First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament am ar 26 Medi 2024.
Foysol Choudhury
Llafur
Following warnings that Scotland faces a “cultural recession”, it was reported that Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government were in talks over the immediate future of arts organisations. With decisions on multiyear funding due only weeks away, will the First Minister reassure arts organisations and confirm when funding for Creative Scotland—which will enable it to make those long-term decisions—will be released and how large its budget will be?
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
I am enormously sympathetic to financial support for the artistic and cultural sector in Scotland. It is absolutely fundamental that we have stable and supportive financial arrangements in place for the sector.
The operational challenge is that the Scottish Government does not know what its budget will be for the next financial year. That decision will be influenced significantly by the Chancellor of the exchequer’s budget to be announced on 30 October, so the Government has to wrestle with the challenge of providing assurance when it does not have assurance from the United Kingdom Government. That is nobody’s fault—it is just timing.
The one thing that I want to be absolutely crystal clear about to Parliament today is that the Scottish Government will support the cultural sector to fulfil its potential in Scotland. That sector is part of our essential identity as a country. The Government will stand behind it. We simply have to ensure that we have the practical assurance in place to give the financial commitments that Mr Choudhury seeks from me and that, as I quite understand, the cultural sector requires to hear from us.
We are focusing on that question, and the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson, is engaged in discussions with Creative Scotland on the best way to navigate our way through those challenges.
Douglas Ross
Ceidwadwyr
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In his response to me, the First Minister wanted to put on record that
“levels of crime in Scotland are currently at 40-year lows”—
those are his words. However, we already have a record: the Scottish Government’s own statistics, which were published this summer, said that crime in Scotland from 2022-23 to 2023-24 rose by 4 per cent. How could the crime levels be at their lowest level for 40 years when the Scottish Government’s own figures say that they have increased—
Alison Johnstone
Green
Mr Ross, if I might stop you there. As you will be aware, points of order are to be used to address whether proper procedures are or have been followed and they are not to be used to continue debate. There is a mechanism to address inaccurate comments, as the member will be aware, so I am very interested to understand what the point of order is.
Douglas Ross
Ceidwadwyr
Presiding Officer, given that the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs has been sat next to the First Minister today and so the First Minister had that information available, what remedies does the First Minister have at his disposal to update Parliament if he has deliberately or inadvertently misled Parliament on that important issue?
Alison Johnstone
Green
I simply repeat that points of order refer to whether proper procedures have been followed. The content of members’ contributions is a matter for members, and members will be aware of the mechanism that exists to address any inaccuracies.
First Minister’s questions is concluded. The next item of business is a members’ business debate in the name of Rona Mackay. There will be a short suspension to allow the chamber and gallery to clear.
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.
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The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
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It is chaired by the prime minister.
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War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
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