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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.

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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.

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Stoma-friendly Toilets (National Health Service)

I thank the minister for that, and I thank her for her work during this parliamentary session in helping me to achieve my aim. As a result of my campaign, I am pleased to report that NHS Highland has made good progress in making its accessible toilets stoma friendly. I am also...

6. Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Portfolio Question Time · Stoma-friendly Toilets (National Health Service)

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS boards have all of their accessible toilets as stoma-friendly toilets. (S6O-05706)

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

As this will be my last speech in the Parliament, I hope that the minister will excuse me if I touch only briefly on the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill. It is nothing like what we were promised in 2016. I agree with the minister that crofting needs a simpler future to s...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Climate Change Plan

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. With respect, I find that answer to my question to be troubling, because it is clear that the NZET Committee called for drop-in fuels—not just biofuels but a combination of fuels to allow diesel vehicles to continue to work. I find it di...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Climate Change Plan

Finally, we have the climate change plan, on the penultimate sitting day of the parliamentary session. In the 40 minutes that we have had to look at it—let me be clear that I have always called for that period to be much longer—I have found no clear synopsis of the changes fro...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I remember that we started looking at the issue of crofting reform when I first came into the Parliament in 2016. It was agreed that crofting reform is not just about crofting but about keeping the population in the crofting areas and providing a sanctuary for language and peo...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I have listened carefully to what the minister has said, which gives me some confidence. However, I will make a small observation: crofting commissioners are paid £10,812 a year for working four and a half days per month. If it were decided that an additional commissioner was ...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I will not give in to temptation and say that that might prove too difficult for some landlords. As Dr Allan knows, the current representative of landlords’ interests on the commission is a Gaelic speaker, so theirs is dual-hat position. I very much take his point, but I am tr...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I will just finish this point and then I will come back to Dr Allan.If amendment 56 is not agreed to, my amendment 57 would provide an option for the commission—without forcing it—to co-opt a member who represents the interests of landlords.

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

The two amendments in my name are the only ones in the group. The amendments relate to the representation of landlords’ interests on the Crofting Commission. Before anyone questions that, I advise that I am not a landlord and I have no landlord’s interest. I am purely a tenant...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I will keep this short and sweet. I understand what the minister says, but practical experience tells me that my amendments would be a sensible way forward. Therefore, I will press amendment 51. If it falls, I will not move amendments 52 to 55. The Conservative members will su...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I have five amendments—51 to 55—in the group. These amendments are about promoting communication between the crofter and the landlord at the point of registration. We all agree that registration of crofts is absolutely critical and it has been Government policy for a while. Th...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3

I thank the minister for taking the time to meet me and trying to find compromise. Sometimes that is not possible, but he tried very hard on this, and for that I am grateful.In relation to common grazings, I am sad that we have not resolved the issue of what are often called s...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

First Minister’s Question Time · Care Home Deposit Fees

Many care homes do not charge deposits, but when they do, the deposit can be up to three months of costs, which could be in excess of £20,000 per resident. That means that some individual care homes are sitting on, and earning interest on, £1 million-worth of deposits.It has t...

5. Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

First Minister’s Question Time · Care Home Deposit Fees

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to regulate deposit fees in care homes. (S6F-04773)

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill

I share the view of the cabinet secretary that the system should treat everyone equally. My fear is that the bill will make the situation unequal for those who have responded to the call of their country to do what they are asked to do. I do not need to mention that three Scot...

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill

I have one more question. Cabinet secretary, what I know is that the majority of us have no idea what it is like for the people whom we ask to serve their country and whom we throw into harm’s way. Decisions must be made in split seconds, when things go—excuse the vernacular—b...

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill

A legacy commission is being set up by the bill, which you support. Will the legacy commission look at both sides of the argument, unlike what happened in the past, before the 2023 bill, when it was just soldiers and servicemen and women who were hauled before the legacy commi...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill

Thank you, convener. I am grateful that you have allowed me to join your meeting this morning. In my 10 years in the Parliament, it is the one committee that I have not attended.I want to make a declaration up front, so that everyone knows exactly where I am coming from. I was...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

We have finally reached the last stage of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. I am sure that, for many, it has been a long and uncomfortable journey. We have all had to consider our own mortality and that of our constituents. Looking death in the eye ...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

I will now move the meeting into private session.09:27Meeting continued in private until 10:34.

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Sorry, but when we considered the negative instrument—the Environmental Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) (Scotland) Regulations 2026—I failed to be clear. I want to know whether the committee agrees that it does not wish to make any recommendation in relation to the i...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

We will write to the Scottish Government to that effect.We now move into private session. I suggest that we move to the private agenda items directly, because we have a lot of work to do.09:26Meeting suspended.09:27On resuming—

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Agenda item 6 is consideration of a further proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating in a devolved area as set out in the UK statutory instrument proposal? for the Green Gas Support Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026. The proposed regula...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

We will write to the Scottish Government to that effect.

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Item 5 is consideration of the proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to UK Government legislating in devolved areas, as set out in the UK statutory instrument proposal for the Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Regulations 2026. The proposed regulations would introd...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Is the committee happy to delegate power to me to write to the Government on behalf of the committee to inform it of Sarah Boyack’s comment about monitoring and Mark Ruskell’s comment about the UK-wide approach to the instrument when we notify it that we have considered the in...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Welcome back to this meeting of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. The next agenda item is consideration of an SSI that has been laid under the negative procedure, which means that it will come into force unless the Parliament agrees a motion to annul it. No such mo...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Thank you, cabinet secretary. As you have had the last word, we will briefly suspend the meeting before we move on to the next item of business.09:18Meeting suspended.09:20On resuming—

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Before you disappear, cabinet secretary, you have engaged with the committee quite heavily over the past few years on land reform and various other matters. Disappointingly, I did not always get my way on the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, but I—and, I think, the committee—have ...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Do committee members agree to delegate authority to me, as convener, to approve a draft of the report for publication?Members indicated agreement.

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

As there are no more questions, we will move on to agenda item 3, which is a debate on motion S6M-20874.There are no contributions from members. Cabinet secretary, would you like to comment, or would you like to just move the motion?

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

I was looking for a simple answer, and I think that the answer that you have given me is yes.

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

My concern, since we first heard about the instrument, has been that, in order to make it work, we will have to enforce it. That will mean taking responsibility for policing it in some ways. I guess that the policing falls to the UK Government, but are you saying that, if ther...

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

I will ask a very simple question. The instrument talks about “Scottish persons” and the responsibilities of the Scottish Government. What does it mean for policing? Will the Scottish Government be responsible for policing or prosecuting Scottish persons?

The Convener Con Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Item 2 is consideration of a draft statutory instrument, on which the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee has made no comment. I welcome Mairi Gougeon, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands. She is accompanied by her supporting officials: Micha...

The Convener (Edward Mountain) Con Committee

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Good morning, and welcome to the 13th meeting in 2026 of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. I welcome Sarah Boyack, who will be substituting for Monica Lennon this morning.Our first item of business is a decision on taking items 7, 8 and 9 in private. Item 7 is cons...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

I wonder whether the member sees the problems that many of us have with regard to money for palliative care being moved aside if this bill is passed. That is deeply difficult for many of us to understand. Not having proper palliative care would, I feel, be a form of coercion w...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My voting app would not connect. Bizarrely enough, I would have abstained.Members: Ooh!

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

I raised the issue in Parliament the other day, after you wrote to the committee before the stage 3 debate saying that there was no extra funding and that the funding would have to come from within the existing national health budget. Can you confirm that that remains the case...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

What I am trying to get my brain around is that we voted for an earlier amendment that means that the medical professional has to sit with the patient until the patient has died, and I am still not clear about what happens when things do not work out as anticipated after they ...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

This is only the second time that I have spoken in the debate, and I have lodged no stage 3 amendments, which is unusual for me.This part of the bill troubles me more than most parts of it do. When is it appropriate to raise the issue of assisted dying? I do not support the bi...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Business Motions

This is a difficult problem for the Parliamentary Bureau to wrestle with. I will not be clever and try to suggest all sorts of answers. However, one thing that is clear to me from my short time—10 years—in the Parliament is that, when we sit late towards midnight, we tend not ...

Edward Mountain Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Unfortunately, I pressed the wrong button. I voted no when I should have abstained. I know that I cannot change my vote, but I would like to put that on the record.

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

With respect, cabinet secretary, if 25 per cent of my cows died every year, I would be out of business, and I would not want to continue, because I would be sickened by it. I leave it at that.

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

My final question is this. If the figure reached 10 per cent and there were fish pens across Scotland where 10 per cent was being exceeded in every production cycle—I can point you to a few, cabinet secretary, but I will resist the temptation to do that—would that be an accept...

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

The figures are remaining stubbornly high and well above the numbers that the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee considered to be totally unacceptable. Let us translate that to other stock across Scotland. There are about 6.5 million sheep in Scotland. If 1.5 million wer...

Edward Mountain Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I remind members that I am a board member of Fisheries Management Scotland.I welcome the committee’s interest in salmon mortality rates, which reflects the work that the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee undertook in 2018. I draw the cabinet secretary’s attention to rec...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Committee

Salmon Farming in Scotland

I remind committee members and members of the public that my entry in the register of members’ interests shows that I am a joint owner of a wild salmon fishery on the River Spey. The River Spey is on the east coast of Scotland and is not directly affected by salmon farming on ...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con Chamber

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

This is the first of the few times that I will speak to the bill at stage 3. I start by saying how much I think that our debates on the amendments have shown the Parliament in a good light, in that we have all been able to talk across the issues. I thank the member in charge o...

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

My other comment is that I remember the committee’s first meeting with ESS, at which our relationship was pencilled out. It was to be close, but it was not to be one in which one would tell the other what to do. I think that that will be the basis of any future relationship th...

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

As no other members have questions, I will just make two comments, one of which is, in a way, a question.Of course, we do not have the final climate change plan yet; it is up to the Government to lay it, if it wants to, by the end of this parliamentary session, but it does not...

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

That is good. I will bring in Michael Matheson.

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

You are saying that public bodies have got used to your existence—I think that that is the expression that you used—but you are pretty sure that they have not become too comfortable with your existence.

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

Looking forward to the work in the areas that you want to concentrate on—some is proactive and some is reactive—how will you make sure that you spend enough time getting the right responses from your work in the reactive areas? I am slightly concerned. I am keen that, if you s...

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

Mark, do you want to come in on that?

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

Thank you very much. I get to ask the first question. What lessons did you learn from your first strategy document about how to implement your second strategy document?

The Convener Con Committee

Document subject to Parliamentary Control

Welcome back to this meeting of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.The fourth item on our agenda is consideration of Environmental Standards Scotland’s proposed strategy for 2026 to 2031, which has been laid before Parliament under the procedure set out in the UK Wit...

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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2026 [Draft]

17 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

Harvie, Patrick Green Glasgow Watch on SPTV

I will give way.

In the same item of business

The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-21005, in the name of Liam McArthur, on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill at s...

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

This is a significant moment for the Parliament, so let me start by acknowledging some of those who have played their part in getting us to this point: the n...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

In a sense, I agree with what Liam McArthur says about section 104 orders coming back to Parliament. However, does he agree that much of the detail about how...

Liam McArthur LD

I understand Daniel Johnson’s point. I worked closely with the British Medical Association on the amendments that I lodged after stage 1 to provide reassuran...

The Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing (Tom Arthur) SNP

Unfortunately, Neil Gray, who up until today has led on Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill for the Scottish Government,...

Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) SNP

This will be my final speech in this place before stepping down next week after 10 years. It is a short speech and, of course, it is not political. However, ...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

We have finally reached the last stage of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. I am sure that, for many, it has been a long and unco...

Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) SNP

I thank Liam McArthur for the considered manner in which he has advanced the bill. In my 19 years in the Parliament, this has been the single most difficult ...

Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

When I was elected in 2021, I was undecided on the issue of assisted dying, although I knew that a decision was likely to be made on it in the current sessio...

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) Green

I start by recognising the hard work of Liam McArthur and everyone on his team, as well as the high quality of debate, which other members have acknowledged....

Daniel Johnson Lab

Will Patrick Harvie give way?

Patrick Harvie Green

I am not sure whether we have time in hand.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

There is time for a very brief intervention.

Patrick Harvie Green

I will give way.

Daniel Johnson Lab

Would the member accept that a number of the safeguards that are present in many parts of Australia are not present in the bill in terms of oversight? I am n...

Patrick Harvie Green

In looking at the various systems around the world, I do not believe that there is one that has this package of safeguards and measures. However, every membe...

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

I start by echoing the tributes that have been paid to my friend Liam McArthur and his excellent team for getting us to this stage.Throughout our considerati...

George Adam (Paisley) (SNP) SNP

I thank Liam McArthur for all the work that he has done on the bill.In my notes, it says, “Try not to cry during this debate,” because it means quite a lot t...

Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con) Con

I wish to make a declaration of interests: I am a practising NHS general practitioner, who is registered with the General Medical Council, and a member of th...

Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

In my five years as an MSP, I have had the great honour of hearing directly from people across my region and across Scotland. Many of those people have exper...

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Ind) Ind

It has been said many times during this stage 3 debate that we are dealing with the most important decision that we, as parliamentarians, have taken, and I w...

Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) SNP

If the bill to legalise assisted dying is not passed today, many people who have led a dignified campaign in support of a change in the law will be deeply di...

Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

It is on occasions such as these, when the matter that is under consideration is so challenged by complex ethical, moral, legal and practical questions, that...

Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Ind) Ind

I, too, thank Liam McArthur for the way in which he has engaged on the bill and with me.Last week, we considered the specifics of what the bill would mean in...

Evelyn Tweed (Stirling) (SNP) SNP

I start my speech with the words of Kate Buchanan, who was a constituent of mine. Kate said:“I don’t want to die, but I am going to … I want to be just like ...

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

This is undoubtedly the most consequential decision that we will make in this session of Parliament, just five days before its conclusion. Indeed, it is one ...

Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green) Green

At stage 1, I said that I supported the principles of the bill but not the specifics. I believe that the circumstances of our deaths should be as safe and co...

Humza Yousaf (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) SNP

I, too, thank Liam McArthur for the approach that he has taken in engaging with members across the chamber, on both sides of the debate. I do not think that ...

Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green) Green

I believe that life is precious. I believe that life is a gift. I believe deeply that all life has inherent worth. That worth does not diminish with illness,...

Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

Like others, I recognise the incredible work that Liam McArthur has put into the bill in the last week, the last month and this entire parliamentary session....