 The next item of business is consideration of business motion 10948, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of Parliamentary Bureau, on changes to the business programme. Any member who wishes to speak against the motion should press their request to speak button now. I call on George Adam to move the motion. Thank you as always, Presiding Officer. I'm moved. Thank you minister. No member has asked to speak against the motion, therefore the question is that motion 10948 be agreed. Are we all agreed? The motion is therefore agreed. The next item of business is topical questions, and at question number one I call Audrey Nicholl. Thank you Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the impact of Storm Babette on communities in Aberdeenshire, Angus, T-Side and Perthshire. Cabinet Secretary, Angela Constance. Firstly Presiding Officer, our thoughts and condolences are with those who have lost a loved one, and of course those individuals and communities across Scotland who have faced significant impacts as a consequence of Storm Babette. As the First Minister said when he saw the impact in Brican first hand yesterday, there will be a long road to recovery, but the Scottish Government will support the affected areas. As we move into the recovery phase, the process of assessing the full amount of damage caused in all areas affected by the storm is now under way. These recent events are a stark reminder that climate change is not a far off threat, it is a crisis that is here and now, and I wish to also place on record our grateful thanks to emergency services, responders and volunteers for working in extremely difficult conditions. I thank the cabinet secretary for her response and I too commend all the local responders and communities who worked tirelessly before and during Storm Babette, and I extend my deepest sympathies to the families of those lost during the storm. Recent extreme weather events have severely impacted the north-east, and I now have constituents who have incurred significant financial and emotional costs arising from the devastation of replete flooding exacerbated by failing nearby water infrastructure. As regional resilience partnerships continue to develop the organisational response to specific events, what steps are the Scottish Government taking to assist householders, cope with increased flood risk and become resilient to future flooding events? The Scottish Government is working closely with responsible authorities to help communities to recover from these catastrophic floods and build resilience to future flooding. The Scottish Flood Forum, funded by the Scottish Government, provides advice and information to individuals to help to prepare and protect their homes from flooding. It also provides support and advice in the aftermath of flood events on insurance, drying out properties and carrying out repairs. The Scottish Government has also made available £42 million per year to local authorities to invest in flood risk management actions, with an additional £150 million committed over this Parliament. To build community resilience to future flooding events, we are developing Scotland's first flood resilience strategy, which will engage a broad range of partners to deliver more diverse flood management actions faster. I thank the cabinet secretary for her response. Just yesterday, Aberdeenshire council highlighted the sudden dropping temperatures and the on-going impact of storm bebet on its 3,500-mile road network, harbours and other services. Although we are no longer strangers to severe weather, what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that the public is adequately informed and prepared for adverse weather, especially as we move towards the winter months? Traffic Scotland provides travel information on real-time conditions to road users on multiple technological platforms, including the Traffic Scotland website, which receives hundreds of thousands of views during storm bebet. Radio is a source of information and social media platforms. The Scottish Government's Ready Scotland channels routinely share information and advice for the general public to support them in preparing for severe weather. We also run a year-round severe weather campaign and provide social media toolkits to key partners to support them in communicating about those issues with their local audiences. During severe weather warnings, we also activate a proactive market campaign that shares Ready Scotland content in the area affected through digital and radio advertising. Cabinet secretary, with lives tragically lost, homes destroyed and livelihoods in jeopardy, communities in Angus do not want warm words. They want reassurances that Angus Council will have the funds it needs to support people who have lost everything, to shore up the flood defence scheme and expedite urgent structural repairs. This is the Scottish Government's responsibility. When will this money that you mentioned be coming? Let me reassure Ms White that we are focused on action, particularly now that we move from the emergency response stage to that crucial recovery stage. She would have heard yesterday, as would the constituents in the Angus area and elsewhere, that we are absolutely committed to practically and financially supporting that recovery. I can confirm to chamber that three local authorities have notified the Scottish Government of potential claims relating to Storm Babette. Obviously, all of these local areas are currently in the throes of assessing the extent of the damage and what is required. Let me reassure the member that there will indeed be extensive and intensive discussions between the Scottish Government and our partners at a local level. In June, the cabinet secretary for net zero told me that she had, and I quote, absolute confidence in the river basin management plans. We have just witnessed how severe weather caused rivers in the north-east to burst their banks over well-flood devences and leave communities devastated. Yes, that was an extreme weather event, but our plans must be up to those challenges, too. Will the cabinet secretary now agree to review those plans? I will obviously engage with my cabinet secretary colleague who is responsible for the net zero and indeed the implementation of the river basin management plan. It is important to recognise the scale and the exceptional nature of events. We have had two storms within two weeks, within two days we had two months rainfall, and we would all concur with the importance of plans, whether it is the river basin management plans or, indeed, those engineering works, but we are also bearing the challenges that we face as a consequence of climate change. We have to acknowledge that, even with the very best flood prevention schemes, for example, we will not be able to provide 100 per cent protection, 100 per cent of the time and, therefore, there are other aspects to a plan that we all share on a collaborative basis. While there is an importance around the river basin management plan and the engineering works that Ms White spoke to and testified to, it is important to recognise that, although flood prevention schemes can help to prevent and they often do work, they have worked most recently in Breakin in November, but they can also help to delay the impact and buy valuable time to help to evacuate householders. The point that Mr Golden is making is that there does indeed need to be a cross-community and cross-government plan that is, indeed, constantly reviewed. John Swinney. I wonder if the cabinet secretary would agree with me that, in the light of the severity of the extreme nature of the events that we have witnessed in the past three weeks, that the imperative of intensifying our measures to tackle climate change is one of the key lessons that must be learnt from those experiences and that there is absolutely no space in our political discourse for any fruit-dragging on the measures that are necessary to tackle climate change in our society today. I think that that is a profound and fundamental point. There is no room in this chamber or elsewhere for those who seek to deny either the existence or the impact of climate change. We are all living in the front line of climate change and, while, of course, we must be focused on the resilience response when events happen, those investments in engineering projects and also the plans, whether that is the river basin plan or other plans, but, ultimately, the bigger task is for us all to work together to slow down climate change. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statement issued by COSLA that the handling of the recent announcement about the council tax freeze undermined the spirit and the letter of the Verity House agreement. Cabinet Secretary, Shona Robison. The fully funded council tax freeze announced by the First Minister last week will protect over 2.5 million households during a time of economic uncertainty and rising prices. The First Minister and I acknowledge the concerns raised by COSLA and some council leaders and we remain fully committed to the Verity House agreement and to working in partnership with local government to demonstrate that commitment. The council tax freeze will, of course, as I said, be fully funded, ensuring that councils can maintain the services upon which we all rely whilst protecting households from increasing burdens. Can I ask the cabinet secretary to confirm exactly how much the council tax freeze will cost and where the money is coming from? When I met the COSLA presidential team, we agreed and I offered for that process to be a negotiation with COSLA, and that negotiation will take place to ensure that the council tax freeze is fully funded. Of course, that figure will be part of the budget process for £24.25, and it is important that it is a negotiation. That is something that we believe is important. What I want to hear from the Opposition is perhaps less about the process and more about the principle of whether they support the council tax freeze or not. We will see during the budget process whether they do or not. One extraordinary answer. Anyway, cabinet secretary, at the finance committee on the 3 October you claimed in answers to questions from myself and Michelle Thomson that, I quote, giving more flexibility to councils was a significant part of the Verity House agreement. Freezing council tax has just removed that flexibility, so can I ask the cabinet secretary directly, was she aware when she gave evidence to the committee that the First Minister was going to announce the freeze on 17 October, and if not, when did she become aware of the policy announcement? First of all, we have given local authorities more flexibility. Of course, the second homes and empty homes premiums that will be able to be applied are also part of giving local authorities more flexibility, and we are keen to discuss with local authorities what more flexibility can be given. In terms of the process that Liz Smith clearly wants to remain talking about, we requested and received advice from officials on the concept of the council tax freeze and gave that advice full consideration. On balance, we made the decision to freeze the council tax, taking into account the impact of sustained inflation caused by, of course, the Tory Government economic policy on households in Scotland. I acknowledge the concerns expressed by local government about the manner of that announcement about the substance, but we believe that it is the right thing to do to help over 2.5 million households at these difficult times. The First Minister announced a freeze to council tax without consulting local authorities or indeed his own cabinet. Council tax is clearly a regressive tax, and in the past, the Scottish Government has spoken about a cross-party working group to look at alternatives, but that group has never been convened. What work is the Scottish Government doing to look at a replacement to council tax or indeed alternative funding streams for local government? Well, it is a strange line of question from Katie Clark, given that the Labour Party spent the whole of the rather glimbi election talking about council tax rises, so I would have thought that they would support a council tax for me, given what they said to voters during that by-election. In terms of Katie Clark's question about process, last year, Scottish ministers convened the joint working group on sources of local government funding and council tax reform. The group is co-chaired by Scottish ministers and COSLA. Scottish ministers remain committed to exploring proposals for meaningful changes to be introduced to the council tax in partnership with local government, and, of course, we understand the need for further in-depth reform of the council tax, which is what the First Minister said in his speech, that this was an important context. We understand the regressive nature of the council tax, so we do want to reform it. In the meantime, we want to make important changes, such as the premium on empty properties and on second homes. Marie McNair is tackling poverty and relieving the effects of rising costs on household finances. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that the council tax trees will be implemented in a way that honours this fair to house mission and assist Scottish local government in combating the UK cost of living crisis? We will, as I said earlier to Marie McNair, confirm that we will take this forward in partnership with COSLA in terms of a negotiation. It is important to recognise the impact of the measure and the positive impact on 2.5 million households at a time of cost of living crisis. That is a measure that we believe is the right measure and will take it forward in a fully funded way with local government, and that will be part of the budget process for 2.4.2.5. Thank you. With the First Minister's unilateral decision to freeze council tax, the Verity house agreement has gone the way of the historic Concordat. Fergus Ewing has said that he wishes granted in the shredding of the Bute house agreement. Civil servants have been circumvented, cabinet government have been abandoned. Does the cabinet secretary believe that the First Minister was right to channel his inner list trust over council tax? That is a decision that will help 2.5 million households, including those in the member's constituency. I would have thought in the midst of a cost of living crisis that that would have been something that he would have supported. Lower income households spend a greater proportion of their income on bills, including on the council tax. What we have heard here is the sound and fury of the Opposition about the process. What we have not heard from any one of them is whether or not they will support the council tax freeze as part of the budget for 2.4.2.5. I think that that is what the public want to hear the Opposition telling us. Question 3, Pam Duncan-Glanty. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the recently announced centre for teaching excellence. Cabinet secretary, Jenny Gilruth. The Scottish Government's national mission to close the poverty-related attainment gap will be supported by the establishment of a centre for teaching excellence. The centre will be progressed as part of the education reform programme. I will provide an update to Parliament on that work later this year. I am committed to co-designing the centre with teachers and practitioners, professional associations, local government and our national education bodies. To that end, my officials are engaging with the council of deans and the general teaching council for Scotland. I will be meeting with trade unions following topical questions today. I would like to offer the opportunity to meet Pam Duncan-Glanty, to hear her thoughts on the centre for teaching excellence and in that spirit, I will be extending an invitation to meet with all Opposition party spokespeople ahead of my update on education reform to Parliament later this year. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. The cabinet secretary will be aware that I have written to the Presiding Officer on this matter to highlight that this policy announcement was made to the public via the cabinet secretary's speech to SNP conference and not to Parliament via any of the methods available. It is a significant announcement that potentially impacts all of Scotland's teachers, pupils, faculties of education, the general teaching council for Scotland, COSLA and multiple trade unions. Can the cabinet secretary confirm which organisations or individuals were informed of the plan ahead of the announcement at the SNP conference? I thank the member for her question. I hope that she took from my initial response my eagerness to work with members of the Opposition across the chamber, I have to say on this. This is about establishing a centre to help support teaching excellence in our school, and my view as a former teacher is that the most powerful weapon that you can use to close the poverty-related attainment gap is through quality learning and teaching, and that is exactly the purpose behind this centre. I hope that she very much supports that sentiment. I have just set out my intention not just to engage with teachers and professional associations as we develop plans for the centre itself, but that the centre will be specifically co-designed with the teaching profession. I think that working with our teachers is going to be vital in ensuring that the centre operates to its full potential. My vision for the centre is one that brings around the expertise of our teachers, working in our classrooms, the world-leading academics that we have in our universities and our professional organisations to consider how we can ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of new teaching practices. That is just my view. I am looking forward to engaging with the sector on those plans and hearing what our teaching profession think as we work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and I am disappointed that she was not able to say who she spoke to before making the announcement. Education in Scotland is in a dire state. The tertiary sector has faced unprecedented cuts and the Government is failing to deliver on promises that it has already made for schools, free school meals, reduced class sizes and teacher non-contact time to name a few. We know that the education budget is stretched both centrally and in local authorities. Can the cabinet secretary confirm whether the centre for teaching excellence will replace an existing organisation or become an additional body and can she set out how much the Government expects to spend on creating and running the new body? Oh well, doom and gloom from the Labour Party, I have to say. That was a pretty dismal question from Ms Duncan Glancy. Let's look at where we are in Scotland at the current time, Presiding Officer. We have the best pupil teacher ratio in the UK, the highest-paid teachers in the UK and the highest spend per pupil. I thought that something that the Labour Party would welcome in relation to our significant investment in Scotland's education system. I am very conscious, Presiding Officer, that we have a generation of teachers who have learned how to become a teacher during the pandemic. The purpose of the centre is to help support their professionals and to help to support their development in relation to quality learning and teaching. I hope that something that the Labour Party, Ms Duncan Glancy, will learn to support themselves and I look forward to working with them together so that we can help to improve the outcomes for our young people. That has to be at the centre and at the heart, certainly, of our reforms in relation to education in Scotland. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I ask the cabinet secretary how the Government will ensure that the world-leading expertise of Scotland's academic community will inform the work of the centre of teaching excellence? I think that, as I intimated in my initial response, my officials are currently engaging with directly teachers and, of course, the wider profession, local government and national education bodies. We will also draw on the expertise of local government and our national education bodies additionally, as well as from the university sector in establishing the centre, as the member alludes to. The expertise of our universities will really be invaluable as we shape the centre, in particular. We want to learn from the success, for example, of the programme such as into headship, which has been a hugely successful programme. The new centre will ensure that research and evidence is also distilled into practical and digestible support for all teachers, no matter at their career stage. Given that numerous education reports have raised concerns regarding duplication in government bodies and the need for efficient spending, what is the expected cost of creating the centre? From where in the education budget will that be drawn and what will the relationship to education Scotland be? As I set out plans for the centre, we will be co-designed with our teachers and professional associations, which I think is crucial in ensuring that it meets its full potential. To the member's point that there is no duplication within the system, clearly the outcome of that engagement with the sector is going to impact on the precise form that the centre will take, how it will operate, when it will be operational, what its scope will be and ultimately how much it will cost. I hope that there is consensual support for the premise behind the establishment of the centre that we help to support our teaching profession with quality, learning and teaching in our classrooms, which I hope the member will agree is absolutely crucial in relation to closing the poverty-related attainment gap.