Meeting of the Parliament 04 June 2026 [Draft]
I have always prided myself on giving avuncular advice to Mr Greer. All I can say is that I think he touched a raw nerve with his comment about bus operator donations to the Labour Party. When he made his point about free travel in the west of Scotland, I kept thinking that he looked as though he was eligible for the under-22s bus pass into the bargain.
To be serious, I am very sympathetic to Mr Greer’s points. There are a number of good examples of bus transport being in public ownership—the city of Edinburgh is a shining example, given its outstanding, high-quality bus service. I am full of admiration for the work that is being undertaken by Highland Council, in whose area many more services have been brought under public ownership and control. The legislative framework is in place to enable that to happen. We want to work with local authorities to advance such propositions, because they would be in the public interest.
We can make public transport more affordable and sustainable through the steps that we propose to take with the £2 bus fare cap. Along with the Deputy First Minister, I look forward to engaging with the Greens on the Government’s financial priorities.