Chamber and committees

Thanks for that, Pam. Do you want to go on to the next theme on the list, which is human rights and equalities budgeting in a crisis?

Thank you for that.

Our next theme is changes to the budget process. My colleague Natalie Don, who joins us remotely, will kick off the questions.

I have a final question for the panel, about something that we have not yet picked up on.

The national performance framework is high level. In general, its 81 indicators are statistical measures that indicate broad trends. What is the best way of using the NPF to inform the scrutiny of this year’s budgetary decisions? As well as those that will be taken in the Parliament are those that will be taken by local authorities and their partners for local outcome improvement plans and community planning partnerships. How do we make sure that the NPF directs and informs those budgetary decisions at a much better level than is currently happening?

That is a fantastic short answer. Sara Cowan, do you have anything to add?

Welcome back.

I welcome our second panel: Ed Pybus, policy and parliamentary officer, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland; Morag Treanor, deputy chair, Poverty and Inequality Commission; and Paul Bradley, policy and public affairs manager, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. Thank you for coming along, and it was great to see that you were in the room during the first session, to hear the evidence.

Our first theme is about the impact of the cost of living on individuals and organisations. To start us off, I turn to my colleague Emma Roddick.

Several of the committee members come from the voluntary sector and understand the challenges, so it is good to hear that situation highlighted.

That was a helpful example to give us. I will hand over to Emma Roddick for her question, and then Paul McLennan will finish off with a very short question.

Does the First Minister share my frustration that, while the Scottish Government has introduced significant poverty interventions such as the Scottish child payment, which she mentioned, our ambition to tackle poverty is not only unmatched but absolutely undermined by Tory policies and, as long as the UK Government holds the key tax, borrowing and welfare powers, we will always be constrained in our ability to protect the most vulnerable in our society?

My colleague Siobhian Brown and I heard the news that the Queen had passed away on our drive back to Ayrshire, and both of us were caught by surprise by the well of emotion that the radio announcement brought forth. Although I am by no means a natural monarchist, I still found myself dealing with unexpected feelings of loss.

Queen Elizabeth was the one constant in our collective consciousness for over 70 years. Like my beloved grandfather, who was one year her junior and who passed away just last year, she was part of that greatest of generations: those who lived through war and rationing and who lived life with a sense of duty and stoic strength.

As our elders in that generational cohort pass away, we feel the shifting of time keenly. I was bereft when my grandpa passed away. He was a man with strong values of social justice, which he bestowed on his children and grandchildren. For me, the death of the Queen is inextricably linked to the loss that we feel for the “Make do and mend” generation. I am sure that if my grandpa, who was an Ayrshire dairyman, and the Queen had ever met, they could have talked coos aw day.

When I emigrated to Canada as a wee six-year-old, the Queen was the one familiar thing in a new land where I was far away from everything, and almost everyone, that I knew and loved. Her face on the unfamiliar currency, and even the worldwide broadcast of the royal wedding the following year, helped me in my gradual acclimatisation as a new Canadian. When, as a family, we pledged our oath of Canadian citizenship, we also pledged our oath to Her Majesty: the one great constant.

Although I may have donned a certain infamous T-shirt by a famous punk band in my teens, and—like Daniel Johnson—railed against the system, I can attest to the great work that was done by the now King at Dumfries house in Cumnock in my constituency. Saved from ruin by the then Prince, the country mansion and wonderful grounds are home to the Prince’s Foundation. Dumfries house is also the site of the Queen’s last visit to Ayrshire, where she was welcomed by thousands as she opened the beautiful walled garden that was named after her. I urge all members to visit, especially in the summertime, when more than 3,000 roses and row on row of delphiniums bloom spectacularly.

It was also at Dumfries house that I watched with great amusement as the now King Charles grabbed his wife and birled her round the dance floor as an Elvis impersonator sang “Don’t Be Cruel” at one of East Ayrshire Council’s “vibrant communities” tea dances, which are held regularly to bring the community together to combat social isolation. Charles and Camilla gave everyone who was there that day an impromptu show to remember, and I will not forget the smiles on the faces. I sincerely hope that the King will be able to continue to enjoy his frequent sojourns to Ayrshire, and we thank him for the regeneration that he has imparted.

Finally, as a member of the scouting family, I thank the Queen for her duty and patronage over her 70-year reign. We can all live by the scout pledge that she embodied: to do our best and to help others.

À la reine Elizabeth: merci fortement pour votre service et reposez en paix.

Good morning, and welcome to the 22nd meeting of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee in 2022, and our first meeting after the summer recess. Our first item of business is a decision on taking items 2 and 3 in private. Do members agree to take items 2 and 3 in private?

Members indicated agreement.