 will both be as under development. Thank you and that concludes General Questions. We're going to turn now to First Minister's Questions. Question number one, Ruth Davidson. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Before I begin, I'm sure today we'll all want to recognise the bravery and sacrifice made by the service personnel, who 75 years ago this morning took part in the D-day landings, and all of us owe them a debt we can never repay. Presiding Officer, we've heard a lot in recent weeks about the difficulties faced by teachers due to staff shortages a we are now learning more that in many schools teachers are having to teach different qualification levels of the same subject in the same class at the same time. So that's pupils of different ages studying different topics for different exams all thrown in together. The education secretary said last week that he and a quote it had never heard anybody argue that educationally there was something wrong with it. Does he stand by that statement? Before I respond to Ruth Davidson's question in its substance, I want to make clear to the chamber that I'm deputising today for the First Minister as she is in Normandy for the 75th anniversary commemoration of the DDA landings. The First Minister is honouring those who fought fascism, defended democracy and gave their lives for our freedom. As we look around our world today, we must all remember the debt we owe the DDA generation and now as then we must stand together against those who would choose the road of fascism in our society. In relation to the point of substance that Ruth Davidson raises with me on education, multilevel teaching has been a feature of the education system in Scotland for many years. It was a feature of the multilevel teaching of the education system when I was going through it all those years ago, and it has been a part of the system. Clearly, there is an active debate about the issues around subject choices, but I stand by my remarks that multilevel teaching is able to be delivered effectively in our schools by teachers who are trained to deliver professionalism of that quality and of that standard. Ruth Davidson, I'm not sure how the education secretary could have missed the largest teaching union, the EIS, saying that there has been an explosion in the number of combined classes that is putting teachers under increasing pressure, or the NASUWT union, which says that this issue is causing intolerable workload or stress, or the Association for Science Education saying that teaching of combined classes is like spinning two plates at once, or Principal takes teacher ENA in telling Parliament that it's a disgrace that schools have national four, national five hires and advanced hires in the same classes, or Marjorie Kerr, the president of the Scottish Association of Geography teachers, saying that the exams are not aligned to be taught that way and that national five pupils are definitely disadvantaged if they end up in a higher class because the courses do not match up. Now that the education secretary has heard the arguments against combined classes, does he recognise that all these people have a point? Deputy First Minister, of course I recognise there's a debate to be had about every single topic within education. Education is a part of our society that is actively the subject of debate. What I'm interested in is making sure that our education system delivers the best outcomes possible for the young people of Scotland, and on that the evidence is substantial that the education system is doing exactly that. We see young people now achieving more within our schools. We see attainment at level six rising within our society, equipping young people with the qualifications that they require, and we also see young people leaving school to the highest level of positive destinations on record in our history. I recognise there's a debate to be had, but I also want to make sure that we don't lose sight of the phenomenal achievements that young people are making in our education system today. Ruth Davidson Presiding Officer, the education secretary has said that there is no evidence of the explosion in multi-level teaching that the EIS talks about. Indeed, he says that it's been a factor in Scottish education forever. Will we have the evidence, because we sent freedom of information requests to all 32 local authorities and we asked them how many combined classes there are in their schools? Of the 238 schools that we've got back, 112 have classes where there are three qualification levels being taught in the same classroom and a further 11 schools where there are four levels being taught, such as Inverclyde academy, where maths is being taught for national 4, national 5, higher and advanced higher all in the same classroom. We will give the education secretary all of the evidence that he asks for, but the question is, will he act on it? I think that this is where we get into some of the interesting fault lines and contradictions in the Conservative position here. I believe fundamentally in empowering the schools of Scotland to decide exactly how the curriculum should be delivered. That's what I believe in. That's what this Parliament supported when it supported curriculum for excellence, a flexible curriculum to put power back into our teaching profession to enable it to deliver on behalf of the people of Scotland. What we are now seeing in our schools, as I've said already, is rising attainment by our young people. We are seeing an improvement in the destinations available for young people. We are seeing a rising number of teachers available to teach in our classrooms, a record level since 2010, and we see rising resources being put into schools, including £750 million from this Government directly into the hands of schools and local authorities to close the poverty-related attainment gap. That's the investment that we are seeing in Scottish education, and that's why it's delivering results for the young people of Scotland. Ruth Davidson I'm sure that the schools of Scotland are delighted to hear that they've been empowered by the education secretary and his staff shortages and subject choice restrictions. The point is this a week ago, the education secretary told Parliament that he had never heard anybody say that there was anything wrong with combined classes and that there was no data to suggest that the problem was widespread. I've come here today and we've given him the arguments from the experts and we've given him the data. After 12 years of Government, isn't it time that we had ministers in charge who prepared to face up to the challenges in our schools, not deny that they exist? Or is it the case that defending their failed record matters more to this Government than educating our young people across the country? I engage with the education system more than anybody else in this chamber on a daily basis. Yesterday, while Ruth Davidson was cooking up the latest moan fest to bring to Parliament, I was at the Scottish Education Awards, listening to case by case, the length and breadth of the country, on literacy, numeracy, attainment, achievement and the long service of our teachers. I listened to all those fabulous examples, but Ruth Davidson was cooking up the moan fest to bring to Parliament today. That's how I spent my day yesterday. Crucially, what matters is not the litany of complaints that Ruth Davidson brings to Parliament. What matters is what is being achieved by the young people of Scotland. Attainment is rising, more hires, positive destinations improving year on year. That's what Scottish education is determined to deliver, that's what it is delivering, that's what I'm happy to celebrate and I'm not going to take any moan fest from Ruth Davidson on the subject. Question 2 Richard Leonard Presiding Officer, today is a day for reflection on the sacrifice and the courage of those who liberated France and so liberated Europe. We owe them a huge and enduring debt. The Scottish Government urgently needs to consider how they can progress their income supplement quicker or, if that is not feasible, what interim measures could help. The commission strongly feels that many families need additional money in their pockets now. Those were the stark warnings from the Government's own Poverty and Inequality Commission in response to the Scottish budget. Deputy First Minister, if your own Poverty and Inequality Commission says that the poorest families in Scotland need money in their pockets now, what makes you think that they can afford to wait? I acknowledge the seriousness of the issues that Richard Leonard raises. We have made it abundantly clear and it's made clear from this position on a weekly basis that poverty levels in Scotland are too high and this Government is determined to do all that we can to tackle that issue. On the specific issue about an income supplement, the Government has made clear that we will report to Parliament before the conclusion of the parliamentary session at the end of this month and the Government will do that. However, there are a whole range of different interventions that the Government is taking forward to try to address the issue. I will set out some of them. Some of them are around the implementation of free school meals, where over 130,000 P1 to P3 through children are benefiting from free school meals, or the £750 million attainment Scotland fund, or the investment that we make in the council tax reduction scheme, or the work that is in place and the investment that is in place to mitigate the effects of the welfare reforms that are being imposed upon the people of this country by the United Kingdom Government, or the best start grant, which has been applied and has delivered significant results already for individuals and meaningful results and impact for individuals across our country. Yes, there is more work to be done, but let me assure Richard Leonard and the chamber that the Government is determined to do all that it possibly can do to support individuals who live a life in poverty and to help them to work their way out of that life of poverty with active support from the Scottish Government. Richard Leonard Is the Deputy First Minister seriously arguing that the Poverty Commission does not know about the initiatives that are just listed? It is making a point about the income supplement, but it is not just a question of welfare. Douglas Hamilton, the chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission, said of the Government's commitment to inclusive growth that, despite a high level of commitment to make this new economic agenda work, very little has changed. As a result, it appears to be more of a concept than an approach that results in real change in people's lives. Deputy First Minister, when will we get deeds and not just words? I have just gone through with Richard Leonard a number of areas where we have undertaken deeds to tackle that particular issue, to recognise that the Government is taking a whole series of policy initiatives, many of which I have set out just now, which are making that impact, which led to some of the very positive endorsement of the work that the Scottish Government is undertaking from the UN special rapporteur, who recently reported on the strength of the response of devolved Administrations to the crisis that individuals face as a consequence of welfare reform. As we look at the steps that the Government takes through the fair work agenda, as we look at the investment that we are taking through early learning and childcare, as we look at the investment that has been undertaken through the best start grants and the social security devolution that we are taking forward, those are all concrete deeds that the Government is taking to address the issues of poverty that individuals face. We will do more, we are determined to do more, but we have to recognise that we are doing that against a whole series of pressures that come towards us arising out of welfare reform and the decisions that are taken by the United Kingdom Government that are deeply damaging to the lives of individuals within Scotland. Richard Leonard The Deputy First Minister uses the word crisis. While the Government has been delaying the income supplement, child poverty in Scotland has continued to rise. While the Government has been offering up concepts out in the real world, more people are queuing up at food banks. Only yesterday, a child poverty action group report produced by the IPPR concluded that the greatest reduction in child poverty relative to cost of any single option is achieved by addressing the two child cap. Deputy First Minister, when will the Government, at long last, think about its moral responsibility? When will you finally use your powers to protect families in Scotland from the two child cap? Or do you, John Swinney, still believe that families should be left to suffer in order to stop letting the Westminster Government off the hook? What an appalling accusation to throw across the chamber of this Parliament when Richard Leonard puts to me the moral question? The moral question is whether this Parliament should be dictated to by a Tory Government that Richard Leonard is quite happy to keep in office inflicting misery on the people of Scotland as a consequence of his unwillingness for this Parliament to take responsibility for these actions. Richard Leonard needs to look no closer than the man sitting on his right-hand side, who sat in the Smith commission and refused—refused point blank—to devolve responsibility here to give us the powers to tackle these issues. Richard Leonard has no right to trade moral responsibility with me across this chamber. He is walking across the road on the other side, doing nothing to take the powers into the hands of this Parliament to transform lives. He is happy to leave the Tories in charge. I most definitely am not. I appreciate that this is an emotive subject, but I would please recommend that members do not shout across the chamber. We have five constituency supplementaries, the first from Mark MacDonald. The Deputy First Minister will be aware that the administrators for Stonywood Mill have ended their discussions with the preferred bidder and that the sale is no longer being taken forward. While that is understandably a major disappointment, a management buyout has now emerged as a potential means of securing the future of the business and the workforce. I plan to meet management tomorrow and understand that the business minister is meeting them today, and I am advised that Scottish Enterprise is offering on-going support. Can I ask the Deputy First Minister if the support that the Scottish Government can and will provide extends to financial support? Will the Scottish Government consider bringing a statement to Parliament, laying out the support provided to date, and the steps that will be taken to help to secure the future of a profitable business and a skilled and dedicated workforce? Mr MacDonald's last point is, I think, the most significant point, which is that this is a profitable site and there is a skilled workforce here. In the Government's view, it is perfectly possible for a viable business proposition to be brought forward, which is why the business minister was in Aberdeen this morning—Stonywood this morning—for those discussions. It is why Scottish Enterprise is deeply engaged in all those issues. I give Mr MacDonald and the chamber the assurance that the Government is doing everything that we possibly can do with our agencies to make sure that all possible support can be made available. We obviously have to operate within the normal rules and the context with which Mr MacDonald will be familiar, but I give him the assurance that everything that possibly can be done to safeguard the future of the plant will be done. It has been a disappointment that the discussions with the preferred bidder have concluded, but there are active discussions about a management buy-out. The business minister will be happy to update Parliament in due course about the steps that have been taken to resolve the situation and to give certainty to the workforce of the paper mill at Stonywood. Neil Findlay, to be filled by Bob Doris. Presiding Officer, I have been passed a consultation document that is not publicly available on the future provision of the out-of-hours dental services in John's hospital. Three of the five options propose the partial or full closure of the service with a move to Edinburgh. That would leave West Lothian with no emergency dental service at our hospital. That follows the out-of-hours closure of the children's ward and the recent threat to the out-of-hours GP service. Why is it that we are constantly having to fight proposals that would see services removed from St John's hospital? Is not that yet more evidence that workforce planning in the NHS is shambolic, it is failing staff and it is failing patients? I point out to Mr Findlay that the children's ward has reopened in one of the issues that he raised there. Obviously, that is a consideration of a range of particular options. It would constitute a major service change if any of those options were to be taken forward, so there will be full and active involvement in consultation for all members of the public and members of Parliament in that process. However, I make clear to Mr Findlay that the Government believes that there is a very strong necessity for there to be a wide range of services provided at St John's hospital. It is critical that the sizeable population in the West Lothian area is supported by the broad range of services at St John's, and those issues will be uppermost in any consideration of those questions that the Health Secretary looks at in the period to come. Bob Dorris is to be followed by John Finnie. Deputy First Minister, around a year ago, a court granted my constituents supervised contact with his disabled son at a family contact centre in Glasgow. However, issue with disabled access to toilet facilities means that contact is not taking place within that time. It may be that no contact centre within Greater Glasgow has appropriate disability-compliant facilities. I am unclear. Does the Deputy First Minister agree with me that it is wrong that family contact centres appear not to be subject to minimum standards such as disability access? Indeed, I understand that there is little regulation more generally regarding family contact centres. Will the Deputy First Minister seek to remedy such matters so parents but, more important, children can have appropriate contact and reduce parental alienation? All public facilities should have appropriate disabled access for all individuals. If Mr Dorris is happy to provide the details of the situation to me, I will make sure that they are investigated by the appropriate minister, and we will work to ensure that all possible remedies are put in place. However, there should be no barriers for individuals to pursue their legitimate activities as a consequence of their disability, and I will make sure that the issues are looked at very carefully. John Finnie is to be followed by Rachel Hamilton. The Deputy First Minister will have heard the sad news that the Butian newspaper is the seeds publication this month, 165 years after publication commenced. The journalism jobs left Ireland some time ago, but the need for local news hasn't. Can the Deputy First Minister advise how the Scottish Government can support local journalism, particularly in our island communities? I was very sorry to hear the news about the Buteman, and as Mr Finnie says, had a long and distinguished history. Of course, it is part of the firmament of local newspapers that faithfully report activities and initiatives that are the length and breadth of the country. Obviously, those are private matters and private companies, but the Government is happy to engage in wider work in that respect. The culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop, was involved in discussions just at the weekend in relation to the role of journalism in our society and was making the point that we all rely on—a free and open press—to make sure that there is proper reflection of local priorities and appropriate discussion of national, political and wider societal issues. The Government supports very much the activities of local newspapers and is happy that we often provide lots of news for local newspapers to report on. The Deputy First Minister will be aware that this week, the Scottish Borders Council is handing over an extra £3.2 million to the region's joint health board, following continued concern over the state of the NHS Borders finances. At a recent meeting of the IJB, the board revealed that it needs to make £11.7 million of savings in the financial year 2019-20. All this comes in a week when NHS Borders reported the worst average waiting time in Scotland for CAMHS. Young people are on average waiting 22 weeks for treatment. Deputy First Minister, this is appalling. Can he commit today that the Scottish Government will properly fund NHS Borders, as the current financial situation is clearly unsustainable? Obviously, NHS Borders will be funded through the financial arrangements that we have in place that distribute the largest NHS budget that has ever been in history to the health boards of Scotland. NHS Borders will have their appropriate share of that, driven by the formula that is applied in this respect. Rachel Hamilton raises the significant issue around mental health services for young people. She will know that the Government is investing significantly in expanding mental health services at a whole variety of different levels, whether that is through the expansion of the school councillor network, or whether that is about the expansion of mental health services through the national health service. All those different interventions will be taken forward to strengthen mental health services. Finally, on health and social care integration at local level, this is a joint endeavour between the health service and local authorities to serve communities. It is important that there are open discussions about the financial requirements of that joint service, so the way that Rachel Hamilton characterises the handing over money from one body to another does not exactly get across the concept of partnership that lies at the heart of the integration of health and social care. She may know that one of the Conservative leadership candidates, Mr Rory Stewart, is looking very actively at the failures of integration of health and social care south of the border and has reflected on some of the issues that have been taken forward here in Scotland in reflecting that sense of partnership. Perhaps, before she bans language like that around the chamber, she should reflect on the importance of partnership between health and local government at local level. I join the other political parties in commemorating the actions of those who took part in the D-Day landings. As we see the forces of the far right to reinvent themselves in the UK, the United States and so many other countries too often aided and abetted by people in mainstream politics and media, we must remind ourselves that the fight against the far right is one that every generation must be ready for if we are to properly remember and respect the memory of those who did not return from that fight 75 years ago. At the end of April, the First Minister declared a climate emergency, so did the Welsh Government. Now, barely a month later, it has announced the welcome decision to scrap plans to build a £1.4 billion motorway relief road. Yet, in Scotland, the Scottish Government is pressing ahead with spending £6 billion on dualling the A9 and A96. Since making her announcement, the First Minister has repeatedly said that, when it comes to the policy changes that are needed, everything is under review. Does that include the next phases of those road projects? Patrick Harvie has reflected on the issues that we all face in relation to climate change. The Government has to take forward its agenda in a sustainable way. We have already made changes to our policy framework, with which she is familiar, through air departure tax, but the Government also has a duty to make sure that the country is equipped with the appropriate infrastructure that it requires to meet the needs of all of our population. Anyone who is familiar with the A9 and A96 will know that both of those roads have, by their current construction and by the volume of use, very serious and alarming safety records. Those issues have to be addressed as part of the Government's programme. The Government will do that, but all of those comments are set by me in the context of the absolute obligation on the Government to fulfil the climate change targets that we have set out and committed to. Roseanna Cunningham has proposed amendments to the current legislation to make sure that we fulfil the commitments that we have given to the Parliament and to the people of Scotland. Patrick Harvie seems to disagree with the First Minister when she said that everything was under review. She cites the problem of the volume of traffic use. The current plans will do nothing to control the issue of the volume of the use of those roads. The Scottish Government has an opportunity to change direction here and redirect expenditure from road building into investment in a modern, affordable and efficient rail network. The single-track Highland mainline railway, which runs parallel to the A9, has been described as an antiquated embarrassment. During that line, an electrifying it could be done for far lower cost than the Government's road building scheme. It is over 10 years since the Scottish Government promised significant investment to ensure that railway travel to the heart of the Highlands is competitive with roads. People in the Highlands have been waiting since 2008 to see that improvement in journey times. How much longer do they have to wait? What I would say to Patrick Harvie is that there are improvements that are being undertaken on the Highland mainline, as we speak. There has been structural change already undertaken on the line to ensure that the ability to deliver shorter journey times is made possible. Investment has been made through the ScotRail franchise in enhancing the rolling stock that is available for the Highland line. That has resulted in an expansion of capacity that can transport passengers from Inverness to the central belt. All those investments are taking place to improve the attractiveness of the rail network. Clearly, we have wider obligations to ensure that, in every respect, we are equipping the country with the connectivity that is required. The massive investment that has been put into digital connectivity is a huge benefit for the Highlands and the islands communities. Those are advantages that we are delivering as part of a balanced package, but I stress that they have to be done within the context of fulfilling the climate change targets that the Government is about to enshrine in law in the weeks that lie ahead. Seventy-five years on, I know that many thousands of people woke up this morning and thought of those in their families who served and sacrificed so that we may live freely today. The education committee said that he was confused. Teachers said that they had no real value. Parents, in his constituency, boycotted them. The teachers union wanted them scrapped, and Parliament instructed John Swinney to stop. That is national testing for five-year-olds. Yet, on Tuesday, he claimed that the tests had been implemented without any difficulty whatsoever. On the very same day in London, Donald Trump claimed that he only saw cheering crowds. Two peas in a pod, both in denial. Is not the truth that the national testing saga is symbolic of his performance as education secretary? I think that that ridiculous question is symbolic of Willie Rennie's leadership of the Scottish Liberal Party. I do not think that it serves decent discourse in this Parliament for Willie Rennie to characterise his questions like that. He could say what he likes to me. It is water of a duck's back to me, but I do not think that it helps his credibility one eye over two. On the question of primary one assessments, the reason why I said that the assessments had been implemented without any difficulty was the fact that, in the first year of the implementation of a complex IT project—and I remind Parliament that sometimes the public sector has difficulties with IT projects—650,000 assessments were undertaken the length and breadth of our country in 3,500 schools in Scotland. That is the evidence that I would marshal to say that the assessments had been undertaken without any practical difficulty. The reason why I believe primary one assessments to be valuable—I will say more about that in a statement to Parliament on Tuesday, which Willie Rennie will know that I am making—is that I want to make sure that teachers have access to resources that will inform their judgment about the progression of young people through the education system, because it does not serve young people well for any issues in their educational capacity not to be identified at the earliest possible opportunity. I thought that this Parliament believed in early intervention, primary one standardised assessments are about early intervention, and that is why they are valuable to young people around Scotland. John Swinney is ignoring the evidence again. He is not listening. Instead of bulldozing ahead, he needs to listen and scrap the test today. There is a long list. The pupil equity fund is underspent by £50 million. Audit Scotland says that colleges have big financial problems. Recruitment for nursery education is way behind. Six out of 10 teachers work more than an extra day every week, and more than half of all teachers experience mental health issues because of their job. John Swinney was brought in as the big shot troubleshooter for the First Minister's guiding mission. Does he really think that he has met the First Minister's expectations when she appointed him to that job? I was just about to encourage some brevity so that we can get through some subsequent questions. I will squeeze in a couple of supplementaries. The first one is Jackie Bailey and Gail Ross. The Deputy First Minister will be aware that millions of pounds of European funding could be withheld from voluntary organisations and local authorities across Scotland. Given that that could lead to employability projects closing, job losses and cuts to services for vulnerable people, why did the Scottish Government not heed the warnings more than a year ago because it is the Scottish Government's responsibility to administer the scheme? Why has nothing been done to avert this crisis? Will the Deputy First Minister act urgently and guarantee to fund the £22 million gap? I will accept an answer of yes. Let me give Jackie Bailey slightly more details. Jackie Bailey knows that she is one of my favourites, so she would expect a bit more detail. First of all, I can acknowledge the importance of the issue and the manner in which it has been set out by Jackie Bailey. That affects the prospects of a number of third sector organisations on whom we all rely in our communities. We understand the concerns of local authorities and why we have been engaging in discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the question. We are determined to avoid any charity or third sector body going out of business as a result of this particular issue. We have been doing a great deal on this. We have been in discussions with the European Commission to explore resolutions to the audit issues. Last Friday, we presented possible solutions to the European Commission and we are awaiting a response. We continue to make payments to projects that are unaffected by those issues, but I assure Jackie Bailey that there is intense activity under way to resolve those questions and to give the type of security and certainty that third sector organisations are looking for. Of course, ministers will be happy to update Parliament on those questions in due course. I will take one other brief supplementary. Mr Swinney, it is rare that I say this, but some members cannot quite hear you. It is just when you are swiveling to try and keep your remarks to the front. Gil Ross. Today's national runs a letter from the Scottish Government confirming that it will not block an independent Scotland's entry to the EU. It confirms that this has always been their position and that there is no queue to join the EU. Another better-together scare story bites the dust. Now, I will leave it to the Herald to explain why they failed to publish a letter that they received some weeks ago. However, can I ask the Deputy First Minister, does he welcome this intervention from Spain? I better make sure that everyone hears this answer, Presiding Officer. Yes, I do welcome this intervention because it confirms the fact, as we have always known, that Spain would not block an independent Scotland from joining the European Union, and the confirmation from the Spanish Government is very welcome in that respect. However, that comes alongside the demolition of a whole host of other scare stories that were put around in 2014, such as having to vote no to protect our European Union membership. We know how well that went. Members of the public in Scotland were told that they had to vote no to safeguard the future of the national health service, and we now see that Donald Trump is over here trying to get his hands on the national health service. On the watch of this Government, we are going to have nothing to do with that, but the same cannot be said for the mess that the Tories have got us into on Brexit. To ask the Deputy First Minister what the Scottish Government's responses to reports that children are still being held at Dungavel House. Presiding Officer, if children are still being detained at Dungavel, a decade after the Home Office committed to ending this appalling practice, it would be completely unacceptable and a clear contravention of stated Home Office policy. The Scottish Government has repeatedly pressed the UK Government to implement more humane asylum and immigration systems. The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government wrote to the UK immigration minister on 15 May to express the Scottish Government's deep concerns following reports about the detention of children and pregnant women at Dungavel. She wrote on 1 April to support calls for a time limit on immigration detention. The Scottish Government is continuing to seek clarity from the Home Office regarding the detention of children in Dungavel. Can I thank the Deputy First Minister for that answer and ask him to cast his mind back to the Smith commission when all parties in that commission, as noted in the Smith agreement, recommended that the operation of asylum support be devolved? Does the Deputy First Minister agree that having some responsibility for asylum and greater insight into what happens in Dungavel would mean that we could better protect vulnerable adults and children, and can he give this Parliament an update on progress towards that recommendation? I do recall the discussions in the Smith commission that Linda Fabiani raises. As a consequence of that, the Scottish Government held a number of discussions at official level with the Home Office in relation to the Smith commission's proposals on asylum. Despite the recommendations made by the Smith commission, the Home Office refused to accept the case for devolving asylum accommodation, financial support and advice, or on the question of being able to lodge an asylum claim in Scotland so that we could provide for a more dignified and humane system. The fact that we were unable to make progress on what was an all-party agreement in the Smith commission, agreed by all participants in the process, should perhaps come as no surprise to us, given the fact that the Home Office has been continually criticised for creating a hostile environment in this area of policy, which serves none of us well, and which is, in my view, a scar on the reputation of the United Kingdom and its welcome to people who face jeopardy in our world. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Scottish Fiscal Commission's prediction of a £1 billion shortfall in income tax receipts affecting the Scottish budget in the period 2020-23. I welcome and value the work done by the Scottish Fiscal Commission, as the commission itself has made clear that significant uncertainty surrounds potential reconciliations. The true position cannot be confirmed until out-turn data is available. The Government will decide how to manage any reconciliation as part of each budget, and we will be guided by the principles set out in the medium-term financial strategy, including over the use of limited reserve and borrowing powers at our disposal. While those forecasts have yet to be confirmed, what I can confirm is that, if we had followed the Conservatives' income tax plans to offer cuts to higher earners, the impact on our budget this year would be around £500 million. If that persisted year-on-year, it could total around £2.5 billion by 2023-24. I thank the Deputy First Minister for her response. In addition to the £1 billion black hole that was already identified, yesterday, the Fiscal Commission told the Parliament's Finance Committee that the devolved social security costs could be substantially higher than the previously predicted £3.5 billion total. Those are very serious issues for the Scottish public finances, and the Scottish Government cannot deflect criticism elsewhere. The Deputy First Minister himself sat on the Smith commission that signed up to tax devolution, and he signed up to the Fiscal Framework, which determines the block grant adjustment, which already protects the Scottish budget from slower population growth here compared to the UK as a whole. What people want to know is this, how will those huge gaps in the public finances be filled? Will it be by cuts in public spending? Will it be by further tax rises on hard-working families, or will it be both? It is interesting in Murdo Fraser's supplementary comments that, at no stage did he refer to the fact that, in the Fiscal Commission's report that was published, it demonstrates over this period an increase on projected tax revenues since the last assessment was undertaken in December of £490 million. At no stage did Mr Fraser comment on the fact that, since December to June, a £490 million increase in the estimation of tax revenue to be generated in Scotland as a consequence, and an increase in the tax takeover that whole period of £3.5 billion. As I indicated in my earlier answer, those are forecasts on the Fiscal Commission, which they themselves accept can go up or down. What we are certain about is that, if we had followed the Conservatives, we would be taking £500 million out of public expenditure today that would be a disaster for their public services. Thank goodness, an SNP Government is here to protect Scotland from the Tories. To ask the Deputy First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is, to recent figures showing that the number of women and girls playing football in Scotland has almost doubled in the past five years. We want to see more people taking part in physical activity, so I am pleased to see such a significant increase in the number of women and girls playing football. We have an excellent opportunity to further increase participation in our national game as Scotland's women's national team takes part in the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time. I know that I speak for the whole chamber when I say that the Parliament and the people of Scotland could not be prouder of Shelly Kerr, her staff and the squad. We will all be cheering them on every step of the way in the Women's World Cup. I thank the Deputy First Minister for that answer and for stealing some of my thunder in terms of my supplementary question. I am delighted that, last October, the Scottish Government allocated funding that allowed all members of the squad to train full-time from January 2019 to the World Cup. That can only have benefited our team. The First Minister was one of the record 18,555 people who, like me, was at Hamden to see Scotland's impressive 3-2 win over Jamaica last week. Does the Deputy First Minister once again want to indicate his confidence that the team will be very successful at the Women's World Cup in France and do Scotland very proud? I think that it would be impossible for me to steal the thunder of Kenneth Gibson on any occasion. Let me join Mr Gibson in extending our warmest wishes to Shelly Kerr and the team. The fact that so many supporters turned out in Hamden is an indication of the growing enthusiasm and support for the women's game. The stories that we have all heard about the pioneers of women's football, who were again celebrated at the occasion of the match with Jamaica just last week, are an indication of just how far we have travelled on that question. In a First Minister's question time, where there can be such ranker in division, I am sure that I can close it today on a moment of unity that we are all rooting for the women's team on Sunday. We wish them well in the whole of the competition and I know for a certain fact that they will do Scotland proud. Thank you very much. A very good note to end on, and that concludes First Minister's questions. Apologies to the large number of members who did not get a supplementary question today. We are going to move shortly to members' business in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton on trauma recovery and support for first responders. We will just take a few moments for the minister and members in the public gallery to change seats. We will have a short suspension.