Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 11 March 2026 [Draft]
11 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
I absolutely accept that point. People could still pay to get on a bus, and I raised that at the first round-table discussion that we had. However, when people act in an unacceptable way, the SSI will make our buses safer by removing the privilege of free bus travel.
We all know that criminal behaviour on buses remains primarily a matter for the police and the justice system, but the policy is part of a wider, concerted effort to improve community safety and reduce antisocial behaviour, including through the violence prevention framework for Scotland, the cashback for communities programme and the provision of further funding to Police Scotland.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-21036, on approval of a Scottish statutory instrument. I ask the Minister for P...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I support this SSI, which adds the characteristic of sex as a protected characteristic to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, because women ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs (Angela Constance)
SNP
The regulations add the characteristic of sex to the existing legislative framework that is contained in the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021....
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
The Scottish Greens strongly oppose the SSI. Helena Kennedy and the misogyny working group were clear that misogyny should not be addressed by adding sex to ...
Angela Constance
SNP
There are three important points that I should address to Ms Chapman and the rest of the members in the chamber. It is important to remember that there are e...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Angela Constance
SNP
No, thank you—I am just about finished. Interruption. I took Ms Chapman’s intervention because the Green Party is not represented on the Criminal Justice Com...
Daniel Johnson
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Angela Constance
SNP
No, thank you.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I ask you to conclude, cabinet secretary.
Angela Constance
SNP
I wish to make an important point about criminal law: provisions in criminal law need to be robust and unequivocal. I will end by saying that women and girls...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
You must conclude, cabinet secretary.
Angela Constance
SNP
Of course. If Parliament agrees to the motion, that will mean that those legal protections are passed into law in this parliamentary session.Thank you for yo...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The question on the motion will be put at decision time.The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-21037, on approval of a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The question on the motion will be put at decision time.The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-21038, on approval of a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Sue Webber.22:19
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
As members know, buses are central to Scotland’s transport network. Although most passengers just want to get on with their journey, it is clear to bus opera...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Keith Rollinson was a constituent of mine. I attended his funeral at Elgin town hall. I have listened as his wife, Sue, and his family have expressed their d...
Sue Webber
Con
Frankly, yes, I agree, and law-abiding Scots across the country would also agree, and they would agree that free bus passes must be stripped from those who h...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
The programme for government for 2025-26 set out a commitment to suspend and withdraw free travel from anyone who does not act responsibly on Scotland’s buse...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
Will the minister acknowledge that this will not prevent people who have committed antisocial behaviour from getting on a bus? It will only mean that they wi...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I absolutely accept that point. People could still pay to get on a bus, and I raised that at the first round-table discussion that we had. However, when peop...
Douglas Ross
Con
The minister has spoken of bad behaviour and antisocial behaviour, but there is nothing worse than taking the life of a bus driver in the circumstances in wh...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
I think that the point that Douglas Ross has made shows that he does not understand what it is that we have actually done and the legislation that we have in...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The question on the motion will be put at decision time.The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-20139, on approval of a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Ariane Burgess.22:26
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
Last year, this Parliament took the landmark step of reintroducing rent controls, putting them in place for the first time in almost 40 years. Without rent c...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
We will suspend for a moment.22:28Meeting suspended.22:29On resuming—
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you for your forbearance, colleagues. I ask Ms Burgess to resume.
Ariane Burgess
Green
In order for it to work for renters and landlords, the system needs to be simple and transparent. Tenants need to understand the system and their ability to ...