Good morning. The first item of business is general question time, which is the shortest question session of the week.
Face-to-face Banking Services
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the banking industry about maintaining access to face-to-face banking services on high streets. (S6O-05595)
Regulation of financial services is reserved. However, the Scottish Government regularly engages with the sector and the regulator through ministerial engagements, such as meetings of the financial services growth and development board.
Scottish Government officials attended a forum convened by the Financial Conduct Authority on access to cash on 15 October 2025. That was an opportunity to raise Scotland-specific concerns directly with the FCA, LINK and Cash Access UK, including concerns about Scotland’s rural and remote geography and demographics and about decisions on banking hubs not taking into account individual communities’ needs. We continue to urge all financial services providers to listen to and address customer concerns.
Yet another bank in my Rutherglen constituency is under threat of closure. By my count, nine bank branches have closed in recent years, which has left Blantyre and Cambuslang as banking deserts.
Many individuals, businesses, churches and organisations need access to cash banking, and online or digital banking does not suit everyone. I am also deeply concerned about the impact that further bank closures will have on our local high streets. Will the minister join me in condemning the decimation of face-to-face banking across Scotland and join my calls for better access to banking facilities for all?
The member raises an important issue. I think that all of us who are constituency members have experienced the loss of high street bank branches and face-to-face transactions. That is a matter of concern to the Scottish Government.
The member might wish to ask LINK to carry out an assessment to ensure that there is consideration of banking hubs and access to cash points in our communities. There are approximately 27 banking hubs in Scotland, with another six in progress through LINK Scheme. We continue to make sure that LINK takes into account Scotland’s distinctive needs.
Last month, the Bank of Scotland announced that it would close its branch in Kelso. That is the ninth closure in the Borders since 2022.
I agree with Richard Lochhead that we need to review the access to cash criteria, and the Scottish Conservatives will be pushing the United Kingdom Government to do that. However, does the minister think that we should now organise a round-table meeting with the high street banks, LINK and Cash Access UK so that we can bring this problem to the Scottish Parliament?
Such events have taken place in the past; I have attended them and I am happy for that to continue at some point in the near future. Perhaps the new Government and the new cohort of MSPs will wish to take that forward.
It is important that Scotland’s voice is heard. I know that the member represents a largely rural constituency. I do, too, and at one point, my constituency was the hardest hit in Scotland on the loss of banks, so I can identify with those concerns.
The Promise
To ask the Scottish Government how it measures success in protecting care-experienced children, in light of reports that its flagship policy, the Promise, has failed to keep vulnerable children safe. (S6O-05596)
Protecting children from harm is a key priority for the Government. The Promise directs focus to fulfilling children’s rights to be raised safely in their families. The rate of annual registrations to the child protection register fell from 4.1 per 1,000 children in 2018-19 to 3 per 1,000 in 2023-24, and rates of looked-after children also declined over that period. That suggests that agencies are putting safety plans in place earlier, before child protection plans become necessary. The Promise progress framework, which is set out jointly by The Promise Scotland and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, provides a national overview of the indicators that relate to the Promise.
Safeguarding loses effectiveness when ideological confusion weakens practical protections across public policy. The catastrophic consequences of diluting sex-based safeguards leave the vulnerable exposed to avoidable risks. Children in care are among Scotland’s most vulnerable to exploitation, yet children in care were sold a promise instead of a plan to protect them. Brave survivors and whistleblowers have been left pleading for decisive action to close those safeguarding gaps, against talk of political legacy from those who walked away from an unkept promise.
Leadership is judged by outcomes, not slogans, and promises are not protection. Frankly, can the lack of delivery of robust safeguarding and the lack of legal consequences for all those who exploit vulnerable children be judged to be anything other than a failure?
I do not agree with Ms Regan’s assumption on the matter. As I said, protecting vulnerable children is a top priority for the Government. We are taking action to protect vulnerable children through the Promise and non-legislative means. The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill is making its way through the Parliament and will add protection for children and young people. On top of that, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills announced last week that we will establish a statutory public inquiry into Scotland’s response to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. That will speak directly to some of the asks that Ms Regan has brought to me.
Although the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill is making its way through the Parliament, Ms Regan has not reached out to me to engage on any of those matters. She is more than welcome to do so.
The Scottish National Party Government is delivering policies to support, and improve access to opportunities for, care-experienced young people. Will the minister speak further about how Scottish Government investment is continuing that vital work through, for example, the care-experienced children and young people fund?
We continue to invest across the board to support improved outcomes for care-experienced children and young people, which includes providing more than £80 million from the care-experienced children and young people fund. There has been an increase in further education that has led the number of people accessing the care-experienced students bursary to more than double since 2019-20. From April 2026, care leavers will receive a new £2,000 care leavers payment, which will help young people to begin adulthood with much greater security. All that is on top of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill, which will soon have its stage 3 proceedings in the Parliament.
Infrastructure (Local Authority Support)
To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it will provide to local authorities to address ageing infrastructure, including bridges. (S6O-05597)
Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads and associated infrastructure in their areas and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the convenient and safe movement of traffic.
The vast majority of funding available to councils is provided by means of a block grant from the Scottish Government. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources that are available to them, including on maintenance of local roads and bridges, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.
That seems to be passing the buck back to councils, which simply do not have the capital budgets to do the work. My constituents do not want to hear about who did or did not support the budget or what council budgets are not. They care about the fact that bridges are crumbling around them.
We need to see outside the bubble of Holyrood and into the reality of what is happening in our areas. The Cloddach bridge has been closed for more than four years. The Spey viaduct, which was a popular active travel route, is still sitting in the water. Arthur’s bridge, which is a pivotal bridge for Lossiemouth, is declining fast. However, councils throughout Scotland, including Moray Council, simply do not have the budgets to fix bridges.
I ask the cabinet secretary to give immediate and urgent consideration to reopening the local bridge maintenance fund to ensure that communities in Moray and throughout Scotland can repair and replace critical infrastructure. Will she do that?
At no point did Craig Hoy on behalf of the Tories bring to me a proposal for a local bridge maintenance fund as part of the budget negotiations. If Tim Eagle believes that that is important, perhaps he should have had a word with his front-bench colleagues to make it a condition of support for the budget. That is how things get done in the Parliament—not by the posturing of Tim Eagle and others.
HIAL Airports (Accessibility)
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd airports are as accessible as possible to all residents and users. (S6O-05598)
The Scottish Government will make available to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd a budget of up to £52.3 million in 2026-27 to ensure that HIAL can continue to operate safe and regulatory-compliant airports. That includes ensuring that HIAL’s airports are accessible and compliant with all relevant equalities legislation.
HIAL has a number of initiatives that are aimed at improving accessibility, including accessibility guides for its airports produced by AccessAble. In the Civil Aviation Authority’s “Airport Accessibility Performance Report 2024/2025”, Inverness Airport, which was the only HIAL airport to be assessed, was rated as good.
Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of the date when HIAL was officially formed and incorporated by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority. I thank everyone who works or has worked for HIAL over the past four decades for their commitment to providing excellent service to passengers and for the role that they have played in supporting air connectivity for our rural and island communities.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of the unique challenges of the Highlands and Islands, the challenges that customers face in accessing hub airports when there are limited public transport or other options available and the long journeys that those customers often have to make. I was contacted by constituents who sometimes travel hours to use Inverness airport and are offered only a 15-minute free drop-off and pick-up window to collect family and friends, with the risk of incurring significant charges if they stay longer. Those charges start at more than £10 for under an hour and apply even if the flight that they are meeting is delayed or has been cancelled, as it sometimes is before they have left. I have raised the issue with HIAL, which seems indifferent to my constituents’ concerns, so will the cabinet secretary raise it with Government-owned HIAL and ensure that my constituents are not penalised for matters that are outwith their control?
Jamie Halcro Johnston raises an important point—the integration of transport is important. I am sure that he welcomes the £2 bus fare cap pilot that has been introduced, which will certainly address some of the cost challenges. However, the timing issues and the time available for drop-off and pick-up at airports are best dealt with in an operational manner by the airports themselves. As part of its responsibilities, an airport will want to increase commercial revenue and reduce costs. However, I agree with Jamie Halcro Johnston that that has to be balanced and must recognise the different types of customers that an airport has, which might be different from those at other airports. I will make sure that my officials raise the issue with HIAL, which will have been paying attention to this question.
Electric Vehicles (Rural and Island Communities)
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles in rural and island communities. (S6O-05599)
Our £30 million EV infrastructure fund enables local authorities to work collaboratively and with the private sector to invest in public EV charging and target public funding in areas that are less likely to attract stand-alone private investment, including rural and island communities.
In August, I announced that more than £3 million from the EV infrastructure fund would be provided for a collaborative project led by Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership, which includes the councils for Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and Argyll and Bute. I also announced that a further £4.5 million would be provided for additional EV charging in rural and island areas across Scotland, which has been fully allocated to 138 projects, which will deliver 266 additional charging points. The rural and island infrastructure fund will continue in 2026-27, as is provided for in our 2026-27 Scottish budget.
I welcome the funding that the cabinet secretary has outlined. She will be aware that Orkney has one of the highest take-up rates of electric vehicles anywhere in Scotland. However, I was recently made aware that some insurance providers are starting to refuse island customers coverage due to what they say is a lack of local capacity for the repair and maintenance of EVs. I ask the cabinet secretary to engage with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Orkney Islands Council, the Orkney Renewable Energy Forum and other local stakeholders to see what can be done to address capacity issues over the medium to longer term.
That is an important point, and I will ensure that my officials take up that issue, particularly in relation to insurance companies.
On the more substantive point about making sure that we have a pipeline of skills available, we have already been funding colleges to deliver the maintenance and repair training, including for the particular issues that affect EVs, that is required as part of the transition. HIE should be able to be part of that continuing support.
Ardrossan Harbour
To ask the Scottish Government what actions Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd will take to improve the resilience of Ardrossan harbour, once it has been acquired. (S6O-05600)
As I outlined in my statement to the Parliament on 3 March and at the subsequent Ardrossan task force meeting, which was held on the same day, CMAL, as the new statutory harbour authority, is expected to take forward immediate works at the harbour to improve resilience. To ensure the continuation of the two-port operation, CMAL has identified immediate minor works and has therefore already procured replacement fenders and will repair navigation lights. Those initial works will be undertaken as soon as possible and are planned to not disrupt continuing services, thus ensuring improved resilience of the Arran berth.
I thank the cabinet secretary for returning Ardrossan harbour to the public sector and for that very positive response. Will she confirm not only that CMAL is primed to boost resilience and immediately take control of the site but that plans to fully redevelop that vital Ayrshire port are well advanced and that the regeneration and renewal will ensure a first-class, 21st century, fully functioning port that will serve the communities of Ardrossan and Arran for 60 years or more?
It is acknowledged that the purchase of Ardrossan harbour is a significant milestone, but momentum on the project is needed. CMAL will review the original detailed design proposals and scope of works, including for the Arran berth realignment. An indicative timeline for design and procurement works is being drafted. Based on current estimates, works could begin in June 2027, but that is subject to the procurement stage, approval of funding and contractor award and mobilisation.
I understand that the save Ardrossan harbour campaign has been involved in discussions with the cabinet secretary about support for businesses over the past few years. It tells me that the cabinet secretary said that that issue could be looked at when the harbour closes for redevelopment. Will the cabinet secretary ensure that campaign groups such as save Ardrossan harbour and Arran for Ardrossan harbour are at the forefront of decisions that are made? Will she outline when compensation discussions can take place?
A number of partners will be involved in the redevelopment, not least North Ayrshire Council, which co-chairs the Ardrossan task force. The other evening, we discussed ensuring that, at future meetings, future aspects of development are more fully embraced by the local community, as well as issues relating to immediate investment in the harbour.
I have indicated that, when the harbour has to close for the major redevelopment that is required, we need to improve the port. Everybody knows that, and that is part of the purchase arrangement. We need to ensure that the businesses that will be affected at that time are supported. I have put that on the record and discussed it with the task force, but the decisions will need to be made by a future Government.
Economic Opportunity (Women)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the forthcoming international women’s day, what action it is taking to ensure that Scotland’s economy provides women with equitable access to economic opportunity, including how it supports them to live free from poverty and financial inequality. (S6O-05601)
Women must have equitable access to economic opportunities. In April 2025, the gender pay gap for all employees in Scotland was narrower than the United Kingdom gap, but we know that more needs to be done. A range of Government initiatives help women to enter and progress in work, such as the expansion of early learning and childcare provision and parental employability support. Since April 2020, 70 per cent of parents who have been supported through the no one left behind approach have been female.
Employment law is reserved, but our fair work approach aims to address women’s workplace inequalities by encouraging employers to tackle gender pay gaps.
Despite legislation and decades of campaigning for equality, women continue to face discrimination, violence, exclusion and poverty. Engender has called for investment in women and a transformation of our communities. Specifically, it has developed 10 realistic steps to improve the lives of women, covering support for women with no recourse to public funds, social security asks and the need for our economic strategies to work for women.
Will the Deputy First Minister outline the Scottish Government’s response to those steps and how she would work to implement them to ensure that all future economic and social policy considerations contribute to Scotland becoming a global leader on gender equality?
Alongside those helpful recommendations, we have the First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls and a number of other plans to support the objectives that Maggie Chapman outlined. As the person with responsibility for our approach to the economy, I am proud of the efforts and investment that are being made to support women to remain in work or to access employment.
I mentioned our no one left behind approach. We are delivering a person-centred, all-age employability offer in every local authority area, and women make up just under 50 per cent of all participants. There are intersectional barriers to employment that female parents in particular can face, and we need to continue to tackle those.
Secondary School Leavers (Positive Destinations)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the gap between secondary school leavers from the most deprived and least deprived areas going to a positive destination widened to 4.7 percentage points, which is the largest since 2020-21. (S6O-05602)
Last week’s data publication showed that the percentage of school leavers in a positive destination three months after the end of the school year was 95.7 per cent, which is the second-highest figure on record. Our most recent Scottish Qualifications Authority exam results show that the pass rates for national 5s and highers are up when compared with the results in 2024 and in 2019, before the pandemic.
Compared with last year, the attainment gap has narrowed for national 5, higher and advanced higher qualifications, and the 2024-25 achievement of curriculum for excellence levels, published in December, demonstrate that record levels of literacy and numeracy are being achieved in Scotland’s primary schools. That welcome progress demonstrates that the Government’s approach to education is delivering results for Scotland’s young people.
First, I take a moment to welcome Scottish apprenticeship week and the vital opportunities that it creates.
Scotland is missing out on 5,000 high-quality nuclear jobs because the Government refuses to back new projects or include nuclear in its energy skills passport. Furthermore, funding gaps are forcing colleges to turn away qualified students, including 71 qualified social care applicants and 400 engineer apprentices at Ayrshire College alone. Does the Government accept that its policy choices are actively disadvantaging our school leavers by restricting their opportunities?
I thank Mr Whittle for his warm welcome for Scottish apprenticeship week. I am sure that he was out visiting a local business in his area, as I was in my area, and supporting the important work of apprentices in our communities.
The Government’s budget, which Mr Whittle was not able to vote for, provides extra funding for more apprenticeships and for Scotland’s colleges, which has been welcomed by the sector. I am sorely concerned that Mr Whittle was not able to vote for that budget, and I hope that he will reflect on that and on the positivity that that extra investment in communities such as his has brought to apprenticeship week.
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First Minister’s Question Time