 I invite members to join me in welcoming to the gallery the Honourable Craig Farrell MLC, President of the Legislative Council, Parliament of Tasmania. The next item of business is topical questions and at question number one I call Brian Whittle. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report by Friends of the Earth Scotland, which suggests that additional investment is required in public transport if the Scottish Government is to meet its target of reducing car kilometres by 20 per cent by 2030. The Scottish Government recognises that reaching our target of a 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030 will require a broad combination of interventions, including infrastructure, incentives and disincentives. We know that, to reduce car use, public transport has to be available, affordable and accessible. As part of the fair fares review, a six-month pilot to remove ScotRail peak fares in all routes will start in October. In addition, £421.8 million has been allocated in funding for bus services and concessionary fares in 2324, providing up to 2.3 million people in Scotland with access to free bus travel. That is part of a total of over £2 billion spent on supporting public transport by the Scottish Government annually. Brian Whittle, I thank the minister for that response. I think that this report makes clear the scale of the potential costs that are required to achieve the Scottish Government target of around £1.7 billion per year for the next 12 years, purely for capital investment in new rail services, new zero-carbon buses, new trans systems and new light rail networks. So far, the Scottish Government has not given any indication of how it intends to practically address this issue. Does the minister accept that nothing close to this level of investment will be possible without significant private sector support? How does the Scottish Government plan to obtain that? I would say to the member that it would be extremely helpful if the UK Government, the Treasury, began to loosen the purse strings and to invest in infrastructure to allow us all to reach our net zero targets. It really is a matter for government to play its part. I suggest that the UK Government is not doing that. Mr Whittle is right that we all have a part to play, including the private sector. We will do what we can to encourage the private sector to play its part in our net zero ambitions, but that would be much easier if the UK Government did it's bit. The Scottish Government is doing what the Scottish Government always does, is deflect away from its responsibilities. However, while there is a clear need to reduce emissions from modes of transport powered by internal combustion, does the minister accept that there is a serious risk of policies in this area being developed in a highly city-centric way that could disadvantage those rural areas, both in terms of being a poor relation when it comes to investment in new transport, infrastructure and prioritising travel for those living inside cities ahead of those travelling into them from elsewhere? No, the Government is not going to be city-centric in terms of its policy interventions. We recognise that there are different factors at play in our rural areas, and that is why we recognise that there will be more car usage in rural areas. There will be car usage by folks, for example, with blue badges, so we have to tailor our policies to meet the needs of all of Scotland, and that is what we will do. John Mason, I wonder if the minister would agree with me that the Conservatives need to be a bit more realistic about where the money might come from, and that if we had a better fiscal framework with the UK, that would be a big help in the first instance. I agree entirely with John Mason. We really need increased fiscal flexibility, including additional borrowing powers. The latest GDP deflators published by the OBR show that our core capital funding from the UK Government will fall by more than 16 per cent in real terms by 24-25 when compared to 21-22. That represents a steep decline in the buying power of our investment, and when coupled with the current impact of high inflation, it places significant additional pressures on our capital programme. We, as the chamber knows, also have limited capital borrowing powers. Scotland is constrained by reliance on the UK Government for capital grant allocations, which have failed to meet the needs for infrastructure to support Scotland's net zero emission targets. The UK Government needs to step up to the plate here and loosen those purse strings. Friends of the Earth's On the Move report highlights how, through increased capital investment in public transport, the Scottish Government could create 22,000 new direct jobs and 416,000 indirect jobs. In the SNP leadership campaign, the First Minister was clear in his response to the RMT union's pledge for rail campaign that his Government would be committed to investment in our railway. Will the minister once and for all rule out cuts to ScotRail ticket offices that threaten rail jobs and services? We will continue to invest in our national railway. I am very pleased that it is now over a year since ScotRail has been nationalised. That is good for all, for ScotRail, for its staff and, most important, for passengers. I reiterate the point about capital investment. It would be much easier to increase the levels of capital investment if the Treasury did what is required here and invested in our net zero ambitions. Friends of the Earth's On the Move report, alongside numerous UK climate change committee reports, shows us that, without decisive action to reduce the number of cars on the roads, we will not be able to achieve our legally binding targets that the Parliament voted for. Does the transport minister agree that traffic demand management measures are an essential tool to reduce transport missions and raise revenue? Can he provide an update on what correspondence ministers have had with the UK Government on the need for such measures? I agree with Mr Ruskell and the UK climate change committee that we need to deter car use to accompany investment in active travel and public transport. The need for all of that is set out in the route map on 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030. We have continued to seek engagement at both ministerial and official level on the same issues that the UK climate change committee raised, but the UK Government has yet to give the devolved nations clarity on whether, and if so when, it plans to reform motoring taxes. We know that reforms to transport taxes will be crucial in meeting net zero targets. If the UK Government does not want to act in that, it should devolve those matters to this Parliament so that we can do the right thing. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report by NUS Scotland that stated that more than a fifth of international students in Scotland have experienced homelessness during their studies. Scotland welcomes international students from all over the world. They are an important part of our student community. That report raises significant issues, which I know that universities will take seriously as they seek to ensure that they have robust plans in place to assist in finding accommodation. Faisal Chowdhury I congratulate the minister on his new position. This week is international student week, yet we are still seeing thousands of students across Scotland struggle through this housing crisis without help from the Scottish Government. Last week, in my member's business debate, I addressed the huge number of houses that are mould infested and dangerous. Landlords and letting agents are refusing to deal with the issue of dump and mould. Once again, it is students who suffer as they cannot afford to live anywhere else. Can the minister advise what is being done to ensure landlords and letting agents are held accountable for the structural repairs and dump control in privately rented accommodation? Faisal Chowdhury I thank Faisal Chowdhury for his kind words. That is a really important issue. I want to address it when we take a moment. The Scottish Government, as members know, has no direct role in the provision of student residential accommodation, but we are determined to improve accessibility, affordability and standards in the purpose-built student accommodation, which we can influence. Our view is that students should not be disadvantaged in the housing market. The review that is under way in that particular aspect has looked at key issues such as accessibility, affordability and standards. The expert group has involved the national union of students. I look forward to receiving the recommendations in the group soon. In the context of the wider issue that he highlights in the private sector, in the course of the next few weeks, I will be speaking to ministerial colleagues about what more we could do in that space. Faisal Chowdhury I thank the minister for that answer. The study by NUS Scotland also found that 29 per cent of international students have considered living their course because of the financial difficulties and a shocking 49 per cent have skipped meals due to their financial circumstances. In January this year, I hosted a student housing roundtable in the Parliament. Many international students told me they faced clear racism from private landlords when looking for affordable housing. If they also cannot secure a UK-based grantor, then purpose-built student accommodation is the only option for many of them. These often have difficulties, but they are far too expensive for most students to afford. Will the minister agree to meet with me to discuss the housing situation of international students in Scotland? Minister Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Faisal Chowdhury Some students have been pointed out for a whole semester to return to India if they小 introduce payments on the available services for child care. Others say that they have to need all information from their friends until they find accommodation of their own. If there are an issue specific to Indian students, I'm happy to discuss that with her. What I would say beyond what I've already said is that over the next few weeks and months, you can imagine I'm quite popular with student principals at the moment at one meetings. If members are identifying particular hotspots where there are issues, I'll be more than happy to discuss that on the agenda of the meetings that I have with the principals in those universities, but I'll be more than happy to discuss it further with Pam Gozel. I also welcome the minister to his new role. The findings of this report are deeply concerning and I appreciate that the Scottish Government is carrying out a review of the provision of the purpose-built student accommodation sector to inform a student accommodation strategy for Scotland. Can the minister provide some detail on the scope of this review? Does he agree with me that the responsibility here lies with universities as private institutions who have a duty regarding the wellbeing of their students? Yes, it does primarily lie with universities, but I have to say that I had a meeting last week with students from multiple universities in the Edinburgh area and I was extremely encouraged to hear about the emphasis that the university is concerned on place on the wellbeing of students. I think that they do some good work in that area. With regard to the review, it was a fairly wide-ranging scope. I'm looking forward to it. I'm awaiting the recommendations of the group and we'll consider those carefully because what we want to do is to provide a response that sets out strategic priorities for student accommodation that is informed by the challenges that the students and questions are meeting. I don't think that the minister really understands the severity of the problem. We've got more international students than ever before and we've got a housing crisis, particularly for students. He can't really wash his hands of this. I'm sure he will get involved directly with universities, but this is a direct responsibility for the Government to get this balance right, because our international reputation could be damaged if we don't sort out this international student housing crisis. Does he understand that? I don't think that any way in any of my answers I've indicated that I'm washing my hands of it. I simply stated the fact that the primary responsibility for this lies with the individual universities, but as I've laid out, we are doing a piece of work in this space, as it stands. Yes, he's right to talk about getting the balance right, and I'm happy to have conversations with Willie Rennie if he has specific issues that he wants to raise with me in this space. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the SQA regarding the preparations for this year's exams. The SQA operates at arm's length to ministers and is responsible for its own operational decisions and planning, including preparations for exams. Notwithstanding, Scottish ministers and officials are kept informed through regular meetings, and I met with the chief executive and the chair of the SQA last Wednesday, 19 April. Exams have now started, and they will continue until 31 May, and around 130,000 school pupils and learners will be sitting on their national five higher and advanced higher exams in a variety of different subjects across Scotland. I wish them every success, and I thank the SQA teachers, lecturers and our parents and carers for all the support that they are providing. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response and welcome her to her role. I would like to say that exams represent the culmination of a lot of hard work for our young people, and the disruption caused by the pandemic clearly had an impact on previous exam diets. Can I ask the cabinet secretary what specific measures the SQA has outlined to ensure that the exam diet runs smoothly and gives our young people the platform to demonstrate their talents and hard work? I thank the member for his question. It is worthwhile to put on the record that modifications to the 2022 national qualifications were continued into this year's exam diet, in recognition to the member's point of the on-going impacts of the pandemic. Those modifications vary by subject and by level, but they might include removing or reducing elements of an exam or, of course, giving more choice or time during an assessment or removing a topic entirely from the exam. In addition to that, the SQA has also confirmed that it will continue to use a sensitive, evidence-based approach to grading this year, and, like last year, that approach will be grounded in evidence and taken into consideration the significant modifications made to the national course assessments. The SQA has also confirmed that a free and direct appeals service which will give all learners the right to request a review of their marked exam papers and now exists, will be available this year for the very first time. In addition, in exceptional circumstances, a service will exist for those who are unable to sit the exam or whose performance is impacted by personal circumstances on the day. Thank you very much for that. An evidence-based overhaul of our qualification system gives a chance to think about the ways in which we assess progress and measure achievement. I welcome the cabinet secretary's indication that those may look radically different. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that any new qualification system should be designed to draw out the diverse range of talents and abilities amongst our young people? I agree with the sentiment behind the member's question. Indeed, the aim of Professor Hayward's independent review of qualifications and assessment is to ensure that all senior-phase skill pupils and learners have that equal and enhanced opportunity to demonstrate their learning. The review was, of course, announced by my predecessor back in October 2021. That was in response to concerns around the curriculum content in the senior phase being driven by high stakes exams rather than a rich and rounded educational experience, which was, of course, one of the real precursors to curriculum for excellence, as well as that overreliance potentially on exams. Those points were drawn out in the OECD's subsequent report, and, of course, we will continue to engage with the national discussion, which is coming forward shortly, the output of which will be invaluable to where we go next in relation to exams. Professor Hayward's independent review is still, of course, under way. The interim report published at the start of March. I expect to receive the final report at the end of May, and I am meeting with Professor Hayward tomorrow to discuss some of her work in more detail. I very much commend Professor Hayward for the hard work and engagement that she has undertaken, yes, with young people, but also with the profession and across the education system. Her final report will both deserve and require detailed consideration for the Government. I also welcome the cabinet secretary to our role and also to pupils and students who will be sitting their exams over the next few weeks. Teacher strikes this year caused significant disruption for pupils and students across Scotland, missing many days of school, including their prelims. For many pupils, this will be the first time that they have ever sat an exam, yet they have been badly let down by this SNP Government. I have been contacted by parents who fear their children may not have received the support that they needed. Can the cabinet secretary detail what catch-up lessons and support, such as tutors, were putting place for pupils most affected by the strikes, and is the minister confident that the support provided will make up for the lost learning time? I look forward to working with her in due course. She raises a number of concerns, and I will be more than happy to look at that in more detail. I am aware that a level of support has been put in place in recognition of the points that she has raised in relation to industrial action. I know that there is the national e-learning offer, which gives thousands of live recorded and supported online resources, including lessons that support and study revision can be accessed independently of course by young people at a time that suits them. The SQA has also issued the Your National Qualifications booklet and the Your Exams booklet, which includes study and exam tips. The SQA has also confirmed that a free and direct appeals service will give all learners that direct right of access to their appeal, which is a significant change in relation to how the SQA administers' appeals will be available this year. In addition, as I outlined in my response to Bill Kidd, there will be provision put in place in relation to exceptional circumstances. It also goes without saying that I know a number of teachers throughout the Easter holiday period will have been running study classes to help support their pupils in preparation for the exams. However, again, if Ms Gallagher has further details in relation to some of the concerns that she has raised, I am more than happy to look at them in more detail and raise them with the SQA should need be. I would like to welcome the cabinet secretary to her new role and I look forward to working with her in the future. Yesterday, the SQA exam diet started and I would like to wish young people across the country all the very best of luck with that. Of course, the SQA itself is going through a significant and necessary review. The Moore review suggested taking accreditation and regulation out of the SQA. The previous cabinet secretary ignored this advice and said that the S&P Government intends to leave both functions in the new qualification board, directly contradicting one of the recommendations in that report. Will the cabinet secretary review the decision and reassure us that it is listening to experts and is fully committed to genuine education reform and not simply a rebrand with the old management still in place? I look forward to working with her very much in the education space. The member speaks on a number of issues and it is worth well pointing out that, of course, in relation to the Moore report, we also have the OECD recommendations. We have, as I mentioned in my response to Ms Gallagher, the national discussion and, furthermore, we will have at the end of next month Professor Hayward's independent review of qualifications. More broadly, it is really important as cabinet secretary that I listen to the profession. I spent some time with former colleagues in a school in Edinburgh last week listening to them. I am very mindful that it has been a quite difficult time for the profession, I think that it is fair to say, in the past wee while. It is really important that any changes that come forward as a result of those reviews are taken forward in conjunction with the profession. I cannot voice changed upon them. To Ms Duncan Glancy's point about rebranding, I am very mindful of that. We need to recognise in Government the purpose behind those changes, the purpose is to develop and deliver a more effective education system, one that better meets the needs of our learners and our young people and prepares them for the world of work. That is what I am absolutely committed to taking forward as cabinet secretary. That concludes topical questions. I will allow a moment or two for benches to re-organise for the next item.