Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 March 2025
25 Mar 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Fair Trade
I agree with John Mason that the level of support will vary from one part of the country to another. I will use his intervention as a springboard to encourage the local authority areas that are not yet playing a part to begin to do so. I hope that, through encouragement and with the support of campaigners, we can broaden, widen and enhance the fair trade movement’s impact across Scotland. He is right to wish that the level of support be increased, and I would welcome the minority of local government areas in Scotland that are not yet part of the process being part of it in the future.
Edinburgh, where my Edinburgh Central constituency is located, obtained Fairtrade status in 2004. I commend the work of the Edinburgh Fairtrade city steering group for its work to support and promote fair trade across the city. I particularly congratulate the steering group and Scottish Fair Trade for their successful bid to host the international Fair Trade Towns conference in Edinburgh later this year, which will be the first time that the prestigious event has been held in Scotland.
Today’s global challenges—climate change, pandemics, conflict, poverty and inequality—can be addressed only if the global south and the global north work together.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-16923, in the name of Angus Robertson, on “Scotland—a fair trade nation”. I invite members who wish to sp...
The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture (Angus Robertson)
SNP
I am proud to have the opportunity to open the debate, which will celebrate Scotland’s renewed status as a fair trade nation. The title of fair trade nation...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
I agree with a lot of what the cabinet secretary has said. He mentioned that there is activity in many local authorities. However, does he accept that that i...
Angus Robertson
SNP
I agree with John Mason that the level of support will vary from one part of the country to another. I will use his intervention as a springboard to encourag...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
The minister will have seen reports today challenging Ed Miliband on the sourcing of solar panels from China. Has he reassured himself about the source of so...
Angus Robertson
SNP
I am grateful to Willie Rennie for raising the issue. I have a confession to make: I have not read those reports yet. I commit to doing so, and will look clo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Murdo Fraser to speak to and move amendment S6M-16923.1. 15:14
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I very much welcome the opportunity to debate the topic of Scotland as a fair trade nation. In the course of my remarks, I will talk about the progress that ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Colin Smyth to speak to and move amendment S6M-16923.2. 15:23
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Scotland’s status as a fair trade nation reflects a commitment to social justice, sustainability and global solidarity. It is a powerful statement of our sha...
John Mason
Ind
The member has mentioned a lot of good news that I certainly support and welcome. He has also said a lot about food. Does he accept that we still have some w...
Colin Smyth
Lab
I agree entirely with the really important point that John Mason has made. I will come on to the importance of procurement in a second, because if the questi...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I am very happy to have the chance to speak in this debate. We have already heard a few examples—my guess is that we will hear a fair few more—of local fair ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I say to our guests in the gallery, who are most welcome here, that we do not really do applause in the gallery, because it is the elected members who are th...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
Presiding Officer, I am glad that you warned them before my speech, because I am sure that there would have been rapturous applause from across the gallery a...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Sound judgment.
Willie Rennie
LD
Let us see. The joining-the-dots bit—about the silo mentality that exists—is a fair point. On the intervention that I made on the minister about Chinese-...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Would Willie Rennie agree that the solar panel example that he gives is a good argument for why a systemic change approach is required? There is no way that ...
Willie Rennie
LD
On that scale of products, Government action is, of course, needed, as is a bigger-system approach. There needs to be a global recognition and understanding ...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
It is a privilege to speak in this debate on Scotland’s status as a fair trade nation, which is an achievement that represents our unwavering commitment to f...
Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to contribute on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, and I will be supporting the amendment in the name of Murdo Fraser. We strongly welcome t...
John Mason
Ind
Buying one coffee in this Parliament would count as buying something once a year, but that is not a very high bar.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I can give you the time back, Mr Stewart.
Alexander Stewart
Con
If everybody buys one coffee, that is a start. The public understand. As I have said before, we go to various events and have the option of using fair trade....
Karen Adam (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
I join my colleagues in welcoming Scotland’s renewed status as a fair trade nation. It is not merely a badge of honour; it is a reaffirmation of who we are a...
Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I join members in welcoming the continued recognition of Scotland as a fair trade nation. It is a testament not only to the work of campaigners and businesse...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, applaud Scotland’s continued status as a fair trade nation. As we know, the principle of fair trade means that farmers and other producers in less ec...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate. I also thank Colin Smyth, who leads the cross-party group on fair trade, which I seek to attend as ...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
John Mason
Ind
Very briefly, yes.