/u/PoliticoBailey has stepped down as Cabinet Secretary for Justice, and is replaced in the role by /u/realbassist.

/u/BeppeSignFury: Following the release of a linked study which shows that individuals in LGBTQ+ relationships appear to not be aware of support networks relating to relationship-based abuse, how does the First Minister intend to support LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse and violence?

The findings of the study are worrying, and my government will examine the findings and recommendations of the study to see what policy the Scottish Government can implement to support LGBT+ victims of domestic abuse, but it is clear that we need to raise awareness of domestic abuse affecting LGBT+ persons and of the support networks LGBT+ victims of domestic abuse can access, and to invest in such services more generally.

/u/Underwater_Tara: What measures is the Government taking to ensure that heritage sites across Scotland are able to survive and thrive on a commercial basis?

It is the job of Historic Environment Scotland to care for Scotland’s heritage sites, including by providing grants for projects to restore/maintain heritage sites, and by looking after some sites directly. The government plans to support Historic Environment Scotland’s work by increasing its funding in our budget.

/u/DriftersBuddy: I'd like to ask the First Minister what the government has done so far this term and will we be seeing any more activity for the rest of the term?

The government has submitted legislation to repeal law on motion responses, has amended the Air Departure Tax Bill to introduce a frequent flyer levy, and is working on drafting legislation to fulfil our programme for government. During the rest of the term, Parliament can expect to see our programme for government fulfilled through legislation, ministerial statements and the budget.

/u/Underwater_Tara: Could the First Minister explain what their government is doing to resolve the major issues currently facing the Corran ferry, linking Ardgour and Corran?

The Corran ferry link is an important ferry link, being the busiest single-vessel ferry route in Scotland, so the ferries used on the service being out of action for several weeks due to needing maintenance is obviously problematic for those who use the ferry crossing. In the short term, I understand that Highland Council will operate a passenger-only service between Ardgour and Corran, and that they plan to ask the Ministry of Defence for a replacement ferry until the ferries used on the route have been fixed. The Scottish Government will provide the council any assistance they may need for this application.

In the long term, the Scottish Government will examine the wider issues the ferries sector is facing, and publish its plan for how to resolve the issues plaguing Scotland’s ferries in our Infrastructure Strategy.

/u/Underwater_Tara: A few weeks ago I went to a rugby game of the Scottish national womens team play the Welsh. They were sadly beaten in a very close contest. But what perturbed me was that the Women's team had to literally play in the shadow of the large and imposing Murrayfield Stadium. Does the First Minister agree with me that the Scottish Women's Rugby team has as much right to play at Murrayfield as the men, and will his Government take steps to deliver this change for next years' contest?

While I believe that this is largely an issue for the Scottish Rugby Union and the Edinburgh Rugby team, I in principle agree that female rugby teams have as much of a right to play at the Murrayfield Stadium as male rugby teams, and I’m open to my government liaising with the Scottish Rugby Union and Edinburgh Rugby on this matter.

/u/DriftersBuddy: Can the First Minister update us on the progress of the Green Grants Scheme, has there been discussion about it yet?

The government’s proposed Green Grants Scheme will provide homeowners with grants to make improvements to their homes to make them more eco-friendly and energy-efficient, including through improved insulation and replacing inefficient household appliances with more efficient appliances. I expect the scheme to be implemented in the government’s budget.

/u/BlueEarlGrey: Notably, the UK Government had worked to protect agricultural subsidies in its poorly renegotiated U.S trade deal. However, the U.K. Government neglected to secure the economic interests of its very nations such as Scotland. Does the First Minister agree, that the UK Government has failed here and it would have been in the interest of the Scottish economy to include provisions relating to its core industries such as whiskey distillation?

The US-UK Free Trade Agreement removes all tariffs on trade between the 2 nations, including on exports of whisky distilled in Scotland to the USA. The scotch whisky industry has historically thrived under free trade with the USA: to quote the Scotch Whisky Association, “Between 1997-2017, when there were no tariffs on distilled spirits between the US and UK, bilateral trade in whiskies increased 212%”, and “The devastating retaliatory tariffs imposed on Single Malt Scotch Whisky and the American Whiskeys resulted in a 35% decrease in bilateral trade”. This is why the Scotch Whisky Association supports the removal of tariffs on whisky and free trade, and why I think any protectionist measures for the whisky industry would be inappropriate and damaging to distillers.

It is also not clear to me what exact provisions the Scottish Conservatives would want relating to whisky distilling and other Scottish industries. Nevertheless, I believe that the trade deal reached with the USA is beneficial to Scottish businesses, and so I do not believe that the government has failed on this matter.

/u/Sephronar: What the bloody hell is going on?

Questions to the First Minister of Scotland.

/u/Sephronar: Is the First Minister enjoying their role? What are they most pleased about doing?

Yes. I am pleased to be able to head a progressive coalition government dedicated to building a fairer Scotland.

/u/Sephronar: Is the First Minister doing anything later this evening? I would love to discuss Scottish culture with them, in particular the thistle and how nice it would look pinned to my lapel.

If the Scottish Conservatives have any proposal on how to support Scotland’s cultural sector, I’m open to hearing their proposals.

/u/oakesofshott: What would the First Minister say is their biggest goal for their term?

The goal of my administration is to build a fairer Scotland, including through our plans to reach a fairer deal for workers by raising the pay of public sector workers and setting out a Good Work Charter, including through our plans to ensure that all students can access a quality education, through our plans to invest in expanded affordable public transport, and more.

/u/oakesofshott: Can the First Minister confirm whether this government would support the introduction of a cap on the production of the harmful chemical that is Sulphur in Scottish industry?

While sulfur and sulfur-containing compounds can be hazardous, sulfur also has many uses in industry, so I would need to see evidence supporting such a cap before I would support a cap on the production of sulfur in Scottish industry.

/u/oakesofshott: Does the First Minister’s Government have any plans in supporting the transition towards greener shipping and if so how?

We need to be supporting the phaseout of polluting fuels, including fuels which contain high quantities of sulfur, in favour of more environmentally-friendly and low carbon fuels. The government will look into this matter in the drafting of our new Infrastructure Strategy.

/u/oakesofshott: Could the First Minister comment on the state of the Scottish Wildcat and further animal conservation in Scotland?

Animal conservation projects are an important part of protecting Scotland’s environment, including the conservation of the Scottish wildcat, which is endangered thanks to habitat loss, persecution by humans, and hybridisation with domesticated cats. The Scottish Government is supporting the work of Scottish Wildcat Action to conserve the Scottish Wildcat and to save the species from extinction.

/u/StraitsofMagellan: How will this government work to foster an economic environment of enterprise to which the current UK government has not worked towards?

I believe that the government’s plans to set up a Scottish National Investment Bank to invest in growing the Scottish economy and tackle economic deprivation, to abolish non-domestic rates which some businesses feel is an overdue burden on their finances, and to introduce a system of small business grants to offer financial backing to struggling small businesses where financial support would be beneficial will help foster such an environment of enterprise in the Scottish economy.

/u/NewAccountMcGee: What will the First Minister do to strengthen the rights of Gàidhlig speakers, like in Wales or in Ireland?

During the Rainbow Coalition and during the first ministership of /u/t2boys, I supported legislation mandating councils in which Gaelic speakers make up a significant proportion of the population to offer services in Gaelic in addition to English, as well as mandating bilingual road signs in such areas. I continue to support such legislation and improving the rights of Gaelic speakers in general, as well as supporting education of the language.

/u/NewAccountMcGee: Whilst I of course agree that we must not violate devolution legislation, I do not believe it would be an overstep of devolution to represent Scotland in such a way. I thus ask the Prime Minister this: how should Scotland represent itself internationally, in terms of culture and trade especially?

On the international stage, I believe that the Scottish Government should promote Scotland and Scottish culture within the limits of the devolution settlement, including attracting tourists to Scotland through VisitScotland, and promoting increased trade with and business investment in Scotland.

/u/NewAccountMcGee: What is the Government doing to increase urban biodiversity?

The Scottish Government supports efforts to increase the biodiversity of ecosystems. Much of increased urban biodiversity can be achieved by local government and the Scottish Housing Agency through their planning responsibilities. To aid in this, last year, through the Planning (Scotland) Act 2022, I introduced an infrastructure levy, which is a levy councils can levy on new developments to fund building the required infrastructure for the new development, including green infrastructure (which increases the biodiversity of urban areas). The Scottish Government is open to supporting further efforts to increase the biodiversity of urban areas.

/u/NewAccountMcGee: To what extent will the Scottish Government use Scotland's oil in our Just Transition to Net Zero?

The Scottish Government’s powers over the oil industry are limited as a large proportion of policy with regards to oil is a reserved matter. The Scottish Government is focused on building the infrastructure required to make a transition away from oil feasible, including expanded public transport infrastructure and electric vehicle infrastructure. Additionally, we continue to support retraining schemes for those currently employed by the oil industry so that the transition away from oil doesn’t result in mass unemployment for workers in the industry, and we will improve access to retraining and adult education courses with our plans for a Scottish Education Service.

/u/BeppeSignFury: Will the First Minister congratulate the main opposition party, the Scottish National Party, for providing more legislation of note than they have in this term thus far?

My party and government has introduced legislation this term in the form of the Motion Responses Repeal Bill which is set to pass Parliament, and my party backed the SNP’s Air Departure Tax Bill after I amended it to introduce a frequent flyer levy and to repeal the provisions of the original bill which would have made going on holiday abroad prohibitively expensive for low and middle-income Scots. I can assure the SNP however that my government will submit more legislation to deliver on our plan to build a fairer Scotland.

/u/BeppeSignFury: Has this government yet actually delivered anything but bare platitudes?

The government has begun work on delivering on its programme for government and its plan to build a fairer Scotland.

/u/BeppeSignFury: I am aware it is a reserved matter. This is merely a response to the Premier League doing the same thing - I would have hoped that the First Minister would have held constructive talks to this end with the Scottish Professional Football League.

The phrasing of the original question didn’t make it clear that the SNP was calling for talks with the Scottish Professional Football League to end betting sponsorships instead of a legislative mandatory ban on betting sponsorships. My government is however happy to hold such talks with the Scottish Professional Football League as suggested to end betting sponsorships in football.

/u/model-willem: Due to my motion on International Trade passing I am wondering if the First Minister will also work with the new Government on making sure that Scotland has a place in the UK’s defence investments?

I am certain that Scotland will continue to have a place in the UK’s defence industry. If the Ministry of Defence takes a decision with regards to defence investments which are unfair for Scotland, I will oppose such a decision and would lobby the MoD to reverse their decision. However, I maintain my stance that policy on defence investment is ultimately an issue for the MoD.

/u/Muffin5136: A month ago now, the First Minister promised this Government would support cultural programmes for Scotland, yet in this time since, we have not seen cultural programmes introduced or even mentioned again. Will the First Minister now provide us a timeline on delivering the promised pro-Haggis programmes?

I never at any point promised any “pro-Haggis programmes”, rather I stated the Scottish Government’s policy on offering financial support to Scottish cultural programmes.

/u/model-willem: What time period is ‘soon’? A week?

The dictionary definition of it is a short period of time, though what counts as a short period of time varies based on the situation. In this case, I meant within the next few weeks.

/u/model-willem: The Health Secretary said that they want to bring down queues and waiting lists by increasing the funding, but on the other hand says that supporting research "is becoming ever increasingly hard due to the restrictions posed by Westminster due to the Block Grant cut." How is the Government going to increase healthcare funding but also says that they cannot do other things because of the block grant cut?

Despite the changes to the way Scotland’s block grant is calculated, I am confident that, given the Scottish Government has the strongest powers to raise tax out of any of the 3 devolved nations, the Scottish Government will be able to increase healthcare funding and fund other programmes without running into any financial difficulties.

/u/model-willem: What actions is the Government taking to ensure that our natural environment is the best that we possibly can make it?

The government plans to take steps to cut our greenhouse gas emission, including by making our homes more energy efficient through our proposed Green Grants Scheme, by expanding the public transport network, and by electrifying our railway and bus networks. These plans will tackle the climate crisis which is causing an ecological crisis in our natural environment, and will improve our natural environment with our plans to fund rewilding efforts and to restore more of Scotland’s traditional forests.

/u/Muffin5136: Will the First Minister comment on National Museums Scotland acquiring the speaker's chair that never was, given the relevant historical and cultural news this is?

The chair intended to be used as the speaker’s chair in the Scottish Parliament intended to be founded following a successful vote in favour of devolution in 1979 is clearly an important part of modern Scottish constitutional history, particularly the history of the fight for devolution. National Museums Scotland acquiring the chair will enable it to be displayed in museums to tell visitors about the history of Scottish devolution.

/u/Muffin5136: Does the First Minister believe there is a competition issue in the Scottish Premier League of football, given the dominance of Celtic, and occasionally Rangers?

Yes. The dominance of Celtic and Rangers in Scottish football means that money in Scottish football is kept at the top of the league, depriving smaller football clubs of money, which I think is a problematic aspect of Scottish football.

Good evening,

The members of the cabinet of the 19th Scottish Government are as follows:

​

I want to start by thanking the people of the Scottish Labour Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrats for their faith in me as the new First Minister of Scotland. Without further ado, I want to introduce the 18th Government of Scotland.

​

In accordance with the Parliamentary Accountability (Motion Responses) Act 2021 and Parliamentary Accountability (Clarification) Act 2021 I give the following statement in response to SM164 - Motion on Drugs and Healthcare policy:

I wish to thank the backbencher from the Scottish Labour Party for raising this important issue surrounding drug policy and its current status under the devolution settlement, given the devolution of justice and healthcare policy to Scotland, whilst certain taxation methods remain reserved. It is important that there is clarity over what is devolved in this situation so that support can come from the correct channels rather than be ignored as Governments assume that it is the other's responsibility.

As such, I can confirm that this Government has notified and begun discussions with the Westminster Government in regard to clarifying this matter. We shall also be working to ensure Scottish law is updated appropriately to ensure we are in line with current Westminster legislation if any discrepancies are identified. Further legislation and statements will be made on this topic in due course.

Due to personal constraints, I hereby announce that u/Muffin5136 will fulfill the session of First Minister’s Questions currently in session, in their capacity as my Deputy First Minister.

Here are the answers to a few unanswered questions that the First Minister has asked his cabinet to answer. They are in no particular order.

What is the Cabinet Secretary doing to improve the provision of public transport across mine and their constituency of the Southern Marches?

I've made funding available for such efforts, through a new fund, and we have other money in the budget which will allow for such purchases.

How is the Scottish government working to improve the provision of public transport in rural areas?

I've set aside £30 million for a new rural public transport fund, which will be used to help rural areas get public transport set-up.

How is the Scottish government investing in Scotland’s rail freight network to encourage goods to be transported by rail rather than road and thus cut emissions?

We have several strategies, including our rail electrification fund (which will allow trains to move faster than regular, non-electrified, rail),

What are the Cabinet Secretary’s thoughts on the construction of a Cross Highlands Railway to provide a direct rail link between Inverness and Fort William and massively cut travel times in the Highlands?

We can discuss it for the long term - it would make sense, transportation wise, but I have questions as to how much it would cost, and if it would be economically viable once built.

Does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me that the railway lines connecting Dundee to Glasgow and Edinburgh should be upgraded to allow trains to travel at higher speeds and thus cut journey times, increase capacity and draw more people onto our railways?

High(er) Speed Rail can certainly be discussed in the long term, especially as Dundee exists as part of the greater Glasgow-Edinburgh economic corridor, and itself is an important part of Scotland economically.

The Programme for Government has promised that Scotland’s ferry routes will be privatised except for those which are less profitable. As a consequence of this, the Scottish government will no longer profit from the sale of ferry tickets for profitable routes, with this money instead being pocketed by wealthy CEOs and shareholders. The money the Scottish government will lose due to this decision may not be much but over the term the Scottish government has kept on saying that there is not much money (in part due to decisions the government has taken) and has at times rejected spending money on projects which wouldn’t cost much. Does the Cabinet Secretary therefore agree with me that the government’s decision to privatise our ferry services is the opposite of fiscal responsibility?

I can announce now that we will not be going forward with that proposal, due to the P&O crisis, and the fact that, once we looked at it in detail, studying the routes that would likely be privitised, it was unlikely that the sale would attract much in the way of value, and could have caused another P&O crisis in a few years time.

The Programme for Government promised that the government will reform air passenger duty into a per km tax. This change will mean lower air passenger duty on domestic flights than longer short, medium and long haul flights, therefore potentially incentivising travel by plane rather than the much greener train for short journeys. In addition, this change will also negatively affect working class families who do not fly frequently instead of the roughly 15% of the population who account for 70% of flights and who air passenger duty should really be targeting. Does the Cabinet Secretary therefore agree with me that a frequent flyer levy to target the frequent flyers would be more appropriate and fair on the working class?

We have discussed this previously, and while the model that Labour proposed works for Scotland, we all agreed that a national bill would be the most appropriate solution.

Does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me that any new railway built should be electric?

Of course, even if it increases cost. Electric rail is the gateway to faster, more appropriate rail for a 21st century Scotland. And I am all about that.

Does the Minister support nationalisation of Scotrail under the Scottish government?

The government has no plans to do so.

Does the Cabinet Secretary agree that rail is a preferable option to buses in most situations due to increased speed, comfort and higher energy efficiency?

Absolutely! We in this government are strong fans of rail and believe it's a great way to transport mass amounts of people. Despite this, buses do have their place in the transport cycle, especially for areas further away from rail-lines, as literally anything is better than the 4 person automobile in that regard.

Does the Cabinet Secretary share my outrage at this government rejecting an offer from Westminster to extend high speed rail to Scotland?

In fact, I can safely say we never did - and we've been waiting on the new government in Westminster to get back to us on the matter, because we are very-much interested in HSR as a future project for Scotland.

How will the Cabinet Secretary ensure that local voices are heard at all levels of Scottish democracy?

The cabinet secretary will do so through the same channels everyone does - by listening to the people who elected all of us, and their ideas as to how democracy should work and how this government should function.

The Government has promised to tackle homelessness across Scotland, with promises of dealing with anti-homeless architecture and promises of a plan. Nothing of note has been said from this Government to elaborate on these plans, so I ask the Cabinet Secretary to now elaborate on their plans to tackle homelessness?

We seek a housing first model - which is why the affordable housing and first time homebuyer's funds, are both open to those who are homeless.

This Government has promised a reduction of funding for the Help to Buy, a scheme that has proven a great effort in helping first time buyers onto the property ladder. We have still not seen any details given of what reductions will occur or how it will be decided what funding will be cut, and for who. Why does the Government believe that this scheme is not worth the support it requires, and how can they justify this attack on prospective first time buyers?

There is no reduction of Help To Buy funding in the budget.

Within the Programme for Government, this Government and this portfolio promised that they would ensure that all new builds are built within the existing style or character of a neighbourhood. I therefore ask the Cabinet Secretary, given this Government's promise to be a smaller Government with less intervention, how does this promise correlate to that and doesn't become state control over what housing is permitted to be built?

Because that would imply we are telling them exactly what to build - that wouldn't be so, as it would merely tell them what sort of styles they'd be allowed to build in. We're trying to avoid new builds that clash with historic charm of previous homes in particular, in both size and scope.

So, therefore, I ask the Cabinet Secretary whether they are taking the Housing Crisis seriously?

We are - we're keeping the two housing funds funded to the level they were in the previous budget.

Would the Cabinet Secretary support implementing an infrastructure levy to work alongside Section 75 obligations and corresponding contributions, and being formed in such a way that there isn’t double dipping from local government in terms of planning charges?

We would be willing to discuss such a levy, especially if the money goes to sustainable infrastructure that isn't car-based.

Last term, the Rainbow Coalition legislated for the introduction of directly-elected mayors into Scotland’s local governance system to increase accountability in local government and to ensure that each council area in Scotland has a directly elected official standing up for the area. New Britain was a vocal critic of their introduction, with the now Deputy First Minister promising their repeal during the election campaign in December. Can the Cabinet Secretary therefore confirm whether the government supports the introduction of directly-elected mayors?

The government has no plans to try and enact changes in this regard from previous legislation.

The Scottish Government has, however, promised to decrease funding for the First Home Fund and thus I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary how the Scottish Government would seek to help first time buyers and others in need of support get onto the housing ladder.

We are actually not decreasing funding, but keeping it at the levels of the previous budget. We have enough of a surplus at current that I would much rather see us add to the housing funds and allow us to solve a bit of the crisis we have with housing in Scotland at the moment.

Does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me that no-fault evictions should be banned to ensure that tenants are secure in their rented home, and to ensure that tenants aren’t afraid to ask for repairs, improvements to their house etc in the fear their landlord may choose to eject them instead of agree to their request?

Will the Scottish Government continue to fund the Affordable Housing Fund in the upcoming budget?

We are continuing that funding, yes.

May Mr Helper outline some of the areas the government will seek to change from the housing paper?

With little time left in the term, there will not be any major changes to the housing paper.

What work on housing has been done so far?

We consulted with Labour on some changes to planning, primarily, and have continued toe funding that was previously said to be cut in the programme for government.

/u/Tommy2Boys has resigned as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy effective immediately.

/u/CountBrandenburg has been appointed Deputy FM and a new Cabinet Secretary will be announced in due course.

/u/SapphireWork and /u/TomBarnaby have formally stepped down from their roles as Cabinet Secretaries. On behalf of the Scottish Government, I extend thanks to them and /u/XBoxHelperGG, who tender their resignation previously upon no longer being an MSP.

As of Thursday 7th April

/u/Model-Ceasar has been appointed to fill the vacancy as Cabinet Secretary for Local Affairs

/u/CountBrandenburg replaces /u/TomBarnaby as Cabinet Secretary for Justice

As of Friday 8th April

/u/Tommy2boys replaces /u/SapphireWork as Cabinet Secretary for the Environment

As of Sunday 10th April

/u/Comped replaces /u/Rohanite272 as Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Democracy

Can the Cabinet Secretary offer an update on the progress of the creation of the Economic Innovation Council as was promised in this Government's Programme for Government as a pledge from this Department?

The Cabinet has discussed this issue and it was agreed several weeks ago that the creation of the EIC would be funded within the budget with further details to come after that point.

Has the Government had any contact with the Government in Westminster about the future of the F4?

No. My understanding is there will be no changes to devolved funding in the 2022-23 financial year as you would expect, and it is something we will look to be discussing with Westminster in the coming months.

In this session, the Finance Secretary has indicated that the government has made good progress with the budget and so I would like to ask him whether he could inform the chamber about what spending cuts and austerity policies we should expect to see in the budget.

All being well you should expect to see the budget within the next couple of weeks Holyrood schedule depending, Further details on spending will be set out in there. I am happy to say there are no austerity policies within the budget though.

People across Scotland are feeling the squeeze as the cost of living crisis escalates. Inflation is at its highest rate in 30 years. Households across the nation are seeing their weekly shopping bills and other costs skyrocket. The substantial increases to the cost of living have, according to the ONS, led to people having to cut back on how much energy they use, how much food they buy, and how many “non-essential” items they buy. What are the government’s plans to tackle the cost of living crisis?

One reason for the delay of the budget from the initial timeline was to allow for it to become clear the extent of what we would expect with the cost of living crisis in the upcoming year and how best to tackle it. Of course with Basic Income we should recognise that most people are receiving a substantially higher amount of income this year then last year which will offer families a buffer. I suspect because of basic income that ONS quote would not be canon.

During the election campaign I promised that should the Scottish Progressives end up leading a government, we would not put tax up on ordinary working people and would instead ask those with the broadest shoulders to pay their fair share. At the last session of Finance Questions, when I asked the Finance Secretary whether this government could also make that pledge, he refused and said that he cannot rule out tax rises across the board. Can the Finance Secretary therefore confirm whether in the upcoming budget, ordinary Scots who are already facing the cost of living crisis will also have to face an increased tax bill?

The member can wait for the budget for our full tax proposals.

At the previous session of Finance Questions, the Finance Secretary pledged that “It is my intention to ensure trade unions have equal access to this government as any business groups will.” Since then, we have seen the government undertake a series of actions which can only be construed as being anti-worker. For example, the Finance Secretary authored legislation which mandated mandatory inflationary pay rises for our public sector workers. The government initially said that the abolition of prescription charges might need to be paid for by the NHS, thus cutting the money which the NHS can spend on essential healthcare for our workers. And in the most recent example, the government voted against Labour amendments to the public transport ticketing bill which would have ensured that ticket prices are always affordable for all workers, with the Finance Secretary questioning why this amendment is necessary. Will the Finance Secretary therefore admit that his government hasn’t ensured equal access to the government for trade unions as they have for business groups, and that the government is out of touch with the needs of Scotland’s working class?

Obviously this is just a load of waffely nonsense. This government is giving a pay rise above and beyond what was written in legislation for the upcoming financial year, above and beyond what Scottish Labour clearly believe was what they should have received. The government did initially say that cutting a policy which raises money for the NHS would mean the NHS is not getting that money. That is a statement of fact. Thanks to our sound economic management of Scotland though we are pumping record amounts of money into day to day NHS spending once again. On the public transport one this chamber should be clear that the vast majority of rail fair money goes straight back into those rail networks. If we had capped them, that would have meant less money for those public transport services or it would mean non-public transport uses heavily subsidising to an even greater extend those networks through higher taxes. One or the other. Actions have consequences and Scottish Labour should know that.

Is the Cabinet Secretary confident they will introduce the budget for this term within the timeline they promised at the start of this term?

The budget will be published in the next week or so as I have stated elsewhere.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport claimed that the proposed NEC for Scottish people will help to deliver more accessible and environmentally friendly public transport. How then will the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy ensure that these infrastructure projects get the necessary funding to achieve such?

The member can await news on transport investments in the budget, but we have already seen record investments into transport infrastructure in Scotland via the Infrastructure Strategy which this government has committed to.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WdpJjsnh7OeQMbFcaZ4wZOczJCYA5w2B/view?usp=sharing

Yesterday, /u/CountBrandeburg formally resigned their position from the Scottish Government. This has made it necessary for a reshuffle.

• /u/Tommy2Boys has been appointed Deputy First Minister and will continue in the role as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy.
• /u/xboxhelpergg has been appointed Cabinet Secretary for Local Affairs effective immediately.

Upon his appointment, Tommy2Boys spoke to the media outside Bute House on his way to see the First Minister.

I want to thank my predecessor for all of the work they did both for New Britain but more importantly for Scotland. I look forward to working closely with the First Minister in implementing our ambitious Programme for Government.

I also want to welcome Xbox to the Scottish Government. A new face in Scotland, they will bring fresh ideas and energy to the Cabinet which will make Scotland a better place.

SM153 – Protected Subjects Matter (Discussion) Motion

The Government accepts the result of this motion and will meet with the new Westminster Government this week to discuss its implementation.

SM154 - Motion on the Junction between the A78 and Main Street

The Government recognises the result of this motion. We would encourage the author of this motion to approach representatives of the government with the costs of such a project and we will endeavour to support this project through funds from the Communities Fund.

SM156 – Winter Sports Showcase Plans

The Government welcomes the show of support from the Scottish parliament for the Government’s Winter Showcase Plan. We have informed all stakeholders that the event has been given the greenlight and it will be funded accordingly in the upcoming budget.

We in government note the recent press piece by the One Disgruntled Lord, in particular the threat of moving a Vote of No Confidence.

Under existing schedule rules, the motion for this Saturday is to be filled by a Government Motion. If the Opposition would care to table a Vote of No Confidence, we are more than willing to hold off on submitting a motion of our own to be read in favour of the Vote of No Confidence.

We do not shy away from accountability. We are aware that we have made a decision that is considered controversial but we are nevertheless committed to both the F4 and the information that has been provided to us upon publication of the budget. If the Opposition considers this a matter worthy of a Vote of No Confidence, we are more than willing to rise to the challenge and meet it head on.

We are a government committed to governing in the interests of the Scottish people, and at the previous election we promised financial pragmatism. We reject assertions that we have declared ‘economic war’ on the Scottish people.

It’s time for the Opposition to prove they have more than words.

The Government takes note of SM151 passed by the Scottish Parliament last term and intends to implement it in full. It is vital that those who need help can get it close to where they are. We should not be in situations where someone must travel in some cases hundreds of miles away from their home in order to receive the healthcare they need. This Government will put an end to this once and for all

The 2021/22 budget allocated £70 million for the establishment of Gender Identity Clinics. This means only another £5 million is required to complete the establishment of these clinics in the upcoming 22/23 financial year and we will meet this obligation. From 23/24 onwards, it will be for future administrations to decide on funding but should it be the current coalition in power we would support in full the funding called for in the motion.

The Government notes the publication of the budget in Westminster and whilst we await an amended reading to get a precise figure, it looks likely that the cuts originally telegraphed to us of a block grant substantially smaller has not come to pass. We welcome this. We also welcome that the government have taken on board our suggestion to give Scotland and Northern Ireland the equivalent per head as Wales for the HS2 compensation. A recognition that the settlement was unfair in the first place.

However we would note our deep disappointment with the behaviour of the government since the publication of that budget. Both privately and publicly we have been informed very clearly many times that the Westminster Government backs the F4. If this had not been the case, we would have happily worked with our colleagues in other devolved administrations and Westminster to examine proposals for a different funding formula that took into account the needs of the devolved administrations whilst being fair to taxpayers in Scotland and the rest of the UK. This is not what happened.

Instead, in the late hours of last night we were asked to speak “urgently” with the Chancellor and were informed the Government no longer supports the F4 and is instead giving money to devolved administrations based on outdated figures from the last budget, which already beyond the immediate year did not appear to respect the F4.

The Scottish Government stands by the F4 agreement, and as such have asked that the funding we receive reflects that. If next term the government, whoever they are, wishes to propose a new funding formula we will work constructively with them and will keep an open mind. But we will not support efforts to blow up the F4 at the last minute with no sustainable long term replacement all in the name of satisfying one disgruntled Lord.

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy will make a statement to the Scottish Parliament and make himself available to answer questions on the budget process going forward during the Government’s statement slot this Thursday.

I thank the Right Honourable Member from New Britain, now the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, for his motion. As I enter the Cabinet of the Scottish Government, it is important that we work on issues within Health and Social Care in Scotland that address both the quality and accessibility of services for patients.

In line with the motion and set out in the Programme for Government, the Department for Health intends to negotiate reforms to the General Medical Services Contract to allow for the greater choice for individuals when deciding on the GP surgery that they register with. I hope that, in this work, we will be able to ensure that we remove what is often an inconvenience for many people in accessing a nearby GP practice by reforming the way that catchment areas work.

I can confirm that I, in my capacity as Cabinet Secretary for Health, intend to bring forward plans to amend part of The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2018 to reflect the changes called for in the motion which will in turn allow for people to register for GP services where it is most convenient for them to do so. I hope to present this to the Scottish Parliament in due course.

Statement by the 16th Scottish Government on Devolution and Rail Nationalisation

In the past couple of weeks, the Railways Act was given Royal Assent and as such we invited the Secretary of State for Transport to meet with us to discuss the implications of this Act for Scotland. What we heard has greatly concerned us, not just because of the specifics of this policy, but because of the wider implications this has on devolution.

A 2017 report states clearly that “In general, the provision and regulation of railway services is a reserved matter except for those that both begin and end in Scotland, which are devolved.” The decision on the ScotRail franchise should be one for the Scottish Parliament. What the Secretary of State told us was that despite ScotRail being a devolved issue, the Rose Coalition went ahead and nationalised it. Concerns were raised at the time about this policy and the House of Commons were told that “it is pointless to leave parts of the country without nationalised rail simply because it is a devolved issue.” When asked specifically about devolution and whether this is a good enough reason to “overrule the elected devolved parliament”, the Secretary of State said “I believe it is. This is a matter pertaining to the national interests and therefore an issue for Westminster.” Needless to say, these comments have greatly concerned the Scottish Government and our stance that we will protect all the powers currently held by the Scottish Parliament.

We are pleased to say that we have had constructive talks with Westminster since this first came about. We have received assurances from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the upcoming budget will not use the same argument used by the Transport Secretary on any devolved matter. Similarly the Transport Secretary has said the Rose Coalition will not use this argument in future when it comes to justifying legislating on devolved matters. There have also been constructive soundings from the Prime Minister on resolving this issue and we thank them for this.

The Prime Minister has informed us that in their judgement a decision not to fund this matter in the budget would mean ScotRail is not nationalised as it never comes into force. We accept this at face value, and have asked the Prime Minister to take this route. We have also asked for a commitment to repeal the specific clauses within the legislation pertaining to ScotRail at the earliest opportunity at the beginning of the next Westminster term.

It should be the decisions of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government on what to do with the ScotRail Franchise, and we will always fight to uphold this.

#The First Minister announces the 16th Scottish Government

First Minister and Deputy First Minister are to be ministers ex officio for each portfolio.

Posted on behalf of /u/Comped

u/Inadorable has been appointed Cabinet Secretary for Justice.

u/LightningMinion has been appointed First Cabinet Secretary.

u/Muffin5136 is to become the new Minister for the Winter Showcase, serving under the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Constitution, and External Affairs.

The Scottish government recognises the passing of SM140, and understands the sentiment expressed by the motion. Reducing smoking in Scotland is a priority of this government.

There is already currently an e-cigarette available on prescription by the NHS, e-Voke. The Scottish government does not believe it is necessary to set up the trials the motion requests as this would automatically become available on the NHS when the government enacts its policy of repealing prescription charges. This government won’t be setting up trials for any other e-cigarettes as the power to license medicines, including e-cigarettes, is reserved to the UK government under section J4 to Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998. This government does not view it as acceptable to set up trials for unlicensed products to be sanctioned on the NHS. Whilst doctors do have the power to prescribe unlicensed medicinal products if they believe it will benefit their patient, have made it clear to the patient that the product is unlicensed and has the patient’s consent, the Scottish Government is not prepared to give its sanctioning to an NHS scheme that would have unlicensed medicines being given out on trial by the Scottish NHS on a wide scale without that product first undergoing the proper safety checks MHRA conducts before it licenses a medicine. I appreciate this answer may be disappointing to some people who wanted to see these trials being conducted, however I hope they can find solace in the knowledge that I will be making representations to the UK government’s Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the coming days to encourage them to have the appropriate safety checks conducted by the MHRA, and should MHRA then license other e-cigarettes I will happily allow the trials the motion urges the government to conduct to take place.

On the second demand of the motion, I will happily say that the Scottish Government is prepared to consider directions for the recording of e-cigarettes usage amongst patients by GPs should we be making any update to GMS contracts.

Thank you.

Good afternoon,

I would like to start by saying how happy I am to be confirmed as First Minister. It is a privilege and an honour to be trusted with such responsibility - and I truly do mean that. We haven't exactly had the easiest of roads, but I am confident that this government, my government, will be able to accomplish great things before this term is up. Because there's no reason not to try and do so, especially when I am confident that we are up to the task. I'm not a fool - I know there's going to be hard work involved, and it's not going to be easy. But that's exactly why few have stood on this spot and accepted the challenge. Not because the road is easy, but because it is filled with trepidation and the people need someone to light their way. And, if I may be so bold, I believe that the people of Scotland have put their trust in exactly the right person to do so.

I feel as if this is an amazing opportunity to create real solutions for Scotland, based on sound ideals of liberal governance. What does liberal mean you may ask? I could give you a definition from the dictionary, but that would be superfluous. Liberal is the ideal that we can provide a way forward with all in mind. We reject the ideas of the past few years that claim we cannot make things better, and that we must do less instead of more. We must do more to make Scotland the best place it can be, and we can do that by combatting homelessness, lack of accessibility to educational resources, and tackle crime and climate change - and my government will do all that it can towards this.

What about my cabinet? Glad you asked. A team of talented individuals working to make Scotland better. I have put my trust in them to get things done, from the budget to mental health reforms. I will pass a budget this term. I will make sure we govern the way the people would want, the way the people put my coalition in power to do. Trust me, because I know what we're capable of, and that the people of Scotland will benefit in the long run. That is the least we can do.

Thank you.