Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“As Ukraine works to consolidate recent gains and secure further political and financial backing, the Scottish Government continues to respond to urgent Ukrainian requests for support by working closely with the International Committee of the Red Cross.”
“Those are acts of terrorism by the Russians, and they need to be described as such. He said that there should be no slackening of our commitments and that we should encourage the United Kingdom and other countries to provide everything that Ukraine requires to defend itself and to liberate the occupied territories.”
“He has served as a member of the Scottish Parliament representing the city of Aberdeen and as a Government minister in a number of portfolios, during which time he discharged his duties with tremendous engagement and professionalism—and we must not forget his local government background in Aberdeen.”
“Never forget what was agreed with Nazi Germany in relation to the Sudetenland in 1938 and what followed from that. Murdo Fraser paid tribute to Scottish volunteers and charities, and he was absolutely right to say that we need to do more.”
“I thank colleagues for their thoughtful contributions to this debate. The Scottish Parliament speaks with one voice in solidarity with Ukraine. If one was watching proceedings, one would not be able to guess which party any of us represented. We are speaking with one voice.”
“Stephen Kerr: Does the cabinet secretary agree that the seized assets that belong to Russian oligarchs and other friends of Putin should be put immediately at the disposal of Ukraine’s defence? Angus Robertson: The simple answer is yes, and we should be getting on with it.”
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“Will the Scottish Government unequivocally condemn that ludicrous decision? Even more important, will it prevent such a thing from ever happening again by making it clear that any grant of taxpayers’ cash will be clawed back from offenders? Otherwise, the Government is sending out a message that Scotland is where censorship rules okay. Angus Robertson: The record has been put very straight on the issue that Mr Ewing asked of me, but I am sure that he would acknowledge that there are long-standing examples of freedom of expression in our national and cultural life, as well as issues of controversy—this is not new. I am a strong supporter of freedom of expression but also of recognising the arm’s-length relationship between Creative Scotland and ministers, which is for very good reasons.”
“Freedom of expression is vital to the culture sector, in which the exploration of new ideas and debate are key to innovation. It is for individual artists and cultural organisations to engage with others in debate and discussion as they see fit. Therefore, Creative Scotland does not include conditions relating to freedom of expression in its funding terms and conditions. Clearly, though, all organisations, whether they are publicly funded or not, must operate within the wider framework of the law. Fergus Ewing: I commend the cabinet secretary for his masterful ambiguity. However, an arts venue in Edinburgh was awarded £608,000 of taxpayers’ money and then went on to ban, censor and cancel our very own Deputy First Minister, asserting that she was somehow a threat to the safety and wellbeing of its staff.”
“Evidence is on television daily. More than 63,000 people, most of whom were women and children, have died. Famine has been declared, while thousands of truckloads of aid are blocked and desperate Palestinians risk death in trying to access the meagre supplies that are being distributed under gunfire by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. United Nations leaders have expressed fears of a genocide.”
“The last genocide in Europe took place in Srebrenica in 1995. However, it took until 2007, 12 years later, for the International Court of Justice to recognise that situation as genocide. History will judge all decision makers on what we have done to react to the facts that we can all see. Doing nothing, prevaricating or seeking to avoid difficult decisions is not an option. In January 2024, the International Court of Justice found a prima facie case that the Israeli Government was committing genocide, and it issued provisional measures. In May 2024, following the Israel Defense Forces’ assault on Rafah, the court issued additional orders, to halt military operations that might inflict on Palestinians in Gaza conditions that could bring about their physical destruction in whole or in part. The alarm has been raised.”
“Genocide is the gravest of international crimes, and Governments must act when they believe that it is happening. As the First Minister set out, the ministerial code requires the Scottish Government to follow international law and to meet international treaty obligations. Indeed, it is noteworthy that the Labour amendment explicitly and specifically recognises the importance of international law to the question whether support for arms companies can continue. It is right to do so and, as the First Minister also set out, it is in taking account of international law and the ministerial code that we have paused new support. It is, of course, ultimately for international courts to decide whether genocide has occurred, but Governments cannot wait until it is too late; history has taught us that harsh lesson.”
“The Scottish Government has, since the start of the conflict, repeatedly called for a ceasefire and for the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We have also condemned unreservedly Hamas’s brutality in October 2023, including the murder of the Scottish Jew Bernard Cowan, and have called for hostages to be released. Hamas must have no future in Gaza. We have called on the United Kingdom to end arms sales to Israel and to ensure that there is accountability for those who are responsible for war crimes or crimes against humanity. The First Minister has made it clear that the Scottish Government shares the concern of other Governments and international leaders that genocide appears to be unfolding in Gaza. We recognise the gravity of such a conclusion.”
“Without safe, co-ordinated access, the crisis will only worsen. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes portfolio questions on the constitution, external affairs and culture and parliamentary business. My apologies to the one member I was not able to squeeze in with a supplementary. Justice and Home Affairs”
“The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is, frankly, a travesty. More than 400 Palestinians have now lost their lives while desperately trying to access the tiny amounts of food that are being distributed. Israel’s plan to entrust the distribution of aid in Gaza to private contractors has failed, with millions across the enclave at imminent risk of famine. The situation is entirely man-made and preventable. Huge quantities of essential humanitarian aid are sitting on the borders, waiting to be delivered by established humanitarian actors with a proven track record of distributing it at scale in an effective, safe and dignified manner through more than 400 distribution points across the Gaza Strip. Those actors, who are best equipped to deliver life-saving aid, are being obstructed from doing their work.”
“A fig leaf for further violence and displacement”. Just this week, his colleague Jonathan Whittall described the situation. He said: “What we are seeing is carnage. It is weaponized hunger. It is forced displacement. It’s a death sentence for people just trying to survive. It appears to be the erasure of Palestinian life.” Will the cabinet secretary join me, the UN and many others in condemning Israel’s deliberate starvation of the people of Gaza, the shameful killing of hundreds of Palestinians who are simply waiting for food, and does he agree that the job of getting aid to starving people in Gaza should be done by UN agencies and trusted non- governmental organisations, not by mercenaries masquerading as humanitarian workers? Angus Robertson: I agree entirely with Humza Yousaf, and I commend him for his leadership on this issue.”
“Since the onset of the current conflict, the Scottish Government has contributed £1.3 million in humanitarian funding for Gaza and the wider region. That includes £750,000 through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in December 2023 and £550,000 for the middle east through the Disasters Emergency Committee, Mercy Corps and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund. The latter figure includes the further £300,000 that was announced at the end of April. Humza Yousaf: I am grateful to the cabinet secretary for that response. Last month, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs—OCHA—Tom Fletcher, made an immensely powerful contribution at the UN Security Council. He described Israel’s plans for aid distribution as “a cynical sideshow. A deliberate distraction.”
“Angus Robertson: Mr McMillan is absolutely right to point out that, sadly, the UK Labour Government is continuing with significant areas of austerity and now plans to target the disabled, which all the Labour members should be deeply embarrassed about. On the question of Scotland having a democratic vote about its future, I do not think that any democrat or parliamentarian should be pooh- poohing the right of the people to make a decision about their own country’s future. The majority of members of the Scottish Parliament were elected on a mandate that there should be a referendum, and a referendum there should be.”
“However, since coming to power, it has adopted Tory austerity as its own policy, failed to scrap the two-child benefit cap limit, announced plans to remove benefits from disabled people and introduced a jobs tax for employers with the increase in employer national insurance contributions. It is therefore no surprise that 50 per cent of the population want an independence referendum and support independence. In light of the Prime Minister’s reported comments, will the cabinet secretary encourage those who are in favour of independence to write to the Prime Minister to show their support for it? What discussions has the Scottish Government had with the UK Government with regard to setting out the process for Scotland to reclaim its independence?”
“I can confirm that Scottish Government ministers consistently engage with our ministerial counterparts in the UK Government to deliver our policy agenda. The Scottish Government is absolutely clear that it is only through the full powers of an independent Scotland that we will be able to meet many of our core policy aims and deliver on the things that matter most to the people of Scotland. Mr McMillan is right that, in recent months, polling has shown that a clear majority in Scotland are in favour of Scottish independence. Stuart McMillan: During last year’s UK election, Labour promised voters change.”
“Please just get to your answer. Angus Robertson: Indeed. I am meeting representatives from UNRWA tomorrow, and I will be happy to raise the issues that Mr Halcro Johnston raised in the second part of his question. Independence (Discussions with UK Government) 7.”
“Jamie Halcro Johnston: So, Hamas could be— The Deputy Presiding Officer: Cabinet secretary, please resume your seat. The question has been asked. The cabinet secretary is addressing the question, and I do not want any sedentary contributions. Please show courtesy and respect to the member who has the floor, who is the cabinet secretary. Angus Robertson: In answer to—[Interruption.] The Deputy Presiding Officer: I have made the point that, under our standing orders, we need to show courtesy and respect to the member who has the floor. The member who has the floor is neither of the two gentlemen who are looking at me now—it is the cabinet secretary. Angus Robertson: I was just about to say that it is remarkable to be heckled before one even says anything. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Cabinet secretary, we are running short of time.”
“Angus Robertson: I am sorry that Mr Halcro Johnston did not have the opportunity to update his question, given the answer that I gave to his colleague, who is sitting right next to him. I am sure that Mr Halcro Johnston will have heard me say that all humanitarian assistance that is provided to Ukrainian hospital facilities can be used for any patient in the hospital. The notion that what is being talked about is the denial of support—[Interruption.] I am sorry, but I wrote down what Mr Halcro Johnston said, which was “not treat Ukrainian soldiers”. People who are in receipt of medical treatment in hospitals that are being provided with humanitarian assistance will receive that treatment, regardless of whether they are civilians.”
“Jamie Halcro Johnston: As my colleague Stephen Kerr highlighted in his question, it was reported in The Times earlier this month that the Scottish Government prevented the aid that was sent to Ukraine from being used to treat injured Ukrainian soldiers. Were the same conditions placed on the funding that the Scottish Government provided to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for use in Gaza? Given the concerns over that organisation that led to the Government suspending aid to UNRWA, can the cabinet secretary assure Parliament that no funding from the Scottish Government was used, or is being used, to treat those fighting for Hamas? Will he seek assurances from UNRWA when he meets it tomorrow on that issue?”
“The Scottish Government spends official development assistance in line with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s development assistance committee guidance, as do other OECD members, including the United Kingdom. The OECD specifies that, to be counted as overseas development assistance, such funding cannot be spent on military aid. All grants are made subject to legally binding agreements through the issuance of a model offer letter that contains conditions. Standard Scottish Government grant conditions will control a range of key issues relevant to the use of grant funding. Those include the purpose for which the grant has been allocated, payment of and reporting on the grant, data protection, termination, default and recovery of the grant, and issues such as safeguarding requirements.”
“I put on record my appreciation to everybody who is involved in the running of those fine institutions and draw their attention, through Tim Eagle, to the new museums capacity and support programme. Funding is there. It was voted through in the budget, which Tim Eagle did not vote for—I will perhaps persuade him to vote for next year’s budget. However, I am sure that he can pass on the good news that the Scottish Government has delivered that extra aid and that museums will be able to apply for it.”
“Thanks to the hard work of staff, Elgin museum is partially reopening this summer, and plans to reopen the Falconer museum in Forres, which holds an incredible collection of works from a contemporary of Darwin, are moving forward. Like national museums, those facilities are essential to communities and schools. Will the cabinet secretary join me in thanking all those people who are working to support those museums and helping to protect them against rising costs? What greater support can the Scottish Government offer to ensure their long-term future? Angus Robertson: Tim Eagle is absolutely right. I know both the Elgin museum and the Falconer museum and know them to be excellent—I would highly recommend them to anybody who has not been to visit them.”
“The Scottish Government has increased funding for Museums Galleries Scotland from £2.7 million in 2024-25 to £4.27 million in 2025-26. Through that additional funding, not only has a new capital fund been created but MGS’s small grants fund will open to non-accredited museums for the first time. A brand-new museums capacity and support programme will also launch shortly. It will provide £4 million of Scottish Government funding to support museums across Scotland as they innovate and test new ways of working that will sustain those vital organisations for years to come. Tim Eagle: As the former MP for Moray, the cabinet secretary will know that museums in rural areas such as Moray are important amenities for residents and bring visitors to local communities.”
“The UK Government Secretary of State for Business and Trade said: “there is a clear risk that military exports to Israel, where used for military operations in Gaza, might be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law”. For that reason alone, all licensed arms exports should stop.”
“Angus Robertson: Civilians in Gaza are being bombed and left to starve by Israel on a massive scale. The impact on women and girls is horrific, as the UN commission’s independent inquiry set out in such harrowing clarity. Women and girls in Gaza cannot by any stretch of the imagination be considered responsible for Hamas’s atrocities on 7 October 2023, which also included horrific violence against women and girls, as noted by an earlier report by the commission. Scottish ministers have consistently called on the UK Government to end all licensed arms exports to Israel. The UK Government’s decision to suspend some arms licences was welcome, but it should go further.”
“Stephanie Callaghan: UN Women’s latest analysis reports that more than 28,000 women and girls have been killed by Israeli forces—that is an average of one every hour. A UN commission has documented Israel’s use of gender-based sexual and reproductive violence as a strategy of war, including attacks on reproductive healthcare facilities. Does the cabinet secretary share my concern that the UK Government’s continued arms exports to Israel, including F-35 components, undermine efforts towards a sustained humanitarian response and de-escalation? Will the Scottish Government reiterate its call for an immediate and unconditional end to those exports, which are being used to commit grave violations against women and girls, as well as all of Gaza’s people?”
“We receive regular briefings from United Nations agencies, the Disasters Emergency Committee and our humanitarian emergency fund panel members. Most recently, I wrote to the UK Government this week to seek information on UK export licences to Israel, in support of our consistent calls for an end to licensed arms exports to Israel. The severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is being exacerbated by on-going conflict and a blockade that is restricting aid to Gaza, is devastating. The international community, including the United Kingdom, must act now. The £1.3 million in humanitarian funding for Gaza and the wider region that the Scottish Government has contributed since the outset of the current conflict has been provided from our own budget. That funding is additional to that which the UK Government has contributed.”
“He said: “The act of generosity and solidarity demonstrated by NHS Scotland in extending a helping hand to Ukraine in its time of need exemplifies the true spirit of humanity and compassion ... The Ukrainian people are deeply grateful for the support and assistance provided by NHS Scotland, knowing that these supplies will make a difference between life and death for many.””
“Angus Robertson: Stephen Kerr will be well aware of my long-standing support for the provision of military and humanitarian support to Ukraine. Given what he has just said, he might want to reflect on this: I can give him the assurance that the medical supplies that are distributed to Ukrainian hospitals will be used to treat all patients, both civilian and military. I hope that Mr Kerr understands that we responded to a request by the Ukrainian Government. We received a letter from General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, who, as I am sure Mr Kerr will know, was the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces.”
“Stephen Kerr: Angus Robertson is hiding behind words, as usual. Are cases in which Ukrainian soldiers are injured in defence of their country not humanitarian aid cases? Despite our country’s united support for Ukraine, the Scottish National Party Government has managed to tie up vital medical equipment in bureaucracy. Angus Robertson said that he supports Ukraine, but his Government has imposed conditions that mean that wounded Ukrainian soldiers cannot be treated with Scottish-donated equipment. That is, frankly, a scandal. Will the cabinet secretary take the opportunity to put the record straight? Will he act today to lift the restrictions on the use of that equipment and let our medical aid simply do what it was meant to do: save lives?”
“The Ukrainian Government specifically requested humanitarian assistance for the healthcare of its citizens and provided a list of requirements, which the Scottish Government looked at in order to source via the national health service. The medical equipment was transported by the International Committee of the Red Cross, an established humanitarian aid partner, to assist hospitals throughout the war-torn country. The equipment was provided as official development assistance, which cannot be spent on military aid, according to the Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development. Scotland, along with the United Kingdom as a whole, adheres to that rule. The Scottish Government fully supports Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s illegal invasion and, alongside the UK Government, has provided direct aid for Ukraine’s defence.”
“Incidentally, there are similar provisions in Australia. I absolutely agree that we need immigration measures that are tailored to Scotland’s distinct needs. If that is possible in those countries, I do not see why it is not possible here. As a previous chair of the ministerial population task force, I am well aware of Scotland’s demographic challenges and their potential impacts on our economy, communities and public services. All our current population growth comes from inward migration. As a result, we have long made the case that Scotland needs bespoke migration solutions that are tailored to our distinct needs to enable us to adequately address those challenges. Ukraine (Medical Supplies) 3.”
“Elena Whitham: With birth rates in Scotland being a reported 3.9 per cent lower than average in the first three months of this year, does the cabinet secretary agree that Scotland continues to grapple with the challenges of a declining birth rate and an ageing population, giving rise to significant workforce troubles and pressures on public services, and specifically increasing demand for health and social care services? Does the cabinet secretary agree that UK immigration policies do not take into account Scotland’s unique circumstances and that it is imperative that we have the powers to introduce a Scottish visa system, akin to the systems that work in Canada, which would help Scotland to grow its population? Angus Robertson: I agree with Elena Whitham that the Canadian experience is instructive.”
“Scotland’s changing demographic composition, which in part is driven by deaths continuing to outweigh births, as shown in NRS statistics, has significant implications for our future economy, communities and public services. The Government remains committed to responding to that challenge through delivering our population strategy, which is overseen by the ministerial population task force. With inward migration as the primary driver of our population growth, we continue to make a strong case to the United Kingdom Government for tailored migration solutions such as our rural visa pilot and the Scottish graduate visa to address Scotland’s distinct needs and ensure that we maintain and grow our working-age population.”
“Scotland has a long history of looking beyond its borders to trade, co-operate, learn, innovate and inspire. Our international engagement provides tangible benefits to our people, businesses and institutions. It also forms a key part of our commitment to being a good global citizen by making a positive contribution to addressing global challenges. Our people, businesses, universities and cultural organisations have long benefited from that collaboration and have made significant contributions globally. Much of that has been captured in the “Building a New Scotland” series, the last of which is still to come, and I commend that to the member for”
“Civil service preparation and Holyrood’s authority were set out in “Scotland’s Right to Choose: Putting Scotland’s Future in Scotland’s Hands” in 2019, and the “Building a New Scotland” series began in 2022. Fourteen papers were pledged in that series. I believe that I have set out to the chamber what I have thought of them so far, but the final one still has not appeared. Promises are not preparations and paper is not progress. If this Parliament is to be the foundation of an independent state, not just a slogan factory, will the Government now set out how it will run a convention, as promised, this summer, and publish a serious and credible road map to independence? Angus Robertson: I am sure, Presiding Officer, that you would wish me to answer the question that has been put in relation to democratic infrastructure.”
“Scotland already has much of the infrastructure and institutions that make it well placed to become an independent state. The Scottish Parliament is a vibrant, dynamic and evolving democratic institution, representing the people of Scotland. We also have recent experience of developing new bodies to serve the people of Scotland, including Social Security Scotland, the Scottish National Investment Bank and Revenue Scotland, among others. We have set out the preparatory steps that we will be taking through the “Building a New Scotland” series. More detail on our vision for an independent Scotland is also set out in the series. Ash Regan: We have had years of rhetoric, but there is little readiness. A constitutional convention was promised in the 2021 Scottish National Party manifesto.”
“Even if we can use only our voices, we should do so. As she knows, this Parliament does not have powers over foreign affairs. I would wish to change that; perhaps, in good time, I can persuade her that she should support that, too. In the meantime, we will use our voice to support peace and diplomacy. The First Minister has made a number of statements that very much echo the position of the secretary general of the United Nations, António Guterres. We will repeat our view that we believe that only diplomacy will bring conflict to an end. I appreciate the way in which Carol Mochan has raised her questions this afternoon.”
“When it comes to devolved responsibilities, we will do everything that we can, but she will appreciate that there are limits. Carol Mochan: I appreciate the cabinet secretary’s response. I, too, take my responsibilities seriously. Will the cabinet secretary join me, as well as—I am sure—the majority of Scots and people across the world, in saying that we cannot engage in diplomacy through violence, that we must call for peace and that all our efforts towards peace must be peaceful. For our part, that must include not selling to the US or Israel weapons manufactured in Scotland that might be used to move the world closer to war. Angus Robertson: I agree with Carol Mochan, and I appreciate the fact that she has taken the opportunity to cogently and persuasively make her case. We have a moral responsibility. I agree with her on that.”
“I can give her the assurance that I have not seen any information that would support any conclusion about the direct involvement of Scottish facilities in military attacks on Iran. As I have already shared with her, it is a matter of public record that those were conducted by the United States through direct flights that were refuelled in the air from bases in the United States of America, and which attacked Iran and returned without going to any other base. I understand Carol Mochan’s more general point about Prestwick airport. If she has any information that would support her concern, I will be grateful to hear it. We remain in dialogue with the United Kingdom Government. Carol Mochan’s party is in government in the UK; perhaps she would use her good offices to raise the issue with the responsible UK ministers.”
“Ultimately, although the Scottish Government can—and does—make representations on the situation in Iran and related issues, those matters are the responsibility of the UK Government. Carol Mochan: The cabinet secretary will know that Prestwick airport is in my region, South Scotland. Can he assure my constituents that sites such as Prestwick airport will not be used to facilitate attacks on Iran by the USA, nor to support Israeli aircraft, given that those efforts have no United Nations backing whatsoever? Will he also be clear about what US activity is currently happening at the Prestwick airport site? Angus Robertson: As Carol Mochan might appreciate, I have been keen to understand as much as I can about the issue.”
“I can confirm that issues relating to the conflict in the middle east, specifically around Gaza and Iran, were raised by the Scottish Government with the United Kingdom Government on 13 June at the British-Irish Council and, earlier today, by the First Minister with the Cabinet Office. Carol Mochan will be aware that the recent United States military action in Iran was launched directly from American facilities in the USA and flights did not land in any other country, including Scotland. The UK Foreign Secretary said to the House of Commons yesterday that the UK had no involvement in the military action against Iran. Carol Mochan will also be aware that the UK Government decides which flights can enter the UK.”
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“The Scottish Government will work with parliamentarians of all parties to support a ceasefire, to end the suffering of Gazans, to secure the release of the hostages and to secure a viable peace for both Palestine and the Israelis. Meeting closed at 19:36. This is the final edition of the Official Report for this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit.”
“Today saw the UK national Srebrenica memorial day ceremony, which marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. The ceremony took place in St Paul’s cathedral, in London, earlier today. Fifty years after the world said, “Never again,” to the horrors of the Holocaust, a genocide took place on European soil against Bosnian Muslims. Now, 30 years on from the murder of thousands of unarmed men, women and children in Srebrenica, we are again forced to ask ourselves what we will actively do. We must do all in our power to end the horror in Gaza—and, yes, that includes working to secure the release of all hostages. Doing nothing is not an option.”
“Recognition would offer hope to Palestinians that a just and durable political solution is possible, and it would allow Israel and Gaza to move towards long-term peace and stability, which is in the interests of all. I made that position clear during a members’ business debate on 26 June last year, and I repeat that position today. Katy Clark was right to recall that we both voted for the recognition of Palestine in the House of Commons in 2014. Only a two-state solution will bring lasting peace and enable Palestinians and Israelis to live side by side in peace and security. I thank members for their measured and thoughtful contributions to the debate. We must amplify our voices in calling for immediate humanitarian support for the people of Gaza.”
“The Scottish Government has repeatedly called for the UK Government to officially recognise the state of Palestine, to break the political impasse that has condemned Israelis and Palestinians to successive cycles of violence. The First Minister called on the UK to review its position following the welcome decision last year by Ireland, Norway, Spain and Slovenia to recognise the state of Palestine. They have joined more than 140 other states in doing so. It is therefore regrettable, given the growing international consensus around recognition, that the UN conference on a two-state solution, which had been due to take place this week in New York under the co-chairmanship of France and Saudi Arabia, has been postponed.”
“That would obviate the need for questions such as the one that Monica Lennon has just raised. However, I have given her an undertaking and I will reply to her in detail. People in Gaza are being bombed and left to starve by Israel on a massive scale. Sadly, the rhetoric of some Israeli politicians is becoming increasingly extreme, and the trickle of aid that is being delivered by private contractors is inadequate and inhumane. The approach of bombing hospitals and targeting humanitarian workers is appalling and clearly incompatible with international humanitarian law, and it must cease immediately. The international community cannot allow the situation to continue. It must take decisive action now.”
“Monica Lennon: I welcome, and agree with, the points that the cabinet secretary has made, as other Scottish Labour members have done this evening, but will he provide an update on the Scottish Government’s efforts to review Scottish Enterprise’s human rights checks? We are approaching the summer recess, and many of us still feel very uncertain and quite anxious about the situation in that regard. I would welcome an update on that. Angus Robertson: I will be happy to update Monica Lennon, but I must tell her what really needs to happen. On 2 September 2024, the UK Government announced the suspension of 30 export licences for the export of arms to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza. That was welcome, but we have made it clear that the suspension should go much further and should cover all such licences.”
“Israel’s military action has gone far beyond any legitimate response. We have been consistent in calling for unimpeded access to Gaza for humanitarian aid, for Israel to comply with international court rulings and for accountability for those who are responsible for atrocities, wherever they occur. Scottish Government ministers have repeatedly called for an end to licensed arms exports to Israel. We do not believe that there is a case for sending more weapons to Israel. The UN Security Council has called for a ceasefire. Ministers have made it clear that, by continuing to arm Israel, the UK is in danger of being complicit in killing innocent civilians.”
“It is unconscionable that 2 million people are starving in the Gaza Strip while tonnes of food is being blocked at the border. Israel must now allow humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, to conduct their life- saving work unimpeded and at scale. The Scottish Government has been consistent and forthright in calling for an immediate and sustained ceasefire. Like any other country, Israel has a right to protect itself and its citizens from terror, and the Scottish Government has repeatedly and unreservedly condemned the brutality of Hamas on 7 October 2023 and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli and other hostages. However, in exercising its right to defend itself, Israel must abide by international humanitarian law.”
“Gazans are faced with an impossible choice between risking death by starvation and risking death by gunfire. It is totally unacceptable and it has to stop. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification assessment confirms that the entire population of Gaza faces high levels of acute food insecurity. Half a million people—one in five—face starvation, and children under five are at the highest risk. The situation is entirely man made and was entirely preventable. Israel’s approach to delivering aid via private contractors has failed tragically. Israel’s plan to entrust the distribution of aid in Gaza to private contractors contravenes humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. The plan risks militarising aid and exacerbating inequalities.”