:00:20. > :00:25.A warm welcome to the Scottish parliament here at Holyrood. The
:00:26. > :00:36.subject of this programme is questions for the First Minister.
:00:37. > :00:45.First, potential job losses at HMRC. Perhaps the issue of the
:00:46. > :00:53.economy and spending generally will be addressed to the First Minister.
:00:54. > :00:59.Let's cross to the chamber. Jobs will be at the forefront of mind at
:01:00. > :01:07.Holyrood. Yesterday, figures suggested a rise in unemployment. It
:01:08. > :01:14.was a great relief to wake up to the news this morning that Pauline
:01:15. > :01:22.Cafferkey is only meant. -- on the mend. I was also delighted to hear
:01:23. > :01:26.that Pauline Cafferkey, a brave and inspirational woman, is recovering
:01:27. > :01:31.well. I'm sure we wish her all the best as she continues to regain her
:01:32. > :01:35.strength. This afternoon I will seek urgent talks with the UK Government
:01:36. > :01:38.about the announcement being made today by HMRC which would appear to
:01:39. > :01:46.put significant numbers of jobs in Scotland at risk. In addition to
:01:47. > :01:49.that, I will his engagements to take forward the government's programme
:01:50. > :01:53.for Scotland. The First Minister has urged people in Scotland to judge
:01:54. > :01:57.her government on its record. Let's do just that. This government
:01:58. > :02:02.established a single police force. We supported that plan, but urge the
:02:03. > :02:06.government to ensure reform was implemented properly. The report
:02:07. > :02:10.published on Tuesday into call handling in the wake of the M 9
:02:11. > :02:16.crash makes clear that did not happen. It concluded there were
:02:17. > :02:23.major weaknesses in the roll-out of the new call handling system. The
:02:24. > :02:26.then Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said that had been a
:02:27. > :02:30.smooth transition. With the First Minister said today that there has
:02:31. > :02:37.been a smooth transition to a single police force? Well, obviously as
:02:38. > :02:41.Kezia Dugdale is aware, and all members are aware, the report
:02:42. > :02:46.published this week was commissioned by the Cabinet said to four Justice.
:02:47. > :02:51.To make sure we were sticking and getting assurances about the
:02:52. > :02:56.operation of Police Scotland call centres and also making sure that we
:02:57. > :03:00.were identifying so that we can learn any lessons, and that is what
:03:01. > :03:04.has happened in times of the publication of this report. Report
:03:05. > :03:09.this week makes 30 different recommendations. As the chamber had
:03:10. > :03:13.a Justice Secretary see this week, each and every one of these
:03:14. > :03:18.recommendations has been accepted by and will be implemented by Police
:03:19. > :03:22.Scotland. Review highlighted a number of issues around government,
:03:23. > :03:27.change management and performance. These issues will continue to be
:03:28. > :03:31.addressed. It is important to note, and Kezia Dugdale and those on the
:03:32. > :03:35.Labour benches may not want you this, but I think people watching at
:03:36. > :03:38.home will want to hear this, the report also records the progress
:03:39. > :03:43.that has been made since the review started. And also gives some very
:03:44. > :03:49.important assurances on a number of key points. Firstly, staff levels
:03:50. > :03:56.are stable at the call centres in Govan, Motherwell and Bilston Glen.
:03:57. > :04:04.Secondly, the grading for high priority calls is working well. Risk
:04:05. > :04:08.and vulnerability assessment is strong. Staff training has improved.
:04:09. > :04:13.These are some of the assurances the inspectorate has given. We will
:04:14. > :04:15.continue to make sure that Police Scotland continues to make sure the
:04:16. > :04:25.services being provided for the public are of the very high standard
:04:26. > :04:29.that people expect. There is simply no escaping the fact that this
:04:30. > :04:35.report is a damning assessment of the government's record on policing.
:04:36. > :04:41.Calls across the country diverted elsewhere, not enough staff at
:04:42. > :04:45.Bilston Glen which resulted in low levels of performance, IT problems
:04:46. > :04:50.affecting day to day operations, a lack of governance leaving risks
:04:51. > :05:00.unidentified, and an overtime bill that has gone through the roof. The
:05:01. > :05:03.day after the incident on the M9, we were told there were no systemic
:05:04. > :05:08.failings in the call handling process. We now know that simply was
:05:09. > :05:12.not true. Following the publication of the report, does the First
:05:13. > :05:20.Minister now concede that there were in fact systemic failings? Firstly,
:05:21. > :05:27.this is a serious point and I hope people will listen to it seriously.
:05:28. > :05:34.I again today want to put on record my condolences to the families of
:05:35. > :05:41.both people who died in the M9 incident. My heart goes out to both
:05:42. > :05:44.of these families for the loss they suffered and the dreadful
:05:45. > :05:49.circumstances in which that loss occurred. As the chamber will be
:05:50. > :05:55.away, the circumstances of that particular case are still under
:05:56. > :06:02.investigation. The report was not into this particular case and that
:06:03. > :06:06.point has been made clear in the report. The report that was
:06:07. > :06:12.published this week is into the wider issues around call centres. I
:06:13. > :06:18.would say frankly to Kezia Dugdale I am not trying to escape any facts
:06:19. > :06:22.here, I want to make sure our public services are performing to the
:06:23. > :06:27.highest standards. It is right for anybody to point in this report to
:06:28. > :06:32.some of the weaknesses identified. If there is to be any sense of
:06:33. > :06:38.balance in this, it is appropriate to point to the many things the
:06:39. > :06:42.inspector says have been dealt with, address and improved. And 2.2 key
:06:43. > :06:47.issue and says he gives the Scottish public about the operation of call
:06:48. > :06:51.centres. We will continue to make sure any issues that require to be
:06:52. > :06:56.addressed are addressed, and the public can have confidence in the
:06:57. > :07:01.services the pro with -- services to police are providing. It is simply
:07:02. > :07:05.astonishing that even though with all of the evidence the First
:07:06. > :07:11.Minister cannot except there are systemic failings in Police
:07:12. > :07:14.Scotland. There is a wider reality here. This is an SNP Government that
:07:15. > :07:18.has been pretty timid because when it comes to our schools and
:07:19. > :07:25.hospitals they are happy to manage the status quo. The single police
:07:26. > :07:27.force is the one major area of public service reform they have
:07:28. > :07:33.undertaken. And they have got it wrong. And what was the response of
:07:34. > :07:38.the Justice Minister this week? It is all Westminster's fault. The fact
:07:39. > :07:44.is that Justice Secretary is bang to rights on police failings. He cannot
:07:45. > :07:50.lay the blame anywhere else. Can ask the First Minister, but she still
:07:51. > :08:17.have full confidence in her Justice Minister? This is a really serious
:08:18. > :08:23.issue. Order. I accept absolutely and unreservedly everything that is
:08:24. > :08:27.in the report. We accept, as does Police Scotland, all of the 30
:08:28. > :08:32.recommendations. For Kezia Dugdale to say, as I think she did, that I
:08:33. > :08:36.refuse to accept what has been found to be the case is either a
:08:37. > :08:40.deliberate distortion of what I said or perhaps she was so busy reading
:08:41. > :08:54.her script for the next question she forgot to listen to the answer I
:08:55. > :09:01.gave the previous question. Order. I simply pointed out that the
:09:02. > :09:06.particular circumstances of the tragic M9 case are still under
:09:07. > :09:09.review by the police Independent review commission. That is something
:09:10. > :09:15.all of us in this chamber should respect. On the issue of wider
:09:16. > :09:20.public sector reform, let me mention briefly some of the major reforms
:09:21. > :09:25.under way under this SNP Government right now. I'm not sure if Kezia
:09:26. > :09:30.Dugdale is unaware of health and social care integration, the biggest
:09:31. > :09:34.reform in our health and social care services perhaps since the health
:09:35. > :09:40.service was established 60 years ago. Fire Service reform. A reform
:09:41. > :09:46.that was vital. The attainment challenge we have been talking
:09:47. > :09:50.about. This government recognising the challenges our public services
:09:51. > :09:54.face and not shying away from equipping our public services for
:09:55. > :09:58.the future. I repeat, I am more than happy to allow the Scottish people
:09:59. > :10:02.to judge my government on its record. Perhaps that is why we see
:10:03. > :10:13.today that 58% of people in Scotland in Scotland intend to vote for us
:10:14. > :10:18.again next year. I think the people of Scotland want to hear a bit less
:10:19. > :10:25.about the polls and more about what she is going to do to support the
:10:26. > :10:29.police. The last few months have been some of the worst in the
:10:30. > :10:36.history of policing in Scotland. The resignation of the chief... The
:10:37. > :10:39.resignation of the Chief Constable and police authority chair, morale
:10:40. > :10:44.at rock bottom, a third of staff preparing to leave the force,
:10:45. > :10:51.civilian staff numbers cut, bogus figures over stop and search, a lack
:10:52. > :10:55.of transparency on armed policing, a 20% increase in housebreaking here
:10:56. > :10:58.in Edinburgh, controversy over deaths in police custody,
:10:59. > :11:03.allegations of spying on journalists, and a ?25 million
:11:04. > :11:12.budget overspend. Judge me on my record, says the First Minister.
:11:13. > :11:18.What is her verdict on that record? It is not my verdict that counts, it
:11:19. > :11:21.is not Kezia Dugdale's verdict that counts, it is the verdict of the
:11:22. > :11:26.Scottish people that counts. We know at this stage what the verdict of
:11:27. > :11:32.the Scottish people is. There was one fact in the long list that Kezia
:11:33. > :11:37.Dugdale forgot to mention and I'm going to be charitable to her and
:11:38. > :11:43.just except that she forgot to mention it. Here is the fact that
:11:44. > :11:54.Kezia Dugdale forgot to mention. Crime in Scotland at a 41 year low.
:11:55. > :11:57.That is down to the dedication of police officers and police service
:11:58. > :12:02.that working hard around this country. So Kessler Dugdale is right
:12:03. > :12:08.to hold this government to account. I don't deny that for a second. But
:12:09. > :12:13.it is her miserable approach that denies anything good about this
:12:14. > :12:24.country, that sees her and her party languishing in the opinion polls.
:12:25. > :12:31.Question to. To ask a First Minister Wen Jiabao next meet the Prime
:12:32. > :12:38.Minister. 14th of December. The report by the inspectorate into the
:12:39. > :12:44.M9 tragedy made several criticisms regarding staffing levels in call
:12:45. > :12:49.centres. The report raised many serious issues that required serious
:12:50. > :12:53.examination. Following the publication, the Justice Minister
:12:54. > :12:59.toured the TV studios and blamed Westminster cuts. What was the cash
:13:00. > :13:05.increase in her overall budget last year, and what was the cash increase
:13:06. > :13:09.in the amount she chose to allocate to policing? Look, the point that
:13:10. > :13:16.the Justice Secretary was making, and one of the points he was making,
:13:17. > :13:20.is this one. Because Police Scotland is the only police service in the
:13:21. > :13:38.entirety of the UK that has to pay VAT, then it is paying in the region
:13:39. > :13:45.of... Order. Stop shouting across the chamber at each other. As usual,
:13:46. > :13:52.the Labour benches are jumping to the defence of the Tory Government.
:13:53. > :13:57.?25 million a year is being paid by Police Scotland on VAT, that would
:13:58. > :14:01.not have to be if Police Scotland was being treated in the same way as
:14:02. > :14:05.other police services. So we will continue to make that point, because
:14:06. > :14:10.when it comes down to it, we will always stand up for the interests of
:14:11. > :14:13.Scotland and people and public services in Scotland, in stark
:14:14. > :14:18.contrast to the parties on each of the side of me today. Going back to
:14:19. > :14:26.the report, this is a serious issue and a serious report into that
:14:27. > :14:29.serious issue. That is why we are accepting all 30 recommendations. It
:14:30. > :14:32.is why we have Ed sure the police and the Scottish Police Authority
:14:33. > :14:36.has started to put right the things that were wrong, which the report
:14:37. > :14:40.recognises. Will continue to get on with that job of making sure any
:14:41. > :14:44.weaknesses identified the rectified so the public has the confidence
:14:45. > :14:49.they deserve to have in their police service. The figures the First
:14:50. > :14:54.Minister was looking for, the ones that actually and so the question I
:14:55. > :15:01.asked, are as follows. Or overall budget went up from last year to
:15:02. > :15:04.this by ?661 million. The sum that the Scottish Government chose to
:15:05. > :15:09.spend on policing in that same period when town by ?6 million. The
:15:10. > :15:13.Scottish Government sets its own spending priorities, and clearly
:15:14. > :15:19.leasing is not one of those priorities. And you cannot blame
:15:20. > :15:24.Westminster for that. This First Minister has sole responsibility for
:15:25. > :15:29.health, education, policing and much else in our society. She's about to
:15:30. > :15:33.get huge new powers over tax and welfare. This is a government which
:15:34. > :15:39.is always quick to claim credit for every bit of good news, but passes
:15:40. > :15:43.the buck when something goes wrong, as it did in this case. The Scottish
:15:44. > :15:47.Government chose to create a single police force, their budget this year
:15:48. > :15:52.went up by over ?600 million, and they chose to cut the police budget
:15:53. > :15:55.as well. Isn't it time that the First Minister accepted
:15:56. > :15:58.responsibility for that and didn't send her ministers out to the TV to
:15:59. > :16:04.point a finger of blame someone else?
:16:05. > :16:11.The first person to mention Westminster today was Kezia Dugdale.
:16:12. > :16:21.Not me, actually. On the issue of the police... Order! We did
:16:22. > :16:26.choose... We did choose to create a single police service.
:16:27. > :16:31.Interestingly, both Labour and the Conservatives went into the 2011
:16:32. > :16:37.election pledging to create a single police service. But they do not like
:16:38. > :16:40.to be reminded of that. In terms of the Scottish government budget,
:16:41. > :16:46.there has been a real terms cut in the budget by 10%. That is the
:16:47. > :16:49.reality. The whole point, or one of the points of a single police
:16:50. > :16:56.service is cutting out unnecessary expenditure. ?1.5 million saved
:16:57. > :17:01.because we do not have duplicated cheap constables across the country.
:17:02. > :17:04.We will continue to take the decisions which are the right
:17:05. > :17:07.decisions to make sure all the public services are on a strong
:17:08. > :17:15.footing which they need to face up to the challenges of the future. --
:17:16. > :17:23.Chief Constable. For those of us living and working in the Islands
:17:24. > :17:27.area, there is a genuine lifeline for hospital appointments and the
:17:28. > :17:30.wider public and yesterday another local mayor flight had to make an
:17:31. > :17:37.emergency landing, the second in less than a week. I never transport
:17:38. > :17:41.Minister takes this very seriously. Will the first Minister agree to
:17:42. > :17:46.meet direct representatives of the airline? Will she meet the Chief
:17:47. > :17:50.Executive and reiterate the need to get a current problem sorted? Will
:17:51. > :17:52.she stress again that regaining public confidence in the reliability
:17:53. > :17:58.and safety of these services public confidence in the reliability
:17:59. > :18:10.the number one priority? Absolutely. The services provided
:18:11. > :18:13.vital to the island communities. There are real concerns about
:18:14. > :18:17.performances and the emergency landing yesterday caused
:18:18. > :18:21.considerable concern, not least for those on that plane as he alluded to
:18:22. > :18:26.himself. Derek Mackay is discussing these issues with Loganair and we
:18:27. > :18:31.will continue to do so and demand these issues are rectified. I would
:18:32. > :18:37.be happy to ask Derek Mackay to keep Liam McArthur fully appraised and I
:18:38. > :18:40.am happy to make directly the views of the Scottish government known to
:18:41. > :18:45.the Chief Executive. Because we expect the highest standard for
:18:46. > :18:49.people who rely on these services. To pass the first Minister what
:18:50. > :20:25.impact we would have on the Scottish figment buddy -- budget
:20:26. > :20:27.impact we would have on the Scottish a practical reality. The Deputy
:20:28. > :20:32.first Minister has made it clear that we have got to establish a
:20:33. > :20:36.fair, sustainable and satisfactory fiscal settlement between Scotland
:20:37. > :20:40.and the rest of the UK. I agree financial matters need to be
:20:41. > :20:42.discussed between the Scottish and UK government on the basis of equal
:20:43. > :20:49.footing and each government treating the other to reach a joint agreement
:20:50. > :20:53.with respect. I hope we have the whole backing of the parliament in
:20:54. > :20:59.seeking to do so. In the house of commons this week, SNP MPs
:21:00. > :21:02.introduced a bill to introduce full autonomy for Scotland. What
:21:03. > :21:06.assessment that the Scottish governance do on the impact of its
:21:07. > :21:13.budget if that amendment had been carried? This is another opportunity
:21:14. > :21:18.for me to make their case that it will always be better for Scotland,
:21:19. > :21:24.this Parliament and this place to have hands on the levers for the
:21:25. > :21:28.power of economic control to build a better country. I do not think that
:21:29. > :21:31.is the most significant thing that happened in the house of commons
:21:32. > :21:35.this week will stop the mid-significant thing was watching
:21:36. > :21:37.Labour go through the lobby with the Tories to vote through the
:21:38. > :21:47.devolution of tax credits. To ask the First Minister what
:21:48. > :21:52.action the Scottish government considers needs to be taken to fully
:21:53. > :21:58.realise the objectives of the Equal Pay Act, 1970? On Monday we mark
:21:59. > :22:02.equal pay day, when many women are essentially working or nothing for
:22:03. > :22:07.the rest of the year because on average women continue earning less
:22:08. > :22:11.than men. I think it is a complete disgrace that despite the Equal Pay
:22:12. > :22:17.Act being passed 45 years ago, the year I was born, we still do not
:22:18. > :22:21.have equal pay in this country. We are looking to lead by example. We
:22:22. > :22:24.have made tackling the gender pay gap a priority for government. We're
:22:25. > :22:28.working with the quality and human rights commission to tackle
:22:29. > :22:31.pregnancy and maternity related discrimination and promoting fair
:22:32. > :22:36.working practices and extending childcare. I call on all
:22:37. > :22:41.organisations and businesses to take action on this issue so we can once
:22:42. > :22:49.and for all and pay inequality in Scotland. -- end. Does she agree
:22:50. > :22:53.local authorities that had a same political power in office four years
:22:54. > :22:58.like South Lanarkshire Council have no excuse not to have settled equal
:22:59. > :23:04.pay claims on a fair and equitable basis? Does she realise some claims
:23:05. > :23:09.date back from many years and continue causing stress and strife
:23:10. > :23:17.amongst hard-working constituents in East Kilbride and elsewhere?
:23:18. > :23:21.Ministers have repeatedly made it clear, and let me do so again,
:23:22. > :23:27.unequivocally, delays by councils in settling equal pay claims are
:23:28. > :23:33.unacceptable. Many of these claims, as Linda Fabiani has said, go back
:23:34. > :23:36.to 2006, even further in some cases. There can be no justification for
:23:37. > :23:40.taking so long to resolve this issue. There has been recent
:23:41. > :23:46.progress, like the settlement of claims against Fife Council but more
:23:47. > :23:50.work needs to be done. Equal cases need to be progressed with urgency.
:23:51. > :23:56.And commitment. So those affected get legal entitlement. We have
:23:57. > :23:59.written to all 32 Scottish local authorities reiterating big and the
:24:00. > :24:02.desire to have more and faster progress and seek information on the
:24:03. > :24:10.of claims settled and still outstanding for each council.
:24:11. > :24:17.Often apprenticeships are the first step in career progression. In 2013,
:24:18. > :24:20.analysis from the Herriot Watt University showed Scotland is the
:24:21. > :24:27.only part of the UK where the nub of female staff are lower than the male
:24:28. > :24:33.star. -- number. Why is this proportion continuing to fall? I am
:24:34. > :24:38.not sure that is quite relevant but if you wish to answer. I am happy to
:24:39. > :24:43.answer because it is an important point. I am happy to provide the
:24:44. > :24:47.figures to the member. We are increasing been of women going into
:24:48. > :24:51.modern apprenticeships. That is one of many things we need to do to get
:24:52. > :24:57.more women into the labour market and more women into jobs, more women
:24:58. > :25:01.into full-time and high-quality jobs and amongst the job figures we saw
:25:02. > :25:05.yesterday, we saw increased full-time work in the past year.
:25:06. > :25:09.These are important issues. Let me say that I am determined and
:25:10. > :25:16.committed to making sure we advance gender equality in all of its forms.
:25:17. > :25:20.Question number five. For what reason is the publication of the
:25:21. > :25:27.findings of the review paediatric services in Lothian being delayed?
:25:28. > :25:32.We are advised by the NHS Lothian that the advice has been that not
:25:33. > :25:36.all independent expert review team members can begin work for January.
:25:37. > :25:42.Originally it was invaded it would begin this month, in November. -- in
:25:43. > :25:50.this aged. We will make sure there is a full and thorough review is
:25:51. > :25:57.carried out. -- in visit. I am sure -- considered.
:25:58. > :26:02.Just to be straight with the people of West Lothian, will the First
:26:03. > :26:06.Minister give a guarantee the current level of service, including
:26:07. > :26:10.24-7 patient services will be returned and there will be no
:26:11. > :26:15.downgrade of paediatric services at St John's Hospital? Maybe she can
:26:16. > :26:22.throw away her script and give a straight answer for the first time.
:26:23. > :26:26.The only person I know talking about closure of these services as far as
:26:27. > :26:31.I can tell is Neil Findlay. We want to make sure there is a sustainable
:26:32. > :26:38.service in place. That is why it is right for NHS Lothian to instruct
:26:39. > :26:41.this thorough review. I was health secretary and I in heritage a
:26:42. > :26:43.position from the last Labour government which had St John's
:26:44. > :26:49.Hospital possibly in terminal decline. This government turned it
:26:50. > :26:59.around and St John's Hospital is a thriving local hospital today. To
:27:00. > :27:02.ask the First Minister what impact is the proposals in the Trade Union
:27:03. > :27:07.Bill could have on Scottish government commit to their work? On
:27:08. > :27:12.Tuesday this Parliament made clear the opposition to a Draconian Trade
:27:13. > :27:17.Union Bill. It threatens the fundamental rights of workers to
:27:18. > :27:21.organise, bargain collectively and if necessary withdrawal labour. It
:27:22. > :27:27.is not unacceptable threat to trade unions and to the track record of
:27:28. > :27:30.Scotland of industrial relations and his government's approach to their
:27:31. > :27:35.work. We have progressed it Scotland is exempted from this bill entirely
:27:36. > :27:43.and I hope we get the support of Parliament in doing so. Does she
:27:44. > :27:44.agree it is a disgrace that this Tory government are pushing through
:27:45. > :27:47.a bill which will have a major impact on devolved services and the
:27:48. > :27:50.workers across the country without any proper in gauge went with the
:27:51. > :28:00.Scottish Parliament, or Scottish government? -- conversation. Yes, I
:28:01. > :28:05.do. This issue I think was raised explicitly by the Secretary in the
:28:06. > :28:08.debate earlier this week. It is vital the parliament can fully
:28:09. > :28:14.consider whether it can consent to the provisions in Scotland. Anna
:28:15. > :28:17.Cunningham has asked legal advisers to explore several possible basis
:28:18. > :28:23.for legislative consent memorandums and motion. Never before has we been
:28:24. > :28:25.in a position where the UK and the Scottish government has not have
:28:26. > :28:31.agreement on issues of legislative consent which I think illustrates a
:28:32. > :28:36.disgraceful lack of dialogue from the UK Government. There is no doubt
:28:37. > :28:40.in my mind that this is a Bill which it was implement it in Scotland it
:28:41. > :28:44.would have significant implications for devolved responsibilities. If
:28:45. > :28:47.the UK Government will not exempt Scotland from its provisions it is
:28:48. > :28:52.essential that we have a legislative consent motion so this Parliament,
:28:53. > :28:54.as I hope it will choose, can deny its consent, Draconian measures
:28:55. > :29:09.attacking our trade unions. That is the mister-macro's
:29:10. > :29:13.questions... Here we have it. The close of questions. -- First
:29:14. > :29:17.Minister's. They referred to the HMRC job losses and talks with the
:29:18. > :29:23.UK Government. More about that on the BBC and throughout the day. And
:29:24. > :29:27.it moved into as expected a more general discussion about taxation
:29:28. > :29:30.and public spending. It is time for me to pass on from the end of the
:29:31. > :29:37.programme. Goodbye.