 the First I. Business this morning is consideration of business motion 9883 in the name of girlfriend Patrick on behalf of the parliamentary bureau sitting out a revision to the business programme for today. Any member who wishes to speak against motion should press a request, get back to me now and a call on girlfriend Patrick to move motion 9883. yn moving waiting officer, this revision will allow for a statement this afternoon on the Mortonhall investigation report I move on behalf of the bureau. No member has asked to speak against the motion, therefore I now put the question to the chamber. The question is at motion number 988. In the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, be agreed to. Are we all agreed? The motion is therefore agreed to. We now move to general questions. Question number 1, Richard Lyle. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I refer members to my register of interests? I am the cross-party convener of the Schoeman's Guild. To ask the Scottish Government whether it would consider proposals to amend the civic Government Scotland Act 1982 in relation to the licensing of fund fairs in light of the reported economic impact on show people. Cabinet Secretary, Ken MacAskill? We have no current plans to amend the licensing arrangements for fund fairs. The provisions of the Civic Government Scotland Act 1982 enable local authorities to make decisions informed by local priorities and circumstances to ensure that fund fairs are operated safely and to minimise any nuisance that may be caused, for example, by noise or litter. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Does the Scottish Government share my concern that councils are now using planning legislation and requesting ffensing to be erected to stop fund fairs being helped? Cabinet secretary? It is appropriate that regulation is proportionate and balanced. It is right that local licensing authorities protect their communities by ensuring that fund fairs are operated safely and cause minimal nuisance for those who live about. It is appropriate that we should have adequate balance to ensure that the fund that they provide for many people who will live locally is also there. We believe that it is best left to the judgment of the local authority at the particular circumstances at the time, but we would encourage them to be balanced and proportionate. Cabinet secretary, I wonder if he would agree that some councils are verging and being discriminatory against a minority group. For example, Glasgow charges £597 for a licence. Cabinet secretary? I am not aware of the particular circumstances of Glasgow, but I can say that I am aware of events that do take place in the city of Edinburgh in my own constituency. I know that they are welcome both by the local authority, by the local community and also indeed by the police who are there. As I said to Mr Lyle, it is a matter of proportionality and balance. Those fairs provide a great deal of fun and enjoyment, as well as economic benefit for those who work in it. It is appropriate that local authorities should take on board that balance and remember that those regulations are meant to be proportionate. Question 2, Mike McKenzie. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the impact of the so-called bareboat tax on the North Sea oil and gas industry. Minister, Fergus Ewing. I am concerned about the changes bareboat charter tax regime for two reasons. First of all, I am concerned about the impact that it will have on the industry and especially exploration drilling at the time when both land and gas UK and in a new report this morning Deloitte's have warned about a downturn in exploration drilling and raising concerns about the effect of the bareboat charter changes in that regard. Secondly, I am very concerned about the impact on the taxpayer. Colin Pierson of Ernst and Young has warned that as rig owners increase the price of hiring their assets exploration could decrease, leaving us with a scenario that sees a drop-off in the number of new developments, the loss of just one field would certainly outweigh the extra tax raised from this measure. Mike McKenzie. I thank the minister for that answer and wonder if he agrees with me that this is just another example and a long list of significant fiscal changes which have been applied to the oil and gas sector by the last count of 16 over the past decade and that the cumulative risk and uncertainty may have the effect of depressing investment and therefore reducing the economic benefit and the revenues that accrue from North Sea oil and gas. Minister. Yes, I do. The bareboat charter tax is bad for the taxpayer and bad for industry. Let me quote Malcolm Webb, the spokesman from UK oil and gas. He comments, that this can only increase costs on the UK CS, where operating costs have increased sharply in recent years. In addition, we fear that this move will drive drilling rigs already in short supply out of the UK CS. Exploration over the last three years has been at its lowest in the entire history of the industry in the UK, so the industry has spoken very clearly that this is a very damaging measure indeed, which will damage the industry and damage the tax return as well. Michael Fraser. I am surprised by the doom and gloom on this issue from Mr McKenzie, because he was there with other members of the economy committee in Aberdeen on Monday when Mr McKenzie raised this very issue. We were told by oil and gas UK how much they welcomed the engagement of UK Treasury that has been on this issue and did not paint the dismal picture that has been painted thus far in relation to what is an anti-avoidance measure. Why can't the minister be more positive? We are most positive because countries such as Norway, instead of building up an oil fund of zero, have built up an oil fund of £500,000 million using the powers of independence. We are being positive because our message is that the regime in the North Sea and West of Shetland should enjoy what they have never had, and that is fiscal stability and predictability. We are being positive because we entirely endorse Sir Ian Wood's report, and Sir Ian's conclusion was that fiscal instability has not been a feature of the UK's sad stewardship of the oil and gas industry. I am entirely positive—I am happy to reassure Mr Fraser—and hope that he will join the yes campaign with us to deliver Scotland's potential from the oil and gas industry for the next 40 years instead of the misfortune and the neglected opportunity of the last four decades. Question 3 is in the name of Maureen Watt. The member is not in the chamber to ask a question. I will expect an explanation from Ms Watt by the end of the day. Question 4 is from John Pentland. To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to local authorities that take on the issue that is being given up by Police Scotland. The Government continues to support local authorities in delivery of their responsibilities and in the best interests of the people of Scotland. Police Scotland's top priority is keeping people safe, which they are successfully delivering, and I am confident that it will continue to do so working in partnership with local councils to ensure that the needs of all members of the community are supported. Does the minister believe that it is fair that the budgets for cash-strapped councils should be spent in sorting out parking problems and traffic duties dumped on them by Police Scotland? Will he find funds to cover the costs for local authorities in dealing with Police Cuts? There are a variety of issues there. First of all, let's remember that the budget available to local authorities has been maintained by this Government. Secondly, with regard to traffic enforcement, let's remember that the statutory agency and organisation responsible is in fact local authorities. Police Scotland has confirmed that it will continue to address parking considered to be dangerous, obstructive or relating to a disabled parking bay or blue badge, due to the fact that police officers regularly undertake. Twelve local authorities have already introduced decriminalised parking enforcement and other two, Argyll and Bute and Inverclyde, are going through the legislative process that other 18 are considering whether to apply or what process they prepare to take, but the legislation does put the responsibility there with regard to Police Cuts. Let's remember that it is this administration that has delivered a record number of police officers, a 39-year loan-recorded crime and significant drops across the board, especially in violent crime and, indeed, the handling of offensive weapons. That is a record that we are proud of. John Pentland, sorry, question number five, Margaret Mitchell. To ask the Scottish Government when at last met was representatives of Police Scotland and what issues were discussed. I was with the Chief Constable and other representatives from Police Scotland at the Equality and Diversity event hosted by Gay Police Association, Semper Scotland and the Scottish Police Muslim Association. Indeed, Scottish Women's Development Forum at Tully Allyn earlier today and it was a pleasure to do so and to pay tribute to all those involved at whatever rank and in whatever capacity. I also continue to regularly meet with the Chief Constable to discuss important issues around keeping people safe in Scotland. It is now 13 months since Police Scotland was formed and policing in Scotland continues to perform excellently. Crime is at a 39-year low, violent crime is down by almost half since 0607 and homicides are at the lowest since records began. The risk of being a victim of crime is falling and confidence of police is high and rising. In stark contrast to England and Wales, we are protecting police numbers and have that 1,000 extra officers compared to 2007. Margaret Mitchell. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that comprehensive reply and I am sure he will join with me in welcoming the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh recently being nominated for the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland award. However, is he aware of the problems associated with inadequate parking provision at the campus, resulting in staff members parking their cars on the verges and surrounding roads, which affects the drainage system with potential flooding and causes traffic problems? In view of that, will he investigate and, if necessary, intervene in an effort to ensure that Police Scotland does reply to the various parties ranging from Gartcosh community council to Scottish Enterprise, who have sought unsuccessfully for some time now to engage with them to resolve the problem? First of all, I agree and concur with Margaret Mitchell about Gartcosh. It is an outstanding building. It is admired by a variety of organisations not simply in Scotland but outwith having met the director-general of MI5 and, indeed, the permanent secretary to the Home Secretary, both of whom cast envious glances at what is possessed here. There are and have been issues with regard to parking and they have been raised with me, both by union representatives and, indeed, by constituents. There is good reason why there is limitation upon parking in terms of the secure site. There are, after all, covert vehicles and other matters that require to be protected and provide security. Equally, there is a travel to work plan and those discussions take place between myself and Unison. I will be meeting the next fortnight to ensure that access is available. Parking is available off-site. The rail station is adjacent to the Gartcosh campus and I can give the member an assurance that Police Scotland and, indeed, the Scottish Police Authority, together with the other agencies, whether HMIC or Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, are doing everything that they can to ensure that workforce availability is eased. It is not all about people going by car, which is why we have to look at public transport issues, but I can say that those issues are taken on board and being addressed by the authorities. Alex Rowley. I certainly have always welcomed the additional police officers that we have seen in the police, but can the minister give us an assurance that that is not at risk now because the numbers of back-office staff that have been paid off and the number of police officers that now find themselves rather than being on the streets in offices doing office work? Yes, I can give him that assurance. Mr Rowley is not on the Justice Committee, but it will be known that both the Justice Committee and the Subcommittee, the chief constable, who is clearly the man in operational charge, has made it quite clear his intention to ensure that police officers are utilised and are not routinely backfilling. Question 6, Duncan McNeill. I ask the Scottish Government how many tickets for the 2014 Commonwealth Games Sports Scotland will allocate to people involved in sports clubs across the country. Cabinet Secretary, Alex Neil. I am standing in for my Cabinet colleague Shona Robison in answering this question. Sports Scotland has been allocated 1,000 tickets from the Scottish Government Legacy ticket initiative. Those are being distributed to people who have made a significant contribution to sports clubs that are key to the development of community sport hubs. I thank the cabinet secretary for his response to my question. Does he believe that 1,000 tickets will be sufficient to ensure a fair distribution across Scotland to ensure that those people who deliver sport in their communities every day, every night and every weekend in sports clubs right across Scotland? Will he describe to me how we will have a fair distribution of those tickets through Sports Scotland? Cabinet Secretary. This is the only number of tickets that have been allocated in this way. There are other allocations of a similar nature. Sports Scotland has been identified as one of the Legacy 2014 partners, but other partners include Education Scotland, Young Scott, NHS Health Scotland and the Big Lottery Fund. Allocations will be made to those groups, individuals and networks whose partners currently work with and are part of the Legacy 2014 national programme. Nidol Dawn. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve agricultural methods and yields. Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead. Our strategic research programme delivered in partnership with our world-leading institutions. We are investing £57 million per annum in agricultural scientific research to support the industry's long-term sustainability. We are also providing around £8 million per annum to the Scottish Rural University College to ensure that Scotland's farmers have direct access to free or subsidised expert advice on a host of issues designed to improve their productivity and farm efficiencies. Nidol Dawn. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. I note that if we were an independent country of course Scotland would be a billion euros better off. Simply under the cap rules as they currently stand, never mind the better negotiation of the pillar 2 fund, which I'm sure the cabinet secretary would have managed. I wonder if the cabinet secretary would give me some clues as to what he might have been able to do in this context if he had that extra money. Cabinet secretary. Well of course had Scotland been an independent country for the recent negotiations on the European formula for farm funding, rural development funding, we'd have achieved a much better deal and indeed under the funding format applied to all member states, big or small, we'd have achieved an extra billion euros between 2015 and 2020 and the cost of our constitutional arrangements at the moment is one billion euros to Scotland's farmers in that fund alone between 2015 and 2020 so we can fix that by being a member state in their own right. Question 8. Dennis Robertson. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what impact it considers the actions of the UK Government ministers at the European level are having on our farming and fishing industries. Cabinet secretary, Richard Lochhead. Well it gives me no pleasure to repeat the point that, as the chamber will be aware, the UK Government has effectively negotiated Scotland to the bottom of the European League table for both agricultural funding and pillar 1 of the common agricultural policy, that's direct payments to farms and pillar 2 which is the rural development fund under policy, leaving us with the lowest allocation per hectare in the whole of Europe. To compound that, they also completely ignore cross-party support in this chamber for Scotland to be given full, the external conversions uplift of 223 million euros that the UK only qualified for because of Scotland's low payment rate and of course the UK has decided to withhold that from Scotland and instead spread the uplift over the whole of these islands. Dennis Robertson. Thank you for that answer, cabinet secretary. Will the cabinet secretary agree with me then that the only way that we can ensure a better deal for our farmers and our fishing fleets is to have a voice at the top table in Europe through an independent Scotland? Cabinet secretary. Well indeed this applies to both our fishermen and their farmers because the fishermen of course benefited only 1.1 per cent of the European Fisheries Fund despite having 7 per cent of EU catch and 13 per cent of EU agriculture production. There is no way whatsoever any independent Scottish Government, no matter who is in charge, would have negotiated such poor deals for Scotland's farmers, crofters and fishermen and that shows why they will all be better off with a yes vote in September. Question number nine, Rhoda Grant. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans are in place to allow them to be locked seaforth to birth. Should any problems arise with the newly fitted links bands at ports in Stornoway and Ulipow? Minister Keith Brown. The Scottish Government is investing over £60 million worth of new assets for the Stornoway Ulipow ferry service and that includes a new vessel, the MV Lock Seaforth, and significant harbour works at both ports. However, neither of these harbour projects includes the newly fitted links bands referred to by the member in her question. We do not anticipate any problems with existing links bands which have been performing reliably over a number of years and are regularly inspected and maintained by the harbour authorities. Rhoda Grant. Given that there are no contingencies in place if anything happens to the links bands, can I ask if you believe that it would have been wiser to commission two smaller vessels and use existing infrastructure, which would have been more responsive to seasonal demands? Will he now consider how CalMac will meet demand for additional capacity that is still unmet on all routes to the islands? Will he also take steps to tackle the record level of cancellations and services that have occurred recently on many island routes? I am not sure whether the member has taken into account the answer that I gave to her substantive question when I said that neither of the harbour projects includes the newly fitted links bands, which she refers to in both her substantive question and her supplementary question. We do not anticipate any problems with existing links bands. There has been no criticism or countervailing view on the idea of one very large ferry that can cater for both freight and passenger services. There is discussion on going and consultation will happen in relation to the timetable for that service. We will also have contingencies in place for some time afterwards by the retention of one of the existing vessels and, of course, we have contingencies if there were to be a problem. But, as I have said, given the regular inspection and maintenance by the harbour authorities, given the fact that the two links bands that she refers to are not included in the projects that we are currently undertaking, we anticipate the successful launch of this new vessel and a successful service that will enhance the experience for both freight users and for passengers to and from the Western Isles. Thank you. We now move to First Minister's questions. Question number one, Johann Lamont. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. To ask the First Minister what