Finance and Local Government – in the Scottish Parliament at on 14 January 2026.
Humza Yousaf
Scottish National Party
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated in the proposed Scottish budget to support its international development efforts. (S6O-05369)
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
Twenty years on from the start of our international development programme, the Scottish Government remains committed to that work.
In the draft Scottish budget for 2026-27, which we published yesterday, we set out that
“At a time when others are stepping back from commitments to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, support for Scotland’s International Development Fund and the Humanitarian Emergency Fund will grow to £16 million in 2026-27.”
We have also restated our on-going commitment to climate justice, with more than £12 million allocated in next year’s budget to support vulnerable communities in the global south, particularly women and young people.
Humza Yousaf
Scottish National Party
I was pleased to see in yesterday’s budget the significant increase in the Scottish Government’s international development fund, which the Cabinet secretary mentioned. I was, however, disappointed—although not altogether surprised—to hear voices of Opposition, particularly from the Tory front bench, to helping the world’s most vulnerable, such as those in Malawi.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that, in a world that is riddled with conflict, poverty and climate-related disaster, investment in the world’s poorest speaks to a nation’s character, values and even morality? If so, will she reassure me that she and other ministers will use their offices to urge the United Kingdom Government to reverse its disastrous decision—to cut overseas aid worth billions of pounds—which is directly harming the poorest in the global south?
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
I absolutely agree with Humza Yousaf. The Scottish Government’s continued support for international development and climate justice is an important way that Scotland demonstrates good global citizenship.
It is about our core values. At a time when so much is happening in the world, the support for international organisations’ work on the ground to help communities to help themselves is really important. There was a time in this Parliament when that was a unanimous position; it saddens me that some people have stepped back from our global requirements and obligations.
The First Minister wrote to the UK Foreign Secretary on 14 December, raising his profound concerns about UK Government aid cuts from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of gross national income by 2027-28. He asked the Foreign Secretary to reconsider the reported proposed cuts to Malawi, which has been one of the Scottish Government’s partner countries since 2005. We continue to advocate on the issue to the UK Government.
Alexander Stewart
Conservative
The extra millions for external development, which were announced in the budget, have been allocated at the detriment of many local projects across my region. I ask the Cabinet secretary to justify cutting funding streams for those vital projects, which are lifelines to many of my communities, in favour of grandstanding on overseas projects.
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
As I said earlier, that speaks volumes, does it not? Alexander Stewart does not seem particularly bothered about the impact on local services and projects of the £1 billion of unfunded tax cuts that the Tories have provided—[ Interruption .]
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
Imagine the impact on local projects from £1 billion of unfunded and unaffordable tax cuts—
Annabelle Ewing
Scottish National Party
Always speak through the chair, Cabinet secretary—
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
You should reflect on that before coming to the chamber—[ Interruption .]
Shona Robison
Scottish National Party
—and criticising this Government’s decisions.
Annabelle Ewing
Scottish National Party
All the shouting means that nobody can hear a word that anybody is saying, so, apart from anything else, it is not a very productive way to proceed.
The first bench on either side of the House of Commons, reserved for ministers and leaders of the principal political parties.
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.
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The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
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.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
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.
