Tag: The Scottish Parliament
Minister writes to UK Government about effects of voter ID
The Minister for Parliamentary Business, Jamie Hepburn, has written to Rushanara Ali MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government), asking for the voter ID requirements to be scrapped.
Mr Hepburn...
Scottish Parliament debates Motion of Condolence for Alex Salmond
The First Minister, John Swinney, led tributes to the late former First Minister, The Rt Hon Alex Salmond, at Holyrood on Wednesday.
His remarks were followed by those of all the party leaders before...
Millions of free bus journeys taken in Edinburgh
Recent figures show that 35,785,216 bus journeys were made in Edinburgh in the year 2023/24 by those with a bus pass.
The Edinburgh Pentlands MSP, Gordon Macdonald points out that these journeys are all...
Marking a quarter century of devolution
There will be a royal event on Saturday to mark a quarter century of The Scottish Parliament.
The First Minister, John Swinney, will join their Majesties The King and Queen at a ceremonial event at...
Conservative MSP stands down to become Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Donald Cameron MSP is standing down from The Scottish Parliament to become part of the Scotland Office team at Westminster.
The King has approved his appointment as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in...
Children’s engagement with the Scottish Parliament to be expanded
Children from across Scotland have joined the Presiding Officer to sign a joint commitment to increase their involvement in the work of the Scottish Parliament.
The commitment is a working in partnership agreement between the...
Government to ban single use vapes
The Scottish Government will introduce new laws to ban single use vapes and also to raise the minimum age at which anyone can buy tobacco legally.
No-one who was born on or after 1 January...
Five things you need to know today
Tourist Tax - bill passes Stage 1
Following our note about the proposed bill to establish a visitor levy in Scotland yesterday, it has passed the first voting stage at The Scottish Parliament.
This is...
Lord Advocate makes statement to Scottish Parliament
Following questions asked at First Minister’s Questions the Lord Advocate appeared before MSPs on Tuesday afternoon to make a statement relating to the Post Office scandal.
After appearing in the chamber for almost...
Yousaf rebuked over COP28 meeting
Humza Yousaf: how to understand the first minister’s spat with David Cameron over his COP28 meeting with the Turkish president
Carolyn Rowe, Aston University; Elin Royles, Aberystwyth University, and Rachel Minto, Cardiff University
No one likes being...
Ross warns Conservative party about the reckless First Minister
In a speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, insisted that Humza Yousaf’s proxy referendum proposal for the next General Election is so “rash and irresponsible”...
Lothians MSP urges government – Save Our Pools!
At The Scottish Parliament last week a motion to Save Our Pools brought forward by Liz Smith MSP was debated.
Both the motion and debate recognised the importance of Scottish Swimming’s ‘Save Our Pool’ campaign,...
MSP adds his story to alcohol and drugs campaign
Lothians MSP Miles Briggs has opened up for the first time about his father’s alcohol use.
He used the opportunity of backing a campaign to alcohol and drugs to tell his own story.
In a candid and moving letter to his...
DRS wrangle is latest in a “raid on democracy”
The Scottish Greens say that all MSPs who believe in devolution must stand up for Scotland’s environment and the work of The Scottish Parliament as never before following the Tory UK Government’s "raid on...
UK Government will agree to pilot deposit return scheme – but no glass
The UK Government has "demanded" an exemption for glass in any Scottish deposit return scheme in a letter sent to the Scottish Government late on Friday night.
The letter signed by three Government ministers,...
Prime Minister urged to exempt the Scottish deposit return scheme – “a beacon for...
The Scottish Greens say that Scotland’s deposit return scheme (DRS) can revolutionise our relationship with waste and be a beacon for environmental change across the UK and beyond.
The Scottish Government’s scheme will require an...
Letter from Scotland
The nearest we come to May Day parades in Scotland is the Beltane Festival on Calton Hill in Edinburgh.
Beltane Fire Festival 2022, Calton Hill, Edinburgh, 30th April 2022
© 2022 J.L. Preece
It’s a burlesque...
Changes to Deposit Return Scheme announced
In a statement to The Scottish Parliament on Thursday afternoon Circular Economy Minister, Lorna Slater, announced some new measures which are intended to help craft drinks producers and off-sales in pubs.
She also outlined...
Labour call for Slater’s dismissal
Scottish Labour has demanded that First Minister Humza Yousaf takes responsibility for what they say is the "shambolic" Deposit Return Scheme, and remove it from Lorna Slater's portfolio following the delays the First Minister...
“Fresh start” is just “tinkering with failed policies”
The First Minister announced in The Scottish Parliament on Tuesday that under his leadership there will be a "fresh start". He published a new policy document outlining what each Cabinet Secretary will concentrate on...
New SNP leader will be announced today
As the leadership election brought out some of the well-hidden divisions in the SNP over recent weeks, the leaders of the other political parties in Scotland have been observing with some degree of interest.
Whether...
One year of Super Sponsorship scheme
Although the government's Super sponsorship scheme welcoming displaced people from Ukraine has been paused, it is one year old.
The Scottish Government became the sponsor for visa application purposes, making it easier to travel to...
Resignation of First Minister leaves a political vacuum
The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced her intention to resign.
She said to members of the press in her resignation speech at Bute House: "Sorry to break into your half term break....
Evidence to be heard at The Scottish Parliament on short term lets
The Scottish Government's Local Government Housing and Planning Committee will hear evidence today from the Director of Festivals Edinburgh and also Professor Cliff Hague the Chair of the Cockburn Association.
The parliament introduced a licensing...
What is involved in working at The Scottish Parliament
“I was Frida in Abba… now I take visitors round the Parliament”
Caroline Vevers secured a permanent post as a Visitor Services Officer in April 2022.
As a relative new employee, she shared her reflections on...
Committee business on the agenda at Holyrood in 2023
The Scottish Parliament already has a full agenda of business on the schedule for 2023.
Some of the highlights will include:
Health Social Care and Sport Committee - NCS Stage 1 Report likely to be published...
How does the Citizens’ Panel on Public Participation work?
Earlier this year, the Citizens’ Panel on Public Participation (CPPPC) launched an inquiry into public participation, looking at how people’s voices are heard in the work of the Parliament.
A Citizens’ Panel, comprised of 19 people...
Conservative leader’s message for 2023
A New Year’s message from Scottish Conservative leader, Douglas Ross.
"As we celebrate the beginning of a New Year tonight, it’s impossible not to think of where we were this time last year – and...
Parliamentary bees are buzzing
The Scottish Parliament’s bee population has grown to more than half a million bees.
In 2014 The Scottish Parliament became the first legislature in the UK to keep bees.
There are now 11 beehives onsite...
Assisted Dying Bill to be introduced in Scottish Parliament
McArthur wins right to introduce Assisted Dying bill in Scottish Parliament.
Liam McArthur MSP is to introduce a Members’ Bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people in the Scottish Parliament, it has been...
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