01/06/2017: First Minister's Questions Politics Scotland


01/06/2017: First Minister's Questions

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Hello and very warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament, the garden

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lobby here with exactly one week until we are going to the polls for

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the UK general election. In about an hour the political leaders will be

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out on the campaign trail trying to win your vote. And in about one

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minute they will be at their weekly discourse, questions to the First

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Minister and answers from the First Minister. That is the main subject

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for this programme, let's cross to the chamber. Good morning, 50 years

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ago today Sergeant Pepper was released, today we are bringing you

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not a day in their life but 45 minutes in the life of the Scottish

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First Minister. As far as we know no holes in the roof newly fixed and

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will Nicola Sturgeon get by with help from her friends? There is an

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election campaign going on and is fried as I'm concerned it is getting

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better all the time. Right now general questions coming to a close.

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The Health Secretary on her feet as she warms up for the main act. And

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shortly will have the First Minister and her weekly round of questions.

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We turn now to first Mr 's questions. To ask the first Mr Watt

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engagements she has planned. To take forward the government 's plans for

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Scotland. The Education Secretary said yesterday that cuts to teacher

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training places five years there probably went too far. Will the

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First Minister admit that when it comes to the basic task of putting

:02:01.:02:03.

enough teachers in classrooms her government got it wrong. As those

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who were in Parliament at the time in 2010-11 will recall we had a

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significant issue of teacher I'm home. It was thought at the time we

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had a surplus of features coming out of the system and many of them were

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struggling to get jobs. But of course every single year since then,

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every one of the six years since then, we have seen an increase in

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the numbers of students going into teacher education. And this year we

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are seeing an increase in teacher training numbers of 371. Also we are

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having a campaign to recruit teachers, targeting particularly the

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same subjects, -- stem subjects. And of course we saw an increase in the

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number of teachers working in our schools in the past years. This

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government is investing more than ?80 million to maintain the teacher

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numbers in our schools and to maintain the pupil - teacher ratio.

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As I have recognised previously we have got work to do but we are

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taking the actions that are making sure we have the right numbers of

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teachers in our schools and getting on with the important job of

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improving standards and closing the attainment gap. Once again the First

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Minister asking for was for promising to fix the mess our

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government made. It is quite simple... APPLAUSE

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The SNP government did not listen, to warnings from the chamber or from

:03:41.:03:43.

student leaders who called for an end to boom and bust methods towards

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teacher training. First they brought onto many trainees with a

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consequence they ended up in the dole queue, then they up the numbers

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to drastically with the consequence that we no longer have enough

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teachers. 4000 fewer than when this government came to office. Does it

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sound like the record of a competent government? I tell you who we do not

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listen to, we did not listen to the Tories. This is what they had to say

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about the issue. Ms Smith described it as the issue of demand and

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supply. She said to the education committee, given the current

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economic situation it might be necessary to re-examine teachers

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conditions. That is what the Tories wanted us to do. They wanted us to

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slash teacher pay and conditions. As I have said this is an important

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issue. Those in Parliament at the time will remember previous first

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ministers sessions talking about the very important issue of teacher

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unemployment. We inherited a figure around teacher training and was

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considered at that time to be leading to an oversupply of

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teachers. That is why we took corrective action at that time to

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deal with that issue. But every single one of the six years since

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then we have made sure we have had appropriate numbers of teachers

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coming in to teacher training. As I said in this year we are supporting

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an additional 371, going into teacher training. We have more

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teachers in our schools, as we saw in the most recent figures in

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December it was the case the previous year and we are investing

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?80 million to ensure we are maintaining the same number of

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teachers. One of the most important things, to use the words of the

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teacher I spoke to in East Dunbartonshire on Saturday, one of

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the life changing things he thinks we are doing is putting more hands

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into the -- putting more money in the Fletcher. So I again will be

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absolutely frank with this chamber, we have challenges that we are

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pressing on with a programme of reforms they shall we address each

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and every one of them. Yesterday John Swinney said we did get it

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wrong and today the focus Minister says it is anybody else's fault. The

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line seems to be forget about ten years of failure, forget about the

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mess they have made, forget about the children who have been failed by

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their government. She is the person to sort this out. First she has to

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admit the consequence of getting it wrong. She has two admit there are

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not enough teachers for additional support needs and schools are being

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forced to limit which subjects pupils can take because they do not

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have enough teachers to do the job. If she is going to fix this will she

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first admit what needs fixing? Ruth Davidson talks I think rightly about

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the importance of work force planning, the decision she's

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criticising from 2010 was actually based on the unanimous advice of the

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teacher workforce planning group. A group that includes councils,

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teaching unions and universities. But I also think Ruth Davidson wants

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me to take responsibility. In every single year since then what we have

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done as a government is ensure an increasing number of young people

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going into teacher training. So we acted to deal with an issue that was

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there at that time, and was the subject of much discussion in this

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chamber, but then we recognise we had to increase in the years after

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that. That is why for every one of the last six years we have increased

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the numbers going into teacher training and we are taking a range

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of other actions as well. From the National improvement framework to

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the attainment challenge to the attainment fund and the pupil equity

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fund getting resources into the hands of teachers. The increased

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number of teachers this year in our schools compared to the previous

:08:12.:08:15.

year. So I take responsible at it for everything this government does,

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but I am also absolutely determined to get on with the job of improving

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standards in our schools. The last point I would make is this one: I

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take absolute responsibility for everything this government does, but

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what we need to make sure over the next seven days is that we do not

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end up with another Westminster government that is taking action and

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making cuts that are likely to push an additional 1 million children

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across the UK into poverty. Because it is not going to help anybody

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raise standards in our school if we have got a Westminster government

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pushing children into conditions of poverty. I take responsibility but

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it is everybody else's fault. Earlier this week we set out our

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interim report into the curriculum for excellence and one of the

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recommendations was to ensure the proper teaching of core skills after

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we have seen standards drop under the scum on. I noticed John Mason

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has an education question in a few months' time. This is the same John

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Mason who said on Thursday this week we have moved on from spelling and

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timetables, that if someone has only basic literacy they should

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concentrate on what they are good at, that you do not need spelling to

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be a surgeon, you don't need grammar in IT and an engineer does not need

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high levels of English. And there was too much emphasis on "The

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academic" in the past. Is this the view of the government? If it is in

:10:02.:10:08.

explains why standards are so poor. I had a look at the publications of

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Tories published earlier this week and much of it is worth this

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government is already doing in our schools. They should maybe pay more

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attention. Getting back to the serious point standards of literacy.

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It is because the highest standards of literacy are so vital for every

:10:27.:10:32.

single young person across our country that we are taking the

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action we are taking. It is why we now have new curriculum for

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excellence benchmarks in place. It is why we have the attainment fund

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directing resources to headteachers to allow them to take the action

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they think is necessary to improve standards. It is why we have put in

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place arrangements to make sure that in future we will have comments of

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data telling us how our schools are performing in these basic skills of

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literacy and numeracy. It is why we have got initiatives like the

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Reading challenge, encouraging young people to read for pleasure.

:11:09.:11:13.

Standards of literacy are vitally important as a foundation for

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everything else our young people do which is why we will get on with the

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job of building on the progress we have made in our education system.

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Building on the hard work done by teachers and pupils across this

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country. And it is why I'm the Conservatives in Westminster... We

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will increase the budget is going to our schools while they continue to

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cut them. APPLAUSE To ask of us must do what

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engagements she has planned for the rest of the week. Engagement to take

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forward plan for Scotland. The SNP treatment time guarantee gives a

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legal guarantee of 12 weeks for treatment such as knee replacements

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and eye surgery. Can the First Minister tells Hamlet people waited

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longer than 12 weeks in last year? We have a situation like many health

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services of increasing demand and we're seeing more people waiting

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longer that we would want them to wait including for the treatment

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time guarantee of 12 weeks. Over 1.3 million inpatients and daycare

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patients have benefited from that 12 week target since it was first

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introduced, with 94.6 of all patients being treated within 12

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weeks. What we saw in the figures this week is a result of the ?10

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million investment made by the Health Secretary last November. We

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have seen a 20% reduction in outpatients waiting for treatment.

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And of course the Health Secretary announced ?50 million of additional

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investment on Tuesday this week to make sure we can see there is

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continued improvements in inpatient waiting times as well. There was not

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an answer in any of that. Let me give the First Minister the answer.

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In the last year alone more than 38,000 patients waited longer than

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12 weeks. We have just heard the first was to tell the chamber that

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people across Scotland have benefited from the legal guarantee

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that Labour can reveal today that patients actually had a better

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chance of being treated within 12 weeks before the SNP introduce the

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legal guarantee. That should shame the First Minister. Because behind

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these numbers are people and real lives. It is pensioners, it is

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children and parents waiting for months for operations. This is not

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the only problem facing the NHS. This week alone we have seen A

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targets missed again. Cancer diagnostic waiting times missed

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again. Staff sources we are told that the reason that Mac staff

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shortages. There is growing evidence of the SMP's ten year mismanagement

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of the NHS. When will the first ministers start fixing the mess she

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has made of our NHS? -- SNP. I acknowledge the challenges facing

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our NHS, same challenges facing health services across the world.

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Increasing demand because of the changing demographics. But I also

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have to say that in so many ways looking at so many indicators the

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performance of the NHS in Scotland far outstrips the performance of the

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NHS elsewhere in the UK and in particular on almost every indicator

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you can look at the performance of NHS Scotland outstrips the

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performance of the NHS in Labour run Wales. And you take accident and

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emergency, for 25 consecutive months A departments in Scotland have

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been the best performing anywhere in the UK. But no recognition from

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anybody in the opposition not the hard work of art A staff to

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deliver that performance. We have also seen... JEERING AND BOOING

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We have also seen under the SNP staffing in the NHS staffing

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increase by 12,000. We have seen the budget increased by ?3 billion and

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plans to increase it further over this Parliament going way beyond

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what any other party in this chamber pledged to do last year and goes way

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beyond what any other parties are pledging to do this year. We have

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more doctors, nurses and health professionals per head of population

:15:55.:15:58.

than any other part of the UK so I will acknowledge readily the

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pressures are NHS staff work under and thank them for what they do but

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I think occasionally just once in awhile the opposition parties should

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also recognise the good work that is being done in our NHS and the it is

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doing so much better than any other parts of the UK.

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Kezia Dugdale. That answer was so revealing because when he First

:16:21.:16:28.

Minister's faced with her own ten year dismal record all she has in

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attack is a kick at the Labour Party and a attempt to suggest we talked

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down the staff. We know the First Minister doesn't like it when people

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speak the truth about her record on the NHS. Just ask the nurse who had

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the courage to expose what life is like under the SNP. Because here's

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the reality. Standards in our hospitals are down, NHS staff are

:16:51.:16:55.

overworked, and underpaid, and tens of thousands of people are waiting

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longer for treatment. Isn't that what happens when the SNP spends

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more time running a campaign for a referendum than it does... Running

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our NHS? ASBOs we should have a competition about who is the first

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one to get the referendum word in because most weeks it isn't me that

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mentions it. Look, if that's... BOOING

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If that is Labour's... Attack... Then how does Labour explain that an

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almost every indicator you can point to the NHS in Scotland under an SNP

:17:37.:17:41.

government is doing significantly better than the NHS in Wales, under

:17:42.:17:45.

a Labour government question mark what is Labour's excuse? Let me just

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point to the action we have taken on the NHS. Staffing up by 12,000,

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qualified nurses and midwives up by 7%. Doctors up by 30%. Consultants

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up by 45%. Investing more money than any other party would have done, and

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make sure we are delivering for basement across the country because

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we will continue whether it is an education or on health, we will

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continue to focus on delivering for people across this country, and

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leave the opposition to their constitutional obsessions. We have a

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number of constituency questions. Alistair Johnson. Bats Alison

:18:31.:18:38.

Johnstone. I am sure the Westminster and all ministers will offer the

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sincere sympathy to the cyclist and their family who lost his life on

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Princes Street yesterday. Can I ask what action is being taken to

:18:53.:18:56.

enquire into the devastating -- accident? Many groups of individuals

:18:57.:19:03.

have been calling for safe action for cyclists and pedestrians for

:19:04.:19:06.

Edinburgh and across Scotland to ensure that no other family has two

:19:07.:19:11.

bear such an appalling loss. Firstly can I convey my heartfelt sympathies

:19:12.:19:17.

to the family and friends of the cyclist who so tragically lost their

:19:18.:19:20.

life in Edinburgh yesterday. It is a tragic incident and an incident that

:19:21.:19:29.

is sad almost beyond words will stop obviously as the members will

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understand I will not go into any detail about the particular incident

:19:33.:19:35.

because there are and will continue to be investigations into the

:19:36.:19:39.

Scottish Government assisting in any way possible. As the member is aware

:19:40.:19:44.

we have taken a number of actions including increased investment over

:19:45.:19:47.

the years to encourage more people to cycle and to make cycling as safe

:19:48.:19:51.

as possible for people but indirect answer to the question, yes, the

:19:52.:19:56.

minister would be willing to meet with cycling groups not just in

:19:57.:19:59.

Edinburgh but across the country to look at what further action we can

:20:00.:20:02.

take to make sure cycling which is an activity we want to encourage is

:20:03.:20:12.

as safe as possible. For everybody. Thank you. Kyle done applied for a

:20:13.:20:22.

HMG at Glasgow College warehouse he been studying for a national

:20:23.:20:26.

convention in media and communications. Kyle has cerebral

:20:27.:20:29.

palsy which means he cannot write in shorthand. The SQA have told him

:20:30.:20:33.

that this means he cannot progress to an HMD because this would mean he

:20:34.:20:39.

can't complete the shorthand component of the course. Essentially

:20:40.:20:41.

penalising him because of his divisibility. Does the business

:20:42.:20:48.

agree this is unacceptable and will she look into it? I am very happy to

:20:49.:20:54.

look into this. Busy I don't know Kyle but from the short question he

:20:55.:20:57.

sounds like a remarkable young man who should be supported as much as

:20:58.:21:00.

possible to achieve the dream teahouse. I don't know the short

:21:01.:21:05.

billy microseconds answer so it would be wrong to say more about it

:21:06.:21:08.

does now but of course I will have the matter looked into and will

:21:09.:21:11.

return to remember in writing what I have the opportunity. Jackie

:21:12.:21:17.

Baillie. The First Minister will be aware of the concerns of the Vale of

:21:18.:21:25.

Leven Hospital. There is a review of emergency points such as the medical

:21:26.:21:29.

assessment unit. Can I ask her to join with me welding Hospital watch

:21:30.:21:36.

today. There was an unusual position, no one from the government

:21:37.:21:42.

could meet with them today but will she agree with a future meeting with

:21:43.:21:46.

them to discuss the importance of the hospital to my local community?

:21:47.:21:53.

I am happy to welcome Hospital watch to the chamber and congratulate them

:21:54.:21:59.

in their innovative way of submitting a position which we would

:22:00.:22:03.

be delighted to receive. In terms of the will Vale of Leven, we seek and

:22:04.:22:17.

recently have sought assurances from Greater Glasgow and Strathclyde

:22:18.:22:20.

health board, to ensure the provision across the whole of the

:22:21.:22:24.

Clyde area but particularly at this hospital and that remains a

:22:25.:22:27.

priority. It is the responsibility of any health boards to make sure

:22:28.:22:31.

that services are provided safely, and Greater Glasgow and Clyde is no

:22:32.:22:35.

exception to that in respect to the Vale of Leven. We should also

:22:36.:22:39.

remember and it is something I am proud of that it was this government

:22:40.:22:43.

that ended a decade of damaging uncertainty by delivering the vision

:22:44.:22:48.

for the Vale. We saw from a previous Labour administration was the

:22:49.:22:51.

closure of the accident and emergency department back in 2002,

:22:52.:22:56.

and in the years that followed that we saw a decline in patient and day

:22:57.:23:00.

case activity at the Vale of Leven Hospital. This government took

:23:01.:23:06.

office in 2007 and in 2009 we published the vision for the Vale

:23:07.:23:09.

document and I can tell the chamber today and this is quite an important

:23:10.:23:13.

sadistic and I hope she will welcome it as a campaigner for the Vale of

:23:14.:23:16.

leaving hospital, since we published the vision for the Vale, inpatient

:23:17.:23:21.

and day case activity has increased by almost one third at the Vale of

:23:22.:23:28.

leaving hospital. So we ended that decade of decline of the Vale of

:23:29.:23:32.

leaving, and this government is determined to make sure that the

:23:33.:23:35.

Vale of Lieven continues to have a positive future delivering for

:23:36.:23:42.

patients it serves. Question number three. Willie Rennie. Do at the

:23:43.:23:45.

First Minister what excuse will be discussed at the next Cabinet

:23:46.:23:50.

meeting. Matters of importance to the people of Scotland. This week I

:23:51.:23:55.

met campaigners in Wick, facing because it is of the downgrading of

:23:56.:24:00.

the Caithness maternity hospital and maternity unit. Young mothers told

:24:01.:24:06.

me about the harrowing 100 mile journey to Inverness to give birth.

:24:07.:24:11.

That part of the country feels let down by the loss of important

:24:12.:24:16.

lifeline services like this. The First Minister is under pressure on

:24:17.:24:19.

this issue and will she finally intervene and reverse this decision

:24:20.:24:28.

was to mark First Minister. This is an important issue and it is one I

:24:29.:24:34.

hopefully want to avoid party politics around. I mean this is

:24:35.:24:38.

because as Willie Rennie will be aware decisions have been taken here

:24:39.:24:45.

on the basis of advice given on the basis of patient safety and it is

:24:46.:24:48.

really important that no politician should or could run in the face of

:24:49.:24:53.

advice that is based on patient safety issues. The NHS Highland are

:24:54.:24:57.

currently undertaking a review of the clinical service model at

:24:58.:25:04.

Caithness General, but in terms of midwife services, I absolutely

:25:05.:25:08.

understand the feelings of mothers or expecting mothers faced with long

:25:09.:25:12.

journeys but what is absolutely the case is that we cannot have service

:25:13.:25:18.

provided at any hospital if the advice is that that may not be safe

:25:19.:25:22.

and it was following the death of an infant at the maternity unit in

:25:23.:25:26.

September 2015 that the board took the decision to change the operating

:25:27.:25:30.

status of the maternity units. It is a midwife led service so I

:25:31.:25:36.

understand these feelings, we will continue to work closely with the

:25:37.:25:38.

health board and make sure they have the right services in pleasant to

:25:39.:25:42.

support women in the interim who may be affected by the different model

:25:43.:25:47.

that is there but that all times and that all steps, we take patient

:25:48.:25:51.

safety as the paramount consideration. I take exception to

:25:52.:25:56.

what she has just said. I am raising this issue because it is an

:25:57.:25:59.

important issue and she should accept that I have a right to ask

:26:00.:26:07.

that question. That Minister talks about safety. What about the rest of

:26:08.:26:17.

the mothers on the narrow Alpha nine road customer a population of 30,000

:26:18.:26:22.

deserves better than a 100 mile trip to get to hospital. People across

:26:23.:26:25.

the country are being let down, too. When Nicola Sturgeon announced the

:26:26.:26:30.

legally binding and treatment time guarantee she said this that there

:26:31.:26:35.

will be a straightforward system of redress on the rare occasions when

:26:36.:26:40.

things go wrong. Was rare at first, that is true, only five patients

:26:41.:26:43.

waited longer than 12 weeks. It isn't rare any more. 13,005 patients

:26:44.:26:52.

are waiting, now. Why is it that she can come up with a triple lock fund,

:26:53.:26:58.

for independence, but is not a triple lock for patients? This

:26:59.:27:02.

waiting time guarantee is not worth the paper it is written on and

:27:03.:27:09.

13,000 people know it. Cannabis and firstly to the issue of Caithness

:27:10.:27:13.

maternity services because just for the record to be absolutely clear I

:27:14.:27:17.

did not suggest that Winnie Rennie did not have the right to ask this

:27:18.:27:22.

question. I simply expressed the hope that we would be able to

:27:23.:27:25.

discuss this issue with that party politics intervening. Because the

:27:26.:27:32.

decision to change the status of Caithness maternity unit was made by

:27:33.:27:36.

NHS Highland on the grounds of safety. It was informed by a review

:27:37.:27:39.

they commissioned after the tragic death of a child in September 15 and

:27:40.:27:45.

the Chief Medical Officer supported the findings of that review. The

:27:46.:27:49.

decision was never referred to ministers because it was made on the

:27:50.:27:52.

grounds of safety. Scottish ministers have never intervened in

:27:53.:27:58.

this case so I understand the concerns that mothers and families

:27:59.:28:03.

have here but I think more mothers and families would undoubtedly be

:28:04.:28:07.

concerned if we were standing by and allowing a service to be delivered

:28:08.:28:09.

that was putting the lives of children at risk. We will continue

:28:10.:28:13.

to work with NHS Highland to make sure that we can deliver safe

:28:14.:28:17.

services for them, supporting them, that model of care has to be at any

:28:18.:28:24.

given time. I would happily meet with any concerns about this in

:28:25.:28:27.

Caithness at this time in order to discuss this further. In relation to

:28:28.:28:34.

the waiting time guarantee yes we have more patience coming forward

:28:35.:28:38.

for treatment because of the rising demand for health services across

:28:39.:28:42.

the word but as we know we are investing record sums to deal with

:28:43.:28:45.

that. The Health Secretary this week in edition leads targeted

:28:46.:28:49.

investments to make sure as we have already seen with outpatients a

:28:50.:28:53.

reduction in number of waiting, and we can see those same improvements

:28:54.:28:56.

around inpatients and they case treatment. We have got on with the

:28:57.:29:02.

work with 80 sure that happens and lastly, I would not come unless he

:29:03.:29:05.

had raised it, choose to go into the issue of because edition for issues

:29:06.:29:10.

such as this, but Willie Rennie's position in this election just

:29:11.:29:16.

beggars belief. On the one hand, and... And before I get

:29:17.:29:25.

criticised... Willie Rennie raised it, as he is entitled to do, he has

:29:26.:29:32.

gone around criticising the SNP for wanting to give people in

:29:33.:29:39.

Scotland... For wanting to give people in Scotland a choice over

:29:40.:29:42.

their own future at the end of the Brexit future. But on the other hand

:29:43.:29:45.

he has gone round the length and breadth of the country arguing for a

:29:46.:29:51.

second referendum on EU membership. At least Willie Rennie could be

:29:52.:29:54.

consistent for once. It doesn't happen often, I know, but in future

:29:55.:29:58.

he could perhaps try a bit of consistency in this chamber.

:29:59.:30:05.

APPLAUSE If you supplement is. George Adam.

:30:06.:30:12.

Thank you First Minister. What progress has been made in

:30:13.:30:14.

introducing Scottish so security benefits? The Cabinet secretary made

:30:15.:30:21.

a statement earlier this week on the next sets we will take to deliver

:30:22.:30:29.

the Social Security benefits. None. That new system will be an increase

:30:30.:30:33.

to the carers allowance, the new better start grounds, and you'll

:30:34.:30:36.

expend assistance, so we will see over the next couple of years those

:30:37.:30:39.

benefits starting to be delivered through that new system. Of course

:30:40.:30:44.

we are seven days away from an election where the future of Social

:30:45.:30:48.

Security is a key issue. I am proud to be standing on a platform of

:30:49.:30:53.

ending cuts to support for disabled and low income people. I think it is

:30:54.:30:57.

not surprising that the Tory party wants to press ahead with billions

:30:58.:31:00.

of pounds of more cuts that are driving people into poverty and

:31:01.:31:05.

widening the quality gap. I think it is more surprising that Labour is

:31:06.:31:08.

only pledged to reverse a quarter of those further cuts to come to Social

:31:09.:31:12.

Security so we will continue to get on and deliver the new system but we

:31:13.:31:15.

will also continue to stand up across the UK for a Social Security

:31:16.:31:19.

system that has dignity at its heart.

:31:20.:31:27.

Thank you. First Minister, yet the shocking report yesterday showed

:31:28.:31:36.

just how high the role of silences that surrounds some of our thwarting

:31:37.:31:42.

estate, what assurances can find First Minister give that there will

:31:43.:31:47.

be a licensing scheme for driven grouse shoots. And why can the role

:31:48.:31:55.

not be extended to wildlife crimes? I share the concerns about the

:31:56.:32:00.

report on the fate of raptors which does paint a disturbing picture of

:32:01.:32:04.

the illegal killing of our iconic golden eagles. It shows around one

:32:05.:32:14.

third of tax golden eagles disappeared in suspicious

:32:15.:32:16.

circumstances. We have announced a copper hence a set of measures that

:32:17.:32:20.

seek to build on the action taken in recent years. The proposals

:32:21.:32:23.

yesterday send out a very strong message that we have. I hope the

:32:24.:32:36.

measures announced by the Cabinet Secretary yesterday will be welcomed

:32:37.:32:39.

by the member and I know she will be happy to meet with them to discuss

:32:40.:32:51.

this further. John Mason. Tap-in order. Order. Thank you, to ask the

:32:52.:33:00.

First Minister what recent discussions the Scottish Government

:33:01.:33:03.

has had with local authority directors of education concerning

:33:04.:33:06.

the quality of newly qualified teachers. We are determined to

:33:07.:33:12.

ensure that all newly qualified teachers enter the profession

:33:13.:33:17.

feeling confident in the skills and knowledge. We meet with the broader

:33:18.:33:27.

range of issues and we will be discussing next steps with

:33:28.:33:29.

universities, the General teaching Council for Scotland and local

:33:30.:33:33.

authorities. As we approach the end of the 2017 exam season I also want

:33:34.:33:38.

to take this opportunity to thank all our teachers who have been

:33:39.:33:41.

involved, it is important for teachers to know their commitment is

:33:42.:33:45.

valid and Nick Roach vision is vital to young people success at school

:33:46.:33:52.

and in future. I wonder if the First Minister agrees with comments by

:33:53.:33:58.

Maureen McKenna who is president of the Association of directors of

:33:59.:34:01.

education in Scotland when she said I have been very impressed by the

:34:02.:34:06.

quality of newly qualified teachers coming to teach in Glasgow and our

:34:07.:34:12.

headteachers also report very positively about the quality of

:34:13.:34:16.

newly qualified teachers. And also made the point that teacher training

:34:17.:34:20.

college or university is just the first step in and training on the

:34:21.:34:26.

job as hugely important. I think the comments are very important and

:34:27.:34:30.

legitimate comments. It is testament to our teachers and of course

:34:31.:34:40.

testament to pupils at right now we have got got record passes and we

:34:41.:34:46.

have record number of people going into education and training and most

:34:47.:34:49.

significantly we are starting to see the attainment gap, the kind of

:34:50.:34:52.

attainment gap seen in many countries beginning to close. Of

:34:53.:34:56.

course that does not mean we have not got much more to do. Our own

:34:57.:35:01.

report which I referred to in my first answer found inconsistencies

:35:02.:35:06.

between courses and that is a cause of concern that none of that changes

:35:07.:35:12.

the fact that Scotland has excellent teacher who deserve our support. Can

:35:13.:35:17.

I asked directly whether you believe in the context of teacher training

:35:18.:35:21.

there should be much more greater emphasis on literacy and numeracy or

:35:22.:35:25.

whether you agree with Mr Mason when he says that "Learning timetables

:35:26.:35:29.

and spelling were stronger in that we have moved on". The guidance that

:35:30.:35:37.

was issued at primacy on literacy and numeracy. As I said in earlier

:35:38.:35:41.

answers high standards of literacy and new Morrissey are essential to

:35:42.:35:46.

providing the foundation for learning of judge in other subjects.

:35:47.:35:49.

The report I refer to that was published last week did show a

:35:50.:35:55.

variation in terms of what student teachers say about learning around

:35:56.:36:00.

literacy and that is something we want to address that standards of

:36:01.:36:05.

literacy are vitally important that is why I say we have got new

:36:06.:36:11.

benchmarks putting new focus is on literacy and why we have got

:36:12.:36:14.

initiatives like the Reading challenge trying to use the pleasure

:36:15.:36:18.

of reading to help improve literacy among young people as well. We'll

:36:19.:36:21.

continue to get on with these things and as we decide will have the

:36:22.:36:24.

support of people across the chamber. Glasgow University report

:36:25.:36:31.

notes that Tory benefit sanctions have caused more harm to the poor

:36:32.:36:37.

than electrolysis since the workers. Many hundreds of those sanctions

:36:38.:36:40.

include single parents who are unable to attend interviews due to

:36:41.:36:44.

child care or not having enough money for the bus. Last night the

:36:45.:36:48.

Prime Minister failed to attend... Miss McAlpine. Sorry, First

:36:49.:37:03.

Minister. The question has to be supplementary to the question on the

:37:04.:37:06.

order paper. We move on to question number five. Thank you residing

:37:07.:37:15.

officer. To ask what the Scottish Government is doing to provide

:37:16.:37:20.

support for people with dementia. Of course this is dementia awareness

:37:21.:37:26.

week and I'm pleased to say this government has maintained a priority

:37:27.:37:31.

focus on dementia since 2007. We have prioritised national sport.

:37:32.:37:35.

Education and training, improved their standards forever with a

:37:36.:37:39.

diagnosis of dementia regardless of where they live, their age or the

:37:40.:37:42.

severity of their illness and we have ensured the provision of

:37:43.:37:46.

high-quality person centred post diagnostic support. We will publish

:37:47.:37:49.

a new dementia strategy in the coming weeks which will set out in

:37:50.:37:52.

further detail the work that we and our partners will undertake to

:37:53.:37:58.

support people dementia and their families and carers. I thank your

:37:59.:38:04.

for the answer but as usual to hear that answer you would think

:38:05.:38:09.

everything was fine. So let me tell her what the real world looks like.

:38:10.:38:15.

In the north-east... I will tell you what the real world looks like.

:38:16.:38:25.

Order. I will tell you what the real world looks like. In the north-east

:38:26.:38:30.

number of people diagnosed with dementia has increased by more than

:38:31.:38:37.

44% in the last decade. However in 2014-15 in NHS Grampian only 23%

:38:38.:38:41.

people diagnosed were referred for post diagnostic support. What will

:38:42.:38:47.

the Scottish Government do to ensure that people in royal areas are able

:38:48.:38:54.

to access the support they require? You know, here as in so many other

:38:55.:38:58.

areas of course, unlike other countries has more work to do. We

:38:59.:39:01.

are seeing more and more people diagnosed with dementia as the

:39:02.:39:06.

operation lives longer. One of the things Scotland is recognised for

:39:07.:39:09.

internationally is our high rates of diagnosis of dementia. Any expert

:39:10.:39:15.

you speak to converse is true of any condition of course but particularly

:39:16.:39:18.

for dementia because of the nature of support that is required, early

:39:19.:39:23.

diagnosis is essential. We are leading the world in terms of

:39:24.:39:27.

getting people diagnosed early. We have more work to do in terms of the

:39:28.:39:32.

provision of post-IPO to support but we are again way ahead of most other

:39:33.:39:35.

countries when it comes to putting in place post diagnostic services.

:39:36.:39:41.

Later this month we will publish our new dementia strategy that will

:39:42.:39:46.

build on these commitments and build on what we aim to achieve in the

:39:47.:39:51.

years ahead. But one thing will not be doing is imposing a dementia tax

:39:52.:39:59.

on all people. I am proud that in Scotland for over 65 so we have free

:40:00.:40:03.

personal and nursing care. For older people that are eligible for nursing

:40:04.:40:08.

care contribution of nearly ?13,000 a year if you have to fund your own

:40:09.:40:13.

care from the state. That does not take away the burden on personal

:40:14.:40:16.

resources but it significantly reduces it. We will also not be

:40:17.:40:23.

ensuring that certain body in their Villa has their own has part of

:40:24.:40:26.

their financial assessment, something that Tories are planning

:40:27.:40:32.

to do in England. On this as in so many other areas we have work to do

:40:33.:40:36.

but I am proud that when it comes to a progressive approach to dementia

:40:37.:40:40.

and for paying for social care Scotland is so much further ahead

:40:41.:40:44.

than anywhere else in the UK and next week we have to make sure we do

:40:45.:40:47.

not allow Tories to drag us backwards. I think I know the answer

:40:48.:41:00.

that does the First Minister agree with me that the dementia tax which

:41:01.:41:05.

is essentially a plot to allow the financial services industry to asset

:41:06.:41:10.

strip dementia sufferers has to be one of the most inhumane manifesto

:41:11.:41:24.

pledges Evora -- ever devised? I think from a sedentary position with

:41:25.:41:27.

Davidson is trying to defend just as Ms Davidson defends the rate clause

:41:28.:41:34.

and other inhumane Tory policies. But not only is the dementia tax in

:41:35.:41:39.

principle wrong, what is completely beyond belief is that we have a

:41:40.:41:44.

Prime Minister who has put forward that policy is now cannot answer

:41:45.:41:48.

even the most basic questions about it. There was firstly to be no cap

:41:49.:41:53.

on the cost of care and then there is to be a cap but nobody in the

:41:54.:41:56.

Tories can tell anybody where the level that is going to be set. Just

:41:57.:42:01.

as they cannot tell anybody what the means test for the winter fuel

:42:02.:42:04.

allowance is going to be, who is going to lose it and he was going to

:42:05.:42:08.

retain it. With Davidson said you do not have to worry about that in

:42:09.:42:11.

Scotland but they will not tell us how much money they will devolve to

:42:12.:42:15.

go with the power. Are they going to devolve the budget now for the

:42:16.:42:17.

winter fuel allowance or do as they did with employment support and take

:42:18.:42:23.

money off before they do? The Tory manifesto published a couple of

:42:24.:42:28.

weeks ago was nothing short of an assault on pension benefits. The

:42:29.:42:32.

triple lock for pensions to go, the winter fuel allowance to go and

:42:33.:42:35.

dementia tax. I think it is very clear for pensioners across Scotland

:42:36.:42:39.

if you want to make sure Theresa May does not have the power to take away

:42:40.:42:43.

your benefits and protections make sure you have got strong MPs

:42:44.:42:54.

standing up for you. APPLAUSE Question number six. Rulli to ask

:42:55.:43:00.

the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to help people

:43:01.:43:04.

with arthritis who are struggling to work. In December last year we

:43:05.:43:10.

launched fairer Scotland for disabled people which includes a

:43:11.:43:14.

plan for increased funding for the active and independent living

:43:15.:43:21.

programme, to help ensure that people can find the support they

:43:22.:43:26.

need to stay in work. From April we are using devolve powers to provide

:43:27.:43:30.

Scottish employment services specifically for people with

:43:31.:43:32.

long-term health conditions to help them find work and stay in work. We

:43:33.:43:37.

have also committed to exploring new ways of integrating health

:43:38.:43:40.

disability and employment supporters, to ensure people can

:43:41.:43:43.

find their way quickly to the tailored and person centred support

:43:44.:43:50.

they need. Thank you. Would the First Minister agree that there is a

:43:51.:43:56.

need to recognise the scale and impact of musculoskeletal conditions

:43:57.:43:59.

like arthritis in Scotland. It is the biggest cause of disability and

:44:00.:44:04.

pain across the country. The course into arthritis research UK it

:44:05.:44:07.

accounts for half of all work-related illness. And in

:44:08.:44:13.

Scotland 800,000 people live with osteoarthritis, the most common

:44:14.:44:16.

form. Anyone who has it will tell you it is a very painful condition.

:44:17.:44:23.

There is some evidence to suggest that the use of cannabis for many

:44:24.:44:27.

sufferers can alleviate the pain. Have called for the use of it under

:44:28.:44:31.

strict medical conditions, for example countries such as Germany,

:44:32.:44:35.

Canada and 24 states in the US do this already. Earlier this year the

:44:36.:44:41.

medicines and health care products and regulatory agency said that

:44:42.:44:46.

cannabinoids is safe and companies can now apply for a licence. I was

:44:47.:44:50.

genuinely pleased to know that the SNP conference overwhelmingly backed

:44:51.:44:55.

it last year. With the First Minister consider taking steps to

:44:56.:44:58.

license cannabis for medical purposes, or would the First

:44:59.:45:02.

Minister at least commit to looking at the basis for this? Thank you for

:45:03.:45:12.

raising the issue, more generally I agree in terms of arthritis and

:45:13.:45:15.

other musculoskeletal conditions that for many people it would be

:45:16.:45:18.

conditions like that that make it very difficult for them to sustain

:45:19.:45:22.

employment which is why the work I spoke about my first answer is so

:45:23.:45:25.

important to help people either get or stay in employment. It is also

:45:26.:45:30.

one of the reasons why you think the assault on benefits for disabled

:45:31.:45:34.

people and other people are so wrong because often they penalise people

:45:35.:45:37.

who want to work but find it difficult to do so. One of the year

:45:38.:45:42.

the benefit changes I hope we see reversed in the next couple of years

:45:43.:45:46.

is the cup to employment support allowance for disabled people. On

:45:47.:45:50.

the issue of cannabis, I have long been of the view that there is a

:45:51.:45:54.

case for medicinal use of cannabis. I am not in favour of the

:45:55.:45:57.

decriminalisation or legalisation of cannabis generally. use of cannabis

:45:58.:46:01.

but carefully used for certainly conditions I think there is a case

:46:02.:46:06.

to be made. There are two macro issues all related issues, the use

:46:07.:46:10.

of cannabis itself and obviously the licensing and classification of

:46:11.:46:14.

drugs is a matter reserved to the UK Government and also the separate

:46:15.:46:19.

issue related which is what I think she raises of drugs that are derived

:46:20.:46:25.

from cannabis. Now as with all drugs in terms of their approval or not or

:46:26.:46:31.

use in Scotland that is a decision for the independent Scottish

:46:32.:46:34.

medicines Consortium. I will happily browse -- ask the Health Secretary

:46:35.:46:41.

to write to the Minister on related issues with drugs but I am

:46:42.:46:50.

sympathetic, in terms of medicines we have a recognised process in

:46:51.:46:54.

place for Scotland and of course it is open to any manufacturer of drugs

:46:55.:46:57.

to ask for approval for that process. That includes a First

:46:58.:47:03.

Minister's Questions. There we have it, the ends of questions to the

:47:04.:47:06.

First Minister. There will be another section next week, and as he

:47:07.:47:11.

said that the shifting -- they are shifting the First Minister's

:47:12.:47:14.

Questions to Wednesday next week just before the election. We will

:47:15.:47:18.

come to the election later but here are my two colleagues chewing over

:47:19.:47:21.

what happened there. There was a pattern there, wasn't there, what

:47:22.:47:24.

are you doing, why are you bothering about a referendum question what are

:47:25.:47:28.

you doing, why you bothering about the referendum? Health, education...

:47:29.:47:34.

Ruth Davidson's attack convertible, she is really going for education.

:47:35.:47:38.

It is peanuts every single week there has been an edited question,

:47:39.:47:42.

and it will be quite easy for Nicola Sturgeon du Quebec, obviously read

:47:43.:47:44.

is going to ask about education again. She came with quotes from the

:47:45.:47:50.

Conservatives from 2010! Are busy this was a valid example from this

:47:51.:47:56.

week, with John Swinney having said that we got the numbers wrong in

:47:57.:47:59.

terms of keeping the supply of new teachers coming through. But then at

:48:00.:48:03.

the same anger as Nicola Sturgeon said the maid was an independent

:48:04.:48:09.

recommendation of how many had to be bright so there wasn't an

:48:10.:48:12.

oversupply, just the right number of students compare to the number of

:48:13.:48:16.

people leaving. We are getting this again and again, the response is

:48:17.:48:20.

always it is better than elsewhere, but she's very careful not to

:48:21.:48:27.

sound... As if she is complacent in any the education in Scotland. It is

:48:28.:48:31.

the gift that keeps on giving for the Tories, tunnelling else this

:48:32.:48:34.

week. She gives a very spirited defence, saying oh, yeah, this is

:48:35.:48:38.

what was recommended at the time but the problem is as wise babies and

:48:39.:48:43.

quickly pointed out John has admitted but Billy Mac that they

:48:44.:48:46.

used too much and her argument saying I take responsibility but you

:48:47.:48:50.

know luck at Westminster, it did look like she wasn't taking this on

:48:51.:48:53.

civility. He was saying they have cut it too much now, with hand side,

:48:54.:48:57.

with the evidence at the time it appeared there was an oversupply.

:48:58.:49:01.

The problem for her is that she now has the year record. And it isn't

:49:02.:49:06.

great. The Tories are going to keep coming back to it week after week

:49:07.:49:09.

and it is cutting through and actually the BBC TV debate we had

:49:10.:49:13.

this week showed it was cutting through and members of the audience

:49:14.:49:16.

asked what they like and although they are devolved issues, people

:49:17.:49:18.

were raising things like education and health in that debate with her,

:49:19.:49:24.

and it does reading to issues of Nicola Sturgeon's confidence. Bat

:49:25.:49:31.

competence. We mention dedication and health. Education from Ruth

:49:32.:49:37.

Davidson, and Kezia Dugdale with waiting times. Waiting times are a

:49:38.:49:40.

challenge for everyone and Nicola Sturgeon said similar things, well,

:49:41.:49:45.

it is worth... She contrasted it with Wales, didn't she. Contrasted

:49:46.:49:49.

with the Labour government. The devolved assembly having health was

:49:50.:49:54.

one be there and it is obviously Labour and there's the diptychs that

:49:55.:49:59.

I get their statistics are worse than in Scotland. Busy there is a

:50:00.:50:03.

target of 12 weeks and it hasn't been met. The mantra, Simon, is the

:50:04.:50:08.

business of get on with the day job. It was almost in parallel, Ruth

:50:09.:50:12.

Davidson, put aside the referendum and get on with the day job stop and

:50:13.:50:16.

Kezia Dugdale, actually used the phrase gets on with your day job.

:50:17.:50:21.

Nicola Sturgeon used this. I think the phrase is coming from both

:50:22.:50:24.

opposition parties and focus groups will stop do you mean it works in

:50:25.:50:29.

other words? This election next week up a, the main issue is going to be

:50:30.:50:35.

independence referendum, are you for and against, and people in focus

:50:36.:50:39.

groups telling the Tories, telling Labour, that they once Nicola

:50:40.:50:42.

Sturgeon to get on with the day job am aware that the education or

:50:43.:50:45.

health. You said yourself, they are devolved matters, this pilot is not

:50:46.:50:51.

that this parliament cannot control that is it legitimate for opposition

:50:52.:50:56.

party to go on these issues? I think it is, it doesn't play into Nicola

:50:57.:51:00.

Sturgeon's competence, and at the end of the day she has called and if

:51:01.:51:04.

and -- independence referendum recently and for her to argue that

:51:05.:51:08.

it is the other parties obsessing, it just wasn't all that this is how

:51:09.:51:11.

the election has broken down, and they would rather she focused on

:51:12.:51:14.

education and health when the services are in trouble. It is

:51:15.:51:19.

unfair, isn't it, when you could elect 59 MPs of one party and they

:51:20.:51:23.

would have no influence will stop I saw the SNP on this... It is about

:51:24.:51:28.

her record. The SNP that I saw the other day, they were putting out

:51:29.:51:33.

tweets about their stewardship of the NHS, said the NHS could still be

:51:34.:51:40.

on the doorstep. Can we see all the four leaders in there, a photocall

:51:41.:51:46.

in support of the married QE Organisation, looking chipper and

:51:47.:51:48.

cheery there, but earlier giving each other a kicking. Willie Rennie

:51:49.:51:52.

I can see to their having a bit of a go on the subject, taking objection

:51:53.:51:58.

to the suggestion it was a political matter. I will gently point out he

:51:59.:52:04.

had been canvassing in that constituency recently. He raised a

:52:05.:52:07.

serious point, about maternity services in the northern highlands.

:52:08.:52:13.

It was about a woman from Caithness having to travel 100 miles. If there

:52:14.:52:20.

are problems, yes. It is now a midwife led units rather than a

:52:21.:52:25.

doctor led unit in Caithness. The First Minister stressed that this is

:52:26.:52:28.

a matter for clinical judgment rather than ministerial

:52:29.:52:32.

intervention. She said I can't override the independent

:52:33.:52:34.

recommendation that it wasn't safe, when busy there was the point that

:52:35.:52:38.

it was actually as a result of a death of a child stop as the leaders

:52:39.:52:43.

had backed up the stairs after that combined photocall, I see the Health

:52:44.:52:47.

Secretary there, be married cheery event of course. Hang on, chums, we

:52:48.:52:52.

will catch up a little bit more of the general election now because

:52:53.:52:55.

that BBC debate last night, seven parties taking part. Here's a

:52:56.:53:03.

flavour of it with Angus Robertson. Dementia tax, and ends to the Winter

:53:04.:53:07.

fuel payment, and cuts to the pension, I think those people

:53:08.:53:14.

deserve to know by how much. Why is Britain the second biggest arms

:53:15.:53:18.

dealer in the world? Why are we selling to 22 of the 30 countries on

:53:19.:53:24.

the government was like own human rights watch list? APPLAUSE

:53:25.:53:33.

We need to do the -- we need to reduce immigration by having an

:53:34.:53:39.

Australian style points system. Ukip has just claimed that people voted

:53:40.:53:43.

to leave the European Union and in so doing they are still voting for

:53:44.:53:48.

curbing immigration. I don't think we can read that into the result. I

:53:49.:53:53.

just had to take on some of Jeremy Corbyn's fantasy economic. He has

:53:54.:53:57.

this money tree wish list in his manifesto. It is easy to think about

:53:58.:54:01.

how you spend money but it is harder to raise it and his proposals don't

:54:02.:54:08.

add up, it's as though he think it's a game, game of Monopoly, perhaps,

:54:09.:54:13.

where you ask the money for the Electric, the railways come at and

:54:14.:54:18.

the gasworks. It isn't like that. Leadership is about understanding

:54:19.:54:22.

the people you represent. It is about being prepared to learn. It is

:54:23.:54:26.

about not being so high and mighty you can't take advice. It is also

:54:27.:54:31.

about bringing people with you. It is also about insuring your

:54:32.:54:36.

responsibility to protect the safety and security of everybody in this

:54:37.:54:39.

country and to lead a government that cares for everybody in the

:54:40.:54:43.

country. The Prime Minister isn't here tonight. She can't be bothered.

:54:44.:54:48.

So why should you? In fact, they offer is on BBC Two next. Why not

:54:49.:54:56.

make yourself a brew. You are not worth Theresa May's time, don't give

:54:57.:55:00.

her yours will stop don't make yourself a brew. Fascinating

:55:01.:55:04.

analysis deal to come from my chums here. Let's go with the point

:55:05.:55:10.

mentioned there, the missing Prime Minister. What do you make of it

:55:11.:55:14.

pretty much she said she doesn't need to do this. It's Jeremy

:55:15.:55:17.

Corbyn's turned to lose and all that sort of thing. What do you make of

:55:18.:55:21.

it? There was no clear winner last night but I think there was a clear

:55:22.:55:25.

blue zone which was Theresa May which was because she has run this

:55:26.:55:27.

campaign initially starting up strong and stable leadership,... It

:55:28.:55:34.

was almost presidential as well, her versus Corbin. But she wasn't there

:55:35.:55:37.

to take questions or provide answers so it looks appalling and on what

:55:38.:55:43.

the campaign has come off as, coming off the rails, it sort of emphasised

:55:44.:55:46.

the fact that maybe she is out of touch, slightly arrogant. She is

:55:47.:55:52.

clutching at straws, saying perhaps Corbin could make more of but

:55:53.:55:55.

actually Caroline Lucas and Tim Farron especially we saw there who

:55:56.:56:00.

were saying what he should have been saying that why isn't she here? Why

:56:01.:56:05.

isn't she debating us? It was a bad night for her personally and for the

:56:06.:56:09.

Tories. Jenny, what you make of it were to mark nobody won the May that

:56:10.:56:15.

a fair assessment? I think it was difficult because obviously there

:56:16.:56:18.

was a lot of people there and it wasn't a head to head between two

:56:19.:56:21.

leaders where you could say one person came out strong, strongly,

:56:22.:56:26.

you know, there were good contributions from everybody, as

:56:27.:56:30.

Simon has just said. Obviously that manoeuvre yesterday by Jeremy Corbyn

:56:31.:56:33.

or his team... He decided he was going. Coming after all. To reason

:56:34.:56:40.

that may in such a lose lose situation saying oh, after get

:56:41.:56:46.

mine,... She looked weak by not going on but there is no way to come

:56:47.:56:50.

out of it well and there was no way that Amber Rudd could stand in fully

:56:51.:56:55.

because she is not Theresa May, and that final word is that she isn't

:56:56.:56:59.

Theresa May. Polls all over the place, it would seem. One poll

:57:00.:57:03.

suggested the gap has narrowed to four point other is suggesting ten,

:57:04.:57:07.

and all suggesting a Conservative-led. What you expect

:57:08.:57:11.

for the final week. I think it will get a bit intense. The start of a

:57:12.:57:18.

domain, the Tories tried running the 2015 campaign again, the coalition

:57:19.:57:22.

of chaos idea, a week later leader propped up by Nicola Sturgeon and

:57:23.:57:25.

that didn't get any traction because in England especially because the

:57:26.:57:29.

polls suggested 20 points ahead for Theresa May but now could be Tories

:57:30.:57:33.

will probably really focus on this message and that will start having

:57:34.:57:36.

some traction, focus minds in England and also I think the idea of

:57:37.:57:42.

Brexit as well, do you want may or Corbin, I think that will focus

:57:43.:57:46.

minds, and I think probably the Tories will end up with a decent

:57:47.:57:49.

majority, despite having run a totally atrocious campaign. Do you

:57:50.:57:54.

reckon, Jenny, that the Conservatives will go on this who do

:57:55.:57:58.

you want to be negotiating Brexit? Of course, the Scottish independence

:57:59.:58:02.

is a big issue and also Brexit, the whole of the GB and the UK will be

:58:03.:58:06.

affected. That is that at this point at the moment, taking things away

:58:07.:58:10.

from other policies. That was busy their aim from the outset, the

:58:11.:58:13.

entire election running on Brexit, they have kind of us that with the

:58:14.:58:16.

manifesto mistake many in the so-called dementia tax. Just taking

:58:17.:58:20.

it back, and you could see earlier in the week Theresa May was trying

:58:21.:58:25.

to appeal to the working class work it vote -- you did vote, we heard we

:58:26.:58:31.

understand your reasons for wanting this. Thank you both very much for

:58:32.:58:37.

joining us. A discussion there a general election but of course

:58:38.:58:40.

coverage, too, of the First Minister's Questions. As I said

:58:41.:58:43.

earlier we are on again next week but questions on Wednesday because

:58:44.:58:46.

they have brought it forward a day to allow the politicians do all be

:58:47.:58:50.

out campaigning on the Thursday. Henri, from Holyrood, all the best.

:58:51.:59:13.

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