:00:23. > :00:28.Good afternoon. In the last few minutes the Scottish government has
:00:28. > :00:38.announced it is the boat in extra resources to the issue of student
:00:38. > :00:38.
:00:39. > :00:47.at the Natural Law Lords. -- student awards. We now go to the
:00:47. > :00:57.chamber. General questions still coming to a
:00:57. > :01:02.close. Alex Salmond took some flak for not being here on Tuesday for
:01:02. > :01:12.the debate which focused on the controversy surrounding Scotland,
:01:12. > :01:17.Europe, and legal advice. He may mount at personal defence today.
:01:17. > :01:24.That will depend upon the questions put to him by his opponents and
:01:24. > :01:34.colleagues. In the meantime it Nicola Sturgeon is answering on
:01:34. > :01:44.that Scottish Water. Well come at the speaker from the
:01:44. > :01:49.
:01:49. > :01:57.National Assembly of Diana. -- Diana. Thank you can I ask what
:01:57. > :02:02.engagements the he has planned for the rest of the day?
:02:02. > :02:05.We are expressing the sympathy and Solidarity of Scotland in relation
:02:05. > :02:14.to the extra ordinary weather conditions which have engulfed the
:02:14. > :02:21.eastern seaboard of the United States. I am sure in that letter
:02:21. > :02:27.our sensibilities go to the people of America in these difficult times.
:02:27. > :02:32.Last week it was said that it was a cast iron position that the
:02:32. > :02:42.independent Scotland would retain the pound. Can I ask when in this
:02:42. > :02:45.agreement with the Treasury and the Bank of England was reached?
:02:45. > :02:52.Secretary of State for Scotland pointed out that there was no legal
:02:53. > :03:00.bar to Scotland having Stirling as its currency. The proposition that
:03:00. > :03:05.we have put forward is a reasonable one. I am not certain of what the
:03:05. > :03:11.Labour Party position is on this, but we think it suits the interests
:03:11. > :03:15.of Scotland and the rest of the UK to have such as home. In terms of
:03:15. > :03:21.Scotland's interest there is the argument for continuity. In terms
:03:21. > :03:30.of both our interests it is what would be called up optimal currency
:03:30. > :03:36.area. That is not my description. That is the description of the
:03:36. > :03:45.Institute of Fiscal Studies. As to why it to be in the interest of the
:03:45. > :03:49.rest of the UK - in terms of protection to balance of payments
:03:49. > :03:54.it would afford �40 billion protection to the balance of
:03:55. > :04:04.payments. They would be biting our hands of for Scotland to detain in
:04:05. > :04:06.
:04:06. > :04:13.membership of the currency. -- to retain. That was a very convincing
:04:13. > :04:23.response in terms of the debate. There is not a legal bar to a lot
:04:23. > :04:25.
:04:25. > :04:31.of things, but that is different to a cast iron guarantee. Court and
:04:31. > :04:36.expectation is not the same as a cast-iron guarantee. Surely the
:04:36. > :04:40.First Minister understands that. According to the First Minister we
:04:40. > :04:45.will be in the EU without having to apply. We know that without asking
:04:45. > :04:49.any other member state or anyone else for legal advice. We know we
:04:49. > :04:54.will not have to have the euro and we do not need to ask for that
:04:54. > :04:59.either. And you will keep the pound and the do not need to ask about
:04:59. > :05:09.that either. Without looking at the long-range forecast what will the
:05:09. > :05:13.
:05:14. > :05:22.weather be like in an independent Scotland? Order. Order. In the
:05:22. > :05:32.interests of a serious debate on the issue has she cast her eye over
:05:32. > :05:33.
:05:33. > :05:38.this evidence given to the House of Commons foreign affairs committee?
:05:38. > :05:45.That advice was given by an honorary director of the European
:05:45. > :05:51.Commission. That advice points out that Scotland has acquired rights.
:05:51. > :05:55.For practical reasons they could not be asked to leave the EU at
:05:55. > :06:00.asked to re- apply. I know this is inconvenient for the political
:06:00. > :06:04.weather facing the Labour Party but it does put the lie to this
:06:04. > :06:10.scaremongering campaign of Labour and the Unionist colleagues in the
:06:10. > :06:20.Conservative Party. In their interests of a serious debate the
:06:20. > :06:22.
:06:22. > :06:27.First Minister ought to... Order. He ought to find somebody that will
:06:27. > :06:31.agree. There are lot of different positions including one of his own
:06:31. > :06:38.backbenchers to said on Tuesday that these things are not definite,
:06:38. > :06:46.they are all open to negotiation. The First Minister asserts things
:06:46. > :06:52.for which she has no evidence. It is about time that the First
:06:52. > :06:57.Minister got serious about the future of Scotland. It is at First
:06:57. > :07:02.Minister who thinks he can treat the people of Scotland like fools.
:07:02. > :07:06.He thinks they will believe everything he says. After last week
:07:06. > :07:10.nobody just a word he says. I understand why he did not turn up
:07:10. > :07:17.to the debate on Tuesday to detect his reputation. It was because he
:07:17. > :07:21.knows he no longer has a reputation to defend. What is it that he is so
:07:21. > :07:25.scared of that he cannot ask that and Government about the pound? He
:07:26. > :07:35.cannot ask the EU members about Europe? Is it that he cannot face
:07:35. > :07:43.the truth when he is presented with that? On the question of the
:07:43. > :07:53.currency, we set up a commission which is making a serious
:07:53. > :08:04.
:08:04. > :08:14.contribution to that debate. In terms of the trust and the serious
:08:14. > :08:24.debate can I point out that this has been tested, not just in the
:08:24. > :08:25.
:08:25. > :08:30.elections, but in a Social attitudes Survey. There is a
:08:30. > :08:40.question asked by a survey last week about who best stands up for
:08:40. > :08:43.
:08:43. > :08:48.Scotland. Joanne Mullah want's figure was six %. -- the Labour
:08:48. > :08:58.leader's figure was six %. The reason that people do not trust the
:08:58. > :08:59.
:08:59. > :09:06.Labour Party is because of our commitment to defend free
:09:07. > :09:11.prescriptions, education, and the Labour Party is in the middle of
:09:11. > :09:15.tearing up these commitments. The first political party in history to
:09:15. > :09:19.betray its commitments in opposition. An extraordinary
:09:19. > :09:29.achievement from the Labour Party. If the Labour Party was to regain
:09:29. > :09:30.
:09:30. > :09:37.the trust of the people why not have that debate? Energy rich
:09:37. > :09:47.Scotland will be welcomed with open arms in a day European Union.
:09:47. > :09:47.
:09:47. > :09:51.the debate about Scotland's future I say that in tough times you look
:09:51. > :09:58.at making sure that those with the brothers borders -- modest
:09:58. > :10:00.shoulders take the heaviest burden. It would have been an idea to
:10:00. > :10:06.pursue the idea of whether we will have the pallid or not what the
:10:06. > :10:12.Bank of England and the Treasury. - - the pound. They will be the
:10:12. > :10:22.people that will decide that matter. The First Minister has long sought
:10:22. > :10:24.
:10:24. > :10:29.an international profile. My goodness he has got that. The
:10:29. > :10:39.Washington Post, the newspaper that expose Richard Nixon's corruption,
:10:39. > :10:39.
:10:39. > :10:49.nose and chatter when it sees one. -- noes chatter. It makes a serious
:10:49. > :10:55.
:10:55. > :10:59.charge. Order. Order. The Washington Post said, Alex
:10:59. > :11:03.Salmond's assurances that Scotland could quickly joined at the EU
:11:03. > :11:10.while retaining the British currency remain to be tested.
:11:10. > :11:16.London would have a veto over both. EU states might demand that Scott
:11:16. > :11:20.and commit to the wobbly euro. If the pound was split between two
:11:20. > :11:25.nations it could be a source of trouble for an affected European
:11:25. > :11:30.currency. These are serious matters being addressed by serious people.
:11:30. > :11:40.If the Washington Post can see that, why can't the first barrister not
:11:40. > :11:46.
:11:46. > :11:52.see it from here? -- First Minister. I welcome the contribution of
:11:52. > :11:55.newspapers in the United States of America to this debate. The Los
:11:55. > :11:59.Angeles Times argued that the most important difference would be that
:11:59. > :12:05.an independent Scotland would be master of its own economy and
:12:05. > :12:13.natural resources. I agree with that. Then there is the Wall Street
:12:13. > :12:21.Journal. All too often this debate really get past the sneering view
:12:21. > :12:26.that Scotland would be too poor or too small to stand outside the UK.
:12:26. > :12:29.But the claim that Scotland is a subsidy junkie has been proved a
:12:30. > :12:36.month. Treasury eight that show that Scotland really gives more
:12:36. > :12:46.than it receives. If that is clear to the Wall Street Journal why has
:12:46. > :12:47.
:12:47. > :12:56.that news not reach the Labour Party in Scotland? I am fascinated
:12:56. > :13:01.by the approach to serious political debate. I came across an
:13:01. > :13:07.article that the Labour leader gave one year ago. She talked about her
:13:07. > :13:17.great frustration. She said she was more frustrated about the politics
:13:17. > :13:20.
:13:20. > :13:27.when you play that man and not the politics. After a few weeks when it
:13:27. > :13:37.debt Labour leader has called meat stupid and devious, no wonder
:13:37. > :13:40.
:13:40. > :13:50.nobody believes a word she says. -- called me. Question number two.
:13:50. > :13:54.Ruth Davidson. Order. Order. I want to ask the First Minister when he
:13:54. > :13:58.will next meet the Secretary of State for Scotland? And no plants
:13:58. > :14:03.in the near future. It is nice to see the First Minister back in his
:14:03. > :14:09.chair in the chamber. When he ducked out on Tuesday of that
:14:09. > :14:14.debate, a debate about his conduct, he avoided a sadly very necessary
:14:14. > :14:20.reminder that the nation it needs trust when it comes to every aspect
:14:20. > :14:25.of his independence plans. We know that he has no legal basis for his
:14:25. > :14:29.claims about Scotland's place in Europe. And as for the economy I
:14:29. > :14:35.will repeat what they Scottish Financial Enterprise Committee said
:14:35. > :14:38.last week. It was said of the Scottish government that it is
:14:38. > :14:42.aimed at persuading rather than providing an at authoritative
:14:42. > :14:50.conclusion. I struggle to see how they have a priority to tell us
:14:50. > :14:52.anything. That is Europe. That is the economy. What about defence?
:14:52. > :14:57.This First Minister says an independent Scotland can be a fully
:14:57. > :15:06.committed member of NATO, but check the nuclear submarine fleet out.
:15:06. > :15:16.Can he tell us what advice or acts he has sought or received to
:15:16. > :15:17.
:15:17. > :15:21.You will find the question of NATO membership in Scotland published in
:15:21. > :15:25.the constitutional documents and also the policy positions of the
:15:25. > :15:30.Scottish National Party. The idea and for how a non-nuclear state can
:15:30. > :15:34.be a member of NATO surely is evidenced by the fact that 25 out
:15:34. > :15:39.of the 28 member countries of NATO and on nuclear at the present
:15:39. > :15:45.moment. We have the fact and existence that 25 such countries
:15:45. > :15:50.exist now. I was extremely interested by the interview of
:15:50. > :15:57.Philip Hammond earlier this week when in the space of one question,
:15:58. > :16:02.firstly he said he had no contingency plans on an independent
:16:02. > :16:05.Scotland and he also said they had contingency plans for every
:16:05. > :16:10.eventuality. I suspect that Ruth Davidson should you say
:16:10. > :16:14.extraordinary influence within the Conservative Party to actually
:16:14. > :16:19.follow the recommendations of the House of Commons Select Committee
:16:19. > :16:25.and suggest to Philip Hammond and the rest of the UK government, it
:16:25. > :16:30.would be wise indeed to have these contingency plans because I believe,
:16:30. > :16:32.as a majority of this chamber does, that Scotland will vote for
:16:32. > :16:42.independence in two years' time and nuclear weapons up on their way out
:16:42. > :16:43.
:16:43. > :16:49.of Scotland. So his answer on evidence for an SNP policy is to
:16:49. > :16:53.look at an SNP policy document. A brilliant! It goes further than the
:16:53. > :16:57.norm and so we got on Tuesday from his deputy leader. I wrote to the
:16:57. > :17:01.First Minister about this issue. It was all about the legal position in
:17:01. > :17:05.relation to NATO. What I got back was a letter from a junior official
:17:05. > :17:09.saying that all will be revealed in the 2013. And wait for it, it will
:17:10. > :17:13.all be fully in accordance with the legal advice received by Scottish
:17:14. > :17:16.ministers. We know what that means. I asked the Ministry of Defence
:17:16. > :17:21.what discussions had taken place with a Scottish government, what
:17:21. > :17:25.work has gone on to stand for sub. The answer, none. No contact
:17:25. > :17:30.between the Scottish government and the MoD. No facts to support Mr
:17:30. > :17:36.Salmon's claims. It is not just the Conservatives that have noticed.
:17:36. > :17:40.Look behind you, First Minister. Jamie Hepburn, it is nigh on
:17:40. > :17:46.impossible to remove nuclear weapons under pressure from NATO.
:17:46. > :17:49.Sandra White, it is hypocritical to be anti- nuclear and pro NATO.
:17:49. > :17:55.Perhaps it was Councillor Norman Macleod who summed up a policy the
:17:55. > :18:00.best when he said, this and other issues, it goes into
:18:00. > :18:03.unsubstantiated assertion. Councillor McLeod, the nation owes
:18:03. > :18:08.to a debt of gratitude for summing up what we already know. Even his
:18:08. > :18:14.own side recognises that this First Minister asserts as fact things he
:18:14. > :18:18.does not know to be true. We know we cannot trust him on defence, we
:18:18. > :18:24.know we cannot trust him on the economy and we certainly cannot
:18:24. > :18:29.trust him on Europe. I can Scotland trust him on anything ever again? -
:18:29. > :18:36.- how come. OK, the select committee on Scottish affairs, I
:18:36. > :18:40.don't agree with any of the types of politics of the members who made
:18:40. > :18:44.the report but she will recall just a few days ago, the select
:18:44. > :18:47.committee on Scottish affairs concluded that it would be possible
:18:47. > :18:53.to remove nuclear weapons and Scotland and that committee
:18:53. > :18:55.includes a number of Conservative members. It cannot include any
:18:55. > :19:01.Conservative Members from Scott and because there are none outside
:19:01. > :19:05.government at the present moment. My evidence was that 25 out of 28
:19:05. > :19:09.NATO member countries are non- nuclear. That seems to be pretty
:19:09. > :19:15.convincing evidence. As far as divisions in her party are
:19:15. > :19:20.concerned, I don't think Ruth Davidson is in a position to
:19:20. > :19:24.comment at the present moment. This party has open debate at its annual
:19:24. > :19:31.conference. What happens at the Conservative Party is there is a
:19:31. > :19:36.group of 50 MPs in Westminster, who are doing a splendid job. On
:19:36. > :19:40.Tuesday, I was giving a speech on renewable policy at the UK
:19:40. > :19:44.renewables conference. But the same time, John Hayes, the UK minister,
:19:44. > :19:48.gave a speech which he then didn't give which was leaked to the
:19:48. > :19:51.Telegraph and the Daily Mail which was contradicted by his boss at
:19:51. > :19:56.10:30am yesterday and by the Prime Minister at premises questions.
:19:56. > :20:01.Today, his predecessor has entered the debate, disagreeing with his
:20:01. > :20:08.successor. In the context of the chaos and confusion on Tuesday on
:20:08. > :20:16.UK energy policy, I think the Scottish National Policy looks
:20:16. > :20:26.certain. On the question of trust. I mentioned the 60 % -- 6%...
:20:26. > :20:27.
:20:27. > :20:32.Richard Davidson, there is 5% for you. A constituency question.
:20:32. > :20:37.the first minister aware that the RMT union is balloting these crews
:20:37. > :20:40.That work on a ship Orkney and Shetland crews at this time, we
:20:40. > :20:47.face industrial action over the Christmas period which had half a
:20:48. > :20:54.devastating impact on families, goods and products and on the
:20:54. > :20:57.salmon, muscles and white fish which is exported at a time. When
:20:57. > :21:00.he undertake to look into this issue, make sure the strike does
:21:00. > :21:05.not happen and that we can look forward to Christmas without
:21:05. > :21:09.destruction? The government is aware of the possibility of
:21:09. > :21:14.industrial action and will be doing its utmost to avoid industrial
:21:14. > :21:19.action which would severely inconvenience people in the
:21:19. > :21:22.northern islands. I would say that the RMT have balloted for
:21:22. > :21:27.industrial action at a number of times in recent times and many of
:21:27. > :21:33.these disputes will be settled. I am sure this whole chamber hopes
:21:33. > :21:36.this dispute will be settled as well. To ask the first minister
:21:36. > :21:40.what discussions the Scottish government has had with the
:21:40. > :21:43.National Museum of Scotland regarding the potential closure of
:21:43. > :21:50.the National Museum of costume which is so vital to Dumfries and
:21:50. > :21:54.Galloway. Also, his part of a strong network of tourism
:21:54. > :22:00.infrastructure. It could be a serious loss to the local economy.
:22:00. > :22:03.I am aware of the issue and can I undertake that the Culture
:22:03. > :22:10.Secretary will contact the member and if she seeks the meeting, that
:22:10. > :22:13.meeting will be granted. The issue must be discussed in detail. To ask
:22:13. > :22:19.the first minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of
:22:19. > :22:24.the Cabinet. Issues of importance to the people Scotland. The first
:22:24. > :22:30.minister and I can agree that it would be unlikely an independent
:22:30. > :22:35.Scotland would be excluded from the European Union. I am afraid he miss
:22:35. > :22:40.the point. The question is the terms. Has he agreed, has he
:22:40. > :22:46.secured any agreement with the 27 countries of the European Union to
:22:46. > :22:56.show that they will approve his detailed terms for Scotland's place
:22:56. > :22:57.
:22:57. > :23:00.in Europe? I don't know whether he has caught up with for news that
:23:00. > :23:04.the Westminster government have confirmed they are not going to
:23:04. > :23:09.take up the European Commission's officer -- offer for the advice on
:23:09. > :23:15.this matter. It puts him in a strange position as far as the
:23:15. > :23:24.parties concerned. I referred to the paper a few seconds ago. I
:23:24. > :23:28.think I should refer Willie Rennie to wit as well. The second last
:23:28. > :23:35.sentence, such solutions would be in Scotland's interests because it
:23:35. > :23:39.would be able to obtain a better detail -- a deal for a independent
:23:39. > :23:43.state. That seems to me, from an independent academic, a pretty
:23:43. > :23:48.strong statement of our belief that Scotland would be better as a
:23:48. > :23:52.member state of the European Union than a subsidiary part of a state
:23:52. > :23:57.which, as I see from various events within the coalition government, it
:23:57. > :24:02.doesn't seem to be particularly enthusiastic about European union
:24:02. > :24:08.membership at a doesn't permit. first minister would have to get
:24:08. > :24:13.the agreement from 27 countries, not just the opinion of the
:24:13. > :24:18.European Commission. Mr Avery said that Scotland terms of membership
:24:18. > :24:23.would be the subject to agreement with the 27 other governments. It
:24:23. > :24:28.is hard to believe that the first minister doesn't have won a single
:24:28. > :24:35.agreement. He clearly thinks all 27 will just signed up to whatever he
:24:35. > :24:41.wants. This is not just about the specific legal advice he asked for
:24:41. > :24:46.or not, or the academic opinion he prefers to side or ignores. This is
:24:47. > :24:51.about the politics, the domestic politics of other countries as well.
:24:51. > :24:58.The first minister might not like this but other people now doubt
:24:58. > :25:03.what he says. They want to know for sure, what they might lose before
:25:03. > :25:09.they vote in any referendum. So, as he has no agreements with other
:25:09. > :25:17.countries yet, when does he expect to get them all would it be vote
:25:17. > :25:21.first, ask questions later? suggest he pays more attention to
:25:21. > :25:24.reading the paper from Graham Avery. The key Points it makes is a Scot
:25:24. > :25:28.Am's position will be negotiated from within the European Union. He
:25:28. > :25:32.also goes on to express the view that I've read out to Willie Rennie,
:25:32. > :25:39.that that would be a better position as an independent state
:25:39. > :25:43.than we have as -- at present. It gives the counterbalance to the
:25:43. > :25:46.arguments of people who, I'm sure we Rennie would want to follow
:25:46. > :25:50.because he says he was sure that Scotland would become a member of
:25:50. > :25:55.the European Union, but wasn't it Lord Wallace a few weeks ago, who
:25:55. > :25:58.was openly speculating on Scotland being shunned and put out of the
:25:58. > :26:03.European Union? Once the Liberal Democrats can get a consistent
:26:03. > :26:08.policy between their few members has got and, perhaps they should
:26:08. > :26:13.turn to the chamber. We are in a situation that the present moment
:26:13. > :26:18.where, and this is a modest assertion, but there is a good deal
:26:18. > :26:22.of uncertainty over the UK's membership of the European Union.
:26:22. > :26:27.Why is there a good deal of uncertainty? Because the partners
:26:27. > :26:32.in the UK Coalition have a sizable group of people who want to leave
:26:32. > :26:34.the European Union. Given that Willie Rennie is part of a party in
:26:35. > :26:38.government with a great deal of people, and perhaps even cabinet
:26:38. > :26:41.ministers, who want to leave the European Union, I don't think he is
:26:41. > :26:46.in a good position to come to this chamber and a lecture us on our
:26:46. > :26:54.European credentials. Scotland is a European nation and we intend to
:26:54. > :26:59.stay a European nation. Resource Twitter, a... I can hardly resist
:26:59. > :27:08.telling Willie Rennie that while Lamont has 6%, Ruth Davidson 5%,
:27:08. > :27:11.his total was 2% of the Scottish population. To ask the first
:27:11. > :27:19.minister what economic benefits for Scotland there are over replacing
:27:19. > :27:23.Trident. Scottish taxpayers currently pay �163 million a year
:27:23. > :27:28.towards the running of Trident. That money could be spent on 3880
:27:28. > :27:33.nurses, 4500 teachers or a host of new schools and hospitals in our
:27:33. > :27:36.communities. That is before we consider the extra 84 million a
:27:36. > :27:40.year that is proposed to be spent on a replacement over the next 15
:27:40. > :27:43.years. This week of we've had the UK defence secretary coming up to
:27:43. > :27:48.Scotland and saying he hasn't even considered the people of Scotland
:27:48. > :27:57.would vote Yes in 2014 and he plans to foist on this country nuclear-
:27:57. > :28:01.weapons over the next 50 years. The arrogance of that kind is typical
:28:01. > :28:11.of Tory ministers who believe they can continue to treat this country
:28:11. > :28:12.
:28:13. > :28:18.as a nuclear dump. I think they are not on. Can I thank the First
:28:18. > :28:21.Minister for that interesting response? Would he agree it is
:28:21. > :28:28.incumbent on all but a cut that political leaders to make their
:28:28. > :28:32.position known. The Scottish Nuclear Disarmament criticised
:28:32. > :28:38.Lamont for consistently failing to publicise her views on Trident.
:28:38. > :28:41.This was after one of her own front bench has claimed that renewal was
:28:41. > :28:44.economically incompetent. Unlike the Labour Party, at any of the
:28:44. > :28:47.Scottish Government's position on this is crystal clear. Will the
:28:47. > :28:51.first minister reiterate that position, in the hope that the
:28:51. > :29:00.majority of members in this chamber can speak out and resist the
:29:00. > :29:03.development and the dumping of nuclear arms in Scotland?
:29:03. > :29:07.majority of this chamber have have voted to get tried and out of
:29:07. > :29:13.Scotland. That opinion is shared across Scotland by the churches,
:29:13. > :29:17.the STUC and civil society who propose -- a pose Trident. As far
:29:17. > :29:22.as the UK Minister's determination to foist nuclear weapons on
:29:22. > :29:27.Scotland over the next 50 years, can I point out, as I understand it,
:29:27. > :29:31.although these things... That policy is not even supported by the
:29:31. > :29:35.other half of the coalition in Westminster. In a situation where
:29:35. > :29:39.this government, a majority of this Parliament, a majority of Scottish
:29:39. > :29:43.people, Scottish Civic Society do not want to see nuclear weapons
:29:43. > :29:53.renewed in Scotland, can we not declare as a people and as a nation,
:29:53. > :29:56.that enough is enough and we are not standing for it any more?
:29:56. > :30:02.ask the first minister what a Scottish Government's response is
:30:02. > :30:07.to the Audit Scotland report NHS financial performance 2011 / 12
:30:07. > :30:11.which suggests reductions and growing financial pressures?
:30:11. > :30:21.Scottish government, as the number well knows, has protected spending
:30:21. > :30:23.
:30:23. > :30:30.on NHS, is a love real-terms increases in 12 / 13 and 14 / 15.
:30:30. > :30:36.That is reflected in an uplift of 3.3 % in 13 / 14, as compared to
:30:36. > :30:42.the Treasury deflator of 2.5 %. The ordered Scotland report highlighted
:30:42. > :30:44.that the NHS but even and said that the relatively small surpluses
:30:44. > :30:49.achieved highlights the careful management of the financial
:30:49. > :30:54.position. The First Minister's response reminds me of NHS Lothians
:30:54. > :30:57.approach to waiting times, where there was a culture of strongly
:30:57. > :31:00.discouraging the reporting of bad news. I hope the first minister
:31:00. > :31:04.will not continue to be in denial about the problems facing the NHS.
:31:04. > :31:09.Would he therefore agree that the cuts to nursing numbers of over
:31:09. > :31:16.2500 are having I direct impact, not just on patient care, but on
:31:16. > :31:20.nurses themselves? Today, in the Edinburgh Evening News, we find
:31:20. > :31:25.that 17,500 working days are lost amongst nurses alone, due to stress
:31:25. > :31:31.in NHS Lothian. That is a record high. Is that not a wake-up call
:31:31. > :31:35.for the SNP and the first minister? Jackie Baillie also knows that
:31:35. > :31:39.sickness absence across the NHS is much lower than when Labour were in
:31:39. > :31:44.government. She should also note that on every indicator, the NHS
:31:44. > :31:52.service in Scotland is performing at record levels. It is a tribute
:31:52. > :31:58.to the nurses, doctors at every single worker in our NHS. A Jackie
:31:58. > :32:05.Baillie says I'm not a purveyor of bad news and I think that is
:32:05. > :32:10.probably true. She could never claim that title for herself. It is
:32:10. > :32:15.after all, less than a year ago, since Jackie Baillie agreed us --
:32:15. > :32:18.assured us that Scotland was, the super bug capital of Europe.
:32:18. > :32:21.Unfortunately for Jackie Baillie, it was then found out the
:32:21. > :32:27.statistics which she was relying on related to the period of Labour in
:32:27. > :32:32.government in Scotland. I'm open to correction on this, if Jackie
:32:32. > :32:40.Baillie has ever had the courtesy to apologise for that slight on the
:32:40. > :32:45.NHS. I am just quoting the super bug capital of Europe. The
:32:45. > :32:48.statistics are based on a survey of 20071 of the Labour Party were in
:32:48. > :32:53.government. Clearly, a major mistake from Jackie Baillie but
:32:53. > :33:01.surely evidence from my contention that Jackie Baillie and bad news
:33:01. > :33:06.are never far separated. To ask the first minister what progress has
:33:06. > :33:11.been made to ensure equal pay by employers subject to its public
:33:11. > :33:14.sector pay policy. We are committed to ensuring pay systems are fair
:33:14. > :33:19.and non-discriminatory. Scotland has a strong record in this area.
:33:19. > :33:23.The pay gap is smaller than the rest of the UK. The gap still
:33:23. > :33:29.exists. That is not acceptable. We will continue to work with key
:33:29. > :33:39.partners to address the issue. grateful to the first minister for
:33:39. > :33:40.
:33:40. > :33:43.his comments. I note a letter in the Sunday Herald a few weeks back,
:33:43. > :33:47.which talked about universal services being an essential part of
:33:47. > :33:51.Labour policy. Does the First Minister Shimla surprise that the
:33:51. > :33:56.SNP is not the only major but a party which maintains this year?
:33:56. > :34:00.That is correct. These services were considered vital in the Labour
:34:00. > :34:05.Party manifesto last year when Ms Lamont was deputy leader of the
:34:05. > :34:09.party but none now sacrificed in the New Labour policy review.
:34:09. > :34:14.Social wages are an important concept. The living wage is an
:34:14. > :34:18.important concept. It helps us close the gender gap in pay and the
:34:18. > :34:20.social ways as part of a social contract for society that in these
:34:21. > :34:24.tough times, people can see the government is doing their best to
:34:24. > :34:27.help them on things like the council tax prescription charges
:34:27. > :34:31.and free tuition. I would have hoped that would carry the vast
:34:31. > :34:35.majority of this chamber. I think the Labour Party and Mr Lamont will
:34:35. > :34:44.find out of their cost that desertion of these key principles
:34:44. > :34:46.will cost the Labour Party dear in Scottish politics in times to come.