Hansard

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...