Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 06 November 2013
06 Nov 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Local Police Services
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-08172, in the name of Graeme Pearson, on justice. I will allow only a few seconds for members to change places, as we are extremely tight for time in the debate.
I call Graeme Pearson to speak to and move the motion. Mr Pearson, you have a maximum of eight minutes.
15:48
I call Graeme Pearson to speak to and move the motion. Mr Pearson, you have a maximum of eight minutes.
15:48
References in this contribution
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.
- S4M-08172 Justice Motion
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-08172, in the name of Graeme Pearson, on justice. I will allow only a few seconds for members to change p...
Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Prior to the 2011 election, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice’s resistance to the creation of a single police force was well known. Post the election, econom...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill)
SNP
Will the member enlighten us as to the Labour answer to those two directives? What number of police officers does he think that there should be in Scotland? ...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I hope that, if the cabinet secretary gives me time to develop my argument, he will see where we are coming from.Seventy of the people who have been given vo...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I ask the cabinet secretary please to let me continue.The Government’s budget decisions have resulted in the need to consider the closure of 65 police office...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
I wonder what Mr Pearson’s comment is on Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who has said:“They”—that is, the UK Government—“need to change course ...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
If the cabinet secretary spent more time worrying about Scotland and getting it organised, we might have a better outcome in the political life of Scotland.T...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
Will Mr Pearson give way?
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I am afraid not.Some years ago, a householder watching the BBC news at 9 o’clock saw that a terrible murder had been committed in Glasgow in which a woman an...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to respond to Graeme Pearson’s motion on behalf of the Scottish Government. It may be helpful if I start with the context, which wi...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
Although the figures that the cabinet secretary has quoted are welcome, does he accept that reported crime is on the increase?
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
Across the board, statistics and evidence show that policing in Scotland is doing remarkably well, and the onus is on the chamber to support rather than deni...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
I will give way in a moment.Westminster is cutting our budget by 11 per cent in real terms over five years, so we must cut our cloth accordingly and ensure t...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I take it, from what the cabinet secretary says, that there is no cut in Scotland. However, £140 million is a substantial cut and is having such an impact th...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
We know where the cuts are coming from—Westminster. They started under Darling, they are continuing under the coalition and they would be maintained under Yv...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (Lab)
Lab
The cabinet secretary is at pains to tell us all the things that will not now be needed. Does he really expect the people in my constituency in Possilpark, w...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
As I can say is that what I think people want is a solution to the problem. “If you are the victim of a crime you don’t really care where the officers come f...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I remind the cabinet secretary that my colleague asked him a question. He was asked whether providing daytime-only services is sufficient in a place such as ...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
I responded with what I thought were your quite credible and appropriate remarks from three years ago, Mr Pearson. Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Order, please. I ask members to speak through the chair.
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
As I say, we now have access to national and regional expertise, helicopters and a specialist crime division.We know that we face unprecedented budget challe...
Alex Fergusson
Con
I ask the cabinet secretary once again whether, despite the splendid figures he gives, he will accept that reported crime is on the increase.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Cabinet secretary, you are in your last minute.
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
We have 1,000 additional officers—Laughter.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Order, please.
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
—unlike the collapse in officer numbers faced south of the border. The record of our Scottish police service is quite outstanding; it ill behoves politicians...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I congratulate the Scottish Labour Party on lodging its motion on the proposed closure to members of the public of police counters.The closure of police coun...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?