Browse content similar to 20/12/2012. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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Good afternoon and will come to the Scottish Parliament for the final | :00:23. | :00:31. | |
First Minister's Questions of the year. In recent weeks and months, | :00:31. | :00:37. | |
it has been a tetchy affair between Alex Salmond and the other | :00:37. | :00:42. | |
opposition leaders. But since it is near Christmas, let us see if there | :00:42. | :00:52. | |
:00:52. | :00:56. | ||
is a more festive atmosphere. think that maybe depend on whether | :00:56. | :00:58. | |
the First Minister or the opposition leaders have been | :00:58. | :01:08. | |
:01:08. | :01:10. | ||
naughty. Later on, we have the statement about NHS statistics, | :01:10. | :01:15. | |
after suggestions that they had been tampered with in various areas | :01:15. | :01:25. | |
:01:25. | :01:26. | ||
of Scotland.. In the meantime, First Minister's Questions is about | :01:26. | :01:35. | |
to start. For the first time that in the year, could I ask the First | :01:35. | :01:42. | |
Minister what is plan is for the rest of the day? I am visiting | :01:42. | :01:52. | |
:01:52. | :01:57. | ||
Fergus Ewing had the energy park, which is going to bring forth the | :01:57. | :02:05. | |
creation of another 400 new jobs, which is fantastic news in great | :02:05. | :02:14. | |
news that this time of year for the Highlands of Scotland. We always | :02:14. | :02:18. | |
welcome good use in relation to the opportunities for people to work. | :02:18. | :02:23. | |
Over the last year, the First Minister told us he had legal | :02:23. | :02:27. | |
advice on the European Union at the college funds would go up when he | :02:27. | :02:33. | |
was cutting them, and that we would have the monetary policy agreed | :02:33. | :02:38. | |
with the Bank of England when he had not even spoken to them. Which | :02:38. | :02:47. | |
of these was the worst answer ever given to this Parliament? That is a | :02:47. | :02:55. | |
bundle of laughs at Christmas. The ancient civilisation of the unions | :02:55. | :03:01. | |
predicted at the end of the world tomorrow. Johann Lamont comes here | :03:01. | :03:05. | |
every week and predicts it. He you have got as they not been attending | :03:05. | :03:09. | |
the same First Minister's Questions and as I have been attending this | :03:10. | :03:18. | |
year. I am an eternal optimist. I am hoping that the First Minister | :03:18. | :03:24. | |
might reflect on the gap between what he says and what he does. This | :03:24. | :03:29. | |
has been a tough year for everyone. Money has been tight. Some people | :03:29. | :03:35. | |
may ask, what could be do with half a million pounds. Maybe a few more | :03:35. | :03:43. | |
nurses or teachers. As far as the First Minister is concerned, edits | :03:43. | :03:53. | |
:03:53. | :03:54. | ||
you five days watching the Ryder Cup golf in Chicago. But what in | :03:54. | :04:04. | |
:04:04. | :04:06. | ||
Scotland is of huge importance. If I remember correctly. -- promoting | :04:06. | :04:14. | |
Scotland. There were direct job result boost from the visit of | :04:14. | :04:19. | |
Chicago. She has just told us she welcomes all these jobs coming to | :04:19. | :04:25. | |
Scotland. Something that we should reflect on a Christmas is that he | :04:25. | :04:35. | |
:04:35. | :04:36. | ||
learns that Young survey tops the poll across the United Kingdom for | :04:36. | :04:42. | |
inward investment. We must be doing something correct abroad. NIE's | :04:42. | :04:50. | |
spirit of unity at Christmas, the one that I 0 that Johann Lamont is | :04:50. | :04:55. | |
striving for, let us embrace the success of Scottish Enterprise and | :04:55. | :05:03. | |
other companies in bringing these jobs to Scotland. I am not sure | :05:03. | :05:07. | |
that a First Minister's chip to the Ryder Cup is what brought these | :05:07. | :05:14. | |
jobs to Scotland back if we were so worried about it, why are we | :05:14. | :05:23. | |
attacking the colleges that lead to these jobs? Of course, the First | :05:23. | :05:27. | |
Minister has moved up this year. When David Cameron called for talks | :05:27. | :05:35. | |
on the referendum, we were told it was an extraordinary attempt to | :05:35. | :05:40. | |
bully and intimidate Scotland. Then, he signed up to it and said it was | :05:40. | :05:47. | |
the historic moment. Can I ask him who his favourite Minister to | :05:47. | :05:57. | |
:05:57. | :06:01. | ||
Edinburgh was this year - David Cameron or Rupert Murdoch? What | :06:01. | :06:07. | |
would be a fundamental attack on Scotland's colleges would be | :06:07. | :06:15. | |
imposing tuition fees on them. I think it was unwise of Johann | :06:15. | :06:20. | |
Lamont to its site David Cameron. I happen looking at Prime Minister's | :06:20. | :06:28. | |
questions from yesterday. David Cameron it attacked the Labour | :06:28. | :06:36. | |
leader for saying the something for nothing culture, which reflects the | :06:36. | :06:41. | |
something for nothing speech of Johann Lamont. She has been here | :06:41. | :06:45. | |
for one year and reaches the ultimate accolade of being | :06:45. | :06:51. | |
supported by the Conservative Prime Minister. What a disgrace. Of | :06:51. | :06:56. | |
course, the First Minister's problem is that John Swinney wanted | :06:56. | :07:02. | |
that debate. That is why he asked Campbell Christie to commission the | :07:02. | :07:06. | |
report and that said we had to deal with competing demand. The reality | :07:07. | :07:13. | |
is that the price that the First Minister denied of his education | :07:13. | :07:19. | |
choices is cuts and college places and in our schools, a growing gap | :07:19. | :07:26. | |
between the rich and a poor. Maybe he bought two -- maybe he might | :07:26. | :07:31. | |
want to confront the reality of that in the New Year. However, we | :07:31. | :07:41. | |
:07:41. | :07:43. | ||
are now in the Christmas spirit. LAUGHTER. My will, it does not need | :07:43. | :07:51. | |
to be written down, because it is in my heart. It is in my heart | :07:51. | :07:56. | |
because we are reaching Christmas and after such a historic year of | :07:56. | :08:03. | |
success, in terms of the debate, I am sure the First Minister will | :08:03. | :08:08. | |
want to handout Christmas presents to his team. Perhaps an abacus and | :08:08. | :08:15. | |
spell checker for Mike Russell. At talking doll for jobs when they saw | :08:15. | :08:23. | |
ad a shovel for Nicola Sturgeon so she is ready to clean up the mess | :08:23. | :08:31. | |
made by the First Minister. But may I wish everyone in the chamber that | :08:31. | :08:36. | |
everyone and no country a happy Christmas and a peaceful and | :08:36. | :08:42. | |
prosperous new year. In the First Minister's case, up the I wish him | :08:42. | :08:52. | |
:08:52. | :08:57. | ||
as good a year next year as he has that this year. -- as he has had. | :08:57. | :09:02. | |
not is that Johann Lamont is cheerful and it is Ms spare when | :09:02. | :09:08. | |
she moves away from the cigarette and speaks from a heart. I advise | :09:08. | :09:17. | |
more of that in the next year. Let us celebrate the figures which show | :09:17. | :09:25. | |
an increase in Scottish unit students going to universities, | :09:25. | :09:29. | |
compared to the 26,000 decline in English students going to English | :09:29. | :09:38. | |
universities. Consider that the funding crisis in Scotland's is | :09:39. | :09:43. | |
much wider than in England, which part of imposing tuition fees is | :09:43. | :09:48. | |
actually going to increase the numbers of students going to | :09:48. | :09:54. | |
university? Can we not look at a catastrophe south of the border a | :09:54. | :09:58. | |
report that all parties will may take the commitment they made in | :09:58. | :10:02. | |
this chamber to a huge majority to not have up front or back end | :10:03. | :10:12. | |
tuition fees. At just to check that I was not mistaken, I consulted the | :10:12. | :10:17. | |
Scottish Labour website this very day. I would advise you to look at | :10:17. | :10:23. | |
it quickly before the take it down, it is a picture of being a three | :10:23. | :10:30. | |
saying not up front or back in tuition fees in Scotland. There are | :10:30. | :10:36. | |
lots of nice pictures on the Web site called signing a pledge | :10:36. | :10:42. | |
against tuition fees. They're here it remarkable resemblance to the | :10:42. | :10:49. | |
ones that Nick Clegg signed before his party took a nosedive. I hope | :10:49. | :10:57. | |
she will not mind that she is cited by the David Cameron in the New | :10:57. | :11:05. | |
Labour-Conservative alliance in Glasgow, we can say with confidence | :11:05. | :11:10. | |
to the students in Scotland that not just next year, but for all | :11:10. | :11:16. | |
time, that three education will be part of the Scottish tradition and | :11:16. | :11:20. | |
pave a future for the people of Scotland, not just for Christmas, | :11:20. | :11:30. | |
:11:30. | :11:37. | ||
but for all time. Order! May I wish you and everyone in the chamber | :11:37. | :11:47. | |
:11:47. | :11:47. | ||
every it the best wishes of the season. The First Minister up Ali | :11:47. | :11:54. | |
did not like a pantomime routine. Yesterday, the Finance Secretary | :11:54. | :12:01. | |
pledged to spend �205 million of the money he received from the | :12:01. | :12:04. | |
Chancellor's Autumn Statement to kick off the building boom that in | :12:04. | :12:14. | |
:12:14. | :12:14. | ||
Scotland. But last year, there was Bettany �350 billion spent. Can he | :12:14. | :12:19. | |
tell us how much will actually have been spent by the end of this | :12:19. | :12:26. | |
financial year? The system is such a success that it was intended to | :12:26. | :12:30. | |
be copied at Westminster by a Chancellor who now declares, in his | :12:30. | :12:38. | |
words, that it now PFI has been deaf could discredited. In the | :12:38. | :12:44. | |
spirit of Christmas, can I congratulate the Conservative Party | :12:44. | :12:48. | |
and their realisation that he Private Finance Initiative has now | :12:48. | :12:53. | |
been discredited and I bought their new allies in the Labour Party will | :12:53. | :13:03. | |
:13:03. | :13:09. | ||
now join that incenses and agreed to seeing the nonsense that is PFI. | :13:10. | :13:15. | |
What the �350 billion paid, the princely sum of �20 million will be | :13:15. | :13:22. | |
paid - that is 330 million less than the Finance Minister pledged. | :13:22. | :13:28. | |
That is on top of the year before, when he pledged up to 150 million | :13:28. | :13:36. | |
and spent absolutely nothing. That is up to one at �480 million | :13:36. | :13:43. | |
promised to build schools and hospitals never delivered. So, if | :13:43. | :13:51. | |
yesterday's figures can be hailed as the boom for creating jobs, | :13:51. | :13:59. | |
surely �480 billion could have secured thousands of jobs? -- 418 | :13:59. | :14:08. | |
million. It is important that the announcement was not seasonal spin. | :14:08. | :14:15. | |
We cannot wait for these projects to be cynically delayed until just | :14:15. | :14:21. | |
before the 2014 referendum. Will the First Minister tell us what the | :14:21. | :14:26. | |
first Finance Minister refused to confirm yesterday, when will these | :14:26. | :14:31. | |
projects start at when will we unspent 400 in 18 million | :14:31. | :14:41. | |
previously promised to be released? Can I point out to Ruth Davidson | :14:41. | :14:46. | |
that if the Conservative Party had not cut the capital budget by eight | :14:46. | :14:51. | |
over one quarter, these funds could have been spent directly in the | :14:51. | :14:57. | |
past two years. Can I draw her attention to the most significant | :14:57. | :15:01. | |
non-profit distribution project in Scotland, which explains her | :15:01. | :15:06. | |
question. I think the chamber will agree that it is not the | :15:06. | :15:10. | |
responsibility of the Government that the writ in Aberdeen was taken | :15:10. | :15:13. | |
through the courts. Should the Government therefore battled her | :15:13. | :15:20. | |
way through to get into a position where that writs to go ahead and do | :15:20. | :15:25. | |
money allocated to it or should we, according to Ruth Davidson, spent | :15:25. | :15:30. | |
the money on something else and then not been able to go ahead with | :15:30. | :15:35. | |
that project. I see this see his like, because people in the north- | :15:35. | :15:40. | |
east of Scotland are celebrating that shovels around the ground | :15:40. | :15:46. | |
there. If left to Ruth Davidson, the money to build the writ would | :15:46. | :15:50. | |
not be there because she would have spent UN something a lot else which | :15:50. | :15:54. | |
was not defined and if we are blessed it to the Conservative | :15:54. | :16:00. | |
Party, the projects in line for this financial year, next financial | :16:00. | :16:06. | |
year and we're after, could already have been spent in Scotland. I see | :16:06. | :16:16. | |
:16:16. | :16:20. | ||
that the morning Star and the Daily Telegraph where United and agreeing | :16:20. | :16:25. | |
with the rail union this week saying that he waste, in terms of | :16:25. | :16:31. | |
the West Coast route at the abortive abandoned bidding process | :16:31. | :16:35. | |
amounted to perhaps �100 million. Perhaps the Conservative Party | :16:35. | :16:44. | |
would like to reflect, in the spirit of Christmas, what that �100 | :16:44. | :16:46. | |
million potentially wasted by Conservative Ministers could have | :16:46. | :16:56. | |
:16:56. | :16:56. | ||
been invested and had it not been wasted? The party of all my | :16:56. | :17:06. | |
:17:06. | :17:09. | ||
shambles should start talking about Our wonder if we are aware of our | :17:09. | :17:15. | |
company having gone in to receivership two days ago resulting | :17:15. | :17:21. | |
in 40 redundancies in my constituency. Another timber | :17:21. | :17:28. | |
company went under with the lost of 50 jobs. Can I ask the First | :17:28. | :17:31. | |
Minister what his Government will do to ensure that all available | :17:31. | :17:36. | |
support and advice is given to the affected employees at this time of | :17:36. | :17:46. | |
:17:46. | :17:51. | ||
year. And what about searching for a buyer for the now empty premises? | :17:51. | :18:01. | |
:18:01. | :18:01. | ||
I am aware of the company that has gone into receivership. As soon as | :18:01. | :18:06. | |
the partnership became aware of the situation the administrators were | :18:06. | :18:12. | |
contacted and offered support. Members of the team are visiting | :18:12. | :18:17. | |
the site this morning to identify what support is needed. It is very | :18:17. | :18:25. | |
difficult particularly at this time of year. The team have had some | :18:25. | :18:29. | |
success in redeploying people elsewhere and I hope every effort | :18:29. | :18:36. | |
will be made to offer these people the same success. What Tuesday | :18:36. | :18:45. | |
morning staff in my constituency were given the information that | :18:45. | :18:52. | |
their company would close early in deep next year after the parent | :18:52. | :18:58. | |
company decided not to invest. The Highlands and Islands Enterprise | :18:58. | :19:05. | |
already considers jobs in the region to be fragile. It will have | :19:05. | :19:12. | |
a huge impact on the island economy. I have advised what the Scottish | :19:12. | :19:17. | |
Government can and will do to prevent this company being stripped | :19:17. | :19:23. | |
of its assets. There should be a rescue package to ensure we retain | :19:23. | :19:30. | |
the support of the facility. It is an extremely difficult situation in | :19:30. | :19:40. | |
:19:40. | :19:41. | ||
a fragile island economy. As he is aware the premises is not actually | :19:41. | :19:48. | |
used at present by the University of London. The centre for education | :19:48. | :19:56. | |
and lifelong learning will begin a discussion with the university and | :19:56. | :20:04. | |
all interested parties to secure an option. We are well aware at that | :20:04. | :20:07. | |
what may seem in global terms a relatively small number of jobs to | :20:07. | :20:14. | |
an island community may well be massive in terms of the scope of | :20:14. | :20:21. | |
the impact on the local economy. The member can be assured that the | :20:21. | :20:31. | |
:20:31. | :20:43. | ||
Cabinet sector will investigate every opportunity. -- will the | :20:44. | :20:49. | |
First Minister seed what is happening in our NHS rather than | :20:49. | :20:56. | |
issuing complacent reassurances to my constituents in West Lothian? | :20:56. | :21:05. | |
The medical director has reassured patients across all hospital site. | :21:05. | :21:13. | |
At no point will patients stop being admitted to hospital. Events | :21:13. | :21:19. | |
at the present moment such as the illnesses which are will -- around | :21:19. | :21:24. | |
in the community at the present moment, we will concentrate to make | :21:24. | :21:31. | |
sure that patient care is continued at the highest possible standard. | :21:31. | :21:34. | |
Can I ask what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of | :21:34. | :21:40. | |
Cabinet? Issues of importance to the people of Scotland. Two months | :21:40. | :21:46. | |
ago I asked for an extension of education for two-year-olds. Now | :21:46. | :21:54. | |
that he has had time, what decision has he reached? There is a range of | :21:54. | :22:02. | |
measures already announced in terms of the overall right of education | :22:02. | :22:07. | |
for every child. Incentives offered to family centres to expand their | :22:07. | :22:13. | |
operations. The Centre for Family nurse partnerships which deal with | :22:13. | :22:19. | |
children even younger than two that can make a real difference for some | :22:19. | :22:29. | |
:22:29. | :22:29. | ||
of the most challenged families in our community. In terms of the | :22:29. | :22:34. | |
emphasis that has been put on their early years development, I do not | :22:34. | :22:40. | |
think it can be seriously said that this Government does not have focus | :22:40. | :22:43. | |
and concentration on the improvements being made to enhance | :22:43. | :22:48. | |
the life chances of these children. All of us would welcome what is | :22:48. | :22:54. | |
said about the extra provision but in England for 2% of two-year-olds | :22:54. | :23:00. | |
will be getting 15 hours per week of nursery education. The future | :23:00. | :23:05. | |
provision for three-and four-year- olds is good as well. The | :23:05. | :23:08. | |
Investment before the age of three gets the best recovery it has been | :23:08. | :23:13. | |
said. Will the First Minister connected day or a please give an | :23:13. | :23:18. | |
indication that he is prepared to consider what is happening with | :23:18. | :23:23. | |
extra provision for 40% of two- year-olds. That could help | :23:23. | :23:27. | |
disadvantaged children get a good start in life. I will press them | :23:27. | :23:36. | |
again. Will he take this important step today? Can I say two things in | :23:36. | :23:44. | |
seriousness. Firstly, Willie Rennie is aware that what we have is much | :23:44. | :23:47. | |
greater than is allocated their England for three and four-year- | :23:47. | :23:54. | |
olds. I do not think he should disregard the importance of the | :23:54. | :23:58. | |
measures I have already suggested. Our task force is working extremely | :23:58. | :24:02. | |
hard to bring about the best possible position for young people | :24:02. | :24:07. | |
in Scotland. I could cite the whole variety of sources from English | :24:07. | :24:10. | |
local the authorities who are seriously questioning whether | :24:10. | :24:15. | |
aspects of what is said to be offered in England can actually be | :24:15. | :24:21. | |
delivered given the resource position that they face. There is a | :24:21. | :24:25. | |
whole range of English local a authority leaders and other experts | :24:25. | :24:30. | |
who are seriously doubting that. Therefore, I think we can be | :24:30. | :24:36. | |
confident that what has been issued in Scotland today, the commitment | :24:36. | :24:39. | |
for three-and four-year-olds, the expansion of family partnerships, | :24:39. | :24:43. | |
the expansion of family centres and nurse partnerships, these things | :24:43. | :24:49. | |
will all be delivered. We have a continuing review. The focus of | :24:49. | :24:55. | |
that has been very important in terms of Government decision-making. | :24:55. | :24:58. | |
That package represents a substantial enhancement of | :24:58. | :25:04. | |
provision in Scotland and is fully in line with a shift to early | :25:04. | :25:07. | |
support and early intervention which is the hallmark of this | :25:07. | :25:12. | |
Government even in times of great financial stringency which, he will | :25:12. | :25:21. | |
remember, is being imposed by an Government of which... LAUGHTER. | :25:21. | :25:30. | |
Order. It is imposed by a Tory/Liberal Government of which he | :25:30. | :25:34. | |
is at Minister. The efforts being made in Scotland are very | :25:34. | :25:40. | |
substantial indeed and that sincere commitment will improve and enhance | :25:40. | :25:44. | |
the life chances of our young people in Scotland, including those | :25:44. | :25:50. | |
most at risk. Can they ask what discussions have been had with the | :25:50. | :25:59. | |
UK Government in regards to the minimum pricing of alcohol. Their | :25:59. | :26:05. | |
meeting with the UWE Government ministers of State early in the new | :26:05. | :26:12. | |
year to discuss the matter further. We continue to engage in and | :26:12. | :26:16. | |
outside Scotland with those who believe that minimum unit pricing | :26:16. | :26:25. | |
should form a key part. The UK Government has shown its | :26:25. | :26:30. | |
willingness to support this measure. Where Scotland leads the rest of | :26:30. | :26:34. | |
the UK follows. Can he give an issued since that this Government | :26:34. | :26:43. | |
will continue to promote the public health argument on pricing. I can | :26:43. | :26:47. | |
and it is worth noting that elsewhere in Europe the public | :26:47. | :26:50. | |
health benefits of minimum pricing which is now supported | :26:50. | :26:57. | |
substantially across this chamber, have been recognised. It was set | :26:57. | :27:03. | |
that there is full support for the minimum pricing of a call, a | :27:03. | :27:09. | |
measure to reduce the harmful consumption of alcohol. In this | :27:09. | :27:14. | |
regard the Department of Health is preparing proposals for a similar | :27:14. | :27:20. | |
legislation in Ireland. It is important to have a degree of | :27:20. | :27:24. | |
support at any time but particularly important because as | :27:24. | :27:31. | |
of 1st January Island chairs the European Council. Can I have the | :27:31. | :27:37. | |
First Minister what the Scottish position is on the Shelter claimed | :27:37. | :27:41. | |
that one in four people believe they are one paycheck away from | :27:41. | :27:48. | |
losing their homes? This Government remains focused on economic growth | :27:48. | :27:52. | |
to protect and retain jobs to avoid families been placed in this | :27:52. | :27:57. | |
position in the first place. Importantly, in terms of housing | :27:57. | :28:03. | |
and housing legislation, from December 31st of those in Scotland | :28:03. | :28:07. | |
to were assessed as unintentionally homeless by local authorities will | :28:07. | :28:17. | |
:28:17. | :28:18. | ||
be entitled to accommodation. We have the best back-up plan for the | :28:18. | :28:24. | |
whole of the British Isles. Many of those families will spend a period | :28:24. | :28:29. | |
of time in temporary accommodation before being housed. 5,300 homeless | :28:29. | :28:33. | |
children will wake up in temporary housing on Christmas Day because | :28:33. | :28:40. | |
their family has no home to call their own. How will you introduce | :28:40. | :28:42. | |
national guaranteed standards for temporary accommodation for | :28:43. | :28:50. | |
families with children? You will get all measures serious | :28:50. | :28:58. | |
consideration. A lecture organised by Shelter a few weeks ago had huge | :28:58. | :29:06. | |
support for improvement in terms of homelessness. There was recognition | :29:06. | :29:12. | |
for a beak sharp fall in a homeless applications in 2000 -- since | :29:12. | :29:18. | |
2005/6. That represents substantial progress as does the legislative | :29:18. | :29:22. | |
framework which gets all unintentionally homeless people | :29:22. | :29:27. | |
equal rights before the law. While there are challenges still to | :29:27. | :29:31. | |
overcome and while all good suggestions will be properly | :29:31. | :29:35. | |
considered, I think the chamber, as shelter does, should be proud of | :29:35. | :29:40. | |
the framework that this Parliament has put in place. Homelessness, in | :29:40. | :29:45. | |
terms of these statistics, has fallen in Scotland while it rises | :29:45. | :29:52. | |
elsewhere. Can I ask the First Minister what action is being taken | :29:52. | :29:57. | |
to minimise disruption from industrial action over the festive | :29:58. | :30:02. | |
season? This is one of these questions that seemed like a good | :30:02. | :30:10. | |
idea on Monday. Can I thank the First Minister for his response. If | :30:10. | :30:17. | |
one week is a long time in politics, the three days since I'll launched | :30:17. | :30:21. | |
this questions has proven to be a very long time in industrial | :30:21. | :30:26. | |
relations. Will the First Minister join with me in welcoming the | :30:26. | :30:32. | |
resolution of the industrial dispute? That is between ScotRail | :30:32. | :30:37. | |
and the RMT and in the spirit of the season will he join me in | :30:38. | :30:42. | |
wishing those working for them in this sector a safe journey and a | :30:42. | :30:51. | |
very happy Christmas? Yes I will. It is worth saying that with the | :30:51. | :31:01. | |
:31:01. | :31:02. | ||
dispute settled, even the hospital doctors dispute is settled and the | :31:02. | :31:06. | |
Northlink ferry is strike has been suspended, all of that is welcome | :31:06. | :31:11. | |
news. Unfortunately I have got to report that the London Tube strike | :31:11. | :31:17. | |
on Boxing Day is still going ahead. It is very disappointing given that | :31:17. | :31:26. | |
even the trams in Edinburgh were running yesterday! LAUGHTER. I know | :31:26. | :31:31. | |
that just as the advent of Murdo Fraser has question clearly focused | :31:31. | :31:36. | |
minds in Scotland, in advance from asking it to come to a satisfactory | :31:36. | :31:42. | |
conclusion, I am quite certain if he puts the same mind and advice to | :31:42. | :31:46. | |
Boris Johnson down in London, perhaps we will get a result there | :31:46. | :31:56. | |
as well. We all seem to be in good humour towards the end of First | :31:56. | :32:01. | |
Minister's Question Time. There was political panto between Johann | :32:01. | :32:05. | |
Lamont and the First Minister. That is the end of this year, 2012 | :32:05. | :32:09. |