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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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Showing 60 of 2,096,497 contributions. Latest 30 days: 3,898. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 16 Jun 2026.

The Presiding Officer (Kenneth Gibson) NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Air Quality (Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership)

Thank you, colleagues. That concludes general questions. I apologise to those whose supplementary questions were not called due to time constraints.The rest of this Official Report will be published progressively as soon as the text is available.

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Quality (Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership)

I am sympathetic to the campaigners’ arguments—it is very hard not to be. I have asked my officials to engage with those campaigners and to feed back to me as quickly as possible whether any action could be taken that is within the Government’s scope.

Katie Hagmann SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Quality (Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership)

The cabinet secretary will be aware that the A77 trunk road runs through Girvan in my constituency, carrying significant heavy goods vehicle traffic to and from the port of Cairnryan. Local groups, including GoGirvan, which is a community regeneration group, seek support in or...

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

General Question Time · Air Quality (Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership)

We all recognise the importance of clean air, particularly those of us who walk around with weans. Unfortunately, the Scottish transport emissions partnership is no longer active, but I advise Katie Hagmann that action is currently driven by the cleaner air for Scotland strategy.

Katie Hagmann (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Quality (Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work carried out by the Scottish transport emissions partnership in relation to local air quality management. (S7O-00067)

Màiri McAllan SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Pupil Support Assistants (Rural Primary Schools)

I can. It is worth noting for a moment where we are now. The latest figures show that, in Scotland, we have 16,908 pupil support assistants, which is the third highest number on record and an increase of nearly 1,645 since 2020. However, in our manifesto, the Government commit...

Colin Beattie (Midlothian North) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Pupil Support Assistants (Rural Primary Schools)

Pupil support assistants have an essential role to play in our classrooms. Can the cabinet secretary provide any update on the steps that the Scottish National Party Government is taking to support schools, including in Scotland’s rural areas, to deliver more pupil support staff?

Màiri McAllan SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Pupil Support Assistants (Rural Primary Schools)

I recognise the seriousness of the issue that Andrew Baxter raises. It bears repeating that local authorities are the employers of teachers and that, therefore, any assessment that is done regarding the reduction of hours or the withdrawal of pupil support staff in schools in ...

Andrew Baxter LD Chamber

General Question Time · Pupil Support Assistants (Rural Primary Schools)

I thank the cabinet secretary for recognising the importance of our PSAs. However, every summer, pupils, parents, teachers and pupil support assistants are left wondering what their classrooms will look like after the holidays. One PSA recently told me that they were informed ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic (Màiri McAllan) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Pupil Support Assistants (Rural Primary Schools)

Pupil support assistants play an absolutely vital role in our classrooms and schools and in our young people’s education. They are essential and valued members of the school learning teams and communities. That is why we continue to provide £15 million each year to help local ...

Andrew Baxter (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD) LD Chamber

General Question Time · Pupil Support Assistants (Rural Primary Schools)

I refer to my entry in the register of interests, which shows that I am a sitting councillor on Highland Council. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how any reduction in hours or withdrawal of pupil support assistant posts will impact rural primary s...

Màiri McAllan SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

On the substance of Meghan Gallacher’s question—setting aside any misquoting of cabinet secretaries—the fact is that, as I put to Colm Merrick, the Government has invested significantly in the retention of teachers and the growth of teacher numbers in Scotland. We understand t...

Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland and Lothians West) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

The former education secretary and now Deputy First Minister, Jenny Gilruth, said in January this year that teachers would need to relocate to where the jobs are. Mike Corbett from the NASUWT condemned those comments. Does the new cabinet secretary agree with the Deputy First ...

Màiri McAllan SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

I recognise, and the Government recognises, that the lack of available jobs after probation has, for some prospective teachers, been a significant concern. The commitment to a teacher job guarantee demonstrates that we have listened to that and are prepared and determined to w...

Colm Merrick (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

I hope that we can all welcome the Scottish Government’s plans to deliver the reforms that are necessary to provide a teacher job guarantee for a minimum of three years for newly qualified teachers. How does the cabinet secretary anticipate that that measure will support Scotl...

Màiri McAllan SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

As we do the careful work that is required to design and, thereafter, implement the conditions for a three-year teacher job guarantee, I will, of course, consider, among many other issues, the points that Katherine Sangster has put to me about the very practical question of ho...

Katherine Sangster Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

Teaching unions have raised concerns that the way in which local authorities advertise temporary contracts is making work difficult to access for some teachers, by creating an inequality for those with caring responsibilities and those who are unable to check their phones beca...

The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic (Màiri McAllan) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

Local authorities are responsible for teacher employment practices, as they are the employer of teachers. However, the Government is doing everything possible to maximise the number of teaching jobs that are available, including permanent posts. The 2026-27 budget continues to...

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Teaching Contracts

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress it has made towards reducing the number of teachers on short-term or temporary contracts. (S7O-00065)

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Road Infrastructure Commitments (North East Scotland)

Of course I can, but I appreciate that members are conscious of time, so I do not want to list them all. I can draw Mr Middleton’s attention to what I drew Mr Kerr’s attention to, which is the Aberdeen western peripheral route. It was a huge investment in the north-east of Sco...

Jack Middleton (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Road Infrastructure Commitments (North East Scotland)

Can the cabinet secretary remind the chamber what improvements to road infrastructure the SNP Government has made in the north-east and outline what more it will deliver in the future? Interruption.

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Road Infrastructure Commitments (North East Scotland)

Of course, in order to get to Ellon from the south, people right across Scotland have the opportunity to drive on the Aberdeen western peripheral route—a nearly £1 billion project that was delivered by the SNP Government of the time and which Mr Kerr seems to have forgotten ev...

Liam Kerr Con Chamber

General Question Time · Road Infrastructure Commitments (North East Scotland)

I am grateful to hear that reassurance, because the minister will know the dangers of the A90 north of Ellon, particularly at the Toll of Birness and Cortes junctions, which the Scottish National Party Government has shamefully failed to address. In fact, in 2007, Alex Salmond...

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

General Question Time · Road Infrastructure Commitments (North East Scotland)

Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · Road Infrastructure Commitments (North East Scotland)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will honour, in full, commitments made by previous ministers for transport to upgrade road infrastructure in the north-east of Scotland. (S7O-00064)

Gillian Martin SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Flood Protection (Grangemouth)

I agree with the substantive premise of Graham Simpson’s question. Flood defences are for the Scottish Government to provide, but given the size of the scheme, any contribution would be welcome. Obviously, the UK Government has been working with the Scottish Government on issu...

Graham Simpson (Central Scotland and Lothians West) (Reform) Reform Chamber

General Question Time · Flood Protection (Grangemouth)

That scheme is so big that it is of UK significance, and it has always been my view that the UK Government should help to fund it. Has the cabinet secretary been in any direct discussions with the UK Government about sourcing funding for the scheme?

Gillian Martin SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Flood Protection (Grangemouth)

I thank Martin Day for that important supplementary question. We will continue to work with Falkirk Council, the United Kingdom Government, businesses and investors to secure a long-term sustainable future for the industrial cluster. My officials working on flood policy have b...

Martyn Day SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Flood Protection (Grangemouth)

Falkirk Council deserves credit for the years of work that it has put into managing flood risk. With climate change increasing the risk of flooding around Grangemouth and upstream, plans to protect 6,000 people, 2,760 homes, 1,200 businesses and 23km of roads from a major floo...

The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs (Gillian Martin) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Flood Protection (Grangemouth)

The Scottish Government is in close contact with Falkirk Council on how to progress the Grangemouth flood protection scheme. In February, we provided £1.6 million to the council, which will be used to support the next stage of the scheme’s development. That is in addition to t...

Martyn Day (Falkirk East and Linlithgow) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Flood Protection (Grangemouth)

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding funding for the Grangemouth flood protection scheme. (S7O-00063)

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

It is important to place on record the important work that was undertaken by the former constituency member, Ms Hyslop, and by Mr Fairlie in his ministerial role. I look forward to working with the new constituency member to take forward the matter, and I am sure that we will ...

Pauline Stafford (Bathgate) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, as I am an elected member of West Lothian Council.I welcome the Scottish Government’s clear commitment to delivering a Winchburgh station, including reference to it in this year’s budget statement and in the Sc...

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

I would love to be in a position to do that here today. It is important to recognise that it is for West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments to take forward construction of a new station, but we are willing to engage with them in that process. They have already been in...

Jenny Young Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

Currently, it takes more than an hour to get the bus from Winchburgh to central Edinburgh. That is a journey of under 15 miles. The train to Waverley would take around 15 minutes.Last week, the cabinet secretary opened a debate on growing Scotland’s economy, which I know is a ...

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

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

The member knows that the Government is committing to ensuring that there is a new train station at Winchburgh. We are continuing to work with West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments in that regard. I hope that I will be able to update the chamber in the not-too-dista...

Jenny Young (Central Scotland and Lothians West) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when construction work on Winchburgh train station will begin. (S7O-00062)

Gillian Martin SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

Mark Ruskell is absolutely right, and 2026 is a key year in that regard. Proposals for a long-term air quality policy framework will succeed the cleaner air for Scotland 2 strategy when it expires at the end of this year. We are developing those proposals, including assessing ...

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

The science shows that even modest improvements in air quality result in significant improvements in health, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Will the Scottish Government be revising the current out-of-date air quality standards that we have in Scotland to reflect th...

Gillian Martin SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

I would welcome anything that the council decides to do in relation to where it puts its monitors and any pilot that it might want to go forward with. Improving air quality to protect the health of Scotland’s population, particularly children and young people, is a key priorit...

Heather Anderson SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

—in 30 of our primary schools, we do not know how safe our children are from damaging air pollution. Would the cabinet secretary welcome Dundee City Council piloting an air monitoring project at primary schools in our city?

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

Ask a question, please.

Heather Anderson SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

We know that there is a correlation between areas of high deprivation and poor air quality for children and adults, which exacerbates pre-existing health inequalities. We also know that children are among the most susceptible to harm from air pollution. In Dundee, we are lucky...

The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs (Gillian Martin) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

The placement of air quality monitors is prioritised to cover potential air pollution hotspots. Additionally, over time, local authorities have progressively adapted their monitoring strategies to address specific local air quality issues. That approach ensures that any areas ...

Heather Anderson (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

I refer to my entry in the register of members’ interests and declare that I am a serving councillor on Dundee City Council.To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to calls from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh for a national pilot programme to monitor ...

Màiri McAllan SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Queen’s Park Glasshouses

I restate that I understand the connection that is felt to the Queen’s park glasshouses. Anecdotally, they provided an important day out for my own family in the south side of Glasgow, and we want to see them continue to do so. I have set out my willingness to have discussions...

Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Queen’s Park Glasshouses

The cabinet secretary outlined an array of funding options. Capital funding is certainly one aspect, but the challenge in the immediate term is ongoing revenue funding. That issue is a direct result of the Scottish Government’s disproportionate cuts to Glasgow City Council’s c...

The Presiding Officer (Kenneth Gibson) NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Queen’s Park Glasshouses

Before I take a supplementary question from Paul Sweeney, I remind members that you should press your request-to-speak button only when you come to your question or wish to ask a supplementary question to someone else’s question. There are members who have pressed their button...

Màiri McAllan SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Queen’s Park Glasshouses

Holly Bruce will know that the Government understands the importance of those matters, which is demonstrated not least by the investment that we are committed to making in the People’s Palace in Glasgow. My colleague Tom Arthur will shortly update the Parliament on those plans...

Holly Bruce Green Chamber

General Question Time · Queen’s Park Glasshouses

As the cabinet secretary knows, Glasgow faces a unique responsibility with its array of listed heritage buildings in council ownership, coupled with an acute lack of capital infrastructure funding. In Glasgow Southside, we are already navigating the devastating prolonged closu...

The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic (Màiri McAllan) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Queen’s Park Glasshouses

The Government appreciates the historic and community value of the Queen’s park glasshouses. Responsibility for their operation rests with Glasgow City Council. However, I am happy to engage with the council and with partners. Such discussions can include help to facilitate ac...

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

It is important to place on record the important work that was undertaken by the former constituency member, Ms Hyslop, and by Mr Fairlie in his ministerial role. I look forward to working with the new constituency member to take forward the matter, and I am sure that we will ...

Pauline Stafford (Bathgate) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, as I am an elected member of West Lothian Council.I welcome the Scottish Government’s clear commitment to delivering a Winchburgh station, including reference to it in this year’s budget statement and in the Sc...

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

I would love to be in a position to do that here today. It is important to recognise that it is for West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments to take forward construction of a new station, but we are willing to engage with them in that process. They have already been in...

Jenny Young Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

Currently, it takes more than an hour to get the bus from Winchburgh to central Edinburgh. That is a journey of under 15 miles. The train to Waverley would take around 15 minutes.Last week, the cabinet secretary opened a debate on growing Scotland’s economy, which I know is a ...

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

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

The member knows that the Government is committing to ensuring that there is a new train station at Winchburgh. We are continuing to work with West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments in that regard. I hope that I will be able to update the chamber in the not-too-dista...

Jenny Young (Central Scotland and Lothians West) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Winchburgh Train Station

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when construction work on Winchburgh train station will begin. (S7O-00062)

Gillian Martin SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

Mark Ruskell is absolutely right, and 2026 is a key year in that regard. Proposals for a long-term air quality policy framework will succeed the cleaner air for Scotland 2 strategy when it expires at the end of this year. We are developing those proposals, including assessing ...

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

The science shows that even modest improvements in air quality result in significant improvements in health, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Will the Scottish Government be revising the current out-of-date air quality standards that we have in Scotland to reflect th...

Gillian Martin SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Air Pollution Monitoring (City Primary Schools)

I would welcome anything that the council decides to do in relation to where it puts its monitors and any pilot that it might want to go forward with. Improving air quality to protect the health of Scotland’s population, particularly children and young people, is a key priorit...

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Committee

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee 03 December 2025

03 Dec 2025 · S6 · Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Item of business

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Carson, Finlay Con Galloway and West Dumfries Watch on SPTV

I call the cabinet secretary to speak to amendment 61 and other amendments in the group.

In the same item of business

The Convener Con

Our remaining agenda item is consideration of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill at stage 2. As we have quite a few groups to get through, I ask everyon...

The Convener Con

Amendment 201, in the name of Ross Greer, is grouped with amendments 122, 314, 61, 123, 202 to 204, 62, 124, 206, 63, 315, 64, 65, 207, 208, 316, 126, 127, 3...

Mark Ruskell Green

As members know, I am standing in for Ariane Burgess, so I will speak to her amendments, Ross Greer’s amendments—because he is at the Education, Children and...

Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

Part 3 of the bill provides a welcome opportunity for us to update Scotland’s national parks so that they can better respond to our nature and climate crises...

The Convener Con

We will support Sarah Boyack’s amendments. Does she agree that, had those aims been in the original act, the issues and concerns—about housing, employment an...

Sarah Boyack Lab

That is the point that I was making in relation to lessons to be learned. When we established the first national parks, making sure that people could afford ...

Tim Eagle Con

I now have to try to argue that my amendment is stronger—we will see how we get on. Part 3 of the bill outlines the aims of national parks. My amendments 31...

The Convener Con

I call the cabinet secretary to speak to amendment 61 and other amendments in the group.

Mairi Gougeon SNP

There are a number of amendments in the group, and I will work through them as best I can. Although I understand the rationale for Ross Greer’s amendment 20...

Sarah Boyack Lab

Could you give us an example of the kind of problem that you think might be created? We are looking for joined-up thinking that supports communities, individ...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

I absolutely agree with that. I will have to follow up with a specific example of what that could look like. We have tried to strike the right balance in the...

Mark Ruskell Green

I am thinking about the primacy of the national park plan. If public bodies are engaging in the national park plan, surely they are actively furthering that ...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

However, there could be conflict in the future. I agree with what you say about how public bodies interact with the parks and park plans, and there is close ...

Rhoda Grant Lab

I understand the point about security issues, but it seems a bit strange that there is not at least an email address from which board members could pick up t...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

Again, all that that would do is add more pressure to the way that the system is handled. Potentially, those addresses would still be centrally monitored, wh...

Rhoda Grant Lab

I am not suggesting that it would be an official park email address. It would be an individual email address in the same way as we all have email addresses i...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

I have not heard from the boards that they would seek to have that arrangement. I believe that the parks are broadly content with how correspondence is manag...

Mark Ruskell Green

These are not new issues. The cabinet secretary might recall that there was much debate about setting the boundary of the Cairngorms national park. In fact, ...

Mairi Gougeon SNP

I appreciate what you set out and the genesis of the amendment, but I have to be clear that this just has not featured among the issues that have been raised...

The Convener Con

I call Mark Ruskell, on behalf of Ross Greer, to wind up and to press or withdraw amendment 201.

Mark Ruskell Green

This is a huge group of amendments that cover so many different issues, and it is very difficult to unpack them all in a single debate. Sarah Boyack perhaps ...

Sarah Boyack Lab

That is a really important issue. We do not want public bodies cutting across national park plans. We want the national park plans to reflect the views of ot...

Mark Ruskell Green

That was very well put. It cuts both ways: the park plans need to reflect the wider public objectives that public authorities are working towards, but they a...

The Convener Con

The question is, that amendment 201 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.

The Convener Con

There will be a division. For Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Isla...

The Convener Con

The result of the division is: For 4, Against 5, Abstentions 0. Amendment 201 disagreed to. Amendments 122 and 314 not moved.

The Convener Con

I remind members that, if amendment 61 is agreed to, I cannot call amendment 123 due to pre-emption. Amendment 61 moved—Mairi Gougeon.

The Convener Con

The question is, that amendment 61 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.

The Convener Con

There will be a division. For Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)...

The Convener Con

The result of the division is: For 7, Against 2, Abstentions 0. Amendment 61 agreed to. Amendments 202 to 204 not moved. Amendment 205 moved—Tim Eagle.