16/03/2017: First Minister's Questions Politics Scotland

Minister of her intention to go for a second referendum on independence.

There could be some movement on that, some responses are not even

whilst on-air. We will bring you anything that

comes. Questions to the First Minister, let us cross to the

Chamber and my colleague. Welcome to the Chamber of the Scottish

Parliament. We are just getting underway. The general questions have

just come to an end. The Presiding Officer is welcoming his guests to

the Chamber. Let us cross over and listen to what is happening.

We are announcing today that the Scottish Government will donate

?200,000 to the appeal. These funds will support agencies to provide

vital supplies of food, water and medical treatment to those affected

by the famine in South Sudan that was declared by the United Nations

on the 20th of February. Later today I will have engages to take forward

the Dublin's programme for Scotland. On behalf of my party and myself I

thank the First Minister for that answer and welcome the contribution

that the Scottish Government is making. Can I ask the First Minister

how she can do about this country into another unwanted and divisive

referendum when she cannot sort out issues and our local schools?

Well, of course, I and the Education Secretary work to close the

attainment gap in our schools every day and that will continue to be our

priority. But turning to wider issues, the reality here is quite

simple. I want to give people in Scotland a choice over their own

future. We know that change is coming, the EU referendum last year

made that change is inevitable. We know that the Tories want to leaders

of the hard cliff edge. I think that the people of Scotland should not

have to simply expect to be told what the future is by a Conservative

government that we do not support. Instead we should have the choice to

choose a better future and that is a choice I intend to give to the

people of Scotland. Ruth Davidson. I thank the First Minister for that

answer but I wonder if it could have been delivered by the same Aubin he

known the question that Edward was not actually mine. It was put to one

of my MSPs pervert met by a payment contacted her office. A parent who

received a letter from her school headmaster that speak to see every

relative could fill in to teach maths because of a lack of cover.

And who was furious to see on the very same day, the First Minister of

Scotland standing in Bute House, putting her job to one side and

threatening to take Scotland back to another divisive referendum on

independence. When the First Minister meets parents who are

frustrated with the declining standards in schools, how does she

explain to them that another referendum will help their child?

Let me first to address the situation in the blog are high

school. There are, as the Education Secretary has stated many times in

this chamber and out a number of different part in the country and in

specific subjects where there are challenges with teacher recruitment,

that is why we have increased the intake of students to initial

teacher education and why we have expanded the range of routes into

teaching to make the process faster for these individuals. And, you

know, what the situation that Blairgowrie high school has is

seeking to identify teachers that are properly registered teachers to

come in and teach maths. Of course, the law says that teachers must be

properly registered, so we will continue to address the challenges

in our education system, as we will continue to address the challenges

that exist, whether it is in health, education or any other area and it

is because the people of Scotland Seat addressing the challenges that

they continue to have confidence in this government to run this country.

But on the wider issue again, general, I see it as part of my job

to protect Scotland's interests. I see it as part of my job to protect

Scotland from the prospects of a hard core rate Brexit. The reality

here is this, Ruth Davidson knows that Brexit is going to be a

disaster, how do we know that? Because she told us that Brexit was

going to be a disaster. But now Ruth Davidson tells us that we have

simply got to accept Brexit, not just Brexit, but a hard Brexit,

regardless of the consequences. We had the saga study of David Davis

saying yesterday that they had not even bothered to do an analysis of

the costs of a hard Brexit. Well, luckily analyses have been done by

others and we know that the path that the Tories are trying to take

this country down could cost every household in this country more than

?5,000. So, in answer to Ruth Davidson's question about the impact

on young people in our country, the impact of Brexit on everybody in our

country is going to be disastrous and that is why I have a duty to

allow people the choice to opt for something better. Ruth Davidson.

The truth is a referendum will not help pupils in Scotland and it will

not help patients come off of waiting lists or stop the GP crisis

and it will not cut violent crime. It will just take this government

away from the Jopp -- did a job which is supposed to be its focus.

Can I tell the First Minister something else that payments are

asking? How is independence going to help my school? This morning we read

that an independent Scotland would be ?11 billion in the red and would

need higher taxes, lower spending and increased borrowing just to fill

the gap. The same warnings were given before 2014, the same warnings

that this First Minister chose to ignore, so, is it her policy, once

again, to ignore the evidence and carry on regardless? First Minister.

Scotland has a deficit, like the UK as a deficit. That is a deficit

created on Westminster's watch and it is about time we had the tools

and the ability to work our way out of deficits that Tory and Labour

governments have created in Scotland. But let us look at the

alternative to independence, more Tory austerity, Tory austerity

extending well into the next decade, cuts to Scotland's budget by the

Tories, by the end of this decade will be 10% in real terms. Yesterday

Ruth Davidson talked about the day job. Yesterday, we saw the biggest

U-turn from the Tories in decades blowing a ?2 billion hole in their

budget and because of Brexit, every household in this country could be

facing a bill of ?5,000. So I think that Scotland deserves a choice and

that choice is this... Take control of our own finances to build, grow

and innovate our way to a better future or allow Tories to continue

to make the same mistakes over and over again, and make the situation

worse. Ruth Davidson. Presiding Officer, the First

Minister Closeburn this week not to come before this Parliament to spell

out her views on a referendum. But I choose to put this Parliament first.

-- chose this week. The Scottish Conservatives reject the proposal

set up by the First Minister on Monday. A referendum cannot happen

when the people of Scotland have not been given the opportunity to see

how our new relationship with the European Union is working, and it

should not take place when there is no clear political or public consent

for it to happen. Our country does not want to go back to the divisions

and uncertainty of the last few years. Another referendum campaign

will not solve the challenges that this country will face. We do not

want it, we do not need it, why was she not listen? First Minister.

Well, I was elected as First Minister less than one year ago.

They do not want to hear this. I was elected as First Minister one-year

ankle but the highest constituency share of the vote in the history of

devolution, any manifesto commitment that said that this Parliament

should have the right to hold another referendum if the Tories

tried to drag us out of Europe against our will. That 46% share of

the vote is ten percentage points higher than the 36% share that the

Tories used to have the EU referendum in the first place, and

we hear from the Electoral Commission this morning that the

vote share they may have got on the 20th of June election was rather

dodgy! This Parliament has an independence majority in it as well.

So, Ruth Davidson has said that she wants to put this Parliament first,

well, let me issue this direct challenge to Ruth Davidson and to

the Conservative Party... Desk, on Wednesday next week, this Parliament

votes for an independence referendum to give the people of Scotland a

choice over their own future, will be Conservatives respect the will of

this Parliament? Or are the Conservatives running scared?

Question number two, Kezia Dugdale. To ask the First Minister what

engagements she has planned for the rest of the week. Engagements to

take forward the government's programme for Scotland. Andrew

Wilson is responsible for rebuilding the SNP's battered economic case for

leaving the UK. This week, it was reported that he told Nicola

Sturgeon it could take up to ten years for Scotland's economy to

recover if we leave the UK. Does the First Minister think a lost decade

if a price worth paying to drag Scotland out of the United Kingdom?

Well, the reports that appeared this week about the work of the growth

commission were 100% wrong, plain and simple. Andrew Wilson has said

that himself. On the contrary to what was reported, the work of the

growth commission is looking at how we get from the position we are in

right now, saddled with the deficit, created by Labour and Conservative

governments down the generations, to a stronger and more sustainable

future. And the question, I think, for Kezia Dugdale is this... Is she

happy to see Scotland locked in to Tory austerity, not just for the

rest of this decade, but into the next decade as well? Is she happy to

see Scotland at the mercy of Tory cut after Corrie cup after Tory cut,

or this time is she going to stand up for the right of this country to

choose a better future for itself? Kezia Dugdale.

Presiding Officer, the First Minister is so confident that the

contents of that growth commission that she should publish it. But we

have been here before. SNP ministers as the one thing publicly and admit

another thing in private. We all remember John Swinney's leaked paper

which warned of cuts to public services and to our pensions... And

now we have Andrew Wilson, who has privately revealed what Nicola

Sturgeon refuses to publicly admit. That leaving the UK would be

devastating for the economy of Scotland. It would mean even more

cuts to schools and hospitals and cuts to those most in need. The

First Minister has said this week that she did not want a fact free

debate, so let us start with one fact she cannot deny, is it not the

case that according to her own government's is this the States that

are leading the UK would mean ?15 billion worth of extra cuts? Well,

the band is well and truly back together, isn't it? Tory and Labour,

combining again to talk this country down. Here is the reality. Scotland

had a deficit, created on Westminster's watch and we have to

deal with that deficit whether we are independent or not. Isn't it

much better to have the tools and the powers of independence to deal

with that deficit is consistent with our own values and not Tory values?

We face, if we are not independent, years and years and years of Tory

austerity. I do not want that for my country and I think it is shameful

that Labour now back that for this country. But, you know, Labour is

just all over the place on this, they cannot even get their own story

straight. We have got Kezia Dugdale telling us that Labour will vote

against another referendum. Jeremy Corbyn comes and tells us that UK

labour will not vote against another referendum. No wonder Labour's new

slogan is, "We are divided enough!" Kezia Dugdale.

Presiding Officer, this matters because it is about the money that

we have to spend on our public services, and the First Minister

used to tell us that education was the defining priority for

government. Now even she laughs when journalists ask if that is still the

case. The reality is that this government will once again grind to

a halt for years. Closing the attainment gap, that is no longer

the priority. Fixing the mess that she made of the NHS on the back

burner. Investing in the care of the elderly, well, that can wait as

well. And the First Minister, can you tell us, do you plan to spend

the next two years leading a government or a campaign? First

Minister. I will continue as First Minister to lead a government that

is focused on making sure we raising standards in schools, continuing to

improve the National Health Service. But do you know, all of these things

get more difficult if we are subjected year after year to Tory

cuts, Tory cuts that are going to be made worse by the hard Brexit that

the Tories are pursuing and Labour seem willing to support. It is

absolutely shameful that instead of standing up for Scotland, Labour

simply support the Conservatives and whatever they want to do. I want

this country to take charge of our own future, so that we can build a

better country than Labour and the Tories have managed to do will stop

so when people have a choice, as I am determined that they will have, a

choice to say what kind of future they want, I will be arguing for

this country to be in charge of the own finances, in charge of our own

future, in charge of building a fair society and the stronger economy.

Kezia Dugdale will be on the side of Ruth Davidson and Theresa May, yet

again, and her party will continue to die as a result.

We have three constituency questions. Firstly, Tavish Scott.

The First Minister will be aware that NHS Shetland have decided

Shetlanders with medical appointments and Aberdeen must now

use the 14 hour overnight ferry service, rather than a 45 minute

flight. There has been no consultation. The managing director

of Loganair tells me there has been no formal negotiation with the NHS

to reduce flight costs and make savings. NHS Shetland last night

said they could consider closing units. Can I ask the First Minister

to tell her appointed board to reverse this decision until there

have been commercial negotiations with Loganair, a public consultation

and a full understanding of what any change to the existing Travelers

policy would mean for travellers from bins to fear I'll. NHS Shetland

has provided assurance that decisions making travel arrangements

continued to be clinically led. Patients for whom ferry travel is

not appropriate will be offered air travel. It is appropriate that we

provide quality direct patient care for the people in Shetland. We will

work with them to reduce the need to travel. I will ensure the comments

made in the chamber today are conveyed to NHS Highland and I'm

sure the Health Secretary would be happy to meet with them to discuss

these details more fully. As politicians get more flustered about

constitutional politics, back in the real world, people are struggling.

Will the First Minister meet with me and union representatives to work to

retain jobs in Livingston? We are always happy to meet with unions and

representatives of the workforce. We are already engaging with Johnson

and Johnson, myself and the economy secretary have engage directly with

the company. We are exploring every possible support. The work done so

far has been detailed and intensive looking, to address immediate

challenges and to maximise future potential at the site. We will

continue to give as much support as we can to the workforce. We would be

happy to meet with representatives of the workforce at any time. Liz

Smith. In light of the recent traffic incidents on the Forth Road

Bridge and the serious effect this has had on residents, will the

Scottish Government undertake to have urgent talks with transport

Scotland to put in place additional measures beside tougher penalties

being imposed by the police on offending drivers, so that more is

done in the first instance to prevent the blatant disregard of

traffic restrictions? This was another very regrettable incident on

the Forth Road Bridge. A multi-agency response was quickly

put in place to respond to the quarter and it worked effectively to

manage the associated travel impact and get the bridge reopened as

quickly as possible. Let me thank everybody who worked hard to make

sure that happened. Transport Scotland will shortly host a

stakeholder conference to discuss what more can be done to prevent

these incidents. This will include the traffic Commissioner, Police

Scotland, the Forth Bridge operator and representatives from the freight

sector. We are committed to the largest road investment programme

ever, including the Queensferry crossing project. As part of that

investment, wind shielding is being fitted to mitigate any wind related

closures on the Newbridge. In terms of the existing bridge, it is

important we continue to explore what we can do to avoid people

floating the advice and it resulting enclosures that should be completely

avoidable. To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the

next meeting of the Cabinet? Matters of importance to the people of

Scotland. Is it possible an independent Scotland could not only

be outside the United Kingdom single market but also outside the European

single market to? I want Scotland to be in the European Union, I want

Scotland to be in the single market. That's why I think it is important

to give people in Scotland that choice. What we know right now

beyond any doubt is that if Scotland doesn't become independent, we are

not only out of the EU but we will be out of the single market as well.

By considering independence, of course, we give ourselves the

ability to secure a relationship with Europe and of course to secure

the jobs, the investment and collaborations that depend on that.

That is by giving people in Scotland the choice is so important. The

First Minister dodged the question. It was a simple question. Could we

be out of both single markets? The answer is yes. And the reason is

less. It is just as difficult to get into the European single market as

Phil EU membership. All 27 EU members would need to agree. And we

heard from the Spanish government again yesterday. Saw her route

guarantees nothing. It is exactly the same hurdle. That is why the

First Minister's plans could leave us outside of the UK and EU single

market is. If she thought a Conservative hard Brexit was going

to be damaging, just wait for this. It is absurd to use the EU as an

excuse for another referendum. When there is no guarantee that Scotland

could get back into the EU. She is seeking up to the Eurosceptics on

her own side was cynically selling out the pro-Europeans on the sly.

Why can't she just admit that? Willie Rennie spends most of his

time sitting up to the Tories so I will take no lessons from him. --

sooking up. I can't believe the brass neck with which Willie Rennie

just ask that question. He's one of the politicians, Ruth Davidson is

another, Kezia Dugdale is another, that in 2014 look the people of

Scotland in the eye and said, if you vote no in the referendum, your

membership of the European Union is secure. And if you vote yes,

Scotland will not be allowed in. Two and a half years later, we are this

Unionist alliance has contrived to make sure we are facing being taken

out of the European Union against our will, they have the absolute

temerity to stand up again and tried to scare monger that it is

independence that is putting our EU membership at risk. It is

breathtaking in its hypocrisy. I will tell you this. The people of

Scotland will simply not fall for it again. We know from the First

Minister that the more she blasters, the more she hides the truth. I ask

the question again. Will Scotland be guaranteed to be a full membership

member of the European Union or not? Can she guarantee that? If she

can't, it's all bluster just again. Independence gives us the ability to

be in the EU, to secure our relationship with Europe. Not being

independent guarantees we are out of the EU and out of the single market.

Do you know, Willie Rennie, who I have to say has a Ph.D. In

Gloucester, has a position here that is completely incoherent. Willie

Rennie wants there to be a second referendum across the UK to give the

people of the whole UK choice, even though he knows that it's not a

chance of that happening. But here in Scotland where there is the

opportunity for people to have a choice, Willie Rennie is completely

opposed to that. According to Willie Rennie, we've just got to accept

Tory hard Brexit come what may. What I think it's about time people in

Scotland had the choice, so that we can take the future of our own

country into our own hands. With the First Minister tell us if

discussions were held with the Treasury ahead of the national

insurance hike, at the point the realise it broke a manifesto

promise, or even after the embarrassing climb-down? There were

no discussions with the Treasury about the original policy or other

embarrassing U-turn yesterday. The Tories are in complete and utter

chaos. We have had lectures, week after week after week from the

Tories hear about tax. And yet it was a Tory government that was going

to hike taxes up on self-employed people and then of course in a

screeching U-turn changed their minds. So we will get on with doing

our best to deliver for the people of Scotland, while the Tories

continue to descend into utter chaos. This week, I learned that of

120 secondments into the Scottish Government, the Association of

salmon fishery boards were succumbed eight.

Three days a week, he lobbies the government on behalf of of his

organisation. Does the First Minister believe this is a healthy

development? Will she explain what the purpose is at the heart of

government? I think it is right. I know it is not fashionable to

consider the views of experts these days, but I think it is right in

government that we have expertise from a range of different areas

helping to ensure and develop government policy. We do that from a

range of different interests, so there is a broad spectrum of

expertise feeding into government policy. And happy to correspond with

Andy Wightman if he has particular concerns around this. Government is

using expertise available across the country is a good thing and should

be welcomed. To ask the First Minister how people will be given

the opportunity to shape Scotland's new Social Security system. Working

alongside people who have themselves got direct personal experience of

the current Social Security system. We want to hear directly from them

about what works, what needs improved and what our new system

needs to do to better support them. From today, people across Scotland

will receive letters inviting them to join the experience panel which

will shape our new system. 18,000 people will receive that invitation.

I hope people will take the opportunity to be part of building a

new Social Security system in Scotland which will have fearless,

security and respect at its heart. To ask the First Minister what

guidance the Scottish Government has issued regarding use of the Pupil

Equity Fund. The Deputy First Minister announced in February the

draft national guidance. The guidance sets out clear principles

to support schools and local authorities, to work in partnership

and plan how to effectively invest the additional ?120 million to raise

attainment and close the attainment gap. We have been clear that this

funding must be used at the discretion of head teachers and must

be additional to existing provision and cannot be top slice for other

purposes. It must be used to improve the educational outcomes of children

most affected by poverty. The First Minister will be aware of

this matter. The Pupil Equity Fund is intended to go directly to

headteachers for the most deprived children in Scotland to help address

the attainment gap. Does the First Minister share my concern is that

this is an abhorrent proposal from the Labour council? First Minister.

I am indeed aware of the issues raised in relation to North

Lanarkshire people equity funding and I am particularly disappointing

that the labour council has chose to cut classroom assistants, making

that decision on the 23rd of February, despite the options open

to them to avoid this. The expectation that headteachers should

then subsidise this cut with their people equity funding is simply

unacceptable. These issues have been raised with the council and

discussions are continuing, and I very much hope that the council will

reconsider its approach. -- pupil. I think it is very important to be

clear, the Scottish Government will only release this funding of the

Council agrees that it goes to the schools as intended and that it is

not used by them to pay for existing resources. Anything else would quite

frankly be a betrayal of the disadvantaged children of North

Lanarkshire. Iain Gray. Presiding Officer, North Lanarkshire

Council is facing a ?27 million cut to their core budget. They are

trying to protect and enhance the jobs of over 200 classroom

assistants to raise attainment and close the gap. They are supported by

Unison and by the headteachers, 77 of whom have written to the Deputy

First Minister to say that. In response, the Scottish Government is

threatening to cut almost ?9 million more from their budget. Can the

First Minister explain how this politically motivated blackmail is

supposed to help schoolchildren in North Lanarkshire? First Minister.

Well, Iain Gray interestingly omitted to tell us something else

that North Lanarkshire Council is choosing to do, it is choosing to

freeze its council tax next year. So, clearly, having asked us for the

ability to put the council that up, they decide they do not need that

money, instead they are going to try to pilfer resources from the Pupil

Equity Fund. Now, this Parliament was very clear that the people

equity funding, ?120 million of it, was money to go direct to schools to

be used at the discretion of headteachers. And Iain Gray tells us

that apparently there are people who support the approach of the council,

the Association of the education, I understand it, do not support the

approach of the council, so this is quite simple. This is money that we

want to give direct to headteachers, direct to schools, but North

Lanarkshire Council wants to use it for something else. So, we are

determined that this money is going direct to schools, and I think it is

utterly shameful that Labour are defending an approach that would see

that money used by North Lanarkshire the fun things that it is their

responsibility to fund. -- fund. Thank you, can I ask the First

Minister, in light of this controversy, what measures will be

put in place to assess the key principles behind the Pupil Equity

Fund, namely that headteachers will have access to the film and that the

spending must be on additional activities to those currently

employed will be adhered to. The guidance I referred to in my first

answer is they are to ensure that there are clear principles guiding

how this money is used and that we are then able to monitor and assess

the benefits of this money. Let us get back to the core issue. Rightly

and understandably, members of the opposition come to this chamber and

I have no complaint about this, and raised the issue of the attainment

gap. I have repeatedly said, closing that gap is my priority. That is why

we have set up a Pupil Equity Fund of ?120 million that is being

directed to schools to help particularly young people living in

disadvantaged circumstances. That is what this is all about. And that is

why it is so deeply concerning that we have a local authority that sees

the opportunity just to cut something in its budget and

substitute that cut with money from the people equity funding. That is

not what it is for. That is not what it is about. And if that approach is

allowed to continue, frankly that is a betrayal of the most disadvantaged

pupils in North Lanarkshire that are meant to benefit from this fund, and

that's First Minister, I am not prepared to allow that to happen.

Question number five, Annie Wells. Thank you, to ask the First Minister

what action the Scottish Government is taking to tackle gun crime? The

number of recorded crimes and offences in Scotland involving

firearms has fallen by nearly three quarters in ten years and firearms

crimes when a person was killed or injured fell by over 25% between

2014, 2015 and 2016. The government has taken action, we have some of

the strongest legislation in the world regarding firearms and a

strengthened that with the nuclear weapons licensing regime. We are

committed to tackling gun crime and clearing up rates for these offences

remain high. There is no room for complacency, recent incidents show

that we must keep this under review and continue to address gun crime

wherever it occurs in our communities. I thank the First

Minister for that answer. This will unfortunately come of little

consolation to the people of Glasgow, a city which has seen five

separate incidents of serious gun crime in the past 12 months. And we

know that between 2014 and 2015 and 2015 and 2016, cases of attempted

murder and serious assaults increased in Scotland by 27% and we

know that despite this being mostly targeted attacks, these crimes are

taking place in the streets, with one in particular in Glasgow

happening outside of a primary school. What conversation will be

First Minister now have with Police Scotland to ensure that these crimes

do not take place on our streets and innocent bystanders are not put at

risk? These are the important issues and let me be clear, both high and

the Justice Secretary periodically are updated and briefed by police on

some of the types of incidents that she is referring to and updated on

the work that the police is doing to try to combat these kind of

offences. It is important to reiterate that gun crime generally

is falling, fallen as I have said by nearly three quarters in the last

ten years, and crime, where a person was killed or injured by a firearm,

that fell by 25% between 2014 and 2015, 2015 and 20 16. The incident

referred to in Glasgow, that as it is a constituency I represent and

they are deeply concerning. One happened in my own constituency.

According to the police, these are targeted incidents linked to serious

and organised. That makes it very important that the police continue

to use the resources and intelligence that they have two

properly deal with these offences and bring to justice those that are

responsible. These are important issues that I and the Justice

Secretary will continue to be updated on by the police, but I do

not think that we should allow this to take us away from the fact that

they generally gun crime is falling. That is a good thing, we must not be

complacent but that should give reassurance to communities

throughout the country. Question six, Daniel Johnson. To ask the

first Mr Harvie Scottish Government will ensure that unit assessment

will not make changes to teacher workload in light of the fact that

63% of teachers believe that they will. The changes to the

qualifications were announced by the Deputy First Minister following

discussions with the assessment and national qualifications group and

the Curriculum for Excellence Management board. The Scottish

Secretary 's teachers Association who survey is referred to as

represented on both groups. The changes mean that teachers and young

people will not have to undertake formal dinner assessments during the

year, this is what teachers told us was significantly contributing to

workload and indeed the moves were welcomed by teaching unions last

year. We continue to work with partners, including the SQA,

education Scotland and teacher unions to ensure that workload is

reduced as a result of these changes. The assessment and national

qualifications group is in fact meeting this afternoon and will

continue to discuss the application of the changes. I thank the First

Minister for that answer. John Swinney came into his job promising

to slash teacher workload and Gordon but the survey reveals that teachers

think that the changes the unit assessment will increase, not

decrease the workload, and especially in science. Can I ask the

First Minister what worked and assessment has been made to make

sure that these measures will have a positive impact on workload and can

she reassured the Chamber that this will not simply leads to another

embarrassing backtrack and Italy, arising from ill thought through

reforms from the Deputy First Minister? Well, I am not sure if

Daniel Johnson listens to the first answer I gave to him, he would have

found the answer in the response that I give to him. The reforms that

he talks about as being ill informed and misjudged where what the teacher

unions wanted to see in order to play a part, they are not the only

changes that have been made to reduce teacher workload and

unnecessary bureaucracy that teachers have to deal with, but they

are an important part of that. That is the intention of them, but

clearly in doing that, it is important that steps are taken to

make sure that the integrity of the exam system is not undermined. But

as I said earlier in terms of the question about what we are doing, I

referred to a meeting this very day of the assessment and national

qualifications group to make sure that the concerns that have been

shown in the survey that he refers to do not materialise, that these

changes that have that intention actually turn out to deliver that in

reality. We will continue to what the teachers and others to make sure

that is the case and they would have thought that Daniel Johnson would

welcome that. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The

fact that this government has listened to the concerns of teachers

about workload is welcome for them and children and you and people. Can

be First Minister tell us what other measures have been taken to free up

the time of teachers to teach? Addressing the issue of workload, as

I said to Daniel Johnson, has been a priority for the Deputy First

Minister. Literally, thousands of pages of guidance had been stripped

away and a teacher panel was established to test proposals to

reduce workload, proposals that go beyond the ones that are subject of

this question. Last year, every teacher in Scotland was sent a clear

and concise statement on the Curriculum for Excellence along with

the benchmark guidance on literacy and numeracy and that definitive

guidance makes it clear what teachers should and should not be

required to do. So, we are determined to take the actions that

will free up teachers from unnecessary bureaucracy and what

code, we are determined to free them up to do what

they do best, that is to raise the bar for all and close the attainment

gap in our schools. Thank you. We have heard today from

the SSTA that there is now a crisis in recruiting head teachers because

of the workload. Would the First Minister agree with me that the

Scottish Government's claim to be committed to reducing teacher and

head teacher's workload is not happening and that there is a real

threat now that we will lack leadership skills because people

simply will not apply to become headteachers? No, I do not agree

with that. I fundamentally disagree with that. We have listened to

teachers, including headteachers and we have taken the steps, some of

which I have outlined here today, that will reduce unnecessary and I

stress the word unnecessary, workload for teachers. We are doing

that in partnership with teachers, and I understand that as we go

through that, we will hear scepticism, as we have from the SSTA

about the effect that these changes will have, but it is our job to make

sure that these changes are implemented anyway that will have

the desired effect. So we are listening, we are introducing these

changes, and as I have said previously, we are getting on with

the leading these changes so we make an appreciable

difference to the workload of teachers in our schools across the

country. Thank you, that includes First

Minister's Questions. And there we have it, the end of questions to the

First Minister. As I suggested earlier, breaking news, you had the

position of Ruth Davidson. We gather that the position of the Tories and

the UK Government will be to say no to the first Mr's detailed proposals

on a referendum. She suggested a referendum between the autumn of

2018 and the spring of 2019. We gather that shortly the Prime

Minister will turn that down, she is not saying never, but we gather she

is saying no to that time table and the argument will be that we have to

allow Brexit to happen, that is at minimum spring 2019 and the

Conservatives will then argue further that there must be a period

of alarming Brexit to settle down, so that Scots, when and if they take

that decision, are taking it in the full knowledge of what has happened

with regard to Brexit. Let us talk about that with two colleagues from

the press, thank you both for joining us. This is incredible

stuff. It is going to be a very strong statement from Theresa May,

clearly they have decided to call the bluff of Nicola Sturgeon any

more robustly that many of us had anticipated. Not only is she telling

her that you're not having a referendum on the Tyne skill, she's

not presenting an alternative, which one is they might have said, let us

talk about it in a one-year time or two years' time. Michael Ellis

saying it will not happen until after that. They are not giving a

certainly not now. It is a not now, but not never. We have now, all the

speculation will be on when and that will continue to drag on and on.

What we do not know is whether this could even go on to the next

Holyrood election or beyond. Some in the Conservative ranks have said

that Nicola Sturgeon should seek a fresh mandate. Others have said that

is not the approach to date. What do you make of that? That is a much

trickier position to adopt. Nicola Sturgeon does have a mandate to call

the referendum of the UK with the EU against the wishes of Scotland, but

the problem is that Nicola Sturgeon does not have popular support for a

referendum now and that is what the UK Government is banking on. The

pressure will be on the SNP, the Yes movement and the Scottish Government

to converge and convert the Scots who believe in independence but not

now, we do want it now, they will have to switch it around and put the

UK Government under pressure to reverse what Theresa May is saying

now. Theresa May is also gambling that she has called the Scottish

population segments correctly. We can go now to hear directly from

the Prime Minister. Nothing is more important to me than seeing the

United Kingdom thrive. Our precious union of Nations is the most

successful the world has ever seen. We have been joined together as one

country for over 300 years. Worked together and prosper together. We

have a bright future. A bright future for us all. That is why, as

we embark on the process of negotiating a new relationship with

the European Union, I am going to be fighting for every person, every

family and every business across the whole of the United Kingdom. That is

my focus. I think it should be the focus of us all. When the SNP

Government say it is the time to start talking about a second

independence referendum, I say that just at this point, all our energy

should be focused on our negotiations with the European Union

about our future relationship. To be talking about an independence

referendum would I think make it more difficult for us to get the

right deal for Scotland and the UK. More than that, I think it would not

be fair to the people of Scotland because they would be asked to make

a crucial decision without knowing all the information. Just now, we

should be putting all our energies into ensuring we get that right deal

for the UK and the right deal for Scotland, in our negotiations with

the European Union. Is my job as Prime Minister. Right now, we should

be working together, not pulling apart. We should be working together

to get that right deal for Scotland, the right deal for the UK. That is

my job as Prime Minister. For that reason, I say to the SNP now is not

the time. Now is not the time, says the Prime Minister. You will recall

the constitution is reserved to the United Kingdom in the Scotland Act

of 1998. That means that issues like a referendum are reserved to

Westminster. In 2014, there was a transfer under section 30 of the

Scotland Act that granted temporary power to the Scottish Parliament to

hold the referendum and by the end of 2014. The Prime Minister is not

saying that at this point. She is turning down the proposal from

Nicola Sturgeon. She is saying it could happen later but not in the

timescale set out by the First Minister. Which will obviously anger

the First Minister considerably. What you make of that? Theresa May

is following through on a robust talk she gave at the Scottish Tory

conference in Glasgow several weeks ago. What she is risking her own

position. She will now be under immense pressure from Nicola

Sturgeon and the SNP to prove how Brexit will benefit Scotland. The

question about a Brexit dividend will become foremost in the debate.

Unless the Tories can ensure that Scotland will benefit from this,

they will start losing ground quite quickly. The Prime Minister is

saying that Scotland and the UK is too divided to contemplate another

issue, but it could be said that that division is a consequence and

results from initiatives taken from the Conservative government. Which

is what I am sure that the First Minister and other Yes campaigners

will see. Why is the Prime Minister making this rather risky gambit

because the polls show consistently that a majority of people in

Scotland don't actually want a second referendum in the immediate

future. We saw Ruth Davidson in First Minister's Questions going in

on that very point saying Nicola Sturgeon will be focusing a campaign

but she should be leading a government and focusing on domestic

issues. The Prime Minister doesn't know what situation she will be in

in two or three years and whether that will be a more auspicious time

for her to agree to a referendum plan now. Is there any way of

suggesting what date the Prime Minister has in mind? She is not

giving a date. She has to said that Brexit has to settle down. It

doesn't look like 2019. The process of holding the referendum has a long

tail. You have to look at the section 30 order. You have to get

the legislation through Westminster and the Scottish Parliament. Then

you need a minimum of six months. If you work backwards, you can add on

Brexit in March 2019. Then a year. Start negotiations in March 2020.

She doesn't want to address this at all. She is taking this into a

different playing field, not just the long grass. What options are

open to the Scottish Government? The first thing that will happen is that

next week we have a debate in the Scottish Parliament for which the

First Minister and the Scottish people will ask for Holyrood support

for a section 30 order. That is next week. One assumes that will go

ahead. It will be part of a campaign to ratchet up pressure that I am

sure we will see on going to say there is a democratic mandate in

Scotland and they will use that vote to demonstrate support for a second

referendum in Scotland. Then Theresa May will be left to respond to that.

It also gives the Scottish Government a chance to start laying

the groundwork for changing public opinion. There are risks on both

side of the strategy. Could Government go ahead with a

referendum anyway, one that doesn't have the backing of statute, or

might it suit them better politically to have that battle with

the UK Government ending in a mutual referendum? Technically, they could

have an indicative referendum with no legal basis. They would have a

problem securing Scottish Government funding for that. There was a

discussion under the first Alex Salmond administration about how

they might do that. Legally that is difficult. Politically, it is a huge

gamble. Imagine if they had such a referendum and lost. That would be

deeply embarrassing. The referendum campaign will have to start

maximising every single possible reason for getting angry and

annoyed. Illegal funding of election

campaigns. Then there will be ratcheting it up. Is it feasible

that the Prime Minister is hoping this all goes our way? Audio think

she accepts it will go ahead but just in a different timescale? If

she did think that, I'm sure she will learn over the next few hours

that will not be the case. The whole issue of Brexit, the Scottish

Government will use that to ratchet up pressure on Westminster, but it

does have some tricky issues of its own on the EU. The Liberal Democrats

were talking about this issue of the fact that the Scottish Government

and the SNP, while using Brexit as a justification for calling a second

referendum, are now stopping short of committing to EU membership as a

result of a yes vote in an independence referendum. He tried to

put Nicola Sturgeon on the spot by saying, can you guarantee the people

Scotland will not find themselves outside two unions, the UK and the

EU? He said she was sooking up to Eurosceptics. And she replied

saying, you are sooking up to the Tories. Nicola Sturgeon is talking

about a relationship with Europe and connections with Europe, rather than

mentioning membership. The question from Willie Rennie was acute. A

third of SNP voters voted to leave. Alex Neil voted to leave. Nicola

Sturgeon has to work out what is the best type of membership for Scotland

to satisfy her desire to re-engage with the single market. The UK

Government is right to point out, and this is a word used by one

adviser to me yesterday, it is a ludicrous position for Nicola

Sturgeon to say we are calling a referendum because you are taking us

out of the EU against our will, but at the end of the referendum we are

not going to rejoin the EU. The Scottish Government has said, our

policy was and remains membership of the European Union. There has been

talk perhaps of Scotland joining the European Economic Area and the free

trade Association as a kind of in to run situation. But it is not clear

whether that would, as Willie Rennie was driving at in his question,

whether that would be easier than joining the EU as a whole or if that

interim arrangement was reached, how long it could go on for and whether

there would subsequently be yet another referendum on rejoining the

EU. Excellent. Thank you both for joining me on this remarkable

programme. We have a statement from the Prime Minister to the earlier

demand from the First Minister for the referendum on independence.

After we get tidied up Scotland is coming out

of the European Union But Alan Little asks whether

Brexit could break up Britain too. Which union do you want

to leave more? The British one

or the European one? If anything were to happen to her,

Charlie... The psychiatrist was a figment

of his imagination. You never live in the moment

any more. Can we find her

before he does something? If anything were to happen to her,

Charlie...