 Lleon Streer, kefferfaith, ddim ein bod ni wedi eu cyfle ac mae'l eithaf yn gwirionedd Cymru. A rai ben o blynydd wedi ar gael. Mae derbyn i ddechrau i gael cyfle i ddechrau iawn i gael argyffredinus fawr y dyfodol, amd yn hynny i gael, i gael yn ei gyrdai eu cyfle i ddechrau mewn prifyfriddau sydd yn cyffredinol ar gyfer ddweud yr ei gael, ac mae'r lleio i gael i'ch gwirionedd Cymru the people of Scotland resulting from the increased fuel prices we have seen this year, including reported inconsistent pricing at local forecorts across the country. I was therefore pleased to learn that the UK Government asked the competition and markets authority to launch an urgent review into the road fuel market. Sarah Cardeolf, Tintor and Chief Executive of the CMA, has been in contact with the Scottish Government to outline the initial findings of the review, as well as offering future engagement, as the fuel market study is i gael i cimdu i fynd i dylwyddiadau, a byddai ei gael i'w voch yn ymgyrch argystafell a'r cyhoeddwyd wedi bod yn rhan fforddol yn gwyllwyr cysyllty, a'r cyhoeddwch ar gyfer honeddiant yn gyfrewidol iawn y ddwylltr dim ond, ac oeddwn i'w ddweud i'r cyhoeddwch i amgyrchu i'r cyhoeddwch cyhoeddwch a'u cyhoeddwch. Stuart McMillan. Argymau gweld y瞳 hyfforddiol popeth o'i gweithio ar gyfer hyn, ac yn trefai maes Cute스, sy'n fawr o gwych a phrygau'r cyffredinol. Am y cyfnod ddechrau, y unanim sydd gweithio ar lŵanodau, ac rhydwm ni'n ddigon i ddim ddim i gweithio'r eich cyfnod ar gyfer hyn sydd cyfrwyrol o'r llai lleol oedd, ac yn byw, byw, oherwydd, gan mwyloedd ar y rhan oedd niferwyr, a'r cyffredin молws ar ôl codi dweud i ddweud i ddech endroit o'i gyffredin mwyloedd yn hyn o'r cyffredin mwyloedd yn mynd ymddadegol. Mae'n rhan oedd, bod oesoi redd yn ciliadau i gael gwahanol mwyloedd yma gyrteidau i fy nghymru yn gwych ac yn ymgyrch i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i gael gwahanol yn gynghweithu i ddweud i gynghwyl ond iawn a'r cyffredin mwyloedd. A'r gwrsachnolaeth i ddweud i gael gwahanol prysyn yn yr inclydeedd ychydig. Felly, rwy'r sgwrsafodd newydd o'r rhaglen yn yndol gyda'r Euwch-Fuolwyr Cadwyr CME pan fydd yn gwybod i chi, mae'r eu ddaskwniaeth i gynyddu i gael eu ffordd yn gynghwmeddol ysgyrdd o'r rheinydd autocorffyr yng ngyllfaedol a'i'r pryddrefiau yn exploedd. A gydwg nhw hi'n ychydig iawn eich cyfnodau o'r rhai cynnigol ar gyfer y ydw i'r ysgarrigol ydw i'w bach yn peirio'r when it's published later this year, and we recognise that some companies are making excess profits during this cost crisis, and that's why we've made clear that any new support from the UK Government should be funded in part by an enhanced windfall tax. To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on whether to peg an independent Scottish currency to the pound. Minister Tom Arthur. We will publish our proposal for Scotland's economy under independence as part of the building a new Scotland series. Those will set out the economic opportunities and the currency arrangements for an independent Scotland. Michael Marra. So a new currency policy, yet another currency policy from this Government on the way, but the Tory's calamitous run on the pound last week would have left an independent Scotland having to defend the madness of a currency peg. Professor Ronnie MacDonald of the University of Glasgow has estimated in recent days the cost of doing so would be £100 billion. Where would the Scottish people find that money? Minister. Where the Scottish people find themselves right now under a Tory Government that they did not elect is soaring mortgage rates and financial instability and a threat of billions of pounds of cuts to public expenditure, a new age of austerity. That, Mr Marra, is where the Scottish people find themselves now, and that is why more and more people in Scotland are supporting independence and why, when they are given the opportunity to vote for independence, they will do so. Question number three, Alec Rowley. Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making to develop its fire and rescue framework in Scotland. Minister Ash Regan. Following a public consultation, the fire and rescue framework for Scotland 2022 was published on the Scottish Government's website on 29 March. The Scottish fire and rescue service framework order 2022 was laid in parliament on 31 March, and the framework was brought into effect on 26 May. The new fire rescue framework has been fully reviewed and fully updated, and the SFRS strategic plan covering the years between 2022 and 2025 was laid in Parliament on Monday 3 October and is based on priorities set out in the new framework. Alec Rowley. I thank the minister for that answer. It is my understanding that the workforce, the FBU, the management have all bought into the framework and are really keen to make this happen. There is an enthusiasm for it, but the question they are all asking is how is it to be funded, given the current financial proposals for real-term cuts? Secondly, there is a 2 per cent pay offer on the table at a UK level. The FBU are made clear that they are not going to accept that. Regardless of whether we have industrial action or not, the bottom line is that it will be much higher than 2 per cent when we get a final settlement. Will the Scottish Government honour the pay award and make sure that that pay award does not come out of further cuts to the fire and rescue service? The Scottish Government has a very long track record of investment into the fire service, recognising its importance and the contribution of all its employees to keeping Scotland safe. Of course, in the budget for 2023, that contains an uplift of £9.5 million. Of course, the next budget will continue to be set in the normal way through the parliamentary process that takes place. The Scottish Government is not part of those negotiations on firefighter pay. That is a matter for SFRS as the employer. Firefighter pay is negotiated under a well-established collective bargaining arrangements on a UK-wide basis. We encourage both sides to continue negotiating to reach a fair deal for firefighters. However, the Scottish Government will continue to work with SFRS to ensure that it has a sufficient budget in order to support a pay deal for its staff. The fire and rescue framework for Scotland is the classic of the SNP Government genre, all jargon and graphics. Page 7 is a kaleidoscope-style graphic setting out SFRS strategic priorities, which include, I quote, the need to grow up loved, sharing opportunities, wealth and power, a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy, and to make a positive contribution internationally. Minister, do the people of Scotland not just want our firefighters to turn up and be there when they need them rather than this exercise in jargon? The main priority of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is prevention, protection and keeping the people of Scotland safe. To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to revive the bus industry following a slump in passenger numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Minister, Jenny Gilruth. In the bus network to support long-term growth, providing over £2.1 billion for bus over the rest of this Parliament, we have extended free bus travel to children and young people under 22, and around half of Scotland's population is now eligible to travel anywhere in Scotland by bus for free. We are seeing more people travelling by bus since the pandemic, and I hope to see passenger numbers increase further. The sector faces a range of challenges currently, and I am convening the first meeting of the industry task force later today to explore these issues and work together to find solutions. Thank the minister for that answer. I asked her last week about the network support plus grant, which is due to end on October 9. The minister has just three days left to save the bus industry, and if she does not extend that grant, we could see more than 200 jobs go, 50 routes across Scotland cancelled entirely, and in some areas are cut in services of more than a third. CPT Scotland estimate will cost £44.8 million to extend the grant for six months, and their modelling shows a potential underspend of £79 million for the concessionary travel scheme and £84.5 million for the under-22 scheme. The bus industry is teatring on the edge. The Scottish Government has the money, as I have just demonstrated to act, so when will I? Minister. I thank Mr Simpson for his supplementary question. I do believe that I covered this in a bit of detail last week, and I am looking urgently at a range of options to provide further support to the bus industry. I have to remind him of the level of support that we provide to the industry in Scotland. It is significantly greater than might be in other parts of the UK. For example, we budgeted £93.5 million from April this year to support the bus network as we recover from the pandemic. There is up to £20.5 million worth of net additional funding that is already provided to extend recovery funding to October. That is in addition to around £210 million that we were already provided during the pandemic. We also have provided additionality in terms of the £25 million of funding in relation to bus priority measures. That is delivering funding to over 28 rather local authorities in Scotland. However, I noted from Mr Simpson's question that he did not identify some of the labour shortage questions that the sector is facing at this moment in time in relation to Brexit. He also did not identify any of the fuel cost chargers that are really hampering some of our bus operators. I look forward to meeting with operators this afternoon and noting some of the competencies that I have just addressed that remain at the current time reserved. Neil Bibby More affordable does the Scottish Government support price regulation and farecapping in the bus market and will it make farecapping a condition of any further support to the bus industry? Minister, can I just confirm that you caught the beginning of Mr Bibby's question or would you like him to repeat it? No, Presiding Officer, I didn't catch the beginning of his question. Mr Bibby could ask you to repeat your question, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To get more people into public transport we need to make it more affordable. Does the Scottish Government support farecapping and price regulation in the bus market and will it make a condition of any future support to the bus industry around farecapping? Minister, I think that it's a fair question. We're saying that through the network support grant plus we are also capping fare rises in terms of the latest monthly CPI. Although we know there's more that we will need to do and I recognise some of the challenge in this place. That's why, of course, we're conducting a fair fares review to look at the affordability of public transport right across the piece. Of course, in many areas across the country, fares are already below £2. For example, in Edinburgh you can travel anywhere in the city for a flat fare of £1. I'm not able to give a direct answer to Mr Bibby's question today because we're looking at a range of options in relation to the additionality that the Government might be able to provide, but I'm more than happy to write to the member in more detail on the specific point in relation to farecapping. Question 5, Bob Doris. To ask the Scottish Government what contribution colleges make to widening access to higher education for students living in the most deprived areas. Our colleges make a significant contribution to widening access to higher education, an often alternative route to university through articulation. Scottish funding council statistics show that in 2020-21 25.3% of entrance to higher education at colleges came from the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland, and 11,780 students enrolled in a first degree course at university in Scotland. In that same year, it appears to have achieved an HNC or HND qualification in college. Bob Doris. I thank the Minister for that answer. The Minister will know that around 43% of undergraduates at university from Scotland with deprived backgrounds went near via a college route, such as the central road colleges play in widening access. However, universities receive a greater level of reimbursement per students studying at an equivalent SCVQ level compared to their college counterparts. Can I ask the Minister whether, despite the current significant budget to the challenges faced by government, it will consider reviewing reimbursement levels and work towards greater parity between the college and university sector? Minister. Well, in terms of the budgetary position that Mr Doris speaks of, we should remind ourselves of course that the challenges that are involved are very real and very far-reaching, but even in that context this year we have allocated nearly £2 billion to colleges and universities. That is a record amount. The current funding levels and the arrangements between college and university funding are long-standing agreements. In terms of his question, though we are developing the 23-24 budget, there is engagement with SFC, with colleges and universities in Scotland, and the questions that he has asked can be best considered as part of it. We are, of course, open to the question and through the budget process, as a matter will give consideration to it. Question 6, Emma Roddick. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the communications workers union has organised strikes for royal male workers next month, including in Scotland. Minister Richard Lochhead. While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, maintaining a progressive approach to industrial relations remains a priority for the Scottish Government. We therefore strongly encourage all parties involved in industrial relations issues to work together to reach resolution. However, we cannot understate the importance of fair work and fair pay, particularly in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Unions play an important role in securing fairer conditions for workers in Scotland. On that note, I am sure that I am not alone in my concern about the UK Government's continued, aggressive, anti-worker and trade union agenda. I thank the minister for that response and I completely agree with the sentiments expressed there. I was glad to meet some CW organisers outside the Parliament earlier this morning. Does the minister agree that, with full powers over employment, this Parliament would be better placed to deliver fair work and build the fairer economy that workers in Scotland deserve? Yes, I absolutely agree with the member. I should say in response to the member's meeting with union representatives that we owe a great debt to our posties, particularly for working so hard throughout the pandemic, and we thank them for that. It is an absurd claim by Liz Truss to say that anyone who is not a divisive right-wing out of touch Tory, who is part of a trade union movement trying to win better workers' rights is part of an anti-growth coalition. Under the Tories, of course, the gap between rich and poor is widened, as has the gap between low-pay and excessive pay as well, so if we can stop that gap growing, perhaps that is an anti-growth coalition that we could all be proud of joining. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to grow and encourage primary, garlic, medium education. Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the growth of garlic medium education across Scotland and we are working with a number of local authorities who wish to start or grow their garlic provision. Those local authorities, along with others, will continue to benefit from our funding streams, garlic-specific grant and the garlic capital fund. David Torrance. Garlic is thriving not just here in Scotland but across the world, with a 72 per cent increase in the interest in Scottish garlic-related content over the last few years and more than a million people taking on a garlic course on a language learning app, Duolingo. How important is it that action is taking to ensure the sustainable future for a language that is such an important part of our heritage and cultural identity? I am very pleased to see the growing interest in garlic that has arisen through the activity such as Duolingo. That is why the Scottish Government has supported the SpeakGallic multi-platform learning project, which has around 5,000 users a month. That platform will enable those who are starting their learner journey on Duolingo to reach fluency. It is very important that action is taken to ensure a sustainable future for garlic and for that reason the Government will continue to support a wide range of activities in this area. Further, evidence of our support has demonstrated the ambitious commitments that we are currently consulting on and I would encourage all members to encourage constituents right across the country to get involved in that consultation to ensure that we do everything that we can to support the Gallic language and, indeed, the Scots language in Scotland. Concerning the conclusion of the inquiry, including its timeline, is a matter for the Edinburgh tram inquiry team and Lord Hardy. That is because, as a statutory inquiry, it is independent of the Scottish Government. Updates in the publication of Lord Hardy's report will be provided on the inquiry website. I thank the Minister for that answer and respect what she has to say, but the Edinburgh tram inquiry has now been running for over eight years. To date, it has cost Scottish taxpayers £13.1 million, and the end is still not in sight. The cost of the inquiry now stands at more than their rack war investigation. The Inquiries Act 2005 obliges the chair to consider costs at all times that are funded from a public purse. Can I ask the minister a very simple question? Does she believe that the inquiry has been valued for money? I thank the minister for his question. We are all keen to see the inquiry reach a satisfactory conclusion. I am advised that Lord Hardy and the inquiry team have been preparing the final report and the recommendations for publication, and I will seek advice on the parameters that are open to me as a minister on the matter. However, I must remind him again that the inquiry is independent, and its time and cost cannot be influenced by ministers, who are of course core participants in the inquiry.