Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 22 December 2020
22 Dec 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Bill
I completely disagree with Mr Harvie. It is painfully obvious that we will not, sadly, have any input into keeping pace with EU law, so the argument that Mr Harvie has just put cannot be accepted at all. That is the principle on which we have fought the bill. There are certain key principles in the bill that simply do not match up to the best interests of Scotland and the UK working together, which as I have said, is what the public expect.
I know that time is short, so I will conclude.
Although we are against the principles that I have spoken about, we have tried to work constructively. I once again welcome the engagement that Roseanna Cunningham and her officials have provided, because there are important aspects in part 2 of the bill.
I will finish on that point. Obviously, I will agree with Dean Lockhart when it comes to the final vote.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-23761, in the name of Michael Russell, on the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotlan...
The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs (Michael Russell)
SNP
For the purposes of rule 9.11 of the standing orders, I advise the Parliament that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the UK Withdrawal from...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you very much, cabinet secretary. That was very succinct. At the end of a long day, that is good. I call Dean Lockhart to open the debate for the Scot...
Dean Lockhart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
The bill is an exceptional piece of legislation. It gives the Scottish ministers exceptional powers to keep pace with EU legislation over a period of a decad...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you, Mr Lockhart. Anas Sarwar will open for Labour. 18:53
Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I will come to the wider politics in a moment, but I want to talk about the bill first. At the outset, I should say that I might be coming in at the end for ...
Dean Lockhart
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I hope that Mr Lockhart is going to express that remorse now in his intervention.
Dean Lockhart
Con
Will the member clarify the UK Labour Party leader’s position? Is it not that the UK Government should continue negotiations and get the best possible deal f...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I will address that in a moment. However, it is worth reflecting on Mr Lockhart’s party’s position at UK level. In an election campaign, we were promised an ...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
The need to get the bill right has been a big weight on members’ shoulders. There is a real sense of loss as we fully exit the EU, and there is a risk that h...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Liam McArthur to open for the Liberal Democrats. 19:02
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I associate myself with the comments of Mark Ruskell and Anas Sarwar on their regret surrounding the bill. It is not a bill that many of us wanted to see. Th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There will be one speaker in the open debate: I call Claudia Beamish. 19:06
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
This country is at a time of crisis on many fronts. I welcome the passing of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Bill today as ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There is a little time in hand, so I can give members an extra minute for closing speeches. That is generosity, which is perhaps not desired, as you are all ...
Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the Finance and Constitution Committee and the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee for their hard work in scrutinising the bill, an...
Dean Lockhart
Con
I will ask the same question that I asked Anas Sarwar. Does Alex Rowley agree with the UK Labour leader that the priority of the UK Government should be to g...
Alex Rowley
Lab
The Scottish Labour Party will put forward what is in the best interests of the people of Scotland, and we will always stand up for what is right for Scotlan...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I add my thanks to the Finance and Constitution Committee and the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee for all the work that they have under...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I accept that Liz Smith was on the remain side and I accept what she is saying about where we need to go with the bill post-Brexit. However, she is a very fa...
Liz Smith
Con
It would not be the first time that I have put on record in the Parliament that I am not happy about the Brexit process. I said that when I began my closing ...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
Will the member take an intervention?
Liz Smith
Con
Do I have time to take an intervention, Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Yes.
Patrick Harvie
Green
If it were being made possible to work together, that would be all very well, but the Conservative Party’s central political project now is to remove us from...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Liz Smith will get all her time back.
Liz Smith
Con
I completely disagree with Mr Harvie. It is painfully obvious that we will not, sadly, have any input into keeping pace with EU law, so the argument that Mr ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Michael Russell to close for the Scottish Government. Cabinet secretary, if you want to take us up to decision time, or shortly before it, you can. ...
Michael Russell
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I am wondering how I will take us up to decision time, but I will do my very best. I start by addressing the point of substan...