 The first item of business is portfolio questions. Quite a lot to get through, so if it could be quick questions and succinct answers, that would be appreciated. First of all, finance and constitution, question 1, Jeremy Balfour. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Scottish Fiscal Commission's revenue forecast for the increase in the top rate of tax. The Scottish Fiscal Commission is responsible for producing income tax revenue forecasts. Those forecasts set the amount of money that the Scottish Government can draw down from HM Treasury for each tax year. Scottish Government officials regularly engage with SFC during fiscal events as part of the SFC's regular challenge and Q&A process. Jeremy Balfour. I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer. The increase in forecasts is to raise just £3 million annually, meaning that just a slight larger and expected behaviour effect could result in it being a measure that actually loses tax revenue. Given that the cabinet secretary has always professed to be practical when it comes to tax, if at the end of the finance year it was found that the increase in the top rate of tax had actually lost money, would he reverse the decision? Derek Mackay. It's a very interesting question, which is why you asked it. Of course I would review the actual take from our tax decisions and make future tax decisions in light of that evidence, but the point at which we have set the top rate of tax is based on that expert advice from the SFC and also the council of economic advisers. That was the optimal point at which to raise more money, but of course all such matters remain subject to review as we look forward to the next budget and tax consideration. supplementary from Mark Griffin. The Government has cited the complex interaction between Scottish income tax policy and entitlement to universal credit, reducing the net benefit of the starter rate of income tax to just £7. Can the cabinet secretary say whether he has requested a resolution with the UK Government for a form of a disregard of the net benefit of the starter rate of income tax for the calculation of universal credit or a supplementary payment of universal credit? Those low-income earners don't miss out. Derek Mackay. Again, that's a valid question and one that I'm well aware of. I've been trying to work with the UK Government to ensure that people enjoy the full benefit of the tax position to be more progressive in Scotland. I'm continuing to pursue a UK Government to address this, of course, because it is in the UK Government's gift to address this in terms of universal credit and hopefully I'll get a positive result. I continue to pursue UK Government on this matter because they haven't responded today. It's certainly not a reason not to have a more progressive tax system but, of course, I want people to enjoy all the benefit of it in terms of those at the lower end paying less tax and otherwise would. Question 2, Liam Kerr. To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals there were in relation to the 2017 business rates revaluation and how many have been resolved. Derek Mackay. As 31 December 2017, 73,577 properties have appealed the 2017 revaluation and 520 have been resolved. That represents 32 per cent of all properties appealing the 2017 revaluation, which is similar to the 31 per cent that had appealed at the same point in time at the 2010 revaluation. All appeals must be disposed of by local committees by 31 December 2020, and there is a fast-track process for businesses who wish to have their hearing expedited. Liam Kerr. Thank you, cabinet secretary, but it also represents a 0.7 per cent clear-up rate and this is too slow. It's shocking that businesses are having to wait so long for their appeals to be resolved, which is causing businesses, especially small businesses across Scotland in my area, a lot of concern. With the new financial year fast approaching, what action is the cabinet secretary taking now to speed up the resolution process and what reassurances can he give to businesses that all will be resolved before it's too late? Derek Mackay. I think I'm fairly familiar that Liam Kerr has a legal background and I'm sure that he understands that the assessors and appeals process is independent of government and I cannot direct assessors and appeals to carry out their function in a particular way. I'm sure that with that clarity their independence will be protected, but I have made the point without direction that, of course, we want them to be considered as quickly as possible. As a practical matter, it is the case that appeals sometimes group appeals so that they can consider them in batches that are appropriate to do that. Of course, I would want them to be considered as quickly as possible and, in terms of wider engagement and support with assessors and appeals bodies, I'm trying to be as supportive as I can for them to execute their functions effectively. In Glasgow alone, there were 10,480 appeals lodged none of which had been resolved by 31 December 2017. That is totally unacceptable. Therefore, will the cabinet secretary use his offices to influence the assessors to ensure that a plan that is published with timelines to resolve outstanding appeals, or is he just going to blunder along while businesses suffer higher business rate costs and uncertainty? Derek Mackay. It is outrageous language. I tried to say that I am sympathetic for businesses that want to have their appeals heard, while at the same time pointing out that it is an independent process with a judicial element there if required as well. How assessors conduct those appeals is largely a matter for them in keeping with legislation and that guidance. Of course, I will provide encouragement as best I can. If I was interfering, I am sure that the opposition would be the first to criticise me for doing so. In terms of the Barclay review and quicker re-valuations, quicker implementation, more frequent re-valuations and improvement of the assessors, I have certainly led a lot of work on that. No wonder many representative organisations said that Scotland is ahead of the curve on rates reform, not always organisations that are easy for government to quote. We have made a lot of progress here, but there is due process and that should be followed, and the law should be respected. 3. Gail Ross To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with other Administrations in the UK in relation to government procurement post-Brexit. We are reviewing Scottish legislation in this area to ensure that functions after the UK exits the EU. Members are well aware of our position on that. Procurement is one of 24 areas that are identified by the UK Government as potentially requiring a new legislative framework in its analysis published on 9 March. As mandated by the GMC, officials from the four UK Administrations have met to explore the possible need for any such framework. Procurement is a devolved matter and the Scottish Parliament has used its powers to establish a distinctive and, in many cases, more progressive and sustainable devolved procurement regime. I am clear that Brexit must not be used as cover to introduce any new constraint on our ability to continue to do so. Gail Ross I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. My constituency of Caithness, Sutherland and Ross could potentially be adversely affected by the uncertainty caused by Brexit, particularly in the supply chain for large contracts. Will the cabinet secretary agree with me that new arrangements need to be made and soon to ensure that all procurement can be effectively carried out with minimal disruption to the supply chain and to ensure continuity of service? Derek Mackay I know that you wanted brief answers, Presiding Officer. Yes and yes, I agree with that position and proposition. Yes, that was a good answer. It is supplementary to myrtle Fraser. We will see if this one goes quite so smoothly. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that we should be seizing the opportunity that Brexit gives us to devise a new procurement policy free of EU constraints that allows us to better use our extensive public spend to support homegrown responsible businesses and, thus, grow our economy? Derek Mackay I am now conscious. The quicker the answers, the more brief the answers. I give you the more members of the opposition you call. What I would say quite pragmatically is that the Scottish Government will try and get the best in the circumstances. Clearly, for us, that means trying to get the best in terms of social, environmental and economic benefits from procurement and the safeguarding that we have put in place, going as far as we possibly can within the law. Whether that is part of negotiations with the UK Government or anyone else for that matter, we will try and get the best that protects the kind of issues that we were debating just last week, while complying with the law as well. Myrtle Fraser is well aware of the Scottish Government's position in relation to Brexit and UK-wide frameworks. Dean Lockhart To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated estimate of how much it will cost to implement and administer the new tax bans introduced in the budget. Derek Mackay We anticipate costs of up to £2 million in relation to the introduction of the rates and bans for the tax year 1819 and the administration cost of £400,000 per year. Dean Lockhart I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. The introduction of the new tax bans will cost up to £2 million, or in the parliamentary response that the finance secretary gave me to a written question, he estimated, or HMRC, that the cost may go up to £5 million, depending on the divergence of Scottish income tax rates with the rest of the UK. We've heard earlier that, according to the Scottish Fiscal Commission, the increase in the top rate will only bring in just £3 million annually to the Scottish economy. Will Mr Mackay think that the tax increase at the top rate was justifiable fiscally, and does he agree with the Fraser of Allander report issued earlier today that it is now time for a new economic policy in Scotland? That was a bit of a mess of a question, Presiding Officer. In essence, I've answered that question accurately every time I've been asked it by the Opposition. If you keep asking why the number changes, it's because the HMRC gave me a different number in terms of the costs that they are projecting. It's true to say that their costs at upper levels come down from £5 million to, as it stands at the moment, the figures that I've just given in answer to that question. Maybe those figures will come down further. That's a matter for HMRC to determine those costs in a working partnership with them. Those are the figures that we have been given. As to the question, is that divergence worth it? You bet it is, because it's turned a real-terms reduction from the UK Government's resource budget by the tax decisions that we've taken into real-terms growth for our public services. That amounts to more than £2 million or £5 million. In total, in terms of the divergence, it amounts to hundreds of pounds more going into our public services, which I believe has been welcomed by the people of Scotland. Given that the new tax rates and bans incur a cost to implement in administer, will the cabinet secretary recognise that the cost could be better justified if, instead of tinkering around the edges, the Scottish Government used the new taxation power so that the riches pay their fair share in order to properly tackle poverty and, specifically, the shocking rise in child poverty in our rich country? The tax policy that we have delivered, in terms of the top rate of tax, delivers the optimum amount for the next financial year. The proposition that the Labour Party and some others were putting forward would have resulted in less money in the next financial year for our public services and to tackle some of the issues that Elaine Smith would like us to tackle. I think that we've made the right decisions and balanced decisions around taxation. I don't think that it's true to describe its tinkering around the edges when what, in effect, it has realised is hundreds of millions of pounds more for our public services. Turning the real-terms reduction to our budget from the Tories, thanks to the decisions that this Government has taken into real-terms growth for our public services, lifting the public sector pay cap and delivering real-terms growth for many parts of the public sector, including local government. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing a levy on vacant and derelict land. Derek Mackay. Vacant and derelict property is already liable for non-domestic rates subject to statutory exemptions and reliefs. Additionally, the Scottish Land Commission is looking at the development of a strategic approach to tackling vacant and derelict land and developing detailed proposals for our compulsory sales mechanism. Mark Ruskell. Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his reply? Data collected by the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey shows that, amid Scotland and Fife, over 900 hectares of land are vacant or derelict, an area greater than the entire town of Alloa. If this derelict land was made liable for non-domestic rates, then it could be worth more than £7 million to councils in the region. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing a levy on vacant and derelict land. Come to your question, please. I understand the work of the SLC, but can the minister confirm when this consultation will take place and when the SLC might report on its work so that councils can start to collect the money that they so desperately need to maintain vital public services? Derek Mackay. The round table forum has already been convened, and I think that I have supplied the minute to the Green Party before. I am happy to do so again. In terms of the other work, I am happy to look at timescales and report that back to Mark Ruskell, but we should make decisions around this in an evidence-based fashion, and that is what I propose to do. Question 6, Kezia Dugdale. To ask the Scottish Government when considering awarding contracts what importance its procurement process attaches to whether a company has signed the business pledge. Derek Mackay. We expect those who deliver public contracts to adopt ethical business and fair work practices, and the Scottish Government highlights the values of signing up to the voluntary Scottish business pledge as part of our procurement processes. In earlier this month, ministers wrote to the Scottish Government suppliers highlighting the benefits of and encouraging them to sign up to the business pledge. Minister for Employability and Training announced in Parliament last week a review of the business pledge, which will be focused on attracting greater business buy-in and impact. Kezia Dugdale. This is a scheme that requires private sector firms to pay the living wage, avoid using exploitative zero-hour contracts and make progress on diversity and gender balance. It is astonishing that, after two years of the business pledge being in place, the finance secretary is only now asking the companies that it gives public money to sign up to the pledge. Why is there no target for companies to sign up to the business pledge from the Scottish Government as confirmed to me by Keith Brown in a recent parliamentary question? Why is it not mandatory when he is giving away hundreds of millions of pounds of public money without banning those very important practices? It is not mandatory because it is not legal to make it mandatory as part of a contract. We are trying to encourage, promote and support. Incidentally, not just encourage those who supply goods and products to the Scottish Government, but all parts of the business community. I was visiting a company today that does not rely on Scottish Government finance, but encourages them to sign up to the business pledge as well, and I am sure that they will do that. We should be encouraging as parliamentarians as many as possible. In terms of a target, of course, we should be trying to ensure that every business in the country is delivering the business pledge. Why should we not be trying to reach out and get as many as possible to deliver that? We must do it illegally. Mr Dugdale, will you stop shouting from your seat please? Carry on please, cabinet secretary. We must absolutely do it in a legally compliant way. In that regard, that is why the earlier question was so important, because it shows our ability to even encourage, may well be under threat, as a consequence of some of the negotiations. We have gone as far as we can, and we will continue to promote it. In terms of the review of the business pledge and any other ideas around what we can do, we are happy to take that on board because we really believe in the benefits that the business pledge can bring to businesses and wider society. Question 7, Willie Coffey. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the treasuries draft audit and accountability framework and its proposals for effective scrutiny of shared services. Derek Mackay. The Scottish Government is working very closely with HM treasuries to improve the current draft of the audit and accountability framework. Our aim is to ensure proper accountability to the Scottish Parliament of all devolved service delivery, whether that takes place in the UK public body or Scottish public body and effective assurance provided through independent national auditors. We also want to see a framework written as simply and as clearly as possible. Willie Coffey. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Both the Audit and Finance committees as well as Audit Scotland have expressed concern about the proposed framework. It introduces unnecessary complexity in red tape and makes far worse a process that is already working reasonably well at the moment where we already have good arrangements in place with HMRC and OBR staff regularly attending to give evidence. Can the cabinet secretary give the chamber a commitment that the Scottish Government will try to persuade the UK Government to simplify this framework and make it far simpler and more workable? Derek Mackay. Indeed, the Scottish Government is trying to do that. We will continue to do that and I will report back to the member if I have any progress. Fairly quickly, please. I can take question 8. Graham Dey. The Scottish Government how it ensures that any additional funding that it provides to councils for specific purposes is used in that way. Derek Mackay. I keep funding that the Scottish Government allocates to local authorities for a specific purpose is provided by means of a ring fence specific grant. Each specific grant is accompanied by individual terms and conditions and is administered by the relevant policy team. That ensures that the money provided is used exactly for the purpose that it was intended for. Graham Dey. Can I draw his attention to the actions of Angus Council, which is to receive an additional £1.56 million for the purposes of meeting additional expenditure associated with social care, which has passed on just £510,000 of that, made up of £200,000 for carers act implementation and £310,000 for living wage inflationary impact? Can I ask him whether he shares my anger that money earmarked for such important purposes is being pocketed by a local authority? Derek Mackay. Well, let me be clear here, although the extra £66 million in support of social care in 1819 is not ring fence, I made it clear in my letter of the 14th of December to the president of COSLA and to all 32 local authority leaders, including Angus Council, that I would look to local authorities to continue to prioritise their financial support for social care. I would not receive any replies to say that councils were not prepared to accept the terms of the 1819 local government finance settlement, so I would expect all councils to fully comply with the terms set out in my letter. That concludes questions on the finance and constitutional move on to economy, jobs and fair work. Question 1 is Emma Harper. To ask the Scottish Government what future infrastructure investment plans it has for south of Scotland. Keith Brown. The Scottish Government's infrastructure investment priorities include increasing the supply of affordable housing by 50,000 homes by 2021, continuing with expansion of broadband to deliver access to superfast broadband to all residential and business premises by 2021, expansion of early learning and childcare, which will benefit citizens across the country, including the south of Scotland. NHS Dumfries and Galloway's Royal Infirmary, worth £275.5 million, has been completed recently and within Scotland's schools for the future programmes in Joseph's College and North West Campus, Maxwelltown and Dumfries and Galloway and Jedburgh High School in the Scottish Borders are all currently in construction. Additionally, we are providing forest enterprise Scotland with £500,000 of capital funding in 2018-19, which will be used to develop infrastructure, improving the visitor offer in the south of Scotland. Finally, the Scottish Government has agreed heads of terms for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region deal, investing £300 million over 15 years and has also committed to exploring the potential for a borderlands inclusive growth deal. Emma Harper. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. That's really interesting news to hear, as well as the housing, schools and health investment that the cabinet secretary has mentioned. I'm interested to know if there's part of the upgrades to road and rail infrastructure that are urgently needed in the south west of Scotland as well, especially the 75, 76 and 77. Keith Brown. Well, the Scottish Government understands the important role that transport network plays in supporting the south west in particular and the wider Scottish economies and has a good track record of investment in the south of Scotland. I could mention, of course, the completion of the longest piece of new rail track in the whole of the UK for 100 years, which was the Borders railway elsewhere in the south of Scotland. However, we know that further improvements are important to local businesses and communities. I know that the member has made many representations on the issue, and that's why we've recently commissioned the South West Scotland transport study. That study will consider the rationale for further improvements on the key strategic road and rail corridors across the region with a focus on access to the ports at Cairn Rhine and will also consider the case for change in relation to transport infrastructure investment, which, of course, will then form part of the second strategic transport projects review. Question 2, Kenneth Gibson. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to grow the economy of Cunningham North. Keith Brown. Sorry, it's Jamie Hepburn. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The Scottish Government is committed to achieving inclusive economic growth across Scotland, including in Cunningham North and North Ayrshire. Enterprise agencies work with local businesses to help them to make their growth aspirations. Scottish Enterprise currently account manages 150 companies in North Ayrshire, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are actively engaging with key businesses on Arran and Cumbria. Last year, Scottish Development International supported 28 companies in North Ayrshire to internationalise, and this year there's been inward investment worth £1 million to Cunningham North, which created 10 new jobs and safeguarded 60. During yesterday's debate on the local government and community committee's report on city region deals, the cabinet secretary for the economy jobs and fair work and a number of Ayrshire MSPs, including the member, called for the UK government to commit to an Ayrshire growth deal. The Scottish Government has already confirmed that it's fully committed to that deal. Kenneth Gibson. I thank the minister for that reply. There are, in fact, a number of potentially exciting economic developments being taken forward in my constituency. However, some local employers fear that such developments will only lead to some of their skilled workers. They are being teised away by other businesses. How, therefore, do we ensure that the skills base is enhanced to ensure that local people benefit from additional employment opportunities? We don't just see skilled jobs moving from one company to another with a marginal impact on unemployment. Jamie Hepburn. In the area of skilled Scottish Enterprise and Skills Well and Scotland, there are active partners in the Team North Ayrshire business support model, which provides companies with a co-ordinated approach to business and skills support. A good investment, of course, for any employer, is the recruitment of apprentices. Skills Well and Scotland invested £2.3 million into the apprenticeship programme in North Ayrshire in 2016-17. As of the end of 2017, there were 800 apprentices in training. We also need to support employers to upskill their existing workforce. We have introduced a pilot flexible workforce development fund. We have introduced individual training accounts to help those in low-paid work and those seeking employment to upskill. We continue to transform the approach to bringing young people into the workforce through developing young workforce. Employers have a big role to play in shaping and responding to that agenda. Just yesterday, I was very delighted to attend an excellent DIY Ayrshire event in Irvine, where I saw energy, creativity and enthusiasm of young people in vocational education and also of employers in responding to the skills challenges industry faces in north, south and east Ayrshire. Supplementary Jamie Greene Despite everything that the minister has just said, over the past 10 years, the number of young people in employment in North Ayrshire has dropped from 60 per cent to just 44 per cent. That is the second lowest rate in Scotland. Why does the minister think that that is and what is his Government going to do about it? Jamie Hepburn Of course, we know that there are various parts of the country where the challenge is more substantial than others. We know that there is an above average level of areas of multiple deprivation in North Ayrshire, which brings particular challenges. Mr Greene could have listened to my last answer in terms of some of the things that we are trying to do. Let me re-rehearse it again. We have piloted our flexible workforce development fund. We have introduced individual training accounts. We are taking forward developing the young workforce, which, let me say, in Ayrshire is well ahead of the curve. There is some fantastic work there. Of course, we are investing significantly in modern apprentices in the area as well. For those who are unemployed next month, first start Scotland will go live and many people in North Ayrshire will be able to benefit by the introduction of that project. Clare Adam To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Glasgow City Region deal will bring to Motherwell and Wishaw. Keith Brown The Scottish Government has committed £500 million or 20 years to the Glasgow City Region deal to support delivery of a programme of investment to stimulate economic growth and to create jobs right across the city region. Three core North Lanarkshire projects have been identified by the Glasgow regional partners for delivery within the first 10 years of the deal, accounting for a total capital investment of around £170 million. Those projects are progressing and it should be noted, and I am sure that the member is aware, given the work that she has been doing in this area, that recent efforts to re-scope have resulted in further positive impacts to the member's area. North Lanarkshire Council secured approval from the Glasgow City Region Cabinet in December 2017 to widen the existing programme to include the vital infrastructure upgrades that are still required at Ravenscraig. Clare Adam I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer. This new infrastructure will potentially make Ravenscraig one of the most attractive areas for potential development coming forward. Although that is a few years in the making, in the longer term it offers some real opportunities in that area. I would like to ask the cabinet secretary what the Government can do to encourage people to look at the potential in Ravenscraig going forward. The Government remains committed to working with North Lanarkshire Council and other parties for the further development of the Ravenscraig site. On top of the investment that has been made so far, very considerable investment in remediating the site and delivering the first phase of improvements, it has totaled around £45 million. Scottish Enterprise has also recently helped to fund a refresh of the master plan for the site. I know that the member from meetings that she has asked for with me and others is aware of that. That new strategy has taken on board feedback from local residents and it includes thousands of new homes, employment space, which I know is very important to the member, park land and two new primary schools. As a member is aware, the sheer scale of the Ravenscraig site means that a phased approach will still be necessary. However, we expect the revised planning application to be with North Lanarkshire Council in the coming weeks and we will continue to work hard to help bring those plans to fruition in the years ahead. The work on Ravenscraig, approved by the city deal cabinet, is to be applauded, but it is a new project for that city deal. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that the city deal cabinet should be saying what projects are going to have to give way to make way for that? It should be clearer on what the plans are. Keith Brown Clarity and transparency are always a good thing, but, as the member knows full well, it is not really for either this Government or the UK Government to dictate to the Glasgow city deal partners how they conduct their business. As long as it complies with the conditions that were applied when the UK Government and the Scottish Government made those funds available, it really is for those partners to take it forward. The member has asked of me in the past and, quite rightly, and I have acceded to the point that we should allow some flexibility for the city deal cabinet to look afresh at some of the projects that he previously approved, not least because that was the first of the city deals. It was some time ago. It was before city deals have evolved to the extent that they have now. It was much more of a list of infrastructure projects. I know the member's view is that one or two of the projects have not been the ones that he would have supported in his time, so there is the scope within the flexibility that both the Scottish and UK Governments have offered in terms of flexibility to influence a Glasgow city deal cabinet, but it really is for them to take these decisions. Gordon MacDonald To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help achieve its ambition to become the data capital of Europe. Paul Wheelhouse The Scottish Government is investing £300 million into the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region, including £60 million towards innovation as part of a £1.1 billion investment announced in July 2017. Some £300 million of the overall sum is to be invested in world-leading data innovation centres, including the base centre for data, Edinburgh Futures Institute and the Usher Institute, to support creation of the data capital of Europe through direct capital investment and creating an environment to nurture and attract further innovation and investment. Knowledge and innovation are key themes in one of the eight Scottish Funding Council-funded innovation centres. DataLab is taking great strides forward in supporting SDI's work in promoting Scotland more generally and Edinburgh within it as a natural choice for inward investors in data analytics and informatics. Gordon MacDonald In order for Edinburgh to achieve its ambition to become the data capital of Europe will depend on collaboration and co-operation with other countries and the ability to attract people to write skill sets. What impact could Brexit have on Edinburgh's ability to achieve this if we are outside the single market and the restriction on the free movement of people? Paul Wheelhouse It is important that Gordon MacDonald raises, although the assessment has not been made specifically on the potential of impact of Brexit on the ambitions for Edinburgh to become the data capital of Europe. It is vital to Scotland's economic interests that we will be able to attract workers with the right skills. Therefore it is a matter of great concern that leaving the single market and ending free movement of people in the UK will have a negative impact on our economy, on businesses and on the individuals and their families that are affected. UK Government's own figures show the negative impact of a stricter immigration policy would be greater than the 0.2 per cent boost to economic growth that, for example, a US trade deal might bring. We continue to believe that Scotland's interests are best served by EU membership and, short of continuing EU membership, the best outcome for jobs and living standards is to retain membership of the single market and customs union. Clare Baker To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the Fife economy. Paul Wheelhouse The Scottish Government is committed to supporting inclusive economic growth across Scotland, including in Fife. Fife has benefited from substantial additional investment in infrastructure, regeneration activity and business support, which is helping to create and retain jobs in communities across Fife. For example, targeted support of £6 million helped to deliver the Fife task force action plan, which has seen investment in locations such as Glenrothes. In addition £2.7 million was awarded to Fife for an enterprise hub, industrial workshops and sub-regional business park in Cincardin to help foster economic resilience and benefit communities affected by the early closure of Longannock power station. However, I recognise that a number of measures further progress is needed to help to develop a more robust and resilient economy for the area. I want to reassure the member that I am engaging with Fife Council and the Fife Economic Partnership to deliver that. Clare Baker I thank the minister for the answer. It has been reported today that BiFab has received a letter of intent from 2B Energy to develop a two turbine demonstration that could extend to nine turbines. This is to be warmly welcomed and is a testimony to the workforce. However, concerns remain that a subsidy package offered by the UK Government would require the turbines to be generating electricity by the end of September, and that could jeopardise the project. Will the minister join me in calling for the UK Government to extend the deadline and failing that what action is the Scottish Government able to possibly take to ensure that the contract can go ahead? Paul Wheelhouse I certainly would warmly welcome the fact that that contract is being offered to a very important company, BiFab, in the Fife area. We have many engagements where we have been discussing, as the cabinet secretary has been leading on this issue, trying to help BiFab at this moment in time. The cabinet secretary has written to the UK Government to try to stress the importance of allowing flexibility in relation to the financial deadline for installation of the equipment that has been taken forward by 2B. We have gone through difficult times as a company. That is part being triggered by the issue, and we have been calling on the UK Government to show sufficient flexibility. I assure the member that we will do everything that we can to support the company and to develop the technology here in Scotland. We have supported the project up to now. Jenny Gilruth Is the minister aware that lower Largo is the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, who provided the inspiration for Robinson Crusoe? Does he agree with me that there is a huge amount of untaps? Tourism potential in my constituency, and will he agree to meet me to discuss how repairing and restoring lower Largo's historic pier could lead to the economic regeneration of coastal communities in my constituency and the wider Fife economy? I would expect supplementaries to be questions. Paul Wheelhouse I can say to the member that I am aware of the issue regarding the Largo pier. I had not made the connection with the local hotel, but I realise why it is called the Crusoe hotel. I am clear that there are potential avenues of funding available from Historic Environment Scotland. However, it would be the owner of the site, the hotel itself, that would need to apply. However, I am happy to discuss with the member any initiatives that we can take to help to support the wider Fife economy and the tourism sector, which would be a matter directly responsible to Fiona Hyslop as the minister. To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish National Investment Bank will have the power to refuse to lend to commercially viable businesses that it considers operate against its public purpose missions. Keith Brown In general terms, it is too early to provide detail on the lending activity of the bank at this stage. Benny Higgins has launched his implementation plan for a Scottish National Investment Bank on 28 February. The Scottish Cabinet will consider the report and its recommendations over the coming weeks and respond in early May. The plan recommends that the Scottish ministers should set the parameters within which the bank should work by setting a strategic framework that will identify the missions that the bank will need to fulfil. The report also recommends that the bank should be administratively and operationally independent of Scottish ministers and also suggest that the bank should operate not just to a core of ethics but indeed go beyond regulatory requirements and adopt a best practice approach. Alison Johnstone I thank the cabinet secretary for the response. Can he give assurances that the bank's investment strategy will, at the very least, be guided by the strongest of public interest principles, for example that it will not lend to high-carbon polluting industries or companies with poor workers' rights practices? Keith Brown The caveat of my previous response will be for the Scottish Government through engagement with the wider population and the mechanisms for that are still to be established to set the missions for the bank. In examples, we would include the transition to a low-carbon economy or responding to demographic pressures, including an ageing population or promoting place-based inclusive growth across all of Scotland. Ministers will consider the strategic framework under which the bank will operate and progress the mission-based approach in Cabinet in the near future. That will be our process, but beyond that I can commit to the member that, through the Parliament's relevant committees of the Parliament and in the chamber itself, we will present our proposals and have them questioned by the Parliament, as usual. Dean Lockhart Can the cabinet secretary confirm what percentage of funding for the Scottish National Investment Bank will come from financial transactions money? Keith Brown The member will know, because of the Scottish budget, the amount that the finance secretary has made available, but that is a starting position. We are looking beyond that to see what other funding we can get. Financial transactions, as he knows, is part of the discretion that the finance secretary has just now. That is not the limit of our ambition for the bank. We are in discussions with the Treasury at this stage to see what could be possible. We would like to see a substantial portfolio of funds available, and some will be financial transactions, as the member says. I cannot say what the percentage is until I know what the other size of the quantum is, and I expect to have that in future weeks. As soon as we do have that, I am happy to let the member know. Jackie Baillie The cabinet secretary has already suggested that the Scottish National Investment Bank will be capitalised by £2 billion over 10 years. If he is suggesting that, that will now indeed be higher. I welcome that. Labour's proposals are, of course, 10 times that amount. Does the cabinet secretary consider that the Scottish National Investment Bank is in danger of being under-capitalised, as suggested by Jim McCall to the economy committee? Keith Brown I think that there is no question that, even at the £2 billion that has been mentioned, the Scottish National Investment Bank could make a real transformative difference to the Scottish economy. Of course, it is the case that we would like to see more than this. The Labour Party got on board with this. We had requests of the UK Treasury, not least through the SFT, for between £5 billion and £7 billion of funding to allow us to take forward some of the major structural changes. We have to work with the money that we have, and we also have to work with the Treasury to ensure, for example, that we can carry forward balances from one year to another. Unfortunately, that is the reality of the position that we are in. We will carry on those discussions, but there is no lack of ambition from the Scottish Government as to what the bank might achieve. That concludes portfolio question time, and we will move on to the next item of business.