Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 February 2016
25 Feb 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2016 [Draft]
Let me begin with the remark that Ken Macintosh made about the allegedly centralising and dictatorial policies that I preside over. [Interruption.] I think that Jackie Baillie just muttered, “You do.” Of course, we are familiar with the mutterings that we get from the left-hand side of the chamber on a daily basis, but let us look at some of the background to all this.
One of my first acts as finance secretary was to liberate local authorities from £2 billion-worth of dictatorial budget control that Jackie Baillie and her ministerial colleagues had exerted from St Andrew’s house. Local government had asked to be liberated from the dictatorship of ring fencing, and it took the election to office of a liberating SNP Government to remove that constraint from local government. [Interruption.] Jackie Baillie knows that I am generous in accepting interventions. If she wants to make an intervention rather than mutter, I will take it.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is a debate on motion S4M-15735, in the name of John Swinney, on the draft Local Government Finance...
James Kelly (Rutherglen) (Lab)
Lab
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Under rule 8.17.1 of the standing orders I wish to challenge the Presiding Officer’s ruling on the non-selection of t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I thank the member for indicating in advance that he wished to raise a point of order. The member has already indicated that the Presiding Officer has advis...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy (John Swinney)
SNP
The Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2016 seeks agreement on the allocation of revenue funding to local government for 2016-17 to enable local autho...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
It was only yesterday that workers from councils across Scotland assembled in front of this Parliament to protest the cuts that are being visited on local go...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You must close, please.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
The SNP has decided that local services are not important. Each and every cut in each and every local authority is John Swinney’s cut and the SNP’s cut.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I reiterate that we have no time in hand. 14:47
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I have always regarded the finance secretary as a reasonable man, indeed somewhat mild-mannered. It is therefore something of a surprise to see the level of ...
Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD)
LD
I start—as I finished yesterday—with a special plea for the local alcohol and drug partnerships. The reduction of the main budget from around £69.2 million t...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
Over the past few days we have discussed the budget, and we are now discussing the local government finance order, and one thing is clear to me. I certainly ...
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
We are talking about policies that are written on the back of a fag packet. Mr Stewart will remember standing at the last election on a promise that no counc...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
What I will say to Mr Macdonald is that I am very grateful to the late Brian Adam, who got this Government to introduce the funding floor. It means that, thi...
Lewis Macdonald
Lab
Will Mr Stewart give way?
Kevin Stewart
SNP
No. I have had enough of Mr Macdonald, it has to be said, just like the people of Aberdeen Central at the last election. The Government is continuing to liv...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Order, please. Mr Stewart is closing.
Kevin Stewart
SNP
As it stands, what the Labour Party has proposed would see a raid on the pockets of the lowest-paid workers in Scotland. Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Order. Before I call the closing speakers, I remind members respectfully that everyone in the chamber is required to conduct business with courtesy, please. ...
Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I am glad that the debate has given us the chance to elaborate on the challenges and decisions that local government funding faces, because it is important t...
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab)
Lab
Yesterday’s stage 3 debate on the budget was a pretty depressing affair. I am sorry to say that I had little expectation that today’s debate would be any mor...
John Swinney
SNP
Let me begin with the remark that Ken Macintosh made about the allegedly centralising and dictatorial policies that I preside over. Interruption. I think tha...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
I do not recall muttering. I put it to the cabinet secretary that what he is doing now is actually ring fencing, which is exactly what he claims not to be do...
John Swinney
SNP
I will come on to that in a second. Removing ring fencing liberated local authorities and gave them much more financial flexibility. Ken Macintosh attacked...
Ken Macintosh
Lab
If that is the case, why did the cabinet secretary not come outside the Parliament yesterday to meet local government representatives?
John Swinney
SNP
I hope that Ken Macintosh can understand that on budget day, when I had also appeared before the Finance Committee, it was quite difficult for me to find the...
Ken Macintosh
Lab
Where was the SNP?
John Swinney
SNP
One SNP MSP who was meeting representatives was me, in St Andrew’s house on Monday. Ken Macintosh should not give me the baseless rubbish that he comes out w...
Lewis Macdonald
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
I am sorry, Mr Macdonald, but the cabinet secretary is in his last 45 seconds.
John Swinney
SNP
The city of Aberdeen has been given a settlement, and my colleague Kevin Stewart referred to Brian Adam’s work in bringing that about. A persuasive argument ...