Exclusive:Holyrood committee accused of ignoring will of MSPs after trying to kill 'rushed' ecocide law
The ecocide legislation was backed overwhelmingly by MSPs in its first two weeks ago and is being supported by the SNP government.
A Holyrood committee has been accused of ignoring the will of parliament after trying to kill legislation that would outlaw ecocide in Scotland - suggesting the proposals are being “rushed” through.
Edward Mountain, the convener of Holyrood’s net zero, energy and transport committee, has written a letter to Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone, suggesting that Monica Lennon’s legislation to criminalise ecocide be paused.
Two weeks ago, MSPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of the legislation in its first Holyrood vote and Ms Lennon, in partnership with SNP climate action secretary Gillian Martin, have already drafted amendments to help iron out issues ahead of a final decision.
The bill would criminalise “unlawful or wanton acts” committed with knowledge there is “a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment”. Guilty executives could face between ten and 20 years in jail, while companies would be hit with financial sanctions worth up to 10 per cent of worldwide turnover.
MSPs have supported the principle that a standalone offence is required, rather than amending existing legislation despite calls for an “apex” tier for ecocide-level harm with increased penalties to be added to existing regulations.
Now, Mr Mountain has highlighted “the risk of passing rushed legislation” in his letter to Ms Johnstone and has called on her and the cross-party bureau that oversees the Holyrood timetable to “consider next steps on the Bill”.
READ MORE: Monica Lennon's ecocide bill passes first vote but do backbench ideas show SNP running out of steam?
In his letter, which was not supported by committee members Mark Ruskell and Sarah Boyack, Mr Mountain said: “We are now little over a month from this session ending and the committee’s agenda is particularly packed.
“A majority of the committee see no way through for the Bill at Stage 2 and 3 with such limited time remaining, and few remaining slots in our work programme - even allowing, where possible, for additional or extended meetings.
“The issue is not merely the risk of passing rushed legislation, including amendments that stakeholders may have had limited time to consider, but the more fundamental one of the committee simply being at the limit of what it can realistically do.”
Ms Lennon has also written to the Presiding Officer in response to Mr Mountain’s intervention.
In her letter, the Labour MSP has stressed she is “hugely concerned that the Parliament’s clear will, expressed at Stage 1 for the Bill to progress to the amendment stages, is not being taken forward by the committee”.
She added: “The decision by the committee that Stage 2 cannot be scheduled has been taken five weeks before the end of the session. At time of drafting there is a government Bill at Stage 1 and I assume there is every expectation from the Scottish government that that Bill will pass.
Pointing to the committee, Ms Lennon has argued that “whilst it may not have anticipated scrutinising the bill at Stage 2, has the capacity and the time to do so”.
She added: “The government and I had been working for some months on amendments, a number of which address key recommendations from the committee’s report and matters raised by committee members during evidence sessions.
“These amendments were lodged by the Cabinet Secretary on 10 February 2026, and while other amendments remain under consideration this is the extent of the amendments envisaged at this stage.”
Speaking to The Scotsman, Ms Lennon added: “The will of Parliament is clear with 90 MSPs backing the Bill at Stage 1.
“I’m working hard to progress the Bill, and I have every confidence in parliamentary procedures. There is sufficient time to get through Stages 2 and 3.”
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