John Swinney
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Since the report from several years ago was published, the Government has presided over the passage of legislation to rationalise that area of activity. Work is under way to transfer the responsibility for the funding of further education student support from the Scottish Funding Council to the Student Awards Agency Scotland.”
“I appreciate the urgency of the general policy elements of the question, because a number of applications are now being considered by planning authorities. My view is that, given the concerns that have been expressed by planning authorities, the Government has to be responsive to the issue.”
“For as long as we do not have a proper strategy on prison capacity, rehabilitation and clearing the court backlog, early release will be a revolving door, with people going in, coming out and going back into our prisons. Our justice system is in crisis, so we need a strategy.”
“I associate myself unreservedly Mr Cole-Hamilton’s comments about the feelings in the Muslim community. On Monday, I visited the Broomhouse mosque along with Simita Kumar and the Annandale Street mosque in Edinburgh with Ben Macpherson.”
“The development of further guidance will be undertaken in a manner consistent with the ruling by Lady Ross. Malcolm Offord: I thank the First Minister for his answer, which was more comprehensive than I expected.”
“I am a huge supporter of apprenticeship programmes. With foundation apprenticeships and graduate apprenticeships, the Government has brought forward important reforms that create new and successful pathways for young people. I am determined to make sure that every young person has that desirable pathway for their future.”
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“Those steps explain how we are taking forward the position that I set out to Parliament on 3 September, and I hope that that provides the reassurance that Gillian Mackay seeks. Long-term Unemployment 4.”
“Is the First Minister’s Government truly committed to boycotting Israel and supporting the people of Palestine? If so, when will we see action? The First Minister: The steps that the Government has taken, following my statement to Parliament on 3 September, involve instructing relevant delivery bodies, such as Scottish Enterprise, where possible, not to provide support for trade between Scotland and Israel, and pausing new awards of public money to defence companies whose products or services are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed, including Israel. That is the requirement that I placed in our policy in relation to the application of international law.”
“Gillian Mackay: Previous First Ministers have provided a clear yes or no as to whether they are against Rosebank, and it would be good for this First Minister to do so. However, warm words are not good enough when climate destruction is funding illegal occupation, and we must put a stop to that. The First Minister must understand why so many of us are frustrated by the news this week. The National has reported that, following this Parliament’s historic vote last year to boycott, divest from and sanction Israeli companies, the Scottish Government has not commissioned a single briefing from officials on how to implement that action. My colleague Patrick Harvie’s questions on the subject from October remain unanswered 17 weeks later.”
“The Scottish Government’s position has been consistent about the necessity for any new developments to be compatible with our agenda and direction on climate action. That is the consistent position, which has not changed in any of the leaderships of the three First Ministers who Gillian Mackay mentioned. That is the test that has to be applied on Rosebank, and that is the test that the courts require to be undertaken in that respect. Of course, that is a decision for the United Kingdom Government. On the situation in Israel, in my statement in September, I set out to Parliament the steps that the Scottish Government is taking to act on the issue of connection with organisations with a business interest in Israel, and the Government has taken forward those actions.”
“I will allow—[Interruption.] Anas Sarwar: You should be ashamed— The Presiding Officer: Let us hear one another. The First Minister: This Government— Anas Sarwar: This document— The Presiding Officer: I am sorry, First Minister. Colleagues, I would be very grateful if we could all hear one another. The people who have gathered to hear proceedings would like to be able to follow them. The First Minister: This Government has established an independent public inquiry, led by Lord Brodie. We will respect the law and allow Lord Brodie to undertake his inquiry, and we will distance ourselves entirely from the direct political interference that Anas Sarwar is perpetrating in his letter to Lord Brodie. The Labour Party and Anas Sarwar should be ashamed of themselves for their conduct. Rosebank Oil Field 3.”
“The First Minister: I am horrified by the suffering of the families who have been affected by the losses in relation to the water contamination issues at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital. That is why this Government set up a public inquiry, so that Lord Brodie could undertake an examination of the evidence, look at all the issues and give the truth to the families involved. Mr Sarwar, for a week, has basically attacked my personal integrity. What Mr Sarwar is doing is unrelenting, and how he is conducting himself is a sign of total desperation. Mr Sarwar has written a letter to Lord Brodie. I am appalled by its contents. It is direct political interference in the conduct of an independent inquiry, and Mr Sarwar should be ashamed of himself.”
“Nowhere is that clearer than in a senior official— the chief nursing officer—who was appointed by Shona Robison and the SNP saying that she could not understand why Greater Glasgow and Clyde had not just offered the families 50 grand, which is a trip to Disneyland. That is utterly shameful, and it should shame every member in the SNP Government and on the SNP benches—bribes rather than truth and justice. Enough is enough. The pain that this Government has inflicted on those families is through the roof, so it should finally stop the denials and the cover-up, stop the gaslighting of the families, the whistleblowers and the staff, and, for once, just be honest.”
“All that evidence is already before the inquiry, and it is right that Lord Brodie be given the time and space to get to the truth for families, without political influence, interference or speculation on the outcome of his conclusions. Anas Sarwar: It is not speculation; it is Scottish Government documents that prove that what John Swinney is saying is not true. This was Scotland’s newest and largest hospital, and Shona Robison and the Scottish Government got 14 alerts about infections between 2015 and 2018. Warning after warning was sent to the Scottish National Party Government and met with inaction, and people died as a result. Worse than that, the Scottish Government’s instinct was to close ranks and cover up.”
“There were, in fact, 14 alerts to the Scottish Government between 2015 and 2018. Does that not prove that John Swinney is not telling the truth about what he and the Scottish Government knew, when, and what they did about it? The First Minister: The evidence before the inquiry clearly shows that the Scottish Government was made aware of a water contamination issue at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital only in March 2018. Incidents reported through the hospital infection incident assessment tool prior to March 2018 did not suggest that there were wider problems with the water system at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital.”
“I do. Anas Sarwar: Just like last week, I am going to prove to the First Minister that what he is saying is a blatant untruth, because the Scottish Government document before me makes it clear that he knew before March 2018. It is here, in black and white. In March 2017, there was “A higher than expected incidence of Aspergillus”. That is what Health Protection Scotland reported to the Scottish Government. In July 2017, there were positive cases of Stenotrophomonas. That is what Health Protection Scotland reported to the Scottish Government. Evidence of serious warnings to this Government were ignored. Aspergillus took the life of Andrew Slorance. Stenotrophomonas took the life of Milly Main. Those deaths and many others were preventable, and we now know that the Scottish Government’s evidence to the inquiry is incomplete.”
“That will mean the lowest basic property rate for properties with a rateable value up to and including £51,000. What I said earlier about the small business bonus scheme applies in many cases, and that is part of an overall package worth an estimated £864 million. To reassure Mr Findlay about those issues, I can say that the Scottish Government has made a commitment: once we are clear on the consequential funding—if any comes to us from the changes to pub and hospitality relief that the United Kingdom Labour Government has announced in the past couple of weeks—we will allocate those funds in full to safeguard the future of the hospitality sector. We will do that once we are clear about the amount of money that is involved and the financial implications. Russell Findlay: That answer was all froth and no beer. [Interruption.]”
“Pubs are closing in Scotland at the rate of one every single week. Almost 300 pubs have been forced to close their doors in the past five years. This week, a new survey revealed that one in seven pub owners are thinking of calling time for the last time. John Swinney must take action now to stem the flood of pub closures. My party is campaigning for 100 per cent rates exemption for all small and medium-sized hospitality business, but John Swinney has rejected our calls, so more jobs will be lost, and more communities will lose their pubs. Will John Swinney therefore explain why he is happy to kill off Scotland’s pubs? The First Minister: That is not what the Government is doing. The Government is decreasing the basic, intermediate and higher property rates to deliver a broadly revenue-neutral revaluation over the revaluation cycle.”
“The Government, in its forthcoming budget, which will be discussed by Parliament over the next few weeks, is putting forward a package of reliefs worth an estimated £864 million, which enables us to sustain the small business bonus scheme, which has been a hallmark of this Government’s approach. It also enables us to offer a 15 per cent relief to retail, hospitality and leisure premises that are liable for the basic or intermediate property rate in mainland Scotland. Those are just some of the measures that the Government proposes to make sure that we support the business community as it wrestles with the challenges that it faces. Russell Findlay: He talks about the budget, but the Scottish Beer and Pub Association says that the SNP budget falls well short of what is needed for many pubs across Scotland.”
“I move, That the Parliament expresses its sadness at the sudden death of Lord Jim Wallace; appreciates his many years of outstanding public service and the high regard in which he was held as a Queen’s Counsel, MP for Shetland and Orkney and the first ever MSP for Orkney, his seven years as the first Deputy First Minister of Scotland, and latterly as member of the House of Lords; acknowledges his long service to the Church of Scotland as an elder at St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall and as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 2021 to 2022, and expresses deepest condolences to his wife, family and many friends. 14:17”
“In reply to my impertinent question, the acting First Minister of the day said: “On Mr Swinney’s final point, I say only this: when the history books are written it will be found that I might not have discharged the duties of First Minister for as long as other people did, but I probably did it more often.”—[Official Report, 22 November 2001; c 4119, 4120.] It was a typical Jim Wallace quip, but he was right about his place in the history of Scotland’s story. I end by expressing my own personal deepest sympathies and those of the Scottish Government and the people of Scotland to Jim’s wife Rosie, his mother Grace, his daughters Helen and Clare, his brother Neil and his grandchildren. They have all lost a dear loved one, and Scotland has lost one of her finest sons.”
“The last time that I questioned Jim in his capacity as acting First Minister, on 22 November 2001, it was at the end of a period of Labour political chaos. Generously, I said: “Mr Wallace will not be here to answer questions next week, but I am sure that he will have to come back to rescue the Labour Administration when it implodes. Does he agree that it is not appropriate today for us to say goodbye, but that we should say merely, ‘Au revoir’?” There is genuine and heartfelt sadness on my part today that we are here to say goodbye and not “au revoir” to Jim Wallace. He has been taken from us all far too soon. I have to give the last word of our exchange in 2001 to Jim.”
“He encouraged me to enjoy the role, especially the fun that was to be had when I stood in for the First Minister at First Minister’s question time with, as he put it to me, all of the opportunity and none of the responsibility. To mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, I had the great privilege to welcome Jim and Rosie to Bute house in your presence, Presiding Officer. I felt that it was important that we marked a milestone in the life of our Parliament. One of its key founders should be welcomed to Bute house to acknowledge the significance of the occasion. It was so appropriate that both Jim and Rosie were there, so that I could acknowledge, on behalf of the whole country, the outstanding service that they have given to Scotland.”
“That was the type of person he was—selfless and principled, a man of integrity, a man of decency. Jim and I were clearly from different political traditions. We believed in different things and in different destinations for our country, but none of those differences stopped us respecting each other’s contribution to our country’s politics—never doubting each other’s motives and always maintaining personal courtesy towards each other. At joyful moments in my life and at incredibly tough moments in my life, I would receive kindness from Jim Wallace, as did so many others. When I became Deputy First Minister in 2014, Jim wrote to wish me well, as he put it, from one Deputy First Minister to another.”
“That was during Covid, and Jim—supported, as always, by Rosie—found a way of reaching people in those difficult days, supporting them and reassuring them that more hopeful days lay ahead. That was a year of great fulfilment for Jim, when he could share with others his deep Christian faith and how his faith had made him who he was, in a way that is often more difficult to do in politics. As moderator, he reached across the aisle, helping to bring the Church of Scotland into greater collaboration with the Episcopal and Catholic churches. Throughout his life, Jim practised politics the way that politics ought to be practised—with passionate but respectful debate, with genuine collaboration and, above all, with the utmost compassion and devotion to those he served.”
“In 2007, he became Baron Wallace of Tankerness and a member of the Calman commission on devolution, which recommended extending the powers of this Parliament. When the Liberal Democrats became part of the United Kingdom Government in 2010, Jim found himself back on the front line, serving for five years as Advocate General for Scotland. It was in that role that he brought forward the idea of using a section 30 order to give the Scottish Parliament the power to hold an independence referendum—a visionary move, in my eyes. In all those roles, Jim offered an exemplary example of public service, but he still had more to give. In 2021, he was delighted, but also pretty daunted, to become the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland—one of only two elders since the reformation to hold that post.”
“I cannot be alone in thinking that those were themes that Jim Wallace championed throughout his political career and of which we could do with a great deal more in the world today. As Deputy First Minister, Jim became acting First Minister three times, stepping in first when Donald Dewar became ill, and a second time upon his untimely death. Jim stepped in again following Henry McLeish’s resignation. In doing so, he provided stability and a steady hand in times of unexpected upheaval. More than that, in this Parliament’s early years, when it was yet to prove itself in the eyes of many Scots, Jim sought to ensure that it delivered what the people had voted for in 1997—a Parliament that worked together, across parties, to get things done and to improve life for all Scots.”
“It was little surprise that, in 1999, Jim opted to stand for Holyrood, for Orkney, the island archipelago where he lived and which he loved. Jim ushered the Liberal Democrats into government in 1999—the first time that Liberals had been in government in the United Kingdom since 1922—and assumed the role of Scotland’s first Deputy First Minister, a role in which he served from 1999 to 2005. He served also as Minister for Justice and later as Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning. In that role, in 2004, Jim attended the United Nations to hear its secretary general, Kofi Annan, deliver the inaugural Robert Burns memorial lecture, on the theme of the state of the world and the brotherhood of man, calling for tolerance and coexistence among all peoples.”
“Jim was first elected to the United Kingdom Parliament in 1983, as MP for Orkney and Shetland. He followed in the footsteps of another great Liberal, Jo Grimond, and had to compete for his seat with the formidable champion of my party, Winnie Ewing. He held that seat for nearly two decades, and was always a tireless champion for island communities. I got to know Jim well when I joined him in the House of Commons in 1997. I watched, with respect and admiration, a formidable parliamentarian—from whom I learned a great deal about how to be a parliamentarian—lead the arguments for the Liberal Democrats during the debates on the referendum legislation in 1997, and then the passage of what became the Scotland Act 1998, which paved the way for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.”
“Jim Wallace may not have designed the Scottish Parliament building in which we meet today, but we can say with absolute certainty that Jim Wallace was an architect of the Scottish Parliament. Jim was a lifelong adherent of the Liberal tradition in Scotland. Although he led the Scottish Liberal Democrats, he first joined the Scottish Liberal Party, which emerged from a radical tradition of politics in our country, with a commitment in its foundations to home rule for Scotland. Consistent political support for the concept of Scottish self-government, pressure to establish a Scottish Parliament and the hard work to turn it into practice through the work of the consultative steering group were all part of the contribution that was made by Jim Wallace.”
“I am grateful to Mr Gibson for advising Parliament of the decision of the United Kingdom Government. It is deeply regrettable that there will be no compensation for the WASPI women. Those women were promised, in good faith, that the Labour Party would address that historic injustice when it got into Government. It is just another example of the betrayal of individuals in this country by this Labour Government. The Presiding Officer: That concludes First Minister’s question time. Before the next item of business there will be a short suspension to allow those who are leaving the chamber and the public gallery to do so. 12:45 Meeting suspended. 12:46 On resuming— Holocaust Memorial Day 2026”
“I am not sure whether Sarah Boyack was in the chamber earlier, but Richard Lochhead, the Minister for Business and Employment, confirmed that an extension for 2026-27 is being delivered. That was confirmed to the Parliament earlier this afternoon. Women Against State”
“Community Organisations (Funding Arrangements)”
“As I have set out in some of my other answers, the Government is expanding the support that is available to help with the cost of living and to help with lifting families out of poverty. The investment in the budget in the extra time programme, which complements our work on breakfast clubs, is designed to ensure that families are supported with the assistance that they require to move out of poverty. Through our budget, we will invest £2.5 million to expand the extra time programme. In partnership with the Scottish Football Association, we will work to assist families and ensure that provision is in place to enable individuals to sustain their participation and engagement in employment. That is part of a programme of wraparound support that the Government is putting in place to deal with the cost of living challenges that families face.”
“He is going to vote against it, because he does not want to do the hard yards of supporting the workers in the oil and gas sector. [Interruption.] While Mr Lumsden postures and fails to adjust his questions to take account of what I have said, I will carry on delivering for the north-east of Scotland. [Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us hear one another, colleagues.”
“I thought that it was customary to listen to what is said in Parliament and to perhaps adjust one’s question to take account of that. I have just confirmed to Mr Stewart that the Government believes that the energy profits levy is a real obstacle to the sustainability of the oil and gas sector in Scotland. I raised that issue directly with the Prime Minister at the British-Irish Council in December, as I have done on previous occasions. In our budget, we have previously committed to support the transition by supporting workers in the training centres and the various other initiatives in the north-east of Scotland. There is more planned in the Government’s budget, but what is Mr Lumsden going to do in relation to that?”
“In the budget, we are implementing support for businesses, workers and communities, with more than £120 million already invested in the north- east through our just transition fund and the energy transition fund. Further resources are pledged in the budget that is before the Parliament for approval. I associate myself strongly with Mr Stewart’s point that Scotland needs to be able to benefit from our energy wealth. That is not happening at present, and the fresh start of independence will deliver that for the people of Scotland. Oil and”
“The issues that Kevin Stewart raises relate to the balance that has to be struck between reductions in capacity in the oil and gas sector, which are the product of the North Sea being a mature basin, and the rise of alternatives in renewables. A key factor in regulating that is the ability to invest in the North Sea oil and gas sector. As I have said to the Parliament before, that ability is being hampered by the energy profits levy, which undermines investment decisions. I assure Mr Stewart that the Scottish Government has made every effort to persuade the United Kingdom Government to change its stance on the energy profits levy, because it is harming investment and the sustainability of the economy in the north-east of Scotland.”
“I am not aware of a widespread issue with that. We will explore the details of the situation in Lanarkshire and act to address any shortages. There is a well- established system for ensuring that pharmaceutical interventions are available across the country. From time to time, there may well be individual locality challenges. However, we will take away the issues that Mr Russell has raised and explore what can be done to address it. Energy Profits Levy (Effects on Energy Sector)”
“The issues described in that inspection report raised serious concerns. For that reason, yesterday, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing saw the leadership of NHS Forth Valley at my request, to make it abundantly clear that we expect the recommendations to be addressed and the performance to be improved. Ministers will hold the national health service board to account on all those issues. Co-codamol Shortage (Lanarkshire)”
“I associate myself with the concerns that Christine Grahame sets out about the illegal puppy trade and the harm that is caused to the welfare of dogs as a consequence. Decisions about prosecution matters are undertaken independently of the Government by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Christine Grahame is an experienced solicitor and parliamentarian; she is familiar with that separation of responsibilities. It would be wrong for me to comment on the decisions that are made that are of a prosecutorial nature. It is important that all those cases are fully and properly investigated and that the Crown can come to its conclusions on those matters. Forth Valley Royal Hospital Adult Mental”
“The housing secretary will keep her updated. Illegal”
“The Cabinet Secretary for Housing is engaging with Fife Council on that question to try to find a solution for the individuals who are involved. This will be a very anxious time for those individuals, given the uncertainty about their housing arrangements. That work is under way and dialogue is proceeding. I give Claire Baker the assurance that that will be pursued by the housing secretary. As I said in my answer to Meghan Gallacher earlier, we are actively engaged in the acquisition of properties to bring them into the public sector housing stock so that we have measures in place to support families to obtain the correct and appropriate form of accommodation. There are opportunities for us to engage constructively with Fife Council on that question, and I give Claire Baker the assurance that we will do so.”
“I am very concerned to hear the details that Annie Wells has shared with the Parliament. The importance of protecting the privacy, safety and security of the victims of domestic abuse is central to the justice system. I acknowledge the point that Annie Wells has made, which is that the court system has acknowledged the error that it has made. I apologise to Annie Wells and her constituent for the error. It should not have happened. Obviously, there are many protocols and procedures in place to make sure that that does not happen—and it should not have happened. I understand that Annie Wells has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs. We will ensure that that is given prompt attention to ensure that there is support and assistance in place to address what is an unacceptable incident. Wemyss”
“I look forward to those colleagues who have an interest in supporting Mossmorran supporting the Government’s budget when it comes to the Parliament for approval. Court System Error (Domestic Abuse)”
“I am committed to ensuring that we do all that we can to support the workforce at Mossmorran. It is an incredibly difficult time for them. We have engaged extensively with stakeholders to ensure that the funding that is available from the Scottish Government is prioritised to initially support the workers to transition to other employment opportunities and, then, to support efforts to secure a new future for the site. The Deputy First Minister is providing the necessary leadership to drive this crucial work, and Scottish Enterprise has begun work to secure new investment and a future for the site. We are taking forward all those measures, an essential component of which is ensuring that the Government’s budget is supported.”
“That is a record of delivery from the Scottish Government for the national health service, and we intend to continue delivering for the people of”
“The First Minister: I join Clare Haughey in paying tribute to the hard-working staff of our national health service, whose dedication has made possible the improvements that we are seeing in Scotland’s national health service— [Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: I am keen for everyone who is gathered in the chamber to be able to hear what is going on. The First Minister: Let me set out what improvements have been delivered in the national health service. Operation numbers are up; GP numbers are up; the number of nurses, midwives and dental consultants are up; long waits are down and have been down for six months in a row; out- patient waits are down; in-patient and day-case waits are down; and the risk of dying from cancer in Scotland is at its lowest rate on record.”
“It is investing to improve it through bold new initiatives such as the GP walk-in centres. [Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us hear Ms Haughey. Clare Haughey: Under the SNP Government, we are clearly seeing progress in our NHS— [Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Colleagues, let us be courteous. Clare Haughey: I, for one, want to thank our hard-working NHS staff for all that they are doing— unlike our Tory colleagues, it seems. Given that Labour cannot bring itself to do the same, will the First Minister remind our Labour colleagues what improvement we have seen under his leadership in the past year?”
“Our new walk-in GP clinics will make it easier for people to access GP services without an appointment. We have listened to frustrations about the 8 am rush, and our £36 million investment in the initial 15 clinics will help more people to get the right care when they need it. The clinics will sit alongside the historic GP deal that was agreed last year, which delivers record investment in primary care and will complement existing GP services, NHS 24, community pharmacies and hospitals. Together, those actions reflect my clear focus on improving our national health service and delivering for the people of Scotland. Clare Haughey: Although Labour talks about privatisation and Reform wants to charge people for using the NHS, only the Scottish National Party is committed to defending Scotland’s NHS.”
“In certain circumstances, such as in the Eljamel case, we refer those issues to independent inquiries. That is an indication of the fact that the Government believes that there must be openness and transparency in the handling of these issues, and that the assurance of the public about the safety and effectiveness of public services must be pursued at all times. Walk-in General Practitioner Clinics 6.”
“Will the First Minister finally accept that the cultural problem that he has identified in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is the exact same cultural problem that has existed in this Government for years and that it is preventing patients from getting to the truth? The First Minister: The issues in relation to the conduct of healthcare are vital for individuals in our society. The Government intervenes to ensure that, on an on-going basis, NHS health boards are aware of their obligations to be candid and open with members of the public about their treatment. When that is unacceptable, the issues are pursued and addressed by the escalation of individual health boards for greater degrees of scrutiny, which health secretaries are prepared to undertake and apply.”
“Liz Smith: Not only are we witnessing the most appalling scandal in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, but in NHS Tayside, we have the destruction of 40 clinical logbooks in the Eljamel case, despite the issuing of do-not-destroy notices, plus more revelations about serious blunders in jaw surgery. In NHS Forth Valley and NHS Grampian, we have on-going patient complaints about missing documents and non- compliance with statutory complaint procedures. Those are all examples of the most serious failings of management in different health boards that are the direct responsibility of the Scottish Government.”
“Transparency and accountability in our national health service is essential to maintaining public trust. We have strengthened expectations around leadership, information governance, record keeping and decision making across NHS boards. We have also reinforced assurance and escalation arrangements. There are very clear examples of this Government taking action when concerns arise, and Liz Smith will be aware that we have escalated boards through those frameworks for a variety of different issues. Those measures demonstrate our commitment to strong governance, transparency and accountability.”
“Our low-cost initiative for first-time buyers scheme is helping people on low to moderate incomes to buy a home. Last year, 210 homes were purchased through the scheme, and an estimated 300 homes will be purchased in this financial year.”
“Willie Coffey: At a time when the cost of living is spiralling under the Labour Party, it is great to hear that the Scottish National Party Government is taking the action that is needed to deliver warm, affordable housing for families right across Scotland. Will the First Minister tell us a little bit more about how the new agency will support first- time buyers? The First Minister: The initiative that we are taking with more homes Scotland will streamline and accelerate the delivery of high-quality, affordable homes. It will ensure that more homes will be available across Scotland, including for first- time buyers. Detailed objectives will be set out in due course. We continue to support home ownership for first- time buyers through a range of interventions.”