Chamber and committees

As Jackie Dunbar and the Parliament will know, the Government does not support energy production from nuclear power. We believe that the investment that is necessary in our energy networks will be more cost effective if it is invested in renewable energy.

I am reminded that Hinkley Point C, which is a new nuclear power station, is now projected to cost up to £46 billion, which is more than double the original cost estimate. There are opportunities for us to deliver energy security for our country through a variety of renewable energy interventions, through offshore wind, through pump storage and through various other technologies. That will certainly be the position that is adopted by the Scottish Government.

I am deeply concerned about the cuts to the sickness and disability benefits that the United Kingdom Government has announced. Indeed, I referred to them in my earlier answers to Anas Sarwar. The changes will push 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into poverty by the end of this decade and will reduce the funding that Scotland receives for devolved disability benefits.

Parliament had an opportunity yesterday to express its firm opinion on those commitments. The Government expressed our opposition to the changes and I am staggered that Scottish Labour MSPs supported the cuts, but that tells us all that we need to know—the Labour Party is in favour of continuing austerity and inflicting damage on the population of Scotland, while this Government will stand to take actions to reduce poverty and support the population in Scotland.

Let us take a moment to see how the most recent change-of-Government process went in the United Kingdom. Last summer, the Labour Government was elected on a commitment to end austerity and to deliver change. What has the Labour Government done? The Labour Government has delivered a continuation—[Interruption.]

First, I am glad that I have been relieved of the burden of trying, on a weekly basis, to remember when the Cabinet meets.

I also welcome Jamie Greene to his position on the Liberal Democrat benches. I am not at all surprised to see him there. He looked decidedly uncomfortable on the Conservative benches for an awfully long time—like many others, I dare say. [Interruption.] Listen—[Laughter.] I am very happy about it all.

Christine Grahame makes a compelling argument. The Government has been working with our local authority partners to ensure that young people are able to get the best start to their early years education and that there is a natural progression into the school. That is at the heart of the reforms on early learning and childcare.

In primary 1 in many schools, and in primary 2 in some schools, there will still be a play-based curriculum, which has been the foundation of the early years experience for three and four-year-olds and for some two-year-olds. The structural point that Christine Grahame makes about the school is also a structural point about the curriculum and the approach that we take to giving young people the best start in life.

We will reflect on the substantive points that Christine Grahame has made and consider how we can make sure that we have that provision available in all communities in Scotland. That is what the Government is funding through the local authority settlement that we put in place.

There are very strict elements of legislation in place regarding rural school closures. When there is any question of such a closure, that legislation has to be followed assiduously as part of the statutory process. If Mr Kerr wishes to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills with detail of the points that he is raising about the situation at Blackness primary school, the Government will consider that.

I remind Mr Kerr that local authorities are independent bodies; the Government does not control local authorities. It is for local authorities to come to their own decisions, but they must operate within the statutory provision that the Parliament has determined on the question.

I certainly want to make sure that we take decisions as efficiently and swiftly as we possibly can, but I also have to make sure that the Government has adequate space and opportunity to consider all the issues that are involved. I am sure that Beatrice Wishart will understand the significance of that point. Beyond indicating that the issue is under consideration, there is little more that I can say, given that it relates to a live planning application. However, I understand the importance of her point and the importance of early decision making, where practical.

I simply read that quote into the Official Report because the Conservatives have changed their position from what they said in 2018.

My Government will do what it always does. It will follow the rule of law, take careful account of decisions and of the context in which we take them and act wisely to protect the rights of all within Scotland, because the first duty of the Government is to protect the rights of everyone in Scottish society.

The Government will engage with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, which does fantastic work in raising awareness on all of those questions. We support a range of prescribing routes for COPD, and the national centre for sustainable delivery is working with COPD patients to develop new treatment pathways.

We are taking forward a variety of policy measures, including some wider societal policies, such as low-emission zones, which aim to assist in improving air quality and which will be of benefit to individuals with COPD. Our respiratory care action plan sets out how we are working to improve prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support.

The Government will, of course, be happy to engage further with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and with patients to determine what further steps we can take.

That is what the people of Scotland have, because, in a variety of different areas, this Government is delivering for the people of Scotland.

Families in Scotland benefit from having 1,140 hours of early learning and childcare for all three and four-year-olds and for eligible two-year-olds. We have rising investment in our housing sector and we are tackling the housing emergency, building on the fact that we have built more affordable housing per head of population than has been built in other parts of the United Kingdom. We have low unemployment in Scotland today, and progress has been made on reducing waiting lists and waiting times in the national health service. Crucially, on the issue that absolutely matters to me, in Scotland we are seeing a fall in the level of child poverty when it is rising in the rest of the United Kingdom. However, I fear that the progress that we are making in Scotland will be damaged by the welfare reforms of the United Kingdom’s Labour Government.