Audrey Nicoll
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Some consider that mobile phone use by children is so ubiquitous that bans in isolation are not enough to tackle the negative impacts. It seems that there is still some way to go to find a clear, evidence-based approach that safeguards children.”
“However, Ms Gosal’s motion reflects the concerns of many—parents, teachers, legislators, police officers and children—that overexposure to the use of mobile phones carries risks. I commend the work of many organisations to safeguard children in that space.”
“What an utter privilege and an amazing experience it has been to be a member of our amazing Scottish Parliament. I thank a number of people for making it happen: my loving husband, Alex; my wonderful son, Sam; my parents, Bill and Jean; and my sister, Susan. I also thank Maureen Watt, who has been a mentor and friend throughout.”
“I thank Pam Gosal for securing this debate on a Scotland-wide ban on the use of mobile phones in schools, and I congratulate her on her powerful and comprehensive speech.”
“Having entered politics later in life, I have often found it hard to understand why we think fractious discourse and debate serve the people of Scotland.”
“Amendment 41 agreed to. 17:45 Amendment 143 moved—[Martin Whitfield]— and agreed to. Section 10F—Register of foster carers: procedure for regulations Amendment 42 moved—[Natalie Don-Innes]— and agreed to. Section 10G—Register of foster carers: interpretation Amendment 43 moved—[Natalie Don-Innes]— and agreed to. Amendment 144 not moved.”
The complete record
Every one of 432 lines we hold for Audrey Nicoll, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 9.
“Will the cabinet secretary further outline how capital funding allocated to the Scottish Prison Service in the draft budget will help to create better environments for people to live in and work in, and to aid rehabilitation, thereby reducing the risk of reoffending and supporting safer communities? Angela Constance: As I said in my original answer, the funding allocated to the Scottish Prison Service will be used to progress the construction of HMP Highland and HMP Glasgow. Both those projects will deliver purpose-built modern accommodation and provide a full range of opportunities to all the people who live in those prisons, and an overall net increase in design capacity of 464 places, which will, of course, reduce overcrowding substantially.”
“The fatal accident review that I am commissioning will, as one of its key themes, consider the sharing of information, which the member rightly highlights as an issue. Another aspect of information sharing is the information that must come to the Crown Office from other agencies. We need to be able to ensure that investigations and initial inquiries are robust, but I am conscious that all of that is pinned on good and timely sharing of accurate and full information. With regard to families, we will bring forward proposals that consider support outside the fatal accident inquiry process, particularly through family advocacy.”
“I extend my deepest condolences to the families of Katie Allan and William Lindsay. I welcome the cabinet secretary’s recognition that the fatal accident inquiry process between the deaths and the first notice was far too long, which added to the trauma of the families, and that there must be consideration of how that can be improved. Will the review include the issue of sharing information with families to ensure that that process improves, too? Angela Constance: Audrey Nicoll’s question follows on from Willie Rennie’s. Notwithstanding the work undertaken by the Crown Office in more recent times—for example, to improve its existing family liaison charter—I know that the Lord Advocate shares my views on how we are all delivering or not delivering for families.”
“I wish Michelle Thomson all the best in helping to create better opportunities for women in business. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The final speaker in the open debate is Lorna Slater—for around four minutes, please. 13:11”
“I was pleased to hear the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic respond to Michelle Thomson’s questions at a recent meeting of the Economy and Fair Work Committee about the funding that derived from that piece of work. She confirmed her desire to “take the funding to £4 million”—[Official Report, Economy and Fair Work Committee, 8 January 2025; c 26.] in the coming year. I also commend Michelle Thomson for her tenacity in probing further, not just on funding but on issues such as culture and data—both of which are extremely important. I am very keen to hear more detail on the progress in relation to the pathways report in the cabinet secretary’s response. I commend all the women entrepreneurs in Scotland who are taking the brave steps to secure their own livelihoods, shape their own futures and change the world.”
“There is also much consensus on how to respond, and there are some good examples of work that is already under way. I note that the 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report, which is mentioned in the motion, sets out further comprehensive detail on the support and resources that women entrepreneurs need—for example, access to markets and financing, and regulations that make working for themselves at least as attractive as being employed. The headline figures in the Scottish Government pathways report on women in entrepreneurship are that one in five of Scotland’s entrepreneurs are women and that 2 per cent of institutional investment in Scotland goes to women-led companies.”
“Women in academia told me of the crucial role of inspirational teachers, parents and carers in shaping positive attitudes about gender and work. They also told me that the parity in STEM learning between boys and girls gives way to a divergence as children move through secondary school, with girls being significantly less likely than boys to choose STEM subjects beyond higher stage—the leaky pipeline. Given that girls often perform better than boys across all STEM subjects at school, and despite the fact that we can now purchase a Barbie professor doll, we must ask what is behind that divergence. Beyond education, women told me of common themes in the challenges that women in STEM face, such as access to affordable childcare, after- school clubs and elder care.”
“I refer to technology and digital skills, planners, lawyers and corporate hospitality, to name but a few. The motion also highlights the fact that the number of females entering STEM-related education, employment and business start-ups remains weak in Scotland. My interest in women in STEM is deeply linked to the north-east energy sector and the rapidly growing demand for a strong STEM workforce to help Scotland become a global energy hub. Women entrepreneurs have a central role in that positive economic journey, and a lot of work is already being done in the energy sector to make that happen. Earlier this session, I led a members’ business debate on increasing the participation of women and girls in STEM learning and careers.”
“I am grateful to my friend and colleague Michelle Thomson for bringing the debate to the chamber. I know how passionate she is about the role and contribution of women in innovation and entrepreneurship in Scotland, and I commend her contribution and commitment to that. I also commend the work of the cross-party group on women in enterprise, which Michelle Thomson convenes. The group has provided an excellent forum in which women entrepreneurs can collaborate on issues such as access to finance, internationalisation, the underrepresentation of women in enterprise and, of course, women in energy. The motion is comprehensive and, although there is a need to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship in STEM-based sectors, it recognises the role of the wider business sectors in achieving net zero.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how its draft budget 2025-26 will support the delivery of drug and alcohol services across Scotland. (S6O-04204)”
“Should the amendment have been moved and agreed to, however, my concern would have been about the absence of consultation, which Mr Ross recognised, and the potential safety risks that are associated with the provision of personal information if it finds its way into the public domain. I am confident that that was not the intention of the amendment and I am pleased that the cabinet secretary responded to it in detail. The bill provides a range of additional provisions that will allow greater scrutiny and transparency in the handling of complaints and allegations of misconduct. I urge members to support it at stage 3. 17:12”
“As His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland set out in its report, vetting has historically been used to reduce corruption, with the focus being on the protection of police information and assets. For example, if intelligence is lost to serious and organised criminals, the harm to vulnerable people and the damage to public confidence and to the reputation of the police service can be considerable. It also undermines colleagues and the communities that they serve. Vetting policy is fundamental to reducing risk but, importantly, the application of a code of practice must be robust and effective. I understand the spirit of amendment 28, which was lodged by Douglas Ross, in relation to the transparency of the process. Mr Ross set out his intention clearly, and I understand the shortcomings of the process.”
“I am pleased that that has developed further through stages 2 and 3. Stage 2 saw a detailed debate on the bill’s provisions, including on the vetting code of practice, which was the subject of extensive amendments this afternoon. I welcome the cabinet secretary’s detailed rationale for the vetting code of practice. No one doubts the importance of a vetting process for officers and staff. However, the provision was a clear recommendation of the “HMICS Assurance review of vetting policy and procedures within Police Scotland.” Concerns about today’s amendments were clearly set out by HMICS and Police Scotland in their respective correspondence to the Criminal Justice Committee on 9 January.”
“A key objective of the bill is to ensure public trust and confidence that, when something goes wrong, a complaint will be taken seriously and dealt with in a timely manner. That came across loud and clear at stage 1, when the committee took evidence from members of the public who had made a complaint to Police Scotland or the PIRC, and from an officer who was the subject of a complaint. Much of their evidence demonstrated the profound impact that the shortfalls in complaints handling had had on them. It is clear that, when the standard of behaviour of officers or staff falls short, there must be accountability. In that regard, I am pleased that the bill addresses the issue of enabling gross misconduct proceedings to continue or to commence when a person ceases to be a constable.”
“Although I am not speaking this afternoon in my capacity as convener of the Criminal Justice Committee, I put on the record my thanks to my committee colleagues for their commitment to effective scrutiny of the bill and for lodging a range of constructive amendments, as well as my thanks to the cabinet secretary. The Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill outlines a range of provisions, at the heart of which is ensuring strong and transparent processes to investigate complaints and allegations of misconduct involving police officers and certain police staff. The vast majority of police officers and staff are absolutely dedicated and honest and they do an incredibly difficult job.”
“The best part is that it does not even need legislation. What NOVA Scot needs is the Scottish Government’s buy-in, so that it can hit the ground running by providing access to other sectors and ensuring that the project is veteran centred, with everyone pulling together to reduce veteran crime rates. I firmly believe that adopting such a person- centred approach can positively change the lives of veterans throughout Scotland. I finish with a question to the minister. Will he approve the letter today, and will he give the green light to NOVA Scot? The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 17:20”
“Of the total referrals that were received from Op NOVA, 82 per cent of veterans who engaged with the service noticed that their mental health improved; 76 per cent “reported progress to a crime-free life”; and 66 per cent noted improved relationships with family and friends. Those statistics can be replicated in Scotland if the Minister for Veterans and the Scottish Government would agree to put pen to paper. Many veterans already feel a sense of detachment from decision making in this country, and they often feel that MSPs are not standing shoulder to shoulder with them. We can show today that, as a Parliament, we do care. NOVA Scot is about not just reducing reoffending in our veterans community, but showing that there is a tailored model of support, should any veteran fall on hard times.”
“That is why I am bringing the debate to the chamber—to try to convince the Scottish Government to give the expanded service the green light so that we can get the support to people who need it. Importantly, Op NOVA has dedicated caseworkers who are assigned to work directly with veterans, enabling them to build a strong one- to-one relationship. It provides veterans with someone whom they trust while the best programme of help and support for them is worked out. We have that through NOVA Scot but, again, the number of referrals that the Scottish service gets will be significantly lower, because it does not have the same access that Op NOVA has to the various other sectors. The outcomes from Op NOVA speak for themselves.”
“I thank the member for giving way, and I commend her for bringing the debate to the chamber. Would she agree that it is important, in the context of the work that still needs to be done, that we remember that veterans can be women and young people, and they exist right across the social and demographic spectrum? The Deputy Presiding Officer: I can give you the time back, Ms Gallacher. Meghan Gallacher: Absolutely. That is something that I completely support and is why I am so supportive of NOVA Scot: it is not about looking at veterans in silos—for example, as only men—but about ensuring that we consider the needs of women, families and young people, who are part of the forces family as well. Everyone can be supported through the system, but it is not fully operational yet.”
“However, given the challenges faced by Scotland’s higher education and energy industries, and others that have been referred to by colleagues this afternoon, I fully support the Scottish Government’s calls for a differentiated, more flexible migration policy that is tailored to meet Scotland’s specific needs, including a policy that derives from a geographical context. I urge members to support the Government motion this afternoon. 16:14”
“The Scottish Government has limited powers in that space, so I hope that there is scope for some collaboration between the Governments, working with industry, to find a resolution, given the importance of our ScotWind and innovation and targeted oil and gas projects. I commend the action taken by the Scottish Government to establish Scotland’s Migration Service, which is an excellent support for employers, investors and individuals who are navigating the UK immigration system once they have arrived here.”
“To achieve clean power by 2030 and to capture the economic benefits for Scotland of our offshore wind potential, we need a visa system that enables those specialist vessels and crews to work in UK waters. Importantly, that would then allow projects to be successfully deployed and allow the long-term, high-value jobs that they create to be secured for our workforce here in Scotland. To put it simply, visa requirements do not align with the needs of our economy, and they are creating an untenable situation for a key industry to Scotland. Scottish Renewables and industry partners are highlighting the issue with the UK Government, but traction with the Home Office has been limited.”
“The offshore wind sector is dependent on specialist vessels and crew that operate around the world, and the strict UK visa requirements are presenting a significant barrier to the deployment of vital Scottish offshore wind projects, which adds complexity and costs to working in the UK amid an increasingly competitive global offshore wind market. To illustrate—I ask members to stick with me—the average construction of a 1GW offshore wind farm in the UK can require close to 100 vessels. Industry has calculated that in that scenario, the cost of obtaining visas for a full complement of crew could be in excess of £45 million. The point about such costs was also made by my colleague Ben Macpherson.”
“The UK Government must reverse the decision that prevents international students from bringing dependants to the UK, and maintain the graduate-route visa to ensure that Scotland remains an attractive destination for our international students. That brings me on to the energy industry— specifically offshore wind. I am grateful to Scottish Renewables for highlighting a recent white paper that was submitted by numerous energy industry bodies, which outlines the detrimental impact of amendments to the Immigration Act 1971 and changes to visa rules for offshore wind workers that mean that almost all non-UK offshore workers require a visa to work in UK territorial waters.”
“However, numbers have recently fallen dramatically due to the previous UK Government’s decision to end dependant visas. In 2023-24, Robert Gordon University in my constituency saw international on-campus postgraduate student enrolment decline by 34 per cent, and applications from female students declined by a staggering 57 per cent—they were clearly disproportionately affected by that decision. Importantly, some postgraduate courses are viable only due to the presence of international students. Those courses provide the higher-order skills that are required by our workforce in Scotland at a time of significant skills shortages across a range of sectors.”
“I sincerely hope that the current UK Government commits to shifting the dial on that harmful approach. Scotland has distinct demographic and economic needs, and I will highlight two interconnected issues that are highly relevant to the north-east. First, I thank Universities Scotland and Robert Gordon University for their helpful briefings on higher education. In our higher education space, international students have contributed between £4 billion and £6 billion to Scotland’s economy since 2019, and attracting global talent, such as Lorna Slater, to Scottish higher education has brought huge social, cultural and soft benefits. In 2021-22, in Aberdeen alone, the contribution of international students had a net impact of more than £350 million.”
“How to follow Mr Leonard? Some years ago, the languages tree in my son’s primary school had 46 leaves, to represent the 46 languages that were spoken in his school and the mix of nationalities that had settled in the north- east. Children were learning about one another’s cultures, traditions and values. They lived in families who worked in the energy industry, health services, education and business, and made a significant contribution to the local economy, their communities and the social and cultural ecosystems in the north-east. Scotland is a welcoming nation, which embraces those who come to live, study and work, and those who flee persecution and conflict. That is a far cry from the previous UK Government’s unwelcoming approach of reducing migration through its immigration and asylum systems.”
“How does the situation in Scotland compare with the situation elsewhere in the United Kingdom? Natalie Don-Innes: The issue is faced across the UK. It is well known that placements across the rest of the UK are volatile, with children often placed in secure accommodation in Scotland due to the limited availability of placements in England and Wales. I understand that the UK Government is currently working on that, through its recently introduced Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Officials are in regular contact with UK Government counterparts, and that engagement will continue.”
“Actions are widely communicated with staff to ensure that they know the appropriate course of action to take to respond to pressures, and boards can, of course, ask the Government for advice as and when it is required.”
“GPs from out-of-hours services have been working in minor injuries departments to help to treat and discharge patients, and the Scottish Ambulance Service’s integrated clinical hub, which receives calls that are transferred from NHS 24, has been having its calls reviewed by GPs in the call centre, so that they can advise about self- care, prescribe medication or refer patients to out- of-hours services. With regard to critical incidents, health boards operate their own escalation policies for management of in-patient capacity. That includes well-established processes, with locally agreed trigger points, for maintaining a safe service and ensuring patient safety.”
“The First Minister has chaired meetings with all the representatives whom I mentioned my statement in order to co-ordinate and ensure that there is confidence in the resilience of the system to avoid situation such as the one in NHS Grampian that Audrey Nicoll outlined. In practice, there has been incredibly strong co- operation among national and regional boards, which have been working closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service to manage the flow of patients through emergency departments across Scotland.”
“At the end of last year, constituents of mine—and of colleagues across the chamber—saw at first hand the pressures on A and E services and hospital capacities, when NHS Grampian declared a critical incident. Can the cabinet secretary outline the steps that the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that, should that situation occur again in any area of Scotland, staff and members of the public alike are prepared and—which is important—informed of the best course of action to take to access the care that they need? Neil Gray: I am grateful to Audrey Nicoll for raising that point.”