:00:21. > :00:25.A very warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament. This afternoon, Michael
:00:25. > :00:29.Moore the Scottish Secretary and Nicola Sturgeon will try to sort
:00:29. > :00:33.out the regulations for the forthcoming referendum on
:00:33. > :00:37.independence and with an eye to the substance of that, we will be
:00:37. > :00:43.talking about whether or not Scotland would automatically be in
:00:43. > :00:47.the European Union, plus jobs figures out yesterday. Any of these
:00:48. > :00:55.issues could be questions for the First Minister in this programme.
:00:55. > :01:00.We can cross to the chamber now. Thank you, Brian. The Government is
:01:00. > :01:06.being questioned on Scottish football. We may need to turn more
:01:06. > :01:13.attention to that after next week's endeavours. First Minister's
:01:13. > :01:17.Questions number-one. Thank you very much. I know the First
:01:17. > :01:22.Minister will be celebrating with all of Scotland the wonderful
:01:23. > :01:32.summer of sport culminating in Andy Murray's fantastic victory in the
:01:32. > :01:39.US Open. But can I pass the First Minister what engagements he has
:01:39. > :01:44.planned for the rest of today? Nothing like as enjoyable as the
:01:44. > :01:48.celebration that we will jointly engaged in tomorrow. This chamber
:01:48. > :01:53.congratulates the amazing feat of Scotland's Olympians and
:01:53. > :01:58.Paralympians. But she is perfectly correct, given the extraordinary
:01:58. > :02:08.events of this week, we should send particular congratulations to Andy
:02:08. > :02:08.
:02:08. > :02:17.Can I asked the First Minister, is there anything of independence that
:02:17. > :02:21.the people of Scotland should not now? I think the great thing about
:02:21. > :02:26.independence, which is increasingly realised across Scotland and beyond,
:02:26. > :02:31.it will give the people of Scotland the ability to determine the their
:02:32. > :02:39.own affairs. It will mobilise the natural and human resources of this
:02:39. > :02:42.country to create a prosperous and just society. Yesterday the
:02:42. > :02:47.President of the European Commission was clear when he said,
:02:47. > :02:52.a new state, if it wants to join the union, has to apply it like any
:02:52. > :02:57.state. That means that a new state of Scotland would first have to
:02:57. > :03:02.apply to be a member of the Union. If successful, it would have to
:03:02. > :03:10.adopt the European currency. The First Minister does not have any
:03:10. > :03:20.legal advice which contradicts the EU Commission, does he? Let me see
:03:20. > :03:21.
:03:21. > :03:28.if I can help with these matters. Scotland is not an assessing state.
:03:28. > :03:32.-- as session. We have been a member for 40 years. Even the
:03:32. > :03:38.Conservative benches are in the European Union. Whether they like
:03:38. > :03:46.it or not. Every single one of ours. We are not in the position of a
:03:46. > :03:52.country which is not part... Order. We will have to talk about things
:03:52. > :03:57.but the pressure. Is that these discussions take place from within
:03:57. > :04:03.the -- the pressure point is that these discussions take place from
:04:03. > :04:07.within the European Union. As for the things that were said, he did
:04:07. > :04:12.not mention the European currency yesterday. Let me tell you
:04:12. > :04:18.something he actually said which has not been widely quoted. I do
:04:18. > :04:22.not see any country leaving and many countries wanting to join.
:04:22. > :04:31.Scotland is part and will remain part of the European Union as an
:04:31. > :04:37.independent country. I did listen very carefully but I do not think I
:04:37. > :04:43.detected an answer to the question I asked. He seems to be predicated
:04:43. > :04:52.on the fact that Scotland would not be a new state. You wonder what we
:04:52. > :04:55.have been arguing for for the past 100 years! If the fast minister has
:04:55. > :05:01.advice which does contradict her what the President has said, why
:05:02. > :05:09.does he not remove doubt and publish it? Between the people and
:05:09. > :05:13.the representatives, dialogue is essential in democracy it. Listen
:05:13. > :05:19.to his old deputy and friend, instead of telling Scotland what
:05:19. > :05:26.advice he has had, he is using our money to fund a court action to
:05:26. > :05:31.stop asked knowing what the First Minister knows. It is in the cup
:05:31. > :05:34.interest, I quote, to know what information is being taken into
:05:34. > :05:40.account in developing policy with such a significant issue like
:05:40. > :05:50.independence. Surely he believes it is in the public interest to know
:05:50. > :05:51.
:05:51. > :05:57.the consequences of independence? There is a difference between a
:05:57. > :06:03.country which has been a member for 40 years, 40 years of membership of
:06:03. > :06:10.the European Union and a country which is trying to join for the
:06:10. > :06:17.first time, like Turkey. Can I remind her that even when a country
:06:17. > :06:25.is trying to depart from the European Union like fin land, it is
:06:25. > :06:31.leaving from inside the European Union. -- Finland. Yesterday,
:06:31. > :06:38.discussions took place in that context. Incidentally, as has been
:06:38. > :06:45.discussed, the same thing applies to the rest of the United Kingdom.
:06:45. > :06:51.They will be in exactly the same legal position. She has referred to
:06:51. > :06:57.the question of the publication of the existing legal advice. She has
:06:57. > :07:03.been a minister and has had exactly the same things herself. But the
:07:03. > :07:07.ministerial code says that the legal advice has been given to
:07:07. > :07:17.ministers and it must not been revealed outside of the Scottish
:07:17. > :07:18.
:07:18. > :07:23.government unless under clear circumstances. Order. I say quite
:07:24. > :07:30.clearly that I have been referred by opposition parties five times.
:07:30. > :07:38.Under the ministerial code. You are saying that is not enough. But
:07:38. > :07:42.given the track record of nothing out of five... Five times, these
:07:42. > :07:49.complaints have been missed by the independent adjudicators on these
:07:49. > :07:55.matters. If I'd reached that paragraph of the ministerial code -
:07:55. > :08:04.- if I'd reached that paragraph, there would be no defence. -- if I
:08:04. > :08:08.violated that paragraph, they would be no defence. I have reconciled my
:08:08. > :08:12.obligations and I think that the democratic imperative of that
:08:12. > :08:15.information for the people of Scotland is important. We have
:08:16. > :08:21.guaranteed that we had set out our intention to publish the white
:08:21. > :08:27.paper at this time next year. I give her my guarantee that this
:08:27. > :08:31.paper, which sets out the context of the Independent's proposition,
:08:31. > :08:37.will have a detailed assessment on membership continuing in the
:08:37. > :08:47.European Union. I get a guarantee that everything will be fully
:08:47. > :08:52.consistent with the legal advice... SOUND PROBLEM... We will reconcile
:08:52. > :09:02.the ministerial code with the imperative to let the people of
:09:02. > :09:12.Scotland see the full advantages of being an independent country.
:09:12. > :09:12.
:09:12. > :09:21.not sure who he imagines would give us information which is costing the
:09:21. > :09:25.state a lot of money. �100,000 to keep it out of the public domain. I
:09:25. > :09:32.never in all of my time as the First Minister posed a question in
:09:32. > :09:37.which we have decided the most important question of 300 years. In
:09:37. > :09:43.these circumstances I suggest that we should look at information that
:09:43. > :09:49.cannot usefully be revealed. Otherwise one has to ask what is
:09:49. > :09:53.the First Minister hiding? We have to get this right. The Information
:09:53. > :10:01.Commissioner is wrong, the President is wrong. Only Alex
:10:01. > :10:11.Salmond is right all the time. No doubt he will soon be blaming Ellie
:10:11. > :10:12.
:10:12. > :10:16.Simmonds, most thorough and Chris Simmons. -- Sir Chris Hoy. It has
:10:16. > :10:22.descended into a deliberate deception, with the European
:10:22. > :10:27.currency. He has not provided any evidence about the European
:10:27. > :10:34.President. Scotland would have to apply again and join the currency
:10:34. > :10:39.with all the disastrous economic consequences. He has to understand
:10:39. > :10:44.that when he says something, his backbenchers agree and we expect
:10:44. > :10:54.more than a simple assertion. He does not tell the people of
:10:54. > :10:55.
:10:55. > :11:01.Scotland at beetroot. When is he planning to tell them? -- the truth.
:11:01. > :11:08.Can I welcome the spokeswoman for the European President? The actual
:11:08. > :11:11.spokesperson said that yesterday he would like to clarify because of
:11:11. > :11:18.misrepresentations of what was said in terms of the European
:11:18. > :11:28.Commission's position. No doubt she will have to clarify the
:11:28. > :11:34.misrepresentations from Joanna Lamond. I quote earlier that no
:11:34. > :11:44.countries are leaving and many want to join. How would I be reported
:11:44. > :11:44.
:11:44. > :11:49.under the ministerial code if I was in breach? Well maybe I could
:11:49. > :11:55.interest is a chamber in reporting about the ministerial code about
:11:55. > :12:01.tea and biscuits? I think I might be reported in terms of a breach
:12:01. > :12:07.under these conditions. But she is at a great disadvantage. This is a
:12:07. > :12:12.question that was prepared at all she heard the answer. I think it is
:12:12. > :12:16.a reasonable solution, to conform to the ministerial code to provide
:12:16. > :12:21.information that the people wish to have. That is about the publication
:12:21. > :12:27.of the white paper. One full year before the decision on the
:12:27. > :12:32.referendum. These areas of European membership for an independent
:12:32. > :12:36.Scotland will be examined in great detail and everything in that white
:12:36. > :12:43.paper will be fully consistent and informed by the legal advice that
:12:43. > :12:47.we have received. That seems to me to be a reasonable proposition. We
:12:47. > :12:56.will been looking forward to reading that white paper and a
:12:56. > :13:03.passport to independence and freedom. Ruth Davidson. When will
:13:03. > :13:11.he next meets the Prime Minister? Next week. Perhaps we will not see
:13:11. > :13:17.you hiding behind the ministerial code and European spokes people.
:13:17. > :13:22.When Nicola Sturgeon launched her management system for the Scottish
:13:22. > :13:25.NHS appointments, she assured us that, it is not a quote,
:13:25. > :13:31.communicating with patients is one of the areas that will determine
:13:31. > :13:37.how the NHS will improve and this will help us to achieve that. At a
:13:37. > :13:45.cost of �44 million. Looking at one help board, we can see a system in
:13:45. > :13:52.meltdown. -- Health Board. They have had to cancel 7,000
:13:52. > :13:57.appointments since its introduction. Does the First Minister still have
:13:57. > :14:03.confidence in the system, from which, in section To implementation
:14:03. > :14:13.is entirely the product of his government? -- from its inception
:14:13. > :14:14.
:14:14. > :14:19.in implementation. -- to its implementation. The information
:14:19. > :14:23.technology in the Scottish Health Service pales into insignificance
:14:23. > :14:30.with the difficulties experienced by her administration south of the
:14:30. > :14:35.border. Perhaps the test of the management of the health service by
:14:35. > :14:42.Nicola Sturgeon, we are looking at the wishes of her leaving her post
:14:43. > :14:52.last week. I have got a selection of all of the quotations from the
:14:52. > :14:55.volunteer services from the health economist. All of them have
:14:55. > :15:03.complemented Nicola Sturgeon in terms of the fantastic job she did
:15:03. > :15:08.as the Scottish Health Secretary. I have got a selection of quotations
:15:08. > :15:16.from Andrew Lansley leaving his job in England and not a single person,
:15:16. > :15:24.not even his colleagues congratulated him on the job he did.
:15:24. > :15:29.Nicolas Bevan got a cart so everything is all right. Fantastic!
:15:29. > :15:34.This reference to the 7,500 was shocking but it is not even 10% of
:15:34. > :15:40.the story. Look at what is happening. From the launch of the
:15:40. > :15:46.system, including out-patient appointments, you get a staggering
:15:46. > :15:49.110 thousand cancellations by the NHS. That is one in eight when
:15:49. > :15:54.people thought they were going to get help and suddenly the doctor
:15:54. > :16:00.cannot see them now. I will tell you what else the minister said at
:16:00. > :16:06.the launch of this shambles. This system will be much more efficient,
:16:06. > :16:10.faster and secured. It is also better for the environment. It is
:16:11. > :16:16.not better for patients. There is nowhere for them to hide. Nobody
:16:16. > :16:20.else to blame and do not look south of the border. Will he call once in
:16:20. > :16:30.his life take some responsibility and order an investigation and get
:16:30. > :16:30.
:16:30. > :16:36.I will take responsibility as will sturg nor the statistics released
:16:36. > :16:39.last week showing that lowest waiting times in the history of the
:16:39. > :16:44.National Health Service in Scotland an the observance of the key
:16:44. > :16:48.targets in terms of healthcare, says don't look south of the border.
:16:48. > :16:53.Why shouldn't we? Because the contrast is between a public Health
:16:53. > :16:56.Service in Scotland, performing in extraordinary high level for
:16:56. > :17:00.patients concerned and a Health Service which is being dismantled
:17:00. > :17:04.south of of the border which won't even by a National Health Service
:17:04. > :17:07.at all. So yes, we will take responsibility, we will take
:17:07. > :17:11.responsibility for the extraordinary achievements of the
:17:12. > :17:15.staff in our National Health Service, who are performing under
:17:15. > :17:18.extraordinary difficult budgetary condition, and performing
:17:18. > :17:25.exceptionally well, because this budget, this Government doesn't
:17:25. > :17:34.have just the commitment to protect a real budget of the NHS. Unlike
:17:34. > :17:41.her party we are committed to having a National Health Service.
:17:41. > :17:45.The chamber will be wear of the proposed merger between AG Barr
:17:45. > :17:50.which the Essex based firm Britvic. Does the First Minister agree with
:17:50. > :17:54.me, given the iconic Scottish brands involved if any merger goes
:17:54. > :18:00.ahead a company should head quartered in Scotland and the
:18:00. > :18:04.production should be at the couple bernauld site? I am certain the
:18:04. > :18:09.member is right to raise these issues and proper to do, so he will
:18:09. > :18:16.know as I do, the positive statements for AG Barr in terms of
:18:16. > :18:19.the future of the company, if the agreed merger goes ahead, and there
:18:19. > :18:24.is every indication that the strength of the, an excellence of
:18:24. > :18:30.the history of that company, its iconic status and the excellence of
:18:30. > :18:36.its staff, are g are going to ensure and it remains and expands
:18:36. > :18:39.its operations in Scotland. What issues will be discussed at the
:18:39. > :18:45.next meeting of the cabinet. issues of importance to the people
:18:45. > :18:51.of Scotland. No matter what the First Minister says about Europe,
:18:51. > :18:55.there is a great deal of confusion, about his plans for Scotland in the
:18:55. > :18:58.EU. A certain something doesn't make it true -- asserting of the
:18:58. > :19:06.First Minister says he is right and Scotland will be a continuing EU
:19:06. > :19:10.member, but what if he is wrong? have set out what I think is an
:19:10. > :19:15.excellent way to resolve the request for information in terms of
:19:15. > :19:21.the White Paper, since Willie Rennie is asking the question, he
:19:21. > :19:24.will have heard his former colleague Lord Wallace support the
:19:24. > :19:29.Scottish Government's position, in terms of the legal advice by
:19:29. > :19:33.pointing out he would face exactly the same circumstances as a
:19:33. > :19:38.Westminster minister, so I am certain that Willie Rennie at least,
:19:38. > :19:42.given Lord Wallace's comments which I can quote to him will understand
:19:42. > :19:46.that the ability to reconcile the provisions of the Ministerial Code,
:19:46. > :19:49.with the imperative of information to the people of Scotland is one
:19:49. > :19:54.where I think assuring that the White Paper will contain the
:19:54. > :20:01.information, consistent with legal advice, provide a satisfactory
:20:01. > :20:06.solution wards. There is clear ladies puet about that legal advice.
:20:06. > :20:11.If voters a opt for independence, they may well find out we have lost
:20:11. > :20:15.the rebate. We are forced to join the euro. That is the reality. That
:20:16. > :20:20.is the consequence, that is the consequence of the First Minister
:20:20. > :20:25.is wrong, so when is he going to get clarity thon? When he is going
:20:25. > :20:30.to start negotiations, discussions, with other European Union members,
:20:30. > :20:37.about the way ahead in this? Because we need clarity. It can't
:20:37. > :20:42.just be a step in the dark based on his assertions. I am perplexed, not
:20:42. > :20:46.for the first time, that I thought the call was for the Government to
:20:46. > :20:52.clarify through the publication of a legal advice, the issue in these
:20:52. > :20:56.Ke question, he seems to be doubted the legal advice even before its
:20:57. > :21:02.publication, I do think the process of publishing the White Paper
:21:02. > :21:07.consistent with legal advice will SATS fip even Willie Rennie in
:21:07. > :21:12.terms of... I have heard a number of extraordinary scenarios put
:21:12. > :21:18.forward, and the most popular was there was lots of countries across
:21:18. > :21:23.Europe, some who were itching to stop Scotland being a member of the
:21:23. > :21:26.European Union. Well, nobody said that, it is something that has been
:21:26. > :21:30.said before, we have been told that the Spanish were waiting to object,
:21:30. > :21:34.to an independent Scotland continuing in membership. Can I
:21:34. > :21:44.therefore point him to comments on the Spanish Foreign Minister, in
:21:44. > :21:54.the 24th of February of this year. There is too much chuntering.
:21:54. > :21:55.
:21:55. > :22:01.parties agree... Order! Order. First Minister. He could win a gold
:22:01. > :22:05.medal fortune tering in my opinion, presiding officer. If in the UK
:22:05. > :22:12.both parties are consistent with the constitutional order written or
:22:12. > :22:16.unwritten, Shane could have nothing to say. No-one would object to the
:22:16. > :22:21.consented independence of Scotland. If that is what the Spanish
:22:21. > :22:24.minister can bring himself to say, surely the leader of the Scottish
:22:24. > :22:29.Liberal Democrats can find it within his heart, to see the
:22:29. > :22:39.commonsense behind the position, that Scotland will be unequal and
:22:39. > :22:41.
:22:41. > :22:46.independent European nation. What is the Scottish's Government
:22:46. > :22:51.position is of only having one carrier between Scottish airports
:22:51. > :22:54.and Heathrow? Our link remain vital for tourism. The Scottish
:22:54. > :22:57.Government wants to see a restoration of competition, on the
:22:57. > :23:05.routes between Scotland and Heathrow and would like to see that
:23:06. > :23:08.as soon as possible. I Thank him for his answer. Does he agree the
:23:08. > :23:12.passenger duty would increase competition on Scottish route, and
:23:12. > :23:20.be beneficial not only to my constituent, in Edinburgh western,
:23:20. > :23:26.but to Scotland as a whole? Yes I do. There is an urgency in this
:23:26. > :23:30.matter, I will be discussing the issue of aviation policy, the
:23:30. > :23:34.committee meeting in London next yeebg week. I know the other
:23:34. > :23:39.devolved administration share my view, the Air Passenger Duty would
:23:39. > :23:44.be an important weapon, in terms of attracting more direct flights to
:23:44. > :23:48.and from Scotland. Even if there were to be a up in run away at
:23:48. > :23:51.Heathrow and that is a matter of some extraordinary debate, within
:23:51. > :23:56.the coalition and indeed within the Conservative Party, and the
:23:56. > :24:01.timescale for that would be extended, and elongated, it
:24:01. > :24:06.wouldn't solve the difficulty we have, that when Heathrow is clogged
:24:06. > :24:09.up, as during the Olympics, then it is not just a case of people having
:24:09. > :24:15.difficulty getting to Scotland, people are deterred from coming to
:24:15. > :24:19.Scotland, as a result of that extraordinary coalition in the
:24:19. > :24:25.Heathrow hub. Therefore, we need more direct flights. One of the
:24:25. > :24:30.ways to ensure getting more direct flights is to use Air Passenger
:24:30. > :24:33.Duty as an important means of doing so. That has broad support across
:24:33. > :24:35.the devolved an straition, extraordinary support among the
:24:36. > :24:40.cannier, it was one of the recommendations of the Calman
:24:40. > :24:49.Commission, and I would hope that I can carry the support of this
:24:49. > :24:55.entire Parliament, in making that case in London next week. The First
:24:55. > :25:00.Minister is wear of the take over of bmi and the resultant lack of
:25:00. > :25:05.landing slots available to carriers other than British Airways and the
:25:05. > :25:08.damaging effect this is having on business connectivity to London and
:25:08. > :25:12.elsewhere from Glasgow. Does she share my views that this lack of
:25:12. > :25:17.competition on this route is now unfair, as well as damaging to
:25:17. > :25:20.Scottish interest, and can he tell Parliament what he can do and is
:25:20. > :25:25.prepared to do to help restore competition and connectivity on
:25:25. > :25:30.this route? Well, I share these concerns about the need to restore
:25:30. > :25:38.competition on the Glasgow to Heathrow route. The situation is
:25:38. > :25:44.different to Edinburgh and Aberdeen, as BAe have been operating since
:25:44. > :25:50.April 2011. It should help the situation as far as Edinburgh and
:25:50. > :25:53.Aberdeen is concerned. Now, this month the Scottish Government rated
:25:53. > :25:57.support for the implementation of the competition remedys in relation
:25:57. > :26:02.to Edinburgh and Aberdeen. We will raise our concerns about the lack
:26:02. > :26:06.of competition on the Glasgow to Heathrow route, and what seems to
:26:06. > :26:10.us, the mounting evidence that that has been detrimental to passenger,
:26:10. > :26:16.in terms of available space, and in particular, in terms of the prices
:26:16. > :26:20.that people are being asked to pay. So John Scott can be certain that
:26:20. > :26:25.this was subject and the evidence of what has happened to the Glasgow
:26:25. > :26:30.Heathrow route since the absence of competition will be very much part
:26:30. > :26:35.of the presentation I make to the joint ministerial meeting next week.
:26:35. > :26:42.Thank you. In promoting this policy of cutting Air Passenger Duty to
:26:42. > :26:47.stimulate more flights, the minister this week and visit
:26:47. > :26:50.Scotland admitted to the committee they haven't even bothered
:26:50. > :26:57.exploring the compatability of this policy, with the legally binding
:26:57. > :27:01.climate change targets. Will the First Minister agree to do what he
:27:01. > :27:04.agreed to do and write to the committee on climate change asking
:27:04. > :27:09.them to investigate what the climate change policy would be
:27:09. > :27:14.before he promotes it further? is our responsibility to put
:27:14. > :27:22.forward estimate and that we will do so, can it put it to Patrick
:27:22. > :27:26.Harvie, if we take a commonsense and I accept his position, that if
:27:26. > :27:29.you have a direct flight, between two destinations, and in many cases
:27:29. > :27:32.could be more efficient in environmental terms than having to
:27:32. > :27:38.take two flights to the same destination. Now, I would have
:27:38. > :27:42.taught there is a fairly commonsense argument in both
:27:42. > :27:45.environmental and business teamer terms but I accept we should build
:27:45. > :27:50.that evidential case and that is our responsibility and we shall do
:27:50. > :27:55.so. To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is
:27:55. > :27:59.taking to address the growing demand for food banks? It is clear
:27:59. > :28:04.from the recent citizen advice Scotland publication voices for the
:28:04. > :28:07.front line that the damaging cuts to welfare being imposed by the UK
:28:07. > :28:11.Government are having aing intive impact on the most vulnerable
:28:11. > :28:14.people in communities and placing them at greater risk of poverty.
:28:14. > :28:17.The report underlined the urgent need for decision about welfare to
:28:17. > :28:21.be taken here in Scotland. The Scottish Government is preparing
:28:21. > :28:27.and doing what we can to protect Scotland from these Tory policies,
:28:27. > :28:30.within the powers we V for example, we are working closely with Local
:28:30. > :28:33.Authorities individually to develop new arrangements for the Social
:28:33. > :28:41.Fund, which will better support those who find themselves in crisis,
:28:41. > :28:47.and have to rely currently on the food parcels. Thank you. The reason
:28:47. > :28:51.most often given for needing a food parcel is benefit issue yet it was
:28:51. > :28:56.also due to unemployment. The Scottish Government has important
:28:56. > :29:02.powers to assess job creation and could do more to promote the living
:29:02. > :29:08.wage. So when will the First Minister set out his plans with to
:29:08. > :29:15.use the new powers and resources he is getting specifically on crisis
:29:15. > :29:20.loans to tack -- tackle a situation described as Dickence yab but which
:29:20. > :29:24.the particle uld should regard as a call to action? Obviously we are
:29:24. > :29:33.having the discussions with cause ya for, with the view of publishing
:29:33. > :29:37.what we are going to try and do, and I think he should give thought
:29:37. > :29:41.to it it was through the discussion we found way to mitigate the
:29:41. > :29:45.harmful impact of the council tax rebate cuts which have been
:29:45. > :29:48.transferred of course, council tax benefit to Scotland, but done as
:29:48. > :29:54.everywhere else with a 10% cut in the overall amount and the work we
:29:54. > :29:59.are doing with cause la to protect people against that cut, I think
:29:59. > :30:04.should get some acknowledgement. That is the same we will do with
:30:04. > :30:09.looking with cause la to look at the Social Fund. I'm going to say
:30:09. > :30:14.to Drew Scott. The belief. I beg his pardon. I was going to say to
:30:14. > :30:17.Grew Smith. The belief we have the ability, to change and mitigates
:30:18. > :30:26.and transform, the whole range of when fit cuts that are coming down
:30:26. > :30:30.the road from the UK Government, is not possible. The UK Government's
:30:30. > :30:34.benefit cuts as envy sapblgs and Margaret Curran made the point last
:30:34. > :30:39.week, when saying that they are going to have a brutal e-- brutal
:30:39. > :30:43.effect in Scotland, are of o a consequence which is outside the
:30:43. > :30:47.capability in terms of the budgets that we have, and the solution to
:30:47. > :30:52.it, and this is what Labour members had better understand the solution
:30:52. > :30:54.to it, is to have control over these matters, here in this
:30:54. > :31:01.Parliament, so we can devise policies for the benefit of the
:31:01. > :31:03.Scottish people P -- people. To ask the First Minister how the Scottish
:31:03. > :31:08.Government will ensure that colleges are in a position to
:31:08. > :31:12.respond to the rise and demand for student places. Well, the despite
:31:12. > :31:16.the cuts which the UK Government is making to the block grant we, are
:31:16. > :31:21.continuing to fund college in a way that will allow them to main stain
:31:21. > :31:25.student number, alongside that, and this is a crucial commitment,
:31:25. > :31:30.unprecedented across the island, that every 16-19-year-old is
:31:30. > :31:35.guaranteed an offer of a suitable place in education or training,
:31:35. > :31:40.through the opportunities for all programmes P We have had the news
:31:41. > :31:44.there are more than 10,000 students on waiting lists for college places.
:31:44. > :31:50.According to John Henderson of, the first ministers's Government cut
:31:50. > :31:56.the college teaching budget by 8% last year and 10% the year before.
:31:56. > :32:00.According to Larry Flanagan General Secretary, he said "It is clear
:32:00. > :32:05.there has been a reduction in funding to colleges, and no amount
:32:05. > :32:08.of slight of hand on the part of the Government will alter that.
:32:08. > :32:12.Given the soaring demand for college places will the First
:32:12. > :32:22.Minister ensure that college's budge set protected from any
:32:22. > :32:22.
:32:22. > :32:27.further cuts? College places are still available. One of the college
:32:27. > :32:30.mentioned in the herald as having a significant waiting list is
:32:30. > :32:33.advertising place a across the national press, across a broad
:32:33. > :32:39.range of sources, the key commitment that we have given and
:32:39. > :32:44.we shall stick to, is that we shall maintain and sustain student
:32:44. > :32:49.numbers, 116,000 over the coming year, and that in against the
:32:49. > :32:55.circumstances of budget cuts is a extraordinary commitment we had
:32:55. > :32:59.yesterday, the ability to look at the comparison of numbers employed
:32:59. > :33:03.in Scotland's colleges and full- time equivalent basis this from the
:33:03. > :33:05.colleges, over in Scotland and England and in Wales. In Scotland,
:33:05. > :33:11.over the period that this Government has been in office,
:33:11. > :33:17.there has been a rise of 217, in full-time equivalent staff employed
:33:17. > :33:24.in Scotland's colleges, the position in England, is a fall of
:33:24. > :33:29.18 thousand -- 18138. That is a 2% rise in staffing in Scotland,
:33:29. > :33:33.compared to a 13% decline in England. So given that the ravages
:33:33. > :33:37.that, the Conservative Government with its liberal allies is
:33:37. > :33:43.implementing on the colleges in England, I think many people might
:33:43. > :33:50.think that Murdo Frazer has a bear faced cheek and a brass neck, as
:33:50. > :33:54.posing as a champion of Scotland's colleges. That ends First
:33:55. > :34:01.Minister's questions. And there we are. That is the close of First
:34:01. > :34:06.Minister's questions. That really interesting question and I am sure
:34:06. > :34:11.that others will be looking at this, the question raises by Ruth
:34:11. > :34:14.Davidson about NHS appointments and the cancellation thereof, Mr
:34:14. > :34:17.Salmond saying a resolution under way. It sounded as if he was
:34:17. > :34:24.acknowledges there will be had been problem, he stressed there were
:34:24. > :34:27.less than south of the border. The biggest controversy over will would
:34:27. > :34:30.or would Scotland not be a member of the European Union on
:34:30. > :34:34.independence, Mr Salmond stressing all the full details of the
:34:34. > :34:37.Scottish Government position will be in the White Paper, we expect
:34:37. > :34:40.that October 13th one year out from the referendum but the same time