The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 2139 contributions
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 22 September 2021
Colin Beattie
I have a quick question for Andrew Richards, which is much the same question as I asked earlier. Is the construction industry able to absorb not just the freight and transportation costs—which are, obviously, common to all—but, specifically, the extremely high increases in the price of raw materials? Is the construction industry absorbing those or is it already passing them on to its customers? How is it coping?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 22 September 2021
Colin Beattie
Just to pick up on what you mentioned about the increased volume of freight over last year, the Department for Transport says that freight increased by 13 per cent compared with 2020, although the volume is down 10 per cent against the comparable periods in 2019. You are saying that the issue of port congestion is focused on Felixstowe. Why is that?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 22 September 2021
Colin Beattie
Perhaps Ewan MacDonald-Russell can comment on what I said about industry and business absorbing the increased costs of freight and transportation.
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 22 September 2021
Colin Beattie
At the moment, the retail sector is absorbing additional transport costs, which is likely to continue, perhaps with narrowing margins, until businesses have to increase prices. Is that correct?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 22 September 2021
Colin Beattie
Can I just confirm whether you are saying that the industry is substituting quality with utility, when it comes to the construction that it is delivering?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 15 September 2021
Colin Beattie
I would like to expand on the question of conditionality. The programmes have typically focused on two criteria—the jobs that are created and the growth in turnover. Should we move away from that? We are talking about fair work, but there is also inclusive growth and there is net zero transition, which could legitimately become conditions. Should we increase conditionality? If we did so, how would that impact on the businesses that you support?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 15 September 2021
Colin Beattie
Could you have a standard portfolio of conditions that would apply to all applicants and then other conditions that would apply more selectively to a business?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 15 September 2021
Colin Beattie
Is it something that you are considering?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 15 September 2021
Colin Beattie
If we are looking to have an inclusive economy, should we have that incorporated as, perhaps, inclusive growth within the conditions automatically?
Economy and Fair Work Committee
Meeting date: 15 September 2021
Colin Beattie
Jane, will you comment on your statement in your written submission that, in designing your processes, you looked at things
“differently by not putting too many, if any, criteria”
against anybody applying for them. Will you give us some more detail on that and what it means in relation to any conditionality?