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Hansard

Every contribution to the Official Report — chamber and committee — searchable in one place. Pulled from data.parliament.scot, indexed for full-text search, linked through to every MSP.

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1999–2026

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Official Report

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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

First Minister’s Question Time

That is absolutely shameful.

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Climate Change Plan

Back in November, I criticised the draft climate change plan for being yet another Scottish National Party propaganda pamphlet that was heavy on rhetoric and light on detail, and the full plan is more of the same. With just one day to go before the parliamentary session ends, ...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Data Centres (Net Zero)

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. During portfolio questions, the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin, said that the Scottish Government does not have a position against new oil and gas. That is simply not true. The draft energy strategy, whic...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time · Edinburgh Accommodation Allowance

I agree with Jackson Carlaw that those second homes are not holiday homes; they are for MSPs to do their work. If the homes are not to be exempted from the premium by the City of Edinburgh Council, will the corporate body consider having a separate budget line for council tax ...

4. Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time · Edinburgh Accommodation Allowance

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the Edinburgh accommodation allowance for MSPs will be reviewed, in light of the City of Edinburgh Council announcing that, from 1 April 2026, the premium applied to council tax on second homes will increase from 100 per...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

First Minister’s Question Time

With the situation in Iran escalating and the cost of fuel skyrocketing, it is common sense that we should be maximising our own resources in the North Sea. Domestic production is better for the environment, better for our economy, better for our jobs and better for our energy...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

General Question Time · Neonatal Intensive Care Units

For the sickest and most pre-term babies, the Government seeks to centralise care to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Meeting minutes that have been uncovered tell us that NHS Grampian does not have the cots or the staff. There are serious worries about ambulance cover, which ...

3. Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · Neonatal Intensive Care Units

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with national health service boards regarding the 2017 best start plan to downgrade the number of level 3 neonatal intensive care units from eight to three. (S6O-05666)

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

I, too, pay tribute to my friend Liam McArthur. I can only imagine the emotional toll that this process has taken on him. Whatever the result of tonight’s vote, he has done a brilliant job in highlighting the suffering that so many people are forced to go through at the end of...

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

So, it was asked.

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Cabinet secretary, you said that fisheries are not part of the SSI. I am thinking about whether some of the licensing activities would have any impact on fisheries—they could be positive or negative. Has anything in the SSI been flagged up that might impact our fishing communi...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

General Question Time · Energy Project Objections

—that are ruining much of rural Scotland. The Government has stopped email submissions to the energy consents unit because there are too many objections—something that the cabinet secretary did not seem to understand. It has also stopped people seeing the objections before the...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

General Question Time · Energy Project Objections

It is clear what is going on here. The cabinet secretary is trying to silence community groups that are against the monster pylons, battery storage and subsidies—Interruption.

6. Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

General Question Time · Energy Project Objections

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is appropriate for the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy to use terms such as “far right” in the context of objections to energy projects. (S6O-05632)

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

It will be a while before we know the timescales for delivery and all those things.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

It will be a long time before you have a contract from the Scottish Government to build the four vessels, and it is only an intention that the contracts will come to you.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Is it correct that it is only at that point that you will have a price that you can give to the Scottish Government?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Things such as how the vessel will be powered—whether it is dual fuel again or whether it is diesel or electric or whatever—are still to come from the design. You do not yet know how the ship will be powered.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

At present, you do not know what you are building, because the specification and the design work have not been done. Is that correct?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

A couple of years ago, we were told that the figure for the panel line was £25 million, but there was also a long lead time. Can that now be ordered? If it is not ordered, will that affect the delivery of the four new vessels that are being discussed?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Mr Dishon talked about a panel line. Is that the same as the plating line that was discussed in your previous evidence?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Duncan, do you want to come in? I notice that your hand is up.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

I thought, David, that you said that things had maybe gone missing.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Have there been any issues with spares going missing, just because it has been such a long period of time?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

How many spares do you carry for both vessels in the yard?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Has any risk provision been put in for things that are no longer under warranty and are not working?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

If it had been completed to its original timescale and something like that had happened, you would have been able to go back to the manufacturer and say that it was not working, but we cannot do that any more, can we? I imagine that everything is out of warranty.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Does this cause any delay for the Glen Rosa? We are talking about quarter 4, which is now only nine months away. Will the stripping of parts off the Glen Rosa to put on to the Glen Sannox impact the timescales that we are looking at?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

I guess that the time for them to refit it back on the Glen Rosa once a spare arrives would also be charged.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

I guess that the time for people to take parts off the Glen Rosa would also be charged.

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Have the parts that have been stripped off the Glen Rosa been accounted for as part of the £197.5 million, or have they been accounted for in terms of repairs to the Glen Sannox? How have you accounted for that?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

There have been reports that parts were stripped from the Glen Rosa to get the Glen Sannox back up and working. Will you tell us a bit more about that, please?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Okay, but do you know whether it has been used extensively?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Have there been any issues with the LNG side of things on the Glen Sannox or the Glen Rosa?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

So is the fact that it is now out of service really a CalMac issue?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Will it be out of service for six months until the propellers are changed?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Is the Glen Sannox back out working or is it still tied up?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

Right. Excuse me for not knowing this, but is the Glen Sannox back out working again just now or not?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

MV Glen Sannox (Hull 801) and MV Glen Rosa (Hull 802)

It is not really a risk any more, though, is it?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

I am trying to think of who to lobby as we go forward. Will it be you, cabinet secretary, or the UK Government?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

Are you saying that that will still rest with the UK Government?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

I want to come back in after the deputy convener’s questions. I am thinking of a real-life example. There are disability access issues at Inverurie station. Who will be responsible for ensuring that disability access is put in place? Will that rest with GBR? Would the Scottish...

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

Are you confident that open-access operators will not be affected by the bill?

Douglas Lumsden Con Committee

I am a big fan of open-access operators. Are you assured that they will not be squeezed out by the services that will be operated by GB rail?

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Committee

You mentioned the memorandum of understanding. Will it include things such as dispute resolution? If there was a conflict because, for example, ScotRail services and cross-border services wanted to use the track at the same time, would that situation be covered by the MOU? How...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I ask for clarification. At the end of the cabinet secretary’s contribution, she seemed to call me somebody from the far right. Will you clarify whether that is acceptable language for the cabinet secretary to be using against another me...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

I agree that we should be using our own hydrocarbons rather than relying on imported oil and gas. Does Kevin Stewart disagree with his party’s stance against Rosebank and Jackdaw oilfields, which would provide hydrocarbons that we can use in this country?

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

I am not sure what language some people took offence at.Those communities will not be silenced, because they are doing something that the SNP is failing to do, which is to stand up for rural Scotland. Only the Scottish Conservatives are working with communities, listening to t...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

I agree 100 per cent. We have been calling for the energy profits levy to be scrapped for a long time, because there is no windfall. At least we know where the SNP stands on oil and gas.The Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee heard directly from community groups across Sc...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

Keith Brown let the cat out of the bag on “Debate Night”. We all know that the SNP has a presumption against oil and gas, which he made clear last night.The SNP is not being honest, and it is also not being honest with community groups across Scotland that are angry about the ...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

I will give way.

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

It is not telling people what the push for net zero by 2045 will mean for households. It is not telling people who live in a flat why they will have to pay up to 10 times more to charge an electric vehicle than people who have their own driveway. It is not telling our oil and ...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

If only we had an energy strategy, we could maybe look at what we need. We should have a proper energy mix with nuclear, oil and gas and renewables. This Government seems to be putting all its eggs into the one basket of renewables. What we need is cheap electricity, not the m...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

I completely agree. Once again, the SNP cannot wish its way to cheaper electricity. The same applies to the SNP’s claims that it would reduce people’s bills by a third if we were independent. That is absolute nonsense, and it has nothing to back it up whatsoever.The plan matte...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

Any plan should have real and proper targets that can be measured. This plan does not have any of that. We cannot wish our way to net zero. If the Government really wants to get to net zero, it should put forward a plan. However, just as it does not have an energy strategy, it...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

I will come on to some of the targets that should be in the plan.The plan sets out aspirations, which have their place. It is right that the Government establishes where it wants to go and what the vision is, but what we have in front of us today is a vision document. I do not...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Draft Climate Change Plan

Thank you, Presiding Officer.I speak with a lot of disappointment, to be honest. What should have been a landmark report for this Parliament is instead a catalogue of errors from this out-of-time, out-of-touch Scottish National Party devolved Government. I have been an MSP for...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

First Minister’s Question Time

This week, BrewDog, which is based in Ellon in Aberdeenshire, announced the loss of 484 jobs and the closure of 38 pubs after the company fell into administration. Nine of the bars that have closed are in Scotland, including two in Aberdeen and one in Inverurie. Unions, worker...

Douglas Lumsden Con Chamber

Parliamentary Bureau Motions

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

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Committee

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee 10 March 2026 [Draft]

10 Mar 2026 · S6 · Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Item of business

Railways Bill

Lumsden, Douglas Con North East Scotland Watch on SPTV

You mentioned the memorandum of understanding. Will it include things such as dispute resolution? If there was a conflict because, for example, ScotRail services and cross-border services wanted to use the track at the same time, would that situation be covered by the MOU? How would it be handled?

In the same item of business

The Convener Con

Our second item of business is consideration of a legislative consent memorandum and a supplementary legislative consent memorandum on the Railways Bill. The...

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport (Fiona Hyslop) SNP

Convener, I want to start by acknowledging the very serious fire incident near Glasgow Central station over the weekend and paying tribute to the emergency s...

The Convener Con

Before you do so, cabinet secretary, I want to thank you for those comments. I know that all of these things come with a risk to those who are trying to solv...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

Obviously, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will have to give permission for access to and use of the station. I refer everyone to the Network Rail and S...

The Convener Con

Okay, thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you, but I think that it is a fundamentally important issue. Do you want to move on to talk about the LCM now?

Fiona Hyslop SNP

Turning to the purpose of this agenda item, I thank the convener and the committee for inviting me to give evidence on the Railways Bill legislative consent ...

The Convener Con

Thank you, cabinet secretary. Our briefing tells us that it is a fairly complicated bill, which might be an understatement. There is an LCM and a supplementa...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

There are two reasons for that. The substantive part of the bill, as presented, was the result of the prior involvement of ministers—a good example of what s...

The Convener Con

I am smiling slightly, because, although the next committee may be short of time, this committee is not exactly flush with time, given all the things that we...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

There is far more integration here than in the rest of the United Kingdom. The Railways Bill tries to replicate, across the rest of the UK, the benefits that...

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP) SNP

Good morning. A key part of making the new arrangements work effectively is the memorandum of understanding that will be developed between the Scottish Gover...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

You will be aware that there is already a memorandum of understanding, but the bill makes the relationship statutory, which provides an important underpinnin...

Michael Matheson SNP

Given the underpinning of the MOU in statute, I presume that there will also be an opportunity for parliamentary scrutiny at some point once it has been fina...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

I assume so. Everyone would be interested in that. I gave evidence to the Westminster Transport Committee, which was looking at the legislation from a UK per...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

You mentioned the memorandum of understanding. Will it include things such as dispute resolution? If there was a conflict because, for example, ScotRail serv...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

We are developing the heads of terms for the MOU. Access and freight are the two issues that are of interest to everybody UK-wide and which seem to be coming...

Bill Reeve (Transport Scotland)

The heads of terms have not been completed, but they are keeping us busy. Our engagement with colleagues in the Department for Transport has been constructiv...

Douglas Lumsden Con

I am a big fan of open-access operators. Are you assured that they will not be squeezed out by the services that will be operated by GB rail?

Fiona Hyslop SNP

We would not want that to be the case. The access arrangements are still reserved, so those issues are primarily for the UK Government. As I reflected, the b...

Douglas Lumsden Con

Are you confident that open-access operators will not be affected by the bill?

Fiona Hyslop SNP

That is not for me to determine; it is an issue for the UK Government. I will be ensuring, from a Scottish perspective, that they will not be affected. If yo...

The Convener Con

Can I press you slightly on that? I believe that open-access operators have helped to keep the price of tickets down. Their prices seem to be lower than thos...

Fiona Hyslop SNP

I agree with you. Bill, do you want to come in?

To recap, there are three broad types of open access. There are the operators that you are referring to, such as Lumo, which runs services across the border....

The Convener Con

Your last point is noted. On your first point, it is relevant to note that you are aware of the issues and of how important open-access agreements are and th...

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green

Will the role of Transport Focus change at all as a result of the bill?

The role will be strengthened. There will be some consolidation of powers in Transport Focus, as the rail ombudsman will move in there and some work that is ...

Mark Ruskell Green

That will be on a UK-wide basis. Do you expect any changes in how the organisation operates in Scotland?

Fiona Hyslop SNP

The impact on passengers runs through what the UK Government wants to do as part of the Railways Bill. As far as the operation of devolved aspects is concern...