Chamber and committees

Are you able to give a commitment that ferry services will remain in public ownership as part of that connectivity plan?

Brilliant. Thank you very much.

I have a question on strategic objective 4, on housing. What recent assessment has the Scottish Government made of private rent levels on the islands? Are the levels higher or lower than the national average?

Related to that, what work has there been to explore whether a rent freeze for social and council tenants could be implemented on the islands? I do not know whether the Scottish Government has spoken to relevant local authorities about that.

Okay. Thank you very much. Will the connectivity plan be published by the end of this year?

Given that it will be looking specifically at civil service jobs, will there be an invitation to relevant trade unions—for instance, PCS Scotland—to sit on that working group?

The annual report mentions plans for a working group to be formed, initially looking at the Scottish Government workforce. There is also the question of whether some civil service jobs could be undertaken across any area of Scotland. Will you give us a bit of information about how the working group will be set up and who you envisage having a seat on it?

Have you looked at all at how a rent freeze might benefit private tenants on islands?

Okay. Thank you very much.

This latest report reveals that just one in 10 oil and gas workers feel that they have enough opportunities to switch to work in renewables.

After decades of inaction from industry, what we need is ministers who will champion the interests of workers over market forces; we need them to hold industry to account for the promises that it makes. Will the minister demonstrate his commitment to oil and gas workers by providing regular updates to the Parliament on the progress of skills transferability?

Police Scotland’s international development and innovation unit continues to provide training to some of the world’s most serious human rights abusers. In Colombia, where there is evidence of human rights abuses being committed by the national police, including the killing of protesters, Police Scotland officers continue to provide training. Given the evidence of human rights abuses being committed by the national Colombian police, can the First Minister explain why the Scottish Government approved the deployment of Police Scotland officers to Colombia?