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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.

129
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2,354,908
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1999–2026
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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
25 Mar 2026
Portfolio Question Time · NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Discussions)
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests.Scotland’s biggest health board, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, has a key role to play in bringing down long waits locally and nationally. Will the cabinet secretary therefore outline the progress that NHS Grea...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
24 Mar 2026
Bank of Scotland Branch Closures
I agree with all that Annie Wells has said about the impact on the community. There is also an impact on local charities, churches and community groups, such as scouts and guides, that take in their fees or collections in cash. They are concerned about how they will be able to...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
24 Mar 2026
Bank of Scotland Branch Closures
I thank colleagues who signed my motion on the closure of Bank of Scotland branches so that the debate could be brought to the chamber.From Tain in the north to Castle Douglas in the south, 28 Bank of Scotland branches have been closed or are set to be closed this year. Howeve...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
18 Mar 2026
Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I congratulate Mark Ruskell on bringing the bill to this stage in the Parliament. Should it pass, it will be groundbreaking legislation on protecting animal welfare and will improve the lives of many greyhounds. Does he agree that the ban on greyhound racing will save the live...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
13 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I thank Murdo Fraser for taking my intervention, but I want to point out that the organisations and the individual that he quoted are not members of this Parliament. They are not here speaking on behalf of their constituents and on behalf of the people of Scotland. For that re...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
13 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I am finding the language that Murdo Fraser is using deeply offensive, and I say that as someone who will vote against the bill. He should, please, be careful about the language that he uses. Suicide is a very difficult issue to discuss, as he said, but what we are discussing ...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
12 Mar 2026
Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan
It is hugely encouraging to hear about the ambitious action that the SNP Government is taking through its delivery plan, and I welcome the breadth of the measures that have been detailed by the cabinet secretary. The First Minister has made it clear that ending child poverty i...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
12 Mar 2026
First Minister’s Question Time · Private Healthcare (NHS Consultants)
Can the First Minister therefore outline how, under the SNP and his leadership, Scotland has seen the number of doctors, consultants and nurses increase, and what that means for bringing down waits?
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
12 Mar 2026
First Minister’s Question Time · Private Healthcare (NHS Consultants)
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests. As the First Minister referenced, it is worth Brian Whittle noting that Scotland continues to have a substantially lower private healthcare take-up rate than England.Unlike Labour and the Tories, the SNP is no...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
12 Mar 2026
General Question Time · Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests.It is vital that staff and patients alike feel safe in our NHS estate. Can the cabinet secretary say how the recently announced oversight group will ensure that the board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde takes ...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
11 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I thank Mr Ross for taking my intervention—I am not going to take up too much time. I absolutely concur with what Dr Allan has said, but I can assure Mr Ross that these things were discussed at the committee stages and that members were well aware of what is covered by the Sco...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
11 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Will the member give way?
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
11 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I have been listening carefully to what Audrey Nicoll has said. Does she recognise that the situation in the jurisdictions that she is talking about—where people go “doctor shopping”, as she labelled it—is not the same as it is here because of our national health service? In t...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
10 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I thank the cabinet secretary for letting me intervene, and I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which I did not put on record earlier.Cabinet secretary, can you understand, given that we are being asked to vote on a bill without legislative prote...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
10 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
10 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I thank Mr Briggs for his indulgence in allowing me to labour this point. I fail to see how having a register of psychiatrists who have undertaken additional training, who are at senior or consultant level and who have been conferred additional powers under the 2003 act can be...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
10 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I am intrigued by the piece of legislation that the member is using as an example. It is my understanding that the register of approved medical practitioners that the member refers to was concerned with detaining people and extending their detention under the 2003 act, as well...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
10 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I am quite astounded by that characterisation of people who have thoughts of self-harm or suicidal thoughts—that they can never get over that and never recover. I am absolutely astonished at the stigmatisation of those people who express themselves in the most difficult moment...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
10 Mar 2026
Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Will the member take an intervention?
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
I thank the minister and her officials for attending the meeting this morning.As is currently planned, this will be the final meeting of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee in this parliamentary session. I take this opportunity to thank all those who have engaged with ...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Again, Ms Harper, the minister is here in relation to the LCM. Please keep your questions in relation to the LCM.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Again, minister, please make your comments in relation to the LCM that is in front of us.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Sandesh, do you have any further questions?
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Although I accept that those are important questions, I believe that one of your colleagues will raise them with the relevant minister in a topical question this afternoon. However, the minister who is sitting in front of the committee is here to speak to the LCM, which is qui...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Your questioning is straying quite far from the limits of the LCM. Is your question in relation to the LCM that the minister is here to speak to?
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Thank you, minister. We now move to questions from Sandesh Gulhane
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
The next item is an evidence session with the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health and supporting officials on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill supplementary legislative consent memorandum, LCM-S6-51b, which was lodged in the Scottish Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
I thank the witnesses for attending and for their evidence. I suspend the meeting to allow for a short break and the changeover of witnesses.10:48Meeting suspended.10:59On resuming—
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
Brian Whittle has a final question.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
That would be really helpful, Mr Johnston, because the clinical steering group raised serious concerns and was informed that the step back from SEAN would be effective from 1 April, which is less than 20 days away.Given that it has been acknowledged that the network plays a cr...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
The vision for SNAP is“to provide an internationally recognised health intelligence service which, by working in partnership with stakeholders to audit clinical care, plays a key role in promoting safe, effective and person-centred healthcare in Scotland.”How does that vision ...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
The Scottish national audit programme—SNAP—is run by Public Health Scotland. How many audits are carried out into treatment for mental illness?
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
Time is running away from us, so I ask members to keep their questions short and our witnesses to be succinct in their answers.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
I call Emma Harper.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
I place on record my entry in the register of members’ interests, which says that I hold a bank nurse contract with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and that I am a registered mental health nurse.We move to questions from Elena Whitham.
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
Do you recognise that there is a difference between mental wellbeing and mental ill health?
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
On the theme of national strategy and public health priorities, I note that priority 3 in the “Public Health Priorities for Scotland” is to have a“Scotland where we have good mental wellbeing”.However, when I look at the strategy document, I can see only one reference to menta...
The Convener SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Public Health Scotland
Our second item is an evidence session with representatives from Public Health Scotland. I welcome to the committee Councillor Nairn Angus-McDonald, who is a non-executive director; Councillor Julie Bell, who is also a non-executive director; Alastair Boyle MBE, the board chai...
The Convener (Clare Haughey) SNP Committee
10 Mar 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private
Good morning, and welcome to the 11th meeting in 2026 of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. I have received apologies for today’s meeting from Paul Sweeney.Our first agenda item is to decide whether to take agenda items 4, 5 and 6 in private. Do members agree to take...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
05 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I respectfully ask for your ruling on some of the language that Mr Lumsden has used which, personally, I find offensive. It is not becoming of a member of the chamber.
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
05 Mar 2026
Draft Climate Change Plan
Thanks for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on behalf of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. First, I offer my sincere thanks to all the stakeholders who engaged with the committee throughout its scrutiny of the draft climate change plan. As it is likely th...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
05 Mar 2026
First Minister’s Question Time
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests.This week, new figures have shown a 6.1 per cent increase in the number of NHS operations performed in the past year. Meanwhile, child and adolescent mental health service waiting times of more than 18 weeks ar...
Clare Haughey SNP Chamber
05 Mar 2026
General Question Time · Face-to-face Banking Services
Yet another bank in my Rutherglen constituency is under threat of closure. By my count, nine bank branches have closed in recent years, which has left Blantyre and Cambuslang as banking deserts.Many individuals, businesses, churches and organisations need access to cash bankin...
1. Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP Chamber
05 Mar 2026
General Question Time · Face-to-face Banking Services
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the banking industry about maintaining access to face-to-face banking services on high streets. (S6O-05595)
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
At our next meeting, we will undertake periodic scrutiny of the work of Public Health Scotland. That concludes the public part of our meeting.11:06Meeting continued in private until 11:35.
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
The fifth and final negative instrument that we are considering today is the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Cancellation of Registration) Order 2026. The purpose of the instrument is to prescribe the circumstances, other than following the giving of an impro...
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
The fourth negative instrument is the National Health Service (Common Staffing Method) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026. The purpose of the instrument is to amend the National Health Service (Common Staffing Method) (Scotland) Regulations 2024, which specify the staffing ...
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
The third negative instrument is the National Assistance (Sums for Personal Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2026, which, as with the previous instrument, are to enable local authorities to calculate an appropriate contribution to be charged to residents in residential acc...
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
The second negative instrument is the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2026, which are to enable local authorities to calculate an appropriate contribution to be charged to residents in residential accommodation for the cost of tha...
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
The next item on our agenda is consideration of five negative instruments. The first is the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts and Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026. As part of the 20...
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
That concludes consideration of the instrument. The minister and officials are free to leave as the committee continues its work.
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
Thank you, minister, for your opening statement. No member has indicated that they have any questions at this point.The next agenda item is the formal debate on the instrument on which we have just heard the minister’s statement. I remind the committee that officials may not s...
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Subordinate Legislation
The next agenda item is consideration of a draft Scottish statutory instrument that requires approval by resolution of the Parliament before it can become law. The purpose of the instrument is to amend the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Skin Piercing and Ta...
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Sport and Physical Activity
I thank the witnesses for their evidence. I suspend the meeting to allow for a changeover of witnesses.10:45Meeting suspended.10:54On resuming—
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Sport and Physical Activity
Two members have supplementary questions. If they are brief and the answers are brief, we can get them both in.
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Sport and Physical Activity
Your microphone is not on.
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Sport and Physical Activity
It is.
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Sport and Physical Activity
We need to move on, I am afraid. There is quite a lot of interest—we have only 50 minutes left of the session and we have covered only two themes.
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Sport and Physical Activity
I will bring in Jon Doig, since he works at the sharp end of sport and—I hope he will not mind me saying this—he has been there for a while. Is there a trend in terms of where performance athletes are coming from and what pathways they are following?09:30
The Convener SNP Committee
03 Mar 2026
Sport and Physical Activity
Our second agenda item is an evidence-taking session on key issues and future priorities in relation to sport and physical activity in Scotland. I welcome Kim Atkinson, chief executive officer of the Scottish Sports Association; Jon Doig, chief executive officer of Commonwealt...
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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2026 [Draft]

12 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan
Somerville, Shirley-Anne SNP Dunfermline Watch on SPTV

Because of the Scottish Government’s actions, the proportion of children in Scotland who are living in relative poverty has reduced, with the 2023-24 rate being the lowest it has been in a decade. Rates of both relative and absolute child poverty were 9 percentage points lower than the UK average in 2023-24.

Our new plan takes on further work and delivers new policies that will assist us to meet our final targets. It is backed by considerable investment, including the more than £111 million that is in the tackling child poverty fund and whole family support funding. In their totality, the actions in the plan will keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty next year.

In the same item of business

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP
The next item of business is a statement by Shirley-Anne Somerville on the tackling child poverty delivery plan. The cabinet secretary will take questions at...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP
Eradicating child poverty is the Government’s top priority and a national mission that belongs to all of us. Today, I am pleased to publish the Scottish Gove...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP
The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes, after which we will move on to the ...
Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for early sight of the statement. The Scottish National Party talks a good game on child poverty, but it has failed to back up ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
I am not entirely sure that Alexander Stewart did not write that speech before he got my statement and this version of the plan. If he was remotely listening...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP
Mr Stewart.
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
I admit that high-level modelling was done on the Tories’ plans when they said that they would put a two-child limit on the Scottish child payment that would...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP
I remind members who wish to ask questions to press their request-to-speak button.
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab
I apologise for forgetting to put my card in.I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of the statement and for the accompanying documents. The Child P...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
I refer Claire Baker to annex 1 of the plan, which details how the two-child limit payment allocation has been invested. I mentioned some of that in my state...
Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP) SNP
Westminster’s cost of living crisis is hitting the most vulnerable the hardest. On top of ever-increasing energy costs, households across East Lothian contin...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
Paul McLennan is right to point out the UK Government’s choice to continue some of the policies of previous Conservative Governments that, to me, exemplify a...
Roz McCall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con
I welcome the focus on parental employment. As the cabinet secretary will know, I have been asking for that focus for the past four years, so I am happy to s...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
To be clear, the money does not just go to the central belt. A number of local authorities, both urban and rural, wish to take part in the fairer futures par...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP
There is much to welcome in the statement. I will focus on the Scottish child payment, which, from April, will be £28.20 per child per week in qualifying hou...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP
Can I make a plea at this stage, as I am conscious of the time and the number of members who still wish to ask a question, for more succinct questions and an...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
Christine Grahame points to the delivery by the Scottish Government and the real impact that it makes across Scotland. All members can reflect on the number ...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab
The SNP went into the 2021 election promising universal free school meals for all primary pupils. When in government, the roll-out to all primary 1 to primar...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP
That is enough questions.
Monica Lennon Lab
—the SNP will fulfil its promise to Scotland’s children?
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP
It is not three, four or five questions: it is one question.
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
I am very proud of what the Scottish Government has delivered with the universal provision up to P6, our work to deliver based on Scottish child payment elig...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP
It is hugely encouraging to hear about the ambitious action that the SNP Government is taking through its delivery plan, and I welcome the breadth of the mea...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
Because of the Scottish Government’s actions, the proportion of children in Scotland who are living in relative poverty has reduced, with the 2023-24 rate be...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green) Green
The Poverty and Inequality Commission has told us that we will not meet the 2030 targets without additional social security support. Scottish Parliament info...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
I was very grateful for the work that the expert group undertook to look at a minimum income guarantee. Although it raised some challenges and recommendation...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD) LD
The cabinet secretary should have admitted that the Government has failed to meet its target on the poverty-related attainment gap and has also failed to mee...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
That focus has always been there, as is demonstrated by the fact that previous plans have also looked at the root causes of poverty and how to tackle them. T...
Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) SNP
I welcome the delivery plan and the impact that these measures will have on households in my constituency. Will the cabinet secretary set out more detail of ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP
I mentioned some of those measures in the answer that I just gave to Willie Rennie, but I will point again to the £9 million going to colleges through the RI...