General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 2 May 2024.
John Mason
Scottish National Party
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its involvement in the proposals for Glasgow to potentially host the Commonwealth games in 2026. (S6O-03380)
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
The Commonwealth games are a hugely important event to Scotland and Scottish athletes—I say that as a former athlete. The Commonwealth Games Federation is working with a number of Commonwealth games associations to reset and reframe the games.
Commonwealth Games Scotland has confirmed that it is looking at a potential hosting solution in Glasgow if an alternative host cannot be found. That solution would be delivered using investment from the Commonwealth Games Federation, plus commercial income.
The Scottish Government is continuing discussions with Commonwealth Games Scotland and Glasgow City Council to further assess and develop the proposals, although no formal decision has been made as yet.
John Mason
Scottish National Party
Will Mr Gray go into a little more detail on timescales for making decisions? Will he confirm whether any public money would go into hosting?
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
The Commonwealth Games Federation has said that it intends to announce a decision about the favoured proposed host in May 2024. If, at that stage, Scotland is deemed to be the only viable option, steps will be taken to gather additional information and assurances to enable the Scottish Government to confirm its support—or otherwise—to proceed.
The Commonwealth Games Scotland concept proposes a significantly reduced budget that is in the region of £135 million, with funding being drawn from £100 million of investment from the Commonwealth Games Federation and from commercial income, and not from the public purse.
Paul Sweeney
Labour
The proposal to hold the 2026 Commonwealth games in Glasgow is great, and I encourage the Government to embrace it enthusiastically. However, I was disappointed that the scope of the proposal does not include an athletes village, which was one of the great legacies of the 2014 games. Perhaps there is an opportunity to focus state investment on expediting regeneration of derelict sites in Glasgow that are in the pipeline for development, such as Cowlairs or Red Road, as an athletes village. I encourage the Cabinet secretary to engage with Wheatley Group and other social housing providers to look at the opportunity to bolster the proposal for hosting the Commonwealth games in Glasgow.
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
I thank Paul Sweeney for his enthusiasm. There is quite a bit to consider, not least the timescales and public finance that are involved, as well as Glasgow’s legacy from 2014, which—I say as a spectator—was incredible. That was a phenomenal games, and Glasgow has an incredible reputation around the world as a host.
The infrastructure that is in place puts Glasgow in a good position, but should Glasgow be the preferred location, there are considerations around timescales, the scale of the games and what we would be able to offer, which must align with the Commonwealth Games Federation’s consideration of the long-term situation for the games.
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.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
