Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 07 November 2018
07 Nov 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Safeguarding Research Collaborations and Scientific Excellence
I think that it is too late.
The truth is that Brexit is already damaging science and research. A recent Nature magazine editorial says:
“Regardless of whether or not a deal is done, many scientists are already seeing and feeling the impact of Brexit ... Researchers are less likely to get collaborators on projects, because academics in Europe view them as a risky bet ... Some are finding it harder to fill key positions. Others feel unable to apply for EU funding”.
The truth is that the impact is already here.
To protect science, research and the other sectors that we are debating, at the very least we must work towards a deal that ensures that we retain as close a relationship as possible with the European Union.
I move amendment S5M-14638.3, to insert at end:
“, including a focus from both the Scottish and UK governments on promoting the importance of Horizon Europe developing in a way that allows the UK to be involved.”
15:11References in this contribution
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-14638, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on safeguarding Scotland’s international research collaborations ...
The Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science (Richard Lochhead)
SNP
Yesterday, I visited Queen Margaret University, where I was given a tour by the wonderful principal, Petra Wend. She has been at the helm there for nine year...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
The member will be aware of the tremendous record of Scottish scientists, and that the Bank of England is going to honour a scientist on the new £50 note. Wi...
Richard Lochhead
SNP
Of course—Professor Macleod would be an excellent candidate. Indeed, there are many candidates from Scotland who have given us an enormously successful track...
Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
Con
Does the minister think that his speech says that we are open for business or that we are focused entirely on the negatives?
Richard Lochhead
SNP
I am saying that Scotland is open for business. I only wish that the Conservatives would say that, too. I support the work that our universities and college...
Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
Con
I begin by focusing on the positives. It is easy in the current political climate to jump straight to the negatives and to challenge and dispute what other p...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member taken intervention?
Oliver Mundell
Con
Not right now, thank you. Indeed, I believe that, whatever our respective stances on Brexit, the vast majority of Scots want to see our university, research...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney)
SNP
I wonder whether Mr Mundell can answer this question for me: does he believe that those laudable objectives, which I endorse, will be enhanced or diminished ...
Oliver Mundell
Con
Challenges lie ahead—I will not stand here and deny that. The fundamental climate in which our country operates internationally will change. However, we have...
Gillian Martin
SNP
Will the member take an invention?
Oliver Mundell
Con
I have already taken an intervention; I want to make a little progress. It is in that positive spirit that I lodged today’s Scottish Conservative amendment ...
John Swinney
SNP
Mr Mundell sets out an argument for continuing to make the case for an appropriate approach to immigration—I think that those were the words that he used. Ho...
Oliver Mundell
Con
I go back to what I said at the start of my speech. Clearly, I adopt a much more positive approach. We have to work towards the system that we want to see. W...
Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I think that I am correct in saying that this is Mr Lochhead’s first debate in his new role as Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, ...
Oliver Mundell
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Iain Gray
Lab
I think that it is too late. The truth is that Brexit is already damaging science and research. A recent Nature magazine editorial says: “Regardless of whe...
Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
I am sure that Mr Gray would recognise that, when the Presiding Officer dropped her bottle of water when he was speaking, she was merely testing one of Einst...
Gillian Martin
SNP
Oliver Mundell said that people who talked about the matter in a negative way and were warning, as Tavish Scott is doing now, were politicking. Would Tavish ...
Tavish Scott
LD
It is important to recognise that 1,000 of the staff at the Francis Crick Institute were surveyed. That is the reason why I want to talk about UK science. Fa...
Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green)
Green
Like colleagues, I welcome the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science to his post. It is now almost 20 months since article 50 was tri...
John Swinney
SNP
Does Mr Greer accept that there is a future threat from all of that? The Finance and Constitution Committee pointed out in its report today that population g...
Ross Greer
Green
I am grateful to the Deputy First Minister for making that relevant point. I am sure that, like his colleagues, he heard the evidence that the Culture, Tour...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We move on to the open debate with speeches of six minutes, please. 15:25
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
It is difficult to quantify exactly the impact of Brexit on scientific research in Scotland for a number of reasons. First, reports tend to concentrate on UK...
Oliver Mundell
Con
I thank Gillian Martin for that comment, but she might want to reflect on the fact that those on the Conservative side of the chamber are looking way beyond ...
Gillian Martin
SNP
I was happy to take the intervention, even though Mr Mundell never took any of mine. He may say that, but I cannot see many of the people from the scientific...
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I start by welcoming the minister to his role—it is good to see him back in Government. This is an interesting debate and I am glad that he has chosen such a...
Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
The principal of another university in the west of Scotland, Sir Anton Muscatelli of the University of Glasgow, said that a hard Brexit would represent “the...