Junior Minister

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:25 pm on 28 November 2002.

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Photo of Tommy Sheridan Tommy Sheridan SSP 2:25, 28 November 2002

I hear SNP members saying that it has been a bad week for the Scottish Executive. They are correct. Unfortunately, many members of the public do not differentiate between the Executive and the Parliament and therefore what the Scottish Executive does wrong sheds poor light on the rest of the Parliament.

A minister in the First Minister's Government has made remarks that are deeply offensive to some of the most dedicated men and women in this country. Before the vote for his new appointee, I invite the First Minister unreservedly to do what has not yet been done and apologise to the firefighters and control staff of this country. He should apologise for remarks that were made by a minister who should have known better. If he does not publicly apologise here and now, some of those men and women might begin to think that the views that Dr Simpson holds are also held by others.