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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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2,354,908
Hansard contributions
1999–2026
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Showing 60 of 2,354,908 contributions. Latest 30 days: 0. Coverage: 12 May 1999 — 25 Mar 2026.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
The substantive agenda item this morning is further consideration of the report “Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”, which we took evidence on from the Auditor General and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland on 11 Februar...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Our main agenda item is consideration of the report “Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”, which is a joint report by Audit Scotland and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland. We are pleased to welcome witnesses from both HMI...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
26 Jun 2018
National Health Service 70th Birthday
As we celebrate and reflect on 70 years of the national health service in this debate, let us remind ourselves of the vision for a healthy nation that was first outlined in Labour’s 1945 manifesto. It read: “By good food and good homes, much avoidable ill-health can be preven...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
09 Jan 2019
Life Sciences Sector
I am pleased to open the debate on behalf of the Scottish Labour Party. There is little doubt about the vast economic contribution that the life sciences industry makes to the Scottish economy. Just this morning, Rhoda Grant and I visited the world-renowned Roslin institute, w...
The Convener Lab Committee
21 Apr 2022
Section 23 Report: “New vessels for the Clyde and Hebrides: Arrangements to deliver vessels 801 and 802”
Welcome back to the second half of this morning’s meeting. Agenda item 3 is our first consideration of the Audit Scotland report into arrangements for the delivery of vessels 801 and 802. I welcome to the meeting the Auditor General for Scotland, Stephen Boyle, who is joined b...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Thank you. I ask each of you in turn to say whether you accept the findings and recommendations of the best value report. Mr Hay, you said in your opening remarks that you accept them. I do not know whether you want to confirm that.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Thank you very much for answering our questions on that incident. That is not why you are here, but it is of extreme public interest, so we wanted to cover some of that ground.If I may, I will take you back to the report on best value in policing and a matter that is perhaps f...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
That might be a question that, I presume, the Scottish Police Authority would also have some thoughts on.We have come to the end of our time. I thank you for the evidence that you have given us this morning. This is the second-last meeting in public of this parliamentary sessi...
Richard Leonard Lab Chamber
31 May 2017
Protecting Workers’ Rights
Our stance is that power should be taken to the level at which it is most appropriate for it to be exercised. Let me return to the Tories. Members should not be deceived by what they have heard this afternoon. They should not be deceived into thinking that the Tories can be t...
Richard Leonard Lab Chamber
07 Mar 2019
First Minister’s Question Time · Scottish Independence (Currency)
Yes, I will—I said that on Tuesday afternoon. The answer to the question that I asked is that £40 billion of foreign exchange reserves would be required, and that is before we look at the reserves needed to ensure bank deposits and before Derek Mackay’s austerity programme t...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
23 Apr 2019
Open University at 50
I thank Claire Baker for lodging the motion for this important parliamentary debate. The Open University stands as one of the Labour Party’s greatest achievements, and it has close associations with Scotland. Jennie Lee was its driving force and Walter Perry was its first vic...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
04 Sep 2019
Programme for Government 2019-20
As I reminded the First Minister yesterday, in last year’s programme for government we were told that “Closing the attainment gap and raising standards in ... schools remains the Government’s overriding mission”,—Official Report, 4 September 2018; c 20. yet this summer’s exa...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
13 Aug 2020
Motion of No Confidence
The vote of no confidence in the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills—the Deputy First Minister—this afternoon is not about personalities, and it is not about retribution for what happened last week with the Scottish Qualifications Authority shambles. It is about the pri...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
02 Sep 2020
Programme for Government 2020-21
This is the last programme for government in this session of Parliament, but it is by far the most important. In the next seven months we have the opportunity to set the agenda not just for the course of the pandemic, but for the next decade—for the next generation. We are li...
The Convener Lab Committee
09 Sep 2021
Section 23 Report
The main purpose of this morning’s session is to look at the section 23 report that was brought out in March this year jointly by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission, which looked at improving outcomes for young people through school education. I am d...
The Convener Lab Committee
28 Oct 2021
“Covid-19 vaccination programme”
The third item on our agenda is evidence from Audit Scotland on its briefing paper, “Covid-19 vaccination programme”, which was produced recently. Our witnesses will give evidence on the research and audit that has been carried out by Audit Scotland. I welcome Stephen Boyle, t...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
18 Nov 2021
Road Safety (Falkirk)
Down the years, Stephen Kerr and I have stood on opposite sides of the barricades. Ours is an unashamedly ideological clash and an honest and sincere political division, which stretches all the way back to the miners’ strike of 1984-85 and beyond. Given that history, there is ...
The Convener Lab Committee
03 Mar 2022
“Social care briefing”
Agenda item 2 is consideration of the “Social care briefing” that the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission published at the end of January. I welcome committee member Willie Coffey, who joins us remotely. We are joined in the committee room by Stephen Boyle...
The Convener Lab Committee
31 Mar 2022
“Drug and alcohol services: An update”
The next item on our agenda is consideration of Audit Scotland’s recent briefing on drug and alcohol services, which is an update report on some work that Audit Scotland has looked at over a decade or more. We are joined in the committee room by Stephen Boyle, the Auditor Gen...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Committee
10 May 2022
Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
I thank the committee for giving me the opportunity to speak to amendment 17, and I welcome those who have joined us in the public gallery. We are, in the end, a people’s Parliament, and we need to listen to and reflect the views of the people who send us here. Amendment 17 s...
The Convener Lab Committee
29 Sep 2022
“National Fraud Initiative in Scotland 2022”
We have two items of public evidence gathering on our agenda. The first is consideration of the Auditor General for Scotland’s report, “National Fraud Initiative in Scotland 2022”. Our witnesses from Audit Scotland, who are in the committee room, are Antony Clark, executive ...
The Convener Lab Committee
10 Nov 2022
“Tackling child poverty”
The principal purpose of our meeting is a round table to take evidence on the Accounts Commission’s and Auditor General’s briefing “Tackling child poverty”, which came out in September. I welcome our witnesses. We very much appreciate your being here and giving up your time. ...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
01 Dec 2022
World AIDS Day 2022
We have heard a lot in recent weeks in this Parliament about the founding principles of the NHS. We need to apply those founding principles of our national health service to the global community’s fight against international and intergenerational pandemics. That means that we ...
The Convener Lab Committee
23 Nov 2023
Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”
We turn to the principal item on our agenda, which is further consideration of the joint report on adult mental health by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission. I welcome our witnesses to the meeting. The committee is taking evidence in a round-table fo...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
01 May 2024
International Workers Memorial Day 2024
I thank Maggie Chapman for bringing forward this special debate, and I remind members of my voluntary register of trade union interests. Freedom of association is a basic human right. Trade unions are not just about wages; they do have a political character. May day in Chicag...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Committee
01 May 2025
SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review
I should preface my remarks by saying that if you appear in front of the Public Audit Committee—which I am the convener of—invariably it is because things have gone wrong. The fact that you have not is probably a reflection on your good performance and conduct. I was quite ta...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
A very short final question.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Thank you very much. Before I bring in Graham Simpson, I note that you mentioned capital constraints. At, I think, paragraph 24, the report points out that the move from local authority-controlled policing to a single Scotland-wide force—that was a policy decision; it was not ...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Absolutely—they are contained centrally in the report that is before us. They have been identified by HM inspectorate and the Auditor General.Colin Beattie has some questions.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Over to you, chief constable.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Understood. Thank you very much for your time this morning, Alasdair Hay, Chris Brown, Don McGillivray, and director general Neil Rennick. I particularly thank you, chief constable, and deputy chief constable, for the time and the undertakings that you have given us this morni...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Mr Rennick, does the Scottish Government accept the findings and recommendations of this report?
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Chief constable, over to you.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Okay. Thank you. Would the chief constable or deputy chief constable like to comment on that?
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Before we get into the detail of the report, we want to speak about some more contemporaneous issues, as you are in front of a parliamentary committee. I should begin by declaring my interest as the convener of the Professional Footballers Association Scotland parliamentary in...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
We heard in your opening statement, chief constable, about changes in the nature of crime and how you have to gear up accordingly. However, what was witnessed on Sunday was a good old-fashioned football pitch invasion, followed by violent conduct and disorderly and threatening...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
That leads us neatly on to the final series of questions, which will be put to you by the deputy convener, Jamie Greene.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
You pointed out the silence from the two clubs that were involved in that match. Do you think that the football authorities in Scotland are doing enough to hold the football clubs to account? How does that compare with England, for example, or other Union of European Football ...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Thank you. Graham Simpson has a question or two in this area, so I will bring him in at this juncture.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Okay. Mr Brown or Mr Hay—do you want to comment on where we are with the IT investments?
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Mar 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
On this theme, finally, the deputy convener has some questions.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Thank you very much indeed for that introduction to the report. When I look at the key messages at the very start of the report, they give quite a positive picture. You use terminology such as “Financial management is strong” and “Governance arrangements are effective”, and yo...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Could you perhaps develop a little bit more—perhaps Mr Naylor can start on this—the theme of how that proliferation of strategies and plans is being produced, as you describe it, in a way that is not necessarily creating an alignment of purpose? How is that impairing the organ...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Thank you very much indeed. We now move to our final round of questions, and I invite the deputy convener to put those to you.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
There is time for a short final question.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Auditor General, I do not know whether you want to comment.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Thank you very much. I will now move us along to another area in which we are interested as a committee, and I invite Joe FitzPatrick to speak to that.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Before I bring in Graham Simpson, I will bring in the deputy convener, who has a supplementary question on equalities, which was touched on in the report that Joe FitzPatrick raised.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Okay. Thank you very much—that was a useful understanding of workforce wellbeing issues.We will now move on to talk about workforce planning, and I invite Colin Beattie to put some questions.
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
I thank our witnesses for what has been a very thorough session. We have covered a lot of ground, and I really appreciate the input that you have given us. It is up to us now to consider what our next steps are and whether some of the organisations that have been mentioned are...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
I suppose that one of the manifestations of having a more coherent approach is you producing a joint report with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland.Finally, I will touch on another area that is highlighted in the report that we are considering this morning,...
The Convener Lab Committee
11 Feb 2026
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
The choice of language is quite telling, is it not? It is not just an ambition to be non-racist and non-discriminatory; it is “anti-racist” and “anti-discriminatory”, which suggests that an active piece of work is under way.I now invite Graham Simpson to put some questions.
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
15 Jun 2016
Economy
In the front room of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers office in Crown Street in Aberdeen is a model, built by craftspeople—by metal workers—of the Piper Alpha platform. It serves as a reminder that, however we divide at the end of the debate, we must ...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
13 Sep 2016
More Homes Scotland (Investment)
I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. One of the principal reasons for the creation of this Parliament was the need to drive housing policy up the political agenda. A devolved Scottish Parliament with responsibility for primary housing legislation and housing ...
Richard Leonard Lab Chamber
14 Dec 2016
Taxation
I do not have time, I am afraid. We are deciding on a real budget, in which we can make positive choices. To members of this Parliament—from all parties—I say that we cannot turn our back on the homeless, or on our old-age pensioners, half of whom are living in fuel poverty t...
Richard Leonard Lab Committee
20 Dec 2016
Draft Budget Scrutiny 2017-18
Would you consider putting the apparatus of Government behind some of that cross-referencing work with other departments in order to identify where expenditure can best be targeted?
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
18 Jan 2017
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
The Highlands and Islands Development Board was created by politicians of vision. I am bound to ask the cabinet secretary where the political vision for the Highlands and Islands is in his mediocre phase 1 proposal. I do not say this lightly, but the proposal amounts to the re...
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab Chamber
22 Feb 2017
Industrial Strategy
I thank Colin Beattie for lodging the motion in the Parliament, and I thank Steve Fothergill and his team at the Industrial Communities Alliance for putting together their credible, radical and compelling strategy for reindustrialisation and a rebalancing of the economy. Stev...
Richard Leonard Lab Chamber
10 May 2017
National Health Service Pay
The last time that I checked, I was in the Scottish Parliament, addressing an SNP Government. What will the cabinet secretary say to the porters who toil long hours and work long weekends at Hairmyres hospital, to the on-call ambulance crews who are stationed across the count...
Richard Leonard Lab Chamber
10 May 2017
National Health Service Pay
Of course, the Tories want to stop trade unions having a political voice, too. Finally, I remind Parliament of the principles of the NHS as set out by Aneurin Bevan, who said: “Society becomes more wholesome, more serene, and spiritually healthier, if it knows that its citiz...
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Committee

Public Audit Committee 11 March 2026 [Draft]

11 Mar 2026 · S6 · Public Audit Committee
Item of business
“Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”
Leonard, Richard Lab Central Scotland Watch on SPTV
The substantive agenda item this morning is further consideration of the report “Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”, which we took evidence on from the Auditor General and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland on 11 February.We are joined by representatives from the Scottish Police Authority, Police Scotland and the Scottish Government. I welcome first of all from the Scottish Government Neil Rennick, director general of education and justice; alongside him is Don McGillivray, director of safer communities. We are joined from the Scottish Police Authority by Chris Brown, the chief executive, and Alasdair Hay, the vice-chair. Finally, we are joined by Chief Constable Jo Farrell, and alongside her is Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs, who has responsibility for professionalism and enabling services at Police Scotland. Good morning.We have questions to put to you on the report. Before we get to those questions, I would like to invite representatives from each of the organisations around the table to make a short opening statement. Beginning with the Scottish Government, I invite Neil Rennick to address us.

In the same item of business

09:30
The Convener Lab
The substantive agenda item this morning is further consideration of the report “Best Value in policing: Joint Best Value audit of policing in Scotland”, whi...
Neil Rennick (Scottish Government)
Thank you, convener. I will be brief. I am grateful to Audit Scotland and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for the report.The report is a positive ...
Alasdair Hay (Scottish Police Authority)
Thank you for the opportunity to give evidence. I have been a member of the Scottish Police Authority since 2021. I am the vice-chair of the authority and th...
The Convener Lab
Over to you, chief constable.
Chief Constable Jo Farrell KPM (Police Scotland)
Good morning. The principles of best value resonate powerfully with me. I believe deeply in the value that policing provides to the public and to the public ...
The Convener Lab
Thank you. I ask each of you in turn to say whether you accept the findings and recommendations of the best value report. Mr Hay, you said in your opening re...
Alasdair Hay
The authority accepts the findings and recommendations in full. We have already made progress on putting in place an action plan to respond to them, which wi...
The Convener Lab
Mr Rennick, does the Scottish Government accept the findings and recommendations of this report?
Neil Rennick
Yes, we do. We are committed to working with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority in taking forward the full range of recommendations.
The Convener Lab
Chief constable, over to you.
Chief Constable Farrell
Yes, we do. We have already begun the work to address the issues that are raised in the audit.
The Convener Lab
Before we get into the detail of the report, we want to speak about some more contemporaneous issues, as you are in front of a parliamentary committee. I sho...
Chief Constable Farrell
Within all our operational duties and commitments, obligations around human rights feature in planning, preparation and the deployment of resources, both to ...
The Convener Lab
We heard in your opening statement, chief constable, about changes in the nature of crime and how you have to gear up accordingly. However, what was witnesse...
Chief Constable Farrell
The events of Sunday afternoon were absolutely disgraceful. I condemn the people involved in violence. Fans, families, friends, people working at the clubs a...
The Convener Lab
You pointed out the silence from the two clubs that were involved in that match. Do you think that the football authorities in Scotland are doing enough to h...
Chief Constable Farrell
There are high-risk football matches across the United Kingdom. When I worked in north-east England, I worked at Newcastle v Sunderland and Sunderland v Newc...
The Convener Lab
Thank you. Graham Simpson has a question or two in this area, so I will bring him in at this juncture.
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Reform) Reform
Thanks, convener. I also used to live in the north-east of England and I have attended Newcastle v Sunderland matches. I have also attended many old firm gam...
Chief Constable Farrell
I have not spoken to either club. As of Monday evening, the clubs had not said anything in relation to the events of Sunday afternoon. They might have done s...
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs (Police Scotland)
There will be engagement with the commanders for the football. We have policed football matches in Scotland for many, many years, and there are two elements ...
Graham Simpson Reform
Were people assaulted outside the ground both before and after the game, or was it just before the game?
Deputy Chief Constable Speirs
There was a dreadful, serious assault outside the stadium involving spectators who were attending the match. Fortunately, some of our technology captured tha...
Graham Simpson Reform
One of the videos that has been widely seen was of supporters charging into the ground through a disabled access point, barging stewards out of the way. I ho...
Deputy Chief Constable Speirs
The stewarding of the match and spectator access to the match are stewarding matters. Looking at the circumstances, the turnstiles were rushed and a large pr...
Graham Simpson Reform
In that case, it did not look as though there were turnstiles. It must have been a door that was open or a gate.
Chief Constable Farrell
I think it was a fire door—I think.
Graham Simpson Reform
Okay. I turn to the events following the penalty shoot-out, when both sets of fans were on the pitch. I was not there; I was watching it on the telly, and it...
Chief Constable Farrell
That would seem to be an obvious action that needs to be considered and taken by the clubs. It is about how they ensure the safety of their broader fan base ...