 Felly, y first item of business today is portfolio questions, economy jobs and fair work. Question number one is from Jenny Marra. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with keeping decommissioning jobs in Scotland. Minister Paul Wheelhouse. Our commitment and approach to the opportunities presented by decommissioning are clearly aligned in the programme for government. On behalf of Scottish ministers, Scottish Enterprise is developing a decommissioning action plan that should be published by the end of this calendar year. At our instructions, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are carrying out work to identify potential sites for investment, with a view to increasing capacity for larger decommission units to come ashore at our ports and harbours. It is important to recognise that decommissioning the topside infrastructure is a relatively small share of its overall contract value, and many Scottish supply chain companies are very active in the decommissioning market, but we hope to support them going further. Our transition training fund is also available to help those who are redundant from the oil and gas industry to retrain for opportunities that may arise in decommissioning. The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work and I will be chairing a meeting with North Sea operators that are involved in decommissioning projects later this month to better understand the opportunities and challenges that are facing our oil and gas supply chain in maximising the opportunities from decommissioning. I note that the minister did not give a commitment to publish the strategy before Christmas, which was what was committed to before. I want to ask him in that action plan whether there will be a high-level working group that is included in the strategy that was chaired by him or by the cabinet secretary. Is the minister satisfied with the engagement so far of Scottish Enterprise and the opportunities of decommissioning? I am not convinced after meetings with Scottish Enterprise that there is a sufficient number of people working on this full-time. Will the minister accept my invitation to Dundee to visit the Port of Dundee as a potential decommissioning site before Christmas? The number of issues there on the role of the high-level working group will certainly be the strong level of ministerial engagement on this issue. The cabinet secretary and myself, indeed the First Minister, have all been involved in discussions around decommissioning, and I certainly give a commitment to Jenny Marra and other members. I know that we are interested in this issue in the chamber that there will be a high level of ministerial engagement in the subject. In terms of SE's role, I think that it should be recognised and I would hope that Jenny Marra will be pleased to know that, according to companies that are involved in this sector, including MERSC, who have already said in response to on-gas UK board meeting that the Scottish supply chain is already catching much of the offshore decommissioning work. Indeed, I am aware that the Brentfield decommissioning work is going on there. The vast majority of the work, particularly the plug-in and abandonment work that is being done, is being captured by the Scottish supply chain. There are great successes there that are perhaps not as visible as we would all like them to be, and that is one aspect that we need to improve to make sure that the industry is recognised for the work that it is doing on decommissioning. However, Scottish Enterprise has been very much active in that and is supporting a number of innovative companies in Scotland to innovate for the decommissioning market. I have indeed visited a number of those myself. As regards Dundee, I have also been invited to visit Dundee harbour by Joe Fitzpatrick, but I am more than happy to visit Dundee at some point in the near future and to meet with the member to discuss what possibilities there are to exploit decommissioning in the city of Dundee. Can I ask the minister how many people he anticipates will be employed decommissioning hunters and be nuclear power station when it eventually closes? How many years does he believe that it will take to complete that decommissioning? There is certainly an important question. I appreciate that it is a slightly different subject from that intended by Jenny Marra, but decommissioning activity, which has been undertaken in the nuclear sector, does lend some skill sets, which should be transferable to decommissioning more generally in the oil and gas sector. I know that at least one company has spoken to who have expressed an interest in project management in that sphere. It is difficult to estimate, at this point in time, exact nature of the jobs that would be sustained in decommissioning hunters and be experienced with existing decommissioning sites in Scotland, which would suggest employment levels of several hundred for about 20 to 25 years. The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and other partners to help to increase Scotland's skill capacity in nuclear decommissioning. We know from work that has been undertaken in Chapelcross where 280 workers were employed in that capacity and 200 at Hunterston A, but those are different technologies and therefore different solutions might be required for decommissioning at Hunterston B. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I refer members to my register of interests with respect to my work in the oil and gas decommissioning sector with Zero Waste Scotland, particularly producing the report of offshore oil and gas decommissioning, which was launched just a little over a year ago. I, too, recognise concerns from Jenny Marra over the Scottish Enterprise's commitment to the area. However, I would like to ask the Scottish Government if it will consider investment in an upgrade in port facilities more likely in Neg or Shetland so that Scotland has the ability to decommission a platform recovered via a single lift, as opposed to some of the large-piece or small-piece decommissioning options that are available. I want to defend the role of the Scottish Enterprise and, indeed, Highland Ziles Enterprise, who are very active in the area at this moment in time, looking to help us to identify what port-side investment opportunities there may be to capitalise on the funding that is available for decommissioning. I refer members to my initial answer, which stressed that we are working with both organisations to filter through the number of interested ports and harbours who are looking to capitalise on that, but also emphasise the point as I made in response to Jenny Marra that the vast majority of contract value is, thankfully, being secured by the Scottish sector. The port-side removal of the top-side infrastructure is a relatively small share of the total contract value, but it is an important share, and we are obviously doing what we can to try to secure that as well. In addition to the transition fund, which does not help workers to keep their current skills up to date, will the minister consider the possibility of establishing a job retention fund for oil workers, which could assist with refresher courses for skilled workers, which can personally cost them between £3 and £400? I would obviously be keen to hear from Elaine Smith if there are specific examples of individuals who are requiring support that we have been unable to assist through the TTF to look at whether the criteria are working as effective as they like. However, I would emphasise that we need to be very careful in making sure that we help those who are most immediately threatened by redundancy, who are facing redundancy rather than those who perhaps are still within the sector, but I recognise that we would be looking to maybe divert their skills into other ways that might have more growth potential. However, the TTF is being taken up very well now. We are seeing a high level of spend through the fund, and I believe that it is having an impact to help a growing number of individuals who are affected by the downturn in the industry. Gillian Martin I am glad to hear that members mentioned the transition training fund. I hosted an event with them yesterday, and I hope that members got a chance to visit them. Aside from decommissioning jobs, does the minister agree with the oil and gas authority on the high remaining potential in the North Sea following a strong licensing round and welcome the arrival of new entrants into the region? What representations will the minister make to the UK Government ahead of the autumn statement, calling on exploration and development to be incentivised? Yes, minister. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I had attended this week the mirror UK meeting in London, where, among other things, I raised the contact that the cabinet secretary had made with Greg Hans before the reshuffle of the UK Government to emphasise the need for loan guarantees to be brought forward as soon as possible to help to free up balance sheets, particularly for the smaller independent operators in the North Sea, to allow them to release resources to allow them to undertake more exploration. I am very encouraged by the high take-up of the licensing round. I think that that shows a continued interest and investment in the UK continental shelf. That is encouraging at a time when there is perhaps a tendency to be all doom and gloom about the future of the oil and gas industry. There are companies that are growing at this present moment in time in the oil and gas industry, and what we need to do is try and help individuals to access the opportunities that arise from that and transfer their skills into those productive areas. Thank you. I declare an interest as a member of the union to ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce youth unemployment. Minister, Jamie Hepburn. The Scottish Government is committed to reducing 2014 levels of youth unemployment by 40 per cent by 2021 through the action set out in developing the young workforce, Scotland's youth employment strategy. Youth unemployment fell by 9,000 from the strategies baseline figure of 52,000 in January to March 2014. The developing young workforce programme reports in progress annually, and the second annual report will be published later in the year. I thank the minister for that response, Presiding Officer. Clearly, within that apprenticeship, it is an important vehicle to help reduce youth unemployment. What can the minister do to address inequalities in that such as young women being paid considerably less than male counterparts and more likely to be unemployed at the end of their apprenticeship? Further, can the minister tell us how many young women on modern apprenticeships are ineligible for statutory maternity pay due to the low youth rates of pay, which is a point that has been raised with me by Unite the Union? Minister, Jamie Hepburn. Well, certainly, I would say in relation to the last point that I will always be very willing to hear from any trade union, but any particular concern they have and to respond to that. More broadly, I would certainly concur with the point that has been made inherent within the question of Elaine Smith that there is much more we need to do in relation to ensuring that women are better represented in terms of our modern apprenticeship offer. They are not alone. There are others with protective characteristics that we need to do more in relation to. That is why we have tasked Skills Development Scotland with its taking forward as a qualities action plan, and it is doing that right now. Jenny Gilruth Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all local authorities work to deliver the Scottish living wage. Well, this is, of course, a very well-timed question because, Presiding Officer, this is, of course, living wage week, which the First Minister kicked off by announcing on Monday the new rate of £8.45 per hour. I am very pleased to all local authorities in Scotland currently pay their living wage to their own staff. Of course, that is very welcome. It goes along with the other range of activities that we take to promote the living wage through commission, the poverty alliance, to promote the accreditation scheme. We now have 630 accredited living wage employers in Scotland, some 20 per cent of the UK total. That might be why Scotland has the highest percentage of the workforce paid at least the living wage of the four constituent nations of the UK. Neil Findlay The inflexible way in which Skills Development Scotland managed their grants is causing real problems for the Blackburn local employment scheme in my region. Last week at question time, the First Minister said that the cabinet secretary would meet me and representatives from Bless to try and resolve this issue, but since then I have had no contact from the cabinet secretary. When can we make this meeting happen as a matter of urgency? All we need is some flexibility in the way in which they deal with their grants, and we could ensure that we can help yet more of the young people in that area, more than the 3,000 who have already been helped. Neil Findlay I know that this is an issue that Neil Findlay, amongst others, has taken up. If you want to his luck, as the constituency representative has also written to me on this matter, I understand that the cabinet secretary has written to Mr Findlay, and I am sure that he will be getting back in due course. Graham Day To ask the Scottish Government how much investment Scotland has received from EU structural and investment funding, and how many jobs it has supported. Scotland has received around €4.75 billion in structural funds since the policy began in 1975. Those funds have helped to build digital networks, roads, harbours and causeways, invested in urban regeneration and business premises and supported skills and training. Every seven-year programme is slightly different and has a different focus, and it is not possible to estimate the total number of jobs since 1975. However, the 2007-13 programmes were worth £750 million and supported 99,107 people into work, created 44,311 jobs and provided business support to over 80,000 SMEs. The 2014-20 programmes are worth a further €940 million, around £800 million, to Scotland. I thank the cabinet secretary for that reply, which always bears the damage that Scotland has been dragged out of the EU against its will. I wonder if he would agree with me that the continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit is already putting potential investment in Scotland by business at risk. I certainly agree. If he talks to colleagues in the education sector, especially higher and further education, he will know that that is the case. Leaving the EU, of course, is likely to weaken the economy. According to the UK Government's own analysis, leaving the single market could lower Scotland's GDP by more than £10 billion. Our starting point is to protect our relationship with the EU. We are considering all possible options to ensure Scotland's continuing relationship with and place in the EU. In addition to the jobs and financial benefits that we have received, we might benefit massively from being a more rich and diverse country because of our membership of the EU. Could I seek assurances from the cabinet secretary that ring-fence funding allocations and targeted benefits to the Highlands and Islands as a transition region will be honoured by the Scottish Government? Of course, there are major uncertainties in the post-referendum pre-Brexit phase, but will the Highlands and Islands businesses and agencies be supported and not disadvantaged? Of course, David Stewart will know that that is exactly our aim in the Scottish Government. There have been a number of statements made already by my colleague the cabinet secretary for finance. I am sure that he will say something else specifically on this very shortly and perhaps David Stewart would give us a benefit of waiting until that statement is made. We share the same aim to make sure that SMEs and individuals in the Highlands are not penalised by any reduction in terms of either the ring-fence or other European funding that may be coming to them. We share the same aim, and I think that we are making very good progress to making sure that assurance can be given. European funding has been enormously beneficial in creating jobs in the Highlands, as has been touched on with bodies such as the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, particularly receiving European grants. Can the cabinet secretary assure my constituents that the Highlands and Islands Enterprise will continue to be supported for the work that it does in creating jobs and economic growth in the Highlands? We recognise the different social, economic and community development challenges that face the Highlands and Islands, and we are determined to maintain dedicated support that is locally based and managed and directed by HIE. The member will be aware of the First Minister's own statement that the agency itself will remain in place as an NDPB. The Scottish Government believes that future budget provisions will be sufficient to meet the Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding needs, as well as allowing it to meet its obligations and to maintain the capacity to support key sectors. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to show that Scotland is open for business with non-EU countries. The Scottish Government is building on the ambitious internationalisation agenda set out in Scotland's trade and investment strategy in March this year, in order to make clear that Scotland is open for business both with Europe and, of course, with the rest of the world. We are establishing a ministerial-led trade board to bring together business interests and further developing the global Scots network. We are appointing trade envoys to champion export market opportunities. Scottish Government agencies are working to help more Scottish businesses to become exporters and to attract inward investment into Scotland. We are also opening innovation and investment hubs in Dublin, London and Brussels. I appreciate that that relates to the EU and also to Berlin, as well as doubling the number of SDI staff across Europe. The Scottish Government is engaging directly with businesses following the EU referendum to listen to concerns, provide reassurance and reiterate that Scotland remains open for business. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. The First Minister has made clear her efforts to boost trade with the EU in the wake of the EU referendum result. Through measures such as have been just referred to. However, less than half or 42 per cent of Scotland's exports were destined for the EU in 2014, a decline of £985 million on the previous year, while the largest export destination by country for Scottish exports is the United States of America. There is considerable trade growth potential in the huge world market, provided by 7 billion people, as compared to the EU's 500 million. Will the Scottish Government commit to new specific measures to increase Scotland's trade influence in other parts of the world than the EU, together with the UK Government post-Brexit? I think that that was evident from my first answer. For example, engagement in Kazakhstan coming up shortly in the Middle East in terms of our oil and gas industry. In addition to that, of course, we have a substantial presence in both the US and China. We want to build on that. It is an interesting point about the UK Government, because I think that Gordon Lindhurst's question acknowledges, for the first time in the Conservative benches, that there are two Governments involved in the economy of Scotland. Last week, not one single Conservative member would concede the fact that the UK Government shares the responsibility for the economic performance of Scotland, so I am pleased that Gordon Lindhurst does that. I have also made it clear to Liam Fox when I met with him that we are happy and keen to work jointly. There are areas in which it makes sense for us to do so, and we do not duplicate our efforts. For example, I have had a meeting with a large group of chief executive officers from India who have done that in conjunction with the UK Government. We are happy to do that. It takes two to do that, and I am waiting to hear more from Liam Fox as to how we can encourage that. The point that I would make about Kazakhstan, which happens next year, on that occasion, we have decided to work with the UK Government, because that can produce the best results. We are happy to do that, but it takes two to tangle. Gordon MacDonald Thank you, Presiding Officer. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that if we had the powers to reinstate post-study work visas, we would give the message that Scotland is open for business to people with skills who are able to contribute greatly to the Scottish economy? Michael Matheson Of course, that is one of those areas where you would hope that the joint working between the Scottish Government and the UK Government could produce a beneficial effect. Even if the UK Government did not want to continue with post-study work visas throughout the rest of the UK, if it would allow Scotland working with the Scottish Government us to do that, of course, we saw a similar constraint in the United States, which was quickly changed, because it realised the damage that it does economically to the country if you are not going to have the opportunity for people who study in Scotland to continue to work in Scotland. I think that the return of the visa would be an important economic lever to Scotland and we would send a clear message around the world that Scotland is open for business. Jackie Baillie We all care about increasing exports, but in evidence to the economy committee, a number of independent experts told us that the greatest potential for growth in exports actually lay with proximity to our nearest market. What is the Scottish Government doing to increase exports to the rest of the UK, Scotland's largest and nearest export market? What new initiatives is the Scottish Government bringing forward? Michael Matheson I have detailed some of those in my previous answer. Our nearest market is the EU. We are in the EU single market. That is the market that we are in. I think that if you acknowledge that fact, if you can do a bit of work on this, I would suggest for Jackie Baillie, this is the market that we are in. We are trying to defend our position in this market. Unfortunately, what we have in the case of the Labour Party, Scottish Labour, is trying to provide political cover for their friends and better together on the breaks of tears by trying to talk up that aspect. For my point of view, what I am keen to do, of course, is to increase the activity and the trade that we have with the rest of the UK and to increase the activity that we have in the EU. As a last answer to the last question that was just highlighted around the world, I do not say that those things should conflict with each other. We should all be supporting all three of those aims. I apologise to members whose questions I could not take. We turn to finance in the constitution, question number one, Stuart McMillan. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government when at last met the Treasury and what matters were discussed. Cabinet Secretary, Derek Mackay. I asked the chief secretary to the treasury at the finance minister's quadrilateral meeting on 24 October. We discussed the prospects for the chancellor's autumn statement and areas of common interest in relation to the economy, public finances and Brexit. I will shortly write to the finance committee to provide further details on the key points of the meeting. I used the opportunity to once again call on the UK Government to end austerity and address the economic uncertainty following the EU referendum. At the meeting, the chief secretary confirmed HMT agreement to approve the Scottish Government's request for Amy cover for the Scottish growth scheme and to increase the budget exchange limit for financial transactions to 15 per cent. I, along with my counterparts from Wales and Northern Ireland, also reiterated our concerns about the UK Government's approach to public finances and the economy and asked for a commitment to bring forward an economic stimulus whilst not reducing current devolved settlements. I will continue to make those points directly to UK ministers, including at the joint exchequer committee tomorrow. Thank the cabinet secretary for that reply. The progress in the growth scheme is very much welcome, but can the cabinet secretary expand further on what the position of the UK Government is and also what position it may take on potentially reopening Scotland's constitutional agreement? Will all the devolved administrations in terms of finance made a very clear point that we would not want our finance settlement to be reopened negatively? We want a positive fiscal stimulus, and that should be possible considering the fact that the UK Government and the Chancellor have moved away from their predecessors' positions on fiscal surplus. I want to do a freezer. Thank you. As we have just heard from the finance secretary, the Scottish Government believes that the UK Treasury should be pursuing a policy of fiscal loosening in the autumn statement. How much extra money does the Scottish Government think that the Treasury should be borrowing? That is a matter for them in terms of the figures that they arrive at, but we have said that, as they abandoned their targets, they have failed in terms of their economic policy that they should turn to borrowing to stimulate the economy. That is a widely held opinion, and it is certainly a move that we would welcome. The merrier, Mr Fraser, in terms of resources that can fairly stimulate our economy—Mr Fraser seems to object, but that seems to be the mood music from the UK Government. It appears that Mr Fraser may be performing more somersaults in terms of the Tory's economic policies. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for local authorities to be giving greater fiscal autonomy to raise their own money and manage their local economies. Our reforms to council tax, including those presently before Parliament, together with lifting of the council tax freeze are key steps to making local taxation fairer and ensuring local authorities continue to be properly funded. Additionally, we have established an external review of non-domestic rates to report next summer, and we will consult with local government on the assignation of a share of income tax, and we are engaging stakeholders on local taxation of vacant, derelict and development land. Glasgow City Council's budget has been cut by more than £130 million over the next two years by the Scottish Government. In fact, it is the biggest cut that Glasgow City Council has ever faced as a council. The Scottish Government seems to be passing on a bigger share of cuts to Glasgow than has been passed on to it by the UK Government for some reason. Is the cabinet secretary aware of the impact of delays in setting the Scottish budget on councils like Glasgow, facing unprecedented cuts and the effect, particularly on the third sector, providing vital services for the most vulnerable? When can the Scottish Government provide some certainty and fairness for Glasgow, and is it not time for some devolution of powers that Glasgow could manage a bit of its own economy? I am very happy to engage with COSLA and local government more widely around the devolution of further powers. I think that a good example of that working in practice is around the city deal, of course, where Glasgow is a rather substantial beneficiary, and we want that to work. That is over £1 billion of investment, which is, of course, totally discounted in the comments that have been made around the wider local government settlement. However, the Government has protected local government over the period of real-terms reductions from UK Government. In terms of distribution, that is a matter jointly discussed with COSLA. I encourage councils like Glasgow to consider their position in relation to COSLA so that local government can speak with one voice and arrive at a decision on those matters in partnership. Marie Todd Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can local authorities be flexible in the way that they apply second home council tax in order to meet the needs of their communities? Yes, in essence they can. The recent regulations that we have been able to take through will allow further flexibility in relation to council tax discounts for second homes, including varying the level of discount between 0 and 50 per cent. Kezia Dugdale Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can the cabinet secretary tell us whether he is still open-minded to the idea of a tourist tax, a tax that local authorities could apply within their own local areas and retain 100 per cent of the tax receipts for in order to fight the cuts? I think that that is a fair question. A small number of local authorities have approached me about this issue, and I am engaging with COSLA about the basket of local taxes. Although we have no plans to introduce such a tax, I think that it is worthy of discussion, and I will have those discussions with local authorities and those local authorities who are interested in such a levy. Claire Hawking Thank you, Presiding Officer. As part of the proposed reforms to council tax, the Government agreed to improve support for households with children. How many children stand to benefit from the increase in the child allowance within the council tax reduction scheme? Cabinet secretary. The increase in the child allowance within the council tax reduction scheme by 25 per cent will benefit up to 77 households by an average of £173 per year and help nearly 140,000 children. Question 3 has not been lodged. Question 4, Ivan McKee. To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that its procurement process policy delivers best value. Cabinet secretary. The Scottish model of procurement has value for money at its heart and importantly sees this as an important balance of cost, quality and sustainability. The need to achieve that balance informs our approach to procurement and is increasingly being recognised internationally as an exemplar of good practice. Ivan McKee Thank you, cabinet secretary, for that answer. The Scottish baby box is a fantastic initiative. It involves a spend of approximately £6 million per year, and therefore offers a potential additional benefit of creating jobs in manufacturing and supply. Totsbots in my constituency is one such business looking forward to tendering to manufacture nappies for the baby box, thus creating jobs in a deprived area of Glasgow. Can the cabinet secretary assure me that every effort will be made to ensure that companies such as Totsbots and others will have an opportunity to play a role in the excellent initiative of creating jobs in Scotland in the process? Cabinet secretary. Ivan McKee Presiding Officer, I am not about award contracts through oral parliamentary questions, but I can say that the short answer is yes, insofar as procurement rules will allow. Of course, there are many potential advantages to the baby box, including in its procurement. James Kelly Thank you. I am sure that the cabinet secretary will agree with me that procurement policies should be used to improve the rights of workers. Does he therefore share my disappointment that only 0.2 per cent of Scottish companies have signed up to the business pledge, which can be used to secure the living wage and no zero-hour contracts for workers? In what steps will he take to extend the number of companies that sign up to this important pledge? Cabinet secretary. I agree with Mr Kelly. There is an ambition to expand the number of those signing up to the business pledge. I think that we can all reflect on how we can encourage more to take up that pledge. Certainly, when I visit businesses, I ask them, are they supportive of it, and are there any elements that need further encouragement? Obviously, I think that we should all give further consideration to the promotion of the business pledge to get as much good work out of that as possible, and certainly the Government will continue to be active in promoting this particular policy for all the social and ethical and economic benefits that it brings. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with the Scottish public sector green ICT strategy. The green ICT strategy that was published in May 2015 provides guidance for the public sector to contribute to this Government's wider climate change targets. It aligns with the assessment tools that were developed as part of the amendments to the Climate Change Scotland Act 2009. Specifically, the secondary legislation, the climate change, due to the public body's reporting requirements, Scotland order 2015. Those are reported annually, beginning in November 2016. We have also included green ICT principles into the digital first standards that were published in May 2016, which set minimum levels for delivering digital public services. Those standards apply to all digital public services being created in and by central Government. Assessment process is due to be rolled out in early 2017 and will be augmented and improved over time. A recent Audit Scotland report of NHS 24 found delays of implementation in the new IT system. The report reads, and I quote, in 2009, NHS 24 began work on its future programme. The programme's objective was to improve patient experience by modernising NHS 24's call telephone and online technology. The implementation of the new system, which was originally scheduled for June 2013, is still not complete. Given that, and its year-long delays on other IT projects, how will the Scottish Government be able to meet its goals in establishing newer, greener infrastructure? I think that I can report to the chamber that we have made progress in the monitoring arrangements around such projects. I think that it will give us better checks and balances, stronger procurement in greater and deeper expertise, and I am happy to share some of that information in writing with Mr Short, if he would sign that helpful and hopefully reassure him that our processes are far more robust in learning some of the lessons from the mistakes from the past. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I would like to ask the Scottish Government in relation to the recent award by the Scottish Government of a £48 million framework agreement for the supply of IT consumables. How was the ICT life cycle impact mapped, as well as the disposal of the IT consumables incorporated into the specification, along with the scoring award criteria for the contract? I thank Mr Golden for that question, quite genuinely. It is a very comprehensive question that truly deserves a comprehensive answer, which I am happy to do in writing. To ask the Scottish Government what savings it expects the Scottish Futures Trust to achieve in delivering projects. The Scottish Futures Trust is on course to achieve the objective set out in its corporate plan for 2014-19 and achieve savings of between £500 million and £750 million. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills will be aware that the Scottish Futures Trust programme, Scotland's Schools for the Future, helped to build a new Luswaith High School in my constituency. Can he update the Parliament on how the work on the Luswaith High School helped to inform Scotland's schools for the future programme subsequently? The new Luswaith Centre was part of a pilot project, along with Eastwood High School in East Renfrewshire, where it saw the Government. The two councils worked together to jointly procure both schools in a £65 million groundbreaking collaborative initiative that saved £4 million as a result of the partnership approach. That was the first time that two Scottish councils came together to procure two new schools. The initiative has proved successful, with the collaborative model being used by other local authorities to achieve benefits and savings across the programme, and it is that kind of working that will inform the onward programme. 7. Richard Lyle Thank you, Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government whether the prompt payment of bills relating to its public contracts has been sustained. The Scottish Government remains committed to helping businesses by paying invoices early and aspires to pay all undisputed supplier invoices within 10 working days. The Scottish Government purchases some goods and services using the electronic purchasing card, EPC, and payment performance is measured by taking into account both EPC and invoice transactions. For the first six months of the current financial year, i.e. from April to September 2016, the Scottish Government and bodies sharing its financial systems have paid 98.8 per cent of all transactions within 10 working days. Richard Lyle I thank the cabinet secretary for that impressive answer. I welcome the Government's performance on payment of bills. Can the cabinet secretary update the Parliament on project bank accounts and whether they will be used to support businesses in the construction sector? Richard Lyle That was an impressive answer. I think that it was shortened to the point, but it gives a very impressive figure of compliance in achieving those payment targets. However, in terms of project bank accounts, following the successful completion of the trial programme recommended by the review of Scottish Public Sector Procurement and Construction, the Scottish Government has published guidance on the implementation of project bank accounts PBAs in construction contracts. I would encourage their use, because I think that it is important for subcontractors and the supply chain. Edward Mountain To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made on the link between taxation policy and small business insolvencies in Scotland. Richard Lyle The Scottish Government recognises the importance of small and medium-sized businesses to our economic prosperity. As part of our overall approach, we are committed to using the tax powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament to support sustained economic growth. Our small business bonus scheme is, for example, removing or reducing business rates for more than 100,000 premises this year, and we have committed to expanding the scheme so that it lifts 100,000 properties out of rates altogether. Edward Mountain If the minister will be aware of recent insolvencies service statistics showing that, since the financial crisis hit in 2008, the number of corporate liquidations in Scotland has increased by 21.5 per cent, while falling by 23.1 per cent in England and Wales. Can the minister please explain the disparity to the chamber and can the minister also explain why the Government's plans to tax businesses an extra £262 million in business rates will help to reverse the trend? Richard Lyle I am happy to check the figures on liquidations and insolvencies, because that is not that picture painted as not necessarily the figures that I have in terms of corporate insolvencies. We cannot break it down into small businesses, which was the premise of Mr Mountain's question, so I am happy to probe that point further. On the wider point on business rates, we have the most competitive package of business rates reliefs on the islands, and I want to sustain that as finance secretary of this country. We have the Ken Barclay review and we have matched the poundage. I would simply point out that the number of small and medium-sized enterprises in Scotland has grown from 148,02010 to an impressive 163,02015. Ash Denham Can the cabinet secretary advise on what steps are being taken to give Scottish businesses a competitive advantage over counterparts in other parts of the UK? I again refer to the small business bonus, and here is the words of the SFB, the Federation of Small Businesses, who says that the small business bonus continues to give the most Scottish small firms a competitive advantage over counterparts in other parts of the UK. I think that it shows how valued the small business bonus is and why it should continue. Question 9, Clare Adamson. To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in the continuity of EU funding in light of Brexit. EU funding benefits Scotland significantly, supporting jobs, delivering infrastructure, sustaining rural communities, providing valuable support for the farming and fishing industries and delivering research funding for universities. I have personally met the chief secretary to the Treasury on two occasions since the Brexit vote, and I have written to him to make it clear that the Scottish Government's view on the insufficiency of the original EU funding guarantees that were provided by HM Treasury in August 2016. The UK Government has recently revised its position on EU funding guarantees to cover and fill the payment of all EU funding contracts for structural funds, fisheries and farming projects that are entered into before the UK proposes to leave the EU, even if the payments extend beyond the Brexit date. I am pleased to confirm today that, having considered the detail of the UK Government guarantees that I will be passing on those guarantees in full to Scottish stakeholders to provide stability and certainty for those key sectors of the Scottish economy. The University of Edinburgh's principal, Sir Timothy O'Shea, addresses the Scottish Affairs Committee on 24 October, warning that Brexit might have a catastrophic consequence on a higher education in the UK, emphasising that one-third of the university's research outputs are done in collaboration with other EU countries. What reassurance if any is the cabinet secretary able to give the science sector on future funding and future access to the horizon 2020 fund? I find the member and the chamber that I have been able to pass on the guarantees that I have received from the UK Government, but there is absolutely no clarity in what happens after that date. That issue must be pursued with the UK Government. It is true to say, and I share those concerns, that Brexit poses a massive threat to higher education, research, development and a whole host of other areas. That is why it is really important that this Government, indeed this Parliament, continues to stand up for Scotland. That brings us to an end of portfolio questions.