Scottish National Party MSP for Perthshire North, Former Scottish National Party MP for North Tayside
Entered the House of Commons on 1 May 1997 — General election
Left the House of Commons on 14 May 2001 — General election
Entered the Scottish Parliament on 6 May 1999 — Election
Also represented North Tayside
I understand the seriousness of the issues that Mr Findlay has put to me. We have to address the rising prison population in a sustainable and effective way. The Government took measures that were explained fully to the Parliament, and they took place only once we had parliamentary consent to those steps. Fundamentally, there is a difficulty about the rise in the prison population....
If we were to follow the logic of what Mr Findlay said in his question to me and the Conservative position that he articulated from 2015, it would result in a much higher prison population than we have today: it would result in prisoners serving longer than is the case, and we would have an even more congested and, I would say, unsafe prison estate. We must take the appropriate...
The issues that Mr Findlay raises are serious. It is not for me to question the sentencing policy that is independently decided by the judiciary. If I was to do that, I would be breaching my constitutional role as First Minister, in which I must respect—this was part of the oath of office that I took when I became First Minister—the distinction between my responsibilities as the leader of...
More of John Swinney’s recent appearances
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