Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 08 June 2021
08 Jun 2021 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Tackling Poverty and Building a Fairer Scotland
I welcome the Presiding Officer and others to their new posts, and I congratulate Natalie Don on her maiden speech, which was delivered with passion. I suspect that we will disagree on a lot, but her passion was clear, so I wish her well in the next five years.
It is slightly disappointing that the minister who is responsible for social security is not even in the chamber. That might say something about the level of urgency with which the Government has treated that responsibility in recent years. With the cabinet secretary and Ben Macpherson, who is not here today, I had the privilege of being on the previous session’s Social Security Committee and of taking through the Social Security (Scotland) Bill.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I remind members that social distancing measures are in place in the chamber and across the Holyrood campus. I ask members to take care to observe the measur...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government (Shona Robison)
SNP
I am pleased to open this debate on the urgent need for us to tackle poverty and build a fairer, more equal country. We have to seize the opportunity, build ...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I support the cabinet secretary’s aspiration of moving as fast as we can to alleviate poverty in Scotland, but does she recognise that, as her Government has...
Shona Robison
SNP
As Alex Cole-Hamilton knows, social security is a priority for us. That is proved by the fact that we have introduced 10 Scottish benefits, seven of which ar...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
In the previous session of Parliament, I had a bill on fair rents ready and waiting for the Government to adopt, but the Government did not support the idea ...
Shona Robison
SNP
The member will be aware that we are introducing a new rental strategy and, of course, affordability of rents is part of what we have to consider. I am happy...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Cabinet secretary, will you bring your remarks to a conclusion, please?
Shona Robison
SNP
Yes. Our next steps will build on the strong foundation that we have set. We will take changes forward at pace. No member of the Parliament, whatever their ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Miles Briggs to speak to and move amendment S6M-00263.1. 15:38
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I take this opportunity to welcome you to your new role in the Parliament. I also welcome Shona Robison back into the Governmen...
Shona Robison
SNP
I am happy to agree to that. Miles Briggs is quite right that it was remiss of me not to thank Aileen Campbell and Jeane Freeman. I put those thanks on the ...
Miles Briggs
Con
That is where discussions with the Treasury and cross-party discussions are very important. Throughout the pandemic, universal credit has been a vital safety...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
It is a great privilege to open the debate for Scottish Labour. I welcome the cabinet secretary to her new role and look forward to working with her and the ...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
I, too, welcome the cabinet secretary to her role; I look forward to working with her in the coming months and years. At the heart of our collective wellbe...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I will speak to my amendment and offer support to both the Labour and Green Party amendments. I welcome Shona Robison to her post. Shona is an excellent pol...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I remind all members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons. I am not naming names at this point. We move to the open debat...
Natalie Don (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome you to your new role, Presiding Officer. I also welcome the cabinet secretary to her new role. I am proud to be standing here in our Parliament to...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I allowed some latitude to a member making her first speech, but I remind members who have been here for a while that they should stick to four minutes, plea...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I welcome the Presiding Officer and others to their new posts, and I congratulate Natalie Don on her maiden speech, which was delivered with passion. I suspe...
Shona Robison
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Jeremy Balfour
Con
So soon? Yes.
Shona Robison
SNP
Let me make it clear that Ben Macpherson and I have joint responsibility for social security. I have attended more meetings with social security officials th...
Jeremy Balfour
Con
That is duly noted. I look forward to working with the cabinet secretary and with Mr Macpherson in the coming months and years. In the previous session of P...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome you to your position, Presiding Officer. I also welcome the cabinet secretary making an attack on child poverty her top priority. She informs us t...
Shona Robison
SNP
Will Mr Leonard give way?
Richard Leonard
Lab
If I can first make some progress, I will come back to the cabinet secretary. As I have listened, as I have attentively, to some very powerful first speeche...
Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
SNP
Welcome to your new role, Presiding Officer. I welcome the new cabinet secretary to her role, too, and I thank her—or, I assume that I will thank her—in that...
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I, too, welcome Ms Robison to her new role. I welcome the chance to speak in this debate because poverty is a huge problem across my region and I am eager to...
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
I call Marie McNair. This is Ms McNair’s first speech in the chamber. 16:23
Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer, and best wishes to you in your new role. I congratulate the cabinet secretary on her return to government, and I wish her well ...