Question Time

FÖRSTE VICE TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions will be answered today by Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand, and Minister Romina Pourmokhtari. Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard will answer both general policy questions as well as questions within her own area of responsibility.

A question must be of an overarching and general political nature or concern a subject that falls within the Minister's area of responsibility and relates to his performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties.

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Anna Vikström (S)

Mr. Speaker! After having taken note of the Principal's Inquiry's proposal for personal assistance, we Social Democrats have concluded that we will stand behind the inquiry's main conclusions and proposals. This means that we want the responsibility for the assistance to be gathered in its entirety with the state as the sole principal.

It means that with our 107 parliamentary mandates, there is a broad majority in the Riksdag for a state-level headship. During the election campaign, Camilla Waltersson Grönvall stated that the Moderaterna were also in favor of a state-level headship. My questions to the Minister are therefore: When can we see a timetable for the work on the bill? And will you be able to complete an implementation of the proposal by January 1, 2026?

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Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Anna Vikström, for this important question! Let me begin by saying how pleased I was the other day when the Social Democrats held their press conference! The Social Democrats are thus the eighth and final parliamentary party whose position we have not known.

This announcement does not only mean that we have a stable majority in this chamber, but my assessment is that we will also be a united chamber when we move to a decision on the issue.

This is an important point in the Tidö Agreement, where we, between the coalition parties, state that we want to see a unified ownership. For far too long, people have fallen between the cracks in the shared ownership that we have had between municipalities and the state. Therefore, it is now important that we get an opportunity to move forward.

The investigation was presented a short while ago. Now we move forward with the referral process.

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Anna Vikström (S)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer! This is a change that cannot wait. The right to assistance must be strengthened and the cheating must be stopped.

Therefore, the first thing we would like to see is a timetable for the work to ensure that the government can actually manage this by 2026 and does not become unnecessarily delayed. I perceive that it is a very positive response from Camilla Waltersson Grönvall. But can we trust that a decision will be made in time?

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Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! As the member is well aware, the Moderaterna, among others, pushed the issue in opposition in the Social Affairs Committee. We also submitted a committee initiative together with Vänsterpartiet and Kristdemokraterna. There is, therefore, a very stable majority to move the issue forward.

The question is currently out for consultation. The final consultation date is June 9. I look forward with great confidence and great joy to receiving the consultation responses in order to then be able to present the government's continued work.

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Ludvig Aspling (SD)

Mr. Speaker! The so-called "track change" may be the most abused rule in Swedish migration policy history. Simply put, it means that people who actually lack grounds for asylum can still remain in Sweden by obtaining employment. This opens the door for unscrupulous entrepreneurs to exploit and blackmail vulnerable and poor people, to sell residence permits for cash, and to pressure wages and conditions for workers in Sweden.

The criticism from, among others, the Swedish National Audit Office and the Delegation for Migration Studies has been clear, but the previous government chose not to act and do anything about this. The issue was debated yesterday here in the chamber. The government has announced that it will remove the rule, which is extremely important.

I therefore want to ask the Minister for Migration: When can we expect a government bill on this?

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ludvig Aspling, for this pressing issue! I am pleased that the government and the Sweden Democrats agree in the Tidö Agreement that we shall abolish track switching. It should have been done a long time ago.

Just as Ludvig Aspling points out, there are a number of cases that show how the rule has been exploited. One can even see that this leads to people seeking asylum in Sweden when the actual purpose is to immigrate for work. This means, in addition to abusing the asylum system, that it becomes a mixing. The idea is that if you come here to work, you should have your permit in place already before you travel here.

We have an ongoing investigation. It will submit its result no later than January 31, and after that, the government will prioritize submitting a proposition as soon as possible.

(Applause)

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Ludvig Aspling (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I think it is important to learn from mistakes – both one's own and others'. One thing that I think this story puts its finger on is the importance of controlling that rules are followed.

What will the government do to ensure that future migration policy rules – I am thinking primarily of the wage threshold and the self-sufficiency requirement that we have agreed upon – will actually be respected in practice?

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ludvig Aspling, for the follow-up question! It is exactly as Ludvig Aspling points out: the regulatory framework is one thing, but if one does not ensure that it is actually complied with, the regulatory framework does not play such a large role.

We know how unscrupulous employers still exploit people in a terrible way in Sweden today. Therefore, we must strengthen our authorities in their work to ensure that the rules are complied with. We must, of course, also engage in rule-keeping to ensure that we always have a regulatory framework that is fit for purpose. We are prepared to change it at any time if required.

(Applause)

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Jessica Wetterling (V)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to the Minister for Culture. Every year, the Sámi Language Centre releases a situation report on the Sámi languages in Sweden. It is a reading that is, to say the least, depressing: All five Sámi languages are currently endangered. Ume and Pite Sámi are also classified as critically endangered.

At the same time, the UN launched the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, Idil, last year, which for the coming ten-year period aims to draw attention to languages at risk of dying out but also obliges the countries within the UN to make efforts to preserve, protect and develop all the small languages that are currently vulnerable and threatened.

My question to the Minister is therefore: What measures does she intend to take in view of the deficiencies in knowledge of the languages that exist, but also on the grounds of the situation report and the upcoming year's indigenous languages' decade?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for an important question. Language is extremely important. Language is an identity marker, a creator of who we are and want to be. Therefore, it is important to work so that people can preserve their language, regardless of which one it is.

When it comes to our national minorities, it is important for the government to continue working with our established language centers. We have very recently inaugurated a language center for meänkieli, which is one of our national minority languages.

It is important for the government to continue working with language issues generally when it comes to our national minorities.

When it comes to the Sami language, the government intends to continue working together with the Sami Parliament to look at the needs and what solutions can exist in the future.

(Applause)

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Jessica Wetterling (V)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the answer, Minister! Just as the Minister says, the needs are at least acute.

A concrete proposal in this year's situation report highlights what Vänsterpartiet has also motioned about previously: a scholarship scheme for studies in the Sami languages. It is, just as the minister says, clear to everyone that the extensive lack of competence in Sami languages, but also competence in the other minority languages, causes the educational chain to break and that the languages are not being revitalized at the rate that is needed.

In our neighboring countries, a scholarship scheme is offered. Is it something the Minister is considering that Sweden should also offer?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! There is no such order in Sweden today, and it is nothing that we are looking at right now. But when different opportunities for language revitalization are introduced, I believe it must take place in consultation with and together with the minorities themselves. They shall be involved in looking at what the needs are, what the wishes are, and above all how the language has developed over time and where we believe it will be in the future. It looks different for the different minorities, and they have different needs.

When it comes to the Sami language, we have a good cooperation with the Sami Parliament to discuss these issues and move them forward.

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Anne-Li Sjölund (C)

Mr. Speaker! There is a major competence shortage in Sweden. Personnel are lacking in many industries across the country. One of many important tools to remedy the shortage is labor from other countries. In the basic industry in northern Sweden alone, it is estimated that 11,000 new employees will be needed by 2026.

The CEO of Industriarbetsgivarna says: "Limiting the immigration of labor is a blow to Swedish industry." In recent days, a number of other employers' organizations have also been clear that Sweden does not only need highly qualified labor. We need all the labor we can get our hands on.

My question is directed to Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard. How does the government intend for a wage floor for labor immigration to stimulate the development of northern Sweden and the great need for labor?

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Anne-Li Sjölund, for this pressing issue! It is extremely important that companies have access to the right competence. This also applies to foreign competence, but one must also utilize the competence that exists in Sweden.

The reallocation of labor immigration that we are now making is incredibly important. We want to focus more on high-skilled and skilled labor immigration and ensure that more of those who are already here in Sweden but not yet supporting themselves take the jobs that are available.

We are well aware of the fantastic development in northern Sweden. It is pleasing that I can point out that we, together with the Swedish Migration Agency, just a few weeks ago presented a new organization. There will be a special track for new establishments that need to recruit a number of different competencies through labor migration. They shall receive increased support for that.

(Applause)

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Anne-Li Sjölund (C)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

It is still worrying that the government does not take the uncertainty completely seriously; many industries feel that it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit competence from other countries.

What is happening right now in northern Sweden is unique. It is a real green transition. Sweden has an industry that is world-class. Then the industrial policy must also be world-class.

What measures does the government intend to take to compensate for the skills that will be lost with the government's new rules for labor immigration?

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! I am convinced that competence will not disappear. I believe rather that it will become easier to recruit. There will be shorter processing times and ensure that the companies really get the help that is needed. It is extremely important.

We are letting an investigation be conducted on a raised subsistence requirement, at approximately 33,000 kronor per month. But the investigators have also been tasked to look at whether exceptions are needed in certain industries or if geographical exceptions are needed. I think we should let the investigators work on it.

(Applause)

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Annika Hirvonen (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Yesterday I was to meet 13-year-old Saliha from Uppsala here in the Riksdag. She was born in Sweden and has lived here her whole life. She has just collected money for the class trip to Gröna Lund and has written her national tests in grade 6.

We were able to meet via Teams. At the end of last week, she was actually picked up by the border police, despite knowledge that the mother would soon begin life-sustaining treatment.

Many children in Sweden live in this situation. They are born and raised here but have not received residence permits. Their rights according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child are not being met in Sweden.

Is the government prepared to reconsider its promise to make it even more difficult for children who have been born and grown up in our country to obtain a secure residence in their home country Sweden?

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Annika Hirvonen, for the question!

I may not and cannot comment on individual cases. I believe that Annika Hirvonen is well aware of that.

Generally, it is extremely serious that children stay here for a long time without a permit. It is not good for a child to live hidden or without a permit in Sweden, with all the uncertainty that accompanies it. Furthermore, the child has not chosen that situation themselves.

The policy that the government is pursuing, however, aims to reduce that suffering. Perhaps the worst thing for a child is to live hidden in the shadow society, with all the risks it entails, for a long time. Therefore, we want to combat the shadow society as far as possible. We want to ensure that decisions are actually complied with and that Sweden's resources are used for those who truly have protection needs. It is a difficult task. But it is an important prioritization.

(Applause)

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Annika Hirvonen (MP)

Mr. Speaker! It is clear that it is not children's rights but the Sweden Democrats who are guiding this government's policy.

In the German newspaper Welt, one can also read that the minister in the first person uses the far-right expression Überfremdung. I have heard in Agenda that the minister claims it is the newspaper that has written these words. If someone had put such words in my mouth, I would have done everything in my power to have it corrected. Have you done that?

(Applause)

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! This has become a rather diverse issue. I have explained this, both to Expressen, who welcomed the explanation, and to Miljöpartiet earlier. But I am happy to explain it again.

We have submitted an article in Swedish. We have used an authorized translation agency and have then submitted the translated text. That word is not included there. But in the lead in the web version, the newspaper itself has added this. We have requested a correction.

(Applause)

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Helena Storckenfeldt (M)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden is in great need of more clean electricity. Therefore, it is pleasing that the government takes the issue seriously and acts. In just seven months, the bourgeois government has set a new course for Swedish energy and climate policy. After eight years of Social Democratic rule that has led to a dismantled energy system, it is a relief to see a turnaround.

The climate transition is the great issue of our time, and the focus is on pushing back emissions and electrifying. The dismantled energy system shall be built up. Outside my home region of Halland, the government has now approved two new offshore wind projects which together will be able to deliver enough electricity to supply approximately 1 million households. My question to the Minister for Climate and Environment is therefore how the government intends to streamline the permit processes for offshore wind power.

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Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member Storckenfeldt, for the question! Many wonder why, as Climate Minister, I speak so much about electricity and energy issues. It is because it is essentially our entire transition.

In Sweden, we have the opportunity to stop emitting the fossil, stop using that which pollutes, and instead switch to electricity. Some may think that it is only about cars, which instead of having carbon dioxide billowing out of the exhaust pipes shall run on electricity. But that is only a small part of the whole. It is about our large industries. It is about our agriculture. It is about our entire society which can actually stop emitting and reach net zero. But then much more electricity is needed.

As the member himself mentions, the government has approved both the environmental permits for two parks and the cable connection for a third park, Kriegers flak. We will continue at this pace and work hard to deliver more offshore wind power, but we will also take a holistic approach to this issue. We have recently commissioned an investigation that will analyze how the system works, in order to address this issue at the root beyond what we are already doing.

(Applause)

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Helena Storckenfeldt (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer! Sweden is, as said, in great need of more clean electricity, not least in the southern parts of the country, and it is clear that all fossil-free power sources will be needed. The Government has already approved twice as much offshore wind power as the previous government, and that points the direction. Sweden will succeed with the transition.

My follow-up question is how the government views the applications for upcoming offshore wind projects that are on the government's desk today.

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Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for another good question! Many applications have been submitted, and we welcome that. We need to conduct a proper analysis of where we can grant permission. Sometimes the defense may be concerned about how an offshore wind farm would affect the country's defense capability. Sometimes it may be the environment that would be negatively affected. We need to take the applications seriously and conduct thorough analyses before we give a decision.

We also see a need to take a holistic approach to this issue, and an investigation shall therefore look at, for example, how one can design guidance systems, so that we can say where offshore wind power can be built. We will investigate the issue carefully and deliver more proposals in this area.

(Applause)

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Magnus Berntsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Europe has a dark history of antisemitism. It manifested in all its loathsomeness through the Holocaust, where 6 million Jews met their deaths. After the Second World War, antisemitism should therefore never again gain a foothold in Europe. Generations of Europeans have learned about the Holocaust in school and listened to the stories of survivors.

Despite this, many Swedish Jews today testify that they have been threatened or persecuted, not least by Nazi and Islamist groups that scribble swastikas on Jewish schools. Jewish cemeteries are vandalized and firebombs are thrown at synagogues. The Jewish communities are therefore forced to spend a large proportion of their collected funds on security.

My question to the Minister for Culture is whether the government plans to take measures to cover the costs of security at Jewish places of worship.

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Magnus Berntsson, for an extremely urgent question! It is one of the government's primary priorities to work to counter antisemitism and to enable people to live a Jewish life fully in Sweden.

It is naturally extremely serious. I have personally had the opportunity to travel around Sweden and meet congregations that are worried, schools that are forced to spend money that should have gone to the children on security, and associations that are forced to shut down their activities due to unrest, violence, and threats. So we cannot have that in an open democracy, and we shall not have it.

The government has taken several decisions that are steps on the way to enabling harder work against antisemitism and so that people can live a free, Jewish life. One of the steps is the cross-departmental working group that has now initiated its work. The security issue is actually the first issue to be prioritized in this grouping.

(Applause)

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Magnus Berntsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! We are talking about a deeply established group in society. In my hometown of Gothenburg, the Jewish population has had a very great significance for the development of the city itself. It must be a societal responsibility to combat antisemitism wherever it appears. Therefore, I wonder if the Minister for Culture does not agree with me that the failure should not primarily be paid for by the Jewish congregations.

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! Naturally, it is the case that in an open democracy, one must have a justice system that functions. It must function against all types of hate and threats in society, even when they are so clearly antisemitic and directed at Jewish congregations and associations. Of course, this is something that the government is working on. We are reviewing both the legal forms and how we shall cooperate in a better way throughout the entire government, but also with society.

It made me incredibly unhappy when I visited the Jewish school in Gothenburg and was given access to their reports. So we shall not have that in an open and free Sweden. This government shall ensure that.

(Applause)

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Jakob Olofsgård (L)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Parisa Liljestrand.

Reading books needs to be fun. Reading is fun, but only for those who can and for those who have the opportunity. Today, many children grow up without a home filled with books, and no one reads a bedtime story to them when they are going to bed.

Earlier this year, a mapping of children's and young people's reading in the current situation was released, and it showed major deficiencies in reading comprehension among young people in vulnerable areas, children and young people with multilingualism, and children and young people with disabilities. Reading is of great importance for all parts of life. It is therefore ultimately a matter of democracy and rights. What does the Minister intend to do to increase reading so that it becomes fun for children and young people in vulnerable areas?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for an important question! It is very relevant to ask, not only in light of the report that recently arrived and which shows the reading habits among children and young people but also for precisely what the Member mentions, namely that if we are to be able to have an open, free and democratic society, reading and writing is a natural part. It is obvious to me as Minister for Culture and also for my ministerial colleague who has responsibility for the entire school sector, namely Minister Edholm.

A few weeks ago, we invited parties that today work with reading broadly in society to discuss what has been done, what needs to be done moving forward, and what steps we should take in that direction. It was an important meeting. It was the first time that the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture jointly invited to this type of session. It was also a very positive meeting, and I can assure the members that in the near future we will be able to deliver some announcements regarding this.

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Jakob Olofsgård (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for an answer that was very enjoyable to hear!

Today, many children and young people live in front of their screens. If they read anything, it is only short passages or single sentences. We need to make reading even more fun for all children, regardless of where they live in the country, and entice children into the world of books. A counterweight is needed to the world of screens where only dopamine reigns. What measures does the Minister consider important to make reading and books fun for all children and young people in Sweden?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! Just as the member himself, and both I and my other government colleagues, are on, it is very much about creating opportunities to access literature and opportunities to take part in it. There must be adults who guide one into the world of literature, not least in school but also outside. I know from my own experience how important it is that there are adults who can guide one into reading and literature when the home perhaps does not have that possibility.

We also need to work with the home and to get parents to understand how important the written word is for the children and how important it will be later in their lives.

This is a joint task we have to do moving forward.

(Applause)

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Leif Nysmed (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard. Sweden is being shaken by the ongoing gang violence. The National Police Commissioner testifies that three new recruits are joined to organized crime every day, and it is primarily children and young people.

If gangs are to be stopped, new recruitment must also be stopped. All around our country, social services work to identify children and young people who run the risk of being drawn into gangs. In many cases, these are placed in institutions and in HVB-homes - homes for care or housing - for preventive purposes, and these placements are very costly. It can cost several million kronor for a single youth.

How much did the country's social services receive from the government for the work against youth crime? They received 10 million distributed among 290 municipalities.

Does the government intend to give the country's social secretaries the resources they need to strengthen preventive work, or does the government intend to continue to underfund the social services?

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Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for a question that is more naturally answered by the Minister for Social Services.

Sweden is in an extremely serious situation right now. Children and young people - as young as ten-year-olds - are being recruited directly into criminal networks. The government therefore has a very strong focus on ensuring that we get safe streets and squares and that the development we have seen for a long time is stopped.

Just as the member is pointing out, no measures will be sufficient if we do not prevent and stop the recruitment. A part of this will therefore be the very important tool of a new Social Services Act. It will provide opportunities to work proactively instead of reactively, which is what happens under today's legislation.

The investigation was completed several years ago, but this government is now drafting a new law.

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Leif Nysmed (S)

Mr. Speaker! The low ambition is almost a mockery of the social workers who work with the issue.

In my own home municipality, Huddinge, people are working very hard now to identify who are in the risk zone. The more people one finds and identifies, the greater the risk that it will erode the municipalities' already heavily strained finances. I therefore assume that resources are added so that the municipalities can take their responsibility and help to break the new recruitment to the gangs.

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Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would wish that the Social Democrats had a bit more dialogue among themselves. The Social Democrats insist on continuing to claim that the 10 million shall be divided among 290 municipalities, even though I in several interpellation debates have stated that they naturally shall go to a central function that is to support social services broadly.

We will do what the Social Democrats failed to do. We will draft a new Social Services Act which means that Sweden's social workers will receive completely different and new tools.

(Applause)

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Angelika Bengtsson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! The debate on artistic freedom has been heated lately. The left-wing parties, with the Social Democrats at the forefront, have clearly steered art for several decades, which has been a major problem. This is noted, not least in the Agency for Cultural Analysis report *How free is art*. The steering has primarily occurred through the cultural policy and film policy goals that have characterized art for a long time.

It is appalling that artists feel forced to adapt their creativity to the left's ideological demands in order to be able to receive grants and funding.

What will the Minister for Culture do to wash away the red color from culture and make art truly free?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Angelika Bengtsson for an important question.

We have discussed the freedom of art in all possible contexts. The government has been clear from day one. Both in the Tidö Agreement and in the government statement, it is established that the principle of arm's length distance to culture and art shall apply and that the freedom of art is a prerequisite in a free and living democracy.

We will therefore continue to do everything we can to resist all possible kinds of political pressures that want to influence culture and art. By looking back at history, we know how it has functioned - quite poorly - and we know how it functions in other places in the world where culture is controlled and not free.

It will be a true pleasure for me to continue working for cultural freedom during these four years and to continue washing away all kinds of political markings in order to enable a freedom in art for real.

(Applause)

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Angelika Bengtsson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! It was pleasing, and I look forward to the work during the mandate period.

One thing that the Sweden Democrats have pushed is the issue of new cultural policy goals. It is a way to try to change and remove the red stamp that exists within culture.

How is this work progressing? When can we see new cultural policy goals that truly value the freedom of culture and the artists?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! The Government has been in place for nearly eight months. During this period, we have had the opportunity to present a budget and have had a turn where we have been able to review the regulatory letters. We have already had the opportunity to work on removing various types of political steering at our agencies on the cultural side. We will continue to do that.

We will, of course, also review the whole. But the most important thing for us is to enable culture and art to be free from steering in its entirety. This will permeate the entire government's work in the cultural area moving forward.

(Applause)

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Lorena Delgado Varas (V)

Mr. Speaker! The trade union DIK, which organizes among others librarians, has conducted a survey regarding the reporting law. It turned out that as many as 93 percent of the librarians think that this is a really bad proposal.

One of them describes it like this: "People should not have to be afraid to visit language cafés, seek information, use a computer, take their children to the library, etc., and worry that the staff will check them out and possibly report them. It is not our job to report undocumented people and I will not accept that it is imposed on me."

We have heard the same thing from, among others, healthcare staff, social workers and teachers. Nine out of ten of them say no. Even the large regions say no to this.

Why does the government then proceed with such a proposal?

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Lorena Delgado Varas for the question.

This concerns an inquiry into the duty of information which the government will appoint shortly. The investigator shall come with proposals regarding an obligation for public employees to report if they come into contact with a person who is staying illegally here in the country.

The government will not stand by idly while the shadow society grows and people suffer incredibly badly. We want to ensure that a yes is a yes and that a no really is a no. Ultimately, it is about prioritizing our resources to those who truly have grounds for protection.

With that said, the investigator shall also look at any exceptions to the duty of disclosure. I think again that the investigator should be allowed to work in peace on this. We will return when the proposal has arrived. I look forward to a debate and comments that may arise in connection with the proposals.

(Applause)

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Lorena Delgado Varas (V)

Mr. Speaker! I think it is interesting that the question is being brushed aside. These are still very heavy questions of values that concern how we shape our society. In addition to what was mentioned earlier, the fact is that this goes against the professional ethics of several professions, which are even superior to certain rules. This applies, for example, to healthcare, social workers, and so on. This will go against people's human rights and breach privacy. If no professional group wants this, why do you still want to implement it? Is it not just as good to scrap the investigation?

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

Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! It is true that this is about heavy questions of values, just as the member says. I am certainly not avoiding that debate, but rather welcoming it.

I acknowledge that there are conflicting objectives and that it can feel difficult for many public employees. But I think it is an extremely important principle that all parts of the public Sweden should pull in the same direction and that one should do what can be done to ensure that the decisions of authorities and courts are complied with.

I want to take the strongest possible distance from the expression "public service". This is about public employees in their service.

(Applause)

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

Jacob Risberg (MP)

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

Last week, the Minister for Culture participated in the EU Council meeting together with other culture ministers. The Minister stated then that the Swedish presidency's focus on the media and culture area is freedom. During the meeting, council conclusions were adopted regarding vulnerable and displaced artists. The conclusions include, among other things, calls to the Member States to work towards strengthened support for threatened artists in flight and to increase ambitions when it comes to, for example, residency housing and emergency residencies. At the same time, we see worrying trends in Sweden; for example, municipalities are beginning to withdraw from the asylum system.

My question is: What does the Minister for Culture plan for future measures to strengthen and develop Sweden's work in this area, so that we live up to the council's conclusions and increase the support and protection for threatened and persecuted artists and writers?

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

Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! It was truly a pleasing success for the Swedish presidency that all member states gathered and adopted the council conclusions for artists in flight. It was very nice to hear all member states stand up for both the possibility for artists in flight to seek emergency residence and the possibilities for us to learn from one another among the member states.

Much is already being done. Sweden and Norway are actually best in class when it comes to different types of residency programs and opportunities to stay in various places via, for example, Icorn. I myself recently had the opportunity to visit Gotland and its residency program, where they have welcomed artists from Ukraine and other places in the world.

This is a priority area, and it was, as mentioned, very pleasing that the member states were able to adopt these council conclusions.

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

Jacob Risberg (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Culture for the answer. The council conclusions that the Minister himself was involved in deciding are clear regarding increased ambitions and increased support for threatened artists. At the same time, we see that more and more municipalities are instead reducing their support.

I still wonder how the Minister for Culture intends to raise Sweden's ambitions in this area and what incentives can be developed to get more municipalities to join, for example, the asylum system.

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

Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you for giving us an additional 30 seconds of speaking time – it is difficult to get through everything in one minute.

We must not forget that Sweden is actually the best in class, together with Norway, when it comes to creating this type of opportunity for artists in flight.

Our council conclusions, which we have adopted together with the other EU member states, are about learning from each other and looking at how other countries have done it in order to be able to apply and implement other ways of working and methods. We can, of course, also do this in Sweden to become even better.

(Applause)

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

Mats Green (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Romina Pourmokhtari.

I and with the Tidö Agreement, we fortunately pause the ongoing reassessment of hydropower against the background of Swedish authorities' absurd application of the EU's Water Framework Directive. This concerns particularly small-scale hydropower. This reassessment strikes against the energy supply, the climate, the countryside, fundamental legal principles, and a sufficient number of parliamentary decisions. Had Dutch authorities applied exactly the same directive in the same way as Swedish authorities, the Netherlands would not exist today, for then all dams would have been torn down.

My question is: How can we address this through less intrusive and, above all, more proportionate measures instead of the unlawful evictions of hundreds-of-years-old mills, dams, and small hydropower plants?

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

Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Member Green for the important question.

Hydropower is a fantastic asset for Sweden. It is thanks to hydropower that we can have such a clean energy system, which makes so many want to have their business in Sweden to manufacture goods and products or offer services that are clean, do not emit, and are not built on energy from oil, coal, and gas. Therefore, hydropower is so incredibly important.

We have environmental assessments ongoing. These are now paused so that during this year we can review how the assessments can be carried out in a sensible way that ensures we protect our biodiversity, our environment, our fantastic fish and other animals in the sea, but also ensures that hydropower can continue to contribute to our clean and strong energy system.

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

Mats Green (M)

Mr. Speaker! We who stand guard over fundamental legal principles, over the energy supply, and over the countryside now need to put a stop to these displacements. I assume that the Minister has met with the relevant organizations, such as LRF, Energiföretagen, Svensk Vattenkraftförening and several others, to discuss this. Has the Minister met them? Can she provide a description of that communication and that dialogue?

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

Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! I cannot provide a more detailed account of the exact dialogue regarding hydropower with different parties. But of course, dialogue has been held both with the energy companies and individual actors who own small-scale hydropower as with many of the environmental organizations that are concerned that this would in some way lower environmental standards, which is not what it is about. During this year, when we pause the examinations, we want to review how we can carry them out in a better way. We know that those who operate hydropower are also concerned about the environment; it is not the case that hydropower and the environment stand against each other. Here, there is potential to, through dialogue and improvement, ensure that we do what the previous government did but do it in a much better and wiser way.

(Applause)

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

Torsten Elofsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Over several years, deficiencies in the operations of the State Institution Board, Sis, have been revealed. In recent years, Sis has received and been granted appropriations for young people who have committed serious crimes, not least crimes of violence. Many of those who enter are also drug-dependent.

At the same time, we have known since earlier that the staff at Sis do not have the authority to either routinely search the youths upon entry or, for that matter, search the rooms for weapons or drugs if there is a suspicion that such items are present there. This in itself risks the safety and security for both the youths and the staff working within Sis.

Most recently, the reporting from Sis has been characterized by the escapes in Göteborg and Lund and the acquittal in Södertälje.

My question to Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall is: What measures are being taken to increase safety and security at the country's Sis-homes?

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

Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for an extremely pressing question. I and the government truly share the picture that the member describes. It is an extremely serious situation in Sis, and we have pointed that out for several years. It is practically so that one can sit inside a Sis home and plan one's own escape, order drugs, or have contact with sexual offenders. It is no new problem, but it has existed for a long time.

This government is now ensuring that important and absolutely necessary tools are put in place. Therefore, we have fast-tracked the so-called EKT investigation, which will limit access to, among other things, mobile phones and computers, so that this is stopped. But we are also doing more.

We will provide additional directives that also cover body searches, room searches and the possibility of using metal detectors to inspect those who visit Sis.

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

Torsten Elofsson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I am very satisfied with the answer, so I have no follow-up question. Thank you, Minister!

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

Ewa Pihl Krabbe (S)

Mr. Speaker! I believe we are all inspired by the promotion of reading. All good forces need to unite to change the status of reading.

Since 2018, the municipalities have been able to apply for grants to develop their own public libraries based on the needs that have existed. The initiative Stärkta bibliotek is based on a trust in the profession's own ability to assess what is important for the local libraries. But the grants will disappear at the end of this year.

The importance of libraries for culture, especially in smaller municipalities and rural areas, is great. It is important to continue to stimulate the activities based on local needs.

I would therefore like to ask the Minister for Culture: Does the Minister intend to continue to support and strengthen the libraries, and what does the plan look like?

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

Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! I am pleased that we get to speak so much about reading in the speaker's chair today. It is an incredibly important and pressing issue, not least in light of the report that was presented a little over a week ago. There we can see that reading is challenged, not least among children and young people with a background other than Swedish and living in homes other than Swedish.

This is, of course, something that the government takes to heart and will continue to work on. Regarding the question of the grants to the libraries within the framework of Stärkta bibliotek, a budget preparation is currently underway. It is nothing that I can comment on.

Reading is a continued priority for the government, and we will act to enable Sweden to become a reading country again. I can assure the members of that. I will do everything in my power to do so.

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

Johnny Svedin (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall.

The number of reports of concern is increasing at the same time as the economy is weakening and the municipal social child and youth care is expected to solve ever more problems.

At the same time, mental ill-health is increasing, and it is spreading further down into the age groups. This naturally has a major impact on the well-being of children and young people and the need for various social interventions.

One of the major problems within social services is that it has become more important to take notes, keep records, and administer than to meet children and young people in need of society's support.

An investigation commissioned in 2015 was tasked with investigating the Swedish social child and youth care. It shows, among other things, that a social worker within the social child and youth care devotes a smaller part of their time to meeting children and a larger time to administration. Furthermore, a mass of requirements from the municipalities are added, such as perhaps participating in goal discussions, internal control, and so on.

My question is: Does the Minister believe that the resources of social workers are truly being used in the best way in the current situation when it comes to young people who have gone astray? How is the Minister working to facilitate for social workers to be able to meet children and young people who are suffering?

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

Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Johnny Svedin, for a question that is very close to my heart!

I am spending as much time as I possibly can right now traveling around to the country's social services. I am meeting the frustration from the country's social secretaries to a very high degree.

We are now undertaking a series of efforts and measures to enable people to meet those they work with to a greater extent in order to ensure a safer future.

It is about, among other things, school social teams, which we presented a few weeks ago. As a former junior high school teacher, I often wished that I had had social secretaries on site to work side by side together to meet the children in that so important school.

It is also about the important new Social Services Act. It will enable preventive work instead of reactive work. It will also mean reduced administration as well as opportunities to spend time in a completely different way working together with children and young people instead of administrative tasks and investigations that often take a very long time.

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Katarina Luhr (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Romina Pourmokhtari.

On Monday was the day of biological diversity. It is a day established to draw attention to this important issue. According to the UN expert panel on biological diversity, 1 million plant and animal species globally are threatened with extinction in the coming decades. In Sweden, a little more than 2,000 of a total of 21,000 species are threatened.

The extinction rate is currently faster than it has been over the last ten million years. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shows in its latest environmental goal monitoring that the development for Swedish biodiversity is negative. An evaluation is made every four years. In the latest, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency proposes that the government should prioritize climate and biodiversity.

Now that the government has reduced the funds for the maintenance and protection of valuable nature, I would therefore like to ask about the plans moving forward to prioritize the work for biodiversity. What is the government doing, and what is the minister doing?

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

Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Since I only have one contribution, I will now quickly begin by stating that our budgets are substantial. The government has presented larger environmental and climate budgets than the environment-party climate and environment ministers ever did. Our budget for climate and environment is very large.

The work for biological diversity must increase. We must do more than we have done so far. It is very welcome that we at the international level have now succeeded in reaching an agreement during the COP 15 meeting so that we ensure that countries all over the world work for improved biological diversity.

I was there myself and pushed hard for us to also include the business sector. I believe it is an important part of the whole. Many companies need to do more to safeguard biodiversity through their operations. We have now reached a decision on that.

It does not only apply to Sweden, which already works in this way in good cooperation. We work with a sustainable agriculture and a sustainable fishing and forestry policy where, in consultation with different managers and owners, we ensure that biodiversity is protected. Now we have also ensured that the pace of the global work can hopefully increase.

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

Elsa Widding (-)

Mr. Speaker! I have a question for Minister Romina Pourmokhtari.

Microplastics that are involuntarily consumed by humans and animals via food, water, and inhalation have contaminated our planet - from the top of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans.

The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam reported last year on microplastics in human blood and in meat and dairy products. Now, research from among others Strathclyde University in Glasgow also shows how microplastics are spread in very large proportions from wind turbines' rotor blades.

Epoxy contains 33 percent bisphenol A. It erodes from the rotor blades and blows as microplastics towards land. Then we can add PFAS, which is used as a stabilizer in the paint that the rotor blades were painted with.

The erosion from the rotor blades has now been shown to be significantly greater at sea than on land. This is due, among other things, to the salt and the size of the rotor blades. In Norway, they speak of 25 tons of microplastics per year from the 400 wind turbines that have rotor blades longer than 130 meters. Coastal offshore wind power can also become a triggering factor for total extinction.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the industrialization of our nature has gone too far. My question to the Minister for the Environment is: Does the precautionary principle of the Environmental Code not apply to the environmentally harmful expansion of offshore wind power?

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

Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Elsa Widding, for this important issue on how we shall safeguard our environment and our health!

We are working on many fronts on how we should ensure that harmful substances such as microplastics but also PFAS substances do not enter our society. We do this, among other things, through the fantastic regulatory framework that we are designing in our union.

There we can reach a broad agreement and clearly signal to different companies how they are to produce different products and not for the purpose of reducing the spread of harmful substances in our society.

We also do this, not least through the fantastic ongoing work on a global agreement against plastic pollution. With that, we can seriously tackle those who produce substances that harm our environment.

When it comes specifically to wind power, it is no exception. It too must live up to the high environmental requirements that, among others, the Environmental Code sets.

It is one of the reasons why it is difficult and complex assessments that take time when we approve wind power. We ensure that it meets the environmental requirements that are set, especially given the environment it is in.

We naturally need many types of energy, and among them wind power but also nuclear power in a way that works for our local environment and not least for the climate.

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Malin Höglund (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall. A month ago, I read in one of the larger newspapers that the Minister for Social Services and the government are pushing the issue that a child's rights should carry more weight than parents' rights. Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall has said that we will see a paradigm shift in this issue. In what way will we see this change, and when?

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

Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Malin Höglund, for a question that I believe most people know lies very close to my heart.

The Social Democrats pushed through legislation during the last parliamentary term that was called lex Lilla hjärtat. But they did not go the full step, and the legislation lacked important parts – the parts that actually would have saved Esmeralda's life.

What we are doing now is taking the step fully. We are doing something as significant as making the child a right-holder in their own right, that is to say that children's rights shall take precedence over adults'. Children's voices shall finally be heard and play a role.

This is what the real Lex Lilla hjärtat is about, and therefore it is with great pride that I can state that this will become a paradigm shift for social services but also for Swedish court activities. It is the children's future we are talking about. No child should be deprived of their future and their life because society has not taken its responsibility.

We are now carrying out this paradigm shift, which means that the child becomes an independent rights holder.

(Applause)

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

Joakim Järrebring (S)

Mr. Speaker! Every year, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency conducts an assessment of the environmental goals, and every four years, a more detailed report is presented. The latest of these comprehensive reports was published on January 17, 2023, and it states that measures for the environment are indeed making a difference, but that it is necessary to significantly increase the pace if the environmental goals for 2030 are to be reached.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency expresses it this way on its website: "Since we only reach or are close to reaching four of the sixteen environmental quality goals, we also do not reach the overarching generation goal – to hand over a society to the next generation where the major environmental problems are solved."

In the autumn, the government announced that it plans to reduce the environmental budget by 60 percent during the mandate period. My question to Minister Romina Pourmokhtari is whether the goal of a nearly halved environmental budget remains firm.

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Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Many people fixate on different figures in our budgets, and there are many parts that one can look at closely. I choose not to fixate on the forecasts ahead. Had one done that with previous governments' budgets, it would also have looked very bleak. Member Järrebring surely knows that this is because the forecasts are designed in that way. One does not usually announce exactly where the sums land in such a forecast, but it usually points downwards.

What is a fact, however, is that this government has presented an environmental and climate budget that is the second largest in modern history. One can look in detail. We have presented a climate and environmental budget of 19.5 billion kronor. With the exception of the year before, the figures have been around 18, 12, 11 and even 8.9 billion, 2017. At that time, no one doubted the possibilities for the authorities to work hard with all their efforts.

We will ensure that an appropriate amount of money is available, and we will absolutely continue to work hard so that we in Sweden achieve our high environmental goals.

(Applause)

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

Staffan Eklöf (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for the Environment. Lake Vättern has now been invaded by the greater silver carp; that is bad news. It is an alien, invasive species, which is aggressive. After the invasion, it gradually dominates the benthic fauna, and native bottom-dwelling animal species die out. The result is shattered ecosystems. The spread often occurs by moving boats or jet skis or by using fishing gear in different waters.

Now that it has entered Lake Vättern, it is impossible to get rid of it with today's methods. There is concern in the neighborhood that it will also reach the lakes there.

In other countries, it is forbidden to spread these species, which means that boats are cleaned before they are moved, while we in Sweden rely on information campaigns. The Swedish rules that are intended to prevent the spread of alien, invasive species do not seem to be purposeful. Does the government intend to promptly ensure that stricter and more purposeful Swedish rules for reduced spread of alien, invasive species are established?

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Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to Staffan Eklöf for the wise question! The problem with invasive species is an important matter that we really need to handle carefully, because once an invasive species has been introduced into an ecosystem, it becomes very difficult to manage.

We see that the work currently being carried out with information campaigns and other measures through the county administrative boards' tools to manage this is yielding success and is an effective way for us to handle the problem with invasive species. We will, of course, review how we can further develop our work and what opportunities exist to, through various methods, including with the help of the customs, contribute in different ways to ensuring that species that destroy our ecosystems are not introduced.

We are, therefore, working in different ways to counteract invasive species. I would not entirely underestimate the method of information campaigns because we see that they actually have a reasonably good effect.

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Viktor Wärnick (M)

Mr. Speaker! Swedish citizenship should be valued as the finest thing a person can be granted and hold as an individual in our country. Citizenship is associated with important democratic privileges but also fundamental obligations.

For those who do not have parents who are Swedish citizens, citizenship can today be acquired all too easily. For example, a gang criminal who is over 15 years old but has not turned 18 can be granted Swedish citizenship merely through a notification. We have recently seen how this has had completely despicable consequences, when someone suspected of murder and fleeing the country to escape the justice system is nevertheless granted citizenship - because it only requires a notification.

Such low expectations should not apply for being granted citizenship. We cannot have it this way.

I therefore want to ask the Minister for Migration, whom I know is working diligently to raise the status of citizenship: What does the government intend to do to raise the value of Swedish citizenship?

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Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Viktor Wärnick, for highlighting the importance of this issue! I completely agree with you - citizenship must mean more. It must be valued both legally and symbolically. In Sweden, it takes far too short a time to become a citizen, and the requirements are set far too low.

Viktor Wärnick raised the appalling example of a person who was suspected of the murder at Delta Gym, who was granted citizenship while the individual was under suspicion. This must not be allowed to happen.

Something that is even more offensive in that case is that there was a completed investigation proposal to stop exactly this. But the Social Democrats had let it sit in the filing cabinet and gather dust. We are now dusting it off and will return during the year with a referral to the Council of Legislation to stop this.

Furthermore, we will appoint a constitutional commission to enable the revocation of citizenship. We will appoint an inquiry to further evaluate it through, among other things, extended residence time, requirements for self-sufficiency, and stricter requirements for honest conduct.

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Jytte Guteland (S)

Mr. Speaker! Many are the Swedes who have been affected by extreme weather in recent years, and that also appears to be the case for the coming summer. It concerns households and private individuals who have their homes water-damaged after heavy precipitation. It concerns forest owners whose forests burn up. And it concerns elderly people who have great difficulty handling the long period of heat and heatwaves that move over our country.

This is also the situation in the rest of Europe. Last summer was actually the warmest ever recorded, and now researchers warn that this summer will also be very hot. In France, Emmanuel Macron talks about the country having problems with the water supply. They predict 40 percent lower water availability by 2050. In Spain, farmers are worried about their crops and are trying to adapt, but it is very difficult. There is no water, and there is no rain – and the summers continue.

I would like to ask the Minister for Climate how Sweden is preparing and how the Minister coordinates with the other members of the government on this issue.

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Statsrådet Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member Jytte Guteland, for an extremely important question! It is a very concerning situation. Just as the Member before me, there is much that suggests we will have a difficult summer ahead of us. I am not only working intensively on this myself, but most importantly, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Minister for Civil Defence are as well.

It is very good that we have a minister like Carl-Oskar Bohlin who can actively work on how we ensure that our society can cope with all the pressures that come from, for example, the climate crisis. The very best thing one can do to avoid such extreme weather phenomena, which are becoming increasingly recurrent, is to reduce emissions. We reduce our emissions by stopping the use of fossil energy and starting to use clean methods and ways to produce products and services. Therefore, a clean energy system is very important. I hope that the Social Democrats now also clearly stand behind nuclear power, so that we can have more clean electricity and stop emitting and contributing to extreme weather.

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Carita Boulwén (SD)

Mr. Speaker! In 2003, little Sabina, five years old, lost her life. She was stabbed to death by a man who claimed he was commanded by voices in his head. The man was sentenced to forensic psychiatric care. There, he met a woman who was also admitted. They had two children together.

The youngest child is now placed in a foster home, but the eldest, who is now five years old, was granted sole custody to the man when the boy was two years old after the mother had relapsed into substance abuse. Social services expressed to the court that it would be practical if the man received sole custody. However, they did not disclose the man's background.

The chief physician at Säter last described in June of last year the man as prone to violence, stress-sensitive, and with a clear empathy disorder. To a question from the doctor, when the man says that he is healthy, whether it is he or the voices answering, he says: One can never know.

The man is now out in society again with sole custody of his five-year-old son. The social services where they live have no knowledge of the man.

I am aware that the Minister for Social Services cannot comment on individual cases. But my question is: How is the government working to improve communication between authorities, and how can we better ensure children's safety and security to avoid more tragic cases such as, for example, Lilla hjärtat or, most recently, lilla Tintin?

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Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Carita Boulwén, for the question!

Just as the member says himself, I cannot comment on any individual cases. But prioritizing the work to ensure children's safety and security is one of the issues that stands at the very top of my own agenda.

Today, it is a number of children who have been given the task of naming laws. So, naturally, we shall not have that.

When it comes to visitation rights and custody, there are a number of investigations currently underway. We will have to return to this when we also have the referral responses to those investigations in order to be able to proceed with legislation.

But I also want to say that if it turns out that these investigations are not powerful enough to be able to ensure this, we will proceed. Furthermore, we have no fewer than three investigations that are currently working in the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Justice to ensure that relevant information can be shared between different agencies so that this does not happen again.

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Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Mr. Speaker! The public service companies in Sweden enjoy a high level of trust. The latest measurement shows that as many as three out of four have a high trust in public service. But at the same time, we see that there is some work left to do and that it differs slightly between different groups. Does Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand believe that it is possible to increase the trust among this specific group, who argue that they do not have a relationship with public service today?

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Kulturministern Parisa Liljestrand (M)

Mr. Speaker! Public service is truly a part of our democratic infrastructure. Not least in times of crisis and war, it is important that everyone in our country can turn to it to receive relevant and truthful information. Therefore, we also emphasize in the directives to the public service inquiry that the proposals developed should strengthen public service's legitimacy and also help to maintain the high level of trust.

I know that there are those who try to make party politics out of this issue. There are those who say that it is about cutting out voter groups, but nothing could be more wrong. There are today groups where the trust in or the relationship with public service is weaker and sometimes almost non-existent. New generations and new Swedes also need to find their way there.

For me, this is an incredibly important issue. I do not understand how it cannot be for others. In the directives, we emphasize that public service shall continue to educate the public and continue to perform journalism for the whole country. I believe that is the absolute best way to build trust for this important part of our democratic infrastructure.

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Fredrik Saweståhl (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.

The Moderate-led government is finally reforming Swedish migration policy right now. We are also reforming the aid policy. Within the aid policy, for the first time, we are pushing very hard on the link between trade and aid to counteract poverty and make the world better. But there is also a clear link between aid and migration. There, the government has previously expressed that it wants to look at the possibility of using aid as a way to encourage countries to accept their own citizens when they are to return, that aid could then be a means of pressure and that it could be withdrawn if countries refuse to cooperate. There are several examples that we have been able to see in the media over the years.

My question is therefore: How does the government intend to proceed with this important issue?

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

Statsrådet Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Fredrik Saweståhl, for this important issue! It is true that this is a very high priority for the government. Repatriation has not been functioning well enough in Sweden. It is only about half of those who are to leave the country after having been denied their asylum application who do so voluntarily. Here we must work in every possible way.

We have, among other things, studied how Denmark in a fairly short time has increased its levels from approximately the same as in Sweden to 85 percent. There is much that can be done.

A key point here is that all relevant parts of the government, so to speak, speak with the same voice. Therefore, I have initiated a close cooperation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Development Cooperation and Trade, and the Minister for Justice, where we together ensure that we work towards those countries that do not receive their own citizens despite having an obligation to do so. There, the aid is a very important part.

It has also been a priority during the Swedish presidency to ensure that more countries in Europe work with this and exert pressure both through aid and through, for example, visa policy. We are already seeing results of that.

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

Johan Hultberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! A strong work ethic and a good school that gives all children a good start in life are fundamental to preventing future social problems. The most elementary thing, however, is good parenting. But being a parent can be both difficult and demanding, and therefore it is good that the government has invested heavily in supporting the introduction of parenting programs in all 290 municipalities in Sweden. It is a truly important measure to strengthen parenting ability and thus give parents better conditions to take their parental responsibility. Parents should receive support in their parenting, but it is also important to emphasize and strengthen parental responsibility. Therefore, I am pleased that the Minister for Social Affairs, as well as the Prime Minister, have emphasized that this shall be strengthened. My question to Minister Camilla Waltersson Grönvall is how this shall occur: How does the government intend to strengthen parental responsibility?

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

Statsrådet Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Johan Hultberg, for the question! Just as the member underlines, parents are the absolutely most important factor in keeping children and young people away from crime. The 400 million that the government is now investing in parenting support will be an important resource when it comes to emphasizing this. But it doesn't help if parents who really need to receive the support refuse it.

That is why we are doing a number of things. Among other things, we are adding directives to the investigation on open interventions without the consent of guardians to specifically review the issue of parental responsibility. Among other things, the investigation shall review whether economic consequences can be relevant in cases where guardians do not follow decisions from the social welfare committee.

The government supports and provides parents and guardians with support in a number of different ways. But when one does not take their parental responsibility, it must also have consequences. We are now investigating the possibilities to further tighten it.

Question Time

(Applause)

Question time was hereby concluded.

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