Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 22 April 2014
22 Apr 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Ministers
I congratulate Angela Constance and Shona Robison on their appointments to the Scottish Cabinet, and I indicate that we will support the Government’s motion. I have always rated both of them as politicians and, indeed, as people. My regard for them has clearly not been the kiss of death for their political careers, as some people might otherwise have thought, although I have always been careful to hide my praise for them in front of the First Minister.
They are, of course, intelligent and capable women, and they have always been intelligent and capable women, so one cannot help but wonder why they have not been promoted before now. However, this is perhaps not about recognising talent; it is simply about the referendum. Apparently, the First Minister has a problem with women—or is it that women have a problem with Alex Salmond? I am sure that it comes as a surprise to him, but it appears that women do not altogether trust the First Minister and his promises. I have always believed that women are the more thoughtful and discerning sex. If nothing else, the proposed appointments probably prove it.
The appointments, great though they are, will themselves make little difference to the experience of women. That demonstrates that the Scottish National Party is motivated by politics and the referendum, not by belief. Scottish Labour has always been motivated by a deep and abiding belief in gender equality. We have delivered on that. We have delivered the twinning of parliamentary constituencies to ensure equal numbers of men and women standing as candidates. We have delivered 50:50 representation for men and women as Labour MSPs in almost all of the Scottish Parliament elections. We introduced the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equality Act 2010 and much more besides. We are motivated by our beliefs, but it would appear that the First Minister is motivated by short-term political advantage for the referendum.
Let me offer the First Minister some positive suggestions, if he wants to make a real difference to gender equality. These are things that he can do now, before the referendum. First, how about delivering 50:50 representation on public boards? That is something over which he has control now. The Scottish Government set a target of 40 per cent for the number of applications from women, not even the number of board members, but it has failed even to meet that target. Fewer than a third of board members are women. All those appointments are the Scottish Government’s to make now. What about equal representation? The First Minister has the power to do something about it now, and he has the opportunity to do so, but will he?
Secondly, what about using the opportunity of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill to deliver the living wage as part of the £10 billion that is spent each year on public sector contracts? Of those who would benefit, 64 per cent are women. Today, the First Minister has increased the salary of two women by £30,000 to £40,000 a year. That is welcome. However, doing that has a marginal impact on the equal pay gap. How about increasing the wages of 256,000 working women and paying them the living wage, which is £7.65 an hour? The First Minister has the power to do that. He has the opportunity to do so with proposed legislation that is now going through the Parliament, but does he have the political will to improve the lives of women across Scotland? That is the key question. Women will judge him on his actions, not his rhetoric. How about increasing the wages of 256,000 women across Scotland, not just the salaries of two?
15:09
They are, of course, intelligent and capable women, and they have always been intelligent and capable women, so one cannot help but wonder why they have not been promoted before now. However, this is perhaps not about recognising talent; it is simply about the referendum. Apparently, the First Minister has a problem with women—or is it that women have a problem with Alex Salmond? I am sure that it comes as a surprise to him, but it appears that women do not altogether trust the First Minister and his promises. I have always believed that women are the more thoughtful and discerning sex. If nothing else, the proposed appointments probably prove it.
The appointments, great though they are, will themselves make little difference to the experience of women. That demonstrates that the Scottish National Party is motivated by politics and the referendum, not by belief. Scottish Labour has always been motivated by a deep and abiding belief in gender equality. We have delivered on that. We have delivered the twinning of parliamentary constituencies to ensure equal numbers of men and women standing as candidates. We have delivered 50:50 representation for men and women as Labour MSPs in almost all of the Scottish Parliament elections. We introduced the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equality Act 2010 and much more besides. We are motivated by our beliefs, but it would appear that the First Minister is motivated by short-term political advantage for the referendum.
Let me offer the First Minister some positive suggestions, if he wants to make a real difference to gender equality. These are things that he can do now, before the referendum. First, how about delivering 50:50 representation on public boards? That is something over which he has control now. The Scottish Government set a target of 40 per cent for the number of applications from women, not even the number of board members, but it has failed even to meet that target. Fewer than a third of board members are women. All those appointments are the Scottish Government’s to make now. What about equal representation? The First Minister has the power to do something about it now, and he has the opportunity to do so, but will he?
Secondly, what about using the opportunity of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill to deliver the living wage as part of the £10 billion that is spent each year on public sector contracts? Of those who would benefit, 64 per cent are women. Today, the First Minister has increased the salary of two women by £30,000 to £40,000 a year. That is welcome. However, doing that has a marginal impact on the equal pay gap. How about increasing the wages of 256,000 working women and paying them the living wage, which is £7.65 an hour? The First Minister has the power to do that. He has the opportunity to do so with proposed legislation that is now going through the Parliament, but does he have the political will to improve the lives of women across Scotland? That is the key question. Women will judge him on his actions, not his rhetoric. How about increasing the wages of 256,000 women across Scotland, not just the salaries of two?
15:09
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-09773, in the name of the First Minister, on the appointment of Scottish ministers. I remind members that...
The First Minister (Alex Salmond)
SNP
I am pleased to seek the Parliament’s approval of the appointment of Angela Constance and Shona Robison as cabinet ministers, through this motion in my name....
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
I congratulate Angela Constance and Shona Robison on their appointments to the Scottish Cabinet, and I indicate that we will support the Government’s motion....
Jackson Carlaw (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
We have met on several occasions during the current session of Parliament to welcome the announcement of new ministers. This is a slightly unusual occasion i...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities (Nicola Sturgeon)
SNP
I thank Jackson Carlaw for his contribution—his contributions to these ministerial appointment debates are becoming infamous—which was characteristically fun...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
That concludes the debate.The question is, that motion S4M-09773, in the name of the First Minister, on the appointment of Scottish ministers, be agreed to.M...