Chamber and committees

Would you accept that it is quite difficult for stakeholders, such as those who are applying for grants and those for whom forestry is vital, to be confident that there is a consistent and considered response when there is investment one year and swingeing cuts the next?

Taking universities and local councils out of the equation and looking at those bodies over which you have more direct control, are we talking about tens of millions or hundreds of millions?

You have made the commitment to the council tax freeze, so there is a responsibility for you to make it work.

Would you accept that you are asking them to do less and that, probably, fewer businesses will be helped?

Good morning to the panel. I was going to ask questions on economic growth, but we have covered that fairly well.

Very briefly, on the point that Ross Greer and others have raised, is there clarity from the Scottish Government on what this budget is trying to achieve? Has the Scottish Government explained its direction and ambitions? Where it has made cuts, has it explained why that was a priority in one year, but not this year? Mr Sousa talked about some of the inconsistencies, particularly around woodland grants. Is there enough of an explanation from the Scottish Government as to why some of those decisions have been made?

I will go to Professor Bell first.

Is that the case in the areas both where there are cuts and where there have been increases in investment? Is the Scottish Government better at saying, “This is what we want to do and we are putting money into this” than it is at justifying where cuts are made?

We know that too many of the people living in our island communities, particularly in Skye and in Orkney, are living in substandard accommodation. There is such a shortage of accommodation that people who want to live and work in such areas cannot live and work there. That is a really important issue.

When I was on the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee—I think that Michelle Thomson was on it as well—it held an inquiry into town centres and came up with some suggestions. The committees of the Parliament have repeatedly looked at our high streets and town centres and how we can make them sustainable. If we do not get it right, with regard to tax levels, support levels and some of the wider issues around access to town centres, in both this budget and others, then do our town centres and high streets have a future?

Obviously, the 75 per cent rates relief is also for retail. We have all seen, and it is becoming more noticeable, that more and more business spaces are becoming available on our high streets. I was speaking to some local businesspeople about the increases in their rents, which have gone up from around £12,000 to £18,000 for new leases. If increased support is not given to those retail businesses, what are your concerns for our high streets? That is a big issue for all MSPs.

As you mention that, I must obviously declare an interest as a partner in a farming business—but I think that your point is absolutely valid.