 Good afternoon, everyone. The first item of business today is portfolio questions on rural affairs, food and the environment. In order to get as many people in as possible, I would invite short and succinct questions and answers. Question 1, Stuart McMillan. To ask the Scottish Government how many community groups have received support from the Climate Challenge Fund. Over 500 communities have received support from the Climate Challenge Fund to take action on climate change and support making a transition to low-carbon living. This is a landmark achievement of national significance and reflects the strength and commitment of community action to tackle climate change. In total, across these 512 communities, some 696 projects have been funded, with a total of £61.4 million having been awarded. Stuart McMillan. I thank the minister for that response and am aware that Inverclyde is one of the local authority areas that has not previously submitted a bid for funding. I am supportive of the bid from the Greenock Morton Football Community Trust. Can I ask the minister to look favourably upon the bid, which will have health and environmental benefits to those who will participate in its activities? I am certainly delighted to hear that an application from a community in Inverclyde area has been submitted to the Climate Challenge Fund and will be considered at the next meeting in December. As the member will be aware, Inverclyde is the only local authority area in Scotland that currently is not home to a community that has taken advantage of the Climate Challenge Fund. I am pleased to hear that the work that has been done locally is trying to stimulate interest that has paid off. I understand that this particular application has been generated by the Ideas Bank, which is an important new innovation in the fund. I am encouraged to see that this mechanism is aimed at spreading good practice and making it easy for communities with limited capacity or whose primary focus is not climate change to access fund that is working. All CCF funding decisions are made by an independent panel that makes recommendations to me. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on a particular application in the chamber, but I know that a number of other similar projects that are based around sports clubs have been supported in the past. The decision to fund this particular project will depend on the quality of the application funds available and on the other projects that they are up against. However, I would like to wish that this and other communities who have applied to the Climate Challenge Fund in the next 20th round are the best of luck. Maureen Watt To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the livestock haulage industry regarding maximum driving hours and staffing challenges for livestock transporters. I am aware of the concerns that the livestock industry has raised on this issue. Of course, we would be happy to facilitate discussions to help to resolve any problems. Responsibility for some of the issues is reserved to the UK Government, and I know that the industry has been making representations directly to UK ministers. Nevertheless, the Scottish Government does stand ready to work with the industry to help in any way that it potentially can. Maureen Watt I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I wonder then if he has had discussions with his Westminster colleagues on this particular issue. Can he also have a discussion with the transport minister and the cabinet secretary on training youth and women's employment, on the need to bring young people into the industry through apprenticeships, given that the average age of livestock drivers is now over 55? I am happy to commit to doing both of the things that are requested by Maureen Watt. I very much appreciate, as I am sure many members do, the importance of the livestock sector to the haulier sector, to the livestock sector generally, otherwise simply we would not be able to move livestock around the country into market. So we need the livestock college sector to prosper, and I will certainly look further into the issues raised by Maureen Watt to take them forward. Thanks very much. Question 3, Dave Thompson. To ask the Scottish Government when the details of future common agricultural policy payments to farmers and crofters will be known. Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead. I did, of course, announce the Parliament on the 11th of June the key decisions on how we will implement the new common agricultural policy from 2015, and in particular for pillar one, that is to direct payments to farmers and crofters, which is set to deliver £2.8 billion of payments to them between 2015 and 2020. We are continuing to provide farmers and crofters with a huge amount of information about the new cap through firstly the extensive programme of 34 road shows which are being very well attended, currently being held right across the country. The cap booklet was sent to all customers and the farmers and crofters, which is also available in local area offices. Of course, we continue to update the Scottish Government's website. Thank you, Dave Thompson. I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer. I was disappointed that the UK Secretary of State, Liz Truss, did not let him join her at her meeting with the new agricultural commissioner on Monday. On the cap payments, I wonder if the minister is in a position to identify or quantify which areas will be affected by the area 3 rough grazing payments. Yes, I share the member's disappointment that I was locked out of the Secretary of State, Liz Truss's meeting on Monday in Brussels with the new agricultural commissioner, which I did request to attend, but that request was declined. In terms of the member's issue over rough grazing in relation to the impact on crofters, can I just say that we have written to the crofters to let them have the provisional allocation of the three new cap payment regions based on their 2014 permanent land declarations as part of the single application form? Individual crofters will be able to work out what that means for them clearly until we have that worked out and then we have the application forms completed next year. We cannot estimate the exact payments that any crofter or farmer of that matter will receive, and it is a complex issue except that. Overall, it is worth noting that the crofting counties do benefit from the new common agricultural policy that is being put in place in Scotland. In 2011, for instance, crofters received around 19 million euros. Under the new policy, crofters are estimated to receive around 32 million euros. Overall, that is a net benefit for the crofting counties in Scotland. I appreciate the difficulty that there is in delivering cap reform, but how does the cabinet secretary respond to comments from NFU that the lack of clarity over the transition to the new area payment system was eroding confidence in the reform process? Will he be able to share soon the new transition plans after the European Commission rejected the original transition plans? In terms of the lack of clarity and complexity, I remind Clare Baker and the chamber that we worked very closely with the industry throughout the whole reform process. Some of the additional complexity which perhaps resulted in a lack of clarity at this stage in the process was the result of the Scottish Government meeting the requests of the industry and we are trying to maximise the flexibilities that are available in the reform to take into account Scotland's unique circumstances across agriculture and the various issues that are relevant to farming and crofting in this country. I will give as much clarity and I have done already on a range of issues. Clearly, it is a complex process. The first payments will be issued to a remanned Clare Baker in December 2015 or closest to that date, as we can achieve. Therefore, the next few months are important to make sure that the process is in place and offer additional clarity. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in developing its low-emissions strategy. We are making good progress in developing our low-emissions strategy. An update in progress will be made at the Scottish Transport Emissions Partnership annual conference in Edinburgh on 18 November and a draft of the strategy that is being developed by the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and SEPA in partnership with a range of organisations in the public and private sectors is due to be issued for consultation before the end of 2014. Earlier this year, health protection Scotland attributed pollution as a cause of death in 306 cases in Glasgow, the highest number in the country. I note that the draft budget includes no additional funding to tackle the issue of air quality improvement. What action can the minister point to, which can give me reassurance that this is indeed a priority for the Scottish Government? We are working very closely with Glasgow City Council, which represents that area, to produce a comprehensive air quality action plan for Glasgow. We have a good relationship with the council in that respect and can provide details by correspondence that will be helpful to the member as to what stage we have reached. However, we know that Glasgow City Council has produced a detailed feasibility study and did so on producing a low-emissions zone in the city for the Commonwealth Games. Unfortunately, that did not take place for reasons that the member will probably be aware of. However, overall, we are impressed with what Glasgow has been trying to do in trying to tackle air quality issues in the city and we will work very closely with them. We have a number of challenges, not least because vehicle emissions standards have not delivered the improvement in air quality in urban areas that we had and, indeed, 20 other administrations across Europe had hoped for. It presents us all with a problem, but we are working through a strategy to try to achieve compliance with European directors as soon as we can. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on EDF's application to SEPA that would allow it to transport intermediate-level radioactive waste from other sites to be stored at Henderson. I should point out, of course, that the application is a matter primarily for SEPA, the Scotland Environment Agency, who is giving it full consideration and, of course, will test its compatibility with the Scottish Government policy. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer, albeit very short. Many of my constituents are worried that, if the application is approved, it would lead to Henderson being a dumping ground for radioactive waste from across Scotland and beyond. They are also concerned that that waste would be transported on mainly A-class roads, increasing the risk of accidents. Given that the Scottish Government's policy on managing nuclear waste is for it to be stored in near-surface facilities, and I quote, located as near to the site where the waste is produced as possible, end quote, what assurance can the cabinet secretary give my constituents that Henderson will not be used as a dumping ground? I do not detract from the seriousness of the issues that are raised for a second, but I wish that we did not have this nuclear legacy to deal with in the first place, and the member's party has supported that nuclear waste legacy that has been created in the past decades. Unfortunately, we now have to deal with that in Scotland, because that is our responsibility. There has been a public consultation on the application, and EDF has stated that the proposed change is purely a practical one to facilitate more flexible disposals by allowing waste to be collected temporarily at one site before being sent for disposal to an authorised facility. Of course, the application makes clear that there would be no long-term storage of waste transfer, tonson bee, power station or, indeed, torn s from another site. Of course, I treat those matters very seriously, and the Scottish Government does have a policy. I am limited in what I can say, because clearly it is an active application, but I hope that that puts the issue into context in terms of us treating it very seriously. 6. Clare Adamson To ask the Scottish Government what the value of the food industry is to the Scottish economy. The most recent data from 2012 estimates that the food and drink sector, which of course is a growing sector and includes food and drink manufacturing, see fishing, aquaculture and agriculture, generated £4.8 billion in gross value added to the Scottish economy and, of course, turned over now as a massive £14 billion overall in Scotland. There are approximately 118,000 people working in the food and drink industry in Scotland and more than 17,000 businesses, so that is approximately 11 per cent of all registered businesses operating in Scotland. 7. Clare Adamson I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer. He will be aware of a recent Mark of Scotland report showing that the sector is set to create 10,000 new jobs over the next five years, with a 66 per cent of companies surveyed expecting to increase their workforce. Can the cabinet secretary highlight what support the Government is providing in my area in central Scotland to ensure that producers are able to take advantage of the economic potential and the advantages of the quality reputation and the providence of Scottish food and drink? 8. Clare Adamson The Bank of Scotland report that Clare Adamson refers to does underline the massive potential of Scotland's food and drink industry. It is something that I was celebrating this morning at the launch of 2015, the Year of Food and Drink, which will be the big theme for Scotland next year. It is incredible to meet so many businesses across Scotland, including Clare Adamson's constituency. They are expanding, taking on new employees and capturing new markets. In terms of support, we continue to make as much support available under tight budgetary conditions as possible. Looking at North and South Lanarkshire for our food processing and marketing grant scheme, we funded, for instance, between 2007 and 2013, 11 capital projects, amounting to £3.5 million, attracting an overall investment of £13.3 million, and other projects for Borders Biscuits and TN Fresh Direct, etc., have been successful. Businesses in Clare Adamson's constituency, as well as throughout the whole of the country, are booming at the current time, and we will continue to support them in any way we can. Clare Adamson, can the cabinet secretary comment on the need to bring younger people into the sector and create apprenticeships? When I visit many food and drink industries, such as fish processing, they find it quite difficult to attract young people into those businesses, as it is seen as quite an old-fashioned career and not one that offers quite good career opportunities. I recognise that that has been a reasonably long-standing issue that Clare Baker refers to. However, I am optimistic that things are changing, and the Food and Drink Federation and other bodies such as Scotland Food and Drink are addressing these issues seriously. More and more people are now being attracted into the industry, not just in terms of production but also the science aspects and the institutes that are dealing with food and drink issues and innovation. I am optimistic that more and more young people in Scotland are now being attracted to a successful career in food and drink. Thank you to ask the Scottish Government how it will use the national reserve to ensure that farmers who had disadvantaged under the previous common agricultural policy are put on regional average support payments from 2015. Can I say that, after extensive discussions with the industry, it is my intention that the national reserve should cover three categories of farmer. Category 1 would be for new entrants and young farmers to start farming in 2013 or later. Category 2 would be for farmers who were not allocated entitlements to the current single farm payment or who were only allocated entitlements through the new entrant or investor categories of the previous national reserve in 2005. The final category would cover farmers who have been subject to forced majeure issues. The approach will immediately address the unfair treatment that has been faced by hundreds of farmers over the past few years while respecting, of course, the strict conditions that are contained within EU regulations. It will certainly honour my commitment to give new entrants and include them from day one of the new cap, and it is only possible, of course, because the Scottish Government fought for the ability to use the national reserve in this way. All of which is very welcome, but on 11 June in the statement to which the Cabinet Secretary referred to this chamber, he said, and I quote, We negotiated the ability to put those disadvantaged under the old CAP straight on to the regional average through the national reserve. He also informed the chamber that he accepted that this would mean an increase in the percentage taken for the national reserve and that key stakeholders accepted this. Many of the disadvantaged farmers who have been very optimistic of having their problems addressed since that statement are now being told that they will not be put straight on to the national reserve. They are justifiably angry about this and feel let down. I ask the cabinet secretary quite simply why he appears to have gone back on the words of that statement in June. Firstly, I have not gone back on the word that I gave in June in terms of those who were excluded under single farm payment, which was established in 2005. There will be no new entrant farmer who is excluded from the current common agricultural policy. There are issues over the definition of new entrant, so we have looked at the various categories that are put forward to us and looked at what is possible under the EU regulations. We are covering all those that can be covered under current EU regulations. Those who were excluded unfairly from the current cap, which has been replaced from 2015 onwards, will be included in the new common agricultural policy. We cannot go against the EU regulations. There are perhaps issues affecting very few farmers who have expanded since the 1990s. However, in terms of the definition of new entrants, I am confident that those that we all feel in this chamber should be included in the new common agricultural policy are going to be included and get the regional average under the new policy. 8. Joan McAlpine To ask the Scottish Government what the environmental impacts are of fracking and coal bed methane extraction. Minister Paul Wheelhouse Like many other industrial processes, extraction of coal bed methane or the use of hydraulic fracturing for shale gas could have environmental impacts. We recognise the potential for that, particularly where there could be impacts in the water and air environment, as well as other impacts such as noise, visual impact, light pollution and increased traffic volumes. We are also conscious of the potential for increased greenhouse gas emissions if there are fugitive methane emissions from such industrial processes. However, unlike the UK Government, we have been somewhat gung-ho, it has to be said. We have taken a precautionary approach, our stringent system of planning and environmental regulation, which we have further tightened, should ensure that any environmental risks are recognised and properly mitigated. Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has published its regulatory guidance, which sets out how it would regulate potential environmental effects of shale gas and coal bed methane development. That will be subject to regular review, based on any new and emerging evidence. Thank you. Coal bed methane extraction is proposed in Canon Bay in Dumfrieshire. That means removing very large volumes of saline water from the coal seam to release the gas. The Scottish Government's own expert panel noted that an appropriate disposal of these fluid fluids in the US has negative environmental consequences. The water could be removed from Canon Bay by tanker for treatment, but that puts enormous pressure on rural roads. It could be pumped into the esk, one of our best salmon fishing rivers. It could be left in lagoons or pumped back into the bedrock, which even the expert panel has said has caused small earthquakes elsewhere. Does the cabinet secretary favour any one of those disposal methods? I will ask the cabinet secretary later, but I understand the legitimate concerns raised by Joan McAlpine, which I fully understand will be shared by some of her constituents in the Canabey area. We are clear that unconventional gas developments can only take place under the highest levels of environmental protection. In this respect, the SEPA has a statutory responsibility for the protection of Scotland's water environment. It has powers under the Water Environment Control Activity, Scotland Regulations 2011, to regulate activities that interact with our water environment, and those duties would be strictly enforced. The appropriate approach is a regulatory matter. As part of any development that should come forward, the developer must engage closely with SEPA to allow SEPA to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to protect the local environment and community. I will look to ensure that our regulation is rigorously applied in order to ensure that compliance is achieved. I refer to my register of interests as a member of the Faculty of Advocates to ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how the legal aid system is operating. An essential driver for the Scottish Government policy on legal aid is to have a streamlined system that gives people access to publicly funded legal advice at the right time and addresses budget pressures without compromising access to justice. We have been reviewing and updating our strategy for reforming and protecting legal aid in Scotland. It is set out previously in a sustainable future for legal aid, published in 2011. We will publish the outcome of a review activity shortly and our aim remains to simplify the legal aid system and reduce expenditure of while maintaining access to justice. Does the cabinet secretary share my concerns that the Law Society of Scotland discussion paper on legal assistance in Scotland proposes that criminal legal aid could be increased possibly by removing funding from some civil cases, for example, housing involving eviction and rent arrears, damaging to vulnerable people? Does he recognise the benefits of not adopting the approach to legal aid south of the border? Absolutly. The member's comments are shared also by Paul Brown of the Legal Services Agency, who made similar comments in the Herald on Saturday. I should preface matters by saying that I welcome the discussion paper put forward by the Law Society and will be happy to engage with them. However, the points made by Rod Campbell are comments that we would echo here as a Government. We think that the route that has been pursued south of the border, whereby huge areas and tracks of public life are no longer eligible for legal aid, is not the way to go. We wish to ensure that there is access to justice on a broad basis for civil legal aid. Criminal legal aid has to be provided, but it cannot be at the expense of civil legal aid and, in particular, a mirroring of the huge cuts that have crossed great hardships south of the border. Many thanks. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to speed up access to domestic abuse courts. Whilst overall levels of crime in Scotland have continued to fall in recent years, the reporting and prosecution of certain categories of crime, including domestic violence, have increased. Victims are now more confident in reporting these crimes and our law enforcement agencies deserve credit for sending a clear message that such crimes have no place in a modern fair Scotland. In consequence, our courts are now dealing with increased volumes in those types of cases, which are often complex and require sensitive handling. To assist in ensuring the efficient processing of summary cases, including cases involving domestic abuse, the Scottish Government has presided £1.47 million in additional in-year funding on top of agreed budget allocations to be shared between the Scottish court service and the Crown Office. That funding is being used to support additional ffiscals, court staff and judiciary. The Scottish court service has established specialist domestic abuse courts to deal robustly and effectively with domestic incidents when they arise and to reduce the risk of further escalating violence or abuse. The cabinet secretary for that answer book can also tell him that at meetings of the cross-party group on men's violence against women, concerns have been expressed about long delays in accessing domestic abuse courts and, indeed, sheriff's courts when domestic abuse cases are still heard there. Does the cabinet secretary accept that long delays and the postcode lottery of delays are inappropriate for victims of domestic abuse and impact on their safety, and will he therefore ensure that domestic abuse matters are prioritised by the courts? For the court service to prioritise, but I can say that I agree with Malcolm Chisholm that justice delayed can be justice denied. Especially when dealing with domestic abuse, it is important that there is prompt and expeditious action. For that reason, that is why the additional funding has been provided, £1 million to the court service and £470,000 to the procurator fiscal service, to ensure that the spike cause is quite clearly from the greater involvement across all parts of Scotland by Police Scotland. The benefits of the single police service have been mirrored in particular in all forces in all parts of the country taking the appropriate action. That did result in a spike. That did bring pressure not simply upon the police service but upon the fiscal and the courts. For that reason, we have put in the additional funding. I welcome the fact that there has now been an extension of the domestic abuse court in Edinburgh to cover all areas of the city and, indeed, areas beyond. I think that what we will see is that the delays that did come about because of the appropriate and correct actions that has been taken by the police and the Crown will now begin to come down. To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of youth anti-social behaviour in western Edinburgh, including joyriding and motorcycle theft. I am aware of the situation and that tackling youth anti-social behaviour is being prioritised by local police. 15 officers have been deployed providing additional assistance and reassurance to the local community and positive steps are being taken to involve all partners and a multi-agency joint action plan is in place to reduce the levels of anti-social behaviour and youth offending. I thank the minister for her reply. Will the minister agree with me that the actions of Police Scotland, the city council and local community groups working together in partnership has shown how effective local community policing can be? And while there is undoubtedly more to be done, the fair story is over the breakdown of local policing by some opposition members is unfounded. I am happy to agree with Colin here on this. Partnership working, which sees local communities working with Police Scotland and the local authority, is a very effective way to tackle local issues and to ensure that the public feels safe in their homes and free to go about their business unhindered. I do support Edinburgh's efforts to reduce offending, including using the whole system approach, preventing, diverting, managing and changing offending behaviour by children and young people. As a result, we have seen the number of children in Edinburgh who have committed offences in the past three years, reduced by 28 per cent. I thank Malcolm Tism for the action that they have taken in the part of my constituency, which adjoins Colin Kear's constituency and which the minister referred to in her first answer. Does she understand firstly the great concern and anger of the local community at what has been going on? Also, the disappointment that she feels that, sometimes after effective police action, it assumes that the courts and the children's hearing system let the community down. Does she agree that individuals must suffer the consequences of their action? That is an important part of combating crime, as well as the support for individuals and the regeneration of communities, which is obviously necessary as well. Malcolm Tism is reflecting a feeling that it can become widespread in communities. Work with young people who offend via their children's hearing system takes place on a confidential basis, as Malcolm Tism knows. The extent of intervention may not always be obvious to communities, but that does not mean that offending behaviour and its impact is not being confronted and addressed. It is important for us to reinforce that. We have also got in place diversionary activities that are being funded through cash back for communities that the member will be widely aware of. Sadly, that is not a new problem, and I am reflecting on the fact that the same issue was being raised many years ago when I was a local Government candidate in Edinburgh. It tells you how long ago it was when I told you that Alistair Darling won that election and became the regional councillor for the area, but it is a reflection of the enduring difficulties that can arise with that kind of behaviour and the long-term need that there is to tackle it at the preventive end, rather than at the end of the committing of the behaviour. Question 4, in the name of Gavin Brown, has not been lodged and an explanation has been provided. Question 5, Nanette Milne. To ask the Scottish Government what action Police Scotland is taking to address the issue of puppy farms and puppies being imported illegally. Enforcement of the legislation concerning puppy breeding and import controls and drugs is primarily the responsibility of local authorities rather than the police. Police Scotland, though, will assist local authorities and other enforcement bodies such as the SSPCA when requested. Nicola Sturgeon, I thank the cabinet secretary for his response. He will be aware of the concerns that have been expressed regarding the growth in the sale of puppies and dogs online. Following the publication of the Scottish Government's consultation on promoting responsible dog ownership in Scotland, respondents have repeatedly called for indiscriminate breeding of dogs to be tackled and argued that until it was tackled effectively, the responsible dog ownership would continue. What reforms has the cabinet secretary planned to bring forward to address the issue and the sale of animals on internet sites, especially as we approach the Christmas period when many people may be considering buying puppies as presents? The policing of the internet, if I can put it that way, is a matter that causes great difficulties not simply in this issue but across many areas. It crosses jurisdictions and causes difficulties in terms of other aspects, including not simply the internet but consumer affairs being reserved. What we seek to do is to make Scotland as safe a pace as possible, not simply for humans but indeed for animals, to tackle. What I know is an issue that the member in net mill has quite correctly raised. It is quite scandalous. Initially, it was in terms of the transportation from Eastern Europe, much of which was coming in through UK points of entry, and that Scottish police and others worked with their UK counterparts. Clearly, people can access both weapons, drugs and, obviously, puppies over the internet. Those are matters that we keep under review. Some of that will be dealt with by my cabinet secretary, colleague, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment, rather than myself, but I am happy to try to get some information from the member, from both departments and, indeed, from Police Scotland. I have no doubt that they will monitor the internet as they do for all sorts of behaviour. How we can actually properly enforce it until such time it comes here is perhaps harder, but let me reflect upon it and come back to the member with as much information as I can. Thanks for much. Questions 6, Dr Lane Murray. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on changing to the workload of officers and sports staff since the establishment of Police Scotland. This is a matter for the chief constable and the Scottish Police Authority in consultation with the staff associations and unions. This Government is continuing to deliver on our commitment to put 1,000 additional police officers in communities while recorded crime is at a 39-year low. On 4 November, chief superintendent Niven Rennie of ASPS told the Justice Committee that he had real and significant concerns about the workload of his members and that the number of superintendents had reduced considerably through reform. Stephen Diamond of Unison told the committee that there are real pressures on staff to perform and fill in the gaps that have been left by people leaving or by roles not being filled. I know that the cabinet secretary likes to say that this is an operational matter for the police, but this was legislation passed by this Parliament, brought in by him. Does he have any responsibility and what is he going to do about it? Well, it was brought in by me, it was passed by this Parliament and it was supported by the member who had also clearly campaigned as had been Labour's position for a single police service. I think that, as we have heard earlier, the Police Service of Scotland is now doing a remarkably good job. As indeed, the legacy forces also did and have heard the outstanding work that is causing pressures on other aspects of justice in terms of tackling domestic abuse. The chief constable has been clear that there will be no routine backfilling. I will be meeting with Niven Rennie shortly and indeed with Stephen Diamond, as I do on a regular basis. There are financial pressures for Police Scotland indeed, for every public sector and indeed private sector authority in Scotland. Those challenges come from us not having control of our own budget. That has implications for us. Equally those who work in it or those who require to lead it, I think, are rising to the challenge in doing an outstanding job. Thank you and good afternoon, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is in holding a public inquiry on historic child abuse allegations. Minister Roseanna Cunningham. Hans Alamallek may be feeling rather overtaken by events and no doubt he will have been in attendance at yesterday's statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning. The Cabinet Secretary gave his assurance that we will reach a decision on whether a further public inquiry will be convened by the end of this year, after we have had an opportunity to listen very closely to views on all sides of the debate to ensure that the action taken is well informed and meaningful. I thank the member for his response. Although my question was submitted before the child protection statement yesterday, I would like to reiterate the graveness of the issue. Holding a public inquiry on historic child abuse allegations would assure the public that the calls for justice made by the victims will be properly addressed rather than feeling disregarded. Scotland needs to take a deep look into the future, both the child protection system and the legal system. Therefore, I press on the minister to look at the issue and to ensure that a public inquiry is carried out as soon as possible. I think that the member will agree with me that what is incredibly important—we only need to think about what is happening at Westminster at the moment with their public inquiry—is that we get it right from the start. It is our intention that we will consult with survivors about all aspects of what kind of inquiry might be required and who might be sitting on that inquiry. It is important that we do that and understand clearly whether the kind of inquiry that may be being asked for is manageable in terms of the whole process. I have indicated the commitment of the Government that a decision will be made on that by the end of this year. How time-limited one can make that inquiry is a different question entirely. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish domestic abuse courts across the country. There are already a number of established domestic abuse courts across Scotland, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Dunfermline, Livingston and Ayr. Sheriff principals are responsible for court programmes, including domestic abuse courts, and under their legislative duty, they are tasked to ensure the efficient management of cases in their sheriffdom. While Scottish ministers have no locus of control over court programming, it is worth mentioning that the domestic abuse toolkit to aid the development of specialist approaches to cases of domestic abuse published in 2008 was prepared following initial evaluation of the dedicated court in Glasgow, and that toolkit was developed to aid sheriff principals and local criminal justice partners. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. Obviously, I would wish to see domestic abuse courts rolled out throughout Scotland, because I think that that would help victims be able to address the crimes that were perpetrated against them. However, in the interim, we will look at grouping cases together and encouraging the Procurator Fiscal Service and, indeed, the justice system to pull those cases together to build expertise within the criminal justice service and within the Procurator Fiscal Office so that people understand domestic abuse and the sheriffs that are presiding over those cases have a deeper understanding of the issues in front of them and deal with them appropriately. I absolutely think that the member makes a very fair and valid point to be fair to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service that have sought to ensure that those cases are wherever possible dealt with and marked by specialist domestic abuse sheriffs, domestic abuse ffiscals. Equally, it is also the case that sheriff principals have tried to ensure that where there is not a specialist court that we bring together those particular cases, do it on set days, and try to do it with sheriffs who build up that expertise. It is the same matter that has also been dealt with in dealing with young offenders. It is not so much the building that matters. What matters, and I always recall those points being made by the former Lord Advocate, Ailee Changelini, is how we deal with them. Having people who are properly knowledgeable and able to deal with it, whether in terms of being ffiscals or, indeed, with being on the bench, making sure that we deal with it as expeditially as possible, a point raised correctly by Malcolm Chisholm, making sure that we cluster them together and making sure that we have the resources in court in those days, both with social work, Scottish Women's Aid and other agencies. I think that I can give the member the assurance that the point that she makes is well made. It is one that is taken on board by Crown and Scottish Court Service, and it is one that I am happy to drive home to them is important and is a point being raised in Parliament. Graham Pearson, question 9. Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government when it will bring forward proposals to tackle revenge pornography and what timescales will apply. Well, we have confirmed that we are looking actively at the issue of revenge porn and we will set out how that will be taken forward very soon. In the meantime, prosecutors have confirmed that there are a number of existing offences through which people who engage in this criminal behaviour can be prosecuted. Graham Pearson. Presiding Officer, I am grateful for that reply. Can the cabinet secretary confirm whether he or his officials have had discussions with the Scottish Police Authority around the nature of any additional resources or additional finance that might be required to deal with this issue? Not specifically on this issue. I met with Vic Emory very recently. That was regarding the police budget in the round. It seems to me from discussions with Police Scotland and, indeed, with the Crown. What we are talking about here is having a better law to deal with circumstances that are on-going that are entirely unacceptable. The point, quite correctly made by the Lord Advocate, supported by us, also supported by agencies, whether Scottish Women's Aid or others, is that we know that this type of behaviour is on-going. It is unacceptable. There are already existing offences that can be and, indeed, are used to correctly prosecute people, but a specific law on revenge porn would make matters clearer, would be of assistance to police and prosecutors and, on that basis, we seek to drive it forward. I think that this is about making the law better and clearer, not necessarily about increasing the costs. Many thanks. We now move on to the next item of business, which is a debate on motion number 11.