 Daniel backward. I remind members of the Covid related measures that are in place and that face coverings should be worn when moving around the chamber and across the Holyrood campus. The first item of business is general questions in order to get in as many people as possible. I'd prefer short and succinct questions and answers to match. At question number one I call Neil Bibby. To ask the Scottish Government how the allocations of funding and its budget for 2022-23 will support local services in the West Scotland region. The budget for next year delivers record levels of funding to help restore public services across the whole of Scotland, including in the west Scotland region, including record funding for health, record funding to tackle child poverty and at least £2 billion in infrastructure initiatives, and the local government finance settlement alone will provide over £1.7 billion for vital day-to-day services such as schools and social care in the local authorities that either wholly or partly are within the west of Scotland region. Year after year local councils are targeted by the Scottish Government for core funding cuts, and this year is no different despite the council elections in May. The cosner president has said that both service cuts and council tax rises are probably inevitable. The minister will know that all 32 council leaders, including SNP leaders, have unanimously condemned the Government's budget as unacceptable. Some even say that it is the worst that they have ever seen. Are your own council leaders wrong? Is the minister really saying that every penny has been spent and there is no more money anywhere in the budget to prevent service cuts and council tax hikes in the west of Scotland and across the country? SNP council leaders do an exceptional job right across Scotland, but in terms of the overall budget right now, our own budget position is challenging a 5.2% reduction in next year's budget versus this year's budget for the Scottish budget. We have been clear that we cannot inflation proof any part of the budget. In terms of local authorities, we have ensured that we protect the core budget in cash terms, but I have already made the caveat about inflation. On top of that, we are providing additional funding for the pressures that local government has identified, not least in social care and education. 2. Maggie Chapman To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is planning to introduce to protect Scotland's communities and ecosystems from land speculation associated with carbon offsetting. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Mechanisms do already exist to support responsible investment in our land, including the Scottish land rights and responsibilities statement, but I am very aware of concern about recent purchases and developments. Last year, I asked the Scottish Land Commission to review the rural land market and offer advice to the Government on how we ensure that private investment in natural capital, which is needed to help Scotland to address the climate and nature crisis, is invested in a way that is helpful to our wider political priorities, including in powering and benefiting rural and island communities. Maggie Chapman, I thank her for that response. We know that a range of companies and investments are already buying up land in Scotland for use for carbon offsetting. Brudog and Shell are two examples. Private investment funds and asset managers are generating and selling carbon credits. Even SNP is putting money into that. Can the minister outline how much land has currently been bought for such speculation, how much public money has been invested in such approaches, and what we can do within our limited powers to ensure that Scotland does not get sold for carbon offsetting greenwash and to protect communities from displacement by green lads? I would again begin by stressing that much of Maggie Chapman's views here I share. My vision for net zero Scotland is one in which more people can live and work sustainably on our land. The member is right to highlight the risks that she has. I can assure her that I am alert to them and determined that increased investment in Scotland's natural capital delivers benefits for our local communities in line with those important just transition principles. That is exactly why I have commissioned the work of the Scottish Land Commission, which I await. It is why we are reviewing the Scottish land rights and responsibilities statements to make sure that it is as up to date as possible and addressing those contemporary challenges. I look forward to returning to Parliament to discuss those matters once I have that information in hand. To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any concerns over the use of video doorbells in domestic properties. Anyone operating domestic CCTV such as video doorbells must ensure that they comply with relevant laws and respect their neighbour's privacy. People who believe that their privacy and data protection rights are not being upheld should attempt to resolve that with their neighbour and have the right to make a complaint to the information commissioner if that is not successful. Bob Doris. I thank the minister for that answer. Video doorbells in communal areas of flats often record footage of anyone passing via motion sensors with footage access remotely. That can exacerbate neighbour disputes and impact on vulnerable individuals. That has been my experience. The suggestion from the ICO that those concerned about surveillance can request access to footage held on them and ensure that this is deleted when no longer required is just fanciful. Can I ask the minister to consider how, despite the reserved nature of data protection, we can use existing powers over housing and community safety to work in partnership with housing organisations and Police Scotland to seek to review, regularly or restrict, the use of video doorbells for residential flatly properties in Scotland? There are avenues for people to challenge a neighbour's use of a video doorbell. If they believe that domestic CCTV is being used in a way that is, for instance, anti-social, that it may be harassing or intimidating, then that, of course, may then constitute a criminal matter and they would be able to then contact the police. The Scottish Government recognises that everyone has the right to feel safe in their community and that is why we are committed to tackling all forms of anti-social behaviour to create an inclusive and respectful society where individual and collective rights are supported and where neighbour disputes are resolved fairly and swiftly. Police Scotland and local authorities lead on those interventions and we have a range of options available to tackling such anti-social behaviour. We are committed to ensuring that all the agencies have the power and resources that they need. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to take forward the recommendations in the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission's report on the use of rodent glue traps in Scotland, including the recommendation to ban such traps. Thank you to Ms Brown for the question. We are committed to maintaining the very highest welfare standards in Scotland for animals, including wildlife. We have carefully considered the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission's findings, alongside all other relevant evidence. I am pleased to announce in Parliament today that we intend to end the cruel practice of setting glue traps. The commission's report is clear that there are significant animal welfare issues related to the use of glue traps, not only for rodents but also for other non-target species such as wild birds. Therefore, we will bring forward legislation to black-ban glue traps in this parliamentary term. I welcome the news that glue traps are one of the cruelest methods of rodent control. Can the minister confirm that, as well as banning the use of glue traps, will we also ban their sale here in Scotland? Our intention is to ban both the sale and use of glue traps. However, there are implications arising from the internal market act, which can undermine decisions made by the Parliament, as we know, including in wholly devolved climates and environmental policy areas. We intend to work through those issues to achieve a ban. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it and Transport Scotland have had with ScotRail, a network rail regarding the accessibility of Shorts Railway Station. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Transport Scotland has been in dialogue with ScotRail and Network Rail to discuss the feasibility study that Transport Scotland commissioned into improving accessibility at Shorts Station following a meeting with local representatives and the now disbanded Shorts Community Council progression of the study. Unfortunately, the study was delayed due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, analysis of the report is under way, and it is anticipated that further discussions will be held with Network Rail in the coming weeks to enable the details to be finalised. Neil Gray, Presiding Officer. I thank the minister for that answer. Previous work at Shorts Railway Station has seen the installation of a new ramp, but its length and gradient, particularly in winter, are less than ideal for people using wheelchairs or with other mobility issues. I have previously contacted Transport Scotland, as the minister suggested, on behalf of constituents, and there was an agreement to conduct that review of accessibility of the station. I understand that part of the responsibility of that is with Network Rail. However, can the minister provide an update on that feasibility and whether or not the potential for a lift will be part of that review? Presiding Officer, I commend Neil Gray, but his predecessor, Alex Neil, for the diligence on the issue, and I say to him that all options for improving accessibility will be considered, including lifts. I have asked my rail officials to keep the member updated as this progresses. Stephanie Callaghan To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any communications with ScotRail regarding the impact of reducing operating hours at Belsil train station on the most vulnerable users. Ms Callaghan raises an important point. Clearly, technology has changed how people want to access information and tickets, but we also need to acknowledge that there is a place for local staff services on the ground where and when they are needed most. The consultation offers the public the chance to have their say on how to provide an efficient and cost-effective service for the future. I would encourage people to get involved, including local MSPs, but particularly groups that represent people with support needs. It is critical that we understand how any proposed changes might affect them. Joe FitzPatrick To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action that it is taking to address fuel poverty. I know that the current situation with energy prices will cause many people to worry about the cost of their fuel bills. We share their concerns and, with the limited powers available to us, we are already taking action to address that, including through our £41 million winter support fund. With powers over energy market reserves to Westminster, we must also see action from the UK Government. I have written to them suggesting a number of measures that we believe they should consider, including a vacut and targeted support for those on low incomes. Joe FitzPatrick I thank the minister for his answer. The fuel well scheme, introduced by Dundee's SNP administration and supported by the Scottish Government funding, provides financial support of between £90 and £150 to help with winter fuel costs for those who are most in need. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that, while the action from our SNP colleagues in Dundee is commendable, the UK Government, which has cut £20 a week from universal credit, urgently needs to step up and take responsibility for dealing with spiralling energy costs? I absolutely agree, and I commend Dundee's SNP for its efforts to help those who are struggling with their heating costs. It is an excellent example of the kind of schemes that local councils across Scotland have established to help vulnerable households with assistance through the winter support fund. Undoubtedly, the UK Government must do far more to protect households from the drastic increase in energy bills that are being talked about. Reversing the indefensible cut to universal credit would certainly help, but there are many other actions that we want them to take, including curring vat on energy bills. That would be one of the simplest short-term means of helping energy consumers. We need to see action urgently from the UK Government because many households are already under severe pressure financially due to increasing energy prices. Only a tiny fraction of all the homes in north-east Fife have accessed the Scottish Government's home insulation financial support packages—less than 1,000 out of 40,000 homes. As we are in a climate emergency but also an energy emergency, what is the Government going to do to speed that up and expand it so that more people can access the support? The member may be aware that we have invested almost £1 billion in home energy efficiency programmes since 2009, and we have set out our commitment to invest more than £1.5 billion to help to decarbonise and to make properties more energy efficient over the coming years. I have no doubt that the energy-based schemes that we are operating in areas such as north-east Fife and the member's constituency will continue to benefit his constituents, and we want to see that expanded and developed going forward in order to help to make sure that we make properties more energy efficient and also meet our climate change targets. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment criteria it will use to determine whether the access to bike scheme represents good value for money. This is a pilot scheme designed to test whether providing interest-free loans can improve bike ownership and help to alleviate transport poverty. The 348 expressions of interest received so far show that there is demand for such provision. We will assess whether the scheme represents good value for money by the number of bikes purchased by September 2022. Cycling UK will provide a report on its operation after year 1. The scheme is in its infancy, and we will judge its effectiveness after the pilot period rather than after a few weeks, as well as continuing to develop the scheme in light of on-going feedback. I do not think that it is unreasonable to ask why a scheme that has access to £390,000 of public funds to offer 500 loans has failed to provide even one three months after it opened. I am speaking to the social enterprise niche, the Isher Cycle Station, who rescue unwanted bikes, refurbish them and sell them to the public at a fraction of cost new, £650 so far. I also would like to extend an open invitation to the minister to join me in a visit at some point. The organisation has been hugely popular in the area and encouraged many people to take up cycling, but now they are struggling to obtain funds to grow further. With that in mind, will the minister commit to making funds equal to or greater than that allocated to his loan scheme to supporting existing successful local initiatives such as Cycle Station? We support a wide range of organisations, including those that provide cycle repair and refurbishment. I will be happy to explore the issue with the member in more detail if he has specific local examples to bear in mind. However, I find it a little odd that the Conservatives over the winter period were claiming both that we have splurged £400,000 and that we have not issued a single penny. I congratulate them on the intellectual agility that is necessary to believe both those false claims simultaneously. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the designation of UNESCO biosphere reserves in Scotland as areas of significance for sustainable development and climate change. I thank the member for the question. There are two biosphere reserves in Scotland, Galloway in Southern Ayrshire and Wester Ross, which together are home to over 100,000 people. Both of Scotland's biospheres have received funding from our enterprise agencies and we support the biosphere approach to community empowerment through the environment, where that is chosen and sustained by a local community. The Galloway in Southern Ayrshire biosphere, which covers my constituency, has significant support from south of Scotland Enterprise local government, a range of private businesses, environmental NGOs and community representatives. That is the UNESCO biosphere that is identified in the local development plans and regional spatial strategies for Ayrshire and southern Scotland. Does the minister agree with me that it is a great shame that the UNESCO biospheres appear to have been missed in the draft national planning framework 4? In recognising the importance of the key strategic values that they lead on in terms of sustainability and contributing to the wider social, economic, environmental and tourism aspirations of the area, can the minister commit to ensuring that UNESCO biospheres are truly recognised and are highlighted in the new national planning framework 4? In line with the member's comments, the Scottish Government agrees that participation can build communities' ability to tackle the challenges and to sustain a healthy, vibrant community. The UNESCO man and the biosphere programme is based on that bottom-up, stakeholder-driven initiative. As such, biospheres are inherently an initiative that must be developed and sustained locally. However, the draft national planning framework 4, although it does not specifically name the two biosphere reserves, does clearly set out that local development plans should identify and protect locally, regionally and nationally valued natural assets, landscapes, species and habitats. In addition to the current parliamentary scrutiny of the draft NPF 4, we are considering widely until the end of March, and we welcome comments on our draft to support what I hope will be a finalised NPF 4 that will address those issues, and we can bring back to Parliament for approval.