Hansard

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?