:00:16. > :00:20.Hello and welcome to Politics Scotland. Stripped of his
:00:20. > :00:23.knighthood, but has Mr Fred Goodwin been victimised?
:00:23. > :00:28.A new push to combat youth employment, but the opposition ask
:00:28. > :00:31.why cash for colleges is being cut. And here at Westminster, after the
:00:31. > :00:40.Fred Goodwin affair, MPs are turning their attention to the
:00:40. > :00:42.Good afternoon. The decision to strip Fred Goodwin of his
:00:42. > :00:46.knighthood has sent shockwaves through the banking community.
:00:46. > :00:49.Leading directors say it's anti- business hysteria. However, it has
:00:49. > :00:52.been welcomed by the four main party leaders. Joining me now is
:00:52. > :01:00.our commentator for the afternoon, the Scottish political editor of
:01:00. > :01:06.The Times, Angus Macleod. Good afternoon. Thanks for joining
:01:06. > :01:11.me. We've seen that Mr Fred Goodwin it has been stripped of his
:01:11. > :01:18.knighthood. What's your opinion? One of the best points made on this
:01:18. > :01:23.whole issue was made by the First Minister. If you look at friends
:01:23. > :01:28.knighthood, I should say, it was for services to banking. How absurd
:01:28. > :01:33.was that that he retained the gong when he had gone pretty well most
:01:34. > :01:38.of the way down the road, along with other people, of almost
:01:38. > :01:48.destroying a major bank. That itself to warranted their removal
:01:48. > :01:51.of the knighthood. I agree with Alastair Darling also. He has been
:01:52. > :01:59.-- there has been a certain vindictiveness and tawdriness. How
:01:59. > :02:05.can you separate RBS from the board of RBS at the time. Do we pursue
:02:05. > :02:09.them? The whole regulatory system around the banks at that time and
:02:09. > :02:15.the policies -- politicians who put that system in place, do you pursue
:02:15. > :02:20.then? It seems to me there has been something of a lynch mob about this
:02:20. > :02:25.affair. If you look at why it happened and the timescale of how
:02:25. > :02:28.it happened, you even begin to think, what was the political
:02:29. > :02:35.involvement and government involvement in this? That opens up
:02:35. > :02:40.a real can of worms. There was a huge media storm about the RBS
:02:40. > :02:42.bonus to Stephen Hester. Was it a convenient time for Automatic
:02:42. > :02:48.Entrance Systems Installers' Federation to be stripped of his on
:02:48. > :02:53.a? I cannot say definitely one was used to play off the other. But
:02:53. > :02:58.government in New at the early part of last week that the Hester bonus
:02:58. > :03:00.was coming up so perhaps they put the plans in place? Who am I to
:03:00. > :03:03.say? The issue of youth unemployment has
:03:03. > :03:07.been the main concern at today's National Economic Forum. It's a
:03:07. > :03:09.body that aims to drive growth in Scotland with representatives from
:03:09. > :03:14.business, government and the trade unions. Figures show that almost
:03:14. > :03:21.one in three of those out work in Scotland is aged 18 to 24. The
:03:21. > :03:28.Youth Employment minister Angela Constance joins me now. Good
:03:28. > :03:32.afternoon and thanks for joining me. You have been discussing this at
:03:32. > :03:37.the Forum this morning. How will the issue be taken forward?
:03:37. > :03:42.important thing we are doing this morning is that we have launched
:03:42. > :03:49.the first ever used employment strategy. Today it is the National
:03:49. > :03:58.Economic Forum which had the largest attendance ever. It is the
:03:59. > :04:04.opportunity for their employment minister to ensure that we are all
:04:04. > :04:08.singing from the same Hing she -- him sheet and we get a national
:04:08. > :04:14.response to a national challenge and we create the best
:04:14. > :04:18.opportunities for our young people. But Labour says it is warm words.
:04:18. > :04:24."the development of a cohesive all government strategy to support
:04:24. > :04:31.young people, or what real-life practical examples do you have to
:04:31. > :04:37.help young people watching this to help beat -- may be unemployed?
:04:37. > :04:41.Labour Party were agreeing on and all government approach and getting
:04:41. > :04:45.behind that effort. Perhaps I can give you some practical examples
:04:45. > :04:51.because we know that not all young people have the same needs so we
:04:51. > :04:56.need a variety of targeted responses. The youngest people who
:04:56. > :05:02.are furthest away from the labour market and those who have
:05:02. > :05:09.considerable disadvantage whether they are carers and young people
:05:09. > :05:13.who we know that would find work if the economy is in better health, we
:05:13. > :05:18.need to keep them positively engaged in education and training.
:05:18. > :05:24.A third of young unemployed young Scots are full-time students. What
:05:24. > :05:28.happens to the post graduate students? We need to ensure they
:05:28. > :05:33.get employment other way week - might otherwise be get displacement
:05:33. > :05:39.in the labour market. Talking about opportunities for young people, as
:05:39. > :05:43.the Lib Dems point out, cut to colleges, is that not a key driver
:05:43. > :05:47.that could tackle youth unemployment if you put that
:05:47. > :05:53.funding back to colleges? The Lib Dems have a brass neck on this
:05:53. > :05:59.issue bearing mind they are in Coalition at a UK government level
:05:59. > :06:02.and, at courtesy of their conservative partners, we are
:06:02. > :06:06.experiencing unprecedented cuts in the Scottish government. The
:06:07. > :06:13.Scottish government takes no pleasure in cutting any sector in
:06:13. > :06:16.these difficult times but, can I remind you, year on year we are
:06:16. > :06:20.investing �1.5 billion in universities and colleges and
:06:20. > :06:24.skills training for young people and we meet our commitments in
:06:24. > :06:30.maintaining College numbers. Colleges continue to be prioritised
:06:30. > :06:35.towards young people. We have a whole reform programme which is
:06:35. > :06:40.about ensuring the world of education is more closely aligned
:06:40. > :06:42.to the world of work. We will have to leave it there.
:06:42. > :06:48.The Education Secretary is reporting back to Parliament after
:06:48. > :06:52.setting up a review of higher education. It has been looking at
:06:52. > :06:57.university governance and there are concerns about a rise in pay of
:06:57. > :07:04.principles and the lack of accountability. Let us hear what
:07:04. > :07:08.they have to say. I welcome proposals to address
:07:08. > :07:12.shortcomings that exist and, in particular, the idea of electing
:07:12. > :07:19.chairs of court. I will consider all of these with the sector in the
:07:19. > :07:24.period ahead but I broadly welcome them all. Let me turn to colleges.
:07:24. > :07:28.What Russell Grix has delivered his thought-provoking, linking are
:07:28. > :07:33.plans for a regional structure with a new style of governance designed
:07:33. > :07:39.to fit the institutions which will emerge. I can accept all up --
:07:39. > :07:42.almost it in its entirety his proposals. Professor Grix also
:07:42. > :07:47.makes recommendations on the relationship between government and
:07:47. > :07:52.the college sector. Colleges were dragged away from local authority
:07:52. > :08:00.control back in 1983 which brought some benefits but it offered
:08:00. > :08:07.freedom to colleges to what has turned out to be wasteful
:08:07. > :08:13.competition at times. Pay bargaining resulted in expensive
:08:13. > :08:16.duplication of the curriculum. He makes a number of helpful
:08:16. > :08:22.suggestions covering the anachronistic stipulation in how a
:08:22. > :08:32.college must be governed. There will dividing people over 70 being
:08:32. > :08:32.
:08:32. > :08:37.appointed. And the invitation to chair the board. No local-authority
:08:37. > :08:43.employees may accept an invitation to chair a board. Our overall
:08:43. > :08:46.approach should be one that holds colleges governing bodies to
:08:46. > :08:51.account for the outcomes we want to see, one that allows the governing
:08:51. > :08:55.body the latitude to deliver that as it sees fit. We have made
:08:55. > :08:59.significant headway on the other issue of College regionalisation
:08:59. > :09:04.and are working closely with the sector in how we take fought the
:09:05. > :09:09.central element of this in the next academic year -- take forward. We
:09:09. > :09:12.can slip into jargon. Regionalisation is the means to
:09:12. > :09:18.restructure the sector so that colleges work together to plan
:09:18. > :09:22.strategically but deliver locally. It does not mean merger. We need to
:09:22. > :09:25.work at the relationship between the regional structures and
:09:25. > :09:31.colleges and we will do so with the colleges themselves. There is a
:09:31. > :09:37.healthy debate under way and it includes, where it is desired,
:09:37. > :09:43.institutional merger and other delivery models. I can report
:09:43. > :09:48.discussions. This week, I discussed with the principle of Caledonian
:09:48. > :09:52.University and the Minister the private and -- the broader
:09:52. > :09:57.partnership of schools, colleges within the broader Glasgow region
:09:57. > :10:01.and both were hugely enthusiastic. I hope they will take an active
:10:01. > :10:05.part in shaping and delivering a new plan for that region. Such a
:10:05. > :10:09.model in Glasgow could act as a real force in planning and
:10:09. > :10:19.delivering the journey to which we are committed and the Learning and
:10:19. > :10:19.
:10:19. > :10:23.Skills PUP line needs to accelerate growth. -- pipeline. The funding
:10:23. > :10:28.council would be able to give detailed budget information they
:10:28. > :10:33.need to plan for the next academic year and to begin the process of
:10:33. > :10:38.doing so in a regional basis. This is the best way to meet the needs
:10:39. > :10:45.of employers. There will be 12 regions, mostly finalised but with
:10:45. > :10:54.sums built - Max Moore detail to be concluded. Highlands and Islands
:10:54. > :11:04.win --. Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Fife is an area where work has to
:11:04. > :11:11.
:11:11. > :11:21.be done. Tayside will be formed by Dundee and Angus. Glasgow will be
:11:21. > :11:22.
:11:23. > :11:29.one region. The West will comprise of three colleges. Dumfries and
:11:29. > :11:36.Galloway cut -- will comprise a college which will have a whole
:11:36. > :11:40.range of provision and make a really exciting model. Manager will
:11:40. > :11:46.comprise Motherwell and South Lanarkshire and to others. There
:11:46. > :11:50.will be essential reading which made... The position of West
:11:50. > :11:54.Lothian College remains uncertain and I have asked the funding
:11:54. > :11:58.council to take forward this issue in discuss and -- discussion and I
:11:58. > :12:08.will meet some of those involved next week. I should make clear my
:12:08. > :12:10.
:12:10. > :12:14.view that the land-based colleges makes it more perspicacious to...
:12:14. > :12:19.In summary, these are the 12 regions for the purposes of
:12:19. > :12:24.planning and funding. I am writing to the funding council to confirm
:12:24. > :12:34.my views and not everyone will agree. In the event, I need to make
:12:34. > :12:39.this cessation now so that we begin to realise the benefits. One issue
:12:39. > :12:44.which was considered in detail is the Government's of the UK
:12:44. > :12:48.Highlands and Islands. I met with the 13th University academic
:12:48. > :12:52.partners yesterday to consider how we might move to create an
:12:52. > :13:00.integrated structure. I was delighted that the partners offered
:13:00. > :13:06.their support insignificant areas, including 80 I tutted framework -
:13:06. > :13:12.might a tripartite framework. Higher education, none advanced
:13:12. > :13:16.further education and research and specialism will hold equal weight.
:13:16. > :13:21.I also met representatives of the NUS who agreed to work we need to
:13:21. > :13:25.examine how we might distribute effectively resources to fund
:13:26. > :13:31.financial support to college students. This will link clued
:13:31. > :13:35.scope to get rid of uncertainty. I have made a commitment to work
:13:35. > :13:40.closely with the sector tackling the challenges of. I met principles
:13:40. > :13:45.on many principles collectively and individually and have listened and
:13:45. > :13:51.am listening. The �15 million Trans formation fund and other work will
:13:51. > :13:55.alleviate the dropping funding is hard evidence of that. We're having
:13:55. > :14:01.the kind of conversations that people once said was impossible. We
:14:01. > :14:04.have a lot to do but the next step is for funding next year with a
:14:04. > :14:14.decision on the regions, at the funding council is in a position to
:14:14. > :14:15.
:14:16. > :14:20.do this and expect the information Questions now on issues raised in
:14:20. > :14:23.the statement also a my intended to allow around 20 minutes for
:14:23. > :14:28.questions, after which we move on to the next item of business.
:14:28. > :14:36.Members who wish to ask a question should press the request to speak
:14:36. > :14:39.I thank the Cabinet Secretary for the copy of his statement. I
:14:39. > :14:43.welcome many of the recommendations being made. Labour does not dispute
:14:43. > :14:47.the need to look at issues of governance and accountability when
:14:47. > :14:51.scarce public resources are involved. Indeed, along with my
:14:52. > :14:56.former colleague, I raised concerns about the scandalous way in which
:14:56. > :15:00.renumeration packages of university principals soared beyond �2,000 per
:15:00. > :15:05.year. I believe that the old boys' network needs to be broken, with
:15:05. > :15:08.more women involved. Not just in university but in senior positions.
:15:08. > :15:10.Equally, there are issues of college governance and
:15:10. > :15:15.accountability which were never fully addressed when they were
:15:15. > :15:18.taken away from local authority oversight. At the same time, the
:15:18. > :15:21.Cabinet Secretary should not refuse accountability with ministerial
:15:21. > :15:25.interference. I got from the comments from the Cabinet Secretary
:15:25. > :15:29.on academic freedom. I agree with him. But I want to see a clear
:15:29. > :15:34.indication of the boundaries between accountability for the use
:15:34. > :15:37.of public funds and the role of ministers. As for colleges, I worry
:15:37. > :15:42.that the Agenda for regionalisation in governance has been used as an
:15:42. > :15:46.attempt to move attention away from cuts job losses, caused reductions
:15:46. > :15:49.and lesser student choice. The plans outlined by the Cabinet
:15:49. > :15:53.Secretary indicate a shotgun marriage rather than agreements
:15:54. > :15:57.based on consensus. Can the Cabinet Secretary guarantee that nothing
:15:57. > :16:01.will be done to risk the loss of charitable status for colleges,
:16:01. > :16:06.will he be consider the damaging cuts to college funding which are
:16:06. > :16:11.hindering the ability of colleges to respond to challenges, which he
:16:11. > :16:14.fully fund all the costs associated with changes to governance and
:16:14. > :16:18.structures and will he review the role of the funding council to look
:16:18. > :16:26.at how it can help to improve accountability in governance in
:16:26. > :16:29.Scotland's universities and colleges? There are elements in the
:16:29. > :16:31.points raised which I would agree with. There is a strong role for
:16:31. > :16:35.the funding council. I think the role of the funding council will
:16:35. > :16:40.have to change to match the new circumstances. One of those issues
:16:40. > :16:44.is the issue of accountability. We are looking at that. I hope the
:16:44. > :16:48.Labour Party has responded to the consultation because the role of
:16:48. > :16:54.the funding council was raised within that. I do welcome that the
:16:54. > :16:58.abuse that Mr Henry has given in terms of changes in universities. I
:16:58. > :17:02.think the report last be taken forward by discussion and consensus,
:17:02. > :17:05.and we will do so. There are some important things in it. The way in
:17:05. > :17:09.which the accountability of universities is central to how we
:17:09. > :17:12.see universities in Scotland is a key point. We can agree on a great
:17:12. > :17:16.deal in that. Listening to that is Terry
:17:16. > :17:19.Brotherstone from the STUC. He wrote the University of Scotland
:17:19. > :17:23.submission to their review of higher education governance last
:17:23. > :17:28.year. He is also a former President of the universities and colleges
:17:28. > :17:32.union. We are hearing what the minister had to say there and what
:17:32. > :17:37.Hugh Henry from Labour had to say. Mr Henry was pointing out that it
:17:37. > :17:43.is good to break up the old boys' network. I don't know if it's an
:17:43. > :17:47.old boys' network. The number of university principals are very
:17:47. > :17:50.distinguished women. But what I think this report, as I understood
:17:51. > :17:56.it although I actually missed the main part of the minister's
:17:56. > :17:59.comments that referred to universities, I think it opens the
:17:59. > :18:04.door for much more open governance, much greater public understanding
:18:04. > :18:08.of what goes on in universities and much greater, meaningful
:18:08. > :18:13.consultation on campuses when it comes to strategic decision-making.
:18:14. > :18:18.Mr Henry also pointed out that you could confuse accountability with
:18:18. > :18:23.ministerial responsibility. Does two have to be kept separate.
:18:23. > :18:27.report quotes the UNESCO documents of the 1990s and another important
:18:27. > :18:31.document that Scottish universities are signed up to which insists some
:18:31. > :18:34.protection and academic freedom, which it sees the autonomy of
:18:34. > :18:38.universities as essential but not the sole protection of academic
:18:38. > :18:42.freedom. There is a specific recommendation in the report that
:18:42. > :18:46.universities should, on the basis of the legislative definition of
:18:46. > :18:49.academic freedom that is already in Scottish law, that universities
:18:49. > :18:54.should negotiate agreements on particular campuses as to how that
:18:54. > :18:59.is implemented. It is in Scottish law, academic freedom is a very
:18:59. > :19:02.ancient right, isn't it? It is critical to the whole idea of a
:19:03. > :19:07.university. Universities have changed a great deal, not least in
:19:07. > :19:13.this country, since the 1960s and even more so since the 1990s. There
:19:13. > :19:17.is a very different international environment now. Different economic
:19:17. > :19:20.circumstances. If there is one key idea that defines a university it
:19:20. > :19:24.is the protection of academic freedom. Many university staff feel
:19:24. > :19:29.that is under threat. Not so much from any direct political
:19:29. > :19:32.interference but from the way strategic planning is being done in
:19:32. > :19:36.order to meet research assessment targets and so on, which make it
:19:37. > :19:39.very difficult for individual scholars to pursue their own agenda.
:19:39. > :19:44.Sometimes they feel themselves being pushed into work that they
:19:44. > :19:47.don't feel to be to the greatest benefit. Moving on to colleges, I
:19:47. > :19:51.mentioned to the youth Employment Minister what the Lib Dems were
:19:51. > :19:56.pointing out about the �40 billion cut in the ecology is budget. Do
:19:56. > :20:03.you think the planning and funding of further education, do you think
:20:03. > :20:07.it will absorb that cut? Well as saving be made there? I'm not
:20:07. > :20:10.expert to speak Carmat. I know there is great concern that this
:20:11. > :20:16.major reform, which I think is broadly welcomed and accepted
:20:16. > :20:19.across the sector, is taking place at the same time as Major cuts.
:20:20. > :20:23.It's hard to see how the cuts, a think they already have had an
:20:23. > :20:27.impact. I know there was great concern but I'm not qualified to
:20:27. > :20:32.say more than that. Do you think this reorganisation of the colleges
:20:32. > :20:38.is needed at this time? speaking as an expert at all, I
:20:38. > :20:43.think that is widely accepted. The 1990s reforms from the college
:20:43. > :20:49.point of you have not been altogether successful. The
:20:49. > :20:52.regionalisation idea may well be one way of getting round it. As far
:20:52. > :20:56.as the relationship between higher and further education is concerned,
:20:56. > :21:00.which we deal with in our higher education report, I think it is
:21:00. > :21:04.important that universities are not drawn directly into the idea of
:21:04. > :21:11.regionalisation. Universities have to be free-standing and timeless
:21:11. > :21:14.bodies with their own agendas. But they obviously -- they're obviously
:21:14. > :21:17.should be proper consultation to benefit students, to benefit
:21:17. > :21:27.articulation from one sector to the other and to make sure we get the
:21:27. > :21:33.most from our further and higher You're watching politics Scotland.
:21:33. > :21:37.Still to come... Culture is at the top of the agenda as we debate the
:21:37. > :21:42.lure of Creative Scotland 2012. Let's speak once again to our
:21:42. > :21:45.political commentator, Angus MacLeod, from the Times. You were
:21:45. > :21:49.listening to Angela Constance, the youths and Employment Minister bed.
:21:49. > :21:53.Do you think the Scottish government have been slow to react
:21:53. > :21:57.in the changes in youth employment statistics? I think two or three
:21:57. > :22:01.months ago there was suddenly that big rise in the number of young
:22:01. > :22:07.people who were out of work in Scotland. The Scottish Government
:22:07. > :22:09.wasn't alone in being behind the curve on that. But when you are in
:22:09. > :22:16.government and you appear behind the curve, it is rather
:22:16. > :22:20.embarrassing. Alex Salmond, being beat acute political animal he is,
:22:20. > :22:24.immediately responded by appointing Angela Constance and making a big
:22:24. > :22:28.meal of that appointment. I've been quite rightly. It seems to me that
:22:28. > :22:34.while Angela Constance is criticised by the other parties,
:22:34. > :22:40.particularly Labour today, for the warm words. At this stage when you
:22:41. > :22:44.are trying to respond to these kinds of figures, 80,018 to 24
:22:44. > :22:48.year-olds out of work in this country, a third of the whole
:22:48. > :22:51.unemployment total, then you obviously have to be at the stage
:22:51. > :22:57.of warm words at some stage before you can formulate what you are
:22:57. > :23:00.going to do. In Angela Constance's predicament, I think she'd be well
:23:01. > :23:05.advised to get things in place urgently. There's a big burden of
:23:05. > :23:09.expectation on her here. I think she will be judged on how much the
:23:09. > :23:12.figures come down in the next few months, if they come down at all.
:23:12. > :23:17.It is such a difficult issue to tackle. Do governments have the
:23:17. > :23:21.power, Scottish and UK, do they have that much power to tackle this
:23:22. > :23:25.kind of issue? In a macro economic front they do. I'm not necessarily
:23:25. > :23:29.talking about the Scottish government, but this brings us into
:23:29. > :23:37.the debate on deficit reduction, growth and what the Treasury in
:23:37. > :23:41.London is doing to help growth in this country. On a more devolved
:23:41. > :23:46.areas, yes, there are things the Scottish government can do. I think
:23:46. > :23:50.that Angela Constance will be under a pretty fierce light of
:23:50. > :23:55.examination on this. We've been talking about higher education and
:23:55. > :23:59.further education and that �40 million cut in the college budgets.
:23:59. > :24:04.Have the SNP been left in a bit of a sticky wicket on that? Isn't it
:24:04. > :24:09.ironic that on the same day they are bringing forward the policy for
:24:09. > :24:14.tackling youth unemployment, they are facing criticism over the cut
:24:14. > :24:18.in college funding. Michael Russell was saying earlier it is basically
:24:18. > :24:22.to cut out duplication, to make regionalisation of college
:24:22. > :24:28.provision more understandable and more explicable. But I think there
:24:28. > :24:33.is a major problem here because when he is going down this road he
:24:33. > :24:37.has to, as Hugh Henry pointed out, be very careful about not to mix up
:24:37. > :24:41.accountability with interference. Once you get to that level and you
:24:41. > :24:44.are a government minister and you are accused of interfering, or
:24:44. > :24:49.indeed higher education, then you bring into question the whole idea
:24:49. > :24:52.of charitable status. That is going to be a tight rope which Michael
:24:53. > :24:58.Russell is going to have to walk. How has he been walking that
:24:58. > :25:04.tightrope? Mr Russell's relationships with the principal of
:25:04. > :25:10.Glasgow University hasn't been too good. But it that way, there has
:25:10. > :25:14.been a slight thaw in that relationship. But the whole subject
:25:14. > :25:17.of principle's renumeration and governance at university, we all
:25:17. > :25:22.remember the notion of academic freedom at universities from even
:25:22. > :25:28.when I was there. All these decades and centuries ago! It is a very
:25:28. > :25:34.important idea. But the government has to be careful that they are not
:25:34. > :25:38.pinned to the war on of the -- or threatening in any way that
:25:38. > :25:41.academic freedom. That could be a difficult one for them to get out
:25:41. > :25:44.of. Why do you think we've come to this stage where some people are
:25:44. > :25:48.accusing the Scottish Government of threatening academic freedom. Why
:25:48. > :25:54.is it that the interest from Mr Russell in the universities is
:25:54. > :25:58.there? The government ultimately, it is a paymaster. When you RE
:25:58. > :26:02.paymaster, he who pays the piper, as it were. I think that is what is
:26:02. > :26:06.driving it. I would hope for Mr Russell's sake that it isn't a case
:26:06. > :26:13.of power going to his head. I'm sure that Michael Russell would
:26:13. > :26:16.deny that any weight. -- anyway. Not one but two ministers gave
:26:16. > :26:20.evidence to the energy committee this morning. One from the UK
:26:20. > :26:23.government and one from the Scottish government. Carbon capture
:26:23. > :26:27.technology was one flashpoint, after the Westminster government
:26:27. > :26:30.scrapped plans to fund the Longannet plant. We were all very
:26:30. > :26:34.saddened that we couldn't reach an agreement with Longannet. An
:26:34. > :26:40.immense amount of work had gone in over years to try and get us to
:26:40. > :26:43.that stage. We have allocated �1 billion of public spending to go to
:26:43. > :26:48.the first project. We clearly couldn't deal with it, we didn't
:26:48. > :26:51.get the amount of output which we needed, we were looking at 300
:26:51. > :26:57.megawatts a planned to be installed with technology, and that wasn't
:26:58. > :27:02.going to be delivered for 1 billion. The Scottish government was kept
:27:02. > :27:05.informed of those discussions, the leader of them was with the UK
:27:05. > :27:09.government. There was no offer of funding from the Scottish
:27:09. > :27:14.government, there was no request to the Scottish government for funding
:27:14. > :27:17.either. Realistically, I think that had they wished to contribute it
:27:17. > :27:21.wouldn't have made the difference in terms of the viability of that
:27:21. > :27:24.project. There were issues on the project which were going to push
:27:24. > :27:30.the costs up. As an old plant, it would have needed hundreds of
:27:30. > :27:36.millions being spent on it just to give it the technology to give it
:27:36. > :27:40.the long-term future that is coming through. Those were additional
:27:40. > :27:44.costs which were not related, but which would have been carried out
:27:44. > :27:52.in any case. We have learned a great deal from it. There is
:27:52. > :27:58.Scotland for CCS plants. We are determined we move forward rather
:27:58. > :28:05.more quickly to identify future projects and indeed a sustainable
:28:05. > :28:12.industry in the sector. We lobbied very strongly for successive UK
:28:12. > :28:17.governments, because this has been a long-running story, Longannet. We
:28:17. > :28:22.lobbied very strongly for Longannet to proceed. Ultimately it did and
:28:22. > :28:30.for reasons which I think we already know. -- ultimately it
:28:30. > :28:34.didn't. There is a legacy of the huge amount of practical and
:28:34. > :28:40.academic work which is now available for future projects. But
:28:40. > :28:43.it remains disappointing that it did not go ahead. Energy policy is
:28:43. > :28:47.substantially Reserved. The Scottish Government is not provided
:28:47. > :28:51.with budgetary resources to make a contribution towards CCS. The
:28:52. > :28:57.stimulus was to be �1 billion. We hope and expect that many will be
:28:57. > :29:05.rolled over for further projects to be considered. We are part of that
:29:05. > :29:09.process. That process was assisted by the official at the most recent
:29:09. > :29:14.CCS sub-group meeting, which I chaired. We had a very helpful
:29:14. > :29:19.dialogue there. There is a further industry did take place on 23rd
:29:19. > :29:24.February. That is the date from memory that there are further
:29:24. > :29:28.discussions with industry about how to go ahead then. The very much
:29:28. > :29:32.hope Scotland will play a part in this technology. But we do not have
:29:32. > :29:40.the budgets provided which would have made it as able to make a
:29:40. > :29:44.substantial contribution. I have led a delegation to Brussels in
:29:44. > :29:54.order to promote Scotland as an excellent candidate for CCS to be
:29:54. > :29:57.
:29:57. > :30:03.David Cameron has been accused of being part of the problem of huge
:30:03. > :30:08.executive pay. Ed miler Bin -- Ed Miliband called in the government
:30:08. > :30:12.to make banks disclose which employees earn more than �1 million
:30:12. > :30:16.the year. He asks about the number of people
:30:16. > :30:25.getting 1 million pound bonuses. It was the last Labour government when
:30:25. > :30:33.he was in the Cabinet that a greed and RBS bonus role of �1.3 billion
:30:33. > :30:37.-- bonus pool. Literally, hundreds of people were getting million-
:30:37. > :30:42.pound bonuses and he signed it off. The issue for the honourable
:30:42. > :30:49.gentleman is why he is in favour now in opposition for being seen
:30:49. > :30:54.ever did in government. Some people might call it hypocrisy. I will
:30:54. > :30:58.tell them what hypocrisy is. It is saying he will stop a million-pound
:30:58. > :31:05.bonus to Stephen Hester and then nodding it through. I have to say
:31:05. > :31:11.to him, I think we have now heard it all because he now says that the
:31:11. > :31:16.class to -- class war against the bankers will be led by him and his
:31:16. > :31:21.cabinet of millionaires. I don't think it will wash, frankly. Let me
:31:21. > :31:26.ask him about another simple proposal. He had no answer on
:31:26. > :31:32.transparency. Does he agree that, to bring a dose of realism to the
:31:32. > :31:36.decisions about top pay, there should be an ordinary employee on
:31:36. > :31:42.every page committee so that people on a huge salary at least have to
:31:42. > :31:47.look one of their employees in the eye and justify it. Order! The
:31:47. > :31:51.Prime Minister will know the use of the word "he hypocrisy" in relation
:31:51. > :31:56.to an individual member is not Parliamentary. Just before the
:31:56. > :32:02.Prime Minister begins his reply, I would ask him to withdraw that turn
:32:02. > :32:06.straightaway. I am very happy to do that, Mr Speaker. I think it is
:32:06. > :32:10.because we are expected to listen to the people who presided over the
:32:10. > :32:14.biggest banking and financial disaster in our history. The Prime
:32:14. > :32:19.Minister has denied that he is cutting benefits for disabled
:32:19. > :32:25.children but the lower rate of disability living allowance has
:32:25. > :32:30.been reduced from almost �54 to almost �27. A cut of practically
:32:30. > :32:36.50%. 100,000 children will be affected, is that not correct Prime
:32:36. > :32:42.Minister? What is correct is that anyone on that low work rate of
:32:42. > :32:46.payment, no one will receive less as a result of their move to
:32:46. > :32:51.universal credit. No one will be affected by that. Does the Prime
:32:51. > :32:55.Minister agree that a meaningful cap on benefits is essential if we
:32:55. > :33:00.are to end the something for nothing culture which developed
:33:00. > :33:03.under the last government? I think that is absolutely right. It is
:33:03. > :33:10.right to bring in a cap and it introduces a new principle which is
:33:10. > :33:17.that you shouldn't be better off than the average family is on
:33:17. > :33:22.benefits. Will they support us tonight in the lobbies? Just not. I
:33:22. > :33:26.thought it was all about taking tough decisions and that they were
:33:26. > :33:33.in favour of a cap. They would tear up some of Labour's history, time
:33:33. > :33:38.to make a bold decision. Command, one bold decision. I you with us
:33:38. > :33:44.all against this? A great big vacuum. In opposition, the Prime
:33:44. > :33:54.Minister told minute -- millions on TV, if you work harder will be
:33:54. > :33:56.
:33:56. > :34:03.behind you. 82% state owned RBS hasn't signed up to pay a living
:34:03. > :34:07.wage of �8.30 in London and 7p 20 per aware elsewhere for its staff
:34:07. > :34:17.and contractors. Why does his government support low wages for
:34:17. > :34:18.
:34:18. > :34:21.workers but big bucks and bonuses for bank bosses. I thought he was
:34:22. > :34:26.beginning to get the hang of this then we might have a supporter
:34:26. > :34:33.tonight. What this Government has done with RBS is radically cut the
:34:33. > :34:36.bonus pool that was a massive under Labour, the say there should be a
:34:36. > :34:41.until hundred 1000 hand cash cap unlike the increase under Labour,
:34:42. > :34:47.and beginning to get his bank under control. Now to Westminster and
:34:47. > :34:53.reaction to those issues. Our correspondent is standing by. David,
:34:53. > :35:01.you have some guests with you thought you will soon as they are
:35:01. > :35:08.stuck in the lobby on voting. What has been the reaction today on the
:35:08. > :35:15.night to being stripped from Fred Goodwin? The public reaction to at
:35:15. > :35:23.Prime Minister's Question Times... It wasn't raised at all and that is
:35:23. > :35:30.quite strange. MPs have been discussing it. This morning MPs
:35:30. > :35:40.have had time to think about it. There is a feeling amongst some MPs
:35:40. > :35:44.that threat could win -- Fred Goodwin, that it was wrong he had a
:35:44. > :35:50.knighthood. There are an increasing number of and MPs who were not
:35:50. > :35:53.stick their head above the parapet but they might think that it wasn't
:35:53. > :35:58.just afraid good win at their RBS but there were others on the board
:35:58. > :36:02.as well and others who have been honoured for their work in banking.
:36:02. > :36:07.As we know of what happened at the Royal Bank of Scotland, it led to
:36:07. > :36:14.the bank going bust and the taxpayer having to bail it out to
:36:14. > :36:18.the tune of something like �45 million. I think you will find it
:36:19. > :36:21.is very difficult to get MPs to come out and say it is wrong what
:36:21. > :36:26.happened, that Automatic Entrance Systems Installers' Federation was
:36:26. > :36:30.stripped of his knighthood. Alastair Darling made interesting
:36:30. > :36:34.comments he was at the Treasury when the RBS saga was taking place.
:36:34. > :36:39.He was saying that Fred Goodwin made mistakes and everyone knows
:36:39. > :36:43.that but there were others who were perhaps culpable as well. On a
:36:43. > :36:47.connected point, we had at Prime Minister's Questions that Ed
:36:47. > :36:55.Miliband was taking up the Prime Minister on the issue of executive
:36:55. > :37:00.pay and Stephen Hester's bonus. It has been a difficult few days for
:37:00. > :37:05.the Prime Minister and his RBS connections, hasn't it? A very
:37:05. > :37:13.difficult few days. I think Ed Miliband's supporters think he has
:37:13. > :37:17.that -- behaved quite well on this. At the weekend, it was announced
:37:17. > :37:22.that Stephen Hester would not take his bonus of almost �1 million in
:37:22. > :37:26.shares, that I think was because Stephen Hester had seen the Labour
:37:26. > :37:32.Party would put this issue to a boat in the House of Commons. I
:37:33. > :37:37.think he and the RBS board felt that the government could be
:37:37. > :37:42.defeated on this issue. That is why he decided not to take the bonus.
:37:42. > :37:45.Ed Miliband scored a palpable hit with that one and he had quite a
:37:45. > :37:51.good performance in the House of Commons yesterday when David
:37:51. > :37:55.Cameron had to report on an EU summit. Perhaps the timing of the
:37:55. > :38:02.announcement that Fred Goodwin would not have his knighted any
:38:02. > :38:09.longer was the to it as for the government yesterday. And the issue
:38:09. > :38:12.of welfare reform and the CAP that one single family could receiving
:38:12. > :38:19.benefits. The Prime Minister was pressing that point home, are you
:38:19. > :38:25.with us or against us? He got no answer on that. The whips have also
:38:26. > :38:30.been in action time after time, a Tory and Lib Dem MP, they got up
:38:30. > :38:34.and said, wasn't it fair that people who went out to work should
:38:34. > :38:43.not be penalised receiving less than those on benefits. The
:38:43. > :38:48.Government's answer is simple. They say they want a cup of -- on
:38:48. > :38:52.benefits of �26,000 a year, up to �500 a week. They say it is wrong
:38:52. > :38:59.and -- that people who get -- should get more on benefits than
:38:59. > :39:03.those to go out to work. They say they want to make work pay and they
:39:03. > :39:09.want people who can come off benefits to go to work and get off
:39:09. > :39:14.them. Labour say they are not against that at but that there
:39:14. > :39:20.should be regional caps in different parts of the UK. In
:39:20. > :39:25.London, housing is far more expensive and it literally costs
:39:25. > :39:31.far more to live in some parts of the UK than others. Time and time
:39:31. > :39:36.again at Prime Minister's Question Time, David Cameron tried to goat
:39:36. > :39:41.Ed Miliband say what Labour would do on that one. We have a series of
:39:41. > :39:46.votes going on in the House where MPs are being asked to overturn
:39:46. > :39:51.some of the amendments that were made in the House of Lords. At
:39:51. > :39:58.Westminster, legislation starts in either the Commons or the Lords.
:39:58. > :40:03.The same bill has to be agreed by both Houses of Parliament. Why at
:40:03. > :40:08.the moment, the House of Lords say they want one thing and the House
:40:08. > :40:11.of Commons say they want another. In all likelihood, the government
:40:11. > :40:19.will get its way in overturning the amendments and they will then have
:40:19. > :40:23.to go back to the House of Lords. As with all these cases, the
:40:23. > :40:32.government will get its way but that is not to say there will not
:40:32. > :40:40.be fierce argument. Some Labour MPs have been expressing concern about
:40:40. > :40:46.the company which decides if people are eligible for some benefit. What
:40:46. > :40:52.other concerns from the Labour MPs about that? Their concerns are that
:40:52. > :40:57.they see it as a privatisation of the benefits system, if you like.
:40:57. > :41:01.What the government has said is that it wants to improve the
:41:01. > :41:06.efficiency of the way it delivers benefits. It wants to look
:41:06. > :41:11.carefully at a whole range of benefits. It is very contentious.
:41:11. > :41:17.There are pilot studies going on to see if people are fit to go back to
:41:17. > :41:21.work and also looking at the level of benefits. It plays as part of a
:41:21. > :41:25.wider narrative where the Coalition government says it wants to do all
:41:25. > :41:31.it can to boost employment and it wants people to be better off in
:41:31. > :41:36.work than those who are on benefits. The flipside is that Labour says,
:41:36. > :41:41.in a recession, there are people who cannot get jobs. If you are not
:41:41. > :41:45.careful, it will penalise the very people who actually need benefits
:41:45. > :41:51.most of all. OK, David, thank you very much.
:41:51. > :41:55.Let us turn to our political commentator, Angus MacLeod, and
:41:55. > :42:00.pick up on the welfare reform. They are waiting in the House of Commons
:42:00. > :42:07.so could not speak to us. As David says, the government will triumph,
:42:07. > :42:11.when they? You can tell from David Cameron and the way he is answering
:42:11. > :42:16.questions in this area that he thinks he has an advantage in the
:42:16. > :42:22.public mind over Ed Miliband and Labour. Without being unkind to
:42:22. > :42:26.Labour, I listened to very is Labour spokesman over the last few
:42:26. > :42:32.days you agree there should be a benefits cap but when you push them
:42:32. > :42:37.a bit further and ask them what should that be, they cannot tell us.
:42:37. > :42:44.That is a bit of a cop-out. You can't say they should be a cat but
:42:44. > :42:50.don't ask me what it is. That is not responsible politics. Given the
:42:50. > :42:57.pressure the government has been under from pressure groups, from
:42:57. > :43:03.Peers in the House of Lords, it is strange that the opinion polls tend
:43:03. > :43:07.to show that most public opinion is we is so government on this - the
:43:07. > :43:12.notion that you should make work pay and that they should know be
:43:12. > :43:17.penalty for being at work rather than being on benefits. It
:43:17. > :43:20.resonates with a lot of people in this country. Thanks Frame much for
:43:20. > :43:26.that. Let us hear some more now on what
:43:26. > :43:33.has been called a youth unemployment crisis. We spent to
:43:33. > :43:42.the youth unemployment Minister earlier and now we will speak to
:43:42. > :43:46.other party members. Thank you for joining me. From Labour, we were
:43:46. > :43:50.speaking to a Angela constants he was pointing out that you called
:43:50. > :43:56.her a lot of warm words. Are there not some fundamental things they're
:43:56. > :44:00.about try to get some young people from outlying areas back into work?
:44:00. > :44:07.Fundamental things the Scottish government are trying to do?
:44:07. > :44:13.Absolutely. I was at the Forum this morning. There were eight
:44:13. > :44:19.government ministers there are no they need to get on with the job of
:44:19. > :44:23.creating jobs in Scotland. It is a national crisis. What is your
:44:23. > :44:27.recipe for success? What do you want to see done that could get
:44:27. > :44:32.young unemployed people of the Dell? The first thing the
:44:32. > :44:37.government has to do is to stop cutting millions of pounds out of
:44:37. > :44:40.the college sector. That is the money that keeps students in
:44:40. > :44:45.college and help them build a better future for them. The
:44:45. > :44:51.government is dipping that away and in another part of the city, trying
:44:51. > :44:57.to create an un employment strategy. It is counter-productive. Do not
:44:57. > :45:03.think it changes could mean a saving of �40 million. A in what
:45:03. > :45:13.way? The changes they are making to the colleges, do you not think they
:45:13. > :45:18.
:45:18. > :45:22.Maintaining the status quo at the moment, maintaining the same number
:45:22. > :45:26.of student places just isn't enough. Gavin Brown from the Conservatives,
:45:26. > :45:30.it's a pretty difficult issue the Scottish government are facing.
:45:30. > :45:35.What would you do? Be it is difficult. I would be positive
:45:35. > :45:39.about the Scottish Government in setting up their new dedicated
:45:39. > :45:43.Minister, it's an excellent Moopa. The idea of having a forum,
:45:43. > :45:48.engaging with business is an excellent idea, too. My concern is
:45:48. > :45:53.with one hand they are putting �30 million into trying to deal with
:45:53. > :45:58.youth unemployment. Yet with the other hand they are taking away �40
:45:58. > :46:02.million out of colleges and out of further education. It ends up
:46:02. > :46:08.taking out around �70 million a year by year three. This is at a
:46:09. > :46:13.time when youths unemployment is at a record high. 88,000 people
:46:13. > :46:18.between 18-24 are out of work. That goes up to about 100,000 where its
:46:18. > :46:21.people between 16-24. It's the wrong time to take money out of
:46:21. > :46:26.colleges. Willie Rennie from the Liberal Democrats, you've been
:46:26. > :46:29.making that point, too. As the SNP government point out, they are
:46:29. > :46:35.under pressure from Westminster, government cuts from your coalition
:46:35. > :46:38.colleagues. They've got an extra �750 million since they first set
:46:39. > :46:43.out their budget plans back in the autumn. They've got no excuse.
:46:43. > :46:46.They've got the money there. They could reverse the cuts to date. It
:46:46. > :46:50.would have been much more productive this morning if they had,
:46:50. > :46:54.on the first item of the agenda this morning, announced they were
:46:54. > :46:57.going to reverse the cuts to colleges. That would be an
:46:57. > :47:01.important priority for the government and they should do with
:47:01. > :47:04.right now. Youths in pointing out the Scottish government receives
:47:05. > :47:08.some extra money through the Barnard consequent Scholes. They
:47:09. > :47:12.receive money from Westminster, but you work complaining that wasn't
:47:12. > :47:19.put into the colleges sector. exacted. They should do with right
:47:19. > :47:24.now. The UK youths contract, it's worth �1 billion across the UK.
:47:24. > :47:28.Yesterday I was listening to Angela and she didn't mention it wants.
:47:28. > :47:33.Scottish employers could benefit by �82 million over the course of the
:47:33. > :47:35.programme. She didn't mention it. I went to the Chamber of Commerce
:47:35. > :47:39.this week, they didn't know about it. They are not promoting the
:47:39. > :47:42.scheme in Scotland. Scottish employers need to know they can get
:47:42. > :47:45.access to this money to try and create youth employment
:47:45. > :47:51.opportunities. The Scottish government are not stepping up to
:47:51. > :47:55.the plate. Michael Moore is holding his own job summit in March. What
:47:55. > :48:01.is he going to do? He's going to be setting out how the new contract
:48:01. > :48:04.could benefit employers and young people across Scotland. We just
:48:04. > :48:08.need the help of the Scottish government to try and make it even
:48:08. > :48:12.more effective, but they are refusing to do so. These are the
:48:12. > :48:15.joined-up things we should be doing because we've got to set aside the
:48:15. > :48:20.differences between the Parliament to make this a successful strategy.
:48:20. > :48:25.So far, that has not been achieved. I want to get your reaction on Fred
:48:25. > :48:29.Goodwin. Willie Rennie, do you think it was fair that he lost his
:48:29. > :48:33.knighthood? I think it is right because if it wasn't to be removed
:48:33. > :48:37.from the man at the head of the RBS when it collapsed, one of the
:48:37. > :48:41.biggest banking crisis Britain has ever seen. If it wasn't to be
:48:41. > :48:45.removed it would demean all the other honours that Scots have
:48:45. > :48:50.across Scotland. It was appropriate to do that. It was sensible,
:48:50. > :48:53.reasonable, long overdue and I'm happy it's been done. It's come at
:48:53. > :48:56.a very convenient time for the Conservative government,
:48:56. > :49:01.considering the fast that there has been over Stephen Hester and his
:49:01. > :49:05.bonus. It was the correct decision. It was given initially for services
:49:05. > :49:11.to banking for that very specific reason. I think on that basis it
:49:11. > :49:16.was the correct decision to remove it. Kezia Dugdale, we are hearing
:49:16. > :49:20.that Alastair Darling called it tawdry, he'd been treated in a
:49:20. > :49:24.tawdry way, but he's not singing from the same hymn sheet as Ed
:49:24. > :49:28.Miliband, is he? The Alastair is saying is this can't be the end of
:49:28. > :49:32.the matter. This is not the end of banking reform. People want a sense
:49:32. > :49:36.of justice. They got a sense of justice with Stephen Hester this
:49:36. > :49:41.week. This isn't the end of the matter. I think that is what
:49:41. > :49:47.Alastair Darling was hinting at. Thank you all very much for joining
:49:47. > :49:51.us. Culture is at the top of the agenda at Holyrood this afternoon.
:49:51. > :49:55.2012 is the idea of creative Scotland, billed as the bird in a
:49:55. > :49:58.series of so-called focus years leading up to 2014. Labour are
:49:58. > :50:01.calling on the government to ensure people across the country at the
:50:01. > :50:07.opportunity to access the events and so it must not be a repeat of
:50:07. > :50:13.the gathering which they called a fiasco. Let's step into the chamber
:50:13. > :50:17.where Fiona Hyslop is speaking. Creative Scotland, a free guide to
:50:17. > :50:24.Scottish Bestival 2012. That showcases over 350 festivals across
:50:24. > :50:30.the country. There is also an interactive and festivals matched -
:50:30. > :50:34.- map to show pays Scotland's rich cultural events. Presiding officer,
:50:34. > :50:37.in the time available today it is difficult to encompass the
:50:37. > :50:41.incredible wealth of culture and creativity taking place in Scotland
:50:41. > :50:45.during this year, on top of the activity that takes place each and
:50:45. > :50:50.every year. The year of Creative Scotland provides us with a
:50:50. > :50:55.fantastic opportunity to celebrate and promote our writers, artists,
:50:55. > :51:00.musicians and performers. It doesn't all end on December 31st,
:51:00. > :51:04.1920 12. On 1st January, 1920 13, Scotland enters the idea of natural
:51:04. > :51:09.Scotland, with a stronger than ever global reputation for Culture and
:51:09. > :51:15.creativity. As Einstein was quoted as saying, creativity is contagious.
:51:15. > :51:20.Pass it on. It will reach beyond 2012. To help ensure the cultural
:51:20. > :51:25.legacy of the year, I am pleased to confirm that an additional �1.1
:51:25. > :51:27.million released from the UK capital consequential, as announced
:51:27. > :51:32.by the cabinet secretary for finance, employment and sustainable
:51:32. > :51:36.growth yesterday, will be allocated to culture. 840,000 of his
:51:37. > :51:40.allocation will be invested in infrastructure, with funding of
:51:40. > :51:44.�300,000 going to the National Library of Scotland to help the
:51:44. > :51:49.Kelvin Hall project and other improvements. 300,000 going to the
:51:49. > :51:51.National Gallery of Scotland for essential improvements. 240,000 got
:51:51. > :51:54.into the national performing countries -- of unease for new
:51:54. > :51:58.equipment, performance and education work. Further
:51:58. > :52:01.announcements will follow on how the remainder will be allocated,
:52:01. > :52:05.but I'm pleased to announce a further allocation of �300,000 from
:52:05. > :52:12.existing budgets to the National Museums of Scotland or repairs and
:52:12. > :52:17.maintenance. These resources on existing, world class portfolio of
:52:17. > :52:22.activities and the new initiatives and projects. The wealth of partner
:52:22. > :52:25.events that have joined and benefited from the celebration. The
:52:25. > :52:28.London 2012 Festival and the torch relay, and all the partnerships
:52:28. > :52:32.that will be strengthened during 2012 places in an excellent
:52:32. > :52:37.position to build towards that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that
:52:37. > :52:41.will arise in 2014, when Scotland welcomes the world to join us for
:52:42. > :52:45.our second year home coming when, as a nation, we take centre stage
:52:45. > :52:52.in world terms as host of the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder
:52:52. > :52:58.Cup. I just want to make sure you moved your motion, Cabinet
:52:58. > :53:05.Secretary. I did at the start of my speech. I now call on Patricia
:53:05. > :53:12.Ferguson to speak to and move the amendment in her name, nine minutes.
:53:12. > :53:15.I will move the amendment in mining. Can I also welcome the �1.1 million
:53:15. > :53:21.of consequential being allocated to culture in Scotland. I'm sure it
:53:21. > :53:24.will be put to very good use. In January 2006, I was pleased to
:53:24. > :53:28.announce to Parliament that a new body to be called Creative Scotland
:53:28. > :53:32.would be established. This new body would be charged with supporting
:53:32. > :53:35.the arts in Scotland and creating a climate where culture could
:53:35. > :53:40.flourish and where people could experience and enjoy all that a
:53:40. > :53:43.truly creative Scotland had to offer. The gestation of Creative
:53:43. > :53:49.Scotland may have been difficult and it may have gone on longer than
:53:49. > :53:53.any of us could have imagined. But we now have an organisation fully
:53:53. > :53:57.equipped to carry out the changed role it has been task with. Created
:53:57. > :54:01.Scotland is up and running and beginning to establish itself as an
:54:01. > :54:06.important part of the cultural and artistic life of Scotland. Creative
:54:06. > :54:11.Scotland, the organisation, is well placed to play a key role in the
:54:11. > :54:14.year of Creative Scotland. And to work with its partners,
:54:14. > :54:18.particularly in events Scotland and visit Scotland, to bring forward a
:54:18. > :54:21.programme of exciting events across the country. I'm delighted to see
:54:21. > :54:27.the continuation of this collaboration between the agencies
:54:27. > :54:30.and their partners. And to see that the Cultural Olympiad, which
:54:30. > :54:34.accompanies the Olympic and Paralympic Games, is a component. I
:54:34. > :54:39.congratulate the minister, who body swerve to for Scotland in avoiding
:54:39. > :54:44.Mr Smith's request on this occasion. But it is also interesting to hear
:54:44. > :54:48.more detail about the Olympic Festival. I wonder whether
:54:48. > :54:52.enclosing, if it be him who is closing, could perhaps see a bit
:54:52. > :54:58.more about the Olympic Festival, as it will be immediately around the
:54:58. > :55:02.footballing events that will take place in Glasgow. The three
:55:02. > :55:08.agencies were always intended to complement one another, and to work
:55:08. > :55:13.with other partners for the benefit of our country. Debating Creative
:55:13. > :55:19.Scotland 2012. Let's have a chat with our studio guest, Angus
:55:19. > :55:25.MacLeod from the Times. The Times had a poll on Monday about
:55:25. > :55:29.independence. It was showing about 39 % support for independence.
:55:29. > :55:33.was in Tuesday's paper. It was one of these opinion polls that had
:55:34. > :55:37.something for everyone. It was 1000 Scots, easily the biggest sample of
:55:37. > :55:40.any opinion poll since Alex Salmond's announced that of the
:55:40. > :55:46.referendum question. There was something for everyone in it. You
:55:46. > :55:52.could argue that the Scottish Government haven't really had a
:55:52. > :55:56.major bounce in the poll. It showed 39 % support for independence. They
:55:56. > :56:00.probably come on the balance of probability, they would have been
:56:00. > :56:03.expecting that given the media attention, given the huge attention
:56:03. > :56:07.that Alex Salmond and his consultation document and
:56:07. > :56:13.referendum question got last week, that that would have shown at least
:56:13. > :56:18.a gentle upswing. It didn't really show that. But the SNP could argue
:56:18. > :56:23.that the seven. Drop in those supporting the Union, down from 57
:56:23. > :56:27.% Ipsos MORI polled in early December to now, its 50 %. That is
:56:27. > :56:31.important and interesting. But it didn't give us any real evidence
:56:31. > :56:40.that these 7% were actually going straight across to the independence
:56:40. > :56:48.camp. They were, if I can quote a famous footballer, there may be i,
:56:48. > :56:53.may be no. If you think about a year ago when it was running at
:56:53. > :56:59.only up to 28 %, it has gone up by 10 percentage points in a year.
:56:59. > :57:03.That must be progress. It is 1st February day, January was an
:57:03. > :57:05.intense month discussing the referendum. But today it has been
:57:05. > :57:09.youth unemployment and higher education. It has been an unusual
:57:09. > :57:13.shift. I'm tempted to say the real politics has come back to the
:57:14. > :57:17.forefront, but maybe that is not strictly fair. I think there is an
:57:17. > :57:20.element this week, certainly since the opinion poll, of people
:57:20. > :57:24.beginning to draw breath and beginning to think where they are
:57:24. > :57:32.in terms of the constitutional debate. That is good for Deerbolt
:57:32. > :57:37.politics because it shows that the constitution has realise this is
:57:37. > :57:40.hugely important. -- devolved politics. There are people out
:57:40. > :57:47.there looking for work. There are young people looking at a very
:57:47. > :57:52.bleak future. Politics is about politicians addressing that kind of
:57:52. > :57:56.problem and trying to come up with solutions. Let's face it, the
:57:56. > :58:00.Scottish Parliament wasn't really built for the big global issues.
:58:01. > :58:04.This is an issue on their doorstep that they should be trying to fix.
:58:04. > :58:08.Briefly, speaking about politicians trying to address the issue, we
:58:08. > :58:12.have John Swinney speaking about the state of the economy tomorrow.
:58:12. > :58:16.Yes. Over the last couple of weeks we've seen a lot of Conservative
:58:16. > :58:20.commentators are beginning to criticise George Osborne or simply
:58:20. > :58:23.concentrating on deficit reduction, telling him he has to get growth
:58:23. > :58:28.into the economy. That is the way you get money in and stop paying so
:58:28. > :58:31.much in benefits out. It is interesting that John Swinney is
:58:31. > :58:37.adding to these conservative commentators and other commentators
:58:37. > :58:40.who have been very vocal over the last two weeks. Thank you for