The Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, has paid tribute to former Presiding Officer and MSP, Rt Hon Sir George Reid, following his death in the early hours of Tuesday 12 August.
The Rt Hon Sir George Reid served as Deputy Presiding Officer from 1999 to 2003, and then as Presiding Officer from 2003 to 2007. He was elected as MSP for the Mid Scotland and Fife region from 1999 to 2003 and then for the Ochil constituency from 2003 to 2007.
During his time as Presiding Officer, he oversaw the completion of the new Scottish Parliament building, opening in 2004. He was also MP for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire from 1974 to 1979.
A Book of Condolence has been opened and flags at the Scottish Parliament lowered as a mark of respect.
On his passing, the Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, said:“On behalf of all at the Scottish Parliament, I express our deepest sadness at the death of our second Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Sir George Reid.
“He’ll be remembered not only for bringing the Holyrood construction project to completion, but for building confidence and ambition in our young Parliament.
“A proud son of Clackmannanshire and an internationalist by outlook, he was determined to put Holyrood on the map at home and abroad, and very much succeeded. By the time he left office, Holyrood was established at the centre of public life in Scotland and over a million people had visited to see for themselves the new Parliament in action.
“The story of devolution and the early years of our Parliament will remember George fondly and with gratitude. My deepest condolences to Daphne, his daughter and grandchildren and his many friends and colleagues. Sir George was welcoming and supportive to me, in Holyrood and outwith. He will be very much missed.
“Flags at Holyrood have been lowered as a mark of respect.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced that she will not stand in next May’s Holyrood elections.
Ms Forbes said: ‘After careful thought over recess, I’ve decided not to seek re-election to @scotparl next year. I’ve written to the First Minister this morning (see below).
‘I will continue to serve the First Minister, the Government and my constituents to the best of my ability until May 2026.’
Stakeholders and organisations have gathered at a roundtable in support of Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack’s Member’s Bill as it aims to put an end to short-term thinking in policy development.
This meeting comes as a consultation has been launched into the bill by the Social Justice and Social Security Committee.
Ms Boyack’s bill would create a clear and legal definition of wellbeing and sustainable development and embed those into the decision-making process.
It would also establish a Future Generations Commissioner to ensure public bodies and government are complying with new national outcomes as well as these newly established duties.
Ms Boyack hosted the roundtable alongside representatives from Carnegie.
Commenting on the roundtable, Sarah Boyack said: “It was great to host such a positive and constructive discussion about my Member’s Bill with so many stakeholders.
“I am glad to see such widespread support for my bill among the sustainability and wellbeing sectors.
“I hope that this consultation will lead members of the committee and Parliament to support this bill and implement it into law.
“We have the opportunity to truly imbed long-term thinking into the decision-making process and create a more just and sustainable Scotland for decades to come.”
As pupils across the city await their exam results, Gordon Macdonald MSP has highlighted the support offered by the SNP which ‘allows all those seeking further education opportunities to seize them.’
From August 1st, tuition fees in England and Wales have risen to £9,535, with the average debt for students graduating now an eye-watering £53,000.
In Scotland, the SNP made university tuition free for all Scottish students, with tailored support for care experienced students worth up to £11,400.
In addition, there is more than £100 million funding to support Modern and Foundation Apprenticeships with around 400,000 apprenticeship opportunities provided to young people across the country since 2008.
Gordon Macdonald MSP said: “In Labour-run England and Wales, tuition fees and student debt are mounting.
“But here in Edinburgh students can attend university for free, with extra support for those who need it as well as funding for alternative pathways.
“We are making more opportunities available to young people while the Labour Party lumps costs on the next generation.
“That’s the difference made with the SNP in government.”
Scottish Green Lothian MSP and current party Co-leader, Lorna Slater has officially announced she is running for re-election in the party’s internal election process.
“I am re-standing to bring my years of experience of countering the anti-immigrant, anti-trans, and climate denial rhetoric, to the debates ahead of the Holyrood and local authority elections,” Ms Slater said.
Lorna Slater has been co-leader since 2019 with MSP colleague Patrick Harvie who is stepping down from the role after 17 years. She believes this leadership election is pivotal and will shape the future of the party in the upcoming election years.
She said: “We are on track to win the largest numbers of MSPs and Councillors ever, and with that we can secure the policies and values we believe Scotland deserves.”
Slater’s leadership experience is built on a foundation of tangible achievements. As one of the first Green Government Ministers in the UK, she has led transformative changes including the national upgrade to Scotland’s recycling infrastructure and the creation of the groundbreaking Nature Restoration Fund, which is restoring natural habitats across Scotland.
Ms Slater said: “It was my work in Government that ensured that every organisation in receipt of Scottish Government grants, has to pay the living wage, increasing the wages of thousands of workers.
“My experience as a Minister makes me especially effective, because I know exactly how to press Ministers on their decisions and to follow up when the Government drops a commitment.”
Looking ahead, Lorna Slater notes the issues important to her and the Greens: “In the next term I intend to hold the Scottish Government to account on the cost of living, housing, climate and LGBT+ issues.
“I will continue work to reform Council tax and give Councils more powers, including those to raise funds for infrastructure and tackling the housing emergency.”
Ms Slater concluded: “ It has been my privilege to represent the Scottish Greens in our Parliament since 2021. We can build on our successes and build the Scotland that we want to see.”
Votes open to members on 13th August and will close on 22nd August.
The new co-leader term will start on 1st September.
A new exhibition which showcases how Enric Miralles, Holyrood’s lead architect, brought to life his vision for a Parliament ‘growing out of the land’ has gone on display at the Scottish Parliament.
The exhibition, Enric Miralles: Creating the Scottish Parliament and other stories by Benedetta Tagliabue and EMBT, will be on display from 31 July until 30 October and entry is free.
Barcelona-based architects EMBT, co-founded by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue in collaboration with Edinburgh-based architects RMJM, won the international competition to design the Scottish Parliament in 1998.
Their vision was to create a new Scottish Parliament building that embodied the values of Scotland – a space rooted in its landscape, traditions and people.
Many of the original designs featured in this exhibition will be going on display for the first time, including hand-drawn concept images, sketches, photo collages, site studies and competition boards. They formed part of the rich creative process led by Enric and completed by the EMBT team under Benedetta, following his untimely death in 2000.
The exhibition illustrates the importance of drawing, photography and writing as part of Miralles’ creative practice. From the early inspiration behind the famous ‘upturned boats’ on the roof, the ponds symbolising the lochs of the Scottish landscape and the semi-circular debating chamber, the impressive centrepiece, are just some of the design concepts explored within the exhibition.
The late Queen officially opened the Parliament in October 2004, with the building going on to win many accolades for its architecture and it continues to attract thousands of visitors each year.
Deputy Presiding Officer, Annabelle Ewing MSP said:“20 years on from the opening of the Scottish Parliament, people in Scotland have embraced this building and the vision that Enric Miralles had for it.
“That vision was about more than aesthetics. It reflects principles which still guide our work today – openness, accessibility and transparency.
“This exhibition highlights Enric’s creative process and how the Parliament he envisioned on paper was brought to life, something which sadly he would never see completed. EMBT along with RMJM created a national legislature, providing a home to Scottish politics and changing Edinburgh’s landscape forever.”
Benedetta Tagliabue, co-founder of EMBT said:“I was sure this Parliament would be loved by the people, and now this is happening.
“20 years has passed from the opening of the building and I am so happy to come back to Edinburgh and see how beautifully the building is kept and cared for.
“I hope people will come and discover how the building was conceived and see the many art pieces on display here for the first time. Including original work, photographs and hand drawn designs by Enric which were used to create this landmark”.
The EMBT studio was founded on an ethos that architectural design should enrich the day-to-day lives and experiences of people.
To showcase this philosophy, the exhibition also includes a selection of works developed by EMBT, such as the Santa Caterina Market, Hafencity, Kálida Sant Pau Maggie’s Centre and Parco del Mare Rimini.
What impact would a Commissioner for Older People have on Scotland? That is the question a Scottish Parliament committee is exploring as it considers proposals from Colin Smyth MSP.
The Commissioner for Older People (Scotland) Bill aims to give people over the age of 60 a representative who would be tasked with promoting and safeguarding their rights and interests.
Colin Smyth’s Bill proposes that the Commissioner would be responsible for promoting awareness and understanding of older people’s rights, reviewing law, policy and practice as it relates to older people and undertaking research on matters relating to older people.
The proposals share some similarities with the role of the Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland, which was established by the Scottish Parliament following a Committee Bill in 2003.
The Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee has launched a call for views to find out what people think of the proposal. As part of its consideration, the Committee will also be reflecting on a recently published report that recommended against the creation of more commissioners.
Older people and carers are among the groups whose views the Committee would like to hear as it seeks views on the proposed Commissioner’s role and responsibilities, the age range covered by their remit and how to avoid any duplication with the work undertaken by other commissioners or public bodies.
The call for views will be open until Friday 12 September 2025. The Committee is then expected to hold public evidence sessions on the Bill towards the end of Autumn.
Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, said: “Over recent decades there has been significant growth in the number of older people living in Scotland, so, in our consideration of this Bill, we’re keen to understand whether having a Commissioner could help address the needs of an aging population.
“In opening this call for views we’d like to hear what older people think of the proposals. We’re also keen to hear the views of carers, Scotland’s third sector, public bodies and anyone with an interest in the proposal.
“Whether you think that a Commissioner would be a great idea or would like to propose another way that older people might have their views considered, we’re keen to hear from you.”
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin has written to Steve Reed calling for a retraction of comments regarding the quality of water in Scotland.
The text of Ms Martin’s letter in full:
To: Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed MP
From: Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin
Dear Steve,
Independent Water Commission
I am writing following the publication of the final report from the Independent Water Commission led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, and to request that you retract inaccurate and misleading comments regarding the quality of water in Scotland.
The Commission’s report notes that 66% of Scotland’s water bodies are of good ecological status as compared with 16.1% in England and 29.9% in Wales. Whilst we of course need to be careful how these figures are used, as they are not calculated on the same basis, it is clear that Scotland has a higher performance.
The report correctly points out that this is, in part, due to population density. However, it is also worth reflecting that much of the improvement is due to significant investment in the water industry to reduce pollution driven by Scottish Water and SEPA and efforts made by SEPA to address pollution from other sources such as agriculture.
I was therefore extremely disappointed to hear you make inaccurate and misleading comments regarding performance in Scotland and to dismiss out of hand the value of public ownership of a key asset like water.
During a Channel 4 News interview last night, when asked about public ownership, you stated:
“In any case, it is not guaranteed to work…and we know that from looking north of the border where, in Scotland, they have a nationalised water company but pollution levels in Scotland are worse than they are in England.”
Leaving aside my slight confusion at a Minister in the United Kingdom government referring to Scotland as ‘they’, I cannot understand how you could make such an inaccurate comment when the very report that you were on the programme to discuss clearly states the opposite.
Your comments sought also to undermine the idea of public ownership in the minds of voters, yet this is clearly what the people of Scotland continue to want. Indeed, it is the very fact of that public ownership and control which has allowed us to keep water bills lower for people, compared to what people with privatised water supplies in England have to pay.
While there is clearly more to do, 87% of Scotland’s entire water environment is assessed by SEPA as having a ‘high’ or ‘good’ classification for water quality – up from 82% in 2014. That is also, in part, due to water being a publicly owned asset, allowing for investment without shareholder returns or the pressure to make profits.
I am therefore asking that you acknowledge that your comments were inaccurate, that you apologise publicly for making them and seek to correct them.
The Commission’s report makes a number of recommendations which may have cross-UK impacts or opportunities which I would welcome further engagement across the four Nations.
I hope this can be done in an attitude of mutual understanding about the collective challenges we face – but also with a clear understanding of what delivers the best outcomes for the public.
