Chamber and committees

Presiding Officer, on this, the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe day, Scotland pays tribute to our second world war generation. We express our gratitude to the 57,000 individuals from Scotland who lost their lives in military conflict during the second world war and to the many civilians who were killed or injured at home. They gave of themselves so that we could enjoy freedom today.

We will all naturally think about how the lives of our own families were affected. I think of my uncle, Thomas Hunter, who was killed in Italy protecting his comrades 35 days before the end of the war and who was posthumously awarded the Victoria cross by King George VI. An inscription on the bible that was given to my grandmother in his memory has the words of St John:

“Greater love has no one than this to lay down their life for their friends.”

The lessons and the suffering of the second world war must be remembered today, so that we all act to protect the freedom and the democracy that we have enjoyed as a result. Together, we give thanks and dedicate ourselves to building a better, safer and more peaceful world.

I will happily give way to Mr Brown.

I am grateful to my colleague and friend Mr Brown, who has distinguished service of his own in the Royal Marines, for adding that reminder. It was made clear to me most powerfully when I attended a commemoration event that the Royal Marines organised just a few weeks ago, to mark the 80th anniversary of my uncle’s death and to recognise the significance of his contribution to their history.

Presiding Officer, I will draw my remarks to a close. On this 80th anniversary of VE day, Scotland pays tribute to our second world war generation. We thank all those who have served, or are serving today, in our armed forces. Together, in their honour, we dedicate ourselves to enhancing democracy, standing steadfast against fascism and building a better, safer and more peaceful world. Many towns and cities across the country will stage beacon-lighting ceremonies from 9 pm tonight. The lighting of those beacons represents something that is fundamental to our society: the light of hope emerging from the dreadful bleakness and darkness of war. It is a hope that we need now more than ever, and it is one that inspires us all to act, to reach out and to be champions of peace and democracy at home, in Europe and in the world.

I move,

That the Parliament marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which took place on 8 May 1945; remembers the 380,000 UK Armed Forces personnel, including 57,000 Scots, and over 67,000 civilians who lost their lives during the conflict; commemorates the service and pays tribute to the sacrifices of those individuals from across Scotland and the UK, the Commonwealth and the Allied Nations, which ensured the peace and freedoms that are enjoyed today; appreciates the efforts of Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland to mark the occasion, including a national commemorative concert held in Edinburgh on 6 May 2025, Scotland’s Salute to VE Day, which was supported by the Scottish Government, and commends the work of both organisations and of veterans charities across Scotland in supporting the veterans of this conflict and their families, many of whom continue to be affected by the tragedy of war to this day.

I agree with Jackie Dunbar that a just transition for Scotland’s valued and highly skilled offshore energy workers is essential. I am deeply concerned to hear the news from Harbour Energy about its plans in Aberdeen. My thoughts are first and foremost with the workforce, which faces an extraordinarily anxious time. The Deputy First Minister is speaking with Harbour Energy on the matter today.

The fiscal and regulatory regimes for offshore oil and gas are reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government has made clear our concern about the extension and scale of the energy profits levy. I urge the UK Government to engage with the industry to address the fiscal realities and implications of the UK Government’s position.

My concern, first and foremost, is about the wellbeing of the workforce in Harbour Energy. I do not think that the way in which Mr Lumsden characterises the issue is in any way remotely helpful in addressing the concerns of that workforce.

I point out to Mr Lumsden and the Conservative Party that the energy profits levy was a product of the previous Conservative UK Government—[Interruption.]

The terrorist attack in Pahalgam and the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan are highly concerning. I share Mr Kidd’s aspiration that all leaders should choose dialogue, diplomacy and shared humanity ahead of force and bloodshed. There can be no winners in further military escalation. The world has enough conflict on its hands at present. I urge that dialogue in order to resolve the issues.

Scotland’s Indian and Pakistani communities enrich Scotland’s society socially, culturally and economically. I am mindful of the importance of encouraging and sustaining community cohesion in what will be a worrying time. I will do everything that I can to try to draw communities together at this anxious time in Scotland.

Ministers have met Pam Gosal several times to discuss her bill. I acknowledge that it has been published this morning. As always with members’ bills, the Government will engage on that question. We are always willing to explore any options to reduce crime and reoffending, particularly as they affect domestic abuse in our society. Ministers will be happy to engage on that question.

I acknowledge the significance of that area for access to Argyll and Bute. That point is regularly made to me by Jenni Minto, the local member for Argyll.

We have taken steps to ensure that we strengthen the alternative route through the old military road so that it is operational to provide connectivity and to avoid the lengthy diversion that is required should all of those accesses be unavailable.

The steps that are to be taken to ensure that the landslip shelter is put in place are under way. As I have told Jackie Baillie, the preparatory work is being undertaken. The Government will be happy to share details with the Parliament and local stakeholders. I am pretty sure that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport has met the Rest and Be Thankful interested parties to discuss the issue and the progress that can be made.

Obviously, I want to make sure that the types of services that Mr Choudhury has raised are supported around the country. Those are operational decisions for integration joint boards to make. They can make those decisions based only on the financial allocations that this Parliament makes, and Mr Choudhury was unable to support the allocations of funding that the Government made to cover such services.

We will certainly work with the integration joint boards, but Mr Choudhury cannot be absolved of his responsibility for failing to support the budget, which is delivering the investment that is necessary in health and social care. [Interruption.] The Labour Party members can moan at me all they want about the public finances—

To be clear—it is important that members of the public hear the facts—ministers will get their full MSP salary in the same way that every other member of the Scottish Parliament gets their full salary, apart from one person: me. I have decided—voluntarily—to maintain the freeze on my MSP pay as well as the freeze on my First Minister’s salary. To the best of my knowledge, I have not had an increase in my salary, in terms of the cash payment that has been made, as a consequence of the recent uplift. [Interruption.]

I will go and check that, and I will make the position clear this afternoon. I am very happy to do that. I have no worries about sharing that information. I have said to the public and to Parliament that I will not take an increase in my MSP salary and I will not take an increase in my ministerial pay; it will be frozen at 2008-09 levels. From my recollection, I do not think that any different pay has been put into my bank account. [Interruption.] I will go and check that, but I do not think that that is the case. [Interruption.]

I think that it says something about where the Conservative Party has reached that—[Interruption.]