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

@midnightexpress

Euphemia, my understanding is that it's more than a 'proposal' in Renfrewshire. According to the BBC, Renfrewshire is definitely going ahead with a test of this from August. Is that right?

Mr Salmond, in view of this, and of North Ayrshire's discussion of a 4-day school week (which I assume is currently both unworkable and illegal), I'd like to know your views on the idea of P1 entry starting at 6 rather than 4 or 5 as at present. If savings need to be made, this seems to me like a potentially more beneficial and workable solution, given that it clearly works fine in many other European countries, and that there is research suggesting that starting school later may be of benefit to children, particularly boys.

Midnight Express, While I agree there is a lot we can learn from other countries' educational experiences - as indeed they can learn from Scotland - we have no plans to change the age at which a child in Scotland starts school. The law defines those who must attend school as children who have reached the age of five and have not attained the age of 16 years - that set-up has served us well for many years now and we see no reason to change it.

It's good to aim high. We have wind and waves and water after all....

Was hydro-electricity not developed early here?

The burning question... has Mr S ever changed a nappy?!

@MajorPettigrew

Thank you. To be fair, it was such an enormous golf umbrella, yoiu could have taken out half the show field and not noticed!

Right. Easy one done. About al-megrahi......

In the sunday times it was reported that the UK government supplied advise to the Lybian government on how to get megrahi released and that there was a 50% chjance of him surviving for another 2 years.

Was the Scottish Government involved in rhese discussions? Are we really to believe that you all thought you were sending a dying man home for no more than a couple of months?

The Scottish government and our justice secretary took a decision to release Mr Megrahi on compassionate grounds in line with Scots law and practice. It was a very difficult decision and we don't expect everyone to agree with it, but just to accept that we took the decision with due process and in good faith.
The recent revelations indicate that the previous UK government were playing a double game attempting to facilitate Megrahi's release in private on commercial and political grounds, and then the Labour party attacking the decision in Scotland in public when it was made on judicial grounds. That is one of the clearest cases of an organised hypocrisy that I can remember in my time in politics.

Oh, don't think that's a great answer to Midnight's q! Just because something has worked reasonably well for a while doesn't mean there isn't actually a better alternative.

actually, what the law defines and what the local councils will pay for is a bit of a disconnect. we had to send our daughter at four because glasgow council wouldn't let her stay at nursery unless we could find £3 grand to pay her fees. so while her right not to go to school is enshrined in law, her parents inability to pay for her to continue her education at nursery was what swung it. it's a bloody disgrace, if you ask me, and i would appreciate Mr Salmond looking into this.

Standing ovation here for the answer to Major P on Megrahi. Quite right.

@venusandmars

Hello and welcome.

In England and Wales there are moves to allow the use of religious premisies for same sex civil partnerships which will enable faith groups to carry out legal ceremonies. Can you tell us what the plans are for this in Scotland?

At present the marriage laws in Scotland are so much more enlightened and promote equality by recognising different religions, humanist and interfaith weddings.

As a celebrant I feel ashamed that I cannot offer offer an equal service to all citizens of Scotland.

@Mumtolittlemonkey

Your local chemist is misinformed! It most certainly is happening, the reductions are already in place. The removal of the charge comes in in April. It is part of the social contract that we propose with the government doing what we can to help with family bills in return for the wage restraint which is necessary to protect jobs and services. I also believe the original Nye Bevin concept of the health service as free at the point of need was, and is, the correct policy for health and that is what we shall pursue in Scotland.

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

@Mumtolittlemonkey

The burning question... has Mr S ever changed a nappy?!

Yes, and very badly!

@Habbibu

Hello Mr Salmond

Following the cuts to HE funding in England and Wales, can I ask if you subscribe to President Obama's view that "cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine. It may feel like you?re flying high at first, but it won?t take long before you?ll feel the impact.?, and will this affect the Scottish Government's decisions on HE funding?

Yes it will. We've protected the university and college sector in Scotland and will continue to do so. In particular, we've protected research funding and college and university places. The changes in England because of the financial consequences for Scotland pose great challenges.
However, we are determined to find a Scottish solution that does not inhibit entry into higher education from all sections of society by the imposition of punitive tuition fees.

Thank you for answering my question.
I'm so shocked by it all. TBH the whole thing is disgustiong and seems to make a mockery of the Scottish Justice system.
Surely the Labour party knew the damage this would cause to the SNP...or is this why they weren't bothered.
Easy way to pass the buck Mr Brown.

I'm off now, still on sign of my Tunnock's caramel wafers, maybe next time, eh? Thank you for all your questions and I've left answers to a few more which will be posted up later. Many thanks to Mumsnet.

it is at this point in a webchat that we look to the questions that the chattee did not answer, and we start to worry if there was maybe a reason why they were omitted.

Thank you.

unfortunate x-posts for us both, Aitch! I do like the rather carefully placed "punitive", though!

hmm, hope that the gaidhlig stuff gets a look-in. happy with that answer, habs?

Thanks for your time, one of the better webchats we've had, although the Sportacus was pretty good too.

Many thanks, Mr Salmond. Much appreciated.

lol fanny.

Well I have never been on a Live MN chat before but it has to be sid that I am quite pleased with Mr Salmond and his answers :)

Although I have came to the conclusion that the Scots must be badly outnumbered on here when you consider that a chat with Jamie Flippin Oliver was far busier :o

I am going to link up with you Aitch and Habb.

The future of farming question was also pointedly ignored by the Agriculture minister and the MSP. Looks like farming is on the ignore list too.