Michael Marra
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“I thank Jack Middleton for bringing the debate to the chamber. Its subject is of widespread concern, and will impact significantly on communities across the north of Scotland and in my North East Scotland region.”
“Indeed, the decline of quality local journalism that is embedded close to people is a tragedy. As many local newspapers face increasing issues with sustainability, it has become more, rather than less, important for the biggest companies and corporations to ensure that their journalism is rooted in communities.”
“More broadly, I believe—Jack Middleton has touched on some of this—that the decision is an act of surrender to what is a wildfire of commoditised fear that is weaponised by tech oligarchs to purposely undermine real freedom in pursuit of power and profit.”
“Although it is a commercial decision from STV, backed by the regulator to this point, it is also the latest example of what is becoming an ever- growing list of services being centralised away from communities in Scotland. Those in the north- east and further afield have, over the years, seen the same situation before.”
“The absence of regional journalism will only hasten that process, and whatever we might think, collectively, about the barrier and where the balance should sit, local people should have that accountability and the opportunity to make their case about where power is situated.”
“I welcome the hard work that Our Union Street is doing to re-energise Union Street and the centre of Aberdeen. The project is working along with partners to bring together a shared vision of the future of the city centre.”
The complete record
Every one of 754 lines we hold for Michael Marra, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 16.
“Shona Robison: I thank Michael Marra for Labour’s decision to abstain on the budget without costing us a single penny, for the second year in a row. It is most helpful, and I thank him for that. On the investment in the NHS, as I set out in my statement, we have had falls in long waits for six months in a row. This budget invests in our NHS to ensure that that fall continues over the next few months, because we know how important that issue of waits is for the people of Scotland. The budget also includes a massive investment in housing—£4.9 billion over the course of the spending review—to tackle the issues around temporary accommodation and make sure that everyone has a house that is warm and affordable to live in.”
“On top of that, £1 billion was lost to Scotland’s budget due to what the Independent Fiscal Commission calls an “economic performance gap”, which is a direct result of the SNP’s abject failure to grow Scotland’s economy. That is the true record of the SNP Government, so why on earth would a 19th John Swinney budget change Scotland’s direction? Is it not the case that the real opportunity for change is just weeks away, when a new Government will be able to deliver real change? Is it not the case that the only way that we can finally kick out this knackered SNP Government—[Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us hear Mr Marra. Michael Marra: —and choose a new direction for Scotland is by choosing Scottish Labour?”
“It wants to pretend that it is turning the corner on its own abysmal record; in reality, it has decimated Scotland’s finances and brought our services to their knees. When I have asked SNP ministers what their plan is for desperately needed change in our hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, and for our businesses and families across Scotland, it has been apparent that they do not even understand the question, let alone have the answers. Their incompetence has taken Scotland’s NHS to the brink. There are people suffering in pain and a booming waiting list for direct flights to Lithuania for hip and knee replacements. Nearly £0.5 billion that could be spent each year on Scotland’s schools, upgrading our roads or building more houses is instead wasted on delayed discharge, which the SNP promised to eradicate 11 years ago.”
“The budget does not meet the aspirations of the people of Scotland, and it does not recognise their need for real change. It is the 19th John Swinney budget, so it is more of the same. Everyone in Scotland knows what that means: hundreds of thousands of people in pain on NHS waiting lists, a justice system that is past breaking point, an education system that is going backwards day by day, and more than 10,000 kids waking up each day in temporary accommodation with no home to call their own. Scottish Labour has delivered an additional £10.3 billion for Scotland’s budget, and it is only this knackered SNP Government that could turn a £10.3 billion uplift into a £1.6 billion problem. The positive measures in the budget see the SNP desperately trying to fix a few—I repeat, a few—of its own mistakes.”
“More than 10,000 children are stuck in temporary accommodation, house building rates are at record lows and it is estimated that the levy will add an additional £3,500 to the cost of building a new home. In evidence to the Finance and Public Administration Committee, house builders were clear that the bill will render many developments across Scotland non-viable. I fear that anything outside of Edinburgh and the Lothians will be at risk, which is part of the reason why we called for the sensitivity analysis.”
“Not only must the SNP Government explain why it has taken so long to act—leaving the people of Scotland at risk of fire and death in their own homes—but it must urgently change direction. Willie Rennie set out some of the issues that are holding back progress in the construct of the law as it governs this area of housing in Scotland. Those are the areas that must be looked at, and an additional tax on house building will not change any of those reasons. Critically, the bill comes at the worst possible time, because Scotland is still in the grip of the SNP’s housing emergency. That was acknowledged by the Government nearly two years ago, but precious little has been done about it since then. There are major social consequences to that side of the equation, too, which we would all recognise.”
“By contrast, in England, work on 1,938 buildings had been completed by November 2025. That difference is scarcely believable, and it begs the question that the Scottish Government should be reflecting on its performance in this policy area in the round. It should do that urgently. The reason why work has not been completed on a single building is not that we do not have a building safety levy. We should all be able to agree on that. The Scottish Government has failed to spend even a fraction of the nearly £100 million that was provided by the UK Government for the purposes of cladding remediation. As I set out in my intervention on Jamie Hepburn’s speech, by 30 September 2025, £14.2 million of that £97 million had been spent.”
“On 4 September 2024, John Swinney said: “Keeping residents and home owners safe is our priority, and we are taking action to protect lives by ensuring that the assessment and remediation of buildings with potentially unsafe cladding is carried out.”—[Official Report, 4 September 2024; c 26.] At that point—seven years on from the Grenfell disaster, in which 72 of our fellow citizens perished—remediation had been completed on precisely zero buildings in Scotland. Today, nearly a decade after Grenfell, that figure still stands— remediation has not been completed on a single building in Scotland. That is nothing short of shameful, and it betrays the well-meaning words of John Swinney, Nicola Sturgeon and any other SNP minister who opines or has opined on that basis.”
“I thank all members for their speeches in what I think has been a very well-informed debate, which comes down to the following points. Does the performance of the SNP Government on cladding remediation need to improve vastly and urgently? Undoubtedly—I think that there is consensus on that. Will more finance be required to complete the work? Certainly—that is absolutely clear. Is the immediate availability of capital the reason for the SNP Government’s dire performance? Absolutely not. As my friend Richard Leonard set out in what was a typically passionate and characteristically erudite speech, the situation is, frankly, intolerable.”
“We have had the Government’s response to the Grenfell tower inquiry phase 2 report, and it has accepted all 58 recommendations. The challenge is that we do not ever want to see a situation like Grenfell, or all the other circumstances that Mr Leonard talked about, be repeated in the future. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Mr Hepburn, you will now need to conclude. Jamie Hepburn: That requires us to act. We cannot stand aside. Those who say that the bill needs to be further refined can get on with that, but they cannot vote against it today if they are committing to doing that going forward. We should support the bill at stage 1. 16:15”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: There is leeway, but I presume that one would not want to take over all the extra time. Jamie Hepburn: I assure the Parliament that I will not use all the extra time that we have. I will crack on. Taken together, the measures that have been laid out in the bill are designed to target the levy where it can most reasonably be borne, while limiting the impact where pressures are most acute. We should remind ourselves that the £30 million that it is estimated the levy would raise per annum represents approximately 0.6 per cent of the estimated £4.6 billion annual value of Scotland’s new build housing market. By any reasonable assessment, that is a proportionate and modest contribution in pursuit of what we would all recognise as a vital public good. We have all reflected on the tragedy at Grenfell tower.”
“Let us reflect on the fact that protections are in place for affordable housing and recognise the importance of sustained delivery in the sector. The Government has committed to a levy-free allowance for small and medium-sized developers, which are less able to absorb additional costs. It has also provided exemptions for development on our islands, acknowledging the distinct housing challenges and viability constraints that they face. The minister’s response to the committee’s report responded directly to an issue that the committee had raised and gave a commitment to use secondary legislation to initiate similar exemptions to those in our island communities for the most remote parts of the mainland. Presiding Officer, you said that there was some leeway. Does that leeway still exist?”
“It ensures that the development sector will make what I believe is a fair and proportionate contribution that is consistent with expectations elsewhere in the UK. That is not to say that I do not think that the bill deserves further scrutiny or changes. The Finance and Public Administration Committee’s stage 1 scrutiny rightly focused on whether the levy strikes the right balance between improving building safety and supporting the delivery of new housing, which we all agree is of the utmost importance. Getting the balance right will be crucial. Scotland faces significant housing pressures and we have to be careful not to undermine development viability, particularly in marginal markets. The bill reflects that careful consideration but, of course, it can be refined further.”
“It will make a modest, but meaningful, contribution to the funding that is available, particularly in cases where no responsible developer can be identified or held to account. I think that those developers should be held to account not only in financial terms; they should also be held to a higher standard, as Mr Leonard describes. I believe that developers have an important role to play in what should be a collective effort. We should also reflect that many in the sector have come forward to take responsibility for assessing and remediating buildings or are involved in delivering that, which is as it should be. That co- operation is both welcome and necessary, and we should recognise it. The levy seeks to build on the shared understanding that building safety is a collective responsibility.”
“Therein lies why I think that the building safety levy is necessary. Mr Leonard was quite right to say, and I agree with him, that the debate is not just about taxation or the balance of the role between the private and public sectors. I hope that he would accept that it is also a debate about those things; they are part of the equation. The bill—I think reasonably— seeks to introduce a targeted levy for certain new residential developments that is broadly aligned with the existing levy arrangements that are already in place in England, as Mr Mason and others pointed out. The levy intends to raise around £30 million per year. In the context of the scale of the challenge that I have just spoken about, that will not solve the problem on its own.”
“Of the £97 million that has been allocated, last year’s quarter 3 report on the cladding remediation programme noted that a total of £14.2 million has been spent—that is the figure that has been asked for today. The rest of that money is available. Does the member recognise that the rate-limiting step—the thing that is holding us back—is not the immediate availability of capital to do the work but the will of the Government to get it spent? Jamie Hepburn: I have made the point and I will make it again: I heard clearly from the minister that the money will be spent. Mr Marra makes the point that I am trying to make, which is that, even in the context of the £97 million that we have been allocated, it does not come close to meeting the entirety of the challenge that we face.”
“There is no doubt that the Scottish non- domestic rates system, in common with much of the tax system under the SNP Government, is a mess. The reason for that is quite clear: fundamentally, the SNP Government is disinterested in meaningful reform of our tax system. Whether on non-domestic rates, council tax or income tax, it prevaricates, obfuscates and sits on its hands, hoping that everyone else will get lost in the sea of consultations and working groups that are established with a fanfare and quietly closed with nothing done. It is abundantly clear that the current business rates system is not fit for purpose. It is dysfunctional. A Scottish Labour Government will design a new system in true partnership with business to better incentivise investment, tackle empty properties and support entrepreneurship. 16:58”
“Although targeted business rate reductions such as the freeze for properties under £51,000 provide immediate support to occupiers, they might be less effective in the long term and they often result in higher commercial rents. Local authorities have no incentive to encourage business as income from NDR is centralised, and businesses have less incentive to invest in properties, as their rateable value will likely increase. Davy Russell set that out very well in relation to his Hamilton constituency—I must say that, after last year, I know an awful lot about Hamilton’s high street and the challenges that it faces. Davy Russell was right to say that, when our town and city centres become hollowed out, it has both economic and social consequences.”
“For a premises with a rateable value of £75,000, the deficit is around £80,000, and for a premises with a rateable value of £150,000, the deficit is £165,000. Those are the results of decisions that the Government has made on reliefs. We are not seeking to hear the budget today, but we are looking for some recognition of that. The overall case for proper reform has now become overwhelming, as colleagues across the chamber have set out. The principal effect of non- domestic rates in Scotland is that the economic activity in our country is artificially skewed away from property-intensive production. We have a complex system of rates, bands and specific reliefs that creates administrative burdens and distorts business behaviour and investment.”
“For example, since 2019, pubs have had an 86 per cent increase in utility costs and a 58 per cent increase in wages and salaries, resulting in a 54 per cent decrease in net income. According to UKHospitality, the revaluation will cost the Scottish hospitality sector £69 million in 2026-27. Critically, the Scottish Government has also continually refused to pass on rates relief as a result of relief that has taken place in England. Scotland has the least generous business rates support in the UK. A licensed premises in Scotland with a rateable value of £35,000 is entering the new year with a cumulative support deficit of £33,000 versus a premises with the same rateable value in England.”
“I think that there has been near unanimity that this is an issue of huge concern, and it is right that we are debating it. In his closing speech, the minister might read out his diary and set out the meetings that he has had in recent weeks, but the tenor of his initial contribution led some of us to despair. We must ensure that the minister recognises reality. Nobody is seeking for him to pre-empt the budget, but Parliament is seeking for him to recognise the reality that businesses are facing. There have been increases of up to 400 per cent through the revaluation in some sectors, and businesses risk losing access to reliefs, as members across the chamber have set out. Businesses might have experienced an increase in turnover since the last revaluation, but other costs have increased.”
“I move amendment S6M-20294.1, to leave out from “calls” to end and insert: “understands that the Scottish Government’s incompetent approach to the public finances and failure to grow Scotland’s economy are leading to heightened budgetary pressures; further understands that income tax should not be used as a substitute for economic growth and believes that, given the pressure on household finances, income tax rates should not increase in the course of the next parliamentary session; welcomes the UK Labour administration’s Budget, which tackles the cost of living for households across Scotland by cutting costs on energy bills, lifting thousands of children out of poverty, and increasing wages for hard-working people in Scotland, and believes that the Scottish Labour Party’s plan to establish a Scottish treasury with strategic oversight for spending in all Scottish Government departments is essential in order to put an end to waste and ensure that taxpayers’ money is treated with respect.” 15:09”
“However, in Scotland, our NHS is in chaos, with waits of more than 12 hours in accident and emergency departments continuing to rise; our education system is in crisis, with falling attainment and staff on the verge of burnout; and we have an SNP housing emergency with more than 10,000 children stuck in temporary accommodation and house-building rates among the worst in our history. Scots are paying more and getting less in return.”
“Money to invest in public services has to come from somewhere. We have to make sure that we raise taxes and we take tough decisions about how that can happen. However, the personal tax bills that people are paying are considerable. As I have said, people on middle incomes are hard pressed and are struggling to make ends meet. Craig Hoy: Will Mr Marra give way? Michael Marra: No thank you, sir. The public are more likely to accept paying a bit more in tax if they can see improvements in public services. One has to come with the other.”
“Liz Smith: I entirely agree with what Michael Marra has just said, but where does Labour stand when it comes to the huge burden of the national insurance tax on employers? Surely that is increasing the cost of living. Michael Marra: When it comes to the amount of money that has been invested in public services, the UK Labour Government inherited not just an economy that had flatlined for 14 years but public services in acute crisis and a significant black hole in the public finances. In order to address those, money had to be raised, and that money has to come from somewhere. The SNP continually claims from the Scottish Government benches that we can have an infinite amount of money and that it does not matter where that comes from—an additional £130 billion of borrowing, it has claimed, for across the UK.”
“As Professor Mairi Spowage of the Fraser of Allander Institute has pointed out in recent days, the SNP ministers’ claim “has turned out not to be true” in the past two financial years. Let us be clear: those in Scotland who are paying more and more tax each year are not those with the broadest shoulders, as the SNP has tried to claim and as the minister has just claimed again today in the Parliament. The bulk of additional tax revenue does not come from the ultra-rich; rather, it comes from those who earn just over £40,000. Those are nurses, teachers and police officers who work hard in our overstretched public services. They are shop managers, information technology workers and salespeople who work hard in hard-pressed businesses.”
“The average wage is up by £1,800, as the minimum wage is bolstered. The most recent UK budget took £158 off energy bills, with warm home discounts delivering £300 off bills for the most in-need households. Inflation is falling and wages are rising. Those are very welcome steps, which will ease the pressure on hard-pressed households across the country, but we know that there is still much more to do, not least on the subject of today’s debate: the pressure that the SNP’s tax regime is putting on ordinary Scots. The majority of Scots pay more tax than they would elsewhere in the UK. I believe that the minister, in some form of wording, just tried to make a counterclaim to that, as have Shona Robison and John Swinney. Those spurious claims to the contrary are demonstrably false.”
“A happy new year to you, Presiding Officer. People are feeling the burden of higher prices and of wages that barely increased in the 14 years of the Tories. Living standards were lower at the end of the last United Kingdom Parliament than at the beginning—the first time that that has happened since the Napoleonic wars. That is the record of the party opposite. The cost of living crisis is far from over. Alongside the state of Scotland’s national health service, it is the top issue for the people I speak to in Dundee each week. I therefore welcome the progress that the UK Labour Government has begun to make in tackling the cost of living. Liz Smith: Will the member give way? Michael Marra: Not yet, as I am just beginning. Six interest rate cuts have brought the average cost of a mortgage down by £1,500.”
“I am sure that we wish them every success in the future, for the sake of the many thousands of people living with the condition across Scotland. 18:38”
“There are simple steps that we can all take to help sufferers, such as reducing background noise, slowing down and giving people extra time to think and respond. That would make a world of difference to people with aphasia. I am grateful to Dr Abi Roper, a speech and language therapist and research fellow based in Dundee, for sharing some of the excellent work that is being done. In August 2025, Dr Roper chaired the international aphasia conference in Dundee that brought together 200 people from across the globe who live with aphasia themselves, support others who do so or are researchers investigating the condition. It is hugely encouraging to hear that a growing international community is working together to better understand aphasia and support people living with it.”
“If a stroke occurs within office hours, availability is much more widely spread. Roz McCall pointed out some of those facts. Aphasia is just one consequence of the lack of ability to treat people in the golden hour when a difference can be made. I recently visited the image-guided therapy research facility led by Professor Iris Grunwald at the University of Dundee. Many people will have seen the coverage of mobile thrombectomy being done across the Atlantic, with a virtual reality facility allowing remote operations. If more of that availability was supported across Scotland, we could do much more to prevent the long-term health impacts that we see. Volunteers have also told me that they desperately want to see increased awareness of the condition. I sincerely hope that today’s debate goes some way towards helping with that.”
“Helen has led the group with distinction for 25 years, and my constituents were keen that she be recognised in the Parliament for her many years of service. I know that colleagues across the chamber will join me in thanking her for her work on behalf of her fellow sufferers and the community in which she lives. Stroke remains a significant national problem, with more than 10,000 sufferers per annum in Scotland. It is a leading cause of adult disability in this country in many different ways. We have already heard about the plans that are in place to improve services, but the provision of thrombectomy in Scotland is very poor, running behind the rest of the UK in terms of its availability, both in geographic terms—where it is available— and, crucially, the times that it is available.”
“After attending a series of art workshops with other people living with aphasia, Wendy found that she was able to use art to communicate in ways that she has struggled to do since having a stroke back in 2015. That is a moving reminder of the power of art to communicate when words fail us. As mentioned by my colleague, Speakability Tayside is a volunteer-run support group for people living with aphasia. Speakability is part of the Stroke Association and it has supported people living with aphasia for 25 years. Ahead of the debate, I was pleased to hear from constituents who are involved in that important work as volunteers. They paid particular tribute to Helen Gowland from Broughty Ferry, who lives with aphasia and serves as chairperson of Speakability.”
“We can all recognise, not just as parliamentarians but as citizens—the people—of Scotland, the huge impact that the condition would have on a person’s life, their work and their relationships. In comparison with other stroke survivors, people who live with aphasia are more likely to experience difficulties in returning to work, and as a consequence they are more likely to experience financial difficulties, too. Rona Mackay spoke eloquently about the issue of stigma—about how people are affected by it and how they are made to feel. That aspect can certainly be compounded by financial difficulties as a result of the condition. It gives me great pride to see the work that is being done in Dundee and across the north-east to support people living with aphasia. Earlier this year, STV News told the story of Wendy Wallace from Dundee.”
“I thank Rona Mackay for the opportunity to speak in this debate about aphasia. Among those who are joining us in the public gallery today are just some of the estimated 40,000 people in Scotland who live with the condition, often as a consequence of stroke or brain injury. Despite the fact that aphasia is more common than many well-known conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, many people across the country and more widely have never heard of it. We know that the ability to use and understand language underpins all our lives. For people with aphasia, that ability is impaired or sometimes lost altogether. All aspects of communication, from speaking and listening to reading and writing, can be affected.”
“Scottish Labour also wants to ensure that the police are locally accountable, with a statutory requirement for councils to be consulted on local policing plans and to take evidence from local policing divisions, all of which, I believe, will help to tackle localised issues such as the dangerous use of e-bikes and e-scooters and dealing with those who engage in such behaviour. For far too long, our police officers have been neglected and our communities let down. That must change. 18:41”
“The grey areas that members have described, such as those in the highway code—where the vehicles can and cannot be used, and where their illegality depends on the speed that they can do—are some of the issues that need to be navigated, to ensure that we can deal with their proliferation. People feel that those who use these vehicles are untouchable, so we need Police Scotland to be equipped with the tools and the resources to enable it to tackle the issues straight on. Scottish Labour has a plan to restore local policing and deliver a named community and crime prevention officer in every community across Scotland. Alongside their colleagues in the force, those officers will work with local councillors to identify opportunities to reduce crime and respond to local incidents.”
“The sheer number of racers and bikers is overwhelming, and the police seem to be unable to pursue them and sanction them accordingly. Christine Grahame: I might have misheard Michael Marra, but I thought that I heard him show a certain degree of sympathy for my proposition that e-bikes should be licensed, registered, taxed and insured. As well as allowing users to be traced, that would act as a deterrent in relation to the way in which some users behave. Michael Marra: I have some level of sympathy for that proposition applying to the different forms of vehicles that are being used. We must get a grip on their general use. Many of them are illegally imported and, frankly, will not be taxed or licensed appropriately. We must get a grip on their proliferation in society, by whatever means.”
“People feel that our streets are not safe, parents are worried when their kids go out, and older people are hesitant to leave their houses. Recently, I dealt with a case of damage resulting from a police chase involving e-bikes in Strathmartine, in Dundee. Such damage is being done to our communities by reckless users of e- bikes, and overstretched councils are having to do additional work to clean up the mess that those users leave behind. As other members have testified, it is impossible for the police to identify such e-bike riders, because they often wear black clothing and cover their faces. That leaves local people with the feeling that those riders are untouchable and there is no way of dealing with them.”
“A few months ago, I was overtaken on Riverside Drive in Dundee by two young men—boys, really—who were doing wheelies at more than 30mph, putting themselves and other road users in huge danger. As with the experiences to which other members have testified, those riders were in black clothing, with their faces covered, so it was impossible for the police to identify them, and it was frightening for children and residents to witness them. No training, no licence and no insurance are required for what are vehicles that can travel as fast as a car in residential areas. They pose a real danger in our communities. According to UK Government data, 1,312 collisions involving e- scooters were reported in the UK in 2024, and six people were killed in collisions last year. The cumulative impact of such behaviour on our communities is significant.”
“I, too, thank Sue Webber for securing the debate on this important issue. I agree with my colleague Monica Lennon that the debate is timely, given that, at this point in the year, more e-bikes might be being bought. People must think of the consequences. We are hearing a common story from representatives around Scotland. People across my home city of Dundee are concerned about the growth in antisocial and criminal behaviour that is facilitated by e-bikes. Just this weekend, residents in Ardler explained to me the menace that is being caused in their community by people recklessly driving e-bikes at high speed. Last week, I spoke with residents in Kirkton who are being menaced by people driving e-bikes at speeds of up to 50mph in built-up areas, racing through red lights, riding on pavements and intimidating other road users.”
“That the Parliament agrees that, under Rule 12.3.3B of Standing Orders, the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee can meet, if necessary, at the same time as a meeting of the Parliament during Members’ Business on Wednesday 3 December 2025. That the Parliament agrees that Paul O’Kane be appointed to replace Rhoda Grant as a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. The Presiding Officer: That concludes decision time. Bereavement Support and Awareness”
“The Presiding Officer: Unless any member objects, I propose to ask a single question on four Parliamentary Bureau motions. The question is, that motions S6M-19993 and S6M-19994, on approval of Scottish statutory instruments, motion S6M-19995, on committee meeting times, and motion S6M-19996, on committee membership, all in the name of Graeme Dey, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to. Motions agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved. That the Parliament agrees that the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved.”
“Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament believes that there should be independent oversight of the Police Scotland review into group-based sexual exploitation of children and calls on the Scottish Government to urgently clarify whether it will conduct an inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland, and, in doing so, to give consideration to the continuing work of the statutory Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which is considering the abuse of children in care in Scotland, the effects of that abuse and if changes to the law, policies or procedures are needed; recognises the independence of Police Scotland and that the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 stipulates that the Chief Constable is responsible for the policing of Scotland, and is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority, and acknowledges that the information and data being gathered by members of the National Child Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group is necessary to ensure that informed evidence-based decisions are taken on the need for further independent inquiries or reviews.”
“For Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Dr 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) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [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) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) 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) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Fulton MacGregor] Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) 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) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Abstentions Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-19980, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on transparency in tackling group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, as amended, is: For 95, Against 27, Abstentions 1.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that motion S6M-19980, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on transparency in tackling group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: The motion is therefore agreed— Members: No. The Presiding Officer: I am afraid that it was probably a quiet no from where I am sitting. There will be a division.”
“For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) 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) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) 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) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Fulton MacGregor] 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) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-19980.1, in the name of Russell Findlay, is: For 50, Against 73, Abstentions 0.”
“Amendment agreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S6M-19980.1, in the name of Russell Findlay, which seeks to amend motion S6M-19980, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on transparency in tackling group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division. The vote is closed. I am aware of a great deal of a conversation this evening; I would be grateful if members could be courteous.”
“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) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) 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) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) 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) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Fulton MacGregor] 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 Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Abstentions Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-19980.2, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, is: For 67, Against 55, Abstentions 1.”
“The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S6M-19980.2, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, which seeks to amend motion S6M- 19980, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on transparency in tackling group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”