Collette Stevenson, a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for East Kilbride, has attributed a recent questioning error at a Holyrood committee to a "momentary lapse" caused by a chest infection and insufficient sleep. Stevenson, who has represented the constituency for the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2021, asked during a committee session if Transport Scotland was a registered charity. The director of Transport Scotland, Graeme Cook, subsequently clarified that it is a national agency and part of the Scottish government.
Stevenson, 57, addressed the incident on Facebook, stating that her illness had impacted her concentration and that she had subsequently faced "misogynistic bullying." She added that she had taken a week off from Parliament on medical advice to recover. "I was in the early stages of a severe chest infection, which affected my sleep and, in turn, my concentration," Stevenson wrote. "On medical advice, and following a flare up of asthma, I have taken this week off from Parliament to recuperate and allow the various medications to work, so I can focus on making a full recovery."