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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 17 August 2025
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Displaying 2015 contributions

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Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 19 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

Yes, of course. I am sorry. Given some of the concerns that people have raised, would it be helpful for the Government to issue guidance on that area?

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 19 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

Okay—thank you. When you were forming your view of the proposed legislation in the way that you set out in the letter to the cabinet secretary, what consideration did you give to international examples that already have self-ID systems, and what evidence have you taken specifically on those?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

For the people who get the £50, that is £1 a week against the rising energy costs. I genuinely share concerns that that is a “finger in a dam”, but I am sure that they will appreciate the pound.

You noted that weather stations do not reflect everywhere in Scotland. I share that concern, and you will be aware that, last week, so did witnesses. What other weather-related options did you consider? Did you look at absolute temperature? You said that it would be “administratively burdensome”. Will you set out the conversations that you have had with the Met Office?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

In the interests of brevity, I will leave it there.

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

I accept the technical detail that the minister has set out, which states that there is a mechanism. I accept that there is a mechanism. I do not believe, on the basis of what I have seen since I have been in this place, which is from May 2021, that such commitments have ever come to fruition, so I will wait and see, and I hope that the mechanisms that are in the regulations will be used to support people who live in Glasgow.

I take the point about the average weather in the city over the past 10 years, but I share the concerns about how the data is collected and the weather stations from which it is collected. I was making the point that we have an opportunity to change the whole way in which we do things in Scotland. The offer in front of the people of Scotland is insufficient and it will leave thousands of families freezing this winter.

Convener, I will abstain on the motion for all those reasons.

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

Will the member take an intervention on that point?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

As we discussed, the rate is £50, and, at the current rate of heating costs, that would probably heat a house for six days, as I said. Will you set out why specifically it is £50? In line with costs, the payment should be £125. What do you say about that to people who are struggling with their bills?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

First, I am not sure whether the minister has been outside in Glasgow in the past few days. We are heading for a very cold period. We will wait and see what happens with the weather.

Regardless of that, it is important to make clear that you are offering people in Glasgow—36 per cent of whom live in fuel poverty—£1 a week. The Scottish Government had an opportunity to redesign a fuel payment—a winter heating allowance—that could have a genuine impact on fuel poverty. I do not think that anyone who looks at its offer will think that it has achieved that. I do not think that they will accept that.

10:45  

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

Do you think that £1 a week is sufficient to address that?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 15 December 2022

Pam Duncan-Glancy

On that basis, do you support my Westminster colleagues’ argument that we should have a proper windfall tax, with no loopholes, on those energy companies?