Chamber and committees

It is pretty obvious that the budget is under enormous financial pressure. Liz Smith is a member of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, and I have been completely candid about the challenges that I face in balancing this year’s budget because of the impact of inflation and the increased costs with which we are wrestling. I have come to Parliament to reallocate £1.2 billion of resources to meet the funding pressures. It is no secret that we face those issues and pressures, but the Government is acting to address them.

In relation to IJB funding, it is elementary common sense that, if IJBs hold reserves that can be utilised to support front-line activity, that is the Government’s clear preference.

Mr Halcro Johnston’s question raises a perspective on an independent public inquiry that must be countered. Conservative members would be outraged if I were to interfere in the operation of an independent public inquiry. Indeed, Mr Fraser, who is sitting on the front bench, accused me of so doing. We have one member of the Conservative Party, Mr Halcro Johnston, asking me to interfere in an inquiry and another Conservative member, Mr Fraser, alleging that I am already doing just that.

The law is very clear on independent public inquiries, and I have rehearsed the point in previous parliamentary statements. The law is clear that, once a chair is appointed, it is up to them to run the public inquiry and it is not for ministers to interfere. I do not interfere.

The Covid recovery strategy brings together more than 70 actions that are supporting those who have been most impacted during the pandemic and the on-going cost crisis by increasing financial security for low-income households, enhancing the wellbeing of children and young people, and creating good, green jobs and fair work.

That activity is supported by the themes of the Scottish Government’s national strategy for economic transformation and by work that involves support for digital recovery and support for the energy sector through the energy transition fund. We are also providing significant investment to support businesses, including by providing almost £0.5 billion pounds more than the funding that we received from the United Kingdom Government.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a fair recovery for everyone in Scotland, particularly the people who have been most affected by the pandemic, which includes those affected by long Covid.

We are supporting activity to improve the collection of clinical data on the prevalence and healthcare needs of people with long Covid to inform the planning and delivery of services. Officials are working with NHS National Services Scotland’s long Covid strategic network to improve data collection as a priority. The network is taking forward a dedicated workstream to agree outcomes, indicators, monitoring and evaluation to accelerate progress.

I would make two points in relation to Mr Leonard’s question. First, I reiterate what I said in my original answer. Work is under way with NHS National Services Scotland’s long Covid strategic network to improve data collection. That substantively addresses the point that Mr Leonard puts to me.

Secondly, in relation to support for people with long Covid, the Government is very clear that we must ensure that anybody who is experiencing ill health, whether that is from long Covid or anything else, is able to access the appropriate level of clinical care to support their needs and requirements. That is primarily undertaken through access to the general practitioner network in Scotland. I would encourage anybody who is experiencing ill health to pursue those options and to ensure that they secure the necessary care to which they are entitled.

The Covid-19 recovery strategy contains a range of actions, many of which will continue beyond the lifetime of the strategy. The principles of the Covid-19 recovery strategy helped to inform the 2023-24 Scottish budget, which prioritises eradicating child poverty, transforming the economy to deliver a just transition to net zero and achieving fiscally sustainable public services. The Scottish Government will continue to prioritise policies that support those who are in the most need.

I co-chair the Covid-19 recovery strategy programme board, alongside the president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. Together with partners, we oversee recovery activity that supports people in Scotland, particularly those who are most affected by the pandemic and the on-going cost crisis.

The Scottish Government has received a number of representations from COSLA regarding the local government finance settlement. Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives from COSLA and individual local authorities to discuss a range of issues, as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

I will make two points. First, I think that Mr Johnson would accept that a decade of Conservative Government austerity has put cumulative pressure on Scotland’s public finances. I accept that, and I would have thought that he would have accepted it into the bargain.

Secondly, in the context of a very challenging fiscal environment, with all the issues and difficulties that we have faced, the Government has increased the resources available to local government by more than £570 million. That cash increase is there for local authorities to deploy in the appropriate way, as they see fit, to meet the challenges in their local areas.

The mental health budget has increased, and we have greater capacity to support individuals in order to assist in their recovery. The Government is taking a variety of other steps to enhance community mental health resources in our society; assistance to school communities is an example that comes to mind. The Government will endeavour, where the resources allow, to expand the investment in mental health and wellbeing services, as it recognises the importance of supporting people in their recovery.

Obviously, town centres and the retail community will be affected by a range of different factors. Covid and the impact of lockdown will be one, the move towards the greater use of online retail opportunities will be another, and a third will undoubtedly be the impact of proportionally more people working at home since the pandemic than before the pandemic.

The Government is actively undertaking work to look at the impact on town centres, and parliamentary committees have reported on the subject. All those different factors are researched and are reflected in the thinking that the Government brings together in its retail strategy.