 Rwy'n gweifio dd sprwp a'r cyllidell y gallu darllenfawr. Rwy'n gweithio ddweud i gweithio i heatedatio'r ei wneud i fflyg i fanodol. Gweithio'r ddweud i gweithio i gweithiogaeth Cymru a'r ddiddygu i gweithio'r ddweud i gydbwrdd hyn o unedig a'r anonnas, gyrfaol iawn i Gwyrdd Pond, yn hyn. Dwi'n gweithio i gweithio i gydwyr a'r anonnas diwylliad sy'n gweithio'r gweithio ar gyfer y cyllidellion ddod yn gweithio i gawr, The statutory consultation is now under way, and therefore we should not prejudge the outcome. We recognised that any such cessation of production would be devastating for the dedicated and highly experienced workforce at the site, and it could have profound implications for the economic and social wellbeing of Annesan and the wider community in Anandale and S estate. I want to make absolutely clear my commitment and that of the Scottish Government to doing all we can and with all the resources available to us and our partner agencies in working to seek to maintain production at the pity site and retain as many of the jobs as possible. I have held a number of early discussions, including with Young Seafood Management and the Trade Union Unite, and I have established an action group with membership, including Dumfries and Galloway Council, our enterprise and skills agencies, and industry representatives. To explore all viable options to protect employment, I repeat my commitment that we will leave no stone unturned to try and find a solution. I am visiting the pennies plant on Thursday to meet with the chief executive of Young Seafood, Mr Bill Showalter, and I will convey our concern about the situation and reinforce the message that we are keen to work with young people to secure employment at the site. I will also meet representatives of the workforce and I will assure them that the Scottish Government and our partners will provide all the support that we can during this difficult time. I thank the minister for that answer and for the work that he has done to date. It is very important that we have managed to build some cross-party consensus around what is the most significant thing to happen in the Dumfrieshire constituency since my election. Does he believe that there is a willingness from young people to retain production on the site and from the conversations that he has had so far, what options have been explored with the company? I echo the point that has been made by Oliver Mundell that we are very pleased that there is a cross-party consensus on this issue. It will help enormously the workforce to know that we are all behind them, but it will also help our efforts to try to secure a positive outcome. I particularly welcome the activities of Mr Mundell, John McAlpine, Colin Smith and other local members in working with the Scottish Government constructively to explore all possible solutions. In terms of the willingness of young people to engage with us, we can take them at their word. They have said that they will work with us closely and had assumed in terms of making the original decision that perhaps some options were not available to them, so they are willing to reopen that discussion. Two of the three main contracts have been lost to other businesses, one in Scotland and another nearby in Carlyle, but that means that it will be difficult to sustain all the employment there unless we find alternative sources of business for the plant, with other retailers perhaps, or if we can find another occupier to come in in the event that the plant is to close. Obviously, we have to wait the outcome of the statutory consultation before taking forward some aspects of the work. However, I want to reassure Oliver Mundell that we are very much focusing on trying to look at all options at this moment in time, and we will do everything that we can working with local members to try to provide a viable future for the site. Oliver Mundell, I thank the minister for that answer. My understanding is that there are four parties who have expressed at least early interest in the site. I wondered if I could seek the minister's reassurance at this point that those potential buyers will be entitled to help and support from the Government's agencies and that any grants or financial incentives that can be put in place will be put in place should those buyers decide to move forward. I can certainly give Mr Mundell, subject to all the due diligence side, what he would expect would have to be undertaken in any grant application, that we will certainly be offering all possible financial support that we can within the straight aid limits that we have to operate within. Culey's seafood is unfortunately, as I know, Mr Mundell is aware, affected by a particularly tight constraint around state aids considerations and a de minimis limit, but other food production has a much greater scope for support. We are looking at a number of interested parties, not all of them in the seafood area, so we will certainly look to see what support we can give. It will be treated with the highest priority to try and provide secure employment for those at the site. We know how vulnerable the economy of Annandale and Estale is, and a loss of jobs on this scale would be equivalent to something like £25,000 in the context of Edinburgh, so it goes out saying that we recognise the significance to his constituents. The minister will be aware that Penny Soul customer under Young's was Markson Spencer's and had been for several years. I appreciate that groceries regulation is a reserved matter and that exclusivity of supply is not prohibited in the grossers code of conduct. However, does the minister agree that, although such arrangements may seem beneficial when demand is high, they can have very negative effects when there are other market challenges and what does he think can be done to address that? I very much agree with the sentiment of what Joan McAlpine says. We do recognise that there are commercial considerations here, but I do identify with the point that Joan McAlpine has said in that spec that where we have a plant being dedicated effectively to one client, clearly if any work is lost on that client, it means that that plant is particularly vulnerable. We are looking to engage with Markson Spencer's in this particular scenario and seeking to meet with Markson Spencer's senior management team this week if we can do so to fully understand their perspective and to get to the bottom of that. We have had some initial conversations with Markson Spencer's, but I want to speak to Markson Spencer on the specific issue about single company sites. I agree with the member that the situation is starkly illustrated in this case, and the risks associated with having a single client site is obviously horribly exposed in the context of what has happened at Arnan. When you add agency and seasonal workers to the permanent workforce, the potential job losses, if Penny's closes, are likely to be near 700, which I know the minister is aware would be an absolute economic tsunami for that community with its size. The first priority is to use the 45-day consultation to convince young people to change their closure decision, and if unsuccessful, to find a buyer for the site. Does the cabinet secretary share the concerns of the local community that one of the reasons any job losses would be so disastrous is the fact that there are still fundamental weaknesses in the local economy in terms of poor infrastructure, low pay and a lack of alternative large employers that still desperately need to be tackled? I identify with that latter point that Colin Smyth has mentioned. We clearly are taking forward proposals for a south of Scotland enterprise agency, and that is a medium to long-term mission to try to transform the economy of the south. In the immediate period, we have got a more severe challenge to us in the context of Arnan. If all 450 permanent jobs were to be lost, and indeed the seasonal jobs from October to December, which is the peak period of production, were to be lost as well, then that would have very significant consequences for the area. One of the virtues of having the action group that we have established is that we cannot just look at the specifics around the particular impact of the plank closure, but also look to see if there is anything out of this process where we can try to do something to strengthen the economy in Arnan. Of course, there are other communities around Arnan that are affected, as well as I am sure that Colin Smyth knows such as Gretnan and Lockerbie, where a number of staff work at the plant. We know that vast majority of staff are concentrated in a 10-mile area, so clearly job losses on that scale will have a huge impact on Arnan. 2. Iain Gray To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has called in the planning application for a substation on the site of the former Kackenzie power station. Thank you, Presiding Officer. As planning minister, I called in this application as it clearly raises issues of national importance. The Kackenzie power station site is a strategic site in the national planning framework 3, which was published in 2014. The framework recognises Kackenzie as an important hub with significant opportunities for renewable energy-related investment and identifies two national developments relating to the site. The framework states that Kackenzie is part of the high-voltage energy transmission network, which is listed as a national development. Consent and Associated Marine Licences were granted in 2014 for the Inch Cape offshore wind farm, and a grid connection agreement is in place to connect to the Kackenzie site. The planning application is in relation to the electricity substation required to make that connection. There is a deadline in quarter 1 of 2019 for a bid for UK funding for the Inch Cape development through the contract for difference process. To be eligible, all permissions and consents must be in place. Calling in the planning application gives a greater chance of a timely decision ahead of the funding deadline. The reporter will consider local views, including the local development plan, and the calling in of the application does not predetermine the outcome of the planning process. Iain Gray The site, as strategic importance is all right, is the biggest opportunity for economic development and job creation in local living memory. The proposed substation is right on the waterfront and could jeopardise the potential development of the site as a port. Its future should be decided locally by local councillors who understand that potential and are accountable to local people. That is what happened in 2014, when planning permission for the same substation on a different part of the site was granted by East Lothian Council. Why was a local decision okay in 2014, but this time the minister thinks that he knows better? Thank you, Presiding Officer. As I highlighted in my first answer to Mr Gray, there is an issue here of potential national significance. We, as a Government, recognise the importance of local decision making, and we use call-in powers sparingly, but on this occasion we have decided to call in. We will ensure that the reporter from the Planning and Environmental Appeals division is given the appropriate time to consider and make comment on the application, and that community views are taken into account prior to them making a recommendation to me as minister. The other issue is that, in 2016, the project was bought by Red Rock, a company owned by the Chinese State Development and Investment Corporation, whom the First Minister was meeting last week at the very moment that the planning decision was called in. Can the minister understand that it looks to my constituents as if he is prepared to ride rough shot over their interests and aspirations in order to protect the interests and aspirations of a Chinese-backed project, which will create not one job in East Lothian? If he wants to convince them otherwise, will he do that now by returning the decision where it belongs to East Lothian Council? As Mr Gray is well aware, I made the decision to call in on 4 April, which was related to East Lothian Council on 9 April, before the First Minister was in China. We have been absolutely clear that there was no connection whatsoever to the First Minister's visit to China. Consideration of planning cases is focused on the merits of the case. The identity of the applicant is not a planning consideration, relevant to the assessment of any process. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the closure of the Two Sisters factory in Cambuslang. I am extremely disappointed that the decision by Two Sisters to close its facility in Cambuslang will be clear, as we were in contact on a number of occasions during the consultation phase. We worked very hard to try to divert the closure. I have been actively involved in discussions with the company and stakeholders having met Jeremy Hudson and having written to Mr Ranjit Singh, Two Sisters founder, offering every support to retain the site at Cambuslang. The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, Keith Brown, has met with Unite the Union, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and South Lanarkshire Council all have worked intensively with the company to explore every possible option to secure a sustainable future for the site and to safeguard jobs in Cambuslang. Unfortunately, despite all those efforts, the company has made its decision to close the site, and I greatly regret that this is the case. However, I want to assure Clare Haughey that our partnership action for continuing employment to our PACE team has agreed a programme of support activities with the company, which will provide support for all affected employees as they look to find alternative employment. As Ms Haughey may be aware, it has a tremendous record in helping those affected by redundancy. I thank the minister for his answer. I, along with many of my constituents, was extremely concerned by the announcement last week that the factory will close in August. The impact on the staff affected and the local community could be devastating. Several members of the same family's work there, many of the workforce have been employed at the factory for decades, and small businesses rely not only on the workers using their services, but also on the two sisters' company for contracts. Can the minister detail what support the Scottish Government can provide to my constituents at this very difficult and troubling time? I certainly can. I have just been discussing, in the context of Annan, an action group in the context of the job shock in Dumfries and Galloway. My proposal would be to discuss with South Lanarkshire Council how best to take forward collaborative action in supporting the local community affected by the job losses. We will look to discuss whether there are advantages in taking forward a similar action group response in response to the job losses of the two sisters. We have wider than that aspiration to try to get pay support in, which I have alluded to in my first answer. The full programme of pay support activities has been agreed with management of two sisters, which is not always a case, so that is a positive in itself, because we know that it has a profoundly important impact for those individuals affected. However, the Scottish Government has also committed more than £0.5 billion for the next 20 years to the Glasgow City Region deal, and we will look to support delivery of a programme and investment to stimulate economic growth and create jobs right across the city region, which obviously includes South Lanarkshire as well. We will look to see to what extent those investments can also support the economy. I look to work with Clare Hockey and other members who have an interest in this. I know that there are members across the chamber to make sure that we work together and draw down as much support as we can from Scottish Enterprise and our other enterprise and skills agencies to help local businesses, because Clare Hockey is absolutely right. It is not just the company itself but the wider supply chain in the area that is affected. To identify those companies that are vulnerable, working with two sisters to identify their suppliers and to see what we can do to support them through that. Will the minister commit to engaging with all relevant agencies, including South Lanarkshire Council, with a view to looking at convening an action group similar to the one that is organised in Anan? Can he advise me what the Scottish Government can do to support the future use of the site so that jobs can be created and supported in Camposlang? Yes, absolutely. I commit to Clare Hockey that we will take forward that discussion with South Lanarkshire Council and look to see whether we can convene an action group. I do not want to prejudge that, because the council itself may have a different view as to how best we work together. It is not always the outcome that we require an action group to deliver an impact. We have had several examples in Lanarkshire in recent years where we have managed to successfully get those employees affected by redundancy programmes before they have even lost their jobs. We will await to see what comes from that discussion, but in terms of the wider interest that she alluded to in the future use of the site, that is another issue that we can take forward with the council. We do not want to tread on the council's toes on its responsibilities in economic development, but we became to support, as we are doing in Paisley, with the transfer of jobs from Chivas from Paisley to Dunbarton, supporting the local authority in looking at options to master plan of sites that any Scottish Government can do to make sure that a valuable site can be used for further employment opportunities. James Kelly Thank you. Does the minister agree with me that Marks and Spencer's main customer are complicit in this closure plan, in a sense supporting the movement of poultry operations to one site in England? Will I give consideration to the reasonable suggestions from Gerard Cillan, the local MP, to set up a task force involving all parties and relevant agencies in order to look at solutions to avert this closure? On the latter point, as I have addressed to Clare Hawke, I think that the first thing that I want to do is speak to the local authority, South Lanarkshire Council, to find out what they would like to see happen. I take on board the point that Gerard Cillan has made and repeated by James Kelly today, that sometimes the task force approach is valid and it can work effectively, as it did with the steel task force. In other scenarios, an action group can be flee to refute and move more quickly to identify opportunities, and that is what we are doing in Hawke and now in Anon. We will have a discussion with the council on that point. As to the issue around Marks and Spencer's, as I have alluded to in response to earlier question regarding the pinnies plant in Anon and the role of MNS, we are keen to engage with MNS and we can certainly take forward discussions with the company about the business model that they are deploying and what impact it is having in situations like this. I want to listen to MNS before I start to take any conclusions as to how the situation has been arrived at. I hope that Mr Kelly will understand. I do not want to shoot first and ask questions later. I would rather listen and hear what views MNS can put forward, but I certainly take on board his point. We clearly are worried about the vulnerability that plants have to single clients. When they lose tens of millions of pounds of work in one go, they can clearly have a massive impact on employment. Thank you very much. That concludes topical questions. We turn now to a statement by Shona Robison on NHS Tayside. The cabinet secretary will take questions after our statement, so I encourage all members who wish to ask a question to press their request to speak buttons now.