 Felly mae yn groes i gael. Ym unknowns yng Nghymru? The Scottish Government, what recent representation has made to the UK Government regarding the removal of the right of householders in Scotland to objective fracking taking place beneath their homes? Cabinet Secretary Don Swinney. The Scottish Government formally responded to the right of kingdom government's consultation on underground drilling access rights on 14 August 2014. The Scottish Government Iechwch i'ch angen i gwylo'r cynhyrchu Llandon o'r rheswm cofnog, o'r gwaith o gwerthau'n gweithio'n gwylo'n gwaith o'r rhwng ac oedd i'w gwylo'n gwylo'n gwaith o'r rhwng. Gweithredu'n? Mae'n cael ei gwyno'r gwaith o'r rhwng o'r ddaeth, gwoith o'r gyffredinfa i Westerbydd, a byddwn yn yn edrych yn ymddangos y maen nhw oedda Ie'n ddull ar gyfer cyfroedd r Beauty and the Run for Scotland, by removing rough shots over public opinion and removing householders rights without adequate debate is not good Government. With 99 per cent of respondents to UK consultation objecting to the plans, can the cabinet secretary give me an assurance that the Scottish Government will continue to look at the issue of unconventional gas extraction in a cautious, considered and evidence based fashion as opposed to the gungho attitude of the UK Government? productions. I can give Mr Macdonald the assurance that the Scottish Government will continue what we have been doing throughout our handling of this issue, which is to look at the issues raised by unconventional gas opportunities in an evidence-based, evidence-led process. That has been demonstrated by our appointment of the independent expert scientific panel, who reported in July of this year, and also evidenced in the decisions that we took in relation to the strengthening of planning policy with the five new measures in relation to hydraulic fracturing, including bringing in a requirement that development should only proceed if communities and the environment can be protected, and that will be the approach that we continue to take. I thank the cabinet secretary for his further reply. Given the UK Government has not only ignored the representations made by the Scottish Government, but also the representations made by 99 per cent of the respondents to their consultation, does he agree with me that all of the powers in relation to unconventional oil and gas should be devolved, as suggested by Andrew Tyre MP, chair of the Treasury Select Committee, only last week? Mr Macdonald will not be surprised to hear that I am a supporter of all of the relevant powers being devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The issues that are raised by the UK Government's response to the consultation highlight the necessity for decision making by politicians to be taken in accordance and in proximity to the aspirations and outlook and perspective of the people that they affect. It is a matter of regret that such an overwhelming evidence base that has been submitted to the UK Government's consultation has not been followed by the decisions that have been taken by the UK Government. The Scottish Government, as the cabinet secretary knows, has overall power over planning, which has already enabled the Scottish Government to prevent the development of the nuclear industry. Can I ask the cabinet secretary in relation to devolved planning issues how the Scottish Government is going to be taking forward the details of guidance to ensure that this is robust and recognise the environmental concerns of my constituents in South Scotland and across Scotland in relation to unconventional gas extraction? I recognise the issues that Claudia Beamish raised. An indication of the Government's approach was given in the national planning framework and the Scottish planning policy. The Scottish planning policy extracts at sections 245 and 246, giving some further detail on the way in which the Government will proceed in developing some of the guidance on issues of this nature. Individual planning applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. There is one that is with reporters at this present moment, and the issues that are relevant to the Scottish planning policy will be implicit in that determination. Alex Johnson. I thank the minister for the answers that he has given previously and say that I am reassured by those, but can I have an understanding with the minister here that when we take this forward we will do so on an evidence-based decision making process and that we will not give in to the misinformation and the conspiracy theories that seem to be abound among those who oppose fracking for no other reason than that they believe that it is a dangerous or bad idea? This is a huge opportunity for Scotland. Will he give me the assurance that that will be done by the use of common sense? What I can do for Mr Johnson is simply reiterate the answer that I gave to Mr MacDonald and it is the same answer that the Government will continue in a considered and evidence-based way. That is how we have structured our approach to this particular issue. It is why I think that it is regrettable that the UK Government has taken the decision to overrule the legitimate rights of individuals to raise their concerns in the matter that applies throughout the planning process. The work that the expert panel did for the Scottish Government was highly informative of some of the steps that need to be taken to handle the issue. I recognise the enthusiasm that Mr Johnson expresses for the issue. We also have to be mindful that there are many, many people in our country who have concerns about unconventional opportunities and who wish to be assured that proper and due process will be applied in all circumstances. I can confirm to Parliament that that will be the case. Patrick Harvie is pretty extraordinary to hear concerns about adding to the stocks of fossil fuels as a conspiracy theory. Given that 99 per cent of the consultation respondees have more sense than that, and that opinion polling shows a stronger opposition to those measures in Scotland than in any other part of the UK, surely it matters not just whether that decision is made in Westminster or in Hollywood but whether it is made at all. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that if the power to make that decision is brought to Hollywood, his Government will oppose the action that the UK Government has already indicated that it supports for the UK as a whole? I can say to Mr Harvie that the Scottish Government does not support the removal of the rights of householders to object to oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing beneath their homes. We have been very clear about that point, and if we had the opportunity to do something different, we would take the opposite step. In relation to the wider issue, we have set out that there are a whole variety of complex issues that have to be wrestled with here. That is why we take an evidence-based and considered approach to the resolution of all those issues. That is what people would expect of Government, and that is what I think is regrettable about the decision of the UK Government to ignore the evidence in response to this consultation and to proceed to remove the rights of objection for householders, which I think will only fuel unease about those issues rather than address the unease that has been expressed on that point. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Police Scotland's decision not to make the details of the cost of policing the Commonwealth Games public. Police Scotland has not made any decision to withhold the cost of Commonwealth Games policing. The process of finalising the figures for the use of the Commonwealth's safety and security budget is currently on-going, and as a result it would be inappropriate to release the figures at this stage. Police Scotland is absolutely clear about the need for transparency and accountability for spending public money, and has assured the Scottish Government that once the figures have been finalised, the details of the safety and security budget will be published without prejudice. The Scottish Police Authority's finance and investment committee is meeting as we speak, and in closed session it is receiving an update on the cost of Commonwealth Games. It does not matter how often the SPA meets in public, it is by looking at what it chooses to hide and what it opts to receive in private, so that we can test whether it is meeting its obligations. Knowing how the money is spent is key to maintaining the confidence, when will the public be told the final cost of the security of the games? It is just worth reminding the member that Police Scotland's line of accountability for the safety and security budget is to the Scottish Government with regard to that matter. Of course, the SPA considers papers in private when figures are not yet finalised. The figures are not yet finalised, and they will be finalised as soon as possible, but it surely would not be right to put figures into the public domain that are not yet finalised. I can assure Alison McInnes that, as soon as they are, they will be put into the public domain, and the SPA will, of course, be able to revisit the matter, should they wish. Alison McInnes, can the cabinet secretary give us an early indication of whether the games come within the £90 million budget or whether, over time, Time Off in Lou and the movement of officers around the country cost overran? We are confident that the total spend will be within the £90 million allocated for safety and security. I should also put on record again our appreciation for the officers involved and their great efforts during the Commonwealth games. They were an absolute credit to Police Scotland and to the country. I should also add that all over time payments will be met from the safety and security budget. As I said at the start of my answer, Police Scotland does not expect the total spend to exceed the £90 million budget allocated for safety and security. Sandra White I thank the cabinet secretary for her reply. I am sure that Alison McInnes will get some of those answers at the sub-committee on police, but she sits on them. I was more uninterested in picking up the point at the cabinet secretary regarding the police and the work that they carried out. I thought that the police carried out a fantastic job during the Commonwealth games. I am being reminded of comments. I just wondered, cabinet secretary, if those thoughts had been relayed to all of staff as well in Police Scotland for the fine work that they did carry out during the Commonwealth games. Gareth Howe Yes, absolutely. It is important that we recognise that, as well as those on the front line, there were a lot of people, officers and civilians involved behind the scenes. I sent out a personal thank you to all of the agencies involved and asked that that be relayed across the board to those who helped to deliver the most successful Commonwealth games ever, as described by the Commonwealth Games Federation. Without the dedication not just of our police officers but of course the fire service as well, the health service, the ambulance service, all those really important services were first-class and helped us to deliver not just a fantastic Commonwealth games but a safe and secure one as well. I think that that is appreciated by everybody. Margaret Mitchell Good morning, minister. Although Police Scotland did do an excellent job, is the minister aware that many MSPs have been contacted by serving police officers regarding what they consider to be unreasonable demands placed on them in order to ensure that the Commonwealth Games were policed? That potentially raises some ethical issues. Can the minister therefore confirm if Police Scotland has put in place a process for whistleblowers that ensures that any such potential ethical or indeed criminal wrongdoing is highlighted and appropriate action is taken? Margaret Mitchell I think that for the vast majority of police officers this will be seen as a once-in-a-career opportunity to be involved in such a fantastic event as the Commonwealth Games. I should also say that the plans around things like toil and rest days have been put in place with the support of the Police Federation to allow officers extended time to take any outstanding rest days that they may have accrued. Some of the practicalities have certainly been dealt with. In terms of if an individual officer felt that there were undue pressures being put upon them, that is obviously a matter for Police Scotland to take forward. I would hope that those cases would very much be in a minority. The feedback that I have had from the vast majority of officers involved was an absolute pleasure and delight to be involved. Yes, it was hard work and we do appreciate the efforts that were made to make sure that we delivered a safe and secure games. I think that for the vast majority of officers it was one that will be something to remember for quite some time. Bob Doris Before I give my question, I draw your attention to my register of interests. Last summer I spent some time out in Kurdistan, as I guess the patriotic union of Kurdistan, which may have a relevance in the question that I am about to ask. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it will support humanitarian efforts in Iraq in light of the UK Parliament's approval of airstrikes in the country. Minister Hamza Yousaf The brutality of the so-called Islamic State or ISIL is beyond question. The Scottish Government supports international efforts to support the people of Iraq, Syria and the wider Middle East region. That will only be possible through a long-term strategic approach led by regional partners, which includes tackling radicalisation at home and abroad, and efforts to cut off ISIL sources of finance and weaponry in response to the international humanitarian crisis that continues. We define our response to those on a case-by-case basis, usually with the launch of a DEC appeal. For example, the £200,000 that the Government gave to the DEC's Syria appeal will continue to monitor the situation carefully and will offer the appropriate support that we have already written to the UK Government to this effect. Bob Dorn I believe that there is a role for air support from the international community in order to relieve a devastating humanitarian crisis and to help communities in the Kurdish region of Iraq and beyond, including Syria, to defend themselves. Furthermore, had the Iraqi Government not blocked early efforts of the KRG to put the properly armed Peshmerga then the situation may never have got so dire. Unfortunately, the UK Government on Friday gave an open-ended commitment in Iraq for years without any real consideration of future peace instability. Will the minister make representations to the UK Government making the case for proportionate and targeted use of air support specifically for the purposes that I have outlined, as well as making a strong case to any future peace, must include support for the Kurdish regions in both countries, including supporting stable democratic self-government and ensuring that they have a capacity to defend themselves in the future, therefore averting future humanitarian crisis? I have just said to Mr Doris that you were well wid of your first question, which my understanding is about humanitarian efforts in Iraq. My colleague, Angus Robertson MP, made this point during Friday's debate in the House of Commons. He said that the UK must not equivocate in its support for the Kurdish regional government. It must be supported in the Scottish Government, but it must support that as well. On military action against ISIL, that must be carried out with a long-term strategic plan, which must include a plan for peace. What we were presented with from the UK Government was lacking in those elements. An open-ended bombing campaign alone will be counterproductive. On Syria and the Kurds in Syria, the global community must redouble its efforts to find a long-term solution to that civil war in that country. Any political solution that must be alongside any military solution must be based on a human rights approach that protects the rights of all communities, including Kurds in Syria. As a Government, we will support action that comes with those long-term strategic plans. A plan for peace is legal within the international framework and our strong preference for that is led by regional partners. The First Minister will write to the Prime Minister this week to highlight the Scottish Government's concern regarding the UK Government's vote for military action against ISIL without that specific timescale, without a plan for ensuring peace and without a long-term strategic vision. Lewis MacDonald, can I ask you to keep it to humanitarian efforts in Iraq? For the avoidance of doubt, can the minister confirm what his position is in relation to United Kingdom Government assistance of all types to the Kurdish population of Northern Iraq? As I said to Lewis MacDonald, we support strengthening, giving support, training and so on and so forth to the Kurdish regional government. We have been very supportive and we understand their needs, but any military action has to have a long-term strategic plan for peace, including an exit strategy. That was what was missing on the vote on Friday. The vote on Friday did not separate actions to support the Kurdish away from the general situation in Iraq, so we had to look at the action as a whole. Therefore, we could not support that action because we think that it would be counterproductive, as opposed to helping the people on the ground, be they Kurds and Kurdistan, of course, the wider Iraqi population. Patricia Ferguson, humanitarian aid in Iraq. I wonder if I could ask the minister what humanitarian support the Scottish Government is providing to Iraq and whether it has offered to support the efforts of the United Kingdom Government in that respect. Humanitarian aid to Iraq. Yes, Presiding Officer. I wrote to Hugo Swire, minister who is in charge of the Under-Secretary in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on that very point, that the Scottish Government is willing to provide any assistance that it can. Currently, Iraq does not come in terms of an international development budget, but I am more than happy to discuss with members about how we might offer that support. That offer was made to the UK Government back in August. It continues to be the case. I am sure that, when the First Minister writes to the Prime Minister, he will also reiterate that the Scottish Government is willing to help in that humanitarian effort wherever we can. Thank you. We now move on to the next item of business, which is at beta motion number 1123.