Official Report 308KB pdf
14:04
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-20965, in the name of Graeme Dey, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on changes to business.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees to the following revisions to the programme of business for—
(a) Tuesday 3 March 2026—
after
followed by Topical Questions
insert
followed by Ministerial Statement: Ferries and Ports
followed by Ministerial Statement: Ferguson Marine
delete
5.00 pm Decision Time
and insert
5.15 pm Decision Time
(b) Thursday 5 March 2026—
after
followed by Appointment of Board Member to Environmental Standards Scotland
insert
followed by Financial Resolution: Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill—[Graeme Dey]
I call Edward Mountain.
14:05
I do not want to speak against the motion, but I want to speak about the fact that it has caused some confusion and some issues regarding the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. The political parties in this Parliament learned at 11:47 on Friday that there was going to be a statement on Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) in the chamber today. I know that for a fact, because, at that stage, I asked to speak when that ministerial statement was being made. However, it was not until Monday at 13:43 that Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) told the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee that it was unable to attend the committee meeting that was scheduled for this morning. That was less than 24 hours’ notice.
Presiding Office, I do not need to point out to you or members in the chamber the pressure that the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee is under at the moment, along with many other committees of this Parliament. Only last week, we had to have three committee meetings to get our climate change report published in time to meet the Government’s last-minute deadlines. We are still taking evidence, and we will meet on 24 March, which is the last day when we can meet in the current session of Parliament, to sign off various items that still need to be considered. They include various statutory instruments that are being laid before the committee and a request by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to consider a legislative consent memorandum on the Railways Bill. Those matters require a considerable amount of work and investigation.
It was therefore deeply unhelpful to be told less than 24 hours before the committee meeting that Ferguson Marine could not turn up because Transport Scotland had told it that it would be inappropriate for it to do so. That left no time for the committee to schedule some of the many other items of business that we could have taken, and we were left meeting at 8.15 this morning with a significant gap in our work programme.
I have two questions. First, does the Parliament think that it is acceptable for Ferguson Marine to have told the committee less than 24 hours before it was due to attend the committee meeting that it would be unable to do so when it must have known, like the Parliament, that the statement was going to take place? Secondly, will the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans find out when Ferguson Marine found out about the statement and perhaps tell it to give due respect to committees of this Parliament, given their workloads? There is a considerable amount of work to be done before the end of the session, and the notice that it gave was totally unacceptable.
I call the minister to respond on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau.
14:08
I understand Mr Mountain’s frustration on behalf of his committee if witnesses call off at short notice. As we have just heard, and as we are all aware, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee has a packed agenda over the remaining weeks of the session. I hope that he will appreciate that, for my part, I sought to give this Parliament, through the Parliamentary Bureau, as much notice as possible of the Government’s intention to bring not one but two statements to the chamber today. That is as much as I can control.
I cannot comment on the actions of Ferguson Marine, but, in a general sense, I expect people to give due consideration to the demands on committees, although I am not sighted on all the detail on that. I hope that, when Ferguson Marine comes before the committee—I believe that its appearance has been rescheduled—it will turn out to be a productive session for Edward Mountain and his colleagues.
The challenge is that an incredible level of discourtesy has been shown towards the committee by others outside this place. Given the discussions that we have had about the challenges that sometimes exist in getting witnesses to this place, does the minister envisage that the environment will perhaps change in the next session and that the requirement to attend committees may become much higher? In the past, committees have accepted it where people have been unable to attend, but this level of discourtesy from such an important a witness raises the question of how we can ensure attendance at our committees.
That will be a matter for the next Parliament and its committees. It is not for the Government to have a view on that. However, I recognise the frustration that Mr Mountain has articulated. As a former committee convener, I understand the challenges that are faced, particularly at this late stage in a parliamentary session. However, as I said, when Ferguson Marine comes before Mr Mountain’s committee, I hope that it will be a productive session.
Motion agreed to.
That the Parliament agrees to the following revisions to the programme of business for—
(a) Tuesday 3 March 2026—
after
followed by Topical Questions
insert
followed by Ministerial Statement: Ferries and Ports
followed by Ministerial Statement: Ferguson Marine
delete
5.00 pm Decision Time
and insert
5.15 pm Decision Time
(b) Thursday 5 March 2026—
after
followed by Appointment of Board Member to Environmental Standards Scotland
insert
followed by Financial Resolution: Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill
Previous
Time for Reflection