Chamber and committees

Let me rephrase my point. I do not believe any of the nonsense that was purported by Mr Sarwar to be my view.

We have gone through a competitive tendering process, and Ferguson Marine was part of that competitive tendering process. It follows that I believe that that yard is perfectly able to build the ships, because it was part of the tendering process. It got through that tendering process and put in a bid that was credible and could be considered. Ministers cannot operate outside the law.

It is for the simple reason that a competitive tendering process was undertaken to ensure that we can deliver seven new vessels for some of the smaller routes that are part of the CalMac network. That process involved companies in Scotland and in other countries, as is consistent with the terms of the procurement legislation that the Government must follow.

The Scottish Government intervened when there was a risk that Ferguson’s would cease trading on the Clyde. We arranged for new ownership to take the yard forward. The Government subsequently took decisions that led to significant orders being placed with Ferguson’s following a competitive due process. We are in the process of concluding the small vessel replacement programme—we are in the 10-day standstill period, so I can give little detail to the Parliament on that process at the moment. Most recently, the Government has supported the work at Ferguson’s through additional investment of up to £14.2 million in the yard in order to support it and guarantee its long-term future.

I recognise that those are important steps that could be taken to assist the situation. The emphasis on improving the information that is available to us about individual conditions is part of the approach that is envisaged in the women’s health plan for Scotland. I am happy to take away the point that Carol Mochan puts to me to determine the steps that can be taken to improve the flow of data that will assist in the planning of such treatment.

I agree with those sentiments, and it is for that reason that I have indicated that I will convene a gathering of political and civic leaders to establish constructive interventions that we can all agree on to create a cohesive society in which everyone feels safe and at home.

The example that Mr Stewart has given to Parliament—the steps that the community in Old Aberdeen has taken to demonstrate exactly that type of solidarity and support to the Muslim community in the city of Aberdeen—is a splendid example of the type of spirit that we need to have in this country, where we are defined by what unites us and not by what divides us.

I agree with Mr Cole-Hamilton on the impact of the drama “Adolescence”, because it is leading to significant debate in our society—which I think is absolutely necessary—about the unacceptable behaviour of some supposed influencers, who are influencing very poor behaviour, among young men in particular, in our society today.

I read with care some reflections by Gareth Southgate in the Dimbleby lecture, which I thought were significant contributions to the debate. I again reinforce—as I have done on a number of occasions as First Minister—the importance of me exercising the leadership that I need to exercise to improve the culture and behaviour of men and boys in our society today.

In relation to the question of violence in our schools, Mr Cole-Hamilton correctly indicated that the Government has worked with our local authority partners to take forward the behaviour in schools action plan. That plan includes a range of actions that are designed to improve the situation, which I think that Mr Cole-Hamilton and I would probably accept has been influenced by the aftermath of Covid and the unacceptable examples of leadership that I have just highlighted.

I am always open to wider consideration of how we can support school staff and ensure that schools are safe places for young people to be educated in, because schools must be safe places for young people to be educated in. In some circumstances, school might well be the only safe place that a young person experiences.

I am therefore very open to dialogue with Mr Cole-Hamilton on how we can take further practical measures, beyond what the Government has already announced, to ensure that we support our schools in that important work.

The Government is taking a number of steps to improve the performance of the Scottish economy, where, as I highlighted in my earlier answer to Michelle Thomson, GDP per capita has actually grown at a faster rate than in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Scottish Government interventions have helped to improve economic performance, and we are taking a positive approach towards investment. On Monday, a number of ministers took part in an enormously successful investment forum that was well supported by international investors in the Scottish economy, and we undertake constant dialogue with investors.

I recognise, support and endorse Michelle Thomson’s point that the already higher levels of economic growth per person that we have been able to deliver in Scotland under devolution would be enhanced if we had the wider range of fiscal powers that independent countries take for granted. I would want to deploy those powers to deliver growth and prosperity for the people of Scotland.

The Government is being accused of rigging the process on one occasion, and now the Government is being accused of not rigging the process to make sure that the contracts for the vessels can go to Ferguson’s. That demonstrates that Russell Findlay is scraping the bottom of the barrel of political insults. He does it week after week in the Parliament, and it is a disgrace to the Conservative Party.

I think that Scotland is able to take forward its shipbuilding activities, and we have many examples of that being the case. The Government has intervened using our economic development powers and interventions to support that over a number of years. If it had not been for the actions of this Government and the actions that I took as a minister in the past, there would be no constancy of work at Ferguson Marine, and I make no apology for putting it in that direction.

I do not believe that any of the guff that Mr Sarwar has suggested is my view. Absolutely not—