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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 2,096,228 contributions. Latest 30 days: 3,758. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 11 Jun 2026.
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP Chamber
23 Mar 2021
Covid-19 (Reflections and Next Steps)
Travel restrictions have been a vital component in controlling the spread of Covid-19. I was therefore very concerned, over the past weekend, when constituents contacted me in alarm about the number of day visitors, motorcyclists and motorhomes appearing in places such as Call...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP Chamber
16 Mar 2021
Global Capital Investment Plan
I listened carefully to the answer that the minister gave to Colin Smyth. Will the minister provide further information on what steps can be taken to ensure that the opportunities and benefits of such capital investment are spread across the whole of Scotland, in particular to...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
Thank you, Murdo. That is very kind of you indeed. All that remains for me to say is that it has been a blast. Over and out. I will see you in MS Teams in five minutes. 10:38 Meeting continued in private until 10:46.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
Later this week, the committee will publish its report on the two instruments that we have considered today. As this is the last public item on the agenda and, I think, our last planned meeting in the parliamentary session, it only remains for me to sincerely thank all commit...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
As there are no further questions, we move to item 5, which is formal consideration of the motion on the instrument. Motion moved, That the Finance and Constitution Committee recommends that the Scottish Landfill Tax (Standard Rate and Lower Rate) Order 2021 be approved.—Iva...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
We move on to a discussion on the Scottish Landfill Tax (Standard Rate and Lower Rate) Order 2021. We are joined by Ivan McKee, the Minister for Trade, Innovation and Public Finance; Ewan Cameron-Nielson, the head of fully devolved taxation at the directorate of tax and fiscal...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
I thank the cabinet secretary and her officials for providing us with evidence this morning. 10:21 Meeting suspended. 10:26 On resuming—
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
No one else has indicated that they want to ask a question, so we move to item 3, which is consideration of the motion on the regulations. Motion moved, That the Finance and Constitution Committee recommends that the Budget (Scotland) Act 2020 Amendment Regulations 2021 dra...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
I am not seeing an R in the chat bar to indicate that any of your officials wants to jump in to provide that information.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
Murdo, I am grateful for your questions.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
Thank you, cabinet secretary. We will go straight to questions from Murdo Fraser.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Subordinate Legislation
Item 2 is an evidence session on the draft Budget (Scotland) Act 2020 Amendment Regulations 2021. I welcome Kate Forbes, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, and her two supporting officials from the Scottish Government: Scott Mackay, head of finance and co-ordination; and Niall...
The Convener (Bruce Crawford) SNP Committee
10 Mar 2021
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Good morning, and welcome to the ninth meeting in 2021 of the Finance and Constitution Committee. We have apologies from Jackie Baillie and Anas Sarwar, and James Kelly is attending as a substitute. Agenda item 1 is a decision on whether to take item 6, on the proposed amendm...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP Chamber
09 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill
I will begin my speech with a contribution on the budget for 2021-22. However, as this will be my final speech in a debate at Holyrood, I would also like to take some time to say a few thank yous, as well as make some remarks reflecting on my time as a member of the Parliament...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
I am glad to say that that ends our consideration of the bill at stage 2. I thank colleagues for their patience with the glitches that went on in the middle of that. I also thank the cabinet secretary for being with us. Meeting closed at 11:55.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
Yes—thank you. One of the committee’s clerks has also raised that in the chat bar. Please forgive me; I am just going by the script that I have in front of me. Section 4—Overall cash authorisations Amendment 13 not moved. Amendment 16 moved—Kate Forbes—and agreed to. Secti...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
My apologies—I see that Ms Forbes has put an R in the chat bar.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
Sorry—you are right; I should not have asked you to move that. Amendment 12 not moved. Amendment 15 moved—Kate Forbes—and agreed to. Schedule 1, as amended, agreed to. Section 2 agreed to. Schedule 2 agreed to. Section 3 agreed to. Schedule 3 agreed to.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
Amendment 12, in the name of the cabinet secretary, has already been debated with amendment 1. I ask the cabinet secretary to move amendment 12.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
Amendment 1, in the name of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, is grouped with amendments 2 to 16. I draw members’ attention to the notes on the grouping in regard to direct alternatives. Direct alternatives are two or more amendments seeking to replace the same text in a bill...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
Item 2 is formal stage 2 consideration of the Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill. I remind members that they can request to speak by typing R in the BlueJeans chat function once I call the group, but please only speak when I call your name. As members will be aware, manuscript amen...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
If any member has questions that they want to ask Dougie McLaren before I suspend the meeting, they should type R in the chat bar, as normal. I do not see any Rs in the chat bar. I will suspend the meeting for around 15 minutes, to make sure that everyone is aware of what is ...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
As members will have heard at the beginning of the discussion, manuscript amendments have been lodged to reflect corrections to administrative errors in figures in the amendments that were lodged for stage 2. Under standing orders, it is for me to determine whether to allow th...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
I know that Alexander Burnett has been waiting some time to ask his questions, which I made even longer by allowing Daniel Johnson to come in. I am sorry about that—I hope that you will forgive me.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
We will go to Alexander Burnett. I am sorry. I have just seen that Daniel Johnson has put an R in the chat box; forgive me. Is it a supplementary?
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
I will leave it to the cabinet secretary to decide whether to comment on that when she answers Dean Lockhart’s questions.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
That is good. Patrick Harvie is next.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
I just want to check that the noise outside my house is not interfering with anybody’s sound quality. There is a gentleman using a digger. Kate, is it interfering with your hearing me?
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
I would like to make comments on that. Other members might follow up on that issue.
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
A follow-up letter that provides us with the specifics would be more appropriate. If the information is detailed, it is quite difficult for everyone to understand the flow in the middle of an evidence session, so a follow-up letter would be helpful. Last week, on behalf of th...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
The clerks and officials are discussing the minor change to amendments that you mentioned as we proceed with the evidence session. That might require us to suspend for a short period at the end of the evidence session before we go into the formal amendment process, but we will...
The Convener SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
Thank you, Daniel. The first item on the agenda is to take evidence on the Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill at stage 2. We are joined for this item by Kate Forbes, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, and by two Scottish Government officials: Dougie McLaren, deputy director, publi...
The Convener (Bruce Crawford) SNP Committee
08 Mar 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 2
Good morning, and welcome to the eighth meeting in 2021 of the Finance and Constitution Committee. We have received apologies from Anas Sarwar, and I welcome Daniel Johnson as his substitute. As this is your first meeting as a substitute member, Daniel, I invite you to declare...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP Chamber
02 Mar 2021
Covid-19
The First Minister knows that the tourism industry is a crucial part of my Stirling constituency’s economy and that a large part of the sector is made up of small self-catering, guest house and bed and breakfast operators. For some such operators, their business provides their...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP Chamber
25 Feb 2021
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 1
When I agreed to take on the role of convener of the Finance and Constitution Committee—unbelievably, almost five years ago—I could never have imagined how much of a rollercoaster I was letting myself in for. Although the mysteries of the fiscal framework and the impact of Bre...
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
That was our only public item today, so I now close the public part of the meeting. 10:34 Meeting continued in private until 11:01.
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
Thank you for your evidence, cabinet secretary. As you said, in all likelihood, this will be your last time appearing before the committee. Therefore, I thank you for your contributions over the past five years. You and I will both be taking leave of Parliament shortly, so we ...
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
It is grand that we have agreement between Dean Lockhart and the cabinet secretary. It is just a pity that we do not have enough time left in this parliamentary session to make that a habit.
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
I know that Tom Arthur has a couple of areas that he would like to cover around consent, and around musicians; we will come back to musicians later, Tom.
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
Thank you, cabinet secretary. If I get time, I may come back and ask a question around the fiscal framework, but we will see where we are. In the meantime, we go to Murdo Fraser.
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
If I understand it correctly, the way in which the trade and co-operation agreement works is that there are constraints that have been brought about by the level playing field requirements covering subsidies, tax, competition, labour and environmental standards, but that, at t...
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
Thank you for those opening remarks. I will come on to some of the alignment issues in a moment. It is now six weeks since the trade and co-operation agreement came into force, and issues have arisen in areas such as fishing, costs for consumers have risen, and there have bee...
The Convener SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Brexit (Impact on Devolution)
We move to our evidence session on the impact of Brexit on devolution, for which we are joined by Mike Russell, who is the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs; and the Scottish Government officials David Barnes, who is deputy director, European ...
The Convener (Bruce Crawford) SNP Committee
17 Feb 2021
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Good morning and welcome to the sixth meeting in 2021 of the Finance and Constitution Committee. I have received apologies from Jackie Baillie, and James Kelly will be attending as a substitute. Apologies have also been received from Anas Sarwar. The first item on our agenda ...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
That is helpful. Thank you, Lucy. I thank the cabinet secretary for her helpful responses to our questions this morning. We expect to publish our report on the budget later this month. We have no further items on our agenda, so I wish everyone a good day. Meeting closed at 1...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
I have one final question, which is a technical one for the purposes of the record. We were discussing with the SFC the issue of borrowing for forecast error on income tax. You might need to write to me about the specifics, or maybe one of your officials can deal with the ques...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
Thanks, Dean. I think that the cabinet secretary has heard that request. 11:15
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
You are still on mute, James. Broadcasting will get to you. Try again now.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
You are right, Patrick—thank you very much. I call Alasdair Allan.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
No worries. It is sunny here, too, but with eight inches of snow.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
I will let you do that before we go to Patrick Harvie.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
Cabinet secretary, since the start of the meeting, I have noticed that the sun has been streaming in on you in the Highlands. Is it causing a problem?
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
Thank you, Fulton—I am sorry; thank you, Murdo. I would not have thought that I would mix up Fulton MacGregor and Murdo Fraser at any stage in my life, but there you go.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
I have one final question. The Scottish Government’s “Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement 2021-22” recognises that “The effects of COVID-19 layer on top of existing structural imbalances and are predicted to be particularly severe for people on low incomes.” Can ...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
If the chancellor provides business rates relief at 100 per cent for the whole financial year 2021-22, that will—if I am right—potentially free up an estimated £185 million in your budget. Can you indicate what your priorities are likely to be in allocating that funding? That ...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
Thank you, cabinet secretary. Your announcement on the discretionary funding is good news, and it gives me the chance to thank our colleagues in local government for the remarkable way in which they have dealt with all the additional funding that has been provided for business...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
I welcome the second panel of witnesses to our meeting. We will need to conclude this piece of business by midday at the latest, because there is business in the chamber at 12.30. I welcome Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance; Dougie McLaren, the Scottish Government’s ...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
I thank the panel members for their helpful and detailed evidence this morning and I hope that they enjoy the rest of their day. I do not envy them their job as forecasters in the current volatile and challenging environment. 10:07 Meeting suspended. 10:12 On resuming—
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
You are still muted, Susan.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Feb 2021
Budget Scrutiny 2021-22
I apologise to John Mason. I should have brought him in first.
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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 23 March 2021

23 Mar 2021 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Covid-19 (Reflections and Next Steps)
Crawford, Bruce SNP Stirling Watch on SPTV

Travel restrictions have been a vital component in controlling the spread of Covid-19. I was therefore very concerned, over the past weekend, when constituents contacted me in alarm about the number of day visitors, motorcyclists and motorhomes appearing in places such as Callander. I also know that there will come a time, hopefully not far off, when visitors will be welcomed back to my fabulous Stirling constituency. However, in the meantime, a stay-at-home order remains in place, and only from 2 April does the requirement become to stay local. What more can be done to strengthen the crucial messages about travel restrictions in order to allay the fears of my constituents and stop the spread of Covid?

In the same item of business

The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh) NPA
The next item of business is a statement by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, on Covid-19 reflections and next steps. 14:04
The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon) SNP
This will be my final full parliamentary statement on Covid before Parliament rises for the election. As Richard Holloway noted in his thoughtful and moving...
The Presiding Officer NPA
Thank you, First Minister. We move to questions, starting with Ruth Davidson.
Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con
Presiding Officer, I was proud to join you and the other party leaders for the day of reflection and the minute’s silence at noon today, as we remembered all...
The First Minister SNP
First, I say, as I have done already today, that I think not only of those who have lost their lives to Covid in the past year, and their grieving families, ...
Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab
A year since Scotland went into the first lockdown, almost 10,000 of our fellow Scots have lost their lives, and my thoughts are with all their families. Thi...
The First Minister SNP
Test and protect is robust and has been so since it was established. It has played a vital role in trying to break chains of transmission and minimise the sp...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD) LD
It is the little things—the things that we took for granted—that I think we now miss most, such as hugging our mums, walking in the mountains and coffee morn...
The First Minister SNP
Everybody will have lots of things that they miss and are desperate to get back to. Hugging my mum is probably the thing that I miss and look forward to doin...
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green) Green
On this national day of reflection, on behalf of the Scottish Green Party, I send my deepest sympathies to all those who have lost a loved one in the most ch...
The First Minister SNP
I will make two points about the prospects of a third wave. First, we cannot guarantee that it will not happen here. It is an infectious virus, and one of th...
Dr Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) SNP
As we mark the anniversary of lockdown, I am sure that the First Minister will wish to join me in paying tribute to people in Scotland’s islands, many of who...
The First Minister SNP
As I said last week, over the next few weeks, we will have discussions with island authorities in order to come to a view on whether, as the rest of the coun...
Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Con) Con
I have been contacted by a 65-year-old constituent with an underlying health condition who still has not had the vaccine. The options on the helpline do not ...
The First Minister SNP
If Maurice Golden sends me his constituent’s details, I will, of course, look into the matter. I have made it clear that, if people are not getting answers f...
Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) SNP
As we mark a year since the start of lockdown restrictions, it is impossible to ignore the toll on people’s mental health and the subsequent demand for menta...
The First Minister SNP
The mental health recovery plan has already been set out by the Minister for Mental Health. We have announced increases in funding for and investment in ment...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Lab
Businesses in my community have struggled during the pandemic, and they have been grateful for rates relief. Many members across the chamber asked for and we...
The First Minister SNP
We should all encourage businesses to apply timeously—as most do, for obvious reasons—for the support that is available, so that it can be got to them as qui...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP) SNP
Travel restrictions have been a vital component in controlling the spread of Covid-19. I was therefore very concerned, over the past weekend, when constituen...
The First Minister SNP
That is a really important point. I think that all of us are frustrated by the inability to travel across local authority boundaries to see loved ones. I kno...
Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con) Con
On this day of reflection, one year since the first lockdown, I join others in remembering all who have lost loved ones to Covid-19. I have been in contact ...
The First Minister SNP
Nobody is going to fall through the cracks. I ask Annie Wells to recognise that people are working really hard and are delivering exceptional success in the ...
Annabelle Ewing (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) SNP
Many of my Cowdenbeath constituents—and indeed people across Scotland—have relied on the First Minister leading us through the coronavirus pandemic and are v...
The First Minister SNP
Yes, I can give that assurance. Notwithstanding the election campaign, all the requirements of which I will respect and observe—it is important that there is...
Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab
Will the First Minister get the Government to look at local authority business funding? Categories of business such as dog kennels, laundry services, commerc...
The First Minister SNP
We keep all those things under review. The local authority discretionary fund has been increased since we first established it. Obviously, money is constrain...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP
Given the well-publicised issues to do with vaccine supplies, particularly in April, what assurance can the First Minister give to people who are awaiting th...
The First Minister SNP
I can give an assurance that people will receive their second dose within the 12-week window. As I said last week, because we will have, over the next four w...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con) Con
Yesterday, I talked to members of Unite the union who represent the taxi trade. Some taxi drivers have had help during the pandemic, but in no way has that c...