Seòmar agus comataidhean

I will go back to the question of risks. From reading the report, it seems that the risks for Scotland and the risks for Wales are completely different. I am trying to understand that. Is it down to differing appetites for risk between the two Governments? Is it essentially a political decision that has been made by each Government? That question may be for David Eiser first.

I am just trying to understand the issue. Looking at the graphs, we see that there has been a positive impact for Wales. Does that mean that its economy is growing faster than Scotland’s? What does Scotland need to do to try to halt the decline of the benefits of tax devolution?

Maybe one of the other Davids would like to answer.

It is good to hear that the Welsh Government is doing a detailed analysis to try to understand those figures. I guess that the Scottish Government should do something similar to try to understand why the figures here are going in a negative direction.

Would I be right in thinking that our current model was selected probably because the Scottish Government had more appetite for risk than the Welsh Government did when it was negotiating its block grant adjustments?

Perhaps I can get clarification about that afterwards because, as I said, there are no figures for previous years. If that money is coming in, it must be allocated out. I just could not see in the budget where it was being allocated to, which is straight out to local authorities, I guess.

My next question is about the north-east and Moray just transition fund. The budget shows that there is £20 million of capital funding for next year. Can you provide any more details on what that money will be spent on?

Looking at the figures that COSLA has provided, I think that a big piece of that £100 million is the employer national insurance contribution increase, which it has calculated as £70 million. I guess that it would complain that it has not been compensated for that while areas such as the NHS potentially have been compensated. Would that be a fair reflection?

That is helpful—thank you. In considering the local government budget, I am also thinking about what the Deputy First Minister told us in the committee not that long ago about the shift to prevention. I guess that that is difficult when local authorities see their budgets being restricted in that way.

A report on obesity came out this week. Local authorities might be closing swimming pools and sport facilities, which will potentially bring about inequalities. However, people who can afford to do so can still go to private clubs. How can we address inequalities such as that when the amount of funding that local government is getting is being squeezed?

Do you have a timetable for when those plans will come forward?

Good morning, everyone. Jackson Carlaw mentioned the debate last week, which I watched. There was a feeling among most members that hybrid working of some sort is here to stay. Jackson Carlaw also mentioned that BlueJeans failed in that debate. What are your thoughts on whether there should be an alternative back-up system in case that happens again, and on remote voting? Remote voting sometimes takes quite a while in the chamber, and it is frustrating. Is there provision in the budget to look at ways to improve things in those two areas or to change the systems that we use at present?

Good afternoon, as it is now, cabinet secretary. John Mason asked about the £100 million for business support and the £100 million for self-isolation. I think that you said that that came from portfolio underspends. Did you stop at £200 million, or were there any more underspends that could be used for other things?