19/01/2017: First Minister's Questions Politics Scotland

A very warm welcome to the Scottish parliament here at Holyrood. What is

on the agenda politically? Well, it is Brexit week. We had the big

speech by the Prime Minister this week, and responses from the First

Minister and many others. Could it be that, the health service or the

state of the railways that comes up in the questions to the First

Minister? Let's find out as we crossed the chamber.

Presiding officer, Bev Robinson helps to run a small engineering

business called Precision Oil Tools, employing 12 people. She has just

found out her business rates are going up by 63% in April. This

morning, she described this as nothing short of daylight robbery.

Does the First Minister think that an increase like this for a small

local fervour is acceptable? Of course, 2017 is a business rates

revaluation year. All commercial premises have their property value

reassessed by an independent assessor in such a year. The

Scottish Government has no locus to intervene in that process. As Ruth

Davidson will be aware, assessors published a draft revaluation online

before the end of the year. These are subject to change when

revaluation notices posted out in March, and of course, this is a

crucial point, all ratepayers will have till September 30 this year to

appeal their revaluation if they think it is wrong. So that is the

process of revaluation that is underway. That said, this government

recognises the importance of having a fair and competitive business

rates regime, which is why Derek Mackay announced in the budget our

plans to lift 100,000 small businesses across this country out

of business rates altogether. Clearly, I don't know if the

business Ruth Davidson has cited will benefit, but 100,000 businesses

across our country will pay no rates at all, because that is the

importance we attach to seeing small businesses grow in our economy.

Absolutely nothing in there for the business that I raised, which will

hurt 12 employees. But this business is not alone. We spoke yesterday to

another engineering firm based in Peterhead. It is a fantastic firm

which runs the largest private apprenticeship programme anywhere in

the country, and it has now discovered it will have to pay an

extra ?120,000, April and fears it will have to turn apprentices away

as a result. Their MD told as yesterday, we have saw the highest

rates here, and this increase will price many businesses out of the

market they compete in locally, nationally or worldwide. The chamber

of Commerce says this will drive firms that have managed to stay

afloat into insolvency or at best lead to job losses. This is the

reality, so what action will the First Minister consider to help them

out? I think if Ruth Davidson had

listened to my first answer, she would have already heard what I had

to say. I would stress again, all of these businesses she sites today do

fantastic work in our country to help us grow the economy and this

government is on the side of business the length and breadth of

this country. The process that Ruth Davidson sites, though, is a

revaluation. It is being carried out by independent assessors. The kind

of increases she talks about are tied to increases in the rateable

value of premises. I have already outlined the process draft

valuations have been published, final valuations will be published

later this year, but all businesses have until September to submit

appeals affecting their valuation is wrong. She asks what we're doing to

support small businesses that employ people and contribute to our

economic success. As I said, the small-business bonus, which goes way

beyond anything in any other part of the UK, is lifting 100,000 small

businesses out of business rates altogether. Ruth Davidson may also

be interested in this. In the financial year 2017-18, the one that

is about to start, more than half of all rateable properties in Scotland

will pay nothing at all in rates due to the Small-business Bonus and the

range of the business rates and reliefs in place. So I understand

concerns that businesses will have, arising out of revaluation, so I am

stressing the independent nature of that process and the ability

businesses to appeal. This government has ensured we have a

competitive and probably the most competitive small business rates

regime anywhere in the UK, because that is the importance we attach to

small businesses. And yet, in a double whammy, both

Precision Oil only other company have been hit by the doubling of the

business supplement her government is that you did overnight. --

instituted overnight. But these are stories, as we learn this week that

growth in Scotland is now a third of what it is elsewhere in the UK. Liz

Cameron from the Scottish Chambers of commerce saved this today, no one

liked to quote her in full. Scottish Government actions must be aimed

squarely at increasing this rate of growth and utilising the power is at

its disposal to support businesses, giving them the edge over businesses

and other parts of the UK and enabling them to grow. The question

is simple of this: Does the First Minister simply believe that setting

higher taxes, putting higher burdens on employers like this, helps do

that? Just to repeat the facts again for

Ruth Davidson, 100,000 small business premises across this

country taken out of business rates altogether. In terms of the large

business supplement, the threshold for that increase so that fewer

businesses will be subject to the large business supplement. And of

course, she is presumably aware that the wider review of business rates

led by Ken Barkley is underway to make sure that we continue to have a

competitive and fair business rates regime. That is the kind of action

Liz Cameron is right to call for from the Scottish Government, making

sure that we support our businesses. It earlier, Ruth Davidson mentioned

apprenticeships. Let me remind her that it is the Conservative

government that is imposing the apprenticeship levy and businesses

above a certain size the length and breadth of this country. That is not

the Scottish Government, so perhaps she would... Well, she is shouting

at me from a sedentary position, how are we spending that? Let me remind

Ruth Davidson, that is not new money. What we get from that, the UK

Government has taken away from in other ways, but all that money is

being spent on supporting training, skills and apprenticeships across

this country, so we will continue to support our businesses. The meal so

say this. The last thing our businesses need right now, whether

in Scotland or other parts of the UK, is to be ripped out of the

world's biggest single market. That is the future they face because of a

Conservative government as macro obsession with immigration rather

than putting the interests of this economy first. We will continue to

support businesses through the business rate scheme but also

continued to argue that our businesses should continue to be

free to trade within the EU single market.

Under pressure, she runs to Brexit, but the truth of the matter is this:

Precision Oil didn't raise Brexit today. They are raising the increase

right now of the rates bill. And Score Group did not write to me

about Europe. They wanted to talk about this government's failure to

support them. And the Chamber of Commerce have said specifically that

if we are drawn into tunnel vision on Europe, we will miss the chance

to transform Scotland's attractiveness as a place to do

business. That is what the First Minister should be focusing on, and

the facts are these: Unemployment in Scotland is up. Employment is down.

Well confident for small firms in other parts of the UK is going up,

here it is falling through the floor. Yet we have a finance

secretary who is heading from companies who say that rates are

pushing them to the wall, we have a government that taxes people and

firms more here than elsewhere in the UK, and again this week, they

have been threatened with further instability with their own

referendum, this time one on independence. This government is

about to present the most important budget since devolution, deciding on

the taxes that Scots pay and the question is this. Does the First

Minister stick to her current plan of making Scotland is highly taxed

part of the UK, driving our businesses and jobs, or will she

change course? Will she give Score Group and thousands of people like

them the support they need to succeed. These are the questions to

focus on. How will she acts? Let me first just point out if you

facts. Firstly, the Lloyds I Business Reporting Britain shows a

business confidence increasing markedly in Scotland and more so

than in the rest of the UK. Employment at the tourist sector is

up by 11% in Scotland compared to just 4% in the rest of the UK. This

morning, the Scottish Retail Consortium showed retail sales

increasing. The latest act of Scotland PMI signifies that

unemployment is down over the year and GDP per head is up 2.2% in

Scotland since before the recession, much lower than that, 1.5% in the

rest of the UK. So I will continue to do everything this government can

to support our business community. Let's also just remind Ruth Davidson

of some other fact that I know are not very welcome for her. Let's look

at this claim, this ridiculous claim, about Scotland being the

highest taxed part of the UK. If you are taxpayer in Scotland, you don't

pay tuition fees for your younger children to go to university. If

you're elderly parent is in care, you don't pay personal care. You

have a health care system free the point of use. Taxpayers in Scotland

get a far better deal than taxpayers in the rest of the UK, and finally,

on Brexit, I am determined to save Scotland from Brexit. It is not just

the case that the Tories are running towards Brexit, they want to drag

Scotland kicking and screaming over that Brexit cliff edge, and I am

determined they are not going to get away with it.

To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned

Still engagements to take forward the government's plans for Scotland.

Our NHS is on the verge of a system breakdown. In the stark words of the

chairman of the British Medical Association in Scotland. Nowhere is

that more obvious than in Glasgow, where new figures show that more

than one in four patients are waiting longer than four hours in

A at the Queen Elizabeth. Last week, pregnant women were turned

away, and this week, the daily record told the harrowing tale of

Karen Medel, who had to travel 300 miles a day to see her sick child

Alex because there were no beds in Glasgow. So does the First Minister

agree with Doctor Peter Bennie that Scotland's NHS is facing a system

breakdown? As I have readily said in the past,

of course, our NHS is working under pressure. The pressure comes from

the changing demographics, the ageing population, and that means we

need to do even more to support our national Health Service. That is why

we are investing more in our NHS over this Parliament. ?500 million

more than the rate of inflation, and I would remind Kezia Dugdale as I

frequently do that the commitment from Labour were simply to increase

it by inflation. So the commitment from this government is greater, and

that helps to support record numbers of staff. But as I have also said

before, it is not enough to invest more and have more members of staff

working in a health service. We have also got to reform our our health

service operates, which is why this government, unlike any other across

the UK, took the action to integrate health and so is a. That is why we

are transferring investments in the health service into social care

services, and that's why we have the best performing Accident and

Emergency departments in the UK and why we are starting to see delayed

discharges going down. So there is much work to do, and our

hard-working NHS staff work under considerable pressure, but we will

continue to support them in the fantastic job they do.

The First Minister can come to this chamber and attacked Labour's health

plans every week, but it does not make them true. No wonder the BMA

say they are sick of SNP spent. -- spin. And the problems in our NHS

are not just confined to the central belt. Elaine Handy from Nairn is a

48-year-old mother of two. She is the chairwoman of the Royal Navy and

Royal Marines Widows' Association, and was diagnosed with cataracts few

years ago. Her condition no impact on their quality of life and her

optician referred her to hospital in Inverness for surgery. The Scottish

Government target is that patients should wait no longer than 12 weeks

for their first consultation. But Mrs Handley was told not to expect a

weight of 12 weeks, but a minimum weight of 12 months. What

explanation can the First Minister give Mrs Handley and other cataract

patients for the shocking waiting times in NHS Highland 's?

I will not comment on individual case, as I repeatedly say. Is there

are individual cases any member wants to raise with the Health

Secretary, they should do so. But I will say this, and this is a serious

issue. Perhaps the most serious issue that we discuss in this

chamber is our NHS. Of course, we want to see waiting times go further

down, whether inpatient or outpatient waiting times, or waiting

times for A services. They are lower than they were when this

government first took office. Our responsibilities to continue to work

with health care professionals to get those times even lower than they

are now. Kezia Dugdale says what are doing to bring this about. I know it

is uncomfortable for her, but what I said about her spending commitment

is true. Anybody who doubts it doesn't have too take my word for

it. They only have to go and read her manifesto from the election last

year. Our commitment is to greater investment in the NHS than any other

party promised in that election. But let me say this. The commitment and

our manifesto, which we are in the process of implementation, is to

create new elective treatment centres around the country,

expanding capacity at the Golden Jubilee for operations like

cataracts, and to create more elective treatment centres across

the country so we build capacity for those kinds of operations and in the

process take pressure off our emergency services. That is all part

of the reform that is going with our record investment in the NHS.

I recognise each and every day the pressure that NHS staff work under

but this government is committed to working with them to make sure they

continue to deliver excellent services all over the country.

Kezia Dugdale. There was little comfort in that for

Mrs Hambly. Labour SNP is -- Labour MSPs are dealing with cases like

this. We have to bring each and every one to Parliament for

something to happen? And right at the start of the First Minister's

answer, she said if people have specific complaints to take into the

Health Secretary. That is what she did, she wrote to Shona Robison, and

I have the response you receive last week. In it, the government admits

that a 12 month weight is totally unacceptable, but their response? To

give her a guide on how to travel to Europe for treatment. I've got it

here. If a 300 mile round trip can be described as system breakdown,

and a 12 month weight is totally unacceptably, high with the First

Minister describe a 3000 mile round trip to Europe for treatment? Our

commitment, not just for the patient that Kezia Dugdale sites, but to

every patient across the country is to provide the best quality

treatment as quickly as possible in every part of the country. That is

what we are focused on and dedicated to delivering in partnership with

NHS staff each and every day. I know there is much work to be done, the

nature of the NHS means there will always be much more work to be done,

but waiting times, like patient, inpatient, emergency waiting times,

they are lower today than when we took office, because of increased

investment, increased staff, we are committed to further increasing

investment but crucially out reforms to make sure the NHS can cope with

the pressures on it. That is our commitment and we will take that

forward every day. I have a number of constituency

questions. Last week, the decision was taken by NHS Tayside to close

the mulberry unit, a mental health inpatient facility in my

constituency, and that decision was taken on safety grounds because of a

lack of Junior Sa'u ya got us to cover the three sites that are

within Tayside. -- junior doctors. That will invite patients, families,

carers and staff living in Angus. I would like to ask the First Minister

what will be done to mitigate the impact of this closure? What steps

are being taken to encourage doctors into psychiatry? And will be Cabinet

Secretary for health meet with me and with service users in my

constituency to discuss their serious concerns? Patient safety is

the absolute priority, and it is right that the board listens to the

advice of clinicians to ensure all patients across Tayside continue to

receive safe service. The board has assured the Scottish Government this

is a temporary measure, and we will provide all support to the board as

they continue to work with partners to develop a sustainable model for

the long-term. Through the national workforce plan we are working with

boards to identify further steps to take to fill training in disciplines

that have been harder to recruit two in recent years, and NHS Tayside has

approved a recruitment strategy designed to support their workforce

plan, including four iCloud tree. The Health Secretary will keep the

member and any other member fully up-to-date. -- including four

psychiatry. Alan Knill. Can I bring the First Minister's attention to

the closure of the Airdrie savings bank, announced yesterday, after 182

years of trading? This has been forced by the level of regulation

which now makes it very, very difficult indeed impossible for a

small community bank like the Airdrie savings bank to survive in

today's world. As a result of that, 70 people will lose their jobs. Can

I have an assurance from the First Minister that the government and its

agencies will do everything it possibly can, first of all to ensure

the 70 people who have been facing forced redundancy will get maximum

help in finding employment and secondly the Airdrie Savings Bank

will be assisted as appropriate by Scottish enterprise and other

agencies to ensure an orderly rundown, including making productive

use of the very fine premises they have, both in Airdrie and other

parts of Lanarkshire? Yes, I'm happy to give those assurances. We were

all site I am sure to hear the news from Airdrie Savings Bank yesterday.

-- we are all sad. The reality is that cannot compete in a very

changed banking world, it doesn't have the skill to accommodate that

change. Therefore the board has made the difficult but I think

responsible decision to wind down now, in a controlled and orderly

manner, while customer deposits are absolutely safe and protected and of

course without the need for any public sector bail out. I think this

reflects the bank's careful and prudent approach, serving the

community so well for many years and it will be sadly missed. This will

be a difficult time for those affected, customers, but more

particularly those employees of the bank and their families as well. So

I can absolutely confirm that, through our initiatives, we will

provide support for any boys facing redundancy, providing skills,

development and employability support. -- for anyone facing

redundancy. It is important to stress here that public

intervention, had it even been possible, would not have changed the

decision made by the board. It is a sad decision but one that most

people understand and the focus now must be on supporting the

communities served by the bank and those who work for it. Gil Paterson.

Many thanks. As the First Minister media we are there has been an

ongoing discussion about the future of 30 long-term care beds at Saint

Margarets Hospice in Clydebank in my constituency. Yesterday at a special

film meeting of Western Bodiger council a motion was passed in the

name of the former Provost regarding the hospice. The hospice is

concerned that proposals from the integration to use their heads as

social care beds may raise questions on the charitable status and the

ethos of the hospice. -- use their beds. I believe an amicable solution

is entirely possible. To this end could I request a meeting with the

Health Secretary to explore if the Scottish Government can play a role

in supporting a resolution between these groups in this important

issue? Firstly, I know how valuable and valued the services that Saint

Margarets hospice provides to those who benefit from them. When I was

Health Secretary, I had close interaction with the hospice and

indeed helped to allay some concerns they had back in those times. The

Westonbirt incher help and social partnership have said, as I

understand, there is nothing to undermine the charitable status of

the hospice. -- West Dunbartonshire Council. But it is clear from what I

have heard that there are concerns felt by the hospice and it is

important to address those concerns. Gil Paterson asked specifically for

a meeting with the Health Secretary, who will be happy to meet with him

to discuss how the integrated joint board and the hospice can find an

amicable solution but most importantly a solution that will

allow St Margaret's Hospice to continue to provide the excellent

care that it does for people in the surrounding communities. Question

number three, Patrick Harvie. To ask the First Minister

when the Cabinet will next meet? Tuesday.

We heard a statement from the Prime Minister that was confused,

contradictory and dangerous. The Scottish Conservatives may now be

merrily trotting along behind the Brexit cheerleaders but it seems

only five minutes ago that they were all for protecting our place in the

single market. And we've heard from the Prime Minister empty words about

considering Scotland's position but from everything else she says it

seems she has already ruled out doing anything about it. So I want

to hear reassurances from the First Minister that there will be no

deleted the legislation to keep open the option for the people of

Scotland to decide for themselves whether they want to stay on the

Brexit bars as it heads over the cliff. -- Brexit bars. We know there

will be deeply damaging economic impacts from ripping Scotland and

the UK and not just out of Europe but out of the single market. I've

never believed that economic growth should, at the expense of social

justice sustainability but it now seems the UK Government wants to

ignore all three because of their relentless hostility to immigration

and immigrants. So what assessment has the Scottish Government carried

out, not only of the direct economic impact on Scotland on jobs, incomes

and from inflation, but also since the Scottish budget is now partly

based on economic performance, what assessment has been made on the

impact on public finances if we loser plays in the single market?

The Scottish Government will make those assessments but we have seen

independent assessments of the impact of hard Brexit, 80,000 jobs,

?2000 in terms of real wages, real impact for people the length and

breadth of the country. And Patrick Harvie is absolutely right. The

Scottish Government and people didn't choose to be in this

position. Scotland did not vote for the part that was set out by the

Prime Minister on Tuesday and even more importantly it is against our

interests as a country. It puts jobs, wages, living standards,

investment on the line. And I think it threatens to fundamentally change

the kind of country that we are. And not for the better. The Scottish

Government has put forward proposals to protect Scotland's interests,

these were described just last night I laud John Kerry a former senior UK

diplomat, as oppressive, serious and substantive. The UK Government thus

far has not considered those proposals with the seriousness that

they merit. And that is exposing talk of a partnership of equals

within the UK as nothing more than empty rhetoric. The joint

ministerial subcommittee is meeting today, there will be a session at

the end of the month, the Scottish Government will continue to engage

and seek to further compromise, but be in no doubt, the time is fast

running out for the UK Government to convince us that the key one jot

about Scotland's interests. -- that they care. If they don't, Scotland

faces a choice, going down the damaging path set out by Teresa May,

with all the impact that we know that will have and in the knowledge

that our voice doesn't matter within the UK, or do we decide to take our

future into our own hands and take control of the future of our country

into our own hands? The difference between me and I believe Patrick

Harvie and others in this chamber is I believe that should be a decision

for the Scottish people. Patrick Harvie. Well, if the First Minister

is clearly right about the change that is threatened, I don't yet hear

an assessment of the impact on Scottish public finances for which

the government is responsible. That will happen before Brexit, it is

already happening. Eight months ago, we also for election to this

Parliament, each with a manifesto commitment, the Greens promised to

be bold and use the Scottish parliament's new powers to protect

services and investment the country needs. The SNP said it wanted to

offer an alternative to Tory austerity charter it is the

rear-view in which circumstances change so dramatically. -- it is a

very rear year. The change of UK Government, victim-macro, now the

threat to cut us off the single market. These impact, isn't it clear

that the government's economic policies, written one year ago,

based largely around a status quo position on income tax can be

treated as if written in stone? Surely the case is now stronger than

ever to use tax powers failing, protecting people on low and middle

incomes, but ensuring words like progressive come to mean something

and that services for every community in the country are

protected. We have put forward by two proposals including tax

proposals that are freer, reasonable and progressive, we're in a budget

process, and as Patrick Harvie knows, the Finance Secretary

continues to discuss with them and other parties across this chamber

the content of those budget proposals and those discussions will

continue over the next few weeks. I agree with Patrick Harvie about the

impact on decisions being made by the Tory government at Westminster

on the economy, jobs and also public finances. Of course we need to

respond and we will continue to respond just as they responded to

welfare changes by setting up the welfare fund, mitigating the Bedroom

Tax, taking action here to mitigate the worst impacts of wrong-headed

decisions taken at Westminster. We will continue to do that. But sooner

or later there comes a more fundamental choice, do we want to

continue as a parliament and country to be in the position of always

having to mitigate the impact of decisions that are out of our hands

and taken by a Tory government at Westminster that a majority in this

country do not vote for? Or take control of the future of the country

into our own hands? That is the choice looming for the people of

Scotland. A couple of further supplementary

questions. Thank you. The First Minister will

be aware of the landmark decision this week to award damages in a rape

case, the first is a civil court. This week has also seen the

publication of criminal proceedings Scotland, confirming that only 12%

of police reported rape and attempted rape cases proceed to

court, where the conviction rate Israel oh. Rape crisis Scotland are

advising we will see more and more complainers turn to the civil

justice system, but this is a hedonist crime and should always

result in a criminal charge. What are the implications for the justice

system if victims now feel the only justice they can get these criminal

acts as to the civil court system? That absolutely should not be the

message. Of the many decisions Clive Baker is rightly talking about, and

I know she understands this, the decisions for the independent

prosecution services and of course, the courts, but I don't make anyone

can be in any doubt of the determination of this government to

ensure that there is a really tough approach for anybody who commits

sexual crimes or domestic violence. In terms of the statistics published

this week, we see convictions for sexual crimes and domestic abuse

remaining high, with the number of convictions the sexual crimes

actually at an all-time high. All of us take sexual crimes very seriously

and that is why it is good to see more people convicted of sexual

offences and average sentences for rape and attempted rape increasing

8% since last year, but we'll know there is much more work to be done

here. I think it is one of those issues in which I hope there is a

lot of consensus. On the particular point Claire Baker raises, but also

on the issue of domestic violence, why we will soon introduce new

legislation. We need to make sure there is a victim in place -- system

in place where victims feel can come forward, and where perpetrators will

be held to account and given appropriate sentences.

Last night, the Parliament voted to keep the board of Highland

enterprise. Come the First Minister governorate is indeed what will

happen? -- confirmed that is what one

happen? Of course, we will reflect very

carefully about Parliament at last night as we always do. Can I say,

whatever the disagreements around particular proposals here, I hope

there will be a lot of agreement around our objectives. We're talking

about the economy Italy, and we recognise that all our individual

economic development agencies do a fantastic job. We to make sure they

are greater than the sum of their parts and we are all working towards

our goal of supporting Scotland's economy. That is the genesis of the

proposals in the first phase of the review we're talking about here. In

terms of HIE, let's be clear that even in terms of the proposals as

they are at this stage, they would see HIE retaining its chief

executive base and its headquarters in Inverness, retaining control of

all staffing levels, continuing to operate from its headquarters in

Inverness. So that the commitment the Highlands. The review is now in

its second phase and as part of the ongoing consideration, the debate

and vote in parliament will be fully taken into account.

Thank you. This week, the widely respected economic think tank Fraser

Allen Institute confirmed that, contrary to all SNP claims of Tory

cuts and Westminster austerity, the overall Scotland budget is up in

real terms over 2010. They go on to say the way in which the Scottish

Government present its budget is flawed, and I quote, the selective

data it presents often appears designed to is a port their

arguments rather than help inform debate. Will the First Minister

therefore take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of herself and

the finance secretary for all the disgraceful spin the bottle the

budget figures, and will she undertake to deliver a budget

process that is fit for purpose? I was really hoping that he would

ask about this today, because it is a spectacular own goal on his

behalf. Let me quote the institute from the very blog he cites here. It

says, in turn is a discretionary spending and the amount the

government has to spend on day-to-day public services such as

schools and hospitals - they don't like to hear this, so I'm going to

repeat it - in terms of discretionary spending and the

amount the government has to spend on day-to-day public services such

as schools and hospitals, the budget has declined by around 5% in real

terms since 2010 - 11. It also makes clear that if we were to include all

of the things in the calculation that Murdo Fraser says should be

included to get to his measly 0.4%, then it would have to include... It

would have to include money that is not real money that can be spent on

goods and services, to quote. Now, I know the Tories frequently live-in

fantasyland, but I'm not sure how they think we can fund the health

service or the education system with money that is not real and can be

spent on goods and services. -- comment. So in terms of the money

the government has to spend on goods and services across this country, it

has declined by 5% in real terms as a result of decisions taken by the

Conservative government in Westminster.

To ask the First Minister what procedures are in place

to ensure that the necessary treatment and care in maternity

The arrival of a baby for any family is not only time of joy, but clearly

also a of stress and worry. We aim to ensure the NHS provide the

services for both mothers and expecting babies to get the best

care possible. We will soon publish our review of maternity and neonatal

care. On the rare occasions, and they are rare, that maternity units

had to divert care, we are very clear that there are contingencies

in place to ensure the safety of mothers and babies warm and taming

quality of care at all times. Thank you the reply. Would she

therefore approve me that larger hospitals and community services

working together in a collaborative way to ensure safe services is a

real benefit and much preferable to the market-based health system?

I think there is an important point of the media. This is one of the

benefits of having an integrated health care system, but hospitals in

different health boards in certain circumstances can support each

other. And sure this question has arisen because of the circumstances

in Glasgow at the end of last week at the Queen Elizabeth University

Hospital, I had missions were diverted for a short period of time

due to an usual combination of a high number of admissions and a

number of women developing complications. Three women were

diverted to other units and several more had planned procedures declared

quite few hours. But because of our integrated health care system,

contingency plans were activated and care could be safely provided at

other hospitals. These are very rare occasions, but when there are these

very rare occasions, it is vital those arrangements are in place and

work well. To ask the First Minister

whether the Scottish Government considers that appropriate resources

are in place to support teachers of children

with additional support needs? We are very clear that all children

and young people must get the support that they need to reach

their full learning potential. Additional support For Learning

Acknowledged In Places Duties On Local Authorities To Provide For The

Needs Of Their People. Well We Have Published Statutory Guidance To

Support Education Authorities Fulfilling His Duties, It Is For

Those Authorities To Make Sure They Have The Appropriate Resources In

Place To Fulfil Those. These work is essential to the

Scottish Government's policy getting a driver of a child. But staff are

under enormous pressure and are exhausted, feel undervalued and

stressed and lacking in training and support. With the First Minister

except that after a decade of SNP management, this report is clear

evidence that this government are simply failing? Know I don't think

that is a fair characterisation of the position. I do recognise the

pressure and the stress associated by definition with the job of

teachers who support children with additional needs. I know he takes a

very close interest in these matters and he knows there has been a

fundamental change in how children with additional needs in the

educational system since, I think, 2004, when the vast majority are now

in mainstream education. The other point to stress that well teachers

specifically for pupils with additional support needs are vitally

important in our system, it is the job of all teachers to make sure all

pupils get the care and support they need. That is why this government is

putting such an emphasis on supporting schools with the

additional resources going through the attainment fund directly to

schools. We continue to work with local authorities and teachers to

make sure the support there when and where it is needed.

Thank you. Since 2010, almost 500 initial support needs teachers have

been cut. The First Minister knows that require the attainment gap, we

must support young people with additional support needs. The

government used the tax powers they have and amend the budget proposals

to prevent local authorities being forced to make cuts, many of which

will fall on education and result in fewer additional support needs

teachers? As a key part of the budget, ?120

million will go directly to head teachers in schools for headteachers

to then determine how to invest that money to raise attainment as close

the attainment gap. If headteachers want to use that money for

additional support, that will be an option available to them. This is

part of our determination to get resources not just into education in

general, but also to school and headteachers so they can have the

biggest impact. I think people across the chamber will support

that. To ask the First Minister

what the Scottish Government's position is on the comment

by the Chair of BMA Scotland that the NHS is "stretched pretty

much to breaking point". Our NHS and care staff to a

fantastic job in the face of increased demand that they have my

thanks for the work we do. For our NHS to provide the services people

need lying into the future, we must deliver the twin approach of

investment and reform, so our plan sets out a range of actions to show

we have sustainable services, including bringing forward a

national health and social workforce plan this spring to ensure our NHS

continues to have the right number and skills for the future. That is

of course backed up by our commitment to increase any NHS

investment by ?500 million more than inflation by the end of this

Parliament. I would like to quote the chair of

the BMA Scotland. We are just fed up with a mantra that says from

government, we have more doctors than ever. The question is, do we

have enough doctors? Do we have enough nurses? Do we have enough

staff outside the health service to provide the care that people need,

and the present, we don't. The majority of staff in the health

service and our working way beyond what they are supposed to be doing,

just to keep things running. Eventually, that leads to personal

breakdown and eventually, it leads to system breakdown. The impression

the government tries to give is that things are OK just now. They are

not. Please tell the truth -- who is telling the jury? Nicola Sturgeon,

or Doctor Peter Bennie? We work closely with the BMA, and

all staff organisations, and staff the length and breadth of the

country. That is why we have set out a very clear direction of travel,

building on the progress that has been made in our NHS over the past

ten years, so yes, continuing to increase staff numbers, but also

making sure we have the right mix of skills. We consider many of the

concerns about the pressure on GPs in primary care. Much of that will

be addressed by building up multidisciplinary teams in primary

care, which is why the health and social workforce plan to be

published in Spring is so important. It is also why it is so

fundamentally important that we continue to back all of these plans

with investment, and I say again, and I know Labour don't like it, and

a commitment to investment is much stronger than the commitment they

made. It is simply a fact that if Labour had won the election last Me,

unlike the other may seem, the NHS today would have less funding than

it does, and I would be the case for the duration of this Parliament. So

investment and reform, working with the health service, will continue to

be out we take these improvements forward.

That includes First Minister's Questions...

The close of questions, very wide ranging, I am joined by two

journalistic colleagues, we will talk Brexit in a minute, but David

Clegg, the economy first, questions from Ruth Davidson, the challenge

from Patrick Harvie to increase taxation, discussions about the

probity of the budget figures, all in there on spending today? Yes,

Nicola Sturgeon had the toughest 45 minutes at the office I have seen

for a while. She took hits from all sides. It was quite a challenging

time. On the tax and economy issues, part of the problem was she was

being attacked from the right and left. Yes. Patrick Harvie wanting

her to increase tax, the Conservatives wanting her to adjust

taxes, the burden on business. Quite effective Jenni Davidson, relating

it to some individual businesses? Yes, you can't argue with examples,

which are just examples, the question is what it means for

businesses as a whole? As Nicola Sturgeon pointed out for some small

businesses it was good news that they are going to be taken out of

business tax altogether but I think the questions about large

businesses, large business supplement, there has been concern

about that. And more generally from the business committee about things

like support for enterprise and skills, the effect of Brexit, things

like that. And you had budget negotiations going on again, Patrick

Harvie again saying that they needed only one party to support them to

get the budget through, he was playing that it will not just the

spending, he will need something on tax. Yes, the Greens are keen to get

income tax raised and yes, the sign so far from the SNP is they will not

give him that. Last week, at FM queues, there seemed like

negotiation between the Lib Dems than Nicola Sturgeon on the floor,

this time it was the Greens than Nicola Sturgeon. Probably they lived

in the Mansour easier for the SNP accommodate. That Michael Robert Lee

the Lib Dem the manse. But what about the budget document is not

being that the bust? I think it was right to be raised, that we have

examples of natural experts being used quite effectively to give

Nicola Sturgeon travel. We also saw that with the BMA and comments made

about the state of the NHS. Interesting that there is quite a

bit of interesting back and forth going on with regards to the budget

progress, particularly the Greens and SNP. These are Patrick Harvie

using because the Jewish and, because he was almost setting out

the Greens -- Patrick Harvie using the constitution, and that they need

to do something about the economy here and now, why so timid on

taxation? That is difficult for Nicola Sturgeon to answer. Another

couple of questions, such as the Highlands and Islands enterprise,

that the individual board should go, Nicola Sturgeon giving some

assurances. Turkish Scott was shaking his head during that. The

Scottish Government was defeated in the vote last night on the subject.

But it is not a binding board, they can ignore the fact that the MSPs

called for it. Budget guessing that it was part of the wider

consultation. Turkish Scott not happy with that either. They have

indicated that they are likely to match the boards in Scottish

enterprise and skills development Scotland, but as Nicola Sturgeon

said, keeping the ads. And executive, chief executive in

Inverness. David, we had individual examples given by Ruth Davidson,

another by Kezia Dugdale, on the question of health. Yes, Labour have

been doing well on discussion about the problems facing the NHS. And in

the past a lot of that has been illustrated by waiting times, dry

statistics. Generic figures. The Labour Party have done well finding

human examples, and another use quite cleverly, starting with she

has not been able to get a cataract operation and as Nicholas Dudgeon

tried to deflect that issue, it was followed up with, she was told to go

to Europe to get it, a double blow. Difficult for the First Minister,

when facing general questions, but an individual example is hard to

ignore. Because Dudgeon has figures, but cannot respond to a case study.

-- Nicola Sturgeon has figures. It looks bad, despite the fact that

it's difficult to defend against. If you could hang on for a second, we

will come to the topic of the day, the week, the month, the year, and

that is Brexit, whether there should be a Scottish independence

referendum following it. We had Nicola Sturgeon's response, and I

spoke to some members of the parliament here, one from the

Conservatives, one from the SNP, starting with Adam Thompkins from

the Conservatives that the Prime Minister's comments know about

leaving the single market wedding contradiction to what you're saying

the manifesto. The manifesto commitment was about

what David Cameron hoped to achieve in negotiations which he undertook

with the 27 member states last year. But the prime ministers setting out

this week was an ambition that the United Kingdom, despite leaving the

Bishop of the single market, should have the freest possible trade. The

greatest possible access to the single market through a new bold

comprehensive and very ambitious free trade agreement with the

European Union. Leaving the institutions of the single market

but not leaving access to our participation in. Is that a good

comparison? No, there are big differences. Membership of the

single market is essential for truly free trade. This is a hard Brexit,

leaving the single market will cost Scotland 80,000 jobs, according to

the Fraser of Ireland Institute. No reason to believe that there will be

job losses if we can sustain the Prime Minister's ambition, with full

access to the single market. The British Chamber of Commerce and

other institutions have said that free-trade agreements are different

from membership of the single market. Overseas investors invest in

Britain because they are a member of the single market not because we

have the trade agreements. It is because the fastest-growing economy

in the in the G7, the economics of their story of the G7, more jobs...

But you have HSBC shifting a key part of investment portfolio plans

from London to Paris? And other examples that will continue to

invest and exhilarate investment. Facebook was an example.

Notwithstanding the United Kingdom forwarded to leave the European

Union. The European committee of this Parliament has 150 written

pieces from organisations and businesses across Scotland who took

the trouble to write to us and the vast majority argue for continued

membership of the single market. Consequences for Scotland? Do you

think it makes the independence referendum, that has always been on

the table, more likely or inevitable? Theresa May has said she

will consider the government paper and was more open than seven that

the Tories in this place. But this is not that she has... She said she

will consider it and the door is open. Is she respects gotten as a

nation within the UK she will consider that the bug, which is

actually a continuation of the volition, granting more powers to

this Parliament to allow Scotland to demean a member of the single

market. Is it feasible that could be a Scottish deal as part of that UK

deal? The UK Government has said we will look at it. The argument has to

be credible. Some of the proposals for additional devolution in that

paper are for ones that would not strengthen the union. Scottish

membership of the European single market maybe through the European

economic area such as with Nabi? In that you have to be an independent

state. -- through the European economic area such as Norway. Adam

and Ruth Davidson said that they wanted as to remain in the single

market. And in the European Union, but we lost. After the referendum,

he said he wanted Scotland to remain in the single market. It is up to

Theresa May noted short that if she respects Scotland's place in the

union she will listen to the people of Scotland and not drag us out of

the single market. But the Scottish people do not want a second

independence referendum, by a large majority. Thank you both very much.

That was earlier. And some developments today, and discussions

going on right now between ministers in Scotland and other devolved

administrations, the joint misdeed your committee, and the answer given

by the First Minister to Patrick Harvie. David Clegg, she was saying

that the time is fast running out, the choice is looming, does this

sound like a referendum is getting ever closer? Nicola Sturgeon is

striking a cautious tone when she talks about this. I feel she is

running out of space. The rhetoric cannot be ramped up any more before

she has to pull the trigger. I think she is trying to bag some time, see

if ID cards fall, and not make the final decision before she has to. --

see how the cards fall. The Saints are not encouraging for winning a

referendum. Those discussions going on, ministers looking seriously at

the Scottish Government paper including that proposal of

membership of the EEA. Yes, and Theresa May's speech on Monday

effectively ruled that out. Not encouraging? Not at all. She did say

obviously that the other devolved nations would be included and would

be listened to but given that she has been really clear that the UK is

coming out of the single market I don't see how that part of the

Scottish Government proposals can work. And talks still going, still

looking at them, the UK Government still looking at it? Mike Russell is

saying that in hope rather than anticipation. Hard that the UK

Government could mean that given what else said. That is causing

problems for the Scottish Conservatives and Ruth Davidson,

Sturgeon again deflecting criticism of the metric of the domestic issue,

because the Ruth Davidson's edition is not credible, she campaigned for

Remain, and after the void she wanted the UK to remain in the

single market even if that meant sacrificing controls of immigration,

that has not happened and she has changed her viewpoint, not credible.

Any problems for the parties post-Brexit, particularly for the

Conservatives? Absolutely, stuck between a rock and a hard place,

they cannot be disloyal to their own party, they are a UK wide party,

Ruth Davidson cannot speak out, or would be unwise to speak out,

against Theresa May the position taken by the UK Government. That is

the need to show unity. But her personal opinions, obviously, that

disagrees with the line taken by the UK Government. But Theresa May

doesn't necessarily agree with... Jenni Davidson, David Clegg, thank

you both will stop this is Brexit we, pretty much everything is, so

dominant, huge, and from me, Brian Taylor, goodbye.

Parents are facing an explosion in the number of children saying

It was like a battle, like in a war zone. She would literally scream.

Although the stories that we tell are fictional, at their core

they're based upon the lives and experiences of real people.

It's like a photograph of history. Yes!

David Lloyd George did make a substantial contribution to

Allied victory in the First World War.

was capable of greatness but also of failure.