Kenneth Gibson: Can the cabinet secretary advise the Parliament how staffing resources allocated to preparing for a new independence referendum compare to the number of staff who are currently dealing with Brexit, more than a year after we left the European Union?
Kenneth Gibson: The A737 is a major arterial route through North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. Previously in the chamber, the cabinet secretary has assured me that the A737 will be considered for inclusion in the STPR2. With more than 8 million vehicles travelling along this increasingly congested road each year, is that still the case? Can we look forward to significant investment in the A737, not least for...
Kenneth Gibson: The leader of North Ayrshire Council’s Tory group, Councillor Tom Marshall, has called for Prestwick airport to be closed. Can the cabinet secretary say what the impact on the aerospace industry, the Ayrshire economy, local employment and local community would be if that profitable airport were closed down?
Kenneth Gibson: How many lives is a full implementation of this specific measure expected to save in a year? Given the current number of installers and their uneven spread across Scotland, and given the number of people who are unable to install the alarms themselves, how long does the Government anticipate that it will take to install alarms in every owner-occupied house in the country?
Kenneth Gibson: Like all budgets, the budget for 2022-23 is about choice and prioritising how best to invest in services, infrastructure and people at a time of financial challenge. With fiscal rectitude, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy and the wider Scottish Government have made their choices and set out their priorities. As we know, the Scottish budget is limited by the forecasts of the...
Kenneth Gibson: I wonder how much Whitehall spends on ferrying ministers around. The mythical figures are nonsense, which is why the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission has dismissed them. We are talking about reality. I am also curious about how genuine the Tory MSPs’ concern for our local authorities is. If local government is so important to the party that Miles Briggs supports so devotedly, will he...
Kenneth Gibson: Members should support the Scottish Government amendment.
Kenneth Gibson: 4. To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government will take to urgently progress the green transition in North Ayrshire, following the closure of Hunterston B power station on 7 January. (S6F-00650)
Kenneth Gibson: The closure of Hunterston B is the end of an era for North Ayrshire, regardless of one’s view on nuclear power. One hundred and twenty-five jobs have been lost, with more to follow over the next eight years, as the plant defuels and is then decommissioned. Significant investment that would bring 900 jobs is considered with regard to subsea solar energy cable manufacturing at Hunterston Port...
Kenneth Gibson: Ferries are of crucial importance to Arran’s economy. So, too, are workers. The average house price of more than £272,000 puts houses beyond the reach of young families, and only 11 per cent of Arran’s housing is social rented housing. The Scottish Government allocated £2.38 million to North Ayrshire Council to build 34 council houses—£70,000 for each home. Given that 86 Arran...
Kenneth Gibson: Car drivers, of which I am one, use that mode of transport because of its ready convenience in all weathers and 24 hours a day. Road and fuel taxes are reserved, and increasing the cost of driving will only disadvantage low-income households. What improvements to public transport will be made, particularly in rural and island Scotland, to persuade drivers to make the necessary modal shift,...
Kenneth Gibson: CalMac has admitted that some of its skippers are neither experienced nor competent enough to sail to Ardrossan or Gourock as port of refuge in moderate, not to mention bad, weather, which leads to sailings being cancelled needlessly. What discussions has the minister had with CalMac regarding the training of skippers to minimise that problem?
Kenneth Gibson: Omicron has had a hugely adverse impact on foreign travel, with thousands of people understandably cancelling holidays over Christmas and beyond, resulting in travel agents spending more time and their own money, in terms of staff and utilities, on handing back money to customers rather than booking holidays. Will the First Minister advise what support the Scottish Government will provide to...
Kenneth Gibson: Can the cabinet secretary advise the chamber on whether Ms Gosal has contacted her to suggest how much more in resources the Scottish Government should provide for the additional expenditure that she seeks, and how those resources should be paid for? They would need to be paid for either by transfers from other budget lines or by increased taxation.
Kenneth Gibson: A number of constituents and even a member of my staff have visited pharmacies to collect lateral flow test kits, but were initially refused them as they were not registered with the pharmacy, even though the advice is that people do not have to be registered to receive test kits. Given that regular testing is essential to curb the spike in omicron cases, will the First Minister advise what...
Kenneth Gibson: Does the minister agree that Hunterston Port and Resource Centre, which is in my constituency, is vital to the economic regeneration and green transition of North Ayrshire? Will the Scottish Government and its agencies redouble their efforts in pursuit of potential investors who will bring skilled and well-remunerated employment to the area?
Kenneth Gibson: NHS Ayrshire and Arran has suspended all but what it deems essential hospital visits, such as for those nearing the end of life or with a terminal illness diagnosis. That is despite the First Minister’s statement on Tuesday that it is really important that visiting goes ahead, albeit with a sensible limit of two visitors per patient. No attempt is being made to ascertain the Covid status of...
Kenneth Gibson: 1. To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it is making for holding an independence referendum in the first half of the current parliamentary session. (S6O-00540)
Kenneth Gibson: Although independence supporters understand the need to wait until we are clear of Covid, the chaos and ineptitude of the United Kingdom’s shambolic Government, which is clearly determined to undermine the existing devolved settlement, have increased the urgency of Scotland’s need to re-emerge as an independent, sovereign state that is equal among nations. Will the cabinet secretary...
Kenneth Gibson: I welcome the compassionate approach to international co-operation and development that the Scottish Government has pursued in recent years. Can the minister provide any further detail about how Scotland’s ambition to enhance its reputation as a good global citizen will be served by the 2022-23 Scottish budget?