Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 19 November 2020
19 Nov 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Coronavirus (Scotland’s Strategic Approach)
Before I call the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, Aileen Campbell, to open our debate on Covid-19, I thought that it would be helpful to clarify what the Parliament will be asked to agree to this evening.
Today’s debate is part of a package of enhanced scrutiny measures to which the Bureau has agreed, to give members an opportunity to scrutinise the changes that the Scottish Government proposes before they come into effect. The debate therefore allows Parliament to debate and then express its views on what is proposed. It is not, however, a decision on whether to approve regulations.
Following the debate, it will be for ministers to decide whether to go ahead and make the regulations as proposed. The Parliament will then have an opportunity to scrutinise those regulations through the usual procedures for statutory instruments. I hope that that clarification is of assistance to members and to our constituents.
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-23416, in the name of John Swinney, on coronavirus: Scotland’s strategic approach. I invite all members who wish to contribute to press their request to speak buttons.
16:31References in this contribution
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
Before I call the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, Aileen Campbell, to open our debate on Covid-19, I thought that it would be helpful...
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government (Aileen Campbell)
SNP
Today’s debate offers an opportunity for Parliament to debate the outcome of the second review of Scotland’s strategic framework on Covid-19. As Parliament k...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
I am sure that the cabinet secretary will soon come to the issue of travel restrictions. I received notifications today from TUI, the travel agents and touri...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
I know and recognise how difficult the issue is. We encourage people to ensure that they discuss the matter with whoever they bought their package from. We h...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary explain why it is fair that people living in Parkhead in Glasgow who have a holiday booked to see their loved ones cannot travel d...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
Essential travel is permitted, and there is a list of exceptions to the restrictions. I assume that Pauline McNeill is talking about travel to the airport. T...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
The example in Willie Rennie’s question was about people going to the Canary Islands on holiday. If someone is out there already and is not due to return unt...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
They need to come home and, if wherever they have come from has incurred a period of quarantine, to stay at home and stay safe. Again, we will set out all th...
Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I will make the position of the Conservatives clear at the outset: we accept the general thrust of the new restrictions, regrettable as they are. However, as...
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Given that the travel ban that criminalises people comes into force tomorrow night at 6 o’clock, could Donald Cameron tell us what other opportunity the Parl...
Donald Cameron
Con
As I said, the Parliament agreed the process of emergency legislation in spring this year. Two committees of Parliament will have the opportunity to interrog...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Tomorrow marks eight months to the day since the First Minister told the people of Scotland that we were facing “the biggest challenge of our lifetimes”. E...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
Members will be aware that we routinely publish quite a lot of information. As a genuine question, in among all the evidence and data that we publish and the...
Richard Leonard
Lab
I do not want just data; I want proof and compelling evidence that will persuade people that the measures that the Government is imposing are having the effe...
Mike Rumbles (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
I commend Richard Leonard, because in the 21 years since I was first elected to the Parliament I have never seen an amendment from another party that so well...
Richard Leonard
Lab
I welcome Mr Rumbles’s support and agree with him that the arguments go beyond party politics. Let me reflect on what happened earlier this week, when the C...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I already thought that I was likely to vote against the Labour amendment and, after hearing Richard Leonard’s speech, I am now more convinced of that. I thi...
Elaine Smith
Lab
Labour would support and agree with much of what Patrick Harvie has said. However, does he understand that, the minute we make something criminal, with crimi...
Patrick Harvie
Green
I do not expect that to happen and I do not agree that making the law in itself criminalises people. It is how the law is applied that is important, and I th...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
Most of the indicators in the new level 4 council areas have not been breached. In fact, all but one has infection rates in decline. The infection rates and ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
We move to the open debate. We do not have a lot of time, so I encourage all members to keep to their four minutes, including interventions, where possible. ...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
I thank everyone in Aberdeenshire East, who, through their sacrifices and adherence to the protective measures that the Government has set out, have ensured ...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I will focus my remarks on Donald Cameron’s amendment and his call for the Scottish Government to “provide immediate clarification with respect to new trave...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
I am curious to know whether the member has seen the postcode checker, which enables people to put in the postcode for where they live and to then find out w...
Liam Kerr
Con
Absolutely. However, I think the point being made is that it is about where people are and about travel. The minister talked about where people live, but we ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Tom Arthur, to be followed by Pauline McNeill. I remind members that they have four minutes only. 17:25
Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
SNP
My Renfrewshire South constituency overlaps Renfrewshire Council and East Renfrewshire Council areas, which in about 24 hours will move into level 4. In that...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I do not believe that we have had a straightforward outline of how Glasgow arrived at level 4 lockdown, and how Covid-19 is not under control in the central ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity (Michael Matheson)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Pauline McNeill
Lab
Of course I will.