:00:16. > :00:30.Hello. And a very warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament here at.
:00:31. > :00:34.There 'll be questions on the NHS. It says there is improvements in the
:00:35. > :00:38.NHS and record spending, but says there are problems in keeping pace
:00:39. > :00:42.with ever increasing demand. It says for example that only one out of
:00:43. > :00:47.eight waiting time targets has been met. Let's see the that and other
:00:48. > :00:50.topics are raised with the First Minister.
:00:51. > :00:58.The Scottish Conservative leader asking about the NHS just now. Let's
:00:59. > :01:04.listen in. Over the last decade there have been improvements in the
:01:05. > :01:08.way health services have been delivered and reduction times. There
:01:09. > :01:12.have been improvements in overall health, patient safety and survival
:01:13. > :01:17.rates for a number of conditions such as heart disease. These are not
:01:18. > :01:25.my words. It is the first paragraph of the audit Scotland report
:01:26. > :01:31.published today. Context is important. Notwithstanding all of
:01:32. > :01:35.that, the NHS does face challenges. It faces rising demand, principally
:01:36. > :01:40.from an ageing population. These challenges are in no way unique to
:01:41. > :01:45.Scotland. They are common to health systems around the world. A point
:01:46. > :01:50.made by the auditor general on radio. When she said Scotland's
:01:51. > :01:55.performance stands up well against that and the rest of the UK. It is
:01:56. > :02:01.in light of these challenges, in light of that rising demand that we
:02:02. > :02:06.are ensuring record funding and will increase it more by inflation over
:02:07. > :02:10.this period. It is why we have staff levels at the highest level ever. It
:02:11. > :02:14.is why we are also ensuring reform of the health service, not just
:02:15. > :02:18.investment in it. Integration of health and social care. Shifting
:02:19. > :02:27.resources into social care and primary care and expanding elective
:02:28. > :02:31.capacity for routine operations. There is nothing unique about fating
:02:32. > :02:33.the health services in Scotland. It is focussing on these challenges and
:02:34. > :02:42.we will continue to be so. The First Minister is the only
:02:43. > :02:45.person in Scotland reading the papers thinking her Government
:02:46. > :02:49.deserves a pat on the back for the performance in health care. And the
:02:50. > :02:54.reason I asked the specific question which I did, which she docked s the
:02:55. > :03:00.audit Scotland report was not from today. It was the one that came out
:03:01. > :03:05.in 2007, when this SNP Government first came to power. Nearly ten
:03:06. > :03:09.years on, Audit Scotland reports again with the exact same warnings
:03:10. > :03:14.as it was giving nearly ten years ago, about the lack of a clear plan,
:03:15. > :03:18.about the failure of this Government to get a grip. And that has
:03:19. > :03:22.inevitable costs. Waiting time targets which have been missed.
:03:23. > :03:27.Doctors and nurses under greater pressure and health boards that are
:03:28. > :03:32.on the brink. The Royal College of Nursing asks today how many reports
:03:33. > :03:36.will be published by Audit Scotland before action is taken? That is a
:03:37. > :03:41.fair question. What is the answer? Well, I am very happy to compare the
:03:42. > :03:45.situation in the health service today to the situation in the health
:03:46. > :03:48.service in 2007, when this Government took office. There is now
:03:49. > :03:52.more than ?3 billion extra investment in the health service,
:03:53. > :03:58.compared to the time when we took office. There are 11,000 more
:03:59. > :04:02.medical professionals and nurses and other health care professionals
:04:03. > :04:05.working in our health service. That is why Audit Scotland today says
:04:06. > :04:10.that staffing levels in our health service are at an all-time high. In
:04:11. > :04:13.terms of waiting times, of course there are challenges around waiting
:04:14. > :04:18.times in our health service. Let's look at the position when we took
:04:19. > :04:24.office. Back then, just 85% of in-patients were seen within 18
:04:25. > :04:28.weeks. Today, more than 90% of in-patients are seen within 12
:04:29. > :04:33.weeks. The NHS is performing better against a tougher target. Let's look
:04:34. > :04:40.at out patients. When we took office, p 0% of out patients were
:04:41. > :04:45.seen within -- 70% of out-patients were seen within 12 week. Our
:04:46. > :04:51.Accident Emergency departments and the performance of our Accident
:04:52. > :04:53.Emergency departments are 8% points higher than Accident Emergency
:04:54. > :04:57.departments in England, where the Tories are in Government. So, yes,
:04:58. > :05:01.there are challenges in our health service. That is why we have our
:05:02. > :05:05.vision 2020 strategy. It is why we have in place our new clinical
:05:06. > :05:09.strategy. Why we are planning increased investment in the health
:05:10. > :05:12.service. It is why we are determined to shift the balance of care into
:05:13. > :05:17.community, social and primary care. It is why we will continue to focus
:05:18. > :05:21.on making sure that we improve the health service to itn't co-s to have
:05:22. > :05:29.what it has today - a high patient satisfaction levels.
:05:30. > :05:40.So to my first question, no answers to the charges levelled by Audit
:05:41. > :05:42.Scot and no charges levelled by the RCN and Scotland's nurses. I think
:05:43. > :05:46.we should spell things out for what they are, that is the failure of
:05:47. > :05:51.this Government to get to grips with the NHS and it is an outrage. Health
:05:52. > :05:55.boards are having to make huge savings in order to break even, to
:05:56. > :05:59.take out loans, keep going and put off essential repairs to hospital
:06:00. > :06:04.buildings. Yet, we learn today, because of this Government's failure
:06:05. > :06:09.to manage staffing, there has been a 47% increase in agency nursing and
:06:10. > :06:15.midwifery staff and staggeringly the individual agency doctors are being
:06:16. > :06:18.paid over ?400,000 each to provide cover for periods of less than a
:06:19. > :06:23.year. And all of that, while patient care
:06:24. > :06:27.suffers from cuts and hospital buildings are left to crumble. I
:06:28. > :06:36.call it a scandal. What does the First Minister call it?
:06:37. > :06:43.The funding is higher than when we took office and waiting times are
:06:44. > :06:52.lower than when we took office. But the hypocrisy of Ruth Dvaison stag
:06:53. > :06:57.gering. Health boards in Scotland met all their financial targets as
:06:58. > :07:04.narrated by Audit Scotland today, in the same year that Audit Scotland is
:07:05. > :07:07.looking at the NHS in England. It had a ?2.5 billion deficit. Three
:07:08. > :07:17.times the deficit had in the previous year. Agency spend for
:07:18. > :07:22.nurses is 0.4% of the total budget. Agency spend per head of population
:07:23. > :07:28.is less than one-third of what it is in England. The point I am making
:07:29. > :07:31.here, presiding office s this one, our NHS faces challenges. These
:07:32. > :07:38.challenges are not unique to Scotland. They are challenges faced
:07:39. > :07:43.by health systems across the world. As the auor general said, when it
:07:44. > :07:48.comes to facing up to these challenges, Scotland is performing
:07:49. > :07:55.well and we will focus on ensuring we remain doing so.
:07:56. > :07:58.The point is this, while there have been some improvements in some areas
:07:59. > :08:03.over the last ten years, which is welcome as far as it goes, welcome
:08:04. > :08:08.as far as it goes, but the big question on the reforms to give our
:08:09. > :08:14.NHS is a sustainable future, to allow health boards to budget for
:08:15. > :08:21.the long term, successive SNP Health Ministers, including this First
:08:22. > :08:26.Minister, when she was in the role, have ducked the big challenges. Now
:08:27. > :08:30.we have an unavoidable crisis on our hands because this Government has
:08:31. > :08:34.preferred sticking plaster solutions and a strategy of no clear
:08:35. > :08:39.framework, no milestones and no costings, as we have heard today.
:08:40. > :08:43.Audit Scotland and the Royal College of Nursing are recommending today
:08:44. > :08:47.that health boards are given flexibility to plan by having
:08:48. > :08:51.three-year rolling budgets rather than annual financial targets. We
:08:52. > :09:00.will back that. Will she? Well, I think that last question was
:09:01. > :09:03.a case of not waving, but drowning, grudgingly accepting there have been
:09:04. > :09:09.some improments. There have been lots in the NHS in Scotland, unlike
:09:10. > :09:15.the situation in England, where her party is in charge. We will continue
:09:16. > :09:21.to focus on that. That is why we have integrated health and social
:09:22. > :09:26.care. It is why we have in place a new national strategy. Why we have a
:09:27. > :09:31.range to population health. All of that adding up to deliver 2020
:09:32. > :09:36.strategy in the broader strategy to 2030. Of course she should know
:09:37. > :09:39.there is work under way to combine it all into a framework which will
:09:40. > :09:44.be published before the end of this year. So, I do not deny the
:09:45. > :09:47.challenges in our health service that are challenges faced by health
:09:48. > :09:51.services across the world. The performance of our health service is
:09:52. > :09:53.a good one. Those working in it deserve our thanks and this
:09:54. > :09:54.Government will continue to work hard to make sure we are supporting
:09:55. > :10:10.them. When will the First Minister next
:10:11. > :10:16.meet Scottish rail. We meet regular with Scottish rail. The Transport
:10:17. > :10:20.Minister did recently last yolk. We dis-- last week. We discovered that
:10:21. > :10:25.Scottish rail is not the only thing going off the rails. The independent
:10:26. > :10:31.auditors gave our NHS under the SNP a check-up and results of a decade
:10:32. > :10:34.of SNP control produced a grim diagnosis. Funding is not keeping
:10:35. > :10:39.pace with increasing demand and patient need. Only one of eight key
:10:40. > :10:44.targets have been met. Our workforce crisis which has been brewing for
:10:45. > :10:48.years is getting worse. Problem didn't appear overnight. It is the
:10:49. > :10:52.legacy of a decade of the SNP controlling our NHS.
:10:53. > :10:56.The first minister was the Health Secretary for the best part of those
:10:57. > :11:04.ten years. Does she accept full responsibility for the problems it
:11:05. > :11:07.now faces? Yes, I accept, as First Minister, full responsibility for
:11:08. > :11:10.what happens in the health service. I accept responsibility for the fact
:11:11. > :11:13.the health service budget is ?3 billion higher than when we first
:11:14. > :11:18.took office. I accept responsibility for the fact there are 11,000 more
:11:19. > :11:22.staff, working in our health service than when we first took office and
:11:23. > :11:26.responsibility for the fact of whether we look at in-patient or
:11:27. > :11:29.out-patient waiting times, these are lower today than when this
:11:30. > :11:34.Government took office. I accept responsibility for all of that and
:11:35. > :11:37.more. I also accept responsibility for the manifesto commitment we made
:11:38. > :11:41.in the recent election, where we said that we would over this
:11:42. > :11:46.Parliament build on the increases we had already made. I crease the
:11:47. > :11:56.health budget by ?500 million more than inflation. I think dug she has
:11:57. > :11:59.a cheek to stand here when she ordered the manifesto which promised
:12:00. > :12:03.the lowest funding to the health service of any party contesting the
:12:04. > :12:09.election. Perhaps she should put her own house in order.
:12:10. > :12:18.The First Minister can read out every statistic she likes from that
:12:19. > :12:24.big book of excuses, but there is a human cost to a decade of SNP
:12:25. > :12:31.miss-management. Ask the patients. And there's one patient that is not
:12:32. > :12:38.strategied is jaim Neilson. He was miner. He worked done the pit his
:12:39. > :12:42.whole life. He has a blocked artery in his leg. He wanted to be in the
:12:43. > :12:46.gallery. But when I spoke to him this morning he was in too much pain
:12:47. > :12:49.to leave the house. He has been told he'll have to wait seven months for
:12:50. > :12:55.an appointment. That is not seven months for treatment. That is a
:12:56. > :13:00.seven-month wait for an appointment. We've heard the First Minister rhyme
:13:01. > :13:06.off a lot of statistics today. Can she explain to Mr Neilson why he has
:13:07. > :13:14.to wait seven months to see a consultant under her Government?
:13:15. > :13:20.While I agree with her is that behind all of the statistics are
:13:21. > :13:25.behind human beings. I am very happy to ask the Health Secretary to look
:13:26. > :13:29.into his case.ly not comment on that today without having all of the
:13:30. > :13:33.details. It would not be reasonable for me to do so. I will repeat the
:13:34. > :13:37.point I made earlier on. As long as one patient in our health service is
:13:38. > :13:41.waiting too long, that is one too many. I will be the first to say
:13:42. > :13:46.that and the first to say we have more work to do. I look back to when
:13:47. > :13:51.we first took office and repeat, at that time 70% of out patients were
:13:52. > :13:54.seen within the target 12 weeks. Today that is 85%. That is not good
:13:55. > :13:57.enough, but it means we are performing well. The health service
:13:58. > :14:02.is performing well and better than it was when we took office. I say
:14:03. > :14:07.again, I think we have a great deal to be proud of in the way our health
:14:08. > :14:11.service operates and the services it delivers. There is record
:14:12. > :14:15.satisfaction, but of course there is much work still to do. That is why
:14:16. > :14:19.this Government is focussed on doing it.
:14:20. > :14:23.Mr Neilson does not want to know what was happening ten years ago. He
:14:24. > :14:27.wants to know when he's going to see a doctor.
:14:28. > :14:31.And the First Minister may not want to list on the me on the NHS. She
:14:32. > :14:36.might want to disregard his case, but she cannot ignore what NHS staff
:14:37. > :14:39.are saying. One in four GP surgeries are short
:14:40. > :14:45.of staff. Nine out of ten nurses say their
:14:46. > :14:50.workload is getting worse. This summer, the First Minister set up a
:14:51. > :14:54.listening exercise. She's not listening to patients, to doctors
:14:55. > :14:59.and not listening to nurses. The First Minister should stop living in
:15:00. > :15:01.denial. When will she wake up the to the NHS crisis that started on her
:15:02. > :15:11.watch? sometimes for opposition leaders is
:15:12. > :15:16.that they forget people are at home watching our exchanges right now.
:15:17. > :15:21.They will know that I did not disregard the case of Mr Nielsen. I
:15:22. > :15:27.said I would be very happy to look into that case. If she wants to pass
:15:28. > :15:32.me these details, I will do so. The fact is that underpin all of this. I
:15:33. > :15:35.am not standing here at seeing everything is perfect and I am not
:15:36. > :15:39.saying there is more work to be done. I am pointing to the progress
:15:40. > :15:44.that has been made, the progress we are determined to build on. Our
:15:45. > :15:49.nurses are doing a fantastic job in the health service. The work
:15:50. > :15:53.incredibly hard and under very difficult circumstances. There are
:15:54. > :15:58.2000 more nurses in our health service now than there were when we
:15:59. > :16:10.took office. They are more staff, a higher budget and waiting times are
:16:11. > :16:13.lower. Progress has been made but much work still has to be done. This
:16:14. > :16:15.is the Government that is not just investing in our health service, but
:16:16. > :16:19.determined to undertake reforms. To make sure it is not just for today,
:16:20. > :16:24.but for the future as well. Question number three. To ask the
:16:25. > :16:33.first-Minister when the Cabinet will next meet. Tuesday. The Scottish
:16:34. > :16:37.Government is due some credit on its work on climate justice. To secure
:16:38. > :16:41.global justice for the many victims of climate change that are
:16:42. > :16:46.forgotten. They say this does not exclude people in our own
:16:47. > :16:49.communities. It is not simply an international issue. It does not
:16:50. > :16:57.apply to people under the flight path at Heathrow. One third runway
:16:58. > :17:01.would cause extra flights per year, a massive increased emissions. The
:17:02. > :17:06.singers to biggest threat to the whole UK meeting our climate change
:17:07. > :17:11.targets. It will leave thousands of people's home is too noisy and
:17:12. > :17:16.putted to live in. The unknown tens of thousands more suffering be
:17:17. > :17:20.damaging health effects. I can only imagine the outrage, and I would
:17:21. > :17:24.join it, for the Scottish Government and their colleagues at Westminster
:17:25. > :17:30.if the UK Government was to inflict this kind of damage on so many lives
:17:31. > :17:35.in Glasgow, or in Inverness, or in Dundee. In exchange for economic
:17:36. > :17:39.self interest. They will now trip through the voting lobbies to bail
:17:40. > :17:44.out the Tory Prime Minister who stood for election saying no is, no
:17:45. > :17:49.buts, no third runway. What is the point of a principle like climate
:17:50. > :17:54.justice when it is surrendered so easily? Firstly, I will let the
:17:55. > :17:58.Prime Minister explain her own position. The decision on another
:17:59. > :18:02.runway in London College Heathrow or anywhere else, is a decision for the
:18:03. > :18:08.UK Government and not the Scottish Government. We recognise that there
:18:09. > :18:16.are many hurdles still to be overcome in terms of decision around
:18:17. > :18:21.Heathrow. This work was led by Keith Brown, our economy Secretary, we
:18:22. > :18:26.look very closely at the option of delivering benefits to Scotland, not
:18:27. > :18:30.just in terms of our economy but also in connectivity. 40% of long
:18:31. > :18:35.holders at two Scotland connect through Heathrow, just 4% who do so
:18:36. > :18:40.through Gatwick. Obviously, we will be working hard with our airports to
:18:41. > :18:44.increase direct flights. That conductivity remains very important
:18:45. > :18:49.to Scotland. On the economy, there is potential for significant
:18:50. > :18:56.construction spent and jobs in the medium-term. It is a truly important
:18:57. > :19:07.in terms of economic impact and jobs. A reduction starting on
:19:08. > :19:12.Saturday, it will make services more viable. These are the reasons on
:19:13. > :19:17.which our decision was based. Patrick Harvie rightly raises the
:19:18. > :19:20.issues of climate change and emissions and the UK Government will
:19:21. > :19:26.have to answer questions and satisfy people on the answers to these
:19:27. > :19:30.questions. In terms of the Scottish Government, we have taken global
:19:31. > :19:34.leadership and Sean global leadership by actually including
:19:35. > :19:39.both domestic and international aviation and our emission reduction
:19:40. > :19:45.targets. We are policies of the Scottish Government or policies that
:19:46. > :19:49.we support would increase emissions and aviation, we have to work harder
:19:50. > :19:55.to reduce emissions and other areas in order to meet our overall
:19:56. > :19:58.targets. Climate change, meeting our reduction targets, it is something
:19:59. > :20:04.we have a strong record on and we will show leadership on. The
:20:05. > :20:08.arguments about connections to more destinations would make sense if
:20:09. > :20:13.that was going to be instead of more short-haul aviation. The Scottish
:20:14. > :20:19.Government an approach shows both. As for job creation, these are
:20:20. > :20:25.spurious. We begin with the airport commission, 59000 by 2030 and 75000
:20:26. > :20:31.by 2000 and 50. Pie in the sky estimate of 80,000. This is about
:20:32. > :20:36.believable as the projections of Donald Trump's golf course. We are
:20:37. > :20:45.not green to fall for this, are we's what will be putting in the drinks
:20:46. > :20:53.at the SNP conference? As for fears, the fears, the Scottish Government
:20:54. > :20:57.policy on reducing fears on aviation, despite the fact that
:20:58. > :21:00.aviation already enjoys its privileged position as the only
:21:01. > :21:07.transport mode that pays no tax on its fuel. Public transport remains
:21:08. > :21:14.overpriced, unreliable and run for private profit. The art often three
:21:15. > :21:19.times the price of flying to London on the railway. It must be time to
:21:20. > :21:23.focus on the affordable, sustainable, low carbon transport
:21:24. > :21:27.that people need in their daily lives, instead of boosting the most
:21:28. > :21:32.environmentally destructive and most unhealthy and unsustainable
:21:33. > :21:36.transport mode. Firstly, I totally respect his position on this. I
:21:37. > :21:42.would say to him that when you come to take decisions, the Heathrow
:21:43. > :21:51.decision is not the Scottish decision, of which option best
:21:52. > :21:57.perhaps two sits our interest. We have to strike the right balance.
:21:58. > :22:00.Public transport and good quality, affordable, accessible public
:22:01. > :22:04.transport in Scotland and connecting Scotland to other parts of the UK
:22:05. > :22:08.and other parts of Europe is extremely important. So too is
:22:09. > :22:12.making sure we have the air links to make sure our economy grows and to
:22:13. > :22:17.boost the conductivity that our economy depends on. These are
:22:18. > :22:21.decisions we have to balance. Around all of that is our obligation, our
:22:22. > :22:26.moral obligation, to make the climate change targets and to reduce
:22:27. > :22:32.emissions. The record, I am not complicit about it, is a very strong
:22:33. > :22:36.record. We include emissions from aviation. We have met our target
:22:37. > :22:42.years ahead of schedule and we are also working on the policies in
:22:43. > :22:46.place to meet that. These will always be difficult decisions to
:22:47. > :22:50.strike different balances. Meeting our climate change targets but also
:22:51. > :22:59.making sure we have the infrastructure to support jobs,
:23:00. > :23:06.these are not exclusive objectives. As the first-Minister what issues
:23:07. > :23:12.will be discussed. Matters of importance to the people of
:23:13. > :23:18.Scotland. The Government said it would eradicate bed blocking.
:23:19. > :23:23.Thousands of people are still stuck in hospital. It said we would meet
:23:24. > :23:28.all the targets, but missed seven out of eight. It said it would
:23:29. > :23:33.recruit enough GPs, but the shortage has got worse. The Royal College of
:23:34. > :23:38.Nursing is right to ask how many more reports will be published by
:23:39. > :23:47.Audit Scotland before action is taken? Does the NHS give the
:23:48. > :23:50.first-Minister sleepless nights? The NHS has always uppermost in my mind
:23:51. > :23:55.day and night because it is one of the most important responsibilities
:23:56. > :23:59.of any Government to make sure we have a health service delivering for
:24:00. > :24:04.patients who need it. As I have said earlier, we have a health service
:24:05. > :24:07.that is responding well in difficult circumstances. They have been
:24:08. > :24:17.improvements over the time we have been in office. It faces significant
:24:18. > :24:20.challenges. Willie Rennie talked about their days were lost. The
:24:21. > :24:26.number last has reduced over the last year. There is much more work
:24:27. > :24:34.to be done. On primary care, recently it was made clear to shift
:24:35. > :24:39.resources from kit into primary care. For the first time ever, half
:24:40. > :24:43.of the total budget will be spent in the community. I think that is a
:24:44. > :24:51.really important commitment and one that is right. We have work to do. I
:24:52. > :24:55.would be the first to admit that. Compared to the UK, our health
:24:56. > :25:00.service is performing well and facing up to these challenges. Our
:25:01. > :25:04.job is to support to do so. One last thing to Willie Rennie, I mentioned
:25:05. > :25:10.earlier on our health budget has increased by ?3 million since we
:25:11. > :25:15.took office. In of these years I was two it was against the liberal
:25:16. > :25:21.conservative coalition at Westminster that was abusing our
:25:22. > :25:29.budget by 5% every term. Maybe Willie Rennie should reflect on
:25:30. > :25:34.that. -- reducing our budget. The First Minister is blaming everybody
:25:35. > :25:35.else for the last ten years. It is about time she accepted
:25:36. > :25:43.responsibility for her own responsibilities. Workforce planning
:25:44. > :25:48.is the way to get valued staff with the right skill in the right place.
:25:49. > :25:58.The odd general was very critical of this Government's workforce
:25:59. > :26:02.planning. The health service has only five yearly workforce is
:26:03. > :26:09.planned. It takes seven years to train a doctor. Isn't it the tragedy
:26:10. > :26:14.that it takes nine years to educate and SNP Government to take this
:26:15. > :26:19.seriously? Of course. That ignores the fact that there are more doctors
:26:20. > :26:24.working in our health service to date unaware nine years ago. There
:26:25. > :26:29.are more staff now than there were nine years ago when we took office
:26:30. > :26:33.and we continue to make sure that our health service is adequately
:26:34. > :26:38.resourced. In terms of planning, we are working to implement our new
:26:39. > :26:44.strategy. That, together with the integration of health and social
:26:45. > :26:48.care, is how we deliver our vision. Our work is underway and I said
:26:49. > :26:54.earlier of bringing all of these strands together into an integrated
:26:55. > :26:58.framework, which will also include our workforce plan and decisions to
:26:59. > :27:03.make sure these strategies can be implemented. I know I am now
:27:04. > :27:07.repeating myself. It is worth seeing again, our health service is making
:27:08. > :27:12.progress. It is performing well. In common with other health services,
:27:13. > :27:18.it faces real challenges. That is why this Government is promising and
:27:19. > :27:22.has delivered record investment, staff and waiting times are lower
:27:23. > :27:24.than when we took office. We take nothing for granted and continue to
:27:25. > :27:31.work hard with the health service to build on that progress. Kenneth
:27:32. > :27:38.Gibson. Thank you, presiding officer. The First Minister would be
:27:39. > :27:46.aware that the ferry service from Ardrossan to trim will lose jobs.
:27:47. > :27:51.The existing services are direct, fastest and cheapest route for
:27:52. > :27:58.passengers. Does it remain the first choice of a sure port and serving
:27:59. > :28:06.Aaron? When can we expect a decision to make sure the ferry will sail
:28:07. > :28:10.from Ardrossan harbour's we are committing to providing the best
:28:11. > :28:17.possible service as well as work and the new ferry that you referred to.
:28:18. > :28:21.The task force has been set up and we're looking at Ardrossan in the
:28:22. > :28:29.first instance. No options are off the table. We will take into account
:28:30. > :28:34.the local benefits and the impact on public spending and the needs of
:28:35. > :28:41.very users. No decisions have been made and we will negotiate closely.
:28:42. > :28:45.On radio this morning, the health minister stated that the opposition
:28:46. > :28:51.was standing in the way of service change. The irony of that statement
:28:52. > :28:54.is not lost on this Chamber. Assuming the first-Minister is
:28:55. > :29:00.taking responsibility for service closures, will she named the health
:29:01. > :29:04.services that she will close. Is it children' Ward? Has she already
:29:05. > :29:10.decided to close the maternity unit? Does that mean that the promises
:29:11. > :29:16.made to my committee by the first-Minister and the Health
:29:17. > :29:22.Secretary before the election count for nothing? All of the particular
:29:23. > :29:30.services that she refers to their are undergoing due process. That is
:29:31. > :29:34.the way it should proceed. I will take no lessons from Labour when it
:29:35. > :29:38.comes to protecting local health services. We talked a lot today
:29:39. > :29:44.about the position of the health service when we took office. The A
:29:45. > :29:48.mac were on the brink of closure and were saved by this Government.
:29:49. > :29:52.Generally speaking, there is a moment of truth coming for the
:29:53. > :29:57.opposition because they are all quite happy to talk the language of
:29:58. > :30:01.shifting the balance of clear from acute health services into the
:30:02. > :30:09.community. We will soon see whether they are prepared to back that
:30:10. > :30:11.rhetoric when with action. I suspect we all have our suspicions about how
:30:12. > :30:18.they will behave in those circumstances.
:30:19. > :30:25.SNP pressure at Westminster has prompted the UK Government to look
:30:26. > :30:29.at the limit and rate clause for benefit payments. Will the First
:30:30. > :30:34.Minister join with me in urging to response to the consultation and
:30:35. > :30:43.leave the Tories in no doubt that their policy should be scrapped?
:30:44. > :30:48.The clause policy is disgusting, immoral. It should never, ever have
:30:49. > :30:52.seen the light of day in the first place. Can I pay tribute to Alison,
:30:53. > :30:57.who represents a part of my constituency in the House of
:30:58. > :31:01.Commons. She's been steadfast in her determination to fight this clause.
:31:02. > :31:06.The announcement this week of a consultation in welcome. But I think
:31:07. > :31:09.it is too early to declare victory. I would encourage people to response
:31:10. > :31:14.to that consultation and I would call on the UK Government, without
:31:15. > :31:18.any further delay to drop a policy that forces women in certain
:31:19. > :31:23.circumstances f they want to access tax credits, to prove they have been
:31:24. > :31:31.raped. I can not think of anything more disgraceful than that.
:31:32. > :31:37.Over the last 30 years the Blackburn local employment scheme has helped
:31:38. > :31:41.3,000 young people, including many who have been in care into
:31:42. > :31:46.employment. The future of the scheme is uncertain due to the unflexible
:31:47. > :31:50.way in which SDS grants are managed. I have twice writ on the the Cabinet
:31:51. > :31:55.Secretary seeking a meeting to the solution. Both times my request has
:31:56. > :31:58.been refused. Developing the young workforce is supposed to be the
:31:59. > :32:02.priority for the Government. Will the First Minister instruct the
:32:03. > :32:05.Cabinet Secretary to meet with me and representatives so we can find a
:32:06. > :32:10.way forward for this essential service?
:32:11. > :32:16.I'm happy to ask the Cabinet Secretary to meet with the member. I
:32:17. > :32:20.am not familiar with this series -- service in detail. I know they do a
:32:21. > :32:24.fantastic job. The member is raising a reasonable point and the Cabinet
:32:25. > :32:29.Secretary will arrange to meet with them and discuss it in more detail.
:32:30. > :32:35.Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can the First Minister provide an update
:32:36. > :32:39.on discussions with UK Government on protecting Scotland's position
:32:40. > :32:42.within the EU? As mentioned in Mike Russell's statement, he and I
:32:43. > :32:49.attended the committee at Downing Street on Monday. He met with David
:32:50. > :32:52.Davis and #2k5i6d Mondail last week. We set out our determination to
:32:53. > :32:56.protect Scotland's place in the single market. Despite a full and
:32:57. > :33:00.frank excuse of views around the table, we learned nothing about the
:33:01. > :33:03.UK Government's approach to the EU negotiations than we already knew
:33:04. > :33:07.when we went into the meeting, I with was to put it mildly,
:33:08. > :33:11.frustrating. However, we do have an agreement that a detailed work
:33:12. > :33:16.programme will be developed for the GMC sub committee, which will be
:33:17. > :33:19.integrated into the wider process so devolved administrations can
:33:20. > :33:23.influence key sub committee decisions. The Scottish Government
:33:24. > :33:25.will continue to focus on protecting Scotland's interests. The economic
:33:26. > :33:30.and social interests which have been put at risk by the Brexit decision.
:33:31. > :33:36.I thank the First Minister for that answer. Expert research shows that
:33:37. > :33:40.Brexit threatens up to 80,000 jobs in Scotland and could cost the
:33:41. > :33:46.economy over ?11 billion a year by 2030. We know, thanks to the Goldman
:33:47. > :33:52.Sachs tapes that Theresa May agrees with forecasts like this. Publicly
:33:53. > :33:57.she says Brexit means Brexit. Privately it means disaster. In
:33:58. > :34:05.discussion an explanation as to why she's happy to be led by the wishes
:34:06. > :34:09.of hard-right Brexit-teers over economics and common sense? No, she
:34:10. > :34:14.didn't. I suspect the truth is that the Prime Minister doesn't have a
:34:15. > :34:20.plan for Brexit, so the hard-right are able to impose their own
:34:21. > :34:23.aagenda. When we met this week the Prime Minister was unable or
:34:24. > :34:27.unwilling to answer the most simple and obvious questions. Brexit might
:34:28. > :34:34.mean Brexit, but the Prime Minister couldn't tell us what means in
:34:35. > :34:38.practise. The only new information is that the UK Government has set up
:34:39. > :34:43.what they have called a hotline to David Davis. I can share with the
:34:44. > :34:46.chamber today that Michael Russell called that hotline this week. He
:34:47. > :34:53.called it just before midday on Tuesday. It took until after 6pm
:34:54. > :34:58.yesterday to actually get David Davis on the hotline. That is 36
:34:59. > :35:00.hours. So, yes, there is now a telephone line we can call. It is
:35:01. > :35:13.just currently not very hot. Thank you. When is the First
:35:14. > :35:19.Minister... When is the First Minister going to understand that
:35:20. > :35:24.securing the best possible Brexit deal for Scotland requires
:35:25. > :35:33.ministerial collaboration and co-operation, not hostility and
:35:34. > :35:38.threats? Yesterday in his statement Mike
:35:39. > :35:44.Russell was unable to identify a single positive contribution that
:35:45. > :35:49.has been made to the GMC process. All we heard was moaning about the
:35:50. > :35:54.UK. What the Scottish Tories want the Scottish Government to do, I
:35:55. > :36:01.suppose what they have done, capitulate. And that is not what we
:36:02. > :36:06.are prepared to do. I do think collaboration is
:36:07. > :36:09.essential. I just wish the UK Government would start collaborating
:36:10. > :36:13.us. 36 hours to get through on a hotline does not stand to me very
:36:14. > :36:18.constructive collaboration. I have been very clear about my priorities.
:36:19. > :36:22.Firstly I want to work across the UK and across the political spectrum to
:36:23. > :36:26.avert a hard Brexit for all of the UK because I think it will be a
:36:27. > :36:29.disaster. If that is not possible, we will put forward proposals to
:36:30. > :36:33.avoid a hard Brexit for Scotland, to keep us in the single market, even
:36:34. > :36:37.if the rest of the UK chooses to leave. When we put forward these
:36:38. > :36:44.proposals it will be interesting to see what the response of the
:36:45. > :36:48.Conservatives will be. Of course in the referendum campaign, Ruth
:36:49. > :36:52.Davidson was very clear and in the days after the referendum, that she
:36:53. > :36:56.thought that the UK should stay within the single market. The proof
:36:57. > :36:59.of the pudding will be to see whether the Scottish Conservatives
:37:00. > :37:03.are prepared to back proposals in Scottish interests or if they will
:37:04. > :37:09.continue to capitulate to their bosses at Westminster.
:37:10. > :37:17.Thank you Presiding Officer. To ask the First Minister, further to the
:37:18. > :37:20.decision by the secondary Teachers' Association to take industrial
:37:21. > :37:26.action, what steps does the Scottish Government going to take to resolve
:37:27. > :37:29.the issue of workloads? The Scottish Government's educational delivery
:37:30. > :37:34.plan, published in June, made clear our commitment to tackle bureaucracy
:37:35. > :37:40.and tackle excess sieve teacher workload. We work with teachers and
:37:41. > :37:45.parents both nationally and locally to take concrete steps, these
:37:46. > :37:49.include the removal of unit assessments the removal of these
:37:50. > :37:55.units is part of a package of messages designed to address
:37:56. > :38:00.unnecessary bobbing rock considersy and -- unnecessary bureaucracy.
:38:01. > :38:04.On these benches we share the view that strike action is not
:38:05. > :38:08.appropriate. Nonetheless there remains a serious issue with teacher
:38:09. > :38:13.workloads. The Scottish Government figures show between 2008 and 2015
:38:14. > :38:18.there was an 11% decrease in the number of secondary school teachers
:38:19. > :38:24.in Scotland. Representing a loss of 3,008 staff. In particular, since
:38:25. > :38:32.2007, more than 100 stem teachers a year have been cut. With 187 fewer
:38:33. > :38:36.computing teachers. 410 fewer maths teachers and 105 fewer chemistry
:38:37. > :38:39.teachers. This is clearly having a strong impact on teacher workloads
:38:40. > :38:43.in key subjects. In light of the statistics, what action is the
:38:44. > :38:48.Scottish Government taking to stem and reverse this trend?
:38:49. > :38:54.As the member will be aware, the last couple of years, the Scottish
:38:55. > :38:59.Government has provided funding to local authorities to encourage
:39:00. > :39:04.teacher numbers. We maintain to do so. The issue of workload is
:39:05. > :39:08.important. It is why John Swinney since he's been appointed Education
:39:09. > :39:12.Secretary has spent so much time and effort working with teachers to try
:39:13. > :39:18.to address the legitimate concerns that they have. And the changes to
:39:19. > :39:23.the national five higher and higher advanced qualifications announced by
:39:24. > :39:29.the Deputy First Minister are part of messages designed to address
:39:30. > :39:36.unnecessary bureaucracy and take workload away from teachers which is
:39:37. > :39:40.not felt necessary to sear job of teaching Young people. Making sure
:39:41. > :39:45.funding is getting to areas of greatest need. Bringing transparency
:39:46. > :39:50.to school performance. A Government review making sure power and
:39:51. > :39:54.responsibility lies as close as it should, in schools, as far as
:39:55. > :39:59.possible with head teachers. This is about a determination to ensure
:40:00. > :40:03.teachers are able to do what they do best and the contribution is helping
:40:04. > :40:07.us raise the standards in education and close that attainment gap. It is
:40:08. > :40:11.something we are focussed on and continue to be.
:40:12. > :40:14.To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government will seek to
:40:15. > :40:19.improvement systems supporting children in care.
:40:20. > :40:22.On the 15th October, I announced an independent root and branch review
:40:23. > :40:26.of the care system. The review, which will be the first of its kind
:40:27. > :40:28.anywhere in the world, will take forward in partnership with young
:40:29. > :40:33.people who have experience of care. And it will look at the legislation,
:40:34. > :40:37.the practise and the ethos in culture of the system. It is of
:40:38. > :40:40.vital importance that wilien to young people's experience of being
:40:41. > :40:44.looked after. I am committed to using what they tell us, to help
:40:45. > :40:50.change the care system, put love at the heart of the care system and
:40:51. > :40:53.make their lives better. I am delighted by the First
:40:54. > :40:56.Minister's commitment to a review. What other action is the Scottish
:40:57. > :41:00.Government taking to support care experienced young people to have the
:41:01. > :41:05.best opportunities in life? Well, we have already taken specific
:41:06. > :41:12.action to modernise our children's hearing system, to review secure
:41:13. > :41:17.care, east establish youth board, support learning opportunities for
:41:18. > :41:21.foster carers and residential workers and support families on the
:41:22. > :41:24.edge of care. These are some things we have already done and the list
:41:25. > :41:28.could go on. There are improvements being made. School inclusions, for
:41:29. > :41:32.example, are down. More young people are in permanent rather than
:41:33. > :41:36.temporary placements. We look at the statistics for young people who
:41:37. > :41:40.experience care. None of us can be satisfied that we are yet doing
:41:41. > :41:44.enough. Those statistics are horrifying. And when I speak to, as
:41:45. > :41:48.I have been doing a lot recently, young people who are in care or who
:41:49. > :41:52.have been in care, the simple message they give me is the system
:41:53. > :41:57.works well to stop things happening to them. It should to some extent.
:41:58. > :42:04.You have to have safeguards in place.
:42:05. > :42:08.We need a system that ensures where young people cannot live with their
:42:09. > :42:13.own families, for whatever reason, when the state is their corporate
:42:14. > :42:16.parent, then we give them a sense of family, a sense of belonging, a
:42:17. > :42:21.sense of love and the whole system is operating to make sure they can
:42:22. > :42:26.reach their full potential. That is what I am determined to do. This
:42:27. > :42:29.Parliament cannot do it alone. We will only succeed if it is driven by
:42:30. > :42:33.the experiences of young people in care. That is what will make this
:42:34. > :42:37.review unique. Thank you very much. Can I welcome
:42:38. > :42:44.very much that the First Minister had to say there. Can I urge her to
:42:45. > :42:47.look in particular at an area with those are underrepresented, that is
:42:48. > :42:52.in terms of access to higher education. Will she look at the
:42:53. > :42:55.support available to those with care experience to ensure the maximum
:42:56. > :43:00.opportunity is providing for them to gain the benefit of an university
:43:01. > :43:04.education? Yes. I will give that commitment. We have announced
:43:05. > :43:09.certain changes to make sure that commitment can be delivered. I
:43:10. > :43:12.mentioned the statistics earlier on. One of the horrifying statistics is
:43:13. > :43:17.only 6% of care experienced young people will go to university. That
:43:18. > :43:20.is why we have already accepted the recommendations that came from
:43:21. > :43:25.widening access commission, to ensure a guaranteed place in
:43:26. > :43:30.university for a care experienced young person with the grade, but to
:43:31. > :43:33.ensure full grants. That is one concrete example of progress that we
:43:34. > :43:37.are already making. But we've got to do much more. We've got to do it in
:43:38. > :43:42.parter inship with those who are the experts here. Those who are in care,
:43:43. > :43:46.or who have experienced care. I have been moved beyond belief by some of
:43:47. > :43:49.the conversations I've had with care-experienced young people in the
:43:50. > :43:53.last few months. I've got no doubt that if we come together, not just
:43:54. > :43:58.as a Parliament, but as a country and if we put these young people at
:43:59. > :44:02.the heart of what we're trying to do then we can do Something Special.
:44:03. > :44:06.Something we can look back on in years with pride. What is the
:44:07. > :44:12.Scottish Government's position on the statement from the RCN that
:44:13. > :44:18.NUSSing in Scotland is facing a perfect storm? We appreciate the
:44:19. > :44:24.dedication and recognise the pressures they face. Under this
:44:25. > :44:28.Government there are 2,100 extra qualified nurses and midwives. A
:44:29. > :44:33.rise of more than 5% since we first took office. We are not complacent.
:44:34. > :44:38.We will increase the number of trainee nurses and midwives. A
:44:39. > :44:43.fourth successive rise. We will spend ?450,000 to enable former
:44:44. > :44:47.nurses and midwives to retrain and return to the profession. The member
:44:48. > :44:51.used the phrase which I accept was the RCN's about a perfect storm.
:44:52. > :44:54.What will add to the challenges that our health service is facing of
:44:55. > :44:58.course is a situation where those who work in our health service from
:44:59. > :45:03.other countries are prevented from doing so in the future. When we
:45:04. > :45:05.value our health service staff, make sure we value all of them,
:45:06. > :45:17.regardless of where they were born. Does she believe it was a mistake to
:45:18. > :45:21.cut the number of student work places in Scotland? Can she tell
:45:22. > :45:27.Parliament why has it taken ten years for her to bring forced an NHS
:45:28. > :45:32.workforce plan? Workforce plans are in place and health boards. The
:45:33. > :45:36.number of qualified nurses and midwives working today is higher
:45:37. > :45:40.than mummy took office. That, I would suggest, means that the
:45:41. > :45:44.policies have been the right policies. We have more work to do
:45:45. > :45:48.and we are determined to do that work and focus on the challenges and
:45:49. > :45:56.work with our NHS staff. That concludes the First Minister's
:45:57. > :46:00.Questions. That is the end of questions to the first-Minister and
:46:01. > :46:05.was the beginning of the topic of the health service and the Scotland
:46:06. > :46:10.report on the NHS that dominated proceedings. I am joined by two
:46:11. > :46:16.journalists. Let's talk to you first of all. Nicola Sturgeon opted to
:46:17. > :46:20.attack, rather than wait for the attack to come from her opponents.
:46:21. > :46:25.She did and that is because her opponent had so much ammunition. If
:46:26. > :46:30.you did not get on the front foot, she would have been run over. The
:46:31. > :46:37.audit report, despite what it says about being positive steps, it also
:46:38. > :46:41.outlines the major problems and the fact that the Scottish Government is
:46:42. > :46:45.putting sticking plasters on what looks like a shattered bone of a
:46:46. > :46:49.health service. A really interesting line towards the end of the
:46:50. > :46:56.exchanges where Nicola Sturgeon says a time of decision is coming for
:46:57. > :47:00.opposition parties about shifting resources from old-fashioned
:47:01. > :47:06.hospital care into community care and social care. She's talking about
:47:07. > :47:09.a big shift as that is what orders columns are calling for. The whole
:47:10. > :47:13.thing about health is going to be the big issue for today. Part of the
:47:14. > :47:17.Audit Scotland report does talk about the problems that they face in
:47:18. > :47:22.terms of reach shipping the health service and whether they are doing
:47:23. > :47:26.enough to do that. It outlines how much pressure there is. It says the
:47:27. > :47:31.report acknowledges that have been improvements and spending is at the
:47:32. > :47:36.record level. That is right. Nicola was quick to talk about that and the
:47:37. > :47:40.positive things. Talking about there is more spending, more staff and all
:47:41. > :47:45.that is true. It doesn't take away from the other points that the
:47:46. > :47:49.report was making about the pressures that still exist and it
:47:50. > :47:57.talks about unprecedented spending that are required. These are
:47:58. > :48:01.problems. What is your take on how the first-Minister handled it. Did
:48:02. > :48:05.she managed to suppress the extent of the attack from Willie Rennie or
:48:06. > :48:13.Kezia Dugdale. It started off with roots Davidson. -- Ruth. She did not
:48:14. > :48:20.get stuffed up by anyone in the Chamber. What she did not do was
:48:21. > :48:25.outlying for the long-term. All the short-term positive is that I are to
:48:26. > :48:29.be welcomed and pointed out Bihar. There is a long-term issue that the
:48:30. > :48:36.NHS needs major reform and they have to go forward with that. -- by her.
:48:37. > :48:39.She hinted at the end that they would be some big decisions coming
:48:40. > :48:47.and she was challenging the opposition to row in behind them. We
:48:48. > :48:54.have the health and social care integration. It is almost ten years
:48:55. > :49:00.into your Government is fine but you would ask, why now? Is it because
:49:01. > :49:04.things have gotten bad press and bad reports. That was the difficulty for
:49:05. > :49:09.Nicola Sturgeon. She was the minister in charge for all those
:49:10. > :49:13.years. I think that is right and I think that is what makes this
:49:14. > :49:19.doesn't cut for Nicola. She was associated so much with the health
:49:20. > :49:25.services it was her fiefdom. Let's turn to the topic of Patrick Harvie
:49:26. > :49:34.and that they supported the Heathrow runway. Nicola Sturgeon is saying it
:49:35. > :49:40.is not our decision. She was supportive, wasn't she? Be formally
:49:41. > :49:44.backed the bed one week or so before the announcement. -- the bid. This
:49:45. > :49:51.is fully endorsed by the Scottish Government. For all the reasons, it
:49:52. > :49:57.could be a good deal for Scotland. Patrick Harvie raised the
:49:58. > :50:02.discrepancies with the credentials, whilst also backing airport
:50:03. > :50:10.expansions. I would recommend a great column in the Courier about
:50:11. > :50:15.the complexities around the issue and making sure the UK Government
:50:16. > :50:18.gets his own plans through. They will be hand in glove with them.
:50:19. > :50:23.This is a good deal for Scotland, it is a good deal for Scotland. Equally
:50:24. > :50:32.excellent columns and the Edinburgh evening News. They are tied up with
:50:33. > :50:36.Gatwick. I thought it was interesting that Patrick Harvie used
:50:37. > :50:42.what is a damaging, or hurtful thing to say to Nicola about how the SNP
:50:43. > :50:45.would end up walking through the lobbies with Tories to support
:50:46. > :50:54.Heathrow. The Europe question was raised. Obliquely but raised as well
:50:55. > :50:57.and the Secretary of State for Scotland was giving evidence this
:50:58. > :51:02.morning to a committee. We're not learning details, are we? I think
:51:03. > :51:06.that is the big problem with the whole European situation. The UK
:51:07. > :51:09.Government is not giving any information at all. That is what
:51:10. > :51:15.Nicola is saying when she came out of the meeting at Downing Street the
:51:16. > :51:21.other day she spoke about frustration. You could hear it, too.
:51:22. > :51:25.She was exasperated. She says she is being challenged by the other side
:51:26. > :51:32.to support and offer Scotland's ideas. You got the impression from
:51:33. > :51:36.David Mandel that the Tory Government not know what they are
:51:37. > :51:43.doing and Nicola Sturgeon pointed out the hotline to David Davies,
:51:44. > :51:52.which you can imagine was cold and you can imagine it like the bat
:51:53. > :51:58.phone. Nobody answering. Maybe not just now. Number withheld. Stand
:51:59. > :52:03.aside for his second and we will explain what is going on behind as
:52:04. > :52:12.here. The leaders of all the parties are gathering for this sombre event.
:52:13. > :52:17.There is a book that is being published along with it. The reason
:52:18. > :52:22.this is being done and commemorating those tragic events. That is to be
:52:23. > :52:26.an education pack on genocide to be used in Scotland's schools to
:52:27. > :52:33.explain the circumstances in which such tragic events can occur. All of
:52:34. > :52:40.the leaders are gathering, led by the first-Minister and that is the
:52:41. > :52:44.document they are. If your kids are in school, stand-by to learn about
:52:45. > :52:48.these matters in due course. That is the event that is taking place here.
:52:49. > :52:55.I will come back to my colleagues in a couple of minutes. Another issue
:52:56. > :53:01.that has arisen, and MOT and checking whether Parliament is doing
:53:02. > :53:07.the job in holding the Government to account. I questioned him on this
:53:08. > :53:11.idea of a review. I started by asking the presiding officer who is
:53:12. > :53:16.behind us, I started by asking the presiding officer Ken Mackintosh, he
:53:17. > :53:21.has this idea that Parliament's identity needs to be stressed.
:53:22. > :53:27.Here's what he had to say. I think it needs clarification. People, it
:53:28. > :53:31.could be ans optimistic hope, in saying that everyone talks about
:53:32. > :53:37.Westminster and you're never quite sure. Do they mean the Government or
:53:38. > :53:41.Parliament? I think it is helpful to make sure our role is clear.
:53:42. > :53:44.Everyone in this Chamber, Government, backbenchers, the rule
:53:45. > :53:49.here is to question the Government on what they are doing. That is why
:53:50. > :53:55.we are here. I will give you an example. We are not an alternative
:53:56. > :54:01.executive. The committee is used to promote legislation. That has fallen
:54:02. > :54:14.into disease. I would like to see, is there a role for the
:54:15. > :54:21.parliamentarians. -- has ceased. Is there a mocking campaign endlessly.
:54:22. > :54:28.You are looking for something in between? That is exactly it. That
:54:29. > :54:32.idea that we are an opposition body that is going to stop anything, that
:54:33. > :54:36.is not the point of Parliament. What we could do with is developing the
:54:37. > :54:48.role of parliamentarians. It is difficult here... At Westminster,
:54:49. > :54:52.the committees have a distinct role. Here, if you are a member of the
:54:53. > :54:57.Government or opposition, that is clear enough. How many senior
:54:58. > :55:01.backbenchers do we have? How many chairs that have authority of their
:55:02. > :55:06.own? People who are developing a career in a Parliamentary role,
:55:07. > :55:12.rather than a permanent role. That is exactly it. It is that idea that
:55:13. > :55:17.people can be independently minded. I apps that the accept that
:55:18. > :55:22.parliamentarians members of the jackal parties and there is a place
:55:23. > :55:26.for political loyalty. We are loyal to the people of Scotland. --
:55:27. > :55:32.political parties. Do you think some of that has got lost? I still
:55:33. > :55:39.remember the excitement of 1999. This idea that this Chamber is
:55:40. > :55:45.shaped to emphasise the fact that it is a multiparty system and to stress
:55:46. > :55:54.the fact politics would flourish. The Parliament has become more
:55:55. > :55:58.tribal and partisan in the last couple of years. As well as
:55:59. > :56:03.reflecting public mood, we should set the tone and that is what I
:56:04. > :56:08.would like. We have dealt with the tone of Parliament. The role of the
:56:09. > :56:14.commission will be our their scrutiny methods robust? What is
:56:15. > :56:21.your concern there? The key here is that we are getting new powers. I
:56:22. > :56:25.use the term, I do not regard the Parliament as broken, this is an
:56:26. > :56:29.MOT. I am not starting with the premise is that we are not able to
:56:30. > :56:33.hold the Government from account, far from it. We need to look at the
:56:34. > :56:36.ways we have a balance here. We have talked about the role of
:56:37. > :56:41.parliamentarians and the role of committees. I think, again, this
:56:42. > :56:47.idea of checks and balances and getting the balance right. I could
:56:48. > :56:51.do reforms such as extending the question is, to make sure
:56:52. > :56:55.backbenchers get a say. There are little things like that that would
:56:56. > :56:59.adjust the balance. I want to make sure the people of Scotland have
:57:00. > :57:04.confidence that they are engaging themselves and they set the
:57:05. > :57:09.direction of travel. Ken Macintosh earlier speaking to me inside the
:57:10. > :57:13.Chamber. We just had questions to the first-Minister. Let's talk about
:57:14. > :57:17.those issues that he is raising there. He is talking about the need
:57:18. > :57:22.for Parliament to stress its identity. We talk about Holyrood and
:57:23. > :57:28.it gets blurred. It does indeed. What we have seen recently is a move
:57:29. > :57:33.towards what Ken Macintosh is saying, the new committees and
:57:34. > :57:40.strong parliamentarians in positions of influence... Ken Macintosh just
:57:41. > :57:47.behind you. I should not have interrupted. Carry on. That moves
:57:48. > :57:55.things on. That keeps up that level of scrutiny. There is a need for
:57:56. > :57:58.reform. That is a need for Parliament to change, especially
:57:59. > :58:03.with the new powers, we cannot rely on having one or two individuals who
:58:04. > :58:09.will do the job. The job has to be set up so it will be done
:58:10. > :58:13.efficiently. Your paper and others have been critical about the
:58:14. > :58:19.scrutiny of Government. In the past and right now. I think it is
:58:20. > :58:26.interesting now that Ken Macintosh spoke about comity chairs and having
:58:27. > :58:32.powerful chairman. They were keen to distinguish themselves and show a
:58:33. > :58:35.different style. One of the things at Westminster that they could learn
:58:36. > :58:42.from is that there is a strong tradition of a committee chair...
:58:43. > :58:47.Thank you for that. Thank you for you and thank you for watching. It
:58:48. > :58:51.is the Scottish politician of the year awards tonight. I think we
:58:52. > :58:56.should all win and they should all have prizes. Goodbye. -- V should