 Mae ydw iín cyfle i ddiogel ein gweithreit sydd gennych gweithreit, ac yn gweld y cwylwgr 10. Mae'r rhannog yn ymaren. Nid i gael i ddim yn amlion y casun peir. Yn amlion i ddim yn amlion i ddim yn gweithreit mewn prifio, es i ddim yn gweithreit yr hunonydd ar gael i ddim yn ei unrhyw ar gyfer gweithreit a'r ein fan weithi i gynnyddio reid yn rhywun iawn i gynnyddio ar y rhai mwyau i ddadwng. Y prôl maen nhw'n rhoi'r ffordd i gennydiadiau i gyd yn ymweld i'r ddweud o barthau i y gwweith yn gwni iピwgol a gallu arbennigiau. Fel y maen nhw'n r hyn o'r youtube iddyn nhw'n rhoi arlau y cwm sixon. Mae'r dweud y dweud i gwirio i gyrwydd yng Nghymru, yr ymweld i'r eigol rwyntur ar gyfer y tribwysiadau unrhyngau yng Nghymru. Gareth Steelenson Ieisco Brite has more than 20 recognised reading skills, including the gold, accredited St Andrews and St Brite's high. Initiatives such as that and Read, Write, Count are helping attainment by building parents' confidence in supplying books and activities for children. However, while the Scottish Government does this good work, Labour-run South Lanarkshire Council are threatening to close Greenhouse Live Day and Community Hall, widely used by reading groups and toddler groups. In my view, that would potentially increase the poverty-related attainment gap. Does the minister share my concerns and those of the 1,700 locals that have signed a petition against it, that the Labour-run councils proposals will be bad for the community and can reiterate the benefits of the Scottish Government's budget to South Lanarkshire Council? I do understand the member's concerns and those of her constituents as she is uptickially, because library services are a vital and valued community resource. In relation to the budget question, in 2024-25, South Lanarkshire Council received £742.7 million to fund local services, which equates to an extra £45.9 million to support vital day-to-day provision, or an additional 6.6 per cent, compared to 2023-24. While those are ultimately decisions for the council to take, the Government is providing a fair funding settlement, despite the cuts to our budget. 2. Rachael Hamilton The Ask the Scottish Government water assessment has made of the potential impact of the £58.7 million reduction to the college operational expenditure budget for 2024-25 on the Ettrick Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency. The Scottish budget allocates funding to the college sector as a whole. Indicative funding allocations for colleges are expected to be set out by the Scottish FFC in spring 2024, as is normally the case. Once allocations are published, each college will know its position and therefore be able to consider any impact. Although I know that individual colleges are already working on projections based on a working assumption of flat cash or a site reduction, the Scottish FFC is endeavouring to deliver a core teaching funding allocation that is as close as possible to core teaching funding that colleges have received in 2023-24. 2. Rachael Hamilton I thank the minister for that answer. Colleges like boarders college in my constituency play a vital role to communities by upskilling future generations. As a direct result of those resource spending cuts, students will now see their learning opportunities diminish. Colleges will have to make tough choices about what subjects they can offer, which staff to keep and, crucially, how many students they can offer places to. The minister can make all the excuses that he wants, but it is clear that the SNP have either forgotten about the importance of colleges or they just don't care about the minister. Which one is it? The Minister The usual crocodile tears for the Tories, because let's not forget where the budget problems are coming from Westminster. We are involved in detailed direct discussions with the colleges about their future budgets and the impacts of those, as are the SNP. I do say to the member that there is detailed engagement with the colleges about the long-term future through the reform agenda to try to ensure that not only does the future provision meet the needs of employers, the economy and learners at a national level, but also more locally. We take account of the fact that delivering in areas such as the borders can come at a greater cost than other parts of the country. There is considerable work going on here directly with colleges. Emma Harper Despite a challenge in a difficult financial climate created by irresponsible and reckless Conservative fiscal policy, I welcome that the Scottish Government has increased investment in education on skills budget by £128 million. In respect of college budgets, can the minister share how the starting position for 2024-25 compares to the end position for 2023-24? As I said a moment ago, the aim here is that the funds that are available at the start of 2024-25 financial yield will be very similar to the funds that were invested in the colleges and the current financial year. That is despite an incredibly challenging financial set of circumstances. We are doing everything that we can to support our colleges and universities, recognising the extraordinary impact that they have on our economy and society and the pivotal future roles that we see for them both. Kevin Stewart To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the operations of the Parole Board for Scotland. I recognise the critical role of the Parole Board for Scotland and the role that plays in our justice system. The Scottish Government works with the independent Parole Board for Scotland in support of its statutory functions. That includes, for example, reviewing and updating the Parole Board rules to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. Those rules were updated in 2021 and 2022. There are no current plans for a further review of the rules at this stage, but I keep that under close and careful consideration. As the member will appreciate decisions by the Parole Board in the exercise of its statutory functions at the independent of the Scottish Minister, I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. This Parliament recently updated the rules for the Parole Board, including giving victims certain rights that dictate what the Parole Board must do, but the Parliament also gave the board wider powers that it could use. Is the cabinet secretary content that the board is doing everything that it can possibly do for victims, rather than limiting itself to what it must do? It is critical that the views of victims are heard at all stages in the justice system, and that includes parole. No part of the justice system is beyond scrutiny or challenge, particularly when it comes to what more we can do to support victims. As highlighted, the Parole Board rules were updated in 2021 and 2022. That means that victims or family members of victims can apply to the Parole Board of Scotland to observe hearings. Of course, that is a matter for the legal chair, but the legal chair has facilitated that on many occasions. That also builds on the existing rights of victims to make representations in writing or verbally to members of the Parole Board before decisions are made. Of course, there is the valuable work undertaken by the victims team that sits within Parole Scotland. I am conscious that I have outstanding correspondence to the member in relation to victims' rights vis-à-vis those wider powers that he references. Question 4, Stephen Kerr. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of its current relationship with local authorities. The Scottish Government recognises the value that local government contributes to delivering vital services across the country. Since the signing of the Verity House agreement in June last year, good progress has been made and there are a number of positive examples of collaborative working between central and local government. Through my monthly relationship meetings with the COSLA presidential team, we jointly reviewed the progress on our collaborative working on an on-going basis. First Minister and Deputy First Minister met with the COSLA presidential team last week to discuss the importance of our relationships and the DFM, and I met with COSLA political leaders just yesterday. Stephen Kerr. That was an optimistic response from the minister because everybody knows that the Verity House agreement is dead in the water. We have all seen the letter from the Deputy First Minister that was sent some time yesterday, true to form, and was leaked to the daily record. So much, then, for their full-funded council tax freeze if she thinks, if he thinks and if the Deputy First Minister thinks that this shows a functioning working relationship between the SNP Government and local government, she is mistaken. Some councils are setting their budgets. Today some set them last week. Does he not agree that, by the chaos that his Government has created through the Scottish Government budget process, he and the rest of the Government have shown their complete disdain for local democracy? Minister. No, I don't, and I'm surprised by the member's question around the council tax freeze, because I thought that the Conservatives supported the council tax freeze. I certainly know that the people of Scotland support the council tax freeze. The Scottish Government believes that there is a time when rising prices are putting significant strain on household finances, largely caused by the actions of his UK Government. The freeze will give some certainty to the household over the coming years. I think that it's really important to remember that, as a proportion of income, council tax payers on the lowest incomes will benefit the most from the council tax freeze, and when taking alongside our income tax policies, it is independently recognised as being progressive. Mark Griffin. Thank you, Presiding Officer. In an attempt to repair the damage relationship with local government, it's been reported, as Mr Kerr says, that the cabinet secretary has offered to restore the £63 million previously cut from council budgets. Can I ask the minister if that funding restoration is also dependent on councils agreeing the council tax freeze? The Deputy First Minister previously indicated that, subject to the UK budget next week, there will be £45 million of consequentials coming from the UK Government's decision to give some additional very ring-fence funding to local government there. The Deputy First Minister has announced that she wants to increase that to nearly £63 million. The big challenge is to make sure that money is real. I call on colleagues across the chamber to demand that the UK chancellor make sure that the budget on 6 March is a budget that protects services and does not give more tax cuts to the wealthy. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that railway infrastructure is safe and fit for the future. Safety of the railway is a key priority for Scottish ministers, though it is ultimately a matter reserved to the UK Government. The independent rail regulator, the ORR, is responsible for ensuring that network rail meets its safety responsibilities and determines the appropriate funding. The Scottish Government has fully funded network rail Scotland in line with the ORR's recommendations and is investing record sums in rail with total funding for the rail sector in Scotland of £1.6 billion in 2024-25. That compares to pre-pandemic levels of some £0.9 billion to £1 billion. Paul Sweeney The minister for that response. Springburn railway station does not offer step-free access, making it inaccessible for wheelchair users. The Scottish Government must do all within its gift to ensure equal access to Scotland's railway. Will the minister make representation to the Department for Transport to Press for access for all scheme funding for control period seven so that much-needed improvements can be made at last to Springburn railway station? I understand the member has just written to me. I think I've just replied or it might be a question. As he recognised, this is an accessibility programme and funding that he has alluded to is the responsibility of the UK Government. I, like him, will make sure that my discussions with both network rail and the ORR and the others to make sure that accessibility is a key priority. Indeed, I'm just leaving this session in Parliament this afternoon to have a meeting with mobility and access groups. Brief supplementary, Jackie Dunbar. A train derailment on the Aberdeen to Dundee line at Carmont in 2020 tragically saw the three lives lost. Can I ask the minister to outline what work has been done to improve safety and resilience on the Aberdeen to Dundee line? Our thoughts remain first and foremost with all those affected by that tragic accident at Carmont. While rail safety, as I've said, is reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish ministers are committed to doing everything we can to help to prevent accidents and ensure that passengers travel safely on our rail network. Network rail, which has overall responsibility for the network, is addressing the infrastructure recommendations set out in the rail accident investigation branch's report, which followed the tragic derailment. For example, there's better management of civil engineering construction activities by network rail and it's contracted. There's improved operational responses to extreme rainfall events, utilising the full capability of modern technology and based on a detailed understanding of the risk associated with extreme rainfall, as well as other matters, and we are fully funding, as I said, that maintenance and future proofing has set out my previous answer. Very grateful, Presiding Officer. The Class 43 high-speed trains were, in the report into Carmont, partially thought to be responsible for the consequences. Transport Minister, when will the Class 43 be replaced? The question of infrastructure covers obviously the infrastructure on the network and then the member is referring to the fleet itself. I would refer the member to the reports into Carmont in relation to the fleet itself. I've had discussions with the unions and indeed with ScotRail in terms of the future provision, as he might be aware. We are looking very carefully at the timing and when, in relation to other matters, that that fleet would be replaced. To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, and in light of the Supreme Court ruling that the Scottish Parliament cannot legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence, the reason for its position that there should not be a referendum at this stage on the powers of the Scottish Parliament? In line with the mandate that was secured democratically at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the Scottish Government was told that the referendum on Scottish independence would lead to Scottish independence rather than the referendum on the powers of the Scottish Parliament short of that. For this reason, at this stage, we have not planned to hold such a referendum, where any proposal for such emerges will give it proper consideration. Through our building a new Scotland series of prospectus papers, we continue to set out the positive case for independence as an alternative to the broken Brexit Britain now in recession, supported by the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats. This will be 10 years since the independence referendum, 10 years of a majority Government. With respect, Minister, papers can be produced by anyone. What the independence movement wants at this point is action. Time is of the essence, and the Government should embrace the opportunity to give Scots the power to tell the world that they want the Scottish Parliament to negotiate for and legislate for independence. If they do not, this entire five-year parliamentary term will have been wasted. Perhaps the minister can enlighten us. What is the point of a pro-independence majority if it is not used to pursue independence? Of course, that is exactly what we are doing, and with respect to Ms Reagan, I have literally just said that. We do not even have a draft proposal with the consequential consultation that would come, let alone a final proposal before this point, but I have said that if that emerges, we will give it full consideration. Of course, the manifesto, which I stood on, which she stood on as well, said that we should have a referendum. We have that mandate, and that should be respected. We also set out that we would take forward the work that we have taken through the Billing and New Scotland series of prospectus papers. I have brought four debates to this chamber on the Bans paper on the written constitution of 27 June last year and the migration of 14 November last year on Scotland's place in the EU on 30 January this year, on social security on 20 February this year. I know that the member has not been able to take part in any of those debates yet, but the good news is that she and all members of this place will have the opportunity to do so in the future, because we are going to continue to take forward that work. I am very grateful to ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister's reported comments, that it is, quote, has to go further to ensure that plans to radically reform how young people are cared for in Scotland are realised, whether it has identified what steps it will take to achieve this. Minister Natalie Donne. The Scottish Government is clear on our commitment to keep the promise, and we have made really good progress, but of course there is always further that we can go. Action is under way across ministerial portfolios, including progress to stage 3 of the Children's Care and Justice Bill, engagement on our commitment to a £2,000 care leaver payment, investment in prevention through whole family wellbeing. In the last year, I have seen many great examples of transformational activity across Scotland in education, justice and children's services, and I have been clear that where it is required, I want to see that best practice shared and replicated across Scotland. In terms of moving forward, the Scottish Government will publish a review of our promise implementation plan this spring to update on the actions and commitments under way. Martin Whitfield. I am very grateful for that response. Last Friday, was of course Care Day, the biggest celebration of care experience children around the world. But who cares Scotland's recent report highlights at least amber, if not red, with some of the things that we are trying to achieve. An absence rate of 83 per cent among social workers in one local authority concerns about restraint, concerns about informal school exclusions, concerns about data. Scotland will keep the promise, but when will Scotland see the illuminated path to achieving it in the time that we have promised? I thank the member for that question. Equally, I am thankful for the Who Care Scotland report, which highlighted those areas where further work is required. We are absolutely determined to drive forward the transformational change that is required to keep the promise. I fully believe that the actions that this Government has are and will take, will help us to achieve that. As well as the areas that I have already mentioned, and specifically in relation to Mr Whitfield's points, we are seeing clear progress across a number of areas, such as the increase in the numbers of virtual headteachers across Scotland, a model that is showing real progress in reducing exclusions. We have had the publication of the hearings for children redesign report, and the member I am sure will be aware of the Government response to that. In terms of data, we have seen progress, but I am willing to discuss any areas of concern with the member. That concludes general questions. Before we move to First Minister's Questions, I invite members to join me in welcoming to the gallery Hannah Neyber, President of the State Parliament of Lower Saxony.