FMQs RECAP: Nicola Sturgeon faces MSPs a week before Council Elections
It will be the final FMQs before the council elections next week.
Nicola Sturgeon may face questions over the transparency of the Scottish Government after an information commissioner ruled the Scottish Government should publish legal advice it received about a second independence referendum.
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It was also revelaed by The Scotsman today that Scottish ministers were advised their deal with GFG Alliance to save the Lochaber smelter worth £586m to the taxpayer may have been in breach of state aid rules as details of the agreement are made public for the first time.
You can follow updates in our live blog below.
Last week Anas Sarwar took aim at First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over the need to better support struggling families with fuel and food costs.
Ahead of the council elections Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross however urged voters to reject Ms Sturgeon’s party at the ballot box next week, claiming that SNP-run councils “will run down local services and hike council tax”.
Nicola Sturgeon said “people in Scotland have the opportunity to lock the Tories out of council chambers across the country”.
The SNP leader said: “The cost-of-living crisis means families and households across Scotland are terrified to open their bills, yet the Tories have neglected the crisis under their noses – instead spending their time defending their partying bosses at Westminster.
FMQs RECAP: Nicola Sturgeon faces MSPs a week before Council Elections
Anas Sarwar asks about the handling of care homes during the Covid pandemic. He asks if the case in England is being accepted by the Scottish Government and leads on the discharge of patients to care homes during the pandemic
Nicola Strugeon says that this is not about accepting a judgement, but that the case down south is already being looked at. She said that the Scottish Government decisions were the best decisions they felt they could make at the time.
The FM says the judgement was not about the situation in Scotland. She adds that the guidance in Scotland was broadly similar to England but there were some differences. She again stresses that these matters will be fully scrutinised by the independent public inquiry under the leadership of Lady Poole.
‘There is nothing anybody in this chamber that anybody will say to me that makes me feel these decisions any heavier than I already do’
Russell Findlay asks about what action will be taken to try and prevent the reported cases of spiking in clubs - the First Minister says that work will be done with police and that it remains a concerning type of crime.
Jackie Bailie brings up late discharge in Scotland and the growing number of late discharge cases in Scotland. The FM says it is unacceptable but that the Covid pandemic has had an impact.
Nicola Sturgeon cites a number of policies that aim to prevent late discharge of patients.
Responding to Anas Sarwar, Nicola Sturgeon said that those who lost a loved one during FMQs will get a proper inquiry.
Anas Sarwar said to the FM: “Don’t force those families to relive that heartache all over again by going through the courts and spending thousands of pounds to get you to admit the truth”.
She hit back accusing him “shamefully” misrepresenting her words adding that people will get answers to their questions around all aspects of the handling of the pandemic and that is why the public inquiry has been established.
Meghan Gallacher asks the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will investigate the reported increasing number of children being referred to the gender specialist clinic in Glasgow, in light of reports of a similar inquiry planned by the UK Government.
The FM responds saying support is in place and will continue to be - and that such work will need to handled with care and sensitivity.