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Parliament's record since 1997: debates, questions, statements, votes, bills, committees and members' interests

Where MPs Stand

Sourced briefings on the record of Parliament

Scottish Parliament, 1 April 2025

13 contributions from 2 members. The official report.

Business Motion

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next item of business is consideration of motion S6M-17058, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on changes to the business programme. I call Jamie Hepburn to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees to the following revisions to the programme of business for—

(a) Wednesday 2 April 2025—

delete

2.00 pm Portfolio Questions: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; Health and Social Care

followed by Ministerial Statement: Heat in Buildings Bill

and insert

2.00 pm Motion of Condolence

3.00 pm Portfolio Questions: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; Health and Social Care

delete

5.30 pm Decision Time

and insert

6.00 pm Decision Time

(b) Thursday 3 April 2025—

after

followed by Ministerial Statement: Project Willow - Unlocking Grangemouth’s Potential

insert

followed by Ministerial Statement: Heat in Buildings Bill

delete

5.00 pm Decision Time

and insert

5.30 pm Decision Time.—[Jamie Hepburn]

Motion agreed to.

Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next item of business is consideration of motion S6M-16806, in the name of Shona Robison, on a financial resolution for the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill. I call Angela Constance to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament, for the purposes of any Act of the Scottish Parliament resulting from the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, agrees to any expenditure of a kind referred to in Rule 9.12.3A of the Parliament’s Standing Orders arising in consequence of the Act.—[Angela Constance]

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The question on the motion will be put at decision time.

Data (Use and Access) Bill

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next item of business is consideration of legislative consent motion S6M-17009, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation. I call Richard Lochhead to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament agrees that clauses 1 to 11, 13, 18 to 26, 45(3), 48 and 123 of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 23 October 2024, so far as these matters fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or alter the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK Parliament.—[Richard Lochhead]

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The question on the motion will be put at decision time.

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next item of business is consideration of motion S6M-17008, in the name of Ariane Burgess, on behalf of the selection panel, on appointment of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. I call Ariane Burgess to speak to and move the motion.

Ariane Burgess (Green, Highlands and Islands)

As a member of the cross-party selection panel that was established by the Presiding Officer under our standing orders, I am delighted to speak to the motion in my name to invite members of the Parliament to agree to nominate Paul McFadden to His Majesty the King for appointment as the new Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

The Presiding Officer chaired the selection panel and the other members were Jamie Greene, Fulton MacGregor, Carol Mochan and Michelle Thomson.

The role of the ombudsman is important and it covers a wide range of statutory functions. The ombudsman investigates complaints about most organisations that provide public services in Scotland when a member of public claims to have suffered injustice or hardship as a result of maladministration or service failure. The ombudsman also has a statutory duty to publish standardised complaints-handling procedures for the public sector and monitor and promote best practice in complaints handling.

The ombudsman carries out independent reviews of decisions that councils make on community care and crisis grant applications. The ombudsman is also the independent national whistleblowing officer for the national health service in Scotland.

The nominee, Paul McFadden, is currently the chief ombudsman for the Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales, a post that he has held since January 2021. Although Paul is unable to be in the chamber today, because of a work commitment, he is represented by two family members.

Paul McFadden has two decades of senior experience in ombudsman and investigation roles in Scotland and across the United Kingdom. He previously served as the acting Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman and Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards, with oversight of Northern Ireland’s public services and local government conduct, serving as deputy ombudsman, deputy commissioner and judicial appointments ombudsman. Prior to taking up the role in Northern Ireland, Paul established and headed up the SPSO complaints standards authority, implementing an improved culture and streamlined complaints-handling system across Scotland’s public bodies.

The panel believes that Paul’s blend of skills and ombudsman experience will make him an excellent Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Before concluding, Presiding Officer, I take the opportunity to mention the outgoing ombudsman, Rosemary Agnew. I am sure that we would all like to thank her warmly for her services to the public sector and wish her all the very best for the future.

I move,

That the Parliament nominates Paul McFadden to His Majesty The King for appointment as the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman under section 1 of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002.

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

Thank you, Ms Burgess. I will take this moment to remind all members that, when they are participating in parliamentary business remotely, it is preferred if cameras are in use at all times.

We will move to decision time momentarily.

Decision Time

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

There are four questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that motion S6M-17003, in the name of Angela Constance, on the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill at stage 1, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill.

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next question is, that motion S6M-16806, in the name of Shona Robison, on a financial resolution for the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament, for the purposes of any Act of the Scottish Parliament resulting from the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, agrees to any expenditure of a kind referred to in Rule 9.12.3A of the Parliament’s Standing Orders arising in consequence of the Act.

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The next question is, that motion S6M-17009, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament agrees that clauses 1 to 11, 13, 18 to 26, 45(3), 48 and 123 of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, introduced in the House of Lords on 23 October 2024, so far as these matters fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament or alter the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

The final question is, that motion S6M-17008, in the name of Ariane Burgess, on behalf of the selection panel, on the appointment of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, be agreed to.

Motion agreed to,

That the Parliament nominates Paul McFadden to His Majesty The King for appointment as the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman under section 1 of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002.

Alison Johnstone (Presiding Officer, Lothian)

That concludes decision time.

Members’ business will be published tomorrow, 2 April 2025, as soon as the text is available.