 Felly, rydw i'n gwneud, gennych nhw pethau, ac yn y gweithgaredd, nid o'r cyfnod, rydw i'n gweithio'n cyfnod. 2. Neil Findlay Ie, rydw i'n gwneud eich cyffredinol, ond mae'n dod yn derbyn i'rとffordd i'r byw hwn o'r sylfaeth? Yn gweithgaredd, Neil Findlay. Ddau'r ddeuiddio'r ddansr. Felly, rydw i'n gweithgaredd, mae'r tydd cyfnod rydw i'n ddysgu'r digon conference calls, computers and email. If so, why are those methods of communication not included in the lobbying bill, and it is only face-to-face communications? The Government has sought to introduce a proportionate bill that balances the legitimate interests of Parliament, the public and wider society. It is widely recognised that face-to-face meetings with ministers and MSPs are seen as the most effective and influential means of communication. It is important to consider carefully whether any extension of the scope of the register would continue to be proportionate, simple, not place a burden on organisations and, I think, very importantly not potentially lead to a barrier to the openness of this Parliament and the public's desire to engage in democracy. It is vital in a democracy that the public is able to address their concerns to their elected representatives. What assurances can the Scottish Government give that this bill will not compromise accessibility? The member makes an interesting point, and it is about balance, so we have tried to bring forward a bill that is proportionate and balanced. Therefore, it will increase transparency while not eroding the important openness that this Parliament cherishes so much. It is about getting balance. If there were proposals to extend the bill further, it would be very important that those proposals were examined carefully to make sure that it was not impacting on the openness of this Parliament. Annabelle Goldie Sorry, I was not proposing to come in. That is fine, you can sit down again, I will call you when you want to come in. Question number three, John Mason. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with First Group concerning the proposed closure of the Parkhead bus depot and the potential for redundancies or job transfers. As it happens, I visited First Caledonian depot on Tuesday and was impressed at the substantial investment that has been made and what is now the biggest bus depot in Britain. First explained that it is discussing with staff how they can best use this investment to improve staff facilities across Glasgow. I understand that First Glasgow's business director John Cahill has written to the member confirming that there would be no redundancies arising from the closure and offering a meeting to discuss the situation in more detail with Mr Mason. John Mason I thank him for that answer. I mean, I just wonder if he would agree with me that First Bus has been particularly poor at communicating both with the public and with some of their employees. And the remains concern in the east end of Glasgow about the impact on jobs and on bus services. Minister Mr Mason takes such matters very seriously. I also know that there is a first group that has gone beyond their legal obligations. It is about being proportionate. I am advised that first consulted through a formal letter to the three Unite conveners in First Glasgow, followed by a formal presentation to the joint consultative committee. All they said, they have gone beyond those requirements. They have been clear about no redundancies and I am sure that reassurance is very welcome. In terms of the condition of the Parkhead depot, it is a 93-year-old building. Therefore, the changes that are made, the investments that are made, I would encourage good communication with the staff, because that should be a positive move from the operator that can improve facilities and, in due course, the wider transport network in that area. Question 4, Ken Macintosh. To ask the Scottish Government how the reduction in its overall funding over the last seven years compares with that for local government. Minister, Mark Bairdge. No part of the public sector in Scotland has been immune to the UK Government's sustained austerity programme, but despite real-terms cuts of around 9 per cent to the Scottish budget over the last five years, Scotland's local authorities have been treated very fairly under this administration and protected from the worst of the impact of the UK cuts. Complexities over the machinery of government changes make accurate time series comparisons problematic. For example, the Scottish Government has taken on responsibility for council tax benefit, and a true comparison of local government funding over the last seven years is not straightforward due to the transfer of responsibility for the police and fire services. Our best estimate of a like with like comparison shows that local government funding has reduced by 3.5 per cent in real terms over the period compared with the Scottish Government's Dell plus non-domestic rates income budget, reducing by 4.5 per cent. I'm interested by the Government's figures. Perhaps he should consult with Spice because they've done a similar calculation, and they were able to work out or estimate that the Scottish Government's funding has declined by 3 per cent in real terms, but the local government has suffered a 6 per cent real terms cut. In other words, a double of the cut has been passed to the Scottish Government. Perhaps more important looking forward, we know that the settlement for Scotland is not going to be good. Will the minister guarantee our local authority colleagues that they will be able to protect public services and care for the elderly and those with disabilities because he will not pass on in real terms any more than is inflicted on him? The Scottish Government is in extensive discussions with COSLA at this point going over the spending review and the proposed settlement for local government. That is an on-going point of discussion. However, I suggest to Ken Macintosh that, if he really does want to see what local government being cut looks like, he should go just across the border, just a few stops on the east coast mainline. He would see what happens when governments don't try to protect local government when ideological attacks are taken. I am looking at the last IFS analysis of the last UK Government budget. It found reductions of 27.4 per cent by the UK Government to English local authorities, and that only got worse in the last announcement on 25 November. I would say to Ken Macintosh to realise just how much this Government is doing everything that it can to protect local government, especially when all those cuts burn it over to our budget, too. Do you recall any time over the last seven years that Ken Macintosh contacted you with suggestions on those areas of the Scottish budget that he wanted to cut in order to fund local government? Given up until now that the Scottish Government has had to operate with virtually a fixed but declining budget, do you agree that it is both cynical and disingenuous of Opposition members to demand increased expenditure on one portfolio without clarifying exactly how they would pay for it with reductions in another? I note that Ken Macintosh has taken to the press to suggest that there should be £755 million more funding on local government. The Government is always open to suggestions from Opposition parties, so I would invite anyone who thinks that funding should be increased to local government by £755 million to take the fag packet that was written on and right on the back how exactly that would be paid for, because that would be almost a 40 per cent increase in council tax. Last I heard—although that does change a lot—that the Labour Party was supporting the council tax freeze. To ask the Scottish Government what uptake of grants was from the Centenary Memorial Restoration Fund in 2014-15. Grant funding of £224,000 and £378 was provided under the Centenary Memorial Restoration Fund to 28 projects in the 2014-15 financial year, bringing the total to over £1.5 million and 67 projects since the scheme started. I thank the cabinet secretary for that positive answer. In my constituency of Glasgow Annesland, as in all other constituencies across Scotland, there are a significant number of war memorials. Unfortunately, the poor condition of many of those is plain for all to see. I believe that we are all conscious of institutions such as schools, football, bowling and social clubs that have their own memorials. Can the minister tell me what more the Scottish Government is doing to encourage those groups to take up the opportunity to apply for funding to upgrade these memorials? The fund is £1 million from the period that was announced from 2013 to 2018. As I said, more than £1.5 million has already been allocated. Members can help to promote schemes in their own area. I understand that there has been a visit to the Yoka memorial by the Centenary Memorial Trust's conservation officer, although there has not been an application made as yet from the member's constituency. The grant is up to 75 per cent of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of £30,000. We take every opportunity that we can to promote such works and to have an opportunity for communities to make sure that their memorials are in a good state of repair. I encourage members across the chamber to look at what they can do in their own constituencies, and we, as Government, will continue to promote it as we have been. Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government what measures it will take to protect vulnerable people affected by the weather this winter. The Scottish Government has taken a range of measures to protect vulnerable people against the effects of weather this winter. Tackling fuel poverty remains a priority for this Government. This year, a record budget of £119 million is being made available for fuel poverty and energy efficiency, helping vulnerable groups to stay warm. In November, we launched our 2015 Ready for Winter campaign to encourage people in communities to take simple steps to prepare for tough winter conditions. Our seasonal flu programme, launched on 1 October, offers free seasonal flu vaccination and will help to protect more than 2 million people, including vulnerable groups, from catching flu this winter. Of course, NHS boards have been working with their partners throughout the year to ensure that they have robust winter plans in place. Annabelle Goldie? Presiding Officer, the national record of Scotland winter mortality in Scotland 2014-15 found that there were 22,011 deaths registered in Scotland in the four months of winter, December to March, compared with 18,675 in winter 2013-14. It is clear that an ageing population with growing health problems winter in itself is becoming a threat to good health. Can the cabinet secretary tell me which of the measures she has just outlined, she considers, is most specifically targeted at that vulnerable group? Is she satisfied that all attempts have been taken with the coldest winter predicted for many years to support people who find themselves threatened by that challenge? I am sure that the member will be aware of the chief medical officer's interest in this matter. Indeed, she was very engaged this week on looking at the analysis of the winter mortality figures and what lies behind those, and a lot of work has been done on that. I would say to the member that all of the measures that I outlined have a direct impact on protecting the most vulnerable, whether it be the NHS board plans that they have in place in partnership with their local authority colleagues. Of course, this year the plans are far more integrated than previously involving social care colleagues in making sure that the most vulnerable can be supported during winter. Of course, the general ready for winter campaign has some very pertinent advice through the Ready Scotland website for how people can keep safe and warm at home, and the fuel poverty measures are of particular relevance to those who are most vulnerable. I am happy to write to Annabelle Goldie if she would like any further information on that. When it last met with South West of Scotland Transport Partnership and what issues were discussed? My officials from Transport Scotland met with SwissTrans last week to discuss local aspirations for the reopening of Betuck station. Lee Murray? I am delighted to hear that those discussions have taken place. The minister will be in way, and in fact that there are community-led campaigns for the reopening of Betuck. There is also a halt at East Riggs and a station at Thornhill. Some years ago, the Scottish Government announced a stations fund for that purpose. I wonder if you can give me some sort of progress report in terms of how far we are in the progress of reopening these stations? I have certainly recalibrated the stations fund debate, focused on new stations where that is possible. There are a number of bids in the system at the moment. Any application for new stations must be considered through the due process of STAG. That is the appraisal for transport options and other approaches by relevant promoters, be it local authorities or regional transport partnerships. I am happy to offer further support from officials to guide local communities through that process. To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs last met Creative Scotland and what issues were discussed. I last met with the chair of Creative Scotland Richard Finlay on 12 November when we discussed a number of issues of importance to arts and culture in Scotland, including BBC charter renewal and the spending review. I am sure that the cabinet secretary will be aware of the fantastic campaign by the remembering Mary Barber association in my constituency, which seeks to create a permanent memorial to a remarkable woman of whom the people of government remain very proud. Does the cabinet secretary share my regret at the decision of Creative Scotland to reject an application for support for what is an exciting artistic project? Will she raise that disappointing response with Creative Scotland? Will she agree to meet with me and members of the remembering Mary Barber campaign to explore how the Scottish Government could support this initiative to remember a hugely important woman in the history of Govan, Glasgow and beyond? I am aware of the campaign. I support the campaign. I think that it is a very important initiative to give credence and support and memory to a very important campaigner at a very important time. However, I am frequently asked by members of the Opposition to direct Creative Scotland to fund particular projects and not to then, on the other hand, have direct ministerial control of decisions that are taken. In terms of agreeing to meet with the member, I am more than happy to do that, but she can understand that the Government itself does not support new memorials that tend to be funded by subscription. However, what we can try to do to raise the profile of the initiative to help to encourage that public subscription to that statue would be very important. However, I cannot interfere with individual parts on decision making for individual projects, but I am happy to try to help Creative Scotland to understand more about what the project is and the community engagement that it has involved. Question 9, Stuart McMillan. Thank you, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Cabinet Secretary, Shona Robison. Minister is and Government officials regularly meet with representatives of all boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. I thank the cabinet secretary for that reply. I warmly welcome the announcement made last week by the Deputy First Minister that the European funding classification issue has been finalised and that the new Inverclyde care home project can progress. That is welcomed by many constituents. Can the cabinet secretary provide reassurances that the Inverclyde Royal hospital has a sustainable future heritage and is firmly in the plans of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to provide services in Inverclyde for many years to come? Well, can I also welcome the progress that is being made on the Inverclyde care home and can I assure the member that Inverclyde Royal hospital does indeed have a bright future? The hospital is a valued local facility and very much part of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's plans for the future. I am sure that they would be happy to meet with Stuart McMillan to appraise him of the plans for the hospital going forward. During the cabinet secretary's meeting with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, did she discuss the Scottish public finances update, which, of course, brought to an end the unnecessary and distressing delay to the Ravish Gag older care unit construction programme? Can the cabinet secretary confirm that any increases due to increased construction costs will be met in full by the Scottish Government and ensure that there is no further unnecessary delay to this very important project in my constituency? Well, this is indeed a very important project in Duncan MacNeill's constituency and I'm glad that he welcomes the progress that is being made. He will be aware that there is a robust financial plan around this project and I would be happy to keep the member informed about the robust financial planning around that. We'll deliver this project on time and on budget. 10. Cameron Buchanan To ask the Scottish Government what is the average waiting time for GP referral is for elective surgery in the NHS Lothian. In the year ending 30 September 2015, the median waiting time in Lothian for a first outpatient consultation was 38 days and 42 days for inpatient and day case treatment. Cameron Buchanan Thank you very much. I think that it's simply not good enough when patients are left in the dark for very long periods when the next stage of treatment will be and what can be extremely distressing. What does the Scottish Government have to make use of the NHS consistently better informed? We would certainly expect all boards to make sure that they deliver timely treatment for patients and where there is any delay, for example, due to recruitment or retention issues, that they are communicating with patients and making sure that they are fully informed of when their treatment can commence. If the member has any specific patient concerns around individuals, I would be happy if he wanted to write to me with those and I would be able to give him a fuller answer on the specific patient cases. Thank you. We now move to First Minister's Questions. Question number one.