 Felly, gwaith amlinellu i'r ysgol y distulio cymryd yr ystod i'r ffordd o'r pryd yn gwych a'r dros Sector stradd yn lle iddyn nhw. Mwrwydd mwy'r hangau, dwi'n gofio'r bwysig i'r cwmpas. Pwylltech chi i'r cymryd o gwaith yn gweithio'r gwaith, ac yn gyfrynhwyr. Rydw i'n gweithio, gynydd o gweithfeyrthau cymryd â ddwybiadau sgol, i gael ddydd iawn, oherwydd, bod y cyfun i'r wych yn blaen i ymwyfyddol a'r cyfryd yn thaith Rydym eich mwrddodau, fonw hyn graswyddo ar gyfer mewn ni� yn hyn y gwirio'r pragmatic ymddangol y prif i fy mhamechwyrwyr ysgolwyr yn yn cym wronguo'i prickwysgol. Mae gynnwys uchelwyr ysgolwyr yn arferwad o gwaith ym Mhamechwyr. Mae gynnwys ei ddiwedd yn gorfod ar hyn o'r cyffredinoleth a chyloch yn illustrate ar gyfer gyflym yn cael ei gyflasiol. Rhaid i ddechrau i gael ar gyfer gyntaf sydd yn gweithredu. Neil Bibby. Cyngor llai o gyngor ysgolwyr yn ganweithio ati'r gwaith ym maes y rymell, ond mae hyryd yn gallu'n gweithio. spé naming. To my topical questions, if you're not answered. Why is the 3.8 per cent hike in fairs being introduced in January when the Tory Government is doing so in March? Why did he tell me on the 16 of December that railfairs remain under consideration but on the 17 of December he announced the biggest fare hike in over a decade?�리 local care幹 o ran agor? On the other day I covered this, it's a deep regret we've had to introduce fair increases The fact is that, in January, it simply reflects that that is when we were due to introduce an increase if that is what we were going to do. We looked in very great detail about whether it was possible to introduce an increase below RPI. We looked at whether we could have no increase and we were working on that over an extended period and late into the day. I wonder if the minister can assure us that there will continue to be investment in the railways. For example, I think that a hydrogen-powered train was trialled during COP26. Will the Government continue to invest to maintain, improve and decarbonise Scotland's railway? The hydrogen train is a very exciting opportunity for us to develop as part of the decarbonisation agenda. We are proud of the record of investment in our railways. Indeed, our budget for 2020-23 shows 42 per 8 per cent, a £74 million increase from £173 million to £147 million to support improvement to rail infrastructure, including implementation of aspects of our decarbonisation action plan. Overall, the rail budget has seen a 4.3 per cent increase from 2020-21, which, again, underlines our commitment to this important public service. We have fair hikes, service cuts and infrastructure projects scrapped. Does the minister have anything to say about the future under a nationalised short rail? I am glad to see Mr Simpson entering into the Christmas spirit. The infrastructure project that he is alluding to has not been scrapped at all. That project is proceeding and it will deliver the capacity that is required. As Mr Simpson and I exchanged views on that earlier in the week, I regret the fair increase, which parallels the increase in England. That is the financial reality that we face as we have to make rail services sustainable in the short, medium and long term. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that opportunities for retraining and green skills are available to workers currently employed in the oil and gas sector to enable them to assist in reducing Scotland's carbon emissions. The Scottish Government published the climate emergency skills action plan in December 2020, identifying the immediate and long-term actions needed to ensure that our workforce has the skills required to support Scotland's transition to net zero. As a priority action in the first 100 days of the Parliament, we launched the Green Jobs Workforce Academy in August 2021, providing individuals of all ages with advice, support and training opportunities to help them to enter into our progress of good green jobs. Through the academy, we are committed to supporting workers in the energy transition, including oil and gas, on and off-shore wind, hydrogen, electricity, carbon capture and storage. That includes the delivery of a skills guarantee for workers in the carbon-intensive sector such as oil and gas that will be desired with stakeholders as part of our initial response to the Just Transition Commission. In the Highlands and Islands, we have the highest level of fuel poverty. I added to that that there are very few companies that retrofit it because micro-businesses do not have the resources to register for approved status, and that would enable them to carry out work that is grant funded. Can I ask what the Cabinet Secretary is doing to attract oil and gas workers to retrain in the area and also to enable them and other local contractors to register as approved contractors to supply and to ensure a supply of local contractors available to retrofit in areas where they are most needed? I thank Rhoda Grant for those points, which are very, very important points. I certainly identify with them and my constituency in Murray in the north of Scotland as well. That is one of the reasons why we set up the Green Jobs Workforce Academy. I am told that nearly 3,400 people, unique users, have already visited that website just in the first couple of months of it being set up. There is a resource available for anyone working within the oil and gas sector, as well as through the official initiatives that are manufactured in the north-east of Scotland to find out about the opportunities in renewables and how to retrain and get accredited for some of the important sectors that are really important for the transition that Rhoda Grant mentioned. Of course, I accept that there is a long way to go here, and that is why we are working with our colleges and our further education sector and the Minister for Green Skills, Lorna Slater, who is working hard on those issues as well. The UK's £16 billion North Sea transition deal, which launched last March, aims to transition 40,000 oil and gas jobs in the next eight years. The Scottish Government has allocated just £20 million to a just transition fund. What precisely is the £20 million for, and what are the stated year-one outcomes? To Liam Kerr, I am delighted that the UK Government is investing resources into the North Sea after taking £300 billion plus out over the past few decades. It is good to get something back again for the north-east of Scotland. It is an important initiative. In terms of the Scottish Government's transition fund for the north-east of Scotland over the next 10 years, we are working hard with stakeholders and will make further announcements in the new year in terms of the first £20 million of that, which is in the draft budget before Parliament just now. Neil Gray Thank you, Presiding Officer. Energy policy remains reserved to UK ministers. So can the minister advise the opportunities for green skills and green jobs that have been lost from terrible decision-making from UK ministers? While they invest billions in expensive nuclear power, they have under-invested in what the tidal industry needs, shamefully chosen not to award track 1 status to the Scottish cluster's carbon capture project and also cut subsidies for renewables. Briefly, minister. Neil Gray highlights the massive potential to create hundreds of thousands of green jobs in Scotland. The recent decision by the UK Government not to place the ACORM project in track 1 in terms of the carbon capture project is, of course, a blow to creating these green jobs. There are over 15,000 jobs expected in the early stages of that project alone and it is really important that the UK Government reverses the decision. So there is massive potentials with many, many different reports. I don't have time to quote that to outline the potential for hundreds of thousands of new green jobs in Scotland. Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government for the total value of applications received from local authorities as part of the £32 million local bridge maintenance scheme. Minister Tom Arthur. The Scottish Government received 131 applications for funding from the local bridge maintenance fund at a total estimated value of £107.7 million. A total of 74 applications from 19 local authorities have been approved. I thank the minister for that response. The collapse of several bridges in rural Stirlingshire has caused significant disruption for local residents and businesses. Given the over-subscription to the bridge maintenance fund that the minister just outlined and the urgent need for bridge repairs across many regions, what assurances can the minister provide that there will be more funding available in the future to carry out the necessary repairs? I thank the member for his supplementary question. Of course, there is £10 million allocated within this financial year and £20 million will be allocated next year. It is also important to look at the wider context. The local government capital grant for next year will increase by £62.5 million, which is a 10.1 per cent cash increase, or a 7.2 per cent real increase. Ultimately, there is additional capital resource for local government, and it is for local government to make decisions on how to deploy that capital resource, including for local bridge maintenance based on their own priorities. Does the minister agree with me that bridge repairs have been impacted by labour and skills shortages and building supply issues that have been exacerbated by the Tories' hard Brexit pushed through against Scotland's democratic will? The member raises an important point. We are all aware of the increasing cost of capital investment as a consequence of skills shortages and supply shortages. Of course, there are a number of factors that are impacting on that and creating that problem, but a key one, of course, has been the UK Government's reckless hard Brexit. To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to prevent the casual purchase of pets for Christmas. We understand why some families might be tempted to get a puppy as a gift at Christmas, but we would be encouraging people to really think very carefully about doing that, because Christmas is probably the worst time of year to bring a puppy into our household because it needs a calm environment and an established routine to help it adjust to its new life and surroundings. We also know that the lead-up to Christmas is when the unscrupulous puppy farmers are looking to cash in on the increased demand, so the chances of buying an illegally bred and sick puppy are even higher than they would normally be. In the run-up to Christmas and in support of the Scottish's PCA's on-going campaign, we've released social media messaging to discourage prospective owners from buying a puppy for Christmas. Our messaging also provides advice on how to spot the signs of an unlicensed dealer. There are key checks that can help ensure that you're buying safely. Those include meeting the puppy's mother with her litter and ensuring that all the correct paperwork is in place. If something doesn't feel right, walk away and report your concerns to the Scottish's PCA. I thank the cabinet secretary for her answer. Campaigns and advice have their place, and they're very important, yet, as the cabinet secretary has already said, illegal puppy trading from horrendous puppy factory farms and purchasing online continues. Often, as the cabinet secretary said, sick animals and then a great deal of distress and unhappiness for the owners. Will the cabinet secretary support in principle my welfare of dog Scotland bill, which fell last session due to time pressures and which I intend to lodge early in the year to encourage in-law responsible dog ownership? By the way, cabinet secretary, yes, we'd make my Christmas. I thank the member for her question. I know that this is very passionate about animal welfare and has been looking to pursue this for some time. Of course, the Scottish Government welcomes any proposal that seeks to improve animal welfare in Scotland. We will, of course, be considering the content of the member's bill carefully and I really look forward to discussing the measures and set out on it in due course and working together with Christine Grahame on the measures that she's looking to introduce. To ask the Scottish Government how it's plans to bring ScotRail into public ownership by progressing. On 8 December, I provided the net zero committee with an update on arrangements to mobilise a wholly owned company, ScotRail Holdings Ltd, and its wholly owned subsidiary, ScotRail Trains Ltd. ScotRail Trains Ltd will operate ScotRail services on expiry of the current franchise. ScotRail Holdings will provide oversight and management of ScotRail Trains Ltd. The appointments of the chief executive officer and finance director of ScotRail Holdings Ltd was announced on 10 December. I will, of course, keep Parliament updated as mobilisation arrangements progress and as significant milestones are reached. Additionally, I'm looking into the possibility of providing MSPs access to an additional informal briefing session in order for them to hear directly from some of the senior appointments and to ask any additional questions that they might have. Marie McNair The minister will agree that reliable and efficient railways are the backbone of the transport system. My constituents have raised concerns regarding the impact of their proposed changes to trains on the Magyline, but there is no doubt that the pandemic has had a significant impact on passenger numbers. What assurances can the Scottish Government give that the views of my constituents will be fully considered by ScotRail? I understand that ScotRail has been actively analysing around 3,500 responses to the recent consultation and services. While informed stakeholders including MSPs of the consultation outcomes together with its response to those in due course, I would anticipate that happening early in the new year, although I'm sure that the member will appreciate it right now. The immediate focus is on providing services and delivering the mobilisation. However, I can reassure the member that Transport Scotland will be seeking assurances from ScotRail that the views of all respondents to the consultation have been appropriately considered. Although I'm aware that ScotRail has developed a proposed timetable that seeks to offer service patterns that meet passenger forecasts, I would expect that, in light of evidence promoted through the consultation, it will be considering adjustments to that proposed timetable. It was heartening to hear about the plans for public ownership of Scotland's railways, but will the minister commit now to full work of representation on the board of those governance structures that he just outlined? I have outlined previously that the intention is to have staff representation on the board. To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that every GP has access to a dedicated mental wellbeing link worker. The Scottish Government is making significant investment in the development of mental health and wellbeing in primary care services. That includes the implementation of our manifesto commitment, which provides 1,000 additional dedicated draws by 2026 to help to grow community mental health resilience and increase the use of social prescribing. Those new services will be established within areas served by a group of GP practices. They will be made up of multi-agency teams providing assessment, advice, support and some levels of treatment for people who have mental health distress or wellbeing needs. Every service will ensure that it provides access to a link worker for mental wellbeing. The Scottish Government has recently allocated £1.5 million of funding from the mental health recovery and renewal fund and issued local planning guidance to health boards and integration authorities to support early planning for those services. Karen Adam. I thank the minister for his answer. I thank the minister for his answer. LGBT plus people have a higher need for mental health care due to inequalities in grained in our society, particularly in rural communities like mine, where there is not often a natural support network available. We often lose these constituents to larger cities with greater LGBT plus resources and support. Does the minister agree with me that these mental health workers are essential to ensuring that we can offer support to those individuals and reduce some of their inequalities within our rural communities? Presiding Officer, I agree with Karen Adam that, when the services are established, they will often be the first port of call for LGBT plus individuals accessing mental health support and treatment. People will be able to access those services quickly and easily to prevent mental ill health from escalating. In guidance-issued, HSCPs are required to equality impact to assess their local plans, which will be based on the specific needs of their local populations, including LGBT plus individuals. We recognise that, in remote and rural communities in particular, we have to ensure that we have high-quality, sustainable healthcare services. I believe that our plans in this area will go a long way in helping people in those communities. I am afraid that we have to conclude general questions at this point, and I apologise to those members who have been unable to take today.