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.

Scottish Greens slam decision to scrap DFID

Tue 16 Jun, 2020

Responding to reports that the UK Government will scrap the Department for International Development, merge its functions with the Foreign Office and “squeeze” the international aid budget, Scottish Greens External Affairs Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said:

“This is a nasty attempt to play to the worst instincts of Boris Johnson’s rich mates. Britain has a long, brutal legacy of wrongdoing across the world and the international development programme is one small way in which the government has sought to make amends for that.

Weekend is the worst time for lockdown rule changes

Thu 4 Jun, 2020

The Scottish Greens have asked the Scottish Government not to relax lockdown rules on a Friday again, after last weekend saw over one thousand arrests and eight hundred dispersal orders issued by police.

Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer, who represents Luss and other Loch Lomond communities badly affected by antisocial behaviour at the weekend, asked Cabinet Secretary Michael Russell to introduce further changes to lockdown rules earlier in the week, to allow for the message that lockdown is not over to be reinforced across multiple days before the weekend.

Lack of clarity on exams leaving schools in limbo

Tue 26 May, 2020

Responding to a statement from the Education Secretary this afternoon, Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said:

SQA secrets 'a recipe for disaster'

Fri 22 May, 2020

SQA plans to publish methodology behind this year’s awards moderation on the day results come out is a ‘recipe for disaster’, the Scottish Greens have said.

Return to school must be safe and fair

Fri 22 May, 2020

The phased return to school must be done safely and to ensure fairness to those in challenging circumstances, the Scottish Greens have said.

Responding to the publication of the roadmap to easing lockdown, which aims for an August return for schools on a part home-working basis, Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer said:

Green gains in the COVID emergency laws

Scottish Greens Fri 22 May, 2020

This week the Scottish Parliament passed the second emergency Covid-19 Bill, and yet again it was the Scottish Green MSPs who had the biggest impact. Here’s what we won:

1. No COVID bailouts for tax dodgers.

Greens secure information win

Tue 19 May, 2020

Speaking after his amendments to restore freedom of information access were passed this afternoon, Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer said:

“I'm grateful that my amendments were passed unanimously, ensuring that the public, journalists and elected representatives have access to as much information as possible during this crisis. Confidence in government is critical right now but it depends on transparency.

SQA exam plans may be illegal

Sun 10 May, 2020

Scotland’s equality regulator has raised concerns with the SQA’s proposals to 'moderate' pupil's grades based on their school’s previous performance, prompting fears the plans could be illegal.

Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP challenged the SQA on the issue at Parliament’s Education Committee, highlighting the exam body’s failure to adequately asses the equality impact of its proposal.

Ross Greer MSP said:

Public health experts back Scottish Green proposals on testing

Fri 8 May, 2020

Former chief medical officer and respected public health professor Sir Harry Burns has indicated his support for Scottish Green proposals to routinely test health and care workers.

SQA fails MSP questions test on grading plans

Fri 1 May, 2020

The SQA has confirmed a system to replace this year’s exams which is ‘profoundly unfair, statistically flawed and will only widen the gap between students from the richest poorest backgrounds’, according to the Scottish Greens.

The exam body’s chief executive Fiona Robertson appeared before MSPs of the Scottish Parliament’s education committee, and confirmed, contrary to claims made by Education Secretary John Swinney, that pupils’ grades could be altered up or down by SQA moderators based on previous exam results at their school.