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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.

129
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415
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2,095,827
Hansard contributions
1999–2026
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Showing 60 of 2,095,827 contributions. Latest 30 days: 2,655. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 09 Jun 2026.
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
I need to move on a little bit.Nobody should be left behind.I share concerns with other members, including Jackie Baillie, about the long-term funding issue. We should not need the Commonwealth games to provide the impetus to teach swimming in schools. Alongside Bikeability Sc...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
That is a feat in itself, to be honest.I return to my speech. The national holiday on 15 June is welcome, but I note that only one council in Scotland is giving staff the day off, and I really pity the teachers and students who will be forced into class having been up the enti...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
He is exasperated. I give way to Mr McArthur.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
I congratulate all members who have been returned to the Parliament. I thank a number of members who have given their first speeches in the debate. I say to Adam Harley that that suit fits him very well, and I congratulate him.Alyn Smith is right. We have just been through a r...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
General Question Time · Subsidence (Coalsnaughton)
This is not the first time that Clackmannanshire residents have been evacuated at short notice. The reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete evacuations were handled badly by the council; houses were boarded up and personal possessions were left to rot for months on end. I hope ...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
I need to move on a little bit.Nobody should be left behind.I share concerns with other members, including Jackie Baillie, about the long-term funding issue. We should not need the Commonwealth games to provide the impetus to teach swimming in schools. Alongside Bikeability Sc...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
That is a feat in itself, to be honest.I return to my speech. The national holiday on 15 June is welcome, but I note that only one council in Scotland is giving staff the day off, and I really pity the teachers and students who will be forced into class having been up the enti...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
He is exasperated. I give way to Mr McArthur.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
Summer of Sport
I congratulate all members who have been returned to the Parliament. I thank a number of members who have given their first speeches in the debate. I say to Adam Harley that that suit fits him very well, and I congratulate him.Alyn Smith is right. We have just been through a r...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
02 Jun 2026
General Question Time · Subsidence (Coalsnaughton)
This is not the first time that Clackmannanshire residents have been evacuated at short notice. The reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete evacuations were handled badly by the council; houses were boarded up and personal possessions were left to rot for months on end. I hope ...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
19 May 2026
First Minister
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. It appears that I was unable to vote for Gillian Mackay earlier. I do not think that that was recorded. Could you check, if you do not mind? The vote was for Gillian Mackay.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
19 May 2026
First Minister
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. It appears that I was unable to vote for Gillian Mackay earlier. I do not think that that was recorded. Could you check, if you do not mind? The vote was for Gillian Mackay.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
19 May 2026
First Minister
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. It appears that I was unable to vote for Gillian Mackay earlier. I do not think that that was recorded. Could you check, if you do not mind? The vote was for Gillian Mackay.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
14 May 2026
Oaths and Affirmations
In my heart, my allegiance is to the people of Scotland.I, Mark Ruskell, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
14 May 2026
Oaths and Affirmations
In my heart, my allegiance is to the people of Scotland.I, Mark Ruskell, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
14 May 2026
Oaths and Affirmations
In my heart, my allegiance is to the people of Scotland.I, Mark Ruskell, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
25 Mar 2026
Portfolio Question Time · Silica Air Pollution
In the 14 years that I have been an MSP, I have encountered many examples of environmental injustice. Perhaps the worst case that I have come across is at Burrowine moor quarry, near Kincardine, where the community has been suffering from silica dust pollution for many years, ...
2. Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
25 Mar 2026
Portfolio Question Time · Silica Air Pollution
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential public health impact of silica air pollution. (S6O-05702)
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
19 Mar 2026
Decision Time
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes.
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
19 Mar 2026
General Question Time · Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments (NHS Tayside)
I know that Tom Arthur gets it. We have had conversations in the past year and I have brought constituency cases to him, but I am distraught that, a year on, we still have families that are stuck with no pathway. I appreciate that schools can do a lot and I appreciate that the...
1. Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
19 Mar 2026
General Question Time · Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments (NHS Tayside)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS Tayside having stopped accepting referrals for children without coexisting mental health disorders in March 2025, what further action it has taken to support children in accessing timely autism spectrum disorder assessments. (S6O...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
18 Mar 2026
Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted no.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
18 Mar 2026
Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes.
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
18 Mar 2026
Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I thank the many members from all parties in the Parliament who have contributed to the passage of the bill. It is a shame that they were not all able to speak this afternoon.I give special thanks to Clare Haughey, Rona Mackay, Christine Grahame, Karen Adam and the many other ...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
18 Mar 2026
Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Yes, absolutely. I thank Clare Haughey for her relentless support for the bill, which comes from a position of experience, because the Shawfield stadium is in her constituency, and she has listened to and seen the evidence first hand. I agree with her that the only way forward...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
18 Mar 2026
Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I am grateful that, in the busy final hours of this parliamentary session, a moment has been found to consider a law to alleviate the suffering of animals.The true mark of a society is the way in which it treats its animals. The case against greyhound racing is plain to see. T...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
17 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
A UK-wide approach is being taken to the issue—I understand the reason for that, so I welcome it. However, I have a slight concern. If the regulations are being introduced in other parts of the UK—I am thinking of Wales—eight months ahead of their introduction here, that could...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
17 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
Okay, so that is not a gap.
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
17 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
Is that regardless of where the fishing takes place?
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
17 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
Would the existing licensing regime cover the pelagic sector in international waters, or is that a gap?
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Committee
17 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
Looking at the detail, I can see that the instrument seems to be about controlling the dumping of stuff—the deposit of substances and objects, the scuttling of vessels, dredging, and the deposit of explosive substances. It is quite an alarming list. Is there evidence to sugges...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
11 Mar 2026
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Will the minister acknowledge that this will not prevent people who have committed antisocial behaviour from getting on a bus? It will only mean that they will not have a free bus pass.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
11 Mar 2026
Portfolio Question Time · Public Libraries (Rural Areas)
I thank the cabinet secretary for engaging with campaigns across Perthshire to protect libraries, and in particular for accepting my invitation to come and visit Scone library at the end of last year. At that event, the Scottish Library and Information Council announced that i...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
I am aware of that.Finally, the committee has to write a legacy report, and there is an issue that I am interested in hearing your views on. You have had quite a close relationship with this committee, and you do play a formal role in bringing improvement notices back here, bu...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
So what do you see as the governance gap? Indeed, do you feel confident in talking about, say, environmental courts or other governance gaps, or is that something that you feel is not for you to look at?
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
I will move on to how you are able or not able to deal with individual cases and complaints. You have probably had a couple from my office, not about ESS—not yet, anyway—but individual cases and complaints about regulators, regulatory processes and problems.We have been faced ...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
What would be your next actions on that? I remember your submissions about what a good climate change plan looks like, which were useful for the committee as well as other organisations.We are now about to hit dissolution. The new committee in the new parliamentary session wil...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
You will be aware of the committee’s conversation with the UK Climate Change Committee about the draft climate change plan. I am interested in your memorandum of understanding with the CCC. When the CCC came to this committee, I got the impression that resourcing is an issue. ...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
We are almost there already, to be honest. What about the local climate change reports?
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
Right now, beyond being an observer in the room, is part of your role to ensure that the process of target setting is on track, or are you waiting to see what the output is before starting to look at implementation?
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Document subject to Parliamentary Control
I want to ask about the two new scrutiny functions. The Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill will grant powers in relation to scrutinising the nature targets, and Richard Dixon has mentioned the local climate change reports. What will be your approach to scrutinising the nature...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Railways Bill
I will leave it there.
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Railways Bill
Obviously, the limits of devolution kick in there.
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Railways Bill
What about the rolling stock companies?
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Railways Bill
What do you think about a publicly owned freight operator? Does the Scottish Government have a view on that? Are you content for just ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper to be in public ownership? Does it stop there?
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Railways Bill
On the wider vision of what the railways can achieve going forward, the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen’s submission talks about having a publicly owned freight operating company that could drive some of the strategic work that needs to be done on freigh...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Railways Bill
That will be on a UK-wide basis. Do you expect any changes in how the organisation operates in Scotland?
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Committee
10 Mar 2026
Railways Bill
Will the role of Transport Focus change at all as a result of the bill?
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
05 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
I was at a hustings last night at which an SNP MSP said that the abandonment of the 20 per cent target was a retrograde step. I agree with that wing of the SNP.It is easy to set targets, including traffic reduction targets. The hard work is having an action plan that local aut...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
05 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
It has been seven years since Nicola Sturgeon’s Government declared a climate emergency. That declaration was important. It was a moment of leadership; it was about leadership across Government to accelerate climate action. It was also about the opportunities to drive investme...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
03 Mar 2026
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
Absolutely. The bill raises questions about where we are now regarding our levels of Government and responsibility. Those questions can be opened up if there is a cross-party consensus in future sessions of the Parliament.Given that Scotland—and the UK—is one of the most centr...
Mark Ruskell Green Chamber
03 Mar 2026
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
I thank the cabinet secretary for her kind words and I thank members across the chamber for their speeches. I have my fingers crossed that I might be heading for an unusual record of getting two member’s bills agreed to at Holyrood within a fortnight, but we will see what happ...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
03 Mar 2026
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
The European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill is about strengthening local democracy and, as such, I am pleased to be able to play my part in bringing the bill into law.As the member in charge of the bill, it is incumbent on me to move the motio...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green Chamber
03 Mar 2026
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Reconsideration Stage
I thank the cabinet secretary for taking the lead in moving the amendments in this group and in the next group.It is important to underline that it has taken some time to reach agreement, but the position that we have now reached has been warmly welcomed by COSLA, which accept...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
03 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
:Thanks, convener. First, I thank Nigel Topping and his team for the meeting that we had last week.I will go back to buildings and ask particularly about the point-of-sale regulations that the Scottish Government proposed and has now dropped. Does the CCC still support that ap...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
03 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
:The difficulty for the committee is that we are trying to understand the implications of project Acorn not going ahead. You have flagged up one sector where it has been difficult for the Government to make progress, and that is buildings. Are you saying that we are going to g...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
03 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
:Can I just intervene? You are giving useful context, but there is only one negative emissions technology proposal on the table at the moment, and that is project Acorn, which is on track 2. There are concerns about the deliverability of and risks to that. I am interested in y...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
03 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
:I move on to the subject of negative emissions technologies. The assumption in the draft climate change plan is that there will be about 12 megatonnes of emissions reduction in the third or fourth carbon budget. That is double what the Climate Change Committee has recommended...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
03 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
:It is clear that cheap electricity is available, but only at night, and that is the problem with EV charging. If people do not have access to that personal EV tariff, they are really stuck using public chargers. Do you think that there should be a cap on the price of EV charg...
Mark Ruskell Green Committee
03 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
:It certainly looks positive, and the cost of purchasing a vehicle is definitely coming down. However, I am interested in the cost of electricity and charging. I remember that, five or six years ago, charging at a public charge point was free. Now, if people are lucky enough t...
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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 02 June 2026 [Draft]

02 Jun 2026 · S7 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Summer of Sport
Ruskell, Mark Green Mid Scotland and Fife Watch on SPTV

I need to move on a little bit.

Nobody should be left behind.

I share concerns with other members, including Jackie Baillie, about the long-term funding issue. We should not need the Commonwealth games to provide the impetus to teach swimming in schools. Alongside Bikeability Scotland training, it should be part of the experience and life development of every primary 6 and 7 child.

Miles Briggs raised an important point. There is cross-party commitment to have swimming lessons in every school. We should get behind and deliver on that.

Steven Bonnar talked about the talent, the endeavour and the success in our communities and how that is epitomised by sport. That is the summer of sport that I am looking forward to. Yes, there is a scunner factor out there, but let us get the positivity back. Let us have a great summer of sport and let us inspire communities and get everybody active.

In the same item of business

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson) SNP
Our next item of business is a debate on motion S7M-00208, in the name of Maree Todd, on summer of sport.15:34
The Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs (Maree Todd) SNP
Tapadh leibh, Oifigeir Riaghlaidh. I am pleased to open the debate on Scotland’s summer of sport. It is my first debate since being reappointed as minister f...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Con
The minister makes an important point about inclusion. In rural areas, kids at school cannot get the bus transport to get to the activities and events, and t...
Maree Todd SNP
I will come on to some of the summer of sport activities that are particularly targeted at rural areas. As I represent a rural area, I recognise that challen...
Laura Mitchell (Moray) (SNP) SNP
The minister might be aware that many young people across Scotland, including pupils from Hopeman primary school in my constituency, will be taking part in t...
Maree Todd SNP
Absolutely. It was not until I travelled to France as sports minister that I realised that only in Scotland do we learn the country dances that we carry thro...
Miles Briggs (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Con) Con
I welcome some of what the minister has outlined, but does she agree that it is concerning that the percentage of children who engage in one hour of physical...
Maree Todd SNP
The member will be aware that schools are expected to deliver at least two hours of physical education for all primary school pupils, and at least two 50-min...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) SNP
Will the minister take an intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson) SNP
The minister is in her last few seconds, Mr MacGregor.
Maree Todd SNP
It is about ensuring that the child who attends a session this summer has the opportunity to still be active in a year’s time and throughout their life. If w...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Lab
Like others in the chamber, I suspect, I remember the world cup campaign in 1998—hard to believe, I know—and the hope, aspiration and sheer joy that is the t...
Gillian Mackay (Central Scotland and Lothians West) (Green) Green
We all know the evidence about the benefits of physical activity in helping to prevent and manage conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabe...
Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) SNP
I am a football supporter—a Kilmarnock sufferer—so I support the £25 cap on tickets. In England, television money dwarfs admission money, and clubs get much ...
Gillian Mackay Green
We need to do more work at the national level to promote Scottish football, particularly in the Scottish Professional Football League, outside Scotland, in o...
Miles Briggs (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Con) Con
This is my first contribution since being returned to serve as a member for the Edinburgh and Lothians East region, so I will start by paying tribute to a nu...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson) SNP
I call Victor Currie to make their first speech.16:06
Victor Currie (Highlands and Islands) (Reform) Reform
Thank you for calling me, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome you to your new place, and I congratulate the minister on her reappointment.It is a privilege t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson) SNP
Liam McArthur will make the final opening speech before the open debate.16:14
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD
I congratulate Mr Currie on his first speech, and I welcome the minister back to her position, which I know that she is absolutely passionate about. I also s...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark) Lab
We move to the open debate. Members who wish to speak should press their request-to-speak button.16:19
Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) SNP
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome you and your colleagues to your posts. I also congratulate my colleagues Siobhian Brown and Maree Todd on thei...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark) Lab
I remind colleagues that there should be no interventions or interruptions on a first speech. I call Colm Merrick to make a first speech.16:24
Colm Merrick (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and congratulations on your election to your new office.Generations ago, a young man named Patrick left Sligo and crossed the s...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark) Lab
To make a first speech, I call Irshad Ahmed, who has five minutes.16:31
Irshad Ahmed (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab) Lab
In my first speech in this Parliament, I thank the voters of Edinburgh and Lothians East for their trust in me. The Scottish Labour Party has given me a poli...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark) Lab
I call Alyn Smith to make a first speech.16:36
Alyn Smith (Stirling) (SNP) SNP
It is a pleasure to see you in your place, Deputy Presiding Officer.I am delighted to make my first formal contribution in this chamber in this summer of spo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Katy Clark) Lab
I call Steven Bonnar to make a first speech.16:41
Steven Bonnar (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) SNP
Allow me to welcome you to your new place, Presiding Officer.It is an incredible honour to rise to speak for the first time as the MSP for Uddingston and Bel...