Good afternoon. The first item of business is portfolio question time. The first portfolio is rural affairs and islands. I remind members that questions 3 and 7 are grouped together, so I will...

1. To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the final details of its proposed agriculture bill. (S6O-01900)

2. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues and councils regarding improving connectivity for Scotland’s islands....

3. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on the drink industry supply chain of the...

7. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact of the deposit return scheme on small-scale...

4. To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its cross-government co-ordination on islands policies, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues...

5. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the steps that it is taking to improve the management of inshore fisheries, in light of the reported increasing pressures on...

6. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on avian flu in Scotland. (S6O-01905)

8. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support local, independent food and drink businesses in rural areas. (S6O-01907)

The Deputy Presiding Officer: The next item of business is portfolio questions on health and social care. I remind members that questions 1 and 3 are grouped. I will take supplementaries on...

1. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the number of student nurses. (S6O-01908)

3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the number of applicants applying to study nursing in Scotland does not drop further in the future, in light of...

2. I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, as I am a member of the GMB and Unite trade unions. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to trade unions...

4. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the “waiting well” agenda, in light of the recent round-table event on supporting patients that was hosted by...

5. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to eliminate long waits in accident and emergency departments within NHS Fife. (S6O-01912)

6. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of January’s Prostate Cancer UK data on regional inequalities in prostate cancer diagnoses. (S6O-01913)

7. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recommendations in the 2023 series on breastfeeding by The Lancet , which include calls for Governments to provide more accurate and...

8. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on NHS Western Isles’ recruitment of a new permanent general practitioner and hospital doctor for the islands of Barra...

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-07975, in the name of Maurice Golden, on launching a successful deposit return scheme.

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-07977, in the name of Graham Simpson, on A9 dualling. I would be grateful if members who wish to speak in the debate were to press their...

The next item of business is consideration of motion S6M-07983, which is a legislative consent motion on the Shark Fins Bill, which is a piece of United Kingdom legislation. I invite Mairi...

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-07994, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme. I invite George Adam...

The next item of business is consideration of Parliamentary Bureau motion S6M-07995, on designation of a lead committee. Motion moved, That the Parliament agrees that the Net Zero, Energy and...

There are eight questions to be put as a result of today’s business. The first question is, that amendment S6M-07975.2, in the name of Lorna Slater, which seeks to amend S6M-07975, in the...