:00:20. > :00:26.A very warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament here at Holyrood. Loads
:00:27. > :00:30.happening. By majority parliamentary committee has said don't scrap the
:00:31. > :00:35.automatic requirement for corroboration in Scottish law. More
:00:36. > :00:39.fallout from the Budget vote, when it was backed by MSPs overwhelmingly
:00:40. > :00:44.yesterday. All of those topics could come up in questions to the First
:00:45. > :00:51.Minister, the topic of this programme.
:00:52. > :00:55.Thank you. We are taking questions as part of general questions before
:00:56. > :01:01.we move to the business of First Minister's Questions. The First
:01:02. > :01:05.Minister is preparing for that. Thank you very much, presiding
:01:06. > :01:10.officer. What engagements are planned for the rest of the day?
:01:11. > :01:17.Later today I will be doing one or two wee things to take forward the
:01:18. > :01:21.Government's programme for Scotland. Order. That is such a relief to me.
:01:22. > :01:28.One person's wee things person's ridiculous frippery. On
:01:29. > :01:32.person's ridiculous frippery. On Tuesday, in what the Financial Times
:01:33. > :01:37.described as the highest profile intervention yet from business, the
:01:38. > :01:42.chief executive of BP said he was against Scotland leaving the United
:01:43. > :01:46.Kingdom. He said there was too much uncertainty, including what currency
:01:47. > :01:55.and independent Scotland would use. In response, the First Minister told
:01:56. > :02:00.BBC Scotland that, and I quote, of course there are many, many chief
:02:01. > :02:03.executives who are firmly in favour of Scottish independence. Could the
:02:04. > :02:06.First Minister now named the many chief executives of oil companies
:02:07. > :02:15.like BP in favour of Scottish Independent -- independence? Yellow
:02:16. > :02:20.macro there are hundreds of people in Scottish business arguing for
:02:21. > :02:26.welfare and benefit for the people of Scotland from independence. I
:02:27. > :02:29.thought the most important thing that Bob Douglas said was that the
:02:30. > :02:34.investment plans of BP, announced very recently, in the last two
:02:35. > :02:39.years, would be continuing. Of course that is absolutely right
:02:40. > :02:47.because they are done on an economic basis. BP recognised that just as
:02:48. > :02:50.over the last 40 years, it has been business sensible and lucrative for
:02:51. > :02:54.them to invest in the North Sea, and so that will be the case over the
:02:55. > :02:58.next 40 years. I think what we should do in these matters is looked
:02:59. > :03:02.at the investment decisions. We should look at the sparkling
:03:03. > :03:06.performance, to quote Ernst Young, of inward investment in Scotland. We
:03:07. > :03:12.should look at the substantial investment being made in Scotland.
:03:13. > :03:17.That is what indicates the confidence in Scotland's future and
:03:18. > :03:25.that is what she should recognise. Not wee things, but very
:03:26. > :03:29.that is what she should recognise. things indeed. The First
:03:30. > :03:32.that is what she should recognise. like answering the question he was
:03:33. > :03:36.asked. Not for the first time does the First Minister decide for other
:03:37. > :03:40.people what they are saying. He tells the United Kingdom what is in
:03:41. > :03:44.their interest in relation to currency and he tells Europe about
:03:45. > :03:47.what he thinks might happen in the future to Scotland. He is now
:03:48. > :03:55.telling Bob Dudley what he thinks about the future for his company.
:03:56. > :03:59.Listen to what he says, rather than asserting what he says. BP have
:04:00. > :04:05.invested ?35 billion in the North Sea. They are planning to invest
:04:06. > :04:11.another ?10 billion by 2017. BP's North Sea investment employs 4000
:04:12. > :04:16.people and they have extracted to date more than 5000 barrels of oil
:04:17. > :04:25.and gas. I suggest we should listen to what Bob Dudley says. The first
:04:26. > :04:29.minister said that many, many chief executives backed Scottish
:04:30. > :04:32.independence so I ask him again, can the First Minister named the many
:04:33. > :04:41.chief executives of companies comparable to BP who backed
:04:42. > :04:47.independence? As I said, Business for Scotland has hundreds of members
:04:48. > :04:52.arguing for business in Scotland. But putting words into Bob Dudley's
:04:53. > :04:57.mouth, I would prefer to quote him exactly from the 5th of February,
:04:58. > :05:02.talking about projects including the exploration scheme. They will keep
:05:03. > :05:06.production going past 2050. I was quoting him exactly in pointing out
:05:07. > :05:11.the substantial investments that BP and other companies are making in
:05:12. > :05:16.the waters around Scotland at the present moment. Now, it was not
:05:17. > :05:21.always like that. I have a range of quotes here that investment dried
:05:22. > :05:23.always like that. I have a range of Government, because of
:05:24. > :05:28.always like that. I have a range of tax changes, not to mention the 2011
:05:29. > :05:32.Alexander Osborne swipe at the industry which also dried up
:05:33. > :05:36.investment. That is why production has been declining over the last few
:05:37. > :05:43.years. However, thanks to the investment going in, Oil and Gas UK
:05:44. > :05:51.forecast production could reach 2 million barrels per day at the end
:05:52. > :05:55.of the decade, up from 1.5 million in 2015, so I think investment
:05:56. > :06:00.talks. But I do think what Bob Dudley said is important. I have
:06:01. > :06:07.been looking at what another Bob was saying in The Herald today. The
:06:08. > :06:20.Labour store bought. He is somebody -- stall wart. He is going to be
:06:21. > :06:24.voting yes in September, not because of strong nationalistic feelings but
:06:25. > :06:28.because he believes in democracy and equality. Perhaps she should also
:06:29. > :06:34.listen to the many Labour Party members, Alan Lawson, Charles Gray,
:06:35. > :06:39.all declaring yes. Look at the reasons why they are declaring for
:06:40. > :06:43.yes. And perhaps even she will decide to see the arguments for
:06:44. > :06:51.justice, equality, prosperity and investment in an independent
:06:52. > :06:56.Scotland. Sorry, I was only taking the First Minister at his word when
:06:57. > :06:59.he said there were many, many chief executives who support
:07:00. > :07:04.independence. And having said it, I presumed he would be able to give us
:07:05. > :07:09.at least one, rather than all of that displacement activity there. On
:07:10. > :07:14.Tuesday, the chief executive of Sainsbury's said of Scotland, once
:07:15. > :07:19.it is a separate country, we and other
:07:20. > :07:22.it is a separate country, we and industry and of course the revenue
:07:23. > :07:26.structure, too. If you were to strike that today, there is no doubt
:07:27. > :07:33.that Scotland is a more costly country in which to run a grocery
:07:34. > :07:35.business. Sainsbury's says there are negative consequences to
:07:36. > :07:41.independence. So do ASDA and Morrisons. It may not matter to you
:07:42. > :07:46.but it matters to shop workers the length and breadth of this country.
:07:47. > :07:52.The chief executives of BP, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Morrisons have
:07:53. > :07:56.all warned about the consequence of independence. The first minister
:07:57. > :08:02.says there are many, many chief executives in favour of his plan.
:08:03. > :08:06.Again, I ask him, name of the many, many chief executives of businesses
:08:07. > :08:14.comparable to BP and the supermarkets who actually back him.
:08:15. > :08:19.The supermarket argument fell flat when it was when the first time in
:08:20. > :08:25.December and it falls flat again. It is not shop workers that she is
:08:26. > :08:34.quoting. This is the point. Order! In the argument about what is
:08:35. > :08:40.important to Scotland. We need to stop talking like the political
:08:41. > :08:45.elite, and she talks like nothing but the political elite in this
:08:46. > :08:49.question. I could talk until the cows come home about currency
:08:50. > :08:52.unions, but if you are sitting at home at night watching television,
:08:53. > :08:56.that is not the language you are talking. That is the exact point.
:08:57. > :09:02.Let's talk the language of people. Let's talk about jobs,
:09:03. > :09:07.investment... Order. Let's talk about transformation of childcare.
:09:08. > :09:10.Let's talk about the bedroom tax. Let's talk about what this
:09:11. > :09:18.Parliament has achieved and don't cite the elite. Quote the people of
:09:19. > :09:31.Scotland calling for independence. Order. Order. Well, it is obvious
:09:32. > :09:35.the First Minister's special advisers have been an double-time
:09:36. > :09:42.trying to find him words to put in a space so he does not have to answer
:09:43. > :09:45.the question. It is precisely because we are concerned about the
:09:46. > :09:52.consequences of ordinary people that we challenge the First Minister on
:09:53. > :09:56.his accession of the last 40 years. -- his obsession. Isn't it the case
:09:57. > :09:59.that rule number one in Alex Salmond's book of communication is
:10:00. > :10:02.to assert something that is not true and keep on repeating it often
:10:03. > :10:08.enough in the hope that people believe it. In the hope that people
:10:09. > :10:14.believe it to be true, even when it is not. The First Minister cannot
:10:15. > :10:18.explain what the currency would be in an independent Scotland, but
:10:19. > :10:22.every major supermarkets, not the elite, every major supermarket can
:10:23. > :10:31.say that the price of groceries would go up and the chief executive
:10:32. > :10:37.of one of our biggest oil companies has recommended that Scots reject
:10:38. > :10:40.separation. The Institute of chartered accountants say that he
:10:41. > :10:46.has failed to answer basic questions on pensions. The First Minister's
:10:47. > :10:52.responses to stick his fingers in his ears and carry on regardless. At
:10:53. > :10:54.what point does the First Minister acknowledged that the chief
:10:55. > :11:03.executive of BP, that our supermarkets, that ICAS may know
:11:04. > :11:10.what they are talking about and that leaving the UK may be bad for the
:11:11. > :11:16.people of Scotland? On the white paper, the chief
:11:17. > :11:18.people of Scotland? On the white and Gas UK said, we are encouraged
:11:19. > :11:23.by commitments to increase exploration and measures to maximise
:11:24. > :11:26.recovery of oil and gas reserves. We welcome the assurance of future
:11:27. > :11:33.decommissioning and we welcome consultation on future fiscal
:11:34. > :11:36.changes. I am quoting about the things that matter. Investment dried
:11:37. > :11:42.up during the period of Labour Government because of taxation
:11:43. > :11:47.changes. It dried up in 2011 after the dawn raid from Osborne and Danny
:11:48. > :11:56.Alexander and now investment is subject in the North Sea and the
:11:57. > :12:00.waters around Scotland and that will increase production. If we did not
:12:01. > :12:05.have to work until the wee small hours to find these quotations, we
:12:06. > :12:13.can look at Pages eight and nine of the Daily Record this morning. This
:12:14. > :12:19.is her friend and ally, not even a Labour MP. They will not turn up at
:12:20. > :12:23.the conference because they don't like her policies. I am talking
:12:24. > :12:29.about her friend and ally. We need to stop talking like the political
:12:30. > :12:32.elite and start talking in the language of the people. I could talk
:12:33. > :12:35.until the cows come home about currency unions but if you are
:12:36. > :12:40.sitting home at night watching television, that is not the language
:12:41. > :12:47.you are talking. Will she take advice from Margaret if not from me?
:12:48. > :12:51.As far as the question of what the Government is doing in terms of
:12:52. > :12:55.chief executives, one senior defence executive quoted in the FT this very
:12:56. > :13:04.morning, commenting on the use of the dark arts, that is the UK
:13:05. > :13:10.Government putting pressure... Well, I am just quoting. Order. I am sure
:13:11. > :13:18.because of their friendship to all these chief executives, she reads
:13:19. > :13:22.every morning that the UK Government is putting pressure on companies to
:13:23. > :13:25.speak out about independence, suggesting anxiety about the opinion
:13:26. > :13:32.polls and the referendum result. That is what is happening at the
:13:33. > :13:36.present moment and that is why things like jobs, investment, the
:13:37. > :13:46.bedroom tax, transformational childcare will carry the day in
:13:47. > :13:51.September. Question number two, Ruth Davidson. Thank you, to ask the
:13:52. > :13:56.First Minister when he will meet the pro-minister. Well, no plans, but I
:13:57. > :14:01.think there is every chance of meeting the Prime Minister on the
:14:02. > :14:07.24th of February in Aberdeen, the same day that the Cabinet and our
:14:08. > :14:11.Government will be ten miles apart. Instead of talking down to Scotland
:14:12. > :14:14.from the seat of power in London, I know that the STV studios are free
:14:15. > :14:26.that evening, where the debate could take place that people in Scotland
:14:27. > :14:36.want to see. Not waving but drowning and sounding increasingly desperate
:14:37. > :14:40.but I can see why he wants to. Today's justice committee report
:14:41. > :14:44.makes clear that the case has not been made for abolishing the general
:14:45. > :14:51.requirement for corroboration. It asks the Government to look again at
:14:52. > :14:57.this hugely controversial proposal. That is a significant and rare
:14:58. > :14:59.intervention. Can I ask the First Minister for his response? Responses
:15:00. > :15:04.from the Justice Secretary, Minister for his response? Responses
:15:05. > :15:11.looking at the safeguards in the matter. His credentials cannot be
:15:12. > :15:16.disputed. The human rights judge and practitioner, over many years, he is
:15:17. > :15:20.hugely respected and it is right and proper that the Justice Secretary
:15:21. > :15:23.has asked someone of this distinction to review the
:15:24. > :15:26.legislation and make absolutely clear that in changing and removing
:15:27. > :15:32.the general rule of corroboration there is not the risk of miscarriage
:15:33. > :15:35.of justice. But I would ask Ruth Davidson to reflect that we know
:15:36. > :15:39.there are miscarriages of justice taking place in Scotland at the
:15:40. > :15:43.present moment. These miscarriages of justice are the hundreds, some
:15:44. > :15:47.people would argue thousands, of cases that cannot come to court, and
:15:48. > :15:55.victims who do not get their day in court. Do not get access to justice.
:15:56. > :15:58.Because instead of deciding on the sufficiency of evidence which is the
:15:59. > :16:02.general principle in law of many jurisdictions, we have uniquely a
:16:03. > :16:05.general rule of corroboration which makes it impossible to take some
:16:06. > :16:13.cases, particularly sexual and domestic violence cases, to court.
:16:14. > :16:16.If this review can identify appropriate Parliamentary safeguards
:16:17. > :16:20.for a route forward, that surely allows a something in terms of the
:16:21. > :16:37.concern for victims that all of this Parliament could find its way to
:16:38. > :16:41.support. Every party in this parliament is concerned about the
:16:42. > :16:50.victims but the best way to do it this is by positive action. The
:16:51. > :16:58.Justice system in this country has served us well for decades. Two
:16:59. > :17:03.former heads of the judiciary also that this plan is wrong. This is now
:17:04. > :17:08.about the integrity of this Parliament. What we, as members, are
:17:09. > :17:13.being asked to do, is vote through a bill that we know to be deeply
:17:14. > :17:18.flawed on the grounds that Kenny MacAskill says he will sort it
:17:19. > :17:21.later. There is an obvious solution here. Leave the scrapping of
:17:22. > :17:28.corroboration out of the bill. Ask Lord Bonymaen to report on the whole
:17:29. > :17:32.issue and then let us look at it again. Surely, first Minister, it is
:17:33. > :17:41.better to make good law later than bad law now. As the proposal would
:17:42. > :17:45.come back after Lord Bonymaen's findings to committee and
:17:46. > :17:49.consultation to this Parliament, it is impossible to argue that the
:17:50. > :17:54.integrity of Parliament is jeopardised by something that
:17:55. > :18:00.requires Parliament and committee's support. I think she should have the
:18:01. > :18:06.good look at what the lord president said this morning. He said today
:18:07. > :18:09.that he was grateful for the sensitive response to the widespread
:18:10. > :18:12.discussion of the proposal and for letting him see the terms of
:18:13. > :18:16.reference. This will enable the issue to be looked at in wider --
:18:17. > :18:19.and greater length by a wider body of professionals and should allow
:18:20. > :18:26.thorough consideration of the issues. If he can welcome the review
:18:27. > :18:31.by Lord Bonymaen, I think this entire Parliament should welcome it.
:18:32. > :18:36.Let me return to Ruth Davison, because when this issue was raised a
:18:37. > :18:43.few weeks ago, I gave a reference to a case, and I think some people were
:18:44. > :18:50.confused by this reference, this is the Lee Cyrus case, the case of
:18:51. > :18:53.someone whose trial could not be brought in Scotland because of a
:18:54. > :18:59.lack of corroboration. The point is this. A colleague appeared on STV
:19:00. > :19:04.news on the 13th of December and this is what he said. I am very
:19:05. > :19:06.concerned that we are not seen criminal proceedings against this
:19:07. > :19:11.individual. This is an issue that the Justice Secretary needs to look
:19:12. > :19:15.at. Why this is the case and why his victims in Scotland are not getting
:19:16. > :19:22.justice. The reason the victims were not getting justice was the general
:19:23. > :19:28.rule of corroboration. The solicitor general's letter to Annabelle Ewing
:19:29. > :19:35.the 31st of December, there was no prosecution because of a lack of
:19:36. > :19:39.corroboration. More importantly, in hundreds or thousands of cases,
:19:40. > :19:43.cases cannot get into court not because of a lack of evidence but
:19:44. > :19:49.because of a general rule that is unprecedented in any other legal
:19:50. > :19:52.system. That is why it is imported, with the appropriate safeguards the
:19:53. > :19:55.Parliament has in place, and I would say it is right and proper to
:19:56. > :20:04.question this, but what is not right and proper is for one member of a
:20:05. > :20:11.party to demand an explanation for why the case cannot get caught and
:20:12. > :20:17.then went to discover it is due to a lack of corroboration, to not come
:20:18. > :20:25.and discuss it and then for another member of that party to refuse to
:20:26. > :20:31.recognise these problems. What issues will be discussed at the next
:20:32. > :20:40.Parliament? Issues that are important to Scotland. I heard what
:20:41. > :20:42.the Minister said regarding the rules of corroboration. To say that
:20:43. > :20:57.he needs somebody like Lord Bonhomie rules of corroboration. To say that
:20:58. > :21:02.does not paper over the -- does not fix things. It simply papers over
:21:03. > :21:07.the cracks. Lawmaking in reverse is a shoddy way to expect Scotland's
:21:08. > :21:14.Parliament to act. Doesn't the first Minister see that? I don't think the
:21:15. > :21:19.position is being expressed barely there. The appointment of Lord
:21:20. > :21:24.Bonhomie, as the president said today, is because of the widespread
:21:25. > :21:28.discussion of the proposal and I would have thought that release
:21:29. > :21:32.could have been welcomed across the Parliament. It is not a quick fix.
:21:33. > :21:35.It is a distinguished judge who is looking to make absolutely certain
:21:36. > :21:39.that as this changes made, appropriate safeguards are there to
:21:40. > :21:44.prevent miscarriages of justice. That is a substantial point and any
:21:45. > :21:50.recommendations would come back here for discussion and for approval by
:21:51. > :21:53.this Parliament. By definition, this change cannot take place unless and
:21:54. > :21:59.until this Parliament is satisfied that the proposals that have come
:22:00. > :22:02.forward right. Given that the justice secretary is prepared to do
:22:03. > :22:06.that, can they not accept that there is a real problem, because after his
:22:07. > :22:10.second question, I will come unto the people who have identified the
:22:11. > :22:16.real problem and are fighting for justice. Coming at except that the
:22:17. > :22:20.way forward -- can they not except that the way forward to protect
:22:21. > :22:28.against miscarriage of justice is to allow these hundreds and thousands
:22:29. > :22:34.of people access to justice? What he is actually doing is asking Lord
:22:35. > :22:39.Bonhomie to fit new locks to be stable a year after the horses will
:22:40. > :22:44.have bolted. He knows this is a complete shambles. Three weeks ago,
:22:45. > :22:46.I warned the first Minister that his planned on corroboration were
:22:47. > :22:51.cracking. He said they were exactly the right thing to do. I said the
:22:52. > :22:58.justice secretary was candid. He said, he was doing his best. Since
:22:59. > :23:04.then, Kenny MacAskill rushed and un-sign letter to the committee just
:23:05. > :23:07.minutes before their decision was finalised and within minutes of
:23:08. > :23:13.that, he rejected their report. He knows this is a shambles but I will
:23:14. > :23:19.not go on. Will he now overruled the justice secretary before he causes
:23:20. > :23:26.serious damage? Two things. I think if anybody thinks someone with the
:23:27. > :23:35.distinction of Lord Bonhomie except a job -- access a job like this
:23:36. > :23:43.without understanding the seriousness of it is wrong. Nothing
:23:44. > :23:47.can happen within this bill unless it has the acceptance of this
:23:48. > :23:52.Parliament. It will not be implemented unless that happens. The
:23:53. > :23:56.other side of this matter is a press release from rape crisis this
:23:57. > :24:01.morning. Rape crisis Scotland is extremely disappointed that the
:24:02. > :24:08.justice committee has been unable to agree with the corroboration
:24:09. > :24:12.changes. Let's listen to Anne-Marie who has waived her right for
:24:13. > :24:14.anonymity to say that the impact of the general rule of corroboration
:24:15. > :24:21.which made it impossible for a successful prosecution as a victim
:24:22. > :24:26.of a very, very serious crime, points out that the impact of this
:24:27. > :24:31.is not something that victims are making up. It is not something that
:24:32. > :24:35.victims are making up. Because we have the general rule which makes it
:24:36. > :24:41.impossible to bring many cases to court, and I know on the Labour
:24:42. > :24:44.benches there are people who believe this, because in the Labour Party
:24:45. > :24:48.manifesto it was there that this should be changed.
:24:49. > :24:50.hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who cannot, because of this
:24:51. > :24:59.general rule, bring their cases to people who cannot, because of this
:25:00. > :25:06.court. There is as -- a feeling of serious injustice. Safeguards can be
:25:07. > :25:10.provided to make sure there is no danger of miscarriage of justice, so
:25:11. > :25:14.surely this Parliament in its heart can find a way and means of allowing
:25:15. > :25:24.these thousands of people to get access to justice so that justice
:25:25. > :25:30.can be and be seen to be done? Thank you presiding officer. To ask the
:25:31. > :25:36.first Minister what representations the Scottish Government is making to
:25:37. > :25:42.the UK Government with regards to financial assistance for the bedroom
:25:43. > :25:45.tax? I think there was general Government -- general agreement
:25:46. > :25:52.across the chamber in the debate yesterday that the best mechanism to
:25:53. > :25:55.support tenants affected by the bedroom tax is to discretionary
:25:56. > :26:01.household payments. The Scottish Government has made racist son shall
:26:02. > :26:06.number of -- a substantial number of representations to the UK Government
:26:07. > :26:12.on this matter, starting in December 2012 when we asked for an amendment
:26:13. > :26:17.on the bedroom tax. We then asked for up exemptions for the most
:26:18. > :26:21.memorable. Then the 6th of March 2013, we asked for the scrapping of
:26:22. > :26:34.the bedroom tax, then we asked for DH be funding to be raised and now
:26:35. > :26:36.we are asking for that feeling to be raised or removed so that
:26:37. > :26:41.discretionary housing payments can be given to those who need it. It
:26:42. > :26:44.has been a good week for this Parliament because we have been
:26:45. > :26:50.addressing the issues of great popular concern in
:26:51. > :26:54.addressing the issues of great the injustice of the bedroom tax.
:26:55. > :26:58.Thank you for the answer. Do you agree with me that it was no small
:26:59. > :27:02.thing for the parties in this chamber to put aside their
:27:03. > :27:06.differences and unite to approve the budget yesterday? But the time has
:27:07. > :27:11.come for the UK Government and Iain Duncan Smith to do the right thing,
:27:12. > :27:14.to raise the level of discretionary housing payments in order to
:27:15. > :27:19.mitigate the lead the impact of the obscene and hated bedroom tax on
:27:20. > :27:28.80,000 people in Scotland? To do it and to do it now. I absolutely
:27:29. > :27:31.agree. Removing the is a simple thing to do. It is that no cost to
:27:32. > :27:38.Westminster and could be completed by the 1st of April. We await the
:27:39. > :27:42.DWP's answer. We should also bear in mind the wise words of car when
:27:43. > :27:47.Jones who pointed out in the Welsh assembly this very week that the
:27:48. > :27:58.powers devolved assembly can allow to mitigate, but that has a danger
:27:59. > :28:01.that things that are scrapped at UK level are pushed at extra cost on to
:28:02. > :28:06.Scotland and Wales. We cannot mitigate the injustices of the
:28:07. > :28:12.welfare on the people of Scotland? That is why this Parliament should
:28:13. > :28:17.have full control so it can and social justice in this country. To
:28:18. > :28:22.ask the first Minister what steps beyond minimum pricing the Scottish
:28:23. > :28:37.Government would take to tackle alcohol abuse. We aim to support a
:28:38. > :28:38.cultural change that is necessary in the longer term with regards to the
:28:39. > :28:46.Scottish the longer term with regards to the
:28:47. > :28:49.our call. We have got ?200 million targeted at treatment support
:28:50. > :28:57.services including education and awareness campaigns. Thank you. Will
:28:58. > :29:03.he support a measure in the shifting the culture Bill which includes
:29:04. > :29:14.limiting the amount of caffeine in premixed alcoholic drinks. A study
:29:15. > :29:23.showed that over 43% of those who consume one particular brand of
:29:24. > :29:31.caffeinated alcohol, a brand that makes up only 1% of products. We
:29:32. > :29:37.could also look at further -- further at selling to under age
:29:38. > :29:43.people. This is something that the whole Parliament should act under
:29:44. > :29:51.together. The first point she made is something we are very willing to
:29:52. > :29:55.have a good look at. I think Rhoda Grant needs to except that the
:29:56. > :30:06.substantial body of evidence demonstrate that affordability is a
:30:07. > :30:11.key factor in purchasing alcohol problems. That is why we believe
:30:12. > :30:20.that minimum pricing policy will be beneficial. What steps is of
:30:21. > :30:25.Scottish women taking to reduce child poverty? There is progress
:30:26. > :30:30.being made in child poverty and that progress was seen in a report by the
:30:31. > :30:33.Joseph Rowntree foundation at the weekend. It showed that child
:30:34. > :30:39.poverty had fallen ten percentage points in the ten
:30:40. > :30:47.poverty had fallen ten percentage England. But maybe DNS chamber can
:30:48. > :30:52.ignore the stark warning that as a result of welfare cuts, it is
:30:53. > :31:00.possible, and additional month and a thousand children could be forced
:31:01. > :31:03.back into poverty. That is against the substantial improvements made
:31:04. > :31:09.over the last ten years. Can you tell me how independence would
:31:10. > :31:15.produce further opportunities to address child poverty? Even for the
:31:16. > :31:18.Labour benches, I would've thought it would be pretty obvious that when
:31:19. > :31:23.Child poverty action say the welfare changes are affect pink families
:31:24. > :31:29.across Scotland and could put 100 thousand children back into poverty,
:31:30. > :31:32.even the Labour benches might acknowledge that having control of
:31:33. > :31:36.these things in Scotland would be a tremendous asset and help in
:31:37. > :31:46.preventing that circumstance happening. That is why, only when
:31:47. > :31:53.Scotland's feature is in Scotland's hands, and this Parliament has full
:31:54. > :31:59.power in its hands, will we be able to make sure the big things in
:32:00. > :32:06.Scotland are put to rights. How about tackling it now? Children in
:32:07. > :32:12.22 of the poorest primary schools are having their support removed to
:32:13. > :32:18.meet commitments. We could pass more money for that. We'll the leader
:32:19. > :32:24.meet the leader of Dundee City Council to make sure that childcare
:32:25. > :32:33.commitment will not come detrimentally? We are tackling it
:32:34. > :32:39.now. The percentage of children in poverty when
:32:40. > :32:43.now. The percentage of children in as part of the measures that have
:32:44. > :32:50.been taken by this Government, reduced. How would she suggest that
:32:51. > :32:58.we were tackle it now when every child poverty organisation point to
:32:59. > :33:03.the welfare changes as the threat to child poverty? Can there be the
:33:04. > :33:13.courage to say this should be controlled in Scotland by this
:33:14. > :33:17.Parliament? That ends first Minister 's questions. Members leaving the
:33:18. > :33:22.chamber should do so quietly. There we have it. Robust exchanges at the
:33:23. > :33:33.end and very robust exchanges at the beginning. Intriguing questions from
:33:34. > :33:37.people there on corroboration. You heard a softly spoken but strongly
:33:38. > :33:43.argued case being made by the first Minister on that issue. That is
:33:44. > :33:47.dominating debate here. That is all from me. Time to hand you over to
:33:48. > :33:59.the Daily Politics. had lots of women on our front
:34:00. > :34:10.benches. We moved people around. To make the point! They normally sit on
:34:11. > :34:12.the front bench. That is the Shadow Cabinet. We put them all together
:34:13. > :34:21.with if you men in the middle. Cabinet. We put them all together
:34:22. > :34:25.reorganised it. It was accurate. Let's look at this picture. I should
:34:26. > :34:30.welcome our viewers from Scotland who have joined us. We are talking
:34:31. > :34:33.about women