Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)

Meeting date: Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Official Report 1107KB pdf

Presiding Officer’s Statement

Before we move on to the next item of business, I will make a short statement.

Concerns have been raised regarding the use of a Government-initiated question to announce the addition of Manchester and Salford to the list of areas where common travel restrictions apply. I understand that that mechanism has been used on earlier occasions to make such announcements. However, it is notable that, in this case, the announcement was made by GIQ on Thursday 17 June, which was a sitting day when there might have been an opportunity for members to scrutinise the decision in the chamber.

I therefore ask the Minister for Parliamentary Business to reflect on whether GIQs are an appropriate method to use for such announcements on days when Parliament is sitting. In the meantime, I have selected a topical question on the issue to allow members in the chamber to ask questions on the decision at the earliest opportunity.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer.

I welcome the statement that you have just made in relation to the respect that the Parliament is due from the Scottish Government. On Tuesday 8 June, I raised a point of order in which I sought confirmation that it is in order for the First Minister to come to the chamber to make Government statements and that it is not in order for her to ignore Parliament by instead making statements in front of television cameras. At that time, I sought your help in making further representations to the Scottish Government—particularly to the First Minister—to the effect that Government statements should be made first in Parliament, to allow for proper scrutiny and to show respect for our Parliament. I was heartened by the answer that you gave on that occasion, and I am further heartened by the statement that you have made this afternoon.

The reality is that, last Thursday at 11:39—20 minutes before First Minister’s question time—Scottish National Party ministers used special powers to ban Scots from going to Manchester and Salford. At 12 noon, the First Minister said nothing to Parliament about the new restrictions. The Deputy First Minister, whose name was on the amendment, sat a few feet away from the First Minister. The next day, at approximately 12:15, the First Minister appeared on television at a staged event to announce the travel ban.

Presiding Officer, will you take this opportunity to underline and make clear to all members of the Parliament, especially Government members, that such acts of discourtesy—bordering on contempt—by the First Minister must stop and that the actions of the Scottish ministers must be properly held up to scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament?

I thank Mr Kerr for his point of order. I have asked the Scottish Government to reflect on the use of GIQs when Parliament is sitting. As I have said, in accordance with guidance on ministerial statements, all significant and substantive announcements should be made to the Parliament, whenever that is possible.