 The first item of business this afternoon is consideration of motion numbers 91 and 92 in the name of the First Minister on the appointment of Scottish Ministers and junior Scottish Ministers. I shall invite the First Minister to move motion numbers 91 and 92. I then intend to invite each party to make a short contribution and thereafter I will ask the First Minister to make a reply. I call on the First Minister to speak to and move motions number 91 and 92. I do rise to move the motions in my name, which seek Parliament's agreement that Derek Mackay and Fergus Ewing be appointed as Scottish Ministers and that Mark McDonald, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Kevin Stewart and Jean Freeman be appointed as Scottish junior Ministers. However, I would like to begin today by paying tribute to two Cabinet secretaries who are leaving Government, Richard Lochhead and Alec Neill. Richard has the distinction of being one of the longest serving Cabinet ministers in the Scottish Government. During this time he has been a champion of Scotland's rural industries at home and in Brussels. He introduced new marine conservation legislation, which will safeguard the future of our seas. He led our drive to tackle climate change and he deserves huge credit for the growing success of our food and drink sector. For reasons that we all understand, Richard is now keen to spend more time with his wife Fiona and his young sons, but he leaves Government with my best wishes, with the best wishes of the whole Government and I hope of the entire chamber. Meanwhile, Alec Neill has driven forward the social justice agenda, being a formidable opponent of welfare and pension changes, being made by the UK Government and achieved a step change in social housing provision across Scotland. Last session, Alec steared through Parliament, one of the acts of which I am personally most proud, the Equal Marriage Act. Siding officer, if Alec Neill had done nothing else in all his time in Government, this single piece of legislation would serve as a legacy that any minister can be proud of. Both Alec and Richard leave Government with my thanks and I have no doubt that they will both continue to play a significant role in Scottish politics. I also want to place on record my thanks to the three departing ministers, Margaret Burgess, Marco Biagi and Aileen McLeod. Margaret put her significant professional experience to good effect in laying the groundwork for the new social security powers being devolved to this Parliament. Marco led the cross-party commission on local taxation and was a strong advocate of community empowerment. Aileen steared the Land Reform Act through Parliament, a huge step forward in Scotland's land reform journey. All of them made their mark on government and I pay tribute to each of them for their service. With that, I would like now to turn to the new appointments that I am proposing today. The new team of cabinet secretaries is one that reflects both the Government's priorities and the new powers coming to our Parliament. I said throughout the election campaign that raising educational attainment would be the defining mission of my government for the next five years and I have asked the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, to lead this mission. Over the last nine years, John, in my view, has proven himself to be the best finance secretary in these islands. His leadership in supporting the economy through the toughest financial times in living memory as well as balancing his budget in the face of austerity from Westminster has been exemplary. More recently, John's approach to the fiscal framework negotiations, where he stood up so successfully for Scotland's interests, has resulted in significant new powers coming to this Parliament without a single penny being cut from Scotland's budget. Put simply, Presiding Officer, I believe that there is no better person to drive forward this Government's ambitions on education. I have also said that we need to do everything we can to create jobs and support the economy. As such, Keith Brown will become the new dedicated Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work. Keith has significant experience in local and national government and he will build on his successful delivery of key infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, I have asked Derek Mackay to take on the role of Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution, having proven his abilities as Minister for Transport and Islands. Derek's final decision as Transport Minister was to confirm that CalMac is the preferred tenderer for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, a decision that I was delighted to announce this morning. Now, for Humza Yousaf to take forward the significant responsibility of overseeing the delivery and improvement of our transport system, and I have no doubt that he is more than up to the task. Meanwhile, Fergus Ewing has served as an excellent Minister since 2007, first as community safety minister and laterally as Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism. During this time, he has helped to unlock the vast potential of our renewable energy sector, and he has defended Scotland's key industries. Fergus Ewing was instrumental in saving the steel plants at Motherwell and Clyde bridge and his work to help the oil and gas industries in the north-east through their current difficulties will now be taken on by his successor. The appointment of Fergus to a new Cabinet position for rural economy and connectivity is a signal of both the confidence that I have in him but also the importance that this Government places on developing a rural economy. I am acutely aware, Presiding Officer, of the responsibility of this Government to address the issues set out in today's Audit Scotland report on the CAP Futures programme, and doing so will be Fergus Ewing's most immediate priority. Presiding Officer, there are a range of other Ministers who remain in Cabinet, either remaining in their current post or taking up new ones. Michael Matheson will continue in his role as justice secretary and Shona Robison as health secretary. Both have done tough jobs well, and I have confidence that they will continue to do so. Fiona Hyslop remains as culture and external affairs secretary but with the key additional responsibility of supporting our tourism industry. Angela Constance takes up the new post of community social security inequalities and is tasked with implementing the new social security powers being devolved. Environment and climate change will have a dedicated Cabinet secretary for the first time, with Roseanna Cunningham's appointment underlining this Government's ambitious plans to further reduce carbon emissions, protect and enhance our environment and take forward our work on land reform. If I can turn now to the junior ministerial team, one of the pleasant dilemmas I face as leader of the SNP is having such a talented team of backbenchers to draw upon, and today I seek Parliament's approval of four new appointments. As with the new Cabinet positions, the roles reflect the priorities of government and our new powers. Mark McDonald has been a hard-working backbencher and has been a strong campaigner on improving educational services for children with autism, an experience that will serve him well in his new post. Mark will be the First Minister with a specific remit for childcare and will be responsible for the single biggest investment that this Government will be making over the next few years. Shirley-Anne Somerville made her mark as an MSP during the third session of our Parliament as a hugely effective campaigner for our constituents on a number of issues, earning a reputation as a politician who gets things done. As Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne will play a pivotal role in improving education and widening access to university. Kevin Stewart has been a highly effective chair of the local government committee and I'm sure he won't mind me saying that he didn't always make life easy for the Scottish Government when he was in that role. With his experience of scrutinising this portfolio, I think that Kevin knows well what its priorities should now be in the coming years. Jeane Freeman is a new MSP with formidable experience in Scottish public life. As Social Security Minister, Jeane will use the new welfare powers coming to the Parliament to deliver a social security system based on dignity and respect. Again, a number of other ministers have either remained in post or been given new roles. All of them have proven their abilities. Jamie Hepburn will join both the economy and education portfolios bringing together our work in training and employability and reporting to both Cabinet Secretaries. I'd also like to highlight the role of Maureen Watt as the new dedicated Minister for Mental Health. Lastly, I'm delighted that Jo Fitzpatrick, Annabelle Ewing, Alistair Allen, Aileen Campbell and Paul Wheelhouse, all ministers who have performed extremely well in the last period, will all continue in the ministerial team. I think that this is a strong team of Cabinet Secretaries and ministers who are now eager to get on with the job that lies before them. The scale of the SNP's success in the election two weeks ago is, in my view, in no small part, down to the strength and success of the ministerial team. All those who are nominated in those motions today are aware of the trust that I and that we as a Parliament will be placing in them. Having spoken to every single one of them over the course of yesterday, I know that they can't wait to get started. It gives me great pleasure to move the motions in my name. I now call Jackson Carlaw. I thank the First Minister for her speech and say that next week, when we get a chance to discuss the Government's programme, that will be the opportunity for us when we know what people are going to do to bring politics back into the centre of our debate. For this afternoon, it is an opportunity to offer a wholehearted welcome to the various new ministers who will be entering the Government. Can I start in the first instance by thanking those ministers who are leaving? Can I say to Richard Lochhead that, from my point of view, nothing in life has ever been more emotionally overwhelming than the health scares involving my own immediate family? I know that this whole chamber wishes him and his family every good health and happiness in the future. I am also sorry to see the retirement from Government of Alec Neill, or, as he might put it, Government I retire C to from, I am sorry, her heirs and successors for the fifth time. As he got slightly muddled on that famous occasion. He is, of course, following the new mantra of the Government of former ministers, publishing his own autobiography, How I Saved the NHS. The subtitle is from the disasters of my immediate predecessor, which, of course, he was fond of making reference to when he was in Government. But I also want to thank Mr Badgey, both of them are clouds, because, of course, Fiona McCloud served in a short measure in the Government as well during maternity leave and Margaret Burgess. Mr Swinney, of course, now moves to education. You know, one council official, when Mr Swinney was in charge of the economy, was overheard to say, thank God for John Swinney. Now I think it must be God help John Swinney, because, of course, he is taking on a very formidable challenge in the education portfolio, and one which, of course, has been at the centre of much of the controversy in Government over the last few years. He's joined by Shirley-Anne Somerville, who I welcome back to the Parliament. She and I, and actually Derek Brownlee in the Parliament before last, were all nominated for the One to Watch Award in the Glasgow Herald nominations. Now this is a very dangerous nomination to receive, as both Shirley-Anne Somerville and Derek Brownlee promptly lost their seats immediately thereafter. So I do say to any member who might this year find that they have been stargazing in the chamber, that if they are nominated for this award, they want to decline it immediately, any association with it whatsoever. I do want to congratulate Maureen Watt and the Government on the dedicated appointment of someone in charge of mental health. Through the last ten years, and particularly in the last five, I think we've managed to relieve the stigma that was attached to mental health, and now is a challenge that all of the parties in their manifestos sought to bring to the centre of political debate, how to raise both the profile of mental health, but now the equality of service in mental health as well. That brings me to the awful terrible of this administration, of course, Mr Mackay and Mr Usur. Those who have followed their career will know they have shadow-boxed each other every way along the line. The more naturally dark and lustrous Mr Usur's hair has remained, the more unnaturally dark and lustrous Mr Mackay's hair has sometimes sought to become. In the election, of course, not a day went by when Derek Mackay wasn't there to greet the First Minister and stand with her as she launched the day's activities. Mr Usur, if not to be outdone, was sure to be there at the end of each day greeting the First Minister as she emerged from that fleet of black herses at the end of her long day's activities. And then, and then at the swearing-in ceremony, the costumes were on display. There was Mr Mackay in a three-piece suit with a double-breasted waistcoat, not seen since John Wayne, James Stewart and Lee Marvin, sported one like that in the Man Who Shot Liberty balance. And I can just see Mr Mackay over Friday night clubbing in Paisley with a white Stetson and a couple of pearl-handled pistols. Mr Yusof was more thrifty though, he just went to the King's Theatre and hired Prince Charming's finale costume from this year's production of Cinderella. However, these two have been the coming men of this administration. Mr Mackay has hit the tape first, but Mr Yusof now has the opportunity to match our flying Scotsman from the weekend in his opportunity. And he's already seized it. Mr Yusof's not one-not to have an eye to an opportunity. He now realises he will be able to stand on that new fourth crossing when it opens. And borrowing from his election campaign, he's already had the t-shirts made, Yusof to cross Umser's Bridge. Like the steel though, they'll be made in China. I also welcome Mr MacDonald to his portfolio. Keith Brown, I'm pleased we'll still have an interest in veterans. Fergus Ewing, that old Belmont House schoolboy who was taking on the Rural Affairs portfolio, spent the last 24 hours listening to the omnibus edition of the archers to find out what that's all about. To his sister Annabelle, to Jean Freeman who went round the election campaigns, I'm told saying that her mother once said she had a voice that could sell coal. I understand what she said. She's going to be competing with Mr Kevin Stewart though, because he has been competing for that honour for the whole of the last five years. Angela Constance, well we all thought that the world's second-largest shoe collection was going to have someone spending more time with it, but no, she's still with us. Here in communities and in equalities. And Rosanna Cumming, I'm the grandmother of the government. That'll now cost me a bottle, not just a glass of wine. I rather suspect. But to her, to Mr Fitzpatrick, to Ms Hyslop, to Michael Matheson, to Shona Robison in particular, who I know enjoys the goodwill of all of the chamber as they take forward their new responsibilities. Presiding Officer, next week we will have that programme for government. As an opposition, we are pledged to hold ministers and the government to account and to challenge and offer alternatives. Perhaps as the First Minister said on Thursday, offering clear blue water on many of the issues rather than a dank pond of confusion. But today, we as the opposition and as become the tradition, want to thank those who have served before, and wholeheartedly, because it's in the interests of Scotland that they should, wish every single one of the ministers every success in the job that they now do. Can I thank Mr Carlaw and I'll call on Kezia Dugdale. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Reshuffles are nervous times for ministers, so let me start by commiserating in particular with those ministers who have had to, for the good of the party, make way for new talent. In particular, can I pay tribute to Alec Neill? While scrolling through the official report in preparation for this afternoon's session, it struck me that Mr Neill and I have had far more exchanges outside this chamber than we have had within it. And I think that is testament to his character, always convivial, even amidst the most heated of arguments and debates. So, as old party stalwarts like Alec Neill give way, I know they'll be reassured and take great comfort in seeing new, useful faces make it into the cabinet, like Fergus Ewing. These benches wish Derek Mackay well in the finance and constitution portfolio. It is not just that he is a first-time cabinet minister, he will also wield financial powers that no one in the history of this Parliament has held before. He has a massive responsibility now and we will pursue him to make sure he uses that power to choose a different path from Tory austerity. And I have no doubt he'll relish who these benches have in store for him. I congratulate John Swinney on his promotion to education and I do believe it to be a promotion. Returning members will know that I burn with a passion for addressing educational inequality. And in that task, I want him to succeed like no other. However, the chamber cannot lose sight of the fact that he was the man who forced £500 million worth of cuts onto local council budgets just a few months ago. In fact, as he has presided over the finances of this place, spending on education and training has fallen by 10%. My education secretary will have our support when he does the right thing. But I know that hundreds of millions of cuts he made in his old job will make his new job all the more difficult. I would also like to welcome Kevin Stewart and Mark McDonald to their new roles. They are shining examples to their new colleagues that if you shout loudly enough and sycophantically enough from the back benches, you will eventually make it to the front benches. And Kevin Stewart has demonstrated a profound ability to argue that black is white. And I do hope that he will find some new tones in minority government. Although granted a skillful debater, I've often thought that Mark McDonald's best work has been done out with this chamber. And I know he will be a first-class advocate for children and young people in office, not least those with additional support needs. So far, Presiding Officer, I've found myself congratulating only the men. So allow me a second to congratulate the First Minister on securing a gender-balanced cabinet once again. I will warn her, though, that if she continues to insist on a 50-50 split in her cabinets, she will have to convince Parliament that the men are all there on their merits. The First Minister and I share a desire to see a 50-50 Parliament. She has backed a women with 50-50 campaign established by myself and Alison Johnstone, and I'm sure that she will share her disappointment that no further progress on that front has been made. To date of all days, we should remind ourselves that, whilst gender equality has made significant advances in politics, not least with three female leaders in this chamber, the world outside this place is very different. I had to check that it was actually 2016 and not 1816 this morning when I heard that Muirfield golf club have once again refused to open their doors to women. And inequality persists in the workplace just as it does in the clubhouse. Over the term of this Parliament, I intend to pursue vigorously the issue of women in science, technology, engineering and maths. We should all be mindful that if we do not make substantial and swift progress in this regard, we are going to lock women out of the jobs of the future and lock them into low-paid work. In the last Parliament, it was comforting to note that responsibility for women in science was in the hands of two strong women, Rosanna Cunningham and Annabelle Ewing. In this Parliament, that responsibility now lies with Keith Brown and Jamie Hepburn. And whilst I don't question their abilities, we would encourage them to demonstrate their feminist credentials at the earliest opportunity to quail any fears. These are exciting times to be in government, with new complex and unfamiliar responsibilities with the devolution of more and more power to ministers. It is a great privilege that ministers enjoy. All the ministers who have been appointed and re-appointed today face significant challenges and we will challenge them too. However, in all portfolios there is common ground to working with them there. We wish them well. Can I thank Mr Dill? I now call John Finnie. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The Scottish Green Party congratulates the First Minister. Her appointees, especially those holding ministerial office for the first time or gaining promotion. Like Kezia Dugdale said, we're delighted it's a 50-50 cabinet. Like many others, we'd like to thank those who are leaving office. I'd like Neil and Richard Lochhead to thank them for their work. Wish them the very best in the future. The dealings during my last term with Mr Neil, and as others have said, he drove through the equal marriage legislation, something that's a great credit to him and the Government. We welcome the appointment of the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, as education secretary, and it's indicative of the priority that the First Minister has given to that important subject. The Greens are disappointed that the Scottish Government have gone down the route of national testing, but we hope that the Government will look at issues that are green priorities, more teachers, action on teacher workload, and restoration of additional support needs provision. And we look forward to discussion on these issues. The promotion of Gaelic to a Cabinet Secretary post, but smash in, glaive, ah, very much appreciate that, and look forward to discussions in the future about that. The finance and constitution has been touched on and congratulate Derek McIowney's appointment. As a tax-raising parliament, this will become a pivotal post. CalMac, delighted about that, obviously, and Derek tweeted this morning that it was my last decision as Transport Minister. I'm personally hoping his second last was to respond to a letter I sent him several weeks ago. But Derek has always been very engaging, and I'm sure he'll do very well in his post. Hamza Yousif wasn't to be outdone. Hamza tweeted it was his first task was to announce it. Now, the Scottish Greens welcome this competition among Scottish Government ministers to enact green policies in a long way that continue. Shona Robison has got a very challenging portfolio, and I wish her every success with that, the health and care experience survey. I'm sure we'll be in our mind, and I wish her well with addressing the issues of delivering healthcare in remote areas. I know that it's just started on. Roseanna Cunningham has the environment climate change and land reform portfolio. We're certainly reassured that climate change has been elevated to a Cabinet Secretary responsibility. We've been four years of targets. It's everyone in here's responsibility for that, and we welcome the commitment in the SNP manifesto to increase these targets in line with the Paris Climate Summit. What's evident is more of the same. We'll bring the same results. A bolder report is required, so included in the portfolio is sustainable development, environmental and climate justice, and I hope that there'll be close lasing between yourself, Ms Cunningham and the Cabinet Secretary, Keith Brown, whose obligation is to deliver on the low-carbon economy. Part of that would be an early decision on the moratorium for a complete ban on fracking. That would be very welcome and greatly help. The report commissioned by the Green MSPs that we've often mentioned in here about the transition to a just economy, and that would inform various portfolios. We're delighted that land reforms in a specific post, and we're told repeatedly, and I heard at all the hustings that it was unfinished business. Scottish Parliament has produced its first land reform briefing, and despite just being two pages, it makes three references to the work of my colleague Andy Wightman. We're very happy to work collaboratively, and I hope that offer will be taken up. Great news about the ferries today, and Hamza Yousaf is the transport on the islands. We look forward to welcoming the islands. There's lots of islands, was the answer, I think, when he was asked outside how many islands there are. There are lots of islands, not all of them inhabited. But it's great news that the ferries are in public ownership, and we hope that there'll be momentum to get rail back into public ownership, exclusively serving the public, rather than serving shareholders. Paul Healhouse is a very fine minister, and we're delighted to see that he's got the energy brief. During his time as Environment Minister, his exchanges were more positive than others on issues like the carbon bubble, and hopefully these can be carried forward, but most certainly only if there's no fracking. To the First Time Ministers, Mark McDonald, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Kevin Stewart and Gene Freeman, responsibility for very critical and evolving areas, and I certainly wish you well with that. This is a new team, and there are some new challenges, there are some long-standing challenges. We're delighted to hear all the parties talking about being bold. The Greens want the new powers used wisely and to their maximum. We believe that that will lead to a greater public appetite for more powers, ultimately all the powers. So they hope the government will look left rather than right for its ideas and support. The Scottish Green Party will be constructive, praise when appropriate, and be constructively critical when required. In the meantime, I wish to congratulate everyone and wish them well in serving their nation. Thank you, Mr Finnie. I now call Will Rennie. It will be a special day for members who are joining the Government for the first time, but also for those who've got an opportunity to continue to serve. I congratulate them, it's an honour, a privilege, a responsibility that has been granted to them. Despite our political disagreements, I wish Alex Neil and Richard Lochhead well for the future. At last, Mark McDonald's talents have been recognised. He is someone who have enjoyed debating with him many occasions, and I'm sure we'll be able to work well together as he seeks to roll out the early years programme. I'm impressed, truly impressed that new MSPs, Jean Freeman and Shirley Ann Somerville, didn't have to wait as long as Mark McDonald. But at this rate of progress, I fully expect them to be competing for the position of First Minister by next year. And also, thank goodness, we'll be able to daydream for hours upon end in this chamber without being interrupted by high decibel interventions from Kevin Stewart. The welcome appointments, I think, also include Maureen Watt, a dedicated position as mental health minister. I called for such a position at the weekend, Maureen Watt will be pleased to know that I didn't specifically ask for her to be mental health minister, but I'm pleased that the First Minister has recognised the need to have that dedicated role. We do need a step change in mental health services. The nods around the room at every time it was debated in a public forum indicate that we do need that change so that people no longer have to wait and age for urgent treatment GPs. Shona Robinson is in front here and I hope that she will be addressing the real deep rooted problems that we've got with GP recruitment. I think appointing the Deputy First Minister to lead education is a strong signal, but John Swinney needs to bring some of his resources from his old department to his new department to make sure we can get that transformational change required for Scottish education to be the best again. The record on the roll-out of nursery education isn't a good one and we do need to change that. We need to also make sure that the pupil premium policy that's now been implemented is fully resourced to help kids get up and get on at school but we also need to reverse some of the damage that's been inflicted on colleges and I would urge him, I would urge John Swinney to reverse the policy on national testing for primary school children. Today again it has been criticised, I think the writing is on the wall for that policy and he should change it but I will also be knocking on his door about a constituency issue to do with Elmwood College Campus in Cooper. It needs his special attention to secure its future. Keeping Michael Matheson I welcome that decision it will bring some continuity to a portfolio that's been under significant turmoil in the last few years. I think he's brought a sense of calm to the area and I welcome that and we will be working closely with him in that portfolio and finally Fergus Ewing, an enormous task to get the farm payments fiasco back on track making sure that the farmers can get the money that they are owed. There are already signs that farmers are concerned about payments for next year and we need to make sure that that is not the case, they've taken too much of a hit already. Now there are some new policies that emerged during the campaign that will require some special attention. These are serious matters that require the real focus of all the talents in the government coming to terms of the legacy left by John Swinney, Derek Mackay is already scratching his head trying to work out where he's going to find the resources for a tax exemption for cheesy pasta. Fiona Hyslop must deliver on time and within budget that water park from Grangemouth with flumes to Bathgate that is essential but we also there are growing demands for Rosanna Cunningham to introduce a new animal welfare bill to protect buffaloes and pigs from politicians. We may disagree profoundly on some matters I am sure will agree on many others I'm looking forward to working together with the ministerial team for the benefit of our country and I do genuinely wish every minister well as we get back to work today Thank you Thank you Mr Rennie and I call on the First Minister to reply Thank you very much indeed Presiding Officer and thank you to all of the party leaders for their contributions to this debate Jackson Carlaw what can I say about Jackson Carlaw's now legendary contributions to debates on the appointment of ministers today's was characteristically I was about to say humorless that would not be true humorous I have to say though I fear for Jackson Carlaw I fear he may need some protection from the wrath of Rosanna Cunningham once he leaves this chamber this afternoon having boasted during his speech about his ability so far to escape the curse of the one to watch award I suspect his luck is about to come to a juddering halt this afternoon all I can say is don't look to me for any protection you brought it all entirely on yourself I have to say when Jackson Carlaw was talking about Derek Mackay and Humza Yousaf I did think he perhaps was showing something of an unhealthy obsession with their dress sense but you know they are both very well turned out young men but I was alarmed to hear him talk about Derek Mackay's let me get the quote right dark and lustrous here I first thought he was going to refer to Humza Yousaf's dark and lustrous eyelashes but it was actually Derek Mackay's dark and lustrous here I really hope that wasn't a suggestion because it would have been an unkind suggestion that at any time in the past Derek Mackay has sought to artificially camouflage any of the grey hairs that adorn his head because I can say categorically no I can't mislead Parliament in that way but as I was lightly jesting with Derek Mackay during Jackson Carlaw's contribution about whether or not he was suggesting that Derek Mackay had camouflage his hair Derek Mackay quick as anything said it's better than the Tories who camouflage their entire party to get through the election campaign justifying his appointment in just one line but anyway thank you to Jackson Carlaw for his many kind words about departing colleagues as well as the new appointments Kezia Dugdale perhaps didn't have access to the same joke book as Jackson Carlaw which is a thoroughly good thing let me say but I appreciate the comment she made to and I think Kezia Dugdale made some important points today as she has done in the past about gender equality in this Parliament and in our wider society I'm very proud that my party has gone from having a group that was 28% women to having one that is today 43% women I think that is a massive sign of progress the Labour group also has a proud record on gender equality I do say and I say this gently because today has been a light hearted debate I think it's time for other parties in this chamber Tories, Liberals and even I have to say the Greens to make progress too so that we can see the Parliament going forward this obviously is a day when gender equality is very topical and I have to say that the decision taken today by Muirfield golf club albeit a decision taken by a minority of the members of that golf club is indefensible you know we live in a country where women inhabit the offices of the First Minister the leaders of opposition parties where we have a woman law justice one of our most senior judges a woman law officer lead businesses a length and breadth of this country is not acceptable in this day and age to have women not allowed to join a golf club and I hope we see a reversal of that decision John Finnie made a number of important points and I thank him for his contribution some real points of substance made there about energy policy about land reform and a range of other issues as well I give a commitment to John Finnie today though I will make sure that Humza Yousaf deals very quickly with Derek Mackay's unanswered correspondence because I was concerned to hear that he had left a letter unanswered but we'll deal with that later Willie Rennie I welcome Willie Rennie's comments particularly about the appointment of a dedicated mental health minister to be fair to Willie Rennie he has argued this case for some time I'm less complimentary about the fact that he has completely destroyed the announcement I had planned for the statement of government priorities next week which was of course to confirm that the flumes to Bathgate were going ahead and would be delivered on time and under budget so I'll have to come up with something else now but I have to say just to conclude I think Willie Rennie is to be given a great deal of credit it couldn't have been easy for Willie Rennie to come to this chamber today to make the speech he's just made on ministerial appointments because having been so narrowly piped at the post in the election for First Minister earlier this week he must be really disappointed that it's not him standing here making these appointments today all I can say is keep trying but then again there are probably no things less likely in this life than that prospect but anyway I will draw these remarks to a close by again thanking all party leaders for the contributions and I hope in advance of Parliament approving these appointments thanking Parliament and I'll end on a serious note this is a serious Government with a serious job of work to do in the months and years to come and we look forward to getting on with that work