Thank you. That concludes general questions. The next item of business is First Minister's

questions.

At question number one, I call Douglas Ross.

Thank you very much, President. There are reports this morning from a leaked document

that Glasgow City Council are considering cutting 800 teaching posts.

The General Secretary of the SSTA Teachers Trade Union said,

this would potentially write off the current generation of young people. So was the First

Minister aware that an SMP-run council was considering such a drastic cut in teacher

numbers?

First Minister, this of course is that time of year when we get lots of reports

about savings options that different councils are considering.

Opposition parties quite understandably make hate with that, but very often these proposals do not proceed.

I think the official report of this Parliament will be littered with examples of what I have just spoken about.

In terms of these particular proposals, I have not seen the detail of these.

Councils, of course, are autonomous in their areas of responsibility, something

that parties across this Chamber often call on the Scottish Government to respect. But as

my record shows, and indeed as my Government's funding to councils demonstrates, I am in favour

of more teachers, not fewer teachers.

Douglas Ross.

Well, the First Minister's record is 900 fewer teachers in Scotland, so I'm not sure how

her rhetoric matches her record.

She's saying, I'm standing here making hate.

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