 We have General Questions, question 1, Claire Adamson. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote child safety. Minister, Paul Wheelhouse. The Scottish government takes the issue of child safety very seriously and has committed to improving child safety right across Scotland through cross-cutting policies and partnership working. We're committed to reducing the number of tragic deaths and injuries as a result of intentional harm among children and young people in Scotland. That is why yn gwybod i ddoeikogion ar ôl i'r mynd iawn eu lluniau sydd gennym y brosesol a'u Rhyw wrth ystafellol i'r brosesol. I'm fully supportive of campaigns such as a child accident prevention trust child safety week. It gets the message across to parents and children a fun and engaging way of helping parents to learn how to fit safety into their busy lives. I was very pleased to be invited to the Smile childcare preschool centre in Edinburgh on the 4th of June during child safety week. I took part in the child safety week activities, including taking the bitrex taste test, the bitrex substance in earth, to highlight the danger of liquid tab poisoning. Clare Adamson. Thank you and my sympathies to the ministers. I too have taken that challenge. Can I highlight the work of the child accident prevention trust in Lothian Borders NHS, in which NHS Lothian Analytical Services analysed the records of children attending locally in e-departments over five years to December 2014? Their analysis of almost 19,000 records showed that there is indeed a peak between 4pm and 8pm, hence the Teatown Terror's campaign by cap this year's, which included burns and injuries, roads and traffic accidents. Will the cabinet secretary join with me in commending this collaborative work and in the importance of accurate and appropriate data collection at 18Ani so that we can understand the dangers that children face? Minister. I certainly do agree with Clare Adamson on the substance of her point that it's very important that we have evidence-based analysis of what the risks are to children and that has indeed informed this year's Child Safety Week, and I think that that's very important. I know also that there's important work being done in relation to the work with Transport Scotland on road traffic accidents for over a five-year period between 2009 to 2013, and that showed some very useful information about the peaks and accident rates for children in particular on weekdays. The peak time for child road casualties was from 3pm to 5pm post-school, and almost one in three, 29 per cent of weekday casualties took place just in those two hours. That kind of analysis is very important in forming policy, and we look to work with CAPT to inform our future actions in child safety. Question 2, Malcolm Tism. Government, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the Scottish Parliament being able to legislate on parking on pavements and related issues? Minister, Derek Mackay. Earlier this year, I wrote to the Under Secretary of State for Scotland on this matter. This Government supports the principles of the footway parking and double parking bill, and now that the bill has been formally introduced, I'm giving careful consideration to the policy and legal framework before reaching a view on the best way forward. Malcolm Tism replied, but I'm sure he knows that the former MP for Edinburgh North and Leith Mark Lazarowicz introduced a bill in the UK Parliament to sort this situation out, and that the current Secretary of State for Scotland did assure him that he would be willing to bring forward legislation, secondary legislation, if the Scottish Government asked for it. So will the Scottish Government simply ask for these powers to be transferred so that the bill in question can proceed in this Parliament? Minister? What I want to assure the member of is that we support the principles of the bill, and I think that that's the most important message that you can hear, and we will work constructively with the UK Government and others to take the principles forward so that we can deliver the legislation that seems to have so much consensus, and I'm taking further advice on the right framework so to do. Kenneth Gibson. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Does the minister agree that it shows up how feeble aspects of the current devolution settlement are when the UK Government has to be consulted on whether this Parliament can legislate on banning cars from parking on pavements, and that any new settlement for Scotland should include the devolution of powers wherein there is no sensible or logical reason to reserve them at Westminster? Minister? Mr Gibson wouldn't be surprised to hear, of course, that we support the maximum devolution to Scotland, but it appears that there's even consensus within this Parliament that other parties as well that the Scotland Bill doesn't even match the spirit of the Smith commission. So I think that the UK Government has a very long journey to go to respect the will and the wishes of the people of Scotland in terms of what we can legislate on. Cameron Buchanan. Thank you. I understand that Sandra White was advised that the footway parking and double parking Scotland Bill would be outside the remit of the Scottish Parliament, but does the Scottish Government consider that the opinion of the legislation team should be respected? Minister? I've tried to be clear in my earlier answers that there is support for the Bill and the principles within the Bill. So I'll say again that I'll work with the UK Government to deliver what's required to make this legislation happen and certainly the principles of the legislation happen. And we're looking at the legal framework to do that. Now we can concur with the respect agenda. Hopefully the UK Government will as well. Question 3, Willie Coffey. Thank you to ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve rail services tuned from Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley. Minister? Derek Mackay? I can confirm that the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley will benefit from additional rail services secured through the new ScotRail franchise. From December 2015, Kilmarnock's connectivity to air, Glasgow and Irvine will be improved and there will be a two-hour service from Stranra via air, calling it Kilmarnock, and there will be six direct services between Glasgow and Stranra, four from Glasgow to Stranra and two from Stranra to Glasgow, all operating via Kilmarnock. Those services will offer greater travel opportunities and connections with the Glasgow Carlyle services. Additionally, from December 2017, the Glasgow Carlyle service via Kilmarnock will see more services on the line. Throughout the franchise period, ScotRail works closely with Transport Scotland and will continue to do so to develop, evaluate and deliver new and enhanced services for the benefit of passengers. Willie Coffey. I thank the minister for that detailed and welcome answer. One of the principal drivers that promote economic change is journey times and frequency of service. If you live in Asherd and Kent, you can make that 60-mile journey to London in only 37 minutes, albeit on high-speed HS1. However, if you live in Kilmarnock, it takes two hours and two trains to get the same distance to Edinburgh. Can the minister assure my constituent that this issue is very much part of his thinking in developing rail service to increase economic opportunity in my part of Scotland? Minister. I know that Mr Coffey has pursued this issue for some time. At his request, I had officials explore the issue of direct connections. It is not possible at this time to deliver that direct service, but if we can share more information about the connection opportunities, maybe that will assist. If there is any potential in the future to be able to deliver those direct services, then I will give it further thought, but I appreciate the reasons behind the request to give that direct facility between Kilmarnock and Edinburgh. To ask the Scottish Government how it works in partnership with Glasgow City Council to tackle homelessness and to help to sustain tenancies. Minister, Margaret Burgess. We have strong legislative rights for homeless households in Scotland relating to the provision of accommodation and housing support. The Scottish Government has been working in partnership with Glasgow City Council to promote the housing options approach to preventing homelessness. That approach can deliver the most sustainable solutions to a household's needs and has led to falls in homelessness in recent years, including in Glasgow. The Scottish Government will provide over £1.4 billion to Glasgow City Council this year with the vast majority of the funding, including that for homelessness services, being provided by means of a block grant to be allocated by the council to fulfil its statutory obligations, its locally identified needs and a jointly agreed set of national and local priorities. Bob Dorris. I thank the minister for that answer. I recently met with striking homelessness case workers from Glasgow who are not properly recognised nor rumirated for the vital work that they undertake. On strike for three months, Glasgow City Council refused to meet with case workers for a whole nine weeks, and I understand that Glasgow City Council are now willing to regrade some case workers as long as you can accept job losses within case work teams. That is an insult. Will the minister contact Glasgow City Council to ensure that the council is not... I have been intervened, Doris. I just heard £1.4 billion. Mr Doris, just to ask the question, I am responsible for ordering here, not you. Thank you, Presiding Officer, so let me reinforce then that the offer was an insult. Will the minister contact Glasgow City Council to ensure that the council is not compromising on its statutory duties in relation to homelessness and placing my constituents at risk? Will she support my call for the council to re-engage constructively with striking staff so that an acceptable solution can be found? Minister. I am well aware of the dispute that the member has raised, and I hope that he does appreciate that the industrial dispute is a matter for the council and its employees. However, I would agree that we would want to see a speedy resolution to this matter and hope that the council and the striking case workers can meet and come to an agreement on that. On the point that the member raises, which is an important point about the local authorities' duty to provide services, they have a legal obligation to provide services to vulnerable people in terms of homelessness. I am aware that the independent Scottish Housing Regulator is in contact with senior council officials to ensure that the continued delivery of services to homeless people continue during the current industrial dispute, which involves the homelessness case workers. Alex Johnson. While the minister rejected my proposals for tenancies and support during the last housing bill, will she consider the possibility of not only introducing additional support, but also a degree of legal compulsion to ensure that social landlords provide support for new social tenants? Minister. In terms of homeless persons, the member will be aware that it is built into the legislation that local authorities have a statutory obligation to provide support services to those who need it, who present homelessness, and that obligation still applies. In terms of support provided to any new social tenant, all local authorities have to determine the level of support that is required, and it is their decision whether or not to provide those services. Bruce Crawford. To ask the Scottish Government how important the condition of local road networks works is to the success of the economy. Minister, Derek Mackay. Scotland's road network is a key enabler of economic growth, and this Government is working with all 32 local authorities to ensure that a road remains safe, efficient and effective. Bruce Crawford. Is the cabinet secretary aware that, before the SNP formed the administration of Stirling Council between 2008 and 2012, the condition of local roads in the Stirling area were considered to be 30 out of 32 councils, but through additional investment, the SNP administration significantly improved Stirling standing? Is he further aware that, since the Tory Labour Administration took power in 2012, the condition of local roads in Stirling is again deteriorating? They have now cut the budget by 30 per cent, or £1.7 million. Is that not unsatisfactory? Minister. First of all, I would advise Mr Crawford. I am not a cabinet secretary, I am just a mere minister. However... Can I thank the chamber for that support or that empathy? In terms of the investment priorities, there is an issue around roads investment, and I would share the concern. That is why we are working to collaborate with local authorities around future roads investment and how we go about roads maintenance. However, I would ask all local authorities to reflect on the priorities that transport has, and to be mindful that local government has had a very fair settlement from the Scottish Government, and its settlements have been maintained over a very challenging financial period. I am sure that the promotion is only delayed. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The minister will be aware of the poor condition of the A70, which adversely affects the performance of the Ayrshire economy. Will he consider upgrading the A70 to trunk road status, particularly to improve the section between Ayr and the M74 to provide a boost to our economy in Ayrshire? Of course, I am happy to look at all of our investment priorities to support infrastructure and economic growth, but it would be made so much easier if the Tory Government was not reducing our budget, including a year. Of course, we will look at further proposals to enhance the infrastructure of Scotland. Question 6, George Adam. To ask the Scottish Government its view on recent branch closures announced by two of Scotland's biggest banks, the Bank of Scotland and the Royal Bank of Scotland. I fully appreciate and share concerns regarding the impact that those closures will have on the local community and staff of affected branches, including Paisley's Glasgow road branch of the Bank of Scotland. It is essential that banking services are available and accessible to all members of our communities, and that appropriate alternative access arrangements are put in place. George Adam. I thank the minister for the answer. Does the minister share my concern that RBS has closed two branches in Paisley over a two-year period? As he mentioned, the Bank of Scotland recently announced plans to close its East End branch that people unfamiliar with internet or telephone banking, including many elderly constituents, are very worried about this push towards faceless banking. Will the minister join me in calling upon those banks to halt those branch closures and listen to the concerns of their customers? Minister. That is a fair point. It is a point that has been made by many members across the chamber from various parties. We understand that not everyone in society is able to access online banking. It does not suit everyone. I do hope that the message that I am reinforcing now, Presiding Officer, will be taken on board by our banks when they are considering these matters in future. I am pleased that Mr Adam has raised it. We will continue to ensure that those views, strongly expressed by local members across the country, are clearly communicated to our banks in Scotland. I have listened carefully to what the minister has to say, and I would agree entirely with his comments to Mr Adam. In my own area of Springburn, the Clydesdale Bank has now decided to close its branch, suggesting that its customers can make their way to one of Glasgow's suburbs if they wish to bank one of the suburbs beyond the city boundary, I should say. Does the minister think that it is appropriate that people who are elderly or perhaps do not have access to the internet are forced to make those kinds of arrangements for banking when, in actual fact, we are struggling to make sure that everyone has access to some form of banking to allow them to access all the facilities that most of us take for granted? I think that Ms Ferguson makes a very reasonable point, and it is repeating the basic point that I made that not everyone in society can do business online. That is something that she quite rightly raises. I am aware that the Clydesdale Bank has announced eight branch closures in May 2015. I am also aware, Presiding Officer, that Neil Findlay and John Mason have both raised members' debates on that. Following that, I wrote to the Royal Bank of Scotland communicating those concerns, and I do really think that the point that I made in that letter, which was not entirely dealt with to our satisfaction in the Scottish Government, should be repeated. That banks should consult, not just with communities, but with elected MSPs and MPs prior to making a decision to announce closures rather than after the decision has made, as there is a feeling that, although there is a three-month consultation period in most cases, this is something of a formality. Question 7, during backstop. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Police Scotland introducing charges for community events in Fife. Cabinet Secretary, Michael Matheson. Police Scotland follows the standard approach to setting charges for public services. I set out in the Scottish Government's Scottish Public Finance Manual, which is full cost recovery. The establishment of the single police force in 1 April 2013 provided the opportunity to put in place a consistent charging policy for policing services across Scotland. Police forces have always been obliged to charge for their services. Prior to the establishment of Police Scotland, the eight legacy forces all had agreed charging rates, but the application of those rates and associated charging methodologies varied. That approach was inconsistent and led to an unfair situation where some events were charged different levels depending on where they were taking place. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. I am sure that he will agree with me that people who volunteer to organise events that enrich our communities should be supported and that barriers should not be erected to such events taking place, particularly at short notice, as has happened in several instances recently. Will he agree to take those concerns to Police Scotland and demand that they at least take into account the size of the group and its purpose when they are implementing such charges? Cabinet secretary. I can assure the member that that is the sort of thing that Police Scotland does. It is important that event organisers engage with Police Scotland at an early stage for any policing requirements that may be required. I should also add that there is a significant level of provision for abatement in any charges. For example, many community events will attract 100 per cent abatement, so no charges will be levied for them in the first place. There is flexibility in the system and it is important that local event organisers engage with the police not only to minimise any potential policing charges, but very often there may not be a need for policing in the first place that is being provided. Thank you. We now move to First Minister's Questions.