:00:37. > :00:47.Good afternoon. Alex Salmond is a big fan of the Rev IM Jolly. He has
:00:47. > :00:48.
:00:48. > :00:53.had a very bad week. He has had two ministers resigning over Nato. And
:00:53. > :00:59.problems over the European Union. Issues that will come up later. I
:00:59. > :01:09.am sure. In a moment, questions to ministers.
:01:09. > :01:19.
:01:19. > :01:25.Let's cross live there to the To ask the First Minister what
:01:25. > :01:29.engagements he has planned for the rest of the day.
:01:29. > :01:36.Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting the ambassador from El
:01:36. > :01:41.Salvador. Today, either love meetings to take forward the
:01:41. > :01:46.Government's programme for Scotland. Added like to ask the Prime
:01:46. > :01:56.Minister -- the First Minister where there an independent Scotland
:01:56. > :01:59.
:01:59. > :02:09.would be a member of their EU. Could a First Minister please
:02:09. > :02:12.
:02:12. > :02:18.explain his position? Order. The commence a Johann Lamont
:02:18. > :02:25.it refers to are there words of a were taken out of the Labour Party
:02:25. > :02:28.press release. I do not think it is a great argument do attack the
:02:28. > :02:33.property of government when you remove the words from your press
:02:33. > :02:43.release. Not the most ingenious tactic even from the Labour Party.
:02:43. > :02:49.
:02:49. > :02:53.Yes, an independent Scotland will Yesterday, a member of the European
:02:53. > :03:03.Parliament asked me to formally investigate weather the ministerial
:03:03. > :03:07.
:03:07. > :03:13.code had been broken in relation to their existence of -- their
:03:13. > :03:18.existence of content in relation to legal matters. This matter touches
:03:18. > :03:24.on an area of the cord which relates to the lot in terms of the
:03:24. > :03:29.content and existence of legal advice members of the panel who are
:03:29. > :03:39.distinguished Lord Advocate. The advice of the primary Secretary,
:03:39. > :03:42.
:03:42. > :03:46.added at that advice, I have invited Sir David belt -- Bell to
:03:46. > :03:49.join the panel. The finding of independent advisers will be made
:03:49. > :03:59.public and I will accept them and I hope that all members of this
:03:59. > :04:05.chamber will do the same. There have been a five and references --
:04:05. > :04:15.5 references says I have been First Minister. Each one of them has
:04:15. > :04:17.
:04:17. > :04:26.found that I had been in a chord with the cold. -- in accord with
:04:26. > :04:31.the code. The First Minister has asserted what Scotland's position
:04:31. > :04:35.would be post independence. He tells us that when he gets the
:04:36. > :04:41.answer, he will not share it with us are either. The First Minister
:04:41. > :04:48.talks about their interviewer at the 27 words. I have the transcript
:04:48. > :04:55.here. The First Minister seems to be asking the people, are you going
:04:55. > :04:59.to believe me or they evidence of your own eyes? I support you cannot
:04:59. > :05:06.expect a straight answer from a minister, a First Minister who has
:05:06. > :05:13.as straight as a corkscrew. But let's try again. Why did the First
:05:13. > :05:18.Minister... Order. Why did the First Minister say that he had
:05:18. > :05:23.sought advice from the law officers when he had not? Why did he give
:05:23. > :05:33.that impression it to this chamber at why did he go to court at our
:05:33. > :05:33.
:05:33. > :05:38.expense to stop the release of advice he knew did not exist.
:05:38. > :05:44.that was the case, the Labour Party would not have found it necessary
:05:44. > :05:50.to all met at the 27 words from their stick at. -- it to leave out
:05:50. > :05:55.the 27 words. You are bound by the ministerial code in terms of asking
:05:55. > :06:00.for specific advice on legal questions from the law officers.
:06:00. > :06:06.You are bound in terms of not only reveal the content but revealing
:06:06. > :06:11.the existence of that advice. There is a second process and that is
:06:11. > :06:17.quite different. Every major document which is published by this
:06:17. > :06:22.government is underpinned by officers advise. When it they ask
:06:22. > :06:28.for specific advice, the law officers give what is in their
:06:28. > :06:38.opinion legal. In underpinning, they will point out what is
:06:38. > :06:39.
:06:39. > :06:44.obviously against the law in their opinion. What is being talked about
:06:44. > :06:48.is in terms of both the debate and the documents. That is why the
:06:48. > :06:55.section of their interview finishes by saying but documents that had
:06:55. > :07:01.been published are consistent with the legal advice we have received.
:07:01. > :07:06.In terms of the government's defending the ministerial code, I
:07:06. > :07:11.have been doing a little bit of research. And I now find that the
:07:11. > :07:17.Labour Party were by and by the Freedom of Information Act for two
:07:17. > :07:24.years. In that two years, the took five cases to the Court of Session
:07:24. > :07:28.to defend the principles of disclosure. This relates and
:07:28. > :07:38.compares or the two cases we have taken him five years. I would just
:07:38. > :07:42.say to draw a lot Mant -- a Johann Lamont, if you have taken five
:07:42. > :07:48.cases in two years to the Court of Session, you have up in no position
:07:48. > :07:58.to preach to are the people. -- Your are in no position to preach
:07:58. > :08:04.to other people. Get this seriousness of the charges that are
:08:04. > :08:13.we made here, the idea that that constitutes any kind of answer is
:08:13. > :08:17.completely ludicrous. The people of Scotland need to trust what he says
:08:17. > :08:24.add on that performance, they certainly do not. He says we cannot
:08:24. > :08:31.say we are even asking for advice. The Deputy First Minister stood
:08:31. > :08:35.here on Tuesday and said that she was asking for that advice. The
:08:35. > :08:42.First Minister wants an honest debate about what is going to
:08:42. > :08:51.happen in the future of Scotland. He asserted that we would be in the
:08:51. > :08:58.European Union and joining the euro. But he does not actually know
:08:58. > :09:03.because he has not asked. Yesterday, the Spanish Foreign Secretary said
:09:03. > :09:08.Scotland would have to apply to be in their European Union and would
:09:08. > :09:17.be at the back of the queue. The First Minister says he is wrong,
:09:17. > :09:21.but he does not go because he has not asked. -- he does not know. The
:09:21. > :09:31.First Minister says we would keep the pint, but he does not know
:09:31. > :09:38.because he has not asked. -- the pound. The First Minister will say
:09:38. > :09:44.anything to get through the moment. But after this week, nobody trusts
:09:44. > :09:48.him. Added have thought that given this
:09:48. > :09:50.debate has lasted for some considerable time that Johann
:09:50. > :09:59.Lamont would have taken the precaution of Reading of the
:09:59. > :10:03.ministerial code. She asked where I could not reveal the existence of
:10:03. > :10:07.ministerial advice while a Nicola Sturgeon this week told the chamber
:10:07. > :10:13.that they were seeking specific advice on this question. Can high.
:10:13. > :10:21.Her to the ministerial code. -- can I point her to the ministerial
:10:21. > :10:31.code? The content must not be a revealed to anyone out with the
:10:31. > :10:34.
:10:34. > :10:38.Scottish government without the law officers prior consent. When the
:10:38. > :10:48.officers consent was obtained by Nicola Sturgeon, she was able to
:10:48. > :10:49.
:10:49. > :10:54.reveal that information. I would have thought that was understood in
:10:54. > :11:04.terms of this debate. I hope that now that has been cleared up for
:11:04. > :11:10.Johann Lamont, I hope that she will accept it. It is quite clear. It is
:11:10. > :11:20.prior consent. I did not have prior consent, Nicola Sturgeon did have
:11:20. > :11:23.
:11:23. > :11:33.prior consent. Can I direct Johann Lamont to the comments of the
:11:33. > :11:34.
:11:34. > :11:42.Spanish foreign minister Quetta mark if in the UK, both parties
:11:42. > :11:48.agree, Spain with -- Spain would have nothing to say. This does not
:11:48. > :11:54.concern us. In Edinburgh Agreement, the process by which independence
:11:54. > :11:57.for Scotland would be secured was agreed. That is the point that the
:11:57. > :12:04.Spanish foreign minister was making this year. Under these
:12:04. > :12:08.circumstances, we have sought the advice of the law officers and that
:12:08. > :12:13.advice will form at the White Paper on independence. That seems to me
:12:13. > :12:21.to be substantial progress in this debate. Giving a Johann Lamont the
:12:21. > :12:23.information that she claimed she needs. I am asking for the
:12:23. > :12:31.information the people of Scotland required to make the decision in
:12:31. > :12:33.the future. The First Minister says the difference between him at the
:12:33. > :12:38.Deputy First Minister is that she asked permission that she was going
:12:38. > :12:42.to tell us that she was going to get advice. Could he not have asked
:12:42. > :12:49.permission to tell us that he had not asked for permission to give
:12:49. > :12:56.any advice? He might find this hard to believe that I do feel for the
:12:56. > :13:02.Prime Minister. All his life he has fought for this. And now he knows
:13:02. > :13:09.his argument does not meet the Times. Now he knows it does not
:13:09. > :13:16.make sense for Scotland. He makes things up instead. No one wants the
:13:16. > :13:20.euro so he pretends we would not have to have even -- we would not
:13:20. > :13:27.have to have it even though he does we would. Before now, he has always
:13:27. > :13:31.got his way. He is a need for a place in Scottish is the becomes
:13:31. > :13:36.before the people of Scotland. I feel for the First Minister. His
:13:36. > :13:43.argument is falling apart imprint of his eyes. His own backbenchers
:13:43. > :13:48.know it. His deceptions have been found out. No one believes him any
:13:48. > :13:58.more. How can this country have an honest debate about our future by
:13:58. > :14:01.
:14:01. > :14:08.the cannot trust a word Alex Salmond says? -- when we cannot.
:14:08. > :14:13.the climax of that speech by Johann Lamont, she almost directly quoted
:14:13. > :14:19.from the Prime Minister. How appropriate! Let me tell Johann
:14:19. > :14:24.Lamont something for nothing. I think it is worthwhile for Scotland
:14:24. > :14:29.to Government its own affairs, I think it is worthwhile to escape
:14:29. > :14:33.from the welfare reform which is impoverishing our country. I think
:14:33. > :14:40.it is important for Scotland to take its place as an independent
:14:40. > :14:44.member of the European Union. I think Johann Lamont should look at
:14:44. > :14:48.the huge number authorities over the Year who have cited that it is
:14:48. > :14:53.of fundamental importance a we alight the government that we want,
:14:53. > :15:00.not have one foisted upon us by Westminster. It is fundamentally
:15:00. > :15:08.important that this country and Scotland says Scotland has a
:15:08. > :15:18.fundamentally equal member in the European Union. That is entirely
:15:18. > :15:27.
:15:28. > :15:32.the argument which will carry Ruth Davidson. To ask the First
:15:32. > :15:36.Minister when he will next meet the Prime Minister. No plans in the
:15:36. > :15:41.near future, but I met him last week to sign the Edinburgh
:15:41. > :15:46.Agreement. And I believe your advisers told you not to look to
:15:46. > :15:56.triumphant, amazing what ten days can do. Four days, presiding
:15:56. > :15:57.
:15:57. > :16:01.officer, we have had more ducking and diving. As he avoids the
:16:01. > :16:05.conclusion that every fair-minded person has already reached, that he
:16:05. > :16:13.has misled the country into believing his case for Scotland's
:16:13. > :16:19.place in Europe was based on proper, legal advice. Now, if we believe
:16:19. > :16:26.the deputy First Minister, it was all a fantasy, that we would all be
:16:26. > :16:33.millionaires by 2014. But perhaps, this politician of the year is more
:16:33. > :16:43.like Bill Clinton. I did not have legal relations with that man, Mr
:16:43. > :16:48.
:16:48. > :16:54.Mulholland. But the question here... Order! Is that... Is that both Mr
:16:54. > :16:58.Salmond and his deputy cannot be right. Either the First Minister
:16:58. > :17:04.misled the BBC and nation into believing he had legal advice, then
:17:04. > :17:08.spent thousands trying to cover his tracks, or much more seriously, the
:17:08. > :17:14.deputy First Minister has misled Parliament by telling us that no
:17:14. > :17:20.such advice existed all along, when he did. That is a resignation
:17:20. > :17:28.offence. Which one is it? Did he mislead the public or did she
:17:28. > :17:33.mislead Parliament? First Minister. I think about 12% of that question
:17:34. > :17:37.was the sort of question... LAUGHTER. The sort of question we
:17:37. > :17:41.should hear in this chamber. I do none know if Ruth Davidson was
:17:41. > :17:50.listening to the fast and so, making a distinction between
:17:50. > :17:54.seeking legal advice, -- listening to the first answer. In the latter
:17:54. > :17:59.case, the law officers tell you what is wrong, if there is anything
:17:59. > :18:03.wrong with your statement, in the first case, giving their opinion.
:18:03. > :18:08.It is a clear distinction and I hope Ruth Davidson now understands
:18:08. > :18:13.that. In terms of the question Nicola Sturgeon and myself, you
:18:13. > :18:17.need prior consent according to the ministerial code, and she had that
:18:17. > :18:23.consent and what she told this chamber on Tuesday is a perfectly
:18:23. > :18:28.acceptable. I am struck by the fact that the Conservative Party seem to
:18:28. > :18:32.think that this position on the ministerial code is something that
:18:32. > :18:36.is unique to this Government, in fact carried by at the Westminster
:18:37. > :18:41.and Scottish Government from time immemorial, across many countries,
:18:41. > :18:47.the same precepts existing in terms of the confidentiality of legal
:18:47. > :18:52.advice. I have a letter hear from someone to the Attorney General,
:18:52. > :18:59.someone in Scotland, a citizen asking on the 21st November last
:18:59. > :19:05.year, asking about whether the hell legal advice on the subject of
:19:05. > :19:08.Scottish independence. -- but the legal advice was held. The reply
:19:08. > :19:18.was they were unable to confirm or deny whether this department holds
:19:18. > :19:21.
:19:21. > :19:28.anything. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
:19:28. > :19:35.Davidson. All the goose could need is a panic telephone call on a
:19:35. > :19:39.television -- on a Tuesday morning. What is the inescapable truth is
:19:39. > :19:47.that neither this First Minister nor his deputy can be trusted to
:19:47. > :19:54.tell the truth. Maybe it is not Bill Clinton, maybe it is Richard
:19:54. > :20:00.Nixon, I am not a crook. Maybe he is not, but the people of Scotland
:20:00. > :20:07.simply cannot believe one word he says. Because of him, we cannot
:20:07. > :20:11.believe a word his deputy says either. Order! There is one way to
:20:11. > :20:16.clear this up, for the Lord Advocate to come to this chamber to
:20:16. > :20:21.explain what law officers were asked, what was said and went. Will
:20:21. > :20:27.the First Minister now take the appropriate action to ensure that
:20:27. > :20:36.Franck Muller Holland appears before Parliament at the earliest
:20:36. > :20:39.opportunity? -- that Mr Mulholland appears. I am amused by these
:20:39. > :20:44.references to American politics. I would have what you would be most
:20:44. > :20:51.familiar with Mitt Romney, the one who dismissed 47% of the American
:20:51. > :21:00.population. Ruth Davidson dismisses 88% of the Scottish population. I
:21:00. > :21:05.am also struck by the fact there is nothing new under the sun. I have a
:21:05. > :21:10.cutting from March 8th, 1992 from the Scotland on Sunday. It appears,
:21:10. > :21:13.on that day, the Tory and Labour parties were queuing up to tell
:21:13. > :21:19.Scotland that they would not be admitted into the European Union.
:21:19. > :21:25.It says, a former European Court judge has cast doubts on John
:21:25. > :21:32.Major's assertion that a Scot and became independent it would -- --
:21:32. > :21:37.it would have to us for help. Devolution would lead Scotland
:21:37. > :21:41.suffering in the same legal board. It Scotland had to reapply, so
:21:41. > :21:46.would the rest. They really interesting thing about this is, as
:21:46. > :21:53.I recall, that legal advice was sought from Lord Mackenzie Stuart
:21:53. > :21:58.by the Conservative Party. So this argument has been going a long time.
:21:58. > :22:00.The question on law officers, the great thing about them under the
:22:00. > :22:08.Scottish Government is the other independent law officers in terms
:22:08. > :22:12.of conducting affairs, and do not like the Attorney General going
:22:13. > :22:16.about in terms of political arguments. I think, basically, the
:22:16. > :22:20.people of Scotland Prevert law officers to be independent and I
:22:20. > :22:27.think we shall keep it that way. -- Prevert law officers to be
:22:27. > :22:29.independent. Question number three. What is the response to the latest
:22:29. > :22:33.labour market statistics suggesting there has been a quarterly increase
:22:33. > :22:41.in unemployment in Scotland compared with a ball across the
:22:41. > :22:47.rest of the UK. -- fall. There is a range of measures the Government is
:22:47. > :22:53.taking. I know Ken Macintosh agrees with calling on their Chancellor to
:22:53. > :22:58.end -- to boost capital spending. That is something Ken Macintosh, as
:22:58. > :23:06.I understand, supports when he backed our colles in the economy
:23:06. > :23:11.debate to implement projects. I would caution Ken Macintosh in
:23:11. > :23:16.terms of statistics across the UK. Unemployment did fall by some
:23:16. > :23:21.50,000, but we also know there were 100,000 temporary jobs for the
:23:21. > :23:26.Olympics in London. That is a point made by some of his colleagues. I
:23:26. > :23:29.hope Ken Macintosh maintains support for the Scottish Government
:23:29. > :23:35.in trying to obtain capital investment to get the economy
:23:35. > :23:41.moving. I should say it would be a great deal easier if we could just
:23:41. > :23:50.implement these changes instead of asking at Tory Chancellor. APPLAUSE.
:23:50. > :23:55.Ken Macintosh. Thank you for your reply. And I
:23:55. > :24:00.asked if the jobs lost have been in the public sector, such as nurses,
:24:00. > :24:04.police support staff and civil servants. Areas of direct or
:24:04. > :24:07.indirect responsibility for the First Minister. If you are not able
:24:07. > :24:13.to explain why unemployment is higher in Scotland than the rest of
:24:13. > :24:20.the UK, can you tell us how many jobs will be lost? Kear Assistance,
:24:20. > :24:26.teaching assistants, lost by the 4.3% real-terms cut in their budget.
:24:26. > :24:31.-- care assistants. Ken Macintosh should have looked at the
:24:31. > :24:35.statistics. The following public sector employment in Scotland as
:24:35. > :24:39.much less than that in the UK. That is because we have approached
:24:39. > :24:45.things differently in terms of central and local Government. For
:24:45. > :24:48.example, we have no compulsory redundancy policy in terms of the
:24:48. > :24:53.Government and agencies and across the National Health Service.
:24:53. > :24:56.Perhaps Ken Macintosh can turn his mind again to agreeing with this
:24:57. > :25:03.Government that we need a different economic policy and need to take
:25:03. > :25:07.the economy out of recession by stimulating capital investment. The
:25:07. > :25:12.GDP figures released today shows another decline in the construction
:25:12. > :25:16.sector across the UK, surely proof positive that because by this
:25:16. > :25:20.Government, supported by Ken Macintosh, are on the right lines
:25:20. > :25:25.in terms of bringing the economy out of recession. But I have to
:25:25. > :25:28.repeat the point that he must understand and accept that the
:25:28. > :25:34.economics of Scotland are controlled by the UK chancellor in
:25:34. > :25:37.London at the present moment. Wouldn't it be better if we control
:25:37. > :25:44.these towering highs of economy and do something about the
:25:44. > :25:48.circumstances and help the people? Question number four, Colin Keir.
:25:48. > :25:51.What recent process has been made with the Forth Replacement
:25:51. > :25:56.Crossing? The project is progressing well, remains on time
:25:56. > :26:06.and budget. People who pass can see the extraordinary progress that is
:26:06. > :26:06.
:26:06. > :26:12.being made in the new crossing. By the end of the year, parts of the
:26:12. > :26:18.Ganges -- cancer that will be commissions. Slip roads are
:26:18. > :26:25.scheduled to finish early next year. -- by the end of the year, parts of
:26:25. > :26:30.the gangways will be commissioned. This is a large infrastructure
:26:30. > :26:36.projects. It can show the shambolic solve the Labour Party's transport
:26:36. > :26:44.policy. Are you fully committed to develop -- delivering this artery
:26:44. > :26:48.on time and on budget? Up it was an extraordinary interview. We need to
:26:48. > :26:53.know, do the Labour Party still support the replacement crossing
:26:53. > :26:58.that was voted fought in this chamber? What is being said to the
:26:58. > :27:02.1,100 people directly employed in that project or the more than 306
:27:02. > :27:08.Scottish companies already benefiting from contracts and sub-
:27:08. > :27:13.contracts? You get to the stage that this project is making such
:27:13. > :27:18.great progress, so much work done, 1,100 people working on it, under
:27:18. > :27:25.Labour Party decide at this moment to withdraw support. Do they want
:27:25. > :27:31.us to finish back of it, leaving the rest of the bridge? -- finish
:27:31. > :27:35.part of it. I suggest Labour Party changed their mind, and tell the
:27:35. > :27:45.people of five in Scotland that the support of Forth Replacement
:27:45. > :27:49.
:27:49. > :27:56.Crossing. Billy Murray. Perhaps you might have read the transcript. --
:27:56. > :28:01.Elaine Murray. Or maybe the apical excel. No fair-
:28:01. > :28:09.minded person would suggest that there was any question of it being
:28:09. > :28:14.scrapped. -- or maybe listen to the article itself. Are you not aware
:28:14. > :28:24.that many commentators, including the Finance Committee, are
:28:24. > :28:25.
:28:25. > :28:28.questioning the cost. Get to the point please. The cost of this, and
:28:28. > :28:34.its value to the economy, particularly considering your
:28:34. > :28:39.procurement policies. I am grateful for confirming that just
:28:39. > :28:43.occasionally you position might be in this report -- your position
:28:43. > :28:47.might be misrepresented by journalists. What I find difficult
:28:47. > :28:57.to understand the sea Forth Replacement Crossing is on time and
:28:57. > :29:04.under budget. How on a Can you withdraw support now when it is
:29:05. > :29:10.under budget, costing less than we expected? -- how can you withdraw
:29:10. > :29:15.support? Maybe you should clarify the position and we can come to the
:29:15. > :29:19.chamber. You are fortunate that you will not have to account for the
:29:19. > :29:26.situation. You might just have to explain it to the leader on the
:29:26. > :29:28.Front Bench. Question number five, Drew Smith. To ask the First
:29:28. > :29:34.Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to address
:29:34. > :29:40.poverty. The biggest threat to poverty is the United gained -- is
:29:40. > :29:45.to UK Government reforms. We have the creation of a new Scottish
:29:45. > :29:49.Welfare Fund, with an additional �9 million transferred from the
:29:49. > :29:55.Department of Work and Pensions. That will offer an extra 100,000
:29:55. > :29:59.vulnerable Scots financial help. I do accept, and I think Drew Smith
:29:59. > :30:04.would also accept, that mitigating the whole range of benefit cuts
:30:04. > :30:08.coming down the road from the UK Government will not be possible in
:30:08. > :30:12.terms of the finances of this Parliament. Surely the solution is
:30:12. > :30:18.for this Parliament to have control over such matters, so we can devise
:30:19. > :30:24.the policies for the benefit of the Scottish people. Drew Smith.
:30:24. > :30:26.welcome the Scottish Welfare Fund, although a cash-limited fund, so it
:30:26. > :30:31.will run out before the end of the year. Government officials have
:30:31. > :30:34.confirmed that. The First Minister will also be aware of the wider
:30:34. > :30:38.reports released this week indicating that there are thousands
:30:38. > :30:43.of families already facing severe disadvantage in Scotland, including
:30:43. > :30:47.more than 10% of families in Glasgow. Given the progress on
:30:47. > :30:52.reducing shell from -- Child poverty has altered of Scotland,
:30:52. > :30:56.what are the key drivers of change that these families and communities
:30:56. > :30:59.need and tell us what targeted support the Scottish Government is
:30:59. > :31:07.offering to these families and children which might make an impact
:31:07. > :31:12.on that situation? Can I just point Drew Smith to the fact that the
:31:12. > :31:18.changes we are making to the Scottish Welfare Fund will help an
:31:19. > :31:24.additional 100,000 vulnerable Scots. APPLAUSE. That seems to me a lot of
:31:24. > :31:28.people. I accept that we cannot across the range of benefit cuts
:31:28. > :31:33.from Westminster make good the difference. We cannot do it in
:31:33. > :31:40.terms of the finances of a devolved parliament. But in two hugely
:31:40. > :31:45.significant As, council tax benefit, given control but for the 10% cut
:31:45. > :31:52.by agreement with local authorities, working together, making good that
:31:52. > :31:57.for hard-pressed families. At the Scottish Welfare Fund, transferring
:31:57. > :32:02.from work and pensions, making up that 10% cut with 9 million over
:32:02. > :32:06.the period. That seems to be great action by this Government to do our
:32:06. > :32:10.best under difficult circumstances. I make no claim that we can
:32:10. > :32:14.compensate for every reduction in the Budget by the UK Government.
:32:14. > :32:18.But I hope when Drew Smith things about it, and I know he does, that
:32:18. > :32:22.the solution for the people of Scotland is to have control over
:32:22. > :32:26.these budgets, so we can act in the best interests of the people of
:32:26. > :32:36.Scotland all the time, not just mitigating the impact of
:32:36. > :32:37.
:32:37. > :32:40.Westminster cuts. APPLAUSE. Smith. To ask the First Minister
:32:40. > :32:43.whether the Scottish Government considers that wind farms do not
:32:43. > :32:48.have a negative impact on the landscape. Wind energy is a part of
:32:48. > :32:52.renewable energies we want to develop. It will help us secured
:32:52. > :32:56.targets and secured an energy mix for Scotland, delivering jobs and
:32:56. > :33:00.investment. It is vital these developments are delivered
:33:00. > :33:03.sustainably, taking place in appropriate locations. We have a
:33:04. > :33:07.planning system that is all open and transparent, enduring
:33:07. > :33:15.developments only go ahead subject to impacts on landscape and other
:33:15. > :33:21.issues. That view, of course, is shared across the Government.
:33:21. > :33:25.Smith. On what evidence have you base this opinion? Given the
:33:25. > :33:28.admission by Visit Scotland that the building of a windfarm in
:33:28. > :33:32.Dumfriesshire could have a negative impact on the landscape and given
:33:33. > :33:36.the substantial growth in the number of local communities
:33:36. > :33:46.opposing windfarm applications which includes at least one
:33:46. > :33:50.
:33:50. > :33:53.Scottish Council seeking to have a She would have seen the Chief
:33:53. > :34:00.Executive say that the press comments were in accurate in a
:34:00. > :34:04.letter to the newspapers concerned. Secondly, she should know that the
:34:04. > :34:10.figures demonstrate that not every wind farm application is approved.
:34:10. > :34:20.They are approved if they can conform to planning permission and
:34:20. > :34:21.
:34:21. > :34:30.circumstances. I am concerned when I see the Conservative Party
:34:30. > :34:40.appeared to a moratorium on wind development. There are now 18,000
:34:40. > :34:41.
:34:41. > :34:49.people using a renewable energy across Scotland. -- concerned in
:34:49. > :34:59.the economics of a renewable energy. What will she say to those people
:34:59. > :35:00.
:35:00. > :35:04.if it affects the their jobs? The other difficulty I have got is this
:35:04. > :35:14.consistent view of their Conservative Party. My attention
:35:14. > :35:19.has been drawn to the comments of Adam Bruce who said, wind energy
:35:19. > :35:26.reduces the price at risk and cuts bills even when subsidised, it
:35:26. > :35:32.develops economic growth and jobs. We need to a more wind energy in
:35:32. > :35:37.the UK, a lot less. The Conservative Party should do two
:35:37. > :35:44.things. Clarify what their policy is and then attempt to speak with
:35:44. > :35:52.one verse and not on the people. That is first Minister's questions.
:35:52. > :36:02.There we have it. Not at the easier session for Alex Salmond. He
:36:02. > :36:10.battled on. Ruth Davidson has suggested he was like a character