03/05/2017: First Minister's Questions Politics Scotland

The local elections tomorrow, the UK general election on June 8th. I

guess those elections might come up in some of the topics raised with

the First Ministerment let's cross to the chamber.

The First Minister here to answer whatever questions put her way. The

chamber looks quite full in the picture there, but tlr actually a

number of empty seats. Some people allowed to campaign rather than be

here in Parliament today. Getting under way, here is the Presiding

Officer. Ken Mackintosh. Question number one from Ruth

Davidson. I would like to ask the First Minister what engagements she

has planned for the rest of the day. At the weekend, her predecessor was

asked on television by one in five children leaves Primary School

functionally illiterate and he replied that this was just one

statistic. No, it is not, it is thousands of lives. Ten years on

from this SNP government taking charge, and with councils across

Scotland being asked to run our schools tomorrow, perhaps it is

worth asking the current First Minister about more statistics. Why

is it that between 2011 and 2015 the proportion of children performing

well in new Morrissey fell? -- in new Morrissey fell. I have made no

bones about my determination to raise performance in literacy,

numeracy and attainment across the board. That is why we have

established the new attainment challenge and framework and the

attainment fund. As we have talked about many times in the past in this

chamber, that is now channelling additional resources directly to

headteachers in order that they can decide ways in which to best raise

attainment. It is also why, as we will see, the latest figures that

are in the same vein as the ones Ruth Davidson sites, these are

sample surveys, and I not dismissing them but it is one of the reasons

why we have taken the decision to start publishing comprehensive

school by school local authority by local authority data, so that we

know how our schools are performing, but crucially, so we know how the

Mark Watt is working to drive up attainment. So we will remain

focused on something that is vitally important for young people and

parents across the country. Ruth Davidson. The First Minister talks

about her intention to improve them. With absolutely no acknowledgement

that the figures are on her watch. Let's take another statistic. In

science, the Sutton trust as this year reported on the pronounced and

sustained decline in able people's performance under the SNP. Over the

last decade since the SNP came to power, it says this decline is

equivalent to around a year of schooling. I know that the First

Minister is going to stand and answer to every question and tell me

that everything is about to be sorted soon, but can she tell me why

has this drop in standards happened on her watch? While I don't dismiss

Enever statistics, I think Ruth Davidson does a disservice to young

people and teachers across the country because set out before, we

now see record numbers of higher and advanced higher passes in our

schools. We also see record numbers of positive destinations, more young

people going into employment, further education and training than

has ever been the case before. We're seeing far fewer people from

deprived communities leaving school without qualifications. We are also

starting to see, and I want to see this going further, a narrowing of

the gap between the least and most deprived areas in terms of access to

university. It is not simply a case of standing here and seeing what my

intentions are all my intentions are absolutely solid in terms of

continuing to make improvements. But as I have just done, I can point to

the improvements we have already made. We will get on with investing

money, conducting reforms and supporting teachers and headteachers

to make sure we see continued improvement for young people across

the country. I stand next to no one in my admiration for the hard work

our teachers do, but what they do is under guidance that is given and

described by education experts. I will quote, self-evident lunacy.

That is what is coming out of the government and its arms. Here is

what parents think. They think this SNP government has presided over

falling standards, has failed utterly to ensure that we have

enough teachers in the classroom to turn that situation around. Here is

yet another statistic. 4000 fewer teachers in Scotland's schools than

there were in 2007. And we know that 16% of training places for English

teachers are unfilled and over a quarter of training places for maths

or vacant as well. There are possible solutions for this. We have

councils in the rural communities saying that they want more

flexibility to tackle this crisis themselves in a way that suits their

circumstances. But they are having to hang around for an answer because

John Swinney's promised review has been delayed and delayed again. It

is a problem of the SNP's making. The councils are saying let us fix

this now and the Education Secretary is saying, let Michu on this some

more. Again I ask, why is this? In terms of the governance review, that

is published on the recommendations we are to them forward. That will be

published after we have properly analysed the submissions that have

been made to that. One thing is certain, if past experience is

anything to go by, as soon as we set out the direction of travel over the

governance review, the other parties in this chamber who have been

calling on us to do it for months will suddenly decide that they

oppose everything that we have decided to do. I would absolutely

lay bets on that. But the governance review, as Ruth Davidson knows, is

one part of a wider package of reform, the national improvement

framework, the attainment challenge, the attainment fund, the

introduction of standardised assessment, which Labour used to

support but again, as soon as we decided to do it, they decided to

oppose it. The publication of school by school, local authority by local

authority figures so that we can track exactly... There we go, the

Liberal Democrats oppose those reforms. So what we see in this

chamber, time and time again is opposition parties calling for

things to be done and as soon as they are done, they decide to oppose

them. So we will get on and take the action, backed by investment, that

is delivering improvements in our schools and we will continue to

deliver improvements. I am sorry but jam tomorrow does not cut it because

with this SNP government, it's not just one statistic or two or three,

it is a ten year record of failure and it's leaving a situation where

according to the architect of curriculum for excellence, our

schools can no longer be classed as world leading. So tomorrow we elect

the councillors whose job it will be to support the councillors on the

ground. The SNP says that education is a priority but doesn't their

failure tell a different story? We are going into the local elections

tomorrow pointing at the improvements being made in our

schools and crucially pointing to the ?120 million of additional

resources that is now in the hands of headteachers to drive

improvement. I am standing here wondering why it is the case that if

education was of any priority to conservatives, they are putting out

around the country right now and leaflets. I got this one through my

door. This leaflet mentions me or the SNP or independence, a grand

total of 43 times. It mentions Ruth Davidson or the Tories just nine

times, and one of those is her signature. It mentions her policies

on education zero times. Because in this election, the Tories have not

put forward a single policy on our schools, social care, roads,

transport, anything. They have a constitutional obsession. So I'm

getting on with raising standards in our schools. You cannot see in that

picture but Ruth Davidson is having a good laugh at that. She asked the

first minute what engagements she has planned. I have even more

engagements to take forward the government's programme for Scotland.

In 2015, the First Minister said she supported a 50p top rate of tax for

those earning more than ?150,000 a year. In 2016, she changed her mind

and said she did not support it when she had the power to deliver it. Now

in 2017, without any sense of irony, the First Minister claims to support

it again. Does she really expect people to believe this time around?

Kezia Dugdale should probably listen more carefully. In 2016I said that

if we only did this in Scotland, without the powers that we do not

have to tackle tax avoidance, because they lie at Westminster,

then the advice we had taken was that that could potentially lose

revenue. I do not think that anybody in this chamber would seriously

stand up and argue that we should put up attacks is the advice says

that it would actually lead to a reduction in revenue. So we are

going into a UK wide election in a few weeks' time and we will publish

our manifesto in due course. But of course this is Kezia Dugdale, the

leader of the Labour Party that just a few weeks ago published a local

government manifesto saying that the council tax freeze and crippled

local government, and yet is leading eight Labour led authorities into

this election promising to freeze the council tax, so perhaps Kezia

Dugdale would comment on that before coming here and asking me about the

issue of taxation. For the First Minister, who spent ten years and

two elections promising to scrap the council tax! I have just heard the

First Minister saying we shouldn't bother trying to tax the rich

because they will just find a way around it. The same argument the

Tories have been making week in, week out for years. And the truth is

that the SNP have voted against a 50p top rate of tax in this chamber

no less than eight times. So much for stronger for Scotland. And there

is a pattern developing here. Nicholas Sturgeon has spent her

entire career campaigning for more powers to stop cuts to public

services. She now has the power to do so but she refuses to use it. We

have a ridiculous situation where a nationalist First Minister says that

she wants to tax the rich but only if England does it first. Isn't it

the case that Nicola Sturgeon has plenty of principles when she is

campaigning but nothing but a list of excuses when she is power. --

when she is in power. What I actually said, the problem was that

we do not have the powers in this Parliament to stop the wealthiest

potentially trying to avoid a higher rate of tax. I want these powers.

Kezia Dugdale argues to keep these powers in the hands of a Tory

government at Westminster. That is the difference. And you know, Kezia

Dugdale cannot really expect to be taken seriously on the issue of tax

because she has come here week after week saying that I should raise

taxes, not just on the rich but on ordinary working people as well. She

has come here week after week saying that the council tax freeze is

wrong, yet we go into an election tomorrow with eight local

authorities across this country promising to continue to freeze the

council tax and each and every one of those councils is a Labour led

council. How can Kezia Dugdale as a single shred of credibility on tax?

I think voters tomorrow will make their own judgment on labour across

this country. The council tax is unfair on progressive. How do we

know that, because the SNP have been telling us that for ten years. -- on

fear and regressive. There we have it, another excuse for why she will

not ask the richest in society to pay the -- pay a bit more tax. She

claims to back a 50p tax rate but you will not implement one here in

Scotland. She claims to be protecting the SNL -- protecting NHS

but local services across the country face cuts and closure on her

watch. She claims that education is number one priority but spends every

waking minute plotting how to force independence referendum. Does Nicola

Sturgeon feel any guilt at all touring the country, warning against

austerity when it is her government that has cut ?1.5 billion from

council services? I will continue to do what I have done for the past few

years which is to argue against austerity at source. That is what I

will be campaigning for in this election. The difference between me

and Kezia Dugdale is she does not want to scrap posterity, she wants

to transfer the burden of austerity onto the shoulders of low-paid

people write across this country. And why is that? Because she prefers

to allow a Tory government at Westminster to take the big

decisions about our economy rather than have them made here. But Kezia

Dugdale is wrong in what she says about the NHS and about council

services. The NHS budget is more than ?3 billion higher today than it

was when this government took office. The number of NHS staff is

10% higher almost than it was when we took office. We have the best

performing accident and emergency department anywhere in the UK, ?120

million going into the hands of head teachers, but I will come back to

the central question. If Kezia Dugdale, albeit wrongly, is accusing

the government of short-changing local authorities, then the question

remains, why is it only Labour councils going into this election

promising to freeze the council tax? Why are they not doing what SNP

councils are doing and choosing to raise revenue for schools and social

care? Kezia Dugdale has no credibility on this issue and I

think from looking at her she knows it. One constituency supplementary

from Jackie Baillie. Can the First Minister for halt to my constituents

having to endure lengthy waiting lists in contrast to what she has

just said about the NHS? Let me give an example. Mr Howie was told he

needed to have a knee operation of the golden jubilee only for funding

to be withdrawn by NHS Greater Glasgow. He is virtually unable to

walk and is in constant pain. Can I ask the First Minister choir at the

start of the financial year, when patients are in severe pain and the

waiting time has been badly breached, why are Greater Glasgow

rationing treatment and denying people the opportunity to have

operations at another NHS hospital? And what action will the First

Minister take to ensure that this man and many others like him get the

fitment that he needs, and we put patient care first? NHS boards

across the country are investing to make sure that we have short waiting

times, and waiting times today are much shorter than they were when the

government took office. Health boards are also focusing on making

sure that those waiting the longest get priority in terms of treatment.

I would say that what Jackie Baillie has outlined is certainly something

I want to know the detail of. I do not have all the details but the

Health Secretary has told me that she has spoken this morning to the

Chief Executive of Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board about this

case and it is being looked into, so what we have the detail of that I

will ask Shona Robison to write to the member with the full details.

Patrick Abhi. I want to ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will

next meet. Tuesday. The First Minister accuses opposition parties

of demanding changes on education and then complaining when the

Scottish Government implements those changes. The greens have never

argued that standardised testing or government structure is the root of

the problem. We have never supported the splitting stripping of local

authorities. What we have consistently argued is that

resources are at the core of the question. If we want to recognise

the thousands of teachers lost in Scotland, the hundreds of additional

support teachers, classroom assistants, and a lack of resources

available to local authorities, isn't it clear that that has to be

the core of the solution to the problem? The greens are supporting

reversing the cuts to local councils and that is an important and

essential first start but isn't it clear that it has to be the

beginning of a change which puts resources back into our local

authorities so that they are able to support the professionals doing the

job around the country? Patrick Harvie and I have something of a

disagreement when it comes to education reform. I concede that is

the case. It is important not that we strip local authorities of their

responsibilities, that is not our attention, but we do give greater

economy and control to local schools. Much of the evidence around

how you drive improvements in education says that that, along with

the capacity of teachers and the involvement of parents is how you do

that. That is how we are taking for those reforms. I think it is vitally

important that we have more rigour around both how performance is

assessed, of pupils, and also how that is reported publicly. That is

why we are introducing standardised assessment, not to replace the

judgment of teachers but to inform their judgment so that there is more

rigour around that and then we want to make sure that there is

transparency around the performance of schools, so for the first time

ever we are going down a road where we are publishing not sample surveys

based on a couple of schools but conference of school by school data

so that we can properly assess how we are performing. I think these are

the right reforms. I will continue to carry on with them. Everybody

across the school says they want to see this happen. -- everyone across

the chamber. Where I have agreement with Patrick Harvie is on the issue

of resources. We have always said that resources, in the hands of

headteachers is a vital part of our attainment drive. That is why, as I

have said on a of occasions already today, the ?120 million that goes

directly to headteachers are a crucial part of that. Headteachers

are then free to decide how that money is invested and if they want

to invest in additional support and staff for learning staff, that is up

to the headteachers. Of course that ?120 million fund is part of a wider

attainment fund which totals ?750 million across this Parliament. So

yes, resources and investment is crucial but I believe that we need

to couple that with the reforms that will allow us to drive improvements

faster. And I make no apology for that. I'm afraid I still do not

believe that the Scottish Government has yet countered the concern that

standardised testing, whatever its motivation, will end up being used

for the same purposes as league tables, if they were called that.

But I do not accept that's teachers want to be managers or headteachers

want to be chief financial officers of their schools. I think they want

to focus on what they are passionate about and what they are talented at,

which is teaching and education and the life chances of young people.

But if we want to reverse the decline, 4000 teachers lost, reverse

the decline in other important professions, the overall level of

resource needs to go higher. Over successive years we need to be

resourcing local councils to make those decisions. The local

government is willing to cap council tax rates at the national level

without legislation. They are willing to tell England and Wales

what the income tax rate should be but not willing to change them in

Scotland more than an inch. Is it not very clear that we need to

reject this Tory notion of Scotland as a higher tax part of the UK and

make sure that people like the First Minister and myself pay a bit more

tax into the plot to produce the resources that will go into

education and make a difference to the life chances of every child in

this country. Because of the decisions that we have made on

higher rate taxpayers, we are paying more than higher rate taxpayers

elsewhere in the UK. These are the right balance tax decisions that I

think it is appropriate to take. At a time where inflation is rising and

living standards are under pressure, I do not think it is right to

increase income tax for those on the basic rate. Again, people are

willing and free to take a different view but I think that is my view. On

the issue of local government funding more generally, in the

financial year that we are now in, there is available to local services

additional spending powers of ?400 million. As Patrick Harvie said,

some of that is down to the discussions that his party and my

party had leading up to the agreement. There are more resources

local government supporting local services. Let me assure Patrick

Harvie that we have no interest in seeing headteachers be finance

officers, but they need to be the leaders of learning that they need

to be to drive improvement. These are sensible reforms and I think

they will lead to improvements in our schools. I think it is right

that we have vigorous and rigorous debate around these things but I am

determined that we will take for these reforms and I am determined

that we will be held to account on them, which is why the publication,

and other people like to dismiss that as league tables, but that is

the information that parents have access to to know how their local

school is performing. It is information that the public,

including other members of this chamber, then have access to to hold

me and this government accountable. It is absolutely right and proper

that we continue to make sure it is available. Some supplementary is,

the first from Emma Harper. Last night on STV, Ruth Davidson repeated

the fiction that under the new two child limit for tax credits a woman

only needs to write her name into a box to prove they have had a

subsequent child as a result of rape. Is this true? No, it is not

true and Ruth Davidson knows it is not true. We had a powerful and

emotional and emotive debate on the two child tax credit cap and I find

it quite hard to believe that Ruth Davidson could have sat through that

debate, as she did, and listen to some of the testimony, particularly

a letter read out by Kezia Dugdale, and still go on television last

night and say it was about ticking a box. I think that is disgraceful.

More importantly, what it demonstrates, or at least what it

gives the impression of, and I choose my words carefully, what it

gives the impression of, because I hope this is not the case, is a

complete lack of empathy for the emotional trauma that any woman in

these circumstances would have to go through, of having to declare to a

third party that their child had been conceived as a result of rape.

A woman that is probably determined to do everything in our power to

protect her child from being aware those facts. So I think it is really

important that whatever disagreements we have around policy,

and it beggars belief for me that anybody could defend the rape close,

it falls into that category of a policy that is indefensible in my

view. I think that is why the Tories are struggling so badly to defend

it, but whatever our disagreements, when it comes to support for the

most vulnerable people in our society, a bit of empathy, a bit of

compassion and a bit less of the dismissive is just ticking a box

would go down well from the Tories. -- a bit less of the dismissive as

just ticking a box. Douglas Ross. The BBC have reported a response

through Freedom of information from Police Scotland which shows that the

number of serious assaults, murders and robberies are increasing in

Scotland. What is the First Minister's response? The information

that the BBC is reporting today is management information and it is

important to stress that because it is not official figures. It may turn

out that the official figures reflect the information that has

been reported today but it is important that we point out the fact

that sometimes that cannot be the case. The more substantive point is

this. While figures fluctuate, what we are seeing in Scotland and have

been seeing for quite some time is a long-term reduction in nonsexual

violent crime. We have seen that for some time. There has been a 52%

reduction in nonsexual violent crime from 2006 and 2015. In 2015-16, the

latest year that statistics are available for, the number of

homicide victims in Scotland was at its lowest level since comparable

records began in 1976. So we always have to make sure we are supporting

our police to keep all forms of crime low but we are seeing a

long-term reduction in violent crime and we have to make sure that we

continue to do everything possible to ensure that continues. That is

one of the reasons why over the past number of years we have helped the

police to bring in additional officers, at a time where thousands

of police have been lost south of the border. That is why we continue

to support our police to give the Liam Agnew growing job. Does the

First Minister support the 10,000 people and more who have signed a

petition against the imposition of a ?2 drop-off fee at Glasgow airport?

Does the Minster agree that it will not reduce congestion and given that

there are not great public transport links to Glasgow airport, a real

link might have made a difference but the reality is that families

going on holidays that they are entitled to will be forced to pay

and it will not reduce congestion one bit, because in fact it is a

smaller area and they are going to block drivers in and forced them to

pay. Will the First Minister condemn this moneymaking venture? That is

what it is and it has nothing to do with congestion. Will the First

Minister genuinely, and I am raising this genuinely, First Minister,

there is public fury at this. I think the public will appreciate

your understanding that you do not think this is justified. Of course,

I understand the concern of numbers of the public one of a change like

this happens. I absolutely understand that many of my

constituents, in common with MSPs across the chamber, use Glasgow

airport regularly. My constituency is one of the closest geographically

to Glasgow airport. So I understand that many people will have concerns.

This is a matter for Glasgow airport and I think it is incumbent on them

to make the case for why this is necessary and to have that case able

to be scrutinised. Pauline McNeill raised the issue of an air link and

obviously in the last Parliament and the one before that we had debates

about the Glasgow airport rail link and for very good reasons we decided

not to proceed with that at the time. What Pauline McNeill should be

aware is that through the Glasgow and child Ally McCoist Valley City

deal, funded jointly by the UK and Scottish governments, the council is

now have the ability if they choose to have access to projects across

Glasgow airport. -- Glasgow and Clyde Valley City deal. Whoever is

in charge of the councils after tomorrow, let's hope they have the

wherewithal to prioritise access to Glasgow airport if that is what they

choose to do. And Does the First Minister not

understand that her plans for the publication of school league stables

can result in teachers teaching to the tests rather than concentrating

on teaching our children in the round and that this may have the

opposite effect to that which she intends? First Minister? I say this,

in all sincerity. If Mike Rumble's understood properly what it was we

were intending to publish, he wouldn't have asked that question.

He would know the very premise of his question is wrong. Because, it's

not the test score that is are being published, it's the performance of

young people, the performance of young people against the curriculum

of excellence, judged by teachers, informed by the test. Why is that

important? Because it makes the teacher judgment more rigorous, but

secondly, it avoids the narrowing of the teaching to the test because it

is not only the skond starredised test scores that are taken into

account. A teacher will also look at homework and the performance of

children in schools. So can I say, again, in all sincerity to people

across this chamber, let's have these debates but come to these

debates informed of the facts of what we're doing, rather than your

own prejudice about what we are doing and then perhaps we'll have

meaningful debates in this chamber on this very important issue.

APPLAUSE Question number 4, Kenneth Gibson?

Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish

Government's response is to Scotland's population rising to an

all-time high of 5.4 million. We welcome the news that Scotland's

population is growing, we know stimulating population growth is a

key driver of sustainable economic growth. The figures published by the

National Record of Scotland underlined the key role that

migration has it play in our work to grow the population. There is

prorobust evidence that confirmed our long standing view that migrants

from outside the UK positively contributed to our society. They are

mostly young, they most economically active and highly-qualified. So

Scotland benefits significantly from the contribution made by people from

across the world who've chosen to live, work and study here, bringing

new skills and expertise and helping to underpin future economic growth

and we should take every opportunity to tell them that they are very

welcome here Kenneth Gibson? I thank the sfirs minister for that answer.

- the First Minister. Moer than 2 million Scots emigrated in the half

century before this. And we had been left with an economy swiftly

overtaken by many others. Does the First Minister agree that while the

population is increasing the number of excess deaths is of concern,

despite the best efforts of the Presiding Officer and free movement

of people will not only end Scotland's population growth but

will lead to real skilled shortages. Well I thank the minister for

thanking the Presiding Officer for his contribution but I better not.

Latest figures show our population is increased by migration and that's

why, and I make this point seriously, continued inward

migration, and I know this can be unpopular in place, it is critical

to maintaining population growth, which is critical to driving

economic growth Fp current trends continue, net inward migration is

contributed to be the main population driver for growth over

the next 25 years. That's why, of all the things that should concern

all of us about Brexit and the outcome of the Brexit negotiations,

any serious restrictions to the ability of EU nationals to come and

live in Scotland would be deeply damaging it our economy. So it is

important that all of us across this chamber and all of us in mainstream

politics have the courage to make that argument because if we allow

the immigration and migration debate to be distorted, then we will damage

our economy and our society as a result and these statistics are a

stark reminder of that fact. Scotland has persistently attracted

fewer migrants to come and live here, relative to other parts of the

UK. In relation to our population share. Why does the First Minister

think after ten years of SNP Government, Scotland is a relatively

unattractive place for immigrants to come? What is disgraceful thing.

What an utterly disgraceful thing for a Member of Parliament...

APPLAUSE To stand up in this chairman berp

and describe his own country as an unattractive place to live. Murdo

Fraser, hang your head in shame. APPLAUSE

As I've said before in this chamber, I remember the days and they are

becoming dark, distant days, when Murdo Fraser used to be a serious

politician, now it seems he must aspires to be a figure of fun in

this chamber but the serious point here is this - we do have to

encourage people to come here. One of the reasons why more migrants

will settle in London and the south-east, is partly down to

geography, which I think anybody applying a bit of common sense would

grow but we've just had figures showing the contribution that inward

migration is making to our population growth. So the real

question is not the one Murdo Fraser posed. The real question is this -

are we going to make sure, over these next few years

... Or put barriers in the way of that? That is the big question and

the big decision for Scotland in the next few years. Question #5, Liz

Smith To ask the First Minister whether headteachers will require

the agreement of the relevant local authority before a decision is made

about how the pupil equity fund will be spent in their schools? I have

been absolutely clear and the Deputy First Minister has been equally

clear that the pupil equity funding scheme, the ?120 million of that

will be used at the discretion of head teaches. The national

operational guidance on the use of the funding sets out clear

principles to support head teachers in their decision-making. They

should work norther inship with each other and the local authority to

share good practice, pool their knowledge and consider the use of

funding but it is the discretion of head teaches that will be the

central factor in deciding how that money is spent. Could I thank the

First Minister for that reply. She's quite correct to say that John

Swinney stated categorically on 13th September 2016 that under the

Scottish Government reforms there would be a presumption of

decision-making at school level. Could I ask her why it is, then,

that from Scottish Government documents, it is very clear that

there will be both national guidance and local authority guidance,

compelling headteachers to agree the use of the pupil equity funding and

the local authority, to be accountable to the local authority

for how that money is deployed? Could the First Minister tell

Parliament whether headteachers will ever have real automy or is it spin?

This money is to be used at the discretion of headteachers. I think

Liz Smith is misrepresenting, I'm sure not intentionally the intention

and purpose of the guidance. Let me point to some of the content of the

guidance which I know the Commission had wrongly claimed was highly

prescriptive. The Drexes in that guidance refer to key principles

that refer to activities funded by the pupil equity fund, firstly must

be additional to current spend who. Could possibly disagree with that?

Secondly it must be targeted at closing the Tynement gap. Who could

possibly disagree with that? That's what it is for. Thirdly, it should

be based on the evidence of what works. Again, that seems to me to be

fairly sensible guidance. And next, that parents, children and young

people should be involved in planning for the use of pupil equity

funding. Again, I think that's common sense because, as I said in

response to Patrick Harvie, there is evidence that the involvement of

parents and young people in the initiative to drive improvement, are

key. So, of course headteachers will share best practice with each other.

Of course, as with any use of public money, there will be an

accountability, not least a through the figures that are published about

the performance of schools. Of course there will be account acted

but this money is money to be spent at the discretion of headteachers,

so, having called for this, I would've thought members across the

chamber who have called for it would now support it and get behind it.

Question number 6, Monica Lennon. To ask the First Minister what action

the Scottish Government has taken to improve access to sanitary products?

Well, the Scottish Government is actively considering what support we

can provide for women and girls on a will he income to have access to

sanitary products in a dignified way. Our Fairer Scotland action plan

sets out the commitment to tackling poverty. However we know in the face

of Tory welfare cuts and continued austerity that are pushing more and

more people into poverty, it does seem we do this with one hand tied

behind our back. Whether it is the bedroom tax, fair food fund,

Scottish welfare fund or independent living fund, to name a few of the

Scottish Government's policies, we are at mitigation of the bedroom

tax, a Scottish Government policy, we spend hundreds of millions every

year protecting the poorest and most vulnerable in our society from the

worst excesses of a Tory Government these are resources we would rather

be investing in further antipoverty measures not in mitigating or

putting a sticking plaster on Tory cuts.

I thank the First Minister for her answer. I welcome some of the steps

the Government has outlined because last year when I asked the question

I was told that the Government hasn't done any work to assess the

issue and women could use food banks. But I feel we have moved on

from then. Last year we had our first debate on the be score

Parliament on periods Poff Tyne I have announced my intention to bring

forward a members bill and since then there has been an outpouring of

interest in this. In Scotland the SUS kr c. The NUS and the Scottish

Youth Parliament and I could go on, they all support the proposals. No

women or girl in 2017 should have to face the indignity of not having

access to sanitary products during menstruation, there is no excuse why

this should be the case in a progressive and wealthy country like

Scotland. Does the First Minister agree with me that sanitary products

are a necessity not a lucks rain that the Scottish Parliament should

accordingly be taking all necessary action to enshrine that right of

access into law? APPLAUSE

First Minister Can I commend Monica Lennon for taking forward this

issue. It is an important issue. I look forward to see the contents of

her private member's bill and the government certainly is open to

working in partnership as we explore the ways in which we can deal with

this issue. I agree with her and I think any woman, I hope a lot of men

but every woman would agree that sanitary products are not a luxury,

they are a necessity and we should not have a situation where women are

forced into situations of indignity because they are on incomes that

can't support the purchase of these products. So, as Monica Lennon has

acknowledged the Government Scottish, led by Angela Constance is

exploring a number of ways in which we can help with the issue of period

poverty and I know Angela Constance would be happy to talk further with

Monica Lennon, as our consideration of these issues develop. I hope this

Parliament can come to a consensus and agreement about ways in which we

can, in a enmoogful way, help here and the Scottish Government is

certainly keen to do that. It would make a welcome change to be talking

about how we help women in vulnerable positions, rather than

debating the ways in which certain others in certain other places are

trying to penalise women in vulnerable positions.

Question number 7, Mark B Russian sskel? To ask the First Minister how

the High Court justice to publish its pollution strategy and how it

impacts on Scotland? At the publication of the strategy, rather

than content I understand the UK Government has now decided not to

appeal the decision and will consulted on the updated action

plan. The Scottish Government is committed to promoting air quality.

The UK action plan will include a contribution from the Scottish

Government setting out how we intend to deliver further air quality

improvements in Scotland through the actions we set out in our own air

quality strategy, cleaner air for Scotland, the road to a Heatier

future and also by establishing Scotland's first low emissions zone.

Can I thank the myrrhs stin forefor that response but Presiding Officer

I'm in the prepared it put my family at Ricks any more on Scotland's

polluted streets. It is a public health crisis. 2,000 people die

every year not just in the First Minister's city but across Scotland.

The UK Government's plans were slated by the High Court. They rely

on dodgy emissions data from car companies while putting off aeks to

saves lives today. The Scottish Government has made the same errors,

and it captured by the same ruling. When will the First Minister step

out of the shadow of the toxic Tory plans and urge lently review

Scotland's Clean Air strategy, include funding more than a solitary

low emissions zone? Well, obviously I'm not responsible for the UK

Government's plans. I am responsible for the plans the Scottish

Government put forward and you know on this, as on any other issue we

are happy to discuss with other parties in the chamber how we

improve the plans that we have in place but I think it is important to

point out that we, in Scotland, we are meeting both domestic and

European air quality targets across much of the country, although, there

are still hotspots of poorer air quality in a number of areas,

particularly urban areas and it is an issue that interests me hugely,

not just as First Minister, but as an MSP representing an urban

constituency. All local authorities with air quality management areas

now have action plans in place and the Scottish Government is working

with these authorities, including with Glasgow City Council to help

implement the plans and deliver air quality improvement. Another point

that I think it is important to stress is that we have set actually

more stringent air quality targets than the rest of the UK has.

Scotland is the first country in Europe to legislate for particular

matter, 2.5, a pollutant that is a concern for human health and we are

providing practical and financial support to local authorities. So

we'll continue to take actions to address what I absolutely agree with

the member is an issue of the utmost importance and the Environment

Secretary I know will be happy to speak to the member, if he wishes

to, in order to take his views about how we strengthen these plans,

further. Could the First Minister provide

further details on the work underway to deliver Scotland's first low

emissions zone? Well, we are working with local authorities and indeed

with other partners, to develop the first Low Emission Zone, which will

improve health and help create better places to live, to work and

for people to visit. A national modelling framework has been

developed to provide the evidence base in designing the zone and the

vehicle restrictions needed to deliver air quality improvement. The

Des igs nation of low emissions zones is of course a matter for

local individual individuals but we look forward to agreeing with them

the location of the first zone, once the new administrations are in

place, following tomorrow's election. Thank you very much, that

concludes... Point of order Yesterday the Scottish Government

issued a press release announcing a regeneration project in Glasgow

which everyone knows is an SNP target. I have written to the

Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government to complain against the

clear be possibility that purdah guidance was ignored. Can you advise

if there are any grounds to bring the minister in question before this

Parliament, next week, to explain how on earth a government

announcement, with the clear possibility of influencing party

politics, was allowed to go out? Can I thank for the point of order.

I think these sort of questions are matters for the Ministerial Code and

should be persued with the Scottish Government directly. That condition

cluds First Minister's Questions. We will move on to general quest.

STUDIO: Well, there we have it. Conclusion of questions to the First

Minister. A little sting in the tail there, in that point of order from

Ross Thompson reminding us of course the chamber was ex-or sized by the

spending elections. The elections to the local government taking place

tomorrow. The UK general election on June 8th but it was also the

Scottish Government's record that kanld a fair bit of scrutiny there,

didn't it. We have Sev Carrell and Lynsey Bews It was actually

refreshing to be back on a domestic agenda. We concern ourselves with UK

Government poll sane finally in First Minister questions the

Scottish Government were under attack on domestic record. For what

it is woerted I think Ruth Davis son was on a strong topic area. I

thought she pulled the punches somewhat. She could have' been more

aggressive I thought say on bringing forward the SNP manifestos from 2007

and the last Scottish Government elections as well, and saying - you

have been here before, you have promised this before, and what have

have you dedelivered a decline in performance. But it wasn't a muted

performance in response but there was the first anyonester was

cautious, little bomb boost, she is defending a record which she knows

is not that wonderful right now. She z she acknowledged there were issues

that need to be worked on in education and then of course she

went on to list all of the measures the Government is taking. The

trouble is, the Opposition parties are saying it is taking a very long

time for Government to make progress on this. The Government, for

example, originally results were due to be published earlier, before

government elections now delayed until later and Liz Smith coming in

later with concerns over exactly what is going to be contained in

this governance review. Some of the draft guidance already out there for

money going to head teaches, concerns over how much local

authorities are going to be able to influence how headteachers spend

that money. Sev, rather an effective bit of business towards the end what

wr she held up a Conservative leaflet which wr she said it

mentioned the SNP 43 times and education the square root of

nothing. My heart sank. This is something politicians will use.

They'll hold up that single leaflet, having had a dozen or maybe 15

through the letterbox. I certainly had 12, 15, perhaps even 20 through,

some repeated times from one particular party We know parties

already target particular members with particular messages and I'm

sure the Tories could point to other leaflets. It was a good hit on the

day, effective. But we see these two often in my view, I'm afraid. Let's

turn to the questions from Kezia Dugdale, on taxation, the 50p rate

that's become a mantra for Labour and the First Minister giving her

response, her explanation. Ye, Kezia Dugdale pointing out, you look back

to 2015, Sturgeon sting and the SNP backing that a 50p top rate - across

the UK. . The key point. And in 2016 it'll cost us money if we bring it

in in Scotland, top rate tax payers could leave the country and we could

lose, I think she said at the time, ?30 million worth of tax, so we're

not going to do it. Hinting yesterday, again this could be a

pledge the SNP put forward again. I think it does expose, you know,

really how much influence the SNP can have at Westminster, when they

are putting forward policies that would have to be introduced across

the whole of the UK in order for them to back them. And finishing

with a stinger towards Kezia Dugdale, saying - what was t you are

looking out of place, and you know it, you are looking like a loser

basically was what she was trying to say. Yes and she put the boot in and

highlighted last week the fact that some Labour councils have promised

to freeze the council tax and Kezia Dugdale is talking about using

taxation to raise revenue well there is the chance and some Labour

councils not taking that chance. And briefly, Sev, the Green position,

Patrick Harvie trying to take a purist position saying we have never

asked for them, the other parties are. Yes he managed a universal

response to everything. He brought in school testing and the 50p too,

rate... Through a single question Exactly But he was coming at the SNP

as a kind of friendly critic saying - you can do, you can improve on

school performance by investing more through higher taxation. So Nicola

Sturgeon didn't entirely get off the hook on the 50p tax request that

Kezia Dugdale had taken up. We have a little shotty. Leaders don't get

their chance each we are, you will notice that Willy Rennie it wasn't

his turn to get a question in to the First Minister. We thought it was

unfair, we gave him an opportunity. My colleague, Glenn Campbell spoke

to Willy are enany the Liberal Democrat leader. The SNP have a

record of just over 10 years. The economy is teetering on the edge of

a recession, we have educational records slumping down the rankings

and a mental health strategy that's way behind where it should be.

That's the record of the SNP in Government ie. ' Quite happy to deal

with that in this election campaign. -- I'm happy. It is about time we

got these people out of power. Of in terms of the opinion polls, whether

it is the local elections or the general election, the SNP still

appear to be the dominant force in Scottish politics. How are you going

to go about changing that? Well, let's see what happens in this

election campaign. Because I think what we will see is one of the

biggest changes in public opinion since 2014. We will see the SNP

going down over the course of the general election campaign. And the

Liberal Democrats will be on the rise. I can see us, with our unique

position of standing up for Scotland in the United Kingdom and the United

Kingdom in the European Union, together with our progressive

package of policies, on mental health and education, that we will

garner more support in this campaign. Well there, we have T

reckons, of course, he is going to get more. The others all say the

same. Hey, these are elections, local elections tomorrow, UK

election on June 8th. Still joined by my colleagues heemplt let's talk

about the local elections first, they've tended to be swamped since

Theresa May made the announcement but these are significant elections

in themselves, 32 councils, what would count as a significant result

do you think? Obviously each councillor wants top win. We have

some magic numbers, we have 18 local authorities in Scotland where Labour

are either in overall control or partial control. We'll need to see

how many Labour lose. There is a significant question - they could

actually lose all of them, or find themselves having to struggle back

into power by going to coalition, very difficult question of going

into coalition with the Tories, potentially with the SNP in

Edinburgh. The other question, are the opinion polls which show the SNP

45%, the Tories nudging 30 and Labour at 14 or 15 or maybe up to

18, going to be borne out by the turnout tomorrow and the other

question is ssh will the turnout be significant? Can we really place a

loss the lot of reliance of that, as huge opinion poll ahead of the June

8th election? If advance of that June 8th election, what would

tomorrow? Does it offer pointers to it or a differential turnout,

entirely different elections s it dangerous to be making too many

assumptions from tomorrow? I think it is dangerous to be making too

many broad assumption abouts what could happen in the general

election, it is a different voting system as some of ev said, turnout

is generally low, so it is difficult for parties to get a grasp of the

national picture. Maybe it'll difficult some steps to parts of the

country where supports is particularly weak or strong and

maybe it can inform where they need it campaign strategically across the

country. And very, very briefly, Sev, the UK general election will

dominate after tomorrow. It dominates now, doesn't it? Indeed it

does. We are now going to have to, this is like a phoney war and we're

going to kick into a new phase. Next week After next weekend. Of course

England has council elections too. Next week will when it begins in

earnest. What, four-and-a-half weeks, five weeks to gnchts I

believe so. It could be great fun. We'll all watch out for T we had the

local elections already planned, but now we'll be turning our attention

to the small matter of a UK general election as well. All of those

issues really on the table today in questions to the First Minister. The

entire session was permeated by elections from. Me, Brian Taylor,

for now, goodbye. Because you're the one

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