Chamber and committees

This subject is really interesting and I think comes to the crux of the matter, so I will come back to you, deputy convener, and then go to Natalie Don and then to Mark Ruskell. I might have a question to try to tie it all up at the end.

Because you were so quick, cabinet secretary, I am going to allow a last question from Liam Kerr.

Thank you, cabinet secretary. I find it amazing that, in this session, we have managed to cover recycling, marine planning, trees, farming, floodwater, gas prices, railway tickets, railways, fly-tipping, land reform, the skills basis for achieving climate targets, buses, carbon capture and green hydrogen. If that is not a wide portfolio of subject areas for a committee, I do not know what is.

Cabinet secretary, I thank you and your team for giving evidence today. The committee will discuss your evidence later in the meeting.

That concludes the public part of the meeting. We now move into private session.

Minister, I was struck that we heard evidence from the local authorities that about 70 per cent of their funds were ring fenced and you said that 7 per cent of their funds were ring fenced. That seems diametrically opposed on the way forward. On the principle that there will be some national targets and that achieving those targets will be difficult because there is not a mass of money to throw at them—money is tight in all sectors—do you foresee ring fencing becoming a key part of your armoury to ensure that national targets are achieved at local government level?

We agree that there is a need for it. I was concerned that Donald Henderson said to the committee just now that he did not have a timescale for it. I am trying to push you on the timescale.

Thank you, cabinet secretary. We will dive straight into questions because there are quite a lot of them. The first is from Monica Lennon.

Yes, I will stop you there. I am not sure that you will get much on that question at the moment. Liam Kerr is next, and then the deputy convener, Fiona Hyslop.

Welcome back. We move on to the programme for government 2022-23, which was published on 6 September. It sets out the actions that the Government states that it will be taking in the coming year, including its legislative programme.

Cabinet secretary, thank you for staying with us for this evidence session. We look forward to discussing the programme with you and your priorities for the Parliament this year. I welcome your Scottish Government officials: Donald Henderson, deputy director of natural resources; Anne Martin, head of transport strategy and co-ordination; David Pratt, head of marine planning and development; and Philip Raines, the deputy director of domestic climate change, who has stayed with us.

We have just over an hour for this item. Cabinet secretary, I know that you are keen to press on with the questions, but I am happy to give you time for a short opening statement.

I have time for one more question. Does anybody have a burning question? Monica, you put your hand up first, so the final question is yours.

In fairness, minister, I interpreted that as a yes. It is a clear yes as stated and as interpreted.