Jamie Halcro Johnston: I am afraid that I do not have time. Within the mix, this Parliament has a great many levers that can have a positive impact on in-work poverty. Unfortunately, too often, this Scottish Government has been more inclined to point the finger of blame elsewhere and ignore areas in which it has clearly failed to make progress. In many cases—in relation to education, for example—the...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: The Scottish Government’s promise to reduce ferry fares on the northern isles routes is still tied up in legal action, leaving the islands facing yet another summer season without that long-standing issue being resolved. Has the minister spoken—or will he speak—to Government colleagues about whether the funding that was set aside to reduce fares, which cannot be used at the moment,...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: The First Minister will be aware of the huge wildfires that have been burning across parts of my region over the past few days—most notably in Moray, where large areas of grassland have been destroyed. Will she join me in thanking all those who have been involved in fighting the fires—most notably the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and other emergency services, but also the many estate...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: I congratulate Bill Kidd on bringing this debate to the chamber to mark workers memorial day ahead of Sunday’s event. Neil Findlay mentioned the Cullen inquiry. I remember seeing, as a young boy in Orphir in Orkney, the Piper Alpha accommodation section sitting at Flotta oil terminal. That was a stark reminder of the dangers that people face. The oil and gas sector has seen a number of...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: Planned reductions to air departure tax have been in the pipeline for several years now. They were the subject of long-standing commitments by the Scottish Government and were a flagship transport policy that gave Scotland’s business community some reassurance that the SNP had an interest in and an understanding of our country’s economy and the need to create a more global Scotland. As a...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: I am going to move on. It is frankly ridiculous that the Scottish Government is now ignoring the benefits of effective, affordable connectivity after so many years of making the case for it. However, what is of greater concern is this: if the SNP is now targeting air travel to meet climate goals, how long will the Highlands and Islands exemption remain?
Jamie Halcro Johnston: As with reductions in ADT, the SNP has long promised a settled reduction in ferry fares on the northern isles routes, but that has still not been delivered either. [ Interruption .]
Jamie Halcro Johnston: I ask for an assurance from the Scottish Government in its summing up that the Highlands and Islands exemption is not under threat and that it is still committed to reducing ferry fares on the northern isles routes. However, as we have heard, the aviation sector was given assurances only a couple of weeks ago but yesterday learned that those assurances meant nothing. Yesterday, looking like a...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: I will if the cabinet secretary will answer that question.
Jamie Halcro Johnston: I thought that the reason was climate change, as the cabinet secretary has repeatedly stated, but okay. A policy has been fully reversed in just two weeks. Is this a genuine climate change-focused move by the SNP? Is the Nicolacopter permanently grounded? Are its days of ferrying the First Minister between party engagements finally over? Probably not, because this is not about climate change....
Jamie Halcro Johnston: I place on record my thanks to the excellent clerking team who supported the committee’s work throughout the inquiry. Our convener, Gordon Lindhurst, eloquently set out many of the main themes that the inquiry covered, as well as our conclusions. Following the enterprise and skills review and the publication of the Scottish National Investment Bank Bill, which will require close...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: The First Minister will be aware that, a few nights ago, the outside of Elgin mosque was daubed with a swastika and offensive language. It is not the first time that an attack of that nature has been brought to Parliament’s attention, and I fear that it will not be the last. Will the First Minister join me and politicians across all parties in Moray in condemning that attempt to intimidate...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: The announcement of potential new tech jobs is welcome. It is important that there is a pipeline of skilled employees entering the sector. Will the First Minister comment on why a foundation apprenticeship in financial services remains available in only five of Scotland’s 13 college regions, excluding my constituents in the Highlands and Islands? Given that reskilling into a technology...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: It is clear that the level of involvement, or lack of involvement, of Scotland’s businesses in Scotland’s renewables supply chain is a matter of concern and anger across the chamber. As we have seen in the debate, the issues that BiFab faces are set within a wider context of problems with how we support the energy sector, and those problems go beyond the ones that are detailed in...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: I would like to make progress. We have heard of the expertise that exists in Scotland, much of which is the legacy of our oil and gas industry, which has been reasonably successful in creating skills, jobs and industry in several parts of the country. It appears that we all agree that Scottish businesses should be able to win the contracts, build up local supply chains, create jobs and...
Jamie Halcro Johnston: The responsibility for apprenticeships and skills and training has been with this Parliament since 1999. Will Mr McMillan clarify his point, as I do not want to misrepresent him?
Jamie Halcro Johnston: Mr McMillan is arguing that apprenticeships were lost 40 years ago and, in the period since, somehow our hands have been tied. [ Interruption .]
Jamie Halcro Johnston: That is a nonsensical position. The SNP members today have focused on what they cannot do and have said nothing about what they can do.
Jamie Halcro Johnston: No, I will not. We have heard a lot from the cabinet secretary speaking from a sedentary position. I would like to get on.
Jamie Halcro Johnston: Well, the cabinet secretary should be in a sedentary position, because I am still standing. In his speech, my colleague Dean Lockhart noted the concerns of various stakeholders around the Neart na Gaoithe project off the coast of Fife and the compelling reasons for bringing jobs and investment to his region. The economic impact would indeed be transformative; the skills are there and the...