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Does the cabinet secretary share my concerns about the experiences of female teachers and support staff who are subjected to misogynistic abuse? Will she outline what steps the Government is taking to tackle that?

I welcome the escalation to level 4 of the framework and the support that the cabinet secretary will give to NHS Grampian. Will those who are going in to help NHS Grampian take a look at the excessive bureaucracy that exists in the organisation—in my opinion—to ensure that it is eradicated, so that folk can do their level best for patients?

Today’s time for reflection leader, Richard Raggett, asked us the question,

“How good are we at listening—really listening?”

Mr McArthur, in introducing the bill and engaging with everyone here and with organisations and individuals outside Parliament, has been good at listening. Today’s debate has been respectful and considered, because we have listened to one another. Respect and consideration have been also given to and by the constituents who have contacted me or to whom I have spoken and listened.

I have heard from a lot of people—from folk in the medical workforce to people of faith and people with terminal illnesses—who are for or against the bill. I have also heard from people who were in favour of the previous bill but are not in favour of this bill and from folk who were against the previous bill but are in favour of this bill. We need to continue to listen as we move forward.

I am very proud of the fact that we, in this Parliament, regularly use the three words “dignity”, “fairness” and “respect”. Those three words—dignity, fairness and respect—first went on the statute book as part of an amendment that I lodged to the Welfare Funds (Scotland) Bill some years ago.

On the topic under discussion, do people have dignity, fairness and respect? We have heard from a number of speakers, including Dr Gulhane, Mr Lumsden and Ms Lennon, that fairness does not exist here, because people who are rich have a choice—they can fly to Switzerland and go to a clinic—whereas the ordinary Joe and Josephine do not have that choice. There is no fairness for them. Surely we should respect the wishes of people who are terminally ill and want to end their life in a dignified manner. That is where dignity comes into play. I would add that fairness, dignity and respect need to come into play in life in general.

I have listened very carefully to folk who are in opposition to the bill today and have asked pertinent questions and made pertinent points. Ms Duncan-Glancy talked about choice in life. I want everyone to have choice in life, but I also want folk to have choice at the end of life, and I recognise that there are folk in our society who have their choices restricted. We need to look at a number of other issues that are outwith the scope of the bill in order to get this right. The fact that disabled people do not have some choices is down to social security cuts, more of which are coming down the line, and the fact that we do not have national care standards, which I would like to see introduced across the board. We must get that right for people.

There has also been a lot of discussion about palliative care. Many folk have said that the two things—assisted dying and palliative care—are not in conflict with each other, and I agree. I am sure that many of us will still be hearing from constituents as this afternoon’s debate progresses, and the question that has been asked of me is, “Why do you not debate palliative care more often in the place where you serve?” That is a very good question, which we need to resolve.

In the 2015 debate, I said that the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill was “far from perfect” and that there was

“much room for improvement to ensure that all possible safeguards are in place.”—[Official Report, 27 May 2015; c 65.]

Those words stand here. I recognise that Liam McArthur has worked very hard on the bill, but even he will recognise that it is not perfect and that we will have to work together to ensure that, as it progresses, we get a bill that works for all.

Today, I will support the bill’s general principles, because I believe in choice at the end of life.

However, that does not mean that I will not play my part in scrutinising the bill as it progresses.

Today we commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe day. On this day, eight decades ago, the guns fell silent across the European continent, marking the end of a brutal conflict that engulfed the world in darkness and despair.

VE day stands as a testament to the resilience, courage and unwavering spirit of those who fought for freedom and justice. As we reflect on this historic milestone, we honour the sacrifices that were made by millions of men and women who served on the front lines and the home front. I want to reflect on some stories from Aberdeen and the north-east, but some stories I do not know.

I know that a large group of Aberdeen women were conscripted to work in munitions factories in Coventry, because my grandmother, Violet Morris, was one of them. However, I do not know any of her tales from Coventry, because she refused to talk about her experiences, which makes me think that, for her and for those other young women who had to move far from home, those experiences were pretty grim.

We also have to look at the fact that war touched every community, with the sacrifice of the Gordon Highlanders touching every part of the globe, from Dunkirk and St Valery to Singapore and Burma, from El-Alamein to the beaches of Anzio and Normandy, and onwards as they went to liberate Rome and Germany. In the dark days of 1940, the threat of invasion was real, with the beaches of Aberdeen a tempting target. To this day, our children play among the remains of pillboxes on north-east beaches.

Although the invasion did not come, those who were at home were not spared, with Aberdeen enduring 34 bombing raids, the worst being on 21 April 1943, when 31 tonnes of bombs rained down on Hilltown and Powis.

Despite those darkest of days, through the bravery and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, victory came 80 years ago today. On this 80th anniversary, we are reminded of the importance of solidarity. The victory that was achieved on VE day was not the triumph of one nation over another but the collective victory of all who stood against tyranny and oppression.

However, as we honour the past, we must also confront the present, because today we face some of the same challenges as those that forged the peace on VE day, and I hope that that does not unravel. The far right is again on the rise across Europe and North America, and here in these islands. The ills of society are once again being blamed on minorities and people from overseas, with older and disabled folk being singled out as a drain on society. Those movements and views threaten the very values that so many fought and died to protect during world war two.

It is our duty today to stand against hatred and division, and to uphold the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to water scarcity alerts issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for the east of Scotland, in light of low rainfall and warm temperatures. (S6F-04057)

It is worrying that many rivers, including the Dee and the Don, which bound my constituency, have such low water levels at this time of year. In spite of nature’s clear warnings, we are currently witnessing climate change denial and an even stronger pushback against net zero and a just transition from the likes of Farage and even from Tony Blair. Does the First Minister share my concerns that the rise of this regressive anti-net zero agenda puts at great risk all the vital work to grow our green economy and create jobs for the future?

Economic uncertainty is not good for anyone. I wrote to the Prime Minister recently about the impact of the energy profit levy and, today, Harbour Energy has announced that it will cut 250 onshore jobs in Aberdeen because of the United Kingdom Government’s

“ongoing punitive fiscal position and a challenging regulatory environment.”

Will the Deputy First Minister call on the UK Government to change its fiscal regime and save jobs in Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland?

Will Michael Marra give way?

Mr Marra has said that the SNP Government has stolen Labour policies. The Scottish public will be thankful that we have not stolen the policies of keeping the two-child benefit cap, slashing winter fuel payments for our pensioners or cutting benefits to disabled people.