Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 11 September 2025
11 Sep 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scottish Youth Parliament (Work on Transport)
With due respect, Mr Ruskell, I have only 30 seconds left and I have tons to say.
I have no doubt that the removal of the free bus pass for under-22s would make a difference. Therefore, I would like the pass to be taken away from those who are responsible for significant antisocial behaviour. I hope that the minister will provide an update on where we are with that. The First Minister has said that work is under way to develop a system that would strip under-22s of their entitlement following repeated bad behaviour, and I look forward to that being implemented.
First—I was going to call you First Minister, Presiding Officer.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-17147, in the name of Sarah Boyack, on the Scottish Youth Parliament’s work on transpor...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
It is a real honour to open this important members’ business debate on the contribution of the Scottish Youth Parliament to our evolving transport system. I ...
Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Sarah Boyack for bringing this important debate to the chamber, and I congratulate the Scottish Youth Parliament on its work. The local representativ...
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I extend my thanks to Sarah Boyack for securing the motion for debate in the chamber and congratulate the Scottish Youth Parliament on its work, which is abo...
Alasdair Allan
SNP
I agree entirely with what the member has said about the need to tackle antisocial behaviour and the problem that it causes on transport. However, I am sure ...
Sue Webber
Con
Lothian Buses has done an awful lot of study and data analysis—it is the only bus company to have done that—and its research shows a direct correlation betwe...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
Will the member take an intervention?
Sue Webber
Con
With due respect, Mr Ruskell, I have only 30 seconds left and I have tons to say. I have no doubt that the removal of the free bus pass for under-22s would ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Do not do that.
Sue Webber
Con
Right now, there is a great opportunity to allow our young people and their voices to influence our transport for the future, and I am delighted that the deb...
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, thank Sarah Boyack for securing the debate on what is an incredibly important motion in a week when we are joined by MSYPs in the gallery for today’s...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
I join others in thanking Sarah Boyack for her motion and the Scottish Youth Parliament for its excellent manifesto. I was struck by the amount of work that ...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Sarah Boyack for bringing the debate to the chamber. Throughout her time in the Parliament, she has long been a champion of affordable, accessible an...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Reform)
Reform
I thank Sarah Boyack for bringing the debate to the chamber. The background to it was a great piece of collaboration between the cross-party group on sustain...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
I am thankful for the opportunity to speak in the debate, and I thank Sarah Boyack for raising the topic. I, too, am a member of the cross-party group on su...
Graham Simpson
Reform
How old were you?
John Mason
Ind
Pass. However, times have moved on, and I saw hardly anyone hitching when I drove in the Highlands and Islands this summer. As for some of the specifics in...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I invite Jim Fairlie to respond to the debate. You have around seven minutes, minister. 13:24
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
Members can see from the papers scattered in front of me that I want to get through a whole load of things, but I think that time will be absolutely against ...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I will just finish this one point. As someone who lives in a rural constituency, I am acutely aware of the problems facing rural Scotland. I am, therefore, ...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
A key issue for local authorities is having the capacity to use the legislation that we in the Parliament have supported. We have been seeing these issues fo...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I take on board Sarah Boyack’s point. That is the whole point of the legislation. It does not have to involve a one-size-fits-all approach—there is a range o...
Mark Ruskell
Green
One thing that the Government has committed to and which is very welcome is a trial introduction of capped bus fares. Will the Government consider how that w...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you the time back, minister.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
We are considering capped fares, and we are still working up where that pilot will be. A number of members across the Parliament have been asking for it to b...