Chamber and committees

As Martin Whitfield knows, we support the majority of the proposed changes, but I raise a specific concern about proposed new rule 6.3.4A, which states that the Parliamentary Bureau must ensure that a committee’s members are not all of the same sex. Does he accept that that rule will inevitably result in some women being pressured to join more committees than men and working harder for the same MSP salary? Does he think that that will be in line with equal pay laws?

As Martin Whitfield knows, we support the majority of the proposed changes, but I raise a specific concern about proposed new rule 6.3.4A, which states that the Parliamentary Bureau must ensure that a committee’s members are not all of the same sex. Does he accept that that rule will inevitably result in some women being pressured to join more committees than men and working harder for the same MSP salary? Does he think that that will be in line with equal pay laws?

As Martin Whitfield knows, we support the majority of the proposed changes, but I raise a specific concern about proposed new rule 6.3.4A, which states that the Parliamentary Bureau must ensure that a committee’s members are not all of the same sex. Does he accept that that rule will inevitably result in some women being pressured to join more committees than men and working harder for the same MSP salary? Does he think that that will be in line with equal pay laws?

As Martin Whitfield knows, we support the majority of the proposed changes, but I raise a specific concern about proposed new rule 6.3.4A, which states that the Parliamentary Bureau must ensure that a committee’s members are not all of the same sex. Does he accept that that rule will inevitably result in some women being pressured to join more committees than men and working harder for the same MSP salary? Does he think that that will be in line with equal pay laws?

The cabinet secretary has outlined some of the safeguards in the current regulatory framework. A massive data centre proposed in Edinburgh would be similar in size to—and occupy as much land as—the entire ground at Murrayfield stadium. Will the Scottish Government make representations to ensure that a full environmental impact assessment is carried out? That is what communities are calling for, considering the planned diesel backup generators, the impact on air quality and the location of the site on greenbelt land within the Gogar special landscape area.

As Martin Whitfield knows, we support the majority of the proposed changes, but I raise a specific concern about proposed new rule 6.3.4A, which states that the Parliamentary Bureau must ensure that a committee’s members are not all of the same sex. Does he accept that that rule will inevitably result in some women being pressured to join more committees than men and working harder for the same MSP salary? Does he think that that will be in line with equal pay laws?

Criminals forfeit their right to vote when they break the law. The SNP Government needs to focus on punishing criminals, not trying to win their support at the ballot box. I urge the Parliament not to approve the instrument.

21:04

When the Scottish National Party Government first allowed some prisoners to vote in Scottish Parliament and local elections in 2020, we warned that that would set a dangerous precedent, with an increasing number of offenders being allowed to vote over time. Sure enough, in the dying days of this parliamentary session, the Scottish Government is trying to sneak through a policy that would allow convicted criminals who are detained on mental health grounds to vote in the election in May.

The Scottish Government is incorrect in claiming that we need to expand prisoner voting in order to be compliant with the European convention on human rights. As I said when the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee met to debate the instrument a few weeks ago, the rest of the United Kingdom has not expanded prisoner voting to the same extent that the SNP has done in Scotland.

I want to make absolutely crystal clear what we are debating. We are considering enfranchising criminals who are considered to be so dangerous that they must be detained in a hospital for their own good rather than serve their sentence in prison. In some circumstances, they will have committed serious offences and, rightly, will be detained due to the risk that they present to society, yet the Scottish Government thinks that it is appropriate to give them the right to vote.

I cannot possibly comment on why the minister is so keen to give mentally ill criminals the right to vote before the elections in May, but I will say—I am trying not to smile—that everyone outside the Holyrood bubble will think that it is ridiculous.

The SNP and Labour both supported the instrument at committee, and I dare say that other parts of the Holyrood consensus will support it again today. That just goes to show how woefully we can be out of touch with the priorities of people across Scotland. [Interruption.]

No, Mr Mason, the Scottish Conservatives could not condone or endorse that—as I think you knew before you put it to me—because it is totally mad, to be frank. [Interruption.]