Chamber and committees

I thank Pam Gosal for securing this debate on a Scotland-wide ban on the use of mobile phones in schools, and I congratulate her on her powerful and comprehensive speech. As this will be my last speech before I step down, I hope that the Presiding Officer will afford me a few moments at the end of my speech to include some personal reflections on my time in the Parliament.

Undoubtedly, mobile phones bring huge benefits to the lives of children and young people: staying connected with friends and family, learning, socialising and just chilling out. Often, a family’s decision to introduce a phone involves a fine balance between the benefits and the concerns—and, perhaps, timing and costs. However, Ms Gosal’s motion reflects the concerns of many—parents, teachers, legislators, police officers and children—that overexposure to the use of mobile phones carries risks. I commend the work of many organisations to safeguard children in that space.

The harms and risks that flow from children’s mobile phone use can damage and, in some devastating cases, end lives. Those include unlimited screen time, exposure to inappropriate content and contact, bullying, peer pressure and group-based sexual abuse. In response, school bans, as part of a wider policy approach, have become more popular, with an ever-increasing number of countries introducing them. Others, such as Scotland, encourage schools to restrict and manage access.

However, at the moment, it is unclear whether bans are effective. Some consider that mobile phone use by children is so ubiquitous that bans in isolation are not enough to tackle the negative impacts. It seems that there is still some way to go to find a clear, evidence-based approach that safeguards children. I very much acknowledge the proposal by colleagues, including Pam Gosal, that it could involve legislative provision.

Another area of risk, which is often overlooked, is the exposure to extremist ideology that promotes violence, hatred and intolerance. The final years of my policing career were spent working in that space, supporting public sector organisations to understand their role in safeguarding children from exposure to extremist ideology.

As I prepare to leave the Parliament, I reflect that never in a million years did I foresee my role shifting from enforcing the law to making the law. What an utter privilege and an amazing experience it has been to be a member of our amazing Scottish Parliament. I thank a number of people for making it happen: my loving husband, Alex; my wonderful son, Sam; my parents, Bill and Jean; and my sister, Susan. I also thank Maureen Watt, who has been a mentor and friend throughout. I thank my brilliant constituency team, who went above and beyond to assist constituents who sought our help. I thank my wonderful committee clerks and the other Parliament colleagues who supported me through my five-year convenership of the Criminal Justice Committee. I thank my MSP colleagues and Parliament staff. Finally, to my constituents, I say thank you for the honour of representing you.

Having entered politics later in life, I have often found it hard to understand why we think fractious discourse and debate serve the people of Scotland. Next session, I want to observe a Parliament that rejects that approach and instead engages in strong and collegiate scrutiny of the Government as an effective legislature that prioritises improving lives, particularly the lives of our children, above soundbites and partisan deadlock. I also hope that, in the face of a turbulent new geopolitical era, we finally deliver independence for Scotland.

13:06

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes.

Thank you. As this is our final scheduled meeting of the parliamentary session, I thank the cabinet secretary and all the officials who have attended the committee and given evidence to us in the past five years. We are very grateful.

Thank you. Do any other members want to come in?

Not quite. I am proposing that we proceed with the formal process that we are about to go through. Obviously, if members do not agree, we will go to a division, but thereafter, we will ensure that the points that have been raised by committee members are set out in the report that we share with Parliament.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. The report will be published shortly.

As this is our last scheduled meeting, I thank the minister and her officials for all their contributions to the committee over the past five years—it is greatly appreciated.

That concludes our business in public. Before we move into private session, I take the opportunity to thank all the members of the committee—my colleagues, past and present—for their excellent work during this session of Parliament and for the very collegiate way in which they have approached the business before us.

I also extend our thanks to our wonderful team of clerks and our wider group of staff who have supported us, including the Scottish Parliament information centre, the official report, broadcasting, the participation and communities team, media teams, security, catering and anyone else whom I might have forgotten.

Finally, I thank all the witnesses who have given evidence to us over the past few years, particularly those for whom it has been challenging to come to talk to us about their experiences, some of which have been serious and traumatic. It has meant a great deal to the committee and has greatly contributed to our work.

For the very last time, before I start to cry, we move into private session—Fulton, I will bring you in first.

Thank you, Fulton. It has been an absolute pleasure. We now move into private session.

11:00

Meeting continued in private until 11:15.

Thank you for that reassurance. I will hand over to Liam Kerr.

Good morning, and welcome to the 11th meeting in 2026 of the Criminal Justice Committee. We have received no apologies, and we expect to be joined by Pauline McNeill and Katy Clark shortly.

Our first item of business is an oral evidence-taking session on a legislative consent memorandum and a supplementary legislative consent memorandum for the United Kingdom Government’s Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

In addition to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, I welcome Nicholas Parton, from the Scottish Government’s veterans unit, and Clare McKinlay, who is a solicitor in the Scottish Government’s legal directorate.

I refer members to paper 1. I intend to allow up to 30 minutes or so for items 1 and 2.

As usual, I begin by asking the cabinet secretary to make some opening remarks on the LCMs.