Seòmar agus comataidhean

I recognise the importance of these issues to colleagues who represent the north-east, but I also recognise that they are significant to us all, nationally and internationally. It is important to acknowledge that the climate crisis is the most serious global problem that we have ever faced—it must be at the forefront of humanity’s agenda.

We must be honest and humble and recognise that Scotland and the UK cannot solve this problem alone, but we have the know-how, and substantial renewable resources that are not available to other countries, to make a significant contribution to addressing the global challenge. We have an obligation to humanity, including ourselves, to play an active part.

Nationally, as others have said, one of the most serious issues that we also face is energy security. That is an on-going consideration, but we must keep it in mind that energy involves global markets and that we have a declining basin in the North Sea.

The energy industry as a whole, including oil and gas, is one of the most significant sectors in our country. We should celebrate that, and I appreciate the points that have been made today in that space. The jobs are highly skilled and well paid, and we must keep that in consideration as we transition to net zero. I say for clarity that I have full admiration for those who work in the oil and gas industry—for their technical knowledge and for what they do week in and week out, particularly those who are on rigs in the North Sea. It is important that we put that on record.

From my brief time working in the renewables sector, I know how many people from the oil and gas sector are passionate about moving into the net zero space. In fact, most of our renewables companies are populated by those from the North Sea oil and gas industry, and they are making a huge contribution.

Like colleagues, I believe that no pupil, teacher or member of school staff and no one else in the school environment should suffer physical or verbal abuse, and that every child and young person has the right to an uninterrupted school day that is free from violence and disruption. I commend colleagues for bringing the issue to the chamber for debate, because the welfare of our young people and their nurturing and education could not be a more important issue.

Like colleagues, I have concerning casework on the issue involving parents, carers and staff who work in schools. As colleagues have mentioned, the Education, Children and Young People Committee has taken evidence on the issue and it is undertaking an important inquiry into support for those with additional support needs and the many challenges in ensuring that those young people—and people around them—are appropriately supported.

Given the extent of the challenge and its importance, I was pleased to see the five-point plan and to hear the Government’s reassurance that there will be targeted support for schools. The cabinet secretary and our colleagues and officials are focused on working with teachers, unions and stakeholders to make a meaningful difference. There is political unity as well.

In response to one of the five points, the whole-school framework on preventing and responding to gender-based violence was published this week, which is very welcome. I am pleased that there has been expert input from Rape Crisis Scotland and Zero Tolerance, which I know, because it is based in my constituency, has been extremely concerned. Ross Greer mentioned the research and surveys that Zero Tolerance undertook. According to that research, 64 per cent of girls and young women aged 13 to 21 experienced sexual harassment at school in the past year. That gives an indication of the scale of the challenge.

Given those circumstances, I would be grateful if the cabinet secretary could touch on how implementation of the framework will be supported, if there is capacity for her to do that in this short debate. Can we, as MSPs, help the Government, local authorities and schools in our constituencies and regions to take that forward? On that and the other four points, can we engage other stakeholders in a way that is similar to the engagement with the expertise of Zero Tolerance and Rape Crisis Scotland? As Brian Whittle rightly highlighted, the power of sport can make a difference here. I have seen that in north Edinburgh in my constituency, where the Spartans Community Foundation makes a real impact in supporting schools and, in particular, the young people who are involved.

To state the obvious, the issue is not isolated to schools. We have previously discussed challenges on public transport and the wider issue of the effect of the pandemic on young people. We cannot put it all on our teachers and those who run our schools. We perhaps need to have a wider debate at some point on the wide-ranging challenge of the behaviour of young people. Tomorrow, when there are young people sitting just behind me in the chamber, perhaps we can ask ourselves whether we are setting the best example.

I will take a brief intervention.

It is important that there is public investment, as has just been stated. It is also important that we have consistency in policy making and direction. Investors are seeking to put money into net zero. Net zero is the future for social and economic benefit as well as for the global context of tackling climate change. The UK Government’s chopping and changing has confused the considerations for investors, whereas the Scottish Government’s commitment to renewables and net zero is realised and recognised, and that is important. The Scottish Government is finalising its energy strategy and just transition plan. That will be a crucial document, and I look forward to engaging around it at committee and here in the chamber.

In conclusion, I will touch on something that my colleague Ivan McKee rightly raised, which is the fact—to use his phrase again—that Scotland has hit the energy jackpot a number of times. As much as I enjoy being in the north-east when I am there, it is objectively fair to say that, given the oil and gas sector’s success, the infrastructure investment that the north-east has had is not what it should have been. If we compare the north-east with Dubai, for example, the evidence is there to see.

We need to make the most of the opportunity in net zero. I am sure that we can come to a position, particularly with the Scottish Conservatives today, that, whatever the final destination of Scotland’s constitutional future is, this Parliament should have powers over energy regulation and taxation.

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving, in collaboration with Police Scotland, to the possibility of establishing a new Leith police station within the Scottish Government’s Victoria Quay building. (S6O-03130)

I will use my time today to emphasise some of what Professor Hayward has said. First, I draw Parliament’s attention to the evidence that we received from her at the Education, Children and Young People Committee last year.

At the beginning of her evidence to the committee, Professor Hayward made five key points that are worth repeating. First, she said that the report

“offers a longer-term direction of travel for qualifications and assessment in Scotland.”

She emphasised that

“This is not a quick fix; it is about thinking about the future and making sure that we have a future that serves every learner, and Scotland as a nation, well”—[Official Report, Education, Young People and Children Committee, 20 September 2023; c 30.]

That really important point feeds into what the cabinet secretary has said about taking the necessary time. Yes, we need to move at pace where it is possible and practicable to do so, but we need to take the necessary time to ensure that we get reform right.

Secondly, Professor Hayward emphasised that, although the review is called the “Hayward review” colloquially, that name could not, in her view, be further from the truth, because she engaged across the country with a range of stakeholders, and the thinking and agreed positions in the report are from across all those communities. That attaches to the emphasis that the Government is placing on engaging with the profession and all other stakeholders. It is great to see the party-political consensus that is indicated by the amendments to the motion. That wide engagement will be so important going forward.

Thirdly, Professor Hayward emphasised that “vision is absolutely crucial.” She was keen to impress on the committee that, if no vision is set, there will be a real danger that, through the years of implementation, we will collectively lose sight of where we are trying to get to and, at that point, the process of review will begin again. Within the profession and among stakeholders who are relevant to reform, we must get a collectively agreed vision that is as solidified as possible. That also applies to the political sphere. We will be able to serve our constituents better in the reform if we agree on a position as much as possible and if we avoid party-political attacks on the issue and focus on the national interest of getting reform right.

Fourthly, Professor Hayward emphasised that

“The pace of putting ideas into practice should depend on the level of resourcing that is available. It is about working through the ideas and being realistic about the investment that can be made as they develop.”—[Official Report, Education, Young People and Children Committee, 20 September 2023; c 31.]

That is a really important point—we must keep in mind the financial challenge that we face nationally.

Fifthly, Professor Hayward said that no idea is contained in her report that is not already being implemented in at least one other country. That is a significant point. We must keep in mind that we can learn from other countries around the world, as we engage in reform.

In the time that I have remaining, I will refer to two recommendations in the report that could be quick wins. Recommendation 12, which is about artificial intelligence, emphasises that

“As a matter of urgency, Scottish Government should convene and lead a cross-sector commission to develop a shared value position on the future of AI”.

If we do not get ahead of the AI revolution, we will fall behind economically. That applies in the education context, too. Learning to use AI should be in our curriculum across the board as soon as possible.

Also, recommendation 16 is an important issue that teachers are raising with the Government at this point.

There is lots more to talk about in a future debate, Presiding Officer.

I am grateful to the cabinet secretary for that answer and for her letter of 20 February. I appreciate that the individual consultation on Leith police station has not yet gone live. The current Leith police station is effective with regard to police duties, but the building is not optimal for the 21st century and net zero considerations.

Whatever happens, Leith will need a police station, given its high population and population growth. Victoria Quay is currently underused by the Scottish Government and could be better utilised for a range of possibilities, as well as the civil service. I would be grateful if the cabinet secretary, along with Scottish Government colleagues and Police Scotland, keeps under consideration the potential for a new Leith police station at Victoria Quay.

For more than 150 years, as a country, we have observed, participated in and experienced the power of football, in all the ways in which that manifests itself, both good and bad. We have seen football’s power to unite, from bringing us together as a nation and bringing together communities around their local clubs to bringing together MSPs from all parties behind the motion for debate. I thank colleagues for their interest and support.

Many of us in Scotland have felt the power of the Hampden roar; the excitement of the build-up to a big game; fans singing in unison; and the rousing of stadiums buzzing with energy in cities and towns across the country. There is the emotion and the entertainment—win, lose or draw, and whether we are spectating or playing.

As a player back in the day, I, like most people who have put on a pair of boots—and, along with the Deputy Presiding Officer, a pair of goalkeeper gloves—found that football gave me joy, discipline, connection and direction. Football has taken me to places that I never would have gone otherwise, and it has introduced me to people who have positively influenced my life. It has made me a better person.

Yes, sometimes football contributes to negative aspects of our society and the human condition, including hatred, abuse, violence, division, misogyny, racism and sectarianism. We must be honest that those issues are still present in football settings, but we must take heart from the progress that has been made in recent decades to tackle them, and from the fact that footballing organisations have played a proactive, positive and effective role in changing social attitudes.

There are still improvements to make, especially—in my view—when it comes to some over-competitiveness and bad touchline behaviour in youth football. What is more, some stadium chatter and chanting is still totally unacceptable. On those issues and others, there are still improvements to make but, overall, we should feel energised by the power of football to create and encourage positive social change, and to be a source of substantial individual and community benefit, especially in relation to physical and mental wellbeing.

Last year, we recognised all of that with a parliamentary reception and a debate. In my constituency, I see the positive power of football every week, whether it is delivered by the Scottish Football Association’s charity partner Street Soccer Scotland; by Spartans FC and its community foundation in north Edinburgh; by Hibernian FC and its community foundation in Leith; or by Craigroyston, Civil Service Strollers, Leith Athletic and all the other smaller clubs that make such a positive difference week in, week out in our communities.

Let us pay tribute to all those who are involved in local football activities across Scotland as staff and volunteers. It is those coaches, teachers and parents who create enjoyable opportunities for others to play, and who help to start professional players’ careers. Similarly, let us pay tribute to those who are involved in running the SFA, the Scottish Women’s Premier League, the Scottish Professional Football League and the SPFL Trust. It is the commitment of everyone who is involved both in playing and in organising Scottish football that has led us to the strong position that we are currently in.

In the women’s game, that has manifested itself in increasing success, profile and participation, in particular since the brilliant and memorable Scotland performances in the FIFA women’s world cup in 2019. In the men’s game, we are experiencing an incredibly successful period for the national team; as fans, we are all looking forward to the European championships in Germany this summer.

Whether in relation to the national team or to local clubs, the importance of fans in generating and realising the power of football should not be underestimated. While great players make magic happen on the pitch, it is the high level of participation by supporters, and the commitment of supporters groups, that make football stand out as our most important and popular sport. Fans are the lifeblood of football as a major cultural industry in our country.

As well as supporters groups for specific clubs, there are a number of national supporters groups, including Supporters Direct Scotland and the Scotland supporters club, of which I am a proud member. There is also the Scottish Football Supporters Association. As the motion notes, last year the SFSA initiated, co-ordinated and published

“a fan-led review of the game in Scotland”

with a

“determination to seek to enhance Scottish football at all levels”.

I believe that that work should form part—I stress “part”, but it should be a meaningful part—of how we, together, collectively seek to build on the progress and achievement of Scottish football so far and make further improvements to realise even more of Scotland’s footballing potential.

The issues that are raised in “Rebuilding Scottish Football: A Fan Led Review of The Game in Scotland” matter to all stakeholders who are involved in the game. Most notably, the stand-out recommendation in the report is that the governance, finance and conduct of Scottish football could benefit from independent scrutiny and, as necessary, appropriate regulation, as is being taken forward in England. The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland has gone further, in a briefing to MSPs, calling for an independent regulator

“with a clear focus on human rights, protection of children, and ensuring decisions are made in the interests of all involved in football.”

The SFSA and others argue that at the heart of their call is an aspiration for greater accountability and transparency from those who run Scottish football, both nationally—the football authorities themselves—and at club level with regard to who owns our sports teams. With power comes responsibility, and football should always primarily be about public benefit, as it receives public money and support. It could be argued, therefore, that all those who are involved in football should embrace public scrutiny and measures to uphold good governance.

Indeed, the SFSA argues that greater accountability would likely enhance trust among supporters, investors and stakeholders across the game, and among the wider public. It proposes that the current absence of thorough fit-and-proper checks on companies or individuals purchasing Scottish professional football clubs is neither an optimal nor a desirable situation.

On the other hand, the footballing bodies have recently stated that an independent football regulator is not relevant in a Scottish context and would, in their view, add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and cost.

There are different perspectives to consider, so how do we move forward? As the legislation progresses in England, it would probably be prudent for us in Scotland to collaboratively, openly and robustly consider the issues and how to improve and progress our national game, including safeguarding and future proofing it.

In that spirit, I conclude by calling on the Scottish Government to seriously consider formally consulting on the various contemporary matters pertaining to Scottish football, including the possibility of establishing an independent regulator in the coming years and whether that would be appropriate and beneficial.

Furthermore, building on the work of the Parliament’s cross-party group on the future of football in Scotland, of which I am a member, I urge the Government to help to facilitate a round-table discussion on how football in our country can further prosper and progress, and to establish a working group of all relevant and appropriate stakeholders to meet similarly on a periodic basis.

There is much to be positive about in relation to Scottish football, but—as most people who are involved in football would say in a post-match interview—there is always room for improvement, so let us work together on that.

I look forward to hearing the thoughts of colleagues in the rest of the debate, and to further dialogue between everyone who cares about the beautiful game and its power in our local communities and our country as a whole.

I absolutely agree. I raised those points at committee yesterday and I will conclude on them shortly.

I want to go back to the second role that I had in the private sector before becoming an MSP. The period when I worked in this role is an important aspect, as we can learn lessons from it to make sure that we maximise the opportunities. About 10 years ago, I was involved as a solicitor in helping to finance onshore wind. That demonstrated to me the excellent professional services that we have in Scotland for renewables, as well as the more manufacturing-based skills and opportunities. I worked in the financing of such wind farms in a thriving time when we had the renewable obligation certificate. Unfortunately, a Conservative Party manifesto commitment in 2016—which I think the Conservatives would now, in good conscience, regret—removed subsidy support from onshore wind at a time when the industry was about to reach a position of not needing subsidy. It was such an illogical mistake. We need to learn from that as we move to offshore wind.

That brings me to contracts for difference. It is widely recognised that the auction round 5 was not well considered by the UK Government. As we move to auction round 6, I hope that there will be an increased auction strike price so that Scottish offshore projects are eligible for the auction. The UK Government is giving a signal on that, and I hope that it bears fruit, because there is such an opportunity in offshore wind.

I will conclude on the point that Sarah Boyack rightly raised about consenting. This is an ask of the Scottish Government. From my experience and my constituency casework for a range of different organisations, I know that we have to improve the consenting timelines in Scotland. I know that the Government is attentive to that. I see that as the most prominent area in which we could lose out on opportunities if we do not make improvements in the period ahead. We need resource and we need to build a skills base, and I welcome the Government’s attention to that.

Collectively, we have huge opportunities, and we need to learn from the mistakes of the past. Let us work together, create as many jobs as possible and make the social, economic and climate difference that we can.

It is important to bear in mind that the UK had a comparative advantage in offshore wind development in the 1970s and 1980s but, unfortunately, it did not take that opportunity. The manufacturing industry in Germany and Denmark became very strong and that remains the case to this day. The issue goes back way longer than the dates that the member has mentioned.