Hansard

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

12 Mar 2026

First Minister’s Question Time

The First Minister was in the chamber last night and heard my request for a statement on the Baird family hospital and the ANCHOR centre. I hope that his business manager will reconsider that request, because a whistleblower’s report has now upheld concerns over major flaws in...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

11 Mar 2026

Business Motions

My apologies to colleagues for taking additional time at this late hour, but I hope for some understanding when they hear the seriousness of the issue that has led to my amendment. The amendment seeks to add a statement on the urgent situation regarding the Baird family hospit...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

26 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Wull Muir Wind Farm(Court of Session Ruling)

I note my entry in the members’ register of interests regarding renewables.It has not been a good week for the cabinet secretary, who has called people who do not want their communities destroyed by pylons “far right” and has deliberately misled constituents by trying to blame...

7. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

26 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Wull Muir Wind Farm(Court of Session Ruling)

To ask the Scottish Government how the recent Court of Session ruling on the Wull Muir scheme in the Borders will impact on its energy policy and strategy. (S6O-05577)

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

19 Feb 2026

Public Services (Funding)

I thank those who have supported the motion, which echoes a joint statement put out by 22 community councils in Aberdeenshire. For 19 years, Scotland has struggled under the Scottish National Party. Our councils are underfunded, education standards are slipping, rural nurserie...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

11 Feb 2026

Nature Champions

I commend John Mason for securing the debate and the work of Scottish Environment LINK, not just for selecting MSPs but for the support that it gives to MSPs with their particular species. A measure of LINK’s success was the event last year, which I had the pleasure of sponsor...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

11 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Salmon Numbers (Rivers)

Come and speak with my constituents.

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

11 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Salmon Numbers (Rivers)

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests regarding the River Dee.Despite valiant conservation efforts, such as the River Dee Trust’s one million trees campaign, numbers of wild Atlantic salmon have declined by 70 per cent under the Scottish National Pa...

1. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

11 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Salmon Numbers (Rivers)

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to restore salmon numbers in Scotland’s rivers. (S6O-05483)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

04 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Local Government Finance Settlements (Rurality)

Aberdeenshire Council is the lowest-funded rural council in Scotland, and its public services are among the most expensive to deliver across miles of coast and glen. Years of penny-pinching Scottish National Party budgets and eye-watering cuts mean that there are no real savin...

6. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

04 Feb 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Local Government Finance Settlements (Rurality)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it is doing to recognise rurality in local government finance settlements. (S6O-05464)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

29 Jan 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Teacher Recruitment (Rural Areas)

::As part of its budget, Aberdeenshire Council is expecting £9.4 million from the Scottish Government to maintain or increase teacher numbers and to reduce class contact time. However, that funding is at risk because teacher numbers have decreased as Aberdeenshire receives an ...

3. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

29 Jan 2026

Portfolio Question Time · Teacher Recruitment (Rural Areas)

::To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the recruitment of teachers in rural areas. (S6O-05445)

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

21 Jan 2026

Bridges

I thank Tim Eagle for bringing this critical issue to the chamber for debate. In my Aberdeenshire West constituency, bridge infrastructure has been an issue since I was first elected a decade ago. Park bridge closed in 2019 and, seven years later, despite the community’s wish...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

18 Dec 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Housebuilders (Support)

Is the cabinet secretary aware that, between the late timing of the United Kingdom budget and the traditional Christmas slowdown, house sales have dropped for longer than usual, with some developers pausing work on sites? That will make Tuesday’s statistics on new starts and c...

5. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

18 Dec 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Housebuilders (Support)

I refer members to my entry regarding construction in the register of members’ interests. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support small and medium-sized enterprise house builders. (S6O-05319)

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

27 Nov 2025

General Question Time · Critical National Infrastructure

My constituent Matthew Gready of Dunecht will incur a £125,000 loss on the sale of his property. That is all evidenced by qualified chartered surveyors, and it is all because of a proposed Kintore to Tealing pylon route. What assessment has the cabinet secretary made of the fi...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

06 Nov 2025

Protecting Scotland’s Rivers

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests regarding the River Dee. I previously had the privilege of serving as the Scottish Environment LINK species champion for the freshwater pearl mussel, and I am delighted that Audrey Nicoll has taken on that role...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

30 Oct 2025

General Question Time · NHS Boards (Winter Resilience)

NHS Grampian will be nearly £50 million over budget by the end of the financial year, and the Scottish Government has said that it will be allowed to go only £45 million over. KPMG has said that increases in staffing levels do not align with a decrease in the total number of b...

2. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

30 Oct 2025

General Question Time · NHS Boards (Winter Resilience)

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with national health service boards regarding their winter resilience plans. (S6O-05075)

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

30 Sep 2025

Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Apologies, Presiding Officer. I did not mean to make a point of order.

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

25 Sep 2025

General Question Time · General Practice Service Capacity (NHS Grampian)

Constituents are becoming concerned about the lack of oversight of privately contracted GP surgeries, such as the Alford Medical Group practice, which has a ratio of one GP to 6,000 patients—more than three times higher than the national average. The company poorly delivering...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

24 Sep 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Budget 2025-26 (Aberdeenshire Council)

It is clear from conversations with constituents that local services are their biggest priority. Those services are overstretched and underfunded by the Scottish National Party Government, with potholes that will not be fixed, grit bins being removed and bridges closed, breaki...

1. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

24 Sep 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Budget 2025-26 (Aberdeenshire Council)

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the potential impact of the funding allocated in its budget 2025-26 on Aberdeenshire Council’s ability to invest in local infrastructure and support economic development. (S6O-04970)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

17 Sep 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Police Stations

I am afraid that the cabinet secretary will not get away with her Government putting officers and staff at risk. I have a response to a freedom of information request that shows that Police Scotland has spent more than £230,000 on managing—not even removing—asbestos in police ...

2. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

17 Sep 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Police Stations

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 183 police stations need repairs, 177 contain asbestos and four contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. (S6O-04939)

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Committee

10 Sep 2025

Continued Petitions

In that spirit of excitement, I thank the convener and the committee for the opportunity to speak today. I speak in support of PE1864, which calls for communities to have a stronger role in planning decisions on onshore wind farms. As the MSP for Aberdeenshire West, I have re...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

10 Sep 2025

Decision Time

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My device would not connect to the voting system. I would have voted no.

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

19 Jun 2025

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time · Parliament Facilities (Interim Policy)

It feels as though some members are seeking to turn the Parliament’s management board into a university debating society—unfortunately, that is par for the course in the Scottish Parliament. Does the member agree that the Scottish Parliament, as an institution, must always tak...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

11 Jun 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Aberdeenshire Council (Budget Settlement 2025-26)

Since 2014, the Scottish Government’s budget has increased by 45 per cent in real terms. In stark contrast, local government funding has decreased by about 1 per cent over the same period. Aberdeenshire has one of the largest school pupil populations outside of the central be...

3. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

11 Jun 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Aberdeenshire Council (Budget Settlement 2025-26)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the impact of its budget settlement for Aberdeenshire Council in 2025-26 on the local authority’s ability to deliver local services. (S6O-04778)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

04 Jun 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Nursery Closures (Aberdeenshire Council)

I am glad that the minister is aware of the proposal to mothball four nurseries in Aberdeenshire. A full council meeting is taking place next Monday to make a final decision, but, despite numerous questions, we still appear to be going round in circles, with ministers saying t...

5. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

04 Jun 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Nursery Closures (Aberdeenshire Council)

To ask the Scottish Government when the children’s minister last met with Aberdeenshire Council to discuss nursery closures. (S6O-04756)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

22 May 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Electricity Act 1989 (Cumulative Impact Assessment)

Most people would assume that a reporter would consider all the available information. However, for the public inquiry into the proposed Hill of Fare wind farm, the cumulative impact assessment will consider only other projects that were consented or the subject of a full plan...

3. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

22 May 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Electricity Act 1989 (Cumulative Impact Assessment)

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent current projects will be included when making a cumulative impact assessment for a section 36 application under the Electricity Act 1989. (S6O-04698)

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

20 May 2025

Radio Teleswitch Service Switch-off

I thank Beatrice Wishart for bringing the motion for debate. As we have heard, the closure of the radio teleswitch service on 30 June is fast approaching. I have heard from many constituents who have experienced issues and delays with having meters exchanged. I should declare ...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

13 May 2025

Construction Skills for the Future

Despite the context of today’s previous debate on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, I thank Gordon MacDonald for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests in relation to construc...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

08 May 2025

General Question Time · Nursery Mothballing (National Guidance)

As the minister knows, it was announced just before Easter that four nurseries in Aberdeenshire would be mothballed. When the issue was raised in the chamber, the First Minister and the minister stated that there was a requirement for local consultation. No consultation has ta...

3. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

08 May 2025

General Question Time · Nursery Mothballing (National Guidance)

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister’s recent comments regarding the mothballing of nurseries, what systems are in place to ensure local authorities comply with national guidance. (S6O-04626)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

24 Apr 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Rural Early Learning and Childcare

There are currently four nurseries being mothballed in Aberdeenshire, just as Tullynessle school was last year, even though it was expected to be full. Parents report that closures are being pursued despite the nurseries being at nearly 80 per cent capacity, which goes against...

2. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

24 Apr 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Rural Early Learning and Childcare

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring access to early learning and childcare for families in rural areas, in light of reports of recent nursery closures. (S6O-04569)

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

01 Apr 2025

Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill

I thank Daniel Johnson for bringing the debate to the chamber. Even during my campaign to be elected back in 2016, it was clear that more support was needed to help autistic and neurodivergent people in all walks of life. Many members will be aware that, in 2017, Annie Wells ...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

12 Mar 2025

Portfolio Question Time · North East Scotland Health and Social Care Partnerships (Funding)

I recently met Aberdeenshire responders for care at home in Huntly and Banchory. Seventy per cent of responders now face reduced hours, demotion to lower-paid and junior roles or—even worse—redundancy. Despite that, the responders’ concern was for the people for whom they care...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

18 Feb 2025

Employer National Insurance Contributions

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I apologise for interrupting the debate but I seek to move a motion without notice under rule 17.2 of standing orders, to make a variation in the standing orders for today only. Rule 13.8.1 states that an urgent question must be submitte...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

16 Jan 2025

Health and Social Care (Rural Scotland)

I thank Tim Eagle for this important debate. Like my colleagues, I also thank our exceptional healthcare workers. My daughter was recently taken into Aberdeen royal infirmary, so I know that staff are working extremely hard and doing a fantastic job under pressure. I take th...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

15 Jan 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Budget 2025-26 (Support for Rural Communities)

—into community ownership. Will the cabinet secretary today promise to fight for a fair settlement for councils, or is she happy to see communities plunged into darkness?

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

15 Jan 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Budget 2025-26 (Support for Rural Communities)

—now need to be replaced, which councils simply cannot afford. Huntly is even looking to put lamp posts—

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

15 Jan 2025

Portfolio Question Time · Budget 2025-26 (Support for Rural Communities)

Scottish National Party cuts have now created an eye-watering £26 million black hole for Aberdeenshire Council, which is part of what Audit Scotland calls a “significant increase” in the local authority “funding gap”. That has impacted on every aspect of local services: school...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

12 Dec 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Onshore Wind Farm Public Inquiries

The Hill of Fare wind farm proposal has been unanimously opposed by Aberdeenshire Council and the wider community. Over the 50-year lifespan of the project, the developer, Renewable Energy Systems Ltd, would generate around £1.2 billion of income at today’s prices and the land...

1. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

12 Dec 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Onshore Wind Farm Public Inquiries

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it will provide to local authorities in relation to holding public inquiries into onshore wind farms. (S6O-04113)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

28 Nov 2024

General Question Time · Electricity Infrastructure Consenting

Constituents have complained that the consultation is not user friendly, with the bulk of the questions directed towards business. The period in which to make submissions was only one month and the consultation closes tomorrow. Many of my constituents believe that the Governme...

1. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

28 Nov 2024

General Question Time · Electricity Infrastructure Consenting

To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding its proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland. (S6O-04029) I note my entry in the register of members’ interests in respect of current and pr...

Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

31 Oct 2024

Invasive Non-native Species

I thank Audrey Nicoll for lodging this important motion for debate. I will address two invasive species—grey squirrels and giant hogweed—that can be found in Aberdeenshire West and that significantly impact our community. I am proud to be the species champion for red squirrel...

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

31 Oct 2024

General Question Time · Rural Ambulance Provision

Earlier this month, a family in Torphins had a terrifyingly long wait for an ambulance during a mother’s labour, after a call was answered by someone in Yorkshire who could not locate their rural address. As was reported in the Sunday Post, the father and the grandmother had t...

6. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

31 Oct 2024

General Question Time · Rural Ambulance Provision

To ask the Scottish Government when the health secretary last met the Scottish Ambulance Service to discuss rural ambulance provision. (S6O-03874)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

26 Sep 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Onshore Wind Turbines (Review of Noise Guidance)

Regarding the review of the ETSU-R-97 noise guidance, my constituent asked the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero how authorities should act with regard to evidence that will form part of that review when determining applications before the review process is complete....

3. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

26 Sep 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Onshore Wind Turbines (Review of Noise Guidance)

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests regarding onshore wind. To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with the four nations steering group on the review of noise guidance for onshore wind turbines as it applies to Scotland. (S6O-03767)

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

18 Sep 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Programme for Government (Arts and Culture)

In the past two years, the Scottish National Party Government has repeatedly cut Creative Scotland’s budget, only to restore it after a backlash, sometimes framing those reversals as new investment. The recent restoration of the open fund is the latest example of that, after a...

2. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Con Chamber

18 Sep 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Programme for Government (Arts and Culture)

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with organisations in the arts and culture sector since the publication of “Programme for Government 2024-25”. (S6O-03718) I note my entry in the register of members’ interests as a supporter of the arts.

Alexander Burnett Con Chamber

26 Jun 2024

Portfolio Question Time · Aberdeenshire Council (Meetings)

The cabinet secretary was quick to point out in a reply to me on 3 June that Aberdeenshire Council had welcomed 20 newly qualified secondary school teachers for the coming school year. However, she failed to point out that the council had requested 44 teachers and that this is...