28/06/2012

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:00:26. > :00:31.A warm welcome to the Scottish Parliament. It is the last day of

:00:31. > :00:35.what has been a bruising session indeed. A bit of a holiday

:00:35. > :00:41.atmosphere but I don't imagine the good spirit will extend to

:00:41. > :00:48.questions to the First Minister. Let's cross to the chamber. We are

:00:48. > :00:52.under way. What engagements has the First Minister got? To discuss

:00:53. > :00:57.arrangements for Mandela Day, the annual celebration on the work and

:00:57. > :01:03.legacy of Nelson Mandela on 18th July, his birthday. Ebenzar co-

:01:03. > :01:06.ordinating -- co-ordinated -- events will be co-ordinated and I

:01:06. > :01:10.am sure the chamber will be delighted to know we have just

:01:10. > :01:13.received a message from Desmond Tutu which said "I am aware

:01:13. > :01:16.Scotland has said world-leading targets to reduce greenhouse gas

:01:17. > :01:19.emissions and is working closely with Mary Robinson to champion

:01:19. > :01:23.climber justice. These are initiatives very much in the spirit

:01:23. > :01:28.of Mandela Day and I am delighted strong links between the people of

:01:28. > :01:38.South Africa and the people of Scotland enjoy. The more people who

:01:38. > :01:38.

:01:38. > :01:42.mark and enjoy Mandela Day, the Can I wish the First Minister well

:01:42. > :01:47.with the plans for him and he was an inspiration to all of us who

:01:47. > :01:50.believe in equality and justice across the world. In the last few

:01:50. > :01:55.years the First Minister has befriended Fred Goodwin, Rupert

:01:55. > :02:04.Murdoch and David Murray. Since then a bank has gone down, a paper

:02:04. > :02:07.has folded and a football club has closed. In that context, was the

:02:07. > :02:17.First Minister's decision not to meet the Dalai Lama an act of

:02:17. > :02:20.

:02:20. > :02:26.The presentation of the meeting was as a pastoral religious visit,

:02:26. > :02:28.which is how it was greeted. The presiding officer can convene a

:02:28. > :02:34.meeting in the parliament to receive somebody with due respect.

:02:34. > :02:44.That is the right way for a religious leader to be greeted,

:02:44. > :02:44.

:02:44. > :02:49.that is perfectly proper. I cannot see why that should be a matter of

:02:49. > :02:59.political division, it is a matter of acknowledging that respect for a

:02:59. > :03:04.Last week the Deputy First Minister quoted Robin Cook, this week and I

:03:04. > :03:07.paraphrase John Smith? Here is the First Minister with a gain on the

:03:07. > :03:10.Midas touch. He holds his party conference in Glasgow and in the

:03:10. > :03:16.local elections the city sense him homewards to think again. He went

:03:16. > :03:26.to the cinema to launch his independence campaign and only

:03:26. > :03:40.

:03:40. > :03:47.yesterday announced there will be a How does the First Minister explain

:03:47. > :03:57.his sudden loss of form? I am willing to accept responsibility

:03:57. > :04:06.

:04:06. > :04:16.for many things but for nominating Yesterday there was an opinion poll

:04:16. > :04:20.

:04:20. > :04:26.showing the SNP government at 45% I was pleased enough with the

:04:26. > :04:33.figures but I have to say delighted with the Labour party's reaction. A

:04:33. > :04:41.Labour spokesman reacted to a poll showing a 13% lead up by saying we

:04:41. > :04:47.are pleased. The -- lead. Labour are pleased, I am pleased, they

:04:47. > :04:57.ended the session with total harmony, we are all pleased!

:04:57. > :05:01.

:05:01. > :05:04.think that is just taking it too I would hazard a guess that if the

:05:04. > :05:14.pandas had mated the First Minister might have struggled to perhaps

:05:14. > :05:15.

:05:15. > :05:21.I know the First Minister is pleased with himself, it's a

:05:21. > :05:26.defining characteristic of his nature but sometimes I think we

:05:26. > :05:29.should look at his radical plans. We are keeping the Queen, the pound,

:05:30. > :05:35.keeping London in charge of interest rates and banking

:05:35. > :05:40.regulation, we are keeping the Union Jack. And in an independent

:05:40. > :05:50.Scotland we will be British. That is what his party members already

:05:50. > :05:54.

:05:54. > :05:57.joint SNP 4, to remain British. -- for. Isn't the real reason the

:05:57. > :06:04.first ministers asking for a second question in his referendum is

:06:04. > :06:13.because he knows he has lost the first? I now realise the

:06:13. > :06:16.fascination for pandas in the Labour Party. On 11th May Patricia

:06:17. > :06:21.Ferguson reported that the Labour Party submitted responses to the

:06:21. > :06:27.consultation on the referendum in the names of Mickey Mouse, daffy

:06:27. > :06:34.Duck and Tintin. The panda. Unfortunately there was no official

:06:34. > :06:39.response from the Labour Party itself. Unless we want to select

:06:39. > :06:43.from the three names that Patricia Ferguson noted. Given the Labour

:06:43. > :06:46.Party did not submit any response to the consultation are they really

:06:46. > :06:55.in a position to say they have a position on how the referendum

:06:55. > :07:01.should take place? A huge number of people from so that Scotland had

:07:01. > :07:08.been submitted with the 21,000 people who responded to the

:07:08. > :07:11.consultation exercise. Pat Rafferty last week "the survey reflects what

:07:11. > :07:15.the Scottish people are saying, the majority want a second question

:07:15. > :07:20.could quit. Henry McLeish, CO"There are compelling reasons for his

:07:20. > :07:24.second question and a bigger choice for all Scots, Barton sign of the

:07:24. > :07:30.NCVO, there is a strong appetite for a second question. Graham Smith,

:07:30. > :07:35.the STC general secretary, it would be daft to rule out a multi- option

:07:35. > :07:45.referendum will stop the Scottish government set out in January...

:07:45. > :07:49.The air is too much shouting across the chamber. -- There is. She

:07:49. > :07:53.approved at that stage at the Prince a dit Scotland are entitled

:07:53. > :07:58.to submit ideas to this consultation and it all by hopes a

:07:58. > :08:08.party that could not even be bothered to sub-let their response

:08:08. > :08:08.

:08:08. > :08:12.to the consultation to criticise those who have. -- it ill behoves.

:08:12. > :08:15.Will recognise the First Minister has a mandate to ask the question

:08:15. > :08:22.whether Scotland wants to leave the UK, the bigos Scotland had the

:08:22. > :08:25.right to answer that question. A -- people of Scotland have. The First

:08:25. > :08:30.Minister talks about people who want us the second question, his

:08:30. > :08:35.own Deputy First Minister said she wanted one question. And I suspect

:08:35. > :08:45.the people behind him think so, too. When the First Minister was a

:08:45. > :08:49.nationalist my complaints -- my complaint was that he did not focus

:08:49. > :08:57.on health and education, just obsessed about independence. He

:08:57. > :09:03.still does not focus on what really matters to people and it now

:09:03. > :09:07.appears he does not even believe in independence any more. Yesterday he

:09:07. > :09:10.abandoned the economic case for independence, are outsourced his

:09:11. > :09:16.campaign and declared that the real national asked Malcolm MacDonald

:09:16. > :09:20.was incompatible with it -- nationalist. Is it not the case

:09:20. > :09:30.that this is not about Scotland's future but the country has been put

:09:30. > :09:30.

:09:30. > :09:34.on pause while he gropes for his place in history? I n a Scottish

:09:34. > :09:42.Nationalist and believe an independent Scotland -- in an

:09:42. > :09:49.independent Scotland -- I am. Then there is Johann Lamont of the

:09:49. > :09:54.Labour Party, Bay last declared themselves to be socialist. -- is a.

:09:54. > :09:57.Let's talk about the issues that matter to Scots, that Johann Lamont

:09:57. > :10:03.says the government does not focus on because we are seeing a vital

:10:03. > :10:10.statistics and the last few days. Aniston Young reported Scotland is

:10:10. > :10:16.the top destination for in Lord investment. -- Ernst & Young. On

:10:16. > :10:21.crime, the lowest level on recorded crime since 1975. -- of recorded

:10:21. > :10:28.crime. Satisfaction with the health service in Scotland and the social

:10:28. > :10:33.attitude survey at a record level since the onset of the parliament.

:10:33. > :10:38.Education, 92% of secondary schools providing the two periods of

:10:39. > :10:44.physical education up from 46%. Maybe that is why the Social

:10:44. > :10:54.attitudes Survey told us that 71% of people trust this Scottish

:10:54. > :11:00.

:11:00. > :11:03.government compared to 18% trusting I would also like to thank the

:11:03. > :11:06.First Minister for his letter apologising to me that the Scottish

:11:06. > :11:09.Conservatives did not respond to his consultation and I'm glad he

:11:09. > :11:14.was not able to put the record straight. A would also like to ask

:11:14. > :11:18.the First Minister when he will next meet the Prime Minister?

:11:18. > :11:28.sure the chamber will pardon me, it is becoming very difficult to

:11:28. > :11:32.

:11:32. > :11:38.remember what the Conservative No plans in the near future.

:11:38. > :11:43.month ago the First Minister spares no expense chipping in Atlantic

:11:43. > :11:47.expats to add glamour to his separation campaign. A launch of

:11:47. > :11:51.the like of which we had never seen before, in fact, it was remarkable

:11:51. > :11:54.in one completely undisputed way and that was it is the first

:11:54. > :12:00.campaign launch in political history to produce a bounce for its

:12:00. > :12:04.opponents. But since last month the Greens have taken the ball away and

:12:04. > :12:10.we hear that a rapid relaunch was ordered from that high command and

:12:10. > :12:20.that is what we have seen. We now know Dennis can even is going to be

:12:20. > :12:22.

:12:22. > :12:26.the new chair of the yes Scotland campaign. -- Yes. He has read that

:12:26. > :12:35.everyone else's name, can the First Minister tell us what Mr can have

:12:35. > :12:39.an's views are? He is looking at the consultation. I wish the Tories

:12:39. > :12:49.had been consistent on that position on the referendum. There

:12:49. > :12:53.

:12:53. > :12:57.was no bounce for the Tory party. We are at 12% in yesterday's poll,

:12:57. > :13:01.not much sign of a bounce there. I am puzzled as to why the

:13:01. > :13:09.Conservatives believe that having a campaign headed up by a Chancellor

:13:09. > :13:19.who brought this great country to its knees... Am quoting from

:13:19. > :13:24.

:13:24. > :13:28.Annabel gold in 2010! -- I am. As for looking at the no campaign

:13:28. > :13:34.launch, they would probably agree with the words of Charlie Gordon,

:13:34. > :13:39.remember him? Former leader of Glasgow council, only halfway

:13:39. > :13:42.through the recession jobless youngsters benefits threatened,

:13:42. > :13:49.devilish and can't protect them. Better together with the Tories? A

:13:49. > :13:52.thing most Labour supporters in Scotland will agree with Charlie

:13:52. > :14:02.Gordon that belies between Tory and Labour will be the death-knell for

:14:02. > :14:05.most parties in Scotland. I know I am kind of new at this and getting

:14:05. > :14:11.used to all the assertion and bluster but I am pretty sure that

:14:11. > :14:16.the First Minister has no idea what Dennis can have an's views are on a

:14:16. > :14:20.referendum question so let me share them... The new chair of the

:14:20. > :14:26.separatist campaign said in only April this year that he supports a

:14:26. > :14:36.single question because otherwise "it is completely confusing to the

:14:36. > :14:39.

:14:39. > :14:43.electorate with all this Bebo Plus and Diego Max". -- Devo. We have

:14:43. > :14:47.the better together campaign in favour of a single question and

:14:47. > :14:50.every major party in this Parliament is in favour of a single

:14:50. > :14:59.question so will the First Minister confirm today ahead of whenever his

:14:59. > :15:01.next relaunches that his government and party will actually back Dennis

:15:01. > :15:06.Caernarfon and a report to -- support a single referendum

:15:06. > :15:10.question? As Ruth Davison might remember the government set out at

:15:10. > :15:17.the third question in January. Do you agree scholar should be an

:15:17. > :15:20.independent country? -- Scotland. That was voted on recently by this

:15:20. > :15:26.Parliament and the majority of the parliament agreed Scotland should

:15:26. > :15:29.be an independent country. Ruth Davidson responded to that in

:15:29. > :15:34.January by saying that was a reasonable, direct and proper

:15:34. > :15:38.question to ask. I suppose we should ask if Ruth Davidson is

:15:38. > :15:44.still a but opinion or has she been instructed otherwise by her new

:15:44. > :15:51.partners in the campaign? We will have a consultation exercise,

:15:51. > :15:55.21,000 submissions to that. Roughly 10 times the number who submitted

:15:55. > :15:58.to the UK consultation. One of the people who did submit was Ruth

:15:58. > :16:03.Davidson on behalf of the Conservative Party. I am sure she

:16:03. > :16:13.would not want a situation where we did not consider very carefully

:16:13. > :16:13.

:16:13. > :16:16.what the Conservative Party had to Doesn't she think we should look at

:16:16. > :16:21.the other range of opinions and what they have to say? Maybe the

:16:21. > :16:25.reason that the SNP are at 45% and the Tories are at 12% is the trust

:16:25. > :16:29.which is invested in this Government, it's based on the fact

:16:29. > :16:37.that we listen to the people of Scotland and then take decisions as

:16:37. > :16:40.opposed to listening to David Cameron and doing what we are told.

:16:40. > :16:43.THE SPEAKER: Patrick Harvey. Thank you very much, Presiding

:16:43. > :16:46.Officer. Earlier this month in Glasgow, the

:16:46. > :16:50.so-called Scottish Defence League sought to disrupt a peaceful

:16:50. > :16:53.demonstration by the campaign to welcome refugees and following

:16:53. > :16:57.serious complaints, the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police has

:16:57. > :17:01.agreed to an external investigation of allegations that officers were

:17:02. > :17:06.effectively perceived to be facilitating the SDL's activity.

:17:06. > :17:11.Does the First Minister acknowledge the threat posed to our society by

:17:11. > :17:15.the organised racist thugs of the SDL and similar organisations. Does

:17:15. > :17:21.he awegree that in future it's unacceptable if any police officer

:17:21. > :17:25.is put in the position of being accused of facilitating the SDL in

:17:25. > :17:29.their obnoxious and disgusting activism?

:17:29. > :17:35.Let me say that Patrick Harvey and I are at one in his te scription of

:17:35. > :17:37.the Scottish Defence League, as are people from across the chamber. --

:17:37. > :17:40.description. The Chief Constable of Strathclyde should have great

:17:40. > :17:43.confidence in pursuing the investigations and I'm sure that

:17:43. > :17:46.Patrick Harvey in asking the question was not suggesting in any

:17:46. > :17:49.way a lack of confidence in the Police Service in Scotland. That

:17:49. > :17:51.investigation will be pursued. It's one of the reasons why we have so

:17:51. > :17:54.much confidence in our Police Service as we know that these

:17:54. > :17:59.things will be properly conducted. So that investigation will take

:17:59. > :18:03.place, the results will no doubt inform lessons for the future, but

:18:03. > :18:10.this chamber is united against the activities of the Scottish Defence

:18:10. > :18:16.League. So we are aware of the recent

:18:16. > :18:19.announcement that may result in 50 job losses at the Nutritional

:18:19. > :18:23.Manufacturing products in my constituency where 370 people are

:18:23. > :18:28.currently employed and which is the only site in the world outside

:18:28. > :18:32.China that manufacturers vitamin C. Can I ask the First Minister what

:18:32. > :18:40.discussions the Scottish Government's had and what action

:18:40. > :18:49.they'll take to ensure the consequences of any job losses will

:18:49. > :18:59.have? My officials are already working with the people to ensure

:18:59. > :19:03.

:19:03. > :19:05.to provide grant funding to improve skills. It's take ck action to

:19:05. > :19:10.minimise redundancies. We'll ensure support and advice is give tonne

:19:10. > :19:17.all those through partnership and action for continuing employment.

:19:17. > :19:21.It should be said, as kiny Gibson will know, there have been some

:19:21. > :19:26.huge successes in the Life Sciences sector, not least in his

:19:26. > :19:31.constituency. We'll do everything possible to minimise the impact of

:19:31. > :19:35.potential job losses. Real anger at the news that the

:19:35. > :19:39.children's ward in St John's is to close for three weeks in July due

:19:39. > :19:42.to a lack of doctors. Will the Prime Minister intervene so we can

:19:42. > :19:45.get this resolved and will he meet with me and representatives from

:19:45. > :19:53.West Lothian on this vitally important matter?

:19:53. > :19:58.I'm sure the Health Secretary will be happy to conduct such meetings.

:19:58. > :20:01.This is an unsatisfactory situation that the member raises. It's to do

:20:01. > :20:05.with the difficulties of recruitment with paediatric staff.

:20:05. > :20:09.That recruitment process is under way and also a new training

:20:09. > :20:14.exercise is under way. These actions are designed to ensure that

:20:14. > :20:19.we can avoid such things in St John's hospital in the future. I'm

:20:19. > :20:24.sure in the meeting with the Health Secretary we'll be able to reassure

:20:24. > :20:27.Neil Finlay and those he brings along from West Lothian that the

:20:27. > :20:30.actions are well and truly under way. Thank you, Presiding Officer.

:20:30. > :20:33.To ask the First Minister what impact the Scottish Government

:20:34. > :20:38.considers further reductions in the UK welfare budget will half on

:20:38. > :20:42.poverty in Scotland? Well, the Department for Work and pensions

:20:42. > :20:46.estimate that the reforms that have been made by the UK Coal ition

:20:46. > :20:50.Government will reduce by fit to seats in Scotland by some �2.5

:20:50. > :20:54.billion by 2015, a projection is made by the Institute of Fiscal

:20:54. > :20:59.studies and suggested that by 2020 child poverty in Scotland as a

:20:59. > :21:03.result could rise by more than 50,000. Working age poverty could

:21:03. > :21:07.rise by over 60,000 if you directly extrapolate the impact of current

:21:07. > :21:09.UK Government policy. These figures are extremely

:21:09. > :21:13.worrying indeed. This Parliament can be rightly proud of the

:21:13. > :21:16.progress we have made on our range of social issues such as the latest

:21:16. > :21:22.homeless figures showing levels have dropped by around a fifth in

:21:22. > :21:25.the past year and local authorities set to reach their target, to reach

:21:25. > :21:30.the 2012 commitment. This progress is threatened by the UK Prime

:21:30. > :21:33.Minister's attempts to par tray thousands of low-paid workers and

:21:33. > :21:37.out of work youngsters as scroungers who do not deserve the

:21:37. > :21:41.staifty net of Housing Benefit. Can I ask what we can do to protect

:21:41. > :21:46.Scots from the ill thought out and damaging proposals which I'm sure

:21:46. > :21:53.my colleagues on the Labour benches would agree would never have been

:21:53. > :21:56.proposed by any past, future or current Government?

:21:56. > :22:00.I think you put that very well. There is a general agreement to the

:22:00. > :22:04.proposition that work should pay. I think that's shared across the

:22:04. > :22:10.parties. But there's also a genre vulion in Scotland to attacks on

:22:10. > :22:20.people with disabilities and young people just because they're young -

:22:20. > :22:24.

:22:24. > :22:31.In the long-term, perhaps the best answers to vote yes in the

:22:31. > :22:36.referendum. Can I ask the First Minister what

:22:36. > :22:45.issues were discussed at the British Irish council? I chaired

:22:45. > :22:48.the 18th summit of the British Irish Council last Friday. We

:22:48. > :22:51.discussed youth unemployment and support for the marine energy

:22:51. > :22:54.sector. All member nations of the council agreed that we should

:22:54. > :23:00.continue to work closely together on these importantish yous and that

:23:00. > :23:05.the work of the British Irish council after the establishment of

:23:05. > :23:12.the Permanent Secretary yacht here in Edinburgh is moving up a gear

:23:12. > :23:17.and is extremely useful -- Subpoena ecretariat. The First Minister's

:23:18. > :23:21.referred to the social attitude survey that showed 71% of people

:23:21. > :23:25.trust the Scottish government compared to 18% who trust the UK

:23:25. > :23:29.Government. The same survey showed that 73% say the Scottish

:23:29. > :23:33.Government ought to have the most influence over how Scotland is run.

:23:33. > :23:37.In the light of this survey, what advice will the First Minister be

:23:37. > :23:47.giving to the Prime Minister at the next meeting to have British Irish

:23:47. > :23:50.

:23:50. > :23:56.council? Let my people go. Question number

:23:56. > :23:59.five. Sarah Boyack. To ask the First

:23:59. > :24:04.Minister whether the Scottish government will instigate a public

:24:04. > :24:11.inquiry into the outbreak of legionella in Edinburgh? Can I

:24:11. > :24:15.I'm sure the whole chamber will wish to join me in thanking the

:24:15. > :24:17.staff of NHS Lothian for their effective response to the

:24:17. > :24:20.Legionnaire outbreak. Course condolences are with the families

:24:20. > :24:23.of those who've sadly lost their lives to this disease. The Health

:24:24. > :24:27.and Safety Executive, the City of Edinburgh council continue the

:24:28. > :24:30.regulatory investigations into the source of the outbreak. Lothian and

:24:30. > :24:34.Borders Police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly

:24:34. > :24:38.investigating the circumstances of the two deaths under the direction

:24:38. > :24:42.of a crown office and fiscal service. I'm sure Sarah Boyack

:24:42. > :24:52.knows as a former minister herself that the time to consider which

:24:52. > :24:53.steps to take in terms of enquiries investigations are come plaited.

:24:53. > :24:57.Indeed First Minister, and evidence to the Health Committee this week

:24:57. > :25:00.left many questions unanswered. But it was suggested there might be

:25:00. > :25:04.technical changes in relation to cooling Towers which could release

:25:04. > :25:08.the possibility of future outbreaks. What will the First Minister do to

:25:08. > :25:12.ensure we get a proper inquiry so that lessons will be learned

:25:13. > :25:17.swiftly and action taken to protect public health? Firefighters Ewan

:25:17. > :25:21.Williamson died on 12th July nearly three years ago and his family and

:25:21. > :25:24.fellow firefighters are still waiting for answers. Can the First

:25:24. > :25:27.Minister promise that local communities will not have to wait

:25:27. > :25:35.that long this time and that we will get a proper inquiry and

:25:35. > :25:38.answers to the questions that are concerning the whole community?

:25:39. > :25:41.Well, Sarah Boyack will also know that the Health and Safety

:25:41. > :25:44.Executive reserve function. We are working closely, as is the lothian

:25:44. > :25:48.health board, with the Health and Safety Executive. But they have to

:25:48. > :25:52.be allowed to apply their investigation in the time scale

:25:52. > :25:57.that they're moving forward with. She must appreciate that when

:25:57. > :26:00.potentially criminal matters are involved, the timing of criminal

:26:00. > :26:02.inquiries takes precedence over more general inquiries. But she can

:26:03. > :26:06.will absolutely certain that whatever needs to be done in terms

:26:06. > :26:10.of enquiring into this most serious outbreak and thankfully I can

:26:10. > :26:15.report that there's been no new cases in the last couple of days,

:26:15. > :26:20.but this is an immensely serious outbreak which resulted in human

:26:20. > :26:27.tragedy and no stone will be left unturned into inquiring into any

:26:27. > :26:31.lessons once that time scale of investigation has been met.

:26:31. > :26:37.Jimmy McGrigor. To ask the Scottish minister what the Scottish

:26:37. > :26:47.Government's position is in charging shoppers 5p per plastic

:26:47. > :26:47.

:26:47. > :26:52.bag? We are consulting on a proposal to require retailers to

:26:52. > :26:56.charge for all single use carrier bags to encourage reuse, cutting a

:26:56. > :27:00.visible form of litter and its impact on wildlife and local

:27:00. > :27:06.economies. Any proceeds are being directed to go to charity. This is

:27:06. > :27:09.part of the safeguarding Scotland's resources programme launched

:27:09. > :27:13.yesterday consulting on a programme for effective use of materials.

:27:13. > :27:18.There's a big focus on helping businesses to innovate and cut

:27:18. > :27:24.costs that could help them save up to �1.4 billion a year by using raw

:27:24. > :27:28.materials more efficiently and cutting waste effectively. Thank

:27:28. > :27:31.you. While we ail agree with the aim of reducing the use of plastic,

:27:31. > :27:34.does the First Minister agree with me that efforts should be focused

:27:35. > :27:42.on the carrot rather than stick on incentives rather than just

:27:42. > :27:47.imposing yet another tax on hard- pressed Scottish consumers? What is

:27:47. > :27:50.his response to the Retail Consortium whose director stated an

:27:50. > :27:54.obsession with carrier bags which account for a fraction of 1% of

:27:54. > :27:58.household waste mustn't get in the way of the significant goal of

:27:58. > :28:02.reducing the carbon footprint of thousands of every day products.

:28:02. > :28:09.But if the Government goes ahead with this punitive tax on Scottish

:28:09. > :28:12.people, will the funds raised be used to fund tackling... Order

:28:12. > :28:18.spread of litter which he mentioned which is the real cause of the

:28:18. > :28:24.problem and also to encourage the use of reusable bags such as this

:28:24. > :28:30.lovely ladybird bag which I bought into the chamber to show you!

:28:30. > :28:34.There we are. A bag being distribute and displayed by Jamie

:28:34. > :28:40.McGrigor at the close there. A remarkable session of questions to