Parliament Live from Holyrood – 17/06/2026
Join us for Parliament Live from Holyrood including a Scottish Government Debate on Affordable Bus Fares.
Today’s Parliament Live from Holyrood includes a Scottish Government Debate on Affordable Bus Fares.
2:00pm – Portfolio Questions
Portfolio – Justice
1. Jamie Langan (S7O-00068)
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether rural crime is a serious issue affecting communities across Scotland and that local police presence is crucial to its prevention.
2. Rachael Hamilton (S7O-00069)
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the future of Hawick Fire Station.
3. Mark Simpson (S7O-00070)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported pressures on policing and the justice system, including the local effects of migration, what action it is taking to promote community cohesion across Scotland.
4. Colin Beattie (S7O-00071)
To ask the Scottish Government what conversations it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service regarding the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to expand the role of firefighters to support the Scottish Ambulance Service.
5. Colm Merrick (S7O-00072)
To ask the Scottish Government what its priorities are for social impact investment in the current parliamentary session.
6. David Torrance (S7O-00073)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work carried out by the Retail Crime Taskforce.
7. Karen Adam (S7O-00074)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that the justice system contributes to the national effort to tackle violence against women and girls.
8. Kate Campbell (S7O-00075)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the reported rise in anti-social behaviour, particularly involving people wearing masks and using electric bikes, and the increase in the level of concern over public safety for many people in communities across Scotland.
9. Alan Brown (S7O-00076)
To ask the Scottish Government how the CashBack for Communities programme is supporting projects and young people in the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency during its phase 7.
10. Clare Haughey (S7O-00077)
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to Police Scotland to improve the 101 service.
Portfolio – Health and Care
1. Finlay Carson (S7O-00078)
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards delivering a fully operational 24/7 thrombectomy service with national coverage, including how the service will reach rural Scotland.
2. Lloyd Melville (S7O-00079)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that NHS boards take account of planned housing growth when assessing future demand for GP, dental and other primary care services.
3. Liam McArthur (S7O-00080)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address workforce planning challenges in staff recruitment and retention for health and social care services in Orkney.
4. Murdo Fraser (S7O-00081)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider its plan to reorganise neonatal care across Scotland, in light of reports that it could result in the downgrading of essential units, including the service at Ninewells Hospital.
5. Joe Long (S7O-00082)
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason over a third of CAMHS referrals have reportedly not been accepted in the last 12 months.
Submitting member has a registered interest.
6. Helen McDade (S7O-00083)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the number of people diagnosed with ME and long COVID and recognising that early diagnosis and appropriate care can improve outcomes for recovery or long-term disability, whether it will commit to providing ringfenced funds to set up specialist clinics staffed by either a nurse practitioner or medical staff in each NHS board area.
7. David Smith (S7O-00084)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Accounts Commission’s report on Integration Joint Boards finances, which highlighted a projected funding gap of £457 million in 2024-25, what urgent action it will take to ensure that health and social care services are protected, and that patients and service users do not experience any reduction in the quality or accessibility of care.
8. Fulton MacGregor (S7O-00085)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on NHS Lanarkshire’s plans for the new University Hospital Monklands.
9. Pauline McNeill (S7O-00086)
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason people on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde waiting list for ADHD assessments are reportedly being informed that their expected waiting times have been extended beyond those previously communicated.
10. Zen Ghani (S7O-00087)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its 2025 pledge to provide 150,000 additional NHS appointments and procedures.
Scottish Government Debate – Affordable Bus Fares
1. Stephen Flynn (S7M-00367) – Affordable Bus Fares
That the Parliament recognises the importance of affordable bus services connecting people to employment, education and essential services; welcomes the success of the free bus schemes available to 2.4 million people, including all those aged under 22, over 60 and disabled people; believes that more can be done to make it easier and cheaper for everyone to get around and supports, therefore, the phased rollout of a £2 bus fare cap, building on its introduction in the Highlands and Islands; endorses the introduction of the £2 cap in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Lanarkshire and Inverclyde as quickly as is practicable as part of the next phase of a national rollout, and welcomes the opportunity to develop Better Buses legislation in the current parliamentary session to support the delivery of affordable fares nationally and foster new routes, not least in rural areas.
2. Graham Simpson (S7M-00367.1) – Affordable Bus Fares
As an amendment to motion S7M-00367 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Affordable Bus Fares), insert at end “; believes that any such legislation should aim to streamline the process of introducing franchising, and calls on the Scottish Government to speed up its work on introducing multi-modal smart ticketing across Scotland.
3. Daniel Johnson (S7M-00367.3) – Affordable Bus Fares
As an amendment to motion S7M-00367 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Affordable Bus Fares), insert at end “, and calls on the Scottish Government to take active steps to make bus franchising a reality, by providing the funding and support necessary for Regional Transport Partnerships to fully and more rapidly exercise the powers set out in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, and to advance public control of farebox revenue so that Scotland’s passengers, not private operators, benefit from a restored public bus network.”
4. Craig Hoy (S7M-00367.4) -Affordable Bus Fares
As an amendment to motion S7M-00367 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Affordable Bus Fares), leave out from “believes that” to end and insert “considers that a functioning bus network should be centred on affordability and reliability and that competition between different providers is the most effective way to achieve this; notes with concern the deteriorating provision of bus services across Scotland, including the numerous routes, particularly in rural areas, that have had their service levels reduced or removed; warns that the expansion of concessionary bus travel could increase the risk of inequality in access to bus services between urban and rural areas; calls on the Scottish Government to take greater action to protect bus drivers and tackle anti-social behaviour on buses, and agrees with the views that the regulations and code of conduct implemented in the previous parliamentary session to remove passes from passengers who commit anti-social behaviour are not strong enough.”
Scottish Government Debate: Appointment of Law Officers
1. John Swinney (S7M-00380) -Appointment of Law Officers
That the Parliament agrees that it be recommended to His Majesty that Ruth Charteris KC be appointed as the Lord Advocate and that Brian (BJ) Gill KC be appointed as Solicitor General for Scotland.
Business Motions
Parliamentary Bureau Motions.
5:30pm – Decision Time.
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