Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 February 2026
04 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
Local Government Finance Settlements (Rurality)
—for local government that will help the 32 local authorities, including the local authority to which Craig Hoy referred.
As I said earlier, the rural distribution formula is agreed with the 32 local authorities through the joint settlement and distribution group. I am sure that they will be more than happy to hear Craig Hoy’s positive contribution to the debate, and I suggest that he contacts COSLA to make those representations on behalf of the local authority that he says that he represents.
In the same item of business
6. Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it is doing to recognise rurality in local government finance settlements. ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Shona Robison)
SNP
Rurality is a key element of the needs-based distribution formula that is discussed and agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on behalf of...
Alexander Burnett
Con
Aberdeenshire Council is the lowest-funded rural council in Scotland, and its public services are among the most expensive to deliver across miles of coast a...
Shona Robison
SNP
Alexander Burnett should be honest with his constituents that proposing £1 billion of unfunded, unaffordable tax cuts would wipe out any increase to the loca...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind)
Ind
I have a constituent farmer, Neil Gordon, in Balnaan, who relies on the use of Balnaan bridge to carry out his work. The bridge has recently been closed beca...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Always speak through the chair, please, and supplementaries should be relevant to the substantive question.
Shona Robison
SNP
The Parliament has previously been unanimous in its support for the climate action that is required to be taken for Scotland, and I think that it would be di...
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
If the rural funding formula for councils is working and is fair, why is SNP-run Dumfries and Galloway Council currently consulting on the ending of free mus...
Shona Robison
SNP
Craig Hoy, of course, is the author of the tax policy that would remove every penny of funding that I have provided to 32 local authorities. The Tories canno...
Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
Answer the question.
Shona Robison
SNP
—of local government funding that the budget provides. Of course, they are going to vote against the £235 million of funding—
Stephen Kerr
Con
Answer the question!
Shona Robison
SNP
—for local government that will help the 32 local authorities, including the local authority to which Craig Hoy referred.As I said earlier, the rural distrib...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Mr Kerr, I have given you a couple of supplementaries during portfolio question time. If you want to ask another supplementary question, please press your bu...
Stephen Kerr
Con
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer.