Bob Doris
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“I acknowledge the Scottish Government’s ambitious targets to reduce child poverty and the progress that has been made. I have heard that there will be a review of those targets, so it would be helpful to know whether the cabinet secretary believes that the targets have driven delivery in tackling child poverty.”
“They have driven focus and delivery, and have been an exceptionally important part of our armoury as we move forward with tackling child poverty in Scotland. We are seeing that difference being made.”
“Many bus users cannot take a single bus service to where they wish to go. Often, bus users will be required to change buses to reach their end destination. At times, four, as opposed to two, tickets will be required, with a change in the city centre or elsewhere to make the return journey that passengers require.”
“A few stops on a First Glasgow bus will cost £2.45, and it is only a few stops; most single journeys are £3.25. I therefore strongly welcome our Scottish Government’s commitment to a £2 cap price for bus fares in Glasgow. That will make a real difference in our city, but it needs to be carefully implemented.”
“After all, public money that is pumped into bus operators must be used for the public good. Indeed, it is anticipated that, in the current financial year, the budget to be invested in bus services is £528 million—I will say that again: £528 million— and £472.8 million for concessionary travel.”
“For balance, bus passengers, including me, do not tend to highlight when our bus services run well—and they do run well at times. There are occasions when buses are on time and the service is efficient and of high quality. We want to encourage more people to use buses, not fewer.”
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“I also note the interesting policy proposals in the area that are coming from the new Welsh Government, and I look forward to working with my Plaid Cymru colleagues on the child poverty agenda.”
“They have driven focus and delivery, and have been an exceptionally important part of our armoury as we move forward with tackling child poverty in Scotland. We are seeing that difference being made. Mr Doris is right to point to the fact that we are not the only actor in this situation, and the impact of the UK Government can be extremely detrimental. For example, I mentioned the local housing allowance freeze and the continuation of the benefit cap. I was disappointed by the lack of genuine work as the UK Government delivered its child poverty strategy on a four-nations basis. I hope that we can do better in this parliamentary session and that we can meet soon to discuss that on a four-nations basis.”
“I acknowledge the Scottish Government’s ambitious targets to reduce child poverty and the progress that has been made. I have heard that there will be a review of those targets, so it would be helpful to know whether the cabinet secretary believes that the targets have driven delivery in tackling child poverty. Targets can be blown off course by the actions of others, including the UK Government. Perhaps the cabinet secretary can say a little more about that. Despite what I have said, how can the Scottish Government seek to work constructively with the UK Government to make tackling child poverty in Scotland a common cause? Shirley-Anne Somerville: The targets have been an exceptionally important part of the Government’s work since the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 was passed.”
“There is an incentive in the system for bus companies to increase the price of a single journey, because their reimbursement for concessionary travel is directly linked to it. In closing, I welcome the £2 bus cap, and I look forward to franchising—I hope—in Strathclyde, which will require partnership funding with the Scottish Government. We have to use the massive amount of money that has already been invested by the public in the system in a way that works much better for the public good. 16:16”
“After all, public money that is pumped into bus operators must be used for the public good. Indeed, it is anticipated that, in the current financial year, the budget to be invested in bus services is £528 million—I will say that again: £528 million— and £472.8 million for concessionary travel. There is a lot of money in the system, but the financial model needs reviewed to see whether it is working as well as it could for the public good. I am sure that SPT, which is continuing to develop its bus franchising model for Strathclyde, would be particularly interested to see how it could use that money in the Strathclyde area. We also need to look at the relationship between the reimbursement rate for concessionary travel, which is 52.9 per cent of a single journey, and the cost of a single journey.”
“Many bus users cannot take a single bus service to where they wish to go. Often, bus users will be required to change buses to reach their end destination. At times, four, as opposed to two, tickets will be required, with a change in the city centre or elsewhere to make the return journey that passengers require. That would cost £8 under a capped-fare system. Many commuters in our city rely instead on a First day ticket, which costs £6.30, to make such journeys. That would mean that a capped-fare system would cost those whose bus journeys require changes considerably more in comparison with those who have direct end-to- end routes, so there could be an inequality there. I urge that arrangements should be made with bus companies to ensure that those who require to change buses in such circumstances do not lose out.”
“A few stops on a First Glasgow bus will cost £2.45, and it is only a few stops; most single journeys are £3.25. I therefore strongly welcome our Scottish Government’s commitment to a £2 cap price for bus fares in Glasgow. That will make a real difference in our city, but it needs to be carefully implemented. Paul Sweeney: Bob Doris is making some good observations about Glasgow. I commend him for his collegiate work on advancing the pilot on free concessionary bus travel for people seeking asylum in the previous parliamentary session. Does he agree that it needs to be a priority for the Government to make that a permanent scheme as soon as possible? Bob Doris: My views on that have not changed. I want it to be implemented in a sustainable and workable fashion, and I hope that we can deliver on that.”
“He says that he is a frequent bus user, but he is also on £80,000 a year. By making that cheaper provision available to all—including many people who could afford to pay a marginally higher fare—does he recognise that the potential trade-off is that there is less money to spend on the reliability and punctuality of bus services? Bob Doris: I thank Mr Hoy for that intervention, but that point is really for the birds. The trade-off is that I should pay higher and more progressive tax for public services in our country, which is something that I support. Concessionary bus travel has been a significant success, but it is a job that is only partially done. If a person is over 21 and under 60, bus journeys will not feel like good value.”
“For balance, bus passengers, including me, do not tend to highlight when our bus services run well—and they do run well at times. There are occasions when buses are on time and the service is efficient and of high quality. We want to encourage more people to use buses, not fewer. However, we remember the occasions when we feel let down by the bus service. On a positive note, affordability issues for those who use the bus have been eliminated for those who are under 22, by and large, and for those who are over 60. Our Scottish Government has put in place a substantial financial model under which it is free for those groups to use all services in Scotland—a model that I hope to return to later. Craig Hoy: Bob Doris has perhaps identified one of the contradictions in the policy.”
“I am a regular bus user; I frequently bus across north Glasgow and beyond with my two young children. Buses are an essential part of my day-to-day life, as they are for many of my constituents. I see what works well, but I am also well aware that improvements must be made, for example in the provision of evening or Sunday services on some routes, in parts of the bus network where there are clear gaps in provision, or in relation to capacity issues, such as when a single-decker bus arrives at peak times when double-deckers are required. Can you get a seat? Can a parent with a pram or a disabled traveller with a power-assisted wheelchair navigate on to a bus? Of course, there are also issues regarding reliability.”
“One of my constituents is unable to secure a national health service prescription for tirzepatide, which is better known as Mounjaro, for weight management, despite criteria approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium in June 2024 indicating approval for restricted use, including in the circumstances that impact my constituent. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde does not yet include the treatment in its formulary for weight- management prescriptions and says that that work is ongoing. Does the First Minister agree that two years after SMC approval is simply too long to wait for health boards to add Mounjaro to their formularies so that prescribing it can be considered? What action can the Scottish Government take to tackle that delay by health boards?”
“That is the cost and absurdity of inaction, and that is why rewiring our public services and how we govern is so urgent. Presiding Officer, “Ultimate responsibility for reform rests … with the Scottish Government. I urge them to act quickly and decisively—as a society we no longer have time for delay.” Those were the words of Campbell Christie in 2011—15 years ago. This session, the new Parliament has to be different. It is time to act and time to change, because people’s futures and people’s services depend on it.”
“There is too much failure demand in the system, because there is too much inequality and there was too much austerity, and we cannot go back to that. It is testament to the wisdom and foresight of the Christie commission that the ideas that shaped its report are still powerful today, but it is dispiriting to know that so much of its ambition failed to materialise. Last year, delayed discharge cost the NHS in Scotland £440 million—a figure that is almost identical to the reported funding gap in Scotland’s health and social care partnerships. The prison population is at a record high while local government often has to squeeze those services that give us safer communities. Tonight, 10,000 children will go to bed in temporary accommodation, while social housing starts have fallen to a record low.”
“Both Joe Long and the cabinet secretary were keen to emphasise that the agenda is very much about public service reform and not simply about public sector reform. I felt that the cabinet secretary was slightly more self-aware in the strategy document, in which he acknowledged what a number of members have said—that we have not gone fast enough or far enough. Lord Offord made an interesting point, but I think that he came to the wrong conclusion. It is true that, other than at three points in our history—two world wars and the Covid pandemic—public spending, as a share of the UK economy, has never been higher, so why do we not feel the benefits of that? I do not think that it is just about quangos and waste—it cannot be. It goes back to the issue of prevention.”
“However, let me be clear: a central Government strategy should not be used to dictate the size of the local government workforce or to justify balancing the books on the backs of Scotland’s councils. There is a core tension at the heart of the strategy between cost reduction and transformational change. Transformational change requires either patient long-term change— and a fiscal reckoning is looming at some point in this Parliament—or up-front investment and, therefore, a period of double running costs as we invest in alternatives to reactive spending, as the Scottish Trades Union Congress has warned. My concern is that that strategy could fall down in the lack of a plan for transformational investment. In the time that I have left, I will pick up on a couple of points that were made in the debate.”
“[Made a request to intervene.] Joe Fagan: Although Lorna Slater seemed to be falling over herself to find reasons to disagree with us, I thought that we had a lot of consensus with the Green contributions on community wealth and fair work, as well as with the Liberal Democrats’ points about localism. Just as there are points of consensus, there are areas of real tension, too. The public service reform strategy is a Government strategy. The target to reduce the workforce by 0.5 per cent per year until the end of the decade is a Government target. I have every confidence that local government will collaborate on improvement and transformation and I think that the Scottish Government can learn from local government about improvement and transformation.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to increasing the powers of the police to confiscate and retain e-bikes, e- scooters and quad bikes used antisocially or in connection with criminal offending. (S7O-00055)”
“This exceeds the Scottish Government’s projected Income Tax revenues for 2026/27”. As I have said, I do not want to tax the rich; I simply want a fair taxation system and an underlying social contract with the Scottish people that underlines our commitment to social justice.”
“There is also income tax on savings and shared dividends and a whole variety of other taxes— there is a basket of taxes that we could consider. I am not suggesting that we should tax the rich; that is not my demand or what I am calling for. We must go back to the underlying principles of the SNP motion, that our tax system should be “fair, progressive and sustainable”, and it all has to be balanced. I am not calling for us to tax the rich; I am calling for a fair taxation system in the round. We must surely be able to do more on that. As the STUC reminded us in its briefing for today’s debate, “Five families hold more wealth than a quarter of Scotland’s population with the least wealth combined. The wealth of Scotland’s ten richest people is now more than £23 billion, nine times what it was in 1999.”
“It will involve a targeted revaluation, and it will be interesting to see how much each local authority will ultimately benefit. The new council tax bands on properties worth more than £1 million should not get in the way of work—across parties and across the Government—that needs to be done regarding the council tax more generally. I welcome the reassurances that the Deputy First Minister has given this afternoon in relation to that. Perhaps the most pertinent part of the Scottish Government’s motion is the part that recognises that “Scotland’s current powers limit the scope of additional wealth taxation”, with a call for us to “explore what further steps could be taken either within the current system or with full fiscal powers.” In another excellent first speech, Martyn Day spoke about inheritance and capital gains taxes.”
“Those proposals will add two additional council tax bands to be applied to properties valued at more than £1 million, with all the funds raised going directly to local areas to support public service delivery. Before Mr Rennie intervenes again, which he might wish to do, I note that those funds will depend very much on how many properties are worth more than £1 million in each local area. It is the revenue grant from the Scottish Government that provides the vast majority of local authorities’ income—I get that. However, in the round, I would say to Mr Rennie and other members in the chamber that additional moneys would be welcome. I very much support the proposed mansion tax, but it will require careful scrutiny and implementation.”
“Willie Rennie: Bob Doris seems to be implying that the destination of the new taxes that are being proposed would go into an expansion of public services or at least entitlements. Does he not consider that any of that money should go towards reducing the £5 billion deficit that is coming down the track? Bob Doris: The medium-term financial review that Mr McKee has the invidious task of implementing through public service reform has been clearly set out, but every additional penny that is raised here, in Scotland, can help to bolster the social protection dispense that we all want. Bus franchising support could be part of that, as far as I am concerned, but I appreciate the point that Mr Rennie seeks to make. A substantive part of the motion is on a mansion tax, which is due to be brought forward in 2028.”
“With regard to the jet tax, I welcome the submission that we received from Oxfam Scotland, which strongly supports the introduction of an air departure tax with a higher rate for those choosing to travel by high-polluting private jets. Its analysis showed that, “in just the first 10 months of last year, more than 10,500 … jet flights took off or landed at Scottish airports”. This Parliament used to speak often about the polluter-pays principle. Money secured from the new tax could help to support our public bus network, for instance. I acknowledge the good work of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport in taking forward a bus franchising model, which will not be cost free—it will require revenue support.”
“Examples of that include the £3 billion annual running costs of Trident, the £41 billion cost for the new Dreadnought-class submarines to replace the current fleet, and another £15 billion for replacement warheads—and those are all decisions that have been taken by the UK Government in the current Parliament. I would much rather see our Scottish Government invest in our social protections here, in Scotland, than in the illusory protection allegedly offered by nuclear warheads. There is another way, and it is the Scottish way. The Scottish Government’s motion supports “fair, progressive and sustainable taxation to support the delivery of public services.” It reiterates the SNP position on “the creation of a private jet tax and a mansion tax”. I can say to Lord Offord that those policies are not curveballs—they were in the SNP manifesto.”
“It is also worth noting that most people in Scotland pay less tax than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. There has always been a political kickabout over the expression “free” when it is used to describe the delivery of Scottish Government policies—free school meals, free tuition, free prescriptions, free bus passes and so on. No one pretends that any of that is free. However, let me set political decisions in context. The Scottish taxpayer has to pick up its share of the tab for spending decisions that are reserved to the UK Government.”
“Scotland’s more progressive income tax system has supported a position in which the average pay for public sector workers in Scotland is notably higher than it is in the UK as a whole. Our NHS, where we have invested strongly in the pay of our healthcare professionals, is a very good example of that. Our tax system has also contributed to funding Scotland’s strong childcare offer, which has resulted in families across Scotland benefiting from the provision of more than 1,140 hours of high-quality early learning and childcare since 2021, which is worth around £6,000 per child each year. It has also contributed to the almost £0.5 billion that the Scottish Government has invested in our Scottish child payment, helping to keep 100,000 children out of poverty here.”
“I commend Joe Fagan on his first speech. I may not agree with all of his politics, but I agree with his passion and intent, so I commend him for an excellent first speech. It is clear that the different decisions on income taxation levels that were made in Scotland, whereby those who earn a little bit more are asked to pay a bit more, have contributed to securing additional revenues for various desirable outcomes that I would hope most of us in Parliament would wish to see. The Scottish Fiscal Commission estimates that the SNP Government’s income tax decisions since devolution will raise up to an additional £1.8 billion in the tax year 2026-27 compared to the position had the Scottish Government mirrored UK policy.”
“In delivering all those things and more, the role and funding of integration joint boards will need to be considered carefully. There may be an important role for the national care service advisory board in driving through some of those changes, but change there must be. In the few seconds that I have left, I note that, in the previous session of the Parliament, irrespective of whether people supported Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which he took forward with great dignity, everyone on all sides of the debate believed that we must do better on palliative and end-of-life care. We promised to do that during this parliamentary session. This parliamentary session has been convened, and we must deliver for people who are approaching end of life.”
“A new palliative care strategy was launched in September 2025, and there is much in it to welcome. How those ambitions are funded, by whom, and how they are delivered and monitored, will be crucial. The strategy’s initial delivery plan includes a 24/7 palliative care helpline to give people confidence and support whenever they need advice about palliative care or what to do when someone is ill or dying. It also includes the integration of specialist and general palliative care services, to get appropriate care more quickly to those who need it and, crucially, ensure that health and social care staff who provide general palliative care for people of all ages with life-shortening conditions also have access to 24/7 specialist palliative care advice and support for them to do their job properly on the front line.”
“Reform and renewal must be done with Scotland’s hospices at the heart. However, it is not just about hospices. Our vibrant hospice-at-home network also needs to be nurtured. Our care home staff and home care workers are all fundamental to the network of support that is required. Hospice UK is concerned about challenges in retaining current hospice beds at a time when we need to look at expanding provision, not just maintaining it. The Scottish Government has committed to working with the sector to secure a sustainable hospice network, and I understand that there remains an ongoing positive discussion between hospices and the Scottish Government about how we work towards that. That will require a longer-term and refreshed funding model for hospices that is less reliant on charitable donations.”
“Those are just some of the examples of how the NHS spends its money in a way that does not lead to the best outcomes for those we serve. Given the scale of the challenge, our health and social care sectors must deliver reform and renewal, as the Scottish Government motion highlights. The challenges may be substantial, but there is cause for optimism. We should not forget that, where palliative and end-of-life care is delivered, it is often done to an exceptionally high standard, with great care, respect and dignity. That can often get lost in the debate. We also have an excellent hospice network, which has, in recent budgets from this place, received additional moneys, including some to help work towards pay parity with NHS agenda for change staff. That is something that I and other members have championed for some time.”
“In a report that was published this February, Marie Curie pointed out that a new national analysis showed that almost one in three people in Scotland die with unmet palliative care needs. That suggests that around 18,500 people across Scotland die each year with significant levels of unaddressed symptom control or concerns about timely access to appropriate care. We must address that. It is estimated that, each year, around £1.3 billion is spent on supporting people in their last year of life, and £1.1 billion of that is spent in hospitals. That includes unscheduled visits to accident and emergency departments, avoidable admissions to acute services and costs incurred due to the lack of a sustainable support package for those in hospitals to return to the community or to secure a care home or a hospice bed.”
“I endorse the work that he has done on the issue, as well as that which was done by Marie McNair. I also thank the former Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto, for her work in that area—thank you, Jenni, for everything that you have done. In the previous session, I chaired the cross-party group on palliative care—I hope that we get it back up and running in this session, as that is an important issue. To highlight that importance, I note that a Scottish Parliament information centre briefing indicated that, in 2021, 89 per cent of those dying in Scotland had palliative care needs. There is also a huge increase in those dying with complex needs and multiple conditions, which is a much more complex situation.”
“Those are two things that I want to return to—not in this speech, but I have learned to get my asks in early in this place, and I have done that now. More generally, I welcome the Scottish Government’s motion, which recognises and commends the hard-working staff across Scotland’s NHS and places those staff at the heart of the significant progress that has been delivered, which, of course, includes long waits coming down for 11 months in a row. That is not to say that there are not many challenges. Of course there are, and I know that very well. My wife is a critical care nurse, and I hear from her about many of those various challenges. We are very well aware of those, and they have to be acted on. However, in this speech, I want to focus on palliative care, and I thank Miles Briggs for his kind words in relation to that.”
“I welcome the cabinet secretary and her ministerial team to their places, and I also thank the outgoing cabinet secretary, Neil Gray, for his work over the past few years, particularly the work that he did with me to secure the screening of newborn babies for spinal muscular atrophy, an initiative that I championed and which the Scottish Government was able to make happen. I am deeply proud of that. I have a list of requests for this session of Parliament, which includes better care for those living with epidermolysis bullosa—I usually say EB, because I always trip over the name. It is important that we deliver better care for EB sufferers. We must also look at whole-genome sequencing, particularly for cancer patients.”
“The success of our transformational childcare offer will also require a major uplift in the early years and childcare workforce, and that has to be considered strategically. It is a great opportunity to develop a pathway back to employment for some, often women, and to support others to increase their working hours, given that underemployment, as well as unemployment, is a challenge for society. It is ironic that the absence of affordable childcare when required might have been a barrier for some who might now, with the policy, be able to consider employment. That new workforce might require specific additional and transitional support.”
“However, it will be vital that we have a truly meaningful, respectful and constructive partnership with the private, voluntary and independent sector, as well as with childminders. I welcome COSLA’s acknowledgement of that in its briefing to members for this debate. Although that partnership has often worked well, we should also acknowledge that the issue of councils paying PVI providers a sustainable rate has been the subject of much debate by those in the sector, who do not always feel that that has been forthcoming from councils. That must be addressed—I hope that that will reassure Mr Rennie. I very much hope that that key relationship can be developed and that the matter is addressed.”
“It will require innovation, flexibility and a mixed- model approach to delivery. Our councils will and must remain the cornerstone of successful delivery. Willie Rennie: Bob Doris and I have a long track record of debating this issue over many years, and he will understand that, in order to have a mixed model, we need a private, voluntary and independent sector that is treated on an equal basis with council nurseries. Will he pledge to support all of us who want to achieve that? Bob Doris: I specifically mentioned the PVI sector, which shows that I think that we have to acknowledge the sector’s growing importance and fund it as effectively as possible. I will say more about that in the latter part of my speech, but I appreciate the member’s intervention. Our councils will, and must, remain the cornerstone of successful delivery.”
“In the Scottish National Party manifesto, it was estimated that that would be the ballpark figure, but nobody really knows, and there is not an earmarked fund of money set apart for the purposes that Bob Doris suggests, is there? Bob Doris: I will need to mind my Ps and Qs with Mr Kerr for using the word “earmarked” in the chamber. If Mr Kerr is more comfortable with the term “ballpark figure”, let us go with that and move along with a degree of consensus. I very much hope that the policy will command strong cross-party support, receive constructive and meaningful scrutiny along the way and have the good will of Parliament. Achieving the ambition to have as much childcare as necessary to fit around family needs and circumstances will be challenging—it will also be expensive, I suspect.”
“The Scottish Government is, of course, aiming to move towards year-round childcare provision for children from nine months old up to the end of primary school. It was a central manifesto commitment. More than £0.5 billion has been earmarked for expenditure on that endeavour, and that will have to be kept under review as we plan for the next five years. I think that we can all agree that achieving that aim would be hugely welcome and transformational. Stephen Kerr: As usual, Bob Doris is giving a thoughtful speech about an important matter. However, he has just indicated that the Government has “earmarked” £500 million for the expansion programme, but I do not think that that is what the cabinet secretary said.”
“That achievement was driven and secured by an SNP Government. However, it was delivered on the ground not by politicians but by early learning and childcare professionals employed by local authorities or by providers in the private, voluntary and independent sector, which is often referred to as the PVI sector. The 1,140 hours have been in place since 2021, by and large, and have been worth more than £6,000 for every eligible child each year. That has benefited my family, and we have used our hours mixed between a local authority provider and an independent provider as we have tried to best match our family needs with the available provision. That mixing and matching of provision to best meet family circumstances will be a common experience for families. Flexibility is essential.”
“I pay tribute to Kaukab Stewart, who was the MSP for Glasgow Kelvin from 2021 up until the election. Kaukab was the first woman of colour elected to the Scottish Parliament, and she served diligently as a hard-working constituency MSP and as a Scottish Government minister. She will be a loss to this Parliament. I turn to the substantive debate on the Scottish Government’s ambition to expand early learning and childcare provision. The Scottish Government has already presided over a more than doubling of free early learning and childcare for three and four- year-olds in Scotland, as well as eligible two-year- olds. Although that doubling has not been without its challenges, some of which I hope to refer to during my speech, it is still a tremendous achievement, and that should not be forgotten in the debate.”
“I am pleased to hear it, Presiding Officer. I welcome you to your position and the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic to her position. This may surprise you, Presiding Officer, but this is by no means my first speech in this place. However, it will be my first speech as the MSP for Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill, with the substantial boundary changes that were put in place ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections. It was a privilege to represent areas such as the Garngad, Springburn and Milton, but that now passes on to Ivan McKee MSP. I look forward to continuing to represent my constituents across the wider Maryhill corridor, however, and the many new communities that were formerly part of the Glasgow Kelvin constituency. The real reason for mentioning the changes is that it allows me to mention Glasgow Kelvin.”
“Motion agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that Stephen Gethins, Hannah Mary Goodlad, Jamie Hepburn, Simita Kumar, Kirsten Oswald and Alison Thewliss be appointed as junior Scottish Ministers. The Presiding Officer: As the Parliament has agreed to the motions, the First Minister’s recommendations will be sent to His Majesty for approval of the appointments. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 15:25”
“For Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Ahmed, Irshad (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab) Anderson, Heather (Dundee City West) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Barratt, David (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North) (SNP) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Black, Dawn (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Bonnar, Steven (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Bouse, Gary (Falkirk West) (SNP) Brown, Alan (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Campbell, Michelle (Renfrewshire North and Cardonald) (SNP) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Day, Martyn (Falkirk East and Linlithgow) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fagan, Joe (South Scotland) (Lab) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Flynn, Stephen (Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine) (SNP) Gethins, Stephen (Dundee City East) (SNP) Ghani, Zen (Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok) (SNP) Gibson, Patricia (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Goodlad, Hannah Mary (Shetland Islands) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie) (SNP) Griffin, Mark (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Lab) Hagmann, Katie (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen and Cambuslang) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kerr, Alex (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) Kerr, Calum (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Kumar, Simita (Edinburgh South Western) (SNP) Linden, David (Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston) (SNP) Long, Joe (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) MacKinnon, Donald (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (Lab) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Melville, Lloyd (Angus South) (SNP) Merrick, Colm (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Middleton, Jack (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mitchell, Laura (Moray) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Oswald, Kirsten (Eastwood) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Sangster, Katherine (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Smith, Alyn (Stirling) (SNP) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stafford, Pauline (Bathgate) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thewliss, Alison (Glasgow Central) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Young, Jenny (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Lab) Against Briggs, Miles (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Abstentions Bannerman, Max (Highlands and Islands) (Reform) Baxter, Andrew (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD) Beresford, Senga (South Scotland) (Reform) Bland, Amanda (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Reform) Bruce, Holly (Glasgow Southside) (Green) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Chou Turvey, Yi-pei (North East Scotland) (LD) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh North Western) (LD) Currie, Victor (Highlands and Islands) (Reform) Dijkstra-Downie, Sanne (Edinburgh Northern) (LD) Duane, Iris (Glasgow) (Green) Dunlop, Duncan (South Scotland) (LD) Green, David (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harley, Adam (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (LD) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Kerr, Thomas (Glasgow) (Reform) Kinross-O’Neill, Kayleigh (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Green) Kirkwood, David (South Scotland) (Reform) Langan, Jamie (South Scotland) (Reform) Leask, Kristopher (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Lindsay, Amanda (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Reform) MacCallum, Morven-May (Highlands and Islands) (LD) MacDougall, Julie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Green) Manivannan, Q (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Green) Massey, Duncan (North East Scotland) (Reform) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McDade, Helen (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) McKee, Cara (West Scotland) (Green) Moodie, Laura (South Scotland) (Green) Nevens, Kate (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Green) Offord, Malcolm (West Scotland) (Reform) Rennie, Willie (Fife North East) (LD) Ross, Angela (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Reform) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Schmulian, Kim (Glasgow) (Reform) Simpson, Graham (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Reform) Simpson, Mark (North East Scotland) (Reform) Slater, Lorna (Edinburgh Central) (Green) Smith, David (West Scotland) (Reform) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S7M-00109, in the name of John Swinney, on the First Minister’s appointment of junior Scottish ministers, is: For 73, Against 11, Abstentions 42.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was unable to connect to the voting app. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you. Your vote will be recorded. Kim Schmulian: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was unable to access the voting app. I would have abstained. The Presiding Officer: Thank you. Your vote will be recorded.”
“I, Bob Doris, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God. The Presiding Officer: There will now be a break in proceedings. Members’ oaths and affirmations will resume at 10.30 am. 10:11 Meeting suspended. 10:30 On resuming— The Presiding Officer: We resume members’ oaths and affirmations.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how much it has paid to the agricultural sector in direct support payments over the course of the current parliamentary session. (S6O-05697)”
“It said: “Until disabled people have full access to supports necessary to live with dignity, legalising assisted dying will only exacerbate existing inequalities rather than expand genuine choice and control.” I might be conflicted about the issue, but I am clear that offering choice for some will not offer meaningful choice for all. 19:27”
“Assisted dying is not palliative care. This evening, I will vote against allowing assisted dying. However, that does not stop me from being conflicted. My reasons, no matter how sincerely held, are likely to offer little comfort to many of those who wish to see assisted dying being allowed. We have heard powerful arguments. However, should the bill be passed, many people, particularly those who live with disabilities, will be deeply shaken. I will finish with a quote from Inclusion Scotland, which brought the issue home to me.”