What's up everybody and welcome to another edition of the Falcons final whistle podcast. I'm Scott Bayer And I'm here with Ashton Edmonds and Tori McElaney. I am not at Mercedes-Benz Stadium where Ashton and Tori are I'm on we'll call it short term. I are and we'll save the story for another day But nonetheless after one week hiatus the Falcons final whistle is back and there's no better time to be back considering the home team won a dramatic 23 to 20 results against the Cleveland Browns who came into Mercedes Bay came into Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Left with a loss. So we're going to break down What was kind of a fun game to watch definitely a dramatic game that once again came down to the end So we're gonna break this thing down. We're gonna go over what the heck is going on with every single one of these games Ending in the fourth quarter. We're gonna talk about the the Browns run game and the performance of the Falcons Run a game, especially with their young runners We're gonna talk about the Falcons defense which came through not only in the clutch in the fourth quarter But at several points during this game And of course the Falcons getting their first win at home and going through the first four games at two and two But before we break this thing down in specifics Tori Let's get your overall impressions of this victory here on Sunday against Cleveland. Yeah I thought this win was really needed for not just of course Record wise getting back to 500 but for morale too I mean you think about where this team has been over the course to the first four weeks of the season and we really have seen them Be in Every single game. They are in all of these games and what we have seen over the course of the last two weeks Is them finishing these games out and actually getting the win It's funny when you think about it and I don't want to like look back too far But the Falcons are how many plays away? I would say less than five plays away from being four and oh right now They're playing They're playing very well. They look very different than what we have seen this Falcons team look like in years past I think that's good, especially offensively But just my overall takeaway from this game is it kind of goes back to what Arthur Smith was saying It was like it was no secret that both teams wanted to run the ball and essentially the most physical team Was gonna win on Sunday and the team that ran the ball the best was gonna win on Sunday And that's exactly I think what we saw transpire over the course of these four quarters Ashton what like what were your biggest takeaways after watching this one live? Yeah, man, I thought the defense did a really good job late in the stretch down in the red zone You can see like sorry say you can see the chemistry in my row Amongst the defensive group, I think everybody's on one accord and you see players like Michael Walker stepping up You see players like Richie Grant stepping up and that everybody on defense just buys in and I feel like You know that was kind of hurting them earlier in the season is that they didn't finish at all Like the defense would kind of stumble in the fourth quarter or the offense was stumbling the red zone But I see you know like earlier in the Browns game when the Browns drove it I don't know how many yards but when they drove it all the way down the field We saw that the the Falcons defense closed them out when they they actually forced them to go for an out And I think the Browns were at like the two-yard line So I think you know, we're seeing The defense step up and I kind of talked about that in uh one of my articles this week is that you know They want to carry that momentum moving forward and you know the sentiment that d&p's preached and training camp I think is truly starting to show any games If we go back to what it's what Grady Jarrett said in his press conference after the Falcons beat the Seattle Seahawks He mentioned two words that I think applied to that game and definitely applied to this game as well Number one is outlast number two is overcome because this team is not perfect Right and these these games are coming down to the end and they're making mistakes But they are not critical loss inducing mistakes like we saw from those first two games And I think that's the most important thing outlast overcome They're finding a way to do those two things and I think that's that's the quality and the nature of a good team I also think about when you look at who's better on paper, right? Which matters only from wednesday to friday. Maybe until you actually get down and play these games Um, but I really think about two things that if you're let's say not as good on paper as the other team Two things that keep you in games are being able to control the clock or at least run the ball Well and being opportunistic on defense, right? We're going to talk a lot about the defense late in the fourth quarter How about the first drive the very first drive when they went all the way down to the Falcons The Browns went all the way down to the Falcons four and turn the ball over on downs Yeah That sequence goes different. We're talking about a whole different thing here. And again We're we're going to get to that. Tori has lots of thoughts on this defense We're putting out during this game the end. She also wrote about which I think Was a really good story, but nonetheless Everybody At least the three of us. We're all like a little frazzled after these games, right? Because every single time I write this instant replay The where it needs to get published the second the clock strikes 000 and every time I'm in a full-scale panic I'm going to have my dad's horseshoe hair loss male pattern baldness thing like before the season's over Every single one of these games is intense man. Like why do you think that is guys? Like why do you think it's that it's coming down to the wire every single time? I mean, I think Arthur Smith kind of says it best where he's like this is the nfl and this is kind of what It's kind of par for the course at this point. I mean you look at I'm not just looking at the falcons If you look at the league overall Over the course of the first four weeks of the season We have seen so many games come down to the wire so many games where there is a quote-unquote upset I mean, this is not just a falcons I guess storyline. This is a storyline across the league and I think it makes the league So much more fun to watch when you do have games like this that are coming down to the wire I think that's professional football at its best and for the falcons It really is very interesting and I go back to my first point that I made it's like seeing progress in Finishing out these games and Scott. I know you wrote post game about how every game we have seen come down to final plays in the fourth quarter and for the falcons to actively Go in the last two weeks and be able to pull those games out And it's really important. I think for What this team does moving forward because being at 500 right now is is so I think it's really really good for this team at this point in the season Yeah, definitely and given that I spent time writing that story I have the benefit of having done some research, but I think it What we've seen early on Speaks to the falcons improvement, right because last year so much was made about how they did in one score games They were seven and two Right, they finished seven and ten So the other eight games almost half of the season was not a one score game And they were losses by an average of Dot dot dot 21 points So they were getting blown out a lot, right I think because of all the things that we've mentioned all the things that we're going to talk about Is that the falcons are more competitive? And I think they're going to be in more of these games and it's funny because when you look over the schedule in april And nobody ever should write w's or l's next to each game, but you look at it and you think Oh, that could be a really difficult stretch or that could be an easy stretch And now you go back and you look through and you think okay the falcons are more competitive There's going to be a lot of these fourth quarter finishes. So how are you do? Yeah Yeah, I think like it's really interesting because I remember I I can't remember Scott if if you remember this but you and I both like did like the schedule release analysis And it was like what's the hardest stretch and I'm pretty sure I said the first four games Of this season was the hardest stretch of any stretch over the course of this 2022 season And now you look at it and the falcons are two and two and are playing the in they're in these games They're a few plays away from this being a completely different record And I don't think I would have said that back when the schedules released I know I didn't say that back when the schedule was released. So this team really is I mean Arthur Smith said it all the time in training camp and even as the season got started like We're out to prove something this team has a chip on its shoulder I think we're actively seeing that kind of come to fruition over the course of the first four weeks of the season Yeah, I went go ahead No, I would just say yeah I think I'm just to echo what Tori said a lot of the players are saying like they're coming in with the chip on their shoulder Caleb Huntley he said on the first play he came in with the chip on the shoulder to help the falcons win And um, you know, I think everybody's just buying in, you know, chris lynch them mentioned that Everybody in the huddle just had faith in each other and you know that they just wanted to continue that momentum Of driving the ball downfield and you know, I think We see this team truly coming together. We see this team finishing We see this team now playing complete games and I think, you know, that's going to carry forward, you know later in the season When I look at it this upcoming stretch is at Tampa home against San Francisco at Cincinnati. That's uh two nfc title contenders And one playoff team. I think I'm not gonna write them out of any one of those games Which I think says a lot right there And it's just because of what we've seen out of garoppolo and out of the bangles offensive line and out of the Falcons, I'm sorry out of the buck sometimes sputtering defense or offense Now we could get to that stretch and they could have gone 0 and 3 and they could have lost these games by 15 points But you cannot automatically write them out of these games And I think that because of these things that we're talking about because of the outlast in the overcome Because of what we're going to get into next here ashton is this run game, right? You look at the beginning of the game and the time of possession was Uh lopsided towards the ground But they found a way to run the ball well What did you kind of learn listening to tape of kaleb hauntley and chryslyn strum and some of these other guys talk Um about about how that run game helped kind of reignite that this offensive Efficiency that was lost throughout the middle of this game For sure. Yeah, I like I said chryslyn strum. He mentioned that Everybody in the huddle would just have belief in each other. They have faith in each other And over the last two games, you know, they ran for 381 yards on 66 carries That's been the x-factor in helping the falcons win. I feel like over these last two games and I think once the offense saw that the run game was very effective against the browns You know, they just kept going they just kept calling the plays and um, you know, kaleb hauntley He had that belief in this in himself going into the game. You know, he his name was called He was elevated on saturday and you know, he was just ready for the moment and um, you know, once he got in in the third quarter man, we we saw That impact that he made on the falcons offense it's interesting because After the game arthur smith was talking about the performance of kaleb hauntley and the spark that he provided And I thought it was really interesting how arthur smith was talking about michael petrie Who is the falcons running backs coach and he made the comment. He was like Yeah, we got into the third quarter and michael petrie was like give him a couple carries that couple carries turned into A significant drive that I thought was the drive of the entire game Like I think when I think back to this game and a couple weeks from now I'm going to be looking at that drive because I was Very very impressed by what we saw from kaleb hauntley and in not just kaleb hauntley But you talk about the run game overall and I asked arthur smith after the game You know, it was funny because he said, you know We knew coming into this that this was going to be a big boy fight like talking about it The line of scrimmage and whoever was gonna be the most physical Whoever was gonna run the ball the best was gonna come out and win this game and that that held true But something that he said Which I thought was really I don't know. I really stuck on it where he said you're not creeping up on anybody People know that we want to run the football that's what fires you up. It won't be that way every week We know how competitive it is But when you can run the ball when they know you're gonna run it that speaks volumes about our guys And I think that's something that may go overlooked. It's like the falcons are they don't have any secrets right now There are arthur smith has said we want to run the ball. We want to be the most physical team on the field That's there's that's no there's no secret in that And the fact that they were still able to go out and do that And do it in a win. I think I think it's right I think it does speak volumes to where this team is in terms of playing with a certain type of physicality Yeah, I think that that physicality extends on both sides of the football because you look at What nick chubb is he's one of the best running backs in the league He exerted himself and made his presence felt especially On a key fourth quarter touchdown drive That put the browns ahead I believe but after that falcons defense Generates a punt and then an interception falcons offense goes touchdown field goal field goal to win the game Um Key moments there tory, but I know that defensively there was more that impressed you than than just those final drives Yeah, it wasn't just the final drives and I even tweeted this post game It's like I know everyone's going to be talking about, you know The grady jared sack followed by the richie grant or not richie grant richie grant was last week His interception was last week. This is d. Alfred's interception But it really is that moment. I know everybody's going to be talking about it. I know but to me The reason why this defense is playing to the level of which it is is because of what they're doing in the red zone I know ashton talked about it scott. You talked about it. They're coming up with stops in the red zone and that is to me As important as any fourth quarter single play that you have I was actually crunching the numbers a little bit And over the course of the last two games. So in the falcons last two wins against the browns and the seahawks They held the browns to one for three in the red zone and then they held the seahawks two for five in the red zone Like that's total Three for eight trips that opponents are going into the red zone and not coming away with touchdown It doesn't at the end of the day and I know dean piece has said this before And i'm paraphrasing by saying this but he essentially it's like I don't care how much they run it on this I don't care how many yards they rack up on us I care if we're keeping them out of the end zone and that is exactly what we're seeing Over the course of the last two weeks seattle and cleveland have had over 800 yards of total offense And yet they're not winning the game. So that to me shows so much progress of This defense locking it down inside the 20 in it. I I think that's honestly one of the most impressive Stats is like, you know, we talk about this whole like bend but never break mentality I think that's kind of the marker of what this defense is in 2022 right now That's so many yards. That's so many yards in victories. That's that's that's an insane number to me um one that again speaks to how you perform in the clutch Whether it's on a specific drive or over the course of a game Is gonna put you in a position to fight for a victory. That's what we're seeing time and time again The falcons putting them in position to fight for a victory. Sometimes it's an early surge Right, and then they lost control against the saints They played pretty well in the fourth quarter against the rams except with the interception, right? They played important when it mattered most And you you talk about big moments, right? How about the biggest most recognizable player on this falcons defense? Grady Jarrett gets called for an offsides I know Earlier in that run You don't see that often No, and then comes back with a huge sack It was a penalty then a sack that put jacoby jacoby brisette In position To have to force a ball downfield Exactly what geno smith had to do it the week before big-time players coming up in big-time moments That was so that's what you need from your leader and when your leader does it it inspires everybody else to do it too I think all those things are really strong and we we used to do these Progress reports, right because back when there was a 16 game season like two years ago We we'd be at the quarter pole right now And we're essentially there percentage wise with an extra game But after four games falcons are sitting here at at two and two Look, they could as torrey mentioned there a couple plays away from being four and oh They could be a couple plays away from being all four if we want to know There are both ways to go with it, right? But you're sitting here at two and two and I don't know if you guys agree with me or not But I feel like every game is on the table now Even going to Tampa that's not going to be easy But you never know and we never have that environment Like what have you learned about this falcons team over the course of the first four games and how can it be applied To what comes next Yeah, I'll let you take that Yeah, I would say I think from what I've noticed the falcons team is resilient You know, they don't give up like we saw against the rims I was on the edge of my seat against when they played the rims because They literally I think they were down Like 28 to 3 and they came back, you know scored 27 points and and like a quarter and a half and I think Um, that's been the biggest word for me. Um, you know regarding this falcons team is that they've been resilient Through these first four games and that they don't give up until the clock says zero zero zero They play all the way through and um, you know, michael walker preach on that I'm rashaan evans the alfred um chris like every player on the team Knows that, you know, everybody on this falcons roster does not give up everybody on this falcons roster Kind of plays with the chip on our shoulder and they're out to prove Um, that you know, they're a great team and we see that through the first four games so I Was talking to lorenzo carter in the locker room and it was He gave me the single best quote that I feel like I've gotten out of anybody over the course of the first four games And I I'm gonna read it but I I preface it by saying that I feel like it's a quote That Almost verbatim word for word represents how this atlanta falcons team Feels about itself right now four games into the season. I'm gonna read it. It said We got some dogs First off we're deep. It's a team first of all We don't have big superstars or guys who everybody's looking at but when it comes down to it Everybody is going to fight and that's what I love And that to me if someone wants to like put that on a graphic or whatever like and hang it up somewhere Like that to me is what this 2022 falcons team Is and how they view themselves that it's like even though. Yeah, you have Kyle Pitts and you have drake london who I know a lot of people talk about but and now cordial patterson A lot of people talking about him But you think about some of the big quote-unquote superstars of the league Like that's not something that the falcons currently have right now But it is a team that is pieced together with guys on one year deals and a lot of young talent That's kind of just raw like we see arnold ebuketti go out there and I think he had a great game A game that went overlooked um, but you you think about some of these Players and it's like they're trying to make a name for themselves So I loved that quote from lorenzo carter because it's like this is how this team Feels about itself and I think you have seen that over the course of the first four games sitting at 500 Yeah, and then and I think that they have a chance to continue to climb and get better throughout this season despite all of the Situations that they have they have a ton of I won't get too into detail But they have a ton of dead gaps dead salary cap space that they could be spending on talent But instead they have a roster construction as tori outlined, but they're still finding ways to be competitive I think that speaks a lot to coaching I think that speaks a lot to team culture and I think it speaks a lot to how they're going about their business Again, they're running. Well, they're being opportunistic.  We keep swinging. That's not a lie They keep swinging and I think that that's a positive and that some that's a trait that I believe will extend To any opponent that they had this season Even if they're overmatched and they're going to be overmatched at times period We'll stop and I also want to get in here that while marcus mario does quarterback play has been quality at times There are still too many mistakes here that are that are at some point This is a quarterback league at some point the quarterback is going to have to win you a game with 90 seconds left And 50 70 yards to go and that's going to have to be a new way that they find a way to win That will have to be an element of what they do if they're going to reach their goals Which are loftier than everybody else's as it should be But I tell you what the season is fun, right? I was having so much fun. It's fun. I was in a press box like I was in a press box Literally on the edge of my seat next to tori Amanda she had like her hands up her head. I was like, are you okay? But it's a very exciting season and I think The fans are loving it. We saw it today fans are loving it. So I will say this too And I mean I've covered this team for this my third season covering the falcons and I'll say this even in The the woes and even in the moments that does that it is kind of nerve wracking This offense is playing in a way that is more balanced more explosive More fun for me to watch then I think I have seen an offense perform Since I've been covering this team and that I feel like that's saying a lot Yeah, I think that there's a lot this team is entertaining It keeps you on the edge of your seat and I hope that the fan base goes along for the ride I was again. I'm not at the stadium. So I was reading youtube comments while arthur smith Press conference was going on and so many people said last year at so many times It felt like a wasted sunday, right every game has people on the edge of their seats I think that's important another thing that's important Is that we have a slight change in where these podcasts are going if you are a faithful falcons finalist or subscriber That's awesome. And thank you But do us all a solid and subscribe right and review to a new channel Called the falcons podcast network that that features the falcons final whistle the falcons infocus podcast which is essentially brand new And the falcons audible with our buddies Derek dj and dave. So anyway rate review subscribe. Thank you guys so much for joining Uh, it was another fun day at the office for the falcons and they have a big one coming up against tampa Should be fun. We'll talk to you after that one next week


I seek your guidance and your help on an important matter, which I believe lies at the heart of the business of this Parliament, and I know it can't be said too often that it's fundamentally important that members of this Parliament have opportunities to ask questions and to receive appropriate and timely answers from ministers. I know how keenly you and the Presiding Officer guard the public reputation of Parliament and the rights of members of this Parliament, including the right to carry out the business of the people of Scotland who seek support and help from members. I wrote to Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, on December 1, and I wrote to seek her advice and help in respect to a burning concern shared by several of my constituents, all of whom had contacted me separately to intercede on their behalf. The concern they had and have is with regard to the level of support for children with autism or ASN within Falkirk schools. Now I'm going to limit my description of these cases in order to preserve the anonymity of those involved, but put simply to stress the urgency of the need of the help of the Cabinet Secretary, these children are getting little or no support in their schooling. The parents are doing the very best they can to help them in each cases, of course, unique. There is complexity, but there is a problem with the provision of appropriate level of support from Falkirk Council, and this is causing immeasurable stress and upset. On top of that, getting a formal diagnosis of autism is, with the calm waiting times in Forth Valley, very difficult. That these children have identified and diagnosed support needs highlights how clear-cut their cases are and that support is needed. There is clearly insufficient resource in place to meet those needs within the education system in Falkirk, and so those children, going into this system, are being failed and failed badly. The impacts of that on the children and their families will be painful and long-lasting. I wrote to the Minister, the Cabinet Secretary, to request an immediate and urgent investigation that is undertaken to understand the reasons for this resource deficiency and that commeserate steps be taken with equal immediacy to rectify the situation. I haven't had an answer. I was given a reference number, 202-200-333-763. There is a problem at Falkirk for pupils with severe needs, and this needs sorted out quickly. I wrote again over two weeks ago to the Cabinet Secretary and still have had no answer. Can you please help me with the concerns of my constituents? What more can I be doing, or should I be doing, to receive an answer from the Cabinet Secretary to my inquiries? The Government's response or otherwise to correspondence from members does not engage the standing orders of the Parliament, and hence does not engage myself as the chair. However, the member will be aware of other potential ways in which to pursue important matters. By, for example, written questions, with respect to which there are time deadlines set forth in the standing orders of this Parliament. I hope that that is helpful. So I would now like to move on to the next item of business, which is indeed portfolio questions, and the portfolio questions today are net zero, energy and transport. Question 1 was not lodged. I call question number 2, James Dornan, who is joining us remotely. Mr Dornan. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help modernise recycling facilities in Glasgow? Minister Lornan is later. He recently awarded Glasgow City Council over £21 million from the Recycling Improvement Fund to improve recycling in the city. The investment will support the introduction of a new twin-stream curbside service for the separation of separate collection of recyclable materials, making it easier for households to recycle and improving the quality and quantity of recycling. The council's investment in a new material recovery facility will also mean more materials being reprocessed rather than thrown away. James Dornan. I thank the minister for that response and welcome it. It would also be helpful, though, if the minister could outline what other steps the Scottish Government is taking to improve recycling across the country, as this will obviously be an essential tool in the fight against the climate crisis. Minister. The Recycling Improvement Fund is one important part of our overall efforts to improve recycling.  We will soon publish a circular economy bill for Parliament to scrutinise and a final version of our waste route map. Together, those will support and empower local authorities to drive forward the modernisation and improvement of recycling facilities across Scotland and cut the overall amount of waste produced through, for example, incentivising re-use over disposable products. That will help to cut emissions, tackling the climate emergency, and it will mean that everyone benefits from less litter and better public services. Efforts to modernise recycling facilities across Scotland are welcome. There are some items, such as disposable vapes, that simply should not be clogging up our waste management systems in the first place. The Scottish Government has announced a review into those items, which is welcome, but we cannot afford to wait for action. Does the minister support the proposal for a pilot ban of disposable vapes in Dundee to help inform national policy? I would say that that is a bit wide of the question that concerns modernising recycling facilities in Glasgow. Question 3, Emma Harper. To ask the Scottish Government what discussion sets has held with Network Rail regarding passenger services on the west coast mainline, including services calling at Lockerbie. Minister Jenny Gilruth. Transport Scotland has regular meetings with Network Rail and train operating companies regarding passenger services at railway stations on the west coast mainline in Scotland. Lockerbie services are provided by TransPennine Express and Avanti West Coast, which are train operating companies specified and funded by the UK Government. I discussed TransPennine services when I met the UK Government rail minister very recently. TransPennine services at Lockerbie have been affected by an unacceptable level of cancellation and delay, compounded by industrial action. Emma Harper. I thank the minister for that response. The TransPennine service from Lockerbie is in a complete fancle. Trains consistently cancelled and delayed with no notice, no replacement bus and no alternative options. This has a major impact on my constituents who rely on the service to travel to the central belt and south of the border. Only 43 per cent of TransPennine services currently run on time, with cross-country, Avanti and LNER occasionally picking up the slack by making unplanned stops at Lockerbie. Will the minister agree to make representations to TransPennine regarding how unacceptable the situation is? Will she commit to helping me by facilitating a meeting with Network Rail regarding the contract for the service? TransPennine is a cross-border rail operator, so the contract is run and managed by the UK Government DFT. That is ultimately a matter for the UK Government to resolve. As I alluded to in my initial response, I have raised Ms Harper's concerns directly with the UK Government rail minister very recently. Humennum acknowledged the poor performance and I am advised that the DFT is working closely with TransPennine to improve performance levels. I have also separately written to the previous minister for rail, Kevin Foster, on the matter of cross-border performance in relation to the Avanti contract, also managed by the DFT. The member made a call that Mr Foster provided Avanti with a contract extension last year, despite Avanti's poor performance. I am happy to make the direct representations that Ms Harper has asked me for this afternoon. I will ask my officials to facilitate the meeting. She is also requested with Network Rail directly. The situation is worse than a ffancle. There is nothing to get tied up or tangled. I wondered if the minister would consider a solution closer to home, given that ScotRail is now in public ownership, whether she would take forward discussions about running a passenger service that actually calls at Lockerbie. I recognise the frustration of Mr Mundell and, of course, we have heard similarly from Ms Harper in relation to those services. Those services are ultimately a contract that is managed by the DFT, so I would urge the UK Government to help TransPennine to resolve those issues. I raised that issue with the rail minister only a matter of weeks ago now. I am more than happy to make further representations. If Mr Mundell is able to persuade his colleagues down south to give the necessary focus to resolving the situation here, because the contract is managed by the DFT, then I am sure that his constituents would welcome that. I hope that, in her representations, the minister will back my calls for TransPennine and Avanti to lose that franchise, which is, frankly, a failed one. Last month I asked the minister if plans to remove peak fares would cover all routes in Scotland. She said that ScotRail might be a ScotRail station, but, as we know, the services are provided by TransPennine and Avanti. Can she confirm, in those discussions about those fares, that she has raised that issue with those two companies to make sure that passengers who are going from one Scottish station to another, irrespective of who is delivering that service, also benefit from the removal of peak fares? Passengers from Lockerbie should not be treated as second class just because, at the moment, ScotRail is choosing to run services from there. I recognise the members' observations there. The peak fares promotion, which will be coming forward in the coming months, of course, applies to ScotRail services. I do not have responsibility for those services that sit out with the Scottish Government's control. I am more than happy to raise these matters directly with the train operating companies, as I alluded to in my response to Ms Harper and, of course, directly with the UK Government. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with TransPort of Scotland with the future of the railway industry, including a supply chain in Scotland. I have regular discussions with my officials in TransPort of Scotland about a wide range of rail matters affecting the Scottish railway industry. At the end of last year, I spoke at the rail industry association conference, which considered the supply chain within the rail industry in Scotland. Last month, I met with the railway unions to discuss the issue, particularly in the context of public ownership of ScotRail. The minister will be aware of the Calais railway works in Springburn, which was forced to close in 2019, despite being profitable having a highly skilled workforce and being of strategic importance to Scotland's railway infrastructure. Since the closure of ScotRail trains are routinely sent to England and Wales for maintenance repair and overhaul due to a lack of capacity to do that work in Scotland. However, there is interest in returning the Calais to use as a railway engineering and maintenance site again, but it will likely require intervention from the Government and its agencies to make it happen. Will the minister agree to meet me and representatives from the trade unions alongside Scottish Government agencies like Scottish Enterprise to find a workable and viable solution that will bring long-term benefits to Scotland's economy by reopening the Calais railway works? I suspect that the member's question probably cuts across ministerial portfolios in relation to responsibilities. He will appreciate that I was not in post, I do not think, at the time of the works that he has outlined in relation to Springburn and its closure. However, I recognise very much the need to encourage Scottish jobs in Scotland to support the rail industry, particularly as we move forward with our decarbonisation agenda. I have discussed that at length with the rail unions in recent times. I have been more than happy to meet the member and more broadly with other ministers who may also have responsibilities in this space to look at what more we might be able to do. The Railway Industry Association, which represents the supply chain in the sector, has welcomed the publication of the high-level output specification and statement of funds available for Scotland's railway infrastructure for CP7. The Scottish Government's vision for a railway is one of an attractive, environmentally friendly mode of transport and a wholly publicly owned, fully integrated rail network. Does the minister agree with me that if Labour shares those aspirations then it's time they backed calls for the full devolution of rail powers to bring track and train together and ensure Scotland has the levers it needs to create a sustainable rail service in the future? Yes, I do. Earlier this week, the third UK transport secretary in my time as transport minister presented a vision for the railways in Britain, which fundamentally sits at odds with the approach that we have taken in Scotland. Mark Harper wants to use more private sector investment in our railways. We want to see less. That is why we took ScotRail into public ownership last April. It's worth saying that the Scottish Government has consistently presented a clear case for the full devolution of rail powers. The Conservative UK Government's plans for rail will not deliver that, and public ownership of ScotRail, of course, means a railway should work for the people who own it, not for shareholders. That's exactly why powers over train and track must be fully devolved to Scotland. The minister talks about her vision for ScotRail. Perhaps it could include lower fares and a simpler ticketing system. I didn't catch the end of Mr Simpson's question, but we have lower rail fares in Scotland than in other parts of the UK. I think that on average, around 15 per cent cheaper rail tickets are in Scotland compared to other parts of the UK. It's worth pointing out that we have an offer coming forward in relation to the removal of peak fares, which another member has asked about today. I absolutely want to drive a more accessible and affordable railway for the people of Scotland. That's what public ownership should be about. That is the vision for Scotland's railways. We have long been promised investment at Longannet by the rail industry. We have the right infrastructure sitting there to provide thousands of green jobs and reopen an important freight and passenger route on the back of any potential investment. Does the minister agree with me that regeneration at Longannet remains key to the future of Scotland's railways and the supply chain that is based in Scotland? I agree with the sentiment of the member's question and I strongly support attracting railway industry suppliers to the strategic Longannet site. I thought that it was at the time deeply disappointing that TALGO was unsuccessful in securing that rolling stock order for HS2 from the UK Government. That would have allowed TALGO to quickly confirm its plans for a manufacturing facility on the site, which is a missed opportunity. More broadly, my officials, working alongside Scottish Enterprise, remain available to discuss relocation opportunities with rail industry suppliers looking for that strategic development site in relation to Longannet. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to address coastal erosion in the north-east Scotland region. Through our dynamic coast project, we have worked closely with local authorities to help them to plan for coastal adaptation. In our programme for government 2020, we announced a new £11.7 million capital budget over four years for coastal change adaptation, which starts in 2022-23. In the north-east, in 2023-24, Aberdeen and Angus will each receive £150,000 and Aberdeenshire £206,000 for coastal change adaptation, making a total commitment of over half a million. In addition, the Montrose, Dune and Beech Replenishment project has also received £350,000 from our Nature Restoration Fund. The people of Montrose are telling us that there are scant years left in the Dune system and the historic golf course. A few fairways have already been lost to the sea and there are huge implications for flooding. When will the Scottish Government grasp the nettle and decide whether it will support a sand motor at Montrose? I am absolutely aware of the serious erosion issues to the sand dunes in Montrose and the impact that this can have for flooding for residents. I completely understand their concern about flooding and equally about how important the golf course itself is to the people of Montrose. The Scottish Government is responding to that, not least through a research programme dynamic coast, which maps risk and working with COSLA. We have agreed to assign money directly to those risks as they are identified. Officials in Marine Scotland's licensing team are also working with the Port Authority to investigate whether it could be beneficial to use dredge material to shore up the situation there. I know that Angus Council has also worked on a flood risk management plan, which seeks to address both erosion and flooding in a co-ordinated way. In all those ways, we are seeking to rise to what is undoubtedly a challenge of our coastlines having to move. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is regarding any impact in Scotland to the new report by UK100 that highlights the benefits of clean air and net zero approaches. Our Clean Air for Scotland 2 strategy recognises the significant benefits of aligning approaches to address climate change and improve air quality, particularly in areas such as transport, agriculture and industrial emissions. Our strategy sets out an explicit commitment to ensuring that the policies that we pursue to reduce climate change also deliver co-benefits for air quality. We have done much work in that regard, not least our low emission zones, and a lot of work to decarbonise public transport. It is paying off because, for the first time outside of recent lockdown periods, no monitoring sites are exceeding air quality objectives. The environmental organisation UK100 has said that wider progress is being hampered by the UK Government's lack of a coherent national strategy, disjointed short-term funding and the refusal to recognise the importance of cans. My view is that the cans approach aligns with much of what we are seeking to do in Scotland, but recent exchanges with Westminster demonstrate that this is not a view that the Tories share. Does the minister therefore share my concern that this is regrettably another example where the UK Government's obstinacy regarding net zero may hold Scotland back? I absolutely agree with Michelle Thomson's sentiment. We need faster action, higher ambition for the UK Government on delivering net zero and to do so justly. The Scottish Government has repeatedly called on the UK Government to act. We will continue to do so. They must take the action as necessary. Better still, we want Scotland to be an independent country with powers over our own resources so that we can both tackle climate change and at the same time build that clean, green, prosperous economy of the future that we know Scotland can have. Michelle Thomson has strangely failed to mention the report's second recommendation, which talks about local authorities getting to net zero needing longer-term dedicated funding commitments to allow proper planning and implementation. A P&J report last week showed that, since Transport Scotland no longer subsidises the repair and maintenance of the public EV charge point network in Highland Council area, it is going to be cheaper to run a petrol than an electric car. Does the minister think that Transport Scotland is demonstrating exactly the sort of short-termist, short-sighted thinking that the report councils against? Can she tell me if similar cuts have been made in any other Scottish local authorities? I do not agree with that whatsoever. In fact, I know that our EV infrastructure coverage is some of the best across the UK. I think that we have some of the most per head of population outside of London. However, not least that, the 2023-24 draft budget prioritises the Government's commitment to adjust transition to net zero for a climate and biodiversity resilience Scotland. It does that, backed by some £2.2 billion of funding. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress towards the launch of the deposit return scheme. Scotland's deposit return scheme will be a major part of our efforts to reduce littering, cut emissions and build a more circular economy. This is a bold, complex and transformational scheme in line with the scale of the climate emergency that we are facing. It will be a significant change for everyone in Scotland. I am pleased that industry has made very significant progress towards implementation, a finding echoed in our recent independent review. This week, I am writing to all MSPs to provide a detailed update on progress and to highlight the additional actions taken by the Scottish Government and Circularly Scotland, the scheme administrator to provide support for businesses to get ready for DRS. The momentum underway is a testament to the efforts being made by businesses, Circularly Scotland and the Scottish Government to ensure that there are pragmatic approaches to launch. I will continue to engage closely with industry to ensure that this transformational scheme is a success. I thank the minister for her answer, but I sense that, with less than six months to go, she is still woefully complacent about the impact of the deposit return scheme. The owner of Broughton Brewery and the Scottish Borders say that it will pose real challenges to their business. She says that they compete with other small brewers based across the UK and a different system will leave small Scottish brewers an economic disadvantage. They add that we will have to invest in producer fees, revised packaging and an increase in our stock holding, which impacts on our cash flow and our ability to innovate and protect jobs. Will the minister now act in the voice of small brewers and postpone the introduction of DRS for small producers and put in place a permanent low volume exemption scheme? Or is she going to push those small producers to the brink and will fully carry on regardless? I am very grateful for the member's question. I am very aware of the concerns of small producers. We have been working closely with Circularity Scotland. We have already published new producer fees that are lower than originally planned for the scheme, reducing the overall cost. Day 1 payments for producers using UK-wide barcodes will also be reduced by two thirds from 2.4 months of fees to three weeks of fees. There will be no registration fee for producers with an annual turnover of less than £85,000 or lower. Producers that only fill and seal single-use drink containers at point of sale for all other producers, the registration fee will be £365. I am very keen for this to work properly for small producers and I will be meeting with small producers tomorrow morning to find out what more we can do to support them to fully participate in this scheme. I call supplementaries from Christine Grahame. Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I share the member's concerns about Broughton Brewery and My Constituency. However, Dryden Aqua, a very profitable company also in My Constituency, recycles glass for innovative water filtration systems. The proposed DRS scheme, as it stands, puts this business at risk. Will the minister meet with them to discuss their concerns? Minister. Including glass in our scheme will save over 1.2 megatons of CO2 over 25 years and will significantly increase the quantity and quality of glass recyclet. Our scheme in Scotland, like similar schemes around the world, is being delivered and funded by industry, so the materials generated by this scheme and the disposition of them are a matter for industry, and that is for circularity Scotland, not for Scottish Government. However, I am always happy to meet with companies that are working in my portfolio area and I will contact the member to make arrangements. Thank you. I call supplementaries Stephen Kerr. I really feel that I need to stand up and plead with this minister to listen not only to members of our own party who are making a case for businesses but also the businesses themselves. I am, as I am sure with many other members, deluged with contact from producers and retailers and hospitality sector saying that they fear this scheme. They want details but they fear the calamitous impact that this scheme is going to have on their businesses. They fear going out of business. Will the minister please listen to her colleagues and will she please listen to industry who know what they are talking about and will she assure us that she is open to change so that this calamity they fear can be averted? I am very aware of the concerns of industry and I meet regularly with large retailers, small retailers, large producers and small producers. I am particularly aware of the concerns of small producers and I am planning to meet them again tomorrow to find out what else we can do. In listening to the concerns of industry, we have and are adapting this scheme. The extension to the go live date that was announced in last December to this year gave industry additional time to prepare. Circularity Scotland announced on 27 January an increase in the return handling fees for retailers to help support them to collect these materials. I have already listed out the reduced fees for producers to help producers to participate in the scheme. I have also listed out that I am meeting with producers to find out what else we can do to help them to participate fully in the scheme. I am very keen for all Scottish businesses who are affected to be able to participate successfully in the scheme. We have heard about 600 producers who have raised their concerns, some from my constituency in the Orkney, where the logistical challenges of DRS are even greater. Over the last year, I have worked with many of the local stakeholders to try to get answers to the questions that they have about how the scheme will work in practice. Now that it is clear that those questions cannot be answered in the timeframe set, can I urge the Minister to think about pausing the scheme to avoid damaging businesses, public confidence and even the case for DRS itself? I thank the member very much for the question. The scheme in Scotland will go live on 16 August this year. The extension to that go live date that brought it forward to this year was announced in December 2021 to give industry more time to prepare. As with other similar successful schemes around the world, our scheme is being delivered and funded by industry. Those organisational matters are for industry to resolve. I am working very hard to facilitate industry to have the answers to that organisational blueprint so that we can move forward with a successful scheme. Much progress has been made to deliver the scheme and we are building momentum toward that go live date of August 16 this year. To ask the Scottish Government in relation to support that it can provide for households in Scotland, what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding energy affordability? We have urged the UK Government to ensure that the interests of Scottish consumers are represented in the decision making around future support for energy with energy costs and have called repeatedly for support to be targeted towards those who need it the most. Last year, the First Minister chaired two energy summits that were attended by energy suppliers, advice agencies and third sector representatives. We continue to build upon those and subsequent discussions with stakeholders and to identify further actions that we can take within our devolved powers to mitigate the impacts of high energy costs upon Scottish consumers. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. While most people are struggling to heat their homes, it has been reported in the last week that big energy companies are making record profits. Given energy pricing is reserved, will the cabinet secretary urge the chancellor to tax share buybacks, expand the windfall tax and scrap plans to raise the energy bill cap by a further £500 in April? In relation to his final point, yes, I would ask him to revisit the price cap due to the increase in the next couple of months. It is galling to households across the country where consumers are facing hikes in their energy costs while at the same time we see major energy providers making record profits. I cannot think of a better example of the sheer failure of the UK Government to regulate and manage our energy sector than the example that we saw over the course of the last week alone. It is a very clear example of systemic failure by successive governments in the UK to manage the energy markets in a way that reflects the needs of consumers. All the worse for consumers here in Scotland, given that our energy costs are greater than any other part of the UK, lean to even more households finding themselves in extreme fuel poverty as a result of that systemic failure by the present UK Government on this issue. That is why the UK Government should take urgent action to extend the windfall tax on those companies who are making record profits at the present time off the back of households right across the country who are paying extensive price increases as a result of Westminster Government failure over many years. That concludes portfolio questions, and there will be a very short pause before we move on to the next item of business to allow those front-bench teams who wish to change positions. Thank you.