 Rhefyd, gyda bod y lim Dasidran Seiliad y Gweithgrifennidol, mewn gweld iawn am rhai ddynnu frefyn, gan yna i chi'n iawn i gael ei hunain, gweld iawn i gael eich parwysydd, iddyn nhw sefryd i chi gweld iawn i gael, a wedyn i ddweud, gwybod am y celf, Alex Rowley. Rwy'n credu iOOOO sidewyr mewn gwelio'r mewn gweld iawn, ziefau'r wyrdd ymddiannau, a gael ymddiannau ymddiannau i gael i'r pleid. Graf? The Scottish Government is doing everything within its powers to tackle this cost of living crisis, but it is the UK Government that has the key levers to significantly mitigate this crisis for workers, households and businesses. We have increased the minimum rate of pay for adult social care workers delivering direct care to £10.50 per hour from April 2022. This represents an increase of 4.8 per cent from the £10.02 pay rate that was introduced in December, and is an increase of 10.5 per cent for those workers in the course of a year, with pay rising from at least £9.50 per hour in April 2021 to at least £10.50 per hour in April 2022. For a full-time adult social care worker based on 37.5 hours a week, the increase to £10.50 per hour represents an uplift of over 1,600 pounds over the course of this financial year. Alex Rowley. I wrote to the minister in the summer and pointed out to him that those workers working in the private sector were getting £25 a mile for their petrol in the public sector, I think it's 42. So there's an inequality there. We then have an inequality in pay which will be even greater now that we have the pay awards in the council sector. I've talked to private sector providers up and down the country who tell me they cannot recruit and they cannot retain. So what impact is that having on our hospitals? What impact is it having on people on waiting lists for care packages? Does the Government have any plan to address that? Minister. Presiding Officer, as I explained in my initial answer, a lot of these key levers rest with the UK Government being able to tackle the cost of living crisis. This Government is doing all that it can to ensure that we are doing our level best for those people, particularly the most vulnerable people across the country. In terms of the fuel aspect that Mr Rowley raised, we are actively involved with our partners, including local government, to understand what impact the increase of fuel is having across Scotland. I have recently written to the UK Government to press them to help those workers, including social care workers, who are impacted by the rises in fuel prices. The UK Government would be much better in ensuring that we do all we can to tackle the cost of living crisis, including for our public sector, rather than cutting taxes for the rich or removing the cap on bankers' bonuses. Willie Rennie. I will help the minister to understand the impact on particularly rural workers and social care workers across the country. They are leaving the service. People are going without care packages and the minister just washes his hands of this whole affair and says that it is somebody else's responsibility. We need some action to deal with the problem, particularly in rural areas where they are travelling hundreds of miles every week to go from house to house. Fuel bills are going through the roof and it does not pay to work any more. What action is it going to take? I have spoken to folk right across the country, including from the Fife area with the Fife care at home collaborative. I know that there are difficult times for people, particularly with fuel prices, but we do not have those levers of power to deal with fuel prices. That is what the UK Government is doing. Mr Rennie is quite happy for all of that to rest with the UK Government. I am not. I want those powers to come here. That is why I want an independent Scotland so that we do not have to rely on the UK Government to mitigate on those issues. Question 2, Donald Cameron. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve the reliability and resilience of Scotland's ferry network. I refer the member to the statement that I made to Parliament on 8 September, which is available on the Parliament's website. My statement set out a range of actions to improve the reliability and resilience of our ferry network, including the expansion of tide and weather monitoring equipment to help to reduce the number of delays and cancellations related to weather. The key action is to increase the number of vessels and capacity. This year, the MBL of Theresa joined the CalMac fleet and is bringing benefits across the network. I am hopeful that I will shortly be able to provide more good news in this regard. Donald Cameron. The minister will be aware of on-going reports concerning the chaos and confusion surrounding the draft winter timetables for routes serving Mull. With that route in some instances being reduced from a two-vessel service to a one-vessel service, the Mull and I own a ferry committee described as being completely inadequate. I note today that the minister has asked CalMac to rethink its proposed timetable for this route, but can she clarify when this will happen so that residents and communities on Mull receive urgent clarity? I thank the member for his question. The member may be aware that the delay this year related to mitigations put in place at Uig in relation to that outage. I am pleased that we have been able to get to a better place in terms of the Uig outage, which has now been split in half and the time for which the port will be closed, substantially reduced. In relation to the Mull and I own a ferry committee, I met with the committee yesterday along with the constituency MSP Jenny Minto to discuss this very issue. CalMac are in negotiation with the Mull and I own a ferry committee subject to that meeting yesterday. I expect them to have clarification on the timetable later this week. Jenny Minto. As the minister has just said, she held a meeting with the Mull and I own a ferry group Transport Scotland and CalMac yesterday to drive through the changes to the proposed winter timetable for Mull and I own in response to issues highlighted by the community. Other work, such as the new equipment on piers to improve resilience, has been done. Can the minister provide more detail on this and what else might be done this winter to create greater resilience in service provision, especially to prevent weather disruption from being exacerbated by technical issues? I was pleased to meet with the member yesterday along with the Mull and I own a ferry committee. As I mentioned in my response to Mr Cameron, I hope to have clarification on the detail of that timetable later this week to share with the community. I recognise that this has been a challenging time. Within government, as I mentioned in my statement to Parliament two weeks ago, there is a need for a robust cross-government approach to resilience, which is why I confirmed in my statement my intention to re-establish and refresh the islands transport forum, which will focus on ferries provision and also on islands resilience. In terms of resilience, more generally, it is worth saying that in 2018 a resilience fund was established to upgrade or replace key systems and equipment on older vessels. That has seen recent investment by CMAL in upgrades to CalMac vessels of £14.5 million. However, as I updated Parliament a couple of weeks ago now, the Government is also investing in that additional weather monitoring station network, which will provide vessel crews and enhance intelligence, which is crucial in giving that information, which may allow for sailings to take place when actual live conditions are less than those at forecast. Rhoda Grant. The minister talked about additional ferries both today and previously. Can I ask when she is going to be in a position to give us more details? Does she hope that these additional ferries are going to be available this winter? I thank the member for her question. I think that the member may have raised this point with me two weeks ago in relation to the statement. She will be aware that some of the negotiations involved in the process of purchasing additional vessels are commercially sensitive, so I am not able to give her a confirmation on that at this moment in time. However, I am happy to write to her in more detail around about expected timescales because I very much recognise the need for greater resilience in the fleet and, as she knows, a spare vessel to provide greater reassurance to island communities. To ask the Scottish Government when it was last in contact with Shetland Islands Council and what was discussed. The Government engages with all local authorities on a regular basis, working together on key priorities for communities. Last month there were a number of ministerial visits to Shetland during which key topics were discussed, such as the current cost crisis, transport and additional connectivity, including fixed links, promotion of renewables and hydrogen in the context of a just transition and the provision of care services in the context of the national care service. The Scottish Government is keen to continue working closely with Shetland Islands Council to address those and other issues of concern and mutual interest. Beatrice Wishart. I thank the minister for that answer. Depopulation and decarbonisation are but two key challenges facing Shetland Islands Council and fixed links have a role in reversing depopulation. Tunnels replacing internal lifeline ferries can reduce emissions and improve connectivity and this is important locally and it's about national infrastructure and Shetland's contribution to Scotland's economy. The Saxiford UK spaceport, the aquaculture sector and the export of millions of pounds worth the fish landings all demonstrate Shetland is punching above its weight but with 21st century infrastructure Shetland could do much more. Will the Scottish Government commit to meet with grassroots community fixed links and action groups as well as Shetland Islands Council to discuss tunnel infrastructure? I thank the member for the follow-up question which touched on a number of different aspects in which Shetland is both succeeding and has further potential. For example I know that the issue of connectivity with regard to the fair service was discussed with the minister for transport on her recent visit. I think in order of experience and productivity if the member wishes to engage with me or other ministerial colleagues further on the different aspects she raised and we can follow them up constructively. Question 4, Liam Kerr. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on transport infrastructure improvements in the north-east. Minister Jenny Gilruth. The Scottish Government remains committed to improving infrastructure in the north-east with a transparent evidence-based review of the A96 corridor under way which will report by the end of this year. We also continue to progress proposals at Lawrence Kirk junction through the statutory process. Enhancing access to affordable public transport is a key theme of SDPR 2 and Transport Scotland continues to work with partners for Aberdeen rapid transport through the bus partnership fund. Additionally the campaign for north-east rail were successful in their funding bid for a new feasibility study through the just transition fund. Liam Kerr. I thank the minister for the answer but this Government has repeatedly kicked the dualling of the A9 and the A96 down the road. We heard yesterday that colleagues across the chamber are rightly distraught about repeated tragedies and our constituents are furious at the abject failure to give firm dates for the work starting. Year after year goes by with no meaningful progress and now thanks to the politicking of central belt based green MSPs we have a delaying consultation on the A96 with an unpublished report which we've just heard is kicked to the end of the year. Minister, the eyes of the north and the north-east of Scotland are on you and they want a firm commitment. On what date will this Government bypass their green partners and start these life-saving improvements to dualling A9 and the A96 in full? I thank Mr Kerr for his question and I recognise some of the sensitivities around the routes that he mentions of course the A9 I don't think is within his region but in relation to the A96. He is right to say that this agreement sets out that we will take forward a transparent enhancement programme on the A96 corridor that will look at connectivity more broadly around surrounding towns. We have already undertaken substantial development work on this programme which tells us that the dualling of the entire A96 will involve substantial offline new roads which essentially means changing the route of the part of the current road. I am sure that Mr Kerr will agree that the current climate emergency necessitates all Governments irrespective of their politics and all roads in the future is not detrimental to our environment. I would be more than happy to meet Mr Kerr in relation to this route and no other members have a keen interest in it. I have met them previously in relation to development of the progress that requires to be undertaken but I do think that it is important to understand that some of the statutory requirements around the route need to be adhered to and therefore Government cannot be seen to overcome those requirements but it is important to work collegiately on matters in relation to road building, I am sure that Mr Kerr would agree. To that end, I would be more than happy to work with him and colleagues in progressing the requirements in relation to the A96. Question 5, Jenny Minto. To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it can give to rural and island communities such as those in Argyll and Bute in light of basic fuel costs reportedly being disproportionately high historically. The UK Government holds most of the levers to address the pressures on energy bills and this month's support announcement by the UK Government was necessary but more support is needed for vulnerable consumers and we anticipate that more details in the Chancellor's fiscal statement this week. We will continue to do all that we can to mitigate the pressures on households. Energy efficiency measures are essential so we have widened the warmer homes Scotland fuel poverty programme to offer that further support for island and rural communities. We also intend to use an emergency budget review to double our fuel insecurity fund to £20 million this year. This fund helps households on any tariff type and using any kind of fuel and provides that dedicated support for those relying on solid or liquid fuels, which are often in remote and rural communities and not currently covered by off-gen protections. I thank the cabinet secretary for that very helpful response. Rural communities are coming together to support vulnerable people for example by using community halls however these spaces too are being impacted by the increasing fuel prices. How can the Scottish Government support such endeavours by local community groups? Cabinet secretary, we very much welcome these initiatives and we are aware that a number of local authorities and community organisations in Scotland as well as elsewhere in the UK are considering setting up warm banks this coming winter essentially to ensure that people who cannot afford to heat their own home do have a place where they can go to stay warm. This is a relatively new concept but of course we are going to continue to monitor that as well as ensuring that working together with our local government partners we are also considering and looking at what other measures that we might be able to deploy to support those who are most affected by the rising cost of energy prices but our foremost concern is really to support people who are worried about heating their homes, to access that information and that support that they need to reduce their energy bills and that's why we've expanded the capacity of our Home Energy Scotland advice service this year to help an additional household receive that free and impartial advice. Question number six, Jim Fairlie. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'd like to ask the Scottish Government what its most recent communication with the UK Government has been regarding the impact of energy costs on the cost of living crisis. Cabinet Secretary, Michael Matheson. My officials have discussed the proposed package of support with the UK Government. The average annual bill of 2,500 which is an increase of 27 per cent on the current level is simply unsustainable for many households. That announcement has also come way too late for many across Scotland who are already struggling to heat their homes. With the price cap frozen at £2,500, we estimate that there will be around 860,000 households fuel-poor in Scotland, of which some 600,000 will be experiencing extreme fuel poverty from October this year. Jim Fairlie. I'd like to thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. It's clear from his answer that there is much more that should be done by the UK Government in response to this deepening crisis. I appreciate, however, that no stone should be left unturned and that in my constituency of Perthshire, South England and Russia, I'll soon be hosting a cost of living summit that will bring together food banks, local charities, the citizens advice bureau and representatives from Perth England and Ross Council to coordinate a multifaceted approach to the cost of living crisis that is only going to become more critical as the winter approaches. To what extent is the Scottish Government lazing with COSLA and local governments to ensure that increasingly local and community organisations such as food banks are given all the possible support for the difficult months to follow? Cabinet secretary. We should be absolutely clear that no household should have to make the choice between heating, eating and other essentials. The measures that have been taken so far by the UK Government are wholly inadequate to try to address the level of the cost of living crisis that many households are now facing. We have already allocated £3 billion in this financial year to a range of policy areas that help to meet the costs of individuals in their daily living costs. However, it is clear that we need to see much further action in order to tackle the scale of this particular crisis. That is why we have also set out the wider measures that we will take forward through our fuel and security fund and our cash first support programme that we will take forward with our partners in COSLA. However, it is clear that much more needs to be done if we are to effectively tackle what is a growing crisis right across the country. Question 7, Katie Clark. Is the Scottish Government whether it will give an update on the work to upgrade Ardrossan Harbour? Minister Jenny Gilruth. The Ardrossan Harbour project is currently at the tender design stage and further work is required. The commercial arrangements for investment at this third party-owned harbour have been challenging. I am frustrated at the lack of progress, but remain committed to a solution and progress being made at Ardrossan. Following our investment, TRUN will be used when MV GlenSanix comes into service until the Ardrossan works are complete. The investment in TRUN also provides options for use as an alternative mainland port refuge in the longer term. Katie Clark. The failure by Peele, the landowners, to agree a deal that is acceptable to the public purse has led to a delay of more than four years. In the meantime, it is islanders on Arran, those who use ferry services and the addressing people and economy who suffer. Does the minister agree? Enough is enough. Will the Scottish Government now take urgent compulsory measures so that progress is made? Minister. It is worth reflecting that, in this year alone, the Scottish Government will invest £40 million in ports and harbour services. Some of those ports, such as Ardrossan, are privately owned, and that can substantially slow progress in relation to improvements. It also comes at a cost to the public purse, which is why I made my update to Parliament two weeks ago. I made clear my intention to explore with the relevant partners and local authorities and other third party owners, including Peele ports, how we can improve matters. Ardrossan works are needed to complete extensive improvement work, so Trun, which is another private port, will be the temporary mainland port for the service to Brodick, while Ardrossan is closed, or if 801 comes in before the Ardrossan works start. The works in Trun are largely now complete, but the need for the closure at Ardrossan and the temporary move to Trun has been widely known for some time, and they relate to, as Ms Lurk has outlined, the protracted and on-going negotiations with Peele ports. That continues to be progressed by the project partners. The development works that are being overseen by the ministerial task force. I look forward to chairing the task force later this year.