Maureen Watt: —Tillydrone nursery and Seaton nursery. That is local councils preparing for the expansion to 1,140 hours.
Maureen Watt: Will Peter Chapman take an intervention?
Maureen Watt: The impact of the UK Government’s post-Brexit immigration policy on prospective EU students and on our universities cannot be overestimated. In the event of no deal, the UK Government proposes European temporary leave to remain for three years. As we all know, the majority of Scottish degree courses last for four years, so prospective EU students would be put off from applying to Scottish...
Maureen Watt: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what economic benefits could be realised following the full opening of the AWPR. (S5T-01506)
Maureen Watt: I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. As he said, Aberdeen’s western bypass was first mooted some 65 years ago. Generations of Tory, Labour and Lib Dem Governments did absolutely nothing but, as of 2007, the SNP got on with the job of delivering the new bypass, which has become fully open today. How will the Scottish Government ensure that the full benefits of this transformational...
Maureen Watt: Can the cabinet secretary tell us what it is about the nature of a fixed-term contract that the contractors just do not get? Will he do his utmost to ensure that taxpayers are not held to ransom by the contractors for mistakes that the contractors have made along the way and for delays that they have caused to the full opening of the route?
Maureen Watt: I joined the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee after it had taken its evidence on the salmon industry, so I had to start by reading the ECCLR Committee’s report, all the written evidence and the Official Report of the meetings in which the committee took oral evidence, so that I could contribute to the report as it was being written. It is important that the REC Committee framed its...
Maureen Watt: The excellent support that Forestry Commission Scotland staff have given as partners in the delivery of branching out courses in Forestry Commission woods—for example, at the Tyrebagger woods near Aberdeen—has highlighted the benefits of woodland spaces to people’s mental health. How has the cabinet secretary ensured that the voice, views and experience of people working in forestry and...
Maureen Watt: 1. To ask the Scottish Government what impact UK Government immigration policy is having on Scotland’s working population. (S5O-02829)
Maureen Watt: An NHS Grampian survey that was recently presented to the Aberdeen city health and social care partnership states that not only staffing but medical supplies, access to treatment, regulations and cross-border issues are areas of high risk due to Brexit. That is compounded by the Home Office’s stubborn refusal to engage with MSPs and our offices. Does the minister agree that the Home Office...
Maureen Watt: Will Liam Kerr join me in commending programmes such as streetsport, which is run by the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen? That programme, in conjunction with the police, goes into areas where people are experiencing the kind of antisocial behaviour that he describes.
Maureen Watt: This week, EY’s new report showed us that every single one of the Scottish businesses and trade associations that were consulted have concerns over Brexit. They highlighted “risks to competitiveness, profitability and, in some cases,” their survival. For the sake of Scottish jobs, is it not high time that the Tories ruled out no deal?
Maureen Watt: 9. To ask the Scottish Government what its initial assessment is of the impact of the Aberdeen western peripheral route on north-east transport. (S5O-02797)
Maureen Watt: The cabinet secretary will be pleased to note that we are already seeing a significant reduction in heavy goods vehicles traffic in the Peterculter and Torry parts of my constituency and in Market Street in Aberdeen city centre, which has had unacceptable pollution and emissions levels. When will those next be measured, so that we can see the environmental as well as economic benefits of the...
Maureen Watt: I, too, am pleased to be taking part in the debate, which takes place in the context of a clear Scottish Government economic strategy that argues that our economy needs inclusive economic growth in all Scotland in order for our country and its people to flourish. The city region deals are designed to act as enablers for local organisations to drive inclusive economic growth in which...
Maureen Watt: —the infrastructure around the harbour is really important, and should be developed at a quick pace.
Maureen Watt: Fortunately, the opportunities that this debate presents have not been totally usurped by the shambles that is Brexit, which the Tories in the Scottish Parliament continue to try to defend while knowing in their heart of hearts that it will be catastrophic for Scottish farming. We all know that farming in Scotland is vastly different from farming in the rest of the UK, not least because of...
Maureen Watt: 8. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met north-east business leaders, and what matters were discussed. (S5O-02736)
Maureen Watt: The minister will know of Aberdeen City Council’s recently published “Aberdeen Economic Policy Panel Report”, which highlights the important role played by people who come to the north-east from elsewhere in the European Union. The report highlights that Brexit may “impact on the flow of key skills to the North East economy.” Does the minister agree that Brexit poses a serious risk...
Maureen Watt: I, too, am pleased to be taking part in this debate on such an important part of the Scottish economy. I recall that, in 2007, when I was a Government minister, there was much debate about how Scottish Enterprise would concentrate its efforts on particular sectors of the economy, to help growth in the economy overall. There was some criticism of that, but I think that we have seen the...
