The Week Ahead in Holyrood – 30th January

On Tuesday there will be a Ministerial Statement on the Scottish Government response to the Independent Review of the circumstances surrounding the death of Bailey Gwynne. Bailey Gwynne was a schoolboy from Aberdeen who was stabbed to death during a fight with another student.

This will be followed by a Scottish Government Debate on Celebrating Our Past: Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. Next, Clare Adamson will lead a Committee Debate on Gender balance on the Parliamentary Bureau and SPCB. Finally, Graeme Dey will sponsor a debate on Scotland’s Veterans and will welcome the publication of the report by the Scottish Veterans Commissioner entitled The Veterans Community: Employability, Skills and Training.

On Wednesday Portfolio Questions focus on Communities, Social Security and Equalities. There will also be a Ministerial Statement on the Review of Legal Aid. This will be followed by a Scottish Government Debate on the Prevention and Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation and all Other Forms of so-called Honour-based Violence. Finally, Sandra White will lead a debate acknowledging what parliament considers to be the injustice facing women affected by the acceleration of the increase in the state pension age.

Thursday’s General Questions will be followed by First Minister’s Questions. Liam Kerr will then lead Members’ Business by addressing The Awards for Valour (Protection) Bill. The Parliament will note the view that people across the country who falsely wear medals claiming to have earned them deserve punishment. At 2.30pm there will be a Stage One debate on the Budget Scotland Bill, where parliament will have its first chance to vote on the Scottish Government’s draft budget.