Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 March 2026 [Draft]
04 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Ferries
I remind members of my voluntary register of trade union interests.
It never ceases to amaze me that something just as distinctively and as quintessentially Scottish as our islands and the ferry links to them, which are a social and economic necessity, have been treated so badly by this Scottish National Party Government. That goes from the former First Minister famously telling BBC’s Glenn Campbell,
“I didn’t say ‘don’t go ahead’”,
on the ordering of vessels 801 and 802, to the current First Minister, in an email exchange on the same subject—which, by amazing grace, once was lost but now is found—confirming the absence of banana skins. In between, we witnessed the Scottish Government being sued by the Scottish Government—or, at least, the ferry company that the Scottish Government is the sole shareholder of—in a dispute over the northern isles routes.
When I hear the Conservatives wrapping themselves in their arid ideology and spouting their dry dogma obsessed with private enterprise and the free market, I say to them gently that Ferguson Marine is in public ownership because private ownership failed.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20957, in the name of Jamie Greene, on fixing Scotland’s ferries fiasco.15:57
Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (LD)
LD
Presiding Officer, I have been accused, over the years, of banging on about ferries in the chamber, and that is absolutely right. If you had told me 10 years...
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport (Fiona Hyslop)
SNP
This debate is helpfully timed to allow me to build on my statement yesterday to the Parliament. Yesterday, I chaired a meeting of the Ardrossan task force t...
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to speak in support of the motion that was lodged by Jamie Greene on fixing Scotland’s ferry fiasco.For too long, Scotland’s islands and coastal...
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention on that point?
Sue Webber
Con
I will not, Mr Gibson, as I have very limited time and quite a significant amount to carry on with.That figure will rise further now that the charter has bee...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Ms Webber, you must conclude.
Sue Webber
Con
In conclusion, it is time to stop Scotland’s ferry fiasco. It is time to restore trust.I move amendment S6M-20957.2, to insert at end:“; notes that the combi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I call Rhoda Grant, who joins us remotely, to speak to and move amendment S6M-20957.1.16:13
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
As the cabinet secretary said, we had a statement yesterday that tried to draw a line under the ferry fiasco, but, sadly, it did not. We are still seeing pro...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
I call on Maggie Chapman to open on behalf of the Scottish Greens.16:17
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
I am grateful to the Liberal Democrats for bringing this important debate to the chamber, because Scotland’s island and coastal communities deserve much bett...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
We move to the open debate.16:21
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
Ferries are critical infrastructure for Scotland’s islands—islands that are, according to Scottish Government social media posts, “central to Scotland’s futu...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
Will the member give way on that point?
Beatrice Wishart
LD
I do not have any time; I am going to continue.Yet the issues that respondents raised were the same in 2023 as those that Transport Scotland reported in 2025...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention on that point?
Beatrice Wishart
LD
I have no time—sorry.A prior long-standing policy of allowing sharing of cabins offered many people a cheaper, more comfortable way to travel. However, that ...
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
SNP
I first pay tribute to the cabinet secretary, Fiona Hyslop. Today we heard her last speech after 27 years serving her constituents in this Parliament, 17 of ...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I thank the Liberal Democrats, particularly Jamie Greene, for bringing the debate to Parliament. Over the past 10 years, he and I have shared many committee ...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I remind members of my voluntary register of trade union interests.It never ceases to amaze me that something just as distinctively and as quintessentially S...
Edward Mountain
Con
It was the Government that failed.
Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
SNP
It was private ownership.
Richard Leonard
Lab
In fact, because of persistent pressure from this Parliament’s Public Audit Committee, the Government has been required to bring in the accountants—Interrupt...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Mr Leonard, please resume your seat for a second. I am looking at two members who are having a conversation across the chamber from sedentary positions, whic...
Richard Leonard
Lab
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Let me return to this point: because of persistent pressure from this Parliament’s Public Audit Committee, the Govern...
Jamie Halcro Johnston (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Richard Leonard
Lab
If I have time.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Briefly, Jamie Halcro Johnston.
Jamie Halcro Johnston
Con
I always enjoy listening to Richard Leonard speak. However, I tell him as an islander—I think that I speak on behalf of many islanders in the northern isles—...