 Mae'r bwysig yng nghymru yw'r Wonderful Slam is General Questions, a at question number one, I call Megan Gallacher. To ask the Scottish Government whether it produces guidance for local government on how allegations of sexual misconduct against councillors should be handled. Minister Ben Macpherson. The guidance on handling such complaints is produced by the independent Ethical Standards Commissioner. Allegations of sexual misconduct against the councillor whilst performing their duties should be dealt with by the Ethical Standards Commissioner As a breach of the councillor's code of conduct. Moreover, if a criminal offence may have taken place, then that should of course be dealt with by Police Scotland. Sexual misconduct is an issue which all parties shouldn't do take very seriously, which is why the Scottish Government is currently taking forward measures to prevent individuals on the sexual offenders register from being councillors. Megan Gallacher. Last week an SNP councillor who claims to have been sexually assaulted by former North Lanarkshire Council leader demanded reform over how the SNP handles sex complaints. This is the third claim of sexually inappropriate behaviour made against this individual. Instead of supporting victims, North Lanarkshire SNP closed ranks. One councillor even claimed that Mr Linden had done nothing wrong and the only thing he was guilty of was being young. So can I ask the minister if he agrees with me that victims should be protected by political parties and do you think that councils should have additional measures in place for councillors should political parties fail to support them? Thank you minister on matters for which the Scottish Government has general ministerial responsibility. Thank you, Presiding Officer. As you have alluded to, I cannot comment with regard to political parties. However, I would refer to the member to my first answer. It is unacceptable that people—and considerations about how we move forward—is unacceptable that people who are potential predators could be councillors. That is why we are undertaking measures to improve matters. That is why we are taking forward a review of section 31 of the local government Scotland Act 1973 to bar individuals who are on the sex offender's register from being councillors and continuing to consider matters within the code of conduct. Has the Scottish Government, whether it will provide an update on what its initial assessment is of the potential impact of the Windsor framework on Scotland's economy? We welcome the Windsor framework, which offers an opportunity for the UK to reset its relationship with the European Union. However, the Prime Minister, by setting out his view that the framework puts Northern Ireland in an unbelievably special position, has accepted that Scotland is not a major competitive disadvantage and has made crystal clear the immense damage that the UK Government's hard Brexit deal is causing to Scotland. Despite voting overwhelmingly to remain, Scotland has been forced out of the EU at the single market at the customs union, and we have lost freedom of movement rights, which was so important to the Scottish economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed last week that, as a result of Brexit, that long-run UK productivity will fall by 4 per cent, which is the equivalent to a loss in annual national income of around £100 billion compared with continued EU membership. Given that hard Brexit is supported not just by the current UK Government but also by the Labour Party, it is clearer than ever that it is only by becoming an independent country that Scotland can regain the huge economic benefits of EU membership. I thank the minister for his answer and concur with my concerns over the Office of Budget Responsibility report. Can he give any comfort to Scottish businesses right now who will continue to suffer by a damaging hard Tory Brexit and what he can give them in terms of comfort as they look across to Northern Ireland and see the advantages that Northern Ireland will have over Scottish businesses with access to the free market? Of course, we recognise, as I said earlier, the damage that this can do to the prospects of Scottish businesses. Of course, the Scottish Government will continue to work with businesses in Scotland to support them as best we can, given the damage that the UK Government is doing by these steps. The people in Scotland are given a clear mandate for a referendum on Scotland's future. Scotland, of course, has huge economic potential, but the UK economy, particularly post-Brexit, will be lagging behind many EU and international comparators. Should the people of Scotland vote for independence when given a choice, Scotland will get the full range of powers and the ability to rejoin the EU to build a country that is wealthier, more successful and fairer than the UK. To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin to set out its proposals for the NHS Scotland infrastructure investment plan post 2026 in relation to new-build hospitals. Cabinet Secretary, Humza Yousaf. An exact timeline has not been agreed for when the next Scottish Government infrastructure investment plan for 2026 and the following five years will be published, but in line with previous iterations in the plan, it is expected to be published in late 2025. Edward Mountain. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer, and I wrote to him and all other SNP leadership candidates last week, asking if he would support a new acute general hospital for the Highlands and Islands to replace Reg Moore. I know that you have been very busy and have been unable to give me an answer, so now is your opportunity, cabinet secretary. Do you support my call? I am replying back to Conservative MSPs. They should have been my priority. Forgive me that I had not got round to Edward Mountain, but let me say to him that I am very proud of the Scottish Government. He might want to listen to the answer. I am very proud of the Scottish Government investment in our Highlands and Islands. Of course, we are supporting the Scottish Government, and I announced £5 million of capital investment in upgrading maternity services at Reg Moore. At our Highland national treatment centre, there is an investment of £48.5 million. I have had the pleasure, as cabinet secretary, for health and social care to open two new community hospitals, one in Avymor and one in Skye in September 2021 and March 2022, respectively. In terms of Reg Moore, there is no doubt at all that Reg Moore will require significant investment either through a full refurbishment or indeed replacement, and of course we will work closely with the NHS Highland to identify the best we fork. Can the cabinet secretary advise as to when we are like to see construction of a new cross-house hospital in Ayrshire? The UK Government promised 14 new hospitals in England, the construction of which has been hampered by a lack of cash, is years behind schedule and moving at a glacial pace to quote Saffron Corddery interim chief executive of NHS providers. We do not want to follow the Tory's appalling example. Cabinet secretary? Indeed, and of course investment in our infrastructure, investment in health and social care is challenging because of the Conservatives economic vandalism, which means that at peak inflation our budget is worth health and social care. A budget alone is worth less by £1.2 billion, the Scottish Government budget is worth less by the amount of £1.7 billion. NHS Ayrshire and An are working on their caring for Ayrshire programme, which is an exciting and ambitious programme that will transform health and care services right across Ayrshire. Arun's vision is that care shall be delivered as close to home as possible, supported by a network of community services with safe, effective and timely access to specialist services. As part of that programme, NHS Ayrshire and Arun are considering their acute healthcare estate, which of course includes cross-house hospital and what that will look like in the future. The Government will be fully supportive of that approach, and we look forward to discussing its plans with the board when they are ready. Earlier this week, the health committee heard evidence from health boards regarding external pressures on their service delivery, including the impact of inflation and increased utility costs. Can the cabinet secretary confirm if the Government has considered how to reduce revenue energy costs as part of the infrastructure investment plan proposals, for example through capital investment in systems such as district heat networks, which could increase sustainability of the hospital estates and support-surrounded communities? There are examples of where we are introducing such efficient systems. We have an ambition, and I am happy to make sure that the strategy is forwarded on to Pulse. We need to make sure that we decarbonise our entire health and social care estate. I would also point out to the fact that we have increased investment in the health service—or will be increasing investment in the health service—and next year's budget to a record of £19 billion. Question 4, Colin Smyth. To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to tackle the reported exodus of dentists from NHS dentistry. Can we have the minister's microphone? The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care wrote to all NHS dental teams on 7 February confirming the continuation of the bridging payment to 31 October 2023, while we prepare for the implementation of payment reform. Payment reform will comprise a new modernised system that will provide NHS dental teams with greater clinical discretion and transparency for NHS patients. It is our intention for payment reform to maintain the confidence of NHS dental teams by ensuring the future viability of NHS dentistry in Scotland. Colin Smyth. The minister referred to the confidence, but the reality is that, as she will know from the crisis in Dumfries and Galloway, no one can actually currently register with an NHS dentist. As practices in Dumfries and in Castle Douglas-Thonhill have deregistered 20,000 patients, crucially those that are registered, half of them haven't seen an NHS dentist for over two years. Given that the research from the British Dental Association who warned about this exodus shows that well over half of dentists have actually reduced their NHS work, what assessment has the Government actually made to changes to the whole-time equivalent NHS dentist workforce since lockdown? What guarantee will the minister give that my constituents will actually get to see an NHS dentist? There is no doubt that there are strong existential forces working on the dental workforce at the moment in Scotland. We are working through the backdrop of a pandemic, which prevented work in dentistry for nearly a year and impacted on it for quite a period after that. We had a whole year of dental students not qualify and we had Brexit happen. In the area that you mentioned, Dumfries and Galloway, one in two of the dentists were European. The Scottish Government has put in place a framework of support to encourage more dentists to work in remote and rural areas, including in areas south of Scotland. That includes the Scottish Dental Access Initiative, which provides capital funding of up to £100,000 for the first surgery, £25,000 per additional surgery to dental providers setting up a new practice. We have also enhanced recruitment and retention allowance of up to £37,500 for newly qualified training. We have put in place that framework to help mitigate the worst effects of Brexit on the reducing supply of dentists to Scotland. Since Brexit, the rate of EU and EFTA dentists joining the register has halved, even though the Opposition would deny that. Given that, can the Minister provide an update on the steps that the Scottish Government is taking to improve access to NHS dental services in those areas that are particularly affected by those challenges? The member is absolutely correct that the consequences of Brexit are invariably having a disproportionate impact on NHS dental services in many areas. That includes the area of Dumfries and Galloway, as I can hear the member to this side of me shouting from a sedentary position. We have already seen improvements from the framework that we have put in place. We have seen a positive impact. I have already heard that Dumfries and Galloway have received expressions of interest for potential grant funding, for opening new dental practices, which the Scottish Government will absolutely be in a position to fund applications that are successful. As well as that, it is our intention to make formal representation to the UK Government for dentistry to be included in the shortage occupation list. We have also the CDO in active discussions with the General Dental Council to support them in speeding up the application process to clear the General Dental Council backlog. To ask the Scottish Government when it last assessed access to GP services in rural areas. The Scottish Government published the health and care experience survey 2021-22 in relation to people's experience of GP services last year. Health boards and health and social care partnerships are responsible for planning and delivering primary care medical services. The Scottish Government would expect them to make use of the health and care experience survey to identify any particular issues with access, including rural areas. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Twecker, in my constituency, has been without a GP surgery since 2019. The ever-growing village is in a semi-rural area on the border between Eastern Barchonshire and North Lanarkshire. The only option for residents is to register in one practice in Cosyth or between two practices in Kirkntill of both some miles away. Does the cabinet secretary agree that residents deserve a better service than this and that the HSCPs and health boards in the two local authority areas should work together to find an acceptable solution? Yes, I agree that they should work together. There are obviously options available to the health and social care partnership and the health board there. If there are discussions that are needed with my primary care team and primary care officials, then I will make sure that they make themselves available to the health and social care partnerships and local authorities involved and the health board. The cabinet secretary's failure to deliver the new GP contract is the real reason why the British medical journal is saying that there is a decline in the reported quality of some respects of care in Scotland with rural areas hit hardest. It is not the fault of overwork practices, but the cabinet secretary's failure compounded the error by cutting £65 million from the primary care budget. Will the cabinet secretary commit to reinstating the crucial £65 million to primary care? What a brass neck, Presiding Officer. The reason we had to re-profile our money was because of the economic vandalism of the Conservative Party, which meant that our Government budget was worth less by the amount of £1.7 billion. That is a brass neck and a half. So what are we doing, Presiding Officer? More GPs per head in Scotland than any other part of the UK. 3,220 multidisciplinary team staff members recruited here in Scotland. We will continue, the SNP Government will continue the record investment in health and social care, and I will leave it to the Conservatives to moan from the sidelines. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of NHS 4th valley since its escalation to stage 4 of NHS Scotland's national performance framework. There are some signs of improvement in performance within NHS 4th valley. An example in children and adolescent mental health services. We have seen some improvements in terms of waiting lists, not where we want it to be, but certainly there have been some improvements. This and other work has been taken forward by the Assurance Board and the external support team chaired by Christine McLaughlin. That role, she has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including local authority chief execs, the area partnership forum, compromising of local trade union representatives. Stephen Cack. The RCN and Unison reported very serious concerns over unsafe practices and a culture of intimidation, and an independent review found a culture of fear. The BBC Scotland disclosure programme on the NHS was grim-viewing, a trade union representative at 4th valley said that staff were watching patients die and did not feel they had been able to provide a decent high-quality care. Clinical teams have spoken out about wards short of staff and unsupported, patient safety at risk, and staff on duty pushed to breaking point. In November, vacancies were over 10 per cent of registered nurses and nearly 14 per cent for doctors. Can the cabinet secretary honestly say that he believes that the culture at 4th valley has changed, and what are today's vacancy rates at 4th valley for doctors and nurses? Stephen Cack does raise some really important points. It is precisely the reason why I took the decision to escalate 4th valley to the second highest level of escalation, and one of the reasons for that escalation was culture. He is absolutely right to raise those issues. 4th valley has brought forward an improvement plan. If he wishes, I am happy to arrange a meeting between himself and Christine McLaughlin, who is leading that oversight board. There have been some improvements. I have also met the whistleblowing champion at 4th valley to reiterate the Government's commitment to whistleblowing and to ensure that staff's concerns and anxieties are raised through the appropriate channels. However, if it is helpful to Mr Kerr, I am happy to arrange a discussion between Mr Kerr and Christine McLaughlin. 8. Colin Beattie To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to eliminate any spillages of sewage from the sewage network into rivers and locks. As I have reported previously to Parliament, the river basin management plan set out our long-term aims for improving water environment. The plans are supported by Scottish Waters, improving urban waters route map, which commits to £0.5 billion of investment to improve wastewater treatment works, address unsatisfactory discharges and increase monitoring. Scottish Water has published its first annual report on progress against the route map in December 2022, and it is on its website. Colin Beattie I thank the minister for her response. I understand that Scottish Water has committed to installing a further 10,000 spill monitors by the end of 2024. Can the minister advise what support the Scottish Government is providing Scottish Water to achieve this? Yes, in line with its improving urban waters route map, Scottish Water has identified the priority locations for 1,000 UCSO monitors, and installation will be completed by the end of 2024. Scottish Water's investment programme is supported by up to £1.3 billion of lending from Scottish Government across 2021 to 2027 period. As it is this week, we mark World Water Day and Scotland's role as a hydro nation, I should like to put on record my thanks to everybody who works in Scotland's water industry, who have seen our overall water quality at 66 per cent, compared with the equivalent figure of just 16 per cent in England, who have 99 per cent of bathing waters now classified as sufficient or better, and for the up to £147 million that is to be invested in further wastewater improvements by 2027.