Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 November 2017
15 Nov 2017 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Prejudice-based Bullying and Harassment in Schools, and Personal and Social Education
Thank you very much. I hope that somebody caught your reference to a Facebook site. You had better give them a note of its name.
16:03In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-08171, in the name of Christina McKelvie, on behalf of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee, on prej...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I remind the chamber that I am the past convener of Together, the Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights. As deputy convener of the Equalities and Human Ri...
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
It is a great pleasure to speak in this joint debate on behalf of the Education and Skills Committee. I start by thanking my fellow committee members and the...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney)
SNP
I thank the Education and Skills Committee and the Equalities and Human Rights Committee for their reports, which are the subject of debate today. There is a...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
It is very welcome to hear those words of progress on the recording of bullying. However, my worry is that, while I hear the cabinet secretary say that immed...
John Swinney
SNP
I want to make early progress on the issue. The question is a practical one; it is about putting in place the mechanisms that will enable schools properly to...
Michelle Ballantyne (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank both committees for their important work on the issues. Many of us in the chamber are fortunate to have positive memories of school lives that were n...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the Equalities and Human Rights Committee and the Education and Skills Committee, and—perhaps more importantly—the many organisations and individuals...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
We move to the open debate. Speeches are a tight six minutes. 15:50
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP)
SNP
Scotland is no different from any other country across the world, in that our young people and children are living increasingly complex lives. Sadly, many ex...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I point members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am also a board member of the west of Scotland NSPCC. I, too, thank both committees for...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you very much. I hope that somebody caught your reference to a Facebook site. You had better give them a note of its name. 16:03
Gail Ross (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
I begin by reminding the chamber that my husband is a teacher. When the Equalities and Human Rights Committee started taking evidence on the bullying and ha...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I am sorry, but you must conclude there. 16:09
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to follow a fantastic speech by Gail Ross, although it was cut short, and to have the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I congratulate th...
Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
SNP
Over the years, the concept of bullying has changed and evolved as we have become more aware of the impact of the differing ways in which bullying can be inf...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I have to confess that, when I was sitting on the Equalities and Human Rights Committee and we decided to do an inquiry into this area, I was a bit sceptical...
Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I declare an interest as a member of the Educational Institute of Scotland and a former teacher. The word “bullying” is a much misused term. Yesterday, the ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you. I call Ross Greer to be followed by Ruth Maguire. You have four minutes, Mr Greer, by agreement. 16:33
Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green)
Green
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Personal and social education is an issue that I have been raising since I was first elected—not here, but to the Scottish You...
Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to contribute to this important debate about the crucially interrelated issues of prejudice-based bullying and personal and social education in ...
Tom Mason (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
It is something of a poor reflection on our society that the topic needs to be discussed in the first place. However, we have a duty to acknowledge where we ...
David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
SNP
I refer members to my register of interests. As a member of the Equality and Human Rights Committee, I first thank the clerking teams for their hard work in...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
You must close, please.
David Torrance
SNP
—that they are powerful, and that they can make a huge difference in changing their own lives and future attitudes to bullying in Scotland. 16:54
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green)
Green
Very shortly after being elected, I was approached by a constituent with a case involving a child who was the victim of serious bullying at George Watson’s C...
Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to speak in today’s debate as a member of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee. I thank fellow members o...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
It is disappointing to note that not all of those who took part in the debate are in the chamber for the closing speeches. I remind all members that if they ...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
Alex Cole-Hamilton, in opening the debate, outlined the context. We are in national anti-bullying week and a number of national conversations are taking plac...
John Swinney
SNP
The debate has been valuable and thoughtful. We have had the opportunity to reflect on two important reports from two parliamentary committees, which have dr...