Pam Duncan-Glancy
Independent · Scotland
“I know that because I have been all the people I have described. They live in fear every single day, worrying about what new limit someone else will put on their life and what little power they will have to change it. They live every single day without choice at all.”
“It is the lack of support, and the lack of options, that makes me feel like I cannot go on. Disabled people do not have real choices in life. There will be countless disabled people in our constituencies tonight who have not had the choice to have a shower in weeks.”
“During the pandemic, my husband and I were so scared of other people’s power over our lives— lives that we could see others devaluing daily— that we wrote letters to each other making it clear that we wanted to be resuscitated.”
“From fighting to go to the same nursery as my sister to delaying university for two years because I could not get a care package, and from fighting to be allowed to travel on the same bus as my husband to fighting to get a bathroom adapted so that I could have a shower, absolutely everything that I have has been a fight.”
“The bill will not only put sick and disabled people at a risk that cannot be mitigated in one bill or by one policy, including the risk from coercion, but will serve to reinforce the internalised ableism that we live with every day of our lives, and legitimise the view that a life such as ours—a life of dependence and, often, pain—is not…”
“I, too, thank Liam McArthur for the way in which he has engaged on the bill and with me. Last week, we considered the specifics of what the bill would mean in real life. For 25 hours, we heard personal reflections and experiences as well as some of the difficulties in the detail.”
The complete record
Every one of 665 lines we hold for Pam Duncan-Glancy, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 14.
“Amendment 371, in the name of Ms Duncan- Glancy, would require the publication of a purpose-built student accommodation charter. Again, I understand the intention, but I cannot support the amendment. The charter would cover matters, including complaints, that are already included in the Unipol codes, which the majority of PBSA providers are members of. The codes are regularly reviewed, enjoy the support of the sector, including the National Union of Students, and will cover issues such as standards, the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants, and the process for dispute resolution. Along with Unipol and review group members, the Scottish Government has reviewed the codes to ensure that they apply equally to Scotland and can be further amended as required.”
“I appreciate the minister’s point. However, on that basis, can she comment on the fact that, for example, since 2015, 28 per cent of approvals for accommodation in Glasgow have been for purpose-built student accommodation when only 18.5 per cent of the city’s population are students? Màiri McAllan: I absolutely take note of the point and the statistics that Pam Duncan-Glancy puts to me, and I do not doubt for a second that there are pressures to be worked through, but I remain committed to ensuring that all groups, including students, are appropriately reflected in local housing strategy guidance and to supporting local authorities to consider their demographics and how they change on an on-going and flexible basis. The work that is under way allows us to do that.”
“On that, I ask for the new minister’s early commitment to on-going discussions with Universities Scotland and the sector, working to develop a more sustainable long-term financial model and to involve institutions, trade unions, staff and students for the greater good of Scotland and a brighter and more prosperous future for the sector. We in the Labour Party look forward to engaging with Mr Macpherson in good faith, because Scotland’s learners and education providers deserve no less. I congratulate him again on his appointment, and I look forward to working with him in due course. 14:26”
“When he does so, and when he does the right thing for students, staff and institutions, I assure him that he will find constructive common ground and partners on the Labour benches. The challenges that are faced are urgent. Colleges saw real-terms funding reductions of 17 per cent between 2021 and 2025, with some closing campuses and student and staff numbers reducing. According to Universities Scotland, universities face a perfect storm, as they are receiving 19 per cent less per Scottish student than they received a decade ago, and they are shedding staff while students are faced with fewer options and, in some cases, less support. The pressures on institutional sustainability are unprecedented.”
“I warmly congratulate Ben Macpherson on his appointment as Minister for Higher and Further Education and welcome him to that vital role. I look forward to working with him again and to enjoying lively discussion, as we did previously when he and I were serving in the social security briefs. I also put on the record my thanks to his predecessor, Graeme Dey, for his service and engagement and, in particular, for meeting disabled people recently to discuss access to apprenticeships. I hope that Mr Macpherson will continue to pursue that endeavour. This ministerial role is crucial to Scotland’s future. It needs focus and leadership, and I hope that the new minister will rise to that challenge.”
“I will ask the Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise, if she is content to answer the substantive point, to write directly to Pam Duncan- Glancy. More broadly, we know from the chief inspector of education’s school reports that there is an increasing reliance on a differentiated approach to timetabling. That might be in place for lots of good reasons, but it is important that the educational needs of all children and young people, including those who are care experienced, are met.”
“Care- experienced pupils are six times more likely to be excluded than others, and that does not count informal exclusions that are due to part-time timetabling. How does that reconcile with the stated aims of the cabinet secretary’s behaviour plan for a calm and consistent education, and what specific interventions will she implement to ensure that care-experienced young people have access to the education that they deserve? Jenny Gilruth: I am conscious that there is a read-across between my responsibilities as cabinet secretary and my being recused from the Promise because my wife sits on the oversight board, which engages with the issue of support for care-experienced young people.”
“However, she also raises a hugely important point in relation to accessibility. I am more than happy to ask my officials to engage with Glasgow City Council on the specifics of her question and to get back to the member in due course.”
“In Glasgow, a group of primary school pupils is campaigning because their school is not accessible for people who use wheelchairs and the outdoor shelter has been deemed unsafe. This week, data showed that more than 100 schools have not had their expected five-year suitability survey, which includes surveying suitability under the Equality Act 2010 and suitability of access. In the light of that, will the cabinet secretary say when every school will have a survey, ensure that there is the necessary investment and support, and work with the council to make sure that schools in Glasgow are accessible and that their playground shelters are safe? Jenny Gilruth: The specific issue that the member raises is a matter for Glasgow City Council, as the local authority, in the first instance.”
“Will he acknowledge that care has been undervalued by the Government, and will he get round the table with care workers as soon as possible on sectoral bargaining and pay parity, starting with pay of at least £15 per hour?”
“I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. Care workers, 80 per cent of whom are women and many of whom are among our lowest-paid workers, make independent living possible. Indeed, I would not be in this chamber without them. However, Enable Scotland staff in Glasgow have been forced to strike because of recurring empty promises to deliver sectoral bargaining and fair pay. That has left carers across the sector rightly angry and third sector organisations really struggling. I stand in solidarity with those staff and their trade union, Unison, which has said that—I will quote care workers in Glasgow—despite promises, “the Scottish government have delivered year-on-year disappointments.” When will the First Minister and his Government stop disappointing?”
“As a result, when I was visiting a gynaecology area in NHS Fife, I recognised the importance of the investment that it had made in specific technology to support women who had additional requirements when being screened. I am happy to follow up Pam Duncan-Glancy’s question in writing. M8 Woodside Viaducts 3.”
“The minister will be aware that, following the tragic death of a constituent of mine, I have been looking into what arrangements are in place to ensure physical access for disabled people—women, in particular—in general practitioner surgeries and elsewhere, so that they can access smear tests and similar screening procedures. I have since heard from GPs that funding for access to and modernisation of equipment came from the improvement fund, but that has now stopped. Will the minister confirm what support is available to surgeries and other medical treatment facilities to help to ensure that they are accessible to all patients? Jenni Minto: I very much appreciated the conversation that I had with Pam Duncan-Glancy on that subject.”
“If the Government has reservations about the detail, it should negotiate on the bill at stage 2, as the rest of us will have to do, rather than frustrate the right of us all to scrutinise it. The Government must now bring forward the financial resolution, put the figures on the table and allow the bill to progress. 17:47”
“When I was young, I found it difficult to stay over with friends—many of them did not live in accessible houses. That is fine, but a residential gave me that opportunity. I thank the member for her bill, which is a constructive and impressive contribution. The sector has engaged in good faith, and young people have made it clear what residential outdoor education means for them. Parliament has asked to get on with the scrutiny, and we now call on the Government to deliver on what has been asked of it. A bill that has been backed at stage 1 should not be denied progression simply because the Government is basically not happy to put its money where its mouth is when Parliament has asked it to act. That is weak government, in fact.”
“Stage 2 is where Parliament can settle the details that matter on the ground—for example, how any duty is introduced; how safeguarding and ratios are specified; how transport and accommodation are organised; and, crucially, how pupils with additional support needs participate on equal terms, with accessible activities as standard, the right support in place and funding routes that schools can actually use. We are ready and willing to debate, negotiate and resolve all those issues at stage 2, if the Government makes its position clear and does the right thing. As I have said, my support for the bill is deeply personal to me—it is shaped not just by my personal experience and the fact that I know what can be achieved by the provision of outdoor education that is accessible to all, but by the experiences that I have heard about in committee.”
“School attendance has dipped in too many places; engagement is fragile; staff are dealing with behaviour pressures; and support for children to deal with everyday life is shrinking by the day. A well-run residential is not a cure-all, and Liz Smith knows that I think that there is still work to do on certain aspects of the bill to maximise its potential—work that I believe can and should be done at stage 2. However, I am clear that the bill is a credible lever to address issues in schools and deliver opportunity for all by building trust, reconnecting pupils with learning and giving them motivation and momentum that carry back into the classroom. There is clear support for the bill from members across the chamber. The Parliament wants the bill to progress, and it is time that the Government made its position clear, too.”
“I am, therefore, concerned—as other members who have spoken this evening have said—by the fact that the Government has not yet provided a financial resolution for Liz Smith’s bill. A failure to provide one by the 26 September deadline would be an abdication of responsibility to the Parliament and to our young people by the Government, which appears to be using parliamentary processes to stifle the progress of a bill that Parliament wants to be considered, debated and progressed. The Government’s failure to provide a financial resolution would mean not judging the bill on merit; rather, it would mean expiry by inaction, and our young people deserve better than that. The case for proceeding is practical and evident, and Parliament wants it to happen.”
“Everyone should have the opportunity to get everything that they can out of our education system, and outdoor education is a key part of that. It supports resilience, nourishes friendships and encourages confidence and independence, and it has been shown to improve attainment. I also, therefore, thank the residential outdoor education centres across Scotland that give pupils structured time away from the classroom to do that work: to grow their confidence, to work with others and to try things that they would not otherwise have the opportunity to do. I thank them for the work that they are doing to improve accessibility across all of their estate. As I will go on to say, the committee heard great evidence of the work that is being done, and we were inspired by the work that could yet be done if the bill were to progress.”
“I thank Liz Smith for securing the debate and for all the hard work that she has put into bringing the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill to Parliament. Like most of the members who have spoken so far tonight, most of those who gave evidence to the Education, Children and Young People Committee and those who have had the opportunity to enjoy outdoor education, I remember my own school residential fondly. My classmates went canoeing and climbing, and my school designed an accessible drama residential for me and some fellow classmates. I loved it—we had fun, we learned and, crucially, it helped my peers to see that I was just like them. It also showed that action to make participation equal is possible: it needs thought, planning and support, but it can, and should, happen.”
“Ms Duncan-Glancy’s final point related to ASN. She and I, and other members from across the chamber, met to discuss the ASN review last week. I look forward to working with the member on that point and, I hope, arriving at a cross-party consensus on how we can drive a review that meets the aspirations that she rightly set out. The Presiding Officer: There is a great deal of interest in the statement, so concise questions and responses would be appreciated.”
“Therefore, I do not accept that the examples that I provided today in relation to risk assessments and consequences sit in a silo. They are part of a package of responses and funding from this Government, which I have spoken to. I am conscious of the time, Presiding Officer. The member also made a number of points in relation to staff workload and workforce planning. I hope that it will give her some comfort to know that I will meet representatives of the General Teaching Council for Scotland later this week in relation to those very issues. Staff workload is a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, but I am absolutely committed to our manifesto commitment to reduce class contact. Only by creating the time for teachers will we get the conditions that are necessary to drive education reform.”
“We also provided support to improve attendance, including guidance on professional learning, networking and exemplification. Today, I have given a statement on consequences and risk assessments that relate to the national action plan, which I launched last year. It is therefore an unfair characterisation to suggest that no action has been taken in the interim period. In that period, there has also been the publication of the gender-based violence in schools framework, which has been important in challenging issues around misogyny, which is currently a toxic issue in our schools and, of course, in our political discourse. There was also the interim guidance on racism and racist incidents and the mobile phone guidance that was issued last year.”
“However, I put on the record that I think that that was an unfair characterisation of the Government’s actions since the publication of the BISSR report. I will therefore recount some of the actions that we have taken since the publication of that research. One of the issues that BISSR highlighted was the role of school inspections in gathering data. Now, the chief inspector is taking direct action to ensure that we have enhanced evidence on relationships and behaviour from every school inspection. I announced that change in November 2023. We also provided funding to support staff and, for example, those who work with challenging behaviour directly in our schools. That was a direct response to the BISSR report’s findings, which I also announced in 2023.”
“The statement failed to address the issues of rising staff workload, a demoralised workforce, and young people who are failed by a lack of support for additional support needs, and next to no access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessments, and child and adolescent mental health services care. It failed to address the systemic change that is needed. What changes will the Government make to workforce planning to meet the on-going challenges? What additional new action will the cabinet secretary take to address the lack of support for pupils with ASN? Finally, and crucially, why has it taken three academic years for us to get a statement that contains no new actions, and that fails to rise to the systemic challenges that schools face? Jenny Gilruth: I thank Ms Duncan-Glancy for welcoming the guidance.”
“I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of her statement. Scottish Labour welcomes the publication of guidance on consequences and risk assessments; indeed, we and others have been calling for those things for many years. However, I have to say to the cabinet secretary that it is not enough. The need for change is urgent, yet it has been three academic years since research showed rising concern about behaviour. In that time, Scotland’s incredible young people have achieved a lot against the odds, and school staff have risen to the challenges as they always do. However, the reality is that they have done that without the widespread change of direction that is needed from their Government.”
“That the Parliament agrees that the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee be designated as the lead committee in consideration of the second supplementary legislative consent memorandum on the Employment Rights Bill. The Presiding Officer: That concludes decision time. Chronic Kidney Disease”
“The Presiding Officer: If no member objects, I propose to ask a single question on three Parliamentary Bureau motions. As no member has objected, the final question is, that motions S6M-18699 and S6M-18700, on approval of a Scottish statutory instrument, and motion S6M-18701, on designation of a lead committee, all in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to. Motions agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that the Scottish Parliament (Constituencies and Regions) Order 2025 [draft] be approved. That the Parliament agrees that the Scottish Parliament (Disqualification) Order 2025 [draft] be approved.”
“Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament agrees with the recognition of the State of Palestine and that peace in the region must be pursued by all; welcomes the actions taken by the UK Government to respect the jurisdiction and independence of the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, restore funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, restrict arms sales licences to prevent breaches of international law, issue sanctions on Israeli ministers and settlers in the West Bank and commit to recognising a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly; calls on the Scottish Government to update the Parliament on the due diligence checks carried out by Scottish Enterprise during investment decision processes to ensure that defence products are not used in breaches of humanitarian law in Gaza or elsewhere; considers that there must be an immediate ceasefire, with delivery of humanitarian aid and food into Gaza, the release of all the hostages and a pathway to a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, secured by a two-state solution, and calls on the Scottish and UK governments to immediately impose a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the State of Israel and at companies complicit in its military operations and its occupation of Palestine.”
“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) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) 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) 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) 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) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) 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) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) 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) 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) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Abstentions Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Michael Marra] Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) [Proxy vote cast by Willie Rennie] The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-18686, in the name of Angus Robertson, on Palestine, as amended, is: For 65, Against 24, Abstentions 26.”
“Amendment agreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that motion S6M-18686, in the name of Angus Robertson, on Palestine, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“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) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) 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) 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) 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) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) 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) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) 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) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) [Proxy vote cast by Willie Rennie] Abstentions Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Michael Marra] Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-18686.1, in the name of Patrick Harvie, is: For 62, Against 31, Abstentions 21.”
“Amendment agreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S6M-18686.1, in the name of Patrick Harvie, which seeks to amend motion S6M-18686, in the name of Angus Robertson, on Palestine, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“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) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) 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) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) 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) 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) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) 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, 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) 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) [Proxy vote cast by Michael Marra] Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (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) [Proxy vote cast by Willie Rennie] Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) 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) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) 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 Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-18686.2, in the name of Neil Bibby, is: For 83, Against 25, Abstentions 6.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S6M-18686.2, in the name of Neil Bibby, which seeks to amend motion S6M-18686, in the name of Angus Robertson, on Palestine, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Duncan- Glancy. We will ensure that that is recorded. For Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) 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) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) 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) Against 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) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) 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) 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) 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) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] 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) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) 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) [Proxy vote cast by Michael Marra] Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (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) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Abstentions Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) [Proxy vote cast by Willie Rennie] The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-18686.3, in the name of Jackson Carlaw, is: For 26, Against 83, Abstentions 5.”
“Having ambition and taking action in all those areas is how we deliver opportunity for young people. Those are the priorities of Scotland’s people, and they will be the priorities of a Scottish Labour Government. 16:19”
“It is a plan that delivers a knowledge-rich curriculum with world- leading digital and science, technology, engineering and mathematics capability; supports creativity; and develops a skills system that delivers for young people, career changers and employers, with colleges, universities and educators at its heart. It is a plan with ambition for school staff, which includes action to reduce teacher workloads and properly match jobs with newly qualified teachers. It will be a Government with an ambition for safe and thriving schools that takes solid action on behaviour, attendance and proper support for pupils with ASN. Scotland’s young people need a Government with ambition that takes action to remove barriers and deliver affordable childcare that works for working families.”
“They need a Government that shares their ambitions and works relentlessly to deliver the services that they deserve. Put simply, we need a Government that is back in the service of the people of Scotland. At the election in May, people in Scotland can have that, with Scottish Labour and a new direction. They can have a Government that is focused on investing in our future by ensuring that every child in every community can believe that success belongs to them. They can have a Government that does more than move a motion and has ambition for all our young people, with a plan from cradle to career to match and deliver it. Scottish Labour has a plan that builds strong skills in literacy, oracy and numeracy.”
“Colleges, which should be our regional engines of opportunity, are being asked to do more with less, while employers warn of a skills gap that holds back growth and the mission to transition to net zero. With enrolments falling, funding squeezed and capital budgets cut in real terms, I say to the First Minister and his team that Scotland cannot close its skills gaps by shrinking the institutions that train our workforce and our young people. That is not focus; it is drift and managed— or, as some have said, unmanaged—decline. Devolution gives real powers over schools, skills, colleges, universities, childcare and much more, but the Government has failed to grasp the opportunity that it brings. Scots see through it, and they need leadership.”
“Although the Government has tinkered around the edges to address attendance, which is too low, the reality is that it has failed to tackle the fundamentals that lock young people out of school—the fact is that classroom violence is rising because pupils and staff do not feel supported. The support and the scaffolding around them have been broken. Long waits for CAMHS, the lack of pathways to provide support for neurodiversity, and excessive workloads are causing teachers to leave the profession. Despite what the Government tells us, teacher numbers are nowhere near what they should be in key subjects and localities, which is leaving children short of opportunities. All the while, many teachers are out of work. Support staff are stretched to breaking point and, although inclusion is promised, support is rationed.”
“If the Government is to deliver on what it says in its motion are priorities, those must be matched by real outcomes in classrooms, campuses and workplaces across Scotland. Ministers came to office saying that education was their number 1 priority, yet thousands of young people are being held back as the poverty- related attainment gap persists. Data shows that the gap between our most and least deprived pupils remains stark—at primary school level, it is around 20 percentage points. Someone from a poorer background is still less likely to get a national 5 or an advanced higher than other pupils. This Government is failing pupils in our poorest communities. Some primary 1 pupils, who have started school in recent weeks, were already behind before they even found their peg.”
“However, sadly, in Scotland it is also where we see the impact of our Government’s catastrophic failures, because our Government is distracted and failing to open up opportunities for all Scotland’s young people. The work that our teachers, lecturers and support staff do, from early years through to lifelong learning and additional support, in apprenticeships, universities and colleges, can transform lives, reduce poverty and deliver the Scotland that we all want. The message from them, from families, from young people and from staff is simple: “Get the basics right and give us a fighting chance, and we can and will flourish.” However, the Government has failed to do that.”
“It has had two decades to sustain high-quality public services, yet NHS waiting lists are leaving people in agony for years, teachers are leaving the profession, pupils are being failed and colleges are on their knees. This Government had £5.2 billion in additional funding this year, yet people’s lives are not getting better. We are in the midst of a housing emergency, which is felt keenly in Glasgow. NHS waiting lists have created a two-tier system, in which those who can afford to pay are going private. The SNP has wasted billions of pounds of public money through incompetence and bureaucracy, and it has stood by while school standards have declined. It is in education that we can see Scotland’s potential. It is in schools and our education system that we change life chances, celebrate achievement and deliver opportunity for all.”
“I welcome the opportunity to debate Scotland’s priorities. Eradicating child poverty, confronting the climate emergency, growing a stronger economy and sustaining high-quality public services are ambitions shared across the chamber, but the real test is not whether those aims are worthy but whether they are being delivered. The sad reality is that they are not, and the people of Scotland know it. The SNP has had nearly two decades to lift children out of poverty, yet persistent child poverty is up. It has had two decades to confront the climate emergency, but it has missed its climate targets. It has had two decades to grow the economy, but it has overseen huge skills gaps in areas where skills are needed to do that.”
“Much has been achieved, there is more to do and more will, no doubt, be done, because life is tough right now for the people we serve and we are acting to address those concerns.”
“Across the board, more and more Scottish children are getting the chance to learn and to grow in skills and confidence, with attainment levels in literacy and numeracy at key stages of primary and secondary school reaching record highs. There is also progress on the economy. Scotland is by far the fastest-growing start-up economy in the United Kingdom and one of the fastest-growing in Europe. New business incorporations here increased by almost a fifth in the first half of 2025, compared to the final six months of 2024. This remains the best place outside London at attracting overseas investment, with investment in the tech sector alone increasing by a massive 120 per cent between 2020 and 2024. Wages are up in real terms, unemployment is down and our economy is growing.”
“Will the First Minister set out to members how many newly qualified teachers are unemployed this year as a result of the Government’s failure to match supply and demand in the teaching workforce? The First Minister: What has helped in relation to the recruitment of teachers has been the pupil equity funding that we put into the budget and the increased levels of local government funding that the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government put into the budget, which Pam Duncan-Glancy was unable to vote for when the budget came to Parliament. That did not help one tiny little bit. The first fruits of our interventions can now be seen, with more Scots from the most deprived areas entering university full time and the poverty- related attainment gap continuing to narrow at all three key qualification levels.”
“It is important that the general public understand the difficulties that both groups of people have in trying to get around the city, so that we can use the buses in Glasgow and get people around in them. I recognise that I am over my time, Presiding Officer. I appreciate your giving me the opportunity to respond to those interventions. 17:13”
“There is a lack of understanding among the travelling public that there are specific spaces on buses for wheelchairs and similar mobility devices, which are not intended for prams, buggies or suitcases. Do you think that we need to educate the general public more, too, Pam Duncan-Glancy? The Deputy Presiding Officer: Always speak through the chair. Pam Duncan-Glancy: I have been in awkward situations—as I am sure that the member, or anyone who has a wheelchair or a buggy will have been. I find it regrettable that anyone has to get off the bus in that situation, if I am honest. Surely we can design buses that have enough space for everyone.”