 Ie, dim yn gweithio gweld o amser ond i'w ffordd ar gyfer y cwmperau a'u gwybod bryd. Rwydym i'n gweithio i gael i ddiddordodd i gysylltu i gwsgfaith oherwydd, ond, pryn o'ch gwneud i gweithio i'r gwmperau, rwy'n mwy ar gyfer o Cymru, oherwydd i chi ddiwedd, o'r cyfrifoedd honedig yn ddiddordeb. Yr wych yn ymddell y swyddiad i gydig ar gyfer unwyd, ymdell y parifwyd yn un o gweithio nettof, energiad a transbord. If a member wants to request a supplementary question, they should press the request-to-speak button or put an R in the chat function if they are joining us online, and that should be done during the relevant question. Can I also please ask those asking questions to be succinct with their questions and to the ministerial team to do likewise with their responses? First up, I call question 1, Daniel Johnson. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide support with the phasing out of gas-fired boilers in homes. At least 1 million homes and 50,000 non-domestic buildings will need to change to zero-emission heating systems by 2030 to help me to our climate change targets. The Scottish Government runs a number of advice and funding schemes to help homes and businesses to make the transition to zero-emission heat. For example, households can access up to £13,000 cashback per home for zero-emission heating and energy efficiency measures, and we are extending the scheme until at least 2023. We have increased our overall investment in our heat energy efficiency and fuel poverty support schemes to £268 million this year, an uplift of £85 million on last year's budget. Across the schemes, we are supporting increasing numbers of zero-emission heating systems. Daniel Johnson. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Clearly, the recent amendment from the international energy agency brings forward some of those timetables somewhat, given that they have announced that gas-fired boilers should be phased out by 2025. By the end of this appointment, we need to be well on our way to replacing gas-fired boilers from our homes, but heat pumps cost up to £18,000. Despite the fact that the grant still remains very unaffordable for low and middle-income households, can the cabinet secretary state whether he will bring forward further plans to ensure that this important component transition is affordable for all? In short, yes, we will be, and we are continuing to look at the development of technology in this area. The member made direct reference to heat pumps, but heat pumps are only one form of technology that can be used for having domestic heating systems, which are net zero and non-domestic properties. We are continuing to look at the emergence of the new technology as it develops and move forward to a wider range of net zero heating systems that have been available. What I should say to the member is that there are a number of issues that we need to take into account here. Some of the standards that apply around this technology are matters that are reserved to the UK Government, and we are working very closely with them to try to agree national standards that allow us to move forward at pace with the standards that will be applied to domestic and non-domestic heating systems. However, I can assure the member that we are continuing to look at how we can build on the existing arrangement that we have in place to help to support people in making this transition. The Scottish Government's draft heat and building strategy states that workplaces in homes account for more than a fifth of emissions. I note that the cabinet secretary's initial answer, but would the Scottish Government also consider our help to renovate scheme to support and incentivise improvements in energy efficiency in owner-occupied properties? We have a range of programmes that we have in place at the present moment. Anyone who is looking to install a heating system in their property should look at the schemes that are available and the advice that is free of charge for anyone who is considering installing a new heating system, whether it be through a renovation or a new build at property. I would encourage individuals to make use of that scheme to make sure that they are using the most up-to-date information on the decisions that they make. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the suitable long-term monitoring and management of Turbolton landfill. I am pleased to say that the first phase of work to begin to reduce the environmental and amenity impact of the site will begin later this year. We have agreed to fund this initial work, although the Scottish Government is not responsible for the site. That is part of a longer journey to remediate the site, and I am grateful to SIPA for agreeing to commission the work. We will continue to work with our public partners to consider further recommendations from a site investigation for the longer-term restoration of the site. That is something that I have raised in this chamber many times over several years. It is bounced back across SIPA, the council and the Scottish Government. The lack of any significant action has resulted in leachate pouring into the local waterways and for gas to blow across local land. It has to fall burn in the Scottish Government's remit because it is nobody else's remit because the site has fallen into disrepair and the people that own the site are no longer there. It has to be the Scottish Government. When will the decisive action taken so that the local communities can be rid of this anomaly? I understand that it is a matter that he has had great concern with over a number of years. I reassure him that the co-operative working that has led to this initial bit of work being done is to be commended. I understand that both him and the community and indeed SIPA and the council will want to see the longer-term work take place. I can assure him that the co-operative working that has gotten us to this point will continue to be the way that we approach the longer-term work that everybody acknowledges has to be done. To ask the Scottish Government where it will be getting concluidates review of the role of incineration in Scotland's waste hierarchy. Our commitment to tackling the climate emergency and transition to a net zero society by 2045 is unwavering. With that in mind, the Scottish Government is committed to reviewing the role that incineration plays in Scotland's waste hierarchy and are considering options to take forward this review. Parliament will be updated on those plans for this by September this year. I thank the cabinet secretary for his response. However, communities like Stonehouse in my region do not have the luxury of time. For the second time, they are fighting proposals for the construction of a large-scale incinerator at Overwood Farm near the former Dove Stale site. They do not want to be able to kick down the road. As part of the forthcoming review, will the Government commit to a moratorium until that review can be completed? I am aware of the case and the concerns around this matter. I know that Christina McKelvey, the constituency member in her constituency capacity, has raised this issue with me over the course of the past few weeks. I assure the member that we will undertake this review in a very thorough and detailed way in order to ensure that we arrive at the right decision on the role that incineration can play in the future in any waste hierarchy. That is a process that we need to consider in detail in order to identify the appropriate terms of reference for that review and the timescale under which it will be taken forward. Clearly, any decision on a planning matter is a local issue for the local authority to decide upon, and it is a matter for their process to consider. However, as I said in my earlier answer, I will update Parliament on this matter in September, once we have the opportunity to set out the details in much greater detail for the chamber. It is quite clear that we have a free-for-all for planning applications for incinerators at the moment in Scotland. Given that, in the national planning framework, there is a moratorium on nuclear power stations and that, in the next NPF, there will be a ban on fracking, will the Government consider putting a cap on incineration capacity in NPF4? The member will be aware that the work has been undertaken at the present moment on NPF4. It is important that we make sure that there is an alignment between our wider strategic approach in Government between reaching net zero, planning and the waste hierarchy. It is appropriate that the Government should look to see how we can ensure that those areas are all co-ordinated and aligned. I assure the member that there is part of the review that will be undertaken and the wider work that we are undertaking in Government, including through the national planning framework work that has been undertaken at the moment, we will seek to do that and to achieve that type of balanced approach. Thanks for that information, cabinet secretary. I wonder how quickly the review into incinerators will link up strategy and approach across net zero waste management and planning policies. Decarbonisation of the grid has been so successful that energy from waste technologies can no longer be considered to be low-carbon solutions. Does the minister agree that decisions in future management must be based on the most current and accurate data possible and that climate change impacts must be minimised to prevent current proposed planning applications for incinerators from having a detrimental impact on achieving our net zero targets? The member raises a number of very important issues there. I want to echo this point about the need to make sure that there is a clear link between our strategy and our approach to net zero waste management and planning policies. As the member will be aware, we are currently conducting a national planning policy review, which has been taken forward and which is due to be published as part of the draft NPF 4 programme in the autumn of this year. What we want to do is to make sure that the national policy or national planning framework position statement is also updated by our approach to net zero and waste management. What we want to do is to make sure that we co-ordinate that across different elements of Government. I can assure the member that that will be part of our thinking and planning as we move forward in this issue. If it is very brief and further supplemented from Graham Simpson. Thank you. I just want clarity from the minister. What he has already been asked is, does he favour a moratorium on new incinerators pending the review that he has announced? I am not clear what he thinks about that. Should there be one or not? For clarity for the member, as I said, I will update Parliament in September on the purpose of the review and the reference of the review and the approach that we will take in taking that review forward. To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to address the problem of ice falling from the cables of the Queensferry crossing? Ice accretion and precipitation centres were installed on the towers and the deck in 2020, whether forecasting, bridge monitoring and traffic management procedures have been continuously improved. The mechanism for ice accumulation, specific to the Queensferry crossing, is now much better understood. A working group comprising Transport Scotland, the bridge operating company, Bear Scotland and a number of expert consultants has been established, and a number of possible solutions are currently under consideration in terms of their feasibility. I thank the minister for that response and welcome him to his new position. Twice over the last winter, my constituents in Fife and people across the east of Scotland faced huge disruption from the closure of the Queensferry crossing. They do not want to go into another winter seeing a similar situation. It sounds from the minister's response that any long-term solution is still some way off. Can he give any comfort reassurance to my constituents that we will not be facing more winters of disruption? As members will know, I cannot speak for the weather. Weather interventions are beyond our control. I can offer some comfort around the extent to which we are getting into this to find solutions. It is worth noting that no similar bridge faced with a similar problem anywhere in the world has identified a single solution to that. However, we are getting into this in great detail. Potential options identified are meriting further additional research and development work. Those include cleaning the stay cables, robotics, hydrophobic coatings and de-icing components applied to the cables and tower faces. We are also currently designing a system of optical and infrared cameras to be installed in the tower tops, which will focus on the cables and which will help us to better understand the mechanism of the ice accreting and falling off the cable stage. There is no shortage of effort or imagination at play in this process. To further supplement that, I can say to the member, we are also developing a fourth estuary transport model to investigate further improvements between the two bridges using the old bridge more readily if we get into a situation where we need to use that bridge because of circumstances involving ice. To ask the Scottish Government when it next expects to make an investment announcement for road and rail infrastructure in the south of Scotland. Considering the use of potential improvements to all strategic transport infrastructure, including road and rail, across the whole of Scotland, continues to be undertaken through the second strategic transport projects review, STPR2. That work will create the evidence base for future transport investment decisions by the Scottish Government for the next 20 years. STPR2 will conclude later this year with publication of recommendations for investment and an appropriate statutory consultation period. I thank the minister for his response and welcome Graham Denty's new post. I would also like to extend an invitation to visit and drive A75 and A77 in C1, how unfit those routes are for the volume of traffic and the type of traffic that use them on a daily basis. Regardless of strategic transport project review 2, phase 1 is concerning that no capital investment is contained within the review for the A75 or A77 in the first phase of the study, reinforcing the belief that this corner of Scotland has forgotten, ignored, neglected and deprived. Will the minister reassure me that he will be the first minister who constructively works with constituents, businesses and ferry companies to address the increase in the woeful 0.5 per cent of national infrastructure spend currently allocated in the south west, which is holding back economic growth not only here but across Scotland and the rest of the UK as recognised in the Sir Peter Hendy union connectivity review? Owing to Covid-19, the STPR2 is coming forward via a two-phase approach. The first published in February of this year identified short-term priorities. Phase 2 will make recommendations to ministers for the longer term under the timetable being worked to, the public consultation and the draft programme, which emerges from this, will launch towards the end of the year. The content of the south west transport study, which is fed into the consideration process, contains a number of recommendations. Those include targeted improvements to the A77 and A75 and a number of suggested rail packages, including new links between them, Freist and Stranraer and Stranraer and Cairnryan. Those proposals, along with others, are the subject of detailed consideration. Given minister that the strategic transport projects review frankly has been long delayed even before the pandemic, does he envisage that we will see major improvement plans implemented in the lifetime of this Parliament on neglected roads in the south of Scotland, whether it is the A75 and A77 in the west or the A1 in the east? What I expect, Presiding Officer, is that later this year we will have a set of detailed proposals to consider. This is a 20-year programme designed to deliver for the whole of Scotland, and it will do that. I have written to the minister regarding infrastructure progress projects around south Scotland, such as the reopening of the Beatec railway station and upgrading the A75 and A77 as well, which were identified in the STPR2 through community consultation with more than 2,000 people, unlike the UK Government union connectivity review, which engaged with zero people in south Scotland. I therefore press the minister to provide timescales for the implementation of the STPR2 recommendations, which will improve the lives of people across south Scotland communities. I note the chuntring from the Conservative benches at the mention of the union connectivity review. Emma Harper, as she should be aware, knows that transport infrastructure is a matter that is devolved to the Scottish Government. Therefore, decisions on investment will be taken by the Scottish Government through evidence-based processes, such as the capital spending review and the infrastructure investment plan, which allow cross-government decisions on spending to be done in a robust way. The second strategic transport projects review, rather than the union connectivity review, will be our evidence-based to support transport investment decisions that are focused on improving lives, boosting our economy, supporting communities and working towards net zero. I can confirm for Emma Harper that a new station at Beatec is in the mix, along with changes to the A75 and A77. Can I ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support communities to play their part in achieving Scotland's net zero targets? We have provided over £110 million through our climate challenge fund to enable communities to play their part, and we will continue to support community-led climate action as a key part of our just transition to net zero. We are building on the achievements of the CCF by developing networks of regional community climate action hubs and climate action towns. Those initiatives will run alongside the recently launched net zero national campaign, which aims to showcase and inspire climate action across Scotland, including in our communities using COP26 as a catalyst. Helena Witton I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer. The transition to net zero is going to require every single one of us to play their part, and the cabinet secretary will be aware that investment through the Ayrshire growth deal will come not leading, for example, with the ambition to become the first carbon neutral town propelling us on to the world stage. With Scotland's centre stage this year, with COP26 in Glasgow, can the cabinet secretary outline the plans that the Scottish Government has to help to secure a Glasgow agreement that sees all countries committed to taking the action that is needed to tackle the climate crisis? The member raises an important point, and I very much welcome the work that has been taken for by the Ayrshire growth deal partners, which I was fortunate enough to sign with them on behalf of the Scottish Government, which set out the very ambitious plan to become a leading example of becoming a carbon neutral town. That fits very much with the approach that the Scottish Government is taking in helping to encourage local communities to play their part in becoming a net zero nation. It will also help to act as a clear demonstration of the leadership that is being taken forward at a community level in Scotland to inspire global leaders as they arrive in Glasgow in November this year for COP26. I can also assure the member that we will be setting out a range of different measures between now and COP26 on the measures that we will be taking as a country in order to become a net zero nation and to ensure that Scotland continues to be seen as a world leader in this particular area. It will also not only get the environmental benefits of that but also the economic benefits that come from becoming a net zero nation. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure local employment opportunities, in particular for young people, will be a key part of Scotland's transition to net zero. It is very important to make sure that we not only get the environmental and social benefits of moving to becoming a net zero nation but we also get the economic benefits of that. That includes making sure that we are working with partners to deliver the skills that will be necessary to become a net zero nation and to build on the progress that we have made to date. That is why, with partners, we are setting up the Green Jobs Workforce Academy, which we have said will be launched in the first 100 days of this Government. We are taking forward progress in developing that, with a key focus on making sure that we look at providing programmes that support retraining and upskilling to make sure that we have a just transition to becoming a net zero nation. That sits alongside a young person guarantee, which also provides young people with environmental-related opportunities to support our national mission of a new good gain jobs recovery. James Dornan, who is joining us remotely, is in question 7. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and welcome to your new position. To ask the Scottish Government when the last meeting of the oil and gas and energy transition strategic leadership group was held. The last meeting of the oil and gas and energy transition strategic leadership group was held on Thursday 18 February. This was the ninth meeting and chaired by the then Minister for Energy, Connectivity and Islands. The date of the next meeting is as yet to be agreed. James Dornan. Given the major role that the oil and gas sector, along with its supply chain, has in the Scottish economy and the part that will play an economic recovery from Covid, can the minister provide an update on any initial plans that the sector has in the economic recovery and how does that support the workforce and ensure that the energy transition agenda continues to meet our net zero emissions ambition? The Scottish Government recognises the crucial role that our oil and gas workers continue to play not only in maintaining the secure supply of energy to consumers but also in sustaining critical national infrastructure, as they have done throughout the course of the pandemic. In June last year, the Scottish Government announced some £62 million for the energy transition fund, which has got a key focus on helping to support the energy sector to recover from the economic impact of Covid-19 and also to help to support investment in areas that can help to move towards net zero. That work will continue as we move forward and we will continue to make sure that we engage with the oil and gas sector to ensure that we support and its transition to moving to becoming a net zero industry. Key to that will be making sure that we help to secure and sustain the skillsets within the workforce and a key part of the strategy will be taken forward. It is helping to support the sector in making sure that staff, fish or workers within the oil and gas sector have the skillsets necessary to move into the renewable sector and into other green jobs. As the Scottish Government plans to improve Glasgow's public transport connectivity? The Government is already making significant investment in public transport connectivity in the Glasgow city region. That includes rail enhancements from Glasgow to Barher and East Kilbride and work to reallocate road space on parts of the Glasgow motorway network for buses. It is part of a £500 million investment in bus priority infrastructure across Scotland. Applications to the bus partnership are being evaluated. Any future Scottish Government investment will be informed by the second strategic transport projects review, the phase 1 report recommendations published in February, including the transforming city steam, which provides support for a Glasgow metro. The connecting Glasgow report concluded that Glasgow has a good overall network by British standards, but the city falls substantially short of what has been achieved in similar-sized cities in other countries. With the exception of the 10.5km of Glasgow subway, the entire fixed public transport network is made up heavily of rail lines. The report says that there is an absence of a modern mass transit system serving in our urban destinations is a glaring omission. Will the minister assure me what financial commitments the Scottish Government is making to ensure a modernised rail-based system, as suggested in the report, including a modern air link system? Are we content to leave Scotland's largest city behind? No, we are not. We are considering the case for a Glasgow metro with a link to Glasgow airport as part of the STPR. In phase 1, which identifies the 20 strategic transport investment interventions for the short term, we set out that progression and development of the business case was a Government priority. The Government supports the council's approach to exploring some of the key challenges of a proposal such as this, and Transport Scotland is working with the council's Glasgow metro feasibility project team on this. I hope that the member will recognise that a project of the scale of Glasgow metro requires a strategic business case to ensure that taxpayers' money is invested to achieve the best possible outcomes and that we need to take a whole system approach to planning transport infrastructure to ensure that decisions are taken that benefit the entire region. Conversations with Glasgow City continue as does this process. That concludes portfolio questions on net zero energy and transport. We move to portfolio rural affairs and islands. The first question is from Liz Smith. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs cabinet secretary has had with the land reform minister regarding measures to be put in place to introduce regional land use partnerships. I am in regular discussion with the minister for environment, biodiversity and land reform given the close links between our portfolios. We met this week on regional land use partnerships and stakeholders will be fully engaged as they develop. The Scottish Government remains committed to regional land use partnerships emerging in 2021. They are one mechanism to help to maximise the contribution that Scotland's land will make to achieving our climate targets. We announced five pilot regions in February to test practicalities around governance, stakeholder engagement and working across regional boundaries. Learning from these pilots will inform any wider roll-out of partnerships across Scotland. Liz Smith, I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. On the back of concerns from the NFUS and also for some witnesses who gave evidence to the environment committee during the last session of Parliament, I asked the Scottish Government via a written parliamentary question in February this year whether the funding for the regional partnerships would be available via the rural affairs budget. I was told that it would be the Scottish Government's intention to have the money available from the environment, climate change and land reform portfolio. Could the cabinet secretary confirm whether that is in fact the case when the money will be available in 2021 and whether it is the Scottish Government's intention to ensure that those schemes become permanent rather than just pilots? I would confirm that that is the case in relation to funding. Again, as I said in my first answer, the objective of the pilots is to test and explore practicalities around governance, local engagement with communities and stakeholders, and to work across the regional land use partnership boundaries. We have already provided some resource funding to facilitate the establishment of those pilots this year. That funding will cover the costs of developing governance and facilitating the local engagement and stakeholder meetings that are going to be necessary to establish the pilots this year. They will also be designed collaboratively by the regions and the Scottish Government, who will provide policy support throughout. Can the cabinet secretary outline what steps this Government will take to improve Scotland's system of land ownership and use so that our land can contribute to a fair and just society by balancing public and private interests? That is a vitally important point. That is where the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to an on-going and bold land reform, and that has to be continuing and going forward on an on-going basis. That has been demonstrated, for example, by the establishment of the Scottish Land Commission and our world-leading land rights and responsibilities statement and the legislation to establish a register of persons with a controlled interest in land to improve the transparency of land ownership in Scotland. In our manifesto, we have committed to doubling the Scottish land fund to £20 million over the lifetime of this Parliament, as well as taking forward a further land reform bill. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its announcement regarding a potential co-operation agreement, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with the land reform minister regarding an assessment of the Scottish Green Party's manifesto commitments on land reform? I would reiterate that I am in regular discussion with the minister for environment, biodiversity and land reform, given the close link between our portfolios. Talks between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party will cover a number of issues, and further updates on those talks will be made in due course. The way in which land is owned, managed and used is essentially important to a variety of outcomes. Everyone has a stake in Scotland's land and everyone should benefit from Scotland's land. We are committed to a programme of bold land reform, including introducing a new land reform bill and to doubling the Scottish land fund to £20 million per year by the end of the Parliament. I hear what she says, but many commentators have suggested that the Green's land proposals are very poorly thought through. For example, rural stakeholders have suggested that the plans to introduce land ownership public interest tests and make Scotland's land rights and responsibilities statement statutory incompatible with human rights legislation. Adopting green plans would put thousands of rural jobs at risk, including those in the minister's Angus constituency, and lead to a lack of investment in some of our most remote and fragile environments. Will the cabinet secretary rule out adopting those land reform proposals before entering any deal? It is really disappointing to hear the member reiterate the scarce stories that go around. One thing that the Government is committed to, as I said, is that the talks are on-going, but right now we are committed to delivering what is in our manifesto, our bold ambitions to introduce another land reform bill and to doubling the amount that we have available in the Scottish land fund. That is our focus, and that is what we will deliver. To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to encourage new entrants into farming. The Scottish Government continues to implement a programme of initiatives to help generational renewal in the agricultural sector. Key initiatives include facilitating land opportunities through its farming opportunities for new entrants group, providing a Scottish land matching service for those considering joint ventures, basic payment scheme entitlements to new and young farmers, delivering a farm advisory service, providing a network of new entrants groups, and offering a free mentoring programme, and supporting partners delivering pilot apprenticeship schemes. To add to the package, and in line with our manifesto commitment, we will also plan further support through a specific new entrants fund. August 2018 saw the Government stop the capital grant scheme for new agricultural business. Now, three years later, there is no detail or funding. The importance of new entrants in young farmers cannot be overstated, and research published by James Hutton in March 2020 showed that new entrants are notably more active in their intentions for diversification and renewable energy on their land. With that all in mind, will she commit to reintroducing a fully funded scheme for new entrants to help to harness that potential and address the issue of three years of missing funds from new entrants? As I have already stated in my initial answer to the member, that is exactly what we are looking to do is to establish a new entrants fund, because I absolutely agree with some of the points that he made and the importance of getting new entrants into farming. That is why we made that commitment in our manifesto. The previous schemes that he talked about were very successful, and both of those schemes, and particularly the young farmer scheme, were popular. Despite budgets being twice topped up, both closed to new applications in 2018 because the available budgets were exhausted. That was not before they had already supported over 205 young farmers' new businesses and with the associated funding, as well as 49 smaller new enterprises. The scheme evaluations of that are under way, and that will assist our thinking around planning for a specific new entrant fund that is included in our manifesto. Attracting new entrants to farming must be a key long-term priority, so looking ahead to our new support system, can the cabinet secretary tell us if any changes are being considered to the reference year payment model in order to ensure that new entrants are not unfairly disadvantaged when it comes to support payments? All of those factors are going to be taken into consideration as we look to develop our new funding schemes. To ask the Scottish Government what cross-government action it is taking to ensure that island communities are protected from the effects of disruption to lifeline services. I know that ferries are a lifeline service to our island communities and share the frustration at the current disruption and the impact that it has been having. I have been working with the transport minister, who I know has met senior CalMac representatives to provide support, as well as meeting with local MSPs to hear their concerns, and the minister is continuing to have regular dialogue. A North Ayrshire Council-commissioned Fraser of Allander report put the value of the ferry to Arran's community at £170,000 per day supporting jobs in livelihoods. The minister has said that a number of meetings have taken place. Would the minister be willing to meet with me to discuss how the voices of islanders and indeed CalMac workers are included in the decision-making process to ensure a reliable and safe ferry service that there is no race to the bottom on terms and conditions and that support is put in place for Arran's businesses and islanders who are trying to cope at the moment with the disruption? I do not underestimate, for one minute, the impact that this disruption can have on island communities, and that is why the minister for transport was straight to work, and that was one of his top priorities on coming into post, trying to identify solutions and measures that can be put in place over the short, medium and longer term to try and resolve those issues, as well as building resilience within the ferry services that are available. I believe that he had responded during topical questions last week to say that he was willing to engage with any members and to do that on a constructive work with them constructively on that, and I would reiterate that to the member today. More than half of Scotland's state-operated ferry network is beyond the life expectancy of the original vessels. There are 16 out of 31 vessels currently more than 25 years old. The problem is that the residents of Arran and many other islands are simply scunnered by the situation. The current ferry network situation is a disgrace in Scotland. Let me ask how far and wide is the Scottish Government seeking to acquire or lease new vessels right now to offer some temporary relief to our island communities and to the network? I can assure the member that no stone is being left unturned by the minister for transport in trying to find solutions and workable solutions to that. As I mentioned in my previous response, there are short-term measures that are being looked at. I believe that there is an opportunity, which is supported by communities, that there is in to charter the MV Pentalina, owned by Pentland ferries. That would enable an increase in the size of the major vessel fleet available to CalMac supporting the continued operation and increased resilience of lifeline ferry services. There was also at news today that the process to build a new ferry for Islay is under way and the procurement is under way, which again will bring that added resilience to the fleet. That is also why £580 million is being invested over the next five years in the longer term to build that resilience. Again, I do not underestimate for a moment how frustrating this is for people who live on island communities and just how vital those services are. All this talk of ferries gladdens my heart, but it is time to move to question 5. Deputy Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government when the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group will publish its report. The Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group was established as an independent group comprising representatives from the farming and food production sectors to make recommendations around the future of farming and food production policy. In addition to environmental and land management representatives who also sat on that body, I held an introductory meeting with the group earlier this week to discuss potential publication. I thank the cabinet secretary for her response. The Parliament agreed in January 2019 that this group should be set up. Two and a half years on, we have still not seen their conclusion. These delays are symptomatic of the Government's indecision and inaction when it comes to setting out the future of post-cap rural support. Can the cabinet secretary tell me when the Scottish Government will set out the details of future support, bringing together the recommendations of this group and the various farmer-led groups? I completely disagree with the points that have been made by the member in relation to indecision and inaction. We sought to engage with industry, that is why the farmer-led groups were established. I do not think that members across the chamber would think that that was a bad idea, because I think that it is vitally important that we gauge the people who work in those sectors and will be helping to drive those policies forward. We have also had a number of other reports that have been compiled, farming for 1.5. We have the climate change plan update as well, and the Food and Farm Production Group report will feed into that, as well as those reports of the farmer-led groups. We have to take all that information into consideration, and that is also why we set out, in the first 100 days of this Government, that we will establish an implementation board that will drive forward the recommendations of the farmer-led groups and get those policies moving. We do not underestimate the urgency in which that work needs to take place. Bruce Duplimentary, Rachel Hamilton. I totally agree with Faisal's triadry. It is indecision and inaction of this Government. NFU's Andrew McConaughey said in February, give Scottish agriculture a policy roadmap now. Months later, there is no plan, it is totally ridiculous. Cabinet Secretary, no more excuses. Where is Scotland's future farm policy document? How much longer will Scottish farmers have to wait, and why is it yet to be disadvantaged in Scottish farmers? I would simply ask the member if she would prefer that we did not engage with the farmer-led groups and establish them in the way that we did. It is important that we get those recommendations, and that is exactly why we have said that we will move that forward within our first 100 days in Government and build an implementation board that will drive those recommendations forward. Question 6. Collette Stevenson joins us, I think, remotely. Ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support businesses in East Kilbride working in the food and drink sector. Cabinet Secretary. We have committed support of more than £10 million over 2020-22 towards the food and drink sector's Covid-19 recovery plan, which contains 50 actions to help businesses across Scotland to recover from Covid-19 and the disruptions of Brexit. That includes our 100 days commitments to publish a local food strategy and provide grants from the regional food fund to support local and regional food festivals and initiatives. South Lanarkshire Council has also paid out £1.2 million to businesses through the local authority discretionary fund, which empowers local authorities to direct funding to specific groups or sectors that are affected by Covid-19. Thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I would be interested to know whether the Clyde climate forest will present an opportunity for the many qualified recreational deer managers in the central belt. Does the Scottish Government believe that there is a need to support the establishment of fit for purpose processes and facilities to use the venison locally? The Clyde climate forest is a really significant and well-timed initiative, showcasing all that is good about tree planting and including a partnership arrangement with eight local authorities working together on a major woodland creation initiative. Sustainable deer management is key to the success of woodland creation and recreational deer managers play a vital role in delivering that. As we recognise the importance of processing facilities for venison to support deer management and local supply chains, we are working with the Scottish Venison Association on possible options to support processing in areas where those facilities might be limited. To ask the Scottish Government what its key priorities are for Scotland's island communities. As detailed in the SNP manifesto, the Scottish Government is committed to delivering a number of priorities for Scotland's island communities, including, for example, the new island programme, which will invest £30 million of capital funding over the next five years to support delivery of the national island's plan. Interestingly, the cabinet secretary did not mention connectivity. In recent months, residents and small businesses across Scotland's island communities have lost millions of pounds because of disruption to multiple ferry services because they are operating beyond their scheduled service lives. As my colleague Jamie Greene highlighted earlier, two new replacement ferries, which were meant to service the islands, remain unfinished on the Clyde, more than £200 million over budget and more than three years late, with no prospect of being in service any time soon. Will the cabinet secretary take this opportunity to apologise to island communities for this massive disruption? What assurances can she give today that this massive level of disruption will not continue into the future? As I have outlined in responses to previous questions relating to ferries this afternoon, the Scottish Government absolutely recognises the frustration of communities at the disruption and that we recognise the impact that that is having. That is why, as I have reiterated, we are doing everything that we possibly can to try and build resilience within the fleet and to try and mitigate against some of those problems and supporting CalMac to maximise available capacity across the network and to ensure that there is a timely resolution of those issues. We are also delivering new tonnage to support communities working with CMAL, CalMac, MSPs, community representatives and others to develop investment programmes for major vessels and small vessels. As I said previously, that amounts to an investment of over £580 million over the course of the next five years. I will try to get supplementaries in, but they need to be brief as to the responses. First, Beatrice Wishart. I have called for an island proof recovery before. Will the cabinet secretary commit to timely guidance for the islands for life at level 0 and beyond? Yes. To ask the minister how the Scottish Government will support Orkney Islands Council in its efforts to ensure that the people of the Orkney Islands will be able to fully benefit from the island's renewable potential. I am more than happy to engage with Orkney Islands Council on that. I hope to be visiting Orkney at some point soon, in line with its restrictions, but I hope to be able to have those conversations. The Scottish Government has failed our island communities that failed to provide the new ferries that are required, but it has also failed to maintain the ones that it has, which has led to the current fiasco. At a time when capacity is 35 per cent of what would be normal, will the cabinet secretary commit to releasing the pentalina, buying the ferry that is identified by the Mawl community and identifying further tunnage that will meet demand and create the capacity that is required in our islands? That is the work that the transport minister has set straight to work on that as soon as he was appointed. I have outlined repeatedly this afternoon the number of measures that are being undertaken to do exactly what the member has just outlined, the measures that we are looking to introduce in the shorter term to build that resilience in relation to on-going investment. I would just reiterate to the member that this is a big priority for the Government, and it is a big priority for the transport minister who has gone straight to work on addressing those issues. To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to reports of Danish and Swedish boats intensively fishing for sandales off the Firth of Forth. The terms of the trade and co-operation agreement established between the UK and EU in December 2020 entitles those vessels access to fish their quota in UK waters. Through the bilateral agreement for 2021 finalised last week, total allowable catch level has been set for sandale, which gives the EU quota to fish against. However, given the importance of sandale to the wider ecosystem and the subsequent benefit of aiding the long-term sustainability and resilience of the North Sea, it remains an overarching and long-held Scottish Government position to not support fishing for sandale or other industrial species in our waters. As such, I have instructed my officials to consider what management measures can be put in place to manage activity in the most sustainable way possible. Willie Rennie. That is very good news. The Kettie Wake population has been cut in half in the last 50 years in part as a result of industrial sandale fishing. In the last month, over 20 speed Swedish and Danish boats spent days off the Fife coast, hoovering up tons of sandales for pig mail. Local fishermen and the RSPB are very concerned about the impact on seabirds. A previous Government took action at Wee Banky. I think that we need action now. I want the minister to think of the puffins and set out urgent action on sandales today. I appreciate the concerns that Willie Rennie raised today and completely understand the concerns regarding sandales. Of course, it is about the wider ecosystem and the impact that it has on species whose numbers are depleting. That is why I have committed, and I hope that he takes that assurance, that we will be looking at this as a matter of urgency to see what measures we can potentially put in place. Thank you very much. That concludes portfolio questions. There will be a slight pause in business of the change.