:00:24. > :00:27.Hello. A warm welcome from the Scottish Parliament. MSPs have been
:00:27. > :00:32.discussing the a highly contentious issue of coastguard stations and
:00:32. > :00:37.maritime safety for. In the Scottish Parliament eyes are to
:00:37. > :00:40.Westminster because we are expecting the Chancellor's Autumn
:00:40. > :00:50.Statement. We are not all that optimistic about the economy. Let
:00:50. > :00:50.
:00:50. > :00:54.us see if those topics come up in questions to the First Minister.
:00:54. > :01:04.Week-by-week more and more questions are raised about the
:01:04. > :01:06.
:01:06. > :01:12.future. Defence contracts, policy, NATO membership,. We have no
:01:12. > :01:21.credible answers. The uncertainty is corrosive. Why can he not steady
:01:21. > :01:25.the ship by deciding on a date for the referendum. A I thought in
:01:25. > :01:31.terms of the referendum that what we would do would be to stick to
:01:31. > :01:37.the policy which outlined in the election campaign which, as I
:01:37. > :01:43.remember was quite successful. is to say that we would hold the
:01:43. > :01:46.referendum on Scottish independence in the second half of this
:01:46. > :01:51.parliamentary term. If we had changed that then Iain Gray and
:01:51. > :01:57.others would come to this chamber and denounce us for being elected
:01:57. > :02:02.with an overwhelming majority under false pretences. Why does the SNP
:02:02. > :02:08.not carry on this policy of keeping faith in the Scottish people on the
:02:08. > :02:18.basis that the Scottish people have kept faith in them? This excuse
:02:18. > :02:19.
:02:19. > :02:24.does not really wash any more. This time line was something he blurted
:02:24. > :02:32.out of the top of his head when he was in a corner on a TV debate in
:02:32. > :02:38.Perth. I was there. It is not in his manifesto. No matter how many
:02:39. > :02:45.times backbenchers tried to pretend that it was. Everyone knows the
:02:45. > :02:51.real reason he would name the date. It is opinion polls like this
:02:51. > :02:57.Week's showing that 72% of the Scottish people do not support
:02:57. > :03:03.separation. Isn't that not why he cannot decide on a date? We have
:03:03. > :03:07.had a range of opinion polls which have shown that substantial and
:03:07. > :03:12.increasing support for independence for Scotland. Iain Gray gives the
:03:12. > :03:18.game away. The reason he talks about separation is that he is
:03:18. > :03:25.frightened of the concept of Scottish independence. All I can
:03:25. > :03:29.say to him, on the electoral track record, I think our interpretation
:03:29. > :03:33.of the wishes of the Scottish people have been validated more
:03:33. > :03:38.often than the interpretation of Iain Gray. This government was
:03:39. > :03:43.first elected in 2007 and last elected six years -- six months ago.
:03:43. > :03:46.We offer the people of Scotland are right to determine the
:03:46. > :03:51.constitutional future in a referendum on Scottish independence.
:03:51. > :03:59.That is what we will do. It is that consistency of purpose which is one
:03:59. > :04:06.of the reasons for the overwhelming success of the Scottish National
:04:06. > :04:12.Party. The reason Alex Salmond talks about these things is that he
:04:12. > :04:20.is scared to talk about separation. That is what he supports. If we
:04:20. > :04:24.cannot have a date, if he cannot decide on a date, surely we can
:04:24. > :04:31.agree on the rules. I assume the First Minister wants to have an
:04:31. > :04:36.honest and fair referendum. Obviously any right-thinking person
:04:36. > :04:41.would think that we should have the electoral commission to oversee it.
:04:41. > :04:46.They regulate elections to this Parliament and the scrutinised
:04:46. > :04:55.elections and referenda all over the world. Sir David Steel thinks
:04:55. > :05:02.we should use them. George Reid thinks we should use them and he is
:05:02. > :05:10.a lifelong nationalist. Why is the First Minister so scared of having
:05:10. > :05:15.the electoral commission scrutinise his referendum? I assure you that
:05:15. > :05:19.the Referendum Bill will pass your test for fairness and impartiality.
:05:19. > :05:24.It will be balanced and it will be balanced by authorities accountable
:05:24. > :05:29.to this Parliament which I think is an important thing in terms of
:05:29. > :05:33.parliamentary democracy. I want to say to Iain Gray that he does not
:05:33. > :05:40.have to quote Liberal Democrats. Let me quote some Labour figures in
:05:40. > :05:44.terms of the arguments I am putting forward. Quote the SNP clearly
:05:44. > :05:47.stated that any a referendum would be in the lifetime of this
:05:47. > :05:52.Parliament and that is what the Scots voted for and gave Alex
:05:52. > :05:58.Salmond his majority, it is absurd to to ask him to break one of his
:05:58. > :06:03.flagship policies the minute the Scottish Parliament reconvenes just
:06:03. > :06:13.because it might be politically inconvenient for those who oppose
:06:13. > :06:13.
:06:13. > :06:21.independence. Hugh Henry, M S P. I have got a range of quotes on this
:06:21. > :06:29.issue, stretching back to when my predecessors were writing in the
:06:29. > :06:38.Scots newspaper. Once Iain Gray manages to reorganise his own party
:06:38. > :06:48.to support his view, then come to me and tell me what the view is.
:06:48. > :06:53.Henry not looking nonplussed. really think Mr David Steel and
:06:53. > :06:58.George Reid know a little bit about accountability to the Scottish
:06:58. > :07:02.Parliament. They were both presiding officers of it. I say as
:07:02. > :07:09.gently as possible to the First Minister, before I finish this job,
:07:09. > :07:18.maybe I will get him to listen to the question. I asked him, what is
:07:18. > :07:24.the date? Is the date 2014, two dozen 15, 2016, any of those is
:07:24. > :07:31.fine but just tell us what it is. The longer this goes on, the more
:07:31. > :07:37.it looks as though Alex Salmond is trying to rig the referendum to get
:07:37. > :07:43.the result he wants. A couple of weeks ago he said that he will
:07:43. > :07:48.bring Scotland's claim of right to this Parliament to reaffirm it. It
:07:48. > :07:54.says that people have the right to decide the form of government best
:07:54. > :07:58.suited to their needs. Labour will have no trouble with that. We
:07:58. > :08:06.already signed the claim of right. He is the one who could not put his
:08:06. > :08:13.name to it. Why? Because he has always put party before principle
:08:13. > :08:22.and isn't that why he cannot name a date in the first half, the second
:08:22. > :08:30.half or any half of this parliamentary session? Let me
:08:30. > :08:33.welcome the statement from Iain Gray in saying that the second part
:08:33. > :08:37.of this parliament would be fine. We shall hold him and his successor
:08:37. > :08:43.to that commitment. I was responding to his question about
:08:43. > :08:46.why he wanted me to specified and I pointed out the quote from Hugh
:08:46. > :08:50.Henry and commented that some people in the Labour Party
:08:50. > :08:55.recognise that they lost the election and have to accept the
:08:55. > :09:01.mandate of the Scottish people. One of my predecessors, Henry McLeish,
:09:01. > :09:04.has been writing about it this very week. In terms of the attempted
:09:04. > :09:09.sabre-rattling from the Conservatives, aided and abetted
:09:09. > :09:13.with the Labour Party. Let me read what the former First Minister said.
:09:13. > :09:18.It is a Scottish matter. The ministers will say that Westminster
:09:18. > :09:22.is not have any help. Westminster should keep out of the referendum
:09:22. > :09:26.and a medal. How can any one from Westminster be so divorced from
:09:26. > :09:30.reality to deliver a a insult to the Scottish people in this way and
:09:30. > :09:34.keep contempt upon them. It would be insulting and content to pursue
:09:34. > :09:44.as to the Scottish people for Westminster get -- Westminster to
:09:44. > :09:46.
:09:46. > :09:53.get involved and anyone suggesting is that Westminster should grow up.
:09:53. > :10:03.Question number two. When will be First Minister next meet the Prime
:10:03. > :10:05.
:10:05. > :10:08.Minister? At no time in the future. In March file rapists had their
:10:09. > :10:18.minimum sentences cut. Such was the outrage that the government
:10:19. > :10:19.
:10:19. > :10:24.promised to do something about it you stuck-up had his sentence cut.
:10:24. > :10:28.James Rennie's minimum sentence was cut. These are two of the most
:10:28. > :10:33.sickening paedophiles whose cases have shocked Scotland. They are
:10:33. > :10:39.among a string of sex offenders who could be free much earlier than
:10:39. > :10:42.their trial judge's intended. In much the Scottish government said
:10:42. > :10:47.they might change the legislation to stop sentences being cut. In
:10:47. > :10:57.September it was absent from the legislative programme. Why is it
:10:57. > :11:02.
:11:02. > :11:08.taking so long? In the case review Bill. It will be introduced into
:11:08. > :11:12.this Parliament. I read the quotes from the justice minister at the
:11:12. > :11:18.weekend to that event. It seems it has taken headlines like this one
:11:18. > :11:25.to prompt them. It should not be that that does that. I would like
:11:25. > :11:31.to show that these cases 0.2 an issue much greater there are some
:11:31. > :11:36.crimes which are so heinous and cruel and vile. Some criminals
:11:36. > :11:42.deserve never to be free again. Their victims demand real
:11:42. > :11:46.punishment and society deserves real protection. In England to
:11:46. > :11:51.criminals can be sentenced to a whole life tariff. They will never
:11:51. > :11:57.be free. Why is it in Scotland we do not have the same protection as
:11:57. > :12:05.England? I know the Scottish government Heinz behind ECHR but
:12:05. > :12:09.change starts with political will. I have got the political will that
:12:09. > :12:18.in some cases life should mean life. The key question is does the First
:12:18. > :12:23.Minister? Three things. The Bill that she asked about will resolve
:12:23. > :12:29.the issues raised by this are the courts will have discretion in
:12:29. > :12:34.setting the punishment parts of discretion will life sentences.
:12:34. > :12:39.Legislation cannot look back on current cases and a cannot apply
:12:39. > :12:42.retrospectively. It will stop future cases arising where the
:12:42. > :12:45.punishment part of the sentence is reduced and I hope the whole
:12:45. > :12:52.chamber will be able to support that legislation when it comes
:12:52. > :13:00.forward later this month. Secondly, she should acknowledge the efforts
:13:00. > :13:06.that have been made in terms of the management to control sex offenders
:13:06. > :13:11.are second to none. We will further strengthen the management of these
:13:11. > :13:17.arrangements. A pilot has been rolled out across the whole country.
:13:17. > :13:21.I do not think it is reasonable not to acknowledge that the strength of
:13:21. > :13:28.the action to be taken by this Parliament on a matter of great
:13:28. > :13:34.concern. Thirdly, you cannot just wave a way European conventions of
:13:34. > :13:37.Human Rights. It would be appropriate to get across this
:13:37. > :13:45.Parliament because the national parliament should stand in relation
:13:45. > :13:48.to this act in the same way as every other parliament. We are at
:13:48. > :13:54.substantial disadvantage at the moment because we do not have time
:13:54. > :13:57.to respond to convention decisions. It is totally unreasonable. It
:13:57. > :14:02.leads to bad cases and bad law in Scotland and I hope that given her
:14:02. > :14:09.statement, she will support the aim and intention of this Government in
:14:09. > :14:19.seeing our national parliament stand for quality legislator for
:14:19. > :14:19.
:14:19. > :14:23.top --. Tomorrow the first officer will visit my constituency to open
:14:23. > :14:32.the new stem a line of port. I know he will join me in representing --
:14:32. > :14:35.welcoming the investment that represents. It leads Stranraer with
:14:35. > :14:40.an industrial wasteland at its waterfront. Will he ensure that
:14:40. > :14:42.every resource of his government is put at the disposal of the local
:14:42. > :14:52.authority in efforts to implement a regeneration master plan that has
:14:52. > :14:57.
:14:57. > :15:03.been put together to breathe new It is a huge and substantial
:15:03. > :15:08.investment which consolidates the future of that ferry service and
:15:08. > :15:17.affects many jobs in the south west of Scotland. I recognise the move
:15:17. > :15:22.poses challenges but there are also substantial opportunities in that
:15:22. > :15:28.front, and unrivalled location for development. I want to complement
:15:28. > :15:34.the local authority for its vision in put in Ford these proposals and
:15:34. > :15:41.I can give the assurance this government will be fully engaged in
:15:41. > :15:45.being these plans to reality. Given that the UK government has
:15:45. > :15:50.confirmed full details on implementing the review will not
:15:50. > :16:00.emerge until April 2012, what representations is our government
:16:00. > :16:10.making to the UK as to the disquiet this is causing?
:16:10. > :16:21.
:16:22. > :16:28.And the defence review had some hard decisions as far as Scotland
:16:28. > :16:36.was concerned. There was also some satisfaction with other aspects of
:16:36. > :16:45.the review. Some gains were one. But it would not be supportable
:16:45. > :16:51.after that difficult process that these timetables which were
:16:51. > :16:57.envisaged were not held to. It is entirely reasonable this, and
:16:57. > :17:07.insists having had that difficult defence review, that that timetable
:17:07. > :17:07.
:17:08. > :17:12.is maintained. To ask what decisions will be
:17:12. > :17:17.discussed at the next Cabinet? Decisions important to that people
:17:17. > :17:21.of Scotland. In an independent Scotland, good
:17:22. > :17:26.soldiers -- good soldiers the required to lead the British Army
:17:26. > :17:32.and required to join the Scotland Army?
:17:32. > :17:36.I do not know if he is familiar with a fat there are regiments in
:17:36. > :17:42.the British Army with have citizens of the Irish Republic as proud
:17:42. > :17:48.Members serving in these forces. We should have a Scottish defence
:17:48. > :17:52.force for a number of overwhelming reasons. There has been no security
:17:52. > :17:57.in defence jobs in Scotland under the present position, just the
:17:57. > :18:02.opposite. The second reason is, myself and many Members of this
:18:02. > :18:07.Parliament across the parties, and at one time, among the Liberal
:18:07. > :18:15.Democrats, plead the location of weapons of mass destruction on the
:18:16. > :18:20.soil of Scotland was not acceptable. The First Minister it is correctly
:18:20. > :18:30.quoting from his document which says all serving military personnel
:18:30. > :18:30.
:18:30. > :18:33.from Scotland will be given the T and -- of the opportunity -- the
:18:34. > :18:39.opportunity to transfer her to Scotland. No matter which part of
:18:39. > :18:46.the UK they come from, it is a strong human bond based on loyalty.
:18:46. > :18:50.But, the First Minister wants them to break that bond for his
:18:50. > :18:58.independence agenda. Why does he want them to choose between their
:18:58. > :19:04.colleagues, and their country? Can I just point out, by definition,
:19:04. > :19:10.that is a false perspective. You are talking about additional
:19:10. > :19:14.choices. Can I say, the soldiers, including veterans being made
:19:14. > :19:23.redundant by his government just now, are facing no choices
:19:23. > :19:28.whatsoever. We all face difficult choices in public administration,
:19:28. > :19:31.hugely difficult choices, but I have never heard of a government
:19:31. > :19:37.sacking people when they are engaged in fighting for this
:19:37. > :19:43.country. That is unique to the Conservative and Liberal Party at
:19:43. > :19:48.Westminster. The answer is, additional choices. I have no
:19:48. > :19:53.insight into the voting habits of Scottish soldiers. Given the
:19:53. > :19:58.results of constituencies where it has a substantial impact, I believe
:19:58. > :20:07.military families and Personnel voted for the SNP in overwhelming
:20:07. > :20:09.numbers last May. To ask the First Minister what
:20:09. > :20:18.representations the Scottish government has made to the UK
:20:18. > :20:21.government on the economy. The Cabinet secretary wrote to the
:20:21. > :20:27.Chancellor in November calling on him to use the Autumn Statement to
:20:27. > :20:32.take urgent action to support economic recovery. UK recovery has
:20:32. > :20:42.been more disappointing than the Chancellor had hoped in June 2010.
:20:42. > :20:44.
:20:44. > :20:49.There is an urgent need in approach -- in a change in approach, to
:20:49. > :20:54.enhance economic security. That includes a proposal of an increase
:20:54. > :21:00.in �2 billion in capital spending to support 9,000 jobs in Scotland.
:21:00. > :21:05.I thank the First Minister for his answer. The Cabinet secretary wrote
:21:06. > :21:11.to the Chancellor also have about the comments on the investment in
:21:11. > :21:14.Scotland but no reply has been received, does he share my concerns
:21:14. > :21:21.while the UK government should be concentrating on their own economic
:21:21. > :21:26.policies, they are put in investment in Scotland at risk?
:21:26. > :21:31.duck with this last week, looking for motivations for the
:21:31. > :21:34.Chancellor's cure his remarks. And lobbying from the Conservative
:21:34. > :21:39.Party from the north east of England. In contrast to the
:21:39. > :21:46.Chancellor who could not name a single company, we are able to name
:21:46. > :21:55.a range of international companies, added to last week by the opening
:21:55. > :22:01.at Amazon, and Dundee as the factory of the future for Michelin.
:22:01. > :22:06.This adds to all of the rest who have declared their confidence in
:22:06. > :22:09.Scotland's future. Is it too much, given these major international
:22:09. > :22:15.companies are voting with investment into Scotland, we could
:22:15. > :22:21.expect other parties at Westminster to display the same confidence in
:22:21. > :22:26.Scotland's prospects as opposed to attempting to talk it down?
:22:26. > :22:29.Can I ask the First Minister if he supports the announcement this week
:22:29. > :22:35.by the coalition to reduce employment rights, and if he
:22:35. > :22:42.doesn't, can I asked if he himself has made representations to the UK
:22:42. > :22:45.government to that effect? I have great concerns what I have
:22:45. > :22:52.seen of these proposals, I do not think they have been fully
:22:52. > :22:58.enunciated. I read with care the comments of Vince Cable, of we will
:22:58. > :23:04.respond as soon as we can analyse the detail properly. Perhaps the
:23:04. > :23:09.solution to this, instead of this government being a lobbying
:23:09. > :23:16.organisation in terms of the UK, the solution is to have the powers
:23:16. > :23:21.of this Parliament to make decisions for themselves?
:23:21. > :23:25.The SNP and 1006 key measures from the UK government at the weekend.
:23:25. > :23:32.Can I ask how much additional borrowing would be required to pay
:23:32. > :23:39.for those? The additional borrowing in terms
:23:39. > :23:42.of capital investment would be �20 billion, mitigated of course by the
:23:42. > :23:50.investment return that would come from these crucial investments. Can
:23:50. > :23:56.I point out, if you look at what business is calling for in terms of
:23:56. > :23:59.signs and signals from the UK government, you'll find encouraging
:23:59. > :24:05.investment and infrastructure is the overall number one demand. When
:24:05. > :24:09.you see what they are not calling for, it is cuts in the top rate of
:24:09. > :24:15.income tax as supported by the Chancellor. Our position is one of
:24:15. > :24:20.the key problems facing the country and people looking at this country
:24:20. > :24:25.is the lack of economic growth. That in itself is a major concern.
:24:25. > :24:29.And it is not possible to get borrowing and the deficit under
:24:29. > :24:33.control unless you are prepared to stimulate the economy and generate
:24:33. > :24:37.the economic growth, hence the call for capital investment which is
:24:37. > :24:43.widely supported across the whole range of interest groups in this
:24:43. > :24:48.country. Finally, when evaluating what should be done about
:24:48. > :24:58.controlling deficit, John Swinney who has contributed not one penny
:24:58. > :25:06.to the borrowing and deficits of the UK, speaks for some what --
:25:06. > :25:11.speaks with somewhat more the 30 than any Chancellor on this issue.
:25:11. > :25:15.With regard to the co-operation that exists or does not exist
:25:16. > :25:21.between the Treasury and the finance departments of the devolved
:25:21. > :25:26.administrations, given the state of the euro exemplified by Germany's
:25:26. > :25:36.failure to sell its bombs yesterday, I am concerned this Parliament may
:25:36. > :25:37.
:25:37. > :25:40.not be properly -- bonds. May not be properly informed on this issue
:25:40. > :25:47.by the Treasury. Does the First Minister plan to do anything about
:25:47. > :25:52.it? There is a meeting on Monday and we will be taking the regular
:25:52. > :25:56.opportunity for dialogue with the other devolved administrations.
:25:57. > :26:02.Twice in the last few months, the devolved administrations have come
:26:02. > :26:08.together to put forward an alternative economic prospectus. We
:26:08. > :26:14.request proper information from the UK Treasury, we get it on occasion,
:26:14. > :26:16.we have been asking for example are their consequential as to the
:26:16. > :26:21.Housing Investment a panic announced by the Prime Minster this
:26:21. > :26:27.week. We haven't had a clear answer. Which may be indicates there wasn't
:26:27. > :26:34.a clear policy. Nonetheless, we believe we will get answers. In
:26:34. > :26:41.terms of the declaration we made earlier this year jointly, there
:26:41. > :26:44.was a great deal of profound commonsense. And I think the
:26:44. > :26:48.Chancellor will do a lot worse than to listen to the joint united
:26:48. > :26:54.voices of the many political parties who are represented in
:26:54. > :26:56.these three devolved administrations.
:26:56. > :27:01.To ask the First Minister how the Scottish government will ensure
:27:01. > :27:09.that proper security checks and policing are in place at ports.
:27:09. > :27:17.Many aspects of port security, immigration, Maritime and aviation
:27:17. > :27:22.security matters, in recognition of the vital imports since --
:27:22. > :27:32.importance, we have provided funding to Scottish police forces
:27:32. > :27:33.
:27:33. > :27:39.to support these operations, increased to one put �6 million.
:27:39. > :27:45.�1.6 million. The ferry service from Belfast has
:27:45. > :27:55.now moved. Is he aware of the ongoing concerns about security
:27:55. > :27:57.
:27:57. > :28:06.given the UK decision to tax 11 police officer posts, with possibly
:28:06. > :28:10.more to go. What steps has the First Minister taken to ensure his
:28:10. > :28:17.Cabinet Secretary makes good the cuts he authorised to police
:28:17. > :28:24.control at the ports? These are reserved matters. In
:28:24. > :28:28.terms of policing. Even she would agree our attitude to police
:28:28. > :28:31.numbers in Scotland is substantially advanced than