Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-16511, in the name of Kate Forbes, on protecting the powers of the Scottish Parliament. I invite those me...

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic (Kate Forbes) SNP

On 4 July last year, a new Labour United Kingdom Government was elected on a manifesto commitment to “reset” relations with the devolved Governments. Few cou...

Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

Kate Forbes is speaking about bills that were nullified by the UK Parliament. One of those was the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. John Swinney, w...

Kate Forbes SNP

I stand with NFU Scotland, Alcohol Focus Scotland, Scottish Environment LINK, and the Scottish Crofting Federation, which have all stated that the fundamenta...

Douglas Ross Con

Will the Deputy First Minister take an intervention?

Kate Forbes SNP

I think that I have answered Douglas Ross’s point. As matters stand, we still face the prospect of laws that were passed in this Parliament—irrespective of ...

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Con

Here we go again, debating the so-called protection of the Scottish Parliament’s powers. This is the second time this session that the Scottish National Part...

Rachael Hamilton Con

If Kate Forbes can tell me why we are not discussing health, education and all the issues of crime on which the Government is failing Scotland’s population, ...

Kate Forbes SNP

I hope that Rachael Hamilton understands that the act has an impact on all the issues that she has just identified. However, my question is more fundamental....

Rachael Hamilton Con

Labour is in a complete pickle. It does not stand for change and it does not stand for hope. Scotland has one of the most powerful devolved Parliaments in...

Kate Forbes SNP

It is very kind of the member to accept my second intervention. Before the IMA was passed, the Scottish Crofting Federation said that it feared that “the pr...

Rachael Hamilton Con

It is this Government that is undermining democracy. It is this Government that is trying to put up a barrier to trade with the rest of the UK. It is importa...

Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

The member is in her final minute.

Rachael Hamilton Con

The handling of this issue perfectly sums up the SNP’s approach to government. The Parliament has been given extensive powers but, instead of using them effe...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Please move your amendment, Ms Hamilton.

Rachael Hamilton Con

I move amendment S6M-16511.2, to leave out from “, which sets” to end and insert: “; recognises the fundamental importance of the UK internal market to Scot...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call Neil Bibby to speak to and move amendment S6M-16511.1. You have up to six minutes. 15:45

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on protecting the powers of the Scottish Parliament. Given that this is the second debate in two consecutiv...

Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

It is interesting that Neil Bibby has taken that line in his speech. To be fair to the Deputy First Minister, she was quoting Neil Bibby. When we last debate...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

We have got the gist, Mr Kerr.

Neil Bibby Lab

I will come on to that point shortly. In terms of resetting the relationship, it takes two to tango. If the Scottish Government is genuinely committed to pa...

Kate Forbes SNP

Will the member take an intervention on that point?

Neil Bibby Lab

Yes.

Kate Forbes SNP

Does the member not think that explicitly excluding one of the options—the very option that majorities in both the Welsh Senedd and the Scottish Parliament h...

Neil Bibby Lab

I will come on to why the internal market act is being reviewed and why it is being retained. The Deputy First Minister is prejudging the responses to the re...

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Neil Gray) SNP

Will the member give way?

Neil Bibby Lab

I am sorry, but I want to make progress. The Government’s motion not only prejudges the consultation; perhaps ironically, it prejudges the work of the Const...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Mr Bibby, I appreciate that you were generous in taking interventions, but you will need to bring your remarks to a close now.

Neil Bibby Lab

That is exactly what the new UK Labour Government is aiming to do. It is already committed to finalising the common frameworks programme and to undertaking—