Jackie Baillie
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“Is it not the case that the SNP was economical with the truth in its manifesto when it promised all those things, knowing that there was no budget to deliver any of them? Angela Constance: This Government will deliver a new hospital for the Monklands. This is not about ditching; it is about delivering.”
“I congratulate Marie McNair on bringing the motion to the chamber for debate and on her consistent championing of the cause. Asbestos was finally completely banned in 1999, the same year that the Parliament was established.”
“Today, Cape is owned by the construction engineering company Altrad, which operates around the world, and its UK arm alone made a pre-tax profit of £37.3 million in the year to August 2025.”
“Although shipbuilders and tradesmen might be the most affected, their wives and children might also have been exposed to asbestos dust, and, of course, all families are impacted by a loved one’s diagnosis.”
“I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement. First, there is no doubt in my mind that the people of Lanarkshire and the hard-working NHS staff at Monklands hospital will be bitterly disappointed by the cabinet secretary’s announcement. It does not sound like a reset; it sounds like an indefinite halt.”
“In 2024, the Scottish Law Commission recommended, helpfully, that the time bar be removed, but that was not legislated for in the previous parliamentary session. I hope that the Scottish Government will make such legislation an urgent priority in this parliamentary session.”
The complete record
Every one of 503 lines we hold for Jackie Baillie, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 11.
“I think that we would all acknowledge that, despite the fact that the 2014 Commonwealth games were supposed to lead to a more fit and healthy Scotland, healthy life expectancy is going down. Only around six in 10 adults carry out the recommended physical activity to stay healthy. Worryingly, children and young people are spending ever more time in sedentary activities. Not often in government or in life do we get a second chance, so, this time around, the Scottish Government must ensure that the Commonwealth games leave a legacy of more investment in community and grass-roots sports, primary care and preventative health and more opportunities for the athletes of the future. The Scottish Government made a commitment to free swimming lessons for every primary-school child in Scotland.”
“In my area, Dumbarton Football Club has started work on a new astroturf pitch, so that the women’s team can train locally, and the Vale of Leven football club, which also has a women’s team—a very successful one—has ambitious plans to improve the facilities at that long-standing community club. The debate is about the summer of sport, not just football, although I think that many members— some on the Government benches—hope to attend the tournament. In July, Glasgow will welcome athletes from across the world for the Commonwealth games. That has not happened by chance; thanks to the hard work of all who put Glasgow’s plan together, at very short notice, we will be able to cheer on the Scotland team. Aside from an expected huge medal haul for the Scotland team, what will be the legacy of those games?”
“Although it is right that we celebrate the fact that the men’s side is competing in this year’s tournament, let us also celebrate the way in which football has changed for the better. Football is now the number 1 sport for girls and women in Scotland; there are more than 1,000 grass-roots teams, I think. However, women’s football still has significantly less investment, less coverage and less support than the men’s game. I hope that we will change that. The United Kingdom Labour Government has committed some £8 million to Scotland for grass- roots sports facilities, with an emphasis on women’s football. I encourage the Scottish Government to match that, or indeed to go further, so that we can expand the women’s game.”
“Like others in the chamber, I suspect, I remember the world cup campaign in 1998—hard to believe, I know— and the hope, aspiration and sheer joy that is the tartan army. I have to say that, although we have never yet made it into the second round, this could be our year, and the expectation is huge. Despite reports to the contrary, this is not the first time in nearly 30 years that a Scottish football team has been at the world cup, because Scotland’s women were there in 2019. That was all the more impressive, given that the Scottish Football Association banned women from using club facilities for much of the 20th century and took charge of the women’s international side only in 1998.”
“I think that there is also an entitlement to expect some decent respect for the integrity of individuals in this Parliament, which was sadly lacking in Jackie Baillie’s contribution today.”
“In addition to that point, the issue that is at the heart of this case is about deception and criminality. That is the responsibility of Peter Murrell. That is what this case is about—deception and criminality. That was highlighted in the statement that I have already made, when I quoted Police Scotland, but let me give members another extract from the Police Scotland statement. It talks about how there was an attempt between 2010 and 2022 to “carefully … hide his criminality with false receipts and accounting.” That is what the deception is about, and that is what my party and many individuals are victims of as a consequence of the actions of Peter Murrell. We have taken action as a party to address these issues and we have good and strong governance in place under my leadership. That is what my party has a right to expect.”
“The First Minister: We really are in the depths of it all today with Jackie Baillie’s question. Let me walk through some of the points that Jackie Baillie has raised. The first point that I want to make is that, on the first day of debate in this session, Jackie Baillie has questioned my integrity and truthfulness. Jackie Baillie spent the best part of five years in the last session of Parliament questioning my integrity and my truthfulness. I invite her to look at the election results and see how far the behaviour of the Labour Party got it. If anybody epitomised that whole smearing of people’s characters in the last session of Parliament, Jackie Baillie is at the front of the queue, and I would have thought that she might have learned her lessons before she came in and started doing it on this occasion.”
“We have warned consistently about the rotten culture of secrecy and cover-up at the heart of the SNP Government. We have seen that during the Salmond inquiry, with the legal challenge to the Scottish Information Commissioner and, at its most extreme, with the embezzlement of SNP supporters’ money. In March 2021, a complaint was made to the police about the SNP’s finances. In May that year, John Swinney appeared on “The Sunday Show” and said that he had no idea why the party’s treasurer resigned. In June, Nicola Sturgeon said that money had not gone missing and that there was nothing to see here. I am not sure whether any of that reflects the truth. How can the public trust John Swinney when he is the man who is the architect of this culture of secrecy?”
“I am sure that he did not expect to get assistance from Malcolm Offord today. I have to admit that I was very confused by Malcolm Offord’s speech, and I am not sure that it was helped by his microphone being turned on. [Laughter.] I was just checking to see whether members were all awake. Let us call this debate what it is. It is designed to stoke grievance and division and to hide from the SNP’s record in government—and this in the week that the former SNP chief executive pled guilty to embezzling more than £400,000. That money, donated by party members from their hard-earned cash, was supposed to fund the next campaign for independence.”
“Under the SNP, we have 10,000 children in temporary accommodation, without a home to call their own, seven of Scotland’s ferries out of use in a single day and 42 per cent of our children leaving school without a single higher. Further, there was a promise to end NHS waits of more than a year by March 2026, but 32,000 people are still waiting, and there are thousands more waiting more than two years. If that is the extent of the SNP’s ambition, I worry for our country. Scots know that the SNP is not delivering. That is why just one in five of the Scots who could vote chose the SNP. Try as he might to suggest otherwise, the First Minister does not have a mandate for independence. He said, time after time, that only an SNP majority would deliver another referendum, and he rejected the notion that the Greens would count towards that tally.”
“That is good to know, Deputy Presiding Officer. I start by commending all the MSPs who have made their maiden speeches today. I do not agree with all the content, I have to say, but I very much welcome them to the Parliament: Kate Campbell, Donald MacKinnon, Lloyd Melville, Patricia Gibson, Senga Beresford, Alex Kerr, Julie MacDougall, Michelle Campbell, Kayleigh Kinross- O’Neill and, of course, Duncan Dunlop, who I thought made an excellent speech that reminded us of why we are in this place. The SNP claims to be ambitious for Scotland, but what matters to the Scottish people is delivery. I will judge the Scottish Government on its promises and how it keeps them, but its track record does not fill me with confidence.”
“I, Jackie Baillie, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me”
“The operational improvement plan sets out very clear programmes of work, including the utilisation of hospital at home, the utilisation of health board funding to support social care services, working with frailty services and providing wider system support, which we are doing. That work is informed by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to ensure that we see the necessary progress. I am confident that the next Government will continue to make progress.”
“The Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimates that, “at the current rate of progress, it could take more than 200 years to reduce the number” of Scots waiting long hours at A and E to levels seen just a decade ago. Will the Government accept that its current approach has failed and commit to a whole-system approach that also tackles the social care crisis, where there is underfunding of £500 million for this financial year and record levels of delayed discharge? Neil Gray: It is absolutely not this Government’s intention to take anywhere near that long to resolve some of the challenges that are being faced in that regard.”
“I think that people in Scotland will be pretty sceptical about the things that Mr Sarwar says in here and the commitments that he gives, because we saw the real side of Mr Sarwar yesterday in his flippant and disrespectful comments about those in our society who suffer strokes. Mr Sarwar should do the decent thing and apologise with his own words. Prestwick Airport (Military Use) 3.”
“The group is able to explore all the safety issues, and I reiterate my confidence in the safety of the hospital. What lies at the heart of Mr Sarwar’s point is a misconstruing of what the Government has done and a deliberate attempt to mislead and misrepresent the Government’s position. I come back to what I said in my answer to his first question. Because of the experience at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital, the Government established a public inquiry. Because of the concern of my late colleague Jeane Freeman, there was a delay to the opening of the Edinburgh children’s hospital until the issues were addressed. There is a delay to the Baird and the ANCHOR because we are prioritising patient safety. That is the absolute opposite of what Mr Sarwar has put to the Parliament today.”
“I make a firm commitment today that I will publish all validation documents in relation to the Queen Elizabeth university hospital, do any repair work and build any new wards, including, if necessary, the cancer wards. Will the First Minister make that same commitment right now? The First Minister: I am taking an approach to the Queen Elizabeth university hospital that is about working to build public confidence and trust in the operation of the hospital. That is why representatives of the families who have suffered are members of the public oversight group that is looking at these very issues. It was my request that they be on that group, which is independently co- chaired by Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie to make sure that there is openness. The first meeting of the group took place on 11 March.”
“Anas Sarwar: The families are desperate for truth and justice, and they are the ones who John Swinney is forgetting. The Queen Elizabeth university hospital scandal is the worst in the history of the Parliament. Children and adults have died, and others have been left with life-changing injuries. Grieving families have been lied to, staff have been bullied and threatened, and the Scottish people have been consistently misled. The cover-up meant that lessons were not learned, and those mistakes have been repeated in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. I have spent more than eight years with those families and doctors, listening to their stories, hearing their pain and trying to get them justice. Over that time, John Swinney and his SNP Government have sided with management and denied the problems.”
“What I have said to the public—and I stand by it—is that the Queen Elizabeth university hospital is a safe hospital. Issues will emerge in our hospitals, but the crucial point is that those issues must be addressed timeously—and they are being addressed timeously in the Queen Elizabeth university hospital. We have established an oversight group to provide greater public reassurance in an open and transparent fashion. Representatives of the families who have suffered unbearably as a consequence of the issues at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital are members of that oversight group, and that is essential for the issues of public transparency to be taken forward. I make absolutely clear to the public the importance that I attach to public safety, and that is what I require of health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”
“For 10 years, patients have been lied to about safety standards at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital; for 10 years, staff have been bullied and gaslit; and for 10 years, the public have not been told the truth. For the past two months, John Swinney has insisted that all of the Queen Elizabeth university hospital is safe, all while he was receiving internal warnings about infection risks and the health board was drawing up plans to rebuild parts of the hospital. The bone marrow transplant ward needs to be replaced. That proves that, for 10 years, patients have been lied to about safety standards at the hospital. Therefore, I ask again: why was the lie more important to John Swinney than patient safety? The First Minister: I repeat my point that that is the language of a desperate man.”
“The very reason why Jeane Freeman took the decision not to open the children’s hospital in Edinburgh was her response to the issues at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital. As I explained to Mr Burnett last week, the Baird and the ANCHOR centre in Aberdeen are delayed because the same cautious approach that was taken in Edinburgh is being taken to the Baird and ANCHOR. That is because this Government takes the issue of patient safety seriously—and it always will under my leadership. Anas Sarwar: I suggest that John Swinney looks Kimberly Darroch in the eye and makes those same comments, because she was lied to. She was not told the truth about how her daughter was killed, and we have seen all the consequences that resulted from that in the eight years that followed. Frankly, I will call out a lie when it is a lie.”
“Nothing to say about children dying. The First Minister: If Jackie Baillie would stop shouting at me, I will walk my way through these different issues, because it is important that I give Parliament and the public a clear answer on this question. Issues arose from the Queen Elizabeth university hospital that resulted in the Scottish Government commissioning a public inquiry that is still sitting and looking at those issues; we await the findings of Lord Brodie. Because of the issues that emerged at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital, my late colleague Jeane Freeman stopped the opening of the Royal hospital for children and young people, because she was concerned about safety issues. Therefore, there was no cover-up and no ignoring the reality.”
“We have all been weighing up the views of constituents: the views of those who will have to implement the bill if it is passed and the views of families who have lost loved ones in difficult circumstances. In all this, our job is to consider the impact of the bill. That is unemotional; it is about analysis. In doing that, I have come to the conclusion—regretfully—that I cannot support the bill as it stands. 21:07”
“The UK Government has taken a position of neutrality that mirrors that of the Scottish Government, but I was genuinely concerned that the cabinet secretary could not guarantee to me, when I questioned him, that all the safeguarding provisions would be replicated through a section 104 agreement. For many MSPs, that was the equivalent of asking them to vote in the dark—and for that to come so late in the day was problematic. There are questions about whether the bill was competent even on introduction. Consequently, it came as no surprise that the Royal College of Psychiatrists changed its view from being neutral to opposing the bill, as did the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Scotland. Many of us have received emails from clinicians expressing significant concern on that point.”
“Some of my amendments were accepted, and I thank colleagues for that. I recognise that there has been progress from where the bill started. There is a fundamental problem with the bill, however. The Scottish Government rightly advised that the employment issues covered by the bill were not legislatively competent, so the bill can become law only with a section 104 agreement between the Scottish and UK Governments. Provisions allowing protection for staff were therefore completely removed from the bill last week, with the promise that they will be put back in after the bill has passed. That was a watershed moment for many members.”
“However, there is no decision on the model that would be used, and there is no certainty about the cost to the NHS for the implementation of this bill. All of that is taking place against a backdrop of financial pressures on palliative care, leaving us with the uncomfortable question of whether terminally ill patients will be able to make a choice at all. I will not rehearse many of the arguments that have been put, but I agree with all of Bob Doris’ comments about palliative care and Brian Whittle’s comments about the real crisis in social care just now. In dealing with the bill, I worked with Hospice UK, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland— otherwise known as CHAS—the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Psychiatrists to improve the safeguards in the bill.”
“As a result, clinicians at the time opposed the legislation, and both bills failed at stage 1 by a considerable margin. By contrast, this bill has taken a much narrower approach, and many medical and palliative care bodies have remained neutral as a result. Since the bill was first proposed, I have heard very moving stories from those who believe that assisted dying could have prevented unnecessary suffering and from those who want agency at the end of life. I have also listened to the concerns of disabled people and those who fear that assisted dying could have led to a loved one’s unnecessary death. I cannot do justice to their testimony in four minutes, but their stories stay with us all. We have considered the role of doctors and nurses, the definition of a terminal illness, the risk of coercive control and much more besides.”
“As I said last week during consideration of stage 3 amendments, and as others have repeated this evening, this is the most consequential bill of this parliamentary session, and it is probably the most consequential bill of the devolution era. Although I will vote against the bill at decision time, I want to join everybody across the chamber in commending Liam McArthur for his approach, his openness with colleagues, irrespective of political persuasion, and his engagement with lots of professional organisations and families who have experienced difficult deaths. His approach has been second to none. This is the third vote on assisted dying that I have participated in. The two previous bills, which were brought by Margo MacDonald and Patrick Harvie, were wide in scope, with few safeguards, leaving the door open to unintended consequences.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I am afraid that my app would not connect. I would have voted yes. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you. I will make sure that that is recorded.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My apologies—my app would not connect. I would have abstained. The Deputy Presiding Officer : Thank you. I will make sure that that is recorded.”
“Liam McArthur: I do not support Douglas Ross’s amendment 256, which seeks to amend the provisions in section 22B on the differentiation of funding streams to require that statutory resources and charitable funding not be directed towards assisted dying. I believe that the bill as it stands covers the concerns that have been raised about the importance of properly funding both palliative care and assisted dying services. As such, the amendment is not needed. I also observe that the amendment in Douglas Ross's name that we agreed to in the previous group—that is, amendment 252—would expand some of the reporting requirements.”
“On amendment 257, there might be an inconsistency in the requirement to have procedures for patient access, given that amendment 231 seeks to provide that organisations must not be required to make referrals. As I said in relation to group 3, it is also not clear how an organisation would demonstrate conscientious objection, which is about personal beliefs. With regard to amendment 53, we are happy to work with Jackie Baillie to make the technical correction that she has highlighted and amend an incorrect cross-reference in section 22B(3), so that the function of preparing the code of practice is correctly linked to subsection (1). As for the remaining amendments in this group, the Scottish Government has no comment.”
“This package of amendments would strengthen section 22B, and it would help to mitigate potential impacts and ensure that assisted dying was not introduced at the expense of existing vital hospice and palliative care services. I will leave it there, Presiding Officer. I trust that colleagues will support amendments 258, 129, 132 and 53, in my name, on behalf of Hospice UK. Neil Gray: Amendment 256 would seem to interfere with integration joint boards’ responsibilities under the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 to plan and resource adult palliative care services for their area, including hospice services, on the basis of local need.”
“Amendment 129 would allow ministers to specify in regulations which public bodies must have due regard to the code of practice. Amendment 132 would ensure that section 22B came into force after royal assent, to give effect to the aim, set out at the start of the section, that the code of practice should be prepared as soon as possible after the assessment report has been published. Amendment 53 contains a technical correction of the cross-reference in section 22B(3). As we all know, and as we have heard from previous speakers, hospice and palliative care services are already under significant and growing pressure. If assisted dying is legalised, we must protect those services and the essential palliative care that they provide to the thousands of people in Scotland who rely on them each year.”
“Amendments 258, 129 and 132 form a small package of amendments that seek to strengthen section 22B. That section, which was introduced at stage 2, requires the creation of a code of practice for how assisted dying will interact with hospice and other palliative care services, and these technical amendments aim to ensure that the code of practice will have maximum effect in mitigating any potential negative impacts of assisted dying on existing providers of palliative and end-of-life care. Amendment 258 would ensure that the code of practice was followed by all relevant public bodies, such as health boards, integration joint boards and Health Improvement Scotland. [Interruption.] I am sorry—I have just had a bit of a technical problem.”
“I am particularly grateful for the insight and generosity of Dr Sandra Lucas, Dr Rhona Winnington and Gillian McElroy of the University of the West of Scotland, who helped me to develop the proposals. Amendments 198, 199, 201 to 206 and 312 are lodged with the support of Liam McArthur or the Scottish Government. They would resolve feedback on the drafting of sections 14A and 14B, which were inserted at stage 2. I have already circulated the purpose and effect notes for the amendments to members. Their effect would be to clarify grammar and definitions, make the amendments consistent across the two sections of the bill, and ensure that there are enforcement mechanisms for the advocacy service standards. Those amendments are largely technical in nature, so I will not speak in any further detail of them.”
“Amendment 197 disagreed to. Section 14A—Right to advocacy The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to group 10, which is on advocacy services. Amendment 198, in the name of Ross Greer, is grouped with amendments 199 to 207 and 312. Ross Greer: At stage 2, the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee agreed to my amendments to establish a right to advocacy for patients who embark on this process. Advocacy is essential to mitigate the drawbacks of a dispersed service, rather than a centralised, specialist service. Either way, an advocacy service would be required. That is based on the positive experiences of equivalent services in the states in Australia that operate assisted dying and in New Zealand. In some cases, they are referred to as pathfinders, but typically they are called advocates.”
“For Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Ind) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (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) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Abstentions Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) The Deputy Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 57, Against 62, Abstentions 2.”
“Amendment 196 disagreed to. Section 14—Recording of cancellations Amendment 197 moved—[Liz Smith]. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 197 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“For Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Ind) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) 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) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) 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) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) 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) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South 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) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (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) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Abstentions Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) The Deputy Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 39, Against 78, Abstentions 5.”
“Amendment 195 agreed to. Amendment 40 moved—[Bob Doris]—and agreed to. Amendment 196 moved—[Jeremy Balfour]. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 196 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“For Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) 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) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (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) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) 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) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South 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) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) 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) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Against Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Ind) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) 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) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Abstentions Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) The Deputy Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 60, Against 56, Abstentions 2.”
“Amendment 194 agreed to. Amendment 195 moved—[Daniel Johnson]. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 195 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted yes. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Baillie. Your vote will be recorded. For Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) 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) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (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) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) 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) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South 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) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) 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) Against Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Ind) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) 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) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Abstentions Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) The Deputy Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 65, Against 53, Abstentions 3.”
“I am conscious that some committees have concluded their business and are no longer meeting, so it may be that some mornings might be available when members would be on the parliamentary estate anyway. Similarly, it may be that there are some slots when we could meet in the evening. However, for all sorts of sensible legislative reasons, never mind being inclusive in the Parliament, I ask the Parliamentary Bureau to consider withdrawing its motion and looking at it again overnight. If there is no alternative but Friday, I think that members would more readily accept that. I am asking the Parliamentary Bureau to be flexible and to explore opportunities.”
“I also appreciate that many of us, particularly constituency members but also list MSPs, consider Fridays to be protected days for constituency work. Members already have plans, including surgeries and meetings with constituents and external organisations, and cancelling them at short notice causes difficulties. However, I am also told that there is a strong possibility that we may be required to meet next Friday in order to deal with other legislation. I am worried that, in our dash to get to the end of the legislative programme in this parliamentary session, we will squeeze everything in and not consider it properly. I absolutely accept the need to get through the amendments to the bill, but I ask that the Parliamentary Bureau consider its decision again.”
“These are, of course, serious and substantial issues that we are being asked to consider. In my view, this is the most consequential member’s bill of the session— indeed, it is probably the most consequential bill since Parliament was established. I acknowledge that timetabling has been difficult. We have consistently underestimated the amount of time that has been required. I appreciate all of that, but the process feels slightly chaotic and I do not think that it shows the Parliament in a terribly good light. I know that the Government’s legislative programme has been full, but it feels as if it is being rushed through and squeezed into the final few weeks of the session, and I do not think that that is a sensible way for us to legislate. I appreciate that people have caring responsibilities.”
“I also make the comment that this group has a huge number of amendments, which I think is a measure of the concern that we absolutely get this right. It is not just Bob Doris’s amendment 37 that is worthy of support; the RCN has noted that there is overlap with amendment 173, in the name of Audrey Nicoll, which would require a registered medical practitioner who is carrying out an assessment under section 6 to “prepare and retain a written record”. Although amendment 173 would require all inquiries made under section 7(1)(za) and (zb) to be recorded, it would not require a summary of the information provided by other professionals to be recorded. The RCN’s position—and my position— is to ask MSPs to support my amendment 95 and Audrey Nicoll’s amendment 173. I welcome Liam McArthur’s support for the amendments that I have addressed.”
“Information would need to be recorded on what inquiries were made and the name and profession of the person who was asked, along with “a summary of the information provided by that” person. That information would be recorded in the adult’s medical records, which aligns with the requirement for patient declarations and medical practitioners’ statements to be recorded in an individual’s medical records. Bob Doris: I am sympathetic to amendment 95 and I am listening with interest. Listening to the information that would have to be captured and written down persuades me that my amendment 37, on the establishment of a medical practitioner’s report, where all of that information would be captured in one place and then put into medical records, is even more important. Would Jackie Baillie agree? Jackie Baillie: I absolutely would.”
“Section 7(1)(za) and (zb) provide that “a registered medical practitioner carrying out an assessment under section 6 must” make or consider making enquiries of professionals who are involved in the individual’s care or who have relevant expertise. The RCN agrees that the doctor responsible for making the assessment should be able to draw on the expertise and experience of the multidisciplinary team; however, it calls for a provision to be added to the bill to ensure that those inquiries are properly recorded. It believes that that is important should the results of the assessment be challenged or scrutinised at some point in the future. Amendment 95 would introduce a new section, after section 12, which would apply where such inquiries have been made of other health, social care or social work professionals.”