Chamber and committees

In 2014, the royal family—including Will, Kate, Harry and Meghan—were in the news, the Commonwealth games were being held in Glasgow and the world was reporting on a possible Trump presidency. I am almost scared to turn around in case Bill Murray is in the gallery, rebooting “Groundhog Day”, because, 10 years later, a new generation of the royal family is in the news, the Commonwealth games are returning to Glasgow and an older, if not wiser, Donald Trump is campaigning to be the US President again. The only thing not to be repeated is a democratic event that would allow Scots to choose independence.

It is time to break out of that repeating “Groundhog Day” cycle of ask-the-British-Government-and-get-refused, and to put the question back to the people of Scotland by using what has been staring us in the face for 10 years—the ballot box. Let us hold the constitutional convention, assemble the independence commission and put democracy back in top gear in 2026 by putting the question of independence to the people on the ballot. Self-determination is the path to the beginning of our empowered future. A simple majority of pro-independence votes on the Scottish parliamentary list vote will trigger the clear instruction from the people that is needed to demonstrate that democratic authority for Scottish independence.

I cannot say that this has been a very enlightening debate, but at least we found out that Alex Cole-Hamilton is in a buoyant mood after a recent visit to Brighton. However, I caution him that using words such as “fanatic” and “fanaticism” lets him down. There is nothing strange or unusual about believing strongly in the human right to self-determination.

If I understood Richard Leonard correctly, he said that using the 2026 list vote would be an insult to the people of Scotland. I do not agree with that, and the people of Scotland do not agree with that. Just last week, a poll showed that 57 per cent of the Scottish public think that we should have another referendum. The Labour Party and the Conservative Party must say why they are willing to prevent Scots from having their say.

That brings me on to the Greens. I do not say this often, but Ross Greer hit the nail on the head when he spoke of denying Scots’ democratic wishes. That is where we have a deep issue, because not one of the Labour, Tory or Liberal Democrat speakers addressed themselves to this fundamental question: if SNP mandate after SNP mandate did not secure a second referendum, how can Scotland express its choice? What is the democratic route that is open to Scotland? I am still waiting to hear it. Perhaps I will hear an answer to that question in the summing up from the unionist parties.

It is time to say goodbye to this non-functional union and embrace the untapped potential of an independent Scotland. We know that the union’s greatest fear is us firing on all cylinders, with the Scottish Parliament’s full powers and the backing of the Scottish people.

Column inches have been padded out in recent years by how vicious, detailed and incisive our fury with each other has been. I hope that they have seen nothing like what is about to be unleashed by the union, if we can all work together. We are a resource-rich nation and our people deserve so much better than surviving through this UK managed decline. We have in abundance the resources and the talent that we need to thrive under self-determination. No individual can change Scotland; only a collective effort will deliver the Scotland for all of us that we want to see. I urge that we all set aside our differences and work together towards a common goal—our nation’s independence.

The independence phoenix can rise from the ashes, and it will burn brighter and stronger than the fuel of our collective experience. We are taking this fight up a notch to match our rising ambition. We are discussing big ideas and bold promises. I believe that the people’s voice and their votes matter. The people of Scotland are sovereign, and only they will decide when it is time to reject Westminster’s decline and chart a new course into the safety of independence.

The Government cannot continue to distance itself from the fact that it is pushing a certain type of ideology and from the circumstances that have arisen from that. The Government must provide some leadership. I would like to know what action it will take immediately to investigate why oversight by Rape Crisis Scotland did not prevent a male from being employed across various roles that have single-sex exemptions. That led to egregious erosions of safeguarding—it allowed a now-convicted sex offender to self-identify for his access to rape trauma services and led to the service’s failure to support vulnerable women. The Government must show some leadership on the issue.

Just to further underline the issue that we are discussing, stories have been running in the media this year discussing the increase in “women” committing sex crimes, when the reality is that those crimes are committed by men and are being recorded as women’s crimes. That is offensive to women, and it is grossly disrespectful to the victims of those crimes. Why are Scottish institutions still acting as if self-identification is the law when it is not?

Institutions, however, have legal obligations, through the public sector equality duty, to record sex accurately. Will the First Minister show leadership and address this horrible situation urgently?

Adult and child patients must have healthcare that is appropriate to their clinically assessed medical presentation. Can the Government confirm what the milestones will be for Scotland’s Cass compliance for the 32 recommendations? What clinical evidence informed the national standards? Can the minister confirm that GPs, primary care clinicians and health boards fully support the national standards and their funding, training and implementation? Reports that are reaching me suggest that that is not the case.

Will the Government commit to protecting vulnerable women in crisis by ensuring that temporary accommodation in Scotland is single sex?

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that homeless women are not safe in hostels. (S6O-03608)

The most recent figures, which go up to 2022, show that 67 women in Scotland had died in homeless accommodation over a three-year period. The fact that the situation is getting steadily worse as a result of systemic failure is acknowledged by the Scottish Housing Regulator.

Sinead Watson, a 33-year-old woman who spent 40 weeks in homeless accommodation, spoke of her experience. She said:

“Over the past months, I have stayed in three separate hostels. I have been threatened, assaulted and robbed. I have had no sense of security or safety, and women with addiction are bribed into sex. I saw it in all three hostels that I stayed in. The women in these hostels are fair game.”

We urgently need to provide safe and secure same-sex emergency housing to stop more women dying. That would be a simple first step in ensuring that these vulnerable women in crisis are not put at further risk of rape, sexual assault and trauma.

Predictably, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice continues to downplay the importance of today’s amendment bill. However, it is a crucial step to align the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 with the Court of Session ruling that the Scottish Government’s redefinition of “woman” was outwith the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and, therefore, not law.

The 2018 act was the Scottish Government’s misguided attempt to redefine “woman” ahead of self-identification becoming law in Scotland. Of course, self-ID is not law in Scotland. So, what has the Government actually done to clarify that self-identifying as a woman is not enough to be eligible for a woman’s place on a public board? Are we now reliant on members of small, self-funded campaigns and policy groups such as For Women Scotland and Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, some of whom are with us in the public gallery today, to be the Parliament’s unofficial revising chamber? If so, would it not be more prudent for the public purse for the Scottish Government to listen to them during the legislative process, rather than responding to them in court in response to their judicial reviews?

I have repeatedly called for competence in Government to raise the bar in the Parliament to rebuild that fragile public trust, but we can only do that when lessons are learned and acted on. The unlawful definition of “woman” was not in the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Bill when it was introduced to the Parliament; it was added later, at stage 2, following the publication of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee’s stage 1 report. It is very concerning that such a core parliamentary committee did not understand the Equality Act 2010.

As a Parliament, we can and we should learn and improve our committee stage, by listening widely to those who want to contribute. I am very disappointed that the Government is continuing to show contempt for half of the population of Scotland by not admitting that it has made that mistake—and then not apologising for it. If the Government is still struggling, I will clear it up for ministers now: a woman is, and always has been, an adult human female.

Can the cabinet secretary confirm what substantive steps the Government will take to rebuild public trust by ensuring full transparency and good governance across all organisations that are receiving Government funding, or will the Government just risk waiting for the media to uncover further scandals?

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the impact of the updated fiscal framework. (S6O-03460)