 The next item of business is topical questions. If a member wishes to raise a supplementary question, they should press the request-to-speak button during the relevant question or indicate so in the chat function during the relevant question by entering the letters RTS, request-to-speak RTS. I call question number one, Mark Griffin. Thank you, Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to address the reported findings of an independent review of the cladding remediation programme that successful delivery of the project is in doubt with major risks or issues apparent. Cabinet Secretary, I want to reassure homeowners that the programme is not in any way at risk. It is standard government practice to carry out independent scrutiny of large programmes to ensure that they deliver public value and help them succeed. We will continue to do so and I fully expect that they will find this programme as making progress. This review recognised that cladding issues cannot be dealt with quickly and provided eight recommendations which we accepted and have actioned. As I announced in my statement in May, our single building assessment programme has changed since the review was carried out and has been expanded from 27 to more than 100 buildings. This is a complex programme that is moving forward with assessments being completed and discussions on remediation under way. Mark Griffin. The idea that the Government has been delivering on the cladding remediation programme is a farce. Those reports confirm that homeowners have been given nothing more than the run-around. Risks unmanaged, no plan, a damning verdict that whatever comes next is unclear and successful delivery is in doubt. It calls into question that if there was no plan in July that the statement that the cabinet secretary made in May was even accurate. All summer I have been contacted by families who are worried sick that they are living in unsafe homes. They can't escape, they can't sell, they can't remortgage, some of them can't even secure insurance. Cabinet Secretary, barely a building has been made safe. All those documents have pointed out that just one of the 26 in the pilot is expected to be green-lighted for selling or remortgaging. Does the cabinet secretary not accept that this is not acceptable, that families who have been contacting me over the summer have been left in absolute despair and they need an update urgently? I think that it is very important that we recognise the concerns that homeowners and families have. I did that when I made my statement back in May. We also need to recognise that this is a very complex process that is not easy. Each building that is part of the programme is being kept updated by their factor. Now, if there are issues with that communication, I am very happy to speak to Matt Griffin about any particular buildings and if there is more we can do to ensure that communication because a lot of discussions and a lot of meetings are taking place in progress is being made and it is important that that is communicated. The grant-based model gives the factors a very important role to play and one of them is communication. When we move to a national roll-out communication, we will then fall to the Scottish Government and we want to make sure that that is as good as it can be. Again, if there are ways that we can make sure that we have listened to members like Matt Griffin about the best way to do that, of course we will. In terms of the reports that we have received, they are an undergoing technical review and if anything that needs to be addressed immediately comes to light, then of course it will be. The assessments themselves require complex specialist interventions from fire engineers and they ensure that surveys are carried out to the highest technical standards. That takes time and that skill is quite a rare skill as not a lot of fire engineers are about so we have had to work hard to get the necessary skills that we require. Of course we will then take action based on the recommendations made by these independent fire safety professionals. I do agree with Matt Griffin that communication is important and if there is more that we need to do in that space we will. Assurance to homeowners is also important and we will do everything we can to make sure that they are able to move forward with their lives as soon as they can. Matt Griffin. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and I would look to feedback the cases that I have been getting. It has been difficult to do because they generally are not constituents of the primarily homeowners in the Edinburgh area but will forward those. I should also note that I think in the cabinet secretary's statement in May she did a promise across party briefing and that could have given a platform for us to share constituents' concerns. The documents that were released also confirm that the cabinet secretary herself set a deadline for an accord with house builders for September and we are now into November. I ask the cabinet secretary where is that agreement with developers. She wrote with Julie James, the Welsh minister responsible, that the cabinet secretary saw no reason why the accord and the pact couldn't be agreed over the summer after the change in UK Government roles. The Welsh Government has confirmed last month that it has signed up for Simon, Taylor Wimpey Barrett and others to its pact. What can the Government say about the developers that they have signed up to the accord? What contribution will they make towards remediation? For the sake of homeowners, another update to Parliament by the Parliamentary statement would definitely be helpful from the cabinet secretary. Let me take those in order. The accord is a really critical part of this moving forward and that is due to be signed in the coming weeks. We have taken the time to make sure that we can get as many developers on board as we can. I want to thank Homes for Scotland and those developers who have come to the table to agree to step up and do the right thing for homeowners. Of course that is their chance to put things right and reassure homeowners that their homes will be fixed. As I said, it will be signed in the coming weeks and I am happy to come and give a statement. I wanted to give that statement once we had brought things to a conclusion that was satisfactory in terms of the accord being progressed enough but I am happy to come to Parliament and I will try to do that before the end of the year if I can. I am also happy to give a cross-party briefing to bring members up to speed with all of these things and we will get that organised as quickly as we can. I agree with Mark Griffin because I think that there is growing concern at the lack of leadership that we have seen from the cabinet secretary or the Scottish Government on this. Our constituents expect action. I am concerned with the reports that I am having that people living in these buildings are being told that they will be having to pay for this, not the developer. I think that the cabinet secretary needs to be clear at how that is going to be properly resourced and funded. The accord was meant to be delivered in September and we are now here in November. Can she give a guarantee that that work has actually taken place and that people in these developments are being communicated with because they are facing these conversations from factors that they will have to foot the bill? Let me remind Miles Briggs and other members of what I said in my statement. The reason for the accord is that we want developers who are still in existence and where there is a relationship with a building for them to take responsibility to step up and do the right thing for homeowners. What I have said around those buildings that are often buildings where either no developer can be associated or the developer no longer exists is that that is where we will prioritise the spend that the Scottish Government has. As I also said around that, we have committed all the consequentials so far £400 million to this programme of work. I should also say that the programme is appropriately resourced and we have expanded our programme. We are taking priority action to address those buildings in order of priority. We have committed spend of almost £1 million on assessments so far and we have committed to fund assessments for all of the affected buildings. Homeowners will not need to pay for any of those assessments. What we want to make sure in relation to remedial action on a lot of the buildings will not require remedial action because they will be found to be safe, which is a good thing. People will then be able to move on with their lives. Where remedial action is required, it is really important that developers are held to account for those buildings that they are responsible for and that the Scottish Government uses its resources to step in for those buildings where a developer cannot be found. I am happy to go into far more detail than this if members would find it helpful by way of a cross-party briefing and indeed a statement to Parliament. Can the cabinet secretary advise if she plans to continue with gateway reviews to ensure that the programme is in fact on track and that the complex and technical expertise of external support is able to maintain and develop this programme? Yes, we invite scrutiny of our programmes to ensure that we deliver public value to the highest of standards and independent examination of any complex programme is standard government practice. We welcome further independent examination of the cladding programme. I commissioned the changes to this programme back in March, which I announced in May, the new direction for the programme having learned from the experience so far. The second gateway actually validated that decision, which was helpful. Of the gateway recommendations, all are on track and four out of the eight are completed. Question 2, Graham Simpson. To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost to fit sensors for the LNG system on ferry 801, as reported to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. Deputy First Minister John Swinney. Ferguson Marine informed the Scottish Government on 27 October of an issue relating to the liquefied natural gas system for the MV Glenn Sanix that requires sensors to be procured. Due to issues with global supply chains, ministers are advised that this may take off the order of 36 weeks. Ministers are seeking urgent options on the next steps and expect all possible measures to be taken to deliver the vessel to serve islanders as soon as possible. Officials will continue to engage with Ferguson Marine as they assess the full impact of this, including any financial implications which Ferguson Marine will share with both the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament once this has been confirmed. Graham Simpson. Deputy Presiding Officer, my question was how much will it cost, and I'm afraid the Deputy First Minister hasn't answered that question. Perhaps he can try again, but let me put this to him because we need to get to the bottom of what's happened here. Was it actually the case that the need for sensors has been known about for some time, but that someone just forgot to place the order? If that is correct, has anyone fallen on their sword over this or been got rid of? If not, why not? I still want to know the cost. Deputy First Minister. I gave Mr Simpson the best answer that I can give him on the question of an issue that has been raised with the Government just last Thursday, which is that any financial implications which arise from this issue will be shared with both the Government and the Scottish Parliament once that cost has been confirmed by Ferguson Marine. That is the answer to the question of cost. In relation to the issue that has arisen here, quite clearly the sensors are necessary because, as I understand the function of these sensors, they are part of the safety system around the LNG system that will operate on the Glen Sannocks. The sensors have not been ordered, they have now been ordered, and the answer that I have given Mr Simpson is the substantive answer on what is the current estimate of the timescale for the delivery of those sensors. I am having to read between the lines here, Deputy Presiding Officer, so I am assuming that I am in fact correct that the need for sensors was known and they just weren't ordered. But again, the Deputy First Minister can confirm that, he hasn't answered any of my questions yet. Perhaps he can tell us this. Is he aware of any other issues with the building of the Glen Sannocks? I've been told there are ongoing concerns about certain aspects of the build, and can he also confirm if the Government has recently been asked to provide any extra funding to help keep the yard going? I have addressed the substantive points that Mr Simpson has raised with me. He has asked me if I have any further concerns or any issues that have been drawn to my attention. As Mr Simpson will know, there is regular reporting on the progress in relation to the Glen Sannocks that is shared with the net zero energy and transport committee. He then went on to say that he has had concerns about certain aspects of the build. With the greatest of respect, that is not the most specific comment that has ever been put to me in the parliamentary chamber, certain aspects of the build. If Mr Simpson has other specific concerns, he can raise them with me. In relation to the financial position in relation to the contract, Mr Simpson is aware of the details that have been shared with Parliament in relation to the estimates by the management team at Ferguson's about the financial implications of their assessment of the current work programme. That is being assessed by the Government, and further decisions about that will be taken in due course once that assessment has been completed. It is safe to say that the Ferry's network has become a bit of a favourite plaything of the Tories lately, but as someone who represents a great many islanders, I know of the importance of these vessels and also of the Scottish Government's strong commitment to the provision of lifeline ferry services. Can I ask the Deputy First Minister what progress is being made on the two vessels recently announced and indeed on enhancing resilience and capability on the whole Clyde and Hebrides network? Since the Government was elected in May 2021, we have purchased and deployed the MV Lough Frisa. We have obviously taken forward the construction of the vessels 801 and 802. We have commissioned two new vessels for the Islay routes and progressed improvements to key ports and harbours. We have also taken further investment decisions. The Transport Minister has announced that CML is progressing procurement of a further two major vessels, which will deliver significantly increased capacity and reliability for the communities of the western Isles and improve resilience across the wider Clyde and Hebrides network. The procurement notice for those vessels was published on 27 October, with a deadline for submission by 6 December. In addition to the on-going vessel investments, we will expand the tide and whether monitoring equipment currently places CML ports to other third-party ports will progress the Sky, Triangle and Islay route port works and continue the work to improve harbour infrastructure for island services. It appears that there was a long-term need for the valves and Tim Hare, when he was appointed, has vlogged a vast expense on a new warehouse, and carried out a complete stock check confirming that all the parts were there. He missed those, but he is now an expensive £2 million mistake. Mae cyfnodd y Feesel sy'n cynharwch ar y llei ar wellaethau a'r teimlo. Mae'r interimigwyswyl iawn i ddoddoddad o'r llei yn ddim yn ei gwerthiwyr i'r creu eu freugus, a'r lleidau nifer o David Tideman yn fawr i'r llei yn gwybod i'r ffeasel. Mae'r regwein chi'n meddwl i'r llei yn mewn yn gwybod i'r creu i'n creu'u creu of 801 and 802 to enable those vessels to be deployed on the network to deliver the quality of service that we expect for Islanders.