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Every contribution to the Official Report — chamber and committee — searchable in one place. Pulled from data.parliament.scot, indexed for full-text search, linked through to every MSP.

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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.

The Convener (Gordon Lindhurst) Con Committee

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

Good morning and welcome to the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee’s 10th meeting in 2021. Apologies have been received from committee member Alex Rowley. Agenda item 1 is the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Motor Fuel Emissions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exi...

Gordon Lindhurst Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · European Union Withdrawal (Relationships with Non-EU Countries)

We need to recognise the benefits that we have already seen—for example, the United States Government’s recent lifting of tariffs on many goods, which should result in millions of pounds from exports of cashmere and of cheese and other delicacies. Will the cabinet secretary co...

4. Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · European Union Withdrawal (Relationships with Non-EU Countries)

I enter into the spirit of the afternoon’s proceedings by also wishing the cabinet secretary—indeed, everyone—all the very best for the future. To ask the Scottish Government what impact the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union has had on Scotland’s relationshi...

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

Thank you, minister. We look forward to the written details. I thank the minister and his officials for attending virtually. 10:48 Meeting continued in private until 11:20.

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

We will now hear from Graham Simpson.

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

Indeed, they are; I am not suggesting that they are incorrect. Mr Beattie, have you completed your questions for the minister?

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

Perhaps you could send us those in writing, which would also avoid the difficulty with the microphone.

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

We can hear you and make you out, but there is a snowstorm of sound as well. We will all try to do our best.

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

I would not want to be churlish either, minister, but I wonder whether you have papers rustling about your microphone, because we can hear that quite loudly. I have been told not to do that, so you and me both.

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

We now come to questions from the deputy convener, Willie Coffey.

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

The Covid situation is not a result of either Government’s handling of matters. The question is how best to come out of it. There might be no perfect answer to that, but would you agree that extending the support will allow more time for businesses and the economy to recover, ...

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

Thank you very much, minister. The United Kingdom Government has announced an extension to the coronavirus job retention scheme until September, as part of its fairly generous support during the coronavirus situation. The extension was announced after the Scottish budget was ...

The Convener Con Committee

Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)

Under item 2, we will look at the impact of Covid-19 on businesses, workers and the economy. I welcome the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, Jamie Hepburn. With him, from the Scottish Government, are Gavin Gray, deputy director for the young persons guarantee; Steph...

The Convener (Gordon Lindhurst) Con Committee

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Good morning and welcome to the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee’s ninth meeting in 2021. Apologies have been received from Andy Wightman. Under agenda item 1, does the committee agree to take items 3 to 5 in private? That is agreed.

Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I tried to vote, but for some reason my voting app did not work. I would have voted no.

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

There are no further questions from committee members. I thank the minister and Susan Craig for joining us. 10:34 Meeting continued in private until 11:15.

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

I will bring in the deputy convener, Willie Coffey.

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

I am afraid that I cannot make out what you are saying—I do not know whether other committee members can. It seems that your connection is not working for us, unfortunately. Susan Craig is also with us, and her internet connection might be working a bit better. Will you respon...

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

Do you want to comment, subject to the information technology supporting you to do so?

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

Do we have Nick Ford? I can see you on my screen, Nick, but I cannot hear you. 10:00

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

What can the Scottish Government do through things such as procurement reports to provide us with knowledge about what is going on? We appreciate that there is a fine balance to be struck so that the need to get information does not slow things down or prevent things from happ...

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

You are talking about prompt payment, but I was asking about fair work. What is being done to ensure that contractors that are not the primary supplier adhere to conditions in contracts?

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

I have a few questions, minister. What is the Scottish Government doing in terms of the wider supply chain? I am thinking about fair work requirements and so forth. How can those measures take account of the experience of the wider supply chain and not just the primary supplie...

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

Thank you. Richard Lyle will ask the first questions.

The Convener Con Committee

Public Procurement Inquiry

Item 2 is an evidence session as part of our public procurement inquiry. I welcome Ivan McKee, Minister for Trade, Innovation and Public Finance. He is supported by Susan Craig, who is a procurement policy manager in the Scottish Government’s procurement and property directora...

The Convener (Gordon Lindhurst) Con Committee

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Good morning. Welcome to the eighth meeting in 2021 of the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee. Apologies have been received from Andy Wightman and Alex Rowley. Agenda item 1 is a decision on whether to take item 3 in private. Do we agree to do so? Members indicated agre...

Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) Con Chamber

Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Presiding Officer, “They say we’re young and we don’t know”— or at least they did five years ago. They could be forgiven for feeling that we are all now trapped in a type of groundhog day. We debated pre-release access in November 2018, September 2019 and November 2020 and ...

Gordon Lindhurst Con Chamber

Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I hope that my time is not yet up, in the chamber or elsewhere. World statistics day was last November, and the tagline was “Connecting the world with data we can trust”. Although the bill is purely about economic statistics, it is probably f...

Gordon Lindhurst Con Chamber

Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Yes, I agree with the member and I will come on to that point. Let me elaborate on what the bill will do. The first strand would end pre-release access for retail sales and gross domestic product, neither of which is subject to pre-release at the UK level, and the second stra...

Gordon Lindhurst Con Chamber

Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

That is the same repeated, and, frankly, boring point that has been made previously in these debates. It is worrying that the Scottish Government considers it important to oppose so obvious a solution and spend the Parliament’s time doing that in the course of a pandemic rathe...

Gordon Lindhurst Con Chamber

Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Not at this stage. Two hundred years ago, a politician wrote the 21-volume “Statistical Account of Scotland”, an undertaking said to have required the labour of Hercules combined with the patience of Job. The author, Sir John Sinclair, saw it as an inquiry “for the purposes ...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

That ends stage 2 consideration of the bill. The clerks tell me that we have not missed any amendments, which is always positive for a committee. I thank the minister and Neil Bibby for attending the committee to complete stage 2 proceedings. 08:57 Meeting continued in privat...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendments 284A and 284B fall. Amendment 285 not moved. Section 26 agreed to. Long title agreed to.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group of amendments is on the expiry of the act. Amendment 284, in the name of Maurice Golden, is grouped with amendments 284A, 284B and 285. Amendments 284A and 284B are alternatives. Amendment 284 not moved.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group of amendments is on commencement. Amendment 282, in the name of Richard Lyle, is grouped with amendment 283. Amendments 282 and 283 not moved. Section 25 agreed to. After section 25

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group of amendments is on regulation-making powers. Amendment 278, in the name of Michelle Ballantyne, is grouped with amendments 279 to 281. Amendment 278 not moved. Section 23 agreed to. Section 24—Regulation-making powers Amendments 279 to 281 not moved. Secti...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendments 272A, 272B, 272C and 272D fall. Amendments 273 and 274 not moved. Section 21 agreed to. Section 22—Other expressions Amendments 275 to 277 not moved. Section 22 agreed to. Section 23—Ancillary provision

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 260A falls. Amendments 261 to 271 not moved. Section 20 agreed to. Section 21—Pub-owning business and tied-pub tenant Amendment 272 not moved.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

We now come to the grouping of amendments on interpretation. Amendment 260 is grouped with amendments 260A, 261 to 272, 272A, 272B, 272C, 272D and 273 to 277. Amendment 263 pre-empts amendment 264. Amendments 272A, 272B, 272C and 272D are direct alternatives and amendment 273 ...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group is on reports on avoidance. Amendment 251 is grouped with amendments 252 to 258. Amendments 251 to 259 not moved. Section 19 agreed to. Section 20—Tied pub

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I invite the minister to wind up.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

As Richard Lyle, Rachael Hamilton, Maurice Golden and Jeremy Balfour have indicated that they do not wish to move the amendments in their name in this group, I invite Neil Bibby to comment on amendment 14.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

As those amendments are not moved, I therefore invite the minister to move amendment 14 and speak to other amendments in the group.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group is on fees and expenses that are payable. Amendment 230, in the name of Graham Simpson, is grouped with amendments 231 to 233, 14 and 235 to 246. Amendment 243 pre-empts amendment 244. As such, if amendment 243 is agreed to, I will not be able to call amendment...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 211 is pre-empted by amendment 13. Amendments 212 and 213 not moved. Section 12, as amended, agreed to. Section 13—Investigation policy Amendments 4 and 214 moved—Neil Bibby—and agreed to. Amendments 215 and 216 not moved. Section 13, as amended, agreed to. Se...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 195 has been pre-empted. Amendment 196 not moved. Section 10, as amended, agreed to. After section 10 Amendment 197 not moved. Section 11—Investigation report Amendments 198 to 200 not moved. Section 11 agreed to. Section 12—Recovery of investigation costs ...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I invite Mr Bibby to wind up.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I invite the minister to speak on the amendments in the group.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I invite Neil Bibby to speak to amendment 12 and other amendments in the group.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 189A falls. Amendments 191, 190 and 192 to 194 not moved.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group is on investigation by the adjudicator. Amendments 176 to 178 not moved. Section 8 agreed to. Section 9—Enforcement action Amendments 179 to 185 not moved. Section 9 agreed to. Section 10—Financial penalties under section 9 Amendments 186 to 189 not moved.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group is on unenforceability of contract terms. Amendment 174, in the name of Michelle Ballantyne, is grouped with amendment 175. Amendments 174 and 175 not moved. Section 7 agreed to. Section 8—Power to investigate

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendments 130A and 130B fall. Amendments 132 to 141 not moved. Schedule 2, as amended, agreed to. Section 3—Duty to act consistently with regulatory principles Amendment 142 not moved. Amendments 10 and 11 moved—Jamie Hepburn—and agreed to. Amendments 143 to 145 not mov...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

As no other member wishes to speak on the group, I ask the minister to wind up.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I invite Neil Bibby to speak to amendment 1 and the other amendments in the group.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

I invite the minister to speak to amendment 9 and other amendments in the group.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendment 99A falls. Amendments 100, 103, 101, 102 and 104 to 121 not moved.

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

The next group of amendments is entitled “Scottish Pubs Code Adjudicator and Scottish Ministers’ duty to seek to make code and appoint adjudicator”. Amendment 85, in the name of Richard Lyle, is grouped with amendments 85 to 99, 99A, 100, 103, 101, 102, 104 to 121, 9, 122 to 1...

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Amendments 67A, 67B and 67C therefore fall. Amendments 6 to 8 moved—Jamie Hepburn—and agreed to. Amendments 68 to 84 not moved. Schedule 1, as amended, agreed to. Section 2—Scottish Pubs Code Adjudicator

The Convener Con Committee

Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Jeremy Balfour is not present at today’s meeting, but he indicated that he does not wish to move any of his amendments in this group. Amendments 67 not moved.

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Committee

Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee 09 March 2021

09 Mar 2021 · S5 · Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee

Item of business

Public Procurement Inquiry

Lindhurst, Gordon Con Lothian Watch on SPTV

Do we have Nick Ford? I can see you on my screen, Nick, but I cannot hear you. 10:00

In the same item of business

The Convener Con

Item 2 is an evidence session as part of our public procurement inquiry. I welcome Ivan McKee, Minister for Trade, Innovation and Public Finance. He is suppo...

The Minister for Trade, Innovation and Public Finance (Ivan McKee) SNP

Good morning. I start by saying how pleased I am to make my first appearance at this committee since adding procurement to my portfolio responsibilities. As ...

The Convener Con

Thank you. Richard Lyle will ask the first questions.

Richard Lyle (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) SNP

We all know that public procurement has a tremendous impact in stimulating the economy. How is the Scottish Government seeking to promote economic recovery f...

Procurement has a significant beneficial role to play, and it is important that we harness the power of that spend, which represents more than £12 billion ac...

Richard Lyle SNP

Has the Scottish Government given any consideration to developing standardised measures of procurement outcomes to assist in measuring the impact of the sust...

If you look at our annual reports, you will see that a number of standard measures are in place in relation to the spend, the suppliers that benefit from tha...

Richard Lyle SNP

Some small companies feel that they cannot access council tender lists. How can we help small companies, in particular, in that regard?

I am always keen to do that, and significant steps have been taken through Public Contracts Scotland, whose quick quotes process makes the overall process ea...

Richard Lyle SNP

That is good to hear.

The Convener Con

I have a few questions, minister. What is the Scottish Government doing in terms of the wider supply chain? I am thinking about fair work requirements and so...

That is a great question. Prompt payment is an example of an issue that is of concern. Clearly, although the Scottish Government has a good record in that re...

The Convener Con

You are talking about prompt payment, but I was asking about fair work. What is being done to ensure that contractors that are not the primary supplier adher...

Of course, you must remember that, because we do not have control over employment law in Scotland, there is a limit to what we can do with regard to putting ...

The Convener Con

What can the Scottish Government do through things such as procurement reports to provide us with knowledge about what is going on? We appreciate that there ...

You are right about that balance, and we need to get it correct because, at the end of the day, it is businesses that have to provide the data around whateve...

Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) SNP

Since I was first elected, I have had a stream of complaints about the procurement process and how it disadvantages small companies and so forth. I will touc...

Inaudible.—SMEs, which are businesses with fewer than 250 employees, represent about 40 per cent of business turnover in Scotland but benefit from, in total,...

Colin Beattie SNP

I noted the percentage that you quoted about the volume of procurement that goes to SMEs. The Federation of Small Businesses has said that, although the Publ...

Colin Beattie SNP

Minister, you are muted.

Can you hear me?

Colin Beattie SNP

Those were percentages of value.

Colin Beattie SNP

Percentages of value.

Colin Beattie SNP

There seems to be an extraordinary difference between the perceptions of the FSB and its members and those of the Government. Do you have any—

SMEs are a broad category, which includes everything up to businesses that employ 250 people. Typically, that can be broken down into medium-sized businesses...

Colin Beattie SNP

What is the Scottish Government’s assessment of the remaining barriers that hold back SME participation? Do you have a concern about anything significant tha...

Work continues on understanding where the challenges are. The supplier development programme has been effective, because it engages with such businesses and ...