 Good morning. The first item of business today is general questions. We begin with question number one from Rona Mackay. To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to the family of Jack Tarsting Yo-Hal from Dumbarton in light of reports that has been held in prison in Punjab without charge and has faced torture. We are deeply concerned to learn about the detention of Jack Tarsting Yo-Hal, Mae gofyn perthuolaeth ysgol mwy o'u gyntaf o'r FFF. Rydw i'n fath o'u cyhoeddfa mwy o'r Sengfaeth yn ei wneud o'i hoffaeth o Dr Yr pequeño Gwysel i Llywodraeth Cymru yn cytuniau gyntaf o ddweud â hyffordd FFF. Rydw i'n mynd i ei bwysel i Llywodraeth Cymru i Llywodraeth Cymru i Llywodraeth Cymru i Llywodraeth i Llywodraeth Cymru i leidio gwysel i dweud i'ch pwy o ddweud o'u cyhoedd FfFM. fusiwys yn g opiniaid anecdadfa i ddiogelwch i Mr Yohraill a'r ddiogelwch i fynd i gyd. Runa Mcag. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Will the cabinet secretary commit to engaging with the United Kingdom Government to ensure that everything possible is being done to secure his wellbeing and release? The Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with the foreign common office, and will continue to raise with them with regards to this very serious case. Jackie Baillie? The cabinet secretary will be aware that Mr Johal was visiting India to attend his wedding. For the first 10 days, he was denied access to lawyers, British High Commissioner representatives and indeed his family. He has not been charged. He remains in police custody and is continuing to be mistreated by the Indian authorities. I appreciate the representations that are made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, but would I urge the cabinet secretary to make urgent representations to the High Commissioner of India and to use any diplomatic channels open to the Scottish Government to secure his release? We are very aware of the seriousness of the case and indeed the reports and allegations. We are very pleased that Mark Field, the Minister of State for Asia and the specific, has agreed to meet him with a local MP, Martin Hughes Doherty and the family of Mr Johal. I am sure that those points that are being made will be presented during that discussion. The diplomatic approaches, as the member will well know, can be an opportunity to see progress in some areas, but sometimes the diplomacy of it might mean that we have to work with others to understand the correct and most useful way to make sure that progress is made. Brian Whittle To ask the Scottish Government what analysis is carried out of the economic importance of the port of Cairnryan to the south-west of Scotland and nationally? We recognise the important role that the ports at Cairnryan play in supporting the economy of the south-west region in Scotland as a whole, as part of advanced work in relation to the commitment to commence the strategic transport projects review. In south-west Scotland, Transport Scotland has well commissioned consultants to undertake a specialist survey and analysis of road-based freight using the A75 and A77. That includes estimating the value of goods being carried through the ports, which will aid analysis of the economic value of the ports to Scotland. Brian Whittle If one looks around other ports in the UK that have attracted significant investment to help road accessibility, there are obvious examples, including £125 million M6 link road at Hirsham and a £500 million A55 upgrade for the Holyhead port. An assessment was made at Hirsham that, for every pound invested in the new Hirsham link road, will earn £4.40 for the local economy. Will the minister take that into consideration and look at the secure the long-term future of the ports of Cairnryan? Yes, we will. It is part of the wider study that we are doing around the south-west that will certainly take the economic importance, but also the important point that the member makes, which the A77 action group made to me, which I know he was present at that meeting, is others, where, too, we do not want to lose the competitive advantage of the ports at Cairnryan. I am very aware of that, and that will certainly be part of the consideration of the wider appraisal study that we are going to commence around the south-west region. Emma Harper To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it has taken to end the illegal trade in Puppies. Roseanna Cunningham I addressed the SSPCA event on the impact of the dog trade on Canine welfare on 9 November. The final report of the Scottish Government-funded research on the sourcing of pet dogs from illegal importation and puppy farms was presented to the event. We are taking the recommendations of this research forward and to work with charities and enforcement agencies to create a robust strategy to combat the illegal dog trade and puppy farming. The concerns are on increasing public awareness of the dangers of buying animals on impulse without knowing where they came from. Initial discussions on the responses to the consultation on the non-commercial movement of pet animals order 2011, which controls the import of pets from outside the UK, have already taken place. The Scottish Government will continue to be involved in all further discussions with DEFRA and the Welsh Government over the coming months on completion of the review and on any future policy development on pet travel into the UK. Emma Harper I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I am interested to understand that there are additional recommendations contained in the Scottish Government commissioned report from Sheffield University. What additional recommendations does she think should be implemented as a priority? We think that our priority should be to work to ensure that the public fully understands the risks involved in buying puppies, which have been illegally imported or bred by those whose sole interest is making money and who have cautious callous disregard for animal welfare. We are going to work with partners to change buyer's behaviour and to reduce financial gain to this pretty reprehensible trade. We will also continue to support collaborative working between enforcement agencies. There are a number of other recommendations that we will include as we take forward commitments that are made in the programme for government. Ruth Maguire I agree that, given the stress caused to seized puppies, which have to be kept in SSPCA kennels, at substantial cost to the charity for the duration of the court case, which can sometimes be years, there is an animal welfare case for exploring a different approach to the cases of illegally trafficked puppies. Could she explain what action the Scottish Government could take to improve the current situation? Ruth Maguire I will have heard the indications that I have already given to Emma Harper. It is the case that rescuers such as the SSPCA provide a very high standard of care for seized puppies and the Scottish Government is keen to identify ways in which the cost to such rescuers might be reduced. There is also a cost, not just in financial terms, because a lot of those puppies require to be put down as a result of the circumstances in which they have been born. That is a great sadness. I want to re-emphasise the importance, particularly as we head towards Christmas, of people understanding that there are a lot of dogs awaiting new homes and rescue centres up and down the country, and we really need to urge people, considering getting a dog, to look at rehoming at first option rather than to continue the reprehensible trade that we are seeing currently. Andy Wightman To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to enable the public to find out who owns land and property in Scotland. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Roseanna Cunningham. As a member will be aware, in the vast majority of cases it is possible to determine the legal owner of land in Scotland from the land register or the register of saizines. Scottish ministers have invited the keeper of the registers of Scotland to complete the land register by 2024. Andy Wightman I declare an interest as the operator of the Who Owns Scotland website. A constituent of mine is trying to find out who owns five short-term lets in her tenement. She faces a £150 fee to find out information that is freely available in other jurisdictions. In October 2015, John Swinney approved the creation of Scotland's land and information service. It went live this month, but consists of only a basic directory of addresses, searchable by postcodes and with a £30 fee. Today is the deadline for implementing the 2007 EU-inspired directive, yet the Scottish Government has failed to implement it in relation to cadastral parcels. When will the inspired directive be implemented? When will Scotland be functionals? Will ministers open up the registers of Scotland to be free to view? Will the Scottish Government follow the UK Government's plans, confirmed yesterday by the chancellor, to create a free-to-view open land data platform to allow the people of Scotland to find out who owns their country? Angela Constance We will be looking closely at what the outcomes of yesterday's announcements in the House of Commons are, and whether or not any reconsideration should be given to what is available in Scotland. As the member knows, there is considerable amount of work being done in respect of registers in Scotland, not least of which bringing in the register of controlling interests in land. I am happy to speak directly to the member myself in respect of that, or perhaps more appropriately, to suggest that he contact Keith Brown, who is the cabinet secretary who has the most direct responsibility for the land register. David Stewart To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position and whether it should be a pedestrian and vehicle ferry service between Gwyrrych and Dynun town centres. Humza Yousaf The Government's programme for Scotland in 2017-18 stated that we would continue with a number of initiatives to further enhance and improve Scotland's ferry services, including the support of the town centre to town centre in Gwyrrych to Dynun ferry service. We also committed to reviewing ferry services procurement policy and subsequently putting in place arrangements for the long-term delivery of our supported services. The Scottish Government will shortly publish an interim report on the emerging findings from our on-going policy review into the future procurement of Scottish Government-funded ferry services. The report will outline implications for each of our lifeline ferry services, including the Gwyrrych to Dynun town centre route. Keith Brown Will the minister join me in welcoming to the gallery this afternoon the Dynun to Gwyrrych ferry action group? When will the minister make a decision on the new tender? Can I urge him to use the tickle exemption to directly award the contract to the David McGrane group, wholly owned by Scottish ministers? Finally, in the meantime, could I urge him to contact CalMac to allocate the MV Carousc to the route over the winter? I will certainly look at his final request and discuss that with CalMac in terms of the MV Carousc. You will know that over the winter months, dry docking and maintenance of course of the fleet is essential. If he leaves that with me, I will respond to him. Of course, I welcome the ferry action group here. As I said in my previous answer, the interim report into the tickle exemption, which I must applaud the member for leading the drive on, will be announced in the next coming few weeks. He and I share an ambition that we would prefer to have our ferry services directly awarded by an in-house provider. However, he knows that we have to go through the state aid, particularly the Altmark IV criteria, in order to satisfy that. My interim report in the next few weeks, of course, will be of interest to him, and I will outline how we will take forward the Gwric to Dynun town centre route in that report. The minister will be aware of the on-going problems with the Colcragin to Górick ferry, which is affecting numerous businesses, commuters and people travelling for medical appointments from the peninsula. Can the minister confirm that the Scottish Government is looking at transferring the contract for the Colcragin ferry to Transport Scotland and to maintain it as a separate contract from the Gwric to Dynun service, now that the song of the Colcragin ferry has been had its debut on television this week? The Gwric to Colcragin ferry is, of course, the responsibility of SPT. We have had discussions with it about the potential transfer of that. The rules around the criteria that have to be met in order of the transfer of the ferry are outlined in the ferry's plan. I have had a good and productive discussion with the chair of SPT, Councillor Martin Bartos. We are awaiting further information from SPT, but I must make the point once again that it is the responsibility of SPT, but I am more than happy to update Parliament as those discussions continue. If I am right in saying that there is a member's debate shortly in this Parliament, I am sure that we can furnish the Parliament with more details. To ask the Scottish Government what further progress has been made with the implementation of the Alcohol Minimum Pricing Scotland Act 2012. I suppose that I might reasonably say since Tuesday. As members already know, I am delighted to remind them that last week the UK Supreme Court ruled that minimum unit pricing for alcohol can now proceed. This is a measure that was passed overwhelmingly by the Scottish Parliament in 2012, and we should recognise the global significance of the ruling for other public health measures. Once again, Scotland is leading the way, and we should all be proud to be at the forefront of such pioneering and life-saving policies. On Tuesday, I set out a timetable for implementation after a long delay. Now is the time for action. I thank the cabinet secretary for those remarks and associate conservators with them. Through no fault of the cabinet secretary and because of the extended legal process that took place, we will be introducing alcohol minimum unit pricing at the point when we might otherwise have expected to be considering the evaluation under the sunset clause five years into its implementation. On Tuesday, there were calls from all sides of the chamber, including her own, for her to consider whether the level of minimum unit price that is now being set is appropriate. Given that it was set five years ago, will it be appropriate 11 years later and will she consider to reflect on whether or not at least compound inflation in the period since the bill was passed might more appropriately be reflected in the price that is now set? To Jackson Carlaw, as I said in my statement on Tuesday, a consultation will be issued at the beginning of December and will run for eight weeks. The consultation will be both on price and the business and regulatory impact assessment. Of course, we will listen to the representations made. However, we are clear that all the modelling that has been done and the evidence base that has been presented has been based on the £0.50 minimum unit price. Therefore, the Government is of the view that we should proceed with that £0.50 minimum unit price. Of course, we are consulting and we always listen to the views that will come back in consultations, including that one. Jackson Carlaw, as many members in this chamber will have the opportunity, if they so wish, to input into that consultation. I encourage him and others to do so. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that the Scottish Government will engage with retailers to ensure that they are involved in the implementation process? Yes, I can confirm that to Richard Lyle. We are keen to ensure that the views of retailers are taken on board. We want to work with them around the detail now of implementation. We believe that the timeframe set out with the commencement of 1 May 2018 gives enough time for retailers to put the plan into action and make any changes that they need to make. We will work with them on the detail and get that under way as soon as possible. To ask the Scottish Government how its draft budget proposals will take account of the needs, opportunities and population growth of Edinburgh. The draft budget proposals that will bring forward to the Scottish Parliament will provide the resources that are necessary to deliver the bold vision that is set out in the programme for government and balance the impact of UK austerity with the need to protect public services and strengthen the social contract. People across Scotland, including those in Edinburgh, will benefit from our commitment to expand early learning and childcare, raise standards in schools and close the attainment gap, deliver affordable housing investment, protect the police budget in real terms and increase the health budget. In addition, funding for the Edinburgh to Glasgow rail improvement programme and the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region deal will help to transform the region's economy and provide opportunities for all areas to grow with investments in housing, innovation, transport, skills and culture. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and warmly welcome his support for our capital city. The cabinet secretary will also be aware that Tory UK government austerity and particularly welfare reform has led to increased instances of homelessness in the capital. Can I therefore ask what consideration will be given in the draft budget proposals to help to tackle homelessness in Edinburgh and across Scotland? First of all, it is clear that the chancellor set out a position on a pilot in terms of a homelessness task force and outlined figures of some £28 million investment elsewhere. I understand that there are no consequentials from this coming to Scotland, but what we are able to do is, in understanding the impact on welfare cuts at the hands of the UK Tory government, causing such major hardship, we have established a homelessness and rough sleeping action group to eradicate rough sleeping and transform temporary accommodation. However, the Government will also support that initiative by creating the £50 million ending homelessness together fund over the next five years. To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that there are no fire station closures during the current parliamentary session. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service plays a vital role in protecting communities across Scotland. Since the establishment of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in 2013, there have been no compulsory redundancies and no closure of any fire stations. This year, 100 new firefighters have been recruited, and the overall budget for the SFRS has increased by £21.7 million to support investment in equipment and resources. No decisions have been made on what transformation would look like, and the transformation process will involve liaison and discussion with staff, partners and the public. If everything in the garden was rosy, why did the minister not go out and speak to firefighters today, who are demonstrating outside this Parliament, concerned for their jobs, their fire stations and the safety of the communities in which they serve? Well, Chris McLoan, Denise Christie and the whole of the FBU team know that my door is always open, Mr Finlay, but I am sure that the member will be interested to know that, in fact, the SFRS is proceeding with a new recruitment round for 300 whole-time firefighters, which round is to open on 30 November and on the key issue of resource. If it is wrong for the UK Government to take that off the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service going forwards, surely it is wrong for the UK Government to hold on to the £40 million worth of that, it has already deprived the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service off. So, Presiding Officer, I will say to the UK Chancellor, give us the money back.