 Maialein, wrth gwith, sy'n gweithio brydyn sydd yn fwy gymrysiau speidialol wirrachol, ac mae'r bwysig yn fwy gyda'r fawrקig hwnnw, a gofynu'r gwaith ardynt yn cymrydiasydd mewn cyd-fawr. Ieiddym nhw'n cael syddi, ilda chi'n gweithio bwysig i gael eu gwroedd o gyllideb i ddatganedig gynhyrchu cymrysiau aeth, a gyda'u gwyrdd eraill ystaflikell yn gennych gyda gwybodiannau cyllideb yn y cymrysiau. prinsenservysau ond hawchau gwaith hwnnw, ddawg hwnnw, a llawonol i troi ddylgrifon o'r jedcyn ddweud i ddodol yn y cynnig, ac i draws i unrhyw o dilyn gyfrifysgau prinsenservysau. Mae'r awgol ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud sy'n gyfrifysgau ar gyfer 10,000 yr ysgrifennig aumau ar gyfer datblygu deunyddau cynnig wedi ddweud i ddweud i eu ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweud i ddweudio ac yn ddechrau'r saltrion, byddai'r llaw yn byw ddechrau'r trafod ddigon a ddweud fawr i'r syniadau ei ddigon, fel mwy o gyd. Rwy'n meddwl fel y blynedd i gyd yn ei prysgolfod yw'r ffordd trwn. Mae ydw i'l ff rolledo'r cyfle o'r cyfle i'r gyflwyno fynd i ddechrau'r llaw ar gyfer ffaith a'r dyma hwn o'r unig o'r gael a'r cyflwyno'r gyflwyno'r gyflym i ddigon i'r cyflwyno'r cyflwyno mewn iawn. cymdeithasol angylcheddu, a wneud wych yn adnoddiadau'r wrtholol, a i adnoddiadau eich mynd i ei wneud ddefnyddio? Mark Ruskell? Felly, ddras i gyd yn ddechrau, myfyrwch angen i ddechrau sydd yn cael ei ddechrau i ddyfodol am yr ysgrifol ar gyfer preson dargaidd. The definition of nonoperational does not just apply office and administrative staff, who themselves play a vital role in the prison service, but also extends to staff dealing with prisoners in front-line roles. For example, highly trained forensic psychologists who deal day in, day out with some of the most dangerous prisoners in the country. Will the minister agree that this pay award sets an unjust precedent by unfairly dividing staff in this way? What will he do personally to ensure that all valuable SPS staff are included in operational and pay reviews in the future? I understand the concerns and issues that the member has raised. However, he will recognise that prison officers are disproportionately affected by the move that the SPS is making towards a new operating model. It is for that reason that the Scottish Prison Service sought to make this exceptional payment to its staff, recognising the unique circumstances that the prison officer staff will be affected by in those changes. Although non-operational staff play that vital role, as I mentioned, which is fully recognised, the modernisation programme, which has been taken forward by the Scottish Prison Service, does mean that it will significantly impact on operational staff, primarily prison officer staff, and it is for that reason that the SPS sought to make this additional payment. Can the cabinet secretary give any more detail about the changing role of prison officers in Scottish prisons? The Scottish Prison Service published the Prison Officer professionalisation programme last month. That sets out the programme of work that will be taken forward over the course of the next two years. It will result in significant change for the way in which prison officers operate with a new operating model, and we will see prison officers being recognised as justice professionals. That document was published for prison officer staff and other SPS staff last month, and it sets out the progress of change that the service intends to take forward over the course of the next two years. Claire Baker Thank you. The cabinet secretary will know that I have written to him about this issue, and this is not the first time a bonus payment has been made. In 2015, a similar payment was made, and at the time it was said that that would be a one-off offer. Can the cabinet secretary say that if the bonus payment is likely to be repeated again, and if it is possible for Parliament to have some scrutiny of such arrangements? Michael Matheson I understand from the Scottish Prison Service that it has no plans to make any payment to prison officers beyond the spring of 2018, which relates to that particular payment in relation to the issue of scrutiny of those matters. Of course, it is entirely a matter for parliamentary committees to consider those issues, but we have kept Parliament informed about the range of work that has been taken forward within the Scottish Prison Service in the way in which it is taking forward its transformational programme. Dean Lockhart Thank you. The previous one-off payment was awarded in exchange for prison officers agreeing not to strike for two years. Can the cabinet secretary confirm if any similar deals were agreed this time around? The cabinet secretary has misunderstood the way in which the exceptional payment has been taken forward by the Scottish Prison Service that links specifically to the way in which the transformational programme has been taken forward by the Scottish Prison Service and has a very disproportionate impact that it will have on operational duties of prison officers. 2. Tavish Scott I want to ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on discussions with the UK Government regarding the terrorism threat level. Cabinet secretary. As the First Minister indicated during her statement to Parliament on 24 May 2017, she received a briefing from the national security adviser on the reason behind that decision, which was taken by the Joint Terrorism Analyst Centre to raise the threat level from international terrorism to critical. Similarly, the First Minister and I participated in meetings of Cobra, chaired by the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary at which the threat level was discussed. On Saturday morning, the Joint Terrorism Analyst Centre, JTAC, reduced the threat level to severe, meaning that an attack is highly lightly. The threat level was reduced in the light of the assessment that, while there was still an on-going and dynamic investigation, there was no intelligence to continue to support an assessment that an attack was imminent. While that was downgraded on Saturday morning to severe, that still means that an attack is highly lightly. We need to continue to remain vigilant, but there is no intelligence that links that attack to any threat to Scotland. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. Following the Manchester atrocity review into MI5's functions was announced in relation to tracking terrorists, I should be assured that the Scottish Government and Police Scotland are involved in that. Given the importance of the EU-wide Schengen information system in tackling and tracking criminal and terrorist suspects across international borders, used by police forces across the UK, has the UK Government clarified in any way what will happen to our ability to tackle terrorist incidents if we are no longer part of that system following the Brexit exit? Cabinet secretary, I am conscious that a review of the way in which the security service has handled some of those issues has been taken forward. We continue to have good links with Police Scotland and the security services in the way in which they operate in Scotland, and we will continue to feed into that process and to support any review work that has been taken forward. Additionally, it is important that, once the review has been completed, we will look at what further measures need to be taken forward here in Scotland in any learning that comes from this particular event. I can also assure members of that there is a full debrief being taken forward with the Scottish Government, Police Scotland and other agencies on how we responded to the change in the threat level to critical. The member raises a very important issue around the Schengen agreement, but I should also add the benefits that we have in working with agencies such as Europol in tackling serious and organised crime and in terrorism. Given that those types of incidents do not recognise any national borders, it is important that we have collaboration operating across the whole of Europe and within the wider international sector, as we are a Government—I have made it very clear to the UK Government—we value that engagement that we have at the present moment. We wish to preserve those links and to preserve the benefits that come from those links as well, but at this stage it is unclear what the UK Government's position will be in this matter when it comes to the Brexit negotiations, which is a matter of regret. I welcome both the questions and the answers of the cabinet secretary on this very important issue. As the cabinet secretary knows, people of all faiths and none can be both the victims of terrorism and have the challenge of overcoming terrorism. Given that, in the last year, we know that Islamophobic hate crimes have doubled in Scotland in terms of the recorded incidences of Islamophobic hate crime. Will the cabinet secretary consider publication of the trends on Islamophobic hate crimes, which has been done in other parts of the UK, as a way of perhaps trying to help to bring communities together to challenge both hate and religious hate, but also to take terrorism on head on? The member raises an important issue, because security measures are only one part of the solution in tackling those issues. We also have a responsibility to make sure that we are doing everything possible to tackle any form of violent extremism and those who would wish to peddle hate crimes in our community. We have well-established links with communities across the country, which are taken by Police Scotland and other agencies to tackle matters relating to hate crime, including Islamophobia. I can give the member an assurance that we will look at whether there are any further measures that we can put in place in order to make sure that we continue to tackle those issues, alongside providing information in the public domain that can give people an understanding of the extent and scale of it. In my engagement with Police Scotland and other agencies over the past couple of days, it has been encouraging that there has been no particular increase in the reporting of hate crime in Scotland. However, what I have assurance from Police Scotland and other agencies is that they continue to monitor that in the days and weeks ahead to ensure that, if there are any indications of an increase in hate crime, appropriate measures have been taken in order to address it quickly. To ask the Scottish Government where its position is and how the coalitions that have been recently formed across local authorities will impact on the provision of local services. Local Government elections use a form of proportional representation that gives more choice and power to voters and offers a choice of representatives in each word. Proposional representation makes coalitions more likely since the number of representatives more closely reflects the distribution of votes cast. I thank the cabinet secretary for that reply. Aberdeen Labour Group was suspended for going into coalition with the same Tory group that it was in administration with for five years until a month ago. Meanwhile, no action has been taken against North Ayrshire Labour Group, who clung to power only with the support of four Tory councillors or indeed Labour's candidate in Edinburgh South, Ian Murray, who called on Tories to back him to save his own skin but urged Labour voters in the rest of Scotland to back the Tories. What is our opinion on the muddled inconsistency of Labour's leadership on the issue? If the cabinet secretary could reply in the wrong way. Well, Presiding Officer, if you vote Labour, you might just get the Tories. What we have seen from Scottish Labour leadership is a complete humiliation by some of their councillors and some of their council groups. Whether we have seen formal or informal working arrangements or Labour Tory packs, there is a growing list of those informal or formal, including in my own area in West Lothian. What those formal or informal packs show is a complete lack of respect for voters, a lack of leadership from the Scottish Labour Party, and a lack of understanding of the risk of further Tory cuts and the risk of privatisation. Or the cheering, cheering at further Tory cuts and at the risk of privatisation, all because the Labour Party wished to cling to power and to sup with the Tories. Labour councillors have betrayed voters the length and breadth of the country in Aberdeen, North Lanarkshire, North Ayrshire, Midlothian and West Lothian, all to do sly deals with the Tories. I remind the chamber that I am the parliamentary liaison officer to the cabinet secretary for communities, social security and inequalities. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action that it is taking to tackle loneliness and social isolation. Social isolation and loneliness is an emerging issue of considerable concern, which impacts on wellbeing and health in communities across age ranges, gender and geography. We have started work on our commitment to develop a national strategy and in April we held a discussion with a wide range of stakeholders. In the summer we will launch a consultation with stakeholders on our draft strategy and with communities on what we should do next. I also recently had the privilege of meeting Brendan Cox to discuss the Joe Cox commission on loneliness and agreed that we will work closely together with the commission and others as we take forward our approach, and I will be taking part myself in the great get-together in June. Can the minister assure me that the issue of loneliness and isolation for older people who are being cared for after they are discharged from hospital will be considered by the care inspectorate and healthcare improvement Scotland as part of their joint inspections of care services? Jeane Freeman. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Yes, I can. The issue of loneliness and isolation for all older people is core to the principles of health and social care partnerships. All care services are required to deliver care that is consistent with the national care standards. The new standards make clear that people should be supported to make and keep friendships and participate in interests and activities. The social and emotional needs of people are core to our health and care services. Throughout 2017, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Care Inspectorate will focus their joint scrutiny activity on partnerships, strategic planning, leadership and outcome for people using those services, including paying attention to those matters. 5. Jenny Gilruth To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Five Council and what issues were discussed. Cabinet Secretary Angela Constance. Presiding Officer, ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, including Five Council, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland. I thank the cabinet secretary for that reply. Can the cabinet secretary advise why, when Five Council submitted an updated transport appraisal of the Levenmouth area in early 2017, specifically with regard to the viability of the Levenmouth rail link, Transport Scotland have yet to provide an update. That, despite my being assured in this chamber on 12 January, that transport officials will provide further comments once they have had the opportunity to consider the report in more detail. Presiding Officer, my answer to the member is no, I cannot give her further detail because that would be a question more appropriately addressed to Transport Scotland or indeed the transport minister. From my own constituency perspective, I recollect how the reopening of the Bathgate to Airdrie line had a very positive impact on our local economy and many other aspects of social life in West Lothian. I therefore understand the importance of the issue that the member raises, but I urge her to direct her comments and her inquiries to Transport Scotland or indeed the transport minister. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the retirement aid for prison officers and what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding that. Prison officers in Scotland are members of the UK-wide civil service pension scheme, the terms of which are reserved. The Scottish Government has always been clear that it disagrees with the UK Government's position that prison officers work to state pension age whilst carrying out front-line operational duties. UK Government presented a proposal in December 2016 to reduce the retirement age from 68 to 65 for some prison officer grades in England and Wales. That proposal was not extended to Scottish prison officers. The Scottish Government officials have since spoken to the UK Government. They have provided no update on the pension position since the UK Government offer to reduce the retirement age in England and Wales was withdrawn in early 2017 following a rejection by the Prison Officers Association. Two weeks ago, I visited HNP Shots and I met members of the Prison Officers Association and witnessed at first hand the stress and high pressure that they were under. Will the cabinet secretary agree to keep pressing the UK Government before and after next Thursday to bring prison officers into line with the emergency services with a retirement age of 60? Can I join with those at today in calling on him to make the same one-off payments that he has made this month to members of grades covered by the POA to other workers, predominantly women workers, employed in the Scottish Prison Service? The member raises an important point in relation to the way in which the existing pension arrangements apply for prison officers across the whole of the UK, including those in the Scottish Prison Service. I fully recognise the valuable role and important role that our prison officers play in the prison system. I just returned from a visit this morning to PoMint Young Offenders Institute where I met a number of officers. We, as a Government, have been consistent in our opposition to the changes that were made by the UK Government. We believe that operational prison officers should be treated in the same way as we have for police officers, firefighters and our ambulance staff as well. I have made direct representation to the UK Government in this matter. My predecessor made direct representation on this issue, and we will continue to make representation on this issue to try to make sure that the UK Government sees sense on this issue. We recognise the value and important role that our prison officers have, and we will continue to take forward measures that will help to support them in the difficult and important task that they provide. To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to reduce A and E waiting times. The Scottish Government national uncedile care improvement programme aims to deliver safe, person-centred and effective care to every patient every time without unnecessary delays anywhere in the system. Since the launch of the six essential actions two years ago, we have seen significant improvements. Scotland is leading the way in the UK in terms of performance against a four-hour A and E target, and the number of patients spending longer than eight and twelve hours in emergency departments has reduced by over 81 per cent and 97 per cent respectively. Jeremy Balfour. I think that many of my constituents simply will say that that is not good enough. In 2016, the Scottish Government's own weekly A and E target was only met seven times over 7,000 people waited more than eight hours to be seen. Does the cabinet secretary agree that this is unacceptable and will she take responsibility and do something about it? Scotland continues to see the best performance across the UK and has been ahead of England for 25 consecutive months of core performance. 25 consecutive months of core performance to March 2017. Scotland's core performance is over 7 per cent higher than England in March and over 16 points higher than Wales. I would say to Jeremy Balfour that perhaps he should look a little closer to home. Jeremy Hunt, of course, is a regular visitor Scotland. Jeremy Hunt was up just a few weeks ago seeing how our emergency departments have been improving through the work that we have been doing to take back to England to perhaps improve some of the emergency department performance down there. Perhaps he should look a little closer to home.