:00:18. > :00:26.Hello. Welcome to the Scottish parliament in Hollyrood where this
:00:27. > :00:30.report is causing a bit of a stir. The lavender Institute are
:00:31. > :00:34.suggesting that depending on the various scenarios for leaving the
:00:35. > :00:39.European Union it could cost Scotland between 30000 and 80,000
:00:40. > :00:44.jobs. Yes, Brexit again. Supporters say they could be opportunities for
:00:45. > :00:48.the economy as well. I'm not sure if that will come up in questions to
:00:49. > :00:52.the First Minister but the way to go to relax go across. Nicola Sturgeon
:00:53. > :00:58.has said that the Tory leader should be ashamed of herself are to the
:00:59. > :01:01.Conservatives conference. I assume that even the First
:01:02. > :01:09.Minister would acknowledge that I made my position perfectly clear.
:01:10. > :01:12.Presiding officer, today's report felt out plainly the challenges that
:01:13. > :01:17.Scotland, along with the rest of the UK will face over coming years as we
:01:18. > :01:20.leave the UUP and unions. Like most members of this chamber I didn't
:01:21. > :01:24.vote to leave the EU, but the question now is how we maximise the
:01:25. > :01:30.opportunities ahead and mitigate risks. The report says that the
:01:31. > :01:33.focus must be on areas like food and drink and manufacturing. Can I ask
:01:34. > :01:36.what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that these two
:01:37. > :01:42.sectors get protection from risks and take advantage of opportunities?
:01:43. > :01:46.Well, it is a bit rich to be asked what this government is doing to
:01:47. > :01:50.protect Scotland from the risks when these risks have been created by the
:01:51. > :01:56.Conservative Party that was Davidson is a member of and leader of here in
:01:57. > :01:58.Scotland. But as I have said repeatedly in this chamber, and
:01:59. > :02:02.outside this chamber, this government will do everything in its
:02:03. > :02:06.power to protect Scotland's interests and mitigate the risk that
:02:07. > :02:12.Scotland now faces, risks that are set out clearly in the Fraser report
:02:13. > :02:17.today. We are working intensively with all sectors across our economy,
:02:18. > :02:22.that work is being led by an economy secretary and Mike Russell who I
:02:23. > :02:26.have appointed to deal specifically with the Brexit negotiations. It's
:02:27. > :02:30.not just manufacturing, food and drink. Earlier this week I sat down
:02:31. > :02:32.with the financial services sector to discuss real concerns that they
:02:33. > :02:36.have. Not just about Brexit, but about the
:02:37. > :02:41.growing indications that what we are heading for under the Conservatives
:02:42. > :02:45.is the hardest of hard Brexit. And like Ruth Davidson, my position has
:02:46. > :02:54.not changed. I think that breakfast is a bad idea and I continue to
:02:55. > :03:03.think it's my responsibility to do everything I can to protect Scotland
:03:04. > :03:10.from edge. -- Brexit is a bad idea. Let's be more specific. We are
:03:11. > :03:15.expecting a judgment on classification. Let me quote a
:03:16. > :03:19.member of the First Minister's Rose commission. He says subject to the
:03:20. > :03:23.regulatory lining we have there are major advantages to being the first
:03:24. > :03:27.movers in this technology in becoming a world leader. I know the
:03:28. > :03:31.First Minister is restricted on what she can say, but her own adviser
:03:32. > :03:34.thinks we could use this technology to boost thousands of jobs and add
:03:35. > :03:41.billions to the Scottish economy. Does she agree? I'm sure Ruth
:03:42. > :03:45.Davidson is a way that the UK Government is also looking carefully
:03:46. > :03:49.at the issues around UCG. I'm sure she is perhaps more aware than I am
:03:50. > :03:54.of the direction of travel they might be going in as well. I think
:03:55. > :03:59.Ruth Davidson, she did last week, seems to suggest that we should ride
:04:00. > :04:03.roughshod over evidence and over the reports that we, ourselves, have
:04:04. > :04:07.commissioned. Paul Wheelhouse will make a statement this afternoon, he
:04:08. > :04:17.will report on the work we have asked Professor Campbell Gammell to
:04:18. > :04:19.undertake on our behalf, all members of this chamber, indeed, everybody
:04:20. > :04:25.across the country will be able to look in detail at that work. I think
:04:26. > :04:29.that is the responsible way to proceed. It's putting the concerns
:04:30. > :04:33.that people have and the interest of our environment and economy at front
:04:34. > :04:36.and centre. Reaching balanced judgments as a result of that work.
:04:37. > :04:40.That's the way we will continue to proceed.
:04:41. > :04:44.In the same way that people can still, by going on the website, look
:04:45. > :04:49.at the last report you commissioned an fracking, was advice you didn't
:04:50. > :04:54.take. But let's move onto another sector, that sector is food and
:04:55. > :04:58.drink. Whiskey producers tell us that Latin America, a market of 600
:04:59. > :05:03.million people has the potential for massive growth in the coming year.
:05:04. > :05:08.And yet, south of Texas, Scottish development International has only
:05:09. > :05:11.one tiny office. So, like me be First Minister the Scotch whisky
:05:12. > :05:16.Association didn't want is to leave the EU, but they now want us to
:05:17. > :05:20.focus on developing opportunities. Can I ask what action is the first
:05:21. > :05:28.was taking to expand our trade footprint on the world?
:05:29. > :05:31.Right, well let's just walk ourselves step-by-step through that
:05:32. > :05:36.question. Firstly, those who know what they are talking about will
:05:37. > :05:40.know that was Davidson managed to switch between different
:05:41. > :05:43.technologies there. I don't know if she did that in full knowledge, or
:05:44. > :05:48.if she needs to do a bit more homework. What we are talking about
:05:49. > :05:53.today is and ground: classification, that is very different to fracking.
:05:54. > :05:58.Before she comes to ask questions about bad I thought she might know
:05:59. > :06:01.and understand that. Secondly, an whisky I have spoken with the Scotch
:06:02. > :06:06.whisky Association last week and the week before and the issues they want
:06:07. > :06:15.to raise were firstly the success of the Scottish whisky was, but also
:06:16. > :06:17.the impact of Brexit on them. In terms of international presence, and
:06:18. > :06:23.sure that if anybody here was going to do a quick Google search they
:06:24. > :06:24.would find plenty of examples of the Scottish Conservatives criticising
:06:25. > :06:30.the international presence of the Scottish Government. Saying things
:06:31. > :06:34.like it's nothing to do with us, we should leave these matters to the UK
:06:35. > :06:38.Government. Thankfully, we don't listen. So as well as the excellent
:06:39. > :06:42.work that STI are doing, we are considering carefully how we make
:06:43. > :06:46.sure that S D I is properly equipped in the climate we put another result
:06:47. > :06:50.of the recklessness of the Tory government. We have announced
:06:51. > :06:53.recently the opening of new investment clubs in London and
:06:54. > :06:57.Dublin as well as Brussels to make sure that we are not reliant on the
:06:58. > :07:08.likes of Boris Johnson to represent us overseas. We have the ability to
:07:09. > :07:12.do so ourselves. Ruth Davidson. The First Minister seems more interested
:07:13. > :07:16.in discussing my position than her government's. I don't believe I've
:07:17. > :07:21.ever hidden it. My position is to say that people from the EU and
:07:22. > :07:26.elsewhere are welcome here. This is their home. And my position is to
:07:27. > :07:28.retain the close possible trading relationship with value being
:07:29. > :07:33.friends and neighbours expanding trade abroad. But my position is
:07:34. > :07:38.also to face up to the realities ahead of us. To mitigate risks and
:07:39. > :07:41.take advantage of opportunities. This parliament is now faces a
:07:42. > :07:45.choice about whether to put the lions share of its efforts into
:07:46. > :07:48.examining practical solutions or simply complaining about the
:07:49. > :07:52.results. Which is to be, First Minister?
:07:53. > :07:57.I think was Davidson is perhaps protesting a bit too much! She says
:07:58. > :08:03.I'm more interested in herb is a shame, I have to say, if anybody can
:08:04. > :08:07.work out what Ruth Davidson position is then they are doing better than
:08:08. > :08:11.me. She has flipped and flopped over and over again since the referendum
:08:12. > :08:18.result. She says, and I commend you for it, she said that what I stood
:08:19. > :08:21.up and said the morning after the referendum, that people who chose to
:08:22. > :08:26.make their homes here are welcome. They make a contribution and we want
:08:27. > :08:30.them to stay. Unfortunately, the difference between Ruth Davidson and
:08:31. > :08:34.I is this, she wants control over immigration to stay in the hands of
:08:35. > :08:40.the xenophobes. I wanted in the hands of this parliament so that can
:08:41. > :08:44.put these sentiments into practice. And lastly, presiding officer,
:08:45. > :08:49.Scotland finds itself in a situation we didn't ask to be in. We are in
:08:50. > :08:52.this situation, facing all the risks we face because of the recklessness
:08:53. > :08:56.of the Conservative government at Westminster. My job, and the job of
:08:57. > :09:02.this government, is to protect Scotland's interest and bad is
:09:03. > :09:09.exactly what we will continue to do. -- that is exactly. To ask the first
:09:10. > :09:14.midair when she will next meet HIV Scotland.
:09:15. > :09:17.First Minister. It is an organisation almost fully funded by
:09:18. > :09:21.the Scottish Government, officials have regular contact with the HIV
:09:22. > :09:25.Scotland. The Minister for Public health and sport met with the
:09:26. > :09:31.executives on the 23rd of August. Kezia Dugdale. Presiding Officer,
:09:32. > :09:38.across Scotland this morning tens of thousands of people stood Station
:09:39. > :09:42.Platinum starting their commute. As Minister for transport in 2014 Keith
:09:43. > :09:45.Brown said the new franchise agreement was a world leading
:09:46. > :09:50.contract to deliver for rail staff and passengers. Not only that, but
:09:51. > :09:56.it was a contract that will benefit the whole of Scotland. Does the
:09:57. > :09:58.first Mr believe that those promises have been kept?
:09:59. > :10:03.The contract was awarded because it was considered that it was the
:10:04. > :10:08.contract in the best interests of passengers across Scotland. It is
:10:09. > :10:11.absolutely incumbent on a burial, as the holder of that conjure to
:10:12. > :10:15.continue to make sure that they deliver services that meet the
:10:16. > :10:18.expectations of the travelling public. The Scottish Government will
:10:19. > :10:23.continue to liaise on an ongoing basis with ScotRail to make sure
:10:24. > :10:26.that is the case. Indeed, I'm delighted that the recent dispute
:10:27. > :10:29.around driver operated doors has been settled and the public don't
:10:30. > :10:39.have the expectation of as a result of that. Presiding
:10:40. > :10:44.officer, I doubt commuters on the train from Dundee to Edinburgh or
:10:45. > :10:48.North Berwick to Edinburgh would agree that Scotland has a world
:10:49. > :10:53.leading contract or indeed that the expectations of the public are being
:10:54. > :10:55.met. In the past few months Scotland's rail passengers have
:10:56. > :10:59.faced cancellations, delays and overcrowding.
:11:00. > :11:04.New figures this week show that a third of all roots in Scotland have
:11:05. > :11:11.services that are late more often than they are on time. At the same
:11:12. > :11:17.time, Abelio are raking it in, ?1 million a month at from that
:11:18. > :11:20.franchise. Does the First Minister agree that while Scotland's rail
:11:21. > :11:24.network might be working for transport bosses it is not working
:11:25. > :11:32.for commuters? Kezia Dugdale is right to raise
:11:33. > :11:36.concerns from the travelling public. They have a right to services that
:11:37. > :11:39.run on time and they can rely on. It is because the Scottish Government
:11:40. > :11:44.is so firm and a commitment that Kezia Dugdale, I assume, is aware
:11:45. > :11:48.that under the contract terms the Scottish Government requested from
:11:49. > :11:52.ScotRail on the 26th of August, an improvement plan which was received
:11:53. > :11:56.on the 16th of September we are committed to working with ScotRail
:11:57. > :11:59.to deliver a quality service to passengers. That is our
:12:00. > :12:04.responsibility, and we are seriously making sure that we discharge that
:12:05. > :12:08.responsibility. Kezia Dugdale. That is interesting.
:12:09. > :12:14.I have the improvement plan in front of me. In fact it is a press release
:12:15. > :12:17.this week. ?300 with extra investment to improve comfort and
:12:18. > :12:22.accessibility on our railways. It says you are going to spend money on
:12:23. > :12:26.equipment so you conceal how overcrowded trains. Can I suggest
:12:27. > :12:33.she just get on to appreciate how overcrowded trains are? She needs to
:12:34. > :12:36.be honest about the experience based by passengers. Here's the thing,
:12:37. > :12:42.since 2011 the average weekly earnings of commuters rose by only
:12:43. > :12:47.6%. But the Scottish Government cap on rush-hour rail fares increased by
:12:48. > :12:50.over 23%. So let me make that absolutely clear. That's a rise four
:12:51. > :12:58.times faster than earnings. Those who travel to work by train pay more
:12:59. > :13:03.for a shocking service. And Scottish commuters are fed up of the First
:13:04. > :13:06.Minister's excuses. This is her responsibility. What is she going to
:13:07. > :13:13.do to get things back on track? APPLAUSE. I don't think anybody
:13:14. > :13:17.listening to this exchange has hit me make any excuses. It is our
:13:18. > :13:20.responsibility to work with ScotRail to make sure equality services
:13:21. > :13:23.delivered. That is widely transport Mr has been
:13:24. > :13:28.taking the action he has been taking and why continue to invest
:13:29. > :13:31.significant sums in the real Madrid to ensure that responsibility is
:13:32. > :13:36.discharged. I do not quibble at all about Kezia
:13:37. > :13:40.Dugdale's right to come to this chamber and reads those concerned. I
:13:41. > :13:44.understand the concerns of the travelling public but my job is to
:13:45. > :13:50.get on with fixing the problem not just to carp from the sidelines.
:13:51. > :13:54.The first supplementary from Bruce Crawford.
:13:55. > :13:59.Would be First Minister confirm that she is aware that HSBC are intent on
:14:00. > :14:03.relocating around 200 high-quality jobs... If you would just listen to
:14:04. > :14:08.what I'm saying. From Stirling and this would have an obvious impact on
:14:09. > :14:13.individuals and the economy. Given this news does the first Mr also
:14:14. > :14:17.agree with me that this strengthens the case was turning to secure a
:14:18. > :14:22.deal based on their excellent business case?
:14:23. > :14:27.Of course I'm aware of the situation. I fully appreciate how
:14:28. > :14:31.anxious a time this is for the company's employees and their
:14:32. > :14:35.families. The Scottish and will do all it can to support those
:14:36. > :14:39.affected. Scottish enterprise is already engaging with HSBC to
:14:40. > :14:42.explore all possible avenues of supporting the business and its
:14:43. > :14:47.workforce. In the unfortunate event that redundancies to proceed al
:14:48. > :14:53.organisation will be fully engaged. In terms of the city deal, I had a
:14:54. > :14:56.brief conversation at another event with leaders in the Council about
:14:57. > :15:01.this yesterday and they understand these discussions are progressing
:15:02. > :15:05.well. While no conclusions have been reached, I hope that Mr Crawford
:15:06. > :15:08.will see from the experience of other cities, Glasgow, Inverness,
:15:09. > :15:09.Aberdeen, the Government is committed to taking for city deals
:15:10. > :15:22.where we can. The pro version will be aware of the
:15:23. > :15:26.changes coming to Glasgow on bus routes. This will affect passengers
:15:27. > :15:33.in my constituency and also hers. The number of bus journeys is down
:15:34. > :15:36.to 2007 and Brits have been cut back by 66 million kilometres over the
:15:37. > :15:41.same period. Can I as the First Minister how many more bus services
:15:42. > :15:44.have two be withdrawn before this Government backs any kind of
:15:45. > :15:47.regulation and at very least, does the First Minister not think it
:15:48. > :15:51.should not be so easy for bus companies to walk away at short
:15:52. > :15:59.notice without any consultation from the communities represent? No, I
:16:00. > :16:02.think first Glasgow and indeed all other bus companies should consult
:16:03. > :16:06.very closely with local communities before making any changes to local
:16:07. > :16:13.services. That is what I would expect. As a local representative, I
:16:14. > :16:16.regularly have discussions with First Glasgow about services that
:16:17. > :16:20.run through and in my constituency and I know other MSP 's will do
:16:21. > :16:24.likewise. These are important issues. People in our constituencies
:16:25. > :16:27.depend on them and I would expect bus services to take their views
:16:28. > :16:32.into account when reaching decisions. David Stewart. Will be
:16:33. > :16:37.First Minister join with me in welcoming to the gallery today a
:16:38. > :16:46.delegation of campaigners from the Dunoon to clinic there are very
:16:47. > :16:56.good. Is it not the responsibility of the Government to provide ferry
:16:57. > :17:00.services from Gurock? Well, firstly I would welcome the campaigners for
:17:01. > :17:04.the Dunoon to Gurock Seri service to the chamber. I know many of them
:17:05. > :17:08.well as in one of my previous Government jobs I had the
:17:09. > :17:14.responsibility for taking forward this work. I absolutely appreciate
:17:15. > :17:17.the strength of feeling around the town centre vehicle service issue. I
:17:18. > :17:21.know the member will appreciate that now we are in a live procurement
:17:22. > :17:24.exercise there are strict limitations on ministerial
:17:25. > :17:28.involvement in that tendering exercise and what I'm able to say at
:17:29. > :17:31.this stage. But I hope he will appreciate and indeed the
:17:32. > :17:34.campaigners will appreciate from my previous involvement has serious we
:17:35. > :17:37.are in seeking that there is a service running on that route that
:17:38. > :17:43.meets the expectations of those who rely on it. Willie Rennie. To as the
:17:44. > :17:47.First Minister what will be discussed at the next meeting of the
:17:48. > :17:53.Cabinet. Matters of importance to the people of Scotland. We have
:17:54. > :18:00.heard the trade Secretary branding European citizens working here as
:18:01. > :18:04.Caldas in an EU negotiation. We have heard the Conservative Home
:18:05. > :18:09.Secretary advocating listing foreign workers. These are our neighbours
:18:10. > :18:14.and our friends. They are our family. People who voted for Brexit
:18:15. > :18:19.across the UK did not vote to send their friends home. So what can she
:18:20. > :18:29.do to ensure that EU citizens are treated with respect and dignity in
:18:30. > :18:36.these negotiations? The first thing I can do, which is what I did do on
:18:37. > :18:39.the morning after the EU referendum, is a unequivocally that people who
:18:40. > :18:42.have come from other European countries or indeed from any country
:18:43. > :18:46.and chosen to make Scotland their home and make a contribution here
:18:47. > :18:50.are welcome here. This is their home, this is where they belong and
:18:51. > :18:54.it is where we want them to stay and all of us have a responsibility to
:18:55. > :19:00.say that as often as we possibly can. We have also since the EU
:19:01. > :19:04.referendum taken steps to liaise with the community of EU nationals
:19:05. > :19:08.living in Scotland. The Cabinet held a question and answer session a
:19:09. > :19:12.number of weeks ago in order to hear directly their concerns. We have
:19:13. > :19:17.taken some practical steps, for example around tuition fees for
:19:18. > :19:19.universities to give some assurances to EU nationals where we can and we
:19:20. > :19:23.will continue to look for other areas in which we can do that.
:19:24. > :19:27.Unfortunately, and it is as matter of real regret to me, I do not have
:19:28. > :19:30.the power to guarantee the right to EU nationals to stay here in
:19:31. > :19:34.Scotland so what I will also continue to do and I hope I will
:19:35. > :19:38.have the backing of everything a person in this chamber when I say
:19:39. > :19:43.this, is to call in the UK Government to stop using human
:19:44. > :19:55.beings as bargaining chips and give them the guaranteed right to stay
:19:56. > :20:00.where they belong, here in Scotland. Now, many of these European citizens
:20:01. > :20:06.work in places like Amazon. They deserve decent treatment too. This
:20:07. > :20:11.week, Amazon celebrated recruiting more people below the proper living
:20:12. > :20:17.wage. It was described as a bonanza. I have raised this issue before and
:20:18. > :20:21.action was promised by the First Minister, but nothing has changed.
:20:22. > :20:26.This week, the Scottish Government didn't utter a peep. Not one word of
:20:27. > :20:31.criticism. This is Amazon that has had millions of pounds of Scottish
:20:32. > :20:36.Government grants paying poverty wages. Does she still intend to do
:20:37. > :20:41.anything or has she lost interest? I think that is a really unfair
:20:42. > :20:45.criticism form Willie Rennie because he knows, and I know he agrees with
:20:46. > :20:49.this, how seriously we treat the issue of the living wage and we
:20:50. > :20:52.encourage and I would go further than that and say we expect all
:20:53. > :20:57.companies where they can to pay the living wage and we have taken a real
:20:58. > :21:00.beating this. I wish I had the powers in Scotland not just to
:21:01. > :21:04.guarantee the right of EU nationals to state but actually to legislate
:21:05. > :21:11.on minimum wage level so that we could reach the statutory minimum
:21:12. > :21:14.wage to the level of the living wage. Let's argue not just for
:21:15. > :21:17.companies to do the right thing, let's argue for having these powers
:21:18. > :21:20.in the hands of this Parliament so we don't just have to call on the UK
:21:21. > :21:32.Government to do the right thing for us. A number of supplementary 's.
:21:33. > :21:39.The First Minister will reflect my concern is that the Fraser of
:21:40. > :21:47.Allander Institute has provided a report that says the number of jobs
:21:48. > :21:53.he she not think it is either the
:21:54. > :21:57.Tories to reveal a plan? The Tories should have had a plan to deal with
:21:58. > :21:59.this before the referendum. It is absolutely shocking that they did
:22:00. > :22:03.not have that. It is equally shocking that three months on we
:22:04. > :22:07.still have only the sketchiest of details about what happens now.
:22:08. > :22:13.Unfortunately, the details we do have suggest we are heading down the
:22:14. > :22:15.road of a hard Brexit which is the Fraser of Allander report says will
:22:16. > :22:21.cost people in Scotland in terms of lost wages and lost jobs. That is
:22:22. > :22:24.completely and utterly unacceptable. What I think has been really clear
:22:25. > :22:30.from the Conservative conference this week is that decisions by the
:22:31. > :22:33.Prime Minister are being driven more by her desire to appease the Tory
:22:34. > :22:37.Right then they are by the genuine interests of the country. I think
:22:38. > :22:43.that is wrong. I think it is regrettable and I think it is deeply
:22:44. > :22:46.irresponsible. Douglas Ross. When Andrew Flanagan, chair of the
:22:47. > :22:49.Scottish police authority was asked yesterday about public concern over
:22:50. > :22:53.sex offenders and violent criminals being tagged, he said, and I quote,
:22:54. > :22:56.I think that worry would be understandable. Ganley First
:22:57. > :22:59.Minister assure the public that her Government will not use the
:23:00. > :23:02.extension of electronic monitoring for these criminals given the very
:23:03. > :23:07.real concerns that have been voiced by the public and victims of crime?
:23:08. > :23:10.Public safety is at the heart of all of these decisions. As I have said
:23:11. > :23:15.previously in an exchange as a couple of weeks ago, it is not for
:23:16. > :23:18.politicians to decide sentences. It is for courts to decide appropriate
:23:19. > :23:22.sentences but when a court is deciding the appropriate sentence in
:23:23. > :23:28.any case whether that is prison or an alternative to prison and
:23:29. > :23:30.including the use of electronic monitoring, then risk assessment and
:23:31. > :23:33.issue of public safety will be absolutely integral to that
:23:34. > :23:39.decision. That is right and proper and the public would expect no less.
:23:40. > :23:44.Daniel Johnson. As the First Minister hat is no doubt aware, two
:23:45. > :23:50.weeks ago today there was a very major rupture on the water main
:23:51. > :23:54.supplying Edinburgh that occurred in Liberton, in my constituency. The
:23:55. > :23:57.destruction that was cost was very substantial. Many families have had
:23:58. > :24:00.to vacate their homes and friendly the only reason there was not a loss
:24:01. > :24:05.of life is because an elderly couple are currently in a care home where
:24:06. > :24:09.the greatest destruction took place. I had a very constructive meeting
:24:10. > :24:13.with Scottish water this week, but it was revealed that the main
:24:14. > :24:16.regulating valves for the supply of water to Edinburgh are causing
:24:17. > :24:20.serious issues for Scottish Water, to the point where they are
:24:21. > :24:24.supplying 24 hour supervision. The same valves are also used to
:24:25. > :24:30.regulate the supply of water into Glasgow and no guy. We'll the First
:24:31. > :24:34.Minister assure me that she and her ministers are looking into this
:24:35. > :24:39.matter and detail to this and Parliament what they are doing to
:24:40. > :24:43.make sure this is remedy. Firstly, I of course am aware of the
:24:44. > :24:46.destruction and the concern that was caused by the members of his
:24:47. > :24:50.constituency as the result of the incident he talked about I know
:24:51. > :24:55.Scottish Water will deeply regret that inconvenience. I am more than
:24:56. > :24:58.happy to ask the Minister with responsibility to raise the
:24:59. > :25:01.particular issue that the member has brought to the chamber today with
:25:02. > :25:06.Scottish Water and ask them to correspond with the member when he
:25:07. > :25:11.has Scottish Water's input on that. Is First Minister aware of the
:25:12. > :25:16.problems with the crofter's commission cost by the behaviour of
:25:17. > :25:18.the current convener. Other commissioners have asked for his
:25:19. > :25:22.resignation and the previous chief executive, Katrina Maclean, left
:25:23. > :25:26.because of the convenor's behaviour and the pressure that has been
:25:27. > :25:29.placed on commission staff. Will she and her rural secretary now take
:25:30. > :25:32.action to make the commission work for crofters across the crofting
:25:33. > :25:38.counties without the disruptive presence of the convener? Tavish
:25:39. > :25:41.Scott raises a very important issue. The Cabinet Secretary for the real
:25:42. > :25:44.economy has already welcomed the apology from the board of the
:25:45. > :25:48.crofting commission but it is disappointing that the convener was
:25:49. > :25:51.not a party to that apology. It is important that we get to the stage
:25:52. > :25:55.of being able to draw a line under recent events. The resources spent
:25:56. > :25:59.on dealing with these issues by the commission would, in my view, be
:26:00. > :26:02.better used in being an effective regulator and contributing to a
:26:03. > :26:08.sustainable future for crofting. I note that crofting commissioners
:26:09. > :26:10.have called on the convener to resign unanimously. We have
:26:11. > :26:14.requested further information in relation to last week's events.
:26:15. > :26:17.While the Government would not usually intervene in the internal
:26:18. > :26:21.operations of an independent statutory body, the legislation does
:26:22. > :26:25.give Scottish ministers power to act if required and I can assure Tavish
:26:26. > :26:28.Scott that the Cabinet Secretary continues to monitor the situation
:26:29. > :26:36.very closely and we would be happy to discuss it further with him.
:26:37. > :26:39.Christina McKelvie. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish
:26:40. > :26:41.Government's response is to the recent Scottish Social Attitudes
:26:42. > :26:46.survey which shows that prejudice levels in Scotland are following. I
:26:47. > :26:49.welcome the findings from this survey. It is encouraging to see
:26:50. > :26:53.that Scotland is becoming a more inclusive society with more people
:26:54. > :26:57.in racing and valuing diversity. However, we should not be
:26:58. > :27:01.complacent. It is unacceptable that some groups do still face prejudice
:27:02. > :27:06.so we must continue to work together to eradicate discriminatory act
:27:07. > :27:10.stewed in Scotland and I can ensure the member that we are committed to
:27:11. > :27:14.doing so. I thank the First Minister for that answer and that commitment.
:27:15. > :27:18.This week, the Tory party conference of the most disgraceful display of
:27:19. > :27:21.reactionary right wing politics in living memory with the Tories
:27:22. > :27:24.hinting that they will target foreign workers and name and shame
:27:25. > :27:28.businesses for not hiring British employees. Perhaps we saw an early
:27:29. > :27:35.plans of that from the Scottish Tories in recent weeks when they
:27:36. > :27:42.questioned the right to take part in current life. How will the First
:27:43. > :27:44.Minister help to ensure we create an inclusive Scotland where people are
:27:45. > :27:52.judged on the contribution they make to our society are not in a place
:27:53. > :27:58.they were born? We did that... We do that by standing strong and I hope
:27:59. > :28:01.United in defence of that inclusive tolerant society. We should value
:28:02. > :28:06.people by the contribution they make here, not by where they were born or
:28:07. > :28:11.indeed the colour of their passport. I think that work is undermined by
:28:12. > :28:16.some of the rhetoric we have heard from the Tory conference this week.
:28:17. > :28:21.Theresa May's speech yesterday was endorsed by Marine Le Pen, the
:28:22. > :28:24.leader of the French far right. Nigel Farris said yesterday that
:28:25. > :28:32.virtually everything that Theresa May said in her speech were things
:28:33. > :28:35.that he had said over the last few years. I do think all of us have an
:28:36. > :28:38.obligation to stand up against intolerance, against prejudice,
:28:39. > :28:41.against discrimination and against xenophobia in all of its forms and I
:28:42. > :28:50.hope everybody in this parliament will do so. Ross career. Thank you,
:28:51. > :28:53.presiding officer. The First Minister has already called at the
:28:54. > :28:55.hateful disgusting rhetoric that came out of the Tory party
:28:56. > :29:00.conference this week. Perhaps the most sinister of their proposals was
:29:01. > :29:03.that from Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, that countries will be
:29:04. > :29:06.forced to disclose the proportion of their workers who were born outside
:29:07. > :29:10.of the United Kingdom. Woolley First Minister and the Scottish Government
:29:11. > :29:14.support businesses in Scotland who refuse to comply with this
:29:15. > :29:20.disgusting proposal? I would absolutely stands full square beside
:29:21. > :29:24.any company that refused to comply with any request to publish details
:29:25. > :29:26.of foreign workers. What I found particularly offensive was the idea
:29:27. > :29:30.that companies would be named and shamed for the foreign workers they
:29:31. > :29:34.employed as if there was something shameful about employing workers
:29:35. > :29:38.from other countries. It is absolutely disgraceful stop I Amber
:29:39. > :29:44.Rudd went on the radio yesterday morning and tried to roll back this
:29:45. > :29:47.proposal by saying that it was not something the Tories were definitely
:29:48. > :29:50.going to do. Well, I think it's about time the Tories stood up and
:29:51. > :29:55.said that it's definitely something they will not ever do because it
:29:56. > :29:57.would be downright disgraceful and disgusting and this Government would
:29:58. > :30:04.have absolutely nothing to do with it.
:30:05. > :30:10.Thank you, presiding officer. Can I associate myself with the comments
:30:11. > :30:15.the First Minister has made about the Tory party conference. I think
:30:16. > :30:19.we are on full agreement on that point. If you look at the broad
:30:20. > :30:22.findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes survey as well as figures
:30:23. > :30:27.last week which show that hate crimes in Scotland have fallen over
:30:28. > :30:30.the last year, but we can't be complacent, First Minister. Bad
:30:31. > :30:36.things are still happening in Scotland too often. For example
:30:37. > :30:41.Islamophobic hate crimes have increased by 89%. Prejudiced and
:30:42. > :30:45.hatred has no place in any of our communities, and certainly not in
:30:46. > :30:48.our society. So what specific action will we take to highlight the issue
:30:49. > :30:55.of Islamophobia and reduce hate crimes such as this?
:30:56. > :30:59.Firstly, I agree absolutely with the comments. Indeed, I did say in my
:31:00. > :31:04.first answer that we should not and must not be complacent. There is no
:31:05. > :31:08.disagreement whatsoever from me on that. We see a rise in Islamophobia
:31:09. > :31:13.and the Government continues to work with faith communities to all our
:31:14. > :31:16.quality work to combat discrimination, in particularly to
:31:17. > :31:22.combat the rising trend of Islamophobia. I was speaking at an
:31:23. > :31:25.event at the end of last week organised, an interfaith event,
:31:26. > :31:30.organised by the Alan Bates society where I made mention of the need to
:31:31. > :31:33.make sure that we continue to welcome the fact that hate crimes
:31:34. > :31:38.are falling but not be complacent about that. I know the member is
:31:39. > :31:42.very familiar with the range of what we do. We are seeking to work with
:31:43. > :31:46.communities to bring people together and make diversity something we
:31:47. > :31:49.celebrate as a key strength of our country, not something we fear and
:31:50. > :31:55.exploit. That'll be the way this government behaves. I hope in doing
:31:56. > :32:00.so we continue to have the unanimous support of everybody in this
:32:01. > :32:04.chamber. I beg your pardon. Question number
:32:05. > :32:09.five, Donald Cameron. To ask the first Mr what steps the
:32:10. > :32:12.Scottish and is taking to tackle the rising number of drug-related Acute
:32:13. > :32:16.Hospital stays. While drug-taking amongst the
:32:17. > :32:20.general population is falling, the number of young people taking drugs
:32:21. > :32:24.is at the lowest level in a decade we are determined to tackle problem
:32:25. > :32:29.drug use. Will our partners and supported by an investment of over
:32:30. > :32:35.?600 million we are waking to the working to reduce the harm caused by
:32:36. > :32:38.drug and alcohol use. The result of hospitals is because of a rise chord
:32:39. > :32:43.of older drug users who become more vulnerable and have a greater need
:32:44. > :32:46.for the support and care of our NHS. We continue to work with subsector
:32:47. > :32:51.groups to identify and understand the needs of these individuals.
:32:52. > :32:56.Donald Campbell. The First Minister will be away from the recently
:32:57. > :33:00.published districts reported that general acute admissions increased
:33:01. > :33:04.by almost 500 in the last financial year. The same report showed that
:33:05. > :33:08.around half of those patients lived in the 20% most deprived areas of
:33:09. > :33:11.Scotland. Would be First Minister accept that the Scottish Government
:33:12. > :33:13.needs to do much more to reduce serious drug misusing our most
:33:14. > :33:19.deprived areas? Of course I will. Where we still
:33:20. > :33:23.have a problem of drug use they will also be more that the Government
:33:24. > :33:28.needs to do. But I would genuinely point the member to some of the
:33:29. > :33:32.trends that I highlighted in my opening answer. We are now seeing
:33:33. > :33:36.the number of young people taking drugs at the lowest level in a
:33:37. > :33:40.decade. That suggests that the initiatives we are taking are having
:33:41. > :33:44.some success. Coupled with that it is right to say that we are seeing
:33:45. > :33:50.an increasing trend of hospital admissions but that is related to
:33:51. > :33:53.the ageing cohort of drug users. As people become older having had a
:33:54. > :33:58.lifetime or substantial parts of their lifetime taking drugs, they do
:33:59. > :34:04.more and more need hospital treatment. That's the explanation
:34:05. > :34:07.behind that trend. Drug use in any community, particularly in our most
:34:08. > :34:12.deprived communities, is something we shouldn't and can't be complacent
:34:13. > :34:15.about. We must revelling possible to combat it.
:34:16. > :34:18.Thank you, presiding officer. That is the first winners agree that
:34:19. > :34:23.drug-related acute heart disease are often related to illegal drug use.
:34:24. > :34:28.Can she confirmed drug-related crime has fallen dramatically since the
:34:29. > :34:33.SNP came to office with a fall of 45.7% in North Asia alone? -- North
:34:34. > :34:42.a share. I certainly welcome the point to the
:34:43. > :34:46.recently published crime figures which highlight the reduction in
:34:47. > :34:52.drug offences and reflect positive trends in that area. North Ayrshire
:34:53. > :35:03.Rick wrote: the bucks trends. We know there was no room for
:35:04. > :35:06.complacency. We know about the vulnerability of an ageing cohort of
:35:07. > :35:11.people who are using drugs for many years. We must deal with that. But
:35:12. > :35:16.Kenny Gibson is right to point out that there is cause for optimism.
:35:17. > :35:20.Nationally drug-taking among the general population is falling, and
:35:21. > :35:23.as I've already said today, for young people it is now at the low
:35:24. > :35:29.was level it's been a decade. There is cause for optimism at but we must
:35:30. > :35:36.tackle this problem because it affects too many lives and can
:35:37. > :35:40.affect lives in a very dramatic way. To ask the first Mr what impact the
:35:41. > :35:47.breaching of EU spending rules has had on the funding of infrastructure
:35:48. > :35:49.projects. The European Commission suspended
:35:50. > :35:52.three-year programmes, these managers prevented the Scots
:35:53. > :35:57.government from being reimbursed for money it had already spent for the
:35:58. > :36:01.duration of the suspensions. But there was no impact on projects
:36:02. > :36:05.themselves. All suspensions have now been lifted with the final one being
:36:06. > :36:11.lifted in September this year. I think the first Mr is being badly
:36:12. > :36:17.advised in her response. I'm talking about European statistics authority
:36:18. > :36:20.regulations in relation to infrastructure projects. She has
:36:21. > :36:24.answered, perhaps, a different question. The First Minister will
:36:25. > :36:28.hopefully now be aware that there are at least four major capital
:36:29. > :36:33.project that breach EU rules on funding. In Aberdeen, Edinburgh,
:36:34. > :36:37.dumplings and Galloway Royal Infirmary at the national blood
:36:38. > :36:42.Centre. The total capital required for all four project will be pleased
:36:43. > :36:48.?900 million. According to audit Scotland capital was transferred
:36:49. > :36:53.from housing and from Scottish water and ?300 million was borrowed last
:36:54. > :36:57.year to fill part of the gap. Can I ask the First Minister what further
:36:58. > :37:00.borrowing will be necessary to finance these, and other planned
:37:01. > :37:05.projects? What is the opportunity cost if we still have to find the
:37:06. > :37:11.balance of the 900 million? And what projects will be delayed?
:37:12. > :37:15.Well, I now understand that Jackie Baillie was talking about the
:37:16. > :37:18.reclassification, I'm not sure how anyone could have taken from the
:37:19. > :37:23.wording of her question but I'm glad we now have a meeting of minds the
:37:24. > :37:27.question we are answering. As Jackie Baillie knows the ONS
:37:28. > :37:31.reclassification, and there are a number of issues, we've seen one
:37:32. > :37:36.about housing associations with the awareness reclassified from private
:37:37. > :37:40.to public, the UK Government also has similar issues to contender in
:37:41. > :37:43.terms of the capital projects. The Scottish Government has made a bold
:37:44. > :37:48.provision for these. They will be no interruption in terms of his capital
:37:49. > :37:51.projects. We make sure that our capital programme is taken forward
:37:52. > :37:58.is to deliver the production the country needs and deserves.
:37:59. > :38:04.Thank you, presiding officer. The general's report last week till says
:38:05. > :38:08.that a sum of ?40 million has been lost from Liz got an's account due
:38:09. > :38:12.to financial incompetence and an ability to apply EU accounting
:38:13. > :38:17.rules. Which projects have been kept or delayed because of this
:38:18. > :38:20.incompetence? I Middle Fraser made the same
:38:21. > :38:26.interpretation of Jackie Baillie's question as I did. My previous
:38:27. > :38:30.answer stands in reflect of this. In terms of the suspensions, the effect
:38:31. > :38:33.of suspensions which have all been lifted is to temporarily prevent the
:38:34. > :38:38.Scottish Government being reimbursed for money we have already paid out
:38:39. > :38:43.in projects. There is no impact whatsoever on the product concerned.
:38:44. > :38:49.We learnt lessons as other governments do, we regularly audit
:38:50. > :38:53.projects under these funds. We learn lessons and have applied those
:38:54. > :38:58.lessons in terms of the current round of structural funding.
:38:59. > :39:04.I would say that it is the actions of Murdo Fraser's party that putting
:39:05. > :39:09.future funding under threat. Question number seven, Emma Harbour.
:39:10. > :39:14.To ask the first Mr what the Scottish Government's responses to
:39:15. > :39:20.the polls deadline of March 20 17th for the triggering of Article 50? It
:39:21. > :39:25.does seem clear that the decision on the timing of article 50 is being
:39:26. > :39:28.driven more by the Prime Minister's desire to appease the Tory you are
:39:29. > :39:34.sceptics vanities by any rational consideration of what is in the best
:39:35. > :39:41.interests of the country. -- Tory you are sceptics banned by. As we
:39:42. > :39:45.have heard already and can see from the report this morning the damage
:39:46. > :39:49.that Brexit, especially the hard Brexit the Prime Minister now
:39:50. > :39:53.favours would still drown economy. That is why the Scottish Government
:39:54. > :40:00.will do absolutely everything in our power to protect Scotland's
:40:01. > :40:04.interests. Write frankly First Minister for that answer. Give any
:40:05. > :40:07.timescale it's taken to set a timescale what is the best bet on
:40:08. > :40:11.how long it will take the UK Government to curb with a plan, or
:40:12. > :40:20.any substantial notion of Brexit means?
:40:21. > :40:26.Well, I have no idea! They should have had a plan by now. What I'm
:40:27. > :40:31.more concerned about, with every day that passes, is the direction that
:40:32. > :40:36.the UK Government does seem to be going down, not just exit from the
:40:37. > :40:41.EU, but exit from the single market. Let's be quite clear about what that
:40:42. > :40:44.would mean. It will mean tariffs, nontariff trade barriers to
:40:45. > :40:48.companies that exports to the European Union. It could mean
:40:49. > :40:52.financial services companies losing past sporting rights, it could mean
:40:53. > :40:54.all of us having to pay for the privilege of travelling across
:40:55. > :40:58.Europe. These are real indications for every
:40:59. > :41:02.single one of us. That would be bad enough. But it's even worse because
:41:03. > :41:07.Scotland didn't want to be in this position. I hope everybody in this
:41:08. > :41:11.chamber will unite behind a call from the Scottish Government to stay
:41:12. > :41:14.in the single market. I don't believe, notwithstanding the result
:41:15. > :41:20.of the referendum, I don't believe Theresa May has any mandate to take
:41:21. > :41:24.the UK out of the single market. How many times did believe campaign say
:41:25. > :41:31.that leaving the EU did not mean leaving the single market. I hope
:41:32. > :41:37.liberals Davidson will get behind the Government when it says to
:41:38. > :41:44.Theresa May keep the European UK and EU and stop putting the interests of
:41:45. > :41:49.the Tory Eurosceptics and Ukip ahead of the interests of the country.
:41:50. > :41:52.To ask me first Mr what discussions the Scottish Government is having
:41:53. > :41:59.with the governing bodies of contact sports regarding head injuries.
:42:00. > :42:04.Firstly, on behalf of Parliament can I take this opportunity to convey
:42:05. > :42:09.sincere condolences to the family and friends of the boxer who lost
:42:10. > :42:12.his life in Glasgow last Thursday. The British boxing board is
:42:13. > :42:15.investigating the circumstances of this incident and it would be
:42:16. > :42:20.inappropriate for any of us to comment on details at this time. On
:42:21. > :42:23.the broader issue of concussion in sport we were the first country in
:42:24. > :42:26.the world to introduce standard guidelines for dealing with
:42:27. > :42:29.concussion in sport. These guidelines were published in May
:42:30. > :42:33.last year. The guidelines were developed with a range of experts
:42:34. > :42:36.including the Chief medical officers at the Scottish Government, Scottish
:42:37. > :42:40.rugby and be Scottish football is as a sham. They are made available to
:42:41. > :42:45.all sports clubs and cultures for contact and noncontact sports.
:42:46. > :42:47.-- footballers as the Asian. Can I find the Minister for that response.
:42:48. > :42:55.I also thank her for the very helpful to veggie sent to me this
:42:56. > :42:59.time last year following another First Minister's Questions when I
:43:00. > :43:02.raised the same issue. She said that she fully recognised the seriousness
:43:03. > :43:08.of the issue and intimated that guidance would be updated on regular
:43:09. > :43:10.basis. I wonder if these updates have taken place and whether
:43:11. > :43:13.consideration has been given to the fact that there is currently
:43:14. > :43:17.different guidance for serious concussion injuries in different
:43:18. > :43:22.sports. For example, in boxing the suspension is a minimum of 28 days,
:43:23. > :43:25.whereas in rugby the minimum is seven days away from the sport.
:43:26. > :43:29.Would she agree that the medical expert panel to which she referred
:43:30. > :43:35.might need to look at whether there should be a standard approach?
:43:36. > :43:39.As I said in a rigid Lancer we have introduced standard guidelines for
:43:40. > :43:43.dealing with concussion in sport but shrug as I said in my previous
:43:44. > :43:50.answer. When this law issue was last raised with me I think the prospect
:43:51. > :43:55.of legislation that concern is that at this stage legislation would not
:43:56. > :44:00.be helpful. What I said then is what I say today, we need to keep this
:44:01. > :44:04.under review, and as we do so we need to inform the best medical
:44:05. > :44:07.opinions will stop I'm happy to take the comments Liz Smith has made
:44:08. > :44:11.today and make sure they are discussed by the panel of medical
:44:12. > :44:15.experts that form these decisions. I am happy to enter into further
:44:16. > :44:19.correspondence over what we've done. That includes question Time today.
:44:20. > :44:24.We now move on to remember's business. The very sad subject of
:44:25. > :44:30.the death of that boxer. My sympathies to the family. A wide
:44:31. > :44:34.range of other questions there. Brexit was a dominant factor. I
:44:35. > :44:38.remind you of this report from the Fraser of an inter-Institute. It
:44:39. > :44:45.tracks the various scenarios from Europe. A full-scale hard Brexit,
:44:46. > :44:51.disengagement, on each of those scenarios jobs going, the economy
:44:52. > :44:58.down. A decline in GDP, and a decline in jobs. That was raised.
:44:59. > :45:00.Ruth Davidson raised that. It might have been described as a courageous
:45:01. > :45:04.move. Brave indeed. She knew that she was
:45:05. > :45:09.walking into First Minister's Questions today to face a barrage of
:45:10. > :45:13.criticism. It must be particularly galling given that she probably
:45:14. > :45:23.agrees with a lot of the things that Nicola Sturgeon says.
:45:24. > :45:27.There is no getting away from it, she is in the same party as the
:45:28. > :45:32.people who said all these things she will continue getting pelted the
:45:33. > :45:36.Government finally knocks on the head this idea that foreign workers
:45:37. > :45:41.will be put on lists. It was a brave move to raise that report. The issue
:45:42. > :45:45.of foreign workers on breasts but also Ruth Davidson challenging the
:45:46. > :45:50.First Minister to mitigate the impact of Brexit -- foreign workers
:45:51. > :45:57.on lists. A courageous decision given the origin of Brexit. Yes, a
:45:58. > :46:02.cheeky moving away given that her party is going to take the whole of
:46:03. > :46:09.the UK out of the EU and given the Scottish Government obviously does
:46:10. > :46:12.not have international trade as one of its areas, so Nicola Sturgeon
:46:13. > :46:20.obviously answered quite proactively about taking and setting up pubs in
:46:21. > :46:23.Dublin and Brussels and going into international markets saw it put her
:46:24. > :46:29.on the front foot in saying that we do not have these powers but we are
:46:30. > :46:33.doing things anyway. And she did try to stress that her Government is
:46:34. > :46:36.determined to if possible mitigate the impact of Brexit but she was on
:46:37. > :46:41.a tricky wicket there as well because no one knows precisely the
:46:42. > :46:45.impact. Even the Fraser of Allander Institute report gives a wide range.
:46:46. > :46:49.I just spent three days in Birmingham were at the lack of
:46:50. > :46:53.detail was apparent. The speeches, there was no meat them at also
:46:54. > :46:57.everyone and... We are still getting Brexit means Brexit, we'll make it a
:46:58. > :47:03.success and that is all. If the UK Government is not being clear and it
:47:04. > :47:05.is very do offer Nicola Sturgeon to be clear about what the impact will
:47:06. > :47:09.be. Willie Rennie broadened it on the points you make about Amber
:47:10. > :47:12.Rudd's speech about an audit of foreign workers. The First Minister
:47:13. > :47:19.said it would be appalling if they were used as bargaining chips. First
:47:20. > :47:23.Minister is really exercised about this, isn't she? She is really
:47:24. > :47:27.angry. She's right, I think many people are appalled. I think most
:47:28. > :47:31.people in the rest of the UK are appalled at this idea and the UK
:47:32. > :47:36.Government are going to put out a consultation on this idea of having
:47:37. > :47:39.a foreign worker list. But I think they should kill it off. The
:47:40. > :47:43.business reaction has been appalling, the reaction from Tory
:47:44. > :47:45.supporting papers like the Telegraph has been appalling and the sooner
:47:46. > :47:50.they kill it, the better for the Government and for Ruth Davidson as
:47:51. > :47:53.well. On this point, Amber Rudd as was noted seems to have rolled back
:47:54. > :47:57.a bit from saying that this is something the UK Government will
:47:58. > :48:05.definitely do. Yes, it's strange. You'd think she would have predicted
:48:06. > :48:08.the reaction she has got but a think it's clear from the way she is
:48:09. > :48:10.backtracking now but she obviously did not expect that. Perhaps at a
:48:11. > :48:15.conference it seems like some in that reflects the mood? Perhaps it
:48:16. > :48:18.reflects the mood within the party but she did not realise what the
:48:19. > :48:27.reaction would be within the wider country. So, yes, it suggests a bit
:48:28. > :48:30.of out of touch in terms of what she thought was going to happen by
:48:31. > :48:34.saying that. Our different topic but the question of hate crime and
:48:35. > :48:41.hateful attitudes but it was linked as well by Christina McKelvie to,
:48:42. > :48:45.perhaps unfairly, to the response at the Conservative conference. Then we
:48:46. > :48:50.had quite a substantial debate about decline in hate crime but reminding
:48:51. > :48:55.that Islamophobic a crime is up. There was generally hate crime
:48:56. > :48:58.following in that report. Actually, what was not mentioned in there and
:48:59. > :49:04.which links into the Brexit thing was a third of Scots are worried
:49:05. > :49:07.about Eastern EU immigration taking their jobs but that was perhaps not
:49:08. > :49:12.mentioned by Christina McKelvie because it would not fit in with her
:49:13. > :49:15.line of argument. It's only the case that there are those attitudes here
:49:16. > :49:20.in Scotland as well is out of the border. Let's turn to these things
:49:21. > :49:31.that were raised by Kezia Dugdale for Labour, about ScotRail. She was
:49:32. > :49:36.talking about a very populist nerve. Commuters are sick of her services.
:49:37. > :49:41.Absolutely. It is something that we are hearing from across the UK with
:49:42. > :49:45.Sutherland strikes still going on. I feel that Kezia Dugdale does not
:49:46. > :49:48.really managed to get an answer from the First Minister because she
:49:49. > :49:53.raised the point about ticket prices versus wages and I think it was 23%
:49:54. > :49:58.was the cap on ticket price rises and 6% was the amount that raises...
:49:59. > :50:02.Wages are going up. She asked it and I think Nicola Sturgeon got around
:50:03. > :50:05.it and just hopped about service levels that they are working on and
:50:06. > :50:10.the kind of improvement they are working on the day have asked
:50:11. > :50:14.ScotRail for. It is always an open goal, this one. Commuters are sick
:50:15. > :50:20.of the service they get but she pushes it on a range of topics or a
:50:21. > :50:23.range of aspects. Yes, I think Kezia Dugdale picked as subject that
:50:24. > :50:26.really does annoy people and that is a thing. I am lucky enough to live
:50:27. > :50:30.in Edinburgh so I don't have to commute but enough of my friends do
:50:31. > :50:33.and are scathing about the service and you could tell that Nicola
:50:34. > :50:39.Sturgeon was in some bother. She said that she was not going to make
:50:40. > :50:46.excuses. There was no real substantive answer to the questions
:50:47. > :50:50.that Kezia Dugdale was raising. Hold of Razak and we will track for a
:50:51. > :50:57.moment. Back to Brexit, I have talked to John McAlpine who is the
:50:58. > :51:01.convener of the European committee that are having a commission. They
:51:02. > :51:05.are the ones who commissioned this Fraser of Allander reports that has
:51:06. > :51:08.caused so much fuss. But they are investigating the impact of Brexit
:51:09. > :51:13.in Scotland. I asked if there should be able to hear at Holyrood on the
:51:14. > :51:17.bill, the great repeal bill as the Prime Minister calls it. I'd put it
:51:18. > :51:20.to her that UK sources were saying this was a matter for the UK because
:51:21. > :51:25.it was the UK as a whole that would be leaving the EEC can make European
:51:26. > :51:34.Union. Here was her response. That's absolute nonsense. It impacts on so
:51:35. > :51:36.many default areas and its impact on Scottish businesses, Scottish
:51:37. > :51:40.organisations, Scottish charities, the cultural sector and even in
:51:41. > :51:45.areas where we are told we will get all the power back, like fishing for
:51:46. > :51:48.example, we are told that will be repatriated. The maritime boundaries
:51:49. > :51:51.are not going to be repatriated and there is already talk of the UK
:51:52. > :51:55.Government is using Scotland's fishing grounds as a bargaining tool
:51:56. > :52:00.because they determine who gets access to them. There is a lot of
:52:01. > :52:03.areas where Scotland will be affected so it's important that the
:52:04. > :52:07.Government gives all sectors a voice because they certainly will not get
:52:08. > :52:12.a voice to Westminster. You have two elements here. Negotiations, which
:52:13. > :52:17.is UK Government is consulting but when you have this bill that is now
:52:18. > :52:22.being proposed, the title my great repeal Bill the Prime Minister is
:52:23. > :52:26.calling it to return powers to these islands. Do you think Holyrood
:52:27. > :52:30.should have a role in that? Should there be a register of consent
:52:31. > :52:34.motion that allows a vote in this Parliament as well? I would've
:52:35. > :52:37.thought there would have to be alleged to have consent motion
:52:38. > :52:42.because it impacts are many areas of Scottish law. EU law is constrained
:52:43. > :52:46.in Scots law so it will affect that so it has to be EU legislative
:52:47. > :52:50.consent. You think that is plain? Some people are saying that it is
:52:51. > :52:55.about foreign affairs Constitution. I think there is a huge lack of
:52:56. > :53:00.understanding about the devolution sextant. There is only one
:53:01. > :53:02.convention that says if there is little in the Westminster parliament
:53:03. > :53:06.that impacts on devolved areas it must get the consent of the Scottish
:53:07. > :53:12.parliament. Clearly, this impacts on devolved areas and the decision on
:53:13. > :53:18.the LCM as I understand it is made here. It's made by the presiding
:53:19. > :53:23.officer, for example. What of that is contested by Westminster? That
:53:24. > :53:28.would be an unprecedented constitutional territory. It is the
:53:29. > :53:34.Government here and BPO, my understanding, that are in charge of
:53:35. > :53:36.the United have consent process. What if voices, officials, whatever,
:53:37. > :53:41.MPs and ministers at Westminster say that this is purely a UK matter?
:53:42. > :53:44.They can say what they like, but is our decision. We make the judgment
:53:45. > :53:49.on whether it goes to the Scottish parliament and in the Scottish
:53:50. > :53:56.Parliament vote on its democratic way. We have advisers to our
:53:57. > :53:59.committee, one of them Sean Douglas Scott who is professor of law at
:54:00. > :54:03.London University, so I believe she is doing some work on this for the
:54:04. > :54:07.committee... Does this go to a legal battle, visible to a political
:54:08. > :54:10.battle? I think there would be a huge constitutional crisis. It is
:54:11. > :54:13.important to remember that Theresa May in this whole process when she
:54:14. > :54:18.came Prime Minister, she started off on the right fit. He came to
:54:19. > :54:22.Scotland, told us we would be involved, she would not trigger
:54:23. > :54:26.Article 50 as such times as she had a UK wide agreements. Now she's gone
:54:27. > :54:34.ahead and said she will trickle Article 50. She does not have UK
:54:35. > :54:37.wide agreements. She hasn't even set up the mechanism to consult with the
:54:38. > :54:39.devolved governments. We have not had a meeting of the joint
:54:40. > :54:43.ministerial committee yet. She says this is ultimately for the UK
:54:44. > :54:46.Government to take the UK as a whole out of the European Union. That is
:54:47. > :54:50.not what she said in July. What she said then was that there would be a
:54:51. > :54:55.UK wide approach and we would not be windowdressing, the First Minister
:54:56. > :54:58.said, we would be involved in shaping the UK's negotiating
:54:59. > :55:01.position. That is not what she is saying now. That whole respect
:55:02. > :55:13.agenda seems to be out of the window. It is another broken promise
:55:14. > :55:16.just that they broke a promise not to take it out of the EU if we voted
:55:17. > :55:18.no in the independence referendum. There we have it. Joan McAlpine
:55:19. > :55:21.making her views very clear. Simon, does this matter? Do you think there
:55:22. > :55:26.has to be alleged to have consent motion. Should Holyrood have its
:55:27. > :55:31.say? I think Theresa May was not born yesterday. If she really going
:55:32. > :55:36.to offer the Scottish Parliament the chance of a consent motion solicitor
:55:37. > :55:39.and it down? She has already not been very keen of it going to
:55:40. > :55:42.Westminster Parliament, let's be honest. Certainly trying to avoid
:55:43. > :55:48.the trigger going through the parliament. Why would you? There
:55:49. > :55:52.would be a crisis if you make that offer and then it was rejected and
:55:53. > :55:55.the great repeal bill was withheld, so it would seem likely that it
:55:56. > :56:00.would be rejected, so I don't see in a million years why she would do
:56:01. > :56:03.that. Ultimately, Westminster can say Holyrood has withheld consent of
:56:04. > :56:06.these things, how sad, we are carrying on but that would not be
:56:07. > :56:15.good politics as Simon is suggesting. No, it is a risk. Try to
:56:16. > :56:18.get this balance. I think we have seen a shift because to begin with
:56:19. > :56:20.Theresa May seem to be very cold so later it would Scotland. Joan
:56:21. > :56:24.McAlpine says there has been a U-turn. There has been a shift.
:56:25. > :56:29.First they seem to be a working together, yes, we will talk to
:56:30. > :56:32.everyone is happy with its. Now those very much, we will not have
:56:33. > :56:35.national standing in our way, we don't need to tell you what we are
:56:36. > :56:40.doing. Do you think there has been a shift? If there has been, Theresa
:56:41. > :56:50.May does seem to be seen consulting with Nicola Sturgeon. I agree with
:56:51. > :56:53.Joan McAlpine on that, there must be formal talks, negotiations. We are
:56:54. > :56:55.early on in the process at the moment, but there has to be that.
:56:56. > :57:01.There are two things. There are the negotiations and the bill. The
:57:02. > :57:05.negotiations, you are saying should be involving Scotland. Absolutely.
:57:06. > :57:09.She should be seen to be doing that southern Nicola Sturgeon is feeding
:57:10. > :57:13.her ideas into the negotiation stance. What is the danger from a UK
:57:14. > :57:18.perspective otherwise? The danger is, obviously we already have
:57:19. > :57:22.Scotland being taken out against its will on terms to which it didn't
:57:23. > :57:26.agree, that just makes it even worse. We're hearing from the
:57:27. > :57:29.Scottish Government that there is to be a joint ministerial committee at
:57:30. > :57:32.the end of this month and they want this to be a platform for their
:57:33. > :57:35.involvement, don't they? But on the other hand, David Mundell and
:57:36. > :57:42.Theresa May are saying they will consult with and engaged but the UK
:57:43. > :57:48.Government will take the UK out of the EU. It is challenging for them
:57:49. > :57:53.because they need to consult, they need to be seen to be taken on board
:57:54. > :57:56.ideas, but at the same time, they to retain control and say it is
:57:57. > :58:00.actually asked that is in charge because at the end of the day...
:58:01. > :58:06.Very briefly, Simon. SNP conference next week. It might come up? Just on
:58:07. > :58:10.the fringe somewhere? Everyone will be hanging on every word the Nicola
:58:11. > :58:12.Sturgeon has to say about a second independence referendum. Is she
:58:13. > :58:19.going to try to march them down from the top of the hill or issue
:58:20. > :58:23.actually going to hit the button as it were? We will be watching avidly,
:58:24. > :58:29.I'm sure. Thank you both. Little bit of a sushi kicking around social
:58:30. > :58:32.media. Idol read it myself, but I'm told it's happened. Apparently he
:58:33. > :58:36.thinks some of the Scottish press are a bit lazy in their attitude to
:58:37. > :58:41.coverage. I was going to discuss it with my colleagues here, but we just
:58:42. > :58:47.couldn't be bothered, basically (!) We can get round to it. That is the
:58:48. > :58:52.end of the of questions to the First Minister. Brexit dominating. We will
:58:53. > :58:57.be off to the SNP conference next week. From me, goodbye.