Humza Yousaf: I thank Douglas Ross for raising the issue. First and foremost, I commend Sir Iain Livingstone, the chief constable of Police Scotland, for acknowledging institutional racism, misogyny and other discriminatory behaviours within Police Scotland. That is the first step that is required in order to dismantle the institutional and structural barriers that exist. Douglas Ross is right to emphasise...
Humza Yousaf: There is nothing to hide, and I think that it is a sign of increasing desperation that Anas Sarwar is relying on insinuation, on trying to throw as much mud as he possibly can in the hope that things stick and on that sort of scattergun approach. Actually, this Government has a very good record in responding to freedom of information requests. We are the Government that has the most ambitious...
Humza Yousaf: We are committed to engaging with our various stakeholders in the development of the next generation of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract. That includes engaging with our island communities. As I said at yesterday’s meeting of the Parliament’s Conveners Group, it is routine practice to use specialist advisers for complex, high-value projects such as this one, to ensure that...
Humza Yousaf: Violence is never acceptable. The safety of pupils and staff in our schools is of paramount importance to the Government, and I am deeply concerned about the violent content involving bullying and violent attacks in schools and on public transport, and in other places where young people gather, that has been posted online. Westminster’s Online Safety Bill could be a means to ensure that...
Humza Yousaf: I am grateful to all clinicians and researchers who make a valuable contribution to our national health service, and I very much recognise the expertise that Professor Ritchie has built up over his career. We share his ambition to improve interventions and support people with dementia, and I take his criticisms very seriously indeed. I have asked the health secretary to review and consider...
Humza Yousaf: The nature restoration fund will provide £65 million over this parliamentary session to multiyear and multipartner projects to restore and regenerate nature and address climate change. To date, a total of £430,000 from the fund’s competitive scheme has been awarded to three projects on Arran: the glen habitat restoration project, the Dougarie estate’s green network project, and the...
Humza Yousaf: It is almost a weekly occurrence that, whenever poverty is mentioned, we hear groans from members on the Conservative benches. The cost of living is still far too high for too many families, who are struggling with the increasingly unaffordable cost of food, the increase in energy bills and the cost of everyday essentials, after years and years of austerity, a hard Brexit that has been...
Russell Findlay: ...she was still alive. The judge described the 23-year-old’s crimes as “medieval in their barbarity”, yet his prison sentence was reduced due to new under-25s sentencing guidelines. Will Humza Yousaf tell the people of Scotland whether he thinks that those guidelines should apply in every single case, no matter how wicked or barbaric the crime?
Michael Marra: ...the Scottish National Party Government. It told her that surgery for lower pelvic prolapse should be completed within one year by order of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf. My constituent has now waited for her surgery for eight and a half years. As a last resort, we spoke to the press about her deeply personal situation. That forced the hand of NHS Tayside,...
Humza Yousaf: I will make representations, as Stuart McMillan has asked me to do. I commend him for raising the issue consistently in the chamber on behalf of his constituents. There is no doubt that high fuel prices have contributed to the cost of living crisis for people and businesses across Scotland. The Scottish Government has raised the issue of inconsistent pricing between urban and rural areas, and...
Humza Yousaf: Over the years, the Government has increased our spend on mental health considerably. We are increasing the number of staff who work in child and adolescent mental health services—CAMHS—as well as in psychological services. Notwithstanding that, Brian Whittle is right to raise the issue of the amount of police time that is taken in helping people who have mental health challenges and...
Humza Yousaf: Yes, I will commit to meeting the survivors; I have met some of them—some are constituents of mine and I have met them as a local MSP. I am afraid that I will not be able to meet them today, but I am certain that our offices can liaise to find a suitable time. I commend Colin Smyth for bringing his members’ business debate, which will take place after this question time. I hope that he...
Rachael Hamilton: ...the opportunity to speak and I am glad that my convener, Finlay Carson, raised the significant issues that we discussed at the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. When the First Minister, Humza Yousaf, set out his priorities when he took office, I expressed my frustration—shared by thousands of farmers and crofters across the country—at the lack of acknowledgment of agriculture in his...
David Linden: ...Lords amendment 1 relates to the principle of devolution. I was certainly heartened by what we heard earlier about the opposition to Lords amendment 1, but the reality is that First Minister Humza Yousaf, First Minister Mark Drakeford in Wales and the Governments in both Wales and Scotland have outlined their absolute opposition to this Bill, which we consider to be an affront to democracy...
Douglas Ross: ...today reported that Scottish National Party minister Jenny Gilruth, who is sat just behind the First Minister, might have broken the ministerial code. The former Minister for Transport, whom Humza Yousaf promoted to be Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, changed plans that had been agreed for 18 months, with just weeks to go. The original plans would have involved a small closure...
Humza Yousaf: Anas Sarwar has—rightly—raised those issues on many occasions. As he said in his question, a public inquiry has been taking place in relation to a number of the issues that he has raised. It is important that we do not prejudice an inquiry that is taking place and that we wait for the full outcome of that inquiry. Appropriate action will, of course, be taken on those issues. We have made...
Humza Yousaf: Our approach to assessing sewage discharges is more effective than that in England. Scottish Water has completed a more extensive environmental study programme to monitor and model the impacts of its facilities on water quality. Data from monitoring is also being used to determine any actions needed to improve Scotland’s water environment. Scottish Water has already invested £686 million...
Humza Yousaf: The safety of residents is, of course, an absolute priority for the Government. We are acting decisively to protect lives through a programme of cladding assessment and remediation. The current programme includes 105 buildings that will each go through a comprehensive technical assessment. Although we expect that the majority will be safe, if the assessment identifies an immediate fire risk,...
Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is proud to have the fairest and most progressive tax system in the United Kingdom. Consideration of behavioural changes is a vital part of our tax policy decisions. Our evaluation of the move to a more progressive tax system in 2018-19 found no evidence of significant behavioural change, including in relation to cross-border migration. That should come as no surprise,...
Humza Yousaf: I recognise that Monica Lennon, rightly, often raises incredibly important issues to do with adult social care. We all know that Covid-19 created an enormous challenge for the social care sector throughout the United Kingdom and in Scotland. That is why we introduced the social care staff support fund in order to support the workforce and protect our most vulnerable people. I thank the social...
