– in the Scottish Parliament at on 18 March 2021.
Gil Paterson
Scottish National Party
1. To ask the Scottish Government whether the Clyde mission Division has received any response from outwith the country to the call by the economy secretary for ideas “to make the river an engine of sustainable and inclusive growth for Glasgow, the region and Scotland”. (S5O-05130)
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
I thank the member for raising awareness of the Clyde mission call for ideas. The call was launched on Monday 1 March and will remain open until 29 March. The Clyde mission aims to use the river and immediate surrounding land as a national strategic asset. It is focused on developing new, green jobs; making use of vacant and derelict land; adapting to climate change; accelerating our progress to net zero; and using the river to create better places for people and communities.
The call for ideas seeks views from those who live, work and do business around the Clyde on what the Clyde mission means to them and what success would look like. We have not yet received any responses from outwith Scotland but would welcome them. I encourage colleagues whose constituencies are adjacent to the river to promote engagement with the call for ideas within their area.
Gil Paterson
Scottish National Party
The initiative is welcome. It is well overdue and I am grateful that it is taking place now; it is a good thing. What is the Government doing to ensure that the public spend on the upcoming loch class ferry replacement is used to attract inward investment and to bring knowledge and skills into Scotland?
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
Clearly, we are all focusing on achieving net zero emissions by 2045, and there are opportunities for the Scottish supply chain to embrace that goal through the improvement and maintenance of lifeline ferry services. The small vessel replacement programme is part of that green recovery and will strengthen the viability of some of our remotest communities. Scottish shipyards will be able to construct vessels, which will be an opportunity to support significant upskilling requirements in construction.
I welcome the member’s interest in that particular aspect of transport, but I point out that, although it will include some of the Clyde routes, it falls outside my ministerial responsibility for the Clyde mission. I am sure that Paul Wheelhouse, whose portfolio of energy and connectivity in the islands includes responsibility for ferries, will be happy to provide further information.
Gil Paterson has not only been a stalwart of my party; he is a founding member of the Scottish Parliament. He has helped to steer it and devolution for the benefit of not only his constituents but everybody in Scotland. I am sure that everyone will join me in wishing him well and congratulating him on making an excellent speech on the Clydebank blitz last night.
Gil Paterson
Scottish National Party
Thank you very much.
Monica Lennon
Labour
I welcome the update on the Clyde mission and send my best wishes to Gil Paterson.
The Cabinet secretary is aware that the Fair Work Convention has raised concerns that Scotland is not on track to become a fair work nation by 2025 unless bold action is taken. Will the cabinet secretary explain her aspirations for the contribution that the Clyde mission could make to Scotland becoming a fair work nation?
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
I recently met the Fair Work Convention. I share its concerns about the momentum required to ensure that we do what we all want to do, which is to become a fair work nation by 2025. The convention’s advice and input is welcome.
Public money is going into the Clyde mission to support ideas, but the money should also be supporting new, good, green jobs and creating a workforce with the skills to secure those jobs. Conditionality, and the issues that we are all aware of, will be part of our on-going grants and support, including for the Clyde mission.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
