24/11/2016: First Minister's Questions Politics Scotland

Hello, a warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament here at

Holyrood, they focused on the aftermath of the Chancellor's Autumn

Statement, ?800 million more for Scotland, capital spending, over

format years, the Scottish Government says it does not make up

for the cuts they have suffered. There is an argument over the

railways. What's going on. Let's see if any of those topics come up in

questions to the First Minister and over to Glen Campbell.

-- four. That is a round of applause to welcome the ambassador from

Sweden and he is welcomed to the gallery.

I would like to ask the First Minister what engagement she has

planned for the rest of the day? To take forward the Scottish

Government's programme. Thank you. Yesterday the Transport

Minister said ScotRail had learned the lessons from the chaos that

passengers have endured. In the statement yesterday he left a series

of questions unanswered. He said that ScotRail is under way to

implementing 250 action points for improvement but he will not tell us

what they are. It is not for the first time. One month ago he told

MSPs any parliamentary committee that he would come back to them with

an answer. When asked again yesterday, he had nothing more to

tell us. Can the First Minister give us a commitment to date, while her

government published its 250 action points or not?

Yes, ScotRail will publish them within the next few days. I thank

the First Minister for that answer and I appreciate the clarity. Of

course, it would have been better as the Transport Minister had been able

to give the same clarity yesterday. As we are making progress, let us

keep it going. Let us keep this progress going, First Minister. We

are told there are 250 action points but we will not be pulled... Well,

we want to be told when they upcoming! Let us look at timing. We

are told that work is underway to deliver them. How can be judge that

when yesterday, when asked, the Transport Secretary ducked the

question on timescale? The public want to know when things will get

better. We asked yesterday but there was no answer from the Transport

Minister. You have given me an answer today that he did not give

me. Let us go for two out of two. What is the deadline for the

improvements? Can you give us an answer that he did not? These

improvements cover a period of time. There is a summary of all of these

action points that is on the website or ScotRail that any merger of the

Chamber or public can read. The full detail of each of the 246, to be

precise, action points will be published over the next few days.

What the cover art improvements to infrastructure, improvements to the

ScotRail fleet and improvements to operations and, of course, all of

this is backed by an investment of ?5 billion over the remainder of

this decade and improving our real services. But in terms of the

timescale, Humza Yousaf made it very clear yesterday that what we are

doing and pressing Scott Dureau to deliver our ongoing improvements to

their performance. The contract that is in place right now targets

ScotRail with making sure that 91 out of every 100 trains run within

the recognised industry standard for punctuality. At the moment, their

performance is 89 out of 100, that is not good enough. The various

action points that are covered in this plan are about improving that

service and we are beginning to see improvements in that service

immediately. We should all get behind the Transport Minister as he

seeks to do that. And we were doing so well. Now we have got a

government that is only one month on starting to reveal the improvement

plan that one month ago it said it would get on with doing so. But also

this week it floated an alternative plan and it raised the question of a

public sector operator running the system. We must ensure that any of

these options are realistic, so can the First Minister tell the Chamber,

what is the earliest that such an operator could take over eight Jams

system and as the Transport Minister has said if it is not a poorer

service, why did she think it is necessary? -- the rail system. We

had a commitment in our manifesto to make sure there were possibilities,

we did not have the powers previously, but we have said when

the franchise is next up for renewal that there will be a public service

able to compete for that franchise. I know that the Tories are no friend

of the public sector, privatisation has always been the watchword of the

Tories, but we want to make sure that there is a public service bed

able to complete when the franchise is up for renewal, at the earliest

that will be 2022, and we will begin to make plans to ensure that that is

possible. That is why Humza Yousaf, and he said yesterday in this

chamber, has invited all of the transport spokespersons from the

parties to a meeting to begin discussions on how that can be

delivered. I would hope that all people in this chamber would welcome

that and it shows the action at this government is taking to improve our

railways. Presiding Officer, even the First Minister would admit that

this week the rail networks have been in a shambles. Commuters

standing on platforms. The Scottish Government has blamed the train

operator for the mess and the train operator has been the Scottish

Government for how many seats are available and therefore

overcrowding. The contract has at least six more years to run and the

question that passengers want an answer to is pretty simple. When

they have seen the events of the last week, over the next six years,

how can they have any confidence at all that this deal is going to work?

Firstly, in terms of capacity on our railways, we are working towards

plans that will deliver 200 new services, 20,000 more seats each day

and better journey times. That is what we are purchasing but the ?5

billion of investment we are putting into our railways. I should tell

you, 60% of the cost of running our railways in Scotland comes from

government funding, that compares to 20% salt of the border and while

performance of our railways right now, as I have said and the

transmitters -- Transport Minister has said, is not as good as we would

like it to be, we attempt to see it improved, but the performance in the

teams in Scotland is slightly better than the GB average. So we take our

responsibilities seriously and I would think it is better for all

members across this chamber to back the Transport Minister as he works

to make sure that ScotRail is delivering the standard of service

that the travelling public have the right to expect.

Kezia Dugdale. To as the First Minister what engagements she has

planned for the rest of it? I will be in Cardiff tomorrow for a meeting

with the British Irish Council. Today there was more Dyfi and

destruction on the Jams network of Scotland. At one stage one of trains

were running late. Yet again, thousands of people were delayed

getting to work. Out of this week the Transport Minister Humza Yousaf

said it was not a poorer service and in an answer to Ruth Davidson the

First Minister did what the government always does, she blamed

the Labour Party and then talked about England. -- rail. But she

really think that those delayed in Glasgow Central today care about

what happened in 2002 what is happening in Cornwall this morning?

I am not particularly interested as to what is happening in Cornwall,

but I am interested in what is happening in Scotland. What has

happened this morning as members are aware, there has been a points

failure affecting services to and from Glasgow Central, that failure

has now been rectified. I regret any delay and any disruption and as I

said last week we apologise to anyone whose team was delayed

because of that points failure. Unfortunately, these kind of things

do happen on our railways and what is important is that ScotRail

communicate properly with the travelling public and that we make

sure that the investments in our rail infrastructure bridges the

chances of these things happening in the future and that is why the

investment plan and operations, infrastructure and fleet are so

important. We will continue to take our responsibility seriously. When I

talk about performance under Labour, I am not suggesting that should in

any way excuse poor performance right now, but I simply put at... We

simply do that to put the performance of today into context.

For the most recent period, the performance of ScotRail was 89.8%,

it should be higher than that, but that is higher than in any one of

the year is under way last Labour Administration. I say that simply to

put it into context. So we will continue to make the investments and

to the work necessary to improve our rail services. I think that is what

the travelling public have a right to expect from us. I am sure that

was of great comfort to the people stranded on platforms this morning!

But I am glad that the First Minister agrees with me that the

service Scotland's commuters are receiving is not good enough and

that the First Minister thinks that passengers deserve better. Because

in January, the price of regulated rail fears is due to rise. A

passenger using an annual season ticket to travel between Edinburgh

and Glasgow will have to pay ?71 more next year. That makes people

even angrier. I think passengers deserve a break. That is why today

Labour is publishing a plan to freeze all regulated rail fears next

year. Surely the First Minister agrees with us... Surely the First

Minister agrees with us that people deserve a break? She has the power

to give them one. So while she backed the call of the Labour Party

for 2017 rail f freeze. We will look to see how that

proposal is being paid for because we have an investment package that

we have spoken about that is important that we are able to

implement and deliver. We do not want to see rail fares increase more

than necessary and that is why at the moment we have increases in rail

fares at the lowest level since powers over railway were devolved to

this parliament in 2005. We have seen peak time rail Jams Limited to

inflation, offbeat ones limited to inflation -1%, so that is the

discipline that we exert on rail fares. Above all else, we will make

sure that we have fearless above the funding of our railways to make sure

that we can carry out the investments that are required to

make sure that standards improve on our railways. This is a serious

proposal with the means to pay for it contained with them and we would

as the Scottish Parliament's independent experts to cost it for

us. They have estimated that it would cost as little as ?2 million.

That is the equivalent of two months' profit, two months' Abellio

profit. People are fed up with expensive, overcrowded and

unreliable trains and the SNP are desperate to talk tough about what

action they might take in 2022, but passengers left stranded on freezing

platforms this morning need a break now. Does the First Minister not

agree with me that after weeks of misery, passengers and Scotland

deserve to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel with a rail

fare freeze in 2017? Firstly, we have said that we will attack any

proposal that is put forward and I will stick that commitment but we

have also been beaming down on rail fare increases already. As I said to

Ruth Davidson, a much bigger proportion of our funding of

railways comes from government funding as opposed to rail fares as

is the key south of the border and I think that is right and proper. But

we will plan the investment as required to improve the

infrastructure and the trains and the operation of our trained so that

the kind of the lives that we are talking about at the moment are not

seen in the future. That is the disposable action we will continue

to take and I think that is the action the travelling public have a

right to expect. Yes, we will look at the option of a public servers

that in the future but at the moment we will focus on making the

improvements that people want to see.

Constituency supplementary is, the force from Richard Lyle. Thank you,

too as the First Minister what the response is of the Scottish

Government on the news that the proposed closure of the Kwik-Fit

insurance services contact servers are in my constituency? I am aware

of the closure of the Kwik-Fit site in Uddingston with the possible loss

of more than 5000 jobs that were 500 jobs and my thoughts are with those

concerned at this time. Paul Wheelhouse spoken to the management

and they are looking at options. We have underlined our full support for

the auditing site and the workforce and we are committed to working with

North Lanarkshire Council and others to do all we can to retain jobs.

Scottish enterprise is working closely with the company to consider

all possible avenues for support and we will continue to engage

throughout the consultation process. It is important that we give the

site and its work force the full support they need and deserve at

this difficult time and we are absolutely committed to doing that.

Presiding Officer, as a result of some very unsatisfactory clinical

outcomes at Caithness General's maternity unit, one mother in fact

had to endure hard labour in an ambulance on the road between work

and risk more, it would appear that NHS Highland have proposed next week

without public consultation to downgrade the Caithness general

maternity unit to a midwife led unit with Read more becoming the hub.

Knowing that childbirth can quickly become life-threatening, not only to

mother but also to child, if the government happy that Caithness and

Sutherland mothers, with difficult deliveries, might have to face five

Hour Drive is to Inverness, which could be considerably more in

winter? Would they not join me and hopefully the First Minister and the

Caithness residents and local councillors and asking for a full

public consultation before these changes are automatically impose?

This is an important issue which has been raised. It was first raised,

and want to make clear the standard of care received in that care fell

below what we would expect for women in Scotland, and I expect NHS

Highland and the Ambulance Service to act on the findings and make

improvements to ensure mothers and babies can be transferred safely and

comfortably whenever they need to be. On the more general issue, as

the member is aware, NHS Highland published a report into the safety

of maternity in neonatal services in Caithness hospital and they will

further consider that later this month. The report was triggered by

the death of a baby in Caithness meetings to unit in September 20 15.

And on the bases above report cover the medical director will recommend

Caithness is re-figureheads and should operate tonne operate as a

midwife led units. The recommendation has been made on the

grounds of safety, it is supported by external review, but as a reason

why NHS Highland Road consoled on the decision, and it won't come to

ministers. However, they are proposing to consult widely on the

proposals to strengthen and to ensure they meet local concerns. I

hope all members would recognise where a report makes a

recommendation on the basis of patient safety and it is clearly on

the basis of safety, it is incumbent upon the local NHS board to act

accordingly. The First Minister will be aware of this week's announcement

a buyer has been found for the hydroelectric plant and surrounding

land and fort William currently owned. Can the business provide an

update? They informed its workforce and the stock exchange yesterday it

had reached agreement to sell its shareholding to the Alliance in a

deal that has, is being supported by the Scottish Government. The sale is

great news for the local community and especially for the 150 plus

people working at the fort William and the mini site. The uncertainty

hanging over the site was lifted, ending an anxious wait for the

workforce and those whose livelihoods depend on the business.

This deal not only safeguards existing jobs, but also has the

potential to create hundreds more through planned investment. I hope

everybody across the chamber would warmly welcome it. Is the First

Minister aware that cuts are being made to mental health services by

West and bark and ship partnership, as a result of NHS Greater Glasgow

and Clyde's budget? Is you further away the SNP group leader voted with

the unelected health board appointees in favour of these cuts,

whilst Labour councillors voted against? Did she agree with the SNP

group leader 's's actions in voting for cuts to mental health services

in my area? Firstly, Greater Glasgow and Clyde's budget has not been cut

next year, it is increasing in line with a budgets of other territorial

health boards. And the reason for that, of course, is this

government is committed to increasing the NHS budget overall

and over this Parliament by ?500 million more than inflation. It is a

bigger commitments which Labour made. That is to reality for the

situation. In terms of the particular issue Jackie Baillie

razors, I am not aware of the particular local issue. If she wants

to write to me, I will look into that. The health service, because of

rising demand, faces real pressures, but we are determined to work with

the health service to give it extra resources so it can meet those

pressures, and within the overall NHS budget, we have make clear our

budget to increase funding for mental health services as well. At

this very moment, the city of Edinburgh Council is meeting to

approve its local development plan. A document that will see thousands

upon thousands of new homes built in my constituency, putting intolerable

pressure on health services, further choking our two routes which are

ranked as the most polluted in Scotland. And in addition, tearing

up much loved green belts and natural heritage in areas like this

state. I accept there is a housing crisis in this country, but there is

a crisis of a different kind in my constituency. Citizens of West

Edinburgh are on their knees groaning under the weight of new

houses that we are forced to endure. Will the Scottish Government bring

forward a new planning Bill which seeks to rule out development in

areas that are not sustainable, which compels developers under

section 75 orders to in the first phase of the Buckman build things

like new health centres and road infrastructure? Will she defined

once and for what is meant green belts, and protected for evermore? I

am more than happy to look into the detail that the member raisers, but

as I listen to the question, I'm struck by two things. This is a

question which appears to be criticising the Scottish Government

for a Council wanting to build more houses, given that many members in

your position frequently criticise us for not building and of houses,

it seems to be a rather contradictory way of attacking the

government. Secondly, from a party that issues you standing up in this

chamber accusing the government of centralising decision-making, to now

stand up and ask us to pass legislation to restrict the local

decision-making of a local council seems to me to be entirely on its

head. So, we will continue to make sure the planning system operates

effectively, that concerns of local communities are taken into account,

but we can see expansion in house-building, which is much needed

across the. Can ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next

meet? Tuesday. The Cabinet hasn't left itself much time now between

yesterday's Westminster budget Staten tonne statement and to

introduce a new draft statement for Scotland next year. The statement

yesterday was accompanied by a great deal of rhetoric about protecting

people who are just about managing. It contained a great deal more good

news for the wealthiest. Some 85% of the income tax cuts over the course

of the rest of the Parliament will go to the richest households. The

people who are being given some light relief in changes to Universal

Credit, that only restores a tiny fraction of what has already been

taken away from them. And the other writing of the so-called national

living wage, the other band on the minimum wage, won't get anywhere

close to the real living wage and also won't protect younger workers,

who are the most exploited at the moment in our economy. The Scottish

Government can take action on all of these. Does the First Minister

agreed that the Scottish budget must not only avoid reproducing the same

unjust policies that are being pursued south of the border, but

must result in a punitive benefit to Scotland that closes the inequality

gap and lose far fewer people in Scotland generally struggling? Yes,

I do agree with that. Our budget will be published on the 15th of

December. I think it's important to talk about the context for this

Parliament and this government of what the Chancellor announced. It

doesn't surprise me with Davidson didn't want to mention Autumn

Statement today. Because even after the additional capital funding that

was announced yesterday, that we will benefit from Brew consequential

is, our budget by the end of this decade will be 9.2%

in real terms no one than it was when the Tories took office. In

effect of the ?800 million yesterday, instead of our budget

being ?3.3 billion lower than when the Tories took office, it will be

?2.9 billion lower, and the Tories want is to be thankful for that. Of

course, we saw the Universal Credit situation remained largely

unchanged, which means the autumn budget statement was a case of

taking money away from the poorest are given to the richest. It was

busting the Tories showing their true colours. We will set out and

were budget plans on the 15th of December but we have already said we

will not pass on a massive tax cut to the 10% top income earners in the

country, because at a time when our budget has been hammered, when

public services are being hammered, when ?100 billion of additional

borrowing because of the Brexit recklessness, this is a time to

protect our services and protect the vulnerable, and this is what this

government will do. APPLAUSE

That goal is one I share, but I hope we can move away from the language

of passing on tax cuts over the border. The Chancellor down south

doesn't set tax rates and balance in Scotland. It is the Scottish

Government that will set them, so there's no question on passing on,

it is about deciding what is right for Scotland in the first

principles. It seems pretty clear there are specific actions that must

be taken if we want the Scottish budget to have the effect that the

First Minister is saying she wants to achieve. We should be saying, for

example, that all workers, not just of workers over 25, will get the

genuine living wage and have the kind of conditionality on that for

government support that the Scottish Government has shied away from. We

should be using the capital spending to cut people's living costs on

areas such as energy efficiency. We should be using devolve powers to

top up benefit, a top of the child benefit could lift tens of thousands

of children out of poverty in Scotland. And we must avoid

protecting wealthy people like ourselves in this progressive tax

policies that save money the people on low incomes and razored for those

who can afford to pay more. Does the First Minister agree it is

dispiriting to see the Labour Party, for example, say it is middle

earners who would cost more money if we raised the higher rate? Higher

rate taxpayers are on high incomes commission and we expect them to pay

a bit more? I agree with that last point. Higher rate income earners in

over ?43,000 a year. My judgment is it is not right to give a large tax

cut to the top 10% of income earners at a time when those at the bottom

end suffering so much and when there is so much pressure on our public

services. That is the judgment we make. It is dispiriting after the

rhetoric we've heard in this Parliament, John MacDonald saying

they agreed with that tax cut for top earners. In terms of the other

point Patrick Harvie razors, he will appreciate I won't go into all

details because the finance secretary will set out the budget in

due course. If we look at energy efficiency, this government will

invest heavily in energy efficiency, we will continue to do everything we

can to mitigate the effect of welfare cuts. I would across the

chamber would welcome the fact we have managed to confirm our work

programme would have sanctions attached to it, something which will

be warmly welcomed. In terms of the minimum and living wage, although we

don't have the power to set it, we make it clear we want to see the

extension of the real living wage, and I've extended to 40,000 social

care workers. These are the actions we will continue to take to help

those most in need and to protect our public services, and when we

published the budget, I hope the whole chamber will back it. There's

a minister is aware NHS Ayrshire has a less than good track record going

back many years regarding not disseminating information gained and

lessons learned at critical incidents. Pattern of failure for

too many brave families is established, and while I welcome

this L'Ecole review into baby deaths, we have been here before and

the question remains -- this new review. Does the First Minister

believed, and can she guarantee the outcome of this enquiry into baby

deaths will deliver improvements for the people of Ayrshire? Firstly, it

is fair to say changes have been made. The review, the John Scott, I

instigated it as Health Secretary in 2012, a review of Ayrshire's adverse

management. Some of what we have heard is deeply concerning and

that's why the Health Secretary has asked is to improve it. And any

others they believe is necessary and report on whether the process is

being followed. We will report back at the earliest point necessary, and

we will talk to the families. I can give assurances that if there are

lessons to be learnt on improvements to be made, we will not hesitate to

act. The justice minister has instructed Her Majesty's

Inspectorate of Constabulary to undercover Lowe review undercover

policing. One of the key officers Stephen Whitelock who was previously

deputy director of the specialist force that was responsible for

carrying out the undercover policing activity that he is now reviewing.

Will the First Minister stepping and remove Mr Whitelock from the inquiry

which might otherwise it credibility will be in tatters before its work

has barely begun. I will fully consider the issue Neal Finlay is

raising but I think more generally, as he said, the Justice Secretary

has directed them to undertake a review of undercover policing, it is

important we allow that to proceed and then act on any of the findings

of it, but I want to make sure we all want to make sure there is

confidence in that review, so we will consider any issues that were

raised that might damage that confidence, so I will look at the

issue and come back to the member in due course.

With Brexiteers ?350 million per week replaced by the Chancellor

yesterday replaced by ?250 million per week and new boring, does this

not make it much more difficult for governments north and south of the

border to deliver a social justice when our economy is being burdened

by debt of this magnitude due to the incompetence of the Tories? -- ball

rolling. -- borrowing. Yes, that is absolutely correct, we started to

see perhaps for the first time yesterday laid bare the true cost of

Brexit and rather than there being the promise of ?350 million extra

each week for the National Health Service, what we saw yesterday, is

that the additional borrowing, the additional borrowing caused by

Brexit led to ?225 million a week, that is the Brexit con that so many

people in the Conservative Party have presided over. That is why I am

determined that we continue to explore every option to protect the

interests of Scotland and in particular predictable place in the

single market because that is how we minimise the cost of Brexit that are

being imposed on us by the Conservative Party. Thank you,

Presiding Officer, last month the First Minister voted for an

amendment in this chamber setting out red lines regarding the great

deals. Yesterday, it was confirmed there would be no scrutiny of these

deals by the European Court of Justice. This government's written

answers and firms that there is a threat to our NHS and our protected

foods. Bobby Minister release legal advice that points to damaging

impacts and what action will she take to make sure that Scotland's

voice and values are held in Europe at the Skrtel time? -- the First

Minister. You will be aware of the legal

advice, we do not have direct power over trade agreements that you have

mentioned. But where I agree with you is that it is an comet on the

government and Powell Parliament to make sure that the voice of Scotland

as Herod and as I have said previously, we do have concerns

around some of the contents of both these trade agreements and the

threat to public services, including the NHS and we have argued there

should be an explicit exclusion for the NHS in agreements like this. We

have concerns over the investor state dispute resolution process. We

will continue to argue the case that Scotland's concern should be taken

into account and we will make sure that the voice of Scotland is heard

on these matters. To ask the First Minister what the

response of the Scottish Government is to the Autumn Statement? The

Autumn Statement starkly set up the to the UK economy and public

finances with economic growth and tax revenue revised downwards and

the borrowing and inflation sharply up. In responding, the UK Government

had the opportunity to end its field austerity policy but instead the

Chancellor has continued with the cuts that are reducing budgets to

public services and getting the income to families across Scotland.

A small increase in capital investment is welcomed, but this

reduces the cuts that were put in place by the Chancellor's

predecessor. By the end the decade our capital

budget alone will be 8% lower in real terms than it was when the

Tories came to power in 2010. We will publish the Scottish draft

budget next month and it will set up the measures we are taking to

support our economy, tackle inequality and invest in public

services, underlining the very different approaches our two

governments take. Thank you. Woody First Minister agree with me that

the full extent of the Tories' reckless gamble with the nation's

future has been laid bare for all to see in the Autumn Statement? I she

had said, slower growth, higher inflation and with tax revenue down.

Would she do with me that the bombshell projection that the UK

debt will increase by a staggering ?220 billion by 2020 if there is a

hard Brexit that makes it absolutely imperative that Scotland is able to

remain any single market by whatever means?

The Tories do not like to hear this because what we are hearing now is

the reality of their recklessness on Brexit. ?100 billion of additional

borrowing. Debt increasing by around ?200 billion. Debt to GDP ratio

hitting 90%, lower growth and lower real wages and a real squeeze on

living standards. That is the price of the Tory Brexit that Ruth

Davidson and her colleagues seem now to be so enthusiastic about. Well,

the Tories in Scotland might be the born-again Brexiteers, but this

government will continue to stand up for the interests of Scotland, we

will continue to seek to protect our place in Europe and, yes, we will

continue to find ways to protect our place in the single market because

that is what we need to do to protect jobs, protect public

finances and to protect the living standards of people across this

country because none of these things are safe in the hands of the Tories.

Murdo Fraser. Thank you, Presiding Officer, can I

suggest that if the First Minister wants to find Brexiteers, all she

needs to do is look at the benches behind her! The Chancellor's Autumn

Statement delivers for Scotland, ?800 million extra capital spending,

?74 million extra resource pending, 3.3 billion for our Scottish

charities, a freeze in fuel duty is, an increase in the personal alarms

to help the lowest earners and an increase in research and development

spending and the City Deal for Stirling and Clackmannanshire. The

constituency members seem to have forgotten about that. All of this is

part of the fastest-growing economy in the G7. Why cannot the First

Minister for once stop being so measurable and just welcomed this

good news? First Minister. I think most of the misery yesterday was

coming from the Chancellor, not from anyone on this site, I remember the

days when Murdo Fraser used to aspire to be a serious politician.

Now he is simply delusional. You know, the facts speak for themselves

and let us take account, let's take account of the 800 million extra in

capital, of the 74 million extra in revenue. Let us factor that all in

and see where we end up. We end up any position, whereby the end of

this decade, by the end of this decade, our budget will not be 3.3

billion more when it always took office as we were expecting, it will

just be 2.9 billion lower than when the Tories took office, and yet, the

Tories expect us all to thank them for that. Well, that is the price of

allowing the Tories to run our economy and the difference between

model freezer and the Conservatives and those of us in this house is

that we think we do a better job of running our economy ourselves, that

is the choice that faces us. Alexander Stewart. Thank you, too as

the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in

light of recent reports that Scotland's children are some of the

least active in the world? Some of the findings of the Active Healthy

Kids Report Card 2016 are disappointing and we want to do more

to challenge sedentary behaviour and decreased the physicality level of

children. As the board recognises we have a strong widget of the

infrastructure in place that underpin our plans. The outcomes

framework hopefully provide more opportunities for children to be

active and build upon our investment in school board and sports

facilities since 2007. I am sure the member will share my disappointment

that the UK Government watered down its recent childhood obesity

strategy and I hope will lend her support for our call on restrictions

on junk food advertising before 9pm to children's exposure to the

marketing of unhealthy foods. Thank you for that response and I do

welcome the government's efforts to encourage physical activity,

however, according to the Scottish health survey, the SNP have only

managed to increase the number of children meeting physical activity

guidelines by a few percent since the to power. As the First Minister

admit not enough progress has been made on this? I readily acknowledge

that we have to do much more but let us look at children doing two hours

or more periods of PE, for example. In 20 -- in 2005, that was less than

10%, there sure that has gone up to 98%. That is just one example of the

progress that is being made and we are investing heavily in local

sports facilities. The report that the member's question referred to,

the Active Healthy Kids Report Card, it found that we scored very well in

terms of policies and facilities but in terms of actual physical activity

or children, there is much more that we need to do, that is why we are

supporting the daily mile scheme in our schools which is an absolutely

fantastic initiative. We will continue to make sure that the

facilities and investment is translating into actual improvements

and epitope on this issue, because it is so important, not just at the

moment but for the future, that people in this chamber would get

behind us on this. James Kelly. Thank you, two as the First Minister

what action the Scottish Government is taking to tackle the problem of

nuisance calls? I know the significant harm that

emissions calls can harm -- can have, particular on the most

vulnerable in society, much of this power is lying with Westminster.

Much more can be done to tackle this. We held a summit in June with

representatives of UK regulators and telecoms companies and consumer

groups on what practical steps can be taken and it is why we have

outlined plans in the Programme for Government on a nuisance calls

commission which meets for the first time next week. There are no easy

solutions to this, but the response from our commission members,

business groups, the UK Government, shows there is a willingness to

protect consumers and tackle unscrupulous business practice. I

thank the First Minister for that answer. I am sure the First Minister

will agree with me that nuisance calls are unacceptable, particularly

because they are often used to target the old and the vulnerable.

The scale of the problem in Scotland is highlighted by the UK says stakes

which were published earlier this week and they showed that Scottish

cities occupy three of the top format places in proportion nuisance

of calls. In Glasgow alone, over half of all incoming calls to

trueCall customers were regarded as nuisance calls. Can I asked the

First Minister therefore, if the Scottish Government will make use of

the new consumer powers and published a bold action plan which

will put pressure on businesses to protect consumers and help

vulnerable people by supporting the provision of call blocking

technology? -- top three of four. Yes, I broadly agree with everything

the member has said. I agree that nuisance calls are unacceptable,

particularly as they tend to target older and more vulnerable people.

Beasley, much of the action can be taken here is reserved to

Westminster but that does not mean that we will not explore what action

is available to us. You are right to point out, although there is no

clear explanation as to why this is the case, are that nuisance calls

appear to be more of a problem in Scotland than they are in other

parts of the UK. You are correct to point out that we will have further

powers over consumer policies and we are actively looking at how they use

those policies in a way that can make a contribution to tackling this

problem and obviously call blocking technology is one of the areas, not

just the Scottish Government, but other governments are looking at. I

am very happy to continue a dialogue on this with any member across the

Chamber who is interested in this as we seek to work out how we can best

tackle what is an unacceptable and I think, most people would agree, a

growing problem for older people in particular in our duties. Daniel

Johnson. To ask the First Minister, following the recent call from Save

The Children, what action the Scottish Government is taking to

increase the number of teachers and other staff working in this race

with specialist training in spite and language development? Our

national practice guidance published in 2014 focuses on the needs of

babies, potters and young children and a variety of settings and makes

best practice recommendations. We are committed to expanding the free

error learning and child care including to the most vulnerable to

get old and by 2018 providing nurseries in the most deprived areas

of Scotland with an additional graduate or teacher with early

learning expertise. In addition, childcare entitlement will be

provided to support the borders of provision. Holistic model such as

the Woodburn from the learning centre which looks at other services

for children and families including speech and language therapists. I

think the First Minister for that answer. She restated her commitment

to expanding childcare and we share that game, but it is not the case

that over the last five years, Scotland's nurseries have lost over

900 teachers under government? How does you square that fight with the

promises that she has just made? We are not just committed to expanding

early learning and childcare in the future, we have expanded the

learning and childcare and we published not too long ago the

financial review of the expansion of that policy that showed that if

anything, the Scottish Government has overfunded that commitment with

local councils but, of course, we are working with local councils to

plan the further expansion. And the commitment around extra teachers and

graduates in nurseries in deprived areas is an important one, as is the

flexible ability that will be encompassed in the expanded

provision because that does give us the opportunity to look at different

models of provision, such as the one that I cited in my earlier answer.

There is no doubt that the key to solving this issue is early

education and that is why it is important that we look at expanding

not just the quantity of it, but it quality of it and the early years

Minister Mark McDonald is focused on doing both.

That said, there we have it, questions dominated by the Autumn

Statement, we'll talk about that. Also on the issue of the railways

coming up parties don't want to let it go, they aren't satisfied. Let's

talk about that when my colleagues here. Ruth Davidson didn't go on the

rail as last week but she was taken to the tracks today. She was.

There's has been the big issue this week. The transport minister has had

a very hard time. Really having a go at. It is quite a concerted attack

on her. I'm not sure whether he's managed to come out of it all that

well. He was being open and saying he wanted things to improve, and

then he said later on it wasn't a bad service. To be fair, he said he

thought it could improve in certain areas. I think it is something the

government obviously need to do something about. They have talked

about the possibility of having to bring back into ownership. Let's

talk about that in a second. What did you make of the response today,

publishing the action plan? She released biked Ruth Davidson's guns.

But first question was, you have this plan for ScotRail, when will

you publish it? In the next couple of days. It put her on the back

foot. She wasn't quite adept enough to change. Mapoe. Which is a bit

daft, there's only two answers, I'm not or I am. Surely there was an

answer. I think Nicola Sturgeon will be signing relief because it went

smoothly. You should be able to get the government on the back foot over

a to, argue arguably brewer service. The idea of public control, it is

not guaranteed, she talking about having it available. The next time

this comes up, it will be the first time under the Scottish rules it

will be possible for a public body to bid for that. But the government

seems rather than a set of base shell entity which could step in

where that to be required. It is an SNP pledge to take it into public

ownership. However, let's look at the other Boltons, Network Rail,

that isn't doing well. Is it a good idea? I suggest not. Where is this

going? Will they persist with it. It is probably right, trains are

difficult. You can't guarantee there will be a good train service. There

were examples being quoted are problems this morning. If the

government could sort it out, they would do. Public ownership is a

popular policy, and I'm surprised politicians haven't been mauled

bullish with that. We will talk with you again in a few minutes. Of

course, the other big issue raised, the aftermath of the Autumn

Statement, some sharp exchanges with the Conservatives. In preparation

for thinking about that topic, I interviewed Derek Mackay, the

Scottish Finance secretary, who will drop Scotland's plans, published on

the 15th of December. I asked in his response to the ?800 million of

extra capital investment over four years. I certainly welcome a fiscal

stimulus and capital investment, it was one of the things the devolved

administration was asking for. But let's put it into context, it is

giving back some of the resource that was taken away from us. Let's

talk about the revenue spending, there had been some anxiety in

Scotland that in search of savings, you might pick this has meant and

start again, with adverse consequences. That hasn't happened.

It hasn't, but there is still ?3.5 billion worth of savings to be found

between now and the end of the parliament. To the Chancellor is

still to identify those savings, and they may well reopen asset

settlement to impact in Scotland. I had called upon the Chancellor not

to negatively reopen our settlement, but people will also remember we

were told if we voted Brexit, there would be an extra ?350 million for

the NHS. Well, not fun, not a penny announced as a consequence of the

Chancellor's Autumn Statement. How do you characterise the impact on

Scotland overall? We've learned the Brexit bombshell which has lowered

economic growth, lower revenues as a consequence, higher borrowing and

high inflation. That will impact on the economy generally and will

impact on household budgets. There could have been a major move to give

business certainty at this time by saying we wanted a reasonable

approach and membership to single market, that hasn't happened, and

that will have an impact, is the biggest threat to our economy at

this point in time. We are where we are, Chancellor did not argue for

Brexit coming he has to deal with the circumstances as he finds them.

He stressed the underlying strength of the UK economy. Scotland has

strong foundations but the oil and gas sector had been crying out for

support, and there was nothing from the Chancellor on the oil and gas

sector by way of tax relief or investment. That could support of

the North East sector, as was support for front line services. By

failing to tackle the concerns and the uncertainty around Brexit, and

membership of the single market, that will give us a challenge going

forward. That means, as he has admitted, lower economic growth. He

said there is a capital simmers, there will be efforts to tackle what

he says is an underlying problem. You've got to welcome these

initiatives. I think Scotland was ahead of the game in much of this in

terms of our position on Scottish growth scheme or innovation around

recalibrating our economic strategy, wanting to do more around exports as

well. We have a strong track record on infrastructure and transport and

housing and on digital. I look forward to setting out more of our

plans on the 15th of December. Finally, the change of timing, the

budget to be in the autumn, if we get the full details on spending

plans in the autumn, how does that fit with your timetable? When the

Chancellor said that was going to be his last big Autumn Statement, I

thought for a moment he was going to resign in the autumn. That is not

what is happening, he is resetting the physical events in the fiscal

calendar. That is a matter of the UK Government. It is fortuitous I had

already worked in partnership with the finance committee to look again

at our Parliamentary timetable. This parliament has been powerful, more

fiscally responsible and we will look at the timetabling issues going

forward to reset how we do our business to ensure how it fits with

how the UK sets out its plans. He will have to deal with the

aftermath. Let's look behind us. Some people behind us. It is the

prostate Cancer campaign. Thank you for hanging on. The photocall was

earlier, but a few other teams stayed on. Let's talk again to my

colleagues, Ian Swanson and Lyndsay McIntosh. This question of the

Autumn Statement. Let's talk about the statement itself. You heard,

stop moaning, stop complaining and rejoice. Nicola Sturgeon not in a

mood for rejoicing. Nicola Sturgeon was risking all the problems and

explaining that despite the ?800,000, 800 million that will come

to Scotland because of infrastructure statement, that

despite that, it won't be a serious increase. There will be less money

in Scotland. They had expected the budget to be 3.3 million pounds

less, it will be 2.2. Nonetheless, he was going for it. He went for it.

I think there's two things from that Autumn Statement, one is the Brexit

bombshell. It is a grim economic news, there's no getting away from

it. Some are trying to get away but, some conservatives are saying they

are getting it wrong, not taken into account the changes Britain could

make under Brexit, such as cutting tariffs. The OBR forecasting, they

don't always get it right, they sometimes get it wrong. They've got

less of an agenda than the Brexit years do. Regardless, bad economic

news in there. From a Scottish perspective, it could be a lot

worse. There's capital investment Ian has mentioned. There is a city

deals we are getting, sterling coming on board. The current

spending budget, which was one prospect, we shouldn't be cheering

for it, but it was one concern. And aside from that, the Scottish

Parliament has got a lot more power than it can use to mitigate against

this austerity which is coming down the line. But not keen, Ian, Nicola

Sturgeon won't replicate the effective cut for other rate

taxpayers by increasing the threshold of the 50,000. It will be

interesting to see how things work out because it was all well today

being able to attract the UK Government for the cuts they are

making. In the next fortnight or so, the SNP government will be on the

back foot because they will have to defend what ever budgets they come

up with. It is not necessary all going to be good news. You have a

conservative attack of saying, stop whining and rejoice, but a labour

and Liberal Democrat attack of pushing up the standard rate of

income tax. There is that tension, because with new powers over income

tax, which is an important part, a significant power the Scottish

Parliament now has, it is important for the SNP, a big test whether they

are willing to use these powers, or wherever they are wanting to not

cause trouble. Lindsay, it is a question of balance in Parliament

because the SNP don't have a majority. We are back to the days of

2007-11, when they did deals of other parties together budget

through. There is more of an oppositional stance. I can't imagine

the Conservatives will be there go to partners. You have to think the

first people they will look to the Greens, and as we saw, Patrick

Harvie laying out this big shopping list of what he might want. Some of

those he's got no chance over, the income tax I would be shocked if

Nicola Sturgeon did much work that. It was such a big announcement. You

pay higher in Scotland than you do in England on the other rate.

Because of the Chancellor's changes. But she said, I'm not going further

on the top and because of the risk that people believe the country and

she did work on that. I would be shocked if she changed it now. There

are other things Patrick Harvie are asking for, such as energy

efficiency, perhaps something things with welfare, some of the carer 's

allowance, that she might be more... Child benefit as well. Will this be

tough to get a deal? Derek Mackay will have to do the budget talks

treasure map it will be, and John Swinney was the man in charge the

last time when they were in a minority situation, so he's not then

now, perhaps he will offer some advice behind the scenes. It is

Derek Mackay, and is eight big challenge for him. And a minority

when the opposition parties are feeling aggressive in some ways.

Lindsay, Ian, thank you indeed. The last time we were in the situation,

John Swinney was a finance secretary and he did deals with the

Conservatives from which they extract concessions and things such

as business rate in town centres. It might be tougher this time, we'll

bring you all the news here on BBC Scotland. Goodbye.

The most daunting of cookery challenges is back.

It's not as simple as it first appears, is it?