Holyrood, made browsable

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.

129

Current MSPs

415

MSPs ever elected

13

Parties on record

2,354,908

Hansard contributions

1999–2026

Coverage span

Official Report

Search Hansard contributions

Showing 31 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

I have said that it is for the Parliament to debate whether the idea is good. In my meetings with it, Universities Scotland has said that we need to have a fundamental debate about the matter. Brexit will present new opportunities and it is up to the Scottish Government to bri...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

No, thank you. This week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, stated unequivocally that universities and researchers will have funds guaranteed for research bids that are made directly to the EU, including bids to the horizon 2020 programme, which is a £69 billion...

Ross Thomson (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

Since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on 23 June, the SNP Government’s response has been to show nothing more than belligerence rather than diplomacy. Rather than grasping the opportunity that Brexit presents, the SNP is working only to frustrate the proce...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

No—I would like to make progress. Our world-leading universities will continue to collaborate with other European institutions, as well as collaborating with institutions elsewhere in the world. The EU-funded Ebola research programme, which involves the universities of Oxford...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

No, I will not. We have 5 minutes to speak, but it is not long enough, as we know. In fact, all the SNP can really muster to say in the 50 plus pages of its document is, “Give us everything we want and we will take the threat of independence off the table—mebbes—for a while.”...

Ross Thomson (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

European Union Referendum (Reports on Implications for Scotland)

I, too, thank the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee for its work and for bringing forward the debate. It is most striking that the committee’s first report of 2016 calls for engagement from across Scotland. That is encouraging, and it demonstrates the i...

Ross Thomson (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Scotland’s Future in the European Union

Will the member give way?

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Scotland’s Future in the European Union

Will the member take an intervention?

Ross Thomson (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

European Union Referendum

Will the member take an intervention?

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

Thank you, but I am just getting started. What will define the Scottish Government is whether it can rise to meet those challenges and maximise Brexit opportunities for the benefit of Scottish further and higher education. I recently met Universities Scotland. The stark me...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

If Mr Johnson had allowed me to finish, I would have clarified that point. EU law requires that applicants from Scotland and the rest of the EU are treated equally, with Scottish students often missing out on funded places at our universities. That costs more than £80 million...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

Will the minister take an intervention?

Ross Thomson (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Sea Fisheries and End-year Negotiations

As has always been the case since the EU common fisheries policy came into existence, the position of UK fishermen is negotiated on their behalf by the EU, while Norway, as a sovereign nation, negotiates in the interests of its own fishermen and coastal communities. In the la...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Sea Fisheries and End-year Negotiations

I want to make some progress, but I will take interventions later. It is no wonder that our fishing communities voted overwhelmingly to leave the European Union. In so doing, they voted to take back control of our waters, so that UK fishing interests can be directly represent...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Sea Fisheries and End-year Negotiations

We can sit at the table ourselves with the powers that will return to this Parliament. I hope that that was an endorsement from the SNP of powers coming to this Parliament and MSPs making the decisions and representing our fishermen. In the current landscape, we are shackled ...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Sea Fisheries and End-year Negotiations

I am glad that Mr Stevenson did not dispute, as the First Minister has done, that powers over the area will come to this Parliament and that MSPs in this Parliament will decide Scottish fisheries policy—instead of having the incoherent, ineffective and democratically deficient...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

I would like to make some progress. Indeed, the House of Commons Exiting the European Union Committee heard evidence that the UK fishing industry might double its catch when we take back control of our waters. Brexit can herald the renaissance of our fishing industry for gene...

Ross Thomson (North East Scotland) (Con) Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

Since the historic referendum result on 23 June last year, the immediate go-to argument from the Scottish Government has been that Scotland voted to remain, conveniently side-stepping the fact that the EU referendum was a UK-wide vote. The Scottish Government acknowledged in i...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

Will the bashful nationalist Brexiteer MSPs, along with Labour colleagues, finally use this moment to vote with their heart and their conscience in support of triggering article 50, or will they remain cowards in hiding? Mr Russell says that this debate is about democracy, but...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

In reality, they are an unworkable fudge in which Scotland retains free movement and single market membership while the rest of the UK leaves. The SNP’s so-called compromise would slam down a hard economic wall between Scotland and the rest of the UK—a market worth 4 times mor...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

You did not take any—I will not take any from you.

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

We have heard the First Minister warn against the rise of populism across the world. However, the Government itself is repeating those very mistakes. In continuing to dilute the referendum results of 2014 and 2016—in dismissing the voices of no voters and leave voters—the SNP ...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

This Government is fundamentally incapable of uniting behind anything—it cannot even decide whether it supports the EU, EFTA, the EEA, or some other Norway-style arrangement. We have a “computer says no” Scottish Government, which is in total disarray: it is void of substance,...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

I believe in the talents and the ability of the people of Scotland. I am confident that we can make Brexit a success—Interruption.

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50)

I am confident that we can make Brexit a success and that Scotland will thrive and flourish outwith the EU as we enter a new chapter in our politics. That is why I will proudly vote for the Scottish Conservative and Unionist amendment this afternoon. 16:06

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

European Union Referendum (Reports on Implications for Scotland)

No. I am not even a minute into my speech. It could not be clearer that the Government’s so-called compromise proposals were never genuine or sincere; instead, they were just another move in the SNP’s independence game plan. However, as the Prime Minister has said, politics i...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

European Union Referendum (Reports on Implications for Scotland)

No, thank you. The security of people’s jobs is not a game, and the future of our country is not a game. I have lost count of the number of people from across Scotland who have contacted me since Monday to express their dismay and anger. That anger is particularly potent fro...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

European Union Referendum (Reports on Implications for Scotland)

No, I will not. We can imagine the palpable frustration from fishermen who now fear that the SNP will sell out their industry and coastal communities by dragging them back into the EU and the common fisheries policy. Alex Neil is absolutely right that the SNP and any pro-inde...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

European Union Referendum (Reports on Implications for Scotland)

No, I will not. A theme in the report is the option of EFTA membership for Scotland, which David Stewart highlighted. Maybe it was Alex Neil’s words of wisdom that led to the total and utter chaos that we have seen in the SNP today. There are reports that it is now considerin...

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

European Union Referendum (Reports on Implications for Scotland)

Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. The Scottish Government has abdicated its responsibility to promote Scotland’s interests in the negotiations that are to come. Interruption.

Ross Thomson Con Chamber

European Union Referendum (Reports on Implications for Scotland)

Thank you, Presiding Officer. The Scottish Government will be actively and aggressively talking down the UK Government’s efforts to achieve the best deal for the whole United Kingdom. It is up to the rest of us to stand up for the democratic decisions that we have made as a c...

← Back to list

Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 04 October 2016

04 Oct 2016 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Higher Education and Further Education (European Union Referendum)

Thomson, Ross Con North East Scotland Watch on SPTV

I have said that it is for the Parliament to debate whether the idea is good. In my meetings with it, Universities Scotland has said that we need to have a fundamental debate about the matter. Brexit will present new opportunities and it is up to the Scottish Government to bring forward its plans. Such a policy could help to ensure places for Scottish students and provide the bursaries to support students from the most deprived communities to get into university.

Our universities have raised natural concerns about research funding. My colleague Liz Smith mentioned that our institutions have shown tremendous adaptability in meeting numerous challenges, and they will no doubt continue to do so.

Members should bear it in mind that the vote on 23 June was to leave the structures of a political organisation—it was not a vote to turn our backs on our European neighbours. It was not about leaving Europe, and we will continue to co-operate closely with our European neighbours. We will now have the opportunity to look beyond the EU to some of the most exciting and dynamic regions of the world.

In the same item of business

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-01792, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on the implications of the European Union referendum for h...

The Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

I welcome the opportunity to open this afternoon’s debate. The people of Scotland gave a strong and unequivocal vote to remain in the European Union. I beli...

Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green) Green

The news on the funding status of students from the rest of the EU who are starting in 2016 is much welcomed, but we have already seen in evidence to the Edu...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I fully appreciate the point that Ross Greer makes. Staff and students in universities have made the same point to me when I have visited them, and they cont...

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

The minister knows that I agree with much of what she has said about post-study work visas, but there has been some indication that there will be a consultat...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

It would be absolutely fantastic to have a consultation; and it would have been really good to have had the consultation before the four institutions in Engl...

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

I want to be very clear at the start of my speech that further and higher education institutions in Scotland and, indeed, the UK are world class in terms of ...

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney) SNP

I wonder whether Liz Smith would like to reflect on something else that came from the Conservative Party conference: the Prime Minister’s remark that clinici...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I can allow Liz Smith some extra time for that intervention.

Liz Smith Con

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I agree with the cabinet secretary, up to a point. We need certainty and we need the message to be absolutely correct. However...

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab) Lab

We recently celebrated the news that five of our universities continue to be rated in the top 200 in the whole world—an astonishing achievement for a country...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Come to a close, please.

Iain Gray Lab

—and which we must now find ways to ensure survives the threat of Brexit.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

We move to the open debate. 16:17

Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) SNP

Scotland did not vote to leave the EU. We voted to remain. Scotland continually punches above its weight in research, which ensures access to competitive res...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I remind members that, as far as I am concerned, “in conclusion” and “finally” mean the same thing. 16:23

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

I think we can all agree that Scotland has one of the very best higher education sectors in the world. It is a tremendous achievement, of which Scotland shou...

Stuart McMillan SNP

On that point, will the member take an intervention?

Jeremy Balfour Con

I am sorry, but I need to push on. As recently stated by Nick Hillman of the Higher Education Policy Institute, universities are international institutes—an...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

I am very clear that universities do not need the EU for international collaboration, but they are already doing it. What is the upside for universities and ...

Jeremy Balfour Con

Bear with me—I will get there in a moment. As mentioned by Liz Smith, even if we leave the EU it does not mean that we will leave Europe or become less Euro...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Will the member give way?

Jeremy Balfour Con

I am sorry—I need to push on. It is possible for non-EU countries to contribute, based on their GDP. Clearly the UK will have to negotiate a new deal in ord...

Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) SNP

For once, I will not speak about colleges. I think that everyone expects me to speak about colleges all the time because I worked in one. However, while the ...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

One of the things that I have enjoyed most since becoming an MSP is the amazing visits that we get to go on. It is a huge pleasure and privilege for me to ha...

Liz Smith Con

Notwithstanding the very considerable downsides that we on this side of the chamber have admitted to, there are upsides. For example, we can do a lot, in par...

Daniel Johnson Lab

All that I heard was either about renegotiating our way back into programmes that we are in or about describing the international collaboration that we are d...

Jeremy Balfour Con

Is the Labour Party in favour of Brexit? Are you now campaigning for no Brexit?

Daniel Johnson Lab

We campaigned against Brexit—

Jeremy Balfour Con