 Felly, rydw i ddweud y cyfnodau cymaint, ac y cwestiwn nrwm 1—Clea Baker, please. Thank you. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Transport Scotland regarding the Levenmouth rail project. Cabinet Secretary. Transport Scotland officials have met regularly with Fife council officers and the appointed consultants at Peter Brett's Associates during the course of the Levenmouth sustainable transport study. The Levenmouth rail link is one of the options being considered as part of that study. The most recent meeting took place on 12 September. Can I thank the cabinet secretary for that response and can I also welcome him to his new role? The cabinet secretary will hopefully be aware of the very active Levenmouth rail campaign. Levenmouth is the largest conurbation in Scotland that does not have a rail line and is an area with below average car ownership. The reintroduction of a rail service would offer passengers as well as freight and would bring huge economic, educational, social and cultural opportunities for the area that is in need of investment. The campaign for the rail links reintroduction has the support of Fife council, as the cabinet secretary recognises, and politicians from across all parties who are convinced that it should be a priority investment for the Government. Will the cabinet secretary agree to meet with me and other interested MSPs to discuss the future of the project at the earliest opportunity and to understand the cross-party consensus that are behind the plans? I am more unhappy if the cabinet secretary wants to answer the questions this afternoon, so she chooses to do it. Is that a yes? I am very aware of the active campaign from the Levenmouth group who are keen to see the line re-opened. The member will be aware of the concern of work that has already been taken forward by Transport Scotland Fife Council and working with the campaign group in looking at the issue. I recognise the importance that can have to communities such as Levenmouth and the benefits that can potentially come from the re-opening of the line. It is important that we make sure that all of the stakeholders who have a part to play in looking at the issue are working collectively together. That is Transport Scotland Fife Council and other parties who have an interest in playing that. I have been encouraged by the way in which that has been taken forward to date. I am also very conscious of the work that Fife Council is doing with Transport Scotland that they are keen to see how further progress can be made with the matter. On the point that the member made regarding whether I would be willing to meet with herself and other MSPs, I am more than happy to look at doing that at some point. It is important that the existing work that has been carried out at the present moment is concluded so that we can look at it on the basis of where we go next and what the next steps would be. However, I have been encouraged by the way in which the work has been taken forward to date. I am more than happy to discuss that with other colleagues in Parliament and how we can make further progress with the matter. I have another invitation for the cabinet secretary. I would like to invite him to meet with me in Leven so that he can see for himself the benefits of reinstating the rail link to the town. It has been a while since I have been in Leven, so I will have to take up that offer from Jenny Goldruth. I recognise the interest that she has in the matter as well, but I would like to encourage all MSPs who have a collective interest in the matter to work in a co-operative fashion. I will certainly do what I can in making sure that we continue to make progress with that particular proposal. Of course, it is important that it goes through the proper due process in making decisions about those matters. Any decision for investment into the opening of a line or investment into a line has to be based on evidence that would justify that as being the most appropriate way in which to help to improve transport connectivity in that particular area. That is the case for railways, roads and other major transport investments. However, I am more than happy to meet with Jenny Goldruth in her constituency and to discuss the matter in further detail with other MSPs at a later date. To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of households in the Stirling constituency have faster broadband connectivity? Based on figures provided by independent broadband analysts, I think broadband, 95.1 per cent of all premises in the Stirling constituency area are now able to access fibre broadband and 89.1 per cent are able to access superfast speeds of 30 megabits per second and above. When deployments through the digital Scotland superfast broadband programme began in January 2014, just 59.8 per cent of premises were able to access fibre and 57.7 per cent are speeds of 30 megabits per second and above. The latest assured figures show that over 16,200 premises in the Stirling constituency now have access to fibre broadband as a direct result of the programme and more than 14,000 of those are speeds of 24 megabits per second and above. Is he aware that there is still a significant number of my constituents in the Stirling constituency who do not have yet access to the fast broadband? While I am delighted that the Scottish Government will soon be letting the contract for R100 to ensure 100 per cent of coverage for faster broadband by the end of 2021, I ask the minister if he is aware that the communities of Crenlaric and Tindrum were potentially within scope in regard to the current contract for which BT is responsible. In that regard, therefore, can he update me on what the prospects for the communities of Crenlaric and Tindrum are of being connected to faster broadband in the near future? As he is aware that the Scottish Government has responded to the failure, if you like, of the UK market approach that has been taken by UK ministers, and I stepped in in the intervention that he described in terms of our 100 programme, and the Superfast programme under the DSSB or Digital Scotland's Superfast Broadband programme. We have intervened for the reasons of the concern about the impact on economic development in communities such as Crenlaric, which Mr Crawford describes. I understand that officials within the DSSB team recently provided an update to Strathffillan Community Council on broadband in Crenlaric, in which he stated that planners continued to work in finding a solution that would allow Strathffillan to be covered under the DSSB programme, but I am, of course, happy to correspond with Mr Crawford in further detail on that. To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to improve the trunk road network in south Scotland region. Cabinet secretary. The contract for the construction of the £30 million mobile bypass is expected to be awarded by the end of this year. When completed, the project will improve road safety and journey time reliability along the A77, including to the port at Cairn Rhine. Looking to the future, Transport Scotland recently published a draft Borders Transport Corridor study report, which contained a number of recommendations for improvements to the trunk road network in the region. In the west, Transport Scotland is progressing at the south west Scotland transport study, with the stakeholder engagement phase launched earlier today. The emerging outcomes from both studies will provide important input to the forthcoming strategic transport project review. Joe McAlpine I very much welcome this news. I wonder if the Scottish Government could say how much those contracts are worth, how many jobs does it see as supporting through such contracts, and can the cabinet secretary confirm what benefits will be reaped by local firms? The construction of the five kilometres mobile bypass is estimated to be in the region of around £30 million. That will benefit the local community, as it will provide opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to bid for subcontractor roles. There are provisions for at least four vocational and seven professional onsite-based training opportunities, and at its peak it is estimated that the project will employ up to 165 people. That will, no doubt, bring benefits to the local economy. I have no doubt that local contractors will be keen to take up some of the subcontractor roles that come about through the contract. Oliver Mundell I am pleased that Mabbles is finally moving forward. Speaking of two other long-delayed projects that have seen slow progress, can the cabinet secretary tell me when the A76 will be fully reopened and when the Scottish Government will finally get round to investing in the A75? The first thing to say is that it is wrong to suggest that the Scottish Government has not invested in the A75. It has an extensive amount of funding over a considerable period of time, in order to deal with pinch points in other areas of safety, along with maintenance and maintaining the line over an extended period of years. We will continue to make sure that we make the necessary investments. As I mentioned, we are undertaking the south-west study, which will look at the wider issues that need to be addressed. Some of that will include the A75 and the A77 and the other transport networks around that area, and the transport network as a whole, and that will feed into the strategic approach that we take to transport investment. Unlike the many years of conservative rule in this country, we are making the real investment into Scottish roads, including the A75. Given that the economic challenge is facing the south of Scotland, the nationally strategically important of the ferry terminal at Cairnryan, and what has been a chronic lack of investment in the A75, A76 and A77, surely the cabinet secretary accepts that the south of Scotland needs a far bigger share of investment in its trunk road network than it has had in the past few years. The cabinet secretary will be well aware that there is a significant amount of investment into the A75 and the A77 as part of the maintenance contract and where it is appropriate for upgrades to be carried out. Actually, there is some work that has been taken place over recent times because of the restrictions that have been placed on. The carriageway replacement work has been carried out at the present moment, but the member is also aware that we have commissioned the south-west Scotland transport study, the public consultation element of which started today. That is the first phase of that public engagement. There will be further phases where there will be working groups that will be established to engage with local stakeholders around what would be the most effective way not to improve connectivity and transport links to the south-west of Scotland. That study will allow us to make decisions about what the most appropriate action would be in the future to meet the connectivity issues that they have in the south-west of Scotland and where the necessary investments will be required. That will then sit within the strategic transport project review. The member recognises that it is important that we take that approach in order to have a wider look at how we can make sure that the investments that we make in areas such as the south-west are addressing what the issues are and that they are after adding value and improvement to connectivity in those areas alongside the other proposals that we have for transport and connectivity improvements across the country. Question 4, Bob Doris. Government-how proposals and its transport bill aim to support the improved planning and delivery of social desirable bus routes. The transport bill provides local authorities with a range of tools to influence and improve bus services in their area, ensuring that there are sustainable bus networks across Scotland. That includes options to pursue partnership working, local franchising or running their own buses in certain circumstances. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. The summer students in my constituency have no easy way of commuting to Cleveland secondary school in Kelvindale and the area poorly served by bus. Although I hope to secure a solution, the current system where SPT tenders a social desirable bus route is costly, of limited value and often restrictive, does the cabinet secretary agree with me that a co-production model for such bus routes is subsidised or otherwise between communities, councils and bus companies, where a strategic approach can be taken to socially desirable bus routes, would be far preferable. What can the transport bill do to address that key issue? Partnerships at the very centre of what we want to achieve with our proposals in improving bus services in Scotland are a new model for local transport authorities to work with bus operators to help to revitalise services as part of the work that we are taking forward. That is why we are also committed to promoting positive changes and partnership working to improve bus services. The best way for that to happen is by getting the right partners together. For example, Bob Doris's suggestion of the need to take those matters forward in a way that is much more based on co-production. Engagement in partnership is essential to that, making sure that bus passengers are at the centre of how we design and deliver bus services going forward, and that we reflect the needs of local communities, including the communities within Bob Doris's constituency. I have raised with the cabinet secretary's predecessor concerns about cuts to the bus services from Gilsby to Inverness. Will the transport bill recognise that some of those socially desirable and important bus routes serve communities beyond the place that they are in, and that it would be crucial that, in this instance, Orkney is fully involved in any discussions about how the vital bus route connection to the ferry services is taken forward? As a member will be aware, we as a Government invest some £250 million a year in bus services in Scotland through a variety of different channels, part of which is to support local authorities where necessary circumstances to provide subsidy for particular routes. That will continue to be the case going forward. Of course, it is for local authorities to make a determination and a decision on where they wish to take such action. The additional benefits that we provide within the transport bill provide additional methods where local authorities and other partners can consider taking action, where they believe that it is socially desirable and necessary for a bus service to be made available, where there is no commercial operator in place at the present moment. Along with the investment that we are making and the additional provisions that we are providing within the bill for additional options to be available to local communities and to local authorities, that will provide more opportunities for actions to be taken at a local level as and when that is necessary. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland, Network Rail and ScotRail regarding the East Kilbride to Glasgow rail line. The Scottish Government has prioritised the East Kilbride and Barhead routes for enhancements as part of the CP6 project funding. The first part of the improvement is to run longer trains with more seats for passengers along both routes. What is necessary to deliver this is being pursued urgently, and we expect to make a positive announcement soon. Transport Scotland, Network Rail and ScotRail are working closely to develop plans that will deliver better resilience, more capacity, reduce emissions and major passenger benefits over the coming years. Detailed work has already commenced to assess the most economic means of delivering those outcomes. I thank the cabinet secretary very much for that response, but I also ask him in his meetings with the ScotRail Alliance and Transport Scotland to stress the inadequacy of the current single track line and the importance of upgrading for such a commuter line to help the Government's aspirations to low emissions and carbon reduction. The East Kilbride line as a commuter corridor for Glasgow is absolutely crucial. I recognise the concerns that the member has raised on behalf of her constituents previously with me in recent times. Part of the purpose for which we are carrying out the work that has been taken forward just now is to look at how we can improve resilience and capacity on the existing network, particularly on the East Kilbride and Barhead lines, which would, with the objective of providing more seats and greater reliability on those services. As part of the control period 6 work that has been taken forward, we are looking at the existing infrastructure arrangements that we have in place and where those strategic investments can be made in order to help to support greater use of our railways, greater resilience with them and reliability for them alongside that, making sure that we provide them as a positive alternative to people driving into town centres such as from East Kilbride into Glasgow. The points that the member has made are all points that are certainly not lost on me and are points that are being considered as part of the work that has been taken forward at the present moment. Question 6, Gordon MacDonald. To ask the Scottish Government what its programme for government means for the long-term level of infrastructure spending in Edinburgh and across Scotland. Cabinet Secretary. Our programme for government committed to increasing infrastructure spend by around 1 per cent of GDP. That will mean that annual investment in our hospitals, schools, houses, transport, low-carbon technology and digital connections will be around £1.5 billion higher by 2025-26 than 20-29-20. That national mission will bring a level of investment in our vital economic and social infrastructure that will protect and create jobs in the short-term and support growth and productivity in the long-term. The city of Edinburgh will continue to benefit from investment across a range of its infrastructure, including key projects such as the St James's Quarter and the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region deal. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. The commitment to infrastructure is to be £1.5 billion per year higher by 2025-26, means support for faster broadband, schools and improved transport in my constituency. It is practical benefits for my constituents. Will the cabinet secretary agree that, in such times of Tory-induced uncertainty, such ambitious plans help to ensure investments that will benefit future generations? I agree with the sentiments of the member's point. The ambitions that we have set out as part of our national infrastructure mission is to ensure that we continue to deliver the major infrastructure investment that Scotland needs for the future by increasing our investment in this area. It puts Scotland much more in line with other developed countries in the level of investment that is necessary to ensure that we have a modern fit-for-purpose infrastructure. The programme that we have set out demonstrates the ambition that the SNP Government has for making sure that we deliver that for Scotland in the years ahead. I apologise to the four members that I did not manage to reach, notwithstanding my mantra that if we have shorter supplementaries and shorter answers, everyone gets in, so perhaps that can be taken as they say on board. I now turn to questions on justice and law officers. Question 1, Alexander Stewart, please. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent figures from the Scottish Prison Service showing record levels of disorder, drug-taking and fire-raising in prisons. I should say that prison officers have the right to work in their workplace, just as all of us do, free from assault. We recognise the importance of providing a safe and secure environment for those in custody as well as, of course, the men and women who work in our prisons. Our prisons are dealing with increasingly complex populations, including an increase in serious and organised crime groups, and those under the influence of unknown substances who all present an increased risk of disorder. In relation to the recent statistics that have been published, a national strategic risk and threat group has been established by the Scottish Prison Service in response to increasing levels of violence against those in its care or indeed against staff in our prisons. Just to put it as a note of context, compared with England and Wales, Scotland's response to disorder in our prisons does perform favourably. The latest figure from England and Wales shows that rates of assault on staff are 223 per cent higher in England and Wales at 84 per 1,000 prisoners compared to 26 per 1,000 in Scotland. I suspect that I speak for everybody in the chamber when I say that that is 26 per 1,000 too many. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Official figures show that 37,518 punishments were given to inmates in 2017-18. That is a rise of over 9,000 since the SNP came to power. So what urgent measures is the cabinet secretary now putting in place to combat the growing disorder within our prisons? Can I just refer to my previous answer, which is that the Scottish Prison Service has taken immediate action to establish a national strategic risk and threat group? When I spoke to Colin McConnell and indeed Phil Fairlie from the Prison Officers Association, both of them told me that there was complex reasons and some of those I referred to in my first answer. It should also be said of the 448 separate incidents involving violence against staff over the last two years. 40 per cent of those were perpetrated by individuals who had identified mental health issues, so that is much more complex than we have time to answer in this question. Alexander Stewart's question gives me the opportunity to raise the HMIP report, which he would have seen from David Strang today. He certainly raised some challenges for our prison estate but generally spoke in very positive terms. David Strang directly said that we should never take for granted the good order that is maintained in Scotland's prison and that they are in a general stable and secure environment. I say that in stark contrast to Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, in his annual report in July, which said that some of the most disturbing prison conditions that we have ever seen are conditions that have no place in the advanced nation in the 21st century. In this, my third annual report is HM, chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, violence, drugs, suicide and self-harm, squalor and poor access to education are again prominent themes. That contrast is there, but we should never and can never and we won't be complacent. I associate the remarks around prison officers who do fantastic work. New psychoactive substances are a real and growing problem in our prisons. Given that they are so hard to detect, what support is the Scottish Government providing the SPA to develop new techniques and technologies to detect psychoactive substances coming into our prisons? I will ask SPS to be able to give a more detailed answer on the work that they are doing to the member in written form. That is exactly the type of issue that the newly established national strategic risk and threat group will look into. As I mentioned in my conversations with the SPA and the POA, the unknown substances were certainly one of the factors that we are giving them cause for a land, but I will get a written response from SPS Direct in terms of some of the measures that they are taking to combat that issue. To ask the Scottish Government how current reconviction rates compare with 2006-07. Reconviction rates in Scotland are now at a 19-year low and have reduced to 27 per cent, compared to 32 per cent in 2006-07. That means that over the last 10 years, there has been a shift from around one in three offenders being reconvicted to around one in four. The average number of reconvictions per offender is also at its lowest level for 19 years and is 22 per cent lower than it was in 2006-07. The figures that were published earlier this month also show that individuals released from a custodial sentence of 12 months or less are reconvicted nearly twice as often as those who receive a community payback order. We continue to work to create a just, safe and resilient Scotland, and those figures reinforce the value of an evidence-led collaborative approach to reduce the use of short-term imprisonment, prevent re-offending and promote rehabilitation. Could the cabinet secretary outline what are the factors employed that have caused the dramatic and welcome outcome? There will be many of them, but the Government's focus on rehabilitation and understanding that community payback orders and community justice are certainly for the rehabilitation element and for rehabilitation pay dividends. We will continue to invest heavily in community justice that we have done. We have allocated around £100 million per annum to local authorities to deliver community sentences and reduce re-offending. Parties across the chamber say that we should never look at victims' rights, which we are going to strengthen and continue to strengthen at the heart of our justice system. The rehabilitation of offenders is to conflict narratives or measures. They are not, they are two sides of the same coin. I hope that everybody will look at the data and see where we have had success in reducing reconvictions and re-offending, and hopefully we can get a parliamentary consensus around the way forward, which includes, for example, presumption against short sentences of 12 months or more. Liam Kerr has not agreed with me that, given that the reconviction rate has fallen less than five percentage points over the past 18 years and is still a third higher than in Northern Ireland, there is simply no room for complacency. Of course I would agree with his assessment that there is no room for complacency. I hope that I am not demonstrating any of that complacency. I am suggesting that we look at the justice analytics, the data and the empirical evidence in front of us and what I would say genuinely to Liam Kerr having spoken to him on a number of occasions now about this agenda. I think that it is so, so important that whatever we do moving forward, whether it is in government or indeed opposition measures, we do so looking at the data of what works and hopefully we can build a parliamentary consensus, because there is an undeniable and unrefusible evidence that exists, that community payback orders, community sentences certainly helped with tackling re-offending much better than short time prison sentences. When it comes to presumption against short sentences of 12 months or less, I would hope that the Conservative benches will give the support to that measure. To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that rape victims are given support throughout the investigation process and after the sentencing of the attacker. Rape and sexual assault are serious crimes and anyone who has been affected should feel able to report those to the police and know that they will be supported through the justice process. In 2015-18, the Scottish Government provided an additional £1.85 million to support the project. In 2018, we agreed an additional £1.7 million for the next two years to ensure that local rape crisis centres can continue to provide direct support to women who are engaged with the criminal justice system. In the recent PFG, we confirmed that a further £1.5 million over three years has been awarded through the equality's budget to rape crisis Scotland to speed up access to other support such as counselling. The funding begins in October, so it can start to make a difference in the not too distant future. An additional £1.1 million of additional funding has also been provided in the current year to the Crown and Procurator Fiscal Service and Court Service to improve how sexual offences cases are handled and improve communication with victims. Finally, through the work of the chief medical officer's task force, we are also improving care pathways. For people who require forensic medical examination, we published national standards in December 2017, which are underpinned by £2.25 million of Scottish Government funding. Gillian Martin, I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Does he agree with me that the continuity of police personnel is vital in such cases and that all victims, especially younger women, who might be over 16, may be still in school and still very young, should be given the option to be accompanied by another adult through police interviews? I ask because, in some cases, my constituency has not always been the case. I would like to perhaps talk afterwards to Gillian Martin about the specific experiences of that individual case, because, certainly from all the partners that I have spoken to involved in the criminal justice system, from the moment that a terrible incident like this happens, a terrible crime like this happens, right from there, to investigations, post-a-trial sentencing, release of the perpetrator. Throughout the entire process, I have identified where there are potential gaps in the early stage. Clearly, for the most vulnerable witnesses and victims, we have made significant progress. If there are gaps there, I am keen that we work collaboratively with all the justice partners involved to ensure that we plug those gaps as best as possible. However, I would be happy to speak to Gillian Martin about the individual case, just to get a little bit more information to understand and inform my thinking moving forward. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to an independent review of football policing. There are around 5 million supporters at football matches every year in Scotland. The vast majority of football fans in Scotland are a credit to their teams and only a small number of incidents in comparison to total numbers at attending games. Operational policing is entirely a matter for Police Scotland. Police Scotland keeps the policing of football matches under constant review and the tactics and deployments that are used will vary depending on the circumstances and the risks associated with each match. Public safety is paramount, and the Scottish Government supports Police Scotland to take appropriate and proportionate action in response to any situation in which it is considered that any criminality may arise. There is a general framework for Police Scotland's approach to football policing, and Police Scotland works closely with clubs to develop policing plans. Those arrangements are working well, and, in my view, there is no need for an independent review. James Kelly? As a football supporter, the cabinet secretary will be aware that, so far this season, we have had police filming fans at a low-level friendly. Serious questions about crowd management at Celtic Rangers Games and reports in the Herald and Sunday of police officers approaching fans and asking them to ask their paid informants. There is widespread concern among football fans about those instances. Does the cabinet secretary accept that football supporters have the right to be respected and to support their team and that an independent review of policing at football would progress that respect among both parties? Can I take each of the points in turn? Before I do that, I agree that football fans and any sports fans getting about their business should be allowed to do so and enjoy their leisurely activity. My belief is that they are very much without police involvement. The vast majority of football fans that attend a football match on a Saturday and Sunday or, indeed, a European game throughout the week will never have a police interaction or, if they do, it will be an absolute minimal police interaction. The vast majority of football fans go about and get to watch their team play and do not have an interaction with the police. Let me take each of the points in turn that he mentioned. I disagree with his premise. I do not think that there is widespread concern. I do not know the last time that James Kelly went to a football match, but when I did, certainly nobody approached me about the fact that they had major concerns in and around football. I do not think that there is widespread at all. He described filming of fans at his words as, quote-unquote, a low-level friendly. Is it a suggestion that there would not be sectarian chanting just because a game happens to be a low-level friendly? Police Scotland gave evidence to the Justice Committee, to this Parliament, to say that filming of football fans was helpful for them to gather evidence when there was sectarian singing. That, again, is an operational matter for them, so that is the reason for that. When it came to the Celtic Rangers match and some of the issues around there, I believe that Celtic are carrying an independent review and have got a consultant on board for that. Police Scotland have also said that they will review their measures for the incident that took place. I also have concerns about that. On his last point of informants, what I would say is that he is looking at the Sunday Herald article, which he quoted, just to quote one of the fans who obviously was not going by his own name, but one of the fans said that the police came to his door. I am sorry. I know how important it is. I know when I have let you have a long go at it, and I have been—forgive me if you would sit down for a minute. I appreciate that many are new to their positions on the front bench. I am getting very long answers, and I am not getting through many questions, very few supplementaries, so you can be very brief now, please. It is the third point that was raised. I was asked effectively three or four questions, Presiding Officer, so I am going through each of them. The quote from the football fan was, The police were there wanting to know if there was going to be any organised fights, or if there was going to be groups of people travelling to certain places. If I knew that information, could I share it? That is hardly heavy-handed policing tactics. When it comes to using human informants, that is regulated by IPCO. If the member has any concerns, of course, he can raise them directly with the independent investigatory powers commissioner's office. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the reported increase in incidents of antisocial behaviour. The evidence points towards a long-term and sustained reduction in antisocial behaviour. The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey showed in 2008-09 that 46 per cent of adults felt people behaved in an antisocial manner in their area, but by 2016-17, that had fallen to 29 per cent. More adults than ever before feel safe walking alone after dark in their local area, which I am sure is something that the member will welcome. It is, of course, very important that people feel safe in their communities and, for that reason, we are taking forward a number of actions that are contributing to the downward trend and will continue it, including refreshing our guidance to police and local authorities, supporting the extension of our whole systems approach to tackle youth offending and ensuring that initiatives such as cashback are focused on the communities that are hit by crime and antisocial behaviour. I thank the minister for that answer and I welcome where antisocial behaviour has reduced, but, according to Police Scotland management information figures in my parts of my region, like Murray, antisocial behaviour has increased significantly in Murray's case 25 per cent in a single year. With pressure on local authority budgets across Scotland, we have seen the number of community wardens cut in many council areas. Will the minister confirm whether she is monitoring the deployment of community wardens centrally and whether the police are actively responding to those changes in areas in which warden numbers have fallen? I will allow my officials to look into the issue of community wardens. The 2017-18 report suggests that it suggests a slight increase overall in antisocial behaviour. However, the report for this first quarter, which was published quite recently just in August, suggests that reports fell from 90,052 in April to June 2017 to 90,986 in April to June 2018. Therefore, looking at the figure overall, we can see that it indicates a long-term and sustained reduction in reports. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of women being placed on remand. I thank Rona Mackay and all those who contributed to the justice committee's inquiry into the use of remand in Scotland, which was published shortly before summer recess and I responded to on 23 August. As the committee report acknowledged, issues impacting on the remand population go beyond justice and can result in disruption to individuals and families, which is comparable to a short custodial sentence. Decisions on each case are, of course, rightly a matter for the court to make within the overall legal framework provided by this Parliament, and remand is necessary in some cases. We are working very closely with partners across portfolios to help to ensure that the needs of the remand population are recognised that remand is only used where necessary and appropriate. That includes actions specific to women on remand, including providing additional funding of £1.5 million per annum for bail support services, specifically for women, and support for the shine mentoring service for women on remand. As confirmed in the programme for government, we will issue revised guidance and provide additional funding for supervised and supported bail, and the forthcoming debate on the justice committee's report will provide an opportunity to debate those issues in more detail. Rona Mackay Thank you for the answer. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that alternative methods to custody, such as holistic support and community sentences, should be offered to women, given that 75 per cent of women remanded do not go on to be sentenced? Knowing your want for brevity, Presiding Officer, I very much agree with Rona Mackay. The Government has certainly recognised that for many years. We are taking forward a number of measures as per Elish Angiolini's commission on women offenders. I can give the member a fuller response in writing to some of the measures that we are taking forward in that regard, but I absolutely agree with the premise of her question. Margaret Mitchell To us Scottish Government when it last met with the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission. I met with Jim Martin, the chair of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, on 21 August as part of a series of introductory meetings with a range of stakeholders, and Scottish Government officials have regular engagement with the SLCC to discuss legal services policy. Margaret Mitchell Thank you for that. Can the minister confirm who is Christianizes the work of the SLCC and holds him to account for its performance? Thank you, Ms Mitchell. It is obviously an independent commission. We are at the moment undertaking a review of the Regulation of Legal Services, and the work of the commission will and complaints handling in particular will be looked at during that. We are considering the regulatory framework across the whole piece. We would like to see how that will work in terms of promoting competition, innovation and also the public consumer interest. We are looking at all of this, and we are expecting the chair of the independent report to produce the report in the autumn. Margaret Mitchell Thank you. Concludes portfolio questions. I apologise for three members that I was unable to call for reasons I know you understand.