Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-15529, in the name of Neil Gray, on the impact of the national insurance increase on public services. I i...

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Neil Gray) SNP

During the recent United Kingdom general election, we highlighted the real and pressing challenges in United Kingdom public finances. At the time, those chal...

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

Does the cabinet secretary recognise that there is not only an increase in the percentage of employer national insurance contributions but a decrease in the ...

Neil Gray SNP

I agree with Alex Cole-Hamilton about the impact that the changes will have. This morning at Leith surgery, I heard the exact point that he was referencing a...

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

I do not disagree with many of the points that the cabinet secretary has made. However, there is something missing from his speech, and from his motion, and ...

Neil Gray SNP

I appreciate the point that Murdo Fraser makes, because I think that the increase is regressive for growth, which is supposedly the UK Government’s number 1 ...

Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con) Con

Will the cabinet secretary give way?

Neil Gray SNP

All are clear that failing to mitigate the cost pressures that are felt by contractors risks jobs and NHS service delivery now, and jeopardises our on-going ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Yes.

Neil Gray SNP

I give way to Mr Hoy.

Craig Hoy Con

Will the cabinet secretary concede that the cost pressures that GPs and dentists face were already in place as a result of decisions that were taken by his G...

Neil Gray SNP

No—I recognise that the uplift that we have given to GP services is challenging, but it aligns with the recommendations from the review body on doctors’ and ...

Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con) Con

In politics, there are lies, damned lies, and then there are the election commitments and employment claims from Labour’s new Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ra...

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Lab

Will Craig Hoy take an intervention?

Craig Hoy Con

I will. Perhaps Jackie Baillie can give us her interpretation.

Jackie Baillie Lab

I genuinely find it quite extraordinary that 14 years of the Tories has just been wiped out at a stroke. What happened to Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, who cr...

Craig Hoy Con

Jackie Baillie is forgetting that inflation was falling, interest rates were falling and economic growth was on an upward path, which the OBR now says is und...

Neil Gray SNP

I recognise the challenges that Craig Hoy mentions. However, does he accept that, as we have set out, the resource block grant uplift is less than 1 per cent...

Craig Hoy Con

I accept that in terms of the consequences of the increase to national insurance contributions, but perhaps the Scottish Government would have had more cash ...

Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

This afternoon, I heard from Aberdeenshire Council that it has an extra £10.7 million of additional costs in relation to national insurance. In relation to t...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Mr Lumsden, that is a very long intervention.

Douglas Lumsden Con

Does the member agree—

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Mr Hoy, I think that you have heard enough to respond to that. In doing so, I ask that you start to bring your remarks to a close.

Craig Hoy Con

I thank Douglas Lumsden for his very succinct intervention. I fully accept that there are cost pressures in councils right across Scotland. The Scottish Gov...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Mr Hoy, you will have to conclude. Please move your amendment. Thank you.

Craig Hoy Con

—that threatens the very survival of public services across Scotland.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Mr Hoy, please conclude and move your amendment.

Craig Hoy Con

I conclude on that point. I move amendment S6M-15529.2, to leave out from “should” to end and insert: “increasing employer national insurance contributions...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call Jackie Baillie to speak to and move amendment S6M-15529.3. 15:36

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Lab

It is not often that the SNP Government holds a debate on any aspect of health, as it normally wants to run away from its own dismal record. However, if ther...