Chamber and committees

Thanks, Paul. I do not think that I have time to give anybody else the opportunity to come in, so I will hand back to the deputy convener.

Good morning. Thank you for joining us.

I have a couple of questions. One is about automation and the links to labour and logistics; the other is about skills, collaboration and planning around collaboration.

There has been a lot of chat about the risks and opportunities of automation for not only labour markets but supply chains. Could you say a little about how ready you think we are and what we need to do? We have heard some discussion about planning and our need to plan, but what does that planning look like? There is a lot of talk about planning, but we do not know what that means.

My next question is on collaboration. We have heard a little bit about the importance of collaboration and that we are not doing that effectively. With regard to the city region deals, have we missed a trick around the interaction between industry, academia, local government and the Scottish Government? What can you, as industry and academia, do, and what can we as the Parliament do, to ensure that we get effective collaboration? I go to Mark Logan first.

Paul Hunter, do you want to come in on either of my questions?

Across many sectors, from agriculture to energy, there is a recognition that inclusive and efficient co-operatives and producer organisations can play a key role in supporting small businesses and marginalised groups, including women and young people. Such organisations empower their members economically and socially and create sustainable employment through business models that are resilient to economic and environmental shocks.

Significant opportunities exist for such models—especially perhaps in rural and peri-urban areas—in sectors such as food supply chains, housing, energy production and tourism. Will the minister provide a bit more detail on the funding and financing options for co-operatives across different sectors, including tax reliefs, and on the timescale for those options?

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the support available for co-operatives for the transition to a new economy. (S6O-00350)

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported use of kettling during recent protests in Glasgow. (S6T-00268)

At Saturday’s climate march, one particular group of marchers was, without clear cause, subjected to a police kettle from the moment that they arrived at Kelvingrove park. As the march passed through the city centre, those in the kettled group were halted by the police and prevented from moving any further. In turn, that prevented thousands of other marchers behind the group from continuing with the march. There were minors in that kettle, and the group just wanted to continue marching with everyone else.

Will the cabinet secretary confirm the legal status of kettling in such situations? Will he say whether he has any concerns about the conduct of the officers involved, many of whom—as colleagues in the chamber can confirm—did not seem to know what was happening or who was in control?

I appreciate that operational matters rest with the chief constable, but Parliament sets the limits within which the police can operate and it is important to understand the Government’s position on those limits.

Police officers declare that they will

“uphold fundamental human rights and accord equal respect to all people”.

I am concerned that some of the tactics deployed during the COP have not taken account of those important principles. The use of kettling tactics with peaceful protestors seems wholly disproportionate.

I have read reports of journalists being kettled for hours with no access to water or toilets, and of a young mother and her baby, who was in a pram, being trapped. It cannot be right that children are being kettled. Does the cabinet secretary think that kettling is a proportionate tactic to use when dealing with peaceful protestors?

The First Minister will be aware of the outbreak of bird flu in Angus and the cull of a flock of birds that is taking place as we speak. Can she provide an update on that issue and let us know what guidance is being issued to local communities?