Chamber and committees

I probably need to remind people that I am still a nurse and that I am the co-convener of the cross-party group on lung health. That is why I am asking health-related questions.

No, that is it, thanks.

Can the minister outline how the Scottish Government has increased funding for gynaecology services, which has helped to drive down waiting times in women’s health?

With 48 per cent of Scotland’s dairy herd in the south-west of Scotland, there is potential to harness anaerobic digestion and biogas production to not only cut greenhouse gas emissions but to provide a source of off-grid energy for rural areas, which have disproportionately higher numbers of households that are in fuel poverty. Meanwhile, 39 per cent of homes in Dumfries and Galloway are not connected to the main gas grid. What role does the Scottish Government envisage anaerobic digestion and biogas playing, and what sources of information and advice exist for farmers who might be looking to adopt that innovative technology on their farms?

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding whether anaerobic digestion facilities can support the decarbonisation of the agricultural sector by providing low-carbon fertiliser and the creation of biogas. (S6O-04614)

Good morning. I have a couple of questions about some of the products. Some disposable products now have USB adapters added to them, which may or may not work, so that they are seen as rechargeable rather than single-use products. How will the bill help us to deal with the evolving market of products that claim to be multi-use and rechargeable when they are actually single-use but disguised with a USB connection?

I also want to ask about supporting local authority trading standards officers to monitor who is selling these products. I am aware that taxi drivers sell them, and that a local Chinese restaurant in Dumfries sells them—it did not previously sell cigarettes, but it now sells vapes. What is the Scottish Government doing, or what can it do, to support the tracking of products that are being sold?

This is my final question, as the convener also has questions. On advertising and marketing, we do not have control over television advertising in Scotland, but we can control advertising on bus stops and bus shelters and things like that. The American Lung Association has a programme called “Get your head out of the cloud”, which is aimed at parents who say that their kids would never vape. Is there an opportunity to support widening the information that is given out, so that people can understand the damage that is being done to their lungs if they are vaping?

I am asking that as a nurse but also as co-convener of the lung health cross-party group, which has had loads of discussions about the ill-health consequences of vaping.

We will continue to support raising awareness of the dangers of nicotine products that are inhaled.

It is absolutely great that Finlay Carson is on his feet, celebrating the schools that are participating in the Eco-Schools programme—well done. We do have some common ground across the chamber in some of our debates.

There are seven simple steps in the framework for the programme. Step 1 is basically to create an eco-committee that the young people lead, with teacher support. Step 2 is to complete an environmental review, which helps everyone to know how eco-friendly their school is and where improvement can be made. Step 3 is the biggest part and is the creation of an action plan. That can be done over the whole year, with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint to make the school greener. The proposals include swapping toys, creating bug hotels, planting vegetables and switching lights off in places where they are not needed or where rooms are not occupied. Some of the actions can be quite simple to take forward.

Step 4 is to link the environmental work into the school curriculum across the year, so that it can be embedded as part of what we need to do to protect our planet. Step 5 involves others in protecting the planet through collaboration, with school events, stalls in the community and actions with family and friends.

Step 6 requires the eco-committee to monitor and evaluate its actions. That monitoring and evaluation helps pupils to understand and demonstrate the impact that has been made. That can be done before and after, using pictures, graphs or charts.

Step 7 is the final step, which is the eco-code. It involves creating a mission statement and letting the world know about the school’s or the pupils’ commitment to protecting their planet.

All of that good work can be uploaded into the eco-schools portal between 1 May and 31 July, so that a bid for a green flag award can be made. That is where the flag can be flown at the school, letting everyone know about the school’s commitment to the planet.

I have learned a lot in preparation for the debate. I will pick up with the local schools that I have mentioned to learn more about their progress and to congratulate them on their efforts and their participation in the Eco-Schools project to protect our planet.