Presiding Officer

It's an honour and a privilege to be elected Presiding Officer @scotparl. Congratulations to my two new Deputy Presiding Officers @ClareAdamsonSNP and @KatySClark. We will work together on behalf of all Members at Holyrood.

Congratulations to my successor Kenneth Gibson on becoming @scotparl's seventh Presiding Officer. I wish him every success for the new session at Holyrood. It has been the privilege of my life to serve the Parliament and to hold this office.

I am delighted to welcome Scotland’s new MSPs to @scotparl. There is no greater privilege than serving the people of Scotland and I wish them well on their journey.

It was a real privilege to be given a tour of Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory and to hear the powerful stories behind this historic place and their work with veterans today. A poignant reminder of lives lost, those who died in war, and the lasting impact conflict had on families & communities long after fighting ended.

Delighted to meet with The Hon Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and discuss our shared ties and commitment to working together. On behalf of @scotparl, my sincere thanks to everyone in the US and Canada who has given their time so generously to meet with us.

Great to renew our close bonds of friendship with Canada on behalf of all @scotparl as we visit the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and meet Speaker Hon Donna Skelly MPP and Ontario's Premier Hon Doug Ford MPP and his ministerial colleagues. @SpeakerSkelly @fordnation

It was an honour to represent the Scottish Parliament at the Tartan Day Parade in New York yesterday. A wonderful celebration of Scotland and a chance to recognise the contribution of Scots Americans, and Scottish culture and heritage. Thank you NYC!

It has been a great start to Tartan Week being here in New York on behalf of @scotparl. On Thursday, I met with Dr. Nantasha Williams, Deputy Speaker of New York City Council and Commissioner Tascha Van Auken. Yesterday, I had the honour of speaking in Bryant Park.

This session we have celebrated our most diverse membership ever @scotparl. I thank them all for their contribution to Parliament. I hope that the 45% of women colleagues we have today isn’t a high point, but the foundation of a truly representative Parliament.

@SharonDowey_ @scotgov @FBUScotland @fire_scot 3. @agcolehamilton will ask @scotgov what it is doing to protect people receiving and awaiting social care packages, following warnings from industry leaders that home care services are heading towards a “catastrophic breakdown”. Watch from 2.05pm: scottishparliament.tv

2. @SharonDowey_ will ask @scotgov for its response to reported comments by the @FBUScotland that years of real-terms budget reductions have left the @fire_scot “creaking”, and that proposed workforce reductions would increase the risk to community safety.

I've selected 3 Topical Questions for this afternoon. 1. @CMochan will ask @scotgov what its response is to recent findings by @COPFS that 29 babies have died as a result of co-sleeping in Scotland in the last two years.

@alasdairallan @scotgov 3. @LiamKerrforADNK will ask @scotgov what assessment it has made of the impact on Police Scotland of the Budget 2026-27 allocation being £50 million less than the amount requested by the Chief Constable. Watch from 2.05pm: scottishparliament.tv

2. @alasdairallan will ask @scotgov whether it will provide an update regarding the steps being taken to support families with the cost of living, in light of the conflict in the Middle East and its impact on heating oil prices.

I've selected 3 Topical Questions for this afternoon. 1. @CMochan will ask @scotgov what action it is taking in response to reports that one in five adults in Scotland are unable to access dental care.

2. @JohnMasonMSP to ask @scotgov what discussions have taken place with football authorities concerning the recent deplorable fan behaviour after the match between Celtic and Rangers. Watch from 2.05pm: scottishparliament.tv

I have selected 2 topical questions to be asked in @scotparl this afternoon. 1. @AnnieWells2026 to ask @scotgov what its response is to the fire at Union Street in Glasgow.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in @scotparl to mark International Women’s Day 2026. Such a thoughtful discussion about barriers to women participating in public life and the changes we need to see for a truly representative society and Parliament.

@LabourMercedes @scotgov 3. @1edmountain to ask @scotgov further to @neilcgray's letter regarding the funding required for the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, what NHS services would potentially be reduced to meet such costs. Watch from 2.05pm: scottishparliament.tv

2. @LabourMercedes will ask @scotgov whether Scottish publicly owned infrastructure, such as Prestwick or Wick John O' Groats airports, has been used by the US Airforce for the recent strikes on Iran.

I've selected 3 Topical Questions for this afternoon. 1. @jamiegreeneUK to ask @scotgov what discussions @AngusRobertson has had with the UK Government regarding assistance @scotgov could provide to support Scottish residents affected by the situation in Iran and the Gulf region.