Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 03 March 2020
03 Mar 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
International Women’s Day
I absolutely agree with Gillian Martin, as I am sure we all do.
The Scottish Government is making progress. The most recent gender pay gap figures indicate that Scotland is still outperforming the UK as a whole. The gender pay gap action plan, which was published by the Scottish Government in March last year, contains more than 60 actions to tackle the root causes of the gender pay gap and reduce it by 2021. However, key tools that are required to adequately address the gender pay gap, such as employment laws, remain under the control of the UK Parliament. It is a great pity that those powers are not devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Maybe, if they were, we could then update things, as Gillian Martin suggested.
In closing, I will reflect on the theme of this year’s international women’s day celebrations: each for equal. I whole-heartedly agree that we should all be responsible for creating and delivering a more equal world, and I hope that the majority of people feel the same way—I am sure that they do. We need action by everyone, and I advocate taking inspiration from the women who were so unfairly treated for such a long time by Glasgow City Council. They showed determination and a belief in equality even when their fight seemed unwinnable. They carried on and galvanised support, and they won.
16:12In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-21073, in the name of Christina McKelvie, on celebrating international women’s day 2020. 15:05
The Minister for Older People and Equalities (Christina McKelvie)
SNP
This coming Sunday is international women’s day—a day on which to celebrate women’s achievements and to celebrate progress towards gender equality. This year...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
That shared parental leave is very welcome. Does the minister agree that uptake has been quite low and that there needs to be an awareness campaign to promot...
Christina McKelvie
SNP
I agree with Rachel Hamilton. I hope that through including it in my speech today and raising awareness in Parliament, lots of people will talk about it. We ...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I am delighted to open on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives and to support the Scottish Government’s motion. In 2020, we need to have 20:20 vision when i...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Does Rachael Hamilton recognise the important work of the women in agriculture task force in raising awareness of women in the sector?
Rachael Hamilton
Con
Emma Harper makes an important point. The women in agriculture task force sends a positive message to women in rural areas and I very much welcomed its repor...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I wish all women a happy international women’s day when it comes on Sunday. We are delighted to support the Government’s motion and what was an excellent spe...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
On the reasons for violence against women, does Pauline McNeill agree with me that financial independence—obviously linked to equal pay—is something that wom...
Pauline McNeill
Lab
Sandra White is correct. Women need independent financial control over their own lives, which is central when it comes to making decisions. As the motion id...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Come to a close, please.
Pauline McNeill
Lab
There has been progress since the first days of the women’s liberation movement, but we know that we have a long way to go. As we celebrate 50 years since th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We are a bit pushed for time. I ask Patrick Harvie, and Alex Cole-Hamilton who will follow him, to stick to six minutes each, please. 15:31
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I welcome the chance to take part in the debate. Several members have already mentioned that the tag line for this year’s international women’s day is each f...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I rise with no small degree of relief, given that it has been my privilege to address the chamber during the debates on the previous three international wome...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We move to the open debate. We are short of time, so no additional time will be given back for interventions. Speeches should be of six minutes. 15:44
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
It is a pleasure to speak in the debate to celebrate international women’s day 2020. As we have heard, this year’s theme is each for equal, which highlights ...
Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am delighted to speak in this international women’s day debate. Sunday is, as we have already heard, international women’s day, when people from all over t...
Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
SNP
As the minister said in her opening speech, we have made progress towards male and female equality, but we are nowhere near it yet. With no amendments to the...
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to be able to contribute to the debate in advance of international women’s day on 8 March, so that we—as women parliamentarians—can mark the occ...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome this debate in celebration of international women’s day. The motion gives all of us an opportunity to highlight the contribution that women make ac...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
The UK Government’s legislation asked only companies with more than a certain number of employees to report on their gender pay gap. Does Sandra White agree ...
Sandra White
SNP
I absolutely agree with Gillian Martin, as I am sure we all do. The Scottish Government is making progress. The most recent gender pay gap figures indicate ...
Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
It is a privilege to join the debate and to celebrate the upcoming international women’s day, which is next week. I have been fortunate enough to have lived ...
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Like Elaine Smith, I draw members’ attention to the comments that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, made earlier in the week when...
Johann Lamont (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I commend Joan McAlpine’s speech, from among many powerful speeches. I know what courage it took to say what she said, and many women will be proud of her. ...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to speak in this important debate to mark international women’s day. This year, as others have mentioned, the day is celebrating th...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I will start where Christina McKelvie started. At the Beijing conference in 1995, Hillary Clinton declared that “women’s rights are human rights”. That sta...
Michelle Ballantyne (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to close for the Scottish Conservatives. The minister set the scene by describing some of the progress that we are making, whether on shared ma...
Christina McKelvie
SNP
How do I follow all those wonderful speeches? The Parliament is always at its best when it comes together and sticks up for something that it believes in. Pe...