 I will turn now to our next item of business, which is topical questions. The first question is from Murdo Fraser. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on ScotRail's performance. Cabinet Secretary, Michael Matheson. ScotRail's performance is clearly not where it should be, and I have raised this matter regularly and will recently with Alex Hynes' MD of the ScotRail Alliance. The current level of cancellations caused by the rest-day working dispute is unacceptable, and I call on both the RMT and ScotRail to resolve this dispute without further delay. The impact of ScotRail's continued training of staff to deliver the up-and-coming timetable changes is equally unacceptable. Those plan changes will deliver the first phase of this Government's programme to significantly improve services across much of the Scottish rail network through our record investment in infrastructure and rolling stock. It is, however, very disappointing that passengers are bearing the brunt of this late delivery of new trains and the knock-on impact on training schedules exacerbated by the industrial dispute. I will be making this very point when I meet with Mr Hynes later today. Murdo Fraser. I thank the cabinet secretary for his response. I am sure that I am not the only MSP in this chamber to be contacted by angry constituents following the disruption that we saw at the weekend that the cabinet secretary referred to when we saw a large number of cancellations and passengers being left astranded. The R&T union has claimed that its overtime ban has aggravated that situation, but whatever the reason for it, it should not be the travelling public who are left as victims of the current situation. We keep being reassured in the chamber that things are going to get better. Can the cabinet secretary tell us when? I recognise the concerns that its constituents have. My constituents have had, in regard to the challenges that they have had, particularly over the course of the past few days, as a combination of the training programme for the new 385s coming in and the industrial dispute that is on-going. The member will be aware that there has been significant investment in providing new rolling stock and new electric trains that will enhance the services across many parts of the Scottish network. The new timetable will come into force as of 9 December. With the new rolling stock provided by Hitachi, that will allow that into the remaining rolling stock that will then be cascaded out to other parts of the network, including into the Fife area as well. Alongside that, there will be further improvements to the timetabling that will be made in May of next year and the full programme will be completed by December of next year. That will enhance the number of seats available, the rolling stock that is available and improve the timetabling of services across the country. I recognise the frustration that passengers have in relation to the difficulties that we have had in recent days in particular. However, I can say to the member that the considerable investment that we are making into rolling stock and infrastructure will deliver improvements as we go forward with the timetable changes that start at the end of this week. I thank the cabinet secretary for his further response. He will be aware that rail fares are due to rise and have been averaged by 2.8 per cent in the new year. On top of that, to add insult to injury, it is currently being proposed by ScotRail that it will scrap free travel for children as from January. I am sure that passengers would not mind so much paying our fares if they were getting an excellent service, but they are simply not. When ScotRail meets the RMT, will he put a rocket under them both and tell them to improve their performance? ScotRail Alliance is in no doubt about my views about the performance to date. When I meet the MD of the ScotRail Alliance this afternoon, he will be in no doubt about my views about performance in the last couple of days in particular. That is why I would call upon the RMT and ScotRail to get round a negotiating table and get the matter settled sooner rather than later and to make sure that we put passengers first in those issues. It should also be recognised that the increase in fares, which I do not know is unwelcome, is the lowest increase for the whole of the UK because of the capping arrangements that we have here in Scotland. Almost two thirds of the railway network in Scotland and the cost of railway network in Scotland is met by the Scottish Government. That is more than any other part of the UK. The Scottish Government has provided a considerable level of resource to try to help to minimise the increase in fares, although I do recognise that any increase is unwelcome. However, the member and other members can be absolutely assured that ScotRail Alliance is in no doubt about my views and their performance to date and that we are making that point again to them this afternoon. Just for information to the minister and members, nine members have asked to request supplementaries today, which the minister will bear in mind. If we can make—there is actually some time in hand this afternoon, but if members can ask their questions briefly and the minister can equally be succinct, we will get through as many as possible. Bruce Crawford, to be followed by Colin Smyth. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Do you understand, Cabinet Secretary, that my constituents' concerns over the service that they are currently receiving on the rail network, cancellations over crowded trains and convenient timetable alterations and lack of information at stations on late changes? In going about their daily business, they just want this situation to be sorted out, Cabinet Secretary, and they want to know when it will be sorted out. What more can the Scottish Government do to put pressure on the rail network operators to improve matters at the earliest possible date? Cabinet Secretary, there are a number of factors that Mr Crawford has raised, and the member will be aware that electrification of the line into his constituency has just been completed with the testing of that line having been completed last week for the introduction of the new 385 service, which will help to improve both the capacity and reliability of the service for his constituents. In relation to the issues that he has regarding communications, those are issues that have been raised with ScotRail and continue to be raised by my officials in Transport Scotland with ScotRail to improve the way in which they communicate with the public. I can assure the member that we continue to make sure that ScotRail and partners are doing everything possible to improve the services that they offer to the travelling public. He can be assured that I will continue to press that upon them when I meet them later on this afternoon. Colin Smyth will be followed by Christine Grahame. The cabinet secretary will be aware that ScotRail have announced plans to scrap the popular kids go free scheme that sees up to two children travel free with an adult in Scotland's railways. Does the cabinet secretary recognise that the short-sighted move will make our public transport less accessible? Risk, price and families offer trains. Will he condemn the move by ScotRail broses? Join me in signing Labour's petition, Colin, on ScotRail to think again. I will give it a missing when it comes to signing the petition. I understand the concerns that members of the public have and the members expressed around the kids go free promotion being removed. That is a commercial product that is in the hands of ScotRail to choose to implement or not to do. They have chosen to change that. What they have stated is that the number of tickets where children travelling for £1 under the new scheme will be greater than what is available under the kids go free promotion. As I mentioned in my response to Murdo Fraser, we do a considerable amount to cap price increases in Scotland, which is why the increase in Scotland is at a loss of any part of the UK because of the considerable investment that the Scottish Government put into ScotRail. Christine Grahame, to be followed by Mark Ruskell. Can I add to the ScotRail list and advise the cabinet secretary of written to Alec Hines because of the increasing complaints from constituents but overcrowding on the borders. Rarely that is both in the Borders and Midlothian, mostly at Russia, but also when there is rugby on at Murrayfield, which you should have thought would have been anticipated. I came into the chamber, and a constituent tells me that the 1130 from Tweedbank was cancelled due to lack of crew. Meeting Alec Hines this afternoon, will he draw this to his attention and ask him when there will be enough carriages on the Borders railway and I will follow through on that cancellation? I am more than happy to raise that point with Alec Hines when I meet him this afternoon and also to just emphasise the point as a new rolling stock, which has come into sight. 385s will increase capacity on the Borders railway line, which will allow for more seats to be available, particularly at peak times. Mark Ruskell, to be followed by Richard Lyle. Last night, I hosted a meeting in Dumbellaine bridge of Allen, where hundreds of constituents were raging at the inconvenience that the timetable changes will cause them. Meanwhile, my constituents in Fife will see no improvements to the evening services that were promised. The cabinet secretary tells me why there has not been any consultation with communities about the new timetable, when the promised new rolling stock will be delivered on the Dumbellaine and Aloe lines, and why communities in Fife are once again being left behind. The timetabling matter that has been taken forward by Network Rail has been one that has been in process for the last two years, with a range of engagement across different parties and stakeholders. I have made reference to the fact that the 385s that are coming into service are already in service, but with the additional ones that are coming into service on a daily basis and the electrification of a line to Dumbellaine will allow them to operate in that particular line and to increase capacity to Dumbellaine. That will start to come into play as of the timetable change that takes place on 9 December. Richard Lyle, to be followed by Alexander Stewart. I welcome the cabinet secretary's comments, but can the cabinet secretary set out what percentage of recent delays were the responsibility of Network Rail and would he join me in calling all parties in this chamber to campaign for Network Rail to be devolved to this Parliament? There is absolutely no doubt that infrastructure has a significant impact on the performance of ScotRail. For example, if members just look at the previous four weeks that takes us in the period that is recorded up to 10 November, 59.5% of delays were related to Network Rail on the ScotRail network, which is unacceptably high. I welcome the fact that the ORR last week decided to take action against Network Rail because of its poor performance and the impact that it is having on passenger services. There is no doubt in my mind that in order to address these issues more effectively we need to align the rolling stock providers and the infrastructure providers more effectively in the best way in which that can be achieved in Scotland is to devolve Network Rail to be a responsibility that is unanswerable to this Parliament. Alex Stewart is followed by Joe McAlpine. New timetable changes will be put at my constituents at Dumblane to Edinburgh and Dumblane to Glasgow at a real disadvantage with the loss of peak time trains. How can that be justified for hard-working commuters who will eventually pay more to get less? We are aware that in order to make sure that we can deliver on the enhancements that are going to be delivered by the timetable across the country, there are changes being made in areas such as Dumblane, a key part of which is also to improve the infrastructure there, which is why it has been electrified up to Dumblane, which is a significant investment that will allow the new attachee 385s to operate on that line, which will increase capacity and it will also provide greater resilience on that particular line as well. Joe McAlpine to be followed by Claire Baker. The cabinet secretary will know that many commuters in my constituency rely on the trans-pen-ine service from Lockerbie to the central bell, but according to the latest performance data, two out of every three trans-pen-ine trains on their Scotland route were either late or cancelled and those which do run are overcrowded. Even short delays are catastrophic as many commuters need to make a ScotRail connection at Cursed Stairs, which will not wait for delayed trans-pen-ine trains. I know that this is a service that is regulated by the Department of Transport in London. Is there anything that the cabinet secretary can do to persuade Chris Grayling to take action and put a rocket under trans-pen-ine? I am aware of concerns around the performance of the trans-pen-ine services. PPM is at 71.65 per cent for the latest paid to 14 October 10 November of this year, which is a marked deterioration over the course of the last year. The concerns that the member has raised are a matter for the Secretary of State for Transport, the Department of Transport in London. I will no doubt pass on the concerns that the member has raised, but I know that I have the constituents of my own who have raised concerns about the reliability of the service and its poor punctuality. Claire Baker will be followed by Jenny Gilruth. The service in Fife in recent weeks has been terrible with crew shortages being given as the reason. My constituents are losing confidence in Abelio ScotRail to deliver the service that Fife deserves a service that they are about to pay more for. Does the cabinet secretary recognise that, just a few weeks ago, we had a debate in this chamber where the Government and the backbenchers on the SNP told us that the service was fine? Does the cabinet secretary now agree with me that this poor performance cannot continue and that the contract should be broken with Abelio ScotRail as soon as possible? I have already accepted that the level of service that is being provided at present is not acceptable. ScotRail and Network Rail need to take action in order to address those issues. There are a range of measures that will be set out in the Doraven review, which will help to improve resilience in the Fife area as well, alongside the new rolling stock that is coming in, which will allow a cascade of other rolling stock out to the Fife line. For example, at present, there are four carriages on at peak times. It will move up to six carriages and will increase capacity off peak times as well. ScotRail Alliance has also given an undertaking to review the existing timetable to look at how it can improve it further going forward. However, I have no doubt that the level of performance that passengers experience on the Fife line is not to the acceptable standard and that is why action needs to be taken in order to address those issues. Jenny Gilruth is to be followed by Neil Findlay. Can the cabinet secretary request an update on the 4.34pm ScotRail Edinburgh to Perth service, which calls at Mark Inch and which was reported in September as being Scotland's most overcrowded train, with just two carriages and running at 136 per cent of planned capacity when he meets with ScotRail this afternoon? Cabinet secretary. I will ask for ScotRail to provide the member with that information. Neil Findlay. Last week, we saw a train arrive at Uphold train station, leaving with half of the carriages and half of the passengers left at the station as the rest of the train sped off to Helensburgh. Cabinet secretary, that is rapidly becoming carry-on ScotRail, just without any of the laughs. We have delays, cancellations, rising fares, now children being charged and trains separating at stations. When is this shambles going to end? I am sure that the member recognises that those who work in the ScotRail and Network Rail organisations work very hard to try to provide the best service possible. I fully recognise that. The incident that the member made reference to has been investigated by the ORR, because there are technical failings in the train as to how that has come about, because there are failsaith systems in it that should have prevented that from occurring. What we now have to do is to await the outcome of the ORR's investigation into the matter. I thank the members and the minister for getting through so many questions that live in MSPs. Question 2, Rhoda Grant. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to Cairngorm mountain-limited entering administration. Cabinet secretary, Fergus Ewing. The Scottish Government, under my direction, as Rural Economy Secretary, is doing everything possible to ensure that Cairngorm remains open for business. House Alliance Enterprise are the lead agency and they are working with administrators to achieve the optimal way ahead. We have lodged funds with the administrators to ensure that staff continue to be paid throughout the administration process. Rhoda Grant. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response and also welcome the fact that the staff will continue to be paid because they are still concerned about their future employment prospects as well. The community has raised concerns about the running of the ski resort by Cairngorm mountain-limited in the past. They are keen to look at a community buy-out for the asset. Can I ask the cabinet secretary if he has spoken to administrators about working with the community in a bid for them to take over the asset and if he has offered the community help to pull this together? Cabinet secretary. There is, of course, a funicular response group as the member, I believe, knows, which was set up by HIE to improve communication and awareness between the parties. It has representatives from the community. It is chaired by the Highland Council convener. Members include the Avymor and Glenmore community trust, the Avymor Business Association and Cairngorm mountain trust, the Cairngorm business partnership and HIE and others. The objective, of course, that we all share is to ensure the continuance of skiing operations at Cairngorm because that is central to the success of the economy in Avymor, Béidnach and Strasby. We are working with the community to ensure the outcome that everybody wants. I can say that HIE and individual officers, with whom I work very closely and have done over a long period, are working extremely hard to ensure that those objectives are successful. Rhoda Grant. I urge the cabinet secretary to look at community ownership of this asset, which he agrees is of a benefit to the whole of Barnaw-Hunstrasby. Do Cairngorm mountain, oh, Highlands and Islands enterprise money either by way of financial assistance or by depreciation of the asset while it was under their management? If so, what steps are being taken to recoup that money? Cabinet Secretary. HIE will always seek to secure implementation of obligations oing to them and liabilities due to them. I am happy to provide the member with an assurance that we will continue to work with community representatives. That has been going very well. I am very pleased that HIE has made a signal investment of £1 million in snow-making technology and other apparatus. With the aim of ensuring that visitors can continue to enjoy Cairngorm this winter, Scotland remains the attractive snow sports destination that it is. Just for the cabinet secretary's attention, there are three members that we should ask supplementaries. We have gone a bit over, but we will see if we can get through them all. Edward Mountain, to be followed by John Finnie. Edward Mountain. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I would like to thank the cabinet secretary for the prompt action that he has taken to this very important feature in Strath Spay. Can I just ask Cabinet Secretary when you are looking forward to work out how to resolve the problems? Five possible asks in there. One, there should be an appropriate break clause in the new contract if the company fails to perform that there wasn't in the old contract with Cairngorm mountain. There should be a requirement for all relevant parties to maintain vehicle access to the mountain. A review of all the ski lifts that is desperately needed. A review of pedestrian access to the rights to the plateau for non-skiers. Finally, building on the fact that the local community is so important that the local community form part of the board and have an active say in how the mountain will be managed. Cabinet secretary. I am grateful for Mr Mountain's support and the cross-party approach that is being adopted to this issue. I think that that is in line with the approach that is being taken locally with the finicular response group. I am certainly happy to give an undertaking that all the points that are raised will be looked at. I can say that there has already been instructed and announced the review of the uplift requirements in the public domain. I welcome the findings but also a debate about the findings because there is a tremendous amount of knowledge within Bainer, Constra, Spay and expertise and a number of Olympians, some of whom are making a contribution to the debate. The issue of access to the plateau is one that has been debated for a long time as well. Community involvement is something that, of course, we are very keen on. Working together, I am very hopeful that we can find a solution. The administration will continue not for very much longer. It is time limited. I can assure all members that both myself and particularly the officials at HIE are working around the clock on the issue because we are aware of the tremendous importance that it has to Bainer, Constra, Spay and the local economy. John Finnie, to be followed by Stuart Stevenson. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, it is significant that sums of money have gone into this location over the years and it has shambles. Cabinet Secretary, we are aware that Audit Scotland has a role to consider public bodies, whether they have exercised due diligence and ensured that public monies have been properly expended. Will the Cabinet Secretary call on Audit Scotland to do that in respect of HIE's role in Cairn Gorn, please? Cabinet Secretary. No, I will not do that. It is for Audit Scotland to make its decisions quite properly. They are entirely independent of government and I do not really think that that course of action is something that is relevant. I am disappointed that the cross-party approach that seems to have been taken does not apparently extend to the Greens. To call things the shambles, I think that it is really unfortunate. I think that what local residents wish, what the supporters of snow sports wish, and my goodness, there is a huge number in Badeon at Constance Bay and around Scotland, is that we find the right practical solution. I have not met anyone and I live in the area who does not welcome the million-pound investment in the snow-making equipment. As we saw at the weekend in Lecht, snow-making equipment allowed skiing to take place where there was no natural snow. I think that that is a terrific thing. It is a game-changing technology. I think that we should all unite around this and work together in a difficult, complex legal situation to find the best way through, which allows skiing and snow sports to continue at this winter as much as we can with the difficulties with the funicular. Frankly, convener, is it actually that surprising that, given the climactic conditions in which the funicular operates and its age, that there are not some issues there? Therefore, we are working very hard with the practicalities to overcome them, and I am happy to keep the main parties that support us informed about the progress that we make. Finally, Stuart Stevenson. Is the cabinet secretary aware that the success of winter sports in the Cairngorms and elsewhere in Scotland depends on people travelling quite significant distances? It will only do so if there is a certainty of snow. I find that there is some irony in making a plea for additional snow on the Cairngorms and elsewhere. Will the cabinet secretary make sure that the prospective customers are aware that there will always be snow from this Government? Yeah, yeah. Cabinet secretary. Well, I am afraid that I can do lots of things, but I have to leave it to Lord Almighty to provide us with adequate supplies of snow. The snow-making equipment is game-changing, and it has the potential to do what hitherto has been impossible to provide certainty for individuals and families that wish to participate in the excellent opportunities for skiing and snow sports in Scotland. It is game-changing, it is tried and tested, it has been taken up in the left, it has been taken up or tried elsewhere, such as Glencoe. I have been working for the last seven or eight years with all of the outdoor ski resorts and Escape in Glasgow, which is a valuable feeder. The snow-making equipment, as Mr Stewart rightly has said, has the potential to move our snow sports and the success of our resorts to a new dimension, and we will certainly avail ourselves of that tremendous opportunity.