21/05/2017

:00:27. > :00:33.The next item of business is a debate on partnership action from

:00:34. > :00:43.continuing employment known to all and sundry and to us as Pace. Press

:00:44. > :00:51.your request to speak buttons now. There is time in hand. Interventions

:00:52. > :00:55.are actually invited. Whether the House wants them or not. I called

:00:56. > :01:01.the Minister to speak and to move the motion. It says here 14 minutes,

:01:02. > :01:05.you can make it longer if you wish. I will do my best to oblige and

:01:06. > :01:10.happy to take interventions to help with the passage of time.

:01:11. > :01:17.The initiative to respond to redundancy initiatives is one of our

:01:18. > :01:24.most effective interventions. It is a unique service to Scotland. Pace

:01:25. > :01:26.is largely raw profile -- low profile in terms of the

:01:27. > :01:32.consciousness of the people is gone. We want to raise awareness of it for

:01:33. > :01:36.individuals who face redundancy. So that there are four that the

:01:37. > :01:46.opportunity to praise the efforts of the Pay spammers themselves. -- Mac

:01:47. > :01:57.pace. We're also looking at increasing the

:01:58. > :02:01.range of marketing materials to ensure a balanced approach between

:02:02. > :02:07.digital, social media targeted medications and hard copy and print

:02:08. > :02:12.to improve general awareness of Pace and what it can provide. Sadly,

:02:13. > :02:16.regardless of economic context and do the nature of market changes and

:02:17. > :02:20.other factors from time to time, new businesses are born, existing

:02:21. > :02:23.businesses grow but the converse is also true is businesses end up in

:02:24. > :02:26.difficulties or cease trading. It is difficult to be inventive about the

:02:27. > :02:30.numbers affected by redundancy because figures are based on

:02:31. > :02:38.estimates. But what can be cleared on is that from April 2016 until

:02:39. > :02:43.March 2017. Pace has supported thousands of individuals and 299

:02:44. > :02:48.pliers. But we do know that while some forms tell us where redundancy

:02:49. > :02:53.occurs four ten or more employees, this is not capture the full-scale.

:02:54. > :02:56.Pace can be provided in a number of ways, from providing information to

:02:57. > :03:00.the more intensive programme field support, including one-to-one advice

:03:01. > :03:07.on careers guidance, interview skills, CV preparation, workshops

:03:08. > :03:10.and benefits. From April 2016 until March 20 6500 individuals received

:03:11. > :03:15.intensive support. This is key because as we know individuals

:03:16. > :03:22.benefit greatly from this intensive support. We are keen to extend the

:03:23. > :03:26.reach of Pace, particularly covering those not covered by the HR one

:03:27. > :03:30.process. Small businesses that might be laying off 12 workers to make

:03:31. > :03:38.sure they know of the support to them. -- one or two workers. I will

:03:39. > :03:42.give way. I very much welcome what the

:03:43. > :03:46.Minister is saying. I wonder if he will agree that one of the great

:03:47. > :03:50.strengths of Pace is that it draws in all of us of all political

:03:51. > :03:54.representations to the room. I know that I have sat with Lewis

:03:55. > :04:02.Macdonald, for example, in the Pace meetings. It enables us to bring our

:04:03. > :04:05.individual contributions, can -- contacts and knowledge. But by

:04:06. > :04:10.involving UK departments like the Department for the, it draws the net

:04:11. > :04:21.as wide as possible. One of the great strengths that Pace has, well

:04:22. > :04:26.the debate might identify -- is the fact that it can be fine tuned

:04:27. > :04:30.through our debate. Thank you for that. I want to put on record that

:04:31. > :04:34.there has been a hugely positive contribution from members across the

:04:35. > :04:39.chamber when situations have arisen where jobs are risk redundancies are

:04:40. > :04:44.faced. Many members come to this place have a lot of accent in the

:04:45. > :04:47.trade union movement or as employments, or having been in the

:04:48. > :04:51.workplace in positions of management. Bringing expertise and

:04:52. > :04:57.local knowledge and context to build to help the Pace partners deliver

:04:58. > :05:04.better service. I welcome his comments. I want to thank him and

:05:05. > :05:09.other members. We know of high-profile examples such as the

:05:10. > :05:11.working response to loss of skilled jobs in Lanarkshire, which was

:05:12. > :05:16.hugely successful, not least because of the widespread nonparty political

:05:17. > :05:20.approach that was taken by members across the chamber to support the

:05:21. > :05:25.efforts. But we are very keen to ensure we extend the reach of Pace

:05:26. > :05:28.to support as many people as possible and deepen engagement with

:05:29. > :05:34.those accessing support to make sure they get maximum benefit. And 23rd

:05:35. > :05:36.of June 2009, we established the Pace partnership which brought 21

:05:37. > :05:41.organisations together with the Scottish Government to see a

:05:42. > :05:45.continuous improvement programme to enhance the operation of Pace. As

:05:46. > :05:50.part of that, we published research last year which indicated that of

:05:51. > :05:55.those surveyed who had received Pace support, almost three quarters, 71%,

:05:56. > :06:02.had attained employment. That is encouraging. This clearly reflects a

:06:03. > :06:04.number of things, including improvement in the labour market

:06:05. > :06:09.since 2010. Which we should acknowledge. But also the ongoing

:06:10. > :06:15.refinement of the support provided by Pace to ensure it is working

:06:16. > :06:20.effectively. It is important to emphasise the message to employees

:06:21. > :06:22.and employers that the earlier that Pace support can be provided, the

:06:23. > :06:26.more effective the support will ultimately be. Research also shows

:06:27. > :06:29.that most clients are highly satisfied with the package of

:06:30. > :06:36.support the Pace services delivering. For the majority of

:06:37. > :06:43.people using the Pace service, satisfaction rates are 80%. There is

:06:44. > :06:48.a slightly lower satisfaction rate for other areas of the package. We

:06:49. > :06:53.commissioned a study into this and this qualitative research has

:06:54. > :06:58.produced some insights, particularly when looking at the issues over 50s

:06:59. > :07:03.might face in the labour market. And the need to tailor support better

:07:04. > :07:11.for those who need intensive support in interview and CV preparation,

:07:12. > :07:13.perhaps. A syllable. Would that also include tailoring

:07:14. > :07:20.support for people with additional support needs? For example, like

:07:21. > :07:24.dyslexia. It is a very important point. We should not take for

:07:25. > :07:28.granted that particularly older workers are going through the

:07:29. > :07:31.education system have had people fail to recognise the needs and did

:07:32. > :07:36.not address the needs that they had at the time. Going into work

:07:37. > :07:40.successfully, but when trying to face the transition into nuclear,

:07:41. > :07:45.perhaps they are required to short skills like digital skills are other

:07:46. > :07:51.factors, they may need additional support. I take that point on board

:07:52. > :07:54.and will raise that is an action for the next evaluation meeting. There

:07:55. > :08:03.was much did I jest from the research. -- to digest. I will pick

:08:04. > :08:09.up that point just may to CV can make it easier for those who find it

:08:10. > :08:14.particularly difficult to re-enter the labour market. Those who don't

:08:15. > :08:19.have a formal qualifications or lack confidence in going forward with the

:08:20. > :08:22.job market. Pace is available for every individual affected by

:08:23. > :08:25.redundancy, no matter the size of the business of the number of

:08:26. > :08:28.employees involved. I want to reinforce that because it is not

:08:29. > :08:33.well understood. We tend to dock about Pace in the context of large

:08:34. > :08:38.employers and high-profile employers. We sometimes forget that

:08:39. > :08:41.on a case-by-case basis, small and medium-sized enterprises are hugely

:08:42. > :08:48.important to the individuals involved and should be aware that

:08:49. > :08:54.the same level of support as we will -- is available. In conjunction with

:08:55. > :09:00.key partners, like the Department for Work and Pensions and local

:09:01. > :09:03.authorities, there are 18 local Pace teams across Scotland who ensure

:09:04. > :09:09.speedy responses to redundancy situations. Well information is an

:09:10. > :09:11.issue to those affected where possible, each response is tailored

:09:12. > :09:20.to meet needs of every individual engages with Pace. In some cases,

:09:21. > :09:27.they will be a planned element to support involved. That is because

:09:28. > :09:31.some people have found that some support is not relevant to them. We

:09:32. > :09:36.have some people in the gas industry, initial contact might

:09:37. > :09:40.establish that the content is not relevant. But on a case-by-case

:09:41. > :09:44.basis, the content will be tailored to the needs to make sure they have

:09:45. > :09:52.the best chance to gain gainful employment. I certainly will. Pace

:09:53. > :09:54.encompasses a partnership of 22 organisations, which I think is a

:09:55. > :10:00.strength because these organisations can bring many different areas of

:10:01. > :10:04.expertise to the table. Is the composition of Pace reviewed on a

:10:05. > :10:07.regular basis so that if there are, for example, issues with the oil or

:10:08. > :10:13.gas sector, different sectors, you can bring in people with appropriate

:10:14. > :10:18.experience? That is certainly the case. The membership of the group is

:10:19. > :10:22.evaluated. We oldies keep an eye at for organisations that might value

:10:23. > :10:27.to the process. We have the ability to bring in experts to speak to us

:10:28. > :10:32.and engage with the Pace partnership group to perhaps give a briefing on

:10:33. > :10:37.a particular subject that is important to all partners. We have

:10:38. > :10:40.the services of the chief economic adviser to give us DeGale breakdowns

:10:41. > :10:42.of analysis of issues such as those affecting the oil and gas issue...

:10:43. > :10:58.Industry. -- al and gas industry. As I say, it is important to

:10:59. > :11:04.emphasise it is a tale of programme of support to individuals. There are

:11:05. > :11:07.really good examples of work taken forward in a very sophisticated way

:11:08. > :11:13.to respond to individual situations. For example, in January this year,

:11:14. > :11:15.some members could be aware of the Kwik-Fit rate Dummett insurance

:11:16. > :11:20.services, closing the audience and office where a number of employees

:11:21. > :11:23.were based. This is bad news for the local community. But as a

:11:24. > :11:28.conscientious employer, and I want to praise the Company for this, they

:11:29. > :11:32.wish to do the best two help employees find on what employment in

:11:33. > :11:35.the local area and work of the Scottish Government and agencies to

:11:36. > :11:40.this end. We set up a working group to provide support, which included

:11:41. > :11:46.Scottish Government agencies, through the Pace initiative. We then

:11:47. > :11:48.divide more than 2000 vacant roles within the locality of the site

:11:49. > :11:57.which were available to employees through jobs fairs. Staff worked

:11:58. > :12:02.with the placement agency to deliver tailored programme of support,

:12:03. > :12:10.including 13 Pace preparations, workshops and CV preparation, and

:12:11. > :12:16.more than 100 career planning workshops. A good number of

:12:17. > :12:21.employees to cop on this -- took up this offer. Over two thirds of the

:12:22. > :12:25.employees received successful outcomes before the site had even

:12:26. > :12:29.closed. Pace support continues to be available for anyone with any

:12:30. > :12:32.fore-mac Wycliffe insurance team who might still require assistance and

:12:33. > :12:38.for other general situations that arise. Once the factory closes,

:12:39. > :12:40.there is still support available. It is inevitable that some businesses

:12:41. > :12:50.face severe financial difficulties. This can result in Pace not having

:12:51. > :12:54.to to support the boys prior to notification of insolvency. The

:12:55. > :13:04.insolvency profession in Scotland plays and a portable in the country,

:13:05. > :13:10.saving 22,000 jobs a year. The Institute for chartered accountants

:13:11. > :13:18.works with insolvency professionals to achieve a positive outcome in

:13:19. > :13:24.difficult situations. The strong working Russian ship between pace

:13:25. > :13:39.and other agencies... Collectively, this ensures employers

:13:40. > :13:43.and employees have access to assistance at an appropriate time.

:13:44. > :13:47.This access to assistance is key in an amazing the effects and risks of

:13:48. > :13:49.redundancy, which can have a detrimental impact on individuals,

:13:50. > :13:55.family life and the wider Scottish economy. I would like to turn to the

:13:56. > :14:00.economic outlook in the climate in which Pace is operating today. The

:14:01. > :14:03.Scottish economy has remained resilient this year, despite the

:14:04. > :14:10.challenges to the oil and gas sector. Despite... With the

:14:11. > :14:18.uncertainty behind Brexit, consumer confidence has fallen, as we have

:14:19. > :14:24.seen in the UK as well. Scotland's Lee -- labour market has continued

:14:25. > :14:30.to show resilience. Latest data shows that the unemployment rate has

:14:31. > :14:35.fallen to 4.4%. Scotland continues to outperform the UK both female and

:14:36. > :14:40.youth unemployment rates. I am aware of the economic inactivity figures,

:14:41. > :14:46.which are less positive. What with employment 40,000 higher in Scotland

:14:47. > :14:49.than one year ago, that is a positive outcome. And a 0.2%

:14:50. > :14:53.contraction in the Scottish economy in the final quarter of 2016 stems

:14:54. > :14:56.from the continued slowdown in the oil and gas sector and the impact

:14:57. > :15:01.this has wider supply chain. We do know that the headwinds affecting

:15:02. > :15:08.the Scottish economy can add varying impacts across Scotland's regions.

:15:09. > :15:10.The recent labour market data has shown decreases in climate in

:15:11. > :15:17.Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands. This is driven by the

:15:18. > :15:22.falling oil price, affecting the oil and gas industry and its supply

:15:23. > :15:27.chain. There are however encouraging signs the situation is improving for

:15:28. > :15:30.North Sea oil operators. We will work to restore the supply chain and

:15:31. > :15:34.the incident to make sure it can gain from future opportunities. The

:15:35. > :15:39.oil and gas industry remains of vital importance to the economy in

:15:40. > :15:45.Scotland in the UK. It supports thousands of jobs across the UK,

:15:46. > :15:49.with 124,500 in Scotland alone. It has contributed a lengthy and and 33

:15:50. > :16:06.billion to the Exchequer since records began. -- 333 billion.

:16:07. > :16:11.Examples of the headwind impacts on local authorities are those such as

:16:12. > :16:17.South Lanarkshire, Fife, Edinburgh and Glasgow, all affected by a

:16:18. > :16:19.disturbance inactivity in the manufacturing sector. And local

:16:20. > :16:23.authorities such as North latter have been affected by tightening

:16:24. > :16:26.budget constraints in the sector. The labour market is called a strong

:16:27. > :16:30.and resilient. Latest figures show that in employment in Scotland is

:16:31. > :16:33.lower than the UK as a whole and since last year, employment in

:16:34. > :16:44.Scotland has on by 40 8000. -- prison. -- risen by 40,000.

:16:45. > :16:47.We do, through this service and others, which may not be immediately

:16:48. > :16:52.obvious, support individuals receiving redundancy payments to

:16:53. > :16:56.start a new business and tailor support through Scottish enterprise

:16:57. > :16:58.to make that happen. And business Gateway services at a local level as

:16:59. > :17:06.well. I will indeed. The Minister referred to people

:17:07. > :17:13.getting relatively substantial redundancy payments. I am not aware

:17:14. > :17:18.that Pace has previously done this, but would he consider whether in

:17:19. > :17:22.particular circumstances people who received such payments are in a

:17:23. > :17:29.position to receive advice as to what might be the best way they can

:17:30. > :17:33.get the best bang for their buck from such payments and in particular

:17:34. > :17:38.speaking for older people how they might use that as part as

:17:39. > :17:41.preparation for retirement? It might be financially affected by the fact

:17:42. > :17:45.they have been paid off at a point in their career when there will be

:17:46. > :17:50.limited opportunities for them to replace the job and further

:17:51. > :17:57.development of pensions. It strikes me that the whole issue of pathos

:17:58. > :18:00.and that perhaps in the oil and gas industry in the north-east we have

:18:01. > :18:05.seen people take the money and drop out of the system when it may be in

:18:06. > :18:11.the long-term interest to receive good advice, perhaps take a slightly

:18:12. > :18:19.different approach. That is a fair point. Certainly, there will be a

:18:20. > :18:23.range of circumstances affecting individuals facing redundancy, some

:18:24. > :18:30.closer to retirement. Some may be potentially in receipt of

:18:31. > :18:35.significant funds. I am aware there is some support but I will try to

:18:36. > :18:43.provide written information to all members as to what is already

:18:44. > :18:49.available and take on point the -- on board the point he makes. The

:18:50. > :18:54.economic outlook remains positive. We believe that the main risk and I

:18:55. > :18:58.appreciate this may not be something all members of the Chamber agree

:18:59. > :19:07.about, the main risk continues to be the prospect of a hard Brexit. There

:19:08. > :19:11.is concern that 45% of European companies looking to replace UK

:19:12. > :19:15.supplies with EU suppliers. We hope it does not come to pass. The

:19:16. > :19:20.important point is that it is important to recognise and to

:19:21. > :19:26.reinforce the message in the Chamber that Scotland is open for business.

:19:27. > :19:32.There are two examples I want to site to give a more positive

:19:33. > :19:35.message. We have seen ?11.1 million investment in East Kilbride in

:19:36. > :19:41.subsidy development centre by a German company. 300 jobs in Glasgow

:19:42. > :19:47.through investment. There is continued investment into the UK and

:19:48. > :19:55.Scotland and it is positive. Change is now inevitable. The

:19:56. > :19:59.constitutional future, the Scottish Government is tackling inequality

:20:00. > :20:05.and it will be at the heart of our efforts. We have been undertaking an

:20:06. > :20:11.enterprise and schools review and the benefits we envisage our

:20:12. > :20:16.simplification of the landscape, improvement in collaborative working

:20:17. > :20:22.and skills support, all of which will contribute ultimately to our

:20:23. > :20:26.already pattern of collaborative working that Pace has established

:20:27. > :20:29.with its partners. The business support policies will focus on

:20:30. > :20:34.ensuring businesses can grow and thrive. The Labour Amendment,

:20:35. > :20:40.working to help companies avoid situations where there is a risk of

:20:41. > :20:45.redundancies. We need engagement in terms of the Conservative amendment

:20:46. > :20:49.with ministers on the industrial strategy. Positive discussions with

:20:50. > :20:53.Greg Clark in recent times on that. We will be supporting Labour and

:20:54. > :21:00.Conservative and moments today in this debate. Our enterprise

:21:01. > :21:07.agencies, Pace partners alleviate difficulties. They operate on a

:21:08. > :21:13.confidential referral basis. I can keep talking if you wish. I am

:21:14. > :21:19.conscious... Let me check if we are all awake. Yes, keep talking. If it

:21:20. > :21:26.is of help, I will continue. The challenge is to encourage business

:21:27. > :21:34.to engage early enough because that is -- before they become

:21:35. > :21:39.insurmountable. The grants and a wide-ranging support options for

:21:40. > :21:44.businesses including mentoring. We can also offer invaluable support,

:21:45. > :21:51.exploring a range of opportunities available. Our support is actively

:21:52. > :21:56.maintained through difficult periods for retaining jobs and operations in

:21:57. > :22:00.Scotland. Regrettably, in some cases, it is not possible despite

:22:01. > :22:06.our best efforts of local authorities and trade unions, there

:22:07. > :22:11.is no viable future that can be found. Our focus then shifts to

:22:12. > :22:15.ensure effective workforce is given support it needs and deserves to

:22:16. > :22:18.mitigate the economic impact on the area. In cases where there is a

:22:19. > :22:27.business failure, that the decision to close part of a business, the

:22:28. > :22:30.Pace response is usually sufficient. Occasionally we require the

:22:31. > :22:34.intervention of national government. There can be value in us intervening

:22:35. > :22:40.directly and we have established task forces which have been very

:22:41. > :22:45.bipartisan in nature and positive in their progress. The task forces, and

:22:46. > :22:51.I will discuss a number in my closing speech, bring together

:22:52. > :22:56.national and local politicians, public sector agencies, and others,

:22:57. > :22:59.responding to challenges and finding positive outcomes in difficult

:23:00. > :23:05.circumstances. We are bringing people together to mitigate the

:23:06. > :23:09.direct and indirect impacts and make connections that otherwise might not

:23:10. > :23:14.be made, considering every potential source of support and every solution

:23:15. > :23:20.can be delivered. I have seen first-hand the excellent work done

:23:21. > :23:26.in many task forces, we were set up to mitigate the impact of the

:23:27. > :23:32.closure of the papermakers in Fife and the decommissioning of the power

:23:33. > :23:40.station. The success of the task forces have achieved positive

:23:41. > :23:44.outcomes for 83% of Pace clients in one case. We are committed to

:23:45. > :23:51.creating a culture of the work and this is supported by measures such

:23:52. > :23:55.as this. I will ask you to start closing. I want to give other people

:23:56. > :24:09.they bite of the cherry. I have done my job. I believe Pace is an

:24:10. > :24:14.excellent project. I would like to thank our partners for their support

:24:15. > :24:21.and efforts. Being clued agencies providing skills and retraining and

:24:22. > :24:23.upscaling and they also include organisations providing support to

:24:24. > :24:30.spread the message of Pace to members. -- there are many agencies

:24:31. > :24:33.providing skills. I would be grateful to hear the thoughts in

:24:34. > :24:37.this debate on how we can build on the success of Pace and make it even

:24:38. > :24:46.more successful for those affected. Thank you. Please move the motion. I

:24:47. > :24:53.move the motion. I have 20 minutes. Do not panic, you will get your

:24:54. > :24:59.time. A liberal nine minutes. Thank you. I suspect it will be a

:25:00. > :25:05.conservative nine minutes, not a liberal nine minutes. Let me

:25:06. > :25:10.congratulate him in extending his opening speech. I hope he has not

:25:11. > :25:14.exhausted too much of his closing speech and I look forward to his

:25:15. > :25:17.closing remarks. This is a welcome opportunity to debate the work of

:25:18. > :25:23.the partnership action for continuing employment or Pace as we

:25:24. > :25:28.know it. It is a timely opportunity to consider the work of Pace in

:25:29. > :25:31.responding to redundancies, how it functions and most importantly, the

:25:32. > :25:35.challenges it will face in the future. We will be supporting the

:25:36. > :25:39.Government's motion this evening. We will also be supporting the Labour

:25:40. > :25:44.amendment. Our amendment to the motion today seeks to do two things.

:25:45. > :25:47.It highlights the need for policy and government agencies including

:25:48. > :25:52.Pace to anticipate and plan for the rapidly increasing changes impacting

:25:53. > :25:57.many sectors. Changes driven by new technologies, automation and other

:25:58. > :26:01.developments. It could enlarge result large-scale redundancies if

:26:02. > :26:05.we do not plan for them as policymakers. Our amendment

:26:06. > :26:09.encourages the Scottish gunmen to follow the advice of leading

:26:10. > :26:13.organisations to cooperate with the industrial strategy to ensure

:26:14. > :26:16.sectors and businesses across Scotland are fully prepared to meet

:26:17. > :26:20.the challenges. Before looking at some of the future challenges we

:26:21. > :26:27.have to face, I want to highlight the valuable work undertaken by Pace

:26:28. > :26:29.as a national strategic partnership framework, it coordinates responses

:26:30. > :26:35.from 22 different organisations across Scotland and the UK as a

:26:36. > :26:39.whole. Skills development Scotland delivers Pace in conjunction with

:26:40. > :26:44.the partner organisations. There is a national team in Glasgow supported

:26:45. > :26:49.by local teams across Scotland. Every year, Pace supports thousands

:26:50. > :26:52.across Scotland in a very challenging time in their lives.

:26:53. > :26:56.They are facing the prospect of redundancy and the loss of their

:26:57. > :27:00.livelihood. To deal with the different needs of individuals in

:27:01. > :27:06.these very difficult circumstances, Pace provides a number of tailored

:27:07. > :27:09.services including one to one counselling, access to high-quality

:27:10. > :27:13.training, seminars on starting business and an increasing number of

:27:14. > :27:18.people affected by redundancy are choosing to open their own business.

:27:19. > :27:25.That is something I think we should encourage. Pace gives access to IT

:27:26. > :27:29.facilities and helps people to prepare business plans if they are

:27:30. > :27:33.looking to start their own business. Historically Pace has been targeted

:27:34. > :27:37.at large-scale redundancies. Improvements in its service offering

:27:38. > :27:41.mean it can help more individuals and smaller companies in rule areas

:27:42. > :27:47.as well as larger companies in urban areas and that is very much to be

:27:48. > :27:51.welcomed. It undertakes regular surveys to get a sense of what is

:27:52. > :27:54.working and what can be improved and the most recent survey last year

:27:55. > :27:58.pointed to a number of positive outcomes. Three quarters of clients

:27:59. > :28:03.were satisfied with their interaction with Pace, employment

:28:04. > :28:07.outcomes are generally positive, 71% of clients had secured work after

:28:08. > :28:15.assistance from Pace. Of those that had secured... Inevitably, Mr

:28:16. > :28:20.Stevenson. Presiding Officer, I wonder if the member would agree

:28:21. > :28:25.with me that it can also be useful to have the employer in the room who

:28:26. > :28:31.may be paying off? I say that in particular because where we had a

:28:32. > :28:35.major payoff in Fraser Brown, we were fortunate to have the company

:28:36. > :28:39.in the room and one of the direct effects of that, hearing the ideas

:28:40. > :28:44.of people around the table, it was the company modified its plans and

:28:45. > :28:50.also the trade unions seemed to have gained an opportunity to better

:28:51. > :28:53.interact in a safe space with the employer. And they came up with

:28:54. > :28:59.something that mitigated the worst effects. I think the clients are not

:29:00. > :29:03.simply sometimes those who are affected through the employment, but

:29:04. > :29:09.also sometimes the companies and we should not fail to recognise that

:29:10. > :29:13.there is always a benefit of having a safe space for people and

:29:14. > :29:17.companies and communities and trade unions affected by what is planned,

:29:18. > :29:20.all being in the room, working through solutions that may be better

:29:21. > :29:26.than the initial prognosis might have been. Thank you, I think Mr

:29:27. > :29:32.Stevenson makes a good point and we will come onto this a bit later. It

:29:33. > :29:36.also feeds back into the need perhaps for Pace and the enterprise

:29:37. > :29:40.agencies to get involved in discussions earlier and perhaps have

:29:41. > :29:44.a more proactive response and not just wait for difficult situations

:29:45. > :29:48.to arise, but to address some of the problems earlier in the process that

:29:49. > :29:58.may ultimately end in Pace being involved. 71% of clients secure work

:29:59. > :30:02.after assistance from Pace and of those that secure work, the majority

:30:03. > :30:06.find work with at least the same or high levels of skills or

:30:07. > :30:10.responsibility. A sizeable proportion, a third, are only able

:30:11. > :30:14.to secure work with the lower level of skills and a proportion of

:30:15. > :30:21.clients who have secured work end up with work with a lower pay,

:30:22. > :30:28.lower-level, about 60% of workers who have been helped by Pace. In the

:30:29. > :30:33.difficult context of redundancy, these are positive results, I think.

:30:34. > :30:36.I commend the hard work of everyone involved in Pace partnerships. There

:30:37. > :30:40.is always more to be done and a number of recommendations were made

:30:41. > :30:45.as a result of the survey findings are an inch on. These

:30:46. > :30:49.recommendations include the need for Pace to enter earlier in the

:30:50. > :30:55.process. -- as a result of the survey findings I mentioned. Other

:30:56. > :30:58.options such as starting a new business, it is important vulnerable

:30:59. > :31:03.workers get help as soon as possible to explore all options. There is the

:31:04. > :31:08.need for more tailored support, as the minister mentioned, for older

:31:09. > :31:12.workers, 55 and over. The post-redundancy outcomes for this

:31:13. > :31:18.age group is typically poorer. This might be, and someone mentioned

:31:19. > :31:22.this, because workers of that age, if they are made redundant, they

:31:23. > :31:26.either stop there on business or perhaps leave the workforce

:31:27. > :31:31.altogether and that might be something behind the increasing

:31:32. > :31:35.levels of inactivity -- they either start their own business. These

:31:36. > :31:39.workers would not forward in the statistics. Finally, another

:31:40. > :31:43.recommendation, the further need to promote the services and the reach

:31:44. > :31:47.of Pace so that support is available to everyone who needs it, no matter

:31:48. > :31:51.the size of the business or circumstances of the redundancy.

:31:52. > :32:01.The Poseidon Officer is clear that Pace pose a constructive role in the

:32:02. > :32:03.labour market, and we are supportive of the role of Pace and the role it

:32:04. > :32:08.provides. The motion today reflects the fact

:32:09. > :32:12.that we, as policymakers, need to plan for the significant changes to

:32:13. > :32:16.the structure of the economy and working practices going forward

:32:17. > :32:21.because if am planned for, they could result in significant

:32:22. > :32:27.redundancies in the economy. These challenges we face were highlighted

:32:28. > :32:29.in a report issued last week by the Institute for Public Policy

:32:30. > :32:34.Research, predicting almost half of jobs of Scotland, over 1.2 million

:32:35. > :32:39.jobs, will be at risk from automation and new technologies in

:32:40. > :32:42.the next 15 years. This report makes a number of observations and

:32:43. > :32:47.recommendations, including that workers need more career transition

:32:48. > :32:51.report and -- support and retraining in their working life, workers are

:32:52. > :32:55.more likely to have multiple jobs requiring not only one off support

:32:56. > :33:00.following redundancy but a lifelong platform for career transition

:33:01. > :33:03.because these workers, by 2030, will have different jobs, and are more

:33:04. > :33:09.likely to have multiple jobs at the same time with multiple employers

:33:10. > :33:14.and multiple careers. The IPPR report concludes by saying

:33:15. > :33:18.that without reform, we can see changes to the economy driven by

:33:19. > :33:21.automation and technology that would damage employment prospects for a

:33:22. > :33:32.number of sectors and leave whole communities behind. Elaine Smith?

:33:33. > :33:37.Thank you, Poseidon officer. In this regard, with the member like to make

:33:38. > :33:44.comment on the article by Dave Watson of Unison, where he says

:33:45. > :33:51.unnecessary recording and recording -- at work. Workers are being turned

:33:52. > :33:58.into robots before they are replaced by them? I tried to work that out

:33:59. > :34:02.with Pace, but on you go... I haven't read that article, to be

:34:03. > :34:11.fair but I think that we have all got to recognise that test practice

:34:12. > :34:15.in the workplace is good management and that's the only way the Scottish

:34:16. > :34:20.economy will remain competitive across the world. To deal with the

:34:21. > :34:25.challenges I mentioned, these are large challenges and I do not expect

:34:26. > :34:32.Pace, in the current form and capacity, to have the answers or did

:34:33. > :34:37.the live -- or to deliver the solutions but as a multi-agency

:34:38. > :34:43.partnership including trade unions and various industry bodies, we hope

:34:44. > :34:46.that Pace can play an active role in helping to formulate policies and

:34:47. > :34:50.strategies to anticipate significant changes in the economy and

:34:51. > :34:53.workforce. While these changes are driven by automation and new

:34:54. > :34:57.technologies, no doubt they represent a significant challenge

:34:58. > :35:02.but also opportunities. If we can get the honours in response right we

:35:03. > :35:05.can capitalise on new technologies like fin tech for the benefit of the

:35:06. > :35:14.Yukon me and creation of new jobs. That is why the amendment calls for

:35:15. > :35:19.the Scottish Government -- economy. Will actively participate in the UK

:35:20. > :35:22.industrial strategy. As part of this, the UK Government has

:35:23. > :35:27.announced they will invest ?4.7 billion to be used across the UK in

:35:28. > :35:34.science, research, innovation and in areas like artificial intelligence,

:35:35. > :35:37.five G wireless and robotics. Significant investment in these

:35:38. > :35:49.sectors will help the economy capitalize on worst-case scenario of

:35:50. > :35:55.white -- widespread redundancies. Given the struggling performance of

:35:56. > :35:59.the economy in Scotland we need a coherent industrial strategy for the

:36:00. > :36:03.UK which must be fully supported by the UK and Scottish governments.

:36:04. > :36:08.Deputy Presiding Officer, to conclude, we are very supportive of

:36:09. > :36:12.the range of work undertaken by Pace and be supported provides in

:36:13. > :36:16.redundancy and related situations, but we must look forward and start

:36:17. > :36:19.to plan for significant changes that will impact the structure of the

:36:20. > :36:24.economy and the nature of work in future. To do so, we ask the

:36:25. > :36:29.Scottish Government to proactively engage with the UK Government's

:36:30. > :36:33.forward-looking industrial strategy and take advantage of trading

:36:34. > :36:37.opportunities we have with the rest of the UK which represents over two

:36:38. > :36:43.thirds of our trade. I move the amendment in my name. ' I apologise

:36:44. > :36:50.to Ms Smith, you are quite right, I see in the amendment from the

:36:51. > :37:01.Conservatives in your intervention, I call Richard Leonard, a Liberal

:37:02. > :37:05.with a small L. Deputy preserving officer, what we are debating here

:37:06. > :37:10.this afternoon is a consequence of what happens when there is market

:37:11. > :37:14.failure -- Presiding Officer. Or a shift in the market. It is what

:37:15. > :37:20.happens sometimes when there is a falling rate of profit. What happens

:37:21. > :37:26.when there is a corporate demand to boost share values, or to inflate

:37:27. > :37:33.dividend payments? What happens sometimes when there is a strike? A

:37:34. > :37:42.strike of capital? And a company decides to move work offshore? What

:37:43. > :37:46.happens when redundancies are proposed? Throughout my working life

:37:47. > :37:53.I have seen that what happens is all too often typically this. Workers,

:37:54. > :38:02.women and men, aged 50 or over with 20 or 30 years of working

:38:03. > :38:06.experience, being tossed aside. Job security, job stability, gone.

:38:07. > :38:15.Occupational pensions, no more. Too many remain unemployed but

:38:16. > :38:20.undercounted. Or in part time work when they want a full-time job. Some

:38:21. > :38:25.may be moved on to a zero hours contract. Precarious employment,

:38:26. > :38:32.affecting the youngest and the oldest workers the most. In advance

:38:33. > :38:37.of today's debate, like the minister, I made some enquiries

:38:38. > :38:44.about what had happened at the Kwik-Fit insurance call centre in

:38:45. > :38:49.adding stone, where 521 working men and women, who have all lost their

:38:50. > :38:55.jobs in the last few weeks, have been desperately seeking alternative

:38:56. > :39:00.work. I asked just yesterday North Lanarkshire Council's economic

:39:01. > :39:09.development Department to tell me what happened to those working

:39:10. > :39:15.people. They pointed to the co-operative work involving the

:39:16. > :39:20.council and the Scottish Government, with the Pace team and Scottish

:39:21. > :39:27.enterprise. They reported to me that out of the 521 people who have now

:39:28. > :39:32.lost their jobs, 44 while either on long-term sickness or maternity

:39:33. > :39:36.leave, I'm not quite sure what support workers on maternity leave,

:39:37. > :39:42.for example, get in a redundancy situation. I'm hoping that we can

:39:43. > :39:49.ensure this is properly covered. They tell me that 46 were retiring

:39:50. > :39:53.or taking time out, and I defer again to Stuart Stevenson's point

:39:54. > :39:57.that there needs to be on hand, either through the trade union or

:39:58. > :40:05.channelled through the Pace team, access to people for independent

:40:06. > :40:09.financial advice for pension reforms of financial benefits that they may

:40:10. > :40:15.have derived through their employment. 268 it was reported to

:40:16. > :40:22.me yesterday, had found alternative jobs and often in similar lines of

:40:23. > :40:30.work to the Kwik-Fit call centre. Jobs at HSBC, Sky, and BT local

:40:31. > :40:37.solutions were among the destinations where people found

:40:38. > :40:42.work. But I have to say there was no information available in relation to

:40:43. > :40:46.those people who found jobs. No information about their rates of

:40:47. > :40:51.pay, or other terms and conditions of employment. No information about

:40:52. > :40:58.the kinds of employment contract that they are now on. That is again

:40:59. > :41:05.something that we need to consider, because in a moment I will say about

:41:06. > :41:08.the audit work carried out by IFF research which looks at the outcomes

:41:09. > :41:15.of the Pace process but we need to be more proactive in monitoring

:41:16. > :41:19.people's destinations once they leave employment and understanding

:41:20. > :41:25.better the kind of employment that people are going into. That is why,

:41:26. > :41:34.indeed, I found the latest client experience survey, carried out by

:41:35. > :41:38.IFF research and published in 2016, is so important. It does give some

:41:39. > :41:44.insight into people's journeys after they have been through the Pace

:41:45. > :41:52.programme and the support that Pace offer. The research report provides

:41:53. > :41:59.us with this profile. Firstly, they established that while 40% of Pace

:42:00. > :42:05.clients are under the age of 45, one third are aged 45-55, and one

:42:06. > :42:12.quarter are over the age of 55. Two thirds as it happens, in that year

:42:13. > :42:18.'s report, were men. I am interested to see a that the Scottish

:42:19. > :42:22.Government has at least identified those older workers especially as a

:42:23. > :42:29.group who made need additional support through the service that is

:42:30. > :42:33.provided. But I was struck in the report not only by the profile of

:42:34. > :42:42.people who had gone through pace that the experience of those people,

:42:43. > :42:47.having lost their jobs, and some of that, in contrast to Dean Lockhart's

:42:48. > :42:52.assessment, caused me concern. And I think it provides something this

:42:53. > :42:57.Parliament responsibly needs to consider because, first of all, the

:42:58. > :43:04.post-redundancy experience of people was this. 18% went into part-time

:43:05. > :43:10.work, many of whom had previously been in full-time employment. One

:43:11. > :43:17.third moved from permanent contracts to short-term contracts. Or worse,

:43:18. > :43:19.were in a casual job. Again, this was particularly a feature of older

:43:20. > :43:26.workers who found it hard to move from one permanent job to another.

:43:27. > :43:33.And were more likely to be caught up in more precarious forms of

:43:34. > :43:37.employment. Those older workers, the findings of the survey and research,

:43:38. > :43:43.were those older workers were more than twice as likely to be in casual

:43:44. > :43:47.employment than those working people who had been made redundant who are

:43:48. > :43:55.under the age of 45. Something else that struck me about the report, it

:43:56. > :44:01.goes on to make a comparison between the survey conducted in 2016, and

:44:02. > :44:08.the comparison will survey conducted in 2014. This afternoon is a time

:44:09. > :44:13.for consensus, and broad agreement. I think it is important that we

:44:14. > :44:21.understand what those results show. The conclusions are these. Dean

:44:22. > :44:25.Lockhart touched on this in his speech earlier on. In 2016, Pace

:44:26. > :44:31.clients were more likely to have taken jobs with lower skill

:44:32. > :44:37.requirements than the previous job than in 2014. Now as many as 34%

:44:38. > :44:47.went into employment, forms of employment, with a lower skill

:44:48. > :44:53.requirement compared to 29% in 2014. I'm grateful for the intervention,

:44:54. > :44:57.but we understand that in 2016's survey, we were picking up a lot of

:44:58. > :45:04.people who were leaving the oil and that industry, and it is true to say

:45:05. > :45:07.there a phenomenon where people have qualifications that are more

:45:08. > :45:11.temporary in nature but there are encouraging signs that those in that

:45:12. > :45:14.position progress on to better employment prospects in due course.

:45:15. > :45:23.I hope it is an encouragement to some involved. My reading of the

:45:24. > :45:27.last part of the report, which expressly addressed itself to oil

:45:28. > :45:32.and gas workers, suggested that those workers with their skills are

:45:33. > :45:36.more likely to slot into forms of employment that gave them a

:45:37. > :45:42.comparative application of their skill sets. I take the point, well

:45:43. > :45:45.made in this chamber before, that levels of enumeration offshore may

:45:46. > :45:54.not be matched by a equivalent employment onshore for reasons I'm

:45:55. > :46:00.sure everybody understands. But the report also says, talking about

:46:01. > :46:07.levels of responsibility, that people moved into employment and did

:46:08. > :46:14.so, in 2016, 40% of those who went through the Pace programme, 40%

:46:15. > :46:20.moved into jobs with lower levels of responsibility compared to 32% in

:46:21. > :46:25.2014. And, in the sense of addressing the point the Minister

:46:26. > :46:30.makes, if I can quote the report, it does say in paragraph 1.25, that the

:46:31. > :46:33.proportion of clients who had secured work with the lower level of

:46:34. > :46:37.pay them the job from which they had been made redundant has increased

:46:38. > :46:48.since 2014 from 22% to 58%. I am conscious of the time. Let me

:46:49. > :46:57.say one or two things about Pace as an organisation. Because in

:46:58. > :47:03.preparation for this afternoon's debate, I checked on the Pace

:47:04. > :47:07.website earlier on today, and the Minister made the point about the

:47:08. > :47:12.use of social media and what we can do to use the new forms of

:47:13. > :47:16.technology, new to me, anyway, to try to help improve the quality of

:47:17. > :47:25.the service which is on offer. When I looked on the website, I noticed

:47:26. > :47:29.there was such a thing as a Pace toolkit promoting Pace services and

:47:30. > :47:34.support and it covers the use of social media and gives advice to

:47:35. > :47:41.both employees and employers. If I can make a serious note, strike a

:47:42. > :47:51.serious note, under the heading example tweets, I must make full

:47:52. > :47:55.disclosure, I am not on Twitter, I never have been, but the tweet

:47:56. > :48:03.example on the Pace website currently says this, is your

:48:04. > :48:09.business downsizing is to not check out the Pace partnership and see how

:48:10. > :48:13.they can help you. We should not be in the business of helping

:48:14. > :48:18.businesses to downsize, we should be in the business of defending

:48:19. > :48:22.people's jobs and retaining industry. In fairness, and by way of

:48:23. > :48:29.balance, when I went to look at the advice under the heading Facebook,

:48:30. > :48:33.which I do subscribe to, the question was posed in this way which

:48:34. > :48:42.was much more constructive, the question posed was, is your business

:48:43. > :48:47.facing redundancy? Pace advisors can provide free and impartial advice on

:48:48. > :48:53.the best ways of dealing with redundancy from providing options to

:48:54. > :48:59.retaining staff or managing debt. I'm you can sit down. You will have

:49:00. > :49:08.to close. You have done well. You are into, I think, 12 minutes. My

:49:09. > :49:15.final point... It will be brief. My final brief point, let us ban the

:49:16. > :49:18.awful language of downsizing and have more emphasis on staff

:49:19. > :49:24.retention. I would like to move the amendment in my name. Thank you. We

:49:25. > :49:28.still have time in hand and I am going to let you know so that

:49:29. > :49:34.everyone in the open debate can have seven minutes. Do not be naughty. Do

:49:35. > :49:39.not go on and on and on. Can I remind members, if you have

:49:40. > :49:43.intervened, you have to... Mr Stevenson, this is for you. You have

:49:44. > :49:54.to press your request to speak button again. You have. Good man.

:49:55. > :50:03.Thank you. Before I start, I would like to comment on Mr Leonard, his

:50:04. > :50:06.speech. You may find that the brevity and hence the lack of full

:50:07. > :50:12.explanation on the tweet is a consequence of the 140 character

:50:13. > :50:21.limit, which does not apply to Facebook posts. Do you really want

:50:22. > :50:25.to intervened? Yes? It seems to me downsizing is an especially long

:50:26. > :50:32.word, all the more reason to change the vocabulary. Good intervention. I

:50:33. > :50:38.take back my comment. New go, please, to the debate. I would like

:50:39. > :50:45.to remind Parliament of Mike role as Parliamentary liaison officer. -- my

:50:46. > :50:49.role. Technological change is a feature of our modern economy, it

:50:50. > :50:57.drives progress and growth, but also causes disconnects in employment

:50:58. > :51:04.patterns, jobs that were the foundation in past decades no longer

:51:05. > :51:09.exist. Today's young people will be in jobs we cannot imagine. We need

:51:10. > :51:15.to manage change and leverage it to our advantage. We need career

:51:16. > :51:22.flexible T in skills and attitudes, a key component of enabling our

:51:23. > :51:25.economy and citizens to survive and thrive in this ever-changing

:51:26. > :51:29.environment. It is also critically important that the Government

:51:30. > :51:33.supports employees affected by this process of change at the time and

:51:34. > :51:37.that support is much needed. The process of redundancy is both

:51:38. > :51:41.painful and stressful for the individuals concerned and the

:51:42. > :51:45.families. It is a process I myself have been through twice so far in my

:51:46. > :51:50.career and who knows what the future may hold. In many circumstances of

:51:51. > :51:57.course, the government is able to step in and turn the situation into

:51:58. > :52:01.an opportunity for growth. This is the first priority. The Scottish

:52:02. > :52:04.judgment has been proactive in this regard, several recent examples can

:52:05. > :52:09.be cited including saving ship loading on the Clyde, the

:52:10. > :52:14.Lanarkshire steel mills, and the recent deal to save the smelter, a

:52:15. > :52:18.deal offering huge potential for growth and employment opportunities.

:52:19. > :52:22.This proactive government intervention is critical. In

:52:23. > :52:28.situations where rescue and recovery is not possible, government also has

:52:29. > :52:33.a role to play, a duty to support the individuals concerned with

:52:34. > :52:36.practical support to smooth the transition to new employment. It is

:52:37. > :52:40.this regard the Scottish Government's partnership action for

:52:41. > :52:45.continuing employment or Pace is well placed to deliver, having

:52:46. > :52:49.demonstrated that value for individuals going through this

:52:50. > :52:52.difficult process. Pace advisers help people to recognise their

:52:53. > :53:02.skills, explore options and prepare for the next move. This can also be

:53:03. > :53:07.highlighted bulimic highlight in -- this can be highlighting skills they

:53:08. > :53:10.possess. Introductions to employers looking to include or other

:53:11. > :53:17.individuals in similar situations looking to partner new business

:53:18. > :53:24.ventures, it can open doors. Change is challenging but it can offer

:53:25. > :53:28.opportunities and new pathways. A form of support provided by Pace

:53:29. > :53:32.includes one to one counselling, conference of information packs,

:53:33. > :53:37.access to high-quality training, seminars and skills such as CV

:53:38. > :53:40.writing and starting up a business and access to IT facilities. All

:53:41. > :53:45.designed to provide tailored support and advice to those going through

:53:46. > :53:48.the process of redundancy. Pace does this through the National Service

:53:49. > :53:55.and local teams. Raising awareness of the value Pace can bring is

:53:56. > :53:58.important, both to employers facing difficult decisions and employees

:53:59. > :54:04.finding themselves going through redundancy. Hopefully, one of the

:54:05. > :54:06.outcomes today is to make the work of Pace more widely known and

:54:07. > :54:11.increase participation in its services. We must not forget that

:54:12. > :54:16.while the practicalities of finding new work all key, the provision of

:54:17. > :54:19.support around the emotional impact of redundancy provided by Pace is of

:54:20. > :54:23.huge value to many employees who find themselves in this situation.

:54:24. > :54:28.The uncertainty about the future that many experience is often a

:54:29. > :54:33.barrier to positive attitude required to move on and find future

:54:34. > :54:37.opportunities. Best practice calls for constant review process and

:54:38. > :54:41.outcomes, driving continuous improvement to develop and enhance

:54:42. > :54:46.services. The Scottish is focused on ensuring Pace continues to improve

:54:47. > :54:50.the service it provides. Regular client experience surveys are

:54:51. > :54:54.carried out and the findings develop the service further. The most recent

:54:55. > :55:01.survey found 71% of Pace clients have secured work, an increase from

:55:02. > :55:05.51% recorded in the 2010 survey. Of those who had secured work, almost

:55:06. > :55:11.two thirds now in roles that have the same or higher levels of skills

:55:12. > :55:14.and responsibility. The partnership aspect is important bringing

:55:15. > :55:19.together the Scottish Government, local government and industry

:55:20. > :55:24.partners. Different inputs to the service. It is important to

:55:25. > :55:28.recognise the UK context that Pace is unique. No other part of the UK

:55:29. > :55:33.has a comparable programme to that offered by the Scottish Government.

:55:34. > :55:36.Many factors affect the labour market, proactive focus on helping

:55:37. > :55:40.individuals back to work or starting up business on their own, it can

:55:41. > :55:46.have a marked effect on overall statistics. In this regard

:55:47. > :55:51.Scotland's performance is worth highlighting. Unemployment has

:55:52. > :55:56.fallen by 14,000 over the past quarter, 48,000 over the year.

:55:57. > :56:04.Scotland's unemployment rate is 4.4%, down 1.7% and lower than the

:56:05. > :56:08.UK level of 4.7%. Scotland's employment levels are up, increasing

:56:09. > :56:15.0.9% in the year, 41,000 people more in employment. The DGP thing is

:56:16. > :56:23.Scotland's performance in youth unemployment, -- particularly

:56:24. > :56:26.pleasing. Up 3.9% over the year. In conclusion, the work of Pace is part

:56:27. > :56:29.of a broader approach strategy but the Scottish Government on

:56:30. > :56:35.intervening where appropriate to save and reinvigorate businesses,

:56:36. > :56:38.creating an environment for business creation and growth and proactively

:56:39. > :56:43.assisting individuals who find themselves at risk of redundancy and

:56:44. > :56:47.approach delivering results in Scotland. It is something we must

:56:48. > :56:51.and should continue to develop to further expand its reach and

:56:52. > :57:00.effectiveness. Thank you. On the button. Thank you. I have been

:57:01. > :57:08.schools by you not to over speak, so I may struggle to do so. Can I

:57:09. > :57:11.mention also...? I cannot be gentle! OK.

:57:12. > :57:18.LAUGHTER Can I mention my register of

:57:19. > :57:21.interest I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants

:57:22. > :57:27.of Scotland which have been mentioned in Coventry comes by the

:57:28. > :57:34.minister today? -- complimentary terms. I found the Minister's talk

:57:35. > :57:40.very interesting. It filled in many areas. Just over two years ago, the

:57:41. > :57:44.Chamber found itself in broad agreement about the valuable work of

:57:45. > :57:49.partnership action for continuing employment initiative. Back then,

:57:50. > :57:52.members pay tribute to the constructive efforts of Pace in

:57:53. > :57:57.helping those made redundant to transition into new jobs or

:57:58. > :58:02.training. Two years on from that debate, I would wish to reaffirm the

:58:03. > :58:07.positive impact of Pace. I represent a part of the country where there

:58:08. > :58:10.has been a frequent need for Pace teams, communities in the north-east

:58:11. > :58:13.are still struggling from the downturn in the oil and gas sector.

:58:14. > :58:20.The industry has moved from a longer term boom to contraction, some would

:58:21. > :58:24.say severe contraction. To survive at all, businesses have needed to

:58:25. > :58:32.restructure right across the supply chain, some of that meaning

:58:33. > :58:36.downsizing, which in this tough climate, redundancies have been

:58:37. > :58:43.unavoidable. According to the annual report from Oil and Gas UK, there

:58:44. > :58:47.are 120,000 fewer jobs than in 2014. For those made redundant in this

:58:48. > :58:51.period, Pace has been a valuable source of support. In particular,

:58:52. > :58:57.Pace and its 22 partners have played a crucial role in employment support

:58:58. > :59:02.events in Aberdeen, they have proved to be an ideal opportunity for

:59:03. > :59:08.employers to recruit from the highly skilled talent pool for more oil and

:59:09. > :59:12.gas workers. On top of that, as has been referred to, encouraging

:59:13. > :59:17.results from that 2016 client experience survey. The good news

:59:18. > :59:22.being 77% of former oil and gas workers have secured work, most of

:59:23. > :59:25.the oil and gas workers found new roles in different industries,

:59:26. > :59:29.nearly half saying Pace influenced the receptiveness to alternative

:59:30. > :59:35.employment opportunities in the north-east. At a national level,

:59:36. > :59:39.Pace is providing services generally well-regarded by its clients. Most

:59:40. > :59:45.importantly, the rate of implement through service users continues to

:59:46. > :59:55.be high, 2014-2016, 70 1% of those who used Pace services secured new

:59:56. > :00:00.jobs shock. Pace has maintained high levels of satisfaction with 75%

:00:01. > :00:04.expressing satisfaction with the usefulness and timeliness of its

:00:05. > :00:10.services. It continues to play a constructive role within Scotland's

:00:11. > :00:16.labour market. Credit should be given, whether is success, but there

:00:17. > :00:21.should be a note of caution. Celebrating the success of Pace is

:00:22. > :00:25.very well and good, but the founder of the company warned, success

:00:26. > :00:30.breeds complacency, complacency breeds failure and only the paranoid

:00:31. > :00:36.survive. Despite... LAUGHTER

:00:37. > :00:39.Despite the general success of the Pace initiative, improvements can

:00:40. > :00:53.always be made and we have heard one or two here today. Mr Stevenson. It

:00:54. > :00:58.is just the member has triggered a memory, only the paranoid survive,

:00:59. > :01:07.which is of course the auto broker fee of a man who was the chief

:01:08. > :01:11.executive of Intel who came in on Monday and said the business he had

:01:12. > :01:18.on Friday had emigrated to Korea. His lessons were absolutely an

:01:19. > :01:21.object lesson in how to have really good value leadership to avoid

:01:22. > :01:29.catastrophe from a company. I hope other members will read the book

:01:30. > :01:37.which is one of the seminal works in how to handle change in business.

:01:38. > :01:44.Thank you for that, of course I think he's survived the Holocaust

:01:45. > :01:49.and then escaped Hungary in 1956 in the time of the uprising, he's had

:01:50. > :01:55.an interesting, if you put it that way, life. Going back to where I

:01:56. > :02:02.was, speaking about the improvements that could perhaps come, one has

:02:03. > :02:07.spoken about the awareness of and availability of the telephone and

:02:08. > :02:13.online support that could perhaps be improved. Earlier intervention by

:02:14. > :02:17.Pace, if possible, and the legal services sometimes, has been

:02:18. > :02:21.mentioned. Focusing perhaps on redundancy support for older

:02:22. > :02:28.workers, I think you've given an indication that you will maybe look

:02:29. > :02:34.at that. Those aged over to have poorer rates of employment compared

:02:35. > :02:40.to younger age groups. In 2016, findings showed that outcomes for

:02:41. > :02:44.over 55 had no overall improvement. Some sort of target and support is

:02:45. > :02:51.needed for older workers and those that Elaine Smith was mentioning

:02:52. > :02:58.would be welcomed. I don't wish to rain on the Minister's parade, but

:02:59. > :03:03.there is room for improvement. The work at Pace is not made any easier

:03:04. > :03:08.perhaps by the current government's current handling of the economy. As

:03:09. > :03:14.things stand, the Scottish economy is halfway towards a recession. I

:03:15. > :03:17.don't think there are any sectors currently experiencing growth and

:03:18. > :03:21.the Scottish Chamber of Commerce has warned that the high tax agenda

:03:22. > :03:25.risks driving investment away at a time when it is perhaps needed most.

:03:26. > :03:30.There are some alarm bells ringing and we had to hope that the

:03:31. > :03:34.government is listening. Perhaps not making things better with the

:03:35. > :03:41.insistence on holding a second independence referendum which has no

:03:42. > :03:46.economic uncertainty, which the markets do not like. Economic

:03:47. > :03:51.problems threaten the good efforts of Pace. Post-redundancy outcomes

:03:52. > :03:55.will not remain high if positive drop creation falters. I know the

:03:56. > :04:04.unemployment statistics have improved slightly but new jobs are

:04:05. > :04:10.from people leaving the market. So that, along with abandoning a high

:04:11. > :04:15.tax agenda, and make business growth your priority, would be my closing

:04:16. > :04:20.remark. And I ask you to support the resolution. Thank you. Ichor grim

:04:21. > :04:31.day to be followed by Lewis Macdonald. Thank you.

:04:32. > :04:38.I think time should be found in this forum to highlight that while we may

:04:39. > :04:42.criticise the performances, we should offer praise where it is due.

:04:43. > :04:47.Generally we are hearing such from across the chamber but I welcome the

:04:48. > :04:50.chance to bring to the attention of the minister some issues I have

:04:51. > :04:54.encountered in relation to Pace, both involving barriers placed in

:04:55. > :05:02.the way of constituents. I will come to those later. Some will be aware

:05:03. > :05:08.of the advice and support Pace offers to those facing redundancy.

:05:09. > :05:13.226 individuals across Angus are supported by Pace between April 2016

:05:14. > :05:17.and March 20 17. Several firms had gone into administration where they

:05:18. > :05:21.had the challenge of deploying staff. Significantly, six of the

:05:22. > :05:30.eight Angus -based employers supported by Pace last year operate

:05:31. > :05:33.in the oil and cinders to. -- oil and industry. A number of my

:05:34. > :05:40.constituents in Angus had been affected by job losses. The training

:05:41. > :05:45.from the Scottish Government has acted as a support route

:05:46. > :05:50.complementing existing services to those affected by redundancies in

:05:51. > :05:54.the oil and the sector. Supporters offered to those who want to be

:05:55. > :05:58.trained, up skill and accreditation and certification for those who want

:05:59. > :06:04.to get new jobs in oil, gas and wider energy sectors. Engineering

:06:05. > :06:11.and to date, 122 approved applications have been sent to the

:06:12. > :06:22.fund, to re-hone the skills of oil and gas workers, that has been

:06:23. > :06:26.invaluable to those in my area. In August of last year, GE announced

:06:27. > :06:31.151 employees located there where risk of redundancy as a result of

:06:32. > :06:36.declining activity in the oil and sectors. All employees concerned

:06:37. > :06:41.were provided with Pace facing redundancy guides, and the

:06:42. > :06:44.opportunity to attend events. Over 60 members of staff attended those

:06:45. > :06:48.events where individuals were given the opportunity for a one-to-one

:06:49. > :06:52.discussion on the situation with a Pace advisor. All redundant

:06:53. > :06:57.employees were eligible to apply for this fund and relocates hills to

:06:58. > :07:05.another sector. Many did so. The success of Pace is dependent on

:07:06. > :07:09.those firms of those facing redundancy -- skills. Months ago, me

:07:10. > :07:13.and my colleague went to a meeting with a local firm that we had

:07:14. > :07:17.previously engaged with with bad news to get. Some jobs were going

:07:18. > :07:27.and others relocated as the firm shut down. Pace could support those

:07:28. > :07:33.who would not be moving and the response was very positive. Last

:07:34. > :07:37.year, I got wind of redundancies with a well-known firm in the

:07:38. > :07:41.constituency. My attempt to engage with it, not for the first time,

:07:42. > :07:46.came to naught. Pace called the mud seeking access to affected workers

:07:47. > :07:49.but could not get past the switchboard. They were told to

:07:50. > :07:53.e-mail a leaflet and it may or may not be shared with the staff. I'm

:07:54. > :07:57.aware of another situation Pace encountered in Angus when a firm

:07:58. > :08:02.went into administration with no prospect of being sold on as a going

:08:03. > :08:05.concern. They approached the administrators seeking contact

:08:06. > :08:09.details. Who had lost their jobs, to be told that they could not be

:08:10. > :08:13.passed on. I can't remember whether the reason given was data protection

:08:14. > :08:16.or whether staff were no longer employed by the firm which meant the

:08:17. > :08:20.information could not be shared but either way it was not going to be

:08:21. > :08:24.provided and we had to use media outlets to reach out to those

:08:25. > :08:28.impacted. I am particularly exercised by that last scenario, it

:08:29. > :08:31.strikes me when people lose their jobs, nothing should get into the

:08:32. > :08:36.way of accessing the help that could be available. Presiding Officer, it

:08:37. > :08:40.is important to recognise the Pace initiative was set up to help

:08:41. > :08:46.individuals and provide support to employers and firms too. It can be

:08:47. > :08:49.overlooked. Advisers can provide solutions for employers to retain

:08:50. > :08:54.some all of the staff. In cases where it is not an option, Pace

:08:55. > :08:58.offers employees impartial advice. Sitting down with employees to

:08:59. > :09:03.discuss the situation. When these situations arise, the support that

:09:04. > :09:07.Pace advisers bring to the table needs to be recognised by employers.

:09:08. > :09:11.When firms are reluctant to cooperate with a Pace team it can

:09:12. > :09:17.only have a detrimental impact on families and employees. If they

:09:18. > :09:21.refuse to engage with external agencies, others may be oblivious to

:09:22. > :09:25.the fact that Pace can support organisations like themselves for

:09:26. > :09:29.the best outcome for all parties. It is an issue that needs to be

:09:30. > :09:37.addressed and as touched upon earlier, there is a role for MS' to

:09:38. > :09:44.make sure that businesses across the area. -- in this piece. It will be

:09:45. > :09:47.increasingly important in light of Brexit. Or though it does not

:09:48. > :09:53.mention that word, it may be covered up by the use of the phrase "Other

:09:54. > :09:58.challenges". But it is beginning to impact. I was in discussions with a

:09:59. > :10:04.member of the constituency whose firm will be making some redundant.

:10:05. > :10:08.They will try and minimise number is concerned, after they lost contracts

:10:09. > :10:13.out of the blue. One major company is trying to downsize its workforce

:10:14. > :10:18.because of Brexit. And subcontracted work in place in Scotland is now

:10:19. > :10:22.going to the Far East. It clearly has a knock-on effect. Brexit is

:10:23. > :10:26.beginning to bite and it hasn't even happened yet. In closing, Presiding

:10:27. > :10:29.Officer, let me take the opportunity to thank the skills develop in

:10:30. > :10:34.Scotland's team in our brother who have done terrific work for

:10:35. > :10:40.constituents in Angus South and in wider Angus. Those in in full

:10:41. > :10:45.situations of redundancies in future should engage with Pace advisers and

:10:46. > :10:48.employees, and organisations as a Holcombe and I appeal to any

:10:49. > :10:55.constituents in my constituency who have not come forward to their local

:10:56. > :11:00.skills develop and branch to check their eligibility to the additional

:11:01. > :11:08.training fund, Presiding Officer. Thank you. Lui Donald?

:11:09. > :11:12.Other speakers have acknowledged workers in the north-east of

:11:13. > :11:16.Scotland have had more experience of large-scale redundancies in the last

:11:17. > :11:21.three years than for quite some time. Most obvious is the downturn

:11:22. > :11:25.in the oil and sector but that has had wider impacts, for example, in

:11:26. > :11:31.the closure of restaurants and pubs, and there has also been significant

:11:32. > :11:36.pressure on the supply chain. And separately, pressure on employment

:11:37. > :11:41.in other sectors like fish and food processing which has cost hundreds

:11:42. > :11:44.of jobs. Pace has been and remains important to the regional economy of

:11:45. > :11:51.the north-east as other parts of Scotland. Through involvement in the

:11:52. > :11:55.task force, I have seen the strength and limitations of cross agency

:11:56. > :11:59.working and the impact of major redundancies in a town well old

:12:00. > :12:05.turner Tim employment is not readily available. I particularly commend

:12:06. > :12:12.the involvement of the Ulster union helping those. And the Scottish

:12:13. > :12:16.College helping those up skill and access other jobs. A lot of effort

:12:17. > :12:21.has gone into mitigating the impact of job losses and reducing the

:12:22. > :12:26.number of redundancies there. And I think all concerned should take

:12:27. > :12:29.credit from that. It was mentioned the partnership approach on all

:12:30. > :12:34.levels of government and members of our own parties, that is valuable in

:12:35. > :12:37.ensuring the widest possible range of expertise and experience is on

:12:38. > :12:46.the table and I would acknowledge the role played in the work of that

:12:47. > :12:50.task force. The closure of Fraser bought hundreds of job losses. The

:12:51. > :12:54.effect of oil downturn in the Northeast has to be measured in the

:12:55. > :12:59.thousands. The Minister has mentioned the role of Pace in

:13:00. > :13:06.addition to the oil and the sector, in supporting individual workers.

:13:07. > :13:09.Alongside the Pace initiatives, this task force brings together a range

:13:10. > :13:14.of partners to take this approach. And the work done by the task force

:13:15. > :13:22.in a number of areas is to be welcomed. This highlights support

:13:23. > :13:25.for workers made redundant which is very important for those

:13:26. > :13:33.individuals, and also important to pick those numbers into context.

:13:34. > :13:40.Where 120 jobs across the United Kingdom, and in Scotland, have been

:13:41. > :13:45.lost as a result of the downturn. It is clear that the help that has been

:13:46. > :13:50.made available has been important for those individuals but touches

:13:51. > :13:53.only part of the wider problem. A lot of work is still to be done to

:13:54. > :13:59.protect and secure the future of thousands more jobs in the industry

:14:00. > :14:05.in the supply chain, and beyond. Offshore unions remain rightly very

:14:06. > :14:09.concerned about the bigger picture. Pat Rafferty of Unite said in

:14:10. > :14:12.November that we were in the middle of a crisis and unless there was

:14:13. > :14:16.action soon, we could be facing the point of no return which would be

:14:17. > :14:20.devastating for the Scottish economy, especially in the

:14:21. > :14:25.north-east. Jake Molloy of RMT said that their big worry was getting

:14:26. > :14:28.through this next year. 2017 does not look better than the previous

:14:29. > :14:34.two. If that is the case this could be the tipping point for the North.

:14:35. > :14:40.Not only trade unions are concerned. The 25th boil and a survey from the

:14:41. > :14:44.Chamber of Commerce found that measures taken to address the crisis

:14:45. > :14:55.in the North Sea had not yet made sufficient impact. That is about

:14:56. > :14:57.macroeconomic policies. It is also about how governments can act

:14:58. > :15:02.proactively to avoid redundancies from happening in the first place.

:15:03. > :15:05.Part of that is about appropriate training, ensuring jobs are

:15:06. > :15:10.protected in the sector. Without proper support and training schemes,

:15:11. > :15:14.these sectors could lose many of their most experienced workers.

:15:15. > :15:17.Having lost one job, all of these workers may not be qualified to take

:15:18. > :15:23.another and need to be able to access training to be able to do

:15:24. > :15:27.that. Apprentices, as well as older workers, were hardened by the

:15:28. > :15:34.downturn in the last few years. Many schemes ended apprenticeships

:15:35. > :15:37.earlier leaving a lack of security. There has been so much concern in

:15:38. > :15:44.the oil and the industry 's about this. I know that employers have

:15:45. > :15:49.told ministers how important it is to know in advance how the money is

:15:50. > :15:58.distributed and how a print shop and training skills. -- apprenticeship

:15:59. > :16:02.skills. Some money will go on the workplace training programmes and

:16:03. > :16:08.initiatives. Clearly, it caused concern for some employers in the

:16:09. > :16:14.oil and gas industry as money previously needed for training had

:16:15. > :16:18.gone into the levy. Then, they learned all of that would come back.

:16:19. > :16:23.Clearly some issues, as oil workers want to go to another industry, many

:16:24. > :16:27.do not. There needs to be full support for companies in the sector

:16:28. > :16:31.to retrain and skilled workers and for those who want to provide

:16:32. > :16:36.high-quality apprenticeships for those in the industry.

:16:37. > :16:43.The transition training fund is important too. I have raised

:16:44. > :16:47.concerns before and the shortfall in mutually recognised safety

:16:48. > :16:53.qualifications between the sectors. I have discussed this with John

:16:54. > :16:57.McDonnell initially and I am pleased to say that both sectors recognise

:16:58. > :17:03.the need to address this issue and it is an issue I have also raised

:17:04. > :17:10.with the task force because it is in areas such as this that there is

:17:11. > :17:15.still work to be done going forward. Just as he has rightly agreed to

:17:16. > :17:18.extend the work of the task force because there is still work to be

:17:19. > :17:25.done, I would want to reiterate the same point in relation to energy

:17:26. > :17:29.jobs and the oil and gas sector. I know the energy jobs task force is

:17:30. > :17:33.moving from monthly meeting scheduled to quarterly and I know

:17:34. > :17:37.members of the task force are keen to contribute more and do more to

:17:38. > :17:41.protect jobs going forward. I hope the minister can assure us today

:17:42. > :17:45.there is no intention to end the work of the task force prematurely.

:17:46. > :17:51.It is not job done in the North East oil and gas sector. Contracts are

:17:52. > :17:55.still being put on hold and jobs lost and there is still work for

:17:56. > :18:01.Pace and government agencies working together to address those matters

:18:02. > :18:04.and I hope we can continue to work together on a cross-party basis in

:18:05. > :18:16.broad terms in order to ensure it happens. I call Angus MacDonald.

:18:17. > :18:20.Thank you. I very much welcome the Scottish Government's motion today

:18:21. > :18:24.and I commend the work of the 21 organisations making up the

:18:25. > :18:30.ministerial Pace partnership and localised teams. They have been able

:18:31. > :18:35.to offer support, advice and help to thousands of people who have found

:18:36. > :18:43.themselves out of work through no fault of their own. Since the crash

:18:44. > :18:47.of 2008, redundancy have is touched -- redundancy has touched members in

:18:48. > :18:51.this Chamber, family members, constituency members, close friends,

:18:52. > :18:55.its impact is always the same, a period of anxiety and grief, not

:18:56. > :19:00.just in the person who has lost the job, but the family and dependence

:19:01. > :19:02.as well, a huge knock to self-confidence and a sense of

:19:03. > :19:10.humiliation and worklessness. I know something personally offered. I will

:19:11. > :19:14.forget the night I was phoned by a colleague and the terrible words she

:19:15. > :19:17.said to me. I should not be telling you this, she said, but I wanted you

:19:18. > :19:23.to have time to prepare, your name is on that list. I was desperately

:19:24. > :19:26.trying to work out what to do. We had just taken on a three-year

:19:27. > :19:30.mortgage, my wife was pregnant with our third child. My mobile phone was

:19:31. > :19:37.up for you will and I was not clear if I would be able to afford it. I

:19:38. > :19:43.have to check my privilege, I have generous friends, family to lean on,

:19:44. > :19:48.equity in my house. At the end of that focal, I knew a new kind of

:19:49. > :19:54.terror I had never experienced. -- phone call. We had a funding grant

:19:55. > :19:57.which staved off the next round of redundancies. I will never forget

:19:58. > :20:01.the sense of sheer panic and desperation and it helped give me

:20:02. > :20:05.empathy when a couple of years later I had to make a member of staff

:20:06. > :20:10.redundant. It was not just the feeling of uncertainty, how we get

:20:11. > :20:15.by financially, my job was my life, at least part of it, and who I was

:20:16. > :20:22.as a person, I was proud of what I did. To lose it would have seemed to

:20:23. > :20:30.me utterly desperate. I was lucky. The worst I feared was the daily

:20:31. > :20:34.reality encountered by so many people since 2008 in many sectors. I

:20:35. > :20:41.would have almost certainly sought to engage with Pace. The partnership

:20:42. > :20:47.offers a fleet of foot response to redundancy in every corner of

:20:48. > :20:54.Scotland, a holistic package of care, ably student by staff. It

:20:55. > :21:00.addresses almost every aspect of the immediate aftermath of redundancy

:21:01. > :21:04.and the fallout it can have on individuals and the family. It

:21:05. > :21:08.offers essential assistance with the basics, benefits, household

:21:09. > :21:11.budgeting, whilst building important transfer of all life skills and

:21:12. > :21:16.technical advice essential to rejoining the workforce, things like

:21:17. > :21:24.CV and improvement and interview preparation. Its reach and focus

:21:25. > :21:27.covers vital elements of the impact on mental health too. Helping

:21:28. > :21:32.service users to cope with the stress and anxiety, whilst building

:21:33. > :21:38.resilience. It is this pastoral care, this pastoral role, which

:21:39. > :21:46.gives Pace a hugely welcome humanitarian edge as well, vital,

:21:47. > :21:50.when you consider the 40,000 suicides linked to unemployment and

:21:51. > :21:55.job insecurity worldwide each year. I want to recognise too the work of

:21:56. > :21:58.Pace with Scottish garment and partner organisations in their

:21:59. > :22:04.efforts to adapt to the landscape of redundancy in this country. Whilst

:22:05. > :22:06.the partnership had been previously targeted at large-scale

:22:07. > :22:10.redundancies, a regular feature of the start of this decade, by

:22:11. > :22:13.re-profiling through the introduction of a national helpline,

:22:14. > :22:18.improved website, the partnership teams are more readily available to

:22:19. > :22:22.individuals and small employers, particularly in rule areas at times

:22:23. > :22:26.of redundancy. Reconfiguring in this way has helped the partnership adapt

:22:27. > :22:30.to the change in economic outlook which has seen a decline in

:22:31. > :22:35.large-scale redundancies and as such scene assistance offered to 4500

:22:36. > :22:38.individuals and more than 800 businesses when considered in the

:22:39. > :22:42.context of families and support networks around these individuals,

:22:43. > :22:47.it reaches greater still. I welcome this adaptive approach and if I

:22:48. > :22:50.could offer one recommendation to the Scottish Government and by

:22:51. > :22:55.extension to the partnership on how it might adapt still further, it

:22:56. > :23:01.would be this. Please try to do more for older people facing redundancy.

:23:02. > :23:05.Those workers made redundant over the age of 50 find it harder than

:23:06. > :23:10.any other age group in our society to re-enter the workforce and many

:23:11. > :23:15.find themselves locked out of the labour market for the rest of their

:23:16. > :23:19.lives. It is essential that Pace teams engage with these workers at

:23:20. > :23:23.the earliest opportunity and offer enhanced support over and above the

:23:24. > :23:28.normal assistance package, with training for IT literacy and indeed

:23:29. > :23:33.job Oak Ridge. To appoint some of the responsibility to work as lies

:23:34. > :23:38.with us in this Chamber as well -- job brokerage. We need to rise to

:23:39. > :23:40.the challenge of age-related workplace discolouration in our

:23:41. > :23:46.society and do so with the same vigour with which we meet the

:23:47. > :23:50.This is a motion around which every This is a motion around which every

:23:51. > :23:55.member in this JV should coalesce. I am grateful for that camaraderie and

:23:56. > :24:02.sense of unity around this issue Peshmerga in this Chamber. -- in

:24:03. > :24:05.this Chamber. I want to thank the staff involved in the work of the

:24:06. > :24:09.partnership and the Scottish Cup meant for raising this in

:24:10. > :24:16.Parliament. -- the Scottish Government. I call Angus Donald to

:24:17. > :24:23.be followed by, excuse me, a member not in the Chamber... I am terribly

:24:24. > :24:31.sorry, Mr McDonald. Followed by Gillian Martin. Thank you, Presiding

:24:32. > :24:38.Officer. I am pleased to contribute to today's debate on Pace,

:24:39. > :24:41.ironically at one time I had managed to trim down my speech to six

:24:42. > :24:49.minutes in advance. One thing that unites us is to help our

:24:50. > :24:53.constituents who find themselves in all manner of situations and I am

:24:54. > :24:57.sure we all speak readily to constituents at risk of losing their

:24:58. > :25:03.jobs or have lost their jobs through decisions made to close sites,

:25:04. > :25:08.decisions by companies to move operations elsewhere, hard times,

:25:09. > :25:12.leaving a hole in the local economy, workers sometimes in significant

:25:13. > :25:16.numbers looking for alternative employment. As you would expect, it

:25:17. > :25:20.has certainly been the case that residents in my constituency have

:25:21. > :25:22.been hit by the threat of job losses, most recently 200 people

:25:23. > :25:27.have been faced with this prospect cause of the announcement by a

:25:28. > :25:34.company operating a plant making bathroom equipment to consolidate

:25:35. > :25:42.and move manufacturing to Slovakia. They have been operating for over

:25:43. > :25:47.258 years in the area and it is one of Scotland's Alderson manufacturing

:25:48. > :25:54.companies, embedded in Scotland's industrial heritage -- oldest

:25:55. > :25:57.manufacturing companies. In these situations, it is frustrating more

:25:58. > :26:01.cannot be done to save jobs directly and considering the skills levels

:26:02. > :26:04.and the length of service some of the workers have, it can be a

:26:05. > :26:08.daunting and difficult position to be in, to know where to begin,

:26:09. > :26:14.especially if you are starting out in the jobs market. That is when

:26:15. > :26:17.Pace kicks in. Partnership Action for Continuing Employment., Scottish

:26:18. > :26:23.enterprise and the local authorities working together to prepare workers

:26:24. > :26:30.for the challenges, it has proved to be invaluable in the area and

:26:31. > :26:32.beyond. Over 2016-17, the Pace partnership has assisted with

:26:33. > :26:39.several redundancy situations including one I mentioned earlier

:26:40. > :26:42.and street sweeper manufacturers among others. It has been

:26:43. > :26:49.instrumental in providing guidance to employees and agencies involved.

:26:50. > :26:53.389 people over that period have benefited from the support and

:26:54. > :26:56.advice available from Pace, with extremely positive feedback. Most

:26:57. > :26:59.employers are impressed by the support available to them as a

:27:00. > :27:04.business and this has enabled them to provide support to the staff at

:27:05. > :27:08.which can only be an incredibly difficult time. Clearly the earlier

:27:09. > :27:12.intervention, the better, in terms of planning support required. This

:27:13. > :27:17.is obviously dependent on every individual circumstance. With regard

:27:18. > :27:20.to the situation, a plan was initiated to provide employability

:27:21. > :27:28.workshops, support with literacy and numerous sea, self-employment

:27:29. > :27:32.workshops, as well as the identification of short vocational

:27:33. > :27:36.opportunities and the offer of accreditation of prior work -based

:27:37. > :27:46.learning -- literacy and numeracy. There was also the early closure of

:27:47. > :27:52.the power station, and on-site office was established to provide

:27:53. > :27:58.support. Advice on elephants, employability support, support

:27:59. > :28:09.access training, it all contributed to 370 people being supported.

:28:10. > :28:13.Advice on benefits. 18% remain economically inactive. In terms of

:28:14. > :28:16.progress, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With support from the

:28:17. > :28:21.Scottish Government, particularly from the Minister, who recently met

:28:22. > :28:26.with the Falkirk economic partnership to discuss the progress

:28:27. > :28:30.in the investment zone, there is a positive vision in my constituency.

:28:31. > :28:34.Can I thank the Minister for help and encouragement he and his

:28:35. > :28:40.officials have provided locally in recent months? These measures will

:28:41. > :28:46.realise the initiative enabling a wider programme of assistance

:28:47. > :28:49.covering energy and enterprise growth and I have no doubt this will

:28:50. > :28:52.lead to further opportunities for people in Falkirk East and across

:28:53. > :28:57.the district who are seeking employment now and in the future. Of

:28:58. > :29:01.course in an ideal world, the support Pace provides would never

:29:02. > :29:07.have to be called upon. The economic uncertainty because of a number of

:29:08. > :29:11.factors, Brexit was mentioned earlier, times were redundancy is

:29:12. > :29:18.inevitable, Pace can be the difference between continued

:29:19. > :29:21.employment or an uncertain future. What Pace delivers locally and

:29:22. > :29:26.nationally is of vital importance in this difficult situations and I am

:29:27. > :29:29.pleased with the work being done in my area to help and support my

:29:30. > :29:34.constituents as and when it is required. It is not all doom and

:29:35. > :29:39.gloom, the unemployment situation has been stabilising, numbers

:29:40. > :29:43.dropping, and it is fair to say, Falkirk has had positive outlook and

:29:44. > :29:51.an exciting future. 2016, business Gateway in full quote assisted 283

:29:52. > :30:00.start-up businesses and tourism is a big new growth area -- in Falkirk.

:30:01. > :30:05.In addition, the council's economic strategy for Falkirk details plans

:30:06. > :30:12.to create an investment zone of national significance at Grangemouth

:30:13. > :30:16.and of course there are 250 acres of land creating 200 acres for sites

:30:17. > :30:23.expected to attract up to 500 jobs. Maybe more. Presiding Officer,

:30:24. > :30:27.business Gateway and Falkirk is forecasting new business and

:30:28. > :30:35.expansion of existing enterprises could bring around five ended in the

:30:36. > :30:43.next three years. -- 550 new jobs in the next three years. With the

:30:44. > :30:46.vision and energy and the new SNP administration, the need for future

:30:47. > :30:52.Pace intervention will hopefully be greatly reduced. Thank you.

:30:53. > :31:01.I called Gillian Martin, then Jamie Greene. Sadly, there were few if any

:31:02. > :31:05.people in my constituency that do not know someone affected by

:31:06. > :31:08.redundancy from the oil and gas sector. For decades, it was a

:31:09. > :31:13.reliable area of the economy, not just for those directly employed,

:31:14. > :31:17.but also the tens of thousands of people working in the supply chain

:31:18. > :31:20.connected to oil and gas and the businesses benefited from the

:31:21. > :31:26.disposable income of high wage earners in the sector which allowed

:31:27. > :31:30.the hospitality sector to flourish. In the last two years, a decrease in

:31:31. > :31:34.the global oil price and reluctance of the government to offer

:31:35. > :31:38.guarantees to exploration companies has led to significant job losses in

:31:39. > :31:42.the sector and there is a pressing need for support of the men and

:31:43. > :31:45.women making effort to retrain and find new ways to work in a very

:31:46. > :31:51.different employment landscape in the area.

:31:52. > :31:58.Rashid alone they helped over 1000 individuals in dealing with

:31:59. > :32:02.redundancy. In December the reported having more than 2000 apprentices in

:32:03. > :32:09.training. That came alongside fantastic news that out of over

:32:10. > :32:14.11,000 16 to 19-year-olds in Aberdeenshire, 93.2 work in

:32:15. > :32:17.learning, training or work. The tangible difference been made in the

:32:18. > :32:20.lives of people who work in oil and gas and the new options been

:32:21. > :32:26.highlighted for constrictions like mine is a development I welcome. In

:32:27. > :32:29.March of this year, PACE held an appointment event in Aberdeenshire

:32:30. > :32:35.bringing together a hundred individuals affected by

:32:36. > :32:40.redundancies. There were other opportunities use these skills is

:32:41. > :32:43.people had already learned. Physically bringing together

:32:44. > :32:47.employees with employers is a very effective way to get people a chance

:32:48. > :32:52.to get back to work, and I commend PACE for taking the steps to

:32:53. > :32:55.identify opportunities like this. PACE brings together many employment

:32:56. > :32:59.support agencies and programmes that are available to people from the

:33:00. > :33:03.north-east. More than 400 new churning places are now available to

:33:04. > :33:05.people who are now leaving that oil and gas sector to gain the skills

:33:06. > :33:10.you need to move into other industries thanks to the journey

:33:11. > :33:15.fun. This fund was set up by the Scottish gunmen to offer support

:33:16. > :33:18.with training grants and to help reaching, add scale and get

:33:19. > :33:24.accreditation that would help them get a different job in oil and gas,

:33:25. > :33:27.the weight of energy sector, engineering and manufacturing. Let's

:33:28. > :33:31.not forget that people in oil and gas industry are highly trained

:33:32. > :33:38.people working in Scotland and have had to go through years of rigorous

:33:39. > :33:43.training on an almost quarterly basis, and a lot of the certificates

:33:44. > :33:48.that they have have to be looked at in terms of how they can be

:33:49. > :33:52.transferred into other disciplines. Any such as renewables,

:33:53. > :33:56.construction, teaching, rod holders, smart meter installation and real

:33:57. > :34:02.are sure to benefit from the highly educated and skilled people trained

:34:03. > :34:05.in oil and gas. The training fund ensures that these road back to

:34:06. > :34:10.employment are created and communicated. There is a must that

:34:11. > :34:14.former oil and gas markers are not interested in readjusting to new

:34:15. > :34:19.types of work, but the reality is that when you speak to people

:34:20. > :34:22.worried about their job are the future, that the absolutely want to

:34:23. > :34:26.contribute to the Scottish economy. They want to provide for the cells

:34:27. > :34:29.and their families and they wanted have the opportunity to work in a

:34:30. > :34:34.stable sector. Let's not forget that a lot of these people went to a

:34:35. > :34:39.setting in the early 90s when he had to take a pay cut on a rate cut, or

:34:40. > :34:43.the lost jobs then and came back into the industry. They don't really

:34:44. > :34:44.want to go through that again, so they are very keen to be redeployed

:34:45. > :35:02.in other areas of the workforce. I have just chaired a meeting of the

:35:03. > :35:05.Government emergency committee, Cobra, where we discussed the

:35:06. > :35:11.details of and the response to the appalling events in Manchester last

:35:12. > :35:13.night our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and with the

:35:14. > :35:20.families and friends of all those affected. It is now beyond doubt

:35:21. > :35:26.that the people of Manchester and of this country have fallen victim to a

:35:27. > :35:29.callous terrorist attack, an attack that targeted some of the youngest

:35:30. > :35:36.people in our society with cold calculation. This was among the

:35:37. > :35:41.worst terrorist incidents we have ever experienced in the United

:35:42. > :35:45.Kingdom, and although it is not the first time Manchester has suffered

:35:46. > :35:51.in this way, it is a worse attack this city has experienced and the

:35:52. > :35:55.worst ever to head the north of England. The police and security

:35:56. > :36:00.services are working at speed to establish the complete picture, but

:36:01. > :36:07.I wanted to tell you what I can at this stage. At 1033 last night, the

:36:08. > :36:12.police were called to report an explosion at Manchester Arena, in

:36:13. > :36:19.Manchester city centre, near Victoria train station. We now know

:36:20. > :36:22.that a single terrorist detonated his improvised explosive device near

:36:23. > :36:28.one of the exits of the venue, deliberately choosing the time and

:36:29. > :36:34.place to cause maximum carnage and to kill and injure indiscriminately.

:36:35. > :36:38.The explosion coincided with the inclusion of a pop concert which was

:36:39. > :36:46.attended by many young families and groups of children. All I saw

:36:47. > :36:52.terrorism are cowardly attacks on innocent people, but this attack

:36:53. > :36:56.stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice. Deliberately

:36:57. > :37:01.tagging and Saint, defence the children and young people who should

:37:02. > :37:08.have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives. As

:37:09. > :37:14.things stand, I can tell you that in addition to the attacker, 22 people

:37:15. > :37:17.have died and 59 people had been injured. Those who write and had I

:37:18. > :37:22.been treated in a different hospitals across Greater Manchester.

:37:23. > :37:27.Many are being treated for life-threatening conditions. And we

:37:28. > :37:34.know that among those killed and injured by many children and young

:37:35. > :37:37.people. We struggle to comprehend the warped and twisted mind that

:37:38. > :37:44.sees a room packed with young children not as I seem to cherish,

:37:45. > :37:48.but as an opportunity for carnage, but we can continue to resolve to

:37:49. > :37:53.thwart such attacks in the future, to take on and defeat the ideology

:37:54. > :37:57.that often feels as violence, and if there are tonnes out to be those

:37:58. > :38:02.responsible for that attack, to seek them out and bring them to justice.

:38:03. > :38:06.The police and security services believe that the attack was carried

:38:07. > :38:11.out by one man, but they now need to know why he was acting alone was

:38:12. > :38:17.part of a wider group. It will take some time to establish these facts,

:38:18. > :38:19.and the investigation will continue. The police and security services

:38:20. > :38:25.will be given all the resources they need to complete that task. The

:38:26. > :38:29.police and security services believe they know the identity of the

:38:30. > :38:35.perpetrator, but at this stage of the investigations we cannot confirm

:38:36. > :38:42.his name. Their police and emergency services have, as always, acted with

:38:43. > :38:46.great courage and on behalf of the country I want to express gratitude

:38:47. > :38:51.to them. They acted in accordance with the plans you have in place,

:38:52. > :38:57.and the exercises they conducted test those plans, and they performed

:38:58. > :39:01.with the utmost professionalism. 400 police officers were involved in the

:39:02. > :39:05.operation through the night, and many paramedics, doctors and nurses

:39:06. > :39:12.have worked valiantly amateur Matic and terrible scenes to save lives

:39:13. > :39:17.and care for the wounded. Significant resources have been

:39:18. > :39:20.deployed to the police investigation and continue to be visible patrols

:39:21. > :39:27.around Manchester, which include the deployment of armed officers. For

:39:28. > :39:30.people who live and work in Manchester, there remains a large

:39:31. > :39:34.cauldron in place and I Manchester Arena Victoria Station, which will

:39:35. > :39:37.be in place for some time. The station is closed and will remain

:39:38. > :39:43.closed well a detailed forensic search is underway. We know that

:39:44. > :39:47.many friends and relatives of people caught up in the attack are still

:39:48. > :39:53.trying to find out what has happened to their children, brothers and

:39:54. > :39:57.sisters, parents and loved ones, salt, please, think of those people

:39:58. > :40:02.who are experiencing unimaginable worry, and if you have any

:40:03. > :40:06.information at all relating to the attack, please contact Greater

:40:07. > :40:13.Manchester Police. The threat level remains that Syria. That means that

:40:14. > :40:23.a terrorist attack means highly likely. -- remains at saviour. We

:40:24. > :40:29.will continue SS this thread today and and the days ahead. Later today,

:40:30. > :40:33.I will travel to Manchester to meet the Chief Constable of Greater

:40:34. > :40:38.Manchester Police, Ian Hopkins, the mayor of greater amount to, Andy

:40:39. > :40:43.Burnham, and members of the emergency services who came to

:40:44. > :40:47.Manchester's aid in the moment of need. As I announced last night, the

:40:48. > :40:52.general election campaign has been suspended. I will cheer another

:40:53. > :40:56.meeting of Cobra later today. A terrible moments like this, it is

:40:57. > :40:59.cast before leaders, politicians and others to condemn the perpetrators

:41:00. > :41:04.and to declare that the terrorists will not win. But the fact that we

:41:05. > :41:11.have been you before and the fact that we need to say this again does

:41:12. > :41:15.not make it any less true. For as often as we experience but the worst

:41:16. > :41:20.of humanity in Manchester last night, we also saw the best. The

:41:21. > :41:26.cowardice of the attacker met the bravery of the emergency services

:41:27. > :41:31.and the people of Manchester. The attempt to divide is met countless

:41:32. > :41:35.acts of kindness that brought people closer together, and in the days

:41:36. > :41:42.ahead, those must be the things we remember. The images we hold in our

:41:43. > :41:45.mind should not be those of senseless slaughter, but of the

:41:46. > :41:51.ordinary men and women who bid concerns about their own safety to

:41:52. > :41:55.one side and rushed to help. The men and women of the emergency services,

:41:56. > :42:02.who tirelessly to bring comfort to help anti-serum lives. Of the

:42:03. > :42:08.messages of solidarity and hope, of all those who open their homes to

:42:09. > :42:13.the victims. They are the images that embody the spirit of Manchester

:42:14. > :42:16.and the spirit of Britain. S Bennett that two years of conflict and

:42:17. > :42:25.terrorism has never been broken and will never be broken. There will be

:42:26. > :42:29.difficult days ahead. We offer our thoughts and prayers to the family

:42:30. > :42:33.and friends of those affected. We offer our full support to the

:42:34. > :42:39.authorities, the emergency and the security services as a go about

:42:40. > :42:43.their work, and we all, every single one of us, stand with the people of

:42:44. > :42:52.Manchester at this terrible time. And today, letters remember those

:42:53. > :42:56.those who died and let us celebrate those who helped, safe in the

:42:57. > :43:00.knowledge that the terrorists will never won, and our values, our

:43:01. > :43:45.country, and our way of life will always prevail.

:43:46. > :43:53.The next item of business as portfolio questions. Number one,

:43:54. > :43:58.Rose Thompson. Thank you. To as the Scottish Government Harry agrees it

:43:59. > :44:05.estimate of ?150 million annual cost for the new Social Security agency.

:44:06. > :44:07.Presiding Officer, the executive summary of the outline business case

:44:08. > :44:12.for this Social Security agency Scotland which was published on the

:44:13. > :44:16.Scottish Government website on the 27th of April 2017 contains if real

:44:17. > :44:25.explanation. Further detail is also contained in the main document and

:44:26. > :44:30.chapters two, five and nine. And I forgot to say the usual mantra,

:44:31. > :44:35.short questions, short answers, though I except that that was

:44:36. > :44:38.required. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. I know

:44:39. > :44:42.that the Cabinet Secretary Finance committee conceded that the cost of

:44:43. > :44:46.delivery of the benefits will be greater than the present cost. When

:44:47. > :44:55.quizzed by my colleague Alness, Mr Mackay was unable to elaborate on

:44:56. > :44:57.these cars. Can the Cabinet secretary explained where the

:44:58. > :45:03.Scottish Government has quantified this cost and exactly what it will

:45:04. > :45:06.be? The Cabinet Secretary for refiners conceded no such thing, but

:45:07. > :45:10.of course it is on the official record what he did or did not say to

:45:11. > :45:17.the Finance committee. Can I point out that the agency running cost

:45:18. > :45:25.will be around 5% of what we spend on benefits, and the combinable

:45:26. > :45:31.figure for DWP is Ashley 6.3%. The running costs estimates from a cost

:45:32. > :45:35.using activity base and information from the Department of work

:45:36. > :45:39.impressions, and a minister in her statement not that long ago said

:45:40. > :45:45.that these figures would be further refined in terms of the more nuanced

:45:46. > :45:53.details signs of the system. And of course, the location of the agency,

:45:54. > :45:57.but I think of running cost, at estimated at around 5%, that shows

:45:58. > :45:59.that our figures are credible, they are compatible with the UK

:46:00. > :46:06.Government, and they are value for money. To assess Scottish Government

:46:07. > :46:12.plan has two the guidance on what constitutes a danger this building.

:46:13. > :46:16.Thank you. This got is Government does not provide guidance on what

:46:17. > :46:21.constitutes a danger this building. Local authorities are responsible

:46:22. > :46:22.and the building Scotland act, 2003, to deal with buildings that they

:46:23. > :46:33.consider to be dangerous. They also have powers to deal with

:46:34. > :46:40.buildings they considered effective. Has the Scottish Government made

:46:41. > :46:47.consideration for buildings that need security monitoring to keep

:46:48. > :46:53.children out? I do not feel... We have got your question, thank you.

:46:54. > :46:59.As I said, it is up to local authorities themselves to decide

:47:00. > :47:04.whether a building is dangerous or defective and to take the necessary

:47:05. > :47:11.actions they feel they need to take with the legislation in place to do

:47:12. > :47:14.so. Question three. Thank you. To ask the Scottish Government how it

:47:15. > :47:21.will encourage the uptake of all the devolved benefits to which people

:47:22. > :47:26.might be entitled. Social Security is a human right and we are

:47:27. > :47:30.determined to support everyone to claim the benefits to which they are

:47:31. > :47:36.entitled. There are a range of reasons why people do not claim such

:47:37. > :47:40.support and it is disappointing UK Government has not taken action to

:47:41. > :47:44.improve take-up, making sure everyone receives financial support

:47:45. > :47:48.is one of the first steps to putting dignity and respect at the heart of

:47:49. > :47:55.Social Security in Scotland. We have made a clear commitment to do all we

:47:56. > :47:59.can to maximise family income. Over the course of this parliamentary

:48:00. > :48:02.term, we will deliver a programme of activity to increase uptake of

:48:03. > :48:09.Social Security by encouraging people to exercise their rights and

:48:10. > :48:13.claim the benefits they are due. What assessment has the Government

:48:14. > :48:20.made of the effectiveness...? I beg your pardon. Quite right. Frowning

:48:21. > :48:27.at me. Alison Johnson. I am out of practice! Thank you. I thank the

:48:28. > :48:29.Cabinet Secretary for her response. Today the Scottish Parliament

:48:30. > :48:34.becomes responsible for a range of benefits including carers allowance

:48:35. > :48:38.and many of the benefits have complicated interactions with one

:48:39. > :48:43.another, making it more difficult for people to understand their

:48:44. > :48:48.entitlement. When someone... Let us have a question. What work is under

:48:49. > :48:53.way to review how the benefits being devolved interact and what steps are

:48:54. > :49:01.being taken to make this complicated system easier to not navigate? --

:49:02. > :49:06.easier to navigate? It is complex and therefore a very important point

:49:07. > :49:11.for the Scottish Government to help people navigate their way through

:49:12. > :49:19.the laxity is to ensure the agency has the duty to maximise income is

:49:20. > :49:24.-- the complexity. It will help us know and evaluate what works in

:49:25. > :49:27.terms of encouraging people to take up the benefits they are entitled

:49:28. > :49:34.to, whether they are reserve benefits or devolved. As I say in my

:49:35. > :49:38.closing remarks to yesterday's debate, we will have a Round Table

:49:39. > :49:46.with our partners and local government, ensuring the work we do

:49:47. > :49:53.in this parliamentary term is consistent and broadbrush and

:49:54. > :49:57.targeted to people who need advice. Yesterday I was confused with

:49:58. > :50:09.someone else and today Alison Johnson. Probably progress! What has

:50:10. > :50:17.the assessment been of the week-long campaign to highlight support? It is

:50:18. > :50:20.a fair point. The campaign in March was just phase one, broadbrush

:50:21. > :50:24.campaign to support the general take-up of benefits, the press

:50:25. > :50:29.activity had the potential to reach over 1 million people, the radio

:50:30. > :50:35.activity had the potential also to reach 1.3 million people. And we

:50:36. > :50:39.know from the Citizens Advice Bureau that they have had an increase in

:50:40. > :50:45.inquiries and website activity. In terms of the more detailed nuanced

:50:46. > :50:51.analysis of the impact, that work is still going on. Can the Cabinet

:50:52. > :50:55.Secretary tell us the value of the unclaimed devolved benefits that the

:50:56. > :51:00.UK Government has failed to encourage the take-up of? It is

:51:01. > :51:06.quite difficult to get accurate information in relation to benefits

:51:07. > :51:12.that will be devolved but what we know over the piece and terms of

:51:13. > :51:19.benefits and child tax benefits in particular, there are more than half

:51:20. > :51:26.a million individuals and families who are not claiming what they are

:51:27. > :51:29.entitled to. That gives an onus on the Scottish garment to do more but

:51:30. > :51:35.it begs big westerns about what the UK Government is doing to increase

:51:36. > :51:38.uptake -- that gives an onus on the Scottish Government to do more but

:51:39. > :51:44.it begs big questions about what the UK Government is doing to increase

:51:45. > :51:49.uptake. What assessment has been made of the impact that an increased

:51:50. > :51:55.carers allowance would have on disability poverty? Thank you. The

:51:56. > :51:59.aim of the increased carers allowance is to recognise the vital

:52:00. > :52:04.contributions carers make to society. We are assessing the impact

:52:05. > :52:08.currently of the policy on other groups along with other policies

:52:09. > :52:14.including disabled people through the equality impact assessments. I

:52:15. > :52:19.thank the Minister. Now that both the powers to top up and make

:52:20. > :52:24.changes have been devolved and ends in this Chamber, we have the powers

:52:25. > :52:28.to legislate and improve the lives of carers across Scotland. I am a

:52:29. > :52:36.cocoa bean of the cross-party group for carers. I want a question.

:52:37. > :52:41.Before we get to carers week... I want a question. Can the Minister

:52:42. > :52:44.give greater clarity on the payment of the increased allowance as to

:52:45. > :52:49.when and how it will be paid and whether she has considered the

:52:50. > :52:53.possibility of backdating to September to reflect when the powers

:52:54. > :52:58.of top-up would evolve? As she rightly says, we now have to bring

:52:59. > :53:04.the legislation to the parliament to give us the legal framework to give

:53:05. > :53:10.additional payments. We will do so before summary says. We are

:53:11. > :53:14.considering how we will make the additional top-up payments. --

:53:15. > :53:23.before summer recess. We want to do it sooner. We will use the views and

:53:24. > :53:30.experiences of our panels and expert groups and if the cross-party group

:53:31. > :53:33.has additional comments to draw to my attention, I would be happy to

:53:34. > :53:38.receive those. The Scottish Government, by what date for the

:53:39. > :53:42.next phase of the benefit uptake campaign begin and how long it will

:53:43. > :53:49.run and who the target audience will be? We will have a rolling programme

:53:50. > :53:51.of activity over the course of the Parliamentary term, the next phase

:53:52. > :53:57.will be focused on young carers. During carers week from the 12 until

:53:58. > :54:01.the 18th of June, we will take action to ensure young carers are

:54:02. > :54:05.aware of the benefits available to them and to encourage take-up. We

:54:06. > :54:09.are working in partnership with carers trust Scotland and a wide

:54:10. > :54:13.range of stakeholders who will support this activity. We know

:54:14. > :54:17.carers and young people play a crucial role in society and it is

:54:18. > :54:20.vitally important we support them in looking after the people they care

:54:21. > :54:24.for which can often be in very challenging circumstances. I welcome

:54:25. > :54:31.the comments she has made about young carers. My disappointment in

:54:32. > :54:40.the level of investment, I have raised it recently. Up to ?2 billion

:54:41. > :54:46.in benefits in Scotland are going in -- going unclaimed. Has she

:54:47. > :54:52.considered for example for everyone can spend advising, it is estimated

:54:53. > :54:58.?39 is delivered in additional benefits? Can she look to use the GP

:54:59. > :55:03.contract process to look at that as being a possible location for the

:55:04. > :55:08.benefit right services? I thank him for his question. He is aware that

:55:09. > :55:13.in terms of the phase one of the campaign, we have made a modest

:55:14. > :55:16.value for money investment. It will increase over the lifetime of the

:55:17. > :55:21.parliament and it will amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds. The

:55:22. > :55:25.issue about: patient is very potent. It could be something we could pick

:55:26. > :55:37.up in terms of a Round Table discussion -- co location. We could

:55:38. > :55:44.ask health ministers to discuss some issues with those who engage with

:55:45. > :55:47.GPs, but certainly, that issue of co location of people being able to get

:55:48. > :55:53.advice where they currently access public services it is a point well

:55:54. > :55:59.made, it features in the work we are doing in and around Social Security

:56:00. > :56:01.and our advice services review. Can the Cabinet Secretary confirm how

:56:02. > :56:06.much benefit uptake campaigns have cost this fast and what the Scottish

:56:07. > :56:12.garment hands done to ensure value for money in the delivery -- cost

:56:13. > :56:17.this far and what the Scottish Government has done. The broadbrush

:56:18. > :56:22.phase one of the campaign was a modest investment of ?6,000. As I

:56:23. > :56:30.said, that investment will increase to hundreds of thousands of pounds,

:56:31. > :56:33.but it begs the question, while we and the Scottish garment are

:56:34. > :56:37.prepared to invest in benefit take-up campaigns, we have half a

:56:38. > :56:41.million families, households, they are not getting what they are

:56:42. > :56:47.entitled to, it begs the question why we have no activity from the UK

:56:48. > :56:50.Government. Further to the previous questions and answers, can the

:56:51. > :56:54.secretary tell the Chamber of what work it is aware of the UK

:56:55. > :57:02.Government carrying out to increase benefits uptake? I am not aware of

:57:03. > :57:05.any recent work undertaken by the UK Government to increase benefit

:57:06. > :57:15.uptake which is both disappointing but perhaps not unsurprising. Thank

:57:16. > :57:17.you. To ask the Scottish Government how many planning appeals determined

:57:18. > :57:23.under ministerial direction in the last year have been contrary to

:57:24. > :57:26.local development plans. Nine planning appeals were determined

:57:27. > :57:31.under ministerial direction in the last year, seven of the appeals

:57:32. > :57:34.determined were for development contrary to the relevant development

:57:35. > :57:40.plans, and two were approved of these. I thank the Minister for the

:57:41. > :57:44.response. I hope he acknowledges public confidence in the planning

:57:45. > :57:48.system will be low where communities have spent years working on local

:57:49. > :57:52.development plans only to have decisions in line with the plans

:57:53. > :57:56.overturned. Can I ask why it has taken so long to determine the

:57:57. > :58:00.controversial appeal on the development given it has been nine

:58:01. > :58:03.months since the public inquiry concluded and nearly five months

:58:04. > :58:10.since the report landed on his desk? Thank you, this is a complex

:58:11. > :58:14.planning application and ministers are currently giving full and proper

:58:15. > :58:21.consideration to it. Every effort is being made to issue the decision as

:58:22. > :58:28.soon as possible. Question seven, sorry. Donald Campbell. What is the

:58:29. > :58:31.Scottish Government's response to the Census 2016 estimating the

:58:32. > :58:40.number of churchgoers will have more than halved between 2000 and 2025?

:58:41. > :58:44.Freedom of religion and of the choice to worship is an important

:58:45. > :58:48.right in our society and the Scottish church census things the

:58:49. > :58:52.useful picture of how the right is being exercised. It is not for the

:58:53. > :58:56.Scottish Government to express a view on how individuals choose to

:58:57. > :58:59.exercise their faith, but we will continue to engage with the

:59:00. > :59:04.different faith communities to understand the issues and listen to

:59:05. > :59:09.concerns. In relation to this, we would be happy to meet with the

:59:10. > :59:15.church and the council and others to discuss the particular issues raised

:59:16. > :59:19.by the census. She will be aware that the report suggests that

:59:20. > :59:24.Christian denominations are seeing falling church attendances. Given

:59:25. > :59:27.the importance of faith to the well-being of people and society,

:59:28. > :59:34.what can the Scottish Government offer in terms of support for all

:59:35. > :59:42.faith groups at this time? Scotland has a strong sense of social justice

:59:43. > :59:48.and faith communities include -- including Christian communities. In

:59:49. > :59:55.terms of the support that we give to faith communities, we support

:59:56. > :00:00.interfaith work and Scotland is a world leader in interfaith work and

:00:01. > :00:07.that interfaith dialogue and relations is crucially important to

:00:08. > :00:11.community cohesion and ensuring we continue to have good community

:00:12. > :00:16.cohesion and it is imperative, given the challenges we face,

:00:17. > :00:19.collectively, in our society, but there is mutual understanding and

:00:20. > :00:27.respect and that has become more in recent study macro -- more important

:00:28. > :00:31.in recent times. There is a fun supporting interfaith work, but the

:00:32. > :00:37.border third sector work also supports some of the issues of faith

:00:38. > :00:43.communities, very active in terms of social justice. -- there is a fund.

:00:44. > :00:48.Food justice would be a good example in terms of the work all faiths have

:00:49. > :00:51.been doing in that area. I quite like short answers and shorter

:00:52. > :00:57.questions. Number eight, Kenneth Gibson. What discussions have they

:00:58. > :01:03.had with the UK Government regarding the impact of the welfare reforms on

:01:04. > :01:07.communities in North Ayrshire? The Scottish Government has repeatedly

:01:08. > :01:10.called on the UK Government to halt the welfare reform programme,

:01:11. > :01:13.specifically we have called for an immediate stop to the roll-out of

:01:14. > :01:17.both Personal Independence Payments and universal credit, as well as an

:01:18. > :01:29.end to the sanctions regime until the issues of

:01:30. > :01:36.Our Sheffied Hallam University that Tory Social Security cuts have no

:01:37. > :01:40.relationship with employment growth and that the evidence provides

:01:41. > :01:45.little support for the view that welfare reform as having important

:01:46. > :01:52.impact on them labour market in Scotland. But she acknowledged that

:01:53. > :02:00.?540 dart that a long, long question, sorry minister. Thank you.

:02:01. > :02:06.I do acknowledge both that figure, they figures that I have seen range

:02:07. > :02:10.from between 382 540 pounds per person in Escher removed as a result

:02:11. > :02:16.of the welfare reforms, all of which of course is part of the 1 billion

:02:17. > :02:20.removed by the UK Government from people in Scotland in the welfare

:02:21. > :02:25.reforms introduced between 2015 and 2020, on top of the 1.4 billion that

:02:26. > :02:29.had already been taken up until that point, and I do absolutely agree

:02:30. > :02:33.with the member that there is no sustainable evidence that any of

:02:34. > :02:36.these welfare reforms at either reducing the national debt, which is

:02:37. > :02:46.itself increasing, while assisting more people into employment.

:02:47. > :02:50.Question nine, Monica Lennon. I draw the members attempting to might

:02:51. > :02:53.register of interests as a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute

:02:54. > :02:56.and a former south Lanarkshire councillor. To assess Scottish

:02:57. > :03:02.Government by the table with chart their planning consent it issued for

:03:03. > :03:09.an incinerator facility at white hell in Hamilton. The Scottish

:03:10. > :03:14.ministers do not propose to use a revocation powers in this case. I

:03:15. > :03:18.thank the Minister for his short answer. It will be no surprise to

:03:19. > :03:23.him that I am disappointed and my constituents will also be

:03:24. > :03:31.disappointed and very angry. I simply ask why? I met with Ms Lennon

:03:32. > :03:35.last year, and at that meeting I pointed out to heart that any

:03:36. > :03:40.revocation are planning permission would be for South Lanarkshire

:03:41. > :03:43.Council in the first instance. Ms Lennon has a ready pointed out that

:03:44. > :03:48.she was a member of South Lanarkshire Council at that point, I

:03:49. > :03:58.wonder if Juninho tenure there that he adds the mood for a revocation of

:03:59. > :04:02.this planning application. Incinerator capacity is projected to

:04:03. > :04:07.increase 12 times in the next five years, so this will mean councils

:04:08. > :04:12.might be contracted to both a barn and recycle the same waste, which

:04:13. > :04:15.clearly cannot happen. By the Scottish Government consider a

:04:16. > :04:22.moratorium on new incinerator construction? As the member is well

:04:23. > :04:30.aware, it will be held considered of me as planning Minister to talk

:04:31. > :04:36.about any applications which may be forthcoming. In terms of the general

:04:37. > :04:41.policy regarding energy from waste, his question would be best directed

:04:42. > :04:46.to the Cabinet Secretary for the environment. Question 11. To assess

:04:47. > :04:52.Scottish Government by that there are plans for the access to elected

:04:53. > :04:54.office from Scotland to be open to disabled people wishing to be

:04:55. > :05:01.nominated for the 2017 general election. Thank you. Because all

:05:02. > :05:03.aspects of election to the House of Commons and reserve, the 26 in

:05:04. > :05:09.Scotland I prepared its eyes from using our fund to provide to provide

:05:10. > :05:12.assistance to disabled candidates in the general election. The UK a clone

:05:13. > :05:16.of the fund ended in 2015 when the Conservative Party came to power and

:05:17. > :05:25.repeated tours took reopen it have gone and he did. Given the success

:05:26. > :05:29.of the fund at the most recent local elections, helping 39% candidate Pat

:05:30. > :05:32.and 412 to ultimately be elected, there is a minister not agree that

:05:33. > :05:36.this Labour funding levels the playing field and which you join me

:05:37. > :05:42.in calling on the UK Government to reopen the UK equivalent fund? I

:05:43. > :05:47.thank the member for that follow-up. Actually, more importantly than

:05:48. > :05:52.either Mr Beatty or myself, the candidates, those individuals who

:05:53. > :05:57.used our fund to stand in the most recent local council elections

:05:58. > :05:59.themselves say, and the organisations including including

:06:00. > :06:05.Scotland, who monitored and 11 that find on our behalf all say that

:06:06. > :06:09.defined act significantly to level the playing field, so I think it is

:06:10. > :06:13.proving itself to be six vessel. We will continue it for the Holyrood

:06:14. > :06:17.elections, and as we said yesterday, we are now looking at how we may use

:06:18. > :06:21.that fund and that approach in terms of other areas of public life, and

:06:22. > :06:28.I'm very happy to continue our calls to the UK Government to follow our

:06:29. > :06:34.example. To assess Scottish Government what safeguards are in

:06:35. > :06:39.place to protect communities that in close but omitted to extensive

:06:40. > :06:47.building works. A range of safeguards are in place including

:06:48. > :06:51.planning, environmental health, bulging standards and environmental

:06:52. > :06:58.protection regulations. I thank the Minister for that answer. I have

:06:59. > :07:00.been contact by a constituent living in close proximity to Donaldson

:07:01. > :07:07.School in Edinburgh which is currently undergoing extensive

:07:08. > :07:14.building works. They have concerned about the dust in the air. By the

:07:15. > :07:17.Minister Loic at this issue alongside other Government

:07:18. > :07:20.departments in order to find a solution to this problem? I would

:07:21. > :07:26.suggest that Mr Lang has contact Edinburgh City Council to get them

:07:27. > :07:32.to to check what is going on at that site. I would imagine that that

:07:33. > :07:38.would be helpful to his constituent. The council itself has the ability

:07:39. > :07:46.to take action if there is anything improper going on. To assess

:07:47. > :07:48.Scottish Government what it is doing to increase the availability of

:07:49. > :07:55.affordable housing in the north-east of Scotland. We continue to make

:07:56. > :07:57.significant increases to our investment in building more

:07:58. > :08:03.affordable housing in the north-east. Aberdeen city and

:08:04. > :08:05.Aberdeenshire councils were allocated ?12 million and ?90

:08:06. > :08:12.million respectively for the affordable housing programmes in

:08:13. > :08:17.2017, which in itself requested approximate double the resources

:08:18. > :08:19.allocated in 2015. Aberdeen said the deal also includes ?29 of

:08:20. > :08:26.infrastructure funding from the Scottish Government to unlock

:08:27. > :08:31.Housing sites, and a five-year certainty of ?130 million of

:08:32. > :08:34.affordable housing grant. Thank you for that answer. High House prices

:08:35. > :08:39.in the north-east have an impact on filling vacant post in the public

:08:40. > :08:42.sector. Can a minister advise me of any schemes that are ongoing to

:08:43. > :08:48.prioritise availability for affordable homes for those working

:08:49. > :08:54.in the public sector? The Scottish Government provided additional ?8

:08:55. > :08:57.million to support 124 units key worker housing project on surplus

:08:58. > :09:02.public sector land at the former Craig and his present in Aberdeen,

:09:03. > :09:06.which is due for completion in March 2000 18. A big sector workers

:09:07. > :09:11.provide an essential service, including any staff and teachers in

:09:12. > :09:19.particular, will benefit from this offer. Also in the pipeline is a

:09:20. > :09:22.Scottish Government funded 100 unit housing project at Burnside in

:09:23. > :09:29.Aberdeen, were NHS staff will also be prioritised. And so you will be

:09:30. > :09:34.heartened to Poti and very and see the new housing there by the housing

:09:35. > :09:39.association, which I think was welcomed by all the tenants. To as

:09:40. > :09:43.the Scottish Government what response it has received from the

:09:44. > :09:46.third sector to the comment by the Minister for social security and

:09:47. > :09:50.private sector should not be involved and assessment for

:09:51. > :09:54.Scotland's the benefits. We have received a very positive response

:09:55. > :09:57.from across the third sector including poverty Alliance, gel

:09:58. > :10:02.poverty action group, inclusion Scotland and the Council of Scottish

:10:03. > :10:06.voluntary organisations. We have also received a number of positive

:10:07. > :10:08.responses directly from individuals with disabilities and their

:10:09. > :10:15.statement was adversely welcomed by the public service union. I thank

:10:16. > :10:20.the Minister for that answer. Does the Minister believed that the model

:10:21. > :10:23.of assessment will be better able to deal with mental health conditions

:10:24. > :10:29.and fluctuating conditions of claimants than is currently the case

:10:30. > :10:34.under the reserved UK system? It is certainly our intention that that

:10:35. > :10:38.will be the case, and we are working with the disability and carers

:10:39. > :10:42.benefits expert advisory group and in particular with the assistance of

:10:43. > :10:47.Doctor Alan McDevitt, who chairs the GP group, to work with other health

:10:48. > :10:54.professionals and those in the social care sector to divide her as

:10:55. > :10:57.a much quicker, and fear assessment process which will allow better

:10:58. > :11:04.decisions to be made first time, and will allow us to use those with the

:11:05. > :11:07.relevant clinical, medical or social care experience to conduct any

:11:08. > :11:11.assessments that may be required, relevant to the condition of the

:11:12. > :11:17.individual. That should, and it is our intention that it well, address

:11:18. > :11:20.your particular deficiencies in the current system, particularly our own

:11:21. > :11:25.mental health, fluctuating conditions and other matters were

:11:26. > :11:28.people from people from the expert panels, from the experienced banners

:11:29. > :11:35.and from a consultation made very clear to see improvements. To assess

:11:36. > :11:39.Scottish Government what it is by and says to recent figures that

:11:40. > :11:44.suggest Scottish welfare fund has supported more than 241,000

:11:45. > :11:54.households with awards totalling 124 mullion pounds. It is incorrect to

:11:55. > :12:02.say that since 2013, 24 Jimmy haven't tested 19 million and then

:12:03. > :12:05.fund, helping many households, a third of which include children.

:12:06. > :12:09.Providing this vital lifeline for people of Scotland is of course the

:12:10. > :12:14.right thing to do for any TV and compassionate Government, but it is

:12:15. > :12:21.wrong that people in Scotland and this Government have to continue to

:12:22. > :12:25.use our resources to pay for -- paper over the increasing levels of

:12:26. > :12:31.hardship as a result of the UK but Government ideological agenda

:12:32. > :12:38.welfare agenda. There's the Minister share my concern that this number

:12:39. > :12:46.and the money will in fact rise to this six-week minimum alt Andile I'm

:12:47. > :12:52.first payment on the UK Government's universal credit system? There isn't

:12:53. > :12:57.a growing evidence that this six-week delay in terms of universal

:12:58. > :13:02.credit first payment is producing additional hardship, and I know that

:13:03. > :13:06.my colleague married Todd from the Highlands has raised this matter on

:13:07. > :13:11.a number of occasions, and indeed on Monday I myself will be talking to

:13:12. > :13:14.people in Inverness about precisely that problem. That then does produce

:13:15. > :13:20.additional pressures on welfare fund, and we have made specific

:13:21. > :13:25.additional resources allocation is to try and assist that, but the

:13:26. > :13:30.bottom line always remains that the problem lies disorders, which is a

:13:31. > :13:35.UK Government's welfare agenda, their cuts, which they tell as are

:13:36. > :13:39.there to help manage the public finances in a situation where the

:13:40. > :13:48.public debt continued to rise, and is now, I believe someone around

:13:49. > :13:50.?1.8 billion. To assess Scottish Government how many households in

:13:51. > :13:56.Scotland will be affected by the changes to child tax credit that of

:13:57. > :13:59.integers on the 6th of April. The Scottish Government is deeply

:14:00. > :14:08.opposed to the UK Government's to tell tax credit cup by 2020 and

:14:09. > :14:15.50,000 Scottish has also been negatively affected. It will push

:14:16. > :14:20.more and more families into poverty. Can I ask what response if any you

:14:21. > :14:22.have had from the UK Government in relation to the Scottish

:14:23. > :14:32.Parliament's decisive vote opposing the two tells cap and a main -- rape

:14:33. > :14:37.clause. We have had no response from the UK Government at all. As we all

:14:38. > :14:40.know, the rape clause is a fundamental violation of human

:14:41. > :14:46.rights, it is disgraceful that despite serious concerns raised in

:14:47. > :14:50.this chamber, and a wide range of organisations including Rape Crisis

:14:51. > :14:56.Scotland, And Scottish Women's It, Gummer That The Uk Government

:14:57. > :15:00.Refuses To Reverse This Shameful Policy. To Assess Scottish

:15:01. > :15:05.Government Whether It Has Received A Response From The Uk Government To

:15:06. > :15:09.Is Request To Halt The Roll-out Of Universal Credit In Scotland

:15:10. > :15:17.Following Reports That The New System Is Pushing More People Into

:15:18. > :15:21.Hardship And Debt. Regrettably, the Secretary of State did not respond

:15:22. > :15:26.directly to this request. He has sent a five page report extolling

:15:27. > :15:29.the virtues of universal credit, which itself confirmed that the UK

:15:30. > :15:36.Government has no intention of halting the roll-out. The Minister

:15:37. > :15:39.is aware that universal credit is causing real hardship to individuals

:15:40. > :15:45.in the Highlands. An addition, Andrea 's art causing real hardship

:15:46. > :15:48.to the local council and a housing associations find themselves in the

:15:49. > :15:51.unenviable position of pressuring tenant through the courts for a debt

:15:52. > :15:55.that is not of their own making. Does the Minister agree with me that

:15:56. > :16:01.the situation is completely unacceptable and must be halted? Yes

:16:02. > :16:07.I do. I think the evidence is stacking up by the day that the

:16:08. > :16:11.roll-out of universal credit, in particular the built-in six-week

:16:12. > :16:17.delay, for which I cannot yet find any reasonable credible explanation,

:16:18. > :16:20.is beating particular strain and causing more hardship for

:16:21. > :16:25.individuals. We will ourselves in with the support of the DWP to apply

:16:26. > :16:31.our particular flexibilities, which will allow the direct payment of

:16:32. > :16:34.rent to landlords, and the choice of twice weekly payments, but even that

:16:35. > :16:40.does not get us all that the six-week delay, and again, we would

:16:41. > :16:44.as the UK Government is seriously consider halting the roll-out of

:16:45. > :16:48.universal credit until the series as of hardship that it is imposing an

:16:49. > :16:54.bringing to families in Scotland are considered properly.

:16:55. > :17:05.To ask the Scottish Government when its officials last met with Atos

:17:06. > :17:11.health care? On the 5th of April this year, to obtain an

:17:12. > :17:15.understanding of how Atos's views the assessment process operating in

:17:16. > :17:22.Scotland. There are no plans to meet again. I thank the Minister for that

:17:23. > :17:26.answer. Will the Scottish Government ruled out at this stage any

:17:27. > :17:33.involvement with Atos in the design and delivery of the new Scottish

:17:34. > :17:38.Social Security system? I thank the member for that question. I believe

:17:39. > :17:41.I have all ready done so in the statement I gave to Parliament on

:17:42. > :17:46.the new Social Security agency, we made clear we see no place in the

:17:47. > :17:52.assessment of benefits for private sector companies. Question 19, the

:17:53. > :17:58.member is not here. I hope there will be good reasons for her not

:17:59. > :18:04.being present. Question 20. John Mason. And I congratulate you on

:18:05. > :18:08.getting to question 20? I was not particularly anticipating it. You

:18:09. > :18:14.must never take things here for granted! What is the position on the

:18:15. > :18:20.outcome of the local government elections? Scottish ministers

:18:21. > :18:26.congratulate all councillors elected and welcome the role they fulfil for

:18:27. > :18:29.their communities. We are delighted that elections were conducted

:18:30. > :18:37.successfully and the election turnout at 46.9% was higher than the

:18:38. > :18:41.39.6% in 2012. We look forward to working with Scotland's

:18:42. > :18:45.democratically elected councils to take forward our priorities for the

:18:46. > :18:51.people of Scotland. I thank the Minister for that answer. There was

:18:52. > :18:58.considerable effort put into encourage people to mark the ballot

:18:59. > :19:01.papers one, two, three, four. On looking at papers apparently

:19:02. > :19:09.spoiled, it appeared a lot had either two or three Xs on them. Has

:19:10. > :19:13.the Minister any suggestions how we can tackle this problem by way of

:19:14. > :19:20.education or some other way? Thank you. The Electoral Commission

:19:21. > :19:26.already runs information campaigns to inform voters about how to cast

:19:27. > :19:30.their vote. In particular, a leaflet is delivered to every household

:19:31. > :19:35.before any election giving detailed guidance on how to cast your vote at

:19:36. > :19:40.that particular poll. In addition, an explanation is sent out with

:19:41. > :19:47.every postal ballot pack and large print exclamatory notices are

:19:48. > :19:50.exhibited in polling stations. Information is available wherever a

:19:51. > :19:56.ballot paper is being completed. In the home, at the polling station.

:19:57. > :20:01.Anyone unsure about how to vote can also contact the returning officer's

:20:02. > :20:11.office to ask for advice and polling station staff are also available to

:20:12. > :20:16.help. The SNP got 32% of the vote, the same as in 2012. It has flat

:20:17. > :20:22.lined. Labour was down in vote share and numbers of seats. I would like a

:20:23. > :20:28.question rather than a party political broadcasts. An extra

:20:29. > :20:34.proper sense. -- 12%. Would the Minister agree the real winners were

:20:35. > :20:43.the Scottish Conservatives? I think I can guess the answer. Go ahead.

:20:44. > :20:47.No, I would not agree. There was only one winner in last week's

:20:48. > :20:55.Scottish elections, that was the SNP. We had the largest amount of

:20:56. > :21:00.votes cast, the largest amount of councillors, the largest party on 16

:21:01. > :21:08.councils and joint largest in three others. We won in the four main

:21:09. > :21:12.cities. Let us be honest, there cannot only be one winner, it was

:21:13. > :21:18.not the Scottish Conservative Party, it certainly was not the Scottish

:21:19. > :21:20.Labour Party, those who got the most was the SNP. That concludes

:21:21. > :22:00.portfolio questions. The Cabinet Secretary will take

:22:01. > :22:01.questions at the end of the