Sandra White: Tuition fees in England and Wales have been mired in broken promises. Instead of keeping fees low, the Tories have bumped them up, making it much harder for students from deprived backgrounds and areas to access higher education. If the First Minister is re-elected, will she commit to maintaining free tuition? Does she agree that students should not leave university with a mountain of debt...
Sandra White: 2. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding the provision of Gaelic-medium education. (S5O-05139)
Sandra White: I thank the cabinet secretary for that very encouraging answer. It is my understanding that Glasgow City Council has 140 GME places available; however, 170 applications have been received to date. That is extremely encouraging, but will be disappointing for some. Can the cabinet secretary provide an assurance that there will be support to ensure that people who seek to place their children in...
Sandra White: In response to an earlier question, the minister mentioned GDP, which we know is not the only measure of economic success. In my mind, the recognition of wellbeing economies, which is shared by Scotland, New Zealand, Ireland and Wales, is of paramount importance. How will the global capital investment plan fit with the Scottish Government’s work to deliver a wellbeing economy?
Sandra White: I am not a member of the Education and Skills Committee, but I thank committee members and the clerks for speaking to me when I was pursuing an issue. I will speak to amendments 5 and 5A. Daniel Johnson referred to the need for clarification, and I am pleased that Jamie Greene has addressed that by lodging amendment 5, which is really important. I seek clarification. Both amendments refer to...
Sandra White: I want to touch on amendments 1, 34 and 11. The speeches from Johann Lamont and Joan McAlpine were absolutely excellent. Freedom of expression is for everyone—that is an important part of the bill. I, too, was a bit concerned about judicial issues and going to court. However, having listened to members’ contributions—Adam Tomkins’s, in particular—I feel that amendment 1 covers most...
Sandra White: 1. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the incidents at George Square and Glasgow city centre at the weekend, including what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that Covid-19 restrictions are followed and there is no repeat of such disgraceful behaviour. (S5T-02697)
Sandra White: I heard from the chief constable about an hour ago. He said that he was passing on my request for a meeting to a sergeant. I am pleased that Police Scotland has taken on board what I and many others have been asking for. However, I would go further and ask for an investigation into the operations on Saturday and Sunday, in particular. The Rev Gary Noonan just summed up all that was going on...
Sandra White: I completely understand what the cabinet secretary says about police officers. They are human beings as well, and they are a part of the community. However, what people cannot understand is the operational matter. I hope that the independent scrutiny will come up with some answers. My other question is about a huge worry that I and others have. We have another huge football fixture coming up...
Sandra White: Making people aware of the new payment is very important, as others have said. The cabinet secretary mentioned that the Government has contacted potential applicants who are receiving benefits. Is there any other way that the Government can make people aware that the new benefit, which is a life changer, is available to the people who are entitled to it?
Sandra White: I, too, take this opportunity to thank quite a few people. I thank the committee clerks, who have already been mentioned and who worked hard during the inquiry. Committee members, regardless of party, worked well together. We may have disagreed on some matters, but we came to a conclusion, so I thank members for putting issues aside to work together as grown-ups for the benefit of the people...
Sandra White: I ask Monica Lennon to answer the question that John Mason asked. Also, can she tell Parliament why Labour did not support the inclusion of employment law in the Smith commission’s recommendations, even though the STUC and the Scottish National Party supported it?
Sandra White: It is my last speech. As far as I know, I do not have any other speeches.
Sandra White: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I pay tribute to everyone who has spoken in the debate—such as my colleagues David Stewart and Lewis Macdonald—and everyone who will speak after me. The speeches have been absolutely fantastic. As someone who has been here since 1999, and who was previously a councillor for 10 years in that lovely place that George Adam talks about, Paisley, I thought that it...
Sandra White: When we talk about GERS, fiscal autonomy and so on, the GERS figures are based on belonging to the UK. They do not take into account Scotland being independent and what we could do then. That seems to go under the radar, but it should be at the top. GERS is not a true statement of what Scotland’s fiscal costs are.
Sandra White: The First Minister mentioned earlier the rapid spread of Covid in prisons. What guidance has been issued to lecturing staff on the return to face-to-face teaching in the Scottish Prison Service to ensure their health and safety?
Sandra White: I thank Annie Wells for bringing the debate to the chamber. Like Patrick Harvie, I believe that the motion on fair funding for local government is very important, and I wish that our debating time could be longer. I agree with Willie Rennie’s points on subsidiarity and having more locality in local government. Having been a councillor many years ago, in an earlier life, I can say that it is...
Sandra White: I will do so, Presiding Officer. I welcome the fact that the Scottish Government is working with COSLA and the local governance review.
Sandra White: 5. To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to tackle child poverty. (S5F-04830)
Sandra White: I thank the First Minister for that reply and the very good news about the Scottish child payment, which has been hailed by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as “more needed than ever”. However, the Tories at Westminster will not commit to maintaining the £20 uplift to universal credit. Does the First Minister agree that, if the UK Government is serious about tackling child poverty, it...
