 Can I ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to secure lifeline flights from urban to the islands of Collinsay, Callan Tyri, which are to be withdrawn by the operator from 16 May? Customer service number 1 that was titled by her seeks to ensure that there is no transfer of bus routes at all places from the airport in those areas. Where there will be increasing frequency on the Glasgow-2 Baratayre Tambl妳ng routes from October following discussions with the communities concerned. We'll also take the delivery of my first, of the two new aircraft for the groups this Thursday. In respect of the services that operate within Argyll and Bute, Transport Scotland officials have spoken with the council, hebridy and air services. We understand the parties have reached satisfactory compromises on a number but I have not yet reached a final agreement. I am informed in the absence of an agreement that the current operator, Hebra Dain, had to suspend ticket sales for flights after the end of the current contract period. Although the council indicated on Saturday that it would run a new tender exercise, I understand that they are still exploring options that would avoid that and avoid any breaking services. I know that both parties recognize the lifeline nature of these services and I hope and urge that they can reach an agreement shortly. Mr Russell. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The minister will know that this is a totally unnecessary dispute and I am reassured by your answer in which I know that hebride and air services are keen to continue negotiating, but the council issued what can only be described as an inflammatory press release on Saturday announcing a new tender process. As a minister aware, there's recently is the 7th of April. The hebride and air services is named as the preferred bidder with a full mark score for pricing. On 24 April, the council said that it was looking forward to a mutually agreed solution. How could it be that our Gallanbuut Council on Friday afternoon at 4.45 issues an email to the company, which introduces new conditions and refused to accept the tender, given that the service had to be suspended on 2 April by European law? Was that a reasonable and responsible thing for any council to do given the lifeline nature of those services? As with any procurement process, the council must operate within the law. It must also consider any potential stated implications with subsidies of this nature. Ultimately, the council needs to decide a course of action weighing up that advice and the benefits that those services bring to remote communities. Essentially, it is a judgment call for them taking all factors into account. I totally appreciate Michael Russell's concern in this matter that has raised it with me. I have had a conversation with the council leader and the chief executive. It would have been wrong for me to interfere with a procurement process, but I think that Mr Russell is absolutely right to urge an urgent and satisfactory resolution so that the communities that are concerned are not adversely affected. My understanding is that, later today, it appears that we are getting closer to agreement, and that being the case, we would all urge Argyll and Bute Council and Hebridean services to reach that resolution and satisfy the local community. The gap between the parties is £43,000 on a tender worth £700,000, the price of it has remained unchanged since 2011. There is a solution in place. It is not affected by state's aids, which is a Harry Potter-type spell that Argyll and Bute Council keeps waving whenever anybody challenges them. I would ask the minister to, if he could ensure that his officials—particularly officials from Transport Scotland—play a positive role in helping Argyll and Bute Council to where they should be at the negotiating table and ensuring that the matter is resolved before the withdrawal takes place. I am more than happy to agree to that intervention, and I had said to the leader of the council and the chief executive last week that if our officials in Transport Scotland could assist in not prejudicing any procurement exercise, I would be content for that to be the case. I will once again offer civil servants and officials support to be as proactive as possible, indeed brokerage if that is so required. We have two members who wish to ask a supplementary question. I say to both members that the question is about secure lifeline flight from Oban to the islands of Collinsley, Coll and Tyree, and provided that is what your supplementary is, I am happy to call you, David Stewart. I fully share Mr Russell's concerns. Will the minister confirm that if a PSO is not used for 12 months, it lapses? Will the minister ask his officials and Argyll and Bute Council to investigate the use of the regional air connectivity fund, which has helped routes in the Hounds and Islands previously? Does the minister share my view that a new European commission compliant route development fund will help lifeline services in the future? Of course, I am more than happy to explore all those points and give you more detail. However, if I am frank about the matter, I suspect that this is more to do with a negotiating process than any other technical matter. However, I think that there is a better way to handle such a procurement exercise, although I think that through how we have handled our procurement exercise, we have certainly learned lessons in the past. This is out with our control, and this is about the end of the negotiation. I am more than happy to get back to Mr Stewart with more detail in the areas that he has touched upon in his question. I wonder if the minister is aware that hebride and air services use a different kind of fuel for their aircraft from almost all air services in Scotland. Only Orkney and Shetland use similar fuel, and only they pay duty on that fuel. All other air services do not. That is probably a five-figure sum per year for hebride and air services. Will he raise that anomaly with UK ministers next time he has the opportunity to talk to them so that the field is levelled a little bit for hebride and air services, and indeed, Orkney and Shetland? I can confirm to the chamber that I was not aware of the full fuel specification, and I do not have the information that he requires to hand. Therefore, I am happy to take it away and to supply further information to the member. Thank you. We now move to the next site of business, which is a debate on motion number 13046, in the name of Mark Griffin.