Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 05 February 2026 [Draft]
05 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Ecocide (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
In the coming weeks, I will be leaving this Parliament for the very last time. When I was first elected 10 years ago, I vowed in coming here to leave the world better than when I found it. I am not sure that I have done that, but I believe that Monica Lennon, who was first elected in the same election as me, in the same region as me and from the same party as me, can say that, in that time, she has made a difference by taking on period poverty and stigma, and now with this bill, by taking on those guilty of causing severe environmental harm.
The bill will make criminal accountability for intentional and reckless environmental destruction not a theoretical consideration but a legislative reality. That is precisely what the Parliament was founded to do—to legislate, to act and to leave the world better than when we found it. So when I hear members of this Parliament or read of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation—the gun club—speculating on unintended consequences, I say to them: what about the deliberate, the calculated and the intended consequences of the wilful polluters, of the species destroyers and of the nature wreckers?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20606, in the name of Monica Lennon, on the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill at stage 1. I invite members who wish...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I begin by declaring a financial interest, which is listed in my entry in the register of interests: I have received in-kind support from Stop Ecocide Intern...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I call Edward Mountain to speak on behalf of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.14:32
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I congratulate Monica Lennon on introducing the bill. I know that she has put a huge amount of work into it, and we have had a good discussion at stage 1. I ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy (Gillian Martin)
SNP
I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on Monica Lennon’s Ecocide (Scotland) Bill at stage 1. The protection of our natural environmen...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Does the cabinet secretary agree that the changes would have to be so substantial that it would only be right for the committee to take more evidence on what...
Gillian Martin
SNP
I respect what the convener said in that regard. As he pointed out and as I know as the former convener of two committees, a judgment is made on behalf of co...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
We have reached the crunch time of our parliamentary session, when bills such as the one that we are debating simply do not have the time and space to be deb...
Monica Lennon
Lab
I declare an interest as a fellow member of the committee, although I was recused from scrutiny of the bill.I recognise that, like other committees, the comm...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
I absolutely trust that Monica Lennon would not waste any parliamentary time, but we have to respect the deadlines and timescales that are set out in our sta...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, thank Monica Lennon for her work on the bill and for introducing it in Parliament. I know just how much work is required to introduce a bill in our P...
Edward Mountain
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
I apologise, but I have only four minutes.That is important, because the potential impact of deterrence would have to be backed up by guidance and training f...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
I thank Monica Lennon for bringing forward Scotland’s first ever ecocide legislation. I was delighted to be at the launch of her bill in Edinburgh a couple o...
Edward Mountain
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Mark Ruskell
Green
If there is time in hand, I will.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
There is a bit of time.
Edward Mountain
Con
Given the concerns that you have raised, do you believe, as I do, that, if the bill proceeds, it is really important that we get any amendments in early, so ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Always speak through the chair.
Mark Ruskell
Green
I agree with our convener. We almost need a form of expedited process. I am not talking about a change to standing orders; I simply mean that we need a way o...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I call Liam McArthur to open on behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.14:57
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I join others in congratulating Monica Lennon on getting a bill to this stage, as I know only too well that, irrespective of the complexity of the bill, it t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
We will now move to the open debate. There is a small amount of time in hand at this point, but we will see how that goes.15:00
Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
SNP
I commend Monica Lennon for introducing the bill and for her tenacity in getting it to this stage.The word “ecocide” is from the Greek “oikos”, which means h...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I reiterate that there is a bit of time in hand, so I am able to be a wee bit generous. If that time gets used up, I will let members know15:06
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
In the coming weeks, I will be leaving this Parliament for the very last time. When I was first elected 10 years ago, I vowed in coming here to leave the wor...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
I have no truck with the shooting lobby, but as a member of the Parliament who is on the committee that is scrutinising the bill, is it right that we scrutin...
Richard Leonard
Lab
The point that I am making is that there has been talk in briefings that we have received about unintended consequences. The overarching purpose of this bill...
Elena Whitham (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in support of the bill, because, at its heart, the legislation is about justice: justice for our environment, justice for our communiti...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I call Bob Doris.15:15