Chamber and committees

I have previously heard Edward Mountain commending the contribution of my colleague Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, to the report of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee—indeed, I seem to recall him speaking so warmly about it that he wondered whether he had damaged Ms Hyslop’s political career and prospects. That was appropriate commendation, which shows why Fiona Hyslop is the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and is undertaking her responsibilities extremely well.

We listen carefully to the views of island communities, and we will continue to do so. I give that assurance to Mr Mountain. As someone who is a regular user of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services and to whom those services are very precious, I will listen carefully to the views not just of my transport secretary but of islanders, so that I understand the need for them to have access to a high-quality service that will meet their needs as residents and as businesses, and that will enable them to accommodate visitors who access our islands.

I completely understand the concern that Mr Doris brings to Parliament. Immunisation is the most reliable way to protect babies in the early weeks of life. The chief midwifery officer is writing to maternity services to encourage and promote pertussis vaccination for pregnant women—doing exactly what Mr Doris has asked me to commit to. I will encourage the chief midwifery officer to support the awareness-raising efforts that are essential to ensuring that maternity services deliver that message to pregnant mothers and that vaccination uptake increases. We all know the importance of vaccination efforts and I give Mr Doris a commitment that the health service will follow exactly the approach that he has suggested to Parliament today.

Let us look at the data. I am all for helpfully bringing data to the Parliament to inform parliamentary proceedings—it is part of my commitment to open government. Since 2007, 40 per cent more affordable homes have been delivered per head of population in Scotland than in England, and 70 per cent more than in Wales. [Interruption.]

I will repeat that so that everyone can hear it: 40 per cent more affordable homes have been delivered per head of population in Scotland than in England, and 70 per cent more than in Wales. Scotland’s overall new house build completion rate in 2022-23 increased to 43 homes per 10,000 people. That was higher than the number in Wales, which was 18, and higher than the number in England, which was 38.

The Government is determined to ensure that we put the resources in place and activate private investment so that we can deliver the houses for people, because the Government has a formidable record on housing construction, which we are proud to proclaim to the people of Scotland.

Mr Sarwar has accepted my point that austerity has been a curse on our society. Despite that austerity, however, resource funding for the national health service has more than doubled since this Government came to office in 2007.

We have taken tough decisions to increase tax in order to invest more in the national health service. We have made the national health service the best financially supported service of all public services in Scotland, and we are absolutely committed to delivering for the national health service.

Anas Sarwar cannot come to the chamber and deny that we have been operating in a significantly constrained public expenditure context and that we have delivered the best settlement that we can for the national health service.

I agree with Mr Ross that that should never have happened. I express my sincere condolences to the family of the individual who lost their life and I say to Eilidh directly that I am sorry for the terrifying experience that she had on Saturday night.

As Mr Ross will be aware, Portree community hospital is not currently operating as a 24/7 emergency facility. Some years ago, Sir Lewis Ritchie recommended that it should be, and it is a matter of deep concern to the Government that that has not happened. The health secretary spoke with the leadership of NHS Highland yesterday to make it clear that we want that to happen at the earliest possible opportunity.

I want to say something to the ambulance crews and other individuals who supported Eilidh. The Portree ambulance was away from Portree at the time, so ambulances came to Portree from Dunvegan and from Kyle, which, as Mr Ross will know, involves quite a travel time. The ambulances got there as quickly as possible. The individuals who supported Eilidh, including Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers and others, have the admiration and appreciation of the Government for the steps that they took to support an individual in our society.

Mr Marra raises important issues about the sustainability of health service provision, and the Government must live within the financial resources that are available to it. It is ludicrous for Mr Marra to come here with that question. I have gone through with Mr Sarwar the fact that the health service is the best funded part of our public services. It occupies a larger proportion of our budget than it did when this Government came to office.

In 2007, when this Government came to office, health service expenditure accounted for about 30 per cent of our total budget. That is now much closer to 50 per cent. The Government has substantially increased expenditure on health. To fund that, we have increased tax on higher earners. Mr Marra is opposed to that; he wants to make the situation worse. Mr Marra wants to reduce the amount of revenue that is available, but he wants me to fund more public services. Mr Marra cannot have his cake and eat it.

Mr Briggs needs to be aware of the Government’s record on housing—[Interruption.]

I am trying to be as helpful as I can on the question, but it is a matter of fact that Sir Lewis Ritchie’s recommendations were implemented for a three-year period, although they have not been sustained.

I accept that that is not good enough. That is what the Government is addressing. That is why, in the past 48 hours, the health secretary has met directly with the leadership of NHS Highland. He has also met Kate Forbes, who is the Deputy First Minister and MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch. All those conversations are taking place to ensure that Sir Lewis Ritchie’s recommendations are implemented, and that they are implemented in short order.

I give Mr Ross the assurance that the health secretary and I, as First Minister, will make sure that the issue is progressed. It should not have taken tragedy to get to this point, but I assure Parliament that the issue has the attention of ministers to ensure that it is addressed promptly.

It is important that we all, where we can, take responsibility to look after ourselves. This morning, at 6 o'clock, I was running through the streets of Edinburgh to support my mental wellbeing, because I tend to find that I have a better time at First Minister’s question time if I have run in the morning than if I have not run in the morning—every week, members will be able to tell whether I have been out running in the morning.

Mr MacGregor raises a very significant issue. Through our communities mental health and wellbeing fund for adults, we have made available £66 million for community projects since 2021. The fund, which supported approximately 300,000 people across Scotland in its first year, is focused on addressing a number of mental health and wellbeing concerns within local communities in Scotland. Since 2020, we have also made available £65 million to local authorities to develop community support projects, and the Government remains committed to doing the work and supporting the work that Mr MacGregor raised to assist in that respect.

The health secretary was in Aberdeen yesterday to launch the changing room programme, which is a welcome contribution to our efforts on mental health and wellbeing.

First, I associate myself with the comments that Mr Cole-Hamilton has made about Heather Aird and Eilidh Beaton.

The Cabinet will next meet on Tuesday.