Good morning. The first item of business is general question time.
Antisocial Behaviour (Disguised Perpetrators)
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported prevalence and trend of crimes committed where the perpetrator was wearing a disguise, particularly in relation to antisocial behaviour. (S6O-04528)
The wearing of disguises is not a new phenomenon, and it is a matter for Police Scotland to take account of as part of its operational response.
Any recorded instances are a very small proportion of reported crime. Police Scotland uses a range of powers to prevent and tackle antisocial and criminal behaviour. In certain circumstances, those can include stop and search and the removal of head and face coverings. A code of practice exists to ensure that that is done in a manner that is lawful, proportionate and accountable.
I thank the minister for that answer. We have become all too aware of instances of people wearing balaclavas in order to facilitate crime, whether that is riding illegal electric motorcycles or antisocial behaviour. It is definitely a component of the increasing violence against shop workers. Those issues have been rehearsed in the chamber.
It is frustrating for the police, because the simple act of wearing a balaclava to conceal one’s identity in order to facilitate a crime is not a crime in and of itself, although it is a crime in other countries. In England and Wales, in certain US states, in France and in Queensland in Australia, the use of a disguise with intent to commit crime is an offence. It stands to reason that, if a person conceals their face in order to facilitate crime, the police should be able to stop them and that it should be a crime. Does the minister agree with that, and will the Government review the legal situation?
As I said, Police Scotland has stop and search powers. Where it is appropriate and necessary, Police Scotland also has powers under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which allows searches to be carried out in a particular locality for a specific period of time, and police can ask for the removal of face masks. The issue is important, and I am happy to meet the member to discuss it further.
An uptick has been reported in the utilisation of such disguises in some crime and antisocial behaviour in the capital. Those trends are developing partly through social media. What recent discussions has the Scottish Government had with its counterparts in the United Kingdom Government about the responsibility of social media platforms to prevent the spread of harmful content that promotes copycat crimes and antisocial behaviour, often involving face coverings?
The member is right to refer to the influence of social media and the impact that it can have. Although regulation of the internet is reserved to the UK Government, we have been engaging extensively with UK ministers on its Online Safety Act 2023 to strengthen protections for young people.
We responded to Ofcom’s consultation on illegal harms online last year, which influenced its codes and guidance in relation to duties for online providers to protect users from harm, including threats, abuse and hate offences. We continue to engage with Ofcom and the UK Government to understand the impact and effectiveness of those actions, and I am happy to keep Ben Macpherson updated.
Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme
Before asking the question, I declare an interest in that I hold a protecting vulnerable groups certificate.
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the protecting vulnerable groups scheme, including the most recent data for the number of registered persons with PVG certificates. (S6O-04529)
On Tuesday 1 April, it became a legal requirement for anyone carrying out a regulated role to be a member of the PVG scheme. There are currently 1,693,115 PVG scheme members. After a person joins the PVG scheme, Disclosure Scotland continuously monitors them to ensure that they have not become unsuitable to carry out a regulated role.
It is good to see that the law has been tightened up in that regard. However, I was not able to establish through my own research or that of a constituent whether the change to the law also includes changes to the criteria for the designation of qualifying voluntary organisations that are not required to pay the £59 fee for their employees.
The two main sectors in which additional PVG checks will be required as a result of the legal requirement or the move to regulated roles are the health sector and the voluntary sector. The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 puts greater emphasis on those who have power and influence over children and protected adults in determining whether an individual is in a regulated role. I would be more than happy to update Ms Smith about the fees following question time.
ScotRail Ticket Office Staffing
I remind members of my voluntary register of trade union interests.
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on staffing at ScotRail ticket offices. (S6O-04530)
This week, ScotRail has commenced its operation of ticket offices in accordance with the revised opening hours, which reflect the changing preferences of its customers. I am pleased to confirm that no jobs or working hours have been lost. ScotRail has assessed the requirement for staff to allow it to adhere to the revised opening times, and it currently carries out recruitment for ticket office staff where necessary.
Under this Government’s stewardship, peak fares have returned to Scotland’s railways. This week, all fares increased by 3.8 per cent and, on Monday, 2,800 hours were cut from staffing at ticket offices across Scotland. Those measures, which were approved by the Scottish Government, all diminish passenger service, passenger safety and passenger accessibility, and they all make the jobs of railway workers more difficult. Will the Government think again, take the bold action that is required and reverse those decisions?
Although opening hours at ScotRail’s ticket offices have remained unchanged over the past three decades, ticket office sales have reduced from 78 to 14 per cent during that period. Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail have rightly reviewed the situation to ensure that they are delivering services that meet customer expectations. The adjustments to the ticket office opening hours that have been implemented will enable ScotRail staff to be redeployed to focus more directly on supporting passengers. That touches on some of what the member has spoken about, such as accessibility for disabled passengers. It will enable better assistance for passengers and staff to be more visible in order to deter antisocial behaviour and reduce fare evasion.
Women, particularly disabled women, experience sexual assault and harassment on public transport and have expressed concern about being less safe in unstaffed stations. What actions does the Government intend to take to guarantee women’s safety, particularly at the growing number of unstaffed stations?
ScotRail undertook research and carefully considered when tickets were being purchased and when passenger assistance was required, in order to ensure that stations would be staffed when those travelling needed it. As ticket offices are not closing, passengers will still be able to get that assistance from staff. ScotRail has also given assurances that, outwith those times, tickets can still be purchased on the train, including tickets for discounted fares. Those are important improvements that we all want to see in a publicly run railway service.
Bus Service Franchising Powers (Implementation)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will accelerate the full implementation of bus franchising powers in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. (S6O-04531)
All local transport authorities in Scotland now have the power to start developing their franchising proposals. Later this spring, we will lodge a further set of regulations, which will focus on the process of transitioning from the current commercial market into a franchise, as well as transitioning out of a franchise. At the same time, officials are developing guidance for local transport authorities on the franchising process. That will cover the preparation of a franchising framework, the audit process, what an authority should expect when going through the franchising approval process, and the process for commencing a franchise.
Those provisions are more than welcome. This week, bus fares in Glasgow have increased. An adult day ticket now costs £5.90 and the cost of a single ticket has risen to £3.10. For too long, Glaswegians have paid the highest bus fares of any British city for an unreliable and fragmented service, while Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds are powering ahead with bus franchising. It is a huge opportunity for Greater Glasgow to take back control of its bus system. The next transport commissioner for Scotland will convene the panel that will decide whether the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport can establish that bus franchise. Does the minister agree that the next commissioner must not stand in the way of bus franchising, which has overwhelming democratic political support? Will he ensure that the regional transport partnership, SPT, is fully resourced for that purpose?
I could not agree more with Paul Sweeney. This is an absolutely fantastic opportunity for RTPs and other organisations to take control of the public service provision of buses. I absolutely accept that point.
From day 1, we have been quite clear that we want to give local authorities and transport authorities the ability to make that transition to franchising, and the provisions that we have put in place do exactly that.
Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (Publication)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its energy strategy and just transition plan. (S6O-04532)
The judgments and issues in the energy strategy and just transition plan are informed and influenced by a range of recent developments in the United Kingdom Government’s energy policy and, indeed, by court decisions. Therefore, there remains a rapidly changing landscape—for example, the UK Government’s consultation on future oil and gas policy will be open for stakeholder input over the coming months. We are taking time to reflect on those on-going developments before drawing any conclusions and publishing any final strategy.
This is becoming a joke. I have asked about the energy strategy 16 times in the past year, because businesses want to know whether investment will be welcomed here.
Last week, Offshore Energies UK said that another 7 billion barrels of oil could be extracted from the North Sea and that half of the oil and gas that the UK needs before 2050 could be produced domestically. In an increasingly unstable world, does the minister recognise that it is common sense to make use of our domestic supply of oil and gas rather than import it from abroad? Does he also recognise the damage that is being caused by the Scottish National Party’s presumption against new oil and gas developments? Will he ditch it today and finally confirm when his party’s long-overdue energy strategy will be published?
Douglas Lumsden will be aware that the decision will ultimately be made by the UK Government, but we are clear on our support for a just transition for Scotland’s oil and gas sector that recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments.
Offshore oil and gas licensing, as well as the consenting and associated fiscal regime and all the things that go with it—
You have a presumption against oil and gas.
I do not know why Douglas Lumsden is shouting at me, because, as I was saying, all those matters are currently reserved to the UK Government.
Any further extraction and use of fossil fuels must be consistent with our climate obligations and just transition commitments. It is vital that we take an evidence-based approach to the energy transition. That is why we have consistently called on the UK Government to approach decisions about North Sea oil and gas projects on a rigorously evidence-led, case-by-case basis, with climate compatibility and energy security as key considerations.
Childcare (Costs)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the reported rising childcare costs on families, particularly those on low and middle incomes, in light of recent research by the Coram Family and Childcare charity. (S6O-04533)
Supporting families through access to high-quality, affordable and accessible childcare is critical to the First Minister’s mission of eradicating child poverty. That is why, since 2021, we have prioritised investment of £1 billion per year in funded early learning and childcare for all three-year-olds and four-year-olds, and the two-year-olds who need it most.
Our interim evaluation report, “Early Learning and Childcare Expansion to 1140 hours”, which was published in August 2024, found that the uptake of funded hours is high and that there are promising signs that the expansion is delivering improvements in quality, flexibility, accessibility and affordability. Our full evaluation report will be published later this year.
Although a part-time nursery place for a child under the age of two now costs an average of £70.51 per week in England, after working-parent entitlements are taken into account, that represents a 56 per cent decrease since last year. In Scotland, a part-time nursery place for a child under two costs an average of £122.38, which represents a 7 per cent rise since 2024. Clearly, that will hit lowest-paid workers hardest, with many families in Scotland having to pay £50 more a week than families in England are paying for the same childcare. What will the Scottish Government do to address that inequality?
Mr Whitfield raises an important point, but I point out that Scotland is the only part of the United Kingdom that offers 1,140 hours a year of funded ELC to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds, and our investment is fundamental to giving children the best start in life. By contrast, the Institute for Fiscal Studies made it clear that the poorest third of families in England will see almost no direct benefit from the UK Government’s childcare entitlements.
Let me be clear that this is about what is best for Scotland’s children. Our offer is built for the children who need it the most. That said, we continue to work with local authorities and stakeholders to see how we can provide more support for parents. Martin Whitfield is aware of all the work that we are doing in relation to our early adopter communities and other aspects of our childcare offer. I will continue to look for ways that we can support parents with childcare costs.
Good-quality, accessible and affordable childcare is essential to addressing child poverty and enabling parents to re-enter the workforce. Thanks to the policies of the previous Conservative Government, as has been stated, the cost of a part-time childcare place has more than halved and the cost of a full-time place has been reduced by 20 per cent. I have been highlighting in the Parliament the issues with early years childcare for working parents for some time. Will the minister agree to examine the implementation of the 1,140 hours of free childcare and adjust the policy to ensure that parents can get back into employment?
Ms McCall talks about the UK Conservative Government’s childcare policy. I seriously call into question the impact that Conservative policies have had on families across Scotland for a number of years.
As I pointed out, this is about helping children. Our offer of 1,140 funded hours is guaranteed to benefit three and four-year-olds, but the picture is a little different for children under three. How much those children benefit from early learning and childcare provision is determined by crucial factors such as their family background, the age that they start in ELC, the quality of the services and the balance of hours that they spend between care at home and in ELC settings. We have a number of workstreams under way to increase access to childcare for parents, but I emphasise that we want to get this right for our youngest children and their families. That is what we are working towards.
Budget (Impact of Spring Statement)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the potential impact of the United Kingdom Government’s spring statement on the Scottish budget. (S6O-04534)
As I set out to the Parliament yesterday, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has caused a great deal of concern across Scotland with her decision in the UK spring statement to short-change public services and deliver cuts to some of the most vulnerable in our society. I called on the UK Government to reject the failed approach of austerity, but, although the UK Government might deny it, for many people, this looks and feels like austerity. We are considering the impacts on Scotland’s public finances, and I will set out more detail in the medium-term financial strategy at the end of May.
Given that organisations are saying that, by 2030, the poorest 10 per cent will get poorer and the richest 10 per cent will get richer, what analysis has the Scottish Government conducted of the increase in inequality in Scotland as a result of the Labour Government’s spring statement, which takes from the poor while protecting the rich? Is it not now apparent that the only way to create a fairer Scotland is through independence?
Kevin Stewart is absolutely right. We are considering the impact of the UK Government’s planned cuts to welfare policies on Scotland. It is clear from the UK Government’s impact assessment that 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, will be pushed into relative poverty by 2029-30. That is likely to increase inequality, and it is shameful.
As I said to the Parliament yesterday, we will strain every sinew to protect disabled people from this deplorable action by the UK Government. We are committed to eliminating child poverty, but that job is being made harder by the actions of the UK Government.
Secondary School Teaching Staff (Dundee)
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure adequate provision of teaching staff in secondary schools in Dundee. (S6O-04535)
The Scottish Government has provided local authorities with £186.5 million of increased funding this year as part of our agreement with local government to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels. There is an additional £28 million in the budget to provide for additional support for learning, which can be used flexibly by our councils to invest in extra teachers in secondary schools, including in Dundee. The overall number of teachers in Scotland’s classrooms has increased by more than 2,500 over the past decade as a result of direct Scottish Government investment.
The headteacher of St John’s high school in Dundee has written to parents to say that secondary 1 and 2 pupils will receive fewer maths lessons per week and that national 5 application of maths classes will see a qualified maths teacher only on a rotational basis. The responsibility for that mess lies with the Scottish National Party Government, which has slashed council budgets, presided over a decline in Scottish education and piled ever more responsibilities on to our teachers. In his letter, headteacher Seán Hagney apologises for the disruption to learning. Will the cabinet secretary join him in apologising?
Mr Marra highlights an issue that I note has received press coverage in today’s The Courier. I have asked my officials to engage substantively with Dundee City Council.
I remind Mr Marra of local authorities’ statutory responsibilities with regard to the delivery of education. As I intimated in my original response, Dundee City Council will receive an extra £5.1 million as a result of the Government’s investment through the budget, which will help the council to increase teacher numbers to alleviate the challenges that he rightly raises today.
It is thanks to that Scottish Government investment that we have the highest-paid classroom teachers, the lowest pupil to teacher ratio and the highest school spending per pupil across these islands. It remains deeply politically incoherent that Mr Marra and his party voted to abstain on further investment in Scotland’s classrooms, where we know and agree that it is needed most.
Air adhart
First Minister’s Question Time