Chamber and committees

What would your vote have been?

The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-03303, on the approval of a Scottish statutory instrument. I ask George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees that the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Amendment Regulations 2022 [draft] be approved.—[George Adam]

The result of the division on motion S6M-03281, in the name of Sandesh Gulhane, as amended, is: For 69, Against 57, Abstentions 0.

Motion, as amended, agreed to,

That the Parliament notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of healthcare, not least on the delivery of dental services due to the volume of aerosol generating procedures, and the impact that this has had on patients seeking appointments during this period; acknowledges that the challenges posed by the pandemic, including the backlog of care, are not unique to Scotland; notes the substantial pandemic-related investment in dentistry of the last two years that includes £5 million for ventilation improvements, £7.5 million for new dental drills, £35 million for additional PPE, and £50 million of financial support to dental practices; recognises that investment in NHS dentistry is increasing to a record high level with a 9% increase in the budget for dental services in 2022-23, including extending the reach of the Childsmile programme in high-street practices to young people up to 17 years of age; welcomes that the Scottish Government is providing dentists with an additional £20 million from February 2022 to give them new and additional incentives to see more patients, and that discussions continue with the British Dental Association on further reforms to support recovery; believes that NHS dentistry, like all NHS services, should be free at the point of need and supports the removal of all NHS dental charges to patients by the end of this parliamentary session, and further supports the Scottish Government's Oral Health Improvement Plan, which underpins that the frequency of dental checks should be shaped by clinical evidence and an individual patient's oral health risk assessment, with those at the highest risk being seen more frequently.

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-03334, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on changes to tomorrow’s business. I invite George Adam to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees to the following revision to the programme of business for Thursday 24 February 2022—

delete

followed by Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee Debate: COP26 - Outcomes and Implications for Scotland’s Climate Change Policies

and insert

followed by Scottish Government Debate: Solidarity with Ukraine—[George Adam.]

Motion agreed to.

Before we proceed to the vote, I am sure that the Parliament would like to join me in welcoming Christina McKelvie back to the chamber. [Applause.]

The question is, that amendment S6M-03281.2, in the name of Maree Todd, which seeks to amend motion S6M-03281, in the name of Sandesh Gulhane, on preventing the collapse of NHS dentistry in Scotland, be agreed to. Members should cast their votes now.

The vote is now closed.

The next item of business is a statement by Nicola Sturgeon, giving a Covid-19 update. The First Minister will take questions at the end of her statement, so there should be no interventions or interruptions.

The next question is, that motion S6M-03270, in the name of Neil Gray, on the Nationality and Borders Bill, which is UK legislation, be agreed to. Are we agreed?

Members: No.

That concludes the First Minister’s statement on a Covid-19 update. There will be a brief pause before we move on to the next item of business.

Good afternoon. I remind members of the Covid-related measures that are in place. Face coverings should be worn when moving around the chamber and across the campus.

Our first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is Pall Singh, project director, Building Bridges.

I thank Mr Kerr for his advance notice of the point of order. On the date that the incident occurred, I sought and have subsequently received an apology and assurances from the First Minister of the Scottish Government’s respect for this Parliament. I made my views on the leaking of statements on that date very clear, and I have done so previously. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is that the place of this Parliament is respected and that all significant announcements are made here in the first instance, whenever that is possible.

The First Minister and I have discussed the matter and I am content that the matter before us is closed. I have made it clear that I do not expect any repetition of such an incident. I think that we all wish to be in a position where we are not having this on-going discussion.