Official Report 884KB pdf
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I wish to raise a point of order with you in relation to a matter that was raised in health questions this afternoon. I asked the minister about the cut to the mental health budget in the 2025-26 financial year. The minister said that the premise of my question was incorrect and suggested that the mental health budget had, in fact, increased. As per the Scottish Parliament information centre, which published information on the budget in real terms, £267.2 million was allocated to the mental health budget in 2024-25. In the 2025-26 draft budget, £264.2 million was allocated as a budget line. That is quite an obvious arithmetical real-terms cut of 1.1 per cent. That is published in the Parliament by SPICe.
Presiding Officer, I ask for your advice on a matter of accuracy and on the reporting of financial information to the Parliament, particularly by ministers. Will you be able to offer some guidance, written or otherwise, on how ministers should present financial information to Parliament and parliamentarians?
It is fair to say that some of the matters that Mr Sweeney raises are not for the chair. I repeat, as I have many times, that the content of a member’s contribution is ordinarily a matter for the member. Mr Sweeney can raise the matter directly with the member with whom he has a concern. I know that, at this point in the session, members will be aware of the Parliament’s corrections mechanism and of how that mechanism operates.