Question Time

TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions will be answered today by Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson, Minister Acko Ankarberg Johansson and Minister Johan Forssell.

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 performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin answers both general political questions and questions within his own area of responsibility.

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Mikael Damberg (S)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to direct my question to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson. This week, we Social Democrats presented our spring motion and spring budget. We focus on the major problems that Sweden has: the healthcare crisis, crime, the cost crisis, and growth. I would like to ask a question about the latter, that is, growth.

New statistics are coming again showing that Sweden has had negative growth for four consecutive quarters, among the worst in all of Europe. One of the factors driving down the growth in Sweden is the construction crisis. It is the lowest housing construction since the 90s. Housing construction has stalled.

If the government sees this, I wonder: Why is nothing being done to get housing construction started? Why was there not a single new measure in the government's spring budget to speed up housing construction in Sweden?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Mikael Damberg, for the question! The most important thing to get the construction industry going again, so that more is built, is of course that inflation and interest rates go down. It is entirely dependent on this. Low demand and high costs for building mean that less is built. Therefore, it is precisely inflation and also the interest rates that are the most important.

When it comes to growth, it is exactly as Mikael Damberg says. Sweden is very interest-sensitive. Swedish households and companies are interest-sensitive - much more than one is in many other countries. It is short interest rate binding periods and high loans.

We see that we are now going to build Sweden richer and stronger in the long term. Here we have an agenda specifically to build growth in the short and long term. That involves structural reforms, for example in the housing area. But it also involves infrastructure, research, taxes and regulatory simplification.

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Mikael Damberg (S)

Mr. Speaker! It seems that the Minister for Finance does not quite see what reality looks like. We have a total standstill in housing construction in Sweden.

Yesterday, new bankruptcy statistics were released showing that bankruptcies in the construction sector and small house construction are simply skyrocketing. Seven companies go bankrupt every day, and the government just watches. This leads to construction workers becoming unemployed.

We have a proposal to introduce a placement guarantee for apprentices, so that those who are in the construction program today are not dropped out of the construction industry and it therefore becomes even more expensive to build in the future. How does the Minister for Finance view that?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I am prepared to look at and go through all good proposals that can facilitate, for example, housing construction. As I previously mentioned, the most important thing when it comes to this is to bring down inflation – that is truly how it is. To enter with 30-40 billion in some kind of temporary subsidy – and then also ensure that the economy gets higher inflation and higher interest rates – would be a problem.

We are changing at the root. We ensure that there is more buildable land and other things so that, when it turns, it will go even faster. But I am prepared to look at all good proposals, including those from the Social Democrats.

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Per Söderlund (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is also addressed to the Minister for Finance. Together with the Sweden Democrats, the government has made major investments in the justice system to address organized crime in Sweden. As everyone knows, a large part of the gangs' money comes from drug trafficking, and the seizure of narcotics is increasing.

The Swedish Customs Service has an important role in stopping the importation of illegal goods into the country at an early stage. The Swedish Customs Service's powers have not kept pace with societal developments, and this needs to be prioritized to a much greater extent than has been done historically.

Now we are tackling the problems. On April 11, the government submitted the bill on a new customs authority act. The law shall give customs officers better conditions to meet the changed social development. Among other things, an expanded right for customs officers to use force in the performance of their duties is introduced, new possibilities to stop means of transport, and greater possibilities to control shipments being brought into and out of the country.

I want to ask the Minister for Finance how the work is progressing and what additional tools and powers may become relevant in this area to create a safer Sweden.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Per Söderlund, for the question! Sweden is in a state of emergency in many ways. We have gang crime. Children are killing children. We have a terror threat level. We have a multitude of problems. A major cause of this is money. It is money that feeds the gangs. But it is also drugs, weapons and other things that ensure this can continue.

We are working systematically with legislation, both with crime prevention but also with combating the criminal economy in different ways. Customs is incredibly important in this. That is why they are receiving more resources. Just as Per Söderlund mentioned, we have a new piece of legislation that will be in place this autumn. It is a completely new piece of legislation. Previously, there have been different pieces of legislation for Tullverket.

The next step, the member asked about. It is about criminalizing the export of stolen goods. It is not criminalized today. We believe this is an important part of the continued work, so that boat motors and other items in large quantities are not shipped across our land border.

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Per Söderlund (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Finance, for the answer! When the Öresund Bridge was built, there was no thought of having border controls on the bridge. Today, it is unthinkable not to have such controls there.

The Swedish Customs Service has proposed increased appropriations of approximately 500 million kronor for 2025 and, in addition, further appropriation increases in the following years. It may sound like a lot of money. But then one must remember that the Swedish Customs Service, which has an appropriation of just under 3 billion, is estimated to have a social benefit of approximately 10 billion kronor. It is therefore a fairly good return on those funds.

I would therefore like to ask if the Minister for Finance sees any further steps, in addition to those we have just seen, precisely because it is such an important area.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question. In the year-end budget, we are now ensuring that Customs (Tullverket) is strengthened even further, and I do not rule out that more may be needed after the autumn budget negotiations with Per Söderlund's party. To be able to perform one's task, one must, of course, have the money and resources for it.

We are investing heavily and broadly to reach the criminal economy, and in that regard, the Swedish Customs Service is very important. The Swedish Customs Service's focus has been directed even more towards exactly this – reaching weapons, narcotics, and actually also a lot of cash.

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Karin Rågsjö (V)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Acko Ankarberg Johansson. Vårdförbundet has calculated that their groups work approximately 3 million hours of overtime per year. Now they have resorted to industrial action - an overtime blockade. It is completely reasonable.

The work environment is the big issue within healthcare. It has been pointed out for a very long time. Despite increased needs, the number of care beds is becoming fewer, and of course, it is about the shortage of staff. We have a national healthcare crisis. This is something many of us are pressing on. The overcrowding at the country's hospitals is increasing. The intensive care beds are decreasing and are fewer than before the pandemic. I must say that I am becoming a little concerned. The unions - that is to say Kommunal, Vårdförbundet and Läkarförbundet - are pressing and sounding the alarm about the serious situation.

Now you have stepped in with an additional 6 billion, which absolutely will not result in any change regarding the misery that we see. There are still 6,000 people on waiting lists within healthcare. How do you intend to turn the ship around?

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Statsrådet Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD)

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

What concerns the agreements between the parties in the labor market, I cannot comment on - this is not a matter for either the Riksdag or the government. But just as the member says, the issues regarding the work environment are central. We have many times in this chamber addressed how important it is that one can go to work, work one's hours, want to come back, and that one is not called in when one is supposed to have a day off. This was the case previously when I have stood in the chamber, and it still applies.

This is a priority issue, and we will return from the government's side when the National Healthcare Competence Council, within a month, submits its report to see which proposals we can get the regions to agree to. It is still the 21 regions that, according to law, have responsibility for healthcare.

I hope that we can jointly find ways forward, because these are completely crucial issues for health and medical care.

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Karin Rågsjö (V)

Mr. Speaker! I believe, Acko Ankarberg Johansson, that you together with SD have the overall responsibility when there is such a serious crisis within healthcare. One can always pass the responsibility entirely to the regions, which you do quite diligently. One can also talk about a lack of efficiency and about how it is teeming with administrators throughout the healthcare system; those are very vague words. I still think, however, that this is very irresponsible. We have a healthcare crisis, and it is getting worse and worse. Where are the solutions from the government and SD?

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Statsrådet Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD)

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

According to the Health and Medical Services Act, everyone shall receive good care on equal terms. It also states there that it is the regions that have the responsibility. But when inflation affected the regions - actually more than it affected the primary municipalities - it was necessary to support the regions, which we do with a total of 9 billion in a sector support that the regions can directly use to pay for the consequences of inflation. It is not about the cost increase itself, but it is the pension agreement that hits them. Therefore, they need every single krona of the 9 billion that the government has given them.

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Martin Ådahl (C)

Mr. Speaker! I have questions for the Minister for Finance regarding the historical recovery fund that the EU has established, which is intended to reduce climate emissions. In total, there are 750 billion euros in the union, and it is 35.5 billion kronor that are to be allocated to Sweden, according to the National Economic Board's latest calculation. But since the government's policy has meant that emissions next year will increase by almost 5.3 million tons - 17 times aviation's emissions - several referral bodies, including the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, claim that there is a risk that parts, perhaps even large parts, of this will not be able to be paid out.

I want to ask the Minister for Finance: How much has been paid out so far? According to the plan, 21 billion were to be paid out before the turn of the year. Have they been paid out?

I also want to ask: How much of the 35.5 billion will Sweden lose? It is 170 million kronor a week that we are to get back in EU money to meet our climate efforts. How much of this money will we lose? Is it hundreds of millions, billions, or tens of billions?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Martin Ådahl for an important question.

Work and a discussion are currently underway with the commission regarding replacing one of many measures in the recovery plan, namely the reduction obligation. Why is this work being done? The previous government, with the support of, for example, Martin Ådahl, had a reduction obligation curve that went quite straight up into the sky, which led to very high prices. In order to facilitate things for people who live in rural areas or are dependent on their cars, we have changed the reduction obligation. On January 1, diesel became 4 kronor cheaper.

This requires that we replace what the Social Democrats did in their plan. We agree on much, but we are replacing just this. We are now discussing with the commission what we should do instead.

I will return to the Riksdag. I have also said in both the EU Committee and the Finance Committee that we will, of course, return when this is finished. However, there is no rush – by 2026 at the latest, all application documents must be submitted.

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Martin Ådahl (C)

Mr. Speaker! Now the problem is that the government's policy has increased emissions. The reduction obligation has been replaced with nothing. The climate bonus for electric cars has been removed and replaced with nothing. This means that the proportion of petrol and diesel cars increases among the new cars. Emissions are skyrocketing, and Sweden has nothing to replace it with. We are constantly told that it will come later.

I did not receive an answer to any of my questions, so I repeat them.

Firstly: How much has been paid out so far? Other countries have received their money. How much of the 21 billion - the 170 million per week - is on its way to Sweden?

Secondly: How much is it? The Finance Minister must be able to have some idea. Is it hundreds of millions, billions, or tens of billions? The Swedish people deserve to hear some idea of how much money Sweden is losing.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! If the member had listened, he would have heard that we are now entering a discussion with the commission. My goal is that Sweden shall not lose anything at all.

We are now discussing other measures to be able to replace the plan that the Social Democratic government told me, when I was in opposition, that it could be changed in retrospect. I received that promise in the Finance Committee. Unfortunately, it was not that simple. We did, however, completely right in changing the reduction obligation, as it drove people to become even poorer.

(Applause)

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Emma Berginger (MP)

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

Last week, we presented our final report in the Defence Preparation Committee. One of the best things about the report is an agreement on large additions to the civil defense, which are being scaled up. From the year 2028, at least 15 billion per year will be allocated to the civil defense.

At the same time, civil defense relies largely on us having a society that functions in peace. Unfortunately, the situation in Sweden does not look good. We have a healthcare system that is falling apart, a substandard railway infrastructure that makes it impossible to rely on the train running on time even in peace, and a school system that does not have the resources to provide all children with the necessary knowledge and support during their upbringing.

The government has, through its budgets, shown a reluctance to invest necessary economic resources in healthcare, infrastructure, schools, and the climate transition. My question is therefore how the government intends for these activities to be able to handle a situation with increased readiness and, ultimately, war.

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Emma Berginger, for the question!

Let me begin by saying that it is encouraging that Sweden's eight parties have come together regarding the defense and security policy issues in a difficult and grave time. This is fundamentally good.

It is also good that a holistic approach is taken regarding Sweden's total defense. It is noted that civil defense is a necessary function to reinforce the entire society.

But it is also the case that that which is to finance the civil defense shall go to the additional tasks. It is not about the ordinary operations but about the alternative planning. It concerns alternative command locations, robustness, and redundancy required to meet the demands of war. The ordinary operations are financed in the ordinary manner.

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Emma Berginger (MP)

Mr. Speaker! During the Defense Committee's work, it became very clear that the government parties are not prepared to find a broad agreement that guarantees that the major investments now being made in defense - both military and civil - are financed in a way that guarantees that healthcare, schools, elderly care, and the climate transition are not affected. I would therefore like to ask the Minister how the government can ensure that important societal sectors such as healthcare, school, elderly care, infrastructure, and climate adaptation are not negatively affected by the large investments in defense.

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! This government has managed to finance historical defense investments without special readiness taxes, if that is what the Member of Parliament is asking about. At the same time, I can state that we are providing record-high amounts in general state grants to municipalities and regions to meet the core of the welfare system. It is possible to do both if one manages to prioritize politically.

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Boriana Åberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson.

Organized crime has been allowed to grow for a long time, and it has become a threat to the system. Shootings, bombings, and the recruitment of children into criminal gangs threaten our safety and security and our entire society.

The criminals' driving force is money. Organized crime is estimated to generate up to 150 billion kronor in criminal profits every year. That is an immense amount of money; it is more than the entire defense budget. Therefore, I wonder what the government is doing to choke the criminal economy.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Boriana Åberg for the question.

One of the most important tasks for the government and for our four coalition parties is to make Sweden safer again. Sweden has become more dangerous over many years, but the development must be reversed.

What is clear is what Boriana Åberg mentions, namely that it is about money. Gang criminals rob our welfare systems and defraud the elderly. The list can be as long as it wants to be.

What we are now working on systematically – and we are partially taking over a part of what the previous government did – is to increase the pace, work in a broader form, and do more. We are working systematically with all agencies to see what legislation is missing so that the criminal economy is truly strangled. It is a priority for me. Drugs are one part, but most of it concerns completely different things. Here, the taps to the welfare systems really must be tightened.

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Boriana Åberg (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for Finance for the answer.

Incorrect population registration has proven to be a tool for criminal gangs and for other welfare frauds. How is the work proceeding to achieve a correct population registration?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! In this work, I am responsible for four different agencies that work to choke the criminal economy. The Swedish Payments Agency, which has just been established, shall ensure that people do not cheat with various grants. It also concerns the Swedish Tax Agency, the Swedish Customs Service, and the Swedish Enforcement Authority.

The Swedish Tax Agency has an incredibly important task to ensure that the right person lives in the right place and that the right person is in Sweden. The agency has been given significant resources for this, and work is being done actively. We have given the agency better tools legislatively, so that the problem can be addressed, including by sharing more information with other authorities.

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Paula Örn (S)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Care.

We remember the Prime Minister's promise that this government would present the budget that ensures we do not lay off people in Swedish healthcare. Despite that, the massive cuts continue.

In Västra Götalandsregionen, where I come from, there is a pension cost of 12 billion kronor for 2024 caused by inflation. When inflation comes down to normal levels, the pension cost will be approximately 6 billion. One has, therefore, an excess cost, caused by inflation, directly caused by Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, of 6 billion.

The government is injecting 1 billion into the spring budget for Västra Götalandsregionen. In what way does the Minister believe the government is taking its responsibility when the cost overrun is 6 billion and one injects 1 billion?

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Statsrådet Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD)

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

It is problematic for the regions with the inflation, at the same time as they have great needs to both retain staff and increase healthcare capacity. What is happening simultaneously is very problematic and heavy for the regions, not least from the fact that they themselves have signed an agreement on the pensions that is very good for the employees – not to mention anything else – but the consequence of inflation is that they are adjusted upwards by such large amounts. A few regions have accounted for this, and it means that some regions do not need to make a single saving and also manage the consequences of inflation for the pension costs. Other regions do not do that.

The government has nevertheless chosen to step in and support all regions. Regardless of whether they manage without help or whether they need help, we are supporting with a total of 9 billion. This applies to the 3 we announced in the autumn, but which apply for this year, and the 6 that are included in the year-end budget. Even though we have not entered into agreements, it is a state task to support the regions so that they can manage the consequences of inflation.

We hope that inflation is lower so that we return to normal conditions for the regions and for the pension costs.

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Yasmine Eriksson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I direct my question to the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.

In times of crisis and war, Sweden and other democracies should act in solidarity in defense against the violations of international law that Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine entails.

The Sweden Democrats, together with the government, have presented several support packages to support Ukraine militarily. Together with other EU countries, Sweden has also agreed on long-term financial support. These are measures that are necessary to safeguard Ukraine's and our own security.

Ukraine is now the largest single recipient of Swedish aid. That is good. But we need to be prepared to go very far to prevent Putin from achieving success in the war of aggression against Ukraine. When the global situation is extraordinary, we need to be prepared to make adjustments. Such an adjustment would be to, if possible, direct an even larger share of the Swedish aid to Ukraine.

Is the Minister prepared, together with the Sweden Democrats, to work towards directing an even larger portion of the aid, if possible, to meet Ukraine's needs?

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Statsrådet Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Yasmine Eriksson for the question.

I can only agree with the background provided here. We have made major changes in the aid policy since the 2022 election. It is exactly as described, namely that Ukraine today is the largest recipient of Swedish bilateral aid, and it will continue to be so. Sweden is a major donor. In total, our combined Swedish support amounts to almost 40 billion. If we look at how much we give in relation to our GDP, Sweden is in the top ten.

But this is not enough, and we must do more. I am open to all initiatives to channel additional funds to Ukraine. It is not to rebuild what was, but it is to manage the humanitarian situation and build resilience. In the long run, it is about building up Ukraine to become something more modern and sustainable than it was previously.

We must also find completely new synergies together with the business sector, bring in more trade, market economy, and private investments. If we do all that, we will manage the historically difficult but important task.

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Helena Vilhelmsson (C)

Mr. Speaker! This afternoon, we will here in the chamber make a decision on increasing the gambling tax from 18 to 22 percent. It may seem to be a small amount, considering that the tax rate has remained unchanged in recent years.

But there is a catch here; the tax is raised just as much across the board, that is, both on betting and on online gaming - casino and the like.

The gaming company ATG, which is owned by the horse industry, receives a direct income reduction of 200 million kronor, and parts of that loss occur already this year.

The surplus from ATG goes directly back to the horse industry. An industry with over 300,000 horses in Sweden creates jobs in the countryside, and ATG participates in and sponsors the country's harness tracks and all development surrounding them. The harness industry receives no other direct grants from the state; other sports activities do. The tax on online gambling could have been raised, while the tax on betting could have been maintained. That is what we in Centerpartiet propose in our follow-up motion which is taken up this afternoon.

With this tax increase, the Tidö government risks jeopardizing a stable industry in the countryside. I wonder what the Minister for Finance's view is on this and how they intend to compensate the harness racing industry.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Helena Vilhelmsson for a wise question.

The tax is raised by a few percentage points, and we believe that is right. It is a way to finance much of what we need to do. There are great challenges in Sweden regarding money for defense, the police, the justice system and other parts.

The question that Helena Vilhelmsson was touching upon is important. Of course, we will follow the issue very closely and ensure that it does not go wrong. The horse industry is a large and important industry for many. But we must remember what the four parties have done, for example, lowered the reduction obligation and raised the threshold for VAT. This will make things easier for several of the companies.

Helena Vilhelmsson can be sure - and I am glad she has raised the issue - that I will follow the issue very closely. I know that the horse industry is important, and we want to continue to facilitate for the industry.

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Amanda Palmstierna (MP)

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

You cannot eat money. The economy is dependent on nature. Miljöpartiets spokesperson Amanda Lind said the other day that it is the task of politics to ensure that the economy stays within nature's limits. Miljöpartiet is for an environmentally smart and socially sustainable development of the economy, and an important part of this is to transition from a linear economy to a circular economy.

Since the government took office, several supports for circular economy have been removed, and regulations have also been opposed. For example, the VAT on repairs was increased, and that has made it more expensive to repair shoes, clothes, and bicycles.

Sweden has also, thanks to the government, as the only country in the EU voted no to a law stating that companies should monitor that there is no environmental destruction or child labor in the value chains. This complicates a circular economy.

Why is the Minister for Finance opposing circular business opportunities?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Our view is not that we oppose circular economy.

When it comes to the question of household finances, one can, just like the questioner, state that no, you cannot eat money. But you also cannot fuel the car with food. That is to say that the government's measures to strengthen household finances are broad-based.

We want to facilitate and create better purchasing power. We lower the tax for low and middle-income earners to provide better room in household finances to, for example, be able to consume in a more sustainable and responsible way.

(Applause)

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Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Acko Ankarberg Johansson and concerns the shortage of the diabetes medication Ozempic.

Right now, it is so bad that one can count on getting these injections for Christmas, and the prescription length is three months.

This medicine is important for type 2 diabetes patients. It stimulates insulin production, and the basis for type 2 diabetes is too low insulin production. It is also good for keeping weight down.

Therefore, I wonder if the Minister and the Department have any plan to put pressure on the Medical Products Agency to get more Ozempic. There is a shortage today.

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Statsrådet Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD)

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

It is not the Medical Products Agency that produces medicines. Private companies do that.

I noted today that the company in question reported a fantastic profit, which is very much linked to the very medicine the member highlights. But the company has difficulty producing the quantity that is demanded. That is the reason for the shortage. The reason for the shortage is not that someone has forgotten to order, but it is that the company cannot deliver what is desired.

What we have done from the Swedish side is that the Medical Products Agency has issued a statement and reminded all prescribers that this should be given for the correct indication, not for the wrong indication. We have received examples where it has been given to people, patients, who do not need it for the indication that the medicine applies to.

The Medical Products Agency uses the role it has to both regulate and conduct supervision, but also to issue such recommendations.

This is an example of the fact that the medicine shortage is unfortunately international. We need to do a lot both ourselves and jointly with other EU countries.

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Mathias Tegnér (S)

Mr. Speaker! The recession is hitting Sweden with full force. One in four single parents with low wages has had to borrow money for food and rent, and almost every other one has difficulty putting nutritious food on the table. Children are worried about their families' finances. Pensioners are forced to turn over every krona when they shop for food.

The government does not seem to see how ordinary people are doing. For example, all countries in the Nordic region except Sweden have increased the child allowance in one way or another.

We Social Democrats have taken the side of households in the cost crisis. We have, among other things, proposed a tax on the banks' excess profits so that the money is paid back from the banks to welfare and households. It is money that could support families with children. But the government has consistently chosen to take the side of the banks instead of the households, most recently in the spring budget.

Does the Finance Minister really think it is reasonable that families with children should be used as crash pads in the crisis?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to Mathias Tegnér for the question!

From the first day of this job, I have had ordinary wage earners before my eyes. Inflation was at 10-11 percent when we took office. We knew that if we do not get it down, it will become terribly tough, even tougher, for many years to come.

Last year we supported households with 40 billion. It might not have been exactly all parts that Mathias Tegnér liked, but it was good. It was electricity support. This year we are lowering the tax on work and on pensions, this year and last year on fuels and so on. The list can be made long. Furthermore, we support the families with children who have it the toughest because we have also increased the housing allowance for families with children.

What surprises me, Mr. Speaker, is how the Social Democrats here can be so stubborn, perhaps one could say, when the Social Democrats in Stockholm raise taxes for ordinary people. When it is toughest, they raise taxes in the region and in the municipality. I think that is ensuring that completely ordinary wage earners have it tougher, not easier.

(Applause)

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Sara-Lena Bjälkö (SD)

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

The discussion regarding the long response times at SOS Alarm has been recurring in recent years. The National Audit Office has directed criticism at MSB, which is responsible for the supervision of SOS Alarm. The Government responds in its communication in the matter that it now intends to conduct a dialogue with MSB and SOS Alarm.

Against this background, I wonder if the Minister will follow up the dialogue with concrete and measurable goals. SOS Alarm is an activity of total defense importance and must function.

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to Sara-Lena Bjälkö for a very pertinent question!

Just as the questioner points out, this is an activity of great importance and weight for the functionality of the total defense.

This is a priority issue for the government. We added extra funds to SOS Alarm in the budget for 2024. We added further funds in the supplementary budget specifically so that SOS Alarm will have better conditions to reach its goals, including the goal of an average response time of eight seconds during the year.

The forecast right now is that from previous years, when it was at up to one minute, it is on its way back down towards eight seconds. The assessment is that the goal of eight seconds will be able to be reached during the current year. But just as the questioner requests, we will follow this issue very closely via MSB and directly with SOS Alarm.

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Emma Nohrén (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister Johan Forssell.

Under the bourgeois government in 2008, a position as Ambassador for the Sea was established in Sweden. It was forward-looking - marine issues are global, and the world needs an international commitment if we are to save the oceans.

Sweden has since then, under different governments and different constellations, built up a good reputation and a leading position in maritime issues. The initiative for the first maritime conference in 2017 is only one part of that.

Right now, many international negotiations are underway. The UN's ocean decade is in progress. BBNJ is to be finalized, and we see that we are not achieving our Agenda 2030 goals. We also see that several other countries have followed suit, for example Germany most recently. But in this situation, the Tidö government with SD at the helm chooses to remove the ocean ambassador.

My question to the Minister is why it is chosen to remove this service. Is the government going to throw away all the work for the oceans that Sweden has done? Why does one want to let go of the leading position and the reputation that Sweden has built up?

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Statsrådet Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to Emma Nohrén for the question!

Marine and environmental issues are high priorities for the government, not least in the global work. If one looks back at the recent years, one can also see that we have participated in many of the international discussions where this has been raised – not least during the Swedish EU Presidency, I would say. But the question is broader than that. One can also look at the UN discussions that have taken place, for example at the opening of the General Assembly in New York last year.

Since it is the case that our work is much broader than a single ambassadorial post. That is fortunate, for it is quite obvious that such important issues cannot be handled by a person at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm. Here we as a government are engaged. We are engaged with our entire diplomatic activity. We are engaged in the World Bank, in the UN system, in the multilateral development banks etcetera.

These questions are and remain, regardless of which person holds a specific position at UD in Stockholm, highly prioritized by the Swedish government.

(Applause)

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Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)

Mr. Speaker! We Moderates want to reintroduce the possibility of 24-hour shifts for Blåljussverige. The arrangement of working a lot in short periods and then being compensated with leave in direct connection is what the industry wants. That is how people want to work, and that is how it has ensured some of Sweden's lowest sick leave rates. It is a cost-effective way of working, and it is exactly in that way our blue-light heroes are given the best opportunity for support, help, and recovery after tough assignments.

The Moderaternas MEP Tomas Tobé is clear that we will work on the issue at the highest level. But already here and now, we need to achieve concessions that create freedom - more than just exemption applications for holiday periods - so that our country does not lose important competence and, in a crisis, risk being less well-equipped.

My question goes to the Minister for Civil Defence: How can we help each other to save and strengthen the successful Swedish model for the rescue service?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thanks to Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage for raising an important issue here in the House! The conditions for the rescue services to carry out their work are fundamental and central to the total defense's capability across the entire threat spectrum - in everyday life, in peacetime and, ultimately, in the event of an armed attack.

We have a Swedish model which means that it is the parties in the labor market who agree on the working time conditions. As a representative of the government, I can neither nor should I comment on the direct outcome of this. I do, however, note that a new agreement has now been concluded. I hope that the parties will review it and evaluate the effects.

There lies a very great responsibility on the parties to make responsible decisions in this matter that lead to us having continued high capacity in the Swedish rescue services.

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Anna Vikström (S)

Mr. Speaker! Ivo has initiated inspection cases at several different clinics belonging to the company Svea Vaccin and found temperature logs showing that the refrigerators have been both too warm and too cold. This can lead to the vaccine having no intended effect at all.

Earlier this year, Aftonbladet conducted several investigations into the company, and Ivo has now confirmed what they found.

Region Stockholm has also found very serious deficiencies in patient safety. This has included, among other things, competence requirements that have not been met.

Many who have received vaccines at the clinics are now wondering whether the vaccines have had any effect at all. What does State Secretary Acko Ankarberg intend to do further to put a stop to such serious deficiencies in a vaccination operation?

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Statsrådet Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for an extremely important question! The one who comes to a healthcare provider must know that it is safe, that there are no risks and that what is being done is well-tested. One must not handle medicines carelessly. It is extremely serious when one does. Just as the Member points out, this can lead to direct risks for the person one has in front of them.

It was, I think, wise of Region Stockholm to terminate the agreement with a private company when it was not working and the company went beyond what was intended. But the others that the company provides services for are entirely private; it is not the state or authorities that have agreements with them, but it is entirely privately executed and financed. What the state can do is, through our supervisory authorities, as Ivo has the opportunity to do and now does, assess which tools should be used to act against the vaccine company in question.

It is not a ministerial task to go around and act as a supervisory authority, but it is our authorities that do this. I hope that they continue their important work, because this is a clear example of that supervision is necessary and that they must have sufficient tools. We intend to provide them with that.

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Charlotte Quensel (SD)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to the Minister for Finance. We see more and more demands across the EU for new joint financing at the EU level because several member states' economies are poorly managed and thus leave zero room for investments in the respective countries. Recently, these demands were repeated in connection with the publication of the report Much more than a market on the EU's internal market and competition from, among others, the USA. The thesis is that the problems with the EU's competitiveness are best solved through joint financing beyond the existing EU budget.

Does the Minister for Finance stand by the position that this is the wrong path to take and that Sweden should say no to another large EU fund?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Charlotte Quensel, for a very important question! There is indeed an ongoing discussion in the EU about how we should strengthen our competitiveness. That question has finally come up, and it is important. How do we become more productive? How do we ensure that the EU does not fall even further behind in comparison with other economies?

The solution to this, which many parties in here also stand behind, is to work with our comparative advantages and strengthen the supply of skills. It is about mobility for goods and services and so on.

But there are, just as the member says, also countries that think it would be a very good idea to borrow a bit more money. Often it is approximately the same countries that themselves have quite large debts.

There is, which I am pleased about, a strong will from the Swedish Riksdag to hold back regarding common borrowing and that this should occur within each area. That is not how we build the EU, our countries and our competitiveness stronger, but we do that by sharpening ourselves in the areas where we are already reasonably strong today but must become better.

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Jacob Risberg (MP)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Minister Forssell. On Sveriges Radios Godmorgon världen, Forssell was heard making the following statement this week regarding the reform of aid: We want to increase transparency and oversight in Swedish aid. It is difficult for outsiders to scrutinize this today, partly because it does not follow the principle of public access today. We consider this an obvious disadvantage because we are a government that places great value on being able to evaluate and have oversight of the aid, but also against the background of the fact that we must use our aid money more effectively than before.

At the same time, the government is moving a large part of the aid to the Export Council to increase Swedish companies' opportunities to invest in and increase trade with poorer countries. In the government's instructions to the Export Council, it clearly states only that the results shall be reported, not that they shall be reported against the aid's goals. According to the instruction, business confidentiality also applies.

The question is therefore: How do we know if the aid becomes more effective than it is today if the efforts are no longer to be measured against the aid's goals? In what way does transparency increase, and how does this follow the principle of public access, which indeed seems to be so important for the government, when business confidentiality is to prevail?

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Statsrådet Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Jacob Risberg, for the question! Yes, it is true that we are in the process of changing the aid policy to open it up and make it more transparent and more effective than it has been previously. Why this is needed can be answered, for example, if one looks at Sweden's reporting today, which testifies that there are problems at Sida regarding SPO mediation, lack of routines for handling corruption, lack of oversight, conflict of interest issues, lack of transparency, etcetera.

It is possible that this has not been as prioritized by previous governments. We reason completely differently. That is why we have now given this assignment to Sida. On May 15, a proposal will be submitted on how a new system could look. Then we will proceed and present this.

I hope there will be support in the chamber, also from Miljöpartiet, to make these changes, because they really need to be made. We will then, of course, look at the entire aid, not just that which goes to the SPOs. There must be a change. It must become more transparent, and it must also at some point become more effective.

(Applause)

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Peter Ollén (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to the Minister for Civil Defence, Carl-Oskar Bohlin. In light of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we have in recent times seen how Ukrainian cultural heritage immediately became a target for Russian aggression. This is in conflict with the 1954 Hague Convention. The same pattern can also be seen in other wars, for example in Syria. The purpose is to erase collective memory and write new history books. We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that this could also happen here.

My question is: What are we doing to protect the cultural heritage, and do we have enough places to protect Sweden's cultural treasures in the event of war or crisis?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Peter Ollén, for a very important question! What Peter Ollén describes is very rightly another dark side of what we have seen unfolding in Ukraine, where Russia as the aggressor disregards international law in practically all respects. They attack the Ukrainian cultural heritage as an explicit attempt to erode, to annihilate, the Ukrainian identity.

We naturally have reason to draw conclusions from what we are currently seeing unfold in Ukraine. It is both about supporting Ukraine on the ground and about taking responsibility for our own preparedness planning. It was for that reason, among others, that I in February, together with the Minister for Culture, presented a new council to protect cultural heritage in which all relevant authorities are included. The council shall begin planning for evacuation, for prioritization, and so on. This is something that has not been conducted in Sweden for a long time but which we are now taking action on.

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Johan Büser (S)

Mr. Speaker! Over the past few days, we have been able to follow a brutality that has affected thousands of Georgians who have marched in Tbilisi and protested against the bill that jeopardizes many non-governmental organizations' ability to operate in the country. In the last few days, politicians have been severely assaulted, and threats of repression have been issued. The bill that will likely be adopted on May 17 is of the same character as the so-called agent law that Russian organizations have been affected by.

Sweden is one of the largest bilateral donors to Georgia. Our aid to the country amounted to 230 million kronor in 2023. Now I, and many others, feel a strong concern about how our aid can continue to work effectively. Against the background of the serious developments we see in Georgia, I want to ask the Minister for Development what measures are being taken to ensure the operations of the organizations that Sweden supports. I also want to ask which sanctions the government considers possible if these anti-democratic laws are adopted.

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Statsrådet Johan Forssell (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Johan Büser, for this very topical issue!

The situation in Georgia is becoming increasingly problematic, and I make no other assessment of the situation than Johan Büser.

We see extensive protests with every right. It also shows something that we have repeatedly pointed out ever since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine just over two years ago, namely that the ambitions from the Russian side are not isolated to a single country, but it is an entire region where, in different ways - different methods of hybrid warfare etcetera - they want to subjugate people who have a peaceful life as an ideal.

We have made major changes in the aid policy since we took office. One of them is that we focus much more of our aid on our immediate vicinity. We have often spoken about Ukraine. More rarely do we speak in this chamber about the other parts of the immediate vicinity, and I receive questions about just this less often. The appropriations have even increased since we took office. It is a development that meets the needs that exist, and we will continue with that focus.

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Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)

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

In municipalities such as Malmö, there is extensive organized crime promoted by the fact that criminals have access to false identities and addresses. This is due to the occurrence of incorrect population registration and that one does not really know who is staying in Sweden. The problem is exacerbated when false identities are used to withdraw benefits and commit other welfare crimes.

The Tidö parties are doing important work to try to address the problems. Among other things, the work on a national census is underway. The next step in this is to await the Swedish Tax Agency's situational pictures of the population, which are expected to arrive in June 2024. How does the Minister for Finance intend to act after the Swedish Tax Agency's situational picture has been presented this summer, and how does she intend to ensure the intentions when it comes to ensuring that the Tidö parties' national census is carried out?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for a very important question! We in Sweden are very good at having many registers. We have had population registration for a long time. But despite this, we have had major problems for decades, and especially during the last decade, with knowing who is in the country and where those who are in the country live. Are they the right people who are here? Are they allowed to be here?

That is why we have initiated a population census. This means that Skatteverket has received extra funds for this. Work is being done in a structured manner, and right now, work is also being done on a situation report to be presented this summer. Work is being done together with Migrationsverket and the police, because this is something that these three agencies must do together. We must know who is in Sweden and that it is indeed the right people who live here.

I have personally participated in a control visit. It turned out that two out of three possible persons in a small apartment were not in Sweden at all. They had been abroad for quite a long time. We must address such things. When we get the picture, we will, of course, continue to work to ensure that people do not cheat with population registration and that they also do not receive benefits or compensations if they are actually living in another country.

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Ida Drougge (M)

Mr. Speaker! Household debts have almost doubled over the last ten years. We need to do what we can so that especially young people do not get trapped in debt traps.

Young people are being taught today to borrow - to consume with money they do not have and to gamble for luck and prosperity. Instead, we need a fundamental shift in values where work and education are what provide value and economic security and where saving is part of the core. Small debts over a long period result in high interest costs and large debts. But in the same way, small amounts that are saved every month can also lead to great value. How can we achieve this shift in values, and what is the government doing to facilitate saving? That is my question.

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Ida Drougge, for an important question! It is truly a tough situation for many young people now, and also for many older people who have found themselves in difficult situations regarding debts.

Fundamentally, very many Swedes are saving, but it also requires a shift in values, which the member is touching upon. When the Alliance government in 2007 roughly introduced ISK, it was an innovation and an invention that was incredibly good, for several reasons. One of them is that everyone can be part of the journey and save in stocks and funds. One can do it in a fairly easy way. It is easy to understand. The money one invests does good in companies and innovation, but it also does good for individuals when the money grows.

We are currently working on making ISK even more profitable and encouraging savings. We have a proposal that savings in ISK should be tax-free up to 300,000 kronor. This means that three-quarters of those who save today should not pay tax on it at all. I believe that is an important part of increasing savings.

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Lena Johansson (S)

Mr. Speaker! During yesterday's May Day celebrations, there were threats, hate, and assault. In my hometown Västerås in Västmanland, LO and the Socialdemokraterna invited families and people with children for a festive moment together with popcorn, balloons, and all sorts of speeches.

My chairperson, Anna Nikula, writes: "Right next to the playground where my 6-year-old and a whole lot of other children were running around, they marched in. Disguised and angry, Nordiska motståndsrörelsen, with shouts and smoke and banners." Is this the Sweden we want?

My question is directed to Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin. Sweden, Västerås, Gislaved and Gubbängen - what is the Minister doing about the issue?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the question! The short answer to the question is: No, this is not the society we want. We all need to come together in this chamber, across block boundaries, in the unity of eight parties and condemn this. We need to condemn perpetrators of violence but also those who disrupt democratic expressions of opinion simply by shouting and tearing apart meetings and, in general, causing destruction. To the list that the Member read out, we can also add Lund. At a student evening where the Prime Minister participated, ordinary questioners had to stand back for shouting, jeering, and other things that only disrupted the possibility of a democratic dialogue. We all have a responsibility to stand up for democratic dialogue and the conditions for conducting it in the public sphere.

(Applause)

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Carita Boulwén (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Guardians can help their children with health and medical care matters via 1177 until the child turns 13. After that, the child needs their own login.

Between 13 and 15 years of age, neither the child nor the guardian has direct access to the electronic health record. This is perceived as a problem by many, both guardians and children, but healthcare providers also express this. Many are not ready to manage their healthcare matters at the age of 13, and furthermore, it is the guardian's responsibility to meet the child's healthcare needs.

Even though there are cases where guardians should not have access to medical records, we must find solutions and not deny access for all. The Sweden Democrats have pushed forward on this issue, and there has been a completed investigation since last year that also proposes changes in the right direction.

My question to the Minister for Health and Social Affairs is: Does the Minister intend to take measures to make it possible for guardians to gain access to the e-system for health and medical cases concerning their children?

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Statsrådet Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for an important question!

That is certainly true. Quite a few children have a special need to be able to follow how things look for them as patients. For children with chronic diseases and children with disabilities, it is important that the parents can follow along with what is happening so that they can be involved in the children's care.

We have an old order that has not been expedient, but I hope that will soon be passé. In the referrals that came in during the autumn, quite a few difficulties were raised with the investigation proposal that existed.

Preparation is ongoing at the department, and we hope to return in the autumn with a proposal. I want to say that the objections from some of the referral bodies are worth taking seriously so that we do not come forward with a legislative proposal that has the opposite effect of what we intended.

We must safeguard the reasonableness of being able to access one's child's records, but also safeguard those who need to be able to close themselves off from their parent. It might be a young woman who has honor-related violence in her vicinity. In that case, it is not self-evident that the parents should be able to access her records.

We will manage this balance, and we will return with proposals as soon as possible.

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Adam Reuterskiöld (M)

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

We have seen in the world how inflation has affected the global economies. We have seen how the ECB and the Federal Reserve have handled the situation in a good way and also how the Riksbank has handled it.

Fiscal policy is a foundation for the long-term management of inflation, and we have seen in Europe how different countries have handled it in different ways. Our government, with the Minister for Finance at the helm, has handled inflation in an excellent way, and we now see how it is gradually falling.

My question to the Minister for Finance is: How does the Minister for Finance view the development of inflation, and what can we do to limit its impact on our economy?

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Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Adam Reuterskiöld, for the question!

We have truly felt the impact of high inflation in recent years - a brutally high inflation that has plagued many people. Purchasing power has weakened, and real wage increases have plummeted. This does not only harm households but the entire economy.

We have seen the effects and consequences of inflation in welfare, primarily for households but also for companies. That was why it was so important for our four parties when we took office to really fight inflation and be restrained in the budget despite the fact that the economy was heading downwards. Normally, one would want to step on the gas, but we refrained from this precisely because inflation must come down.

I said then that everyone must take their responsibility, and different parties have done so. I am very happy that what we have done is working. That being said, one can never let inflation out of sight. Things can happen, for example, disruptions in the Middle East with cargo ships, oil prices and much else that can affect inflation again.

It certainly looks like we have approached the final round.

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Karin Sundin (S)

Mr. Speaker! Patience is running out in Swedish healthcare. We have heard the threats of strikes from Kommunal, and now there is an overtime blockade from Vårdförbundet.

This year, it is once again harder than ever to reconcile the summer and the schedule when the staff are to have their well-deserved and statutory vacation. At the same time, large savings requirements and warnings weigh on healthcare, and it is easy to understand that the staff's patience is wearing thin.

We Social Democrats have shown that it is possible to prioritize healthcare over other things. In our healthcare amendment budget, we are doubling the government's investments in healthcare for the third time. Our proposal is permanent money - money that is needed.

Today I want to ask Minister for Health Acko Ankarberg Johansson what her strategy actually looks like. How is the Minister for Social Affairs going to make the Minister for Finance understand that more money is needed for Swedish healthcare?

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Statsrådet Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for the question!

It is necessary to support the regions. This is exactly what the government has done with the Minister for Finance at the helm. Early on, even before the spring budget amendment was presented, we stated that 6 billion kronor will go directly to the regions to manage the situation. This corresponds to 7,000 nurses. So far, we have seen warnings of approximately 5,600 people, so it will be a support that reduces the risk of having to lay off healthcare personnel.

I am a bit questioning regarding the Social Democrats' proposal. Are there permanent funds with a temporary bank tax? Furthermore, everyone knows that one cannot introduce a tax during a running year, so it is certainly a typical opposition proposal. We are all affected by it when we are in opposition – it must be allowed. It is not a realistic proposal, and above all, it provides no permanent funds from the Social Democrats.

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Helena Bouveng (M)

Mr. Speaker! On April 11, the Government presented a package of measures to strengthen civil defense and cybersecurity, which is very pleasing. It is a reinforcement of a full 385 million kronor.

Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin has underlined the importance of a swift reconstruction of the total defense, and the war in Ukraine has clearly demonstrated the importance of precisely a well-functioning total defense.

Recently, we have noticed that several municipalities, regions, and companies have been subjected to various types of cyberattacks where essential societal functions have been disrupted. Several of these are smaller municipalities and companies whose resilience against cyberattacks may be somewhat weaker.

My question is therefore: Has Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin had these municipalities, companies, and regions in mind when the government is now making a reinforcement of the total defense?

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Statsrådet Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Helena Bouveng, for a very pertinent question!

It is exactly as the questioner says, namely that the government is now also in the year-end budget focusing on strengthening the general cybersecurity work in Swedish society.

We are adding, among other things, extra money to the so-called Cybersecurity Check, which is a tool that the state provides so that, among others, municipalities and regions can have their cybersecurity level evaluated and subsequently receive a list of measures they can take to strengthen their general minimum level.

Unfortunately, we have seen example after example of how this was needed in both municipalities and state agencies. This is also one of the reasons why the government is tightening the requirements in a hundred regulatory letters for state agencies' work with cyber and information security, in addition to the fact that we are also rebuilding the national cybersecurity center in Sweden.

Question time was hereby concluded.

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