Live webchat with Scotland's first minister Alex Salmond, Tues 15 Feb, 1-2pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Scotland's first minister Alex Salmond is our guest for a live webchat on Tues 15 Feb.

Mr Salmond, who is MSP for Gordon, was first elected as MP for Banff and Buchan in 1987, and went on to become leader of the SNP in 2004 and an MSP in May 2007. He stood down as a Westminster MP in the last General Election to concentrate on his role as first minister.

His minority government has just got its final budget before the Scottish elections through the Scottish parliament, after striking a deal with the Lib Dems to boost student funding.

When he's not working, Mr Salmond enjoys horse racing, football, golf and reading.

We're very pleased to welcome him to Mumsnet. Please come and put your questions or, if you can't join him on Tues lunchtime at 1pm, post your question on this thread, as per usual.

Thanks
MNHQ

Liking your answers Mr Salmond, and looking forwardd to your reply about civil partnerships

@KeepCalmAndCarryOnMNing

KeepCalmAndCarryonMNing: The SNP believe in proportional representation, but the AV voting system won't actually deliver that. But the people of Scotland will have the chance to cast their votes in a much more important poll - the Scottish Parliament election - on the same day as the AV referendum. It's just unfortunate that the UK Government decided to foist the AV poll on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the same day as our devolved elections.

trying ever so hard to be patient but really hoping for an answer to question about Gaelic school in Edinburgh...

thanks for your answer - and I wish 'don't vote tory' was effective - I voted LibDem at the last election, and that had such a wonderful effect

not many options down here in the Home Counties unless you're a raving loon or hardcore conservative, sadly!

Thanks for the response MR Salmond. I agree that it's appalling that the referendum is being proposed for the same day as the Scottish elections.

From your answer then I presume you yourself will be voting no? Will the SNP actively campaign against AV?

By the way, what's happening with free prescriptions? My local chemist was telling its not happening anymore?

and gaidhlig funding in general, glasgow cooncil seems to view it as a soft target.

Mr Salmond, thank you for acknowledging my post and your remarks about the A9. However, you missed out answering my actual question which was:

My question concerns the railways: an hourly railway link between Inverness and the central belt would go a long way to providing a realistic alternative to travel by road. A compulsory stop of all trains at Inverkeithing will greatly improve access from the Highlands to edinburgh airport. What does the SNP intend to do to improve public transport links between the Highlands and the rest of Scotland?

i think it's a tenner pre-pay for 4 mos, which is a total barg if you get regular prescriptions.

no questions but an admiring glance for straightforward no-nonsense answers

thank you

MajorP and 4 year old DS waiting.... Surely you won't let children down????
(Reassurring pat on head to DS that the First Minister will reply)

The reply to the A9 question was mine, oricella.

Trees?

Yeah, scarp my Qs, I want to know the answer to MajorP's!

@prettybird

What have you found to be the greatest challenge in working in a minority government and what have you most regretted not being able to get through the Scottish Parliament?

PS My Dad, previously a lifelong Labour supporter (unusually for a medical doctor!) has been extremely impressed by you (he loves the way that you demolish ill-prepared interviewers like Jon Snow) and has turned his back on Labour (he's never forgiven them for Iraq). :)

The greatest challenge is persuading the parliament to adopt radical policies albeit ones which are lobbied against by vested interest, for example, I passionately believe that a minimum price for alcohol must be part of tackling Scotland's problem with the bottle, which causes huge amounts of human misery and great cost for our national health service.
However, the other parties, who, if they combine, have a majority, combined to defeat what would have been a groundbreaking proposal, not just for Scotland, but across these islands.
Other regrets, the other parties, all of them, combined to force through the £500m Edinburgh tram project which was ill-thought through and a gigantic waste of public money.
More recently I felt that in the current difficult climate it was right to ask supermarkets and other large out of town retailers to pay a tiny bit more in rates to help fund other vital proposals. The lobby against that was intense from the supermarkets and their success in stopping it does them little credit.
However, on the whole, we've managed to get some 90 percent of our manifesto commitments through - some 84 out of 94. I suppose in politics as in life, you can't have everything your own way
ps. thank your dad and tell him I've never forgiven Blair for Iraq and never will.

Well, HE has been seen as a pretty soft target nationwide so far.

Thank you for answering me :)

Is the postage thing in breach of terms then and is there anything that can be done about this then?

Also with regards to the homeless issue, my mum along with my brother and 5YO twin sisters has been in temporary accomadation through our local council since June last year and still does not seem to be getting any definate answers about permanent housing.

Are there any policies on this or is this a national problem?

Perhaps there could be a H&I-friendly initiative?

@GentleOtter

The reply to the A9 question was mine, oricella.

Yes, sorry. Mr Salmond was enlisting MNHQ help to get through as many questions (he's done hugely impressive amounts of prep!).

And then we went and posted the wrong answer to the right question (or is that the other way round?)

oricella, the right answer is coming now...

@oricella

I fully agree with GentleOtter that dualling the A9 (at least as far as Inverness) is a life saving priority and would dearly like to know when we can see some real action on this. It is very disheartening to see money wasted on the Edinburgh tram or completely pointless overtaking lanes.

My question concerns the railways: an hourly railway link between Inverness and the central belt would go a long way to providing a realistic alternative to travel by road. A compulsory stop of all trains at Inverkeithing will greatly improve access from the Highlands to edinburgh airport. What does the SNP intend to do to improve public transport links between the Highlands and the rest of Scotland?

Oricella and GentleOtter: Suggestions such as an extra stop are well worth making and discussions are still ongoing between Transport Scotland, Network Rail and ScotRail regarding the delivery of two additional services that are expected to be introduced between Inverness and the Central Belt from the end of this year.

@MajorPettigrew

Hello Mr Salmond,
As the rules on posting questions in webchats are limited to one per poster, I've had to think long and hard about what I wanted to speak to you about.

There are many, many issues that I want to discuss with you, ranging from problems in rural schools, cutting of teaching assistants, loss of music lessons in primary schools, drug problems and the social implications that it leads to, al-megrahi, the state of the roads, cost of fuel etc etc (I won't go on any more)

I feel as a politicians seem to be held in fairly low regard among the electorate, you would feel it was your duty to show that you have a high moral code that all should try live by.

With that in mind Mr Salmond, your umbrella whacked me in the face as you walked past me at Turriff Show last summer.
My 4 year old thinks you were rude and should have said sorry. (I'm inclined to agree with him, although maybe there was a particularly good pipe band to go and judge at the time).

Anyway, please show my son that even the First Minister can admit when he has done something wrong and say sorry.
I know it's not exactly a pressing political question, but lead by example and all that...

Sorry about the umbrella, tell your four year old if I had realised I would have said sorry at the time.
They don't trust me with anything as important as pipe band judging at the Turra show - running the country is much less controversial in comparison.

There was a programme yesterday about the targets for alternative energy. 80% by 2020(?)

Are these feasible?

Also just to add, while watching First Ministers I look forward to anytime Richard Baker asks you a question as he never seems to do any research and you always wipe the floor with him.
Best entertainment ever