Bill Kidd
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“I think that it is possible to do that, and that having a child-centred and trauma- informed manner is important. I therefore urge members to accept my amendment or to accept Roz McCall’s amendment 75. Amendment 77 defines child-centred legal advice and representation.”
“Section 18(2) distinguishes local authorities because, unlike most other referring bodies, they will usually have on-going involvement with the child and the family once a referral has been made.”
“The minister also concedes that the amendments would not do any harm, so I would still ask the Government to accept them, because they would clarify the situation and leave things in no doubt at all. Finally—the Deputy Presiding Officer will be glad to hear—I will speak to amendment 201.”
“However, in line with the UNCRC, recent reforms made by the Parliament, such as the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, have moved away from arbitrary presumptions or distinctions about a child’s capacity that are based purely on age.”
“Notwithstanding that point, I have confidence that the dedicated infants and babies workstream will bring about changes, given who is involved in it—although I fear that those changes might not be dissimilar to what is being articulated in the amendments.”
“There is no consensus on the term, which means that there is some difficulty with legislation that contains it. The amendment relates specifically to section 18, which says that local authorities must provide the child in question with information on the children’s hearings process, the availability of child advocacy services and child-ce…”
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“The reality is that, as most of us can testify, when we get to a certain age, we remember nothing about what we did before the age of five, other than what is perhaps shown to us in photographs. Amendments 172 to 174 indicate the need for a different approach to babies and infants. There should be a practical approach to avoid any unnecessary delays to proceedings before hearings. As I have already detailed, it is vital for the developmental integrity of young children, babies and infants to be preserved. My amendments in the group seek to place an age limit in relation to decisions and circumstances. I know that it will be challenging for the Government to find favour with my amendments, and I am not expecting miracles.”
“On a serious note—although I am sure that the Government will accept my amendments—the question of young children in care-experienced communities is very important. Let us be honest in our language: we are talking about babies. I have spoken to a number of people who, subjectively and objectively, find a challenge in all our young people being labelled in the same way. By doing so, we do a great discourtesy to our babies, who cannot express their own voice and rely on others to do that for them, and to our young children, who are developing and are often confronted with incredibly complex questions, with their long-term understanding of the decisions that are being made about them being, at the very least, patchy.”
“[Applause.] The minister invited me to show courtesy on the back of her compliment about the excellent amendment that Bill Kidd has lodged. It is perhaps easiest if I say that I have no challenge in supporting his brilliantly drafted amendment. On the basis that, through Bill Kidd’s amendment 181 and Roz McCall’s amendment 182, we will start to address a very significant problem, I seek to withdraw amendment 171. Amendment 171, by agreement, withdrawn. The Presiding Officer: Group 19 is entitled “Children’s hearings: infants”. Amendment 172, in the name of Martin Whitfield, is grouped with amendments 173, 174, 183 and 184. Martin Whitfield: My simple revenge is that I get to rise to return the compliment to the minister, who will, I hope, fully support my brilliantly drafted amendments 172 to 174.”
“19:45 The Presiding Officer: I call Martin Whitfield to wind up the debate and to press or withdraw amendment 171. Martin Whitfield: Perhaps by chance, this allows me to add to the minister’s kind comments about Bill Kidd. He may or may not remember this, but he was the first colleague in the chamber to say hello to me when I came into the Parliament in those heady days all those years ago. Members: Aw! Martin Whitfield: Bill Kidd has continued every day to ensure that, at the very least, my health is in good keeping. For that, I will forever thank him. I also echo the minister’s comments about him. When he contributes in committees and in the chamber, he always ensures that the smaller and quieter voices are heard. I think that people outside the Parliament will be forever grateful to him for that.”
“Bill has always championed the interests of those with the greatest need in his constituency and in Scotland, and this small, but important, amendment is entirely in keeping with his values and feels like a good way for him to sign off on his contribution to legislation in this Parliament. [Applause.] I hope that Martin Whitfield will agree that Bill Kidd’s amendment 181 achieves a similar objective and will not press amendment 171 so as to keep the good favour going. I thank Roz McCall for lodging amendment 182, which concerns future national and local reporting on timely decision making. The amendment reflects positive joint work with the Government on our shared objectives on the topic, so I support it. Therefore, I encourage members to support amendments 181 and 182 and to resist amendment 171 if it is pressed.”
“The amendment will reinforce or set out appropriate timescales for hearings in relation to the grounds, while allowing appropriate discretion for the sheriff. There are some circumstances in which timescales will necessarily require to be extended; that can happen for a variety of reasons, but the discretion inherent in the provision will ensure that it will happen only where the sheriff has had regard to whether that would be in the child’s best interests. Applications will be dealt with in as timely a manner as is practicable. If I may, Presiding Officer, I want to thank Bill Kidd for agreeing to lodge this amendment and for his long commitment to issues of fairness and justice over his parliamentary career.”
“We all want grounds to be established in a timely manner without unnecessary delay. Since stage 2, there have been further discussions with key agencies and representatives, including the office of the Lord President, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and sheriffs principal. Those discussions have made plain a shared desire to continue to work to address drift and delay, where it occurs, but have also highlighted that the creation of statutory timescales would be unhelpful in achieving improvements and risk compromising the ability to treat the most complex and sensitive cases with the scrutiny and consideration that they deserve. Bill Kidd’s amendment 181 achieves Mr Whitfield’s objective and, I think, better reflects the outputs of those intervening discussions.”
“We all share a desire for enhanced future transparency when it comes to the performance of the modernised children's hearings system in responding in a timely way to support the children who are referred. The core system partners recognise the need to address delay and have established an effective, but partial, mechanism in the current system. An updated, extended and sustainable scheme will enable Scotland to measure performance in order to pick out areas for improvement. Amendment 182 would put timeliness reporting on a statutory footing and future proof it, and I hope that it will attract the support of members across the chamber. Natalie Don-Innes: Martin Whitfield’s amendment 171 speaks to our continuing interest in efficient and timely decision making in the children’s hearings system.”
“I initially lodged amendment 198, on waiting times, at stage 2, but I agreed not to move it so that I could work on the strengthened provision that is before Parliament today. I thank the minister for her engagement on this amendment. She advised committee colleagues at stage 2 of existing work on setting out standards and reporting expectations with regard to timescales for the relevant steps in the current children’s hearings system. Amendment 182 aims to build on, extend and update that good work. The policy intention and legal effects of amendment 182 are that the reporting obligation would be given to ministers, given the cross- system, multi-agency scope. It would require ministers to prepare and publish an annual report, which would also be laid before Parliament.”
“Cases that are prolonged are often done so for good reason, but amendment 181 will ensure appropriate and effective judicial oversight and that cases will go beyond the timescale only where it is appropriate and necessary to do so, having regard to the best interests of the child who is the subject of the referral. We are all keen to ensure that cases are dealt with effectively and efficiently, minimising delay and ensuring that no child or family is unnecessarily waiting for decisions to be taken or actions to be implemented. I therefore urge members to support amendment 181. Roz McCall: I am pleased to speak to amendment 182. Members will recall that, at stage 2, we discussed the need for measured timeliness in the children’s hearings system, and we agreed that that should happen in a refined, future-proof fashion.”
“Sheriff Mackie, in his “Hearings for Children” report, specifically stated that the benefits of such an approach should be explored, and I thank colleagues, specifically Martin Whitfield, for lodging amendments on the topic at stage 2. However, in lodging this amendment, I am mindful of the need to ensure that any provision in this space is properly directed and addresses the root of any issue. We must also recognise that the role of managing any case before the court is a matter for the sheriff, and I thank the office of the Lord President and the sheriffs principal for their engagement with the Government on this topic since stage 2. Establishing grounds in a timely fashion is key to an effective and efficient system that operates as best it can for children and their families.”
“I am pleased to have the opportunity to make a contribution to this seminal bill, which is the last piece of Government legislation that I will have the privilege of seeing this Parliament pass into law before I retire as an MSP. Amendment 181 would place timescales on the establishment of grounds before a sheriff, as was just mentioned. Currently, a court must hold a hearing within 28 days of the application for proof of grounds. This amendment would put in place an additional timescale of 90 days for a decision to then be made on the establishment of those grounds. The 90-day period would be from the point at which the application for proof is made by the principal reporter to the court.”
“A key part of that is the Techscaler programme—now in its fourth year—which provides a national platform that supports the creation, development and scaling of tech start- ups across Scotland. We have also transformed the investment landscape in Scotland to make Scotland more attractive to investment, thus creating jobs in our communities. High Streets and Town Centres (West Scotland) 2.”
“According to the Bank of Scotland and the “Business Barometer”, business confidence in Scotland is continuing its upward trend as firms embrace new tech and innovation opportunities. How is the Scottish Government working to ensure that that trend continues? Ivan McKee: Bill Kidd has raised an important point about the fact that Scotland’s business confidence is continuing its upward trend on that measure. Although cost pressures remain, the fact that businesses plan to adjust shows a growing sense of confidence and a firmer footing for future investment. Business confidence in Scotland is closely linked to firms’ ability to adopt new technologies and innovate, and the Scottish Government is actively working to ensure that that positive trend continues.”
“I thank Young Scot, the Child Poverty Action Group and Aberlour Children’s Charity. We engaged with children and young people directly at official and ministerial levels to hear from them about what they wanted to see in their plan. I hope that, as well as its being a Scottish Government publication, they feel that it is their plan, because it is the Government delivering for them and for the future of Scotland. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the statement. There will be a short pause before we move on to the next item of business. Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3 14:58”
“Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting young people from the Child Poverty Action Group’s cost of the school day voice network in Parliament to discuss their manifesto. I must say that they made a lot more sense than many adults—which members have heard before—by stressing the need to ensure that children and young people are involved in shaping policy. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Can we have a question please, Mr Kidd? Bill Kidd: Will the cabinet secretary say how we can ensure that children’s and young people’s voices are properly heard and how the new third sector fund will act as a new door? Shirley-Anne Somerville: The new third sector fund will be a national front door to public services throughout Scotland. That is one example—but only one—of how the voices of children and young people have shaped the approach.”
“It will consider the views of the learners of today and tomorrow, and, of course, the views of businesses, employers and independent experts. Further details will be made available in due course as the work progresses. Rural Schools 2.”
“Colleges are invaluable to Scotland’s education system and to our society. What specific work is the Scottish Government doing to help the sector to have a sustainable future? Ben Macpherson: I reiterate that I was pleased to announce the beginning of the formal work on the college sector of the future workstream, which is an ambitious short-life workstream that will begin the work that we all need to do to design and deliver a sustainable college sector that is able to support the skills needs of Scotland. The process will be co-designed with Colleges Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council, and it will draw on the views and ideas of college leaders, staff and trade unions, as well as on previous research.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what targeted support it is providing to households in the Glasgow Anniesland constituency regarding the on-going cost of living crisis, to ensure that they are aware of, and able to access, the financial support, benefits and energy assistance schemes available to them. (S6O-05628)”
“How does the per-head investment in the opera in Scotland compare with the investment by the United Kingdom Government or Arts Council England? Angus Robertson: I do not have that information to hand, but I will be happy to correspond with Bill Kidd on that question. I have already put on record that the significant amount of funding for Scottish Opera means that it is the single highest publicly funded performance organisation in Scotland by some distance. Nevertheless, it is an important part of our five excellent national performing companies, and, as we move towards the delivery of the £100 million increase in culture spending, my focus is very much on the national performance companies, including Scottish Opera. Culture and the Arts Promotion (Local Authorities) 4.”
“As I indicated yesterday, I am open to the need for further regulation and legislation to ensure the safety of people and buildings, especially with regard to the storage and disposal of combustible products.”
“I have been contacted by a number of constituents who are concerned by the huge proliferation of vape shops and by the obvious dangers that they pose due to the highly combustible and reactive substances contained in vapes, as was evidenced by the fire. Will the First Minister say whether the Scottish Government will consider the need for further regulation of such premises? The First Minister: It is important to stress at this stage that a full investigation of the site is under way. I am, obviously, conscious of the clear images that have been circulated and that appear to show that the fire started within a vape shop. It is important to allow the investigation to be carried out to establish the facts about the issue and to identify the lessons that must be learned. I also understand public concern about the safety of vape shops.”
“That is what we have been doing with the procurement, so there will be further interoperability between different vessels that can berth at different harbours to help with that resilience.”
“When the Scottish Government was developing its vessels and ports plan last year, stakeholders highlighted reliability and resilience as key priorities for vessel and port investment. How is the Scottish Government working to deliver on those priorities? Fiona Hyslop: It is clear that reliability and resilience are important. I come back to the impact of continuous severe weather, which is part of what we will have to deal with, so the resilience of ports will become increasingly important. That is why I have given as much attention to ports as I have to vessels in my statement. Reliability means that there has to be interoperability between vessels so that different vessels can cover at different times.”
“Moving towards net zero, electrification and the upgrading of energy infrastructure are essential. Can the cabinet secretary say any more about the Scottish Government’s work to strike that balance for communities? Gillian Martin: As I said, we have put in place a number of things as a result of having more powers associated with us. Just this morning, I had a meeting on the refresh of the good practice principles. We are refreshing the principles, which are seen as leading in the UK and, indeed, in Europe, particularly in relation to community benefit and engagement. However, the principles are not mandatory. I am pleased that the current UK Government is working with me on a consultation to make a lot of the principles mandatory; the previous UK Government was not interested in doing so. A96 (Inverness to Aberdeen) 4.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic contribution of the Scottish food and drink sector to Scotland’s international exports. (S6O-05549)”
“One night—it would be the night of the Clydebank blitz—the bombing was very intense and the family all went into the Anderson shelter. The old man from upstairs ran in and said, “Oh, Davie, I think we’re gonnae get it this time—just listen to how close they’re getting there.” My granda said, “I think you might be right, Willie—I think you might be right. Just think, though: there’s weans in here—away and put your bloody troosers on.” That is one of the true stories that took place at the time. Sorry for the industrial language, Presiding Officer, but there you go. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you—I think—Mr Kidd. 19:05”
“We live in an age of renewed geopolitical tension, of modernised arsenals, of doctrines that still contemplate the unthinkable. Here, in Scotland, we have HMNB Clyde a short distance from Clydebank and our largest city of Glasgow. Just as in 1941, we must ask ourselves whether that proximity places a target on our back—whether we have learned the lessons that history has written in fire. Today, as we remember those past horrors, we must speak out against the potential of today’s, and we must work together to ensure that they are not repeated. I will offer a minor tangent. My granda, Davie Gray, who worked on the building of the Kelvingrove art gallery in Glasgow—a famous and beautiful place—was a very good stonemason and he built a massive Anderson shelter at the back of our family’s house, in Temple.”
“Shamefully, many victims were not even given a proper burial, with a vast mass grave being dug in Dalnottar cemetery, where, without the dignity of even cardboard coffins, corpses were interred wrapped in sheets knotted with string. Similarly, in the cellar beneath a Dalmuir pub, where dozens were killed, authorities did not even bother to recover the bodies—they just poured in quicklime. In the national press, a photograph of that mass grave was cropped on censors’ orders, so that its sheer size would not be apparent. As we know, the second world war ended with the unprecedented horror of the nuclear devastation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki—cities annihilated in moments, humanity brought to the brink by weapons of unimaginable power. Today, those dangers have not receded.”
“If Jerry comes tonight, he cannae miss…’” Jerry did come that very night and took little Tommy Rocks. John MacLeod continues: “The attack was of such intensity that the explosions could be heard in distant Bridge of Allan; the glow in the night sky, as Clydebank burned, visible from Aberdeenshire, from the Inner Hebrides, and even from Ireland.” Yet, for all that suffering, for all that sacrifice, history did not always give those events the prominence that they deserved. Much of the devastation and death from the German bombing raid was, for a time, wiped from our national story. The lack of adequate air defences and the lack of preparation were matters too uncomfortable for those in authority to confront.”
“Communities that were already strained by war were almost overwhelmed, but they were proud to open the doors to those displaced people who had bravely stood up to what had happened to them. In 2010, John MacLeod captured the trauma in his celebrated book, “River of Fire: The Clydebank Blitz”. As the author so eloquently recounts, it had been “a beautiful day in Clydebank—dry, sunny, the first bashful daffodils—and, after school, after their tea and till well after dusk, nine-year old Brendan Kelly played football on Jellicoe Street with his big pal, 13-year-old Tommy Rocks. But, bedtime beckoning, they abandoned their game and sat at the tenement door, marvelling as the great full moon rose over the town, illuminating every highway and the shimmering Clyde itself. ‘God,’ breathed Tommy. ‘Look at that moon.”
“I thank my colleague Marie McNair for bringing this important debate to the chamber and for giving us the opportunity to remember and reflect. We remember the losses, the lives cut short, the families broken and the homes reduced to rubble on those terrible nights, yet we also remember the ordinary men and women who, in extraordinary circumstances, displayed such resilience and courage. As we have heard, Clydebank bore the brunt of the raids, but the attacks were not confined to there. Bombs fell across our city of Glasgow, especially in areas such as Partick, Temple and Knightswood. Tenements shook, windows shattered, families huddled in closes and, ultimately, many lost their lives or their loved ones. In the aftermath of the Clydebank bombing, thousands of survivors fled from Clydebank, and many went to Glasgow.”
“We would not be waiting for Westminster to show compassion, or watching an ombudsman’s recommendations gather dust. We should have the tools to act, and to act justly. The women I met in their purple pinstripes deserve better; they deserve a Government that they can trust, that honours its obligations and that does not treat them with contempt. Justice for WASPI women is not a footnote; it is a test of fairness and integrity and, I believe, a test of where power should lie. Let us stand with those women; let us condemn this shameful decision and work to see it changed; and let us continue to argue for a Scotland that has the power to right such wrongs—a Scotland where justice is not delayed, denied or dismissed, but delivered. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 17:03”
“They reminded us that discrimination against women did not end in 1918 or in 1928; it certainly did not end in 1995, and nor has it ended today. When I spoke to them, many women told me that Labour’s decision was the final straw. They said that they would not trust the UK Government again, and some said that they would not trust Labour again. Frustration has turned to anger, and anger has turned to something deeper: a loss of trust. Governments must be trusted to make the right decisions, to listen and to act when wrongdoing is identified. On this issue, the UK Government has failed that test. We need a Government that we can trust to make the right decisions for the people and a Government that listens to the people. If Scotland had the powers that independence would bring, we could make those decisions and right those wrongs.”
“My local WASPI 2018 campaign group is one of the groups that has been tireless in its calls for justice and it is one of the most active groups in the UK. I take a moment to put on record my heartfelt thanks to and respect for its extraordinary organiser, Marion McMillan, and her good friend from the south side of Glasgow, Christine McMillan—they are no relation to each other—for their relentless work. Dressed in their purple pinstriped blouses and proudly perched boaters, they reminded me, as I stood outside the Parliament building with them, of the suffragettes and the courage, dignity and quiet strength of those who came before them. They reminded us all of the many struggles that women have endured and the victories that they have hard won.”
“Across the UK, 3.6 million women have been affected, including almost 336,000 women in Scotland. Many have faced severe financial hardship and have depleted their savings, taken on debt, worked longer in ill health, or been forced into poverty. In Scotland, 23 per cent of single female pensioners live in relative poverty, with two thirds of pension credit claimants being women. The gender pension gap stands at nearly 40 per cent, with the gap growing to £100,000 by retirement age. By their late 50s, women’s pension wealth is just 62 per cent of men’s. Those are not just statistics; they are real lives—those are injustices. The other week, I had the privilege of meeting at the Scottish Parliament many of those who are campaigning for justice.”
“Many had planned a retirement around receiving their pension at the age of 60, resulting in untold financial hardship. In 2011, further increases to the state pension age were brought in faster than the then UK Government had promised, meaning that some women had to wait disproportionately longer for their pension. For example, a one-year difference in birth year could result in a three-year difference to the state pension age. In 2021 and 2024, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman concluded that the Department for Work and Pensions had repeatedly failed to act and was guilty of maladministration. Yet, despite that clear ruling, despite the recommendation for compensation and despite the UK Government being forced to review its earlier refusal, the decision in January was to award nothing—nothing.”
“We condemn the fact that that indefensible refusal blatantly ignores the advice of the Government’s advisers, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which recommended compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 for every woman who has been so badly let down. We champion the voice of the WASPI women in their campaign. The latest decision demonstrates utter contempt for the women affected, and today, we demand the immediate reversal of what can only be described as a shameful, immoral and inhumane decision by the UK Government. To understand the anger, we must remember the history. The UK Government’s Pensions Act 1995 increased the state pension age for women from 60 to 65. That in itself was a significant change, but the real injustice lies in how it was handled. Women were not properly or personally notified.”
“I begin by paying tribute to all the women who have campaigned tirelessly to right this terrible wrong. If it had not been for their tenacity, their determination and their deep sense of injustice, we would never have got this far, so to every WASPI woman, I say, “Thank you very much”. The motion before us could not be clearer. Today, we condemn the United Kingdom Government’s continued refusal to compensate the more than 3.5 million women across the UK who are affected by the acknowledged failures of the Department for Work and Pensions to properly inform them of increases to their state pension age.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the baby box, including current availability and the easiest way of applying for one. (S6O-05533)”
“That includes funding for the public library improvement fund, which enables libraries to undertake a wide range of pioneering projects in communities.”
“Cabinet secretary, libraries and community centres often provide a valuable space for events, connection and digital inclusion. Do you agree that they are vital third spaces? Can you say any more about the Scottish Government’s work to recognise that role? The Deputy Presiding Officer: Always speak through the chair. Angus Robertson: I recognise the important role that libraries and community centres play in providing access to information technology, improving attainment, supporting children in the early years, helping and engaging older people, empowering our communities and much more besides. The Scottish Government supports public libraries via the Scottish Library and Information Council. In 2026-27, SLIC will receive an additional £100,000, taking its funding to £1.035 million.”
“Amendment 15 disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: That ends consideration of amendments. 18:45 Meeting suspended. 19:00 On resuming—”
“For Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Abstentions Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Ind) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 8, Against 91, Abstentions 20.”
“Thank you very much. A wee bit of Elvis there. [Laughter.] Sorry about that. On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was unable to connect. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Kidd. We will ensure that that is recorded.”
“I am pleased to support the bill and hope to promote the work of Polly Higgins going forward. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I reiterate that there is a bit of time in hand, so I am able to be a wee bit generous. If that time gets used up, I will let members know. 15:06”
“In 2023, Baroness Boycott—that is her real name—tabled a private member’s bill, which sadly fell at the previous UK election. Let us not let that happen here. Scotland has an opportunity to lead, show ambition and set a clear example of how environmental protection and justice can be embedded in our society. I understand that some concerns have been raised about implementation and enforcement, which is reasonable. Those concerns deserve serious consideration. However, I also note that, although the Law Society of Scotland acknowledged the overlap with section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, it has also made it clear that there is scope for adaptation, which would allow the bill to sit within the existing framework without being unduly complex or onerous. It believes that the clear focus of the bill makes that possible.”
“The time to act is now—not tomorrow, not at some undefined point in the future, but now. Today, Scotland can join the growing recognition. International examples reinforce that message. Kazakhstan adopted an ecocide law, following the major environmental atrocities that took place there, including catastrophic damage linked to the destruction of the Aral Sea. Importantly, Kazakhstan is not alone. Belgium has now included ecocide in its criminal code. Beyond Europe, countries such as Brazil and Mexico are actively exploring similar legal approaches. Scotland will not be acting in isolation; we will be joining a growing global movement that recognises the need to protect ecosystems through strong and enforceable law. Closer to home, discussions on ecocide are also taking place within the United Kingdom.”
“Polly presented a definition of ecocide to the United Nations International Law Commission in 2010 that reads: “Ecocide is extensive loss, damage or destruction of ecosystems of a given territory … such that the peaceful enjoyment of the inhabitants has been or will be severely diminished.” Pope Francis referred to that definition in his call for ecocide to become a crime in 2019. I am sure that, when she looks down on us today, Polly will be proud of where her legacy is taking us. In 2024, the European Union adopted its revised environmental crime directive, strengthening criminal sanctions for serious environmental harm. That directive has marked a significant step forward and lends weight to the argument that environmental accountability now has unprecedented political and legal support. The direction of travel is clear.”
“The results were devastating, affecting millions in Vietnam, and US veterans, through cancers, birth defects and long-term ecological harm, forcing the world to confront and seek to define the crime of ecocide. That question has echoed through international law ever since. Despite numerous efforts to codify and legislate against the crime of ecocide, notably in the drafting of the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court, getting it on the statute books seemed to be very difficult for us. However, the campaigns and momentum for the formal recognition of the crime of ecocide have only grown since then, thanks in large part to the much-loved late Polly Higgins, Scottish barrister, author and inspirational environmental lobbyist— and a good friend.”