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DRAFT Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) Tuesday 31 August 2021 Session 6 © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Information on the Scottish Parliament’s copyright policy can be found on the website - www.parliament.scot or by contacting Public Information on 0131 348 5000 Tuesday 31 August 2021 CONTENTS Col. TIME FOR REFLECTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 BUSINESS MOTION ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Motion moved—[George Adam]—and agreed to. TOPICAL QUESTION TIME ................................................................................................................................... 4 Classroom-based Learning (Covid-19) ........................................................................................................ 4 Support for Refugees (Afghanistan) ............................................................................................................. 6 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT WITH SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY ............................................................... 10 Statement—[First Minister]. JUNIOR MINISTERS .......................................................................................................................................... 31 Motion moved—[First Minister]. The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon) ........................................................................................................... 31 Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) ............................................................................................ 32 Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab) .................................................................................................................... 34 Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green) ......................................................................................................... 36 Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) .......................................................................................... 37 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES ................................................................................................................ 42 Motion moved—[John Swinney]. Amendment moved—[Douglas Ross]. Amendment moved—[Anas Sarwar]. Amendment moved—[Alex Cole—Hamilton]. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery (John Swinney) ............................. 42 Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab) .................................................................................................................... 53 Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) .......................................................................................... 56 Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) .................................................................................... 59 Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 62 Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab) ........................................................................................................ 64 Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) ................................................................................ 65 Gillian Mackay (Central Scotland) (Green) ................................................................................................. 67 Dean Lockhart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) ............................................................................................ 69 Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) ................................................................................................. 72 Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) ........................................................................................................... 74 Kaukab Stewart (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) ................................................................................................... 76 Alex Cole-Hamilton ..................................................................................................................................... 78 Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) ................................................................................................................ 81 Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) .............................................................................................. 83 John Swinney ............................................................................................................................................. 86 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTIONS ................................................................................................................. 90 Motions moved—[George Adam]. DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 91 GREAT BORDERS RIVER CLEAN ..................................................................................................................... 101 Motion debated—[Rachael Hamilton]. Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) ............................................................... 101 Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP) .................................................................................................... 104 Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) ............................................................................... 105 Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab) ......................................................................................................... 107 Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) ............................................ 108 Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab) ................................................................................................... 110 Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab) ...................................................................................................... 111 The Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform (Màiri McAllan) ......................................... 113 1 31 AUGUST 2021 2 of neighbours to those who were affected by the Scottish Parliament dawn raids in the south side of Glasgow filled me with hope. Tuesday 31 August 2021 However, it would be naive of me to leave you with such a one-sided view. There are still many [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at corners and communities in Scotland where lives 14:00] are negatively affected by discrimination and a closed-minded attitude to those who were not Time for Reflection lucky enough to be born here. We must not get complacent about the perception of Scotland as a The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone): tolerant and welcoming nation. We need actively Good afternoon. I remind members that social to champion and live that label. Let the 70th distancing measures are in place in the chamber anniversary year of the 1951 Refugee Convention and across the Holyrood campus. I ask members remind us that we all deserve to live a life of to take care to observe the measures, including dignity, and that the right to seek asylum is a when entering and exiting the chamber. Please fundamental human right. use only the aisles and walkways to access your seats and when moving around the chamber. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader is Morven Lyon, who is a trustee of the Humanist Society Scotland. Morven Lyon (Humanist Society Scotland): Presiding Officer and members of the Scottish Parliament, welcome back and thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. My wee girl started primary 1 two weeks ago. On her first morning, she packed her new school bag, put on her shiny new shoes and, as a family, we walked over to the school gates full of happiness and hope. I reflected afterwards how lucky and privileged I am that my family and I call Scotland our home—a place where my daughter’s right to an education is protected and unassailable. I did not do anything special to earn our rights. I was born here and won the unjust human lottery of life. I do not need to tell you how different my daughter’s educational outlook and basic human rights would be if she had been born in Afghanistan, from where there are so many recent reports of human rights violations and discrimination. It is clear that many people are suffering. I am a humanist and view those violations as a dire threat to many of the fundamental values of the humanist movement— freedom of thought, speech, and choice; the human rights of women, children and LGBTI+ people; and the very fundamentals of knowledge, rationality and human empathy. I would therefore like to reflect today on our global responsibility to offer a hand of support and friendship to those who did not win the human lottery. Scotland is often held up as a great example of a welcoming, fair and inclusive nation. We pride ourselves on our open arms and we like to think that no matter where a person was born, they will get a friendly and warm welcome if they decide to make Scotland their home. The collective concern 3 31 AUGUST 2021 4 Business Motion Topical Question Time 14:04 14:05 The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone): The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone): The next item of business is consideration of The next item of business is topical