24/04/2014 Politics Scotland

A very warm welcome to the Scottish parliament here at Hollywood, where

they are talking bills, MSPs debating stage one of the bill that

will end up abolishing the right-to-buy council houses in

Scotland, but respond, big controversy over this, but this bone

and the bill that would abolish the collaboration in Scottish criminal

cases. -- it has been postponed. Not sure of either topic will come up in

First Minister's Questions. Let's cross to the chamber.

John Swinney is dealing with a question about renewable energy. In

that they are the gallery today, 16 ambassadors and high commissioners

representing the Association of South East Asian Nations match

taking an interest today, or at least the next half hour in Scottish

politics much as the First Minister faces questions, Labour's Johann

Lamont first, then for the Conservative Party, Ruth Davidson,

then questions from backbenchers. Under welcome to their ambassadors

from-- and welcome to the ambassadors from the Presiding

Officer. Welcome ambassadors from the Association of Southeast Asian

Nations. APPLAUSE. Thank you, question number one,

Johann Lamont. To add the First Minister what engagements he has

planned for the rest of the day. Taking forward the government's

programme for Scotland. Do you still have confidence in your Justice

Secretary? No surprise there. I welcomed the government was

micro-interesting, robbery, because like many others in this chamber, I

have concerns about whether it achieves justice for every victim,

particularly women. The process has been flawed and serious reservations

have not been addressed. I believe the Cabinet Secretary has taken the

right decision in delaying these plans, but I also thought it was the

right decision six weeks ago when my Coley, formerly one of the most

senior police officers, suggested this course of action. Can I remind

you of Kenny MacAskill's considered response to that question six weeks

ago, saying we know that Labour members take their cue from Cameron

and George Osborne, Labour has sold its soul and is in danger of selling

out the victims of crime. Does the First Minister agree with his

cabinet secretary that previous moves to delay this legislation are

part of a Tory led conspiracy? Or was it just the right thing to do?

It is certainly true that it was very difficult to reconcile

Labour's manifesto commitment to look at the matter of corroboration

with the position the Labour Party were adopting with regard to the

criminal Justice Bill. Moving the General Lorimer robberies and from

Scotland -- moving the general law of corroboration we believe will

secure access to justice for other people otherwise denied by the

present situation. When cases cannot be brought to trial because they do

not have that standard of corroboration which is unique within

the Scottish criminal justice system. That is why the moves Kenny

MacAskill made, and this government proposed, to look again at the

general law of corroboration, to move it and put in place the

standard of evidence as opposed to the quantity of evidence has been

widely welcomed by the organisations giving most people suffering most

from this situation, such as rape crisis organisations, and the three

opposition parties at the bureau this week if we could look again at

delaying the legislation until after the review group reported. The

Justice Secretary ceded to that request. Given that was done, would

it not be gracious and reasonable for the Labour Party to try and

focus on the issue? The issue that hope lay all of us want to secure,

and that is access to justice for people who have been subjected to

some of the vilest crimes in Scotland. APPLAUSE.

some of the vilest crimes in I think the First Minister, if you

are serious about that, with address I think the First Minister, if you

Secretary's responds to concerns was I think the First Minister, if you

to impugn the motives of those doing so. I ask him again to

to impugn the motives of those doing what the Cabinet Secretary's

to impugn the motives of those doing responds to the Labour Party request

to impugn the motives of those doing for delay was, the gap between that

and what the First Minister says for delay was, the gap between that

could not be greater. Let us look at the process,

could not be greater. Let us look at Justice Scotland

could not be greater. Let us look at raised valid concerns

could not be greater. Let us look at corroboration. These were

could not be greater. Let us look at by the Justice Secretary, who told

could not be greater. Let us look at his party conference, laws are made

by Parliament, not one profession. This is not a debate between learner

legal friends. When the Justice committee raised more concerns,

Kenny MacAskill came up with the genius idea of setting up an expert

group to scrutinise the bill which will report after the legislation

was passed. After his disgraceful performance in this chamber six

weeks ago, and this embarrassing climb-down, I at the First Minister

in all seriousness, do you believe this has been an appropriate way to

take through legislation on an issue of this importance? -- I ask the

First Minister. This government is taking forward legislation because

we believe absolutely the issue is of vital importance. That has been

our motivation for taking forward this legislation, because we have

listened to arguments and the pleas from the organisations I mentioned.

I can cannot help but contrast the observations of Johann Lamont in

this issue. Compared to the organisations campaigning and

putting forward and supporting the government's I -- attends to redress

the situation. Such as rape crisis Scotland. The welcome from victim

support Scotland, Annabel Goldie describing yesterday the Cabinet

Secretary's decision as courageous. She did not do that in as Humphrey

way, but in a genuine way. This government which has a majority in

this Parliament, listening to the arguments put forward by the

opposition parties, trying to get the maximum unity behind our

proposal, isn't it reasonable that given the desire we have to access

justice for the victims of crime, that that should have a general

welcome and support? That is the determination of this government to

reject the situation and that is exactly what we are going to do.

It is precisely because I cared so deeply about these issues that we

were determined that we build a consensus on making such a decision.

And that is why the Cabinet Secretary's hostility to anyone who

disagreed with him whatsoever. I ask the First Minister to go back and

look at what his Cabinet Secretary said six weeks ago and asked if that

was an appropriate way to conduct himself. This is not Kenny

MacAskill's first mess, his sectarian legislation was described

as mince and horribly drafted, and his police reforms now in a tough

war. Whilst I believe the decision announced this week was right, this

Parliament still has a problem. We do have to find a way of building a

consensus to address the issues of corroboration and low conviction

rate of rape. The Labour Party from the beginning has aired we would do

so, but given the approach of Kenny McLean soul -- the approach of Kenny

MacAskill, and people's concerns about what he is doing, does the

First Minister believe it is possible for this Parliament to

reach that critical consensus on corroboration with Kenny MacAskill

as Cabinet Secretary? In terms of accepting the review group and its

role and the detailed examination that is going to be given in helping

people towards acceptance and building consensus, of course. Do I

believe the Labour Party will look on this issue as an issue in itself?

Probably not. But the consensus that Kenny MacAskill is building is a

cross Scottish society and that consensus, as we see, if I could say

to Johann Lamont, it is precisely because we care about this issue so

much that we pursue this legislation with vigour and we will continue to

pursue it with such vigour. But I am interested in the question she asked

about the confidence I have in this Justice Secretary. I will tell you

why I do have confidence, because we have 1000 extra police in the

streets and communities of Scotland, thanks to this Justice

Secretary. Recorded crime in Scotland is down by 35%, thanks to

this Justice Secretary. Violent crime is down by almost half under

the office of this Justice Secretary. And crimes of handling

offensive weapons are down by 60%! And above all, that people's fear of

crime is dropping in Scotland for the first time. And all of these

comparisons, under this Justice Secretary, are comparisons with when

the Labour Party was last in government, and the people of

Scotland, knowing and appreciating these things, no this government has

discharged its responsibility to the team and it is of Scotland in a way

no previous devolved administration managed. And the real issues that

matter to the people are contained in these vital statistics. So when

they address the general rule of corroboration, we will do it on the

basis of giving justice to the victims of crime, and that will be

the performance against which this government and this Justice

Secretary is judged. Question number two, Ruth Davidson. When will you

next meet the Prime Minister? No plans in the near future. The

Justice Secretary gave his speech No plans in the near future. The

including SNP member considered to be the most

including SNP member considered to Parliament. In it, he claimed that

those with principled objections to the abolition of a key tenet of

Scots law were part of nothing more than a Unionist conspiracy. His

performance was shameful to watch. So let us try this again. Now that

the Justice Secretary has been forced into a climb-down, as the

First Minister accept that Kenny MacAskill's claim that opposition

parties were selling out the victims of crime because of constitutional

beliefs was as wrong as it was offensive? I cannot help but

contrast what Ruth Davidson just said with a statement issued by

Annabel Goldie yesterday. Annabel Goldie, in her statement yesterday,

the spokesperson for the Conservative Party on this issue,

welcomed the Justice Secretary's statement, the request of the

opposition party and said it took no little courage to

opposition party and said it took no statement. What has happened between

that generous welcome on the issue yesterday and the remarks just said

by Ruth Davidson? Many in this Parliament, if we take a canvas

opinion, rather like the days when Annabel Goldie was sitting we are

Ruth Davidson was and Ruth Davidson did not have the leadership of her

party. The differences I have never doubted the Scottish Cup and's

concern for victims of crime in this matter. -- never doubted the

Scottish Government's concerns. But we have been here before. The First

Minister forced to stand there and defend his Justice Secretary's

handling of the Lockerbie bomber, the handling of the single police

force, no being forced to defend on corroboration. This is the same

Justice Secretary who has had bills for minimum

other ministers. This Justice Secretary's judgement is openly

questioned by colleagues as Secretary's judgement is openly

opponents. His judgement that the case to abolish corroboration has

been made cannot be taken at face value. The First Minister now has an

opportunity to restore some of the credibility lost by Kenny

MacAskill's handling of this case, and he can extend the

MacAskill's handling of this case, review to consider whether a bullish

-- can extend the remix of the review. Will you? Knew we get to the

heart of the issue. Looking at the report and the safeguards necessary

to make the abolition of the general rule corroboration of where Waverley

acceptable was not that at all, as far as the Conservative party we are

concerned. It was actually root and branch opposition to the general

rule corroboration of. Yes, you can have opposition to the general rule

of the abolition of corroboration. But you cannot then complain about

cases not been brought to court. That vital case was an example of a

case not been brought to court because of the general rule of

corroboration. You cannot have it both ways on the Conservative party.

You cannot say you want cases brought to court and Justice for the

victims and then oppose these reforms. That is why this government

is doing exactly the right thing. I think we are doing the right thing

to accede to the request of the review group to report so we can

build the consensus on this issue. I have enormous confidence in a

Justice Secretary who has delivered the lowest levels of recorded crime

in a generation, who has put an extra 1000 policemen on the streets

and we recorded crime is down by 35% on the issues that matter to the

people of Scotland. That is the performance of this Justice

Secretary. I have a supplementary question. At the end of January, I

raise my concerns about the outbreak of a virus in the hospital in my

constituency. Three months down the line, there are still restrictions

on admissions in place. Does he share my concern about the great

deli in resolving this? I share very much the concern of the member. She

does know that the virus, in terms of the general application in

Scotland, is significantly better than last year, but there is concern

that this incident has not shown that general improvement. The Health

Secretary will offer a meeting today to take forward any further action

that we can take in order to resolve the situation. What measures are the

Government putting in place to tackle food poverty? 71,000 people

used food banks in Scotland last year. This was a fivefold increase

in the previous year. It is an unacceptable statistic. It is

unacceptable that so many people have to rely an emergency food

provision. Last year, the United Kingdom Government wrote to Glasgow

district Council saying that supermarket should do something to

waste less food in order to reduce food bank reliability. It is

outrageous that United Kingdom Ministers are coming to Scotland to

lecture others on welfare. Earlier this month, the Government put

forward ?1 million to combat food poverty in Scotland. He also knows

we are investing ?260 million over the period up to 2016 to limit the

damage of the imposition of welfare cuts. We will try and help wherever

we can. With his general point, I listened to the radio this morning

and said the Secretary of State saying "this is a fantastic system

which provides support for some of the most vulnerable people in our

society". This the man who is part of the better together campaign.

This is an explanation of the parties who are dismantling the

welfare state, which is driving people into food banks, actually

arguing that they are I fabulous system. He is not only out of touch

with the facts, but also out of touch with reality. What action is

the Government taking to address the gender inequality gap. I accept

women face inequality in many areas of life. We are looking to tackle

that with the range of initiatives. It should be said there are good

signs. The female unemployment rate in Scotland is now 69.4%, higher

than any other United Kingdom nation. 52% of full-time college

students are female and 43% of those starting in apprenticeships where

women. That was up from 37% in 2008 -09. But all of should agree that

more needs to be done. On the 9th of June, we will provide a forum for

the gender equality organisations within Scotland to discuss

opportunities for women with an independent Scotland. The first

Minister will be aware that there is a lot of talk from anti-independence

politicians about the supposed fantastic benefits on having welfare

decisions made in Westminster. What they have been silent on as can we

actually get a question? Can the first Minister assure the chamber

that the Scottish government will use every means at its disposal to

make Scotland a theatre and more equal society? -- fear.

The bedroom tax has affected 72,000 households. Many of them with a

person with a disability and the household. We are still waiting

after repeated requests for the acceptance by Westminster that what

we are doing is appropriate and with our powers. Even when we are

devoting the resources of Scotland to address the bedroom tax, we

cannot even get a letter back from Westminster. That is acceptable. Not

only from those in the coalition, but from the Labour Party, who seek

welfare changes could not be implemented in an independent

Scotland and should not be implemented in an independent

Scotland. Until labour disavows that attitude, they are guilty by

association. Is it not interesting that we waited a year for the

Scottish National party to take a year to take action on the bedroom

tax? The wreck of the gender equality is not good. They have

slashed places at colleges, is not the case they have slashed jobs the

public sector or having a disappoint your effect on women and they have

failed to deliver gender balance on the board of public companies. They

have spent a grand total of some ?3000 on advertising to promote

public appointments. I cannot but contrast that with the ?1 million

spent on producing the prospectus for independence. That was a delayed

reaction from the Labour benches. I will offer to statistics. 14% is the

number of women and Gordon Brown 's Cabot Cabinet. 14%. 40% as the

number of women in the Scottish Parliament Cabinet. Is she totally

unaware that employment in Scotland is now at an all-time record and

driving that increase unemployment has the sharp rise in employment of

women, mostly in full-time jobs. Can she not find the inner part to

welcome the improvement in the figures? To welcome the fact that

Scotland has the highest women's employment rate of any country in

these islands? That may be something to do with the work of this

government and the Scottish trade Unions Congress in promoting that?

Is she not surprised that we are just not at 42% entering

apprenticeships, but the level we inherited of 27% from the Labour

Party. 42% is a lot better than 17%. To ask the first Minister of what

discussions the Scottish government has had with Glasgow City Council

regarding the future of the flats. These were to be demolished before

the opening of the Commonwealth Games. The road is one of eight

transfer agent projects within Glasgow. The government is in

partnership with Glasgow council and Glasgow home soil Association on

this. Does he agree that critical alternative atomic accommodation

could be found for the asylum seekers living there as quickly as

possible? This city and the Scottish government should work with the

local community to prioritise a dynamic and innovative regeneration

of the site following the abolition of the towers which will benefit the

communities. I do agree with that. The member knows that the

partnership have done excellent work across major areas of Glasgow. ?30

million has been put into the construction of new homes in various

districts. I am certain the partnership will also be coming

forward with good ideas for the site. I know they will have the

widest possible concentration locally to see that acceptance of

the regeneration proposals. What is the Scottish government 's

assessment of labour market conditions in Scotland? I am

delighted he has asked that question. It is significant that the

opposition did not want to talk about the latest statistics, virtual

employment levels at their highest in Scotland. The employment level

has increased by 68% over the year. It is driven by an increase of

46,000 in female employment. We are coming to the close of our coverage.

Discussions at the beginning on the issue of corroboration. Pressure

from the leaders of both the Labour and Conservative parties. But the

first Minister said he did not only have confidence in the Justice

Secretary, he had fantastic confidence in him. Goodbye for now.