First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 15 January 2026.
Gillian Mackay
Green
The First Minister’s Government has long aspired to Scotland’s being an independent Nordic nation. However, right now, our Nordic neighbours need our help. Yesterday, in the White House, Donald Trump repeated his threat to—in his words—“conquer” Greenland. That is no empty threat and comes directly off the back of his immoral and illegal invasion of Venezuela.
Scotland must stand up to Trump and his contempt for international law, and reassure the people of Greenland that we will not be complicit in any part of an attempted annexation. Can the First Minister commit to ensuring that the United States military will be banned from using Scottish infrastructure and assets, including all our publicly owned airports, if the US launches operations against our Nordic allies?
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
I acknowledge the importance of the issues and the concern that Gillian Mackay raises. As I have made clear over the past couple of weeks, and over the entirety of my political life, I believe fundamentally in the international rules-based system for ensuring peace and security in the world.
As I expressed in relation to the situation in Venezuela—I put this on the record last week in response to Mercedes Villalba—I do not believe that the Intervention in Venezuela could be justified within the international rules-based system.
Gillian Mackay raises issues concerning the use of infrastructure in Scotland that is under the control of the Scottish Government. I want to make it clear that I believe that it is important that all that infrastructure, if it were ever to be used, could be used only in a way that was consistent with the international rules-based system for the arrangements between countries. As First Minister, I will ensure that that is the case.
Gillian Mackay
Green
It is not good enough for us to be vague on this. We are talking about a US Government that is pulling its own citizens out of their communities, that has shot a mother in broad daylight and that is actively advertising that it wants to invade other countries. People across the world are terrified, and we have—[ Interruption .]
Alison Johnstone
Green
Let us hear Ms Mackay. Mr Kerr, I am chairing the Parliament at the moment, thank you.
Gillian Mackay
Green
People across the world are terrified, and we have the ability to take action, so I again ask the First Minister whether he will stop the US military using all publicly owned Scottish airports if it launches operations against Greenland and whether he will stand with the international community.
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
I absolutely stand with the international community on the resolute views that have been expressed on the situation in Greenland and on protecting the status of Greenland and the right of the people of Greenland to determine their own future. I state that unreservedly to Parliament.
I also say again, in the hope that I express this clearly to the public and to Parliament, that I will insist that the infrastructure that is under the control of the Scottish Government can and should be used only to support the international rules-based system, because that is the foundation for the peace that I have enjoyed throughout my life, and I want to make sure that that is the case for my children and my grandchildren.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
An intervention is when the MP making a speech is interrupted by another MP and asked to 'give way' to allow the other MP to intervene on the speech to ask a question or comment on what has just been said.
