Tom Arthur
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“I am advised that Transport Scotland officials responded to the South West of Scotland Transport Partnership in June 2023 to confirm that the outcome of its review of SWestrans’s Beattock and Moffat transport appraisal report was that a robust business case had not been made for a Beattock station to be progressed further in the developme…”
“David Kirkwood: Given the 2028 opening of the River Tweed trail—the long-distance path that will start in Moffat, the jewel of the south, and run 113 miles to Berwick-upon-Tweed—and the probable extension of the Clydesdale way into Moffat a few years later, it is likely that more than 300,000 additional cyclists and walkers will visit the…”
“As the First Minister set out, the Scottish Government will invest in essential infrastructure across Scotland, including new train stations and ongoing electrification of our rail network.”
“First, I welcome colleagues across the chamber who join me in condemning the violence, xenophobia and racism that were experienced right here in the streets of our capital on Friday last week. There is no place for violence in the streets, homes, or communities of Scotland—whether it be race based, faith based or otherwise.”
“Scotland is a place that values hope, tolerance and solidarity—values that are shared both by people who were born here and by those who have privileged us by choosing to make Scotland their home. I hope that those values are shared by those who are fortunate enough to be in the chamber.”
“The Scottish Government had initially, on 15 June, lodged a legislative consent memorandum with the Parliament stating that we would not consent to the bill, due to the UK Government having not agreed to our proposals that it have appropriate regard to devolution.”
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“It is important that those concerns are raised, because it is a reminder to us all to implement legislation constructively and to communicate it clearly. That is vital, particularly given that much of what will follow from the bill will come through guidance. The bill is important for us as a Parliament because, although responsibility over nearly all of employment law is in effect exclusively reserved to Westminster, it will have significant implications for the Scottish economy. The implications, I think, will be positive, but it is important that we engage constructively with the UK Government as it takes forward those provisions. The Scottish Government’s position is that employment law should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I note that that position was previously supported by the Labour Party in a motion in 2023.”
“I emphasise my commitment to engaging constructively with the sector and all partners, including trade unions, to build consensus. Members have made important contributions in the debate. With regard to what Martin Whitfield said about the fundamental purpose, reasoning and rationale of the legislation, we very much support that. As my colleague Richard Lochhead said, the legislation, in effect, puts on a statutory footing many of the policies that the Scottish Government has sought over the past decade, whether through its influence in its convening power or around conditionality and guidance on matters of public grants and procurement. Although I take a different position from Murdo Fraser’s, he is right to raise the concerns that have been expressed by business.”
“On that topic, I refer to the contribution of Clare Haughey in her capacity as convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, and I underscore the constructive and collaborative approach that Maree Todd and I will take as we consider the potential utilisation of the new powers that will be conferred on Scottish ministers, subject to the legislation gaining royal assent at Westminster. Clare Haughey: I welcome Tom Arthur to his new role. I have not had an opportunity to do that formally, and I welcome the approach that he will take to working with the committee. Tom Arthur: I very much appreciate that. I look forward to engaging with the committee, particularly on its recently launched inquiry, and I look forward to constructive engagement with the convener.”
“I thank members for their contributions. I am responding in my capacity as Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, but in my previous role as Minister for Employment and Investment, I had considerable engagement with the UK Government, including with minister Justin Madders. I put on record that, although we were not able to reach agreement on some issues, we always worked in the spirit of not making the perfect the enemy of the good, and we took a very constructive approach. I know that my colleague Maree Todd, when she was social care minister, had a similarly constructive relationship with her UK Government counterparts.”
“It would be helpful if those members who wish to ask a question would press their request-to-speak buttons.”
“We have made positive progress in ensuring that children and young people are able to access support for their mental health and wellbeing, and we will continue to deliver further improvements. We are in the early stages of an improvement journey on neurodevelopmental support and I look forward to further detailed conversation at the upcoming cross-party summit on neurodivergence. I end by emphasising the Government’s continued commitment to ensuring that all children and young people who grow up in Scotland receive the right support in the right place at the right time. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The minister will now take questions on the issues that were raised in his statement. I intend to allow about 20 minutes for questions, after which we will move on to the next item of business.”
“It will require collaboration and a range of partners working together, including within Government—for example, between my officials and officials in the education and skills portfolio. Neurodivergence reflects the rich, varied and complex ways in which our brains work. Neurodivergent children and young people bring unique strengths, perspectives and ways of thinking that enrich all our communities, but I recognise that they can face significant barriers in education and daily life that often continue into adulthood when entering further or higher education and the workplace. Those difficulties can be made even harder by the increased risk of mental health struggles that many neurodivergent individuals experience, alongside the need to navigate a world that is not always built for them.”
“Further, I am pleased to announce that, to support this work, we will provide half a million pounds in additional funding this year to deliver improvements to the support and services that are available to children, young people and families who are seeking support for their neurodivergence. That funding will be available across children’s services partners in recognition of the multi-agency and needs-based approach that is required. Further details will be set out in due course. I do not underestimate how much work is needed to ensure that neurodivergent young people are able to access the support that they need when they need it. That will not happen overnight.”
“They include providing greater clarity on the roles and responsibilities of partners in delivering the specification; opportunities to promote training; the sharing of good practice, including in the use of new digital assessment tools; work on data availability; and work to improve support to families. I extend my thanks to everyone who contributed to the review. I am also pleased to announce that, to support us in driving forward this vital work, we will set up a cross-sector task force that will be jointly chaired by Fiona Davies, chief executive of NHS Highland, and Dr Lynne Binnie, chair of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland’s additional support needs network and the City of Edinburgh Council’s head of education for inclusion.”
“In partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, we have undertaken a review of the implementation of the specification, which sought views from education authorities, health boards, young people and their families, clinicians and third sector partners, along with others. The review highlighted areas of challenge and further work to support children’s services partners to implement the specification. A report that sets out our findings has been published today and it outlines the specific short, medium and long-term actions that we will take forward.”
“We will continue to work with health boards and local authorities to improve our understanding of the quality of the data that is available and how it can be used to improve support and services. Last year, we provided nearly £250,000 to fund a range of individual projects aimed at improving assessment and support for children and young people, including family support and testing of digital assessment tools. That built on a previous £1 million investment to fund five pilots that focused on various aspects of the national neurodevelopmental specification, including implementing GIRFEC and multi-agency working.”
“Those supports are available in every local authority area, and councils report that they were used by nearly 83,000 people between July 2023 and March 2024. That £15 million per-year funding is continuing through the local government finance settlement from 2025-26, alongside £16 million for school counselling. Returning to focus on neurodivergence, I acknowledge the concerns raised by families, and in this chamber, about neurodevelopmental diagnostic waiting times. I recognise that that data is not nationally reported or published. Our primary focus—quite rightly, I think—is on timely provision of appropriate support. However, I certainly recognise that further work is needed to improve the quality of the data that we have on neurodevelopmental requirements and support.”
“We continue to provide enhanced support to boards that are not on track to meet the standard through providing access to professional advice and ensuring that they have robust improvement plans in place. We also know that early intervention and prevention are key to supporting good mental health and that not all children who seek support will need a specialist service such as CAMHS. In fact, the majority will find more suitable support in their local community, and we are providing support to local authorities to ensure that that is quickly and easily accessible. Indeed, we have provided local authorities with more than £65 million since 2020 to fund community-based mental health and wellbeing supports for children, young people and their families.”
“The improvements in CAMHS waiting times are the result of significant and sustained investment by this Government in mental health services and of hard work by our CAMHS workforce. I put on record my gratitude to them for the work that they do every day to support children and young people who have acute mental health needs. The 18- week CAMHS waiting time standard has been met for the second quarter in a row, with 91.6 per cent of children and young people starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral, but we cannot be complacent. Performance still varies across health boards and some children are waiting too long to receive the support that they need.”
“It is also important that children and families are able to choose whether medication is right for them. Much of the conversation in this chamber around neurodivergence has focused on diagnosis and treatment and on the relationship between neurodivergence and child and adolescent mental health services. Those conversations have included incorrect assertions that young people are being moved off waiting lists to meet the CAMHS waiting times target. I make it crystal clear that that is categorically not the case. CAMHS is a specialist mental health service for children and young people who are experiencing significant mental health problems. Neurodivergence is not a mental health condition and CAMHS is not the appropriate service for children seeking a neurodevelopmental diagnosis.”
“I take the opportunity to reassure parents and carers who may be worried that that is not the case. I recognise that a formal diagnosis can be important to an individual’s identity and to their understanding of themselves or of their child. However, support should be provided on the basis of need, not diagnosis. That is particularly important for children and young people, whose needs will change over time as they continue to grow and develop, and for those who have support needs but do not meet diagnostic criteria. I understand that medication can be important for some who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and that a diagnosis of ADHD is needed to access that, but non-pharmacological support can also be helpful and is recommended in the first instance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.”
“I welcome the recommendations from both the royal college and the child heads of psychology services in that regard, because that is what we are working towards through the implementation of the neurodevelopmental specification. Since the specification was published, the scale and pace of the increase in demand for neurodevelopmental support and services, particularly for diagnosis, have been unprecedented. That growing demand is placing significant pressure on services and is making the implementation of the specification challenging. We know that children and families who are seeking support can be left feeling worried or uncertain about what support is available to them and how to access it, fearing that they will be left stranded if they do not have a formal diagnosis.”
“Although I recognise that significant work is needed in the area and will go on to say more about our plans for that, I highlight the national neurodevelopmental specification for children and young people. Published in 2021, the specification sets out standards for all children’s services to follow, to ensure that children and young people can access the support that they need for their neurodivergence. The specification takes a needs- based approach to providing neurodevelopmental support, is underpinned by the principles of getting it right for every child and is intended to be delivered by all children’s services partners through a multi-agency approach.”
“Thank you, Presiding Officer, for the opportunity to update the Parliament on the Scottish Government’s work to improve access to the right support for young people’s neurodivergence, mental health and wellbeing. I know that people are waiting too long to get the support that they need. I want to be clear from the outset that we are committed to making improvements in those areas. Last week, the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland published its manifesto for next year’s Scottish Parliament election, in which it noted a significant increase in people across all ages who are seeking support for their neurodivergence. It also highlighted the importance of a needs-based, stepped care approach to support for neurodivergent people. That echoes our thinking.”
“Under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, local authorities have duties to identify and provide for the additional needs of their pupils. An additional support need can arise for any reason, and a diagnosis of ADHD is not required before support is put in place. First Minister’s Question Time 12:00 Cancer Treatment (Waiting Times) 1.”
“Marie McNair: I am aware of a child in my constituency who has been waiting for three years and eight months for an ADHD assessment, which is extremely concerning. By the time my constituent gets an assessment, they will be 17 and likely to be at the point of leaving school. What more can be done to support children who face excessive waiting times for such assessments? Tom Arthur: I thank Marie McNair for raising that important issue. I recognise that there has been a significant increase in the number of children and families who are seeking support and diagnosis for neurodivergence issues. That is creating challenges for a range of our services. However, support, including in schools, should be put in place to meet a child’s needs, rather than their having to depend on receiving a formal diagnosis.”
“The Scottish Government has allocated £3.1 billion to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in this financial year. Along with local partners, national health service boards are responsible for prioritising funding to ensure that their local neurodivergent populations receive the support that they need, at the right time and in the right place. To progress that approach, we have commissioned the national autism implementation team to support local health partners and NHS boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to develop, enhance and redesign existing local adult neurodevelopmental services to meet local needs. We are also working closely with health boards and local authorities to implement the national neurodevelopmental specification for children and young people.”
“However, Labour’s immigration white paper shows no substantive recognition of the policy proposals that the Scottish Government submitted.”
“Gordon MacDonald: The Labour Government’s changes to visa regulations, including those relating to salary thresholds, visa fees and sponsor licences, have created chronic staff shortages. What discussions have Scottish Government ministers had with their UK counterparts regarding caring roles being added to the shortage occupation list in order to ease visa restrictions? Tom Arthur: Gordon MacDonald is correct that the UK Labour Government’s plans to end international recruitment of care workers will have a profoundly negative and potentially catastrophic impact on the social care sector. We have tried to engage with the UK Government by providing clear evidence-based proposals outlining workable adjustments that would better support Scotland’s labour market without compromising the UK Government’s broader objectives.”
“In 2018, the Scottish Government published a report on the contribution of EU workers in the social care workforce, and that process was repeated for comparison in 2022. In 2018, 37.9 per cent of care home provider respondents reported experiencing difficulty in recruiting staff. That figure increased to 75 per cent in the 2022 report. Compounding those difficulties, in 2022, respondents across all services reported a drop in the number of applications from EU nationals. Although it is difficult to disentangle the impact of Brexit from other pressures on the social care labour market, the 2022 report found that Brexit is among the factors that are resulting in the sector having less flexibility to respond to on-going labour supply challenges.”
“I confirm to Rhoda Grant that I will meet NHS Highland in the near future, as well as all the other territorial health boards, because I want to work constructively and in partnership to ensure that all our health boards meet those spending targets.”
“Rhoda Grant: The Scottish Government pledged that boards should spend 1 per cent of their budget on child and adolescent mental health services. However, I understand that only one board has achieved that, while NHS Highland is spending only 0.37 per cent of its budget on CAMHS. Young people are spending years of their childhood on waiting lists, while others are being rejected from the service altogether. When will all boards fulfil that pledge, and when will the lengthy CAMHS waiting times be dealt with? Tom Arthur: I would want to acknowledge the significant progress that has been made on CAMHS waiting times this year, which members will be aware of. I am aware of the specific points in relation to NHS Highland and have been discussing the matter actively. My officials have been engaged on the matter.”
“We continue to work with national health service boards and integration joint boards towards delivery of the commitment that at least 10 per cent of front-line health spending will be dedicated to mental health by the end of this parliamentary session. The latest available cost book data confirmed that NHS expenditure on mental health has increased by £179.6 million to £1.486 billion in 2023-24. That is 9.03 per cent of total net expenditure, up from 8.53 per cent in 2022-23. Although we remain committed to the delivery of the target, as we all know, there are continued and unprecedented challenges to public finances. Despite those pressures, since 2006, mental health spending across the NHS has doubled in cash terms, from £651 million in 2006-07 to more than £1.49 billion in 2023-24.”
“The reporter’s notice-of-intention letter is publicly available to view. I have the greatest respect for the integrity of the planning system, and I am sure that members will agree that we must allow decisions to be made in a fair and transparent way. It is for the planning system to remain objective and to take into account all views on applications so that decisions are well informed.”
“As required by the Scottish ministerial code, all ministers are restricted from commenting publicly on live planning applications, as doing so could potentially prejudice the final decision. Members will therefore appreciate that I am very limited in what I am able to say in the debate. However, I can confirm that the Minister for Public Finance has decided to recall the appeal, as the proposed development raises issues of national significance in view of its potential impact on Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park. I am aware that, on 16 May, an independent reporter issued a notice of intention to allow the appeal and grant planning permission in principle, subject to 49 planning conditions and a legal agreement being reached, including the Lomond promise, with a commitment to community benefits and fair work.”
“Tom Arthur: Last week, the Minister for Business, Richard Lochhead, attended the launch of the “LGBTQ+ Businesses Count” report, which recognises the value of diversity in Scotland’s business community and the contribution that LGBTQ+ business leaders make to our economy. It also highlights the challenges that many LGBTQ+ people have faced in their business journey. Mr Lochhead offered to meet OutBritain to discuss its research in more detail. Work is under way to arrange a follow-up meeting with officials to discuss in more detail the issues that Emma Roddick raises. Transmission Impact Assessment 2.”
“Emma Roddick: Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting OutBritain, the United Kingdom’s first LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce, in the Parliament to discuss its recent report on the massive contribution that LGBTQ+ business makes to the economy. An issue that came up again and again was the lack of data collection, not only for LGBTQ+ owned, run and employing businesses but in relation to diversity more generally. Given that the evidence points to diversity in business being good for productivity internally and externally, what more can the Scottish Government do to identify and support diverse businesses?”
“We are committed to advancing diversity across Scotland’s economy. Our fair work action plan and anti-racist employment strategy set out support for employers across the economy to address workplace inequalities and enable marginalised groups to enter, thrive in and lead organisations. We are also implementing the recommendations of the pathways review, which was co-authored by our newly appointed chief entrepreneur, Ana Stewart. The South of Scotland Enterprise regional pathways pre-start pilot and the pathways fund have opened opportunities for entrepreneurship to women and people in other underrepresented and undersupported groups.”
“There is much consensus to be found from it, and I look forward to engaging with colleagues constructively as we take forward the shared agenda. Business Motion”
“Colin Smyth’s speech also highlighted the south of Scotland and the need to have regard to all parts of Scotland if we are to see the country flourish as a whole. Gordon MacDonald spoke of the imbalance in the UK economy. Christine Grahame touched on the lessons of history and took into account the constraints that we operate under as a devolved Parliament. Alexander Stewart spoke about the role of tax, and Clare Haughey made an important point about the need to understand the context in which we are operating, which is a series of challenges going back to the financial crash of 2008, Brexit, the global pandemic, the cost crisis and the current instability of the global trading environment. Overall, this has been a worthwhile debate.”
“Elena Whitham touched on an important point that a number of members covered in their speeches, which is the primary importance of regional economics. In the UK as a whole, we have a significant challenge of economic imbalance, which creates economic instability, which begets social instability, which begets political instability, which begets further economic instability. In seeking to understand the political instability in the UK today and more widely in the world, we must understand the question of regional economic imbalance. Ayrshire is an outstanding example of a region in Scotland that is seeking to address that imbalance through the work of the Ayrshire growth deal and the community wealth building that has been taken forward there.”
“I reiterate that the Scottish Government is committed to doing all that we can to secure a sustainable future for the Grangemouth site and will work constructively with the UK Government and other partners. Lorna Slater spoke about the key word being “transition”. She also raised an important question—it was implicit in her remarks—about our time horizons. The time horizons that are involved in the transition transcend any individual parliamentary cycle, which creates a challenge around policy making. It is important that, when addressing such issues, we do not regress into thinking in very short-term timeframes. That will not enable us to achieve the strategic change that we ultimately have to realise if we are to meet our obligations in 2045 and meet the need for energy security and the geopolitical security associated with that.”
“Daniel Johnson spoke about this being a time of profound economic change. Of course, the end destination remains highly uncertain, as we can recognise from the pace of policy developments internationally over recent weeks. As per the motion, there has been a clear focus on the UK Government’s intervention in Scunthorpe. The Scottish Government welcomes the recognition of the strategic importance of that site as well as the opportunities for Scottish sites to benefit directly from it. However, the central point that I and others have been seeking to articulate is that we lack a commensurate intervention with regard to Grangemouth, which would have been on a par with the commitments that the Labour Party gave ahead of the general election in 2024.”
“From engagement with investors and business more widely, I know that those publications are welcome because they provide clarity on the Scottish Government’s priorities and reflect where our comparative advantages lie. Let me touch on some of the contributions in turn. Murdo Fraser highlighted the business in the Parliament event, which I had the opportunity to participate in last week. I commend the Parliament for its work, and I commend you, Presiding Officer, for your leadership in that. The event is an example of what is required to ensure that we collectively, as an institution, reflect the economic priorities of the business community in Scotland and the country more widely. It is only through that type of close listening and engagement that we can ensure that our collective policy making is aligned.”
“Those questions are reflected not just in the reaction to the developments around tariffs, but in concerns over how we relatively prioritise domestic industries, whether as a matter of purely economic security or because of concerns about geopolitical security. Jamie Greene: I am sure that there is a lot of consensus around the geopolitical issues that all western economies face. The one thing that came out very clearly in today’s debate is the continued critique of the Scottish Government’s lack of a coherent industrial strategy. That came across in multiple independent reports and pieces of analysis. Will the minister respond to those criticisms? Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government has set out its clear priorities through our national strategy for economic transformation and our recently published green industrial strategy.”
“We have focused on some very specific and hugely important practical matters—in particular, the cost of energy, and specifically electricity. Murdo Fraser raised that point, and Fergus Ewing spoke about it at some length. The cost of energy is central to the debate and, more widely, to the cost of living pressures with which the UK and other countries have been wrestling. Implicit in some of the contributions that we have heard, including from Christine Grahame, have also been wider questions about whether there is still the same broad consensus on globalisation that existed a decade or two ago.”
“At the outset of my remarks, I express my solidarity with, and thoughts for, the workforce at the Grangemouth refinery on what I know will be an extremely challenging day for them, their families and the wider community. I reiterate the Scottish Government’s commitment to securing a long-term and sustainable future for the site by progressing the proposals that were identified in project willow through our £25 million to establish a Grangemouth just transition fund to take forward those proposals as well as other opportunities across the industrial cluster. I will now turn to the contributions from members on all sides of the chamber. The debate has been very worth while, and, although there are clearly differences of opinion, there is a broad degree of consensus.”
“I reassure the member that the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to continue working with growth deal partners to identify workable and deliverable solutions to support investment opportunities. To that end, I would be more than happy to have further engagement with the member and with local partners on the matter. The Deputy Presiding Officer: My apologies to those whom I was not able to call. We are tight for time across the afternoon. That concludes portfolio questions on Deputy First Minister responsibilities, economy and Gaelic. Finance and Local Government The Deputy Presiding Officer: The next portfolio is finance and local government. There is a lot of interest in asking supplementary questions, so we will need more brevity in both questions and responses. Local Services (Motherwell and Wishaw) 1.”
“There are also developers who want to build good-quality housing, which would provide accommodation for high-skilled workers, but poor infrastructure across Ayrshire is blocking investment by those businesses and housing developers. The A77 is the slowest A road in this country. The block is all too evident at critical junctions such as the Monkton, Dutch House and Bankfield roundabouts, not to mention the Bellfield interchange. What action can the Government take to work with local authorities to improve infrastructure and unlock the economic potential of the region? Tom Arthur: Along with net zero, housing and infrastructure, three of the key priorities where the Government has committed to driving forward investment, the member also highlights the critical importance of transport in enabling opportunities to be realised.”
“The Scottish Government is investing in a number of actions that will deliver economic growth across the South Scotland region. Those include our £180 million investment across the Ayrshire and Borderlands growth deals. The deals allocate a budget of over £29 million in 2025-26 to South of Scotland Enterprise to promote business growth, and they commit to a total spend of £15.5 million through the regeneration capital grant fund to deliver nine projects in Dumfries and Galloway and four projects in South Ayrshire. All of that demonstrates the Government’s commitment to driving growth and regeneration in our cities and regions. Sharon Dowey: With the Ayrshire growth deal, businesses want to invest and to provide high- paying jobs in the area.”
“We are taking a multifaceted approach through investing to stimulate jobs and economic growth, as well as making direct interventions through employability provision.”
“Tom Arthur: The Opportunities Fife partnership commissioned several projects to support individuals who are economically inactive back into the workplace. As the member will appreciate, it is the local economic partnership that delivers employability support, harnessing the power of regional working with a mixed economy of partners. The ground that the member covered in her supplementary question illustrates the complexity and multifaceted nature of the drivers of economic inactivity. She touched on the issue of employment opportunities in particular. Through regional growth deals, from which Fife benefits, and community wealth building initiatives, we are seeking to create greater equality between the regions in Scotland.”
“Roz McCall: The number of registered private sector enterprises fell by 60 in 2023-24 and employment in businesses in that sector fell by almost 2,500 jobs in the same period. If we dig a little deeper, we find that Fife’s job density as a whole for the period 2018-2022 was only 0.69 jobs for every resident of working age, which is far behind the Scottish average. Fife’s claimant rate remained static in 2023-24, and it remains higher than the Scottish average, with the Kirkcaldy claimant count almost treble that of affluent areas in north-east Fife. What specific support is the Scottish Government providing to help people in Fife to re- enter the workplace and to address the persistent economic inactivity challenges there?”
“Economic inactivity is a complex area, which has required the Government to commit to a co-ordinated approach. Devolved employability services are pivotal in supporting people to progress towards and into sustainable fair work. The programme for government prioritises addressing economic inactivity by committing to improving health services and introducing specialist employability support for disabled people across all local authorities. The Deputy First Minister recently met business, third sector and public sector leaders to discuss what additional measures would have the greatest impact. For example, we know that childcare is important, and Fife is one of the six early adopter communities that are working to develop and test local systems of childcare for families who need it most.”
“We are working closely with our enterprise agencies and the Scottish National Investment Bank to enable Scottish businesses to access domestic opportunities in, for example, the clean energy supply chain. This year, we have tripled our capital investment in the offshore wind sector to £150 million in order to support the ports, manufacturing and supply chain facilities that are required, which will help secure jobs and economic benefits at scale in”