:00:57. > :01:03.A very warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. Money,
:01:03. > :01:06.money, money. That is the topic. We had the budget being carried
:01:06. > :01:10.yesterday by MSPs with John Swinney setting out his final plans and
:01:10. > :01:18.today we have got the local Government settlement. Let's go
:01:18. > :01:23.across to the chamber and my colleague Glenn Campbell. I will be
:01:23. > :01:27.speaking with the chief executive officer of Scottish wind turbine
:01:27. > :01:31.manufacturers who has today announced the signing of a �5
:01:31. > :01:36.million contract to provide up to 500 small turbines for installation
:01:36. > :01:41.in England and Wales. I am sure the whole chamber would wish to welcome
:01:41. > :01:47.a successful company which is the leading manufacturer of small wind
:01:47. > :01:52.turbines across these islands. Indeed we do. The new Forth
:01:52. > :01:57.crossing is the most expensive public project in Scottish history.
:01:57. > :02:02.It is essential -- essential to attempts to sustain it business and
:02:02. > :02:07.create much-needed jobs. It should have a legacy beyond Abridge,
:02:07. > :02:16.people understand that. So why did the Prime Minister signed away the
:02:16. > :02:21.contracts to Spain, Poland and China? In reality, 118 out of 155
:02:21. > :02:29.sub-contracts had been awarded two Scottish companies representing 76%
:02:29. > :02:35.of the total awarded. In terms of Supply Orders 870 out of 1041
:02:35. > :02:41.supply orders, 83.5%, have been awarded principal contracts to
:02:41. > :02:45.Scottish companies. That is a very substantial percentage. The 4th
:02:45. > :02:51.replacement crossing project will support 1200 Scottish jobs and
:02:52. > :02:55.secure an additional 3000 more. Every year construction will
:02:55. > :03:00.deliver 45 vocational training positions, 46 positions for long-
:03:00. > :03:04.term unemployed and maximise the number of Modern apprenticeship
:03:04. > :03:14.opportunities. All in all, that looks to me like a substantial good
:03:14. > :03:15.
:03:15. > :03:20.deal for Scotland. I have to say that I am stunned by the limit of
:03:20. > :03:27.ambition the First Minister shows. His contract was to be a legacy for
:03:27. > :03:32.the people of this country and for the economy. �20 million on his own
:03:32. > :03:37.minister's account out of a contract worth �1.5 billion. The
:03:37. > :03:40.First Minister has no excuses. In Wales a Labour Government had the
:03:40. > :03:47.political will to ensure Welsh companies had equal access to
:03:47. > :03:51.public contracts, saving businesses and creating jobs. Rather than look
:03:51. > :03:56.to our neighbours, Alex Salmond went to China and pulled off a
:03:56. > :04:05.master deal. The Chinese got an �800 million steel contract and we
:04:05. > :04:10.got two pandas! If Wales can deliver for Welsh businesses, what
:04:10. > :04:20.is stopping the Scottish First Minister delivering for Scottish
:04:20. > :04:21.
:04:21. > :04:27.businesses and Scottish families? The total value, can I tell Joan
:04:27. > :04:33.lamb, is 790 million, the total value of the principal contract. In
:04:33. > :04:39.terms of the steel components of that contact, it is about five-10%.
:04:39. > :04:44.I am not sure if she knows this, but we do not have a mind you
:04:44. > :04:48.factor, fabrication facility for steel in Scotland thanks to their
:04:48. > :04:56.deprivations of pass Westminster governments. No firm that has
:04:56. > :05:00.submitted tenders were Scottish, but of the five-10%, the 790
:05:00. > :05:06.million, perhaps a quarter to a half would be steel plating, which
:05:06. > :05:11.we produce in Scotland. When Joan Lamont says there is an �800
:05:11. > :05:17.million contract we now know this deal is five-10% of that and of
:05:17. > :05:24.that 50% is the sort of steel we produce in Scotland. I know this is
:05:24. > :05:29.not the script that she wanted to hear, but I think that having 76%
:05:29. > :05:33.of the total sum contracts awarded to Scottish companies not only
:05:33. > :05:37.represents a good deal for Scottish companies, but it is amazingly
:05:37. > :05:45.better than anything that happens when the Labour Party were in power
:05:45. > :05:49.in Scotland. Ms Bailey, could you please keep quiet. The First
:05:49. > :05:53.Minister thinks this is eight-game. This is not a script the people of
:05:53. > :06:00.Scotland want to hear, that the First Minister's ambition when he
:06:00. > :06:06.says, it is 20 million out of 790 million, so that makes it OK? Eight
:06:06. > :06:10.tiny proportion of the money that is going. The biggest contract in
:06:10. > :06:20.Scotland for a generation is creating jobs in Spain, Poland and
:06:20. > :06:25.China. Alex Salmond is spending �800 million on steel and from that
:06:25. > :06:31.contracts are not a single job, not a single job has been created in
:06:31. > :06:34.Scotland at a time when 200 people are losing their jobs every day.
:06:34. > :06:40.Even the London Olympics has benefited Scottish companies to the
:06:40. > :06:45.tune of �100 million, five times more than the benefit from the
:06:45. > :06:53.Forth Road Bridge contract. How can it be value for money to send
:06:53. > :06:57.abroad in the long-term, to send profits, business creation,
:06:57. > :07:01.research and development and high quality jobs that these big
:07:01. > :07:07.companies generate, how can it makes sense for these to be sent
:07:07. > :07:11.abroad? There is a great disadvantage in reading the script.
:07:11. > :07:16.Occasionally you will read the wrong line from the script. It
:07:16. > :07:26.means you do not listen to the previous answer. The total value of
:07:26. > :07:34.the contract is �790 million. Of that five-10% is the steel contract.
:07:34. > :07:37.That is fabricated steel. We do not do fabricated steel in Scotland. Of
:07:37. > :07:43.the fabricated steel contract perhaps a quarter to a have is
:07:43. > :07:47.steel plate, which we do in Scotland. Now that she realises the
:07:47. > :07:52.800 million she was given in her script is not actually the figure,
:07:52. > :08:00.but is a small fraction of that, where she revised her opinion in
:08:00. > :08:02.terms of the total impact of what the Scottish Government is doing. I
:08:02. > :08:09.agree with Joanna amount that we must do our absolute best in terms
:08:09. > :08:16.of making sure that contracts come to Scottish companies. I wonder if
:08:16. > :08:26.she remembers Jack McConnell when he was in this place at first Mr's
:08:26. > :08:26.
:08:26. > :08:30.questions on due to 1005 -- June 2005. Quote, we had to explain why
:08:30. > :08:40.a fisheries protection vessel was going to a Polish shipyard instead
:08:40. > :08:46.
:08:46. > :08:54.of Ferguson's in Port Glasgow. he accuses me of not being able to
:08:55. > :08:59.read my script! I am sure it was well worth the research by civil
:08:59. > :09:04.servants to find that quote, but can we deal with what people in
:09:04. > :09:08.this country are saying now, including workers, Community trade
:09:08. > :09:12.union workers who are concerned about their jobs and all of those
:09:12. > :09:19.businesses and all of those people be on steel who believed that his
:09:19. > :09:22.contract would bring work to their communities. A four -- a fortnight
:09:22. > :09:26.ago the First Minister claimed his Government puts the highest
:09:26. > :09:33.emphasis on job creation and yet here we are. And I cannot believe I
:09:33. > :09:40.am saying this, but we are in the situation, and their habit here, a
:09:40. > :09:45.letter from Scottish trade unionists, asking David Cameron, a
:09:45. > :09:51.Tory Prime Minister, to protect them from the actions of a Scottish
:09:51. > :10:01.First Minister. The I cannot believe it either. And they say,
:10:01. > :10:01.
:10:01. > :10:08.and they say, to date... They say, these are Community trade unionists
:10:08. > :10:12.in Scotland, steelworkers, saying, to date Alex Salmond has failed to
:10:12. > :10:17.give any satisfactory explanation why foreign suppliers were given
:10:17. > :10:23.preference over Scottish firms. Why is the First Minister not doing his
:10:23. > :10:26.job? Why is the First Minister not standing up for Scotland? Will the
:10:26. > :10:31.First Minister stand up for a Scottish workers and instruct an
:10:31. > :10:38.immediate review of this disgraceful contract which will
:10:38. > :10:44.have huge consequences across our communities? Firstly, I think we
:10:44. > :10:50.are probably now agreed it is not an �800 million contract. Can we
:10:50. > :10:54.now agree that there is no steel fabrication proposal from Scotland,
:10:54. > :10:59.no firm that submitted a tender for at the steel fabrication sub-
:10:59. > :11:05.contracts were Scottish because we do not have steel fabrication
:11:05. > :11:09.facilities in Scotland any more of thanks to the United Kingdom past
:11:09. > :11:13.governments, both Labour and Conservative. Can we also agree
:11:13. > :11:18.there is substantial evidence from the figures on sub-contracts which
:11:18. > :11:23.I put forward, that 76% of these have been awarded two Scottish
:11:23. > :11:28.companies? Fourthly, can we agree that Joanne Lamont must be where
:11:28. > :11:33.you cannot direct contrast to go to Scottish companies, they have to be
:11:33. > :11:38.competitively placed out. What this Government has done is allowed tens
:11:38. > :11:42.of thousands of small and medium- sized businesses in Scotland to
:11:42. > :11:46.obtain the benefit of public procurement and purchasing. That is
:11:46. > :11:52.what has happened under this administration. In the past
:11:52. > :11:55.administration, largely due to Labour's fascination with the
:11:55. > :11:59.private finance initiative there was no ability to influence these
:11:59. > :12:04.things whatsoever. Givenchy now knows the actual value of the
:12:04. > :12:09.contract, as she now knows there are no steel fabricating facilities
:12:09. > :12:13.in Scotland, that 76% of the sub- contracts have gone to Scottish
:12:13. > :12:17.companies and she is aware the efforts that have been made, would
:12:17. > :12:20.she finally agree that this situation is usually better than it
:12:20. > :12:29.was under her and her colleagues when they were in the
:12:29. > :12:33.administration. Question number two, Ruth Davidson. Now that he is
:12:33. > :12:38.finally live on the BBC, I would like to ask him when he will next
:12:38. > :12:45.meet the Secretary of State for Scotland. On the basis that he has
:12:45. > :12:51.fully recovered, it will be this coming Monday. After the First
:12:51. > :12:56.Minister claimed grievance for being pulled because of a BBC radio
:12:56. > :13:02.at TB and sports programmes, it has now emerged that it was him who
:13:02. > :13:08.asked them three times to be a rugby pundit. On reflection, does
:13:08. > :13:16.the First Minister think it was acceptable to use the pulpit of his
:13:16. > :13:21.office to liken a BBC employee as a Nazi and well he now apologise?
:13:21. > :13:31.Let's take things in turn. I was assuming a number of things. Birsay,
:13:31. > :13:34.
:13:34. > :13:44.Ruth Davidson would be aware that it has been defined in the
:13:44. > :13:53.
:13:53. > :14:00.dictionary as an overbearing Wilder of petty politics. White matt
:14:00. > :14:06.order! Order! She will also be aware, I hope that the tradition we
:14:06. > :14:13.come to expect in the BBC is that editorial and journalistic
:14:13. > :14:17.decisions are not overwritten by political factors. Yes, of course,
:14:17. > :14:24.by a programme in terms of attending the rugby on Saturday was
:14:24. > :14:34.made aware to use outlets of all kinds, as indeed was Ruth Davidson
:14:34. > :14:34.
:14:34. > :14:41.because I saw her pre- release that very day. Can I point out an e-mail
:14:41. > :14:46.from the head of sports of the BBC, which I am happy to put out to
:14:46. > :14:50.correct misapprehensions, proposing I have been having a little thing
:14:50. > :14:53.and I would like to ask if the First Minister would take part in
:14:53. > :14:58.our Six Nations challenge and goes on to describe the nature of the
:14:59. > :15:04.programme. This would be a great way of us involving the First
:15:04. > :15:10.Minister in BBC's TV coverage. We would be doing is live in the West
:15:10. > :15:13.car park. Happy to discuss any of this. I am currently checking this
:15:13. > :15:19.out with our editorial policy team, but we do not anticipate any
:15:19. > :15:22.problems. The reason that there were no problems anticipated is
:15:22. > :15:25.because they did not know there was going to be a political instruction
:15:25. > :15:30.from a political adviser to withdraw the First Minister from a
:15:30. > :15:40.programme. I think Scotland, journalists, have the right to
:15:40. > :15:42.
:15:42. > :15:46.expect better from the British Buyer after having a little think,
:15:46. > :15:50.she presumably meant after his office had been on the phone. I
:15:50. > :15:56.thought that I would check the first minister's Rudby
:15:56. > :16:01.qualifications. He has the build for it and surely a glittering
:16:01. > :16:10.career at behind him. But no mention of him in the Linlithgow
:16:10. > :16:14.archive, at the Royal Bank of Scotland rugby club or elsewhere.
:16:14. > :16:20.His spokesman said the first minister is so outraged that he is
:16:20. > :16:30.raising this nob with the head of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, because
:16:30. > :16:32.
:16:32. > :16:34.it is all about him. The -- raising the snob. People's jobs and
:16:34. > :16:40.livelihoods are surely more important than the first minister's
:16:40. > :16:44.stymied ambitions. So will he confirm to this chamber, to those
:16:44. > :16:47.broadcasting this exchange on the BBC and to those watching at home,
:16:47. > :16:52.that he would waste a second of the time in his meeting with Lord so --
:16:52. > :17:00.Lord Patten in this petty sideshow but will discuss what matters,
:17:00. > :17:05.Scottish jobs? I am afraid the reasons given for the BBC's
:17:05. > :17:10.withdrawal of the irritation made by the Sports Editor are not petty
:17:10. > :17:15.and have to be confronted. -- withdrawal of the invitation. One
:17:15. > :17:19.was the proximity to the local government elections. We are not in
:17:19. > :17:23.the local government election period. Secondly, there was a claim
:17:23. > :17:29.of heightened tension in the political arena. There may be in
:17:29. > :17:35.terms of the Tory backbenches, but what I detect is only political
:17:35. > :17:39.debate taking place. If there is heightened tension, and it is to
:17:39. > :17:47.last for next two years, did I assume that we will not be treated
:17:47. > :17:50.to the site of David Cameron on any Olympic coverage from London? That
:17:50. > :17:56.during this period of heightened tension that politicians will not
:17:56. > :18:00.be asked to take part in sports programmes? We will never get the
:18:00. > :18:07.benefit of Ruth Davidson's opinions on rugby, football and anything
:18:07. > :18:13.else. This is a nonsensical decision. Even kick-boxing, on
:18:14. > :18:17.which I understand she has substantial expertise. If
:18:17. > :18:19.politicians are to be withdrawn from broadcasts, overriding
:18:19. > :18:24.journalistic and editorial decisions, I think we are going
:18:24. > :18:29.down a very difficult road. It is entirely possible that they should
:18:29. > :18:35.be able to revert to a position where the journalistic and
:18:35. > :18:38.editorial aspect and judgment is satisfied at the BBC, or is it just
:18:38. > :18:48.another reason why we have got to ensure that Scottish broadcasting
:18:48. > :18:50.
:18:50. > :18:57.is free from detracts from a London? -- Dick attacked since.
:18:57. > :19:04.When I meet Chris Patten, I will not... Poor order! Please settle
:19:04. > :19:08.down! By one to assume that his former chairmanship of the
:19:08. > :19:15.Conservative Party has anything to do with his current BBC decision-
:19:15. > :19:23.making. -- I will not assume. will be aware of the uncertainty
:19:23. > :19:27.facing thousands of Clydesdale Bank workers, which is headquartered in
:19:27. > :19:32.Glasgow and his strategic importance to the Scottish economy.
:19:32. > :19:35.Following the Scottish government's reported contact with Clydesdale,
:19:35. > :19:41.what assurances can the first minister of all workers and their
:19:41. > :19:46.families who face an uncertain beginning to 2012 as a result from
:19:46. > :19:51.-- a result of a statement from their parent bank? Will he agree to
:19:51. > :19:56.meet with representatives of that work force to hear their
:19:56. > :20:01.suggestions about the long-term future of the business as a
:20:01. > :20:06.Scottish headquartered company? have spoken to the chief executive
:20:06. > :20:09.of Clydesdale and I know Mr Swinney has spoken to him as well about the
:20:09. > :20:15.implications of this statement from the chief executive of us have. I
:20:15. > :20:22.will gladly meet with the unite Union and workers' representatives.
:20:22. > :20:28.When you examine that statement from Australia, it should give us
:20:28. > :20:34.great cause for concern. Besides the underlying difficulties of the
:20:34. > :20:38.eurozone but also sites, in the strongest terms, the policy in
:20:38. > :20:42.terms of retrenchment from the United Kingdom government, the
:20:42. > :20:48.period of austerity and the lack of growth prospects in the United
:20:48. > :20:52.Kingdom economy. A lot of us will find this somewhat ironic - that we
:20:52. > :20:59.have got places claims from the Chancellor of the Exchequer about
:20:59. > :21:04.the impact of constitutional change in Scotland. -- baseless claims.
:21:04. > :21:08.And here we have a statement that directly points to the austerity
:21:08. > :21:12.programme of the United Kingdom government as a reserve right
:21:12. > :21:15.strategic review of the bank. Will meet the unions and workers and
:21:15. > :21:21.continue a dialogue with Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks in terms of
:21:21. > :21:24.protecting jobs in Scotland, but let us hear no more of the argument
:21:24. > :21:31.that a low growth austerity programme is good for jobs and
:21:31. > :21:37.investment in Scotland. Thank you, presiding officer. The first
:21:37. > :21:42.minister it will be aware that a company based in 4th specialising
:21:42. > :21:47.in the manufacture of lifting products went into administration.
:21:48. > :21:51.Does he share my concern about the impact this will have on jobs
:21:51. > :21:58.indeed local community, and can I ask what the Scottish government
:21:58. > :22:01.will do to help workers find jobs? I share his concern regarding a
:22:01. > :22:05.company going into administration and the impact it will have on the
:22:05. > :22:10.whole town of four far. We will do everything possible to minimise the
:22:10. > :22:16.time that those individuals are out of work. We have taken immediate
:22:16. > :22:21.action to provide support. The local team is also discussing
:22:22. > :22:30.arrangements to hold an event for the employees, where people have
:22:30. > :22:33.the opportunity to meet a range of partners for advice and support. I
:22:33. > :22:39.understand an employer in the area is seeking to recruit employees. We
:22:39. > :22:44.will do whatever we can to facilitate this. What issues will
:22:44. > :22:51.be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet? That will discuss the
:22:51. > :22:54.issues -- issues of importance to the people of Scotland. Before
:22:54. > :22:59.Scotland's Freedom of Information Commission it stood down last week,
:22:59. > :23:03.he warned that Scotland's freedom of information system is at risk of
:23:03. > :23:08.slipping behind other countries, including the rest of the UK. That
:23:08. > :23:12.is surely a serious blow to our aim for being a beacon for progress.
:23:12. > :23:16.Surely that is the case. Why did the first minister block the
:23:16. > :23:24.extension of information laws to cover up housing associations and
:23:24. > :23:29.other public bodies? The first two answers to that. -- a barrel two
:23:29. > :23:32.answers to that. The laws in Scotland are more substantial and
:23:32. > :23:38.progressive than elsewhere. There were representations across a range
:23:38. > :23:42.of organisations that this would not be the moment to extend the
:23:42. > :23:45.freedom of information legislation. I would point out that if the
:23:45. > :23:49.Liberal Party thought that was so important, they would have used
:23:49. > :23:56.their very substantial influence in the last Coalition administration
:23:56. > :23:59.to bring it forward in Scotland. We are very proud of our freedom of
:23:59. > :24:07.information progress that we made in government. The first minister
:24:07. > :24:11.should reflect upon his progress on freedom of information. It was
:24:11. > :24:15.Kevin who said that Scotland was in danger of slipping behind the rest
:24:16. > :24:20.of the UK. He seems to have let the objections of others overrule the
:24:20. > :24:27.sensible proposals from the commission. Access to information
:24:27. > :24:30.is important to the free and Liberal Scotland. Why can tenants
:24:31. > :24:37.in lung -- Lanarkshire get information about their rent
:24:37. > :24:43.increases but tenants in Glasgow cannot? Why can an arms and money
:24:43. > :24:50.getting millions of pounds of taxpayers's' money but questions,
:24:50. > :24:54.while local councils cannot? Can the first minister be clear. He
:24:54. > :25:01.always wanted to be David, but isn't he now go live, at blocking
:25:01. > :25:09.the rights of ordinary Scots? -- go live Earth. I will stick to being
:25:09. > :25:15.David because I remember that contest! I am sympathetic to the
:25:15. > :25:19.examination in detail of private finance initiative contracts. I am
:25:19. > :25:24.extremely sympathetic on that score, although I could gently point out
:25:24. > :25:29.that we have not signed many PFI contracts, as opposed to the huge
:25:29. > :25:33.volumes that was signed by the Labour and Liberal Party in its
:25:33. > :25:36.government in Scotland, which is perhaps another argument why the
:25:36. > :25:39.public procurement policy being supported by this government is
:25:39. > :25:46.proving significantly more successful than the private
:25:46. > :25:49.procurement policy of our predecessors. To ask the first
:25:50. > :25:53.minister what we send us questions he has had with the Secretary of
:25:53. > :26:01.State for Defence regarding the establishment of a multi- Role
:26:01. > :26:05.Brigade at Lookers. The impact of the UK government across Scotland
:26:05. > :26:10.remains a key concern across Scotland. The Cabinet Secretary for
:26:10. > :26:13.parliamentary business and government strategy wrote on Friday
:26:13. > :26:23.requesting an urgent meeting to discuss progress and seek
:26:23. > :26:23.
:26:23. > :26:31.reassurance that the commitments made on 20th July 11 will stand. --
:26:31. > :26:37.in its July got 2011. He will be aware of press comments in which
:26:37. > :26:41.Philip Hammond has cast doubt on the role of the key brigade. Does
:26:41. > :26:48.the first minister agreed that this type of beer mongering is very
:26:48. > :26:55.unsettling to my constituents and will rejoin with me in urging Mr
:26:55. > :26:59.Hammond's to clarify his comments? -- fear mongering. Whether it is
:26:59. > :27:04.the air force will the army, they have the right to expect a long-
:27:04. > :27:09.term commitment. That is the long- term commitment that the SNP
:27:09. > :27:13.proposes to be given by government. The Defence Review last year had
:27:13. > :27:23.some very hard decisions as far as Scotland was concerned. There were
:27:23. > :27:25.
:27:25. > :27:28.hard decisions but we had to a policy announced, which had
:27:28. > :27:32.benefits for Scotland in the overall balance. It would be
:27:32. > :27:36.disgraceful if there was any attempt by the new Defence
:27:36. > :27:44.Secretary to on paper that a range run. He has not said that is a
:27:44. > :27:51.policy - he has hinted at it in a letter to a member of parliament. -
:27:51. > :27:59.- that arrangement. Politicians, whether the Secretary of State of
:27:59. > :28:03.Defence or any other, should not use this as some sort of political
:28:03. > :28:06.weapon for hinting to MPs in letters. The outrage that there
:28:06. > :28:10.would be in Scotland if there was any reneging on the commitments
:28:10. > :28:17.made last year would encompass every part of the community and
:28:17. > :28:22.every single party in Scotland. ask the first minister whether the
:28:22. > :28:29.Scottish government considers the introduction of national exams in
:28:29. > :28:33.2013-14 is on schedule. Yes, the new national qualifications are on
:28:33. > :28:40.course for 2013-14. We have met every target and request for
:28:40. > :28:49.additional support for educational authorities in taking forward
:28:49. > :28:54.implementation of that. Thank you. The Cabinet Secretary has assured
:28:54. > :28:58.Parliament that the introduction of Commitment to Excellence is on
:28:58. > :29:02.track. We are being told that materials are not ready and that
:29:02. > :29:08.teachers are not ready. Are the teachers wrong? That is not the
:29:08. > :29:13.view of the stakeholders across Scotland. A particular example, as
:29:13. > :29:19.he knows, of East Renfrewshire is a very particular one because they
:29:19. > :29:26.stopped, uniquely, using standard grades in 2005, replacing them with
:29:26. > :29:32.the intermediate qualification. It would take the President of the
:29:32. > :29:41.Association of Directors legislation, who says that they
:29:41. > :29:44.remain committed to the education programme. He says there has been
:29:44. > :29:48.strong consensus about the approach being taken, which includes