30/06/2011 Politics Scotland


30/06/2011

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Hello, a very warm welcome to our live coverage of First Minister's

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Questions. It's the last one before the summer recess and it's been a

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busy week with lots to discuss, controversy over the Commonwealth

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Games and a public sector strike. Let cross live to the chamber and

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Even though at the last day of term, first Minister's Questions is

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already under way. Let's listen in Thank you, presiding officer. We

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haven't actually set a date for the election of my successor yet. None

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the less, I take those remarks in the way in which they were made.

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The times we have faced each other, the First Minister and I have often

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talked about the NHS. The First Minister and Nicola Sturgeon have

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told us that they are protecting the NHS. Yet this week we find out

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that in the last six months 1600 NHS jobs have gone. 700 of those

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are nurses and midwives, the very people that the front line of

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patient care. The RCN called this unsustainable. Why it is the First

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Minister not protecting the NHS, as he promised he would? Well, as Iain

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Gray knows, we have guaranteed or consequential will go to the

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National Health Service. That was not a universal view when it was

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being debated last autumn. I remember that Iain Gray himself

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said Bonn Newsnight Scotland, 8th September 2010, quote, we would not

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ring-fence the health budget. That protection of the health budget has

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meant that, even in these difficult times, in every single category,

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health, employment, food, consultants, dentists, nurses,

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through health professionals, it is substantially up-to-date on the

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level that we inherited in 2007. The First Minister needs to examine

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the statistics he has given in order to make sure of their

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veracity. The fact of the matter is that there are fewer nurses and

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midwives in the NHS now than there were at the end of 2007-2008, which

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was the last Budget put in place by the previous Labour administration

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up to 2007. It was not just nurses that got big promises that the

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First Minister would protect them. In March he announced that if the

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people returned him as First Minister, he would secure that

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prize of no compulsory redundancies. He was specific. Local government,

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schools, colleges, the health service. 50 staff at Telford

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College in Edinburgh are facing compulsory redundancy. Chances are,

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some of them voted for him on the basis of that promise. Well, he has

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his job as First Minister. But they are getting P45s. Mike Russell told

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the committee this Tuesday, I have no power to enforce this policy. So,

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why did Alex Salmond make the promise? Firstly, can I correct

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Iain Gray on that the health stir the statistics? Consultants went up

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by 20% from September 2006 on a full-time equivalent basis. That is

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the basis of the term of the last SNP administration. General

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practitioners were at 7.2%. Nursing and midwifery staff, at 833.

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Dentists up by 20%. Allied health professionals up by 9%. That is a

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comprehensive increase, even under the most difficult, severe,

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Westminster reduced budgetary cutbacks, our decision to pass on

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the full consequential, to ring- fence the National Health Service,

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it is showing that we are sustaining that level of investment

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for staff in the National Health Service. Secondly, as Iain Gray

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well knows, there are no compulsory redundancy pledge was made to

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central government staff, 30,000 of them. It's been made to the

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hundreds of thousands of people that work at the National Health

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Service in Scotland. These pledges are not available elsewhere in the

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United Kingdom. Nor, incidentally, is that a new phenomenon. I have

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quotes here from 2006 where Tony Blair, then the Prime Minister,

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said in answer to a question, it was all right, there would only be

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a few hundred compulsory redundancies in the National Health

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Service in England. Don't let us believe that compulsory

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redundancies South of the Border started as a Tory-led initiative.

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We have applied the policy in the areas we directly control. As Iain

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Gray well knows, the colleges, thanks to the statute passed by the

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Labour party in government, independently run in Scotland. The

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Education Secretary gives them advice and, hopefully, colleges

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around Scotland will take that advice. He was right, the promise

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was worthless. As for directly employed employees, what about the

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16 workers who are redundant today? It's a company wholly owned by the

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Scottish government. They are employed by a company owned by the

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Scottish government and they are redundant today. Promises to nurses

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and college staff were worthless. What about teachers? Paul Blisland

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is a newly qualified teacher who, no matter how hard he tries, cannot

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get a job. 80% of his colleagues are in the same boat. Mr Russell

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wrote personally to Paul in January. He promised him that there will be

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a sufficient number of vacancies for all teachers seeking employment

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in 2011. Where are they? Can we just correct Iain Gray? There are

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no compulsory redundancies in the company. I hope he will accept that.

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It's not appropriate to come to the chamber and make a statement that

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is not true. There are no compulsory redundancies. In areas

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where we have managed to prevail in advice to other public bodies, and

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thinking of the college which, after some debate, accepted the

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policy of no compulsory redundancies and, recently, even

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the leader of the Council on air, rude bits -- reversing his policy

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of compulsory redundancies. Don't underrate the ability of ministers

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to persuade her even Labour authorities to follow that policy.

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I fully accept that one of the areas that we haven't yet convinced

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the value of our policies is some Labour-led councils in Scotland,

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who, as we know from previous debates, are responsible for the

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vast majority of the decline in teacher numbers in Scotland. This

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is the pattern, isn't it? He makes the promise and then he blames

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someone else when he breaks it. And yes, he did say when he made that

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announcement in March that he would spend every day trying to deliver

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this policy. And isn't that the problem? That he has spent every

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day doing something else. He has been busy. I don't deny that. This

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non-stop constitutional bickering over his referendum. They are

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gratuitously insulting Supreme Court judges. Let's not forget a

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bill on sectarianism so badly drafted that his own minister

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couldn't explain it. In tangents, And, all the time, in deference to

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cuts to nurses, redundancies in colleges and teachers on the

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scrapheap. All they get our excuses. When is he going to get off his own

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personal agenda and start paying some attention to the promises on

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jobs and services he made to the people of Scotland only six weeks

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ago? I recognise that rhetoric. It's a throwback to some 50 days

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ago. That is what Iain Gray was arguing in the election campaign in

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Scotland. Let's reflect on some of the things that have happened since

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the election campaign. Unemployment fell by 10,000 over the quarter,

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the second consecutive reported fall in Scotland. Official

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statistics show for their 5th successive year that Scotland are

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is in a stronger budgetary position and the UK as a whole. A specific

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announcement, which I know he is dying to welcome, Amazon, the

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creation of 900 jobs, a European Centre of excellence, one of the

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great companies in the renewable revolution announcing the start of

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their employment recruitment programme in Scotland. I know that

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Iain Gray, in his current position, is not able to welcome these signs

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of positive achievement under the most adverse circumstances. But I

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know that he is less committed, in a different position, when he will

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be able to give a judicious review of these things, it will be the

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first to welcome the positive achievements of this administration.

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Question number 2, Annabel Goldie. To ask the First Minister when he

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will next meet the Prime Minister. First Minister? If I may, presiding

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officer, I would like for this last meeting of the parliament before

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summer recess to be used to say a word or two about Annabel Goldie. I

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said that I will miss enormously the wit with which she pursues her

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case and calls at first Minister's Question Time. I won't miss quite

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as much that I was often on the receiving end of much of that wet.

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His stewardship at the last parliament, the Labour Parties

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supported to bring more police on the streets of Scotland, greater

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support and co-ordination of the drug rehabilitation programme.

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These subjects, I know, are very close to her heart. I thoroughly

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enjoyed it bi-weekly jousts with Annabel Goldie. I wish her every

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success in her endeavours in the Can I felt the first Minister for

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his very gracious comments? I am glad he has its -- enjoyed the

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experience of exchanges with me at First Minister's Questions. I'm

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coming back in September! I felt a little apprehensive from his

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adulation that perhaps he wasn't. None the less, but you for your

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comments. Presiding officer, can I ask the First Minister why Scotland

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tops world cocaine use from a report from the United Nations, why

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there are fewer nurses and midwives in Scotland than last year, why

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childhood obesity is escalating, while only 7% of reported rapes end

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in conviction? Clearly, the First Minister has taken his eye off the

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ball. Prefer it to Grandstand on everything from the Supreme Court

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to provoke a constitutional tension. But why has he allowed this

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appalling catalogue of failure to happen right here in Scotland,

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under his watch? I don't accept Annabel Goldie's structures in that.

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I'm delighted to find out that she is going to be back after the

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recess to upgrade me on these issues. I hope, incidentally, that

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she reconsiders the entire position undersides to make that come back a

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permanent feature. I think the Conservative Party would be well-

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advised to compare the talents of Annabel with the available

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She's given me ample opportunity to talk about some of the things that

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she will have noticed. Let's talk about the health service in

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particular. Waiting time targets no show that 99.9% of patients

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awaiting -- awaiting topics or less for their first outpatients

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appointment. Patients with drug problems are getting treatment more

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quickly, they to 4% offered an appointment within four weeks of

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referral. Many of the issue she referred to are deeply structured

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within Scottish society. But I know she will be the first to welcome

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these positive signs of improvement. I know that Annabel Goldie would

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also, in fairness, acknowledge that we face extraordinary difficult

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times in public spending in Scotland. -- just might have

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something to do with the 1300 million pounds of cutbacks being

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implemented by the Westminster government. If presiding officer,

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time and again the First Minister has proclaimed the virtues of free

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university education. His mantra has been the ability to learn, not

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the ability to pay. He never told us that his mantra comes with small

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print. It doesn't apply to soups from England, Wales or Northern

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Ireland and does not plug the funding gap. Isn't this the most

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brazen and bare-faced sell-out of his so-called political principle?

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Pate he divisive, hypocritical because it wouldn't even be

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possible in an independent Scotland, a hugely damaging to the welcome

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tradition of UK students studying in Scotland and utterly ineffective

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in plugging an escalating funding gap of over �200 million. Will he

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abandon his little Scotland mindset and bring forward serious proposals

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for the long-term funding and sustainability of a Scottish

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Annabel Goldie knows full well that the circumstances means we could

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not possibly fund the frieze of students from elsewhere in the

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silence, no more than we could fund the free personal care of the

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people of England nor indeed the prescription charges of the people

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of England. I don't understand why Annabel thinks we have ever argued

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anything other. We wanted to have a �6,000 fee across the board but we

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were persuaded by the university principals and university Scotland

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that the better way to go was the way that out blind -- that was

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outlined by the Secretary of State for Education. Time and time again

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she has upbraided me with quotes and principles across Scotland, as

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she said, not in support of our policy. Virtually every principal

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in Scotland has support its it. -- has supported it and many other

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universities have announced the announcement by the University

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:16:21.:16:22.

Secretary yesterday. Could I turn to Annabel's famous quote from

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Professor Muscat telly. What he said today was, we fully support

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the Scottish government moving quickly to address the issue of

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non-Scottish UK student fees in the light of the UK Coalition

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government was might increase in the south of the border. The

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measures outlined by the Scottish government by a part in ensuring

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that Scottish universities maintain their world-class offering. Why has

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Annabel deserted him at this crucial time. When she quoted him,

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she upbraided me in my lack of Latin. Only a few short months ago.

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If I could say to Annabel, what she does in terms of the future,

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Carpathians, seize the day. First Minister will be aware of the

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announcement by Lloyds group of the loss of 15,000 jobs and many of

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those are in my constituency. Can I ask the First Minister to contact

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Lloyd's urgently for reassurances and clarity for Scottish-based

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staff who this morning woke up only to uncertainty? We have been in

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touch with Lloyds this morning and John Swinney will be speaking to

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them again this afternoon. What I can say is that they have given us

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a statement saying that they expect these reductions to take place

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without using compulsory redundancy. Of course, they pledged to continue

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work with the Scottish government financial services task was to

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ensure maximum levels of employment are maintained across the wider

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financial services industry in Scotland. These are difficult times

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for Lloyds Bank staff. I have here the work force statistics for the

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financial sector. After the financial crisis, unemployment in

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the financial sector in Scotland fell. On the latest statistics last

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week, it had risen back-up. Some of that work, both in promoting the

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financial services sector in Scotland, the success in attracting

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jobs, and also the success in placing people from the major

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clearing banks, is thanks to this task force that was established to

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make that possible. So I'm pleased in these difficult circumstances

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that Lloyds Banking Group have said they will work fully with the

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financial services jobs Taskforce to minimise compulsory redundancies

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and to maximise levels of employment across the Scottish

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financial sector. Can I ask the First Minister if he is aware of a

:19:16.:19:26.
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recent decision... 59 staff will be made compulsorily redundant. Is he

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aware that the staff had been advised a task force had been set

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up and yet this has been denied? What support is the Government

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offering to staff at this time and what is in place for the children?

:19:47.:19:57.
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It is a difficult situation in terms of this. I can assure the

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constituency member that meetings are being held to establish the

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best way to secure the maximum employment as well as the primary

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purpose, which is to make sure that care is available for the children

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in the secure estate. I have been involved in meetings about this.

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The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Consider the member have

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also been involved. Everybody is working for the best outcome of

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both the staff and the children. ask the First Minister what

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discussions the Scottish government has had with the legal profession

:20:36.:20:42.

regarding the attendance of solicitors during interviews

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following the ruling? There have been discussions. Once we see the

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results of the review about questioning suspects, the society

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will continue to be fully involved in discussions about long-term

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changes that might need to be made. While of course welcoming the

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continuing discussions with the Law Society of Scotland and recognising

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that Scotland's legal system is clearly capable of adapting quickly

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to... Does the First Minister agree that Scottish courts must be given

:21:21.:21:26.

parity to the UK Supreme Court as soon as possible? A yes, I do. I

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would like to place on record my thanks to Lord McCluskey and his

:21:30.:21:37.

expert team for producing such a considered report in such a short

:21:37.:21:44.

timescale. The definitive report will be produced in the autumn. A

:21:44.:21:49.

key recommendation of the report is that Scotland's highest court must

:21:49.:21:53.

be placed on a level footing with other courts across the UK when it

:21:53.:21:57.

comes to appeals before the UK Supreme Court. I welcome that

:21:57.:22:04.

recommendation. I revel -- I welcome the recommendation of the

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amendments to the Scotland Bill to make sure that there -- that the

:22:08.:22:12.

High Court of judiciary will be on a parity with court south of the

:22:13.:22:17.

border. That is an anomaly which must be addressed. Appropriate

:22:17.:22:21.

amendments to the Scotland Bill must be addressed after the

:22:21.:22:28.

publication of the report. First Minister will be aware that

:22:28.:22:32.

the Law Society of Scotland has estimated that the proposed

:22:32.:22:36.

Scottish Legal Board Helpline will cost twice as much as the amount

:22:36.:22:41.

currently spent on police station advice, while at the same time

:22:41.:22:47.

solicitors are voting with their feet away from the process. Will

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the First Minister agreed to investigate this and resist the

:22:50.:22:53.

development of any system which will be more costly and less

:22:53.:23:03.
:23:03.:23:06.

effective? This is precisely why we have the review. I am sorry why she

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does not want to understand why these matters are relevant. She

:23:10.:23:20.
:23:20.:23:20.

should look at Lord McCluskey's report. Many aspects of Scottish

:23:20.:23:25.

law have come before the UK courts. That is where the problems came

:23:25.:23:30.

from. The solution we are trying to find both in terms of implementing

:23:30.:23:35.

the Millo-Chluski recommendations when they finally come before us --

:23:35.:23:39.

the McCluskey recommendations but also the review. That is precisely

:23:39.:23:45.

the way to deal with such matters. I know she it supports the actions

:23:45.:23:51.

we are taking but is finding it a wee bit difficult to say so! To ask

:23:51.:23:54.

the First Minister what reason discussions the Scottish government

:23:54.:24:01.

has had on the UK government on the devolution of powers. John Swinney

:24:01.:24:05.

presented proposals to the Chief Secretary at for the Treasury on

:24:05.:24:12.

borrowing powers in the Scotland Bill. These reflect a consensus

:24:12.:24:16.

across the Scottish Parliament for a sustainable borrowing for

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Scotland. I look forward to these proposals being considered by the

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UK government. While there is now clearly consensus in Parliament for

:24:25.:24:28.

the urgent transfer or borrowing powers, does the person has to

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share with me the belief that Scotland must have more access to

:24:31.:24:36.

economic levers to boost the economy and support jobs? Those who

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welcome the Commons that the time has come for Scotland to have full

:24:41.:24:46.

fiscal responsibility? It is extraordinary. Four years in this

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Parliament and Lord Fox hardly ever mentioned a sensible idea. It goes

:24:51.:24:56.

back to the House of Lords -- he comes -- he goes back to the House

:24:56.:25:00.

of Lords all time Andy comes up with a cracker. I think the time

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:25:10.:25:15.

has come when we must... The responsibility for raising money as

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well as spending it goes to the Scottish and other governments. Out

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of the mouths of babes and innocence and Lord Foulkes comes a

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declaration which the Labour Party in Scotland would do well to follow.

:25:33.:25:43.
:25:43.:25:47.

Regarding the Forth Road Bridge, does the First Minister welcome the

:25:47.:25:57.
:25:57.:25:58.

UK government pre-payment? We do welcome initiatives. It will allow

:25:58.:26:06.

the advanced borrowing. Even under the financial control resulting in

:26:06.:26:10.

substantial savings to the Scottish press, it is more any order of 1.5

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billion. But any contribution is welcome. Any sign of flexibility is

:26:15.:26:20.

welcome. But I know that with his long-standing support, not just of

:26:20.:26:25.

fiscal responsibility, but for fiscal federalism even, that the

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member will understand why pre- payment is no substitute for real

:26:30.:26:36.

financial and economic powers. ask the First Minister what action

:26:36.:26:41.

the Scottish government will take in response to figures showing that

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one in 10 care homes have been assessed by social care and social

:26:45.:26:48.

work improvements Scotland as weak or unsatisfactory in at least one

:26:48.:26:53.

area of the inspection. government has already taken

:26:53.:26:57.

actions. It was this government that introduced a grading system to

:26:57.:27:03.

which Jackie Baillie refers and we showed in 2008/910 per cent of care

:27:04.:27:10.

homes for elderly were unsatisfactory. Figures for 2010/11

:27:11.:27:14.

show that that figure has fallen by nearly a quarter. But his good

:27:14.:27:17.

progress, which I am sure Jackie Baillie will be first to welcome.

:27:17.:27:22.

But of course there is still room for improvement and we will strive

:27:22.:27:27.

to make further progress. It is still a matter of concern, I think,

:27:27.:27:31.

if a significant portion of our cams are being assessed as being

:27:31.:27:35.

weak or unsatisfactory, because we all want the best standards, the

:27:35.:27:39.

very best possible quality of care for older people. And of course the

:27:39.:27:43.

new care inspect it has a key role to play. A couple of weeks ago, the

:27:43.:27:50.

Cabinet Secretary for help was adamant that the Budget was 1% and

:27:50.:27:59.

I was wrong to say it was 25%. They published a plan showing a cut in

:27:59.:28:08.

their budget of 25%. And let's not forget... Please do not forget the

:28:08.:28:13.

question. Who should we believe? The Cabinet Secretary or the

:28:13.:28:17.

inspectorate? When he reinstate the Budget, stop the staff cut so we

:28:17.:28:27.
:28:27.:28:30.

can protect the quality of care of Scotland's older people. The budget

:28:30.:28:40.
:28:40.:28:46.

is 35.4 �4 million,. The Labour Party happens dizzily demanded that

:28:46.:28:49.

future years spending are considered as part of the spending

:28:49.:28:54.

review. The crucial matter which Jackie Baillie chooses not to

:28:54.:29:02.

inform the chamber is that the new regime has resulted in a fall in

:29:02.:29:08.

unsatisfactory homes. It is a crucial matter. The new inspections

:29:08.:29:13.

are unannounced. It is a much better framework. But I think

:29:13.:29:17.

Jackie Baillie will find, as the future budgets are announced, that

:29:17.:29:22.

her fears are misplaced again and the 1%...

:29:22.:29:26.

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