:00:23. > :00:27.A very warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament. There is a new
:00:27. > :00:33.ministerial team. But still very much Alex Salmond in charge and the
:00:33. > :00:38.boss. We were his questions to him as First Minister, let us cross to
:00:38. > :00:43.the chamber. To ask the First Minister what engagements he has
:00:43. > :00:47.planned for the rest of the day. Later today I will be visiting a
:00:47. > :00:52.college in Stirling to open a new state-of-the-art 20 million pound
:00:52. > :00:55.campus building. It is one of the most advanced premises in his
:00:55. > :01:03.column for colleges and demonstrates their unwavering
:01:03. > :01:09.commitment of this government to the college sector. -- in Scotland.
:01:09. > :01:13.Astonishing then that the budget is cut by 20 % for colleges. However,
:01:14. > :01:20.so Nicola Sturgeon is the new Minister for shove already projects
:01:20. > :01:25.and Alex Neil get a hospital pass. As I look around, I see not
:01:25. > :01:32.everyone is smiling. Not Jamie Hepburn, passed over for sticking
:01:32. > :01:36.to party policy on the tour. Kenny gets in - not even invite into the
:01:36. > :01:42.evening reception. Not so much rearranging deckchairs on the
:01:42. > :01:48.Titanic but so swabbing decks on the vital Spark. It is not just his
:01:48. > :01:52.backbenchers who are unhappy, so too is anyone in the country
:01:52. > :01:56.looking for a full-time job or any business looking for opportunities.
:01:56. > :02:02.Why has the First Minister reduced the ministerial responsibility for
:02:02. > :02:10.economic recovery to a part-time post? Why is running the National
:02:10. > :02:15.Health Service less important than running his own referendum?
:02:15. > :02:25.cannot believe that the Johann Lamont put forward that and accused
:02:25. > :02:26.
:02:26. > :02:31.somebody else of not smiling. Let us deal with the college sector
:02:31. > :02:36.first. I have been looking at the massive capital investment
:02:36. > :02:43.programme in this sector in Dundee and 40 value and come our and
:02:43. > :02:48.Inverness and now in the city of Glasgow - a �200 million capital
:02:48. > :02:53.investment. I am looking at what that does to the college budget
:02:53. > :03:03.currently over the next couple of years. End means that the college
:03:03. > :03:04.
:03:04. > :03:11.and Budget news from 574 million to an expected it 655 million in 2014.
:03:11. > :03:16.That means for example a capital programme of 184 million in that
:03:16. > :03:24.here. 10 years ago the Labour Party capital programme in the college
:03:24. > :03:31.sector was �21 million. �21 million! That is the extent of this
:03:31. > :03:36.government's commitment to the college sector around Scotland. As
:03:36. > :03:42.far as the government changes are concerned, Johann Lamont is in a
:03:42. > :03:47.position that she has to select her shadow cabinet out with their ranks
:03:47. > :03:52.of MSPs. It touches the dearth of talent. I am fortunate that every
:03:52. > :03:57.single member of his government is focused on economic recovery in
:03:57. > :04:02.Scotland. Every member of his government is focused on public
:04:02. > :04:06.services in Scotland. Every member of this government is looking to
:04:07. > :04:16.secured for this nation economic and political power as we need to
:04:16. > :04:20.ensure a prosperous and just future. Johann Lamont. Order. Never
:04:20. > :04:26.apologise for drawing on the expertise of ordinary people across
:04:26. > :04:28.this country, including students who know what you're doing. The gap
:04:28. > :04:33.between what the First Minister says is happening and what is
:04:33. > :04:37.actually happening is growing wider by midday. Ask any college
:04:37. > :04:43.principal that and that is what they will tell you. In the morning,
:04:43. > :04:47.Nicola Sturgeon will deal with Scotland's biggest decision for 300
:04:47. > :04:52.years. Any after new in she would deal with it biggest economic
:04:52. > :04:57.crisis since economic depression of the 1930s, what will she do for
:04:57. > :05:01.lunch? Split the atom? On Tuesday the first ministers said there had
:05:01. > :05:06.never been an economic recovery without at recovery in construction,
:05:06. > :05:12.yet this is a man who cut �86 million from the housing budget and
:05:12. > :05:18.now he has downgraded the Minister for construction to a part-time job.
:05:18. > :05:26.How does he explain to someone looking for work that it is tizz on
:05:26. > :05:31.Nicola Sturgeon's to do lest. -- it is on. That is when she gets past
:05:31. > :05:37.the constitution. Let us deal with the consequences of London rail
:05:37. > :05:47.over Scotland, supported by Johann Lamont and her friends in the
:05:47. > :05:47.
:05:47. > :05:52.Conservative Party. -- London rule. The castle budget for Scotland --
:05:52. > :05:56.the capital budget outlined by Alistair Darling, deeper than that
:05:56. > :06:06.cuts of Margaret Thatcher, said that capital spending in Scotland
:06:06. > :06:07.
:06:07. > :06:14.in real terms would reduce 37 % between the years due 1010 and 2014.
:06:14. > :06:20.-- 2010. After the men at this -- then munificence of their liberal
:06:21. > :06:28.administration, that has been reduced from the 37 % planned to 33
:06:28. > :06:33.and I have percent next year. Can she make the possible connection
:06:33. > :06:39.between a 33 % cutback in the capital budget and the consequences
:06:39. > :06:45.that has for people in Scotland? Does she not understand that almost
:06:45. > :06:48.90 % of Scotland's budget is controlled by Westminster? Can she
:06:48. > :06:54.possibly explain to the Scottish people why she wants to continue
:06:54. > :07:00.with this situation that's Colin's suffers from the cutbacks ordered
:07:00. > :07:07.by successive Tory and Labour chancellors? -- that Scotland
:07:07. > :07:12.suffers. He makes my case for me. If the Tories and attacking
:07:12. > :07:16.Scotland in the way he does, why does he not have a Minister focused
:07:16. > :07:21.on protecting the people of Scotland rather than on their
:07:22. > :07:27.referendum? If he wants to talk about working with the Tories,
:07:27. > :07:30.perhaps he should speak to his Westminster colleagues who I hear
:07:30. > :07:40.it are saying they will back the Tories in cutting the number of
:07:40. > :07:40.
:07:40. > :07:47.Scots MPs be sent to Westminster. The fact is, the problem for the
:07:47. > :07:52.First Minister is, his priorities are not the priorities of the
:07:52. > :07:58.people of Scotland. We know the First Minister is fond of quoting
:07:58. > :08:05.opinion polls. Let me quote one from one published this morning,
:08:05. > :08:11.asked what subject in a daze for the First Minister, 68 % of young
:08:11. > :08:16.Scots said jobs and the economy. Only 5% said it constitution,
:08:16. > :08:21.behind it jobs, crime and their health service. And yet the First
:08:22. > :08:26.Minister has downgraded jobs and the economy. He has placed less
:08:26. > :08:31.importance on hospital care, all at the expense of his obsession with
:08:31. > :08:36.picking up the United Kingdom. Can he not see he is out of touch and
:08:36. > :08:44.does not care about jobs, other than he is going? First Minister.
:08:44. > :08:52.Order. She was the Health Secretary more than twice as long than anyone
:08:52. > :09:02.in the history of devolution. -- shadow health secretary. Nicola
:09:02. > :09:02.
:09:02. > :09:08.Sturgeon as Health Secretary restored... John Swinney's
:09:08. > :09:13.leadership of the economy gave us jobs in Scotland which I a better
:09:13. > :09:17.unemployment rate, a lower unemployment rate and a lower end
:09:17. > :09:20.activity than arrest of the United Kingdom. I think that is at
:09:20. > :09:25.considerable performance against the restrictions of the Tory
:09:25. > :09:30.Government at Westminster. If Johann Lamont does not like Tory
:09:30. > :09:36.rule from Westminster, except when she shares platforms where it
:09:36. > :09:43.Tories across Scotland, then why on earth does she support the
:09:43. > :09:51.continuing Exchequer roll over Scotland which is forcing cutbacks
:09:51. > :09:54.not just over parts that we control, but also parts like welfare were
:09:54. > :09:59.the Westminster Government is putting hundreds of thousands of
:09:59. > :10:06.Scottish people into Parliament. Why did she supports that kind of
:10:06. > :10:11.policy from Westminster? Regarding opinion polls, the best one I saw
:10:11. > :10:16.all this summer was from the Labour Party affiliated organisation - the
:10:16. > :10:24.Fabian Society. They asked people in Scotland what words they
:10:24. > :10:34.associated with the Labour Party. The top three - wear out of touch,
:10:34. > :10:43.35 %, incompetent, 29 % and boring, 26 %. If that is what if Fabian
:10:43. > :10:46.Society think, what does the rest of the population think? The First
:10:47. > :10:54.Minister might want to reflect that people in this country do not think
:10:54. > :10:58.his obsession with their referendum is their priority. -- them
:10:58. > :11:03.referendum. If I was concerned about a health service, I would not
:11:03. > :11:10.be putting a man in charge who in his current job presided over a/in
:11:10. > :11:16.the housing budget and exported �700 million of money to is the
:11:16. > :11:21.economies of China, has been and Poland. Nicola Sturgeon was in
:11:21. > :11:26.charge of another campaign, to take over Scotland's in his city. She
:11:26. > :11:32.made her campaign not about the priorities of the people of Glasgow,
:11:32. > :11:36.but it Glasgow being a stepping- stone to independence and she got
:11:37. > :11:43.roundly thumped. Clearly, at First Minister has learned nothing from
:11:43. > :11:49.that. The priorities of the people are jobs, pay bills, putting feed
:11:49. > :11:57.on the table. Thousands of families now in need fear parcels. The First
:11:57. > :12:03.Minister cannot keep Scotland on pause for the next two years. --
:12:03. > :12:13.food parcels. When will he realised that it is not independence but the
:12:13. > :12:15.
:12:15. > :12:19.economy people care I -- hear about it? -- care about. I am now in my
:12:19. > :12:26.40 party since 2007 and I do not end Labour should talk about people
:12:26. > :12:29.getting thumped in elections. -- 4th party. Alex Neil epitomises the
:12:29. > :12:34.values of the National Health Service better than any member of
:12:34. > :12:37.then it Labour Party in this Parliament with the possible
:12:38. > :12:47.exception of Malcolm Chisholm who was removed as Health Secretary by
:12:47. > :12:50.the Labour Party. They help service his stake in hands of Alex Neil. As
:12:50. > :12:56.opposed to the limit party line centre privatisation of health
:12:56. > :13:02.service sent of the border. In terms of Johann Lamont's
:13:02. > :13:09.explanation of why people are happy with Hara lives at the Tory Party,
:13:09. > :13:16.I do not believe that is universal in liquor party ranks. -- with
:13:16. > :13:21.heart alliance. Charlie Gordon says on in Twitter, have we through the
:13:21. > :13:27.recession, jobless youngsters and then it is excellent. Devolution
:13:27. > :13:32.cannot protect them, I think there are questions in the minds of
:13:32. > :13:37.Labour MPs as well as at really a supporter in Scotland about the
:13:37. > :13:43.alliance Johann Lamont has taking wit that Conservative Party front
:13:43. > :13:48.bench. Back to the opinion poll, in terms of the Fabian Society, it was
:13:48. > :13:52.not all accused of the Labour Party. They also had some expression that
:13:53. > :14:02.people felt the Labour Party in Scotland have quote, plenty of
:14:02. > :14:09.ideas. That was 8%. I think that 8% is a massive figure, given the
:14:09. > :14:17.negative performance of the Labour Party in this Parliament since 2007.
:14:17. > :14:23.As expectant the Scottish party dominating. When will the First
:14:23. > :14:33.Minister first meet the next Secretary of State for Scotland.
:14:33. > :14:35.
:14:35. > :14:39.understand that meeting will take That is good to hear. It is good to
:14:39. > :14:44.see that the bomb or make that was between the First Minister and the
:14:45. > :14:48.Labour Party has resumed. It appears that the First Minister
:14:48. > :14:58.would sacrifice a latter-day nine s and on health in the cassette of
:14:58. > :15:01.
:15:01. > :15:06.the break up of Britain. Frankly,... Order! Frankly, justice has been
:15:06. > :15:11.little more of an afterthought and the SNP. Yesterday, Mike Russell
:15:11. > :15:17.said that the SNP wants to be judged on their record, so let me
:15:17. > :15:22.ask the First Minister. Under the SNP, how many convicted killers and
:15:22. > :15:26.rapists have been released early? We have, as Ruth Davidson should
:15:26. > :15:30.know, the lowest crime rates in Scotland for over 30 years. The
:15:31. > :15:35.reason we have the lowest crime rates in Scotland for over 30 years
:15:35. > :15:43.is that we have 1,000 more police in the street that communities of
:15:43. > :15:48.Scotland, solving crimes and making communities safer. I do not
:15:48. > :15:51.understand this cheery and bonhomie that Ruth Davidson has been talking
:15:51. > :15:56.about, the cheery bonhomie that I have been talking about is the one
:15:56. > :16:01.between Ruth Davidson and the Labour front bench. People have
:16:01. > :16:08.been watching all we are turning themselves into the Conservative
:16:08. > :16:16.Party. -- have been watching the Labour Party turning themselves
:16:16. > :16:20.into the Conservatives. We -- the best funding universities in Europe
:16:20. > :16:25.have a record number of Scottish students going to university, in
:16:26. > :16:31.England, under the policies of Ruth Davidson's party, the numbers have
:16:31. > :16:35.collapsed by 25,000. Perhaps Ruth Davidson might inform this chamber
:16:35. > :16:39.how she can possibly interprets to a record number of university
:16:39. > :16:44.students from Scotland going to Scottish universities as anything
:16:44. > :16:51.other than an outstanding success for this administration and a total
:16:51. > :16:57.vindication of restoring free education to the Scottish people.
:16:57. > :17:00.Actually stunning lap in the Gloucester Olympics, but I ask
:17:00. > :17:03.about rapists and murderers, and the First Minister should have
:17:03. > :17:12.those figures. They should be in his book because they are
:17:12. > :17:15.Government figures. 161 rapists, 277 killers. They are amongst the
:17:15. > :17:22.nearly 5,000 of the most violent people of our society being
:17:22. > :17:25.released early, back on Scotland's streets since he came to power. We
:17:25. > :17:30.know the judges do not like it because Lord Ross has called a
:17:30. > :17:35.share rate. You are so keen to be on opinion polls, we know the
:17:35. > :17:40.public to not like it because 95% of them opposed early release.
:17:40. > :17:45.There is a simple remedy. The First Minister has even brought forward a
:17:45. > :17:49.victims bill for this parliamentary session, but in its not a single
:17:49. > :17:56.word about automatic early release. Well the First Minister now act and
:17:56. > :18:04.the manifesto promises that he made, both in 2007 and in 2011, or is he
:18:04. > :18:08.personally content with these people being in Scotland's St?
:18:08. > :18:13.For the political party which introduced LA police in Scotland's,
:18:13. > :18:21.yes, the Conservative Party introduced automatic yellow police
:18:21. > :18:25.in Scotland, under the tutelage of Michael Forsyth. -- automatic early
:18:25. > :18:29.release. They should realise that they should have some modesty in
:18:29. > :18:32.terms of their complaints against the criminal justice system in
:18:32. > :18:37.Scotland. The best thing about Criminal Justice in Scotland right
:18:37. > :18:41.now it is that criminals actually get caught. We have the best
:18:41. > :18:45.statistics on solving crime for a generation. We have the lowest
:18:45. > :18:49.levels of recorded crime in a generation. Fear of crime is
:18:49. > :18:53.falling in Scotland, leading to the situation where the Home Secretary
:18:53. > :18:59.of England gets booed off stage by the Police Federation will be
:18:59. > :19:04.Justice Secretary of Scotland gets a standing ovation. Question number
:19:04. > :19:07.three, Willie Rennie. To ask the First Minister what
:19:07. > :19:12.questions will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.
:19:12. > :19:16.Issues of importance to the people of Scotland. We have just heard
:19:16. > :19:21.from the Johann Lamont that the Health Service and the economy have
:19:21. > :19:26.been in the prioritised by the First Minister. Moving his most
:19:26. > :19:30.senior minister from health to independence. There is also a
:19:30. > :19:35.concern about the cost of focusing the civil servants one making the
:19:35. > :19:42.SNP's case for independence. How many civil servants are working for
:19:42. > :19:45.that new Minister for independence? At how much is it costing gym --
:19:45. > :19:50.costing? Somewhat less than they are working
:19:50. > :19:56.in Downing Street arguing against this case for the Scottish people.
:19:56. > :19:59.One thing I would say to will be ready is this, I think moving
:20:00. > :20:05.someone of her formidable talents from the Health Service indicates
:20:05. > :20:07.and vindicates the sake of feeling in this party in favour of a
:20:07. > :20:12.National Health Service free at the point of need, would that the
:20:12. > :20:17.Liberals in England would resist the Tory attempts to dismantle the
:20:17. > :20:22.National Health Service in England. Secondly, every member of this
:20:22. > :20:24.Government is focused on economic recovery. Every member of this
:20:24. > :20:28.Government understands the inevitable conclusion, that unless
:20:28. > :20:32.this country of Scotland get control of important resources,
:20:32. > :20:37.unless we are able to run the finances of Scotland, then the best
:20:37. > :20:42.we can do is mitigate the impact of Tory or Liberal cuts from
:20:42. > :20:45.Westminster. There was a time in Scotland when it members of the
:20:45. > :20:49.Liberal Party actually believed in genuine home rule, actually
:20:49. > :20:53.believed in controlling the finances of Scotland, under the
:20:53. > :20:57.leadership of Willie Rennie at his immediate predecessor, that
:20:57. > :21:03.enthusiasm for genuine self- government has disappeared. That is
:21:03. > :21:08.probably why they are reduced to a rump in this Parliament.
:21:09. > :21:13.He lost to Gloucester rather than answer the question. He did not
:21:13. > :21:18.even know how many civil servants are working on this. -- he all of
:21:18. > :21:21.us to it than bluster. In summer, will be less that every civil
:21:21. > :21:27.servant had received training, not on the economy or improving public
:21:27. > :21:32.services, but on how to keep information on independence seated.
:21:32. > :21:40.And how to criticise the United Kingdom. They laugh and joke but
:21:40. > :21:44.that is what is happening. His deputy, who is paid by the taxpayer,
:21:44. > :21:50.is running the SNP's independence campaign. With all of the problems
:21:50. > :21:56.facing our country, can it really be justified for taxpayers to pay
:21:56. > :22:02.her and demote so many civil servants to the SNP's Cos? Tell us.
:22:02. > :22:05.I consider Willie Rennie's allegations preposterous, and his
:22:05. > :22:10.interpretation of incidents fanciful, not my words but those of
:22:10. > :22:14.Alison Elliott, former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church
:22:14. > :22:23.of Scotland who had to respond to a similar nonsensical attack from
:22:23. > :22:26.Willie Rennie. John Finnie. To ask the First
:22:26. > :22:29.Minister what representations the First Minister has made to BBC
:22:29. > :22:34.Scotland following the announcement that there will be job losses at
:22:34. > :22:38.BBC Highlands and Islands. The job cuts at BBC Scotland are
:22:38. > :22:46.extremely disappointed, this week the Cabinet Secretary for Culture
:22:46. > :22:48.and external affairs has written TV general director of the BBC in the
:22:48. > :22:56.news and current affairs and Gallacher broadcasting, and I will
:22:56. > :23:00.speak to him personally next week. I I thank the First Minister for
:23:00. > :23:06.that answer. He will be aware that BBC Albarn has been very successful
:23:06. > :23:10.in pulling in viewers of half-a- million, does he agree with me that
:23:10. > :23:14.this is clear evidence that people in Scotland or seeking programming
:23:14. > :23:16.made in Scotland and they want more productions made and shown here and
:23:16. > :23:22.that an independent public service broadcaster would help deliver
:23:22. > :23:25.this? I do agree with that, and I think that this chamber should be
:23:25. > :23:31.aware of the contrast between the funding cuts that are reflecting
:23:31. > :23:37.the BBC in Scotland, the 60% cut in funding from 102 million to 86
:23:37. > :23:43.million, with this Government's decision to protect the funding for
:23:43. > :23:47.BBC Albarn. They hope that everyone in this chamber we take notes that
:23:47. > :23:52.if the reports in the Herald are true, at St BBC are intending to
:23:52. > :23:57.use the staff of the publicly funded BBC Scotland asked to cover
:23:57. > :24:02.the cuts of the BBC broadcasting in Gallic in Inverness. This to be
:24:02. > :24:06.serious indeed and I will be pitting this point directly to the
:24:06. > :24:11.director designate. Does the First Minister share my
:24:11. > :24:14.concerns that with the removal of the news editor's job from the
:24:14. > :24:18.proposed Inverness establishment, that there will be no direction
:24:18. > :24:23.except for Glasgow for the services? That means the BBC
:24:23. > :24:28.Highlands news agenda driven from Pacific Quay. Does the First
:24:28. > :24:33.Minister agree that the mission must be that news must be given for
:24:33. > :24:37.the whole of Scotland, not just the central belt? I do agree with that,
:24:37. > :24:41.and tackled the Minister shares my concerns about the report in the
:24:41. > :24:45.Herald newspaper about taking journalistic expertise to cover for
:24:45. > :24:50.cutbacks in the BBC's on Broadcasting. The BBC is our
:24:50. > :24:53.national broadcaster in Scotland, I think this whole chamber would
:24:53. > :25:00.agree that it is time they acted like a national broadcaster for the
:25:00. > :25:04.whole of the country. To ask the First Minister, what discussions
:25:04. > :25:09.the Scottish Government has had with Hull regarding ferry services.
:25:09. > :25:15.We have reached out to them and trade union representatives to
:25:15. > :25:19.discuss how best we can deliver ferry services. Richard Baker.
:25:19. > :25:24.Which the First Minister agree that the process which begins next year
:25:24. > :25:27.to renew the current contracts that the ferry operator has fought the
:25:27. > :25:35.Clyde and Hebrides, the bridge should not be Deane bundled bust
:25:35. > :25:38.tendered as a single contract as it was previously? The case for
:25:38. > :25:41.unbundling in our estimation has not been made. I am sure that
:25:41. > :25:46.Richard Baker will be the first to acknowledge and understand that we
:25:46. > :25:51.have no choice but to tender for these services. I know he
:25:51. > :25:55.understands that, because in 2005 he supported a Government motion as
:25:55. > :25:58.a Government supporter at that time which acknowledged that the
:25:58. > :26:04.tendering of the Clyde and head of the slightly ferry services is
:26:04. > :26:08.required to protect these vital services. Given that there can be
:26:08. > :26:11.no disagreement that these -- that this tendering process is
:26:11. > :26:14.inevitable, and given that I have given him an indication of the
:26:14. > :26:19.Government a view on unbundling which would give him and the
:26:19. > :26:23.workers much security, then I hope that he can see that this chamber
:26:23. > :26:29.should be united in protecting our lifeline ferry services. Dave
:26:29. > :26:33.Thompson. I am sure, First Minister, that you are aware that these
:26:33. > :26:37.ferries are currently crewed by West Coast of seafarers. What
:26:37. > :26:41.safeguards will be in place in the next round of tending to ensure
:26:41. > :26:45.that these excellent staff maintain their jobs and conditions of
:26:45. > :26:48.service should the ferry operator will lose the contract? Dave
:26:48. > :26:52.Thompson describes the staff as excellent, and let me reiterate
:26:53. > :26:58.that I believe they are excellent staff and we should recognise the
:26:58. > :27:04.vital importance of these jobs to local communities. Even if,
:27:04. > :27:11.following the tender process we fail to get a new provider, and D
:27:11. > :27:14.Wood heard all members to look at the terms and conditions and to
:27:14. > :27:21.ensure that they take place in regard to the contract.
:27:21. > :27:24.Linda Fabiani. To ask the First Minister what the
:27:24. > :27:31.Scottish Government's response is to the proposed closure of the
:27:31. > :27:35.Rolls-Royce plant. We ain't be -- that we appreciate the express
:27:35. > :27:40.concern about the close the Rolls- Royce plant. However, we are
:27:40. > :27:43.pleased that Rolls-Royce intends to maintain all of its staff from the
:27:43. > :27:47.East Kilbride plant, which underlines the significant
:27:47. > :27:49.contribution that these staff make. We also welcome Rolls-Royce's
:27:49. > :27:56.continued commitment to manufacturing in the West of
:27:56. > :28:00.Scotland. Beat the -- the company is working with its employees to
:28:00. > :28:04.ensure that these measures are taken with consideration and to
:28:04. > :28:08.ensure that relocation is managed effectively for all concerned.
:28:08. > :28:13.Scottish Enterprise are working with the company and local partners,
:28:13. > :28:20.to look at conserving local options for the East Clydeside for 2015 and
:28:20. > :28:26.beyond. That work is underway. Further meetings are scheduled in
:28:26. > :28:30.East Kilbride on 20th September. Linda Fabiani. The First Minister
:28:30. > :28:36.will be aware that in 2004, the Labour Lib Dem administration
:28:36. > :28:40.agreed funding to upgrade the Rolls-Royce plant in Renfrewshire,
:28:40. > :28:43.which created jobs that will now be moved. Can I ask if any conditions
:28:44. > :28:48.were imposed on that funding at that time to protect East Kilbride
:28:48. > :28:52.jobs and workers? And can I ask the First Minister to ensure that the
:28:52. > :28:58.Scottish Government supports measures to maintain Rolls-Royce on
:28:58. > :29:03.the east Clyde, and pursues suitable re-use of this industrial
:29:03. > :29:05.says? East Kilbride has been home to some of Scotland's most advanced
:29:05. > :29:12.manufacturing, and there is an absolute determination in the town
:29:12. > :29:16.to see his continue. I will get into the first part of Linda
:29:16. > :29:19.Fabiani's question and reply to her in writing. In terms of assurance
:29:19. > :29:23.with skills the film in Scotland, we are working with local partners
:29:23. > :29:28.to ensure that all young people have access to services. She knows
:29:28. > :29:32.that employment is -- that employers are undertaking a series
:29:32. > :29:36.of employment action forums to engage young people to drive action
:29:36. > :29:39.at the local level. She can be absolutely certain that the
:29:39. > :29:45.Government and its agencies are fully committed to East Kilbride
:29:45. > :29:50.economy. This ends First Minister's questions, the next act of does
:29:50. > :29:54.this is a member's debate. This brings to a close our coverage
:29:54. > :29:58.of First Minister's questions. An intriguing discussion at the
:29:58. > :30:01.beginning between a Johann Lamont and Alex Salmond, the fundamental
:30:01. > :30:05.disagreement that is the fault line in Scottish politics with regard to
:30:05. > :30:09.the ministerial reshuffle, it occurred and the independents have
:30:09. > :30:14.been at being a total distraction from efforts to solve the economic