First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 6 June 2024.
Kevin Stewart
Scottish National Party
While Westminster trashes the United Kingdom with Brexit, the Scottish National Party Government is prioritising boosting economic growth. The latest Bank of Scotland business barometer report shows that business optimism in Scotland in May was up by 15 per cent, to 57 per cent, which is the joint highest in the UK. That is welcome. Will the Deputy First Minister say more about the steps that the Scottish Government is taking to make Scotland the best place in the UK in which to do business?
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
That is absolutely our aim and ambition. Scotland is open for business. We are committed to working right across the economy to maximise the huge economic opportunities that lie ahead, not least in the incredible renewable energy sector. We want to ensure that our economy remains one of the best performing in the UK—as it is right now—and we will do that by working in partnership with business, industry and trade unions.
Scotland’s gross domestic product per capita has grown faster than the UK’s since 2007, and a record number of foreign direct investment projects were secured in Scotland in 2022, maintaining our position as the top-performing area of the UK, outside of London, for the eighth year running.
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.
