:00:00. > :00:10.be arranged. We will arrange that after First Minister questions.
:00:11. > :00:13.Question number one, Ruth Davidson. What engagement has been First
:00:14. > :00:23.Minister got planned for the rest of today? Plans to take forward the
:00:24. > :00:27.plans for Scotland. I agree that a community sentence might be the best
:00:28. > :00:32.option in sentencing, but does the First Minister agreed that the crime
:00:33. > :00:38.of rape should not be amongst them. I agree that the crime of rape
:00:39. > :00:42.should be treated with the utmost seriousness and severity. Indeed
:00:43. > :00:48.statistics show that the vast majority, the overwhelming majority
:00:49. > :00:55.of rape cases, 93% of rape cases carry a custodial sentence and the
:00:56. > :01:04.average sentences are 17% longer than they were in the years
:01:05. > :01:09.2006-2007. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts and
:01:10. > :01:12.it will be wrong for me as First Minister to comment on any
:01:13. > :01:17.individual case, but in terms of community payback orders, it's a
:01:18. > :01:21.sentencing option available to courts, that they will make the
:01:22. > :01:24.judgment based on recommendations. They take into account risk
:01:25. > :01:33.assessment, protection and the background of the individual and
:01:34. > :01:41.where a non-custodial sentences given, the court will consider all
:01:42. > :01:50.matters. There is also robust risk assessment that is ongoing. There is
:01:51. > :01:54.no doubt in my mind that the events of rape or attempted rape should be
:01:55. > :02:00.treated with utmost severity. I would like to thank the for that
:02:01. > :02:22.response. While she recognises 92% of sentences in: a custodial
:02:23. > :02:27.sentence, the rest don't. This morning rape crisis Scotland said it
:02:28. > :02:32.is difficult to see in what circumstances a CPO could ever be an
:02:33. > :02:36.appropriate sentence for rape of the rape of a young child. Surely
:02:37. > :02:47.everyone here can agree that they are right? I have the utmost respect
:02:48. > :02:51.for what Rape Crisis does and they should be listened too seriously. I
:02:52. > :02:55.agree and I have made it clear. Rape is one of the most heinous offences
:02:56. > :03:04.that can be committed in our society and I believe it is incumbent on all
:03:05. > :03:08.of us and anyone with influence in the justice system to make sure it
:03:09. > :03:14.is treated seriously. I hope it is a point that Ruth Davidson will
:03:15. > :03:21.accept. As First Minister I do not have influence over individual
:03:22. > :03:26.cases. Before a court will make a decision on the appropriate
:03:27. > :03:33.sentencing, they will take into account a range of circumstances.
:03:34. > :03:38.This includes the age of the offender. It is right in our society
:03:39. > :03:43.that is the independent judiciary that decides on sentencing, but
:03:44. > :03:48.regarding policy it is clear to me that we need to treat rape and other
:03:49. > :04:01.sexual offences with the seriousness that they merit. That is why I have
:04:02. > :04:05.pointed to these statistics. The average length of a custodial
:04:06. > :04:09.sentence for rape is no longer. We are seeing through the criminal
:04:10. > :04:13.proceedings with the Crown office bringing more successful
:04:14. > :04:21.prosecutions for rape and attempted rape. 125 convictions in 2014-2015,
:04:22. > :04:33.which is up by 89. Police Scotland has also improved the reporting of
:04:34. > :04:38.rape and sexual offences. I hope members across the Chamber will
:04:39. > :04:44.accept that fundamental point of principle about criminal justice in
:04:45. > :04:48.our society. It's not politicians who decide sentencing, it's right
:04:49. > :04:54.the courts should do so. Thank you for the response. These are
:04:55. > :05:00.sensitive issues. I know everyone in this Chamber is united over this,
:05:01. > :05:08.but the reason I raised it is that they have been concerns over CPO 's.
:05:09. > :05:14.The Scottish government say sanctions are open to the courts
:05:15. > :05:16.when they are breached. Every year a third of orders are broken with
:05:17. > :05:26.scant evidence that people are punished. I repeat that we on this
:05:27. > :05:29.side of the Chamber absolutely accept the need for community
:05:30. > :05:37.sentencing, but what is the First Minister doing to address these
:05:38. > :05:40.issues of CPOs? She is right to raise this particular issue around
:05:41. > :05:49.non-custodial sentences because we have to monitor on an ongoing basis
:05:50. > :05:55.the effectiveness of non-custodial sentences like community payback
:05:56. > :06:01.orders. Individuals on CPOs are subject to robust and ongoing risk
:06:02. > :06:05.assessment. When the order is breached, the court can introduce
:06:06. > :06:10.different sanctions, including imprisonment for breach of the
:06:11. > :06:14.payback order. This is very pertinent to the issue of
:06:15. > :06:20.effectiveness of these disposals, which is one of the issues Ruth
:06:21. > :06:23.Davidson is raising. Individuals released from a custodial sentence
:06:24. > :06:29.of six months or less reconvicted more than twice as as those given a
:06:30. > :06:35.community payback order instead. That tells us that non-custodial
:06:36. > :06:38.sentences like CPOs, when they are handed down in appropriate
:06:39. > :06:43.circumstances, they are more effective than short-term prison
:06:44. > :06:46.sentences. I absolutely accept that these are issues of the utmost
:06:47. > :06:50.seriousness and we have to look at all of the evidence. I hope all of
:06:51. > :06:54.us will agree that way it is appropriate, and I stress where it
:06:55. > :06:59.is appropriate, keeping people out of prison, and I'm not talking about
:07:00. > :07:04.particular offences, but general terms, keeping people out of prison
:07:05. > :07:08.and rehabilitate them in the community said they are less likely
:07:09. > :07:12.to reoffend is a good thing. None of that takes away from the seriousness
:07:13. > :07:18.of certain types of offences which should always be treated with the
:07:19. > :07:22.utmost seriousness by our courts. We can all agree that reducing the
:07:23. > :07:26.offending is important, but people and the public must have confidence
:07:27. > :07:30.that the sentence is appropriate for the crime and that includes
:07:31. > :07:33.punishment. The trouble is that too often the response from ministers is
:07:34. > :07:39.simply to declare that the system is working fine and everyone should
:07:40. > :07:43.just accept it, but CPOs are not working fine, First Minister. They
:07:44. > :07:47.are an SNP creation and they are this government was not policy. They
:07:48. > :08:05.are being applied to serious crimes like rape, when they shouldn't be.
:08:06. > :08:10.Up to a third of them are breached and up to a fifth of them do not
:08:11. > :08:12.contain any punishment element at all. We need a calm, considered
:08:13. > :08:15.fresh review by the Scottish government on the way that CPOs are
:08:16. > :08:21.being handed out. Will be first Minister take that action because it
:08:22. > :08:25.is needed. I will make a number of points to Ruth Davidson. Firstly she
:08:26. > :08:31.may or may not be aware that there was an independent evaluation
:08:32. > :08:36.published in 2015 of CPOs that showed they are viewed with a degree
:08:37. > :08:41.of confidence by most sheriffs and are seen as an improvement on
:08:42. > :08:47.previous community sentences. Those given a CPO are less likely to
:08:48. > :08:54.reoffend be reconvicted. Again, we have statistics that bear that out.
:08:55. > :08:57.It's also important to say that CPOs can include electronic monitoring
:08:58. > :09:04.sanctions if there is noncompliance with them and anyone who breaches a
:09:05. > :09:09.CPOs and fails to take up the opportunity a non-custodial sentence
:09:10. > :09:18.like that offers them will face sanctions and possible imprisonment.
:09:19. > :09:23.In the most recent figures we have 420 2014-2015, 17% of CPOs were
:09:24. > :09:27.revoked because they were breached. I actually agree that when somebody
:09:28. > :09:32.commits a crime, as well as thinking about how we rehabilitate and reduce
:09:33. > :09:37.the risk of reoffending, there has to be a punishment element to the
:09:38. > :09:41.sentence passed down and we have got to in our policy framework get that
:09:42. > :09:46.balance right and then we have two entrust the decisions in individual
:09:47. > :09:50.cases to independent judges and sheriffs. My responsibility as First
:09:51. > :09:54.Minister is to make sure we get the policy framework rights. Seeking to
:09:55. > :10:00.do that, we will always look at the evidence that tells us non-custodial
:10:01. > :10:07.sentences are being effective or not. I hope that all members will
:10:08. > :10:10.feed into that, but having set the policy framework and objectives, we
:10:11. > :10:25.must trust the independent judiciary to make the decisions on individual
:10:26. > :10:30.cases. The Davis will probably say I was wrong if I started to pass
:10:31. > :10:35.comment on sentences passed down by judges. -- Ruth Davidson. I want a
:10:36. > :10:40.say in all sincerity to members across this Chamber that we will
:10:41. > :10:46.consider to consider and evaluate and make changes so we can keep the
:10:47. > :10:57.public safe and that we do what we have to do to reduce reoffending.
:10:58. > :11:08.When will the first Minister -- when will the First Minister meet
:11:09. > :11:10.Alzheimer Scotland? The Minister for mental health this afternoon will
:11:11. > :11:30.speak at the annual dementia awards. Given the answer. Between 2010 and
:11:31. > :11:40.2015 the Tories cut Scotland's block grant by 5%. As an economic policy
:11:41. > :11:52.that damages our public services and is the equality in our country.
:11:53. > :11:56.Kezia Dugdale knows I agree with this, but she also knows that before
:11:57. > :12:01.we have a debate in this Chamber about who in Scotland bears the
:12:02. > :12:06.burden of Tory austerity, we should first unite to try to stop Tory
:12:07. > :12:11.austerity happening in the first place. Kezia Dugdale is right to
:12:12. > :12:16.point out that according to the report, Scotland's budget has been
:12:17. > :12:20.cut by 5% in real terms, but she will also know that that report
:12:21. > :12:28.looks to the future and says there is the likelihood of further cuts to
:12:29. > :12:31.our budget by the end of this Parliament. We have a new Chancellor
:12:32. > :12:37.of the Exchequer who has said, and I'm prepared to take him at his
:12:38. > :12:42.word, that he will reset economic policy. I would hope that Kezia
:12:43. > :12:47.Dugdale will join with us on these benches to say to the Tories, put an
:12:48. > :12:52.end to austerity, put an end to austerity at source and do it now.
:12:53. > :12:59.Thank you. I am glad the First Minister can agree with me that Tory
:13:00. > :13:04.cuts of 5% are unacceptable. So how can it be that today's accounts
:13:05. > :13:10.commission report shows that the SNP have cut local council funning not
:13:11. > :13:16.by 5%, but by 11%. The SNP haven't just passed on Tory cut, they have
:13:17. > :13:22.doubled those Tory cuts. And the report tells us who is paying the
:13:23. > :13:26.price. Older people, who need help to get washed, aren't getting it.
:13:27. > :13:31.Elderly folk who five years ago would have had help with their
:13:32. > :13:38.meals, aren't getting it. The number of elderly Scots getting any care at
:13:39. > :13:44.all has fallen by 12%. And what is worse, is that we know that the SNP
:13:45. > :13:48.is planning more cuts to councils and cuts to councils are cuts to
:13:49. > :13:55.care. The First Minister has the power to stop these cuts, why won't
:13:56. > :13:59.she use it? Well of course in terms of the most recent figures that we
:14:00. > :14:04.have available in terms of the outturn figure, social work spending
:14:05. > :14:11.has increase by 6 percent in real terms, social care spending has
:14:12. > :14:14.increased by 5% in real cuts to councils are cuts to care. The First
:14:15. > :14:17.Minister has the power to stop these cuts, why won't she use it? Well of
:14:18. > :14:19.course in terms of the most recent figures that we have available in
:14:20. > :14:22.terms of the outturn figure, social work spending has increase by 6
:14:23. > :14:25.percent in real terms, social care spending has increased by 5% in real
:14:26. > :14:27.term, since 2008 - 9. Of course, in terms of the report publish by the
:14:28. > :14:30.commits commission today it is important and it has lots of I think
:14:31. > :14:33.very important messages for all of us, it says if we keep doing things
:14:34. > :14:35.the same way as we are doing, there will be an additional financial
:14:36. > :14:40.burden on social care services by the end of this Parliament. That is
:14:41. > :14:44.why we have ipt greated social care and health, the biggest reform since
:14:45. > :14:49.the establishment of the National Health service making sure we are
:14:50. > :14:52.finding better ways of delivering service, more prewrenion, community
:14:53. > :14:58.based services to reduce admissions to hospital and care home, and it
:14:59. > :15:03.was in my party's manifesto, I don't think it was included in Kezia
:15:04. > :15:07.Dugdale's manifesto we will invest an additional ?1.3 billion oh this
:15:08. > :15:12.Parliament in health and social care partnerships, the first in Stormont
:15:13. > :15:14.has been the ?250 million transferred into health and social
:15:15. > :15:18.care partnerships in this financial year, so we know we face the
:15:19. > :15:22.challenge of an ageing population and we are determined on this side
:15:23. > :15:26.of the chamber, to face up to and work with local councils to address
:15:27. > :15:34.that challenge. I think the question Kezia Dugdale has to answer is this,
:15:35. > :15:38.when she concedes... The point, Kezia Dugdale concedes that one of
:15:39. > :15:43.the pressures, the biggest pressure on the Scottish Government budget is
:15:44. > :15:47.cuts being imposed by a Tory Government, yet even although Kezia
:15:48. > :15:51.Dugdale accepts that the Tories, if Jeremy Corbyn is re-elected on
:15:52. > :15:55.Saturday are going to be in power for many, many year, she expects us
:15:56. > :16:02.to shrug our shoulders and accept that. I don't think that is good
:16:03. > :16:07.enough. The First Minister tells the chamber
:16:08. > :16:11.she has put ?250 million extra into health and social care, what she
:16:12. > :16:15.forgot tell the chamber she took ?500 million out last year, that is
:16:16. > :16:20.why we had to vote against her budget. And the truth is, the
:16:21. > :16:25.accounts commission report tells us that overall spending is falling,
:16:26. > :16:30.First Minister. In fact it says these cuts are unsustainable. And
:16:31. > :16:36.the truth is, they don't have to happen. I am only ask Nicola
:16:37. > :16:39.Sturgeon to do what she has wanted to do her entire political life,
:16:40. > :16:44.make different choices from the Tories. So when she write hers
:16:45. > :16:49.budget in the coming week, the First Minister will face a choice. She can
:16:50. > :16:52.double down with even more cuts to care or she can back Labour's plans
:16:53. > :17:00.to use the powers of this Parliament. What it is to be First
:17:01. > :17:04.Minister? Kezia Dugdale doesn't oppose Tory austerity, she wants to
:17:05. > :17:08.shift the burden of Tory authority on to working people the length and
:17:09. > :17:15.breadth of this country. I would say to her, I would say to
:17:16. > :17:19.her, she put that proposition to the people of Scotland just four months
:17:20. > :17:22.ago and she sit ocean than side of the chamber because her party came
:17:23. > :17:29.third in the Scottish Parliament election. Now, we will continue...
:17:30. > :17:33.We will continue to face up to the challenges, face up to the
:17:34. > :17:36.challenges in our social care service, that is why we have
:17:37. > :17:40.integrated health and social care, manager in all the years that Labour
:17:41. > :17:46.were in power they shied away from do, it is why we are taking the
:17:47. > :17:51.difficult steps of transferring resources from acute Health Services
:17:52. > :17:55.into health and social care partnerships, to build up the
:17:56. > :17:59.capacity of the services and help develop more community serviceses to
:18:00. > :18:02.keep older people out of hospitals and care homes and enable them to
:18:03. > :18:06.stay in their own home, it is why we are taking all of these actions and
:18:07. > :18:11.why we will reflect on the accounts commission report to inform the
:18:12. > :18:14.decisions we continue to take, these are the serious decisions that this
:18:15. > :18:18.Government will continue to take, but I say again, to Kezia Dugdale, I
:18:19. > :18:23.would ask her to reflect on the position she and her party have in.
:18:24. > :18:28.She stands up the regularly, and says that the future looks to be a
:18:29. > :18:32.Tory future in terms of the Westminster Government. Yet she has
:18:33. > :18:37.the never to come here and lecture me about the implications of Tory
:18:38. > :18:44.cuts that her party are powerless to do anything about. The Labour Party
:18:45. > :18:49.is a complete and ut ever shambles, and perhaps she should be taking
:18:50. > :19:01.more responsibility for the Tory's ability to impose cuts on Scotland.
:19:02. > :19:06.Thank you, to ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.
:19:07. > :19:11.Tuesday. Last week, a newspaper levelled a
:19:12. > :19:15.serious allegation against the Scottish Government, SNP pledge to
:19:16. > :19:21.sabotage cuts to benefits. For once in my life presiding officer I hope
:19:22. > :19:24.the Daily Mail have it right. The Scottish Greens have published
:19:25. > :19:31.detailed proposals showing how aren't 13,000 people a year could be
:19:32. > :19:34.protected from the benefits sanctions regime, if devolved
:19:35. > :19:39.employment programmes refuse to co-operate with that programme. So I
:19:40. > :19:43.work the words we haved are from Lang constarntion while we can't
:19:44. > :19:47.stop the UK Government putting conditions on work related benefit,
:19:48. > :19:52.we are not going to be giving them any information or responding to
:19:53. > :19:57.inquiries if we think that might lead to a sanction. Can the First
:19:58. > :20:02.Minister confirm, does that commitment go beyond the already
:20:03. > :20:05.announced voluntary schemes, in relation to disabled people and
:20:06. > :20:12.people with long-term health conditions or whether this be the
:20:13. > :20:19.universal approach for all people party pace -- participating? I thank
:20:20. > :20:23.him for raising that, he knows and the tenure of his we knows how
:20:24. > :20:26.serious the Scottish Government is in introducing a Social Security
:20:27. > :20:29.system with the limited Social Security powers we will be getting
:20:30. > :20:36.that have dignity and humanity at their heart. I think the sanctions
:20:37. > :20:38.regime imposed by the Tories in its current form breaching the
:20:39. > :20:43.principles, I know that from the many people I see in surgery and we
:20:44. > :20:47.will see them who have sanctions imposed on them for reason they
:20:48. > :20:51.should never face those circumstances, so as we develop the
:20:52. > :20:56.of the detail of the system we are putting in place, we want to make
:20:57. > :21:00.sure we mitigate the effects of that and don't co-operate in a scheme
:21:01. > :21:06.that is about piling human misery on misery. Was have embarked on
:21:07. > :21:10.consultation, that will lead to a Social Security, bill rather in
:21:11. > :21:14.these chamber, over the everybody in year, and the fine detail of that
:21:15. > :21:20.will flow from the consultation work we are doing, but the principles are
:21:21. > :21:26.very very clear, and I look forward to having the assistance and
:21:27. > :21:32.cooperation of part Rick Harvey and his colleagues, and in helping us
:21:33. > :21:36.put in place that system that in its detail lives up to the principles we
:21:37. > :21:41.have articulated. Grateful for that answer. It sound as to the First
:21:42. > :21:46.Minister has gone further in the past. It sound like we will see
:21:47. > :21:50.employment programme which are voluntary and do not impose harmful
:21:51. > :21:56.and counter productive sanctions on people in Scotland. Another aspect
:21:57. > :22:02.of the consultation is aren't young carers and the need to have an
:22:03. > :22:05.additional allowance that rereflects their position in life and the work
:22:06. > :22:08.they do does the First Minister acknowledge that great deal of the
:22:09. > :22:13.ill pact will be aliviated on them if we address the financial aspects
:22:14. > :22:17.and ensure a young careerers allowance is seen in financial terms
:22:18. > :22:23.not only in terms of benefits in kind.
:22:24. > :22:27.Again, I do agree the thrust of his question. In terms of employment
:22:28. > :22:32.programmes, the point of employment programmes should be to help people
:22:33. > :22:37.into work, not to put in place a system full of trip wires they fall
:22:38. > :22:42.over and end up being sanctioned as a result. That will be the ethos
:22:43. > :22:47.behind the programmes we put in place. That was one of the things
:22:48. > :22:51.from indeed green par ties manifesto we have agreed to consider we are in
:22:52. > :22:56.the process of considering how that could best work to give effective
:22:57. > :23:00.help to young career, I was in the last couple of days reading an
:23:01. > :23:04.update on the early discussions we have had round the development of
:23:05. > :23:07.that policy. We haven't come to conclusions on what the best scheme
:23:08. > :23:13.will be but we will do that shortly. I look forward to another policy
:23:14. > :23:17.from this Government that is about recognising the the the work carers
:23:18. > :23:22.do, the impact caring responsibilities have in their life
:23:23. > :23:28.and the responsibility of all of us to help them leave a full life of I
:23:29. > :23:32.again I look forward to co-operation of Patrick Harvie and his
:23:33. > :23:36.colleagues. What issues will be discussed at the
:23:37. > :23:40.next meeting of cabinet? Matters of importance to the people of
:23:41. > :23:45.Scotland. New figures show that children in Scotland can wait two
:23:46. > :23:48.years for mental health treatment. The Scottish Government promised
:23:49. > :23:55.they would receive treatment within 18 weeks. That promise has not been
:23:56. > :24:00.kept this year, or last year. Why is the First Minister letting these
:24:01. > :24:04.children down? Again, I would say to Willie Rennie this is an important
:24:05. > :24:10.issue, I don't agree that, Scotland was the first country in the world,
:24:11. > :24:14.I think, to introduce a target for access of children and adolescence
:24:15. > :24:20.to mental Health Minister treatment. We have more to work do to make
:24:21. > :24:25.Schurrle young and young people get the accuse shes we think they
:24:26. > :24:30.deserve. We have been increasing sinstment, we have been increasing
:24:31. > :24:35.the up this year of clinicians working in mental Health Service, we
:24:36. > :24:38.have had an increase in the number of psychologists working with young
:24:39. > :24:42.people. As we covered in First Minister's questions two weeks' ago
:24:43. > :24:46.we are seeing a significant rise in demand. That puts pressure on
:24:47. > :24:50.services that we have a responsibility to meet, we should
:24:51. > :24:54.welcome that increase in demand in the, to the extend that it shows
:24:55. > :25:01.that young people are more able to come forward because the stigma is
:25:02. > :25:06.discreasing, so our strategy backed by ?150 million of new resources
:25:07. > :25:10.shows the seriousness we take this issue an we will continue to take
:25:11. > :25:13.the steps to improve service so all young people get access they deserve
:25:14. > :25:18.and need. The First Minister says the problem is more young people are
:25:19. > :25:22.asking for help. It is not their problem, it is the Government's
:25:23. > :25:29.problem for not being ready, we saw this coming. We have warned about
:25:30. > :25:34.this. We have got a plan to invest in primary care and young people.
:25:35. > :25:40.What was the response the Government. It was delay spending
:25:41. > :25:43.?70 million available for mental health sup for ported because they
:25:44. > :25:50.couldn't get the strategy agreed on time. Will the First Minister commit
:25:51. > :25:54.to spending that ?07 million on services for young people today? I
:25:55. > :25:59.think he is raising an important issue but I think he should try to
:26:00. > :26:03.engage with it in a way that will help all of us, face up to an
:26:04. > :26:11.address this important issue. The first thing is it not fair of Willie
:26:12. > :26:14.Rennie, people will know it was not fair for him to say I described
:26:15. > :26:19.young people come foger wad was a problem. I went on to say it was my
:26:20. > :26:25.responsibility and the responsibility of the be Government
:26:26. > :26:30.services can meet that demand. To be fair, that what I said, I also set
:26:31. > :26:37.out some of actions we are take, Willie Rennie talks about spending,
:26:38. > :26:41.we have set out plans to invest an locationam ?150 million in mental
:26:42. > :26:49.Health Service, 54 million to reduce waiting times, we are going to spend
:26:50. > :26:54.?10 million to up port new ways of, something to be fair he has
:26:55. > :26:57.repeatedly rated, ?15 million specifically to support better
:26:58. > :27:01.access to children mental Health Service and a range of other
:27:02. > :27:03.initiatives that are all about recognising positively recognising
:27:04. > :27:09.the increase in demand and making sure we are taking the steps to meet
:27:10. > :27:12.that demand. I accept it is for the opposition parties to put pressure
:27:13. > :27:16.on the Government to scrutinise the Government to hold the Government to
:27:17. > :27:19.account. I would hope on this really vital issue, we can try to find a
:27:20. > :27:25.degree of consensus as well. I think this is one of the most serious
:27:26. > :27:29.issues we face as society, not just about treating young people with
:27:30. > :27:33.mental health problem bus spreading them, and there a bigger discussion
:27:34. > :27:36.we could have about that but the Government is absolutely committed
:27:37. > :27:39.to the action we have set out. I hope we will have the support Willie
:27:40. > :27:56.Rennie as we implement the actions. To ask the First Minister if she
:27:57. > :28:05.agrees with me that the train women who serve in public life are sexual
:28:06. > :28:13.predators and should not be used for political satire? I don't know what
:28:14. > :28:20.specific all comments Annie Wells is referring to the, but... If it is
:28:21. > :28:26.the incident at the weekend, then of course. Again, this is serious. I,
:28:27. > :28:31.as I hope everybody, even my sternest critics would accept that I
:28:32. > :28:34.would never, ever condone homophobia. I genuinely hope that
:28:35. > :28:39.there is no one across this Chamber that would argue with that. Some of
:28:40. > :28:43.the terminology we have heard used in satire over recent days is
:28:44. > :28:48.terminology I would never use and I don't condone it. It's terminology I
:28:49. > :28:56.can well understand that people would be offended by. I would also
:28:57. > :29:00.say that it's not appropriate or reasonable to describe a lesbian
:29:01. > :29:06.woman who has been out as a lesbian for 30 years because she is not
:29:07. > :29:10.personally offended by some of that as homophobic. Let's unite in
:29:11. > :29:15.condemning homophobia. We were just talking about mental health in some
:29:16. > :29:20.of the reasons for mental health problems with LG BT Young people
:29:21. > :29:25.comes from homophobia and homophobic bullying. Let us bring that the
:29:26. > :29:30.seriousness to this issue. I take responsibility here and these
:29:31. > :29:36.comments are targeted at me and my party as much as anyone else's, but
:29:37. > :29:43.let us not use this to throw things at each other. Let's unite and show
:29:44. > :29:49.that homophobia has no place in our society and it should be challenged
:29:50. > :29:53.on all occasions. The first Minister will be aware of the significant
:29:54. > :30:01.support for the community maternity unit at the Vale of Lieven hospital.
:30:02. > :30:05.Will she ensure the health board's proposal to close the unit is
:30:06. > :30:10.designated as a major service change and therefore must be subject to
:30:11. > :30:14.sign off by Scottish ministers? As Jackie Baillie knows, the decision
:30:15. > :30:19.about whether Abe particular service change is deemed major is one taken
:30:20. > :30:25.in consultation with the Scottish health Council. Those discussions
:30:26. > :30:29.are ongoing. The Health Secretary will make that determination once
:30:30. > :30:37.the recommendation has come to her. The proposal that Jackie Baillie
:30:38. > :30:42.talks about our proposals. They must be consulted upon and properly
:30:43. > :30:47.considered with the interests of patients absolutely at the heart and
:30:48. > :30:52.where there are major service changes, the ultimate decision will
:30:53. > :31:01.sit with the Health Secretary. Jackie spoke about our visit to the
:31:02. > :31:07.community midwifery unit. As Health Secretary I was working hard to
:31:08. > :31:14.secure and safeguard the Vale of Lieven that was under serious threat
:31:15. > :31:20.from the labour administration. The Vale of Lieven Hospital got the
:31:21. > :31:28.future because of the decision this government has taken. To ask the
:31:29. > :31:32.First Minister to her reaction to the death of a young boy outside his
:31:33. > :31:35.school in my constituency last week on whether she thinks traffic
:31:36. > :31:41.exclusion zones around school should be more widely considered as Jamaat
:31:42. > :31:45.firstly, any loss of life on Scotland's Road is a terrible
:31:46. > :31:48.tragedy, but the death of a young child is especially poignant and our
:31:49. > :31:54.thoughts are with his family and friends at this unimaginably awful
:31:55. > :31:58.time for them. It is for local authorities to decide on road safety
:31:59. > :32:06.measures around schools and they do so in consultation with parents and
:32:07. > :32:10.local residents. Innovative measures such as the traffic exclusion zone
:32:11. > :32:15.recently trialled in Haddington could certainly be part of those
:32:16. > :32:18.considerations and I would encourage local authorities where it is
:32:19. > :32:23.appropriate to consider proposals like that because one thing I think
:32:24. > :32:29.we would all agree on is that the safety of children must be
:32:30. > :32:34.absolutely paramount. To ask the First Minister what plans the
:32:35. > :32:39.Scottish government has two on Scotland's Paralympians. I'm sure
:32:40. > :32:44.everyone in the Chamber and across Scotland is proud of the 33
:32:45. > :32:48.ScottishPower athletes who were part of team GB and the 17 medals they
:32:49. > :32:53.have brought home to Scotland. I'm looking forward to welcoming home
:32:54. > :33:01.our Paralympians and Olympians at the reception at Herriot Ward
:33:02. > :33:09.University. That will be followed by a public event in Festival Square in
:33:10. > :33:13.Edinburgh. We are proud of all our Paralympic athletes, but if I could
:33:14. > :33:17.make a special mention of Libby Clegg and Joe Butterfield. As well
:33:18. > :33:28.as winning gold medals, they also set new world records, something to
:33:29. > :33:33.be doubly proud of. I'm sure she will concur that the success of team
:33:34. > :33:37.GB shows just how much hard work has been put in by coaches and athletes
:33:38. > :33:44.and support from their families. For Scotland to improve it medal tally
:33:45. > :33:52.from 12 in London 2012 to 17 is heartening. Does the First Minister
:33:53. > :33:59.agree that the silver medal won for the backstroke inspirational and
:34:00. > :34:09.with the Paralympic Centre being built in lots eight Paralympians? I
:34:10. > :34:16.agree. Abby Kane made team GB at the age of 13. That is an inspiration in
:34:17. > :34:23.itself. She then went on to win a silver medal in Rio, which is
:34:24. > :34:26.absolutely fantastic and I think she has single-handedly demonstrated to
:34:27. > :34:30.a whole generation of young people, and young girls in particular, what
:34:31. > :34:41.they can achieve by hard work and dedication. So I absolutely support
:34:42. > :34:46.and salutes her prowess and bravery. In terms of investment, we have
:34:47. > :34:51.invested ?6 million into the overall investment into sport Scotland
:34:52. > :34:59.National Centre in Inverclyde which will open in spring 2017. It is a
:35:00. > :35:04.fully inclusive facility and will aid preparation for future games.
:35:05. > :35:09.I'm sure that is something Kenny Gibson will welcome. The centre will
:35:10. > :35:18.also be available to members of the local community and will provide a
:35:19. > :35:25.valuable assets of those who want to enjoy sport. What action is the
:35:26. > :35:34.Scottish government taking to reduce waiting times for young people refer
:35:35. > :35:40.to mental health facilities in Forth Valley? In the past there were far
:35:41. > :35:43.too many children who were on scene and he is neither are met. To
:35:44. > :35:51.respond to this we have doubled the number of psychologists working and
:35:52. > :35:54.were investing an additional ?150 million over this parliament and we
:35:55. > :35:59.will be publishing our new mental health strategy at the end of the
:36:00. > :36:10.year. The Minister for mental health has been clear that the target needs
:36:11. > :36:18.to be in fruit. The investment involves almost ?5 million for an
:36:19. > :36:24.access improvement team that has already started work. Clearly any
:36:25. > :36:29.additional support to urgently address this situation is welcome,
:36:30. > :36:37.but as has been mention, since the 18 week referral time target was
:36:38. > :36:46.introduced in December 2014, the number of young people receiving
:36:47. > :36:50.treatment has fallen from 56% down to 28%. It highlights that there are
:36:51. > :36:54.many young people who are in desperate need of support. This is
:36:55. > :37:00.the case not just in Forth Valley, but across Scotland. Evidence shows
:37:01. > :37:04.that half of all diagnosable mental health problems start before the age
:37:05. > :37:08.of 14. It's vital that young people get the help they said urgently need
:37:09. > :37:15.they need it. Will the First Minister listen to the calls to
:37:16. > :37:21.develop an urgent action plan for boards need this urgent support.
:37:22. > :37:24.It's not just the question of more money, it's a question of more
:37:25. > :37:27.expertise be made available and will she encouraged the minister for
:37:28. > :37:31.mental health to join me and meet with representatives from the health
:37:32. > :37:37.board to see how we can best address this urgent situation. The Minister
:37:38. > :37:40.of mental health will be happy to meet with the member and we will
:37:41. > :37:47.discuss these issues with health boards on an ongoing basis. This is
:37:48. > :37:53.something that I and all of us have to remind ourselves of. I regularly
:37:54. > :37:58.quote statistics in this Chamber, we all do, but behind every statistic
:37:59. > :38:03.is a human being. That's a timely reminder for all of us. That is why
:38:04. > :38:07.it is so important, firstly not to see the increasing demand as a
:38:08. > :38:13.problem, but to see it as a sign that more young are coming forward
:38:14. > :38:18.and also to recognise our responsibility to meet the demand.
:38:19. > :38:25.In terms of Forth Valley, the performance has been an acceptable
:38:26. > :38:29.-- unacceptable. It's not just about extra investment, although they are
:38:30. > :38:34.receiving help, but it's about expertise which is why I will draw
:38:35. > :38:49.his attention to the last part of my first answer to him, that we have a
:38:50. > :38:54.team that will bring the expertise to the and eventually bring the
:38:55. > :38:58.waiting times down. Will the First Minister agree that it's probably
:38:59. > :39:02.high time that members recognise the huge effort has been put on the
:39:03. > :39:06.ground to improve mental health services, particularly in Forth
:39:07. > :39:13.Valley. In Forth Valley there has been a complete redesign of service
:39:14. > :39:20.with additional investment. Can the First Minister confirm what extra
:39:21. > :39:25.investment has been made to aid dedicated professionals who deserve
:39:26. > :39:28.praise for improving the services? We have to remember that the
:39:29. > :39:33.dedication of the people working on the front line here, they are facing
:39:34. > :39:37.increased demand, but the fact that waiting times in some areas aren't
:39:38. > :39:42.as good as we want them to be is not down to any lack of dedication or
:39:43. > :39:46.hard work on the part. That is what I come back to the point that our
:39:47. > :39:53.responsibility is to increase capacity to meet demand. In terms of
:39:54. > :39:57.Forth Valley, as I said, it is receiving support from the new team
:39:58. > :40:05.to help them deliver on the new design. We are investing a further
:40:06. > :40:11.?1.3 million in Forth Valley to support reductions in waiting times.
:40:12. > :40:17.A further ?725,000 over three years to support innovation in the
:40:18. > :40:25.delivery of the service. That in addition to the ?500,000 delivered
:40:26. > :40:28.this year to support the workforce. There are intense efforts being made
:40:29. > :40:32.to support those on the front line and that will be replicated across
:40:33. > :40:35.Scotland in different ways so that we can see services that are capable
:40:36. > :40:47.of meeting the increased demand that young people are creating because
:40:48. > :40:55.the stigma of mental health is is thankfully reducing. We have heard
:40:56. > :41:01.about the increasing waiting times and there is no escaping that. This
:41:02. > :41:08.week a survey revealed a postcode lottery with children and young
:41:09. > :41:17.people in the water deprived areas having worse mental health. More
:41:18. > :41:29.investment is required. Does the First Minister share concerns that
:41:30. > :41:33.?150 million over five years might not be enough and what steps will be
:41:34. > :41:41.taken by the mental health Minister to keep that under review? Firstly,
:41:42. > :41:43.Monica Lennon is right in many of the points she has made,
:41:44. > :41:53.particularly to draw attention to the link in depravation and mental
:41:54. > :41:58.health. She also referred to a number of people who have submitted
:41:59. > :42:05.views to the strategy consultation and they will be taken into account.
:42:06. > :42:10.The hundred and ?50 million investment will help to increase
:42:11. > :42:16.capacity and improve waiting times. It's not about playing a particular
:42:17. > :42:20.sum of money, it about dedicating money for improvements. We will keep
:42:21. > :42:24.that under review as we implement the new mental health strategy, but
:42:25. > :42:27.there is an absolute determination on the part of the mental health
:42:28. > :42:31.Minister and the government to make sure we have services in Scotland
:42:32. > :42:36.that can meet the increased demand for rental services. Going back to
:42:37. > :42:43.something I said earlier on, which Monica Lenin was right to hint at,
:42:44. > :42:50.it's much about prevention as treatment. -- Monica Lennon. It's
:42:51. > :42:55.about improving the mental health, not just treating problems.
:42:56. > :43:02.Does the First Minister agree with me that the biggest single thing she
:43:03. > :43:06.could do to treat this issue is to have a specialist in every surgery
:43:07. > :43:11.across Scotland, that is the biggest spend to save initiative she could
:43:12. > :43:15.ever make? Well, we do agree that there needs to be more services in
:43:16. > :43:21.primary care, I indicated that in a previous answer, so we are committed
:43:22. > :43:25.to more link workers working in primary care settings, to improve
:43:26. > :43:30.the experience that patients have there, so, in principle I do agree
:43:31. > :43:36.with the sentiment of the question, I simply schaun against anybody in
:43:37. > :43:39.an issue that is as complex in this one in suggesting there is one magic
:43:40. > :43:44.bullet solution, there are a whole range of things we need to do to
:43:45. > :43:49.improve prevention but to improve treatment and accesses to service,
:43:50. > :43:53.that is why the holistic strategy we will produce by tend of the year is
:43:54. > :43:57.so important. The point raised, we will have a part to play in that but
:43:58. > :44:01.there are a range of other things we need to do as well. That concludes
:44:02. > :44:05.First Minister quayses. There we have it. The conclusion of
:44:06. > :44:10.questions to the First Minister, extensive discussion there of the
:44:11. > :44:14.question of mental health, the First Minister explained under
:44:15. > :44:18.preparation, that was raised by Willie Rennie, first, let us mull
:44:19. > :44:22.over some of the topics raised with my colleagues, Ian Swanson and Libby
:44:23. > :44:23.Brook, thank you for joining us. Let