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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“Last year, 42.6 per cent of pupils, almost 24,000 young people, left school without a single higher or equivalent qualification; 16.5 per cent, more than 9,000 children, left school without a single national 5 or equivalent qualification; and 1,300 young people left school without the most basic qualifications. The future of every one of those children should matter. Let us not forget that it was John Swinney who downgraded the exam results of working-class kids during the pandemic. Now, as First Minister, he is overseeing the betrayal of young Scots, with the attainment gap widening. Why is the SNP Government letting down a generation of young Scots? The First Minister: I am afraid that Mr Sarwar will have to learn to adapt his questions based on the information that I put on the record. Let me repeat that information—[Interruption.]”
“In relation to achieving the third level in literacy and numeracy in secondary schools, the attainment gap between those pupils has reached record lows of 12.7 percentage points and 12 percentage points respectively. In relation to additional support for learning—I accept the absolute necessity to ensure that good outcomes are achieved for those young people— the attainment gap between school pupils with additional support needs and those without has reduced by almost half since 2009-10, from 45.3 percentage points to 23.1 percentage points. I accept that more needs to be done, but important and substantial progress is being made on closing the attainment gap, and that is good for children and young people in our country. Anas Sarwar: John Swinney was the person who was tasked with improving Scottish education, and he has failed.”
“I am always prepared to listen to reports from the Auditor General and to consider the implications for the Government and for local authorities, which are responsible for the delivery of education in our country. We take those issues seriously and will respond accordingly. It is important that I reassure members of the public about the progress that has been made on closing the attainment gap. Under this Government, the overall poverty-related attainment gap has reduced by 60 per cent since 2009-10. In relation to meeting literacy standards in primary schools, the poverty-related attainment gap between young people from the most- deprived areas and those from the least-deprived areas is 20.1 percentage points, which is a record low.”
“The First Minister: I take those issues very seriously. Throughout my time as finance minister, I was regularly attacked in this Parliament for setting exacting efficiency standards on public sector budgets on an annual basis. The result of that was that we released significant value for investment in the public finances. I am struggling to remember about the Police Scotland reforms. I might be wrong about this—if I am wrong, I will correct it, or Russell Findlay can correct the record—but I think that the Conservatives opposed us on Police Scotland reforms.”
“By the way, as a point of information, I thought that the Parliament was here to hold the Government to account. Russell Findlay: I thought that the First Minister might come up with the number 131. A cursory check would inform him that he has missed out at least another 75 public sector organisations. It is truly farcical that public servants in charge of information and financial transparency cannot get the answers that they and the public deserve. The size of the bloated SNP state is out of control and shrouded in secrecy. It is costing taxpayers a fortune and reducing funding for the front line. The SNP is failing to deliver efficient and effective public services, and that must change. I will make a suggestion to John Swinney: will he bring in a credible business leader from outside his Government to sort this out?”
“Mr Hamilton said that he does not “think that there is a map that explains it all” and that he and the Auditor General play a game called “public-authority bingo”, in which they ask each other, “‘Have you heard of this one?’”—[Official Report, SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee, 20 February 2025; c 8.] The Auditor General and the Information Commissioner—the two most powerful civil servants who are tasked with keeping the state in check—are hitting a brick wall of SNP secrecy. Will the First Minister give them—and all of us—a bingo call by shouting out the exact number of public bodies that there are in Scotland? The First Minister: On 1 December 2024, 131 public bodies in Scotland were under our control. In 2007, when the SNP Government came to office, there were 199. Those are the answers that Mr Findlay is looking for.”
“In the course of its time in office, the SNP Government has reduced the number of public bodies that we inherited. We also adopt an agenda that ensures that we adequately consult wider Scotland on the policy questions that we take forward. The Government maintains a stringent approach to the management of public expenditure, to ensure that we are constantly challenging issues to maximise value. Those considerations underpin the budget that I am glad that the Parliament passed on Tuesday. Russell Findlay: The Information Commissioner told the Parliament that he discusses the big state with the Auditor General for Scotland.”
“We have extended a warm welcome to Ukrainians who have sought refuge in our country. That is the very least that we should be able to do. Today, as ever, Scotland stands with Ukraine. [Applause.] 12:02”
“Peace is not gifted to us. It has to be nurtured and sometimes, regrettably, it has to be hard fought for. While Russia repeats the worst mistakes of the past, years into an unnecessary war, Ukraine calls on Europe to defend her interests and to support her fight for democracy and the rule of international law. That is why Scotland supports Ukrainian independence, that is why Scotland supports Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that is why Scotland will always work with Ukraine towards the goal of absolute peace in Europe. At this moment of great uncertainty, let me be clear: Ukraine must sit at the table of any peace agreement. That is the only way to achieve a peace that not only delivers Ukraine from barbaric aggression but protects Ukraine’s heritage, her culture and her social and economic future.”
“Today is the last chance to stop the SNP’s budget and to turn a page on its misplaced priorities— The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Hoy. Craig Hoy: —but it will be the Scottish Conservatives alone who stand up for doing so— The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Hoy. We will move on to the next speaker. I call Michael Marra to speak on behalf of Scottish Labour. Mr Marra, you have up to nine minutes, and I advise you that there is no time in hand. 15:49”
“Will the member take an intervention? Craig Hoy: I do not have time—I will be summing up shortly. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The member has 10 seconds left. Craig Hoy: Mr Swinney claims that this Government is about choices, but he keeps making the wrong choices. We should not be surprised, because John Swinney has form. He was the education secretary who wrecked the exam system and the finance secretary who bankrupted councils, and he is the First Minister who is ignoring repeated warnings that Scotland’s public finances are set to crash around his ears. This budget will pass tonight because of the support of the Lib Dems, Labour and the Greens. The Lib Dems have cut a deal— The Deputy Presiding Officer: Mr Hoy, you need to conclude. Craig Hoy: I will conclude. The Lib Dems have cut a deal, but Labour has cut no deal at all.”
“12:47 On resuming— Private Finance Initiative/Public- Private Partnership Contracts”
“I share the concerns that have been expressed by Emma Harper and by the Scotch Whisky Association, which I know understands the importance of the designation of Scotch whisky. The association promotes and engages substantively with Parliament on that designation, which enables Scotch whisky to have such a powerful position in the international marketplace. I assure Emma Harper that the Government will make all necessary representations on the issue to protect the identity and the character of Scotch whisky. The Presiding Officer: That concludes First Minister’s question time. The next item of business is a members’ business debate in the name of Kenneth Gibson. There will be a short suspension to allow those who wish to leave the chamber and the gallery to do so. 12:46 Meeting suspended.”
“I am happy for that discussion to take place. I know that the chief pharmaceutical officer will have been of assistance and will have done what can be done, but the health secretary will meet Monica Lennon and Cole’s mum and we will see what we can do to address the situation. English Whisky (Proposed Geographical Indication Status)”
“I understand the points that Mr Carson puts to me. The Government must be mindful of the need to take decisions that will ensure that we have sufficiently strong and robust power networks to meet the needs of the population in every part of Scotland. That is part of the process of discussion and dialogue that the Government is engaged in. We engage substantively with communities and local authorities on such questions, but difficult decisions must be arrived at to ensure that we have adequate energy security and the appropriate infrastructure in our country.”
“I recognise the importance of the point that Ben Macpherson raises. The Government’s approach is directed through the detect cancer early programme—in which we are committed to raising awareness of possible cancer symptoms—and through our new primary care cancer education platform, GatewayC, which provides tools to support earlier diagnosis efforts and decision making at the point of referral. We recognise that significant work is needed to develop the genomic testing that is available, including for bile duct cancer, and we have been working closely with partners to identify how expanded testing can be commissioned and implemented in the national health service. Galloway”
“If Mr Whittle wants to make sure that the Government puts forward a budget that increases local authority expenditure, and if he wants to carry those things through, why can he not vote for the Government’s budget and try to make things happen in Scotland? World”
“My Government follows an approach that is designed to support early intervention to address the important issues that Brian Whittle puts to me. I point out to the Parliament that Brian Whittle is arguing for more money to be spent on sport and on local government. [Interruption.] Mr Whittle has just asked me a question in which he has asked for more money for sport and for local government. The Government is putting a budget before Parliament on Tuesday. Mr Whittle proposes to vote against it, and his party wants us to cut public spending by £1 billion. That is completely and utterly incoherent.”
“I agree with Mr Brown. The Labour Party promised a reduction of £300 in energy bills right away. From what has happened since the election and from the comments made by the chair of Great British Energy, we know that GB energy will not be delivering reductions in energy bills any time soon. Mr Brown raises an important point that Scotland should be aware of: the Labour Party says one thing before an election to get elected and does another thing after the election. People should be wary of promises from the Labour Party. Increase in”
“The absolute requirement is that all health and safety legislation in relation to access to the building must be followed while the issue exists. The first assurance that I give to Rhoda Grant is that those requirements must be followed. The second point is that issues that have to be addressed about the environment in the building will be taken forward by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. I am happy to provide Rhoda Grant with an update on the developments that are taking place to ensure that the fundamental issues are remedied. Household”
“This is a difficult project in challenging conditions. The fact that it is a funicular railway in the Cairngorms is an indication of the challenge and difficulty. I have the utmost confidence in Highlands and Islands Enterprise. It is an excellent organisation. It commands my total confidence. It is well led and committed to doing good things for the Highlands and Islands. I have absolutely no intention of pursuing the approach that is suggested by Mr Mountain. I assure him that HIE is fully focused on securing the reopening of the funicular railway, which would be a great boost to the community in and around the Aviemore area. I know that it has the attention and is a priority of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Inverness Justice Centre (Radon Levels)”
“All the issues that are being raised in relation to that regulated environment are in age-old regulation that we need to review. That is what the question was about. Secondly, local authorities are responsible for the design of their schools, and they take those designs forward through consultation and dialogue with the school community. I would expect them to do exactly that. Thirdly, as a consequence of our investment programme, the Government has increased the proportion of schools that are in good or satisfactory condition from the 62.7 per cent that we inherited in 2007 from the Labour and Liberal Executive to 91.7 per cent in 2024, which is a tribute to the public sector investment that the Government has presided over. Disability Employment Gap 6.”
“The case of Sandie Peggie has revealed that the SNP’s dismissive attitude to women’s safety has well and truly infected Scotland’s public bodies. The lack of single-sex facilities puts the rights and safety of women and girls at risk, whether that is through girls being filmed in school toilets or women being forced to share changing rooms with biological males. Does the First Minister regret supporting Nicola Sturgeon’s reckless self-identification law? Does he agree that single-sex facilities in schools should be a basic right for female pupils and staff? The First Minister: First, the regulations that Pam Gosal has talked about were last updated in 1979. My recollection is that, in 1979, there was a Conservative Government.”
“The Government is committed to ensuring that our school environments support every child and young person to reach their full potential for learning. The school premises regulations prescribe the broad minimum standards that school buildings must meet. They were last updated in 1979. It is therefore the Government’s intention to refresh and modernise the regulations to ensure that they meet the needs of pupils in schools in Scotland. A consultation will take place this year. Pam Gosal: Too many times in the chamber we have heard the Scottish National Party dismiss concerns about the safety of women and girls. Instead of safeguarding single-sex spaces such as school toilets, the SNP has spent years trying to undermine them, all in the name of dangerous gender ideology.”
“In particular, we are very concerned about the impact that the national insurance contribution increases will have on the social care sector, which includes organisations such as Clare Adamson has raised with me today. As the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government said in general questions before we started First Minister’s questions, we have put those concerns to the United Kingdom Government and will continue to do so.”
“Clare Adamson: Does the First Minister share my concern that, while the tax on jobs is causing business confidence to plummet, it is also having a devastating effect on our third sector and charitable organisations that do vital work in our constituencies to help people who are vulnerable, in poverty and in recovery, and which are essential to the wellbeing of Scotland? The First Minister: I entirely understand and sympathise with the point that Clare Adamson has put to me. We in the Government are very concerned about the impact on all sectors of the economy, but especially the impact on the charitable sector and the third sector.”
“That survey of employers across the UK shows just how damaging the Labour Government’s decision to raise employer national insurance contributions will be, with nearly a third saying that they might have to cut jobs and more than 40 per cent needing to raise prices to cope with the additional costs. That affects consumers, who are still struggling with cost of living pressures. It demonstrates further how short-sighted and harmful the Labour tax hike is. It is, in effect, a tax on jobs.”
“Mr Sarwar stood beside me in a Scottish television debate and promised that he would save Grangemouth—[Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Members! The First Minister: —but the Labour Government has not lifted a finger to save Grangemouth. Labour promised justice for the WASPI women—women against state pension inequality—and it then turned its back on them. It promised that GB Energy would bring down energy bills, but energy bills have gone up. It promised jobs and stability, but employer national insurance contributions have gone up. The one thing that we can conclude is that Labour says one thing before an election and then does not deliver on it after the election. People in Scotland should remember that. Abortion Services 3.”
“Is it not the truth that John Swinney cannot see the problem because he created it, and that he cannot fix our NHS because his SNP Government broke it? The First Minister: On Tuesday, in the budget that Anas Sarwar is currently not going to support, there will be an increase in the resources available for general practice to the tune of £13.6 million. On Tuesday, Anas Sarwar and his colleagues can do the right thing by voting for the budget in order to start making the progress that he is apparently interested in making. Mr Sarwar set out his commitment on GP appointments. He set out his plans and the promises that he is going to make. However, let us look at the Labour Party’s record on the delivery of its promises.”
“An expectant mother in south Edinburgh who should have had a GP-organised midwife appointment within eight weeks was instead left waiting months for an appointment. She said: “I had to call the GP surgery over 50 times to try to get through at 8 am. It is not sustainable.” That is the harsh reality of healthcare under the SNP—pregnant women are left anxiously waiting, people in pain are forced to go to accident and emergency departments and people are unable to work because they cannot get the treatment that they need. That is why, this week, I have set out my plan to end the 8 am rush for a GP appointment and ensure that every Scot who needs to be seen is seen in a GP surgery within 48 hours.”
“Over the weekend, Mr Sarwar was making a big thing about the increase in activity in England and Wales since the Labour Government came into office. That increase has been 7.6 per cent, and that is against the backdrop of strike action in England under the Tories, so it is no wonder that the number of procedures has increased in England. In Scotland, there has been a 9.5 per cent increase in the number of procedures. We should welcome that, and I am surprised that Mr Sarwar has not done so. Anas Sarwar: More than 800,000 Scots are on an NHS waiting list, and that is the best answer that John Swinney can give. The reality is that he cannot even accept the problem, let alone fix it. I will give an example. [Interruption.] I know that the health secretary has been sidelined, but perhaps he should listen to this.”
“The First Minister: The number of GPs per 100,000 of the population in Scotland stands at 82. In England, it is 64; in Wales, it is 67; and in Northern Ireland, it is 75. There are more GPs available in Scotland as a consequence of the investment that the Government has made, with 307 GPs being added since 2007. We have commitments to increase the number of GPs, and we are working to deliver them. The performance of the national health service comes down to the way in which we tackle waiting times. According to the most recent available data, between October 2023 and September 2024, there was a 9.5 per cent increase in the number of procedures undertaken in the national health service. That is really welcome.”
“It promised 800 more GPs, but the number of whole-time equivalent GPs has fallen by more than 200. Everyone across the country will know the 8 am rush for a GP appointment, with many left hanging for hours but getting nowhere. Some will be sick of the daily texts that read, “Please do not call. There are no appointments left. Call tomorrow or go to accident and emergency.” It all comes back to the SNP’s failure to get to grips with waiting times. As one GP put it to me, “A patient waiting 2 years for a hip replacement, rather than the legal 12 weeks, means they are repeatedly presenting at a GP practice for pain relief, just adding further pressure and demand on our NHS.” Why can John Swinney not see that his SNP Government has plunged our NHS into this vicious cycle?”
“If Mr Sarwar followed the speech that I delivered a few weeks ago—I think that he did, because he has raised some of those issues with me before—he would know that I am absolutely focused on tackling the issue of waiting times, on improving access to the national health service and on making sure that the needs of the people of Scotland are met by the national health service. That is why my budget on Tuesday will include a record settlement for the national health service. As things stand, Mr Sarwar is not proposing to support the budget on Tuesday, but we have seen the rate at which he is flip-flopping on his positions on a daily basis. Anas Sarwar: John Swinney has had 18 years to get to grips with the issues in Scotland, and the fact is that SNP incompetence has consequences.”
“The First Minister: Again, Mr Findlay ignores the point that I put to him about the significance of the obligations of the Equality Act 2010 and the requirement that all legislation is compatible with it and underpinned by it. Mr Findlay asked me about my priorities. My priorities are absolutely crystal clear. I am in office to improve the lives of the people of Scotland by making sure that we eradicate child poverty, grow the economy, make the transition to net zero and strengthen the public services of Scotland. Next Tuesday, we will put before Parliament a budget that will put that into effect. The people who are standing in the way of the approval of a budget to improve the lives of the people of Scotland— [Interruption.]”
“It has put its ideology not just before the rights of women and girls, but before NHS waiting lists, justice for victims and our children’s education. Anas Sarwar and the Lib Dem leader are just as culpable as the SNP. Their collective support for this nonsense confirms how utterly disconnected Parliament has become from the real world. My party believes that all Government time and money should be devoted to fixing Scotland’s public services, not to radical fringe policies. That is where we proudly stand, so what about John Swinney? Will he do the right thing and bin his gender ideology, which is causing so much harm to our country?”
“It had to be enshrined; the 2010 act is a reserved piece of legislation, so we cannot change the law. I have quoted to Mr Findlay the fact that the Equality Act 2010 makes provision for there to be single or separate sex facilities and for those rights to be put into practice and into place. I do not know why Mr Findlay is determined to keep pursuing his line of argument, which is about sowing division in our society, when the legal position is absolutely crystal clear that the 2010 act protects the ability to have single-sex spaces in our country. Mr Findlay should accept that. Russell Findlay: One of two things is happening here: either John Swinney is in a state of complete denial or he is a very good actor—I am not sure which. The SNP focus on the issue of gender has harmed Scotland’s public services.”
“A male prisoner is serving life for murder in a women’s prison and is able to get an operation to reduce his Adam’s apple. Rape victims are being told that they are bigots for wanting to know the sex of their counsellor. Scotland’s public services waste too much time, energy and money on that nonsense, all because of SNP gender self-identification policy and legislation, with the backing of Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens. Yesterday, astonishingly, John Swinney said that he has no regrets. Does he really have no regrets about causing all that harm to women and all that cost to taxpayers? The First Minister: The point that Mr Findlay skates past is the significance of the Equality Act 2010, which was enshrined in the legislation that this Parliament passed on gender recognition.”
“They should also consider if other staff members will experience any disadvantage if the trans person is allowed to use the facilities.” That is the second time that I have put that on the record openly and candidly to Parliament. Mr Findlay should now start to adjust his questions, because I have answered the point that he has put to me. Russell Findlay: I will repeat this again and, for the First Minister’s benefit, I will do so very slowly. At no point have I asked him to comment on this specific case, although I note that his health secretary did exactly that yesterday. This madness is happening not just in the NHS but in schools, prisons and rape crisis centres. Female pupils are too scared to use shared toilets over fear of sexual intimidation or assault.”
“The First Minister: I do not think that it is good enough for Russell Findlay to say that I have selectively expressed the basis of my position that I cannot comment on live legal proceedings. The law requires me not to do so. If Russell Findlay cannot respect and accept that, the Conservative Party is in a pretty dismal place. I come back to the point that I made in my first answer. I am reading from the guidance that Mr Findlay is talking about: “The Equality Act 2010 does allow the provision to exclude a trans person from single or separate sex facilities. These kinds of decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis. Managers must balance the needs of the trans person to use this facility against the needs of other members of staff.”
“We can, indeed, talk about the generalities of this case, despite the First Minister’s selective legal interpretations. The Scottish National Party health secretary was warned directly last year about the NHS ignoring women’s fundamental rights under the 2010 act, but he did nothing about it. Just weeks ago, Scotland’s NHS published what it described as a “Gender Transitioning Guide”. That official document confirms that women’s rights to single-sex spaces are not protected in the NHS. However, the document has now disappeared from the NHS website and the page appears to have been deleted. Has that guidance been scrapped? If it has not, will John Swinney scrap it?”
“[Interruption.] The guidance that is in place in relation to the issues that Mr Findlay raises on a general level explains: “The Equality Act 2010 does allow the provision to exclude a trans person from single or separate sex facilities. These kinds of decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis. Managers must balance the needs of the trans person to use this facility against the needs of other members of staff. They should also consider if other staff members will experience any disadvantage if the trans person is allowed to use the facilities.” That is the position in guidance that is supported by law. I hope that that answers Mr Findlay’s question. Russell Findlay: I, too, look forward to attending the memorial service on Monday, and I whole-heartedly agree with the First Minister’s comments in that regard.”
“Section 1, titled “Guarantee of continued judicial independence”, says: “The following persons must uphold the continued independence of the judiciary— (a) the First Minister, (b) the Lord Advocate, (c) the Scottish Ministers, (d) members of the Scottish Parliament”. Section 1(2) goes on to say: “In particular, the First Minister, the Lord Advocate and the Scottish Ministers must not seek to influence ... judicial decisions through any special access to the judiciary”. If I was to comment on this case, I would be in danger of breaking the law. I believe in the rule of law, and nobody will persuade me to break the rule of law in the Parliament. [Interruption.] No questioning from Mr Findlay, no barracking, no heckling—nothing will stop me from protecting the right to ensure that the law is upheld in this country.”
“Before I answer Russell Findlay’s question, I want to take the opportunity to place on record the fact that, on Monday, I will attend a commemoration service in Edinburgh to mark the third anniversary of the illegal invasion of Ukraine. I am certain that when I go to the service, I will go with the whole-hearted support of every member of the Parliament who is repulsed by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I have, of course, been paying very close attention to the issues that have been raised by Mr Findlay and by Conservative members of Parliament. The Government has taken the view that we cannot comment on the on-going proceedings that Mr Findlay raises. The reason for that is set out in section 1 of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008.”
“I intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions, after which we will move on to the next item of business. I ask members who wish to pose a question to press their request-to-speak buttons.”
“The Scottish Government has always recognised the strategic significance of Grangemouth to the Scottish economy. We recognise the significance of the fact that we now face a programme of redundancies at Grangemouth and the impact that that will have on the lives of those who are employed at the site. We recognise that this moment means we have to intensify our response and our actions. My commitments today demonstrate the necessity to do that, and I urge the UK Government to do the same. We are committed to working with the UK Government to bring forward real investment to save Grangemouth and the jobs, businesses and livelihoods that depend on it. We will do all that we can to achieve that aim. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The First Minister will now take questions on issues that were raised in his statement.”
“However, spread over a 10-year period, that funding does not recognise the urgency of the situation that now faces Grangemouth, and it needs to be accelerated. My Government has made the strategic decision to support that key activity through a drawdown of a total of £25 million of ScotWind revenue, to add to the £7.8 million in our budget for 2025-26. Altogether, the Scottish Government, with a finite budget, has committed or already invested £87 million in Grangemouth. We need the UK Government to do at least the same and deliver a fair amount to avoid significant economic disruption in central Scotland, and to protect and promote Scotland’s—and Grangemouth’s—future interests. In short, we need the Labour Government to do what it said that it would before the election.”
“Thirdly, we will press the UK Government for urgent progress on allocating funding for the second round of hydrogen production projects. Scotland—and, indeed, Grangemouth—is well placed to lead on the production of green hydrogen, and a number of Scottish businesses submitted funding proposals to the UK Government’s hydrogen allocation round, which closed last April—nearly a year ago. Those businesses are still awaiting a UK Government decision on shortlisting, and we need immediate progress on that. Finally, I urge the UK Government to at least match our funding commitment to deliver a just transition fund for Grangemouth. The initial funding that the UK Government provided for the growth deal is welcome.”
“Within our limited powers and budget, we are acting, but more needs to be done to secure the future of Grangemouth through the following steps. First, we will continue to work with the UK Government to drive forward the next phase of project willow in order to enable and support the consideration of any and all alternative investable propositions for Grangemouth. Secondly, we will continue to press the UK Government, as I did again yesterday, for immediate progress on Acorn and the Scottish cluster of carbon capture projects. In October, the UK Government announced £21.7 billion for carbon capture and hydrogen projects in Merseyside and Teesside but ignored Scotland. Grangemouth cannot wait for the UK Government to drag that out any further.”
“Just last weekend, the UK Government said that up to £2.5 billion will be put towards supporting the steel industry via the National Wealth Fund, and the production and development of sustainable aviation fuel in Teesside has already received in the region of £50 million in support from the advanced fuels fund. The support for sustainable aviation fuel development in Teesside comes on top of UK Government support for carbon capture and storage in Teesside, but no green light has been offered for the project involving Grangemouth. Today, I have come to Parliament to assure the workers, businesses and communities whose fortunes have, for so long, pivoted around Grangemouth that my Government will do all that we can to make that continue long into the future.”