:00:20. > :00:24.Hello, a very warm welcome to our live coverage of First Minister's
:00:24. > :00:27.Questions. It's the last one before the summer recess and it's been a
:00:27. > :00:32.busy week with lots to discuss, controversy over the Commonwealth
:00:32. > :00:41.Games and a public sector strike. Let cross live to the chamber and
:00:41. > :00:51.Even though at the last day of term, first Minister's Questions is
:00:51. > :00:52.
:00:52. > :00:56.already under way. Let's listen in Thank you, presiding officer. We
:00:56. > :01:03.haven't actually set a date for the election of my successor yet. None
:01:03. > :01:07.the less, I take those remarks in the way in which they were made.
:01:07. > :01:12.The times we have faced each other, the First Minister and I have often
:01:12. > :01:18.talked about the NHS. The First Minister and Nicola Sturgeon have
:01:18. > :01:24.told us that they are protecting the NHS. Yet this week we find out
:01:24. > :01:28.that in the last six months 1600 NHS jobs have gone. 700 of those
:01:28. > :01:33.are nurses and midwives, the very people that the front line of
:01:34. > :01:38.patient care. The RCN called this unsustainable. Why it is the First
:01:38. > :01:43.Minister not protecting the NHS, as he promised he would? Well, as Iain
:01:43. > :01:46.Gray knows, we have guaranteed or consequential will go to the
:01:46. > :01:52.National Health Service. That was not a universal view when it was
:01:52. > :01:58.being debated last autumn. I remember that Iain Gray himself
:01:58. > :02:03.said Bonn Newsnight Scotland, 8th September 2010, quote, we would not
:02:03. > :02:08.ring-fence the health budget. That protection of the health budget has
:02:08. > :02:14.meant that, even in these difficult times, in every single category,
:02:14. > :02:17.health, employment, food, consultants, dentists, nurses,
:02:17. > :02:23.through health professionals, it is substantially up-to-date on the
:02:23. > :02:26.level that we inherited in 2007. The First Minister needs to examine
:02:26. > :02:30.the statistics he has given in order to make sure of their
:02:30. > :02:36.veracity. The fact of the matter is that there are fewer nurses and
:02:36. > :02:40.midwives in the NHS now than there were at the end of 2007-2008, which
:02:41. > :02:48.was the last Budget put in place by the previous Labour administration
:02:48. > :02:52.up to 2007. It was not just nurses that got big promises that the
:02:52. > :02:56.First Minister would protect them. In March he announced that if the
:02:56. > :03:01.people returned him as First Minister, he would secure that
:03:01. > :03:07.prize of no compulsory redundancies. He was specific. Local government,
:03:07. > :03:11.schools, colleges, the health service. 50 staff at Telford
:03:11. > :03:16.College in Edinburgh are facing compulsory redundancy. Chances are,
:03:16. > :03:25.some of them voted for him on the basis of that promise. Well, he has
:03:25. > :03:30.his job as First Minister. But they are getting P45s. Mike Russell told
:03:30. > :03:37.the committee this Tuesday, I have no power to enforce this policy. So,
:03:37. > :03:42.why did Alex Salmond make the promise? Firstly, can I correct
:03:42. > :03:48.Iain Gray on that the health stir the statistics? Consultants went up
:03:48. > :03:53.by 20% from September 2006 on a full-time equivalent basis. That is
:03:53. > :04:00.the basis of the term of the last SNP administration. General
:04:00. > :04:07.practitioners were at 7.2%. Nursing and midwifery staff, at 833.
:04:08. > :04:12.Dentists up by 20%. Allied health professionals up by 9%. That is a
:04:12. > :04:16.comprehensive increase, even under the most difficult, severe,
:04:16. > :04:20.Westminster reduced budgetary cutbacks, our decision to pass on
:04:20. > :04:25.the full consequential, to ring- fence the National Health Service,
:04:25. > :04:29.it is showing that we are sustaining that level of investment
:04:29. > :04:34.for staff in the National Health Service. Secondly, as Iain Gray
:04:34. > :04:38.well knows, there are no compulsory redundancy pledge was made to
:04:38. > :04:41.central government staff, 30,000 of them. It's been made to the
:04:41. > :04:44.hundreds of thousands of people that work at the National Health
:04:44. > :04:49.Service in Scotland. These pledges are not available elsewhere in the
:04:49. > :04:54.United Kingdom. Nor, incidentally, is that a new phenomenon. I have
:04:54. > :04:57.quotes here from 2006 where Tony Blair, then the Prime Minister,
:04:57. > :05:01.said in answer to a question, it was all right, there would only be
:05:01. > :05:05.a few hundred compulsory redundancies in the National Health
:05:05. > :05:08.Service in England. Don't let us believe that compulsory
:05:08. > :05:13.redundancies South of the Border started as a Tory-led initiative.
:05:13. > :05:18.We have applied the policy in the areas we directly control. As Iain
:05:18. > :05:23.Gray well knows, the colleges, thanks to the statute passed by the
:05:23. > :05:26.Labour party in government, independently run in Scotland. The
:05:26. > :05:35.Education Secretary gives them advice and, hopefully, colleges
:05:35. > :05:41.around Scotland will take that advice. He was right, the promise
:05:41. > :05:46.was worthless. As for directly employed employees, what about the
:05:46. > :05:50.16 workers who are redundant today? It's a company wholly owned by the
:05:50. > :05:57.Scottish government. They are employed by a company owned by the
:05:57. > :06:03.Scottish government and they are redundant today. Promises to nurses
:06:03. > :06:09.and college staff were worthless. What about teachers? Paul Blisland
:06:09. > :06:15.is a newly qualified teacher who, no matter how hard he tries, cannot
:06:15. > :06:23.get a job. 80% of his colleagues are in the same boat. Mr Russell
:06:23. > :06:27.wrote personally to Paul in January. He promised him that there will be
:06:27. > :06:37.a sufficient number of vacancies for all teachers seeking employment
:06:37. > :06:38.
:06:38. > :06:46.in 2011. Where are they? Can we just correct Iain Gray? There are
:06:46. > :06:50.no compulsory redundancies in the company. I hope he will accept that.
:06:50. > :06:54.It's not appropriate to come to the chamber and make a statement that
:06:54. > :07:00.is not true. There are no compulsory redundancies. In areas
:07:00. > :07:03.where we have managed to prevail in advice to other public bodies, and
:07:03. > :07:13.thinking of the college which, after some debate, accepted the
:07:13. > :07:17.policy of no compulsory redundancies and, recently, even
:07:17. > :07:24.the leader of the Council on air, rude bits -- reversing his policy
:07:24. > :07:28.of compulsory redundancies. Don't underrate the ability of ministers
:07:28. > :07:32.to persuade her even Labour authorities to follow that policy.
:07:32. > :07:36.I fully accept that one of the areas that we haven't yet convinced
:07:36. > :07:42.the value of our policies is some Labour-led councils in Scotland,
:07:42. > :07:48.who, as we know from previous debates, are responsible for the
:07:48. > :07:54.vast majority of the decline in teacher numbers in Scotland. This
:07:54. > :08:02.is the pattern, isn't it? He makes the promise and then he blames
:08:02. > :08:05.someone else when he breaks it. And yes, he did say when he made that
:08:05. > :08:09.announcement in March that he would spend every day trying to deliver
:08:09. > :08:17.this policy. And isn't that the problem? That he has spent every
:08:17. > :08:22.day doing something else. He has been busy. I don't deny that. This
:08:22. > :08:28.non-stop constitutional bickering over his referendum. They are
:08:28. > :08:32.gratuitously insulting Supreme Court judges. Let's not forget a
:08:32. > :08:42.bill on sectarianism so badly drafted that his own minister
:08:42. > :08:46.
:08:46. > :08:50.couldn't explain it. In tangents, And, all the time, in deference to
:08:50. > :08:55.cuts to nurses, redundancies in colleges and teachers on the
:08:55. > :08:59.scrapheap. All they get our excuses. When is he going to get off his own
:08:59. > :09:03.personal agenda and start paying some attention to the promises on
:09:03. > :09:11.jobs and services he made to the people of Scotland only six weeks
:09:11. > :09:15.ago? I recognise that rhetoric. It's a throwback to some 50 days
:09:15. > :09:19.ago. That is what Iain Gray was arguing in the election campaign in
:09:19. > :09:26.Scotland. Let's reflect on some of the things that have happened since
:09:26. > :09:30.the election campaign. Unemployment fell by 10,000 over the quarter,
:09:30. > :09:33.the second consecutive reported fall in Scotland. Official
:09:33. > :09:39.statistics show for their 5th successive year that Scotland are
:09:39. > :09:44.is in a stronger budgetary position and the UK as a whole. A specific
:09:44. > :09:48.announcement, which I know he is dying to welcome, Amazon, the
:09:48. > :09:52.creation of 900 jobs, a European Centre of excellence, one of the
:09:52. > :09:56.great companies in the renewable revolution announcing the start of
:09:56. > :10:00.their employment recruitment programme in Scotland. I know that
:10:00. > :10:04.Iain Gray, in his current position, is not able to welcome these signs
:10:04. > :10:09.of positive achievement under the most adverse circumstances. But I
:10:09. > :10:12.know that he is less committed, in a different position, when he will
:10:13. > :10:16.be able to give a judicious review of these things, it will be the
:10:16. > :10:20.first to welcome the positive achievements of this administration.
:10:20. > :10:25.Question number 2, Annabel Goldie. To ask the First Minister when he
:10:25. > :10:29.will next meet the Prime Minister. First Minister? If I may, presiding
:10:29. > :10:39.officer, I would like for this last meeting of the parliament before
:10:39. > :10:40.
:10:40. > :10:45.summer recess to be used to say a word or two about Annabel Goldie. I
:10:45. > :10:48.said that I will miss enormously the wit with which she pursues her
:10:48. > :10:53.case and calls at first Minister's Question Time. I won't miss quite
:10:53. > :11:01.as much that I was often on the receiving end of much of that wet.
:11:01. > :11:04.His stewardship at the last parliament, the Labour Parties
:11:04. > :11:07.supported to bring more police on the streets of Scotland, greater
:11:07. > :11:11.support and co-ordination of the drug rehabilitation programme.
:11:11. > :11:16.These subjects, I know, are very close to her heart. I thoroughly
:11:16. > :11:24.enjoyed it bi-weekly jousts with Annabel Goldie. I wish her every
:11:24. > :11:28.success in her endeavours in the Can I felt the first Minister for
:11:28. > :11:31.his very gracious comments? I am glad he has its -- enjoyed the
:11:32. > :11:39.experience of exchanges with me at First Minister's Questions. I'm
:11:39. > :11:44.coming back in September! I felt a little apprehensive from his
:11:44. > :11:51.adulation that perhaps he wasn't. None the less, but you for your
:11:51. > :11:55.comments. Presiding officer, can I ask the First Minister why Scotland
:11:55. > :12:00.tops world cocaine use from a report from the United Nations, why
:12:00. > :12:04.there are fewer nurses and midwives in Scotland than last year, why
:12:05. > :12:08.childhood obesity is escalating, while only 7% of reported rapes end
:12:08. > :12:12.in conviction? Clearly, the First Minister has taken his eye off the
:12:13. > :12:19.ball. Prefer it to Grandstand on everything from the Supreme Court
:12:19. > :12:23.to provoke a constitutional tension. But why has he allowed this
:12:23. > :12:30.appalling catalogue of failure to happen right here in Scotland,
:12:30. > :12:35.under his watch? I don't accept Annabel Goldie's structures in that.
:12:35. > :12:40.I'm delighted to find out that she is going to be back after the
:12:40. > :12:44.recess to upgrade me on these issues. I hope, incidentally, that
:12:44. > :12:48.she reconsiders the entire position undersides to make that come back a
:12:48. > :12:51.permanent feature. I think the Conservative Party would be well-
:12:51. > :13:01.advised to compare the talents of Annabel with the available
:13:01. > :13:03.
:13:03. > :13:07.She's given me ample opportunity to talk about some of the things that
:13:07. > :13:17.she will have noticed. Let's talk about the health service in
:13:17. > :13:17.
:13:17. > :13:23.particular. Waiting time targets no show that 99.9% of patients
:13:23. > :13:27.awaiting -- awaiting topics or less for their first outpatients
:13:27. > :13:31.appointment. Patients with drug problems are getting treatment more
:13:31. > :13:35.quickly, they to 4% offered an appointment within four weeks of
:13:35. > :13:38.referral. Many of the issue she referred to are deeply structured
:13:38. > :13:42.within Scottish society. But I know she will be the first to welcome
:13:42. > :13:47.these positive signs of improvement. I know that Annabel Goldie would
:13:47. > :13:50.also, in fairness, acknowledge that we face extraordinary difficult
:13:50. > :13:56.times in public spending in Scotland. -- just might have
:13:56. > :14:01.something to do with the 1300 million pounds of cutbacks being
:14:01. > :14:06.implemented by the Westminster government. If presiding officer,
:14:06. > :14:10.time and again the First Minister has proclaimed the virtues of free
:14:10. > :14:14.university education. His mantra has been the ability to learn, not
:14:14. > :14:18.the ability to pay. He never told us that his mantra comes with small
:14:18. > :14:22.print. It doesn't apply to soups from England, Wales or Northern
:14:22. > :14:27.Ireland and does not plug the funding gap. Isn't this the most
:14:27. > :14:30.brazen and bare-faced sell-out of his so-called political principle?
:14:30. > :14:34.Pate he divisive, hypocritical because it wouldn't even be
:14:34. > :14:37.possible in an independent Scotland, a hugely damaging to the welcome
:14:37. > :14:41.tradition of UK students studying in Scotland and utterly ineffective
:14:41. > :14:48.in plugging an escalating funding gap of over �200 million. Will he
:14:48. > :14:51.abandon his little Scotland mindset and bring forward serious proposals
:14:51. > :15:01.for the long-term funding and sustainability of a Scottish
:15:01. > :15:03.
:15:03. > :15:08.Annabel Goldie knows full well that the circumstances means we could
:15:08. > :15:11.not possibly fund the frieze of students from elsewhere in the
:15:11. > :15:14.silence, no more than we could fund the free personal care of the
:15:15. > :15:21.people of England nor indeed the prescription charges of the people
:15:21. > :15:26.of England. I don't understand why Annabel thinks we have ever argued
:15:26. > :15:30.anything other. We wanted to have a �6,000 fee across the board but we
:15:31. > :15:38.were persuaded by the university principals and university Scotland
:15:38. > :15:42.that the better way to go was the way that out blind -- that was
:15:42. > :15:46.outlined by the Secretary of State for Education. Time and time again
:15:46. > :15:52.she has upbraided me with quotes and principles across Scotland, as
:15:52. > :16:02.she said, not in support of our policy. Virtually every principal
:16:02. > :16:08.
:16:08. > :16:11.in Scotland has support its it. -- has supported it and many other
:16:11. > :16:21.universities have announced the announcement by the University
:16:21. > :16:22.
:16:22. > :16:27.Secretary yesterday. Could I turn to Annabel's famous quote from
:16:27. > :16:31.Professor Muscat telly. What he said today was, we fully support
:16:31. > :16:35.the Scottish government moving quickly to address the issue of
:16:35. > :16:38.non-Scottish UK student fees in the light of the UK Coalition
:16:38. > :16:42.government was might increase in the south of the border. The
:16:42. > :16:47.measures outlined by the Scottish government by a part in ensuring
:16:47. > :16:52.that Scottish universities maintain their world-class offering. Why has
:16:52. > :16:58.Annabel deserted him at this crucial time. When she quoted him,
:16:58. > :17:07.she upbraided me in my lack of Latin. Only a few short months ago.
:17:07. > :17:17.If I could say to Annabel, what she does in terms of the future,
:17:17. > :17:24.Carpathians, seize the day. First Minister will be aware of the
:17:24. > :17:28.announcement by Lloyds group of the loss of 15,000 jobs and many of
:17:28. > :17:31.those are in my constituency. Can I ask the First Minister to contact
:17:31. > :17:40.Lloyd's urgently for reassurances and clarity for Scottish-based
:17:40. > :17:44.staff who this morning woke up only to uncertainty? We have been in
:17:44. > :17:49.touch with Lloyds this morning and John Swinney will be speaking to
:17:49. > :17:53.them again this afternoon. What I can say is that they have given us
:17:53. > :17:57.a statement saying that they expect these reductions to take place
:17:57. > :18:03.without using compulsory redundancy. Of course, they pledged to continue
:18:03. > :18:06.work with the Scottish government financial services task was to
:18:06. > :18:10.ensure maximum levels of employment are maintained across the wider
:18:10. > :18:18.financial services industry in Scotland. These are difficult times
:18:18. > :18:23.for Lloyds Bank staff. I have here the work force statistics for the
:18:23. > :18:29.financial sector. After the financial crisis, unemployment in
:18:30. > :18:39.the financial sector in Scotland fell. On the latest statistics last
:18:40. > :18:42.
:18:42. > :18:45.week, it had risen back-up. Some of that work, both in promoting the
:18:45. > :18:49.financial services sector in Scotland, the success in attracting
:18:49. > :18:54.jobs, and also the success in placing people from the major
:18:54. > :18:58.clearing banks, is thanks to this task force that was established to
:18:58. > :19:02.make that possible. So I'm pleased in these difficult circumstances
:19:02. > :19:04.that Lloyds Banking Group have said they will work fully with the
:19:04. > :19:08.financial services jobs Taskforce to minimise compulsory redundancies
:19:08. > :19:16.and to maximise levels of employment across the Scottish
:19:16. > :19:26.financial sector. Can I ask the First Minister if he is aware of a
:19:26. > :19:35.
:19:35. > :19:38.recent decision... 59 staff will be made compulsorily redundant. Is he
:19:38. > :19:43.aware that the staff had been advised a task force had been set
:19:43. > :19:47.up and yet this has been denied? What support is the Government
:19:47. > :19:57.offering to staff at this time and what is in place for the children?
:19:57. > :20:02.
:20:02. > :20:04.It is a difficult situation in terms of this. I can assure the
:20:04. > :20:08.constituency member that meetings are being held to establish the
:20:08. > :20:12.best way to secure the maximum employment as well as the primary
:20:12. > :20:17.purpose, which is to make sure that care is available for the children
:20:17. > :20:21.in the secure estate. I have been involved in meetings about this.
:20:21. > :20:28.The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Consider the member have
:20:28. > :20:33.also been involved. Everybody is working for the best outcome of
:20:33. > :20:36.both the staff and the children. ask the First Minister what
:20:36. > :20:42.discussions the Scottish government has had with the legal profession
:20:42. > :20:51.regarding the attendance of solicitors during interviews
:20:51. > :20:57.following the ruling? There have been discussions. Once we see the
:20:57. > :21:01.results of the review about questioning suspects, the society
:21:01. > :21:05.will continue to be fully involved in discussions about long-term
:21:05. > :21:09.changes that might need to be made. While of course welcoming the
:21:09. > :21:15.continuing discussions with the Law Society of Scotland and recognising
:21:15. > :21:21.that Scotland's legal system is clearly capable of adapting quickly
:21:21. > :21:26.to... Does the First Minister agree that Scottish courts must be given
:21:26. > :21:30.parity to the UK Supreme Court as soon as possible? A yes, I do. I
:21:30. > :21:37.would like to place on record my thanks to Lord McCluskey and his
:21:37. > :21:44.expert team for producing such a considered report in such a short
:21:44. > :21:49.timescale. The definitive report will be produced in the autumn. A
:21:49. > :21:53.key recommendation of the report is that Scotland's highest court must
:21:53. > :21:57.be placed on a level footing with other courts across the UK when it
:21:57. > :22:04.comes to appeals before the UK Supreme Court. I welcome that
:22:04. > :22:08.recommendation. I revel -- I welcome the recommendation of the
:22:08. > :22:12.amendments to the Scotland Bill to make sure that there -- that the
:22:13. > :22:17.High Court of judiciary will be on a parity with court south of the
:22:17. > :22:21.border. That is an anomaly which must be addressed. Appropriate
:22:21. > :22:28.amendments to the Scotland Bill must be addressed after the
:22:28. > :22:32.publication of the report. First Minister will be aware that
:22:32. > :22:36.the Law Society of Scotland has estimated that the proposed
:22:36. > :22:41.Scottish Legal Board Helpline will cost twice as much as the amount
:22:41. > :22:47.currently spent on police station advice, while at the same time
:22:47. > :22:50.solicitors are voting with their feet away from the process. Will
:22:50. > :22:53.the First Minister agreed to investigate this and resist the
:22:53. > :23:03.development of any system which will be more costly and less
:23:03. > :23:06.
:23:07. > :23:10.effective? This is precisely why we have the review. I am sorry why she
:23:10. > :23:20.does not want to understand why these matters are relevant. She
:23:20. > :23:20.
:23:20. > :23:25.should look at Lord McCluskey's report. Many aspects of Scottish
:23:25. > :23:30.law have come before the UK courts. That is where the problems came
:23:30. > :23:35.from. The solution we are trying to find both in terms of implementing
:23:35. > :23:39.the Millo-Chluski recommendations when they finally come before us --
:23:39. > :23:45.the McCluskey recommendations but also the review. That is precisely
:23:45. > :23:51.the way to deal with such matters. I know she it supports the actions
:23:51. > :23:54.we are taking but is finding it a wee bit difficult to say so! To ask
:23:54. > :24:01.the First Minister what reason discussions the Scottish government
:24:01. > :24:05.has had on the UK government on the devolution of powers. John Swinney
:24:05. > :24:12.presented proposals to the Chief Secretary at for the Treasury on
:24:12. > :24:16.borrowing powers in the Scotland Bill. These reflect a consensus
:24:16. > :24:20.across the Scottish Parliament for a sustainable borrowing for
:24:20. > :24:25.Scotland. I look forward to these proposals being considered by the
:24:25. > :24:28.UK government. While there is now clearly consensus in Parliament for
:24:28. > :24:31.the urgent transfer or borrowing powers, does the person has to
:24:31. > :24:36.share with me the belief that Scotland must have more access to
:24:36. > :24:41.economic levers to boost the economy and support jobs? Those who
:24:41. > :24:46.welcome the Commons that the time has come for Scotland to have full
:24:46. > :24:51.fiscal responsibility? It is extraordinary. Four years in this
:24:51. > :24:56.Parliament and Lord Fox hardly ever mentioned a sensible idea. It goes
:24:56. > :25:00.back to the House of Lords -- he comes -- he goes back to the House
:25:00. > :25:10.of Lords all time Andy comes up with a cracker. I think the time
:25:10. > :25:15.
:25:16. > :25:19.has come when we must... The responsibility for raising money as
:25:20. > :25:24.well as spending it goes to the Scottish and other governments. Out
:25:24. > :25:33.of the mouths of babes and innocence and Lord Foulkes comes a
:25:33. > :25:43.declaration which the Labour Party in Scotland would do well to follow.
:25:43. > :25:47.
:25:47. > :25:57.Regarding the Forth Road Bridge, does the First Minister welcome the
:25:57. > :25:58.
:25:58. > :26:06.UK government pre-payment? We do welcome initiatives. It will allow
:26:06. > :26:10.the advanced borrowing. Even under the financial control resulting in
:26:10. > :26:15.substantial savings to the Scottish press, it is more any order of 1.5
:26:15. > :26:20.billion. But any contribution is welcome. Any sign of flexibility is
:26:20. > :26:25.welcome. But I know that with his long-standing support, not just of
:26:25. > :26:30.fiscal responsibility, but for fiscal federalism even, that the
:26:30. > :26:36.member will understand why pre- payment is no substitute for real
:26:36. > :26:41.financial and economic powers. ask the First Minister what action
:26:41. > :26:45.the Scottish government will take in response to figures showing that
:26:45. > :26:48.one in 10 care homes have been assessed by social care and social
:26:48. > :26:53.work improvements Scotland as weak or unsatisfactory in at least one
:26:53. > :26:57.area of the inspection. government has already taken
:26:57. > :27:03.actions. It was this government that introduced a grading system to
:27:04. > :27:10.which Jackie Baillie refers and we showed in 2008/910 per cent of care
:27:11. > :27:14.homes for elderly were unsatisfactory. Figures for 2010/11
:27:14. > :27:17.show that that figure has fallen by nearly a quarter. But his good
:27:17. > :27:22.progress, which I am sure Jackie Baillie will be first to welcome.
:27:22. > :27:27.But of course there is still room for improvement and we will strive
:27:27. > :27:31.to make further progress. It is still a matter of concern, I think,
:27:31. > :27:35.if a significant portion of our cams are being assessed as being
:27:35. > :27:39.weak or unsatisfactory, because we all want the best standards, the
:27:39. > :27:43.very best possible quality of care for older people. And of course the
:27:43. > :27:50.new care inspect it has a key role to play. A couple of weeks ago, the
:27:50. > :27:59.Cabinet Secretary for help was adamant that the Budget was 1% and
:27:59. > :28:08.I was wrong to say it was 25%. They published a plan showing a cut in
:28:08. > :28:13.their budget of 25%. And let's not forget... Please do not forget the
:28:13. > :28:17.question. Who should we believe? The Cabinet Secretary or the
:28:17. > :28:27.inspectorate? When he reinstate the Budget, stop the staff cut so we
:28:27. > :28:30.
:28:30. > :28:40.can protect the quality of care of Scotland's older people. The budget
:28:40. > :28:46.
:28:46. > :28:49.is 35.4 �4 million,. The Labour Party happens dizzily demanded that
:28:49. > :28:54.future years spending are considered as part of the spending
:28:54. > :29:02.review. The crucial matter which Jackie Baillie chooses not to
:29:02. > :29:08.inform the chamber is that the new regime has resulted in a fall in
:29:08. > :29:13.unsatisfactory homes. It is a crucial matter. The new inspections
:29:13. > :29:17.are unannounced. It is a much better framework. But I think
:29:17. > :29:22.Jackie Baillie will find, as the future budgets are announced, that
:29:22. > :29:26.her fears are misplaced again and the 1%...