Keith Raffan: I had not intended to speak in the debate, and I am not sure that it is a wise move to do so. However, I was provoked as usual by Mrs Marwick, lost as she was in her labyrinth of party-political point scoring, which became her trademark in the last session of Parliament. We can always rely on her to lose the issue at hand, and to concentrate merely on trying to score party-political points....
Keith Raffan: Will the member give way?
Keith Raffan: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the Forth bridgemaster as a matter of urgency to discuss measures to relieve peak-hour congestion levels on, and leading on to, the Forth road bridge. (S2O-30)
Keith Raffan: If the minister is regularly in touch with the bridgemaster, he will be aware that congestion—especially at morning peak hours and on the southbound carriageway—exceeds the bridge's capacity of 3,600 to 4,000 cars an hour, which leads to ever-lengthening tailbacks. Perhaps he will assure me that he is aware of that issue. Will he seriously consider the following: introducing higher tolls...
Keith Raffan: I do not expect the minister to comment on the case of Breast Cancer Research. However, does she agree that there is a need for urgent action on commissioned payments? Will she undertake to consider that urgently? Will she also prove that she is not feeble by giving a firm commitment that, once the case is no longer sub judice, there will be a full public inquiry into Breast Cancer Research...
Keith Raffan: I congratulate Kenny Gibson on securing the debate, but I have reservations and concerns about his proposal. I am very glad that the Parliament has debated the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Bill for the past two days. In the full range of health care, mental health care is, in a sense, the poor relation. We would all be rather startled if a bill called the physical health bill...
Keith Raffan: I will give way in a second, although I do not think that I am allowed, because I am in my last minute or very close to the end. We also have to consider addicts who reach so-called rock bottom before they get into recovery, as at that point the drugs do not work any more and they are frequently very depressed and need help.
Keith Raffan: I do not think that someone who had taken a drugs overdose would be on the line; they would be admitted to accident and emergency and it would be a question of dealing with the physical symptoms first, rather than the mental ones. What Kenny Gibson just said highlights the point that Donald Gorrie and Linda Fabiani made about having access to a range of organisations with specific expertise....
Keith Raffan: I ask Mr Gibson to reassure me on the important point of whether there is going to be duplication. The Samaritans have a long-established and very good reputation in dealing with the tragic problem of suicide. Are we not in danger of duplicating and perhaps not making the most of the Samaritans' expertise? Should we not be giving that organisation more support?
Keith Raffan: Will the minister assure us that in the school improvement programme she will give priority to split-site schools with 1950s classroom huts in their playgrounds, such as Bell Baxter High School in Cupar, and to schools carrying out roles bigger than what they were built for, such as Kinross High School?
Keith Raffan: I agree with the direction in which the member is going. Does she agree that one main problem that we face with other treatments, in particular therapeutic treatments, is the shortage of child psychologists and psychotherapists in Scotland?
Keith Raffan: Will the First Minister give an assurance that the emergency services are sufficiently well equipped, particularly in respect of protective clothing, to deal with chemical and biological attacks? I ask in view of the somewhat disturbing "Panorama" programme last Sunday, which indicated that emergency services south of the border are not yet sufficiently well equipped.
Keith Raffan: rose—
Keith Raffan: Will the minister give way?
Keith Raffan: Will the minister give way?
Keith Raffan: Will the minister give way?
Keith Raffan: Why does the minister want to tell pensioners what he thinks is good for them instead of listening to what they want? Labour wants to do what it wants to do; it does not want to listen to people. If Labour were to listen it might do better in the polls.
Keith Raffan: I, too, congratulate David Mundell on securing this important debate and I think that it is shameful that no Labour members are present. The minister cuts a rather lonely figure tonight and I hope that he will give answers to the points that have been raised in the debate. I disagree with Mr Mundell only when he said that he did not want to criticise the commercial decisions of banks. They...
Keith Raffan: Does the minister agree that if we are successfully to encourage young people to read, it is as important to invest in school library stock as it is to invest in school computers? Will she tell us what action the Scottish Executive is taking to provide adequate funding to ensure that school library stocks are kept up to scratch, particularly taking into consideration the high inflation rate...
Keith Raffan: Will Robin Harper join me in endorsing Mr Swinney's valid point that it is absurd that £2 billion has been allowed for the Ministry of Defence to carry out the war, but that no extra resources have been given to the Department for International Development for reconstruction afterwards?
