 Rwy'n gweithio i ddechrau ar gyflogau cymdeithasol yn ymddangos. Ar y dyfodol ystod oedd yn gweithio i'r ymddangos ymddangos Stuart Stevenson. Felly i ddechrau i gwybod i'r cyfnodau, fel y cyfnodau o'r ffeeleuadau o'r cyfnodau cyntaf i'r cyfnodau cyfnodau ar Gwysigol yn Stfergus. Yr ysgrifennu Paul Wheelhouse, mae'n holl ffordd acor yn CCS, aeth ynglyn â'u ffordd yn Aberdeen i 10 seftymbr 2017. The launch will signal the formal start of the feasibility stage of the project, which is anticipated to last 18 months. The ACORN project is managed by Pale Blue Dot and Energy Transition Consultancy, based in Banqueray, Aberdeenshire. Stuart Stevenson, I welcome the commitment of the Scottish Government to the St Fergus project. Does the minister share my disappointment to the UK Government's anti-carbon caption storage in action at St Fergus and the proactively hostile actions regarding it at Peterhead? Does that put at risk an opportunity that will not only benefit the environment that creates jobs and boosts the economy right across Scotland? I certainly agree with Stuart Stevenson's assessment that the UK Government's decision to scrap the previous £1 billion carbon caption storage programme, which of course included a strong commitment at that point to Peterhead, has been a disgrace and a lost opportunity for Scotland and indeed the UK. Had the competition been allowed to run its course, the world's first commercial scale gas-powered CCS plant could have been built in Peterhead, and the world's attention would have been drawn to the UK and Scotland as a trailblazer in this technology. Unfortunately, the first mover advantage has been to some extent lost and would undoubtedly have attracted significant investment to the UK and brought it further opportunities for job creation skills development and positioned the UK with the potential to take its place as a supply chain for Europe in this important technology. It is worth stressing that the need for CCS remains and in the fact that the international panel on climate change says that it would cost 138 per cent more to achieve a two-degree Celsius climate change mitigation scenario without carbon caption storage. Despite the clear need for CCS, all UK Government efforts to date to bring forward this technology have failed. Given the track record of failure and the rest of the UK, it is certainly a failure as well. It is now essential that the UK Government set out a clear and robust policy framework, hopefully working with the Scottish Government and others who want to support the technology and set that out in their soon-to-be-published UK clean growth plan. Peter Chapman I remind the chamber of my register of interest. To ask the Scottish Government what policies it is implementing to support the development and progression of the farming industry. Fergus Ewing The Scottish Government currently implements the common agricultural policy in Scotland using the flexibilities available in the EU regulations to deliver a CAP that best supports Scotland's farmers and crofters. Since being re-elected, the Government has developed and progressed a range of policies to help support Scotland's farming industry, including paying around £65.5 million per annum in ELFAS's less favoured area payments, and committing £99 million to 1,417 businesses under the agri-environment and climate change scheme since the scheme opened, and introducing initiatives such as the Women in Agriculture Task Force. Peter Chapman I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I welcomed the ambition 2030 to grow our food and drink industry and double it by 2030. What could that mean for our fantastic food and drink industry? However, that strategy does not mention a single policy that provides support for the profitability and sustainability of our farmers. Can I ask the Government what it is doing to rebalance the food chain to ensure that the producer gets a fairer share of the consumer spend for the high-quality produce that they produce? Michael Russell The Scottish Food and Drink sector promotes and wishes to see even more success in the sales of fine Scottish farm produce, and works very closely with the Scottish Government. We work very closely with the sector. Just yesterday, I met the NFUS president once again, so I think that it is a bit churlish not to recognise the good work that Scotland food and drink do quite frankly. Of course, as I said in the debate last week, we want to see farmers receive more credit for the excellent work that they do. They produce fine-quality food. They are the custodians of our landscape. However, I have to say, and I will be putting this point to Mr Gove when I meet him on Monday, that the lack of clarity about continued payment after £219 to Scotland's hill farmers—over 12,000 of them—could, as I explained to Mr Gove, when I had a briefing with him at the Royal Highland show in June, lead to thousands and thousands of hill farmers being forced out of business. That would be a catastrophe for Scotland. I hope that, at long last, the UK Government can start to do its day job on this matter and give some absolutely clear-cut assurances that hill farmers, in particular in Scotland, have been waiting for for far too long. The chamber will be aware that convergence funding was earned in Scotland due to our average per hectare rate that brought the UK-wide average below the 90 per cent qualifying threshold. Can the Scottish Government confirm, if it has received any guarantee from the UK Government, that it plans to pass on the EU convergence uplift funding to Scotland? That is a very serious issue. The UK received £190 million, and only because Scotland's farmers received 45 per cent of the EU average per hectare, that money was intended for Scotland and only for Scotland's farmers who received far, far less than any other farmers in the UK per hectare. The UK Government Minister has promised a review of that, and every single one of them has broken that pledge. When I raised that with Andrea Ledson last October, she promised that she would reply quickly. No reply has been received. Again, as you may expect, I will be raising that on Monday with Mr Goff. That money is due to Scotland's hill farmers. It is worth around £14,000 to each hill farmer in Scotland. That money was taken by the UK Government. It is Scotland's money, and we want it back. Miles Briggs The Scottish Government is taking to improve access at Waverley station for disabled, blind and visually impaired people. Minister Humza Yousaf The Scottish Government continues to encourage Network Rail, who manage Waverley station and ScotRail, to work closely with the station stakeholder group that has been set up to build on the access improvements that have been achieved over the recent years. I know from my meeting with the station group in March that more can be done, and that is why I recently asked Network Rail to convene a further meeting of the station group to explain recent developments and a wide range of on-going issues that have particular impact on disabled passengers. As Mr Briggs is aware, the group met on 17 September, and those involved will continue to work through the detail of any unresolved matters. Miles Briggs Is the minister aware of the level of anger and frustration among blind and disabled rail users and members of the city's access panel that Network Rail's planned taxi rank for New Street carpark will now not take place? Given the importance that the minister gave to the accessible travel framework that he launched last year, will he agree to intervene and demand that those plans to improve access for disabled and visually-paired people are developed? Will he reconsider his decision to refuse to meet with me and the city access panel, who have identified urgent action points that would improve access at the station right now for vulnerable travellers? Can I recognise Miles Briggs? Many MSPs, such as Ash Denham, are involved in the issue. One of paramount importance is to put some context that he left out in his answer. Of course, as I said, Network Rail's reclassified body under the Department for Transport is responsible for managing Waverley station, but the reason why the New Street carpark proposal is not going ahead as planned in 2017 is because of significant remedial work that City of Edinburgh Council now requires to Northbridge. It says that access to Northbridge will come in through New Street. I am disappointed just as he is. I can understand the anger, I can understand the frustration, but he will agree with me that I am sure that the safety of passengers is paramount. If there is remedial work that is needed to be done at Northbridge via the New Street access, he will agree that that priority is, of course, important. That is not to say that the issues, the concerns that the stakeholder group has, that the member has are equally as important. Of course, I am more than happy. I would take some issue with him to say that I refuse to meet. I simply suggested that he should meet with Network Rail, because it, of course, manages the station and the Edinburgh City Council to understand a little bit more. If he wishes to meet with me, of course I am more than happy to meet with him and to discuss this issue further. Christine Grahame Thank you, Presiding Officer. Is the minister aware, as I am, through my constituency mailbox that there are difficulties for disabled passengers in the Borders railway, which terminates in one direction outweaverly? That is also in part due to the age of 158 rolling stock. Can he advise me when that rolling stock will be coming down the line in providing better carriages? Michael Matheson Again, I recognise the member's interest in this, and she has been in contact with me previously. What I would say is that 26 of the fleet of 40 of the 158s, which are the most operated on the Borders route, have already been upgraded to meet the requirement for the persons with reduced mobility, including fitting two dedicated wheelchair spaces, companion seating, call for aid buttons, enhanced universal access, accessible toilets, improved customer information screens and priority seating. The entire ScotRail fleet will meet the rail vehicle access standards before 1 January 2020, as required by legislation. Class 170s used on Borders have been compliant since their introduction to Scotland in 1990. On plans to Cascade, yes, I can assure the member that plans are still in place to Cascade carriages across the network to ensure that we continue to provide the most up-to-date and the best rolling stock that we possibly can to the Borders and across the network to Scotland. Daniel Johnson The changes to Waverly station have been in place for some time now, and with the changes to the taxi rank, it has made access to those with mobility issues significantly impacted. I note in his answer to Miles Briggs that he stopped short of saying that he would meet the Edinburgh access panel. Can he now take the opportunity to agree to not just meet the member over there, but to meet the access panel? In short, will the minister make himself accessible to talk about accessibility? Michael Russell Minister, that is a wonderful soundbite, but what I did say is that I have already met the accessibility panel. I am the one who helped to facilitate and convene the meeting that he did not attend. I should say that Ash Denham and Miles Briggs did attend. I would be more than happy for the avoidance of any doubt to meet Miles Briggs to meet the accessibility panel. Of course, my point is that the station is managed by Network Rail. It is alongside Edinburgh City Council, which has the responsibility for the remedial works that are going on in the station. I do not have a ministerial magic wand, but I will meet the access panel. I will meet members, but please realise the importance that safety must be the priority for passengers whether they have accessibility issues or not. John Mason To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the proportion of retailers adhering to single-use carrier bag legislation. Minister Paul Wheelhouse As enforcement is a matter for local authorities, the Scottish Government does not hold information on it. However, our local authorities will hold information on enforcement activity undertaken in their own areas. John Mason I thank the minister for that reply. Last week, I bought an article of clothing at Jersey in Royal Mile and was not charged for the bag. That has happened to me several times in my own constituency when I am shopping. I wonder if the minister has any concern that there is a bit of not adherence to the legislation. John Mason I wish Mr Mason luck with his New Jersey. I hope that it is attractive. As I mentioned in my original answer, enforcement is a matter for local authorities, not just in fashion perhaps, but generally through trading standards. It is carried out on an intelligence-led basis. On a serious point, if the member or indeed members of the public have concerns about particular retailers, he may wish to raise that with Glasgow City Council, specifically the trading standards team within Glasgow City Council. All evidence that we have seen such as Marine Conservation Society's beach clean suggests that the charges are having the desired effect of cutting the overall number of bags being dispensed. We are seeing a greatly improved environment on our beaches. Maurice Golden Can the minister provide an estimate of the potential impact a charge on disposable coffee cups might have on the Scottish Government's target of a 15 per cent reduction in waste by 2025? John Mason I certainly recognise the issue that Maurice Golden has raised. It is certainly an issue in terms of the use of single-use cups is something that we are aware of has been raised as a concern. The Scottish Government is looking to undertake work to understand the potential impact of such a measure. We are constituting an expert panel to look into what a range of measures along similar lines to the carrier bag charge can be taken. That work will be kicked off by consideration of a charge on single-use cups such as coffee cups, which are often letters that the member knows and are very difficult to dispose of and recycle indeed. Therefore, we seek to encourage people to use reusable alternatives. I will raise the point with the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform and see if there is some further information that we provide on the potential impact of it. Stuart McMillan I ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to implementing a European-style ticketing model for rail travel. Humza Yousaf I understand that the question has its origins in the area of penalty fares that are present and are not operated in Scotland. ScotRail is undertaking a number of initiatives to reduce ticketless travel, including an advertising campaign around bye before your board and encouraging passengers on the benefits of switching to smart. Stuart McMillan I thank the minister for that reply, but does the minister believe that the European ticketing system would aid her belly with Scotland with revenue collection and assist with some of the anti-social behaviour that has occurred due to the many unstaffed stations on the network? Would he ask her belly with Scotland to examine the feasibility of the introduction of such a model? Stuart McMillan As I said, there are no plans at the moment to introduce penalties for ticketless travel. If that approach is made by a belly with Scotland, it would involve a contract of variation. Of course, we could look at the feasibility of that in terms of anti-social behaviour. I am working with a number of MSPs across the political parties on their own stations, whether it is Hamilton Central or Helensbury station. Some of the actions that have been taken, we are hopefully seeing a reduction in some of that anti-social behaviour. If he thinks that there is a particular problem at his station, in his constituency I am more than happy to meet the member and see how we can help to reduce that. Ben Macpherson To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase social housing in Edinburgh. Kevin Stewart On this Scottish housing day, I say to Mr Macpherson that, over this parliamentary period, the Scottish Government has allocated affordable housing supply programme funding of nearly £190 million to the city of Edinburgh, which we expect to deliver around 4,000 homes. That will be for housing association and the City Council-led 21st century homes programme to deliver a range of housing in a mix of affordable tenures, but primarily focusing on social rented housing, which of course is a key Government priority. Ben Macpherson I thank the minister for that answer and warmly welcome the action that the Scottish Government has already taken. Does the minister agree with me that, as Edinburgh's population expands, as it is predicted to do in the coming years, the city will require a greater share of housing association grant subsidy levels in order to provide an adequate supply of social housing here in our growing capital city? Ben Macpherson Presiding Officer, I am pleased that the Edinburgh Council is developing a long-term ambitious new build affordable homes programme for the next decade. By the end of the parliamentary period, as Edinburgh will be receiving around £16 million more than its allocation this year, that is a 55 per cent increase in its resources to meet the housing needs of the city, including social housing. I was very pleased this morning to be able to go to see a development that Dunedin Canmore is bringing forward at Craig Miller, a project that was built by CCG, which will add another 111 homes here in Edinburgh. I hope that, with the affordable homes programme, with open market shared equity and a number of other Government schemes, including the national housing trust, that we will continue to see growth in housing here in Edinburgh. Joan McAlpine To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the importance of rural schools. John Swinney Presiding Officer, the Scottish Government recognises that rural schools play a hugely important part in ensuring a vibrant and sustainable local community and economy in towns and villages across rural Scotland. That is why this Government made amendments to the Schools Consultation Scotland Act 2010, in 2014, to make the consultation process for school closure proposals more transparent and rigorous, and to strengthen the requirements relating to rural schools. Joan McAlpine Thank you. In Dumfries and Galloway, the council has put forward proposals to close a curc bean in Garleston primary schools. In each case, the proposals for closure have been met with fierce assistance from parents and the local community, who see huge educational benefits for their children in being a small classroom setting, as well as community benefits from the use of the schools for other activities. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that the council must listen to those communities and take into account the devastation that would be felt should those schools close both to the education of the children and the sustainability of those villages? John Swinney The local authority is obliged to follow the terms of the Schools Consultation Scotland Act 2010, which requires it to undertake a statutory consultation in line with that act should the council decide to pursue that approach. That approach includes, among other things, complying with the special arrangements that apply to rural schools and ensuring that parents and all those affected by the proposal have an opportunity to make their views known. Consecretly, I would expect the local authority to meet its obligations in terms of that act. Given the statutory role that I have in the process, I am sure that Joe McAlpine and members will appreciate that I am unable to comment further on specific aspects of any proposals in the case that this prejudice is or has seen to prejudice any subsequent decision that I may have to take in terms of that act. John Swinney Thank you very much, and that concludes general questions. Before we turn to First Minister's questions, members will wish to join me in welcoming to the gallery her excellency, Tamar Berishashvili, the ambassador of Georgia to the UK.