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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“That is because I am convinced that Grangemouth can, and does, have a potentially bright future contributing to Scotland’s net zero economy, and I want the Government that I lead to do everything possible to secure that future. The Scottish Government will continue to urge the UK Government to put adequate measures on the table to address the immediacy and urgency of the situation at Grangemouth. That is necessary because I fully understand the consequences for the Scottish economy of the closure of the Grangemouth refinery at this critical juncture. The UK Government clearly recognises the need to act to safeguard economic and energy interests.”
“We will also consider proposals from Unite and its members, and we will continue to pursue other options, including any as-yet-unknown potential investments. When I said that my Government would leave no stone unturned to find the right solutions to secure the future of Grangemouth, I meant it. That includes extensive and meaningful collaboration with the United Kingdom Government. Just yesterday, I met with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, and we both agreed that the collaboration between our two Governments has been constructive. We also agreed that that will continue. I have also had several discussions with the Prime Minister, and I will continue to ensure that my Government, at all levels, engages meaningfully and substantively.”
“That funding, derived from the proceeds of the ScotWind process, will be available immediately in the new financial year to support businesses and stakeholders to bring forward investable propositions over the next 12 months and, if necessary, beyond. The aim is to expedite any of the potential solutions that will be set out in the project Willow report, as well as other proposals that will give Grangemouth a secure and sustainable future. Through the Grangemouth future industry board, we will work with the local authority, businesses and the unions to explore and accelerate projects and proposals that support that ambition. Through project Willow, we will have the foundations of a strong evidence base for future investment in technologies such as plastics recycling, hydrogen production and the development of sustainable aviation fuel.”
“We have worked closely with the business and Scottish Enterprise to develop that project, recognising the criticality of transitioning to cleaner fuels such as hydrogen. Supporting the business as it transitions is critical to ensuring that Ineos Olefins & Polymers continues to play a crucial role in Scotland’s economy. It gives certainty to the workforce and to the business that the Government is committed to working with them to secure a long-term and sustainable future. However, I am determined to go further to help to secure a just transition for Grangemouth. I can, therefore, announce today that, this week, the Government will lodge a stage 3 amendment to the Budget (Scotland) (No 4) Bill to allocate an additional £25 million to establish a Grangemouth just transition fund.”
“That is because, to this Government, every person, every family and every business that is impacted by the closing of the Grangemouth refinery matters. Everyone working at Grangemouth’s refinery is a valued employee with skills that are key to Scotland’s net zero future, and we want them to stay in Scotland and continue to make their lives here. We will do all that we can to ensure that they have a future in the Scottish economy as we make the transition to net zero. That is why we are also working to secure Grangemouth’s role in that future and create an investable industrial strategy for the site. Our draft budget for 2025-26 allocates £7.8 million for support at Grangemouth, including £2.8 million in the forthcoming financial year of a total funding commitment of £5 million over three years, to support Ineos’s fuel switching project.”
“As of today, up to 19 companies have indicated their participation in the careers fair. We have worked with Forth Valley College to set up an online platform to assess workers’ training needs, and the information that has been gathered is currently being analysed to determine what upskilling and training we can put in place. Drop-in sessions will also offer training on some of the steps that are involved in preparing for re- employment. The level of workers’ engagement with the process has been high, but we know that there is likely to be a small number of people who will prove harder to reach. Government officials and college staff will, therefore, liaise with Unite the union to find ways of identifying those individuals and helping to meet their training needs.”
“That is particularly so given that this Government believes that refining at Grangemouth should continue and that the closure is premature and is detrimental to Scotland’s transition to net zero. Petroineos has confirmed that 65 workers will be retained by the company at the import terminal, but that clearly does not make up for the hundreds who are losing their jobs. This Government’s immediate focus is— rightly—on providing those who are losing their jobs with targeted skills support. Our partnership action for continuing employment—PACE— support, which offers assistance to individuals who are at risk of losing their jobs, has been activated. Furthermore, an initial careers fair that will enable those who are affected to be connected with other companies that have employment opportunities available will be held on 6 March.”
“Members will be aware that, last September, Petroineos announced its intention to close the Grangemouth refinery between April and June of this year. In the intervening period, there has been engagement between the United Kingdom Government and the Scottish Government with Petroineos to try to avert that closure. I put on record my appreciation to Gillian Martin and to the respective UK ministers, Ed Miliband and Michael Shanks, for their leadership in this regard. Despite efforts to date, on 5 February, Petroineos confirmed that it would cease refining operations and began notifying the workforce of redundancies. Any redundancy, whether it is voluntary or compulsory, is a matter of deep regret.”
“The approach is obviously having a beneficial effect given the number of procedures that are being delivered through it. To ensure that we have robust data and to allow us to better identify how robot-assisted surgery can be used across the national health service, we have commissioned Public Health Scotland to audit the experience. That data will be vital in ensuring that we can continue to scale up, drive equitable access and maximise patient benefit.”
“I hope that there is a constructive conversation that can find some way of resolving the issue. Among all the other decisions that have been taken, the content of the Government’s budget has given an absolutely colossal boost to culture and the arts in Scotland. There is a real improvement in the funding that is available, and I am glad that that has been able to be felt across communities the length and breadth of our country.”
“I am well aware of the case and have discussed it with Jamie Hepburn, the local member, in the course of this week. Such decisions are taken by Creative Scotland, which works independently of Government, as the law requires. Creative Scotland makes those decisions in line with the criteria that it has set out. I understand that there is to be a meeting next week between the chief executive of Creative Scotland and Cumbernauld theatre to consider the issues. I recognise the enormous disappointment that will be experienced in Cumbernauld. However, Mr Griffin must accept that there is not parliamentary support for the Government to intervene in Creative Scotland’s decision making, because Parliament has determined that Creative Scotland should be able to take those decisions for itself.”
“If there is an issue in a particular school, let us address that, but let us not characterise every single school in the country in the fashion that Pam Gosal has done, because that does not serve anyone’s interests, and it certainly does not serve the young people of our country. Cumbernauld Theatre (Funding)”
“Everyone who goes to school, whether they are a member of staff or a pupil, should be safe, and it is incumbent on every local authority in the country to ensure that our schools are safe. For some children, school will be the safest place they can go to because of the challenges that they face elsewhere in society. This is a vital priority. As Pam Gosal will know, I hosted a cross-party summit on 13 January, which involved her colleague Sharon Dowey, to explore some of the issues around youth violence. I will always take such questions seriously, but I do not want the impression to be created that our schools are anything other than safe. I also do not want any impression to be created other than that the vast majority of young people across Scotland do not engage in violence and that they attend safe and stable schools.”
“I welcome Mr MacGregor’s point. He acknowledges that I cannot comment on the substance of the case, because it is live, but I assure him that the Crown Office has made significant improvements in its engagement with families in recent years, as is reflected in its family liaison charter. I fully expect that the family involved in this tragic case will get the support that they require. If there are any concerns about that, I know that Mr MacGregor will faithfully raise them with the Lord Advocate on behalf of his constituents. Violence in”
“I am not familiar with the case, but I understand that Shirley-Anne Somerville, as the local member, has met the responsible minister, Mairi Gougeon, to discuss the issue. Let me take away the point that Mr Rowley has put to me. I understand the community’s aspiration to acquire the asset and to be able to utilise it for community benefit. I know from my constituents’ experience that such things sometimes take longer than they should. Indeed, I have just been wrestling with the issue of things sometimes taking too long. Let me do what I can to help Mr Rowley, because I understand the significance of the point that he has raised. I will write to him with an update as a consequence of my inquiries. Jacqueline McQuillan (Fatal Accident Inquiry)”
“I suggest that the Scottish Conservatives decide whether they want to have projects delivered timeously or whether they want to get in the road. Either way, the Conservatives look as though they are in their usual muddle today. Community Right to Buy (North Queensferry)”
“The concerns that the cabinet secretary raised were about the time taken for the decision-making process as a consequence of Government scrutiny. The minister expressed her concern that the Government had to speed up its decision- making processes in that respect. That has happened as a consequence of the actions that ministers have taken in the intervening period. I am struck by the fact that, on 23 April 2024, one of Mr Hoy’s colleagues said that consent times were “a huge issue” for offshore wind farms, and he called on the Scottish Government “to streamline the necessary regulatory and administrative processes, to expedite the approval and implementation of offshore wind programmes”.—[Official Report, 23 April 2024; c 6.] Those were the words of Douglas Lumsden MSP as they appear in the Official Report of the Scottish Parliament.”
“The matter has not been taken forward by the Labour Government. If there is an interest in trying to fulfil the United Kingdom Government’s commitment that it would intervene to act in Grangemouth, I urge the UK Government, as a matter of priority, to authorise the Acorn carbon capture project and to give certainty to the workers in Grangemouth. Flotation Energy (Contract Award)”
“I understand entirely the concerns of Michelle Thomson, who has tenaciously spoken on behalf of her constituents in Grangemouth. I pay tribute to her for what she has contributed to the debate on their behalf. I understand her frustration at the lack of an immediate solution, which the Labour Party promised at the election. Indeed, Anas Sarwar stood beside me in an STV debate and made that very promise, and it has not been fulfilled. When I last met the Prime Minister, I was clear with him on the need to support and retain the highly skilled workforce at Grangemouth. I am becoming increasingly impatient about the fact that no decision has been taken to award the Acorn carbon capture and storage project to Grangemouth. I was assured by the most recent Conservative Government that it would be the case that such a decision would be taken.”
“I accept that we missed the 95 per cent target, but I want to reassure the public that the overwhelming majority of patients have been treated within the 31-day target. It is important that Jackie Baillie does not come here every week and spread alarm among the public when our staff are doing their level best to protect the public. The Presiding Officer: We move to general and constituency supplementary questions. Grangemouth Refinery (Redundancies)”
“The First Minister: Again, it is turning out to be my obligation to try to put some of Jackie Baillie’s comments into their proper context. We are treating more patients with cancer on time, within both standards, compared with the same quarter 10 years ago—12 per cent more within the 31-day standard and 6 per cent more within the 62-day standard. Jackie Baillie talked about the fact that the 31- day standard had been missed. The target is 95 per cent and the performance was 94.3 per cent. I accept that that is a missed target—[Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us hear the First Minister. The First Minister: If anyone is remotely interested in hearing my answers, I am happy to give them.”
“Jackie Baillie: We know that outsourcing scans is a sticking-plaster approach that is favoured by the Scottish Government, but the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Radiologists say that there is a real need to train and recruit more radiologists if we are to have a sustainable service in the long term. The First Minister knows that the lack of radiologists results in increased waiting times for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The last quarter’s performance shows that the 31- day and 62-day targets were both missed yet again, which is worse than the previous quarter. The First Minister has been at the heart of this Government for the past 18 years, so can he explain to the people of Scotland why cancer waiting times are worse on his watch?”
“The work of radiologists is absolutely crucial in effective delivery of a wide range of services, including cancer diagnostics. I take this opportunity to thank the radiologist community across the country for their commitment on our behalf. Our investment in the radiologist workforce over the past 10 years is evidenced by an almost 25 per cent increase in consultant radiologist numbers. We continue to invest heavily in radiology training, funding 192 speciality training places in clinical radiology, including 78 extra places that we have added since 2014, based on modelling of future workforce need. Clinical radiology training programmes, which have been filled at 100 per cent in Scotland every year since 2013, enable doctors to train, and to enter the workforce following completion of training, which takes a minimum of five years.”
“I am deeply concerned by the lack of impetus that we have been able to secure, particularly in projects such as carbon capture and storage, which would provide such opportunities for the future of Grangemouth. The Government will consider the court’s judgments. We will work with the oil and gas sector to manage the transition that lies ahead, because I want to ensure that we have a strong and prosperous future for those who are involved in oil and gas in Scotland and that we have a strong and prosperous future for the Scottish economy.”
“Will the First Minister also back the industry and drop his disastrous presumption against new oil and gas production before more jobs are lost? The First Minister: What I will do is everything in my power to secure a just transition for everybody involved. We all realise that we will have to make a transition from dependence on fossil fuels, unless, of course, we are going to deny the climate crisis that we are facing. I, for one, am not going to deny the climate crisis. I want to do everything that I can to support the transition for the workforce in the north-east of Scotland, just as I would like us to be in a position to do more to support the workers at Grangemouth who have been served with redundancy notices.”
“The Government is considering carefully the court rulings that were announced last week. Decisions on offshore oil and gas licensing and consenting are currently reserved to the United Kingdom Government. We have been consistently clear that the UK Government should approach those decisions case by case on a rigorously evidence- led basis, with robust climate compatibility and energy security being key considerations. Douglas Lumsden: Our North Sea workers are being failed by the Labour Government and by this devolved Scottish National Party Government. The decision on Rosebank and Jackdaw is a hammer blow to the north-east. We will import more oil and gas instead of using our own resources and supporting our own workers. A poll by True North shows that nearly three quarters of Scots back the North Sea oil and gas industry.”
“The funding transforms how families are supported so that they can get the right help at the right time for as long as they need it. The additional £6 million of funding that Rona Mackay referred to is for children’s services planning partnerships and will be used to improve local support in a way that best meets the needs of the families and communities and that ensures that Scotland can keep the Promise. Examples of that work include the provision of community- based family support hubs, services to support pregnant women, holistic support for parents with mental health or substance issues, and welfare rights advice.”
“I welcome the report by the oversight board, which is clear that, although there is more to be done, the Promise can be kept by 2030. Rona Mackay: That is a significant announcement and welcome news on the anniversary of the Promise. What does the Scottish Government hope and expect will be achieved through the £6 million increase in the whole family wellbeing fund that is being provided to children’s services planning partnerships? What improvements can we expect to see as a result of that funding increase from the Scottish National Party Scottish Government? The First Minister: As I indicated in my earlier answer, we have already invested more than £110 million through the whole family wellbeing fund programme.”
“I am grateful to Rona Mackay for raising that important question on the fifth anniversary of the Promise. The Parliament made the Promise unanimously and we all have a duty to keep it. Yesterday, I spoke with care-experienced young people at the University of Glasgow. I heard about the challenges that they have faced and about their hopes for the future. We are making progress to deliver the Promise. We have seen a 15.6 per cent reduction, since 2020, in the number of children in care and more than £110 million of investment in whole family support, and nobody under 18 is now admitted to a young offenders institution. I assure Rona Mackay and the Parliament that I am absolutely committed to delivering the improvements needed.”
“With the welcome support of the Scottish Green Party for the budget, we are able to put in place the support through discretionary housing payments, which will be an essential part of our commitment to tenants. The Promise 4.”
“In relation to other messages that I would share with tenants, I would indicate that the Government is investing more than £90 million in discretionary housing payments, which is an increase of £6 million on 2023-24 that has been facilitated by the welcome support from the Scottish Green Party—which I appreciate—for the Government’s budget. Those discretionary housing payments are in place to support tenants and to assist them in managing the costs that they face. I assure Lorna Slater of the Government’s determination to make progress on the issue of rent controls. That is why we are legislating through the Housing (Scotland) Bill.”
“Some tenants are already reporting spending more than 70 per cent of their income on rent. We agree on the need to provide for permanent rent controls in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, but the Government’s decision to scrap the vital bridging rent controls will give landlords free rein to hike rents for two years. It is absolutely no surprise that the Scottish Association of Landlords has called it “a very welcome announcement”. What does the First Minister have to say to renters who will be facing that cliff edge in just a few weeks’ time? John Swinney: Most private tenants still have a right to seek a review of a rent increase if they consider it too high. I would, of course, encourage tenants who are concerned about a rent increase to apply for a review.”
“I understand the significance of the point that Lorna Slater puts to me. The temporary changes to rent adjudication come to an end on 31 March, when the arrangements will revert back to the existing legal requirements, which are based on market rent. I am aware of the concerns that have been raised. We know that a longer-term approach is required on rental policy, which is why the Government has introduced provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Bill to support the introduction of longer-term rent controls when that is needed and justifiable. The Government will focus on ensuring that we get that legislation correct as we bring it through Parliament. Lorna Slater: The cost of living crisis for tenants has not gone away. Over the past 10 years, monthly rent for a two-bedroom flat in Edinburgh has more than doubled.”
“If he thinks that the increase in costs in relation to HMP Barlinnie is one thing, his eyes will water when he sees the increase in costs in relation to nuclear plants that are taking their course in England. Given the question that Mr Sarwar has put to me and the primacy that I attach to policy certainty, let me use this opportunity to make it absolutely crystal clear that the Scottish Government will continue with our support for the development of green renewables and that we will not give the green light to nuclear power stations in Scotland. Temporary Rent Protections (Extension) 3.”
“The First Minister: I do not think that that is in any way, shape or form correct. The Deputy First Minister and I spent the evening yesterday with a number of investors who are investing in the renewables energy revolution in Scotland with the support of the Scottish National Investment Bank. In my friend Mr Gibson’s constituency in North Ayrshire—Mr Sarwar mentioned North Ayrshire— we have just secured significant investment by XLCC in cable manufacturing, which will be absolutely critical for offshore renewables. That activity will be assisted by the investment by Sumitomo at Nigg that we have landed. I encourage Mr Sarwar to go away and look at the cost issues in relation to nuclear power.”
“Anas Sarwar: The First Minister wants thousands of jobs and billions in investment to go to England and Wales rather than come to Scotland, all while weakening Scotland’s energy security. What kind of nationalist is he? Let me set out a new direction that a Scottish Labour Government will take. We will end the ideological block to zero-carbon nuclear energy. We will kick-start economic growth and bring billions in investment into Scotland. [Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Members! Anas Sarwar: We will deliver thousands of high-skill, well-paid jobs for the future and boost Scotland’s energy security, all while delivering on Scotland’s ambitious climate change commitments. In the face of that huge opportunity, why are John Swinney and the SNP holding Scotland back?”
“We are right behind the renewable energy revolution and we are delivering that. In his pursuit of the new direction, Mr Sarwar wants to muddy the waters. He wants to add uncertainty. He wants to scare off investment from the renewable energy industry. I will not do that. I will give a clear green light to the green energy revolution in Scotland and I will be proud of what Scotland can deliver. Anas Sarwar: I am talking about more investment in Scotland. John Swinney has the power to unleash billions of pounds of investment and new jobs with the stroke of a pen but, instead, he is trapped in the politics of the 1970s, wanting thousands of jobs—[Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us hear Mr Sarwar.”
“The First Minister: I spend a lot of my time, as I did on Tuesday, engaging with the Scottish energy advisory board and other energy interests in Scotland. One of the pleas that the energy advisory board has made to me, which I acknowledge is important and which I faithfully try to deliver, is to provide absolute policy certainty so that investors can invest in the technologies that come forward. In 2023, 70 per cent of electricity generated in Scotland was from renewable sources. That is a marked increase compared to the 32 per cent in 2013. Mr Sarwar should be careful not to create the impression that renewable energy is not delivering formidably for Scotland, because it is. I think that investors will be really worried by Mr Sarwar’s language. Investors tell me that they know exactly where the Scottish Government stands today.”
“The transition to net zero is a chance to create decent, high-skill jobs for the future, drive investment into Scotland and secure our national energy security. The First Minister should just ask communities in East Lothian or North Ayrshire, which have seen the benefits, about that. For almost 20 years, the Scottish National Party has vetoed nuclear energy projects in Scotland, leaving jobs, growth and skills to go elsewhere. However, the next generation of small nuclear reactors could revolutionise our energy market. China is constructing 29 reactors and the European Union has 12 at planning stage. That is a huge advantage in the global race to harness new technologies to deliver cleaner, affordable and independent energy. Why is John Swinney determined to let Scotland fall behind?”
“The best thing that we can do is to power on with our plans for renewable energy development and ensure that Scotland can realise the extraordinary natural resources that we have. I saw that being developed at the Methil yard in Fife yesterday in a collaboration between the United Kingdom Government and the Scottish Government in securing investment from Navantia and securing the future of the workforce at Methil. We should power on with renewables. That should be the clear policy signal from the Scottish Government. Anas Sarwar: It is not an either/or. At 10 o’clock this morning, National Grid’s live data showed that 23.9 per cent of the electricity being consumed in Scotland was from nuclear energy.”
“Instead of building a high-security prison to lock up rapists and murderers, John Swinney thinks that he is building either a luxury resort or a nature reserve. [Interruption.]”
“It is essential that we replace HMP Barlinnie. We have numerous reports from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland that encourage us to do so. The Parliament has pressed us to undertake the project, and we recognise that it has to be done. Of course, the full rigour of cost analysis has been applied to the project, which is different from the original project that led to the estimate that Mr Findlay set out. I assure him that the Government will monitor and control the costs carefully as the project takes its course. Russell Findlay: I think that the First Minister’s undertaking is causing some anxiety among taxpayers, because it is they who are paying the price for this SNP incompetence and its perverse priorities.”
“Will Mr Hoy give way? Craig Hoy: I will not give way to Mr Swinney, as I do not have time—unless I could get the time back, Deputy Presiding Officer.”
“The Conservatives do—every single one of them, and then they come here every week and posture with empty rhetoric about such issues. If Sue Webber wants investment in public transport, I gently and respectfully encourage her to vote for the budget that will pay for it, instead of wasting her time coming here and posturing on a weekly basis. The Presiding Officer: That concludes First Minister’s question time. There will now be a short suspension to allow those leaving the chamber and the public gallery to do so. 12:47 Meeting suspended. 12:49 On resuming— Engineering Skills Gap Analysis for Scotland”
“The Government has made a range of interventions to improve access to public transport. For example, more than 2 million children, young people, disabled people and older people in Scotland are now benefiting from free bus travel. Throughout Scotland, more than 150 million bus journeys have been made by children and young people under 22, using their free entitlement. We have been working to expand the opportunities for people to safely walk, wheel and cycle, with the expansion of the network to around 450 miles of routes for walking, wheeling and cycling. The Government will do that as part of its plans, but it is, frankly, laughable for Sue Webber to take me to task on the issue. Every time that a measure is presented to Parliament that might change any of those patterns of behaviour, who opposes it?”
“If we want to get Scottish produce more quickly from the Shetland Islands and other communities in Scotland to European markets, the immediate priority of my Government would be to get agreements in place with the European Union that would allow freer trade to be undertaken. What I say to people in Scotland is that they have to understand the colossal damage that was done to our country’s economy by Brexit, which was inflicted on us by a bad deal by the Conservatives. I hope that the Labour Government will do something to rectify that, because it is undermining the Scottish economy. Car Usage Reduction (2030 Target)”
“The decision to allow expansion at Heathrow airport lies exclusively with the United Kingdom Government. The Scottish Government will engage closely with the UK Government and Heathrow airport to understand any potential impact of its expansion on Scotland, particularly on our climate targets and connectivity. I share Mr Ewing’s aspiration that Scottish goods should be able to get to market as quickly as possible, but I am reminded that, when I was in Shetland a few months ago, the fish sector explained to me the obstacles that are in its way to get its products to market because of the stupid procedures that are involved in Brexit, which are deeply damaging to our economy.”
“I contend that it is also Mr Choudhury’s duty to try to make solutions happen by voting for the budget and helping to build more houses and ensure that we can get more void houses being used by people. [Interruption.] There is no point in Labour members shouting at me, as they have done all the time today. That is the solution. If we want to build houses, how do we pay for them if we do not have the votes for the budget? I encourage Labour members to stop being observers on the sidelines, sitting there with their Tory allies. They should vote for the budget and do something constructive for Scotland. Heathrow (Third Runway)”
“I sympathise with the circumstances of Mr Choudhury’s constituent. I of course want individuals in our country to be adequately and properly housed. As Mr Choudhury knows, because I have told Parliament this on many occasions, the Scottish Government has presided over an affordable housing building programme that has built more houses per head of population in Scotland than have been built in any other part of the United Kingdom. Crucially, in the budget that will be before Parliament in a few weeks’ time, there is an increase in that budget to £768 million. Mr Choudhury is quite entitled—indeed, it is his duty—to bring his constituents’ concerns here and represent them.”
“The Minister for Employment and Investment, Tom Arthur, met the industry leadership group, which involves the many retail interests, on this subject this morning. In the budget, subject to parliamentary approval, we will make £3 million available to tackle retail crime, and we commit ourselves to supporting some of the innovative work that has been taken forward by the Scottish partnership against acquisitive crime, which is led by Police Scotland and the retailers. The partnership is taking a collaborative approach to preventing and deterring crimes such as shoplifting, and we will work constructively to ensure that that happens, using the resources that I mentioned, which I hope Parliament will support in the budget process. Social Housing (Waiting Lists)”