 Good morning, we have general questions. Question 1, Jamie Hepburn. To ask the Scottish Government how it will reduce poverty among disabled people. Minister Margaret Burgess. We are committed to promoting and protecting equality and human rights for disabled people and are supporting disabled people's organisations to increase their capacity and effectiveness to engage in the redesign of public services, as well as supporting independent living. We recognise households containing a disabled person have a substantially greater risk of poverty and recently published Scottish Government research shows that a significant number of disabled people in Scotland will lose some or all of their disability benefits by 2018. It also shows the cumulative impacts of tax and welfare reforms will mainly affect families containing at least one disabled person, particularly a disabled child. We remain committed to doing all we can to help those affected by welfare changes, including investing £7 million in each year between 2013-14 to 2015-16 for welfare mitigation activity, such as for advice and support services. The minister mentioned the welfare reform process. Does she agree with me that the UK Government's decision to replace disability living allowance with personal independence payments puts some 100,000 disabled Scots at risk of losing £1,120 per annum income, and that this policy, which seems to be supported across the Westminster parties, including the Labour Party, puts disabled people under real pressure? I certainly agree with Jamie Hepburn that disabled people are putting under significant pressure because of decisions made at Westminster and supported by all the Westminster, main Westminster parties. The policy change will have a significant impact on disabled people in Scotland. Many disabled people will get no PIP award at all after being reassessed. Others will receive a reduced award. The loss of over £1,000 per year reflects the lowest value loss or reduction of any one component of disability living allowance. We share the concerns of disability organisations that many disabled people will face financial hardship as a result of the move to PIP. We will do all that we can to help and will continue to press the UK Government that the most vulnerable people in our society must be protected and that any changes to the welfare system will not further reduce their income. To ask the Scottish Government what the latest date will be for the introduction of a local income tax. The Scottish Government is committed to consulting others later in this parliamentary session to develop a fairer, more progressive local tax based on the ability to pay. A local income tax was promised over seven years ago. Consultation the minister says will take place later in this parliamentary session. Will the minister guarantee then that that local income tax will be introduced by the end of this Parliament? I would like to advise Mr Henry that the commitment that was outlined in the manifesto to which this Government was elected will be delivered. That commitment was that. Over the period of the next Parliament we will consult with others to produce a fairer system based on the ability to pay to replace the council tax. We will put that to the people at the next election by which times Scotland will have more powers over income tax. We will keep our vow, will the Labour Party keep theirs. To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to reduce journey times between Perth and other Scottish cities. Improving journey times on the Scottish rail network is a key strategic outcome for the Scottish Government. That is why we are committed to a £5 billion package of investment in our railways until 2019. That will support improvements to infrastructure and services across the network, including substantial improvements to the Highland Mainline. Our desire for improvement is also reflected in the procurement for the next ScotRail franchise, where bidders have been encouraged to reduce journey times, particularly on intercity routes. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response, but this comes at a time where the analysis of journey times between Inverness and Glasgow has shown that trains are taking 10 minutes longer than they were in the year 2000. Even the so-called express timetables are three minutes slower. I ask the cabinet secretary again to decide what the specific commitments will be when the Scottish Government is negotiating the new ScotRail franchise to guarantee that the promises are kept and that passenger services are improved. I said in my original answer that improvement of the nature that Liz Smith talks about is very much a focus of the process around the next ScotRail franchise. Liz Smith will also be aware that the next phase of improvements to the Highland Mainline will deliver greater capacity and faster journey times to try to improve connectivity for passengers and businesses. We are also committed to a rolling programme of electrification, which includes the routes between Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee, Dunblane to Aberdeen and Perth to Inverness. The Aberdeen to Central Belt Improvements project is also being developed, and that will deliver faster services and improve connectivity between our cities. I hope that Liz Smith will accept that there is a considerable programme of work under way, but I will take the comments that she has made in the chamber today and ensure that they are conveyed to the transport minister. I know that he would be very happy to discuss the detail of it further with her. The cabinet secretary may be aware of support for a railhole to Newborough on the existing Perth to Edinburgh line, and we now await the results of a delayed feasibility study. Cabinet secretary can confirm her that the Government retains an interest in this on-going matter and will consider a stag appraisal if the feasibility study is positive. The Scottish Government is, of course, willing to consider rail-based interventions that provide a positive appraisal under the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance, subject to affordability and the potential impact on passengers using the wider rail network. The challenge of reducing journey times is balanced against additional stops. I am aware that the regional transport partnership Cestran and Taktran are undertaking a joint business case study in conjunction with Fife Council and Perth and Kinross Council regarding proposed rail stations at Newborough and Bridge of Ern. If they decide that new stations at least locations fit with their transport strategies, they will consider undertaking a stag appraisal, which will explore all possible transport solutions, not just rail. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in tackling unemployment and increasing employment. Cabinet secretary Angela Constance, the latest labour market statistics demonstrate that we are making significant progress in reducing unemployment rates and increasing the number of those entering employment in Scotland. The labour market statistics for May to July 2014 show that the total employment level in Scotland rose by 87,000 over a one-year period to over 2.6 million. The highest level since records began in 1992 and the female employment level is also at its highest level at over 1.2 million. A rongon commitment across government is to sustain economic growth and this is delivering results for the people of Scotland. While welcoming those numbers from the cabinet secretary, I wonder if the cabinet secretary would agree with me that any enhanced devolution settlement as promised at the end of the referendum campaign must provide genuine job creating powers for Scotland. Indeed, there was certainly much discussion during the referendum about job creating powers although not everybody could actually name the job creating powers but there is undoubtedly a mandate for change, a mandate for substantial and comprehensive change and what we do need is transformational job creating powers and I hope that we can all unite in this Parliament as champions for change. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote high-skilled, high-quality jobs in the west Scotland region. Scotland offers the most competitive business tax regime in the UK and the Scottish Government is delivering a range of initiatives to create jobs and attract inward investment. For example, the £842 million investment in the new Glasgow Southern hospital is supporting a peak of 1,500 jobs on site while the recent Glasgow and Clyde valley city deal, which the Scottish Government is supporting with £500 million over 20 years, aims to deliver 29,000 new jobs in the west. Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise support to start-up and expanding businesses encourages job creation. That includes RSA awards, which in the west of Scotland totaled £29.6 million in 2013-14 awards, which are anticipated to create or safeguard over 4,000 jobs. Kenneth Gibson I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Can the cabinet secretary address claims made during the referendum campaign that high-skilled, high-quality jobs would be secured in the west of Scotland through a new oil boom? Despite the fact that no oil company has found the west coast oil to be commercially viable, can the cabinet secretary confirm today what the official Scottish Government position is and what discussions have taken place with the UK Government regarding this issue? I apologise again, Ms McDougall. Can I refer Ms McDougall to the BBC and its reports of the Herriot-Watt University report? Kenneth Gibson Can the cabinet secretary confirm in the west of Scotland specifically North Ayrshire capital projects such as the new Garnett academy at Ayrshire central hospital, and Baroric Harbour will help to create and sustain employment and that participation by women in modern apprenticeships is above average whilst youth unemployment is falling faster than anywhere else in Scotland? Yes, I am pleased to be able to confirm that modern apprenticeship starts in Mr Gibson's constituency has increased over the year. There is other substantial investment in North Ayrshire, particularly the youth employment Scotland fund, where the Ayrshire councils work collaboratively and put forward the most ambitious bid, and they are taking that forward very successfully. The annual population survey published just this week does indeed confirm good news for Mr Gibson's constituency. For example, over the year, the employment level in North Ayrshire has risen by 5 per cent, which is an increase of 4,700 jobs. There is a similar trend with 1,000 more young people in work in North Ayrshire. The cabinet secretary will be aware that the Romanpe report on the future of Prestwick airport has still not been made publicly available. Will that report be made available soon, and when will the Scottish Government produce the corporate vision for the future of Prestwick airport, which in his hope will secure existing jobs and deliver new ones in the west of Scotland? It is the Scottish right to highlight the importance of Prestwick airport and its Government's commitment to securing Prestwick airport and its role in creating jobs and creating powers. I am sure that the Deputy First Minister will keep Mr Scott in the loop about progress as he has done to date. The cabinet secretary referred to a report from Herriot-Watt on the BBC website. Can you tell the Parliament what that report said? I refer Mr Henry to the BBC. I am sure that he is a keen watcher of the BBC, but the important point that we are now on this side of the referendum is that I hope that Mr Henry and I will now be on the same side advocating for substantial and comprehensive job creating powers for this Parliament. I extend to Mr Henry the hand of friendship for us to be partners for real progress when it comes to creating more jobs in Scotland. I hope that Mr Henry and his colleagues when it comes to the economy of Scotland start talking up the talents of this nation as opposed to running it down. That includes for our oil industry as well. Alison Johnstone to ask the Scottish Government what the turnout was of the referendum. Just under 4.3 million people registered to vote in the referendum. The number of votes cast was 3,623,344. That gives an overall turnout figure of 84.6 per cent, which is the highest turnout ever recorded in a Scottish election or referendum, something that all of us should celebrate. I sincerely hope that we can capture that enthusiasm for our nation. Politics in Scotland needs to open up to become a greater mix of representational and participative democracy. The debate on new powers should not just be between political parties. How does the Scottish Government see people being involved in this process, particularly given the short timescales involved? Alison Johnstone to ask a very important question. I am sure that, firstly, the staggering increase in membership of both the SNP and the Green Party is a clear sign that people want to continue to be involved in politics and in the decisions that shape this country. In terms of the debate on more powers, as has already been made clear, I met John Swinney with Lord Robert Smith earlier this week. One of the points that we stressed to him was the importance of public engagement in the process that will now unfold. He certainly responded to that very positively. I think that it is incumbent on all of us to make sure that whatever happens around more powers, in my views on that, are very well known. That is not some kind of backroom deal or Westminster establishment stitch-up. Scotland will not go back to what it was before, because the people of Scotland will demand that those promises are kept. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report challenges from the front line, which suggests that Bermardo Scotland is increasingly reporting extreme levels of destitution among the families of the vulnerable children that it works with. The wellbeing and safety of Scotland's children and young people is a key priority for the Scottish Government. All children and young people have the right to be cared for and protected from harm and to grow up in a safe environment in which their rights and needs are respected. I heard the concerns expressed in the report from Bernardo's and the NSPCC at the Ministerial Advisory Group on Child Poverty. Concerns that a combination of the UK Government's welfare reforms, low wages and rising living costs are significantly contributing to the number of children and families living in poverty in Scotland. I think that that is unacceptable and I am very concerned that at a time when we continue to work with the advisory group to improve children's wellbeing and life chances, UK Government welfare changes are estimated to lead up to an additional 100,000 children in poverty by 2020. I thank the minister for that answer. The minister has mentioned the prospect of up to 100,000 more children in Scotland being pushed into poverty as a result of Westminster welfare reforms, including welfare and benefit caps proposed this week at the Labour Party. Conference, should the unlikely event be elected at the next election, can the cabinet secretary outline what steps are being taken to mitigate this impact? I reassure the member that reducing poverty and inequalities is a priority for this Government. Our child poverty strategy sets out our preventative approach in tackling poverty. However, the cumulative impact of the UK welfare reforms over six years to 2015-16 could result in the Scottish welfare bill being reduced by around £6 billion. Over £1 billion of that reduction relates directly to children in Scotland. We are doing what we can to mitigate the impact of those reforms, and our current and planned spending will invest at least £260 million over the period 13, 14 to 15, 16 to limit the damage of Westminster welfare policies in Scotland. To ask the Scottish Government whether it is committed to fairer pay for workers employed by private companies on public contracts. Yes, our record on addressing low pay is good. We guarantee our own staff at least a living wage, and the Procurement Reform Scotland Act 2014 says that public bodies must set out their policy on the payment of a living wage for those working on public contracts. It also allows us to make statutory guidance on how public bodies can consider employment-related issues as part of a public procurement tendering process, and we plan to publish the guidance next year. Recent Office of National Statistics figures highlighted that, in Falkirk North and South Lanarkshire areas, 46,000 and six workers are being paid less than the Scottish living wage. Scottish Labour backs a proposal to give £1,000 tax rebate to employers paying the living wage, and we want to establish a national living wage strategy that reports and is accountable to the Scottish Parliament. What action shall the Scottish Government take to ensure that those workers employed by private companies on public contracts throughout my region and across Scotland are paid the living wage, which could increase earnings if a full-time worker is paid less than the living wage by up to £2,600 per year? The Deputy First Minister met on 6 May, Presiding Officer, with the STUC and other unions who welcomed the approach that the Scottish Government is taking with regard to implementation of guidance, which will be brought forward next year after we debated the matter in the Procurement Reform Act this year. However, I respectfully point out to the member the fact that the minimum wage in the UK is currently £6.31 an hour. The living wage in Scotland is £7.65 an hour. That is over a fifth more. It is extremely surprising to me that the Labour Party did not embrace the opportunity of this Parliament being seized with the powers to address the issue of low pay comprehensively as the approach that we have taken shows that we have achieved far more than the Labour Party ever have. We are pleased because Tony Blair promised in 1995 to abolish zero-hours contracts 19 years later. We are so waiting.