Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-19918, in the name of Sue Webber, on dealing with the dangerous use of e-bikes and e-s...

Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con) Con

I thank everyone who has taken the time to stay behind and speak in this members’ business debate, given the challenging weather tonight. Last week, in the ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

We move to the open debate. I advise colleagues that we have a lot of interest, so I would be grateful if members could stick to their allocated speaking tim...

Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) SNP

I thank Sue Webber for bringing to the chamber this important debate on the dangerous use of e-bikes and e-scooters. As convener of the cross-party group on...

Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I congratulate Sue Webber on bringing the debate to the chamber, because the issue is—as we have just heard—a real menace throughout the country. In Aberdeen...

Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP

My concern relates to the member suggesting that more visible police—or more police on the beat, as we might say—is somehow a solution. I propose to him that...

Liam Kerr Con

I respectfully disagree with Christine Grahame. I understand her point—that we cannot swamp one area with police and move the problem to a different area. Ho...

Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I thank Sue Webber for securing the debate and raising the important issues that her motion highlights. It is good to hear cross-party agreement from Clare A...

Liam Kerr Con

Monica Lennon might also be very interested in my justice paper. Would she like me to send it over after the debate?

Monica Lennon Lab

I am always looking for bedtime reading, particularly when I am struggling to get to sleep at night. Laughter. Liam Kerr knows how to get the paper to me. T...

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

I thank my colleague Sue Webber for bringing this important debate to the chamber. Her motion highlights the growing problem of the dangerous and antisocial ...

Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP

I was not going to contribute, but I have managed to get some free time this evening and it is a very important debate. I agree with much that Sue Webber sai...

Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

Does Christine Grahame understand that the position that she describes is because those vehicles are not legal on the roads? It is vehicles on our roads that...

Christine Grahame SNP

They are illegal on pavements, but they are actually legal on roads. If you look at the “Highway Code”, which I have looked at carefully, you will see that t...

Sue Webber Con

Will the member take an intervention?

Christine Grahame SNP

Yes, I will take the intervention, although I was about to sit down.

Sue Webber Con

I think that the problem—as my motion should perhaps have intimated—is illegal use, or illegal e-bikes. All the issues arise when they hit speeds of 15 mph a...

Christine Grahame SNP

Yes, I appreciate that there are restrictions in the definition of a e-bike, and limitations on speed, but we know that the riders break those. All of that ...

Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I, too, thank my colleague Sue Webber for bringing this important debate to the chamber—

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Can we have your microphone up, please?

Tess White Con

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. In the past few months, I have had near misses from a souped-up e-scooter or e-bike in Edinburgh. One morning, I came i...

Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I, too, thank Sue Webber for securing the debate on this important issue. I agree with my colleague Monica Lennon that the debate is timely, given that, at t...

Christine Grahame SNP

I might have misheard Michael Marra, but I thought that I heard him show a certain degree of sympathy for my proposition that e-bikes should be licensed, reg...

Michael Marra Lab

I have some level of sympathy for that proposition applying to the different forms of vehicles that are being used. We must get a grip on their general use. ...

Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

I congratulate my friend and colleague Sue Webber on securing this important and, I believe, timely debate. I place on record my entry in the register of mem...

Christine Grahame SNP

I know that the member is keen to have clarity in the chamber. I was speaking about e-bikes; I did not mention e-scooters. The fact is that what I said about...

Douglas Ross Con

I will come on to that. However, you will need to help me to do so, Presiding Officer—the clock is ticking.

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Indeed. If you could take us up to 6.46, that would be helpful.

Douglas Ross Con

Okay—that is fine. I was speaking about e-scooters. If Christine Grahame was speaking about e-bikes, I apologise. However, going back to my original point,...

The Minister for Victims and Community Safety (Siobhian Brown) SNP

I thank Sue Webber for bringing the debate to Parliament and all members for their contributions highlighting the dangerous and antisocial use of e-bikes and...