Chamber and committees

I feel that that is a massive area. I will not labour it, because I know that other committee members have questions. Thank you.

Good morning. I absolutely appreciate the complexity and the challenge of what you are trying to do. I am entirely sympathetic in that regard.

One of the two areas that I often major on is the inclusion of women. I recall that, in relation to COP26, the First Minister described the Scottish Government as a “commitment maker”, and that commitment included enabling women and girls to lead a just transition to a green economy. I am fully cognisant of the complexity of this, so I really just ask you for an update on progress in that regard. I note the eminent women that you have on your advisory committee, but an update would be appreciated.

Following on from that, will there be a specific measurement outcome that references gender equality? Another approach would be for it to cut through all your outcomes, but will there be specific measures?

I will look forward to following that up. My last question on that subject—I have another question in a different area—is about conditionality. Can you see a set of circumstances in which you would advise the Scottish Government to introduce conditionality in relation to gender parity? It is often hard measures and real financial outcomes that make the difference. Do you have any thoughts on that?

I have a completely different question on financing. Everybody is well aware of the significant challenges in that regard, particularly given that the Scottish Government has a fixed budget. There are even challenges around financing in the private sector, and risk appetites change where there is a shortage of resources.

I am well aware of the challenge that you face, and you have made it clear how ambitious the 2045 target is. However, what are your current reflections on the challenges, specifically to do with how the Scottish Government will be able to finance things or any other areas you see across the piece? Retrofitting might be an example that you will pull out.

I thank the cabinet secretary for his statement. The situation that he outlines is serious. I know from my previous career, including managing large transformational change programmes, that organisational culture is set from the top.

I understand that the chair of the board is very experienced and I am sure that she is aware of how serious the situation is. Will the cabinet secretary confirm that the board, and the chair in particular, understands the relationship between its overarching governance, leadership and culture? Is the board ready to demonstrate that it has what it takes to turn the situation around?

I am grateful to Pam Gosal for bringing to the chamber this debate on recognising the importance of the international day for the elimination of violence against women. Even though I have had my own challenging experiences in the past, I am very sensitive to the fact that many women around the world face much more deadly threats and repression than anyone in our country of Scotland will have experienced.

I therefore dedicate my speech to the courageous women and girls of Iran. They display a quite remarkable heroism by standing against repression and brutality. Their cause is admirably summed up in their cry, “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi”, or “Women, Life, Freedom”. Throughout history, Iranian women have participated in national protests. Today, they are leading the way by confronting the Iranian regime’s abusive and repressive treatment of women and girls. Regrettably, the Iranian Government is responding with lethal force.

The brutal killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini by Iran’s so-called morality police has sparked nationwide protests. In violent crackdowns, the regime is trying to crush calls for the human rights of women to be recognised.??Since 19 September 2022, more than 100 civilians, including at least 23 children, have been killed with impunity. It seems unimaginable that scores of women and children are being brutally murdered by cowardly men to protect the immorality of a brutal regime.

It is not only the evil of the killings that concerns me. Countless numbers are being thrown into prison to face torture. As Sonya Angelica Diehn has recently written,

“In Iran, men and women are ‘equal’—only in torture”.

Torture is a standard method of the regime. Direct physical torture includes whippings, being hung by the hands for lengthy periods and being forced to sit for many hours with hands tied together behind the back. As part of systematic psychological torture, techniques include total isolation for weeks or even months, enforced sleep deprivation, threats of sexual violence and threats of violence towards family. Those acts are happening as we speak.

The former UN special rapporteur on violence against women, Professor Rashida Manjoo, revealed in her report of October 2013 that torture in Iranian prisons included men raping virgins prior to execution. That women and young girls are therefore brave enough, in such a society, to throw off their headscarves and confront the violence of state police is extraordinary—those are extraordinary acts of bravery. Courage is, indeed, calling to courage in Iran.

We need as many international voices as possible to put pressure on the Iranian regime to end all torture. I add my voice to that of Pam Gosal, and I hope that other members who are participating in the debate feel able to add their voices. For this international day for the elimination of violence against women, let us all join in the Iranian rallying cry for women, for life, for freedom: “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” indeed.

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported proposals from the Carnegie Trust to strengthen the national performance framework and make it Scotland’s wellbeing framework. (S6O-01568)

I thank the minister for his response. I am sure that, like me, he welcomes the open letter to the First Minister from 115 charities, businesses and others, which contains suggestions to further our commitment to creating a wellbeing economy. However, the fact that various powers such as employment law are reserved to Westminster has been described by Patricia Findlay from the Fair Work Convention as “undoubtedly a barrier” to our ambitions.

Will the minister ensure that, in any response to the Carnegie Trust or to the 115 signatories to the open letter—or, indeed, at the forthcoming wealth of nations conference—it is understood how much of a brake on our wellbeing ambitions not being a normal independent country is and that we seek power for a purpose: to make a fundamental shift in people’s lives?

As the First Minister has pointed out, research has proven that, far from working, the UK Government austerity programme after the 2008 financial crisis resulted in one of the lengthiest and slowest recoveries, but the UK Government seems determined to repeat the same mistakes.

Does the First Minister agree that, given that economic evidence proves that smaller, independent states recover best, the only sensible choice is to follow their path and gain full control of our economy?