Question Time

TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch, Minister Anna Tenje, Minister for Education Mats Persson, and Minister Niklas Wykman.

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. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch answers both general political questions and questions within her own area of responsibility.

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Monica Haider (S)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden needs more and cheaper electricity of all types. Yesterday, we Social Democrats presented a new energy policy goal - that we shall supply at least 60 terawatt-hours of fossil-free electricity by 2030.

We need a more ambitious goal than the one the government has presented, which is 100 percent fossil-free electricity production by 2040, which is already fulfilled in practice.

My question to Minister Ebba Busch is: How does the Minister view the new goal that we presented yesterday - that we are to add at least 60 terawatt-hours of fossil-free electricity by 2030?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to thank Haider for the question and say that I truly welcome that we now have many parties standing up for the need for more fossil-free power production and who are also prepared to take measures and steps so that it becomes a reality even in the near term.

The government argues, however, that it is difficult to set an exact goal for 2030, much in light of the fact that the goal conflicts that exist between climate and environment to speed up the permit processes for wind power have not yet been bridged. It is the new government's ambition to succeed in this in order to increase the pace where wind power is welcome. It is why we have also shifted the policy regarding the number of nuclear reactors and locations. That is where we must begin. Then we have set a clear long-term goal for 2045 to meet at least a doubled electricity consumption need, which is historical in a Swedish context.

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Monica Haider (S)

Mr. Speaker! Today we could read that the Sweden Democrats will try to stop the expansion of large-scale wind power and that not all types of power are needed. Is this something that the government stands behind?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to state that what my party leadership colleague Åkesson has commented on is almost as controversial as saying that the earth is round. It is possible to run an energy system on only nuclear power. In the current situation, it is not possible to run an energy system on only wind power, because we have not had any government that has set requirements that wind power should be able to deliver the type of support services that nuclear power delivers. This concerns, for example, the possibility of regulating voltage, power, black start, and inertia. And this must be rewarded in the system.

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Robert Stenkvist (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Mats Persson. Earlier this year, attention was drawn to an advertisement for a posted position at Linné University, this due to the strange requirements profile that was in the advertisement. The advertisement concerned the position of professor in design, and the applicant was to be versed in norm criticism, decolonialism, queer theory and theories on post-growth.

Linné University sets out the requirements they want for their positions, but many would probably say that here political values weigh heavier than pure competence. Research should fundamentally be truth-seeking and not political.

Does the Minister consider such requirement profiles to be okay? Is this not politicizing the activities at a state-funded educational institution?

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! This is a very important issue. It is important to stand up for academic freedom. It is also important to ensure that academic freedom does not mean that politicized activities are conducted at our universities and our colleges. They should be arenas that are shielded from politics or politicized activities. I think it is a very important issue.

I also welcome the extensive debate that has arisen in connection with the advertisement. I think it shows that there is an awareness within the scientific community of what challenges there may be when one has a call for proposals with such a focus or with such a text.

As the responsible minister, I have no reason to question how the educational institution has done this. I believe that falls within academic freedom. But I most highly welcome the academic discussion that is occurring and that has occurred regarding this.

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Robert Stenkvist (SD)

Mr. Speaker! But this is not the only advertisement from Linnaeus University that has looked like that. This is about setting limitations and political frameworks for the research even before it has started, already in the recruitment process. It should conflict with all principles of research and the pursuit of knowledge.

The question is: How does the Minister believe this affects the quality of the research?

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. I think it is important that there is a rich debate and discussion about different theoretical orientations at the educational institutions. It must not be the case that one says in advance that a certain theory is more valuable than another theory, but it must be something for, literally, the scientific seminar to decide.

My assessment is that the debate that has now arisen on the occasion of this advertisement will be very good for all of University Sweden. I believe that it will increase awareness of and the importance of avoiding politicization in a broad sense.

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Birger Lahti (V)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Energy and Business. A reform of the EU's electricity market design is being processed and is expected to be presented to the Member States for decision shortly.

We have seen how the failed pricing regarding electricity has hit Swedish consumers and companies very hard recently. Today, there is an opportunity to regulate exports during capacity shortages. But capacity shortage is not the only threat. Other times, it is, as is known, price shocks that spread to Sweden when we export.

My question is therefore: Can the government imagine requesting similar exemptions in the EU, which involve regulating exports during sharp price impulses abroad in order to protect Swedish consumers from sharp price changes?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I want to begin by emphasizing that the Swedish government is interested in preserving what works well with the current electricity market design. It is, so to speak, Sweden's entry into the processing of a new electricity market design that has now begun at the EU level.

The second thing I would like to emphasize is that a great deal of the EU discussions regarding energy have been about trying to patch and repair, regulate and manage shortages in hindsight. If you do not have enough food, you do not solve the problem in the long term simply through rationing.

What we now need to do to transfer the analogy to our energy system is to increase power production in the entire EU but, above all, take our responsibility here in Sweden to ensure that we increase power production significantly.

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Birger Lahti (V)

Mr. Speaker! I completely agree with the Minister in that regard that it is not possible to patch and repair. That is why I am asking the question, because one can, so to speak, ensure that exports are reduced if it is a capacity shortage. The same thing could be done if it is impulses that cause prices to skyrocket. Then we could use money that exists in the form of bottleneck fees to expand the grid as early as next winter instead of paying people's electricity bills.

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I want to emphasize that the primary defense against this type of price changes and high prices that exist in other countries is that we ensure we have sufficient capacity where it is needed and when it is needed. That is the best way to handle this. But I do not rule out discussing further measures of the type that Birger Lahti points out if it should be needed in the future.

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Anna Lasses (C)

Mr. Speaker! Today, Jasmin, 14 years old, is sitting up in the gallery. She is doing her work experience here in the Riksdag this week. I asked her what question she would ask the Minister for Education if she were given the opportunity. After conducting some research on her own initiative, she noted that support for children with, for example, NPF diagnoses is implemented very late in primary school, often not until upper secondary school if these children receive support at all.

The very relevant question that both Jasmin and I want to ask is therefore: What measures does the government intend to take to ensure that children and young people in school receive the support they are entitled to at the right time?

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the questioner and Jasmin, who is sitting in the gallery, for the question. It is a very important question.

There are far too many children and young people who today do not receive the support they are entitled to. There are far too many children and young people who today cannot be their best selves in school and who do not receive instruction that is adapted to their needs.

In Swedish schools, for far too long, there has been an ideological doctrine regarding inclusion, that one should treat all students in exactly the same way despite the fact that we know that all students are very different.

This government is now changing policy. We are changing and breaking up the Social Democrats' school policy by focusing on each individual's unique needs. And an important part of that is that we have more special education teachers and that we have specific measures for the children who need special support. In the current budget, it includes million-investments on just this.

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Anna Lasses (C)

Mr. Speaker! It will be very interesting to follow the development.

Many of the children who do not receive support are those who often have a problematic school absence and whom we also call home-sitters. One way to begin addressing this is to have a national absence register, which is something that has been discussed for a long time. When will we get such a thing in Sweden?

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! It is naturally very important that we now change policy and turn around the direction of the policy. There is much more focus on individual adaptation - that every child should be seen in the classroom and that we ensure we have special education teachers so that we do not treat all students as if they are exactly the same. An important part is also to ensure that the municipalities work so that all children are in school and create conditions for people not to sit at home. This is something the government is working on very actively.

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Jan Riise (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to the Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch.

In the government statement, the Prime Minister says: "A new constitutional commission shall be appointed to, among other things, investigate how the right to abortion can be strengthened, by ensuring that a woman's right to abortion is given protection in the Instrument of Government."

We in Miljöpartiet welcome this investigation. The right to have an abortion and for a woman to decide for herself if and how it shall occur is something that we can no longer take for granted. Even though the majority appears to be stable here in Sweden, the development is moving in the opposite direction in many other parts of the world. Also within the EU, there are countries that restrict the right to abortion, with Malta and Poland at the forefront. And in the USA, the development towards stricter regulations is moving alarmingly fast.

My question to Ebba Busch is whether we can still trust that the government prioritizes the issue, not least considering that she has representatives in her own party who have stated that they do not stand behind constitutionally protecting the right to abortion.

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The short answer is yes. We are holding the course on this issue. The questions about the beginning and end of life are some of the most difficult ethical questions that we have to handle. But it is not just about the support in this chamber, for it must ultimately always be the woman herself who chooses whether she completes or terminates a pregnancy. I perceive that this support is fundamental in a very difficult issue in this chamber. And it is a strength for Sweden, especially in times when we see that the development is going in a completely different direction in very many countries. It is also this foundation that has led to what we have negotiated among the four coalition parties that support the current government. And I look forward to us being able to continue to have broad support on the issue of the Swedish abortion legislation in this chamber also in the future.

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Jan Riise (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer. But my concern and a question remain. Today is more than half a year since the government took office, and many of us would like to see this investigation initiated. We in Miljöpartiet would like to see Sweden be an international role model in this context and with a stronger abortion right, not only for the sake of women but for the sake of the entire society.

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I can assure the members that this is an important piece of work that is ongoing within the Government Offices. Given that this specific issue also concerns investigating what should be included in our constitution, and we also have a number of other difficult questions that are subject to being reviewed in the constitution during this mandate period, it is a neighboring task to ensure that we land correctly there. But one can rest assured that this is an issue that we are actively working on.

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Mats Green (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Minister for Energy and Business Ebba Busch. The Moderate-led government is now carrying out work across the board to rebuild the stable, cheap, and clean electricity system that, before the previous government's rampage, was almost Sweden's great strength. And the rebuilding of nuclear power is the foundation of this.

In 2013, Magdalena Andersson promised that nuclear power would be phased out, and that was well one of the few promises she subsequently kept. After that, four fully functioning reactors were indeed decommissioned. She also drove her party's opposition to nuclear power very strongly in the EU. We are now changing the course both in Sweden and in the EU.

Can Ebba Busch say anything more about Sweden but also about the work we are doing in the EU to achieve cooperation on nuclear power in the entire European Union?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would be very happy to do so. Some wondered why my first bilateral visit abroad went to France in October. And the answer is nuclear power and also the opportunity to cooperate in a constructive way during the time when Sweden took on the responsibility during the EU presidency.

The question of nuclear power is a sensitive issue that divides many member states, where we often have blocking minorities between Germany and France.

We have during the spring and during the Swedish presidency seen that a nuclear power alliance has emerged which now consists of no fewer than 14 member states. Nuclear power's role is included in the taxonomy, the innovation fund surrounding the renewable energy directive RED, the gas market package and recently the electricity market design and the Net Zero Industry Act, which becomes the EU's response to the USA's Inflation Reduction Act. It is a great success for the Swedish presidency to have enabled this during the spring.

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Mats Green (M)

Mr. Speaker! We need to continue this work within the EU, and we will need to continue to rebuild the electricity system in Sweden. Where the previous government dismantled nuclear power, taxed away combined heat and power, and tore out hydropower, we now need to improve the conditions across the board for all fossil-free power types in general, but also for the power types – nuclear power, combined heat and power, and hydropower – that I listed. We therefore need to continue this work in all parts fully.

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The Government shares that view. But in addition to that, I would like to say that besides the decisions we have now taken at the national level to change course, it is also historic that we now appear to be starting to see the first steps for common standards within the EU, even though much of the cooperation takes place bilaterally between different countries. That in itself also means that we can pave the way for more power production and the type of synchronous, stable, and predictable power production that we know is needed in the energy system as a whole.

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Lili André (KD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Busch.

Sweden has a long and proud tradition of entrepreneurship, innovation, and business. But one thing stands out, and that is the relatively low number of entrepreneurs who are women. Current statistics show that women only make up a third of the entrepreneurs in Sweden. This shortage of women as entrepreneurs likely means thousands of lost opportunities for self-employment, both for the women and for all the employees they potentially could have. Yes, it is lost GDP - ultimately money that could finance our common welfare.

My question to the Minister is therefore: What has the government already managed to do and what will the government do to improve the conditions for women to run and develop companies?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question.

We want more people to have the opportunity to own more. It should not be only those who were born with capital or with good economic conditions who should have the opportunity to own and run companies in Sweden. Compared to men, there are far too few women - alarmingly few - who run their own companies. It contributes to the gender segregation that we see on the labor market and which means that women have completely different types of working conditions compared to the male-dominated industries, if we are talking about the overall level.

What we have now done is, among other things, to task Tillväxtverket with reviewing and compiling the research we have so that we get facts on the table regarding what it actually means for us to be able to strengthen women's ownership and entrepreneurship. What does the research say? What do we know is proven and works and means that we can pave the way for more to become entrepreneurs and job creators?

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Lili André (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister; it is a very positive announcement. I hear a policy that provides the conditions for change without greedy management and instead increases the conditions for women to take the step toward their own entrepreneurship.

The government is now changing course and will actively work with simplification policy, which includes, among other things, increased productivity and regulatory simplification. How will this practically facilitate women's entrepreneurship?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! We know that much of the regulatory burden that characterizes Swedish entrepreneurship in general is an additional obstacle for people to dare to take the step from being an employee to instead becoming the one who employs.

That is why we prioritize such things as Verksamt.se, which has been much appreciated by many entrepreneurs, and an implementation council to prevent over-implementation of the EU directives that Sweden has to comply with. That is also an important link in paving the way for more people to become entrepreneurs in Sweden.

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Cecilia Rönn (L)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Niklas Wykman.

Telephone fraud has increased exceptionally much in recent years. Just last year, it was over 600 million kronor that people reported stolen, which is an increase of 83 percent from 2021. The police describe how this is part of organized crime and that it targets more and more elderly people.

Every crime victim suffers twice: on one hand, one is affected when life savings disappear to fraudsters, and on the other hand, it leads to a feeling of insecurity. Therefore, it is very good that the police and the banks now have an active campaign to prevent this type of crime, but more is needed.

It is far too easy for fraudsters to find detailed information about you. It only takes a quick Google search to find out your personal identity number, your assessment data, how many cars you own, and what your home is valued at. The Liberals believe that there must be limitations on how registers with people's personal data are set up. It is not just about people's privacy but also about security.

What does the government intend to do in this matter to reverse the development?

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Statsrådet Niklas Wykman (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. It is a very important matter.

All crime is obviously upsetting and provoking, but I am convinced that I am not alone in feeling a particularly strong contempt for those individuals who subject our elderly to these types of frauds. One takes away from people perhaps their last life savings and even the last security they have in life when one steps into their homes or straight into their wallets and steals not only the money but also the security. It needs to be powerfully countered.

The questioner points out a number of measures that are either underway or are relevant to look at more closely in the future. It is obviously also important that we set requirements for and exercise supervision over banks and others so that they have an effective operation regarding this. I also welcome, Mr. Speaker, that the industry itself encourages consumers to take increased responsibility and protect themselves against fraud. But the ultimate line of defense must obviously be what we do together and the supervision we exercise over different types of authorities, and that work is ongoing.

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Cecilia Rönn (L)

Mr. Speaker! It sounds good and reassuring that one both follows and initiates the work that is needed, because it is very important to find a balanced trade-off between openness and privacy - especially in order to undermine organized crime.

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Statsrådet Niklas Wykman (M)

Mr. Speaker! Let me also be clear that the question, just as the questioner says, needs to be put into a context. If we have a lot of organized crime and gangs that sustain themselves through criminal activities, frauds will be a part of our society. The frauds do not occur in isolation and in a vacuum, but are carried out by gangs, individuals, and groups that organize themselves to commit crimes. There, frauds are part of the livelihood.

We would welcome as broad a parliamentary support as possible in the important work against organized crime. Fraud is a part of this. It is also about taking away these people's weapons and locking up those who commit crimes - for a long time. It is simply about cutting off their finances.

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Mikael Dahlqvist (S)

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

In a report that Kommunal has produced, Personal som lämnar, we can read that more than every other person working in elderly care does not want to continue doing so. The work is considered to be too physically and mentally demanding. Of those who work in elderly care today, 46 percent believe they will still be there in three years. This report has been produced continuously in recent years, and the figures are only getting worse and worse.

The most common reasons cited are, naturally, mental and physical strain and that one cannot meet the care and nursing needs of the elderly. Furthermore, people feel that the working hours encroach too heavily on social time with the family and so on.

My question to Minister Anna Tenje is therefore: How do you, as the responsible minister, view the alarming figures in the report that Kommunal has presented?

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Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you very much for the question.

The question of strengthening Swedish elderly care and, above all, getting more of those who currently work in elderly care to want to stay, have the strength to work more, and actually manage to work longer is highly urgent. I have read the report that the member speaks of, and it is clear that I find it deeply worrying. But there are also other signals from the welfare sector and those who work within health and care; it is indeed within these professions that one sees the greatest value and values their work tasks the most.

This is about the fact that we need to strengthen the working environment within health and care. We must ensure that more people want to seek out this important area and attract more to health and care. More people should be able to build a career. But above all, I believe it is about leadership: We must strengthen the leadership within Swedish elderly care - and ensure that it is strengthened properly - so that the staff working there today can feel more included, be involved and contribute, and feel that they are contributing by doing a good job.

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Mona Olin (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Anna Tenje.

In surveys that Kommunal conducted among employed members within elderly care as early as 2012, it appears that a full 76 percent of the members wanted to change jobs within three years. In 2017, the figure was 60 percent. In 2022, Kommunal conducted a new survey among its members, and even here, frightening figures appear: Over half of the employees within elderly care do not intend to remain in three years.

The Sweden Democrats take the acute and alarming situation within elderly care seriously. It is extremely important that we during the mandate period - with the new right-wing government - prioritize this sector, which already today suffers from a shortage of 100,000 employees. It is important for ourselves, for our relatives, and for everyone who works within home care and elderly care in Sweden.

In view of this, I would like to ask Anna Tenje: How does the Minister for Older Care view the major problems that exist regarding the supply of competence within elderly care?

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Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the question.

I take this most seriously. I work extensively on the issue of skills supply, and we discuss how we can strengthen Sweden's municipalities and regions regarding this issue. It is about educating more people and getting more people to seek out the sector. It is also about getting those who are already in health and social care professions to want to stay and have the strength to work longer. In that case, the work environment must become better, and there must be strong leadership that includes the employees.

It is also a matter of looking out for all those who today do not have a job to go to. It is a matter of ensuring that they move from benefits to work, that they receive an education and that they are matched into healthcare and care professions. Then we must ensure that there is a language requirement and support people so that they learn the language. We must ensure that there is an opportunity for education, both when it concerns palliative care and dementia and when it concerns moving from healthcare assistant to assistant nurse.

Now a protected professional title is coming, which I believe is extremely good for raising the status.

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Andrea Andersson Tay (V)

Mr. Speaker! Vattenfall has recently announced that they want to expand the hydropower in Umeälven and Luleälven. In connection with this news, the Minister for Climate and Environment was asked if she could promise that the untouched rivers in Sweden will also continue to be untouched. Among these are, among others, the national rivers Torne älv, Kalix älv, Pite älv and Vindelälven. There is a ban on new hydropower plants there. The Minister gave no such promise but said that she trusts that the Minister for Energy and Vattenfall maintain a good overview of how to best expand our energy production.

The majority of our watercourses are regulated today. Hydropower is of great importance for Sweden's energy supply, but it also has negative effects on the environment in and around the rivers. Therefore, the few remaining unregulated rivers need to be preserved, and environmental improvement measures must be taken at existing hydropower plants.

My question to Ebba Busch is: Does the government stand behind the prohibition in the Environmental Code against hydropower in the national rivers, or is there a plan to change the law?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the question.

This is an incredibly important issue. It is about how we manage to safeguard the hydropower that has served Sweden so well and which is dispatchable. Within a few seconds, one can ramp up or ramp down power production and in that way maintain the stability that needs to exist in the energy system at any given moment. This is important for households and not least for the industry that is now paving the way for the green transition.

It is also a matter of safeguarding the important environmental and natural values that exist. Regarding the member's specific question, there are no proposals for new legislation that affect these rivers in that way. What we have welcomed are the messages regarding the possibility of increasing power output and improving efficiency, primarily in existing dams and hydropower plants.

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Stina Larsson (C)

Mr. Speaker! Many school leaders and principals are currently tearing their hair out to make the finances work. They are doing everything to find money and to avoid having to lay off teachers or other staff.

In the Center Party's budget proposal, there are increased investments in the schools. This is primarily about more money for teachers but also about more money for school meals and support for small schools. We see that this is extremely important for the students to succeed in their schooling.

While the teachers struggle in the classrooms, the minister sits on their pedestal and pushes away the responsibility. More money is needed for the schools and for the municipalities. It is the state that determines the rules for the school. It is the state that has placed the costs for newly arrived students on the municipalities. It is also the state's policy that affects inflation, but the government does not want to take its responsibility.

My question to the Minister for Education is: When and how does the Minister intend to act to support the municipalities and the schools, so that our students can complete their schooling throughout the country?

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! There is no doubt that this government takes school very seriously. In the policy we are now pursuing and in the budget that currently applies, a historic investment in the Swedish school is being implemented. It is the largest investment in modern times. It is important so that the children and students will learn sufficiently and to give the teachers support in the everyday life they experience.

It is also important to say that the responsibility for the school is municipal - 92 percent of the funding of the school comes from the municipalities, and 8 percent comes from the state. The state takes full responsibility for the 8 percent that the state is responsible for. Now it is important that the municipalities take their responsibility when it comes to the remaining part.

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Marielle Lahti (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Energy and Business.

Thus the Minister for Energy and Business said in the spring of 2022:

I have never seen the need for unity when it comes to precisely oil and gas. Everything that in any way can hinder Putin's financing to wage this war is good. Everyone sees that it is blood money that is currently flowing from European countries - from Sweden and from Germany - which actually finances Putin's ability to wage this war.

In line with the fact that sanctions have been introduced against Russian oil and Russian coal, the Swedish import has also decreased. On the other hand, the deliveries of Russian gas to Swedish ports have continued and at times even increased after the Riksdag's announcement in May 2022. We are talking about billions to Putin's war chest.

What does the Minister for Energy and Business intend to do to stop these blood money from Sweden to Russia?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I want to begin by underlining that my statements from the spring of 2022 remain unchanged. It is also from this line that we operate in a government position when it comes to the Swedish responsibility and the opportunity that the government has to influence this as well as within the framework of the EU cooperation. The EU must become independent of Russian gas and oil, and the fossil-free path is the way forward. Therefore, it is remarkable that some countries have now chosen instead to continue with this dependency.

To date, we have implemented ten sanction packages against Russia, and we do not rule out further such measures. Imports have fallen sharply both to the EU as a whole and to Sweden. It is difficult to differentiate exactly what enters the Swedish ports, exactly where it comes from, and what arrives at Swedish ports and is loaded further. We are, however, doing everything we can to stop or complicate this even in the future.

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Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to the Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance, Anna Tenje.

We are getting older, and with increased age, the risk of being affected by diseases also increases. At the same time, we stay healthier longer into old age and place higher demands on that we should have a good quality of life further into old age. This is somewhat of a paradox, but it is still very important that it is this way.

One of the explanations is that a lot of research is being conducted. We also have much more aids. We know that one can stay healthier longer into old age because there is a lot of help to be had. Above all, it is important that the elderly can get access to this.

I am glad that there is so much research ongoing and that there are assistive devices, but I also want to see that this reaches the users. My question is how the government works to ensure that this reaches, for example, the elderly care homes. I am speaking about both the assistive devices and the fact that the research is ongoing. I also want to ask how one can support and develop this research.

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

Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks for the question, Member!

The Chairman of the Committee asked a very pressing question: How do we spread the knowledge to where it is actually needed, namely to the elderly and to those who perform the work in the important healthcare and care sector?

I have the privilege of leading the Elder Research Council with the five leading researchers in the country regarding elderly care. I intend to take in their information and knowledge to the greatest extent possible and ensure that it is disseminated.

We have cooperation with SKR in several different respects. We have also established the new elderly competence center under the National Board of Health and Welfare, primarily to gather information for the state, as it was evident that one did not quite have full knowledge of how municipalities and regions work when it comes to the elderly. This was shown, not least during the pandemic.

My firm opinion is that we must turn the kitten around and push out the information. All the research and knowledge that we have needs to be shared with those who need it most. I am talking about Sweden's municipalities and users as well as those in the welfare sector.

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

Ingemar Kihlström (KD)

Mr. Speaker! My question also goes to Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance Anna Tenje.

It is important that Sweden has a pension system that is long-term sustainable, and we Christian Democrats want to continue to safeguard that. It is also important that the pension system provides good financial support after work has ended.

There is a need for further reinforcements of pensioners' finances, and there is currently a significant surplus in the income pension system. In February, the Pensions Agency stated that the surplus is 1,300 billion, and thus the assets are nearly 13 percent larger than the debts.

We Christian Democrats and other Tidö parties have proposed that a so-called gas be introduced, that is to say, that a part of the surplus is used to strengthen the pensions for today's and future pensioners.

Today there is a brake in the pension system to guarantee the assets, but when does the minister assess that it could be possible with a change so that there is also a gas that uses part of the surplus for today's and tomorrow's pensioners?

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

Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

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

Pensions and pensioners are undeniably an issue that I am passionate about.

The question of the gas is important. It is true that there is a large surplus, and it is important that we address the issue. I share the member's view that we could discuss this, not least in the Pensions Group when that work begins.

I believe that this is something we can move forward with in order to strengthen pensions and our pension system.

It is, however, not a simple question. It will require quite a lot of investigative work. Recently, I visited Andra AP-fonden in Gothenburg, and there we discussed precisely the forecasts for and the effects of using gas in the same way as a brake to balance and strengthen the pension system. It is not done in a heartbeat, and it must be done with great respect.

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

Gunilla Carlsson (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Niklas Wykman.

There is currently a tough economic situation for many households in our country with increased living costs in the form of more expensive food and energy prices and increased interest expenses.

This week, the Riksbank issued a new interest rate announcement regarding a further increase of 0.5 percentage points to 3.5 percent. Now, many are waiting with anxiety about what their banks will announce regarding interest rates.

Yesterday we received a report that the banks made large profits in the first quarter of the year. People are talking about the banks' profit festival - a result of the increased interest income.

How does Minister Wykman view the banks' profits in this, for many, tough economic situation?

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

Statsrådet Niklas Wykman (M)

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

Generally, the government's economic policy is about us being able to break the high inflation as quickly and soon as possible, because it takes a heavy toll on households and on Swedish competitiveness.

One can note that the parties in the labor market have taken a great responsibility so that Sweden can exit this situation more quickly and so that the problems do not need to be deepened. It is welcome.

One can also observe that unprofitable banks are an even greater problem. But interest rates have risen, and many have experienced that the mortgage rate rose faster than the deposit rate.

It is important to take competition-promoting measures. I and the government are, for example, very tired of the problem that one cannot obtain the amortization basis digitally. If one could get it, it would become easier to place demands on the bank and to be able to switch banks faster. It is an example of one of the competition improvements that the market may be in need of.

It is important that we constantly sharpen the competition. It is important that one as a consumer can place demands on the bank and change banks. It is simply central to obtaining a solution to this problem.

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

Per Söderlund (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question also goes to the Minister for Finance.

The purpose of the risk tax is to tax credit institutions that, in the event of a financial crisis, risk causing significant indirect costs for society. Unfortunately, the tax also hits Kommuninvest and thus affects municipalities and regions.

The Riksdag therefore issued a notice to the government during the previous parliamentary term to exempt Kommuninvest from this tax, something that the Sverigedemokraterna and Kristdemokraterna had submitted a motion on when the bill was being debated. Alternatively, municipalities and regions should be compensated in another way for the increased borrowing costs they would be hit by when the tax was introduced.

Municipalities and regions have since the tax was introduced been compensated as intended with the announcement. The current government considered, however, that the announcement was only to some extent accommodated by this and stated that the preparation continued in the Government Offices.

Does the government have any announcement to give in this matter to those municipalities and regions that have large loans with Kommuninvest?

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

Statsrådet Niklas Wykman (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for a good question.

This does not fall fully within my area of responsibility. However, the questioner is entirely correct that when the previous government introduced this tax, many pointed out that it posed challenges for Kommuninvest' operations and increased costs for the country's municipalities. It was stated, however, that they intended to compensate the municipalities through state grants.

This is rooted in a conflict with the EU regulatory framework, which simply does not allow for the subsidizing of activities in any way.

The tax authority received this consequence, which is always troublesome to handle, and there is no announcement of a solution here and now.

Just as the questioner said, this was pointed out in the Riksdag. At that point in time, I myself was a member of the Committee on Taxation, where the issue was handled. The difficulty and complexity of the question has been present throughout. Nevertheless, there was a majority for this tax and the situation we now have to deal with.

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

Isabell Mixter (V)

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

The high prices of food and other necessities are now being felt properly in people's wallets. For an average family with children, costs have increased by around 17 percent.

The government is shockingly passive in helping households. The government and Sverigedemokraterna throw up their hands and say that they can do nothing as it risks fueling inflation.

Soon summer will arrive, and for some, thoughts turn to sun and swimming. But for many, this summer will instead mean a lump in the stomach and a strong worry about how the money will suffice for another meal when the children do not get school lunch.

Vänsterpartiet has therefore proposed a temporary crisis child allowance of 400 kronor per child, which is financed through a paused rut deduction.

Mr. Speaker! My question is simple: Why does Anna Tenje prioritize tax deductions for cleaning help over increased child allowance in the crisis?

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

Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! The government is anything but passive when it comes to combating the economic crisis we find ourselves in, and the single most important thing we can do is to fight inflation. It is inflation that eats into people's wallets, it is inflation that is harmful to companies, and it is inflation that makes poor families with children even poorer.

We have prioritized an increase of the housing allowance for particularly vulnerable families with children so that those who have it the toughest will get it a little better.

It will, however, continue to be tough for many. But the single most important contribution the government can make is to fight inflation, because inflation is everyone's enemy.

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

Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Mr. Speaker! I had intended to ask a question to the Minister for Energy about Öresundsverket, but she was exemplary in Skåne this week. Thanks for that, and keep listening to the Center Party and Skåne and it will probably go well!

Instead, I pose a question to the Minister for Education after hearing him speak about taking responsibility and being historical in response to my dear colleague's question.

Swedish schools are bleeding money right now, and the only thing the Education Minister offers is disparaging tweets and arrogance. It is not enough.

It is the municipalities that are saving Swedish schools right now, and it is sad to see that the government does not offer a single krona.

The only thing that is historical right now is that we have a Liberal or People Party or similar who is cutting back on both schools, vocational colleges and vocational adult education and is closing down trade schools. It is historical.

When will the Liberals and the government start taking responsibility for Swedish schools and the Swedish education system instead of being historical and cutting them across the board?

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

Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker and the questioner! The government is investing heavily in Swedish schools. We are making a historic investment in the budget that is now being implemented in Sweden. Several of the reforms we are moving forward with concern more textbooks and offering school during holidays to children who are struggling in school. The Center Party said no to that in its budget motion last autumn. The reforms that we are presenting here and have had passed are those the Center Party voted no to.

In Stockholm, Sweden's largest municipality, and in Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest municipality, the Center Party, together with the Social Democrats and other red-green parties, are involved in and carrying out the largest cuts in schools, which means that during the month of May we will have large demonstrations in both Stockholm and Gothenburg.

I fully understand that teachers, parents, and children are worried and protesting. For this, a very heavy responsibility rests on the Center Party, which votes no to more textbooks in this chamber and actively contributes to savings in Stockholm and Gothenburg.

We take full responsibility for the state's part of the Swedish school system. Now it is time for the Centre Party to take its responsibility for the Swedish school system.

(Applause)

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

Rebecka Le Moine (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Enterprise. In the 1980s, we had more than 30,000 forest jobs. Today, that figure is around half. It is also less than 3 percent of these jobs that are located in rural areas, and the profitability for Swedish forest owners is among the worst in Europe.

Now there are goals and demands that we should protect more nature - 30 percent - and also restore around 30 percent of nature.

My question to the Minister for Enterprise is quite simply: How can we begin to shift the policy so that we favor the individual over the industry? What can we in politics do, and what does the government intend to do, to develop economic incentives where the forestry industry also gets reasonable chances to find profitability in achieving the goals of 30 percent protection and 30 percent restoration?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! We should be incredibly proud of the Swedish forest industry and the great and fine heritage that the forest has given us historically. I believe we have taken this a bit for granted.

It has been noticed in negotiations at the EU level in recent years with the red-greens in the government, not least in the issue of LULUCF, which has risked restricting the possibilities to also continue to manage the forest in a good way in Sweden in the future. We now need to implement it in a good way to protect both nature and the forest, but also the opportunity for more jobs that our forestry industry entails.

I look forward to this issue being debated further here in the chamber, after which we will return to the implementation of LULUCF.

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

Carl Nordblom (M)

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

Last week, the Swedish National Audit Office released its audit report on grant funding to civil society. The report argues that the control of grants to civil society is far too weak and that Swedish authorities do not follow up to a sufficient extent that tax money is used in a correct manner. The Swedish National Audit Office claims that this enables fraud and misuse of taxpayers' money, but also that there is a risk that taxpayers' money is exploited and used by extreme and criminal forces.

Many have warned against exactly that before the National Audit Office. During the previous mandate period, political journalists, academics, and experts debated this and highlighted the issues.

The previous government did far too little in this area, and I wonder now: What will our new government do to guarantee that taxpayers' money is not paid out to extreme or criminal forces?

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

Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

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

It is about an important part of Swedish democracy. There are many children and young people but also adults who spend much of their free time in activities where we today do not know if taxpayers' money is being used in a proper way. The Government takes very seriously the reports of fraud and corruption and various types of criminal activity that have been associated with civil society.

A lot of good is being done in civil society. Not everyone in civil society is a fraud, but the few who exploit the system are a very big problem and a legitimacy problem.

Our taxpayers get up early every morning, go to their work and pay tax, and I want to be able to look them in the eye as a politician and say that we are doing everything so that the money does not end up in the pockets of crooks but goes to the activities for which they were intended. The government is now taking important, powerful measures to rectify this.

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Hans Eklind (KD)

Mr. Speaker! My question concerns the amortization requirement and is addressed to the Minister for Finance.

It is not the debts, but the inability to manage to pay these debts that constitutes a risk to financial stability. The amortization requirement and the increased amortization requirement mean that households' ability to manage higher interest rates, more expensive food and fuel and so on is being eroded. Here and now, I disregard that the requirement also shuts out many first-time buyers and young families with children from the housing market.

With the risk that the Minister will refer to an investigation that was just recently commissioned, I would nevertheless like to hear if the Minister can comment on both what social benefit the amortization requirement provides, and whether the removal of the requirement is truly inflation-driving. This is something that is heard in the debate when it is highlighted that the requirement should be removed.

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

Statsrådet Niklas Wykman (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. It is so complex that the answer may not fit within one minute.

Let me begin by stating that it is important to support households at this stage. It has been one of the core ideas. We are adding approximately 40 billion to support households during these tough, trying times.

Then I would like to go a bit into polemics regarding the fact that debt is not the problem. It is clear that large debts lead to higher interest costs when interest rates rise. Sweden stands out in this regard as our households are very indebted. There are several explanations. A well-functioning and well-developed financial market and, obviously, a housing market that is less well-functioning in many parts has led to a large buildup of debt.

It is clear that it is important for the financial systems as a whole to restrain the buildup of debt. There can be large and serious problems in the banks if we have too much debt and there are problems with making payments. Then, of course, many households can become very exposed when large parts of the income suddenly go towards paying increased interest rates because they have over-indebted themselves.

That we have amortizations is a matter of both consumer protection and financial stability. Then it is correct that we should review how the regulatory frameworks should look going forward.

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Åsa Eriksson (S)

Mr. Speaker! We have every reason to be proud of our generous parental leave. It gives both parents the opportunity to be at home with the children when they are small. I did, however, become concerned when I saw in an interview that Minister Tenje opened up for parents to be able to give away parental days to "an acquaintance."

Mr. Speaker! We Social Democrats believe that there is an obvious risk that this could lead to a voucher system where people hire a nanny for their parental days. This is not something that we in the Social Democrats want to see. The parental insurance is intended so that parents can be at home with their children.

I would like to ask a straight yes-or-no question to Minister Tenje: Does the government intend to introduce a voucher system in the parental leave?

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

Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you very much for the question. I do not intend to answer yes or no because the member was given a few more words to ask the question.

I believe it is extremely important to have a generous and flexible parental insurance and to open up for the fact that not all families look exactly the same. Therefore, if one is to make the life puzzle fit together and if more women are to get the opportunity to choose and perhaps enter the labor market a bit earlier, build a career and keep up in terms of salary, I do not think that we in politics should tailor everything.

In the current situation, there is an opportunity to transfer the parental allowance to a wife, husband, cohabitant and registered partner but not, for example, to a close relative whom one lives with.

I am not in the slightest bit interested in opening up any nanny-emergency, but I am keen on more families with children being able to have increased flexibility, a greater diversity, and an opportunity to make the puzzle of life fit together. But above all, I am interested in seeing more women enter the labor market earlier and be involved in building up their own economy.

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Charlotte Quensel (SD)

Mr. Speaker! The Moderates have previously appeared to be negative towards a wealth register, but now the government has sent out the previous government's investigation on introducing a detailed wealth register for consultation. The Sweden Democrats have said no to the proposal from day one. It violates privacy, costs several billion annually, and will not contribute to better interest rate decisions from the Riksbank. What the FED and ECB do has a significantly greater impact on our interest rate than a wealth register.

This is the Social Democrats' register in order to be able to introduce the much-discussed millionaire and preparedness taxes.

My question to Minister Wykman is: Does the government intend to follow the Social Democrats' lead and submit a government bill to introduce a wealth register?

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Statsrådet Niklas Wykman (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for an excellent question. This investigation was commissioned by the previous government. It has been out for consultation, and there is only one way for how it should be handled in our democratic system.

Wealth tax is something we have had in Sweden with very poor results for Swedish households. It led to entrepreneurs and companies leaving Sweden. It was very bad for Swedish wages and Swedish workers that we had it that way. We are not going back there.

There are obviously great risks with introducing such a register. One of them is a reintroduction of a very harmful tax. Let me therefore be clear. The Government will not contribute to a reintroduction of any wealth tax. We will also not contribute to a rebuilding of any infrastructure for such a tax. On the other hand, we will of course read the referral comments that have been submitted and analyze the issue in its entirety.

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

Marianne Fundahn (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Energy and Enterprise.

Swedish and foreign companies are queuing to build offshore wind farms, and eight applications are on the government's desk. When does the government intend to approve the applications for offshore wind power that are currently on the table?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I want to start by repeating what my dear colleague Minister for Environment and Climate Romina Pourmokhtari has said: Nothing is on the table. This is being actively worked on at the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise.

It is incredibly urgent to release more power production, but we have long permit processes for wind power. There is some kind of myth that nuclear power goes slowly and wind power goes fast. The average time has been between 12 and 17 years for wind power in Sweden. We must remedy that now.

We are actively working with the few applications that, according to all the rules, pass the government. We hope to be able to judge them as soon as possible. But I want to emphasize that the security policy situation is difficult. The Armed Forces and the Defence shall have their say in this, which means that a yes may have come from all instances—even from the business community and the climate—but a no for defense reasons. It is also an important part to look at to see how we can bridge it moving forward in order to be able to pave the way for more wind power, where it is welcome.

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Ludvig Aspling (SD)

Mr. Speaker! According to a background document on integration prepared by the City of Malmö, 56 percent of Malmö's population now has a migrant background. According to the report, the city therefore suffers from something called superdiversity, which means that there is simply no majority population anymore.

Against this background, the authors argue that the entire idea of integration should be scrapped and that the city should instead formalize cultural segregation as an official social model.

I therefore want to ask Ebba Busch the following: Does the city of Malmö have a point? How is integration to be possible at all if a minority of Swedes are to integrate a majority with a migrant background? Is there any possibility at all of succeeding with integration in Malmo, given that integration has failed under significantly more favorable conditions, especially against the background that the political governance there seems rather uninterested in this?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! It would be an utterly bad idea to depart from the principle of building a larger "we" where people are given the opportunity to come to Sweden and become a part of Sweden. This government's basic position is that people shall be integrated into Swedish society. We shall not cement segregation.

We are now carrying out a clear paradigm shift, which the four coalition parties agree on. Migration needs to be put in relation to our integration capacity. It is rather what Malmö city and all other municipalities in Sweden should also adhere to, and here work and language are an important part. But it is not enough if one is to be able to fully become a part of Swedish society. Common values are also important for us to be able to live in harmony together.

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Per-Arne Håkansson (S)

Mr. Speaker! The question goes to Minister for Enterprise Ebba Busch.

When I meet representatives from green industries, industry, and trade unions, they emphasize the importance of investments in increased electricity production. It is crucial for new jobs, growth, and increased competitiveness. A recurring question is the one that Ebba Busch was just touching upon, namely the question of the permit processes. Based on the Swedish social model where strong local anchoring and citizen focus exist, it is a matter of finding forms so that the permit management keeps pace with the development potential and the needs that exist.

Recently, my party, the Social Democrats, presented a proposal with nine points to achieve faster processes. There are, as I understand it, referred proposals submitted.

What is the government's timeline for producing a bill with more efficient permit processes for electricity production and the electricity grid?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The answer is that this is of absolute top priority. Both the climate justice inquiry and the environmental assessment inquiry have now reached the government's desk. Some of it we have already implemented in the form of new directives and assignments in parts of regulatory letters, but there is very much more to do based on these two inquiries.

Our view, however, is that an additional investigation is needed to review the entirety of the processes, and we are working on the directives for it. Furthermore, we have an active dialogue with all the country's county administrative boards regarding their important role in speeding up the permit process. They must have sufficient resources and capacity but also be able to see the forest for the trees: What is the overriding goal when looking at and applying the legislation in detail? This, too, is an important part of the implementation.

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Carita Boulwén (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Elderly people with multiple illnesses are a patient group that is increasing and who are in strong need of coordinated interventions to meet complex needs for medical care and nursing care. Since 2010, there have been provisions in both the Social Services Act and the Health and Medical Services Act that the municipality and region shall establish a so-called SIP when interventions need to be coordinated. Since 2018, this is also included in the law on cooperation upon discharge from inpatient health and medical care.

Despite many years of attempts to reform healthcare to create a functioning collaboration, there are still major deficiencies and SIPs that are never established. This has also been noted in the recently presented research report from SNS. According to the researchers, the deficiencies are due to shared responsibility between several actors, poor communication between municipality and region, as well as a lack of competence and resources. Furthermore, there is a lack of state governance on how the collaboration should take place.

The Sweden Democrats take seriously that elderly people with multiple illnesses risk not receiving the care they need and that unplanned readmissions to hospitals are increasing.

I therefore want to ask Minister Anna Tenje: What does the Minister consider is required to truly address the deficiencies that exist in the cooperation between municipality and region and the great risks it entails, not least for multi-morbid elderly?

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Statsrådet Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks for a very pressing and very important question! We really need to get down to business with solving this. Shared responsibility is sometimes no responsibility. It is undeniably so that we need to organize this in a better way, but there are many who take their responsibility. I believe it is important that we strengthen the medical competence, not least in the municipalities, but also that we ensure that the gaps that exist in both the Health and Medical Services Act and the Social Services Act are closed.

I believe it is good that we now move forward with a fixed care contact within home care. I also believe it is good to establish a fixed care contact within special housing, where many of the multi-morbid today are located. There are many things we need to do here. It is not a single thing that will solve everything. But it is an urgent task for my department and my officials. I can assure you that my political work largely consists of strengthening precisely these parts.

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Malin Larsson (S)

Mr. Speaker! We know that Sweden needs more electricity production in a short time to accelerate the climate transition. We also know that the absolutely cheapest electricity today – and that which can be expanded most quickly – comes from wind power. The greatest potential lies in offshore wind power. Therefore, it is pleasing that the Minister for Energy and Business now also says that we need more wind power everywhere. The Minister for Business has partially joined what we Social Democrats have long said: that all fossil-free types of energy are needed.

But at the same time, Jimmie Åkesson clearly answers yes to a direct question from the media regarding whether he intends to try to stop large-scale wind power expansion. It is worrying, I think. What does the consensus on wind power actually look like between the parties in the Tidö Agreement? How does the Minister for Energy and Enterprise intend to ensure support for an offensive policy for expanded wind power?

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Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)

Mr. Speaker! We are in agreement. This is the policy on which Sweden is governed now. We have four coalition parties that are in agreement on energy policy.

I think it is a matter of having a bit more backbone regarding individual statements where one expresses that one might not be wind power's absolute biggest fan. I perceive that one is actually pointing out complete self-evident truths, such as that it is possible to run the energy system on only nuclear power but not on only wind power. Such requirements have not been set. If they were, we would also get steel forests in Sweden. I think that would be wrong, when it is possible to achieve a different balance and use common sense to get a sensible mix in our energy system.

This is precisely the policy that we pursue and that we agree upon among the four coalition parties. Above all, I notice that we are becoming more and more parties in this chamber who agree on paving the way for all fossil-free power sources. It is very pleasing. All good forces are needed.

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Mats Wiking (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Education. It has come to our attention as Social Democrats that the government is not satisfied with the nominations that have been put forward for new boards at our universities. Normal practice is that boards at universities are appointed for three years at a time. But now the government is deciding on an appointment of only 17 months.

This creates a number of question marks. On one hand, one can ask what it means for the peace of work and the stability at our educational institutions, and on the other hand, it raises concerns that SD is now making reality of its demand for influence over the government's appointments. The Chairman of the Swedish Association of Universities and Colleges, SUHF, has expressed the following: "That type of micro-management has not occurred previously and I see it as a direct impact on the educational institutions' self-determination."

I would therefore like to ask the Minister for Education if he can explain to the Swedish people why the government has departed from practice and trust to instead question the nominations that have been made to the boards of our educational institutions.

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Utbildningsministern Mats Persson (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. I believe that the Swedish people appreciate politicians who do not cast suspicion on other politicians but believe the best of people and of political intentions. That is, after all, what usually characterizes the democratic society that Sweden is.

We have a new security policy situation to live in. China, Iran, and Russia are acting in a completely new way. Reports from Säpo and the authority Must point out that infiltration and theft of patents is occurring at our educational institutions. In this new environment, Sweden naturally needs to ensure that we act in accordance with the new security policy situation. Therefore, the government will ensure that competence regarding security policy is strengthened in the boards of our universities.

For that reason, we will this time have a shorter period for those who sit on the boards. In that way, we can ensure better competence further ahead. We do this because we take responsibility for Sweden in a very serious security policy situation, where Sweden is entering Nato, where we have war in Europe, and where China acts in a completely new way, which has been noted in several news articles in leading Swedish media and also in the reports that Swedish authorities present publicly to the general public.

This is serious. It is not political games. It is about taking responsibility for Sweden. This is a decision that the government has taken independently. It has nothing to do with political games or other parties outside the government.

Question time was hereby concluded.

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