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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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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
29 Mar 2007
The Future of Scotland
Order.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
29 Mar 2007
The Future of Scotland
Order. The member is clearly not giving way.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
28 Mar 2007
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Quickly.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
28 Mar 2007
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
I am afraid that the member has only one minute left.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
28 Mar 2007
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5785, in the name of John Scott, on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, on the reappointment of the Scottish public services ombudsman.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
28 Mar 2007
Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Bill
You will now be winding up for the Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Bill Committee, Mr Morgan.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
28 Mar 2007
Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Bill
We come now to the winding-up speeches.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
27 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
It is a common error. Well spotted.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
27 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Yes.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
27 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
As far as the textual changes are concerned, they cover the points that were made last week.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
27 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Convener, I am momentarily stunned by your suggestion that we might all be gathered here again for a further four years.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
27 Mar 2007
Instruments Not Laid Before <br />the Parliament
Will we deal today with the Inshore Fishing (Prohibited Methods of Fishing) (Firth of Lorn) (No 2) Order 2007 (SSI 2007/240), or is the letter that was faxed to the committee about the order just for information?
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
27 Mar 2007
Executive Responses
We have not really been consulted—we have just noticed that it is happening on the way past. If we had been consulted and somebody could have said whether it is good practice, that might have been a better position for the Executive to find itself in. However, it is clearly ju...
Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): Con Committee
27 Mar 2007
Executive Responses
It is an interesting comment, and the conclusion is clearly that the Executive should amend primary legislation rather than tinker with secondary legislation, draw inferences and go beyond its powers.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Education
Members should not intervene from a sedentary position. I have never had the pleasure of expelling a member from the chamber and it would be embarrassing for us all if I were to begin with a member of the Cabinet.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Education
Order.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Education
Mr Henry, the member is not giving way.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Education
That just goes to show that one should never ask a question until one knows what the answer is.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Education
The minister is back in time for the closing speeches. That is, of course, good practice that the Presiding Officers encourage at all times.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Education
We come to the closing speeches. I call Frank McAveety to close for the Labour Party.
Murray Tosh: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Crichton University Campus
That suggestion sounds perfectly sensible. I do not know whether ministerial guidance is necessarily the right mechanism to use, but I have no doubt that the minister can play a very important role.This issue poses a very significant challenge to the minister's political skill...
Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Crichton University Campus
As a former member for the South of Scotland, I would have wished to participate in the previous debate on the subject that was held some weeks ago, which was initiated by Dr Elaine Murray but, as members will recall, personal circumstances prevented my being in Parliament. I ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Scotland in the United Kingdom
I express my regrets to the three remaining members who wished to speak in the debate, but we must move to closing speeches.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Scotland in the United Kingdom
No, the member was nodding to my visual signal that he has only five minutes in which to speak.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Scotland in the United Kingdom
We come now to open debate. I will not be able to call all the members whose names are on my screen, but we will see what we can get through.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
22 Mar 2007
Scotland in the United Kingdom
You must be quick.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
21 Mar 2007
Park-and-Ride Sites (South Edinburgh)
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5715, in the name of Mike Pringle, on the lack of park-and-ride sites in south Edinburgh. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
21 Mar 2007
Cairngorms National Park Boundary Bill: Stage 1
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5758, in the name of John Swinney, that the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Cairngorms National Park Boundary Bill.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Subject to a pronoun check.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
The last sentence of paragraph 26 is clear to us, but it would be better if it started, "The Executive's views". There is also a pronoun problem in paragraph 24. This is not just pedantry—the wording makes us wonder what exactly is meant. I think that "they" refers not to the ...
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Yes. We should replace the pronoun with "IRIS".
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
The middle sentence in paragraph 18 also needs to be adjusted. It is clear to us that we mean that IRIS should have an enhanced role but, as it is written, the sentence suggests that the committee should have an enhanced role.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
I think it is the Borders, Euan.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
I do not think that you need to identify the solutions. You could just express your concerns and the future committee could consider them.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
But you will have to express the thought for members of that committee to be able to do that.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Perhaps you would like to draft a paragraph for inclusion in our report. We could consider it next week.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Perhaps it is up to the committee clerks to understand what we mean when we say that something is defective, or that it is defective but does not affect an instrument's validity. There is a distinction to be made in that respect.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
But we already cover that. Our reports already draw attention to defective drafting and, with regard to the more minor cases, say that they do not affect the validity of the instrument. We could abbreviate that to a reference to "technically defective drafting" to signal insta...
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
But surely the Latin terms that we use have become loan words or phrases, and are therefore perfectly acceptable—quod erat demonstrandum.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Oh, I see. It is not obvious that the dash introduces the italicised subheadings on the next page.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
There might be a continuity problem in paragraph 10, which ends with a dash.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
Stewart Maxwell's suggestion is good, but we should also say that our handling of such issues has improved. Perhaps we should have started inviting officials earlier in this session of the Parliament; their evidence has benefited us recently.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
We should nod in the direction of Executive officials and ministers, who are perhaps more used to reading comments in the Official Report that are critical and express frustration. When things work well, we should acknowledge that.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
The phrase "the Committee's success" gives the impression that we made a point and the Executive gave way, but the approach has been more constructive. There has been improved understanding on the part of many Executive bill teams.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Legacy Paper
We note that there were a number of bills to which the committee lodged amendments or to which the Executive lodged amendments in response to our comments. It might be appropriate to add that we have had a reasonably good dialogue with the Executive recently and that ministers...
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Instruments Subject <br />to Annulment
There is a gender point there, which you might wish to raise and pursue, convener.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Instruments Subject <br />to Annulment
We should do so as a courtesy to Mr Ewing.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Instruments Subject <br />to Annulment
The issues raised in our briefing on the orders relate to the breach of the 21-day rule. In the circumstances, we can probably accept the explanation given. Mr Ewing's point was about the failure to consult adequately the Mallaig and North West Fishermen's Association and the ...
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Instruments Subject <br />to Annulment
You could be in trouble for considering that point to be minor.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Instruments Subject <br />to Annulment
We wondered about that.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Executive Responses
I take it that you are ruling that that is an acceptable parliamentary term, convener.
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Executive Responses
That strengthens the argument for a single procedure, does it not?
Murray Tosh: Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Executive Responses
I agree. There is a slight difference in that the Executive has explained that, when an instrument contains negative procedure and no procedure, in the event that it is annulled the Executive may implement the no-procedure elements of the package from the same date if it so wi...
Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): Con Committee
20 Mar 2007
Executive Responses
I am happy with what is recommended.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
15 Mar 2007
Red Deer (Rum)
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5492, in the name of Jamie McGrigor, on Rum's red deer. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
15 Mar 2007
Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill
We come to closing speeches. We are behind the clock, so I am obliged to Jeremy Purvis for waiving his second speaking slot.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
15 Mar 2007
Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5632, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, that the Parliament agrees that the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill be passed.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con Chamber
15 Mar 2007
Scotland Malawi Partnership
The final item of business this morning is a members' business debate on motion S2M-5725, in the name of Karen Gillon, on Malawi. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
15 Mar 2007
Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Group 9 is on the cross-border transfer of prisoners. Amendment 12, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendment 14.
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con Chamber
15 Mar 2007
Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
If amendment 67 is agreed to, amendments 29 and 30 are pre-empted.
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Chamber

Plenary, 15 Mar 2007

15 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill
Tosh, Murray Con West of Scotland Watch on SPTV
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5632, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, that the Parliament agrees that the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill be passed.

In the same item of business

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh): Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5632, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, that the Parliament agrees that the Custodial Sentences and Weapons ...
The Minister for Justice (Cathy Jamieson): Lab
It is often said that a week is a long time in politics, but the past four years seem to have flown by as we have worked on comprehensively reforming our cri...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): Con
Will the minister give way?
Cathy Jamieson: Lab
Indeed.
Phil Gallie: Con
I thank the minister for giving way with her usual courtesy, but how on earth can she guarantee that the licence conditions will be met in full? Bail conditi...
Cathy Jamieson: Lab
Mr Gallie always raises questions about bail and people's responsibility to comply with conditions. The onus is absolutely on the offender: if conditions are...
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): SNP
Although there are aspects of the bill that we fully support, there are parts of it that still cause us significant concern. We are grateful to the minister ...
Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): Con
I apologise for being slightly late for the minister's speech. I was debating the matter on television with Bill Butler.During this morning's stage 3 proceed...
Cathy Jamieson: Lab
Will Mr Aitken enlighten members on the cost of the proposals in the amendments that he moved this morning, which were unsuccessful? What impact would those ...
Bill Aitken: Con
The minister will appreciate that if the amendments in my name had been agreed to they would have had an impact on the prison estate and another prison would...
Cathy Jamieson: Lab
I hope that Bill Aitken agrees that it is important to make a distinction between prisoners who are released on licence and shorter-term prisoners who are cu...
Bill Aitken: Con
I accept the minister's point in part, but if someone reoffends during the unexpired period of their sentence, they can be brought back to the court to be de...
Mr MacAskill: SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Bill Aitken: Con
I am sorry, but I am in my last minute.Offences at the lower end of the scale are not a serious matter, but when there is an accumulation of offences, someth...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): LD
We will support the bill today, as we did at stage 1, although we share many of the concerns that were outlined by Kenny MacAskill. The bill is only one part...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): Lab
I thank the Justice 2 Committee clerks, our advisers, the ministers and their officials and everyone who gave evidence and helped to shape the bill.I very mu...
Bill Aitken: Con
Will the member give way?
Jackie Baillie: Lab
Of course.
Bill Aitken: Con
Where has the member been for the past 10 years? After all, the Labour Party has had that long to change the current flawed system.
Jackie Baillie: Lab
The difference is that we are changing the system now. The record will show that the Tories did not do so and that, in fact, they wasted opportunities to mak...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): Green
This morning, Johann Lamont said that there had been attacks on the bill from both sides—from some who appear to want nobody to be sent to prison and from ot...
Gordon Jackson (Glasgow Govan) (Lab): Lab
The minister is right to say that the bill represents a fundamental—and good—change in the way in which we do things.There was no lack of clarity before. Whe...
Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): SSP
At First Minister's question time today, the First Minister said that the bill will end the Tories' provisions on the automatic early release of prisoners. O...
The Deputy Presiding Officer: Con
We come to closing speeches. We are behind the clock, so I am obliged to Jeremy Purvis for waiving his second speaking slot.
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): Con
It is with disappointment that I rise today. I had great hopes for the bill. Like Bill Aitken and others, including Colin Fox and Patrick Harvie, I feel that...
The Deputy Minister for Justice (Johann Lamont): Lab
The member obviously did not listen to my earlier explanation. When sentencing, judges take into account whatever they choose to take into account, including...
Phil Gallie: Con
If it is simply not true, minister, why on earth leave those words in the bill? They could have been removed. Given what the minister has said, it would not ...
Jeremy Purvis: LD
Will the member give way?
Phil Gallie: Con
I am sorry, but I am in my last minute. Patrick Harvie's points on education and addressing addiction were worth while. There is a need for longer terms in p...
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): SNP
I say to Phil Gallie that, if this is legislating in haste, I would hate to see us taking our time. After 10 years, it is probably time that we got round to ...