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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“On waiting times, we promised that an additional 64,000 NHS procedures would be delivered in a 12-month period, and 75,500 extra procedures were delivered in the period to January 2025. This Government is focused on eradicating child poverty, improving our public services, achieving net zero and boosting the economy. That is what this Government is about, and that is what we are delivering for the people of Scotland, day in and day out. Anas Sarwar: John Swinney’s head is in the sand, and it proves why he cannot be the person to lead the fight against disenfranchisement and polarisation of our politics. He simply does not get it. There are record-long waiting lists and record levels of homelessness among our children on John Swinney’s and the Scottish National Party’s watch.”
“The gulf between the SNP Government’s rhetoric and the reality that people across our country face could not be starker. Can John Swinney not see that his and his party’s failures have made them the architects of divisive politics in Scotland? The First Minister: I frequently set out to Parliament the record of this Government, on which I am very proud to stand. We are giving young people and their families the best start in life by providing the most extensive early learning and childcare offer in the United Kingdom. On housing, we have delivered 47 per cent more affordable homes per head of population than have been delivered in England, and 73 per cent more than in Wales, where the Labour Party has been in power for even longer than we have been in power in Scotland.”
“However, I fear that the progress that we are making in Scotland will be damaged by the welfare reforms of the United Kingdom’s Labour Government. Anas Sarwar: That complacency is part of the problem, and it proves that John Swinney does not get it. The measure of success for the Scottish Government is how it uses its power to improve the lives of Scots. For 18 years, John Swinney’s SNP has been in charge of our NHS, but we have one in six Scots on waiting lists. For 18 years, John Swinney’s SNP has been in charge of housing, but we have 10,000 children with nowhere to call home. For 18 years, John Swinney’s SNP has been in charge of keeping Scots safe, but we have gang violence on our streets and blades being taken into primary schools.”
“That is what the people of Scotland have, because, in a variety of different areas, this Government is delivering for the people of Scotland. Families in Scotland benefit from having 1,140 hours of early learning and childcare for all three and four-year-olds and for eligible two-year-olds. We have rising investment in our housing sector and we are tackling the housing emergency, building on the fact that we have built more affordable housing per head of population than has been built in other parts of the United Kingdom. We have low unemployment in Scotland today, and progress has been made on reducing waiting lists and waiting times in the national health service. Crucially, on the issue that absolutely matters to me, in Scotland we are seeing a fall in the level of child poverty when it is rising in the rest of the United Kingdom.”
“The First Minister: In one of his earlier questions, Mr Findlay said that the Conservatives had been warning about all of this for years. I will read to the Parliament a comment that was made by Alison Harris, who was a Conservative member of the Scottish Parliament during the previous parliamentary session. On Tuesday 30 January 2018—[Interruption.]”
“Russell Findlay: That was a typically weak and evasive response. The SNP’s focus on radical gender ideology has not only impacted prisons but damaged trust in politics. It showed that Holyrood had lost the plot and that Nicola Sturgeon was detached from reality. John Swinney has a chance to be his own man and to go a different way from his closest ally, who is not even showing up at work any more. He could guarantee that all public bodies will have new and lawful policies to respect women’s rights in place by the summer. He could be honest and admit that trans women are not women. He could hold his hands up and apologise fully and sincerely. John Swinney could ditch Nicola Sturgeon’s toxic legacy once and for all. Will he now take the chance to finally bring to an end the era of divisive gender politics?”
“Following the scandal of a rapist in a women’s prison, there are still male prisoners in the female estate, despite last week’s seismic court ruling. Will John Swinney now instruct the Scottish Prison Service to ensure that male prisoners do their time in men’s prisons? The First Minister: As the Government has already set out to the Parliament, we are considering the detail of the Supreme Court’s judgment and taking the necessary advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission about the application of that advice. That will have a bearing on the judgments that are made in relation to public services and, as is well established in our politics and discourse, I will expect all public bodies, including the Scottish Prison Service, to operate on that basis and within the law.”
“As we did in relation to the previous guidance, we will draw on the input of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, as the Government is obliged to do, given that the EHRC is the regulator of the Equality Act 2010. Russell Findlay: We spent years telling the SNP to drop this nonsense and get back to the day job. It refused to listen. It was absolutely obsessed. Now, John Swinney does not want to talk about it, because mainstream Scotland has turned against him. The harms that are caused by gender self-ID are real. Female prisoners were the first target of SNP gender ideology and, today, a prison officer told me that staff still face disciplinary action if they call male sex offenders identifying as female “he” or “him”.”
“The First Minister: As the Supreme Court judgment narrates, there is a complex reconciliation of two pieces of legislation that the Scottish Government is obliged to work within. Those are the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010. I remind Russell Findlay that, on two occasions, the Scottish Government legislation that was passed in 2018, which was the subject of the legal challenge, was supported by decisions taken in courts in Scotland. That was not the case in the Supreme Court judgment, which I accept unreservedly. As Mr Findlay knows, I am a believer in the rule of law. Therefore, the Government will take steps, as the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice set out to the Parliament on Tuesday, to make sure that all the regulatory changes that require to be made in the light of the Supreme Court’s decision are made.”
“Russell Findlay: For John Swinney, it seems that sorry really is the hardest word to say. We know why: it is because he is not sorry. The SNP still believes in gender self-ID. Two months ago, John Swinney said that he accepts that trans women are women. Yesterday, he dodged the same question and said: “There will be plenty of opportunities for that.” Well, here is his opportunity. Are trans women women? The court ruling makes that clear. As a result, Scotland’s public bodies must now abandon SNP gender policies and respect the rule of law. For the country to move on and for trust to be rebuilt, it is important for the Government to accept accountability and to own its mistakes. Will John Swinney at least now admit that he got this so very wrong?”
“The Scottish Government accepts the judgment of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled that “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 is defined by biological sex, and the Government accepts that ruling. I also accept that the court emphasised that that decision does not reduce trans people’s protections from discrimination, whether or not they have a gender recognition certificate. The Equality Act 2010 expressly prohibits discrimination against and harassment of trans people, and it is not necessary to have a GRC in order to be protected. I believe that the vast majority of people in Scotland want to live in a country that is respectful, compassionate and caring, and I am committed to protecting the rights of all. That will guide all my actions as First Minister.”
“As the leader of the Scottish National Party, I obviously believe that we could help people in Scotland to cope with these challenges and make our voice heard more effectively as an independent nation state within the European Union. I acknowledge that others take a different view. However, the vast majority of members in the chamber share common values. I believe that those common values reflect the founding values of the European Union—”
“The relative stability that the international system has provided us with in the past 80 years has, in many ways, been assumed to be able to go on for ever, uninterrupted. With every civil liberty gained since the end of the second world war, every rise in living and educational standards, every international agreement signed and each advancement in knowledge and technology, few imagined that we would arrive at an age in which leaders actively seek to roll back universal progress in favour of protectionist measures once more. In these circumstances, it is more important than ever for Scotland to champion the benefits of international trade, co-operation, and solidarity.”
“Russia’s on-going barbaric invasion of Ukraine or the brutal attack by Hamas on Israel, as well as the killing of Palestinian children by Israel, have deep and significant consequences far beyond those conflicts. More than that, aggression on such a scale and the apparent disregard for human life offend any sense of common humanity. Today, the Scottish Government is bringing forward a debate without motion on the international situation. I hope that this will be an occasion when members of the Parliament can speak freely and openly on the major international issues of the day that have implications for our country and the communities that we serve. We have an opportunity to listen carefully to one another’s contributions and to learn from one another as we navigate these difficult days.”
“We began our business this afternoon by expressing our condolences on the death of Pope Francis, recognising the significance of his spiritual leadership in the world. It seems appropriate that we continue our business today by considering the current international situation, which was a subject of concern in the comments and contributions of His Holiness on so many occasions. In these times, it has never been clearer that we live in an interdependent world in which the idea of being a by-stander—for any country—has gone for ever. Decisions on trade that are taken, for example, by the United States or China are bound to have an impact on living standards here in Scotland.”
“The Presiding Officer: That concludes topical questions. Douglas Ross: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. You have been very critical of those of us who have spoken from a sedentary position, and I accept that. However, can you confirm from the chair that, despite being asked on three occasions, the cabinet secretary has not been able to inform the Parliament of how many sex offenders have changed their name? It is a basic question that we are not getting an answer to. The Presiding Officer: That is not a point of order. [Interruption.] Mr Ross, that is not a point of order. Douglas Ross: It is not an answer, either. The Presiding Officer: Mr Ross, would you like to leave the chamber? If you wish to remain here, you must adhere to our standing orders. That concludes topical questions. Supreme Court Judgment”
“I have gone to lengths that are right and proper in my engagement with the past and current UK Governments in and around how we can co- operate on these matters in a pragmatic way, bearing in mind that we all share an island, irrespective of our different legal systems. Let me repeat, for accuracy’s sake, that there are not 506 individuals who have changed their names. Douglas Ross: How many are there? The Presiding Officer: Mr Ross, I will not ask again that you refrain from shouting from your seat when you have not been called to speak. That is the last time that I will ask you. Angela Constance: Perhaps it would be better if I just referred the member to the earlier three answers that I have already given on this matter. I repeat my commitment to both Mr Kerrs to write to them further.”
“This is just appalling. Angela Constance: I am not putting up with this. The Presiding Officer: Mr Ross, when you have put a question, please be courteous and listen to the response quietly. [Interruption.] Douglas Ross: Ach, John—that was the First Minister, Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer: I am sorry—I did not hear what was going on there, but I ask members to behave in accordance with our standing orders. Angela Constance: Mr Kerr asked a reasonable question, but it is of deep regret to me that members in this Parliament behave like children when we are discussing the most serious matters of public protection and the risks that are presented to members of our community as a result of sex offending.”
“It impels us to care for one another, to increase our mutual solidarity, and to work for the integral development of each human person.” There could be no finer words to have left the world with, given the challenges and the difficulties that we face as a society today, than the words that Pope Francis left us with on Easter Sunday. They are a mark of the power of his spiritual leadership, and his is an example that we would be well advised to follow. I move, That the Parliament expresses its deep sadness at the death of Pope Francis; conveys its condolences to all those in the Roman Catholic community in Scotland and beyond; affirms the affection in which His Holiness was held by people across the world, and expresses gratitude for his lifetime of devotion and dedicated public service. 14:10”
“That leadership has been a powerful example to me and to millions around the globe. We are profoundly grateful for his life and his example of principled spiritual leadership in our world today. In drawing my remarks to a close, I wish to conclude with some words from Pope Francis’s final address on Sunday: “There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others ... The light of Easter impels us to break down the barriers that create division and are fraught with grave political and economic consequences.”
“In 2014, at a prayer meeting held at the Vatican, Pope Francis urged the then President of Israel, Shimon Peres, and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to be courageous in the pursuit of peace in the middle east. Despite the weight of his office, and often when he was in poor health, the Pope built friendships and connections to try to bring people together. In recent years, his faithfulness in keeping in contact with Christians in Gaza has illustrated the devotion of his leadership to all congregations, especially those who were suffering. I express my own gratitude for Pope Francis’s lifetime of faithful devotion and dedicated public service. He was always on the side of the poor and those who faced injustice, and he used his position of leadership to work for a better world.”
“Pope Francis was a man who was always on the side of the poor and the migrant. He was always on the side of those who faced injustice. He had a thirst to use the power of Christian teaching to advocate for those who required a message of justice and the protection of the message of justice. He regularly called for an end to bigotry and conflict. Above all, Pope Francis worked to bring people together across what often seemed like insurmountable divides. His Holiness was particularly outspoken about the trauma experienced recently by the people of Ukraine and Gaza, while equally condemning the growing climate of antisemitism throughout the world.”
“His Holiness’s belief in the goodness of people was as unshakeable as his devotion to the church, and his papacy was defined by the message of Jesus Christ to love your neighbour as yourself. As the first Pope from Latin America, he sought to build new bridges between nations and faiths. He spoke warmly to advocate for greater inclusivity, both within the church and throughout society. Pope Francis spoke loudly in calling for peace and human dignity around the world. In his final public address, held this Easter Sunday at the Vatican, he used these words: “What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of our world ... I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves”.”
“On behalf of the people of Scotland, I express my sadness at the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. His loss will be felt most acutely in the Roman Catholic community here in Scotland and abroad, but his loss will be mourned by countless others who admired, respected and were inspired by the humble, kind and empathetic spiritual leadership that he gave to the world. Pope Francis brought simplicity and humility to the papacy—he was a gentle spirit who preferred to receive people informally, and always with grace. In deeds and in words, he took forward his leadership of the Catholic church in a manner that was thoughtful, measured and conciliatory.”
“Visitors in the public gallery should please follow the directions of security staff and evacuate to the public foyer immediately. People who require assistance to evacuate and those with a personal emergency evacuation plan requiring the use of a refuge point should move to the nearest available refuge point now. Members and other chamber occupants should evacuate immediately to the garden lobby. Further directions will be broadcast presently. Thank you. 12:47 Meeting suspended. 12:59 On resuming— University of the West of Scotland Foundation Academy”
“I acknowledge the significance of the point that Mr McArthur raises. Indeed, the issue was raised with me by farming representatives when I visited Orkney recently. There is the opportunity for licences to be issued by NatureScot to tackle the issue that Mr McArthur raises. If local farmers wish to take that up, that can be encouraged. I will certainly encourage NatureScot to engage with the farming community in Orkney and other communities to address the issue. On the specific question about whether a population survey is the best way forward, I am not certain that that is the answer, but I will explore that issue with NatureScot and write to Mr McArthur with a response. The Presiding Officer: That concludes First Minister’s question time. May I have your attention, please? A fire has been reported in this area.”
“We have put in place the financial liquidity support, as requested by the University of Dundee, to make sure that it is secure in what it does in the period ahead, but the design of an alternative recovery plan is an absolute prerequisite for the next steps that we must take, and the Government is determined to take them.”
“I have made it absolutely clear that the original financial recovery plan is completely unacceptable and that there has to be an alternative. That work is under way. There were discussions this morning that have narrowed down some of the options that are being taken forward, and the Government will consider further proposals. I assure Mr Marra that there is a real focus on ensuring that we chart a pathway forward, but it is also important that I make it clear that there is a secure future for the University of Dundee. I want students to accept their offers from the university confident in its future, and I want researchers to be confident that they can continue their involvement in the university, because this Government is determined to secure that future for the university. That will take us time.”
“I assure Mr Marra that there is no absence of leadership on that question, which is commanding a huge amount of the Government’s time, attention and focus and was discussed extensively at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The Deputy First Minister, who is leading cross-Government work, is working closely with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, who has portfolio responsibility for universities, with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, because of the extraordinary significance of life sciences in the University of Dundee, and with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs in relation to the role of the Leverhulme research centre, which is fundamental to the university.”
“There is a lot of merit in the concept of shared banking facilities. I have been exploring that very possibility in the highland Perthshire area of my constituency, so I understand the difficulties that Rachael Hamilton cites. I encourage banks to work together on that proposition. There are a number of examples in Scotland of banks coming together as a way of trying to broaden access to cash in rural areas. I understand the viability challenges that individual banks find in particular towns, but there are solutions to be sought on a collaborative basis, and I encourage the various banks to engage constructively in local areas on that question. University of Dundee (Recovery Plan)”
“That demonstrates that the Labour Government in Westminster is not delivering for the people of Scotland.”
“Mr Doris raises an issue that matters enormously to me. He knows, as the Parliament does, that the focal point of my Government’s agenda is the eradication of child poverty. In the London School of Economics study that he cited, Professor Ruth Patrick said: “The progress Scotland has made on driving poverty rates down shows another way is possible.” We certainly need another way when the United Kingdom Government has voluntarily set out welfare reforms that, based on analysis by a Labour Government, will push 50,000 children into poverty. What on earth is the point of a Labour Government that is forcing more and more children into poverty? We are taking better decisions in Scotland, where child poverty rates are falling, whereas they are rising in every other part of the United Kingdom.”
“I should be transparent in saying that the issue affects my constituency and that I am closely connected to the concerns of my constituents on the matter. NHS Tayside has the responsibility for working with the local community and general practitioners on the provision of physical facilities to meet the needs of the local population, and I am engaging in those discussions in my capacity as the local member of Parliament. It seems unacceptable to me that patients in the Errol area and in surrounding villages in the Carse of Gowrie would have to travel the extensive distances that Claire Baker has set out. I will work with NHS Tayside to address the issue and find a solution to that particular challenge. United Kingdom Government Policies (Impact on Scotland)”
“I addressed some of those points in the answer that I gave to Murdo Fraser last week, in which I made it clear that I thought that the approach that was being taken in Tayside to seek to provide earlier intervention to support young people who presented with mental health challenges had been ill communicated. I think that that approach is the right way to proceed. We should move forward by providing early intervention that meets the support needs of young people, but that provision must be properly planned, delivered and communicated in all localities. I will not dictate what the prescribing policy should be. It would be ridiculous for me, as First Minister, to set that out. Clinical judgments must be made by clinicians who are trained to undertake such expert analysis, and I trust them to make those judgments.”
“Government officials have been in dialogue with Dumfries and Galloway Council on the issue. Obviously, the bridge is part of the local authority infrastructure, and the local authority has an obligation to bring forward plans to ensure that the closure of the bridge, which I understand is disrupting connections between communities in Kirkcudbright, is properly addressed. The local authority cannot ignore the issue of public safety, but if there is any advisory support that the Government can make available, I would be happy to arrange such discussions with the local authority. ADHD and Autism (Continuing Care)”
“The Government will look for opportunities to ensure that we expand that capacity, because doing so is one way of ensuring that we achieve better outcomes and avoid the situation that we are experiencing of record levels of incarceration.”
“The First Minister: Fundamentally, I agree with the point made by Katy Clark. We incarcerate a greater proportion of our population, per head, than almost all other European countries do. That results in a larger prison population. Katy Clark and other members will know from the transparent engagement of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs with the Parliament that the size of the prison population is a significant challenge that we are managing. Katy Clark made a point about the importance of investment in community justice. I agree with her. That is why, over a two-year period, there has been a £25 million increase in investment in community justice activity.”
“The figure of £77,000 is wrong. It mistakenly includes capital spending in estimating the cost of a prisoner place in Scotland, by taking total spend and dividing it by population. The average cost of a prisoner place in 2023-24 was £47,140. That information was released by the Scottish Prison Service in February. Katy Clark: As the First Minister knows, Scotland has the highest number of prisoners in western Europe, per head. If we want to reduce prison costs, we must reduce the number of people in custody and the levels of offending. Some people must be kept in custody but, as a country, we spend comparatively little on community justice. Does the First Minister accept that we need to shift resources significantly to robust alternatives to custody, which the evidence suggests are more effective at reducing offending for many prisoners?”
“Lord Mandelson generously gave of his time to make sure that he was aware of those issues before he took up his office. We will leave no stone unturned to promote and protect Scottish business and to find our way through the challenges, but we must all be aware that, based on what we heard yesterday, there will be negative implications. Prisoners (Annual Costs) 6.”
“Organisations such as the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, which is now known as Prosper, have led the debate for most of my life on the importance of exporting and broadening the export base of the Scottish economy. As I said, there is a lot in what Mr Kerr said with which I agree. However, we have to recognise the severity of the economic impact that will come as a consequence of the tariffs. Different responses to those can be formulated. I give him the assurance that there will be close dialogue with the UK Government on the question—as I said, Mr Lochhead discussed the subject yesterday. Before Lord Mandelson took up his role as His Majesty’s ambassador to the United States, he and I had a conversation about the important issues that mattered to Scotland in relation to that role.”
“There is no doubt that the new tariffs that were announced last night will hit some of Scotland’s most valuable exports—Scotch whisky, salmon, pharmaceuticals and power- generating equipment among them. Will the First Minister use his visit to the United States this weekend to make the case for fair and reciprocal trade? Will he work closely with the UK Government to protect Scottish jobs and businesses? Rather than retaliate, we need to stay calm, keep a level head and focus on reaching a deal that shields Scotland from the worst economic impacts. The First Minister: There is a lot in Mr Kerr’s question with which I agree. I am a believer in free and open trade, and I am a believer in exporting and international business activity. That serves Scotland well.”
“There can be no doubt that the tariffs that have been announced by the United States will cause damage to the global, UK and Scottish economies. Scottish Government officials and ministers have been making representations to the UK Government on the matter for some time. Yesterday, the Minister for Business, Richard Lochhead, spoke with Douglas Alexander, the UK Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security, and emphasised the need to ensure that Scotland’s interests are protected in the negotiations with the United States. Scottish Government agencies will work with businesses to advise and support them through this difficult and uncertain period. Stephen Kerr: I might take a slightly different tack to the issue.”
“The most constructive and immediate thing that can be done is that the United Kingdom Government can give an early—actually, an immediate—commitment to the Acorn carbon capture and storage project. That would transform the economic prospects of the north-east of Scotland and enable us to take forward the just transition. Mr Stewart will know my frustration at the lack of progress that has been made with successive United Kingdom Governments on the Acorn carbon capture project, as it could enhance the opportunities for Scotland and deliver the future of the oil and gas sector and our net zero transition. I just wish that the UK Government would get on and take a positive decision about”
“net zero commitments.” Does the First Minister share my view that, while it remains in charge of energy policy, the Labour Government must resource the transition appropriately to maintain and secure jobs and must map out credible energy security transition and net zero strategies in order to get this right for the future? Does he agree that, ideally, the national mission could and should be undertaken by an independent Scotland? The First Minister: Mr Stewart and I share the aspiration that an independent Scotland should be able to take forward the issues and challenges that Scotland faces across all policy areas. That is what independence is all about.”
“The North Sea is vital to Scotland’s energy transition. However, decisions on offshore oil and gas licensing, consenting and the fiscal regime are all currently reserved to the United Kingdom Government. We have consistently called for the UK Government to approach those decisions on a rigorously evidence-led, case-by-case basis, with climate compatibility and energy security as key considerations. We are clear in our support for a just transition for Scotland’s oil and gas sector that recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments. Kevin Stewart: Among other things, the task force’s report recommends “a long-term, large-scale investment in low carbon technology, and ensuring that the continued (and planned) oil and gas extraction is in line with ...”
“We will scrutinise that to its completion and make sure that we implement the protections that he is seeking. That is the process that the Parliament is going through, and the Government will see it through to its conclusion. North Sea Transition 4.”
“The First Minister: The public can be assured that they have a Government that is on their side—that is the Government that I lead. That is why we introduced the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which contains the important protections that I set out. It is important that we recognise that there are strict legal processes that ensure that private landlords and their agents follow very strict rules about ending any tenancies. Mr Harvie makes a point about evictions; that is not an area that is without protections under the current legislative arrangements. Measures are also in place to enable tenants to seek a review of a rent increase. I assure Mr Harvie that the Government is absolutely committed to the terms of the Housing (Scotland) Bill that is before the Parliament.”
“When those figures were put to him, all that he could say was that he was asking landlords to be sensible with these new, utterly uncontrolled powers. In truth, there is now nothing to hold back a tide of unaffordable rent rises. The Scottish Government has not even published an assessment of the number of people who will lose their homes as a result. The protection that the Greens introduced succeeded in preventing eye- watering rent increases. Rents in Scotland are already too high— The Presiding Officer: A question, please, Mr Harvie. Patrick Harvie: —and with energy bills going up and social security under attack, people need a Government here that will be on their side. Will the First Minister think again, stop watering down the new bill and ensure that it can cut rents instead of locking in ever more rent rises for the future?”
“Secondly, I underline the importance that the Government attaches to the principle that underlines Mr Harvie’s point, which is why we have introduced a bill that includes the concept of rent controls. Parliament is considering, at stage 2, the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which will make provision for such issues as we move forward. Patrick Harvie: I am very grateful for the First Minister’s kind personal remarks, but I fear that his comments on the policy issue are complacent. He talks about the protections that I just described, but the point is that those protections ended this week—they are no longer there to protect people. Such complacency is similar to what we heard recently from the Minister for Housing.”
“Presiding Officer, before I answer the substance of Patrick Harvie’s question, I wonder whether you would allow me to express to Mr Harvie my good wishes on his decision to step down from co-leadership of the Scottish Green Party. I have always enjoyed our encounters—we will have many more of them before the summer—and I wish him well for the future. On the substance of Patrick Harvie’s question, I will make two points. First, part of the answer that I would give is in the evidence that Mr Harvie put to the Parliament a moment ago. There are opportunities for tenants to seek a review of a rent increase that they believe to be unacceptable. That right was exercised, with success, in one of the examples that Mr Harvie put to me.”