Stuart McMillan
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Can the cabinet secretary provide any details about when funding will be in place to replace the Port Glasgow health centre with a new health hub? Can she advise when there will be investment to improve the fabric of Inverclyde royal hospital?”
“Will the member give way? Mark Simpson: I would love to. Stuart McMillan: Reform’s policies are about taking money out of the public sector, but Mr Simpson is now asking for more money to be spent on throughcare support. Where is that money coming from? I am genuinely interested to know.”
“Millions of people globally are impacted by climate change today, and that will also be the case for future generations, as has already been touched upon by Sanne Dijkstra-Downie.”
“It is important that they are successful in delivering the heat that we all need, but the issue of their environmental impact is also vital. District heating systems play an important role in communities up and down the country, but they come in a range of scales. Are they operating effectively?”
“I touched on the CPA a minute ago, and the issue of AI data centres has been raised time and again at both international and regional conferences. We are not the only people who are talking about the issue. Helpfully, it is on the agenda for this year’s festival of politics.”
“I look forward to the contributions from MSPs in the open debate, which I am sure will help the committee’s discussions on Thursday, when we meet for the first time, and during the rest of the parliamentary session. I will touch briefly on three items, for wider consideration.”
The complete record
Every one of 590 lines we hold for Stuart McMillan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 12.
“Will the minister take a brief intervention? Graeme Dey: Do I have time, Presiding Officer? The Presiding Officer: We have gone somewhat over the time for this item. I will allow a little more time. Mr McMillan may intervene briefly. Stuart McMillan: As members of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee will testify to, we have been told in the past that the dialogue related to a section 104 order does not tend to happen until after stage 3. However, the minister has just indicated that that clearly does not seem to be the case for this matter. Graeme Dey: I touched on that. I am sorry if I have misled the Parliament. The details of what such an order might contain are still being worked through.”
“In advance of publication of the inquiry’s findings, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been working with the Scottish Government and plans to take additional immediate steps to ensure that there is public and political confidence in the safety of facilities and the environment in which services are delivered within the Queen Elizabeth hospital and the Royal hospital for children. Beyond that, I have also announced today the creation of the safety and public confidence oversight group, which will actively engage with all parties and will be co-chaired by Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie, who I am confident will provide robust and independent scrutiny of its work.”
“Safety is of paramount importance to everyone who uses the facilities; it is vital that the public know that the sites that they are attending for their appointments and treatments are safe. Will the cabinet secretary set out how ministers are assured of the current safety measures that are in place at the QEUH? Neil Gray: The inquiry’s expert, Andrew Poplett, reported in 2025 that the water system management is now “extremely well managed” with “significant improvement” made. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde continues to monitor safety rigorously and must ensure that the hospital remains safe while the inquiry is on-going. No information through our robust governance arrangements has indicated that the hospital is unsafe.”
“I also agree with Stuart McMillan, who has worked tirelessly to represent his constituents who work at Ferguson Marine and the wider community in Inverclyde, that we will continue to support the talented and dedicated workforce at the yard and ensure the best value for those who rely on the vessels.”
“Given the new structure that has been referenced by the Deputy First Minister, can she provide reassurance that the Scottish Government continues to seek both social and economic best value in delivering vessels with Ferguson Marine? Kate Forbes: My top priority has been the completion of the Glen Rosa, so that we are able to improve the lifeline services for our island communities through a more sustainable and better-quality service, which is what they deserve. Considerable time having been spent in the completion of the Glen Rosa, my firm view is that it must be completed as quickly as possible.”
“I want to assure Parliament and the public that, in all the actions that we have taken, the Scottish Government has attempted to fully exercise its legal responsibilities, but there have been significant challenges in the flow of information that have limited our ability to do so. I hope that the United Kingdom Government has learned lessons about that, and we are pressing for that to be the case.”
“The First Minister: In a letter to me on 15 January in relation to my media comments about the lack of advance briefing on the movement of the Bella 1 into the Moray Firth, the Secretary of State for Scotland said: “This operation was in defence of UK national security and our relationship with a key international ally. As such it would not have been appropriate to provide briefing in advance to Scottish Ministers.” That should be of concern to every member of this Parliament, because the minute that vessel came into the Moray Firth and into our territorial waters, the legal jurisdiction of Scotland was engaged. There is a fundamental lack of understanding of the implications. That is why I have given a statement to Parliament today.”
“There are many elements of what has happened that are concerning, and the correspondence that the First Minister received from the Secretary of State for Scotland is particularly concerning. It completely failed to respect the principles and the practical realities of devolution, to say nothing of the importance of co- operation and courtesy in intergovernmental working. Notwithstanding some of the responses that the First Minister has already given this afternoon, following further engagement with the UK Government, is the First Minister convinced that the secretary of state and other Labour UK Government ministers now have a better understanding of the importance of devolution and of adequate communication on such matters?”
“To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of what savings there have been to Greenock and Inverclyde constituents since the removal of peak rail fares. (S6O-05404)”
“To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, or Strathclyde Pension Fund directly, regarding the levels of pension contributions requested from west of Scotland local authorities for the financial year 2026-27. (S6O-05363)”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: Question 3 was not lodged. Gaelic Language and Culture (Young People) 4.”
“The Deputy First Minister will be very much aware that the yard was in private ownership when it first went into liquidation in 2014, so private ownership is not the panacea that some might suggest. Does the Deputy First Minister agree that the most important aspect of the issue is that the yard has a future, builds ships, creates opportunities and contributes to the economy, irrespective of who owns it? Kate Forbes: I agree with Stuart McMillan on the commitments that he has just listed and on the fact that ownership is not the defining issue. What matters most is that the yard has a clear and sustainable future and is able to continue to build ships. We want to support the highly skilled workforce at the yard and to ensure that the business is placed on a stable footing. Those are my immediate priorities.”
“We will also further strengthen support by increasing our Scottish child payment in line with inflation to £28.20 from April, committing more than £111 million to our tackling child poverty fund and providing a new package of whole-family support, with further detail of the investment to be set out in the delivery plan by the end of”
“Thanks to the consistent pressure from the SNP, the Labour UK Government finally scrapped the two-child limit in its autumn budget. Can the finance secretary say more about how the money that would otherwise have been spent on mitigating the two-child cap will now be deployed to this Government’s key mission of tackling child poverty? Shona Robison: As I set out in my statement, we have reallocated funding that was committed to mitigating the two-child limit to drive further progress on child poverty. In the year ahead, that includes investing £15 million to meet additional demand for devolved benefits, including a further £8 million to mitigate the benefit cap.”
“Stuart McMillan rose— Michael Marra: I would allow Stuart McMillan to come back in, but I am afraid that I must make some progress.”
“In Inverclyde, scant little social housing has been built over the past two years; the housing associations have refused to build new housing because there is excess stock. How does Michael Marra suggest that the Scottish Government force housing associations to go and build when they do not want to build? Michael Marra: It is certainly a complex situation. I do not know the specifics of the Inverclyde housing associations. However, from my area, I know that the vast cut that the Government made to the affordable housing budget as part of an emergency budget resulted in a lack of availability of capital, meaning that housing associations in Dundee and Angus had to change their plans. That was one of the issues.”
“To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Skills Development Scotland to discuss the development of new modern apprenticeships. (S6O-05353)”
“The committee heard a lot of support for the bill to be extended to include provision on retention, on condition that the provisions can be contracted out of, and we are pleased that the Scottish Government has confirmed that such flexibility will be allowed for in the new rules. All that is left to do is to confirm that the committee recommends to the Parliament that the general principles of the bill be agreed to. As convener of the committee, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Roz McCall to speak for about four minutes. 13:28”
“The committee also agreed that the general rules in the bill that cover when notification takes effect were reasonable, despite some suggestions to the committee that they could be more specific. However, the committee also heard the counterargument that to do so, and to go into more detail in the bill, could prove problematic, because not every eventuality can be legislated for and the current rules were considered by many witnesses to be relatively future proof. Anyone who was in Parliament during the Covid pandemic will recognise how impossible it is to legislate for every eventuality. Finally, the Scottish Government also plans to lodge amendments at stage 2 to amend the law of retention.”
“There was also much support for the abolition of the postal acceptance rule, something that the minister touched on. The idea that a contract can be accepted without being received by the offeror does not seem particularly intuitive to those without legal training; indeed, the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland told us that it did not think many of its members were aware of the old rule. Colleagues will also be aware of the question that I asked during First Minister’s questions, regarding some of the current issues with Royal Mail. If we had a fully functioning Royal Mail, it would be harder to argue against the status quo, so this particular change is really apt for the present day.”
“I certainly see much merit in the approach taken by the SLC and adopted by the Scottish Government, with the bill very much focusing on the formation of contracts and on certain remedies for breach of contract. The approach was widely supported by those from whom the committee heard, including academics, practising lawyers and representatives of business organisations. The rules will also be largely default ones, meaning that, by mutual agreement, parties to contracts can opt out of them. That was seen as essential to the freedom of contract principle and to allowing sophisticated parties to continue to contract as they wished. However, the default rules will also provide a clear backstop for small and medium-sized businesses, should they choose to contract without opting out. That flexible approach was supported by the committee.”
“The Scottish Law Commission’s work on contract law dates back almost to its inception, as was outlined to the committee by Professor Hector MacQueen, who acted as lead commissioner on the project that led to the bill. Anyone who reads the SLC report on its review of contract law, which was published in 2018, can be left in absolutely no doubt of the comprehensive and thorough job that the commission did, and I want to pay tribute to it for that work. I should say that, although the review was comprehensive, the aspects of contract law that it recommended for inclusion in the bill were actually much more limited, a point that came up in our evidence sessions. I just want to highlight how focused the legislation actually is.”
“We heard that even acts as simple as buying an item in a shop constitute forming a contract, which means that contracts are being formed all the time by individuals who have no legal training and without taking any advice. Despite that, contract law has, in large part, been developed under common law and, as such, is less accessible to lay people if and when disputes arise. One key aim of the bill is to make rules that are clear, certain and as accessible as possible, and the committee agreed that a law like this, which sets out default rules relating to the formation of contracts and aspects of the law on remedies for breach of contract, is an appropriate way of achieving that.”
“This is the fifth Scottish Law Commission bill on which the committee has acted as lead committee in this session, and it is worth saying that it is a part of the committee’s role and remit that members enjoy and find very worth while. As set out in the Presiding Officer’s determination to identify a Scottish Law Commission bill, when the DPLR Committee is to be the lead committee, the bill should “make provision which is not likely to generate substantial controversy among stakeholders.” That means that the bills that we look at are unlikely to grab lots of media attention; nonetheless, they are really important bills for us to consider. The minister touched on the fact that contracts are formed all the time. Indeed, they are the lifeblood of economic activity in Scotland and internationally.”
“I, too, thank Lady Paton and everyone at the Scottish Law Commission for their excellent work. I also thank everyone who has engaged with the committee on the bill, in writing and in oral evidence—they have certainly assisted with our scrutiny. I also want to thank our excellent clerking team for their first-class support during the scrutiny of the bill, and MSP colleagues for the way in which they went about working on the bill. The work was undertaken in a very collegiate way. I am pleased to speak in this stage 1 debate as convener of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, the lead committee for this bill.”
“I am conscious of time, so I will not go through all the recommendations, but I welcome the report, which is helpful. I hope that the recommendations will stimulate further discussion and dialogue, but also decision making so that we can get better outcomes for the people we all represent. We have societal challenges, but the report can certainly help to move the dial. Healthcare professionals have provided a set of recommendations to help. They know that there is money in the NHS system that could be better invested, and the recommendations are very worthy of consideration and further discussion, because they could genuinely make a huge difference for the people we are here to represent. 13:17”
“The five suggestions that are made under recommendation 1 could be beneficial in that regard, although I am of the opinion that some of them would be challenging to deliver—the one that involves the DWP in particular. Recommendation 2 calls for a public health- informed approach. That makes sense and, if we push for it, it could be achieved as a quick win. Recommendation 5, which is on page 15 of the report, is about national strategies and resources. To me, it is one of the most important recommendations. I hear from people who are concerned regarding the high percentage of people who are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions. It is challenging for those who need support, including those who need more advanced support, and the recommendation is crucial to help to deliver that.”
“All 10 of the recommendations have merits, but some would be challenging to deliver, particularly in a short timescale. To me, recommendation 1, which Daniel Johnson touched on, is really important. I will read out the title for the Official Report. It is: “Demand driven by the need for support in the workplace, in places of education and from the benefits system”. What is proposed could be transformational in terms of healthcare being offered. There is a challenge regarding the Department for Work and Pensions, because we do not have those powers here. It might therefore take a bit of time to deal with that recommendation, but it should be dealt with. Constituents have regularly raised issues with me regarding a need for diagnosis before care is provided.”
“The 10 recommendations in the report are all extremely important, but I will touch on just three. The recommendations are helpful in promoting engagement and trying to deliver better outcomes for autistic people and people with ADHD. I have engaged extensively with constituents and with family members who have children with autism or ADHD, and I know that there is a societal challenge in Scotland that we have to try to address. There are, of course, wider issues in this area that exist not just in Scotland but around the world. Nonetheless, in Parliament, we need to think about what we, as parliamentarians, can do. I sent the report to constituents to let them read and digest it, and make up their own minds as to what they think that it can actually do.”
“I congratulate Daniel Johnson on securing this important debate. Mr Johnson and I co-hosted an event in October: the RCP report was launched in the morning, and a session took place later where colleagues came along to ask questions. I thought that it was a really helpful session. The report, in my view, is a very important offer to all of society in Scotland. I will highlight one of the key messages that came out of that session, which was very unusual for the types of events that we all attend as members. Usually, when we go to such events, we always hear, “Can we get more money?”, but one of the key messages from that event was that there is a lot of money in the system—as Carol Mochan just touched on—that could be better invested in people. There was certainly an ask for more money, but it was not the key issue.”
“The yard needs investment and, notwithstanding some of the hyperbole that Daniel Johnson came up with earlier, I support that £14.2 million and want it to go into the yard, because it is crucial for the yard’s future. The key to boosting the yard’s efficiency and putting it in a position to secure some of that work that is mentioned in section 17 is for the board and the management to work effectively and efficiently and to turn our yard—because it is our yard—into a yard that we can all be proud of, and to support our workers. 15:58”
“Sections 37 to 41 cover the then chair’s frustration at the bidding process and the claim that UK yards cannot compete on a level playing field, despite section 38 suggesting that UK yards can win. As the convener touched on earlier, the then chair is quoted in section 41 as saying: “There is work—a possible contract which involves a private individual. There are two or three other things in the pipeline that we are very enthusiastic about. We would definitely like to deliver some good news in the next six months.” There has been one bit of good news. That chair has gone from the yard, and I welcome that, because the yard management at that time lost orders and the workforce deserves better.”
“Notwithstanding the social value clause, which I am sure that Paul Sweeney will touch on in a minute and that has been touched upon many times in this chamber, the 65 per cent to 35 per cent ratio of quality and cost respectively gave the yard’s board and management a prime opportunity to win the work. However, they did not just fail— they failed spectacularly, letting down the workers, the local community and the taxpayer. The committee and anybody who will listen will have heard about the revolving door of highly paid senior personnel coming and going within months, costing a small fortune. That has not been a good use of taxpayers’ money, and it certainly has not helped morale on the shop floor. Daniel Johnson: Will the member take an intervention? Stuart McMillan: No, I am sorry—I have only four minutes.”
“Ultimately, the yard does need orders and, as section 18 of the report indicates “there is no shortage of potential work.” Section 19 outlines the key steps to enable the yard to attract that, including four bullet points: rebuilding its competitiveness; sustained investment; effective management; and learning lessons from the recent tender bids. It was foolish in the extreme for the yard management to decide to include the small vessel replacement programme 1 direct award order in the previous business plan. I know that I am not alone in thinking that. The subsequent wage bill was bloated, so its bids were always going to be exorbitant.”
“Willie Rennie talked about the pipeline and the drumbeat of investment and orders, and he is absolutely right about that. To go back to the report that is before us today, thankfully there have been some personnel changes at the yard. For example, Duncan Anderson is the new acting chair of the board, and I wish Duncan well, while I hope that a permanent appointment to the position is found soon. The current chief executive officer, Graeme Thomson, also took up his post in May, joining the yard towards the end of the committee’s work. He can therefore be absolved of any of the legacy issues. Edward Mountain: Will the member take an intervention? Stuart McMillan: I am sorry, but I only have four minutes. The Audit Scotland report was mixed, as was the committee’s report, as the convener touched on earlier.”
“I was a member of the Public Audit Committee during its inquiry, and I fully support the recommendations that are set out in the report. I thank the convener for his flexibility in allowing me time to ask questions during the sessions. The Scottish Government has invested in Ferguson’s to protect jobs, finish the vessels and, ultimately, save the yard. The yard would not be in the position that it is in today if regular investment had been made during the decades before it went into liquidation, in 2014. We need to remember the fact that the number of overseas workers who are employed in naval construction yards has attracted criticism recently, with people arguing that it is being done at the expense of Scottish or UK workers and that it demonstrates the impact of a lack of investment in people.”
“A Scottish yard that employs Scottish workers and that is owned by the Scottish Government is losing vital contracts to foreign yards, while the Government prevaricates on its investment promise to make the yard competitive. This is a party whose mantra is, apparently, “Stronger for Scotland”. That is almost as big a joke as using two ferries as a punchline. It is laughable, but that is the catch-22 situation that the Scottish Government has created: it will not provide the money until orders are forthcoming, but the yard cannot secure those orders without the investment that it needs.”
“It is welcome that Ferguson’s has secured work through BAE Systems to build the next generation of Royal Navy warships. That is proof that the United Kingdom Labour Government’s investment in defence is supporting skilled jobs in Scotland. However, the subcontracted fabrication work on HMS Birmingham is not, on its own, enough to sustain the yard and its workforce; Ferguson’s needs a steady supply of whole-ship orders. As we have heard, the Government promised to invest £14.2 million in modernisation, but, 18 months later, only £500,000 of that has been forthcoming. That is not good enough. During that time, the Scottish Government has issued a contract for seven small electric Caledonian MacBrayne ferries—but to a Polish firm.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Daniel Johnson: I will do in a moment. There is not just a financial story to be told—the Government and, indeed, all of us have a moral responsibility to ensure that the investment goes in, so that the yard can have the future that we all know that it deserves. Stuart McMillan: With regard to reputational damage, would Daniel Johnson also acknowledge the fact that the yard went into liquidation in 2014? Clearly, the reputation of the yard was already damaged. Daniel Johnson: What has happened since then? A £400 million bill is being picked up by the taxpayer—that is on the Scottish Government. We all know that, beyond the Glen Rosa, the key to the long-term sustainability of Ferguson’s yard is simple—it needs orders.”
“To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on whether the Scottish Government will instigate a direct award to Ferguson Marine for the replacement of MV Lord of the Isles. (S6F-04505)”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress that is being made to replace Greenock police station and increase police officer numbers in Inverclyde. (S6O-05235)”
“Education to help boys and men away from that is absolutely essential; education is a crucial part of the wider debate. In closing, I implore every man in the chamber and every male who is watching this or who reads the Official Report at some point in the future to challenge the attitudes that we have been discussing today. We must challenge those attitudes and behaviours whenever we hear or see them, not only during the 16 days of activism but on every single day of the year. Failure to do so will only make us complicit. 16:03”
“If we teach girls how to keep themselves safe but do not teach boys the same, choosing to brush off violent and misogynistic behaviour as boys being boys, we face a losing battle and are doing women and girls a huge disservice. Fundamentally, there is no easy answer or quick fix—if there was, it would have been found by now. However, educating children about how to be kind to one another, to be respectful and to look out for each other, regardless of their differences, goes a long way towards improving society. Many people will respond by saying that that already happens, but this is not just about teaching that to our kids when they are young. We must also ensure that we, as adults, reflect that message in our behaviour and that we repeat it as our children grow older. Toxic masculinity harms boys and men as well as women and girls.”
“Those platforms are used to influence young and impressionable boys and adult males who should, quite frankly, know better. Members know that I keep my private life private and very rarely mention my family here in Parliament, but, for the sake of today’s debate, I will reflect on being a father of two daughters. My wife and I have raised them to stand up for themselves, to take no nonsense from anyone, to be careful when they go out and to just get away if they see any sign of trouble. I am sure that every parent in the chamber has probably done the same. I want my daughters to love life and savour every moment because it really is precious, and keeping themselves safe, particularly online, is an essential part of that. However, I am also conscious that the messages that we give our kids should not be gendered.”
“I turn to Ash Regan’s amendment, which was not selected for voting on later. I do not disagree at all with the sentiment behind her bill, but it is still going through the parliamentary process, so I await the stage 1 report by the Criminal Justice Committee. I thought that the recent correspondence from the Swedish police was useful information on what she is trying to achieve. Maggie Chapman lodged an amendment that is also not up for voting later. It highlighted the problems with “toxic masculinity” and the need to take “concerted action on misogynistic behaviour online” and it called for plans to tackle online violence to be “developed as part of the next refresh of Equally Safe”. I whole-heartedly agree with her on those points. Social media is pervasive and is being used by bad actors to spread toxic masculine ideas en masse.”
“At the recent CPA conference in October, an MP from South Africa highlighted that, in the rural border areas between South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland, domestic abuse is, sadly, commonplace. It is not always reported to the police and, on many occasions, the perpetrator will go back home before being caught and dealt with. I therefore want to reflect on Tess White’s amendment, which states: “reported crimes against women and girls in Scotland are rising”. It is always a concern to see the number of crimes rising, but, in this instance, I believe that it shows that more women and girls feel empowered to come forward to report such attacks. On the one hand, that demonstrates why we must keep challenging gender-based violence. However, if more perpetrators are caught and dealt with, that is also a positive.”
“Sadly, too many men associate gender-based violence with masculinity and being macho, but there is absolutely nothing macho about being a bully. The motion that we are debating mentions national and local efforts. Although we can all agree that violence against women and girls is a global issue, it is important to consider how actions at different levels can effect positive change. At Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conferences, there is always a workshop dedicated to this issue, and some of the testimonies heard by delegates have been horrendous and sobering. Different countries have different cultures and considerations around women and girls and how the issue is dealt with varies, including how it is policed.”
“At the outset of my speech, I want to be clear that men need to do better. There is no excuse for violence against women and girls and, as the statistics show, the main perpetrators are men. In the past, some considered it to be normal to be violent against women and girls, and some would consider those to be the so-called good old days, when aspects of life were allegedly better than they are today. In those so-called good old days, there was more deprivation, more children were failed at school because of an undiagnosed additional support need, and more women were denied opportunities because their place was at home. There will be many other examples that colleagues from across the chamber could name.”
“The announcement that was made today about Scotland house for the games will be an opportunity to facilitate that.”
“I was able to do that in person with the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghavi, when he led the Indian delegation that was visiting the General Assembly. The Scottish Government is very much looking forward to continuing with collaboration and further strengthening bilateral relations, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to say so during the discussions that we had on the fringes of the General Assembly. I recognise from a previous visit that Scottish Development International has a strong presence in India. The Indian delegation, including Mr Sanghavi, and the consulate in Edinburgh are keen to maximise the opportunity to build and grow our deepening relationship with India in general, and Gujarat in particular, by using those links.”