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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 26 December 2024
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Displaying 1830 contributions

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Economy and Fair Work Committee

Petroineos Grangemouth

Meeting date: 13 December 2023

Stephen Kerr

It was reported by a number of outlets. I have in front of me a report from The Daily Telegraph, but there are direct quotes.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Petroineos Grangemouth

Meeting date: 13 December 2023

Stephen Kerr

I will be very brief, but people are rightly concerned about this. It is widely known by analysts—including Alan Gelder, who is an analyst at Wood Mackenzie—that the hydrocracker unit that produces the diesel at Grangemouth went down in April and has not come back up. Diesel is the most profitable product line that comes out of the refinery, if I understand correctly. Why has the hydrocracker unit not been put back online?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Petroineos Grangemouth

Meeting date: 13 December 2023

Stephen Kerr

They had been aware for “well over a year.” Thank you.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Petroineos Grangemouth

Meeting date: 13 December 2023

Stephen Kerr

I am sorry—perhaps my question was not clear. Who is undertaking the economic impact assessment, and when is it likely to be published and made available? Those are my critical questions.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Petroineos Grangemouth

Meeting date: 13 December 2023

Stephen Kerr

So you are responsible for producing the economic impact assessment?

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Minister for Parliamentary Business

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Stephen Kerr

So, we are on a journey and it is getting better.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Minister for Parliamentary Business

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Stephen Kerr

I acknowledge that.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Minister for Parliamentary Business

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Stephen Kerr

I am grateful that you still think of me as middle-aged. [Laughter.]

I do not think that anyone will disagree with what you have just said. I completely agree that all the political parties in Scotland that are serious about engaging with the people of Scotland—and their priorities—have to look like the people of Scotland. The Scottish Conservatives have certainly taken some positive decisions in that direction, and I know that other parties have done so as well.

I also agree with your comments about not shoehorning people—on the basis of their sex—into specific committees. There is a natural dimension to that. People have passions and interests that they want to pursue, and, although they will curtail those in order to be part of the team, it is important that they also have opportunities to express themselves. That is why they came into public life.

On the issue of parliamentary reform in general, we have lots of discussions about how we could make very small adjustments to how we do things in the Parliament that would create all kinds of additional freedoms for members, including through expression in the chamber and opportunities to engage further with ministers through scrutiny—I know that you are a big advocate of ministerial scrutiny. What is your appetite in that regard, and what is the appetite of the Government for coming together with members across all parties so that we can agree that some of the proposed adjustments can be implemented?

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Minister for Parliamentary Business

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Stephen Kerr

Minister, you know that I have a passion for reform and improvements to the way in which our Parliament works, in order to benefit the people of Scotland.

Recently, we have had the gender sensitive audit, and some recommendations flowed from that. I am interested to hear about your response to that report. More broadly—as the minister who is speaking for the Government—it would be good to hear what your appetite is for us to look at how we make Parliament more effective in its functions.

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Minister for Parliamentary Business

Meeting date: 23 November 2023

Stephen Kerr

That is because I recognise how big a part the SNP must play in making that reform happen, because the reform cannot be partisan.