Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 19 March 2026 [Draft]
19 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
First Minister’s Question Time
Income Tax
However, he is completely out of step with the people of Scotland. Two thirds of people in Scotland believe that spending on benefits is too high. It is now at £7 billion, and it is heading towards £10 billion.
This is what I heard from a general practitioner in Perthshire with decades of experience in helping patients who are in genuine need of benefits. She said:
“John Swinney is completely wrong to state there is a robust process.”
She says that there is a huge number of fraudulent claims, and she identifies
“a large group of people who believe they have genuine claims but, in reality, are capable of work.”
She concludes by telling me that she was an SNP voter—[Interruption.]
In the same item of business
1. Russell Findlay (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
Hard-working Scots are being hammered by the Scottish National Party Government. A new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has delivered a damning ver...
The First Minister (John Swinney)
SNP
I am very proud of the budgetary and tax decisions that the Government has taken over many years, and I am proud to have been associated with those decisions...
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
Let us hear.
The First Minister
SNP
That is the SNP delivering for all the people of Scotland.
Russell Findlay
Con
I do not think that John Swinney is listening. People are saving 77p per week. John Swinney will not admit that he is forcing taxpayers to fund the SNP’s sky...
The First Minister
SNP
Let us explore some of the details of the tax position of people in Scotland compared with people in England. A band 2 hospital porter at the bottom of the s...
Russell Findlay
Con
John Swinney can parrot selective statistics all day long—Interruption.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Let us hear Mr Findlay.
Russell Findlay
Con
However, he is completely out of step with the people of Scotland. Two thirds of people in Scotland believe that spending on benefits is too high. It is now ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Let us hear Mr Findlay.
Russell Findlay
Con
—but that she“will not be voting for the party at the forthcoming election for a number of reasons, not least their inability to control the escalating numbe...
The First Minister
SNP
There is absolutely nothing selective about the statistics that I have put on the record, so I will put a few more on the record. A band 4 dental nurse at th...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Let us hear the First Minister.
The First Minister
SNP
Enterprise and compassion—that is what people get from an SNP Government led by John Swinney.
Russell Findlay
Con
Here is an idea for John Swinney: how about he tries to answer the questions that are put to him?The Scottish benefits agency, which was created by the SNP, ...
The First Minister
SNP
Russell Findlay has changed tack with that question, because my comments to the Parliament today rumbled his earlier attack on the social security system—Int...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Let us hear one another. I am keen to enable as many members as possible to put questions today, as we have a long list.
The First Minister
SNP
Russell Findlay has changed tack. He walked away from his attack on the social security system when I pointed out the unpleasantness of the Conservatives’ at...