 Rwy'n dweud dros gen i rôl uchosesgau, byd yn ei gymryslw์ makerth bob i myf ei ta했다eth ffahrwr y— bydd gynny lleiw sydd yn ei ffrind mus remakehowwyristolau fel chi'n vaf. Yr ystafelliciaid Yn Ysgolfau sydd yn ei mar名 i'r ysgolfa Paswen ym Leith. Surprise ca hitf o arwech o'r pryd ordered o scôtyn. Gwybrus envoedd yn rhoi'r ariannigolwys iaily犬 mewn eu sgwm upright replaced o agais gwleid gwy fireplace i g fertilizerio ondご iaeth a blyll yn swyddadolcheering yn gyfrifiadau. The negotiations on pay settlements are a matter for public sector bodies, as the employer, and the relevant staff representatives are trade unions, and it's right for employers and trade unions to follow recognised collective bargaining procedures. Stephen Kare. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. The Scottish police federation has rejected what they describe as the derisary pay offer of £565. And we learned yesterday that they will withdraw all goodwill from 5pm tomorrow. Now a whistleblower within Police Scotland has told me that there are not enough frontline police officers to ensure safe levels of policing and that across the east of Scotland those safe levels have not been achieved any day this year. Police officers are over those days. The work is unpaid for up to 20 hours a week, and up to 1,600 of them are planning to quit the service within months. Will the cabinet secretary reverse the cuts to Police Scotland of recent years that have had such a damaging impact on policing in this country and offer safe working practices and decent pay to Scotland's police officers? Maewd gyda'r ddweud i ddwylliannol ag omfintau yn ôl i ddofod ar ôl i ddweud. Rwy'n credu yn meddwl i ddiogel i'ch cyfleol. Rydyn ni'n cyfleol a bydden ni o'r pendantau. Felly, mae cyflopio ar oesul yn cynnig, ond mae'ch cyfleoedd yma. Rydyn ni'n credu diogel â mewn cenedl, ond rydyn ni'n cyflopio a bydd ydw i'ch cyfleoedd. Yn mynd i gael nid o'r ddweud, that public sector workers across the board are recognised through fair and affordable pay offers, and we will ensure that we give trade unions in particular the respect that they deserve and the respect that has been sorely lacking in similar negotiations in south of the border. Can the cabinet secretary advise us how the Scottish Government can deliver the pay increase that is being demanded when the UK Tory government has allowed for inflation of only 2.4 per cent in our block grant this year, at a time when inflation is four times that? Kenny Gibson raises an important point that, over the last few years, we have chosen a progressive pay approach. That means cumulatively that public sector workers in Scotland are paid on average 7 per cent more than elsewhere in the UK. That comes from within our own budget, because there has been a distinct lack of consequential funding from the UK Government. Kenny Gibson is quite right to identify the fact that our block grant settlement from the UK Government, which was set last autumn when inflation was much lower, is constrained. Obviously, with this I will close, the fiscal commission noted that this year's budget is 2.6 per cent lower than last year's in cash terms, but 5.2 per cent lower in real terms, mainly due to reduced UK Government funding. We will continue to take a distinctive approach, but it has to be from within a very constrained budget position. Marine protection workers have been undertaking strike action to secure a fair pay rise, but are now being subjected to underhand tactics in order to force them back to work. Tactics include vessels being birthed in inaccessible areas, little accommodation being made available and the workers being put off the vessels when on strike. That is the kind of behaviour that we would expect from the Tories, not a Government that claims to value the role of trade unions and recognises the importance of fair work. Will the minister condemn those tactics and commit to both the Scottish Government and Marine Scotland bringing forward a pay offer that addresses the workers' concerns? Our approach to pay negotiations is to recognise the important role that trade unions play, not just rhetorically, but through the process as well. In recent years, we have seen a distinctive approach being taken. Fully understanding the pressures on workers across the public and private sectors right now, we are committed to negotiations that reach a conclusion that is fair and affordable, recognising the work of our public sector workers, and we will continue to work with employers as they negotiate with trade unions. To ask the Scottish Government where it will provide an update on the roll-out of high-speed broadband to the rural locations, the cabinet secretary. The greatest off-com figure shows that over 2.6 million homes and businesses across Scotland can now access superfast broadband speeds. Indeed, the three strands of activity that make up the R100 programme, which is obviously the R100 contract, £600 million worth of the R100 contract, the voucher scheme and commercial build are helping to deliver that full fibre infrastructure into rural Scotland. Latest figures show that, despite telecoms being fully reserved, the Westminster over 9,800 connections have been delivered through the R100 contracts and vouchers, with the vast majority being full fibre. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Several residents in Craigtown village, Mulgyi, do not have access to fibre optic broadband, as they are too far away from the exchange, despite being just 11 miles outside Glasgow city centre. Because both BT and the Scottish Government consider Mulgyi reached, residents have been told that cabling could cost them tens of thousands. Cabinet secretary, the planning and the roll-out aspects of broadband is the Scottish Government's responsibility. So what action will the Scottish Government take to ensure homes on the outskirts of towns and villages are not being overlooked in the roll-out of the high-speed broadband? The member may want to review the Scotland act, which confirms that telecoms is fully reserved to the UK Government and therefore entirely the remit of the Conservatives in power. However, despite that, we are investing £600 million in the R100 roll-out. I will be very happy to look into the specific households or locations that Pam Gossel has referenced, to understand when they might be connected. Right now, we have a further 9,500 connections in build on top of the 9,800 connections that have already been delivered. We will do everything that we can, and we are using the Scottish Government's devolved spending to reach areas that are in a reserved area because of the importance of the issue. No one will be left behind if the Scottish Government's mantra on R100 broadband. Can the cabinet secretary explain to my constituent on Shetland's westside why it is so difficult to get connected? In places such as Walsr, the current scheme will allow some neighbours to be connected with superfast broadband, but only do-it-yourself vouchers for others. As the member will know, construction work is being undertaken right now to connect the subsea cables to our island communities—16 subsea cables with investment from the Scottish Government. I continue to engage with Openreach in particular to see whether we can push the build even further and faster than it is being proposed. Understanding the importance of not just starting the job on some of our islands, but completing the job on our islands, I am also engaged with the UK Government to ensure that project gigabit funding helps to complete the job on our islands. One of the big challenges is the UK Government's arbitrary cap on reaching rural properties at £7,000. In other words, if a property is going to cost more than £7,000, then the UK Government cannot help with project gigabit. However, we will try to ensure that all the jigsaw pieces of funding and support reach our islands and finish the job. 3. Siobhan Brown Can I ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Asia Council regarding the current situation at air symmetry? It is for South Asia Council as the burial authority to manage, secure and maintain the burial grounds for which it has responsibility. The Scottish Government has no locus to intervene in the operational matters of burial grounds. However, in response to correspondence from relatives about water ingress and to burial chambers at air symmetry, officials contacted South Asia Council for details on actions being taken to remedy the situation, and responses were sent to the relatives. While this remains an operational matter for South Asia Council to manage and resolve, officials remain in contact with the council about the matter. 4. Siobhan Brown Families in my constituency are completely devastated that this has happened to their loved ones, and a resolution for the situation needs to be a priority for the council. I know that the council have ordered an investigation into how this has happened, and families need guarantees for peace of mind that the coffins will now be air and watertight as first promised. Can I ask the minister if she agrees with me that any investigation into this and how this has happened is made public and lessons are learnt so this tragic situation never ever happens again to any grading family? I want to start by offering my deepest condolences to those families and their loved ones who have been affected by the situation at air symmetry. I agree with the MSP for air and welcome the investigation that South Ayrshire Council is conducting into how the issues arose at air symmetry. Where possible, any results or lessons learned from that investigation should be shared to ensure that no family is faced with a difficult situation like this again. Undoubtedly, those families who are bereaved will be concerned about what has happened, and it is vitally important that they understand the steps that South Ayrshire Council are taking not only to deal with the current situation, but also to prevent any other families having to experience this in future. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the minimum income guarantee steering group. The steering group is comprised of an expert group that has representations from academia, trade unions, poverty and equality organisations that has formed into five work streams. There is also a cross-party strategic strategy group that has representatives from the five parties in the Scottish Parliament. The group is progressing well and has held three meetings since it was established. The last meeting on 9 June agreed a work plan that includes several pieces of commission research, establishing a lived experience panel and a series of equalities workshops, all of which will inform an interim report by the end of this year. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. A minimum income guarantee is a radical and bold policy. The work that the Scottish Government has progressed in this area already is a clear demonstration of its ambition to do everything within its limited powers to deliver a fairer Scotland. Does the cabinet secretary agree that tackling poverty must be a national mission, not just for government but for all of society, including employers? I agree with that. We need support and action from everyone in society, including employers, so that we can make meaningful and lasting change. The minimum income guarantee has real potential to deliver transformational change by reducing poverty and inequality, ensuring that everyone has enough money to live a decent life. I agree that that has to be a national mission. We are determined to find ambitious ways to tackle poverty, and the minimum income guarantee is one such way. I am acutely aware that the need for action is even more urgent, while households across the country are facing a serious cost-of-living crisis with those on the lowest incomes being hardest hit. Question 5, Collette Stevenson. Gas to Scottish Government, what estimate has made of the potential impacts on Scotland's economy and society of the UK Government's policy programme, including the current and future impact of Brexit on Scotland? It is clear that UK Government policies are hurting Scotland's economy and society, and that is why we are spending almost £3 billion this year to support families through the cost-of-living crisis. Households across Scotland are facing challenges made worse by UK Government decisions, with the UK seeing the highest inflation in the G7. Every day, there is new evidence of the cost of Brexit, which is harming our trade and making us poorer. The OBR forecasts that Brexit will hurt UK productivity growth by 4 per cent around twice as much as the long-run impacts of the pandemic. That said, Scotland's exports are still outperforming the UK, including oil and gas exports to all countries. In 2021, we are down 1 per cent from Scotland on 2019 levels, compared to a fall of 8 per cent for the UK. Collette Stevenson. In my lifetime, Scotland has had to endure market thatcher, Blair and his Iraq War. Labour, Lib Dem and Tory ministers prioritising nuclear weapons on the Clyde, rather than investing in public services. David Cameron's austerity and Boris Johnson and his reckless Brexit deal. Tory cost-of-living crisis that we are all facing is yet another example of UK Government failure. With one hand tied behind her back, there is only so much that this Parliament can do to mitigate Westminster's damaging policies that there is a positive alternative. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that the only way to reverse the harms of Brexit is to get rid of nuclear weapons from Scotland and to have the economic levers to build a fairer, greener, wealthier country is for Scotland to become independent? Yes, I agree with the member. The Scottish Government has consistently outlined the significant economic costs of policies such as austerity and Brexit. Once again, the economy faces significant challenges. As the question implies, Westminster holds most of the powers that are needed to tackle the problems that are brought about by the cost-of-living crisis, both in the immediate and longer term. The Scottish Government has continually urged the UK Government to use all the powers and fiscal headroom at its disposal to address the cost-of-living crisis. Of course, the member is absolutely right. An independent Scotland would have the powers, the wealth, the capability, the people, the skills, the talent to be able to create a fairer, greener and wealthier society here in Scotland. I look forward to that happening. Two key policy areas that the minister has completely neglected to mention are the development of green free ports and the very welcome development of the levelling up fund, designed to invest over £4.8 billion to help our town centres, our high streets, local transport projects, cultural and heritage assets. What does the minister intend to do of a recess to promote those really welcome schemes and to make sure that communities that have been left behind by the Scottish National Party Government for 15 years will benefit from this investment? The member will be aware or should be aware that the green port process is moving forward. Bidding has closed and the decision will be made over the course of the next few weeks as to where Scotland's two green ports will be located. As to UK support, UK has put in place measures that are supposed to make up for the loss of funding from the EU, but, of course, as anyone will tell you, we see that locally and we see it in terms of the numbers. Those schemes fall far, far short of the support that was previously received by Scottish businesses, Scottish local authorities and others directly from the EU. Another reason why Scotland needs to take its economy into its own hands, become an independent country and become a full member once again of the European Union. To ask the Scottish Government how many housing developments in Scotland are currently unable to progress as a result of funding for schools and social infrastructure not being in place. The Scottish Government does not hold that specific information, although planning authorities do monitor housing land locally through regular housing land audits. In our draft national planning framework 4, we have been clear that we want the planning of future development to take an infrastructure-first approach so that homes are delivered alongside the facilities and services that communities need. In 5, there are certainly three sites that I am aware of that are stalled as a result of not having infrastructure for the schools. I had previously met with the previous planning minister, civil servants and developers to try and find a way forward. It is not that the developers are not willing to pay through a section 75 £16 million for a new school in Dumfemellan and £6 million for a new school in Kelty. They simply say that they have not got the money to front load this. I hear ministers going on here this morning about what powers they want, but the problem is that they need to use the powers that they have. We need to tackle that. We need to be able to bring the local authorities together. That is just those three sites, thousands of houses being stalled because they lack a front infrastructure to load that to happen. Will the minister agree to meet with myself, weigh homes for Scotland and with the specific developers and the civil service to see how we can tackle that problem? I am happy to meet the principal of meeting. Obviously, we cannot get involved in any live planning applications. However, I am happy to do that. The member will be aware of the £2 billion learning estate investment programme that will benefit around 50,000 pupils across Scotland by the end of the Parliament. That includes two of Fife Council's priority projects for investment, including the Dumfemellan learning campus and the Inverkeithing high school. There will be phase 3 opening to local authorities in 2022, and successful projects will be announced before the end of this year. There is work going on to ensure that the school estate continues to be improved and expanded, but on the specific matters that Alex Rowley mentioned, I am happy to have a meeting about those.