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 1169 contributions
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Economy and Fair Work Committee
Bankruptcy and Diligence (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: 29 November 2023
Tom Arthur
There is a specific question about that within the consultation, which highlights that that is not something that we are proposing, although it invites views on the matter, in recognition of the different statutory protections that exist, for example for tenants, and the fact that, in cases of joint and several liability, other individuals who would be impacted would have access to the various solutions that are available. We will carefully consider the responses to the consultation.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Bankruptcy and Diligence (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: 29 November 2023
Tom Arthur
I have already engaged with stakeholders about that. I had a meeting early in the autumn, which I think was referred to by one of the witnesses who gave evidence to the committee. Members will be aware that that is something that we can address through existing powers, under secondary legislation.
I understand the policy intent behind the argument and am also conscious of some of the comments that have been made by witnesses. Although I am sympathetic about what such a measure would seek to do, it is incumbent on me to ensure that we take a rounded view and that there are no unintended consequences. The undertaking that I have given to stakeholders is that I will wait to see what view the committee forms. I am conscious that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has written to the committee about the matter.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Bankruptcy and Diligence (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Meeting date: 29 November 2023
Tom Arthur
I have committed to further engagement, and if the committee’s view is that that warrants engagement at the consultation level, then I am happy to consider that. I recognise some of the issues and sensitivities that have been raised, and I am committed to further engagement. Richard, is there anything that you want to add?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
Meeting date: 22 November 2023
Tom Arthur
That would be the UK Government that was in power at the time. There was an approach—it was clearly understood at the time—when those were the circumstances in South Africa.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
Meeting date: 22 November 2023
Tom Arthur
Thank you, convener, and good morning to the committee.
The bill triggers the consent process because it alters the executive competence of Scottish ministers by preventing them from taking moral or political disapproval of the conduct of any foreign state into account in procurement decisions. That is not necessary. There are already significant protections in domestic procurement law. It is undemocratic. It would allow UK ministers to fine Scottish ministers even for saying that they would have taken disapproval into account were it not unlawful to do so. It risks our ability to take a values-based approach to international engagement. Whether that is in relation to Ukraine today or to apartheid South Africa in the past, it should be clear why that is important. The Scottish Government does not recommend that consent be given.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
Meeting date: 22 November 2023
Tom Arthur
I will consult the document. That would be a previous UK Government.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
Meeting date: 22 November 2023
Tom Arthur
I refute the implication that the bill is in any way giving succour. Every single person and every member of the Parliament is completely unified in their unconditional and unqualified condemnation of antisemitism in all its forms. We are considering this morning a legislative consent memorandum whereby the UK Government is seeking to alter the competence of Scottish ministers and to change the devolution settlement. That is specifically what we are considering in the LCM, and that is situated in the broader context of consistent acts by the UK Government to undermine devolution. That is specifically what the LCM speaks to.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
Meeting date: 22 November 2023
Tom Arthur
I respect that there is a range of views, and a range of views was aired when the legislation was considered at Westminster. The position that we are considering today is the implications for devolution, specifically the executive competence of Scottish ministers. That is a distinct matter and something that we, as parliamentarians, have to pay close attention to and consider carefully, particularly in the context of what we have seen over recent years, namely, the approach by the UK Government that has been encroaching upon devolved competency. That is what we are specifically considering. The legislation would alter the executive competence of Scottish ministers, and we are opposed to it on that basis.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
Meeting date: 22 November 2023
Tom Arthur
Scottish ministers and public bodies in Scotland of course take decisions on procurement that are consistent with and uphold our obligations under international and domestic procurement law. It is also recognised, and is expected of all those who are in a position to take them, that decisions are not taken in an ethical or moral vacuum. We have a strong record on public procurement. We have clear provision set out in legislation and a suite of tools to assist public bodies in their procurement decisions. All public procurement decisions that are taken in Scotland have to be consistent with domestic and international procurement law obligations.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill
Meeting date: 22 November 2023
Tom Arthur
It is important to note that, with the coming into force of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and subsequent regulations, along with a suite of tools, we promote sustainable procurement across Scotland, which takes into account a wide range of considerations and factors. Alasdair Hamilton may want to expand on that.
