First Minister's Questions 22 May 2025

Podcasts By The Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament

Government

4.8 • 25 Ratings

🗓️ 22 May 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The First Minister answers questions from Party Leaders and other MSPs in this weekly question time. Topics covered this week include: Willie Coffey To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made, regarding any implications for its work to grow Scotland’s economy, of analysis from Future Economy Scotland indicating that average earnings in Scotland are £15,000 less per year than they would have been if wages had not flatlined since the financial crisis. Graham Simpson To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to The Hunter Foundation report, Lessons from Singapore for Scotland's Economy. Foysol Choudhury To ask the First Minister, in light of recent reported incidents, how the Scottish Government is working to prevent knife crime. A full transcript of this week's First Minister's Questions is available here: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/recent-publication?meeting=16416&iob=140223

Transcript

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0:00.0	That concludes general questions. The next item of business is First Minister's questions.
0:05.4	And question number one, I call Russell Finley.
0:08.2	Thank you, President.
0:09.6	Last Saturday, 16-year-old, Caden Moy was stabbed to death on Irvine Beach.
0:15.2	And less than 24 hours earlier on Portobello Beach, a 17-year-old was allegedly stabbed. Police Scotland
0:22.9	say the number of serious assaults committed by teenagers has risen by 600% in the past five years.
0:31.6	Two teenagers have died and 11 injured during a spate of knife incidents involving youths over the past two months.
0:40.1	Young people do not feel safe.
0:42.8	The system does not protect them.
0:45.6	So what does John Swinney have to say to parents who tell me they are terrified every time
0:51.2	their son or daughter leaves the house?
0:54.0	Thank you. Just before I call the first minister, can I just every time their son or daughter leaves the house.
0:57.8	Thank you. Thank you. Just before I call the First Minister,
1:02.5	can I just remind members that there are a number of active cases in Scotland relating to knife crime which are subjudice and we also have question six today too.
1:07.8	And for that reason, because of the age of many of those involved, I would
1:10.8	be grateful if members could not refer to details of any criminal proceedings in relation to those
1:17.4	incidents. First Minister, I want to express my sympathy to the family of Caden Moy. It is a tragedy
1:25.1	that they are having to come to terms with and one incident is one
1:29.1	incident too many. The disorder and the violence at Irvine Beach and Portobello was totally
1:35.4	unacceptable and, as you have indicated, Police Scotland are pursuing the relevant incidents.
1:42.0	There are three approaches the Government takes in relation to the issue of knife crime.
1:47.0	First of all, we have education programmes on the danger and the unacceptable of carrying a knife
	...

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