Alexander Stewart
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“Housing for older people is a key priority that is driven by an ageing population. Does the Scottish Government recognise that prioritising the right type of housing can improve quality of life and reduce the need for public services, particularly in health and social care? Màiri McAllan: I agree with that.”
“Suicide in young people has reached a crisis point. The breaking the silence suicide prevention project that has been piloted in schools in my region is a step in the right direction.”
“To ask the Scottish Government for what reason, despite an increase in the number of businesses pledging to pay the real living wage, the percentage of people actually being paid the real living wage or more has been decreasing for three consecutive years. (S6O-05654)”
“I thank the cabinet secretary for early sight of the statement. The Scottish National Party talks a good game on child poverty, but it has failed to back up those words with actions; it has failed to close the attainment gap, one in five children lives in poverty, and it has failed to make work a viable route out of poverty.”
“I spoke about not just the £90 million—now with a multiyear commitment—for our employability service, but also the £19 million that is going into the transport to employment offer, and the £15 million for childcare for priority families that need that support to enter employment.”
“The cabinet secretary is committed to increasing all benefits with inflation, but how much will that add to the already blooming benefit bill?”
The complete record
Every one of 374 lines we hold for Alexander Stewart, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 8.
“[Interruption.] The Presiding Officer: Let us not be shouting at one another. Shona Robison: The updated SFC forecast shows a substantial reduction in the Scottish Government’s benefits investment over and above block grant adjustments received from the UK Government, largely resulting from the UK Government’s welcome but belated reversal of the unacceptable cuts to disability benefits, which was announced on 3 July 2025. The funding that we expect to receive through the social security block grant adjustments now covers 87 per cent of the forecast expenditure for 2026-27. That figure will increase to 88 per cent for 2027-28 onwards and is forecast to reach 89 per cent in 2030-31. That is perhaps not quite in line with the narrative that Alexander Stewart would like to give out.”
“Social security spending now accounts for around 14 per cent of the budget. Scotland spends significantly more than it receives, which adds hundreds of millions to the benefits bill. Which public services is the cabinet secretary taking money from in order to fund the Scottish Government’s bloated benefits bill? Can she seriously tell the public that the Government’s plans to spend more and more on the benefits bill are sustainable? Shona Robison: In turn, I ask Alexander Stewart which groups of people the Conservatives would remove help from, because they never tell us that. They use euphemisms and say that the social security bill is too high, but they do not have the guts to tell us who would lose out—not now, and not ever. Until we hear that, they cannot be taken seriously at all.”
“All parties in the chamber agree that the existence of dangerous cladding needs to be addressed, but that does not need to happen at the expense of tackling the housing emergency. Instead of inventing another unnecessary tax, the SNP Government should be delivering the required action on cladding that it has been promising for years and ensuring that residents and developers get exactly what they want. Otherwise, the Government is failing to deliver, failing in its responsibilities and failing on the committee’s recommendations. For all of those reasons, I will not be supporting the bill at stage 1. 16:21”
“However, I would urge the minister to consider the damage that not having an exemption could have on rural development. I believe that the committee’s recommendation of providing an exemption for “remote rural areas” would be helpful as a starting point. The last thing that Scotland’s housing sector needs is another SNP tax. The Scottish Government says that it accepts the urgency of Scotland’s housing emergency, but current house- building rates are already well below where we need to see them. The levy would risk making the emergency even worse, by hammering investment and house building. That means that the Scottish Conservatives cannot support the bill at stage 1.”
“Scottish Land & Estates has warned that, in its current form, the levy risks increasing the economic decline and depopulation of rural Scotland, which, once again, is not something that we should even be considering. It also highlights that the levy could undermine investor confidence in a “fragile” sector of the housing market. Homes for Scotland has warned that the levy could mean that more potential rural housing sites become uneconomical, which would lead to higher-margin sites in urban areas being developed instead. Once again, we should not be doing things that could affect our rural economy in ways that detract from what rural areas are trying to do; we should be supporting them. The minister has said that the inclusion of further exemptions in the bill would mean more of the levy’s impact falling on other areas.”
“Does he think that anybody knows? Alexander Stewart: Minister, you should be looking at where we are now, before considering what will happen in the future. You have not even managed to do what you should be doing for today, far less what you need to do for the future. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Always through the chair, please. Alexander Stewart: We do not need a crystal ball; we need something done to make sure that people are safe and secure today, never mind in the future. It is welcome that the bill includes an exemption for island developments, because island developers face specific challenges. However, given that many of those challenges also apply to rural areas, it is disappointing that the bill does not contain the same exemptions for them.”
“More generally, there are concerns about the lack of data and about how effective the levy would be in improving cladding remediation. We have heard about that already today. Even if the levy raises the £30 million that has been talked about, which is far from certain, that would cover only a small fraction of the total costs. Despite the issue having been on the Government’s radar for years, the SNP still does not know what the total cost of cladding remediation is likely to be. We are years down the road. The committee heard evidence that the financial memorandum uses “estimates of estimates”. Once again, we still do not have clarity on the actual funding package and its full impact. Ivan McKee: The member talks about uncertainty on the costs. Does he know what construction inflation is likely to be over the next 12 to 15 years?”
“Homes for Scotland has said that the levy does not reflect the sensitivities of the Scottish housing market, and that it could increase the cost of a new home by up to £3,500. It also warned that, despite affordable housing being exempt from the proposed levy, it will “not be protected in practice due to interconnectedness between private and social sectors”. Indeed, numerous stakeholders have warned that a reduction in new housing supply will be likely if the legislation goes forward. Those are risks that we do not want to see. The bill’s business and regulatory impact assessment made it clear that many stakeholders could not provide a “clear picture” of the costs that the bill would create for them. The BRIA also said that there was “limited evidence” of the potential impacts.”
“We know that few buildings have been assessed for dangerous cladding, and a fifth of the programme’s spending has been on temporary fixes. However, although further progress is clearly needed on the issue, we also know that Scotland is facing a housing emergency crisis. Social housing completions are at their lowest level since 2017, and private sector completions are at their lowest level since 2018. Although recent house-building statistics have been disappointing, the bill risks making the housing emergency even worse. We should not be considering a bill that could create an even worse housing situation. Not for the first time in this parliamentary session, the SNP Government is introducing primary legislation that would add costs and barriers for developers across Scotland. That is not something that we should be considering.”
“I am pleased to be able to contribute to the stage 1 debate. As a Parliament, it is right that we consider further measures to tackle dangerous cladding, but the bill before us today creates too many risks for the sector and for house builders at a time when construction is already too slow across Scotland. All residents deserve to see urgent action on dangerous cladding, to deliver certainty and peace of mind, but for far too long, the public have seen delay and dither from the Scottish Government. Progress on tackling the issue has been slow, despite the SNP receiving funding through Barnett consequentials to address dangerous cladding. There has been some discussion this afternoon about where that money is, how much has been spent and how much is left, but we have not had complete answers on any of that.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to maintain and increase teacher numbers. (S6O-05354)”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: The member is in his last minute. Alexander Stewart: I am in my last minute. I want Scotland’s tax system to support growth, reward work and deliver lower bills for Scottish workers. As we have already heard, that would be achieved by cutting Government waste, cutting into the unsustainable benefits bill—which every other party in the Parliament wants to increase— and supporting hard-pressed taxpayers and householders. I therefore support the motion in the name of Craig Hoy. These are sensible, forward-looking and pragmatic policies that we need in order to support our communities, constituents and businesses. 15:21”
“We also want to see a simpler Scottish income tax system with a single rate of 19 per cent applied up to the higher rate. Those are proportionate and reasonable policies that would bring us towards closing the current tax gap with the rest of the United Kingdom. They would ensure tax cuts— which could be up to £600—for the vast majority of Scottish workers. We should be trying to put more money back into the pockets of hard-pressed Scots and workers in our country to support them. Our policies would help to undo the damage that the SNP’s high-tax agenda has already done to the Scottish economy. They would also make Scotland an attractive destination for top talent. We should be trying to attract talent, not send it elsewhere, which is what we are doing on a daily basis. Ivan McKee: Will the member take an intervention on that point?”
“Regardless of what the Scottish Government might say, it is unlikely that it will be changing direction any time soon. Not content with keeping the higher-rate threshold significantly lower than elsewhere in the UK, the SNP raised the higher rate to 41 per cent and then raised it again in 2023. The SNP’s income tax strategy has been a never-ending series of tax rises, with the tax burden creeping up year on year. Scotland is therefore left with a tax system that is too complicated, too damaging to growth and too costly to the taxpayer. The SNP has played this game for many years, and it would be naive to believe that it will stop any time soon. Our solutions to the problem are clear. We are calling for the SNP to increase income tax thresholds in line with inflation in the forthcoming 2026-27 budget and in future budgets.”
“Stakeholders such as Scottish Financial Enterprise and the Confederation of British Industry continue to highlight the impact of those taxes on Scottish businesses. The CBI has said that higher Scottish taxes mean that businesses are struggling to compete for highly skilled staff, and that current income tax policy is acting like a “handbrake” on Scotland’s economic growth. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has called Scotland’s income tax system “unnecessarily complicated”, and that was before the SNP introduced the sixth band to the tax system. IFS analysis also shows that the behavioural changes caused by the tax policy mean that it is unclear how much revenue those changes have raised, and it says that the Government should be open to “reversing course” on its tax policy.”
“I am pleased to speak in favour of our motion, which calls for lower bills for workers, who are suffering as a result of the cost of living crisis, and for an end to the SNP’s high-tax agenda. The devolution of extensive taxation powers to the Scottish Government was an opportunity to create a tax system that supports Scottish businesses, incentivises growth and delivers for the Scottish public. However, it seems that the current SNP Government only ever saw those powers as a chance to hike taxes on hard-pressed Scottish workers. Making Scotland the highest- taxed part of the United Kingdom is hardly a legacy that the Scottish Government would have hoped for, but that is exactly what it has created.”
“The matter will go before committee, and I will be asked questions on that. We are not yet at the stage of adopting and delivering on the recommendations, but I know that Alexander Stewart and other colleagues will look closely at how Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government deliver them. I will be happy to answer questions when we get to that stage.”
“The independent review found Creative Scotland to be overbureaucratic, warned of a lack of transparency surrounding decisions on the use of public funds and highlighted poor leadership. How will the cabinet secretary ensure that the implementation of the recommendations delivers the meaningful reforms that are desperately needed and required? Angus Robertson: First, I wish Alexander Stewart a happy new year. I take the opportunity to say that I know that the interest in the culture and arts sector is a non-party-political issue, and I look to colleagues who are very committed to the sector. I know that any changes that we, as the Scottish Government, will seek to implement, or that Creative Scotland, which has received a lot of recommendations, will seek to implement, will be subject to parliamentary inquiry.”
“Over the coming four years, we are providing the greatest level of multi-annual certainty on the affordable housing supply programme that we have ever been able to provide. We have accompanied that with more money than has ever been put behind the programme. We have also set a new all-tenure target of 10 per cent growth in the next three years. In those ways and more, we are giving absolute certainty on the direction of travel of Government policy and accompanying that with greater investment. Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Housebuilders (Support) 5.”
“With recent statistics showing that the number of house building completions is at its lowest level since 18 September, it is clear that companies need more support to build the homes that Scotland requires. What action is the Scottish Government taking to ensure that the funding and regulatory certainty that those companies require is being addressed in order to tackle the housing crisis? Màiri McAllan: One of the points that is most often put to me in relation to creating policy and regulatory certainty is that we should offer a long- term direction of travel on the policy that the Government will adopt and the funding that will be available. The housing emergency action plan that we set out in September sought to do that.”
“We also heard today about difficulties faced in health services and how deaf people can be affected as a result. In conclusion, the SNP Government should take the committee’s report as an important reminder of those issues and ensure that the 2015 act can finally live up to its full potential so that individuals are given the respect and the opportunities that they need. They want to see from us a recognition of what they have achieved so far, and of what we should be achieving on their behalf. 16:08”
“As I said, in order to support individuals, we must address isolation and lack of access in rural areas by ensuring access to deaf clubs and improving digital provision. All those things play a part, and it is vitally important that we look across all the recommendations. We heard from public bodies about how they can be supported to promote BSL effectively. There may be good intentions from the Government, but we need to ensure that what follows is about more than just good will. In dealing with this issue, one goal should be to ensure that the deaf generation of today does not have to struggle as past deaf generations did. Deaf individuals speak about feeling like second- class citizens, struggling to find meaningful employment and feeling that they are unable to fulfil their true potential.”
“Rural councils often lack deaf clubs and specialist opportunities, and they may not have the resources to identify and support deaf individuals. The Scottish Government must listen to the committee’s recommendations on that issue in order to close the opportunity gap between deaf people in rural communities and those living in the central belt. While the Scottish Government appears to have accepted the need for positive change, we have to ensure that it remains focused on the recommendations to ensure that there is a shift towards delivering what is required. For example, with regard to the shortage of interpreters, we still have no clear timescales and no workforce strategy that reflects the seriousness of the challenges.”
“Those workers carry out important work in engaging with deaf children from a very early age, giving them a positive attitude and supporting them on their path. If the SNP fails to address those challenges in early years education, it will only create further challenges for young deaf people in their experience of education further down the road. As the committee highlighted, we cannot have a situation in which some deaf children are starting nursery or school with next to no knowledge of their native language. The committee’s report also highlights that deaf people face particular challenges in rural settings; we have heard about that today from some members who represent rural communities, where BSL services are harder to access.”
“It is important that the Scottish Government addresses those issues by establishing a pipeline of qualified interpreters, BSL teachers and classroom support services. However, many of the issues begin long before a child enters formal education. As we have heard, there are also numerous problems when deaf children are progressing through early years education. Deaf children have limited opportunities to learn BSL in their early years, and witnesses highlighted to the committee that some children are beginning nursery without any meaningful language skills. It is tragic that some individuals are going into that environment without those skills and finding themselves at a disadvantage. Deaf support workers, including specialist support workers for supported living, play a key part in addressing that challenge.”
“Carol Mochan: Does the member agree that, although that obviously affects individual BSL users, parents and family members also find it stressful that their loved one does not have the ability to communicate in their own language outwith the home? Alexander Stewart: Yes, it has a knock-on effect within the family unit, and it is vitally important that individuals are given the opportunity. If that opportunity does not exist, there will be a lack of communication and a lack of cohesion in the family unit, and it can sometimes cause disturbance and distraction. Another issue relates to teachers of the deaf being qualified to BSL level 3. It is vital that we have those qualified teachers working in the classroom.”
“However, that testimony also made it clear that individuals still face many barriers, for example in relation to access to education, health or employment. It is unsurprising that education was one of the biggest policy areas that the inquiry looked at, as deaf children still face challenges at every stage of our education system. The committee heard evidence that, although the number of BSL interpreters has increased, they cannot be a replacement for teachers who are native BSL users. Deaf Links highlighted that there has been “a dearth of appropriately trained Deaf BSL tutors in Scotland” for the past 30 years. That is having an impact on the development of BSL users. As the ALLIANCE has stated and as many members have highlighted in the debate, that can have a lifelong impact on individuals.”
“I am pleased to contribute to this afternoon’s debate. Ten years ago, the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 became an important step towards promoting British Sign Language in Scotland and improving the lives of all who depend on BSL. I therefore welcome the inquiry into the 2015 act by the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. I know that BSL users face challenges across many different aspects of society, and it is important that the British Sign Language national plan delivers on the proposals that came from the 2015 act. The testimony that was received during the committee’s inquiry makes it clear that progress has indeed been made on the issue, and that is to be commended.”
“Audit Scotland has said: “The Scottish Government has not yet set out a detailed strategy for how it will manage the forecast gap between social security funding and spending within its overall budget.” That is a damning indictment. However, it is not surprising, because the SNP has so far shown no intention of getting its benefits bill under control. It does not see doing so as a priority.”
“Once again, it falls to the Scottish Conservatives to highlight the ever-increasing benefits bill that Scottish taxpayers face. My motion highlights the unsustainable social security spending commitments that the Scottish National Party Government has made since it received significant powers over benefits in 2016. I will make it clear: when we say that the SNP’s rising benefits bill is unsustainable, we mean it. The SNP spends more on benefits than it does on our schools or our police. One in seven pounds of the Government’s spend goes on the benefits budget. The Scottish Fiscal Commission has forecast that the Scottish benefits bill will rise to £9 billion by 2029-30. The SNP has already spent £1.2 billion each year on top of what it receives in block grant adjustments. By 2029-30, the figure is forecast to hit a shocking £2 billion.”
“Perhaps there needs to be a little bit more communication of what the priorities are from the Conservative benches.”
“Audit Scotland has warned that councils are under severe financial pressure this year, with community facilities and local services already being cut back. Community groups tell us that they simply do not have the capacity to take on more. Does the cabinet secretary therefore accept that relying on community-led initiatives is not a substitute for properly funded local government? Shona Robison: We have confirmation from the Accounts Commission of real-terms increases to local government funding for this year and the past two years at least, which helps to protect services and deliver for local communities. I point out to Alexander Stewart that at no point, so far as I am aware, has any member of his party made local government funding a key priority in the budget discussions.”
“As I have said, we also need political leadership on the issue. The bikes can move at excessive speeds, and they run the risk of starting battery fires. They are dangerous to our communities and to individuals. In conclusion, the onus is on the Scottish Government and Scottish National Party ministers to come up with a detailed, comprehensive action plan and to ensure that Police Scotland is given the resources that it needs to take those actions. The public are demanding action to keep communities safe, and it is our important responsibility, as MSPs, to provide that. It is high time that people were listened to and that a plan was delivered and acted on. 18:28”
“I look forward to hearing whether the minister, along with Police Scotland, is considering any new approaches to tackle the issue. As Sue Webber’s motion highlights, Police Scotland’s approach should include seizing these vehicles permanently, without giving them back; we do not want them to be returned. The use of CCTV in crime hotspots also has a role to play. I am aware that the Scottish Government has been encouraging further anonymous reporting of these vehicles through the Crimestoppers service. That is also a valuable tool, but further measures have to be put in place to ensure that there are tough consequences for these individuals if they are using e-scooters and e-bikes. Local police must be allowed to tackle the issue in the way that they see fit, in order to manage their communities.”
“For many criminals, they were an ideal partner in crime. E-bikes and e-scooters are smaller and more nimble to manoeuvre, and they are better able to be modified, which makes them even more dangerous and fearsome. Naturally, that means that it is even harder for the police to deal with them, and they are sometimes difficult to trace. Vehicles have to be designed in a better way to ensure that we manage that. There are areas—across many constituencies and regions, as we have heard—that are quickly becoming known for these problems. A tough approach from Police Scotland is needed to tackle the issue. In some cases, it will also require innovation from Police Scotland, because new technology often calls for new approaches.”
“Earlier this year, a 19-year-old was arrested after a collision involving an e-bike in the village of Fallin, in Stirlingshire. Accidents are happening regularly, and individuals are requiring medical attention. We often hear reports of these vehicles being ridden dangerously along pavements and paths, and—as we have heard this evening—the riders wear balaclavas or face coverings to conceal their identity. Despite the fact that it is illegal, as we have heard from other members, these vehicles are becoming an increasingly common sight on our streets and pathways. In the previous decade, we became used to seeing motorised scooters being used for crime, including in drive-by thefts and vandalism. Those scooters were small, manoeuvrable and fast, and they were easy to get hold of and to get rid of.”
“I thank my colleague Sue Webber for bringing this important debate to the chamber. Her motion highlights the growing problem of the dangerous and antisocial use of e-bikes and e- scooters, and I welcome the fact that Parliament finally has the opportunity to debate the issue. The dangers that we are seeing from these vehicles are becoming a frequent concern in many communities. Members are quite right to highlight that they are hearing about many such issues from concerned constituents. It is true that the problem appears to be worse in our large cities—Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow—but it is also clear that the problem is not confined to urban areas. Concerns have been raised repeatedly across my region about these vehicles, in areas such as Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Fife and Perthshire.”
“The United Kingdom Government also has a key role to play in the process, as most aspects of equalities and employment law are still reserved matters. We must ensure that UK-wide disability rights legislation remains robust and effective and that Governments work together to make employment practices more inclusive. Disabled people deserve a system that works for them across all parts of the United Kingdom and at all levels of government. In conclusion, I hope that members on all sides of the chamber can work together to make that vision a reality, because disabled people want nothing more than for the Parliament to work with them to achieve the goals that they rightfully deserve to reach. 17:24”
“The previous United Kingdom Government doubled spending on the access to work programme between 2016 and 2024, and that provision helped to deliver employment support for more than 67,000 individuals in 2023-24. As we go forward, it is important that there is a continued commitment to supporting disabled people to seek work where possible, so that further progress can be achieved. Inclusion should be not just an aspiration but an essential part of a fairer Scotland, which we all want to see. It is therefore important that we ask the Scottish Government to continue to engage constructively with Parliament’s forthcoming disability summit. I look forward to seeing what can be achieved from that.”
“Despite some progress, however, we know that the disability employment gap remains stubbornly high. Recent figures have shown that the disability employment rate is 53.1 per cent, which is nearly 30 percentage points lower than the rate for those who are non-disabled. We also know that employment rates for disabled people fell during the pandemic, and that, overall, the proportion of disabled people in employment has not increased since 2019. While we recognise the progress, there is a lot of work to do. We have to ensure that much more work is done. For example, we need to ensure that workplaces are genuinely inclusive, that disabled people have access to the correct support and that employers are able to make any necessary adjustments to enable them to work.”
“When I engage with organisations in my region, including employment services and third sector groups, it is clear just how much those organisations, and individuals with disabilities in the area, contribute to the communities that they work in every day and ensure that those communities thrive. Pam Duncan-Glancy’s motion rightly speaks about some of the challenges that disabled people continue to face. Those challenges include barriers to accessing education, securing stable employment and accessing public services, which remains difficult for disabled people. Of all those challenges, employment remains one of the most significant. From 2013 to 2019, we saw positive change on that issue, and the proportion of disabled people in employment increased from 43 to 54 per cent.”
“I am pleased to speak in the debate, and I thank Pam Duncan-Glancy for bringing this important issue to the chamber. The international day of persons with disabilities reminds us of our collective responsibility to uphold the rights, dignity and wellbeing of disabled people across all areas of life and all aspects of society. It is important that Parliament acknowledges this day, and I congratulate Pam Duncan-Glancy and the societies, groups and organisations that all play a part. I welcome the UN’s chosen theme for this year, which is fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress. That theme reflects a simple truth, which is that the whole of society benefits when we support disabled people to thrive by removing barriers and widening access for them.”
“Forth Valley royal hospital maternity service in Larbert is the latest maternity service to receive a damning report from an unannounced inspection. The report highlighted that mothers were being put at serious risk and that some had to wait up to 62 hours to be induced. What is the Scottish Government doing to ensure that lessons are learned from the report and that safeguards are put in place to protect mothers and their unborn babies as a matter of urgency?”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its just transition plan for the Mossmorran petrochemical site. (S6O-05209)”
“For now, the onus rests on both of Scotland’s Governments to do what is needed to place Scotland firmly on the path to sustainable growth. Doing anything else would be an abdication of responsibility. 16:31”
“Our motion rightly speaks about the risks in some taxes that threaten opportunities, and the importance of dealing with those risks. We should be backing working households and working people. At the same time, we need to address the spiralling welfare costs that are consuming ever- higher amounts of both the Scottish Government and UK Government’s budgets. We need to deliver reforms that mean that, where possible, people get into well-paying jobs, while ensuring that we target support for people who need it the most. That also means creating more jobs and making sure that there are no anti-growth taxes such as those brought in by the Labour Government. If the political will existed to do that, members on the Conservative benches would stand ready to work with either Government to ensure that we improve and that those reforms take place.”
“Meanwhile, here in Scotland, the SNP’s high-tax agenda has meant that the Scottish tax base has not had the growth that it should have had. Despite having significant powers in relation to employability, the SNP has chosen to prioritise welfare reforms. As our motion highlights, the welfare budget is rapidly spiralling out of control. The total budget is set to reach more than £9 billion by 2030, which is over £2 billion more than the block grant allocation for social security. The UK Government has already tried, and failed, to control welfare spending earlier this year. As it stands, the Scottish Government has no plan for how to address those spiralling costs—and does not seem to be interested in creating one.”
“A third of businesses are saying that they plan to cut jobs in the coming months. At the same time, Labour’s Employment Rights Bill will only make it more difficult to provide employment. Instead of strengthening our labour market, the bill risks making hiring more complicated and more expensive. It is little wonder that the Federation of Small Businesses, the Law Society of Scotland and the Confederation of British Industry have raised concerns about the proposals. There is little use in increasing job security if the reforms risk decreasing the number of jobs that are being created and becoming available. Any chancellor who is serious about creating growth should urgently reconsider those anti-business reforms.”
“Today’s UK budget appears to be another missed opportunity to tackle the biggest challenges standing in the way of the economic growth that Scotland should be capable of. A strong workforce is vital for effective economic growth. However, as our motion highlights, there is currently an alarming decrease in economic activity across Scotland. Unemployment has increased over the past year, and a fifth of working-age Scots are economically inactive. Those are far from just statistics; that inactivity means missed opportunities, stalled ambition and lost growth. To be clear, that is a problem created by both of Scotland’s Governments. The UK Labour Government’s jobs tax is already costing jobs and livelihoods. One in five businesses are claiming that they have already cut jobs due to the national insurance hike.”
“I recognise that some groups will be more able than others to take advantage of it, and we will continue to engage with local groups across the sector to support their development as best we can to enable them to take advantage of those opportunities. United Kingdom Budget (Scotland’s Public Finances) 3.”