Chamber and committees

In some sectors, Scottish workers are paid more than their equivalents in other parts of the UK.

That is a fair answer. Thank you. The committee has received a mixture of responses. One of the things that witnesses have done is looked back at the Covid pandemic and said that what happened then might be a good model for going forward. Others have said that that might be a bad model. Some of the key themes were that, on the positive side, decisions were made more quickly and some of the bureaucratic systems were chopped a bit but that, on the bad side, there was less consultation before decisions were made. Again, it is a wide question, but generally, did good things happen that we could take forward?

Are you saying that there is, in effect, no loss of revenue to the Government?

Okay, thank you. I think I understand that. The schedule also includes the idea of “Partial relief”. Is that tied into the same thinking?

That is helpful—thank you. Minister, I think that the Scottish Fiscal Commission has said that the cost is under £5 million and so it is not taking a view, because it does not consider that amount to be material. That is still a chunk of money, however. Do we have an figure on the actual cost?

Minister, you have used term “underdeveloped” a number of times, and it is used in the schedule, the policy note and so on. Can you clarify what “underdeveloped” means? Presumably, if there is a one-storey building on a site and it is knocked down and a five-storey building is put in, that is developing the site. Therefore, is every site “underdeveloped”?

Sorry?

I appreciate your comments. That is something that we are currently looking at. I realise that you did not anticipate the question, so asking it was maybe a little unfair.

It is clear that one of the roles that you and your colleagues have is to defend existing jobs. However, in looking at reform, I suppose that I would like to see more workers on the front line and fewer sitting behind desks. Are you open to that kind of movement?

I largely agree with that.

A specific issue that has come up to the committee recently has been the number of commissioners in Scotland. There is a commissioner for children and a commissioner for human rights, and a commissioner for disabled people is proposed. There is a wide range of commissioners. Do you have a particular view on them? Some people think that they are a bit undemocratic and are not answerable to anyone.

I have reservations about green freeports. I fear that—as has come out in the questioning—they will involve the displacement of jobs rather than the creation of new ones. Having said that, we are competing with England on some matters, so we are in a difficult position when it comes to supporting them, and my questioning has established that the amounts of money that are involved are relatively small. I am therefore happy to support the motion.