Richard Lochhead
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Artificial intelligence and all the other developments will change how we raise and spend taxes, how we buy things and what we buy. Everything will be impacted by the changes that are taking place before our eyes. Automation will displace labour and it will do other things as well.”
“Across the parties, we all know what needs to be done. I hope that, in the future, we can build a consensus to make sure that that happens—with respect, grace, and good, robust arguments. If we do that better, perhaps we can set an example to other Parliaments in countries around the world.”
“I thank the current and three previous First Ministers, who entrusted me with the responsibility of being in Government; the Parliament staff and the civil service for their advice and support; and my private office staff. I thank my friends and colleagues—past and present—in my party group and on all sides of the chamber.”
“I thank Clare Haughey for bringing the debate before Parliament. The closure of high street branches and all the changes that that means for people in our communities have been a feature of the past few years. Clare Haughey is an outstanding constituency MSP who always looks out for the vulnerable.”
“The FCA has committed to undertaking a post-implementation review of its access-to-cash regime, and we will ensure that many of the issues that have been addressed in tonight’s debate are part of that review.”
“I am sure that my colleagues have similar thoughts about what we have witnessed over so many years. My heartfelt thanks must go first to my family: my wife, Fiona; my son, Angus, who is in Brisbane and is probably watching this speech at some ungodly hour; and my younger son, Fraser, who is about to turn 18 and is in the chamber’s gallery…”
The complete record
Every one of 418 lines we hold for Richard Lochhead, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 9.
“We are very proud to be working alongside our partners in Aberdeen City Council, the UK Government and the port authority, and other partners that have been mentioned. We provided £158,000 through the EventScotland international events programme to support the event. The international events programme supports the delivery of Scotland’s national events strategy, “Scotland: The Perfect Stage”, by investing in major world-class events that raise Scotland’s profile and showcase Scotland’s key event and tourism assets. Those assets include our people, our cultural identity and heritage, our national environment and, of course, our built environment. The tall ships races are a fitting example of an event that showcases all those things. It is an event that sits close to Scotland’s heart.”
“We have a really good reputation in the major events space, as Michael Marra just said, evidenced by our successful delivery of events such as the 2014 Ryder cup, the open golf championships and the 2023 Union Cycliste Internationale cycling world championships, and by our support for the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth games, the 2027 Tour de France and the 2028 UEFA European football championships. We should not forget the island games in Orkney, which I will be attending the week before the tall ships races in Aberdeen. I am pleased to share how the 2025 tall ships race in Aberdeen will continue that pipeline of major events in Scotland and reinforce our nation’s status as an outstanding major events destination.”
“I thank members who signed the motion and Jackie Dunbar for taking the helm and so eloquently laying out the importance of this event and talking about the heritage of Aberdeen. As I have said many times before in the chamber, the Scottish Government places huge value on major events, which have a unique ability to bring communities together, offer lasting legacies for generations to come and provide considerable economic impact locally and nationally. We are committed to ensuring that the country capitalises on those benefits and that we continue to be the perfect stage for such events.”
“It is appropriate to start by joining colleagues in sending deepest condolences to the family and friends of, and others who knew, the two young crew members and cadets who lost their lives on the Mexican navy ship, the Cuauhtémoc, during the tragedy in New York this past Saturday. Although this debate is focused on the celebration to come in July in Aberdeen, we must acknowledge the loss for the tall ships and sailing community of two of their own. I noticed the statement last night from Sail Training International—the body that is behind tall ships races—which said that it wanted to acknowledge, with sadness, the fact that the Mexican navy will no longer be participating in the tall ships races. I thank Kevin Stewart for lodging the motion and, in his absence through illness, I wish him the best for his recovery.”
“Finance and Local Government The Presiding Officer: Question 1 was not lodged. Employer National Insurance Contributions Increase (Local Government Finances) 2.”
“What more can be done to encourage investment and well-paid jobs in the area? Richard Lochhead: We want to support measures that will help create jobs and prosperity in the area; indeed, we will all have that as a priority. With regard to the Ayrshire growth deal, the specific North Ayrshire capital projects include the £9.5 million marine tourism programme, which will deliver step-ashore facilities for Arran and Cumbrae, and the £9 million greater harbour project, which will reinvigorate Irvine’s maritime mile. We must always look for more examples, and the member raises an important issue in that respect. We have the strategy, and the programme for government contains a number of measures, too. I hope that we can make good progress on helping the people in North Ayrshire. The Presiding Officer: Question 8 has been withdrawn.”
“Our national strategy for economic transformation outlines our vision for economic growth, and includes a programme to make Scotland’s regions and communities more productive, innovative and prosperous. Reports on progress are made annually. We have committed to providing £628 million of funding to the three regional growth deals across the west of Scotland, and we are enabling the region’s economic partnerships to create jobs and help make the area an attractive place to live and work. That includes committing £2 million in 2025- 26 to meet the Glasgow city region’s skills needs in the maritime and engineering skills sectors. Katy Clark: North Ayrshire has the lowest job density in Scotland. Does the minister believe that the Scottish Government is doing enough to prioritise North Ayrshire, given those poor job density levels?”
“For example, more resources are being provided to Scottish Chambers of Commerce for its trade missions, and we now have the six-point export plan. We are confident that we will make very good progress towards that target, which is why we addressed that important issue in the programme for government.”
“Of course, the deal includes elements that we welcome, because we welcome any reduction in barriers to trade with the EU, which is Scotland’s biggest export market. We are still waiting for the UK Government to provide full details of the deal, but nothing that has been achieved in it will make up for our lost membership of the EU. The target that has been set for exports from Scotland is indeed ambitious. Since it was set in 2019, we have faced a number of global challenges, including Covid and Brexit, as well as conflicts around the world and other turbulent issues that have affected the ability of Scotland and other countries to engage in international trade. Of course, the programme for government included a lot more support for increasing exports, because we recognise the importance of achieving the export target.”
“Martin Whitfield: The Scottish Government has attacked the recent deal with the European Union, which it says does not go far enough. However, in the same breath, the Scottish Government says that it welcomes the progress on sanitary and phytosanitary checks, energy co-operation, youth mobility, and trade in services and steel. Now that the United Kingdom Government is finally delivering for Scottish exporters by cutting red tape on food exports, among other things, will the Scottish Government hit its target of ensuring that, by 2029, 25 per cent of gross domestic product will be made up of exports? Richard Lochhead: I might advise the member to speak to the Scottish fishing industry about its view of the deal that has been struck with the European Union.”
“The Scottish Government subjects its export and inward investment policies to regular evaluation. The most recent independent review, which was conducted by Aston University, has been published on the Scottish Government’s website. Our export and inward investment programmes are measured and tracked through robust data and analysis from a range of sources, including HM Revenue and Customs, “Export statistics Scotland” reports, Scottish Enterprise and EY. Our evidence-based approach to export promotion and inward investment has generated £1.6 billion of additional overseas sales over three years and has maintained Scotland’s position as the most attractive location outside London for inward investment over the past nine years.”
“We have the tall ships event in Aberdeen and the Orkney international island games in 2025, the Commonwealth games in 2026, the Tour de France grand depart in 2027 and the Union of European Football Associations European football championship in 2028. The next three years will be really exciting for the whole country, including the exciting event in Aberdeen. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes portfolio questions on Deputy First Minister responsibilities, economy and Gaelic. There will be a brief pause before we move to the next item to allow for a changeover of front-bench members. Finance and Local Government Private Finance Initiative Contracts (East Dunbartonshire Council) 1.”
“Richard Lochhead: The member outlines well the massive benefits for Aberdeen and the north- east from this really exciting event, and I pay tribute to all the people who have played a role in working towards making it such a success. Of course, it brings a big economic benefit to the area as well. As a minister, I want to play a role in maintaining Scotland’s position as a leading events destination. We do a lot to enhance Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events, working alongside partners to implement the refreshed national events strategy. Scotland is the place to be in the coming years.”
“The event will support businesses across the hospitality, retail and tourism sectors and it will support wider community engagement, such as sail training for young people. Hosting the tall ships will also enhance Aberdeen’s international reputation as a vibrant, welcoming city and help to secure a lasting legacy for major events. Will the minister further outline how the Scottish Government is promoting Scotland’s reputation as a leading events destination, maximising the opportunities that are presented by events such as the tall ships races that will ensure a lasting positive impact on the region and across Scotland?”
“I am delighted that the Scottish Government, with financial support via VisitScotland, was able to provide the tall ships races Aberdeen 2025 with an award of almost £160,000 to support event delivery costs. VisitScotland staff are represented on the various stakeholder groups that were established to plan and organise the event, including the local organising committee and event co-ordination group. The tall ships races event features prominently in VisitScotland’s current and on- going marketing campaign activity. Audrey Nicoll: The tall ships races event is set to be a major event for Aberdeen and the north- east, with projections of around 400,000 visitors and an estimated £30 million boost to the local economy.”
“We also have higher energy costs and other issues. As outlined in the recent budget that was passed by the Parliament, there are a lot of measures to help the business community in Scotland, not least more than £300 million for enterprise companies. There will be more opportunities for Parliament to have its say on those measures in the coming weeks.”
“What steps will be taken to support Scotland’s businesses? Richard Lochhead: I agree with the member that businesses in Scotland and the wider Scottish economy face many challenges at the moment. As I indicated in my previous answer, global uncertainty and other factors are certainly playing a role in that. The Fraser of Allander Institute’s “Scottish Business Monitor” for quarter 1 of this year says that, in response to the increase in national insurance contributions, almost half of businesses surveyed have increased prices to pass on higher costs to customers, and almost half have reduced hiring or scaled back plans to increase employee headcount. The member is right that taxation is a big issue, and increases to NI contributions introduced by the UK Government are causing a real headache for the Scottish business community.”
“The latest “Quarterly Economic Indicator” found that business confidence has declined in all sectors in comparison with last year, taxation is the number 1 concern for businesses and labour costs are leading to pressures on operating costs. It also highlighted that Scotland is losing out on major UK contracts and investment opportunities because we simply do not have the workforce to deliver them. That position was backed up by the Confederation of British Industry Scotland, which is requesting that the Scottish Government commits to avoiding further tax divergence from the rest of the UK and to doing more on the Scottish skills shortage. Does the minister agree with the assessment by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Fraser of Allander Institute and CBI Scotland of the business landscape?”
“The Scottish economy is resilient, with gross domestic product strengthening in the three months to January, low unemployment and strong earnings growth. However, we are already seeing the challenging impacts on businesses of the United Kingdom Government’s decision to increase employer national insurance contributions. The recent sharp rise in global economic uncertainty and volatility is, as we would all expect, further weighing on the economic outlook. In responding to those challenges, we continue to work closely with Scottish businesses to ensure that they are well positioned for investment to create jobs and grow the economy. Roz McCall: I thank the minister for his response, but it is a landscape of flatlining demand and things are going in reverse.”
“The issues are being addressed to the best of our ability, and I hope that the council is able to take that project forward sooner rather than later.”
“However, his stance is ironic, given the list of investments that I read out in my initial remarks. It is unfortunate that he has taken that stance, given the many exciting investments that are taking place in the south of Scotland. The member mentioned the First Minister. Of course, the First Minister recently replied to the member in relation to his concerns about the Kirkcudbright bridge, and was pleased to point out that Dumfries and Galloway Council’s website states: “The Kirkcudbright Bridge project has been confirmed within the council’s capital investment programme for financial year 2025/26.” Clearly, the Scottish budget delivered additional capital expenditure for many parts of Scotland.”
“I previously pressed the First Minister for additional funding to allow a new bridge to be constructed, but my plea fell on deaf ears, despite the Scottish Government providing £40 million of funding to open the Destiny bridge in the First Minister’s constituency, as well as £33 million towards the Kessock bridge over the Beauly Firth and £12.5 million to build a bridge at Markle in East Lothian to replace the level crossing. Does the minister agree with my constituents in what is now regarded as not the forgotten part of Scotland but the ignored part of Scotland that that stinks horribly of double standards and further dismissal of the needs of the people of the south-west of Scotland? Richard Lochhead: Despite the political points that he makes, the member raises serious concerns about the Kirkcudbright bridge.”
“Finlay Carson: Regrettably, the amount of money that is spent on transport infrastructure in the south-west corner has been non-existent in comparison with other areas, and is reported to be as little as 0.5 per cent of the total Scottish infrastructure spend. As the minister will be aware, the century-old concrete bridge in my home town of Kirkcudbright has been ruled unsafe, leaving the town effectively split in two.”
“Each year, the Scottish Government provides funding for local government to deliver infrastructure to best meet councils’ needs. Additionally, through the borderlands deal, we will invest £85 million to drive regional economic growth. In the south-west, that includes £16 million for the redevelopment of the Stranraer marina, £4 million for the dairy innovation centre and £20 million for the deal’s place programme to improve places to live and work across the region. We are also investing significant funding through the £2 billion learning estate investment programme, which will support the delivery of projects such as the new Dumfries high school.”
“First and foremost is the point about the balance between addressing the risks of AI and capturing its massive benefits at the same time. That should be reflected in regulation. As he says, it is also important that we guard against divergence from EU regulation, given that many of the companies in this country export to the EU. We have a UK Labour Government that is making targeted interventions to address the AI risks, whereas the EU has taken a much more comprehensive approach to the issue. I assure Patrick Harvie that we in Scotland are refreshing our AI plan and we will take his valid points on board.”
“That is what the EU is seeking to achieve, unlike the US or, apparently, the UK, but any divergence on regulations could also impact on Scotland. The AI strategy from the Scottish Government has little to say about risk, but it endorses one of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s principles, which is that potential risks should be continually assessed and managed. Will the minister tell us what specific actions the Scottish Government is taking to systematically carry out such risk assessment? When will it publish a breakdown of what risks have been identified, how they are being managed and what the implications are for regulation? Richard Lochhead: Patrick Harvie raises a number of important points.”
“Regulation on AI is reserved to the UK Government, so the Scottish Government does not make direct decisions about AI regulation. Scotland was the first of the UK nations to publish an AI strategy in 2021, and we continue to provide AI support to business through our enterprise agencies and the Scottish AI Alliance. Although AI is reserved, the UK Government position can influence devolved responsibilities. We have to continue to engage with the UK Government to advocate that its approach to AI regulation considers the interests of the citizens and businesses of Scotland. Patrick Harvie: It is increasingly clear that the rapid development of AI potentially carries great benefits and catastrophic risks. Therefore, only a balanced approach to regulation gives us a chance of gaining the benefits while reducing the risks.”
“Richard Lochhead: I know that the issue is close to Karen Adam’s heart, given the importance of seafood processing and the catching sector to her constituency. The funding that we have provided for the food and drink industry strategy to date has increased the seafood sector’s value and reputation at home and internationally. A number of such projects have been led by Seafood Scotland. I am a big fan of the organisation, and in my role as trade minister, I am happy to meet it to discuss any further steps that should be taken to support the international opportunities that are being realised in that fantastic sector.”
“Karen Adam: The Scottish Seafood Association, known for its quality and sustainability, has set out the growing need to increase sales and demand in the UK and across global markets and aligning that with the promotion of brand Scotland. However, with on- going challenges ranging from market access for small and medium-sized enterprises to logistics and skills shortages, it is critical that we not only strengthen our domestic seafood presence but bolster our position on the international stage and collectively work towards increasing the visibility of Scottish seafood as a premium sustainable product. What role can the Scottish Government play in facilitating the growth that the sector so badly needs?”
“The seafood processing sector in north-east Scotland generates more than £100 million in gross value added a year, contributes £700 million of the region’s £2.2 billion food and drink manufacturing turnover and provides more than 4,000 direct full-time-equivalent jobs. To support the sector’s economic growth, we have provided £10 million from 2023 to 2025 to support the implementation of Scotland’s food and drink strategy, which was developed in collaboration with producers and which outlines how we are driving growth for businesses across various sectors, including the seafood processing industry. In addition, we have since 2014 invested more than £7 million in the Scotland food and drink export plan, which has helped Scottish businesses, including seafood processors, capitalise on key market opportunities both now and in the future.”
“Those innovations are deployed here and now in Scotland’s NHS, and they are saving lives. Many more innovations are coming into the NHS. We have the building blocks for faster adoption of innovations: we have the companies, the ingenuity, the invention, the company entrepreneurs, the academic side and the research side. All those ingredients together will give us a much better NHS and better outcomes for patients in the years ahead. I urge the chamber to support the Government’s motion.”
“Once I came to, I lay there—as the Scottish Government’s minister for innovation—thinking about all the innovation around me that had just saved my life. From the crane that lifted me so that I could get off my bed to the electronic zimmer machine that I used once I had a bit of strength, those things were there because someone had innovated and created them. Every time that I had a side-effect after the operation, I would mention it to the doctors and nurses, who would say, “We have a special drug for that.” I would get the drug and it would solve the problem. I was constantly taken away for assessments with lots of fancy machines and fancy procedures. Those are all innovations that saved my life, and they have saved lots of people’s lives. Joe FitzPatrick, for example, mentioned the care that his father received.”
“How do we try to anchor more of those firms in Scotland so that they can get to FTSE 250 and FTSE 100 levels, building more headquarters in Scotland for those big companies? Richard Lochhead: We have debated that before. How we encourage Scottish companies to scale up is important. A lot of effort is under way to attract more investment capital into the country. I do not really like getting personal in speeches in Parliament, but I think that I have a duty to do so in this instance. On Sunday, I was out on my bike, cycling through the sunshine in the Moray countryside. I mention that in a debate on innovation in the NHS and healthcare because I was thinking about 10 months ago, when I was lying in a hospital bed, getting emergency open- heart surgery; I also had sepsis.”
“The bank has invested £4 million in iGii to develop a cost- effective and highly scalable means of producing a novel 3D graphene-like structure that has been marketed for use as a biosensor in point-of-care diagnostic devices, opening up the possibility of quicker responses and removing the requirement to send tests to laboratories for processing. I will take one more intervention. Paul Sweeney: I appreciate the minister giving way. There are many good examples, and he has highlighted a couple, but the key fundamental structural problem is that we do that good primary research, make the early-stage investment and scale Scottish companies up, but they get to a value of £20 million to £30 million and then they are usually acquired by a large foreign multinational.”
“The life sciences sector is identified as one of the four key growth sectors in the Government’s innovation strategy. Since its inception in 2020, the Scottish National Investment Bank has invested £27 million in life sciences businesses. I will give a few quick highlights—or maybe just a couple, because I have not got a lot of time. EnteroBiotix is a manufacturing centre in Bellshill that has secured not only £6 million of funding from the bank but inward investment from the United States. The company’s work is making breakthroughs in gut health medicines and aims to deliver less invasive treatments for patients. Another innovation and home-grown company in Scotland is Stirling-based iGii.”
“I have scratched the surface, as, with more than 700, there are so many of them. I am learning first hand about the incredible life sciences work that is coming out of this country. It is one of Scotland’s success stories. As we can see today, by addressing some of the most pressing health challenges, improving lives and driving economic growth in Scotland, that work is making a huge difference to our country. From groundbreaking research in biotech and pharmaceuticals to advanced manufacturing and precision medicine, companies and universities in Scotland are at the forefront of global progress in this critical field. All of them are playing a pivotal role in transforming our public services, creating high-quality jobs and providing higher wages, which bolsters our economy.”
“As innovation minister, I am delighted to have the opportunity to participate in and close a debate in which the cabinet secretary announced two of the latest remarkable innovations to improve health outcomes for patients. Scotland’s triple- helix approach to collaboration between the NHS, industry and academia means faster adoption of those life-changing, research-driven innovations. Our ambition for Scotland is that we are recognised globally as a destination of choice for health science. At the same time, we can improve patient and clinical experiences and outcomes. Today’s debate has provided many examples of how that is happening in Scotland as we speak. We should also celebrate our world-class life sciences sector. A great part of my job is being able to go round many of the life sciences companies in Scotland.”
“Those technologies will provide faster and better diagnosis and deal with admin tasks to free up staff for other priorities. The list of benefits from deploying innovations in our NHS goes on and on: new cures for life-threatening diseases; easier to access services no matter where patients live in Scotland; cuts to waiting lists and waiting times; cost savings and more efficiencies; and people living longer and better lives. Many innovations are already being deployed in the NHS and the social care sector. In the years to come, the experience of our health and social care services will be very different from the experience today. There will be better outcomes for patients and people, and more lives saved.”
“Last night, I spoke to 200 members of Technology Scotland who were gathered in the Parliament’s garden lobby. They were mainly from the critical technologies sectors—the semiconductor, quantum photonics and sensing sectors. The debate is therefore timely, with many members reflecting on the roles that those technologies can play and how they are being used. They do not just underpin industry or exports; they are also helping to transform the world around us and our society, and there is no better example of that than the transformation of our health services. AI, robotics, 3D printing, virtual reality, augmented reality and nanotechnologies are transforming and will further transform our NHS and health and care in Scotland and around the world.”
“There have been a lot of references to the inability to use data in Scotland, but that is a real example, which was announced today, of what is happening using Scottish data that is available, and what that team is doing is very innovative. Brian Whittle: I am grateful to the minister for giving way again. I cannot disagree with the minister’s enthusiasm for innovation. The issue is how we collaborate on and share innovation, and how that sits in a basic architecture that will allow more and more innovation to be shared across the whole of the NHS. Richard Lochhead: That is what ANIA is about—in his opening remarks, the cabinet secretary mentioned that initiative to accelerate innovation in the NHS. It is also why we are developing an innovation strategy that will involve introducing innovations to public services and the public sector.”
“However, Karen Adam and others spoke about the innovations that are taking place in NHS Grampian with the use of AI in breast cancer screening. In the news this week, we have heard every hour about more innovations in this space. Today, I noticed a post from Edinburgh Innovations, about a team of 20 data scientists and clinical researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee. They are using CT and MRI brain scans from across the Scottish population, representing 1.6 million images, with the aim of building a digital healthcare tool that radiologists can use when scanning for other conditions to determine a person’s dementia risk and diagnose early stages of related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. That is happening here and now.”
“The issue is not so much that we do not have innovators or people doing amazing things. The issue is that, in the NHS, we have a culture of managers saying no, not allowing innovation to occur, and making clinicians come up with management plans rather than doing it themselves. Richard Lochhead: I do not recognise the picture that the member paints. Of course there are challenges and more barriers to be broken down. We have to be faster and go further, as many other countries are doing. However, an independent report that was published in September 2024 made exactly the same points about NHS England, so the situation is not unique to Scotland. The pace of innovation is very fast at the moment, so we have a lot to do to keep up with it.”
“The SNP was not in power in 1870—I think that it was the Liberals or the Tories, but it was certainly not the SNP. I know all about him and he is close to my heart because he taught in Elgin twice before he came up with the invention of the telephone and achieved other great things. Scotland has a great pedigree in medical and health-related innovations. Examples include chloroform; the hypodermic syringe; penicillin; Dolly, the first cloned sheep; the first application of the ultrasound scanner; and beta blockers—the list goes on and on. I could fill my whole speech talking about Scotland’s innovations in the healthcare and social care space over many years. Sandesh Gulhane: Scotland punches way above its weight when it comes to innovation, and not just recently, but throughout history.”
“I have enjoyed this debate. There was quite a lot of consensus on the importance of innovation to the future of health and social care services in Scotland. I paid particular attention to what we heard from the Conservative Party, because we are sympathetic to its amendment, in that we believe that we have to go further and faster and that there is a lot to learn from other Administrations and other countries. We are leading in some areas, but other countries are leading in other areas, and we should get to the pace that they are going at and learn from them as well. I am not quite sure that the Conservative spokesperson reflected the tone of his amendment in his opening speech, but we will support the amendment. I point out to Brian Whittle that Alexander Graham Bell was forced to emigrate to Canada in 1870.”
“The Edinburgh and south-east Scotland city region is equally remarkable, having produced 30 per cent of Scotland’s total economic output and ranking top for investment attractiveness in the UK outwith London. The work of Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire with Opportunity North East is a model for how the private sector can be a partner within regional structures. However, I am not just talking about our city regions. In October, the south of Scotland region was designated as Scotland’s natural capital innovation zone, which recognises that the region is ideally positioned to address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change through innovation and responsible investment.”
“If we get things right in the next few years, the prizes for the people of Scotland and their country will be huge—more well-paid jobs, greater prosperity and greater tax revenues for our public services. We have opportunities to grab the first-mover advantage in a number of areas and to solidify our progress in others, such as renewable energy, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing. However, we are not the only country that is seeking to do that, so we need to ensure that the opportunities are not missed. Part of our strength is our diverse economy, which is spread across all our regions. We can take many examples of that. In 2021, Glasgow city region produced approximately £48 billion of gross value added, making it the largest city region economy in Scotland and the fourth largest in the UK.”
“We are world leading in the development and deployment of renewables and green technology, and we have some of the world’s best universities, a world-class food and drink sector, a highly educated population and a diverse and open economy. Despite the challenges that have been caused by 15 years of austerity from Westminster, and the challenges of recovering from the economic impacts of Brexit and Covid, the Scottish economy is well placed to take advantage of the huge economic opportunities that come from the transition to net zero and the revolution in critical technologies. However, realising the opportunities that lie ahead will require dynamic partnership between the Government, business and academia, and it will require government at every level to work towards common goals. We are at a moment of inflection for Scotland’s economy.”
“We are discussing the future of Scotland’s economy against a backdrop of international uncertainty. Right now, it can feel that the world is walking backwards rather than striding confidently forward into better times. It is therefore more important than ever that we focus on how to improve the quality of life for the people of Scotland, make the most of the significant economic opportunities that Scotland enjoys, and contribute to the rest of the world by realising those opportunities. I will begin by affirming and celebrating Scotland’s huge economic potential. Scotland consistently ranks as the top investment destination in the UK outside London and the south-east of England.”
“The Cabinet Secretary for Transport has met them and has held discussions with United Kingdom Government counterparts, and the Deputy First Minister will be happy to pick up on those discussions with DFDS and Ms Ewing if required. The Scottish Government would welcome any expansion to current facilities at Rosyth to enable a new service to be introduced, although that would primarily be a financial and commercial decision for Forth Ports and potential operators.”
“Annabelle Ewing: The minister will be aware of efforts by DFDS to re-establish a direct ferry route for passengers and freight between Rosyth, in my constituency, and Dunkirk—the third-largest port in France, which is 20 minutes from France’s most significant fish market. The opportunities for Scotland’s exporters and for tourism are significant, but I understand that, to date, DFDS has come up against a bit of a brick wall from Scottish Government officials. Will the minister arrange to meet DFDS to see what, if anything, the Scottish Government can do to unlock the huge potential for Scotland of such a direct link with the key markets of the European continent? Richard Lochhead: I assure Annabelle Ewing that the Scottish Government has conducted extensive discussions with the promoters of the potential Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry service.”