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From YouTube: First Minister's Questions - 26 October 2017
Description
First Minister's Questions
1. Ruth Davidson: To be taken in Chamber. (S5F-01624)
2. Alex Rowley: To be taken in Chamber. (S5F-01625)
3. Patrick Harvie: To be taken in Chamber. (S5F-01626)
4. Willie Rennie: To be taken in Chamber. (S5F-01627)
5. Richard Lochhead: To ask the First Minister what progress is being made with the Reaching
100% Programme to connect premises that have not received support from the previous
programmes for access to superfast broadband. (S5F-01630)
6. Edward Mountain: To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to
hold to account NHS boards that do not meet their waiting times targets. (S5F-01631)
7. James Kelly: To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether
public sector workers should be given a real-terms pay increase in 2018-19. (S5F-01636)
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B
Officer
this
morning's
audit
Scotland
report
says
that
reform
of
the
NHS
is
progressing,
but
the
major
challenges
still
lie
ahead.
Nobody
underestimates
the
work,
that's
needed
to
see
services
improved
year-on-year
within
our
health
service,
but
the
bottom
line
is
that
seven
out
of
eight
key
performance
standards
have
been
missed
this
year.
So
can
I
ask
the
First
Minister
to
confirm
how
many
of
these
performance
standards
have
seen
any
improvements
over
the
last
five
years.
First.
C
Let
me
address
directly
the
audit
Scotland
report.
Firstly,
for
completeness,
let
me
point
out
some
of
the
audit
Scotland
findings.
I
suspect
we
won't
hear
from
the
opposition
today.
Firstly,
NHS
staff
are
maintaining
and
improving
the
quality
of
care.
Secondly,
there
is
a
strong
culture
of
continuous
improvement
in
the
NHS.
There
is
a
continued
focus
on
safety
and
improvement
at
levels
of
patient
satisfaction
are
at
an
all-time
high
in
the
NHS,
and
there
are
sayings
that
reforms
are
having
a
positive
impact.
C
That
Paul
also
points
out
that
since
2008,
there
has
been
an
eight
point,
two
percent
above
inflation
increase
in
spending
in
the
National
Health
Service,
and
that
health
today
accounts
for
a
higher
proportion
of
the
Scottish
government
budget
than
it
did
in
2008.
As
we
know,
in
every
Health
Service
across
the
developed
world,
changing
population
patterns
means
that
there
are
rising
demands
on
our
health
service.
C
However,
in
meeting
these
challenges
in
Scotland-
and
they
are
big
challenges-
I
think
against
many
measures
we
are
seeing
the
NHS
in
Scotland
perform
better
than
the
NHS
in
any
other
part
of
the
UK,
and
that
is
because
of
the
actions
we
are
taking:
increased
investment
in
the
NHS
reform,
integration
of
Health
and
Social
Care,
for
example,
the
focus
on
real
estate
medicine
and
the
work
we've
done
on
Ian
Ian
Arno
doing
in
elective
care
more
generally.
So
this
is
tough
stuff.
B
First,
minister,
presiding
officer,
but
the
answer
according
to
audit
Scotland
was
one
in
one
of
the
eight
key
performance
indicators.
There
has
been
any
improvement
at
all
in
the
last
five
years
and
the
reason
they
say
is
because
this
Scottish
government
is
still
struggling
to
do
the
basics
and
one
of
the
big
ones
is
staffing.
They
audit
Scotland
horn
two
years
ago
that
we
needed
a
new
national
approach
to
worse
work,
floors
planning
and
the
Scottish
Government
promised
to
deliver
one
by
early
2017.
B
Now
that
one
then
drew
two
three,
two
of
which
were
still
waiting
on
and
the
only
one
which
has
been
published
according
to
audit
Scotland,
isn't
a
plan
at
all
and
what's
more,
the
auditor
makes
clear
that
there's
no
likelihood
of
the
government
being
able
to
produce
a
proper
plan
because
it
still
doesn't
have
the
data
to
do
so.
So
audit
Scotland
has
been
warning
about
this
for
years.
So
why
is
there
no
proper
plan
in
place?
And
why
isn't
there?
The
data
to
a
low
one
to
be
written
First.
C
One
of
the
things
that
the
audit
Scotland
report
pointed
to
is
the
improving
data
that
we
know
have
not
just
in
the
acute
service
but
across
primary
care
that
allows
us
not
just
to
monitor
trends
in
the
NHS,
but
also
to
drive
improvement.
So
it
actually
is
specifically
one
of
the
things
that
the
audit
Scotland
report
points
to
as
a
sign
of
positive
improvement.
Now
you
know
I
mean
this
point
actually
seriously,
because
I
accept
the
challenges
in
the
Health
Service
and
I
absolutely
accept
the
responsibility
of
this
government.
C
The
government
that
I
lead
to
face
up
to
and
address
these
challenges
in
Scotland,
but
Ruth
Davidson
seems
to
want
to
say
that
the
challenges
and
Scotland's
NHS
are
unique
to
Scotland
and
somehow,
uniquely
don't
to
this
government
know.
If
that
is
the
case,
then
she
has
to
explain
why
under
the
Conservatives
in
England,
nor
NHS
targets
are
being
met.
C
Is
the
serious
question
for
the
Conservatives
now
on
the
specific
issue
on
the
specific
issue
of
staffing,
as
Ruth
Davidson
is
aware,
there
has
been
a
plan
published
looking
specifically
at
NHS
staff,
one
of
the
pieces
of
legislation.
We
will
take
forward
in
the
coming
session.
Of
Parliament,
of
course,
is
a
built
in
train
safe
staffing
levels
in
law,
something
that
no
other
part
of
the
UK
is
doing.
C
But
increasingly-
and
you
know,
anybody
who
knows
anything
about
how
health
services
are
delivered,
these
days
knows
that
you
cannot
look
at
the
NHS
in
isolation,
so
the
second
and
third
part
of
the
NHS
and
health,
more
generally
workforce
plan
will
look
at
social
care
and
local
authorities
staffing
as
well,
so
that
we
bring
together
an
integrated
plan.
Mapping
out
the
staffing
needs
for
the
NHS,
not
just
now,
but
in
the
years
to
come.
That's
the
right
way
to
do
this,
and
that
is
what
we
will
continue
to
take
forward.
C
But
the
final
point
I
would
make
on
staffing
it's
a
point.
I
have
meet
before
presiding
officer
and
I
will
continue
to
make
it.
One
of
the
biggest
risks
we
face
in
Scotland
generally
and
in
the
NHS
in
particular,
is
a
growing
inability
to
recruit
people
into
our
public
services.
And
why
is
that?
Because
the
Conservatives
want
to
stop
a
or
restrict
our
ability
to
recruit
the
best
and
brightest
from
other
countries,
that's
one
of
the
biggest
risks
we
face
to
recruitment
and
Ruth.
Davidson
should
be
ashamed
of
herself
for
supporting
that.
A
B
There's
any
officer
if
I
can
just
call
a
little
bit
Atlanta
for
the
Auditor
General
says
specifically
on
this
issue
that
the
first
ministers
tried
to
sweep
under
the
carpet.
The
court
is
this:
it
is
not
a
detailed
plan
to
address
immediate
and
future
issues.
The
Scottish
government
is
likely
to
find
it
challenging
to
provide
any
more
detail
in
the
next
two
plans.
This
is
due
to
a
lack
of
national
data
on
the
primary
care
and
Social
Care
workforces.
B
The
data
isn't
there
and
the
plan
isn't
there
and
let's
talk
about
one
area
where
that
lack
of
Workforce
Planning
is
having
a
real
and
immediate
effect
and
that
isn't
primary
care.
Audit
Scotland
makes
clear
that
GPS
are
central
to
the
changes
that
we
all
agree.
All
of
us
agree
are
needed
to
improve
healthcare,
but
this
has
been
hindered
by
the
continuing
difficulties
in
recruiting
and
retaining
family
doctors
and
they're.
B
All
College
of
GPs
make
it
clear
today,
they've
written
that
the
SNP
government
has
consistently
cut
the
percentage
share
of
health
spending
going
directly
to
GPS
over
the
last
decade
and
they
ask
how
can
post
hospital
targets
possibly
be
met
when
people
feel
that
they
have
to
attend
a
and
E,
because
they
can't
secure
an
appointment
closer
to
home?
Does
the
First
Minister
have
an
answer
for
the
Royal
College
of
GPs
First.
C
Firstly,
in
terms
of
staffing,
it
is
precisely
because
we
need
to
make
sure
that
is
an
integrated
plan
across
not
just
the
acute
health
service,
but
primary
care
and
social
care
as
well,
that
we
are
developing
the
workforce
plan
in
the
way
that
we
are.
We
are
doing
it
in
the
way
that
I
think
audit
Scotland
would
advise
us
to
do,
and
that's
why
we
will
continue
to
take
forward
that
work
now
in
terms
of
GPS.
Again,
we
Scotland
is
not
the
only
country
that
is
experiencing
challenges
in
recruiting
GPS.
C
We
have
seen
this
year
an
increase
in
the
fill
rate
of
year,
one
trainees
compared
to
last
year
that
the
the
same
point
last
year
it
was
65
percent-
is
up
to
74
percent
this
year,
and
we
of
course,
have
a
commitment
to
increase
the
proportion
of
the
total
health
budget
going
to
primary
care
by
five
hundred
million
pounds
over
this
Parliament,
taking
it
to
11
percent
of
the
total
NHS
budget,
which
again
I
think,
is
a
greater
commitment
that
has
been
made
by
any
government
anywhere
else
across
these
islands.
So
these
are
big
challenges.
C
B
I'm
standing
up
here
calling
on
the
First
Minister
to
honor
the
promise
that
she
made
to
GPS
a
year
ago,
I'm
signing
up
for
GPS
her
saying
that
she
has
gone
back
on
her
words
and
it's
not
being
delivered.
Now
today,
we've
had
a
report
from
the
nation's
auditor,
saying
that
health
in
Scotland
is
not
improving
and
that
huge
inequalities
remain.
B
So
there's
been
a
ninety
nine
percent
rise
in
the
number
of
outpatients
waiting
more
than
12
weeks
in
the
last
year
alone,
the
SNP
set
their
own
targets
to
make
things
better,
but
they've
improved
in
only
one.
In
the
last
five
years
we
know
there's
no
long
term
plan,
even
though
one
one
was
promised
for
the
start
of
this
year,
that
GPS
are
being
underfunded
and
that
we
spent
a
hundred
and
seventy
1
million
pounds
hiring
an
agency
staff
to
plug
the
gaps.
B
Now
yesterday,
I
met
a
group
of
fantastic
trainees
at
the
Edinburgh
Medical
School.
What
reassurances
can
the
First
Minister
give
to
them?
They're
after
10
years
of
audit
Scotland
reporting
the
same
feelings
over
health
by
hard
government,
she'll
actually
have
taken
some
action
to
turn
it
around
First.
C
The
number
of
points
to
take
on
their
firstly
Agency
spend
in
the
last
year
is
down
something
that
is
recognised
in
the
audit
Scotland
report.
We
are
taking
the
range
of
actions
to
make
sure
we've
got
the
right
people
at
coming
in
to
medical
training
and
making
sure
that
we
can
get
them
into
the
NHS,
delivering
the
excellent
care
that
the
NHS
delivers
for
patients
across
the
country.
Again.
C
A
reminder
that
the
audit
Scotland
report
points
to
the
fact
that
NHS
staff
are
not
just
maintaining
but
improving
the
quality
of
care
across
Iranian
s,
no
miss
Davidson,
I,
don't
know.
If
she
understands
the
detail
of
the
commitment
we
have
made
to
primary
care.
She
said
we
haven't
kept
the
commitment
we
made
last
year.
Let
me
tell
her
what
the
commitment
is,
though,
over
the
life
of
this
Parliament,
we
will
increase
spending
on
primary
care
by
five
hundred
million
pounds.
Two
hundred
and
fifty
million
pounds
of
that
will
be
specifically
in
general
practice.
C
The
reason
not
all
of
it
is
in
general
practice
is
that,
in
order
to
take
pressure
off
our
GPS,
we
need
to
build
wider
primary
care
teams.
That's
the
commitment
that
will
take
the
proportion
of
NHS
spend
in
primary
care
to
11
percent.
That's
the
commitment
we
will
deliver
over
the
life
of
this
Parliament
and
I
would
say
again:
that's
not
a
commitment,
that's
repeated
by
any
other
government
across
these
islands.
But
you
know
we
come
back
to
the
the
point
here.
C
The
central
point
that
we
saw
often
come
back
to
when
we
are
discussing
public
services
in
this
Parliament
at
this
government.
The
government
that
I
lead
since
we
came
to
office
I've
increased
the
Health
Service
budget
by
3
billion
pounds
again
recognized
in
the
audit
Scotland
report.
Ruth
Davidson
stands
out
week
after
week
at
calling
for
action
and
health
or
education
across
the
range
of
our
public
services.
But
less
is
the
same
Ruth
Davidson.
C
Who
would
reduce
the
amount
of
money
we
have
available
for
public
services
by
giving
tax
cuts
to
the
richest
people
in
our
society
doesn't
add
up.
Ruth
Davidson
cannot
offer
tax
cuts
to
the
richest
while
calling
for
more
investment
in
public
services.
The
tory
policies
and
the
Tory
approach
has
no
credibility
at
all.
So
we
will
continue
to
deliver
the
investment.
D
This
mornin
on
a
rainy
chase
in
Scotland,
cannot
be
anything
but
concerned
concerned
about
the
budget
and
the
financial
management
of
the
Health
and
Social
Care
and
Scotland
concerned
about
the
shortages
of
staff
every
level
and
concerned
for
the
end,
part
of
all
of
us
or
inpatients.
The
report
clearly
states
that
the
patient
experience
will
get
purer
unless
the
pace
and
scale
of
necessary
change
as
action
an
action.
Now
when
are
we
going
to
see
the
level
of
change
been
actioned,
First
Minister
as.
C
Any
reading
of
the
audit
Scotland
report
would
would
tell
you
we
are
seeing
that
change
happen
in
the
NHS.
It's
one
of
the
key
findings
of
the
audit
Scotland
report.
One
of
the
key
points
that
is
made
in
the
audit
Scotland
report
that
we
are
now
starting
to
see
the
reforms
have
been
introduced.
It
looks
specifically
integration
authorities
and
says
that
these
reforms
are
now
starting
to
deliver
the
change
that
we
need
to
see.
You
know
in
terms
of
spending.
C
Of
course,
spending
per
head
of
population
or
in
the
health
service
in
Scotland
is
six
point
five
percent
higher
than
it
is
in
the
UK
as
a
whole,
143
pounds
higher
for
every
person
in
Scotland
compared
to
the
rest
of
the
UK,
and
you
know
again.
This
is
a
point
I
make
frequently,
but
parties,
and
certainly
my
party
is
government,
but
all
parties
have
to
be
accountable
for
what
they
put
forward.
C
Labour
went
into
the
last
Scottish
election,
promising
less
money
for
the
Health
Service
than
any
other
party,
even
the
Tories,
for
goodness
sake
represented
in
this
Parliament.
The
fact
of
the
matter
is,
there
is
record
funding
gone
into
our
health
service.
There
are
record
numbers
of
people
working
in
our
health
service,
but,
as
audit
Scotland
expressly
says
in
this
report,
it
is
no
longer
enough
just
to
put
extra
money
into
the
health
service
because
of
the
rising
demand.
C
A
D
But
if
we,
if
we
stick
to
the
facts,
the
facts
are
that
we
have
health
boards.
We
have
health
boards
across
Scotland,
not
able
to
make
the
cuts
to
balance
the
budgets.
Those
same
boards
are
then
borrowing
money
from
the
government
to
balance
the
books
still
not
there
for
the
future.
Prescribing
costs
are
increasing
away,
though
that
is
not
sustainable.
D
Indeed.
Indeed,
we
now
have
council
tax
fund
and
being
used
to
be
able
to
pay
for
prescriptions
through
the
integrated
joint
boards.
The
lack
of
what
force
plannin
has
Drive,
not
course,
and
we
haven't
to
use
more
and
more
agency
staff
and
locums.
The
whole
thing
is
spiraling
out
of
control.
The
Royal
College
of
Nursing,
presiding
officer
after
the
:
for
quality,
on
how
more
care
will
be
delivered
in
the
community,
and
they
want
to
know
how
staff
and
the
public
will
be
engaged
in
the
development
of
services,
community
services
moving
forward.
C
I'm
not
quite
sure
which
one
of
those
questions
Ali
really
wants
Mitter
and
so,
first
of
always
take
your
Ali.
Rarely
says
he
says
just
scraping
costs
arising
Chris,
a
prescribing
costs
are
rising
in
every
Health
Service
across
the
developed
world.
Probably
across
the
entire
water
is
a
feature
of
the
aging
population.
It
is
exactly
the
challenge
that
health
services
here
and
elsewhere
are
dealing
with.
That's
why
we've
got
to
reform
how
care
is
delivered
now
he
asks
about
how
we
deliver
more
care
in
the
community,
as
I
am
sure
than
Alec.
C
Riley
knows
for
the
last
two
budgets
and
again
it's
narrated
in
the
audit
Scotland
report.
For
the
last
two
budgets.
We
have
taken
the
very
difficult
step
of
transferring
money
from
the
NHS
into
integration
authorities
so
that
we
bring
together
health
and
social
care,
and
not
just
in
theory
but
in
practice,
because
we
know
and
again
the
audit
Scotland
talks
about
the
reduction
in
delayed
discharges
that
this
integrated
approach
is
now
delivering,
because
if
we
do
that
to
build
up
social
care,
then
we
take
the
pressure
off
the
acute
services.
C
So
you
know
I
would
say
to
all
of
the
parties
in
part.
This
is
no
easy
stuff.
It's
not
easy
in
Scotland,
it's
not
easy
in
England,
Wales,
Northern,
Ireland
or
any
part
of
the
world,
but
actually
in
Scotland
we
are
doing
some
of
the
necessary
stuff
that
is
still
being
dodged.
In
most
other
parts
of
the
UK
were
doing
the
reforms.
Well,
integrating
Health
and
Social
Care
were
transferring
the
budgets.
C
We
are
taking
the
steps
around
workforce
that
will
ensure
that
our
NHS
can
deliver
in
the
face
of
the
rising
demand
that
it
faces,
and
that
is
why
well
everything
he
wrote
at
Scotland
report
says
is
important
and
has
to
be
addressed.
The
key
finding
of
the
audit
Scotland
report,
in
my
view,
is
First
Minister
with
responsibility
for
these
reforms.
A
D
Important
for
us
to
remember
behind
all
these
statistics
behind
all
these
statistics
as
real
people.
So
today
we
should
remember
Isabelle
people
who
have
trapped
in
hospital
because
they
cannot
get
the
care
packages
that
they
need,
and
the
community
has
also
burrows
people
in
communities
up
and
down
Scotland,
who
cannot
get
the
support
from
health
and
social
care
that
they
need
and
as
for
all
those
people
that
are
on
the
way
in
worse,
and
there
is
the
dedicated
staff
and
our
hospitals,
health,
centers
and
of
community
care
centers
the
run
of
the
fee.
D
That's
why
we
need
action.
Labor
will
use
to
be
in
this
Parliament
next
week
to
discuss
this
report
further,
because
I
believe
we
do
need
a
more
detailed
discussion
on
the
findings
of
the
support.
After
ten
years
in
government.
The
first
minister,
the
first
minister,
has
a
choice.
She
can
continue
to
do
more
of
the
same
or
well.
She
published
a
response
to
this
report
that
will
tell
the
people
of
Scotland
how
her
government
intends
to
taco
these
big
issues
facing
her
health
and
social
care
services
and
Scotland
First
Minister.
C
I
welcome
the
fact
the
report
warmly
welcomed
that
maybe
in
that
to
be,
if
Labor's
position
is
that
the
government
is
not
doing
enough,
maybe
Libre
will
bring
forward
some
ideas
as
well,
rather
than
simply
talk
about
the
problems.
The
second
point
is:
is
this
the
whole?
The
whole
point
here,
which
again
any
reading
of
the
audit
Scotland
report,
will
tell
you.
Is
that
we're
not
just
doing
more
of
the
same?
C
We
are
doing
things
differently
and
it's
those
reforms
that
are
starting
to
have
the
positive
impact
that
the
audit
Scotland
report
talks
about,
and
you
know
Alec
Rowley
says
we
should
do
it
faster.
Well,
you
know
what
I
am
absolutely
open
to
doing
this
faster,
but
often
when
we
bring
forward
proposals
for
change.
What
we
find
are
the
impediments
to
those
change,
sit
on
the
opposition
benches
because.
C
They
just
want
to
get
up
here,
and
it
is.
It
is
the
easiest
thing
in
the
world
and
diagnose
the
problems.
Every
job
and
what
we
are
doing
is
coming
up
with
solutions
and
I.
Tell
you
what
we
will
not
do.
We
will
not
do
daft
and
wrongheaded
things
that
we're
seeing
south
of
the
border
because
of
the
action
we
are
taking
in
Scotland
delayed
discharges
are
coming
down
because
of
sensible
change.
In
England
we
see
proposals
to
use
air
B&B
terrain
accommodation
from
local
residents
to
get
all
people
out
of
hospitals.
E
You
officer
the
aged
77,
was
closed
for
24
hours
over
the
weekend
due
to
severe
flooding,
Paul
grant,
dennerlein's
trade
director
says,
and
I
quote
it's
quite
clear
from
this
and
other
incidents
that
the
current
a
77
and
a
75
don't
reflect
the
requirements
of
fitting
of
a
major
UK
Ireland
and
freight
hub,
so
I'm
afraid
that
major
disruptions
and
loss
of
trade
could
be
a
feature
of
life
in
this
region
until
those
responsible
commit
the
necessary
resources
to
alleviate
these
recurring
problems.
So
I
can
simply
ask
the
First
Minister.
E
F
You
presenting
officer
the
First
Minister
may
be
aware
that
the
conclusions
of
the
government's
review
of
free
ferry
fares,
duo
by
the
end
of
the
summer,
I've
still
not
been
published.
Pending
the
outcome
of
that
review,
holy-o's
and
the
Northern
Isles
were
told
last
month
that
freight
fares
would
be
frozen
a
week
later
they
received
notice.
That
fares
would
indeed
rise
by
2.9
percent
next
year.
How
did
she
justify
this
decision?
F
How
does
it
square
with
government
objectives
of
bearing
down
on
the
cost
of
living
for
Islanders,
or
indeed,
support
for
Scotland's
food
and
drink
sector,
and
does
she
believe
it's
right?
As
audit
Scotland
has
highlighted
that
freight
fares
paid
by
Holly
ozone,
West
Coast
route
remain
largely
unchanged
since
2010,
but
have
increased
significantly
four
whole
years
serving
businesses
and
residents
in
or
denis
and
Shetland
First
Minister
we've.
C
Invested
over
a
billion
pounds
in
our
ferry
services
since
2007,
in
fact
we've
been
talking
about
a
particular
audit
Scotland
report.
This
morning
there
was
an
audit
Scotland
report
out
last
week.
That
said,
I
think
that
investment
in
ferry
services
had
doubled.
Over
the
last
decade,
we've
introduced
new
rates
as
part
of
that
investment.
We've
also
already
caught
fears
for
calmac
customers,
and
we
will
shortly
be
doing
the
same
for
orkney
and
shetland,
something
that
I
know
the
member
will
welcome
it.
C
G
Mcgregor
Thank
You
presiding
officer,
the
faster
better,
so
that
we
are
weird
off
the
gas
explosion
are
dead
alike
building
and
why
not
so
recently,
which
resulted
in
the
tragic
death
of
worker
pavel
Bansky,
who
was
thrown
Corbridge?
Can
the
First
Minister
weighing
her?
She
will
be
supporting
the
investigation
and
what
state
she's
taking
to
enhance
health
and
safety.
What
regulations
and
Scotland
First
Minister
well.
C
Firstly,
I
would
want
to
take
this
opportunity
to
express
my
deepest
sympathies
to
those
affected
by
what
was
a
very
tragic
incident
and
particularly
for
the
family
of
hvala
Bansky.
The
investigation
into
the
death
under
the
direction
of
the
Health
and
Safety
Division
of
the
Crown
Office
appropriate
of
fiscal
service
is
ongoing
and,
of
course,
the
family
will
be
kept
updated
in
relation
to
any
developments.
It
would
be
inappropriate
to
comment
further
while
those
investigations
are
underway
at
the
regulation
of
workplace,
health
and
safety
is,
of
course,
an
issue
reserved
to
the
UK
government.
H
Harvie
Thank
You
presiding
officer,
looking
at
today's
report
into
the
challenges
facing
the
NHS
I,
don't
think
anyone
should
pretend
that
there
is
a
simple,
quick
fix
that
would
solve
every
problem
at
a
stroke,
but
isn't
it
clear?
Isn't
it
clear
that
challenges
like
recruitment
retention
and
staff
morale
will
be
made
worse,
not
better
if
we
fail
to
provide
a
fair
pay
settlement
for
the
dedicated
professionals
providing
these
essential
services
who
have
seen
a
real
pay
cut
of
some
14
percent
over
the
last
five
years?
H
C
That
is
why
this
government
is
committed
to
ensuring
that
we
do
see
fear
pea
settlements
for
public
sector
workers,
not
just
in
the
NHS,
but
right
across
our
public
sector
and
again
I
would
say:
I
think
we
are
still
the
only
government
any
weed
in
the
UK
that
is
giving
that
has
given
the
unequivocal
commitment
to
lift
the
one
percent
public
sector
pick
up.
Patrick.
H
Re,
the
commitment
has
been
given
to
lift
the
1%
pay
cap,
but
no
commitment
has
yet
been
given
to
an
inflation
based
increase,
a
real
terms,
increase
restoring
the
lost
value
in
people's
pay
that
they
suffered
over
recent
years.
We
have,
though,
had
the
SNP
scape
forms
the
pl
or
to
the
finance
sector.
H
Yet
someone
who
worked
with
the
finance
secretary
very
closely
saying
on
television
this
week
that
the
pay
settlement
for
the
public
sector
should
be
at
inflation
if
not
above
inflation
and
we've
also
had
we've
also
had
a
wider
range
of
voices
from
multiple
political
parties.
Accepting
the
basic
green
proposition
that
fairer
rates
and
bands
of
taxation
can
raise
adequate
revenue
to
fund
our
public
services
without
resulting
in
cuts
elsewhere
and
without
cutting
the
pay
of
public
service
workers.
I
C
Firstly,
we
have
given
the
commitment
to
lift
the
public
sector
P
cap.
We
have
not
made
that
dependent
on
actions
been
taken
by
the
UK
government
in
the
budget,
unlike
the
Welsh
government,
which
has
done
exactly
that.
We
have
said-
and
I
have
said
personally-
that
we
must
seek
pay
settlements
that
are
fear.
Of
course
they
must
be
affordable,
but
they
must
also
reflect
the
real-life
circumstances
that
public
sector
workers
are
facing
and,
of
course,
that
includes
the
rising
cost
of
living.
We
will,
of
course,
and
in
this
is
in
the
normal
course
of
events.
C
We
will
confirm
the
detail
of
our
public
sector
pay
policy
when
we
published
the
budget,
because
we
require
to
know
the
overall
budget
that
we
have
available
to
us
before.
We
do
that.
So
that's
in
the
normal
way
that
we
do
things
and
we
will
continue
to
to
set
out
policy
in
that.
We
terms
of
the
part
of
Patrick
Harvey's
question
that
focused
on
tax
I
have
again
said
openly
that,
notwithstanding
the
parties
different
manifesto
commitments,
we
required
as
a
parliament
to
come
to
a
consensus
position
on
tax
in
order
to
pass
a
budget.
C
I
think,
given
the
continuation
of
austerity,
given
the
implications
of
breaks
that
are
becoming
clearer
by
the
day,
we
do
need
to
ask
ourselves
as
a
parliament
how
we
use
our
still
limited
tax
powers
in
order
to
protect
our
public
services
and
provide
the
infrastructure
that
businesses
need
to
thrive.
Next
week,
we
will
publish
a
discussion
paper.
It's
setting
some
of
the
options,
some
of
the
principles
that
should
gave
that
decision
and
that
discussion
paper
will
then
inform
the
basis
of
the
discussions
we
have
across
this
Parliament
in
the
lead-up
to
the
budget.
C
So
I
suppose
that's
a
long
way
of
seeing
I
do
agree
with
much
of
the
sentiment
behind
Patrick
Harvey's
question.
But
of
course
we
have
to
take
proper
decisions
in
line
with
the
proper
process
of
budgeting,
because,
unlike
the
opposition
parties
and
the
governing
party
in
any
Parliament
has
the
responsibility
of
making
sure
we
can
pay
for
the
commitments
that
we
make.
J
Willie
Rennie,
the
government's
policy
of
prioritizing
full-time
college
courses
has
resulted
in
a
cut
of
a
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
part-time
places.
It
has
deprived
thousands
of
people,
the
education
they
want
and
need,
particularly
women
and
older
people.
Last
week
the
Education
Minister
sent
a
guidance.
They
are
technologies
with
an
apparent
change
in
policy
that
had
never
been
announced
publicly.
Before
can
the
First
Minister
tell
me:
has
the
policy
changed
and
if
so,
when
exactly
did
it
change?
First,
Minister
well,.
C
In
fact,
we've
got
one
of
the
lowest
rates
of
youth
unemployment,
not
just
in
the
UK
but
anywhere
across
the
European
Union.
So
the
policy
we
will
ask
our
colleges
to
pursue
will
depend
on
the
needs
of
the
economy
at
any
given
time,
and
that
is
the
basis
for
the
guidance
that
the
minister
put
forward
that
Willie
Rennie
has
referred
to,
but
we've
taken
the
right
decisions
in
our
colleges
and
I
think
we
see
the
evidence
of
that.
In
some
of
the
economic
data
that
has
talked
about
Willie.
J
Rennie,
so
nothing
has
changed,
but
everything's
changed
the
chicken
I
mean
as
a
bizarre
dancer.
Has
the
policy
changed
or
hasn't
it
changed?
If
this
was
such
a
success
story,
why
did
her
Minister
sneak
it
out
in
a
paragraph
7
of
a
letter
on
a
Wednesday
afternoon?
Surely
a
for
success?
She'd
be
parading
it
in
this
Parliament.
Everyone
knows
everyone
knows
the
birthrate
at
the
turn
of
the
century
is
more
responsible
for
the
drop
and
youth
unemployment
than
any
policy
of
this
government.
J
The
truth
is,
there's
taken
six
years
for
this
government
to
realize
the
economic
value
of
part-time
learners
over
the
age
of
24.
This
is
a
crushing
Newton
and
the
first
minister
should
be
big
enough
to
admit
it.
Six
years
of
narrowing,
the
focus
has
left
us
short,
that
six
years
of
messed
economic
opportunity
sex
years
of
abusing
those
in
this
chamber
who
dare
to
question
their
policy
well.
The
first
minister
will
the
first
minister
no
apologize
to
the
generation
of
women
and
older
people
who
have
lost
them
because
of
this
government.
A
C
C
Willy
Rainey
is
I,
will
not
apologize
for
the
fact
that
we
have
youth
unemployment
at
half
the
reap
today
than
it
was
when
this
government
took
office,
normal
I
apologize
for
the
fact
that
we
fought
an
election
on
a
manifest
or
commitment
to
maintain
full-time
equivalent
numbers
in
our
colleges,
and
we
didn't
just
meet
that
manifest
of
commitment.
We
exceeded
that
manifest
or
commitment.
So
these
are
solid
achievements,
but
you
know
the
real
flaw.
C
The
real
flaw
in
Willy
Rainey's
question
here
is
the
in
spite
of
delivering
that
commitment
to
increase
full-time
students
at
colleges
in
order
to
get
more
young
people
into
work.
The
majority,
of
course,
is
our
colleges
continue
to
be
part-time
courses
open
to
the
very
people
that
Willie
Rainey
is
talking
about.
So
we
will
continue
in
colleges
and
in
every
other
aspect
of
government
policy
to
take
forward
the
policies
that
are
right
for
the
needs
of
this
country.
That's
what
we
have
done,
it's
what
we
will
continue
to
do.
K
Thank
you
for
sailing
officer.
Today's
Daily
Record
has
figures
showing
that
a
quarter
of
Scottish
councils
are
already
spending
almost
nine
million
pounds,
mitigating
the
impact
of
universal
credit.
Does
the
First
Minister
agree
with
me
that
the
impact
on
people
left
in
dire
financial
streets
because
of
universal
credit
is
morally
unacceptable
and
the
idea
that
local
authorities
or
the
Scottish
government
should
have
to
pay
the
price
for
field
Westminster
austerity
is
a
disgrace.
C
The
facts:
the
fact
that
they,
the
fact
that
the
UK
government
is
refusing
to
pause
the
implementation
of
universal
credit,
knowing
that
they
are
pushing
already
vulnerable
people
into
debt
and
to
rent
arrears,
making
it
difficult
for
parents
to
put
food
on
the
table
to
feed
their
children
is
not
just
morally
unacceptable.
It's
morally
repugnant
and
I
think
every
conservative
should
be
deeply
ashamed
of
this.
The
fact
of
the
matter
is
universal.
Credit
is
not
working
that
is
being
demonstrated
in
the
pilot
areas.
C
I've
spoken
before
about
a
visit
I
made
inverness
talking
directly
to
people
who
found
themselves
in
these
unacceptable
situations.
So
we
need
to
see
a
pause
to
universal
credit,
and
we
need
to
see
that
happen
know
before
any
other
person
has
to
suffer
the
indignities
and
the
anxieties
that
so
many
have
already
suffered,
and
you
know
again,
we
come
back
to
this
issue
about
mitigation.
C
As
people
across
the
chamber
know,
we
should
mitigate
where
we
can,
but
we
should
not
have
to
spend
man
money
that
should
be
getting
spent
on
education
or
health
or
college
ease,
mitigating
welfare
cuts,
implemented
and
imposed
by
a
Conservative
government.
At
Westminster,
the
sooner
we
get
all
of
welfare
powers
into
the
hands
of
this
Parliament,
the
better.
L
C
Firstly,
let
me
take
the
opportunity
to
thank
our
fire
men
and
women
right
across
the
country
for
the
essential
and
vital
work
that
we
do
is
the
importance
of
that
work.
That
has
meant
that
the
Scottish
Government
this
year
has
increased
the
operational
budget
of
the
fire
service.
There's
been
a
central
reform,
no
compulsory
redundancies,
no
fire
station
closures.
In
fact,
over
the
last
year,
we've
seen
the
recruitment
of
a
hundred
new
firefighters,
but
the
fire
service,
just
like
any
other
public
sector,
cannot
stand
still
when
circumstances
are
changing.
C
There's
changing
risks
at
changing
patterns
of
demand,
changing
technology.
So
it's
right
that
the
fire
service
look
closely
at
how
they
deal
with
that,
but
as
they
do,
the
priority
of
them
and
of
this
government
is
not
just
in
protecting
the
front
line,
but
in
enabling
our
firefighters
to
do
an
even
better
service
for
the
people
of
Scotland.
In
the
future
question
number
five.
C
Superfast
broadband
program
has
been
a
huge
success
so
far.
It
has
already
enabled
fibre
broadband
to
be
delivered
to
over
800,000
premises
in
Scotland
and
we're
on
track
to
meet
a
target
of
95
percent
of
premises
with
broadband
access
by
the
end
of
this
year.
However,
we
recognize
that
many
areas
still
don't
have
access.
That's
why
the
reaching
100
program
will
focus
on
extending
superfast
access
to
those
premises.
There
will
be
no
not
be
reached
in
the
current
program.
C
We've
completed
an
open
market,
reviewing
public
consultation
to
formally
agree
an
intervention
area
and
undertaken
extensive
supplier
engagement
to
maximize
competition.
We
will
set
out
a
delivery
approach
in
little
detail
shortly
ahead
of
the
launch
of
a
procurement
exercise
later
in
the
year,
Richard.
M
Lockett
I
think
actually
the
Scottish
Government
on
a
success
and
rolling
out
superfast
broadband
and
accelerating
the
poor.
So
you
give
them
the
slowest.
The
slowness
of
previous
UK
government's
tens
of
thousands
of
own
constituents
have
certainly
benefited
from
the
program.
However,
I
wonder
if
the
first
mers
had
recognized
that
the
one
side
effect
of
the
success
is
the
gap
between
the
haves
and
a
half's
naught
after
skip
bigger
and
many
rural
communities
have
not
benefited
or
received
any
form
of
public
support.
Well,
so
we
will
wait.
M
The
next
program
and
the
rollout
of
our
102
killed
ministers
consider
any
other
further
short-term
measures,
perhaps
working
with
the
private
sector,
to
connect
such
communities
who,
in
this
day
and
age,
see
connection
as
a
utility
and
not
a
luxury
and
cos.
Gothis
Minister
has
also
play
a
key
ministers
to
introduce
appropriate
regulation
like
introducing
universal
obligations
and
dealing
with
the
lake's
of
BT,
who
are
charging
customers.
Similar
amounts
every
month
for
waiving
varying
levels
of
service,
Christmas
Day.
A
C
Very
aware
that
some
premises,
particularly
in
the
rural
parts
of
the
country,
don't
yet
have
fibre
broadband
access
and
that's
why
the
reaching
100
programme
will
seek
to
prioritize
these
communities
through
the
initial
procurement
exercise.
But
in
the
meantime,
the
better
broadband
scheme
already
offers
residents
of
premises
with
broadband
speeds
of
less
than
2
megabits
per
second,
a
voucher
code
that
subsidizes
the
costs
associated
with
alternative
broadband
solutions
and
I'm
sure
all
members
will
want
to
make
their
constituents
are
we're.
C
I
do
think
issues
like
universal
service
obligation
are
important
ones,
although,
with
the
current
discussion
around
a
us
all
been
taken
forward
by
the
UK
government,
the
problem
with
that,
of
course,
it's
it's
not
delivering
broad
and
at
superfast
speeds,
but
we
will
continue
to
deliver
on
our
own
program
and
continue
to
press
the
UK
government
to
take
action.
They
need
to
take
in
order
to
deliver
the
same
crash.
C
Well,
we
work
with
and
support
NHS
boards
to
improve
delivery
of
waiting
times
targets
in
May.
We,
for
example,
announced
that
50
million
pounds
have
been
made
available
to
improve
waiting
teens
between
now
and
the
end
of
March
next
year
in
August,
we
also
announced
the
setting
up
of
an
expert
group
to
improve
the
we
elective
care
services
and
managed
across
all
boards.
N
Mountain
I
thank
the
First
Minister
for
that
answer,
and
I'd
like
to
just
put
out
some
few
things
here
to
help
the
First
Minister,
so
she
doesn't
have
to
address
them
in
her
answer.
We
accept
hard
press
staff
in
NHS.
Scotland
are
committed,
dedicated
and
hardworking,
and
we
do
appreciate
what
they
do.
Saying
that
failing
to
reach
seven
out
of
ten
targets
is
okay,
because
other
places
in
the
UK
are
worse.
It
doesn't
help
people
who
are
waiting
for
treatment,
making
targets
easier
is
not
acceptable
and
just
increasing
spending
on
the
NHS
when
we've
solved.
N
The
problem,
therefore,
are
turning
to
the
audit
Scotland's
report.
It
says
previous
previous
approaches,
such
as
providing
more
funding
to
increase
activity
or
focusing
on
specific
parts
of
the
system,
is
no
longer
sufficient.
There
is
no
doubt
the
situation
is
getting
worse
for
the
health
sector.
Ii
was
unable
to
say
this
morning
on
Radio
Scotland,
when
it
would
get
better.
We
need
transformation.
C
We
certainly
wouldn't
do
what
other
governments
are
doing
and
that
is
privatized
in
HS,
something
that
the
member
will
know
lots
about,
but
there
was
so
much
and
in
that
well
it's
good
to
see
question.
It
wasn't
really
a
question,
but
there's
so
much
in
there
that
it's
just
wrong
I
mean
making
target
it's
easier.
One
of
the
things
we've
done
over
the
past
ten
years
is
make
many
of
the
NHS
targets
tougher.
That
is
part
of
the
challenge
we
face
and
many
of
them.
C
Well,
yes
and
and
I've
never
said
it's
okay,
that
we're
not
meeting
them.
We
are
performing
better
against
tougher
targets
than
used
to
be
the
case
against
targets
that
we're
weaker.
So
we
are
toughening
up
many
of
these
targets
in
other
way,
in
other
words,
stretching
our
expectations
of
what
the
NHS
delivers.
C
At
the
same
time
as
demand
on
the
NHS
is
increasing,
so
we
will
continue
to
take
the
action
that
I've
already
set
out
here
several
times
already
today,
investing
record
Psalms
in
our
NHS
making
sure
that
our
record
numbers
of
people
working
in
a
rainy
chess,
but
also
taking
forward
the
difficult
but
necessary
reforms
that
will
equip
our
NHS
to
deal
with
rising
demand.
No
and
in
the
years
to
come,
question.
I
C
As
I've
already
made
clear
today,
the
one
percent
public
sector
pcap
will
end
in
2018
19
I,
fully
understand
the
impact
that
increasing
living
costs
and
Social
Security
cuts
are
having
on
working
households,
and
we
will
set
out
our
plans
fully
in
the
draft
budget
on
the
14th
of
December.
We
would
develop
a
pay
policy
that
is
affordable,
but
also
one
that
recognizes
real
life
circumstances
such
as
the
cost
of
living
well
continuing
to
support
those
on
the
lowest
incomes.
C
I
Kelly,
it's
like
the
First
Minister
for
that
answer.
In
recent
years,
the
policy
of
a
public
sector
pcap
forward
by
the
Scottish
Government
has
resulted
in
a
hundred
and
fifty
six
thousand
hail
service
and
police
staff
been
worse
off
in
real
terms
versus
unacceptable
and
the
budget
is
the
opportunity
to
address
that
when
especially
was
raised
previously
with
Patrick
Harvie.
In
this
session,
we
get
two
minutes
a
waffle
from
the
phosphomonoester
on
it.
So
let
me
give
the
phosphorus
that
another
chance
to
answer
the
question.
I
C
The
detail
of
our
spending
plans
and
our
tax
plans
in
the
budget,
that
is,
it,
will
be
published
in
the
14th
of
December,
but
the
hypocrisy
of
labor
on
this
issue
is,
quite
frankly
staggering,
because
we've
said
the
P
cap
will
be
lifted.
We've
not
made
that
dependent
on
actions
taken
elsewhere,
and
that
is
completely
different
to
the
position
taken
by
Labour
in
the
Welsh
I
got
later
here.
I
know
they
won't
want
to
hear
this.
C
They
will
not
want
to
hear
this
I've
got
a
letter
here,
written
by
the
health
secretary,
the
Labour
health
secretary
in
Wales
to
Jeremy
Hunt,
the
UK
health
secretary,
and
it
says
this
and
I'm,
quoting
without
a
commitment
from
the
UK
government
to
give
the
Welsh
government
more
money.
The
public
sector
P
cap
will
remain
that's
what
labour
in
Wills
see
so
here's
what
we've
got
Libra
called
for
the
cap
to
be
lifted
in
Scotland.
C
They
call
for
the
cap
to
be
lifted
in
Westminster
for
in
Wales
the
only
part
of
the
UK
where
they've
got
the
power
not
just
to
call
for
things
to
Doug
be
done,
but
actually
to
do
things.
Libre
refused
to
give
a
commitment
to
reading
the
public
sector
peek
at
what
is
that
Taylor's
about
leaver?
Well,
this
is
what
it
tells
us
about.
Labor
labor
are
all
mouth
and
no
action.