 Thank you. The next item of business is consideration of motions 8469 and 8470, in the name of Humza Yousaf on appointment of Scottish Ministers and Junior Scottish Ministers. And can I ask those members who wish to speak in the debate to please press their request to speak buttons now? And I call on Humza Yousaf to speak to and move the motions up to 12 minutes, First Minister. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, and I'll begin by moving the motion in my name, which I ask that Parliament agrees to the appointment of four new Scottish ministers and eight new junior Scottish ministers. Before going any further, I want to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the ministers who are leaving the Government. Keith Brown has been a key figure in the SNP Government over many, many years. Among his notable achievements, he has been a champion of the fair work agenda and also worked hard to support and to reassure businesses in the wake of the Brexit referendum. His work in the upcoming criminal justice reform bill will see a sea change in the support available for the victims of crime. I also want to highlight his admirable work on behalf of veterans of our armed services and indeed their families. Ben Macpherson has served effectively in a number of posts over the last five years. Most recently, he has played a key role in the continued roll-out of Scotland's social security system, but he also covered a wide range of portfolios that is testament to his breadth of experience. Claire Hockey has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of children and young people. She was the driving force behind the Government's efforts to support those affected by cruel historic forced adoption practices, culminating in the former First Minister's formal apology just last week. Ivan McKee has relentlessly promoted Scotland as a place to do business and invest, and we all would recognise and pay tribute to the key role that he played in helping vital supply chains during the height of the global pandemic. All of you may have seen that Kate Forbes and I have spent quite a lot of time with each other over the past few weeks. Since the leadership contest ended, she and I have had some long chats about what contribution she could make to the new Government. Despite some suggestions to the contrary, they have, as she has said, been very cordial, very warm and very positive. What many people will not have seen is that, behind the scenes as we have travelled across the country, Kate, Ash and I and our respective families have gone far more happily than may have been suggested. Kate is a tremendously talented politician. I know that she will continue to make a formidable contribution to this Parliament, particularly on behalf of her constituents. I am sorry to see her leave Government for now, but I have no doubt and sincerely hope that she will return to ministerial office at some point soon. Finally, there are two other departing cabinet members whom I must pay tribute to. Nicola Sturgeon Scotland has had one of the most able and effective politicians across the UK in decades. For those of us following on her cabinet footsteps, she has provided a master class in leadership. John Swinney has been a rock in the Scottish Government since 2007 and, behind the scenes, he has always been a cool and wise head around the cabinet table. Many of us have often gone to him for advice. I thank all of us, I suspect, to her in cabinet at some point or another. When it comes to First Minister's questions, they know all the tricks of the trade, so it is fair to say that I am slightly dreading in that first week when I look at the business bulletin and see the name Sturgeon or Swinney in the list of backbench questioners to come. I do wish Nicola John and all the other departing ministers all the very best for the future. Needless to say, having such a formidable array of talent on the SNP backbenches is an enormous asset for me and my Government. Let me now turn to the new appointments. I think that even the SNP's harshest critics would agree that this is a very different ministerial team to the one that it replaces. Out of 28 ministerial posts, only six positions remain unchanged. The cabinet I am proposing will have 10 members, six women and four men. It will therefore have a higher proportion of women than the previous Scottish cabinet. By average age, it will also have the youngest cabinet Scotland has ever had, five members of the cabinet under the age of 40. It is a refresh line-up for a new era of Government. As we look to the challenges of the future, it is very much a changing of the guard. The balance of portfolios reflect the key priority areas that I have set, protecting people from the cost crisis, enabling our NHS and public services to recover, supporting a net zero wellbeing economy and improving, of course, the life chances of people, the length and breadth of the country. Firstly, although her appointment does not require approval, I am delighted that Shona Robison has agreed to serve as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance. In her long years in Government, Shona has been a driving force behind the delivery of the Commonwealth Games. As health secretary, she championed the interests of both patients and staff. Most recently, of course, she delivered a significant roll-out of that game-changing Scottish child payment. She will now bring her experience and skills to her neuro, responsible not only for the budget and taxation but also with important cross-governmental responsibilities for delivering on our key priorities. I know that she will prove a very worthy successor to John Swinney. Shona will naturally work very, very closely with Neil Gray, whom I appointed Cabinet Secretary for the wellbeing economy, for fair work and energy. For a number of years, Neil served as the SNP Westminster social justice spokesperson, taking a leading role on issues such as employment, such as fair work and pensions. Most recently, of course, as a Scottish Government Minister, he worked on our Ukrainian resettlement programme with partners in local government, the third sector and the UK government. I know that Neil will undoubtedly bring that same level of energy and effectiveness to the work of supporting our wellbeing economy. The task, of course, goes hand in hand with our plans to achieve net zero. Mary McAllan will be at the forefront of those efforts as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition. By common consent, it is fair to say, Mary has done sterling work as an environment minister, ensuring greater protections for our natural environment. She is a passionate advocate for a just transition at home, climate justice overseas. I know that she will be a huge asset for the Government in her new role. I am also seeking Parliament's approval of the appointment of Jenny Gilruth as a minister. Being transport minister is a tough brief. I know that only too well, but Jenny has overseen the taking into public ownership of ScotRail and driven further progress in the decarbonisation of our transport system. Before entering politics, Jenny was, of course, a secondary school teacher, and I know that that will stand turn very good instead as Scotland's next education secretary. Finally, I have asked Angela Constance to be Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs. Angela Constance brings significant ministerial experience to that role. Most recently, she has been working tirelessly to reduce drug deaths in Scotland, which will continue to be a central priority for this Government. Before entering politics, Angela Constance worked at the front line of our criminal justice system as a prison social worker. I have no doubt at all that Angela's depth of experience will be of huge value, as she takes forward the Government's criminal justice reforms. Those are the cabinet appointments, which require parliamentary approval. I have also reappointed a number of existing cabinet secretaries. Michael Matheson will have responsibility for NHS recovery, for health and for social care. As a former occupational therapist and a highly effective minister, health minister and his earlier political career, Michael is very well placed to take on what is a crucial role for this Government. I am very pleased that Shirley-Anne Somerville will lead on social justice, a central priority for this Government. Angus Robertson will continue as Cabinet Secretary for Constitutional Affairs and Culture, and Mary Gougeon will remain at rural affairs. I will now turn to junior ministerial appointments for which I am seeking Parliament's approval. Again, there are a number of new faces. Siobhan Brown has performed admirably as a convener of the Parliament's Covid-19 recovery committee. I have now asked Siobhan to support Angela Constance as Minister for Victims and Community Safety. Since being elected, Jenny Minto has been an exceptionally active member of this Parliament, contributing to the work of three committees and no fewer than 15 cross-party groups. I know that she will bring that similar work ethic to the role of minister for public health and women's health. As convener of the social justice and social security committee, Natalie Dawn has brought a laser-like focus to one of the Parliament's most important priorities, supporting those who need it the most. She will continue to do that in her new role as minister for children and young people and for keeping the promise. Meanwhile, Natalie's deputy convener, Emma Roddick, will become minister for equalities, migration and refugees. Emma will also, I think, become the youngest of our minister to be appointed in the Scottish Government, but she has proven that she is more than ready for that responsibility. Paul MacLennan is set to become housing minister and he brings a significant, quite a varied range of professional and political experience to his new post, including through his role in local government and his time in the local government housing and planning committee. Gillian Martin will become the new energy minister before she became an MSP in the north-east of Scotland. She spent many years working in our vital oil and gas industry. Elsewhere in the team, Joe Fitzpatrick has substantial previous experiences as minister and pleased that he has agreed to return as minister for local government empowerment and planning. Graham Day was also an excellent minister previously. He will return to government with the responsibilities for further and higher education. He will also resume his previous role of veterans minister. A number of current junior ministers will remain in government some in existing portfolios, some will move to new portfolios, in particular in line with the bute house agreement and please Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater will also continue in their ministerial roles. The partnership between my party and the Scottish Green party has brought significant benefit to the Government in Scotland, but also to our country as a whole. The fact that it upsets some in this chamber so much tells me that it is absolutely the right appointment to make. The team that I am presenting to Parliament combines with provenability. It is a team to help Scotland to seize the opportunities to meet the challenges that are very much before us. Can I assure the chamber that each member is ready? They are eager to get on with the work of delivering for the people of this country. Therefore, Clearing Officer gives me great pleasure to move the motions in my name. On behalf of the Opposition, I congratulate the First Minister and his new ministerial team. Whom is the use of has made history this week and we offer him our very best wishes. If Parliament confirms his administration today, I want to say good luck to his new ministers, because judging by his performance at First Minister's questions, they are certainly going to need it. I particularly welcome Shona Robison to the role of Deputy First Minister. Our country is now run by a woman who represents Dundee and by a man who lives there. It is a long way from Brody Ferry to Bute House. I do not know what experience the First Minister has of assembling flat-pack furniture, but even Christine Grahame, I think, would have been surprised at just how quickly his cabinet fell apart the other day. Mr Eustaf said that he wanted to build a cabinet and a Government of all the talents, yet this translates into Kate Forbes leaving the Government whilst Lorna Slater is welcomed back into his ministerial team. At division time, we will not be supporting the formation of this new Government, which includes a Minister for Independence, who, in a cost-of-living crisis, will be earning £100,000 a year. This is a cabinet and a Government cast in whom the use of image failed continuity ministers appointed by a failed continuity First Minister. Can we just hear the member who is standing to speak? Thank you. Mr Hoy, do you continue? A failed continuity ministers appointed by a failed continuity First Minister. As we are talking about image, there is something that I have noticed that is a little bit different about the First Minister this week. Is it the hair? Is it the suit? Can I sense that there is a make-over in the making? We know that Whom is the use of likes to dress for the occasion. A ScotRail hat when he is driving a train, a surgical scrubs in a hospital, a hard hat on a building site, now some in the press gallery have likened him to Mr Bean, but it is increasingly clear that it is not Mr Bean, it is Mr Ben. Those of us who are old enough to remember that Mr Ben had many costumes, he emerged. Mr Ben, those of us who are old enough to remember, emerged as a zookeeper, a pirate and, of course, as a clown. As the First Minister assembled his new Government, though he was so searching among some of the longer-serving SNP MSPs, the dispossessed and the never-possessed, Emma Harper, Willie Coffey, Colin Beattie, Stuart McMillan, James Dornan, John Mason and, of course, Kenny Gibson, all scratching their heads, all asking how someone with such obvious limitations had reached the highest office in the land, especially when they had failed to reach the first rung on the ministerial ladder. Sadly, there is no room in his Government for his leadership, Ash Regan. Snubbed and no doubt reconsidering where she would like to stick our independence thermometer. Looking to the back benches, I note the absence of the former First Minister. She will, though, be a very powerful backseat driver, and I remind the First Minister that Nicolaus is taking driving lessons, so I hope he does not get too comfortable behind the wheel. When she passes her test, as I am sure she will, I hope that the First Minister will be the first to offer his congratulations and to remind her of the importance of car insurance. Scotland's new First Minister cannot simply airbrush away the criticisms levelled by his colleagues. Kate Forbes was correct. Continuity won't cut it, but it is continuity that is running through the core of his cabinet. The only substantive change is on NHS recovery, and this is a frank admission of the failure of the previous holder of that office. To govern is to choose. Humza Yousaf wants to be the first activist. Humza Yousaf wants to be the first activist. At the same time, he wants to be the first minister for all of Scotland. However, I say this to him. He cannot be both. He has to be one or has to be the other. We all know that tough choices will have to be made by his Government, but I fear that this SNP-Green coalition is no more than more of the same. The same misplaced priorities, the same failed ministers and, while for the sake of the country, we wish this Government well, we will not be voting for it this evening. On behalf of Scottish Labour, I would like to welcome colleagues who are new to their places on the Government benches. A special mention to Natalie Dawn, who I believe will make history by becoming the first former Gryff High School pupil to become a minister, and I hope that she is not the last. I am sincere in wishing them all well. On Monday, team Humza was disbanded and we were promised that we would get team SNP today, although I have to say that it looks an awful like team Humza. Despite over 40 per cent of SNP MSPs now being ministers, we have more Green ministers in this Government than ministers who, in the end, public debate, Kate Forbes or Ash Regan. At the top of the ticket, it looks a lot like team Nicola without Nicola. We have Michael Matheson at NHS Recovery, presumably to help the health service recover from the former health secretary. Also, a Government now without Kate Forbes, Ivan McKee, Ben Macpherson, Claire Horrie and even the SNP's deputy leader, Keith Brown. I wish them all well on the back benches. There is life after ministerial office. Despite those departures, we now have the biggest devolved Government ever with 28 ministers. A ministerial salary bill of nearly £3 million a year now being footed by the taxpayer. We will oppose the appointments today to be clear, not because of any personal objection to any individual, but because we believe the change that Scotland needs is not bigger government but better government. We do not believe that the public will have confidence in replacing the most incompetent and wasteful administration in the history of devolution with an even bigger one, but we recognise that they will be appointed today. They will be charged with the responsibility and their opportunity, one I hope they will grasp. Today, after 5,810 days of the SNP in power, so many people in Scotland need them to do their job. The children and young people who hope for a better life but fear their potential will not be realised. Older people in the ill living with chronic conditions who find a health service, which does not have the time and resources to help. The vulnerable people living with drug problems who are seeing those die around them higher than any numbers in any other part of Europe. The hard-working people doing difficult jobs who, at the end of the shift, are struggling to make ends meet. Islanders who are just looking for some ferries, not another ferries minister. I wish the minister as well your predecessors have bequeathed you an overflowing entry. But why are we here unless we believe we can do something about it? The Scottish Labour benches will work with ministers on the issues that I mentioned, provided they are prepared to roll up their sleeves and want to find practical solutions to Scottish problems. The question is, will they? The truth is, today, Scotland stands at crossroads. The salmon sturgeon era is over and there is an opportunity for something different and something better. Will that be a continuity cabinet? Or do they have a group of people in office who are not prepared to accept mediocrity? Too many of those ministers' predecessors failed because their first loyalty was to the cause and not to the people of Scotland. They sought to exploit Scotland's problems rather than fix them. This approach was not only wrong, it failed. It failed to deliver independence and it failed the people of this country. Presiding Officer, we are not naive. SNP ministers will still be united by a belief that independence is the best constitutional settlement for Scotland. I disagree, but I recognise their conviction. I also hope that they recognise that in this moment we should make this Parliament work for the Scottish people. Nicola Sturgeon can celebrate her eight election victories on a record of Scotland's longest-serving First Minister. They are great achievements, yet I believe that she will come to regret the road not taken. Putting Government and Parliament to work as a policy engine which can deliver real change for Scots. One of those who have not been appointed today said that continuity will not cut it. We agree that people in Scotland are hungry for change, Scottish Labour is hungry for change and I hope that the ministers who are appointed today are too. I now call on Julian Mackay. I want to start by congratulating Humza Yousaf on his appointment as First Minister. As a health spokesperson, I have enjoyed working with him and hope that the incoming health team will be as good to work with as he was. Thank you to all those departing cabinet and ministerial officers who have worked with us constructively over the last 18 months. We hugely value your contribution to our collective work. I am obviously delighted to see Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater re-appointed. The Bute House agreement has shown what we can achieve through collaborative politics and has seen key green policies put at the heart of government. I look forward to them getting stuck into unfinished business, including delivering permanent rent controls, creating our next national park, launching our desperately needed deposit return scheme, rolling out record-breaking funding for nature restoration and active travel, and, of course, releasing more beavers into Scottish wetlands. No-one will be surprised to hear how relieved I am that I get to keep George Adam with me in bureau. Not only has he provided me with a lot of support, I wouldn't wish our terrible chat on anyone else. I can't, of course, gloss over Emma Roddick's appointment. She's absolutely smashed everything that she has turned her hand to. Well done, your mommy would be proud. With the outrage at First Minister's questions earlier today, I'm sure Jamie Hepburn is looking forward to seeing who the Opposition parties will appoint as their shadow minister for independence. I'm sure there will either be queues out the door or it will be used as the party naughty step. Congratulations to each and every one of you on your appointment, whether this is the first time or whether you're moving to a new role. That is a fresh start in government, but already we're seeing the same old rhetoric creeping in from other parties. I was hopeful that we'd come to a place of agreeing we need to elevate our debate over the past couple of weeks. Disagree on the substance, not the people. We correctly call out the abuse that each other receive on social media, agree it's terrible and then go right back to lobbying the same personal attacks and insults. We're also all rightly at the start of this Parliament praised ourselves for doing better on making the Parliament more representative of the outside world. This is the first female majority cabinet, the first Muslim First Minister, a cabinet that has young politicians and the youngest member of this chamber is a minister. Every international women's day we see how we need to encourage women into politics, more people who have different experiences that are different to ourselves and how on earth are we going to do that when we're calling people flops and be list before their names are even on the office doors, before they've had a chance to pass one policy. So can we please think and practice what we preach? By all means scrutinise and debate where things have gone wrong, but talk about the ideas and argue why yours is better, not why you believe someone is any of the things that have been attributed to members of this Parliament in recent weeks. Finally, to all the new ministers and cabinet secretaries, with the Bute House agreement we're here to offer constructive input and help and push you further, but we're also here to support. We've achieved a lot, but there is so much more to do. Delivering a full ban on conversion practices and bringing in safe access zones to abortion clinics. Developing the bold new climate plan we desperately need if we have any chance of tackling the climate emergency and beginning the long slow task of restoring our land and seas through highly protected marine areas and on-going nature restoration work. We are a team making Scotland better and we've made progress on that over the last 18 months of the agreement. I know that all of your families and friends will be so proud of you all and I can't wait to see what we achieve together. I now call on Alex Cole-Hamilton. Thank you very much indeed, Presiding Officer. Presiding Officer, it is a great thing to serve your country in any way, but especially from ministerial office. I want to take a moment to congratulate those who have been so elevated today and I offer thanks as well for the service of those leaving office today. Whilst we will not support these appointments for reasons I will come on to, I bear none of the appointments today personal animosity. I think that in the eloquent words of Gillian Mackay is important to state. Nicola Sturgeon was right when she did so to appoint a dedicated mental health minister in 2016. It was at the request of my party, the Scottish Liberal Democrats, but that was downgraded in 2021 when that minister was asked to cover social care 2. Is it any wonder that we have seen record delayed discharges in the mess that are the plans for ministerial takeover of social care? Mental health is further being downgraded today because now sport is being added to that portfolio too. Another responsibility, hugely important in its own right, but mental health deserves better than to be sandwiched and squeezed between these other two portfolios. We've just heard in First Minister's questions from Anas Sarwar about children waiting longer for care and treatment than homes of use have served as health secretary. That is shocking. There is so much unneed out there. Mental health treatment targets have never been achieved, not once, by the children or adults since they were introduced in 2014. Nicola Sturgeon, Shona Robison, Jean Freeman, Maureen Watt, Clare Hohe, Kevin Stewart and yes, homes of use, if all of them talked a good game on mental health in this chamber, but none of them have ever met their promise to the children and adults waiting years to be seen. This winter, they cut £50 million from mental health, apparently oblivious to the crisis at our doors. By their actions, shall you know them? Is it any wonder then where there is no dedicated champion for mental health at the heart of government making the case for investment, making the case for more staff? Is it any wonder that this Government is failing Scotland on mental health? There could have been a dedicated mental health minister, a champion for the thousands of Scots waiting, but instead the First Minister has expanded his ministerial team, as we have heard, now the biggest in the devolution era, to create an office for the minister for independence. That is time, money and energy, a team of experts, civil servants that could have focused on mental health. Members have made a personal promise to clear mental health waiting lists by this March. Look at the calendar. We are here, and the SNP are nowhere. Humza Yousaf said that he would be the leader for all of Scotland, but I do not see any evidence that he will be a First Minister for those waiting for that care and treatment. The appointment of a minister for independence is an insult to the thousands of people that the nationalists have failed. It is proof of the disconnect between the focus of the governing parties and the needs and interests of this country. Scottish Liberal Democrats would reverse the cuts and re-establish that dedicated mental health minister. We would create mental health beds for young people in all parts of Scotland when there are none north of Dundee. We would ramp up training so that every workplace can benefit from a mental health first aid. That is how Liberal Democrats would create a properly funded world-beating system to tackle Scotland's mental health crisis as a blueprint that shows what fresh thinking could achieve, why we need a change in government and why it is essential that Liberal Democrats are part of what is next. While we oppose their appointment this afternoon, I want to finish by wishing them good fortune, not least because we all have to live here and we all have to deal with the consequences of their decisions. I asked them to make good choices. As Abraham Lincoln said, put your feet in the right places and stand firm. That said, it is okay to get things wrong, but have the grace to admit when you are wrong and then to listen to the voices from beyond your benches that may offer you a pathway through. I can be relatively brief in my responses. I can say to Craig Hoy that a good start might be to know my name. It is Humza Yousaf, not Whomza Yousaf, but with such thorough preparations like that, it probably tells you why he is languishing in the opposition benches. Lots of calls from right across the chamber bring back Jackson Carlaw. He was busy looking at his shoes at that point. In my time in this Parliament, I have often had people like Craig Hoy tell me that they are not good enough. They have told me that when I became the first person of colour to win a constituency seat. They have told me that when I became the first person of colour to be in government. They have told me that when I have been the first person of colour to be appointed to cabinet. I am not surprised to tell me that when I have become the first person of colour to be the First Minister of Scotland it is because I do not listen to the people like Craig Hoy and the Conservative benches that I am able to achieve what I have. Neil Bibby was right to put emphasis on working together in the national interest and where there are constructive ideas, he will find that this Government's door, my door, will always be open for when we can come together, where there are good ideas. I say that not just when we are discussing the budget, but right throughout any Government portfolio area, he will find my door open. Gillian Mackay made the best speech of the afternoon. I was delighted to hear from her about the points about corrosive political discourse, because we all agree that all of us have made statements about the corrosive nature of political debate. Our co-operation with the Green Party is a very good demonstration of how we can do grown-up politics where, of course, the Green Party, although our partners, will push us to go further and will sometimes push back, but we will make sure that we work in that spirit of co-operation and what is, again, in the best interests of the country. On Alex Cole-Hamilton's point, I am sorry that he cannot see the link between social care, mental wellbeing and indeed sport. You speak to many of our sporting organisations about the great work that they do to help and aid those with mental health challenges. Of course, you will see that there is a natural interlinkage, including with social care, on many of those issues. It is quite something that I have to say to be told by the smallest party in Parliament that we need to reflect the priorities of the people a little bit better. I thank Opposition members for their remarks. That is a significant reshuffle. The new team is very much a changing of the guard. We have had a few laughs this afternoon, even at our expense, but everyone here agrees that when the dust settles, all of those appointments have an exceptionally important job to do. I am sure that all members will wish them well in the new post on behalf of all ministers. I promise that we will do our best to work constructively with MSPs to deliver for the people that we all represent. I hope that Parliament backs my motion today so that we can get down to work. There are two questions to be put. The first is that motion 8469, in the name of Hamza Yousaf, on a First Minister's appointment of Scottish ministers, be agreed. Are we all agreed? The Parliament is not agreed, therefore we will move to a vote, and there will be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system. The question is that motion 8469, in the name of Hamza Yousaf, on a First Minister's appointment of Scottish ministers, be agreed, and members should cast their votes now. The vote is closed. I was too early there. The app would not connect. I would have voted no. The result of the vote on motion 8469, in the name of Hamza Yousaf, is yes, 71, no, 56. There were no abstentions. The motion is therefore agreed. The next question is the motion 8470, in the name of Hamza Yousaf, on First Minister's appointment of junior Scottish ministers, be agreed. Are we all agreed? The Parliament is not agreed, therefore we will move to a vote, and members should cast their votes now. The vote is closed. The result of the vote on motion 8470, in the name of Hamza Yousaf, is yes, 71, no, 56. There were no abstentions. The motion is therefore agreed. As the Parliament has agreed to the First Minister's recommendations, he may now invite his Majesty to approve the appointment. It is now time to move on to the next item of business. Thank you.