Chamber and committees

Regarding the Coronavirus (Extension and Expiry) (Scotland) Bill, external groups such as Amnesty International and Inclusion Scotland have expressed concern that the timetable will mean that there is no time for consultation on plans to extend ministers’ extraordinary powers for up to another year. Given that the powers do not expire until the end of September, why is the bill being rushed through in the next three days with no consultation and limited parliamentary scrutiny?

What is the minister going to do about the lack of engagement and when is he going to do it?

I, too, welcome the minister to his role. The minister said:

“To date, we have announced more than 170 Covid initiatives to provide bespoke financial support to businesses ... to support them through the pandemic.”

The fact is that too many people in the business community are telling us that they are not receiving the support that they need and that it is not clear who can access what. The timescales for business support grants are also not clear. Businesses are complaining about the lack of engagement—

Would the minister consider reopening the Mulberry unit at Stracathro hospital in Angus?

I have a constituent who has significant health issues and who has had real problems in getting to see a GP. It took two hypoglycaemic episodes, three e-consults and four telephone calls over one week before an appointment with the GP was obtained—and my constituent is somebody who knows how to use a computer.

When will patients who need to see a doctor but who do not have access to a computer so that they can complete an online e-consult form be seen in surgeries in person?

Thank you for the introduction, Presiding Officer, and I congratulate you on your new role. I also congratulate the cabinet secretary on her wider role.

I thank Douglas Ross for appointing me as the shadow minister for just transition, employment and fair work. I am also honoured to represent the people of the north-east.

I am not a career politician. I arrive in politics at a pivotal point. I have worked on the leadership teams of global energy companies, creating jobs and long-term employment, planning their future direction and executing their clean energy plans internationally. I have worked with the chief executive officers of companies, as well as Governments. I have worked with trade unions as well as employees. I have represented industry and I have also challenged it.

Although the world of business is not always a role model, during my time I have learned four key things that bring success in any organisation: diversity of thought; keeping an open mind; respect and dignity; and building on shared values to realise a vision.

This is one of the most diverse Parliaments in the world, and that is a good start. The true benefit of embracing diversity and inclusion in any big organisation is the resulting creativity, innovation and lasting value. I have been listening very carefully to those who argue for reform of this Parliament, and I can see the case for that, to effect the change that the country requires. After just four weeks, I can already see silos, groupthink and entrenched ideologies, none of which is beneficial to Scotland.

I have learned that meaningful change needs to be planned carefully. A focus on a compelling logical and emotional case is essential. Well-communicated common goals can be powerful bridges.

Kate Forbes and others have described the economic recovery and its sustainability as a national endeavour, and I would agree with that, but we have to better define our national organisation. I have learned that organisations well run can be more than the sum of their parts. The more enlightened organisations harness the benefits of all their parts, beyond geographies, shareholders and stakeholders, and thrive as a result of their combined resilience. I believe that we can make our whole organisation, including Scotland’s people and the resulting national economy, greater than the sum of its parts.

Covid has shocked us to the core. At times such as these, we pull together by recognising that we have far more in common with one another than things that divide us. Without the UK Government’s interventions, we would not have a comprehensive vaccine programme, our employees would not be protected by the furlough scheme and businesses would not be protected with safety nets. It is harmful for Scotland not to work as part of a team. The whole of the UK is greater than the sum of its parts.

Working together, we can invest wisely in education, skills training and job creation; in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship; in building sustainable and affordable housing; in providing schools and community hubs at the centre of new developments; and in creating an environment where businesses want to invest, so that they, their employees and their communities will flourish.

We have harnessed the wind and the tides to create energy. We can use our natural resources without damaging our planet, but in order to keep the lights on, we need to work together on this transition safely and sensibly. That requires certainty and stability in a time of massive flux.

We need to recognise the size and contribution of the oil and gas sector, and the risks and opportunities that the transition to a greener economy brings. The north-east transition deal will facilitate a fair journey that will safeguard skills and talent for the future green revolution. That must be done in partnership with the key stakeholders, such as the energy companies, the UK and Scottish Governments, and the people of the north-east. It must also guarantee security of energy supply for the UK and Scotland, keeping the lights on, sourcing it locally and delivering net zero. However, the transition cannot happen in isolation, and it needs to be planned and phased in.

We must recognise the challenges that a post-Brexit world brings to the other major industries in the north-east—namely, agriculture and fishing—and to those businesses in the hospitality sector that have been decimated by Covid and its aftermath. We will push for the support that they need to ride out this economic tsunami.

Today, I choose to look to a brighter future. In the maiden speeches, I can see the hope from Lorna Slater—although what she set out today seems slightly impractical and harmful to the people of the north-east—the humanity that was spoken of by Pam Duncan-Glancy and the reality that was described by Dr Sandesh Gulhane.

I believe that the increased diversity of this chamber can lead to innovation of thought and positive relationship building for the benefit of the people of Scotland. I dedicate myself to that goal.

took the oath.