08/03/2012 Politics Scotland

A warm welcome from the Scottish Parliament here at Holyrood. Loads

happening with MSPs discussing it Union Terrace Gardens and the

future of the city centre of Aberdeen. The Green Investment Bank

coming to Edinburgh, good news for the capital and also contention as

ever over the referendum with the Electoral Commission given their

views over the timing of the franchise and other matters. Let's

see what is happening in the chambers, it is questions to the

First Minister. And Glenn Campbell is there. The Cabinet secretary for

infrastructure, Alec Neil on his feet. They have been discussing tax

income and funding, a pilot scheme in Aberdeen. Now here's the main

event. Johann Lamont of the Labour Party. To us the First Minister

what in it was he has planned for the rest of this international

women's day. With your permission, I would like to say just a few

words for a woman who died tragically last weekend. -- a man.

Paul McBride. His talent was great indeed and I believe he had a great

deal more to contribute to the law and the future of Scotland. He will

be sorely missed and I'm sure the whole chamber will wish to bear

condolences as a Parliament to Paul's partner and his many friends

and colleagues. Today it is international women's day. A day

when the world celebrates achievements and contributions of

women past and present. We rely on a huge contribution made by women

to society. A fitting time to announce that the Scottish

Government will fund the Scottish Resource Centre for Women in

Science, Engineering and Technology at Napier University. Funding for

the UK parent body had been removed by Westminster, the facility faced

closure. We have acted to make sure that this centre which supports the

success or women and fields of endeavour where they are

significantly under-represented. It remains open to continue its vital

work. Johann Lamont. May I on behalf of

the Labour benches and our support and sympathy to the very sad and

tragic loss of Paul McBride. But to his family and the critical debates.

As the First Minister said, he will be sadly lost. John McAlpine this

week like in Scotland's place in the United Kingdom to a woman in an

abusive relationship. Does the First Minister agree? She did not.

The Labour party feeling the need to misrepresent, really shouldn't

treat usually important issues in this fashion. John McAlpine talked

about the abuse of power. I think there are abuses of power in terms

of Westminster over Scotland and I think if the Labour Party should

try to treat the hugely important issue of abuse against women with

the importance it deserves and not feel the desperate need to

misrepresent what other people say. Johann Lamont. At the First

Minister would be very careful about suggesting that people on

this side wish to diminish the issue of domestic abuse and

violence in the home. The reality is across this Parliament, there

has been a commitment to address these questions which is precisely

why a bit the First Minister should reflect on what his aide said. It

is for the First Minister handle him and that is for him entirely,

but I do not know many people who have entered into a Social Union

and get the same bank account as the First Minister suggests for a

separate Scotland, after an abusive relationship. He needs to deal with

this. The aid's analogies are as offensive to women as his policies

are. It is not being part of the United Kingdom which is holding

women back. Female unemployment is higher in Scotland than the rest of

the United Kingdom. When will you start doing something to help women

back to work? Or like everything else, must we wait the 1,000 Days

for a referendum before he lift a finger? A hugely important issue

should not me demeaned by taking somebody's remarks totally out of

context -- should not be demeaned. I would regard the Remploy we

employees today suffering from an abuse of Westminster power. I would

regard the cut to the Disability Living Allowance in Scotland as a

huge abuse of power. And I would regard the plans to replace the

Trident missiles in the Clyde as an enormous abuse of power. Which

should be sorted out in Scotland. In terms of the seriousness of the

issues we have challenged, we have taken that as a Parliament. I am

sure she will be the first to acknowledge that against the

extraordinary difficult circumstances of Westminster cuts,

cuts that were told by Alistair Darling to be deeper, tougher than

those of Margaret Thatcher, the fact that the investment in key

areas in Scotland has not has been maintained but increased against

this background is a huge tribute to the commitment that we as a

government and a Parliament. For example, funding for violence

against women has doubled. 21 million over three years up to 55

million over four years up to 2012. Against that background of cuts

imposed from Westminster, surely these figures indicate this

Government's Endeavour - our joint endeavour - to give these hugely

important issues the priority they deserve. Johann Lamont. I already

acknowledge there is a commitment towards domestic abuse and a

recognised the commitment to funding. I hear from the first Mr a

critic of what the Tories in Westminster have done. I hear

nothing of his responsibilities. The point I was making is that

women's female unemployment is higher in Scotland than in the rest

of the United Kingdom. That is his responsibility. The Deputy First

Minister has also been making grand promises this week. Apparently it's

only an independent Scotland where we can have a policy which did

offend our sense of decency yet on her Government's watch, fuel

poverty is doubled to what it is in England. She does nothing. Child

care costs are higher than the United Kingdom and she does nothing.

One in four children live in poverty and she does nothing. Isn't

this the tomorrow government doing nothing for people in difficulties

today. First Minister. Can I point out that the reason that a Tory

Government rules over key areas of Scottish Life is precisely because

the Labour Party have accepted the position of Westminster control

over vital areas of Scotland. There is a huge difficulty in

unemployment at the present moment across the sectors of society

affecting women, young people, of course. But I think Johann Lamont

should recognise that the employment rate, the number of

people in jobs - and there at 10,000 more people employed in

Scotland than there were just over one year ago - but the number of

women in jobs is the highest across these islands. The employment rate

in Scotland for women this high-end England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

That is something which should be acknowledged. In terms of issues as

we move forward, I think I have already said to Johann Lamont the

importance I would stress and give to the figures we are seeing from

modern apprenticeships. Remember the modern apprenticeships that the

Labour Party voted against in the Budget debate. But has moved from

27% of young women participating in modern apprenticeships when they

were at a disgracefully low level of 15,000 up to 45% participating

in modern apprenticeships now at the much increased level of 25,000.

I hope that as a Parliament, we can unite. Not just for this year but

stretching through the next five years and see that percentage of

young women going into learning training and skills increasing as a

contribution to our acknowledgement as a Parliament of the critical

role of women in working and Scottish society. Johann Lamont and.

The thirst Minister was talking to women, he would know his figures on

employment for women are masking something much more serious. We

have lost over 100,000 full-time jobs to temporary and part-time

jobs. Women in local government - which you have targeted for cuts -

and in the voluntary sector are having their hours cut. The figures

are masking the fact that women disproportionately are suffering

unemployment and under-employment. The gap between the words and

reality grows as we speak. Last week, the First Minister told us

that the only thing Rupert Murdoch got when he visited him was a cup

of tea and a caramel wafer. Now we find out he also offered Rupert

Murdoch a multi-million-pound tax cut. And of course, there's a

pattern here. If you are a working person... We will hear the number,

please. -- hear the member please. If you are a working person...

Order, order. Warm words for what might happen in 1,000 days. If you

are Fred Goodwin, you get all the backing the First Minister can

muster. Donald Trump get direct access to the chief planning

officer and if you're Rupert Murdoch, you get offers of one

million pound tax cuts in exchange for headlines. Some might say,

First Minister, Scotland bought and sold for Rupert Murdoch gold. Isn't

it about time... Isn't it about time that we heard and women head

and families across this country heard less about his fantasies for

tomorrow and more about how you will deal with the realities of

today? First Minister. I think that what would indicate that Johann

Lamont would be better focused on one subject at a time in these

question times. Let's look at the issues. The substantive issues...

Order, we will hear the First Minister. The tour asking questions

badly in 1 subject than asking them badly in six subject in my opinion!

Let me give you the statistics. Accepting that unemployment is far

too high, 10,000 more women in work than there was just over one year

ago. The figure for employment - people actually in jobs - which is

a very important figure, his 66.8% in Scotland and 65.3% in England.

The number of young women not just starting modern apprenticeships is

45% but also going up from 20% three years ago to 35% now. Still

more work to do that again, it indicates that young women taking

the ride for place in the workforce. In terms of positive destinations,

young women leaving school, going on to positive destinations of

full-time education, employment and training is now 90.4% and that is

an increase. The commitment of this government to no compulsory

redundancies in our controlled public sector and the health

service is vital for all workers. This seems vital to me for women

given the importance they played in the public sector workforce. And

finally of course, the delivery - not the commitment, not the promise

but the delivery of this government of something the Labour Party never

did and that is the living wage of �7.23 per hour across the public

sector. That is why when it came to the test last year, not just a vast

majority of Scottish men but a substantial majority of Scottish

women gave this government their endorsement and placed their hopes

in this government for improving the lot of Scottish society and

women by getting control over the towering heights of this economy so

that we can mould a better future free of Tory Government.

APPLAUSE Question number two, Ruth Davidson. I would like to thank the

First Minister for his warm words regarding Paul McBride. Paul made a

huge contribution to Scottish public life and had many friends

across this chamber and the thought of the Conservative Party are with

his partner and family. I would like to ask him when he will meet

the first -- the Prime Minister. Their plans in the immediate future.

Today the Scottish Tories are talking about the Arkle Bell and

minimum pricing. Voluntary notification for Europe and a

sensible that while we hope this of drinking across Scotland,

Scottish industry is not penalised she did not prove effective.

Yesterday the Scottish Conservatives tried to help

employers by of blocking the retail levy. A Scotland only taxes and has

a �95 million cash grant by the Cabinet Secretary to plug holes in

his Budget. Aided and abetted by Labour. Unheralded in the SNP

massive -- manifesto and with no it assessment to check its impact on

Scottish retailers, this punitive tax will result in Scottish

retailers having the highest business poundage for more than 20

years. Already as there has said that this uncompetitive tax will

add a significant cost to their business in Scotland and has warned

that future projects may now be scrapped. Can I ask the First

Minister, can you tell me how many young people right now unemployed

by the retail sector in Scotland? First Minister. Firstly can I say

to with Davies and that I welcome the Conservative Party's change in

position on minimum pricing -- can ICT with Davidson. In discussions I

have recently on the constitution with the Prime Minister, I hope

that and we have seen the election, both the Liberal Democrats and the

Conservatives see the importance and the crucial nature of Scotland

confronting its difficulties with alcohol and seeing if legislation

as were trying to see if we can combat the scourge of society. I

welcome the movement in both the Liberal Democrat and other

Conservatives to try to make this a success as a Parliament. I don't

agree with her in terms of the impact she feels the retail lobby

will have. As the, she mentioned. Plans for three new stores and the

replacement people on 23rd January with full knowledge of the

Government's plans for the retail levy. With Davies and, if she wants

to say that we do not need this move in order to fund the

critically important areas of public spending, areas incidently

which she called for additional public spending for and oblivious

to the bat but the pressure on the budget comes from her own

colleagues in Westminster than perhaps she will detail for us here

and now where she will see and what she would cut and where she would

raise the money as opposed to having this completely proportion

that levy which allows a vital contribution in terms of health

education and terms of what the general confronting of the problem

with alcohol. I will not say... I want to treat this matter in terms

of... I was only saying it so I would not say it! I can say it if

it helps. I do want to see us treat this vitally important matter of

taking the initiative, having the courage to introduce a minimum

pricing policy as part of an overall and general approach to

confronting the scourge and evil of I think deep retail levy does not

target those selling tobacco and alcohol. Calling it a health levy

is a fig-leaf to the embarrassment of the finance secretary whose

numbers did not add up. He did not answer my question regarding youth

employment. I will answer it for him. More than one third of Scots

working in retail are under the age of 25. It supports 80,000 young

people directly and is a gateway to employment for thousands more. CBI

Scotland, the Scottish Property Federation, the Scottish Retail

Consortium, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Council

for Development and Industry, the wines trade association all

condemned this tax as damaging to Scotland. The First Minister says

he wants to be trusted with all of Scotland's taxes and we can see now

what he would do with them. He would put them up and damage the

companies which are preventing youth employment figures from going

up. It is not too late, will he now is go up this cynical, anti-

competitive, �95 million tax that will endanger jobs and investment

in Scotland? Can I as gently as possible remind her that the

application of a 2.5 increase in VAT was 10 times the impact of the

retail levy? Not only that, the application of that applied to

goods and services across the board. Best public health supplements, in

the title is the clue to what is being done with the Revenue,

applies to 0.1 % of the retail outlets in Scotland. Business rates

which currently account for a 2% of their turnover will go to an

estimated 2.3 % of turnover. A party which swept VAT end to the

Scottish economy one year ago or oblivious to be minor impact on a

small number of very large retailers or a public health levy

which will help finance critical areas of preventative spend in

Scotland. After the publication of those figures yesterday, it we had

access to the to 0.6 billion lost to the Westminster Treasury m last

year's accounts, then we would have a range of choices open to us which

are not open under Tory rule from Westminster. The First Minister is

aware of the decision by the UK Government to close factories in

Scotland including one in Springburn. The First Minister will,

I am sure, share my concern about the way this announcement has been

made and the situation these workers are being placed in. Candy

First Minister indicate what action his Government will take to support

and re-employ workers in Scotland? Will he encouraged the increased

use of section 19 provisions and confirm whether or not his

Government responded formally to the consultation and if not, what

action it took to influence the outcome? We have been in discussion

on that very matter. That makes it all the more disappointing that the

first notification we got was yesterday afternoon when we spoke

to them and were given the announcement. It was of great

disappointment, not Kohli de decision but the manner in which it

was communicated given the amount of discussion there had been upon

the general issue. The member touched on that but it is a very

important issue in terms of Article 20. The developed a reader

registration process which is ongoing and has had some

substantial effect. Since 20th October 10 a total of nine

contracts have been awarded to supported businesses. The latest

financial data up which we now have in this key area in firms that 24

million was spent supporting business by the public sector for

the last financial year. I share the member's great disappointment

and concern. I think the announcement at best was ill-timed

and insensitive. The preparations that are necessary do not seem to

have been done about how it the 100 and for disabled people, a total of

111 jobs in Scotland will be guided into productive employment. These

discussions must start as quickly as possible. The UK Government must

accept its responsibility for the situation in which it has placed so

many vulnerable people. Following the announcement by RBS that 190

jobs are being cut in my constituency, what action is being

taken to ensure employees who are made redundant are supported into

new employment? Does he D there are times that RBS need solid political

leadership. -- does he agree? perfectly right to point out it was

a leaked letter rather than a statement but if the Royal Bank of

Scotland were to be broken up it would have implications. I regret

the memo by Vince Cable to the Prime Minister, there was no

acknowledgement of that matter. I share the concern regarding job

losses which have been announced. I am aware that Fergus Ewing has

already responded to the member with rule details of support being

provided. Can I say the jobs task force which has an agreement

between the financial sector and the Scottish Government, has had

substantial success in a loving people who have been released by

the clearing banks to find other financial sector employment. --

allowing people. I hope this goes some way to assuring the member

that we will minimise the time these individuals are affected by

their redundancy. What issues will be discussed at the next meeting of

the cabinet? We will discuss issues of importance to dead people of

Scotland. In the first edition of the Sun on Sunday the First

Minister played down the role in the phone hacking scandal of the

Sun, News International and the News of the World, using a defence

that it was not just them but others did it too. He lent his

support to Rupert Murdoch and yet was silent on the side of the

victims of phone hacking. Does he agree that victims will be

satisfied with his failure to stand up to News International? I do not

know if he managed to attend the chamber last week when I made it

clear of my full support for police investigations south and north of

the border. I gave full support to the Levenson inquiry. I do think

Willie Rennie should take on board operation motor man. I promised

last week that just in case the identification of potential

criminality in terms of data protection had not been fully

understood by this chamber. He will find if he looks and that list that

it extends across. There are very few Scottish examples in the

analysis but none the less, every single part of it should be

analysed and looked at as well as supporting the police inquiry into

phone hacking and the Levenson inquiry. I hope now that will

explain it to Willie Rennie and he will now accept our total

commitment to ensuring the law is upheld. He prefers to cosy up

rather than stand up to Rupert Murdoch. Earlier this week he was

caught bragging about Rupert Murdoch's support for independence.

We have discovered Rupert Murdoch wants to break up Britain in

revenge for the Levenson inquiry. Our First Minister is only too

happy to leap on that and ignore any victims. That was the trade,

wasn't it? I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. It is not de

chats and the free tickets to the Gulf, my problem is that rather

than stand up to Rupert Murdoch he has defended them and put his

interests above those of the victims, is the First Minister are

not ashamed of this deal? I think Willie Rennie would do well to look

at my answer last week and listen to my answer to his first question

before reading out his second. We have to uphold the police

investigations and ask for a lot to be enforced and upheld which

clearly was not done over recent years. That is a total commitment

that this Government has. I do suggest to Willie Rennie that he

has a good look at the findings of the investigation and the potential

criminality and the number of titles which were named. As far as

other remarks are concerned, I was going to start talking about

Michael Brown and Liberal Democrat donors and how they are in no

position to court to anyone about their associates but I know that

Liberal Democrats have always wanted to adopt a holier than thou

policy across politics. To ask the First Minister what the

implications are of the findings in the Government's recently published

State of the economy a report. highlighted the challenge facing

the global economy and the economic outlook for the months ahead. We

continue to take decisive action to promote growth and create jobs,

action which helps Scotland to face the recession which is both shorter

and shallower than that for the UK. That is confirmed by the report as

well as the extraordinary challenges which will face public

spending four years to come if we remain under the control of the

London Treasury. Does he share my concern that UK Government cuts and

revised inflation forecasts will cost the Scottish Government 18 %

in spending power over the next four years? �10,000 for every man,

woman and child in Scotland? Does he agreed that the figures revealed

yesterday an independent Scotland would be in a stronger fiscal

position than the UK as a whole? We would be better able to stimulate

investment, generate growth, raise living standards and improve the

quality of life for everyone living in Scotland? Yes, I agree. The

figures published yesterday with the official kite mark, too �0.6

billion, �510 for every man, woman and child in Scotland. These

figures speak for themselves and the anti- independence parties in

this chamber better get used to hearing it because they will hear a

lot more of it. Now coming to a close on First Minister's Questions.

Johann Lamont is trying to identify the First Minister with the rich

and famous. Today she was trying to raise the cause of justice for

women and suggesting that only one of the First Minister's aides had

used inappropriate language. The underlying issue here is a less

enthusiastic move towards independence. Consequently I think

Johann Lamont is seeking to pursue an issue. Ruth Davidson suggested