Chamber and committees

I have visited big noise Torry and I know the good work that it does. It deserves to be treated better than it is at present. The attack by local SNP councillors was shameful, resulting in the massive SNP spin machine rushing into overdrive and getting involved in a panic. No doubt that is because the SNP fears the impact that that betrayal would have on the fortunes of their SNP leader at Westminster, who is meant to represent Torry.

The response was predictable and pathetic in equal measure. Instead of the blame being put on the SNP councillors who wielded the axe, the blame is to be passed to the Tories at Westminster—it is absolutely pathetic. Budgets are about choices, and the councils in Dundee and Aberdeen shamefully chose to axe Big Noise programmes. When the SNP-Liberal Democrat councillors are looking for someone to blame for libraries closing, swimming pools closing and Big Noise closing, they need to take some responsibility and have a look in the mirror. They alone are responsible for the choices and the cuts that they make.

Sistema changes the lives of our most vulnerable. It has a brilliant early intervention and prevention programme. I get it, and I am genuinely pleased that the minister agrees and has stepped in, but questions remain. A statement on Sistema funding will clear up these questions and allow the devolved Government to reaffirm its commitment to Sistema.

I move, as an amendment to motion S6M-08150 in the name of George Adam, to leave out

“2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice, Housing and Local Government”

and insert:

“2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice, Housing and Local Government

followed by Ministerial Statement: Children’s Orchestras Funding U-turn

followed by Ministerial Statement: Ferguson Marine and Ferry Services Update

followed by Ministerial Statement: Deposit Return Scheme Update”.

As I said, questions remain, which is why we are looking for a ministerial statement to be added to the business programme. Those questions include: is that a one-year reprieve? Will the big noise projects that other local authorities are funding now be funded by this devolved Government instead? What changed following the minister’s response last week? Will the Government condemn the disgraceful comments that SNP councillors in Aberdeen made about Sistema Scotland?

When I was the co-leader of Aberdeen City Council, I had four budgets to set. Four times, council officers offered up big noise Torry as a potential saving, and, four times, I rejected that, because I knew the impact that the project has on those who are most vulnerable. Now, however, we have a shambles of an administration running Aberdeen City Council, which is led by SNP councillor Alex Nicoll, and that is, shamefully, propped up by the Liberal Democrats. They did not just defund the project; they verbally attacked Sistema Scotland with a disgusting attack on the good work that it does in a shameful attempt to discredit it.

Councillor Allard, who is a former member of this place, and someone who is meant to represent Torry—the very community that Sistema Scotland is supporting—said:

“Sistema had no impact on the people that needed help the most”.

He also said:

“Let’s be very clear, if we had the money, we wouldn’t do it either”.

The other SNP councillor for Torry, Councillor Fairfull, said:

“The council could not fund a project that has not deliver expected outcomes”.

What an absolute load of mince. The evidence reports are there for Councillors Nicoll, Allard, Fairfull and Yuill to read if they could be bothered to.

My amendment seeks to insert ministerial statements into next week’s business. First, we are looking for a statement on the disastrous deposit return scheme. It is turning into complete farce. Most of the producers are not signed up to the scheme and the minister was unable to answer basic questions in this chamber yesterday. The Scottish National Party leadership hopefuls have cast doubt on the scheme and it is only right that the minister gives us an update.

Secondly, we want a statement on the ferry fiasco. At yesterday’s Finance and Public Administration Committee, the minister was unable to answer what the total cost of vessels 801 and 802 would be, and there are now fresh doubts about the timescales. Our island communities deserve better, and they deserve to be updated.

The final statement that we are looking for is on the funding U-turn for our Sistema Scotland projects across the country. Last Wednesday, I asked Neil Gray, who is the responsible minister, to step in and save Big Noise Torry. He said:

“This an issue for our local authorities to determine; it is not for MSPs or Government ministers to intervene in local government decisions.”—[Official Report, 1 March 2023; c 7.]

Less than 48 hours later, the Government performed a screeching U-turn and announced funding for the two Big Noise projects that the SNP administrations had axed in Dundee and Aberdeen. That lifeline is, of course, welcome—[Interruption.]—but questions remain. [Interruption.]

So that we can see how much was spent before that point.

One part of the increase for 2022-23 was

“£4.6 million required for additional operating costs”

for Ferguson Marine. Can you give us a bit more detail on what that was?

My next question is on the transfer to “Rail Franchise”. Can you give us some more information on that? It is mentioned on page 18, where it talks, first of all, about

“capital budget being transferred from Major Public Transport Projects to Rail Infrastructure”.

It is page 18—I am sorry; I should say that it is paragraph 65.

If you could get that information to us, that would be good.

My next question is about the European social fund and the £15 million, I think, of write-offs. Can you give us more information about that?

Is it anything to do with the issue that arose back in, I think, 2017 or 2018, about how the fund was being dealt with by the Scottish Government?

Right.

I will pick up on the point that Daniel Johnson was making about the net zero funds. What impact will there be on the climate change targets that the Government has set? There is seemingly a lack of demand for the funds, and they have been cut twice in the past two updates.