 Thank you very much. We turn now to First Minister's Questions and question number one from Ruth Davidson. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I offer the best wishes of the season to you, to the chamber and to the people at home for a very happy Christmas? Can I also ask the First Minister on 28 June 2016 that the Scottish Government's delivery plan for Scottish education promised a new specialist programme to recruit high-quality graduates into priority teaching subjects. It was to be in place by the summer of this year. Can the First Minister say how many graduates it has recruited? First Minister. First Lady, can I also say to you to the chamber and to people right across Scotland, a very merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year. As Ruth Davidson is aware, this Government is taking a range of actions to encourage more teachers generally into the profession. Of course, the most recent statistics show that, over the last year, there have been more than 500 additional teachers coming into teaching, but also to attract teachers into particular subjects. That is why, just a matter of months ago, the Deputy First Minister announced incentive schemes to attract teachers into STEM subjects, for example. We will continue to take a range of actions coupled with the governance reforms and the actions that we are taking to increase transparency around the performance of our schools to make sure that we are driving up standards and closing the attainment gap. Ruth Davidson. I specifically asked the First Minister about her flagship specialist graduate teaching, which she announced last June. I asked her how many graduates it had recruited. The answer that I do not think that we heard in there was none—zero, because it has not even been set up yet. Here is the national improvement framework, which was published last week. This is Scottish education's report card. It clearly states, page 52, that the Government has missed the deadline for its specialist graduate recruitment programme. It was barely at tender stage. The programme was announced in 2016, due to being delivered by 2017, and it is still not here as we head to 2018. The promise for June 2017 was a new standards framework to help to improve the school inspections regime. Can the First Minister tell us whether that promise has been met? First, in terms of teachers, as Ruth Davidson I am sure is aware, there are a range of new routes into the teaching profession that have been made available. By the end of January 2018, it is expected that around 280 students will be studying on one of the 11 new routes into teaching. There has been a 7.5 per cent increase in the overall number of student teachers this year. That builds on a 19 per cent increase in 2016. As I said in my first answer, we also recently launched the £20,000 stem bursaries for career changers to attract teachers into particular subjects. That is the range of action that we are taking. In terms of improvement in our education system, again, as Ruth Davidson is aware, through the national improvement framework, we are taking a range of actions to make sure that there is that focus on improvement in our education system. Inspections have a crucial part to play in that, but there is a wider range of action underpinning our ambitions in that area. Under the SNP, teacher numbers are down by 3,500, and her flagship programme has not been delivered. Only the First Minister could come to the chamber and try to claim that as some sort of a success. In that second bite of the recruitment cherry, she completely missed the question that I would ask her, which was about a promised new standards framework for school inspections due to being delivered by 2017. The answer is that it has not been delivered and we do not know when it will be. Let us stick with some broken education promises. Everybody knows that good school leadership is crucial for a good education. Even the SNP acknowledged that, which is why they promised to publish a national action plan to get more teachers to take the step up from a classroom teacher to become a head teacher. All the more important is that so many head teachers are nearing retirement. The action plan was supposed to be in place by, yes, June of 2017. First Minister, where is it? As again, if Ruth Davidson took the time to look in detail at those things, she would know for example that this Government is funding the Headship Leadership Academy. That is working with Colomba 1400, which is saying that large numbers of teachers and head teachers go through that programme. We have again got a range of initiatives to support leadership in Scottish education. We also have the highest number of teachers working in our education system since 2011. There were an increased number of school inspections over the past year, and we will see that number increase even further over the year ahead. The reality here is that this is a Government taking a range of actions across all of those issues to improve standards in our schools. We are seeing the outcomes of that across a range of different areas, not least the increase in teacher numbers that I have now mentioned about three times in the course of this exchange, which I have not even heard Ruth Davidson acknowledge even once. Ruth Davidson? Let us cut through the back and forth between you and me, and let us go and look at what the improvement framework says. Let us see what the scorecard says about that. When it comes to an action plan on head teachers, not only has the deadline been missed, the plan is not published, but the First Minister apparently cannot tell us when it will be. We have a scheme to get more graduates into teaching that has been delayed. We have got a drive to boost inspections, which we are still waiting on, and we have got a plan to get more teachers to become heads, which appears to have been shelved. That is just the tip of the iceberg. If we go through—and we have—all 75 actions that the Government promised for education last year, fully a third of the commitments have either been delayed, they have been diverted or they have been ducked. This week, we have confirmed again how tough things are out there, with some schools having to shorten the school day because they do not have enough staff. The First Minister started this year again insisting that education would be her number one priority. At the end of the year, does she really think that it looks that way? Yes, I do. Let me recap. Over the last year, we have seen more than 500 additional teachers go into education. That takes us to the highest level of teachers in our schools since 2011. As I said earlier, through the 11 new routes into teaching by the end of January, we will have an additional 280 students in teaching because of that. We have the bursary scheme that I have mentioned to attract teachers into STEM subjects. We have the headteacher leadership programme that I have spoken about. Again, we are a Government taking a range of actions to make sure that we are improving education and closing the attainment gap. Remember that, if we were to follow the advice of the Conservatives, particularly around budgetary matters, we would have to take out of the draft budget that was published last week £500 million over and above the cuts that are already being imposed by the chancellor. That would not only wipe out the planned increase for the health service, it would wipe out most of the pupil equity fund as well. That is the reality. We are taking the action, we are putting the investment into education and that is what will deliver results. Presiding Officer, I wish you and members of this Parliament and the people who send us here a very merry Christmas and a peaceful 2018. One week on from the publication of the Government's draft budget, we now know that lifeline local services, local jobs, local wages are being hammered yet again by this SNP Government. We also know that, under the Scottish National Party, our Scottish economy is forecast by the Scottish Fiscal Commission to be facing, and I quote, subdued and sluggish economic growth, slow productivity growth, slowing employment growth for the rest of this Parliament. So, First Minister, is the Scottish Fiscal Commission simply talking Scotland down? First Minister. Our budget, of course, is based on the estimates and the forecasts of the Scottish Fiscal Commission. Interestingly, of course, the forecasts that the Scottish Fiscal Commission makes around growth are based on, among other things, two key factors. Firstly, Brexit and, of course, issues. Tories do not like it and, of course, concerns about lack of population growth. If Richard Leonard is concerned about those things, as he should be, as I am, it makes it all the more strange that he has appointed a Brexiteer as his Brexit spokesperson when what he should be doing is getting behind this Government to argue for continued single market membership. It also, I think, would make a lot of sense for Richard Leonard to back this Government in calling for greater powers over immigration for this Parliament so that we can focus on growing the Scottish population and not find ourselves at the mercy of the anti-immigration rhetoric and policy of the Conservative Government. There may be some common ground that we can develop if Richard Leonard is prepared to have the courage of his convictions or at least, I hope, his convictions. Richard Leonard. Of course, the Scottish Fiscal Commission's prognosis for the Scottish economy is not just based on Brexit, it is based on oil and gas contraction, low productivity, demography, and low private sector investment. So no matter how many times ministers say that the fundamentals of our economy are strong, it is clear that they are not, that they are weak. Research and development, announced yesterday, has grown, but it is far too narrow, with just 10 businesses accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all new business research and development. Our export base, as well, is far too narrow, with just 15 businesses accounting for 30 per cent of all our international exports. We have witnessed rising levels of bankruptcy, falling levels of business investment, and the SNP's own key economic targets, raising Scotland's GDP growth to the UK level by this year, is not met, matching the GDP growth of small independent EU countries by this year, not met. Order, please. So what will it take? Listen, Mr Leonard, hold on one second. Will members please listen to Mr Leonard's question and stop interrupting? So my question is to the First Minister. And to the people on her benches. When are you going to snap out of your complacency? Richard Leonard beaming at all of the applause that he's getting from his friends on the Tory benches. Do you know what it is? Richard Leonard is right on one thing. Scotland's growth rate is not yet matching that of other small independent countries. I wonder why that is. So if Richard Leonard wants to join me in supporting Scotland becoming a small independent successful country, then I will welcome its conversion. Right now in Scotland, the unemployment rate is close to an all-time low. The employment rate is close to an all-time high. Richard Leonard mentioned business research and development. We've now seen that exceed £1 billion for the first time. Growth in business research and development is outstripping that across the rest of the UK. We've closed the productivity cap with the rest of the UK, but yes, now we need to close it with our other European competitors as well. That is why the budget that Derek Mackay outlined last week had so many initiatives in it to support economic growth from the initiatives on business rates to make sure that we're the most competitive part of the UK on business rates to capitalise a new national investment bank to increase even further investment in research and development. If Richard Leonard doesn't think that all of that goes far enough, then here's an invitation to him. Between now and the next stage of the budget, Richard Leonard and Labour should come forward and tell us what further investments they want us to make in the economy. That would be a novelty for the Scottish Labour Party. Richard Leonard will be beyond all the rhetoric and oratory of the First Minister. It's the loss of real jobs in the real world. If things are so good, try telling that to the workers of the Edry savings bank of RBS of Quickfit Insurance, to the workers of Dueson Babcock of Ethicon and Tannoy, who have lost their jobs this year. Try telling it as well to the workers at Amazon, who it's been reported today are being forced to make unrealistic targets this Christmas to try to avoid redundancy in the new year. This is a company that you handed over millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to. You should be laying down the rules, because what Scotland's economy needs is real and radical change. It needs a Government with an industrial strategy to stimulate growth, and it needs a Government that is prepared to stand up to big business. So will the First Minister once and for all accept that she is presiding over an economy that is not serving the people of Scotland and that the people of Scotland demand real, radical and urgent change to her economic strategy? It's hard to know where to start with all of that. It is good to see Richard Leonard so enthusiastically entered into the spirit of pantomime season in that question. However, let me just try and perhaps insert a few facts into the debate that we are having. Firstly, the last Labour administration gave Amazon more money than this administration has done, fact one. Fact two, Richard Leonard has talked about RBS and Airdrie Savings banks, important institutions, but has it really escaped Richard Leonard's notice that, just like regulation of employment and most of the macro powers over the economy, banking regulation is reserved to the United Kingdom Government? It is not a responsibility of the Scottish Government. Has it also escaped Richard Leonard's notice that the unemployment rate in Scotland right now is not just close to a record low, it is actually lower than it is in the rest of the UK? Richard Leonard is shaking his head at the hat. That is actually a matter of basic fact that perhaps he might care to research before he next comes to this chamber. However, despite the limited powers that we have over matters relating to the economy, this is a Government that does always stand up for workers. Ask the workers at DL, for example, who would not be in a job right now without the intervention of this Government. Ask the workers at Ferguson's shipyard who would not be in a job right now, or ask the workers of BiFab who would not be in a job this Christmas without the intervention. While Richard Leonard was having wee photoshoots outside BiFab, I was actually making sure that we saved that company from administration and kept those workers in a job. That is real action to be compared with the empty rhetoric of Richard Leonard and the Scottish Labour Party. We have a number of constituency questions today. The first is from Jackie Baillie. The First Minister will be aware of the tragic fire at Cameron House hotel earlier this week. I am sure that she will join with me in sending condolences to the families that lost loved ones and to praise our emergency services, the firefighters, police officers and paramedics who attended, as well as the staff who played a critical role in evacuating the building. The investigation has yet to start because the building needs to be made safe. However, when the investigation is complete, will the First Minister ensure that lessons are learnt, whether that is in practice or if there is indeed a need to enhance building standards regulations? I thank Jackie Baillie for asking this question and raising an issue that is in all our minds this week. The tragic fire at Cameron House hotel on the morning of 19 December sadly claimed the lives of two young men. I want today to convey my deepest condolences to the families of the two young men who died and send my thoughts to all those who were affected by this tragedy. This horrific event demonstrates once again how our firefighters so willingly put themselves in the line of danger to assist others on a daily basis. I know that the whole chamber will want to send our grateful thanks to our firefighters and to all of our emergency services who responded. Of course, there will be a thorough investigation into what happened at Cameron House, and it is important that that investigation is allowed to run its course. However, I can give an assurance today that the Scottish Government with our partners and indeed with the owners of Cameron House hotel will make sure that any lessons that emerge from that investigation are learned and fully applied. However, for now, all of us in this chamber will want to send our thoughts and our condolences to all those who were affected by this tragedy. John Mason Thank you for that. I think that the First Minister is familiar with the Belgrove hotel in my constituency, which is allegedly a private hotel but which is in fact a large, homeless, privately run hostel. Can I ask what the Government's response is to reports that there has been an outbreak of group A strep infections in the Belgrove hotel? First, I understand that the reported outbreak of necrotise and fasiatis is inaccurate, but the prevalence of group A strep infections is putting residents at risk of that condition, and that in itself is, of course, hugely concerning. It is important to remember that the Belgrove is not typical of homeless accommodation in Scotland, but we are working closely with Glasgow City Council on the issue and on improving the service for some of our most vulnerable people. The recently formed homelessness and rough sleeping action group is looking directly at how we can transform services for those who are homeless. We have, of course, also established a £50 million ending homelessness together fund from the start of the next financial year to help us to drive change and improvement. Thank you. Edinburgh's Hogminay festival attracts visitors from around the world and is one of the highlights of Scotland's cultural calendar. This year, around 300 unpaid volunteers are being hired as Hogminay ambassadors for the event, despite those roles being paid in previous years. The better than zero campaign has described the move as using volunteers to displace paid work and threatened to raise a number of tribunal cases against the organisers over the issue. Does the First Minister agree with me that we must have greater clarity over the role of volunteers at large-scale events and that volunteers should not be recruited as a simple alternative to employing paid staff? Yes, I agree with that. The delivery of Edinburgh's Hogminay is a matter for underbelly, the company that has been contracted to produce the event by the City of Edinburgh Council. I understand that the event will be staffed with 1,700 paid staff. Can I say this about volunteers? It is important. Volunteering is a good thing, and I think that all of us across the chamber would agree with that. Volunteers contribute hugely to festivals and major events. That was the case at Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. It was the case earlier this year at the Edinburgh festival. However, those who contribute voluntarily to making those events a success must be treated fairly and must never be exploited. Volunteers should complement paid professionals to deliver an event and never replace those paid professionals. Value of volunteers should not be used to reduce contract costs. We expect organisers of major events to work with Volunteer Scotland to ensure that volunteers are treated fairly. We would also expect organisers to follow the charter that Volunteer Scotland and the STUC put in place to strengthen relationships between volunteers and paid staff. I welcome the fact that all parties in this particular dispute have agreed to get round the table and discuss the matter with Volunteer Scotland. Volunteer Scotland is a suspended promotion of the opportunities on its website until the dispute is resolved. I hope that the dispute is resolved quickly, and that Edinburgh's hug money is the roaring success that we have come to expect. Jamie Greene I also start by offering my condolaces to those who are affected by the tragedy in Cameron House, especially at this time of year. I recently wrote to the cabinet secretaries for environment, climate change and land reform and the economy jobs and fair work regarding two important issues around the Huntison site in North Ayrshire. One letter was a constructive proposal for economic regeneration of the site and promotion of green energy, and the other on the testing of offshore wind turbines. More than a month later, I am yet to receive a response from either. In the spirit of the festive season, would the First Minister ask her ministers to double-check their inboxes before clocking off this afternoon? The First Minister I hope that my ministers are not clocking off this afternoon would be the first thing that I would say. I hope that that is not too much of a disappointment to any of them. Of course, I will check the position with the minister's concern that I am sure replies to the letters. I am not aware of the detailed content of the letters, so I am not able to comment in any more detail, but I will ensure that replies are winging their way to the member and, hopefully, they are on his desk in the early part of the new year. Willie Rennie Gordon Edwards was on the BBC this week. Nicola Sturgeon should remember him. I have spoken before about his weight to get mental health treatment. He is angry that spending on mental health for young people has fallen in three health boards. That is despite Nicola Sturgeon telling him that spending would go up and waiting times would go down. That was not true, was it? A majority of her health boards have failed to meet the basic target. I can tell her that, in the past three years, more than 10,000 young people have had their mental health treatment delayed. Can Nicola Sturgeon answer this question for Gordon? How much longer will young people have to wait before you deliver your mental health promises? First, let me address the issue of spending, because I paid close attention to the reports earlier this week that came from freedom of information requests. When you look into the detail of that, it is not quite as it appeared in those reports. The data that was reported was not comparing with like it. For example, it was comparing CAMHS expenditure—actual expenditure in 2016-17—against budgeted expenditure in 2017-18. As members will be aware, those are not comparable figures, because, for a variety of reasons, boards will spend more in-year than they originally budget for. For example, if you look at one of the boards that was cited in those reports, NHS Lothian, if you examine actual expenditure in this financial year to date, that is April 2, November, and compare it to the same period last year, there is no reduction. Instead, what you see is that actual NHS Lothian CAMHS expenditure has increased by 6 per cent. There is an important point of detail there. Willie Rennie may be saying something from a sedentary position, but I am trying to give him a detailed answer to very important questions that he has raised. On the issue of waiting times, the Government and the health secretary are very clear that we have much more work to do to reduce waiting times for mental health treatment to levels that I would consider to be the acceptable levels that we want. That is why we are investing record sums of money in mental health. It is why the numbers of staff working in mental health services are increasing, but that work continues until we have no young person that is waiting longer than we would want to have the wait for the mental health treatment that they need. Willie Rennie? I am disappointed with the answer, because her excuses will not hide the Government's failings on mental health. Nicola Sturgeon promised things would get better, but they have got worse. Her ministers delayed the mental health strategy. Her ministers delayed millions of pounds of investment. Her ministers delayed the suicide prevention plan. I now discover that an important part of the workforce recruitment plan has been delayed by her ministers as well. Delay, delay, delay, while young people have to wait, wait and wait. Can Nicola Sturgeon tell us this? Is she proud of her record on mental health? We will continue to do the work that is required to deliver the mental health services that not just young people but everybody across our society has the right to expect. Willie Rennie, I appreciate that he is seeking to make a particular point. Anybody fairly listening to my last answer would not have heard me make excuses. They would have heard me first point out some important facts. I think that it is important that the public have facts about those things, but they would have heard me recognise that we have more work to do. Some of what Willie Rennie has said in that question is a mischaracterisation of reality. Take the mental health strategy, for example. Willie Rennie and I have had exchanges about that in the past. It was delayed at the request of the health committee of this Parliament, because they wanted to have more time to input into that strategy. It is important on all matters, but it is particularly important here that we make sure that we have a strategy that has the support of people working on the front line. We all know the pressures on mental health services. More people are coming forward for treatment because of the reduction in stigma, but that places an even bigger responsibility in our shoulders to make sure that we can meet that demand. That is why we are investing record sums. It is why there are record numbers of people working in mental health and why we will continue to get on with the work that needs to be done to ensure that we deliver the mental health services that people have the right to expect. Richard Lochhead, on a further supplementary question. The First Minister may recall that it was this time last year that I first raised the impact of partial delivery surcharges on customers in Murray in the north of Scotland, and since then with the Scottish and UK ministers and others, including the Advertising Standards Authority, pledging to act. Will she join me in urging those Scrooge-like UK retailers who continue to discriminate against many parts of Scotland to ensure that this is the last Christmas where customers are ripped off, especially given that we now know that Scotland is paying extra £36 million in surcharges? Given that at least Santa Claus will be delivering presents free of charge to all parts of Scotland, I would like to wish the First Minister a prosperous Christmas and thank her for all her hard work in 2017. The First Minister Thank you to Richard Lochhead and let me reciprocate those sentiments. That, of course, is a serious matter and let me take the opportunity to pay tribute to Richard Lochhead for the fantastic work that he has been doing to raise awareness of this issue. It is deeply unfair that customers right across the north of Scotland in particular are still facing disproportionate delivery costs when buying online, and we have seen this week that is to the tune of an extra £36 million in delivery surcharges. Of course, the regulation of prices for parcels is a matter reserved to the Westminster Government. The UK Government should take action. I certainly welcome the recent increased attention to this issue, which is undoubtedly a direct result of Richard Lochhead's campaign. Let us hope that we see concrete action from the UK Government soon, and that this is the last Christmas for consumers in the north of Scotland to be so blatantly ripped off in this unacceptable manner. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to promote road safety over the festive period. The Scottish Government works with a broad range of partners all year round to promote road safety. Over and above that, there are a host of specific initiatives during the festive period, such as Police Scotland's drink and drug drive campaign, which is now under way. Gritters will be available 24-7 to deal with ice and snow, and we have necessary salt stocks in place, nearly half a million tonnes, which equates to 140 per cent of all the salt that was used last winter. In addition, Transport Scotland's multi-agency response team will be convened periodically to monitor conditions and keep the travelling public informed. Stuart McMillan I thank the First Minister for that reply. This time of year is particularly challenging for our emergency services. Does the First Minister agree with me that prevention is always better than the cure when it is to continue messages about driving or roads being mended timuously? The Scottish Government should never stand still and consider fully how it can best work with our all-partner agencies to improve road safety in the country. The First Minister Yes, I think that the member makes a very important point. In 2014, of course, we reduced the drink drive limit to send the very clear message that drinking and driving is unacceptable and it is simply not worth the risk. We did that with the aim of changing behaviour and preventing drink driving ruining lives. Over the festive period, our excellent relationship with all key partners, including local government, is key to delivering the road safety framework. I am sure that all members would wish to pay tribute to all those who work tirelessly to keep our roads and our transport infrastructure operating and safe at this time of the year. Christine Grahame Thank you, Presiding Officer. On the issue of safety over the festive period, can I make a plea for gritting of icy pavements? It would not cost an arm and a leg, but speaking of arms and legs would reduce some schedule visits to A and E. First Minister Of course, we have seen an increase in orthopedic trauma cases attending at our accident emergency services over the last week or so due to the icy conditions. So, Christine Grahame raises an extremely important issue. Whether at this time of the year in particular can make footpaths difficult, that is why there are measures in place. The salt stock that I mentioned in my previous answer covers the salt stocks held by local authorities, trunk road operating companies and that that is held in strategic reserve. The Scottish Government, as the trunk roads authority, is responsible for taking steps to prevent snow and ice endangering, the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles over public roads. Scottish councils of course have comparable duties for local roads, and that includes all footways, footpaths and cycle tracks. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the figures from NSPC Scotland, which suggests that there has been a 42 per cent increase in child sexual abuse referrals in the last year. All children should grow up free from the risk of abuse. Those statistics highlight that there is more for all of us to do to keep our young people safe. The NSPCC indicates that the rise in referrals may reflect greater awareness of the risk posed to children and the need to take action in response. It may also be due to greater willingness by children who have been sexually abused to tell someone what has happened to them. That suggests that victims of abuse now have greater confidence that they will be listened to and that appropriate action will be taken by agencies and professionals. We are, of course, all responsible for protecting children, and I would urge anyone who is worried about a child perhaps being abused to report their concerns to the police. I thank the First Minister for that response. Research carried out by the NSPCC found that there were at least 14 local authorities across Scotland where there were no services for child victims of sexual abuse. As we approach the year of young people, will the First Minister commit to ensuring that all child victims of sexual abuse in Scotland will have adequate access to the specialist recovery services that they require? It is vitally important that all children have access to the specialist services that they require. In light of the member's questions, I will discuss the issue further with the relevant minister to see whether there is more action that the Government should be taking in partnership with local authorities to improve the availability of those services. Often, when we see increases in statistics of this type, we can, and we should look at that as something of concern. It is of deep concern, but we should also be aware that what often lies behind an increase in statistics like this is an increase in awareness and people feeling more able to come forward. That is something that we should encourage, but, as the member rightly says, when we are encouraging people to come forward, we must make sure that the services are there to support them when they do. To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to protect vulnerable people from rogue money lenders over the festive period. Illegal money lending will not be tolerated in Scotland at this time of the year or at any other time of the year. We fully support the Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit, which is hosted by COSLA, in its drive to investigate and prosecute those who prey on vulnerable people in this way. We are also working hard to raise the profile of credit unions, which provide ethical and affordable financial services for those who need those services. In addition, we provided around £21 million of funding for advice projects last year, helping people to seek solutions in a range of areas, including money and debt. Of course, if any member of the public has any information on illegal money lenders, they can report this in confidence via the Trading Standards Scotland website. Despite the excellent work that is done by trading standards and Police Scotland, rogue lenders are still slipping through the net and continue to wreak havoc in some of Scotland's more deprived communities. Evidence collated by those organisations show that some of the methods include intimidation and demanding of sexual favours. I welcome what the First Minister has said today and previously about the role of credit unions, and I wonder if she would consider a higher profile public information campaign, particularly in those communities, talking about the importance and the existence of credit unions. Does she agree that that might protect more families from those criminals? Yes, I agree, and we will carefully consider any proposals to further highlight the important role that credit unions play. Credit unions provide financial services to a range of customers and they are a very valuable option for many, including those facing financial inclusion. We are already implementing the recommendations of the credit union working group, which were published last year. Those include making available £300,000 to credit unions to develop junior savers schemes and working with the sector to design a national awareness raising campaign, which will be delivered during 2018. I hope that campaign is something that members across the chamber will get behind. To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government takes to acknowledge both seasonal workers and companies that operate over the festive period. We value the contribution that temporary seasonal workers make to our economy throughout the year. I am particularly happy to acknowledge the hard work and the sacrifices of those who are working at this time of the year to ensure that the rest of us can enjoy the festive period with our families. Of course, the UK Government's position on migration post Brexit is likely to have a major impact on the availability of labour. That is one of the many reasons why we are lobbying so hard to maintain single market membership. I am also determined that, should the UK Government continue down its hard Brexit route, the rights of all workers, including those in precarius employment, will not only be protected but enhanced to help us deliver a fairer Scotland. Edward Mountain. I thank the First Minister for that answer and let's see if we can get back on track. There will, of course, be many other people working over the Christmas period. Those in the health sector, police force, fire brigade and those keeping our roads and other services working. There will also be those who will be away from their families at Christmas, our servicemen and women. Although they might not all be in conflict zones, many will remain on call to respond to events in our increasingly dangerous world. Will the First Minister, on behalf of us all, wish them all a very happy Christmas and thank them for all that they do on our behalf? In the spirit of consensus, yes, I will. There are many, many people working across our economy who, unlike the rest of us, will not spend Christmas day and the rest of the holiday period with their families, because they will be working. They will be on call people in our emergency services, people in our hospitality sector, people keeping the transport system moving to name but a few. We owe all of them a debt of gratitude, so let me take the opportunity to thank them from the bottom of my heart for all that they do, wish them and everybody across the country a very happy Christmas. Thank you and a very nice note. Can I bring question time to an end? Can I also wish all members, all our visitors today in the chamber and everyone we try to represent across Scotland a very merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful new year? I close this meeting.