Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 16 June 2026 [Draft]
16 Jun 2026 · S7 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Partnership with the Third Sector
Okay. Right—we got there. Thank you, Presiding Officer.
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests—until March, I was chair of the Borders Citizens Advice Consortium and chair of Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau, and I have 14 years of experience in citizens advice.
Dawn Black makes an important point about multiyear funding: that it is not just on the Scottish Government; it is for other funding bodies to do the same. As chair of the consortium, I negotiated a five-year contract with Scottish Borders Council: three plus two. Will the member join me in encouraging local government as well as central Government to use multiyear contracts?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S7M-00356, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on strengthening Scotland’s partnership with the third sec...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations Scottish charity awards. The positive impact of the third sector...
Stephen Kerr (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I have been thinking about what the cabinet secretary just said about questioning the integrity of the third sector. I assume that she does not mean that it ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I am certainly not suggesting that people should not question the third sector or, indeed, the Scottish Government on the funding that we give to it. I am sa...
David Linden (Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
I draw attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests: until last month, I was the chair of Cranhill Development Trust.I very much welcome any m...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
David Linden made a very important point that relates particularly to—but not only to—smaller organisations. The aim is to let them get on with the job; appr...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
The cabinet secretary will know that multiyear funding is the third sector’s number 1 ask. Although she is technically correct in saying that the Scottish Go...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
That is exactly why we have been trying to provide a greater level of multiyear funding. Murdo Fraser has gone through enough budget rounds to know that ther...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson)
SNP
I remind those who wish to move amendments or speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak button.15:50
Julie MacDougall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform)
Reform
I declare an interest as a trustee of the John MacDougall Mesothelioma Trust and the Glenrothes & Area Heritage Centre. I thank the minister for her comments...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Today’s debate on Scotland’s partnership with the third sector is welcome. I hope that we can have an open and collaborative discussion on the best approach ...
Holly Bruce (Glasgow Southside) (Green)
Green
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which says that I am a member of Glasgow City Council. I thank the cabinet secretary for c...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Holly Bruce
Green
I will respectfully not take an intervention in this debate, but I would be happy to have a conversation with the cabinet secretary offline.If the Government...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I welcome the debate and I pay tribute, as others across the parties have done, to all who work in the third sector. It is a reality that, without the third ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
Mr Fraser, you may wish to wind up and to move your amendment. Thank you.
Murdo Fraser
Con
There was a suspicion that that was because those organisations did not want to bite the hand that feeds them.There are many more points that I would make, P...
Morven-May MacCallum (Highlands and Islands) (LD)
LD
I declare that I am a councillor for Highland Council and a volunteer for Lyme Disease UK and the Lyme Resource Centre.It is no secret that the third sector ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
We move to the open debate.16:20
Dawn Black (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
SNP
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, as I am a serving councillor on Aberdeenshire Council and chair of the charity Kincardine ...
Calum Kerr (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Dawn Black
SNP
Yes, I will give way.
Calum Kerr
SNP
I thank Dawn Black—Inaudible.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
Is the microphone not working, Mr Kerr? Maybe you have not got your card in, or it might not be in properly. If there is a problem, perhaps you could move to...
Dawn Black
SNP
The member can use mine.
Calum Kerr
SNP
Is my microphone on now?
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark)
Lab
It is, yes.
Calum Kerr
SNP
Okay. Right—we got there. Thank you, Presiding Officer.I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests—until March, I was chair of the Bord...
Dawn Black
SNP
I absolutely agree with that—no matter where the funding is coming from, whether it is local authorities or the National Lottery Community Fund, we need to l...
Stuart McMillan (Inverclyde) (SNP)
SNP
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am chair of Moving On Inverclyde and I am also an ambassador for Ocean Youth Trust Scotl...