Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 September 2025
04 Sep 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Rail Fares
I begin by declaring my interest as the convener of the RMT Scottish parliamentary group. I thank Bob Doris for lodging the motion. I know that, like me, he is a regular passenger on the Glasgow to Edinburgh train, so maybe he should declare his interest, too.
I also thank the Scottish Government, because Abellio is gone, Serco is gone and ScotRail is in public ownership, the Caledonian Sleeper is in public ownership. I am not sure that the Government is building socialism, but it is taking steps in the right direction.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-18570, in the name of Bob Doris, on the abolition of peak rail fares. The debate will b...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
I thank all those who have supported my motion on the Scottish Government’s abolition of peak rail fares, which has allowed it to be debated today. As a no...
Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Mr Doris has extolled the benefits of the Maryhill line, which is a fantastic piece of infrastructure that was, of course, extended under the previous Labour...
Bob Doris
SNP
I confirm that I am continuing to press to make sure that the Maryhill line is either electrified or is made carbon neutral in some other way, in order to me...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
Presiding Officer, I apologise to you and to Bob Doris, because I will not be able to stay for the whole debate. You should have received an email about that...
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I thank Mr Doris for bringing the debate to the chamber. It is great to be back after our summer recess and to talk about something that people care about so...
Bob Doris
SNP
I was disappointed when the pilot ended. At the time, the Scottish Government said that it had to put its policy on a firm financial footing and that, if the...
Sue Webber
Con
I did not, because the budget is not about one specific thing; it is about a collection of things. There were many things in the Government’s budget that we ...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I begin by declaring my interest as the convener of the RMT Scottish parliamentary group. I thank Bob Doris for lodging the motion. I know that, like me, he ...
Bob Doris
SNP
I thank Mr Leonard for his kind words. I did not declare my interest as a regular Glasgow to Edinburgh rail user because I am privileged that the taxpayer st...
Richard Leonard
Lab
Yes, I take the point. Let me return to what I was saying. I have said before in this Parliament and in these debates that ownership is power. The Scottish ...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
I join members in thanking Bob Doris for securing this very timely debate. It echoes the debate that I led on the same topic in February, but I think that we...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, congratulate Bob Doris on securing the debate. I am delighted to speak, not only because I am a custodian—I jest—of the Borders railway but because I...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Bob Doris for securing the debate. The removal of peak fares from Scotland’s railways on 1 September is very much welcomed. In the rail debate next w...
Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Bob Doris for bringing the debate to the chamber today. East Lothian has seven rail stations: Dunbar, East Linton, Drem, Longniddry, Prestonpans, Wal...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
I thank my colleague Bob Doris for bringing forward this debate on the abolition of peak fares from ScotRail services. He has done something that we in the G...
Mark Ruskell
Green
Will the minister give way?
Jim Fairlie
SNP
Yes, I will.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Briefly, please, because the minister is concluding.
Mark Ruskell
Green
This time last year, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport talked about how flexi and season passes were going to be the way forward and the way to reduce cost...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
If you could bring your remarks to a close, please, minister.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
In the interests of brevity, I will continue what I was saying. The fact is that we have taken the decision to scrap peak rail fares, which will get more peo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
That concludes the debate. 13:30 Meeting suspended. 14:30 On resuming—