 Mae Llamint, i gael amlaen o bobl, wrth angech universityaiddol yn ei defnyddio pokelo uchydigol ar dice nhw i am研 47.ariaid oes sy answeredou a ond efallaiเรiowindaethau am ychwanegraff, i gael ar yng Nghymru wishes graffiau daith ar gyfer I. Mae Llamint yn ynwag deng nhw ydw i'r arghau ar ddiogel هوn panferminkol ag y belie sequence 1. Rwyf wedi am symud o bobl yn acum yengddianosaot Freithiau Cymru yn cy如此, i ph influenio a mkeys taking y моeld mwy unterschied, dan mightimanwazio'r I will have engagements later today to take forward the Government's programme for Scotland. Today marks the first anniversary of the Children and Young People's Bill. Can the First Minister tell us whether the proportion of local authorities reporting sufficient childcare for full-time working parents in Scotland is higher or lower than in England? Of course, the fact of the matter is that we do not yet have sufficient provision of funded childcare to meet the needs of all full-time working parents. That is precisely why this Government is committed to a further substantial extension of the provision of childcare. We have said that if we are re-elected over the next Parliament, we will increase provision to 30 hours a week for all three and four-year-olds and for eligible two-year-olds. However, let's look at the progress that has been made. Entitlement to early learning and childcare has increased to 600 hours. That is a 45 per cent increase in hours for three and four-year-olds since 2007. That saves families an average of £700 per child per year. The uptake of that provision is high. The latest annual statistics were published in December and they show registration of three and four-year-olds at 98.5 per cent. This is a success story. However, we still have work to do. I met in January with a campaign group, Fair Funding, for our kids to discuss the experiences of some parents who are having difficulty in accessing the childcare that their children are entitled to in a way that suits their working patterns and we are working to address that. That is a success story. However, of course, we are determined to ensure that all parents and children who are eligible get the benefit of this Government's significant expansion of free childcare. The First Minister knows only too well that that promise for 600 hours was a promise she first made in 2007. It took her 80 years to get to the point that she's at just now. The answer to my question was, in fact, that it's lower than in England. The Family and Child Care Trust report, published today, shows that just 15 per cent of councils in Scotland say that sufficient childcare is being provided for families trying to juggle work and family life. It's 43 per cent in England, and it's higher in Wales too. For so many working families in Scotland, childcare is essential, and it can't be prescriptive. Some families need support first thing in the morning, others need it at the end of the school day. Can the First Minister tell us? Has a number of councils in Scotland who report sufficient childcare for full-time working parents gone up or down in the last year? To be frank here, Kezia Dugdale is somewhat missing the point. I'm not standing here in saying that we are yet in a position where we have sufficient, funded childcare for all full-time working parents. That's why we are committed to a further extension of childcare to 30 hours per week. That will take us to the position where children in childcare get the same number of hours in nursery as children in primary school already get, but we have made significant progress. When we took office, the previous Labour Administration were providing 412 and a half hours, approximately 14 and a half hours per week. We have increased that to 600 hours a year, a 45 per cent increase. We're funding local authorities to the tune of £329 million to provide that. Kezia Dugdale does make a reasonable point. It's the point that I discussed with fair funding for our kids. There are some parents, and I stress some parents who are having difficulty accessing their childcare in a way that suits their working pattern. Two issues specifically were raised with me. The arrangements that some councils have with partner nurseries that limit the number of funded places per nursery, and secondly the limitations of the half-day place that is offered in council nurseries. The two things that this Government is doing to tackle that in the medium term are firstly the statutory obligation under the Children and Young People's Act that we put in local authorities to ensure greater flexibility and to consult with parents, and secondly the substantial increase in hours beyond what we're doing now that we're planning. The half-day place ceases to be relevant when children are eligible to 30 hours per week. I've also tasked my officials to look in the shorter term at how we address these issues that some parents are having. For goodness' sake, this is a massive success story. We've gone from an entitlement of children to 412 and a half hours a year free childcare to 600 hours, and we've extended the eligibility for two-year-olds as well. We'll continue to make the progress from the rather derisory position that we inherited from the last administration. The First Minister says that it's getting better. It's not. It's getting worse. Today's report confirms that fewer than one in six councils in Scotland are providing enough childcare for working parents. That's down from one in four last year. On the SNP's watch, things are getting worse for families trying to juggle family life. One year ago today, this Parliament gave parents with three and four-year-olds the right to 600 hours of nursery care. We supported that. We voted for it. Today's report makes it clear that parents across Scotland are unable to access that right that we gave them. It's true that six weeks ago the First Minister met the fair funding for our kids group, and they haven't heard from us since. I spoke to them this morning. In fact, Jenny Gorvin from Fair Funding for Our Kids said that they give us supportive words about precious little action. There we go. They told her that thousands of kids in Scotland are missing out on childcare and that parents are having to give up their jobs as a result. The fair funding campaign asked for an audit of delivery of the 600-hours childcare policy so that we can see the scale of the problem and fix it. Will the First Minister deliver that audit today? We will continue to monitor and audit this policy. That's why I can stand here and tell Kezia Dugdale that the last statistics showed a registration of three and four-year-olds at 98.5 per cent. I'm sure that fair funding for our kids will welcome the fact that since the meeting I had with them on 9 January, I have tasked my officials and they are looking not at the longer-term solutions because we know what they are but at the shorter-term solutions to the particular issues some parents and I stress some parents are having. I would have thought that Kezia Dugdale would have welcomed that approach from government. I know that in this week of all weeks Labour are having some difficulty getting their figures to add up properly. There is no way that even the enumerate Labour Party can describe an increase in funded childcare from 412.5 hours a year, which is what they provided to 600 hours a year, which is what we are providing as a deterioration. That is a significant improvement and Labour, frankly, who never ever made it a budget priority in any of the discussions that they had with John Swinney, should be welcoming. I don't think that that goes far enough, which is why I am committed to moving to a situation where our three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds do not get 600 hours a year, but they get 1,140 hours a year, 30 hours a week. That is my ambition when Labour will get round to backing it. The First Minister says that we have never ever prioritised it, yet it was in our budget ask last year and it is just nonsense. She is celebrating the success of a policy that she should try to celebrate in front of parents in Glasgow, who are telling her that there are thousands of children across Scotland unable to access the rights that her Government gave her. She should look those parents in the eye and tell them that they have never had it so good. They know that it is not true. We know that it is not true, and I think that the First Minister knows that it is not true as well. Parents across Scotland have one simple question for the First Minister. Is not it about time she made good on her childcare promises? First Minister, tell you what I am going to do right now. I am going to look Kezia Dugdale in the eye and remind her who runs Glasgow City Council. She has issues with the delivery of the childcare policy in the city of Glasgow. I suggest she should make an appointment and speak to her Labour colleagues who run Glasgow City Council. 5.5% of three and four-year-olds registered for free childcare. I did look parents in Glasgow who have frustrations about the delivery of this in the eye, and I committed to them that we would work to deal with those issues. No matter how hard Kezia Dugdale tries and not that she is not asking about the health service this week, I wonder why. No matter how hard Kezia Dugdale tries to manipulate the figures, she cannot get away from the fact that an increase from 412.5 hours of free childcare to 600 hours is a significant step forward under this Government. If we are re-elected and let's face it, while there is no complacency, all of the polls today suggest that we may well be, then we will take that to 30 hours a week for three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds. This Government has delivered on childcare and we will continue to do so. Question 2. Ruth Davidson. Order, Ms Davidson. To ask the First Minister when she will next meet the Secretary of State for Scotland. First Minister. No immediate plans. Ruth Davidson. Thank you. On 11 December, the First Minister told me in this chamber that when it came to education, she would always keep an open mind about educating our children. I will listen to ideas from wherever they come. There is an idea out this morning. The parents of St Joseph's primary school in Milgyi are campaigning to keep their school open. They want to take the school out of the local authority control and to run it as a trust. They insist that education elsewhere in the area will be unaffected. They just want their children to get the education that they believe in in the town where they live. Given what she said in December of last year, will the First Minister commit to meet the parents, to listen to their concerns and to examine their proposal with an open mind? First Minister. I think that you have just heard from my exchange with Kezia Dugdale. I will meet parents who are interested in and concerned about their children's education, whatever the issue is that they want to discuss with me. I will, and I repeat this today, also listen to any ideas and suggestions that are put forward. If I do not agree with the particular suggestions or if they cannot be delivered, I will look parents in the eye and explain to them why that is the case. In terms of the specific issue that Ruth Davidson raises about St Joseph's primary, I should say that I well understand the concerns that any parent will have for their children's education if a school that they value is going to be closed. The self-governing schools model, of course, was introduced into Scotland by the Tories and only two schools took up the option of being self-governing. Of course, that legislation was repealed by the Standards in Scotland Schools, etc. Act 2000 by this Parliament. That is the position, but I will be very happy to discuss the issue with representatives of parents if they so wish. On the wider issue of listening and being very keen for ideas, I gave Ruth Davidson an open invitation to send me ideas. I may be wrong, but I am not aware if she has done so. Last week, I talked about the need to close the attainment gap in schools and talked about the willingness I have to look at best practice where that exists. I think that we can find some best practice from the London challenge. I think that there is other best practice from Ontario, for example. I am absolutely determined that we continue to deliver the best education for our children and where there are challenges in our education system, we work hard to address them. Ruth Davidson. I am pleased with the First Minister's response because that is a simple case to understand. What we have got are parents who are energised, enthusiastic and positive about their local community. They have a genuine work-out plan to improve the schooling of their children. They are being faced so far with a Government wall that simply tells them that we know best when it doesn't know best. Because there is a massive performance gap that the First Minister has recognised between our poorest and richest areas. Scotland is stagnating in international league tables and parents are watching in horror as this Government and councils fight over the basic task of hiring teachers for local schools and it's frankly not good enough. Last week we welcomed the First Minister when she moved an inch by backing the London challenge but Scotland needs her to move a mile. We need a parent power law which will allow schools to opt out of local authority control if they so wish. So why can't the First Minister today back that? First I will point out to Ruth Davidson and she may find this helpful. Again, I think that I am right in this but if I am getting this wrong in any way then I apologise in advance. I am pretty sure that the council, Easton Bartonshire, that is closing the schools that she is talking about has the Conservatives as part of the administration. Perhaps her first port of call might not be to me but to her colleagues in Easton Bartonshire Council. On the general issue, Ruth Davidson is well aware of the position in terms of grant-aided schools in Scotland. The Scottish Government currently funds eight grant-aided schools. Seven of those are special schools because they tend to be for national centres of provision and I've already outlined the position in terms of the repeal of the former legislation. I've said I'd be happy to speak to those parents and perhaps as well as discussing this issue advise them on how they can persuade the Tories in their local council to take a different decision on the school. In terms of the other issues, Ruth Davidson raises, can I just say in terms of teacher numbers? I make no apology for drawing a line in the sand in terms of teacher numbers. I want to maintain the numbers of teachers working in our schools because I see that as important to raising attainment and I would hope both Labour and the Tories would tell their own councils that they should be backing that as well. It was revealed this week that Long Annett power station in my constituency is facing renewed threats to its future with talks apparently breaking down between Scottish power and the national grid. Given that Long Annett employs hundreds of workers in West Fife and given that the plant is responsible for 25 per cent of the power we use in Scotland, what action is the First Minister taking to get all the parties round the back of the table to secure a secure future for Long Annett for the local community and Concordant and for Scotland's future energy needs? First Minister? I very much share the concerns of the member about the future of Long Annett and I think she is absolutely right to be raising this in the chamber today. She is probably aware that I wrote to the Prime Minister on Monday asking him to, while making sure he is aware of the serious threat to the future of Long Annett. To put this in a nutshell, Long Annett is under imminent threat of the cost phases in connecting to the grid. It costs £40 million where a power station in London or the south-east would get paid £4 million to do it. It is deeply unfair and the UK Government in the interests of Long Annett and the interests of the people who work there but also in the wider interests of Scotland's security of energy supply really needs to intervene and help us get this sorted out. Alison Johnstone? Thank you. Aspired this week that the 16th century old Parliament building in Edinburgh was transferred from the collective ownership of my constituents to Scottish ministers without knowledge or recompense to the common good fund. Edinburgh Council failed in their role assured of this fund but are now seeking to resolve the situation. I would like to ask the First Minister to assure my constituents that any requests from Edinburgh Council to restore ownership of this common good asset to them will be considered seriously and favourably. First I can just very briefly state the background to this. I'm sure Alison Johnstone is aware of it. The Scottish Government's position is that title to Parliament hall was taken by Scottish ministers in good faith and it was done so with the full knowledge and consent of the council. The Scottish court service and the faculty of advocates therefore have now got good title to that property. Of course I am more than happy to ask the relevant Minister Marko Beagie to meet and discuss this with Edinburgh City Council but there is no fault here on the part of the Scottish Government and of course title has since been passed on so it may very well be that there is no easy solution to restore title to Edinburgh City Council but I think that any questions on how this has arisen probably have to be directed to the council. To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the cabinet. Matters of importance to the people of Scotland. I want to look at what senior police officers have been saying recently. They told us stop and search for under 12s had ended but it had not. They told us the numbers released were wrong but privately admitted they were right. The police told us they were forced to release the information and that was wrong too. Is this really good enough for our police and for Scotland? Of course the police including the chief constable will be before the justice committee later today and I'm sure they will answer these and many more questions. Obviously Willie Rennie has asked a number of different points in one question so let me try and answer them in terms of the position with stop search for under 12s the clear policy is that there should be no non-statutory searches of under 12s information has been provided to police officers about the range of ways in which they can engage children under 12 short of relying on non-statutory stop and search. In terms of the wider issue about non-statutory stop searches we discussed at the last session of FMQs the chief constable is now considering the fact that a short-life working group has been established to consider that and to consider the implications that will report to the justice secretary by the end of next month by the end of March and then Parliament will be updated and have the position to debate this issue in full. In terms of the issue about the release of the information the chief constable wrote to the Scottish Police Authority on Monday of this week to make clear Police Scotland's position on the release of this information is probably easier if I just quote briefly from the letter our decision as in the police's decision to release the data was on the basis of an assessment that despite our concerns about its accuracy or reliability there was a risk that we would have been the subject of an adverse decision notice if the appeal process continued. Chief constable also apologised in that letter for any concerns that had been raised as a result of how he had expressed that matter to release that data and of course the data has been released I could understand concern if we were talking here about the reasons for withholding information this information has been released which of course has allowed the correct and very legitimate scrutiny that has now been applied to the subject. Willie Rennie I knew all the things that she's just told me what I want to know is what she thinks about it I want to know her opinion about what has been happening to police officers what they have been telling this Parliament about six months and their failures to be straight with this Parliament about these facts The police code of ethics reads how we deliver is as important as what we deliver that's exactly what I'm concerned about and I'm sure she recognises and she must recognise that trust in Police Scotland has been shattered because of these series of events there is clearly something wrong with the system that her Government created what is she going to do about it First Minister The first thing I will continue to do is support our police in the hard and vital job that they do on our behalf day in and day out Now in terms of questions about what information the police have given to parliamentary committees or to the Scottish Police Authority they are rightly before the justice subcommittee later on today and they will answer those questions I think the bigger issue here and the substantive issue is about the future of non-statutory stop searches I said and I think I made my view quite clear in the last session of FMQs if Willie Rennie wants my opinion on things is that the situation around non-statutory stop searches is unsatisfactory at the moment it's unsatisfactory because of the degree of public understanding about it and I guess it's also unsatisfactory because of the degree of lack of public acceptance of it and that is why the chief constable has been absolutely correct to say that he is now considering ending that practice but clearly there are practical implications of doing so and that is why the process that is now underway through the short life working group is the right way to do this by the end of next month that will have reported to the justice secretary and Parliament as a whole if Parliament is so minded can debate this as a whole it is vital and Willie Rennie to this extent is correct it's vital that we have total trust in our police service I trust our police I have confidence in our police and I will continue to back our police in the work that they do Thank you very much to ask the First Minister what impact on going austerity will have on the finances available for public services in Scotland First Minister The current spending review the Scottish government's discretionary budget has been cut by nearly £2.9 billion in real terms all three Westminster parties have signed up to deliver billions of pounds of further cuts over the next parliamentary term coalition plans amount to cuts of around £1,800 per head on day-to-day public services between 2009-10 and 2019-20 these cuts have imposed and will continue to impose a significant burden on households across the country of course there is a need to reduce the deficit but I believe it should be done more gradually than either of the largest UK parties is proposing I believe it's time for a clear alternative to austerity plans that will get the deficit is a share of our GDP down but also allow us to spend the money on infrastructure, innovation protecting our public services and protecting the vulnerable and I'll be proud to argue that alternative to Labour, Tory austerity can I thank the First Minister for that answer and thank her as well for the passion in which she has put into this especially around around they don't like it around the around the impact of women in our society I think it's around 85% of all welfare cuts is a direct impact on women usually low paid women First Minister what measures she would be taking as the Scottish Government to mitigate the impact on the hard working low paid women of this country First Minister Research by the House of Commons Library shows that more than three quarters of the impact of the UK Government's tax and welfare changes is being born by women that is outrageous a scandal completely unacceptable disabled people are also losing out in Scotland it's estimated that more than half of those who claim disability living allowance will see their benefits cut by at least £1,100 a year and of course the IFS found that the changes to the tax and benefit system are harming the poorest 10% of households more than any other section of the population that's the reality of Labour and Tory austerity plans so we'll continue to make the case for a more rational and more compassionate economic policy at Westminster and if we have influence in that Westminster Parliament we will be a voice against Labour Tory austerity a voice standing up for the poor the vulnerable women and our public services 5. Ian Gray To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to allow schools to delay the implementation of the new advanced hire qualification Scottish Government has no plans to delay the implementation of the new advanced hire Ian Gray There's no one I think who would think ideal where these new exams to be delayed but when the IFS say that pressure means the advanced hire might be marginalised or dropped when the NSWT says levels of workload are unsustainable when head teachers tell a committee of this Parliament that the situation is a total disaster surely we have to listen and take some action Is Seamus Searson of the SSTA not right to be alarmed by the lack of respect for teachers professional judgment shown in this matter by this Government? First Minister We will continue to discuss with and listen to teachers unions and the education secretary does that on an on-going basis The level of change to advanced hires is very different to that for hires and of course there has been a year of dual running of the old and new hires The content of advanced hires has changed less than was the case for hires Teachers have been provided with a great deal of support over the last two years to help with the implementation of the new advanced hires and there is no evidence in our view to suggest that dual running is necessary but we will continue to discuss these matters as we have done throughout with teachers and with teachers unions and we will continue also to agree with teacher unions when they say like we do in the future To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on prescribing methadone to drug users as a rehabilitation process First Minister The Government is committed to tackling the damaging impact of drugs in Scotland through our national drug strategy the road to recovery which of course focuses on the needs of the individual and provides a range of interventions opiate replacement therapies including methadone are just one component in a package of care treatment and support that can be offered to individuals to help them recover from drug addiction Opiate replacement is an essential treatment with a strong evidence base and the youth of methadone remains a central component of the treatment for opiate dependency that's a view endorsed by the independent expert group on opiate replacement therapies in its report to the Scottish Government in August 2013 Margaret Mitchell I thank the First Minister for that answer Is she aware that over 40 per cent of all drug-related deaths in Scotland are now linked to methadone compared to 14 per cent in England? Given this and the lack of information about the number of individuals who have become drug free using a methadone programme does she consider the policy on prescribing methadone is fit for purpose? First Minister I've already in my initial answer outlined the role that methadone plays in a wider drug strategy I'm sure the member will also understand that the factors lying behind numbers of drugs deaths are complex and while what she is talking about will undoubtedly be one there will be other factors at play as well In terms of the prescribing of methadone it is the case for the third successive year there's actually been a decrease in the dispensing of opiate replacement therapies in the community including methadone the quantity of methadone dispensed in the community and indeed the total cost involved of it has also decreased for the last three years so clearly there are big issues here in terms of how we get to grips with drug addiction and help those who suffer from drug addiction but methadone has a role to play she's right to say it's only part of the solution and we must be very careful about it but I hope the figures I've cited to her give her some reassurance and I know the justice secretary would be happy to discuss it with her in more detail if she so wishes the First Minister will be aware that the expert review of opiate replacement therapies published in August 2013 which found that only a quarter of alcohol and drug partnerships held detailed information as to the length of time that individuals had been on opiate replacement therapies such as methadone can the First Minister confirm whether all ADPs now collate this information and if not, why not First Minister I'm more than happy to provide a full written answer to the detail of that question because it is important that we do understand both the scale of the issue we're dealing with and the direction of travel so it's a reasonable point for the member to have raised. I will or I ask the justice secretary to provide the specific information that the member's seeking. That ends First Minister's questions can I just remind members that Cleaner's session this afternoon starts at 2pm we're now moving to members' business who are leaving the chamber. Should do so quickly and quietly