Douglas Ross: ...’s North Sea oil and gas sector. It raises billions of pounds to support public services and it is crucial for Scotland’s economy. However, this week, across the Atlantic in the United States, Humza Yousaf said that Scotland will no longer be “the oil and gas capital of Europe”. Why has the Scottish National Party turned sour on Scotland’s oil and gas?
Paul O'Kane: All the while, the debt collectors are banging on the door. If reducing poverty is the defining mission of Humza Yousaf’s Government—
Sue Webber: ...standards were introduced to tackle that shocking record, so it is unacceptable that the nationalist coalition continues to fail to meet them. At the beginning of the Parliament’s summer recess, Humza Yousaf’s drugs minister called for heroin, cocaine and all other drugs to be decriminalised, but doing so would encourage the organised crime gangs, which make fortunes from peddling...
David Duguid: ...and expertise in that industry, 90% of which are thought to be immediately transferrable to the renewables sector, does my right hon. Friend share my disappointment at today’s reports of Humza Yousaf’s vow to end Scotland’s place as the oil and gas capital of Europe?
Douglas Ross: ...as the last force in the United Kingdom to roll out body-worn cameras. Yesterday, Police Scotland said that it could not “guarantee that body-worn cameras ... would be rolled out next year.” Humza Yousaf did not deliver them when he was justice secretary. As First Minister, will he let police officers down again?
Anas Sarwar: ...turning to private care. Figures that are out this week show that 40 per cent of all knee and hip replacements that are being carried out in Scotland are being self-funded by patients. Why does Humza Yousaf think that it is acceptable that almost 5,000 patients last year were forced to cover the costs of their hip or knee replacements because of his failures?
Humza Yousaf: There is simply no denying that the conclusions of the global stocktake report are deeply concerning and that all countries, including Scotland, must seek to do more. The report found that nothing less than radical decarbonisation and systemic transformation will do. Scotland will, of course, play her part. Internationally, we will continue to urge greater ambition and action towards a just...
Humza Yousaf: Jackie Dunbar exposes the UK Government’s complete failure to capture one of the greatest opportunities for Scotland’s net zero economy. Its inexplicable stance is anti-climate and anti-growth. Industry has sent the UK Government a clear signal that the strike price must increase, and we back those calls 100 per cent. To ensure that we seize that opportunity, the Scottish Government...
Humza Yousaf: Social Security Scotland has introduced 13 Scottish Government benefits, seven of which are available only in Scotland, thanks to a total investment of £12 billion to support people who need assistance. In 2022-23, the agency received almost 370,000 applications, along with hundreds of thousands of phone calls and web chats. Social security is a fundamental human right, which is why we have...
Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government commissioned the report that the member refers to precisely because we knew that victims of repeat violence often do not report their experiences, and it is important for us to understand the reasons why they do not and how we can help them to access that support. Although there are fewer crimes and fewer victims than there were more than a decade ago, the impact on...
Humza Yousaf: Yes, we will continue to engage with local authorities, as we have done throughout not just the past few weeks but the past few months, and I am more than happy for the cabinet secretary to speak directly to Clare Adamson. Clare Adamson is right. These are difficult issues, and it is really important that local authorities and others continue to align themselves with the Institution of...
Humza Yousaf: I would be more than happy for Sue Webber to furnish the Government with the full details of that. Obviously, she has given a synopsis of the situation. The cabinet secretary will, of course, be more than happy to meet her. Sue Webber is right. Childcare is not only a cornerstone of my programme for government; it has been a cornerstone of the Government’s approach since 2007. We now have,...
Humza Yousaf: I do understand, because I met the Glasgow Disability Alliance just a matter of weeks ago. I heard from the members of the board of the Glasgow Disability Alliance and from Tressa Burke, who very powerfully, over the years, has articulated the concerns of disabled people living in Scotland. That is why my programme for government committed to reopening the independent living fund, which was...
Humza Yousaf: I hope that all of us in the Parliament can unite to back this particular cause. I pay tribute to the excellent work that the Linda Norgrove Foundation does. I think that it is incumbent on all of us to put pressure on the UK Government and the Home Office to help, given that we all know how difficult the plight is of women in Afghanistan. The cabinet secretary, Jenny Gilruth, has engaged...
Humza Yousaf: There have been a number of inquiries with which the Scottish Government and those at Ferguson’s have co-operated fully. Hundreds of documents on what is happening at Ferguson’s have been published and put into the public domain. I will not hesitate in apologising to our island communities for the fact that they are still waiting on the completion of hulls 801 and 802. What I will not do...
Humza Yousaf: I say to the member that we are funding Police Scotland suitably. It has received an increase of 6.3 per cent—an £80 million increase—and not only has it had an increase to its budget, but recorded crime is at one of its lowest levels in almost 50 years. When we look at Police Scotland officers’ pay, we see that they are the best-paid police officers in the United Kingdom. Therefore,...
Humza Yousaf: Neil Gray will be happy to meet with the member about Aquafil and we will see what can be done, where necessary, to prevent job losses. If that unfortunately becomes a material reality, we will see where we can help people affected into alternative employment. It is interesting that Kenny Gibson says that three factors have contributed: Covid, Brexit and high energy costs. Covid affected...
Humza Yousaf: It is incredible that I have a member who is telling me what I was meaning to say and think. It is incredible that we have Liam Kerr talking about disrespecting the Parliament. I am meant to take a lecture from the Conservatives about disrespecting Parliament—[ Interruption .]
Humza Yousaf: Audrey Nicoll articulates very well the positive benefits of migration. In fact, virtually every study under the sun shows that migrants who have come to the UK have contributed more than they have taken from it. I have to say that the hostile environment that has been created by successive UK Governments is woeful. The UK has become a pathetically insular country. [ Interruption .]
Humza Yousaf: In the time that we have been in office, we have invested significantly in the rolling stock in Scotland. I know that the previous Minister for Transport held a meeting with Fife MSPs in the spring to discuss the issues that Murdo Fraser mentioned. I am more than happy for the cabinet secretary to write to Murdo Fraser and, where appropriate, to meet Fife MSPs so that we ensure that the...
