Question Time

FÖRSTE VICE TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister Jessika Roswall, Minister Anna Tenje, and Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

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 and questions within her own area of responsibility.

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Mikael Damberg (S)

Question Time

Mr. Speaker! We find ourselves in a difficult economic situation, and many households are being squeezed hard right now. It is electricity prices that have been high, interest rates that are rising and food prices that are skyrocketing.

The electricity support that is now finally starting to be paid out is in principle the only inflation support that this government has paid out, and everything points to the fact that it will go to those with the highest incomes rather than to those who have the greatest need for it. It is not reasonable that multi-millionaires with large luxury villas can pocket tens of thousands of kronor while large groups with very small margins are being pressed hard financially.

Why does the Minister for Finance refuse to acknowledge that the economic situation is very pressured for households and companies right now? What does the government's plan look like to meet the recession?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Mikael Damberg for a very important question.

Just as Mikael Damberg says, many people are being pressured right now and are struggling to make their finances work. Many companies are having a tough time, and the entire Swedish economy is being pressured from different sides. For this, the government has a very clear plan. How are we going to get through this together? I already said when I received this assignment that it is an economic winter, but that we will do three important things to get through it.

First of all, we must fight inflation. Policy must not drive inflation; that would be the worst thing that could happen, both for the pensioner and for the wage earner.

Secondly, we shall support households and companies. This year alone, the government supports households with up to 40 billion – plus the parts in the budget that are automatically increased in more difficult times. It is 30-40 billion in total, which are enormous amounts.

For the third, we shall of course focus on growth. We shall strengthen the work line so that more people get into work and can support themselves, so that growth returns to Sweden.

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Mikael Damberg (S)

Mr. Speaker! I can state that Elisabeth Svantesson essentially says that the electricity support is the only support she is directing to households. We see, therefore, that it goes to those with the highest incomes. She has no new news to give to the pressured households all over Sweden who are now having a very tough time.

I believe that Elisabeth Svantesson really wants inflation to go down, but it requires that action is taken. One needs to ensure that the recession does not become deeper than it otherwise would be. What is Elisabeth Svantesson's plan for household finances, to secure the welfare and meet the recession?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! In the budget that the government laid on the table of the Riksdag in November and which began to apply on January 1, there is a plan for exactly this. But I also said at that time that we will do more if more is required.

In the budget, we lower the fuel tax, improve the travel deduction, ensure that housing allowances for vulnerable families with children are extended, and much, much more. But I can state one thing: On Mikael Damberg's side, there are two parties, Miljöpartiet and Vänsterpartiet, who think it would be completely okay to run a deficit of a few hundred billion in the coming years. That would drive up inflation, Mr. Speaker, and it would be very unfortunate for the wage earners.

(Applause)

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Clara Aranda (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Sick leave due to mental ill-health constitutes almost half of all ongoing sick leaves, and women account for a predominant share of the sick leaves. The fact is that mental ill-health is largely a consequence of harmful stress and that 79 percent of all stress-related ongoing sick leaves are accounted for by women.

The Sweden Democrats have long worked for women's health to be prioritized in particular, something we highlight jointly with the government in the Tidö Agreement. Research on women's diseases and health is a fundamental factor that I know the government takes seriously. I would like to know what other direct measures Minister Anna Tenje considers relevant to manage increased sick leave due to mental ill-health, which affects many women.

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Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you very much for a very important question from Clara Aranda.

Mental ill-health among women is very high, and it is also increasing. We know from the sickness absence rates that approximately 50 percent of all women on sick leave have a psychiatric diagnosis at their core. The corresponding proportion for men is approximately 39 percent, so they are not spared in any way. It is therefore important that the work on mental ill-health takes place broadly in society and on many different levels. Above all, however, it is important to keep this in mind when it comes to the long-term sick leaves - and also the new sick leaves.

To strengthen and develop the work in this area, many coordinated efforts from the state, the municipalities, and the regions are required. Against this background, I am very proud that the government and SKR have concluded an agreement on measures within the area of mental health - and suicide prevention, should be mentioned - for 2023.

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Clara Aranda (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the answer, Minister! It is pleasing that the Minister sees this as an urgent issue.

There is much to be done for obvious reasons to reverse the negative development. We need to prioritize women's health in the long term and show that we are serious, through practical politics that deliver results. It is my hope that through continued good cooperation, we will jointly be able to achieve the desired results that make a real difference.

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Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I share the member's view of the problem and many of the solutions that the government and the coalition partner have worked out together.

I can state that the rehabilitation work is extremely important when it comes to exactly the sick leaves and those who are currently on a sick leave. I believe that we need significantly more approaches to meet people in exclusion and sick leave much earlier. It is also the case that one needs to meet the person who is on sick leave in different ways depending on whether it is on a somatic basis or on a mental basis, and one needs to handle it in different ways.

(Applause)

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Ali Esbati (V)

Mr. Speaker! We have a situation in Sweden today where food is sold on a, to quote the Competition Authority, "concentrated market with few actors, a so-called oligopoly market." This blatant market failure means shock-high prices for Swedish consumers but substantial profits for the three dominant grocery chains. For many families, the situation is very difficult.

The government's response has so far been in line with the handling of other economic societal problems, namely an active and powerful nothing. The Finance Minister has instead urged people to check prices more carefully – a kind of idea of rain dancing before the market gods. But one can, of course, change one's mind.

My question to the Minister for Finance is whether she is prepared to do as has been done in France and as the Left Party has proposed and call in the dominant companies to reach an agreement on prices and at the same time prepare other measures, political action, for the event that such an agreement cannot be reached.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ali Esbati, for the question!

It is a concern for very many right now that prices are rising so quickly. That was also why I said earlier here that one of the absolute primary tasks that this government has is to combat inflation.

If inflation continues, that is, if prices continue to increase, it will hit very many even harder. Right now it hits many families, many pensioners and many wage earners but also other groups.

I think you in Vänsterpartiet should be honest and say that you want a price cap. I believe regulating prices is a bad idea. On the other hand, I naturally have conversations with different industries, including the food industry. And I have asked myself how it is that a Swedish food basket has increased in price more than in many other countries.

There is definitely more to be done here. But I take the question very seriously, and the best and most important thing right now is to ensure that inflation is dampened and that we continue to support the most vulnerable households - as we also do in our budget.

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Ali Esbati (V)

Mr. Speaker! That was a roundabout way of saying no.

I hear that the Minister for Finance is concerned about bringing down inflation, but her method for doing so is mainly incantations of various kinds. It is not something that helps against inflation, and it certainly does not help the Swedish households who today are paying very high food prices.

We see large profits among the companies that control the market. The government is obviously doing nothing about that. It worries me, and it should also worry the government in the long run.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I believe that Ali Esbati knows that a good way to drive inflation in a recession, when one normally wants to increase demand, is not to hold back but to run with large deficits and borrow so that inflation rises.

It is this that the Left Party does in its budget. But not only that – with the Left Party's budget for the current year, the disposable income of Swedish households would decrease by 35 billion kronor. I think that is something the voters should consider when they feel that things are becoming expensive in the store. With the Left Party, you have less money in your wallet.

(Applause)

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Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C)

Mr. Speaker! The companies in Sweden are living in a galloping cost crisis. With constantly rising interest costs and high prices for electricity and inputs, the everyday life of companies today is very tough.

Instead of delivering relief to the country's entrepreneurs, who are in great need of it, the government succeeds in delivering a tax shock. March is the last month with reduced employer contributions. In April, the taxes for the companies will be raised by 6 billion.

For all the companies that already today have a very strained situation on the cost side and now also see a declining demand when households and companies only want to buy the absolute necessities, I wonder why the government and the Minister for Finance choose to meet this very serious situation with a tax hit that will further contribute to layoffs of employees.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist, for a good and important question about the conditions for Swedish companies!

In this time when very many are struggling, we must also remember that many companies are doing fantastically well. It is not all companies that have tough margins right now. Some are doing well, and some are struggling enormously. There are also many companies in between. This government takes their conditions very seriously. We prioritize several different important parts.

Firstly, it is about now, for the first time ever, providing electricity support to Sweden's companies. It has, therefore, not happened before.

Secondly, I had a press conference just a few weeks ago and stated that the 3:12 rules must be improved, not worsened. Many business owners long for that.

Thirdly, we take the bureaucratic red tape seriously. It was something that the Center Party failed to address during the cooperation with the Social Democrats. We are now going to do that.

I know of one more thing that is incredibly important for Swedish companies: to break the development of crime. There, we place full focus and full force.

In summary - I don't have time to say more - we are betting on making Sweden an even better country for businesses. That is our goal, and it shall also happen during these years.

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Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C)

Mr. Speaker! It is correct that the companies in southern Sweden will receive electricity support - not those in northern Sweden.

It is also correct that almost half of the employer contributions are a pure penalty tax on employment. Even the National Institute of Economic Research has said that if one lowers the employer contributions, one will increase GDP and simultaneously lower inflation. The Ministry of Finance has constantly been very skeptical about lowered employer contributions, but new research shows that it is not true that it drives up inflation.

What is your plan to ensure the work line and the willingness to hire among Sweden's companies?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question.

Strengthening the work line becomes incredibly important during the coming years if we are to have the means to support Sweden and do what Sweden needs to do. Also here, it has gone in the wrong direction for many years.

Part of this is to facilitate things for companies. This can be done in different ways. I know that Centerpartiet prioritizes, for example, lowered employer contributions for young people. But you do not prioritize making it cheaper for many companies to drive cars.

Many entrepreneurs in the countryside have cars. You want to increase the reduction obligation by several kronor. You want a higher tax on fuels. If that were to happen, it would hit Sweden's many small businesses around the country hard.

(Applause)

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Rebecka Le Moine (MP)

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

Avian influenza has never been as problematic globally as it is now. New reports show that the virus is spreading to and between mammals worldwide, which is a threat to us humans and increases the risk that the virus will also infect us.

On a mink farm in Spain, there was an outbreak of avian influenza in October where the virus for the first time also spread between the animals. One was then forced to cull 50,000 minks.

Minks are genetically similar to us humans. Therefore, several researchers now want all mink farms to be closed because there is a large risk that the virus spreads from mink farms to humans.

What does the government intend to do to protect us against the next pandemic and act in solidarity with the countries that have already closed their mink farms, for example our neighboring country Norway?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Rebecka Le Moine, for the question!

The work in the Government Offices is distributed such that issues concerning mink farms lie with Minister Kullgren and issues concerning the general preparedness within healthcare lie with Minister Ankarberg Johansson.

Generally, it can be said that the past pandemic brought many lessons regarding civil preparedness in society.

The government has only a few weeks ago made decisions on, among other things, new state security stocks of medical equipment and trauma care equipment, but also that we need to look more broadly at the ability to maintain better preparedness when it comes to the storage of equipment and other materiel that allow us to better manage this, but also in a clearer way involve the business sector to secure supply chains during disruptions that can arise in connection with a pandemic.

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Rebecka Le Moine (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer! I appreciate it. The only thing I am missing is the connection to our mink farms.

This is, as the researchers express it, a ticking bomb ahead of the next potential pandemic. It is no secret that the parties supporting the government want to continue keeping this industry alive, but I mean that the mink farms are much more than an animal welfare issue. It is also a security issue for our health.

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! I noted no follow-up question in itself, but I note the point from Rebecka Le Moine.

I can only state that preparedness for the next pandemic - for we can assume that we will experience more pandemics in the world - must take place on a very broad front. It is about everything from having supply preparedness in a broader context to having stockpiling of equipment and other materiel that enables us to handle a pandemic if and when it comes.

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Mats Green (M)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson. Vattenfall has today presented plans for at least two and at most ten new so-called SMR reactors at Ringhals. We energy politicians welcome this. Sweden really needs predictable, stable, reliable, and clean power across the board. Nuclear power is the fundamental basis and the prerequisite for this.

I would like to receive the Finance Minister's and the government's comments regarding the new announcement from Vattenfall today.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I am very pleased today that Vattenfall is giving this announcement. We now have, for the first time in several decades, a majority here in the chamber for nuclear power. It is incredibly important for transition and growth - yes, simply so that we can manage the future. More nuclear power is required and also more wind power, naturally, to accomplish that task.

That Vattenfall is now doing this when one sees that the owner is positive - we are very clear about the direction; we want more nuclear power - is naturally important for Sweden. Regardless of whether one has voted for Vänsterpartiet or Moderaterna, this is a very important announcement.

What we must do now is to continue to remove the legal obstacles for more nuclear power but also look at the marketability. One must be able to deliver in a market-competitive way, but then the politics must also provide the opportunity for this.

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Mats Green (M)

Mr. Speaker! Two historical facts are that before the previous government phased out nuclear power, one actually had the same electricity price throughout Sweden, and that the red-greens, when they took power in 2014, stopped the far-advanced plans for two new reactors right at Ringhals – which would have been ready to be put into operation just now if one had allowed this to proceed.

The Minister for Finance has listed a number of measures. Are there more measures that the government intends to take to increase the occurrence of new nuclear power in Sweden?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! There are several things we can and should do. It concerns the legal issues and the market issues, but also research. We need more competence in this area. Now that more nuclear power will be built, more competence will also be required. This is also an important issue for the government to work on together with the industries.

But we can still be glad that we and Vattenfall are now taking the first steps, which will be incredibly important. I hope that more will follow. It takes time – but if we had started five or ten years ago, we would have come significantly further now. Dismantling nuclear power is fast; building it up, unfortunately, takes a long time.

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Magnus Jacobsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! My question will be directed to Jessika Roswall and will concern Ukraine, but before I ask it, I want to say congratulations – it is the first time I get the chance to congratulate you on your appointment as Minister of Justice.

I think it is very good that the government has made major investments regarding the military part. Personally, I do miss, in fact, a decision that the Jas system shall also be included, but that is a later question.

What is lagging behind, however, and what I feel we need to think a lot about, is this matter of the Marshall Plan and how we are to work to civilly strengthen Ukraine. I wonder how the government is doing and also how we are working within the EU to strengthen Ukraine on the civil side.

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Statsrådet Jessika Roswall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Magnus Jacobsson, for the question and for the congratulations!

How do we support Ukraine? As everyone in here surely knows, one of the priority issues for the Swedish presidency is to support Ukraine in every way possible - economically, militarily, humanitarily and politically. I also want to remind of how quickly the EU acted at the outbreak of the war and how quickly we have acted in unity.

It is, of course, about measures both in the short term and the long term. In the short term, we do a lot with macro-financial support, and in the long term, it is about working together with many other states, not only within the EU but also, for example, with the USA, Canada, UK, and several others.

I want to be clear that the government supports Ukraine as much as we can, and we will do so as long as it is necessary.

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Magnus Jacobsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I have had the privilege during this escalating period of war to be in Ukraine three times and to be able to photograph houses where one sees bullet holes on one side while simultaneously seeing how people try to live a life, install new windows and repair. It signals that there is a huge shortage of this type of support: building materials, windows and materials. There is a gratitude that Europe is helping with the military.

Will the government take these types of practical issues into the EU dialogue?

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Statsrådet Jessika Roswall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you again, the member, for an important question! That is exactly it – it is not just about the military, economic and political, which we work a lot on regarding Ukraine becoming a member of the EU. It is also about the reconstruction of housing, just as Magnus Jacobsson says, but also about building up critical infrastructure here and now and ensuring that there is an energy supply. It will continue for a long time and cost a lot of money, but we will stand firm on this.

(Applause)

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Cecilia Rönn (L)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson. Preschool and school lay the foundation for a good start in life and a lifelong learning that leads to jobs and community. The Liberals have always put school first and will always do so, precisely because it is the solution to so many social problems. A successful schooling is the very best ticket to a good life, with empowerment and realized life opportunities.

Now we have a difficult situation in Sweden with a very difficult economic situation. Therefore, I am glad that the government takes a great responsibility and presents a budget and reforms with caution so as not to fuel inflation. Many Swedes are struggling daily with their finances now, with high electricity prices, extra high food prices, and the effects of the interest rate hikes that have been made.

My question to the Minister for Finance is how she views the autumn budget and its priorities. My perception is that investments in school and education are very wise to make as they do not have a negative effect on inflation. Does the Minister for Finance agree with me that in this situation it is wise to invest in school and education?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Cecilia Rönn, for a very important question! Just to say the obvious - it is always right to invest in the school. It is about all children in Sweden, no matter where they live and whatever life situation they have, should get the same chance. I often say that I would not have been here if it hadn't been for Swedish school. The path I have walked I have been able to walk thanks to just a good school with good teachers, and that has now taken me to this job. I want all children to have that opportunity.

What is or is not inflation-driving, we can have a seminar about. It is actually about what one does in total in politics. The budget that we submitted in the autumn was restrained, but we made large investments in the school - for example, in special education teachers and on textbooks, which I know the Liberal Party was pushing for. These are important investments that are fully possible to make if one does not, in total, pursue an expansive policy that leads to inflation.

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Cecilia Rönn (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Finance, for the answer! There is also a problem in that companies cannot find the right competence and that we simultaneously have a high unemployment. Which structural reforms does the Minister for Finance want to implement to strengthen Swedish growth and competitiveness in this situation?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the question! It is enormously important that all the educational places that both the previous and the current government have invested in are filled. There is an enormous need within many areas and industries for more qualified staff but also for basic-trained staff. We need to do more so that those who have no education at all actually sit at the school bench and make themselves employable, but also to encourage more to change careers in the middle of life. Here, the parties' agreement, which the government also stands behind, has an important role to play.

The competence issue is one of the absolutely most important issues for Swedish growth and increased productivity.

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Matilda Ernkrans (S)

Mr. Speaker! The Swedish EU Presidency will soon have passed the halfway point. One of Sweden's priorities is the green transition. When Ulf Kristersson presented his program for the presidency, he said that Sweden would, during the presidency, steer the negotiations on the EU's climate package to completion.

He also said that the decision to phase out all new fossil-fueled cars by 2035 was a big step in the right direction. During the Swedish presidency, the formal decision has now been blocked, and thus an important piece of the puzzle in the climate package, according to the Prime Minister, is being delayed.

I would therefore like to ask EU Minister Jessica Roswall: How important is the issue of banning all new fossil-fueled cars by 2035 for the Moderaterna, and how will Sweden, during its presidency, act to get this climate package across the finish line? It is needed for the jobs, the welfare, and the climate.

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Statsrådet Jessika Roswall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Matilda Ernkrans, for the question! Just as Matilda Ernkrans says, one of the priorities of the Swedish presidency is precisely the green transition, as well as competitiveness, and these two issues probably belong together a bit here.

When it comes to the green transition, the commission presented something we call the Green Deal, and it also contains many different proposals on how we should reach the climate goals. We are working hard on the various issues to reach an agreement during this presidency.

This is not easy, I must say, because there are many different interests when one is to reach an agreement. But precisely that directive that Matilda Ernkrans brings up is one of the things included in what is called Fit for 55, which we are working on putting together. There is an opinion in the Council and an opinion in Parliament, and now it is about reaching an agreement.

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Björn Söder (SD)

Mr. Speaker! It was recently decided that civil servants of the European Parliament, the USA, and Canada are prohibited from using TikTok on their work phones.

Swedish security experts have for some time warned that corporate and defense secrets can be revealed through the use of Chinese apps, for example TikTok. This app records and stores a lot of information about the individual user. Information from third-party systems and other social networks is also collected. The AI that governs the information collection is considered to be the most competent in the industry.

Two and a half years ago, I asked the then Minister for the Interior if he was prepared to take measures to ban these apps from being used in Myndighetssverige. No such ban has yet been introduced.

The Minister for Civil Defence yesterday answered a question from me regarding this problem. He does, however, refer to the fact that in Sweden it is each individual authority's responsibility to make assessments. At the same time, we know that the knowledge is deficient in several places.

My question to the Minister for Civil Defence is therefore why he is not prepared to take the initiative to ban Chinese spy apps such as TikTok from being used by civil servants on work phones and private mobile phones that are connected to their work emails or other work tools.

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Björn Söder, for an important question! I would say that this issue is broader and more complex than it concerns a single app. It is about the fact that we need to take our information security work very seriously, given the time we live in and the security policy situation that Sweden finds itself in.

But fundamentally, this work must be carried out based on the legislation that exists in Sweden, namely the Security Protection Act. It requires all authorities to behave in a specific way in their information security management. This, in turn, leads to the fact that different authorities can arrive at different assessments depending on how sensitive information its users handle.

With this said, I mean that we need to be more proactive in this issue and take this very seriously. But it would be foolish of me to stand and point at individual apps, because then one misses the broader issue.

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Isabell Mixter (V)

Mr. Speaker! The parties in the Pensions Group chose to raise the retirement age during the previous year. The Left Party voted no to that. It is not the retirement age that needs to be raised, but the pensions.

In the proposition, it was stated with all clarity that the consequences of a raised retirement age would mean a tax shock for those born in 1957 and 1959. Despite this, the Moderaterna and Socialdemokraterna voted for the proposal.

Next week, the Riksdag will have to take a position on the Left Party's demand, which means that the increased tax that only affects these groups should be removed. I want to ask Anna Tenje: Does the government still think it is reasonable that approximately 200,000 pensioners should suddenly pay more in tax than other pensioners?

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Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the question, Isabell Mixter! I regret that those born in 1957 have ended up in a bind in this way. It should have been handled in a different way.

The question is, therefore, that the raised age limit in the tax system is not followed by a raised age limit in other parts of the system. This means that those born in 1957 are classified as pensioners in some systems but as being of working age in other systems. It is unfortunate that this gap has occurred. It should have been handled in a different way. This is a decision from the previous government and a previous Riksdag, and there it should definitely have been handled in a better way. At least the information to those concerned should have been distributed in a better way.

I can however state that regardless of what we think about this issue now and what the Left Party has demanded, there are no funds in any budget motion to cover the financing of this.

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Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Mr. Speaker! I can begin by saying that I am pleased that Carl-Oskar Bohlin seems to be able to support our proposal to task relevant authorities with reviewing which apps can be problematic on public employees' devices instead of establishing here in the chamber which apps all people in Sweden shall be able to use.

But the important question of cybersecurity is much larger. During the last month, we have seen attacks against Swedish companies and institutions. SAS, SVT, universities and hospitals have been affected. The hacker group Anonymous Sudan has taken responsibility, but it is likely Russian interests that are actually behind it.

We know that Russia is interested in destabilizing Sweden and that they have tried to influence us both through alternative media and direct attacks. That they are attacking us is nothing new.

The government has begun to take many good steps regarding cybersecurity, but when it comes to protecting the civil sector - ensuring that the energy sector, banks, etc. actually function even when they are under attack - there is still a very long way to go. I want to ask the minister: When will you start taking cyber threats against the civil sector seriously and do something about it?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Niels Paarup-Petersen, for a very pressing question! I want to say that the government also takes cybersecurity issues linked to the civil part of society very seriously. We have allocated more money to MSB's CERT in the 2023 budget. A review of the national cybersecurity center is currently underway, which is to constitute the spearhead of the Swedish public cybersecurity work.

But we need to achieve a better connection between academia, the business sector, and public actors in cybersecurity work. The most important and most fundamental thing that the recent cyberattacks have shown us is that every individual actor in the system must take their cybersecurity work very seriously. The security policy environment that Sweden finds itself in means that, unfortunately, we can expect that this type of attack may continue.

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

Ulf Holm (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Inflation is soaring, food has become more expensive, public transport has become more expensive, electricity has become more expensive - yes, almost everything has become more expensive. The Finance Minister urges us to choose the cheapest options. The Governor of the Riksbank thinks we should pursue low prices. But what do you say then to those who have already done this for a long time and who, during the last year with high inflation, can no longer afford to buy food?

Schools report that students eat significantly more at school lunch than before because they probably do not get enough food on the table at home. Miljöpartiet has proposed support to municipalities so that they can offer both breakfast and lunch. We have also proposed reduced VAT on food, for example, and also initiatives to create jobs and growth through investments in the green sector. The question then is what proposals the Finance Minister has other than urging us people to hunt for low prices. Does the Finance Minister promise in the autumn budget revision to come with proposals for more money to the municipalities and other things that help those who today have very great difficulty getting the money to stretch?

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

Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ulf Holm, for the question and welcome to the chamber after a few months! Ulf Holm highlights an important issue.

It is not that since I became Finance Minister I have spent my time advising people on how they should shop. I have spent my time ensuring that we fight inflation while simultaneously supporting households and companies so that they can get through this. As I said earlier, it is also about putting the focus on growth, entrepreneurship, and the work line. That is what can help us through this situation.

When I read the Green Party's budget, I can only state that during the years it applies, it would drive up inflation to some enormous extent. It would become even more expensive for the family with children, even more difficult in the school canteen, and even tougher for the companies. If we borrow large amounts now, it indeed fuels inflation.

It will be tough for a long time. We will continue to support in the way that is possible to do, but I will not be the one who drives up inflation. I can promise that to the Swedish people.

(Applause)

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

Jennie Wernäng (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to direct my question to Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin. I know that the government is working to secure Sweden's preparedness for supply, but how does the government view the business sector's role in total defense?

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

Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Jennie Wernäng, for an important question! It is quite clear that the business sector's role in total defense is fundamental and completely central when it comes to Sweden's supply preparedness. The crises we have behind us show that security of supply and supply chains easily become disrupted in situations that lie outside the normal state. The pandemic was an example of this.

In the event of an armed attack against Sweden, this issue would naturally be brought to the forefront. And the government intends to involve the business sector in Sweden's total defense in a much clearer and more offensive way. We made a decision some time ago regarding the cross-sectoral business council for total defense, where there will be a broad representation from the Swedish business sector. And we will convene for the first time in the near future to set the direction for this work.

(Applause)

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

Cecilia Engström (KD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Anna Tenje. The electricity support has been eagerly awaited by many households. Many families have had it tough during the winter when the electricity bills were to be paid. We know that the payments of the first electricity support were to continue until March 7. Therefore, the vast majority in the southern parts of the country in price areas 3 and 4 have now had the electricity support paid into their accounts.

This is a relief that will make life a little easier for everyone who has small margins and who has difficulty making ends meet to cover what they need and to be able to put food on the table, even though we have now actually also learned to save on electricity.

It is Försäkringskassan that has administered the payments and built systems for it, and they will be able to be used in the future as well. Furthermore, it feels very positive that the electricity support for the whole country is on its way and that this winter's consumption can then be covered, and that electricity support for companies is on the way, as we can read on the government's website.

My questions to the Minister are: How is the payment of the electricity support progressing? How many remain? And what have we learned for the future?

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

Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks for the question, Cecilia Engström! It has gone very well, I must state. I am incredibly proud of the work that Försäkringskassan has carried out during this relatively short period. One has, just as the member describes, built a system alongside the established systems, so that one does not disturb the other payments, such as the important sickness benefit or the pension or the like.

98 percent of those who are entitled to the electricity support have received it in their accounts today. That leaves approximately 80,000 households. The majority of them are foreign property owners - it could, for example, be summer houses in electricity areas 3 and 4. We are seeking them now, of course. They will probably receive an invoice. But it will also be a large part of these 80,000 who have now reported their bank account and who will then be able to receive it directly to the account.

The benefit of it all was that many were already in the systems and that many were early in also reporting their bank account to Swedbank. I would like to give a tribute to both the Swedes and Försäkringskassan.

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

Peder Björk (S)

Mr. Speaker! Pasta is 26 percent more expensive. Peppers are 28 percent more expensive. Milk is 38 percent more expensive. These are some examples of the extreme price increases on food that have occurred over the past year. To that, we can add increased interest rates on loans, a delayed electricity subsidy, and sky-high inflation.

Overall, this means that Swedish households in general, and particularly families with children and pensioners who have a low pension, live in a very difficult and vulnerable economic situation.

In such a situation, the Swedish people expect the government to take responsibility for the economic development. My question to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson is quite simply: Does the government have any new concrete proposals on how to be able to support households?

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

Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Peder Björk, for an important question! We have been on this earlier today – it is important. Many are struggling and are having an incredibly tough time right now. That is also why we have set as the absolute top priority here and now to fight inflation. Inflation is about prices increasing from year to year and from month to month. We cannot have such a development. That is why we have a restrained policy while simultaneously supporting households and companies.

Only this year, households will be supported with approximately 40 billion. It is approximately the same level as the short-term support was during the pandemic. Add to that all the supports that are actually adjusted for inflation. A guaranteed pension recipient received an increased guaranteed pension in August last year. The Riksdag decided on it. From January onwards, it is 850 kronor per month due to inflation. It is right, and it is good.

But it is also important to keep the wage earners in focus. Therefore, I think it is unfortunate that the Social Democrats want to raise the tax just for 1 million wage earners in this situation.

(Applause)

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

Carita Boulwén (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Anna Tenje. On July 1, 2022, a new provision was introduced in the Social Services Act requiring that those who receive home care be offered a fixed care contact unless it is judged to be obviously unnecessary. And from July 1, 2023, only those who hold the professional title of assistant nurse may be appointed to this.

We in the Sweden Democrats consider a fixed care contact to be of immense importance and naturally stood behind the bill. We did, however, see that this could potentially become a matter of prioritization and assessment in the municipalities, which is why we, among other things from an equality perspective, proposed that the wording "if it is not judged to be obviously unnecessary" should be deleted. We believe that everyone who has home care should have the right to a care contact.

My question is: Does the Minister intend to follow up and evaluate the decision - see if it is being complied with in the municipalities and if it fulfills its purpose?

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

Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, Carita Boulwén, for raising this issue! I believe that a fixed healthcare contact is extremely important. Now we are talking about home care. A bit further ahead we can discuss special housing.

Too many elderly people end up falling between the famous chairs - between municipality and region but also between home care and home healthcare. I therefore believe that this is extremely important, and there we obviously share the same view.

This is, as mentioned, a new proposal. It must, of course, be evaluated, just as we usually do. We are going to review many different parts of this, of course also the question that you raise. I believe that the evaluation should be completed by August 31, 2023, and then we can continue to discuss the issue. At that point, it may be close at hand to also discuss special housing.

(Applause)

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

Birger Lahti (V)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Jessika Roswall.

The European Commission is expected to present a proposal for a reform of the European electricity market, among other things to protect consumers against excessively large fluctuations in prices. The proposal is scheduled for March 16.

It is therefore incumbent upon the Swedish presidency in the EU to lead the work of reforming the EU's electricity market. Sweden thus has a special role in moving the discussions forward regarding rule changes of directives and regulations that govern the electricity market.

My question is: What is the government's position on the EU's electricity market? Does the government think today's pricing works well for Sweden's consumers?

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

Statsrådet Jessika Roswall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Birger Lahti for the question.

In the name of honesty, I must admit that I do not have a very clear answer today, because the proposal, as Birger Lahti himself says, has not been presented.

But I can say as much as I said to a previous questioner, which is that the green transition is a very important and prioritized issue for the government. This also includes completing the energy transition. I ask to be able to return with a clearer answer when the proposal has been presented by the commission. But we, as the chairing country, will be involved and actively drive the process forward.

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

Martina Johansson (C)

Mr. Speaker! With today's rules, families with children risk falling into debt to the state because the preliminary income for the entire year is calculated when housing allowance is granted. This means that people, even if they are entitled to housing allowance during the spring if they are, for example, unemployed, can become liable to repay the spring allowance if the total income for the year becomes too high, which it can become, for example, if they get a job during the autumn.

In 2021, an investigation was presented with a proposal to change this reconciliation from annual to monthly reconciliations in order to avoid exactly this.

Given that we are now in an economic crisis, where many families are struggling to make ends meet, I wonder if this should not be one of the most prioritized areas to support children's families specifically, so that they do not risk falling into debt.

That is why I want to ask the Minister for Social Insurance if she intends to present this as a sharp proposal, so that no more families with children end up in debt despite having the right to housing allowance during the first half of the year.

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

Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Martina Johansson for a very good and important question. I largely share her view. We have had this discussion in the Government Offices and are currently preparing the issue. How, when, and where we land is not quite clear yet. But there is much in what the member highlights.

It is never good to end up in debt, but it is definitely not good to do so on these grounds. I am also looking at the issues where one risks ending up in debt due to long processing times in order to report one's income. It is, as I see it, completely unacceptable.

Thank you very much for the question, and I promise to come back, perhaps not in the short term but soon.

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

Adam Reuterskiöld (M)

Mr. Speaker! I direct my question to the Minister for Finance. Welfare fraud is one of the more system-threatening crimes that we have in Sweden. It affects society's ability to assist those who need help, but it also undermines the trust in our social safety nets.

To manage and protect the citizens' tax money is one of the state's fundamental tasks. The extent of the fraud is difficult to estimate, but it amounts to several billion every year.

We in politics must give the authorities effective opportunities to prosecute these crimes while we strengthen individual privacy. It is, however, important that this balance must not stand in the way of an effective fight against the crimes.

What does the Minister for Finance intend to do to combat these crimes?

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

Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Adam Reuterskiöld for the question.

This is about physical persons deceiving and defrauding the welfare systems in various ways by an estimated 18 billion kronor. In addition, it concerns a large number of legal entities where one does not even know how large the amounts are. Just 18 billion kronor corresponds to 31,000 nursing assistants. I would like to have said that.

This is something that we prioritize and take very seriously. I want to mention two things that the government is now working on in full. One concerns getting the Payment Authority in place, which we decided on a few months ago. It is about all different compensations going through an authority, so that one cannot be able to withdraw money in several different systems without them knowing. One can, in other words, cheat the system in this way. It is incredibly important to get that authority in place. The other concerns a population count, so that we know better who is in the country—that one has a coordination number—and that we simply know where people live so that someone is not in Iraq, is a defense minister there and receives child benefit from Sweden, for example.

(Applause)

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

Torsten Elofsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Minister Bohlin regarding our preparedness. Our society is becoming more and more digitized, and this trend is likely to continue forward. There are many advantages to it. We can go shopping and pay with a card, we fuel our cars with a card, and we pay our bills via the internet. Now we also have Swish, which we can pay with.

In line with this, cash handling is also decreasing, and the cash we have in circulation in our society at the present moment is shrinking constantly.

At the same time, we have an uneasy world with a major security threat against Sweden. It is currently at a 3, and it is not expected to decrease. The question is what happens to our digital infrastructure if it were to fail.

There are experiences from other countries that people become a little worried. Then they want to withdraw their claims from the bank and stand in queues to get out their money.

My question to Minister Bohlin is: How do we ensure a functioning everyday life even in cases where the digital infrastructure is knocked out in a cyberattack?

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

Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Torsten Elofsson for a very pertinent and broad question.

The question of our preparedness linked to the cyber environment is actually much broader than just concerning cash. But cash and cash handling are a part of the preparedness and can serve as an example of redundant handling in the event that different types of societal functions are knocked out.

But with that said, I would also like to say that cash should not be regarded as a complete solution to the problem linked to the digital infrastructure, because we must constantly strive to build digital systems as robust and strong as is only possible. In the examples we have seen where IT systems are knocked out in, for example, the grocery trade, cash has not always solved the problem because one cannot manage the transaction system with cash since everything goes down. It points out that in order to achieve real redundancy, one must build these digital systems more securely and better than what we see in many places today.

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Zinaida Kajevic (S)

Mr. Speaker! In the budget for 2023, the government allocated 6 billion kronor more in general grants to municipalities and regions. SKR estimated the need to be 20 billion kronor more, and that is solely to maintain the same quality in the municipalities' and regions' operations.

In the same budget bill at the end of last year, the government wrote that inflation is rising to high levels and that this development is judged to have a major impact during 2023 on the municipal sector's economic conditions and operations. Despite this, the government did not allocate any extra funds to this sector to manage this.

My question to the Minister for Finance is whether she intends to return with a decision regarding more funds specifically to municipalities and regions to provide basic services to the inhabitants and to retain employees.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for an important question.

In the budget that took effect on 1 January, municipalities and regions were strengthened with a total of 12 billion. That was 6 billion in targeted support and 6 billion in general support. It is an important addition to be able to conduct operations.

I was clear then – as I have been today – that inflation is really bad. Inflation affects everyone. It affects households, companies, municipalities and regions. Not everyone will be able to be compensated for everything by the state. The state is also affected by inflation. But – and I am clear about this – the 12 billion that municipalities and regions have received will make a big difference. I am following the development closely. And I said when I presented the budget that if the economy weakens, the development will be different, there is room for maneuver to do more.

In this situation, I consider that the 12 billion were important and good, but I am following the developments and rule nothing out.

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Daniel Persson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Anna Tenje.

On 1 January, a new regulatory framework was introduced that expands the basic need within LSS, which is intended to make it easier to have assistance granted. But the Social Democratic-led government changed LSS during the previous mandate period and converted the care allowance into a nursing allowance. With the possibility of more cost compensation, the processing times became enormously long. This is because Försäkringskassan had little time to transition and adapt its operations. At the same time, there was a lack of sufficient capacity in the processing to handle all applications.

How have the processing times been so far? Is there improved capacity at Försäkringskassan to be able to handle the consequences of the legislative change?

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Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. Daniel Persson raises an important reform and an important change. Seen from these people's perspective, it is obviously a matter of a very important change.

It is estimated that the change in the law will lead to 2,000 more people being entitled to assistance allowance, and this concerns 800 children. This also leads to more people than before being entitled to municipal personal assistance.

The government makes the same assessment as Försäkringskassan, and as I believe Daniel Persson is well aware of, namely that this will increase the number of requests and thus the processing times will become significantly longer. That was the forecast. As we see now, that is also what has happened. The processing times have increased somewhat, and the number of people applying for personal assistance has increased.

We are following the issue very closely and looking at the consequences. Just as I have pointed out to previous questioners, long processing times are very unfortunate. In the event of changes, we must ensure that Försäkringskassan keeps up so that the mission one is assigned to perform can be completed.

We are following the issue very closely.

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Hanna Gunnarsson (V)

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

Healthcare is one of the absolutely most important parts of civil defense. It is not difficult to understand what an important component healthcare is for a society to function during both major crises and, in the worst case, war.

Healthcare must not fail, whether it concerns acute medical care resulting from war or accidents, or whether it concerns childbirth or chronic diseases, for which one must be able to receive treatment even during crisis and war.

It is therefore worrying and upsetting when we occasionally hear reports that healthcare in the country is being hit by large cuts. Healthcare staff are being laid off, and the work environment and working conditions are so bad that people cannot manage to stay in their jobs.

I am aware that the government does not set any regional budgets for healthcare, but from an overall perspective, I wonder how the government views the cuts occurring in healthcare in relation to civil defense.

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Hanna Gunnarsson for the question. The work in the Government Offices is distributed in such a way that questions concerning preparedness for health and medical care fall under Minister Ankarberg Johansson.

With this said, it can be stated that the government has a very forward-looking plan for preparedness within the Swedish healthcare system. We are investing large sums of money in the budget for 2023. State Secretary Ankarberg Johansson and the undersigned presented as recently as a couple of weeks ago 0.5 billion to a state security stock of trauma care equipment for a mass casualty incident on Swedish territory. This is something that until today has been missing but which will now be established very promptly.

This is, of course, only an example of strengthening the capacity in Swedish healthcare in the event of high alert or armed attack.

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Jan Ericson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to the government having chosen a responsible line for the state's expenditures, Sweden today has the lowest national debt in a long time, and the government has good control over the state's finances. This provides, as the Minister for Finance has said, a good room for maneuver if times become even worse.

At the same time, groups with traditionally weak finances received income increases at the turn of the year. This applied to everyone from guaranteed pensioners to students and families with children receiving housing allowance. A number of other compensations and grants were also increased at the turn of the year. The government has also supported households with both electricity price support, reduced fuel tax, and increased travel deductions.

With this said, there is a pedagogical problem in having to withstand increased expectations from households for subsidies and support when times get worse, despite strong public finances. Everything depends on the rather unusual situation of a recession and high inflation occurring simultaneously.

I would very much like the Minister for Finance to elaborate a bit on how she views today's rather complicated economic situation.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Jan Ericson for the question. There are many who ask exactly the question Jan Ericson just asked.

The challenge right now is to conduct economic policy in a responsible manner. It is about the fact that there is both a recession and high inflation. Normally during a recession, whether it is mild or a bit stronger, we usually increase demand to get the wheels moving again and get the economy going. This is done with borrowed money. The problem then is that inflation is fueled. This is what makes it difficult and important. If we fuel inflation by running large deficits, we will never get out of the predicament.

I have said, and I say it again, that inflation is the wage earners' worst enemy. If we are to strengthen the wage earners again, we must curb inflation. We must ensure that we strengthen the wage earners, who in this situation have lost the most. It is their party I want to take, besides, of course, the companies' and the overall economy's. But curbing inflation is now so important that we cannot blow on the recession, as one normally likes to do.

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Dzenan Cisija (S)

Mr. Speaker! The Minister for Finance claims that she does not want to fuel inflation. But the government, with the support of the Sweden Democrats, has prioritized the rich - 13 billion this year in the form of tax cuts for high-income earners. I have calculated 27 billion in the form of a secret electricity subsidy aimed mostly at the wealthiest households that consume the most electricity. But the increased costs for food and electricity hit the poorest in society the hardest.

What plans does the government have, Finance Minister, to also help those in real need, for example by increasing the child allowance, the student grant, or something similar?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! There were many allegations at once that I do not have time to answer in a minute.

Let me be clear: We have not made decisions on tax cuts. As the member surely knows, many of the supports, for example to students and guaranteed pensioners, are increasing. But also taxes, bracket limits and other taxes change with inflation.

I know that the Social Democrats actively decided in your budget to pull this out and raise the tax for a million wage earners. But now it is about whether the overall fiscal policy drives inflation or not. That is also important to know.

Overall, the budget that we laid on the floor of the Riksdag, and which now applies, does not drive inflation. This also applies together with the large support to companies and households via the electricity support.

The Riksbank wrote in its monetary policy report a couple of months ago that they do not see any reason why this should affect inflation and thus require an interest rate hike. This is what we want to achieve, that is, to support households and companies in a responsible manner without driving up inflation.

(Applause)

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Eric Westroth (SD)

Mr. Speaker! There are sometimes tax-related problems in the existing regulatory framework when Swedish sailors enlist on a boat to serve at sea. What tax these sailors are to pay on their wages can vary depending on a number of factors. It can be due to which flag the ship has, in which country the shipping company has its seat, which waters the boat has navigated, or what type of mission the boat has performed. Many times it is not possible for the individual sailor to foresee all these factors, and thus this person cannot also know in advance what tax is to be paid.

The regulatory framework surrounding the taxation is complex in these cases and primarily concerns the Nordic tax treaties. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister for Finance: Can the government consider resolving this issue with the Nordic tax treaties in order to give the Swedish seaman the opportunity for a predictable and legally secure taxation of his income during work at sea?

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Statsrådet Jessika Roswall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I was so happy that it was a Nordic question and wanted to take the chance to talk about something that is very close to my heart.

This question is very complex, which the member surely knows themselves. It is very important that we work together with our Nordic neighboring countries so that people can move freely across the borders in the Nordic region and so that the Nordic region gets a system that works.

Hard work is being done at the Ministry of Finance. There are certain agreements, for example the Öresund Agreement, and it would be good if we could find a solution there. The new governments in both Sweden and Denmark are working on these issues.

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Heléne Björklund (S)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to Minister for Nordic Cooperation Jessika Roswall.

On March 23, we celebrate Nordic Day. This was the date when the Helsinki Treaty, our cooperation agreement, was signed for the first time in 1962. The Helsinki Treaty is the Nordic Council's constitution, one could say.

Now, proposals have been raised to revise the agreement. The intentions behind this seem to be quite scattered - for example, some want us to revise sections on climate because climate issues need to take up more space, while other party groups want to go in a totally opposite direction.

Generally speaking, Swedish governments tend to be quite cautious about adjusting the constitution. My question therefore becomes: What is our current Swedish government's position on adjusting the Helsinki Accords?

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Statsrådet Jessika Roswall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I apologize for taking the Nordic issue last time! I also thank Heléne Björklund for the question.

It is quite true that the Helsinki Accords are the constitution, and I want to assert that it has served us well. There are certainly reasons to review parts of it. I think, however, that it is important that we focus on the visions that we have set up jointly in the Nordic countries with the cooperation ministers and the Nordic Council. It is important to place the focus on the major challenges we have in Nordic cooperation rather than placing the focus on something that has actually functioned well, namely the Helsinki Accords.

The question period was hereby concluded.

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