:00:19. > :00:24.Hello, and welcome a wee bit later on today so we will go straight to
:00:25. > :00:30.the action in the chamber. For the third year winning she has cited
:00:31. > :00:34.weak management. She describes it as unacceptable, how does the First
:00:35. > :00:37.Minister put it? I actually agree with the conclusion that the auditor
:00:38. > :00:42.general has reached in the report published this morning. She says
:00:43. > :00:47.police Scotland have taken steps to improve financial leadership, and
:00:48. > :00:52.governance and arrangements, but these arrangements have not yet had
:00:53. > :00:55.a chance to have an impact. So, police Scotland and the Scottish
:00:56. > :00:58.police authority are working to improve their financial management
:00:59. > :01:02.and I think that is something the chamber should support. For the part
:01:03. > :01:06.of the Scottish Government, we are working with the police authority
:01:07. > :01:08.and the police Scotland to ensure the financial sustainability of
:01:09. > :01:13.policing in the years ahead. That is why in the draft budget we have put
:01:14. > :01:18.forward a real times increasing protections for the resource budget
:01:19. > :01:23.of the Scottish police authority and an increase in the capital budget,
:01:24. > :01:26.continuing also the reform budget which is all intended to put the
:01:27. > :01:32.police on a good financial footing so that they can continue the
:01:33. > :01:36.excellent work that they do. I note the First Minister's reply and will
:01:37. > :01:40.get the budget in a second. That's about the report itself, the master
:01:41. > :01:45.the auditor general said there was a potential funding gap of ?84
:01:46. > :01:49.million. This year, we learnt that the cumulative funding gap that our
:01:50. > :01:57.police service may face if the cause of this Parliament is now running at
:01:58. > :02:03.?190 million. Call leadership is responsible says audit Scotland it
:02:04. > :02:12.says there are in accurate records. Ayes port leadership. Her Majesty's
:02:13. > :02:17.this... Urgent work is still needed to improve the way public funds are
:02:18. > :02:22.being spent. So, does the First Minister really have confidence that
:02:23. > :02:26.this is a system is working or indeed improving? Well, the auditor
:02:27. > :02:29.general said in section 22 report published this morning, and they
:02:30. > :02:37.quoted this in response to Ruth Davidson's Elliott question that the
:02:38. > :02:40.SP and police Scotland are taking steps to improve, but these have not
:02:41. > :02:44.yet had a chance to have an impact. That is the conclusion of the
:02:45. > :02:48.auditor general and one I support. In terms of the wider budget issues,
:02:49. > :02:52.as I have said, we are protecting the resource budget of the Scottish
:02:53. > :02:55.police authority in real pounds. That is important given the
:02:56. > :03:02.challenges facing our police service. -- in real times. The
:03:03. > :03:06.reform budget should have ended completely by now is being continued
:03:07. > :03:10.to assist the police with the ongoing work of reform. The police
:03:11. > :03:14.are also working as members will be aware, on their long-time strategic
:03:15. > :03:18.plans and associated financial strategy, as part of the police
:03:19. > :03:24.seemed Willey policing 2026 programme. I met with the Chief
:03:25. > :03:27.Constable Elliott this month to discuss their progress with this
:03:28. > :03:31.work. We will continue to work with and support the police as they face
:03:32. > :03:38.up to the charms ahead. Can I save this one final thing? There would by
:03:39. > :03:43.now be additional 25 thousand pounds year available to the police, if,
:03:44. > :03:47.the Conservatives don't like to hear this, there would be ?25 million a
:03:48. > :03:54.year extra available to invest in our police, if the United Kingdom
:03:55. > :03:59.government did not insist on making police Scotland the only police
:04:00. > :04:02.authority in the entirety of the UK to have to pay VAT. We'll Ruth
:04:03. > :04:11.Davidson get behind our calls to stop that? -- will Ruth Davidson.
:04:12. > :04:18.The charges from the audited general are weak financial initiative.
:04:19. > :04:24.Running to Westminster is not exactly going to cut it, First
:04:25. > :04:29.Minister. Do you know, there is something familiar about all the
:04:30. > :04:37.responses we have had so far today. All we have his, it's regretful,
:04:38. > :04:48.it's in the past, we will do better. The Scottish Government said exactly
:04:49. > :04:53.the same thing last year, "A year on police Scotland is now staring down
:04:54. > :04:59.the barrel of a ?190 million budget deficit. We have heard all before.
:05:00. > :05:03.And if she I want to come on to bomb the two reports today and that is
:05:04. > :05:15.transparency. The auditor general -- come onto to day. ... Let me just
:05:16. > :05:22.read their bait from the report, "The Scottish police authority
:05:23. > :05:27.allocated ?972.9 million to police Scotland for 2016 to 2017, there was
:05:28. > :05:32.very little detail provided to the SBA board and its papers about what
:05:33. > :05:36.this allocation was to deliver, in other words, nearly ?1 billion of
:05:37. > :05:43.funds handed to police Scotland, without us know what it was for."
:05:44. > :05:51.Does the First Minister ban is as extraordinary as I do? The billion
:05:52. > :05:53.pounds that we invest in police provide the police officers the
:05:54. > :06:02.length and breadth of this country that keep this country safe. If Ruth
:06:03. > :06:07.Davidson doesn't know the police budget is for, then I suggest she
:06:08. > :06:17.does a bit more home-working future. Let me return to -- a bit more
:06:18. > :06:24.home-working the future. Let me return to... The audit Scotland
:06:25. > :06:28.report, when I quoted did Elliott on I was doing exactly that, quoting
:06:29. > :06:33.the auditor General. I will do it again. It is the conclusion of the
:06:34. > :06:42.report this morning "The SBA and police Scotland have have increased
:06:43. > :06:47.steps that have not had a chance to make an impact." That is the view of
:06:48. > :06:53.the auditor general, not my view. I would expect police Scotland to act
:06:54. > :06:57.on all the representations by audit Scotland and by Her Majesty's
:06:58. > :07:03.Inspector of Constabulary. But I noticed that Ruth Davidson did not
:07:04. > :07:10.address one point, the VAT position. This is material. UK Government
:07:11. > :07:14.tells was that because the police service in Scotland is funded by
:07:15. > :07:19.central government, then it has got to pay VAT. But, when the UK
:07:20. > :07:24.Government decided to set up academy schools in England and fund them
:07:25. > :07:29.from central government, do we know what it did? It then amended that
:07:30. > :07:39.that act in order to exempt academy schools from fact. So, there is ?25
:07:40. > :07:46.million at GM right now that should be going to our police service that
:07:47. > :07:49.is going to the Treasury. Ruth Davidson will not have any
:07:50. > :07:54.credibility standing here talking about police in till she backs or is
:07:55. > :07:58.in telling her Tory colleagues in Westminster to do the right thing
:07:59. > :08:07.and stop taking money out of the pockets of our police service.
:08:08. > :08:10.APPLAUSE The Scottish Government were warned
:08:11. > :08:13.about VAT, they didn't listen to Parliament and you know the First
:08:14. > :08:20.Minister is in trouble when she can't answer to herself. Twice to
:08:21. > :08:26.day affairs Minister has stood up and talk about the increasing police
:08:27. > :08:30.budget. I want to challenge hair on that. The Scottish Government is
:08:31. > :08:35.claiming that the policing budget is going up by ?7 in real terms, but
:08:36. > :08:40.like everything else in last week's budget it is not quite what it
:08:41. > :08:47.seems. The reform budget that was 55 main pounds last year was reduced to
:08:48. > :08:52.36 main pounds this year. -- 50 ?5 million. They say that despite its
:08:53. > :08:57.name, this budget is crucial in terms of service to live free. In
:08:58. > :09:04.fact, far from increasing the amount of money per single force has, the
:09:05. > :09:13.SNP is cutting it by almost 12 million. Can I ask, on top of cuts
:09:14. > :09:16.to councils and double accounting, isn't this another stealth cut that
:09:17. > :09:23.is emerging from the unravelling budget? The resource budget of the
:09:24. > :09:29.Scottish police authority is not increasing by ?7 million as Ruth
:09:30. > :09:32.Davidson said, it is increasing by ?19 million real pounds protection
:09:33. > :09:38.for the resource budget. The capital budget is going up by just under ?4
:09:39. > :09:44.million, also a real pounds increase. Ruth Davidson talks about
:09:45. > :09:47.the reform budget, the free-form budget should be completely ended to
:09:48. > :09:53.financial years ago, instead of that we have continued the supports to
:09:54. > :09:59.assist the police to make the bombs that they need. Let's come back to
:10:00. > :10:02.the nub of this issue. We have Ruth Davidson standing up here as she
:10:03. > :10:07.does week after week, asking for more money for the police, for the
:10:08. > :10:13.health service, for education, where is that money coming on? Because,
:10:14. > :10:18.the only criticism last week that she wanted to make about our budget
:10:19. > :10:24.was that we went giving big enough tax cuts to the richest and is in
:10:25. > :10:29.Scotland. Here is the incoherence and the inconsistency at the heart
:10:30. > :10:32.of the Tory proposition. Tax cuts for the rich but standing up here
:10:33. > :10:40.asking for more money for public services. Of course, there is a
:10:41. > :10:46.potential source of additional money for our police service, as we know,.
:10:47. > :10:52.What she has stood up and conceded is that the UK's government refusal
:10:53. > :10:57.to exempt our police service from vat is nothing more then political
:10:58. > :11:03.spite. They can do it but academy schools in England, but will not do
:11:04. > :11:06.for police services across Scotland. That is at Willey absolutely
:11:07. > :11:07.despicable and the Tories should be ashamed of themselves.
:11:08. > :11:18.CHEERING APPLAUSE
:11:19. > :11:22.Question number two, Kezia Dugdale. On behalf of the Labour Party can I
:11:23. > :11:27.wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and happy New Year. Laughter macro
:11:28. > :11:31.in that spirit as the First Minister what engagements she has banned the
:11:32. > :11:36.rest of the week? Engagements to take forward the government's
:11:37. > :11:40.programme for Scotland. This morning audit Scotland published a damning
:11:41. > :11:46.report into Scotland's police bodies, this will port was laid
:11:47. > :11:53.before Parliament -- this report. The decision to publish the report
:11:54. > :11:57.before we break for the Christmas holidays was the Scottish's
:11:58. > :12:05.decision. Can I add the First Minister what she was time to hide?
:12:06. > :12:10.The report requires to be laid before Parliament by the 31st of
:12:11. > :12:15.December each year. The accounts were only would prove Willey
:12:16. > :12:18.approved last Thursday afternoon so we have published the report to give
:12:19. > :12:25.Parliament due chance to consider it. The evidence that Parliament is
:12:26. > :12:29.able to properly consider and scrutinise it is right before is to
:12:30. > :12:35.date, given that the opposition leaders asking questions about it.
:12:36. > :12:40.Kezia Dugdale. Is this the First Minister who time and time again
:12:41. > :12:47.promises openness and transparency? Shi Powles is that she respects the
:12:48. > :12:54.Parliament. -- she tells us that she was backs Parliament. And this is
:12:55. > :13:02.how she treats it. This is a serious report about police. They could be a
:13:03. > :13:07.funding gap by the end of this Parliament. This will cause
:13:08. > :13:12.considerable alarm inconvenient Terry communities across Scotland.
:13:13. > :13:14.Rather than having a force that is committed to keeping our communities
:13:15. > :13:20.safer we have one desperately trying to balance the books. When will the
:13:21. > :13:25.First Minister realise that our public services are in crisis?
:13:26. > :13:30.Firstly, on the timing of the report as I said we have into the 31st of
:13:31. > :13:35.December to publish and laid this report, the fact that it has been
:13:36. > :13:41.done, it is a nine page report even the opposition can manage to bleed
:13:42. > :13:47.that in an hour and a half, -- managed to read. The fact that it
:13:48. > :13:53.has been published this morning gives every opposition the chance to
:13:54. > :13:57.ask questions at First Minister's Questions, as they are doing. In
:13:58. > :14:01.times of the financial position of the police, as I have said, the
:14:02. > :14:07.resort 's budget of the police is being protected in real terms. The
:14:08. > :14:11.capital budget of the police is increasing by more than a real
:14:12. > :14:16.pounds increase, we are continuing support through the rubble budget
:14:17. > :14:23.and we are continuing to make the case for the police no longer having
:14:24. > :14:27.to play VAT. Can I ask the Labour Party today will they support others
:14:28. > :14:35.in asking the Tories to stop taking money out of the pocket
:14:36. > :14:48.we can read it in 90 minutes, First Minister, it's a shame that it took
:14:49. > :14:54.you a week! If the First Minister had any confidence in this report,
:14:55. > :14:59.she wouldn't have published it two hours before the Christmas recess.
:15:00. > :15:03.As the year draws to a close, it is a good idea to look back at the
:15:04. > :15:10.record of the SNP. School standards are slipping, and the budget is
:15:11. > :15:13.unravelling in slow motion. SNP MSPs should be embarrassed by this
:15:14. > :15:21.budget, not queueing up to get copies of it signed. There is a
:15:22. > :15:26.shortfall of ?200 million in the police service, and this is a
:15:27. > :15:33.service she says she is protecting. God help our schools and hospitals.
:15:34. > :15:37.The truth is, the SNP is cutting ?327 million from local services.
:15:38. > :15:44.When will the First Minister use the powers of this Parliament and do the
:15:45. > :15:50.right thing, stop the cuts? Well, in the unlikely event that Labour had
:15:51. > :15:56.won the election, the budget would be going up by inflation. Under this
:15:57. > :16:01.government, it will be going up by more than inflation. In terms of
:16:02. > :16:07.funding for local services, in terms of the Draft Budget it will increase
:16:08. > :16:12.by ?240 million. That includes ?120 million more for our schools, it
:16:13. > :16:17.includes an extra ?107 million for social care to provide the services
:16:18. > :16:22.that we need in order to alleviate the pressure is on our National
:16:23. > :16:27.Health Service. So this is a budget about protecting public services. If
:16:28. > :16:31.we want to look back, if we want to look back on the relative records of
:16:32. > :16:36.different parties over the past year, then the crowning glory of
:16:37. > :16:53.Kezia Dugdale has been the lead her party to 15% in the opinion polls.
:16:54. > :17:02.We are nearing the end of the session. But the members please just
:17:03. > :17:10.listen to each other. Bob Doris. Thank you, Poseidon offers. First
:17:11. > :17:14.Minister, I recently was raised serious concerns about the plans for
:17:15. > :17:20.the job centre at the Department of you so much work and pensions. The
:17:21. > :17:28.distance cost and time taken to the job centre, eight employability
:17:29. > :17:33.services, potential sanctions to name but a few. Can I ask the First
:17:34. > :17:36.Minister to make representations to the UK Government over any concerns
:17:37. > :17:40.it may share over how vulnerable groups may be impacted by the
:17:41. > :17:43.proposed closures, and whether she agrees with me that it would be best
:17:44. > :17:49.for the current proposals to close eight job centres were abandoned by
:17:50. > :17:55.Jobcentre plus and a fundamental rethink over how best to support
:17:56. > :17:59.groups within the city. Well, Bob Doris raises real concerns. They are
:18:00. > :18:03.concerns I share not least because these changes, if they were to go
:18:04. > :18:08.ahead, would affect my own constituents on the south side of
:18:09. > :18:10.Glasgow as well. I know the Minister for employability and training has
:18:11. > :18:18.already raised concerns over the impact of these changes and groups
:18:19. > :18:21.in Glasgow, -- vulnerable groups. It could result in additional costs for
:18:22. > :18:25.those who have to travel further to access them. He is seeking further
:18:26. > :18:31.clarification on the future of Jobcentre plus across the rest of
:18:32. > :18:35.the country, not just Glasgow. I understand that the DWP has extended
:18:36. > :18:40.its plans until January, and I have asked that the use of the Scottish
:18:41. > :18:47.Government are expressed clearly and directly by that date -- the views.
:18:48. > :18:52.The epicentre of Storm Barbara will be in the Highlands and Islands,
:18:53. > :18:56.winds of up to 90 mph will destroy property, cut power lines and
:18:57. > :19:00.dislocate road, rail, ferry and air services. Is the First Minister
:19:01. > :19:03.confident that the trials bought system is prepared for and resilient
:19:04. > :19:10.enough to cope with the forthcoming severe weather. The member raises
:19:11. > :19:13.important issues of concern. Scottish Government resilient
:19:14. > :19:17.arrangements have been activated already the ensure that Scotland is
:19:18. > :19:23.as prepared as possible for the severe weather expected this week.
:19:24. > :19:30.The authorities have activated the plans to deal with impact, and extra
:19:31. > :19:34.staffing and on-call or in place. The Minister for transport in the
:19:35. > :19:37.islands chaired a meeting to discuss the Scottish Government resilient
:19:38. > :19:40.arrangements, and will continue to chair the daily adverse weather
:19:41. > :19:44.meetings going forward. Public safety of course remains an absolute
:19:45. > :19:48.top priority. I would urge people to listen to the latest advice on local
:19:49. > :19:49.radio and digital channels and obviously to check before they
:19:50. > :19:58.travel. Still on storms, as we approach the
:19:59. > :20:02.anniversary of Storm Frank, an estimated 70 families have still not
:20:03. > :20:06.returned to their homes. Aberdeenshire Council has spent over
:20:07. > :20:11.?11 million on the clean-up bill. The residents of feeling forgotten.
:20:12. > :20:14.Flood repairs is inadequate or nonexistent, and they are rightly
:20:15. > :20:17.concerned they are still at risk this winter. Come the First Minister
:20:18. > :20:23.reassure them that the Scottish Government is doing all they can to
:20:24. > :20:27.protect them from future floods? Yes, I can. It is an important
:20:28. > :20:33.issue. I saw much of this with my own eyes this time last year, the
:20:34. > :20:35.damage that flooding did to many individuals, and indeed the many
:20:36. > :20:38.businesses across both the northern parts of the country and the
:20:39. > :20:42.southern parts of the country as well. I can assure the member that
:20:43. > :20:46.those affected and those who are still out of their homes after the
:20:47. > :20:50.damage last year have not been forgotten. The Scottish Government
:20:51. > :20:53.has been with our partners in local authorities and will continue to do
:20:54. > :20:57.everything we can, both to ensure that the damage for those affected
:20:58. > :21:01.is dealt with and they get back into their homes as quickly as possible,
:21:02. > :21:05.but also throughout flood risk management planning. We can never
:21:06. > :21:11.eliminate, but we reduce the risk of it happening in the future. To ask
:21:12. > :21:16.the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of
:21:17. > :21:22.the Cabinet. Of importance to the people of Scotland. Apex Scotland
:21:23. > :21:26.has 30 years experience working in prisons. Its chief executive says
:21:27. > :21:30.that a majority of young offenders have a mental health condition. Yet
:21:31. > :21:39.he also says access to mental health services is poor or nonexistent. The
:21:40. > :21:43.latest figures show that attempted suicides at a young offenders
:21:44. > :21:48.institute went up sixfold in just one year. Apex Scotland is a mental
:21:49. > :21:55.health services for young offenders are being left Barbie Hynde. -- say
:21:56. > :21:58.mental health services are being left far behind. Come the First
:21:59. > :22:03.Minister give me a guarantee that mental health services for young
:22:04. > :22:06.offenders will change? That is certainly the intention of the
:22:07. > :22:10.Scottish Government. I agree with Willie Rennie. If mental health
:22:11. > :22:14.services generally, this is not a new thing, this is a generations old
:22:15. > :22:18.issue, if mental health services have tended to be the Cinderella
:22:19. > :22:22.services, this is true when dealing with young offenders particularly in
:22:23. > :22:25.our prisons. It is absolutely the case that many people, particularly
:22:26. > :22:29.young people who find themselves in prison, will suffer from mental
:22:30. > :22:33.health issues. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us that they
:22:34. > :22:37.have access to good quality mental health services to deal with what
:22:38. > :22:40.are from the underlying causes of the offending. I said before in this
:22:41. > :22:47.Chamber many times and I will say it again, we are seeing an increase, a
:22:48. > :22:49.substantial increase, in demand for mental health services. And we
:22:50. > :22:52.should recognise that as a positive in terms of the reducing stigma
:22:53. > :22:55.associated with mental health. But we have an absolute obligation to
:22:56. > :22:59.make sure that we can beat that rising demand. That is why our
:23:00. > :23:02.mental health strategy is so important, why we are taking so much
:23:03. > :23:06.time and chemical ensure that we get that right. Also the additional
:23:07. > :23:09.investment we have planned in mental health services is so important as
:23:10. > :23:14.well stop right the problem for the First Minister is that that mental
:23:15. > :23:21.health strategy doesn't even mention mental health services for young
:23:22. > :23:23.offenders. Not one mention within it. I have told her before that many
:23:24. > :23:26.organisations think the strategy is just not good enough. Murray Kure
:23:27. > :23:30.say there is nothing for the terminally ill. It has been
:23:31. > :23:35.criticised by the RCA, psychiatrists, and buy a whole lot
:23:36. > :23:40.of charities. The ?10 million announced at the weekend was a drop
:23:41. > :23:44.in the ocean. All the while, people are struggling. Hundreds of
:23:45. > :23:50.teenagers are still waiting over one year to get the help they need. 11
:23:51. > :23:56.out of 14 health boards can't even meet the basic target and Police
:23:57. > :24:02.Scotland has lost 200,000 working days from mental ill-health. Does
:24:03. > :24:04.the First Minister except that this draft mental health strategy, which
:24:05. > :24:10.is already a year late, needs a major rebate? I think the problem
:24:11. > :24:13.for Willie Rennie is that he is alleging that the mental health
:24:14. > :24:16.strategy doesn't cover this particular issue, but the mental
:24:17. > :24:21.health strategy hasn't actually been published yet. It will not be
:24:22. > :24:24.published until the New Year, and we are taking time and care to make
:24:25. > :24:27.sure that the responses, some of which have been cited by Willie
:24:28. > :24:33.Rennie, are appropriately taken into account. In fact, I think the
:24:34. > :24:36.committee of this very Parliament asked that we didn't publish it
:24:37. > :24:41.until they had had the opportunity to properly feed into that process.
:24:42. > :24:45.A draft document the consultation is a normal part of the process in
:24:46. > :24:49.developing these strategies. What we hear, the input we get from
:24:50. > :24:53.organisations like the one Willie Rennie has broken about, is a
:24:54. > :24:56.crucial part is that when we do publish the final strategy it does
:24:57. > :25:00.take account of these very important points. I would encourage Willie
:25:01. > :25:03.Rennie and any other member of this Chamber to continue to play a
:25:04. > :25:07.constructive role in helping us ensure that on this very important
:25:08. > :25:14.issue we do get it right in all of these different aspects. In terms of
:25:15. > :25:17.the general point about mental health services, I continue to
:25:18. > :25:20.recognise the big challenge because of rising demand. But we are seeing
:25:21. > :25:25.and we have got a lot of work sold to do. We are seeing rising numbers
:25:26. > :25:28.of workers in this area. We are starting to see waiting times
:25:29. > :25:32.improve. Although they have got an awful long way to go. We have got a
:25:33. > :25:36.lot to do. But I think we are heading in the right direction. And
:25:37. > :25:44.our mental health strategy will help us accelerate the pace of that. When
:25:45. > :25:47.that is published in the New Year. I hope that all members of the Chamber
:25:48. > :25:49.will help get behind it. This is one of the most important issues, not
:25:50. > :25:52.just for the Government but for all of our partners working in this area
:25:53. > :26:00.to get to grips with in the years to come. Supplementary. Thank you. The
:26:01. > :26:02.was the First Minister what the focus of the Scottish Goverment's
:26:03. > :26:10.new International development strategy will be? Our new
:26:11. > :26:15.international development strategy was published yesterday. It has at
:26:16. > :26:18.its core the aim of tackling global poverty, injustice and inequality,
:26:19. > :26:23.working in partnership with others to achieve the UN global goals.
:26:24. > :26:27.Since 2005, we have supported hundreds of projects, delivering
:26:28. > :26:31.health care, giving children access to education, families access to
:26:32. > :26:35.energy and employment, to lift themselves out of poverty. The
:26:36. > :26:39.strategy will build on this work and will focus on four partner
:26:40. > :26:43.countries, Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda and Pakistan, to allow our funding
:26:44. > :26:50.to have a great impact on the people we work with. Last Thursday, thank
:26:51. > :26:54.you very much, last Thursday the Cabinet Secretary provided me with a
:26:55. > :26:58.written answer about as MP committee meetings being held behind closed
:26:59. > :27:03.doors. The Cabinet Secretary said it was a matter for the SBA. Later that
:27:04. > :27:08.day, a member of the SBA raised their concerns about openness and
:27:09. > :27:12.transparency. Now the HMI CS report, published about 90 minutes ago,
:27:13. > :27:16.which goes to 17 pages, if the First Minister has got to page five,
:27:17. > :27:24.however, she will have read that he questions the decision to hold
:27:25. > :27:27.committee meetings in private. What will the First Minister do to ensure
:27:28. > :27:29.that the SNP carry out their functions in ways that are
:27:30. > :27:31.proportionate, accountable and transparent as required by the
:27:32. > :27:35.reform act which her Government past? I expect the SBA to take
:27:36. > :27:41.account of a make sure it implements the views of the recommendations of
:27:42. > :27:43.both the Auditor General, but also of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of
:27:44. > :27:48.girls dub the ring. That includes the views that have been expressed
:27:49. > :27:55.this morning -- Inspectorate of Constabulary. Thank you. Given the
:27:56. > :27:59.unacceptable position by Greater Glasgow health board to close the
:28:00. > :28:03.outpatient facility centre for integrated care, this is a decision
:28:04. > :28:07.under the original agreement that can only be taken by the Secretary
:28:08. > :28:10.of State for Scotland, now devolved to her government. Will the First
:28:11. > :28:16.Minister now respect the decision of this Parliament in a vote to call
:28:17. > :28:23.this in and instruct the Health Secretary to stop hiding behind the
:28:24. > :28:27.board and call this in? Well, as the member is aware, we take all of
:28:28. > :28:31.these decisions very seriously. We asked the Scottish health Council to
:28:32. > :28:34.inform decisions about what service changes or proposed service changes
:28:35. > :28:38.are to be treated as major service changes and which do not require
:28:39. > :28:42.that. We will continue to follow that advice and make sure that we
:28:43. > :28:45.give support to local services, but also that we are supporting the
:28:46. > :28:47.reforms that are required in our health service to make sure that
:28:48. > :28:54.patients across the country get the services they are entitled to
:28:55. > :28:58.expect. To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish
:28:59. > :29:02.Government has had with the UK Government regarding the proposal by
:29:03. > :29:04.the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
:29:05. > :29:10.that holders of public office should swear an oath to uphold British
:29:11. > :29:13.values? Well, the Scottish Government has had no communication
:29:14. > :29:18.from the UK Government in relation to the Secretary of State's
:29:19. > :29:22.premature, in my view, responds to the report on social cohesion. We
:29:23. > :29:25.respect the work published by Dame Louise Casey in the integration and
:29:26. > :29:27.opportunity, and the Scottish Government will consider her
:29:28. > :29:34.suggestions carefully in terms of the relevance to Scotland.
:29:35. > :29:42.I wonder if the First Minister's is any clearer than I am as to what
:29:43. > :29:46.British values actually are, and if everyone in Scotland is to boost
:29:47. > :29:54.have them? I, certainly for one, do not feel particularly British. -- is
:29:55. > :29:58.supposed to have them. I think these are important issues, we respect the
:29:59. > :30:02.work is being carried out by Dame Louise Casey, it deserves to be
:30:03. > :30:06.given proper consideration, and I would suggest the UK Government
:30:07. > :30:12.should do the same. Commit giving proper consideration rather than
:30:13. > :30:15.taking the premature step of announcing the all public services
:30:16. > :30:21.should swear an oath will stop it potentially risks the exclusion of
:30:22. > :30:24.people who do not define their values as uniquely British. As a
:30:25. > :30:28.nation, hope this is something that all members would agree with, as a
:30:29. > :30:32.nation, Scotland has a long history of welcoming people of all
:30:33. > :30:37.nationalities seasonal dates. We are committed of supporting integration
:30:38. > :30:45.into our communities. -- and all faiths. Not through the swelling of
:30:46. > :30:49.oaths but by creating a community where diversity is celebrated. Where
:30:50. > :30:53.we did people on the contribution they make to our country when they
:30:54. > :30:55.hear and don't expect them to give up their own identities and
:30:56. > :31:03.backgrounds in the process. APPLAUSE
:31:04. > :31:06.. Thank you, can I declare an interest, I think a decade ago
:31:07. > :31:14.non-oddballs were predicted growth of online sales... Sorry? --
:31:15. > :31:20.non-oars. I thought you did ask the supplementary, this is a general
:31:21. > :31:36.supplementary, apologies. You can't ask your question? I can't?
:31:37. > :31:43.Mr Russell will be happy with the very sympathetic response from the
:31:44. > :31:49.chamber. Question number five, Liz Smith. To ask the First Minister
:31:50. > :31:52.what the Scottish Government's response is typical by the
:31:53. > :31:58.Association of head teachers and deputies in Scotland for the
:31:59. > :32:03.extension of powers to headteachers. We welcome the response to the
:32:04. > :32:06.government's review family Association, which proposes the
:32:07. > :32:12.powers of art headteachers in order to have the biggest positive
:32:13. > :32:20.unlearning and teaching. That's macro powers of our headteachers. I
:32:21. > :32:28.thank the First Minister for that, good to hear. She will act most are
:32:29. > :32:31.very long outstanding success of Jordanhill School in Glasgow, but
:32:32. > :32:41.she will note to that a number of schools that want to adopt different
:32:42. > :32:46.governments, face some restraints. Will, the First Minister confirm
:32:47. > :32:52.whether it is the intention to amend the original legislation to make it
:32:53. > :32:59.easier to meet the growing demand to reach diversity, and give more
:33:00. > :33:03.powers to parents? I think we made it clear desire to see more power
:33:04. > :33:06.line with headteachers and individual scores, that indeed is
:33:07. > :33:12.the presumption that lies at the heart of the Governor's review. That
:33:13. > :33:17.said, Sweeney made it a clear, when the review was launched that we
:33:18. > :33:21.believe that local councils should have accountability for education,
:33:22. > :33:26.but I absolutely want to make sure that the steps we take our guided by
:33:27. > :33:29.the need to raise standards and close the opinion that, not by
:33:30. > :33:33.ideology on one side of the other. That is why we set up the review and
:33:34. > :33:39.why we will listen to all contributions made to the government
:33:40. > :33:45.'s review. It closes on the 6th of January. John Sweeney will set out
:33:46. > :33:51.our plans, including whether there is any requirement for legislative
:33:52. > :33:54.change after that. Thank you, I welcome the First Minister's
:33:55. > :33:59.acknowledgement of the pivotal role that headteachers play in providing
:34:00. > :34:03.leadership in schools across my constituency and the whole of
:34:04. > :34:09.Scotland. Kent she advise what the Scottish Government is doing to
:34:10. > :34:14.strengthen school leadership. -- can she advise. Strengthening leadership
:34:15. > :34:19.was a key recommendation of the review of Scottish education, and
:34:20. > :34:23.the changes we are proposing in the consultation are intended to do
:34:24. > :34:28.that. This will in able that future headteachers have the leadership
:34:29. > :34:33.skills and support they need by the draft education gives flexibility to
:34:34. > :34:36.deal with individual, local circumstances, particularly
:34:37. > :34:41.Malaysians temporary appointments. We recognise the importance of
:34:42. > :34:52.educational leadership -- including temporary appointments.
:34:53. > :34:58.Thank you, 18 out of 29 headteachers in Shetland already teach pupils in
:34:59. > :35:04.classrooms, they struggle to find enough time in the day, as it is, so
:35:05. > :35:07.if the government plan to give headteachers more responsibilities
:35:08. > :35:13.what part of their workload will go? I think there is a strong desire on
:35:14. > :35:16.the part of headteachers to have the greater responsibility that we are
:35:17. > :35:18.talking about, but I absolutely recognise, I don't think John
:35:19. > :35:23.Swinney could be any clearer since he took up the post of educational
:35:24. > :35:31.secretary about the need to make sure we address issues of excessive
:35:32. > :35:36.workloads. I also would acknowledge very much that in the all island
:35:37. > :35:40.areas in particular, that may be a particular challenge that we have
:35:41. > :35:45.got to address and I'm sure that John Swinney would be happy to
:35:46. > :35:50.discuss that directly. All of these issues are once we take into
:35:51. > :35:57.account, but are absolute determination, as I've said many,
:35:58. > :36:01.many times, is to raise standards in our schools and close the attainment
:36:02. > :36:06.gap. I believe one of the ways of doing that is to support leadership
:36:07. > :36:10.in our schools and give the leaders in our schools the ability, the
:36:11. > :36:17.powers and freedoms to get on with the jobs that they do best. Question
:36:18. > :36:34.number six. To ask the first government what to link
:36:35. > :36:37.To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's
:36:38. > :36:40.sleeping on Scotland's streets this Christmas.
:36:41. > :36:50.the number of people sleeping rough has the creased every year. We are
:36:51. > :36:55.working with stakeholders to gather more robust data on the figures of
:36:56. > :36:59.those rough sleeping and to assess the often very complex needs of
:37:00. > :37:02.them. So that we continue to take action to support people to meet off
:37:03. > :37:09.the street and into a home of their own. I thank you for that answer, it
:37:10. > :37:13.is a sad fact that there will be many people sleeping what this
:37:14. > :37:18.Christmas across our streets, a measurable scourge on our society.
:37:19. > :37:25.The figures I have shows that lasted there is a dramatic increase on Bob
:37:26. > :37:31.sleeping. In Glasgow, showed this trend is likely to continue. -- on
:37:32. > :37:37.both sleeping. We know that they are turning people away from night
:37:38. > :37:41.shelters. There seems to be a severe shortage for women of urgency
:37:42. > :37:44.accommodation, for some reason. I ask her if she will look at two
:37:45. > :37:53.areas of government policy in this regard. Would she ensure there is
:37:54. > :38:00.provision for women in emergency night shelters? Secondly, would she
:38:01. > :38:08.looked at the model adopted in Nordic countries, and in Glasgow, of
:38:09. > :38:12.housing first, a model which provides quickly accommodation,
:38:13. > :38:15.permanent homes, and were the services down the person's
:38:16. > :38:19.particular problems which may be the problems that have led them to
:38:20. > :38:27.homelessness in the first place. That is set me a policy web looking.
:38:28. > :38:32.-- worth looking at. Thank you for raising the issue and ball their
:38:33. > :38:36.constructive suggestion. The point she makes particularly about access
:38:37. > :38:42.to nine shelters for women is an important one. On the second one
:38:43. > :38:46.about housing first model that is something that we are very open to
:38:47. > :38:51.looking into, although some of our local authorities will already use a
:38:52. > :38:57.model that is not dissimilar to the housing options work that they do.
:38:58. > :39:00.The Church of Scotland's new moderator, specifically asked that
:39:01. > :39:05.we looked at this model and I gave him a commitment that would would
:39:06. > :39:09.do. What is true, and I think the question goes to the heart of this,
:39:10. > :39:12.people that find themselves what sleeping will very often the people
:39:13. > :39:15.whose needs are not just accommodation needs, they have
:39:16. > :39:22.accommodation needs, but they will have very complex, multifaceted
:39:23. > :39:28.needs as well, so we have to do look at tackling the problem in that
:39:29. > :39:31.holistic way. I also think it is important, the official statistics
:39:32. > :39:34.would say that what sleeping has been reducing, but we do know that
:39:35. > :39:38.these will not necessarily tell the whole story, which is why we are
:39:39. > :39:43.working with partners to try and get more robust data. I'm happy to make
:39:44. > :39:53.a commitment to log in to break points made by Pauline McNeill. --
:39:54. > :39:56.look into both points. To ask the First Minister what action the
:39:57. > :40:06.Scottish Government is taking to support the Christmas tree industry?
:40:07. > :40:14.Well, well, personally I am delighted that there are two home
:40:15. > :40:19.loan to use in Bute House this Christmas. I would encourage people,
:40:20. > :40:22.if they haven't already bought their tree this Christmas, to consider
:40:23. > :40:28.buying a Scottish grain trade, and if they have already bought thereto,
:40:29. > :40:32.to consider it for next Christmas. The Christmas tree industry is a
:40:33. > :40:35.privately funded sector, but we are permitted, absolutely as a
:40:36. > :40:39.government to continue the investment in Scotland's wider
:40:40. > :40:50.forestry section, an important part of our economy. The draft budget
:40:51. > :40:55.protects funding per forestry. I thank the First Minister for her
:40:56. > :41:00.answer and I'm delighted that she has bought two Christmas trees and
:41:01. > :41:05.hope they Scottish trees. Only 55% of the UK's Christmas trees are
:41:06. > :41:09.produced on Scotland many on the area that I represent. We still
:41:10. > :41:15.import over 2 million Christmas trees in the UK every year, said
:41:16. > :41:19.there is more to do. But, as she pointed out, it is not just
:41:20. > :41:23.Christmas trees that are important to Scotland, commercial forestry is
:41:24. > :41:30.as well. Especially if we are to meet Scotland's tended need and the
:41:31. > :41:31.government's environmental targets. These have been missed for the last
:41:32. > :41:48.three years. Alba Peter in case you didn't get
:41:49. > :41:52.the first time, the SNP have missed their planting target the last
:41:53. > :41:55.three. Does the best minister really believe that the additional
:41:56. > :41:59.ballpoint million announced in the budget will be enough to make up the
:42:00. > :42:09.shortfall which no one believes it will, to hit the target of 100,000
:42:10. > :42:14.hectares of planted eye 2020? The Tory spending commitment of really
:42:15. > :42:18.piling up today, an they? On progeny, they are relying on Santa
:42:19. > :42:27.to deliver them the resources they need to bomb them. Ayes
:42:28. > :42:32.unfortunately. -- the resources they need to bond them. The Christmas
:42:33. > :42:40.trees in Bute House are Scottish grown. I cannot insist that people
:42:41. > :42:43.across the country by home-grown Christmas trees but I would
:42:44. > :42:48.encourage them to do so because it is good for that sector of our
:42:49. > :42:54.economy. In terms of our own planting targets, we are bright with
:42:55. > :42:59.housing the action to increase the scale and pace of woodland creation
:43:00. > :43:04.and that is the right thing to do. I hope everybody, as we go into the
:43:05. > :43:08.Christmas holidays enjoys their Christmas tree, where ever in the UK
:43:09. > :43:16.or elsewhere it happens to have been grown.
:43:17. > :43:21.APPLAUSE Thank you presiding officer, in the
:43:22. > :43:26.spirit of Christmas which Edward Munton was so uncharacteristically
:43:27. > :43:34.lacking in, and on the subject of trees I wonder if the first of and
:43:35. > :43:49.would welcome this buyout of the historic...
:43:50. > :43:56.We know that the Tories don't like this principle of
:43:57. > :44:03.I welcome the community buyout which has been achieved by the local
:44:04. > :44:12.community trust working with Woodland trusts Scotland. 500 acres
:44:13. > :44:18.of forest from one of only 38 of these sites in Scotland. These are
:44:19. > :44:21.ancient pinewoods. It is really good to see the local community coming
:44:22. > :44:26.together to work with other agencies on a long-term plan to conserve and
:44:27. > :44:31.restore them. As I say, I think the Tories are demonstrating, they don't
:44:32. > :44:35.like the idea of land being owned by the many, not the few. But this
:44:36. > :44:39.Government is determined to continue down that road. In the absence of
:44:40. > :44:43.Christmas spirit from elsewhere in the Chamber, can I end by wishing
:44:44. > :44:52.you a very happy Christmas, Presiding Officer! Thank you, that
:44:53. > :44:57.is First Minister's Questions. Parliament will resume... A slightly
:44:58. > :45:05.barbed ending to a touch of festive spirit. We were reminded that
:45:06. > :45:08.forestry is for life, not just for Christmas. Nicola Sturgeon was
:45:09. > :45:13.perhaps reflecting something in the domestic situation, she disclosed
:45:14. > :45:17.something on social media about a dispute on the subject of Christmas
:45:18. > :45:21.decorations with her husband. I'm sure it's all sweetness and light in
:45:22. > :45:24.the homes of my two contributors here. Thank you very much for
:45:25. > :45:28.joining us. We will get to the Christmas bit. There wasn't an awful
:45:29. > :45:31.lot of Christmas spirit, a big kicking on the police budget. There
:45:32. > :45:35.wasn't a great deal of Christmas jerk. You got an indication from the
:45:36. > :45:43.First Minister that she felt really that wasn't -- Christmas cheer. This
:45:44. > :45:48.is obviously going to happen, she produced the Auditor General's
:45:49. > :45:54.report suspiciously late. In the political cycle. Hesiod that
:45:55. > :46:01.they'll's gag was quite good, why did she take a week -- Kezia
:46:02. > :46:08.Dugdale's gag. MSPs have plenty of time to read it, 1.5 hours. But if
:46:09. > :46:12.you produce a highly controversial report in the dying days of the
:46:13. > :46:18.Parliamentary session, people will say that you are putting it out with
:46:19. > :46:21.the trash. She got very intense questioning from both Labour and the
:46:22. > :46:26.Conservatives. She certainly did, but quite right too. Just this week
:46:27. > :46:30.we have seen revelations about people being left in bands. We
:46:31. > :46:37.cannot have people dying in pictures because of the cuts that have been
:46:38. > :46:41.made. -- in pictures. It leads into the wider question of the budget.
:46:42. > :46:44.The questions about the Scottish police authority went very quickly
:46:45. > :46:52.onto the subject of budgetary matters. ?329 million cuts. Kezia
:46:53. > :46:55.Dugdale saying, stop the cuts. Ruth Davidson saying there should be more
:46:56. > :47:00.money for the police. Where we on the budgetary matters? The
:47:01. > :47:05.architects of the budgetary act will be well pleased with what is
:47:06. > :47:09.happening now. We see the fiscal constraints of the cuts being
:47:10. > :47:12.repatriated. It is difficult for the First Minister to blame Westminster
:47:13. > :47:16.because she has tax raising powers at her disposal. Hence we have her
:47:17. > :47:23.saying, being accused of resorting to Westminster bad. It is more
:47:24. > :47:26.difficult. Obviously the are spending constraints, it is still
:47:27. > :47:31.important in terms of Scottish spending. The mere fact that these
:47:32. > :47:36.tax powers are being repatriated to Scotland means responsibility for
:47:37. > :47:41.cuts seems to lie with those godless government. Nicola Sturgeon got her
:47:42. > :47:45.own back on a tax issue -- the Scottish Government. Police Scotland
:47:46. > :47:49.were the only ones on the whole of the UK that had to pay VAT, and the
:47:50. > :47:53.UK Government had manoeuvred away out of it for an area in England
:47:54. > :48:01.that ended up in central government control. A curious anomaly that will
:48:02. > :48:05.have to be addressed. 25 million is somewhat less than this ?190 million
:48:06. > :48:09.shortfall that the Auditor General appears to have identified in the
:48:10. > :48:12.Police Scotland budget. Again, this is the problem by Government is
:48:13. > :48:16.going to face more and more in the future. The opposition party is
:48:17. > :48:19.going to be laying the blame for cuts on the Scottish Government,
:48:20. > :48:23.although to be fair to them they don't have entire control of the
:48:24. > :48:28.physical resources. And the police again, the argument was that
:48:29. > :48:36.improvement methods had been put in place but they had not had the time
:48:37. > :48:40.to bring about sufficient impact. There's not really much you can say
:48:41. > :48:44.on that. You have to just go with what the Auditor General has said,
:48:45. > :48:49.things are not progressing at a fast enough pace. Let's turned to another
:48:50. > :48:53.subject that was raised, Jennifer, by Willie Rennie. A subject that he
:48:54. > :48:58.has made his own. The provision of care for those with mental health
:48:59. > :49:01.problems. In this case, she was dealing particularly with prisoners.
:49:02. > :49:05.The suicide rate is of course terrifying. We need to be taking
:49:06. > :49:09.much greater care of prisoners. And I would suggest that maybe we need
:49:10. > :49:16.to see some more investment the. It is one that Willie Rennie has
:49:17. > :49:20.pursued very vigorously. It is interesting, there is a big increase
:49:21. > :49:25.in the age profile of offenders. We saw that with the paedophile who was
:49:26. > :49:29.recently incarcerated at the age of 101. This is happening increasingly
:49:30. > :49:34.in Scotland, as a lot of these Astori cases of abuse are dug up
:49:35. > :49:39.from the past. Elderly offenders are now finding themselves, it is
:49:40. > :49:42.extremely difficult to manage the multiple health problems, mental
:49:43. > :49:45.health is a particular issue for the elderly. It's going to put
:49:46. > :49:49.incredible resources, a great strain on the resources of the Prison
:49:50. > :49:52.Service. Is it possible that budgetary matters on this question
:49:53. > :49:56.of mental health, the Lib Dems are very keen on further resources being
:49:57. > :50:00.targeted to that, a redrawn strategy. Could that be one of the
:50:01. > :50:03.hoax that they try to dangle from a Government perspective to get the
:50:04. > :50:07.Liberal Democrats to back the budget? It could well be. It has
:50:08. > :50:11.become a kind of cross party thinks ogle the hooks that they can dangle.
:50:12. > :50:18.We have never seen that before, but in the 2016 elections, every said
:50:19. > :50:22.that mental health is a Cinderella service that we have to take
:50:23. > :50:25.seriously. Before we go to a bit of Christmas spirit, the oath of
:50:26. > :50:29.British values. Jon Mason didn't seem very keen on the idea. For
:50:30. > :50:33.obvious reasons. There is something to be said about the differences
:50:34. > :50:36.that are apparent between values perhaps in Scotland and parts in the
:50:37. > :50:40.rest of the UK. When you look for example at the number of refugees
:50:41. > :50:45.that Scotland has taken in. Nicola Sturgeon is clear on immigration.
:50:46. > :50:49.She was saying that this is perhaps not the way to go. She regarded it
:50:50. > :50:54.as a premature response to a much wider report. I think she was
:50:55. > :50:59.probably correct on that. It was quite interesting, she didn't
:51:00. > :51:03.dismiss it out of hand. She obviously sees integration as an
:51:04. > :51:10.issue. The suspicion that different cultural groups are now not
:51:11. > :51:14.commingling. Are they going to subscribe to British values? What
:51:15. > :51:19.are British values? Should they be swearing an oath to them? Remember,
:51:20. > :51:23.they do have to swear an oath to the Queen. You have to remember, the
:51:24. > :51:27.independents white paper in 2013, they did say, you are still British
:51:28. > :51:32.even after independence. You remember when Gordon Brown wrestled
:51:33. > :51:35.with this problem. The question is, what are distinctly British values?
:51:36. > :51:44.They tried tolerance and liberty, some people pointed out gently, some
:51:45. > :51:51.of the French... Cycling to and song. It is fraught with
:51:52. > :51:56.difficulties. But a serious subject nonetheless. You have also elite is
:51:57. > :52:01.in America. That is seen as very important. -- allegiance. People who
:52:02. > :52:05.come to America have to subscribe to those values. The difference is that
:52:06. > :52:09.we or any state of flux, it is a multinational state and there will
:52:10. > :52:14.become flicked over that. Join us in a couple of seconds. -- there will
:52:15. > :52:21.be conflict. This is the season of goodwill, it is Christmas time and
:52:22. > :52:23.all that sort of thing. Took the chance to ask the five party leaders
:52:24. > :52:28.what they wanted Santa to bring the Scotland. It would be cheeky to ask
:52:29. > :52:32.Santa for something that I'm responsible for. I'm going to ask
:52:33. > :52:36.Santa to bring some certainty for all of the EU nationals living in
:52:37. > :52:40.Scotland, who now face such uncertainty because of the Brexit
:52:41. > :52:45.vote. That's not fair, given how matter they contribute to Scotland.
:52:46. > :52:48.For myself, I don't ask for much. Perhaps George Clooney round for
:52:49. > :52:52.Christmas dinner! Although I'd probably have the square rigged with
:52:53. > :52:57.Peter. I think what Scotland really needs from Santa this year is a bit
:52:58. > :53:00.of a break. A break from referenda, a break from politicians like me
:53:01. > :53:05.telling folk how to behave at Christmas and to lay off the booze
:53:06. > :53:08.and mince pies. Also a break from National Football team, maybe an
:53:09. > :53:12.extra six points from Santa might be nice for our qualifying group. This
:53:13. > :53:19.Christmas, what I would like the Scotland as an end to the division
:53:20. > :53:22.in our politics, with EU wide yes, or no,, rich or poor, I hope we can
:53:23. > :53:25.be the arguments of the past behind us. Christmas is a time to reflect
:53:26. > :53:29.and focus on what really matters. What do I want for myself was like a
:53:30. > :53:34.pair of new running shoes so I can start the New Year with a fresh
:53:35. > :53:39.kicked. I would like Santa to bring Scotland free membership of a
:53:40. > :53:42.Europe-wide club that will protect our environmental and workplace
:53:43. > :53:47.rights. If we get that, I will probably need some language lessons
:53:48. > :53:52.as well. What I want Santa to bring Scotland for Christmas is a big
:53:53. > :53:57.investment in education, so we've got the best education system in the
:53:58. > :54:02.world again. A pair of running shoes from me would do fine, too. A pair
:54:03. > :54:06.of running shoes for Willie Rennie, I'm getting in the festive spirit
:54:07. > :54:12.here! Let's have a chat with my colleagues again. I know, I'm trying
:54:13. > :54:23.my best, but it's not quite getting the! It suits you very well! Are you
:54:24. > :54:26.going to sing later? It's more if I can be prevented from singing!
:54:27. > :54:33.What's lying ahead in 2017 in political terms? Brexit, of course?
:54:34. > :54:37.Of course Brexit. It is interesting and important. It is not just the
:54:38. > :54:41.will of the Westminster Parliament having a right to have a say on
:54:42. > :54:45.Brexit, it is also about the constitutional status of Holyrood,
:54:46. > :54:50.and whether it has a right under the Convention to be consulted on the
:54:51. > :54:53.powers that are repatriated from Brussels. That is tremendously
:54:54. > :54:58.important. Obviously Brexit is going to be local election results,
:54:59. > :55:02.fortunately not another referendum hopefully this year. You reckon?
:55:03. > :55:06.What I'm really looking forward to is Donald Trump was like first visit
:55:07. > :55:08.to Scotland. That should be entertaining. Local government
:55:09. > :55:12.elections have been mentioned. They are in May, and they? We are going
:55:13. > :55:17.to have a continuing tussle between Scottish Government and local
:55:18. > :55:22.councils overfunding. At the moment we see in Aberdeen that we have an
:55:23. > :55:25.ongoing crisis with public sector recruitment, particularly in
:55:26. > :55:29.teaching. It will be interesting to see, as the budget comes forward,
:55:30. > :55:34.what's happening with that. The budget playing large in the local
:55:35. > :55:38.elections? Definitely. People always want better public services but they
:55:39. > :55:43.don't necessarily want to pay the tax. They want somebody else to pay
:55:44. > :55:48.for it! We also get the devolved powers. How do you see the budget
:55:49. > :55:52.working out? Derek Mackay isn't confident, he needs one party to
:55:53. > :55:57.support him or they and now he hasn't got it. The First Minister
:55:58. > :56:02.came under criticism -- or abstain. She decided not to restore the 50p
:56:03. > :56:07.tax and not to tax the highest earners, those earning over ?150,000
:56:08. > :56:10.per year. She was criticised very much indeed from the Independence
:56:11. > :56:14.movement for that, not least from Labour. But I think now that the
:56:15. > :56:18.Tories and the opposition, things are slightly easier for her. It's
:56:19. > :56:24.not clear that the tax changes that she did introduce were operating a
:56:25. > :56:28.higher rate tax has actually led to an increase in packs and the better
:56:29. > :56:34.off. On the Tories or actually focusing very much on that. That
:56:35. > :56:37.will continue in the New Year. She will be under less pressure about
:56:38. > :56:41.pack than it might appear at the moment. Derek Mackay is adamant that
:56:42. > :56:45.he ain't going to shift on tax. He has to offer something on spending.
:56:46. > :56:48.He doesn't look like doing a deal with the Tories warned Labour. Both
:56:49. > :56:53.the Greens and the Liberal Democrats are being stubborn as well. Perhaps
:56:54. > :56:58.the issues over mental health could bring the Lib Dems on board. You
:56:59. > :57:03.think that is a possibility? It's a possibility. I don't think there is
:57:04. > :57:07.a serious risk... If you look at the demands they are making, you would
:57:08. > :57:11.be expecting them to say, OK, we're not going to support you and less
:57:12. > :57:15.you put your money where your mouth is and restore the 50p tax, you've
:57:16. > :57:19.got the power to do it, why aren't you doing get? The Greens, possibly?
:57:20. > :57:24.That's what I was saying for the Greens. The Greens could
:57:25. > :57:26.theoretically, theoretically this could happen, they could
:57:27. > :57:32.theoretically bring down the government because she lost her
:57:33. > :57:35.majority, that was the one significant consequence of the
:57:36. > :57:39.2016... The white thank you very much indeed both of you. I will keep
:57:40. > :57:44.the silly anglers and for a little bit because we are coming to the
:57:45. > :57:49.close of the programme. It is a wonderful time of the year. Have a
:57:50. > :57:55.tremendous Christmas. I hope that Dundee united thrash them... I mean
:57:56. > :57:57.beat them gently! From me, that's all. Goodbye.
:57:58. > :58:05.That is the cutest thing I've ever seen.
:58:06. > :58:13.Mr Disney was my old man. Isn't that right, Don?
:58:14. > :58:23.Oh, my... Dai! Your gays have arrived.
:58:24. > :58:29.Mr Disney was my old man. Isn't that right, Don?