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Official Report for This Meeting Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) Wednesday 28 October 2020 Session 5 © 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 Wednesday 28 October 2020 CONTENTS Col. PORTFOLIO QUESTION TIME ............................................................................................................................... 1 CONSTITUTION, EUROPE AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS .............................................................................................. 1 Meetings with United Kingdom Government (Constitutional Matters) .......................................................... 1 Covid-19 (International Development Programmes) .................................................................................... 3 United Kingdom Trade (Jobs) ....................................................................................................................... 4 Brexit (Glasgow Economy) ........................................................................................................................... 5 Brexit (Engagement with United Kingdom Government) ............................................................................. 6 New Zealand Government (Engagement) .................................................................................................... 7 Island-based Veterans (Support).................................................................................................................. 8 Remembrance Sunday (Permitted Events) .................................................................................................. 9 ECONOMY, FAIR WORK AND CULTURE .............................................................................................................. 11 Covid-19 (Support for Central Scotland Businesses) ................................................................................. 11 United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund (Discussions) ............................................................................ 14 Scottish Growth Scheme ............................................................................................................................ 15 Lockdown (Treatment of Staff) ................................................................................................................... 16 Covid-19 (Impact on Highlands and Islands Businesses) .......................................................................... 17 United Kingdom Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ........................................................... 19 Covid-19 (Support for New Ways of Working) ........................................................................................... 21 MINERS’ STRIKE REVIEW ................................................................................................................................. 22 Statement—[Humza Yousaf]. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Humza Yousaf) ................................................................................... 22 NHS (WINTER PREPAREDNESS) ....................................................................................................................... 34 Statement—[Jeane Freeman]. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport (Jeane Freeman) ................................................................. 34 ENERGY INQUIRY ............................................................................................................................................. 47 Motion moved—[Gordon Lindhurst]. Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) ............................................................................................................... 47 The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse) ............................................... 50 Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) ......................................................................................... 53 Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) ............................................................................................... 55 Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green) .............................................................................................................. 57 Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) ......................................................................................................... 58 Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) ........................................................................ 60 Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con) ............................................................................................... 62 Dr Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) ......................................................................................... 63 Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab) ................................................................................................... 64 Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP) ........................................................................................... 66 Michelle Ballantyne (South Scotland) (Con) ............................................................................................... 68 John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) ................................................................................................. 70 Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) .......................................................................... 72 Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab) ........................................................................................... 74 Maurice Golden (West Scotland) (Con) ..................................................................................................... 75 Paul Wheelhouse........................................................................................................................................ 77 Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) .................................................................................... 81 BUSINESS MOTIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 84 Motions moved—[Graeme Dey]—and agreed to. PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTIONS ................................................................................................................. 87 Motions moved—[Graeme Dey]. DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 88 REUNIFICATION OF GERMANY (30TH ANNIVERSARY) ......................................................................................... 89 Motion debated—[Colin Beattie]. Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) .......................................................................... 89 Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) .................................................................. 92 Gordon Lindhurst (Lothian) (Con) ............................................................................................................... 93 Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) .................................................................................... 95 Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) .............................................................................................. 97 Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Con) ........................................................................................................ 98 Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP) ........................................................................................... 99 The Minister for Europe and International Development (Jenny Gilruth) ................................................. 101 1 28 OCTOBER 2020 2 statement on 16 October, during which she said Scottish Parliament that she had “paused” the independence campaign through the pandemic. If we look at any Wednesday 28 October 2020 minister’s Twitter account, including the First Minister’s, they are flooded with references to [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at independence and indyref 2. 14:00] In this Parliament, on 1 September, the Government said that the independence Portfolio Question Time referendum bill would be at the heart of its programme for government and would be Constitution, Europe and External expected in the coming months. Can the cabinet secretary confirm on what date the independence Affairs referendum campaign was paused and on what The Deputy Presiding Officer (Lewis date it was unpaused? Macdonald): Good afternoon. Before we begin, I Michael Russell: There is a letter from me to remind members that social distancing measures Michael Gove that indicates that we have paused are in place in the chamber and across the it, and that letter is dated March—possibly 16 Holyrood campus. I ask that members take care to March. I will check that and come back to the observe the measures during this afternoon’s member. The independence referendum will be business, including when entering and exiting the unpaused—in the sense that we will work on it— chamber. Members are also reminded of the need only when we are preparing for the bill, which is to for pace and brevity in both questions and be published before next year’s election. answers in order to allow all questions to be taken, if possible. I am surprised
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