Ross Greer MSP

West of Scotland

External Affairs, Education & Skills, Culture & Media

Ross was Communities Co-ordinator at Yes Scotland, helping to develop the movement for independence. He is a member of Holyrood's European and Education committees. Ross is an active community campaigner on issues ranging from school closures to supermarket expansion and opportunities for young people. Upon election in May 2016 at the age of 21, Ross became the youngest MSP in the history of the Scottish Parliament. He was formerly a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Clydebank & MIilngavie constituency and led on the successful campaign to give 16 & 17 year olds the vote in the independence referendum.

Revealed: Scottish Enterprise betraying Loch Lomond

Tue 22 Dec, 2020

Scottish Enterprise will ignore overwhelming public opposition and proceed with plans for a Flamingoland resort at Loch Lomond, the Scottish Greens can reveal.

The controversial tourist resort proposals for one of Scotland’s most iconic natural beauty spots was refused permission last year after becoming the most unpopular planning application in Scotland’s history following a campaign led by Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer.

Greens: Scottish actors entitled to trade union representation

Wed 16 Dec, 2020

Scotland’s unique culture and arts scene must have full trade union representation, Scottish Green culture spokesperson Ross Greer has said.

The comments come after Scottish actors and theatre workers launched a petition begging their union, Equity, to reverse a decision to axe staff working for members in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Over a thousand Scottish actors have signed it, including former cast members of Still Game and River City.

Scottish Greens: Teachers Right To Dispute Safety

Tue 15 Dec, 2020

The Scottish Greens have given their support to teachers in West Dunbartonshire, Fife and Glasgow who have announced a formal dispute with their employers over concerns that they have not been provided a safe working environment in schools.

Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer, whose ‘Safe Schools’ proposals were agreed by Parliament last month but have not yet been delivered by the Scottish Government, has called for ministers to step in immediately to address the serious safety concerns raised by teachers across the country.

Greens welcome exams cancellation

Tue 8 Dec, 2020

Scottish Greens Education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has welcomed an announcement from the Education Secretary that there will be no Higher and Advanced Higher exams in 2021.

The Scottish Greens have led calls for school exams to be cancelled in light of the pandemic, being the first to make this proposal in May, when it became clear that the 2020/21 school year would see huge disruption.

Ross Greer MSP said:

Scottish Greens renew call for 2021 exams to be cancelled

Mon 7 Dec, 2020

Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has called on the education secretary to finally give young people and teachers the certainty they deserve and announce that the 2021 Higher and Advanced Higher exams will be cancelled when he addresses Parliament tomorrow.

The Scottish Greens first called for exams to be cancelled and replaced by a continuous assessment model in May, when it became clear that the 2021/22 school year would face a level of disruption like no other.

Ross Greer MSP said:

Greens: mental health support for young people needed

Wed 2 Dec, 2020

The Scottish Greens have called for more support for mental health services, after figures released by Public Health Scotland have revealed that the number of children and young people who starting treatment at CAMHS has risen by 3.3% since the previous year and that the number being seen within the 18-week standard has fallen by 3.9% [1].

Greens call for evidence on schools decisions

Tue 1 Dec, 2020

The Scottish Government must publish all evidence on the effect that extending schools’ Christmas holidays or a period of remote learning would have on the spread of Covid, the Scottish Greens have said.

The party’s education spokesperson Ross Greer raised the issue in Parliament today as other parties joined the Scottish Green calls for the Higher and Advanced Highers exam diet to be cancelled and replaced with a robust system of continuous assessment, given the disruption already experienced by tens of thousands of pupils.

Commenting, Ross Greer said:

Scrapping of Flamingo Land Loch Lomond deal backed by 13,000

Tue 1 Dec, 2020

The exclusivity agreement held by Flamingo Land over land at Scotland's iconic Loch Lomond national park must be ended after 13,000 people backed the move, the Scottish Greens have said.

Ross Greer: SQA music advice ridiculous and insulting

Fri 27 Nov, 2020

New advice from the SQA that pupils preparing for music exams who are unable to be taught properly should try ‘learning a different instrument’ is “ridiculous and insulting”, Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer has said.

The exams body has issued guidance on how COVID is impacting exams which includes the line: “Brass, woodwind and voice candidates, who are unable to be supported by face to face learning and teaching leading up to their assessment, might wish to consider the option of learning a different instrument.”

Greens force Tory climbdown on teacher standards

Wed 25 Nov, 2020

The UK Government has been forced by Greens to improve protections for Scottish teaching standards in the controversial Internal Market Bill.

The bill, which seeks to undermine the powers of devolved nations, would have forced the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) to register individuals as qualified teachers, even if they did not meet the high professional standards required to teach in Scotland, so long as they met the lower standards required in England.