Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2026 [Draft]
11 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Nature Champions
I am conscious of the number of members who still want to participate, so, before I call the next speaker, I am minded to accept a motion without notice under rule 8.14.3 to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes. I invite Mr Mason to move such a motion.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes.—[John Mason]
Motion agreed to.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I encourage members who are leaving the chamber to do so as quickly and as quietly as possible as we move to the final item of business, which is a members’ ...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Ind
I thank all those who have supported today’s motion, those who have enabled this afternoon’s debate and those who will take part in it. I welcome to the publ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
We may not hear about the verges unless Ms Villalba changes her mind and presses her button. As I have advised members who wish to participate in the debate,...
David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
SNP
I thank John Mason for securing the debate. It is a pleasure to speak today on an initiative that has quietly transformed the way in which Parliament engages...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I congratulate John Mason on securing the debate and delivering what I thought was an excellent speech, detailing just some of the species for which members ...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, thank John Mason for bringing this important debate to the chamber. Before the debate, I was inundated with colleagues telling me what species they c...
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
I am delighted to speak in the debate and to add my whole-hearted support for the nature champions initiative.The current session of Parliament began in a st...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I call Beatrice Wishart—around three minutes, please.17:55
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
I thank John Mason for bringing this important debate to the chamber, and I thank Scottish Environment LINK for all its work and for its briefing, which high...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Thank you, Ms Wishart. Had I known that you were going to mention the Scottish primrose, I probably would have given you another three minutes, but there you...
Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
SNP
thank John Mason for bringing this important debate to the chamber. The nature champions initiative encourages members of the Scottish Parliament to champion...
Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
I commend John Mason for securing the debate and the work of Scottish Environment LINK, not just for selecting MSPs but for the support that it gives to MSPs...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the member for this debate. As an endangered species myself, I am grateful to be species champion for the once endangered golden eagle, and I even ha...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I stand to speak on behalf of the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. I thank John Mason for bringing this debate to the chamber and Scottish Environment LINK for ...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
The nature champions initiative is now one of the most successful examples of collaborative politics in this Parliament. Since 2013, it has grown into an awa...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I am conscious of the number of members who still want to participate, so, before I call the next speaker, I am minded to accept a motion without notice unde...
Lorna Slater (Lothian) (Green)
Green
I can give some more intelligence to the chamber on the golden eagle saga. When I was first elected to the chamber, I moved very quickly in order to become t...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
I thank John Mason for bringing this debate to the chamber.I have been saddled with many titles over the years, some complimentary and some less so, and the ...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Reform)
Reform
I also thank John Mason for bringing this debate to the chamber. It is always the best debate of the year because so many people want to take part. I have re...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Thank you, Mr Simpson. I discourage you from embracing the Argyle Street ash, for its own safety.I now give the right of reply to Mercedes Villalba, who has ...
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. By popular demand, I rise to advocate for the vital and exciting habitat of road verges—vital because they provide refug...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
That is an offer that members surely cannot pass up.I invite Mairi Gougeon to respond to the debate.18:25
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands (Mairi Gougeon)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I do not know quite how to follow that, but I hope that I can do the debate justice.First, as other members have done, I thank ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
That concludes the debate. We can now all head to Alexander Burnett’s for a grey squirrel surprise.Meeting closed at 18:32.