Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) Wednesday 16 June 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 Wednesday 16 June 2021 CONTENTS Col. PORTFOLIO QUESTION TIME ............................................................................................................................... 1 SOCIAL JUSTICE, HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ........................................................................................ 1 Rented Sector Strategy (Tenants Unions) ................................................................................................... 1 Green Spaces (Residential Housing) ........................................................................................................... 3 Covid-19 (Local Government Support) ......................................................................................................... 3 Island Tourism (Short-term Lets) .................................................................................................................. 5 Community Services (Local Government Support) ...................................................................................... 6 Local Authorities (Permanent Financial Settlement) .................................................................................... 7 Two-child Cap (Discussions) ........................................................................................................................ 8 Scottish Child Payment (Renfrewshire North and West).............................................................................. 9 CONSTITUTION, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND CULTURE ........................................................................................... 10 International Aid (United Kingdom Commitments) ..................................................................................... 10 Scots Makar (Appointment) ........................................................................................................................ 11 Covid-19 (Cultural Sector) .......................................................................................................................... 12 Brexit (Impacts) ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Travelling Artistes (Practical Support) ........................................................................................................ 15 National Towns of Culture .......................................................................................................................... 17 Edinburgh Festivals (Support) .................................................................................................................... 18 Covid-19 (Support for Arts and Culture in Glasgow) .................................................................................. 19 REDRESS FOR SURVIVORS (HISTORICAL CHILD ABUSE IN CARE) SCOTLAND ACT 2021 ..................................... 21 Statement—[John Swinney]. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery (John Swinney) ............................. 21 BREXIT (SKILLS IMPACT) .................................................................................................................................. 34 Motion moved—[Richard Lochhead]. Amendment moved—[Oliver Mundell]. Amendment moved—[Paul Sweeney]. The Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work (Richard Lochhead) ................................... 34 Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 40 Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab) .................................................................................................................. 45 Ross Greer (West Scotland) (Green) ......................................................................................................... 48 Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD) ........................................................................................................... 52 Jim Fairlie (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) ............................................................................. 55 Pam Gosal (West Scotland) (Con) ............................................................................................................. 57 Karen Adam (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) .................................................................................. 59 Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) ................................................................................................ 61 Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP) ........................................................................................................ 63 Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con) ............................................................................................... 65 Michelle Thomson (Falkirk East) (SNP) ..................................................................................................... 67 Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab) ..................................................................................................................... 69 Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) .............................................................................................................. 72 Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) .............................................................................................. 74 Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) ....................................................................................... 76 The Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training (Jamie Hepburn) .................................................................................................................................................. 79 BUSINESS MOTIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 83 Motions moved—[George Adam]—and agreed to. PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTIONS ................................................................................................................. 86 Motions moved—[George Adam]. The Minister for Parliamentary Business (George Adam) .......................................................................... 86 DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 88 HISTORICAL FORCED ADOPTION ....................................................................................................................... 96 Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab) ................................................................................................... 96 Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) ..................................................................................... 99 Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con) ............................................................................................ 100 Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab) ............................................................................................................. 102 Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) ............................................ 103 Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con) ..................................................................................................................... 106 Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) ......................................................................................................... 109 The Minister for Children and Young People (Clare Haughey) ................................................................ 111 1 16 JUNE 2021 2 met any tenants unions. Nationally and locally, Scottish Parliament tenants unions such as Living Rent have been playing a critical role in protecting tenants from Wednesday 16 June 2021 abuse of power by irresponsible landlords. That has been especially important during the [The Deputy Presiding Officer opened the pandemic, yet there is no tenant organisation on meeting at 14:00] the private rented sector resilience group. Perhaps that is why, at its last meeting, the group was Portfolio Question Time looking forward to the end of the eviction ban when it should have been discussing how to extend the protection for tenants. Will the cabinet Social Justice, Housing and Local secretary give an assurance that the voices of Government Living Rent and other tenants unions will be central to the development of the new strategy, The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle instead of once again allowing the interests of Ewing): Good afternoon, colleagues. I remind landlords to be dominant? members that social distancing measures are in place in the chamber and across the Holyrood Shona Robison: Patrick Harvie will be aware campus. I ask that members take care to observe that I have been in the job for a matter of weeks. I the measures, including when entering and exiting am, of course, keen to meet tenant the chamber. Please use the aisles and walkways representatives and organisations that support only to access your seat or when moving around tenants. As I said, invitations to meetings will the chamber. shortly be issued to representatives