Stuart McMillan
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Can the cabinet secretary provide any details about when funding will be in place to replace the Port Glasgow health centre with a new health hub? Can she advise when there will be investment to improve the fabric of Inverclyde royal hospital?”
“Will the member give way? Mark Simpson: I would love to. Stuart McMillan: Reform’s policies are about taking money out of the public sector, but Mr Simpson is now asking for more money to be spent on throughcare support. Where is that money coming from? I am genuinely interested to know.”
“Millions of people globally are impacted by climate change today, and that will also be the case for future generations, as has already been touched upon by Sanne Dijkstra-Downie.”
“It is important that they are successful in delivering the heat that we all need, but the issue of their environmental impact is also vital. District heating systems play an important role in communities up and down the country, but they come in a range of scales. Are they operating effectively?”
“I touched on the CPA a minute ago, and the issue of AI data centres has been raised time and again at both international and regional conferences. We are not the only people who are talking about the issue. Helpfully, it is on the agenda for this year’s festival of politics.”
“I look forward to the contributions from MSPs in the open debate, which I am sure will help the committee’s discussions on Thursday, when we meet for the first time, and during the rest of the parliamentary session. I will touch briefly on three items, for wider consideration.”
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“The previous UK Government committed to “spend what it takes” to deal with remediating RAAC. However, the Conservatives did not deliver a remediation fund, and, so far, Labour has failed to deliver the financial support that is needed. [Interruption.] I know that some Conservatives might not want to hear that, but they know that it is the truth. Does the minister share my concern that the UK Government’s inaction has slowed down the process of addressing the problems with RAAC that have been experienced across the UK? Ivan McKee: Yes. It is a case of a promise not being honoured by the previous UK Government or, indeed, the current one. That is why Scottish ministers have written to and engaged with the UK Government on numerous occasions since the RAAC issue came to prominence.”
“What are the expectations of the whole- system diagnostic that will take place in NHS Grampian? How will its results be used to inform next steps? Neil Gray: The work involves a team of independent healthcare consultants reviewing key areas of NHS Grampian’s performance, including financial grip and control alongside leadership and governance. KPMG, which is the contracted consultant, will work alongside NHS Grampian and report to Government. That will help to inform agreement, through working closely with NHS Grampian, about the next steps and the support that is required as part of the stage 4 escalation. We expect the initial findings from that consultancy report to be available by the end of”
“We are trying to deliver on that through the nature restoration fund, which has, so far, provided more than £65 million to more than 250 projects to address some of the most acute issues across Scotland. The nature restoration fund is not the only mechanism that we have. In my portfolio, the agri- environment climate scheme also looks to tackle some of those issues, and that work will continue.”
“It is vital that we continue to support nature recovery and improve biodiversity in Scotland, as the cabinet secretary has already said. Can she say more about the Scottish Government’s work to combat nature loss? Mairi Gougeon: It is vital that we tackle the two biggest crises that we face today: climate change and biodiversity loss. Regardless of whether a national park structure is in place, we have to ensure that we take action to address those. Members across the chamber will be aware of the work that we are doing on biodiversity, including publishing our strategy and biodiversity plan, which includes a range of more than 100 actions that we are taking to address the biodiversity crisis.”
“Some of the testimonies that I heard from people in that room were absolutely harrowing, and some of the folk in the room also told me about people who had committed suicide. We have, therefore, to take a public health approach across Parliaments, because it is not just about trying to deal with gambling—it is, to a huge extent, about saving lives. I thank Clare Adamson for bringing the debate to the chamber, because we certainly need to talk about these issues more. Today’s debate is about gambling addiction specifically, but that can potentially lead people into alcohol and drugs misuse, so it is, in fact, about saving lives. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I invite Jenni Minto to respond to the debate. 17:38”
“Since the Scotland Act 2016 was passed, we have those powers and the stake has gone down to £2. However, William Hill has stopped engaging with the Parliament, because it does not see it as a challenge, or a potential threat, any more. Ben Macpherson made a good point that we need to talk about the issue much more, and I very much agree. On the need for a public health approach, too, I absolutely agree, but it has to happen across the four countries of the UK, because there are both reserved powers and the responsibilities that lie with this Parliament. I have one final point. There is one meeting that will stay with me for the remainder of my life, and that was a Gamblers Anonymous meeting. It was a Thursday evening, and I was heading back from Parliament.”
“There will be some pushback on that, because of the sector’s economic importance to some areas. Clare Adamson spoke about fixed-odds betting terminals. I was previously a member of the Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, where I championed the need to get the powers over FOBTs transferred to this Parliament. It struck me at the time that one company in particular— William Hill—had started to engage with MSPs. Others did as well, but it was mostly that one. The company, which sponsored football and the Ayr gold cup, along with other activities, had not done so before, but then it started to lobby all MSPs to try to get across the message that if the powers over FOBTs were to come to this Parliament, and the stake went from what it was down to £2, jobs would be lost and facilities would shut. That has not happened.”
“Tackling the issue is hugely important. Claire Baker is right that the gambling sector seems to target deprived communities. People want a way out, and to try to regain their life. For some, sadly, it is about chasing the next win, which is a huge problem. Ben Macpherson spoke about online gambling services. I know that for some territories around the world, gambling is one of their main economic drivers. Öland, which is between Sweden and Finland, is one example—a lot of online gaming is based there. It is a small island community, which the Deputy Presiding Officer will know well, given his island links. That is an important aspect, and I accept the point—and the challenge—that we need to look at the issue not just in a Scottish or UK perspective but in the context of what is happening elsewhere.”
“I had intended to come to the chamber just to listen to colleagues, but I have pressed the button because I wanted to highlight a couple of points. Alexander Stewart spoke about the white paper on gambling that was produced by the previous UK Government. The minister at the time was Caroline Nokes. When I spoke to colleagues in Westminster at the time, they were very positive about Caroline Nokes and her actions and views, and the fact that she seemed to get it—she seemed to understand how important legislation would be in order to help people. Sadly, the proposed gambling legislation did not go forward, but the new UK Government now has the opportunity to deliver on that, as the issue is reserved. I welcome any actions and activities that are going to help people in this regard—I do not think that anyone would disagree.”
“GamCare, the Simon Community Scotland, the RCA Trust and the John Hartson Foundation will be here to talk about real-life experiences of gambling problems, offer help and raise awareness among colleagues of what help is available when people are in need. 17:20”
“On the fixed-odds betting terminals, one of the arguments that the bookmaking companies put forward when they were campaigning not to have any changes to the terminals was that stores would close, jobs would be lost and there would be a financial detriment to their businesses. Is Clare Adamson aware of any cases where that happened, or was the industry just making false claims? Clare Adamson: I think that the industry has been very defensive of its position in those areas, but I am not aware of fewer betting establishments being in operation, certainly in my constituency. I will finish by highlighting a drop-in event that I am holding tomorrow, after First Minister’s questions.”
“The 30-year-old ferry that has been serving the islands for generations is failing, and the two new bespoke-design ferries are too big for the Ardrossan harbour jetty. The SNP Government is now considering buying Ardrossan harbour, following widespread concern in Ardrossan that the CalMac service might not be permanently switched back from Troon. It is disappointing that the islanders have had to endure years of being at the centre of this ferry fiasco. “Challenging” is one of the more polite words that you will hear from a lot of people on Arran when they speak about how life has been over the past few years. I hope that the SNP Government will get its act together, accept the blame for its failures and take clear action to tackle all those challenges. 16:04”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer— Douglas Ross: Just do it at the end. Stuart McMillan: Presiding Officer, is it in order for any member to make such a scurrilous accusation? There has been absolutely no proof whatsoever of any contract being awarded that was allegedly “corrupt”, to use that word— Douglas Ross: It is corrupt! Stuart McMillan: —as the member has just indicated. Douglas Ross: Sit down. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr McMillan. That is not a point of order, and I did not deem anything to be out of order. Mr Ross, I will deal with points of order. I do not need assistance from you. Pam Gosal: Locals in Ardrossan have protested about the series of expensive blunders that have plagued the launch of the two new Arran ferries.”
“A lot of named storms have had an impact on our communities. We need to protect our public services and communities in order to make them more resilient to climate impacts. We are also introducing nature-based solutions to address local issues, such as local food production and biodiversity, as well as providing flood resilience. We have a range of advice and support in place through our adaptation Scotland contract, which enables individuals and public bodies to adapt to climate change. The Government has committed to funding in the form of year-on-year investment in flood resilience, which is delivered to local authorities.”
“Fortunately, Grangemouth has been spared some of the severe flooding conditions that we have witnessed in other parts of Scotland in recent years. However, can the cabinet secretary speak on the importance of proactive measures that are being taken by the Scottish Government to tackle the threats of climate change, in addition to the preventative measures that the minister has set out today? Gillian Martin: In my statement, I mentioned a number of strategies, but I perhaps did not mention our response to the climate changes that we are seeing. Our national adaptation plan, which we often refer to as SNAP3, has more than 200 commitments that cover activity up to 2029. A number of members have mentioned the criticality of flood mitigation and prevention. Climate change is real, and it is having an impact on our communities.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how much additional funding Inverclyde Council has received since 2016, over and above its annual funding allocations. (S6O-04684)”
“We urge the Chancellor of the Exchequer to green light the project in the upcoming spending review, which is only a matter of weeks away. That would unlock more than £80 million, as committed by this Government’s First Minister in the most recent programme for government. Visitor Levy (Highlands) 6.”
“A key element in securing a green industrial future for the Grangemouth site is the development of carbon capture in Scotland, so it is vital that the United Kingdom Government provides support not only for carbon capture projects in England but for the Acorn project, too. Does the Deputy First Minister agree that it is essential that the UK Government takes swift and urgent action to support Acorn, which in turn will help us deliver the future that Grangemouth deserves? Kate Forbes: I agree. We are still awaiting a final decision on Acorn and confirmation of the full funding package and timeline. There are so many issues that are contingent on Acorn getting the green light, including Grangemouth’s future, as well as other issues related to meeting our climate change targets and the energy transition.”
“The UK Government never raised it in any meetings with the Scottish Government or with colleagues from Wales or Northern Ireland. It is for the UK Government to explain where that came from. I do not believe that it would have been necessary in order to secure the upsides of the deal. Although upsides there are, on the substance of a 12-year straitjacket as opposed to having annual negotiations or securing an SPS agreement— which European friends wanted to secure—I am at a loss to understand why the UK Government was prepared to give that away; I simply do not understand it.”
“Scottish vessels make up around 61 per cent of the UK fishing fleet, yet there has been a renegotiation on fisheries without any discussion or engagement with the Scottish Government. What possible justification could there be for that other than to make a political point by sidelining the Scottish Government to the detriment of Scotland’s fishing interests and coastal communities? Angus Robertson: I genuinely do not know what the UK Government’s negotiating strategy was. I think that there was a general expectation that there would likely be a multiyear outcome when it comes to fishing. However, I do not think that any serious commentator anywhere thought that there would be a 12-year agreement by the UK Government. Where that came from, I know not.”
“That relies on the timely delivery of the Glen Rosa, so the stakes are high. I agreed with the shop stewards that I would have regular dialogue with them, that I would put a number of items that they had raised with me directly to the board, and that I would look at what other steps on reassurance and scrutiny that we can incorporate, including looking at whether third parties can provide scrutiny for us.”
“I thank the Deputy First Minister for meeting the two shop stewards and me earlier today. The discussion covered many different areas and issues in the yard. I am very much assured by the actions that were agreed to between the Deputy First Minister and the shop stewards. Can she confirm to the chamber that she will continue to have regular dialogue with the shop stewards as we move forward and try to turn the yard around? Kate Forbes: I thank the member for arranging this morning’s meeting with the shop stewards. The content that was shared with me by the shop stewards was very powerful, and the emotion of a workforce that knows that their talent and skills are not the reason for the latest delay was evident. They want to ensure that there is a commercial future for Ferguson Marine.”
“Important work is also going on through the housing investment task force, and the Government will look very keenly at that work to see what more can be done to unlock new investment opportunities across all tenures. I reassure Stuart McMillan that an estimated 2,669 households with children have been helped into affordable housing in the year to December 2024. That is an important part of the work that we must all undertake to ensure that children and their families are well housed.”
“Will the cabinet secretary provide an update on the impact of Scottish Government investment on levels of affordable and accessible housing? Will she also provide an update on how the Scottish Government continues to invest in voids and acquisitions as part of its affordable housing supply programme to address temporary accommodation pressures? Shirley-Anne Somerville: It is very important that the increased investment that the Scottish Government is putting into affordable housing, which amounts to £768 million, is used to unlock the new affordable homes that are required. We estimate that the money for 2025-26 will deliver more than 8,000 affordable homes.”
“If there are any positive examples from across the country, I encourage local authorities to engage wider so that they can learn about what else is on offer. Fundamentally, it is about the kids. 13:11”
“The work that local parents have undertaken, and the pressure that they have put on Inverclyde Council, means that there is now more of a sense of engagement, which I welcome. In advance of this summer, an email was sent to parents in all the schools, asking whether they know of any families who would want to participate and take part in the activities to help children with ASN, so the pressure has been working. Fundamentally, the issue is about children with ASN having similar opportunities to every other child in our communities. Wraparound care for children with ASN is hugely important and it needs to be given a lot more focus. We are now moving in the right direction, but—my goodness—there is still a long way to go.”
“For many people, summer is a chance to enjoy more quality time with friends and family. Going on holiday or going away for the day can be special. However, for families with children with ASN, even one day out can require huge amounts of planning, and even more so if a child requires a changing places toilet. Michael Marra: I commend Stuart McMillan for his excellent speech and for the survey that he carried out, which echoes many of the findings from my constituency. He touched on the challenges of planning ahead and the need for local authorities to offer options well in advance so that families can plan. Are his constituents in Inverclyde having a similar experience to my constituents, in that they do not have that information in advance? Stuart McMillan: Yes, that is very much the case.”
“The implications of a lack of wraparound support are significant not only for the child’s wellbeing and development but for the economic security and mental health of their parents. As Pregnant Then Screwed Scotland’s briefing notes, the impact on employment is particularly severe. Michael Marra touched on that. Among those who could not access sufficient childcare, 29 per cent were forced to leave their jobs, 46 per cent had reduced their working hours, 37 per cent relied on informal care, often from ageing grandparents, and 39 per cent were able to continue working only due to flexible arrangements. Those are not just statistics. They represent real lives that are under immense pressure. I know from speaking with local parents that the summer holidays come with a huge sense of dread.”
“However, the key headline results from the survey, which generated more than 119 responses, are as follows: 94 per cent of respondents said that the current out-of-school care options for children with ASN in Inverclyde do not suit their child’s needs, 67 per cent do not receive out-of-school care for holiday provision for their ASN child, 69 per cent are either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the current care arrangements for ASN children in Inverclyde, and two thirds of respondents indicated that they have no access to wraparound support. It is unsurprising that the majority are unhappy with the current provision. The situation is detrimental to children with ASN, but also to the wider family unit, as the impact on siblings and parents is also profound.”
“Recently, I surveyed parents in my Greenock and Inverclyde constituency on this very issue, and my findings reflect Pregnant Then Screwed Scotland’s research. I announced one aspect of the survey yesterday, and I will now write to Inverclyde Council and councillors on its education committee as well as going back to the parents with all the findings.”
“I commend Michael Marra for securing this important debate. During my nearly two decades’ tenure as an MSP, I have received lots of correspondence about the challenges that families with children with additional support needs face, and over the past 12 months I have certainly heard much of what Michael Marra has said. One of the more pertinent issues is the lack of wraparound care. Wraparound care is critical for lots of families as it can support parents into work, but the need is even greater for parents with children with ASN. I read the briefing that Pregnant Then Screwed Scotland has provided, which states that, despite the statutory duty for local authorities to provide out-of-hours care for children with ASN, a staggering 71 per cent of surveyed parents reported serious difficulties in accessing that support.”
“The BRIA highlights some local surveys that have identified benefits from increased visitor spending at local attractions, increased footfall in town centres and new employment opportunities. The Presiding Officer: There will be a brief pause before we move on to the next item of business. Two Minutes’ Silence 11:59”
“Can the cabinet secretary provide an update on what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the positive impact that cruise ships and their passengers have not just on Scotland’s tourism economy as a whole but on the economies of the local communities where the ships dock? Shona Robison: There is some uncertainty about how much passengers and crews spend onshore per day. In the published business and regulatory impact assessment, the Scottish Government presents estimates of the overall passenger and crew spending onshore in Scotland in 2024, which range from £55 million to £102 million. The spending will generally be concentrated around the port where the cruise ship is docked, although passengers may travel further from some ports than from others.”
“Prior to July 2024, the UK had a Government that actively worked against those priorities and there is now a Labour Government at Westminster that has failed to deliver on its election promises. I remember that Mr Sarwar assured the nation, “Read my lips: no austerity under Labour.” His silence now is deafening. The fact that the Welsh Labour First Minister is calling out her UK Labour Government colleagues speaks volumes. I welcome the programme for government, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the chamber as the bills proceed through the Parliament. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the winding-up speeches. 16:35”
“We have all heard reports of botched procedures; we have read the papers and seen the online news items. Those reports, including those of tragic, fatal cases, have fuelled concerns about unqualified practitioners, whose existence is deeply concerning. There is a risk that patients will be misled into thinking that the sector is currently totally safe, when there are individuals who are operating without being properly qualified. I will touch on a couple of other aspects of the programme for government. I was struck by the contrast between politics in Scotland and in the rest of the UK. Our First Minister reiterated his commitment to eradicating child poverty while growing the economy, investing in public services and tackling the climate emergency.”
“The bill will help to deliver a non-surgical cosmetic sector that will be safer for all clients living in Scotland. The industry has grown significantly since my first discussion with Jill Best, but the lack of regulation leaves the authorities uncertain about the actual size of the industry in Scotland. That is why regulation is critical not only for improving patient safety but for giving an insight into the number of businesses offering those treatments at the moment. Having recognised those concerns, I wrote repeatedly to the Scottish Government, highlighting Jill’s worries and emphasising the need for action. The non-surgical cosmetic sector is here is to stay and will continue expanding, which makes legislation absolutely imperative.”
“At the time, I was surprised to learn that injectable treatments that used prescription-only medicines were being offered without any regulatory framework, which is why I am really delighted by the announcement that the Scottish Government will legislate in that area. The introduction of the bill on non-surgical cosmetic procedures will be welcomed by many people across the country, and I know that it has cross-party support. We have just heard from Martin Whitfield, and I know that Miles Briggs, Roz McCall and my colleague Colin Beattie have also all been involved in supporting that particular campaign. I also thank Jenni Minto, the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, for meeting and listening to campaigners from the sector and for helping to get the bill into the programme for government.”
“For completeness, and regarding Martin Whitfield’s comments about the five bills to be introduced, two bills are still to be introduced during this session of Parliament, in addition to the 14 bills already in the parliamentary process, which highlights how busy Parliament will be over the next year. Martin Whitfield: My request was to move the care bill forward so that there could be space for those new bills to be completed along with the others. Would the member welcome that? Stuart McMillan: Thank you. I am pleased to speak in this debate, following the First Minister’s setting out of his clear vision for our country and for those who live here. I will focus most of my contribution on an issue that was first raised with me in 2018 by one of my constituents, Jill Best, a nurse who has worked in medical aesthetics since 2010.”
“I am pleased that the programme for government will include a bill on non-surgical cosmetic procedures, making the aesthetics sector safer for patients and practitioners. As the First Minister will be aware, one of my constituents has lobbied for that for quite some time. Can the First Minister indicate when he plans to introduce that bill in the Scottish Parliament? The First Minister: We will introduce the bill during the remainder of the parliamentary session, with the objective of ensuring that that legislation is complete by the end of this session. I commend Mr McMillan for the way in which he has pursued the issue, and I am glad that we have found the legislative vehicle that will enable us to take it forward.”
“How much has the Scottish Government increased investment in health and social care integration since 2021-22? Ivan McKee: The 2025-26 budget includes almost £2.2 billion for social care integration. That means that, since 2021-22, the Scottish Government has increased social care investment by almost £1.2 billion, thereby exceeding our commitment to increase funding by 25 per cent by more than £350 million.”
“After listening to stakeholders, the committee concluded that, although there might not be a single definition and that, even with a definition, there is still scope for reasonable disagreement and grey areas as to whether a provision in a bill meets that definition, it is possible to set out what framework legislation is. In our report, we concluded that it is: “legislation that sets out the principles for a policy but does not include substantial detail on how that policy will be given practical effect. Instead, this type of legislation seeks to give broad powers to ministers or others to fill in this detail at a later stage”.”
“Achieving the right balance—by ensuring that powers are only delegated appropriately and that appropriate safeguards are in place—is an important undertaking, and we were glad to see that that significance is understood by many colleagues and stakeholders. There has been a lot of discussion about what we mean by framework legislation. During the evidence session on 21 January 2025 with Finlay Carson and Kenneth Gibson, Mr Carson highlighted the difficulty perfectly as he alluded to two different definitions of framework legislation. That highlights the key challenge that politicians face when it comes to framework legislation.”
“Although issues that are related to delegated powers might not be widely understood or discussed outside of the political, legal and policy bubbles, the level and quality of the engagement clearly demonstrate how important the scrutiny of delegated powers is. That should impress on all parliamentarians the need to carefully consider delegated powers in the context of scrutinising a bill. I will repeat a comment that I have made in the past in the chamber: I recommend that every member spends time on the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, because it clearly increases the understanding and appreciation of how legislation and our Parliament work. In delegating a power, the Parliament is giving away the power to create law in a certain area.”
“We also heard from other legislatures across the world, including from Commonwealth Parliamentary Association colleagues. As members know, I highly value the work and engagement of the CPA. The committee was also greatly helped in its work by views from key stakeholder organisations that are at the heart of Scottish policy making; leading academics and think tanks; and eminent legal bodies. On behalf of all the committee members, I thank everyone who gave their time by providing the committee with written responses, and by speaking with the committee, both informally and as a witness.”
“We set out to examine a number of key questions including, first, whether framework legislation can be defined; secondly, whether it is, indeed, becoming more common; and thirdly, what might be done to improve scrutiny. That was in relation to both framework primary legislation and framework powers being used to make secondary legislation. In seeking to explore those questions, the committee was indebted to the thoughtful and interesting responses to our work that we received. As members will know, we heard directly from the convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee, Kenneth Gibson, and the convener of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, Finlay Carson. I am pleased that Finlay Carson will speak in the debate as the convener of that committee.”
“Indeed, the chair of the House of Lords Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, Lord McLoughlin, whom we met on our committee fact-finding visit to London, said that the change in views in relation to framework legislation—between being in opposition and being in government—was akin to Damascene conversion. Whichever political party is in charge, Oppositions are generally against legislating in such a way, and Governments are in favour of it. However, we also recognised that some members in the Parliament hold a genuine concern about framework elements in bills that have come forward this session, and that there is a perception that those are becoming more common.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss the work of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee’s inquiry into framework legislation and Henry VIII powers. The genesis of the inquiry was a genuine desire of the committee to look at the issue of framework legislation. We hoped that, by taking a step back from any particular bill, with its detail and policy context, we would be able to look at the bigger picture. We hoped that that was a way to slightly depoliticise the issue, recognising that framework legislation has been used by Governments of all stripes over the years, and not just in Scotland.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what dialogue it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding shared care agreements for adults with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism diagnoses. (S6O-04561)”
“The current board and management need to turn the yard back to being efficient. Strong leadership is needed so that the yard—whether in public or private ownership—can build vessels for the future for many years to come. Jamie Halcro Johnston touched on some of the challenges, but he also touched on the opportunities that our islands now have. He touched on EMEC, which I went to see a number of years ago as part of a parliamentary inquiry and which was a fascinating experience. As members can imagine, EMEC can only grow the economy in Orkney, and I whole-heartedly support it. I am conscious of time. I again thank Jamie Halcro Johnston for securing the debate, which is important and has certainly been interesting, given in particular some of the contributions from across the parties. 19:07”
“However, I genuinely recognise the challenges that islanders, businesses and communities face, and I support the calls to assist the islands as much as possible. I genuinely do not want the same mistakes to be made in relation to island communities as have happened in other parts of Scotland. Kenneth Gibson touched on the part of the motion that deals with transport links, which I highlighted a moment ago. I will address that head on. The delay in the delivery of vessels has not been positive for our islands—nor, certainly, for the shipyard in my constituency. The workforce of Ferguson Marine has apologised on many occasions. Those workers are also visitors to the islands, so they know how challenging the delays have become. That is not the record that they want to have. Before liquidation in 2014, the record was excellent.”