Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 February 2026 [Draft]
25 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 3
On college spending, Shona Robison claims to have delivered a major boost to the sector, which is already facing significant cash pressures, but she is misleading Parliament once again. She claims that there is a £70 million uplift, but she knows that funding for the Dunfermline learning campus has been set aside and that the real increase is only £40 million. [Interruption.] At the same time, the cabinet secretary cannot escape another fact—that the sector endured a 20 per cent real-terms funding cut at the hands of the SNP Government over the five years to 2025-26. [Interruption.]
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
As members will be aware, the Presiding Officer is required under standing orders to decide whether or not, in her view, any provision of a bill relates to a...
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Shona Robison)
SNP
I am pleased to open the stage 3 debate on the Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill. Before turning to the substance of the debate, I want to thank those whose work...
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
This year, 66,000 additional Scots will be dragged into the Scottish National Party’s higher tax regime. Are they high earners?
Shona Robison
SNP
Around three quarters—74 per cent—of taxpayers are expected to be unaffected by our maintaining the higher rate threshold at the same level. The resources th...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind)
Ind
For two years, the Nairn bypass has been ready to go into the procurement stage for its completion. However, it will not go into procurement until 2029. Give...
Shona Robison
SNP
That is far from the case. The Cabinet Secretary for Transport has kept the Parliament updated about all those important projects, and our commitment to them...
Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Shona Robison
SNP
Of course—I am sure that Mr Marra will welcome that investment.
Michael Marra
Lab
The cabinet secretary says that people from across Dundee can access the centre, but is it not the case that only patients who are already registered with th...
Shona Robison
SNP
Walk-in centres will provide additional capacity for a range of people across all the locations in which they operate. It is strange that Michael Marra canno...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
We thank the Deputy First Minister for her commitment on colleges, which is welcomed by the sector, but that sector is looking for a long-term plan, to make ...
Shona Robison
SNP
Yes. I think that I have made that clear, but I am happy to put that on the record again.We remain steadfast in our commitment to preventing and eradicating ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Thank you, cabinet secretary. I call Craig Hoy to open on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, for up to nine minutes.16:14
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I wish the cabinet secretary well as she prepares to leave the Parliament. I hope that she will not be leaving her successor a note to say that there is no m...
Keith Brown (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
SNP
Given the issues with tax during the period that Craig Hoy is speaking about, is it a good time for him to apologise for the fact that the Conservative Gover...
Craig Hoy
Con
As the SNP’s depute leader, Mr Brown must have been so busy looking at the party’s accounts that he missed Covid and the war in Ukraine, which led to a signi...
Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Craig Hoy
Con
I do not have time.
The First Minister (John Swinney)
SNP
Give way!
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
First Minister, please.
Craig Hoy
Con
On college spending, Shona Robison claims to have delivered a major boost to the sector, which is already facing significant cash pressures, but she is misle...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Members!The First Minister rose—
Craig Hoy
Con
I will give way to Mr Swinney, but will he comment on the fact that Audit Scotland declared that the situation that colleges faced under the SNP as a result ...
The First Minister
SNP
I point out to Mr Hoy that he is falling into the usual trick of the Conservatives, which is to come here and demand tax cuts that would reduce public expend...
Craig Hoy
Con
Given that independent analysts have said that this budget is in a parallel universe—Interruption.
The First Minister
SNP
Please answer the question.
Craig Hoy
Con
I will happily give way—
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Mr Hoy, please resume your seat. I will not have all these goings-on across the benches. We will listen to the speaker who is on his feet with some courtesy.
Craig Hoy
Con
No wonder Mr Swinney wants to shout his opponents down. He knows that we are backed by independent analysts who are saying that this is a bad budget for Scot...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
It would be helpful if we did not have the running commentary from members on the front benches as people are speaking.16:24