Keith Brown
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“On his visit to Coalsnaughton, in my constituency, the First Minister spoke to residents about the anxiety, uncertainty and disruption that are impacting families who have been evacuated following ground movement beneath their homes, yet there is still no resolution in sight.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Jenny Young: Not just now, thank you. That funding did not repair the damage done to Scotland’s colleges done by the 20 per cent cut, and a spending review promising flat cash—which, in reality, is a cut—gives Scotland’s colleges no light at the end of the tunnel.”
“Fergus Ewing argued for years that air passenger duty should be devolved so that it could be passed to this Parliament and the Scottish Government could cut it in order to encourage more people to fly here, but guess what? It has now been devolved—we now have air departure tax—but what is the Scottish Government going to do?”
“I am just trying to work out what the Conservatives’ approach is. In the previous session of Parliament, virtually every single member of a group of nearly 30 members—maybe more than that; it is now reduced—advocated more public expenditure in virtually every area of Government and yet wanted to cut Government income.”
“What we should be doing with our tax powers, instead of constantly increasing the tax burden, is making Scotland competitive and attracting more wealthy people to come here. Whether they are coming on holiday, to invest, to set up businesses or to purchase property, let us encourage them.”
“The Scottish Fiscal Commission talks about the economic growth gap that my colleague Craig Hoy referred to earlier. People talk about the private jet tax as something to celebrate. I was recently told by tourism leaders that the fastest-growing sector in Scottish tourism is what they call the high end of the tourist market.”
The complete record
Every one of 290 lines we hold for Keith Brown, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 6.
“Motion agreed to, That the Parliament welcomes and notes the SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee’s 1st Report, 2025 (Session 6), SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review (SP Paper 828); recognises the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations, including concerns that expanding the number of SPCB supported bodies risks further fragmenting the current landscape, increasing complexity for service users, and placing additional strain on the SPCB and parliamentary committee resources, and agrees with the Committee’s recommendations that: (a) the SPCB supported body landscape should not be expanded to include new advocacy-type SPCB supported bodies; (b) any future proposals for new SPCB supported bodies must satisfy two-tier criteria, as set out in paragraph 150 of the report, comprising both justification and effectiveness tests, and that a parliamentary committee should be given the remit of assessing proposals against these criteria; and (c) a parliamentary committee should be given the specific responsibility for the accountability and scrutiny of SPCB supported bodies for a fixed period as a pilot exercise in Session 7.”
“For 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) 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) 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) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (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) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (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) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) 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) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Michael Marra] Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) 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) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) 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) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (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) 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) Against Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Abstentions Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) [Proxy vote cast by Willie Rennie] The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-18936, in the name of Ben Macpherson, on behalf of the SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee, on the SPCB-supported bodies landscape review, is: For 101, Against 1, Abstentions 3.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The final question is, that motion S6M-18936, in the name of Ben Macpherson, on behalf of the SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee, on the SPCB-supported bodies landscape review, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was unable to connect. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Brown. We will ensure that that is recorded. For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Michael Marra] Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) 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) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) 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) 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) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (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) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) 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) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (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) 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) 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) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (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) Abstentions Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-18936.1, in the name of Martin Whitfield, is: For 22, Against 81, Abstentions 1.”
“Motion agreed to, That the Parliament recommends that the Social Security (Residence and Presence Requirements) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved. The Presiding Officer: That concludes decision time. Bladder Cancer Diagnosis”
“Motions agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that— Jackie Dunbar be appointed to replace Stephanie Callaghan as the Scottish National Party substitute on the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee; Keith Brown be appointed to replace Stephanie Callaghan as the Scottish National Party substitute on the Public Audit Committee; and Alasdair Allan be appointed to replace Jackie Dunbar as the Scottish National Party substitute on the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. That the Parliament agrees that Foysol Choudhury be appointed to replace Rhoda Grant as the Scottish Labour Party substitute on the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee. The Presiding Officer: The final question is, that motion S6M-18785, in the name of Shirley- Anne Somerville, on the approval of a Scottish statutory instrument, be agreed to.”
“Motion agreed to, That the Parliament agrees, in relation to the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 17 December 2024, and subsequently amended, that the five clauses affecting registration of zero-emission vehicles for local services in Scotland, so far as these matters fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and alter the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK Parliament. The Presiding Officer: Unless any member objects, I propose to ask a single question on two Parliamentary Bureau motions. As no member has objected, the question is, that motions S6M-18789 and S6M-18790, on committee substitutes, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was unable to connect to the voting system. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Brown. We will ensure that that is recorded. For Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) 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) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) [Proxy vote cast by Michael Marra] Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) [Proxy vote cast by Willie Rennie] Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Abstentions Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-18771, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on the Bus Services (No 2) Bill, which is UK legislation, is: For 93, Against 0, Abstentions 27.”
“Presiding Officer, I apologise for not being here at the start of general question time. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Forth Valley regarding access to health services for communities that rely on local bus links. (S6O- 04855)”
“We need to grasp the good ideas, be they from New Zealand, other legislatures or within this Parliament. The committee is moving to the point where we will consider the recommendations of our inquiry report, which we hope to publish before the October recess. I am sure that, at that point, we can return to consideration of how to improve our processes. The Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate on behalf of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee on its committee effectiveness inquiry. Parliamentary Bureau Motion 17:00”
“This has genuinely been a listening exercise by the committee to take on board evidence that we have not been able to capture, such as the points about the interesting interaction between contributions from the convener and contributions from individuals, as well as contributions from members who sit on more than one committee. There are a number of areas that we will take forward and on which we might seek to obtain further evidence. The Parliament needs to be iterative. It did not look like it does now, other than physically, when it began in 1999, and it cannot look like this going forward. We are the session that was born in Covid, and I deeply pray that the next session will not have the challenges that we had at the start. We need to create an institution that sees itself as one that looks forward rather than back.”
“I note that that intervention is now on the record. We have had a discussion about churn, which is similarly important. We have noted from the evidence, and it has been reiterated today, that a period of time on a committee allows members to gather expertise. I am conscious that time is short today, and I note that the issue of time has been raised by a number of speakers in terms of the amount of time that committees have in which to meet. How committees sit, when they sit and how they pursue inquiries are all issues that we are looking at, and they will form part of the report.”
“Given the number of issues, there is no single answer to the questions that we face. One answer is that, through the convener, the membership and the interactions around the committees, we can create a cultural environment in which we have committees that can properly hold Government to account. That may be through fear, as has been suggested, or it may be through interaction and consideration. Stephen Kerr: I hope that the convener of the committee has not lost the point that Douglas Ross made about declarations of interest by groups that appear before committees. They should declare whether they are publicly funded and say what proportion of their total income is from public funds. Martin Whitfield: Every intervention teaches those who take it whether it was the appropriate time to have taken it.”
“It is not until we sit on a committee that we realise how hard doing so can be. We have heard a lot of discussion this afternoon about members’ workload, with many members sitting on not just one or two committees, but three. We have also heard about the counterbalance to that, with the expectation of developing independence, knowledge and interest in the subject matters, which can be a difficult Realpolitik for some members. The interesting discussion about whether to have the support of questions from SPICe has run the entire gamut of opinion. There is an important point to be borne in mind about the need for MSPs to recall that we are independent. Committees should be places in which questions that are pertinent to the inquiry and to the legislation in front of us can be asked and explored.”
“For that reason, as I said, the Government does not have a strong view. I could say much more on the issues, but I do not have the time. In any case, I am sure that we will return to the subject matter in due course, and I look forward to doing so. 16:55 Martin Whitfield: This has been a fascinating debate. I thank everyone for their contributions, whether in the role of convener, convener and party representative or, more importantly, back bencher. I give a shout-out to my fellow committee members and thank them for their contributions. I will take away the reminder about bacon rolls. My deputy convener, Ruth Maguire, has not been able to be with us for a while, but I want to put on the record my thanks for the enormous amount of work she has done in relation to our inquiry.”
“I should say that there is some merit in members sitting on more than one committee during a session, and some members might want the depth of experience that that provides. However, I broadly agree with the principle. The Government has no view on the size of committees, although it is instructive to hear from those who sit on smaller committees that that is something that could be useful. Again, the Scottish Government has no view on elected conveners. All that I can say—I made this point to the committee and I will make it again—is that the fact that, if, for example, Mr Ross, whom I met earlier today, had been elected by the entire Parliament rather than just by the committee after his appointment as a member, as conveners are at the moment, that would not change the nature of my interaction with him.”
“If we are going to reflect on the conduct of back-bench members who are in the party of the Government, it is reasonable that we should also reflect on the conduct of all members, irrespective of their party and the fashion in which they approach legislation. Stephen Kerr: Will the member give way? Jamie Hepburn: I have very little time to give way, and I have barely addressed any of the contributions. The Presiding Officer: You have just over one minute. Jamie Hepburn: I have just over one minute, otherwise I would have given way to Mr Kerr. I agree that churn or turnover—call it what you will—should be minimised as much as possible, but we should recognise that various factors lead to that, including appointments to ministerial office, illness and bereavement.”
“A number of people have mentioned Government back benchers and the role of party discipline. There has been virtually no mention of the equally negative effect of Opposition members who do not look at the merits of legislation, but simply oppose it and try to tear it down. That can be equally destructive for proper legislation. Until we get a balance and recognise both sides, does the minister agree that it is unlikely that we will make much progress? Jamie Hepburn: I do not often agree with Mr Ross as much as this in any debate, but we need to be realistic and reflect on the fact that we are elected to the Parliament on a party-political ticket and, with that, comes party politics.”
“That will pay dividends and will ensure that we are delivering much more than the public sector could deliver alone; that we are using public funds more effectively; and that we are working out the structures that we need, and can help to put in place, in order to attract higher levels of private investment.”
“I have heard concerns from various stakeholders about some of the challenges around attracting private investment into the sector and having the right investment structures in place. Keith Brown mentions one of those challenges, which is around pension funds. That is why we are looking at innovative solutions and why the Minister for Housing established the housing investment task force, which will report in the next few weeks. It is also why we are moving on in our work on mid-market rent and institutional investment, which involves a combination of Scottish Government and private sector funding.”
“I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests and to my membership of a local government pension scheme. Given the scale of the housing emergency, it is clear that delivering the homes that Scotland needs will require innovative and collaborative approaches. Will the cabinet secretary share with us what engagement the Scottish Government has had with public and private sector pension funds to explore how their investment capacity could support new housing delivery, particularly for mid- market rent? Shirley-Anne Somerville: I thank Keith Brown for that question. It raises an important point: as well as looking at the funding that the Scottish Government can deliver, we should also look at innovative ways of bringing additional funding into the sector.”
“I move, That the Parliament marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which took place on 8 May 1945; remembers the 380,000 UK Armed Forces personnel, including 57,000 Scots, and over 67,000 civilians who lost their lives during the conflict; commemorates the service and pays tribute to the sacrifices of those individuals from across Scotland and the UK, the Commonwealth and the Allied Nations, which ensured the peace and freedoms that are enjoyed today; appreciates the efforts of Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland to mark the occasion, including a national commemorative concert held in Edinburgh on 6 May 2025, Scotland’s Salute to VE Day, which was supported by the Scottish Government, and commends the work of both organisations and of veterans charities across Scotland in supporting the veterans of this conflict and their families, many of whom continue to be affected by the tragedy of war to this day.”
“The lighting of those beacons represents something that is fundamental to our society: the light of hope emerging from the dreadful bleakness and darkness of war. It is a hope that we need now more than ever, and it is one that inspires us all to act, to reach out and to be champions of peace and democracy at home, in Europe and in the world.”
“It was made clear to me most powerfully when I attended a commemoration event that the Royal Marines organised just a few weeks ago, to mark the 80th anniversary of my uncle’s death and to recognise the significance of his contribution to their history. Presiding Officer, I will draw my remarks to a close. On this 80th anniversary of VE day, Scotland pays tribute to our second world war generation. We thank all those who have served, or are serving today, in our armed forces. Together, in their honour, we dedicate ourselves to enhancing democracy, standing steadfast against fascism and building a better, safer and more peaceful world. Many towns and cities across the country will stage beacon-lighting ceremonies from 9 pm tonight.”
“Will the First Minister take an intervention? The Deputy Presiding Officer: I can give you the time back, First Minister. The First Minister: I will happily give way to Mr Brown. Keith Brown: I have mentioned to the First Minister on previous occasions that his uncle is remembered by every single person who goes through Royal Marines training, which is a lengthy and difficult process. They learn about the exploits of Corporal Thomas Hunter, who won the only Victoria cross given to a marine in the second world war. I hope that it will provide at least some comfort to the First Minister’s family to know that his uncle’s name is always remembered. The First Minister: I am grateful to my colleague and friend Mr Brown, who has distinguished service of his own in the Royal Marines, for adding that reminder.”
“The question is, that motion S6M-17000, in the name of John Swinney, on a motion of condolence, be agreed to. Motion agreed to, That the Parliament expresses its deep sadness at the death of Christina McKelvie MSP; offers its profound sympathy and condolences to her family and friends, and recognises her significant and widely appreciated contribution to Scottish politics and public life through years of dedicated service to her constituents in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, as a champion for social justice, as a convener of two Scottish Parliament committees, and as a Scottish Government minister since 2018. The Presiding Officer: The motion is agreed to. I suspend the meeting until 3.15. 14:57 Meeting suspended. 15:15 On resuming— Portfolio Question Time Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands”
“Christina’s phrase for that is, “We found love in a hopeless place.” [Laughter.] I have often thought of Christina as a star. People have talked about how much fun she was. To me, she was glamorous, she was sparkly and she was fun. Of course, planets revolve around stars. I just do not know what a planet does when its star has been extinguished. She was a credit to her two sons, Lewis and Jack, and she took such pride in her grandchildren, Leo and Maeve. They will never be allowed to forget Christina. She was a credit to her community, to Easterhouse, to the Scottish Government, to this Parliament and to Scotland. She was more beautiful inside than outside, and, apart from my children, Christina McKelvie was the best thing that ever happened to me. Thank you. [Applause.] The Presiding Officer: Thank you.”
“She recollects saying that she found me to be opinionated and cocky, which just goes to show that, sometimes, Christina could be wrong as well. [Laughter.] In 2007, at a pre-election rally for SNP candidates in Napier University, I just thought that she was a stunningly attractive woman and way, way out of my league. Then I became a committee convener and Christina was on the committee. I found a way to try to get on her good side, because she hated being called Christine— apologies to Christine Grahame, if she is here. I was the person who jumped down the throat of anybody who had the audacity to call her Christine, in a bid to impress her, as her defender. I am not sure whether it worked, but it was 18 months before we got together.”
“I remember that the worst thing I heard her say was to a Tory MSP. She asked why, if he had come to engage her in a battle of wits, he had come unarmed. It was meant in good humour and it was taken in good humour. Liz Smith will remember the endless Thursday morning education debates in that session. In one of her contributions, Christina managed to get virtually every ABBA title into her contribution. She was great fun. Christina and I apparently first spoke in 2001. I do not remember it, but, of course, Christina, who had a mind like a steel trap, remembered it. I was the leader of Clackmannanshire Council. Two of her members, who she was representing, had been arrested at Faslane, and she wanted to make sure that their employer, Clackmannanshire Council, did not further penalise them. She made sure that that did not happen.”
“She met an MP from a different party—or, rather than met him, she saw him, a large man, haranguing a young woman who was a Scottish Government communications officer and shouting at her. She stormed over and stood between them. She said, “Your size, your shouting and your toxic masculinity don’t intimidate me, so you can back off.” I think it was “back off” that she said—it was something like that. [Laughter.] If you were going to intimidate a woman, you did not do it around Christina McKelvie. She was, as we have heard, very proud to be an MSP and a Government minister. When she became a minister, I wrote on Twitter a line from Simon and Garfunkel: “Sail on, silver girl ... Your time has come to shine.” Christina sparkled and she shone. In the chamber, she never hated anybody.”
“Christina loved a cup of tea: black, two sweeteners. This will underline the point that I just made: once, in the hospital, I asked Christina whether she wanted a cup of tea. It was not a great time for Christina. Unusually, I was the only person with her in the hospital at the time. She said, “Yes, please, but make sure everyone else has got one.” There was nobody else in the room, but it was her instinct to say that. I want to reassure people—those who loved her the most—that during the last week or so, Christina was never on her own. At every point, 24 hours a day, members of her family sat with her, held her hand and told her that she was loved. She was surrounded by love in that last week. When she was first elected, Christina went to an event in central Scotland.”
“A tribute was paid to her by David Blanchflower, the astrophysicist, on Twitter, who said that he felt that he had lost somebody who was extremely intelligent and fearless. She was also a very gifted photographer. I always thought Christina to be a stunningly attractive woman, but the real measure of Christina was not how she looked; it was in her mind and in her heart. She never walked by on the other side. I think of the number of times when we were out that she would stop by somebody in the street, to give them money, food or her time. One time in Campbeltown, a drunken man had fallen down and she would not leave his side until the ambulance came. Another time, a mother who had just given birth to a child had no money for a pram. Christina bought one, and also the bedclothes to go with it.”
“She was extremely proud of the fact that she came from Easterhouse. She received some really snide comments when she was first elected—misogynistic and classist comments—but those people did not know the real Christina. I think that that is where she imbibed her values of social justice. Many of us learn those things, quite legitimately, when we read or learn about politics, but social justice was instinctive to Christina. It is who she was. She was also an artist—a very gifted artist. She was a poet: she wrote a fantastic poem for our granddaughter, Maeve, when she was born. She loved to travel. She loved to swim in a warm ocean. She was not for sitting by the pool—she wanted to be in the ocean. She loved science.”
“She genuinely was—I know that, sometimes, after somebody passes away, lots of things are said, but she was all those things. She was a feminist, a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ community, and a staunch supporter of Travellers when many people were not. I know that this is contentious, but it would not be true not to say it: Christina was a trans ally. Christina supported trans people. She was also, of course—it is no surprise to anybody to hear me say this—a very staunch supporter of independence. Christina loved Scotland, its people, its culture and its history, but she also knew that many other people who did not believe in independence felt similarly strongly about their country. That is why we saw such an absence of malice and vindictiveness on the part of Christina. It has been mentioned that Christina came from Easterhouse.”
“You have hit all the right notes with regard to who Christina was and what she was about. It might be invidious to do so, but I would like to quickly mention three people. Kirsty in the coffee bar, who has already been mentioned, was always keen to hear about how Christina was doing. Similarly, Edward Mountain always inquired after Christina, notwithstanding his own issues with cancer. I also thank Jamie Greene, not just for what he said today but for the fantastic card that he sent to Christina. He and I know what was in that card, and that will stay between us. I also thank our constituents and all the groups that have been in touch. It was an absolutely incredible response. Christina was everything that people have said of her today.”
“Thank you, Presiding Officer. Thank you, too, for the personal support that you have given to me and the family, not just in the past couple of weeks but in inquiring after Christina’s health for so many months. I also thank the First Minister, not only for doing the same thing—constantly expressing concern for Christina’s health—but for the way that he was able to manage her absence from Government and, crucially, for his two visits to the hospital, the first of which had a huge impact on Christina’s family, who were there at the time. I also thank the members of the SNP group for their support over many months. I know that you are all hurting, as we are. I thank the party leaders and all those who have spoken. There is not a great deal left for me to say.”
“I am also pleased that we had a statement on the issue yesterday and are having this debate today, and I hope that we continue to do that sort of thing. I should also say that, prior to the leader of the Conservative Party asking whether the President of Ukraine could come, I mentioned the same thing last week in committee. I hope that we can do that. Such a request would rightly come from the Presiding Officer, but I hope that it can happen. In the meantime, we certainly stand with Ukraine. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call cabinet secretary Angus Robertson to respond to the debate. 18:14”
“It is for those reasons that I agree with the comments made by all the other members who have said that we have to treat this situation extremely seriously. We have to be deal with it urgently. The pax Americana, as it has been called, is coming to an end. The world is being upended. Australia and New Zealand are concerned for their security because of the changes that we have seen. Given all of that, we have to concentrate on what we can do. The one thing that we must do is acknowledge that the fight of the Ukrainians is the fight of all Europeans, as the consul told us last week. We are in this fight and we have to play our part in it. I am very supportive of all the comments that have been made by members.”
“We have learned the lessons of applying overly punitive sanctions, given what happened after the first world war, so I would be careful about that. However, the principle that Russia should pay is a very good one. It is not true to say that JD Vance was a Royal Marine—that would be a bit of a stretch of the imagination. He was apparently a marine, but I am not sure that he would have completed the course at Lympstone had he tried to do so. We have to bear in mind that we are still grappling with the significance of what is actually happening. Today, we have heard China say that it is ready for any kind of war. We are seeing a war in Europe. Article 5 of the NATO treaty has been completely undermined. If we think through the consequences, it should be clear how urgent and huge the task in front of us is.”
“There has not been a counterpart to that in international relations that I can remember. This, too, is true: given all the stuff that has been demanded of the Ukrainians, where is the demand on the Russians—that is, the aggressors? The US has told Russia that it will no longer be subject to cyber activity from the US. It has been rewarded for its behaviour. It is unbelievable how the world has changed. Edward Mountain: Does the member agree that, when the war is won and Russia is kicked out of Ukraine, repatriations from Russia will be the only sensible way of resolving the rebuilding that will be needed afterwards? Keith Brown: I agree with the spirit of what Edward Mountain says. Liam McArthur made a point about the need to distinguish between Putin and the Russian people.”
“I should say that I am not necessarily speaking for either the Government or my party when I say that, before we get into all the stuff about budgets, borrowing is perfectly legitimate when the security of one’s country is at stake. Whether it be for production lines for armaments or whatever, it is perfectly legitimate for Governments to borrow for those purposes. We cannot access those funds, because they are EU funds, but I hope that we will do something similar in the UK to ensure that we can bring the maximum possible support and the maximum possible deterrence to bear. It should be about deterring Russian aggression. What we are seeing from the United States is something akin to a protection racket. It is saying, “We will defend you from a bully if you give us money.” It is absolutely appalling.”
“The family that I had had school-age children, and trying to plan a future while waiting for the next tranche of visas is not sensible. We have talked about the armed forces in Ukraine, but we must remember that many in its armed forces were nurses, doctors and plumbers shortly before they were forced to take up arms. What they have done is utterly remarkable given that they were not trained soldiers. As for helping Ukraine, we have to look at what the EU and Ursula von der Leyen have said. They are talking about a potential £600 billion of borrowing being brought to bear on rearmament and other defence aspects.”
“I am not going to deliver the speech that I had intended to deliver, because much of it has been said already. I will just pick out a few points, perhaps a little bit at random. First of all, in relation to the Ukrainians who have come to this country, members will know that I hosted a Ukrainian family for a number of months. We must acknowledge that their presence here has enriched our country in many ways. It is important to Ukraine that many of those people go back when, hopefully, we get the just peace that we all want. Many Ukrainians will want to go back, but anybody who wants to stay should be allowed to. They add to our country—their country has added to our country. I would hope that that would happen and that they are not forced to have to apply for visas continually as time goes on, because that can be very disruptive.”
“I thank Colin Beattie for bringing the debate to the chamber. As the deputy leader of my party, I am proud that more than 40 of his colleagues have joined him for the debate, which, to my recollection, is a record for a members’ business debate. That shows the interest in and the gravity of what we are discussing. It is also very good to see the consul once again. As Clare Adamson mentioned, we met the consul last week at committee, when he revealed that he is a Hibs fan. That is not because it is a fantastic football team or because of Sunday’s result, but because he is aware of Hibs fans having visited Ukraine in about 2004 and of their work with orphans in Ukraine since then, as well as the work that was done for Dnipro Kids. Hibs also has a very good Ukrainian player playing for the team just now, which helps.”
“He acknowledges and knows the seriousness and significance of deploying armed forces in roles of danger. The approach that the Prime Minister is suggesting is that they should be in a position to protect and assure Ukraine’s security, but that does not come without its dangers, given Russia’s behaviour, which we all know to have been malevolent. The issues that Mr Brown raised about the choices that have to be made about the deployment of armed personnel are very significant. That is why I believe that those issues should be considered and discussed openly in the House of Commons in order to enable a democratic decision to be made and, fundamentally, to enable us to act in solidarity with the Ukrainian people in protecting their independence.”
“Does he agree that that should contribute to more effective recruitment of armed forces personnel, driven by improved pay, greatly improved equipment in relation to individual conventional weapons and cyber-resources, and the provision of relevant training opportunities, rather than squandering any resources on the immoral, utterly ineffective and increasingly irrelevant nuclear arsenal? The First Minister: Mr Brown speaks with the authority of having been a member of the armed forces who served in active combat in the Falklands war in 1982. As I do on many issues, I have the greatest respect for the contribution that Keith Brown has made to public life and public service in our country through service in the armed forces, which I have never undertaken.”
“I welcome the First Minister’s strong support for the principle of Ukrainian territorial integrity, its independence and the principle of self-determination. The First Minister has acknowledged that personnel and other resources from Scotland may be deployed in any coalition of the willing as part of democratic Europe’s response to Russian aggression. Does he agree that the decades-long depletion of armed forces personnel and equipment in the UK armed forces means that we require rearmament, whether with European Union partners or non-EU partners?”
“It would be ideal if, before the election, the parties could show that they have the maturity to get together to agree some common ground. That would squeeze out room for manoeuvre for whoever is successful in forming the Government, but the long-standing issues of local government finance reform and social care have to be addressed if we are to improve the quality of life of people in Scotland. There is no question but that there are difficult times ahead, but I am delighted to support what is an excellent budget. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Brown. I will now take—briefly—two final speakers in the open debate. I call Ash Regan, to be followed by John Mason. You have up to two minutes, Ms Regan. 17:17”
“The idea that we protect countries only if we can extort their mineral resources is the geopolitics of protectionism, and we should have no truck with it. We should protect Europe because we want to protect Europe. In summary, we have to make that contribution, but we should not give carte blanche to a UK Government that has not shown itself to be capable of properly building a defence infrastructure. The response should be European- led—I say “European” rather than EU, because I do not know how Romania and Hungary will respond. We should be willing to back a European-led response. I will make one final point. Some big issues have been touched on in the debate, such as social care and reform of local government finance.”
“However, in my view, this Parliament cannot be asked to subsidise nuclear weapons or an even more obscene nuclear weapons system such as the one that might replace Trident. That cannot be demanded of us. Nor should we be subsidising the complete failure of successive UK Governments, which have gutted the armed forces to the extent that they are now 20,000 below what they were in Napoleonic times. That has now been admitted by previous Labour and Conservative secretaries of state. The equipment and the training are not there. Nobody can deny that Russia poses an existential threat, especially given the fact that the guarantees that we have taken for granted since the second world war are now absent.”