 Felly, mae'n gweithio i'r next item of business is portfolio questions on culture, Europe and external affairs. In order to get as many questioners in as possible, I would prefer short and succinct questions and answers, please. Mr Russell, if you are ready, question 1, please. Can I ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the National Museum of Scotland regarding the request to repatriate to Canada the remains of the last two members of the Beathock tribe? The National Museum of Scotland has confirmed that it has met those wishing the Beatock remains to be repatriated to Canada, and they have explained the established mechanism for making a formal repatriation request and have yet to received a formal request but expected to be made. The National Museums of Scotland has advised that it has yet to received the formal request, but it will consider any such request carefully. Decisions on repatriating individual items in the National Museum's collection are in the first instance for the board of the National Museums of Scotland acting in that respect independently of the Scottish Government. I welcome that response from the cabinet secretary, and I am grateful to her. I am sure that she would agree with me that, whilst, of course, this is a matter in the first instance for the board of the National Museum, the keeping of skulls is surely not a first instance response to the common humanity that we share with the two individuals who were the last recorded individuals of this tribe, a tribe that was wiped out probably because of environmental pressures on our hunting grounds as well as by cultural pressures. Perhaps it would be an appropriate response to that shared humanity to ensure that, when the request comes, it is dealt with speedily and in a humane fashion so that we can set this matter to rest. The National Museums of Scotland are well aware of the sensitivity of the issue, and indeed there is well-developed guidance on repatriation of human remains from Scottish collections in the light of the human tissue legislation passed in Scotland in 2006. Indeed an example of returns were to Wellington from the NMS in 2007. I reiterate that the decision is for the NMS board, but ministers then may have a legal designation for the receiving institution in Canada as an appropriate body. However, I very much take on board the member's points that this is an issue of humanity and should be treated as such. Neil Findlay As the Scottish Government in which ministers are met with representatives of the Government of Qatar since it was awarded the 2022 World Cup, the Scottish ministers have met with Qatari officials on a number of occasions since 2010 when Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup. Most recently, I met with Mr Khaled Rashid Al-Munsuri, head of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We discussed a number of issues, including those of the rights of migrant workers. Neil Findlay According to press reports, the Minister for External Affairs went on a trip to Qatar from 19 May 2013, and the First Minister visited sometime between 27 October and 4 November 2011. Can the minister advise why there is no detail of those ministerial visits and what they did on those visits in the ministerial diaries? Will the Government now release all information about those visits? Two weeks ago, when asked, the minister said that it was an administrative error why there was no detail in the diaries, it would appear that administrative error persists. Neil Findlay I would say to the member that the Scottish Government aims to be as transparent as possible about meetings that are undertaken by ministers. The reason given at the time of that press report absolutely stands. There was a cleric error, not just on that visit on a number of visits, and I accept that point. Now it takes time, of course, for that cleric error to be rectified. We are, hopefully, and we will publish that updated list soon, but I would say to the member on this occasion, including the trip that he refers to the Qatar trip of 2013. It was not some kind of secret. In fact, his own researcher tweeted the link to the announcement that we made at that time. That is not the work of the illuminati or the night's tempers. There is no conspiracy theory. We are happy to continue to give details. I would say on this issue, which I know is close to the member's heart, that I am happy to work with him, to talk to him about that, discuss with him on this issue, because this Government has raised the issue of migrants, workers not just in Qatar but across the Gulf region. If he is serious about that issue, then my door is always open to talk to him about how we can work together in order to ensure that workers are treated correctly, not just in Qatar but across the entire region. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote and support Gaelic culture. Scottish Government's support for Gaelic culture has been significant. Support for MGLBA has transformed broadcasting in Scotland. Our support for Gaelic education has created us a significant and successful sector. Support for Bournemouth Gaelic has enabled Gaelic to be promoted in many areas of Scottish public and community life. Our support for Gaelic arts and cultural events has allowed a minority community to have a significant impact on Scottish cultural life. Creative Scotland is providing over £5 million to Gaelic organisations and other organisations with a high Gaelic content over the three years from 2015 to 2018. Last week on 10 June, I was delighted to present a Creative Places award to Stornoway and the Islands of Lewis and Harris at an event hosted by Creative Scotland with support from Events Scotland. It won £125,000, which will be used for a project called The Alloch, marking Stornoway as a gateway to the creative community of the Outer Hebrides. Rhoda Grant. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and she will be aware that Gaelic culture and heritage is often passed down through poetry and song. Taxes that we need to be able to speak the language and understand it. She talks about it in her previous answer support for education, but she will be aware that there has been a marked drop of the number of pupils choosing Gaelic as a language in school and that has led to a fall on the number of students gaining a qualification. Can I ask what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that the education system is providing the education and skills that are required to access our culture and heritage? Those are questions on culture, Europe and external affairs. If she wants to direct her questions to my education colleagues, I am sure that they will be willing to respond to her directly on her educational matters. Her original question was about culture. I have answered about the cultural celebrations. I am delighted that, particularly among our young people, there has been such an expand, particularly in the provision of Gaelic education in the early years. If she wants to direct her questions on education to education ministers, I will ensure that they are answered. I am notwithstanding the answer that the cabinet secretary has given to Rhoda Grant, could I ask whether any discussions have taken place between the cabinet secretary for culture and the cabinet secretary for education about how to find more teachers of Gaelic? This is the question time for culture, Europe and external affairs. I am more than happy to answer questions on culture. Questions on education should be directed, as she well knows, to my education colleagues, but as far as celebration and indeed promotion of Gaelic culture is concerned, the investment that my department has given to the Fesh Ross in terms of support for MG Alba, in terms of film and television, Gaelic Boots Council for example, £620,000 and indeed Feshon and Gael £1.4 million. I am very pleased about the support that I can provide in my role as culture minister. When I was education minister, I was instrumental in ensuring that Gaelic schools were developed, but precisely in relation to issues around Gaelic education and those questions, I would ask the Presiding Officer that is directed to the education questions, which are, I think, at a different session. I think that we will move on to question 4, Christiane Allard. To us, does the Scottish Government, wherever it has been invited by the UK Government to discuss its negotiation proposals regarding the EU reform? Mr Hums, at your service. I thank the member for the question. The Scottish Government has proactively shared its agenda for EU reform with the UK Government, which was published on August 2014, where it outlines a number of measures for improvement and reform within the existing EU treaty framework. I thank the minister for his answer, but he can give us some reassurance that the Scottish Government will make representation to ensure the needs and priorities of our fishing industry and not forgotten by the UK Government during its EU negotiation. We all remember how we were sold down the river during the EU negotiation when the Westminster Government official put it in the wider UK context. The Scottish fishermen must be regarded as expendable. The member makes an important point. Richard Lochhead has been a real champion of those matters and others, and we continue to urge the UK Government, of course, when there is issues surrounding fishing that are to be spoken about at the Agriculture Environment Council, Richard Lochhead is there to represent Scotland and Scotland's interests in that regard. He will also note the speech that was recently made by the First Minister herself. In Brussels, he wishes to use the CFP as an example of how the EU could be better reformed as well. We will continue to make those representations to the UK Government. In relation to any re-negotiation that takes place, Scotland's voice and all the devolved administrations should be listened to. Can the minister confirm that Scottish Government support for continued membership of the EU is not conditional upon reform, and can he say what the Scottish Government is doing in terms of inviting businesses, charities and Civic Scotland to come together to help to promote the positive case for continued membership? Both questions are excellent. In relation to the latter question, in relation to bringing together businesses and academics, the Scottish Government has a role in that. Various discussions and facilitations are taking place, but of course all of us have a responsibility in that. I do not believe that the campaign to stay within the European Union has to necessarily be politician-led, and I think that that was what she was alluding to in her question, so I would certainly agree with that. In relation to her former point, she is, again, correct, although we wish to see reform of the European Union. We have set out some of that reform, both in our agenda for reform and then subsequently with the speech by the First Minister. That is regardless of what kind of re-negotiation the Prime Minister happens to come back with from Europe. We are pro-European and we believe that Scotland is best served remaining a member of the European Union. Indeed, the European Union is stronger for having Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom within it, regardless of what the Prime Minister manages to re-negotiate on our behalf. To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the Mediterranean refugee crisis. As I said in my reply to Alison Johnstone on 21 April, the Scottish Government has consistently raised the concerns about migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean and reach the EU and will continue to use every opportunity to press for action on what is a humanitarian emergency. Following the UK election, I wrote again to Mr Brokenshire on 20 May, as I promised, expressing the views of this Parliament as stated in our debate of 6 May. I have not yet received a response. The First Minister also raised this issue when she met David Cameron. I understand that Scottish Government officials have had early discussion in relation to UK Government views on refugee settlement with Home Office officials. My colleague Humza Yousaf, Minister for Europe and International Development, again reiterated the Scottish Government's position on Monday, calling on the UK Government to participate in EU proposals on refugee relocation and to take a proportionate share of people fleeing conflict and persecution. Margaret McCullough, thank you for that lengthy reply. I think that you may have answered all my questions, but I will carry on anyway in case I have missed anything out. I will accept that funding for the EU's Operation Triton has troubled. There are still huge concerns about reports that almost 2,000 refugees and migrants have died across the Mediterranean this year. What can the Scottish Government do, you have said directly but also indirectly, to make the UK Government and other Governments in Europe's strength in their commitment to deal with this on-going tragedy on Europe's doorstep? To supplement my initial answer, a number of issues in terms of influencing other Governments also. I can add that the First Minister and her speech in Brussels in recent weeks included reference in particular to the issue around migrants. I know that the Italian Government is very appreciative of not only mine but the chamber's interest and continuing interest in this issue. In very practical terms there is the issue of relocation and resettlement and the UK's responsibilities. If, collectively—and that is why it is so helpful to have that debate that we had in the Parliament to send to the UK Government—collectively we can indicate that our desire is not just for that immediate humanitarian issue to be addressed, that is the point of our question, but also the longer-term issues. It is not the only question about humanity that has been raised in the questions today. I thank her for raising it again. To ask the Scottish Government how it supports voluntary sector organisations working in developing countries. For the question, Scottish Government supports voluntary sector organisations working in developing countries in many ways. Our international development fund, which is £9 million per year, is an example of our £6 million climate justice fund. Both of those support robust programmes for development that have been delivered by a range of organisations and institutions in Scotland, including those from the voluntary sector, working with their partners overseas. As part of that, we are also providing just over £450,000 in 2015-16 to 15 organisations that are smaller from our small grants programme, which deliver a broad range of capacity-building feasibility and project grants to smaller organisations. Will the minister join me in congratulating Mary's Meals, headquartered in Dalmali in my region and led by my inspirational constituent, Magnus McFarlane Barrow, on its recent announcements that it is now providing 1 million children in some of the world's poorest countries with a meal every day they attend school? Do they agree with me that Mary's Meals is a world-class example of the impact that the voluntary sector can have in developing countries and how the Scottish Government and how can the Scottish Government help other national and international voluntary organisations learn from that best practice? I agree with him on his inspirational constituent, Magnus McFarlane Barrow, who was mentioned among us by one of the most influential Catholics in the list that was made up recently. I think that he very much deserved to spot in the top 10 in that, because his inspiration is not just here in Scotland but across the world. I sent a video message to Mary's Meals to congratulate them specifically on this great achievement of now feeding 1 million children every day across the world. It is phenomenal and I want Scotland to be known and judged by how compassionate it is as a country across the world, and nobody better demonstrates that than Mary's Meals. In regards to what further we can do, of course we have our international development fund and other such things. Perhaps the member and I can have a discussion on post-Smith on how we can have our international development on a statutory footing, as other organisations such as NIDOS and the Scottish Malawi Partnership have asked for. Perhaps if we do that, we will be able to have more powers and even more resource towards international development in the future, but I agree with him entirely on the achievements of Mary's Meals. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the proposal that 16 and 17-year-olds and European nationals living in the UK will not be able to vote in the EU referendum. The Scottish Government does not support the UK Government's proposals to exclude 16 and 17-year-olds and EU citizens living in the UK from voting on the referendum on membership of the European Union. We would urge strongly urge the UK Government to draw on the democratic success of the independence referendum and amend the bill accordingly to allow all 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote and EU citizens living in the UK to vote in the referendum. Bill Cid? I thank the minister for his reply and also for the enthusiasm of my colleague Christian Allard. I also ask if it is possible for the minister or his officials to provide me with the numbers of both 16 and 17-year-olds and European Union residents who are affected living in my constituency of Glasgow Anisland as a typical Scottish parliamentary constituency? I will certainly ask officials to test their statistical dexterity in that regard. I do not know if the statistics will be available extrapolated down to his specific constituency, but I can tell him that, as we know, there are more than 170,000 EU citizens. Of course, we have a very prominent one in this chamber, but none the less, all of us in our individual constituencies know many members across the European Union who have chosen to make our constituencies and regions their home, and they should not be excluded. That also goes for 16 and 17-year-olds. In our constituencies, many of us have visited high schools throughout the period of the referendum, and all of us will have been enthused by their enthusiasm and their interest and engagement in the democratic process, and that should not be stifled because of the whim of the UK Government. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in establishing cultural links between Scotland and China. The previous First Minister has signed a cultural memorandum of understanding with China in December 2011 to strengthen Scotland's cultural links with China. As part of the MOU, the Scottish Government has provided networking opportunities to enable creative practitioners to develop cultural links and partnerships with the Chinese creative sector. Earlier this year, Scottish Bally toured Romeo and Juliet, the Trond Theatre toured its co-production of Ulyssus, and the NVA took the speed of light to Beijing. The Scottish Government is contributing to UK-China year of cultural exchange 2015. The cabinet secretary and the minister knows that the cross-party group plays a great deal of importance to cultural links and believes that the development of Chinese language in our schools and the improvement of the visa situation and direct flights between Scotland and China would be very important in that circumstance. Can she report any developments in the past year in any of those issues? In terms of a number of those areas, we are taking forward, for example, the cross-party group that is working on the visa issue. The visa issue is not just for business, but as it identifies, it can prevent artists from travelling, particularly in relation to timing-wise for new productions, working with schools, which continues and is developing. In terms of all that, the cultural connections that we can make really help to establish those issues. Obviously, on issues relating to direct flights, that is a continuing issue that he will know that our Government is continually pressing and trying to develop. Obviously, that takes time. Many thanks, and that concludes that series of portfolio questions. We now move to infrastructure investment and cities question 1, Margaret McDougall. What recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding securing the future of Glasgow Prestwick Airport? Glasgow Prestwick Airport continues to operate on a commercial basis at arm's length from Government, and Scottish Government officials last met their Westminster counterparts on 20 May to discuss the process for determining the location of the UK spaceport. I am delighted to hear that, and I look forward to hearing the outcome of that decision on the spaceport. My question is on, as part of the Scotland Bill package, air passenger duty is due to be devolved to the Scottish Government. With control of this tax, the Scottish Government could generate a boost to all Scottish airports. Can the cabinet secretary outline today what work is being done in identifying a replacement to APD, and do those considerations include the assessment of both the cost and environmental implications? I should say that it is not the Government's position to seek to replace APD. In fact, we would like to have been able to take action some six years ago, when the Kalman commission proposed that it should be devolved to Scotland, but that has not been possible and will not be possible until it is actually devolved in future. Our intention, as stated on a number of occasions, is first of all to reduce the impact by around half. We have done the calculations on that in terms of the costs. Also, in future, as public resources allow, that would take place in the course of the next Parliament, and in future, to try and reduce it to zero. Of course, that would only happen as public resources allow. There has been some work done on the environmental impact, and I am happy to get that information and pass it to the member, but the substantial point that she makes about the benefit to all of Scotland's airport is a very good one. It would be substantially beneficial. Ryanair, who is the main passenger user at Presswick, for example, said that he would expect it to have around a million more passenger journeys. The Orca Aviation report, which goes into this in some detail, into which all airports in Scotland and many of the airlines contributed, says that there would be a substantial economic benefit. That would be for the airports, for the aircraft companies themselves, but also for the general population in Scotland, because of the economic benefit from more people coming to this country. That is something that we want to do. A fair bit of work has been done already. Work is on-going. There will be a consultation exercise, and I will provide the member with the environmental information that she has asked for. Adam Ingram. Does the cabinet secretary agree that the closure of Presswick airport would have been devastating for Ayrshire and the local economy? Does he maintain that the action taken by the Scottish Government to purchase the airport was the right thing to do and remain so? Absolutely. It is a very important point, which can sometimes be lost with a passage of time. I am in no doubt that we were right to purchase Glasgow Presswick. Closure was on the cards. Indeed, the previous owners of Presswick airport were working on a specifics time frame and on a specific day to pull down the shutters at the airport, and we as the Scottish Government were not willing to stand by and let that happen. The member will recall that Scottish Enterprise estimated that around 3,200 local jobs are directly or indirectly based in and around Glasgow Presswick. We can all imagine the impact of that level of job losses on the area. With the right team in place and the right business plan for the future and the support of key local partners like South Ayrshire Council, we believe that the airport can have a positive future, and the Government can also achieve a return on its investment. To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had discussions with the UK Government regarding a city deal for Edinburgh and surrounding areas. As I have made clear on a number of occasions, I and the Scottish Government remain very willing to work with any Scottish city to unlock investment, whether that is done individually or collectively and whether that is through a city deal, which is one of the Scottish Governments' devolved initiatives to stimulate growth and deliver infrastructure investment, or a combination of other measures. To date, discussions on a possible city region deal for Edinburgh have not included the UK Government, albeit that the recent meeting took place between officials from Highland Council, the Scottish Government and the UK Government, but we expect those discussions to take place in due course when Edinburgh further develops its proposals. I thank the minister for that answer. I hope that progress will be made soon, and he will discuss it with the UK Government, given that a proposal has been worked up by the Edinburgh city region. Can he confirm in expectation of progress that the Edinburgh city region deal will be taken into account as part of the draft Scottish budget to be published in the autumn? That would very much depend on the progress that has been made. I think that the member will be aware that different cities are at different stages in terms of their development. I think that there has been an issue that has been raised with me about whether the UK Government would honour the commitments that it made in its own March budget statement, and we have to move at the pace of all those involved. I should say that the meeting that was referred to earlier between Highland Council, the UK Government and the Scottish Government, was a positive discussion. I remain hopeful that the Edinburgh city deal can make progress, but it will be done as part of a process that involves this Government, the City Council itself. Yes, it has worked the proposal, but I think that it would concede that there is more work to be done in relation to that. Obviously, including the UK Government at that time as well. Dave Thomson. The cabinet secretary mentioned meetings with Highland Council and the two Governments and so on. I wonder whether he can elaborate a bit more on whether the UK Government, if he knows whether it is going to honour its commitments made before the last general election when it made promises in relation to city deals for Aberdeen and Inverness. Briefly, please, cabinet secretary. As I mentioned, I think that the meeting that took place just last week between the council, the UK Government and the Scottish Government did have a positive tenor to it. The expectation is that, yes, the UK Government will follow through in its previous commitments in relation to a city deal for Inverness. Question 3, Sarah Boyack. To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish an updated infrastructure investment plan. Sorry, Scottish Government. Cabinet Secretary. We are working to publish the refreshed infrastructure investment plan later this year. Given the range of different projects, such as health, schools, justice, further and higher education, culture and enterprise buildings, how many of those projects include renewable heat and power infrastructure as part of the programme? Will he give the commitment that the refreshed programme will include heat and power schemes as part of the key priority for the next round of infrastructure projects? On the first part of Sarah Boyack's question, I am happy to provide a member with that information in detail and will send that to her. On the second part, that has to be a consideration for the refreshed infrastructure investment plan. The one that we have just now was refreshed at the time of the last spending review. Again, we are trying to tie those two things together as we review the infrastructure investment plan. There are a number of projects in the investment plan, not least in relation to, for example, electrification of rail lines, which we want to see if we can maximise our contribution to helping the environment. However, it will be for individuals—the member mentioned, for example, schools and other projects, which are often in the remits of local authorities. It will be for them to come forward with those proposals, but I am happy to let her know what we are doing just now, and it will be something that we will take into account in the next review of the plan. Notwithstanding the persistent cuts to Scotland's capital budget by the UK Government, can the cabinet secretary set out the scale of the Scottish Government's transport investment programme and the particular how that investment will benefit my constituents in the city of Edinburgh? The member should know that we are maximising our capital spending and supporting an investment led recovery, despite our capital del budget being reduced by around a quarter in real terms between 2010, 11 and 2015-16, using all the levers at our disposal. The scale of transport Scotland's direct and indirect capital budget for 2015-16 is just over £1 billion, which includes £269 million for the replacement fourth crossing, a project that will directly benefit Edinburgh and the member's constituents. There is also a total investment of £1.4 billion, which, at its peak, is estimated to support 1,200 jobs, many of which will come from the local area. Augmenting that budget is a revenue-funded infrastructure programme, including the non-profit distributing pipeline and regulatory asset-based RAB investment in rail infrastructure. That programme includes a number of major projects that will improve connectivity between Edinburgh and the rest of the country. Projects such as the Borders Railway, the Edinburgh Glasgow rail improvement programme and the M8, M73, M74 motorway improvements, £430 million of which have a total overall capital investment, together with £1.5 billion. The question 4 on the name of Liz Smith was not lodged, and an explanation has been provided. Question 5, David Stewart. To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received regarding the cost of flights to and from Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. We are aware of recent concerns expressed about commercial airfares in the Highlands and Islands. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the air services in question and is committed to continuing the air discount scheme, which provides a 40 per cent subsidy for eligible passengers. The issue of air services to the islands was raised by the islands authorities at the recent islands area ministerial working group, where it was agreed that a scoping paper would be produced to look at those vital services in their totality, covering a range of issues, including fares. I have also agreed to meet with a delegation of campaigners, as well as a number of MSPs, including Mr Stewart, to discuss the issue in the way forward. Dave Stewart. Presiding Officer, is the minister aware of the online campaign Islanders Against Flyby and Loganair excessive prices, which has secured over 14,000 followers? The Labour led Scottish Executive introduced the air discount scheme to make air services more affordable for island and remote communities. What specific plans does the minister have to address the sky-high prices being charged to islanders travelling from Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles and beyond? Of course, the first thing that should be celebrated is that the Scottish Government has continued. The scheme has committed to its continuation, but fares is not the only issue that I am aware of in terms of air services to the islands. There is a serious issue around reliability as well, and they are connected. Therefore, I will meet with campaigners, local councillors and MSPs on the subject to fully explore the issues and indeed what options the Government may have. Because of the commercial nature, we may be limited in terms of what we can do in cost-capping and so on, but I would like to apply pressure to the operators on the affordability of air services. We share the concern about the nature of the services and the increases that have been experienced. There is no real prospect of competition on most of those routes, and operators should be very mindful of that. The importance that local communities attach to those air services is part of the transport mix that ensures that islands are not an isolated part of Scotland. I am happy to engage with Mr Stewart and other members to find consensus across the Parliament on a way forward. Liam McArthur, briefly, please. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. As claims have been put in for the air discount scheme, I put on record my gratitude to my colleague, Tavis Scott, for introducing it as the transport minister. The minister rightly points to the issue of reliability and the problems that that has caused, conflated with the high costs that still exist on those routes. I am due to meet the minister and Tavis Scott next Tuesday, subject to the being no delays with my flight down next Tuesday morning. Will the minister undertake to carry out a bit of scoping work on some of the options that can be done to address this issue of reliability, which as I say is a toxic mix with the issue of costs that Dave Stewart referred to? Yes, I will commit to that work. The scoping work should look at the reliability of current services, including the aircraft. Of course, we will take a very close look at fares, because they are all connected and I want to have a very constructive conversation with the operators as to how we take it forward. What the online petition represents is a very strong feeling from the islands as to how they have been treated in this situation. Just as every party in the chamber has claimed credit for the air discount scheme, we can keep that consensus together as we work towards addressing the cost and reliability issue going forward. To ask the Scottish Government what matters the islands transport forum will discuss at its first meeting. Earlier this month in Orkney, I announced that a new islands transport forum will be set up to consider strategic transport issues affecting Scotland's islands. The forum will meet biannually and will include representatives from local authorities with island communities. It is intended that the forum would deal with internal and external ferry air and other transport services upon which each of the island communities so heavily depend for social cohesion and sustainable economic activity and growth. I am in the process of finalising the detailed membership and working methods for the new forum in consultation with the island authorities. Therefore, no detailed agenda items have been yet set for its first meeting. Minister, and indeed for the content of your previous reply to question 5, which touched on the issue as well. I wonder if I might introduce something quite new that the minister is unlikely to be familiar with. As air navigation and approach procedures change with moving towards GPS instrument approaches, not yet adopted in the UK, but eminently suitable for airports such as the Government's airports and local authority airports that might make a contribution to improving reliability and poor weather conditions, will he ensure that he talks to people involved in the islands transport forum and, thereafter, consider approaching the civil aviation authority in the UK Government to see if we can pilot some of the new technologies that are much cheaper than the previous ones? I will give that very close consideration and yes I will. To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met the management of ScotRail. The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities met with ScotRail's commercial director yesterday. The member will be aware of recent events in relation to Bellio's Dutch operations alongside their parent company NS. I can advise that I have held discussions with Bellio UK and saw assurances that those issues have been properly addressed both inside Bellio and NS. I am grateful to the minister's comments and to his reference to recent events. At Bellio we have seen very senior departures from the company here in Scotland and in Holland and the Dutch Government have said that there is a need for cultural change in Bellio. The minister will also be aware of comments from the trade union RMT. Can he indicate what discussions he has had with staff unions or indeed with representatives of the travelling public so that they can also be assured that the focus of ScotRail management is on an effective and improving railway in Scotland? I appreciate the question and the opportunity to say that I am reassured that the efforts in Scotland are on providing the rail service that we would expect and that the franchise agreements will be delivered. In terms of the concerns that have emanated from the situation in Holland, I immediately on hearing of them saw reassurances from Bellio and NS and had discussions at the highest level. I do believe because of the reassurance that I have been given, because of the procurement process, the work of Audit Scotland and others that those issues do not affect Scotland, but of course I will look very closely at the internal investigations in Holland, which will include looking at all their franchise bids over the last five years in about a month's time to see if there are any other issues that I should be concerned about or aware of, but I am satisfied with what I have had so far. I had a meeting with STUC and RMT as it happens today, and I have given them that assurance that I will continue to explore the issue, and if we need to revisit, we will, but all the evidence that I have so far is that there is no impact on ScotRail or the procurement exercise that was undertaken in Scotland. I wonder if the minister can give us an update on how ScotRail is coping with the closure of the Winchborough tunnel and alternative arrangements, which from my perspective appear to be going quite well. I am delighted for Mr Mason that his experience is that it is going quite well. I know a number of other members who are regular users of the train service. I can report that the electrification work of the Winchborough tunnel is progressing well and remains on schedule. Those are early days, but ScotRail has reported that its disruption management plan is working effectively and that services are being maintained as anticipated. Transport Scotland has launched a new dedicated website at www.keepscotlandmoving.com.