Craig Hoy
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“Given the fragility of bus services across Dumfriesshire, will the minister commit the cabinet secretary, who is overseas, to a meeting with me, so that I can reinforce the case for a station at Beattock, which is now increasingly vital?”
“Jenny Gilruth: Perhaps it was a bit too much to expect some positivity about these announcements from Mr Hoy. However, I hope that he recognises that the Government has significantly adapted our position on support for businesses in relation to some of the outputs that I have set out today.”
“If kicking the can down the road was a competitive sport, this Government would win gold every single time. Many Scottish businesses now continue to face some of the highest rates liabilities in the UK, and many have seen eye-watering increases as a result of the most recent revaluation.”
“I extend to Mr Hoy the same invitation that I extended to Mr Greer. If Mr Hoy wants to come forward with some more ambitious proposals ahead of the budget, my door is open— Craig Hoy: I am seeing you tomorrow. Jenny Gilruth: We will be meeting tomorrow—I look forward to that engagement.”
“I thank the minister for her invitation for us all to work together. I will meet the Deputy First Minister next week to that end. If the new, fiscally prudent, small-state Scottish Government can commit to reducing tax and cutting the benefits bill, we will have a fruitful relationship.”
“Let us hope that that sentiment remains as we progress through the months. We need to look more broadly at where Scotland has been and where it is going. Scotland is a country that has made reducing child poverty an absolute priority—that is one of its moonshots. With our 6 per cent lower figure, we are leading the UK.”
The complete record
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“Craig Hoy: Will the Deputy First Minister take an intervention? Kate Forbes: I would like to make some progress. In understanding the headwinds in the Scottish economy and the challenges that businesses are grappling with, we need to rise beyond the Google bad stat on generic economic matters in Scotland and get into the substance of the issues. Today, we are discussing the role of entrepreneurship, in particular, and how we support Scotland’s entrepreneurs—for all of the reasons that we have debated in our speeches so far. One of the points that has frequently struck me is that, if we measure the wrong thing, we will deliver the wrong outcome. We have heard a range of statistics in relation to entrepreneurship from a number of speakers, and it is clear that what we measure and what we invest in will deliver the result that we want.”
“There is a commonsense solution to the fact that the SNP is failing to create the space and the environment in which Scottish entrepreneurs and those whom we might want to attract here to set up businesses can thrive. However, there is a template that would enable the Government to do that, and I urge it to adopt that template quickly. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I invite the Deputy First Minister to wind up the debate. 16:48 Kate Forbes: One of the vital characteristics of an entrepreneur is a healthy dose of optimism, positivity and enthusiasm. We heard that in some speeches but less so in others. Given all the debates that we are now having on the economy, things can only get better when it comes to rejecting the doom and gloom and pursuing growth, prosperity and positivity. We need to engage with the substance of the issues.”
“There is a recognition that the Government needs to do more to ensure that we have the right skills, which will involve properly funding our colleges, universities and apprenticeship schemes. The Scottish Government must make that an absolute priority, otherwise there will be massive skills gaps that will prevent people from locating and growing their businesses here. The Scottish Government has not thought seriously about the business environment in this country, nor has it thought seriously about the international lessons that—as Sir Tom Hunter said—it can learn from Singapore and other Asian nations, as well as from nations closer to home.”
“However, providing the mechanism to bring people here will not cut it if entrepreneurs and investors get to Scotland and realise that our taxes are too high, our skills base is not fit for purpose and our infrastructure and planning system will hold them back—and that is leaving aside the constitutional uncertainty that has been created by the SNP’s on-going obsession with independence, which I believe has been an issue. When the most recent Scottish Government budget was considered, we advocated for tax cuts for individuals and businesses. We also advocate for a cull of the quangos that are producing the red tape that is holding many businesses back.”
“After growing that business in Hong Kong, I set up a similar business in Singapore. Again, the message was quite clear: Singapore was open for business, and, when you walked in through the door, there were people there to help you. In a very Singaporean way, there was a slightly more draconian set of rules to abide by, but, once you understood the nature of the legal system there, it was easy to navigate. Again, taxation was low. I welcome the aspiration in the Scottish Government’s programme for government to establish an organisation called “InvestScotland”, which the Government says will be a one-stop shop for investors who are looking to come to Scotland.”
“Regulation is light touch.” There were incentives to invest—for example, there was a tax holiday for SMEs in their first five years, which meant that, if they made a profit, they did not pay tax, up to a certain level. There was a two-tier profits tax— today, the lower level is just 8.25 per cent on the first £200,000 in profits. There were double taxation treaties in place to make sure that entrepreneurs and their companies could not be taxed twice. There was no VAT, and there were attractive tax deductions for capital expenditure. There was a low income tax rate, and no income tax had to be paid on earnings that were generated overseas. Those were all concrete measures that encouraged me to set up a business there, and Invest Hong Kong provided support for businesses big and small.”
“Through the grapevine—most likely, the grapevine in the Foreign Correspondents Club—the chief executive of Invest Hong Kong, who was an avuncular Brit called Mike Rowse, called me in to welcome who he thought was another large-scale British investor to the city. He maintained an interest in my venture even when he found out that the “50” that I was referring to was £50,000 rather than £50 million. However, as Mike said, from small acorns grow mighty oaks. It is often the smaller start-ups that need the greatest support. Mike’s message then was very simple, and it can be articulated as, “Welcome to Hong Kong. Invest in Hong Kong. Tax is low.”
“It is, pitifully, the case that only 9 per cent of Scottish businesses think that the SNP Government understands the business environment. That is the reality of the situation. The mood music and the operating environment are critical to attracting entrepreneurs and investment, and I have first-hand experience of that. At the age of 33, after nearly a decade of running a publishing and conference business in London, I took out a mortgage on my house and flew out to Hong Kong with £50,000 to establish my own communications and conference business. The first stop was Hong Kong, which, like Singapore back in 2008—it has changed a bit since then—was avowedly international, low tax and pro-business. I recall the company formation process, which was very simple and easy, even for a resident.”
“We need to address what is generally perceived to be a hostile tax environment: the Government is not pro-business, pro-development or pro- investment. We also need to target those sectors that can potentially grow. Michelle Thomson: Will the member give way? Craig Hoy: Briefly, yes. Michelle Thomson: I thank the member—I will try to be quick. I must make the point that, yes, tax is a consideration, but, if we are talking about creating an entrepreneurial culture, we have to factor in the economic system as well. Surely the fact that so many key powers—over monetary policy, control of interest rates, money supply, corporation tax, employment law, migration, energy strategy, pensions, export support and so on—lie with Westminster should be factored in to it as well? Craig Hoy: That was more of a lecture than an intervention.”
“Like many across the chamber, I have read the recommendations of the Hunter Foundation’s report “Lessons from Singapore for Scotland’s Economy”, and I found those recommendations incredibly useful. The points that the report makes about Scotland are true. For example, it says that workers in Singapore are almost twice as productive as their Scottish counterparts. That and many of the other points that were made by Sir Tom Hunter should be lessons that the SNP learns—and quickly—otherwise Scotland will continue to fall behind our international competitors and the worrying trend that we are seeing in business registrations and failures will continue, particularly among the SMEs that should be the engine for growth now and in the future.”
“Lorna Slater’s contribution revealed that there is a gulf between some of the parties in the chamber and those who would, and could, set up businesses in Scotland if the operating environment were different. We need to create the culture and atmosphere here, in Scotland, that will allow those businesses to grow. As has been said in the debate, that means bringing higher education institutions with us and making sure that they are not only well funded but global and entrepreneurial in their outlook. To respond to the Deputy First Minister, there is no point in our having the best R and D in Scotland’s universities if those universities can barely afford to turn the lights on.”
“I thank colleagues across the chamber for their contributions to the debate, which is a genuinely important one for Scotland. Without entrepreneurs who are willing to invest and take risks in Scotland, Scotland will not be able to succeed and the bill for the social contract that Lorna Slater mentioned will go unpaid. However, under the SNP, we are missing opportunities to deliver a culture that would allow entrepreneurship to flourish. Too often, it is clear that Scotland plc is not actually open for business. The entrepreneurs, risk takers and wealth creators go where the opportunities exist. To deliver that culture, the Government must seriously rethink the way that it thinks and start to think like business thinks.”
“There is an increasing volume of companies raising capital at a level that suggests that they have the potential to achieve substantial scale. In 2024, there were 17 investments exceeding £10 million worth a total of £373 million; the figures were up 90 per cent in deal volume and 70 per cent in value. I say that at the outset, because these kinds of debates can often get quite negative from the Opposition side. Can we at least collaborate and join forces in congratulating those in Scotland’s start-up community on what they have achieved in those figures?”
“A number of brilliant start-ups are located on our islands currently; indeed, I can speak from experience about some of the brilliant businesses that are located on Scotland’s islands. Despite the global economic headwinds that have challenged our economy, there are clear signs that Scotland’s strategy is beginning to pay off. Over the past four years, we have worked closely with key figures in the private sector, such as Mark Logan and Ana Stewart, to execute a detailed plan to achieve that aim. Last year, Scotland’s risk capital market bucked UK-wide trends, with Scottish firms raising more than £700 million in funding—a 19 per cent increase on the previous year, in sharp contrast to a 14 per cent decline across the rest of the UK.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Kate Forbes: Yes—although you do not look like Sharon Dowey. Craig Hoy: Do I need to change, Presiding Officer, or can I simply self-declare? Kate Forbes: I am relaxed as to whether it is Sharon Dowey or Craig Hoy who intervenes. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Let us go with Craig Hoy. Craig Hoy: I think that we have corrected the record, but I have slightly lost my train of thought. The minister is talking about young and ambitious entrepreneurs who are global in their mindset. Would she advise a young, ambitious, globally minded entrepreneur to base themselves on one of Scotland’s islands at the moment? Kate Forbes: Absolutely. As a representative of Scotland’s islands—which I think that Craig Hoy mentioned—I would absolutely recommend that.”
“We will double check what the member has said to verify that and will respond accordingly. To the best of our recollection, there is no specific fund for RAAC from the UK Government. Indeed, had there been such a fund, it would have been very easy for the UK Government— either the previous Conservative Government or the current Labour Government—to respond to the letters that we wrote to it and make that point. [Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us hear the minister. Ivan McKee: That is, if that had been the case, the UK Government would not have been slow to come back and point that out to us. The member is perhaps a bit confused in that regard. I reiterate our call that the UK Government should, as was promised previously, step up to the plate and implement a funding solution to support the remediation of RAAC across the”
“Despite the minister’s amnesia, £95 million in Barnett consequentials for RAAC remediation was given to the Government, but it was absorbed into the Scottish Government’s general revenue budget rather than being earmarked specifically for addressing the RAAC crisis. That implies that, now, remedial works can proceed only at a pace that the Government can afford rather than based on urgency. Given the safety concerns and the substantial costs faced by local authorities, what steps will the minister take to ensure that that dedicated funding is restored? In other words, where has the RAAC money gone? Ivan McKee: I stand to be corrected, but, as far as I and my colleagues on the front bench are aware, no specific RAAC fund has come to the Scottish Government from the UK Government.”
“Will the minister answer the question that he deftly failed to answer from Tess White? What, specifically, will the trigger point be to escalate this failing health board to stage 5? Neil Gray: That point is kept under review. Performance against the escalation and support that are provided under stage 4 is clearly kept under review. Should we not see significant progress, stage 5 remains an intervention of choice. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the ministerial statement on NHS Grampian. Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Public Sector)”
“Craig Hoy touched on agriculture and, specifically in relation to my portfolio interests, I will say that it was this Government that decided to protect and maintain direct payments for farmers in Scotland when his Government down south did away with them completely and did nothing to protect the agriculture industry. I happily stand by my Government’s record on investing in rural”
“I welcome the decision, given the clear level of concern among campaigners, stakeholders and local communities. I recognise that the consultation led to real concern and anxiety among those communities, which have long been neglected by the Scottish National Party. Will the Government now undertake to come forward with a real plan for investment in rural areas that can deliver for communities in Dumfries and Galloway and East Ayrshire to support tourism, agriculture and infrastructure in the south of Scotland, which the SNP has failed to do in the past 18 years? Mairi Gougeon: I completely refute everything that Craig Hoy has said, because we have a very strong track record of investing in all the areas that he talked about.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with national health service boards and local authorities regarding the levying of fees for hospital teaching costs for children who routinely attend independent schools. (S6O-04726)”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app appeared to freeze. I would have voted yes. I am not sure whether my vote has been recorded. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I will make sure that it is recorded, Mr Hoy. I call Clare Adamson to make a point of order. I am sorry, Ms Adamson, but I am afraid that we are getting neither audio nor visuals.”
“Will Christine Grahame say whether the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body’s decision was unanimous and, if so, whether that means that the Green member of that body both supported the measures and wrote a letter in opposition to them? Christine Grahame: The letter that was written is a private matter. I am not in a position to disclose it. The recipients may disclose the contents of that letter if they wish. Decisions by the corporate body do not ever go to a vote; they are made simply by consent. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the urgent question, and it is time to move on to the next item of business. Decision Time 17:13”
“The Scottish Government must stop paying lip service to my constituents. Ministers recently approved a massive pylon route through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland, ignoring both local objections and the reporter’s recommendations following a public inquiry that cost the taxpayer nearly £200,000. That decision was a blatant disregard for local democracy. A just transition must be one that listens to and respects the communities that are most affected. 16:02”
“Since May 2022, the energy consents unit has approved more than 235 major energy infrastructure projects, including wind farms, pylons and battery storage. Only eight were rejected. The Scottish Government points to schemes such as CARES and the new £8 million community energy generation growth fund. However, those initiatives are not reaching the communities that will be most affected by large- scale developments. In Dumfries and Galloway, true community ownership remains the exception, not the norm. If the Government is serious about community energy, it must reform the planning system, to give local voices real power; it must stop treating regions such as Dumfries and Galloway as energy sacrifice zones; and it must redistribute funding to genuinely community-led projects, not developer- driven schemes with tokenistic benefit funds.”
“Douglas Lumsden: On what Finlay Carson was saying about community groups, does he share my concern that no Scottish ministers seem to meet community groups that are opposed to much of the overdevelopment, but they are happy to meet companies such as SSEN or Scottish Power Energy Networks? Finlay Carson: Absolutely. That is a real concern. The excuse is that they cannot get involved in individual planning matters but, right now, I am happy to invite the minister down to Galloway to speak to those groups, not on a specific planning application but on the widespread proliferation of wind farms across the region and the detriment to local communities. The issue of overcapacity is why, earlier this year, I called for a moratorium on further renewable applications in my constituency. However, I am not holding my breath.”
“According to the Scottish Government’s figures, south-west Scotland hosts 21 per cent of all the onshore wind turbines in Scotland. That is a disproportionate burden by any measure. Studies show that the impacts on property values and tourism are very negative. However, in March, the energy minister insisted that the Government should focus on renewables, without offering any clarity on how much industrialisation is too much for rural Scotland. We already have overcapacity in Galloway and there is no clear plan for when or where that industrialisation will stop.”
“Audrey Nicoll: I point out—this seems to get missed in the chamber quite a bit, regardless of which side of the debate members are on—the number of stakeholders that have a say and exercise control over the whole system with regard to pylons, consenting and the expansion of the grid. It is not just the Scottish Government. Finlay Carson: I appreciate that, but right now these applications are being dealt with by the energy consents unit in the Scottish Government and, more often than not, local opinions are being ignored. Fifty community councils across the region have called for a moratorium on new wind farm consents. They point to data from NatureScot that shows that southern Scotland has more proposed onshore wind developments than any other part of the country.”
“If they do not object, the Scottish Government can approve the project without a public inquiry. That process sidelines local voices and centralises power in Edinburgh. Public opposition is widespread. Community councils and residents have submitted hundreds of objections, citing landscape degradation, wildlife disruption and cumulative visual impact, yet those concerns are too often dismissed without explanation. Even well-organised campaigns such as Save Our Hills Dumfries and Galloway and Galloway Without Pylons are struggling to be heard. Right now, they are fighting a totally inappropriate application for wind turbines right on top of one of the region’s jewels—the historic area of outstanding natural beauty that is Glentrool.”
“Does Finlay Carson share my concern that communities—particularly in the south-west, but across the south of Scotland, such as those who are affected by the Scoop Hill development outside Moffat—find that developers come back time and time again with applications that are variations on the same theme? Developers have to win only once, whereas the community has to stand up to developments repeatedly. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I can give you the time back for the intervention, Mr Carson. Finlay Carson: I absolutely agree. It is exhausting for people who live in the footprints of wind farms. They win one battle and then another challenge comes along. In that vein, I note that section 36 applications for developments over 50MW bypass local decision making entirely, and councils can only object or not object.”
“Shona Robison: There is no consistency whatsoever from those on the Tory benches, but we should not be surprised by that. Additional Support for Learning Provision (Midlothian and East Lothian Council Budgets) 3.”
“Shona Robison: The responsibility for the hike in employer national insurance contributions is Westminster’s. The decision was made by the UK Government—that is a fact. It is not about trying to shift blame—it is a statement of fact that, in his next breath, Craig Hoy criticises the hike in employers’ national insurance contributions. With regard to council funding, the £1 billion unfunded tax cuts that Craig Hoy wants would impact negatively on that. Yet again, the Tories come to the chamber demanding more money for local government, and then they oppose measures such as the visitor levy, which will help local authorities to raise much-needed revenue— [Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us hear the cabinet secretary.”
“The finance secretary reverts to type and blames Westminster. Despite the negative consequences of the national insurance increase, the financial crisis that councils face is nothing new. It stems from years of sustained underfunding from this Scottish National Party Government. Councils across Scotland face budget shortfalls amounting to well over half a billion pounds, with 10 per cent council tax increases the norm and many councils raiding what is left of their reserves. Why does the cabinet secretary still blame others and continue to defend her Government’s record when we all know that the cash crisis that councils face is down to the SNP Government? The Presiding Officer: In relation to the substantive question, cabinet secretary.”
“What assessment has the minister made of the possible impacts on trade and investment of the imposition of a hard border between Scotland and the rest of the UK? Richard Lochhead: Trade with the rest of the UK is very important to Scotland, and we want that to continue. However, trade with the European Union is also very important. The EU is our biggest export market. Although the US is the country with our biggest export market, our biggest overall export partner is the EU. Therefore, we must ensure that we export as much as possible to the European Union and minimise the barriers to that trade. At the same time, we must continue the very healthy trade that we have with the rest of the”
“What message does the education secretary think that playing truant from the Parliament, because she believed that she had something better to do, sends to the children she is imploring to attend our schools? Jenny Gilruth: I must point out that I sincerely missed Stephen Kerr’s presence at the meeting of the Education, Children and Young People Committee on the evening of 30 April, where he was due to present his own amendments on the Education (Scotland) Bill. I am sure—”
“They spend time in the south of England so that they can be with their grandchildren but, ultimately, their hope would be to move to Gullane. I say to the minister that, if that property came on to the market, I very much doubt that a first-time buyer in East Lothian would buy it. The couple concerned are there pretty regularly—at least once a month. The minister will know that area very well. If the couple sold the property, I suspect it would not be a to local East Lothian resident. The chances are that it would be to a wealthy American golfer who, rather than visiting once a month, might visit only once a year.”
“The consequence of that was that the property that he bought accrued the additional dwelling supplement, which is now 8 per cent. That meant considerable expenditure for him to be able to do his job in two places. The positions that are faced by council tax payers and those who buy homes is similar in that the tax measures are indiscriminate and blunt and they are catching in the tax system people who are not traditional second home owners—that is, holiday home owners. People who own holiday homes are also being pulled in. I will give another example of a resident of Gullane in the Minister for Housing’s constituency who has owned a second home there for many years. The owner inherited the property and he and his wife are not wealthy people.”
“East Lothian Council has now determined that the home that she will move to soon, when she retires, is a second home and it will therefore accrue a double council tax. That is something that she cannot afford. The legislation still provides for councils to give a 50 per cent discount for a job- related dwelling, but East Lothian Council is not willing to apply that discount. I say to the minister that there are reasons why people in his constituency of East Lothian and elsewhere will require a second home. Recently, I spoke to a consultant who works in the national health service between two hospitals. Because rents have gone up in so many areas, he decided to buy a second home so that he could contribute to healthcare in two remote parts of Scotland.”
“The same goes for local authorities, which, given the power to levy a 100 per cent supplement on council tax, will do so because of the financial pressures that they face as a result of the SNP’s year-on-year real-terms cuts to their finances. The approach that the Government is adopting is a blunt instrument. It is indiscriminate and arbitrary, and it is pulling into additional tax measures people who I honestly do not believe should be caught in that trap. Ross Greer: Will the member take an intervention? Craig Hoy: I am afraid that I have only four minutes and I have some ground to cover. The first specific case that I will mention is that of my constituent Ruth Campanile, who works at the Old Clubhouse in Gullane, which is in the minister’s constituency. Ruth lives on the premises of the pub, which is owned by her brother.”
“Although I accept that some of what has been said in this debate is valid and that there are issues with the concentration of second homes in some parts of Scotland, I want to dwell on some of the unintended—or perhaps intended—consequences of some of the fiscal measures that have been taken in respect of second home ownership. I will give a couple of examples that the minister can take away to consider with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government how the taxes, if they are to remain, could be better applied. There are two reasons for such taxes. One is ideological and the other is that the Government needs to get money wherever it can find it.”
“Indeed, the owners are much more likely to pay nothing—they can go from a double council tax bill to a 100 per cent reduction on their non-domestic rates as a result of the small business bonus scheme. That is despite the fact that, in some communities, short- term lets are devastating the local housing market and depriving people of the opportunity to stay in the community in which they were raised—and the short-term let owners get a tax break to do that.”
“As a result, there are 2,500 fewer second homes in Scotland than there were a year ago. I welcome the Scottish Government’s support for my amendment to the Housing (Scotland) Bill that seeks to lift the 200 per cent cap and to let councils set whatever rate they think is appropriate for their local situation. The balance is still not right, and we need to go further. Short-term let licensing is helping, but more rigorous enforcement is required. However, the tax policy that we have set on holiday homes versus the one on short-term lets is somewhat contradictory. Holiday homes are—quite rightly— subject to double council tax; soon, the charge could be more than that, if my amendment is agreed to. However, short-term lets that are let out for at least 70 days a year are subject to non- domestic rates rather than council tax.”
“However, Edinburgh is second only to Highland when it comes to short-term let licences that have been issued. Across Scotland, there are about 50,000 properties in total, with about 22,000 second homes and 27,500 licensed short-term lets—and that does not include short-term lets that are not yet licensed. I lodged the motion to find out whether other parties and individual members agree that the balance across our housing sector is not right. If they agree that the balance is not right, what can we do about it? Progress has been made. The Greens have delivered the power for councils to double council tax on second and holiday homes. We also doubled, from 4 per cent to 8 per cent, the additional dwelling supplement for people buying an additional property.”
“I have heard people say that being in an area that is increasingly dominated by homes that sit empty for most of the year is like living in a museum or a theme park. Those areas their status and that feeling of being a real community. There is a clear pattern to areas with above-average second home ownership. Among Scotland’s council areas, Argyll and Bute is at the top of the table of second home ownership, with 3,000 second homes and about 1,700 licensed short-term let premises. In Highland, there are about 3,500 second homes and 6,500 short-term lets. In North Ayrshire, there are 1,500 second homes and 800 short-term lets. Edinburgh is below average on second homes, as we would expect—in fact, the primary home of many second-home owners is in a city such as Edinburgh.”
“The impact right now on people in those communities, particularly young people, is that they are often forced to leave the communities that they have grown up in because there is no home for them to live in as an adult. That is having a devastating impact in urban and rural areas. We need only walk a few feet from the Parliament to see the key lock boxes and the impact that the issue is having in the centre of Edinburgh, but the situation is causing an existential crisis for rural and island communities. Those who have children or want to have children are being forced to leave because there is no home for them to raise their family in. As a result of that, schools in those communities close. Communities cannot continue without young families and children.”
“Mr Greer quite rightly identifies areas where there is a density of second home ownership for holiday homes, but does he also accept that there are many people, such as members of the Scottish Parliament, who, for the purposes of employment, for example, require a second home and are being penalised by the additional taxes? Ross Greer: I recognise that distinctions should be made between the different types of second home use. I do not think that that diminishes the impact that such use has on local housing supply or on people who are simply unable to find a first home—a home that they actually need to live in. I will come on to talk about the need for a more targeted and nuanced approach to the tax measures in this area.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the justice secretary has had with the Lord Advocate regarding the costs of defending unsuccessful legal cases in the Supreme Court. (S6O-04651)”
“When the cabinet secretary looks at the responses to the consultation, will she impress upon NatureScot the importance of considering the postcodes of those who responded, so that we can tell whether those who live in the affected communities are those who are most opposed to the proposal? Gillian Martin: As Mr Hoy knows, I am not the minister responsible for that decision, but I will pass on his comments to Mairi Gougeon, the rural affairs secretary. The Presiding Officer: Question 5 has not been lodged. Fife College (Funding) 6.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: Foysol Choudhury will be the final speaker in the open debate. 17:18”
“The search result says that “empty crisp packets can be repurposed into survival blankets by fusing them together using heat, creating a reflective layer that helps keep people warm”. There you are, Mr Hoy. Craig Hoy: They say that every day is a learning day. I am sure that the Cabinet Secretary for Education will approve of the fact that I have now learned something in the chamber. The work of Keep Scotland Beautiful will unquestionably help to make Scotland a cleaner and greener place for everyone, but we all need to play our part. I am pleased to have been able to support Christine Grahame’s motion by speaking in the debate, and I look forward to visiting St Andrew’s school again, as well as the many other schools in the south of Scotland that are engaging in this important initiative.”