 Cyfostiwch, y ysgolfaeth ymddirionedd yn gyflawni ddweud. Mae'n ddweud, ac mae'r ddweud yn cael ei wneud. Felly, nid i gael eich cyflawni, Clare Hockey, ddweud. A bryddoch chi'n gwybod i'r Gwladau yng Nghymru cilytru a chyfnodol ymddirionedd ymddirionedd yn gychydig a gwylio gwaith o gyflym i'n cilytru. You have to make it easier for all of us to make positive dietary choices, including by changing the environments that influence what we buy and eat. We are all susceptible, but children are especially impressionable. I will set out in the summer how we will do that in our new strategy for healthy weight. That will include world-leading measures to restrict promotions of food, high in fat, sugar or salt. The Scottish Government has already taken other actions, including extending from August 2020 free school lunches for all young children, attending funded early learning and childcare. As part of the recently published Child Poverty Delivery Plan, we have committed to investing £1 million over the next two years to provide additional practical support to children experiencing food insecurity during school holidays. Clare Haughey. I thank the minister for her answer. Last year, research commissioned by the obesity health alliance found that children can see up to 12 adverts per hour for high fat, high sugar foods while watching prime time family TV programmes. Does the minister agree with me that if the UK Government fails to restrict junk food advertising before 9pm, which would improve wider food environment for children, then the power should be devolved to this Parliament so that we can't act? Michelle O'Shaughbyn minister, but I let to Michelle Ballantyne there by mistake. Minister. Okay, okay, thank you for the heads up. I absolutely agree with my colleague Clare Haughey. Children don't restrict themselves to just the children's channels. Increasingly, shows such as X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and a whole host of other shows are watched by whole families, and we're all susceptible to advertising, but again, I'll reiterate children are especially impressionable. That's why we'll continue to urge the UK Government to take action to restrict all such advertising until after the 9pm watershed. We've argued that if it doesn't make headway on that issue, it should provide us with the power to take such action. I also point the member to the recent letter issue to the Prime Minister from a range of supporters on issues and others around this area, from Jeremy Corbyn, Nicola Sturgeon, Vince Cable, Carmel Lucas and Jonathan Bartley, who are also pressing the UK Government to take action in this area. Strangetly enough, Michelle Ballantyne. The Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health has urged ministers to introduce measures to make it easier for councils to keep junk food away from schools, reducing the temptation for pupils. Is the Scottish Government inclined to support this proposal? We've got a range of responses to our recent consultation. Of course, we'll take on board all of the views, particularly those from areas that have an expertise in this field. We have looked at things that are within our grasp and within our gift with the powers that we have, so it's not just about pushing the UK Government to do something that is also about looking at the powers that we have to make sure that we can create the right environment for children to have healthy lives. Question 2 has been withdrawn. Question 3, Miles Briggs. To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to encourage more diesel taxi owners to convert to liquefied petroleum gas. Minister. While there is no specific support currently available for LPG taxi conversions, the Scottish Government does provide loans to replace older hackney cams with new efficient Euro 6 diesel or, indeed, electric modes to reduce harmful emissions. Miles Briggs. I thank the minister for that answer. The City of Edinburgh Council has acted positively in relation to LPG conversions, introducing an incentive with a four-year licence extension for those who convert their taxi and private hire vehicles to LPG, but other council areas, including Glasgow, which— I'd like a question. … are taking a different approach. Will the minister look towards how these can be mandated through the national low emissions framework? Minister. I'm interested in a range of technology, and I'll certainly reflect on what Miles Briggs said. I also saw his press release from a couple of weeks ago. Just to give some caveats to some of that, although LPG will often see a reduction in NOx in particular, there is evidence there, particularly from the Birmingham study, that it doesn't have the same carbon reduction in relation to greenhouse gas emissions. That can be marginal. I think that we've got to make sure that we take an evidence-based approach to it, but I think that the points that Miles Briggs makes are very good ones that I will reflect on. Liam McArthur. The minister may be aware of taxi firms in Dundee, in London, who are EV-only now. Would he consider speaking to local authorities about ideas of EV-only taxi ranks, charging facilities and those sorts of things to try and deliver the climate change ambitions in the Czech climate change plan? Minister. Yes, I certainly will. Dundee is, I think, streets ahead of any other local authority when it comes to EV taxi fleet. He knows that I'm up and working, in fact, tomorrow, so I'm more than happy to take that conversation up with a city council, sorry, a local authority area that is, of course, ploughing ahead with its own ambitions on electric vehicles. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on local services in areas where universal credit has been rolled out. Evidence provided by COSLA shows that average rent arrears for those in receipt of universal credit are more than two and a half times higher than for those on housing benefit. Local authorities also report that administering discretionary housing payments and council tax reduction is more onerous for both the local authority and those in receipt of universal credit compared to housing benefit cases. This week, the Trussell Trust analysis demonstrated an average 52 per cent rise in food bank use, where full service universal credit has been rolled out. From all of that and the additional demands on advice services, it could not be clearer that the DWP universal credit system is failing, not only those that are there to support it, but making life harder for our public and third sector services to deliver the support that they wish to. Thank you to the minister for her answer. The Scottish Government will be aware that universal credit is about to be rolled out in my constituency area of Motherwall and Wishaw, and I have concerns as do my constituents for all the reasons that the minister has just explained. While we know that this is a reserved benefit, can the Government set out what work it has undertaken and will undertake to provide more flexibility for claimants to help them to better manage their money? Ms Adamson and members in the chamber will know that, in the devolution of social security powers, we do not have universal credit as a power devolved to the Scottish Government, more as a pity, but we have the opportunity for three specific flexibilities in the delivery as they are described. The first of those relates to direct payment of rent to both private and social landlords, and the second relates to the choice for individuals in receipt of universal credit to receive the funds fortnightly. In October last year, we introduced those two choices for new claims for universal credit in full service areas, and from January this year those choices were rolled out to everyone in full service credit areas. As the member and I hope other members know, as the roll-out progresses, I am personally writing to all MSPs to make sure that they understand what those choices are. On the third, which is split payments, we discussed yesterday, and as I hope the chamber understands, we are fully committed and are currently working with DWP to try to ensure that we can now offer that third choice. Thank you very much. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the concerns raised by commuters regarding the level of stop-skipping by services that are scheduled to call at stations such as Drumchapol station. One of the recommendations from the recent Donovan review of performance was a specific initiative detailing a series of steps to recover performance following disruption of service and changes in their operation policy to reduce skipping of stops. I am pleased to advise the member that, since the start of the year, the practice of skip stopping has reduced from affecting 1.1 per cent to 0.5 per cent of services running across the rail network. We expect that to reduce further in the coming months. On Drumchapol station, the extent of skipping stops has fallen from 50 reported incidences for the four-week period ended Saturday 30 December to 10 for the four-week period ended Saturday 14 April. That is approximately 0.3 per cent of services planned to stop at Drumchapol over that four-week period, and I hope to see a reduction even further. Bill Kidd. Thank you very much. I thank the minister for that reply. The reason I am asking this question is to emphasise the damage that a bellio is doing to its own reputation, but also by extension to the ScotRail franchise going forward due to this practice. Minister, I do not think that that was really a question. No, but I think that it is important. I agree with the member that, of course, there is nothing more frustrating to the passenger or commuter than being on a train and seeing it whizz by its stop. It does do reputational damage. That is why the Donovan review is absolutely important. That is why we have seen a reduction of it, and that is why we will continue to press to see a further reduction of this practice. And the anecdotal evidence, at least from the last four to six weeks, since the Donovan review, of course, has been very, very positive in that it is working. Jamie Greene. Thank you. The minister is aware that ending the practice of this was one of the key recommendations in the Donovan report. Can the minister tell me if the number of incidents of missing stops is included in ScotRail's monthly performance statistics, and if it is not, why not? Will he commit to asking ScotRail to publish those statistics on a monthly basis so that we can monitor whether the practice truly has ended or not? It is incredibly easy to find those statistics, and, of course, if the member wishes specific statistics, he can ask ScotRail for that. As I said, they are not particularly difficult to find. It should be said that I can see some chuntering around the chamber about stopping the practice altogether. Of course, as Jamie Greene has done, if he speaks to those who are running the franchise, train drivers, conductors and others, they will minimise skip-stopping in some instances. It might have to be done because we have to recover the rest of the rail network, otherwise there would be a knock-on effect. Clearly, passengers and commuters should be informed of that before they get on their train as opposed to when they are on the train. That is one of the key recommendations. As for the statistics, I will reflect on what the member says, but, if there are specific statistics that he wishes, we will make sure that he is provided with. To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing 5th health and social care partnership to recruit GPs and primary care staff in order to alleviate pressure on service delivery. Cabinet secretary. The new GP contract backed by investment of £110 million in 2018-19 and jointly developed with the BMA will help to cut doctors workload and make general practice an even more attractive career. Our ambition is to increase the number of GPs by at least 800 over 10 years to ensure a sustainable 24-7 service that meets increasing demand. There will also be significant new investment in the wider multidisciplinary teams to support GPs. Details of how we will achieve this will be set out in our primary care workforce plan to be published next week. NHS Fife has benefited from Scottish Government investment to train advanced nurse practitioners. Investing in ANPs and the example of our commitment to provide the range of skills needed to meet the changing and complex needs of communities both in and out of ours. The cabinet secretary will be aware that Fife health and social care partnership has closed the overnight out-of-hours emergency services at Dunfermline Queen Margaret hospital, Glenrothes hospital and St Andrews hospital. It says that, as with most areas in Scotland, there are growing difficulties in ensuring clinical, medical and nursing cover in GP out-of-hours services. Will the cabinet secretary agree to instruct her officials to bring the partners in Fife together to work with NHS Scotland to find a solution to what is an unacceptable situation in Fife? Recent changes to the out-of-hours primary care services in Fife have occurred to ensure that appropriate levels of patient safety are maintained. NHS Fife is reviewing its longer-term arrangements for out-of-hours care. I have undertaken an option appraisal exercise. A public consultation will commence in June prior to any permanent decisions being made. I would encourage Alex Rowley and others to input into that. Overnight primary care emergency services will still be available at the Victoria hospital in Kirkcaldy. Of course, we will continue to liaise with NHS Fife and the local partnership throughout the review process. We would expect full consultation and engagement with local communities affected. The cabinet secretary requests that the director of Fife's health and social care partnership meet with me and other Fife MSPs as a matter of urgency to discuss how and when Glenrothes hospitals out-of-hours service will be reinstated. I understand that a regular liaison meeting is taking place tomorrow between NHS Fife health and social care partnership and the local MP and MSP group, where the issue will be discussed. I would obviously encourage local members to attend that. In addition, my officials have been in touch with the director of health and social care in Fife, who has advised that he is happy to meet with Jenny Gilruth and other Fife MSPs separately to provide an update on the contingency measures that are in place within the primary care emergency service. I hope that that is something that Jenny Gilruth will take up. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the practice of unpaid work trials. I wrote to the former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, David Gawke, in November last year to express broad support for the terms of the unpaid work trials prohibition bill. It was disappointing that the bill aimed at protecting the rights of vulnerable workers was talked out by UK Government MPs at its second reading. In that correspondence, I also saw assurances that the voluntary work trials scheme operated by the Department for Work and Pensions is based on the principles of fair work, and that participants are given the best possible chance of gaining current paid employment. At some stage, I look forward to receiving a reply to my letter from last November from a successor, Esther McVeigh. Does the minister agree that if the UK Government is not willing to take action against those unfair practices, that they should agree to devolve employment law to the Scottish Parliament so that we can finally take action to end this unfair and disgraceful practice? Yes, I agree with that. The fact that Mr McDonald's bill was talked out in the 16th of March, the UK Government's failure to promote the living wage and the Pernicious Trade Union Act demonstrated that we could not rely on the UK Government to protect workers' rights or to deliver fair and progressive labour market policies. That is why employment law must be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to close the attainment gap. The Scottish Government has committed £750 million during the course of this Parliament through the attainment Scotland fund to provide targeted support for children, schools and communities to close the poverty-related attainment gap. In 2018-19, we will invest a total of £179 million, which will be an increase of £9 million from last year. The funding includes £120 million of pupil equity funding, which has been allocated directly to schools on the basis of the number of pupils in P1 to S3, known to be eligible and registered for free school meals. It also includes £59 million that will continue to provide targeted support to authorities and schools in the communities with the highest levels of deprivation. Through the national improvement framework and improvement plan, we are providing for the first time a complete picture of how children are progressing with their learning and the actions that we are taking to close the poverty-related attainment gap. As the cabinet secretary will know, the most deprived areas in the Scottish borders only 25 per cent went on to achieve five or more national five qualifications between 2014 and 2017. That is significantly worse when compared to other deprived areas in Scotland. Will the cabinet secretary look to explore reasons why deprived areas in the Scottish borders are not performing, as well as other deprived areas in Scotland, and look to provide additional support to help Scottish borders' pupil to reach their potential? With the greatest respect, that is precisely what I have done, because the issues that Rachel Hamilton cites are long-standing issues in Scottish education. The poverty-related attainment gap has been present in Scottish education for a very long time. It was present when I was at school, which is most definitely not yesterday in Scottish education. However, the Government has attached the greatest priority to resolving that issue by closing the poverty-related attainment gap. Since all the data that Rachel Hamilton has cited, the Government has allocated £1.8 million in pupil equity funding directly to headteachers in the Scottish borders on top of specific financial support to burn fruit community school, some markets primary and high school to make sure that pupils who require the specific assistance to support them in addressing the implications of poverty are able to receive that support as a consequence of the direct and targeted interventions that the Government is making to close the poverty-related attainment gap. To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received any representations from Glasgow City Council seeking additional resources to avoid increasing charges for early learning and childcare. Glasgow City Council, like all councils, makes representations every year in relation to the local government settlement. The current statutory entitlement of 600 hours per year is fully funded by the Scottish Government and is free to families at the point of access. The Scottish Government is committed to fully funding the expansion to 1,140 hours. The issue underlying John Lamont's question is in relation to charges set by the council for wraparound hours over and above the funded statutory entitlement. Where a local authority offers wraparound hours in its own settings in addition to the funded hours, and parents need for these hours will reduce with the expansion to 1,140 hours, it is for the council to choose how it funds those particular commitments. I accept now that the minister is saying that this is an active choice by Glasgow City Council to put a burden on hard-pressed families in Glasgow. I have had representation from one constituent in a panic because she is going to have to pay £180 more a month. She is now facing the choice of reducing her child's nursery hours or reducing her working hours, and as a consequence it is fearful of losing her home. This is not an academic discussion, it is a direct impact on our hard-working families across Glasgow, and I would urge you to use your influence to ask Glasgow City Council to reverse this unacceptable, unfair and unjust decision. With the greatest respect to John Lamont, I do not treat these matters as academic issues I address them directly to members of Parliament. The second point is that this is a choice for Glasgow City Council to make, and if this Parliament believes in local democratic accountability then it is for local authorities to be held accountable for the decisions that they take. Thirdly, I would say to John Lamont that this Government is investing like no other Government has ever invested in the expansion of early learning and childcare, and a Labour Party should welcome that in this Parliament. Thank you very much, and that concludes General Questions. And before we turn to First Minister's Questions, members I'm sure will wish to join me in welcoming to our gallery his excellently, Professor Arthur Peter Mwterica, the President of the Republic of Malawi.