Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“We are committed to securing a just transition for Grangemouth. We have provided more than £12 million in funding to support the creation of up to 279 jobs. We are also committed to supporting workers who have been made redundant as a result of commercial decisions at Grangemouth.”
“The unions, especially Unite the Union, have been constructive throughout and have put the needs of their members before anything else. What role has our Government played to create a future for the workers who have been abandoned and discarded by the United Kingdom Labour Government?”
“It has worked with us to establish the Grangemouth jobs prioritisation scheme, which ensures that redundant workers are prioritised for new opportunities arising at Grangemouth as a result of the Grangemouth just transition fund.”
“Kate Forbes: I agree that attracting a varied and diverse range of investors who are able to meet the needs of companies across all projects and stages is vital. We have seen huge growth in start- ups, and now the focus needs to turn to scale-ups.”
“High streets are going to be hammered again by inaction on business rates that, in many cases, are doubling or trebling. Has the Government done any analysis of the impact of those increases on business closures and vacancy rates, and what they will do to the streets? Should the Government not look again at pausing the process?”
“Oliver Mundell: I associate myself with comments from colleagues across the chamber about the Deputy First Minister. I am concerned that the Scottish National Party- led Dumfries and Galloway Council is undoing all that hard work by continuing with its obsession with wasting £70 million of taxpayers’ money on the deeply unpopular Whitesan…”
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“We monitor and consider a range of evidence in relation to the energy sector. As part of that approach, we commissioned and published independent analysis of Scotland’s energy system and just transition. That analysis considers the economic impact of Scotland’s oil and gas industry, including in terms of employment, during the transition to net zero. Douglas Lumsden: I thank the Deputy First Minister for that answer, but it is not good, because the North Sea industry has been trapped in a vicious circle of Scottish National Party Governments that demonise oil and gas, egged on by student politicians and Green extremists, who delight in every announcement of hundreds of jobs being lost in the north-east.”
“Now that ministers have finally accepted that position, will the Deputy First Minister commit to continuing to listen to the constructive pro-growth solutions that the Scottish Conservatives set out, starting with action on business rates, to restore confidence in Scotland’s retail, hospitality and leisure sectors? Kate Forbes: It is always nice, if a little bit rare, to hear constructive pro-growth policies from the Conservatives—[Interruption]—although I always appreciate Liz Smith’s contributions in that regard. We just need to get the rest of her colleagues into the same space.”
“The Scottish Government has regular engagement with the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through the non-domestic rates consultative group, which is chaired by the Minister for Public Finance, and other forums such as the Scottish hospitality round table. We regularly discuss matters of importance, including budget priorities and the views of stakeholders, in the run-up to the Scottish budget. As is normal, decisions on non-domestic rates policy for next year will be set out in the budget on 13 January 2026. Liz Smith: The Deputy First Minister knows that it was the Scottish Conservatives who warned that a flat-rate levy would be much fairer and easier for businesses to administer, which is why we lodged amendments to make that happen.”
“Our three core objectives remain unchanged: to complete the ferries that are required by our island communities; to support a highly skilled and dedicated workforce; and to secure a sustainable future for a shipyard that is of national industrial importance. We share the committee’s ambition for a competitive, resilient and well-managed shipyard. In particular, I noted Richard Leonard’s point that the committee wants the yard to succeed. That is a good point of consensus as we start the debate.”
“I welcome the opportunity to open this debate for the Government and to respond to the Public Audit Committee’s report on the 2023-24 audit of Ferguson Marine. I am grateful to the committee and to Audit Scotland for their continued scrutiny and the constructive challenge that they bring to the operations of an important Government-owned business. Ferguson Marine is the Clyde’s last commercial shipbuilder. It plays an essential role in providing lifeline ferries for our island communities, and it remains—as, I am sure, my colleague Stuart McMillan, the local MSP, will make clear—a cornerstone of the local economy. By taking Ferguson Marine into public ownership in 2019, we protected more than 300 skilled jobs and ensured that the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa would be completed in Scotland.”
“Despite scoring strongly on the technical aspect of the bid, Ferguson Marine lost out on price to a yard that has no obligation to meet the same high standard of labour laws that we have in this country. The Government needs to develop, at pace, a model of public procurement that takes account of social value. Procurement law has not changed since 2014—”
“To use his word, the member talked about the “politicisation” of the award—I assume that he means back in 2015. He now wants us to break subsidy control and procurement law by making a direct award for the small vessel replacement programme. Can I just get the story straight? Daniel Johnson: The Subsidy Control Act 2022 is clear—this has not changed since 2014—that there are several criteria that can be used, including local context and social value, and a direct award is certainly possible. If the Scottish Government wants to prevent the issue from being a political football, it should provide the yard with the investment that it needs in order to operate. That brings me to my second point. We know that CMAL did not take account of the immense social value that the small ferries contract would have brought to Scotland and to Inverclyde.”
“That is the approach that we want to adopt, too, instead of being drawn to taking a single democratic or constitutional approach to those areas. We will therefore lay out more steps, but the approach needs to be flexible; after all, the approach taken in Glasgow might not be the same as that taken in, say, Aberdeen. We are keen to see that dynamic approach adopted.”
“Does the Scottish Government plan to facilitate a greater level of democratic mandate for this new city-region tier of governance, or are we going to end up with a feeble version of England’s combined authority system, with some executive powers but none of the democratic accountability? Kate Forbes: I welcome Paul Sweeney’s recognition of the steps that the First Minister has laid out. In my first answer, I said that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and there does need to be a more dynamic approach. It is interesting to see what lessons we can learn from some of the greater authorities—Manchester is often referred to in that respect—but it is quite clear that their approach to development and planning is dynamic.”
“Paul Sweeney: At last Friday’s state of the city economy conference in Glasgow, the First Minister promised that the Government would introduce enabling legislation in the next parliamentary session to allow regional partnerships to seek legal status, unlock new powers and design delivery models tailored to local priorities. With further details yet to be provided, that seems to be one of the biggest changes to government in Scotland since the creation of the Parliament, finally filling the strategic gap that has been present in Scotland since the abolition of the regional councils in 1996.”
“Growing the economy is a top Government priority and we agree with the Centre for Cities that further empowering regions is key to delivering that. As the First Minister announced last week, we will introduce legislation in the next parliamentary session to enable regional partnerships to establish legal status and unlock new powers. Our approach will be dynamic and we will work with regions to design structures that suit them. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Indeed, new research from the University of Glasgow centre for public policy recommends moving away from the assumption that appointing mayors is the best approach.”
“I am aware that the member is the co-convener of the cross-party group on the Scottish games ecosystem, and I know that he will share my view on the importance of fair work principles being embedded in all businesses and among all employers. I absolutely agree with that position. Ayrshire College (Financial Sustainability) 8.”
“In recent weeks, I have heard from people who work in the games sector across Scotland, who say that the demands of the sector, including what is known as “crunch”—a period of mandatory overtime prior to deadlines—are leading to burnout and a high turnover of staff, and making the industry inaccessible to too many in Scotland. In that context, there are—rightly—growing calls for unionisation in the industry. Does the Deputy First Minister agree that workers’ rights to organise must be upheld, and will she ensure that any Government funding is contingent on that basis? Kate Forbes: I am in full agreement with Michael Marra.”
“Before I answer, I hope that the member will indulge me in welcoming pupils from Fortrose academy, who have just arrived in the gallery. We are fully committed to supporting Scotland’s thriving games ecosystem. This year, we supported the prestigious DICE Europe conference in Edinburgh, which maximised benefits for Scotland’s games ecosystem and showcased our industry to the world. We have engaged with Rockstar Games and reiterated that we expect all employers to treat staff respectfully and engage openly with workers and trade unions. Michael Marra: I know that the Deputy First Minister will stand with me when I say that our thoughts are with the staff who are affected by the redundancy dismissals at Rockstar Games.”
“Kate Forbes: The credit rating results are absolutely excellent for Scotland, and they confirm that this country is high investment grade. As the independent investor panel pointed out, a credit rating and a bond issuance can act as a means of increasing investor engagement in Scotland. It is a gateway to broader investment, enhanced visibility in global capital markets and a stronger platform for economic diplomacy. I am delighted that we have been able to deliver on the recommendation made to us in the report of the investor panel.”
“Following the excellent credit rating results, the Scottish Government is making all necessary preparations to ensure that a multiyear bond programme can commence in 2026-27. As the First Minister announced earlier this month, the total size of the programme is expected to be £1.5 billion over the next parliamentary session, subject to in-year borrowing requirements and market conditions. Jackie Dunbar: The positive credit ratings are testament to Scotland’s track record of responsible fiscal management, and it is welcome that the Government remains on track to commence the bond programme in 2026-27. Can the Deputy First Minister say any more about how the programme is expected to support the Scottish Government’s investment in key infrastructure?”
“One of the most obvious costs is that—despite most parties agreeing that the energy profits levy is guaranteed to cost thousands of jobs, not just in the north-east, but elsewhere—the UK Government has not offered any hope of delivering a change to the tax before redundancies take place. In other words, it is waiting for thousands of people to lose their jobs before it replaces the energy profits levy. The UK Government seems to be interested only in policies that suppress the job market, hit family firms and family farms, and cost people their jobs. The rhetoric from both parties that are sitting opposite me is undermined by the reality of what they have delivered while they have been in Government. I think that the people of Scotland can see through that. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Murdo Fraser to wind up the debate. 17:08”
“I also know that many people voted for Labour because energy prices were one of the single most challenging costs that households were grappling with. They hit people hard. I remember sitting next to a senior Labour MP who promised that Great British Energy would reduce people’s bills by £300, which perhaps tells us how much thought Labour had given to designing GB Energy prior to the election. However, UK household energy bills are now £340 a year higher than the Prime Minister promised, even after today’s announcement. As we have heard in the debate, the UK Government is not even pretending to deliver on its promises. It is giving all sorts of reasons for that, not least the legacy that was left by the last Government. However, there is a cost to the broken promises and ideological incoherence.”
“The only change that we have seen is that Labour has frequently changed its position, sometimes within days. I think that it would be fair to characterise its manifesto more as fiction rather than non-fiction, and there has been a constant saga of U-turns and broken promises. Many people have commented that the budget process has been absolute chaos from start to finish. Every time the chancellor did an interview, she raised the prospect of a new tax. That is not just bad politics; it reverberates across the economy and creates huge unease and uncertainty, when we know that the economy thrives on certainty. That is part of the reason why businesses, some of which have been quoted already in the debate, have been so critical of the UK Government’s budget.”
“I think that that illustrates what we can do when we work closely in partnership with the drivers of economic growth, which are our businesses, our workforce, and our wonderful founders. The debate was a characteristically Labour moment, I felt. If the Tories’ time in office was characterised by arrogance and frequent bouts of ineptitude, then Labour’s time in office has been incoherent and confused. It is worth remembering why millions of voters backed Labour last year. Many of them had high hopes that change would happen. Michael Marra: [Made a request to intervene.] Kate Forbes: I have only four minutes. Many believed that Labour’s manifesto would deliver economic growth and prosperity, and many believed and hoped that the party would be different.”
“I know that members will agree that it is always nice to start an economy debate with a bit of positivity, which has been sorely lacking so far this afternoon. Looking back at the journey that the Scottish Government has been on over the past few years, there are some very encouraging statistics that reflect the creativity, brilliance and vision of Scottish business. Back in 2020, we set out a vision to establish Scotland as one of Europe’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial economies. The latest Tech Nation report shows that Scotland is by far the fastest-growing major entrepreneurial economy in the UK, and among one of the most dynamic in Europe, growing at an annual rate of 19 per cent and outpacing the wider UK at 12.5 per cent, France at 12 per cent and even Sweden—one of the world’s most admired start-up economies—at 10 per cent.”
“I move, That the Parliament believes that the UK Budget should be an opportunity to promote economic growth, deliver investment in Scotland and address the alarming increase in economic inactivity; recognises the importance of backing working households, easing cost pressures and protecting Scotland’s rural economy; believes that ending the Energy Profits Levy is essential to secure investment in the North Sea; emphasises that the UK Labour administration’s tax rises on family farms and small businesses are deeply damaging and should be reversed, and warns against further tax rises; calls on the Scottish Government to prioritise growth with measures to improve productivity, support small businesses, tackle soaring welfare costs and strengthen Scotland’s fiscal position, and believes that both of Scotland’s governments must urgently prioritise economic stability, investment and opportunity as the foundations of sustainable public services within the UK.”
“That would deliver the best solution to tackle the cost of living crisis by giving people their own money back. That would be a good budget for Scotland and a good budget for growth, but it will not happen because John Swinney is Rachel Reeves in disguise. We need both of Scotland’s Governments to urgently prioritise economic growth and to deliver economic stability. The Scottish Conservatives are pro-growth, we are low-tax and we are on the side of workers and businesses.”
“There is a higher tax on middle-income earners and a mansions tax, which sends out a message to the world that the rich ain’t welcome in Britain any more. Labour is not just making the same mistakes as the SNP is on tax; it is making the same mistakes on welfare, too, with £3 billion to remove the two- child benefit cap and a failure to fundamentally reform the social security system. Labour’s approach and the SNP’s approach mean that welfare spending is now out of control in Scotland and in the rest of the UK. I accept that today’s budget delivers extra resources of £820 million to the Scottish Government. My challenge to John Swinney and the SNP is this: why not do something that they have not done before? They should do something novel, such as cut tax.”
“Freezing thresholds might in the short term stealthily fill the chancellor’s black hole, but that will surely and steadily damage the economy as more and more middle earners become enmeshed in ever higher taxes. As we see in Scotland, the net effect is that people work less hard, save less, retire earlier or do not take that promotion, which all compounds the depressing doom loop that undermines growth and investment. However, it is not just income tax that is rising under Labour—there are higher taxes on savings, dividends, gambling, capital gains and the use of electric cars. There is national insurance on salary-sacrifice pensions and more tax on Irn Bru. This is not a smorgasbord of tax changes; it is a fiscal car crash that is anti-aspiration, anti- business and anti-growth. The politics of envy are all over the budget.”
“Neither the United Kingdom chancellor nor the Scottish finance secretary has grasped the fundamental rules around taxation. What Scotland needs now is the sensible application of a modern- day equivalent of Reaganomics, not the counterintuitive, tinpot fiscal policies of Rachel Reeves and Shona Robison. Our motion sets out a position against any further tax rises. Instead, Rachel Reeves is setting out on a path towards ever higher tax—a path to nowhere that is well trodden by Shona Robison and the SNP—and an extra £26 billion in tax by 2029-30. That is the highest ever tax base in the United Kingdom. It is tax on top of tax on top of tax.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Craig Hoy: If I can get the time back, Deputy Presiding Officer. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There is not a lot of time, but we will see how we go. Kate Forbes: Could the member remind us which party introduced the EPL? That is all that I want to know. [Interruption.] Craig Hoy: The Deputy First Minister should have been here earlier. I believe that she asked for it. Which party brought in the presumption against the issuing of further oil and gas licences in Scotland, which is doing damage to the Scottish economy? There is a raft of other tax and spending announcements where our commonsense calls have been ignored by both Governments. Labour’s cruel family farm tax will do real damage to the farming community and the wider rural economy.”
“I would be grateful if members who wish to put a question were to press their request-to-speak button.”
“Although today is an important milestone in the UK inquiry’s work, we must remember that it is one part of a careful and thorough process. We will continue to fully engage and work with the UK and Scottish Covid inquiries, and we look forward to their future findings. It is vital that our national response to any future emergency is informed and strengthened by the lessons that we have learned from the Covid pandemic. We remain committed to being open and transparent, and focused on delivering a response that delivers improvements for the future. The Presiding Officer: The Deputy First Minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions, after which we will move to the next item of business.”
“The group, which I will chair, will meet over the coming weeks to discuss the report and its recommendations. I look forward to engaging directly with those who have generously offered their time, expertise and challenge to support that vital work. We will now take the necessary time and space to carefully and comprehensively examine the inquiry’s report and its recommendations. That will enable us to reflect meaningfully on the findings, consider the implications in depth and engage constructively with the content, ensuring that any subsequent actions or responses will drive meaningful improvement. The engagement group will play a vital role in providing robust and effective challenge as we navigate this journey.”
“Taking into account the views of people who lived through and experienced the pandemic will be vital in helping to shape our response to the recommendations. That is why our response will be informed by wide stakeholder engagement, including a dedicated Covid inquiries response engagement group, which brings together representatives from key stakeholder organisations. It includes, among others, voices from organisations representing bereaved families, as well as those working with disabled people, minority ethnic and other marginalised communities, and older people. Members of the group will provide their learning and insight to the Scottish Government during the development of the response to the recommendations, ensuring that the interests of their member groups are fully represented.”
“In considering the inquiry’s findings for module 2, we remain committed to working constructively with our counterparts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure that our collective response to any future emergency is effective, practical and well co-ordinated. The Scottish Government will now take the necessary time to carefully consider the findings and recommendations. We are committed to a thorough and thoughtful review process, and we will respond fully in due course. Those who have been affected by the pandemic, particularly those who bore some form of loss, have placed a great deal of trust in the Scottish Government not just to take on the challenges that Covid posed but to be open and transparent in our approach.”
“As the Parliament will be aware, in July 2024, the UK inquiry published its first report, which looked at resilience and preparedness. We published our response to that report in January this year. Since then, we have taken forward further key actions, including participating in a UK- wide exercise to test Government pandemic preparedness and publishing a report setting out improvements and changes that have been introduced to the Scottish resilience landscape. Following publication of the module 1 report, there was collective discussion on the recommendations across the four nations ahead of our publishing our response.”
“I enormously appreciate the contributions of all the organisations and individuals who have shared their experiences with the inquiries, often revisiting traumatic events and profoundly challenging periods of their lives. Their contribution has been vital in helping to tell the story of the pandemic and in allowing the inquiries to play their role in scrutinising the decisions that were taken. During the pandemic, the Scottish Government’s foremost priority was to protect the public from the novel coronavirus Covid-19. We had to learn and adapt rapidly, implementing unprecedented measures to limit transmission and safeguard our most vulnerable communities. With the benefit of hindsight, we acknowledge that some choices, which were made in good faith at the time and under immense pressures, might not have been the right ones.”
“I appreciate that timing of the publication of the independent report means that members will have had limited time to review the report prior to this statement, but the same is true of me. However, given the significant public interest, I thought it important that I update Parliament on the day of publication within the parliamentary day. I am giving a statement today so that I can provide a more detailed update than a response to a parliamentary question would allow, and to provide the opportunity for members to ask me questions on such an important report. As the report is published, my thoughts turn to the many families across Scotland who lost loved ones during the pandemic. In recognition of the hurt, loss and suffering that are felt by so many, we are committed to learning from the past.”
“The report examines decision making and political governance across the United Kingdom during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a period that profoundly affected every aspect of our national life. The Scottish Government has fully engaged with and supported the evidence-gathering process for the UK inquiry. The First Minister and I gave oral evidence during the module 2A public hearings in Edinburgh in January 2024, alongside many other current and former ministers and officials, contributing to the wealth of evidence collated by the inquiry. I extend my thanks to the chair and the inquiry team for their efforts in preparing the report. I am conscious of the immense responsibility that the inquiry team holds in ensuring that important lessons are learned for the future.”
“The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on people across Scotland, and its impact continues to be felt today. In recognition of the loss, hurt and suffering experienced by people across Scotland and the rest of the UK, it is vital that we learn lessons from the pandemic to make improvements for the future. We want to make effective and practical changes to learn from past events and ensure that we are prepared and ready for future challenges, such as another pandemic. The Scottish and UK Covid-19 inquiries are playing a valuable role in helping us to do that by scrutinising the approach taken during the pandemic and holding decision makers, including the Scottish Government, to account. Today, I welcome the publication of the UK Covid-19 inquiry’s module 2 report, which was published this afternoon.”
“The work that we have done in the Highlands and Islands with the workforce north scheme, for example, and the work that we are doing in the south of Scotland, which is tailored to specific opportunities, illustrates that there is already scope for flexibility in the system, and we should make the most of that.”
“Could the cabinet secretary accept or address the point that I raised about the reduction in plumbing apprenticeships in Dundee as a result of low confidence in that sector? Does she think that we need to have a system that responds to the varying needs of different parts of the economy? There seems to be no flex for that. Kate Forbes: I agree on the importance of plumbing apprenticeships. From speaking to a number of different employers, I know that even when there is a significant investment to be made—as I heard this morning—the challenge of securing tradesmen and women illustrates just how big the demand is and the need to ensure that there is that pipeline. The issue of flexibility across the country is particularly close to my heart.”
“A number of people talked about employers and public sector colleges and schools that are doing an excellent job. I have certainly seen that myself. Just last week, when we launched the new workforce north scheme, which is a workforce plan for the Highlands and Islands to respond to the £100 billion of investment that is in the pipeline, we met a number of apprentices of different ages and from different backgrounds— some of them were career changers in their late 40s and some were straight out of school. That illustrates just how diverse apprenticeships are right now. This year’s record of 110,380 vocational and technical qualification awards demonstrates the growing recognition of those routes and their positive impact. Willie Rennie: I am keen to return to miserableness.”
“I will start by agreeing with Willie Rennie that it is great news that there is huge demand for workforce because of the opportunities in our economy. Often, Opposition debates go down a doom and gloom route about the state of our economy; it is great to see that completely reversed in this debate. One of the symptoms of growth is the need to recruit and ensure that we have the right skills. I am grateful to Labour for bringing the debate to the chamber today. I am slightly confused, though—for Conservative Party Opposition debates, its back benchers at least turn up, but I think that fewer than half the Labour members are here this afternoon. I certainly think that this is an important issue to discuss. I will go through some of the points that have been made.”
“I move, That the Parliament believes that Scotland’s skills system is letting down young people and holding back economic growth, and further believes that there needs to be a new partnership between education and industry, with better careers advice in schools central to it, and new Scottish industrial pathways to link school subjects to future careers, guaranteed industrial placements for secondary school pupils including in industry and a clearing system for apprenticeships, so that good candidates do not fall out of the system. 15:09”
“It has been eight years since the Scottish Government’s enterprise and skills review outlined serious deficiencies in the skills system and three years since James Withers published his review, but instead of fixing the problems that users are experiencing, the Government’s only foray into the skills base has been the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill, the only function of which is to shift responsibilities from one agency to another. That simply will not meet the challenges that we face over the next three to five years, as outlined at the beginning of my speech.”
“Rapid changes in our economy—in technology, the climate and, imperatively, demographics—mean that we must stop viewing skills as a thing that people do once at the start of their careers. Our modern apprenticeships programme is genuinely first class, but it is slow to adapt to economic changes and is inaccessible to learners who are already in the workforce. That is why we need to give learners who look to upskill or retrain the ability to do so while in work through a modular system that is all underwritten by student finance and that supports them in the same way that it supports those who do a university degree.”
“In my constituency, Liberton high school has, despite the system, partnered with employers such as Balfour Beatty to pioneer a small-scale construction pathway that gives young people early hands-on experience in construction. With a clear vision that everyone matters, Liberton high school is doing its bit to get more young people into well-paying construction jobs, but it is the exception, and the programme is in doubt because of a lack of funding. We need to get every part of the education system thinking about skills and the world of work. That is why, by working with industry to introduce clear pathways from school into jobs, training and education, a Scottish Labour Government would give every pupil the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”
“From the age of nine to 13, they begin to dismiss potential roles on the bases of gender, esteem or competence. As things stand, more than half of all young Scots who do not go to university do not have a clear line of sight to good jobs and training. By the time they arrive at the point at which they make choices about their future, they are disempowered by an education system that is decoupled from the world of work. It does not have to be like that. In Greater Manchester, Mayor Andy Burnham is developing the Greater Manchester baccalaureate, which involves partnering with industry to deliver the combination of subjects and work experience that will set young people on a pathway to good work and training.”
“If we want a full and frank discussion, let us have transparency on the funding that is being delivered through the levy. Confidence in the Government is low, and apprenticeship numbers are not keeping up with demand. The Government has scrapped the flexible workforce development fund and dismantled industry-facing bodies such as the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board and Skills Development Scotland. We need a new and genuinely lifelong skills system that starts at school, opens up routes to work for young people in education and helps to retrain and upskill experienced workers so that they can take advantage of new and developing opportunities and industries. Evidence suggests that between the ages of six and eight, children begin to form occupational aspirations.”
“It is not about money; it is about choices. We know that the money that Scottish businesses pay through the apprenticeship levy far exceeds what the Scottish Government chooses to spend on skills. Scottish firms pay a payroll tax on the premise that the funds will go into workforce development, only for the Scottish National Party Government to plunder that money to spend it on mitigating its financial incompetence. Last year, the shortfall between what the Scottish Government was granted through the block grant and what it actually spent was £62 million. That is an estimate, because the Scottish Government will not publish the figure, and I note that the Conservatives have a different figure. We simply need that clarity.”
“Only 25,500 places were funded this year, which is a shortfall of 4,500 and is 8,500 short of the 34,000 places that industry says that it needs to meet demand. We have growing sectors in our economy that are crying out for more apprentices. Scottish Engineering has said: “Scotland needs an additional 58% of new engineers across 31 key roles by the end of 2027, over three quarters of which are delivered by apprenticeship programmes.” According to the Construction Industry Training Board, the construction workforce in the south- east of Scotland alone is 20,000 people short of industry demand. Those two sectors are critical to Scotland’s economy. The construction sector is the literal source when it comes to building the growth that we need, but it is being hamstrung by a system that fails to prioritise according to its needs.”
“I am listening to the member with interest, and he will know that I believe that the scale of opportunity in Scotland is such that we need to have a skills pipeline. Does he accept that, with unemployment at fairly low levels—lower than the United Kingdom average—one of the challenges is the size of the workforce, and that getting specific talents and skills also requires targeted visas? Daniel Johnson: That intervention from the Deputy First Minister ignores the fact that the number of people who are economically inactive is higher in Scotland than in the UK. Let us have that full and frank conversation—the Government, however, simply refuses to be full and frank. At the previous election, the Scottish National Party promised 30,000 modern apprenticeship starts per year by the end of this parliamentary session, but it has failed.”