Official Report 310KB pdf
Forth Valley College (Alloa Campus)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported decision by Forth Valley College to retain its Alloa campus for 2026-27, what engagement it will have with the college and the Scottish Funding Council to ensure the long-term future of further education provision in Clackmannanshire. (S6O-05685)
The member is right to emphasise that, because of the additional resource that the Scottish Government has provided to our college sector, the board of Forth Valley College has confirmed that the Alloa campus will remain open for the academic year 2026-27.
In January, using the Scottish Government’s convening power, and working with the college principal and the wider college, we were able to bring together senior representatives from the public and private sectors to consider and explore how the college could strengthen its engagement with industry and ensure that the potential of the Alloa campus was fully realised. That was a very constructive discussion, which highlighted the strong commitment that exists across the region to creating a skills system that is responsive and resilient. The group expects to meet again in the summer to review progress and consider next steps. That represents a positive way forward for the potential of the Alloa campus.
I very much welcome the Scottish Government’s support in this matter, and especially its budget support, notwithstanding the fact that neither the Conservative Party nor the Labour Party made any budget proposals for increased college funding.
What consideration did the Forth Valley College board give to alternative options across the wider Forth Valley College estate, including the Falkirk and Stirling campuses, before reaching its position? It seems that the board has focused only on the Alloa campus. Given the importance of further education to local skills, employability and economic growth, especially in our most deprived communities, what specific assurances can the minister provide that Clackmannanshire will continue to benefit from a high-quality, sustainable and diverse further education offering in the longer term?
My engagement and the Scottish Government’s wider engagement with the college have been enhanced by the work of Keith Brown, as the constituency MSP, in informing the Scottish Government and working collaboratively and proactively with it to promote the interests of the college and the people it serves and he serves.
Through the process of wider engagement with partners in industry and the public sector, which I mentioned in my first answer, it is clear that the need for skills in Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire and Falkirk will increase in the period ahead as a result of the inward investment, the opportunities in the economy and the growth that we are seeing in the area, so Forth Valley College should have a positive future across the three campuses. It is important that all partners—with the Scottish Government at the heart of the process—work together constructively in the year ahead to develop the case for continued investment in the college so that it can realise its potential for the region and the people in the area.
Does the minister accept that funding for Forth Valley College needs to increase year on year? Otherwise, we will be in the same position next year and the following year, with the Alloa campus facing the threat of closure. Does the Scottish Government accept that, if we are to grow the Scottish economy in the way that we need to, colleges across Scotland must be put on a more sustainable footing?
A brief response would be appreciated, minister.
Investment in our college sector has increased significantly in this financial year, and the Government is now taking part in a process that was formally announced on 12 March, along with the college sector and the Scottish Funding Council, to consider what our college sector should look like in the future. It is clear from the voice of industry and the needs of communities that we must have a thriving college sector if we are to meet the needs of the future and to realise our potential. The more we are united in that task as a Parliament and as a country, the more we will achieve together.
Grangemouth (Redundancy Support)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting workers at Grangemouth who have been made redundant. (S6O-05686)
We are committed to securing a just transition for Grangemouth. We have provided more than £12 million in funding to support the creation of up to 279 jobs.
We are also committed to supporting workers who have been made redundant as a result of commercial decisions at Grangemouth. We have established a programme of skills support that is assisting redundant workers to retrain, upskill and transition to new employment. Up to £2 million has been made available for that by the Scottish and United Kingdom Governments. Engagement has been high, with more than 300 individuals being supported to date.
The Westminster Labour Government has shown whose side it is on by stepping in to save steel at Scunthorpe but abandoning the workforce at Grangemouth.
The unions, especially Unite the Union, have been constructive throughout and have put the needs of their members before anything else. What role has our Government played to create a future for the workers who have been abandoned and discarded by the United Kingdom Labour Government?
The Scottish Government has engaged extensively with those workers. Mr Kidd’s question allows me to put on record my enormous appreciation of the constructive and positive role that unions at Grangemouth have played. They have brought ideas and solutions to the table and given help to their members and other workers in order to secure a chance of a better future.
I thank Unite the Union in particular. It has worked with us to establish the Grangemouth jobs prioritisation scheme, which ensures that redundant workers are prioritised for new opportunities arising at Grangemouth as a result of the Grangemouth just transition fund. I put on record my enormous thanks to all the unions that I have had the pleasure of working with over the past few years.
Bus Routes (Local Authority Powers)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether local authorities are fully utilising the powers available to them under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, such as bus service improvement partnerships, franchising and the ability to run their own services, to safeguard essential routes such as the 46 and 48 in Midlothian. (S6O-05687)
The Scottish Government and I very much appreciate the vital role that local bus services play in supporting the communities of Midlothian. We have given local transport authorities powers to improve services within their areas, and I encourage them all to explore the powers that are available to them to make necessary improvements as they see fit.
It is for each authority to determine what actions are best to address their own transport challenges. Additionally, local authorities have a duty under the Transport Act 1985 to identify where there is social need for particular bus services and can subsidise services at their own discretion.
My constituents are gravely concerned about the adjustments to the routes that I mentioned, which will make it harder for residents to reach hospitals, workplaces and essential appointments. With that in mind, what guidance does the minister provide to ensure that local authorities are deploying the powers at their disposal in the public interest?
We have published a range of guidance to support local authorities in using the powers under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 and most recently published guidance on franchising on 17 March this year. As I said, I want all local authorities and transport authorities to consider the full range of tools that are available to them under the 2019 act to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport regardless of where they are in Scotland. However, I recognise that it is for each local transport authority to determine which powers, if any, are suitable to improve the services in their specific area.
Affordable Childcare (Clydebank and Milngavie)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting families in Clydebank and Milngavie to access affordable childcare. (S6O-05688)
Families in Clydebank and Milngavie, like those throughout Scotland, benefit from our investment of £1 billion annually in the provision of 1,140 hours of high-quality early learning and childcare. The evaluation of that policy that was published last week shows that it is helping parents, particularly women, into work, training or study, enabling them to make choices that support families and helping families to meet the cost of living challenge. If families paid for that offer, it would cost more than £6,000 annually.
We are also expanding school-age childcare, delivering breakfast clubs for all children in primary school and extending the extra time programme to help more families impacted by poverty.
I am proud of the policies that the Scottish National Party Government has introduced, which make childcare more accessible. We know that wraparound childcare is essential to ensuring that parents can find and retain employment, and that the impact of that policy is keeping children out of poverty. Will the minister set out the Government’s continued commitment to childcare providers across Scotland in recognition that they are key stakeholders in the delivery of our childcare strategy?
I absolutely recognise the fundamental importance of childcare providers as the cornerstone of the childcare system in Scotland. I am glad that Marie McNair asked that question, as it allows me to put that on record one last time.
I have welcomed the opportunity to visit a wide range of settings during my time in office, seeing our support and funding in action and witnessing the passion, dedication and skill of our childcare professionals, who seek every day to get it right for every child. As the next Government considers its priorities for childcare, I urge it to continue to put childcare providers’ voices at the heart of those discussions.
Scottish Information Commissioner (Government Handling of Information)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by the Scottish Information Commissioner who stated, in relation to the Government’s handling of information concerning the Salmond files, “I can no longer trust the government to handle this information unsupervised and will explore more intrusive options to ensure compliance.” (S6O-05689)
As the First Minister set out in the chamber on 19 March, the Scottish Government has, since the start of 2024, answered more than 13,000 freedom of information requests, of which 95 per cent have been responded to on time. The Scottish Information Commissioner has raised compliance concerns about two of those cases. One relates to a delay in compliance due to the need to adhere to court orders and the scale and complexity of the material involved. The other is about the interpretation of the scope of a request. As the permanent secretary has set out in response to the commissioner, all FOI request cases are handled with the highest standards of impartiality and integrity.
The Scottish Information Commissioner has lost trust in the Government. He has called its excuses “preposterous and unacceptable”. Any other Government would be utterly ashamed, but this lot are brazen and think that they can get away with it. Does the minister understand that the Government’s behaviour on that case and so many others has led the public out there to tell me that they think that Scottish National Party ministers and the SNP Government are a bunch of chancers and liars?
We will be courteous and respectful to one another in the chamber.
Indeed, Presiding Officer. Oh, the irony of Douglas Ross standing up in this chamber and calling on anyone to respect authority. If anyone wants evidence of how estranged Mr Ross is from self-awareness, we have just had it. [Interruption.]
Thank you.
I absolutely do not accept the thrust of Mr Ross’s point. [Interruption.]
Let us hear the minister.
The Government has an excellent track record in responding to FOI requests. One of the two requests in question concerned releasing a huge amount of data and involved protecting the identity of individuals, and I remind Mr Ross that the other involved the Government, very unusually, releasing legal advice that it had received. That in itself is evidence of the Government’s willingness to comply with FOI requests. [Interruption.]
I would be grateful if we could hear each other. This delay means that it is unlikely that I will be able to call all members who wish to ask a question.
Fusion Strategy
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on its energy policy and strategy, and in light of reports that Torness nuclear power station is due to close by 2030, what its response is to the United Kingdom Government’s new fusion strategy, which aims to deliver thousands of jobs and long-term energy security. (S6O-05690)
The Scottish Government recognises the increasing interest in fusion energy. However, fusion remains experimental, with no commercial deployment and uncertainties around cost, safety and timescales.
The United Kingdom Government’s prototype fusion plant is not expected to be operational until 2040, but the climate emergency demands proven, deployable solutions now. That is why we are focused on Scotland’s world-leading potential in renewable energy, which is already delivering thousands of jobs, significant investment and greater energy security—now—and remains the clearest route to net zero.
What estimate has the Scottish Government made of the direct financial losses to East Lothian resulting from the closure of Torness nuclear power station, including the projected reduction in high-skilled employment, the impact on local supply chain businesses and the anticipated fall in business rates and revenues to support local public services—or has it not yet done so?
We obviously work with Torness, and we welcome the work of its workers and management and their participation in our energy security. Torness is making plans for its closure, as Martin Whitfield is well aware.
Nuclear fusion is far away from deployment. The security of electricity supply and issues such as grid stability, inertia and frequency control will not be helped by something that happens in the future—in 2040. Nuclear fusion also cannot be lifted and put into Torness power station or other fission sites. I think that Martin Whitfield is aware of that, too.
What does the cabinet secretary understand to be the estimated average build cost of a small modular reactor?
Obviously, I do not have that information in front of me, because we do not plan to build small nuclear reactors, which are unproven technology that has not been deployed. The Scottish Government has a policy against new nuclear fusion.
Forth Valley College (Funding)
To ask the Scottish Government what its commitment is to a sustainable funding package for Forth Valley College to ensure its long-term future. (S6O-05691)
The member is generous in spirit, therefore he will want to be thankful for and warmly welcome the fact that the Scottish National Party’s 2026-27 budget includes a 10 per cent uplift for our colleges, reinforcing the Government’s on-going commitment to the college sector, to people across the country and to the economy.
As part of the annual allocation process, the Scottish Funding Council will publish indicative university and college allocations for the financial year 2026-27 during the coming days, and the Scottish Government’s increased support for our colleges will be reflected in those announcements.
It is vital that the public is aware of the full picture, because, unless the Scottish Government can give concrete reassurances about the long-term future of the Alloa campus to its students and employees, it will be right back to square 1. Can the minister give any assurance about the long-term financial package that is required?
Whether it is at the Alloa campus, Forth Valley College or other colleges across the country, as I said, this Government’s stepping up of support for our college sector is making all the difference for learners and institutions.
I spoke earlier about the difference that has been made for the Alloa campus and I said that it will stay open for this year. We are in a very positive and constructive dialogue with the sector as a whole and with Forth Valley College about the future of the Alloa campus. There is huge potential and there are economic opportunities. There is a need for more skills in the area, and that will have an impact on the community, so that the Alloa campus can have a bright future. The Government will keep working proactively to support the whole of our college sector, Forth Valley College and the people of Alloa.
Sexual Crimes and Domestic Abuse
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish Police Authority’s recent quarterly policing performance report showing that sexual crimes have continued to increase, with recorded rape at the highest level since comparable records began, and with domestic abuse also continuing to rise, what its response is to concerns that its equally safe strategy is failing women and girls, including what urgent, measurable action it will take to reverse these trends. (S6O-05692)
All forms of violence against women are abhorrent, and those who perpetrate violence and abuse—the majority of whom are men—must change their actions and behaviours.
Although we recognise that some of that increase might be due to the actions to increase confidence in the justice system, so that more victims report sexual crime, clearly there is more that we need to do. That is why we are absolutely steadfast in our commitment to preventing such violence and addressing the underlying actions and attitudes that perpetuate it. Improving access to support through our equally safe strategy will be underpinned by almost £46 million in funding during the next two years, subject to the annual budget process, which reflects our deep commitment to tackling the issue.
Twelve years on from the equally safe strategy, women and girls in Scotland are less safe than ever. Male violence is escalating in homes, on our streets and online. Despite £100 million of equally safe funding having been delivered since 2021, our vital front-line services are overwhelmed by demand from victims of sexual assault, rape, domestic abuse and prostitution. While other nations tackle the root causes of misogyny, including by criminalising the purchase of sex, our Government’s woeful inaction and ideological obsession have allowed data on sex to be corrupted, sex-based protections to be eroded and women to be treated as commodities. Will the Government stop blaming teenage boys for misogyny and finally connect the dots upstream by strengthening sex-based protections and confronting systemic misogyny through urgent legislative and societal action to reverse this crisis?
I absolutely accept that violence against women and girls—the majority of which is committed by men—is absolutely abhorrent and must be stopped, but I reject some of the characterisations that were made in that question. We are working extremely hard to do that.
Yesterday, I visited Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre to hear about the wonderful work that, as part of delivering our equally safe strategy, is directly impacting women and girls who face those abuses and is making improvements in their lives. I have also met Jess Phillips MP, so that we can take a collaborative approach to tackling technology-facilitated abuse of women.
This Government is absolutely taking action to address those abhorrent abuses of women and girls.
That concludes general question time.