:05:00. > :05:07.election and was challenged to commit to the promise made in the
:05:08. > :05:11.manifesto and wouldn't do it. She was challenged to save the Tories
:05:12. > :05:15.would have a commitment to the triple lock on pensions in the
:05:16. > :05:19.manifesto and she wouldn't do that either. I think we should look very
:05:20. > :05:23.closely at the commitments the Tories make and also the commitments
:05:24. > :05:34.the Tories do not make at this election. Let me just say this is
:05:35. > :05:43.secondly, I support the work that DFID does around the world, helping
:05:44. > :05:50.many to get contraception, but I find it abhorrent that as DFID does
:05:51. > :05:54.things like that overseas, this government is forcing women to prove
:05:55. > :06:06.they have been raped before they get access to benefits for their
:06:07. > :06:19.children. So I will give... I will give Ruth Davidson a chance today -
:06:20. > :06:23.do not pass the buck, tells Scotland straight, do you support the rape
:06:24. > :06:33.clause in principle or do you, like me, think it is utterly abhorrent?
:06:34. > :06:40.Answer the question. Ruth Davidson. I will answer the question, if the
:06:41. > :06:46.First Minister doesn't like the two child tax policy, she can change it.
:06:47. > :06:52.But the truth is this First Minister is always happier, always happier
:06:53. > :06:57.complaining about the UK Government than she is about doing anything
:06:58. > :07:05.herself. The fact is that the way the SNP is readying itself to poor
:07:06. > :07:09.negativity on this country is shameful. She might not like it but
:07:10. > :07:13.Scotland is part of this United Kingdom, and if the First Minister
:07:14. > :07:17.really wants to set out her stall at this election, isn't practical
:07:18. > :07:21.vision of how she is governing Scotland the very least that we
:07:22. > :07:26.should all expect? Or given away education and the economy is going,
:07:27. > :07:36.is she just banking the fact Scots will buy it? Shame on Ruth Davidson.
:07:37. > :07:42.And shame on the Conservatives. We have just seen in this chamber the
:07:43. > :07:45.true colours of Ruth Davidson and the Conservatives. Given the
:07:46. > :07:51.opportunity to stand up clearly and join others in this chamber and say
:07:52. > :07:56.that the rape clause, a clause that forces a woman to prove she has been
:07:57. > :08:00.raped before claiming benefits for her children is morally and in
:08:01. > :08:09.principle wrong, Ruth Davidson refuses to do so. That is utterly
:08:10. > :08:12.shameful. And I think it brings into sharp focus, presiding officer, it
:08:13. > :08:16.brings into sharp focus the key issue at the heart of this general
:08:17. > :08:22.election. I ask people to think about this. The rape clause has been
:08:23. > :08:26.introduced by a Tory government at Westminster with a tiny majority. If
:08:27. > :08:31.that is what the Tory government can do with a tiny majority, let's just
:08:32. > :08:37.think of the damage a Tory government can do, and unfettered,
:08:38. > :08:46.out-of-control Tory government can do with it -- can do with a bigger
:08:47. > :08:50.majority. If the people want a strong opposition to a Tory
:08:51. > :08:54.government, they won't get it from Labour, they won't get it from the
:08:55. > :08:59.Lib Dems who still say they would support a Tory government, they will
:09:00. > :09:07.only get it from the SNP and Scotland needs protection from the
:09:08. > :09:11.Tories. Presiding officer, in the weeks ahead these benches will set
:09:12. > :09:16.out our vision of the United Kingdom which is a force for good in the
:09:17. > :09:21.world and we will stand up for Scotland's decision to stay in the
:09:22. > :09:25.United Kingdom. We will say no to a second referendum so that Scotland
:09:26. > :09:32.can get on with building better schools and better public services.
:09:33. > :09:35.But what about the SNP's plans? The First Minister's first intervention
:09:36. > :09:43.in this election is to say she would put Jeremy Corbyn in number ten. Is
:09:44. > :09:45.it because uniquely the First Minister sees in Mr Corbyn the
:09:46. > :09:51.wisdom and foresight and leadership skills that are needed in a Prime
:09:52. > :09:55.Minister? Or could it be because in his own words Jeremy Corbyn is
:09:56. > :09:59.absolutely fine with another referendum on independence? Is that
:10:00. > :10:08.the alliance she was really seeking down in London? This is pretty tired
:10:09. > :10:13.stuff from the Tories. You only have to take one look at the polls to
:10:14. > :10:18.know that Jeremy Corbyn ain't going anywhere near number ten. That
:10:19. > :10:23.brings us back to the core issue, presiding Officer, because of the on
:10:24. > :10:29.electability of Labour. Scotland faces the prospect of an unfettered
:10:30. > :10:34.out-of-control Tory government and we know the damage that can do to
:10:35. > :10:40.Scotland, to our budget, to the vulnerable, to the pensions, to our
:10:41. > :10:44.economy, so that's the choice for Scotland. Vote SNP to make sure
:10:45. > :10:48.Scotland's voice is heard and Scotland has protection against the
:10:49. > :10:54.Tories because the problem for Ruth Davidson, as she has so clearly set
:10:55. > :11:00.out today, Scotland knows the Tory vision for Scotland, the rape
:11:01. > :11:08.clause, penalising the government, taking motor ability vehicles away
:11:09. > :11:11.from disabled people. People across Scotland no provision and the
:11:12. > :11:15.programme of the Tories and that's why people in Scotland know that if
:11:16. > :11:31.they want protection against that Tory vision, they must vote SNP.
:11:32. > :11:35.Kezia Dugdale. To ask the First Minister what engagements she has
:11:36. > :11:40.planned for the rest of the week. In recent weeks the First Minister has
:11:41. > :11:46.joined me in calling out the horrific rape clause, has accused
:11:47. > :11:52.Theresa May of undermining devolution. She has just told us
:11:53. > :11:57.that we have seen what damage a Tory government can do. So why did the
:11:58. > :12:04.SNP abstain yesterday instead of voting with Labour to get rid of
:12:05. > :12:10.this Tory government? I hate to be the one that has to point it out,
:12:11. > :12:16.Kezia Dugdale. It wasn't the SNP that voted with the Tories yesterday
:12:17. > :12:20.in the House of Commons, it was Labour who trooped through the
:12:21. > :12:24.lobbies with the Tories yesterday. You know the lobby I mean, it's that
:12:25. > :12:33.one that had turkeys in Christmas written above it. The idea in this
:12:34. > :12:40.election that Labour is going to replace the Tories is frankly tie in
:12:41. > :12:47.the sky. The issue and the threat at this election is that due to
:12:48. > :12:51.Labour's unelectability, we face an unfettered, out-of-control Tory
:12:52. > :12:55.government. We know the Prime Minister wants to silence opposition
:12:56. > :13:00.so the question for Scotland is, if you want a strong opposition to the
:13:01. > :13:05.Tories, if you want MPs who will be a voice for Scotland, the only party
:13:06. > :13:12.to support at this election is the SNP.
:13:13. > :13:24.Labour MPs voted yesterday to get rid of this miserable Tory
:13:25. > :13:31.government. And imagine my surprise that the SNP MPs did not do the
:13:32. > :13:38.same. The First Minister has said that she want an honest debate, so
:13:39. > :13:43.let's have it. It suits the SNP for the Tories to stay in power. That is
:13:44. > :13:51.why they refused to vote Theresa May out of office yesterday. Everyday
:13:52. > :13:57.Tories remain in power, 430,000 Scots go without a real living wage.
:13:58. > :14:00.Women do without the pension they have worked their whole lives for.
:14:01. > :14:05.Young people have their housing benefit stripped away from them. It
:14:06. > :14:11.suits the SNP for the Tories to stay in power. The only thing the SNP
:14:12. > :14:16.have ever cared about its independence. So, tell us First
:14:17. > :14:19.Minister, on the 8th of June, what is more important? Kicking the
:14:20. > :14:27.Tories out of office or having another divisive referendum?
:14:28. > :14:32.Presiding officer, Jeremy Corbyn is unelectable and will leave Labour
:14:33. > :14:36.carping from the sidelines. How do we know that? Because that is what
:14:37. > :14:48.Casilla Dugdale said about Jeremy Corbyn. I agree with her about how
:14:49. > :14:52.awful and how damaging this Tory government is. That is why I think
:14:53. > :14:56.it is so utterly shameful and disgraceful that Labour have allowed
:14:57. > :15:01.themselves to get in the position that this lot are 20 points ahead of
:15:02. > :15:06.them in opinion bowls UK wide and are even ahead of them in Scotland
:15:07. > :15:12.as well. That is Labour's failure and it is an utter disgrace. It
:15:13. > :15:16.brings us back to the core point at stake in this election. The only
:15:17. > :15:19.thing in this election standing between an out of control,
:15:20. > :15:25.unfettered Tory government and Scotland is the SNP. If people want
:15:26. > :15:28.to make sure that the Tory government can be held to account,
:15:29. > :15:31.if they want to make sure there is a strong voice for Scotland and if
:15:32. > :15:35.they want to make sure Scotland is protected against the kind of
:15:36. > :15:44.policies that Casilla Dugdale talks about, they have to make sure they
:15:45. > :15:50.sent SNP MPs back to Westminster. It was the First Minister in 2015 who
:15:51. > :15:59.told Scotland food SNP to keep the Tories out. How is that going? Can I
:16:00. > :16:07.say to her, in all seriousness if Jeremy Corbyn was Prime Minister,
:16:08. > :16:10.there would be no great cause, that would be no more housing benefit
:16:11. > :16:14.cuts and there would be no more austerity and I will proudly
:16:15. > :16:20.campaign for that over the next six weeks as she campaigns for
:16:21. > :16:24.independence. Can I say, the last time we voted in a general election,
:16:25. > :16:30.Nicola Sturgeon said this, I have made it very clear that if you vote
:16:31. > :16:34.SNP in this election, that is not a vote for independence, nor is it a
:16:35. > :16:39.vote for another referendum. Time and time again we were told that a
:16:40. > :16:43.vote for the SNP is not a vote for another referendum. With the First
:16:44. > :16:47.Minister have the decency to tell the voters before the food that she
:16:48. > :16:50.will use this election as another excuse for a divisive referendum
:16:51. > :16:58.were once again when she went on to the day after? Demanded for another
:16:59. > :17:06.referendum was sought and won at the Scottish Parliament elections last
:17:07. > :17:11.year. This election is about who will stand up for Scotland against
:17:12. > :17:17.the Tories. It is about who will stop the Tories silencing and
:17:18. > :17:21.crushing the opposition. She has got the nerve to stand up and somehow
:17:22. > :17:27.blame the SNP for the fact that the Tories didn't lose the election
:17:28. > :17:32.in... I am almost speechless. But the SNP is to blame for the fact the
:17:33. > :17:36.Tories won the election in 2015. It was Labour's fault. If Labour had
:17:37. > :17:42.won every seat in Scotland they would still have lost to the Tories
:17:43. > :17:47.across the UK. Labour or unelectable and utterly useless. That is the
:17:48. > :17:52.tragedy of UK politics right now. It brings us back to the central point.
:17:53. > :17:57.The only thing in this election, and I would ask every voter out there to
:17:58. > :18:01.think about this seriously, the Tories want everyone to think there
:18:02. > :18:06.is a safe tactical Tory vote they can cast in this election, but every
:18:07. > :18:12.single Tory vote cast in Scotland will help Theresa May made sure that
:18:13. > :18:17.she has the ability to do what ever she wants. If you do not want an
:18:18. > :18:21.out-of-control Tory government, if you want protection, if you want a
:18:22. > :18:32.strong opposition and a strong voice against the Tories then you have to
:18:33. > :18:36.make sure you vote SNP in Scotland. To ask the First Minister what
:18:37. > :18:40.issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet. Issues of
:18:41. > :18:46.importance to the people of Scotland. The SNP deputy leader
:18:47. > :18:51.struggled to explain his party's Europe policy on the radio
:18:52. > :18:54.yesterday. Five times he was asked what policy would be in the
:18:55. > :19:00.manifesto for the general election. Five times asked, five times he was
:19:01. > :19:03.not able to answer. He became so desperate he even asked all the
:19:04. > :19:10.listeners to write in with suggestions. It was answers on a
:19:11. > :19:13.postcard. The First Minister has a chance to influence this. Does she
:19:14. > :19:21.wandered through membership of the European Union in the SNP manifesto?
:19:22. > :19:26.The policy of the SNP on Europe is absolutely clear. We want Scotland
:19:27. > :19:29.to remain members of the European Union. I don't think there is
:19:30. > :19:36.anybody who could have missed that over the past few months. It is
:19:37. > :19:39.interesting, because Willie Rennie somehow tries to criticise me when I
:19:40. > :19:44.have said and what Scotland and the UK to remain in the EU, but I think
:19:45. > :19:49.what is really important is that we prioritise membership of the single
:19:50. > :19:52.market. It is interesting that he criticises me for that because it is
:19:53. > :19:57.what Tim Farren, his own leader says. He wants the UK to stay in the
:19:58. > :20:01.single market, the priority is staying in the single market. There
:20:02. > :20:10.is no doubt about my policy. I want to remain in the EU. The dove is
:20:11. > :20:16.what on earth the EU -- S -- Liberal Democrat policy is. Why can't she
:20:17. > :20:22.said it will be in the manifesto then? She is dodging, just like
:20:23. > :20:26.Angus yesterday. The Liberal Democrats are crystal clear. We want
:20:27. > :20:29.Scotland in the heart of the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom in
:20:30. > :20:36.the heart of Europe. The general election is a chance to change the
:20:37. > :20:41.course of the whole of the United Kingdom. The more liberal Democrat
:20:42. > :20:45.MPs elected, the greater chance we have of changing the direction of
:20:46. > :20:52.the country. Just like the moment she joined the SNP all those years
:20:53. > :20:56.ago, the First Minister has only ever cared about independence. We
:20:57. > :21:02.know what she and her government property. She is trying to get
:21:03. > :21:08.Brexit supporters back on side so she is going soft on Europe. It is
:21:09. > :21:17.fair to ask if EU membership will be in the manifesto. So, what is the
:21:18. > :21:23.answer? Is she going to tell us? Let me try it in simple words. I support
:21:24. > :21:32.membership of the European Union. Surely even Willie Rennie can
:21:33. > :21:39.understand that. There was another politician dodging questions
:21:40. > :21:44.yesterday, wasn't there? I saw Tim Farren challenged in the House of
:21:45. > :21:48.Commons by Stewart McDonald, one of my excellent colleagues in
:21:49. > :21:55.Westminster and Tim Farren was challenging, was challenged, to rule
:21:56. > :22:02.out supporting a Tory government and he refused to do so. There we have
:22:03. > :22:06.it, presiding officer. Labour is unelectable. The Liberal Democrat
:22:07. > :22:12.propped the Tories up for five years and will not rule out doing it
:22:13. > :22:15.again. If you want to have Scottish interests heard against the Tories,
:22:16. > :22:18.if you want Scotland protected against the Tories come if you want
:22:19. > :22:27.a party who stand up against the Tories then there is only one party
:22:28. > :22:37.who will do SNP. -- do that. The SNP. How is the Scottish Government
:22:38. > :22:43.standing up for human rights in the face of Tory attempt to scrap the
:22:44. > :22:46.Human Rights Act? We will oppose vigorously any attempt to scrap the
:22:47. > :22:49.Human Rights Act and we know if the Tories get their way that is what
:22:50. > :22:54.they want to do, which makes it all the more ironic that with Davidson
:22:55. > :22:59.is talking about work overseas, one of the worst thing is the Tories
:23:00. > :23:02.could do and the message we could send internationally is to row back
:23:03. > :23:08.on the human rights and we will always oppose that and stand up for
:23:09. > :23:11.human rights. Will the First Minister confirm that airport
:23:12. > :23:15.expansion, new flight route and the scrapping of air passenger duty are
:23:16. > :23:21.all government policy? Does she agree with me that it is hypocrisy
:23:22. > :23:24.for MSP is, MPs and government ministers to pretender to their
:23:25. > :23:29.constituents that they oppose these policies when all the while they
:23:30. > :23:36.compliantly folded through in Cabinet? I want Scotland to have the
:23:37. > :23:41.best connections with the rest of the world because that is good for
:23:42. > :23:45.people in Scotland, it is also good for our businesses seeking to expand
:23:46. > :23:49.and exported overseas. I make no apology for what they are aviation
:23:50. > :23:54.connections, as well as our other transport connections to be as good
:23:55. > :23:56.as they possibly can be. I am clear about our responsibilities to tackle
:23:57. > :23:59.climate change and this government and parliament should be proud for
:24:00. > :24:09.the world leading action it is taking to tackle climate change. To
:24:10. > :24:15.ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on her visit
:24:16. > :24:20.to the United States? Yes. I visited the United States between the second
:24:21. > :24:33.and 7th of April, attending events and meetings in California and New
:24:34. > :24:35.York. I was promoting Scottish innovation, entrepreneurship and
:24:36. > :24:41.culture. The relationship between Scotland and America is an important
:24:42. > :24:43.point with a deep ties reflected by the strong economic and personal
:24:44. > :24:48.links of our citizens. This visit was an important opportunity to
:24:49. > :24:51.ensure businesses and visitors from the US that Scotland is an outward
:24:52. > :24:58.looking, welcoming country remains very open for business. I think the
:24:59. > :25:02.First Minister for that answer. I was particularly pleased to see
:25:03. > :25:05.climate action high on the agenda with the First Minister signing a
:25:06. > :25:10.conflicted with the governor of California. In the Highlands and
:25:11. > :25:15.Islands, renewables are transforming communities, creating a climate and
:25:16. > :25:18.help us meet our targets. When the Tories at Westminster trash
:25:19. > :25:21.subsidies for green energy, how can we continue to meet our global
:25:22. > :25:27.obligations to tackling climate change in partnership with allies
:25:28. > :25:30.around the world? It is important to stress that Scotland is making huge
:25:31. > :25:35.progress in delivering our climate change emissions but we still have
:25:36. > :25:40.much to achieve the stuff I did meet with the governor of California in
:25:41. > :25:44.the years to discuss how our two administrations could work together
:25:45. > :25:48.to achieve our shared ambition of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
:25:49. > :25:53.We have pledged to cut emissions by 20% 2015 and we have discussed the
:25:54. > :25:55.importance of offshore wind in tackling climate change and agreed
:25:56. > :26:01.to share knowledge and best practice in developing this technology. We
:26:02. > :26:05.have also offered to help the under two coalition representing 2 billion
:26:06. > :26:09.people to prepare for a summit in 2018 in the Chris Grayling national
:26:10. > :26:13.governments to increase efforts to tackle climate change. There is no
:26:14. > :26:16.doubt that many of the policies of this current UK Government fly in
:26:17. > :26:22.the face of our efforts to tackle climate change. One of the other
:26:23. > :26:24.reasons it is so important we have voices in Westminster are looking
:26:25. > :26:31.for the policies that will support us, not hinder us in meeting these
:26:32. > :26:34.ambitions. I was amused to see the First Minister under a banner
:26:35. > :26:40.describing herself as the Queen of Scots. It is not quite how I here
:26:41. > :26:43.described nearer to home. The Speaker of the United States, Paul
:26:44. > :26:47.Ryan, is currently in London and has made clear the United States
:26:48. > :26:50.government wishes to come to an expedited trade arrangement with the
:26:51. > :26:54.United Kingdom when we leave the European Union. Can I ask the First
:26:55. > :26:58.Minister when she was in the United States, what formal discussions with
:26:59. > :27:01.the government of the United States but future trade relationships and
:27:02. > :27:03.what assurances she given to them that the Scottish Government would
:27:04. > :27:08.do everything they could to ensure the early trading is arrived at? I
:27:09. > :27:14.am glad Jackson Carlo watched the women in the world Summit that he
:27:15. > :27:20.mentions, because I hope he also heard during that some of horror
:27:21. > :27:23.from the audience, the very large audience that were there listening,
:27:24. > :27:31.when I outlined the real cause policy that had come into effect. He
:27:32. > :27:36.says I misrepresented it. Let me set out very clear for the chamber. The
:27:37. > :27:40.rear doors policy puts an obligation on a woman to prove that she has
:27:41. > :27:46.been raped if she wanted to claim tax credits for more than two
:27:47. > :27:48.children. If Jackson Carlo thinks that is a misrepresentation by
:27:49. > :27:53.infighting to come to this chamber and tell us exactly what the root
:27:54. > :27:56.cause policy den entails and to do it as Ruth Davison failed to do and
:27:57. > :28:04.have the courage to say it is morally reprehensible to have such a
:28:05. > :28:08.policy on the statute book. On the issue, I met with a number of
:28:09. > :28:11.businesses and other economic interests in the United States. I
:28:12. > :28:15.did not have meetings with the US government, this was a trade and
:28:16. > :28:20.investment focused desert. In every conversation I had the message was
:28:21. > :28:24.clear that Scotland remains open for business and it is all the more
:28:25. > :28:27.important, given the practical sessions of the Tories, that we get
:28:28. > :28:36.that message out to the United States and every country across the
:28:37. > :28:41.world. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government
:28:42. > :28:47.response is to the reports of... Found in school buildings. The
:28:48. > :28:50.health and safety of students in schools is of paramount importance.
:28:51. > :28:54.Following the publication of the independent enquiry into Edinburgh
:28:55. > :28:57.school construction Minister for local government wrote to all local
:28:58. > :29:02.authorities had it in the issues and recommendations the report raised us
:29:03. > :29:04.of the importance of adhering to building regulations, technical
:29:05. > :29:09.standards and the inspection processes which are in place to
:29:10. > :29:12.protect the public. The minister wrote to and let the leaders in the
:29:13. > :29:14.construction industry to ensure the construction industry to ensure they
:29:15. > :29:16.are aware of the findings and recommendations in the report and
:29:17. > :29:21.ensure we can rely on quality workmanship and control processes. I
:29:22. > :29:27.think the First Minister for that answer. I accept it is local
:29:28. > :29:30.authorities who have the statutory responsibility for school buildings.
:29:31. > :29:34.The Scottish Government surely feel has a duty to ensure that those
:29:35. > :29:37.responsibilities are deployed following the publication of the
:29:38. > :29:42.Edinburgh schools report. That is indeed what I red this safety issues
:29:43. > :29:46.regarding with campus with the First Minister on the 26th of January this
:29:47. > :29:51.year which she chose the sideline. Can the First Minister about explain
:29:52. > :29:55.why it has taken problems in 72 schools across Scotland for the
:29:56. > :29:58.Scottish Government to take this matter seriously? Will she now
:29:59. > :30:03.provide unequivocal guarantee that all work is being done with local
:30:04. > :30:08.authorities to ensure that all buildings, school buildings, are
:30:09. > :30:15.safe across Scotland? A number of points. I know later on Logan
:30:16. > :30:19.Tomkins is going to ask a question challenging me to leave
:30:20. > :30:21.responsibilities that are not those of the Scottish Government
:30:22. > :30:26.specifically to local authorities and not interfere in local authority
:30:27. > :30:29.responsibilities. There is a bit of a constituency issue. I accept the
:30:30. > :30:32.Scottish Government has responsibilities, that is what I set
:30:33. > :30:37.out the action the Scottish Government has taken and I would say
:30:38. > :30:41.could remember, we did that with the independent report. We want to local
:30:42. > :30:45.authorities in the way I described shortly after the school situation
:30:46. > :30:49.arose last year. We acted promptly as the public would have expected us
:30:50. > :30:55.to do. It is also important to note that none of the schools requiring
:30:56. > :30:58.remedial work was built under our schools programme. These are
:30:59. > :31:01.historic school building projects, but nevertheless, here we have got
:31:02. > :31:04.to make sure that all school buildings are safe and that lessons
:31:05. > :31:09.from previous PFI programmes are properly learned and implemented in
:31:10. > :31:11.the future and the government is absolutely determined that we will
:31:12. > :31:18.discharge our responsibility to do so. Of course, these clues in
:31:19. > :31:23.question were built by Labour and the Liberal Democrats under PFI. The
:31:24. > :31:31.First Minister will know that perish the Lieberman Council, schools with
:31:32. > :31:35.the construction cost of 81 million. 401 million will have to be paid in
:31:36. > :31:40.charges to the companies who built them, including 2.7 million this
:31:41. > :31:44.year. That is the equivalent of buying and ?81,000 flat, and a
:31:45. > :31:48.mortgage for 30 years and then not even going to get at the end of the
:31:49. > :31:51.30 years. Does the First Minister agreed that the reckless handling of
:31:52. > :31:57.the public finances were never in office continues to rob us of funds
:31:58. > :31:59.which could be used to predict would building on Google services and it
:32:00. > :32:04.is high time they've apologised for the legacy of incontinence. The left
:32:05. > :32:14.for schools and local authorities across Scotland. Yes, yes I do. When
:32:15. > :32:18.I think it is fair to point out that the enquiry said the financing
:32:19. > :32:23.method was not in itself responsible for defective construction, it does
:32:24. > :32:26.state that the implementation of the contract for the partners involved
:32:27. > :32:33.could have been stronger. Questions must be asked and in due course
:32:34. > :32:38.answered about all PFI contract that many at the time period put profits
:32:39. > :32:44.before quality. The cost of the disastrous Labour PFI deals are
:32:45. > :32:47.still taking significant sums of money away from vital public
:32:48. > :32:54.services. This government is determined to secure maximum value
:32:55. > :32:56.for money in existing PFI contracts. The Scottish futures trust work on
:32:57. > :33:01.behalf of ministers and have done so for some time with public bodies to
:33:02. > :33:05.identify the scope to improve the efficiency and performance of these
:33:06. > :33:13.contracts and this work will continue. I do think this whole
:33:14. > :33:15.episode raises serious questions for previous Labour administrations and
:33:16. > :33:22.perhaps one day they will have to answer and apologise. This is an
:33:23. > :33:28.issue which has had a distinct impact on my constituency. One year
:33:29. > :33:31.ago Saint Peter 's premises had to send its pupils elsewhere. The body
:33:32. > :33:36.has good had to close. Dozens of families had to send their children
:33:37. > :33:42.to other schools. The underlying issue was the failure of contractors
:33:43. > :33:45.to install it was properly. A failure that was not picked up by
:33:46. > :33:48.building control and indeed we now learn that there are scores of
:33:49. > :33:53.school buildings across Scotland which similarly have structural
:33:54. > :33:58.faults, begin which would feel it to be picked up by building control.
:33:59. > :34:01.Clearly there are issues about the science of procedure, he went
:34:02. > :34:05.building control box and the safety checks. Can the First Minister tell
:34:06. > :34:09.Parliament what changes and reviews will the middle of the building
:34:10. > :34:17.control processing machine? That is a very fair question. I want to
:34:18. > :34:22.respond to two aspects. Firstly, to recognise the disruption this caused
:34:23. > :34:28.for pupils across Edinburgh last year. The independent report does
:34:29. > :34:32.say the educational impact on children is likely to have been
:34:33. > :34:37.limited, but I don't think that takes away from the disruption and
:34:38. > :34:40.the concern pupils and parents had last year, especially for older
:34:41. > :34:45.pupils who would have needed exams. I think everybody deeply regrets
:34:46. > :34:49.that. Secondly the issue about scrutiny of work and building
:34:50. > :34:53.control processes is also one calf to reflect very carefully on. We
:34:54. > :34:56.have got to make sure there is an appropriate level of independent
:34:57. > :35:01.scrutiny of building work. The government is reviewing all existing
:35:02. > :35:05.guidance on appropriate supervision and contract management so we can be
:35:06. > :35:11.assured that best practice is available as a matter of course
:35:12. > :35:14.construction projects. These are schools that were not under our
:35:15. > :35:18.government, but that does not change the fact that as the incumbent
:35:19. > :35:21.government now we have the nature of the regular lessons are learned and
:35:22. > :35:27.those lessons are applied in future and we are determined that we will
:35:28. > :35:31.do that. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government
:35:32. > :35:37.response is to reports of sexually exploitative behaviour in the
:35:38. > :35:40.private rented housing sector? I was extremely concerned, horrified
:35:41. > :35:44.actually, to red the reports the number refers to the Minister for
:35:45. > :35:49.Housing has already written to the website concerned that hosted these
:35:50. > :35:52.adverts asking them to take action. As a government was already taking
:35:53. > :35:57.action to tackle issues like this to the implementation of equally safe,
:35:58. > :36:02.our strategy to tackle any violence against women and girls and we are
:36:03. > :36:06.also taking action to prove the availability of housing for everyone
:36:07. > :36:10.and action to tackle poverty and inequality which can so often the
:36:11. > :36:15.people vulnerable to being exploited in this kind of way. Any person
:36:16. > :36:19.always has the right to refuse to consent to sexual activity and
:36:20. > :36:23.forcing someone in any way to participate in sexual activity is a
:36:24. > :36:26.crime. We continue to keep those laws under review the nature of they
:36:27. > :36:32.are fit for purpose in tackling what I think are unacceptable behaviours.
:36:33. > :36:36.I think the First Minister for response. We know these sacks for
:36:37. > :36:41.rent adverts have been posted on line for properties in Scotland but
:36:42. > :36:44.we have no way of how many tenants are in these arrangements. As the
:36:45. > :36:47.First Minister says, the practice opens the door to fondle tenants who
:36:48. > :36:52.are facing homelessness and poverty and find themselves in exploitative
:36:53. > :36:57.arrangements. I welcome the report of the action taken by the Housing
:36:58. > :37:00.Minister, but can I ask what action the government will take to ensure
:37:01. > :37:03.that any landlords who are found to be offering such arrangements are
:37:04. > :37:08.properly dealt with? More specifically, what action is being
:37:09. > :37:11.taken to the equally safe project and also, have they had time to have
:37:12. > :37:14.discussions with groups supporting vulnerable women who are seeking
:37:15. > :37:21.accommodation, to raise awareness of these exploited of practices? We
:37:22. > :37:24.will look carefully at what action we can take further to what we are
:37:25. > :37:27.already doing across these areas. The Minister would be happy to meet
:37:28. > :37:32.ministers discuss this in more detail if that would be of interest.
:37:33. > :37:36.She raises the situation of landlords and where landlords are
:37:37. > :37:40.behaving unacceptably then clearly there are provisions to seek a deal
:37:41. > :37:44.with that. I suspect in cases like the one she is highlighting often
:37:45. > :37:47.the problem will be there is no formal tenancy agreement. These
:37:48. > :37:52.informal arrangements which doesn't make them any more acceptable, much
:37:53. > :37:55.less so in fact. Sometimes that would be one of the challenges.
:37:56. > :37:58.These are not formal arrangements with is a recognised landlord.
:37:59. > :38:07.Nevertheless, these are serious issues. There are wider issues
:38:08. > :38:08.involved around this kind of thing. I will undertake to ensure that the
:38:09. > :38:16.minister considers all suggestions made by the member and the offer of
:38:17. > :38:20.a meeting stands. I recognise the First Minister acknowledges that not
:38:21. > :38:24.all of these circumstances will involve the registered landlord, but
:38:25. > :38:27.in order to register and return to comply with the fit and proper
:38:28. > :38:30.person test. Isn't it clear that any such excluded arrangements should
:38:31. > :38:34.lead to an automatic feel of the fit and proper person test and
:38:35. > :38:41.verification of any existing landlord registration? I think my
:38:42. > :38:44.answer that would be yes. I struggle to see how anyone in this as an
:38:45. > :38:49.advocate of this description would pass the fit and proper person test.
:38:50. > :38:53.Jakati and other members will be aware that there is a proper
:38:54. > :38:56.statutory legal process that local authorities had to go through before
:38:57. > :39:01.they can take landlord status with somebody and I couldn't in any
:39:02. > :39:07.situation pre-empt that, but I think we all agreed about the
:39:08. > :39:10.acceptability of the examples brought to's attention. Just as I
:39:11. > :39:16.did with the previous member, I will undertake to discuss this with the
:39:17. > :39:22.Member two nature that it take ever action are able to take. To ask the
:39:23. > :39:26.First Minister what the position is of the Scottish Government on the
:39:27. > :39:28.view that local authorities should be responsible for all matters not
:39:29. > :39:32.specifically reserved to the Scottish Parliament which might be
:39:33. > :39:36.the Tories should practice what they preach but occasionally on these
:39:37. > :39:40.issues. Local authority responsibilities are very clearly
:39:41. > :39:44.set out and the focus of the Scottish Government is on
:39:45. > :39:48.encouraging councils to empower communities across the country,
:39:49. > :39:52.because it is important that we do not just consider what our local
:39:53. > :39:55.authorities should have, but also how local authorities can transfer
:39:56. > :39:58.more of their power to local communities. That is why our
:39:59. > :40:01.community empowerment act puts additional powers into the hands of
:40:02. > :40:07.communities and local authorities to account and we are discussing how to
:40:08. > :40:11.achieve our aim of having at least 1% of council budgets decided in
:40:12. > :40:12.this way, building on the work of over ?2 million community choices
:40:13. > :40:26.fund. He argued in our manifesto yesterday
:40:27. > :40:32.the council should focus on growing. Citizen are being given
:40:33. > :40:35.opportunities to do that from the northern powerhouse. Can you
:40:36. > :40:41.identify a single power that would allow the city is here to do the
:40:42. > :40:43.same? Local authorities have the power of general competence. There
:40:44. > :40:47.is nothing standing in the way of local authorities getting on with
:40:48. > :40:50.the job they should be doing and many are doing well in terms of
:40:51. > :40:56.growing their local economy. As members are aware, we have
:40:57. > :41:00.delivered, sometimes in partnership with the UK city deals, so were not
:41:01. > :41:05.only making sure there is devolved power in the hands of authorities
:41:06. > :41:08.but there is substantial initial investment to do the things that
:41:09. > :41:12.will support economic growth. We will continue to do that and I look
:41:13. > :41:15.forward to seeing many more city deals in the year ahead, not least
:41:16. > :41:20.the city of Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. I am a great
:41:21. > :41:24.believer in giving local authorities the powers and resources they need
:41:25. > :41:30.to do the job in local communities but I don't want to see Powers
:41:31. > :41:33.stopped at local authorities, real community empowerment is important
:41:34. > :41:39.which is why the community Parliament act is so important. I
:41:40. > :41:45.welcome the reform Scotland paper which contains a lot with which the
:41:46. > :41:48.Green party agrees. We believe local government should have a greater
:41:49. > :41:52.fiscal autonomously than it does do and some weeks ago we published
:41:53. > :41:55.proposals for the fiscal framework between Scottish Government and
:41:56. > :42:01.local government. Does the First Minister agree that as the Scottish
:42:02. > :42:05.Parliament gets more fiscal autonomy, so too should the
:42:06. > :42:09.relationships be mirrored with local government? I think there is merit
:42:10. > :42:14.in that and ahead of the Scottish elections last year we did indicate
:42:15. > :42:19.a to talk to local authorities about what additional tax powers would
:42:20. > :42:21.live better with them rather than the Scottish Government. Local
:42:22. > :42:24.authorities have already got autonomy in terms of the ability to
:42:25. > :42:28.lower business rates if they think that is one of the things that would
:42:29. > :42:33.help grow the economy so this is a discussion that the government is
:42:34. > :42:37.very willing to have and obviously we have local government elections
:42:38. > :42:40.in a couple of weeks' time and after those elections with new
:42:41. > :42:46.administrations, hopefully, in some parts of the country that is a
:42:47. > :42:50.discussion we can take forward with new administrations with councils
:42:51. > :42:56.the length and breadth of the country. Back in 2007 the First
:42:57. > :43:02.Minister said the council tax was unfair and no amount of the council
:43:03. > :43:08.tax could make it fair. Does she believe today that the council tax
:43:09. > :43:13.is still unfair or has the time coding and the bands made it fairer?
:43:14. > :43:19.Rebranding has made council tax fairer but I would say two things.
:43:20. > :43:23.During the first term of the SNP administration labour blocked the
:43:24. > :43:27.abolition of the council tax so it ill behoves them now to stand here
:43:28. > :43:36.and argue for it. But the second point I would make about this
:43:37. > :43:43.position underlines the hypocrisy. Labour punished the manufacture last
:43:44. > :43:48.week, and in page six it says this, the SNP council -- council tax
:43:49. > :43:51.freeze has crippled local government. As well as being
:43:52. > :43:58.complete nonsense, that statement is utter hypocrisy. And I'll tell you
:43:59. > :44:01.why it is hypocrisy. Right now in Scotland there are only eight
:44:02. > :44:05.council administration is proposing a continuation of the council tax
:44:06. > :44:13.freeze. Guess what, every single one of those is a labour lead counsel.
:44:14. > :44:17.There you have it. Labour might say one thing in the chamber about the
:44:18. > :44:23.council tax but across the country the administrations do the opposite.
:44:24. > :44:29.That concludes First Minister's Questions. There we have it.
:44:30. > :44:34.Elections, indeed but closing with a discussion about local elections and
:44:35. > :44:40.we will talk about other contests later. Let me chat to my colleagues.
:44:41. > :44:48.We can talk about the local elections first. Quite an effective
:44:49. > :44:53.attack by the First Minister on the business of the council tax in
:44:54. > :44:57.response to Alex Riley. It is a weakness because the SNP can always
:44:58. > :45:02.come back to saying the Labour Party opposed us when we tried to abolish
:45:03. > :45:06.the council tax so you can't ask any questions. There is the question of
:45:07. > :45:14.eight Labour councils deciding not to raise the council tax. It is easy
:45:15. > :45:17.for the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon to rebut the criticisms with that even
:45:18. > :45:22.though there are legitimate criticisms. Do these council
:45:23. > :45:26.elections have stops tonnes in their own right in terms of the way the
:45:27. > :45:33.party is treating them or are they proxies for the general election --
:45:34. > :45:37.proxies. What was interesting about the response was that the fault line
:45:38. > :45:42.for the council elections is very much the SNP against Labour. Labour
:45:43. > :45:43.are still hanging on to a number of authorities in western and central
:45:44. > :45:58.Scotland. The SNP have labour in their sights
:45:59. > :46:02.when they come to the council elections but the rhetoric for the
:46:03. > :46:07.big election say it is a two horse race between the SNP and
:46:08. > :46:09.conservatives. The SNP are putting their guns on Labour in one
:46:10. > :46:14.conservatives in the other and keeping them distinct. Let's remind
:46:15. > :46:18.ourselves what was going on in this remarkable week. We have council
:46:19. > :46:24.elections on the 4th of May but also the prospect of a general election
:46:25. > :46:29.on the June the 8th. Here is the key figures setting out their stall. I
:46:30. > :46:31.have just chaired a meeting of the Cabinet where we agree that the
:46:32. > :46:39.government should call a general election to be held on the 8th of
:46:40. > :46:43.June. I want to explain the reasons for that decision. Britain is
:46:44. > :46:51.leaving the European Union. And there can be no turning back. And as
:46:52. > :46:54.we look to the future, the government has the right plan for
:46:55. > :47:01.negotiating our new relationship with Europe. We want a deep and
:47:02. > :47:07.special partnership between a strong and successful European Union and
:47:08. > :47:13.the United Kingdom that is free to chart its own way in the world. That
:47:14. > :47:18.means we will regain control of our own money, our own laws and that own
:47:19. > :47:22.borders. And we will be free to strike trade deals with old friends
:47:23. > :47:31.and new partners all around the world. This is the right approach.
:47:32. > :47:37.And it is in the national interest. But the other political parties
:47:38. > :47:41.oppose it. At this moment of enormous national significance there
:47:42. > :47:47.should be unity here in Westminster but instead there is division the
:47:48. > :47:54.country is coming together, but Westminster is not. In recent weeks
:47:55. > :47:59.Labour have threatened to vote against the final agreement we reach
:48:00. > :48:01.with the European Union. The Liberal Democrats have said that they want
:48:02. > :48:08.to grind of government to a standstill. The Scottish National
:48:09. > :48:12.Party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals
:48:13. > :48:15.membership of the European Union. An unelected members of the House of
:48:16. > :48:22.Lords have vowed to fight us every step of the way. Our opponents
:48:23. > :48:25.believe because the government majority is so small that our
:48:26. > :48:32.resolve will weaken and they can force us to change course. They are
:48:33. > :48:39.wrong. They underestimate our determination to get the job done.
:48:40. > :48:43.And I am not prepared to let them endanger the security of millions of
:48:44. > :48:48.working people across the country because what they are doing
:48:49. > :48:52.jeopardises the work we must do to prepare for Brexit at home. And it
:48:53. > :48:59.weakens the government negotiating position in Europe. If we do not
:49:00. > :49:03.hold a general election now, their political gameplaying will continue.
:49:04. > :49:08.And the negotiations with the European Union will reach their most
:49:09. > :49:14.difficult stage in the run-up to the next scheduled election. Division in
:49:15. > :49:19.Westminster will risk the ability to make a success of Brexit and it will
:49:20. > :49:24.cause damaging uncertainty and instability to the country, so we
:49:25. > :49:30.need a general election and we need one now. This is the biggest U-turn
:49:31. > :49:34.in recent political history but it's clear that the announcement from the
:49:35. > :49:38.Prime Minister is all about a narrow interests of our own party and not
:49:39. > :49:41.the interests of the country overall. She clearly sees the
:49:42. > :49:45.opportunity given the total disarray in the ranks of the Labour Party to
:49:46. > :49:51.cross opposition to her and get rid of people who disagree and give
:49:52. > :49:54.herself a free hand to take the country in an increasingly
:49:55. > :49:58.right-wing direction that she wants, and that would not mean just the
:49:59. > :50:04.hardest possible Brexit but more austerity. Now is the time for the
:50:05. > :50:08.Scottish voice to be heard and for Scottish people to stand up for the
:50:09. > :50:12.Scotland we want, and that is a campaign I look forward to leading
:50:13. > :50:16.in the weeks ahead. There we have had from the Prime Minister and
:50:17. > :50:19.First Minister. Today we have the parties challenging the First
:50:20. > :50:23.Minister and it was all about the general election from the leaders.
:50:24. > :50:28.Let's go through them one by one. Let's start with the exchanges with
:50:29. > :50:33.Ruth Davidson. She wanted to talk about age to foreign countries in
:50:34. > :50:36.the context of the UK and the First Minister turned it very quickly into
:50:37. > :50:42.an attack on what is known as the right clause. It was a confusing
:50:43. > :50:48.contribution from Ruth Davison. I was struggling to get the analogy
:50:49. > :50:53.which went between foreign aid and then John McAlpine's column on
:50:54. > :50:59.calling the UK Hell on Earth. There was a link made, but it wasn't
:51:00. > :51:04.obvious. It is very easy, the rate clause is going on, and there have
:51:05. > :51:08.been cause for Ruth Davison to make a statement, and she has said she
:51:09. > :51:13.supports it, but Nicola Sturgeon can probably go on for weeks bringing up
:51:14. > :51:17.that clause because it is so controversial. And all Ruth Davison
:51:18. > :51:23.would say in response was that it Nicola Sturgeon dislikes the
:51:24. > :51:29.proposals in the approach she can turn it around using those powers.
:51:30. > :51:32.She is in an uncomfortable situation. You have a UK Government
:51:33. > :51:37.which introduced something which looks pretty bad and I think Ruth
:51:38. > :51:40.Davidson knows that but she has to back the UK Government. She said at
:51:41. > :51:44.the Scottish Government don't like it they have the power is now to
:51:45. > :51:48.change it here but that does not get her off the hook. What was
:51:49. > :51:51.interesting today was that she allowed Nicola Sturgeon to throw
:51:52. > :51:55.that question back, what are you going to do about the rate clause,
:51:56. > :52:00.and she came back with an answer that allowed Nicola Sturgeon to go
:52:01. > :52:05.at it. We have then seen one of the main SNP lines of argument that we
:52:06. > :52:10.will see over the next seven weeks, to try and exploit that go on and
:52:11. > :52:14.say, if the Tory government with a small majority can do this, what
:52:15. > :52:20.more can it do if you give it unfettered majority? This brings me
:52:21. > :52:26.to the almost philosophical point, the presumption on all sides, except
:52:27. > :52:30.perhaps the Labour Party, that Theresa May is heading to be
:52:31. > :52:36.returned to Downing Street and it was about who could stand up for
:52:37. > :52:41.Scotland. It's almost as if that part of the election has already
:52:42. > :52:45.been held. Not a single candidate has stood and no one has put in any
:52:46. > :52:50.votes, but the assumption is with a 20 point plus lead in the polls,
:52:51. > :52:54.Theresa May will be unbeatable. Then it comes down to, what will you do
:52:55. > :53:00.in terms of standing up to it or in Scottish terms and that is where the
:53:01. > :53:06.argument is? Was Nicola Sturgeon and wives? She said Jeremy Corbyn would
:53:07. > :53:10.not win, -- unwise. She said she might be willing to work with him in
:53:11. > :53:16.a Progressive Alliance. That has muddied the waters a little. She is
:53:17. > :53:19.probably safe to say that it's unlikely Jeremy Corbyn will win but
:53:20. > :53:23.it's unfortunate it's already been put out there. That was one of the
:53:24. > :53:31.first thing said in the election campaign by the Tories, raising this
:53:32. > :53:37.perceived danger. They did that in 2015 and it worked. It is a genuine
:53:38. > :53:42.fear in England of this kind of alliance between Labour and the SNP.
:53:43. > :53:45.It really works as a tactic, so it's not something Nicola Sturgeon is
:53:46. > :53:52.wise to play up. There's Nicola Sturgeon need to refine the talking?
:53:53. > :53:56.It's either an alliance or being tough opposition to the Tories?
:53:57. > :53:58.Today the message was top opposition to the Tories. She was goaded into
:53:59. > :54:05.saying something along the Progressive Alliance line that she
:54:06. > :54:10.pushed in 2015. Her statements are all about standing up against the
:54:11. > :54:15.Tories, hard Brexit. If you see the way the Tories reacted, within an
:54:16. > :54:20.hour they had a mock-up of a poster saying coalition of chaos. Theresa
:54:21. > :54:24.May used a speech to hammer this, and Nicola Sturgeon gave away in and
:54:25. > :54:27.I think we will see no more talk of Progressive alliances from the SNP
:54:28. > :54:34.because it gives their opponents a way to go at them. Kezia Dugdale
:54:35. > :54:37.asked why you abstained in the vote on holding an election and it
:54:38. > :54:42.allowed Nicola Sturgeon a sharp comeback. It was a pretty weak
:54:43. > :54:50.question. It was going to go through yesterday and the SNP was not saying
:54:51. > :54:53.they would abstain. They are not saying the Tory government is great
:54:54. > :54:57.and we would support them. The converse thing would be the Tory
:54:58. > :55:03.government voting against themselves, saying they want to get
:55:04. > :55:11.rid of ourselves. It is a weak point. What about the argument Kezia
:55:12. > :55:17.Dugdale made that she said, Nicola Sturgeon said, that she once the
:55:18. > :55:20.Tories in power. Presumably to aggravate Scottish opinion and push
:55:21. > :55:26.towards a referendum on independence? There might be a
:55:27. > :55:32.little truth in it. I don't think that probably is true that if Labour
:55:33. > :55:37.wants to attack the SNP, that might be one way to do it that the fact is
:55:38. > :55:44.the SNP are not stopping Labour winning a general election. That was
:55:45. > :55:49.the comeback. Don't blame me, Nicola Sturgeon, because your party is
:55:50. > :55:54.useless. There were so many ways in which Nicola Sturgeon can and could
:55:55. > :55:57.attack Kezia Dugdale and she threw one back by saying, this is what you
:55:58. > :56:04.said about Jeremy Corbyn. Carping from the sidelines. This is one of
:56:05. > :56:09.the great weaknesses the Scottish Labour Party has. Iain Murray is no
:56:10. > :56:14.great fan of Jeremy Corbyn. Would not serve in his Shadow Cabinet. I
:56:15. > :56:17.Kezia Dugdale has been critical in the past. This will haunt them every
:56:18. > :56:21.day and every week at the campaign and opponents will say you don't
:56:22. > :56:25.think much of your leader, so why should anyone else vote for him? It
:56:26. > :56:29.was striking with Willie Rennie that most of the conversation was about
:56:30. > :56:34.strategic politics. He was talking about strategy as well but got it
:56:35. > :56:39.into waste of -- substantive point about European Union policy. He was
:56:40. > :56:43.one of the only leaders who found a weak spot in the SNP and went for
:56:44. > :56:48.it. It's a question about whether the SNP want us to go straight into
:56:49. > :56:51.the EU after independence or whether they are happy to have a Norway
:56:52. > :56:59.style model of being in the economic area. Nicola Sturgeon said the
:57:00. > :57:02.policy was clear. But she still not did answer the question about
:57:03. > :57:05.whether it was in the manifesto. Nicola Sturgeon is squirming a bit
:57:06. > :57:10.on this and it will only become clear when we get the SNP manifesto.
:57:11. > :57:16.So until that point, they will keep going at that. Jenny, the talk was
:57:17. > :57:22.that by the time the next UK general election came around, which was
:57:23. > :57:25.meant to be Twenty20, after Brexit negotiations, by then Britain was
:57:26. > :57:30.out or in the European Union and you had to have some modified way back
:57:31. > :57:34.in the European single market. Right now, Britain is in the European
:57:35. > :57:40.Union. Perhaps more straightforward, perhaps more complex. The timing
:57:41. > :57:46.would be difficult. It's difficult to foresee a way that Scotland could
:57:47. > :57:50.now stay in. You would have to have an independent referendum in time to
:57:51. > :57:54.not leave, but with a general election that has put back the
:57:55. > :57:57.Brexit negotiations a bit. That's properly another three months before
:57:58. > :58:04.things can get going. Either way it looks like the timeline, we would be
:58:05. > :58:10.out and the question would be, what would be -- we be applying to do?
:58:11. > :58:15.The SNP would be unwise to be too clear about that in the manifesto.
:58:16. > :58:19.One other thing that might be put on hold, the First Minister was talking
:58:20. > :58:22.about a statement to the Scottish Parliament regarding the next steps
:58:23. > :58:29.to a referendum. It had been mandated by the parliament here.
:58:30. > :58:32.Presumably that is on hold? I understand she wants to go ahead
:58:33. > :58:36.with the statement when she can, but the steps themselves as far as the
:58:37. > :58:41.UK Government is concerned, that will be pushed out well beyond the
:58:42. > :58:45.summer. Thanks both very much for joining us here to analyse the
:58:46. > :58:50.questions to the First Minister, dominated by elections, local
:58:51. > :58:52.elections and the small matter of the UK general elections. From me,
:58:53. > :59:06.Brian Taylor, goodbye. So, Suzanne, what's
:59:07. > :59:24.the correct answer? Brian Cox is discovering
:59:25. > :59:28.the Scots who made