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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Displaying 14171 contributions
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Meeting of the Parliament
Decision Time
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
That concludes decision time.
Meeting of the Parliament
Business Motions
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-06687, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 15 November 2022
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Debate: The Future of Gaelic and Scots
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 16 November 2022
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture;
Justice and Veterans
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Improving Care and Services for People with Chronic Pain
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 17 November 2022
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Education and Skills
followed by Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Debate: The Impact of Brexit on Devolution
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 22 November 2022
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (If selected)
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 23 November 2022
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Covid Recovery and Parliamentary Business;
Finance and Economy
followed by Scottish Labour Party Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.10 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 24 November 2022
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.15 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.15 pm Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Questions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Net Zero, Energy and Transport
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 14 November 2022, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.—[George Adam]
Motion agreed to.
Meeting of the Parliament
Business Motions
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
The question is, that amendment S6M-06688.1, in the name of Alexander Burnett, which seeks to amend motion S6M-06688, in the name of George Adam, on a stage 2 timetable, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
Meeting of the Parliament
Decision Time
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
The question is, that amendment S6M-06658.2, in the name of Colin Smyth, which seeks to amend motion S6M-06658, in the name of Màiri McAllan, on forestry’s contribution to net zero Scotland, be agreed to.
Amendment agreed to.
Meeting of the Parliament
Business Motions
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
I call George Adam to respond on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau.
17:06Meeting of the Parliament
Forestry (Contribution to Net Zero)
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
Minister, could you give me one moment?
I ask members to be aware that there is a lot of background noise.
Minister, please continue.
Meeting of the Parliament
Decision Time
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
The result of the division on motion S6M-06658, in the name of Màiri McAllan, on forestry’s contribution to net zero Scotland, as amended, is: For 90, Against 29, Abstentions 0.
Motion, as amended, agreed to,
That the Parliament acknowledges the essential contribution to net zero that trees, woods and forests make, tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, especially ahead of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP27; notes the importance of growing and maintaining a resilient forest resource to sustain its economic, social and environmental contribution; welcomes the achievements made in implementing Scotland’s Forestry Strategy 2019-2029; further welcomes the creation of 4,362 hectares of native woodland in 2021, delivering the target agreed in the Bute House Agreement, which will be reviewed in the forthcoming biodiversity strategy, and reiterates the commitment to increase the use of domestic timber, and the Scottish Government’s annual woodland creation target, which increases to 18,000 hectares by 2025; recognises that the rate of growth in tree planting in Scotland slowed in recent years; calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that forestry plans deliver its tree planting targets, increase biodiversity and tackle climate change; celebrates the contribution of Scotland’s forestry workers and their trade unions, and recognises the importance of maintaining and increasing a highly skilled workforce, and contributing to a low carbon Just Transition.
Meeting of the Parliament
Business Motions
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
There will be a division. There will be a suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
17:09 Meeting suspended.17:11 On resuming—
Meeting of the Parliament
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
The next item of business is consideration of three Parliamentary Bureau motions. I ask George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, to move motion S6M-06689, on approval of a Scottish statutory instrument, motion S6M-06690, on the office of the clerk, and motion S6M-06710, on committee membership.
Motions moved,
That the Parliament agrees that the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2022 [draft] be approved.
That the Parliament agrees that the Office of the Clerk be closed on—
(a) Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December 2022, and
(b) further to motion S6M-01333, Friday 23 December 2022 (pm).
That the Parliament agrees that—
Ash Regan be appointed to replace Natalie Don as a member of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.
James Dornan be appointed to replace Elena Whitham as a member of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee.—[George Adam]
Meeting of the Parliament
Decision Time
Meeting date: 9 November 2022
Alison Johnstone
I propose to ask a single question on the three Parliamentary Bureau motions. Does any member object? As no member has objected, the question is, that motion S6M-06689, on approval of an SSI, motion S6M-06690, on the office of the clerk, and motion S6M-06710, on committee membership, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to.
Motions agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2022 [draft] be approved.
That the Parliament agrees that the Office of the Clerk be closed on—
(a) Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December 2022, and
(b) further to motion S6M-01333, Friday 23 December 2022 (pm).
That the Parliament agrees that—
Ash Regan be appointed to replace Natalie Don as a member of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.
James Dornan be appointed to replace Elena Whitham as a member of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee.
