Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 12 June 2024.
Colin Beattie
Scottish National Party
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out any analysis of the potential impact that a policy to reduce net migration to the United Kingdom would have on its long-term labour market strategy. (S6O-03556)
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
Current and proposed UK immigration policies fail to address Scotland’s distinct demographic and economic needs. Migrant workers are vital in addressing the decline of our working-age population, and Scottish employers are increasingly dependent on migrant workers for a growing proportion of their workforce.
The work of our independent expert advisory group on migration and population has consistently shown the economic benefits that migration brings to Scotland.
Colin Beattie
Scottish National Party
Scotland has a declining working-age population. Migration will only become more important to maintaining a thriving economy and robust public services. Given that both the Tories and Labour seem determined to slash the numbers, does the Cabinet secretary share my concerns about the potential impact on Scotland’s workforce?
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
I share those concerns absolutely and in full, because evidence shows that migrants who choose Scotland as their home help to grow our economy, increase productivity and innovation, address skills shortages and make essential contributions to communities.
We need to be able to access skilled labour, not least at a time when unemployment is at a record low. We know that, particularly in rural areas, we face the prospect of double-digit depopulation.
As one way to mitigate those barriers, in March, we launched Scotland’s migration service, which provides vital information and advice to employers and people who have recently moved to Scotland. However, ultimately, that matter needs to be resolved at source.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
That concludes portfolio questions on Deputy First Minister responsibilities, the economy and Gaelic. There will be a brief pause before we move to the next item of business, to allow front-bench teams to change position.
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.
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.
