Murdo Fraser
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“This has been quite a lively debate so far. I might take a slightly more sympathetic approach to Reform than other colleagues who have spoken. To be fair to Reform members, they have been on a steep learning curve in relation to how they approach debates in the Parliament.”
“After all the promises that were made about Reform members coming in to shake this place up, they cannot even get the basics right. If these are the foxes in the hen house, the chickens will be sleeping pretty safely tonight. That seems reflected in Reform’s most recent electoral performances.”
“I will make what I hope is a constructive suggestion, which is that it would be more helpful to have a debate on any one of those topics to allow us time to discuss the issues in detail. We will all be here for another five years, so Angela Ross should not fire all her bullets at once.”
“Murdo Fraser: I will give way in a second. The only things that have been left out are the NHS and justice. Virtually every topic in the remit of the Parliament is covered in the motion, as are some topics that are not in the remit of the Parliament.”
“Most significantly of all, we had a superb Conservative victory in the Aberdeen South constituency, with my good friend Douglas Lumsden winning just shy of 50 per cent of the vote—a massive swing from the SNP. Reform received just 2,478 votes, or 8.6 per cent of the total.”
“He will know that there is a necessity in the case of individual judgments for those involved to consider whether there is any basis on which an appeal should be mounted in a particular case.”
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“I have engaged with Donald Macaskill since he made that statement, and I think that there is an understanding of the investments that we are making to ensure that we expand capacity and support greater resilience. The greatest threat and challenge that our social care sector faces right now is Labour’s national insurance contributions increase, which is putting at risk the very viability of the businesses and independent social care providers. That must be reversed at source to ensure the continued viability of our social care sector. Importantly, with the record investment in health and social care, we will focus on improving the performance of our services and continue to take forward decisive action to support delivery against the reform vision, which I outlined to the Scottish Parliament last June.”
“Will the cabinet secretary give way? Neil Gray: I will—for the final time, I think. Murdo Fraser: The cabinet secretary mentioned social care. He will be well aware that delayed discharge is a major issue across the health system, which adds costs to the hospital sector. On social care, I highlight that Dr Donald Macaskill, who is the chief executive of Social Care Ltd, said that “This is a budget that kills” and that it does not give support to social care. Will the cabinet secretary not reflect on those comments, which come from an expert in the sector? Neil Gray: The First Minister and I dedicate considerable time in seeking to address the delayed discharge issues and to improve social care services.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of unauthorised absences from schools. (S6T-02302)”
“People can be assured that this First Minister will be focused on the issues that matter to the people of Scotland. We have talked about the national health service already in this session. The issue of the NHS matters to me, and the Scottish economy and its prospects, including those of the Scotch whisky industry, all matter to me, into the bargain. I will take forward my responsibilities to make sure that Scotland’s economic interests are protected. Should that come from engagement and dialogue with the President of the United States, notwithstanding people’s views about the President, I will do exactly that, because it is my duty as First Minister to do so. Accident and Emergency Waiting Times 5.”
“I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests in relation to my connection with the Scotch Whisky Association. As Christine Grahame has fairly said, tariffs on Scotch whisky during Donald Trump’s first presidency were calculated to have cost the industry £600 million, and we cannot run any risk of that damage being repeated. Does the First Minister therefore agree that all politicians here should recognise the need, in the interests of our economy, to work constructively with the new US regime, whatever our view of Donald Trump might be, and that, in the words of the new president of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, some need to “haud their wheesht” when it comes to criticising the President? The First Minister: If Murdo Fraser will forgive me, I will just be accountable for my conduct and contribution.”
“The committee did its job of scrutiny. Although it looked at the past, it also made recommendations for the future. I have been in post for 18 months, and was involved in the work to publish the plan in December 2023. I am very conscious of my duty to the Parliament on transparency, accountability and scrutiny. I take those responsibilities very seriously, which I hope that I have evidenced in what I have said and in the actions that I have taken, as Emma Roddick reflected. The Presiding Officer: David Torrance will wind up the debate on behalf of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee. 16:52”
“Jackson Carlaw also assumed that an acceleration of the project would allow an increase in capacity, although it might do the reverse, which the report has highlighted. It could pose a risk for workforce issues and compound things, which could inadvertently cause delay. Foysol Choudhury made a number of points about funding. I refer him to my earlier remarks. I am conscious that I need to bring my remarks to a close. I reiterate my commitment to providing transparency and certainty on the progress of the A9 dualling programme as it moves forward in the months and years ahead. I encourage members to take advantage of the regular updates and briefings, and to sign up for the newsletters and publicise them to their constituents so that they can remain informed on the progress of this vital programme of work.”
“The A9 safety group will continue to meet, and I encourage everyone to access the new A9 safety web portal. We will continue to have engagement plans and there will be a briefing in Perth in May or early June. As I indicated earlier, there will be regular committee responses and updates. Jackson Carlaw made an important point about the capacity of the workforce. I have met SSEN to discuss issues across Scotland, not just about roads or the A9, but about capacity for the renewable sector, and there has been engagement and careful consideration of workforce capability. The committee made the point that it is easier to plan when there is certainty. If there is chopping and changing and things are reordered and rescheduled, that does not provide certainty. We will have to strike a balance in our delivery.”
“Another milestone is concluding the process of further decision making on the use of MIM in late 2025. Achievement of those milestones will represent real practical progress. Mark Ruskell raised issues around Dunkeld. He knows that I am alive to those issues and active in discussing with Transport Scotland what might be possible. Of course, remember that that roundabout was not part of the original proposals, but after discussion with the community, it was a response to a co-created request. In parallel with that work, the Government will progress towards the completion of its £5 million package of additional engineering measures that are intended to address the perceived contributory factors to collisions, and I say to Beatrice Wishart that those measures are expected to be completed in March this year.”
“I confirm that made orders will be published tomorrow for the Crubenmore to Kincraig project, which will mean that made orders will have been published for 92 per cent of the length of the A9 dualling programme, which might address Murdo Fraser’s points about issues for properties. Other significant milestones on the A9 dualling programme that the Government is working towards during 2025 include the commencement of statutory procedures for the Pass of Birnam to Tay crossing project and the commencement of main construction works on the third contract, for Tomatin to Moy, both in spring 2025. They also include the award of the fourth contract, for Tay crossing to Ballinluig, and the commencement of procurement for the fifth contract, for Pitlochry to Killiecrankie, both in summer 2025.”
“There was no consultation with industry about it, just as there was no proper consultation, such as a market day, with industry in relation to the consideration of the request for acceleration. That failure to consult with industry is potentially a fatal flaw to the deliverability of the programme. Fiona Hyslop: On that point, it is wrong for Fergus Ewing to imply that Transport Scotland has somehow produced the December 2023 plan without having continuous, regular engagement with the industry to identify capacity. That is part of the work of identifying what would be sustainable. I will move on to some of Jackson Carlaw’s points, but I also want to look ahead.”
“In November 2024, the first of what will be regular updates on progress was issued to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, and a briefing for MSPs was held in December 2024, where there was extensive discussion with Fergus Ewing on the pros and cons of framework contracts. I heard the points that he raised on framework contracts during the debate. I am prepared to continue that conversation, but, in the spirit of candour, I cannot imply that that will definitely happen, but we want to go ahead and provide certainty with the plan that we have. I am open to those discussions. Fergus Ewing: Can the cabinet secretary confirm as a matter of fact that the plan and the scheduling that were announced in December 2023 were presented as a fait accompli?”
“It remains the Government’s focus to complete the A9 dualling programme in line with that plan. On progress, in addition to the significant milestones that have been achieved, which I mentioned earlier, a number of advanced contracts have been procured for works such as ground investigations. Those are each important in helping to de-risk the main construction contracts. The Government has also taken steps to engage with interested parties. In January 2024, a briefing was held for MSPs, and in February 2024, a stakeholder briefing was held in Inverness, followed by a public exhibition that visited Inverness, Aviemore, Dalwhinnie, Pitlochry and Perth. At the end of February 2024, the dedicated A9 dualling website was launched, and quarterly newsletters were issued in spring, summer and autumn 2024.”
“The delivery plan that we produced in December 2023 was developed to balance three key factors: market capacity to bid for and construct the projects making up the A9 dualling programme, disruption to road users and challenging financial constraints. The delivery plan provides much-needed certainty for road users, local communities and the construction industry on when works are expected. It transparently identifies key milestones when critical decisions are required to progress with procurement or make a contract award, and it identifies when dualling works on individual contracts are expected to become operational. The delivery plan was, and continues to be, supported by a Cabinet decision to prioritise completion of the A9 dualling programme within its budgets.”
“Edward Mountain: The Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee has to speak to three cabinet secretaries and the Deputy First Minister. It does not have time to cover transport if it takes in all the ministers whom it is supposed to see in the course of its other work. Does the cabinet secretary support the principle that, in the next session, the Parliament should have a designated committee to deal purely with transport, by which I mean roads, ferries and railways? Fiona Hyslop: If the member had listened to my previous point, he would have heard me say that there is merit in transport and infrastructure being dealt with separately. It would be for a new Parliament to decide where those areas should be dealt with, precisely because of the workload issues that he has mentioned.”
“I will comment further on the progress that has been achieved and on what is expected in the year ahead, because we are getting on with all those actions. I have absolutely learned the lessons about transparency and certainty. Edward Mountain seemed to be surprised that I focused on those aspects in my opening remarks, but I did so because those were the committee’s themes and the focus of its recommendations for improvements. While I am on the subject of Edward Mountain, I also reflect on his point about the work capacity of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee—and that was before land reform matters were allocated to it. A future Parliament might want to consider those points when looking at transport and infrastructure.”
“It should listen to the committee and to the petitioner, Laura Hansler, and get on with this vital work before more lives are lost. 16:42 Fiona Hyslop: I have listened carefully to the range of points that have been raised in the course of the debate. As I am sure that all members will have done, I have reflected on Maurice Golden’s contribution on the impact of fatalities on families and local communities. Before I turn to addressing members’ other points, I want to highlight the strategic importance of the delivery plan that the Government announced in December 2023, which was the first such plan ever to be published setting set out the milestones, dates and actions for progressing delivery of the A9 project.”
“Edward Mountain made the important point that the NZET Committee, which he convenes, simply does not have the time or capacity to assess such issues properly. Although the cabinet secretary said that that is a matter for the Parliament rather than for the Government, we should not forget that the SNP has a large number of votes on the Parliamentary Bureau. If the SNP decided that that issue should be pursued, it would be within its gift to talk to other parties to make that happen. We hope that it will. We have a Government that has failed us, we have a broken promise, and I fear that we currently have a lack of urgency about where we go from here. I urge the Government to listen to everything that has been said during the debate.”
“We can progress dualling but, at the same time, we must recognise that short-term improvements to lighting, signage and, potentially, road layout at junctions could be brought in now. Those measures would help to avoid accidents and save lives in the short term, while we wait for the vital dualling process to be completed. An issue that no member has touched on, but which constituents have raised with me, is the blighting of properties along the route. Property owners are unclear about exactly where the route will go, because of the delay in issuing project plans. Individuals are unable to sell their properties because they are unsure whether they will be affected. That is another impact on individuals’ lives that the Scottish Government needs to be conscious of. Finally, I turn to the issue of a dedicated cross- party committee.”
“Of course, there is an issue with capacity among civil engineering companies in Scotland, and the committee’s convener referred to that. However, I agree with Fergus Ewing, who, in his powerful contribution, referred to the need to avoid a sequential approach to placing contracts and said that such an approach presents the danger of slippage. I would rather see a framework approach to contracts, as Mr Ewing proposes, because that would avoid the risk of this vital work being put back even further. Mark Ruskell was a little coy about the Greens’ commitment to dualling. However, I agree with him on one point, which is the need for short-term improvements. He has raised that, as have I, because we should not see improvements as optional extras.”
“If we go back to the period between 1979 and 1997, we had a Conservative Government that was responsible for roads in Scotland. In the same length of period—18 years—that Conservative Government built 62 miles of dual carriageway, which puts into context the very slow progress that has taken place. We now see a new pledge to complete the dualling by 2035. I hope that we can trust that pledge, but I have to say, on past record, that we will believe it when we see it. The committee report called for an acceleration of the dualling timetable. The committee’s convener was his usual diplomatic self when he referred to the Government’s response to that call as disappointing, and Edward Mountain used similar language. I think that it is worse than disappointing; I think that it is dismal to be getting such a response from the Government.”
“If the information that was available to the current First Minister was other than what he stated to Parliament, the matter needs to be properly investigated. Emma Roddick referred to the duty of candour issue in the committee report. That is a really important aspect of the report, because we expect ministers to be straightforward and open with Parliament. I hope that the cabinet secretary will listen to that. In an afternoon in which we have heard a few quotes from “The Godfather”, I will give Mr Ewing this one from Michael Corleone: “I respect those who tell me the truth, no matter how hard it is.” People in Parliament would rather hear the truth, even though it might be uncomfortable for ministers. People have been let down. To put it into context, in the past 18 years, 11 miles of the A9 have been dualled.”
“Should emergency vehicles need to get through, they would simply be unable to do so, because of the unsuitability of diversion routes. There are all those knock-on consequences from the very high accident rate on the A9. As we have heard throughout the debate, a promise was made that the A9 would be dualled by 2025—a promise that was broken. Maurice Golden referred to the pretence that was kept up by the Scottish Government over a period of years—until 2023—that that promise could be kept. Jamie Halcro Johnston gave striking evidence about the dishonesty on the part of some in the Scottish Government. He quoted something that the current First Minister said to him in this chamber in 2022. That is a very serious matter, should it be the case that the current First Minister misled Parliament and my colleague who asked the question.”
“Every fatality is a tragedy to the family involved, and every serious accident carries with it horrible consequences for those who are involved. There is also an economic cost, because the road is closed. There is a cost to the emergency services and to the economy. When there are diversion routes because the road is closed—as it was recently, when it was closed near Ballinluig—those routes end up getting clogged up, as the route from Kirkmichael to Pitlochry was. I have written to the transport secretary about this. Locals get stuck in jams and are sometimes unable to move for two to three hours, because HGVs are trying to pass each other on a very narrow road that is totally unsuitable for being used for a diversion. That causes even bigger concerns and potentially even more serious consequences, should there be another accident.”
“The new A9, as it was known, which was built in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was a vast improvement on what was there before. In the intervening period, traffic levels on the A9 have—at the last count, I think—expanded five times compared with what they were when the road was proposed five decades ago. That shows that there is a need for continual improvement of the infrastructure. The case for progressing the dualling is unanswerable. Like other members, Rhoda Grant talked about the lives lost and the tragedies that we are all familiar with on the A9 of people being killed, when, in other circumstances, their lives could potentially have been saved. [Interruption.] I will give way to Pauline McNeill—oh no, she has disappeared. That might have been an error, Presiding Officer. I will carry on.”
“As others have done, I start by thanking the committee, its convener and its members for the assiduous work that they have done on this important topic, which affects my constituents and many other people throughout Scotland. I thank those who gave the committee evidence and, in particular, I thank the petitioner, Laura Hansler, as others have done, for pursuing the matter assiduously, as a citizen, and using the Parliament’s processes to raise such an important issue. My colleague Maurice Golden outlined his experiences on the A9. My history on the A9 goes back many years. Growing up in the Highlands, I can just about remember what we call the old A9, which wended its way through towns and villages and made a journey from Inverness to the central belt take for ever.”
“To ask the Scottish Government when it estimates that ScotRail will end the use of short- formed trains that run on rail services between Fife and Edinburgh. (S6O-04209)”
“Adjustments that are required for the implementation of international financial reporting standard 16 have to be taken into account when comparing the two budgets. The bottom line is that we have increased Scottish Enterprise’s total budget by 5 per cent, we have maintained Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s resource budget and increased its capital budget by 9 per cent, and we have maintained South of Scotland Enterprise’s resource budget and increased its capital budget by 8 per cent. It is the capital budget that is distributable and is of most interest to businesses.”
“The Scottish Government’s budget for the coming financial year delivers a real-terms cut in the funding of the enterprise networks compared with the previous financial year. Indeed, if we look over the past decade, we see that the funding for the enterprise networks is a fraction of what it was a decade ago. If the enterprise networks are as important as the cabinet secretary says they are, can she say how continually cutting their budgets helps to grow the economy? Kate Forbes: That would be a good question for the Conservatives in relation to the overall size of their budget settlements to the Scottish Government. I have to pick up Murdo Fraser on a number of points. We have had exchanges on these matters in committee as well as in writing.”
“I move amendment S6M-16092.3, to leave out from second “welcomes” to end and insert: “recognises the important contribution that volunteers make to the vitality of Scotland’s culture sector; acknowledges that the culture sector has been subjected to repeated budgetary mismanagement by the Scottish Government and that the draft Budget 2025-26 still leaves the sector in a precarious position; notes that large music venues are not supported by the provisions on business rates relief in the draft Budget; recognises that key cultural areas, such as libraries and music tuition, still face cuts due to the constraints facing local authority budgets; notes that Creative Scotland remains under review by the Scottish Government, and trusts that public funds will not in future be used to support pornographic material, and urges the Scottish Government to foster innovation and participation in Scotland’s culture sector to ensure that it remains vibrant for generations to come.” 15:15”
“It is not the principle of having an arm’s-length arts funding body that is in question, but rather whether, given its history of errors, Creative Scotland is a body that is fit for purpose that can have the confidence of both the culture sector and the wider Scottish population. Although the Scottish National Party might crow about the additional funding for culture in the coming budget, the serious problems that the sector faces are substantial and they are not going away. Unless we start to address those problems—in particular, the potential loss of local facilities and activities across Scotland— Scotland’s cultural offer to our own population and to visitors will be diminished. Those are the points covered in the amendment in my name.”
“It was also rocked by the disclosure that a member of staff had urged a shop not to stock gender-critical books, including, specifically, a publication by the Scottish poet and performer Jenny Lindsay. Although the staff member in question was disciplined, that situation raises serious questions about the culture and operation of the very body that is supposed to encourage free speech and expression in a diverse Scotland. It is welcome that Creative Scotland is now under review by the Scottish Government. I was interested to hear the announcement about the appointment of Dame Sue Bruce to conduct that review, and we await further details of the likely timescale and how the review will be conducted.”
“While all that goes on, Creative Scotland faces serious questions about its future. My colleague Stephen Kerr will say more about that later in the debate. Last year’s decision to award the Rein project more than £80,000 in public money was nothing short of a scandal. It transpired that that money was going towards the production of what was, in effect, a pornographic film featuring live sex. Creative Scotland’s explanations about what due diligence was done before the funding was awarded have been utterly unconvincing. The project should have been properly investigated before any payment of public money was made. If such an investigation was not done, the organisation was not carrying out the appropriate checks. That is not where issues with Creative Scotland begin and end.”
“Last week, I raised in the chamber the issue of music venues that are under severe financial pressure because of rising costs, not the least of which are the national insurance increases. Music venues were given 40 per cent business rates relief in the recent budget. That is a welcome intervention, but it applies only to those with a rateable value of up to and including £51,000. According to the Music Venue Trust, that excludes one third of its members, which are being put at a competitive disadvantage when compared with similar venues south of the border, where that constraint does not apply. The likes of the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh, Nice N Sleazy in Glasgow and Hootananny in Inverness will get no financial benefit at a time when they are seeing substantial rising costs.”
“In Stirling, uncertainty over funding has led the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum to warn that it might have to sell off some of its historic artefacts to compensate for the lack of investment by the local authority. That is happening right across Scotland. I will give another example from Stirling. The Labour administration on the council is looking to scrap music tuition in schools. That is a vital cultural resource that is an important component in helping to deliver well-rounded educational opportunities, particularly for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds whose parents might not be able to afford to pay for private tuition. There are also pressures elsewhere.”
“They host a number of activities, and their loss would have a devastating impact, particularly on the young, the elderly and the disadvantaged. That pattern is repeated right across Scotland. Libraries are under threat of closure in Moray and Aberdeenshire and cultural venues face closure. Dundee Contemporary Arts, for example, is warning that its financial future is still unclear, as Dundee City Council seeks to make savings of £15 million. Museums are also under pressure. The briefing for this debate from Museums Galleries Scotland gives some examples. Alyth museum in Perth and Kinross has been closed, and Dundee City Council is proposing to cut funding to the Dundee Heritage Trust, which runs the important Verdant Works museum and the RRS Discovery attractions.”
“It is not just at the national level that we see the sort of financial pressures that I alluded to in my earlier intervention on the cabinet secretary. At the weekend, along with hundreds of other locals, I attended a rally in Perth. Representatives of communities across Perth and Kinross were there to show their support for local libraries that are under threat of closure. In order to address a funding gap, Culture Perth and Kinross, an arm’s- length body that is wholly funded by SNP-run Perth and Kinross Council, has proposed shutting five local libraries. We heard time and again from speakers at the rally that those libraries are not just a resource for borrowing books but important hubs for community life.”
“However, the rise in staffing costs, which is driven partly by the United Kingdom Government’s increase in employer national insurance contributions and partly by Scottish National Party policies, such as the cutting of the working week for state employees from 37 to 35 hours and the prohibition on compulsory redundancies, means that that organisation—that is just one—simply cannot balance the books. Anne Lyden, the NGS director general, told the committee that she was having to look at restricting opening hours or even closing one of the sites entirely to save costs. In the same evidence session, Historic Environment Scotland said that it was having to look at introducing entry fees for some sites that are currently free to visit to address its budget black hole.”
“Giving evidence to the Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee last week, the National Galleries of Scotland warned that budget pressures might lead to it having to shut one of its buildings, which currently comprise the Scottish national gallery and the Royal Scottish Academy on the Mound, the Scottish national portrait gallery on Queen Street and the two buildings of the Scottish national gallery of modern art. The Scottish budget for 2025-26 gives NGS a 9 per cent rise in funding.”
“Those additional funds are welcome, as they come on the back of a very difficult period for culture funding. In the previous financial year, there was a cut of nearly £5 million in the budget allocation for arts and culture. The proposed funding for 2025-26 not only replaces that but provides a substantial uplift. However, although the increased funding is undoubtedly welcome, it tells only part of the story.”
“The creative industries are estimated to be worth around £5.8 billion to Scotland and to support tens of thousands of jobs. From local events such as Highland games, which are run throughout the summer, to the outstanding output of our national companies such as Scottish Opera, the arts are there for everyone and help to attract visitors from around the globe to contribute to our economic growth as a nation. The Scottish Government—we have just heard this from the culture secretary—has been crowing about the support for the culture sector in the draft Scottish budget for the coming financial year. The culture secretary has talked about a game- changing increase of £34 million in the budget to support arts and culture, much of which will be allocated to the funding body Creative Scotland.”
“I very much welcome the fact that we are having a debate on the importance of the culture sector. On a note of consensus, I agree with a lot of what the culture secretary has said about the importance of the culture sector to Scotland. The sector has a value in itself as an expression of our national identity and in allowing people to participate in the arts, enriching their life experience and allowing both young and old to develop their talents. We should also recognise the role of the many volunteers throughout Scotland who participate in the arts and allow others to participate. Without them, many of the arts activities, festivals and events that take place in Scotland simply would not be able to happen. There is also an enormous economic benefit from arts and culture.”
“That will involve working with partners across the public, private and third sectors to find ways to grow the overall funding pot for culture, to diversify funding streams and to support the sector to move forward on a more sustainable footing.”
“A further £20 million in the next financial year will enable Creative Scotland to offer regular funding to the largest ever number of organisations across the country, ensuring that even more people can get involved in cultural and creative pursuits and benefit from the increased wellbeing that comes from self-expression, creativity and connecting with others through culture. I know how important it is to ensure that that additional funding provides the maximum impact for those working across the sector. That is why the Scottish Government has committed to review how the sector is supported, including by carrying out a review of Creative Scotland.”
“Although the additional funding is very welcome, I am sure that the cabinet secretary is aware that, right across Scotland, there is real concern about arts venues and organisations that are funded through local authorities that have been warned that their budgets for the coming year will be cut. How does the cabinet secretary square the announcement that he has just made about national funding with the impact that the budget is having at a local level? Angus Robertson: I draw Murdo Fraser’s attention to the budget proposal, which sees funding go up for local government as well as for the culture sector. If he cares as much about that issue as he suggests in the chamber, I look forward to him voting for the Government’s budget in February.”
“I share the view that Craig Hoy and Michelle Thomson expressed, that there needs to be more of a focus on the economy when it comes to the national outcomes. Both the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister have talked about economic growth as a stated priority. However, there is no mention in the national outcomes of economic growth per se. Instead, the focus is on the wellbeing economy.”
“If the NPF belongs to wider Scotland, we have to ask ourselves how much of wider Scotland is aware of its existence, far less has the opportunity to input. Ben Macpherson made some points on that. In the previous session of the Parliament, I sat on a cross-party working group that looked at a refresh of the national performance framework. It was chaired by the then finance secretary, Derek Mackay. That discussion was dominated by sectoral interest groups from the third sector, who were all there to lobby for their particular interests. Derek Mackay and I found ourselves unlikely allies in trying to push back against some of that and keep the focus on what should be the core function of Government. That leads me to the issue of the economy, which Daniel Johnson was talking about a moment ago. It is fundamentally important.”
“It is fair to say, as my friend Craig Hoy said, that this is not the talk of the steamie— nor even of the Tweeddale Arms in Gifford, apparently—but a tool that is used by civil servants and others in the public sector. Michelle Thomson: Murdo Fraser has touched on a point that has not come up in the debate thus far. In our report, we had commentary on whom the NPF belongs to—the Scottish Government or all of Scotland. There is merit in both of those arguments. If all public sector agencies are aligned to the higher mission and values, that could work; however, that leaves a gap. Our report expressed that those agencies felt as though they were doing everything, and they were asking where the Government fits in. I would be interested in Murdo Fraser’s views on that. Murdo Fraser: That was an interesting intervention.”
“Like everybody else, I thank the Finance and Public Administration Committee for the work that it has done on its report, and I thank the convener for his opening statement. We have heard from a number of committee conveners, but none produce motions as excellent as those of the convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, so I pay tribute to him for that. [Interruption.] Yes, what a sook I am, as somebody just said. Two key issues underpin the debate. First, what is the purpose of the national performance framework, and are we asking the right questions? Secondly, how does the Scottish Government perform against the questions that it has set for itself? Throughout the debate, we have touched on those issues.”