Police Scotland Budget (Body-Worn Cameras)
I remind the chamber that my wife is a serving police officer with Police Scotland.
Body-worn cameras are vital for police officer safety and to increase public trust. The Scottish National Party has left Police Scotland as the last force in the United Kingdom to roll out body-worn cameras. Yesterday, Police Scotland said that it could not
“guarantee that body-worn cameras ... would be rolled out next year.”
Humza Yousaf did not deliver them when he was justice secretary. As First Minister, will he let police officers down again?
First and foremost, we have increased the budget for Police Scotland. I am pleased that, after last week, Douglas Ross seems to have accepted the point that the Scottish Government has increased the budget for Police Scotland by 6.3 per cent, which is an additional £80 million. I quote directly from Deputy Chief Officer David Page, who said that Police Scotland’s current plans are actually that it
“will continue to roll out ... national body-worn video cameras, as outlined in previous plans.”
When I was justice secretary, I ensured that we had the capital budget so that the roll-out could begin. I am pleased to say that the facts remain that not only has the Scottish Government increased the budget for Police Scotland but, much like Deputy Chief Officer David Page said yesterday, the plans are to roll out national body-worn video cameras for our police officers, who are the ones who should be credited for the fact that we have seen one of the lowest crime rates in Scotland for almost 50 years.
The evidence was clear that those cameras will not be fully rolled out. Humza Yousaf said in his programme for government last week that they were a priority, but Police Scotland has said that it “cannot guarantee” their roll-out because there is a £300 million black hole in the capital budget.
The First Minister likes to quote from Police Scotland, so I quote a submission that it put to Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee for yesterday’s session, which states that its
“current capital allocation is among the lowest in UK policing ... This is significantly short of the funding required to improve conditions and equipment for the wellbeing of officers and staff.”
If this really is a priority for Humza Yousaf, will he now treat it like one?
Let us deal with the facts. The fact is that the UK Government has cut our capital budget by more than 6.5 per cent. Here are some more facts for Douglas Ross: the Scottish Government has increased Police Scotland’s budget by £80 million this year—fact. We have more police officers per head in Scotland than in England—fact. Recorded crime is at one of its lowest levels in Scotland in almost 50 years—fact. In fact, recorded crime has fallen by 42 per cent since the SNP came into power—that is a fact. [Interruption.]
Members.
When it comes to looking at whether Scotland is safer under the SNP, there is no denying that it is undoubtedly safer under the SNP Government—that is a fact.
Budgets are so stretched that the police say that officer redundancies are now on the table.
Let us look at the facts that the First Minister wants to reiterate. There is a £300 million black hole in Police Scotland’s capital budget—fact. Officer numbers in Scotland are at their lowest level in 14 years—fact. Officer numbers started to slip when he was justice secretary and they are in free fall now that he is First Minister. Without further funding, Police Scotland warned yesterday that
“2,000 police officers could be let go in the next five years and 600 could be off our streets by April next year”.
Why is the Government even considering those cuts, which will stretch policing in Scotland to breaking point?
I remind Douglas Ross once again that, this year, Police Scotland has had a significant increase to its budget, which we are providing in the face of a UK Government that has cut our capital budget—[Interruption.].
Let us hear the First Minister.
Let us look at how we are spending that money. Not only are we ensuring that we have more police officers on the beat per head than there are England but we have just concluded a deal with our police officers for a generous and fair pay increase to them. That means that the minimum and maximum salaries are now higher for police officers in all ranks in Scotland compared with their counterparts in England and Wales.
When it comes to the budget, we will of course negotiate and engage with all political parties right across the chamber. What Douglas Ross cannot do is demand that more money be spent and, at the same time, demand that we cut taxes. That is simply not a credible position.
The First Minister is getting angry again. Either a civil servant has not put this statistic in his briefing pack or he is not reading it. Police officer numbers in Scotland under the SNP are now at their lowest level in 14 years. I say to the First Minister that that is a fact, and that is what we are facing on the streets of Scotland right now.
Police Scotland will be the last force in the UK to roll out body-worn cameras. Officers no longer have the resources to investigate every crime. Their workplaces are not fit for purpose, and now the number of officers could be cut by 2,000. The thin blue line is barely visible at this rate. Does the First Minister accept that, with falling officer numbers, communities in Scotland will feel less safe?
I do not accept that in the slightest. Around 1,280 new recruits have joined Police Scotland in the past 18 months.
The lowest level in 14 years.
Mr Ross.
There are over 350 more police officers than when we took office in 2007.
When it comes to real-terms increases in Police Scotland’s budget, that is a fair-enough call for any political party to make, and we will of course give that consideration when it comes to the budget. However, has Douglas Ross ever asked himself why a real-terms increase was difficult this year? Of course, it was difficult because inflation is sky high, and inflation is sky high because of his party’s complete economic mismanagement of the public finances. [Interruption.]
Members.
When it comes to real-terms increases, of course we will give that consideration, but it was Douglas Ross, a year ago, who stood here and demanded that the Scottish Government copy Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget. If we had done that, we would not have money to spend on our police service or indeed any of our public services. Thank goodness that Douglas Ross is nowhere near the public finances of Scotland.
National Health Service Waiting Lists
Last year, the then health secretary promised that no one would be waiting more than 18 months for a national health service procedure by September 2023, but the most recent figures show that there are still 17,200 people on an NHS waiting list who have already waited over 18 months for hospital procedures. That is yet another broken promise from a health secretary who has failed upwards. The result is people turning to private care. Figures that are out this week show that 40 per cent of all knee and hip replacements that are being carried out in Scotland are being self-funded by patients. Why does Humza Yousaf think that it is acceptable that almost 5,000 patients last year were forced to cover the costs of their hip or knee replacements because of his failures?
First of all, Anas Sarwar has every right, of course, to ask about the waiting times that our NHS is experiencing, but I say to him that, every time he asks the question, he fails to mention the biggest shock that our NHS has faced in its 75-year existence. Health services right across the United Kingdom, including in Scotland, are of course ensuring that we recover.
When it comes to the longest waits, again just to inject some facts into this exchange, I note that the number waiting over two years for a new out-patient appointment is down 59 per cent in Scotland, the number waiting over 18 months has reduced by 40.6 per cent and 34 per cent of specialties have fewer than 10 patients waiting over 52 weeks.
There is progress and there is recovery. Of course that recovery is going to take time, and what helps with it is making sure that we have NHS staffing near record levels, as it is under this Government, but also making sure that we do not lose a single day in the NHS to industrial action. I am pleased that this Scottish Government has ensured that our NHS staff remain the best paid in the entire UK.
Surely the First Minister knew about Covid when he made the promise, last year, that the waits that I mentioned would be eradicated by this time this year. The First Minister may not like it, but this is happening on his watch. In the past financial year alone, 43,000 patients were treated privately in Scotland, which is an 8 per cent increase over the previous year. A total of 4,739 hip and knee replacements were paid for privately by patients, as were 7,805 cataract surgeries, 1,980 colonoscopies, 2,055 endoscopies, 995 hernia repairs and, most shockingly of all, 1,745 rounds of chemotherapy. Healthcare free at the point of need is a founding principle of our NHS. How can the Scottish National Party have let things get so bad that patients have to find cash to pay for life-saving cancer treatment?
Of course we do not want people to have to fund care out of their own pockets. We know the impact that the pandemic has had on our health service, including on those waiting lists. However, I go back to the point that Anas Sarwar made: this is being seen in health systems right across the globe, let alone across the United Kingdom, as well as happening here in Scotland.
The figures from the Private Healthcare Information Network over the first quarter of 2023 show worrying trends, of course, in relation to those who access private healthcare, but they also show that Scotland has a lower rate of take-up of private healthcare compared with England and Wales. The rate of people who are self-funding for private in-patient day care is 16 per cent higher in England. In Wales—where the Labour Party is in charge—it is 51 per cent higher. That will be cold comfort for people who have to dig deep into their own pockets to pay for healthcare, but it is not unique to Scotland.
We will continue to see that recovery, to reduce waiting lists and to make sure that our NHS staff are the best paid in the UK, so that they continue to provide what is an excellent service to patients up and down Scotland.
The number of people who go private each year is going up, and the First Minister’s answers will be no comfort to the 43,000 patients who are being forced to pay privately. One person I spoke to in Cambuslang just a few weeks ago paid £15,000 for a hip replacement because the wait was three years. That is completely and utterly unacceptable.
In the middle of a cost of living crisis, when people are struggling to pay the bills, they should not also have to worry about the cost of getting sick. However, on the SNP’s watch, 43,000 Scots are being forced to find £15,000 for a hip or knee replacement, £3,000 for cataract surgery, £3,000 for a colonoscopy or £4,000 for a hernia repair—and even cancer patients are being forced to find thousands of pounds for their chemotherapy. Those are patients in pain and heartbroken families who are trying to scrape together the cash. Some are even forced to remortgage their homes to pay for the care that they should be getting on the NHS. Why are more and more Scots being forced to pay the price for SNP incompetence and failure?
We are seeing the impacts of the global pandemic, which has impacted on every single health service, including the health service here in Scotland. If Anas Sarwar wants evidence of the recovery, there is more and more activity in the NHS. In quarter 2, in-patient day care activity was at its highest since the start of the pandemic. That is not the first, nor the second, but the sixth quarterly increase in a row, with 58,813 patients being seen in Q2. More and more in-patients and day care patients are being seen.
I am pleased that Anas Sarwar mentioned the cost of living crisis, because we are taking action to tackle that. Because of our action, it is estimated that 90,000 fewer children will be in absolute or relative poverty. That is in stark contrast to Anas Sarwar’s summer of U-turns, in which he has aligned himself with cruel Tory policy after cruel Tory policy. We are unashamedly anti-poverty and unashamedly pro-growth. Anas Sarwar is unashamedly only pro-Starmer.
Paris Climate Agreement (UN Global Stocktake Report)
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to the first United Nations global stocktake report on the Paris climate agreement. (S6F-02368)
There is simply no denying that the conclusions of the global stocktake report are deeply concerning and that all countries, including Scotland, must seek to do more. The report found that nothing less than radical decarbonisation and systemic transformation will do.
Scotland will, of course, play her part. Internationally, we will continue to urge greater ambition and action towards a just transition to net zero through our co-chairmanship of the Under2 Coalition. I will highlight the issue as a matter of urgency while at New York climate week, and we, of course, look forward to the 28th UN climate change conference of the parties—COP28. Clear decisions on fossil fuels, renewable energy and climate finance must be progressed with urgency.
At home, Scotland has made progress on our net zero journey, although we know that more has to be done. We will continue to work with communities, businesses and international partners towards a net zero future.
As the First Minister said, Scotland has a deserved international reputation as a leader on climate action, but our domestic record needs to match up to that reputation. With Scottish Green policies such as removing peak-time rail fares, which will be introduced a few weeks from now, we are taking action to reduce emissions.
The First Minister said that he is about to join other world leaders at climate week and then at COP. What new actions is he bringing to the table to demonstrate Scotland’s commitment to tackling this global emergency?
Ross Greer is absolutely right that it is incumbent on Governments right across the world to ensure that they bring urgency, pace and initiative to tackling the climate emergency. Scotland has already had a big impact on the global stage, particularly through our pioneering commitment to addressing loss and damage. I am determined to keep building on that.
On new initiatives, that is why my programme for government committed to serious climate action: cheaper public transport through free bus travel, trialling the scrapping of peak rail fares on ScotRail—as Ross Greer mentioned—investing almost £5 billion in the net zero energy economy, a new climate change adaptation programme, the heat in buildings bill and the natural environment bill. On top of that, there is much more that we will continue to build on as we develop our new climate plan.
I look forward to hosting all party leaders so that we can get some consensus on the urgency that is required to tackle the climate emergency.
The Scottish Government has consistently failed to live up to our climate targets, which is bad news for the 38 per cent of households living in fuel poverty whose energy bills have increased. What does the First Minister say to the millions of people across the world, and here in Edinburgh, who will be campaigning on the streets this weekend to demand a just transition, given that his Government has flip-flopped on oil and gas—[Interruption.]
Let us hear the member.
—and failed to deliver—[Interruption.] I am referring to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee meeting this week.
Members!
What does he say, given that the Government has failed to deliver the retrofitting of the homes of people who are living in fuel poverty?
Sarah Boyack would have more credibility on the issue if her party had not U-turned on its support for low-emission zones or, indeed, dumped its £28 billion green prosperity fund. That is the very point here. Time and again, the Scottish Government does not just talk the talk; it is prepared to walk the walk. We will take serious action to tackle the climate emergency, but it would really help if those parties that demand that we meet our targets do not then oppose every single measure that we bring to the chamber.
If Sarah Boyack and the Labour Party are serious about tackling the climate emergency, they should join us, support us and bring forward ideas that will help us to collectively tackle it. Do not simply dump the policies that you had and oppose the policies that we bring forward; support us, because collective action is needed to tackle the climate emergency.
Will the First Minister update the chamber on when we should expect to see the published update to the climate change plan?
The end of this year.
Offshore Wind
To ask the First Minister, in light of reports that no bids were received for offshore wind projects in the United Kingdom Government’s latest contract for difference round, what action the Scottish Government is taking to encourage investment in offshore wind and hydrogen power in Scotland. (S6F-02358)
Jackie Dunbar exposes the UK Government’s complete failure to capture one of the greatest opportunities for Scotland’s net zero economy. Its inexplicable stance is anti-climate and anti-growth. Industry has sent the UK Government a clear signal that the strike price must increase, and we back those calls 100 per cent.
To ensure that we seize that opportunity, the Scottish Government supports the strategic investment model with public and private sector partners that is specifically aimed at enabling a move from project-led investment to sector-level investment. Later this year, we will launch the next tranche of hydrogen funding, in the form of the green hydrogen fund. That flagship fund will focus on supporting renewable hydrogen production from Scotland’s abundant renewable energy resources, thereby seeking to give us first-mover advantage.
I hope that the UK Government will listen to the calls of UK industry and that we will have a successful future round.
A new report from Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University, published just this week, further reinforces that we cannot afford to get this wrong. We must see investment in renewable technologies gather pace. The Scottish National Party Scottish Government has shown its ambition by committing £500 million to a just transition fund, but that has to be matched by Westminster. Will the First Minister provide his response to the new report and an update on discussions with the UK Government on its matching the Scottish Government’s just transition fund?
I welcome the report from Robert Gordon University. Jackie Dunbar is absolutely right. Successive UK Governments have taken billions and billions from our north-east and have not been prepared to put a fraction back in. The very least that the UK Government should do is match our £500 million just transition fund. The latest auction round represents an abject failure to capitalise on Scotland’s vast renewables potential.
I say to the UK Government that that not only harms our economy but seriously harms our planet. Over the summer, we have seen the disastrous visual impacts of the climate emergency. This is a time for climate leadership, but what we are getting from the UK Government is complete political abdication.
The fact that no bids were received should be a wake-up call for the Scottish Government. Offshore wind should be part of an energy mix; instead, the Scottish Government is putting all its eggs in one basket, and one that is considerably more expensive than it had predicted. [Interruption.]
Let us hear the member.
Will the First Minister look again at having a more balanced energy mix that includes nuclear energy?
The member rightly looks embarrassed—as he should be. To suggest that the Scottish Government is somehow responsible for the failure of the contract for difference auction, which the UK Government controls, is a seriously desperate response from the member. [Interruption.] If he does not want to listen to me, he should listen to the likes of Keith Anderson, who has said:
“This is a multi-billion pound lost opportunity to deliver low-cost energy for consumers and a wake-up call for Government.”
Let us also listen to what Dan McGrail, the chief executive officer of RenewableUK, has said:
“These results should set alarm bells ringing in Government, as the UK’s energy security and net zero goals can only be met if we have offshore wind as the backbone of our future energy system.”
I agree with Dan McGrail and Keith Anderson. If the Conservatives had any influence in that regard, they would ensure that the UK Government listened to the industry, as opposed to listening to those who back fossil fuels alone.
Offshore wind is a sustainable source of energy and a key part of the Scottish Government’s plans to reach its net zero targets. However, its first round of leasing sold our natural environment short, with a capped price per square kilometre. Will the Scottish Government ensure that any future leasing rounds are not undersold, in order to get the maximum amount possible to reinvest in public services?
Scotland has had the first devolved leasing round for offshore wind, which was for development in Scottish waters. It is the first leasing round in Scotland in a decade and will make a significant contribution to our public finances—not only the £750 million in revenue that it will bring to the public purse but the billions of pounds that it will create in opportunities for the supply chain. The cabinet secretary and I will be more than happy to speak to the member about what more we can do to improve future leasing rounds.
The point is that the Scottish Government believes in the vast potential of our renewables industry, in the face of a United Kingdom Government that has turned its back on Scotland’s renewables potential. I hope that Beatrice Wishart and members of all political parties will join the SNP-led Scottish Government in putting pressure on the UK Government to do more to unlock Scotland’s huge renewables potential.
Social Security Scotland (Complaints)
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to statistics reportedly showing that the number of complaints against Social Security Scotland has increased by 350 per cent in one year. (S6F-02371)
Social Security Scotland has introduced 13 Scottish Government benefits, seven of which are available only in Scotland, thanks to a total investment of £12 billion to support people who need assistance. In 2022-23, the agency received almost 370,000 applications, along with hundreds of thousands of phone calls and web chats.
Social security is a fundamental human right, which is why we have established a radically different benefit system that is built on dignity, fairness and respect. Our system vigorously promotes benefit take-up to ensure that as many people as possible get what they are entitled to, while, of course, mitigating the austerity impact of United Kingdom Government policies, within our fixed budgets.
In 2022-23, there were a total of 1,790 complaints, so complaint numbers remain low. In fact, in relation to total applications, that figure is less than 0.5 per cent.
I am sure that the First Minister must agree, though, that the situation is not acceptable. MSPs across the chamber will be aware of increasing costs being experienced by our constituents and of a rise in complaints. SNP ministers have said that all is well, but we are seeing increased processing times, delays in benefit roll-out and the possibility of the full devolution of all benefits not happening until 2026. Therefore, my question to the First Minister is: when does he expect all benefits to be devolved to Social Security Scotland?
I am more than happy to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice to write in detail to Miles Briggs not only on the specific question that he has asked but on the significant improvements that we are making in relation to application processing times.
Social Security Scotland is a success story. Because of the existence of the agency and the actions that we have taken in relation to social security and taxation, an estimated 90,000 children will be lifted out of absolute and relative poverty this year. Poverty levels in Scotland are still too high, but, while we have seen rises in poverty across the UK, the situation in Scotland has stabilised—of course, we want to make sure that those levels reduce.
The final thing that I would say to Miles Briggs relates to the agency’s satisfaction levels—we will furnish him with details of those. Of those who interact with Social Security Scotland, 81 per cent, which is more than eight out of 10, agreed that it was easy to contact Social Security Scotland, and 94 per cent, which is more than nine out of 10, agreed that Social Security Scotland staff treated them with kindness. I suspect that that is in stark contrast to the situation with regard to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Can the First Minister confirm that user survey results demonstrate that Scotland’s social security system is adhering to the founding principles of dignity, fairness and respect, which demonstrates that people are benefiting from the powers over social security being in the hands of this Parliament?
Collette Stevenson is absolutely right. The survey shows just that. In fact, again, with regard to satisfaction levels, 89 per cent of respondents—almost nine out of 10 people—said that Social Security Scotland staff were able to help them, and the same number said that Social Security Scotland staff are knowledgeable about benefits.
As I have already said, through the actions that this Government has taken and the hard work of the excellent team of Social Security Scotland, we have seen significant results when it comes to tackling poverty, and child poverty in particular. That would have been impossible if not for the hard work of the excellent staff at Social Security Scotland and, of course, the ethos that we have had from the very beginning around dignity, fairness and respect.
Repeat Offending
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle repeat offending, in light of a recent report that found that people who experience frequent and serious repeat violence often do not bring this to the attention of the authorities. (S6F-02369)
The Scottish Government commissioned the report that the member refers to precisely because we knew that victims of repeat violence often do not report their experiences, and it is important for us to understand the reasons why they do not and how we can help them to access that support.
Although there are fewer crimes and fewer victims than there were more than a decade ago, the impact on victims, particularly of sexual and violent crime, can be absolutely devastating. That is why we are investing in law enforcement, crime prevention and the reduction of offending and reoffending through a range of activity, including our violence prevention framework. We are also putting victims of crime at the heart of our justice system through our Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, and we have invested £93 million over the past five years to support victims.
I welcome the report by the Scottish Government, which seeks to better understand repeat violent victimisation. It found that men who experience repeat physical violence in Scotland live in deprived areas, have experienced homelessness or live in supported accommodation and are in recovery from addiction, whereas intimate partner abuse was highest among women aged 16 to 24 who live in deprived areas. The report talks about local communities led by peer mentors and those with lived experience, who are uniquely positioned to support people who are experiencing repeat violence. That is a slightly different perspective on crime. With that in mind, what can be done to support grass-roots organisations, which the research found are quite limited by insecure funding?
Pauline McNeill has made some very important points. Her points are exactly why we will continue to support programmes such as the Medics Against Violence programme and, of course, the delivery of the excellent navigator programme. That is why we have invested and continue to invest in the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, which has been hailed as a great exemplar globally.
I could not agree more with Pauline McNeill on supporting grass-roots organisations. The investment in third sector partners is absolutely crucial. That is why more than 20 organisations have received awards from our victim-centred approach fund, including Victim Support Scotland, which was awarded more than £18 million to support the families bereaved by crime service. We will continue to invest in those grass-roots interventions.
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs will, of course, be more than happy to continue the conversation with Pauline McNeill. We have received that excellent report, and it is really important that we act on what it tells us.
We move to general and constituency supplementaries.
Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre (Closure)
Does the First Minister share my dismay that Motherwell concert hall and theatre was closed with immediate effect until further notice due to the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in the roof of the building? Of course, safety is absolutely paramount. Motherwell civic theatre and concert hall is a venue beloved by professional and amateur performers, not least the cast of the acclaimed Christmas panto. Will the Scottish Government engage with the local authority on the challenges faced by that important local cultural venue?
Yes, we will continue to engage with local authorities, as we have done throughout not just the past few weeks but the past few months, and I am more than happy for the cabinet secretary to speak directly to Clare Adamson.
Clare Adamson is right. These are difficult issues, and it is really important that local authorities and others continue to align themselves with the Institution of Structural Engineers guidance. That is what partners seek to do and that, of course, empowers them to take the appropriate mitigations, which can, unfortunately, include at times having to close down buildings where it is felt that that is necessary.
I am more than happy to ensure that the cabinet secretary writes to Clare Adamson, and I am sure that she will be happy to engage with her on that very important issue.
Currie Primary School (Before and After-school Clubs)
Childcare formed the cornerstone of the First Minister’s programme for government. It is also central to child development and allowing parents and carers to get back to work.
Yesterday, out of the blue, Currie primary school families lost their before and after-school clubs. Parents have contacted me desperate for help, with one unsure about how they can balance childcare and their job as a teacher in Dalkeith. Will the First Minister meet me to discuss solutions to that very pressing local issue?
I would be more than happy for Sue Webber to furnish the Government with the full details of that. Obviously, she has given a synopsis of the situation. The cabinet secretary will, of course, be more than happy to meet her.
Sue Webber is right. Childcare is not only a cornerstone of my programme for government; it has been a cornerstone of the Government’s approach since 2007. We now have, of course, a very generous childcare offer, which I am very keen to build on. I will ensure that the funds are available to pay the staff in the private, voluntary and independent sector, who do a phenomenal job in providing childcare, £12 an hour.
If Sue Webber can furnish the Government with the full details, I will ensure that the cabinet secretary engages with her on the issue.
Disabled People in Poverty
This week, disabled people in Glasgow have written to all MSPs in the region, including the First Minister, to say:
“Despite our large numbers, disabled people have never been a priority for the Scottish Government.”
The Glasgow Centre for Population Health has described the situation as a “human catastrophe”, and the chief executive officer of the Glasgow Disability Alliance has said that the result is that
“Disabled people are dying of poverty, and nobody knows and nobody cares”.
Does the First Minister know that it is this bad for disabled people in the city that he represents, and does he care enough to commit to taking action to address it, including action to end non-residential care charges?
I do understand, because I met the Glasgow Disability Alliance just a matter of weeks ago. I heard from the members of the board of the Glasgow Disability Alliance and from Tressa Burke, who very powerfully, over the years, has articulated the concerns of disabled people living in Scotland.
That is why my programme for government committed to reopening the independent living fund, which was an ask from disabled people’s organisations, and that is why we will continue to work with those organisations to see what more we can do. That will include ending non-residential care charges, which we are still committed to doing by the end of this parliamentary session.
However, I say to Pam Duncan-Glancy that that will come at a significant cost. Therefore, it is really important that when Labour engages with us, it does not turn its back on progressive taxation, as Anas Sarwar seems to have done, or turn its back on any ability for us to raise revenue. All of these well-intentioned initiatives can make a difference, but they will cost money. It is so important that we engage in a credible discussion around how we raise that revenue.
Female Medical Students in Afghanistan (Visas)
The Linda Norgrove Foundation in my constituency has been desperately trying to get 20 female medical students out of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and into medical schools in Scotland. However, they are being stymied by United Kingdom visa issues. The foundation was extremely appreciative of the help of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills when they met with her last month. Is there anything further the Scottish Government can do to help these inspirational women?
I hope that all of us in the Parliament can unite to back this particular cause. I pay tribute to the excellent work that the Linda Norgrove Foundation does. I think that it is incumbent on all of us to put pressure on the UK Government and the Home Office to help, given that we all know how difficult the plight is of women in Afghanistan.
The cabinet secretary, Jenny Gilruth, has engaged with the foundation. My understanding is that we have also engaged with and written to the UK Government and the Home Office on the matter. I will see if there is anything more that the Scottish Government can possibly do, but I hope that we as a Parliament can join together to say collectively to the UK Government that its response—its foot dragging—on this particular issue is, I am afraid, simply not good enough, and it is letting down women and girls in Afghanistan.
Ferries (Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa)
The cost of building the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa is an on-going scandal. We do not know when they will be finished, what the final bill will be and what has happened to all the money. The Auditor General says he needs extra powers in order to find out what has happened to £128 million of money that was spent by Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd—FMEL. Will the First Minister grant those powers?
There have been a number of inquiries with which the Scottish Government and those at Ferguson’s have co-operated fully. Hundreds of documents on what is happening at Ferguson’s have been published and put into the public domain.
I will not hesitate in apologising to our island communities for the fact that they are still waiting on the completion of hulls 801 and 802. What I will not do is apologise for the fact that the Scottish Government stepped in and made sure that we secured and saved hundreds of jobs in Inverclyde.
Police Scotland (Funding)
Police Scotland recently released a report highlighting that this year’s funding allocation represents a real-terms reduction. As a result, the number of police officers has been reduced to 16,600 in Scotland. At the same time, the number of calls being made to Police Scotland is reportedly only increasing. Can the First Minister advise what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that Police Scotland is suitably funded to deal with this demand?
I say to the member that we are funding Police Scotland suitably. It has received an increase of 6.3 per cent—an £80 million increase—and not only has it had an increase to its budget, but recorded crime is at one of its lowest levels in almost 50 years. When we look at Police Scotland officers’ pay, we see that they are the best-paid police officers in the United Kingdom. Therefore, we are making sure that Police Scotland is appropriately funded.
If Foysol Choudhury thinks that there should be an increase to that budget, his party cannot turn its back on progressive taxation or on any way in which we can raise revenue to ensure that our public services are appropriately funded.
AquafilUK Factory (Closure)
The AquafilUK factory in Kilbirnie, which carries out interlacing and twisting for the carpet yarn industry, has been unexpectedly earmarked for closure as early as next month, with the loss of up to 40 jobs. That will be a devastating blow to the workers and the wider community. The company blamed “Covid and Brexit” for the
“challenging ... conditions in the UK”,
as well as a doubling of energy costs. I will meet with the company on site tomorrow. What steps can the Scottish Government take to assist the company and the workforce and lessen the impact of any proposed redundancies?
Neil Gray will be happy to meet with the member about Aquafil and we will see what can be done, where necessary, to prevent job losses. If that unfortunately becomes a material reality, we will see where we can help people affected into alternative employment. It is interesting that Kenny Gibson says that three factors have contributed: Covid, Brexit and high energy costs. Covid affected businesses across the globe, but the other two factors are unique to the United Kingdom Government and to the UK—[Interruption.]
We will hear the First Minister.
The self-inflicted damage that Brexit has done and, indeed, the utter mismanagement of the UK public finances, are why we are seeing high energy costs and high inflation, which are damaging businesses across Scotland.
Scottish Government (Freedom of Information Request)
During First Minister’s question time on 22 June, I raised a point of order that the First Minister had misled the chamber. On 29 August, the First Minister wrote to tell me what he had intended to say, but what he has stated to me in writing is not true. A freedom of information request reveals that weeks of civil service time and effort were spent in trying to engineer a face-saving response, rather than the First Minister simply admitting that he had misled us all. Does the First Minister share people’s concern that the Scottish civil service appears to be increasingly politicised, which could destroy public trust? [Interruption.]
Let us hear the member.
What will he do to prevent such partisan protection for ministers who intentionally mislead in the future?
It is incredible that I have a member who is telling me what I was meaning to say and think. It is incredible that we have Liam Kerr talking about disrespecting the Parliament. I am meant to take a lecture from the Conservatives about disrespecting Parliament—[Interruption.]
Let us treat one another with courtesy and respect. Let us hear the First Minister.
Do not worry, Presiding Officer, I will get to them about courtesy and respect, because I am meant to take a lecture about disrespecting Parliament from the Conservatives, who illegally shut down the Parliament. I am meant to take lectures about truth and honesty from the party that gave us Boris Johnson. The difference between myself and Liam Kerr, and between the Scottish National Party and the Conservatives, is that the SNP wants to power our just transition and our offshore renewables sector. The Tories, I am afraid, just want to hold us back.
United Kingdom Immigration Policy
New data released this morning shows that the vast majority of Scots view immigration as a positive benefit that enriches Scotland culturally and economically. Can the First Minister update the chamber on his interactions with the United Kingdom Government about labour shortages in key sectors as a result of the UK’s archaic immigration policies?
Audrey Nicoll articulates very well the positive benefits of migration. In fact, virtually every study under the sun shows that migrants who have come to the UK have contributed more than they have taken from it. I have to say that the hostile environment that has been created by successive UK Governments is woeful. The UK has become a pathetically insular country. [Interruption.]
Members!
Not only is it morally wrong but, undoubtedly, it cuts our nose to spite our face in terms of the economic potential that migrants could bring to Scotland and, indeed, the rest of the UK. Frankly, I have lost hope for the Conservative UK Government when it comes to migration, but I would plead with Anas Sarwar to use any influence that he has with Keir Starmer in the UK Labour Party, as it seems to be engaged in a race to the bottom on the issue of migration. That will not help the UK and it certainly will not help Scotland.
Trains (Short Running)
A persistent issue for many years has been the short running of trains on the Fife to Edinburgh service, which is well used by my constituents. When I raised that with ScotRail and the previous Minister for Transport, I was assured that it would be resolved, but it continues. Today, for example, the 08:11 service from Inverkeithing—a busy service—had just two carriages, which left passengers stranded on the platform and having to wait 20 minutes for the next service, which would mean that they arrived late at their place of work.
The reduction in peak-time fares is welcome, but it is no use to people if they cannot get on a train in the first place. When will that practice finally end?
In the time that we have been in office, we have invested significantly in the rolling stock in Scotland. I know that the previous Minister for Transport held a meeting with Fife MSPs in the spring to discuss the issues that Murdo Fraser mentioned.
I am more than happy for the cabinet secretary to write to Murdo Fraser and, where appropriate, to meet Fife MSPs so that we ensure that the people of Fife get the service that they absolutely require.
That concludes First Minister’s question time. There will be a short suspension to allow people to leave the chamber and the public gallery.
12:46 Meeting suspended.Air ais
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Single-use Vapes (Environmental Impact)