Christine Grahame
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding whether any of the support announced in response to the increased cost of heating oil will help the agriculture sector and other rural industries in Scotland that are dependent on that fuel. (S6O- 05695)”
“At a recent First Minister’s question time, I raised the matter of the successful prosecution against the Hamiltons, who are part of the cruel puppy- farm trade. That case was concluded after a five- year investigation by the SSPCA that started when 33 puppies were found in dreadful conditions.”
“Of course, some can go online or use an app, but there will be many who cannot, and for them, it is essential that they speak to a real person at the bank, not a chatbot. Therefore, I would impress upon the Bank of Scotland the need for it to take up my suggestion of reintroducing mobile services, which I understand it abandoned in 2024.”
“My first prize at school was for an essay on animal welfare, but being a vet was out of reach for a girl from a council house scheme. However, I got to the right place at last, chairing the cross- party group on animal welfare for more than a decade, with two acts of Parliament—the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Welfare of Do…”
“I made my first speech in June 1999, and one Mary Scanlon, a Conservative, broke my peroration—I thought that I was doing rather well—with a point of order that challenged the relevance of my contribution to the motion. I was devastated, but I ploughed on.”
“The Scottish Sentencing Council is developing guidelines for environmental and wildlife crime, but companion and farm animal welfare cases, which make up the vast majority of investigations, are not included.”
The complete record
Every one of 727 lines we hold for Christine Grahame, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 12 of 15.
“To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Borders about extending the hospital at home provision throughout the Borders. (S6O- 04593)”
“Motions agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that Mark Ruskell be appointed to replace Ariane Burgess as a member of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. That the Parliament agrees that Ariane Burgess be appointed to replace Mark Ruskell as the Scottish Green Party substitute on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. The Presiding Officer: That concludes decision time. Testicular Cancer Awareness Month”
“Motion agreed to, That the Parliament recognises the value of Scotland’s heavy industrial and manufacturing sectors, and the significant contribution that they make to the national and regional economy; notes recent developments in global trade policy and their potential economic impact; welcomes the UK Government’s intervention in British Steel to support the continued resilience of the supply chain, and believes that the UK Government should give similar consideration to its engagement with the Grangemouth oil refinery, given its significance to national resilience and high-quality job opportunities. The Presiding Officer: The final question is, that motions S6M-17373, on committee membership, and S6M-17374, on substitution on committees, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to.”
“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) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) 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) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) 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) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) 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) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) 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) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) 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) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against 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) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (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 motion S6M-17352, in the name of Kate Forbes, on supporting Scottish industry during turbulent economic times, is: For 103, Against 17, Abstentions 0.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that motion S6M-17352, in the name of Kate Forbes, on supporting Scottish industry during turbulent economic times, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“For Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) 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) 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) 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) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (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) 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) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) 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) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (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) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) 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) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] 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) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) 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) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-17352.1, in the name of Jamie Greene, is: For 34, Against 86, Abstentions 0.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that amendment S6M-17352.1, in the name of Jamie Greene, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17352, in the name of Kate Forbes, on supporting Scottish industry during turbulent economic times, 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 Grahame. We will ensure that that is recorded. For 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) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) 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) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) 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) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) 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) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) 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) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) 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) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) 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) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-17352.4, in the name of Lorna Slater, is: For 7, Against 111, Abstentions 0.”
“Instead of increasing the contributions that we receive from hard- working Scots, the SNP should listen to the calls to cut taxes and reduce the burden that people are having to endure. It is time for both of Scotland’s Governments to invest in a competitive pro-business environment that empowers Scottish industries to survive and thrive for the future. We are truly capable of achieving that and will do so if that is offered. 16:06”
“Given the importance of the sector to the Scottish economy, the Scottish Government should be careful that its policies do not end up clipping the sector’s wings. The motion is right to talk about the turbulent times that industries face right across Scotland. Although the Scottish Government can see the problem, it is not always offering real solutions. Scottish industry should not be dealing with the higher tax burden or with lower long-term growth, which has taken about £800 million out of the Scottish budget. Businesses need a sense of common purpose and commonsense policies that aim to grow the economy and empower business, so that all sectors can thrive.”
“Perhaps the most obvious example is the high-tax agenda that the Scottish Government continues to follow. On that issue, leading economists have warned that the SNP’s approach to income tax is “not working” and that tax divergence from the rest of the UK risks shrinking the Scottish tax base. Higher Scottish taxes are making it more difficult for leading industries to attract and retain top talent, which is a difficulty in the heavy industry and manufacturing sectors. According to Scottish Government data, the average salary in the Scottish manufacturing sector is significantly different from the average in Scotland, which means that workers are far more likely to fall into the SNP’s higher tax rates and lower thresholds.”
“The fact that the tax increase is happening at the same time as Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill is before Parliament will only make a bad situation worse. It is evident that the reforms are already causing instability, falling confidence and further uncertainty for the businesses community across Scotland. It is also clear that aspects of the reforms will have a real impact in practice. The Law Society of Scotland has said that the new provisions around zero-hours contracts are “overly complicated and lack clarity”. That alone will cause real issues for individuals. Furthermore, Labour’s own impact assessments suggest that the reforms could cost businesses an extra £4.5 billion across the United Kingdom and will impact industry in every sector. However, for businesses in Scotland, the biggest challenges have been created by the SNP.”
“The CEO of PP Control & Automation has warned that tax hikes will burden the manufacturing sector at a time when it is already dealing with high operational expenses and skill shortages. We have skill shortages in many sectors, and the national insurance contributions rise will only exacerbate them. The director of S&P Global has warned of the impact that it will have on manufacturing: it will ensure that jobs are lost “at a rate not been seen since the pandemic months of mid- 2020”. The Labour Government has said that it wants to make growth a priority. If it does, its actions need to make that the reality. Instead, the reality is that its decision to raise taxes will make growth more difficult to achieve for industries across Scotland and the whole of the UK.”
“In addition, disturbances of international trade and distribution that are taking place because of tariffs have made conditions more difficult for Scotland’s exporters, even though Brexit has allowed the UK to avoid the worst of those tariffs. As Murdo Fraser’s amendment highlights, decisions that have been taken by both of Scotland’s Governments have made the situation even more difficult and volatile, including decisions that were taken by the Labour UK Government in its autumn statement. Labour’s broken promise on national insurance contributions will inevitably have a huge knock-on effect in the form of difficulties for businesses in hiring and retaining staff. I would also like to talk about the difficulties around decisions that are made within industry.”
“The Scottish Conservatives are always happy to champion the needs of Scotland’s industrial and manufacturing sectors, and these are undoubtedly challenging and turbulent times. Right across the United Kingdom, those industries face the stark reality of challenges, such as rising energy costs because of the on-going war in Ukraine, which continue to have a significant impact on prices for businesses across Scotland and the United Kingdom. As Scottish industry faces turbulent times, it is also facing uncertain times. The announcement from Grangemouth today confirms that. The loss of jobs and of the refinery in that location will have a massive impact on Scotland and its economy.”
“I return to the example of Taiwan, from which we can learn to invest in and value research and development in our universities, as Gordon MacDonald referenced in his comments. We can also look to protect our produce with the “Made in Scotland” label, which has worldwide value. Those are just two areas where the Scottish Government can make fundamental interventions. However, to be clear, it is successive UK Governments, with their substantial reserved powers, that have failed—as I hope that I have illustrated over the decades—to provide the UK, let alone Scotland, with an industrial strategy. 16:00 Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) : I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I will be supporting the amendment in the name of my colleague Murdo Fraser.”
“The UK Government failed Scotland in the 1960s and 1970s by selling off the oil and gas industry and failing to build from its oil and gas revenues something similar to the extraordinary Norwegian Government pension fund global, which now amounts to $1.7 trillion. Members will say that we are where we are. Indeed, but it is worth saying how we got where we are and whether lessons have been learned by the UK Government. After all, it has the economic power; that is not here. I would say that it has not learned lessons. Support is needed, but let us be clear that the Scottish Government can only tinker at the edges. Given the huge constraints of devolution, we should not say otherwise.”
“From the very first wind generators to the world’s largest wind farms.” Forty years ago, the company saw limitless potential. What was the UK doing then? That illustrates my point. The nine largest public owners of wind farms in Scotland are foreign. That includes the Danish wind company Ørsted, the Swedish power company Vattenfall, the Norwegian Statkraft and Munich’s municipal energy company. The UK Government does not own one. To rub salt into the wound, we have high energy costs domestically and commercially. In Norway, although 69 per cent of wind farms are owned by foreign companies, Norwegian companies at least own 31 per cent.”
“Some of the change was the result of the natural evolution of the international manufacturing landscape, and I accept that. However, we—that is, the UK—missed the boat in anticipating modern manufacturing requirements. Take, for example, the many wind farm developments across my constituency and elsewhere. Which companies manufacture the turbines? I understand that the two main manufacturers are Vestas, which is an American company that is based in Portland, and Siemens Gamesa of Madrid, Spain. Siemens Gamesa’s company history states: “40 years ago, we saw limitless potential in wind, from powering factories to illuminating homes around the globe. Our technological leadership has accompanied us all these years, from our first wind turbines to our powerful offshore projects ...”
“As for Taiwan, which I visited many years ago, it is impressive. With so little in the way of natural resources and with the looming threat of China just across the water, it has invested in research and development with great success. To protect itself from patent theft, it invests just as heavily in legal protections and it licenses the production that flows from its patents. Across my Borders and Midlothian constituency, the wool industry is now a shadow of its former self and most of the jobs have gone, although its products are of high quality. Coal mining in Newtongrange, Gorebridge and Penicuik are consigned to the museum and memorials. Penicuik’s famous paper-making site has been redeveloped into residential housing. Those industries all sustained entire communities.”
“I come to this debate from a slightly different angle. The war in Ukraine, the vagaries of a flood of Trump executive orders on tariffs, and, indeed, the folly of the UK coming out of the EU, despite Scotland voting to remain by 62 per cent, have all exposed the fragility of the UK economy, particularly UK manufacturing capacity. That flows from decades of successive UK Governments, at least from the 1960s onwards, slipping happily into an importing nation, at least of goods, and relying on being a service economy. That vulnerability will take major change at a UK level to undo. I recall when the label on goods “Made in China” and “Made in Taiwan” provoked scorn and even laughter. The same goes for Skoda and Lada. We are not laughing now, are we? Practically every device that we use has Chinese components.”
“To ask the First Minister, in light of the reported issues arising from proposed rural nursery closures or mothballing, including the potential impact on the sustainability of rural communities and the operation of primary schools, whether the Scottish Government will review the relevant legislation and the guidance on criteria for protecting rural primary schools from closure. (S6F-04008)”
“Age discrimination against the older generation is alive and well—as an octogenarian, I can testify to that—but so is age discrimination against the young. The untrammelled energy of youth can be annoying but so, too, can the slower pace of the elderly, irritating those who are young, for whom life is in a hurry. Tolerance and understanding are, therefore, a good prescription. That is why one-to-one encounters, starting with those personal encounters between the younger and older generations, are important; they shatter misperceptions and, what is more, enhance respect and understanding of both the old and the young. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Grahame. You may be underpricing yourself. I call Kaukab Stewart to respond to the debate. Minister, you have about seven minutes. 17:37”
“What was it like, say, growing up after the war with the remnants of rationing, or in the swinging 60s when mini-skirts were, dangerously, all the fashion and the young rebelled against the older generation? By the way, I come free of charge. It can involve a young person showing someone older, such as me, how to use TikTok or even the mysteries of the internet. It can also be about using emojis in the right place at the right time for the right reason. After all, we all remember David Cameron getting caught, misusing “LOL”. All of that activity should also remind the younger generation that we, the older people, have a value and should be valued—that we have had, and still have, a life. It is important that we understand and tolerate one another.”
“In some cultures—for example, in China—the elderly are respected and even revered, just for being elderly. Indeed, with my own late granny, we did as we were told. It was her hoose, so there were no mugs in her kitchen; there was a cheena cup and saucer, doilies, antimacassars and a three-tiered cake and sandwich stand. There was nothing less from a former lady’s maid—the daughter of a shepherd, who left school at 14. It was another world, but it is as clear in my memory as yesterday. This sort of intergenerational activity can involve young ones coming in to care settings to share simple play and perhaps perform a song or two. Indeed, I have seen that at work in schools. It can involve lessons in social history, too.”
“Those are special moments and they give parents a break. Walking hand in hand with a young one chattering away, and granny getting out and about instead of being sofa bound, are the stuff of abiding memories. A benefit of being Granny Scotland—my soubriquet—is going to films that I really want to see but for which I need an alibi. That alibi is the granddaughter who is at my side while we watch “Frozen” on the big screen, with compulsory burgers; who, while I simply lounge on the sand at Portobello beach, paddles about and keeps checking to see if I am watching her with approval; or who shares a humungous banana split with me. I remember having my face painted as a cat’s on new year’s day and then returning home, forgetting that I was still sporting the cat face and wondering why the world was smiling at me as I passed by.”
“I, too, congratulate Jackie Dunbar on securing the debate. Global intergenerational week is aimed at inspiring individuals, groups, organisations and Governments to connect people of all ages, especially the younger and older generations, in order to share good practice and take opportunities to come together, enjoy each other’s company, and make friendships that cross the age divide. That can happen through physical activities, chatting, gardening and baking— although I should say that I am quite hopeless at baking. Some of that already happens quite naturally through grandparenting and interaction with elderly relatives and neighbours. It can be about cuddling in to granny or grandad, telling a story from a book or simply sharing memories of the past, embellished—in my case, at least—for dramatic or romantic effect, or even both.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will change its policy position in relation to an independent Scotland seeking to rejoin the EU, in light of the potential impact of US tariffs on the UK and the EU. (S6O-04551)”
“We all want to spend to save, but the funds have to be taken from all the firefighting that we have to do. That has been the dilemma across this Parliament for my 26 years here. I hope that the member and the Scottish Government can find a way to progress this worthy proposal. It might require amendments. I had to substantially amend at least part of my Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill in order for it to proceed, by removing financial obligations that could not be met in the current climate by local authorities. With those caveats, unlike the Government, I will support the bill at stage 1. I congratulate the member and wish her and the Government well on the bill and hope that they can resolve the financial difficulties. 16:33”
“I emphasise that the staff are full of heart, enthusiasm and experience. Even now, though, they find that accessing funding is tough. Other funding routes are not readily available. Although I fully support the principles of the bill, it is an understatement to say that there is a lot of work to be done on meeting the realistic costs for places such as Broomlee. That includes finding capital funding as well as facing the fact that many costs are recurring and will undoubtedly rise with the cost of living. The member has suggested various funding routes, and I hope that they work. However, the member has to nail those down before a statutory duty is placed on the schools, and ultimately on the Government, to offer this provision from a fixed and allocated budget.”
“From my distant youth to Broomlee today, not much has changed, even with the internet and mobile phones. North Berwick and Iona were pretty spartan, but that was part of the fun. Those experiences live with you always. I recall many details of mine, from being washed out from the bell tent at North Berwick to sunshine and early mornings in the abbey at Iona. Therefore, I am right behind the purpose of the bill, but—and it is a big “but”—although the committee agrees to the general principles at paragraph 248 of the report, at paragraph 249 it outlines, rightly, substantial concerns on the financial aspects of the bill. I go back to Broomlee. The various cabins, which look like Nissen huts, were built 85 years ago and desperately need upgrading. Any heating that is in them goes through the roof and the walls.”
“The centre manager, Richard Gerrish, has written this to me about the bill: “This issue is clearly very close to our hearts for all sorts of reasons, but mostly because we have witnessed first- hand the ever-increasing numbers of children from economically disadvantaged areas who are missing out on these valuable experiences as the financial burden is passed on to parents and the cost-of-living crisis bites harder and harder.” I start by speaking about Broomlee because so much of what it provides is reflected in the purposes of the bill—good stuff so far. I could see the Broomlee centre providing just such an experience. I had my own such experiences many moons ago, as a working-class child on my first time away, with the girl guides camping at North Berwick, and later as a teenager on a fortnight retreat at Iona.”
“It is within easy reach of the Pentland hills, so it is a great base for walking and hiking, as well as for mountain biking up the Tweed valley. There are three accommodation blocks, with a capacity of up to 131. It has an 85-year-old history of providing residential outdoor experiences for young people, which began when it took in evacuees during the blitz of the second world war. To this day it continues to provide life-changing experiences in the outdoors for children who are facing the pressures and anxiety of a post-lockdown world, coupled with the difficulties of a cost of living crisis. Most of those children are from less-well-off areas. The Broomlee centre is part of a charity.”
“I endorse every tribute to Christina McKelvie from across the chamber. She was a lovely and honest-to- goodness person. I send my condolences to Keith Brown and to her sons. I congratulate Liz Smith on the bill. I know how much work goes into a member’s bill and how much it depends on the drive and determination of the member. Such bills are very personal and are usually on an issue close to the member’s heart— this one certainly is. Liz Smith’s retiral next year will be a huge loss to the Conservative benches and, indeed, to Parliament. I have visited Broomlee outdoor education centre on the edge of West Linton in my constituency on several occasions. It sits in some 30 acres of land, with a small river for raft building and some woodland, and it provides a range of activities.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated in its budget to fund applications to the rural affordable homes for key workers fund, including from housing associations where there have been housing stock transfers from a local authority. (S6O-04492)”
“I have yet to discover where the UK stands on such an initiative, and I would welcome up-to-date information on that, as regulatory powers on consumer products are reserved to the UK Government. Although Governments and public agencies, including the Scottish Parliament, which hold large procurement budgets, can exercise choices and promote fair trade, the public have a huge impact on what happens in the fields, forests and factories across the poorer parts of the world. Such an initiative might, in some way, change the balance from the position when Great Britain exploited large parts of the world and took so much of their natural resources—parts that are now in desperate need of economic assistance. Fair trade is one way of doing that. 16:13”
“Crucial to the establishment of such a project would be approval by the Competition and Markets Authority. The UK’s competition watchdog has recently indicated, in an informal advice note, that it does not expect to take enforcement action as a result of such a scheme, and that joint buying would have “neutral” or even “positive effects on competition”, by giving shoppers a wider choice of fair trade products. According to Fairtrade, such a buying coalition would give supermarkets more power to resolve major issues such as child labour, living wages and deforestation. If the project proceeds and proves successful in the UK, the non- governmental organisation hopes to expand it to other markets in Europe, including Belgium and the Netherlands.”
“Neither situation is good for people or for the planet. A few years back, several clothing retailers, including the venerable Marks and Spencer, were taken to task for what amounted to child labour producing clothing for their shops. Frankly, in some cases, the companies were simply unaware of that fact. Since that exposé of not only its own practices but those of other retailers, M and S has put in place a publicly accessible ethical trading policy. Now, several supermarket chains from the UK, including Tesco and Sainsbury’s, have been in talks with the Fairtrade Foundation, as they want to join forces to buy Fairtrade bananas, coffee and cocoa from farmers in developing countries. A UK fair trade coalition would be the first buying coalition of its kind. It would increase the availability of fair trade products to consumers.”
“We are at the end of a production chain that runs from growing to processing, and from there to packaging and then into our shopping baskets. We recognise the labels on bananas and coffee, but what is often missed is the cost to poor countries of supplying garments to UK outlets. The prices of Fairtrade bananas and coffee are often on a par with those of other commercial products. However, if a T-shirt is only £2, or a jacket or dress is only £10, we should ask ourselves why it has such a low price. In these days of inflation and austerity, I realise that not everyone has the luxury of answering that question through their choices, but the culture of throwaway fashion has a lot to answer for. After all the back-breaking labour of poor workers who have been exploited, within weeks, such garments are often in landfill.”
“I, too, applaud Scotland’s continued status as a fair trade nation. As we know, the principle of fair trade means that farmers and other producers in less economically developed countries should receive a fair price for the goods that they produce. As practically everyone knows, when sold in support of those aims, such products usually carry a Fairtrade label. Sixty per cent of the fair trade market consists of food products such as coffee, tea, cocoa, honey and bananas. However, it also covers non-food commodities such as crafts, textiles and flowers. Those three items are not so often identified as products that might start their long journeys from the fields and sweatshops in countries where labour—and sometimes life—comes cheap. So much depends on businesses and us.”
“Providing the transcripts was intended to help to address some of the on-going concerns and to recognise that, at the time of giving evidence, the person might not immediately reflect on or remember what was said, for obvious reasons. Introducing the pilot was the right step; the issue is how to improve the process during the pilot as well as about what happens in the statutory system. I hope that the lessons that were learned during the pilot will help to inform continuous changes as of now and will ensure the strength of the statutory system, if the Parliament approves that when the bill is amended, for exactly the reasons that Christine Grahame set out. Scottish Universities (Funding Model) 2.”
“I recently met a constituent who had been raped in 2022. The case went to trial in 2024, but there was a not proven verdict. That brought home to me how dreadful the stress and the lasting trauma is, and that continues even today. I am sure that the cabinet secretary will convey to the cabinet secretary for justice the significance of obtaining the transcript and the need for continuing support when the transcript is delivered, because one must never underestimate the impact, particularly of a not proven verdict, on a victim. Fiona Hyslop: I reflect the concerns of anybody who has been involved in giving evidence in situations that can reassert their trauma. A trauma-informed system can help to address that. The member reflects why that is important in the first place.”
“As well as U- turning on whisky, Keir Starmer should reverse the increase in employer national insurance contributions. Indeed, it is a bit rich for Rhoda Grant to complain about the lack of rural employees when we have that tax on jobs, which is leading to some jobs being cut in small businesses. They are certainly not increasing—so much for building the economy. Rhoda Grant: Will the member take an intervention?”
“Daniel Johnson: It is because Keir Starmer prioritises whisky that he has prioritised a trade deal with India—whisky’s biggest market—which currently has a 150 per cent tariff. Surely that shows the emphasis that he places on whisky, does it not? Christine Grahame: No. I have a lot of time for Mr Johnson, but he is on very wobbly ground given the increase in employer national insurance contributions, which will hurt the whisky industry as much as any other. Other moves that Keir Starmer has made— particularly, as I have referred to, the increase in employer national insurance contributions—will burden the many small food and drink producers across rural Scotland. They will find it hard, in competition with the big boys such as Tennent’s, to push that cost on to their prices.”
“I very much welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. In due course, I will refer to some of the local food and drink industries in my constituency, which I am sure other members will do, too—if not, they ought to. That said, I think that we, the Scottish public, perhaps underestimate the value in hard cash of exports and, indeed, the quality of our home- grown produce across this wide and varied sector—soft fruits, a large variety of tatties, neeps, seafood, cheeses, our craft beers and lagers and, of course, our whisky. By the way, I do not know what Sir Keir Starmer was thinking when he suggested changing the definition of a single malt just to help English distilleries. Indeed, was he thinking of Scotland at all? I have a feeling that, like Margaret Thatcher, whom he admires, he just does not get Scotland.”
“To ask the First Minister, regarding any potential impact on planning legislation in Scotland, what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that the United Kingdom Government has proposed giving people living near power infrastructure hundreds of pounds off their bills each year. (S6F-03892)”
“However, I do not have answers—only questions—as to why change is so slow. Why have we not moved on further in those 80 years? I married at 25 and had my first child at 27. I had to give up my teaching post for six years to bring up my sons, as there was no such thing as maternity leave and no nursery or job security. We have some of that now—it is better, but it is not good enough. 17:53”
“It is tougher, as good though we are at multitasking, to juggle jobs and motherhood—it is no easy task. I insert the caveat that there are men, too, who have those dual roles. Added to that, although there were always pressures on girls about their looks, they are exacerbated today by social media. Are you slim enough? Do you conform to the current model of good looks? Having to conform to fit in has always been the case, but it is much worse these days. There has been a shift, but not as much as one would expect 80 years on. Marriage is not a necessity and the term “bidey-in” has been lost in the mists of time; it is about having partners. We have women as chief executives, we have had female Prime Ministers and a female First Minister and, often, general practitioners are women, although male nurses are more of a rarity.”
“I am telling this story because the culture at the time, certainly for working-class girls, was to leave school at 16, get an office job, get engaged at 18, marry at 20 and have their first child at 22. Before the pill, there was no hanky-panky until they were married. A pregnant single girl at that time was considered a fallen woman, but it was different for boys and men, of course. The irony is that, by national necessity, during the second world war, women were liberated into what were men-only jobs, but, as soon as the war ended, they were expected to return—and they did—to domestic-only roles. We have come some way, but against that narrative, and not that far, really. Girls are still pigeonholed into certain trades and professions. There are not many female plumbers and electricians, but there are plenty of female teachers.”
“There is nothing wrong with that, but there was no encouragement to go to university, except from my Russian teacher. I left at 16, but with highers in my back pocket. I looked for a job at what was then Ferranti, as I had higher physics, chemistry and maths. A woman in a white lab coat took me quietly to the side and advised me not to take the job offer because I would be stuck at her level, whereas men were promoted. I then began as a clerkess in an insurance company, because I was desperate to have some money. After one year of that, I saw that able women were stuck at senior clerkess level, so that was it—I packed it in and went to university.”