Question Time

FÖRSTE VICE TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by Minister for Education Mats Persson, Minister Lotta Edholm, Minister for Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed, and Minister Andreas Carlson.

A question must be of an overarching and general political nature or concern a subject that falls within the minister's area of responsibility and relates to his performance of duties. Education Minister Mats Persson answers both general political questions and questions within his own area of responsibility.

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Fredrik Lundh Sammeli (S)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to begin by congratulating Jakob Forssmed on the new assignment. As vice chairman of the Committee on Social Affairs, I look forward to a fruitful cooperation.

Question Time

I have also noted with some relief that neither the Tidö Agreement nor the government statement contains anything regarding farm sales. I know that we Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats in large parts have had a similar view when it comes to the previously presented proposals regarding this issue. Most lawyers also share the view that such a proposal to introduce farm sales would threaten the Swedish alcohol monopoly and undermine our ability to have our EU exemption.

Therefore, I only want to, through a question to the Minister for Social Affairs during this question period, have it confirmed that there are no proposals to proceed with farm sales during the current parliamentary term.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the question, Fredrik Lundh Sammeli!

The issue of farm sales is being prepared in the Government Offices. The investigation's report has been out for consultation, and a large number of consulting bodies have submitted responses. I believe there are 180 consultation responses on this investigation.

It is central issues that are touched upon. It concerns Systembolaget's monopoly, public health, and EU law. If it were the case that it is possible to combine farm sales with a maintenance of Systembolaget's monopoly, it also concerns an opportunity for rural development.

Due to the complexity and the fact that there are potentially far-reaching consequences for the monopoly, the process needs to be allowed to take time. It is not appropriate to make any hasty decisions without having conducted a full analysis. That is our intention, and we intend to continue preparing the issue in the Government Offices, partly in light of the latest investigation on the matter.

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Fredrik Lundh Sammeli (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Social Affairs for the answer. The opportunity that the EU gives us to retain our retail monopoly is a very important part of the Swedish alcohol legislation. It is about limiting the possibility for young people to be able to buy alcohol and in a good way having a restrictive alcohol policy.

I hope that the Minister will continue to hold that line in the future and not be prepared to deal away the possibility of a monopoly.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you again for the question!

There is also an announcement from the Riksdag that, provided it is compatible with the alcohol monopoly, this issue shall be looked into. It is the position that we continue to work according to: Is it possible to allow this to a limited extent provided that one also manages and secures the monopoly?

It is with that orientation that we process the matter further.

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Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Since 2014, Skolverket has paid out 225 million kronor for voluntary organizations to organize homework help for children. During 2021 and 2022, information has emerged that this support is used to finance Quran schools, costumes for thousands of kronor, private trips and rental cars - expenses that in no way have any connection to homework help.

Mr. Speaker! This is a form of corruption that the previous government has, in practice, remained passive towards. It hurts to see how tax funds that should help children in vulnerable areas have ended up with people who do not hesitate to grab these tax funds for themselves.

My question is the following: What shall the new government do to counteract this?

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! I believe that as Minister for Education I should answer this.

It is clear that it is difficult for me to comment on individual cases. But if what has been reported is correct, it is completely unacceptable. It is exactly as the Member of Parliament says: This money is to be used so that children get homework help and not for anything else.

I am now awaiting a motion from Skolverket, which is currently reviewing this, and I hope to receive this motion from them as soon as possible.

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Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)

Mr. Speaker! It is of the utmost importance to repair the damage that the previous government has caused. I have great confidence that this government will do so if the will exists and if one is prepared to see the actual problems that exist in our country.

It is not so difficult to understand that tax funds intended for homework help should actually go to homework help and not to Quran schools.

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! Of course, I agree with this. It is about how tax revenue is used. It is also about children who have a right to support and help not receiving it when tax revenue is used in an incorrect way. We must ensure that we achieve a change in this.

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Daniel Riazat (V)

Mr. Speaker! For 31 years, Sweden has had the most unique market experiment in the world, in any school system. Sweden is the world's only country where there is free competition for our tax funds, where any companies and persons whatsoever can open schools in a market where students are seen as customers and the staff as service personnel, and where we see that unlimited profits are made despite the quality not holding up.

We now have a minister who comes from one of these companies whose shares were raised quite significantly when she was appointed as Minister for Education. During the previous question period, I asked the minister what policy they intend to pursue regarding the market school. She then refused to answer the question. The reason, she claimed, was that she was under KU-reporting.

I ask the question again, because it is possible to answer the question even if one is under KU-investigation: What does this government intend to do to put a stop to this market experiment so that students are no longer considered customers?

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! During the question period, an immediate answer is given without time for consideration, and I am sincerely sorry for how I handled this last time. I was new, and I was a bit too nervous, quite simply.

When it comes to the issue itself, the government intends to take a number of measures, for example, ensuring that profits cannot be withdrawn during the first years. A capital base was needed. We also want to review the possibilities of not being able to make a profit if quality requirements are not met. We also want a sanction ladder to be introduced against the independent schools that do not behave.

With this said, the government is positive towards independent schools. It is positive that all parents, regardless of how thick their wallets are, can actually choose a school for their children. A major difference for Sweden compared to many other countries is that school is free of charge in Sweden.

(Applause)

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Daniel Riazat (V)

Mr. Speaker! Admittedly, the minister was new at the previous question period, but now we received an answer that should not come from a minister but rather from a limited company within the school market. That was exactly what we heard.

When it is spoken of not taking out profits during the first few years, the Minister for Education, who himself comes from one of these school corporations, knows that one never does that. One does not take out profits during the first few years, but instead ensures that the company's assets are increased. After a few years, one takes out the profits.

Why does the government not want to do anything about this? Is it more important to defend these companies' interests than the children?

(Applause)

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! The Government has never stated, and the parties in the Government have never stated, that we are in favor of a total profit ban. This distinguishes us from, for example, the Left Party. We believe that it is the quality that is most important. The students' right to a good education shall be placed in the foreground.

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Christofer Bergenblock (C)

Mr. Speaker! The third investigation on small-scale farm sales of alcoholic beverages was completed at the end of last year. It is stated that this can be carried out without a noticeable impact on public health and without the Systembolaget monopoly being compromised.

The referral response that reached the department at the beginning of the summer is largely positive, especially from municipalities, rural organizations, and the business community. They highlight the opportunities that farm sales create for jobs, for rural development, for food production, and for tourism.

Pleasantly enough, there is now a stable majority in Sweden's Riksdag to introduce farm sales. The Center Party has been driving this, but M, L, SD and KD have also expressed themselves positively about this.

Based on this, my question to Minister Jakob Forssmed is: When will a bill on the introduction of small-scale farm sales of alcoholic beverages be tabled in the Riksdag?

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I realize that I answered a related question just a moment ago in the chamber, but I have no problem repeating the answer.

The issue of farm sales is being prepared in the Government Offices. There are a number of advantages to farm sales that the questioner highlighted. At the same time, it is central and important to safeguard the retail monopoly. It is important that we can do that, and it is a prerequisite for the preparation of the entire issue.

In that way, the work continues. I note that over 180 referral bodies have responded to the referral. There are different points of view and perceptions, and the government intends to continue to process the issue with the accuracy and complexity required and at the same time with a positive starting point that farm sales can play a role in rural development.

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Christofer Bergenblock (C)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answer. But at the same time, I perceive that he is stalling somewhat regarding the timeline for the issue. The issue has been dragged out since the first investigation was conducted in 2007 until where we find ourselves today in 2022. There is a great expectation from the small producers, now that there is a parliamentary majority, that farm sales shall become a reality.

When can we expect, Minister, a government bill on the Riksdag's table?

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I did not perceive that I was lagging behind the schedule, but rather I noted that the issue is complex. The issue is being prepared in the Government Offices. There is a basis in the form of an investigation, and it has presented two different proposals on how this can be implemented. I note that there are responses from over 180 referral bodies that have been received.

The questioner is aware of the complexity themselves, as this is the third inquiry into the matter. I may still have to be a bit tedious and say that a thorough piece of work is needed in order to carry out the preparation in a good way.

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Daniel Helldén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Everyone who has traveled by train in Sweden today knows that it is testing one's patience. One is stuck in delays, and it is difficult to plan one's life.

The Swedes want to travel by train, and they want to travel sustainably - but they cannot. Everyone also knows that the railway problems are due to a lack of maintenance. Tracks, switches, and signals are broken and need to be repaired. This is stated by the government in the government statement.

There is a maintenance debt, and we must invest more in railways. But the first thing the government does is remove 750 million kronor from just railway maintenance and send them to roads.

Mr. Speaker! What signals does the Minister for Infrastructure send to all of Sweden's train travelers?

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Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Member Helldén for the question.

What signals does this send to the train passengers, is the question. The answer is linked to what assessments Trafikverket made regarding the fact that the money could have been used in 2023. Trafikverket has stated that there is an under-utilization of funds on railway maintenance, and according to Trafikverket, this is due to a resource shortage linked to personnel, machinery, and materials. The Agency assesses and proposes that 750 million kronor should be transferred from railway maintenance to road maintenance for 2023, given that the funds could not be spent.

It may seem strange given the current situation with large maintenance needs. But in order to use the state's financial resources as effectively as possible, the government has followed Trafikverket's assessment and reallocated the funds that would otherwise have been wasted to roads, where there are also very large maintenance needs.

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Daniel Helldén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! What the Minister says is interesting. When I speak with the railway industry, they say in unison that the money is needed next year as well. It is then strange to take them away.

What we see is a government that, in an unprecedented manner, is removing money from sustainable transport. The government itself writes in its budget that the climate goals cannot be reached with this policy.

Does the Minister believe that we will achieve the Paris goals in that way?

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Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The answer is simple: Yes, I believe so. And it is connected to the government's other initiatives to accelerate the transition to an electrified vehicle fleet, heavy traffic to port and quay, where we allocate a total of 4 billion extra for the years 2023-2025. In that case, the road infrastructure also needs to be strengthened so that one can travel with electric cars and charge them throughout the country.

The answer is yes. We are working very hard on the electrification issues.

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Camilla Brunsberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Minister Lotta Edholm regarding the welcome wording in the Tidö Agreement concerning school health.

It appears from the Tidö Agreement that a broad reform shall be made to improve student health. The healthcare mandate of student health should be reinstated.

I want to begin by expressing how welcome a change and an improvement in this area is. A family should not have to be lucky to receive help and support in an already vulnerable situation.

My specific question to Minister Lotta Edholm is whether there is already any information regarding the time aspect of when this broad reform can be implemented, so that we can already see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel hope in a matter so important and urgent for society. It concerns the very most important thing we have: our children and young people. My question is therefore whether there is any information about the time aspect, that is, when we will be able to see the result of this broad reform and when it can be implemented.

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! School health is of central importance in school. It is not only about school nurses but also about counselors, special educators and a number of other staff groups in the school who have very great importance for how the children should be able to achieve the knowledge goals.

Just as Camilla Brunsberg says, this is included in the Tidö Agreement. I envision that this must go to an investigation, and I do not dare say what the timeline looks like. This is, however, very urgent.

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Camilla Brunsberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the fact that we have such a broad consensus on how pressing this issue is. It is about children and young people and their future, and our most important task is to ensure that children and young people receive support and help when they need it.

I would like to thank you for the answer. I understand that it is difficult to give a clear statement, but I wonder if there is anything the Minister would like to add on this pressing issue, which is important for all of us.

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! What I can add is that as the current school board member in Stockholm, I know how important student health is and how important it is to work in a structured way in student health. It can have enormously positive effects both for vulnerable students who need extra help and support, naturally, and for a school as a whole.

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Dan Hovskär (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to Minister Jakob Forssmed.

Involuntary loneliness affects many of our elderly, and I personally think it is a very important issue. Many people react when they hear that involuntary loneliness is as dangerous as smoking. Loneliness can lead to both mental and physical illnesses that cost in the form of both human suffering and large healthcare resources.

To strengthen public health and reduce the consequences of involuntary loneliness, the government has now proposed a three-year community initiative containing around 300 million per year, which I am extra happy about.

Mr. Speaker! My question is: How can this initiative reach our elderly in Falköping, Sveg or Kristianstad, and how will the individual elderly person notice these measures?

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. This issue of involuntary loneliness is a societal problem. We have for all too long regarded it as an individual concern, but Member Dan Hovskär well describes the consequences that follow from involuntary loneliness.

Now we are betting on the municipalities receiving a resource supplement to be able to extend a hand to the elderly who may not have contact with home care or elderly care in any other way. Not least after the pandemic, we see that many elderly have been in self-isolation for a long time, which can be difficult to break. We believe that it is therefore particularly important that one receives a conversation about what community opportunities exist in the municipality in Sveg, Falköping, or wherever it may be.

We are also investing in the non-profit sector so that it will have greater opportunities to widen its circles, extend a hand, and ensure that more people can enter the community that means so much to so many.

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Dan Hovskär (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the answer, Minister Jakob Forssmed!

Involuntary loneliness affects very many elderly people, and as the Minister says, it is an incredibly important social issue. We have many parts that need to cooperate. It is a good announcement we receive, and I am glad that the elderly in Falköping will be able to notice these measures. It feels good that it is now underway. I thank you for that.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I also hope that this can really have an effect, not least the measures to support civil society so that extra and special efforts can be made to reach, not least elderly persons.

We also know, however, that many young people affected by loneliness actually run a greater risk of failing in school; it is one of the biggest risk factors. It is therefore important to also invest in a more meaningful leisure time for children and young people.

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Martin Melin (L)

Mr. Speaker! Today there are many children and young people, not least in our marginalized areas, who cannot engage in the sports movement. There may be various reasons; perhaps there are no halls and fields, or it may be for economic reasons.

My question to the Minister for Social Affairs is what vision or plan the government has to facilitate for these children and young people to enter the sports movement and become involved there?

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the questioner Martin Melin.

We have several proposals. For the first, we now want to invest 100 million kronor in the sports movement to expand club sports in every disadvantaged area, if that is possible. We also want to ensure that better conditions are created so that there are a few different sports to choose from, so that more – both boys and girls – feel that there is a range of sports that suit them. We believe this is incredibly crucial for both health and integration as well as the crime prevention work. That one gets a context with present adults is very important for those who lack such – especially where there are other communities that gladly recruit them into their contexts.

Secondly, we want to introduce a leisure card that actively supports children with a portion of the training fee, and a larger amount should go to those in economically vulnerable families. We know, after all, that children often choose to quit when they realize that the fee competes with other things in the household budget. So it shouldn't have to be that way.

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Martin Melin (L)

Mr. Speaker! I am satisfied with the answer. Thank you very much, Minister!

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Åsa Westlund (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Education Lotta Edholm.

During the financial crisis, the then Moderate-led government let the welfare in the country's municipalities, that is, the school, the healthcare, and the elderly care, take the economic hit. When the pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis struck, the Social Democratic-led government chose to do the opposite: They prioritized the welfare, that is, the school, the healthcare, and the elderly care, not least through increased state grants to the country's municipalities and regions.

Now that Russia's war of invasion in Ukraine is creating a new economic crisis, a Moderate-led government once again chooses to let the welfare system, not least the school, take the hit. The government's budget does not come close to covering the cost increases that the school has, and the consequences will be cuts all over the country. That is the clear message from SKR and the teachers' unions. What does the Minister for Education intend to do to prevent these cuts?

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! This government is investing 1.6 billion more on exactly the school, for which I am responsible, than the previous government intended to invest during 2023. We do this to ensure that students in school today receive a good education and that the school becomes more equitable than it is today. It is also, however, an investment for the future, because it is the school that ensures that we eventually get students and adults who build this country further based on exactly knowledge. It is therefore incredibly important that we now invest in the school.

With that said, the fact is that we live in a world that is incredibly troublesome and where inflation is now interacting with higher unemployment in a way that we have not seen in decades in Sweden. It will pose quite large problems for all of us, I would like to say.

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Rashid Farivar (SD)

Mr. Speaker! During recent winters, the maintenance of our road network has had major deficiencies regarding ice control and snow removal. The deficiencies have led to major traffic disruptions and, not least, caused accidents. On several occasions last winter, traffic stood still on important roads such as E20 at Finnerödja, E6, E4, riksväg 50 and riksväg 26, to name a few.

When traffic stops on large, important roads, it creates major problems for goods deliveries and not least for emergency vehicles. The issue has been debated several times here in the chamber with the former Minister for Infrastructure, however, without visible results out on the roads.

My question to the Minister is therefore: Does the Minister intend to follow up on previous deficiencies and propose improvements in future regulatory letters?

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Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Rashid Farivar for a very pertinent question.

We are starting the work with the regulatory letters now just after the budget, so I cannot go into more detail on the answer to that question. What I can say, however, is that one does not need to travel on particularly many roads or many miles in our elongated country to see exactly what Member Farivar puts his finger on, namely that we have very large concerns. We have major deficiencies in the road network, and we have a maintenance debt that has been allowed to grow under the previous government.

Here we are partially restructuring the policy. A first announcement in the budget presented earlier this week is that we are allocating 1 billion to road maintenance, where the funds shall go to pavement maintenance, bridge repairs, drum replacements, and also line painting.

This does not fully answer the question, but it is a first step that demonstrates the government's stated increased ambition regarding the upgrading of the road network and the railway network.

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Birger Lahti (V)

Mr. Speaker! My question is of a general political nature, so I believe it will be Mats Persson who answers.

Teracom Group AB is a state-owned company owned 100 percent by the Swedish state. In February 2019, Teracom announced that they were purchasing the Swedish part of the telecommunications operator Net1. Now, Net1 announces that they are shutting down with three months' notice. On January 31, it will stop functioning. There are villages in Norrbotten that only have that possibility regarding mobile broadband. When they ask the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority what alternatives they have, the answer is that there are none.

My question then is: Will the government act or say anything and take responsibility if Net1 shuts down on January 31 and people have no alternatives and suffer harm? There are pensioners who have alarms via Net1 and so on. I also want to ask the government: Do you have a handle on how things look in the country?

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the question. This is a very important issue. Having infrastructure throughout our entire country is important, because Sweden is an elongated country. Sweden is a country with great distances, and it must work for all of Sweden's inhabitants.

This is an issue that the government is aware of and follows and analyzes very closely. What we can state is that for 2023, just over 1.3 billion kronor is allocated for broadband expansion. It will not be able to replace this type of support, but there is an active policy to ensure that there is broadband throughout the country and that there are good communications and good telecommunications throughout the country. The government is therefore following the issue very closely and has high ambitions in the area.

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Anders Ådahl (C)

Mr. Speaker! First, I would like to congratulate Education Minister Mats Persson on the assignment.

Sweden is a welfare state that increasingly builds its prosperity on the ability to produce products and services with high knowledge content. The very foundation for that ability is high quality in higher education and in our research. There, I believe we are in agreement.

At the same time, the trend is now somewhat worrying. The quality of Swedish research appears to be declining. It is an early signal that the quality of our products and services also risks declining over time, which would be devastating for our welfare in Sweden. One contributing cause is probably increasingly less independent and free research in Sweden.

In the Tidö Agreement, as in the government bill and the proposed state budget, there are more or less missing goals and ambitions for Swedish higher education and research. Perhaps that is good. There are conditions for broader cooperation. The Center Party is ready to assist in achieving as good a policy as possible in the area. We are ready.

My question is: Will the Minister take the initiative for cooperation regarding the above-mentioned issue outside the scope of the Tidö Agreement?

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! It is exactly as the member says, that one of the most important issues for our country is to ensure that we have goods and services that we can sell to other countries in order to thus finance our welfare. There is nothing more important for our country than to ensure that people have a job to go to every morning and that we have growing companies that compete on a global market. There, education and research play a very important role.

It is exactly as the member says that Sweden has lost in competitiveness and that the trend is worse when it comes to how many patents we have and how much money we as a country invest in research and development. This government wants to break that development. We view the situation very seriously and have incredibly high ambitions when it comes to research and investments in knowledge-intensive production.

It is also important and a value in itself to have broad agreements regarding this. The Government will work for as broad agreements in the Riksdag as is possible. It is the Government's view and starting point for this. We have high ambitions and want a broad anchoring of the policy we are moving forward with.

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Camilla Hansén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to thank the Minister for Education for the answers to the written questions and intend to continue to ask questions about the market school. We see that the profit-driven companies in the market school are tearing apart Sweden's school system. Requests for equality and funding for it are good, but the running point in my questioning regarding the market school and the profit ban is how the government views the public opinion, where the support for removing profit as a driving force in education is extremely strong. What does the Minister for Education think about their mandate to still work for profits to be permitted?

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! This government intends to issue additional directives to the ongoing investigation of the possibilities of taking out profit in independent schools. The additional directives will entail that profit cannot be taken out during the first years. This is because a school needs to build up capital in case something happens, for example, a sharply declining student base. We will also present proposals on sanction scales so that it is quality and nothing else that stands in the foreground in independent schools.

We will also review the possibility of imposing profit limitations if a school actually does not fulfill its mission, because that is what is important.

I believe that free schools contribute to the quality of the Swedish school system, and if they are to continue doing so, some changes are needed.

(Applause)

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Fredrik Ahlstedt (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would first like to congratulate Minister Andreas Carlson on the appointment.

I would like to ask the following question and offer some reflections.

The expansion of the Ostkustbanan, perhaps especially the section between Uppsala and Stockholm, has been discussed for a long time and partially financed in the plan that lies before us. This project is important not only for the Uppsala and Stockholm regions, but for large parts of northern Sweden. It is important so that academia and the business sector can develop, and not least for all those who commute on these routes daily or on a weekly basis.

I would like to know how you think about and will work to ensure the financing of this project in its entirety. And while the expansion is taking place – how will the prioritization of maintenance on the section be carried out?

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Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Fredrik Ahlstedt, for both the congratulations and the two questions.

Let me first say that the new government wants investments in the railway to primarily facilitate commuting and freight traffic that strengthens jobs and growth.

It is very true, as Member Ahlstedt points out, that parts of what is encompassed in the question are included in the national plan. Parts of this were also pointed out as prioritized by the previous government right at the end. Those parts are included as named but not time-bound in the national plan.

Which measures the government will now prioritize and want to implement in this area, we need to look closer at. No timetable for when a new plan revision shall be carried out has been set, but an analysis work is taking place, and we have every reason to return to the question.

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Mathias Bengtsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! For many young people, it is a given to feel well, but for others, it is a constant struggle where anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts are part of everyday life. The increased mental ill-health among children and young people is one of our time's greatest societal problems.

In the work to reverse the development, the school and student health are an important part. Many are the students who can testify to how the contact with student health was the first important step on the journey to feel better. But many students can also testify to how they have taken the courage to reach out a hand but were met by an absence note on the school counselor's door. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister for Education what the government intends to do to increase the accessibility to student health for Sweden's students.

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Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for the question! There is a mandate in the Tidö Agreement concerning exactly student health, and I share Mathias Bengtsson's view on how important student health is.

There is also another part in the Tidö Agreement that concerns appointing an inquiry into a national school funding norm. The equality between our schools in Sweden leaves much to be desired. Also, the possibilities for student health services to recruit, for example, professional staff vary between our schools and between the municipalities. But an inquiry will be appointed regarding this.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Mats Wiking (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Education Minister Mats Persson.

We can see that the needs for further education and higher education have never been greater. The youth cohorts are becoming larger, and many are applying to utilize the new transition study support. More than before are also choosing to study at colleges and universities. Distance education has helped and made higher education accessible throughout the country.

At the same time as we see this pressure and that more people want to pursue higher education to advance in their working lives, the government is cutting funding to twelve colleges and universities. My question therefore becomes: In what way does the government show in its budget that it meets the entire country's increased need for higher education?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the question! Sweden is a country that has very high ambitions when it comes to tackling the skills shortage. Whether one asks representatives for Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner or entrepreneurs in Sweden, they answer unanimously the same thing: There is a shortage of good people. There is a shortage of people who know their stuff, if one simplifies a bit. The issue of skills supply is one of the absolutely most important issues for Sweden in the time we face right now.

Lifelong learning is a very important part of this. It is about komvux, about vocational training, about qualified vocational training, and about our universities and colleges.

The budget that the government has now placed on the Riksdag's table has incredibly high ambitions in this area. We will be at historically high levels regarding vocational training and the number of places at our universities.

Sweden is a knowledge nation. We shall be a knowledge nation. We invest in knowledge and education, and thereby we invest in our future.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Angelika Bengtsson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! The so-called 51 percent rule created great debate last week. Should the government change the rule? Can the government change the rule, and what do the different political parties think about the issue?

We as a party clarified that we can neither or want to change the 51-percent rule. It is an important cornerstone in our association life and when it comes to who should own our clubs.

In the Tidö Agreement, it states that projects shall be carried out to strengthen the competitiveness of the highest leagues. Is it the 51-percent rule that is intended? If not, what shall we do to improve competition when it comes to specifically elite football and elite hockey?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Angelica Bengtsson, for the question regarding the 51-percent rule!

I want to be very clear that this is an issue owned by the sports movement. Should the rule be changed – I perceive that there is no pressure for this within the sports movement – it is an issue for the sports movement and not an issue for the government.

What should we do then? That was the second part of the question, and we need to return to that. But there is a long line of questions that I and the government believe can be highlighted, and there we also want to engage in a dialogue with the sports movement. It could be about tax rules. It could be about how one views the issue of facilities and how we can develop a policy in that area. It could be about other questions regarding how talents should be able to be nurtured and feel good within Swedish sports in different ways, as well as that there should be access to training for both girls and boys.

We know that a good breadth also lays the foundation for good elite activity. I believe there is much to do and to return to. But for the government, it is not about the 51-percent rule.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Malcolm Momodou Jallow (V)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Andreas Carlson. Let me also begin by congratulating him on the appointment.

The government has now phased out the investment support that de facto provided the opportunity to build cheaper rental apartments. These apartments received a rent that was, on average, 2,000 kronor cheaper per month for a 70 square meter apartment.

What will the minister do so that all those who live on very small margins, who have no capital and cannot buy a home, can still be able to get their own, secure and long-term housing? By that, I mean all low-income earners. It is about elderly people living in poverty, about single parents, about women living in destructive conditions who do not know where to go because there are no homes, and about all the 33,000 homeless. I am speaking about the 3 million tenants who today are worried that their rents will be shock-increased by the greedy venture capitalists.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Malcolm Momodou Jallow, for the question and the congratulations!

Let me recapitulate a bit. The decision that the investment support and the construction subsidies should be phased out was made in the Riksdag as early as 2021. That this is now being implemented by the government is no news. What we are doing is a responsible phase-out where we actually provide funds for next year, so that those who have already been granted support can complete their project. It concerns 25,000 housing units that will be able to be built with the help of the investment support.

But we have a different ambition than what the Riksdag decided on. We cannot proceed with this, because it will cost far too much. These are inefficient measures with very low accuracy.

What shall we do instead then? There is very much in the government's budget. We have a continuation of the housing allowance. The initiative on Housing First is being strengthened. We also have a redirected housing policy that can truly ensure that we build more housing and do not provide large subsidies for housing that would have been built anyway.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Bassem Nasr (MP)

Mr. Speaker! The government parties and the Sweden Democrats have agreed on a political agreement where one of the points is to limit the right to publicly funded interpretation. This proposal has received extensive criticism from, among others, Vårdförbundet, Läkarförbundet, and Sveriges Tandläkarförbund. They argue that if this is implemented, it would mean a violation of human rights and risk patient safety and the right to equal healthcare.

The Minister for Health and Social Affairs has answered that the right to equal healthcare is regulated in law. But the fear is that the government will present proposals that change this legislation. My question is whether the Minister for Social Affairs intends to work for an unbiased investigation in accordance with the agreement with Sverigedemokraterna, or if he can, at this early stage, stand up for the legislation on equal healthcare.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! In the Tidö Agreement, which the questioner referred to, there is an ambition to limit the right to publicly funded interpretation. This, however, needs to be investigated to see in what way it can occur so that it also respects other rights and opportunities and ensures patient safety.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Maria Stockhaus (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Andreas Carlson.

It is pleasing to read in the budget bill that the government considers it problematic that large cost increases are occurring in infrastructure projects. It is a concern that we in the Riksdag have discussed extensively in light of all the National Audit Office reports that have been issued regarding precisely the cost development and also other problems when it comes to large investments in infrastructure. It is due to poor cost control, and the additional costs land at an average of 30 percent. Given that it concerns 900 billion until 2033, these are enormous amounts we are talking about.

How will the government and the cabinet follow up on this wording in the budget, and what specifically does the government intend to do to curb the cost increase?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Member Maria Stockhaus for a very pertinent question.

It is extremely important to secure cost control, and it is an issue that the government will have great reason to return to the Riksdag on. We are, of course, also following this in the authority dialogue we have with Trafikverket.

Let us remember that we have increased costs as a result of the very unsettled global situation. Both the lingering effects of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine affect prices and the availability of materials and fuel, which of course further affects the situation for Trafikverket and the possibility to build roads and maintain roads and railways in the country.

That is why the government's initiative is so important, where we ensure that the money available can be used for road maintenance so that we can quickly achieve a better standard on the roads and begin to pay off the maintenance debt.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Gudrun Brunegård (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden is dependent on a well-functioning road network, both so that residents can travel between home, school and work, be able to visit relatives and so on, and for the transport of goods and services.

Certain parts of the country are neglected. It takes an extra day for companies in Kalmar län to receive spare parts compared to competitors in western Sweden. The intricate road network is in such poor condition in several cases that bridges have had to be closed, with the result that, for example, farmers have to drive an extra mile to transport goods between warehouses and points of sale. This makes the products more expensive and increases the climate impact – this in a situation where Swedish food production needs to increase.

What does the government want to do so that Swedish agriculture and Swedish companies shall retain their competitiveness?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Gudrun Brunegård for an important question. I have partially touched upon similar issues earlier during the question period, and there is a great commitment both in the Riksdag and the government as well as among the Swedish people to achieve a much higher standard on the road network, the fine-meshed network not to be forgotten.

It is important that the government prioritizes both the maintenance and upkeep of the road network, and we therefore allocate 1 billion kronor for next year. We are thus using money that would otherwise have sat idle and could not be used, while we have a large maintenance debt in the road network.

This is an important priority, and the government will continue to work very actively with this so that we can achieve better competitiveness, better freight transport opportunities, and better commuting. And just as Gudrun Brunegård pointed out, one should be able to travel safely and securely when visiting one's loved ones. It should be a matter of course in Sweden and something that we prioritize.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Gunilla Svantorp (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question also goes to the Minister for Infrastructure, and I would also like to take the opportunity to welcome him to his post.

I do not know what it looks like in the Minister's inbox, but in mine, it is today full of emails from angry people who tried to plan their lives and book train tickets for loved ones during the Christmas holidays but failed. On one hand, they had to stay up in the middle of the night to be ready when the tickets were released, just like when one has to buy concert tickets. On the other hand, the system crashed, and they were kicked out or saw in real time how the ticket prices rose from the first price they were given.

It is completely unreasonable that one cannot book their train tickets in a simple way in advance so that one can tell their children that the family is going to visit relatives during Christmas.

There are also political objectives that more people should leave the car at home and travel by public transport so that we can reduce our emissions.

How does the minister view the chaos that arose the other day?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Gunilla Svantorp for an important question and look forward to good cooperation with the Committee on Transport.

How do I view this chaos? I view it very seriously. I also see that SJ has been self-critical regarding its own handling.

SJ's operational activities are a matter for the Ministry of Finance's unit for state-owned companies and thus another minister, but the government, of course, follows this closely.

Part of the problem is Trafikverket's timetable planning, and here one must follow what the law requires. We can state that there are major deficiencies here, and Trafikverket has also not requested extra resources to fulfill this assignment.

The government is following this closely, and it needs to work significantly better. As Svantorp is moving forward, one should not have to queue as if to buy tickets to Ullevi to travel by train in Sweden.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jonas Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Minister for Social Affairs Forssmed.

The Government has announced that it intends to withdraw the bill currently before the Riksdag regarding democratic conditions for state support to civil society. KD has also criticized the bill in the media for being too far-reaching.

The Sweden Democrats' view is that the bill, which was submitted by the former Social Democratic government, is insufficient. We need to go further and be tougher to ensure that not a single krona goes to Islamism or other dangerous forces.

Sweden has had major problems with tax money going to Islamism and other extremism. This concerns, for example, the Islamist-linked study association Ibn Rushd, which receives tens of millions of kronor annually via the Folkbildningsrådet.

How will the government act to stop state grants to civil society from going to Islamism and other dangerous forces until we have a new proposition on democratic conditions on the table of the Riksdag?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! It is correct that we are recalling the bill that the previous government submitted, and the government will further deliberate the issue of a new democratic condition in the Government Offices. We will also engage in a dialogue with civil society and representatives of religious communities. Furthermore, the Tidö Agreement contains other points aimed at stopping the financing of extremism in various ways, not least from abroad.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Karin Rågsjö (V)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Social Affairs Forssmed, and I would also like to say congratulations on the appointment.

The wallet should not be decisive for children to be able to participate in leisure activities, you write in your budget. During 2023, 50 million will be allocated to develop the necessary infrastructure for the introduction of a leisure card for children and young people. We think that is good.

At the same time, the state support for the culture school is halved, which affects the children, and the municipalities are drained because the state support is not large enough to meet the needs within school and child and adolescent psychiatry.

At the same time as 50 million is allocated for leisure activities, the money for the cultural school is halved. Then I wonder: What were you actually thinking? It was good with the 50 million, but when there are such large cuts at the same time, I wonder: What's going on?

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Karin Rågsjö, for the question! I look forward to good cooperation in the Social Affairs Committee during the time to come.

The 50 million is about introducing the reform. To have the reform fully implemented, we allocate 750 million. It is a substantial reform, but as Member Rågsjö knows, it sometimes takes a little time to get larger, more comprehensive reforms in place. Therefore, I am pleased that we are now extending the increased housing allowance for economically vulnerable families with children.

It is very good that we also make significant investments, a total of 12 billion to municipalities and regions, in the budget, which needs to be slightly contractionary in this situation in order not to risk inflation. Such a [policy] hits the most vulnerable the hardest if it continues. We are therefore allocating large resources for municipalities and regions, and we are also making special efforts for vulnerable families with children and for sports in vulnerable areas.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Malin Höglund (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Minister for Social Affairs Jakob Forssmed, whom I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate on his new assignment.

All people benefit from moving, skiing, running, orienteering, playing football or something else. In Sweden, many children participate in sports, but it peaks at the age of ten and then only goes down. What measures does Social Minister Jakob Forssmed and the new government intend to take to get people to participate in sports throughout their lives?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Malin Höglund, for the question!

Sport is truly something that all people should have the chance to engage in throughout their lives. Now we are investing further in sports for the elderly, and we are almost quadrupling the appropriations to the sports movement to work with sports for the elderly. We know that it has a great effect if one trains when one is older. The risk of fall accidents can be reduced, and if one falls, one can manage better. We know that fall injuries are very problematic because one often needs more care and easily becomes more afraid and anxious. That is one dimension of this.

We are also investing in children and young people so that they will have the opportunity for sports through more association life in disadvantaged areas. We also have what the questioner points out, namely the risk that one begins to understand that it costs money and competes with the household budget. In that case, we want to be there with extra support, not least for those in economically disadvantaged situations, to safeguard their right and access to sports and other association life.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Niklas Sigvardsson (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Education Minister Mats Persson.

Through the major reform of LAS, security and transition that was recently implemented, Sweden has received a transition system of absolute world-class quality. The new generous transition study support ensures that ordinary wage earners get excellent opportunities to transition to a new profession or further their education to strengthen their position in a demanding labor market. We can now state that the demand to participate in the support has been enormous.

The system did not come into being on its own, however, but it was thanks to the efforts of the labor market parties in the hope of broad political support. Against this background, I was very surprised when the newly appointed Minister for Employment Johan Pehrson claimed that the government would tweak the transition study support. This has caused great concern among the trade union organizations.

My question to the Minister for Education is therefore: What does the government mean by its statement about tinkering with the transition study support, and can the labor market partners trust that the government will stand by the state's commitment regarding the support?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, the member, for an excellent and very important question!

I believe the LAS reform is an expression of when the Swedish model is at its very best. We should be proud that we have a model where the labor market parties are responsible and take responsibility for their members and corporate organizations, but also for Sweden's entirety and best interest.

In the wage movement that Sweden is now entering, this will be put to the test, but from the debate it seems that the parties in the labor market will also take responsibility moving forward. This also applies when it comes to the technological shift where many people now need to transition and receive support to be able to do this in a changing labor market.

The reform is important. The reform is firm. The Government fully stands behind the reform, which the parties have developed, and the government's ambitions in this area are high.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Patrick Reslow (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to direct my question to Minister Lotta Edholm.

The Swedish school system is struggling with a number of problems. These include a lack of order in classrooms and on schoolyards, difficulties in recruiting qualified teachers and special education teachers, too many students leaving primary school without eligibility for the national program, grade inflation, and so on. Despite this, the left's policy and rhetoric have been entirely focused on the operational form, which has caused necessary reforms to be sidelined.

I would therefore like to ask the Minister: What will be her first measure to restore education and knowledge in Swedish schools?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question.

One can say that the first is already done with the budget, where next year we invest 1.6 billion kronor more on, for example, textbooks for all children, more special education teachers out in the classrooms and more trained special education teachers. We will also take initiatives for better opportunities for teachers and other staff to ensure that there is peace and quiet in the classroom.

The budget is the first step, and over the next three years we look forward to investing an additional more than 5 billion kronor in the Swedish school system.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Linda Westerlund Snecker (V)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to congratulate Andreas Carlson on his new assignment, to be the infrastructure minister who puts a stop to the transport sector being able to achieve its climate goals.

The transport sector accounts for a large part of the emissions, and what does the Kristersson-Åkesson government do then? Well, they are stopping the high-speed trains. It is now unclear which main lines will be built at all, something that is absolutely necessary for both us as private individuals and the industry's freight to be able to travel by rail.

The transport-neutral travel deduction is removed. The reduction obligation is removed. Bonus-malus is removed. I cannot for my life understand how Carlson can achieve the transport sector's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030 - very soon. Why this catastrophic policy, Andreas Carlson?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I do not think that very many are surprised that Linda Westerlund Snecker and I make different assessments of whether the policy is catastrophic or not.

We are making a huge investment in charging infrastructure for 2023, 2024, and 2025. Then we can seriously transition, regarding both light vehicles and passenger cars, and build away white spots on the map so that one does not need to take a recovery truck to the nearest charging station, which has actually been a fact in previous years. This we must build away. We must also transition the heavy vehicle fleet and also the port and quay.

It is quite simple to achieve the goals by just shutting down industry, agriculture, and the transport sector. We must have the entire Swedish people involved in the transition, and given the high level of interference that the reduction obligation has entailed and the high costs for this, we in the government are therefore in agreement to, for example, pause the reduction obligation from 2024 onwards, so that people have a chance to be part of the transition and so that we do not break Swedish households, Swedish companies, and Swedish agriculture along the way.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Johanna Rantsi (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to Minister Lotta Edholm. But I would like to start by welcoming all the budget initiatives that the government has presented for an even better school.

But for a good and well-organized education, order and discipline are required in the classrooms. Study environment is the foundation for learning. Managing students who disturb the order in the classroom often takes up a lot of time, time that should be spent on teaching.

Today, teachers lack the possibility to expel students from classrooms within the compulsory forms of education. At the same time, there is a duty of supervision over children in school. Rarely are there other adults who can take in students outside the classrooms on short notice.

That the school and its staff do not have full opportunity to stop fights and disruptive behavior is serious.

What measures does the Government intend to take to bring order to Sweden's classrooms?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Statsrådet Lotta Edholm (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. Yes, I think Johanna Rantsi points out a very important thing. Disorder in the classroom does not only mean that students learn less. It is actually also a matter of time. The more time a teacher has to spend on getting peace and quiet in the classroom, the less time they have for the actual teaching. It is a very important aspect.

We will take a number of measures. For example, there is a major investment in "jourskolor" (day schools) in the budget. Students who risk being suspended from school should not just be suspended but be able to go to a good facility run by competent staff. We are also investing large sums in social teams, which means bringing in the social services' expertise into schools that are particularly vulnerable. A number of measures will therefore be taken in this area in due course.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Jennie Nilsson (S)

Mr. Speaker! The investment support is of great importance for housing construction. 57,000 rental apartments with reasonable rents have been built with this support.

I can now state that the government has, overnight, changed the rules for the investment support. According to previous decisions here in the chamber, everyone who met the criteria and had applied before 31 December 2021 would receive support. In connection with the budget being presented on Tuesday, it is now clear that the government is breaking this promise. Instead, it now applies that everyone who had their applications granted no later than 31 December 2022 shall receive support. This is an enormous difference that likely means that a large number of planned and already procured projects, which have counted on receiving support, will now not receive support.

I therefore want to ask Minister Andreas Carlson what the impact assessment looks like. How many planned and designed projects will be affected by the government's decision, and how will the selection be made? Is it chance that is to determine which ones receive and which ones do not receive support, or will the government present criteria for how the county administrative boards should prioritize?

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Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! What Jennie Nilsson is getting at, that the decision to phase out the investment support came overnight, is not quite correct. The decision on this was made in the Riksdag in 2021. It is therefore no news that the government is fulfilling this. What we are doing, however, is fulfilling this in a very responsible manner. We are therefore adding funds - 3.8 billion kronor - so that those who have been granted this will also have money paid out.

The Riksdag had an ambition that everyone who had submitted an application would be evaluated. Now the government has a different ambition. What will be the consequences of this? Well, 25,000 homes will still be built with granted support. We do not know if all the applications that had come in would have been granted. But it would have resulted in a cost of 16 billion kronor, that is to say almost half of the reform space in the budget presented on Tuesday. We would therefore have faced much tougher consequences in this very tough economic situation due to low-efficiency and inaccurate reforms.

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Anna-Lena Blomkvist (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Recently, virginity operations have been highlighted in the media. The operations involve clinics and doctors restoring virginity to the wedding night. According to SVT's investigation, it costs up to 44,000 kronor to undergo such an operation to conform to the norm.

If the woman, on the other hand, openly challenges or defies the prevailing norms, she is considered to bring shame upon the entire family and risks being physically punished so that the family can regain the lost honor. The consequences of virginity operations cause lifelong suffering for the women in the form of physical injuries but also in the form of psychological injuries.

In the Tidö Agreement, there are many good and clear reforms for women's health and to strengthen mental health. The Sweden Democrats look forward to good cooperation on these issues during the mandate period.

Does the Minister for Social Affairs intend to take abortion operations and the consequences they have for women into account in the future work to strengthen both mental health and public health in Sweden?

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. It is a very serious problem that the questioner highlights. The Government takes this most seriously, and there are several cabinet ministers working on this issue.

This will have far-reaching consequences for those who are affected by this type of oppression in different ways. We will take a number of measures to counteract this.

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Adrian Magnusson (S)

Mr. Speaker! I note that in the budget bill submitted to the Riksdag on Tuesday, the government writes that 100 million kronor shall be diverted away from the implementation of a national ticketing system within public transport. However, nothing further is mentioned regarding the national ticketing system within public transport. This naturally raises questions regarding the government's interest in the issue of this national ticketing system.

It is easy, and almost natural, to assume that the government wants to phase out the entire idea and scrap the plans for a national ticketing system. It would be a genuinely bad proposal.

My question to the Minister is therefore: Why does the government want to scrap the plans for a national ticketing system within public transport?

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Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Adrian Magnusson for the question. It is true that we are moving these funds. We prioritize differently than the previous government. Regarding the previous government, it was also quite unclear how this system was to be built up, and that has also changed along the way. It has raised major question marks regarding how this is to be implemented. Therefore, we have judged that these funds can make a significantly greater difference in strengthening civil defense. That is where we are allocating these 100 million kronor, to instead strengthen the robustness of the infrastructure regarding aviation, the transport systems, and the infrastructure as a whole. This is, therefore, a reprioritization that the new government has made.

Question Time

Then Adrian Magnusson can go to his former comrades in the previous government to reflect on how they would have built this up and how they would have used these funds. It has, in fact, been very unclear. There have been funds but no plan. Now we are redirecting these funds to strengthen civil defense.

Question time was hereby concluded.

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