:00:22. > :00:26.A very warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament. There is the fall-out
:00:26. > :00:31.from the autumn statement yesterday. The First Minister is meeting his
:00:31. > :00:37.opponents this afternoon to discuss Leveson and media and press
:00:37. > :00:43.regulation. There is a big new row developing over whether or not and
:00:43. > :00:47.on what terms Scotland would be a member of the European Union post-
:00:47. > :00:53.independence. All of those topics could come up in First Minister's
:00:53. > :00:58.Questions. Let us cross to the Chamber and find out. At the moment,
:00:58. > :01:02.they are finishing off general question time which is an
:01:02. > :01:09.opportunity for backbench ms Ps to ask various Ministers in the
:01:09. > :01:16.Scottish Government -- backbench MSPs. One of the health Ministers
:01:16. > :01:18.is currently answering questions on applications to set up a pharmacy.
:01:18. > :01:23.A Labour representative there querying exactly how that happens
:01:23. > :01:29.and saying he was disappointed with her it particular application in
:01:29. > :01:34.his constituency. Now let us get specific. What engagements does he
:01:34. > :01:38.have planned for the rest of today? I will be speaking with the
:01:38. > :01:44.regional president of the global electronics manufacturer who I am
:01:44. > :01:49.delighted to announce are creating 130 jobs as part of a �9 million
:01:49. > :01:55.investment. After the disappointment, today's
:01:55. > :02:01.announcement will be very welcome news for the people of East Lothian.
:02:01. > :02:05.I think it would also be appropriate to pay tribute to John
:02:05. > :02:10.Park who is going to stand down as a member of the Scottish Parliament
:02:10. > :02:13.who has made a considerable contribution to our proceedings. We
:02:13. > :02:23.should also congratulate Celtic on their qualification for the
:02:23. > :02:27.European Championship. Neil Lennon is on his way to becoming a legend.
:02:28. > :02:33.Perhaps the only word I would dispute is becoming! I welcome the
:02:33. > :02:37.Commons that the First Minister has made about jobs and the decision of
:02:37. > :02:44.John Part to stand down. We will miss him very much but we know he
:02:44. > :02:50.will continue with the struggle and battles and values he believes in.
:02:51. > :02:55.This week, doctors called for honesty from politicians on cancer
:02:55. > :02:58.treatment. The review has been announced regarding access to new
:02:58. > :03:06.medicine's. Under Nicola Sturgeon Scotland when from the top nation
:03:06. > :03:12.in the UK using innovative drugs to the worst. Why do Scots cannot get
:03:12. > :03:15.access to the latest cancer drugs on the NHS? The process by which
:03:15. > :03:19.the Scottish Medical Commission looks at these matters is a very
:03:19. > :03:26.robust one. It has been supported across the parties. It would be
:03:26. > :03:30.very unwise to change it. The recent controversy concerns the
:03:30. > :03:36.introduction in the English health service of a special cancer drugs
:03:36. > :03:40.fund. That introduction has been opposed in Scott and not just by
:03:40. > :03:46.the SNP but by the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats, by the Welsh
:03:46. > :03:51.Government as well. That is because it is not... It does not fulfil
:03:51. > :03:56.many of the things that it claims. In particular, it introduces in
:03:56. > :04:00.England a postcode lottery. Secondly, the criticism from the
:04:00. > :04:03.range of charities who have submitted to the Parliament points
:04:03. > :04:09.out that they cannot see the reason for having a specific special
:04:09. > :04:14.cancer drug fund when there are other equally serious conditions
:04:14. > :04:22.which do not have such a fund. I think we should be confident that
:04:22. > :04:27.the process in Scotland is robust and we should continue our all-
:04:28. > :04:32.party support for the integrity of the process. I did not ask him for
:04:32. > :04:37.a critique of what is happening elsewhere. I asked him about what
:04:37. > :04:40.it is his responsibility. He says the process might create a postcode
:04:40. > :04:48.lottery. Is he not aware there is currently a postcode lottery in
:04:48. > :04:53.Scotland? And while there is no test of cost benefit to might free
:04:53. > :04:57.hayfever tablets, that is applied to cancer drugs. -- to my free
:04:57. > :05:04.hayfever tablets. This morning we spoke to a 56-year-old man
:05:04. > :05:09.suffering from bowel cancer. He has to pay hundreds of pounds a
:05:09. > :05:13.fortnight for drugs to prolong his life. Astonishingly, part of that
:05:13. > :05:23.is an administration charge from the NHS to get the drugs they will
:05:23. > :05:26.
:05:26. > :05:32.not give him for free. As patient who -- as patients' suburb, doctors
:05:32. > :05:36.despair. The doctor said, I think there is an in a quality that is
:05:36. > :05:41.unacceptable. I cannot offer my Scottish patients the same
:05:41. > :05:51.medication that I can treat my English Patients' with. I do not
:05:51. > :05:59.see how that can be right. Does the First Minister think that is right?
:05:59. > :06:04.I saw the quote and the evidence. The introduction in England of the
:06:04. > :06:10.special cancer drugs fund... The committee also heard from a
:06:10. > :06:15.Scottish Cancer Research Network lead. They said, and equivalent to
:06:15. > :06:20.the cancer drugs fund south of the border, but fund brings more
:06:20. > :06:22.postcode prescribing than existed previously because each of the
:06:22. > :06:26.different Strategic Health Authorities has a different
:06:26. > :06:33.shopping list that is influenced by its clinicians. That position has
:06:33. > :06:37.been supported by the Labour Party in this chamber. We should always
:06:37. > :06:42.look for of ways to improve the position. We should always look for
:06:42. > :06:47.ways in which the Scottish medicine's consortium can be even
:06:47. > :06:51.better in progress in its work. Can I point out that is exactly why the
:06:51. > :06:55.Health Secretary has set out the investigation by the professor
:06:55. > :07:00.which is looking specifically about how we can improve the situation in
:07:00. > :07:07.Scotland? But I do not think... It is an extraordinarily different
:07:07. > :07:12.area. I do not think it is helpful to use quotations that refer to a
:07:12. > :07:16.specific cancer drugs funds which we have as far decided in Scotland
:07:16. > :07:19.that it is not appropriate for the reasons given. We should also hear
:07:19. > :07:25.the evidence from the cancer charities and other supporting the
:07:25. > :07:29.work of the consortium and pointing out the advantages of the processes
:07:29. > :07:33.of the Scottish medicine's consortium. I think it is a matter
:07:33. > :07:39.which we must consider as a government and has a Parliament...
:07:39. > :07:46.It touches on life limiting conditions and people in conditions
:07:46. > :07:50.of great extremity. I do think she should accept that thus far at
:07:50. > :07:54.least the process has enjoyed cross-party robust support in
:07:54. > :08:02.Scotland and I think we should be very careful about departing from
:08:02. > :08:06.that established process of integrity to -- integrity.
:08:06. > :08:14.First Minister should stop arguing about something that I am not
:08:14. > :08:19.arguing for. What I am saying is... I do not need anybody to tell me
:08:19. > :08:23.how serious an issue this is. What I am saying is that there is a
:08:23. > :08:26.postcode lottery in Scotland. I have described a particular case.
:08:26. > :08:31.It is a very serious issue and the First Minister's response seems to
:08:31. > :08:35.be that what we have got is very good. I am not promoting a
:08:35. > :08:40.particular model to solve it. I am asking him to confront the fact
:08:40. > :08:45.that there is a major problem. It is not just those people I have
:08:45. > :08:51.already described. The inequality is not just between Scotland and
:08:51. > :08:54.England. There is an even greater inequality within Scotland. A
:08:54. > :09:02.doctor of a cancer centre told the health committee in this Parliament
:09:02. > :09:09.this week that middle-class articulate patients are more likely
:09:09. > :09:13.to get the drugs they need. Patients in less need have
:09:13. > :09:21.treatment denied to others in greater clinical need because they
:09:21. > :09:26.were more articulate. But is inequitable. Does the First
:09:26. > :09:31.Minister agree? The reason I made the points I made is that the quote
:09:31. > :09:36.she gave was no castration of the impact of the introduction of the
:09:36. > :09:40.special cancer drugs fund in England. I am looking at the
:09:41. > :09:45.evidence... The argument that there are drugs available in England is
:09:45. > :09:48.because of the special cancer drugs fund. They are not available in
:09:48. > :09:53.every part of England and the committee has heard and I suspect
:09:53. > :09:58.will hear more evidence of the drawbacks of that particular system.
:09:59. > :10:08.The recent 5.2 the robustness of the consortium is not to argue that
:10:09. > :10:15.
:10:15. > :10:19.the position we have is perfect -- the reason that I point 2. The
:10:19. > :10:25.authorisation time for drugs is just over seven months in Scotland.
:10:25. > :10:29.In England, it is 21 months. There is much evidence from the charities
:10:29. > :10:35.and people affected of why they appreciate the speed with which we
:10:35. > :10:40.go about it. That are important improvements that we have made to
:10:40. > :10:44.the process of individual patient requests. The purpose among other
:10:44. > :10:54.things of the review is to see how we can improve that further. When
:10:54. > :10:55.
:10:55. > :10:58.she says she is not proposing a per -- a particular solution... It
:10:58. > :11:03.would be helpful if people would contribute positive suggestions as
:11:03. > :11:07.to how we can improve the situation. That should be done from the
:11:07. > :11:12.recognition that what we are dealing with weather in Scotland,
:11:12. > :11:16.England or in Wales, it is an extremely serious issue. We are
:11:16. > :11:20.doing our best to deal with it. The reviewer's there to make further
:11:20. > :11:24.improvements on behalf of the people of Scotland. Of course the
:11:24. > :11:31.doctor referred to was talking about the individual patient
:11:31. > :11:35.treatment requests. My point is that his review needs to go broader
:11:35. > :11:41.than the remit given to it because of the huge challenges. The First
:11:41. > :11:45.Minister says we should have an open and honest debate. When I
:11:46. > :11:54.questioned his policies, I was accused of trying to tax be set.
:11:54. > :11:58.This is all part of the same serious process -- tax the SEC. The
:11:58. > :12:02.NHS in Scotland spends only just over half the money on cancer drugs
:12:02. > :12:10.compared to the European average. Cancer specialists do not want to
:12:10. > :12:13.work here. A doctor told this Parliament this week that every
:12:13. > :12:17.Scottish Cancer Centre is at least one specialist short and that the
:12:17. > :12:22.most gifted doctors do not want to work here because they cannot
:12:22. > :12:25.prescribe the latest drugs. We are not able to be at the cutting edge
:12:25. > :12:31.because of choices the First Minister has made about the way in
:12:31. > :12:34.which drugs are accessed. Will the First Minister please be honest
:12:34. > :12:39.with cancer patients and specialists and confront the
:12:39. > :12:49.reality that this is the result of choices he has made and about his
:12:49. > :12:49.
:12:50. > :12:56.priorities for spending in the NHS? I think she should accept that the
:12:56. > :13:01.substantial efforts and spending on cancer research in Scotland... The
:13:01. > :13:10.substantial increase in the outcomes, successful outcomes, for
:13:10. > :13:14.cancer that we are seeing. For the first time, the target of having
:13:14. > :13:23.95% of cancer patients seen in a specified period. The figure when
:13:23. > :13:29.Labour were in office was 85%. These are all substantial
:13:29. > :13:32.improvements. When I argued that there is a robust process that we
:13:33. > :13:39.should reflect on and be proud of and be very careful about
:13:39. > :13:49.overturning, I am not just being the First Minister. I am talking
:13:49. > :13:53.
:13:53. > :13:58.about others who say that the decision-making... They say they
:13:58. > :14:04.prefer our approach to what happens south of the border. There is a
:14:04. > :14:09.substantial support from many people that the process is robust.
:14:09. > :14:16.There is much evidence that the individual patient request process
:14:16. > :14:21.which applies to drugs which are not authorised has factors in it
:14:21. > :14:26.which could be improved. That is why the Health Secretary has set up
:14:26. > :14:31.the review to see if we can improve the situation further. I think she
:14:31. > :14:35.should be very careful about suggesting that cancer treatment in
:14:35. > :14:38.Scotland is not improving because it is. She should not say that
:14:38. > :14:48.there is not a commitment to researching cancer because they
:14:48. > :14:54.most certainly is. Order, order. �6 million on 20 for cancer research
:14:54. > :14:59.projects by the chief scientist's office. She should accept we are
:14:59. > :15:03.dealing with a hugely difficult circumstance in how to successfully
:15:03. > :15:10.improve and make available to the people of Scotland new experimental
:15:10. > :15:15.drugs which become available to find a safe process for authorising
:15:15. > :15:19.the sun to find the best possible way of making them available to
:15:19. > :15:23.Scotland -- for authorising these. Every person in this chamber is
:15:24. > :15:28.committed to better outcomes for cancer patients in Scotland. Let us
:15:28. > :15:33.go forward to find the better solution and support the review in
:15:33. > :15:38.an atmosphere which accepts that in essence this cannot be seen as a
:15:38. > :15:48.party political matter, but a matter of trying to improve the
:15:48. > :15:52.
:15:52. > :15:56.health and welfare of of the people And and Ruth Davidson. Up to ask
:15:56. > :16:04.the First Minister when he will next May a Prime Minister. No plan
:16:04. > :16:07.is in a future. There has been one party in this chamber which has
:16:07. > :16:11.consistently argued and the First Minister is right that the argument
:16:11. > :16:17.put forward by the Scottish Conservatives has been consistently
:16:17. > :16:22.opposed by the Labour Party. The First Minister says this is because
:16:23. > :16:27.it is an imperfect solution. It may be imperfect but this fund could be
:16:27. > :16:32.the solution for Scottish patients getting better treatment and access
:16:32. > :16:37.to the same drugs as people elsewhere and the difficulties of
:16:37. > :16:43.recruiting cancer specialists north of the border. I have raised this
:16:43. > :16:48.and my predecessor has raised this, and the post code issues he has
:16:48. > :16:52.raced today have been dealt with down south since its inception.
:16:52. > :17:02.Does he know which of us have been routinely denied Scottish patients
:17:02. > :17:05.
:17:05. > :17:10.which are now allowed in England? - - which drugs. I know of a number
:17:10. > :17:15.of drugs which are only available through successful patient requests
:17:15. > :17:18.and Scotland. There are a range of drugs in Scotland which are
:17:18. > :17:27.available for a range of conditions which are not currently available
:17:27. > :17:31.in England. I can last some of these if Ruth Davidson would like,
:17:31. > :17:40.but we could probably conducted a bet on how best to get the best
:17:40. > :17:46.possible system for the people of Scotland, and to argue asked -- as
:17:46. > :17:52.a Ruth Davidson seems to that the English system is the best possible,
:17:52. > :18:02.ignores the substantial evidence of the compromises inconsistencies and
:18:02. > :18:03.
:18:03. > :18:09.drawbacks of that system in England. The suggestion that the cancer
:18:09. > :18:14.drugs fund is the solution I do not think is met by the events. The
:18:15. > :18:20.willingness of this Government to look for a better position than we
:18:20. > :18:23.have in England is set out by D Routledge reviewed. If we were not
:18:23. > :18:33.interested in finding better outcomes for Scottish patient then
:18:33. > :18:37.
:18:37. > :18:41.we would not have set up the right Clynch review. -- Routledge Review.
:18:41. > :18:51.More than 28,000 cancer patients in England have had their lives
:18:51. > :18:52.
:18:52. > :18:59.extended by the cancer drug stunned. That is 23,000 families affected. -
:18:59. > :19:08.- drugs fund. Patients in England have had access to drugs not
:19:08. > :19:15.commonly available in Scotland. The drugs were breast-cancer treatment
:19:15. > :19:25.that are not commonly available and drugs for up non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
:19:25. > :19:26.
:19:26. > :19:30.and bikini a that are not commonly available in Scotland. -- leukaemia.
:19:30. > :19:34.Patients in Scotland could have had more time with access to these
:19:34. > :19:43.drugs and thousands more do not need to be failed. Rich people do
:19:43. > :19:50.not need free prescriptions, cancer patients need better treatment.
:19:50. > :19:54.Would the First Minister at least reconsider his opposition? The view
:19:54. > :20:03.is there as has been previously discussed to look at all situations
:20:03. > :20:10.that could improve treatment in Scotland. There has been
:20:10. > :20:14.substantial criticism of the drugs fund from up many corners, and the
:20:14. > :20:23.fund itself is only temporary with a value-based pricing due to be
:20:23. > :20:27.introduced. Different institutions produce different outcomes and
:20:27. > :20:32.there are a range of drugs available that are not currently
:20:32. > :20:38.available in England. We try to find the best possible system for
:20:38. > :20:42.Scottish patients. Generally speaking, and the SMC process is
:20:42. > :20:48.well regarded across this chamber and by the medical system and
:20:48. > :20:51.patients in Scotland. The review is designed to look a particular
:20:51. > :20:56.improvements that could be made through this process or whether it
:20:56. > :21:01.could be done through individual patient requests. There is a huge
:21:01. > :21:06.willingness among this Government to look at better outcomes but
:21:06. > :21:09.there is also a track record which indicates that cancer patients in
:21:09. > :21:19.Scotland are receiving better and quicker treatment than the other
:21:19. > :21:21.
:21:21. > :21:25.half before. -- the other have before. If any single member of
:21:25. > :21:30.this Parliament and every single party is trying to get better
:21:30. > :21:37.outcomes for the patients in Scotland. The National Health
:21:37. > :21:42.Service in Scotland has advantages over some systems elsewhere. I have
:21:42. > :21:49.a number of backbenchers who wish to ask questions. Could be
:21:49. > :21:55.questions be brief and the answers brief also. The First Minister will
:21:55. > :22:03.be aware of the outcome of the ballot of workers in the North Sea
:22:03. > :22:07.ferry services. My colleague Tavish Scott raised the potential of the
:22:07. > :22:12.devastating impact strike action could have. Could they ask the
:22:12. > :22:15.First Minister to take whatever steps he can to make sure this the
:22:15. > :22:20.right does not happen and that Orkney and Shetland can look
:22:20. > :22:23.forward to it be Christmas without any disruption? The Scottish
:22:23. > :22:29.government is a way around concerned about the situation and
:22:29. > :22:33.are hoping that all involved can recognise the importance of pox and
:22:33. > :22:39.of coming to a satisfactory conclusion to minimise the
:22:39. > :22:49.likelihood of any impact. Does the First Minister share my deep
:22:49. > :22:50.
:22:50. > :22:53.concern that the announcement this morning by Remploy that three of
:22:53. > :22:59.their businesses are not by a ball and are unlikely to be sold,
:22:59. > :23:03.including Dundee and Clydebank and are now likely to be closed.
:23:03. > :23:10.Workers in this factory have been let down by the UK Government badly
:23:11. > :23:16.and I want to know his thoughts on this matter. The attitude of the
:23:16. > :23:22.company speaks very poorly of the attitude of the UK Government. I
:23:22. > :23:25.feel particularly for the workers and those that these two have been
:23:25. > :23:31.given indications as to a successful outcome but that has not
:23:31. > :23:35.yet come to pass. We are working very closely with individual
:23:35. > :23:41.constituency members to try to find a satisfactory outcome. I think
:23:41. > :23:46.that work should again be supported across all parties in this chamber.
:23:46. > :23:52.I am grateful. I have been contacted this morning by a couple
:23:52. > :23:57.who believe they may be up affected by problems with the Glasgow
:23:57. > :24:03.assisted conception Unit. Do you agree a no family should be
:24:03. > :24:11.affected by this situation and if so, they should be offered the
:24:11. > :24:17.services again? The result should not be an even longer wait for
:24:17. > :24:20.women and couples who are at the back of the queue for treatment.
:24:20. > :24:24.will look into this situation to see what the way forward will be
:24:24. > :24:29.and I shall make arrangements for the Health Secretary to contact him
:24:29. > :24:38.directly. To ask the First Minister what impact the autumn Budget
:24:38. > :24:42.statement will have on Scotland? Two aspect in particular. From the
:24:42. > :24:46.statement yesterday and from an analysis of the figures, the
:24:46. > :24:52.poorest of society will bear the brunt of the long austerity the
:24:53. > :24:57.Chancellor is now indicating false up the Treasury's own analysis
:24:57. > :25:05.indicates the poorest households will be �200 worse off next year as
:25:05. > :25:10.the combined result of the tax and benefits measure of -- measures
:25:10. > :25:16.outlined yesterday. There will be an increase in capital spending for
:25:16. > :25:22.which the Scottish government has campaigned over the last two years.
:25:22. > :25:31.It should be remembered across this chamber that that will just undo
:25:31. > :25:37.some of the imposition of the previous cuts. I think that
:25:37. > :25:42.indicates that the previous strategy was clearly not working
:25:42. > :25:46.and the economy was flat plaining, but his tendency to punish those
:25:46. > :25:54.least able to protect themselves is in itself an indictment of the
:25:54. > :25:58.Chancellor's approach. The failure of the UK government's programme of
:25:58. > :26:02.economic bloodletting is clear for all to see, but instead of changing
:26:02. > :26:08.tack, the Chancellor is taking billions more from the pockets of
:26:08. > :26:13.the poorest, forcing them to fund yet another massive tax cuts for
:26:13. > :26:17.big businesses. Is it not time for the Scottish government to give up
:26:17. > :26:22.on the dream of even deeper corporate tax cuts and except that
:26:22. > :26:29.Corporate Tax is a necessary tool to raise the investment we need for
:26:29. > :26:33.a fair society and a healthier economy? We should planner tax
:26:33. > :26:39.policies to increase the wealth than the economy and in communities.
:26:39. > :26:43.We should also Planet our tax and distribution policies to bring
:26:43. > :26:49.about an equitable distribution of that wealth. I do not accept the
:26:49. > :26:54.argument, and I am sure he did not put it forward, that an increase in
:26:54. > :26:58.wealth Mrs Sally means and unfairness and distribution. The
:26:58. > :27:02.more successful economy is in the world are the ones which have an it
:27:02. > :27:12.equitable distribution of wealth as well as the capability to develop
:27:12. > :27:13.
:27:13. > :27:18.that wealth. Scotland shall be a just nation. Can be get his
:27:18. > :27:25.microphone on, please? To ask what steps the Scottish government is
:27:25. > :27:30.doing to make sure the transport network is prepared for winter?
:27:30. > :27:35.thought this was going to be an extremely long and so indeed! We
:27:35. > :27:42.cannot control the weather and transport disruption can never be
:27:42. > :27:49.ruled out but there has been a great deal of proactive planning.
:27:49. > :27:53.Increased stocks of salt, more or de-icing equipment, real time
:27:53. > :27:57.information on the move, the completion of a programme of
:27:57. > :28:05.investment to improve the resilience of the railway network
:28:05. > :28:13.to bad weather, the completion of a programme of points upgrades by
:28:14. > :28:17.Network Rail, significant investment in Scotland's airports,
:28:17. > :28:22.increased snow team members at Edinburgh airport. All of which
:28:22. > :28:24.does not mean the weather can be controlled but the resilience and
:28:24. > :28:29.preparation of the Scottish government and our partners is very
:28:29. > :28:32.good indeed. I accept that the First Minister does not control the
:28:32. > :28:37.weather but will he endeavoured to ensure that all relevant
:28:37. > :28:40.departments and agencies work together to make sure that this
:28:40. > :28:46.vital work is both prioritised and funded for the safety of all people
:28:46. > :28:52.who travel by fitter by bite this winter? In my constituency, many of
:28:52. > :28:57.my constituents travel to work by bicycle and by fit. As well as
:28:57. > :29:04.keeping vital roads and motorways open and says, we must do all we
:29:04. > :29:08.can for all of our people who travel by Fitton by bike. Transport
:29:08. > :29:12.Scotland treat a number of key e- fit pass and they are working with
:29:12. > :29:22.communities who are keen to play their part to keep path sand roads
:29:22. > :29:24.
:29:24. > :29:30.free of ice. -- paths and roads. They will allow people to play a
:29:30. > :29:36.fuller part in contributing if they are able and willing to do so.
:29:36. > :29:40.going to take question No. 6. ask the First Minister what action
:29:40. > :29:48.the Scottish government will take following the recent Supreme Court
:29:48. > :29:53.ruling relating to the mental health care treatment Act 2003?
:29:53. > :29:57.the member is aware, this case arises from the provisions of the
:29:57. > :30:07.2003 Act, and the arrangements that have existed since it came into
:30:07. > :30:11.
:30:11. > :30:16.force. Arrangements were found by the Mental Welfare Commission to be
:30:16. > :30:19.appropriate in their visits, and the Scottish courts agreed with the
:30:19. > :30:27.government's position and found there were no requirements to make
:30:27. > :30:30.regulations. That appeal was tested in the Supreme Court and the case
:30:30. > :30:34.turned on a technical interpretation. We're currently
:30:34. > :30:39.considering the implications of the judgment and considering the
:30:39. > :30:44.correct course of action in response. Not withstanding further
:30:44. > :30:50.interpretations, can I just say the Supreme Court amendment relates to
:30:50. > :30:53.two amendments in my name which were passed unanimously. Given that
:30:53. > :30:58.the Supreme Court has now found that ministers have acted
:30:59. > :31:04.unlawfully by failing to implement regulations to ensure mental-health
:31:04. > :31:06.patients received the level of security appropriate to their needs,
:31:06. > :31:13.can the First Minister give Parliament an indication of how
:31:13. > :31:20.many compensation claims for victims are expected as a result of
:31:20. > :31:25.the government's failure to comply with its own laws. It is not
:31:25. > :31:35.possible to do that at the present moment. I know the background and I
:31:35. > :31:36.
:31:36. > :31:41.know the amendment. It was on 20th March. I mean she proposed it. She
:31:41. > :31:51.can accept the importance of looking at what is in the interest
:31:51. > :31:59.
:31:59. > :32:02.of the welfare of the people involved. The it is not possible to
:32:02. > :32:05.consider the full implications of the court judgment. The government
:32:05. > :32:15.is currently considering the terms and implications of the judgment
:32:15. > :32:26.
:32:26. > :32:32.and deciding on the most appropriate course of action. He we
:32:33. > :32:41.have a similar targets for cancer treatment. Up there is the 31 day
:32:41. > :32:47.target for treatment to begin. In the second quarter of 2012, they
:32:47. > :32:52.were 2975 people, which represents 95.3 per cent of those referred for
:32:52. > :32:57.treatment. That is the first time these targets have been met over
:32:57. > :33:03.the next couple of years. The individual targets were not met.
:33:03. > :33:07.The maximum weight was 399 days which is totally unacceptable. The
:33:07. > :33:15.vast majority of patients and Scotland are treated within the
:33:15. > :33:18.target time. Yesterday, the whole parliament joined up in
:33:18. > :33:23.acknowledging the achievements of the National Health Service staff
:33:23. > :33:29.in reducing waiting times. Is he aware that annually, there are now
:33:29. > :33:32.600 Scots not been treated for cancer within the 60 today target.
:33:32. > :33:42.Up the early detection program is very well, but one third of those
:33:42. > :33:46.
:33:46. > :33:50.who preach the timetable are or colorectal cancer patients. Can
:33:50. > :33:58.these issues beat track to see where the problems lie and this
:33:58. > :34:08.could lead to more hard choices. will certainly take a look and the
:34:08. > :34:09.
:34:09. > :34:16.Health Secretary will apply specifically to this information.
:34:16. > :34:20.The 95.3 per cent figure, we aspire for that to be 100%. Although
:34:20. > :34:27.Richard Simpson will reflect that the reason we are at 95.3 per cent,
:34:27. > :34:33.as opposed to 85% we inherited when we took office, with the huge
:34:33. > :34:38.number of patients that means are being seen within the timescale.
:34:38. > :34:45.That is the result of the hard choices we have made to protect the
:34:45. > :34:49.revenue budget of the National Health Service. My clear memory
:34:49. > :34:53.will confirm that this was not the position of the Labour Party in the
:34:53. > :34:58.election campaign, or was not confirmed by the Labour Party
:34:58. > :35:03.leader. The hard choice we took to present -- protect the revenue
:35:03. > :35:07.budget of the National Health Service has been a substantial
:35:07. > :35:13.addition in terms of providing a successful outcome for many people.
:35:13. > :35:17.I accept totally we should aspire to 100%, but we should reflect the
:35:17. > :35:26.fact our National Health Service has now received -- achieved that
:35:26. > :35:29.95% target and we should all aspire to do more work. That N's first
:35:29. > :35:36.Minister's Question Time. They all agreed on one thing at the outset,
:35:36. > :35:42.that Celtic had done wonderfully well. For the rest of the time, it