Hansard

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

07 Jun 2012

First Minister’s Question Time · Secretary of State for Scotland (Meetings)

As he has mentioned Norway, I am sure that the First Minister will want to join me in welcoming the Prime Minister’s announcement this morning of an energy partnership with Norway, which will see multibillion pound investment in the North Sea.However, the First Minister somewh...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

07 Jun 2012

First Minister’s Question Time · Secretary of State for Scotland (Meetings)

This week saw a British aid worker being rescued in Afghanistan in a textbook raid by United Kingdom special forces. The daily work of our security forces at home is to look after our people and our assets. The First Minister has repeatedly staked the economic stability of a s...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

12 Jun 2014

First Minister’s Question Time · Secretary of State for Scotland (Meetings)

The code of conduct for special advisers is unequivocal both on what breaches the rules and on what the sanction for a breach should be. It says: “The preparation or dissemination of inappropriate material or personal attacks has no part to play in the job of being a special ...

Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con Chamber

28 Jan 2020

Holocaust Memorial Day

I thank the Government for introducing the debate in its time, rather than during members’ business. Every year, we mark Holocaust memorial day and every year, by definition, the holocaust slips further into history. This year marks 75 years since the liberation of the Auschw...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

31 May 2012

Scotland’s Future

I am sure that the First Minister will agree that, without the size, the strength and the credit rating history of the UK, a newly separate Scotland would not keep its AAA credit rating.However, let us move on to the currency. Following the First Minister’s long flirtation wit...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

02 Feb 2012

First Minister’s Question Time · Prime Minister (Meetings)

So, no answer then on the number of jobs that the First Minister plans to keep, just as there is no answer on what the one naval base in an independent Scotland would have in terms of minesweepers, destroyers or frigates, or on what would be done with the Marines and what woul...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

02 Feb 2012

First Minister’s Question Time · Prime Minister (Meetings)

Lord Robertson, the former secretary-general of NATO said that the First Minister’s plans have “no coherence or relevance”. He continued:“And what about logistical troops? Or combat support and combat service support? Engineers, medics, communicators, reconnaissance, surveilla...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

02 Feb 2012

First Minister’s Question Time · Prime Minister (Meetings)

He wrote:“Dear Ms Davidson,I am currently serving in the British Army and have done so for the past 2 years.I am due to deploy on operations in Afghanistan in early April, I love my job and am proud to serve this country.I am sure you are aware of the phrase ‘back of a fag pac...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

20 Mar 2013

Trident

Not at this time. The third key principle is that the UK’s nuclear deterrent supports collective security through NATO for the Euro-Atlantic area. Nuclear deterrence plays an important part in NATO’s overall defensive strategy, and the UK’s nuclear forces make a substantial co...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

07 Feb 2013

First Minister’s Question Time · Prime Minister (Meetings)

Despite the bulging-eyed bluster, the only thing that happened yesterday was that Mr Swinney cut college funding by more than £24 million while his back benchers clapped and cheered.Let us focus on only one body—quite apart from a welfare state, a Scottish treasury and a Scott...

Ruth Davidson (Glasgow) (Con) Con Chamber

18 Sep 2013

Scotland’s Future

In the run-up to today, the year-out point from the referendum, words such as “historic” “generational” and “once in a lifetime” have been regularly sprinkled in newspapers, on television and in interviews—rightly so, because this is an era of big politics in Scotland. We are ...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

18 Sep 2013

Scotland’s Future

I believe that our footprint around the world is such that we are in the top three defence forces in the world, given our commitment of gross domestic product to funding our force. Interruption.

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

20 Nov 2013

Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I would hope that their father would have helped to vote them that opportunity. Talking about the next generation is important because it is those people we must think about.Last year, the University of Cambridge conducted a huge body of research called “The School Report”. Th...

2. Ruth Davidson (Glasgow) (Con) Con Chamber

07 Aug 2014

First Minister’s Question Time · Prime Minister (Meetings)

I add the heartfelt thanks of myself and my party to those of the First Minister to everyone who helped to put on such a fantastic Commonwealth games in Glasgow. I add to those who have been mentioned all the members of the police and the armed forces who helped to keep Scots ...

Ruth Davidson (Glasgow) (Con) Con Chamber

16 Jun 2015

Remembering Srebrenica

I am thankful for having secured tonight’s debate and grateful to those who have supported the motion. With so much going on in Scottish politics, it would be easy to turn our gaze inwards and never lift our eyes to the horizon. Nevertheless, some things go beyond the immedia...

Ruth Davidson (Glasgow) (Con) Con Chamber

23 Mar 2016

Motion of Condolence

I support today’s motion and, in so doing, I extend my condolences and those of my party to the people of Brussels in the wake of yesterday’s tragic attacks. As with Paris four months ago, the Parliament stands united with the families of those who have been lost to another s...

Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con Chamber

29 Jun 2016

Srebrenica Genocide (21st Anniversary)

I thank Mike Russell for securing the debate and for his powerful contribution this evening. I alert members to my entry in the register of interests and the fact that I sit on Remembering Srebrenica’s Scottish board, although I admit that I have been a rather sporadic attende...

Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con Chamber

20 Dec 2016

Motion of Condolence

I thank you, Presiding Officer, and so many members from all sides of the chamber for attending Alex’s funeral last week. As I said at the service, Alex expressly instructed that he be buried on a Friday, so that the Scottish National Party could not win any votes while the To...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

04 Oct 2018

First Minister’s Question Time · Schools

I think that the transparency and openness of Government is a serious issue, which is worth highlighting. As the teacher says in the letter, their issue is not just about resources, but about workforce planning, a failure to implement policy properly and a failure to listen to...

Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con Chamber

02 Feb 2021

Covid-19

A return date for nurseries and early primary and for part-time schooling for older year groups is welcome and it will allow parents across the country to plan. However, it is clear that heavy restrictions will remain in place until enough Covid-19 vaccine is delivered to enou...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

03 Feb 2021

First Minister’s Question Time · Vaccination Programme

I thank the First Minister for that answer, but it would be good to hear when the six sites are projected to reach 20,000 vaccinations per week, as was promised. Yesterday, I asked the First Minister whether she would accept further help from the armed forces, which has been ...

Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con Chamber

16 Feb 2021

Covid-19

I thank the First Minister for advance notice of her statement. We have come to the chamber many times to call for the pace of the vaccine roll-out to pick up; we are delighted that it has happened. Scotland and the United Kingdom now lead the whole of Europe and much of the r...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

02 May 2012

First Minister’s Question Time · Prime Minister (Meetings)

The First Minister says that the police have primacy because their investigations are continuing, but the Culture, Media and Sport Committee at Westminster managed to hold an inquiry.When it comes to the First Minister’s conduct, we in Scotland need to look deeper than Leveson...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

19 Sep 2013

First Minister’s Question Time · Prime Minister (Meetings)

And ignore the IFS’s central projection, which is a £5.9 billion black hole in the finances.It is not just the IFS report with which the First Minister wants to show us a shiny thing in the corner and lead us away. This week, we have heard from the National Institute of Econom...

Ruth Davidson Con Chamber

12 Jun 2014

First Minister’s Question Time · Secretary of State for Scotland (Meetings)

This is not the first time that such questions have been raised in the chamber. In 1999, Donald Dewar dismissed a special adviser for giving misleading briefings to the media. Leading the prosecution was Alex Salmond. In the chamber, he challenged the then First Minister, stat...

Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con Chamber

16 Mar 2021

Covid-19

Today’s update, as briefed, has started to give some clarity on when various sectors can reopen. Frankly, they were calling for and expecting that clarity three weeks ago, when the First Minister said that she would reveal her road map out of the restrictions. Notwithstanding ...

Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con) Con Chamber

23 Mar 2021

Motion of No Confidence

We are here today because a former First Minister was accused of sexually harassing members of staff in a Government that he was there not only to lead but to serve. We are here because the hastily changed policy that was designed to protect staff from such actions was not fit...