Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone) NPA

The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-15425, on approval of a Scottish statutory instrument. Motion moved, That the...

The Presiding Officer NPA

I call Jeremy Balfour, who has up to three minutes. 17:34

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

Politicians have a duty to think about the consequences of the decisions that we make, both intended and unintended. The decision that was made by the Labour...

John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Ind

Will the member give way?

Jeremy Balfour Con

I will just finish this point. The Scottish Government will throw up its hands and say that it is not its fault and that it does not have the money—Interrupt...

The Presiding Officer NPA

Let us hear Mr Balfour.

Jeremy Balfour Con

That is a pretty hard pill to swallow after it has wasted hundreds of millions of pounds over the years on a variety of disastrous projects, not least the tw...

John Mason Ind

I suspect that the member has wasted money over the years, as we all probably have to some extent. We are where we are, and we do not have the money right no...

Jeremy Balfour Con

That is very cold comfort to the vulnerable pensioners who are being discriminated against today. If the Government paused the many past projects that have s...

The Presiding Officer NPA

Let us hear Mr Balfour.

Jeremy Balfour Con

It is a shame that parties on the other side of the chamber are not.

The Presiding Officer NPA

I call Shirley-Anne Somerville to respond. 17:36

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss the draft regulations, which will introduce our 16th Scottish benefit—the pension-age winter heating payment. Mi...

Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green) Green

Scottish Greens do not support the means testing of the winter fuel payment. We know that fuel poverty is very high among older people, especially in some po...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Maggie Chapman raises an important point. I assure her that discussions are on-going about what we can do in this situation. Once again, the Scottish Governm...

Jackson Carlaw (Eastwood) (Con) Con

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I will give way to Christine Grahame.

Christine Grahame SNP

Are we not seeing abject hypocrisy from the Conservatives, who, during decades in power, failed to provide pensioners with a decent state pension, requiring ...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Christine Grahame raises an important point. At this stage, I am happy to give way to Jackson Carlaw.

Jackson Carlaw Con

I am genuinely intrigued. The Scottish National Party made a commitment to pay the winter fuel allowance. It did not say that it would pay the winter fuel al...

The Presiding Officer NPA

You must conclude, cabinet secretary.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I am genuinely surprised that Jackson Carlaw, for whom I have a great deal of respect, would come out with a question that represents something out of Liz Tr...

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

The Presiding Officer NPA

The cabinet secretary is concluding.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

It is a duty of Parliament—I repeat the word “Parliament” for Jeremy Balfour’s benefit—not to take a position of political posturing but to instead ensure th...

The Presiding Officer NPA

The question on that motion will be put at decision time. The next item of business is consideration of four Parliamentary Bureau motions. I ask Jamie Hepbu...

The Presiding Officer NPA

The question on those motions will be put at decision time.