10/03/2016 Politics Scotland

Welcome to the Scottish parliament at Holyrood. The topic is questioned

to the First Minister. I reckon some will deal with a topic being

discussed yesterday, Governor expenditure and revenue for

Scotland. Balance sheets suggesting in the latest year there was a

deficit of some ?15 billion. Higher because of poor oil receipts in

terms share of the economy twice the level in the rest of the UK. Or at

the UK as a whole. Opposition parties pounced on it yesterday and

I guess they will do the same today. Let's find out. The First Minister

was rightly congratulated for securing the fiscal framework deal

predicting the future of the Barnett formula. Central to that deal was

the principle of law detriment. That means the transfer of financial

responsibilities to this parliament should never leave Scotland worse

off. Yesterday's pictures showed the deficit would be twice the size of

the United Kingdom's. Does the First Minister seriously still believe

there would be no detriment to Scotland leaving the UK? It

interesting to recall that if we look back to the last year of the

last Labour Government the UK's deficit was ?153 billion. That

amounted to 10.2% of the UK's GDP. I maybe just messed Kezia Dugdale

telling Chancellor Alistair Darling back then that the UK could no

longer afford to be an independent country. The truth of the matter is

countries the world over have deficits and let's remember best

about Scotland's deficit. It wasn't created an independent Scotland, it

was created on Westminster's watch. Applause-mac it's a rather strange

argument for any self respecting politician who argue we should stick

with the system that created the deficit instead of taking more

powers into our own hands to do something about it. Lastly, isn't it

typical of labour that we hear nothing about the strong Scottish

economy, the underlying strength of the Scottish economy? I will leave

Labour to do what they love best, not Scotland. I will get on with the

job of building this country up. Kezia Dugdale. That was about as

convincing as Brian Souter's tax return. The First Minister is in

complete denial. The day after heart on this devastated... Order! Less is

just 24 hours after our own figures devastated the case for

independence. She wants to carry on as if nothing has happened. The

economic case for independence has always been a dubious. Even our own

a former adviser, Alec Bell, tells us today it is now dead. The figures

don't just raised constitutional questions, they give us an insight

into the Government's spending priorities. Investing in education

is fundamental to growing the economy yet the figures show the SNP

have cut education and training by 10%. If education is horror number

one priority White has heart Government cut the budget by 10%.

First Minister. Before I come onto that, isn't it worth noting that the

Better together Alliance came together in that last question. It

is the case that all we get from Labour is the miserable talking down

of Scotland and Scotland's prospects. Let's not forget that in

the years when Scotland's fiscal position is stronger than the UK's,

Labour still criticised the case for independence because the truth of

the matter is this, Labour prefers Scotland to be run by the Tories

rather than having Scotland run by this Parliament. For as long as that

remains the case Kezia Dugdale's party will remain on political life

support. On education, what the figures yesterday showed, actually,

if an increase in Scottish education spending of 1.7% between 2013 - 14

and 2014-15. As we have outlined, our attainment fund, over and above

core education budgets, doubled by the finance secretary in the budget,

is going to make sure we do even more to tackle the issues of

attainment in schools. As I said, I'll leave Labour to moan from the

sidelines, lock Scotland and I will get on with building this country

up. Kezia Dugdale. She can't escape the facts. These

are her own figures. She cut education and training by 10%. I can

throw a number at the First Minister and she can throw another one back

from that big book of excuses she has got in front of her. Behind all

of these numbers are people. People whose lives are currently being

turned upside down because of SNP cuts to schools and other vital

public services. Just this week, I spoke with three women who have been

directly affected by SNP cuts. One of the rock life to pursue a career

in education, only to be told she will soon be out of a job. I make a

school librarian yesterday on the verge of tears and beg for my help

to make her save her job. And a classroom assistant in

Clackmannanshire, the very place the First Minister told me job cuts were

exaggerated, told me she was at a loss to understand the denial of our

First Minister in the relation to the extent of job losses. She says

the figures are wrong. Are these three women all wrong as welcome?

First Minister. Let me point out the facts the Kezia

Dugdale. Average spend per primary people has increased by 9%, ?411,

since we took office. Average spend per secondary school pupil as

increased by 11%, ?670, since the SNP took office. Average spending

per pupil in Scotland in both primary and secondary is higher than

in England. That is the rector of the SNP but that is a record that we

are determined to build on. That is by we have prioritised education,

tackling attainment, it's widely finance secretary double the funding

for attainment in the budget just two weeks ago. When I speak to

people across Scotland as I do day in and day out, what they ask me is

this, if Labour is sincere in its commitment to education, then why,

just two weeks ago, did they vote against a budget that maintained

teacher numbers and doubled the fund for attainment in our schools? That

is the question people across Scotland want to know the answer to.

Kezia Dugdale. We voted against a budget that

wrecked ?500 million out of our schools and public services. We

couldn't believe her figures in 2014 at the cant believe them today. Why?

Because we see people losing their jobs. From the start that remain

face even greater pressures and it is our young people who will lose

out because of this Government's cuts to education. For years the

First Minister said independence was the only way to stop the cuts, but

that argument is now dead. Labour have set out a plan to use the

powers of this Parliament to stop the cuts, on the 50p tax, higher

rate threshold and 1p plan she has voted it down at each and every

turn. If yesterday's figures confirm independence is not the answer and

she refuses to use the powers of this place to an posterity what

exactly will she do to stop the cuts? First Minister let us hear the

First Minister. It was Kezia Dugdale and her

colleagues who said two people across Scotland they had to vote no

to avoid cuts. Now they go around Scotland telling ordinary people

that their taxes have to go up to pay for the Tory cuts that Labour

made 's speak subject to. -- made us stay subject to. That is the sheer

and after disgrace of the Scottish Labour Party. To add to that

disgrace is the fact that two weeks ago they voted in this Parliament

against a budget that maintained teacher numbers. A budget that

doubled funding for attainment in schools, a budget that would deliver

the living wage to social care workers across our country. Was I

the bizarre, there was apparently a vote Labour event in this city of

Edinburgh last night. Kezia Dugdale should read the reports of it.

Apparently her name wasn't mentioned once in three hours. Speaker after

speaker line up to praise the SNP. If Kezia Dugdale can even ensues her

own side of the argument, is it any wonder she's already resigned

herself to coming second in the election in may? Question number

two. Ruth Davidson. Ask the First Minister when she will next meet the

Prime Minister. I have no immediate plans. The SNP line on GERS and oil

seems to be everybody got it wrong and no one saw it coming, but that

is total rubbish. Almost two years to the day I told the First Minister

predecessor he was being wildly optimistic oil revenues. We knew

then that oil revenues were predicted to be ?3 billion but the

SNP refused to listen and try to con people in the referendum campaign by

claiming it would be up to ?8 billion. Standing there in the then

First Minister told me, with some level of indignation, his figures

were robust. Not surprisingly, nobody trusts her predecessor unless

any more. It wasn't just him. It was best First Minister who led that

independence campaign so why should people trust her on that either? She

should maybe have tried giving some of that wisdom to the UK Government

Department of Energy and Climate Change because their prediction on

oil prices was higher than the Scottish Government's. Isn't it

typical that we have a Tory Government that, just like the child

in the Labour Party, constantly want to talk about the prospects of this

country. Let me tell you what the figures published yesterday showed.

Firstly let me say this, ?3000 more revenue generated per head in

Scotland in the last five years that the UK. Brought in onshore revenues

outstripping falling oil revenues. Higher employment in Scotland,

faster productivity growth, but we won't hear any of that from the

better together Tory Labour alliance, because that might mean

talking Scotland up and that would never, ever do. Ruth Davidson.

The truth is a ?15 billion black hole from a reader that told us we

would be ?500 better off each if we watered for independence. It's a

great pity that this First Minister is still tied to the Alex Salmond

playbook of bluster and baseless assertion. The third is the SNP's

economic perspectives for independence is broken. It was

broken when they made it, they knew it then and they know it now. They

are discredited White Paper will live on as a black spot on this

First Minister's reputation. And like to quote from the SNP's former

chief adviser, and expel. He wrote, we must assume these bright people

here know the old model, once of domestic, is now dead. He is right.

Let me also quote from somebody during the referendum campaign. This

one is actually more irrelevant because, much to my regret, Scotland

didn't vote yes, Scotland voted no. In that campaign this is what the

bright Minister David Cameron had to say. There will be a ?200 billion

oil boom if Scotland votes no. Wipe the David Cameron say that unlike

their turn out to be wrong? We will take no bluff and bluster from the

Conservative Party. The fact is Ruth Davidson is the leader of a party

that has stripped billions of pounds out of Scotland's budget. The

parties that told Scotland they had to ball low in order to avoid cuts

are the same parties now imposing cuts. Given that Westminster has

created the Scottish endeavours at why on earth would we stay part of

that system instead of taking power ensue our own hands. Gordon

McDonald. A resident of the Broom house area

of my constituency was on a pilgrimage to Mecca last month with

his wife and three children. During the final prayer of the day there

was a surge in the crowd and the threat and grab hold of the needed

person for balance. Unfortunately that person turns out to be a police

officer and he was arrested for assault. He was sentenced to 35 days

in prison and there is concern he may be subject to another trial that

could result in a far longer sentence. Given people who are on a

holy pilgrimage with their family do not travel with the intention to

insult anyone, I ask if there is any way the First Minister can

intervene? I am very concerned to hear about

this situation. Large numbers of my constituencies go on pilgrimages

every single year. -- constituents. My officials have already been in

contact with the Commonwealth office and have advised the British Embassy

are in touch with him by telephone and have requested a prison visit by

the Minister of foreign affairs. We have been advised at this stage they

have not had his sentence confirmed as the case appears to be still

under investigation. We have asked to be kept updated and informed of

any progress. I undertake today to provide the member with updates as

appropriate. To us the first Minister what issues will be

discussed and the next meeting of the Cabinet. Matters of importance

to the people of Scotland. Let's examine the consequences of a

massive economic misjudgement on the finances of an independent Scotland.

Order! She says it is only one year's figures. We all know the

worst is yet to come. The ?15 billion shortfall is twice the

education budget. Three times the European deficit limit. She needs

growth figures five times higher than China to get out of this. She

was warned repeatedly about her claims. Can she looked me in the eye

today and says she really believed what she said then? Or is it worse?

Is that economic judgment really that bad? Massive economic

misjudgement. I think that is a very, very apt description of a

party that goes into coalition with the Tories and keeps David Cameron

and George Osborne in government for five Yonge -- long years. Never

forget, that was the Liberal Democrats. Interestingly, until now,

Willie Rennie is not looking me in the eye when I remind him of his

coalition with the Tories. His hypocrisy gets ever more

breathtaking. While Winnie Rennie's party was propping up George Osborne

and David Cameron in government, those politicians were ripping

billions of pounds out of the Scottish budget. I will take no

lectures from a Liberal Democrat on the question of cuts. I bet the

Scottish people cannot wait to yet again pass judgment on the Liberal

Democrats on the 5th of May. I noticed that the Deputy First

Minister leaned over to give her a bit of advice on that answer. It is

ace shame and she did not listen to the finance secretary before. --

such a shame. We all know about the secret dossier. It happens to be

right. He was right all along. Why do G not listen to him back then?

Now she spent all her time dismissing all the things John

Swinney warned about. Falling oil revenues. She claimed the ?15

billion black hole does not really matter. She supports independence no

matter what the price. No fact or number will ever change her mind.

But ?15 billion. ?15 billion. It is twice the education budget. Is it

not the case that the First Minister was ready to put independence before

the education of our children? Of course, we did not need a secret

dossier to see the occasions of the Liberal Democrats and their

misjudgement. We saw that unfolding in George Osborne's budget every

year for the five years Willy Rennie's party kept them in

government. Billions of pounds taken out of this government's budget by

Tories kept in office by the Liberal Democrats. Willie Rennie has the

nerve to stand here and talk to anybody about education and health

and cuts in anybody's budget. The fact is we are living with the

invitations of Willy Rennie's decisions and his party's decisions

in government. That is why his already very small and rather

pathetic band of MSPs will be even smaller after the 5th of May.

Question number four. Christine Gramm. To pass the first Minister

whether the Scottish government considers that the rehousing

provisions for victims of domestic abuse are satisfactory. Tackling

domestic abuse is a pretty for me and this government. We are

investing record levels of funding. This year alone, we are committed to

spending more than ?17 million to tackle violence against women and

girls will stop homeless legislation supports children fleeing abuse and

support into temporary accommodation and appropriate settled

accommodation under long-established laws and women can also apply for an

exclusion order from the court suspending the right of the abuser

to live in the family home. As I said in conference on Tuesday this

week, Moore does need to be done in this area. That is why the Minister

for Housing and welfare has offered to meet Scottish women's age to

discuss what more support is required. -- paid. I recognised not

only the legislation but the gunmen funding and the aftermath --

government funding and its aftermath... In five Tom the

majority of women taking part in the scheme felt they had no choice when

ending an abusive relationship. I would ask what the Scottish

catchment's response is when they call for a national strategy to

address this issue because it is surely clear women should not be

twice abused and victims. I agree with that. I am very sympathetic to

the call made by Scottish women's aid for a national strategy and that

is one thing the Housing Minister will discuss in the meeting I

referred to. We have very strong homeless legislation in place. It

has been described as among the most progressive in the world. Homeless

people have a right to temporary accommodation immediately and if

unintentionally homeless, the right to settled accommodation. It

provides protection when people had to leave their home because of

domestic abuse. I do understand and I sympathise with the notion that

forcing an abused woman to leave their home instead of staying in the

family home compounds that sense of injustice. I think it is a very

important issue and one which our partners we are determined to do

more to tackle. The government has recently consulted on the

introduction of the specific offence of domestic abuse. Does she agree it

should include provision for protection for women by placing

conditions on perpetrators, including removing offenders from

households, which would be similar to domestic violence protection

orders in England? I am happy to consider that. As she knows, we are

in the later stages of the conference. We are looking at the

wording of a new offence without ruling out what she just said. I

think that might be more to do with disposals in court rather than the

specific wording but I am happy to look at it. The key purpose of this

consultation and the proposed offence is to deal with examples of

abuse, coerces and controlling behaviour, which the current law

does not deal with adequately. That is the motivation behind this

consultation. This is important in terms of what happens to a woman

trying to escape abuse and I will give serious consideration to the

point that has been made. Thank you. Exclusion orders are helpful but

often the abuser does not take any notice and breaches them. Safe

housing is what is crucially required. What work has been carried

out into creating refuge rooms and panic buttons in a victim's home to

make sure they get the help they need if the abuser breaches

exclusion orders? There is a range of work carried out by organisations

like Scottish women's aid on that kind of issue. I am happy to provide

more detailed information about what the Scottish government funding

supports in that respect. In terms of the key issue, I am in agreement.

There will be circumstances when a woman that is the victim of abuse

will want to move away and start afresh without the influence of the

abuser. But where possible it is the abuser whose life should be turned

upside down by the abuse and not the victim of that abuse. That is what

we should work towards in every possible circumstance. This issue,

not just specific issue but the general issue of tackling violence

against women and children is one of the most important this parliament

and society can deal with. We celebrated earlier International

women's Day and we all did our own things to mark that. We must

recognise that violence against women is both a cause and symptom of

gender inequality. Until we tackle that and eradicate violence against

women we will not have true gender equality in this country. Question

number five. David Stewart. To ask the First Minister what assessment

the Scottish covenant has made of the commission 's report on the

future of Scottish ferry services. We are committed to providing the

best possible ferry services. The announcement of a total freeze in

fares for the Hebrides services for 2016-17 and the ?100 million order

of two new vessels underline that commitment. We are focused on making

sure of a fair procurement process to getting the best deal for all the

communities of the Clyde and Hebrides. No matter the outcome of

that process, Scottish ministers will retain control of the all

important issues like fairs and timetables. This will always be a

public service contract. Infrastructure will remain publicly

owned as it is now. The law requires a process and it is a position we

inherited from the previous Labour and Liberal Democrat penetration. It

was accepted by that administration when it initiated the first tender

exercise for Clyde and Hebrides very services. Is the First Minister

where the UK government banned circle from tendering after a

tagging contract where they claimed payments for prisoners that had

already died? Even at the 11th hour, which agreed to meet the author of

this report, a respected economy from Glasgow University? Would she

share my view that the part of the DNA of the west coast of Ireland, if

this company loses the contract there will be no person to publicly

fly the banner of public ferry services in future? I want to make

sure we have the best ferry services. I hope people understand I

will not comment directly on the tender roses that is under way. I

will be corrected if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure that the ban on

Serco has since been lifted by the UK government. We are required under

EU law to put this service out to tender. There was a motion passed in

this chamber in September, in 2005, before the first exercise,

acknowledging the tendering of the lifeline ferry services is required

to protect these vital services. That was aborted by Jackie Baillie,

Malcolm Chisholm, Patricia Ferguson, Hugh Henry, Lewis McGugan, Ken

Macintosh, Michael McMann, Duncan McNeil, Elaine Murray. That was the

position of the last Labour administration. It is the position

of this administration and it is all intended to make sure we get the

best services for the people who rely on what rock 'n' roll lifeline

services. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish government

response is from figures of the Association of leading visitor

attractions showing a 5.5% increase in visitor numbers at attractions in

Scotland in 2015. I am delighted at the latest figures from the

Association of leading visitor attractions. Edinburgh Castle is the

most visited attraction in Scotland. The National Museum of Scotland is

the most visited free attraction in Scotland. The latest data shows that

if we combine overseas and domestic visitors, there has been a 7%

increase in total tourism visits to Scotland in the year up to September

2000 15. And a combined spend increased by 18.8% between 2010 and

2014. It is testament to the hard work and skills of everybody in the

tourism and hospitality industry in Scotland and public bodies, working

in partnership to support the Scottish tourism Alliance and

strategy 2020. I thank her for that answer. One of the leading

attractions was in my own constituency. I am sure she will

agree it is important to think about how tourism can grow. One such way

is improving assess ability. We have got an assessable project in my

constituency. What support commitment can provide for this

going board to improve disabled access to visitor attractions and

increase the number of tourists in general? -- going for. We need to

support and grow tourism. -- going forward. This market is potentially

worth ?1.5 billion to the economy and it is the right thing to do.

This gossip and has provided a contribution to develop a guide to

-- this covenant has supported developing a guide and we have

looked at architecture and design and the Minister for business and

announced additional funding to support a series of new partner

project. These initiatives will contribute to a wider assessable

tourism drives and I think it will be a very important thing for that

to happen in terms of inclusiveness for what Scotland has two other hand

the economic benefit it will bring. That ends First Minister's

questions. We will now move to business. Brought to a close here by

the chair. I am disappointed the main subject will be the Scottish

balance sheet. That turned out to be correct. The first Minister and is

abated exactly the same when she decided to turn attack into defence.

The best form of responding to criticism from the other side. Very

robust responses from Nicola Sturgeon throughout robust questions

as well from her opponents. Time for me to say good night and to hand you

to daily politics. -- goodbye. I used to believe in the European

dream, a free market, liberal and open democratic

brotherhood of man. So inspired was I by this

vision that 20 years ago, I even became president of the UK

branch of the Young European