 The next item of business is consideration of business motion 7639, in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a revised business programme for today. I would ask any member who objects to say so now, and I call on Joe Fitzpatrick to move motion 7639. Formally moved. Thank you very much. No member has asked to speak against the motion, therefore the question is that motion 7639 is agreed. Are we agreed? Yes. Thank you. The next item of business is topical questions. We start with question number one from Claire Hockey. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what support it will give to families of children who died at the Smylon Park orphanage in Lanark. Minister Mark McDonald. The information that has been disclosed about the unmarked grave at St Mary's Cemetery in Lanark, where it has been reported that the children from Smylon Park orphanage were buried, will of course be of deep concern to many individuals, and particularly the families of those who are affected. Those are clearly matters of great public concern, and I would like to set out to Parliament the steps that are being taken to address those issues. The Crown Office and Police Scotland have issued a joint statement this morning. The Crown Office has stated that, as matters stand, based on the information that is currently available, there is no evidence that a crime has been committed or that any deaths require to be investigated, but that position will be kept under review. Many allegations of criminality will be thoroughly and sensitively investigated. Similarly, it will be for the child abuse inquiry to consider this new information alongside the evidence that they already have and the witness sessions that they have arranged to help them to deliver the terms of their remit. Any action for the Scottish Government could only follow from proper consideration through those channels first. Families who have been affected by those reports are encouraged to seek support through a range of services supported by the Scottish Government. Services currently available from a range of bereavement services such as cruise bereavement care Scotland, the compassionate friends and petal. Any survivors who have been affected by those reports can also find support at future pathways. The Scottish Government-funded support service available to all survivors of abuse suffered whilst in care in Scotland. I appreciate the minister's answer, and I hope that families will take some comfort in the steps that are now being taken to establish the circumstances around those burials. It is also reassuring to note that the support service is available to anyone affected. Can the minister confirm that the Burial and Cremation Scotland Act passed by this Parliament last year extends legislation over recording burials to include private sites and that this consistency will prevent such situations such as have been discovered at Smylon Park from happening in future? Clare Haughey highlights an important point that needs to be put out there. In relation to the unmarked graves that were reported at St Mary's, the legislation that would have applied at the time would have been the Burial Grounds Scotland Act 1855, but that applied only to local authority, private burial authorities tended to follow the legislation voluntarily and there was no legal requirement for them to do so nor to maintain a register of burials. The 2016 Burial and Cremation Act, to which Clare Haughey refers, introduces a legal requirement for every burial authority, including private burial authorities, to prepare and maintain a register of burials for each burial ground that they operate. While section 10 of the act has not yet come into force because it requires regulations to be made that will specify the information that must be recorded in the register, the Burial Regulations working group has been set up and will be involved in creating draft regulations for consultation before the regulations are laid in Parliament. In the meantime, local authorities continue to be subject to the same requirements and duties to register burials. Clare Haughey. Finally, Minister, what continuing oversight does the Scottish Government have over recording burials in the light of the Burial and Cremation Scotland Act 2016? When does the Government intend to bring forward its plans for an inspector of burials and further provisions to improve burial ground management regulations? The Burial and Cremation Scotland Act gives the ministers the power to appoint an inspector of burials, as Clare Haughey identifies. We currently have an inspector of cremation and an inspector of funeral directors, and we will bring forward plans in relation to the inspector of burials in due course. The inspector will also have the power to make recommendations and report burial authorities, which are not complying with the legislation to Scottish ministers. Alex Cole-Hamilton. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce congestion on the approaches to the Queensferry crossing. Minister, Humza Yousaf. The first days of operation of the Queensferry crossing have resulted in increased traffic congestion, including outside of peak hours, most noticeable last Sunday. While that is typical of initial traffic patterns seen around newly opened major bridges, the following steps are being taken to reduce the congestion. Fixed message signs have been deployed in the slip roads on to the Queensferry crossing at either end to remind drivers to use the full length of the slip to merge into the main traffic stream. An additional variable message sign has also been positioned on the Queensferry junction northbound slip, advising of the same. That has been reinforced by Traffic Scotland and social media. The consideration has also been given to raising the speed limit from 40mph to 50mph, as soon as the central reserve burial installation has been completed and it is safe to do so. I am grateful to the cabinet secretary for his reply. I am very proud to have the Queensferry crossing in my constituency and I congratulate those who built it. However, while I share his delight at the improving picture witness this morning and yesterday, my constituent should not have to endure another weekend such as the one that we have just had, with many waiting hours in traffic and some even losing income. Representatives from Transport Scotland said in the media over the weekend that that spike was anticipated. I therefore ask the cabinet secretary if any other spikes are expected and what efforts are being made to encourage communities to use public transports and cycle routes in an effort to reduce congestion across the border. I thank Alex Cole-Hamilton for the constructive approach that he has taken with me. He contacted me over the weekend on behalf of his constituents to reiterate that they were feeling frustration and I accept that frustration, of course, would have been borne out by drivers crossing and the Queensferry crossing, particularly over Sunday, which I would just like to put some context around. There were events taking place on Sunday, whether it was peril for Scotland, the antiques fair at Engelston that may have added to that, but what we are also seeing is some element of tourist traffic still going across the bridge, looking back round and going round a number of times. That is understandable. We want people to enjoy the Queensferry crossing, but in regards to anticipation, what I have said to my transport Scotland officials is that we know that there are some groups who have put off coming to the Queensferry crossing for the first couple of weeks who will come later on because they think that it might have clamped down. We are confident with the variable messaging signs that we have put in place, as well as the other measures that we have taken that we are seeing in an improving picture. The report from the Monday AM peak, Monday PM peak and the Tuesday AM peak of this week have shown fewer delays and a much reduced delay time. I will continue to monitor that and ensure that, if the member wants briefing from Transport Scotland throughout this week, including what will happen at this weekend and anticipation of this weekend, I will be more than happy to provide that for him. I am thankful for that response. I suggested over the weekend that the fourth road bridge might be used as a release valve during the first phase to avoid the kind of congestion that we saw over the weekend. That was a request supported by the RAC. Would it be possible to allow buses and taxis to use the fourth road bridge now, to reopen the echelon roundabout for local access and to defer some of the repairs and roadworks on the fourth road bridge until the better weather in the spring, so that we can have the fourth road bridge as a backup option in case we encounter further spikes in the congestion that we saw in the early days? As I said to the member, we are seeing an improving picture. It is important that we see how this week progresses and, indeed, at the weekend when there may well be a spike in tourist traffic. Let's see that, if the picture is improving that the delays are reducing because of the actions that we have taken in Transport Scotland, we will continue to monitor what other things can be done, for example, increasing speed limit. There are difficulties in the suggestion that the member makes on the fourth road bridge. What we committed to do is ensure that the Queensbury crossing and the fourth road bridge as a public transport corridor were open and operational at the earliest opportunity. Deferring them is not an option that I would like to do, although I understand why he makes that suggestion. The works at the north end of the FRB are likely to take around six weeks. However, we are hopeful that the contract that FCBC can complete them closer to the four-week period, whether it will, of course, influence whether or not that can be completed in that time. However, there is a lot of work that has been done, which is necessary to be done in terms of alignment and to tie in the north end, which I think is vital. I want the aim of that for all concern is to achieve the full operating status of both Queensbury crossing and, indeed, of FRB as soon as possible. Let's see how the week progresses. I will keep the member updated. At any point, he feels that his constituents in particular are feeling frustrated at the length of delays. Of course, we are looking at what other options can be explored. Liz Smith is in a very important and absolutely iconic bridge, which I think that we all will take great pride in. However, there are serious issues here. Since 2006-07, a great deal of effort has gone into the Scottish Government in terms of the evidence about the traffic flow for the two bridges. Can I ask whether the minister is entirely satisfied that the evidence on which the Scottish Government has based its decisions is accurate and does the Scottish Government have any plans to review that so that we can address the problems that we have had over this past week? What I would say to the member is that, of course, traffic modelling takes place on any infrastructure project that we look to commit to. Of course, there was an expectation that there would be increased tourist traffic and increased interest, particularly in the first week, first fortnight. I suspect that there will continue to be, even on the weekends in particular, a number of groups, such as motorcycle groups and vintage vehicle groups. As we have seen, many other groups want to come and enjoy the experience of the Queensford crossing. What we are looking to do is to see what more we can do to alleviate some of that pressure. It is working. The peak Monday AM peak Monday PM peak this morning's AM peak has seen congestion reduced, so the actions that we are taking is working. In terms of modelling and future modelling, I will always happily look at whether modelling can be done better and work with the experts in that regard. That is a sensible thing to do. I know that it is something that we are doing, for example, for the Borders Railway, a completely different piece of infrastructure. Nonetheless, people ask us to look at the modelling and, where it is sensible to review that, it will be more certainly. However, that is not an issue around modelling, it is an issue around ensuring that we can do everything in our powers to reduce the congestion on the Queensford crossing. Alex Rowley I welcome what the transport minister has to say. I also wrote to him regarding concerns. It was not just the weekend. The traffic was tailed right back up the M90 to Hallbeath for long periods of time last week, which would not be acceptable if it continued. I welcome the guarantee. I think that if we can keep all members up to date on what progress has been made on both sides, it is a six lane bridge, after all. There will be options that will be available, but hopefully it is just people wanting to see this new, amazing, wonderful bridge, and we get past this period in time. However, if we don't, then action needs to be taken, and that is the assurance that we need. Alex Rowley Yes, I am absolutely happy to give Alex Rowley that assurance. Members should be kept up to date in our endeavour for the members of their last questions. We want to be kept up to date on traffic flows, particularly during the peak times that I will look to do that, including, of course, out of peak times, particularly at the weekend, as we saw congestion on the Sunday last week. If we continue to see that, I will do what I can that is in our powers to alleviate some of that congestion. However, Alex Rowley will get my absolute assurance that Transport Scotland, the contractors, the operating company, we are absolutely working hand in hand to ensure that anybody who is looking to cross over that bridge has a seamless journey and experience and gets to enjoy what is an iconic feat of engineering that all of us rightly across this chamber are very proud of. Mark Ruskell I think it was Alex Cole-Hamilton's predecessor, Margaret Smith, who, in 2010, warned that there would be an absolute clamour for both bridges to be open to general traffic once the Queensbury crossing was built and open, and that, if delivered, that would lead to disastrous levels of traffic growth. Does the cabinet secretary agree with Margaret Smith's assessment from 2010? Alongside the welcome commitments given already to grow active travel on the fourth road bridge, will the Scottish Government be giving support to increase traffic on the fourth rail bridge? We have a commitment in the Government to, of course, increase the levels of a number of people on public transport, whether that is on our buses or on our railways. That is something as Transport Minister I have said from day 1 on the job. Once we do the work on the FRB on the fourth road bridge, that will make public transport a more attractive option on the buses in particular. That is something that we all have a duty to do across this chamber to promote. I will ensure that the messaging around that is—we have a look at that again, we review that again to ensure that it is as powerful as possible, but I think that there is a great opportunity not just for those that are crossing on the motorcar but absolutely to say that public transport is getting access to the fourth road bridge once the work is done in four to six weeks, making public transport a more attractive option. It is something that I am delighted about. The rail bridge will continue to do what we can to increase patronage on the railways as well. The new bridge is obviously of critical importance for my constituents in Edinburgh South, as it is for people across Edinburgh, Fife and the whole of Scotland. The minister raised in a previous answer the modelling that went into that. I understand that the number of the traffic management features are not yet operational in connection to the bridge. Can the minister please explain what impact it has on not having those open made in terms of the modelling assessment? Indeed, while he mentions that the spike was anticipated, was the level of the spike in line with the anticipated level of traffic or has it exceeded it? I will try to get the member to the specifics and around the modelling as best I can in written form. Modelling and forecasting is the best of the ability and expertise that we have in Transport Scotland. There are some things. For example, we had, over the Sunday, vintage vehicles choosing that Sunday in particular to go across. We had motorcycle groups choosing to go across. We had cars displaying large flags in a parade type of fashion choosing to go across on the Sunday. There is only so much modelling that you can do to capture all of that. On my answer to Liz Smith's question, where we can review that, where we can look at that to make it even more accurate, we will, but it was anticipated that, in the first few weeks of the Queensferry crossing, there will be a surge in traffic. That is not unique to Scotland. If you look at any new bridge or new infrastructure opening across the world, there is a spike in traffic. We are doing everything that we can to manage that, but where we can do more, we will certainly do more. We are starting to see the positive results of that. The Monday AM peak, the Tuesday AM peak, as I have said throughout my answer to questions, has seen a reduction in that congestion. We will see how the rest of the week progresses and, if we can do more, we will certainly explore all the options. Thank you very much. That concludes topical questions.