Holyrood Highlights - Fri 4 Jul 2025
💡 Summer recess begins! // Education Bill passes // Recovery funds for Dundee University // Apology to Scotland's Gypsy Travellers.
It’s the summer recess! A hush has descended on the halls of Holyrood as MSPs retreat to their local constituencies and regions until September.
With a chance to catch our collective breath, let’s look back at what happened last week, as the Scottish Parliament strived to pack as much as it could into three busy days. Most notably, MSPs managed to pass the Education (Scotland) Bill on the Wednesday, replacing the SQA and enhancing oversight of the sector.
Holyrood Highlights will largely be on hiatus over the summer, only getting in touch with notable updates in the colourful world of Scottish politics. Once again, thank you all for supporting the newsletter as it has found its feet over the last couple of months.
☀️ Gavin
Last Week in Holyrood
Tue 24 Jun 2025 - Thu 26 Jun 2025
🗣️ The Chamber
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📅 TUESDAY
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Time for Reflection [Official Report / SPTV]
Dr Yekemi Otaru, Chancellor at University of the West of Scotland, told MSPs:
“As the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once said, ‘We should all be feminists’. I would add that we should all be champions of education, because when we educate and empower people, especially women, we do not just improve lives—we transform communities.”
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Topical Questions [Official Report / SPTV]
The Scottish Government was asked about:
Use of Scottish infrastructure by the US military (Carol Mochan, Lab), and
Community Payback Order breaches (Sharon Dowey, Con).
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Dundee University statement [Official Report / SPTV]
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth (SNP) made a statement on the Gillies Review into the finances of the University of Dundee, and confirmed £40 million to support the university’s recovery.
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📅 WEDNESDAY
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‘Tinker Experiment’ Apology [Official Report / SPTV]
First Minister John Swinney (SNP) issued a formal apology to Gypsy Traveller communities in Scotland for the so-called ‘Tinker Experiments’, a harmful state-sanctioned social programme from the 1940s to the 1980s.
“We have come a long way since the ‘Tinker Experiments’, but there is still much to do. We still see prejudice and ignorance today. Indeed, discrimination towards Gypsy Travellers is often described as, and I quote, ‘the last bastion of respectable racism.’ It is not.”
First Minister John Swinney MSP (SNP, Perthshire North)
💡 [SPTV clip]
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Medium Term Financial Strategy [Official Report / SPTV]
Finance Secretary Shona Robison (SNP) then outlined the Scottish Government’s long-awaited Medium Term Financial Strategy, which aims for public sector savings of £2.6 billion by 2029-30.
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Education (Scotland) Bill vote [Official Report: 1, 2, & Debate / SPTV: Debate]
MSPs hashed out amendments to the Education (Scotland) Bill after a gruelling scrutiny process, reaching the final vote on Wednesday evening. The bill replaces the SQA with a new body, Qualifications Scotland, and hands enhanced oversight to the new HM Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland.
💡 Bill passed [Official Report / SPTV]
At Decision Time, the Education (Scotland) Bill was passed with 69 votes for (SNP, Green, LD) and 47 against (Con, Lab, Alba).
Education reforms agreed by Parliament (Scottish Government)
MSPs pass bill to scrap SQA for new Scottish exams body (BBC Scotland)
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📅 THURSDAY
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First Minister’s Questions [Official Report / SPTV]
A very health-focused blast of FMQs before the summer recess, with headline questions on:
“Bleak” cancer treatment waiting times from Russel Findlay (Con) and Alex Cole-Hamilton (LD), and
NHS performance under the SNP from Anas Sarwar (Lab).
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Gull Controls debate [Official Report / SPTV]
Douglas Ross (Con) led a debate calling for greater action against “dangerous and aggressive” seagulls in the north of Scotland.
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Neurodivergence statement [Official Report / SPTV]
Social Care Minister Tom Arthur (SNP) updated Parliament on work to improve young people’s access to neurodivergence services and support with mental wellbeing.
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Glasgow Buses debate [Official Report / SPTV]
Patrick Harvie (Green) wrapped up the week with a debate on the future of Glasgow bus services, backing the STUC’s call for expansion of publicly-owned buses like those in Edinburgh.
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💭 Committees
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🚆 Net Zero, Energy & Transport (NZET) Committee [Official Report / SPTV]
Completed Stage 2 amendments to the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.
🏥 Health, Social Care & Sport (HSCS) Committee [Official Report / SPTV]
Looked into children and young people’s participation in sport.
🏡 Local Government, Housing & Planning (LGHP) Committee [Official Report / SPTV]
Annual Review of the Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).
💷 Finance and Public Administration (FPA) Committee [Agenda / SPTV]
Looked at public administration in government with officials.
🛠️ Economy and Fair Work Committee (EFW) Committee [Official Report: 1 / SPTV: 1 & 2]
Took evidence from trade unions and management at the Alexander Dennis bus manufacturer.
🔍 Public Audit Committee [Agenda / SPTV]
A session on the performance of the Scottish National Investment Bank.
🌱 Rural Affairs and Islands (RAI) Committee [Agenda]
Finalised their report in (tentative) support of the Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill.
🏫 Education, Children & Young People (ECYP) Committee [Official Report: 1 & 2 / SPTV: 1 & 2]
Two dramatic sessions with the leadership of the University of Dundee, following the institution’s financial collapse.
📣 Equalities, Human Rights & Civil Justice (EHRCJ) Committee [Official Report / SPTV]
Met with Ministers on failure to fully implement laws on children’s rights, domestic abuse, and female genital mutilation.
⚖️ Criminal Justice Committee [Official Report / SPTV]
Took evidence on Pam Gosal’s (Con) proposed Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill and Ash Regan’s (Alba) proposed Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill.
🤝 Social Justice and Social Security (SJSS) Committee [Agenda / SPTV]
Met with the Scottish Commission on Social Security.
🌍 Constitution, Europe, External Affairs & Culture (CEEAC) Committee [Agenda / SPTV]
Discussed the humanitarian disaster in Gaza with the External Affairs Secretary.
🏛️ Delegated Powers and Law Reform (DPLR) Committee [Official Report / SPTV]
Published report on plans to modernise ‘tacit relocation’ leases law.
🗳️ Citizen Participation and Public Petitions (CPPP) Committee [Agenda / SPTV]
Met with the Lord Advocate and Justice Secretary on petitions related to youth violence and sexual assault.
📜 Standards, Procedures & Public Appointments (SPPA) Committee [Agenda / SPTV]
Met with the Parliamentary Business Minister on secondary legislation, including an order to alter constituency/region boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections.
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