to cover for absence?

I regret that the cabinet secretary has glossed over the key issues around conditions. Teachers should not have to do continuing professional development during school holidays. We should not casualise promoted posts by having temporary promotions based on the lowest salary point. Will he guarantee that he will not ignore the overwhelming response to McCormac from those who want the retention of annex B, the list of teacher duties, and annex E, the list of teacher tasks?

In the same item of business

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

Good morning. The first item of business is a statement by Michael Russell on the review of teacher employment. The cabinet secretary will take questions at ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (Michael Russell) SNP

It is often said that the quality of a nation’s education system is matched by the quality of its teachers. Scotland has a good education system that is supp...

Hugh Henry (Renfrewshire South) (Lab) Lab

I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of his statement. The McCrone review was about improving morale in Scottish education, supporting profes...

Michael Russell SNP

The idea that a unanimous report from a group as distinguished as the McCormac review group was designed to destabilise and demoralise Scottish education is ...

Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

I thank the cabinet secretary for prior sight of statement and wish him a speedy recovery in restoring his voice to its normal tone. I want to ask the cabin...

Michael Russell SNP

I thank Liz Smith for her kind words. I recall that only last Thursday morning she was criticising my tone, so I am glad that absence has made the heart grow...

Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) SNP

The McCormac recommendations have been welcomed by a number of organisations, including the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland, which also s...

Michael Russell SNP

Yes. The timeline declares itself, to some extent. The current teaching salary agreement concludes in April 2013. The establishment of the McCormac review wa...

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I welcome the cabinet secretary’s explicit ruling out of the model that was proposed by Renfrewshire Council, whereby teachers would be replaced with unquali...

Michael Russell SNP

It is not a slap in the face at all. No progress is made in life unless people come up with ideas and discuss them. The ideas either go forward or are reject...

Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

What measures are being taken to ensure that support is available for supply teachers, so that they have an opportunity to continue their professional develo...

Michael Russell SNP

I have been keen to ensure that supply teachers are in the loop on CPD. Indeed, I have visited and addressed the organisation that is involved in that. I hav...

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

Supply teachers would like a job first, before they do any CPD. Given the uncertainty and confusion about the new curriculum, and given the absence of comme...

Michael Russell SNP

I share Mr Findlay’s concern on the supply teacher issue, which I keep constantly under review. As Mr Findlay knows, local authorities make decisions all the...

The Presiding Officer NPA

I remind members that their questions must be based on the cabinet secretary’s statement.

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of his statement and empathise with his struggle against the man flu. I associate myself entirely with the ...

Michael Russell SNP

On the second point, I have asked Education Scotland to look at existing best practice, and that will take us forward. I stress that my statement was absol...

Roderick Campbell (North East Fife) (SNP) SNP

The cabinet secretary said in his statement that chartered teachers should be among the first to access the new professional development opportunities. What ...

Michael Russell SNP

I am sure that Mr Campbell wants to rely on my word; others in the chamber apparently have difficulty in so doing. I made it clear in my statement that tho...

Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

Will the approach outlined by the cabinet secretary today impact on the education of teachers at university level? If so, will he tell us what arrangements h...

Michael Russell SNP

I indicated in my statement that universities were a key partner in every part of this. Discussions are taking place with the universities as partners—for ex...

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab) Lab

Last Thursday, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice abolished prison visiting committees and said that he would build on them. Today, his colleague has said tha...

Michael Russell SNP

No. The McCormac committee’s recommendation was entirely clear. It was not a great surprise, because there have been many comments that we need radical chang...

Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) SNP

Although organisations such as the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, the National P...

Michael Russell SNP

I am happy to give the member the reassurance that lies in the full membership and involvement in the negotiating procedures of the unions. They are a critic...

Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

How does the cabinet secretary plan to retain probationary teacher numbers while local authority budgets are being slashed? In Renfrewshire, teacher numbers ...

Michael Russell SNP

The last point is not true. The figure has improved greatly over the past few years. Off the top of my head, I think that the figure in terms of jobseekers a...

Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP) SNP

The curriculum for excellence is already transforming education throughout Scotland. How does the McCormac report support the curriculum for excellence agenda?

Michael Russell SNP

Everything that we do in education is designed to support the curriculum for excellence, which lies at the heart of the work that we do. Since I became Cabin...

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Chartered teachers make a positive contribution to our education system; that is what headteachers and the General Teaching Council for Scotland tell us. In ...