31/01/2013 Politics Scotland

Hello from Holyrood. The day after the Independent debate agreed on

the ground rules for the referendum. We now have a new question and new

spending limits higher than the Scottish government wanted. It is

the first opportunity for the First Minister to comment today, I wonder

if he will take it. First Minister's Questions is underway.

As the chamber will know, at this week we have had some fantastic

analysis showing that in a greatly expanded modern apprenticeship

programme, 92% of these youngsters are in work after six months of

completing their apprenticeship. That has stimulated a great deal of

interest among such companies. The contribution Microsoft will meet

today is that they and their partners and suppliers and

stakeholders will guarantee a minimum of 2016 new, young, modern

apprenticeships. We must obviously welcome at any opportunities for

our young people, we would only hope the Government had more of a

focus on youth unemployment and the challenges they face, because some

of the figures about a young people still being in jobs after

apprenticeships is because they were in them before they got the

apprenticeship. The process of the referendum is almost agreed by the

date. Now we can get down to the substance of the debate. How well

the First Minister can doubt that debate? The people Scotland want

clear, honest information. We have said an independent Scotland would

have to apply to join the European Union, and those negotiations could

take time. We have been accused by the First Minister of

scaremongering. When the Irish European affairs Minister said an

independent Scotland would have to apply to the EU and negotiations

could be lengthy and complex, what is she guilty of? I am glad there

is so much agreement on the processes of the referendum. I am

glad that Joanne and I can go forward on that basis. I look

forward to the debate. I do recommend that Johanne Rees that

information from the errors European administers. -- Joanne.

The timetable for negotiating our position from within the European

Union, she has regarded that I have got to say, she asked how we

would conduct the debate in Scotland. We will conduct our

debate for an independent Scotland in a positive manner. I wonder if

the bitter -- I wonder if their Better Together 2012 campaign that

can match that? I am not sure how positivity is to misrepresent what

people say when they raised legitimate concerns and express a

view on what the Scottish Government claims to be the case.

The Irish European Minister's comments fall well short of the

Nicola Sturgeon's claimed that that Scott and his membership of the EU

would be, automatic. In her clarification it is said, appeared

to be is Clear a newly independent state would have to negotiate terms

of membership. She adds, these terms would undoubtedly be somewhat

different to the existing terms. What part of that does the First

Minister disagree with? A year ago we have always said that these

negotiations will take place from within the European Union. I have

hear the comments of the Minister, she says the SNP position between

2014-2016 negotiating our position within the European Union, sums up

the position well for stocks that is her exact quote. I do not know

the terminology that Joanne Hammond uses, but it seems to me it is

somewhat of an endorsement of that the SNP has been putting forward. I

have to say, Joanne will have to catch up with hard that terms of

the European debate has now changed, how partners in that Better

Together 2012 campaign at one negotiations to take the UK out of

the European Union altogether. Is it not entirely possible that

negotiating for Scotland, wanting to stay part of the European Union,

would be rather more successful than and in that out referendum as

postulated by her allies in the Conservative Party? You would think

it to listen to the First Minister that Nicola Sturgeon had never said

our membership to the EU would be automatic. The problem with the

First Minister is he lives in a world where we are never supposed

to remember what he said yesterday and we're never supposed to expect

that tomorrow matches what he says today. People deserve better and if

the Independent debate is to be conducted in positive terms, heaven

help us all. When the BBC reported the comments, they were accused by

the SNP of misconstrue in what she said scandalously one of their

members suggested the report had been heavily spliced, yet what she

said and what was reported is backed up by the comments of the

President of the European Commission. Baghdad also by the

Czech Foreign Minister, the Spanish European Minister and anyone who

understand the European Union. What was it that was misconstrued and it

response -- evoked such an hysterical response from the SNP?

Can I asked her to cast her mind back to first minister's questions

one year ago. Patricia Ferguson congratulated the Government in

publishing a consultation document which said negotiations would take

place with the European Union. I replied it has never been our

position there would not be negotiations. The point is

negotiations will be held within the context of the European Union.

I know maybe it takes one year to clarify the position between

Patricia Ferguson and Joanna Lamond, but perhaps if she sorts out her

internal communications within the Labour Party it will be easier for

her to challenge. She is upset by any suggestion that the BBC might

be missed construing remarks of the Irish Foreign Minister. -- miss

construing. The Irish Foreign Minister said, I am concerned an

interview I conducted with the BBC is being misconstrued. She goes on

to endorse the SNP position. In fairness to the BBC, it should be

said that she says the BBC position has been misconstrued. When it

comes to finding people who misconstrue in Scottish society

then the best place to look is the Better Together 2012 campaign of

the Labour and Conservatives. this is the man who went to court

to cover up the fact he did not have a legal advice. He has never,

ever been able to explain what he understands by the expression that

the terms of the debate. We do not need a lecture from the First

Minister about terms of clarity, we need honesty. Everyone is agreed

the people of Scotland have the right to the best, most information

in the run-up to the referendum. But how can he have a Lhasa Apso I

know you were doing your job, which is to make a racket --... I know

you are doing your job, which is to make a racket, because that is all

the First Minister requires from you! How can the people of Scotland

have faith in the information supplied by the Scottish government

when they so often have been forced to admit they are wrong. And when

those giving accurate facts are ridiculed, bombarded with

complaints and pillory. What was it say about Scotland? What does it

say when the Minister of a foreign country is bombarded with abuse for

telling the truth and news organisations from the Scotsman, to

the Herald, to the BBC, are traduced for reporting facts which

turn out to be true. People want information so they can make a

judgement and they want -- on what an independent Scotland would look

like. Is it not the case that all we know it is it will be a land

where you are not allowed to disagree with Alex Salmond. I know

Joanne would not want to descend into the language used by some of

her colleagues in the House of Commons a few weeks ago when she

questioned the democratic credentials to this Parliament.

Holding up of the House of Commons as a model of modern democracy. I

have quoted exactly from the Irish Minister, it was she who said she

thought the BBC coverage of her remarks was misconstrued. Best

think it is really important that the Irish Minister said she found

the SNP position was entirely sensible and endorsed it. Hopefully

that sort of confidence will translate itself to the Unionist

parties in this Parliament who cannot really, seriously believe or

doubt that energy rich, or oil-rich, fishing rich Scotland would be

anything other than all welcome in the ranks of the European Union.

But I was intrigued by the reference to cyberspace. I have

been looking at a bit of cyberspace myself. The Facebook site labour

for Scotland has been tweeted all over the place. I was interested in

the comments of the chairman of the East Lothian Better Together 2012

campaigns. They have a long way to go before they have -- before they

become a party that has electable to the Scottish people. Until the

party recognise what the problems are, it will take much longer. That

is one of her own constituency chairman, a co-ordinator of that

Better Together 2012 campaigns. He has probably been listening to the

Tories he is campaigning within East Lothian. A1 to us the First

Minister when he will next meet the Secretary of State for Scotland.

plans in the future. Now the Electoral Commission report has

been widely accepted, we know the spending limits and the question

for the referendum. But there is a piece of the jigsaw missing. Can

the First Minister tell the people of Scotland what are the exact date

that the referendum will take place? That will be introduced to

Parliament with the Bill in March. I'm amazed by the First Minister's

coy reticence particularly as he is no stranger of making grand

statements in this chamber. Why is he trying to keep his poker hand

hidden some the room? If the referendum is the property of the

people of Scotland, why can he not be straight with them? While

members of his Government briefing national newspapers one year ago?

We have known for a more than a year at the date of the Ryder Cup,

there are more than five years the date of the Commonwealth Games, and

important although they are, they do not impact on the state of this

nation like a referendum. The people deserve to know, why will he

not tell them? If she knows that date, why is she asking me? It is

entirely reasonable to introduce it with the Bill to this Parliament,

surely that is what Parliament will expect. I am delighted by the

agreement on the process of the referendums. I do remember it was

her who described the SNP's government question as fair and

decisive. Then she changed her mind after some processes I will not

going to. She also said most parties are accepting the report,

that is excellent news. Will she now communicate that to the Prime

Minister and follow the Deputy First Minister's request for

serious discussions on the areas of practicality which the Electoral

Commission rightly identify us. So far we have had a no in terms of

Europe and Trident. At what stage will the Conservative Government

Fire was the original report not made public? -- why was? There is a

suspicion of a cover-up. This process of Healthcare

improvement Scotland inspecting care of older people in acute

hospitals was initiated by this Government. Before that, there was

no process. Thus far, there have been 12 hospitals who had been

inspected out of the 23 acute hospitals in Scotland that will be

inspected. It is the case that the three examples have been a follow-

up reports, unannounced inspections. In Kyle Rees cases, the reports

have been published as one. -- in two cases. It is part of a process

of health care improvements Scotland. The clue to this is in

the title. The purpose of these reports is to bring about

improvement in the standards of care in the health service so that

we can avoid the situation which has happened elsewhere where

dramatic and very difficult findings have been found. In

fairness, we will look at the airport. -- At the report. It seems

to me exactly the purpose of this process of inspection which was

initiated by this Government. It is important that the whole chamber

accepts that that process of inspection is exactly the process

that is a good thing in the health service which is prepared... When

deficiencies are found, improvements can be made. It seems

to me to be in the interests of patients at patient care.

The First Minister will be aware of the decision by the board of the

Byre Theatre in so it Andrews -- in St Andrews that the theatre is to

be closed. Will ministers do all they can to support discussions

between Fife Council and Creative Scotland in an attempt to secure a

future for the theatre? I can certainly give that assurance. I am

sure, across the chamber, we hope a good future can be found for the

byre Theatre. We admire the work it has done in the past. The answer to

the question is yes and I hope she takes up the offer of a meeting

with the Culture Secretary. To ask the First Minister for what

purpose the Scottish Government has recently contacted the foreign

ministries of EU member states. To reiterate the Scottish

government's position that we wish Scotland to remain a construct a

member of the European Union. That was partly in response to messages

coming from their Westminster Parliament where many members are

looking for the exit door. I thank the First Minister for his reply.

In her letter, his deputy says that his government consider it a to be

a case for reform of certain aspects of the EU. But are

supportive of the ongoing process of institutional reform. Does it

that support mean his support for the creation of a sudden a United

States of Europe based on fiscal and political union? No, it does

not. The opposition to that is shared by many states across the

European Union. The Common Fisheries Policy, I was surprised

to see their Prime Minister site that as a success in his

negotiations as if all the problems were solved. But then it was a Tory

government that describe the Scottish fisheries industry as

expendable. To ask the First Minister what

steps the Scottish Government is taking to protect the number of

nursing and midwifery staff. They have the security of art no

compulsory redundancy guarantee. We have seen an increase of qualified

nurses. From a 41,002 it for... We have more qualified nurses today

working in our national health service than in any year under the

previous Liberal, Labour Executive. Nurses are perhaps the clearest

embodiment of the NHS in the public service values for which it stands.

Can you provide an assurance of that NHS boards will listen to

nurses on the front line, such as those at the Royal Hospital for

Sick children and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary so that their valuable

experience can shape the future of our nursing workforce? The nursing

workload are planning draw on a huge evidence-based. Boards will

work in partnership with nurses so planning tools are bowled out a

successfully across the country. I know that people in the chamber

would not want to allow their natural anxiety to attack the

government at every opportunity to be confused with a lack of support

for the efforts and quality of our national health service staff.

It is breathtaking that the First Minister is accusing his bench of

not supporting staff in the NHS when his government has cut almost

2500 nurses in the last few years. He often quotes England as being

worse than us. England has only cut 7000 bursars over the same period.

His government has cut over three times as many nurses

proportionately. At the same time, the government has cut the student

intake by 20%. That comes on top of the paediatric services in disarray

because of lack of staff. In reality, it is a total shambles.

As Richard Simpson is presumably aware, we have a higher quarter of

nurses in the Scottish National Health Services proportionately.

There are more qualified staff in the health service now than there

were when we took office. There are more people working in the National

Health Service in Scotland than when the SNP took office. It ill

behoves a political party, and Richard Simpson was part of the

manifesto and platform which refused to guarantee it increased

funding for the National Health Service, they have to cut their

cloth as they said, and then they refused to confirm the SNP

commitment to safeguard the NHS. What are now does it take to come

here and tell us you actually support the public National Health

Service in Scotland. To ask the First Minister whether

the Scottish Government has approved plans for staff

redundancies suggested by the Scottish Police Authority.

The committee are no compulsory redundancy policy, any reductions

in police support staff are expected to be delivered through

voluntary exit schemes. Police officer at numbers remain

significantly higher than before 2007. An increase of 7.5%, over

2000 officers. There's just assume that that

answer to my question was actually a yes. As far as I can interpret it,

that is what he said. Can he there for confirm, if indeed his answer

is to imply that he has approved these plans, can he confirm that we

are talking about 1400 police staff to be made redundant or offered

early retirement, can he confirm a cost of �61.3 million for so doing?

Can he tell us how those redundancies and retirements are to

be funded? At what cost to the police service?

I cannot confirm that these things. What I can confirm is that we have

are no compulsory redundancies of policy. In contrast to the

Conservative and Liberal government at Westminster, but in contrast

also to the Labour government when they were in power in Westminster.

Lewis MacDonald is fully aware, given that his son party supported

the move to a single police force in Scotland, there are areas of

duplication which will longer be required. That was one of the

arguments and point of having a single police service in Scotland.

The other significant point, apart from the no compulsory redundancy

policy, which I think is a huge assurance to scarf across Scotland

-- to Staff, across Scotland... I see Labour she gave her -- shaking

their heads. Do they not think are no compulsory redundancy policy is

a good idea? The policing policies of this government implemented by a

police support staff and police officers have now resulted in

recorded crime in the Scotland being at a 37 a year low.

What does the First Minister think of the proposal by the Westminster

government, shared by at Labour opposition, that senior police

officers need not have any policing experience? I know the consultation

comes from a recommendation in the Tom Windsor review. The Scottish

government did not commission a review and we will not be

implemented in Scotland. Public confidence in the police is at an

historic high in Scotland. In the Westminster government, south of

the border, it is at an historic low. Labour in Westminster are not

complaining about the principle of police redundancies out of the

border, just about the number. Given the First Minister's response

to Lewis MacDonald about civilian staff and develop their escalating

numbers of police officers not on frontline duties, how is there

going to be a room for all these people in the back offices of

police stations? The Scottish government position is basically

beyond argument both in terms of the numbers on the streets in

Scotland and that fall in recorded crime. Recorded crime at a 37 a

year law and police numbers in Scotland at a record high or two

things that are not just related, but indicate that success of that

policy of this government. To ask the First Minister what

projects, and at what value, have been delivered through the non-

profit distributing model pipeline in 2012-13.

The 2.5 billion MPD project pipeline is one of the largest

programmes of its kind in Europe. I know that Gavin Brown it will be

delighted to know that the value of the projects which have entered

procurement is approximately �900 million.

The First Minister said earlier he likes to spend time in cyberspace.

I think it is where he got that answer. My question was

specifically on what has been delivered in a 2012 and 2013, can

he now answer that question? It is a project based finance programme.

Order. Procurement is important. Those other projects that are being

bid for by construction companies across Scotland. -- those are the

projects. Let's give him some detail. Wicket school, James

Gillespie's School, National Health service Lanarkshire, Gorbals health

centre, Kilmarnock a college, the National Health Service at law the

and a Royal Hospital for Sick children, -- low -- Lothian,

Scottish national transfusion service, Ayrshire and Alan acute

mental health, -- Ayrshire and Arran, and most recently it...

Order. 472 million entered into the Order.

The chamber getting very excited I had a serious question about

digging holes, but the First Minister seems to be the only

person digging a hole around here. He has confirmed that there has

been a slippage in the programme of at least 300 million this year.

Under the general terms education and health, can he promised to tell

us which projects? I understand they include half of the list he

has read out there. The information was presented to the parliamentary

committee. The Labour Party seemed to be suggesting that in terms of

project base of finance, you can shift finance from one project to

another. That is not how it works. It has to be based on these

projects. Les remember why we are introducing the programme. One of

the reasons is the dramatic cutbacks in direct capital spending.

Capital spending has the advantage that it can be implemented very

quickly as John Swinney has demonstrated. He has announced

substantial shovel ready projects. Why has that been necessary?

Because Alistair Darling as Chancellor of the Exchequer

postulated a cut off a 36% in at the Capital Investment Direct

budget for Scotland. The -- the Conservatives are have

reduced that cut which they claim is and I'm pleased. I think the

programme will deliver as illustrated under the commitments.

The Labour Party should hang their heads in shame that Alistair

Darling created this situation that we are going forward with.

And that concludes questions to the First Minister.

Question time for another week in which the First Minister said he

welcomed the agreement that now existed on the rules and process

for the referendum. He cold on the Prime Minister to enter into a

serious discussion about what would happen after the vote in 2014 and

he confirmed that he will go up as the precise date for the referendum

when a bill is brought before Parliament in March. The big bone

of contention today, the place an independent Scotland would have in

a European Union. Labour were highlighting comments by the Irish

minister. The First Minister said the comments were later qualified

and the minister had appeared to concede that any negotiations could