Question Time

ANDRE VICE TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions will be answered today by Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer, Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand and Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

Question Time

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 concerns his/her performance of duties. Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson answers both general political questions as well as questions within her own area of responsibility.

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Mikael Damberg (S)

Madam Speaker! I had forgotten whether I was to come forward to the rostrum or ask the question from my bench, but now I am in the right place.

Madam Speaker! We are heading towards a tough economic winter; both I and the Minister for Finance have been clear about that in recent weeks. But the fact is that we have known it for a very long time, Madam Speaker. We knew it during the election campaign, and we knew it before the summer. Despite that, Elisabeth Svantesson, M and SD stood in the election campaign and promised one thing after another - and now they are backing out on promise after promise.

I have full understanding that it is tough to prioritize. One must prioritize and cannot compensate fully. But the question is how you choose to prioritize, Elisabeth Svantesson. We see that real wages are falling for ordinary wage earners, that pensioners are finding it tougher in the grocery stores, and that families with children are wondering if they can afford the winter.

Therefore, the question is: Why do you, in this tough economic situation, where you say that everyone else should stand back, choose to prioritize a tax cut for high-income earners with 10 billion kronor?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you for the question, Mikael Damberg! It may take some time before we find our new roles and places in the chamber.

I appreciate the question. Yes, these are tough times, to say the least – just between August and October, the forecasts were lowered regarding growth and raised regarding inflation. This leads to a number of changes, for example, that the guaranteed pensioners automatically get better because of the type of indexations we have. It also leads to the threshold levels changing, which means that fewer people need to pay state income tax. It is part of the systems we have.

I am very pleased, Madam Speaker, that we four parties who have presented a budget here in the Swedish Riksdag are taking responsibility in a difficult situation – and that we are doing a great deal of what we said we would do already in the first budget. I am pleased about that, and I am also pleased because I know that we will get a yes to the budget when it is voted on here. It is good for Swedish households, and it is good for Swedish companies.

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Mikael Damberg (S)

Madam Speaker! That was not an answer to the question. The question was why you choose to lower the tax for high earners by 10 billion kronor, Elisabeth Svantesson.

It is a matter of the fact that there are other groups that are now being sidelined. We had a ready-made proposal to remove the unfair funkisskatt, which would cost 290 million kronor. Instead, you choose to lower the tax for high earners by 10 billion kronor. Why?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! One could almost believe that Mikael Damberg means that we have made an active decision to lower taxes for certain groups. That is not the case.

What this is about is that guarantee pensioners now receive an increase due to inflation. That is good. It is about students receiving an increase, and it is about threshold limits being changed. The indexing of fuels was changed quite dramatically, which we have discussed previously. A lot is happening, because inflation is really bad. But it leads, among other things, to fewer people needing to pay state income tax, and that can be good for a specialist nurse who needs to work extra shifts. But the whole is as it is. So that was the case when Mikael Damberg was Finance Minister, and so it is now.

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Ludvig Aspling (SD)

Madam Speaker! In the government's EU declaration, it states as follows: "Without a firm external border, internal mobility is threatened." I naturally agree, but this also points to an important issue. Right now, Poland is building a number of border barriers against the Russian enclave Kaliningrad, and a number of other EU countries are undertaking similar projects. EU countries with external borders must, however, finance this entirely on their own. They receive no help from the union.

If the EU is to finance anything at all, we think it is a matter of course that this type of measure should be at the top of the priority list. I would therefore like to ask Elisabeth Svantesson: Since the European migration policy line is now apparently that we are to hide behind the border protection of Poland, Greece, and other countries, is it then not reasonable that the union is involved in paying for these?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you for the question, Ludvig Aspling!

This is a most certainly central issue that we discuss in many different ways in the EU. It concerns not only the financing of both one and the other, such as defense issues and many other parts, but of course also that we are in a security policy situation that has been complicated. It has made it harder for many countries, including Poland, Hungary and Finland. Many countries are experiencing a completely new security situation.

I have no straight answer to the question in this specific part, but I note that there is currently a great desire from many EU countries to finance everything jointly – and preferably through joint borrowing. We are fundamentally quite critical of that, as Ludvig Aspling knows. But I assume that this question will recur many times during the coming years, precisely because of what Ludvig Aspling points out, namely that the situation is different. For Poland, this is a rather tough situation.

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Ludvig Aspling (SD)

Madam Speaker! Yes, there are quite a few countries that are very eager to receive funding for all sorts of things from the European Union, and that is precisely why I am asking this question. Of all the things that the European Union could potentially finance, this is actually one of the more logical ones. If one looks at the union's purpose, which I know we are roughly in agreement on, this should still lie quite near the top of the priority list that the union has. It is a common concern to safeguard the external border.

I hope therefore that the Minister for Finance will at least consider this.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! I can promise Ludvig Aspling that I will definitely consider this. We can gladly continue to talk about the issue at other times. It is a central and important issue. The EU's funding of A, B and C is, as mentioned, a constant discussion, and when it comes to security issues, they are high on the agenda both for this government and in the EU.

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Ali Esbati (V)

Madam Speaker! SD's and the government's budget is, as is known, empty of proposals to help the most vulnerable households. The country's high-income earners, however, do not go away empty-handed, and when the burdens of the crisis are to be distributed, the moderate instinct has come to life. Those who have the most receive substantial tax cuts when the threshold for state tax is raised significantly. Those who earn over 70,000 a month receive a 1,400 tax cut - and that is in addition to the support they can receive to, for example, have the pool cleaned and, now, heated.

The threshold levels are intended to more or less keep pace with wage developments. Wage increases of around 10 percent are, however, hardly discussed except possibly among the Moderaterna in Norrtälje and in some, from reality freely floating, corporate boards. The question to Elisabeth Svantesson therefore becomes: Why does she spend 10-12 billion on lowering the tax for those who are best off - approximately twice as much as she spends on the professionals in welfare?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! It is always enjoyable to hear Ali Esbatis's colorful descriptions, but the fact remains - and it is a bit more tedious than a colorful description - that Sweden finds itself in an extremely tough situation regarding inflation.

When we have inflation, we adjust, as we know, the price base amount and other things, for example, various indices. This applies, as I said earlier, to guaranteed pensioners and students, and also to certain parts of the health insurance. It also applies, for example, to the income threshold. Previous governments have also done this. I do not know if the Social Democrats and the Left Party have previously adjusted down that specific index – they may have done so. The Social Democrats removed the wealth tax, and I think that was good.

Now it is about an indexing. One can, of course, have different views on it, but it happens automatically. It is not a specific decision that the government has made together with Sverigedemokraterna, but this is part of the indexing.

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Ali Esbati (V)

Madam Speaker! The Minister for Finance and I have slightly different views on what "automatic" means. And yes – I myself have been involved in ensuring that the threshold levels are not raised as much. The reason for that is that it leads to different outcomes. If the indices are raised so that poor pensioners do not risk starving, I and the Vänsterpartiet at least mean that it has a different function than when more high-income earners, like Elisabeth Svantesson, receive 1,400 kronor more per month. The question was why it is a reasonable prioritization.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! I see many advantages with the type of price base amount and the indexations we have, especially for those who are currently struggling very hard.

Many are struggling hard to make their pension last. Therefore, it is good that the guaranteed pension has been increased, as we agreed here in the Riksdag, and that it is now being increased with indexation.

I am very happy that we are lowering the fuel tax so that more people can manage to take the car to work.

All these are important things that we do in our budget. I have already said it and do not need to answer the question any further: This is an indexing.

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Catarina Deremar (C)

Madam Speaker! I would like to ask a question to Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand.

In the Tidö Agreement, one can read that the freedom of the media shall be protected, that the diversity of different media shall be promoted and that public service activities shall be developed in the democratic infrastructure. What is it that the minister wants to develop in that part?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the question.

It is correct that the Tidö Agreement states that free media is an important part of our democratic infrastructure. I think it is incredibly positive that this is emphasized already there. It is extremely important for Sweden to have free and independent media. Public service is a part of that. The combination of so-called commercial media and public service ensures that we have a diversity of free media in our country, which is incredibly important to safeguard.

When it comes to the development of public service, we are currently working on the directives for the new investigation regarding the broadcasting license. It should be ready before Christmas, and during the first quarter of next year, the investigation is expected to be launched. At that point, we will also address the issue of independence, but I can say that it is primarily about meeting the digitalization and technological development occurring in society.

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Catarina Deremar (C)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer!

I also want to ask a question regarding public service's broad mandate. We in Centerpartiet consider this important. It is important during a crisis that there is easily accessible, correct public information. How does the Minister view the importance of a broad mandate for public service from this aspect?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the question.

This is an extremely important issue, not least today when we have such an uncertain global situation as we actually do.

I am pleased that we, already in the current broadcasting license, ensured that we obtained a clearer wording regarding how public service can be used under uncertain conditions, for example, crisis and war. That shall, of course, remain. That possibility is important precisely in order to be able to spread important, truthful information to society.

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Emma Berginger (MP)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Civil Defence, Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

Climate change constitutes a security policy threat; this was already noted by the Defence Preparedness Board in 2006. Climate change is happening here and now. The extreme weather events we are seeing are not only the beginning of the new normal, but they also risk being just the beginning of the future that awaits. It is extremely worrying that the world risks missing the 1.5-degree goal, which would mean even greater consequences.

Extreme heatwaves, droughts, floods, and torrential rains can lead to shortages of food and drinking water, new diseases, and impacts on the energy supply even here in Sweden. That type of disruption can be exploited by antagonistic forces. Climate change can also lead to increased tensions in our global environment.

It is therefore important to take the security policy threat from climate change seriously. I therefore wonder in what way the government will work to adapt society to the changed climate.

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the question.

Just as has been pointed out, civil defense is actually something incredibly broad. It is about getting the entire society to function outside of normal conditions - ultimately under high alert or, in the worst case, during war.

Since I assumed this mandate, I have, like the government, been very clear in establishing what is the dimensioning task for civil defense. The dimensioning task is war. This is the most difficult challenge that Swedish society can be faced with.

In that, it naturally follows that we will also gain the ability to handle other types of societal crises, for example those that are affected by the climate. What we are doing now is to invest an additional 1 billion on measures to prevent this.

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Emma Berginger (MP)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the answer. But the most important preventive measure when it comes to the changing climate must still be to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

What does the government have to say about the government's work to prevent severe pressures on society, given that the government's policy leads to increased emissions?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! I naturally agree that it is important to have an offensive environmental and climate policy. However, it is a matter that lies outside my preparatory area and area of responsibility in the government.

I was asked what we are doing within the framework of civil defense. I can state that we are now moving forward in the direction that the 2020 defense decision pointed out and are investing an additional 1 billion on, for example, measures within rescue services in order to be able to handle, among other things, natural disasters.

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Alexandra Anstrell (M)

Madam Speaker! I am glad that we finally have a minister responsible for civil defense. There has been much talk about strengthening the total defense, but the previous government simply never got around to better equipping the civil defense.

We have just received the report "A strengthened protection for the civilian population during high alert". The investigator states, among other things, that the proposals in the report concern things that one wishes we already had in place.

We have today approximately 64,000 different shelters. Many shelters are, however, very outdated and have not been renovated or inspected for a long time.

Does the responsible minister consider that we have sufficient protection for our population today?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Alexandra Anstrell for the question.

I must begin by praising MP Anstrell for her tireless work on these issues. It stretches far back in time - to the time before the Defence Preparation Board began to work more clearly with these issues. Many thanks for that!

It is exactly as is pointed out in the investigation that Sweden still has some way to go. But we must also note that together with Finland and Switzerland, we are the countries in the world that have the most shelter places per capita. What we now must see to it that we do is simply to ensure that the places are available. MSB has intensified this work, and it is something that the government will now continue to work on.

The investigation is being prepared in the Government Offices. We will return with proposals to further increase our capacity, hopefully in the near future.

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Alexandra Anstrell (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for both the answer and the praise!

In Haninge, where I come from, a new district has been built for approximately 10,000 new inhabitants, Vegastaden, but no new shelters, despite the fact that the Defense Committee's report concluded that it is important to build new shelters in strategically important locations.

Does the Minister consider that the expansion with 2,500-5,000 new places in shelters per year, which is now proposed in the investigation, is a reasonable rate of increase?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the question. I do not think that it should be ruled out.

We will now look at this in a serious manner. And we note that there may be white spots. In essence, our civil defense shelter expansion is good, but just as Anstrell points out, there is a gap. Since 2002, we have not built any new shelters, simply because we have lived in a different time. Now we need to realize that we are living in a new time and adapt accordingly.

We will return with proposals on this area as well.

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Torsten Elofsson (KD)

Madam Speaker! Let me first say that the initiative that is now being undertaken by the government with tougher sentences and measures against gang crime and organized crime is welcome and necessary.

Something that, however, is worrying in this context is the sharp increase in fraud crimes, which in many cases have a close connection to organized crime. In a large part of these, the crime victims consist of defenseless and vulnerable elderly people.

The technical development with increased digitalization and internet use has made the elderly particularly vulnerable; they cannot protect themselves against unscrupulous criminals. It can also be stated that the clearance rate for this type of crime is vanishingly low, around 6 percent.

These frauds and crimes strongly affect the safety of our elderly, but relatives also worry about this.

What does the Minister for Justice intend to do to prevent fraud against the elderly and increase the crime clearance rate?

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you very much for an extraordinarily important question!

One thing that has struck me initially – I have only had this assignment for a few weeks – is that when one discusses serious organized crime and how it is financed, it is suggested that it would exclusively be about drugs. Of course, it largely is. But it is evident that economic crime, not least fraud, has become a primary livelihood for a large part of the organized crime that we want to tackle, and that the revenues largely end up at the top of the pyramid.

The testimonies that we all witness, especially when it concerns elderly people, who in an incredibly cynical and ruthless way are victims of a large part of this crime, are appalling and unfortunately say far too much about the development we are in.

Some concrete things that are needed are, on the one hand, a clear focus from the law enforcement authorities to solve this crime, and on the other hand, to introduce elderly peace crimes as a special criminal law basis.

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Torsten Elofsson (KD)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

I have a follow-up question concerning the access to personal data online. Criminals can calmly map out potential victims through simple searches on various sites. With a few simple button presses, one can obtain names, addresses, telephone numbers, age, whether one is single, and so on. The sites have publication licenses and thus constitutional protection. But the fact that individuals are exposed and thereby run the risk of being subjected to crime raises questions.

I wonder if the Minister for Justice has any thoughts in that part that could prevent crime.

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! I also thank you for the very justified and, frankly, quite complicated question.

I believe that everyone can see what consequences it has when that type of privacy-sensitive information is available, not only for good purposes but also for the type of criminal activity that the questioner raises. It is a difficult legislative balancing act, because as the questioner says, it is constitutionally protected platforms that we are talking about.

I promise to take the issue with me and see what we can do about this, but I gladly admit that just that aspect is very complicated.

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Cecilia Rönn (L)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson.

Inflation with subsequent price increases hits the poorest households hardest and primarily families with children. Many will need to prioritize this winter, and it is very important that we facilitate in the ways we can so that children do not suffer.

How does the Minister for Finance believe we can support those who are hit hardest by the situation we find ourselves in?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Cecilia Rönn, for a very important question!

It is new times for very many. We have lived in times when prices have slowly kicked upwards, but now inflation is over 9 percent. It hits hardest those who have the smallest margins.

That is why the government parties and the Sweden Democrats in the budget we have presented support households in various ways, including through a reinforcement and extension of the housing allowance for families with children. It already existed previously, but we have extended it over the winter. We are also lowering fuel prices, which we know is an important matter for very many families with children who have tight finances. And then comes the large compensation regarding electricity prices in the southern parts of Sweden. It will make a big difference for very many in vulnerable groups.

We shall support in a responsible manner, and that is what we do as well.

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Cecilia Rönn (L)

Madam Speaker! If further reinforcements need to be made, what measures is one prepared to take, or alternatively, which groups does the Minister for Finance consider that one should prioritize in that case?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! With this budget, we have a room for maneuver. When we made the budget, I was very careful that it would not drive up inflation, that it is restrained, because we do not really know what the economic situation will look like next year. It could be worse than what the forecasts show. Hopefully, it will be better. There are strong risks on the downside. In that case, there is room to strengthen [measures] depending on how the economic situation looks and what we need to do, but we have a room for maneuver.

I have not mentioned everything in this budget that we are doing for vulnerable families, for example a leisure card that is now to be investigated and implemented, which will also be important for children in vulnerable families.

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Helén Pettersson (S)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

We are now seeing recurring images from Ukraine, where terror against the civilian population has become one of the military targets. Those who are on the front line to meet this are rescue personnel and ambulance personnel. They extinguish fires, they dig people out from the rubble, and they take care of the injured population.

In Sweden, an intensive effort is currently underway to rebuild a planning for civil defense, primarily within the state agencies. But so far, nothing has been invested in the rescue services' capability during high alert or war.

MSB was tasked with providing proposals for measures and how the capacity in civil defense could be quickly increased in that way. A large number of measures to increase specifically the rescue services' capacity were proposed. But now when I read the government's budget, I see no money to implement these proposals.

When does the government intend to begin the absolutely necessary capacity increase within the Swedish rescue services?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for an important question.

I do not share the view that no work would be taking place. We are preparing the conclusions that MSB has delivered to the government. I can simultaneously state that in this budget we are making a historic investment in civil defense by adding almost 1 billion kronor, which in plain terms means that we almost double the rate that was set in the defense decision of 2020.

This task is large. I would be lying if I said anything else. There are many holes to plug with resources and measures. But that the rescue service has an important role to play in the protection of the civilian population is unambiguous, and we will return with more proposals in this area.

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Katja Nyberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! The Police Authority's staff protection surveys show that the vulnerability of police officers to attempts at influence is alarmingly high, which is a threat to the rule of law.

According to the Tidö Agreement, the criminal protection for police officers shall be strengthened, and the compensation rules for police officers who are victims of attacks shall be reviewed. But in none of the public investigations currently underway is there anything aimed at strengthening the criminal protection for police officers and officials against threats and harassment; instead, it is more about police being able to provide service numbers instead of names during reporting, which is definitely not sufficient.

It is important to send a legal policy signal to the citizens that it is not acceptable to harass and threaten public officials, and this should be done by strengthening the criminal protection against threats and harassment for police and other officials.

My question to the Minister of Justice is: When can we expect to see this criminal law change?

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Katja Nyberg for an extremely pertinent question.

This is not a new issue in the debate, but the lack of concrete political measures to do something about the problems is unfortunately palpable.

Katja Nyberg raises important elements in the Tidö Agreement which are intended to address the problems that Katja Nyberg highlights. Precisely at this moment, a scheduling and prioritization of all the investigations to be appointed as a consequence of the agreement is underway, not least in the area of justice policy.

We can count on these issues being investigated promptly and that such an investigation will be appointed in the near future so that when we close the shop for this mandate period, all the issues that Katja Nyberg raises will have been addressed in a clear and consistent manner.

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Gudrun Nordborg (V)

Madam Speaker! I direct my question to Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer.

I have, of course, read the Palace Agreement, which focuses on gangs and weapon violence. Vänsterpartiet also focuses on violence against women. In the Palace Agreement, violence by men against women is mentioned only once, and then in relation to stay bans. In the budget for the justice system, violence by men against women is mentioned nine times, which is therefore a certain change.

But for both the gangs' violence and the shootings as well as the violence against women, it applies that it is men who dominate as perpetrators and that the violence has fearsome effects on both society and individuals.

Will my hope that the Minister for Justice wants to strengthen the work against men's violence against women be fulfilled?

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Gudrun Nordborg for an important question. I am happy to cooperate in this matter with Gudrun Nordborg and her party - and for that matter, all other parties in this chamber.

It is possible that it is not mentioned very many times, but the times it is mentioned, it refers to very important issues when it comes to breaking this violence. Yes, it concerns sanctions, for example, residency bans to protect women who are victims of crime from their perpetrators even when the prison sentence has ended. We also talk about toughening the penalty for violations of women's peace and for a number of different reasons, not least so that one can also achieve the powerful sanctions that are needed.

Focusing police resources to a greater extent to solve this type of crime is also an extraordinarily essential matter.

Let us cooperate on this during the four years that lie ahead of us.

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Rickard Nordin (C)

Madam Speaker! A fuel price corresponding to 42 kronor per liter for gasoline is what everyone who fuels with biogas in Western Sweden has encountered this autumn. The Government and Elisabeth Svantesson have several times, even during the question period, said that they will lower the price of fuel.

My question to Elisabeth Svantesson is: What will the government do immediately to lower the fuel price for the 50,000 biogas vehicles that exist in Sweden and which are one of the best ways to reduce emissions from the transport sector?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Rickard Nordin for the question. I appreciate Rickard Nordin's great environmental and climate commitment. Even though we have the same goals, we sometimes take slightly different paths forward.

As Rickard Nordin knows, our policy right now is about lowering the price of fuels generally and lowering the tax. It will be 1 krona now, but we will do significantly more in a year when we also lower the reduction obligation to the EU's minimum level, which will make a big difference. It is this clear policy we are now pursuing.

Some parties in here intend to do exactly the opposite - if they do not change their minds. They intend to increase the reduction obligation, which in a year's time would make fuels much more expensive for many Swedes.

Briefly: We will lower the reduction obligation in one year, and we are lowering the tax already now, on January 1.

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Amanda Lind (MP)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand.

In the budget that the government presented last week, several necessary reinforcements for Swedish cultural life are missing. One thing that is completely conspicuous by its absence is long-term support for the restart and recovery of culture after the pandemic, beyond the reinforcement of artist grants that the Minister for Culture presented. There is nothing directed at the free cultural life in the form of performing arts or free groups, nothing for the non-profit cultural life or for community centers around the country, nothing for the cinemas or for the national minorities' culture—reinforcements that the Restart Inquiry pointed out as important and where long-term perspective is needed.

Now the government is acting the opposite way, and it was met with disappointment from the cultural life. My impression is that the Moderaterna were strongly engaged in the recovery and the pandemic deaths during last year, but now the government is acting, as said, the opposite.

What is the Minister for Culture's comment on this, and how will the government act to support the culture's recovery moving forward?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for the question.

Sweden is in a tough position, something that culture unfortunately is not protected from. Sweden has some tough years ahead, and that also applies to the cultural sector. This requires priorities, but in this situation, we have nevertheless chosen to present a culture budget that is the second highest in nominal terms. I therefore do not agree with Amanda Lind that we are not putting money into important sectors.

For the government, it has been important to make investments primarily in children and young people and the free cultural life because the free cultural creators were hit particularly hard during the pandemic. Special investments are therefore being made here.

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Stefan Olsson (M)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Finance.

Today we submit the government's response to the National Audit Office's review of the state grants to the municipalities to the records. The National Audit Office is very concerned about how the targeted state grants actually function. The government refers to the investigation that has been commissioned and which is to review the issue. According to the directive, it shall present its proposals in the spring of 2024.

Since the targeted state grants are truly poorly regarded by municipalities and regions, I wonder if the Minister for Finance can say something about how the work on this reform is progressing. I also wonder if it is possible to speed up the work, so that the investigation presents its proposals already during 2023.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Stefan Olsson for the question. There are very different thoughts and views on targeted versus general state grants. It is the kind of thing that ordinary voters and those watching this broadcast might not go and ponder every day. But many who work in schools, elderly care, or healthcare see that there are challenges.

This investigation is important. It is also important that SKR, that is Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner, is included in the discussion, so that we do this together. How can we ensure that the targeted government grants that Sweden will have in the years ahead are used in the best possible way and that it is not too complicated? I believe that is an incredibly important starting point in the work.

There are many different views among the different parties regarding targeted and general state grants. One thing is certain, however: In the budget we have just presented, we have 6 billion in general state grants and approximately the same amount in targeted state grants - plus a number of other initiatives within the sector.

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Hans Eklind (KD)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson. In our shared hometown of Örebro, a successful integration project is currently being conducted by the study association Bilda. Through a study circle called Solklar, Bilda has trained approximately 50 people as solar panel installers.

We Christian Democrats believe that a strict migration policy is necessary for us to succeed in tackling the integration problems that we have. This applies in particular to the high unemployment among foreign-born individuals. In that case, it is important that we take advantage of the projects that can make a real difference, such as Solklar in Örebro.

In the appropriation track that the previous government made, the appropriation for this activity was zeroed out. In the now presented budget, no adjustment was made for this. My question to the Minister for Finance is whether she sees a need and an opportunity to adjust this in, for example, the supplementary budget in the coming years.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Hans Eklind for the question. I am not as well-informed about this specific project as Hans Eklind seems to be, even though we live in the same city.

Now, I am not going to fully defend the previous government, but I can say that under many different governments we have had different projects and that the projects are intended to awaken a thought, an idea, or a model that can then live on. It may happen that just this project and this model need more support moving forward. But if one now trains people in, for example, solar cell installations, it could be that one has truly found the right niche in the market. It may happen that this activity will live its own life, which is the basic idea behind many of the projects that different governments have started.

But I never say no. We will have to return to this later. Hans Eklind is part of the government base, and we will well have reason to discuss this.

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Malin Danielsson (L)

Madam Speaker! When one is to conduct banking transactions, log in to 1177 to handle healthcare matters, or shop online, one can today do so easily and smoothly with the help of mobile BankID. However, there are people who are shut out from this service. This applies in particular to persons with functional impairments, especially persons with intellectual functional impairments and a need for legal guardians. They thus have much more difficulty accessing services within healthcare and making payments via the internet than those who do not have any functional impairment.

The Payment Investigation, led by Anna Kinberg Batra, recently presented a new proposal for a solution. They also flagged this issue. My question to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson is whether people with disabilities can look forward to these problems receiving a solution.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for a very important question. It is important for many. As the questioner Malin Danielsson says, it is truly not everyone who has the opportunity to get this to work with BankID. There are challenges.

That is also why this investigation, which has now submitted its proposals and is working, is so important. It is an investigation that we, of course, intend to take on board and work further with in the Government Offices. The purpose is to simplify and improve.

Most of us are happy about the technology. We think that incredibly great progress is happening. But there are also people who are met with obstacles. We need to lower the threshold and ensure that all people can take part in the fantastic opportunities that technology entails.

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Ardalan Shekarabi (S)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Justice.

We Social Democrats will be a constructive opposition. We will cooperate on criminal policy issues. Our country's interest in fighting crime must come before party-political interests.

That is exactly why we are concerned about the developments regarding the Prison and Probation Service. Now, the penalties are being tightened. We have made many decisions in this chamber in recent years. According to the government agreement, work will be done on increased penalties, changes to sentence reductions, and other matters. Much of it is welcome and needed. But it means that the burden on the Prison and Probation Service will increase – not a little, but incredibly much, and not in the long term, but here and now and during the coming years. In that case, we need to provide the Prison and Probation Service with the right conditions.

In the budget, 3 million kronor in additional supplementary funding is estimated for the Prison and Probation Service. How will the Prison and Probation Service manage the challenges it faces in the coming years?

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank Ardalan Shekarabi for his constructive introduction. Of course, we shall seek as broad majorities as possible in this chamber to reverse a societal development that has unfortunately gone out of control in many respects regarding crime here in the country.

When we shift the crime policy from a clear perpetrator focus to a focus that concerns establishing the crime victims' situation as well as an increased focus on community protection, it means, as Ardalan Shekarabi also says, that we will need to toughen many sentences, remove discounts and do other things that absolutely will have the consequence that the pressure on not least the Prison and Probation Service will increase.

In the two budgets that we can see – the M-KD-SD budget that was presented last year and the budget that is being presented now – the Prison and Probation Service receives the resource supplement that the Prison and Probation Service requested. The agency also receives a mandate to forecast the consequences of all upcoming sentencing increases. We will provide all the resources the Prison and Probation Service needs to fulfill its task.

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Dennis Dioukarev (SD)

Madam Speaker! There are 60 billion kronor in cash in circulation in our society today. This may naturally sound like a lot of money, but the fact is that these are record-low levels. If the phase-out of cash continues at the same pace as so far, Sweden will be a completely cashless country before 2030.

The Sweden Democrats see three problems with this. For the first, the Swedes have not been asked if they want to abolish cash. For the second, people with functional variations and certain elderly people want to and need to use cash in their everyday lives. For the third, it is an important preparedness issue. After the invasion of Ukraine, cash withdrawals in Sweden increased by 30 percent. It is a very clear signal from the people to us politicians that they want to keep the cash.

I know it is early in the parliamentary term, but because this is so important, I pose the question to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson: Is the government prepared to act to secure the future of cash?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! The Minister for Civil Defence and I had a small discussion about who should answer the question. Actually, it is the Minister for Finance's area. But I am happy to take it.

This is an incredibly important and central issue. Technology has advanced, and it creates challenges when it comes to payment activities. It is also the case that the cashless society, which we somehow seem to be moving towards, is an incredibly great challenge in times of crisis but also for very many elderly people.

We intend to ensure that there is cash in Swedish society. It is a very important and central issue, as Dennis Dioukarev himself says, both from a preparedness perspective and because very many still do not want or can not handle money in any other way. We will monitor this issue. I thank you for the question.

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Nadja Awad (V)

Madam Speaker! More than 160,000 live on subsistence minimum in Sweden due to debts. The Enforcement Authority reports that young people's debts are increasing, and approximately every twelfth child lives with a parent who has debt restructuring. Women are burdened with debts from loans and credits due to an oppressive partner. These are to manage on the standard amount of 5,158 kronor per month, which is intended to cover costs for electricity, food, insurance, and clothes.

A fair economic policy is more important than ever so that people do not fall into poverty. It is about a parent needing to prioritize away new winter shoes for their child in order to pay the electricity bill, or that the young person borrows money from their relatives and ends up in yet another debt spiral.

Therefore, my question to the Minister for Finance is: Will this government create economic relief in these times of crisis by adding a supplement to the standard amount, since it is not adjusted for increased electricity and food prices, and can this be done retroactively?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks for the question! We have addressed this before. It is very tough for many. But it is truly brutally tough for many families with children and also many elderly people.

We see that the Enforcement Authority is now receiving more and more remarks. We see that more and more people are falling into gambling debts. They think that it is a way to get out of this. We also see completely ordinary people, single mothers who perhaps have a low income, who are having a very tough time.

What we do in the budget, as I have mentioned earlier, is to ensure that we support the most affected households. We do this both through the housing allowance and by, for example, having a high-cost protection for electricity, fuel, and other parts. It is important. Many of the basic systems, which I was touching upon earlier, are also being updated.

This is an issue to follow particularly in times of crisis. It risks becoming significantly worse. We naturally intend to really focus on those who are in the worst position. In the budget that we presented a few weeks ago, the distribution profile is also very clear, even if not everyone seems to believe so. Those in the worst position with the lowest incomes also receive the most.

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Helena Vilhelmsson (C)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer.

Men's violence against women is increasing, and the appearance of the violence looks different. I mean that one of the best preventive measures is economic independence. Economic equality makes people independent. I can think that it is a bit empty regarding both writings and reforms concerning specifically economic equality for women in both the Tidö Agreement and the government statement as well as in the budget.

The sad thing is that when women finally dare to take the step to, for example, leave a violent relationship, a worse situation can still arise, namely economic post-violence. In such cases, the state should choose to protect those who dare to leave the relationship and not set up more obstacles. That is what the division of property processes do today, for example.

The party that procrastinates, mostly men, can do so without risk of costs. Much has been said about a remote deadline, a fine, and legal aid. My question is: What will the government do to improve the division of property processes?

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Helena Vilhelmsson, for a very important question! It unfortunately feels like it is eternally relevant, but it feels very relevant in the debate right now. I do not know how many times I have heard various insightful people highlight just that aspect.

Simply put, we will tackle that issue. Now, naturally, one would wish that many of these problems were solved before reaching as far as the division issue. But there, all the problems that Helena Vilhelmsson highlights are unfortunately well-documented.

It is usually women who enter the division of property in a more vulnerable and unequal economic situation in the first instance. They are also hit hard in the process for various reasons in relation to men who use the process in a very calculated and cynical way.

Let us gladly continue to discuss that question together. All the aspects that Helena Vilhelmsson raised, we will need to make use of. Let us do so during the years that lie ahead of us.

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Gustaf Göthberg (M)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin. I shall begin by congratulating the Minister on the appointment. I note that it is pleasing that the work on civil defense and its part in the total defense is now being stepped up, now that we have a clearly responsible minister for this.

Sweden has a historically close cooperation with many other countries linked to these types of issues and not least with Finland. I note with pleasure that the Minister was in Finland quite recently and prioritizes cooperation with just Finland. They have worked, not least with their national preparedness centrally, to take a holistic approach regarding issues of total defense.

Now we are at the beginning of the mandate period. The Government obviously has much to look into, and we look forward to four productive years with many good messages from the Government Offices on these types of pressing issues.

My specific question to the Minister is directly linked to our cooperation with, for example, Finland. What further lessons can we draw from how they have worked with civil defense as part of the total defense? What lessons can we draw from other allies now that we are going to ramp up our own work with this issue?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Gustaf Göthberg, for the question!

It is exactly as Member Göthberg emphasizes. Finland is an example when it comes to issues concerning civil defense. I intend to ensure that we deepen the cooperation with Finland. I carried out my first trip to Finland. It is naturally not a coincidence.

The most important thing I perceive that Finland is doing is that one sees issues regarding civil defense as a whole, primarily linked to supply readiness and security of supply. It is about how one views supply chains.

One has a very interesting model with the Supply Readiness Center where, in close cooperation with the business sector, one ensures that stocks are maintained and ensures that one has important components and supplies.

Sweden probably has quite a lot to learn here. I look forward to returning in the relatively near future regarding some first steps we can take on the way to strengthening our robustness.

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Dan Hovskär (KD)

Madam Speaker! In light of the security policy developments we are facing in Europe, I would like to ask about the healthcare system's crisis preparedness.

As the outgoing chairman of Samhällsskydd Mellersta Skaraborg, I am well aware that crisis preparedness is an important area. We need to strengthen the preparedness work within health and medical care in both the short and long term.

Disaster medical preparedness involves, among other things, how care should be provided in the event of disasters, armed conflict, or war. On September 1, Ivo presented a report stating that the regions need to strengthen disaster medical preparedness. The report highlighted several deficiencies. Among others, all regions had a shortage of healthcare personnel.

Madam Speaker! My question is: How does the government view this? How will you continue to work on increasing the healthcare's crisis preparedness?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Dan Hovskär, for a very pertinent question!

This is a question that falls under the responsibility of Minister Ankarberg Johansson, who is responsible for healthcare issues. Nevertheless, I want to say that it is, just as I just mentioned, important that we view issues regarding civil preparedness and civil defense as a whole. In that part, the municipalities and regions have an immensely central role that we have unfortunately perhaps overlooked a little bit for a long time.

An investigation has been conducted in this area which has met quite strong criticism from SKR. Our ambition is to be able to proceed with various preparatory measures in order to be able to return in a unified form on how we shall work with the regions' preparedness. It is central to building a strong robustness in the civil defense.

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Amalia Rud Pedersen (S)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand.

On 1 January 2024, today's press and media support expires. If nothing new is in place by then, it would mean a catastrophe for media across the country. The monitoring of local democracy would risk becoming significantly less.

An investigation was presented at the beginning of the summer with a proposal for a new media subsidy. I wonder: What does the minister intend to do so that we will also in the future have good journalism that also monitors local and regional democracy?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you for an important question! Just as the member says, this is an issue that we need to address as soon as possible. An investigation into media support has been conducted by Mats Svegfors, and I am pleased that it has broad parliamentary support. That naturally makes things easier, for these are large and difficult questions.

The advantage of Svegfors' investigation is that he has looked at the possibility of having a geographical distribution of what is to be a democratic right, namely the possibility of media regardless of where in the country you are located. I think that should also be a guiding principle in the new media support.

I think it is absolutely excellent to base it on Svegfors investigation, and I will return to the chamber as soon as possible with how.

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Bo Broman (SD)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Culture. Last spring, I posed a question to the then Social Democratic Minister for Culture regarding Swedish culture and its significance for integration.

Integration is essential for a functioning society and a functioning Sweden. It is of the utmost importance that one, as a new citizen in a country, gets to learn how it works in the country, what laws and rules exist, how the society is structured, and how Swedish culture works.

Like many other Social Democrats, the Minister for Culture then refused to acknowledge the existence and importance of Swedish culture for integration. Now we have a new Minister for Culture in place, and I therefore intended to ask the same question as I asked last spring, namely: What measures does the Minister intend to take so that our new citizens will learn about Swedish culture and how Swedish culture works?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you for the question! It is an incredibly important question. You who have heard me speak about culture and the importance of culture have also surely heard me say that culture has an intrinsic value. We must all remember that, because it is incredibly important.

But culture also has a great value in other social processes. This applies in particular to education or, for that matter, integration. For me, these issues are important. They are close to my heart, and they have also been a part of my own journey into Swedish society. Culture has had a great significance in shaping my existence and my way of looking at society.

I see, therefore, that these processes are important even for other social processes than the intrinsic value that culture has.

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Hanna Gunnarsson (V)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Civil Defence.

Just as others have said in the question period, we are very pleased that we now have a minister who works with civil defense. It is important so that the entire total defense can be further strengthened.

A question that we have nevertheless talked about quite a bit during these first weeks of the parliamentary term is the reintroduction of civil service. I want to ask the minister what the plan for this looks like. Civil service can have a very important role not only for healthcare and rescue services, as is often discussed, but also for communicators and for psychosocial support in a crisis or, in the worst case, a war.

It can be people who work with many different things that have an impact on our society and which it is important that we can solve. Today, for example, we had a seminar on cybersecurity, which can also be an issue for civil duty. How is the work going?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Hanna Gunnarsson, for the question! I am pleased by the consensus that seems to exist that it is important to prioritize civil defense and to continue to prioritize it even higher.

The short answer is that we are working very actively with the issue of civil duty in the Government Offices. Without anticipating the conclusions of the preparatory process, I can say that this can be done in different stages, and I believe it will happen naturally.

It is therefore simpler to do what is, for example, proposed in the recently submitted investigation on protecting the civilian population: that one activates civil service for a group that has a certain competence and is therefore already trained, and then reinforces it with additional training. After that, one can return in a further form regarding activating the civil service more broadly and, for example, doing so from the mobilization base. I dare to promise that this will happen in different stages.

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Anna af Sillén (M)

Madam Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Justice. Crime has to an ever increasing extent come to affect Swedish entrepreneurship. This applies to the whole country, and my home county of Södermanland is unfortunately no exception. I receive reports from entrepreneurs in the countryside who are affected by foreign theft gangs, traders who are subjected to shoplifting, trucking companies that have their diesel stolen, and so on. The crime strikes broadly, and it hits not least our small businesses.

Secure entrepreneurs are a prerequisite for welfare, jobs, and a competitive Sweden. The Government has signaled a comprehensive and very welcome grip on the security and safety policy.

My question to the Minister of Justice is: How will the government work to specifically strengthen the safety for our entrepreneurs?

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you very much, Anna af Sillén, for the question! To begin with, I want to say what is perhaps obvious: This is an extraordinarily important task for the rule of law.

There were many who gasped for breath earlier this year when my predecessor in an interview suggested that the major challenges companies face regarding crime vulnerability are, in principle, up to the business owners themselves to solve with their own security measures. There is no doubt that everyone, including business owners, must devote themselves to their own safety. But it is a core task for the state to establish and secure safety for all citizens, including business owners.

Quantity discounts are incredibly central - many small crimes that do not lead to proper consequences, we must do something about. The police density is extraordinarily central for the police to be able to fight crime all around the country. Cooperation between authorities with a focus on entrepreneurship is another matter. There is a long row of low-hanging fruits to grab onto in order to achieve what the questioner requests.

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Mathias Tegnér (S)

Madam Speaker! The fight against tax evasion is important for us Social Democrats. The reasons are, of course, several: partly, it is clearly reprehensible not to contribute to the common good and not to follow democratic decisions; partly, increased revenues clearly provide opportunities for the state to prioritize important things for us citizens, such as welfare or, for that matter, climate measures.

In the budget proposal for 2023, a resource reinforcement for the Swedish Tax Agency's work against tax fraud has been removed. My question to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson is therefore: Why does the government choose to de-prioritize the important work against tax fraud?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Mathias Tegnér, for the question! I can please Mathias Tegnér by saying that we absolutely do not do that. It is not always the case that more money solves situations, but the Swedish Tax Agency has this task, and it is extremely important. The work they have started and have found models for, they will of course continue with.

While I have the floor, I also want to mention something that will become very important both regarding tax evasion and regarding fraud with all our common compensation systems - it could be companies that take their share or individuals. It is the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), which will become extremely central for also tackling both tax evasion and fraud with different types of social insurances and other things.

The Swedish Tax Agency shall work against tax fraud, and we will also get the Swedish Payments Agency - a single agency. In this way, we will ensure that more money can go into the sectors that Mathias Tegnér mentions, for example the welfare sectors.

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Angelica Lundberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! Today, there is no maximum limit on how long a division of property may take. There are also no sanctions to be taken against those who deliberately delay the process.

Most property divisions are relatively simple. Still, there are testimonies of processes that have been ongoing for several years. The worst example I have heard is a property division after a divorce that has been ongoing for over nine years. It is naturally not reasonable. It also puts the weaker party in an extremely vulnerable situation. Property division proceedings are also very expensive. They are no longer covered by legal aid.

The Sweden Democrats have pushed in the Riksdag for a maximum time limit for the division of property and to prevent a stronger party from profiting by complicating or delaying the division. I would therefore like to ask: How does the Minister for Justice intend to act to strengthen the protection for the weaker party in the division process?

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Justitieministern Gunnar Strömmer (M)

Madam Speaker! It is excellent that the question is raised for the second time during this question period in the chamber. It underscores the question's great importance and, unfortunately, the question's great relevance.

Several of the things that must be done, Angelica Lundberg has said, at least implicitly. This also applies to the former questioner. It concerns the procedural rules, it concerns the legal aid issues, and it concerns how a court drives the process forward. I believe unfortunately that it also concerns a number of substantive issues that have to do with the legal content itself when it comes to the division of property, the economic conditions in that part of family law.

Let us, with joint efforts – we'll start with a cup of coffee and take it from there – work through the checklist that we are to tick off during the years that lie ahead of us. It is, as said, no coincidence that the question has come up twice just during this question period.

The question period was hereby concluded.

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