Official Report 1106KB pdf
Public Bodies (Number)
The Scottish Information Commissioner, David Hamilton, has said that he is
“astonished”
at
“the sheer number of public bodies”
in our country. He continued:
“There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of public bodies. I keep finding new ones”.
He went on to describe
“a hidden and complicated landscape across the public sector”.
That is not some random person venting on social media; he is the gatekeeper of all state-held information—the ultimate authority in deciding which information is made public. The Information Commissioner cannot work out how many public bodies there are. If even he cannot work out how big the Scottish National Party state has become, what chance do the paying public have?
In the course of its time in office, the SNP Government has reduced the number of public bodies that we inherited. We also adopt an agenda that ensures that we adequately consult wider Scotland on the policy questions that we take forward. The Government maintains a stringent approach to the management of public expenditure, to ensure that we are constantly challenging issues to maximise value. Those considerations underpin the budget that I am glad that the Parliament passed on Tuesday.
The Information Commissioner told the Parliament that he discusses the big state with the Auditor General for Scotland. Mr Hamilton said that he does not
“think that there is a map that explains it all”
and that he and the Auditor General play a game called
“public-authority bingo”,
in which they ask each other,
“‘Have you heard of this one?’”—[Official Report, SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee, 20 February 2025; c 8.]
The Auditor General and the Information Commissioner—the two most powerful civil servants who are tasked with keeping the state in check—are hitting a brick wall of SNP secrecy. Will the First Minister give them—and all of us—a bingo call by shouting out the exact number of public bodies that there are in Scotland?
On 1 December 2024, 131 public bodies in Scotland were under our control. In 2007, when the SNP Government came to office, there were 199. Those are the answers that Mr Findlay is looking for. By the way, as a point of information, I thought that the Parliament was here to hold the Government to account.
I thought that the First Minister might come up with the number 131. A cursory check would inform him that he has missed out at least another 75 public sector organisations. It is truly farcical that public servants in charge of information and financial transparency cannot get the answers that they and the public deserve.
The size of the bloated SNP state is out of control and shrouded in secrecy. It is costing taxpayers a fortune and reducing funding for the front line. The SNP is failing to deliver efficient and effective public services, and that must change. I will make a suggestion to John Swinney: will he bring in a credible business leader from outside his Government to sort this out?
I take those issues very seriously. Throughout my time as finance minister, I was regularly attacked in this Parliament for setting exacting efficiency standards on public sector budgets on an annual basis. The result of that was that we released significant value for investment in the public finances.
I am struggling to remember about the Police Scotland reforms. I might be wrong about this—if I am wrong, I will correct it, or Russell Findlay can correct the record—but I think that the Conservatives opposed us on Police Scotland reforms.
They did.
My good and dear friend Christine Grahame is, not for the first time in my life, coming to my rescue. The Conservatives opposed the formation of Police Scotland, which was one of the biggest reforms of the public sector landscape and delivered £200 million in savings. What we have been treated to today is the usual hypocrisy from Russell Findlay.
I am setting out ways to save taxpayers’ money while John Swinney is only ever intent on taking more of it. He has no respect for public finances—just look at his dismal record. The truth is that the Government has created far too many talking shops that achieve nothing. It has published 800 plans and strategies that no one reads, and nobody knows how many SNP state agencies there are—not even the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner. This year’s SNP budget will again hammer working Scots by raising taxes, which this lot will then squander on yet more nonsense. Is it not basic common sense for John Swinney to start saving taxpayers’ money by cutting quangos and funding the front line instead?
We have just passed a budget that funds the front line. Russell Findlay did not vote for it, so I do not know what on earth he is complaining about.
I gave one example of a public service reform that we have delivered, which has leveraged out £200 million in savings, but Russell Findlay and the Conservatives opposed that reform. It is all talk and no action from the Conservatives. The programmes that have been taken forward by my Minister for Public Finance, Ivan McKee, are securing savings that are expected to reach up to £280 million over a two-year period by the end of 2024-25, with further projected savings of nearly £300 million over the following two financial years to the end of 2026-27.
I take deadly seriously the management of public expenditure, because I want to make sure that as much money as possible is available to support front-line services. The difference between me and Russell Findlay is that I am prepared to vote for a budget to support the front line but he is not.
Education (Attainment)
Almost a decade ago, when John Swinney was education secretary, he said that the defining mission of the Government was education. On Tuesday, it was revealed that, under the Scottish National Party, attainment in Scotland’s schools is declining across the board and that, shamefully, outcomes for young working-class Scots are getting worse compared with outcomes for those from wealthier backgrounds.
Today, the Auditor General for Scotland said that the SNP had failed to properly provide support for pupils with additional support needs. He said:
“The Scottish Government has failed to plan effectively”,
and he went on to say that
“it is unclear whether all children’s right to have an education that fully develops their personality, talents and abilities is being met.”
Is it not the case that Scottish education—once the envy of the world—is going in the wrong direction under the SNP?
I am always prepared to listen to reports from the Auditor General and to consider the implications for the Government and for local authorities, which are responsible for the delivery of education in our country. We take those issues seriously and will respond accordingly.
It is important that I reassure members of the public about the progress that has been made on closing the attainment gap. Under this Government, the overall poverty-related attainment gap has reduced by 60 per cent since 2009-10. In relation to meeting literacy standards in primary schools, the poverty-related attainment gap between young people from the most-deprived areas and those from the least-deprived areas is 20.1 percentage points, which is a record low. In relation to achieving the third level in literacy and numeracy in secondary schools, the attainment gap between those pupils has reached record lows of 12.7 percentage points and 12 percentage points respectively.
In relation to additional support for learning—I accept the absolute necessity to ensure that good outcomes are achieved for those young people—the attainment gap between school pupils with additional support needs and those without has reduced by almost half since 2009-10, from 45.3 percentage points to 23.1 percentage points.
I accept that more needs to be done, but important and substantial progress is being made on closing the attainment gap, and that is good for children and young people in our country.
John Swinney was the person who was tasked with improving Scottish education, and he has failed. Last year, 42.6 per cent of pupils, almost 24,000 young people, left school without a single higher or equivalent qualification; 16.5 per cent, more than 9,000 children, left school without a single national 5 or equivalent qualification; and 1,300 young people left school without the most basic qualifications. The future of every one of those children should matter.
Let us not forget that it was John Swinney who downgraded the exam results of working-class kids during the pandemic. Now, as First Minister, he is overseeing the betrayal of young Scots, with the attainment gap widening. Why is the SNP Government letting down a generation of young Scots?
I am afraid that Mr Sarwar will have to learn to adapt his questions based on the information that I put on the record. Let me repeat that information—[Interruption.]
Members.
The overall poverty-related attainment gap has reduced by 60 per cent since 2009-10 in the face of unremitting austerity from the United Kingdom Government. Progress is being made, and there has been improvement in the outcomes for young people over that period.
Mr Sarwar talked about the outcomes for young people leaving school. The percentage of young people in a positive destination three months after leaving school is 95.7 per cent, which is the second-highest level since records began.
I accept that there is work to be done, but Mr Sarwar has to accept the evidence that I am putting on the record. As a consequence of the investment that this Government has made, we are making progress in improving outcomes for young people and in closing the attainment gap. The Parliament should support that endeavour.
The Government includes a zero-hours contract or voluntary work as a “positive destination” for young Scots. I quoted the figure of 42.6 per cent of pupils leaving school last year without a single higher or equivalent qualification, and it is interesting that the First Minister did not respond to that statistic. Almost 45 per cent of young people are leaving our schools without a single higher. Teachers have been warning about that for years. This morning, education expert Professor Lindsay Paterson said:
“the Scottish Government has never had a coherent strategy for dealing with the educational effects of poverty.”
John Swinney’s report card is woeful. Attainment is down across the board, more pupils are leaving school with no qualifications and there are fewer additional support need teachers. Our classrooms should be places for learning, growing and flourishing.
The promise that I make is that, as First Minister, I will make sure that every young Scot can reach their potential. We will agree new Scottish industry standards so that young people can see the future opportunities that their school subjects and qualifications will give them. That is the new direction that we offer.
After nearly two decades, the SNP has nobody else to blame for the damage that has been done to Scotland’s education system. Is it not clear that the SNP’s defining mission is now its defining failure?
Mr Sarwar might have conjured up that script before he asked me any questions, but I have refuted the detail that he has put on the record, because, as I recounted to him a second ago, we are making progress on closing the attainment gap.
Under this Government, the attainment gap has reduced by 60 per cent since 2009-10, and I am absolutely determined to improve outcomes for young people. Why are we doing that? We are doing that because this Government put in investment, through the expansion of early learning and childcare, to give children the best start in life. This Government has put money in place to support improvement in the lives of young people living in poverty through the Scottish child payment—originally, it was set at £5 for every eligible child; now, it is £26.70—which is helping to lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. [John Swinney has corrected this contribution. See end of report.] That is why Scotland is the only part of the United Kingdom where it is projected that poverty among children will fall, whereas it will rise in every other part of the United Kingdom under the stewardship in England and Wales of the Labour Party.
People in Scotland should look at what the SNP has delivered to improve the opportunities and the life chances of the children and young people of Scotland, and they should then look at what a Labour Government does: it went into office promising to reduce fuel bills for individuals in our country, which then went up. Labour delivers broken promises to the people of Scotland, and Mr Sarwar will be no different.
Cabinet (Meetings)
To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet. (S6F-03836)
The Cabinet will next meet on Tuesday.
Winifred was an active 87-year-old until she fell and broke her hip. Her family say that they are aghast at what happened next. In the weeks that followed, she experienced a 12-hour wait in an accident and emergency department, an unsafe discharge, a nine-hour wait for an ambulance to take her back to hospital and yet another 12-hour wait in A and E.
Winifred is not alone. The waits for emergency care have skyrocketed since the Scottish National Party came to power. New research that we are publishing today shows that more than 12,000 people aged over 85 waited longer than 12 hours in Scotland’s A and E departments last year.
What does the First Minister have to say to Winifred, to her family and to the thousands of others like them who have been so abjectly failed by his Government?
The first thing that I want to say to Winifred and her family is that I am sorry for the experience that they have had. As I have recounted on a number of occasions to the Parliament, the health service faces extraordinary pressures as a consequence of the demand for assistance in our healthcare system. I do not know when that incident happened, but, if Mr Cole-Hamilton furnishes me with the details, I will respond to that in full.
As Mr Cole-Hamilton knows, and as I have recounted to the Parliament, we have had extraordinary pressure on our healthcare system over the winter period as a consequence of flu.
I can reassure Mr Cole-Hamilton that, according to the latest data available, 12-hour waits and eight-hour waits in accident and emergency departments, which are both completely unacceptable, are falling as we begin to get on top of the implications of the wave of demand that the healthcare system has faced.
The Government is working closely with health and social care partnerships to reduce the level of delayed discharge, so that individuals are properly supported in their homes.
As a consequence of the agreement that we managed to secure with the Liberal Democrats on the budget, local authorities will be able to benefit from having more resources at their disposal to invest in social care to support individuals such as Winifred, and the health service will obviously have more resources.
Net Zero Sector (Contribution to Economy)
To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the recent study by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit regarding the contribution of the net zero sector to the United Kingdom and Scotland’s economy. (S6F-03857)
I very much welcome the report, which clearly sets out the importance of net zero sectors to our economy in Scotland. Our green economy is thriving and has grown by more than 20 per cent in the past two years, which is generating more than £9 billion in gross value added and supporting more than 100,000 full-time equivalent jobs. That is faster growth than across the United Kingdom. That undoubtedly shows that the transition to net zero is driving progress towards our climate ambitions at the same time as it is delivering economic benefits.
The First Minister rightly highlights that the report demonstrates that progress towards net zero is having a positive benefit. The number of companies that operate in the sector is increasing steadily year on year, and they are creating more jobs and supporting our local economies and communities.
However, the progress that is highlighted in the report flies in the face of those who seek to undermine the importance of achieving net zero not just for our environment, but for our economy. Some of those people go as far as to deny that there is a need to achieve net zero.
Does the First Minister agree that achieving net zero is critical to having a future sustainable Scotland? Can he outline how the Scottish Government will ensure that my constituents, especially those who work in places such as the Grangemouth industrial cluster, will benefit from the growth of the sector in the months and years ahead?
First, let me make it clear that I believe that there is an absolute necessity and there is an imperative for us to take climate action. That was the subject of a speech that I made last week, in which I addressed the understandable unease that Mr Matheson has expressed to me about voices that say that we no longer need to take climate action. All the evidence demonstrates that we have to do so urgently. The report helps us to win the argument that there is economic opportunity to be had from the transition to net zero and—again—that is very welcome.
On Mr Matheson’s local point about his constituents who are affected by what is happening at Grangemouth, I set out in a statement to Parliament last week the investment of £25 million of additional resources that the Scottish Government is making available. I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement on Sunday of the opening up of £200 million from the National Wealth Fund. I assure Mr Matheson that we will work closely with the workforce in Grangemouth to advance on all those issues.
With the growth in renewable energy, we are also seeing a huge rise in the number of battery storage sites across Scotland, with more than 300 in the planning system. Last week, there was a fire at one of those sites at Rothienorman, and constituents are concerned about the fire and pollution risks at those sites.
At committee this week, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency admitted that it is
“concerned about the risks associated with battery energy storage systems”
and admitted that there is currently no regulatory framework or even
“a timescale for when a legislative change might happen.”—[Official Report, Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, 25 February 2025; c 34.]
They can be dangerous systems, so will the Government take action to regulate the battery storage industry before a major incident occurs?
I recognise the importance of the points that Mr Lumsden has put to me. I will have to scrutinise the situation, but I imagine that regulatory oversight on those matters is reserved, and that the proximity of the Health and Safety Executive will be critical in all that. I will explore the point that Mr Lumsden has put to me and write to him setting out the definitive answer.
Regardless of where the responsibility lies, we must have a safe approach to delivery of battery storage plants. The plants are critical to the transition to net zero, but members of the public are entitled to reassurance about safety. I will write to Mr Lumsden with the definitive response that he is looking for.
The ECIU report highlighted statistics that show that Scotland’s growth in net zero employment has slowed down and is now growing more slowly than every other region of the UK. Can the First Minister tell us why net zero employment growth in Scotland is much slower, when our natural resources are potentially greater? What are his plans to deliver the jobs and training that are urgently needed to decarbonise our transport, homes, buildings and land?
I indicated in my previous answer that Scotland’s net zero economy supports 100,700 full-time equivalent jobs. The number has grown by 19.5 per cent since 2022, while the UK’s growth has been 15.2 per cent. Based on the data that I have in front of me, Scotland’s job growth in net zero has been faster than that of the rest of the United Kingdom.
I am all for encouraging employment growth in net zero. We are taking decisions. A few weeks ago, I was up at Sumitomo, in Nigg. I have more visits to the north of Scotland next week, when I will be looking at other renewable energy developments. I am all for it. In the budget on Tuesday, the Government put in place £150 million of additional resources for renewables development. Unfortunately, that was just one of the many things that Sarah Boyack was not able to bring herself to vote for on Tuesday.
Farming Support (Livestock Disease)
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support farmers responding to threats to livestock from disease. (S6F-03839)
Farmers are facing are an unusually high number of threats at the moment, including avian influenza, bluetongue virus, foot-and-mouth disease and Schmallenberg virus. Supporting farmers and producers is a key concern, and we are working with industry to guard against those threats.
The Scottish Government has robust and regularly exercised contingency plans, and has a proven track record in responding effectively to notifiable diseases. We are asking farmers to remain vigilant, to discuss any concerns with their vet and to report suspicion of notifiable disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
The Scottish Government continues to work closely with other nations in the United Kingdom to monitor and assess the risks, and to prevent incursions of disease.
Farmers do not have their problems to seek, and they continue to feel the financial squeeze from the UK Labour Government’s unfair family farm tax and the Scottish National Party Government’s failure to deliver the rural support plan on time.
As the lambing and calving seasons are now upon us, farmers fear that they might be facing further risks to the viability of their businesses in the form of biosecurity threats. Recently, a farmer in Ayrshire reported losing 92 of his 152 lambs to Schmallenberg virus infection, which is spread by the same disease vector as bluetongue virus.
What considerations has the Government given to supporting provision of Schmallenberg vaccine, as the number of affected farms rises? How are the reports impacting on disease surveillance of bluetongue virus, and what additional support is available to help farmers to deal with the financial impact?
I share Mr Whittle’s concern about the sustainability of farming as a consequence of the inheritance tax changes. I have made that comment publicly before.
The Government has put in place a financial settlement of more than £600 million for the farming sector, which was allocated in the budget process that—I gently remind Mr Whittle—he was unable to support on Tuesday. We are putting financial support in place for the farming industry. The Government fulfils its commitments to farmers.
I have seen the news reports that Mr Whittle referred to, and I am concerned about the implications for the individual farmer. Schmallenberg virus is non-notifiable in the UK and the European Union, which means that there is no requirement for farmers to report suspicion of the disease, because there are no control measures that the Government could take to prevent or eradicate the disease.
I will return to my earlier point. I represent a large rural constituency, and I know that the farming community takes incredibly seriously reporting to the relevant agencies any concerns that it has. As a consequence of that vigilance, we have managed to stop outbreaks of dangerous and damaging conditions circulating, and we will continue to do so in the period ahead.
As members will be aware, I have many hill farmers in my Midlothian, South Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency. Like everyone else, they are concerned about the spread of the viruses.
I hear what the First Minister says about the measures that are in place to reduce their spread, because the chief veterinary officer for Scotland has said that it is inevitable that the viruses will come. I also hear what the First Minister said about Schmallenberg not being notifiable. What measures are in place in relation to imports from Europe, not just from within the UK, to reduce the spread of viruses such as Bluetooth? [Laughter.]
On bluetongue, we already undertake routine testing for it before and after movements of susceptible imported animals in order to ensure that they do not introduce disease into this country. I hope that that provides Christine Grahame with some reassurance that cross-border co-operation exists, in that respect.
On vaccine provision, we do not allow vaccination for bluetongue serotype 3 in Scotland, which is a position that is supported by key Scottish industry organisations. As I put on the record in response to Mr Whittle, we encourage farmers to advise their vets of any issues. The chief veterinary officer engages on those questions, and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands updated the Cabinet on those questions on Tuesday and will continue to do so.
Racing Greyhounds
To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government will protect the lives of racing greyhounds. (S6F-03851)
The Government is committed to ensuring the welfare of all animals. The Government introduced powers in the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 to increase maximum sentences and fines for serious animal welfare offences. We also introduced provisions in the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 that offer significant and important safeguards for the welfare of all animals, including greyhounds.
I am aware of Mr Ruskell’s proposed member’s bill to prohibit greyhound racing in Scotland. I assure him that the Government will give full and careful consideration to the details of his bill when it is introduced.
I thank the First Minister for that response and the summary of existing legislation. However, I ask him to reflect personally on the fact that every year hundreds of greyhounds are killed and thousands are injured across the United Kingdom, and that those deaths and injuries are happening at licensed tracks. It is quite clear that licensing will not protect the dogs and that we should not be licensing animal cruelty as a nation.
Will the First Minister work more closely with me, and with the Welsh Government now, too, to reject the licensing of greyhound racing and to phase out greyhound racing to protect the dogs?
I am aware of the developments in Wales. I am happy for officials and ministers to engage in dialogue with Mr Ruskell on those questions, and we are happy to engage with our Welsh counterparts to explore the decisions that it has taken. I understand the importance of the point that Mr Ruskell puts to me and will happily engage with him on that question.
We move to general and constituency supplementaries. If we are all concise, more members will have an opportunity to speak.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Sir Keir Starmer, in the Labour manifesto, committed to restoring development spending to 0.7 per cent of gross national income. Just three weeks ago, the Foreign Secretary cautioned that President Trump’s foreign aid cuts could be “a big strategic mistake”. This week, Labour has U-turned and announced major cuts to United Kingdom foreign aid.
Does the First Minister share my concern about the UK Government stepping away from global leadership on aid? Does he agree that, if the UK Labour Government is looking to save cash, it could scrap the planned move of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office from East Kilbride, in my constituency, to Glasgow?
Ms Stevenson, I believe that you may have mentioned your constituency at the end of that question. I will allow the First Minister to address that point specifically, but I remind all members that we are here to discuss matters for which the Scottish Government has responsibility.
I recognise the importance of the employment in the East Kilbride constituency of my colleague Colette Stevenson that is provided by the FCDO. There are outstanding plans to change the location of those employees’ jobs, and I understand the concern that that is to the local member. If there are any representations that she wishes the Government to make, we will happily do so on her behalf.
Fatal Accident Inquiries (Deaths Abroad)
The Sunday Post revealed that a legal loophole is denying answers to Scots families when their loved ones die abroad. Confusion over the term “ordinary residence” means that, since 2016, no fatal accident inquiry following the repatriation of a body has been held. Families such as that of Aberdeen’s David Cornock have been denied closure. David died in Thailand in 2019, and his children were made homeless because the insurance would not pay out.
The Government has been aware of the situation for years but has not fixed it. Will the Government urgently review and resolve it before any more families have to suffer?
I will look at the issue. Various colleagues have raised it before, and I understand the concern caused to the families of those who are affected. I will explore the issues and determine whether the Government can take further action.
Secure Accommodation
Last week, no secure accommodation was available in the network in Scotland. Today, there is just one bed. On 20 February, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland wrote to the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, saying:
“I have been told that instead of a placement in a safe and therapeutic environment, with integrated education and mental health support”—
that is, our secure accommodation network—
“children have instead had to be placed in what has been described to me as ‘cobbled together’ provision”.
Is it right that, under your Government, the most vulnerable children in Scotland are relying on “‘cobbled together’ provision”?
Always speak through the chair, please.
No, I do not think that it is. There has been legislative change, which was absolutely the right thing to do, to stop the incarceration of young people in Polmont so that they cannot be accommodated in prison. That has put more strain on the secure accommodation system.
The Cabinet is actively discussing what measures the Government needs to take to boost the scale and capacity of the secure estate to ensure that the type of capacity that was available when young people were incarcerated in Polmont can be available in the secure estate. We must be able to provide appropriate accommodation for young people when such judgments have been made. That work is actively under way at present.
Ferry Services
Yesterday, CalMac Ferries announced the reshuffle of its vessels and timetables due to exceptional issues that caused a third of its large-vessel fleet to be out of action or operate with a reduced capacity. The overhaul of the MV Clansman has been delayed, the refit of the MV Isle of Lewis will take an extra month and the MV Isle of Mull is restricted to just 45 passengers. For most of last year, the MV Caledonian Isles was out of action and its return has now been pushed back to the end of April, which means that there will be no services out of Ardrossan for another two months. What reassurances can the First Minister give to island communities, who now fear a summer of chaos?
CalMac faces an incredibly congested set of circumstances as a consequence of issues in the ferry fleet, which Mr Gibson has narrated. CalMac has undertaken planning to ensure that routes can be serviced and essential services delivered. The situation will be kept under constant review to ensure that there is adequate support for lifeline services.
New vessels are scheduled to be delivered. The Glen Sannox is now in operation. Four other vessels that are due to join the fleet are being constructed at the Cemre yard and the Glen Rosa is also due to join the fleet.
The assurance that I can give Mr Gibson is that the expansion and modernisation of capacity is under way. He will also be aware that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport has made a significant intervention to ensure the sustainability of routes out of Ardrossan in the years to come.
Isle of Mull Secondary School
A letter that I received yesterday states:
“When I was 11, I was a happy child. I had friends, I had a happy home and I never found school a struggle. Shortly after my 12th birthday, I was sent to board away from home. I live on the Isle of Mull.”
It is an emotional letter from a local resident regarding the future of the Isle of Mull secondary school. Residents on the island are contacting me with deep concerns about the selection process for the site for the new school. All islanders just want the council to listen and want what is best for every child.
There is far too much detail for me to get into now, but does the First Minister, like me, believe that it is vital to ensure that the community is at the centre of the decision-making process? Will he meet islanders, myself and any other MSP who wishes to join—virtually or on the island—to listen to their story and help to ensure that the right decision is made?
I understand the significance of the issue, but it is exclusively a matter for the local authority.
It is not.
I do not know why I am being shouted at by the member, who is saying that it is not. Perhaps I have to explain it, but education provision in Scotland is delivered by local authorities, and Argyll and Bute Council is the authority that is consulting on the school. Tim Eagle and his colleagues regularly accuse the Government of centralising power in this country. I am simply pointing out that the issue that he is complaining about is a matter for Argyll and Bute Council to consult on.
On the question of consultation, I think that there should, of course, be adequate community consultation—[Interruption.] I am not quite sure why I am being shouted at by Rachael Hamilton. I am simply saying that I would advise and encourage Argyll and Bute Council to engage in consultation with the community to come to an agreed position. These are, of course, difficult issues and councils should engage properly with their communities.
Produodopa
My constituent Liam Robertson has Parkinson’s, which is slowly taking away his independence and his quality of life. The disease is no longer responding to his prescribed medication. However, his consultant has advised that a treatment called Produodopa could be successful in slowing his deterioration.
When I wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, I was told that the decision on whether to prescribe that life-altering treatment is up to individual health boards. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has told me that it will have to wait until care home applications are restored for the drug to be prescribed to my constituent. It is critical that we break that impasse and get Mr Robertson the vital treatment that he needs. Will the First Minister ask the health secretary to meet me and Liam Robertson so that we can ensure that he has access to Produodopa as soon as possible?
I am very happy for the health secretary to meet Mr Sweeney and his constituent on that question. I am not quite clear about the status of the drug, which will obviously determine what can be made available, but I am happy to encourage that discussion to take place to address the points that Mr Sweeney has put to me.
Energy Price Cap
On Tuesday, Ofgem announced that the energy price cap will rise by 6.4 per cent in April, which means that energy bills will rise for the third time under the Labour United Kingdom Government. Despite Labour’s election pledge to cut energy bills by £300, those bills have instead increased by £300. Citizens Advice Scotland has stated that it has supported 9,000 folk with their energy needs and that the average energy debt is currently £2,500. Does the First Minister agree that that blatant hoodwinking of voters from Anas Sarwar’s Westminster bosses is nothing short of disgraceful during this cost of living crisis, especially in Aberdeen, which is the energy capital of the world?
Further to what I said earlier, we will go on to the next question, First Minister. I call Rachael Hamilton.
Borders Railway (Extension)
I am absolutely delighted that, after months of pressure from MSPs in the Borders— including my friend and colleague Bluetooth Christine Grahame—up to £5 million has been released by the Labour Government for a feasibility study on the transformational extension of the Borders railway. Does the First Minister recognise how transformational that will be for my constituents and for the Borders economy?
I am and always have been a great supporter of the Borders railway, but I do not remember that always being the position of the Conservatives—or, perhaps, not that of all the Conservatives. I will again defer to my dear friend Christine Grahame, but I seem to remember that chap John Lamont not being that supportive of the Borders railway.
On a serious note, the Borders railway has been an absolutely unparalleled success. It has improved connectivity and is a great addition to the Borders. I totally understand the aspiration to extend the railway to cover other communities in the Borders and I am glad that that funding has been released to enable that to be explored.
Dalzell Steel Plant
The First Minister will have seen that the Sanjeev Gupta-owned South Australian steel plant at Whyalla has been placed into administration. That follows the placing into administration of another subsidiary, Liberty Steel East Europe, late last year. Gupta’s Dalzell plant here has not been producing for months, the company has not published accounts for years and there is an outstanding Scottish Government loan, yet there has been silence from the Scottish Government. What is the First Minister doing to ensure a future for the workers at Dalzell?
Obviously, the Government acted in 2016 to ensure that there was not a closure at Dalzell. We endorse Mr Rennie’s points about the importance of securing productive activity there. We are aware of the GFG Alliance’s financial issues. Scrutiny of the issues is being undertaken by ministers—Mr Rennie correctly points out that there are loan-related issues involved. The Government is assiduously engaging to make sure that the interests of the workforce and the financial interests of the Scottish Government are protected at all times.
Religious Observance in Schools
The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland has said that the Scottish Government’s proposed changes on religious observance do not represent significant progress towards compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, because they do not include allowing young people to independently opt out of religious observance at school. Parents have always had the right to opt their children out, but pupils have no equivalent right, no matter their age, maturity or personal beliefs. In an increasingly secular and religiously diverse country, it is critical that young people of all faiths and none have their beliefs and choices respected at school. Will the First Minister consider that?
This issue is the subject of a consultation that closed on 26 January. There are a wide range of views on the topic, and ministers will consider them and decide on the way forward. We will consider all the responses to the consultation and will publish an analysis in due course. At that point, we will set out the steps that we will take to address the issues that are the subject of the consultation.
That concludes First Minister’s question time. The next item of business is a members’ business debate in the name of Murdo Fraser. There will be a short suspension to allow those who wish to leave the chamber and the public gallery to do so.
12:51 Meeting suspended.Air adhart
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