 That concludes General Questions. Before we move to the First Minister's Questions, I invite members to join me in welcoming to the gallery Abbey Taylor, Presiding Officer of the Tobago House of Assembly. I also invite members to join me in welcoming his Excellency, Dr Robert Andreicec, Ambassador of Slovakia to the United Kingdom. The next item of business is First Minister's Questions. At question number one, I call Douglas Rox. I remind the chamber that my wife is a serving police officer with Police Scotland. Body Worn cameras are vital for police officer safety and to increase public trust. The SNP has left Police Scotland as the last force in the United Kingdom to roll out body worn cameras, but, yesterday, Police Scotland said that they could not guarantee that body worn cameras will be rolled out next year. Humza Yousaf did not deliver them when he was just the secretary. As First Minister, will he let police officers down again? First Minister. First and foremost, of course, we have increased the budget for Police Scotland. I am pleased that, after last week, Douglas Ross seems to have accepted the point that the Scottish Government has increased the budget for Police Scotland by 6.3 per cent by an additional £80 million. Let me quote directly from Deputy Chief Officer David Page and what he actually said around body worn cameras. He said, and I quote, Our current plans are that we will continue to roll out our national body worn videos as outlined in previous plans. When I was just the secretary, I ensured that we had the capital budget to ensure that that could begin. I am pleased to say that the Scottish Government has increased the budget for Police Scotland, but, much like Chief Officer David Page said yesterday, the plans are to roll out our national body worn video cameras for our police officers, who, of course, are the ones who should be credited for the fact that we have seen one of the lowest crime rates in Scotland for almost 50 years. The evidence was very clear that next year they will not be fully rolled out. Hamza Yousaf said in his programme for government last week that they were a priority, but Police Scotland now says that they cannot guarantee it because there is a £300 million black hole in the capital budget. The First Minister likes to quote from Police Scotland, so let me quote a submission that he put to this Parliament's Justice Committee for yesterday's session. Our current capital allocation is among the lowest in UK policing. This is significantly short of the funding required to improve conditions and equipment for the wellbeing of officers and staff. If this really is a priority for Hamza Yousaf, will he now treat it like one? Let's deal with the facts. The fact is that the UK Government has cut our capital budget by over 6.5 per cent, but here are some more facts for Douglas Ross. The Scottish Government has increased Police Scotland's budget by £80 million this year. The fact of the matter is that we have more police officers per head in Scotland than England. Of course, when we look at recorded crime levels, they are at one of their lowest in Scotland in almost 50 years. In fact, recorded crime has fallen by 42 per cent since the SNP came into power. That is a fact. When it comes to looking at whether Scotland is safer under the SNP, there is simply no denying that Scotland is undoubtedly safer under the SNP Government. That is a fact. Budgets are so stretched that the police say that officer redundancies are now on the table. Let's look at facts that the First Minister wants to reiterate. £300 million black hole in Police Scotland's capital budget, fact. Officer numbers in Scotland are at their lowest levels in 14 years, fact, First Minister. They started to slip when he was Justice Secretary and now they are in freefall as he is First Minister. Without further funding, Police Scotland warned yesterday that 2,000 police officers could be let go in the next five years. 600 could be offered streets by April next year. So why is the Government even considering these cuts, which will stretch policing in Scotland to breaking point? First of all, can I just remind Douglas Ross once again that this year Police Scotland has seen a significant increase to their budget? We are doing that, of course, in the face of a UK Government that has cut our capital budget. Let's look at how we are spending that money, not only are we ensuring that we have more police officers on the beat per head than England. If we look at fair pay, we have just concluded a deal with our police officers for a generous and a fair pay increase to them. That means in Scotland that the minimum and maximum salary is now higher for police officers in all ranks in Scotland compared to their counterparts in England and Wales. When it comes to the budget, of course, we will negotiate, we will engage with all political parties right across the chamber in relation to the budget. However, what Douglas Ross cannot do is demand more money that is spent and at the same time demand that we cut taxes. That is simply not a credible position. The First Minister is getting angry again. Either a civil servant has not put this stat in his briefing pack or he is not reading it. Police officer numbers in Scotland under the SNP are now at the lowest level in 14 years. That is a fact, First Minister, and that is what we are facing on the streets of Scotland right now. Police Scotland will be the last force in the UK to roll out body warm cameras. Officers no longer have the resources to investigate every crime. Their workplaces are not fit for purpose, and now the number of officers could be cut by 2,000. The thin blue line is barely visible at this rate, so does the First Minister accept that, with falling officer numbers, communities in Scotland will feel less safe? I do not accept that in the slightest. Around 1,280 new recruits have joined Police Scotland in the last 18 months. Over 350 more police officers than we took office in 2007. When it comes to real terms increases in Police Scotland's budget, that is a fair enough call for any political party to make. Of course we will give that consideration when it comes to the budget. Has Douglas Ross ever asked himself why a real terms increase was difficult this year? Of course it was difficult because inflation is sky-high because of his party's complete economic mismanagement of the public finances. When it comes to real terms increases, of course we will give that consideration. However, it was Douglas Ross a year ago that stood here that demanded the Scottish Government to copy Liz Truss's disastrous many-budget. If we had done that, we would not have money to spend on our police service or on any of our public services. Thank goodness that Douglas Ross is nowhere near the public finances of Scotland, Presiding Officer. Last year, the then health secretary promised no one would be waiting more than 18 months for an NHS procedure by September 2023. However, the most recent figures show that there are still 17,200 people on an NHS waiting list who have already waited over 18 months for hospital procedures, yet another broken promise from a health secretary that has failed upwards. The result is people turning to private care. Figures out this week show that 40 per cent of all knee and hip replacements carried out in Scotland are being self-funded by patients—40 per cent. Why does Humza Yousaf think that it is acceptable that almost 5,000 patients last year were forced to cover the costs of their hip or knee replacements because of his failures? First Minister, of course, as every right to ask around the waiting times that our NHS are experiencing, but what I would say to Anas Alwar is that every time he asks the question, he fails to mention, of course, the biggest shock our NHS has ever faced in its 75-year existence. Health services right across the UK, including in Scotland, are, of course, ensuring that we recover. When it comes to the longest waits, again, just to inject some facts into the exchange, the number waiting over two years for a new outpatient appointment is down 59 per cent in Scotland. When we look at the 18-month wait that is reduced by 40.6 per cent, we look at those waiting over a year—34 per cent of specialities had fewer than 10 patients waiting over 52 weeks. There is progress, there is recovery and, of course, that recovery is going to take time. What helps with that recovery is making sure that we have NHS staffing at near record levels, as they are under this Government, but also making sure that we do not lose a single day of the NHS to industrial action. I am pleased that this Scottish Government has ensured that our NHS staff remain the best paid in the entire UK. Anna Sarwar, the First Minister surely knew about Covid when he made the promise last year that we were eradicated by this time this year. The First Minister may not like it, but that is happening on his watch. In the last financial year alone, there were 43,000 patients treated privately in Scotland, an 8 per cent increase in one year. 4,739 hip and knee replacements paid for privately. 7,805 cataract surgeries paid for privately. 1,980 colonoscopies, 2,055 endoscopies, 995 hernia repairs and, most shockingly of all, 1,745 rounds of chemotherapy paid for privately by patients. Healthcare-free at the point of need, a founding principle of our NHS. How can the SNP get so bad that patients are having to find the cash to pay for life-saving cancer treatment? We do not want people to have to fund care out of their own pockets. We know, of course, the impact that the pandemic has had on our health service and, indeed, on those waiting lists. I go back to the point to Anna Sarwar that this is something that has been seen right across health systems across the globe, let alone across the United Kingdom. When we look at those happening here in Scotland as well as across the United Kingdom, and I look at the figures from the private health information network over the first quarter of 2023, it shows worrying trends in relation to those who are accessing private healthcare, but it also shows that Scotland has a lower rate of take-up of private healthcare compared to England and Wales. The rate of people who are self-funding for private inpatient daycare is 16 per cent higher in England, and in Wales it is 51 per cent higher where the Labour Party is in charge. Of course, that will be cold comfort for people who have to dig deep into their own pockets to pay for healthcare, but what I would say is that it is not unique here to Scotland. What we will do is continue to see that recovery, continue to reduce waiting lists, and what we will continue to do is make sure that our NHS staff are the best paid in the UK so that they continue to provide the excellent service that they do to patients up and down Scotland. Anna Sarwar The number of people going private each year is going up, and those answers from the First Minister are going to mean no comfort to the 43,000 patients who are being forced to pay privately. One person I spoke to in Camposlang just a few weeks ago was £15,000 for a hip replacement because he had to wait three years, completely and utterly unacceptable. In the middle of a cost of living crisis, where people are struggling to pay the bills, they should not also have to worry about the cost of getting sick. On the SNP's watch, 43,000 Scots are being forced to find £15,000 for a hip or knee replacement, £3,000 for cataract surgery, £3,000 for a colonoscopy, £4,000 for a hernia repair and even cancer patients forced to find thousands of pounds for their chemotherapy. Patients in pain and heartbroken families trying to scrape together the cash, some even being forced to remortgage their homes to pay for the care that they should be getting on the NHS. First Minister, why are more and more Scots being forced to pay the price for SNP incompetence and failure? The First Minister What we're seeing, of course, is the impacts of that global pandemic, which has impacted every single health service, including, of course, the health service here in Scotland. If Anna Sarwar wants evidence of the recovery, we are seeing more and more activity within the NHS. When I look at the activity in relation to inpatient daycare, activity for quarter two was at its highest since the start of the pandemic. That's not the first, not the second, but actually the sixth quarterly increase in a row, with 58,813 patients seen in Q2. We're seeing more and more patients, in patients in this case, and daycare patients being seen. I'm pleased that Anna Sarwar mentioned the cost of living crisis, because we are taking action to tackle that cost of living crisis. Because of the action that we are taking, of course, it's estimated that 90,000 fewer children will be in absolute or relative poverty. In stark contrast to the position of Anna Sarwar of a summer of U-turns, where he has aligned himself with cruel Tory policy, after cruel Tory policy, we are unashamedly anti-poverty, unashamedly pro-growth. The only thing Anna Sarwar is unashamedly pro-starmer. 3. Ross Greer To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to the first UN global stock-take report on the Paris climate agreement. Well, it's simply no denying that the conclusions of the global stock-take report are deeply concerning, and that all countries, including Scotland, must seek to do more. The report found that nothing less than radical decarbonisation and systemic transformation will do. Scotland will, of course, play her part. Internationally, we will continue to urge greater ambition, greater action towards a just transition to net zero through our core chairmanship of the under 2 coalition. I will highlight this as a matter of urgency while at the New York climate week, and we look forward to COP28 to make clear decisions on fossil fuels, renewable energy and climate finance must be progressed with urgency. At home, Scotland has made progress on our net zero journey, though we know more has to be done. We will continue to work with communities, businesses and international partners towards a net zero future. Scotland has a deserved international reputation as a leader on climate action, but our domestic record needs to match up to that reputation. With Scottish green policies that are removing peak time rail fares from a few weeks from now, we are taking action to reduce emissions. The First Minister said that he is about to join other world leaders at climate week and then at COP. What new actions is he bringing to the table to demonstrate Scotland's commitment to tackle this global emergency? Well, Ross Greer is absolutely right. It is incumbent upon Governments right across the world to ensure that they are bringing urgency, pace and, indeed, initiative to tackling the climate. Emergency Scotland has already had a big impact on the global stage, particularly through our pioneering commitment to loss and damages, and I am determined to keep building upon that. In terms of new initiatives, that is where my programme for government committed to serious climate action. Cheaper public transport through free bus travel, trialling the scrapping of peak rail fares on ScotRail, as Ross Greer has mentioned, investing almost £5 billion in the net zero energy economy, a new climate change adaptation programme, a heat and buildings bill and the natural environment bill, much more on top of that, that we will continue to build upon as we develop our new climate plan. That is why I am looking forward to hosting all party leaders so that we can get some sort of consensus, I hope, on the urgency that is required to tackle the climate emergency. Given that the Scottish Government has consistently failed to live up to our climate target, which is bad news for the 38 per cent of households living in fuel poverty, whose energy bills have increased, what does he say to the millions of people across the world and here in Edinburgh, who will be campaigning on the streets this weekend to demand the just transition, given that his government has flip-flopped an oil and gas and failed to deliver retrofitting of people's homes who are living in fuel poverty? Can I say to Sarah Boyack that she would have more credibility on this issue if her party didn't U-turn on its support on low emission zones or indeed it didn't dump its £28 billion green prosperity fund? That is the very, very point here. That time and time again, this Scottish Government doesn't just talk the talk, we're prepared to walk the walk. We will bring forward serious action to tackle the climate emergency, but what would really help, Presiding Officer, is that those parties that demand we meet our targets don't then oppose every single measure that we bring to this chamber. If Sarah Boyack is serious and the Labour Party is serious about tackling the climate emergency, join with us, support us and bring forward ideas that will help us collectively to tackle the climate emergency. Don't simply just dump the policies that you had and don't simply just oppose those policies that we bring forward and support us, because collective action is needed to tackle the climate emergency. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Could the First Minister update the chamber on when we should expect to see the published update to the climate change plan? Thank you, and we move to question 4, and I call Jackie Dunbar. To ask the First Minister, in light of reports that no bids were received for offshore wind projects in the UK Government's latest contract for difference round, what action the Scottish Government has taken to encourage investment in offshore wind and hydrogen power in Scotland? Jackie Dunbar absolutely exposes the UK Government's complete failure to capture one of the greatest opportunities for Scotland's net zero economy. Its inexplicable stance is anti-climate, but it is also anti-growth. Industry has said that the UK Government has a clear signal that the strike price must increase and we back those calls 100 per cent. To ensure that we seize this opportunity, the Scottish Government supports the strategic investment model with public and private sector partners, specifically aimed at enabling a move from project-led to sector-level investment. Launching later this year will be the next tranche of hydrogen funding. The green hydrogen fund, the flagship fund, will focus on supporting renewable hydrogen production from Scotland's abundant renewable energy resources, seeking to give us first mover advantage. I hope that on the back of industry calls that the UK Government will listen to the industry and, of course, hopefully will have a successful future round. Jackie Dunbar I thank the First Minister for his answer. A new report from Aberdeens Robert Gordon University published just this week further reinforced that we cannot afford to get this wrong and we must see investment in renewable technologies gather pace. The SNP Scottish Government has shown its ambition by committing £500 million to a just transition fund, but this has to be matched by Westminster. Can the First Minister provide his response to this new report and any update on discussions with the UK Government to match the Scottish Government's just transition fund? The First Minister I welcome the report from Robert Gordon University. Jackie Dunbar is absolutely right. UK Government, successive UK Governments have taken billions and billions and billions from our north-east and are not prepared to put a fraction back in. The very least that the UK Government should do is to match our £500 million just transition fund. What I would also say to the UK Government is that the latest round is an abject failure to capitalise on the huge, vast renewable potential that Scotland has. What I would say to the UK Government is not just that it is this harm our economy but that it is seriously harming our planet of a summer in which we have seen the disastrous visual impacts of the climate emergency. This is a time for climate leadership. What we are getting from the UK Government is, of course, complete political abdication. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The fact that there are no bids received should be a wake-up call to this Government. Offshore wind should be part of an energy mix. Instead, they are putting all their eggs into one basket, a basket that is considerably more expensive than the Scottish Government has to do. Will the First Minister look again at having a more balanced energy mix that includes nuclear energy? The First Minister rightly looks embarrassed, as he should be, Presiding Officer. The Scottish Government is somehow responsible for the failure of the contract for different auction that the UK Government controls. It is seriously desperate from the member. If he does not want to listen to me, he should listen to the likes of Keith Anderson, who said, and I will quote directly, that this is a multi-billion-pound lost opportunity to deliver low-cost energy for consumers and a wake-up call for the UK Government. Let's listen to Dan McRail, the CEO of Renewable UK, who says that the results of the contract for difference auction round should set alarm bells ringing in the Government, as the UK's energy security and net zero goals can only be met if we have offshore wind as the backbone of our future energy system. I agree with Dan McRail, and I agree with Keith Anderson. If the Conservatives had any influence in that regard, they would make sure that the UK Government listens to the industry as opposed to those who back fossil fuels alone. Offshore wind is a sustainable source of energy and a key part of Scottish Government plans to reach net zero targets. However, the Scottish Government's first round of leasing sold our natural environment short with a cap price per square kilometre. Will the Scottish Government ensure that any future leasing rounds are not undersold in order to get the maximum amount possible to reinvest in public services? Scotland is the first evolved leasing round for offshore wind. Development of Scottish waters is the first leasing round in Scotland in a decade. We will make a significant contribution in terms of our public finances, not only the £750 million in revenues to the public purse, but the billions of pounds that it will create in terms of opportunity to the supply chain. The cabinet secretary will be more than happy to speak to the member in relation to what more we can do to improve future leasing rounds. However, the point here is that the Scottish Government believes in the vast potential of our renewables industry and our renewables potential. In the face of a UK Government, that has turned its back on Scotland's renewable potential. I hope that members, such as Beatrice Wishart, and other members across political parties, will join with the SNP-led Scottish Government to put pressure on the UK Government to do more to unlock the huge potential that Scotland has for renewables. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's responses to statistics are, reportedly, showing that the number of complaints against Social Security Scotland has increased by 350 per cent in one year. Social Security Scotland has introduced 13 Scottish Government benefits, seven of which are available only in Scotland, thanks to a total investment of £12 billion, supporting people who need assistance. In 2022-23, it received almost 370,000 applications, hundreds of thousands of phone calls and web chats, too. Social Security is a fundamental human right, which is why we have established a very radically different benefit system, built on dignity, fairness and respect. Our system vigorously promotes benefit take-up to ensure that as many people as possible get what they are entitled to, while mitigating the austerity impacts of UK Government policies in our fixed budgets. In 2022-23, there were a total of 1,790 complaints, so complaint numbers remain low. In fact, in relation to total applications, it is less than 1.5 per cent. I am sure that the First Minister must agree that the situation is not acceptable. MSPs from across Parliament will be aware of increasing costs and complaints that are experienced by our constituents. SNP ministers have said all is well, however, we are seeing increased processing times, delays in benefit roll-out and the possibility of the full devolution of all benefits not happening until 2026. Therefore, can I ask the First Minister when does he expect all benefits to be devolved to Social Security Scotland? The more than happy for the cabinet secretary to write in detail to Miles Briggs, not just around the question that he asked specifically, but also on the significant improvements that we are making in relation to application processing times. Social Security Scotland is a success story because of Social Security Scotland, because of the actions that we have taken in relation to Social Security and, indeed, progressive taxation. It is estimated that 90,000 children will be lifted out of absolute and relative poverty this year. It is the reasons why, of course, poverty levels in Scotland are still too high, but we have seen rises, higher rises, and we have seen rises in poverty across the UK where the situation in Scotland has stabilised. We want to make sure that poverty reduces. The final thing that I would say to Miles Briggs and me will furnish him with further detail. When it comes to the satisfaction levels of those who interact with Social Security Scotland, 81 per cent—over 8 out of 10 respondents—agreed that it was easy to contact Social Security Scotland, and 94 per cent—over 9 out of 10 respondents—agreed that social security staff treated them with kindness. That expected is the stark difference to the DWP. Can the First Minister confirm that user survey results demonstrate Scotland's social security system as adhering to the founding principles of dignity, fairness and respect, so that people are benefiting from the powers over Social Security being in the hands of this Parliament? Yes, Clare Stevenson is absolutely right that the survey shows just that. When I look at satisfaction levels, almost 9 out of 10, 89 per cent of respondents said that Social Security staff were able to help them. 89 per cent of respondents said that Social Security staff were knowledgeable about benefits. As I have already said, through the actions that this Government has taken to the hard work of the excellent team at Social Security Scotland, we have seen significant results when it comes to tackling poverty and child poverty in particular. That would not have been possible. It is not for the hard work of the excellent staff at Social Security Scotland and, of course, the ethos that we have had from the very beginning around dignity, fairness and respect. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle repeat offending in the light of a recent report that found that people who experience frequent and serious repeat violence often do not bring this to the attention of the authorities. The Scottish Government commissioned the report that the member refers to, precisely because we knew that victims of repeat violence do not report their experiences. It is, of course, important for us to understand the reasons and rationale behind why and how we can help them to access that support. While there are fewer crimes and fewer victims than over a decade ago, the impact on victims, particularly of sexual and violent crimes, can of course be absolutely devastating. That is why we are investing in law enforcement, crime prevention and reducing offending and reoffending through a range of activity, including our violence prevention framework. We are also putting victims of crime at the heart of our justice system through our victims' witnesses and justice reform bill, and we have invested £93 million over the past five years to support victims. I welcome the report by the Scottish Government, which seeks to better understand repeat violent victimisation. It found that, of those men who experience and repeat physical violence in Scotland, they live in deprived areas, have experienced homelessness or are living in supported accommodation and in recovery from addiction. Whereas intimate partner abuse was the highest among women aged 16 to 24, also living in deprived areas. The report talks about local communities, led by mentors, peer mentors and those with lived experience, were uniquely positioned to support people experiencing repeat violence. It is, First Minister, a slightly different perspective on crime, so I ask the First Minister what can be done to support the grass roots organisations, which the research found is quite limited by insecure funding? Pauli McNeill will make some very important points indeed. The point that she makes is exactly why we will continue to support programmes such as Medics Against Violence and, of course, the delivery of the excellent navigator programme. It is why we have continued to invest in the violence reduction unit, which has been hailed as a great exemplar globally. In terms of supporting grass roots organisations, I cannot agree more with Pauli McNeill. I think that the investment in those third sector partners is absolutely crucial. That is why more than 20 organisations have received awards from our victim-centred approach, including Victim Support Scotland, who were awarded over £18 million to support families bereaved by crime service. We will continue to invest in those grass roots interventions. I would say to Pauli McNeill that, of course, Justice Secretary, we are more than happy to continue the conversation with Pauli McNeill. We have received that report, and it is really important that we act upon what that excellent report is telling us. We move to general and constituency supplementaries, and I call Claire Adamson. Does the First Minister share my disney that Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre was closed with immediate effect until further notice due to the discovery of rack concrete in the roof of the building? Of course, safety is absolutely paramount. Motherwell Civic Theatre and Concert Hall is a beloved venue, both by professional and amateur performers, not least the cast of the acclaimed Christmas panto. Will the Scottish Government engage with the local authority on the challenges facing the future of this important local cultural venue? Yes, we will continue to engage with local authorities, as we have done throughout the course of the last not just few weeks, but few months. I am more than happy for the Cabinet Secretary to speak directly to Claire Adamson. Claire Adamson is right, those are difficult issues. It is really important that local authorities and others continue to align themselves with the Institute of Structural Engineers guidance. That is what partners are seeking to do. Of course, that empowers them to take the appropriate mitigations, and that can include, at times, unfortunately having to close down buildings where they feel that that is necessary. I am more than happy to ensure that the Cabinet Secretary to be right to Claire Adamson. I am sure that she will be happy to engage with Claire Adamson, too, on this very important issue. First Minister, childcare formed the cornerstone of your programme for government. It is also central for child development and allowing parents and carers to get back to work. Yesterday, out of the blue, Cury primary school families lost their before-and-after school clubs. Parents have contacted me desperate for help, with one unsure how they can balance childcare and their job as a teacher in Dulkheath. First Minister, will you meet me to discuss solutions to this very pressing local issue? I will be more than happy for Sue Weber to furnish the Government with the full details. She has given a synopsis of the situation, and the Cabinet Secretary to be more than happy to meet Sue Weber. Sue Weber is right. Childcare was a cornerstone, not just of my programme for government, but it has been a cornerstone of this Government since 2007. We now have a very generous childcare offer, one that I am keen to build upon. That is why the staff who do a phenomenal job in providing childcare will ensure that the funds are available to pay them £12 an hour in the PVI sector. If Sue Weber can furnish the Government with full details, I will ensure that the Cabinet Secretary engages with her on this issue. This week, disabled people in Glasgow have written to all MSPs in the region, including the First Minister, to say that, and I quote, "...despite our large numbers, disabled people have never been a priority for the Scottish Government. The Glasgow Centre for Population Health has described the situation as a human catastrophe and the CEO of Glasgow Disability Alliance has said that the result is that disabled people are dying of poverty, nobody knows and nobody cares." Can I ask the First Minister, does he know that it is this bad for disabled people in the city that he represents and does he care enough to commit to taking action to address it, including to end non-residential care charges? I do understand, of course, because I met with the Glasgow Disability Alliance just a matter of weeks ago. I heard from the members of the board of the Glasgow Disability Alliance and Tresor Burke, who very powerfully, over the years, has articulated the concerns for disabled people living in Scotland. That is why my programme for government, of course, committed to reopen the independent living fund, which was an ask from disabled people's organisations. Of course, that is why I will continue to work with them to see what more we can do, including the ending of non-residential care charges, which we are still committed to doing by the end of this parliamentary term. However, I would say to Pam Duncan-Glancy that that will come at a significant cost, so it is really important that when Labour do engage with us, they do not turn their back on progressive taxation, as Anna Sauer seems to have done, and to turn their backs on any ability for us to raise any revenue, because all of these initiatives, well-intentioned, can make a difference, will cost money, and it is so important that we engage in a credible discussion on how we raise that revenue. The Linda Norgrove Foundation in my constituency has been desperately trying to get 20 female medical students out of Taliban ruled Afghanistan and into medical schools in Scotland. However, they are being stymied by UK visa issues. I know that the foundation was extremely appreciative of the cabinet secretary's help when they met with her last month. Is there anything further the Scottish Government can do to help these inspirational women? I hope that all of us as a Parliament can unite to back this particular cause. I want to pay tribute to the excellent work that Linda Norgrove Foundation does. It is incumbent on all of us to put pressure on the UK Government on the Home Office to help, given that we all know how difficult the plight is for women in Afghanistan. I know that the cabinet secretary has engaged with the foundation and that we have also understood and written to the UK Government and the Home Office on this particular matter. I will see if there is anything more that we can possibly do on this issue, but I would hope that we can collectively join as a Parliament to say to the UK Government that their response, their foot dragging on this particular issue, I am afraid, is simply not good enough and is letting down women and girls in Afghanistan. Grym Simpson. Thank you. The cost of building the Glen Sannocks and Glen Rosa is an ongoing scandal. We do not know when they will be finished, we do not know what the final bill will be, and we do not know what has happened to all the money. The Auditor General says that he needs extra powers in order to find out what has happened to £128 million of money that was spent by FML. Will the First Minister grant those powers? Presiding Officer, there has been a number of inquiries to which, of course, the Scottish Government and, indeed, those at Ferguson's have cooperated fully. Hundreds of documents that have been published and put into the public domain around what is happening at Ferguson's. I will not hesitate and apologise to our island communities for the fact that they are still waiting for the completion of both 801 and 802. What I will not do, Presiding Officer, is to apologise for the fact that the Scottish Government did step in and made sure that we secured and saved hundreds of jobs in Inverclyde. Police Scotland recently released a report that highlights that this year's funding allocation represents a real reduction. As a result, the number of police officers has been reduced to 16,600 in Scotland. At the same time, the number of calls being made to Police Scotland is reportedly only increasing. Will the First Minister advise what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that Police Scotland is suitably funded to deal with the demand? We are funding Police Scotland suitably because, of course, it has received an increase of 6.3 per cent and £80 million to their budget. Not only have they had an increase to their budget, of course, recorded crime is at one of its lowest levels in almost 50 years. When we look at police officer pay, they are, of course, the best-paid police officers in the UK, so we are making sure that Police Scotland is appropriately funded. If Foyster Shawdry thinks that there should be an increase to the budget, what the party cannot do is turn their back on progressive taxation or, indeed, any way in which we can raise revenue to ensure that our public services are appropriately funded. First Minister, the Aquafill factory in Kilburney, which carries out interlacing and twisting for the carpet yarn industry, has been unexpectedly earmarked for closure as early as next month with a loss of up to 40 jobs. That will be a devastating blow to the workers and wider community. Aquafill blamed, and I quote, Covid and Brexit for the challenging conditions in the UK and a doubling of energy costs. I will meet with the company on-site tomorrow. What steps can the Scottish Government take to assist the company, the workforce and lessen the impact of any proposed redundancies? Neil Gray will be happy to meet the member around Aquafill and we will see what can be done where necessary to hopefully prevent job losses or where that unfortunately becomes a material reality where we can help those into alternative employment. It is interesting that Kenny Gibson says that there are three factors that have contributed Covid, Brexit and, indeed, high energy costs. Of course, Covid is affecting business right across the globe, but the other two factors are very unique to the UK Government, so they are very unique to the UK and self-inflicted damage that Brexit has done. The utter mismanagement of the UK public finances is why, of course, we are seeing high energy and high inflation costs, which are damaging businesses right across Scotland. Thank you, Presiding Officer. During FMQs on 22 June, I raised a point of order that the First Minister had misled the chamber. On 29 August, the First Minister wrote, telling me what he had intended to say, but what he has stated to me in writing is not true. A freedom of information request reveals that weeks of civil service time and effort was spent trying to engineer a face-saving response rather than the First Minister simply admitting that he had misled us all. Does the First Minister share people's concerns that the Scottish civil service appears to be increasingly politicised, which could destroy public trust? What will he do to prevent such partisan protection from ministers who intentionally mislead in the future? I have a member who is telling me what I was actually meaning to say and meaning to think. It is incredible that we have Liam Kerr talking about disrespecting Parliament. I am meant to take a lecture from the Conservatives about disrespecting Parliament. Sorry, let's treat one another with courtesy and respect. Let's hear the First Minister. I am meant to take a lecture about disrespecting Parliament from the Conservatives who illegally shut down the Parliament. I am meant to take lectures about truth and honesty from the party that gave us Boris Johnson. The very difference between myself and Liam Kerr between the SNP and the Conservatives is that the SNP wants to power our just transition. It wants to empower our offshore renewable sector. The Tories, I am afraid, just want to hold us back. Audrey Nicholl This morning, new data shows the vast majority of Scots view immigration as a positive benefit that enriches Scotland culturally and economically. Can the First Minister update the chamber on his interactions with the UK Government on labour shortages in key sectors as a result of the UK's archaic immigration policies? The First Minister Audrey Nicholl articulates very well the positive benefits of migration. Virtually every single study under the sun shows that migrants who have come to the UK have contributed more than they have taken. I have to say that the absolute hostile environment that has been created by successive UK Governments is woeful. The UK has become a pathetically insular country. Not only is it morally wrong, but it undoubtedly cuts our nose despite our face in terms of the economic potential that migrants could bring to Scotland and, indeed, to the rest of the UK. I urge political parties to have lost hope with the UK Government, the Conservative UK Government, when it comes to migration. I would plead with Anna Sauer to use any influence he has when it comes to Keir Starmer and the UK Labour Party, who seem to be engaged in a race to the bottom when it comes to the issue of migration. That is not going to help the UK, certainly it is not going to help Scotland at all. It has been a persistent issue over many years with the short running of trains, serving the Fife to Edinburgh service, which is well used by my constituents. I raised this previously with ScotRail and with the previous transport minister. I was assured that this would be resolved, but it continues. Today, for example, the 08.11 service from Edinburgh Keating, a very busy service, had just two carriages, leaving passengers stranded on the platform, having to wait 20 minutes for the next service, meaning that they would be late arriving at their place of work. It is very welcome that we are seeing a reduction in peak time fares, but that is no use to people if they cannot get on the train in the first place, so when is this finally going to be brought to an end? We have invested significantly in the rolling stock in Scotland in the time that we have been in office. I know that the previous transport minister held a meeting with Fife MSPs in relation to the issues that Murdo Fraser mentioned earlier in the year in spring time, but I am more than happy for the cabinet secretary to write to Murdo Fraser on where appropriate meet with Fife MSPs so that we can ensure that the people of Fife get the service that they absolutely need and require. That concludes First Minister's questions. The next item of business is a member's business debate in the name of Julian Mackay. There will be a short suspension to allow those leaving the chamber and public gallery to do so.