Chamber and committees

I am happy to provide Mr Mundell with a substantive response to the points that he has raised. Our enterprise agencies do a very good job of securing investment and working with companies to create employment. They have a formidable track record of success.

There will, however, be ventures that do not come to fruition. Members who have any understanding of the economy understand that there is risk; some ventures succeed and some ventures do not. However, I am assured and confident that our enterprise agencies do a fantastic job in attracting investment to our country, and we should all applaud the work that they undertake.

Yes, I do. The health secretary and I are deeply engaged in ensuring that there is effective leadership in place to support the national health service to recover from the implications of Covid some years ago and the severe implications of the flu that we have experienced in recent weeks. We are entirely focused on the challenge.

Oh, I think that I have touched—[Interruption.]

We are taking a number of steps, some of which involve investing in the bus fleet. We are trying to lower the carbon footprint of that fleet through the investments that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport is taking forward. We are, obviously, very pleased with how the under-22s concessionary travel system is operating, because that has provided social mobility and opportunity for young people across the country and made a real difference to their lives.

I understand the proposals put forward by the Green Party and the benefits that would arise from being able to implement those proposals. They were not included in the Government’s budget in December, but I give Lorna Slater the assurance that they will be seriously considered by the Government as we move forward with our budget preparations.

If Meghan Gallacher provides me with her constituent’s address, I will happily write to convey the apology that I have put on the record in the Parliament today, because I think that what happened is unacceptable. However, I have also explained to the Parliament the enormous pressures that the health service is enduring because of the significant upsurge in winter flu cases that we have experienced in recent weeks.

The situation that was reported to me and the health secretary on Monday is an improved situation. The pressure is less intense. That should not be confused with there being no pressure, because there remains significant pressure on the national health service, but the health secretary and I are entirely focused on making sure that we address those issues, and we will continue to do so, because it is essential that we focus on what matters to the people of Scotland. That is about improving the health service, which is what we are committed to doing.

No, it is not. What we are doing is focusing, within the resources available to us, on maximising the effectiveness of patient care for individuals.

What has the Government done in recent years? The Government has, for example, increased NHS staffing by 26.6 per cent during the period in which we have been in office. Regarding the central point in Mr Sarwar’s last question, the Government has increased staffing numbers. We have increased consultant numbers, particularly in emergency care, and we have also increased the capacity of NHS 24. We have introduced innovations, such as hospital at home, to ensure that more patients are treated in the circumstances that best meet their needs.

The Government will continue to innovate and reform to address the public’s needs, but there is a harsh reality about the increased demand that we are facing as a consequence of the upsurge in flu cases and the implications of Covid, which has left the population facing more acute health circumstances than pre-Covid. The Government is prioritising the national health service by ensuring that we are investing the largest sum of money ever in it. I look forward to the Government’s budget passing to enable us to secure that investment for the people of this country.

I hear the slogan from Anas Sarwar every week, but I point out to Parliament that there was not a single word of substance to back up his rhetoric about a new direction. The last word that Anas Sarwar used was “change”. He has argued that a Labour Government in London would change the circumstances for people in this country. [Interruption.]

Assaults on patients or staff are absolutely abhorrent and cannot be tolerated. Everyone has the right to access healthcare or their place of work without fear of verbal or physical abuse. All instances of violent behaviour, including sexual assaults, are against the law and should be immediately reported to the police and dealt with by the justice system appropriately.

The NHS Scotland charter of patient rights and responsibilities makes clear to patients that they

“may face legal action if”

they are

“abusive, violent or aggressive towards NHS staff”

or members of the public

“when using NHS services.”

The NHS Scotland bullying and harassment workforce policy provides a means of addressing unresolved, significant or persistent sexual harassment and misconduct.

The Government has obligations to ensure that all our policy interventions are well evidenced and to take into account all the circumstances that we face. The court cases that I cited are relevant because they fundamentally affect decision making and policy approaches in relation to consent to any oil and gas developments. It is important that the Government takes time to understand all those issues and engage with the UK Government, which is the decision-making body on those questions.

I say to Parliament that the Government is absolutely committed to our agenda on climate action. We have binding statutory targets, and I want Scotland to achieve those targets, because I want us to play our part in protecting the planet. I accept fundamentally the point that Lorna Slater put to me, which is that those issues are in jeopardy because of the temperature of the planet last year. I want to ensure that Scotland plays its part in addressing that.

I welcome investment in the construction of the two largest battery storage systems in Europe, in South Lanarkshire and in Fife. The construction and long-term maintenance of those projects will bring jobs and economic value locally and to wider Scotland. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has stated that there will be 150 staff working at Coalburn 1 during peak construction. That investment and show of confidence in Scotland will also contribute indirectly to local employment. It is a landmark announcement for our economic and net zero prospects.