Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20627, in the name of Ash Regan, on the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill at stage 1. I...

Ash Regan (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Ind

The world is watching. As the Jeffrey Epstein scandal finally unravels, it exposes something that survivors and whistleblowers have been telling us for decad...

Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) SNP

Made a request to intervene.

Ash Regan Ind

I will come to the member in a moment.Since 2002, there have been nine bills or formal proposals on prostitution. There have been a dozen consultations, mult...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

You are already over your time, Ms Regan—

Ash Regan Ind

Okay. I apologise, but—

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

You are going to have to bring your remarks to a conclusion.

Ash Regan Ind

—I would like to put on the record that I have repeatedly asked for more time for this debate. When I have taken bills through Parliament before, I have alwa...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

Ms Regan, if you could resume your seat for a second.

Ash Regan Ind

—and its duty to have a proper debate on this.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

Ms Regan, if you could resume your seat for a second. Interruption. No, I am asking you to resume your seat. Could you please resume your seat? I will allow ...

Ash Regan Ind

I want to make a point to the chamber about the timing, because that is an issue that the Government has raised. We never seem to know our own history in her...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

Please bring your remarks to a conclusion.

Ash Regan Ind

Survivors have told us repeatedly that the loudest voices in the debate are from those who were never for sale. That is a scandal. One person told us that ev...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

Bring your remarks to a conclusion, please, Ms Regan.

Ash Regan Ind

Presiding Officer, I will. Unfortunately—again—the Parliament does not allocate enough time to the things that are desperately important, such as saving peop...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

I call Audrey Nicoll to speak on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee, for up to seven minutes.16:01

Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) SNP

I am very pleased to open on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee. At the outset, I advise members that I have limited time to set out some of the key de...

Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Ind

Will the member take an intervention?

Audrey Nicoll SNP

If Mr Ewing will bear with me, I will take his intervention if I have time at the end.Our overriding concern is the evidence that we heard about the impact o...

Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Audrey Nicoll SNP

I will come back to Ms Maguire if I have time.We consider that there is more to be done to properly engage with and address the genuine concerns expressed th...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

Ms Nicoll, if you could resume your seat. I call Michelle Thomson to make a point of order.

Michelle Thomson (Falkirk East) (SNP) SNP

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Given the level of interest in the debate, it is reasonable to assume that everybody in the chamber will have read th...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

That is not a point of order.Points of order should not be used to make interventions.

Audrey Nicoll SNP

I thank Michelle Thomson for her intervention.My position is that it is important that I set out the position of the committee. I am happy to take interventi...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

You are over time now, Ms Nicoll.I now call—

Audrey Nicoll SNP

May I just conclude my remarks, Presiding Officer?To conclude, I extend our thanks again to everyone who supported the committee’s scrutiny, and I look forwa...

Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I rise as someone who also hopes to speak in the debate. I note that the first two speakers—the member in charge of t...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

Thank you, Mr Ross. In response to your point of order, this is a matter that has been considered by the bureau at some length, including contributions from ...