:00:23. > :00:26.Parliament here at Holyrood. Earlier today SNPs blocked the idea of the
:00:26. > :00:30.suggestion that prisoners should have a vote on the referendum on
:00:30. > :00:35.independence. The other issue - the big one today, would appear to be
:00:35. > :00:40.welfare benefits A report is saying the bedroom tax, or the removal of
:00:40. > :00:45.the subsidy is costing people around �11 per week in some cases. Across
:00:45. > :00:51.the UK, we have, in London the speech by Ed Miliband, on targeting
:00:51. > :01:01.the welfare in the longer term - a cap on benefits. Let's see if any of
:01:01. > :01:01.
:01:02. > :01:07.those questions came up in questions Questions about independence. Let's
:01:07. > :01:14.hear what the First Minister has to say. The Labour Party, which fought
:01:14. > :01:21.a by-election in Glasgow north-east, under the campaign issue that the
:01:21. > :01:29.SMP were neglecting Glasgow and giving money to Aberdeen is fighting
:01:29. > :01:35.to defend their track record by suggesting that the SNP is giving
:01:35. > :01:39.money to Glasgow and not Aberdeen. This Labour campaign might have been
:01:39. > :01:46.successful! He is not talking about independence in Aberdeen, although
:01:46. > :01:52.he spend all his life talking about it everywhere else. Isn't it the
:01:52. > :02:00.case... Order!He is not mentioning independence in Aberdeen, because
:02:00. > :02:10.his case is falling apart. His adviser advisers, with or without
:02:10. > :02:18.Nobel Prizes say it is rubbish. Joe Stiglet say it will not work. And
:02:18. > :02:28.others say it is not independence at all. John Sweeney is exiled for
:02:28. > :02:28.
:02:29. > :02:34.saying in private... Order! Well, you live in hope!
:02:34. > :02:40.Order! We live in hope. We live in hope
:02:40. > :02:45.that he will say in public what he said to his Cabinet colleagues in
:02:45. > :02:53.private. If we remember he said that an independent Scotland might not be
:02:53. > :03:00.able to afford the state pension and in public... He did say it. He
:03:00. > :03:05.didn't say it to you, but he did say it. He said, in public, the SNP
:03:05. > :03:10.cannot say what currency it would be paid in if we had one. Isn't it the
:03:10. > :03:18.case that independence is the First Minister's passion, but every time
:03:18. > :03:28.there's an election it becomes a love which dare not speak its name?
:03:28. > :03:32.
:03:32. > :03:37.Can I introduce you to John Sweeney. John, Joan... Unlike the candidate
:03:37. > :03:43.of donside, who suggested he wanted to increase the council tax in
:03:43. > :03:47.Aberdeen, the highest in Scotland, was exiled from television
:03:47. > :03:53.interviews incase he repeated the gaffe. Can I say to Joan that the
:03:53. > :03:58.case for independence is articulated in the terms of social justice that
:03:58. > :04:03.it will bring to the people of Scotland? Unfortunately the Labour
:04:03. > :04:08.Party, this week of all weeks, is no position to talk about social
:04:08. > :04:13.justice. Tearing up the opposition to the welfare reforms, presumably
:04:13. > :04:21.Alistair Darling will feel more comrtable at the -- comfortable at
:04:21. > :04:31.the Tory conference this weekend. No more something for nothing rhetoric.
:04:31. > :04:36.
:04:36. > :04:46.That went down well! That is astonishing to a minister who is to
:04:46. > :04:52.
:04:52. > :04:58.the right of Mr Osborne. Order! There is far touch noise in the
:04:58. > :05:01.chamber. He was saying he would cut corporation tax, three points more
:05:02. > :05:06.than George Osborne. He's the only person, unique in the United
:05:06. > :05:10.Kingdom, who on one hand is offering tax cuts and is saying he will
:05:10. > :05:16.continue to spend the same way in public expenditure. It is simply not
:05:16. > :05:19.credible. It is not credible and everyone knows it. But of course,
:05:19. > :05:27.the First Minister's campaign started with a day at the cinema. A
:05:27. > :05:36.year on, he's going to the zoo. In our hearts all of us know his
:05:36. > :05:45.campaign is going nowhere. You know, Scotland has a lot of sympathy for
:05:45. > :05:54.the panda Sweetie. We know what it is to regret the unwanted advances
:05:54. > :06:00.of a big beast with only one thing on its mind. We also know this
:06:00. > :06:04.Government has its priorities all wrong. That's why Mark McDonald
:06:04. > :06:10.asked questions about Japanese knotweeds than A&E services in
:06:10. > :06:14.Aberdeen. Is it that why the SNP will not mention independence in
:06:14. > :06:21.Aberdeen, because a "yes" campaign is not helping Alex Salmond getting
:06:21. > :06:24.his yes man back into Holyrood. It is better do the punch line at
:06:24. > :06:30.the end of the question rather than the middle of the question. The
:06:30. > :06:33.worry is, this is the top of a slippery slope towards US-type
:06:33. > :06:37.system of services for the poor only. The attack on pensioners'
:06:37. > :06:42.services leave a question over the future of the welfare state. Is it
:06:43. > :06:47.for everyone or just the poor. This was Peter Hain this week, talking
:06:47. > :06:51.about the Labour Party's change of policy N a week where even former
:06:51. > :07:01.Cabinet ministers are openly doubting Labour's commitment to the
:07:01. > :07:05.
:07:06. > :07:12.welfare state, in a day when, as we are told in the Dell Dell -- Times.
:07:12. > :07:17.She is leading the UK to the right. A something for nothing society. The
:07:17. > :07:21.whole onus of the programme is a something for something society - to
:07:21. > :07:26.hold society together and look after benefits. The benefits from the
:07:26. > :07:30.income tax freeze, from free prescriptions, the benefit of
:07:30. > :07:37.students not having to pay tuition fees. The benefit on personal care,
:07:37. > :07:41.on free transport. These issue policies will win in Aberdeen and
:07:41. > :07:45.across Scotland. That would be more credible if he
:07:45. > :07:51.was not the last man standing arguing for reg monices in this
:07:52. > :07:55.country. The fact of the matter is, when the First Minister talks about
:07:55. > :08:01.his fantastic spending programme, tell that to the college student
:08:01. > :08:07.that can't get a place. Tell that to the care worker, who has got a
:08:07. > :08:11.15-minute visit. Tell that the pensioner who cannot use the bus
:08:11. > :08:16.pass because there is no bus there at all. The fact of the matter is,
:08:16. > :08:22.bizarrely, in Aberdeen, on the doorstep, he doesn't talk about the
:08:22. > :08:25.obsession that brought him into politics. When he's here, his
:08:25. > :08:29.minister ministers themselves tell us what they cannot do until they
:08:29. > :08:32.have independence. When they face real people, like the people of
:08:32. > :08:37.Aberdeen, they will speak about anything other than independence.
:08:37. > :08:42.Oh, yes! I think you will find so, including your own candidate. Isn't
:08:42. > :08:46.that because he knows what the people of Scotland really think
:08:46. > :08:51.about his independence obsession? Perhaps that is the real reason he
:08:51. > :08:58.went to see the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo this week, to find out
:08:58. > :09:04.first-hand from Sunshine how to deal with rejection.
:09:04. > :09:11.Only the question of the Labour Party's commitment to Aberdeen, let
:09:11. > :09:15.me quote Gordon Matheson. The 13th December - that is the SNP, in
:09:16. > :09:22.Glasgow, decided to concentrate the nation's resources on Aberdeen for
:09:22. > :09:26.the SNP. That is the Labour leader of Glasgow council. I know it is an
:09:26. > :09:30.embarrassment for the people in the north-east of Scotland to be aware
:09:30. > :09:33.of the campaign the fronted to stop additional cash for the city of
:09:33. > :09:37.Aberdeen. That is a big embarrassment. Of course it is to
:09:37. > :09:43.have a Labour candidate who wants to increase people's council tax. From
:09:43. > :09:49.the Labour Party's perspective, the new dental hospital, the green
:09:49. > :09:52.energy centre, the oil and gas academy n the city - these are
:09:52. > :09:54.embarrassments but benefits that were brought to the city of
:09:54. > :09:59.Aberdeen. In terms of the embarrassment for the Labour Party
:09:59. > :10:02.across Scotland, moving on to the Tory ground and welfare policy,
:10:02. > :10:06.after three years of continually attacking at Westminster, although
:10:06. > :10:10.following the example of the something for nothing rhetoric in
:10:10. > :10:15.this country in this Parliament is a huge embarrassment for the Labour
:10:15. > :10:19.Party, as Peter Hain identified. As far as students are concerned, we
:10:19. > :10:22.have a record number of students in higher education in Scotland. There
:10:22. > :10:28.is a collapse in student numbers in England. Why is there a collapse?
:10:28. > :10:32.Because of the policy of twegs south of the border, which -- tuition fees
:10:32. > :10:37.sort of the border, which she says are the obvious thing to introduce
:10:37. > :10:41.in Scotland. When weighed in the balance, the excellent policies from
:10:41. > :10:45.Scotland, things being imposed from Westminster, that is why people in
:10:45. > :10:50.Aberdeen and across Scotland will vote to mobilise this nation's
:10:50. > :11:00.resources and the social justice which will come from an independent
:11:00. > :11:04.
:11:04. > :11:11.Thank you. To ask the First Minister when he will next meet the Prime
:11:11. > :11:16.Minister. No plans near future.Last week I asked if he would establish
:11:16. > :11:20.an inquiry into the baby ashes scandal. In response he replied if I
:11:20. > :11:24.wanted to make the case for why a national public inquiry would
:11:24. > :11:28.benefit the bereaved pub parents, he would of course look at that. I
:11:28. > :11:32.wrote to him this week laying out that case. Presiding Officer,
:11:32. > :11:39.parents are calling for this and they are upset they are not involved
:11:39. > :11:43.in the review. It has further emerged that crematorium workers
:11:43. > :11:47.will not be called to give evidence. The review will not give those who
:11:47. > :11:51.have suffered loss the answers that they need and deserve. Does the
:11:51. > :11:56.First Minister agree that in these circumstances the case for a public
:11:56. > :12:02.inquiry is now stronger than ever? Can I say first, she wrote to me
:12:02. > :12:07.last night. I got her letter that stated the 5th June and I will give
:12:07. > :12:12.it due consideration, as she would expect. Looking at her letter tworks
:12:12. > :12:19.things, I know it -- letter, two things. I know it says that parents
:12:19. > :12:23.were not represented in the commission. In fact both charities
:12:23. > :12:27.are represented on the commission. She will remember, of course, it was
:12:27. > :12:31.a representative who first brought this whole issue to light, so I
:12:31. > :12:35.don't think you can just dismess these two important charities, who
:12:35. > :12:40.are represented along with the other interest in the commission. Now the
:12:40. > :12:44.commission has been established in order to take evidence with that
:12:44. > :12:47.broad-based panel, in order that we can get the situation across
:12:47. > :12:50.Scotland into order as quickly as possible. He's reporting by the ends
:12:50. > :12:54.of this year. It is about the future, it is about the best
:12:54. > :12:58.practise, the things which should be done, so we have them, if necessary,
:12:58. > :13:01.into legislation, to assure people that this sort of activity and this
:13:01. > :13:07.sort of grief for parents will not happen again. That is an important
:13:07. > :13:11.thing. In terms of giving parents the answers to their concerns, then
:13:11. > :13:15.of course that is what is being done in the independent insquirry in
:13:15. > :13:21.Edinburgh. There are audits -- inquiry in Edinburgh. There are
:13:21. > :13:25.audits across Scotland. I have the most enormous confidence. Formally
:13:25. > :13:29.the top law officer of Scotland. There is no evidence that her
:13:29. > :13:33.inquiry has been hindered any way. When her inquiriment co-s forward
:13:33. > :13:38.and when we have the propose -- inquiry comes forward and when we
:13:38. > :13:42.have the proposals then we will look to make sure everything is has been
:13:42. > :13:45.done correctly and people's questions have been answered. I hope
:13:45. > :13:51.she has had that information and will concede that the commission is
:13:51. > :13:55.a broad-based commission. Secondly, the efforts which have been made are
:13:55. > :13:59.substantial in terms of giving parents answers, particularly in
:13:59. > :14:04.Edinburgh and the commission has been charged with the responsibility
:14:04. > :14:09.of sorting this position out for the whole of Scotland.
:14:09. > :14:13.What he does not appreciate is that neither the commission, nor the
:14:13. > :14:17.investigation is looking at individual cases and is looking at
:14:17. > :14:22.this from a historical perspective and the people involved in this and
:14:22. > :14:25.are looking for answers are looking to find out about what happened to
:14:25. > :14:29.the remains of their own children. They understand the time frame
:14:29. > :14:33.involved in a public inquiry. They understand that and they are asking
:14:33. > :14:39.for one any way. They want answers as to what happened to them T this
:14:40. > :14:43.is not a party political issue. It is not the Scottish -- that Scottish
:14:43. > :14:48.Conservatives want to call for public inquiries and I know the
:14:48. > :14:55.First Minister has listened before. Under him four public inquiries, two
:14:55. > :14:59.of which are on-going, one into hospital-acquired infections and
:14:59. > :15:04.another into contaminated blood products. There are issues not
:15:04. > :15:07.covered either by this investigation or by the other, which is looking at
:15:07. > :15:13.ed burden of proofing. On reflection, the First Minister must
:15:13. > :15:17.-- which is looking at Edinburgh. On reflection, the First Minister must
:15:17. > :15:22.realise this has caused distress, they should have the same kind of
:15:22. > :15:28.investigation on a similar scale as to the public inquiry he has set up
:15:28. > :15:32.in the past. Well, I believe we can have confidence in the investigation
:15:32. > :15:37.as far as Edinburgh is concerned. It will indeed try and get parents the
:15:37. > :15:42.answers that they desire. I do think, because it is underway and
:15:42. > :15:46.taking place, that there's no evidence, because I have checked,
:15:46. > :15:53.which has been blocked by any lack of information. We should have
:15:53. > :15:58.confidence that she will conduct that inenquiry. -- inquiry.
:15:58. > :16:03.There is a concern in the let erased last night about whether parents in
:16:03. > :16:08.Aberdeen would have the opportunity to make submissions to the report. I
:16:08. > :16:12.can confirm they will. The date she believed was the date for finalising
:16:12. > :16:15.the date is the date for the council debate. It will be finalised by the
:16:15. > :16:19.end of this month. The commission will have the time and opportunity
:16:19. > :16:29.to take any submissions from parents in Aberdeen which come out of that
:16:29. > :16:34.audit. I hope that gives her some reassurance. When she has reported
:16:34. > :16:38.and the best practise for this economy to be introduced to ensure
:16:38. > :16:42.us this sort of thing will not happen again, then of course we will
:16:42. > :16:47.weigh carefully if there are outstanding matters which require to
:16:47. > :16:51.be further investigated. I think the balance of interest for parents, for
:16:51. > :16:55.society is to allow the work to go on, while allowing the commission to
:16:55. > :17:05.establish best practise and then weigh carefully and sensitively
:17:05. > :17:05.
:17:05. > :18:24.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 79 seconds
:18:24. > :18:29.about what is best to be done given University funding is not the
:18:29. > :18:37.Conservative Party's strong suit. In the Telegraph yesterday, only
:18:37. > :18:41.yesterday, and I know it is read by you every day, there was an
:18:41. > :18:47.extraordinary piece... As a result of the collapse in student numbers
:18:47. > :18:51.caused by the Conservative Party's policy on tuition fees. In contrast,
:18:51. > :18:55.Scottish universities are in a strong financial position and
:18:55. > :18:59.Scotland has maintained a world position in research quality and we
:18:59. > :19:02.are committed to maintaining that research funding and excellence in
:19:02. > :19:06.a independent Scotland would stop and unlike his colleagues south of
:19:06. > :19:12.the border, we have demonstrated our pride and to university
:19:12. > :19:20.research. We announced an additional �13.7 million for key
:19:20. > :19:24.world leading research. Within the UK, we have 8.5% of its operation
:19:24. > :19:32.with 15% of UK and public chargeable funding. A whole host of
:19:32. > :19:36.figures and bodies have expressed concern about this being at risk by
:19:36. > :19:40.independence. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Royal Society of
:19:40. > :19:43.chemistry, and the principal of St Andrews University has said that if
:19:43. > :19:47.we are cut off from national research funding, it will be
:19:47. > :19:51.catastrophic for this institution. Without guarantees from the First
:19:51. > :19:54.Minister about the future funding of research in our universities,
:19:54. > :19:59.surely our academies would be better to conclude that we are
:19:59. > :20:04.better together. That is why and have just pointed out that this
:20:04. > :20:07.Government is committed to university funding and research
:20:07. > :20:12.funding unlike the Conservative Party's out of the border.
:20:12. > :20:14.Incidentally, I'm very interested. I have dozens of quotes from
:20:14. > :20:20.university principals south of the border saying what they think of
:20:20. > :20:23.this was Mr Government and the treatment of the universities. We
:20:23. > :20:27.contribute to the research funding and there is more research funding
:20:27. > :20:30.for universities that comes from the Scottish funding council and
:20:30. > :20:35.they contribute to the research funding from the various councils
:20:35. > :20:41.but can I just say that Murdo Fraser sees be giving a one-sided
:20:41. > :20:44.view of these matters. Early on 30th April, well, one-sided view
:20:44. > :20:48.with the Conservatives and the Labour Party, I should save they
:20:48. > :20:54.are a two-sided you in their better together campaign to stop Professor
:20:54. > :20:57.Tim O'Shea, one of the most successful professors said there
:20:57. > :21:02.was no reason why any form of constitutional change should
:21:02. > :21:05.preclude participation in higher order of research councils which of
:21:05. > :21:09.course grants are made on the basis of merits. And they will continue
:21:09. > :21:14.to be so and backed by the Scottish Government. I would think it would
:21:14. > :21:17.be virtually impossible for the Conservative Party to find a single
:21:17. > :21:21.university principal in the whole of England who would tell them that
:21:21. > :21:26.universities are being properly funded under the tutelage of the
:21:26. > :21:30.Conservative Party. University finances, according to that crime
:21:30. > :21:34.soars, they are collapsing and student numbers have been in
:21:34. > :21:37.freefall as a result of the student fee policy of the stop I merely
:21:37. > :21:47.mention these to warn the Labour Party that their association with
:21:47. > :21:52.this lot will cost them dear. the First Minister agreed that not
:21:52. > :21:55.only with Scotland's universities continue to be world class in an
:21:55. > :21:59.independent Scotland but that there would no longer face the effect --
:21:59. > :22:03.threat posed by Westminster's damaging these are policies which
:22:03. > :22:06.have been described by the Scottish Council for Development and
:22:06. > :22:16.Industry as a huge challenge to universities, socially and
:22:16. > :22:21.financially, and two Scottish -- to Scotland are commented. -- economic
:22:21. > :22:25.cliff. I do agree with the university principals he said that
:22:25. > :22:32.universities across Europe would kill for the funding set by this
:22:32. > :22:38.Government to Scottish universities the stop but the point of evidence
:22:38. > :22:41.was given and drew attention to another tawdry Labour Liberal
:22:41. > :22:47.threat to an inner-city system and that of course is the student visa
:22:47. > :22:49.policy. They said that the biggest source of concern for research in
:22:49. > :22:53.Scotland was Westminster's tightening of student visas. They
:22:53. > :22:58.said that students' reasons are a huge challenge to universities
:22:58. > :23:01.socially and financially and to Scotland economic cliff. I agree
:23:02. > :23:07.with ever stop it is high time the no campaign got someone who is
:23:08. > :23:15.prepared to speak up for the real interests of Scottish universities.
:23:15. > :23:19.The Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Society of chemistry have
:23:19. > :23:25.questioned whether universities will be able to access funding in
:23:25. > :23:29.an independent Scotland. Of these bodies guilty of scaremongering?
:23:29. > :23:38.but I certainly think that the mention of the EU research funding,
:23:38. > :23:42.has it not occurred to you bet the European adviser is the foremost --
:23:42. > :23:46.former Scottish adviser, giving the indication that we are well
:23:46. > :23:51.integrated into scientific research across the European Union but even
:23:51. > :23:55.for you, the threat to scutters position in Europe doesn't come
:23:55. > :24:00.from these benches, it comes from the colleagues in the benches in
:24:00. > :24:05.Westminster. The way to preserve Scotland's position in Europe is
:24:05. > :24:12.for an independent Scotland, not to be taken into an in out referendum
:24:12. > :24:16.dragged by his coalition partners in London. To ask the First
:24:17. > :24:21.Minister what impact the UK Government proposed spending
:24:21. > :24:26.reductions for 2015-16 will have on Scotland's budget. We won't know
:24:26. > :24:32.the full impact of the budget cuts until the 26th that June but we do
:24:32. > :24:38.know that he set a target of a further austerity of 11.5 billion
:24:38. > :24:42.from the resource budget in 2015- 2016. The Scottish and it will
:24:42. > :24:46.continue to press the UK Government to take a different approach and
:24:46. > :24:51.out like a clear package of proposals. I hope that even the
:24:51. > :24:55.conservative Liberal and Labour members in this chamber can see the
:24:55. > :24:59.commonsense in and switch of policy as opposed to the continuation of
:24:59. > :25:03.the austerity squeeze from Westminster. I find the First
:25:03. > :25:08.Minister for his reply the stock yesterday, there was a survey which
:25:08. > :25:12.showed that Scotland is a sparkling investment performance and their
:25:12. > :25:20.business sign of investments are being deterred in Scotland. If
:25:20. > :25:24.anything, the reverse appears to be true. But it is said that by 2018,
:25:24. > :25:32.the standard of living will be lower than in 2001 if we stay in
:25:32. > :25:38.the UK. Do you agree that the gains made by Scotland would lead to even
:25:38. > :25:44.deeper cuts should Labour return to power with Ed Miliband confirming
:25:44. > :25:50.today he would end universal benefits? The only way is with
:25:50. > :25:55.independence to a resounding Yes vote next year. I thought it would
:25:55. > :26:03.be if their calculations today that the words inward Investment not be
:26:03. > :26:07.mentioned today. Given both Johann Lamont and Ruth Davidson have
:26:07. > :26:10.previously said that investors are being scared away from Scotland
:26:10. > :26:15.because of the referendum but of course the person has a business
:26:15. > :26:19.often is the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. He said
:26:19. > :26:25.he knew of investors who are being scared away from Scotland. Now we
:26:25. > :26:31.have the best performers in 15 years, a sparkling performance.
:26:31. > :26:38.Perhaps we could get a collective apology from Better Together about
:26:38. > :26:42.their scaremongering to the Scottish people. To was the First
:26:42. > :26:45.Minister what the Scottish government's position is one
:26:45. > :26:52.recruitment and retention payments are paid to senior management at
:26:52. > :27:00.the State Hospital. The recruitment retention premium under the agenda
:27:00. > :27:05.for terms and can dosage were put in place and 24th June 2005. The
:27:05. > :27:11.group operated under the delicate group from the Scottish Executive
:27:11. > :27:20.of Ministers. That premium applies to staff. It recognises the unique
:27:20. > :27:26.and challenging environment about hospital. Unless specified other
:27:26. > :27:31.words, managers are also covered by other changed terms which we would
:27:32. > :27:35.definitely include. I thank the First Minister for his response and
:27:35. > :27:40.encourage him to read all of the letter from the Scottish a
:27:40. > :27:43.reference and implementation group from 24th June which he quoted from
:27:43. > :27:47.because that makes clear that senior staff in the state hospital
:27:47. > :27:51.are not part of the agenda for change pay scales. Senior staff do
:27:51. > :27:57.not qualify for the special payment that applies only two frontline
:27:57. > :28:01.staff yet all of the senior staff at the State Hospital got an extra
:28:02. > :28:06.�7,000 backdated 2005. And this at a time when pay was frozen for
:28:06. > :28:09.everybody else. Does the share my anger that senior staff have taken
:28:09. > :28:12.it upon themselves to pay themselves more money without
:28:12. > :28:16.knowledge of signed off by the Cabinet Secretary which they are
:28:16. > :28:22.required to do? And when he therefore ensure that the matter is
:28:22. > :28:26.investigated independently of the state hospital? Well, I wish I
:28:26. > :28:32.could have listened to the answer because if she had done so, she
:28:32. > :28:36.would have heard it is not just 24th June 2005 agenda for change
:28:36. > :28:41.terms and conditions, it is the terms and conditions for senior
:28:41. > :28:44.managers published in 18th October 2006. These are the ones that make
:28:44. > :28:49.it clear that unless specified otherwise, the managers are also
:28:49. > :28:53.covered by the gender changed terms which include the premium. That is
:28:53. > :28:57.the suggestion and that is the position that the Civil Service
:28:57. > :29:05.have looked at and come up with in terms of the position. Now, if that
:29:05. > :29:08.is correct, the, then Jackie Baillie will have noticed that this
:29:08. > :29:16.is following the contract will obligations. If that is the case,
:29:16. > :29:21.then she has not seen this and his... Particularly those that when
:29:21. > :29:24.it goes it did in the last Labour Liberal Government. Therefore, I
:29:24. > :29:28.think Jackie Baillie should consider whether or not it is wise
:29:28. > :29:31.to impugn the integrity of people at the State Hospital given the
:29:31. > :29:35.indications which have been provided by the Civil Service in
:29:35. > :29:41.terms that they were following the rules as laid down by the last
:29:41. > :29:44.Labour Liberal men -- administration. To was the First
:29:44. > :29:52.Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to improve
:29:52. > :29:56.treatment for people with dementia. On Monday this week, at a
:29:56. > :30:01.conference, we lost the second national dimension strategy. This
:30:01. > :30:07.will further improve diagnose if rates, and take four-day national
:30:07. > :30:12.action plan on improving hospital care for people with dementia.
:30:12. > :30:16.he agree that although Scotland has the best early diagnosis figures,
:30:16. > :30:19.in the United Kingdom, they must continue to be a focus on
:30:19. > :30:22.continuing poster idlers its treatment, particularly in acute
:30:22. > :30:25.hospitals so that those people living with dementia and their
:30:25. > :30:31.families can have the support they are quite rightly entitled to
:30:31. > :30:33.receive in what can often be a difficult time? Diagnosis is the
:30:33. > :30:40.key debt armlocks support for people with dementia and their
:30:40. > :30:43.families. Scotland has a good record with 64% of people with
:30:43. > :30:48.dementia being diagnosed compared to much lesser percentage is
:30:48. > :30:52.elsewhere. That demand a commitment which has been described as the
:30:52. > :30:58.world's first includes the guarantee that everyone diagnosed
:30:58. > :31:02.is entitled to and enabled support worker for a minimum of one year to
:31:02. > :31:09.help families and plan for future care. The new three-year national
:31:09. > :31:14.action plan was announced last month. Supporting that, Alzheimer's
:31:14. > :31:20.Scotland have been appointed towards Scotland and over 300
:31:20. > :31:24.dementia champions are now in place. Given the nature of this subject, I
:31:24. > :31:28.suspect every single person on this chamber has personal awareness of
:31:28. > :31:35.people suffering from dementia and I think that much needed progress
:31:35. > :31:38.should be widely welcomed. freedom of information repressed
:31:39. > :31:44.has revealed that in 2011, a patient with dementia was subject
:31:44. > :31:47.to 13 bed or walk moves during a single state in a hospital. Will
:31:47. > :31:52.the First Minister agree with me that this is unacceptable and will
:31:52. > :31:57.they give an assurance that under his improvement, this lot happen
:31:58. > :32:07.again. I think that is unacceptable and Isles of Scilly have the Health
:32:08. > :32:10.
:32:10. > :32:17.Secretary look into the case. Can I say that I would like to be able to
:32:17. > :32:20.give this... He was its leader that the stop what she describes is
:32:20. > :32:30.unacceptable. Had fully, the changes that will be made will make
:32:30. > :32:30.
:32:30. > :32:33.the chances of this happening again much less. As the chair suggesting
:32:33. > :32:37.there, that is the end of questions to the First Minister and the end
:32:37. > :32:43.of this programme. The questions they concluding a very serious and
:32:43. > :32:53.sombre note on the extremely grave subject, the treatment of subjects