Meeting of the Parliament [Draft] Business until 17:09

Meeting date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Official Report 865KB pdf

Points of Order

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek your guidance on what I think you will agree is a serious matter. On 14 November, I asked the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care whether contemporaneous notes existed for all his ministerial engagements, which involved watching Aberdeen Football Club. He said:

“There are and will be summaries of the discussions that have taken place, which is in accordance with the ministerial code.”—[Official Report, 14 November 2024; c 57.]

However, the Sunday Post is in possession of a freedom of information response that makes it clear that that is not true. It is clear that the cabinet secretary has provided information to Parliament that is inaccurate, whether intentionally or otherwise. Have you been approached by the cabinet secretary to make a correction to the Official Report, or has he asked for time to make a statement to Parliament? What powers do you have as Presiding Officer to sanction a member who has evidently made a false statement in this chamber?

Thank you, Mr Kerr. Members are aware that the content of contributions is not normally a matter for the chair to rule on. It is a matter of paramount importance that members, including ministers, give accurate and truthful information to the Parliament and correct any inadvertent errors at the earliest opportunity. If a member has a question about the factual accuracy of another member’s contribution, they can, of course, raise it directly with that member. Members are aware that the Parliament has a corrections procedure and of how that mechanism operates.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Further to that point of order, I raise a point of order concerning standing order rules 13.1 and 13.2. On 14 November, I asked the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray, to publish minutes showing what issues were discussed for all and not just the majority of the matches that he used the Scottish Government car service to attend.

In response to my question, Mr Gray said:

“there will be a note available on what was discussed”—[Official Report, 14 November 2024; c 53.]

and, in answer to Mr Kerr, he said:

“summaries will be available for all the engagements that I have been participating in.”—[Official Report, 14 November 2024; c 57.]

However, as we have heard, subsequent freedom of information responses from the Scottish Government have not included summary notes for all the events in question.

Attendance by ministers at sports events, where appropriate, should be supported by the Government. I have never questioned that, but the question that I asked in November was about whether the cabinet secretary had followed the correct rules and protocols. My question today is about the apparent inconsistency between what Mr Gray told Parliament and what the Government has published. There is the significant risk of a perception that the cabinet secretary might have misled Parliament, and that situation cannot be allowed to stand.

More than two months have passed, but the Official Report has not been updated. Given the amount of time that has passed, it is my view that Mr Gray should therefore give a further statement to explain that glaring inconsistency. Presiding Officer, can you confirm that, under rule 13.1, a member can request a personal statement and that, under rule 13.2, a ministerial statement can be requested? Can you also confirm that both of those avenues are available to Mr Gray, either to clarify his own remarks or to confirm whether the Government is deliberately withholding information that he stated would be available?

Mr Bibby is correct with regard to rules 13.1 and 13.2. If such a request were to be received, I would certainly consider it.