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.)
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- 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 (Hybrid)
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
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 speak to and move motion S6M-00392, on temporary rule changes, and to move motions S6M-00393, on establishment of committees, and S6M-00394, on committee remits.
17:40Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Decision Time
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
I propose to ask a single question on three Parliamentary Bureau motions, unless any member objects.
As no member has objected, the final question is, that motions S6M-00392, S6M-00393 and S6M-00394, in the name of George Adam, be agreed to.
Motions agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees, with effect from 15 June 2021, the following temporary rule under rule 17.1A—
Temporary Rule 4: Change to Mandatory Committee Remit and Name
1. This rule applies to the committee mentioned in Rule 6.8. It ceases to apply when the Parliament has taken a decision to amend rule 6.8 in accordance with Rule 17.1 or on 31 December 2021, whichever is the earlier.
2. Where provisions contained in this temporary rule are in conflict with other standing order provisions, those in the temporary rule have precedence.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
3. There shall be a committee, the remit of which is to consider and report on the following (and any additional matter added under Rule 6.1.5A)—
(a) the Scottish Government’s EU and external affairs policy;
(b) policy in relation to the UK’s exit from the EU;
(c) the international activities of the Scottish Administration, including international development;
and
(d) any other matter falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and any matter relating to inter-governmental relations within the responsibility of the Deputy First Minister.
That the Parliament shall establish committees of the Parliament as follows—
Name of Committee: Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Remit: Set out in Rule 6.4
Number of members:5
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Finance Committee
Remit: Set out in Rule 6.6
Number of members: 7
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party.
Name of Committee: Public Audit Committee
Remit: Set out in Rule 6.7
Number of members: 5
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Remit: Set out in Temporary Rule 4
Number of members: 7
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Equalities and Human Rights Committee
Remit: Set out in Rule 6.9
Number of members: 7
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Green Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Public Petitions Committee
Remit: Set out in Rule 6.10
Number of members: 5
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Remit: Set out in Rule 6.11
Number of members: 5
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: COVID-19 Recovery Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters relating to COVID-19 falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery and other Scottish Ministers where relevant, including—
(a) Cross government coordination of COVID-19 recovery policies and strategic review;
(b) the operation of powers under the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act, the Coronavirus Act and any other legislation in relation to the response to COVID-19;
(c) any secondary legislation arising from the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act; and
(d) and any other legislation or policy in relation to the response to COVID-19.
Number of members: 6
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and matters relating to drugs policy
Number of members: 10
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Education, Children and Young People Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and matters relating to the Historical Abuse Inquiry within the responsibility of the Deputy First Minister
Number of members: 10
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport
Number of members: 7
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Criminal Justice Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters relating to criminal justice falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans, and functions of the Lord Advocate other than as head of the systems of criminal prosecution and investigation of deaths in Scotland
Number of members: 8
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, excluding matters relating to local government, housing and planning.
Number of members: 8
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters relating to local government, housing and planning falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, and matters relating to the Local Government Boundary Commission and local governance review and democratic renewal within the responsibility of the Deputy First Minister.
Number of members: 7
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Green Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands.
Number of members: 9
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament
Name of Committee: Economy and Fair Work Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters relating to the economy falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy
Number of members: 9
Convenership: The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party
Duration: For the whole session of the Parliament.
That the Parliament agrees, under Rule 6.1, that the names and remits of the following mandatory committees be amended—
Name of Committee: Finance Committee
New name: Finance and Public Administration Committee
Remit: To the remit set out in Rule 6.6 shall be added—
Matters relating to public service reform and the National Performance Framework within the responsibilities of the Deputy First Minister and public administration
Name of Committee: Equalities and Human Rights Committee
New name: Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Remit: To the remit set out in Rule 6.9 shall be added—
Matters relating to civil justice within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans
Name of Committee: Public Petitions Committee
New name: Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Remit: To the remit set out in Rule 6.10 shall be added—
To consider and report on public policy or undertake post-legislative scrutiny through the use of deliberative democracy, Citizen’s Assemblies or other forms of participative engagement
Name of Committee: Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Remit: To the remit set out in Rule 6.4 shall be added—
Matters relating to local government elections, Scottish general elections, implementation of the Referendums (Scotland Act) 2020 and Freedom of Information and open government falling within the responsibility of the Minister for Parliamentary Business
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Decision Time
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
There are four questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first is that amendment S6M-00369.1, in the name of Annie Wells, which seeks to amend motion S6M-00369, in the name of Maree Todd, on women’s health, be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members: No.
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Decision Time
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
There will be a division. There will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.
17:42 Meeting suspended.17:47 On resuming—
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Decision Time
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
Members should cast their votes now on amendment S6M-00369.1, in the name of Annie Wells.
The vote is closed.
For
Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con)
Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Cameron, Donald (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con)
Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con)
Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con)
Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con)
Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con)
Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con)
Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (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)
Lockhart, Dean (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con)
McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD)
Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD)
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)
Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD)
Against
Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP)
Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
Allan, Dr Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab)
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) (Lab)
Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP)
Denham, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (SNP)
Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP)
Don, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP)
Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab)
Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP)
Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP)
Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)
Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (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)
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)
Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab)
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)
Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP)
McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP)
McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP)
McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP)
McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab)
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)
Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP)
Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab)
Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green)
Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP)
Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP)
Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab)
Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP)
Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP)
Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP)
Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Decision Time
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
The result of the division on amendment S6M-00369.1, in the name of Annie Wells, is: For 33, Against 90, Abstentions 0.
Amendment disagreed to.
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Decision Time
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
The next question is, that amendment S6M-00369.4, in the name of Carol Mochan, which seeks to amend motion S6M-00369, in the name of Maree Todd, be agreed to.
Amendment agreed to.
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Point of Order
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
I thank Alex Cole-Hamilton for the advance notice of his point of order.
Although the point of order mechanism has been used to raise questions about the accuracy of contributions, such questions are not, in fact, points of order. Members themselves are responsible for the accuracy of their contributions; that is not a matter for the chair to rule on.
As Alex Cole-Hamilton knows, if he believes that inaccurate information has been provided, a number of mechanisms are available to enable that to be brought to the attention of the member concerned and, if appropriate, to enable the record to be corrected.
I take this opportunity to remind members of their responsibilities as elected representatives and invite them to have regard to those responsibilities in their contributions. Members have a duty to conduct themselves in a courteous and respectful manner.
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Covid-19
Meeting date: 15 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
The First Minister will now take questions on the issues that were raised in her statement. I intend to allow around 40 minutes for that, after which we will move on to the next item of business.
Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)
Decision Time
Meeting date: 10 June 2021
Alison Johnstone
There are six questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that amendment S6M-00294.1, in the name of Jamie Greene, which seeks to amend motion S6M-00294, in the name of Keith Brown, on justice: recover, renew, transform, be agreed to. Are we all agreed?
Members: No.
