 We start this morning. Our first item of business will be general questions. I'll just remind members that if answers can be as brief as possible we'll get through more questions. Number one, Colin Beattie fashion back to the Scottish Government, what support it provides to local communities where nearby rivers have been polluted by waste overflows from detritus oeddaf ni'n ddau o diplyniadau. The cabinet secretary rezona cunnigum. The Scottish Water Carrier carries out regular proactive inspections in areas에 that have had previous pollution incidents and whenever pollution is found, clean-ups take place. Further to that, Scottish Water will be working closely with communities to help to educate customers about what should and should not be flushed down the toilet. Colin Beattie. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. She may be aware that this issue has occurred recently at the Merri Burn in my constituency. Nod ond y Mae GŽnor��, oherwydd i'n wneud amser a bod Arnodion Gwanaethraedd i'n gwybodaeth i ni'r cystidioies wider ac i gyd i gael d Papyridon yn ei ddweud o'r anglun. Felly, yn rhesau i'r gydaeth, i chi'n ddweud o wrth i ddull i Gwanaethraedd i'r coriander yn ddweud o ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud i gael ddweud gwneud o, mae yna gan jestel bynnus mewn gwirio cyffredinol, ac mae'n gwirio cyflymu. Felly, rydw i'n ddigonol i gyflaeniwyr, Fythnos gwlad yn dod o wneud gyfan gynnod oedd y gwneud ei ddim yn цilio'r wyr lliwyriau yn cael ei cyflopŷau ar y gydag a'i ddim yn benach ffaintfaith o'ch cyflinwyr, a'r rhaid o taith o'ch ddweud yn gallu gwlad. Y sylwyr diwrnod sefydliad yn hwnnw i'n ddweud 210 miliwn cyflopŷad o'ch ddychtranswyr investment programme in 2018-19, and we make sure that SEPA is adequately funded to perform its regulatory role to protect our environment. Officials do stand ready to provide any additional support that may be required. However, I need to reiterate that people need to stop putting the wrong things down the toilet in the first place. Stuart McMillan I have recently been contacted by a constituent to inform me of the issue of caravan in mobile home users who are dumping the contents of their chemical toilets by roadsides instead of paying to dispose of the waste in designated areas. Can the cabinet secretary join me in condemning the behaviour of the issue, but can she provide some response to which agency or agencies should be dealt with tackling the issue, but could some type of public information campaign be launching the issue? That is disgusting behaviour. I am sure that everybody in the chamber will feel the same about it, so I share the member's concern. It is the responsibility of everyone living or visiting Scotland to dispose of their waste in the appropriate manner at designated facilities. Any evidence of that behaviour should be reported directly to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Gillian Martin To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to make misogyny a crime. We will shortly be launching a public consultation and response to recommendations made by Lord Bracadale on hate crime legislation in Scotland. That will consider how criminal law might be strengthened to tackle misogynistic behaviour, including whether crimes that are motivated by hostility based on gender should be a hate crime. We are committed to taking action to tackle gender-based prejudice and misogyny in Scotland, and we are open to any views on what action we should be taking that is most effective. Gillian Martin I thank the minister for that answer. A crime motivated by haste of women could take many forms. There has been debate already around what kind of evidence would have to be required for misogyny to be proven as a motivator. Can the minister give an indication of the work that has been done to ensure that a definition around misogynistic hate crime is workable and provides a sound basis for something that could be argued in court by a prosecutor and could make a clear and functional distinction between misogynistic hate crime and any other crime? The Minister for Public Health and Sport There is a clear need, as we know, to be taking action to tackle gender-based prejudice in misogyny in Scotland, and we are keeping a very open mind on the best way to address those types of behaviours. We are committed to consulting on how the criminal law might be strengthened as part of efforts to tackle misogynistic behaviour, and we will launch the consultation next month. That will seek views and a range of options, including new criminal law measures. I would encourage any interested party to share their views through the consultation exercise, because that will inform the best way forward in tackling misogynistic behaviour and putting the law in the legislation. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on legally obliging landowners to formally engage with communities affected by major changes in land use. Scottish Government's guidance on engaging communities in decisions relating to land sets expectations that all landowners across urban and rural Scotland will engage with our local communities about decisions relating to land that will have a significant impact on the local community. Joan McAlpine Thank you. Does the Scottish Government share my concern over the Duke of Buclw advertising coal bed meeting deposits at Cannon Bay in its sale of the Evertown estate, despite the local community's continued objections to any extraction proposals? The Scottish Government does not support unconventional oil and gas development in Scotland, and that includes coal bed methane. No local authority can grant planning permission for any proposed fracking or coal bed methane project, and Scottish ministers would defer any decision on any planning application that did come forward until the full policymaking process on our preferred position is completed. The practical effect of that is that there is no fracking or other unconventional oil or gas activity that can take place in Scotland at this time. In line with statutory requirements earlier this week, we published for consultation the strategic environmental assessment environmental report on our preferred policy position, and that consultation is the next step. Continues the dialogue with the public on this important issue will run for eight weeks from 23 October. It is anticipated that ministers will inform Parliament of their finalised policy on unconventional oil and gas in Scotland in the first quarter of 2019, and that is the backdrop that people will be operating in regardless of who they are. I am sure that the member knows that that is strictly speaking a policy for another portfolio. To ask the Scottish Government whether it is discussed with the UK Government raising the UK's proposed 10-megabit universal service obligation for broadband to match Scotland's plans for universal availability of at least 30 megabits. The Scottish Government has repeatedly urged the UK Government to match Scotland's ambition and set the broadband universal service obligation at 30 megabits per second. That would, of course, help to deliver the superfast broadband connections that our rural communities need. Scotland is the only part of the UK that has committed to extending superfast access to 100 per cent of premises, supported by an initial procurement of £600 million. Despite numerous requests and despite the regulation and legislation of telecoms being wholly reserved to the UK Parliament, the UK Government has contributed a mere 3.5 per cent of that investment, but the Scottish Government is committing 96.5 per cent. Stuart Stevenson, I thank you for that illuminating answer. Can the cabinet secretary inform us whether the UK Government has given any assurances that the imposition of a 10-megabit universal service obligation on telecoms providers will not impede the Scottish Government's programme to deliver 30-plus megabits everywhere by 2021? The UK Government has not given any assurances. It has now formally handed over the implementation of the broadband universal service obligation to OFCOM. OFCOM is due to consulting the designated universal service provider in the autumn. The Scottish Government has a very positive working relationship with OFCOM, and officials are working closely to achieve alignment between the two schemes to help to minimise confusion for the public, as well as ensuring most effective use of public funds. It would, however, be helpful if the UK Government would engage with us on the issue. The Scottish National Party Government likes to talk up the record on broadband, but the reality for people and businesses in rural constituencies, like Galloway and West Dumfries, is poor or no speeds. They do not care about speed obligations, they just want to know when they are going to get connected. Can the minister give my constituents a commitment to publish a clear timescale for R100 to reach 100 per cent by the summer of 2019? I think that Mr Carson would be well placed in reflecting the fact that it is the UK Government's responsibility legally and regularly to ensure the delivery of broadband. The Scottish Government is intervening using economic development powers to fix the mess that has been left by the UK Government. In respect of his point about Dumfries and Galloway, we clearly have an shared interest in this. I should declare that, as a member representing South of Scotland, in ensuring constituents in Dumfries and Galloway. I take that point seriously. R100 per cent commitment is a huge statement of our ambition for Scotland's digital future. As I said, it is one unmatched elsewhere in the UK. The £600 million being invested through the procurement contract, we are on track toward contracts in 2019, I would hope, in the second half of 2019. Only at that point do we know when the bidders have submitted their bids exactly which postcards they will cover. I would give our assurance to the member that we will, as soon as we can communicate that information to his constituents and others, we will do so. In the design of the procurement exercise that the minister has just described, can he ensure that those areas, most in need such as the outer aisles and the northern aisles of Shetland, are first in the queue to achieve the fibre to the home and premises and to businesses that is so badly needed? I certainly recognise the interest not just in my capacity as a connectivity minister, but obviously with Ireland's responsibilities. Those are key issues for island communities and take those very seriously. In terms of the procurement contract, we are taking an outside-in approach, so we are trying to focus on remote rural and island communities first. Without being—I do not want to go over-commit in terms of Mr Scott's constituency, but I would be keen to explore with him and others who have this interest. As soon as we have that information from the tenders about how we can give guarantees to communities at how early the delivery will be, I would reiterate the point that, in the absence of the DSSB programme, we would be in a situation now with zero coverage of superfast broadband in the islands, and so we have achieved a lot to date. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure equality of opportunity for young people across all local authorities. Cabinet Secretary John Swinney Presiding Officer, our focus on raising attainment and achievement for all and ensuring that every child has the same opportunity to succeed has resulted in positive progress towards closing the poverty-related attainment gap. The Scottish Government supports local authorities to work collaboratively with national agencies, including Skills Development Scotland, to ensure that all young people receive the support that is most appropriate for them to fulfil their potential. Iain Gray Presiding Officer, data from Skills Development Scotland for 2016-17 shows that, although 62 per cent of school leavers in East Dunbartonshire and East Rentrushire went on to higher education after leaving school, only 26 per cent of school leavers from Clackmannanshire did the same, showing no improvement since 2010-11. That is a dramatic difference and does not look like progress. What action will be taken to end this postcode lottery in higher education? When we look at the position across the country, the information that is demonstrated by the UCAS figures shows a 3 per cent increase in the number of placed applicants from deprived areas, which is a record high and for the third year in a row. The data demonstrates that on the question of widening access to higher education, the Government is making progress on its objectives that it has set out to Parliament. We should also bear in mind—this is an important consideration in the question of fulfilling the commitment to opportunities for all young people across Scotland—that there is a range of positive destinations that can be pursued by young people, including through modern apprenticeships, further education opportunities and higher education opportunities. The most recent positive destinations statistics across the whole country demonstrate the improvements in performance that have been delivered as a result of this commitment. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported warnings from nursery providers that its planned expansion of the childcare to 1140 hours by 2020 is about to implode. Minister Marie Todd. Providers in the private and third sector, including childminders, are absolutely vital to the expansion of early learning and childcare. We are supporting all providers in the transition to 2020, when parents will have greater flexibility to access their child's entitlement from high-quality partner settings. We introduced 100 per cent rate relief for day nurseries in April, established the ELC partnership forum and we are significantly increasing funding for providers to deliver our living wage commitment. Alison Harris. Thank you for that response. However, unless the Government steps in and sorts this out very quickly, then the whole project of 1140 hours is going to collapse. Those are not my words, those are the words of the childcare providers. Even fellow colleagues of the minister and the SNP have raised concerns from childcare providers in their constituencies. Will the minister agree to urgently investigate those concerns before it is too late for nursery's children and parents? Let me take the opportunity to reiterate once again just how crucial partner providers will be to the success of this expansion. We are working hard, as I think your FOI demonstrated, to tackle areas where there are partner concerns with local authorities. We are creating the mechanisms to strengthen meaningful partnership working between local authorities and ELC providers and to promote good practice. I work very closely with my colleague, Councillor Stephen McCabe, my counterpart in COSLA on that. As part of the funding follows the child approach, local authorities and early learning childcare providers will be working together meaningfully and in genuine partnership delivering the funded entitlement. The ELC partnership forum, which met for the first time this week, will drive action, enable the sharing of good practice partnership working and will enable authorities and providers to work constructively together to identify solutions to challenges. Richard Lyle Can the Government set out how it is ensuring that, where there are good examples of partnership working across Scotland between local authorities, early learning and childcare providers, the lessons there can be applied to areas where such partnership working needs to be improved? As I said, we have established this partnership forum where we bring together partners from all over the country. Not only do we identify the challenging areas for partnerships and relationships are not great, but we look at the areas where partnerships are really strong, for example Murray and Angus. To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its new economic action plan and whether it will include specific targets for improving the economy. I published the economic action plan yesterday and our targets are very well known. Dean Lockhart As the cabinet secretary will be aware, his Government has failed to meet every single one of its own economic targets over the past 11 years, including all seven national performance targets on the economy. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that this is the real reason why the new economic action plan fails to include any future national performance targets? The economic action plan that has been very warmly welcomed by Scottish businesses is about getting on with the job. It sets out a range of actions that support our economy and support Scottish business. It sets out a whole host of areas that are stimulus on innovation and infrastructure and investment. It follows on from the enterprise and skills review. We know the targets that we want to deliver, but I will give just a few economic indicators for Mr Lockhart. GDP is outperforming the United Kingdom unemployment in terms of near record low unemployment, outperforming the United Kingdom and form direct investment second only to London and the south-east of England. That is why businesses and representative organisations such as the FSB have welcomed the economic action plan. They have said that there is much to be applauded in the manifesto for Scotland's economy. I will get on with the action plan, while the Tories give us distractions and disaster. As the Scottish Government, what percentage of fish landed in Scotland in 2017 was landed in the north-east? The latest national statistics show that, in 2017, 56 per cent of the weight and 46 per cent of the value of all fish landed into Scotland was landed into the north-east, covering the three port districts of Fraserborough, Peterhead and Aberdeen. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and for acknowledging the importance of the north-east of the fishing industry of Scotland. With that in mind, can the cabinet secretary tell me why Aberdeenshire, the site of the biggest fishing port in Peterhead and the third biggest port in Fraserborough, had 100 of 146 applications for EMFF funding rejected and only received 13.7 per cent of the available EMFF funding? I can assure the member that the ports in the north-east have benefited from considerably and are due to benefit further from EMFF funding. I am happy to share the information with Mr Chapman, since he seems to be unaware of it. However, what I might also point out ever so gently to Mr Chapman and his colleagues is that this European maritime fisheries fund is part of the EU funding. Despite having asked his colleague Mr Gove and Mr Eustace, with whom I have a good workman-like relationship, on numerous occasions, face-to-face, eyeball to eyeball, will you replace the fund post Brexit? The answer has come absolutely none, which leads me to conclude that, without wishing to be unkind, the handling by Brexit of the UK Government can best be described by a Gaelic word, a buruk.