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Meeting of the Parliament Committee of the Whole Parliament (Hybrid) Wednesday 23 June 2021 Session 6 © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Information on the Scottish Parliament’s copyright policy can be found on the website - www.parliament.scot or by contacting Public Information on 0131 348 5000 Wednesday 23 June 2021 CONTENTS Col. PORTFOLIO QUESTION TIME ............................................................................................................................... 1 FINANCE AND ECONOMY .................................................................................................................................... 1 Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Revenue 2021-22) ............................................................................ 1 Economic Recovery Support (Fair Work Practices and Climate Obligations).............................................. 2 Covid-19 Restrictions (Business Support) .................................................................................................... 3 Covid-19 Regulations (Engagement with Business Sector) ......................................................................... 4 Town Centres (Economic Recovery) ............................................................................................................ 6 Hospitality Sector (Covid-19 Restrictions) .................................................................................................... 8 Green Employment ..................................................................................................................................... 10 United Kingdom-Australia Free Trade Agreement (Whisky) ...................................................................... 11 EDUCATION AND SKILLS ................................................................................................................................... 12 Post-Covid-19 Skills and Training .............................................................................................................. 12 National Qualifications 2021 (Grade Assessment) ..................................................................................... 13 Student Support (Covid-19) ........................................................................................................................ 15 Teachers ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 School Sports Events ................................................................................................................................. 18 National Qualifications 2021 (Appeals) ...................................................................................................... 19 School Estate (Investment) ........................................................................................................................ 21 Teaching Posts (Funding Allocations) ........................................................................................................ 21 CHILD POVERTY .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Statement—[Shona Robison]. The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government (Shona Robison) .................. 23 URGENT QUESTION .......................................................................................................................................... 35 Royal College of Nursing Scotland (Trade Dispute)................................................................................... 35 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PARLIAMENT ......................................................................................................... 40 CORONAVIRUS (EXTENSION AND EXPIRY) (SCOTLAND) BILL: STAGE 2 .............................................................. 40 MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT ....................................................................................................................... 108 BUSINESS MOTION ......................................................................................................................................... 108 Motion moved—[George Adam]—and agreed to. PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU MOTIONS ............................................................................................................... 110 Motions moved—[George Adam]. The Minister for Parliamentary Business (George Adam) ........................................................................ 110 George Adam ........................................................................................................................................... 110 DECISION TIME .............................................................................................................................................. 113 NATIONAL GAELIC LANGUAGE PLAN .............................................................................................................. 114 Motion debated—[Alasdair Allan]. Dr Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) ....................................................................................... 114 Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)......................................................................................................... 119 Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) ..................................................................................... 120 Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) ............................................................................................. 122 Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green) ..................................................................................... 124 Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) .................................................................................. 126 Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab) ................................................................................................................... 128 The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Shirley-Anne Somerville) ............................................. 129 1 23 JUNE 2021 2 can be more targeted support for aspirational Scottish Parliament families, or does it have—at least—plans to provide tangible support through mortgage Wednesday 23 June 2021 assistance? Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government provides [The Deputy Presiding Officer opened the support through first-time buyer relief, which raises meeting at 14:00] the nil band from £145,000 to £175,000 and means, in effect, that eight out of 10 first-time Portfolio Question Time buyers do not pay any tax. With regard to a regional scheme, I recognise Finance and Economy that that is an area in which the Conservative The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Party has some interest. I am open to receiving Ewing): Good afternoon, colleagues. The first more information on what Liz Smith’s proposals item of business is portfolio question time. would be, but I caution that LBTT is a national tax and that we would have to be cautious about First, I remind members not to move around the introducing unnecessary complexity into the chamber in a non-safe way. Social distancing system by using a localised methodology. measures are in place in the chamber and across the Holyrood campus. I ask members to take care Economic Recovery Support (Fair Work to observe those measures, including when Practices and Climate Obligations) entering and exiting the chamber. Please use only the aisles and walkways to access your seat and 2. Lorna Slater (Lothian) (Green): To ask the when moving around the chamber. Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that money invested in economic recovery The first portfolio for questions is finance and by way of grants, loans and other funding will the economy. Questions 3 and 7 are grouped support fair work practices and climate obligations together. I will take supplementaries on those for any companies that receive such support. questions after both have been answered. If a (S6O-00050) member wishes to request a supplementary question, they should press their request-to-speak The Minister for Just Transition, button or indicate in the chat function by entering Employment and Fair Work (Richard R during the relevant question. Lochhead): I welcome Lorna Slater to the Parliament. Again, I point out that we will get through more questions and answers if we have succinct Fair work is central to our economic recovery questions and answers, please. and renewal. Through fair work first, we are applying fair work criteria to public sector grants, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Revenue contracts and other funding wherever it is possible 2021-22) and relevant to do so. We continue to consider how we can use all our levers to support a green 1. Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): recovery, and we expect those who access To ask the Scottish Government what revenue it financial support to publicly align with Scottish estimates it will receive from land and buildings Government values, particularly those relating to transaction tax in 2021-22. (S6O-00049) our climate and environmental ambitions. The Minister for Public Finance, Planning Securing the full range of employment powers and Community Wealth (Tom Arthur): The would enable the Scottish Government to fully Scottish Fiscal Commission is the independent implement policies that best meet Scotland’s body responsible for forecasting revenues