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Good morning. The first item of business is general question time—the shortest question time that we have in the week.
Seasonal Agricultural Workers (Accommodation Standards)
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on improving accommodation standards in relation to legislation that currently exists in Scotland for seasonal agricultural workers. (S6O-05435)
No one residing in Scotland, however temporarily, should have to live in substandard accommodation. There are currently provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 that oblige a local authority to make byelaws with respect to accommodation for agricultural and seasonal workers. Those are in sections 314 and 315 of the act. I therefore expect local authorities to use existing law to make provision in their area, suited to their area and in response to activity in their area.
In the meantime, the Scottish Government will continue to develop a longer-term piece of work on considering whether a national set of standards would be appropriate.
During my time as housing minister, I was aware of the complexities of the matter, and the cabinet secretary is quite correct to say how important local authorities are in that regard. Scotland can lead the way in the United Kingdom and globally by commencing statutory standards for the accommodation of seasonal horticultural workers to help ensure that they have safe and dignified places in which to live.
What is the indicative timeframe for introducing legislation? What will be the scope of the legislation that the cabinet secretary referred to?
I thank Paul McLennan for the work that he did as housing minister to advance this important area.
I have to reiterate that there is existing primary legislation on the matter. As I said, legal provision is set out in sections 314 and 315 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, in respect of local authorities making byelaws for the situation as it arises in their area.
We are taking on longer-term work on considering a national suite of standards. That would require careful development, public consultation and, likely, primary legislation. I will be glad to keep Parliament up to date on the progress of that.
National Health Service (Single-sex Spaces)
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its policy on single-sex spaces in the NHS in Scotland, what its response is to the recent ruling in the case brought by eight nurses at Darlington Memorial hospital. (S6O-05436)
The outcome of the Darlington employment tribunal is a matter for the NHS trust and the claimants in that tribunal, and I will not comment on it.
However, in relation to single-sex spaces, health boards must ensure that all their facilities comply with relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. We have written to health board chief executives to reiterate the importance of ensuring that the law is followed following the Supreme Court judgment.
The Darlington employment tribunal found that employers had indirectly discriminated against female nurses when they allowed a biological male to use single-sex changing areas. That case re-emphasises what we already know: the definition of a woman is based on biological sex.
Sadly, the Scottish National Party Government continues to betray women in Scotland by refusing to instruct all Scotland’s public bodies to uphold the Supreme Court ruling. Is the Scottish Government prepared for more legal challenges funded by the taxpayer to keep defending the indefensible?
We accept the Supreme Court ruling. The Scottish Government has made it clear that it accepts the Supreme Court ruling and it is taking forward the detailed work that is necessary following it.
Every key area of Government that is or might be affected by the Supreme Court judgment is carrying out assessments across legislation, guidance and policies. We have updated our guidance for the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018, amended the public appointments recruitment process for public bodies that are subject to the act, moved to an interim trans and non-binary inclusion policy for Scottish Government staff and written to health board chief executives to reiterate the importance of ensuring that the law is followed and that the Supreme Court judgment is implemented. Engagement with health boards is on-going.
The Scottish Labour Government ended the use of mixed-sex wards in the NHS in 2005 but, in response to a freedom of information request in 2024, only two health boards—NHS Dumfries and Galloway and NHS Orkney—confirmed that they offered single-sex accommodation across all their wards. What assessment has the Scottish Government carried out of the number of mixed-sex wards? Will it ensure that all wards in NHS hospitals operate as single sex?
Since 2005, we have expected NHS boards to ensure that all their facilities comply with the guidelines and recommendations on the elimination of mixed-sex accommodation. Further guidance concluded that there should be a presumption of 100 per cent single rooms in future hospital developments. That is confirmed as policy for NHS Scotland except in exceptional circumstances that are set out. The responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 rests with individual organisations.
Poverty and Social Exclusion (Support for Projects in North East Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to sustain the projects aiming to tackle poverty and social exclusion in the North East Scotland region, that are currently supported by the Investing in Communities Fund, beyond March 2026. (S6O-05437)
Across the Scottish Government, we will continue to deliver on our priorities. The draft Scottish budget sets out £68 billion investment, which secures and expands the United Kingdom’s most generous cost of living package.
The investing in communities fund has been a valued source of funding since 2019. It is delivered directly to communities and empowers them to address local challenges on their own terms. We continue to work across the Scottish Government to understand how the learning from the fund can inform future funding support for community-led action.
Projects across the north-east rely on that funding to exist. I refer to projects such as Community Food Initiatives North East’s Aberdeen partnership action communities together project, the Station House Media Unit’s connecting communities project, the Murton Trust for Education and the Environment’s education programme, or Maxwelltown Information Centre’s Maxwell centre and garden. Without urgent clarity, those organisations and projects will be forced to plan for managed exits, with profound impacts on communities across my region. When will those projects and the people whom they support know about their future so that they can avoid the need to be scaled back or lost altogether?
We very much value the fund, but it is nearing the end of its round. In light of the late budget from the UK Government and the situation that we face here, we have to consider how we support those organisations through a transitional period. We will write to them all this week with an update on the details of how we will do that.
It is great that so many organisations and communities across Scotland have benefited from the investing in communities fund, including the Foyer, CFINE and SHMU in Aberdeen. Does the minister recognise the importance of the fund? Will he give comfort to those organisations so that they can continue their vital work in our most deprived communities?
I assure the member that we will write this week to the organisations that are funded through the existing round, which is coming to an end. I advise the Parliament that we will fund transitional arrangements for those organisations for the next financial year.
Nuclear Power Stations
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider its stated position of opposing the construction of new nuclear power stations in Scotland. (S6O-05438)
We do not support the construction of new nuclear power stations in Scotland under current technologies. Although we recognise the role that nuclear has played in the existing energy mix, new nuclear would take decades to deliver, comes at very high cost and creates long-term radioactive waste liabilities.
Scotland has abundant renewable resources, with the clear potential to meet electricity demand through continued deployment of renewable energy and storage. We are prioritising technologies that are quicker to deliver, lower cost and proven to maintain security of supply rather than new nuclear projects that would take decades to materialise.
I am afraid that that shows a complete lack of understanding of the nuclear industry and the technology around it. The Liberal Democrats have been on a bit of a journey on nuclear energy because it complements renewables. The two are not mutually exclusive. The world is less secure. We should not be importing fracked gas into the United Kingdom or Scotland. Embracing nuclear energy will create jobs, growth and investment into the country.
The technology has moved on—so should we. If the Scottish Government will not end its ideological ban on nuclear energy, will it get in the way of any new nuclear development on existing sites and how would it achieve that?
Our stated position is no new nuclear, but, obviously, if existing sites are able to extend their life, that is a matter for them, and we would consider that to be a completely different proposition. However, on the cost of nuclear energy, I must point out that Hinkley C was expected to be completed in 2025 at a cost of £18 billion. Now, the cost is estimated at £46 billion, and it is delayed until 2031. I think that that is a lesson for us all. I do not want us to be saddled with something like that in Scotland.
There is much interest but little time. I call Douglas Lumsden to ask a brief supplementary question.
We know that the Scottish National Party hates oil and gas, and we know that it hates nuclear. The SNP is anti-science, anti-progress and anti-investment, and it wants us all to be poorer. Has the devolved Scottish Government carried out an economic impact assessment on its policy of turning its back on new nuclear investment, and if not, why not?
The Scottish Government commissioned a report, which was published in December 2023, which found that the reduction in traditional firm generation in Scotland, which includes nuclear, would be offset by vast increases in wind and solar installed capacity, along with the installation of storage technologies, which would provide continued security of supply in Scotland.
Hospice Care Services
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to protect hospice care services over the coming year. (S6O-05439)
The draft budget for 2026-27 includes an initial £6.5 million to support independent hospices and help to ensure that front-line hospice staff who provide essential palliative care are paid in line with their national health service colleagues.
Although that funding will help to address immediate pay challenges, the Scottish Government acknowledges the importance of longer-term financial sustainability for hospices. I look forward to meeting representatives of the Scottish hospice leadership group and Hospice UK in early February to understand what more can be done to support hospices while respecting local commissioning arrangements.
The initial £6.5 million for hospices in the draft budget falls significantly short of the £13.3 million that hospices were calling for to fully match NHS pay for their staff. In fact, it includes only £1.5 million for hospices to match next year’s NHS pay award, and they say that they need an extra £4.4 million. Will the Scottish Government promise to deliver on its existing commitment to pay parity for hospice staff by ensuring that funding for hospices in the final budget fully covers the cost to hospices of matching the 2026-27 NHS pay award?
As I indicated in my first answer, our budget includes an initial £6.5 million to support independent hospices. As I said, I look forward to meeting representatives of the Scottish hospice leadership group and Hospice UK in early February.
Non-medical Aesthetics Sector (Training)
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with non-medical aesthetic practitioners regarding training opportunities for the sector in advance of the introduction of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill. (S6O-05440)
The Scottish Government has met many non-medical aesthetic practitioners and listened to their views about issues, including training standards. However, neither the bill nor the Scottish statutory instrument that is currently before Parliament sets any such standards. We know that there are existing training options for practitioners and, before creating standards for the sector, we will continue engaging with a wide range of stakeholders.
Training and qualification standards are not included in the bill or the SSI because of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. I intend to continue working with the UK Government to introduce those important standards as soon as possible.
Public safety must be paramount, but I have received correspondence from businesses that have spent tens of thousands of pounds on training yet may now be at risk of closure. It is critical that we root out bad practice, but has the minister had any engagements with educational institutions to facilitate a practical pathway for non-medical aesthetic practitioners?
I agree with Colin Beattie that public safety is paramount. In our work with regard to the bill and the SSI, we will be speaking to educational institutions to ensure that we get the right training standards if the bill is passed.
Young Athletes Representing Scotland (Support)
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to young athletes who will be representing Scotland in sport in 2026. (S6O-05441)
I call the minister, Maree Todd.
Tapadh leibh, Oifigeir Riaghlaidh. Thank you, Presiding Officer. We are looking forward to a spectacular summer of sport, with the men’s football world cup finals and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth games. No doubt there will be outstanding performances from Scottish athletes across many sports, demonstrating the strength of Scotland’s performance system and further inspiring young people.
I note that sportscotland, working with Scottish governing bodies, provides athlete personal awards and specialist performance services from the sportscotland institute of sport. In addition, the winning students 100 programme offers financial support and academic flexibility for student athletes. The additional £40 million that has been announced in the Scottish budget will enable Scottish governing bodies to better support athletes across sporting pathways.
That is all very good stuff, but last month I received representations from three different constituents whose daughters have been selected to represent Scotland in volleyball and hockey. They told me that there is no dedicated funding available to cover the costs of travel, accommodation and competition expenses. That has also been a recent issue with women’s cricket.
Does the minister agree that this is an unacceptable situation for those who are selected to represent their country? Will some of the budget uplift that she mentioned go towards addressing that situation?
The member will be aware that the investment that the Scottish Government makes in sport is funnelled through sportscotland, which is our national sporting organisation, and it works closely with the governing bodies for each individual sport to ensure that athletes are supported on the elite pathways. This has been a really successful programme, and that is why Scotland punches above its weight in sport. We are a sporting nation and we are very successful.
In the next week or so—I know that these two teams are close to the member’s heart—we will see the Scottish men’s cricket team going to the world cup in India and our curlers going to the winter Olympics. We have a system for investing in sport in Scotland. We have a system that is inspiring and encouraging young athletes, and we are successful at sport in Scotland.
US Trade Tariffs (Support for Scottish Businesses)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to support Scottish businesses, in light of the potential impact of additional US trade tariffs on the Scottish economy. (S6O-05442)
Free and open international trade is critical to achieving growth in the Scottish economy. The recent threat of additional tariffs from the United States was inconsistent with that, so we all welcome the fact that that risk has now receded. However, the impacts of tariffs continue to be apparent. The Scotch whisky sector reported 1,000 job losses last year, and the sector estimates that a 10 per cent reciprocal tariff could result in up to £400 million of annual losses in exports to the US. Our six-point action plan for exports augments our existing support to respond to the global economic volatility.
During such global economic uncertainty, it is more vital than ever to champion our world-class Scottish products in both new and existing markets. Will the minister outline a bit more how the Scottish Government’s new six-point export plan will help to enable that?
The plan helps both companies and sectors in Scotland to take advantage of additional opportunities for exporting in emerging markets while maintaining footholds in critical existing markets. The additional support that is being made available ranges from increasing company-level support through Scottish Enterprise to extending the reach of our international trade partnership programme with Scottish Chambers of Commerce.
I inform the Parliament that the Government will publish tomorrow our evaluation report on the recent visit by ministers, along with companies from Scotland on trade missions, to the Osaka expo. That will make good reading, and it shows the effort that this Government is making towards promoting exports to the rest of the world, including countries such as Japan.
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First Minister’s Question Time