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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Meeting of the Parliament
Point of Order
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
I ask members to ensure that we can all hear one another. Even if we do not all share the same view, I am sure that all members agree that we should be able to speak without being shouted down.
Meeting of the Parliament
Point of Order
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
It is, of course, a matter for any member to make a request regarding a personal statement. No such request has been made, but I will, of course, consider any request that a member wishes to make.
The Presiding Officer who is in the chair at any point in time will determine whether, in all circumstances, it is their view that the requirement for courtesy and respect is being met, and they will decide whether to intervene as they feel necessary.
Of course, members themselves are responsible for the content of their contributions. All members can challenge contributions as a normal part of debate, and there are other mechanisms available, too.
We expect that debate will, at times, be robust. We wish it to be as free flowing as possible but will intervene as necessary. However, of course, members have an obligation to carry and conduct themselves in the chamber with courtesy and respect.
I am aware that the Presiding Officer who was in the chair yesterday at the time that has been referred to has had discussions with the members who were involved.
Of course, the integrity and the reputation of the Parliament are of the utmost importance to each and every one of us in the chamber.
I suspend the meeting briefly to allow the chamber and public gallery to clear.
12:53 Meeting suspended.12:56 On resuming—
Meeting of the Parliament
New Vessels for the Clyde and the Hebrides (Report)
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
We move to winding-up speeches.
16:26Meeting of the Parliament
New Vessels for the Clyde and the Hebrides (Report)
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
Mr Simpson, I ask you to apologise and move on.
Meeting of the Parliament
New Vessels for the Clyde and the Hebrides (Report)
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
That concludes the debate on “New vessels for the Clyde and Hebrides: Arrangements to deliver vessels 801 and 802”.
Meeting of the Parliament
Motion without Notice
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
I am minded to accept a motion without notice under rule 11.2.4 of standing orders that decision time be brought forward to now. I invite the Minister for Parliamentary Business to move the motion.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 11.2.4, Decision Time be brought forward to 4.58pm.—[George Adam]
Motion agreed to.
Meeting of the Parliament
Decision Time
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
Thank you, Mr Brown. We will ensure that your vote is recorded.
Meeting of the Parliament
Decision Time
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
Thank you, Mr O’Kane. We will ensure that that is recorded.
Meeting of the Parliament
Decision Time
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
I propose to ask a single question on two Parliamentary Bureau motions.
As no member objects, the final question is, that motions S6M-09371 and S6M-09372, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on committee remits, be agreed to.
Motions agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees, under Rule 6.1—
(a) that the remit of the following mandatory committee be amended—
Name of Committee: Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Remit: To the remit set out in Temporary Rule 4 shall be added the following additional matter—Matters falling within the responsibility of the Minister for Independence
(b) that, further to motion S6M-00394, the additional matters added to the remits of the following mandatory committees be varied as follows—
Name of Committee: 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.
New remit: To the remit set out in Rule 6.9 shall be added—
Matters relating to civil justice falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs.
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.
New remit: To the remit set out in Rule 6.4 shall be added—
Matters falling within the responsibility of the Minister for Parliamentary Business.
That the Parliament agrees to the following revisions to the remits of committees—
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.
New remit: To consider and report on matters relating to criminal justice falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, and functions of the Lord Advocate other than as head of the systems of criminal prosecution and investigation of deaths in Scotland.
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.
New remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy with the exception of matters relating to energy; and on matters relating to just transition within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition.
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.
New 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 and redress falling within the responsibility of the Deputy First Minister.
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.
New Remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care and matters relating to drugs and alcohol policy.
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.
New remit: To consider and report on matters relating to local government and planning falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and matters relating to housing and tenants’ rights within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and matters relating to the Local Government Boundary Commission and local governance review and democratic renewal within the responsibility of the Deputy First Minister.
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, with the exception of matters relating to rural land use, wildlife crime and animal welfare.
New remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, with the exception of matters relating to just transition; on matters relating to land reform, natural resources and peatland, Scottish Land Commission; Crown Estate Scotland, and Royal Botanic Garden within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; and on matters relating to energy within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy.
Name of Committee: Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands; and on matters relating to rural land use, wildlife crime and animal welfare falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport.
New remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, with the exception of matters relating to land reform, natural resources and peatland, Scottish Land Commission, Crown Estate Scotland, and Royal Botanic Garden.
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.
New remit: To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice excluding matters relating to housing and tenants’ rights.
Meeting of the Parliament
General Question Time
Meeting date: 8 June 2023
Alison Johnstone
Thank you, minister. I will move on to a supplementary question.
