 I remind members of the Covid-related measures that are in place and that face coverings should be worn when moving around the chamber and across the Holyrood campus. The first item of business is general questions. Question 1 is from Oliver Mundell. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the restarting of school inspections. Cabinet Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville. HM, I expect inspectors of education will take forward a phased approach to resuming the range of scrutiny activities as the year progresses, given the current Covid-19 pandemic. In carrying out any scrutiny activity, HMIE will take into account the pressures and challenges being faced by schools and settings due to the pandemic. Initially inspectors will visit those in establishments awaiting the outcome of a further inspection following an inspection before the pandemic. Routine inspections of individual schools and early learning and childcare settings will resume later in the academic session from January 2022. The inspectors are, of course, aware of the changing situation around Covid and will, of course, keep their plans under review. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. While it is understandable that inspections were paused during the pandemic, many schools across Scotland have already gone years without inspection under the Scottish National Party Government. Can she tell teachers, parents and young people how often a school should be inspected and what is the maximum number of years between inspections that the Government thinks is acceptable? As I said in my original answer, the plans for this year are very much taken into account the views of the inspectors that we need to be aware that the pandemic is not over and that it is not over in our schools. Our school leaders, our school teachers, are still dealing with the mitigations that are in place and ensuring that the schools are safe for staff and pupils. That is exactly why the inspectors will be taking a phased approach to going through their work. They will, of course, keep their plans under review, as I would expect members to do. I would point out to the member that the number of school inspections that were delivered over the past years had increased in 2018-19, and if it had not been for the pandemic, it certainly was the case that it would have increased still further in 2019-20. That demonstrates our willingness as a Government to ensure that we are supporting schools and inspecting schools and the work of Education Scotland to do just exactly that. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when parents will be permitted to attend school sports to watch their children play. Our priority is keeping children, young people and school staff safe. The guidance on reducing Covid risks in schools is in line with the current advice from the Covid-19 advisory subgroup on education and children's issues. The subgroup keeps the mitigations in schools and ELC settings under constant review. It considered the issue of parental attendance at school sporting events at its meeting on Tuesday 21 September and will provide advice to ministers on that and other issues in due course. We will consider that advice and announce the outcome as soon as possible. I find it incredibly strange that on Saturday morning when my girls were playing football, I cannot watch them, but on Saturday afternoon, when we go to the local running club, they are able to watch them. Why is the difference between a school activity and an activity run by a club? Are parents not entitled to go to both? As I hinted to Jeremy Balfour in my original answer, that is very much being kept under review and has been a most recent discussion within the advisory subgroup. It was also discussed very briefly in Serg this morning. I absolutely recognise the situation that Jeremy Balfour talks about. That is exactly why the subgroup has been assessing the evidence around that. I will consider that evidence in due course once that is presented to me. I will, of course, ensure that we provide an update on that as soon as possible. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its efforts to prevent and alleviate homelessness. I intend to provide Parliament with a progress report on our ending homelessness together action plan next month, one year on from our updated action plan, which renewed our commitment to ending homelessness and rough sleeping and placed a greater emphasis on prevention. We remain focused on our rapid rehousing and housing first approach and will invest an additional £50 million over this parliamentary term to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. We are also committed to a new homelessness prevention duty and the removal of night shelters. Our ambitions will also be aided by our new deal for tenants in the private rented sector and commitment to delivery of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. Cabinet Secretary will be aware that the Dundee housing first pathfinder is set to end on 30 September and the service is being mainstreamed by Dundee City Council with transformed community development continuing to lead on delivery of the service. Can the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on discussions between the Scottish Government and Dundee City Council and its partners regarding the efforts being made to ensure that there is a smooth transition, particularly for those receiving support? Cabinet Secretary? Yes, I can. My officials are in regular contact with Dundee City Council, who are fully committed to delivering a housing first programme in Dundee. The council is investing in their housing first programme by bringing in specialist support staff and other organisations, for example funding positions to deliver a gender and youth specific support and community social workers who will be embedded within the housing options service and support housing first functions. To date, the housing first programme in Dundee has been very successful with 87 people starting housing first tenancies, with the tailored support required to meet their needs, of which 86 per cent are meeting and maintaining their tenancies. Alexander Stewart In 2018, the First Minister pledged to invest in and expand housing first by supporting 800 over a three-year period, but, as of 31 July, only 540 people had received support through the Pathfinder programme. What is the Scottish Government doing to speed up the roll-out across Scotland? As part of local authorities rapid rehousing transition plans, local authorities in Scotland have given consideration to the development and implementation of housing first information gathered from the plans in 2020, indicating that 29 of the 32 local authorities are developing a housing first programme. We will certainly be continuing to work with local government to make sure that that continues to be a priority. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with local authorities regarding spectators returning to watch school sports events. Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville As I noted in my earlier response to Jeremy Balfour, the arrangements for attendance at school sports events was considered by the advisory subgroup on education and children's issues on Tuesday. The principal consideration remains the safety of children, young people and school staff, and we will consider the subgroup's advice and respond as soon as possible. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response, and I heard very carefully what the reply was to Jeremy Balfour. Cabinet secretary, I know that I am not the only member in this chamber who has been receiving a considerable number of emails from parents right across Scotland throughout the summer. Asking what the logic is as to why their youngsters are taking part in a school match and they cannot, as parents, go to watch that, whereas many thousands can attend football matches and last week's transmit concert, but there does not seem to be any logic. Cabinet secretary, is there any logic in the decision as to why they are unable to attend the school sports events? I have probably not got that much to add to what I said to Jeremy Balfour in that question. We are, of course, listening carefully to the emails from parents that are coming in to members in the chamber and directly to Government on this issue. As I said to Jeremy Balfour, that is exactly why the advisory subgroup has been looking at this issue again. I hope that the chamber would expect me quite rightly to listen very carefully to the advice that comes from the advisory subgroup on this and in all other issues. Those measures are being kept under review since schools have got back. We have ensured that we have kept mitigation measures in place to ensure that we are therefore allowed to take some other changes, for example, around self-isolation and so on. However, we are keeping that under review. I have said to Liz Smith and to Jeremy Balfour that it has been looked at, and I can assure her that when I have that advice, I will respond to that as expeditiously as I can. I am very grateful, Presiding Officer. It is really just a point of clarification. Could the cabinet secretary absolutely confirm that the subgroup has looked at this point of public and family spectators at school sports matches? The advisory subgroup looked at a range of issues to do with visitors within the school settings, and that included the aspects around sport within school settings and out with school settings. I hope that that gives the clarification that the member was looking for. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position regarding short-term lets. Regulation of short-term lets is vital to balance the needs and concerns that people and communities have raised with the Scottish Government-elected members and local authorities with wider economic and tourism interests. Over the summer, we held a consultation on the legislation and business and regulatory impact assessment. We are now reviewing the responses to make sure that we get this important legislation absolutely right. We have informed the local government housing and planning committee that we will lay the licensing order in November. By allowing local authorities appropriate regulatory powers through a licensing scheme, we can ensure that short-term lets are safe and address issues that are faced by local residents and communities. Given the contentious nature of the licensing scheme and the Scottish Government's failure to adequately work with the self-catering sector to resolve the issues arising, particularly with regard to rural businesses, can the minister set out how the Scottish Government or local authorities will compensate businesses in many rural areas such as Dumfries and Galloway, whose livelihoods could be taken away due to a short-term licence being refused on the grounds of overcapacity? I do not accept the member's contention. I believe that efforts have been made to work with the sector. I met the Air BnB and the Self-Catering Association just a few weeks ago, and I have committed to continue to work with them. I do not believe that those are onerous responsibilities. The Bria sets out very clearly that the licensing fee will not be onerous, and local authorities can only recoup the costs of providing their licensing system. The powers that local authorities will have are going to be very important in addressing issues of local concern, which I hope that Finlay Carson will also listen to, because it is important that we hear those local concerns. The legislation is aimed at giving local authorities the powers to use them. They do not have to use them, but I hope that Finlay Carson will appreciate that local authorities should have the powers to be able to address issues of concern in their area. Does the cabinet secretary agree that the devastating impact to housing stock in certain areas of the highlands and islands, due to the high density of short-term lets, needs to be urgently addressed? We know that, in certain communities, particularly tourist hotspots, high numbers of short-term lets can reduce the number of properties available and make it harder for people living and working in the area to find homes to live in, something that I would hope that would be of concern to members across the chamber. That is why we are taking action on short-term lets. We consider the regulation of short-term lets, including legislation, allowing councils to establish short-term let control areas that came into force back in April, and our proposals to licence short-term lets will strike the necessary balance between the concerns that communities have raised with the wider economic and tourism industry's interests. We are also increasing the number of affordable homes and are proud of delivering more than 103,000 affordable homes since 2007, and I have committed to delivering 110,000 more by 2032. The member will also note that Highland Council is proposing to use the short-term let control order for the Badenach and Stas Bay area. I am keen to use control areas for the East Nuka Fife to protect full-time residents and also for workers as well. I am concerned that the argument over the licensing scheme may be holding that up. I am interested in the association of self-caterers idea for a registration scheme that I know that the Government is against, but will the minister reconsider that opposition so that we can get cracking on implementing the control areas? Let me repeat. Councils have had the power to establish short-term let control areas that came into force in April of this year. Edinburgh is already looking at making the whole of Edinburgh a control area. As I said previously, Highland is looking at Badenach and Stas Bay, and it would be good for Willie Rennie and Fife Council to discuss the East Nuka area as well. That is a particular power that will be used by local authorities in areas that they decide in consultation with local people and with ministers. In terms of the registration system, it has been discussed at length. We do not believe that a registration scheme would give the same protections, particularly on the issues of having communal safety standards across all short-term lets across Scotland, which is why we will bring in a licensing scheme, but that will not be onerous and will make sure that it works for both communities, but it is also not onerous for those who are providing short-term lets. To ask the Scottish Government how it will assist schools to support the mental wellbeing of pupils, Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for this Government, and we continue to support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that every secondary school has access to counselling services. The mental health and schools working group has overseen the development of professional learning resources for school staff, published in June, and guidance to support whole-school approaches to mental health published in August. Those resources help school staff to respond to the range of mental health and wellbeing concerns that young people may experience. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. In Finland, the Government is rolling out a policy in which people presenting with mental health issues will be given access to non-clinical community support within four weeks. In addition to the early intervention of school counsellors, has the Government any plans to increase the use of social prescribing and befriending services? The use of computerised CBT is a parked strategy in assisting young people with their mental health. I thank Gillian Martin for the recognition of the need for a range of support mechanisms to be in place that is wider than counselling in schools. Schools and education authorities already have in place a wide range of resources to support children and young people. They include but are not limited to telephone helplines, seasons for growth, bereavement programmes, educational psychology support, virtual and telephone counselling, advice lines, family support, links to cams and youth work, among others. The work that I set out in my earlier answer complements those approaches that are already in place in schools and education authorities right across Scotland. This weekend, I visited Mikey's Line in Inverness, an organisation dedicated in supporting young people's mental health. It highlighted how critical early intervention is. It is something that this Government has consistently failed on when it comes to mental health strategy. Will the Scottish Government carry out any consultation or analysis to consider the effect of repeatedly isolating children due to Covid-19 on their long-term mental health? Will it tell the chamber what plans it has to utilise early intervention as a means of avoiding such effects becoming more serious? I thank the member for her question and point to a number of actions that are have been and will be in train to support early intervention. That includes, for example, the get into summer programme, which was very successful right across Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government and provided by local authorities. Within the wider transition and recovery plan for mental health and the recovery and renewal fund, there is a fund that is there to transform services with a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention, exactly as the member has suggested that we should.