 Good morning, the first item of business today it is general question and we start with question number one from dairy fee. Thank you. To ask the Scottish Government how it tackles discrimination against gypsy travers. Minister Jeal Fee Memphis The Scottish Government recognises that gypsy traver communities are among the most disenfranchised and discriminated against in Scotland. We're continuing with work in a to achieve better outcomes for Gypsy-Gypsy travellers. For example, we fund and support the work of the Scottish Traveller education programme, which works to promote and develop inclusive educational approaches for mobile and settled gypsy and other traveller families. Can I thank the minister for that answer? The 2015 Scottish social attitudes survey highlighted that Gypsy travellers continue to be one of the most marginalised groups in Scottish society and still face disproportionately high levels of discrimination. 31 per cent of people have stated that they would be unhappy if a family member was in a relationship with a Gypsy traveller, while a further 34 per cent of people have stated their belief that a Gypsy traveller would be unsuitable as a primary school teacher. In light of that, it is clear that the Government's Gypsy Traveller strategy is failing, so will the minister agree to an immediate review of the strategy and outline what further steps the Government will take to eradicate the deeply unpleasant and systemic discrimination that is faced by the Gypsy Traveller community across Scotland? I am afraid that I cannot agree with the member that the Government's strategy has failed and therefore is entirely responsible for the attitudes that she outlines. I am sure that the member knows, as well as I do, across a range of discriminatory practices and attitudes and behaviours affecting a number of groups in our society. It is actually the responsibility of all of us, not simply the Scottish Government, to tackle those and to do that at every level in our community. Nonetheless, I accept that the Government has a clear leadership role in that regard. As the cabinet secretary has already said, she is currently consulting with the Gypsy Traveller community and others to reflect on and improve the approach that we take in order to tackle the specific issues that people confront now, but in order to build on the work that we have done in terms of health, education, the suitability of sites and our current work with local authorities. All of that will be reported back to this Parliament in the revise and the development of the work, which, as we have already said, will come forward in 2017. To ask the Scottish Government what specific action it has taken to assist the Roma living in Govan Hill, particularly in relation to the findings of the BBC Scotland study, which found that of the 310 local Roma people interviewed, more than a third of the Roma people were receiving less than the minimum wage. Thank you very much. I would share the member's concern, as I know others on these benches do, with regard to that particular community. Of course, that is also part of the discussions that the cabinet secretary is leading in the spirit that this Government so clearly adopts across a range of things that we do, where we consult directly with those most affected in order to make sure that the work that we undertake is as effective as it can be. The Roma community is part of those conversations and we are looking at particular enforcement activities and looking in particular with respect to housing and integration in that community. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent figures published by SIPA, suggesting that ministers did not meet their 2013 target, what action it is taking to improve household recycling rates. Cabinet Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham. As the member knows, it is for councils to provide recycling services to households. The figures produced by SIPA are a compilation of the figures provided by each local authority. There is a wide disparity between the best-performing authority and the least well-performing. Since 2013, we have agreed the Scottish household recycling charter with COSLA to harmonise recycling and collection services with 20 local authorities already signed up. We have provided financial support for councils to implement the charter, starting with £2 million to East Ayrshire Council announced last month. We have committed to reviewing the rural exemption for food waste collections in rural areas. Overall, since 2011, we have provided some £25 million to councils to support the introduction of food waste services, thanks to which 75 per cent of households now have access to a food waste collection service up from just 300,000 in 2010. Maurice Golden. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. Currently, in Scotland, local authorities deliver their own recycling strategies with decreasing levels of support from the Scottish Government and its agencies. That has led, as the cabinet secretary pointed out, to varying levels of service and different outcomes in recycling rates. The most recent SIPA figures show a patchwork of recycling success and failure across Scotland. Compare that with Wales, which has encouraged local authorities to take a consistent approach to recycling. Their recycling rate recently hit 60 per cent, beat their target, doubled their rate in 10 years and leapfrogged Scotland, leaving Scotland the worst recycler in Britain. Does the Scottish Government agree that a unified and consistent recycling collection service throughout Scotland, coupled with the requisite Scottish Government leadership and support to local authorities, would help us to achieve our recycling targets? I indicated some of the actions that have already taken place, including money that has gone to local authorities. Yes, there is a wide disparity. I referenced that in my initial response, but that does show that it is possible for councils to do extremely well. There are councils that have significant challenges. As it happens, I am going to British Irish Council in Guernsey tomorrow, which is on-circuit economy and will be dealing with waste issues. The member raised the question of what Wales is doing. Wales has done a very great deal, but I wonder if he has looked in detail at what their programme means, because, among other things, it involves fines for councils that do not meet their targets and individual targets that are placed on councils rather than a national target. I can imagine that there would be a considerable amount of debate about that. We are currently in a space that is about collaboration and encouragement. I would rather have stretching targets that we do not quite achieve but continue to do so through collaboration than, at this point, go down the compulsion route. You can never rule it out, but, frankly, I do not think that this would be the right time to be starting to look at those. To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity will next visit Lochaber. I visited Fort William last Friday, 28 October, for an aquaculture, a fin fish summit. I regularly visit the Lochaber area in my role as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity. Rhoda Grant. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity will be aware that Rio Tinto plans to sell off his melter in Fort William. He will know that it is a crucial industry in Lochaber, with 150 jobs directly employed and many more supported in the wider community. Can I ask what discussions he has had with Rio Tinto? Does he know who the proposed buyer is and what support can he offer the employees in Fort William and the new company in this difficult time? Yes, the smelter is an integral part of the economy in Fort William and, indeed, is a national asset. Of course, as the member knows, I was the constituency MSP for Lochaber for the first 12 years of this reconvened Parliament. I entirely share our sentiments about the importance of this matter. I am pleased to inform the member that the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have maintained dialogue with Rio Tinto throughout the Lochaber strategic review, with a view to securing the best outcome for the workers and the community. The workforce was informed on 21 October that the Rio Tinto board had agreed to consider a sale of its Lochaber assets, and that exclusive discussions with potential buyer would begin. Obviously, the sale is an on-going commercial process, and we must be careful to respect the boundaries of commercial confidentiality whilst negotiations continue. We are hopeful that business will be sold as a going concern and that aluminium production at Fort William, which began around 1929, will continue for many generations to come. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me, as the MSP for Lochaber, that continued operation of the smelter, development of industrial activity and the creation of employment and economic value should be top priorities for Lochaber? Kate Forbes, as the constituency member, is absolutely correct. We need to respect and provide the appropriate space for the commercial process that is under way. However, we are prepared to offer support to any successful bidder that makes the necessary commitment to the local community in relation to employment, industry, commerce and renewable energy sources. Indeed, the ideal scenario for Lochaber, I hope that everybody would share this sentiment, would be the continued operation of the smelter, but also enhanced development of industrial activity in the West Highlands and the preservation and creation of economic value that entails. Alexander Stewart, to ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to minimise antibiotic resistance in livestock. The Scottish Government has signed up to the UK five-year antimicrobial strategy 2014-2018 produced in collaboration with public health and animal health authorities across the UK. The strategy combines actions in the human and animal health environments. A working group CARS that is controlling antimicrobial resistance in Scotland has been set up and is chaired by the chief medical officer and is developing detailed plans to implement it. The Scottish Government also monitors scientific developments in antimicrobial resistance, liases with other Administrations and Public Bodies, with an interest in animal health, public health and food safety, and implements a veterinary surveillance programme that monitors the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in animals. Alexander Stewart. I thank the cabinet secretary for his response. He will be aware of recent surveys that have taken place and one of the most rewarding was carried out by Cambridge University when it found that one in four supermarket chicken samples contained antibiotic resistance E. coli. Those resistances are one of the major health challenges of our generation. To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it is taking place to improve this whole process and to ensure that any of those resistances are managed and how that is being tackled within the livestock sector in Scotland. I am not sure that this is a matter that has been raised with me by the member, but I would question the thesis, which I think he has just made. If I am wrong, I apologise. He has just said that an economic analysis is necessary to deal with the efficacy of work tackling antimicrobial resistance. If that thesis is made, it is patently untrue. The work that we need to do to tackle antimicrobial resistance is work for experts in veterinary matters in pharmaceutical products. It is not anything to do with an economic analysis. However, if I have, and I do not want to do justice to the question, because it is a serious matter that he has raised, if the member wants to write to me about those complex matters, I am happy to consider them further. Peter Chapman. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The minister will be aware that the vast majority of farmers are professional and skilled and are already managing antibiotics for livestock in a sensible, proportionate and responsible manner. Does he agree with me that the last thing that he needs is to be bogged down by further Government regulation and red tape? Cabinet Secretary. I have a lot of sympathy for that viewpoint. I respect the work that farmers do, and they care deeply about the health of their livestock. Mr Chapman, as a farmer, is well placed to express his sentiments. What puzzles me is that the approach that he has just expressed appears to be almost directly in contradiction with the approach of his colleague that was expressed just a moment ago. Which is it? Do you want more regulation or do you want less regulation? I think that the Conservatives should cease this apparent schizophrenia on the important issue of antimicrobial resistance. Monica Lennon. I begin by declaring an interest as I am a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. My question is to ask the Scottish Government whether it will amend legislation to extend planning controls on changing premises into betting shops. Minister Kevin Stewart. The Scottish Government will lay the changes to planning legislation regarding betting shops before Parliament by the end of the year. Monica Lennon. Thank you for that answer. I welcome this commitment from the minister, because it has been over two years since a previous minister, Denic Mackay, held a summit on this very issue. It has been disappointing that no action has been taken to extend planning controls on changing premises into betting shops in that time, a measure that was introduced in England over 18 months ago. Given that the clustering of betting shops, particularly in our most deprived communities, has continued in that time and that the Scottish Government has upheld six out of the seven most recent betting shop appeals, when can we expect the US class order to be amended? Can I ask the minister whether the Scottish Government will assess the cumulative impact of clustering on communities over and above not just betting shops but also pay-de-alone shops and fast food takeaways? Minister. Alex Neil, the then Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights, stated in Parliament on 5 March 2015 that we were seeking powers promised in the Smith report, which would have been more effective in addressing the problems of pay-a-day lending and gambling rather than just planning controls. As the Scotland Act 2016 did not deliver powers, we are now introducing those planning controls. The Scotland Act 2016 included a very limited power in respect of the number of fixed odds betting terminals and new betting shops only. That does not include any powers in respect of FOBTs in existing betting shops. That power remains with the UK Government. I would have hoped that we would have had all those powers to deal with that appropriately. Unfortunately, we did not have the support to devolve those issues to this Parliament. Stuart McMillan, the minister will be aware of my campaign against fixed odds betting terminals and how those machines have had such a negative effect upon local communities. Can the minister provide assurances that the new powers that are going to be laid before the end of the year will allow local authorities to have a wider range of powers to help to deal with the scourge all those FOBT machines, not the standing of the comments from the minister regarding the limited powers that are coming to the Scottish Parliament? I reiterate the point that what we are getting is very limited powers. I would have hoped that we would have had wide-ranging powers to deal with that. We will introduce legislation to amend the town and county planning use of classes Scotland order 1997. Currently, the order excludes from planning control the changing of certain premises to betting shops. That exclusion will be removed. Graham Simpson. I think that Mr Stewart, who is struggling with his voice, has probably just answered my question. I was going to urge him to use the powers that he has in the planning review to give councils the authority to say how many betting shops there should be. I think that he has said that he will do that. Minister, do you want to add anything? I will reiterate the point that we will lay that legislation before Parliament. Adam Tomkins. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is advancing the local devolution agenda. Minister Kevin Stewart. Scotland's democratic landscape is being transformed by the implementation of the community empowerment act 2015, the introduction of an islands bill and the development of legislation to bring council functions, budgets and democratic oversight much closer to communities. The parallel and powering reforms are being delivered across Scotland's key public services. Adam Tomkins. It is well documented that Scotland is now one of the most centralised countries in Europe. Just yesterday, the Scottish local government partnership criticised the Scottish Government, not the UK, criticised the Scottish Government for strangling local democracy and castigated it for bossing local authorities around and controlling everything from the centre. The SNP's programme for government commits to working with local authorities to review their roles and responsibilities. Will the scope of the review include the devolution of any identified power from this Parliament to local authorities in Scotland? 96 per cent of Scots think that local people should be involved in making decisions about the design and delivery of their public services. The Government is committed to ensuring that communities across Scotland get a louder voice and stronger powers. During the course of this Parliament, we will introduce a bill to decentralise local authority functions, budgets and democratic oversight to local communities. As I stated earlier, we are consulting on and bringing forward an islands bill to reflect the unique needs of those communities. We will enable community councils that can demonstrate a strong democratic mandate to deliver services. Working with local government to set a target of having at least 1 per cent of their budget subject to community choices budgeting, which will mean that more than £100 million of spending will be influenced by local communities. That is true devolution and true community empowerment.