Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Official Report 1057KB pdf

Points of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. There seems to be some indication that the First Minister will make an announcement on Friday on the way forward, depending on the vote this evening—I think that we can all guess how that is going to go. Would it not be more respectful to this Parliament for the First Minister to outline her position in Parliament rather than outwith it?

There is an expectation that the Government’s business will be announced to the Parliament before it is announced to the general public. We do not know what the announcement will be on Friday, but we have had a debate today on that subject, the content of which, I believe, will be included in the announcement.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Last Thursday, I took part in the debate on air traffic control centralisation at Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. During the debate, I made the point that airports at Benbecula and Wick were being downgraded without consultation with the staff. Gail Ross intervened on me at that point and stated that there had been consultation with staff at Wick airport.

I have since been copied into an email from an air traffic controller in Wick that reads:

“I have watched today the Parliamentary debate on the Centralisation plans at HIAL, and to my astonishment during Rhoda Grant’s speech Gail Ross interrupted her to state that staff at Wick HAD been involved in consultation about the proposed down grading at the unit.

Firstly as you are well aware no such consultation has taken place and I would expect someone from the ATMS team to correct the MSP Gail Ross to such facts before any further damage can be done to Wick.”

Perhaps Gail Ross would like to take the opportunity to amend the record, apologise for misrepresenting her constituents and join me in attempting to save these vital jobs.

I thank Rhoda Grant for giving me advance notice that she intended to raise a point of order.

This is not a point for me to rule on from the chair. There is a procedure in place by which members may correct the Official Report concerning comments that they have made, if they wish to. The member has drawn Gail Ross’s attention to the point, and it is up to Gail Ross to make a decision in that regard.