NICOLA Sturgeon is set to be quizzed by a group of MSPs who are Holyrood committee conveners to discuss efforts to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
In a session lasting an hour and a half, the First Minister will speak to the Conveners Group on Wednesday morning.
Questions will cover a range of topics, including the Programme for Government announced on September 6.
The First Minister last spoke to the Conveners Group in March, where she discussed the Scottish Government’s response to the war in Ukraine and Covid-19 recovery.
Speaking ahead of the session, chairman of the Conveners Group Liam McArthur said: “This session will give conveners the opportunity to jointly question the First Minister on issues of concern and relevance to the work of Parliament’s committees.
“I would expect there to be a strong focus on some of the key themes raised in the recent Programme for Government and how these relate to the impact of the rising cost of living.”
The Programme for Government is the legislative agenda for the next year.
Ministers pledged to freeze rents in Scotland using emergency legislation, with rail fares also being frozen until next March.
On the rent freeze, Sturgeon said: “It will aim to give people security about the roof over their heads this winter, with a moratorium on evictions.
“The Scottish Government doesn’t have the power to stop your energy bills soaring, but we can and will take action to ensure that your rent does not rise.”
Plans were also set out to abolish the not proven verdict as well as plans to allow councils to introduce tourist taxes.
Following on from Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget, Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would be taking a “sensible approach” to tackling the cost-of-living crisis.
She described the Tories’ plans for economic growth as a “catastrophic disaster” and that following suit would be the “wrong thing to do”.
