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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 4 May 2021
  6. Current session: 13 May 2021 to 18 September 2025
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Displaying 1257 contributions

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Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 16 September 2025

Liz Smith

But cabinet secretary, the Fiscal Commission is predicting that, between the coming budget and 2029-30, the social security budget will go up by nearly 30 per cent. That is a huge increase. The committee is interested to know what might be cut in relation to that spend. We have heard this morning that various other portfolios are complaining bitterly about a lack of money. In order to make judgments on the issue, the committee has to see what the outcomes are. That question is a huge issue for the Scottish Government, given what the Scottish Fiscal Commission says is a completely unsustainable social security benefit system for the future.

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 16 September 2025

Liz Smith

Your colleague Shona Robison is arguing strongly that you cannot roll out universalism to a greater extent because you simply cannot afford it.

To come back on the point that you raised earlier, the Government wants to target those who are most in need. That is what we signed up to in 2018. I suggest that the policy of universalism across the board is simply not sustainable for the Scottish budget.

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 16 September 2025

Liz Smith

We will leave it there. I am sure that the debate will continue.

Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 10 September 2025

Liz Smith

Before I come to my question, minister, I would like some clarity. Throughout the stage 1 process, the Government assured me that its position on the bill was neutral. However, in an answer to the convener this morning, you said that this is not a Government-supported bill. When did you change your position?

Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 10 September 2025

Liz Smith

So, you meant “Government-led” instead of “Government-supported”.

Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 10 September 2025

Liz Smith

Minister, you have told me—I do not know how many times—that the bill is not affordable. What is the total that the Scottish Government believes is affordable?

Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 10 September 2025

Liz Smith

Is it correct that the Scottish Government is considering non-statutory proposals that cost £8 million and perhaps a little bit more?

Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 10 September 2025

Liz Smith

That has been suggested, although it has never been formally discussed with me as the member in charge of the bill, but I understand that it is on the public record that the Scottish Government is considering that. Is that the correct total?

Education, Children and Young People Committee [Draft]

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Meeting date: 10 September 2025

Liz Smith

The Scottish Government’s policy of inclusion, as I understand it, is that we should be doing everything possible for every young person. How would that fit with a pilot, which would obviously address only one particular area, one particular school or whatever the Government came up with?

Finance and Public Administration Committee [Draft]

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2026-27

Meeting date: 9 September 2025

Liz Smith

Is anything impeding effective zero-based budgeting in terms of the data that we require to ensure that the effectiveness of policies can be measured? Obviously, the other side of the coin is that, if spending takes place, there is a reduction in spending elsewhere. Do we have the right data to be able to make those assessments? We have had discussions at the committee about the fact that some of the data, particularly on things such as the labour market, is maybe not as good as it should be.