Tracker
Government was delivering 250 2 per cent efficiency savings asked charges, to which Gray responded ing in Scotland and competition in
new built or refurbished schools of all directorates, including those that in Glasgow, charges are typi- the Scottish economy”. Scott then
across the country. He also con- responsible for health and educa- cally around £10 a week, rather called for banks receiving pub-
tested Gray’s contention that the tion. The First Minister indicated than £11 an hour in SNP-led Fife. lic investment to act in the public
schools mentioned were paid for that goals for efficiency savings for He then proceeded to raise the case interest, and asked whether the
by Labour, saying the PPP/PFI his portfolio were introduced by the of a Fife woman unable to afford the First Minister would be prepared
funding mechanism left the debt to current administration. He went cost of a community alarm, suggest- to directly ask bankers to support
future generations. Gray noted that on to note that as it has only been ing the First Minister should “take consumers and small firms. To this
the schools recently opened by the just over a year since the efficiency some responsibility” for the case and the First Minister replied that con-
Cabinet Secretary were not funded targets were established, that it was call for debt actions against her to trol over banking is not devolved,
through PPP/PFI and said that the too soon to report on the savings of stop. To this the First Minister sug- but that he would continue to “rep-
Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) was any portfolio. Kerr expressed con- gested Labour had lacked responsi- resent the interests of the Scottish
“an embarrassing letdown”; he cern that in the current economic bility in its Glenrothes campaigning, people” however he could.
went on to call on the First Minis- climate, efficiency savings could again arguing that charging accord- Christine Grahame (SNP)
ter to abandon the SFT and allow quickly become cuts in services. ing to the ability to pay is common asked what was being done to pro-
councils to build schools. To which, the First Minister high- across Labour-led councils. Pressing tect the money Scottish councils
Conservative leader Annabel lighted for the member the previ- the issue, Gray asked the First Min- and charities have invested in Ice-
Goldie asked the First Minister, in ous comments by former leader ister to accept that he is responsible landic banks, the assets of many
light of recently released unemploy- Wendy Alexander, who had said for cuts across Scotland, a claim he having been frozen following the
ment figures, to abandon the local that the 2 per cent targets were too again rejected. The First Minister country’s financial collapse. The
income tax and instead support low. He also noted that as all effi- stressed twice more that the Fife edu- First Minister said his Government
Conservative proposals for an across ciency saving are being reinvested cation budget has increased by ten is working with local authorities
the board cut in council tax for every- by the departments, this should per cent in the current year. and the UK Government to pro-
one in Scotland. The First Minister prevent cuts to services. Scottish Conservative leader tect all Scottish depositors, while
acknowledged the challenges pre- Mary Scanlon (Con) asked the Annabel Goldie then asked whether claiming two letters to the Chan-
sented by the current economic dif- First Minister what action the Scot- the Scottish Government would cellor on the issue had so far gone
ficulties; however, he noted that LIT tish Government intends to take be following moves in England to unanswered. Grahame then asked
was a much fairer tax and would following the publication of fig- approve top-up payments for medi- the First Minister whether the UK
benefit more people in these difficult ures showing that domestic abuse cal care, allowing patients to receive Government should underwrite
times. He admitted that freezing the against men has increased by 110 NHS and private treatment in tan- Scottish exposure to Icelandic
council tax wasn’t enough but said per cent since 1999. The First Min- dem. The First Minister confirmed banks, particularly given the recent
that it “is a good start”. ister noted that domestic abuse is that the matter was being reviewed, large bail-outs of UK banks. The
Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott always wrong, no matter whom the with a government announcement First Minister agreed that councils
asked the First Minister about the perpetrator is. He also said that sig- due soon. Goldie argued that if the should not be held individually
recently released child protection nificant research shows that the vast Scottish Government does not allow responsible for any losses, particu-
inspection report for Aberdeen majority of domestic abuse victims co-payments then it would constitute larly as one of the affected bodies is
City Council. The First Minister are female and therefore, services “unacceptable complacency”. She the financial oversight organisation
said that the performance of the were targeted more in that direc- then stressed that no one should be the Audit Commission.
council was unacceptable and that tion. However, he noted that sup- forced to decide between living in Cathy Jamieson (Lab) then
changes would be made. He also port services come without a gender Scotland or England on the basis of asked what protections would be put
noted that work to improve the requirement and that the Govern- different treatment options. In reply, in place to guarantee that Scottish
situation in Aberdeen was ongoing ment was committed to helping all the First Minister restated that his homeowners will face repossession
and he expected to see significant victims get the support they need. Government is “always willing to “only as a last resort”. The First Min-
improvements soon. learn lessons and take advice based ister said “significant” protections
Alex Neil (SNP) asked what on the most recent information”, exist under current Scottish legisla-
further discussion the Scottish FiRST MiniSTER’S while arguing that drug availability tion, while welcoming new UK-wide
Government has had about the
QUESTionS
in Scotland is more flexible and more guidance from the Council of Mort-
proposed merger of HBOS and patient-friendly than in England. gage Lenders that lenders should
Lloyds TSB and the impact that novEMBER 6 Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott work to agree alternative payment
this will have on jobs. The First By Chris Wilson then raised concerns over predicted terms with struggling homeowners.
Minister indicated that he had met Scottish Labour parliamentary leader job losses if the Lloyds TSB take- The First Minister also claimed over-
with Lloyd’s TSB earlier in the Iain Gray started questions by ask- over of HBOS is approved, and all financial protections north of the
week and had reiterated the Scot- ing whether increases in home-care asked the First Minister what influ- border were better than elsewhere in
tish Government’s commitment to charges, as seen in Fife, represent ence he has “to keep Scotland’s the UK, a point Jamieson questioned.
doing everything possible to mini- the Scottish Government’s pledge bank Scottish”. The First Minister She further asked for pre-court pro-
mise the impact of the merger on to give local authorities flexibility said that any future bid would be tocols to be considered, as well as
Scottish businesses and jobs. to offer the services people want. reviewed “in exactly the same way” extended regulation of sale-and-
Andy Kerr (Lab) asked for The First Minister argued that ten as the current plan is being scru- leaseback landlords – where homes
what reasons the First Minister’s Labour-led councils across Scotland tinised: “on the basis of its impact are bought and rented back to their
own portfolio has not achieved the have also increased their home-care on jobs in Scotland, decision mak- original owners. The First Minister
64
| 17 November 2008 | Holyrood magazine | www.holyrood.com |
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