Regional development policy

Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson (M)

Madam Speaker! This is a committee report, and I would like to move for the approval of the committee's proposal.

Let us for a moment imagine that we, like Nils Holgersson, soar high above our elongated land. From this vantage point, we see a Sweden characterized by fertile agricultural lands in the south, dense forests stretching through the heart of the country, pulsating cities driving innovation and growth, and a living countryside where tradition and renewal go hand in hand.

To bind our country together and promote regional growth, a robust infrastructure is crucial. The government therefore prioritizes the upgrading of existing roads and railways. By improving these transport routes, we facilitate for people to commute to work and education and for companies to reach their markets.

In a country with Sweden's geography, the regional airports play a special role. They are not only important for business travel and tourism but also for ensuring that even remote regions have access to fast transport. By supporting and developing these airports, we strengthen the entire country's competitiveness.

The southern parts of Sweden, with their rich soils, form the basis of our agriculture. Here, food of the highest quality is produced, which not only ensures our domestic supply and gives us the opportunity to increase the level to reach a higher degree of self-sufficiency – agriculture strengthens Sweden and can contribute to exports and economic growth. It is therefore of utmost importance that we maintain control over how a viable agriculture can be developed. We know that conventional cultivation here in Skåne meets baby food standards. No one uses more additives than is necessary, and the residual products of trace elements are so extremely small that they disappear before the crop is harvested.

Many interesting innovations are underway. One of them is to take advantage of pea by-products, which become a new product for another entrepreneur in a chain of sustainability. Work is also underway to develop a vegetarian product that does not require water in its production. This is then to be used to cook, for example, a good "meat sauce". These are exciting and important areas within food supply moving forward.

Swedish agriculture faces a decisive transition, but it must be carried out with both economic and environmental wisdom. When the investment costs for the climate transition are estimated to be between 80 and 85 billion kronor, with annual additional costs of 10–11 billion, a responsible policy is required that safeguards both the climate and competitiveness.

We Moderates see glimmers of light. The Swedish Board of Agriculture's latest forecasts show that the costs for inputs and services are expected to decrease. That was not what was said in the previous debate. But perhaps we can still lower the prices on energy and fertilizer. This gives us a breathing space to carry out the transition in a sensible way. Sweden's unique conditions with our climate, technological progress, and fertile lands give us a strong foundation to stand on.

But we must do it right. Just as in our energy policy, we stand for a line where climate measures are implemented with a focus on innovation and cost-effectiveness, not through coercion and over-regulation. The transition must occur in harmony with those who actually drive Sweden's agriculture, not over their heads.

When we move through Småland and northward, we see the vast forests, which are not only a part of our landscape but also a cornerstone of our economy and culture. Sweden's forest owners have for generations shown that they can combine production and consideration for the environment. It is therefore crucial that we maintain national control over forest policy and do not let the EU's forest strategy encroach on our sovereignty. The Moderates stand firm that forestry shall be governed by Swedish interests and knowledge.

Our cities are engines for innovation, education, and economic growth, but their success is inextricably linked to a vibrant countryside. By strengthening the infrastructure, such as the upgrading of roads and railways, which I mentioned earlier, we ensure efficient communications between city and countryside and create the conditions that all of Sweden needs to flourish. This includes our important airports.

A stable and sustainable energy supply is a prerequisite for both industrial development and the green transition. Southern Sweden has faced major challenges regarding the electricity supply, which affects both households and companies. The Government has therefore decided on measures to strengthen the electricity situation in southern Sweden, including through investments in the power grid and Kraftlyftet.

Kraftlyftet is the government's new smart initiative to strengthen the electricity system where it is needed most. By investing in local electricity production and energy storage, starting at 100 million kronor in 2025 and increasing to 400 million per year from 2027, we create security in the electricity system. A concrete example is support for combined heat and power which provides important stability in areas with acute power needs. These measures are necessary to ensure that the region can continue to be a driving force in Sweden's green transition.

There are those who question nuclear power's place in our energy mix. We Moderates see it as necessary, which is an opinion that we share with a majority of the Riksdag. The characteristics of nuclear power ensure that the country can guarantee a stable and carbon-free electricity production. It complements renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and provides us with the baseload required to meet both today's and the future's energy needs.

To promote local production and entrepreneurship, the Riksdag has decided on tax reductions for small breweries. From July 1, 2025, independent breweries producing up to 3 million liters of beer per year will receive a reduction in the alcohol tax of up to 50 percent. This initiative aims to strengthen the economic conditions for small beer producers and stimulate local entrepreneurship.

The government has also decided to introduce farm sales of alcoholic beverages. From June 1, 2025, smaller producers will be able to sell their products directly to consumers on-site, which is expected to strengthen the tourism industry and give consumers the opportunity to buy, for example, a bottle of wine directly from the vineyard.

The government has therefore taken a decision to lower the tax for certain breweries. It will be great that we get a bit more freedom in our country and the opportunity to strengthen the tourism industry.

In summary, by observing our country from above, much like Nils Holgersson, we see a Sweden where cities and countryside interact, where agriculture and forestry are central pillars in our economy, and where national self-determination is crucial to preserving our unique conditions.

The Moderates work to ensure that all of Sweden has the opportunity to grow and develop, with respect for our traditions and with an eye on the opportunities of the future.

With this, Madam Speaker, I move again for the approval of the committee's proposal.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam Speaker! I must admit that I began to become unsure whether I had ended up in the right debate. The consideration is about business-promoting municipal services, public services, the localization of state agencies and so on, but the member spoke about roads, railways, aviation, agriculture, forestry, living countryside, energy and farm sales.

I have a question for the member. You Moderates often talk about creating good conditions for entrepreneurship. How does this square with you removing the corporate support for the 39 smallest municipalities and at the same time cutting back on regional development funds? In rural areas, these supports are often crucial for companies to be able to start and survive. How does the member justify that you are cutting back where the needs are greatest?

I can understand that the member does not want to speak about this policy in his speech.

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Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson (M)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Member Monica Haider, for the question!

One can talk about most things when it comes to regional growth. When the matter was submitted, we had a debate that was about the money. It was before Christmas. Then there was a Center Party member from Dalarna who said that we should have more discussion about Sweden in general, wide and broad, and that was what I did. With that said: One can save things for such exchanges of remarks.

When it comes to the 39 rural municipalities that had support, it originated from a project that lasted for a number of years, and then the project ended. Projects are intended to turn a thought into reality through an intervention to see how it works, and then it is supposed to become self-sustaining.

When the project is finished, it is up to those who have been involved to continue their work. It is perfectly possible to do this, and that is how it is intended. Projects should not be for life, but they should transition into something permanent. Or one decides that it was not a good idea, and then it does not continue.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam President! Thank you for the answer, Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson!

There are no obstacles to extending an initiative. We have done so in the Social Democrats' budget because it is important for these municipalities. In rural areas, targeted measures are often required.

What the government also wants to do is to centralize the structural fund partnerships and place the power over the EU funds with Tillväxtverket. I am wondering how the Moderaterna view the risk that regional priorities may take a backseat to national interests when the decisions are moved further away from the local decision-makers.

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Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson (M)

Madam Speaker! Each party decides for itself how it wants to allocate its investments. Member Monica Haiders party decided that the project should continue from 2018–2024 and then be evaluated.

In the summer of 2026, a major program will be launched where the rural strategy will be reviewed. By then, all the information needed to look at it will have been gathered so that a strategy can be adopted that applies here and now but also moves us forward in time. That is where it lies, so it is a short or long distance to things and matters.

It is good that Monica Haider is on the ball and a bit quick on her feet. It did not go that fast during the own government, but it is good that there are high demands on us.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the Committee on Industry's report 10 Regional development policy.

I move for approval of reservation 5 on commercial service.

Regional development is an issue that is crucial for the future of the whole of Sweden. It is about the whole country being able to grow and develop and that people should be able to live, reside and run businesses wherever they are located.

Unfortunately, we see how the government's policy is going in the exact opposite direction. The cuts to the service centers are just one of several examples of how the countryside and the smaller towns are paying the price for the government's savings in order to be able to lower taxes for those who earn the most.

We Social Democrats view with great concern how this government repeatedly fails those who live outside the major cities.

The service centers are a lifeline for many, especially for elderly people who do not have access to or knowledge of digital solutions. When these offices disappear or are cut back, access to basic community services deteriorates. It is not acceptable. We have therefore, in our proposals, particularly emphasized the importance of the state taking responsibility to ensure that basic services are available throughout the country.

Madam Speaker! State presence throughout the country is crucial for creating equal conditions. It is about justice. Everyone should have the same opportunities, regardless of whether one lives in Trelleborg or central Stockholm.

The government's policy instead creates divides, and it affects people in rural areas who are already struggling to make ends meet. In our motion, we Social Democrats particularly highlight the importance of strengthening commercial services, such as shops and gas stations in rural areas. It is a prerequisite for people to be able to live and work there.

In our budget motion for 2025, we have presented concrete proposals to strengthen regional development and ensure that the entire country can develop. We have proposed increased resources for commercial services, including by strengthening support for grocery stores and gas stations in rural areas. We also want to ensure that EU funds are used in a way that benefits the countryside and the small businesses that are important for local growth.

We also emphasize the importance of strengthening business promotion in smaller and sparsely populated municipalities. It is in these areas where the need for support is greatest. The Government shows in action that they do not care about the difficulties for the smallest municipalities when they remove 70 million in business support to the 39 smallest municipalities while simultaneously cutting 100 million on regional development.

Madam Speaker! The government's passivity risks leaving people and companies in the lurch. Access to public and commercial services is not just about convenience. It is also about security and the possibility of staying in one's home locality and operating a business. It is also about crisis preparedness. During the pandemic and other crises, we have seen how important it is to have functioning services near people. Therefore, it is concerning that the government is not listening to the signals coming from the entire country.

Particularly worrying are the government's proposals to merge agencies. An example that is close to me is that MUCF in Växjö is proposed to be merged with the Agency for Support to Religious Communities. I come from Kronoberg County myself and know how important MUCF's location in Växjö is for Kronoberg. Now, the future for that agency is uncertain.

There is a risk that the new merged agency will be centralized to Stockholm and Bromma, where the other agency is located, or to another large city. It would be a major step backward for those of us who want to see a state presence throughout the entire country. Unfortunately, there has been no talk so far about where the agencies to be merged should be located. We view these plans with great skepticism. They risk leading to further state activities being concentrated in the large cities.

Mergers of agencies must not be used as a cover to reduce the state's presence in rural and remote areas. Instead, the focus should be on spreading state jobs and agency functions throughout the country.

Madam President! We also see that the government is in the process of centralizing the structural fund partnerships, which have played a central role in regional development policy. This will weaken regional influence over EU funds, leading to less effective and less locally adapted development initiatives. It is a very poor proposal that places the decision-making power with Tillväxtverket. There is a great risk that regional priorities will take a backseat to national priorities when the regional level is only to be advisory.

During the course of the investigation, the structural fund partnership has also not been given the opportunity to speak, and the views that have been expressed have not been addressed. It is regrettable. Removing the eight structural fund partnerships and replacing them with a program for the whole country is poorly aligned with the principle of regional development responsibility.

Madam Speaker! The Social Democrats stand for a policy that takes the whole country seriously. We want the state to take greater responsibility to guarantee access to services throughout the country. In our budget motion, we have proposed investments in state presence and in increasing and developing services in sparsely populated areas and in the countryside. It is about investments that strengthen the social contract and create faith in the future across the entire country.

Government agencies and service offices must be located where people live. And with an unemployment rate of 10 percent, it is even more important that the service offices remain throughout the country. Where are the unemployed to turn when office after office is closed and major cuts are made to the offices that actually remain?

It is time for the government to listen to all of Sweden and take responsibility for regional development so that everyone is included. That is the development the Social Democrats want to see.

(Applause)

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Eric Palmqvist (SD)

Madam Speaker! Now I shall accept the challenge to speak about wise use of resources with a representative for a party that thinks it is cool to pay taxes.

I anticipated that Statens servicecenter would come up in this debate and spent some time looking at the appropriations and outcomes a number of years back in time. It is true that our budget involves a cut, a fairly small cut. The purpose is a general saving or efficiency.

It is like this: Statens servicecenter has eleven offices in Stockholm, seven offices in Gothenburg and offices in a lot of other places where it is actually possible to travel between the offices by, for example, subway. It is perfectly reasonable to make efficiencies there.

I have met and spoken with the head of the northern region, who does not express any concern about this at all. It is said that some of the offices in the countryside have one visit a day, if even that, sometimes perhaps two visits a day. One realizes that it is not reasonable to sit there and not do so much, so one has decided to have a pool of officials who travel between the offices. And one shall optimize the use of resources by using premises in, for example, municipal buildings and the like instead of having a private premises that is not used optimally.

I do not see the problem in this. Therefore, I would like the member to explain what the problem is with optimizing the use of resources.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam President! Yes, we Social Democrats think it is great to pay tax. That is how we finance our welfare.

The Government and the Sweden Democrats have announced that they will close 35 service offices. Six of the service offices have been named. In an interpellation debate last week, Erik Slottner answered that they have chosen the six because the lease agreements are expiring. That was what he said in the debate. He said nothing about the location, the area, or the number of visits, but it was about the lease agreements expiring.

To me, it sounds strange that the closure of 35 service offices would not have any significance for Sweden's rural areas or cities for that reason; there are service offices there as well.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to obtain statistics on how many visitors each respective service office has. There is no public statistics on that. Possibly it can be obtained if one speaks with the respective office manager.

I have nothing against solutions where one travels to and positions oneself in a municipal building where there is an office. Many service offices are located there already today. It is good that they are in several places. But that it would be completely insignificant to close 35 offices is completely incomprehensible to me.

(Applause)

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Eric Palmqvist (SD)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for the answer. So here is the situation: I believe – with emphasis on believe, for I do not know exactly how the decisions regarding these 35 offices were reached – and I assume that it is the authority's assessment that forms the basis for the decisions, not that the government would have pointed out 35 offices at random and said that they are redundant. One has presumably listened to the authority. The authority has received a savings mandate. Then the authority conducts an analysis and reviews what can be streamlined. I assume that is how one acts, at least under a bourgeois government.

I still do not understand why, from the Social Democrats' side, one is so attached to offices where the authority itself states that it has a very small number of cases per day and where it is decided that it is wiser to be open at certain times and have staff who travel between offices and work more efficiently. It must surely be more sensible to work efficiently than to have staff who do not produce that much. It is also a way to retain competence. Having a high degree of workload for those who work contributes to retaining their competence and creating meaning in the work, instead of them sitting and waiting for people to come to an office that echoes empty. The latter cannot be reasonable. It cannot be optimal use of resources, and it also cannot be the way the Social Democrats think we should use our tax funds.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam President! The member begins his reply by saying "this is how it is". The next sentence he begins with "I believe". After that, he says that it is the authority's assessment. Then he gets to the essence: that it is actually the government that has imposed a savings condition on the authority. In that case, the authority has not much else to do than to present a savings proposal. That in that situation it is necessary to close offices comes as a letter in the mail. It is not strange at all; that is how it works.

To say that it is the authority that decides is completely crazy, Eric Palmqvist. It is the government and the Riksdag that establish the budget, and you have done that in the majority here in the Riksdag. You have said that Statens servicecenter shall receive less money for service offices. It is your responsibility, not the authority's.

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Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson (M)

Madam President! I thank Monica Haider for the speech. I took the floor because of this matter regarding the government agencies that are to be decentralized across the country. It was not too long ago that we received a report from the Swedish National Audit Office where this political issue was raised. There is an ambition to move activities out into the country. Then the question is also what happens and whether the long-term benefits exceed the short-term costs.

When looking at the examples where one wants to achieve a benefit by introducing an activity, for example, if something else has been removed from a location or if one is to establish, that is to say lay out an activity, it often turns out to be problematic and that the labor market region concerned has relatively poor economic, geographical or demographic conditions. These are complex moves.

I heard that some thoughts came up that it would be bad to have a program for the whole country. But then it is about cohesion and a strategy across the country in a global situation that looks completely different than it did a few years ago. I do not think that is so strange. I think it is very important that we consider how to get the best possible output on what is to be carried out at the agency, so that its function is in focus for what is to be done.

Then one can place the authorities in different locations. But as was said in a previous speech, it often happens that they are not placed where one might think there is the greatest need to get something in order to get labor there, but rather in locations where it can be made to work with labor that is to come there and work; there must be a function for the authority.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam Speaker! The National Audit Office's report regarding the relocation of state agencies was not entirely unambiguous. It was a bit of both. There was a loss of staff when the move occurred, but in many places, people were successfully recruited later so that there was more continuity in the staff. It was therefore not entirely unambiguous. Then, it is clear that it costs to move an agency. Everyone realizes that.

Regarding the structural fund partnerships, I think it is very bad that there should be a program for the whole country. The structural fund partnerships have proven to be very good at the regional level, with the influence of regional politicians but also civil society and authorities who have jointly arrived at and made decisions on what is most important for the region right there and then. I find it difficult to see that this can be achieved when there is a program and Tillväxtverket is to make the decisions; one only becomes advisory at the regional level. This I find very difficult to understand.

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Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson (M)

Madam Speaker! No, the Swedish National Audit Office was not unambiguous, but the complexity and the benefits that must lie in focus were raised. Then there is something that politics decides, but one is on this track with function and benefits. I think it is essential that we have this as a starting point. Then one can place authorities all over the country, but it must still be what is to be achieved that lies in focus. That was the main idea.

The complexity is also described, as I said. It is not just a matter of thinking that we should take agency A and place it at location X, but there must be a larger thought. The agency must state what prerequisites it has, as previous speakers have touched upon. It is also the agencies that, at different times, make the assessments of which offices should exist and what changes should occur. It is clear that one does not sit in an office and cross things out. Monica Haider knows this very well.

There is also nothing strange about streamlining one's operations. All governments do it – one puts percentages on things and matters.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam Speaker! What I find interesting in this matter of merging agencies and which I would very much like the member to be able to answer is where the agencies that are merged will end up. For example, MUCF, as I mentioned, is located in Växjö and the Agency for Support to Religious Communities is in Bromma. Where will the agency end up? Will it be moved back and merged with the agency in Bromma? There are a number of examples, for it is quite many agencies that are to be merged. They are often located across the country, but some are here centrally in Stockholm. This is going to be very interesting to see. I truly hope that the member can answer the questions.

Since then, it has been about that it should be the authorities that make the assessments regarding structural fund partnerships and so on. I think that the sitting government and its government base make it very easy for themselves when they say that it is the authority that decides. No, it is always the politics that decides.

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Lili André (KD)

Madam President! I would like to begin by moving for the approval of the proposal in the committee report and the rejection of all motions.

Sweden is a country with great opportunities but also challenges that require long-term solutions. Through strategically important investments in infrastructure, business, education and public services, the government is working purposefully so that the entire country shall develop.

We Christian Democrats have a clear goal that all of Sweden shall live and develop. Therefore, we stand here today to speak about what is being implemented and how we continue to strengthen our regional development policy to create better conditions for companies, public services, and a sustainable future in the entire country.

Madam President! The regions' opportunities differ very much. To achieve the goal of the regional development policy, a breadth of measures from several policy areas is required. For example, the government has identified strategically important civil organizations to strengthen their conditions to operate and make efforts for a sustainable regional development and rural development.

A concrete example of how the government facilitates things for entrepreneurs is simplified rules and reduced administration. The government has therefore tasked the county administrative boards and an additional 26 authorities with reducing red tape, lowering costs, and improving the service and response towards companies. This is achieved by the authorities working together through strengthened cooperation and exchange of experience between the authorities.

Tillväxtanalys has also been tasked with coordinating the work to develop a joint agency method for information exchange and data sharing. The method shall increase the efficiency of the state's efforts within industrial policy and make data more accessible for analyses and evaluations.

Through this, the decision-making basis can be improved, cooperation between companies and authorities strengthened, and overlaps between different actors reduced. Now, it will become a more unified and result-oriented system where resources are used in as effective and beneficial a way as possible.

The regional development policy in Sweden, Madam Speaker, is closely linked to the EU's cohesion policy. European Regional Development Funds are involved in financing this policy with the aim of strengthening Sweden's competitiveness.

A significant portion of the fund's resources is directed towards strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. To access the fund's resources, it is business promoters together with companies that handle the application process. It has been, and is, complicated in the process to write, follow up and report the effect of the requested funds.

To strengthen companies' growth and public business promotion, Tillväxtverket has now been tasked by the government to improve data sharing and increase transparency. The goal is to simplify processes, reduce duplication of work, and ensure that resources are used where they do the most good.

Madam Speaker! This is a long-awaited initiative. Companies and business promoters in my home region, Region Gävleborg, have on repeated occasions pointed out the need for more effective and coordinated business support for the application process to the regional development funds. Now the government is taking action on this.

Madam Speaker! A strong countryside requires that we support the small grocery stores and gas stations in service-sparse areas. These businesses fulfill a central function not only by providing goods and fuel but also by offering important community services such as postal services and pharmacy services and by functioning as Systembolaget agents.

The government is therefore increasing support for both commercial and public services. For many smaller communities, every service point is important both for the local economy and for the residents' access to necessary services.

Madam President! I have so far highlighted several measures that the government is implementing to strengthen the development power in our urban areas, rural areas, and sparsely populated areas. Work is being done on several fronts.

We also have the national strategy for a sustainable regional development which the previous government developed and which applies for the years 2021–2030. The strategy is firm and lays the foundation for a policy that strengthens the entire country's competitiveness and creates long-term conditions for growth.

To fulfill the national strategy, we need to ensure its implementation. Therefore, the government has now initiated an investigation to ensure continued investments to improve the conditions for living, residing, and working throughout the country. The goal of the investigation is to coordinate resources and, in that work, clarify the distribution of responsibility between state, region, and municipality.

When I have meetings with representatives from Sweden's rural regions, they repeatedly highlight the need for increased transparency and better cooperation between national, regional, and local levels. Therefore, I am pleased, Madam Speaker, that we are now moving towards a more cohesive policy that increases the conditions for better results and creates long-term solutions for regional development.

Together, Madam President, we are building a stronger Sweden, from north to south, from city to countryside. The Government will not stop in this important work. We look forward to continuing to cooperate with regions, municipalities, companies, and civil society to ensure that all of Sweden has the opportunity to grow and flourish.

With that, I once again urge approval of the committee's proposal.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam Speaker! The Member speaks very much about business promotion, regulatory simplifications and so on. The Regulatory Council has just released its report on rules for companies. In that report, one can read very clearly that no change has occurred in the impact assessments when new proposals from the government's side are introduced. My question is: Which rules has the sitting government removed that have simplified things for the companies?

Then the member mentioned the structural fund partnerships and that there should be greater cooperation between national, regional and local levels in those issues. My question then is: How can a national structural fund partnership, where Tillväxtverket is to make decisions, increase cooperation between national, regional and local levels?

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Lili André (KD)

Madam President! Many thanks, Member Haider, for your questions!

To even start a process of regulatory simplification and to reduce the administrative burden for companies is an important step. That step was taken by the government.

Many different measures have been initiated. What has happened concretely is, for example, that the requirement for paper receipts has been removed. Now, one can submit receipts digitally. It is an immense joy for many companies.

We have initiated a simplification council and an implementation council where the industry and companies themselves sit together with authorities that have been merged to look at the regulatory simplifications and how to most effectively identify the complicating rules that need to be removed.

Intense work is underway, and we see effects and results ahead. So far, the Simplification Council and the Implementation Council have existed for a couple of months. I believe we can see major changes ahead.

Then Monica Haider took up the structural fund partnership. Merging and centralizing the management with one authority can be done for better synergies, to simplify the process for the applicants and to ensure equal handling.

Multi-level governance and partnership principles are fundamental principles for EU cooperation and cohesion policy. It is about Tillväxtverket having an openness and finding ways of working so that it can meet what the regional specificities require. I absolutely believe that Tillväxtverket will manage this well.

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Monica Haider (S)

Madam President! Regarding simplification, there was a lot of cheering when, for example, the dance ban was removed. However, it has turned out that there really was no simplification for the companies. Now they have to report every single time they are going to organize a dance. Apparently, there are also quite a few who are now going to be fined because they have not reported this to the extent that is required. It thus became very much more complicated for the companies.

The Government Commissioner says that a lot has been started. But now it has almost been three years, and what is it that has happened? What are the rules that the government has managed to simplify? A number of decisions have also been made by the government and here in the Riksdag by the governing majority that have actually not led to any simplification of rules for the companies, but to even more burdens. That was not quite what was intended.

Regarding multi-level governance of the structural fund partnership, it does not happen in that way when one has a partnership. The regional level may not be involved in making decisions on which projects should receive funding or not, but that will fall on Tillväxtverket. The regional level will only be advisory. I know that the regions in the eight structural fund partnerships are very upset about this change.

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Lili André (KD)

Madam President! Thank you, Member Haider, for your contributions!

We probably do not have the same picture of how we want to streamline our Sweden and the funds we have in the structural fund partnership. Here, we see an efficiency for better synergies, simplified processes for applicants, and ensuring an equal handling.

When it comes to the regions being advisory, they are still involved. Tillväxtverket involves the regions. It is just a new way of working! Sometimes changes can feel a bit difficult, but we have a good contact and relationship with the regions at all times. They shall be involved in the way that feels satisfactory for them.

Madam Speaker! I do not share the concern that the member feels regarding this. We can wait and see how it turns out.

When it comes to regulatory simplification and the administrative burden for our companies, I am incredibly proud that the government has initiated this work – the work that the member's party did not do during the eight years that you governed and sat in government. Now we have finally, after careful preparatory work, started simplification councils and implementation councils. It is about creating a good foundation. When we then come to which regulatory simplifications need to be stopped or changed, we will have a good foundation so that it does not become any haphazard or piecemeal. These are fundamental initiatives that the government is taking, because we want it to hold over time.

I look forward to this, because there are an enormous amount of rules and a heavy administrative burden that exists for the companies today. There is a lot to take care of.

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Eric Palmqvist (SD)

Madam Speaker! Let me begin by moving to approve reservation 10, even though I naturally stand behind all the Sverigedemokraternas reservations in this report.

Regional development policy – what is it? And how do we achieve it? In approximately one hour, which is how long this debate will take, we will hear a number of different proposals from different party representatives who all have in common that they express a will and ambition to create good conditions for regional development. The political dividing line therefore lies not in whether we want good regional development, but in how this is to be achieved.

In a budgetary context, regional development, expenditure area 19, is a rather narrow area. That is simply because regional development is something that is difficult to define, as its conditions are in one way or another influenced by almost all other policy areas. But, Madam Speaker and listeners, simplified, one can say that we here today are debating how to create good conditions for living and working in all parts of the country.

Sweden is an elongated country. The differences in conditions between Skåne in the south, where I grew up, and Lappland in the north, where I now live, are great. The differences in conditions between country and city perhaps differ even more. I imagine that the conditions in both the port cities of Helsingborg and Luleå have some things in common. The same perhaps to some extent can be said about Perstorp in the south and Överkalix in the north, even if that comparison probably limps a bit more.

However, it is a fact that the conditions look different in different parts of the country, a fact that we from the political side must embrace and take into account. All too often, political decisions appear to have an excessively large urban focus. And all too often, Sweden's rural areas appear to be forgotten in the consequence analysis of the proposals.

This is serious, Madam Speaker. If one fails to understand the different conditions, one also does not care about one of the most important conditions for regional development – human capital. Without people with drive who want to, and can, live in all parts of the country, we have no regional development.

There are, of course, a number of different things to highlight that the Tidö parties agree on and actually do. But there are also questions and proposals in which we have not reached a consensus, but instead continue to pursue as individual parties.

Let me start with the consensus side. The Tidö parties agreed early on that it is not acceptable to have the world's highest fuel prices in a country with long distances where the car is a necessity for the vast majority. We agreed that the previous Social Democratic government's overambitious reduction obligation needed to be pushed back. I would argue that the Sweden Democrats were the strongest drivers in this issue. We were, and are, convinced that a heavy burden was lifted from families and companies out in the country when we moved from Magdalena prices to Jimmie prices at the pump some years ago.

Another example is that we together directly ensured that the previous Social Democratic-led government's proposal for a new travel deduction was sent to where it belongs – the wastebasket! Instead, we raised the levels of the old travel deduction for the first time in very many years. It is likely many of those who live outside the Stockholm local transport's route map who are very grateful for this.

The Tidö parties have also agreed to make historical investments in our common infrastructure, which is burdened by an enormous maintenance debt. Deferred road maintenance and lack of reinvestment have in many places led to speed limits being lowered for traffic safety reasons. This has not infrequently occurred in more sparsely populated areas, where people truly need the car in their everyday lives. Lack of road maintenance has not only led to increased wear and tear on vehicles and reduced comfort; it has also led to longer travel times when the speed limits are lowered.

We have even had situations where the ambulance service's safety representative has stopped ambulance transports between Kiruna and Gällivare because the road has been too rutted and dangerous to drive emergency traffic on. How did we end up there? That is, that is the starting point we had when we in the budget jointly decided to make large investments in the infrastructure.

We, the Tidö parties, have also abolished the aviation tax, because we are convinced that reasonable transport times and reasonable transport costs are an important prerequisite for development in all parts of the country.

There is also a consensus regarding the support for commercial services in our rural areas. Good, even though we Sverigedemokrater have long advocated that the design, adequacy, and accuracy of this support should be scrutinized to ensure that it provides the intended benefit. The commercial service often constitutes an important hub in various parts of Sweden. We therefore consider it important to safeguard it by ensuring that the support the state pays out matches the needs in the best possible way.

It should be added that at the current time we have no indications that the supports are not functioning as intended.

Another issue affecting the conditions for commercial services is the terms for rural retailers and gas stations as they act as agents for, for example, Systembolaget, Apoteket, Svenska spel, and other companies with state ownership. Here, we in Sverigedemokraterna believe that the state as an owner should encourage a higher degree of coordination and costs as low as possible for the individual business owner.

Several of these agency services we know are important for attracting customers to the local store or gas station, while at the same time this type of service is perceived by many as fundamental and contributes to reducing rural flight. It is not entirely uncommon that the small rural gas station is also a grocery store, post agency, pharmacy agency, bus station, library agency, and an agency for Svenska spel – in connection with what I said earlier about the commercial service constituting an important hub in its own region, Madam President of the Ageing Committee.

When one reads the report we are debating here today, one thing stands out, and that is the number of reservations concerning different forms of returning production values to the local communities in which they are created. In some reservations, the focus is on production values from electricity production, in others it is about values generated in Sweden's mines.

The proposed solutions look somewhat different, as does the production that is to be covered. It is, however, our conviction that there must be a change here.

The Sweden Democrats have for a number of years advocated for a model where the property tax for industrial properties and power production facilities is regionalized. In any case, we want the possibility and consequences of such a proposal to be investigated neutrally and thoroughly. Many are the municipalities where great values are created but without generating jobs and tax revenues in the municipality concerned. The workforce commutes in, from neighboring municipalities or even from other countries, and the time when the mill owner lived behind the sawmill or the mine has long since passed.

New times require new solutions. If we fail to address this, I fear that the social acceptance for various industrial projects, whatever they may be, is seriously threatened. It is up to us in politics to adapt ourselves and the legislation to today's and tomorrow's conditions.

Madam President! A successful regional development policy is, as we see it, about creating sensible conditions that are not based on an image of being parasitic and in need of a multitude of different support measures. This is important, not least for the self-image and pride out in the country. We must become better at removing obstacles and regulations that seem to be hindering. People who live out in the country do not want to be pitied and seen as dependent on subsidies. They want fair conditions to show that they actually possess the ability themselves.

Finally: Since we are talking about regional development, it is my and the Sverigedemokraternas view that it is high time to have the outcome of the reform made a few years ago evaluated, when the responsibility for regional development was moved from the county administrative boards to the regions. Has this reform contributed to increased regional development or not? Should the county administrative boards regain all or parts of the mandate, or are the regions handling the mandate in a satisfactory way? There is such evidence pointing to the need for an unbiased review of this.

Seventhly, it is the case that we within politics have a collective responsibility to ensure that the decisions we make and the resources we allocate generate the intended results in the most effective way possible. We are, after all, in agreement that all of Sweden shall live.

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

Louise Eklund (L)

Madam Speaker! As has been mentioned here, entrepreneurship and economic development are the foundation for the prosperity we have in Sweden. Therefore, people and companies across the entire country must also be given opportunities to grow and develop.

I usually emphasize that there is no difference between regional development and development in general, and that is what I want to do today as well. We see how a generally improved business climate with lower taxes and less bureaucracy benefits all companies, even those located outside our cities. The need for functioning infrastructure, regional flights, trains that both depart and arrive on time, and a functioning electricity system across the entire country is the same regardless of whether one lives in the countryside or in a city.

I particularly want to highlight the problems we have seen in recent years for companies regarding skills supply and the lack of matching between the unemployed and vacant jobs. I believe that we have a difference here in such a way that this is most palpable outside our larger cities. It has enormous consequences for Swedish growth and Swedish wealth creation in both the short and long term.

To secure the supply of skills, both in the slightly shorter and definitely in the longer perspective, I believe we must sharpen our education with adult education, colleges and universities that maintain high quality and also target the needs of the business sector. We also need to see how the general measures we can make at a national level for jobs, education and an improved business climate can be combined with regional growth initiatives.

I want to highlight the local vocational training, which plays an enormously important role. They fill a gap in the matching problem we see by making it very clear to connect with the regional labor market. Even here, the higher education institutions have an important task. We encourage them to increase cooperation with the regional business community precisely to achieve this matching.

From the Liberals' side, we have also put forward a proposal regarding apprentices, which I believe could be very favorable, not least for entrepreneurs outside the metropolitan regions.

Madam Speaker! Now I shall move on to one of my favorite areas, namely how attractive Sweden is as a country to visit. We have a natural and cultural environment that many want to travel to. It must not be denied that the poor exchange rate of the krona also contributes; this is noticed, not least by those of us who live near Denmark and Germany. But we shall, of course, take advantage of this. From a political standpoint, we shall support this.

The tourism industry has for some time been one of Sweden's fastest-growing industries. It concerns companies that are often run as small family businesses and which have a strong connection to the rural area where they operate. Not infrequently, these are companies that deal with food production in some form.

I raise this because it shows how important the bill that the government has submitted regarding the retail sale of alcoholic beverages is. The proposal has been debated for a long time. It has been investigated three times with different results. Now, under this government, it is finally becoming a reality.

It is a long-awaited freedom reform. It opens up opportunities for a growing industry to continue to develop. Entrepreneurs who have driven their business forward with craftsmanship but had very limited opportunities to sell their product shall now be able to do so. What should have become obvious a long time ago, that customers visiting vineyards and microbreweries should have the opportunity to take bottles home with them, shall now finally be able to happen. This means that the Swedish tourism industry in general, but also Swedish craftsmanship and Swedish food and drink tradition, will get the opportunity to develop further. It is very pleasing.

I believe that this, in combination with the announced reduction of the alcohol tax for beer produced in microbreweries and other independent small breweries, will mean very much for regional development and thus also for Sweden to be able to continue to position itself as an attractive food and beverage region.

In my home region of Skåne, skilled entrepreneurs have not only succeeded in establishing a completely new type of cultivation. Parallel to this, they have created enormously important meeting places for those interested in food and drink in southern Sweden, for example Kullabergs Vingård on the Kulla Peninsula and Skepparps Vingård on Österlen. They have built up incredibly fine operations that both broaden existing food production and complement the tourism industry, which is growing strongly in southern Sweden.

This is a development that we hope will grow even stronger and develop even further over time. With the possibility of farm sales, conditions are now being created for this. From the Liberals' side, we have long said that we want to go further and allow wine and beer to be sold in license stores. This would provide further opportunities for Swedish beverage production and thus for regional development.

I also think it is high time to remove the food requirement for serving alcohol. The statutory requirement is a relic from the 70s that was worsened in the 90s when it was added that one must not only provide food but also have a kitchen of one's own to obtain a serving permit. It leads to a lot of extra work, bureaucracy, unnecessary costs, and food waste for those who, for example, run a wine bar. It serves no purpose. We should remove it.

Madam Speaker! I vote in favor of the Committee on Industry's proposal in the report.

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

Birger Lahti (V)

Madam Speaker! Actually, I should throw away my written speech and speak from the heart. It would certainly be much better, but I am trying to stick to what I have written.

The debate concerns, as you know, the Committee on Industry's report Regional Development Policy. In the budget bill for 2025, expenditure area 19 Regional Development, the government emphasizes the importance of improving the conditions for living, working, and residing in the entire country in order to achieve the goals of the regional development policy. The government also emphasizes that the development power in cities, urban areas, sparsely populated areas, and rural areas shall be strengthened, while at the same time the business sector shall be given the conditions to increase its competitiveness, create jobs, and contribute to green innovations and to the transition towards sustainable development.

Madam Speaker! The government's ambitions certainly sound good, don't they? But I cannot help but criticize our Minister for Enterprise, who overrode Kiruna's political leadership regarding Talga's plans for a graphite mine in Vittangi. She apparently knows what is best for Kiruna and Sweden.

It is clear how this government views Norrbotten and regions where natural resources are riches that are needed. They have a colonial view of sparsely populated parts of the country where the eligible voters are so few that their votes play a smaller role in the parliamentary elections.

The Minister's argument concerned job opportunities. If she had made an effort to meet the municipal leadership when she last met LKAB, she might have understood the situation that these municipalities are in.

I have said and written many times that one can hardly blame the people of Kiruna for being against mines, since the world's largest underground mine is located right there. But if there is not a different order for how the value from natural resources is distributed, places like Kiruna will not be able to match what society is to stand for when new mines are opened. If the minister has not understood the situation that arises when there is a lack of permanent population for these job opportunities and where the tax revenues end up, she can cough up such thoughtless statements.

Just this morning, it came out in the news how Kiruna has 1,000 job opportunities that they cannot fill. When the state lets the countryside and towns like Kiruna manage everything on their own, it actually reveals your view on distribution policy. The investment support for housing construction that the government withdrew is just one example that hits towns like Kiruna. I have received examples of investors who have pulled out. They dare not build, because no one will pay their rents.

As everyone knows by this point, I come from Tornedalen and, more specifically, from Muoniodalen. Villages in these river valleys were very populous in the 50s and contributed with food production in small-scale farming and labor to forestry and mines in the ore fields – all of this for the prosperity of AB Sverige. Today, we perhaps have 10 percent of the population left in many of these villages. But are we to have any state presence, or are we to be regarded as a burden?

The government emphasizes that their policy shall lead to an improvement in the conditions for living, working and living in the entire country. Please tell me how!

What one must understand regarding what the living conditions look like in small municipalities in our country is that everything is interconnected. What does the distribution policy and the distribution of resources look like?

If the care being provided does not receive enough resources, who is it that avoids being a nuisance? Yes, it is people who have a long way to the healthcare facility. First, they are faced with hours on bad roads, and then they may have to sit for a few more hours in the waiting room because there is a lack of staff.

An elderly person who had ailments and was forced to visit healthcare told me that one cannot be sick if one is to endure everything that a hospital visit entails. He told me that he had to go without food for an entire day, and that alone was, according to him, sufficient to avoid care by all means for as long as possible.

Who gets more pharmacies when they are privatized? Yes, it is not the rural population. Where do private actors want to open driving tests? Yes, it is not in sparsely populated areas. The zeal for privatization hits hardest against the countryside and rural areas. Then other parties can think whatever they want! I live there and know how it feels.

I come from the border region in Tornedalen, and therefore it would be a dereliction of duty if I did not highlight the possibilities for cooperation in the border regions. By developing cooperation and collaboration between the Nordic countries, particularly Norway and Finland, common solutions to regional challenges can be identified and implemented.

I believe that the government, together with the other Nordic countries, should take the initiative to deepen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, capital supply for the countryside, sustainable food production, research, the labor market, and social services. Furthermore, I also see an opportunity to create stronger links between regional universities through cooperation between the Nordic education systems. This can contribute to building new industries and strengthening small businesses in regions with great development needs. I therefore propose that the government shall prioritize expanded Nordic cooperation in future rural development and regional policy development.

Sweden faces a comprehensive transition to ensure a long-term sustainable energy supply. The expansion of renewable energy production plays a crucial role in this transition, and it is of the utmost importance that it comes to fruition. Municipalities, regions, and local communities affected by the development should also receive a share of the economic value they generate. I therefore believe that the government should take measures to ensure that a larger share of the value of power production accrues to the municipalities and regions where the production takes place.

Today, there is a statutory local compensation, so-called bygdemedel, linked to hydropower. These funds are used to promote local business and services in the affected areas. On the wind power side, however, a similar mandatory and regulated model is lacking. The voluntary compensations that some wind power operators offer vary significantly in scope and application, which creates inequality between different regions.

This is not sustainable, and it risks undermining local support for wind power installations. I believe that a production-based compensation or another model that compensates municipalities, regions, and local communities that are affected should be introduced for wind power as well. Such compensation should be statutory and mandatory. It would strengthen the incentives for municipalities to support wind power installations and at the same time ensure that the green transition succeeds, which is crucial for the climate and the future of industry as well as, of course, Sweden's competitiveness.

Furthermore, the compensation system for hydropower also needs to be reviewed. Despite the enormous sums that hydropower generates, only a very small portion goes back to the municipalities where the operations are conducted. The government should investigate how a larger share of hydropower profits can be returned to the affected municipalities and regions, perhaps similar to the system applied in, for example, Norway. Such a system would create better conditions for local development and contribute to strengthening confidence in the state's management of natural resources. Then there would be a system based on justice instead of alms.

I must also say something about the parliamentary rural committee's report. It was issued in 2017, and it contained 75 proposals. In eight years, one has managed to squeeze out 3 of these 75. That says a lot about what one thinks of sparsely populated places out there somewhere.

Madam Speaker! I move for approval of reservation 13 in the report, but I naturally stand behind all our reservations.

(Applause)

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

Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C)

Madam Speaker! In order for it to be possible to live a good life even outside the cities, some basic things must be in place. One must be able to support oneself and one's family. One must be able to run simple errands and preferably have somewhere to socialize. One must be able to travel in a reasonable way. And one must be able to use welfare such as school and healthcare. The possibility of being able to support oneself and one's family is completely fundamental.

Approximately 1.2 million people live outside urban areas. This is what is often referred to as the countryside, but of course, many more live in rural municipalities. Many are self-employed within agriculture and forestry and run other businesses in parallel. Others are entrepreneurs in completely different fields. Another group commutes, often quite a long distance.

Sometimes it is as if the number of people employed in agriculture and forestry is diminished, but together they are almost 200,000. This can be compared with the barely 80,000 people who are in culture, media, and design. If one listens to the public debate in Sweden, one could believe that it is the opposite.

The conditions for being able to sustain oneself as an entrepreneur basically look the same throughout Sweden. It requires reduced costs regarding both taxes and fees. But land and forest have their own conditions. One often may not own forest and land in a limited company; instead, a sole proprietorship is required. One also may not sell one's assets however one likes. If one has managed one's asset well and in the long term, it can moreover become completely worthless. This is because a bird might have moved in or an orchid might have appeared in the forest. The ownership rights that apply to most other entrepreneurs do not currently apply in the countryside.

The businesses in the countryside are also a crucial part of the local community: that there is a garden center that is also a café, that there is a grocery store that also handles alcohol, parcels and village gossip, and that there is somewhere to eat and gather. Sometimes it is fun to have a beer, but since one still has to drive, it is perhaps not always the most important thing.

When my grandfather ran his shop in Risbäck and my great-grandfather his shop in Sundsjö, they were two of 40,000 traders in Sweden. Today, a total of 4,000 grocery stores remain, and none of them are in Risbäck or Sundsjö. When the opportunity to run simple errands and socialize disappears, the pulse of the village and society also disappears. Therefore, it is important with both investment and operating support for shops, and that is why the Center Party allocates more money to this in the budget than the government does.

To get to where one wants to go, air and rail traffic is absolutely crucial for travel to Sweden's rural areas to function. Local and regional transport is important for school and work commuting to function. And we know that the car, regardless of how it is powered, is completely necessary for everyday life to function. Therefore, the state must invest in everything from new railways to refurbishing public roads.

In the end, one must also be able to attend a good school and have access to healthcare and care just like everyone else.

When it comes to schools, the rural areas have a lower proportion of qualified teachers and more students who do not manage to proceed to upper secondary school with passing grades than some other parts of Sweden. Furthermore, only one in ten students has the opportunity to choose something other than a municipal school.

In the question regarding healthcare, there is a significantly greater risk that you will die from treatable diseases if you live in a remote or very remote part of Sweden. And you can only dream of having a permanent healthcare contact, because in rural areas you only meet locum doctors.

There are also incredibly large differences between city and countryside regarding the costs of care. It costs 75 percent more for elderly care in the countryside, and it costs 100 percent more for home care if one compares the countryside with the big city.

Madam Speaker! Radically simplified rules and better funding are required for Sweden's rural areas to function. One of the biggest obstacles to a functioning welfare in our rural areas lies in square rules and laws that have been built up over decades, both from the right and from the left in politics. Due to political clumsiness, centralization, and extensive micro-management, resources are allocated to an all too high degree to administration instead of to the operations. By the money then being locked when it comes from the state, the municipalities, especially the small municipalities, are prevented from prioritizing the operation that works best just for them.

More exceptions are required. The Centre Party usually calls it the Ramvik model. I usually think: If it works in Norråker, it works everywhere.

It must be mandatory to assess what consequences a decision has for Sweden's rural areas. Then one can continue to run infirmaries, use digital teaching where needed, and do everything else that must be adapted because everything is designed for large entities in large municipalities that can afford specialized administrators.

It is of course difficult for many municipalities and regions with a lot of rural areas to finance the whole thing. It is not only the fact that few people live in large areas. Let me take Jämtland as an example. There, 100 working people must support 88 who do not work because they are either too young or too old. Sweden has for a long time under-invested in the rural areas, and it has had consequences. We must build up a sustainable financing system that lays the foundation for a secure and equal welfare across the whole country.

Today, the citizens in municipalities with large wind power or hydropower production or ore deposits primarily experience the disadvantages of increased local production, while they receive the advantages to a lesser or almost non-existent extent.

Centerpartiet believes that the values created by these natural resources must, to a greater extent than today, remain locally. The simplest way is for the property tax on electricity-producing properties to be regionalized and for the ore taxes to be increased.

Madam Speaker! It is obvious that one must be able to support oneself and one's family, run simple errands, have somewhere to socialize, travel in a reasonable way and use the welfare, such as school and healthcare, just like everyone else. But then we must debureaucratize and finance Sweden's rural areas.

I hereby move for approval of reservation 11 under point 5 regarding regionalized property tax.

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

Emma Nohrén (MP)

Madam Speaker! We are here to debate regional development policy, and for me, it is about ensuring that we have a Sweden for everyone and that everyone has the same opportunities regardless of where they live – that we shall level the regional and local differences.

Madam Speaker! When one talks about this, it happens that one says that a proposal shall fix everything, and that is somewhat what I think this government has done. They have put all their eggs in one basket, as has been talked about a lot previously. They have lowered the price of petrol, and so they have done something for the countryside. But that people should be able to go to Arbetsförmedlingen or be able to shop and do such things is conspicuously absent.

Madam Speaker! People talk about justice – many here in the chamber have surely been to different lectures and seen a picture where children of different sizes are supposed to look over a fence and everyone is given an identical stool to stand on, so that those who are short still will not be able to reach. But it is said that justice is that one gets what one's circumstances require, so that the short child gets a higher stool. It is perhaps a bit of this that this policy should do: give the right stools, the right conditions, for different parts of the country and different places.

I took the trouble to prepare some statistics. We have many municipalities here in the country, and of those, 202 have fewer than 30,000 inhabitants. It is 132 of our municipalities that have fewer than 15,000 inhabitants, and 76 municipalities have fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. It is clear that the inhabitants in these municipalities cannot be given the same footing. There are also very different conditions depending on where in the country one lives. It is for the vast majority longer distances the further up in Sweden one goes.

State presence is one of the guarantees when it comes to showing that we actually care about the whole country – that the state is there and provides its citizens with the service they are entitled to. At the same time, we now see that this government has reduced the budget for Statens servicecenter and tasked Statens servicecenter with reporting on how to manage with 100 million less.

This was debated a little earlier in an exchange of remarks here, and I have brought with me the summary of the consequence descriptions so that we have facts regarding what Statens servicecenter says. They say that 35 service offices will be phased out. They will make reductions in all parts of the country, including sparsely populated and rural areas, urban areas, and areas with significant social exclusion. This will have consequences for individuals and companies who visit the service centers. The assessment is further that the consequences for the agency are tangible and complex, and it will be an extensive operational change that shall be conducted in parallel with the operational activities.

It is not just a matter of closing some offices in metropolitan areas where it is possible to take the subway to the next one. For Statens servicecenter, it is about Arbetsförmedlingen – we received figures yesterday showing that unemployment is increasing to 8.6 or was it 9 percent. It is about Försäkringskassan, which helps the most vulnerable. They might have difficulty getting there and cannot even take the subway. And it is about Pensionsmyndigheten, that is to say the elderly, and Skatteverket.

If some offices have fewer visits, it is perhaps because there are not so many inhabitants there. But for those who live there, it is incredibly important. Not everything can be solved digitally or with a trip. People want a contact, and they want to be able to go to an office in their locality.

It is not the case that these offices are only located in sparsely populated or rural areas. I live myself in Lysekil municipality with 13,000–14,000 inhabitants. We have a service center. Our nearest larger city, Uddevalla, also has a service center. There are no other offices today.

In our budget, which we are not debating here, we have an initiative on the service centers. We also included in a motion that we believe the State Service Center should be expanded and in that way show that the state actually cares about all citizens, regardless of where they live.

Madam Speaker! I would therefore move for the approval of reservation 9.

Madam Speaker! I entered the Riksdag for the first time in 2014, and this was one of the areas I worked with then. Just as we heard from previous speakers, we had a rural affairs committee that produced proposals. We worked actively to expand Statens servicecenter to more locations and also with moving state activities from metropolitan areas to the whole country.

Now we have seen that an investigation has been submitted concerning the streamlining of the organization of smaller agencies. In several of these proposals, it is also a matter of simply removing agencies that are decentralized. We heard examples from Växjö earlier.

I have myself received an email from Skellefteå, where they want to shut down an agency. It does not say anything yet about it moving, but there is a fear that it will become a relocation. If one's agency no longer exists but is to be merged into something larger, it will probably soon, in the spirit of efficiency, become a relocation to the large cities. Then qualified jobs disappear from several parts of the country, and the state presence is lost.

Just this authority in Skellefteå, the Authority for Family Rights and Parenting Support, is to be incorporated into Socialstyrelsen. It might be right, or it might not. But it concerns 50 jobs in Skellefteå. And even if it doesn't move, people are already scared and are starting to look for something else. This is a workplace where very many women work, and at the same time we know that there is a shortage of women where there are primarily male-dominated occupations. By having state jobs, we therefore get more qualified jobs for other professional groups. The person who moves to a job, for example in a mining area, often has a partner with them, who also needs to have a job but perhaps not within the same area. That is where the state jobs are also usually important.

Madam Speaker! With this, I want to say that I think this government is doing it backwards. One shows that one does not care and does not want the state to be present. For me and Miljöpartiet, it is incredibly important to show that all citizens, wherever in Sweden they live, have the right to expect a certain service from the state, and it should be equally good everywhere.

(Applause)

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

Lili André (KD)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Member Nohrén, for your speech! I would like to speak a little about the State Service Center, which you raised.

The opposition paints a picture, Madam Speaker, of state services now being centralized and disappearing from smaller localities. But that is not the case, I wish to state. We must remember that even today, service offices are missing in many municipalities and that many people handle their dealings with authorities in other ways. At the same time, we see that the number of visitors has not increased in line with the expansion of the offices, which makes it necessary to adapt and streamline the operations. This is what the government now has the task of doing. By developing mobile and flexible solutions, we can rather increase accessibility where the needs are instead of locking ourselves into a static structure that does not reflect reality.

The government wants to spend more money on this, Madam Speaker. Today, the State Service Center costs almost 1 billion kronor.

The thought from the government and from us Christian Democrats is that this shall be organized in a new way. It shall be streamlined based on the world we live in today.

My question to the member is: How can you paint a picture of how it will look when the investigation is not even finished? Now, Statens servicecenter is working on the task. How can you paint a picture of how it will look?

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

Emma Nohrén (MP)

Madam Speaker! Today there are 148 service offices in Sweden. At several offices, in addition to Skatteverket, Arbetsförmedlingen, Försäkringskassan, and Pensionsmyndigheten, there are also Migrationsverket's services, which I believe is important especially in so-called areas of exclusion and other areas where there are many who have immigrated to Sweden.

I cannot describe how it will be, but I can read in advance what Statens servicecenter says in the report that has been submitted to the government. It states there that the principles are accessibility to service throughout the country, accessibility based on visitor volumes and needs, and efficient use of resources. But it is also written that 35 offices in rural areas, countryside, metropolitan areas, and disadvantaged areas will disappear. They say that it will have consequences for private individuals and companies.

It would be very good if one can organize it so that there are no major effects, but with 100 million less, there will be consequences. It is also written that one shall do the work while there is ongoing work.

As I said in my speech, there are certain offices that have few visitors, but perhaps it is precisely these offices that are most important. Just those people may have a long way to the next location or problems getting there. It is in the most sparsely populated areas where the offices do the most good.

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

Lili André (KD)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the answer! This is about FA-regions. It is a way of dividing Sweden into regions based on the labor market and commuting patterns. That is why the government has given Statens servicecenter a larger mandate to independently decide the location of the offices, in line with how the state administration in general functions.

This means a more efficient operation. That is the idea, while at the same time we ensure that service will continue to exist throughout the country. That is the mission. It means that every region shall have at least a basic level of state service in order to increase accessibility for the citizens.

I want to point out to the member that what Statens servicecenter is now working on is to develop more mobile and flexible office solutions in order to be able to get closer to citizens in several locations in a simple and smooth way. We in Kristdemokraterna are following that assignment and that development with great interest.

Madam Speaker! The member is painting a picture of this and also recounting what Statens servicecenter themselves have said. Give them more time to, based on the mandate they have, ensure that the service centers come closer to the citizens in the region where they are needed.

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

Emma Nohrén (MP)

Madam Speaker! I am not sure that those who need to visit Arbetsförmedlingen, Försäkringskassan, Pensionsmyndigheten, or Migrationsverket care about commuting patterns; rather, they want service where they live.

It is symptomatic of the Tidö government that one cuts back and is supposed to make changes at the same time, but it costs money to make changes or to implement them afterwards. We see this when it comes to Statens servicecenter. First, you take away the money, and at the same time, you are supposed to change the way of working.

We have seen it in other areas, such as environmental monitoring. The government withdraws half of the funds and says that one should streamline, without having been given the opportunity to develop the methods.

I can hope that we can achieve a presence, but I do not see that the way the government does it is successful.

Regional development policy

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(A decision was to be taken on 26 February.)

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