Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 December 2022
15 Dec 2022 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Budget 2023-24
The Deputy First Minister claims that the budget prioritises the transition to net zero, and he talked about using the non-domestic rates system to increase investment in renewable energy, which is a worthwhile objective. However, right now—as the acting finance secretary, he should know this—small-scale hydro schemes across Scotland are facing an increase in their business rates of up to nearly 600 per cent. One scheme has seen its rateable value increase from £81,500 in 2017 to a draft valuation of £439,500 in 2023. The executive director of Alba Energy has described that as “madness without a method”. How on earth can the Deputy First Minister reconcile what is happening on the ground with the rhetoric that we have just heard in his statement?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
Good afternoon. Members will be aware of my response to the points of order that were raised at the end of First Minister’s question time regarding informati...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I cannot express strongly enough my disappointment at information about this afternoon’s statement appearing in the media before being given to the Parliamen...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I am grateful to you for your ruling on the matter, but you may not be aware that, in the past few moments, yet more ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you, Mr Fraser. It is extremely important that we continue with the business in front of us, given the delay that we have already experienced. I will l...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery (John Swinney)
SNP
Presiding Officer, I will say openly to Parliament what I have said to you privately in the welcome conversation that we have had: at no stage has anybody be...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Members. It is extremely important that we hear one another.
John Swinney
SNP
Presiding Officer, I will reiterate what I have said to you privately: at no stage has anybody been authorised to disclose any information that is contained ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Members! Excuse me, Mr Swinney. I simply will not have members shouting discourteous comments to one another across the chamber. Please remember that we are...
John Swinney
SNP
Presiding Officer, in the light of your understandable concern about this matter, I unreservedly apologise to you for the situation in which you find yoursel...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Members. Thank you.
John Swinney
SNP
I simply point out that those factors need to be considered in this whole process. The Scottish Government budget for 2023-24 takes place in the most turbul...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues raised in his statement. I intend to allow around 60 minutes for questions, after which we will m...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Rather unusually, Presiding Officer, I begin by thanking you for taking the matter of the leaking of the budget to the press very seriously. There is no doub...
John Swinney
SNP
That was a very confused contribution from Liz Smith. Let me work my way through it. Just a few months ago, Liz Smith wanted me to follow the budget of Kwas...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you, members.
John Swinney
SNP
I am beginning to get worried about her obsession with it. I confirmed that, in order to deal with the fuel poverty that exists in our country, the punishing...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Presiding Officer, I, too, thank you for your investigations into this afternoon’s incidents. Given the comments that the Deputy First Minister made at the b...
John Swinney
SNP
The focus of the budget is on eradicating child poverty, on making practical and possible the transition of the economy to net zero, and on ensuring that we ...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
This is a bleak day for our country. External factors have certainly played their part, but their effect has been compounded by the Government’s manifest fai...
John Swinney
SNP
I will explore some of the points that Mr Cole-Hamilton put to me about the position on mental health, health expenditure and local government, because that ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I would be grateful if we had short and succinct questions and responses because—unsurprisingly—there is a great deal of interest in the item.
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the Deputy First Minister’s statement, which has been delivered in the most challenging circumstances. Last year, Scottish Enterprise approved £120...
John Swinney
SNP
The measures that Mr Gibson sets out are encapsulated in the national strategy for economic transformation. The tech scaler programme, which a very successfu...
Murdo Fraser
Con
The Deputy First Minister claims that the budget prioritises the transition to net zero, and he talked about using the non-domestic rates system to increase ...
John Swinney
SNP
There are a number of points there. First, the Government has expanded the reliefs that are available to renewable energy projects as part of the non-domesti...
Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the Deputy First Minister for his statement, which prioritises Scotland’s national health service. How will the increases in the Scottish Government’...
John Swinney
SNP
The decisions that I have taken today have been about ensuring that our health service has available to it resources to recover from the pandemic and ensure ...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
Will the Deputy First Minister pause the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill to release money to spend on ending non-residential care charges, which are in...
John Swinney
SNP
Parliament is currently considering the legislation on the national care service. A scrutiny process will be undertaken and it is for Parliament to consider ...
Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP)
SNP
As we progress with our just transition to net zero, it is vital that we prepare our workforce to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that it will...