Rona Mackay
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Màiri McAllan: I express the Government’s sympathy with those who are wrestling with dramatically increased oil prices, which will have come as a very unwelcome shock to households.”
“Our islands cost crisis emergency fund will continue into the 2026-27 financial year, with an additional £1 million allocation. This year, we have also invested a further £5.5 million in the Scottish welfare fund, which provides vital support in difficult times. Rona Mackay: I thank the cabinet secretary for that welcome response.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking through its fuel poverty programmes to support low-income rural and off- grid households that are unable to heat their homes due to the recent increase in heating oil prices.”
“I was pleased to see that the Scottish Prison Service has piloted non-pain-inducing control and restraint techniques that reduce the risk of injury to staff and prisoners. Can the First Minister assure me that the pilot approach will be rolled out across the prison estate, with staff being given the appropriate training?”
“The other two that I want to mention are the much-missed Christina McKelvie and Jeane Freeman. What a privilege to have known and worked with those freedom fighters. They fought for equality, fairness and, of course, independence. What a legacy they leave. I know that they will always be in our hearts.”
“I am pleased to speak in today’s important debate for many reasons. First, I want to acknowledge the legendary Christine Grahame and her passionate dedication to the cause of animal welfare. There are not many people we can call a legend, but I think that Christine qualifies.”
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“It simply would not have happened that the Crown Office would have had influence over the decisions in relation to the timing of Mr Murrell’s case once it was in the hands of the independent court and the decisions as to its future progress were handled by an independent member of the judiciary. To say otherwise would be completely wrong, and that simply has not happened in this case.”
“There should not and cannot be political interference in criminal cases. The Scottish Government has had no discussion about the timing of Mr Murrell’s case. I understand from media reports that Mr Murrell’s legal representatives sought for the date of his court hearing to be changed, and that was agreed by the independent judge, sitting in the independent court. It was after the indictment was served on Mr Murrell that I provided the update to the First Minister. The Crown Office has explained that that was to confirm that the Lord Advocate was not involved in the case. The case was active for contempt of court purposes, and no comment should be made in relation to the case.”
“As Mr Murrell was granted bail when he appeared on petition, the time limits that applied when the indictment was served on the accused were readily available and publicly understood. A preliminary hearing, or a first diet, must be commenced within 17 months of the date on which an accused first appears on petition. The trial must commence within 18 months of the date on which the accused first appears on petition. A preliminary hearing is a hearing in which the readiness of the prosecution and the defence are assessed ahead of trial, and it is within those time limits that relevant hearings are fixed. Those hearings are scheduled by the independent judiciary and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. Mr Murrell’s case is therefore live proceedings. The independence of the criminal courts is a fundamental part of our justice system.”
“Can the Lord Advocate reassert that no one has spoken to the Crown on the scheduling of the case? Does she agree that any suggestion that the independent Crown would allow any interference in the scheduling of a case—as the Opposition is desperately trying to suggest— would never be countenanced? The Lord Advocate: I can explain that Mr Murrell appeared on petition on 20 March 2025. Criminal procedure limits apply to the case, and those were effective on that date. That meant that the case was subject to extended time limits that were put in place to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. That added a period of six months to the time limits that would have otherwise applied in criminal trials. Therefore, the time limits that apply to the case were provided in terms of the statutory provisions as they stood on 20 March 2025.”
“However, as I said in my statement, we are also clear that, if more people are to be managed in the community, victims’ interests, safety and confidence must be at the heart of the changes. If society is to have confidence in the system, clear safeguards and credible measures will need to be in place. That is an important point to reiterate following my exchange with Ms McNeill and others on the importance of electronic mechanisms.”
“In the vein of what we have just been talking about, the cabinet secretary and the commission have acknowledged that victim safety must be at the centre of sentencing policy. If changes to the justice system are being implemented, what assurances can you give that that will be done hand in hand with public safety? The Deputy Presiding Officer: Always speak through the chair. Angela Constance: Protecting victims and the public from harm is and always will be our absolute priority, and that is consistent with our aims for community justice. As a Government, we have seen crime reduce, and we all want that to continue so that we have fewer victims and safer communities. The evidence shows that community justice can be more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending and assisting with rehabilitation.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that the adult disability payment application process is fully accessible to people with aphasia. (S6O-05509)”
“Of course, it should never be forgotten that the Labour UK Government’s increase to employer national insurance contributions costs Police Scotland more than £25 million every year, which has a considerable impact on any budget planning. In conclusion, I congratulate our hard-working officers on carrying out their duties with empathy and efficiency every day to keep us all safe. 16:33”
“It is for the chief constable, under the scrutiny of the Scottish Police Authority, to deploy those officers, and they have been clear on the importance and priority of recruitment during evidence given to the Criminal Justice Committee. The SNP Government cares deeply about crime and the safety of those living here. Indeed, levels of recorded crime have decreased by 38 per cent since 2006, and homicide is at its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976. In September last year, Parliament passed the landmark Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, which will introduce reforms to place victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice and courts system.”
“There are plans to deliver high-quality and efficient public services through a range of initiatives, including, as we have heard, the rolling out of body-worn video technology and digital evidence-sharing capability—game-changing technologies that will increase public confidence in policing. Funding for the retail crime task force has also been maintained at £3 million, supporting efforts to prevent shop-based theft and pursue those responsible for it. In addition, Scottish Government funding has allowed Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the most recent financial year than at any time since 2013. As we have heard, as of December last year, there were 16,416 officers.”
“Police Scotland is operationally independent, but the SNP has delivered a higher number of police officers per capita than England and Wales. In addition, the 2026-27 Scottish budget is delivering record investment of more than £1.7 billion for police services. Police Scotland’s three-year plan includes a number of measures that are aimed at enhancing community policing to help to keep our communities safe. That includes preventing and reducing crime and offending, as well as striving to transform societal attitudes and the circumstances that contribute to the perpetuation of harm.”
“As Stuart Murray has said, regular engagement, including holding community surgeries in the form of pop-ups across the East Dunbartonshire area, helps residents to feel heard and supported while providing accessible opportunities to share concerns. That approach not only improves safety and gives reassurance but empowers communities to play an active role alongside their local problem-solving policing teams. There has been no decline in community policing in Strathkelvin and Bearsden over the years—if anything, it has been stepped up incrementally. That brings me to the Labour motion. I do not believe that it is representative of what is happening on the ground. I am sure that things are not perfect, but I do not think that my constituency will be that unusual.”
“Presiding Officer, “Community policing matters to us all. It brings significant benefits by strengthening trust, visibility and collaboration between police and the public.” Those are not my words; they are the words of Stuart Murray, the community policing chief inspector in East Dunbartonshire, whose team works closely with residents and business, doing exactly what the role of community police should be about. For the past decade, I have witnessed local community police in my constituency address issues proactively, whether by tackling shoplifting through targeted patrols, working in partnership with retailers or reducing youth disorder by building positive relationships and offering early interventions. That said, I take Pauline McNeill’s point about younger children carrying weapons, which is very concerning.”
“To ask the First Minister how the new measures that the Scottish Government has announced to tackle long-term unemployment will support its work to grow Scotland’s economy. (S6F-04650)”
“To ask the Scottish Government what the immediate economic outcomes were for Scotland’s exporters of its recent trade mission to the United Arab Emirates. (S6O-05457)”
“Those pieces of legislation put in place a range of powers that are available to any public inquiry that is established in Scotland. Those wide-ranging powers, which include powers to compel witnesses and the production of all relevant information, are extensive and enshrine the independence of public inquiries, which ensures that they are protected from any undue influence. It is right that we allow Lord Brodie the space and time to deliberate fully on all the evidence that is before the inquiry, and we look forward to responding to those findings in due course.”
“As the cabinet secretary said, there are patients and families at the heart of the issues at Queen Elizabeth university hospital who deserve the truth and answers to their questions. It is right that the Scottish Government set up an independent inquiry, and it is important that Lord Brodie be given space and time as an independent chair to reach his conclusions. With that in mind, will the cabinet secretary set out how legislation, including the Inquiries Act 2005, protects Lord Brodie’s important right to investigate free from any political interference? Neil Gray: The Inquiries Act 2005, which was passed by the United Kingdom Parliament, was further strengthened by this Parliament’s passing of the Inquiries (Scotland) Rules 2007.”
“I move, That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Audrey Nicoll to speak on behalf of the Criminal Justice Committee, for up to seven minutes. 16:01”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: Bring your remarks to a conclusion, please, Ms Regan. Ash Regan: Presiding Officer, I will. Unfortunately—again—the Parliament does not allocate enough time to the things that are desperately important, such as saving people’s lives. The equally safe strategy recognises prostitution as violence against women and girls, yet ministers are asking the Parliament to vote against legislation that enacts that principle. Survivors will notice that contradiction, as will voters. After nearly two decades in power, delay is not caution but abdication. The world is watching. The Parliament must agree—and does agree, I think—that prostitution is violence against women. If members agree with that, I ask them please to vote for the principles of the bill. It will be a vote to hold to account the perpetrators of violence.”
“We have to ask whose interests are being threatened. It is not the little girls in care homes who are vulnerable to grooming, not the women who, as we speak, are being trafficked in vans across Europe towards Scotland, not the students who are being lured in by free accommodation, not the abused, not the addicted and not the desperate women who are being coerced by debts and threats. That is the reality of prostitution. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Please bring your remarks to a conclusion. Ash Regan: Survivors have told us repeatedly that the loudest voices in the debate are from those who were never for sale. That is a scandal. One person told us that every delay tells men that they can keep doing what they are doing, and tells women that their lives do not matter.”
“What I am saying to you is that the intervention came after the conclusion of your speaking time allowance, so it is not as if you were not able to take it because you did not have enough time. You were allocated eight minutes. I have given you additional time. If you could please bring your remarks to a conclusion, I would be grateful. Ash Regan: I want to make a point to the chamber about the timing, because that is an issue that the Government has raised. We never seem to know our own history in here, so I note that the Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Bill, which was passed in 2007, moved from introduction to enactment within a matter of months, and that was in an election year. Stage 1 was in January and stage 3 was in February. There was seemingly no panic about that bill, even though it was more complicated than this one.”
“Ash Regan:—I would like to put on the record that I have repeatedly asked for more time for this debate. When I have taken bills through Parliament before, I have always wanted to take interventions, because that is an important part of steering legislation through. I am sorry, but not to be able to take interventions is a failure of the Parliament— The Deputy Presiding Officer: Ms Regan, if you could resume your seat for a second. Ash Regan: —and its duty to have a proper debate on this. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Ms Regan, if you could resume your seat for a second. [Interruption.] No, I am asking you to resume your seat. Could you please resume your seat? I will allow you back in in a second.”
“[Made a request to intervene.] Ash Regan: I will come to the member in a moment. Since 2002, there have been nine bills or formal proposals on prostitution. There have been a dozen consultations, multiple expert groups and, in this instance, a full stage 1 scrutiny of a bill. If the answer is another commission, Parliament deserves to know the answer to this question: what is a commission going to tell us that two decades of evidence have not already shown us? Deputy Presiding Officer, I will take the intervention, but only if I am going to be given the time back. The Deputy Presiding Officer: You are already over your time, Ms Regan— Ash Regan: Okay. I apologise, but— The Deputy Presiding Officer: You are going to have to bring your remarks to a conclusion.”
“In the most recent figures, from 2023-24, 73 per cent of short-term sentences were for 12 months or less, and a further 15 per cent were for 24 months or less.”
“The number of people who receive short- term sentences of a year has remained stubbornly high, despite the presumption against them. Does the cabinet secretary have an annual breakdown of those who serve short-term sentences that she can provide today, or can she provide it to the Criminal Justice Committee ahead of our discussion on the Scottish statutory instrument? Angela Constance: It is appropriate for me to recognise that the appropriate sentence in any given case is for the independent courts to decide. Although there is a longer-term trend away from shorter sentences, a high number continue to be imposed. We are undertaking further work to better understand how the presumption against short sentences currently operates.”
“They are forced to race during 32°C heat, and that is downright cruelty. Enough is enough. The abuse of these beautiful, gentle dogs must end now. Scotland now has the chance to end that barbarity and prove that we are a caring, compassionate nation in which animals are treated with the respect that they deserve. In the name of kindness, I urge members to support the bill at stage 1. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to closing speeches. I call Gillian Mackay, who joins us remotely, to close on behalf of the Scottish Greens. 16:34”
“To go back to the convener’s point, Thornton track is not licensed or regulated, so we will never know how many animals die or are injured and suffer at that facility, and no vet is ever present when the dogs race. Great work by campaigners has highlighted serious welfare concerns for racing greyhounds, including a culture of drugging dogs, giving them a poor diet and, once their so-called career is over, an uncertain fate, which often includes euthanasia. I recently saw a horrific video of a dog being trapped in the pen as it tried to run out when the starter gun fired. No animal should suffer like that. These beautiful, gentle dogs spend most of their time in often dank, dirty kennels and suffer untreated wounds and injuries. They may be constantly muzzled, which is unbearably stressful for them.”
“The bill has been a long time coming, and I thank Mark Ruskell for all his work and determination in getting it to stage 1. I am not going to mince my words. Greyhound racing is barbaric and I abhor it. I am completely baffled by Rhoda Grant and the Labour Party, and Finlay Carson and the Tories, who talk about animal welfare but are not prepared to agree to the general principles of the bill. It just does not make any sense at all. Animals are not a product or a commodity to be used for human entertainment and profit. Between 2017 and 2020, 15 greyhounds died at Shawfield stadium in Glasgow, which is a licensed stadium. Countless greyhounds were injured or disposed of, which is often referred to by the sector as wastage. It is disgusting. Thankfully, Shawfield is now closed.”
“Statistics show that the highest welfare risks are associated with oval tracks. Therefore, the committee also agrees that, if a ban is introduced, it should apply specifically to oval tracks. We are content with the penalty provision in sections 1 and 2, as drafted, and note the Scottish Government’s intention to amend the provisions in sections 3 to 9, on enforcement, to ensure that they are consistent with existing animal welfare legislation. I look forward to hearing colleagues’ views on the bill during the debate. 16:07”
“The committee notes that the bill would not prevent greyhounds that are kept in Scotland from racing elsewhere in the UK, and notes the minister’s recent correspondence, which states: “It is unfortunate that greyhounds kennelled in Scotland which are raced in other parts of the UK will have a different level of protection afforded to them”. Although the immediate impact of the bill would be very limited, given that greyhound racing is not currently taking place in Scotland, it would still prevent racing from recommencing at the Thornton track and would prevent the establishment of any new oval tracks in Scotland. On the bill’s provisions, should a ban be introduced, we agree with the bill’s approach of making it an offence to allow a dog to race both for the greyhound’s owner and for the track operator.”
“In the light of the committee members’ differing views on the case for a ban, the committee asked the Scottish Government for a fuller explanation of why it now considers welfare risks to be comparable between independent and GBGB- regulated tracks. I thank the minister for his letter to the committee, which responded to that request ahead of this afternoon’s debate. Although no new data has been provided, I acknowledge the Scottish Government’s position that its move to support the bill is based on previous evidence that demonstrates the inherent risk of racing on oval- shaped tracks, including the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s 2023 report.”
“Does the member agree that, given that there is evidence of cruelty, animal fatalities and injuries on licensed tracks, it would therefore follow that there would also be such things on an unlicensed track? Finlay Carson: We are dealing with tracks in Scotland and with banning track greyhound racing in Scotland, and we have to be careful about using the term “cruelty”. The issues were about dogs that were injured. We have to be very careful about our language and using words such as “cruelty”. The minister told the committee that he believes that there are inherent welfare risks associated with greyhound racing at speeds and with oval tracks, and, in his view, those risks cannot be eliminated through regulation or good practice.”
“We requested of the UK Government advance notification of the operation in relation to seizing the tanker, and, in the light of that, I was surprised that we were not given advance warning that the UK Government had agreed that the Bella 1 should be brought into the Moray Firth, which immediately brought the vessel into the jurisdiction of Scots law and of the Lord Advocate. That issue should really concern this”
“It is critical that, in cases where military action involves Scottish infrastructure and has implications in Scotland, the Scottish Government is formally notified. Can the First Minister say any more about the implications of inadequate communication for the Scottish Government’s ability to discharge its responsibilities effectively? The First Minister: Part of what I have been trying to do in this case is ensure that ministers are able to exercise their responsibilities to the fullest extent. However, we cannot do that if we are not given adequate engagement on the issues with which we are wrestling.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the current occupancy levels and total operational capacity across the women’s community custody unit estate. (S6O- 05429)”
“Those wide-ranging powers, which include powers to compel witnesses and the production of all relevant information, are extensive, and they enshrine the independence of the public inquiry. They ensure that any inquiry is protected from any undue influence. It is therefore right that we allow Lord Brodie the time and space to deliberate fully on the evidence before the inquiry, and we look forward to responding to its findings in due course.”
“The cabinet secretary is absolutely right that patients and their families are at the heart of this inquiry. I pay tribute to him and to the whistleblowers who have campaigned tirelessly. The cabinet secretary will know that this Parliament enshrined in legislation the independence of inquiries through the Inquiries Act 2005, and it is vital that members in this chamber remember that. For the benefit of the chamber, will the cabinet secretary again outline the importance of ensuring that Lord Brodie, as chair of the inquiry, has the space to consider all the evidence and get to the truth for families and patients? Neil Gray: Rona Mackay is absolutely right. Under the Inquiries Act 2005, this Parliament put in place a range of powers that are available to any established public inquiry.”
“That shows our determination to support people through the cost of living crisis and to ensure that we have that assistance. Social security is but one of the examples in the budget of how we are trying to deliver that for the people of Scotland. Housing Support Services (Integration) 6.”
“I welcome the measures that the cabinet secretary has set out. I am proud that, as food inflation continues to soar under the Labour Party, the SNP Government is expanding the most comprehensive cost of living support package anywhere in the UK. Will the cabinet secretary tell us more about the measures that were announced in the Scottish budget and how they are expected to help households to afford the essentials? Shirley-Anne Somerville: There is work in the draft budget that will take forward support. That includes £7.2 billion in social security assistance in 2026-27, which supports around 2 million people—one in three people in Scotland. It shows that the Scottish Government is there to support not just people on low incomes, but disabled people, unpaid carers and young people who are getting their first job, for example.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how the work of the recently announced ADHD and autism task force will affect integrated care for residents in Strathkelvin and Bearsden, and for people across Scotland. (S6O-05398)”
“A review of the categories of need will support us in having a much more comprehensive and consistent approach to national guidance, which will help to support the collection of more accurate data that can guide and support improvement across the system. We know that having a robust data set and additional support needs will help to provide for evidence-based decision making, which will help to support targeted interventions. Ultimately, that will drive improvements at national and local levels.”
“I welcome the fact that the Scottish Government is taking steps to address the challenges in recording ASL data in Scotland. Will the cabinet secretary tell us more about the data summit that was held on 12 November, and will she outline how the information that was gathered is helping to drive forward improvements at national and local levels? Jenny Gilruth: The data summit was instructive to all attendees’ understandings of the strengths that we have in the system, the type of information that we gather and who gathers that information. It also showed the great differences that we have across the education system in Scotland in relation to how that data is recorded and reported, as well as helping to identify current limitations and gaps.”
“The dualling of the A9 is a fundamental project to connect Scotland and to ensure that we have the physical infrastructure to meet the needs of the country. Will the cabinet secretary tell us more about how the Scottish Government is enhancing connectivity through infrastructure projects such as that? Fiona Hyslop: I have limited information before me today, but I will be happy to point Rona Mackay to a number of projects. I am pleased that the comprehensive spending review has funding in it that will help to make improvements at the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83 main artery west, and that, with regard to the road from Inverness, the budget and the spending review contain funding for advance works on the A96 next year, and to progress the work on the Inshes to Smithton route and the Nairn bypass in particular.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: Before I call the next speaker, I encourage all members who wish to speak to make sure that their buttons are pressed. 17:38”
“With the exception of fruit and some vegetables, there are very few ordinary foods that can be eaten freely by people with PKU. That is very difficult, in particular for young people who are trying to enjoy a normal social life, as we have heard. When dietary management breaks down, families may face involvement from social services, and huge problems can result from that. PKU is a lifelong condition with serious consequences if it is poorly controlled. Patients and families continue to shoulder an extraordinary burden with restrictive diets, unequal access to therapies and limited support for self- management. It is time now to end that health inequality, address the issues that have been debated in the chamber tonight and deliver fairer care for people who are living with PKU in Scotland. It is the very least that they deserve.”
“Barbara Cochrane, the recently retired dietician in Glasgow who strongly advocated for PKU patients for many years, must be commended. She is described as someone for whom nothing was too much trouble—a massive well of enthusiasm and energy. Another issue that must be addressed is that there is no comprehensive national patient registry. As a result, the total number of people who are living with PKU in Scotland and in the UK is not precisely known. Untreated PKU leads to profound and irreversible intellectual disability, seizures and behavioural problems. As that damage cannot be reversed, early and sustained treatment is essential. As has been mentioned, it is important to remember that the majority of people with PKU remain reliant on dietary treatment, as the majority of patients do not respond to the drug.”
“Funding new home monitoring test equipment for all patients would give them an instant understanding of their blood levels and would save money. For example, pregnant women need to submit two tests per week for analysis—at £1.70 for a first-class stamp now, that is a significant cost to the patient. PKU patients in the UK had to wait 10 years longer than those across Europe and the Americas for access to sapropterin, so a delay in new treatments coming through is simply not acceptable. However, the drug is not suitable for everyone, and the condition must be managed through a severely restricted diet. The dietetics team in Glasgow is managing services across Scotland, but it is understaffed and is struggling to support patients.”
“My constituent Jamie is a remarkable young woman who has lived with the condition for her whole life. With the help of her supportive family and friends, she has certainly not let it hold her back. She is at the forefront of the campaign for better awareness and access to treatment for sufferers. She was one of the first patients in Scotland to be prescribed sapropterin, and she has just learned that she will now be given a higher dose, which will mean a far greater quality of life for her. However, Jamie says that monitoring Phe levels is expensive and slow, with blood tests taking several days to complete. They have to be sent to Glasgow by post to be analysed and, when the results are returned, they are already several days out of date.”
“As Fulton MacGregor articulated, PKU is a rare, inherited metabolic condition in which the body cannot properly break down the amino acid phenylalanine, which is a natural component of protein. The condition is usually diagnosed shortly after birth, through the newborn heel-prick blood test, which has been in place in the UK since 1969. As with all conditions, early diagnosis is essential for the best outcome. The condition affects around one in 10,000 people across the UK and one in 8,000 in Scotland. As we have heard, people with PKU lack a functioning enzyme that is required to metabolise phenylalanine. As a result, it builds up in the blood and the brain, where it is toxic and can cause irreversible brain damage if it is not controlled.”
“I thank my colleague Fulton MacGregor for bringing this much-needed debate to the chamber. The debate is important, as the condition is relatively rare and we absolutely need to raise awareness of it. I also welcome those who are in the public gallery. Until a few months ago, when I was contacted by a constituent, I was completely unaware of PKU. As a former journalist of several decades and an MSP of nearly a decade, I find that that sort of thing does not usually happen. I do not believe that there should be a hierarchy in research and treatments relating to any medical condition. Cancer, heart conditions, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease and PKU must all be treated as conditions that should benefit equally from research, with equal access to medicine and treatments.”