Chamber
Plenary, 28 May 2003
28 May 2003 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Scottish Executive's Programme
I believe that the policies of the Labour party are generally in the best interests of Scotland, but I certainly have no intention of putting the internal interests of the Labour party ahead of governing Scotland. I give an assurance that we will see through the commitment that I have given today.
On the other more important issues that Mr Swinney raised, I am delighted that Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats will have the opportunity—which he will not—to introduce the measures that he welcomed at the beginning of his question. I look forward to making the right decisions on abolishing NHS trusts, introducing secure status for Gaelic, introducing a strategic transport authority, introducing strategic environmental assessments and reforming local government.
It is critically important that we have the resources to do those things and that the Parliament operates effectively, instead of on a collision course by trying to secure further constitutional change. We need to focus on the people's priorities and deliver on the issues that Mr Swinney welcomed as well as on the other issues that I have outlined.
If Mr Swinney disagrees that the investment of £1 billion a year in Scotland's transport infrastructure, the development of infrastructure projects and the development of a better approach to the transport system in Scotland would have an impact on the Scottish economy or on jobs or on business, he is not listening to Scottish business or to the Scottish people.
If Mr Swinney disagrees that introducing enterprise education into every school in Scotland, creating an entrepreneurial culture and allowing all young Scots to be ambitious and realise their ambitions, would help not only Scottish business or the young people themselves but Scotland's growth rate, he is not listening to Scottish business or to the Scottish people.
If Mr Swinney disagrees that Scottish business benefits from the stability that we currently enjoy, from our low rate of unemployment and high rate of employment and from all the other benefits that we receive from being part of the current UK macroeconomic system, he is not listening to Scottish business. We will grow the Scottish economy not by having a constitutional battle with London but by investing in skills and in Scotland's transport and infrastructure. We will build on the conditions that allow Scottish businesses to grow.
In a similar vein, if Mr Swinney does not believe that tackling crime on our streets, creating opportunities for our young people, improving our education service and creating jobs are the things that will tackle poverty, he is very wrong indeed. To lift people out of poverty, we need an education system that serves all our children, in particular our looked-after children, who have been failed by the system in the past. We need to have a situation on our streets whereby people who live in deprived communities do not have to put up with the crime and antisocial behaviour that currently blight their lives. That will help to tackle poverty. By creating jobs and growth in our economy, we will do more to tackle poverty than any of the measures that Mr Swinney might want to outline.
On hepatitis C, we will see through our commitment from the previous Administration by pursuing the case that we are making to ensure that there is some compensation for the victims of hepatitis C.
Finally, let me answer Mr Swinney's point about police on the streets. There is no point in increasing the number of police officers in Scotland if they spend more time in the courtroom and less time on the streets. That is why—and on 1 May the Scottish people recognised this—we need more than election slogans from the Opposition parties about more police officers on the beat. We need real reforms that will put police officers back on the beat and give them the opportunity to do the job that they want to do. There will be an increase in the number of Scotland's police officers, but there will also be a dramatic increase in their operational effectiveness. That will do more to tackle crime than will any Opposition election slogan.
On the other more important issues that Mr Swinney raised, I am delighted that Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats will have the opportunity—which he will not—to introduce the measures that he welcomed at the beginning of his question. I look forward to making the right decisions on abolishing NHS trusts, introducing secure status for Gaelic, introducing a strategic transport authority, introducing strategic environmental assessments and reforming local government.
It is critically important that we have the resources to do those things and that the Parliament operates effectively, instead of on a collision course by trying to secure further constitutional change. We need to focus on the people's priorities and deliver on the issues that Mr Swinney welcomed as well as on the other issues that I have outlined.
If Mr Swinney disagrees that the investment of £1 billion a year in Scotland's transport infrastructure, the development of infrastructure projects and the development of a better approach to the transport system in Scotland would have an impact on the Scottish economy or on jobs or on business, he is not listening to Scottish business or to the Scottish people.
If Mr Swinney disagrees that introducing enterprise education into every school in Scotland, creating an entrepreneurial culture and allowing all young Scots to be ambitious and realise their ambitions, would help not only Scottish business or the young people themselves but Scotland's growth rate, he is not listening to Scottish business or to the Scottish people.
If Mr Swinney disagrees that Scottish business benefits from the stability that we currently enjoy, from our low rate of unemployment and high rate of employment and from all the other benefits that we receive from being part of the current UK macroeconomic system, he is not listening to Scottish business. We will grow the Scottish economy not by having a constitutional battle with London but by investing in skills and in Scotland's transport and infrastructure. We will build on the conditions that allow Scottish businesses to grow.
In a similar vein, if Mr Swinney does not believe that tackling crime on our streets, creating opportunities for our young people, improving our education service and creating jobs are the things that will tackle poverty, he is very wrong indeed. To lift people out of poverty, we need an education system that serves all our children, in particular our looked-after children, who have been failed by the system in the past. We need to have a situation on our streets whereby people who live in deprived communities do not have to put up with the crime and antisocial behaviour that currently blight their lives. That will help to tackle poverty. By creating jobs and growth in our economy, we will do more to tackle poverty than any of the measures that Mr Swinney might want to outline.
On hepatitis C, we will see through our commitment from the previous Administration by pursuing the case that we are making to ensure that there is some compensation for the victims of hepatitis C.
Finally, let me answer Mr Swinney's point about police on the streets. There is no point in increasing the number of police officers in Scotland if they spend more time in the courtroom and less time on the streets. That is why—and on 1 May the Scottish people recognised this—we need more than election slogans from the Opposition parties about more police officers on the beat. We need real reforms that will put police officers back on the beat and give them the opportunity to do the job that they want to do. There will be an increase in the number of Scotland's police officers, but there will also be a dramatic increase in their operational effectiveness. That will do more to tackle crime than will any Opposition election slogan.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a statement by the First Minister on the programme of the Scottish Executive. As the First Minister will take questions at the e...
The First Minister (Mr Jack McConnell):
Lab
I would like to make a statement outlining our Government's programme for the coming year. I will set out the major elements of our programme and announce ou...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The First Minister will now take questions. The next 58 minutes are not about making mini-statements; they are about posing clear questions and providing ans...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the First Minister for his statement and for the advance copy that he made available to us.I give a warm welcome to a number of the measures that are...
The First Minister:
Lab
I believe that the policies of the Labour party are generally in the best interests of Scotland, but I certainly have no intention of putting the internal in...
David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con):
Con
I thank the First Minister for providing an advance copy of his statement to Parliament.The size of the challenge facing the Administration has been graphica...
The First Minister:
Lab
As we are in a new parliamentary session, it might be time to hear a new speech. If Mr McLetchie had paid any attention to my statement on the programme, he ...
Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I welcome the commitments to proportional representation, strategic environmental assessment—which is most welcome—and a nature conservancy bill. The commitm...
The First Minister:
Lab
I regard the impact on the environment as a key social impact and it should also be a key economic impact. That thread runs through the partnership agreement...
Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
I heard the First Minister talk in his statement about creating a Scotland to be proud of. However, I do not recognise in his statement the priorities that t...
The First Minister:
Lab
Like some other speakers, Mr Sheridan should be a little more honest and not refer to the abolition of the council tax as if we could abolish tax systems and...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
We move on to quick questions and answers on single issues.
Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
I welcome the record investment that is to be made on health and agree that that investment has to be matched by improved service delivery. Primary care is o...
The First Minister:
Lab
I will try to answer all the questions briefly before you stop me at some point because of time constraints, Presiding Officer.We hope to go to a ballot on t...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
In fairness to the First Minister and other members, I will take only one single-issue question from members from now on.
Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the fact that the First Minister stated explicitly that growing the Scottish economy is the top priority for the Executive. Does he agree on the im...
The First Minister:
Lab
The people who criticise us for not legislating enough on the economy are the same people who will criticise us for having too much legislation on the econom...
Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP):
SNP
It is astonishing that only one line in the First Minister's statement referred to Europe. Given the changes in the European Union that are currently being d...
The First Minister:
Lab
We have had a significant impact on the debate in the European convention in respect of the role of the devolved regional and national legislatures in the Eu...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
Is the First Minister aware that, in Scotland, there is an assault on a member of school staff roughly every 15 minutes? Given those circumstances, will he r...
The First Minister:
Lab
First, I should point out that the target for exclusion reduction has been misrepresented. No head teacher or teacher anywhere in Scotland should misread tha...
Mr Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab):
Lab
I was pleased to stand on Labour's manifesto, which pledged to alleviate student hardship further through a review of the level of student bursaries. I am al...
The First Minister:
Lab
A number of areas need to be reviewed, and we will address them systematically in the course of this parliamentary session. We need to review the level of st...
Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Although I welcome the First Minister's commitment to creating sustainable rural communities, is he aware that, as of today, not one penny of the £50 million...
The First Minister:
Lab
I have no intention of giving any commitments to Mr Lochhead, given his history of total misrepresentation of negotiations and the situation with Scottish fi...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
Given much of our media's unfair portrayal of our young people as out of control, chaotic criminals who make the lives of others unbearable, does the First M...
The First Minister:
Lab
Where does one start?Monitoring young people electronically is significantly better than locking them up, if it is better for them and ensures that they can ...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
Will the First Minister give details about specific policies in the programme for tackling poverty, deprivation and inequality? For example, will policies be...
The First Minister:
Lab
I believe that the policies that we have outlined to create more jobs, deliver higher economic growth, secure more opportunities for young people and improve...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
In view of the First Minister's welcome statement that he wishes to see the creation of conditions for economic growth, will he assure us that the Executive ...