Summary

  • John Swinney is quizzed by opposition party leaders during First Minister's Questions

  • This is the final FMQs of 2024

  • Patrick Harvie joins Russell Findlay and Anas Sarwar in posing the questions to the FM this week

  • Scottish Tory leader Findlay challenges Swinney on how the victims of crime are treated by the justice system

  • The first minister says the proposed Victims and Witnesses bill will "strengthen the experience of victims"

  • Anas Sarwar accuses the Scottish government of failing to deal with the affordable housing crisis

  • Swinney says the Scottish government has built more affordable housing than anywhere else in the UK

  • Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick says the first minister has been forced to admit Scotland is "miles behind" on climate action

  1. FMQs: The headlinespublished at 13:16 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    The final FMQs of 2024 has drawn to a close.

    Here's a reminder of the key lines that emerged:

    The live page editor today was Paul McLaren. The writers were Katy Scott, Craig Hutchison and Jennifer Wilson.

    Thanks for joining us today.

  2. Increasing retail crime will be tackled - Swinneypublished at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Daniel Johnson addresses retail crimeImage source, Scottish Parliament

    Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern MSP for Labour, is up next and points to a recent BBC Scotland News article about a "spiralling pattern of violence" against retail workers in his constituency.

    He says 5,500 incidents were recorded against the Protection of Retail Workers Act last year, which was a 46% increase.

    Johnson asks the first minister if he agrees that greater priority needs to be given to community and response policing so these crimes can be treated with "expediency and seriousness" over the festive period.

    The first minister says he agrees that retail workers should be treated with kindness all year and criminal conduct is at the "root of the issue".

    He says the Scottish government has allocated £3m in the budget to tackle retail crime which will be taken forward as a partnership between the retail sector and police.

  3. 'Unacceptable behaviour' from cup final football fanspublished at 12:59 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Pauline McNeill on the League Cup final violenceImage source, Scottish Government

    Pauline McNeill highlights the "appalling scenes of violence and disorder" in Glasgow ahead of Sunday's League Cup final.

    The Labour MSP says the clubs - in this case, Celtic and Rangers - have a role to play in preventing this disgraceful behaviour and she asks if the FM is aware that CCTV cameras in Glasgow are no longer staffed 24/7.

    Swinney pledges to look into the specifics raised by McNeill and he says this behaviour must be addressed.

    "It is just not acceptable for Christmas shoppers to have to go through what they went through on Saturday."

  4. First minister welcomes Harland & Wolff shipyard dealpublished at 12:57 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    David Torrance addresses John SwinneyImage source, Scottish Parliament

    David Torrance, the SNP MSP for Kirkcaldy, asks the first minister if he welcomes news about Harland & Wolff's deal with Spain's state-owned shipbuilder Navantia which will save "thousands" of jobs.

    Swinney welcomes the "positive news" and says it will provide security and assurance to employees at the Methil yard in Torrance's constituency, as well as the yard in Arnish in the Western Isles.

    He says the deal came about after "a great deal" of engagement with the deputy first minister, trade unions, management, staff and collaboration with the UK government.

  5. Concerns raised about IT infrastructure for GPspublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Sandesh Gulhane addresses the First MinisterImage source, Scottish Parliament

    The next backbencher to ask the FM a question is Sandesh Gulhane, who highlights the reported announcement that NHS Scotland's IT software supplier, INPS, has entered administration.

    The Tory MSP warns this could leave GPs without the digital infrastructure to maintain electronic health records.

    The FM assures the chamber there is no impact to patient care as a result of this announcement and contingency planning is under way.

    Dr Gulhane says the BMA has told him the Scottish government has not invested well in GP IT infrastructure and he warns it's a "disaster" in the making.

    Swinney reiterates there is an incident management team with contingency planning under way and the health secretary will actively engage on the issue.

  6. Warning over sale of puppies over Christmaspublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Christine Grahame asks John Swinney her questionImage source, Scottish Parliament

    SNP MSP Christine Grahame asks the first minister whether the Scottish government will encourage the public not to buy puppies or dogs during the festive period amid concerns they could be from illegal puppy farms.

    Swinney says a dog is for life and not just for Christmas, so the Scottish government works with other public bodies throughout the year to raise awareness of the importance of buying pets safely and responsibly.

    He urges prospective owners to consider rehoming a dog instead of buying a puppy.

    Grahame encourages the first minister to commend responsible breeders and rescue centres who do not rehome dogs over Christmas.

    The first minister praises the MSP's actions to ensure people are purchasing pets in a responsible way which safeguards the protection of the animal.

  7. Analysis

    The end of the Greens and SNP love-inpublished at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Philip Sim
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    Recent months have frequently seen a bit of an FMQs love-in between the SNP and the Greens, as John Swinney bids to woo his party’s former partners into a budget deal.

    But there was a much harder edge today, with Patrick Harvie accusing the government of a “record of failure” on climate issues.

    And Mr Swinney did not give up much ground, rejecting Mr Harvie’s characterisation and insisting his administration is focused on delivery.

    He effectively fired a warning that money can’t be invested in climate measures if other parties don’t vote for the budget.

    It felt a far cry from previous weeks where Mr Swinney made a big show of being very open to Green suggestions.

    Perhaps he thinks he’s more likely to land a deal with the Lib Dems…or perhaps as budget negotiations get serious, he wants to show he can wield a stick as well as offer a carrot.

  8. Swinney - 'Our commitment to climate action is clear'published at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Harvie says any more delay on the clean heating bill is unacceptable.

    The Scottish Greens co-leader argues the Scottish government promised to accelerate climate action to make up for its record of failure, but it simply is not happening.

    He asks how anyone is supposed to trust the government when "we're still waiting for so many of the actions he promised".

    The FM says it comes down to the delivery of actions and that is what the government is focused on.

    He gives the example of essentially decarbonising the electricity network in Scotland by the shift to renewable energy.

    Swinney says the government's commitment to climate action is clear.

  9. FM defends his government's record on climate actionpublished at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    The first minister argues Harvie's characterisation of the government's programme is not accurate and is not representative.

    Swinney insists the government is taking the necessary steps to tackle climate issues.

  10. Where is the clean heating bill, asks Harvie?published at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Patrick Harvie addresses First MinisterImage source, Scottish Parliament

    It is now the turn of Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie to put his questoins to the first minister.

    He says in 2024 the "Scottish government had to admit that it is years behind schedule on climate".

    Harvie asks where the energy strategy and the roll-out of clean heating are on the government's agenda.

  11. Analysis

    Sarwar and Swinney both land blows... and there will be more to comepublished at 12:46 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Philip Sim
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    Like Russell Findlay, Anas Sarwar came to Holyrood with a case study to sober the tone of his discussion with John Swinney.

    But this was a far more political exchange, tumbling as ever into talk of “Labour run Wales” and indeed now Westminster.

    Both landed blows; Mr Sarwar on the prospect of children waking up homeless on Christmas morning, and Mr Swinney on Labour’s record of rhetoric against delivery on Waspi women.

    The heat of the debate underlines the extent to which these parties see each other as their core electoral rival.

    It is one that will doubtless be repeated through 2025 in the run up to the following year’s election.

  12. Background: Starmer wrong to deny Waspi women payout - Sarwarpublished at 12:45 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Media caption,

    Sarwar says Labour got Waspi payout decision wrong

    Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says the prime minister was wrong not to compensate women affected by the UK government's failure to adequately warn them about changes to the state pension.

    The MSP said the UK government was right to recognise the "injustice" faced by the women, but added he was "disappointed" there was no payout.

    It came after Sir Keir Starmer said the Treasury couldn't afford to pay out compensation, with Labour ministers warning the total cost could have risen to more than £10bn.

    Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) says 3.6 million women born in the 1950s - including hundreds of thousands in Scotland - were not properly informed of the rise in state pension age to bring them into line with men.

    Read more here.

  13. FM criticises Labour over treatment of Waspi womenpublished at 12:45 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Swinney uses FMQs to get a quick swipe at the Labour party over the Waspi women row - women who wereaffected by a UK government decision to increase the state pension age.

    He questions whether Sarwar is interested in a solution to homelessness or just rhetoric.

    The first minister criticises Sarwar's "rhetoric" about Waspi women.

    He says the Scottish Labour leader promised "big bold action", but his party had delivered "absolutely nothing whatsoever".

  14. Scotland has built more affordable homes, says Swinneypublished at 12:33 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Sarwar says 10,000 children in Scotland are in temporary accommodation and the first minister just wants to “point at other parts of the country”.

    The crisis is years in the making, he tells the first minister, and every statistic is another example of a family failed.

    “How many children will wake up homeless under this government next year?” he asks Swinney.

    The first minister repeats that the Scottish government has built more affordable houses (per head of population) than any other part of the UK.

    Swinney says the government is bringing more properties into use, as well as increasing local authority funding to support homeless services.

    He urges Sarwar to vote for the government's budget to "lift children out of poverty".

  15. Background: Scotland's housing emergencypublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    New build housingImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    It is becoming increasingly difficult for people to get on the housing ladder as the property market becomes more expensive

    Stats out this week showed the number of affordable homes completed in the last year fell by 22%.

    There were 8,413 homes funded by the government’s affordable housing supply programme in the year to the end of September, down 2,373 on the previous 12 months.

    The number of homes started was also down by 8%, which is fewer than any time over the last decade.

    Since 2023, the Scottish government and a dozen of its local authorities declared a housing emergency amid a rising number of homeless people and increasing rent rates.

    The Scottish government said they plan to build 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 and 70% of these have to be social homes.

  16. 'How can the government be proud of its housing record?'published at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Sarwar follows up with an example of Miriam, a single working mum in Glasgow, who was evicted alongside her four children after complaining of mould and leaks.

    The MSP says she was forced to declare herself homeless and was put into temporary accommodation an hour away from her children’s school.

    He asks again how the government can be proud of its record, given how homelessness has affected the life chances of young people.

    Swinney says the country has lived through 14 years of “punishing austerity” which has been “incredibly damaging” for public infrastructure.

    He says the Scottish government has built more affordable homes (per head of population) compared to other nations in the UK, despite the “prevailing tide” of austerity.

  17. Sarwar highlights record numbers of homeless people in Scotlandpublished at 12:27 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Anas Sarwar asks his housing questionsImage source, Scottish Parliament

    Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is up next with a question on the housing emergency.

    The Glasgow MSP says a record number of Scots will wake up on Christmas morning “without a home to call their own” as homelessness increases.

    Sarwar asks if the first minister is still proud of the SNP’s record on housing.

    The first minister says the government accepts there is a housing emergency, adding: “We’re not building enough houses which is why the government has significantly increased the housing budget over the next two years.”

    He says the Scottish government has a strong record on housebuilding, but a "changing society" requires more houses to be built.

  18. Analysis

    There is little room for politicking when it comes to crime victimspublished at 12:26 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    Philip Sim
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    For once there was little rancour to the exchanges between the Conservative and SNP leaders. The topic was too serious.

    Russell Findlay used his four questions to raise four separate cases where he says justice has not been done.

    There is a genuine difference between the parties; the Tories believe the system needs to change, while Mr Swinney was keen to underline its independence.

    But as ever when issues with such a human impact are raised, there is little room for politicking.

    The questions and answers were seriously put and received.

  19. FM says Crown will decide on FAI into death of Baby Jpublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    The first minister emphasises the Lord Advocate has been a new investigation and the Crown will determine what actions will be taken forward.

    The Crown will decide on an FAI, says Swinney.

  20. Findlay raises tragic case of Baby Jpublished at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

    There should be greater voices from victims on the sentencing council, argues Findlay.

    For his final question of the year the Scottish Conservative raises the "tragic case of Baby J" whose body had multiple broken bones and how a judge said only his parents could have inflicted these injuries.

    He welcomes the lord advocate saying she had instructed a new investigation by specialist prosecutors.

    Findlay calls for an Fatal Accident Inquiry to secure justice for Baby J.