Alasdair Allan: 3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage new entrants to crofting. (S5O-04659)
Alasdair Allan: I thank the cabinet secretary for his reply. Does he share my concern about the rising asking prices for many croft tenancies? That is a particular issue in areas that are suffering from depopulation. For example, a croft tenancy in my constituency was advertised recently with the staggering asking price of £200,000. Although that is an extreme example, it illustrates how inflated the market...
Alasdair Allan: Given what the cabinet secretary has just been saying, what representations will he make to the UK Government about the financial assistance that is needed now to help Scottish businesses and employees to get through this economic crisis?
Alasdair Allan: As others have observed, the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee mentioned in its report the need to be honest with the public about the changes that people will have to make over the coming years when it comes to dealing with what has been called “the energy quadrilemma”. That is no mean balancing act, but members will not be surprised to hear me say that, in Scotland’s case, our...
Alasdair Allan: I draw the cabinet secretary’s attention to the action for Arnish campaign, one of whose requests is that the Government consider potential uses for the yard at Arnish, other than only the BiFab option. Can the cabinet secretary speak to that and offer any assurances to the action for Arnish campaign on that?
Alasdair Allan: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The connection did not work on my phone. I would have abstained.
Alasdair Allan: I understand that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has just made an announcement elsewhere about furlough. In a week of chaos and confusion from the Tories, he U-turned on abolishing furlough only apparently to U-turn on whether it would apply to Scotland after 2 December, then to U-turn again when the Treasury said no; finally, perhaps, today he will have completed yet another U-turn and...
Alasdair Allan: 4. To ask the Scottish Government how the social security system will support families with school-age children during the school holidays. (S5O-04724)
Alasdair Allan: Although one might think that free school meals would command the support of all parties in the Scottish Parliament, over the past few weeks we have seen the farce of Scottish Tory MPs voting against it at Westminster, while Tory MSPs claim to support it—a move that the Tory education spokesperson has admitted makes his party and his party’s leader hypocrites. Does the cabinet secretary...
Alasdair Allan: 7. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the furlough scheme. (S5O-04735)
Alasdair Allan: The chancellor’s recent announcement that the furlough scheme will be extended was welcome. However, the months of unnecessary confusion that the UK Government has caused have meant that some employers took the difficult decision to make people redundant because they expected the scheme to be withdrawn. The UK Government had fair warning that that would happen—indeed, the Scottish...
Alasdair Allan: Presiding Officer, regardless of Jackie Baillie’s comments, I can only confirm what others have confirmed, which is that a number of us could not hear the results of votes. I am not making a point of order to question the result of the vote; I merely wish to ask what you are going to do to ensure that members are not again put in the position of being asked to vote on a motion without...
Alasdair Allan: The voting app failed. I would have voted to abstain.
Alasdair Allan: Last week, a number of the crew on the MV Isle of Lewis tested positive for Covid-19. That required a full crew changeover and meant that the vessel had to be deep cleaned. Given the threat that any wider loss of lifeline ferry services would represent, what steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence of such a situation?
Alasdair Allan: Presiding Officer, I got a message that said, “Connection is lost.” I voted yes.
Alasdair Allan: As the cabinet secretary has recognised, the very welcome roll-out of a Covid vaccine will present logistical challenges, especially given that one of the more likely vaccines needs to be stored at -70°C. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that some thought will be given to the needs of island communities in case storage requirements of that kind apply, and can she explain how patient...
Alasdair Allan: Have any assurances been received from the UK Government that people who are employed through the kickstart scheme will receive a living wage? Can the cabinet secretary confirm that fair working principles and sustainable employment will be embedded in the young persons guarantee?
Alasdair Allan: Many of my constituents work in the oil and gas sector and they are typically asked to get tested before going offshore. However, because they cannot access testing privately in the islands, they often have to get tested in Aberdeen, which adds days on to the length of their journey. Although I understand the reasons why the testing machine in Stornoway is only for people who are symptomatic,...
Alasdair Allan: 5. To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on the launch of the Scottish National Investment Bank. (S5F-04606)
Alasdair Allan: I thank the First Minister for her reference to decarbonising the economy. What will the Scottish National Investment Bank be doing, as we emerge from the pandemic, to help Scotland to meet its ambitious climate change targets?