First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 25 April 2024.
Liam Kerr
Conservative
To ask the First Minister what impact he anticipates the Scottish Government’s decision to remove the target to reduce emissions by 75 per cent by 2030 will have on infrastructure projects throughout Scotland. (S6F-03053)
Humza Yousaf
Scottish National Party
Liam Kerr has a brass neck to raise infrastructure projects with me when his Tory colleagues in Westminster are responsible for a £1.3 billion cut to our capital budget to 2027-28.
We know that investment in Scotland’s infrastructure is vital for our sustainable economic future, and investment in net zero brings huge employment and economic growth opportunities. That is why, last week, we affirmed the Scottish Government’s unwavering commitment to deliver net zero by 2045 and announced a whole new package of climate actions to strengthen our existing bold measures to help achieve and deliver net zero. Those include a commitment to publish a new route map for the delivery of approximately 24,000 additional electric vehicle charge points by 2030 through a mix of public and private finance, and our budget has committed substantial funding towards delivery of our climate change goals.
Liam Kerr
Conservative
The First Minister is ignorant of having the largest cash-terms block grant in history. One infrastructure project that was promised in 2011 to stimulate the economy, reduce emissions and stop the senseless carnage was the dualling of the A96. The Green Party demanded an unnecessary climate review to stall and prevent that, which, having cost £5 million so far and despite £37 million already having been spent on preparatory work, will not report until the end of the summer. Now that the beyond-credible targets and the economically illiterate Greens have been jettisoned, can the First Minister confirm that all barriers have finally been removed from fully dualling the A96?
Humza Yousaf
Scottish National Party
Liam Kerr talks about an “unnecessary climate review”. That is incredible language, given that 2023 was the hottest year on record, and with extreme weather events if not by the day then by the week or by the month right across the world, including here in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Liam Kerr talks about an “unnecessary climate review” in the face of all that evidence. That is why the Conservative Party is fast turning into a party of climate deniers, when what we need is further climate action, which we will promise to bring forward. The reality of the situation is that, in real terms, there will be a £1.3 billion cut to our capital budget over the coming year.
We will continue to invest in infrastructure right across Scotland, as we have done in the north-east, be that through the Aberdeen western peripheral route, the new station at Kintore and health infrastructure such as the Baird family hospital and other infrastructure projects. If Liam Kerr had any influence whatever, he would be telling his Conservative colleagues in Westminster to overturn the disgraceful £1.3 billion capital cut.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The political party system in the English-speaking world evolved in the 17th century, during the fight over the ascension of James the Second to the Throne. James was a Catholic and a Stuart. Those who argued for Parliamentary supremacy were called Whigs, after a Scottish word whiggamore, meaning "horse-driver," applied to Protestant rebels. It was meant as an insult.
They were opposed by Tories, from the Irish word toraidhe (literally, "pursuer," but commonly applied to highwaymen and cow thieves). It was used — obviously derisively — to refer to those who supported the Crown.
By the mid 1700s, the words Tory and Whig were commonly used to describe two political groupings. Tories supported the Church of England, the Crown, and the country gentry, while Whigs supported the rights of religious dissent and the rising industrial bourgeoisie. In the 19th century, Whigs became Liberals; Tories became Conservatives.
