Thursday, 1 October 2020
Good afternoon, colleagues. We will begin First Minister’s questions shortly, but before we do, the First Minster will give an update on the Covid-19 situation.
1. In January 2019, the First Minister said that the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints, also referred to as the Salmond inquiry, “will be able to...
2. Yesterday, the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science told Parliament that “we decided that asking” students to all “stay at home and begin their...
3. Today’s Scotsman revealed that, in the midst of the pandemic, one of NHS Scotland’s Covid testing labs closed because it was not being used. That happened while the First Minister...
4. Presiding Officer, “She cries to us, she’s terrified of being alone, she’s distraught and she’s almost 94. Our hearts are breaking and mum’s spirit is...
5. To ask the First Minister what extra support the Scottish Government can provide to Police Scotland to assist with the additional pressures being placed on officers dealing with Covid-19...
6. To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government can guarantee that everyone who has been referred for a winter flu vaccination will be able to get one. (S5F-04429)
7. To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has for NHS Louisa Jordan, in light of reports that it has awarded a contract for its decommissioning. (S5F-04433)
Over the past week, the community in Uist have experienced a significant outbreak of Covid, with 24 cases now confirmed. That represents a very significant scale of outbreak in a small island...
The First Minister may be aware that Mahle Engine Systems in Kilmarnock has just announced a plan to shed up to 45 jobs. That is another blow to Kilmarnock, which has already seen the closure of...
I raise with the First Minister the sad case of the eight deaths at the Alexander Thomson hotel in Glasgow. The hotel is used as temporary accommodation for homeless people. It was a tragic case...
What help can be offered to WJ & W Lang, which is a company that has operated at the heart of Paisley since 1872? It has decided to mothball its Seedhill site because of the coronavirus...
Will the First Minister update Parliament on when the Scottish Government will give a formal response to the Parliament’s unanimous calls to safeguard the future of Scotland’s outdoor...
The Presiding Officer: Neil Bibby is joining us remotely.
The First Minister will be aware that, yesterday, the TSB announced the closure of 73 branches across Scotland, three of which—in Kilbirnie, Largs and Saltcoats—are in my...
I will press the First Minister on parliamentary scrutiny of Covid laws again, because I raised the issue last week and it has been mentioned again by Richard Leonard today. The United Kingdom...
The First Minister will be well aware of the recent publication of the 2019 Scottish health survey, which identified the scale of poor health in Scotland before the pandemic. Over half of all...
The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill is working its way through Westminster, and the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee has heard major concerns about it. If the...
New Government guidance has restricted parent and baby groups to no more than five adults per class. That has already caused several such groups to signal that they will have to fold as, with...
The Presiding Officer: Keith Brown joins us remotely.
The decision by the preferred bidder not to go ahead with the purchase of Prestwick airport because of the downturn in aviation will be a huge blow to the 300 workers who are directly employed by...
My question is further to the exchange with Neil Bibby. I have been contacted by elderly constituents in Melrose and Lauder who, under the new flu vaccine arrangements, which are understandable,...
Today, a group of members of Parliament on the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee said that there should be weekly routine testing of all national health service staff, and that...
The new self-isolation support grant is very welcome. It will ensure that people do not experience financial hardship as a result of doing the right thing. Can the First Minister outline how the...
The Presiding Officer: Jackie Baillie joins us remotely.
Good afternoon. The next item of business is portfolio question time, on the portfolio of environment, climate change and land reform. I remind members who wish to ask supplementary questions to...
1. To ask the Scottish Government how inshore marine protected areas are managed. (S5O-04649)
2. To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to Dundee to assist in the implementation of the city’s climate action plan. (S5O-04650)
3. To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency how to tackle the reportedly increasing problem of flooding in Scotland’s...
5. To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging people to engage in recycling and other activities to help protect Scotland’s environment. (S5O-04653)
6. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to resolve the reported serious environmental issues arising from a lack of on-going maintenance at Tarbolton Moss landfill. (S5O-04654)
7. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its response to the Werritty review recommendations on grouse moor management. (S5O-04655)
8. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle climate change. (S5O-04656)
I have completed the cleaning process up here, which is why there was a delay. Our next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-22884, in the name of Jeane Freeman, on the Forensic Medical...
The next item of business is consideration of motion S5M-22654, in the name of Kate Forbes, on a financial resolution for the Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland)...
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S5M-22917, in the name of Graeme Dey, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out changes to next week’s business. I...
The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S5M-22913, in the name of Graeme Dey, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on recess dates. I ask Miles Briggs to move...
There are three questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that motion S5M-22884, in the name of Jeane Freeman, on the Forensic Medical Services (Victims of...
The Scottish Parliament is the national legislature of Scotland, located in Edinburgh. The Parliament consists of 129 members known as MSPs, elected for four-year terms; 73 represent individual geographical constituencies, and 56 are regional representatives.
