Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) Thursday 24 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 Thursday 24 June 2021 CONTENTS Col. FIRST MINISTER’S QUESTION TIME ..................................................................................................................... 1 Scottish Qualifications Authority ................................................................................................................... 1 Covid-19 (Government Communication) ...................................................................................................... 6 Amazon ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Post Office Branch Closures ...................................................................................................................... 12 Woodland Birds (Decline) ........................................................................................................................... 13 National Health Service (Support) .............................................................................................................. 14 Covid-19 Vaccinations ................................................................................................................................ 16 Domestic Abuse (Custodial Sentences) ..................................................................................................... 17 Sexual Abuse (Redress for Survivors) ....................................................................................................... 18 Brexit (Impact on Trade) ............................................................................................................................. 18 Organised Crime (Attacks) ......................................................................................................................... 19 BBC Pacific Quay Studios (Transfer of Ownership) ................................................................................... 20 Glasgow McVitie’s Factory (Closure) ......................................................................................................... 21 Covid-19 (Safe Travel to Islands and Rural Areas) .................................................................................... 22 BUSINESS MOTION ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Motion moved—[Gillian Mackay]— and agreed to. CERVICAL SCREENING ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Statement—[Maree Todd]. The Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport (Maree Todd) ................................................ 24 CORONAVIRUS (EXTENSION AND EXPIRY) (SCOTLAND) BILL: STAGE 3 .............................................................. 38 CORONAVIRUS (EXTENSION AND EXPIRY) (SCOTLAND) BILL .............................................................................. 68 Motion moved—[John Swinney]. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery (John Swinney) ............................. 68 Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) .............................................................................................. 71 Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) ................................................................................................................ 74 Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green) ....................................................................................... 76 Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) .......................................................................................... 77 Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) .............................................. 79 Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con) ........................................................................................................ 81 Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab) .................................................................................................................. 82 Gillian Mackay (Central Scotland) (Green) ................................................................................................. 84 Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab).......................................................................................................... 86 Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con) ....................................................................................................................... 87 John Swinney ............................................................................................................................................. 89 POINTS OF ORDER ........................................................................................................................................... 92 SCOTTISH PARLIAMENTARY CORPORATE BODY MOTION ................................................................................... 94 Motion moved—[Maggie Chapman]. Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green) ...................................................................................... 94 PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTION ................................................................................................................... 95 Motion moved—[George Adam]. DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 96 1 24 JUNE 2021 2 I have confidence in the work that the SQA does Scottish Parliament around the certification of national qualifications. It is important for me to say that, not only for my Thursday 24 June 2021 assurance as First Minister, but for the benefit of young people and their parents across this [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at country. I say it again today. 12:00] It is also the case that it is time for reform. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills made a First Minister’s Question Time statement here earlier this week on the subject. We have accepted the recommendations of the The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone): Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Good afternoon. I remind members that social Development in that respect, and have therefore distancing measures are in place in the chamber given a commitment that we will carefully consider and across the Holyrood campus. I ask members the nature and the detail of the issue, and that we to take care to observe those measures, including will replace the SQA and remove the inspection when entering and exiting the chamber, and to function from Education Scotland. please only use the aisles and walkways to access your seat and when moving around the chamber. All of that, taken in the round, is how people— whether they agree or disagree with every Scottish Qualifications Authority decision that the Government makes—would expect a grown-up, responsible Government to Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con): behave, and that is how this Government will As schools across Scotland prepare to break up always conduct itself. for the summer, I take this opportunity to thank them for all that they have done to support young Douglas Ross: There is absolutely nothing people in extremely challenging circumstances grown-up or responsible in the Government over the past year, often with little or no help from claiming that it has changed its mind on the quality the Government. of the SQA because of an OECD report that it has had, not just for the past three weeks, but for Three weeks ago, the First Minister told the months. The Government had the report before Parliament that she had full confidence in the the election that we have just been through. Scottish Qualifications Authority, which is now being scrapped. What happened in that time to That damning OECD report criticised the change her mind? confusing and unhelpful communication that was given to schools. Is it really any wonder? Nicola The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon): First, as Sturgeon says that she has full confidence in the I did on Tuesday in the chamber, I SQA, so she scrapped it. It is just another example straightforwardly reiterate, with no equivocation or of a Government that has lost its way in education, snark attached to it, a big thank you to teachers and that says one thing and does another with no and all support staff in our schools, and to parents vision of where it is going or how it gets there. and young people. This has been the most difficult year that any of them will ever remember, both Today is the final chance in the Parliament, professionally for those who work in our education before courses start next term, for the First system, and for those who are learning in our Minister to give young people and teachers, who education system. I can never find the words to have faced so much uncertainty over the past thank them enough, but I hope that everyone year, a clear answer. Will there be traditional knows how deeply appreciative everyone is in the exams next year? Scottish Government—and across Scotland, I am The First Minister: I am sorry if the sure—for everything that they have done. complexities of the arguments in the chamber are I will be