FMQs: Recap as Shona Robison steps up for first minister's questions
Recap on what happened at today’s FMQs.
FMQs: Follow along live as Shona Robison faces questioning
Key Events
- Humza Yousaf is away in New York this week - meaning Deputy First Minister Shona Robison will be leading FMQs today
- Cosla has until 5pm today to put forward a new pay deal to stop three days of school strikes next week
- Yesterday Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a raft of delays to key green policies - putting them at odds with the Scottish Government’s climate change targets
Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser is now asking about short term lets licensing.
This is something we’ve covered extensively in recent weeks, as the deadline to apply for a licence to run a holiday let is coming up soon on October 1: https://www.scotsman.com/education/short-term-lets-scotland-university-boss-warns-lets-licensing-could-make-edinburghs-student-housing-shortages-worse-4336649
Mr Fraser said: “Yesterday we saw more confusion about the policy when Home Link, which arranges house swaps, were told house swaps would be excluded from the rules.
“The deputy first minister wrote to councils in March to say guidance would be produced for temporary swaps, but there is no evidence this has happened.”
He added this “demonstrates a shambolic government where the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing”.
Shona Robison said she will get Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville to write to Murdo Fraser on this, saying it is important there is clarity on this matter.
She added: “It is important Murdo Fraser and others encourage those running short-term lets to get their licence by 1st October because that will be critical in making sure what this is all about, that whoever is using short-term lets in whatever sector is guaranteed the same safety measures no matter where they are staying - that’s at the heart of what this is about.”
Remember I mentioned Brian Whittle made a strange face and fake laugh? Here’s a clip of it for those who want to see it.
Conservative MSP now going back to the issue of holiday lets licensing, saying a constituent of his is afraid about her wellbeing and privacy of having to have her personal details displayed.
Shona Robison said: “If Jeremy Balfour wants to furnish us with this case we can look at it, along with the guidance from Edinburgh Council.
“No one should be afraid and scared, we’re asking for short term let holders to get a licence on basic safety standards.
“But if Jeremy Balfour furnishes us with the details on this issue we will look at that.”
A rather predictable end to FMQs - it’s even made me groan with its predictability.
SNP backbencher Clare Adamson is criticising the Conservatives and Labour for their stance on Brexit, and says this just shows how important it is for Scottish independence so Scotland can rejoin the EU.
Shona Robison said Brexit is an “ongoing disaster” for Scotland, and said “Labour don’t like to hear the word Brexit even more than the Tories”.
That’s the end of FMQs for another week.
If you want some more analysis, Simon Johnson from The Daily Telegraph and Gina Davidson from LBC are giving their thoughts on BBC Politics Scotland. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone
Our Deputy Political Editor Conor Matchett was also watching FMQs today - he’s surprised there wasn’t any mention of the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry, after the long-awaited report was published earlier this week.
Do you agree?
Catch up on what was said in the report here: https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/edinburgh-trams-inquiry-the-saga-that-became-its-own-scandal-4341627
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Our Deputy Political Editor Conor Matchett has given his analysis of this week’s FMQs: https://dai.ly/x8o81du
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