Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 22 January 2020
22 Jan 2020 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Local Government (Funding)
The cabinet secretary is quite right to point out that, if we accepted the Tory proposals for the budget, the cuts to public services would be even deeper. Indeed, Tory failed austerity plays a big part in that.
I question the point about joined-up working, which is not taking place. The cabinet secretary talked about schools but, in Fife, hundreds of thousands of pounds have been stripped out of every secondary school in the current academic year, which is having a real detrimental impact. I see the cabinet secretary looking at the Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy—it is hundreds of thousands of pounds per secondary school. Class sizes are increasing to over 30. I should declare an interest in that my granddaughter is in a class of around 33. The approach is just not working and we are not tackling inequality and poverty while those problems continue to grow in our communities.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-20528, in the name of Sarah Boyack, on investing in our future. 14:37
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Local government is at the heart of our communities and is the key vehicle through which our Parliament supports people in their lives. Our councils deliver ...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
Yes, briefly.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There is time in hand, so do not worry about interventions. That goes for the whole chamber.
John Mason
SNP
Is the member arguing that, in recent years, the national health service has had too much money and that local government has not had enough?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
No. I recommend that the member looks at the Official Report of the Local Government and Communities Committee, in which members across the parties talk abou...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
Everything that Sarah Boyack described seems eminently desirable. Will Labour bring forward an alternative budget to say how we will pay for all the asks in ...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
We are all keen to see the Scottish National Party Government’s budget as well. In considering the key issues, we must not just look to the future, but re...
Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP)
SNP
On several occasions, the member has said that there has been a disproportionate cut to local government budgets. The corollary of that is that is there has ...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
Well, we will not be throwing money into preparing for a second independence referendum, that is for sure. Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
No, no. Excuse me! I cannot hear anything and I want to hear the debate.
Sarah Boyack
Lab
If we are going to empower local communities, let us start with our local councils and let us start now. Being a valued and essential partner is utterly mean...
The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government (Aileen Campbell)
SNP
Today’s debate is important because it gives us a chance to recognise the importance of local government in supporting our people and communities. Working w...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
A report from the Accounts Commission from just the other week said that since 2013-14, there has been a real-terms reduction to council funding of 7.6 per c...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
I remind Graham Simpson that, if we had followed his party’s budget proposals last year, South Lanarkshire Council, the council on which he was a representat...
Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
The cabinet secretary is quite right to point out that, if we accepted the Tory proposals for the budget, the cuts to public services would be even deeper. I...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you, Mr Rowley.
Alex Rowley
Lab
I accept that the Scottish Government is working under financial restraints, but does the cabinet secretary accept that we need to focus more on tackling ine...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You should have been on the list to speak, Mr Rowley, but I do not mind, because we have time in hand.
Aileen Campbell
SNP
I absolutely agree that we need to tackle inequality in our country. That is why, as I announced last year, we will be taking forward the Scottish child paym...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister reflect on the fact that the learning estate investment programme, or LEIP, is not an investment programme but a maintenance programme, and...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
We have the schools for the future investment programme and we are investing to support the most vulnerable pupils in our country. We are certainly proud of ...
Daniel Johnson
Lab
I was talking about LEIP.
The Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning (Kevin Stewart)
SNP
It is better than the private finance initiative for schools.
Aileen Campbell
SNP
Absolutely. I am reminded by my colleague of PFI, which was an utterly failed attempt by Labour to invest in schools across the country, and one that we will...
Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Will Aileen Campbell take an intervention?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
The minister is just closing, Mr Findlay.
Aileen Campbell
SNP
Let us not forget that if any of the parties that are taking part in the debate want us to make different choices or have different priorities, they must be ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Murdo Fraser to speak to and move amendment S5M-20528.1. If you take interventions, Mr Fraser, I will extend your time accordingly. 15:01