Question Time

TALMANNEN

I would like to welcome the ministers. Questions today will be answered by Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall, Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance Anna Tenje, Minister for Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari, and Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz.

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/her performance of duties. The question shall therefore not concern, for example, conditions within political parties. The Minister for Social Services answers both general political questions and questions within his/her own area of responsibility.

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Aida Birinxhiku (S)

Mr. Speaker! I can only regret that climate and energy policy continues to be reduced to a so-called culture war where short-term political points take precedence over what is actually best for Sweden and Swedish areas of strength. The government should instead focus on increasing the pace of the climate transition to accelerate Swedish growth, reverse unemployment, and create stable rules of the game for Swedish companies.

We know that Swedish industry is at the forefront of the transition. It is something for which Swedish companies should be rewarded, but which they are now instead being punished for when the EU backs away from previous climate ambitions. We saw it most recently in the issue of internal combustion engines, where the Tidö parties gave completely different messages.

What is the Minister for Climate and the government doing to ensure stable and long-term rules of the game for the industry's transition?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! It is undeniably clear that there are different pictures of what is happening in Europe. The climate issue is, in any case, global – all members can probably agree that emissions do not stop at the countries' borders.

We also see that Europe is taking its responsibility here. Europe is delivering right now regarding the Paris Agreement by adopting laws on emissions trading and the responsibility sharing regulation. They ensure that the countries must deliver regarding the limitations of emissions and step by step reduce their emissions.

Sweden is the country that is furthest ahead and has the lowest emissions per capita of all EU countries. Without Sweden, the EU would not have, just a few weeks ago, reached a decision on ambitious 2040 goals; we can also state that.

There are clearly different pictures of the situation here, not least in European climate policy.

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Aida Birinxhiku (S)

Mr. Speaker! The picture after nearly one parliamentary term with this government is that no energy agreement was reached, because the government chose to listen to the party strategists instead of Swedish industry. There was no effective climate policy, but instead the largest increase in emissions in 15 years. It was – and is – demonstrably not Swedish interests that are getting through in the EU's climate policy.

Is it this development that the Minister for Climate and Environment is satisfied with? Is this what Romina Pourmokhtari calls stable and long-term rules of the game for the industry's transition?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! The Government thinks it is good that Europe has just decided on a 2040 climate target that is at a 90 percent ambition level. In principle, almost all experts said that it would be very difficult to succeed with this. We were a few countries that fought for a high ambition level. Sweden was at the forefront and took a decisive role. This provides stability to the industry.

It also provides stability that the Social Democrats choose to vote for the government's fantastic proposal regarding nuclear power. An energy agreement might have had a greater function if there were such a large split that it divided the government and the opposition.

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Clara Aranda (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Since 2021, more than 400 reports of rape against women over 60 have been filed in Sweden, and the dark figure is large. Just during last year, eight men were convicted of serious sexual offenses within elderly care. This is completely repulsive and must be countered with full force.

The government has already taken important measures, including regarding the proposal to introduce a clear legal basis to be able to request extracts from the suspicion register and the criminal record register, for example for persons who are to work in elderly care. This is a step in the right direction, but it is quite obviously not a sufficiently sharp proposal. We believe that there should be direct requirements on the municipalities to perform this type of background check. It is also something that should occur repeatedly so that this can be followed up after employment.

Against this background, I would like to ask how Minister Anna Tenje views the need to introduce direct requirements on the municipalities to perform this type of background checks.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, Clara Aranda, for a very important question! Few things make me so incredibly furious, upset and deeply affected as reading about abuse, violence and rape against the elderly.

I am the first to sign on to the fact that it is extremely important that the government moves forward with several different proposals and step by step raises the requirements to work within Swedish elderly care. We increase the competence requirements and introduce a language requirement. We also ensure that the municipalities now receive a clear legal basis to make these important extractions from the workload register.

We do not stop there either. We do not want this to be a freely chosen task for the municipalities, but we have an investigation working in parallel so that it shall be mandatory for the municipalities to perform these important checks both before and during employment.

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Clara Aranda (SD)

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

We know that older women are particularly vulnerable, and therefore the legislation, which the Minister touched upon, needs to reflect the seriousness of these crimes. The Sweden Democrats and the government will now ensure that the threshold for deportation is lowered and ensure that those who commit rape will be deported without exception. The next step should reasonably be a new sexual offense legislation to strengthen the protection for the elderly. This is something I want the Minister to take with them.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, Clara Aranda, for the follow-up question!

Lately, we have been able to read and hear about various types of abuses, robberies, and attempted rapes, not least in Huskvarna. Criminal individuals have very easily obtained the personal data of elderly people and have in that way been able to pinpoint, search for, and cynically select particularly vulnerable groups in our society. That was not the intention, and that is how it should not be. Therefore, we have now announced that we are appointing a new investigation to see how we can protect the elderly in an even clearer way and ensure that their data does not become so public.

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Kajsa Fredholm (V)

Mr. Speaker! We in Vänsterpartiet are working for a just climate transition. It should be easy for people to do the right thing. The monthly pass in public transport should, for example, cost 450 kronor.

A just climate transition also means that it is those who emit the most who must reduce their emissions the most. In Sweden, billionaires have extremely high climate emissions. They are so high that it would take an average earner 30 years to emit as much as the richest emit in a year.

My question to Romina Pourmokhtari is: What is the government doing to ensure that billionaires reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and do their part of the climate transition?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! There are different ways to ensure that those who have the most also contribute the most to the climate work. The Government argues that if one earns a very high income, one also pays more in tax than those who earn less, and that tax revenue is something that spurs climate work and climate transition in Sweden. There are also price mechanisms in place which mean that those who emit must pay. If one emits more by consuming more and traveling more, the costs also become higher, and in that way, one also pays more.

The more one emits, the more one should pay. That is how it is in Sweden, and Sweden has had a carbon tax for almost the longest time in the world. But there are also many other systems.

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Kajsa Fredholm (V)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

It is, however, obvious that this is not enough, because as I said in my previous contribution, the billionaires emit so incredibly much. Surely more is needed for them to reduce their emissions at the rate that is required.

Why does the government not want to take extra measures against the richest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Or does the government believe that it is ordinary wage earners who should take the hit?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! It will probably be difficult for Kajsa Fredholm to adequately account for how all billionaires are larger emitters than those who are not billionaires. One could start from the negative image that everyone who has a lot of money flies to the right and left, eats more meat, and does things that increase emissions. Or perhaps reality looks such that there are billionaires who have a rather unsustainable lifestyle and contribute significantly to emissions, but there are also billionaires who are part of the solution and invest in climate work. We mean that there is a variation and that one should not generalize.

(Applause)

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Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

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

Sam, 35, has been in Sweden for ten years and has secured a permanent job in elderly care in Moderate-led Nyköping. But the wage floor that the Moderate-led government has set, 80 percent of the median wage, means that he is to be deported. The same applies to the nursing assistants Zarah and Afshad at Södersjukhuset. In Skåne, new deportation decisions for healthcare personnel within the municipalities and the region arrive almost every day. It concerns people who contribute, who work in both companies and welfare and who are important, not least for our elderly. They have not committed any crimes, and they have followed all rules and learned Swedish. They have done everything we as a country have requested.

But the government wants to deport these people who are absolutely crucial for the care and nursing of our elderly. This is deliberate, calculated, and no mistake, but rather the very purpose of abolishing the "spårbyte" and raising the wage floor. But it is foolish.

Why does the government wish to undermine Swedish welfare for our elderly in this way?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks for the member's question!

To the Center Party and others in this chamber, it sometimes sounds as if the competence shortage in health and social care has been caused by the fact that we have abolished the "spårbyte" (track change) and more recently significantly reduced asylum migration to Sweden. Rather, it is about the fact that we have several hundred thousand people in Sweden who can work but for various reasons do not, including because it does not pay to move from benefits to work, because they do not have the right education, and because they do not know the Swedish language.

That is why it is so important that the Swedish government now moves forward with a powerful subsidy reform with subsidy ceilings and activity requirements. We shall ensure that those who can work are given the right opportunity to do so.

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Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)

Mr. Speaker! I appreciate that the Moderates have not completely forgotten the work line. We also stand behind it, but that is not the question here. It is not the case that thousands of care assistants and nursing assistants are unemployed and are just waiting for the subsidies to be lowered so that they have to start working. Much needs to be done here, but it is not this that will cause there to be a shortage of nursing assistants in the future.

Why do you want to exacerbate the problem? Your policy will result in a shortage of healthcare and care personnel for our elderly.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, the member, for the follow-up question!

I understand that there is great commitment and good arguments in certain individual cases when so many are now affected by the abolished track change. Let me however remind you that the system has had many errors and flaws and has been criticized by many different authorities. It has also been emphasized that there is a great risk of abuse and cheating and that people can exploit the system. For that very reason, we have moved forward with our change.

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Rebecka Le Moine (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Perhaps many Liberals lie awake at night and wonder about the negative trend for their own party, but I do not know. One thing that I lie awake for at night is the negative trend regarding many different species in both Sweden and the world. It concerns the wolf, the lynx, the pine marten and the eel – the eel that has been fished illegally by the Prime Minister's closest man and which the government encourages Swedes to eat. My concern is not improved by the government's cuts and total dismantling of the environmental laws.

The government now wants to reform the species protection so as the forestry industry has desired, so that no species shall stand in the way of clear-cutting – this in favor of large companies' billion-profit profits. It is proposed that only the most endangered species should have continued legal protection.

My question to the Minister for the Environment is: Where is the limit for when a species is sufficiently endangered to receive legal protection?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! The authority Naturvårdsverket is currently looking at a new species list and making assessments of how different species should be managed based on the risk they face. They are looking at which species should be nationally protected and which should not be.

The government is working on many fronts to make it more predictable for Swedish forest owners what they should do. During the time of the red-greens and under the responsibility of the MP, forest owners who took responsibility and had a large biodiversity on their land received a logging ban but no compensation from the state. It favored those forest owners who did not take responsibility for biodiversity.

That is why I believe that the liberals who are awake are doing so rather because they are pleased that our policy gives those forest owners who do good the right. It would be paradoxical if those who do not safeguard biodiversity were to profit from it, but that was the case in the Environment Party's Sweden.

(Applause)

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Rebecka Le Moine (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the Minister for the Environment for the answer and for the applause for the environmental policy that the Green Party has long championed: that those landowners who protect threatened species on their land should receive an economic advantage.

It is not true, however, as the Minister for the Environment knows, that there has been any unpredictability. The protection of species in Sweden has existed for a long time and looked the same, until now when it is being tailored to the forestry industry's wishes.

(Applause)

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! It was now that there was an applause for the Green Party's line.

Perhaps more from Miljöpartiet need to meet Swedish forest owners and ask them if they think the regulatory framework is predictable and if it is understandable what one is supposed to do for biodiversity in order to receive help and support from the state. I have never met a forest owner who knows for sure what happens when one does the right thing, what support exists, and how one should proceed to strengthen environmental protection. But the Tidöregeringen will rectify that.

(Applause)

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Ulrika Heindorff (M)

Mr. Speaker! Today, 150,000 people in Sweden live with a dementia disease. We know that that figure will increase sharply in the coming years. Thankfully, research is moving forward. We have more knowledge than ever before in this area, and we know how dementia can both be treated and prevented.

Every person affected by dementia should be able to live a dignified and meaningful life even after a diagnosis. Last year, the government presented an updated dementia strategy, and I would therefore like to ask State Secretary Anna Tenje: What changes does this new strategy entail?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, Ulrika Heindorff, for a very important question!

The new dementia strategy may play a greater role for Swedish dementia care and how it develops in Sweden than most of what we have done previously will do. This is a first step where we completely turn the situation around. We do not see dementia diseases as a part of natural aging, but simply as a disease just like all others. Aging is admittedly a risk factor, but dementia is a disease. Then, one has the right to receive the care and treatment that one actually needs.

It is about the preventive work, which has not been included previously in the dementia strategy, and it is about getting a diagnosis and about receiving care, treatment, and rehabilitation, just as with all other diseases. It is also, of course, about dignified care and about participating in and incorporating the research, which, thank goodness, is moving forward extremely fast. It is also about broadening this, and there, hearing and oral health play a major role in particular.

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Ulrika Heindorff (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer!

A closely related issue that is also included in the strategy is the support for relatives. Today, 1.3 million Swedes care for a relative, and for this, they truly deserve all the appreciation. They carry a heavy burden, and it is important that they themselves receive the right support. Therefore, I ask: In what way does the government strengthen the support for relatives?

(TALMANNEN: The Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance has 30 seconds to answer this.)

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much for the clarification!

Relative support is extremely important. It is an issue that is being reinforced now. On July 1, 2026, the municipalities will be required to strengthen the support for relatives. Many become ill themselves, and we simply must prevent that.

We are now establishing in the Social Services Act that the municipalities are obliged to have a fixed relative contact to help and support relatives. My sharp appeal to all municipalities is: Invest in relative support – relief, day activities and not least relative groups!

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Kjell-Arne Ottosson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! The review of Swedish hydropower must comply with two very challenging parts of Swedish environmental law: environmental quality standards for water and Natura 2000.

Natura 2000 and its impact on the reassessments have not made themselves known as clearly in previous reassessments, but since a year ago there is clear evidence that Natura 2000 in combination with parts of the environmental quality standards risks leading to gigantic problems for the reassessments of the Swedish hydropower and thus the Swedish electricity supply.

This is due, not least, to the fact that authorities seem to have extremely different perceptions of how the reassessments should be carried out in relation to the Natura 2000 rules. Many of the problems can be traced back to how the conservation plans that the county administrative boards decide on for the relevant Natura 2000 areas are formulated.

How does the Minister for Climate and Environment intend to act to ensure that the county administrative boards carry out the assignment to update the conservation plans for the Natura 2000 areas affected by the reassessments regarding modern environmental conditions, in the manner that is actually specified in the NAP?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for a well-posed question!

The current government is actively working to ensure that the consequence of environmental assessments of hydropower does not become that a large amount of hydropower is decommissioned and that the processes become protracted, expensive and unpredictable and, not least, risk affecting the clean and fantastic electricity that hydropower supplies our entire elongated country with.

That is why it is important that we improve the processes, and this is what the government has done. Since we took office, we have paused the assessments in order to review and improve them. We do this in many different stages. This applies to both how we handle small hydropower dams and how we generally handle the environmental assessments that are ongoing.

There is now a system that works from a fund where one finances and in other ways tries to ensure that the process goes correctly. We must also do our part from the public side – from county administrative boards, the state and various municipalities – so that the processes become more stable. This is a task that takes place in many different ways.

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Kjell-Arne Ottosson (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

I can only sign off on the fact that a great deal of work has been done to move forward regarding the reassessments, but recently something has emerged that has not been known in the same way before. We see that Natura 2000 areas will really cause problems, and significantly so.

We see now that county administrative boards are acting in different ways and that some county administrative boards are not acting as they should according to the legislator's intentions when it comes to the conservation plans. How can the minister act so that they decide in line with what we have actually decided?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! We have proposed several different measures to improve the processes. I would say that the previous government's very unclear instructions have laid the foundation for the examinations proceeding in a way that is not good.

We are working all the time to improve and clarify. When the government is clearer, there is less room to do things in different ways, make arbitrary assessments, or, for example, over-implement EU legislation in an unreasonable way. Here, we from the government will need to continue working in many different ways.

Time is running out now, but we will certainly have the opportunity to discuss this further.

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Anders Ekegren (L)

Mr. Speaker! Now it is time for a question to Jessica, I think.

When I began to take an interest in the EU in connection with the referendum about 30 years ago, the mantra was that France and Germany had to agree for anything to happen in the EU. Today, France in particular is lagging significantly behind.

The EU needs countries that push the cooperation forward. The Nordic and Baltic countries within NB8, Poland and Germany as well as Ireland, which is somewhat interesting, are starting to cooperate more and more and can become a force within the EU.

What assessment does EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz make – are there additional countries within the EU that, together with the mentioned countries, could contribute and make the EU a stronger and more powerful organization?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for a very important and strategic question!

Sweden has been a member of the EU for 30 years now, and I would say that the cooperation is more important than it has been in a long time. The decisions we make today create an echo for future generations. It concerns our security, our competitiveness, and our welfare. It is incredibly important that Sweden is involved and shaping this echo. Together with many other countries around Europe, we are now making this clear, in contrast to previous governments that could hardly agree – it concerned everything from the forest to nuclear power.

We will, of course, join forces with the Nordics and the Baltics, where we know we are united, not least in our support for Ukraine, and with countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, when it comes to the EU budget and taking responsibility for the taxpayers' money, but also with a country like Spain when it comes to climate policy.

Fundamentally, it is about the fact that Sweden is a leader in many of the areas that are now central for Europe. We are a partner that many want to join forces with. It is a social capital that we are to utilize.

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Anders Ekegren (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for a very good answer.

The natural thing would have been to include the United Kingdom, but they have chosen a different path. It was positive to hear about the Netherlands, which I naturally hoped would be included in the minister's list. I also think it is a positive surprise that even a country like Spain can be involved in driving the EU forward.

Good luck!

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Mr. Speaker! I believe that what we must take note of is that there are different issues where we can cooperate with different countries. I see that Sweden has an immensely important role to play. This concerns actually all countries that in one way or another are located around the Baltic Sea, which has become an epicenter for much of the security policy that we now know we need to take a greater responsibility for.

We see that countries such as Germany and Poland want to cooperate and come closer to us Nordic-Baltic countries. That puts us in a very well-positioned place to take a central role moving forward.

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Dzenan Cisija (S)

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

The government proposes a contribution ceiling, which means that financial assistance is limited for families with multiple children. The criticism has been that this risks further affecting children who already live in economic vulnerability. Children cannot influence their family's finances or their parents' ability to work but still risk having poorer living conditions.

My question to the Minister is therefore: How does the government intend to ensure that a contribution ceiling does not lead to increased child poverty?

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Member, for the important question!

Working to ensure that children in Sweden receive increased safety and increased protection is one of our highest priority issues – hence the tax cut that will mean that for an ordinary family with children, there will be 5,000 more in the wallet at the end of each month this year than there was in 2022. It is, of course, an important part.

Another part is that the housing allowance has now been increased for the first time in 30 years. There, we have also worked with assignments to Socialstyrelsen. We see that different municipalities succeed with varying degrees of success. We have municipalities that are very successful in working with, for example, eviction parts. Socialstyrelsen is now working on making it possible to spread this to other municipalities. It is a small part.

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Dzenan Cisija (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thought about families with children who do not receive the same amount of social assistance as they had previously. It affects children, who, in turn, cannot influence their parents' finances, employability, or housing situation. Nevertheless, those children, the poorest children, will have to bear the consequences of the proposal.

Can't the government do anything more to protect the children? Take the children's perspective, please!

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! One of the most shocking of the study visits I have made was the visit to Hackney in London. There, one saw fourth-generation unemployment and what effect it has.

That children see their parents going to work is one of the best measures we can take so that children do not come to harm.

In addition, we reinforce several other things. The leisure card is one such example. One should be able to receive 2,000 kronor more if one needs that support from the side of society.

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Mona Olin (SD)

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

During the autumn, it was noted that several e-commerce companies were engaged in the sale of sex dolls with child-like appearances. This drew strong criticism, not least due to the risk of potentially normalizing sexual abuse of children. The idea is both repulsive and indecent.

The Minister for Social Services became directly involved in the issue and called for a meeting with e-commerce companies, children's rights organizations, and relevant authorities to discuss the problem and possible measures. The Government stated that it was prepared to proceed with legislation or other legal tools if the e-commerce companies do not remove the products themselves and prevent such sales.

In view of this, I would like to ask what follow-up has been conducted and what measures have been taken to ensure that this trade ceases.

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Mona Olin, for the question!

Let me first express my disgust over this entire phenomenon. I believe there are words that are not appropriate for this chamber when it comes to what I think about this.

What is gratifying to note in this context is that persons in Sweden who have possessed these dolls have been convicted of child pornography offenses because the courts have judged that this is child pornography. Furthermore, persons have been convicted of smuggling offenses because child pornography may not be transported across Sweden's borders. These types of dolls have thus, thank goodness, been classified as illegal in Sweden.

Now we are doing a number of things moving forward. This includes, among other things, the provocative measures that are now being presented to the police regarding digital forums and the ongoing investigations which also concern secret and preventive coercive measures, where one must analyze the possibility of disrupting, sabotaging, and interrupting specifically cybercrime when it concerns the dissemination of, for example, sexual abuse material.

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Mona Olin (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much for the answer, Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall!

It is very gratifying to hear that swift measures have been taken and that judgments have been handed down both against the holders of these products and against those who have sold them.

I would also like to know if any laws will be introduced to prevent similar incidents and sales in the future.

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! It is difficult to describe everything in under a minute, but we are, therefore, a very proactive country in the EU when it comes to, for example, abuse material online. We are very strongly proactive there.

We will also task the police to intensify the work regarding internet-related sexual offenses against children, that is, to strengthen the police's capacity. In such a task, the work regarding the blocklist will also be reviewed, meaning the ability to block internet addresses that involve the exploitation of children.

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Stina Larsson (C)

Mr. Speaker! We live in a restless time, and we need to increase our preparedness and our self-sufficiency. Therefore, Swedish food production with a living countryside is more important than it has been in a very long time.

Unfortunately, the conditions in the EU are unfair in several ways, and it is tough for many Swedish farmers. There is a great frustration, which became clearly evident when many traveled to Brussels and demonstrated before Christmas.

My question to the Minister for EU Affairs is therefore: Ahead of the upcoming CAP negotiations, how will the government ensure that Swedish farmers receive compensation for high environmental requirements and high animal welfare while we simultaneously increase our competitiveness?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, member, for a very important question!

Yes, we are now entering a massive negotiation regarding the EU's upcoming long-term budget. It is only to be noted that the world as it looks today is completely different than it was ten years ago, just as the member describes. We have entirely new challenges to handle when it comes to defense and security and when it comes to lack of competitiveness. These are issues that we must use the EU's budget to address, while at the same time we must be responsible with the taxpayers' money and not just pour on new expenditures.

But in this there are also expenditures that have previously existed in the EU's budget and which remain important. One such is the support for our farmers. Not least, the need for food security and food preparedness has been highlighted even more in light of the war in Ukraine and the security policy situation we have.

The government will act to try to find a good balance in these negotiations so that we can simply meet all these challenges at the same time. Will it be easy? No, really not. It will also require that we are able to prioritize among these expenditures.

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Stina Larsson (C)

Mr. Speaker! I am somewhat concerned about the government's priorities in these specific issues.

Today, another piece of news arrived in the same district. It concerns the shortage of Swedish beef, which has been reported in the media for a while. The reason is, among other things, that there is a shortage of cattle. There is a shortage of animals in our country right now, and this trend looks set to become even worse ahead.

I want to ask roughly the same question but expressed more simply: How can we ensure that we also continue to get Swedish minced meat in our Friday tacos?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

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

This government works both in Sweden and in the EU so that we can have better conditions for our farmers. Unlike the previous government, which most often seemed to see farmers or, in that respect, forest owners as a problem, we see all these important people as part of the solution to create prosperity and growth in our country, to increase our food security, and so that we can have meat and other food on the plate. They are, of course, also part of meeting our environmental challenges.

I can guarantee the members that we take these issues with the utmost seriousness. It is with this government that you as a farmer can be sure of getting better conditions and fewer regulations.

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Katarina Luhr (MP)

Mr. Speaker! During the autumn, the government removed the ban on uranium mining on Swedish land. On January 1, the legislation was changed, and on January 7, the first application was received to mine uranium in an area in Jämtland near Storsjön where wildlife, agricultural land, and drinking water are now at risk from a potential kilometer-wide open-pit mine. At the same time, the government is changing the legislation and stopping the municipal veto against uranium mining as well as weakening legislation regarding uranium contamination in water.

Clean drinking water is a vital but also finite resource. How does the Minister for the Environment view the trade-offs between clean water and mining that will need to be made in the future? How does the government want to prioritize between mines and clean water when such trade-offs need to be made because goal conflicts arise?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! There is much to mention regarding this. We also noticed during yesterday's party leader debate that these issues arouse great interest.

Let me be clear. If one is so terribly concerned about the municipalities' power over mines and the municipalities' right to express themselves, how is it that it is only uranium that the municipalities are intended to have a veto against? That is exactly the problem with this government. We are not to differentiate and favor in order to limit nuclear power. We all know that this was the reason why the specific uranium legislations appeared around 2017 from the previous government's side.

That is what this is about. It is about purifying our mining legislation and ensuring that the strong environmental conditions we have apply in a proper way. We shall not give preferential treatment to individual metals and minerals – such as uranium. This is what the changes are about.

Of course we shall have clean drinking water in Sweden. Of course we shall have completely safe drinking water in Sweden. I am convinced that Swedish environmental legislation will always take this into high regard and have a good margin. It seems so even for this government. There should be no uncertainties about that.

Our work is, for example, about the fact that there are many mines in Sweden that extract many other metals and minerals where small amounts of uranium are sometimes recovered. We believe that those amounts of uranium should not be handled as waste so that Sweden then has to import from other countries, as it was during the previous government's time. Here, it is a matter of us having common sense and taking advantage of the resources that are actually being mined and extracted from the ground today and ensuring that the uranium is not handled as waste, because that would be a waste of resources. Miljöpartiet should also be able to buy into that.

(Applause)

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Katarina Luhr (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the answer.

Last week I was up in Östersund together with the parliamentary group. When we invited people to talks about alunite mining and uranium mining, almost 200 people came who wanted to express their concern about what is happening around Storsjön. This is about people being allowed to express themselves and have control over their local environment.

What I asked about now was, however, very much about the clean water, because conflicts of objectives will arise. When one breaks in alunschist and mines uranium, there is a major problem. I want to know how the government intends to handle this.

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! I naturally understand the concern that exists now, not least due to the opposition's rhetoric in both TV debates – where I have to stand and defend myself against pure lies about this from the Centerpartiet – and now in the chamber.

There has not been a veto against mining in alunschiefer previously. The red-green government investigated whether mining in alunschiefer should be prohibited, and the red-green government's investigators concluded that a ban on mining in alunschiefer was not necessary.

I mean that this is a very simple way to scare people. It is unserious, and I regret that the Swedish mining industry is handled with so little respect and seriousness.

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Caroline Högström (M)

Mr. Speaker! This week, the long-awaited and record-long list of bills with the sharp proposals coming from the government during the spring was published. There, we could see the three parts of the subsidy reform.

The upcoming benefit reform is necessary to re-establish the work principle and seriously break the exclusion. The three parts – qualification for welfare, activity requirements, and benefit ceilings – take a collective holistic approach towards the exclusion that has meant that far too many children have not seen their parents go to work.

I would like to ask a question to Minister Anna Tenje regarding the activity requirement that is proposed to enter into force from July 1 this year. What effects does the Minister believe the reform can have, particularly for foreign-born women?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! This is truly important. I believe nothing when it comes to what effects this can have – I know what effects it can have.

During my time as chairman of the municipal board in Växjö, I had the privilege of introducing activity requirements in the social assistance. I saw then what a great difference it could make – not least for women – to get into employment, to get closer to a job and, above all, to learn Swedish and receive some type of education. One might become an apprentice or enter some form of employment.

This had the greatest significance for the women's children, who previously had not attended preschool and had not learned Swedish or had any playmates other than possibly their siblings. They were now instead able to go to preschool, where they received an important foundation of knowledge to stand on and learned the Swedish language. When they entered the Swedish school, they no longer carried the same heavy backpack as many other children, who had never seen their mothers become active or go to work. These are the major changes.

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Caroline Högström (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, Minister, for the answer! I completely agree with the Minister and truly believe that this can make a big difference.

Could the Minister mention something about how municipalities and civil society could work with, for example, the activity requirement?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I would be very happy to do so.

It is truly a matter of us joining forces now. This does not only place increased demands on the individual regarding doing what one can to enter employment and approach work. It also places great demands on the municipalities to actually ensure that their residents are properly equipped and receive the right education and opportunity to approach the labor market.

This is best done together with civil society. For example, the Red Cross and Erikshjälpen – which I have seen in Växjö – can provide space for both various internship placements and work training, which will ensure that more people will approach employment.

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Dan Hovskär (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a question to the Minister for Pensions and Social Insurance, Anna Tenje.

In recent times, we have seen several serious cases of sexual abuse within elderly care. Reports have been made, among other things, regarding suspected sexual offenses and rape against a woman at a residential home for the elderly in Vännäs, where two employees are now under investigation.

What is emerging in the reports is completely unacceptable. No elderly person should have to feel fear toward the staff responsible for intimate care. Safety, privacy, and dignity must be fundamental.

We Christian Democrats believe that elderly people should be given the opportunity to choose for themselves which gender the staff performing intimate care should have. If it is possible, the care should be performed by staff of the same gender as the care recipient. This is not about luxury or convenience, but about dignity and respect for the elderly.

My question is: What does the Minister think about giving the elderly the right to choose the gender of the staff during intimate care?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Dan Hovskär for a very important question. There are few things that upset me as much as when elderly people are subjected to gross violence and rape.

As I see it, this is a question of freedom of choice. It is a question of the possibility for the elderly to influence who shall perform the home care and in what way – or which residence one shall live in. Being able to influence and participate in the care and services that one needs and has a right to, I see as a matter of course. I also know that many care providers, as far as is possible, try to accommodate these wishes.

I want to be clear once again, Mr. Speaker, that the government is now step by step raising the requirements for the right to be able to work within Swedish elderly care. It is about competence, it is about language, and it is about extracts from the criminal records. It is not a human right to work within Swedish elderly care, but it is the elderly's right to be able to feel safe and secure.

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Dan Hovskär (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much for the answer, Minister!

It is to put the elderly in the center that is important. We must look at their situation rather than at the system, and security and dignity are what need to come first. The Minister touched upon some things that are being done, and the follow-up question is what other initiatives the government is now making to strengthen the protection for the individual elderly person who is within elderly care.

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! As I mentioned: Step by step, we are raising the requirements for working within Swedish elderly care. This is also about investing in the staff and in the work environment so that more people want to, can, and have the energy to work more – and that more people want to apply for these important healthcare and care professions. It is, after all, no secret that more people will be needed working there. More and more of us are becoming older, and more people are needed working within healthcare and care.

Competence initiatives and the supply of skills are therefore the most important issue for the government to continue working on.

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Elin Nilsson (L)

Mr. Speaker! My question is addressed to Minister for Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari.

During the last decade, we have seen a development in the field of environmental law that means individual forest owners are forced to see their life's work go to waste when they lose the right to cultivate their forest – and this without the right to compensation. It is completely unworthy of a rule of law. Something that has been managed for generations to be passed on is lost. One is punished for doing the right thing, quite simply. So we cannot have that.

If there is any question that has kept me awake at night during this parliamentary term, it is precisely this one. Now we move forward and ensure that a right to compensation is introduced, which is the absolutely most important issue regarding the forest area this parliamentary term and this year. But there is more to be done, so my question becomes: What other measures are underway to achieve a more reasonable application of the species protection regulations?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

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

We have a system today that actually punishes those who try to do the right thing, and we cannot have that. It is not a system that strengthens environmental protection, and it is not a system that is fair to Swedish forest owners. It is not a system that benefits anyone, and this is what the Tidöregeringen is trying to rectify step by step. We do this, among other things, through the changes the member mentions, namely our recently presented proposal on compensation for restrictions on use. It is a first step.

We are also continuing to work on several fronts; among other things, we are looking at how we can make the species protection rules more predictable so that one can know what applies. Not least, we are also looking at how EU laws have been translated into Swedish and how we can ensure that they are not translated in a way that disadvantages Swedish forest owners, and we have also commissioned the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to review which species are nationally protected. That this new species list is being compiled is a very important step in this work.

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Elin Nilsson (L)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks for the answer, Romina Pourmokhtari! We truly share the commitment in this issue.

As has been said, there is more to do, but is it reasonable to assume that it actually strengthens the high environmental values – instead of, as the opposition claims, wrecking the forest policy – when one now streamlines the species protection and ensures that that which truly needs protection is actually protected? Can the Minister say anything about that?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! I would be very happy to!

We have certain species in Sweden that are very endangered, but a species protection that can stop logging to protect a species that we simultaneously shoot 20,000 individuals of per year. It is a system that weakens the protection generally. That we now ensure that the protection is concentrated on the most endangered species, I am completely convinced, leads to a stronger environmental protection that allows us to actually save vulnerable species in a very good way. It is very important that we continue to do so so that Swedish forest owners are both happy and can contribute to a strong environmental protection.

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Sanne Lennström (S)

Mr. Speaker! This year's poorest month is here, and especially single-person households are having a very tough time given the increased rents and the skyrocketing food prices. A nursing assistant can work full-time today and still fail to make the finances work.

Yesterday, Majblomman had a report release here in the Riksdag. There, several measures were proposed that we Social Democrats have looked at but which the government has not yet implemented or has dismissed. Increased child allowance and free public transport during the holidays are two examples of such measures. Majblomman's support for vulnerable families has increased by 17 million over three years. Child poverty is therefore at very critical levels.

At the seminar, I also met with the Swedish Enforcement Authority (Kronofogden). The number of children who have been subjected to eviction has risen from 449 to 711 in just four years, and the authority states that there is also a large number of unreported cases. Unpaid rents are the most common reason for the termination of tenants.

My question therefore goes to Minister for Social Insurance Anna Tenje. Why does it look like this, and what measures can the Minister and the Government imagine taking?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks for a very important question, Sanne Lennström!

The cattle are, as said, here, and it is clear that it is tangible for many families – not least single women. For that very reason, the government has taken a number of different measures. There are different ways to support families with children, and we have chosen one path while others have proposals for other paths. It is partly about a halved food VAT, about lower electricity prices, and about lower fuel costs. But it is also about a leisure card, and furthermore, it is about us now raising the ceiling in the housing allowance. It is the first increase in 30 years and will have a very great significance for these families.

When it comes to the evictions, Sstyrda Malmö and Sstyrda Göteborg stand out. I find it very distressing. This requires, among other things, local commitment and leadership, but Socialstyrelsen has also had a mandate from the government since earlier – and we received a partial report in December – to look specifically at how we can counteract this and spread the good examples so that families with children are not evicted.

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Eric Palmqvist (SD)

Mr. Speaker! At the end of the previous parliamentary term, the then government forced through a decision on a ban on the extraction of coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as stricter rules for extraction in oil shale. This was done despite the fact that natural gas, among other things, is expected to play an important role for the country's energy balance and reserve power for the foreseeable future.

I mean that from a total defense perspective, it is directly harmful to continue to have legislation that restricts us as a nation regarding which of our assets we can utilize to extract energy. To further highlight the absurdity of the ban, it can be pointed out that there are natural gas leakages in nature, for example in the Siljansbygden area, and that this gas cannot be recovered and used due to the limitations in the legislation.

I therefore want to ask Minister for Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari if the government intends to work towards an abolition of the ban on the extraction of coal, oil, and natural gas.

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! The straight answer is: No, there are no such plans from the government's side today.

It is, however, of course so that we must constantly think about what world we live in when we develop our climate and environmental legislation. We must, for example, ensure that the legislation we have does not worsen for Swedish farmers and agricultural producers and their capacity to provide our entire long country with various foodstuffs. We must also ensure that Swedish forest owners can take responsibility for environmental protection but also produce all the bio-raw materials that we benefit from in our entire society.

We must, therefore, ensure that our legislation is adapted to the reality we live in, and the reality we live in today obviously implies a very sharp security situation where it is important that we have the ability to secure the basic functions in our society. This is an issue that is constantly present and which we work on in many different ways. But when it comes to exactly what the member is asking about, there are no plans from the government's side today.

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Helena Lindahl (C)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to the Minister for EU Affairs.

The trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur countries has been negotiated for many years and seems to be becoming a reality soon. This implies great advantages, not least for Swedish and European industry. Fundamentally, the trade agreement is very good, but there are also question marks regarding our farmers and an increased self-sufficiency rate in Sweden and Europe.

The agreement risks wiping out a large part of our agriculture, which is unfortunate and risks worsening our defense capability, not least when it comes to food. The Mercosur countries produce food in a completely different way than we do in Sweden, where we have high requirements for animal welfare, environment, and climate. It also pressures prices and lowers competitiveness not only for Swedish but also for European agriculture.

My question is how the government intends to ensure an increased level of self-sufficiency of food in Sweden and continued competitiveness for Swedish farmers – not least considering that the EU's agricultural budget appears to be decreasing in parallel with the introduction of the Mercosur agreement.

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Helena Lindahl for the question.

After 25 years of negotiations, it finally looks like we can get the Mercosur agreement in place. It is fantastic. Perhaps there will soon be an agreement with India. It is a way to show that what creates prosperity and growth in the world is trade, not tariffs. It is immensely important and good if we can create one of the world's largest free trade zones. I applaud this, and it is long-awaited.

With that said, I naturally take many farmers' concerns very seriously. All trading partners that export, for example, meat to the EU must meet the EU's health requirements; among other things, the EU's import ban on meat produced with hormones and growth promoters applies. We are constantly cooperating with other countries to ensure that better conditions are obtained there.

Something that I find pleasing is that Swedish consumers have a strong preference for Swedish meat. Therefore, our authorities make the assessment that the tariff quotas will not affect Swedish agriculture to any significant extent. Perhaps the meat will rather crowd out other imported meat.

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Jacob Risberg (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Six months ago, the new Gender Identity Act was introduced following broad support in the Riksdag. This was a welcome law intended to make life a little easier for trans people, who have long been a vulnerable group in Swedish society.

The Agency for Health and Social Care Analysis was given the assignment to conduct a review of the law after three years, when there is sufficient statistics to determine its effects.

The law has been in place for half a year, but already government representatives want to conduct a review – despite the fact that there can hardly be sufficient reliable statistics to determine how the law has functioned. They also want to control the sports movement's internal regulations.

The announcement of a review struck like a bolt from the blue and has been criticized not only by the LGBTQ+ movement but also by legal experts.

My question to Minister for Social Services Waltersson Grönvall is the following: What exactly prompts the panicked behavior?

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question.

The new gender identity law was motivated by respect for those who experience that their gender identity does not correspond with the registered gender. It is, as the member is well aware, an issue that is more complex than is sometimes allowed space for when we discuss it.

In the work with the new law, the government was clear from the beginning that it should not be able to be exploited by criminals or hinder law enforcement agencies in their work. The law was to be followed up. In itself, no news at all has emerged. There are several other pieces of legislation that we have followed up on after a year or half a year. It is about the law being able to be evaluated so that it lives up to its original purpose, that women should always feel safe in Sweden and that we should be sure that the gender identity law can never be used to hinder law enforcement.

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Helena Storckenfeldt (M)

Mr. Speaker! All over Sweden, there are hundreds of thousands of forest owners who take care of their land every day. Often, it concerns families who have cultivated the same plot for generations and who have entirely voluntarily made efforts to preserve and strengthen nature values.

Despite this, many have experienced that the state is not on their side. They have had their operations severely restricted and sometimes completely stopped as a result of the species protection regulation, without reasonable compensation. In some cases, they have even been forced to pay for investigations to meet the state's requirements. This has created immense frustration and eroded trust in the system.

Against this background, the government's announcement is very welcome, namely that forest owners who are restricted shall receive compensation.

How does the Minister for Climate and Environment and the government view the importance of the reform, and how can we continue to ensure that those who take responsibility for our nature are not punished?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! For us, it is completely self-evident that the Swedish forest owners who are affected by significant restrictions in the right to use the land they own, not least to produce the fantastic raw materials we use in climate work and for the transition away from fossil products, deserve reasonable conditions, predictability, and stability. They shall not be opposed by the public sector. We shall not make it difficult for them. It absolutely must not be as it has been until now, namely that when they do the right thing, they risk having logging stopped entirely without compensation. It is important for us that they shall not lose out by doing the right thing.

I find it difficult to understand how those who think this is a matter of negative changes mean that it would be good for forest owners to lose out when they do what is good for environmental protection, when they strengthen the biodiversity in Sweden. I am absolutely convinced that the Swedish forest owners share that view.

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Per-Arne Håkansson (S)

Mr. Speaker! I turn to EU Minister Jessica Rosencrantz.

This week, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made it clear what is at stake when one, as the Trump administration in Washington does, challenges international law. It is about not changing borders by force, that you cannot buy another people, and that small countries should not be afraid of large countries, said Mette Frederiksen at a press conference together with Greenland's Prime Minister Nielsen this week.

It is easy to agree. Sweden, the Nordic countries, and the EU need, in this situation, to be a strong voice for the world order we have jointly built up after the world wars. What we are now seeing from the other side of the Atlantic is a dangerous path that risks inspiring other leaders in different parts of the world.

What concrete initiatives does EU and Nordic Minister Jessica Rosencrantz intend to take to unite the forces in the world that want to strengthen global democracy and international law?

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EU-minister JESSICA ROSENCRANTZ (M)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for a question that I believe we are all currently spending a lot of time reflecting on, both day and night. What we hear about Greenland from the American side is deeply concerning. From the Swedish side, we are in daily contact with our Danish colleagues, and we stand wholeheartedly behind Denmark's and Greenland's right to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland. It is also evident that we all need to safeguard countries' territorial integrity and independence.

We are, as said, in daily contact with and are prepared to assist Denmark with what is desired. We are also crystal clear regarding compliance with international law and that territorial integrity is respected.

Now it is a matter of acknowledging that a meeting was held yesterday. It is obvious that people still disagree, and I can regret that. But that one has nevertheless found a form of dialogue moving forward can hopefully contribute to cooling down the situation somewhat here and now. We will continue not to back down a millimeter from standing behind Denmark and Greenland in this.

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Martin Kinnunen (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I took note of the latest issue of the newspaper Svensk Torv. It was stated there that the Minister has been on a study visit to professional growers out in Ekerö in the Stockholm area. There, lettuce and herbs are cultivated. There, the Minister was shown a cultivation test of thyme in different cultivation substrates. The result naturally showed that if the thyme is cultivated with peat it goes well, but if one cultivates with the other alternatives and completely excludes peat, it does not.

A similar situation prevails for other vegetables, for example, strawberries and forest plants. Without Swedish peat, Swedish preparedness would be worsened, and we would see a development where we become dependent on imports. At the same time, a problematic development prevails where peat cultivation is opposed by authorities and so-called legis-groups.

How does the government view the situation and the threats that exist against responsible Swedish peat production?

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Klimat- och miljöministern Romina Pourmokhtari (L)

Mr. Speaker! This is a fantastically interesting question because there are many areas where we are working to reduce emissions. When it comes to peat, it is good that there is an emissions trading system in the EU, which regulates the emissions that come from energy peat.

When we talk about cultivation peat, I really think we should look at the fantastic capability that exists, not least in Sweden. Sweden has recently received an award for being the most innovative country. I am convinced that we will be able to develop alternatives that may not succeed exactly as incredibly well as cultivation peat but that can promote high productivity, quality, and growth in our cultivation.

I also want to turn against the idea that if you have cultivation peat it works, but if you don't have it, it doesn't. I would say that if you have cultivation peat it works very well, and if you use other types of growth-promoting alternatives, it doesn't work quite as well as it does with the cultivation peat.

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Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)

Mr. Speaker! My question is directed to Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall.

On December 1 of last year, the secrecy barriers between authorities and other actors were removed. It is a much-awaited change, which has actually been expected for 50 years. It is about simplifying for authorities and other actors to cooperate and share confidential information with one another. The purpose is to counter all forms of crime, criminality, and cheating. It may sound like a simple change, but I have understood that it is actually a systemic shift. Much will be changed and in many areas.

Of course, it is not enough to just make a legislative change. It must also be implemented and used. We see, for example, with great concern that many young people at increasingly younger ages are being recruited into criminal gangs. In that case, it is of course important to break down the secrecy between the police, social services, and school. This is actually the first time that cooperation can be carried out in this way in order to perhaps be able to reduce this.

My question to the Minister for Social Affairs is: What can be done with this new law? How can we address these problems now that the confidentiality barriers have been changed? I am thinking primarily about the recruitment of young people into criminal gangs, but also about other areas.

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Socialtjänstministern Camilla Waltersson Grönvall (M)

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

What the government is doing and which is highly prioritized is a kind of paradigm shift when it comes to focusing on preventive work. The Member mentions that we must break the gangs' recruitment of ever younger children. The new Social Services Act is a portal law in that regard.

But different actors must also be able to talk to each other. For the first time, it will now be legal and possible to sit around the same table and share information about a young person. This will naturally be absolutely crucial for being able to detect early on when a child is at risk of harm and thus implement interventions.

This applies, in large part, to being able to prevent and implement measures in all areas at an early stage. Now we are breaking the secrecy to make this fully possible.

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Mikael Dahlqvist (S)

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

As the Minister surely knows, comparisons are now being made within Swedish elderly care. According to the latest statistics from Socialstyrelsen, there are great inequalities between Sweden's municipalities when it comes to quality, staffing, and continuity. This means that elderly people with the same needs receive different care and support depending on which municipality in the country they live in.

We know that an important factor is that the municipalities' economic situation governs a great deal of the quality of elderly care and what the care looks like. The municipalities naturally have the primary responsibility, but the state is responsible for equality.

The current government has not prioritized welfare as strongly. Therefore, my question to the Minister for Health and Social Affairs is: How does the government intend to use the state's responsibility and governance to reduce the differences in elderly care between municipalities and ensure equal care for the elderly throughout Sweden?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, Mikael Dahlqvist, for an important and good question!

The quality within elderly care definitely needs to be raised. Just as the member describes, it can differ between municipalities, but it can also differ within the same municipality, between private providers and public management, but also within public management and different residential facilities.

I am passionate about raising the quality within Swedish elderly care. We do this primarily through three measures. We are raising the requirements for working in elderly care step by step, through the Elderly Care Boost (Äldreomsorgslyftet), and by ensuring that the municipalities can now increase the competence of their staff. More nursing assistants can study to become nursing assistants, but more nursing assistants can also study to become specialist nursing assistants. It is indeed with the staff's competence that the quality comes.

We are also introducing a language requirement. It was clear in the Corona Commission's reports, but also in Ivo's reviews, that it is there that the major deficiencies lie. Therefore, we are introducing the language requirements and also implementing the possibility for municipalities to request extracts from the workload register.

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Martin Westmont (SD)

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

According to a report from Försäkringskassan, around 4,000 gang criminals live on benefits today. This naturally increases the possibilities for this group to not need to work and instead spend their time on criminal activities. In many cases, this group receives benefits with the help of incorrect or directly fraudulent medical certificates.

Mr. Speaker! Let us speak plainly. I assume that the Minister sees the obvious just as I do: that today we have doctors who, for compensation, write fraudulent certificates, which are then used to be able to claim tax money in the form of grants. How large this problem is, we do not know today.

My question to the Minister is: How does the government now proceed with tightening the tap of subsidies for the criminals by investigating and prosecuting the doctors who issue fraudulent medical certificates?

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Äldre- och socialförsäkringsministern Anna Tenje (M)

Mr. Speaker! Many thanks, Martin Westmont, for an important question!

The question the member points out creates very many and large problems. The medical certificate is, in fact, not just a piece of paper, but it is the very key to and the gate into our welfare system. We know that the vast majority of doctors are everyday heroes. But we also know that there are unserious and criminal actors who use a very sophisticated criminal scheme to plunder our common assets.

That is exactly why the government has significantly moved forward regarding the prosecution of subsidy crime. We have given the authorities a considerably larger toolbox. They are allowed to share information but also receive more tools in the toolbox specifically to prosecute the crime.

We have also appointed an inquiry to review the important part of purging among the unserious doctors and ensuring that the criminal actors do not get the same space as before.

Question time was hereby concluded.

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