Contents
- General Question Time
- First Minister’s Question Time
- Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time
- Ministers and Junior Ministers
- Urgent Questions
- Parliamentary Bureau Motion
- Motion without Notice
- Decision Time
First Minister’s Question Time
The next item of business is First Minister’s question time. I call Douglas Ross.
Ministerial Appointments
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. [Interruption.]
We will suspend business at this point.
12:00 Meeting suspended.12:01 On resuming—
This Parliament rightly prides itself on being open and accessible and, of course, we want to maintain that. Visitors are welcomed into the gallery to watch their elected representatives at work but, far too regularly, disruption is causing members to lose the opportunity to ask questions and to represent their constituents’ interests. I assure members that work is under way on a range of measures that may be implemented to protect parliamentary business from persistent disruption. [Applause.]
We will go back to where we were. I call Douglas Ross.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. You will have our full support on that. I am pleased to say that I managed to hold my tongue this time with that interruption.
Less than 48 hours ago, Humza Yousaf stood in the chamber and promised to be
“First Minister for all of Scotland”.—[Official Report, 28 March 2023; c 29.]
Yesterday, he had an opportunity to prove that with the new ministerial team that he appointed, but he failed in his first big test. The Government is the largest since devolution, with more ministers than ever before. However, key ministerial posts relating to social security and tourism were abolished and a new Minister for Independence was created. Does the First Minister really believe that appointing a taxpayer-funded nationalist campaigner is governing “for all of Scotland”?
Can I say how delighted I am to have appointed the Cabinet that has the most women in it in the history of devolution? Can I say that I am delighted to have been able to appoint a Cabinet with a number of members under the age of 40? Can I say how delighted I am to have appointed a Cabinet and a Government that are focused on the priorities of the Scottish people? We have a cabinet secretary for the wellbeing economy to put the economy first and ensure that the economy works for the people, not the other way round. We have a Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition to unlock our green potential—that is, of course, on the day on which the United Kingdom Government has once again relegated the Acorn project to track 2. We have a Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice to tackle child poverty and to help us to tackle the effects of Westminster austerity. [Interruption.]
As ever, only the member who has been called to speak should be speaking. I ask members to treat one another with courtesy.
Yes, I make no apology whatsoever for having a Minister for Independence because, my goodness, we need independence now more than ever before. We need it now more than ever before because, in energy-rich Scotland, we have Scots who are fuel poor because of the UK Government’s policies. We need it now more than ever before because we have more food banks in this country than ever before, because of more than a decade of austerity. I say to Douglas Ross and the UK Government that we will continue to advocate and advance independence because we need it now more than ever before.
I found myself in the bizarre place of hoping that there might be another intervention from the gallery just to stop that long rant from Humza Yousaf, which did not address the question at all, because I specifically asked—[Interruption.]
We will suspend.
12:04 Meeting suspended.12:05 On resuming—
I call Douglas Ross.
Be careful what you wish for, Presiding Officer.
I was just lamenting the point that Humza Yousaf clearly had a script prepared there. He read it ad nauseam—[Interruption.] I will try to continue if you want, Presiding Officer. Humza Yousaf read out a script—[Interruption.]—specifically about an independence minister within his Government—[Interruption.]
I think that I will have to suspend, Mr Ross, unfortunately.
12:06 Meeting suspended.12:06 On resuming—
We will resume. Thank you for endeavouring to continue, Mr Ross.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I was saying that Humza Yousaf’s answer totally ignored the point of key ministerial posts that he abolished. The social security department had a cabinet secretary with an individual minister for social security. Ben Macpherson was an extremely efficient and credible minister. That position has been abolished by Humza Yousaf, yet he has been able to create a dedicated Minister for Independence. It is the same old from the Scottish National Party—another nationalist leader when Scotland needs a national leader.
Humza Yousaf is picking up exactly where Nicola Sturgeon left off. Just look at his first week in office. On Monday, within minutes of becoming leader of his party, he said that he would push “right away” for the powers to hold another referendum. On Tuesday, in a call with the Prime Minister, he demanded another independence vote. On Wednesday, he appointed a Minister for Independence. Instead of looking for areas of co-operation between Scotland’s two Governments, he is looking for a fight. Does the First Minister seriously believe that that is a priority for the people of Scotland?
It has been just over 24 hours since I was sworn in at the Court of Session. My first act, just about 24 hours after being sworn in, is not to just double the fuel insecurity fund as we promised to do, from £10 million to £20 million, but to triple the fuel insecurity fund. That is because fuel poverty in this country is a disgrace. It is a disgrace that has been imposed on us by Conservative UK Governments. That is speaking to the priorities of the Scottish people.
Social security is the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice. In terms of tourism, we have a business minister—the Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade—who will take that responsibility forward. I know that this is new territory for Douglas Ross, but it is a really good thing for a party leader to make sure that they make good on the promises that they made during an election campaign.
It is no surprise to anybody that, as First Minister of Scotland, I will advance the cause of independence. I will do that because I do not accept the fact that we have children in poverty in Scotland because of a decade of austerity. I do that because I do not accept that a country as energy rich as ours should be fuel poor because of the UK Government. I do that because I do not accept that people must suffer under sky-high energy bills.
I will continue to make the case for independence because, as I say, people need independence to unleash and unlock the potential of this country. We can do so much more with the powers of an independent nation.
The First Minister has to realise that independence is not a priority for people across Scotland right now, but getting our economy going certainly is. Let us hear what some of Humza Yousaf’s colleagues have to say about his chances of reviving Scotland’s sluggish economy.
Scottish National Party MSP Ivan McKee said that the Government needs to “reset” its relationship with business. An SNP source described one of the ministers who has been axed as
“one of the few non-idiots that was available.”
Former SNP minister Alex Neil said that
“It seems that the ... best economic brains in the Government have been sidelined”,
and another party source made an equally scathing assessment of the First Minister’s reshuffle. They said:
“Huge challenges are coming in public finances ... Is this really the team that can tackle that? There is a concerning lack of numeracy skills within this group.”
If members of Humza Yousaf’s own party have no confidence in his ability to manage the economy, how can the country have any?
My goodness! How desperate is Douglas Ross? Do you know whose opinion I really care about? [Interruption.] It is the people of Scotland—[Interruption.]
Thank you, members!
—who have given their verdict time and again. They have put their trust in the SNP election after election. They have done that because we deliver for the economy. They have done that because we deliver on the priorities of the people of Scotland. We have an incredible Cabinet with talent right across finance, the economy, social justice and wellbeing. Whether it is on the front benches or on my back benches, I am proud to have a team full of talent. When I look across to the Conservative benches, they would not even make it on to my subs bench, Presiding Officer.
Let me say this much.
Briefly, please.
I see that the First Minister may well have changed but Douglas Ross goes on the same old broken record of personal attacks and insult after insult. How much good has it done him? The latest poll that has come out shows that Douglas Ross has managed to lead—if that is the word—his party into third place. He is a third-rate politician leading a third-rate party.
I really hope that the First Minister gets better than this. He does not just have to take it from me. I know that he cannot see the faces behind him, but we can. We can see the reaction of his back benchers to his contribution here. [Interruption.]
We will suspend.
12:13 Meeting suspended.12:13 On resuming—
We will resume, and I call Douglas Ross.
Thank you very much. [Interruption.]
We will suspend.
12:13 Meeting suspended.12:14 On resuming—
Regrettably, we are going to have to clear the gallery at this point; I am very sorry.
12:15 Meeting suspended.12:19 On resuming—
Thank you, colleagues. I do not think that I can adequately express my deep regret that such action is required in our national Parliament. [Applause.] I am extremely sorry for the overwhelming majority of those who have travelled to the Parliament today to watch their elected representatives at work. I am pleased that we have been able to continue to accommodate our young people here and, while we continue to focus on a swift solution to this issue, we will see what we can do to target any response.
For today, given that we have had five disruptions, it is essential that we do all that we can to protect the wellbeing and safety of those who expect to come to the Parliament and quietly watch it at its work.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
It is very unusual for us to take points of order during First Minister’s question time, but I will allow it on this occasion.
Thank you very much.
I absolutely agree with your comments and sentiments, Presiding Officer. Some young people remain in the public gallery, which I welcome. However, there are some young people who are no longer in the gallery—in particular, a school group from my constituency, who have travelled from Gourock to be here today. There will be other young people who are now out of the gallery, too. I request that we get all the young people back in, because they have done nothing wrong.
I am content, if members are, to wait for a few minutes to see what we can do to accommodate those who have been caught up in the disruption. I suggest that we suspend for a few more minutes to enable our colleagues in security to see what can be done in that regard.
12:21 Meeting suspended.12:23 On resuming—
I call Douglas Ross.
Can we have Douglas Ross’s microphone on, please?
If they got into the mic system, I was going to walk away—that was going to be it. [Laughter.]
I respect everything that you have tried to do, Presiding Officer, but this shower has been doing this week after week, and the image of genuine constituents being forced out of our Parliament is one that we will all regret and that none of us wants to see repeated. I am very grateful that young people have been able to stay, but we must do something to prevent this from happening in the future.
If I remember correctly, because it was some time ago, the First Minister was trying to criticise me for some of the things that I was saying in my third question. However, those were all direct quotes from his own party members and even from his MSPs, criticising his ability to turn around the economy. Humza Yousaf is leading a divided party that has no confidence in his Government’s ability.
It is no wonder why. Humza Yousaf has stuffed his Cabinet full with his predecessor’s lackeys—ministers with almost as poor a track record in government as his. There are more ministers than every before, yet he managed to appoint only one who did not support him in the leadership election. He squeaked a win and then forced the former Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, Kate Forbes, and her supporters out of the Government in an act of petty revenge. Now, to shore up his position in his feuding party, he is back pushing independence, because it is the only thing that unites the SNP.
Humza Yousaf is more divisive than even Nicola Sturgeon was. He has already split his party down the middle, and now he wants to do the same with the country. In these difficult times, Scotland needs a Government that is focused on the real priorities of people across Scotland and the big challenges that we face yet, instead, we have one that is at war with itself and focused on engineering further division. If Humza Yousaf cannot unite even his own party, how can he possibly unite the country?
First and foremost, I agree with the action that the Presiding Officer has taken. I am delighted that young people were allowed to stay. I commend those young people for behaving much better than some of the adults who were in the public gallery.
On Douglas Ross’s criticism of the economic literacy of this SNP-led Government, I remind him that, under the SNP under Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney—I am pleased to be building on their legacy—Scottish gross domestic product grew more than UK GDP. I also make the point that, if we had listened to Douglas Ross, who demanded that we copy Liz Truss’s tax cuts for the wealthiest, we would have had more than £500 million less to spend to invest in public services. Thank God we did not listen to them.
I am building on a legacy of higher employment, lower unemployment and low economic inactivity.
As for division, the Conservative Party tore itself apart over Brexit. The Tory party has had more leaders in as many months than Douglas Ross has jobs. The talk of division comes from a man who said that, if he was Prime Minister for one day, the only thing that he would do would be to hammer the rights of one of the most marginalised communities in the country, so I will take no lessons on division from Douglas Ross.
I am delighted to have appointed a Cabinet and a ministerial team that will build on the legacy that Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney have left us, which makes us the most popular party in Scotland—the national party of Scotland. We will work every single day to earn and re-earn that trust. It is because we have focused on the priorities of the people of Scotland that we will continue—I am certain—to be the most popular party in this country.
Mental Health Waiting Times (Children and Young People)
The new First Minister has lots to get to grips with, so it is only fair that I should start with something that he should already be across.
There is a mental health crisis affecting children across Scotland, but they are struggling to access treatment. During Humza Yousaf’s time as health secretary, more than 11,000 children and young people waited more than the 18-week standard for treatment. Shockingly, more than 14,000 had their referral for mental health treatment rejected entirely. So, will the First Minister take the opportunity to offer an apology to the children and families he let down as health secretary?
As has become customary when Anas Sarwar asks such questions, he does not acknowledge the impact of a global pandemic that has been the biggest shock to the national health service in its 74-year existence. Of course, I not only offer an apology but express deep regret to anybody who has been let down and had to wait longer, especially our children and young people. I would not want my loved ones—my children, if they ever needed the services—to have to wait any longer than they should.
However, we are taking action on recovery. I am taking action on recovery. For example, when we look at the number of young people who are waiting to be seen by child and adolescent mental health services, we see that the number of children who started treatment with CAMHS in the most recent quarter is the highest figure on record. In fact, the past four quarters have had the four highest figures on record for the number of children starting treatment with CAMHS.
I agree with Anas Sarwar: too many young people are waiting too long. However, through our action on recovery, which I will lead from Government, and which will be led by the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, we will make sure that we continue to invest in that. Because of our progressive taxation we are able to invest a record £19 billion in our health service. I hope that we continue to make improvements in relation to young people who are waiting for CAMHS.
The First Minister cannot use the pandemic as his excuse, because in 16 years the Scottish National Party Government has never met its CAMHS standards.
Incompetence has consequences. Behind those statistics, there are struggling children and heartbroken families. I will give just one example: 10-year-old Alan Galbraith, who has been waiting for his mental health treatment to begin for the entire time that Humza Yousaf was health secretary. This is what Alan’s dad, Robert, told us:
“He is really up and down. He will have days where you won’t get a word out of him. We don’t know what’s happened unless something goes wrong. I feel like he’s just being left. It doesn’t matter what happens with him. There’s been an array of cancelled appointments. We expect them to give Alan a diagnosis, maybe start treatment, something to help, but there’s been nothing. All we get when we phone is that, ‘We’re sorry’. I cannot even begin to understand why Alan has gone from ready to start medication to the back of the queue, especially when it’s a matter of mental health, and I really fear what further delay will mean for him. We just feel constantly let down. We are very aware of the pandemic, but there is just not an answer—all while my son and my family are suffering.”
Health secretary Humza Yousaf failed that family; why will First Minister Humza Yousaf be any different?
I am more than happy to receive details of the individual case that Anas Sarwar refers to and to see whether there is any way we can assist Alan and his family.
I say again that I am the first—as I was when I was health secretary—to acknowledge that there are challenges and that there were challenges before the pandemic. However, all of us who have lived through the past few years will acknowledge that the impact of the global pandemic has been felt in our health service here in Scotland and in health services across the United Kingdom and right across the world.
We are starting to see improvement. The latest figures show that overall CAMHS waiting lists have decreased by about 777 people. The number of children waiting for more than 18 weeks has decreased by 1,110 and the number of children waiting for more than 52 weeks has decreased by 523, which is a 41.9 per cent reduction. The number of people who have been recruited to work in CAMHS has reached a record high under this Government and during my tenure as health secretary.
I fully accept that all that will be cold comfort to Alan, Robert and their family. I am more than happy to look at the individual case, but we are on the road to recovery—not only in our health service but in our mental health services.
Alan was waiting for the entire time that Humza Yousaf was health secretary. Let that sink in: a young child who desperately needed help from our NHS had to wait for the entire time that Humza Yousaf was health secretary. There is no hiding behind any pandemic or behind the statistics in Humza Yousaf’s book. Families are suffering right across this country.
We are not talking about just two years of Scottish National Party failure; there have been 16 years of SNP failure. This Government has never met its standard on a maximum 18-week wait for CAMHS. When Humza Yousaf was health secretary, Labour repeatedly called for a new referral system so that no young person would be rejected for treatment, for every general practitioner practice to have a dedicated mental health worker, and for mental health accident and emergency departments in every health board area so that patients could be fast tracked, but the SNP failed to listen.
Why cannot the First Minister see that, for children like Alan and their families, incompetence has consequences, that continuity will not cut it and that more of the same is not going to improve their lives?
I again say to Anas Sarwar that I am not suggesting, and have never suggested, that there were no challenges before the pandemic. Equally, I accept—as, I hope, he does—that the global pandemic has had a significant impact not only on our NHS, but on our mental health services.
We know that local authorities report that more than 38,000 young people and families accessed more than 213 new and enhanced community-based mental health services between January and June 2022. Why do I mention that? I do so because CAMHS is important, but our investments in early intervention are also extremely important.
I take the point about rejected referrals. That is why we have accepted the recommendations of “Rejected Referrals Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)”, following the audit that took place in 2018. I expect to see continued progress in that regard. We are confident that we will see, when statistics covering quarter 1 of 2023 are released in June, that a number of boards will have made significant progress in meeting the standard of 90 per cent of young people being seen by CAMHS within 18 weeks.
We know that health services right across the UK have been impacted by the global pandemic. What are we doing about that? We are not only ensuring that we do the right thing in the recovery of the NHS but that we invest a record £19 billion in our health service in 2023-24.
What else are we doing? We are making sure—of course, I led on this as health secretary—that our NHS staff are the best paid of any in the UK. That is why I am pleased that we have not lost a single day to strike action this winter, which is very different from other countries across the UK.
Question 3 is from Liz Smith. [Interruption.] Can I have Liz Smith’s microphone, please?
Economic Priorities
To ask the First Minister, in light of last week’s “Fiscal Sustainability Report” published by the Scottish Fiscal Commission, what the Scottish Government’s economic priorities are. (S6F-01965)
The report highlights the impact of long-term change in demographics for our economy and public finances, but we are experiencing those challenges now as business and public services struggle to recruit and retain staff. There is simply no doubt that Brexit and the loss of freedom of movement have exacerbated those challenges. Scotland has distinct economic needs, so the United Kingdom Government must give us a formal role in deciding which occupations are on the shortage occupation list.
The national strategy for economic transformation sets out the actions that we are taking. Economic success is, of course, not just gross domestic product growth. It also involves delivering a wellbeing economy, which will increase productivity and international competitiveness and deliver fairer, greener prosperity for all of Scotland.
We are doing everything possible within the powers that are currently available, but we need the full powers of independence to truly unleash and maximise Scotland’s potential.
The report paints an extremely gloomy picture of the Scottish economy, most especially in terms of our weaker productivity, our demographic challenges and, in the words of the Scottish Fiscal Commission,
“the magnitude of the fiscal gap”
in the Scottish budget for the foreseeable future. How does the First Minister intend to address Scotland’s substantial fiscal deficit? Does he now accept that Kate Forbes was absolutely right when she said that current SNP policies simply will not cut it, because there has been a lack of focus on broadening the tax base and on economic growth?
I will tell you what—rejoining the European Union would certainly help us in undoing the damage that Brexit has done to businesses up and down the country. It is astonishing that Liz Smith was able to get through that question without mentioning the damaging impact that Brexit has had on our economy and on businesses up and down the country, with the loss of access to the largest single market in the world and the lack of access to freedom of movement. If she talks to any businesses in the hospitality industry up and down the country, they will tell her just how damaging Brexit has been.
Something else that has been damaging is the immigration policies that have been brought forward by her Government, which work against the economic interests of Scotland.
To extend an olive branch, I note that Liz Smith and I have worked on some of these issues before. For example, we worked on a post-study work visa. The UK Government rejected that. As I said, Scotland needs a role in relation to the shortage occupation list. The UK Government has rejected that. It should let asylum seekers work and pay tax—the member talked about increasing the tax base—but the UK Government has rejected that. We want to extend the rural visa pilot. The UK Government has rejected that.
We will do everything in our powers to help the economy, but we are doing so under the constraints of devolution and the constraints of a Tory Government that does not work for the economic interests of Scotland. We will not be able to maximise and unleash our full potential until we have the powers of a normal independent nation.
I welcome the First Minister to his post. The fiscal sustainability report makes it starkly clear that, without fundamental change, our public finances will be utterly unsustainable. Although the bulk of the sustainability risk lies with the UK, with public sector debt expected to rise to 267 per cent of national income, Scotland, due to demographic change and increasing demand, will also have to reprioritise its spending. What steps will the First Minister take to address this direct challenge to our public finances and the crucial services that they provide?
Kenny Gibson gets it in a nutshell. We are reliant on decisions made by the UK Government, which will impact and inflict damage, as they have often done, on our businesses and our economy.
There does not have to be a choice between growing our tax base—our revenue base—and investing in the wellbeing economy. We can do both. We can have progressive taxation. I am really pleased that we have a legacy of progressive taxation left to us by John Swinney in his role as finance secretary. That means that we can invest in our economy, invest that extra £1 billion in our health service and invest in making sure that we have fair work. If we have fair work and that wellbeing economy, that is in the interests of not just the people, but the economy as well. However, Kenny Gibson is absolutely right. As long as the UK Government holds the majority of the financial levers in its hands, it will continue to hold this country back.
Following the First Minister’s very welcome comments in the Daily Record about the need to redistribute wealth more fairly, will he meet me and representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress to discuss further opportunities for progressive financial reform?
Yes, I will. I had very constructive engagement with the STUC during the leadership contest. It has some excellent ideas—for example, on how to increase revenue in a way that is fair.
I absolutely nail my colours to the mast when it comes to progressive taxation. Those who earn the most—such as Government ministers and MSPs—should pay the most. I make no apology for that.
At the same time, I believe in growing our economy, not for its own sake but so as to make sure that we invest in fair work. Every person in the chamber should be able to get behind that, so I do not understand why we hear the moaning and groaning from the Conservatives. Well, I do understand it, because, if we had listened to them and had given tax cuts to the wealthiest, we would have had over half a billion pounds less to invest in public services. No way will I do that. I will make sure that those who earn the most pay the most, to invest in our public services.
Household Energy Costs
To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential impact of the anticipated 1 April rise in energy bills on household finances in Scotland. (S6F-01996)
The reversal of the cut in the energy price guarantee was the least that the chancellor could do this spring. A progressive Government that truly had people as its priority would have done so much more to support households in need. We called on the chancellor to extend the £400 energy bills support scheme, but he failed to deliver and, in doing so, has placed more pressure on vulnerable households that are struggling to pay their bills and heat their homes.
In contrast, my first act as First Minister, 24 hours after being sworn in at the Court of Session, has been not to double but to triple our fuel insecurity fund from £10 million last year to £30 million in 2023-24. That fund is a critical plank in our support for people who are struggling with their energy costs. It continues to provide a lifeline to households that are at risk of self-rationing or self-disconnecting their energy.
Following the United Kingdom budget, Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts show that a typical household’s energy bills are expected to remain in excess of £2,000 until at least the winter of 2024-25 and possibly beyond that. Will the First Minister take the opportunity to urge the UK Government to reverse the incomprehensible decision to scrap the £400 energy bill support scheme, which leaves many families in my constituency and across Scotland hundreds of pounds worse off?
Jackie Dunbar is absolutely right, and I join her in urging the UK Government to reconsider. The removal of the support scheme means that a typical household’s annual bill will increase by around 19 per cent. As well as removing 50,000 households from fuel poverty, the continuation of the support scheme would have removed 120,000 Scottish households from extreme poverty. Instead, the UK Government has, inexplicably, chosen a course that will result in approximately 920,000 fuel-poor households in Scotland, which equates to around 37 per cent of all Scottish households. That is unacceptable.
Although the Scottish Government is doing everything that we can, within our limited powers, to ensure that people receive the help that they need, the UK Government could have done far more to ease the burden that affects so many. That demonstrates why we need the full powers of independence.
It is a scandal, Presiding Officer, that, in an energy-rich Scotland, our people face fuel poverty because of the actions—and, often, the inactions—of the UK Government. We must never accept that as the norm or as the status quo.
Poverty
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the poverty statistics published last week in the report, “Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22”. (S6F-01981)
For all individuals and for children, poverty levels are lower than the United Kingdom average, but I state fully and unequivocally that they remain unacceptably high. That is why I want all the powers of a normal nation, such as all social security powers and all employment powers.
We will continue to use all the levers that we have, and have allocated almost £3 billion this year to a range of measures to mitigate the impacts of the cost of living crisis. Our investment in the Scottish child payment, the most ambitious child poverty reduction measure in the UK, is estimated to lift 50,000 children out of relative poverty in 2023-24. Tackling poverty will be the defining mission of my Government, which is why I will convene an anti-poverty summit to help guide the choices that I will shortly make as First Minister.
Over 15 years, the Scottish National Party has squandered Labour’s legacy. People are poorer. Relative poverty is up. Poverty among disabled people is up. Persistent poverty is up. [Interruption.]
Let us hear the member, please.
The best spin that the SNP could come up with is that those terrible figures are stable. This First Minister has failed to tackle poverty in Glasgow, which he represents, and in Dundee, where he lives. He has failed to tackle poverty over 10 years as a Government minister. He says that tackling poverty is his priority, but he has not appointed a minister for social security.
I therefore ask the First Minister: why should people in Scotland trust him to reduce poverty?
Social security is being led by the cabinet secretary. It is a Cabinet position. The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice is sitting right there and she is waving right at the member. It is a Cabinet responsibility. [Interruption.]
Thank you, members.
Here is what we are doing. We are spending almost £3 billion to mitigate the harmful effects of Tory austerity, which includes the game-changing Scottish child payment. We support families in a variety of ways, including through free school meals for around 145,000 pupils and free bus travel for under-22s. As I mentioned, we have made significant increases to our fuel insecurity fund but also our food insecurity fund, as well as the Scottish welfare fund.
If Pam Duncan-Glancy does not believe me, I will quote John Dickie of the Child Poverty Action Group, who is known to members right across the chamber. He said:
“There should be no doubt Nicola Sturgeon has made huge progress putting in place the building blocks needed to end ... child poverty.”
It should also be said that the statistics that are being quoted and discussed are from before we increased the Scottish child payment.
Let me say really clearly to Pam Duncan-Glancy that I did not get into politics just to mitigate the impact every time that the UK Government brings forward harmful policies. Every time that we do that, we have to take money away from the national health service, from education, from transport and from justice to mitigate the harmful impacts of cruel Tory policies. Would it not be better to have the full powers over social security, over the finances and over employment all in our hands, instead of being at the mercy of a UK Government? That is the difference between Pam Duncan-Glancy and me—
Briefly, please.
She wants to keep those powers in the hands of the Conservative Party; I want to make sure that they are in our hands so that we can unleash this country’s potential.
The Scottish child payment has not yet been paid to many of my constituents. On Monday, I visited a charity that has been trying to help those individuals. I was told not to even bother contacting Social Security Scotland until next month, because it cannot make that payment. And yet the first decision by the First Minister was to take away a minister with sole responsibility for social security.
Will he look at that again, and will he apologise to all my constituents and to the hundreds of people across Scotland who are still waiting for that money because of a system that is simply not working?
I say, again, that I am happy to look into individual cases if Jeremy Balfour wishes to bring them to my attention—or, indeed, to the attention of the cabinet secretary who has responsibility for social security, my Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice. We will of course look into that.
However, let me also say once again, particularly to the Conservative member, that the Conservatives are utterly shameless. More than a decade of austerity and economic vandalism mean that energy prices and inflation are sky high and that we have a Tory cost of living crisis. They literally took money out of the pockets of those on universal credit during the pandemic. Let me say to Jeremy Balfour that no one believes his crocodile tears for those who are suffering as a result of Tory cruelty.
Climate and Nature Emergencies
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. (S6F-01967)
The Scottish Government is committed to tackling the twin climate and nature crises—[Interruption.]—and ensuring a just transition that creates jobs and economic opportunity across Scotland. I thought that we had had enough interventions, Presiding Officer. [Laughter.]
That is at the heart of the Bute house agreement between the Scottish Greens and the Scottish National Party Government. I very much look forward to working together with them, and across the chamber, to deliver the actions that we need. Our top priorities include the development of our next climate change plan, a draft of which will be brought to Parliament this November, and taking forward our new biodiversity strategy. That will ensure that Scotland plays its part in delivering on the goals in the new global biodiversity framework agreed in Montreal in December.
As the United Nations secretary general said last week,
“Our world needs climate action on all fronts: everything, everywhere, all at once.”
That is the challenge for our new climate plan, and the Scottish Greens are committed to playing our part in ensuring that we meet it. It is a plan that will transform transport, reshape land use, radically shift how we keep our homes warm, and reap the reward of tens of thousands of green jobs in our new economy.
Later today, the First Minister will set out his new Cabinet and ministerial team to the Parliament. Will he outline how that new team will be set up to deliver our greatest challenge, which is the climate challenge?
Let me be absolutely clear that my Government is committed to tackling the climate emergency. When I spoke to the new members of the Cabinet, including the junior ministerial team, I made it clear that we must be radical and bold in all areas of Government, but particularly over the biggest challenge that our planet—and our humanity—faces, which is of course the threat of climate change. It is a priority that will run across the work of all members of my Cabinet and my ministerial team and one in which I will take a personal interest.
The transition to net zero is not just one of the defining challenges of our time; it presents a huge economic opportunity for Scotland. If we unleash the green potential of this country we will create tens of thousands of jobs in the decades to come. I will work tirelessly to ensure that we grasp that opportunity, creating green jobs and opportunities right across Scotland. I want the north-east of Scotland, in particular, to be the net zero capital not just of Europe but of the world.
The First Minister has been part of a Government that, as the Climate Change Committee has pointed out, has missed seven of 11 of our legal climate targets, including being minister for the portfolio area that is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases, which is transport, at a time when—to coin a phrase—the trains did not run. Why has the Government of which he has been a minister for more than a decade failed to deliver a credible plan that will even come close to meeting our target of net zero by 2045—a Government that the Climate Change Committee has said will almost certainly miss its target to reduce emissions by 75 per cent by 2030?
We have world-leading targets, which are also some of the most ambitious in the world. The latest emissions data, which is for 2020, shows that Scotland’s emissions are down by more than 50 per cent since the 1990 baseline, which is over half way to zero. We continue to be ahead of the United Kingdom as a whole in delivering long-term emissions reductions.
We are also already making progress on decarbonising our energy systems. In 2020, Scotland generated the equivalent of almost 99 per cent of our gross electricity consumption from renewable sources.
I have already said that we will come to Parliament with our climate change plan, which will be ambitious. I say to Scottish Labour members that what does not help is their opposing us at every single turn, and on every single climate measure that we bring, simply for the sake of opposition. I say to all members that if they are serious about tackling the climate emergency they should back us when we take the radical and bold action that is required.
We move to general and constituency supplementaries.
Cricket Scotland (Institutional Racism)
The First Minister will recall his meeting with me and representatives of sportscotland and Cricket Scotland following the “Changing the Boundaries” report, which found institutional racism within Cricket Scotland. [Interruption.] Despite that body having been placed in special measures, the working group has made no meaningful progress to date. In fact, it has met only once in seven months. Well-respected members of Cricket Scotland’s anti-racism and equality, diversion and inclusion advisory board have resigned, and many in the sport have spoken out about their concern that the issue is just not being taken seriously. It is a fast-moving situation, so who knows what will happen next?
I am sure that the First Minister will agree with me that enough is enough and that polished PR from Cricket Scotland just will not cut it—we need action. Will the First Minister commit to calling for an urgent meeting to meet me, the chair of sportscotland and Cricket Scotland to discuss the woeful lack of progress and to find a constructive way forward?
I am not sure why there was groaning from some members on the Conservative benches when, to her credit, Kaukab Stewart was raising such an important issue. I pay tribute to many of those former and current cricket players who put their heads above the parapet to talk about racism, which is not an easy thing to do—they did that at much personal as well as professional cost. Again, I do not understand why there was chuntering from some members on the Conservative benches in response to what is a very important question indeed.
We are clear that there is no place for racism or discrimination of any kind in sport or indeed in wider society. In my previous role, I had a number of meetings with sportscotland and Cricket Scotland to discuss this very matter. My understanding is that there have been robust discussions between sportscotland and Cricket Scotland in the past week and sportscotland has reiterated that all options are being considered as Cricket Scotland is being held to account. The final decision on whether Cricket Scotland exits special measures will be dependent on all recommendations from the “Changing the Boundaries” report being fully met. We will continue to engage with Cricket Scotland and I will ensure that the appropriate minister meets Kaukab Stewart. I will also make time to meet Kaukab Stewart to discuss the issue further, because it is very close to my heart.
University of Edinburgh (Sexual Assault Reporting)
Last week, we heard shocking allegations that the University of Edinburgh discouraged two students from reporting sex attacks to the police, with one student reportedly being told that the university would be unable to support her if she reported the incident to the police.
Does the First Minister agree that survivors of sexual assault must be fully supported to report crimes against them and will his Government commit to an independent investigation to establish the full facts of that situation and why it was allowed to happen?
Of course, the university is independent of the Scottish Government, but I absolutely agree with Pam Gosal, who has a strong track record of standing up for people in regard to such issues. I am very worried and, frankly, horrified by the situation as she articulates it. I accept that I do not know the full details, so perhaps, after this session, if Pam Gosal feels that she can, she could furnish my office with the full details.
In a previous role, when I was justice secretary, I often commended the excellent work that has been done by Fiona Drouet and her family through EmilyTest, and I hope that every university will sign up to that excellent initiative.
I will consider the actions that Pam Gosal has asked me to consider and I hope that she can furnish me with further details. However, I absolutely share her sentiment that anybody who has been a victim of sexual harassment or sexual abuse must be fully supported, particularly by our universities and colleges.
Aberdeen City Council (Library Closures)
In Aberdeen, the Scottish National Party has, for the second time, voted to permanently close six libraries in the city tomorrow. However, Aberdonians know that local government has a statutory requirement to provide adequate library facilities to all residents, and we all heard the First Minister’s predecessor when she said that the Scottish Government is committed to supporting libraries directly. Will the new First Minister reassure my constituents that he will not stand by and allow our library buildings to close?
I agree with the sentiment of the member’s question around the importance of our libraries. They are important not just for those who love books; they provide a number of important facilities, such as information technology facilities for people who might not have access to broadband. They also provide other services—welfare services can often be provided in libraries. Many of us, as members of the Scottish Parliament, will hold our surgeries in local libraries. Therefore, I absolutely agree with the sentiment behind the member’s question. We place great importance on public libraries and we believe that everyone should have access to those public libraries.
Equally, it is often the case that members across the chamber quite rightly believe, as I do, that decisions for a local authority should be made by the local authority. Aberdeen City Council’s plan to close libraries will be extremely difficult for the library staff and the community. However, we recognise the financial challenges that local authorities are facing.
My policy, as I said throughout the course of the recent campaign, is to work with our local authorities to get them a new deal that will allow them more financial freedom and flexibility. In 2023-24, Aberdeen City Council will receive £436.9 million to fund local services. Taken together with the decisions to increase council tax by 5 per cent, the council will receive an extra £34.3 million to support vital services. In addition, all local councils will receive their fair share of the current undistributed sum of £329 million.
Football (Free-to-View Television)
I take this opportunity welcome to welcome the new First Minister to his seat. I know that he, like me, will have taken great joy in watching the Scotland men’s team triumph over Spain at Hampden on Tuesday in a famous victory. He will also be aware that, unlike fans in England and Wales, viewers in Scotland do not have access to watch their men’s national team on free-to-view television. What, if any, engagement has taken place with broadcasting providers about showing those football matches on free-to-air TV? Does the First Minister agree that increased access to games such as that on Tuesday will help to inspire the next generation of footballers?
I heard Jackie Baillie shout, “Oh, seriously!” for some reason. I thought that we would all get behind our national team following its phenomenal result the other day. Even the ray of sunshine that is Jackie Baillie must be able to get behind the Scottish football team. After that result, I noticed that there were some calls to put Steve Clarke in the Cabinet, but I think that he will do an even better job where he is.
Fulton MacGregor makes an important point. I could not be clearer that the international football matches that the Scottish women’s and men’s teams play in should be part of the crown jewels of free-to-air sporting events. Sadly, as we know, the United Kingdom Government has failed to act. We will continue to press the UK Government to expand the listed events regime but, of course, as I have said before, it would be far simpler if those powers rested with the Scottish Parliament.
We will work with the Scottish Football Association to continue to make football more accessible to all across society. Fantastic performances such as the one that we saw on Tuesday night can not only put a smile on the faces of the nation but also inspire people of all ages—young and not so young—to get active and kick a ball around.
Endometriosis Advisory Group
I think that the breaking of a glass in the chamber earlier was not a good omen for the new First Minister.
I recently met with three campaigners from Endometriosis South of Scotland. All spoke of their own experiences; all in unbearable pain and having to go private in order to get a diagnosis. That is a typical situation for women across Scotland, who face a wait of up to eight years for a diagnosis. On Sunday, it was revealed that the Scottish Government’s endometriosis advisory group has not met since April 2022. Does the First Minister agree that that is an insult to the 100,000 women across Scotland who are suffering with unbearable pain? Will he commit to ensuring that the group meets?
Rachael Hamilton has raised an exceptionally important point. I was involved with that work in my role as health secretary, and, in a previous role, Maree Todd took forward much of that action as the minister with responsibility for women’s health. I have met with a number of organisations that represent women who have been particularly affected by endometriosis.
Rachael Hamilton is right that far too many women wait far too long for that life-changing diagnosis. The women’s health plan is committed to taking forward some of that work, and I am happy to look at the meeting of the endometriosis advisory group in order to see what further progress we can make. Rachael Hamilton is right to highlight that issue, and I will write to her with an update.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
The First Minister will be aware that we have been waiting more than two years for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill to come back to the chamber to be remedied. During that time, there has been a changing Government narrative about why the bill has not come back to the chamber. Can the First Minister undertake that the bill will return to the chamber before the summer recess? If he cannot, will the Government publish correspondence and information on what is causing the hold-up between the Scottish Government and the United Kingdom Government?
Once again, I do not disagree with the sentiment behind Martin Whitfield’s important question. We wanted to make sure that those rights were incorporated into our legislation, because we want to do the best by our children and our young people. We know the action that the UK Government chose to take. We are continuing to liaise with it and I will see what can be published in relation to those discussions.
As soon as we have some sort of agreement on the way forward I will ensure that we make progress, because there is nothing more important than the rights of our young people—I say that as a father of two children. I will absolutely consider the member’s request to see what can be published, but I can give him an absolute promise that there is no shortage of intent, pace or urgency from the Government that I lead.
That concludes First Minister’s questions.
Colleagues, I deeply regret that, due to the completely unacceptable interruptions that we have experienced today, I am unable to call any more members to put questions to the First Minister on matters of importance to the people they represent. I again apologise to those visitors who travelled here in good faith, and often at great inconvenience, to watch their representatives at work.
Please rest assured that I will review and escalate measures as required to counter the actions of a small minority who seek to disrupt our work. I have no doubt that all members share my determination that our democratically elected Parliament will continue to do its vital work on behalf of the people of Scotland.
13:05 Meeting suspended.14:30 On resuming—