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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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1999–2026
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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
23 Mar 2021
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
17 Mar 2021
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
17 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)
We will now hear from Graham Simpson.
The Convener Con Committee
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)
We now come to questions from the deputy convener, Willie Coffey.
The Convener Con Committee
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
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
16 Mar 2021
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
10 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
Public Procurement Inquiry
I will bring in the deputy convener, Willie Coffey.
The Convener Con Committee
09 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
Public Procurement Inquiry
Do you want to comment, subject to the information technology supporting you to do so?
The Convener Con Committee
09 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
Public Procurement Inquiry
Thank you. Richard Lyle will ask the first questions.
The Convener Con Committee
09 Mar 2021
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
09 Mar 2021
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
04 Mar 2021
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
04 Mar 2021
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
04 Mar 2021
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
04 Mar 2021
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
04 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
I invite the minister to wind up.
The Convener Con Committee
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
I invite Mr Bibby to wind up.
The Convener Con Committee
02 Mar 2021
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
I invite the minister to speak on the amendments in the group.
The Convener Con Committee
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Amendment 189A falls. Amendments 191, 190 and 192 to 194 not moved.
The Convener Con Committee
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Amendment 99A falls. Amendments 100, 103, 101, 102 and 104 to 121 not moved.
The Convener Con Committee
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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
02 Mar 2021
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 16 March 2021

16 Mar 2021 · S5 · Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee
Item of business
Covid-19 (Impact on Businesses, Workers and the Economy)
Lindhurst, Gordon Con Lothian Watch on SPTV
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; Stephen Garland, head of the fair work unit; and Gayle Mackie, head of the labour market analysis unit. I invite the minister to make a brief opening statement before members ask questions.

In the same item of business

The Convener Con
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...
The Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills (Jamie Hepburn) SNP
The pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for young people in going about their daily lives. Through no fault of their own, they are among the people...
The Convener Con
Thank you very much, minister. The United Kingdom Government has announced an extension to the coronavirus job retention scheme until September, as part of ...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
It would be churlish not to welcome the fact that the coronavirus job retention scheme has been extended. It would have been still better if there had been a...
The Convener Con
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 ...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
I recognise that the furlough scheme gives businesses more certainty. The fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a significant extension, wh...
Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) SNP
Good morning. You mentioned in your opening remarks that unemployment is not evenly spread among different cohorts of the population and that young people ar...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
Yes, I can give you those figures. The latest figure that I have is that the unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds in Scotland is 11.1 per cent, so we are...
Gordon MacDonald SNP
It is good news that we are supporting young people to go into training, an apprenticeship or employment, where it is available. Another issue that we have ...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
As you mention, there are in effect two ways in which we can talk about underemployment. There is the established technical analysis of hours of employment, ...
Richard Lyle (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) SNP
Will you give an update on how many apprenticeships have been supported through the apprenticeship employer grant and the adopt an apprentice scheme? How doe...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
In terms of the information that we have currently, it is probably a little early to report on the specifics around the apprenticeship employer grant. We wil...
Richard Lyle SNP
The problem is that, with Covid, a lot of firms are in flux, so I would also expect the figures to be in flux. The latest data show the impact of the pande...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
That largely falls in the same sphere in that we report those figures come the end of the financial year. They will be reported along with the other apprenti...
Richard Lyle SNP
Covid-19 has had a tremendous effect on every business across the board—I would not expect otherwise. I agree with you, minister, that if we can bounce back ...
The Convener Con
We now come to questions from the deputy convener, Willie Coffey.
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) SNP
My questions are in the same area that Dick Lyle was asking about—graduate apprenticeships and the target of 30,000 starts. You will be aware that employment...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
A lot of that falls into the sphere of our young persons guarantee approach, more generally. Sandy Begbie, who, as you will all be aware, is the chief execut...
Willie Coffey SNP
What are employers asking for specifically? Do they need help to take on more university and college graduates in this crucial year, when Covid has affected ...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
It is a mix of things. The fundamental thing that they have told us—incidentally, this is not only in the context of Covid; it has been a long-standing reque...
Willie Coffey SNP
That is great. I have a final question. Clearly, because of the Covid situation, we will not hit the target of 30,000 apprentices, which you mentioned in r...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
We will probably be quite cautious for this coming year, because of the challenge that we face, which goes back to the dialogue that we have had around the l...
Willie Coffey SNP
Many thanks for that, minister. Back to you, convener.
The Convener Con
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....
Jamie Hepburn SNP
I will do my best, convener. I try to remember as much of the information off the top of my head as I can. I am also reliably informed that the microphone on...
The Convener Con
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.
Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Con) Con
Minister, £125 million was announced in the 2021-22 budget for the young persons guarantee scheme and wider employability support. Will you provide an update...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
I was more tentative in turning my pages, so I hope that that has helped with the sound. I will lay that out for Maurice Golden. As I said earlier, £60 mill...
Maurice Golden Con
Thank you, minister. Will you provide an update on how alignment between the young persons guarantee and the climate emergency skills action plan has been tr...
Jamie Hepburn SNP
Yes. That goes to the very heart of my point about trying to meet our societal and economic imperatives. One of the societal imperatives, as we know, is to b...