Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 19 June 2025
19 Jun 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time
Parliament Facilities (Interim Policy)
Let us be clear—we are talking about the United Kingdom Supreme Court. The law is the law, and nobody is above it. This morning, the EHRC was on a call to MSPs and stated very clearly that public bodies should comply with the law now. Sex Matters has warned that it will come after organisations that refuse to follow the ruling, which will, once again, leave taxpayers footing the bill. Will the Parliament therefore commit to following and implementing the interim update that was issued by the EHRC on the protection of single-sex spaces?
In the same item of business
2. Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what responses have been received from LGBTQ+ staff or organisations that it has consulted with, or been con...
Jackson Carlaw (Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body)
Con
The corporate body has received correspondence from five organisations and individuals since it implemented its interim stance on facilities at Holyrood to f...
Patrick Harvie
Green
In previous discussions in the chamber and in a letter to me, the corporate body has said that it has been and remains committed to providing an inclusive en...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Can we get to the question, Mr Harvie? You are well over your allotted time.
Patrick Harvie
Green
Yes, indeed. Given that the corporate body is now well aware that it has not achieved its intention of an inclusive workplace, surely it is time for it to ...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
I will make two points. First, it is important to state that the corporate body is not a committee of the Parliament. In committees of the Parliament and in ...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Jackson Carlaw for his clarity in responding to the original question. It might be helpful for us to understand why the SPCB took the decision to int...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
As I said a moment ago, notwithstanding the fact that we are politicians who are elected by the chamber to represent the interests of Parliament and colleagu...
Pam Gosal (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
Let us be clear—we are talking about the United Kingdom Supreme Court. The law is the law, and nobody is above it. This morning, the EHRC was on a call to MS...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
How other organisations respond is up to them, but it is the responsibility of the corporate body to implement the law and the advice that we receive. That i...
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I apologise to you, Presiding Officer, and to everybody present for my unacceptable lateness. Following the SPCB’s announcement regarding the interim positi...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
Our obligation was to implement the ruling, based on the legal advice that we received. As I said, we have today signed off the next phase of consultation by...
Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
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 c...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
That is the responsibility of the corporate body. As I said, there are committees and a chamber in which the political issues around such judgments can be de...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
That concludes Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body question time. Before we move to the next item of business, there will be a short pause to allow front-b...