Beatrice Wishart
Scottish Liberal Democrats · Scotland
“I thank very much the people of Shetland, who put me here, and I thank my colleagues Willie, Alex, Jamie and Liam for their support. I hope that there will be more women on the Scottish Liberal Democrat benches after the election.”
“A plea was put out for funding to enable a well-known local man to access brain tumour treatment that is not available in Scotland. Within three days, the fund had raised more than £100,000 to help with on-going treatment in Germany. For a population of 23,000 people, that is quite remarkable.”
“I have heard numerous accounts of people coming to Shetland to take up jobs in the NHS or the council, only to leave a few months later because they cannot find permanent accommodation.”
“I thank Jamie Halcro Johnston for bringing this important debate to the chamber on this, the last day of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament. This will be my final speech in the Parliament and, appropriately, the debate is on the sustainability of Scotland’s remote, rural and island communities.”
“What people seek is the means to live and work in their communities and to survive and thrive in them, which entails putting investment into infrastructure and public services.”
“I leave now to return to my family and friends, who have supported me throughout my time here, and I look forward to a bright Shetland summer.”
The complete record
Every one of 344 lines we hold for Beatrice Wishart, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 7.
“I leave now to return to my family and friends, who have supported me throughout my time here, and I look forward to a bright Shetland summer. If I have a pearl of wisdom for the next intake of MSPs, it is that they should do what we all came here to do and make life better for our fellow citizens, and that they should do so by working together across the chamber, constructively and with kindness. 14:18”
“A plea was put out for funding to enable a well-known local man to access brain tumour treatment that is not available in Scotland. Within three days, the fund had raised more than £100,000 to help with on-going treatment in Germany. For a population of 23,000 people, that is quite remarkable. When tragedy struck my own family 18 months ago, when my dear son-in-law died suddenly, my daughter Louise and their children—Kieran, Leighton and Eve, my grandchildren—and the wider family felt the arms of the community wrap around us with love and support, and for that we will forever be grateful. I also appreciated the support from my colleagues across the chamber, including the Presiding Officer and the First Minister, during that difficult time.”
“I thank very much the people of Shetland, who put me here, and I thank my colleagues Willie, Alex, Jamie and Liam for their support. I hope that there will be more women on the Scottish Liberal Democrat benches after the election. None of us could do the work that we do without the teams who stand behind us, and I am very grateful for my team of Will, Helen, Kevin, Joy and Theo, and past staff Lily, Erin and Louise, who have worked hard and supported me over the past seven years. I also thank all the staff in the Scottish Parliament building who do so much to enable us to carry out the work that we do. I live in a wonderful community. Like any other place, it has its problems, including drugs, alcohol and domestic abuse, but it is also a generous community, as was demonstrated just last weekend.”
“I have heard numerous accounts of people coming to Shetland to take up jobs in the NHS or the council, only to leave a few months later because they cannot find permanent accommodation. This will also be the last time that I get to reinforce Shetland’s call for a network of subsea tunnels to link islands, which would be another development in the evolution of its transport connectivity. I am pleased to have been able to work with Alistair Carmichael MP and the tunnel action groups to make progress on that much- needed infrastructure development. Of course, I did not plan to come to the Parliament: I thank former MSP Tavish Scott for stepping down halfway through session 5 and throwing us into a whirlwind of a by-election in 2019.”
“What people seek is the means to live and work in their communities and to survive and thrive in them, which entails putting investment into infrastructure and public services. Despite Government promises, digital connectivity is still not 100 per cent available across island and rural areas, yet it is vital for sustainability in today’s world. The further away from the central belt a place is, the more it costs to deliver services there, and almost everything that people who live on islands need has to be brought in by ferry. A lack of housing for young local families and the high cost of travel are the two reasons that I most often hear for people leaving Shetland to live elsewhere.”
“I thank Jamie Halcro Johnston for bringing this important debate to the chamber on this, the last day of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament. This will be my final speech in the Parliament and, appropriately, the debate is on the sustainability of Scotland’s remote, rural and island communities. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve in the Parliament. I thank colleagues across the chamber for their kind words and for their friendship, and I wish Oliver Mundell, John Mason and the cabinet secretary well as they step down. During my time here, I have repeatedly spoken about the issues that affect the island and rural areas of Scotland. I have often said that islanders do not look for special treatment.”
“It is very important to all rural and island areas, where working the croft land provides economic and environmental benefits, enriches our cultural heritage and community and helps to counter depopulation. It is time for politicians from across Scotland to recognise and value crofting and its contribution to the rural island areas of the crofting counties. The Scottish Liberal Democrats will support the bill today, but it must be a stepping stone to wider crofting reform. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 17:22”
“The Scottish Government will need to understand not only how crofters approach crofting today but how it is changing and how they envisage the regulatory framework working for them in the future. The review will need to capture the differences in crofting practice across the crofting communities, so that they can be recognised in its recommendations. During the bill’s scrutiny, there were discussions about the complexities of common grazings. The specific review of the operation of common grazings, which must take place within five years, should be taken together with the overall review. The tradition of crofting is the backbone of agriculture in Shetland.”
“During stage 3, my party and I supported the Scottish Government’s amendment that requires a review of crofting law to begin within three years of royal assent. That review must be prioritised in the next parliamentary session and should not be left to the last minute. Crofters have already waited too long. I am concerned about the timescale and do not want to see another parliamentary session slipping by without adequate time being given to the much-needed review and action. The review must engage crofters from across the crofting counties. They are the ones who must tell the Scottish Government what crofting should look like and what is needed in the coming decades, not the other way round.”
“Such delays could create the perception that the Scottish Government does not recognise the importance of agriculture and crofting to Scotland. At stage 2, I put forward the Law Society of Scotland’s suggestion to provide certainty around the involvement of family members or hired labour in a crofter’s fulfilment of their duties. The wording that specified that such assistance is permissible was removed by the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993, and my amendment, which was accepted by the committee, reinstated that wording. I am grateful to the minister for working with me to ensure that that wording is replicated in the section on owner-occupier crofters, thereby providing consistency. It is long past time to have a serious review of crofting legislation, to stop making minor adjustments around the edges and to consolidate it.”
“I am pleased to speak for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill at stage 3. I, too, thank the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee convener, members and clerks, the bill team, those who gave evidence and the many organisations that sent briefings on the amendment stages of the bill. As I stated in the chamber at stage 1, and as other members have highlighted today, reform of the legal landscape around crofting has been slow to emerge. The bill is a welcome step, but it is not lost on those in the crofting counties that the Scottish Government has left it right to the end of the parliamentary session. Similarly, the Scottish Government has published the long-awaited rural support plan today, and it is disappointing that the Parliament has no time to scrutinise it.”
“I have only one amendment, and, coincidentally, it is the last one in my name before I leave the Parliament. Following my stage 2 amendment 168, amendment 1 makes a consequential change to section 19C of the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993. The stage 2 amendment clarified that a tenant crofter can fulfil their duty to cultivate and maintain the croft either personally, with the help of their family, or with hired labour. Amendment 1 would ensure that the same approach applies to owner- occupier crofters under section 19C, keeping both sets of duties aligned and consistent. I ask members to support my amendment. I move amendment 1.”
“Amendment 255 disagreed to. Section 22B The Presiding Officer: Group 18 is on the code of practice. Amendment 256, in the name of Douglas Ross, is grouped with amendments 257, 53, 258, 129 and 132.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not work. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Wishart. We will ensure that that is recorded. For Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Ind) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Abstentions Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 53, Against 63, Abstentions 3.”
“Ben Macpherson: The member is right to highlight the importance of the sector and its future potential growth, the necessity of making sure that we are skilling workers in our rural and island communities across the country and ensuring that the workers in those communities have appropriate educational opportunities, particularly in relation to growth sectors in their areas. I ask the member to read the letter that I sent the ECYP committee on 27 February. The skills planning work that I referred to will consider the regional aspects of how we do skills planning on a cyclical basis in order to meet the needs of the legislation that Parliament recently passed on 20 January. School Investment Programmes (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) 4.”
“The First Minister will have seen on his recent visit to SaxaVord spaceport the impressive progress that is being made at the most northernly space project in Scotland. Given that space is the future, what more can the Scottish Government do to ensure that the education and training skills that are needed in the defence, aerospace and space sectors can be accessed in the rural and island areas that are close to innovative developments such as the SaxaVord spaceport on Unst?”
“Siobhian Brown: I have not seen that report, so I would appreciate it if Beatrice Wishart would send it to the justice team so that we can look at it. As I have said, violence against women is completely unacceptable, which is why we are delivering the equally safe strategy and investing record amounts of money in services that support women who experience domestic abuse. I will be happy to engage further with Beatrice Wishart on the issue. Modified E-bikes and Off-road Vehicles (Antisocial Behaviour) 8.”
“To coincide with international women’s day, Shetland Women’s Aid published the results of its voices of women in Shetland survey. Fifty-seven per cent of respondents reported being affected by gender- based violence and, of those affected, nearly 60 per cent did not receive any support and more than three quarters chose not to report incidents to the police. It is concerning to learn that many women who experience harm are unable to access support or to report what has happened. What is the Scottish Government doing to support public services, including education providers, to challenge the culture of misogyny that makes it harder for gender-based violence to be reported and for survivors to be supported?”
“Work needs to be done now to procure extra tonnage to address that while the tender process is under way for the new freight flex vessels, as it will be years before those vessels are in service. Meanwhile, despite my raising the issue repeatedly, Transport Scotland seems to be caught out each autumn by the requirements of the annual livestock sales, with little forward planning evident.”
“Cliff- edge dates, beyond which bookings are closed, make forward planning difficult, while at the same time islanders are advised by the operator to book well in advance. Passengers struggle to secure bookings for cabins on the dates on which they need to travel, and even more so if they need to take their cars. The complexities of transporting time-sensitive freight exports from Shetland constrain local businesses and their ability to expand. High-value produce from Shetland such as seafood and livestock needs to get to market on time. Transport haulage companies in Shetland have told me of the investment and time that are required to navigate the limitations of freight capacity and meet customer demand.”
“I first raised the seasonal fares policy in 2021. The scrapping of peak seasonal fares for islanders on the northern isles ferry service will be a relief for island residents, who rely on the lifeline service all year round. The unfair fare structure became untenable after peak rail fares were scrapped. The Scottish Government, however, did not seriously engage on the issue until recently, and it has not escaped the notice of islanders that the announcement comes just before an election. There are many other on-going issues with the northern isles ferry service that the Government could address if it were so minded. I have long called for a new rolling system of bookings.”
“The transport secretary said yesterday that the total of 1,100 responses that Transport Scotland received to its northern isles ferry service consultation was “substantial for a project of this nature”—[Official Report, 3 March 2026; c 19.] In contrast to the cabinet secretary, however, I am not surprised by how many responses were received. In 2023, I undertook a survey on the NorthLink passenger service—it received more than 1,000 responses. I sent the results to the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland and received lukewarm platitudes, yet the issues that respondents raised were the same in 2023— Fiona Hyslop: Will the member give way on that point? Beatrice Wishart: I do not have any time; I am going to continue. Yet the issues that respondents raised were the same in 2023 as those that Transport Scotland reported in 2025.”
“Ferries are critical infrastructure for Scotland’s islands—islands that are, according to Scottish Government social media posts, “central to Scotland’s future”. No community should be left without viable lifeline services or experience the ferries fiasco that is outlined in the motion. Coincidentally, we heard again today at lunch time, at a meeting of the cross-party group on islands, convened by Jamie Halcro Johnston, about how critical it is that island communities have reliable ferries. It will come as no surprise to members in the chamber that my contribution today will focus on the northern isles.”
“However, a dog’s instincts mean that, as soon as it starts chasing behaviour, it can go from being playful, to a little bit of rough and tumble, to worrying, before the owner knows what has happened. I urge people not to think that, just because their dog has a lovely nature, it will not be a sheep worrier. Such behaviour can get the dog shot and have very serious consequences for the owner.”
“I recently held a round-table meeting with local stakeholders to discuss how best to promote responsible use of the outdoor access code to combat irresponsible dog ownership, livestock worrying and disturbance to ground-nesting birds. What more can the Scottish Government do to support local authorities and rural stakeholders in their role in education about the matter? Jim Fairlie: I am delighted that Beatrice Wishart has carried out that work, because the more widely that we spread the word that there are serious consequences to people walking their dogs, the better. People often say, “My dog wouldn’t do that, because my dog is nice and friendly. It wouldn’t harm a fly”.”
“We can debate whether that would ever have happened if we were talking about another group in society, but a combination of misogyny and ageism has resulted in 1950s-born women being overlooked by the grey suits in Whitehall. It is little wonder that older women often say that they feel invisible in our society. The irony is not lost on me that the WASPI cohort is from the generation that campaigned for women’s rights. We should not forget that the rights that women have today are in no small way due to the women who were born in the 1950s. Maternity pay and leave were not available to women who had their children in the 1960s and early 1970s. The UK Government should act on the recommendations from the ombudsman’s findings now—not for party politics, but because it is the right thing to do. 17:34”
“the life of a Parliament” and that “Alleged financial mismanagement by previous administrations is not an excuse and the Treasury has saved £181bn by increasing women’s State Pension age”. Had women had the facts presented to them at the time, they would have made different choices and decisions. They were living busy lives with families, friends and careers. More should have been done to provide the facts to the cohort of affected women. Now, those same women are being punished—for lack of a better word—for making decisions that made sense for them at the time and with the information that they had. Let us ask how many women gave up their jobs to look after parents. How much money did that save the state in social care costs? There is a distinct lack of fairness in all of this. The goalposts were moved without women being informed of it.”
“Picking and choosing the findings and recommendations of an organisation whose remit is to investigate complaints about UK Government departments and other public bodies is unacceptable. Asking wronged pensioners to pay the price of Government mismanagement is disgraceful. In the current cost of living crisis, two thirds of pension credit claimants are women and around 23 per cent of single, female Scottish pensioners live in relative poverty. We know that public finances are under acute pressure, but it is not fair for the UK Government to suggest that there is no case for compensation. According to the WASPI campaign briefing, “The PHSO said that financial circumstances are not an excuse for not paying compensation. Compensation payments could be phased over a number of years e.g.”
“Before the 2024 general election, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s investigation found that there was maladministration in informing the women who were affected about the first changes that happened, in 1995. There was also a recommendation of compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 for each of those affected. The Conservative Party left our economy in a shambles and waited out making a decision until after the 2024 election, cynically leaving it to the incoming Labour Government to handle the matter. As has been the overarching theme of the UK Labour Government, it has U-turned on its pre- election position that it would remedy the situation. The entire process has been shambolic, with a flagrant disregard of the independent PHSO’s findings and recommendation.”
“I thank Bill Kidd for securing this important debate. I also thank WASPI and Age Scotland for their briefings. Over the years, I have been privileged to meet so many determined 1950s-born women from across Scotland who have campaigned for the pension that they deserve and that, cruelly, is out of reach because of maladministration and lack of notice about age changes to their state pension. I have met many of those inspiring women through the cross-party group on WASPI or at home in Shetland: I continue to stand with you all. Many thousands of the 336,000 women across Scotland affected by the change have been left in financial hardship. I want to be clear that, as others have said, this is about injustice to real people. It is shameful that we are in the position of having this debate after successive Governments have failed to act.”
“Ecocide (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution 16:51”
“Motion agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that, for the purposes of section 11A of the Income Tax Act 2007 (which provides for Income Tax to be charged at Scottish rates on certain non- savings and non-dividend income of a Scottish taxpayer to be charged above the personal allowance), the Scottish rates and limits for the tax year 2026-27 are as follows— (a) a starter rate of 19%, charged on income up to a limit of £3,967, (b) the Scottish basic rate is 20%, charged on income above £3,967 and up to a limit of £16,956, (c) an intermediate rate of 21%, charged on income above £16,956 and up to a limit of £31,092, (d) a higher rate of 42%, charged on income above £31,092 and up to a limit of £62,430, (e) an advanced rate of 45%, charged on income above £62,430 and up to a limit of £125,140, and (f) a top rate of 48%, charged on income above £125,140.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Likewise, my app would not work. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Wishart. We will ensure that that is recorded. For Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Ind) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Abstentions Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-20844, in the name of Shona Robison, on the Scottish income tax rate resolution 2026-27, is: For 93, Against 29, Abstentions 1.”
“The member is right to highlight the need to retain the skills that we have now and pass them on to the next generation, as well as the need to meet the demand for those skills across the country. I will take away the member’s suggestion and will be happy to pick it up with Skills Development Scotland. Access to Childcare (Western Isles) 4.”
“The lack of provision in traditional building skills training in local colleges for young people in rural and island areas of Scotland creates an obstacle for those who are interested in a career in the sector. I have met industry representatives who have highlighted a delivery model in Canada and Ireland, where a mobile training facility was developed to allow for local training provision in key trades. Will the Scottish Government consider the development of such a mobile training facility to allow all young people in Scotland to have the same opportunities for careers in the traditional building sector? Ben Macpherson: I met relevant stakeholders recently to discuss traditional building skills.”
“These regulations are intended to ensure that cases of damp and mould are inspected quickly and dealt with promptly by landlords in the social and private rented sectors. We would all agree that the roll-out of that law across Scotland will ensure that no one has to live in a damp and mouldy home.”
“People can find themselves homeless for a variety of reasons and they deserve a warm, habitable space as well as being treated with dignity. This week, I heard from a constituent who was moved from emergency accommodation six years ago. He describes now living in an old, cold and damp house. What more can the Scottish Government do, considering the average age of housing stock, to ensure that both permanent and emergency forms of accommodation are in good condition? Màiri McAllan: I could point Beatrice Wishart to a number of measures and I am grateful to her for raising the matter with me. Perhaps the most relevant example involves the regulations to implement Awaab’s law in Scotland, which I recently put before the Parliament.”
“The First Minister will be aware of the recent research from the University of Strathclyde’s centre for energy policy, which indicates that jobs at the Sullom Voe oil terminal depend on BP’s decision on the Clair expansion. It is estimated that around 250 jobs could be impacted across the Shetland economy, which would be devastating for our island community. Can the First Minister indicate what action his Government will take following that new research?”
“The construction of the infrastructure also means an increase in noise pollution, for example from the pile-driving that is needed for offshore wind turbines. To conclude, we need measures to ensure that we maintain our native species and habitats. Nature champions are a great way to raise awareness, and I wish the incoming 2026 cohort of MSP nature champions well in that endeavour. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Wishart. Had I known that you were going to mention the Scottish primrose, I probably would have given you another three minutes, but there you go. 17:58”
“Shore watching provides citizen science data, allowing expert workshops to identify global whale and dolphin habitats that are in need of protection. In 2022, I was especially proud to have won the MSP nature champion of the year award, following my involvement in the campaign to stop at-sea explosions. Orca and other marine mammals can be severely injured in shock waves that are produced by detonations of unexploded ordnance on the seabed. Changes to the law to ensure that low-impact methods are used to neutralise those weapons better protect marine animals, but more work is required to change the law on noise limits, as noise can cause harm to whales and dolphins. The rush to use sea spaces to provide transition to renewable energy can impact seabirds and ocean creatures as well as the fishing sector.”
“Liam McArthur—as you will know, Deputy Presiding Officer—champions the Scottish primrose, and I think that the difference in and between those two species reflects the diversity of the natural world in the northern isles. Orca, which are often referred to as killer whales, are in fact members of the dolphin family. David Attenborough’s “Wild Isles” series began with stunning scenes of a pod of orca off Shetland. None of that would have been possible without the keen eyes of local people, armed with a WhatsApp group, to alert the production crew of sightings. There was another sighting of orca of Shetland only yesterday, with wonderful images of them on social media for those of us who missed them. I have been privileged to work with Whale and Dolphin Conservation and, like Douglas Ross, I have taken part in shore watches.”
“I thank John Mason for bringing this important debate to the chamber, and I thank Scottish Environment LINK for all its work and for its briefing, which highlights the stark level of on- going nature loss in Scotland, including the fact that one in nine species are at risk of national extinction. There is much going on in the world of politics, but we should never forget that we face the twin challenges of the climate and biodiversity crises. What a great initiative it is to have 100 MSPs champion Scotland’s threatened and iconic species and habitats. It has spawned similar programmes in the UK Parliament and the Welsh Senedd, and within Scottish communities and local authorities. I am proud to be the MSP nature champion for orca.”
“Scottish Liberal Democrats will support the bill at decision time. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 17:32”
“I was pleased to lodge amendments to ensure that local communities and neighbouring land managers will be properly considered when deer control schemes are proposed, giving them greater involvement in processes that might affect them. I am also pleased that my amendments on the muirburn licensing scheme, which was created by the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024, were supported. The changes will enable high-quality muirburn training to take place under licence and improve regulatory clarity for the making of muirburn on peatland while retaining strong environmental oversight. At stage 1, I stated that we had an opportunity to take action on the environment. By passing the bill this evening, we will take an important step towards realising that opportunity.”
“Part 2 of the bill was removed by the committee at stage 2 due to concerns that its provisions could weaken nature protections in Scotland. I appreciate that the Scottish Government listened to those concerns and did not attempt to re-insert those provisions. Part 4 of the bill modernises the provisions of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996. As I underscored at stage 1, it is important that the changes do not impact the trust in the sector that underpins voluntary deer management, which is vital for controlling deer numbers in Scotland. Consultation and co-design with stakeholders will be vital to ensuring that we get the code of practice right.”
“Although, according to the bill, targets may be created for both terrestrial and marine environments, it is not the appropriate vehicle for other marine matters that require appropriate evidence bases, consultation and co- design with stakeholders. Amendments were proposed that would have cut across existing and on-going marine work including the inshore fisheries management improvement programme and the new national marine plan, where nature recovery will be a key objective alongside addressing climate change and supporting a sustainable marine economy. However, I hope that the Scottish Government takes note of the strength of the frustration that has been expressed about the length of time that those things are taking and the concerns about the resourcing of the marine directorate. My comments on those matters are well documented.”
“Although in the end, I did not move my amendment that would have given legal underpinning to the forthcoming national INNS action plan, the debates that we have had on the issue have underscored the need for action, and I note that the cabinet secretary has put on record the Scottish Government’s commitment to doing so. I look forward to the outcomes of the Environmental Standards Scotland INNS investigation, and I trust that the recommendations resulting from that work will feed into the INNS plan in collaboration with stakeholders. Although I will not be here then, I will be watching. Several marine issues were raised in the debates on amendments.”
“It explicitly links the new statutory targets to the existing biodiversity duty, so Scotland’s public bodies and office holders will have to take the biodiversity targets into account when fulfilling their public sector biodiversity duty. That will align the whole public sector behind the implementation of the targets, removing the risk of a top-down approach and improving the consistency of approach to biodiversity ambitions across the public sector. Invasive non-native species, or INNS, are a key driver of biodiversity loss in Scotland.”
“In particular, I thank Scottish Environment LINK, RSPB Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates for working with me on amendments. Scottish Liberal Democrats recognise that the climate crisis and biodiversity loss are not separate issues but are deeply intertwined. Scotland is on the front line of biodiversity loss, with one in nine species at risk of national extinction. Scotland ranks 212th out of 240 countries for biodiversity intactness. Part 1 of the bill enables the Scottish ministers to set targets for improving biodiversity. Targets have the potential to focus efforts to address the biodiversity crisis. I was pleased that my amendment at stage 3 was agreed to.”
“I am pleased to speak this evening for the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Throughout the bill’s process, it has been encouraging to see the passion and care for the environment that is evident among members of the Parliament. I place on record my thanks to the convener, members and clerks of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee and to the legislation team. I also thank the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity and Scottish Government officials for their constructive engagement with me. I also thank all the stakeholders who gave evidence at stage 1, sent briefings and met me to discuss the bill and to share their expertise.”