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.

Reforesting Scotland can provide rural jobs

Sat 12 Oct, 2019

Reforesting Scotland to at least the EU average would provide thousands of rural jobs as part of a Scottish Green New Deal, according to the co-leader of the Scottish Greens

Latest forestry stats show that only 18.7% of Scotland is forested, while the European average of tree cover is 40%. In contrast, grouse shooting estates alone make up 20% of all land in Scotland.

There are a number of skills gaps in the current workforce, which has long been undervalued.

Ross Greer: Climate strikers know we need system change

Ross Greer MSP Mon 23 Sep, 2019

I’ve been ‘doing politics’ for a decade now but I’m clinging to the label of ‘young person’. Like the thousands of young people who took to the streets on Friday, I’ve come to realise that my adult life will now be defined by a series of overlapping crises caused by climate breakdown.

This year alone we’ve seen the Amazon burn, wildfires in the Arctic, hurricanes, flooding and the mass displacement of people.

Responsibility for named person shambles lies with Swinney

Thu 19 Sep, 2019

The Cabinet Secretary for Education doesn’t have far to look far to establish where responsibility lies for the shambles that the government have made of the ‘unquestionably legitimate’ named persons child-protection policy, according to Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP.

Greer told Mr Swinney this afternoon that Parliament’s Education committee has been completed vindicated in its refusal to proceed with his ‘unsound’ Information Sharing bill in 2017.

Ross Greer MSP said:

Loch Lomond: Flamingo Land Application Withdrawn

Tue 17 Sep, 2019

Responding to reports that Flamingo Land have withdrawn their planning application to develop land at Loch Lomond, West Scotland Green MSP Ross Greer said:

Electoral Commission fine Scottish Unionist Association Trust

Tue 17 Sep, 2019

Responding to the news that the Electoral Commission has today (17 Sep) fined the Scottish Unionist Association Trust, Green MSP Ross Greer said:

SQA must cease business with Saudi Arabia

Wed 11 Sep, 2019

The Scottish Qualifications Agency has been slammed for support provided to the Saudi Arabian government, including its military, by Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer.

The Green MSP challenged the public body at the Scottish Parliament’s education committee demanding the exam body ends its links with the internationally-condemned regime after it revealed that no assessment has been made of what Saudi defence officials are using their SQA-provided training for.

Pupil support assistants will not replace ASN staff, warns Ross Greer

Fri 6 Sep, 2019

The hiring of pupil support assistants by the Scottish Government is a smokescreen to obscure the growing lack of specialist provision, the Scottish Greens have said.

The party’s education spokesperson Ross Greer said: “Schools can always do with more classroom assistants, but we shouldn’t pretend they will replace specialists for pupils with additional needs.

Flamingoland rejection advice welcomed by Ross Greer

Thu 5 Sep, 2019

Officials for the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National park authority have recommended that its board reject the bid by Flamingoland to develop in Scotland’s national park.

The report notes the plan “has not demonstrated that there will be no adverse impacts on the character or integrity” of the existing asset.

The report is a recommendation only, with the final planning decision to be made by the board of the Park Authority after a public hearing on September 24th.

Hunterston reactor four to be restarted for four months

Tue 20 Aug, 2019

Responding to the news Hunterston reactor four is to be restarted for four months, West of Scotland Green MSP Ross Greer said:

“There is nothing reassuring for communities around Hunterston in this decision to restart one of the reactors.

“The ONR themselves have detailed four previous notable safety incidents. These include lost cooling for a reactor, the failure of a shutdown pump and smoke from a control room panel.

Edinburgh Council must not treat climate strikers like truants

Fri 16 Aug, 2019

Scottish Greens education spokesman Ross Greer has urged Edinburgh Council to “see sense” over plans to restrict school climate strikes to once a year.

Edinburgh councillors will today decide whether to restrict permitted days off from school to a single day per year, after a Scottish Green motion called for councillors to back days of action by Scottish Youth Climate Strike (SYCS) group on September 20 and 27.

The strikes are part of a coordinated global movement started by sixteen-year-old Swedish school pupil Greta Thunberg.

Commenting, Ross Greer said: