Meeting of the Parliament 26 February 2025
I am afraid that I do not have time. I need to make some progress.
We have to understand what that will take. Keith Brown made some of the points very well yesterday in the budget debate. However, we also need to recognise that there is a wider economic impact from such companies, which we cannot ignore and from which we get benefits. I will therefore step through the motion and each of the amendments.
I very much welcome the Greens’ giving us the important opportunity for a full and frank debate. I also completely agree with them on the seriousness of the situation that we face in Gaza. Some people may argue that the matter is not for the Parliament and that the export control mechanisms are all that should be looked at. That is not good enough: we cannot say that our politics should just stop at the border. We need to ensure and be confident that the money that we spend is in line with the values that we espouse. The Greens are right to bring up those questions, and that is reflected in our amendment.
Likewise, the Scottish Government is correct to outline the processes that are in place. I very much welcome the Scottish Government’s emphasis on the two-state solution, because it is, above all else, vital that we look at how we can bring that back. Ultimately, that is the only way that we can have peace and stability in the middle east.
However, we also need to look at what has been supported. I have spent much time at Babcock at Rosyth and BAE Systems in Scotstoun. The investment in the skills academy at Scotstoun is about providing skills for the people who will build the warships that will keep our sea lanes—and this country—safe. Those skills will have effects beyond that, too.
We have to support the activity and investments of Scottish Enterprise and the other enterprise agencies: we cannot ignore them—albeit that they are difficult.
My issue with the Conservative amendment is that it would completely remove Gaza from consideration. That cannot be right. However, the Conservatives are absolutely correct in that, given that the US has made it very clear that we cannot rely on its resources to defend this country, and given that we have Ukraine—war in Europe—on our doorstep and might well be asked to put boots on the ground in order to protect the peace, we have to have the industries and the capability to build the ships that we need, the radar for the aircraft that will keep our skies safe, and communications equipment so that troops on the ground who might well be asked to keep peace in Ukraine can do so with the equipment and resources that they will need. That is what the defence sector in Scotland provides.
I move amendment S6M-16571.2, to insert at end:
“; acknowledges that across the UK, arms export licences have been suspended for items with a clear risk that they may be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law; calls on Scottish Enterprise to review its human rights due diligence checks to ensure that they take account of where products’ end use is, and that they fully comply with legal obligations under the Export Control Act 2002 and international law, and recognises the contribution of the defence sector in Scotland and the role that Scotland-based businesses have played in defending democracy and freedom.”
15:12Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.