 Mae proffamau i Whereas y dynol yn trafod digwydd â y dyma. Bawn yn dY Pom �ро ar ôl, maeuno ohono, aeith i ei fod wedi gropio'i ddrive gymwys arwaith maenedd aegei am yr ill 전, a diwyllsiad i dseldazie i'r r 총 neu edrych y gallwn ni'w rham i dyma. Efallai y rorth fydd ASMR yw ohonaeth w Síym neu eu maenedd i Careful Boh maiorrhyw a yma sefydliadwys m Pantherannaeth苵am Byddai'n ddatblygu mae och Comics Pension yn ei bod yn geilad eu llawer gyda cael ei eich�es kleif pa mwy o Know how pa yma o gyllid y Cynghor wedi i'w gwaith ywension nhw, a go learners dda hwnnw i'r cym lag i ddiwrnod o dylai chi. kernel a gwybod yn ein wondersol a'r인r droppedee mae'r damgau eich gearad na ll прямau i fod yn swyddfa Polen bites ond enferaedwyd y Cynghor i'r onion, hanedaeth i ddwyllwyr i ddwybod nhw i'r Minister i'r ddwybod, ac mae'n ddwybod iawn i'r prosesion i'r ddwybod. Diolch i'r cyfleidwydau o'r issue a dweud i'r mynd i ddweud i'r ddwybod, a ddwybod, i'r ddwybod i'r prosesion i'r ddwybod, ac i'r ddwybod i'r ddwybod, i'r ddwybod, i'r ddwybod. Yn gychwyn i'r cyffinach o gyfnodau ymwyllgor, mae'n ganhwynyddiad a'r cyffinodau i fwyllwyr i'r ddwybod. grannu cyfnodol i ddefnyddio'r oedden nhw. Rydyn ni'n meddwl i ichi gwaith fy ffordd o modd a ddysgynnu'r modelau cilio, ond rydyn ni'n ddangos. Rydyn ni'n rhaid ddim yn y rhaglen iawn sydd dysgwpeth yma ar gyfle tr Computer mewn aceilws ac yn yn gwasanaeth iawn ddangos a'r prinsipygau hedgellol y bygraethau. Rhyw ymateb yn cyddo ar eu gael i gychwyn gynnyddiaeth ac yn agnestu ar gael eu cyblodau o'r cymdeithasol a chyfnodau hyfforddiol yn ysgolwnt. I thank the minister for that response. She will be aware of the recent work that the cross-party group on commercial sexual exploitation carried out on commercial websites that sell people for sex, causing misery and turbocharging trafficking. In light of the report, will she look to outlaw online pimping to stop commercial websites profiting from exploitation by advertising prostitution? We are aware of the findings from the cross-party group on commercial sexual exploitation following its inquiry into websites that host adverts for sexual exploitation. We have previously written to the online platforms, including Viva Street, to make our concerns clear and to help ensure that people are protected from exploitation. We will continue to develop policy in this area as part of our on-going engagement with the UK online harms bill and as part of our work to develop a model for Scotland that challenges men's demand for prostitution. The equally safe consultation into challenging men's demand for prostitution highlighted that support for women involved in prostitution should be holistic, person-centred and able to address the multiple underlying needs of many women. Can the minister outline what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that such support is available to those women? The consultation highlighted that we need to do more to ensure that women are able to access appropriate support services that can meet their needs. We know that services are inconsistent across Scotland, and that is including the services to help people exit prostitution, and our aim is to address that. As part of that, I am very clear on the need to involve the voices of those involved in prostitution in the design of the services that affect them. To ask the Scottish Government how it supports vulnerable people in the prison system. We recognise that increasing numbers of prisoners have a range of multiple and complex needs. The health needs of the prison population, for example, are particularly challenging. We know that people in custody often have higher rates of substance use issues, mental health problems and complications with physical health in comparison to the general population. The support required to address the often multiple needs of vulnerable people in custody can be multifaceted and is delivered through effective joint working between the prison service and a range of partners, including social care, health, third sector and education authorities. There have been a number of serious incidents at Polmont Young Offender's institution in recent months, including a riot and an inmate being scalded. How is the Scottish Government working with the Scottish Prison Service to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people in Polmont? It is fair to say that the safe treatment of any mental health issues of all those in custody, whether Polmont or elsewhere, is a key priority for Scotland's prisons and our prison service. We take the mental health of all those in custody very seriously. The SPS is developing a new health and wellbeing strategy for the prison service that recognises the increasing complexities and the underlying health conditions of the prison population in comparison to the wider population. The health and wellbeing strategy will focus on a public health approach through the organised efforts of the SPS in partnership with those who have responsibilities for delivery of healthcare within prisons. The new health and wellbeing strategy will provide the overarching framework for all health-related strategies that include mental health. I should say that we are also undertaking a substantial study in relation to the complexity of needs in this area, and we will produce that report next year, and that will help to inform the strategy that I have mentioned. Thank you. We know that, supposedly, tamper-proof mobile phones have been hacked and are being used to deal drugs. Organised criminals are targeting vulnerable inmates for the use of their phones. We also know that many of the drugs that come into prison are impregnated in letters. Two weeks ago, I asked the cabinet secretary to consider photocopying of letters rather than the originals to stem that flow. I would like to ask what he has done about that. Although it is quite a complex area, it is one that was known to the prison service and it is looking at it now in officials who were present at the committee meeting, in which the member refers to or has listened into our undertaking examination of that proposal. It was a constructive proposal, and I took it in that spirit, and I would ask the member to give us the time to look at that series and come back to it. Pauline McNeill Thank you. A Glasgow University study of 200 fatal accident inquiries found that, in 90 per cent of cases, sheriffs made no recommendations to improve practices, which I did find surprising. The cabinet secretary mentioned that in the tail end of her answer to Gillian Mackay, but, in view of that study, I thought that the independent review, which the cabinet secretary referred to, should become a serious issue for Scotland, will the Government commit to implementing the key findings and quickly so that we can learn from those past mistakes? I agree with the thrust of what Pauline McNeill says. I cannot say in advance of knowing what the recommendations are, but I think that it is a very serious issue. We will look at it seriously and, of course, Parliament and the member will have a chance to question us on that. However, we want to take very seriously anything that might improve the situation for prisoners in this area. Fulton MacGregor Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government how it will develop the national community justice strategy that was announced in the programme for government. We intend to both review and revise the national community justice strategy and to inform the review of the current strategy, which is a statutory requirement under the Community Justice Scotland Act 2016. We will consult those who work within the community justice sector or closely with it, gathering views from a front-line perspective on how well the strategy has performed over the past five years and what might need to be taken into account in updating it. We will then engage with the public through a consultation exercise to explore what approach the revised strategy might take. Our aim will be to consider how a revised strategy can be most effective and how it can build on the progress made over recent years and also to set clear aims for all involved in delivering services. The views and evidence gathered as part of the consultative and collaborative approach will be used in finalising a new and improved national community justice strategy that we intend to launch next spring. Fulton MacGregor I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. The supervision requirement of community payback orders is a very important part of rehabilitation efforts in reducing the number of people in our prisons. Can he confirm that the strategy will consider the expansion of supervision requirements and whether he thinks increased funding will be required for front-line and third sector community justice services involved in their delivery? The first thing to say in response to the member is that, as confirmed in the programme for government, the new strategy will include an emphasis on early intervention and encouraging a further shift away from the use of custody where that is appropriate. Community payback orders, which can include supervision as well as a range of other requirements, are a key part of that. Of course, it is up to the sentencing judge to decide the most appropriate sentence in each individual case, including which requirements may be necessary if a CPO is imposed. However, we are committed to investing in a substantive expansion to answer the member's direct point of community justice services, which underpin the delivery of community sentences, as well as the delivery of a diversion from prosecution and alternatives to remand system. The funding that is available for community justice services will, as always, be subject to the spending review and parliamentary approval of the draft budget in due course. The last national strategy for community justice back in 2016 promised that our justice system would turn the behaviour of criminals around. Why are there four or one and four offenders being reconvicted within a year of their release? Did the last strategy fail? I think that the purpose of the review is to look into all those factors. That is fairly obvious from the fact that it was built into legislation back in 2016 to have that review to look upon past successes and areas for improvement. However, I would also say that there has been a very substantial improvement in the levels of recidivism, which was a name of that strategy as well. Yes, there have been successes, but we should look at that in the round with the review. Of course, the member will have the chance to comment on that as the review progresses. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to introduce Bairns Houses? We believe that every eligible child victim or witness has a right to consistent and holistic support that enables them to have their voice heard, access specialist services and to recover from their experiences. We have an unashamedly bold aspiration to create our own Bairns Houses in Scotland, and our programme for government commitment is obvious in the programme for government. All children in Scotland say that victims are witnesses of abuse violence, as well as children under the age of criminal responsibility whose behaviour has caused harm will have access to a Bairns Houses by 2025. Yesterday, we published our vision for Bairns Houses setting out in broad terms, our vision of how Barnahouse should be implemented in Scotland, the values that should underpin the model and our approach to its practical implementation, the next steps are to establish a national governance group to oversee the delivery of Bairns Houses in Scotland and bring forward standards for the Bairns Houses and develop an approach that will build on the momentum of the new Scottish child interview model for joint investigative interviews, which has been introduced nationally over the next three years. Further plans on that will be published at the end of this year. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. The Bairns Houses concept has the potential, as he says, to transform the way children in Scotland interact with the criminal justice system. I would be grateful if he could outline how those plans will ensure better access for those in Ireland and more remote areas. I am thinking of my own constituency where the southern part has 130 miles and two bodies of water separating it from the northern part. It is a very good question. I should say that I have had discussions with ministers and other portfolios that have responsibility in this area already to see how we address that issue. Of course, the idea is that we shouldn't re-traumatise victims by asking them to move between different locations in order to give the same evidence or have the same interview. It is a very important consideration. It does come towards the end of the programme, but there is early thought being given as to how we can make that as accessible as possible. First of all, we agree the overarching principles and then the flexibility for local delivery partners to adapt the model for their local context. I also recognise the challenges, as the member quite rightly raises, of delivery in rural settings such as in the members. The approach that we will take will be based on the quality standards, the European Barnas quality standards, but it should be flexible enough to allow local authorities to tailor Barnahouse to suit local circumstances, while also ensuring a degree of national consistency for all children eligible for its services. I appreciate a slightly shorter answer so that we can get as many questions in as possible. Question number five, Oliver Mundell. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its planned consultation on the removal of the not-proven verdict. As I made clear in the chamber last week, our programme for government set out our plans to launch a public consultation on the three verdict systems within this parliamentary year. Oliver Mundell, I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer, but the SNP green programme for government stopped short of committing to abolish the not-proven verdict. In 2019-20, not-proven was used in 25 per cent of rape cases, even though the verdict was only used in one per cent of criminal trials that preceded to court. Victims have said that the verdict makes them feel no sense of justice and gives them no closure. Why is the Scottish Government making them wait for years to find out whether or not this unjust verdict will end? What we have said is that we believe that there is a very strong argument that has been presented by some of the people that Oliver Mundell references in favour of it, but there are also other people who have a different point of view, including many members of legal profession. Why not just go straight to abolishing it? There are two reasons. One is that there does not seem to be a great deal of point in a consultation if you are not going to listen to what people have to say. At the very start of the consultation, we want to hear what people have to say in relation to it, and separately because not-proven has a relationship with other parts of the justice system, so we should take that into account. There are interdependencies from the two or three verdict systems with other parts of the jury system and so on, so it is only right that we do that in a sustainable way so that we can get to the right solution. Cabinet Secretary assure us that if we are moving towards a two verdict system, one of the options to be considered will be proven and not proven and nothing else. There are different views on that and there are people in the legal profession in particular, but not uniquely, who favour the solution in which John Mason has mentioned. Those things were considered to be verdicts that juries understand, as would be the case with guilty and not guilty, but it is also a recognition that it may be in relation to proven and not proven to, if you like, loyally a distinction that may not be quite as obvious to the general public, and it could perpetuate the stigma and confusion that some believe that the current system currently produces. I think that it is right that we consider that as part of the consultation that is going to take place. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the number of prisoners who are on remand. I am very clear that action is needed on remand. I have said that before in the chamber, and all that view is shared in other parties as well. The effect, first of all, of Covid-19 on the courts has impacted hugely on remand numbers. We have invested £50 million to support the operation of the criminal courts to help to increase the throughput of cases, and thereby lessen the need for remand. However, there is concern about remand, I think that it is only fair to say that it predates Covid-19, and that is why the programme for government included the commitment to consultant reform in this area and legislative change being brought forward in year 1 of this Parliament. We will continue to invest in and support the provision of alternatives to remand, including additional investment in bail supervision and the implementation of electronically monitored bail. I thank the justice secretary for that answer, but in April, the Howard League revealed that over 40 per cent of young people in prison were on remand waiting longer for trials. In the law society, we even warned that there is now a perverse incentive to plead guilty because you may spend less time in jail. Does the justice secretary accept that those shocking levels of remand prisoners, which is adding to the prison overcrowding, show that there is a real need for more urgent action now to get more of our courts back up, open and running to deal with that huge backlog of cases that have built up during Covid? I thank the member for his question. I think that my previous answer does recognise that urgent needs, and I do recognise it both in terms of the situation before Covid-19 and how it has been exacerbated ever since. It is true to say that areas such as people being held on remand because the court is not certain that they will be available or come to a subsequent hearing, have to be looked at, but he is right to say that we have to increase the pace of cases going through. We have done that in terms of the remote jury courts and a substantial expansion and share this very month. The fact that we are taking legislation through in the first year shows the urgency with which the Government is treating the issue. One of the 12 new bills announced in the programme for government was the bail and release from custody bill. Can the cabinet secretary outline in what ways the new bill intends to address the use of remand for prisoners? I thank the member for her question. I also say that following on from my last response, it would be really good if it was possible to do so to get consensus within the Parliament on this issue. Decision making in terms of bail and remand is for the court, but Parliament sets a legislative framework. Prior to Covid-19, 20 per cent of the prison population on remand is now 27 per cent. Recent increases will reflect the unique circumstances of the pandemic, but concerns are long-standing. In the autumn, I intend to publish a consultation on possible changes to bail law. That will seek views on emphasising the importance of public safety as an essential requirement for remand, while also proposing legislative changes to ensure an enhanced focus on victim safety, improve the information available to the court when they make their bail decision and expand the services available to support the process of reintegration into the community of prisoners leaving remand. One risk when releasing prisoners from remand is that all too often victims are the ones who pay the price. I wrote to the cabinet secretary last week about a family who had previously contacted his office. This family has seen their lives devastated by an individual repeatedly released from custody, ruining their lives through a campaign of harassment and intimidation. The Scottish Government has promised the introduction of a victims commissioner to prevent similar situations. Can the cabinet secretary tell us when we can expect to see the commissioner take up post? Once again, it is really important to say that I have every sympathy for your constituents' case, but I would say that the decisions taken on remand are not made by the Scottish Government and are made by the courts, and the Scottish Government is specifically prohibited from involving themselves in those situations. The way that we can address it is through the legislative framework, which is why we will bring forward legislation, and all members will get the chance to have the say on that. We have previously said what we intend to do in terms of victims commissioner, and it is very important that the victims organisations currently in existence have their say. Some of them have concerns about the victims commissioner. They want to make sure that they have their say first of all before proceeding. Can I ask the Scottish Government what measures have been put in place to keep prison officers and prisoners safe during the pandemic? To the credit of prison staff, health staff and prisoners, our prisons for the vast majority of the pandemic have been settings of low infection rates, and the operation of our prisons has remained safe and stable, not least given the early concerns that were expressed quite rightly. Personal protective equipment was provided to all staff and prisoners at the outset of the pandemic, and robust infection control measures were put in place to limit potential transmission. Recognising SPS staff as key workers also provided access to symptomatic testing early on in the pandemic. The roll-out of asymptomatic testing now offers all SPS staff the opportunity to participate in the weekly testing programme. Following the implementation of the SPS pandemic plan, some prison regime changes were put in place to help mitigate the risk of infection, which included minimising the number of individuals who come into contact with others, as well as maintaining physical distancing among individuals. As of 6 September, SPS establishments are undertaking asymptomatic testing of all individuals coming into custody from court. Covid vaccination also continues to be offered, and establishments are actively encouraging all prisoners to participate. I am receiving deeply concerning reports that, as a direct consequence of changes to prisoner routine during lockdown, the consumption of illicit drugs, including the psychoactive substance Etizolam, has risen exponentially. That has resulted in an increase in violence and erratic behaviour from prisoners, and just two days ago at HNP shots at two prison officers were stabbed. It is also resulting in an increasing number of prisoners requiring hospital treatment, and they are having to be taken there by prison officers because I am told that GOA me is unable to fulfil its contractual obligations. Will the cabinet secretary tell us what his plans are to tackle the epidemic of drug use sweeping through our prisons? I thank the member for his question, which touches on a number of different areas. Of course, we are very alive to some of the issues that he has mentioned, especially in relation to psychoactive drugs, because the effect of those drugs on inmates tends to be much more challenging for prison officers than the consumption of other drugs. We want to eradicate all drugs, obviously, from the prison system, so there is new technology being looked at on top of the existing measures that are there in the first place. However, it is true to say—and I do not shrink away from the fact—that trying to deal with the pandemic and the threat of infections within prisons has limited certain operations within prisons, so we have to try to balance those risks as best that we can. The introduction of new technology, which should help in relation to some of the drugs that he has mentioned, will be one stage in doing that, but I also happen to think that there is a more profound change that has to take place in how the prison system deals with instances of prisoners with drug abuse problems. We are also looking at that. To ask the cabinet secretary what steps have been taken to ensure that prisoners can still contact friends and family in a Covid-safe manner due to in-person visitation— Cabinet Secretary. I thank the member for her question. I just say that the introduction of virtual visits technology and prison-issued mobile phones and SPS establishments and cell phones in HNP Kilmarnock has enabled contact to be maintained between those in custody and their friends and families. Since implementation, over 56,900 virtual visits have taken place in the SPS. Procursive measures have been put in place by the SPS informed by public health guidance to make in-person visits as safe as possible. Cabinet secretary, it has emerged hundreds of seemingly tamper-proof mobile phones given to prisoners during the pandemic have been hacked. They are being used to facilitate drug deals. What immediate action is being taken to discipline the perpetrators and prevent the criminal activity on the prison estate? The member will know or should know that the issue of prisoners being disciplined is one for the Scottish Prison Service. They take that decision. If the member wishes, I can ask the chief executive of the service to respond to the point that she makes in relation to that. However, the benefits of the phones—you have mentioned quite rightly one of the issues with the phones in terms of being tamper-proof—the benefits have been huge in relation to managing prison services that have not been able to operate in the way that they have in the past. I should say one final thing. Discipline within prisons is much harder to maintain if you have 68-year-old prison officers. That is the effect of the Government that she supports in pushing the pension age back to 68. We should never have a situation where we have 68-year-old prison officers trying to exercise the kind of discipline that the member mentions. To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the control, use and licensing of shooting ranges in firearms with Police Scotland. The Scottish Government is in regular contact with Police Scotland regarding a variety of firearms licensing matters and officials and police work together to manage complementary licensing systems and to ensure that firearms are possessed and used safely across Scotland. The Scottish ministers, though, have no role in approving shooting ranges. It is a matter for Police Scotland to be satisfied as to the safety of any land where firearms are used. Estelle Muir is home to the Sammy Ling Buddhist Monastery and many agricultural holdings with livestock. There are concerns with the community over Clark Hill and over Cassack ranges where high-velocity 50-caliber weapons are used in the vicinity. Both ranges are operating sporadically under 28-day planning rule. Given that, could the minister undertake to properly look into the situation and could he outline whether, in principle, he would consider removing shooting activities from the 28-day planning rule? I have to say to the member that planning legislation is not within my remit and it may be that, as well as having raised this with me previously quite rightly, she might want to talk to ministers who have that responsibility. I do appreciate that it is a matter of significant concern, both for the member and the community, but I will assure that my officials will closely engage with Police Scotland regarding shooting ranges in Estelle Muir valley. I understand that the police have already visited those ranges several times in recent months to assess their safety and operation and plan on doing so in the near future. Thank you. That is going to have to do with it, I am afraid, cabinet secretary. We move on to the next set of questions, portfolio, finance and economy. Again, if members want to ask a supplementary question, could they press their request-to-speak button or put an R in the chat function during the relevant question? Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support businesses in relation to developing a sustainable green economy. Businesses are crucial to achieving net zero and funding and technical support for businesses to develop. A sustainable green economy is being provided through enterprise and skills agencies. In advance of COP26, we have also targeted commitments to drive opportunities for Scottish businesses. For example, we have set out an additional £2 billion of infrastructure investment over this Parliament to stimulate demand and create jobs in the net zero transition, and that includes our £100 million green jobs fund, offering support to businesses to invest in green products and services and in research and development. Brian Whittle, I thank the minister for that answer. He will be aware of a recent report that says that half of Scottish businesses are yet to develop a net zero policy. I wonder if the cabinet secretary has promoted you there. I wonder if the minister agrees with me that the focus on new green jobs in the green economy forgets the importance of helping the current industry to become greener. That is just as important as the drive towards a green economy. Brian Whittle makes a number of valid points. It is really important that we all work together across the chamber to raise awareness of net zero among Scotland's business community, and they will be at the heart of this country's success in creating thousands of new green jobs and also achieving our targets. Of course, there is the race to zero, the commitment that we ask Scottish businesses to sign up to to achieve net zero. This is climate week, so we are using this week also to promote that message. All members may wish to do so locally as well in their constituencies. I thank the cabinet secretary for providing an update as to the Scottish Government's work to support workers in carbon-intensive sectors to upskill, re-skill and transition to the green jobs of the future. As Mr Kidd mentions, ensuring that people have good green jobs going forward is absolutely crucial to achieving our net zero targets and delivering a just transition. There are a number of measures in place. Of course, we have our climate emergency skills action plan, and from that we have the national transition training fund, which is funding a lot of programmes across the country to ensure that employees are able to re-train upskill for greener industries, if that is required. Of course, we just recently launched our green jobs skills academy as well, and the programme for government also had within it a commitment for a skills guarantee for anyone who is in a carbon-intensive industry who wishes to re-train for a lower carbon sector job as well. There are a number of initiatives under way, but this is absolutely the heart of a just transition to the people of Scotland. I think that I've got a supplementary after Mr Johnson. That is fine. We'll move on to question number two, Michelle Thomson. To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on agreeing the scope of the fiscal framework review scheduled for 2022 with the UK Government. Well, we are actively engaging with the UK Government and have been since December on options for the scope of the review, as well as the independent report, which precedes it. I personally believe that the review and the preceding report should be broad in scope to give full consideration to how the framework has performed and to assess how Brexit and the pandemic have impacted funding arrangements. I've been pushing for a meeting with the chief secretary to the Treasury to take place as quickly as possible to progress that. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. Recent research by the Fraser Valander Institute and others has noted that the UK Government, as she confirms, is seeking a very narrow scope to the review. Does the cabinet secretary agree what is needed is it to be broadened out, for example, to consider the sufficiency of capital borrowing powers and the policy risks that arise when UK Government decisions constrain the Scottish Government? I would strongly agree on the need for a broad scope. I think that that position is actually shared by quite a number of external stakeholders as well. Obviously, we have had a Parliament's worth of experience. We need to give proper consideration to how the framework is performing. I think that it is critical that the Scottish Parliament and the Government have in place appropriate powers and flexibilities in order to manage the risks that we face through the operation of the framework for responding to fast-evolving pressures and challenges and, obviously, tackling economic recovery. Can I ask the cabinet secretary what measures the Scottish Government is going to put in place to assist with improving the transparency in Scottish Government fiscal policy given the concerns that we heard at committee yesterday about the need for a much better understanding of the fiscal framework and audit Scotland's concerns about enhanced financial transparency? I think that it is a really important question from the member, because, obviously, the fiscal framework is still relatively new, the devaluation of tax powers is still relatively new, and it is important that we are as transparent as possible and help the public and, indeed, other stakeholders to understand how those things operate. Obviously, last year, we made a number of steps to aid that transparency, including an additional budget revision during the year and the publication of the medium-term financial strategy. However, I am open to suggestions, including from the finance committee, as to how that can be bolstered. I visited the yard and spoke directly to workers on 25 August. I also meet regularly with the chair and the turnaround director to monitor progress, most recently meeting on 17 August. I will meet again with the full board at the yard on 23 September. I thank the cabinet secretary for that reply. As the cabinet secretary will know, I am not just a local MSP but I grew up in the town and my father worked for the yard before he passed away. I am a huge supporter of the workforce and the yard and its future is bigger than one person. After yesterday's news about the two isle vessels, which is uncomfortable but not unexpected, will the cabinet secretary now instigate a change of management at the yard to ensure that the men and women who are fixing to be in Port Glasgow Limited have a future? Will she agree to meet with me to discuss the future of the yard? I certainly agree to meeting with the member and agree with the sentiment about how important it is to ensure a long-term future for the yard. Can I emphasise to the member that all our actions and decisions must be to ensure that those vessels are completed and that the yard has a long-term future? I weigh out all decisions within my own powers on that basis. Leadership does matter and I am monitoring progress at the yard closely through the board, who ultimately oversee operational matters and hold management accountable for performance. I will be meeting the board next week, as I said, and I have been crystal clear with the yard's management that I expect. No ifs, no buts, the two vessels to be completed and the yard to get into a position to compete successfully for tenders. I ask the finance secretary when is the turnaround director going to turn anything around at the yard and when is somebody's head going to roll over the shambles? On the basis of recent progress, we need to ensure that the two priorities that I have just outlined are met. The first is that those two vessels are completed. We have seen progress at the yard, but we still need to get those two vessels over the line. As I mentioned in my previous answer, having most recently visited the yard at the end of August and spoken directly to workers, I am confident that progress is being made. The second point in terms of the future opportunities, the yard has two substantial vessels to complete. This is not the last semal vessel. In fact, it is the first procurement of £580 million of investment over the next five years to bring new vessels into service, including up to seven new ships under phase one of the small vessel replacement programme. We have no role in line with normal procurement rules, but we want to ensure that the yard is in a position to compete successfully on an international basis when it comes to those tenders. The Government's announcement yesterday was a hammer blow for Scottish shipbuilding. It's about time that ministers took responsibility for the SNP's on-going ferries fiasco. Turning around Ferguson's means no more delays to current contracts and filling the order book again. To confirm, will the cabinet secretary rule out any further delays to Glen Sannock's and Halit too? Yes or no? Were existing delays a factor in Ferguson's not making the shortlist and will she publish the assessment criteria? Given public concern, will she suspend this process and consider again a direct award to the yard? There were a lot of questions in there, and I may not have got through all of them. On one of the points that the cabinet secretary mentioned, we should recognise that yesterday's announcement regarding two new vessels for ferry routes is an important and welcome addition. We know—certainly I do—representing island communities that rely on lifeline ferries, just how important it is to ensure that there are new ferries into those lifeline services. On the other questions that he asked, I monitor progress closely through the board. I regularly monitor that progress, and I have been absolutely crystal clear that we expect those two vessels to be delivered and for the yard to be in a position to compete. The turnaround director will update the committee at the end of September as previously set out. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding continuing atm use and accessibility. Whilst we are encouraged to use contactless payments due to the pandemic, we recognise that this is not always possible for everyone. Limited atm accessibility is a matter of great concern affecting many communities across Scotland. Scottish Government ministers engage regularly with the banking sector through bilateral ministerial meetings and the financial service industry advisory board FISAB, but the Scottish Government stands ready to work constructively with the UK Government banks and other stakeholders to ensure that customers, local communities and businesses have access to the banking facilities that they need. Can I ask the minister that I have been spoken to atm provider note machine, and it highlighted that higher rates paid by ATMs in Scotland have not been considered in the setting of interchange fees applied across the UK. That means that particular pressure on ATMs in Scotland means that more money has to be withdrawn per machine to meet costs, and that can cause real problems in poorer areas. Can the minister please advise on what interventions are open to the Scottish Government to assist in keeping the costs of these machines so that they remain equally available to communities across Scotland? The Scottish Government already delivers a number of release for ATMs sites, such as continuing to ensure that sites of ATMs in rural areas are exempt from rating, including buildings that have only used for that ATM, more widely up to 100 per cent racially through the small business bonus scheme. Each local council has wide-ranging powers to create rates release to reflect local needs under the Community Empowerment Scotland Act, shops that have an ATM inside may also be eligible for 100 per cent retail hospitality leisure and aviation relief in both 2021 and 2021-22. Further, I am meeting the CEO of the Financial Conduct Authority on Thursday 16 September, when I will be directly raising access to cash infrastructure. An alternative to ATMs for many has been to withdraw cash from the local post office, but we have also seen a large number of post office closures. How will the Government ensure our vulnerable and elderly can access their cash without being shortchanged by extortionate fees? The member will be aware that financial services are reserved and we continue to work with the UK Government and others to ensure that services are maintained, as I indicated in a meeting with the FCA shortly, and that will be a subject for discussion in terms of access to cash infrastructure across Scotland. The Finance Secretary plans to allocate the Barnett consequentials arising from the UK Government's recent announcement of additional funding for NHS England. We are passing all of health and care resource consequentials on to health and social care. We have sought urgent clarity from the UK Government as to the level of net additional consequentials that will arise from its recent announcement. Despite that request, it has not given a firm commitment as yet to the value of the consequentials and that it will be a net addition to the budget. I am sure that the member will join me in urging the UK Government to give that clarity and to ensure that it is additional. It is important, but the need for this question is best set out in the Audit Scotland report, published today, as indicated by Liz Smith. I ask the cabinet secretary to be specific. Will she commit to publishing a schedule of regular budget and spend updates that transparency demands, rather than have the chamber rely on ad hoc budget revisions? I thank the member for that question and I think that he makes a valid point around ensuring that Parliament is kept updated with progress on spend. It is why, last year, I tried to do additional budget revisions. I think that one of the challenges that we face that the Audit Scotland report alluded to is the fact that when announcements are made south of the border, often those figures are not actually confirmed until the main estimates. That could be very late on in the financial year, which makes it difficult for us to use those figures as estimates to make decisions without having the clarity that that figure is fixed. Last year, we obviously had the guarantee that helped, and I would call on the UK Government to reinstate that guarantee to help us to provide that transparency to Parliament. Last week, the SNP MPs and Westminster voted against the £1.1 billion of extra NHS funding. Even though our health services are in crisis and the SNP Government has called for more money from the UK Government, the SNP MPs refused to back an extra £1.1 billion of annual funding for Scotland's NHS and social services. Can the cabinet secretary explain why the SNP MPs voted against giving more money to the NHS and social care in Scotland? I think that the member somewhat mischaracterises last week, but the point that I would make to her is that if she can confirm that that money is indeed additional to our budget and that every penny will come to the Scottish Government, we will ensure that that goes directly on front-line spend. Of course, the issue that has been well documented with the rise of national insurance is that it will have a devastating impact across some of the most vulnerable families, working families. It is the first time that I have heard a Tory calling tax rises a union dividend. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with the education secretary regarding the allocation of additional funding to improve ventilation in schools and help produce the spread of Covid-19? We are in agreement—the education secretary and I are in agreement—that ventilation is one of the most important ways in which we can reduce the risk of airborne Covid-19 transmission and keep our schools as safe as possible. We are providing local authorities with an additional £10 million to ensure that schools and childcare settings have access to CO2 monitoring, and a previous allocation of £90 million of Covid-19 logistics funding was also provided to local authorities to use for improved ventilation. I am grateful for that answer and I welcome the comments, but obviously CO2 monitoring is not in relation to ventilation but in relation to a build-up of a gas that may indicate a risk of Covid. How is the Scottish Government measuring the effectiveness of the spend and will adequate funding be provided to local councils going forward so that the education estate can be maintained properly? For that question, which is a very legitimate and important question, a reporting mechanism has been established to track the progress of each authority, which is after agreement with local authorities. It covers four key areas and requests details on the purchase and supply of monitors, additional staff and our training requirements, building assessments and, most importantly, the impacts detailing any remedial action. Local authorities are keeping us updated with any significant developments, particularly on the identification of high-risk, poorly ventilated areas and, importantly, what remedial action they are taking. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with the health secretary regarding the allocation of additional funding for the Scottish Ambulance Service, who increased staffing and resources, particularly in rural and remote areas. As somebody who represents a rural and remote area, I know the importance of the question. Scotland's Ambulance Service has been under significant pressure due to the pandemic, with Ambulance staff at the forefront of our response. The service is currently carring out our national review of demand and capacity, which will ensure that the right resources are in place across the country, including in rural and remote areas to help meet present, but also, importantly, future demand. We have made available £10.5 million last year and £20 million this year to support that review, and that has already resulted in the north, gaining a total of 67 extra front-line staff, a mixture of experienced paramedics, newly qualified paramedics, technicians and patient transport staff. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I know that the same problems face her own constituency as I am. In my constituency of Aberdeenshire West, Braymar has had significant issues with ambulance services, which have had tragic consequences. I have been in contact with the Scottish Ambulance Service and Braymar Community Council, but a major issue is funding, and they are looking at the cost of purchasing a four-by-four caravale ambulance to replace the existing co-responder van. Can I ask, as it comes to this, that communities are now so abandoned by the Scottish Government that they must now fundraise for their own emergency services? Will the cabinet secretary endorse the use of the view that people in rural areas should think twice before calling 999? I will always represent people in rural areas, and I represent some of the most remote and rural areas in the country. The points that Alexander Burnett has raised will not all be solved through funding. I have already outlined the funding position. Obviously, coming up to next year's budget, I will be in discussions with the cabinet secretary on health and spend. Certainly, we have seen the ambulance service's budget rise in real terms by 17.7 per cent between 2011 and 2021. However, in light of the very serious issues that he raises, I am sure that if he were to raise that with the health secretary, then the health secretary would look into the specifics, and I would be happy to pass on a note as a result of this exchange. Can the minister assure us that the allocation of funds takes into account that the problem with ambulances in my area of south of Scotland being unavailable has been exacerbated by ambulance crews waiting at hospitals for record periods of time to hand over patients, and that fixing that problem requires greater staffing and resources at all points of the emergency service chain? I think that the member raises an important point about the integration of health and social care of the full service and making sure that investment in one part of the health service does often relieve pressure elsewhere. I know that that is a key theme when it comes to the remobilisation plan, and quite clearly when it comes to next year's budget, we will be looking very carefully right across the NHS health and social care to ensure that we are spending money in the right places to relieve pressures elsewhere. To ask the Scottish Government what discussion the finance secretary has had with the culture secretary regarding the allocation of funding for the culture, arts and events sector in light of the impact of Covid-19. We recognise the value of culture and its importance in our recovery, and that is why substantial funding was made available during Covid for businesses that work in the culture, arts and events sector. I have regular dialogues with the culture secretary as part of cabinet discussions, and those will be on-going as we prepare for next year's budget. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. A recent skill development Scotland skills assessment report on the creative industries forecast a GVA increase of 28 per cent in the sector by 2031 from the current level. This will be good news for my constituents in Edinburgh and Lothians, and for the economy more generally. Can the cabinet secretary outline how the Scottish Government will open up and increase career paths in the creative industries for those who are currently marginalised and excluded from these opportunities? For example, those from working-class backgrounds, from black and minority ethnic communities and from other underrepresented communities? I thank the member for that question, and it is a hugely important one. He reflects on the contribution that the culture sector makes to our economic performance, and that is one that we recognise and I hope will be reflected in our 10-year economic strategy, which will be published in the autumn. In terms of career paths, it is something that SDS needs to take seriously. We need to ensure that there are equal opportunities, and again, because it is not directly within my portfolio, I would be very happy to raise that with my colleague to ensure that he is raising those issues specifically with the member.