15/10/2016 - Live Afternoon Session

:02:32. > :02:43.Thanks for the applause. APPLAUSE. We are about to reach the hhghlight

:02:44. > :02:45.of conference. The conference raffle!

:02:46. > :03:00.LAUGHTER. I hope you all bought a ticket. I

:03:01. > :03:10.will draw the raffle. I tell you what the prizes. First prizd is a

:03:11. > :03:12.five door Peugeot 208 activd, second prize is ?2000. Third prize is

:03:13. > :04:45.?1000. Here we go. Scotland's fishing industry to be

:04:46. > :04:53.proposed by Stewart Stevenson MSP and seconded by Marie Todd, MSP

:04:54. > :05:03.Please welcome Stewart Stevdnson who is celebrating his 70th birthday.

:05:04. > :05:12.APPLAUSE. As I spent 30 years in comptters, I

:05:13. > :05:19.count as an exit is 146. Behng around colleagues that macro

:05:20. > :05:27.colleagues, we read today of the Prime Minister recognising the

:05:28. > :05:31.plight of Nissan workers in the North of England, realising the

:05:32. > :05:35.price of Tory misjudgements. We have heard nothing about the needs of

:05:36. > :05:39.fishing communities in the north-east of Scotland and beyond.

:05:40. > :05:45.Fisher men whose rights werd taken away when the Tories took us into

:05:46. > :05:50.the Common fisheries policy. We in the SNP opposed the common fisheries

:05:51. > :05:59.policy from the outset. My laiden speech was on the CMP. It h`s seen

:06:00. > :06:04.the majority of fish caught in our waters are being loaded into the

:06:05. > :06:08.holds of foreign vessels. It diverts economic benefits of fish c`ught in

:06:09. > :06:13.our waters away from our communities. A policy that sees our

:06:14. > :06:23.government is able to stop fishing when conservation requires, but only

:06:24. > :06:29.just got -- only to stop Scottish fishing, not fishing from Spain An

:06:30. > :06:40.appropriate fishing policy hs driven by conservation, economic

:06:41. > :06:46.development and good fishing. The CMP did not promote any of these.

:06:47. > :06:50.When people voted in June, they did not vote into xenophobic hatred

:06:51. > :06:54.hauling up of the drawbridgd or leave the market and damn the

:06:55. > :07:01.consequences or any other proposal emanating from the Tory extremists.

:07:02. > :07:07.They were on the same policx page as ours, with our arguments dating from

:07:08. > :07:11.the days of the late SNP MEP Alan McCartney who campaigned tirelessly

:07:12. > :07:17.for the control of local control and local benefit from the catching of

:07:18. > :07:20.wild fish. But fishing is more than simply catching. Fish processing

:07:21. > :07:25.workers are under threat from an exit from the single market. The

:07:26. > :07:32.unit is the most valuable m`rket fish in the world and the species

:07:33. > :07:37.that they take the most valtable from our catchers. -- the Etropean

:07:38. > :07:43.Union. Any tariff or barrier that distances us from our markets will

:07:44. > :07:49.be deeply damaging. And Labour from across mainland Europe and beyond is

:07:50. > :07:54.vital. The secondary schools in our constituency have a couple of dozen

:07:55. > :08:02.languages. People who have come here to fill the gaps that Alan local

:08:03. > :08:12.labour force -- that our local labour force cannot fail. Ddntist

:08:13. > :08:15.and others, we welcome you, you are making a good contribution. How are

:08:16. > :08:21.our fishing interests being protected now? We need, we dxpect

:08:22. > :08:25.and we are getting from all the ministerial team, especiallx from

:08:26. > :08:33.our fisheries minister and now from Mike Rossall, la negotiathons

:08:34. > :08:43.minister. By contrast, the TK Tory government's Brexit committde may

:08:44. > :08:53.have, may have a wee bit of cover in the difficult negotiations. This man

:08:54. > :08:58.is a man at with which I have a personal relationship, but sorry,

:08:59. > :09:04.David, you have no relationship with fishing interests. We need to think

:09:05. > :09:14.bigger... APPLAUSE. We need to think more effectively.

:09:15. > :09:18.The fishermen of Newlyn as well as the north-east, the fishermdn of

:09:19. > :09:22.England as well as our west coast are all that risk from another

:09:23. > :09:27.sell-out of fishing interests at the hands of the Tories. At risk of

:09:28. > :09:31.access to our fishing grounds being handed back to Spain in rettrn for

:09:32. > :09:37.some broader support on an hssue of much less interest to our fhshing

:09:38. > :09:44.communities. We need a leaddr in our fishing negotiations for thdm

:09:45. > :09:47.fishing is of central importance. The minister that can most

:09:48. > :09:52.effectively discharge that responsibility? It has to bd a

:09:53. > :10:00.Scottish minister, speaking for all the fishing interests in thd UK

:10:01. > :10:06.There is nothing novel about that. I use the lead for the UK when I was

:10:07. > :10:10.in environment councils on hssues, in particular, with Spain. Fishing

:10:11. > :10:15.has been central to the history of many Scottish communities, ht has to

:10:16. > :10:21.be central to their future. It is a cruel industry. There is a little

:10:22. > :10:25.chapel in Buckie which has ` large number of clerks commemorathng those

:10:26. > :10:33.who have been lost at sea. Don't let the next blog on the wall bd a

:10:34. > :10:40.memorial to the loss of our fishing industry. Next speaker will be Marie

:10:41. > :10:49.Todd, MSP. Murray is a first-time speaker at conference. APPL@USE

:10:50. > :10:55.To be followed by Gerry Fisher, who will move the direct negative. Can I

:10:56. > :11:00.remind all speakers, speech time or I will cut you off. You havd all had

:11:01. > :11:06.your mornings. And you agred with me, you, conference? Nothing

:11:07. > :11:16.personal, Marie! I am delighted to speak to this conference is the

:11:17. > :11:21.first time -- for the first time as an MSP for the Highlands and

:11:22. > :11:25.Islands. The region I represent stretches from Kintyre up to

:11:26. > :11:31.Shetland and contains among the richest fishing grounds in Durope.

:11:32. > :11:36.The second Islands alone land more fish then England and the rdst of

:11:37. > :11:40.the UK combined. It is a bigger contributor to the economy there

:11:41. > :11:45.than the oil industry. I grdw up in one of the ten major fishing ports

:11:46. > :11:49.in the UK and I share the fishermen's fury with the common

:11:50. > :11:53.fisheries policy. I believe it has been a disaster for the fishing

:11:54. > :11:59.communities of Scotland, and for the fish. Rowing up in Ullapool, I know

:12:00. > :12:04.that the coastal community suffered as a direct result of the UK

:12:05. > :12:10.Government signing us up to this flawed common fisheries polhcy. Yet,

:12:11. > :12:14.despite this, people Shetland, Ullapool and many constituencies I

:12:15. > :12:22.represent, voted to remain hn the EU. Why? Because we know th`t it was

:12:23. > :12:25.the UK Government's failure to represent our interests which

:12:26. > :12:34.resulted in the CMP, which didn t protect them. And we know that the

:12:35. > :12:40.same UK Government is likelx to repeat this neglect. Fishing, to a

:12:41. > :12:45.Westminster government, is expendable. Do any of us seriously

:12:46. > :12:49.believe that fishing rights in Scottish waters will take precedence

:12:50. > :12:58.over par sporting arrangements for London's financial sector? The UK

:12:59. > :13:02.Government... APPLAUSE. Just recently, the UK Government did

:13:03. > :13:06.not support an emergency totring vessel for the Western Isles despite

:13:07. > :13:17.that recent oil rig disaster. This is a clear signal of how little they

:13:18. > :13:23.value coastal communities. @PPLAUSE. The SNP values these communhties. We

:13:24. > :13:29.want them protected. In 2014 alone, Scotland exported over ?460 million

:13:30. > :13:36.of seafood to other EU countries. That was 60% of all our food exports

:13:37. > :13:40.to the EU. And many fragile communities in the Highlands and

:13:41. > :13:45.Islands depend on this export market. With negotiations coming up,

:13:46. > :13:49.we know only the Scottish Government will stand up for Scotland's fishing

:13:50. > :13:54.communities, because only the Scottish Government will st`nd up

:13:55. > :14:00.for the Scottish people. Conference, that is what this resolution is

:14:01. > :14:05.about. Standing up for fishhng is standing up for Scotland. Please

:14:06. > :14:15.support the resolution. Thank you, Marie. Thank you. Thank

:14:16. > :14:19.you for that. And Gerry Fisher will move the direct negative to be

:14:20. > :14:27.followed by Fergus Ewing who will speak in favour of the resolution.

:14:28. > :14:31.Gerry Fisher. Conference, Gerry Fisher. I move the

:14:32. > :14:36.direct negative to this resolution for the simple reason that ht

:14:37. > :14:41.represents weasel words. Thhs resolution doesn't mean a d`mn thing

:14:42. > :14:50.and Stewart Stevenson knows it. It doesn't in fact say that we could

:14:51. > :14:54.get out of the CFP. It doesn't say that we could get a derogathon from

:14:55. > :15:04.the CFP because he knows th`t we couldn't. And when Marie saxs the

:15:05. > :15:09.English government failed on the CFP, she doesn't know, seemhngly,

:15:10. > :15:13.that this CFP was introduced for the first time in two the Europdan

:15:14. > :15:24.economic community the same day that Britain and Norway applied to join

:15:25. > :15:33.the EEC. And the CFP was ond of the conditions already there whdn we

:15:34. > :15:41.joined this. It has been controlled by the majority of the CFP since.

:15:42. > :15:46.And any idea that Spain will not veto any move by Scotland to look

:15:47. > :15:59.after its fishing industries is flying in the face of reason.

:16:00. > :16:09.And one of the reasons Spain wanted to be in the EU was the fishing

:16:10. > :16:15.industry, before it joined `nd it was in the EU. The simple f`ct of

:16:16. > :16:19.the matter is, this is a resolution similar to many others in this

:16:20. > :16:25.conference. We effectively this party or the leadership of this

:16:26. > :16:38.party has a band and its belief in Scottish independence. -- abandoned.

:16:39. > :16:40.You may say not. I have givdn you the right to speak, show fellow

:16:41. > :16:48.respect to your party members. APPLAUSE

:16:49. > :16:51.I will just say again, I will call people who are entitled to speak,

:16:52. > :16:56.all I ask is you show respect to every other party member.

:16:57. > :17:00.APPLAUSE And I'm delighted to welcomd the

:17:01. > :17:08.Cabinet Secretary to speak hn favour of the resolution. First of all

:17:09. > :17:14.could I express a warm, personal, heartfelt thanks to my preddcessor

:17:15. > :17:21.Richard Lochhead for nine ydars of sterling, and sending to thd party?

:17:22. > :17:25.APPLAUSE Fishing, as we've heard frol Stuart

:17:26. > :17:31.Stevenson, is part of what lakes our country, it is part of our culture,

:17:32. > :17:36.our history, it has shaped our communities around the land. And it

:17:37. > :17:42.is essential that we give it our full support. What do we nedd now?

:17:43. > :17:47.We need more new entrance coming into their own vessels, younger

:17:48. > :17:51.people, we need more fish that are caught to be landed in Scotland and

:17:52. > :17:58.to be processed here. We nedd to have continued access to thd biggest

:17:59. > :18:05.market of all, the EU, worth ?4 0 million. And we need access to that,

:18:06. > :18:08.Jerry, all tariffs. We need more powers, overfishing transfer to

:18:09. > :18:14.Scotland, powers that were promised to as recently. And we need the EU

:18:15. > :18:22.citizens, who faithfully voluntarily work in Scotland in processhng and

:18:23. > :18:26.offshore on vessels, we need these citizens to be made welcome as they

:18:27. > :18:37.are by others, not used as pawns in a Brexit policy. Over the p`st five

:18:38. > :18:43.months I've spent as the Cabinet Secretary for fishing, I have seen

:18:44. > :18:49.at first hand that many of the problems arise not from the EU, they

:18:50. > :18:53.arise from the inertia and disinterest of the UK Government.

:18:54. > :18:58.For example, a deal involving a very simple swap of monkfish quota

:18:59. > :19:03.patiently in the interests of Britain and Scotland took three

:19:04. > :19:08.months to deliver when it should have taken three days. For dxample,

:19:09. > :19:13.an agreement in March with the UK Government promising powers to be

:19:14. > :19:18.transferred in Scotland, thd agreement of March in princhple has

:19:19. > :19:24.been held up, it is still not delivered because they just don t

:19:25. > :19:28.care. Ladies and gentlemen, just three weeks ago in the Scottish

:19:29. > :19:31.parliament, everybody except the Conservative Party agreed the

:19:32. > :19:37.proposition, that Scotland should be fully involved in the forthcoming

:19:38. > :19:41.negotiations, but the Tories couldn't even bring themselves to

:19:42. > :19:46.vote for that modest proposhtion. What was said in the EU refdrendum,

:19:47. > :19:53.before the referendum, many including the current UK fisheries

:19:54. > :19:57.minister, Scotland many things. Do you remember? They said abott Leave

:19:58. > :20:01.and we will pass power overfishing to Scotland. Do you remember that

:20:02. > :20:06.aggression not it's in black and white. They said it in Peterhead,

:20:07. > :20:10.all over the country. What did David Davies eight last week in the House

:20:11. > :20:16.of Commons? He said, we havdn't addressed that yet. So, can we trust

:20:17. > :20:20.Tory Cabinet members to delhver for Scotland, for our fishing

:20:21. > :20:26.communities? I think I know what your views are about this. Will they

:20:27. > :20:34.deliver for fishing communities such as Peterhead, Scallowax, could

:20:35. > :20:42.they even placed them on a lap? In fact, if we asked the average Tory

:20:43. > :20:45.Cabinet minister about it, they would probably think we werd talking

:20:46. > :20:48.about an obscure member of the House of Lords.

:20:49. > :21:00.APPLAUSE Perhaps ennobled as eight Tory crony

:21:01. > :21:09.and Sinckler good Honours lhst in years gone by. Good old Kinloch

:21:10. > :21:14.Delegates come all the eviddnce of the past decade, as well as the past

:21:15. > :21:19.few months since Brexit, shows we cannot trust the Tories to deliver

:21:20. > :21:24.for Scotland's fishing interests. And for the Tories, Scotland's

:21:25. > :21:30.fishing communities were in the 70s, as we now know, revealed on the

:21:31. > :21:34.secrets act, expendable. Nothing since then has changed. Davhd

:21:35. > :21:44.Davidson, Boris Johnson, Li`m Fox, the three Tory Brexit supporters are

:21:45. > :21:53.promising that full Brexit `nd Scottish fish is not on thehr menu.

:21:54. > :22:00.APPLAUSE So, to conclude, in the comhng

:22:01. > :22:06.months and years, I pledge to visit every fishing community in Scotland.

:22:07. > :22:10.Mike Russell and I are visiting fishermen on Monday. We will

:22:11. > :22:14.continue to meet and work as we have done before the wrappers and

:22:15. > :22:19.deserves. I'm meeting the SFS every month at the moment. What I want to

:22:20. > :22:25.do now is to pledge to you what I have pledged to them. I and the

:22:26. > :22:28.Scottish Government shall bd the champion of Scotland's fishhng

:22:29. > :22:33.interests. Thank you very mtch. APPLAUSE

:22:34. > :22:48.Thank you, Fergus. Conference, fishing is a very

:22:49. > :22:53.lifeblood of the communities and privilege to represent in B`th and

:22:54. > :22:58.Buchan. In the 1970s, when the UK joint bid then ECC, the fishing

:22:59. > :23:01.industry was betrayed by a TK Government that consider thdm

:23:02. > :23:10.expendable. That's about as had repositioned over recent decades

:23:11. > :23:14.come, compounded by it. It has caused enormous social, economic and

:23:15. > :23:18.environmental damage and evdn with recent reforms, it remains deeply

:23:19. > :23:22.flawed. It cannot be right that more than half of the fish in Scottish

:23:23. > :23:26.waters is being caught and landed by foreign vessels, and treat not be

:23:27. > :23:29.afraid to say that. But it `lso shouldn't surprise us that so many

:23:30. > :23:33.people in our fishing communities voted to be the EU. Their rdasons

:23:34. > :23:38.are not so hard to understand, the look enviously at the neighbours in

:23:39. > :23:41.Norway and Iceland, the Spe`ker themselves in crucial negothations

:23:42. > :23:45.and defend their own interests from outside the EU but within the single

:23:46. > :23:49.market. And I think that's ` crucial point because I don't believe a one

:23:50. > :23:53.second that all those folk who voted for a Brexit voted to be dr`gged out

:23:54. > :23:57.of the single market. Most people understand it is overwhelmingly in

:23:58. > :24:02.the interests of all our reproducers do have access to the international

:24:03. > :24:06.trade. And our membership of the single market brings out for us

:24:07. > :24:14.that is a more important qudstion of whether or not they are part of an

:24:15. > :24:16.EU member state or not. Last year almost 80% of Scotland's fish and

:24:17. > :24:21.sea exports went to EU countries, fish worth over ?438 million. We

:24:22. > :24:25.would almost certainly face hefty tariffs and perhaps even more

:24:26. > :24:30.damaging, nontariff barriers. It would reduce our competitivdness and

:24:31. > :24:35.it would be a bonanza for otr competitors in the north. They can

:24:36. > :24:39.export to the EU as of right. Outside the single market, our

:24:40. > :24:42.processing sector faces real uncertainty and acute labour

:24:43. > :24:47.shortages. Even some of the most ardent Brexit supporters have told

:24:48. > :24:50.me they support the benefits of freedom of movement and what that

:24:51. > :24:54.brings to the industry. Thotsands of EU citizens are working in our fish

:24:55. > :24:58.factories, living in our communities, most of them from the

:24:59. > :25:04.Baltic states with whom we've had ancient trading relationships over

:25:05. > :25:07.many centuries, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, they have marridd and

:25:08. > :25:11.settled here. The current uncertainty over their future status

:25:12. > :25:15.from the toxic rhetoric in the media and Parliament over immigration and

:25:16. > :25:18.the rising hate crime, is c`using enormous anguish and distress. We

:25:19. > :25:21.need to say to these people very loudly and clearly, you are welcome

:25:22. > :25:25.in Scotland, we value your contribution and we recognise the

:25:26. > :25:29.role you play in sustaining our industries and not least in Ankara

:25:30. > :25:34.in local jobs in our communhties. We will fight to defend your rhghts,

:25:35. > :25:43.just as we will fight for all our other citizens. Amidst the current

:25:44. > :25:45.chaos and economic turmoil, there's a window of opportunity to `ddress

:25:46. > :25:48.the historic injustice on otr fishing communities. There `re also

:25:49. > :25:52.risks that are hard Brexit would cause untold damage to our onshore

:25:53. > :25:59.industry. Our fishing grounds of an abundant natural resource. We need

:26:00. > :26:06.to fight for our own interests for the interests of fishing colmunities

:26:07. > :26:12.and never, ever again let otr London Tory government use our fishermen as

:26:13. > :26:16.an expendable bargaining tool. Please support the resolution.

:26:17. > :26:23.APPLAUSE Final speaker is Kate Forbes, SNP.

:26:24. > :26:27.Welcome, Kate. I want to st`rt by paying tribute to our fishermen To

:26:28. > :26:35.the Scottish fishermen, the trawlers, the boat to fish out of

:26:36. > :26:40.Kyle. They are out there in the wind and the rain and the cold, who are

:26:41. > :26:45.out in the boat when we are talking into our company, cosy beds on a

:26:46. > :26:49.stationary house. Whose was sourced seafood, which Scotland is so

:26:50. > :26:56.repeated for. Our fishermen contribute enormously to Scotland's

:26:57. > :27:04.economy. And we must ensure that we stand up for them. They facd...

:27:05. > :27:08.APPLAUSE They faced the challenges of the

:27:09. > :27:14.weather, they face the challenges of the markets. And at the momdnt,

:27:15. > :27:19.they're facing great challenges with the common fisheries policy. It is

:27:20. > :27:25.flawed. A fisherman who not only has two patch and source fish is faced

:27:26. > :27:28.with the prospect of huge alounts of paperwork, making sure they meet

:27:29. > :27:35.precise targets and those are additional pressures they do not

:27:36. > :27:41.need. And yet with 60% of Scottish fish landings happening in Scotland,

:27:42. > :27:45.for decades, the Westminster government has failed to prhoritise

:27:46. > :27:52.Scottish fishermen, has failed to speak up for Scottish fishermen in

:27:53. > :27:56.Europe, and has absolutely failed to protect Scottish fishing

:27:57. > :28:01.communities. And at a time like this, when we are looking at the

:28:02. > :28:06.prospect of negotiating a ddal south of the border, we need to m`ke sure

:28:07. > :28:10.this party is not a party that has forgotten fishermen, but as a party

:28:11. > :28:16.that make sure fishermen and their interests are at the heart of any

:28:17. > :28:19.future deal for Scotland and the European Union. Thank you.

:28:20. > :28:25.APPLAUSE We now move to the summing tp. I

:28:26. > :28:28.call Gerry Fisher to sum up for the direct negative, to be followed by

:28:29. > :28:48.Stuart Stevenson for the resolution. Before I start my two minutds, may I

:28:49. > :28:53.say... No, you have started. Before I start, may I say to the convener

:28:54. > :28:56.on his comment that I have total respect for my leadership, that

:28:57. > :29:00.doesn't mean to say I agree with them. I have disagreed with them and

:29:01. > :29:02.respected them for longer than you have, lad.

:29:03. > :29:16.APPLAUSE The point that has been madd by the

:29:17. > :29:23.people speaking for the resolution is effectively that the British

:29:24. > :29:29.Government, the English govdrnment, has not, has failed the Scottish

:29:30. > :29:37.fishing industry. The fact of the matter is that 40 years ago, this

:29:38. > :29:42.SNP opposed the CFP and essdntially nothing has been done about it. And

:29:43. > :29:47.the Scottish independent government could do very little about ht.

:29:48. > :29:54.What's the Scottish independent government means, it means laws

:29:55. > :29:59.enacted in Scotland, for Scotland are made by a Scottish parlhament

:30:00. > :30:11.and judiciary enacted by a Scottish court. Membership of the EU and the

:30:12. > :30:14.CFP means that laws are enacted by the Council of ministers and

:30:15. > :30:22.European Parliaments, in whhch we have less percentage votes than in

:30:23. > :30:27.the UK governments. And thex are adjudicated upon by European Court,

:30:28. > :30:32.which is not even a judicial Court, it's a political court. Don't tell

:30:33. > :30:41.me that you can be independdnce and a member of the EU, it is f`ctually

:30:42. > :30:45.rubbish! Thank you Jerry. At least it was less than two minutes. Can I

:30:46. > :30:57.thank you for the compliment, I don't get called a lad everx day.

:30:58. > :31:07.Thank you. May I say to Gerry he is fundamentally wrong. After 45 years

:31:08. > :31:10.in this party, supporting independence, I still do. That will

:31:11. > :31:19.be true of each and everyond of us in the hall. I really don't have

:31:20. > :31:24.very much to say because it is clear from the balance of the deb`te that

:31:25. > :31:33.we should continue to opposd the CFP as we did in the 1975 gener`l

:31:34. > :31:37.election, referendum, and as we did when we joined as the UK into the

:31:38. > :31:45.EEC. I will close by saying one simple thing. I have seen a weasel

:31:46. > :31:55.dragging a piece of clay across our garden that is ten times as big as

:31:56. > :32:03.the weasel. -- a piece of prey. I will back a weasel over a btlldog

:32:04. > :32:13.any day. OK, delegates. Cards ready. Only

:32:14. > :32:18.delegates can vote. So votes in favour and against the resolution?

:32:19. > :32:26.Those in favour please show. Cards down. Those against, please show. Is

:32:27. > :32:38.that one, or more than one, a few, maybe a couple. The resoluthon is

:32:39. > :32:43.passed overwhelmingly. We now turn the resolution 22. Blood tr`nsfusion

:32:44. > :32:53.and gay men, to be reposed by Adam McVeigh.

:32:54. > :32:57.Thank you. I am grateful for the opportunity to reaffirm our party

:32:58. > :33:01.policy today. I have heard fantastic speeches from a broad range of

:33:02. > :33:08.people with a broad range of essence. Mine is broad as wdll. I

:33:09. > :33:12.think it is important -- a broad range of accents. I think it is

:33:13. > :33:22.important that citizenship, which is about rights and the social contract

:33:23. > :33:25.is looked at. If we get injtred we expect Richmond and operations.

:33:26. > :33:35.Operations cost money, and the cost blood. -- we expect treatment. Only

:33:36. > :33:39.a small percentage of peopld in Scotland give blood. I feel that if

:33:40. > :33:44.you have life-saving blood hn your veins, you should take the time a

:33:45. > :33:52.few times a year and DNA. The health minister, and I was -- and donate.

:33:53. > :33:56.The health Minister put a motion to the advisory committee asking for

:33:57. > :34:01.restrictions on gay men to be assessed. I have hopeful th`t logic

:34:02. > :34:05.will win the day. I am hopeful that the advisory committee will respond

:34:06. > :34:09.by advising a move to a system where individuals are assessed on their

:34:10. > :34:15.own risk, individual risk, rather than being assessed a blankdt way.

:34:16. > :34:25.It fails to maximise the nulber of blood donors in Scotland. Blood

:34:26. > :34:29.safety comes first and any system -- in any system that works, not

:34:30. > :34:37.everybody can be a donor. Btt restrictions have been reason -

:34:38. > :34:47.have to be reasonable to manage risk. People in long-term s`me-sex

:34:48. > :34:51.relationships would have to abstain from sex for 12 months and H don't

:34:52. > :34:54.know why that would be riskx? I would not wish that on my worst

:34:55. > :35:02.enemy, 12 months without... LAUGHTER.

:35:03. > :35:07.It 12 month deferral for men having sex with men is an effectivd life

:35:08. > :35:12.ban on gay men donating blood and I don't think that's acceptable in

:35:13. > :35:17.2016. And with the need of life-saving blood that we h`ve. If

:35:18. > :35:21.you travel to a high risk area around the world, there is ` 12

:35:22. > :35:25.month deferral to manage th`t risk but we don't ban everyone that has

:35:26. > :35:30.travelled everywhere. We can create a smarter system to deal with the

:35:31. > :35:36.risks attached to sexual behaviour just as we do with travel. This

:35:37. > :35:41.debate should be focused on science but in Northern Ireland, a country

:35:42. > :35:46.with the lowest level of HIV in the UK, only recently moved to ` 12

:35:47. > :35:49.month deferral period, from their previous life ban policy. They

:35:50. > :35:53.should tell you that this isn't about the science, or about the

:35:54. > :35:58.statistics. There are other factors in terms of the decision-making

:35:59. > :36:02.process. I will end with, please support the resolution. If xou have

:36:03. > :36:07.any evidence that could be helpful in making the case to delivdr change

:36:08. > :36:11.to help the Scottish Governlent to deliver change, please writd your

:36:12. > :36:16.MSP, please write to the he`lth minister to submit their evhdence.

:36:17. > :36:22.Ask your MSP to keep at this until we have a restriction policx that

:36:23. > :36:34.makes sense. And my last repuest of you conference, please give blood.

:36:35. > :36:46.Ben MacPherson MSP to be followed by Ron Mackay MSP to speak in favour of

:36:47. > :36:58.the resolution. -- Ron Amichai. Good afternoon conference. H'm proud

:36:59. > :37:04.to second this resolution. Our. . Our movement and our party has

:37:05. > :37:08.always been about creating ` fairer, healthier more just Scotland. Our

:37:09. > :37:12.progressive and Trinitarian society well we help each other as luch as

:37:13. > :37:22.possible in times of need. Hn that spirit, I recommend councillor

:37:23. > :37:26.McVeigh for bringing forward this resolution. I also commend ly

:37:27. > :37:30.colleague in the Scottish P`rliament who will speak shortly for bringing

:37:31. > :37:35.forward a motion in the Scottish Parliament on this issue. Wd should

:37:36. > :37:39.pass this resolution for all the reasons just outlined. On the

:37:40. > :37:44.grounds of equality, a determination to help save lives and also

:37:45. > :37:48.paramount consideration to safety. We should pass it in terms of

:37:49. > :37:55.equality because the 12 month blanket exclusion regardless of

:37:56. > :37:59.circumstances, relationship status, seems unfair and unreasonable. We

:38:00. > :38:07.should pass it on the ground of saving lives because more donors

:38:08. > :38:12.means more saved -- more blood and more capacity to bring that blood to

:38:13. > :38:17.people in cases of emergencx. We should pass this resolution on the

:38:18. > :38:22.grounds of safety. The opportunity to donate should not be basdd on an

:38:23. > :38:27.individual's sexual orientation but on individual risk, and indhvidual

:38:28. > :38:34.risk assessment, risk factors not sexual orientation. Our aim should

:38:35. > :38:40.be to remove the blanket exclusion and maintain the safety of blood

:38:41. > :38:48.clots visions. And on that point, Mr McRae 's boat -- of blood

:38:49. > :38:54.transfusions. And on that stbject, the previous speaker spoke `bout the

:38:55. > :38:58.safety of blood tissue and organs. In the letter, the Cabinet Secretary

:38:59. > :39:02.emphasises, which we all agree, that the safety of blood supply hs of

:39:03. > :39:09.paramount importance and should be supported by an evidence led and a

:39:10. > :39:14.risk-based approach. The Cabinet Secretary also goes on to state that

:39:15. > :39:19.she believes the review is ` real opportunity to explore all

:39:20. > :39:22.restrictions and that an individualised nuanced intelligence

:39:23. > :39:27.-based assessment process and system would be one that we would `ll

:39:28. > :39:32.desire, focus on risk, rathdr than exclusion. We should pass the

:39:33. > :39:40.resolution and aim to bring about such a system in Scotland.

:39:41. > :39:44.Thank you. Thank you, Ben. Our final speaker on this, one of our

:39:45. > :39:47.successful Scottish Parliamdnt candidates, and MSP and also this is

:39:48. > :39:55.the first time she has spokdn at conference.

:39:56. > :40:02.Thank you, Jerry. Conferencd, Scotland has led the way on equality

:40:03. > :40:07.and our party has an unblemhshed record promoting human rights. In

:40:08. > :40:12.2005, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and genddr was

:40:13. > :40:18.banned. In 2009, same-sex couples were allowed to adopt children and

:40:19. > :40:23.later, they were allowed to get married. This allows Scotland to

:40:24. > :40:28.address one major area wherd inequality still exists and also

:40:29. > :40:33.address a major lack of upt`ke and blood donation and the coming

:40:34. > :40:40.forward new donors for blood products' demand. I submittdd a

:40:41. > :40:46.debate to the Scottish Parlhament to ask my colleagues to lift the 1

:40:47. > :40:51.month deferral on men who w`nt to donate blood. The support for this

:40:52. > :40:56.mission has been excellent with cross-party uptake. The mothon has

:40:57. > :41:03.drawn support from all major parties in Scotland with the excepthon of

:41:04. > :41:07.Willie Rennie. As the law stands, no men who have had sex with mdn in the

:41:08. > :41:13.previous 12 months, all womdn who have had sex with men who h`ve had

:41:14. > :41:17.sex with men, may give blood in the 12 month deferral period. These

:41:18. > :41:22.rules have their origin in the 1980s, when Little was known of the

:41:23. > :41:25.risk of HIV, the modes of contracting it and the prev`lence in

:41:26. > :41:35.communities. The current rules about blood donation make no accotnt of an

:41:36. > :41:39.individual's risk. A promiscuous straight person would be able to

:41:40. > :41:42.donate blood while a monogalous gay man would not. The Scottish blood

:41:43. > :41:49.transfusion service publishdd an updated position on gay blood

:41:50. > :41:52.donation. Within that documdnt, it recognises the principles of

:41:53. > :41:56.kindness and mutual trust bdtween the individual and the blood

:41:57. > :42:00.donation service. But the mttual trust expected by the service is not

:42:01. > :42:10.reflected in the selection `nd deferral criteria, evident by the

:42:11. > :42:17.fact that there is no allow`nce of monogamous peace people in bisexual

:42:18. > :42:22.or gay relationships. Scotl`nd needs to go further to ensure that all

:42:23. > :42:25.people can donate blood on the basis of their personal risk of fhre as

:42:26. > :42:31.transmission, not their personal situation. We need to introduce a

:42:32. > :42:35.non-discriminatory risk polhcy that will judge each individual dqually,

:42:36. > :42:40.whether they are straight, bisexual or gay. I believe this would

:42:41. > :42:43.increase the number of donors throughout Scotland and address a

:42:44. > :42:57.glaring inequality. Please support this resolution.

:42:58. > :43:06.Thank you. Now conference, no cards against, please wave your rhght to

:43:07. > :43:22.sum up. Can I ask conferencd, is the resolution passed?

:43:23. > :43:26.We turn the resolution 23... We will do resolution 23 and then wd can

:43:27. > :43:32.give you the announcements for the elections to national officd. So

:43:33. > :43:38.resolution 23, devolution of driving test, it will be proposed Ross

:43:39. > :43:49.Cassini and seconded and seconded by David Dunn. Welcome, Ross.

:43:50. > :43:59.Thank you, convener. The Scottish Government has control over road

:44:00. > :44:04.safety, speed limits, drink,drive limit and it will soon be able to

:44:05. > :44:11.make its own roadsides. Thank you, Westminster for your generosity --

:44:12. > :44:14.road signs. What it does not have is the ability to determine thd

:44:15. > :44:19.standard of the drive on our roads and deliver a driving test fit for

:44:20. > :44:23.those standards. This is not just about the car test, it is also

:44:24. > :44:29.motorbikes, large goods vehhcles, passenger carrying vehicles. Through

:44:30. > :44:37.its austerity agenda, Westmhnster has prescribed that for the last few

:44:38. > :44:45.weeks years -- underinvestmdnt has been rife. Driving standards are

:44:46. > :44:49.suffering. The need to obtahn a driving licence in rural colmunities

:44:50. > :44:55.is a necessity. Public transport does not exist in a lot of places.

:44:56. > :45:01.There are no trains, very fdw buses, so people need to get about. It

:45:02. > :45:10.driving license is a necesshty in those communities. -- a driving

:45:11. > :45:16.licence. The vehicle standards agency at this time is overseeing

:45:17. > :45:21.the biggest waiting list th`t I can remember. I am no longer a driving

:45:22. > :45:28.examiner. Just declaring ail slight interest there. I received

:45:29. > :45:33.information on the 2nd of Atgust that the next available driving test

:45:34. > :45:42.in the urinary is on the 22nd of April 20 17. -- in verdict xear

:45:43. > :45:48.rate. This is open as well. In Glasgow, they have waiting lists the

:45:49. > :45:53.same. This year, the devious they are trying to recruit 30 ex`miner

:45:54. > :45:58.'s. That will not deliver the service at our communities require.

:45:59. > :46:07.Our island communities are suffering exactly the same. This all came

:46:08. > :46:08.about as a result of some Draconian terms and conditions ripping up a

:46:09. > :46:19.few years back. The Department for Transport was

:46:20. > :46:27.told to cut their budgets, so they're stopping people, taking away

:46:28. > :46:31.all the travelling. What happens is, driving examiners are not prepared

:46:32. > :46:36.to do the travelling, said the islands are particularly badly

:46:37. > :46:42.service from Inverness and bribing examiners with a little bowl every

:46:43. > :46:47.few months to go out there. This resolution is not just about

:46:48. > :46:54.searching the devolution of the driving test, this impact is about

:46:55. > :46:58.many aspects in our lives. Hn Aberdeen, 20% of care decishons are

:46:59. > :47:01.unfilled, get there are manx that speak to others who would lhke to do

:47:02. > :47:08.this but just cannot get access to a driving test. If that is replicated

:47:09. > :47:13.across the country, that a lot of people who could be getting care at

:47:14. > :47:16.home on a more regular basis that actually need that. These are some

:47:17. > :47:24.of the most honourable people in our society. The current level of test

:47:25. > :47:31.provision does not allow for any of this to take place. With many of our

:47:32. > :47:36.rural communities back on r`il, a driving licence is a necesshty. With

:47:37. > :47:39.limited employment, many of our younger workforce will have to

:47:40. > :47:45.travel, some considerable dhstances to the major urban areas will work.

:47:46. > :47:49.It is not only social care, the social mobility and the economy of

:47:50. > :47:53.our country. This resolution seeks to devolve the driving test to a

:47:54. > :47:56.Scottish Government, that bding a government best place to know the

:47:57. > :47:59.needs of the services were bent our community. That is a governlent

:48:00. > :48:07.here, not at Westminster. APPLAUSE

:48:08. > :48:14.And examine a workforce with the fair work commissions, this is an

:48:15. > :48:19.alien concept to Westminster, will provide a far better servicd,

:48:20. > :48:25.support the resolution, givd the economy and the services thd wheels

:48:26. > :48:26.they need to make the country run. Support this resolution.

:48:27. > :48:44.APPLAUSE David is another first-time speaker.

:48:45. > :48:56.Welcome, David. Second resolution. Thank you, conference. We would like

:48:57. > :49:02.to have driving tests devolve to discussion government.

:49:03. > :49:08.It is more important than ever that young people can travel outside

:49:09. > :49:15.their own locality to try and find work, be it in the surroundhng areas

:49:16. > :49:18.or elsewhere. More importantly, there have been road accidents in

:49:19. > :49:28.the past, with young people either fatally injured or receiving life

:49:29. > :49:33.changing injuries on the ro`d. In March 2015, the voluntary advisory

:49:34. > :49:37.Council and traffic accidents, Inc collaboration with RSC, published

:49:38. > :49:42.research which the north-east have the worst record of accidents where

:49:43. > :49:49.these one individual had killed is or seriously injured in the entirety

:49:50. > :49:55.of the UK. The constituency had an index rating of 211, meaning the

:49:56. > :50:03.casualties rate was 111% higher than the national average. Overall, they

:50:04. > :50:08.had the worst rate in the UK and ranked first out of 632

:50:09. > :50:13.constituencies. Research carried out by road safety Scotland in 2014

:50:14. > :50:20.showed an average of 54 acchdents we can Scotland's involved the young

:50:21. > :50:26.driver between 17 and 25. They lead to an average of one death `nd more

:50:27. > :50:31.than 70 people injured everx week. The RAC in 2011 also publish results

:50:32. > :50:34.from the whole of the UK sh`ring late teens experience almost double

:50:35. > :50:39.the risk of death from a ro`d traffic accident in comparison to

:50:40. > :50:44.the general population. Young drivers are developing and learning

:50:45. > :50:48.after they passed her driving test. The figures show their age `nd lack

:50:49. > :50:53.of experience but certain ads risk and means they are much mord likely

:50:54. > :50:57.to be involved in an accident than a more mature driver. These and

:50:58. > :51:03.figures have but those facts and figures also mean lives. Yotng

:51:04. > :51:07.drivers waiting six months or more at an increased expense thelselves

:51:08. > :51:12.is not acceptable. If just one young driver is tempted to get behind the

:51:13. > :51:17.wheel alone, during these long waiting periods, and that rdsult of

:51:18. > :51:21.a fatal accident, that is jtst a tragedy. Young drivers need fast

:51:22. > :51:25.access to a robust examinathon system in all areas of Scotland to

:51:26. > :51:29.ensure they are fit to drivd alone and gives them a competent `nd safe

:51:30. > :51:35.start to their driving, and which also enables them to find work

:51:36. > :51:42.outside of their locality. @nd I: conference to pass this resolution.

:51:43. > :51:53.APPLAUSE -- I call on conference. Our final

:51:54. > :51:56.speaker is a first-time spe`ker and as I understand, the youngest

:51:57. > :52:03.speaker, so welcome, Lewis. APPLAUSE

:52:04. > :52:08.I will pretend you are all here to see me add nothing to do with Nicola

:52:09. > :52:14.Sturgeon being on shortly. H have decided to speak on this issue, it

:52:15. > :52:20.is an issue which people had to deal with daily, everyone applies the

:52:21. > :52:24.driving tasks all the time. You can be waiting until April if you apply

:52:25. > :52:31.now. What's worse about that, we've been talking of DVLA in Aberdeen,

:52:32. > :52:36.you can be waiting for five weeks. If you try to find someone waiting

:52:37. > :52:40.for five weeks, come and sed me because no one wait five wedks rate

:52:41. > :52:44.driving test in Aberdeen. Some people may say you have to wait your

:52:45. > :52:49.turn, but a lot of people ldarning to drive a young, like myself, and

:52:50. > :52:55.at school or university, thdy have to fit study in at this key point in

:52:56. > :53:01.their life. Waiting months `nd months we driving test is jtst not

:53:02. > :53:07.acceptable. And it isn't just an issue for young people, for all the

:53:08. > :53:12.people as well. As the first big a touchdown, if you from a rotble

:53:13. > :53:16.community, you need to get to be urban areas for work, for example.

:53:17. > :53:20.It is not just the young people learning to drive, it is older

:53:21. > :53:34.people, older people! This issue is about taking ht to the

:53:35. > :53:37.Scottish parliament. The Scottish Parliament, who have recently been

:53:38. > :53:42.given tax revenues and have made huge strides, not as my exalple I

:53:43. > :53:48.will touch on it. The Scotthsh Parliament are proof that the last

:53:49. > :53:52.ten years, our fish and thex can be and they are one of the most popular

:53:53. > :53:58.governments in Europe -- how efficient they can be. I fedl this

:53:59. > :54:05.government can do a lot better than Westminster, obviously.

:54:06. > :54:10.APPLAUSE Holyrood makes choices for Scott,

:54:11. > :54:15.where is Westminster are too busy fussing over what ever they are

:54:16. > :54:19.fussing over this week. -- for Scotland. Waiting mums and lums for

:54:20. > :54:23.a driving test is just not acceptable, not in this timd --

:54:24. > :54:39.months and months. This area has to be devolved for a

:54:40. > :54:47.more efficient service for our young people and older people. Th`nk you

:54:48. > :54:51.for listening, conference, `nd I hope you had a brilliant wedk at the

:54:52. > :54:52.SNP conference. Thank you, please put the motion...

:54:53. > :55:06.APPLAUSE Thank you, Lewis. Isn't this party

:55:07. > :55:13.blessed with incredible taldnt? Right across the country.

:55:14. > :55:18.APPLAUSE I think the thing I said most this

:55:19. > :55:24.conference is, another first-time speaker, which is just incrddible,

:55:25. > :55:26.so with no cards against, c`n I ask, conference, is a resolution passed

:55:27. > :55:31.by a claim? APPLAUSE

:55:32. > :55:36.It is, thank you. I now call upon the national secretary to ghve you

:55:37. > :55:41.the results of elections to the national office. Please welcome the

:55:42. > :55:43.outgoing national secretary, Patrick Grady.

:55:44. > :55:59.APPLAUSE Thank you, cobblers, I have the

:56:00. > :56:05.results -- conference. For the position of organisation convener,

:56:06. > :56:18.the votes cast were portfolho and McLeod, 936, -- Fiona McLeod. She is

:56:19. > :56:25.re-elected. For the post of national women's and equalities convdner in

:56:26. > :56:49.the first round, the votes were 663, 519, Irene Hood. Angela Crawley had

:56:50. > :57:00.six and 35 -- 635. For the position of national secretary. In the first

:57:01. > :57:09.round, the votes were 110 D4, Angus Macleod, 563, Gray McCormick, 2 3,

:57:10. > :57:16.442. After redistribution of votes, Rhiannon Speer had 539, and Angus

:57:17. > :57:18.Macleod had 688. Doctor Angts Macleod is the party's new national

:57:19. > :57:25.secretary. APPLAUSE

:57:26. > :57:33.For the national executive for the elected parliamentarians blocked in

:57:34. > :57:40.alphabetical order, Alex Salmond and Mary Black MP.

:57:41. > :57:46.APPLAUSE For the six non-parliamentarians on

:57:47. > :57:53.the National Executive Commhttee, alphabetically by first namd, Chris

:57:54. > :58:03.McAvennie, Duncan Ross, Grant Toms, Mary Hunter, Raymond Speer `nd Tony

:58:04. > :58:11.Juliano. And for the standing orders and the gender committee, the six

:58:12. > :58:14.candidates elected were Ivan McKee, Joe McAlpine, John West, Rosemary

:58:15. > :58:21.Hunter, Stewart Stevenson and Patrick Grady.

:58:22. > :58:25.APPLAUSE Thank you, Patrick. And

:58:26. > :58:30.congratulations to all thosd new elected officers, and thank you all

:58:31. > :58:39.to all of the voluntary offhce bearers who have served as body so

:58:40. > :58:48.well, thank you. We now rettrn to topical resolutions, the first

:58:49. > :58:54.optical resolution, and I whll take a formal second, I call Linda

:58:55. > :59:04.Fabiani. The resolution is displayed on the screen. 18 years ago, this

:59:05. > :59:10.woman was murdered. There wdre charges, a trial but there was no

:59:11. > :59:14.conviction. This cause absolute outrage, there were enquirids,

:59:15. > :59:21.report, debates, there was that the location of a clever young lawyer.

:59:22. > :59:26.There was recognition, though, that indeed institutional racism existed

:59:27. > :59:31.in our public services. And this led to changes in practice in l`w and we

:59:32. > :59:38.know that recently that led to a conviction. But in amongst `ll this,

:59:39. > :59:44.there was a family. Parents who lost a son and a sister, who lost a

:59:45. > :59:54.brother. A family that stuck with it during the pain, and that f`mily

:59:55. > :00:02.have really made a difference. So in moving this revolution, may I ask

:00:03. > :00:06.conference to welcome Mrs Chhokar and the representative?

:00:07. > :01:01.APPLAUSE Conference, can I ask your `pproval

:01:02. > :01:09.to depart from the standing orders of the conference to hear from the

:01:10. > :01:17.family lawyer, Mr Anwar. Th`nk you, conference. Surjit Singh Chhokar was

:01:18. > :01:26.the only son of Mr and Mrs Chhokar who made their home in Scotland The

:01:27. > :01:31.victim came home one night `nd was attacked by three men. He w`s

:01:32. > :01:36.repeatedly stabbed with a knife hit with a left-field pattern and

:01:37. > :01:42.murdered. Three men were arrested and the family were told, don't

:01:43. > :01:48.worry, justice will be done. Within days, two of the men were ott on the

:01:49. > :01:55.street. In March 2009, only one man, Ronnie Coulter, stood trial and he

:01:56. > :02:00.was acquitted. He boasted about having committed the perfect murder.

:02:01. > :02:06.For any parent, the loss of a child shatters the soul but no ond can

:02:07. > :02:11.imagine the devastation of having to campaign for justice through 1's

:02:12. > :02:15.grief. Surjit Singh Chhokar became known as Scotland's Stephen

:02:16. > :02:20.Lawrence. They mobilised thousands on their demand for justice. On so

:02:21. > :02:27.many occasions, I watched a mother and a father whose hearts wdre

:02:28. > :02:32.broken but they never gave tp, and his father said he would have a hope

:02:33. > :02:38.justice until his last breath. A second trial took place and two

:02:39. > :02:43.other men were also acquittdd of murder. I stood on the steps of the

:02:44. > :02:50.Glasgow High Court of accushng our justice system of acting like a

:02:51. > :02:53.gentleman's club, unchanged for 400 years, arrogant, and institttionally

:02:54. > :02:57.racist. I can't say that made me very popular at the start of my

:02:58. > :03:03.legal career. But so began our campaign for a public inquiry. In

:03:04. > :03:07.England, Labour had promised the Stephen Lawrence family a ptblic

:03:08. > :03:13.inquiry but in Scotland, thdy and the liberal democrats gave ts a

:03:14. > :03:18.closed inquiry. This was condemned as a whitewash. But for the first

:03:19. > :03:23.time, institutional racism was at the list as being at the he`rt of

:03:24. > :03:28.our criminal justice system. Throughout this period, the SNP was

:03:29. > :03:35.unconditional in its support for the Chhokar family. And want to thank

:03:36. > :03:37.four MSPs who supported us, Roseanna Cunningham, Shona Robison, Linda

:03:38. > :03:52.Fabiani and Michael Michaelson, we have never forgotten your Solidarity

:03:53. > :03:59.and your compassion. It was in 999 that we last spoke to the p`rty in

:04:00. > :04:06.Inverness. Myself, Mr Chhok`r, and Mrs Chhokar. Seven years ago, our

:04:07. > :04:11.justice system mistook the family's quite painful weakness. But

:04:12. > :04:14.underneath the kind smile w`s a proud old warrior, an ex-Sergeant

:04:15. > :04:23.Major in the Indian army and a mother who, for the love of her son,

:04:24. > :04:29.would not be pushed aside. Sadly, this they paid a heavy pricd with

:04:30. > :04:36.the farmer falling victim to cancer. But we had hope. When the SLB passed

:04:37. > :04:40.the double jeopardy law, we had a hope of justice. I approachdd the

:04:41. > :04:49.Lord Advocate to reopen the case and we began to prepare for a ndw trial.

:04:50. > :04:53.Sadly, Mr Chhokar died of c`ncer in the meantime and once again Ronnie

:04:54. > :04:57.Coulter stood for trial. He was finally convicted of murder and

:04:58. > :05:04.finally on the steps of the Glasgow High Court, we were able to thank

:05:05. > :05:06.the day's prosecutors, the Lord Advocate and police Scotland for

:05:07. > :05:12.their unwavering commitment to justice. Surjit Singh Chhok`r was

:05:13. > :05:22.neither a rich or powerful lan, but he was a man who had a loving

:05:23. > :05:26.parents and a sister who refused to be silence. He inspires me lore than

:05:27. > :05:30.anyone who I have met in my lifetime. This is what justhce

:05:31. > :05:35.should be about, not wigs and a gentleman 's club, a humble family

:05:36. > :05:49.who demanded justice as a rhght not a privilege. The family placed. .

:05:50. > :05:54.The family placed victims' writes at the heart of our modern coronal

:05:55. > :05:59.justice system and that is ` cherished legacy. Convent, there can

:06:00. > :06:04.be no room for complacency. We must always remember the families of all

:06:05. > :06:07.those unsung victims with lhttle or no chance to raise the profhle of

:06:08. > :06:11.their cases and I hope that a day will come in this country when the

:06:12. > :06:15.lives of our brothers and shsters and the names of Surjit Singh

:06:16. > :06:20.Chhokar and Stephen Lawrencd are commemorated for the lives they

:06:21. > :06:24.claim rather than lose. And while the debt cannot cry out for justice

:06:25. > :06:30.it is the duty of the living to do so for them. I want to closd with

:06:31. > :06:33.the words from Mrs Chhokar. The verdict was not a cause for the

:06:34. > :06:38.liberation and my son will never return. My husband 's diagnostic and

:06:39. > :06:43.but I know that my brave husband and my beautiful son will be at peace

:06:44. > :06:48.now that justice has been done. And for that, as a mother, I will always

:06:49. > :06:53.be indebted to your party, Fuller love, your support, your respect and

:06:54. > :06:57.all that you did to make justice possible. Thank you, conferdnce --

:06:58. > :08:00.for your love, your support. Thank you, conference. Therd are no

:08:01. > :08:12.cards. Is the resolution passed It is. Thank you very much. And now,

:08:13. > :08:22.the second topical resolution. Welcome.

:08:23. > :08:26.Thank you very much indeed. Conference, two months ago, my

:08:27. > :08:29.fantastic staff in my LO office began receiving phone calls and

:08:30. > :08:34.e-mails from single mothers and fathers across Perthshire, `nd

:08:35. > :08:40.Clackmannanshire who had had their tax credit payments stopped for no

:08:41. > :08:46.good reason and without warning Their circumstances were sililar.

:08:47. > :08:56.They had pain -- being penalised by the agency who was administdring the

:08:57. > :09:00.tax credit process. Concentric this company said that there was another

:09:01. > :09:05.adult living on the premises. What was bizarre about these acctsations

:09:06. > :09:14.was how bizarre they were. Women were accused of living with the sun

:09:15. > :09:18.next door. A single mother was accused of being in a current

:09:19. > :09:22.religion ship with a 76-year-old former neighbour who had didd. For

:09:23. > :09:26.their payments to be reinst`ted they would need to appeal this

:09:27. > :09:32.decision and send HMRC proof of their status with a range of new

:09:33. > :09:35.documentation. A year's worth of bank statements, letters from the

:09:36. > :09:39.landlord and proof of their relationship status which they were

:09:40. > :09:46.to pay for out of their own pocket to prove their innocence. I did what

:09:47. > :09:53.any decent local MP would do. And racism Parliament, wrote letters. My

:09:54. > :09:58.team called HMRC -- I raised it in Parliament. My team called HMRC

:09:59. > :10:02.everyday. My team tried everything to help these families in nded.

:10:03. > :10:10.Because that is our job and that is what you can expect from all our SNP

:10:11. > :10:15.MSPs. And while I was told ,- and what I was told by the Minister in

:10:16. > :10:19.charge was that they have solved the problem and it would now only take

:10:20. > :10:24.four working days to get money to those who were wrongly penalised. We

:10:25. > :10:28.are now four weeks on but mx constituents are still callhng me,

:10:29. > :10:33.in desperate and material h`rdship because of the mistakes of others

:10:34. > :10:37.and a failure of the Tory government to prioritise their growing plight.

:10:38. > :10:43.They are now telling me things will be resolved as soon as posshble So

:10:44. > :10:48.to the Tory ministers in thd Treasury, I say this. Soon does not

:10:49. > :10:52.put food on the table. Soon doesn't pay for phone credits and it doesn't

:10:53. > :11:02.explain to a child why the tooth fairy didn't come last night. These

:11:03. > :11:06.people are desperate. I know families who didn't send thdir

:11:07. > :11:10.children to school last week because they didn't have lunch monex. I know

:11:11. > :11:15.a nurse who is in danger of losing her job because she can't afford

:11:16. > :11:23.childcare. I know of a mum who is so worried about her situation because

:11:24. > :11:28.she signed herself -- that she signed herself out of hospital with

:11:29. > :11:34.a heart condition so she cotld help a family. This is a disgracd. The

:11:35. > :11:42.Tories' inability to sort this out shows a lack of competence, a lack

:11:43. > :11:46.of Cabaye action -- compasshon and a lack of political will. Thex are

:11:47. > :11:49.living families in a mess. The Tories must act now to pay these

:11:50. > :11:54.families what is rightfully theirs and provide compensation for

:11:55. > :12:00.innocent constituents who h`ve been penalised because of the mistakes of

:12:01. > :12:07.others. For Jane and her kids and Graham and his kids and Debbie,

:12:08. > :12:19.Theresa May, sort this out now! Please support the motion.

:12:20. > :12:26.Thank you. Now the second. Welcome back. Conference, this

:12:27. > :12:31.debacle reminds us why dignhty and respect need to be at the hdart of

:12:32. > :12:35.our social security system. I am so glad and so determined that the

:12:36. > :12:40.Scottish Government is doing just that with the power is coming to it

:12:41. > :12:45.in the weeks and months ahe`d. Conference, it is not acceptable for

:12:46. > :12:49.an agency employed by government to make wild, groundless fraud

:12:50. > :12:53.allegations against women in receipt of tax credits. Tax credits to which

:12:54. > :12:58.they are perfectly entitled and to stop people's payments without a

:12:59. > :13:03.shred of evidence also sanitation. Let's remind us what tax crddits are

:13:04. > :13:07.and who they are for. They `re mostly paid to working parents of

:13:08. > :13:12.dependent children to top up earnings and bring household income

:13:13. > :13:17.of an acceptable level. Tax credits help ensure that children whose

:13:18. > :13:22.parents work in low-paid jobs to not grow up in poverty. And single

:13:23. > :13:26.parents are particularly in receipt of tax credits because they are more

:13:27. > :13:31.likely to be in poverty and more likely to her parents who are

:13:32. > :13:36.struggling to juggle family and work commitments. In Scotland, around

:13:37. > :13:39.half of all families with children receive tax credits reflecthng the

:13:40. > :13:45.fact that the minimum wage hs not a living wage and that many pdople,

:13:46. > :13:50.particularly women, work part time when their children are small. Women

:13:51. > :13:56.are overrepresented in low-paid jobs and earn less than men over`ll. Most

:13:57. > :14:03.of those working mums. To mx mind the actions of this company have

:14:04. > :14:09.been disgraceful. Nothing short of scandalous. Payments stopped without

:14:10. > :14:15.warning and they are accomp`nied by spurious allegations about their

:14:16. > :14:18.personal lives. Some of you with the media reports of ridiculous

:14:19. > :14:27.accusations such as the wom`n living above a newsagent's shops who was

:14:28. > :14:39.accused of having a lodger called RS McColl. Or a woman living in a house

:14:40. > :14:45.in doubt by a -- endowed by a philanthropist Quaker who w`s

:14:46. > :14:53.accused of having a lodger called Joseph Rowntree. But a constituent

:14:54. > :14:58.in Dundee has lost her home. She was running on tax credits to p`y her

:14:59. > :15:02.rent. Unlike in social houshng where you can maybe have rent arrdars

:15:03. > :15:07.without the landlord taking immediate punitive action, for

:15:08. > :15:12.people in private sector rented accommodation, often there hs no

:15:13. > :15:17.debate if you are not able to pay your rent. And the consequences of

:15:18. > :15:22.that for that family and thousands like them are absolutely enormous.

:15:23. > :15:26.Many other people are now ddpending on food parcels, resorting to

:15:27. > :15:32.expensive lending, payday loans etc just to get by. People are depending

:15:33. > :15:37.on tax credits to pay their rent and put food on the table and losing

:15:38. > :15:41.that income without warning, due process or just calls is catsing

:15:42. > :15:44.untold distress and hardship to thousands of families. It is

:15:45. > :15:49.disgraceful that this incompetent fishing exercise has been allowed to

:15:50. > :15:52.continue and that the UK Government has failed to reinstate paylents for

:15:53. > :15:57.these families as they said they would within the time frame they

:15:58. > :16:03.promised. Let me send a verx clear message. The SNP SM -- the SNP MSPs

:16:04. > :16:06.investments will continue to hold the government to account and press

:16:07. > :16:12.for immediate action to put this right.

:16:13. > :16:17.they also need to explain how this was allowed to happen in thd first

:16:18. > :16:20.place. What on earth were they thinking? And when will it stop

:16:21. > :16:26.putting women and children on the front line of their failed `usterity

:16:27. > :16:30.agenda? Please abort this rdsolution and send a strong message to the UK

:16:31. > :16:42.Government is that they simply cannot treat people in this way --

:16:43. > :16:47.please support. There are no cards against a resolution. I'm sorry I

:16:48. > :16:53.can't call any further speakers Taz Mina, can you sum up? Can I ask for

:16:54. > :17:03.the first time, conference, it is a resolution passed by a clail? It is.

:17:04. > :17:07.Thank you very much, that concludes our debates, it gives me grdat

:17:08. > :17:11.pleasure to welcome back to conference the new Deputy Ldader of

:17:12. > :17:20.the party, Angus Robertson LP. APPLAUSE

:17:21. > :17:30.Thank you very much, and can I begin by thanking all of you who took part

:17:31. > :17:35.in the leadership election campaign other Scottish National Party? A

:17:36. > :17:38.huge thank you to all of thd other candidates and the constructive and

:17:39. > :17:42.positive way that the campahgn was run, I think we can all be very

:17:43. > :17:54.proud as a political party `bout how we debate and how we decide. It is a

:17:55. > :18:02.huge honour to be able to work for you, it is also a huge honotr to be

:18:03. > :18:04.able to work with our amazing, fantastic First Minister and party

:18:05. > :18:08.leader Nicola Sturgeon, so please give a huge rousing welcome to

:18:09. > :18:42.Nicola Sturgeon. APPLAUSE

:18:43. > :18:51.Delegates, we meet her in the city of Glasgow, five months and from the

:18:52. > :18:58.Scottish Parliament election. When we gathered back in March, we were

:18:59. > :19:02.preparing to see collection as Scotland's government for a third

:19:03. > :19:08.consecutive term. Thanks to your hard work, and your campaigning

:19:09. > :19:17.brilliance, we did just that, we won the election.

:19:18. > :19:23.From the bottom of my heart, let me say this to the people of otr

:19:24. > :19:28.country, thank you for putthng your trust in me as your First Mhnister,

:19:29. > :19:40.thank you for choosing as to the Europe governments -- to be the

:19:41. > :19:47.European government. The SACC, where we meet today, was first opdned back

:19:48. > :19:51.in 1985, it has witnessed qtite a few changes in the 30 years since.

:19:52. > :19:58.The biggest change of all h`s been in the politics of our country and

:19:59. > :20:05.of this city. In 1985, a Scottish parliament seemed like a pipe dream.

:20:06. > :20:10.Today, it is the beating he`rt of our democracy. We no longer question

:20:11. > :20:16.if we should have a parliamdnt of our own. Instead, we ask if our

:20:17. > :20:31.Parliament should be independent. We say yes.

:20:32. > :20:39.In 1985, every constituency in the city bar one was held by Labour

:20:40. > :20:43.Today, the political landsc`pe is very different. Last year, dvery

:20:44. > :20:50.Westminster constituency in the city was won by the SNP. This ye`r, every

:20:51. > :20:57.Holyrood constituency voted SNP as well. And just last week, jtst last

:20:58. > :21:01.week, in a council by-electhon, a massive 19% swing to the SNP secured

:21:02. > :21:04.victory for our brilliant c`ndidate Chris Cunningham.

:21:05. > :21:20.APPLAUSE Next year, we have the chance to

:21:21. > :21:23.complete this political transformation. Glasgow was once

:21:24. > :21:30.described as the second citx of the Empire. In the council elections

:21:31. > :21:34.next May, let's work as hard as we ever had to bring the SNP to power

:21:35. > :21:47.and then let's build the city as one of the very best in Europe.

:21:48. > :21:56.Glasgow is a vivid illustration of the success of our party. Btt it

:21:57. > :22:01.also stands as a lesson. Labour lost because they took the voters for

:22:02. > :22:05.granted. They became arrogant and power, they thought they were

:22:06. > :22:10.invincible. And they rightlx paid the price, so our promise to Glasgow

:22:11. > :22:15.and to all the people of Scotland is this, we will never take either

:22:16. > :22:26.granted, we will work each `nd every day to earn and in your trust.

:22:27. > :22:33.Conference, it is not just `ttitude that distinguishes the SNP from

:22:34. > :22:39.Labour, it is policy and prhncipal too. When they beheld at a

:22:40. > :22:43.conference in Liverpool recdntly, its defence spokesman wanted to

:22:44. > :22:50.announce support for the renewal of Trident. He was enraged at not being

:22:51. > :22:54.allowed to go as far as he wanted in supporting weapons of mass

:22:55. > :22:59.destruction. Well, we are pretty angry too. We are angry that there

:23:00. > :23:04.will so many children living in poverty, and we have a Tory

:23:05. > :23:06.government determined to waste tens of billions of pounds on a new

:23:07. > :23:23.generation of nuclear weapons. And we are angry at Labour full

:23:24. > :23:30.meekly falling into line behind the Tories. Friends, I promise xou this,

:23:31. > :23:35.no one, no one will ever have too slipped a note to politicians in

:23:36. > :23:42.this party reminding us to oppose Trident. Now and always with the

:23:43. > :23:44.SNP, it is know to Trident, not in our name!

:23:45. > :24:00.CHEERING conference, in the conflict is

:24:01. > :24:06.facing the world today, nuclear weapons are not the answer. In

:24:07. > :24:11.Syria, of two 400,000 men, women and children have been killed shnce the

:24:12. > :24:16.conflict started, over 1 million have been wounded. No one c`n fail

:24:17. > :24:22.to be profoundly moved and deeply angered by the appalling scdnes we

:24:23. > :24:26.are witnessing in Aleppo. Innocent children are being killed and

:24:27. > :24:31.wounded with impunity. The barbarism of the Assad regime and the actions

:24:32. > :24:44.of Russia are sickening, we can bull condemn them -- condemn thel

:24:45. > :24:48.unreservedly. We agree with the UN that all countries must stand up for

:24:49. > :24:53.the millions of Syrians who desperately need help. And `lthough

:24:54. > :24:57.at times we can feel powerldss, we should remember that communhties

:24:58. > :25:01.across Scotland are making ` difference to families fleehng the

:25:02. > :25:06.conflict. Last month, the 1000 Syrian refugee was welcomed to

:25:07. > :25:16.Scotland and conference, thdy are welcome.

:25:17. > :25:24.But we can and we must do more, especially for children alone

:25:25. > :25:30.without their parents, so I say to the UK Government today, st`ff

:25:31. > :25:31.treating this as a migration issue. It is a humanitarian crisis, we must

:25:32. > :25:49.rise to the challenge. And Scotland is ready, and we are

:25:50. > :25:53.willing to play our part. Friends, it may just be five months since we

:25:54. > :25:58.were in the Holyrood election, but in many ways it feels like `

:25:59. > :26:03.political lifetime. We are ` completely new era, a new political

:26:04. > :26:09.error and a new battle of ideas A new era for a parliament with new

:26:10. > :26:14.powers and responsible at e`se. And a new era for our relationship with

:26:15. > :26:20.Europe and the wider world. There are challenges aplenty. And as we

:26:21. > :26:27.faced up to them, we must m`ke sure of this. That Scotland alwaxs

:26:28. > :26:30.remains the progressive, internationalist communitarhan

:26:31. > :26:32.country that the majority of us living here want it to be at all

:26:33. > :26:48.times. Make no mistake, today we f`ce a

:26:49. > :26:54.choice of two futures. After last week in Birmingham, there c`n be no

:26:55. > :26:59.doubt that choice has never been so stark. The primary contests of ideas

:27:00. > :27:09.in our country is now betwedn the SNP and the hard right Torids. The

:27:10. > :27:13.Cameroon 's have fallen to the Nigel Farage supporters, and is the

:27:14. > :27:22.Camerons another appealing hn the first place. -- at the Camerons

:27:23. > :27:28.weren't appealing. The SNP vision is welcoming, progressive, outward

:27:29. > :27:32.looking and inclusive. The Tory vision, xenophobic, closed, inward

:27:33. > :27:37.looking, discriminatory. Let's be frank, the Tories are no longer the

:27:38. > :27:43.Conservative and Unionist p`rty After last week, we should call them

:27:44. > :28:06.what they are, the conservative and separatist party, or Ukip for short.

:28:07. > :28:14.Today's Tories display an ingrained hostility to immigration and offer a

:28:15. > :28:19.stony heart to refugees. Thdy treat those with disabilities with

:28:20. > :28:25.suspicion. People seek and support to get back into employment are

:28:26. > :28:30.humiliated and harassed. A lother unable to find the bus therd to get

:28:31. > :28:34.to a Jobcentre appointment hs more likely to face a benefit sanction

:28:35. > :28:38.than she is to be offered a helping hand. And those from other Duropean

:28:39. > :28:43.countries who have chosen to make their homes here are human beings

:28:44. > :28:50.love lives, jobs and familids, they are treated as no more than

:28:51. > :28:54.bargaining chips. Conferencd, the Prime Minister's position on EU

:28:55. > :28:57.nationals shames her and it'll be a stain on her government each and

:28:58. > :29:09.every day that it is allowed to continue.

:29:10. > :29:19.The fact is, with almost evdry action the Tories take, somdbody is

:29:20. > :29:25.excluded. Somebody loses out, somebody is left behind. So let us

:29:26. > :29:27.make it clear, that is not our way, it is not who we are, and it is not

:29:28. > :29:47.who we aspire to be. And what of Labour? It wasn't meant

:29:48. > :29:53.to be a joke. LAUGHTER

:29:54. > :30:00.So lost have they become, that they preferred the prospect of ydars of

:30:01. > :30:05.continuous Tory government `t Westminster to self-governmdnt for

:30:06. > :30:09.Scotland. It is inexplicabld, I know, but I guess branch officers

:30:10. > :30:21.just don't have all that much in the wake of ambition.

:30:22. > :30:30.Friends, Labour may have thrown in the towel, but let me make this

:30:31. > :30:35.pledge today, the SNP will never stand by while a right-wing and

:30:36. > :30:42.intolerant tolerably Kone Tory government undermines the vdry

:30:43. > :30:46.fabric of our society -- intolerant Tory government. At Westminster we

:30:47. > :30:50.will continue to provide thd strong vision that Labour is failing to

:30:51. > :30:54.deliver. In recent months, ht hasn't been Labour asking the hard

:30:55. > :30:58.questions about our place in the single market and the jobs that

:30:59. > :31:05.depend on it, it's been our Westminster leader, our new Deputy

:31:06. > :31:09.Leader Angus Robson. -- Angts Robertson.

:31:10. > :31:19.Just as is being Alison fuel is making the case against a ilmorality

:31:20. > :31:23.for de Lange text credits against women, unless they can provd they've

:31:24. > :31:28.been raped. And Ian Blackford standing against the deport`tion of

:31:29. > :31:32.the brain family, or Marie Black standing up women denied thd pension

:31:33. > :31:43.entitlements they have saved for all of their working lives!

:31:44. > :31:50.The SNP isn't just the real opposition to the Tories at

:31:51. > :32:02.Westminster. The SNP is the only effective opposition to the Tories

:32:03. > :32:06.at Westminster! It is our job at Westminster to provide the strong

:32:07. > :32:11.opposition that is so desperately needed, not just in Scotland, but

:32:12. > :32:15.across the UK. Our job at Holyrood is to build our powers to btild the

:32:16. > :32:21.better Scotland we all want to see. Conference, if you remember just one

:32:22. > :32:39.word from my speech today, H wanted to this one. It begins with

:32:40. > :32:54.an S I... No, not that one! Inclusion. Inclusion is the guiding

:32:55. > :33:00.principle for everything we do. It encapsulates what we do and the kind

:33:01. > :33:04.of country we want Scotland to be, and inclusive country. A cotntry

:33:05. > :33:08.where everyone has the opportunity to contribute to a better ftture and

:33:09. > :33:11.share in the benefits of th`t future. A country which works for

:33:12. > :33:19.those who value the securitx they currently have and for thosd -- and

:33:20. > :33:22.those who yearn for change. A country where we value people for

:33:23. > :33:26.the contribution they make, not one where we ever judge them on their

:33:27. > :33:37.country of birth or the colour of their passport.

:33:38. > :33:46.That is the inclusive Scotl`nd we are working to build. And I'm proud

:33:47. > :33:50.of the progress we have madd. Earlier this week, a major Duropean

:33:51. > :33:56.research study reach this conclusion. On health, educ`tion,

:33:57. > :34:03.health and tolerance and thd environment, out of all the four

:34:04. > :34:11.nations of the UK, Scotland is top. CHEERING.

:34:12. > :34:15.Of course, I know there is still much to do. Much to do in the next

:34:16. > :34:24.phase of Scotland's home-rule journey. Westminster is still

:34:25. > :34:27.responsible for the majoritx of funding of our public services. The

:34:28. > :34:33.new Scotland act means that the growth of Scotland's budget depends

:34:34. > :34:36.on the growth of Scotland's economy. Growing the economy and growing tax

:34:37. > :34:42.revenues, these priorities lust be at the centre of everything we do.

:34:43. > :34:49.And the all -- and they alw`ys will be. This time last year, workers at

:34:50. > :34:56.the Tata Steel plants faced huge uncertainty. I stood up at our

:34:57. > :34:59.conference and I promised wd would leave no stone unturned in our

:35:00. > :35:05.efforts to find and secure ` viable future. We worked with the company,

:35:06. > :35:11.with trade unions, with loc`l government and with the loc`l

:35:12. > :35:19.community. Two weeks ago, I returned to DL with this message for the

:35:20. > :35:21.workforce. -- Dally L. We kdpt our promise, and Scotland is rolling

:35:22. > :35:33.steel once again. CHEERING.

:35:34. > :35:39.When I think of the many tiles in years gone by when Westminster

:35:40. > :35:43.governments have stood by and allowed Scottish industry to wither

:35:44. > :35:48.and die, I think about what might have been. What might have been if

:35:49. > :35:52.they had been a Scottish Parliament and a Scottish Government there to

:35:53. > :36:01.fight for them. What might have been if the people of Scotland h`d been

:36:02. > :36:06.able to store the immense n`tional resources of this land for present

:36:07. > :36:13.and future generations, just like independent Norway did. So let us...

:36:14. > :36:17.So let us make this resoluthon today, never again will we be

:36:18. > :36:22.content to look back helplessly at the damage the Tories have done the

:36:23. > :36:26.Scottish industry and wonder what might have been. We must win the

:36:27. > :36:37.power to always shape our own future.

:36:38. > :36:44.Conference, we will not just intervene to save jobs. We will also

:36:45. > :36:48.provide help and support for businesses to thrive. I can confirm

:36:49. > :36:54.that our small business bonts will be extended. From April the 1st next

:36:55. > :37:12.year, 100,000 business premhses across Scotland will pay no business

:37:13. > :37:16.rates at all, absolutely none. I knew ?500,000 -- ?500 million fund

:37:17. > :37:20.will help create new jobs and will make sure that the benefits of

:37:21. > :37:26.growth are shared more widely. Central to that is our work to

:37:27. > :37:29.extend payment of the living wage. There are currently over 600

:37:30. > :37:35.accredited living wage employers in Scotland. By this time next year,

:37:36. > :37:36.that number will rise to at least 1000, that's what inclusion means in

:37:37. > :37:51.practice! We will also redouble our efforts to

:37:52. > :37:56.make sure our economy is internationally competitive. That is

:37:57. > :38:03.even more important now in the wake of the Brexit vote. Make no mistake,

:38:04. > :38:06.the threat to our economy is not just the prospect of losing our

:38:07. > :38:11.place in the single market, disastrous though that would be it

:38:12. > :38:15.is also the deeply damaging and utterly shameful message th`t the

:38:16. > :38:21.Tories rhetoric about foreign workers is sending to the world

:38:22. > :38:23.More than ever, more than ever we need to tell our European friends

:38:24. > :38:43.that Scotland is open for btsiness. And let me be crystal clear about

:38:44. > :38:53.this. We cannot trust the lhkes of Boris Johnson and Liam Fox to do

:38:54. > :39:00.that for us. And so today I can announce a 4-point plan to boost

:39:01. > :39:04.trade and exports. By taking Scotland's message directly and in

:39:05. > :39:09.our own voice to the very hdart of Europe. Firstly, we will establish a

:39:10. > :39:16.new board of trade in the Scottish Government. Secondly, we will set up

:39:17. > :39:23.a new trade in VoIP -- envox scheme. It will ask prominent Scots to help

:39:24. > :39:25.us boost our export efforts. Sadly we will establish permanent trade

:39:26. > :39:38.representation in Berlin, adding... CHEERING.

:39:39. > :39:45.Adding to our investment hubs in Dublin, London and Brussels. And

:39:46. > :39:50.fourthly, we will know more than double the number of Scottish

:39:51. > :39:54.investment -- International investment staff working across

:39:55. > :39:57.Europe. Their job will be to market Scotland as an open economy and a

:39:58. > :40:09.welcoming society. CHEERING.

:40:10. > :40:15.Friends, the difference between the Scottish and Westminster governments

:40:16. > :40:19.is this. They are retreating to the fringes of Europe. We intend to stay

:40:20. > :40:32.at its very heart, where Scotland belongs.

:40:33. > :40:38.Conference, inclusive econolic growth underpinned our entire

:40:39. > :40:45.economic strategy. The Queensferry Crossing, a new bridge across the

:40:46. > :40:52.Forth, has been the country's most important infrastructure project in

:40:53. > :40:57.a decade. It entered the Guhnness book of records this week. The

:40:58. > :41:01.central tower of the bridge is the biggest freestanding structtre of

:41:02. > :41:11.its kind anywhere in the world. What an amazing feat of engineerhng.

:41:12. > :41:13.CHEERING. But the most important

:41:14. > :41:19.infrastructure investment of the next few years will be diffdrent. It

:41:20. > :41:24.will be childcare. Over this Parliament, we will double the

:41:25. > :41:28.amount of state funded earlx years education and childcare for all

:41:29. > :41:32.three and four-year-olds and for our most disadvantaged two-year olds.

:41:33. > :41:38.Not a bridge over a river, but a bridge for a better future ,- a

:41:39. > :41:50.bridge to a better future for our children. And today, I can `nnounce

:41:51. > :41:54.a new phase in this childcare revolution. Just now, it is local

:41:55. > :41:58.authorities who decide what childcare places are offered to

:41:59. > :42:03.parents. Councils work really hard to be flexible but often, the places

:42:04. > :42:07.offered to parents are not where and when they need them. So tod`y we are

:42:08. > :42:13.launching a national parent consultation on how to do things

:42:14. > :42:18.differently. It proposes radical new approaches, prioritising choice and

:42:19. > :42:22.credibility. First, we will post that parents can choose a ntrsery or

:42:23. > :42:26.childminder that best suits their needs and as long as the provider

:42:27. > :42:31.meets agreed standards, ask the local authority to fund it. In other

:42:32. > :42:45.words, the funding will follow the child, not the other way around And

:42:46. > :42:48.second, as suggested by children in Scotland's childcare commission we

:42:49. > :42:52.will propose that parents c`n opt to receive funding in a childc`re

:42:53. > :42:59.account and then use it to purchase a suitable place directly. Puality,

:43:00. > :43:03.choice, flexibility. These will be the watchword is of a policx to

:43:04. > :43:07.transform the working lives of families and the life chancds of our

:43:08. > :43:22.children and I am proud that it is an SNP government that will deliver

:43:23. > :43:27.it. There is another policy for our youngest children that I will be

:43:28. > :43:32.very ploughed to deliver. In the election, we promised a babx box,

:43:33. > :43:36.and essential items for all newborns. It's a policy borrowed

:43:37. > :43:39.from Finland where it has contributed to the one of the lowest

:43:40. > :43:45.levels of child mortality in the world. So I'm delighted to give you

:43:46. > :43:50.an update on our plans to introduce it. Next month, we will launch a

:43:51. > :43:55.competition in partnership with the sea and eight in Dundee for the

:43:56. > :44:00.design of the box. -- the Vhctoria and Albert. The first boxes will go

:44:01. > :44:09.to pilot areas in Dundee on New Year's Day. Now, I don't know about

:44:10. > :44:18.you... But as a first foot offering, I think that beats a lump of coal!

:44:19. > :44:25.LAUGHTER. And then, next summer, everx newborn

:44:26. > :44:31.baby across our country will receive a baby box full of clothes, nappies,

:44:32. > :44:36.bedding, books and toiletrids. Friends, the baby box is a powerful

:44:37. > :44:40.symbol of our belief that all children should start life on a

:44:41. > :44:54.level playing field. That's what inclusion means in practice

:44:55. > :45:01.In our schools, raising the bar for all, including the attainment gap,

:45:02. > :45:07.opening up opportunity for dvery child, that is the number-1 priority

:45:08. > :45:11.of our government. It is my personal defining mission. That is why we are

:45:12. > :45:16.directing more funding to areas of greatest need. It is why we have

:45:17. > :45:20.announced our intention to school governments. To put parents,

:45:21. > :45:26.headteachers and classroom teachers at the centre of decisions `bout

:45:27. > :45:32.learning. It is why we are working with teachers to reduce workload. It

:45:33. > :45:35.is why we are bringing greater transparency to school performance

:45:36. > :45:38.so that we can measure the attainment gap accurately and set

:45:39. > :45:43.clear targets to close it. But if we to live up to our ambition, we have

:45:44. > :45:51.a very particular duty to those most in need. We have to get it right for

:45:52. > :45:58.every child. Recently, I have been spending some time with young people

:45:59. > :46:00.who have grown up in care. Some of them are here today. We welcome you

:46:01. > :46:16.to our conference. Their stories have moved me deeply.

:46:17. > :46:24.These young people have challenged me to accept who cares Scotland

:46:25. > :46:27.pledge to listen to 1000 yotng people over the next two ye`rs, 90

:46:28. > :46:41.use what they tell me to help make their lives better. I've accepted

:46:42. > :46:46.that challenge -- and then tse. Don't get me wrong, many yotng

:46:47. > :46:52.people who grew up in care go want to do great things. And the staff

:46:53. > :46:53.and the Foster carers do an amazing job, let us thank them publhcly

:46:54. > :47:08.today. And real progress is being lade

:47:09. > :47:11.Skill exclusions are down, the number of children living in

:47:12. > :47:17.permanent rather than temporary placement is up. But we can not

:47:18. > :47:26.ignore the reality for too lany children in care. Only 6% go to

:47:27. > :47:29.university. Nearly half will suffer mental health issues. Half of the

:47:30. > :47:35.adult prison population are people who lived in care when they were

:47:36. > :47:44.growing up. And worst of all, and this breaks my heart, a young person

:47:45. > :47:50.who has been in care is 20 times, 20 times more likely to be dead by the

:47:51. > :47:56.time they're 25 than a young person who hasn't. Conference, this simply

:47:57. > :47:57.as to change. And I am determined that it will change.

:47:58. > :48:19.APPLAUSE So I am going to do what thdse young

:48:20. > :48:23.people have asked me to do, I am announcing today will launch an

:48:24. > :48:27.independent root and branch review of the care system. It will look at

:48:28. > :48:29.the underpinning legislation, practices, cultures and ethos and it

:48:30. > :49:00.will be joined by those... And it will be driven by those who

:49:01. > :49:03.have the experience of care. Conference, this is not somdthing

:49:04. > :49:07.any other country has ever done before. We will do it here hn

:49:08. > :49:14.Scotland first. The young pdople who speak to me make a simple btt very

:49:15. > :49:20.powerful point. They say thd system feels like it is designed only to

:49:21. > :49:24.stop things happening. And of course it must have safeguards and

:49:25. > :49:28.protections, but children don't need a system that just stops thhngs

:49:29. > :49:31.happening to them. They need one that makes things happen for them.

:49:32. > :49:48.CHEERING they need a system that supports

:49:49. > :49:54.them to become the people they can be. One that gives them a sdnse of

:49:55. > :49:59.family, of belonging, of love. My view is simple, every young person

:50:00. > :50:03.deserves to be loved. So let's come together and make this commhtment to

:50:04. > :50:07.love our most vulnerable chhldren and give them the childhood they

:50:08. > :50:36.deserve, that is what inclusion means in practice.

:50:37. > :50:45.Conference, if there is one institution in our country that

:50:46. > :50:50.embodies the values of incltsion and compassion more than any other, it

:50:51. > :50:54.is our precious national he`lth service. Today, there are more staff

:50:55. > :51:00.working in the health service than ever before. Our doctors, ntrses,

:51:01. > :51:03.auxiliary 's and all of our other health professionals are helping to

:51:04. > :51:07.deliver some of the low was waiting times and some of the highest

:51:08. > :51:14.satisfaction levels ever recorded in Scotland. So I will never thre of

:51:15. > :51:19.saying this, our NHS staff, our heroes, each and every one of them,

:51:20. > :51:21.no matter where they were born deserve our state deepest gratitude

:51:22. > :51:41.for the work they do. Over this Parliament, we will

:51:42. > :51:46.increase health spending by almost ?2 billion. That's a necess`ry

:51:47. > :51:51.commitment, but it is not sufficient. To make our NHS fit for

:51:52. > :51:56.the future, we must reform `s well as invest. That will involvd tough

:51:57. > :52:00.decisions, but the challengd of an ageing population demands it. It is

:52:01. > :52:06.why our government has integrated health and social care, a challenge

:52:07. > :52:12.docks by every administration before us. And it is why we are expanding

:52:13. > :52:17.stand-alone elective capacity through five new treatment centres.

:52:18. > :52:22.But we must go further. The NHS of the future must be built on a real

:52:23. > :52:27.ship from acute care to prilary and community care. So the commhtment I

:52:28. > :52:32.am making today is a landmark one. By the end of this Parliament, we

:52:33. > :52:37.will increase spending on primary care services to 11% of the front

:52:38. > :52:38.line NHS budget. That is wh`t doctors have said is needed, and

:52:39. > :52:58.that is what we will deliver. And let me be clear what th`t means,

:52:59. > :53:05.by 2021, an extra ?500 millhon will be invested in our GP practhces and

:53:06. > :53:10.health centres. And that me`ns for the first time ever, that h`lf of

:53:11. > :53:14.the health budget will be spent not in acute hospitals, but in the

:53:15. > :53:19.community, delivering primary, community and social care, building

:53:20. > :53:21.an NHS that delivers today `nd for generations to come, that is what

:53:22. > :53:40.our government is determined to do. Friends, today I have set ott our

:53:41. > :53:47.determination to build an inclusive Scotland. I've talked about our

:53:48. > :53:50.ambitions for our NHS, our dconomy, our education system, and otr

:53:51. > :53:55.children in care. I've talkdd about our hopes for the next generation

:53:56. > :54:01.and for the generations that come after that. Hopes and ambithons that

:54:02. > :54:07.are shared by men and women the length and breadth of Scotl`nd. So

:54:08. > :54:13.as we prepare to take the ndxt steps in our nation's journey, wh`tever

:54:14. > :54:19.they might be, let us always remember this, that small, luch more

:54:20. > :54:35.that unites us as a country that will ever divide us.

:54:36. > :54:44.Yes, voters, and no voters, remain and leaders, all of us cared deeply

:54:45. > :54:48.and passionately about the future of this nation. So whatever our

:54:49. > :54:55.disagreements, let us always treat each other with respect. And let's

:54:56. > :55:01.work harder to understand e`ch other's point of view. You know in

:55:02. > :55:10.a strange sort of way, the dvents of the last few months might hdlp us do

:55:11. > :55:14.just that. I know how upset I was on the morning on the 24th of June as I

:55:15. > :55:21.came to terms with the result of the EU referendum. I felt as part of my

:55:22. > :55:27.identity with being taken away. I don't mind admitting that it gave me

:55:28. > :55:33.a new insight into how thosd who voted no might have felt if 201 had

:55:34. > :55:41.gone the other way. Likewisd, there are many no voters now lookhng at

:55:42. > :55:44.the Brexit boat with real dhsmay and wondering if independents mhght be

:55:45. > :55:47.the best option for Scotland after all. Let's build on that colmon

:55:48. > :56:02.ground -- Brexit vote. Let's resolve that whatever

:56:03. > :56:07.decisions we face in the ye`rs ahead, we will take them together,

:56:08. > :56:09.respecting each other every step of the way and let us in the SNP lead

:56:10. > :56:27.by example. You know, this year marks 30 years

:56:28. > :56:33.since I first joined as of hours. Now, I know what you're thinking.

:56:34. > :56:36.How is that even possible when she's still only 25?

:56:37. > :56:43.LAUGHTER Or maybe that is just what H would

:56:44. > :56:49.like you to be thinking. But in all those 30 years, I have never doubted

:56:50. > :56:52.that Scotland will one day become an independent country, and I believe

:56:53. > :57:03.it today. CHEERING

:57:04. > :57:11.and I believe it to date more strongly than I ever have bdfore.

:57:12. > :57:15.But I've always known it will happen only when a majority of our fellow

:57:16. > :57:19.citizens believe that becomhng independent is the best way to build

:57:20. > :57:25.a better future together. So we need to understand why in 2014 that

:57:26. > :57:30.wasn't the case. Some of those who voted no believe staying in the UK

:57:31. > :57:35.offered greater economic security, a stronger voice in the world, and a

:57:36. > :57:40.guaranteed place in the EU. Back then, it even seemed possible that

:57:41. > :57:46.there might be a Westminster Labour government at some point in the next

:57:47. > :57:52.20 years. But the future, the future looks very different today. And make

:57:53. > :57:56.the mistake, it is the opponents of independence, those on the right of

:57:57. > :57:58.the Tory party intent on a hard Brexit who have caused the

:57:59. > :58:15.insecurity and the uncertainty. So it falls to us, the advocates of

:58:16. > :58:21.independence, to offer solutions to the problems they have created. Of

:58:22. > :58:26.course, independents will bring its own challenges, that is trud of

:58:27. > :58:28.every independent nation on earth. But with independence, the solutions

:58:29. > :58:45.will lie in our own hands. It will be up to us to chart our own

:58:46. > :58:49.course and be the country wd want to be. Not the country that an

:58:50. > :58:53.increasingly right-wing Torx government wants us to be. H

:58:54. > :58:57.promised at the start of our conference that we will seek to

:58:58. > :59:02.protect Scotland's interest in every way we can. And we will. We will

:59:03. > :59:07.work with others across the political divide to try to save the

:59:08. > :59:14.UK as a whole from the fate of a hard Brexit. We will proposd new

:59:15. > :59:18.powers to help keep Scotland in the single market, even if the TK

:59:19. > :59:22.leaves. But if the Tory govdrnment rejects these efforts, if it insists

:59:23. > :59:29.on taking Scotland down a p`th that hurt our economy, cost jobs, lowers

:59:30. > :59:34.our living standards and dalages our reputation as an open, welcoming,

:59:35. > :59:37.diverse country, then be in no doubt, Scotland must have the

:59:38. > :59:39.ability to choose a better future, and I will make sure Scotland get

:59:40. > :59:59.that chance. And let us be clear about this too,

:00:00. > :00:04.if that moment does arise, ht will not be because of the 2014 result

:00:05. > :00:07.hasn't been respected. It whll be because the promises made to

:00:08. > :00:29.Scotland in 2014 have been broken. And above all, it will be bdcause

:00:30. > :00:34.our country decides together that being independent is the best way to

:00:35. > :00:46.build a better, stronger, f`irer future for all of us. Friends, we

:00:47. > :00:54.know what kind of country wd want Scotland to be. And I believe it is

:00:55. > :00:58.a vision that unites us. An inclusive, prosperous, soci`lly

:00:59. > :01:04.just, open, welcoming and ottward looking country. The question now in

:01:05. > :01:09.this new era is how best to security. Let's resolve as ` nation

:01:10. > :01:17.to answer that question togdther. We have already come so far. Otr home

:01:18. > :01:20.rule journey has given us ndw confidence, new self belief, a

:01:21. > :01:24.determination not to be takdn backwards, but to finish buhlding

:01:25. > :01:30.tomorrow's Scotland. Friends, the time is coming to put Scotl`nd's

:01:31. > :01:47.future in Scotland's Hans! CHEERING

:01:48. > :01:55.Let us get on with making that case. Let's get on with building the

:01:56. > :02:06.country we know Scotland can be Thank you.