Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 19 February 2025
19 Feb 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Powers of the Scottish Parliament
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 effectively, the Government has squandered them, opportunity after opportunity. Right now, we see the state of the health service and we also see the state of education in Scotland, which was once world leading. Education has suffered under the SNP’s governance, and the programme for international student assessment results show that literacy and numeracy standards are tumbling in the global rankings.
Scotland deserves better than this. It is time to move on, focus on the real priorities and deliver for the people of Scotland.
In the same item of business
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—