Chamber and committees

On Mr Gibson’s last point about unemployment, that is now significantly lower in Scotland than it is in the rest of the United Kingdom. I welcome that indication of good performance in the Scottish economy. Indeed, that good economic performance in Scotland was recognised by both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s in their assessments of Scotland’s credit rating.

In addition, the decision not to abolish the energy profits levy will have disastrous consequences in the north-east of Scotland, and the Labour Party will have to own those consequences—we will make sure that it does.

In relation to energy prices, individuals were promised a cut of £300 to their energy bills, but that is not happening under the Labour Government.

What a wandering lot of drivel that question was. [Interruption.]

I have also set out on previous occasions what the Scottish Government would do in the situation that we now face. I said that we would use the money that we had allocated to lift the two-child limit, which was an initiative taken by the SNP Government in the face of votes against such a proposal by Labour MPs in Westminster, to reduce child poverty even further than the decreasing levels of child poverty in Scotland under this Government.

Mr Findlay attacks me for asking people on higher earnings to pay more in tax. I am prepared to do that so that I can work to eradicate child poverty, which is the best thing to do for the future of our country.

As Ash Regan properly sets out, the Government is engaging constructively on the bill, and I would be very happy for the minister responsible to engage with Ash Regan and others on the bill. As I said in my response to Ruth Maguire—I say this out of a desire to be helpful—there are challenging issues with the bill that we must properly address to ensure that the legislation can be applied, and the Government will engage in that process.

I have received correspondence from a number of sports organisations on that important question. I acknowledge the centrality of Mr Whittle’s points and the necessity of investment. The Government is investing £46.43 million in the sport and active living budget. We are operating in constrained financial circumstances, but we will do all that we can to boost the funding that is available for sport. I do not want to sour these exchanges, but I point out to Mr Whittle that his party leader has just demanded that I use £150 million for a tax cut.

I have not seen that correspondence yet, but I will ask my office to put it to me when I return after First Minister’s question time. I will look at the case and see what I can do. Rhoda Grant makes a completely reasonable and understandable point. Given ophthalmology waiting lists, more optometrists might be quite handy, so I will have a look at the issue and do what I can to help.

Oh, he is trying awful hard today to get himself excited. [Interruption.]

I thought that members of Parliament were supposed to keep up with what is said in Parliament. I have already welcomed the abolition of the two-child limit, because this Government shamed the Labour Party into action in the first place. Labour MPs have been trooping through the lobbies of the House of Commons to vote to keep the two-child limit since they came to office 18 months ago. It has been an absolute disgrace.

I am glad that the Labour Party has realised that there is an election coming in May and that, possibly, a Labour Party driving up child poverty in the United Kingdom might not be a good look for the Labour Party in Scotland. However, I am very pleased to say to the people of Scotland that child poverty is falling in this country because of the actions of the Scottish National Party Government.

What the Government is doing is taking what we learned from the issues that we addressed in Grangemouth, where the just transition plan has resulted in a range of business development opportunities emerging, and applying that, in dialogue with the trade unions, interested parties, Fife Council, the United Kingdom Government and the company, to the future of Mossmorran.

I very much regret the circumstances that the workers at Mossmorran face. The Deputy First Minister and the Scottish Government are working assiduously with all interested parties to deliver a future for those who are affected by the decision that has been taken about Mossmorran.

The Scottish Government will set out its budget in January, which will, of course, following the pattern of all the budgets that we have set out, be a balanced budget. Because of all the years of balanced budgets under the Scottish National Party Government since 2007, Moody’s is able to say that Scotland benefits from “prudent financial management”, and Standard & Poor’s is able to say that Scotland benefits from “prudent financial planning”. I would have thought that those assessments from credit rating agencies—those independent voices that comment on economies around the world—would be of some solace and comfort to Mr Hoy and give him something to be cheerful about. Given that we have such strong financial planning, even Mr Hoy should be satisfied with our performance.