Engagements
First Minister's Question Time
Scottish Parliament debates, 29 October 2009, 12:01 pm
Rt Hon Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party)
Later today I will have meetings to take forward the Government's programme for Scotland. This evening I will attend an ecumenical service of commemoration for members of the armed forces who have been killed or wounded on active service. This is an appropriate time of year to remember all those who have been killed or injured in service of their country in conflicts past and present.
Iain Gray (Labour)
I am happy to echo the First Minister's comments about our armed forces and those who serve in them.
It is not enough for our First Minister to have a purpose. According to his website, his Purpose—with a capital P—is
"to create a more successful country where all of Scotland can flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth."
If that is his purpose, why are the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses all saying this week that the Scottish National Party is doing more harm than good to Scottish business?
Rt Hon Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party)
Along with the finance secretary, I was going to welcome the Labour Party's Damascene conversion to accelerated capital spending, which, incidentally, is supported by all the organisations that the Labour leader listed. Let us welcome that developing consensus in Scottish society.
The CBI seems to have a disagreement with the Government, particularly about minimum pricing for alcohol. I hope that in the forthcoming debate we can reconcile such disagreements, whether with a business organisation such as the CBI, or internally with an Opposition party, for example. The best way to get through such disagreements is to debate them and recognise that we all have a huge interest in the human, business and economic cost of rebalancing Scotland's relationship with alcohol.
Iain Gray (Labour)
I have written to the chancellor to say that he should consider accelerating capital spending, but if and only if the SNP gets its budget sorted out.
It is not just the CBI that says the SNP is getting it wrong, and the disagreement is not just about minimum pricing. The Federation of Small Businesses says that small businesses are receiving much better support from the Labour Government in England than from the SNP in Scotland. The Institute of Directors says that it is disturbed by the cancellation of the Glasgow airport rail link and the cuts to enterprise budgets. When will the First Minister start listening to those organisations?
Rt Hon Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party)
I listen carefully to the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland. The FSB tells me that it is severely worried that some parties in this Parliament do not recognise the importance of the small business bonus that has assisted tens of thousands of small businesses the length and breadth of Scotland.
In the interests of the developing consensus in the chamber, as Iain Gray pursues his questions he will, no doubt, take the opportunity to say that, along with accelerated capital spending, he understands the vital lifeline nature of the small business bonus to small companies the length and breadth of this country.
Iain Gray (Labour)
Labour is already listening to small businesses and we understand their importance in the economy. That is why the Federation of Small Businesses says that small businesses get more support in England under Labour than they get in Scotland under the SNP.
This is not just about the public debate about the economy. Today, we read about the First Minister's personal approach to important business meetings. He is
"aggressive ... unwilling to listen to reason .... extremely rude"—
in fact, those are all the signs of somebody who has lost the plot. That is damning stuff.
I do not care whether the First Minister damages his own reputation, but I care whether he damages Scotland's reputation. Does he really think that that is the appropriate way to represent Scotland abroad to companies that employ thousands of Scottish workers?
Rt Hon Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party)
I am not certain that it was the best idea in the world for Iain Gray to quote the Daily Mail . I read the sister paper of the Daily Mail , the Mail on Sunday , on 25 October, which quotes—unlike the article that Iain Gray mentioned—a "senior source" in Labour as saying:
"He is just not visible. Name one big idea he's associated with—you can't. No one can ... he hasn't got any."
Another source said:
"There is a leadership vacuum at the top of the party."
If Iain Gray is going to resort to quoting newspapers, he should be a wee bit careful about which newspapers he wants to quote.
Iain Gray (Labour)
When the First Minister decides how he is going to answer questions, he should think about the topic—"It's the economy, stupid." It simply cannot be that everyone is out of step except the First Minister. Is it not the truth that Alex Salmond is a banker who got it wrong on the banks; an economist who is getting it wrong on the economy; and a Scottish First Minister who is getting it wrong for Scotland? Never mind "The Purpose"; when will the First Minister realise that he is The Problem—with a capital T and a capital P?
Rt Hon Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party)
Iain Gray is an Opposition leader who is struggling to such an extent that he has to appoint 29 shadow spokespeople to his team, out of a group of 46. I congratulate him on building a majority within his party on the payroll vote.
Iain Gray last asked about the economy on 11 September, when he expressed legitimate concern about 300 potential job losses at T-Mobile in Larbert. In the atmosphere of consensus that is developing around the economy, I am delighted to tell him that we acted to save those jobs three months earlier. I am even more delighted to tell him that, two weeks ago, David Turner, the chief executive of that operation, was able to write to me to say that another 170 jobs are to be created. He went on to thank, in glowing terms, the Scottish Government for its work in securing those vital jobs for Falkirk and Larbert. Even if Iain Gray will not appoint me to a job, I know that he will join me in welcoming that jobs boost for an important area of Scotland.