Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 30 October 2025 [Draft]
30 Oct 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution
Presiding Officer, first, I offer to you publicly an apology that I have already offered to you privately. I also offer it to the rest of the chamber. It is not a reason for missing the start of this item of business, but it is important that colleagues are aware that I was on a call with other United Kingdom ministerial colleagues—Welsh and Northern Irish ministers—and I was not aware that business was running ahead of schedule.
The Scottish Government remains neutral on this bill. The Presiding Officer has made her determination that, due to the nature of certain amendments that have been lodged, a financial resolution is needed for Mr McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill in order for those cost-bearing amendments to be voted on. The Scottish Government lodged the financial resolution to enable the Parliament to take a decision on the amendments, as only a minister can lodge a motion for a financial resolution. Without a financial resolution, any amendment that has a financial impact can be debated, but, depending on the degree of the financial impact, it may automatically fall as it cannot be voted on.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
We will move on to the next item of business, but before we continue, I remind members in the strongest terms that all business is follow-on business. That c...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Today, we are being asked to write what is in effect a blank cheque to make it easier to choose to die than to live. I do not believe that voting to do that ...
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
Every member in the chamber should know that voting for the Government’s financial resolution is not a vote for or against the bill but a vote to carry out d...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
I was not going to speak this afternoon but, having heard the comments, I feel compelled to. I have no idea how many of our colleagues are following the proc...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
Will the member give way?
Bob Doris
SNP
Of course.
John Mason
Ind
Does the member not think that it is the duty of the 129 MSPs to be here or watching online? We cannot just make excuses because some MSPs fancy an afternoon...
Bob Doris
SNP
I ask Mr Mason not to put words in my mouth. I am giving no one an excuse for not being here on a Thursday afternoon. I am here every Thursday afternoon and,...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
I understand the point that the member is trying to make, but does he recognise Pam Duncan-Glancy’s point? Whether we are for or against the bill, we are, as...
Bob Doris
SNP
It is thus with every financial resolution that comes to this place. The point that I wanted to make, notwithstanding the interventions from Mr Mason and Mr...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
Will the member take an intervention?
Bob Doris
SNP
Can I make this point first? I will then take Mr McArthur’s intervention, if the Presiding Officer permits me to do so. I am seeking quite substantial stag...
Liam McArthur
LD
Will the member give way?
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
Will the member give way?
Bob Doris
SNP
I think that Mr McArthur was first—sorry, Ms Duncan-Glancy.
Liam McArthur
LD
I thank Mr Doris for taking the intervention, and I commend him for how he sets out his argument. The issue clearly draws strong emotions on both sides, but ...
Bob Doris
SNP
I thank Mr McArthur for that point, but I would put a caveat on that. In this Parliament, we allocate budgets to all sorts of bodies, including the national ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
You may take Ms Duncan-Glancy’s intervention, then please conclude, Mr Doris.
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
I acknowledge the point that my colleague Bob Doris is making. I, too, lodged—or tried to lodge—amendments to address some of the wider issues that I alluded...
Bob Doris
SNP
I say to Pam Duncan-Glancy that that is a debate for stages 2 and 3. I do not think that I will stand in the way of the financial resolution, but I will not...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Like Bob Doris, I was not going to speak in the debate. I assumed that it would go straight to a vote; I did not realise that there would be a discussion suc...
Rona Mackay
SNP
Can the member confirm whether he has ever before done what he is going to do?
Douglas Ross
Con
I have not done it before. As I hope that I explained in my preamble, this is a different situation because we are dealing with a member’s bill, the decision...
Rona Mackay
SNP
I hear what the member is saying. However, he must also accept that those who are against the bill and have lodged amendments will not get their amendments t...
Douglas Ross
Con
I accept that, but what was troubling me when Rona Mackay spoke earlier was the fact that—I am going to go out on a limb here—we know that the financial reso...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Like others, I was not going to speak in the debate, but I want to make a short contribution. The Parliament has been commended on the way in which it has h...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Like many members, I was not going to speak in the debate, but I have to correct one or two points. There has been talk about people not being here and wheth...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call the cabinet secretary to respond. 16:59
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Neil Gray)
SNP
Presiding Officer, first, I offer to you publicly an apology that I have already offered to you privately. I also offer it to the rest of the chamber. It is ...
Jeremy Balfour
Ind
What costing has the Scottish Government given to the amendments should they pass at stage 2? Where does the cabinet secretary believe that that money would ...