 Si sicrhau i Feithio Le ledaun literadau a bobl andflyde ahwg a holl warriordi leidio i Peithio Llyfrgell o Gynixu, ac eich sydd oes fathigio my doncio cy restingar. Derek Mackay? Firstly, I should make very clear that this process being carried out by Argyll and Bute Council does not affect our own public service obligation routes, where we will be increasing frequency on the Glasgow to Baratairy Cambotine routes from October following discussions with the communities concerned. We will also take the delivery of the first of our two new aircraft for these routes this Thursday. In respect of the services that operate within Argyll and Bute, transport Scotland officials have spoken with both the council and Hebridean air services. We understand both parties have reached satisfactory compromises on a number of points but have not yet reached a final agreement. I am informed in the absence of an agreement, the current operator Hebridean had to suspend ticket sales for flights after the end of the current contract period. Although the council indicated on Saturday that they would run a new tender exercise, I understand that they are still exploring options that would avoid that and avoid any break in services. I know that both parties recognise the lifeline nature of those 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 Hebridean 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. Is the minister aware that there is recently a 7 April? The Hebridean 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 Argyll and Bute Council on Friday afternoon at 4.45 issues an email to the company that 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 state aid 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, who has raised it with me and 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, as is later today, that it appears that we are getting closer to agreement, and that being the case, I think that 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 which has remained unchanged since 2011. There is a solution in place. It is not affected by states' aids, which is a Harry Potter-type spell that Argyll i 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 had said to the leader of the council and the chief executive last week that, if our officials in Transport Scotland could assist, 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 the members that the question is about secure lifeline flights from Oben to the islands of Collinsley, Coll and Tyree, and provided that is what your supplementary question is, I am happy to call you, David Stewart. Thank you, Presiding Officer. 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 hands 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 of those points and give you more detail, but, if I am frank about the matter, I suspect that that 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. 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 on in his question. I wonder if the minister is aware that hebridean air services use a different kind of fuel for the 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 hybrid air services. Will he raise the anomaly with UK ministers next time he has the opportunity to talk to them so that the field is levelled a little bit for hybrid air services and, indeed, Orkney and Shetland? I can confirm to the chamber that I was not aware of the fuel specification and 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. We now move to the next site of business, which is a debate on motion number 13046, in the name of Mark Griffin, on the British Sign Language Scotland Bill. Members may wish to note that British Sign Language interpreters are present in the chamber and will be signing the debate. Members will also wish to note that the Parliament today received an award from action on hearing loss for a charter mark, which is a nationally recognised accreditation for organisations that offer excellent levels of service and accessibility for people who are deaf or have hearing loss. I call Mark Griffin to speak to you and move the motion. Mr Griffin, 14 minutes.