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Hansard

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.

129

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415

MSPs ever elected

14

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2,096,833

Hansard contributions

1999–2026

Coverage span

Official Report

Search Hansard contributions

Showing 60 of 2,096,833 contributions. Latest 30 days: 2,655. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 09 Jun 2026.

Angela Constance SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

It is disappointing that Mr Hoy does not welcome the prospect of a GP walk-in service for Stranraer. The important point is that the purpose of GP walk-in services is to free up capacity in the primary care system, so that people across our constituencies and regions can be se...

Craig Hoy (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

It is 77 miles from Sanquhar to Stranraer, which is a journey that takes a minimum of two hours by car or at least four hours by bus. Given that my constituents will be expected to make that journey to access the GP walk-in centre in Stranraer, does that not expose the policy ...

Angela Constance SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

I expect the Glasgow site to open later this month. I very much appreciate the health board’s hard work to get the services up and running. I am sure that Michelle Campbell will join me in welcoming the opening of the sites and thanking our hard-working national health service...

Michelle Campbell (Renfrewshire North and Cardonald) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

Work is well under way in preparation for Glasgow’s first walk-in clinic opening. Can the Scottish Government offer an update on when that wonderful resource for the good people of Cardonald will be open?

Angela Constance SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

Ms Gibson has made an important point about reducing health inequality by improving access to healthcare. The Government is committed to providing a North Ayrshire walk-in service, which was one of the 14 additional services that were announced. That brings the total number of...

Patricia Gibson SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

North Ayrshire’s people have Scotland’s lowest healthy life expectancy. The average adult remains in full health until just 53 years old. More than 28 per cent of people live with a long-term health condition, which is 6 per cent higher than the Scottish average. In view of th...

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care (Angela Constance) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

I have committed to expanding the walk-in service programme and will set out how I will do so in the first 100 days of this Government. Health boards were previously asked to generate proposals that considered their populations’ needs, taking into account local issues and circ...

Patricia Gibson (Cunninghame South) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · GP Walk-in Centres (North Ayrshire)

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects a general practitioner walk-in centre to open in North Ayrshire. (S7O-00023)

Neil Gray SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

The short answer is yes. I am happy to meet Ms Minto or any other member to discuss the matter further. The challenge of multiple organisations drawing on small rural populations is not new. The SFRS works collaboratively with a range of partners, including the coastguard serv...

Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

I appreciate that these are independent decisions to be made by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, but I am interested to know whether the Scottish Government is looking at the cumulative impact of those changes on, for example, other rescue services such as the coastguard,...

Neil Gray SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

I am more than happy to explore that with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in order to ensure that we are in a position to respond to the changing nature of fire and flood risk across Scotland. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s very successful prevention activities, a...

Stephen Kerr (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

Ministers previously told Parliament that almost £1 million of specialist wildfire pumping units would be deployed within weeks. A Scottish Conservative freedom of information request later revealed that they were still not operational, during Scotland’s worst wildfire season ...

Neil Gray SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

These are independent decisions for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to make, but it is open to Parliament to take a view on those matters—in the way that a view is normally taken, for example, on investigations undertaken through the committee structure—or otherwise. Obvi...

Joe Fagan Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

There is profound concern about the potential outcomes of the service delivery review, not least from the firefighters and their union. Given the gravity of the decisions that are about to be made, does the Government agree that there should be full parliamentary scrutiny and ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Neil Gray) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

I met the SFRS board chair on 4 June, when we discussed the overall objectives of the service delivery review and the consultation and outreach process that the SFRS has undertaken. Recent large fires in Glasgow and Fife have been dealt with commendably by our front-line firef...

Joe Fagan (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber

General Question Time · Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Service Delivery Review)

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service board regarding the outcome of the service delivery review that is due to be considered on 22 June. (S7O-00022)

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I am happy to answer.If Mr Cole-Hamilton wishes to write to me, I will write back to him as swiftly as I possibly can.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

That was not quite on the nose for the general question, but do you want to respond, cabinet secretary?

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD) LD Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I hope that the cabinet secretary will agree that one of the safest ways to get students from Kirkliston in my constituency to their catchment high school in South Queensferry is via the council-funded coach service that has been operating well there for several years. A decis...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I realise that everyone is finding their feet, including me. I remind members that they should only press their button if they want to ask a supplementary to the general question that has been asked.Alex Cole-Hamilton has a supplementary.

Lloyd Melville (Angus South) (SNP) SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

My apologies, Presiding Officer. I pressed my button in error, thinking that I would have to do that for my general question later on.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

Lloyd Melville has a supplementary.

Julie MacDougall Reform Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

That is not relevant to this question. We are on supplementaries to the question that Patrick Harvie asked.

Julie MacDougall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) Reform Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I recently met the chief executive of Forth Valley College. It was incredibly harrowing to hear about how apprenticeship courses are being cut—

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

Julie MacDougall has a supplementary.

Stephen Flynn SNP Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

Mr Harvie will be pleased to know that £3.2 million is still going to regional transport partnerships—£1.6 million will be available for local direct awards and £1.4 million is going to bikeability schemes, which all our weans can benefit from. Of course, that forms part of a ...

Patrick Harvie Green Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I am sorry that the cabinet secretary did not choose to answer that question by explaining why the cut took place and why it took place during the election purdah period. I have returned to my job to meet local community organisations that are doing the work that the Scottish ...

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

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

I thank Patrick Harvie for his question, because it gives me the opportunity to restate what the First Minister said. We support cycling, walking and wheeling, which is why £226 million-worth of investment is going into sustainable and active travel. I am very proud of that—I ...

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) Green Chamber

General Question Time · Active Travel (Funding)

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments made by the First Minister in the Parliament on 2 June that the Scottish Government prioritises active and safe travel routes and the encouragement of cycling, walking and wheeling, for what reason Transport Scotland reporte...

Stephen Kerr Con Chamber

Committee Conveners

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Stephen Kerr (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con Chamber

Committee Conveners

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. For guidance, would it be possible for the same person to be nominated again in those circumstances?

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

The process is opened again for further nominations. However, to be clear, any other member who is nominated will have to come from the party from which the original member was selected.

Helen McDade Reform Chamber

Committee Conveners

What happens then?

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

If a candidate receives the majority of votes, that candidate will become the committee convener. If the majority is against it, that candidate will not be the committee convener.

Helen McDade (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) Reform Chamber

Committee Conveners

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I just wonder what the process is. Can you explain what happens once a vote has been cast when there is only one candidate, so that we know what we are voting against?

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Willie Rennie’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Fifteen out of 15 convenerships will be subject to secret ballots.I have also received two valid nominations for convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. The nomin...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Craig Hoy’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Willie Rennie has been nominated as convener of the Transport Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was received.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Mark Ruskell’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Craig Hoy has been nominated as convener of the Social Justice, Housing and Local Government Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button n...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Bob Doris’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Mark Ruskell has been nominated as convener of the Rural Affairs Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Paul Sweeney’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Bob Doris has been nominated as convener of the Public Service Reform Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Neil Bibby’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Paul Sweeney has been nominated as convener of the Public Petitions Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Helen McDade’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Neil Bibby has been nominated as convener of the Public Audit Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Clare Haughey’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Helen McDade has been nominated as convener of the Health, Care and Sport Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection wa...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Patrick Harvie’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Clare Haughey has been nominated as convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Katie Hagmann’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Patrick Harvie has been nominated as convener of the Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Karen Adam’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Katie Hagmann has been nominated as convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button n...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Duncan Massey’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Karen Adam has been nominated as convener of the Education and Gaelic Committee. If any member objects to her election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was no...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Calum Kerr’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Duncan Massey has been nominated as convener of the Economy, Tourism and Energy Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Alyn Smith’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Calum Kerr has been nominated as convener of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objectio...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Stuart McMillan’s election as convener will be subject to election by secret ballot.Alyn Smith has been nominated as convener of the Criminal Justice Committee. If any member objects to his election as convener, please press your point-of-order button now.An objection was noted.

The Presiding Officer (Kenneth Gibson) NPA Chamber

Committee Conveners

Colleagues, we turn to the election of committee conveners. When more than one nomination for convener of a committee has been received, an election will be conducted by secret ballot. I will give you instructions on this shortly.When a single nomination has been received, the...

Speaker unknown Chamber

Committee Conveners

Rabbi Moshe Rubin (Rabbi of Giffnock Synagogue and Senior Rabbi of Scotland) Chamber

Time for Reflection

Thank you, Presiding Officer. On behalf of the Scottish Jewish community, I wish you and all newly elected MSPs every success in your service to our beautiful country of Scotland.It is no secret that Jewish communities across the United Kingdom are facing increasing hostility....

The Presiding Officer (Kenneth Gibson) NPA Chamber

Time for Reflection

Our first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection, and our time for reflection leader today is Rabbi Moshe Rubin of Giffnock synagogue, the Senior Rabbi of Scotland.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

That concludes decision time.Meeting closed at 17:20.

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

The result of the division on motion S7M-00249, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, on wealth taxation for public services, as amended, is: For 84, Against 28, Abstentions 10.Motion, as amended, agreed to,That the Parliament believes in fair, progressive and sustainable taxation to ...

Speaker unknown Chamber

ForAdam, George (Paisley) (SNP)Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)Anderson, Heather (Dundee City West) (SNP)Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley) (SNP)Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)Barratt, David ...

The Presiding Officer NPA Chamber

The final question is, that motion S7M-00249, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, on wealth taxation for public services, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.

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Committee

Education, Children and Young People Committee 07 January 2026

07 Jan 2026 · S6 · Education, Children and Young People Committee

Item of business

Subordinate Legislation

Official Statistics (Scotland) Amendment Order 2026 [Draft]

Gilruth, Jenny SNP Mid Fife and Glenrothes Watch on SPTV

Happy new year to you, convener, and to committee members. Thank you for inviting me to discuss the draft Official Statistics (Scotland) Amendment Order 2026 and the draft Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2026. The two instruments are being considered together as they are both, in effect, required as a consequence of implementing the Education (Scotland) Act 2025. The instruments, alongside a wider package of secondary legislation, will ensure that Qualifications Scotland and the chief inspector for education in Scotland can take on the relevant functions, duties and responsibilities of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education. The Official Statistics (Scotland) Amendment Order 2026, if approved, will make changes to the Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008. The 2008 order provides that “Wholly Scottish devolved statistics produced ... by the persons listed in the Schedule are specified as official statistics for the purposes of ... the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.” Listed persons are bound by the code of practice for official statistics and how they are published. Put simply, in the schedule to the 2008 order, the instrument will replace the SQA with Qualifications Scotland as a producer of official statistics. The Education (Scotland) Act 2025 (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2026, if approved, will update the Budget (Scotland) Act 2025, as well as provisions in legislation that were inserted by the recent Scottish Languages Act 2025. For the budget act updates, the instrument will add references to Qualifications Scotland and to the office of His Majesty’s chief inspector of education in Scotland as regards the education and skills portfolio. The Scottish statutory instrument will ensure that they can be funded by the Scottish ministers during this budget year. For the provisions made in the Scottish Languages Act 2025, the SSI will replace all references to the SQA and to HM inspector of schools with references to Qualifications Scotland and to the chief inspector, ensuring that the recently agreed provisions in the Scottish Languages Act 2025 will work, or continue working, as originally intended. I commend the order to the committee and am happy to answer any questions.

In the same item of business

The Convener (Douglas Ross) Con

Good morning, and welcome to the first meeting in 2026 of the Education, Children and Young People Committee. The first item on our agenda is consideration ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Jenny Gilruth) SNP

Happy new year to you, convener, and to committee members. Thank you for inviting me to discuss the draft Official Statistics (Scotland) Amendment Order 202...

Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD) LD

The cabinet secretary will recall that, during the bill process, we discussed changes to quality assurance, as well as the accreditation function and the fac...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

In relation to accreditation, as far as I am aware, that is being taken forward by Qualifications Scotland. I met Shirley Rogers recently, towards the end of...

Willie Rennie LD

What about the quality assurance aspects?

Jenny Gilruth SNP

I understand that those are also being taken forward. Jaxon Parish might want to speak about the work that officials have been supporting.

Jaxon Parish (Scottish Government)

There has been work to develop what the national quality assurance review will cover; that is being done with colleagues at Qualifications Scotland. As per t...

Willie Rennie LD

I will make the obvious point that a compromise was reached during the bill process, when we thought that a pragmatic and reasonable way to progress would be...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

Yes, that is very much the intention. We discussed that matter of accreditation with the committee, along with the fact that a number of qualifications—not l...

The Convener Con

Since we are speaking about the SQA and your on-going discussions with it, where are you now, months and years on from the 2024 higher history exam results? ...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

Concerns were raised at the time in relation to the 2024 higher history qualification. I am mindful of the fact that we are now into 2026. There was consider...

The Convener Con

You mentioned that you spoke to Mr Page after his interview. Was that to criticise him for speaking in that way, was it to ask for more information or was it...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

I think that we had a routine engagement to catch up on a number of different areas, including the points that Mr Rennie raised this morning in relation to a...

The Convener Con

I have raised the issue before, and I asked a question on it in the chamber. However, we have more opportunity for discussion in the committee when you bring...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

It is always difficult to make generalisations about cohorts. If you teach cohorts of young people, you see attainment fluctuate from year to year. The exam ...

The Convener Con

Page 4 of the Scottish Government policy note notes that Scottish ministers have stated that the regulations are “compatible with the UNCRC requirements”. ...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

Forgive me, convener, but which legislation would that be?

The Convener Con

I am thinking of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill, which Natalie Don-Innes brought forward. I know that you recused...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

You alluded to Cabinet conversations, convener, and I have to again put on the record, as you have already noted, the fact that I am recused from discussions...

Judith Brown (Scottish Government)

It is correct to say that all legislation requires to be compatible with the UNCRC. I am not sure that there is anything more that I can say in relation to t...

The Convener Con

I am not asking about the Promise bill—indeed, the relevant minister will appear before our committee shortly. Ms Brown, are solicitors in the Scottish Gove...

Judith Brown

For all SSIs, we are required to produce an impact assessment in relation to the UNCRC and to be satisfied that they are compliant. That is what has been don...

The Convener Con

I will move the discussion away from the Promise bill, because I understand the complexities that the cabinet secretary is, quite rightly, faced with in that...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

The Government always listens to concerns that are raised by stakeholders. The general point is that ministers are not able to take forward bills that are no...

The Convener Con

Will officials come back to us on that? You will have seen that we mentioned the issue in our stage 1 report on the Education (Scotland) Bill. It has been hi...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

We can take the general point away. A couple of issues have come up today that I will write to the committee about. If we can loop the point into our respons...

Willie Rennie LD

On a different subject, one of the criticisms of the old SQA was that it was slow to update national qualifications. Ken Muir referred to it as sometimes int...

Jenny Gilruth SNP

I agree with Professor Muir’s observations. Some of the engagement with the profession was pretty challenging, which led to the challenges that were experien...

Willie Rennie LD

The Convener Con

There are no further questions from members, so I invite the cabinet secretary to move motion S6M-19851. Motion moved, That the Education, Children and You...