Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-18884, in the name of Aileen Campbell, on investing in our credit unions. I call Aileen Campbell to speak...

The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government (Aileen Campbell) SNP

There are always junctures in life that demand we pay close attention to our finances, such as paying the bills for the summer holidays, school uniforms, and...

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

I welcome the fund. Can the cabinet secretary give a commitment that the Government will look at the lower levels of engagement with credit unions in more ru...

Aileen Campbell SNP

Absolutely. We will take on board any views and opinions from across the chamber on what the strategy should include. We will engage with the more rural cred...

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I point-blank refuse to think about Christmas while it is still September, but I agree with the cabinet secretary that, for many families, Christmas is a dif...

Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP) SNP

I asked the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it would consider extending the number of credit unions with which parliamentary staff, MSP staff a...

Pauline McNeill Lab

I agree 100 per cent with Ruth Maguire’s point. Not only can we set an example, but payroll deduction is a good thing and, where it is possible, it should be...

Michelle Ballantyne (South Scotland) (Con) Con

It is a pleasure to open the debate for my party. The cabinet secretary is right to say that it is a shared vision. In our manifesto, we said that we would...

Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green) Green

I thank the cabinet secretary for bringing this debate to the chamber. Scottish Greens, too, were elected on a manifesto to champion not only credit unions...

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

Like others, I welcome the debate, which is on a subject that the Parliament has a good track record on and returns to regularly. I confirm the Scottish Libe...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame) SNP

Speeches should last a tight four minutes. There is no time in hand. 15:01

Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP) SNP

I welcome the Government’s commitment to seeing the credit union sector grow and thrive. I also welcome the cross-party support in Parliament for credit unio...

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

I will start by saying to Pauline McNeill that Christmas has started, because my daughters are designing their Christmas cards at school today. I will make s...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Thankfully, you did not offend me, Mr Balfour. That was a good idea. 15:08

Angela Constance (Almond Valley) (SNP) SNP

I start by thanking the cabinet secretary. She will recall that on the previous occasion in the chamber on which we celebrated the contribution that credit u...

Johann Lamont (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I declare interests as a member of the Scottish Co-operative Party, as a Labour and Co-operative MSP and as a member of a credit union. The Scottish Labour P...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call Tom Mason, to be followed by Tom Arthur. Interruption. I beg your pardon—I got my Toms muddled up. You can sit down, Mr Mason—it is my fault, not your...

Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) SNP

I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in an excellent debate that is full of ideas from all sides of the chamber. I thank the Government for the deb...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call Tom Mason. My apologies for calling you in error earlier, Mr Mason. 15:21

Tom Mason (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I am glad that there appears to be broad consensus on the benefits that credit unions can bring to people across the country in providing accessible finance ...

Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) SNP

I am pleased to take part in this debate, as we can never highlight enough the importance of credit unions to our communities. More than 410,000 people are s...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

We move on to the closing speeches. I call James Kelly to close for Labour. You have four minutes, Mr Kelly. 15:29

James Kelly (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

It has been a good and consensual debate. As a number of members have said, it is key that we take the central points from the debate that will help with the...

Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) Con

As has been said, the debate has been very consensual, which is not always the case. We have heard from members across the chamber that a credit union is a n...

Aileen Campbell SNP

As members who have spoken in the debate have said, this has been a thorough and good debate. I agree with Pauline McNeill that it should not be a cuddly deb...

Pauline McNeill Lab

On the issue of payroll deduction, I do not think that anyone has mentioned the fact that the national health service has a credit union. I do not know wheth...

Aileen Campbell SNP

I absolutely agree with the point that Pauline McNeill makes about encouraging credit unions in the public sector. The Scottish Government does that, and I k...

Liam McArthur LD

I thank the cabinet secretary for being the first member to namecheck my youngest son, Tom McArthur. Laughter. A number of members asked whether the corp...

Aileen Campbell SNP

That is why our approach needs to be about more than just working with the credit unions. As Andy Wightman pointed out, we need that broader approach and we ...