 The next item of business is portfolio questions, moving straight on, questions on social security and world of people number one, John Scott. Allocates funding from the Scottish welfare fund to local authorities. The Scottish welfare funding is allocated to local authorities in accordance with the formula agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA. The formula is based on the income domain of the Scottish index of multiple deprivation, so that local authorities, with more people on low incomes, get higher allocations, ensuring that the Scottish welfare fund is focused on the most deprived areas. John Scott. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. However, she will be aware that across various local authorities there are different overspends and underspends of the Scottish welfare fund, and does the Scottish Government take that into account or believe that it should when distributing the funding for the programme? Cabinet secretary. Well, it is up to each local authority to manage the budget within that year for their local area. It is important that the formula basis is held to. It is based on the deprived areas. As I said to the member, it is important that it stays that way. Therefore, we encourage local authorities to ensure that they manage their own expenditure, they use their allocation up, but we do not take underspend into account as we move on to the next financial year, because it is important that we recognise the private communities on which that formula is based. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Does the cabinet secretary agree that the Scottish Government will not have to provide any welfare support to Scottish local authorities if it was not for the savage cuts to social security imposed by the UK Tory Government backed by Mr Scott? Well, I would absolutely agree with the premise of Mr Gibson's questions, the fact that we have to provide for nearly a third of a million households in Scotland to require a Scottish welfare fund is indeed a sad indictment of the UK Government's record on welfare cuts. We have provided money to ensure that the Scottish welfare fund is there to provide people in crisis, but what a sad time when we have to once again mitigate against UK Government welfare reforms. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported concerns raised by young carer groups that the current proposals for the young carer grant are unduly restrictive. The Scottish Government is committed to co-designing the young carer grant with young carers and stakeholder organisations to ensure that the grant meets the needs of our young carers. The draft regulations that have been passed for scrutiny to the Scottish Commission on Social Security have been amended in line with feedback that has been received through the consultation, user research, the young carer grant working group and young carer panels. Greens particularly welcome the decision to allow young carers to be recognised for caring for more than one person. However, the current proposals still only appear to extend only to one young carer, which Carers Trust Scotland says is unfair. When there are two young carers providing support, one would appear to miss out. Will the cabinet secretary take action to address that? We have moved on a number of issues as the Government has developed the regulations as we go through the different processes. As I said in my original answer to Alison Johnstone, the regulations are now with the commission, the first set of regulations that the commission will be looking at, and I look forward to their feedback on those in due time. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The cabinet secretary knows that carers want to see restrictions on study and ended support for caring for multiple people and changes to the poverty-inducing earnings cliff edge. When the carers strategic policy statement is launched next month, he can ask the cabinet secretary to ensure that the consultation that flows from that is not if the Government should introduce those long called for changes, but how carers want to see those policies developed. Ready for carers allowance is fully transferred. The announcements and proposals that will be coming forward that Mark McReynton mentions are not specifically to do with social security, but are on wider carers issues. It is not a development that will be led by myself. It is important that we look at social security within a wider context of what is happening for carers in Scotland. We are determined as a Government to ensure that we support carers as we move through that process, both in social security and in other aspects, and the developments that Mark Griffin referred to will be an important way to ensure that we are receiving feedback from carers and the stakeholder organisations about what they wish to see in the longer term. To ask the Scottish Government how it assists older people to stay in their homes for as long as possible. We are absolutely committed to supporting older people to live as independently as possible at home or in a homely setting. This year, we are increasing our package of investment in social care and integration to exceed £700 million. That demonstrates that this Government's commitment to support older people and disabled people and recognises the vital role of unpaid carers. Last month, the Government published the Fairer Scotland for Older People, a framework for action that identifies actions that will be taken to maximise the contribution of older people and to remove the barriers that face. Those include in the areas of housing and care, while maintaining the need for personal independence. I am sure that the minister would take the opportunity to acknowledge the contribution that care and repair services play in helping older people to live at home independently for as long as possible. Does she agree with me that denying this service to older people as some councils have chosen to do by withdrawing funding is unacceptable? Will she give a commitment to review the funding mechanisms that support such services, as Care and Repair Scotland and Age Scotland have called for, so that we ensure that it is consistent across the country? I know that Graham Simpson is well aware of some of the innovative work that is being done around all those areas, including the work that is still in university in Age Scotland. He will know that care and repair services are something that the local authority would have responsibility for. I have not had any direct issues raised with me on that, but it would be raised with my colleagues in housing, and I am happy to make sure that the colleagues in housing are aware of the concerns that Graham Simpson has raised today. To ask the Scottish Government in light of the 2016 SNP manifesto commitment whether it will legislate in the current parliamentary session to bring gender recognition law up to international best practice. The Scottish Government is strongly committed to maintaining and indeed advancing trans rights and equality. As with all parties in this Parliament, we want to reform the gender recognition law, and our programme for government 2018-2019 reaffirmed that commitment to legislation on gender recognition. The majority of the 15,500 responses to the Scottish Government's consultation on gender recognition supported the proposals, but we recognise that some respondents expressed sincerely heard concerns about reform. We will take account of those concerns as we reach our decisions on next steps, and we will announce our response to the consultation in due course. I am glad that the cabinet secretary gave a reminder to the chamber that all five political parties in this Parliament stood on the manifesto commitments to continue to advance the legislation. The equality network's hustings in advance of the 2016 election show every political party leader gave a clear personal commitment to see that legislation brought forward. Does the cabinet secretary recognise that the delay that we have seen since the consultation has also seen the development of a much more coherent campaign against trans rights and equality, including by those who seek to portray trans people as a threat in a way that is reminiscent of previous campaigns against lesbian, gay and bisexual equality? Does the cabinet secretary recognise that there is an impatience to see that legislation introduced and can she give us a timetable? I appreciate that there are stakeholder groups and individuals across Scotland who are looking to this Parliament to ensure that there is change. There is absolutely an imperative on all of us to ensure that this debate is carried out in the right manner, and it is done with respect. It is done of recognising different opinions, but ensuring that we do so on the foundation of trans inclusivity and of ensuring that trans rights are respected, along with other rights in our community. Trans people are not a threat, they never have been, they never will be, but it is important that we listen to people who have concerns to reassure them, to ensure that we are doing everything that we can to reassure those concerns and work through them. That is why I am ensuring that I go through a process of due diligence to look at the consultation responses, to understand the concerns that are out there and work with people to find solutions. At that ask would I put out to everybody in this chamber and beyond, if we are committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland is respected and has a place in our society, then we all have an obligation to come forward with solutions about how we do that in a respectful manner. I would remind Patrick Harvie that one of the groups that is most concerned about those proposals are in fact lesbians. Nothing in the SNP 2016 manifesto said that males with male bodies, including male genitals, should be able to declare themselves female without any medical or psychological assessment or safeguarding. Trans people are not a threat, it is men who are a threat because men commit 97 per cent of sexual crimes. So what evidence does the Government have that males who self-declare themselves as female no longer offend at male rates? I welcome Joan McAlpine's reaffirmation that trans people are not a threat. The important point that is picked up is that there is a perceived threat from men who will use the debate around trans rights. That is very important. We recognise it as something that I recognised in a blog that I put out in this area. We tackle that fear that women have of men and ensure that we deal with that and also ensure that we develop trans rights in a respectful manner. The Government is absolutely determined to move forward with the gender recognition laws. It is important that we do that in the right manner. It is important that we ensure that the process that is here at the moment does change, that we listen to the concerns that people have around how we are trying to change that. We also ensure that people recognise that what the Government is proposing is something that would be a solemn declaration that would be made in front of a notary public that would have very serious consequences if ever broken. It is very important that we ensure that, when we are talking about self-declaration, it is done on the basis of self-decoration in front of a notary public with criminal offences available to be charged if someone abuses that system. If we can work to ensure that what we are bringing forward recognises those concerns, we are also ensuring that we are delivering a system of gender recognition that is fit for purpose for what is going on within the international community, then we can move Scotland a long way forward in what is a very difficult subject for many of us to find a solution to. I appreciate that that was a lengthier answer to a sensitive position, but I would like shorter answers, please, as everybody gets in. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on DWP's removal of the protected date of claim guarantees, which previously allowed councils and citizens of Scotland to back to benefit claims of their clients to the staff of the application process rather than the final submission date. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills is yet another area where there is great concerns over universal credit and the effect that it has on people in Scotland. There are many reasons why someone might not be able to make a claim from the day that they are entitled to make that claim. For example, people might not have digital access, so it is therefore important that those protected dates that were available are recognised and the UK Government does need to recognise that as well. The removal of those financial safeguards for some of my most vulnerable constituents are alarming and unacceptable. Glasgow City Council has estimated that 200 Glyzvedians will miss out each and every month because of that. Can I ask the cabinet secretary whether she agrees that the flaws in the universal credit system require us to be fixed, not made worse at the expense of the poorest in society, including many of my constituents? Will she join me in calling for an urgent rethink of those appalling changes for them to be scrapped altogether? Once again, Bob Doris-Rae's is a very important point. I would fully support his reasoning behind his question and his calls for action from the UK Government. 6. Fulton MacGregor Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government how much Social Security Scotland has paid out and benefits since the Social Security Scotland Act 2018 was passed. The Social Security Scotland Act received royal assent on 1 June 2018 with Social Security Scotland established on 1 September 2018. Since then, the agency has paid out £197 million between 1 September 2018 and 31 March 2019. That is broken down by £158.5 million on carers allowance and £33.9 million on carers allowance supplement and an investment in carers of more than £192 million. Payments of £4.4 million have also been made for the best start grant pregnancy and baby payments. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. She mentioned the best start grant, which has paid out more in two months than the DWP benefitted and replaced it in the whole year, putting money into the pockets of families with children, many of whom have been hit by the UK Government cuts. Would the cabinet secretary agree that it shows the positive difference that we are making to families across all of Scotland with her new powers over social security? The cabinet secretary wants to ensure that our children get the best start in life. Using our new social security powers to help make that happen is a very important part of our programme. In the first three months, more than 9,700 families received the pregnancy and baby payment. The best start grant takes provision for the first child from £500 under the sheer start maternity grant up to a total of £1,100 over three payments. Subsequent children who received nothing from the UK Government will receive up to a total of £800. That is an increase of £1,400 more than the UK system for a two-child family in Scotland. Last week, we heard that Social Security Scotland has spent £9.1 million on temporary and contract workers. Can I ask the cabinet secretary therefore how the Scottish Government plans to ensure that we will have enough permanent staff to deliver the remaining 98 per cent of devolved benefits? The use of contract staff within the programme is an important way to ensure that we have the right skill mix within the programme at the right time. There are other areas in particular where it is better to use a contract staff in a permanent member of the Scottish Government because the types of skills that we require are only required for a short period of time in a particular part of the programme. That is why we are taking important steps to ensure that we create the right mix of permanent staff, temporary staff and contract staff with a keen eye on the public purse. To ask the Scottish Government how many families in the Highlands and Islands have been awarded a best start grant pregnancy and baby payment since December 2018 and how many have their applications rejected. Social Security Scotland made around 600 best start grant pregnancy and baby payments to families in the Highlands and Islands electorate region by the end of February 2019. During the same period, around 300 applications were denied and a small number were withdrawn. The cabinet secretary will know that there are as many as one in five children in poverty in parts of my region and yet, as she has told us just now, more than 300 families had their grant application rejected. A recent report from Social Security Scotland on the delivery of the grant has shown that staff are unclear about the scheme and are working under intense pressure. The guidance is long winded and the systems are not fully tested. Can the cabinet secretary, given assurance that families entitled to the payment in my region, got them and that any failure in the system did not lead to anyone missing out? I will have to say to Rhoda Grant that I absolutely do not recognise her assessment of the Social Security Scotland agency or its workings. If she would refer to the new insights research that is published by Social Security Scotland, which shows satisfaction rates of 98 per cent and 100 per cent for online and telephone inquiries, that proves that we have an agency that is based on dignity, fairness and respect. Applications were denied, for example, particularly around a new benefit for many reasons. It could be, for example, because people were not on the low income benefits that you have to be to be eligible. We had a number of people who were applying for best start pregnancy and baby payments who did not live in Scotland. We had a number of people who were applying and whose child was not within the age range of which the developments and entitlements were actually for. We all look very seriously at why there are areas where there are different parts of the country where applications are rejected, but I absolutely refute the allegation that Rhoda Grant made that there are flaws in the Social Security Scotland system. People who are applying for those grants are getting those grants and it is a shame that the Scottish Labour Party cannot recognise the success of Social Security Scotland and its staff. I will just squeeze you in, Liz Smith. She was not ready for that. To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be on benefit recipients of the expansion to 1140 hours of funded childcare. It must be brief, cabinet secretary. A key driver for the expansion of the 1140 hours is the evidence that all children, but especially those who are experiencing the most disadvantaged benefit from access to high quality early learning and childcare, the increase in hours and the new approach to flexibility and choice can make it easier, for example, for families to access work, training or study. The quickest supplementary ever. Can I just ask the cabinet secretary what contingency measures the Scottish Government has got in place for those who are on benefits if they are going to have to pay their childcare fees upfront because neither the public funded nurseries nor the private funded nurseries have got species available? Cabinet secretary, very briefly. Well, I think that it is very important to ensure that I get the point over to Liz Smith, that the Scottish Government and indeed local authorities and private providers are on track to deliver on the commitment for the 1140 hours. In that way, I hope that Liz Smith reassurances that the situation will not arise. To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to protect those employees in north sea oil and gas as the industry changes. As highlighted in our energy strategy, Scotland's oil and gas sector is a key component of our energy system and our economy. It can also play a positive role in supporting the global low-carbon transition. In taking forward the aims and ambitions of the strategy, Skills Development Scotland and stakeholders have been working across a number of sectoral groups to ensure alignment of skills planning and delivery. The work will enable pathways for future employment, reflecting the potential impact of challenging demographics while addressing demand, especially in areas such as digital technology, automation and advanced manufacturing. The minister will be aware that oil and gas supports 280,000 UK jobs and workers in the energy sector, many of whom are based in the north-east, each contributing an average of more than £170,000 to the economy. However, Aberdeen Council's general revenue grant is being cut by more than £20 million. Our north-east councils face funding cuts of £100,000 per day. Given that context, can the minister tell us when we can expect a fair share for the north-east councils? North-east councils, as all councils across Scotland, get a fair share of the support. The Scottish Government's support to councils, as you will be aware, has increased and councils in the north-east, as across Scotland, get to keep all their council tax payments and non-domestic rates receipts. Alex Cole-Hamilton has made of the contribution that immigration makes to Scotland's economy. Migration is vital to Scotland's population growth and makes an essential contribution to future economic prosperity and delivery of our public services. We know that people who come to live and work in Scotland and across the UK typically contribute more through tax revenues than they consume by way of public services. Research from Oxford Economics published last June found that people who arrived in the UK in 2016 are projected to make a total net positive contribution of £26.9 billion to the UK's public finances over the entirety of their stay. Alex Cole-Hamilton is grateful to the cabinet secretary for that response. Last week, the Federation of Small Businesses revealed that one in 10 small businesses in Scotland are led by an immigrant entrepreneur, contributing more than £13 billion to the Scottish economy. During its recent inquiry, the Economy and Fair Work Committee heard that the Scottish Chamber of Commerce said that businesses could find themselves in a position where their route to government support is somewhat unclear. Given the lack of transparency— No, I want a question, but I begin to get a lot of preambles, and I don't like preambles. Sorry, given that lack of transparency, what consideration has the Government given to whether that could deter immigrant entrepreneurs from starting or upscaling businesses in Scotland? The Scottish Government has welcomed the FSB report. There is a reception this evening. I think that it has been hosted by Stuart McMillan MSP. Jamie Hepburn has engaged with the FSB in relation to the report. I agree that we should look at further ways to support entrepreneurship, business growth and scaling up of those migrant entrepreneurs who are building very successful businesses in Scotland's economy and contributing to our shared prosperity. Jackie Baillie briefly, please. The minister is further on this, because despite immigrant-led SMEs generating £13 billion and 107,000 jobs, they struggle. Gross is erratic, exports, activity is poor. Is sufficient support available from Scottish Enterprise and Business Gateway to help immigrant-led SMEs to flourish? What more can be done? As Jackie Baillie is well aware, as a member of the economy committee, Business Gateway is led by local government, but we are proactively looking at that. Partly is a consequence of the committee's inquiry in that regard. In terms of Scottish Enterprise, yes, I do believe that there is support there, but I want to do more. That is why I will engage further with the FSB and other business representatives of our organisations to try and support those groups who, for whatever reason, feel that financial products and support has not been there for them. We want to address that and, of course, celebrate the economic and social contribution that migrants have made to this country. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government how to encourage its employers to commit to having living wage accreditation. Minister Kate Forbes. Thanks, Scotland has over 1,400 living wage accredited employers, which is proportionally or five times more than the rest of the UK. To support our ambition to be a fair work nation by 2025, we have provided £380,000 to the Poverty Alliance this year to support employers through the accreditation process and to drive that commitment to lift at least 25,000 additional workers to at least the real living wage by 2021, focusing on low-pay sectors, including hospitality, to help those most affected by low-income levels. Linda Fabiani. Can I ask the minister to join with me in recognising the excellent initiative of Excel Vending in East Kilbride in becoming a living wage employer to mark the 25th anniversary of their company? That encourages other employers to consider this way of marking special milestones in their company's development. I certainly can join with Linda Fabiani in congratulating them on 25 years and recognising that they have committed two fair work practices, which obviously improve staff retention and productivity as well. I hope that that success of that business will encourage others to follow suit. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the amount of reserves that is required for a new central bank in the event of a separate Scottish currency. Cabinet Secretary? First, our proposals are to keep the pound in the immediate term. A Scottish National Party Government will take the steps that are necessary to enable the Scottish Parliament to authorise the preparation of a Scottish currency as soon as is practicable after independence. The Sustainable Growth Commission, which was established by the First Minister in her capacity as SNP leader, produced a detailed report on the financial, economic and regulatory requirements necessary for the transition to an independent currency. It engaged extensively with businesses in developing its recommendations. It recommended the introduction of six tests to guide that transition, one of which is the financial requirements of Scottish residents and businesses. Our position is clear until a new currency can be safely and securely established. In the interests of the economy as a whole, the currency of an independent Scotland should continue to be the pound sterling. Anas Sarwar I thank the cabinet secretary for that response, but I do not think that it sounds like they have done any assessment of what a foreign exchange level would need to be. Let me help him. Professor MacDonald of Glasgow University and the Adam Smith Business School have estimated that an independent currency would require £40 billion of foreign exchange reserves in order to run a managed system. Does the finance secretary, who sets the budgets of this Parliament, understand that that means more cuts, higher borrowing and tax rises? I do not accept that at all, but I am delighted, however, that Anas Sarwar is also a scenario planning for Scottish independence. That is a very welcome revelation. The six tests have been outlined within the growth commission's documentation. I would have thought that Anas Sarwar would welcome the fact that an economic plan on independence would be an alternative to austerity that we have endured under the Tory Government. We have outlined the test that we would apply as we transition to an independent country, making the right decisions for Scotland's economy. As I have said, on independence Scotland will keep the pound. Margie Fraser of Bruce Crawford Thank you, Deputy Secretary. Are we any clearer what the transaction costs will be to Scottish businesses if we have a different currency here in Scotland from our largest market in the rest of the United Kingdom? I would really encourage anyone with a genuine interest in how we can grow Scotland's economy to read the growth commission report and the resolution that was supported at the SNP conference. It sets out how we can grow our economy and deliver a more successful society using the levers and powers of independence. In terms of currency, it goes through all the requirements that would have to be fulfilled to enable us to move to an independent country if that was in the interests of the economy at the time, which would be advised by a Scottish central bank. It is all laid out in the growth commission documentation. I would encourage Opposition members to read it. Bruce Crawford, followed by Patrick Harvie Thank you, Deputy Secretary. For the sake of Anas Sarwar and other members in the chamber, who have not obviously read the growth commission or those proposals in depth, can he confirm that the tests that would guide any move to an independent currency includes the sufficiency of foreign exchange and financial reserves to allow for the successful currency management in a successful independent Scotland? Yes, of course, convener, for brevity. We have tried to cover the six tests previously, but again it is fiscal sustainability, central bank credibility and stability of debt insurance. Financial requirements of Scottish residents and business, sufficiency of foreign exchange and financial reserves fit to trade and investment patterns in correlation of economic and trade cycle. Those are the tests that we would apply. However, what independence gives us—it gives us choice, economic powers and levers that are currently denied to us—is that we can make the right decisions for Scotland's economy and any decision on currency would be taken by an independent Scottish Parliament. That is right. The right to choose is what this party is seeking for Scotland. Isn't it amusing to hear those who argued vociferously against the currency union a few years ago and still argue against sterlingisation, quite rightly so, now say how outrageous it would be not to continue to use the pound? Does the cabinet secretary share my feeling of looking forward to seeing those parties finally have to make a decision about what currency option they would support when Scotland votes for independence? The only currency that Labour and the Conservatives understand is austerity. That is what we have endured by consequence of their economic policies. The UK Government cannot stop an independent—I know that the Opposition does not like that right now—but it is the case that the UK Government cannot stop an independent Scotland from using the pound. We do not need their permission to do that. Sterling retention is perfectly open to the people of Scotland, but so, too, are the choices that come with independence. That is why we want the levers of independence. We looked at the most successful small advanced economies around the globe. The only thing that they have got that we have not is independence. I will let that run to some important questions. All of them are important, of course, but I want the rest to be short and snappy. To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue it expects to raise from the large business supplement in central Scotland in 2019-20. Members know that the non-domestic rate system is administered by local authorities and so information on revenue raised by the large business supplement is not currently available at constituency level. In 2019-20, we forecast the supplement to raise £8.3 million in Falkirk and North Lanarkshire, and a further £16.5 million is forecast to be raised in South Lanarkshire, reflecting their role as a designated authority responsible for collecting receipts from electricity generation, transmission and distribution subjects. Alison Harris I thank the minister for her answer. This financial year, businesses in Falkirk will pay £1.75 million more than they would if they were based in England. Can I ask the minister whether it remains the aim of the Scottish Government to implement the Barclay recommendation to reduce the large business supplement by 2020 and earlier, if affordable? Minister I will probably reflect to the national trend too that over 90 per cent of properties in Scotland will pay a lower poundage in 2019-20 than they would in other parts of the UK. They will benefit from the most generous rates relief scheme in the UK, which includes taking over 100,000 properties out of rates altogether through the small business bonus scheme. It was only a few weeks ago that a Westminster committee recommended that the UK Government adopt the Scottish Government's unique business growth accelerator. We accepted the Barclay review recommendations around the large business supplement, but, in the meantime, we are making sure that Scotland is the best place to do business. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to further strengthen the economy of Glasgow. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting and unlocking economic growth across Scotland. In Glasgow, our focus on delivering key infrastructure has helped to establish the city as a home for innovation and securing new jobs, including through inward investment. We are also working in partnership with others. Our £500 million commitment to the Glasgow City region deal has empowered local and regional partners to develop a transformational programme of investment that will help to drive inclusive economic growth for the city and right across the region. Thank you for that answer. Earlier this year, the managing director of Glasgow airport, Mark Johnstone, forecast that the airport was set to lose 1 million passengers from the levels that we saw in 2016. We have also seen Ryanairx many of its routes serving Glasgow due to a failure to cut air passenger duty. Now that the Scottish Government has performed a U-turn on its commitment to cut air passenger duty, can you explain how that decision will do anything to support future growth at Glasgow airport? The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our airports and recognises the importance of that to our economy, but the member will be aware that the reason that the air departure tax has not been transferred is because of issues with the UK Government's running of that scheme over a number of years. The member will also be aware of the importance of the climate change emergency that we are facing and the issues that need to be addressed as a consequence of that. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the most recent official statistics on Scotland's economic growth. The latest official statistics on Scotland's economic growth were published by the Scottish Government on 1 May in the GDP quarterly national accounts for 2018 quarter 4. Those confirmed that the Scottish economy grew by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018, higher than the UK rate of 0.2 per cent. In 2018, the value of Scotland's GDP per person, including offshore oil and gas, increased to £32,800, higher than the UK average of £31,900. The first estimate of GDP growth for 2019 quarter 1 will be published on 19 June. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. I am delighted to hear of the strength of Scotland's economy. Would the cabinet secretary agree that the biggest threat to this continued success is a Tory Brexit, particularly so in rural areas such as the south of Scotland, which the Government's analysis showed had one of the highest proportion of workforce in sectors most exposed by a no-deal Brexit? That assessment is accurate, but particularly a no-deal Brexit threatens recession, business contraction, soaring unemployment from record low levels of unemployment to 3.3 per cent right now, reduced exports. It is true to say that any form of Brexit will damage Scotland's economy, and a no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic. To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to capitalise on the skills of veterans returning to the labour market to benefit the Scottish economy. The Scottish Government aspires for Scotland to be the destination of choice for those leaving the armed forces. We recognise the challenges that are faced by those undergoing resettlement and taking the next steps in their careers. We work closely with partners to ensure that armed forces leavers are aware of training, development and employment opportunities available and to improve the support that is available to veterans and their families. Skills Development Scotland is also working with the Career Transition Partnerships Regular Forces Employment Association so that early leavers will be referred to SDS for support post-discharge if they wish to take up that offer. Maurice Corry I thank the minister for his answer. We are seeing several veterans who have good technical skills being taken on by companies such as BT Open Reach. Would the cabinet minister agree that the time is now right for the more concentrated effort in encouraging more trades-based apprenticeships to be taken up by our veterans? Yes, I do. The Scottish Government and SDS recognise the challenges for those who are undergoing resettlement. Apprenticeships and skills are a key part of that. It is important that all service leavers are planning to settle in Scotland under a fort informed over-apprenticeships and skills offering to ensure that those service leavers planning to settle in Scotland can access SDS services. SDS is currently working with partners, including the Scottish Government's strategic working group, to raise awareness of those offers. I would also like to let the member know that he is at a keen interest in these matters earlier this week. I visited the Scottish veterans residence in Glasgow in my constituency. I am wearing their tie and it was delighted to see the huge amount of work that they are undertaking in that area to focus on employment opportunities for veterans. Thank you. That concludes portfolio questions. Just a short moment while members take their positions for the next debate.