Official Report: search what was said in Parliament
The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
The Official Report search offers lots of different ways to find the information you’re looking for. The search is used as a professional tool by researchers and third-party organisations. It is also used by members of the public who may have less parliamentary awareness. This means it needs to provide the ability to run complex searches, and the ability to browse reports or perform a simple keyword search.
Searching by different views
The web version of the Official Report has three different views:
- Report: this is the whole Official Report for a particular meeting of a committee or Parliament
- Item of business: this is each individual agenda item in an Official Report. For example, Portfolio Questions would be the item of business in a Meeting of the Parliament report
- Contribution: this is each time someone has made a spoken contribution to a meeting.
Depending on the kind of search you want to do, one of these views will be the best option. The default view is to show the report for each meeting of Parliament or a committee. For a simple keyword search, the results will be shown by item of business.
Search by MSP
When you choose to search by a particular MSP, the results returned will show each spoken contribution in Parliament or a committee, ordered by date with the most recent contributions first. This will usually return a lot of results, but you can refine your search by keyword, date and/or by meeting (committee or Chamber business).
We’ve chosen to display the entirety of each MSP’s contribution in the search results. This is intended to reduce the number of times that users need to click into an actual report to get the information that they’re looking for, but in some cases it can lead to very short contributions (“Yes.”) or very long ones (Ministerial statements, for example.) We’ll keep this under review and get feedback from users on whether this approach best meets their needs.
Searching by keyword
There are two types of keyword search:
- A keyword search without quotation marks will look for every instance of each word used and rank the results by frequency and proximity. It will also include variants of the keywords using “porter stemming”. This is when the search looks for the “stem” of a word regardless of its ending. So, for example, a search for [salmon farm] will return each instance of “salmon” and each instance of “farm” as well as potentially including results for “farms”, “farmed” and “farming”.
- A keyword search with quotation marks will only return instances of that exact phrase used. So, for example, a search for “salmon farm” in quotation marks will only return instances of that exact phrase.
Combining search filters
If you select an MSP’s name from the dropdown menu, and add a phrase in quotation marks to the keyword field, then the search will return only examples of when the MSP said those exact words. You can further refine this search by adding a date range or selecting a particular committee or Meeting of the Parliament.
More complex keyword searches
It’s also possible to run basic Boolean searches. For example:
- a search for “salmon farm” AND “Loch Lomond” will return only results which include both exact phrases
- a search for “salmon farm” NOT “Loch Lomond” will return results for “salmon farm” but exclude results which also include “Loch Lomond”
- a search for “salmon farm” OR “Loch Lomond” will return all results for “salmon farm” and all results for “Loch Lomond” regardless of whether they appear together
Searching by date
There are two ways of searching by date.
You can either use the Start date and End date options to run a search across a particular date range. For example, you may know that a particular subject was discussed at some point in the last few weeks and choose a date range to reflect that.
Alternatively, you can use one of the pre-defined date ranges under “Select a time period”. These are:
- Current session (all Official Reports since the current sessions started)
- Last 6 months
- Last 12 months
- each of the previous sessions of Parliament. (Selecting the information icon above the “Select a time period” menu will give you the exact dates for each session.)
- All sessions
- You can also choose to select a custom date range, although adding a Start or End date will mean the search automatically defaults to this option.
If you search by an individual session, the list of MSPs and committees will automatically update to show only the MSPs and committees which were current during that session. For example, if you select Session 1 you will be show a list of MSPs and committees from Session 1.
If you add a custom date range which crosses more than one session of Parliament, the lists of MSPs and committees will update to show the information that was current at that time.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
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Meeting of the Parliament [Last updated 21:07]
First Minister’s Question Time
Meeting date: 29 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
This week, the Jobs Foundation released its report entitled, “Cliff Edge: Jobs in Aberdeen, the epicentre of the UK’s energy transition”. The report is a bleak read that reinforces what the Scottish Conservatives have been saying all along: we need to support the oil and gas sector until the transition to renewables has been further developed.
In the north-east, there is a jobs emergency. At Westminster, we have the extremist red Ed Miliband, who is doing all that he can to close the industry down. At Holyrood, we have a First Minister who offers no support to the oil and gas sector and, in jet-set Gillian Martin, an energy minister who is too busy racking up the air miles to release the much-awaited energy strategy.
When will the First Minister get off the fence, show some support to oil and gas workers, stop demonising the industry and finally back Cambo, Rosebank and Jackdaw?
Meeting of the Parliament [Last updated 21:07]
General Question Time
Meeting date: 29 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
We know that the Scottish National Party hates oil and gas, and we know that it hates nuclear. The SNP is anti-science, anti-progress and anti-investment, and it wants us all to be poorer. Has the devolved Scottish Government carried out an economic impact assessment on its policy of turning its back on new nuclear investment, and if not, why not?
Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]
General Question Time
Meeting date: 29 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
We know that the Scottish National Party hates oil and gas, and we know that it hates nuclear. The SNP is anti-science, anti-progress and anti-investment, and it wants us all to be poorer. Has the devolved Scottish Government carried out an economic impact assessment on its policy of turning its back on new nuclear investment, and if not, why not?
Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]
First Minister’s Question Time
Meeting date: 29 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
This week, the Jobs Foundation released its report entitled, “Cliff Edge: Jobs in Aberdeen, the epicentre of the UK’s energy transition”. The report is a bleak read that reinforces what the Scottish Conservatives have been saying all along: we need to support the oil and gas sector until the transition to renewables has been further developed.
In the north-east, there is a jobs emergency. At Westminster, we have the extremist red Ed Miliband, who is doing all that he can to close the industry down. At Holyrood, we have a First Minister who offers no support to the oil and gas sector and, in jet-set Gillian Martin, an energy minister who is too busy racking up the air miles to release the much-awaited energy strategy.
When will the First Minister get off the fence, show some support to oil and gas workers, stop demonising the industry and finally back Cambo, Rosebank and Jackdaw?
Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Meeting date: 27 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
On a point of order, Deputy Presiding Officer. My app did not connect. I would have voted yes.
For
Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con)
Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con)
Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con)
Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con)
Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con)
Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con)
Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con)
Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con)
McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con)
Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con)
White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con)
Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con)
Against
Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP)
Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab)
Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP)
Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)
Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green)
Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind)
Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP)
Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP)
Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind)
Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP)
Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP)
Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD)
Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)
Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green)
Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP)
Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP)
Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP)
Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP)
Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP)
MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP)
MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green)
Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind)
Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP)
McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP)
McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP)
McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab)
Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab)
Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD)
Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab)
Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green)
Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP)
Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP)
Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)
Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP)
Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP)
Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD)
Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]
Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Meeting date: 27 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
I will speak only to amendment 64, which relates to the impact of new energy infrastructure on our biodiversity. I have spoken many a time in the Parliament about the impact of monster pylons, substations and battery storage on our communities and on people’s lives, homes and health. All of that infrastructure has an impact on people; however, it also has an impact on our countryside and our tourism industry.
At present, the devolved Government is content to bury its head in the sand and ignore the damage that is caused by that energy infrastructure—to turn a blind eye and look the other way. However, damage is being caused. That infrastructure can have a huge impact on surrounding areas of distinct natural significance and plant life, as well as disrupting the local bird population. That needs to be fully understood and reported on. My amendment seeks to do just that.
The Government will probably bring out the tired lines that, “Energy infrastructure is reserved,” or, “There’s nothing we can do.” However, protecting our countryside is devolved, planning is devolved and protecting our communities is devolved. Let us start to understand better the damage that is being caused, so that we can make informed decisions.
14:45Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]
Draft Climate Change Plan
Meeting date: 20 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
When we in this place talk about new fields such as Cambo, we hear that the gas will be used domestically but that the oil is not for use in this country and will be exported. What is your response to that?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]
Draft Climate Change Plan
Meeting date: 20 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
Once it goes for refining, much of it will return to be used in this country.
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]
Draft Climate Change Plan
Meeting date: 20 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
John Underhill, do you want to come in on any of that?
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee [Draft]
Draft Climate Change Plan
Meeting date: 20 January 2026
Douglas Lumsden
Simon, I wonder whether you can come in briefly on that, too. As I have said, we are seeing huge job losses at Mossmorran and Grangemouth. Are you concerned about other pieces of infrastructure? You must have huge concerns about the direction of travel that we are taking.
