Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-23289, in the name of Gordon Lindhurst, on the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill....

Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) Con

Why raise the same issue in November 2018, in September 2019 and again today? Why, given the no shortage of other problems in the world, persist with a focus...

The Minister for Public Finance and Migration (Ben Macpherson) SNP

I am pleased to speak in the stage 1 debate on the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill, which is a committee bill. The Government has ...

Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green) Green

The minister has mentioned a series of bodies to which statistics are released in a pre-release form. In a sense, however, that does not get to the nub of th...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

There is time in hand, minister, so that intervention does not impact on your speaking time.

Ben Macpherson SNP

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I thank Mr Wightman for his intervention. On the latter point, I have clearly stated our position, and I appreciate the nuance...

Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Con) Con

In its written evidence to the committee, the Royal Statistical Society’s opinion was that reform “would be warmly welcomed by all those committed to statis...

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Lab

The convener started by reading out a list. I will do likewise to make the point that all the experts agree. The minister said that we should follow the advi...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

We move to the open debate, with speeches of four minutes, please. I have a little time in hand for interventions. 16:32

John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) SNP

I am grateful to take part in the debate, as I was involved in the topic as deputy convener of the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee at that time, and ...

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) SNP

I will immediately respond to one part of Jackie Baillie’s contribution. There is no “secrecy” about any of the statistics that are part of this debate. The ...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con

Official statistics are important in all democracies, enabling us to hold our Governments to account, no matter what party we are in or who is in power. It i...

Richard Lyle (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) SNP

First, I have to say that I regret the personal attacks with which the Opposition came in today on members who are not here and who cannot defend themselves....

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

Will the member take an intervention?

Richard Lyle SNP

No, I will not. The member lost that right when he started personal attacks on people. He will not interrupt. It is better—

Daniel Johnson Lab

On a point of order, Deputy Presiding Officer. I urge the member to clarify his statement. He has just made the serious allegation that I have besmirched the...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

That is not a point of order. Would Mr Lyle like to respond before he moves on?

Richard Lyle SNP

They can give it out but they cannot take it. My comment was not aimed at Daniel Johnson. It is better that ministers are involved in the orderly release of...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

It can be difficult when we are in a hybrid situation, because the system does not allow interventions when people are taking part remotely. Sometimes, that ...

James Kelly (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

Ben Macpherson said that the debate is a distraction. I do not think that it is a distraction. It is an important debate because it gets to the heart of the ...

John Mason SNP

I take James Kelly’s point, but how would the PRA affect those figures about poverty in Glasgow?

James Kelly Lab

It is a fair point, which I will address as I go through my speech. I commend the committee for introducing the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (S...

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) SNP

We have heard some away-with-the-fairies speeches this afternoon. It is strange that pre-release access to Government statistics was enjoyed for eight years...

Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

Will the member give way?

Willie Coffey SNP

No, thank you. The chief statistician also said that pre-release access has been working well since the 2008 order, and long before it; that the Scottish Go...

Andy Wightman Green

Will the member give way?

Willie Coffey SNP

No, I have hardly any time left—my apologies. It is part of the day job that ministers do for the whole country. People expect them to get facts and figures...

Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) SNP

I am not a member of the committee that has introduced the bill, and I defer to other members who clearly know far more about it than I do. Nevertheless, I a...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

We move to the closing speeches. 17:04

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

I thank the committee, not just because I had the pleasure of taking part in one of its evidence sessions when I was a substitute member, but because the iss...