Thank you. That concludes general questions. The next item of businesses, First Minister's

questions. At question number one, I call Douglas Ross.

Thank you, Mr President. This week marked the start of Ramadan for Scotland's Muslim community.

I'm sure the whole chamber will join me in wishing everyone observing Ramadan, peace and happiness.

For years, drug deaths have been Scotland's national shame.

This week it emerged that drug deaths have risen again, up 10% on the previous year.

Hamza Yusuf's new Minister for Drugs, Christina McKelvey, was asked for her response.

She said the plan is working. Surely the First Minister can't agree with that.

First Minister.

I also wish Muslims here in Scotland across the UK and right across the world a happy Ramadan,

though my thoughts are often with those in Muslim communities who are fasting or cannot access

food or water, not out of choice because of their fasting for Ramadan, but because of poverty

or conflict.

In terms of the drugs deaths, let me say first and foremost that my condolences and the

condolences of the

entire government and with every single person that has lost a loved one to suspected drugs

death. But we know, of course, from engaging with those families, it's not warm words,

it's not words of sympathies or condolence, they want. It is action. And I am devastated to

see that rise, particularly as of course we saw and witnessed some progress

in the year before with a reduction in suspected drugs, death.

This is a deep-rooted edemic problem in our society.

What I would say to Douglas Ross is that we are taking a range of significant actions to

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