Plenary, 04 Oct 2007

Meeting date: Thursday, October 4, 2007

Official Report 756KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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Education and Lifelong Learning

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Primary Education (Priorities)

To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are for the primary education sector. (S3O-867)

In primary education, we aim to provide the best start to our children's education to enable them to achieve their full potential and to help to deliver our commitment to building a smarter Scotland. Our priorities for primary education include leadership, continuous professional development, curriculum for excellence, assessment is for learning, health promotion, class sizes and continuing improvements to school buildings.

Does the minister agree that, although he and his colleagues have consistently refused to advise Parliament how much it will cost to implement its manifesto commitment on primary class sizes, Glasgow City Council has shared with the Government the fact that the proposal will cost it an additional £45 million, if it has to provide 186 new teaching spaces and 397 additional teachers. Will the Government meet the additional cost that Glasgow has identified and, if so, when?

The Scottish Government remains entirely committed to making steady progress year on year in working with councils to deliver smaller class sizes in Scotland's schools. We are working with education authorities to ensure that we can drive down class sizes in a managed and staged way that maintains teacher quality and which recognises classroom pressures and the continuity of class configurations. That will deliver practical progress towards classes of 18 in primary 1 to primary 3.

We are talking to the local authorities about an outcome agreement to ensure that they can deliver the early progress that we need to see. Indeed, earlier today, Fiona Hyslop met the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities spokesperson on children and young people to discuss that very subject.

I note what the minister said about steady progress. Will he confirm that the commitment, that both Fiona Hyslop and the First Minister have made in Parliament, to reduce class sizes in primary 1 to primary 3 and nursery classes will be met by 2011?

I am concerned that the Labour Party in particular seems to be clawing back from its commitment on class sizes. Right across the piece in Scottish society—from parents to teachers—we have a tremendous backing for our policy to ensure that class sizes are reduced.

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Class Sizes (Edinburgh)

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will deliver its proposed reduction in class sizes in Edinburgh, in the light of the City of Edinburgh Council's financial situation and the impact on teacher numbers, school accommodation and parental choice. (S3O-849)

We are discussing the Government's policy of class-size reduction with the Convention of Scotish Local Authorities, including a productive meeting this morning, and how that can be delivered in the context of proposed outcome agreements with councils. We also recognise that the pace and delivery for the City of Edinburgh Council will, in part, need to be determined by its circumstances as partners in that delivery.

I welcome that flexibility from the cabinet secretary. Does she agree with a City of Edinburgh Council education committee report that suggests that the cost to Edinburgh of the class-size reduction policy will be £41 million? Given that 60 per cent of Edinburgh schools will have difficulty in accommodating either extra space or new buildings, the council's inherited financial state, and the fact that the Scottish National Party has ruled out any help in the rebuilding of five city schools, will she assure Parliament that its flagship policy is achievable in the capital, and elsewhere? Will she tell us exactly what she will do to assist the city in achieving it by 2011?

I think that there were half a dozen, if not 10, questions in that. I will try to address as many as I can.

The SNP Government is committed to supporting the City of Edinburgh Council and has found funding in recent months to provide £600,000 for investment in additional teachers and the equivalent of £2.9 million for investment in capital. We will be funding six new secondary schools over the coming years, at Holy Rood Roman Catholic high school, Broughton high school, Craigroyston community high school, Tynecastle high school, Forrester high school and St Augustine's. We will also be funding two new primary schools at Bonaly and Juniper Green.

At lunch time I met the leader of the City of Edinburgh Council to address the flexibilities and requirements of the council. The Government is committed to class-size reduction. We are absolutely convinced that it is better for young people, particularly those from deprived areas, to be taught in classes of 18. We are getting support from the teachers, the parents and the pupils, so I seek support and a more constructive approach from Parliament. The City of Edinburgh Council is seeking to turn around a financial deficit of £25 million. Finding creative solutions to the financial difficulties that were caused by the previous Labour administration is a challenge indeed. Some of us are prepared to face up to that challenge and some of us are not.

Adam Ingram said in his earlier answer that the cabinet secretary had been talking to local authorities about outcome agreements. How will outcome agreements succeed if local authorities respond as Edinburgh has done when receiving £2.5 million—that was the figure I had; the minister may correct me as I think she just said £2.9 million—for capital expenditures to reduce class sizes? The council did not use it for that, but put it in the pot to pay for what it terms "budget shortfalls". That does nothing to assist children in primary 1 to primary 3 into smaller classes, but the minister seems to have washed her hands of the matter.

The figure that I mentioned is £2.3 million in capital which, if added to the City of Edinburgh Council's share of the £9 million that we made available for teachers, makes a total of £2.9 million to the council. I find it surprising that the member knows more about the council's finances, funding and budget than I do. The allocation of that funding was precisely to start early preparation for class-size reduction. Class sizes will be reduced by employing more teachers, which is why this Government, within the first few months of its coming into power, has given local authorities £9 million. We are increasing the teacher intake in our colleges of education in order to ensure that we have continuing provision of quality teachers. In addition, this Government is committed to school buildings and to matching brick for brick the commitments to provision of the previous Government. That is the scenario, and that is the atmosphere in which we can have children well educated to achieve the smarter Scotland to which we all aspire.

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Secondary Schools (Gender Performance Gap)

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the performance gap between male and female pupils in secondary schools. (S3O-823)

The performance gap between boys and girls in secondary schools has a long history. We have seen a slight narrowing of the gap in examination results recently, but the challenge is to sustain that trend.

We have issued a gender equality toolkit to all primary, secondary and special schools to help them meet their duties under the Equality Act 2006. That covers promoting equality between boys and girls in all areas of activity, including achievement and attainment.

I thank the minister for her encouraging response. In Glasgow, there is further cause for concern. Scottish Qualifications Authority results that were published last week show a huge gulf in educational attainment between the rich and poor, with Glasgow having among the lowest pass rates at standard grade and higher level. Does the minister share my concern about that? What will she do to ensure that people in deprived areas such as Glasgow do not fall further behind the rest of Scotland?

We welcome the fact that attainment in Glasgow is improving more quickly than it is in Scotland as a whole, even though it starts from a lower base. We are committed to enabling every child to achieve his or her potential and we will focus on the poorest-performing children with increased early intervention and support.

Of the additional £9 million that we have announced, Glasgow City Council will get £652,200 this year and £326,100 next year.

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Higher Education (Places)

To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra places it believes can be created in higher education institutions as a result of abolishing the graduate endowment fee. (S3O-866)

The unfair and inefficient graduate endowment fee does not fund university places in Scotland and the proposed abolition of the fee is not intended to fund additional university places. The cost of abolition will be met within the current baseline budget. The creation of additional funded places at higher education institutions depends on the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.

What additional support will be available to allow people who are not in education, employment or training and those who are in hard-to-reach communities—places such as Lochgelly in my constituency—to access education and training so that they can participate fully in the Scottish economy?

I am not sure whether that question is consequential to the first one, which was on access to universities. However, it is important that we provide access and opportunity for all young people. Those who are not in education, employment or training need opportunities, but waiting until they are 16, 17 or 18 and making them stay in education until then will not make the difference. If we want those young people to go to university, we need earlier intervention and support, which is why we have our early intervention strategy and our important wider access programmes. The greater opportunity of access and learning with schools—GOALS—project works with schools to give earlier opportunities to children and young people from backgrounds that might lead them to being not in education, employment or training.

If Helen Eadie supports the wider access agenda, I certainly agree with her. It is of concern that participation at universities in Scotland reduced from 117,000 in 2001 to 109,000 in 2005-06. There is a lot of good work to widen participation and to reach more young people. Unfortunately, the previous Government was not able to deliver to the level that Helen Eadie and I seek for our young people, but the SNP Government will pursue a wider participation agenda to reach the people that she mentioned.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning will no doubt be pleased to hear that I do not want to get into a debate with her on participation rates in higher education.

The Conservatives never supported the graduate endowment, but is the cabinet secretary aware of concerns in the higher education sector that the policy to abolish it is taking money out of the sector at a time when money should be going in? Does she agree that it is time we had an independent commission to examine higher education funding in Scotland? Such a commission would include people from throughout the sector, and indeed from outside it, and would consider all the possible options for future funding.

I hear what Murdo Fraser says and I have listened to the evidence that has been put forward for a long-term review of higher education. However, we are within days of the release of the Westminster spending review and within weeks of this Parliament deciding its spending review, so I do not think that this is an appropriate time for any of us to call for a review of higher education. However, I recognise the arguments that are made.

Murdo Fraser suggested that abolition of the graduate endowment fee will somehow take money out of the sector, but it will not take funding for teaching and research from universities because the funding that is being found for abolition of the graduate endowment fee comes from baseline budgets that were otherwise being used for student support. As he knows, the terms of the legislation on the graduate endowment fee determine where the funding should go. It is a misrepresentation to say that the policy will remove money from the university sector if, by saying that, he means that it will take money from teaching and research.

Abolition of the graduate endowment fee has been strongly welcomed by all those who responded to the consultation. It is a big stride towards ensuring that we have an education system that provides education without the barrier of the fear of debt.

The figures to which I referred earlier indicate that, in this country and at this time, we are seeing a reduction in participation in higher education when other competitive countries are seeing an increase. We must address that. I look forward to not just debating and discussing abolition of the graduate endowment fee but, in the longer term, to considering how we can ensure that Scotland has a first-class, world-class education system.

I suggest to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning that, as well as being mindful of the number of graduates that we have, and of their falling numbers, she ought to be mindful of the fact that one in five adult Scots is identified as falling below acceptable standards in literacy and numeracy. The big plus programme, which is running at the moment, is due to come to an end next year, so I seek the cabinet secretary's assurance that we will get a hard-edged report that will identify the expected outcomes, and that even if the programme has fallen short in the seven years of its existence, its essence of ensuring that we lower that 20 per cent figure, and the funding for it, are untouched.

I thank Margo MacDonald for raising those points, which also indicate why it is important to get early intervention right so that we do not have to deal with a remedial situation and help adults who did not have the opportunity to develop their skills when they were younger.

Yesterday, I met the national workforce plus partnership board to discuss employability issues relating to the Government's skills strategy. If we are to improve employability, adult literacy and numeracy must be at the heart of that effort. We had a productive discussion about different avenues and ways to help to improve adult literacy and numeracy, not least in the workplace. I will take a keen personal interest in the agenda and will welcome any suggestions that Margo MacDonald or others make on that.

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Curriculum for Excellence

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the principles of a curriculum for excellence will cover both Gaelic and Scots languages. (S3O-830)

Yes. Learning and Teaching Scotland will produce draft outcomes and experiences for Gaelic learners and native speakers in the current school year, along with draft outcomes and experiences for English language and literacy, which will include references to Scots. That will build on the guidance that has already been issued on the curriculum for excellence that makes it clear that the languages and literature of Scotland provide a valuable source for learning about culture, identity and language.

I am sure that the minister will join me in hoping that the resource finder on the curriculum for excellence website—which mentions Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, sign language, Spanish and Urdu—will have Scots added. I am sure that the children of Letham primary school in West Lothian, which has been part of a year-long study and is a centre of excellence for Scots, will—like many schoolchildren throughout the country—want to know where to get more Scots. As one primary 7 pupil said—

And the question is?

Is Scots going to appear in the curriculum for excellence website's resource finder? Will it also form part of the answer that the minister gave first time around?

I will certainly check the website and make sure that Scots is on the resource finder. A range of groups and people support the use of Scots in public life—not least me, as I took my oath in Doric—including the Scots Language Society, the Scots Language Resource Centre, the Scots Language Dictionary's dictionary of the older Scottish tongue and others. I know that excellent work is being done in various schools throughout the country to promote the Scots language and we must ensure that such good practice is disseminated.

I recognise the minister's personal commitment in this area, but does she and her Government's work on language, and on Scots in particular, acknowledge the rich variation in dialects all the way from Shetland to Galloway? In that context, will she ensure that her work helps to maintain that variation and to avoid any development of a standard Scots, given the varieties that the country has?

Aye, fairly. We recognise that there are different Scots dialects throughout Scotland. Those of Shetland and Orkney are just as important as those of elsewhere.

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Primary Education

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that reducing the number of primary schools is compatible with reducing class sizes in primaries 1 to 3. (S3O-883)

Local authorities have responsibility for managing their school estates and for implementing national education priorities. Local authorities are sensitive to population shifts and increases or decreases in school rolls in different communities and are therefore best placed to make decisions about school-estate management. The patterns of school provision and occupancy levels vary from council to council, as will whether fewer primary schools could still deliver smaller class sizes.

I am sorry that the minister did not give a direct answer to my question, but she will be aware of the decision that her Scottish National Party colleagues pushed through Aberdeen City Council earlier this week, to consider for closure up to 22 schools in the city on the ground that they currently have underutilised classroom capacity. Is she aware of the concerns that the decision has caused among parents whose children attend primary schools such as St Machar's, Donbank, Seaton, Kittybrewster, Sunnybank and Causewayend in my constituency? Will she urgently seek to meet her SNP colleagues on Aberdeen City Council to point out to them that her Government's policy will require a 25 per cent increase in classroom capacity in primaries 1 to 3, as opposed to school closures? Will she join me in calling on the council to abandon those closure proposals?

My understanding is that Aberdeen City Council has not made proposals for closures but has in fact a three Rs programme of rebuilding, renewing and refurbishing. The fact that the member could cite a precise number of school closures perhaps reflects the plans of the previous council administration. However, the member makes a valuable point about the need for capital investment and additional teacher provision to meet our policy to reduce class sizes. I am confident that, when we have the opportunity to discuss pace and flexibility and—following the comprehensive spending review—when we know what resources are available to us, councils such as Aberdeen City Council will be able to provide a creative and positive agenda for class-size reduction.

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Europe, External Affairs and Culture

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International Strategy and Agreements (Review)

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on its review of its existing international strategy and agreements. (S3O-876)

The Scottish Government is continuing its consideration of its international activities. We have already published a paper on our approach to international development, views on which are being sought by the end of this month. We have published the Scottish Government's current European Union priorities and we will consult on how our new European strategy should look. Last week, Jim Mather and I chaired the China consultation group, which is a high-level group that is helping us to think about how to approach our engagement with China.

We will use that same consultative approach to consider how the Scottish Government approaches its international activity across the piece. That will enable us to publish a new international strategic framework early in the new year.

I note the Administration's commitment to doubling the international aid budget. Will the minister ensure that, as part of the strategic spending review, a specific timetable is spelled out to ensure that those additional moneys flow to the most needy international communities?

As we have announced many times, the Scottish Government is committed to increasing the international development budget to £9 million in this parliamentary session. The exact profile of that budget is dependent on the outcomes of the forthcoming spending review. The paper has been placed on the website and I am looking for responses from those in the field on how we can best expend moneys to achieve the best possible outcomes in the developing countries that require that money.

When she appeared before the European and External Relations Committee on 26 June, the minister stated:

"We will also work closely with Scottish aid agencies to ensure that our international development aid support is channelled where it is most needed."—[Official Report, European and External Relations Committee, 26 June 2007; c 11.]

What dialogue has she had with those agencies since 26 June? What views has she heard about the focus of the Scottish Government's international development policy?

I have met so many people in the field that I may miss some of them out, so please excuse me if I do. I have met the encompassing umbrella group—the Network of International Development Organisations in Scotland—to which most Scottish aid agencies belong. I have also met the various groups that deal with our special relationship with Malawi. In addition, I have met individual non-governmental organisations, including the Mercy Corps, Oxfam, the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund and Scottish International Relief.

It was plain from the discussion at my main meeting with NIDOS, before we put our short paper on the web asking for ideas, that this is the correct time to re-examine the international development policy, which was unanimously agreed in Parliament with the previous Administration, and to assess it to see where we go from here. Once I get the responses back from the many people whom I am sure will respond, we will be able to have a consensual approach on how to go forward. Everyone in the field wants the same: the best possible outcomes for those who need our assistance.

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Cultural Development (Funding)

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be made available to support local cultural development. (S3O-854)

Funding for culture is currently being considered as part of the strategic spending review 2007. We will announce the outcome in late autumn 2007 when spending plans will be set for the next three years.

I hope that part of the spending plans will be to support Abbotsford in my constituency—a real cultural jewel in the crown not only for the Borders but for the nation and internationally. I read closely the First Minister's comments on Dumfries house and purchasing an expensive prize for the state from a wealthy family. In the same spirit as it took to Dumfries house, will the Scottish Government work with the independent trustees of Abbotsford in ensuring that the visitor experience is developed and that Abbotsford continues to be a real prize for Scotland?

Why am I not surprised by that question from Mr Purvis? I know that he and others who represent the same area are hugely keen that Abbotsford is given the credit that they believe it deserves. I also think that practically any member could ask the Government to commit to preserving something in their area. Would it not be wonderful if that could happen?

I have spoken to Jeremy Purvis about Abbotsford, and I have received some information. However, I have not had a formal approach for a meeting from the board of trustees. I am happy to learn at any time of an initiative that is part of Scotland's heritage and culture, and I look forward to hearing more about it.

In her submission to the spending review, will the minister make a point of ensuring that, as has been the case up until now, funding for culture continues to increase? It has doubled since devolution, with a £20 million addition in the previous funding round. Will she confirm that an increase is still on the agenda?

As I said, we await the outcome of the spending review, and I will make an announcement then.

Question 3 is withdrawn.

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Historic Coastal Sites

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to protect historic coastal sites. (S3O-875)

Through Historic Scotland, we already protect a number of key historic sites in the guardianship of the Scottish ministers—Skara Brae and Lochranza castle in Arran to name but two. Historic Scotland also works with many partners, including local authorities and local community groups, to identify threatened coastal sites and to support survey and excavation where the sites' physical protection in situ cannot be achieved.

Historic Scotland has recently commissioned the Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion Trust—SCAPE—which is based at the University of St Andrews, to provide a summary of the current state of knowledge on coastal erosion and historic sites in Scotland. Members may remember that John Swinney hosted SCAPE and its exhibition in Parliament recently. The study will help to ensure that we have the information that we need to understand and manage coastal sites and to help us target available resources most appropriately.

We all recognise the significant implications of climate change and the threat that it poses to many parts of Scotland. When will the Administration bring forward a climate change bill? If the minister cannot say, why not? Will she reconsider and now offer support to Sarah Boyack's proposed member's bill on energy efficiency and microgeneration? Again, if not, why not?

Obviously, climate change worries us very much in relation to our heritage and coastal sites in particular.

The First Minister has announced that there will be a climate change bill. It is up to the appropriate cabinet secretaries to talk to members about that; I am sure that they are already in discussion with Ms Boyack about her proposed member's bill.

I am sure that the minister is aware of the historic Wemyss caves in Dysart in Fife, which have great showings of Pictish art. I am well aware that the Wemyss caves have been under threat of coastal erosion for many years—we have certainly lost more than we should. Will the minister enter into discussions with SCAPE, which is based in St Andrews and is bound to be well aware of the Wemyss caves, and Fife Council to see what we can do to protect what is left of one of the major sites in Scotland? If the site was anywhere else in the world, it would have been protected by now.

I would have to know about the Wemyss caves, given that Tricia Marwick and Ted Brocklebank raise them with me regularly. That important archaeological site is protected by coastal defences that were erected by Fife Council.

I was interested to find out that the results of recent excavations and recordings done by "Time Team" will soon be published, and I am interested to learn more. I will ask Historic Scotland to give me much more information about the Wemyss caves, and yesterday I pledged to Mr Brocklebank that I would visit them.

I presume that the minister accepts that it is not possible to save everything, despite the good works of SCAPE, the Shetland Amenity Trust in my constituency and Historic Scotland. In that context, rather than ask the minister for money, which I appreciate ministers are not in a position to say anything about, I ask her to consider the policy issue of whether local history groups could take on such sites to ensure that artefacts and sites do not fall into the sea as a result of the issues that Hugh Henry raised. Will she investigate whether such groups could take on the sites and whether joined-up work could be done by the agencies concerned if they do not have the resources to ensure the safety of the sites?

There certainly is an issue. Historic Scotland maintains sea defences at a number of properties that are open to the public—Skara Brae in Orkney and Jarlshof in Shetland are good examples. Those defences will work for several decades at least, but in the very long term, and if climate change predictions are correct, hard decisions will have to be made about the increasing costs of continued defence in comparison with the costs of the other options of relocation or abandonment.

Part of Historic Scotland's work is archaeological, involving not just digging, but photographing and archiving. It does a lot of work in that area. Although the newspapers reported that SCAPE's overview study was complete, it is at draft stage. We expect the final version by the end of October. It will provide a basis on which to move forward.

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European Union Institutions

To ask the Scottish Government what improvements have been made to relations with European Union institutions since May 2007. (S3O-834)

There is much that I could say in response to the question, but I assure you, Presiding Officer, that I shall be brief.

There are three major institutions with which it is essential that Scotland engages. The first is the European Commission, given the number of its proposals that have a direct impact on Scottish interests. I am pleased to say that, since coming into office, Scottish Government ministers have had bilateral meetings with six EU commissioners who are responsible for policies of key interest to Scotland. The First Minister has met five of them.

The second institution is the European Parliament. Scotland is lucky to have a cross-party team of MEPs who work well together in the interests of Scotland. We must increase engagement with them, as well as with committee chairs and rapporteurs, who are important, too.

The third institution is the Council, with which our interaction is different because of the current constitutional arrangements with the United Kingdom Government, which negotiates on behalf of the entire UK. We have already set out our desire to take the UK lead on fisheries negotiations. Richard Lochhead has this week sent the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs a plan of how we expect the negotiations in December to be handled.

Obviously, the European Union is extremely important to Scotland. Is the United Kingdom Government taking a constructive approach to Scotland's new Government?

I was down at the joint ministerial committee on Europe the other day, where I found its new chair, David Miliband, and the other ministers to be constructive. I was particularly pleased that the committee accepted and agreed to consider a submission on Scotland's position in relation to fisheries from Professor Sir Neil McCormick. However, I hope that the committee will be much more constructive in the future and will realise that Scotland should lead negotiations on the fisheries industry, for example, which affects Scotland much more than any other part of the UK.

Improvements in our relationship with Europe have been mentioned. Will the minister outline some of the Scottish Government's priorities that she outlined to the European and External Relations Committee? Will she also say how priorities in relation to Europe have changed since May 2007?

I told the European and External Relations Committee about the portfolio interests that we will track in Europe. The difference between the SNP Government and the previous Government is that we will have a much more political and proactive approach to Europe, because Scotland's place in Europe and its place in the world are of paramount importance to us. There are issues on which Scotland should be leading in Europe. We expect Scotland to do so and will lobby for that. It is in no doubt that the Government will always act in Scotland's best interests, which will come first. In that context, there are many things that we will have to push a bit more, because there has been no such push before.

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Royal National Mod

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be represented at the Royal National Mod in Fort William and Lochaber. (S3O-893)

I am delighted to report that I have accepted an invitation to attend the official opening of this year's Royal National Mod.

I am pleased that the Government will be represented.

I want continuing support for Gaelic and continuing and growing support for Scots, but I have concerns about other dimensions of Scotland's culture. In particular, I am thinking about the northern isles and Caithness, which have their own dialects and distinct cultures. Is the Scottish Executive prepared to increase its support for those important parts of our heritage? Furthermore, will the minister take immediate action to investigate support for the Caithness Archaeological Trust so that it can retain its ability to undertake its important work in exploring and explaining Caithness's history and culture?

The question was about the Mod in Fort William and Lochaber. We will move to question 7.

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Scottish Broadcasting Commission

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Broadcasting Commission will meet and what the agenda is for its inaugural meeting. (S3O-899)

The first meeting of the commission has been arranged for the end of October. Obviously, it is not for ministers to decide the commission's agenda, but it is likely that at its first meeting, it will consider the draft remit for and scope of its work, as well as how it intends to approach its assignment.

I hope that when the commission meets, it will not be diverted by sideshows, such as the question whether there should be a Scottish 6 o'clock news; rather, I hope that it will focus on matters that are more important to the broadcasting industry in Scotland. Will the minister ask the commission to reflect on the views of the BBC director general, Mark Thompson, who first said that no talent or ideas exist in Scotland to make network programmes and then said that BBC Scotland will increase its network share to 9 per cent as a minimum? Will she ensure that the BBC will not do that by claiming that network shows that are made in other areas—such as "Waterloo Road", which is made in Manchester—are made in Scotland, but that programmes are genuinely made in Scotland by Scottish talent?

The commission might also investigate what is happening at Scottish Television.

The member should be quick.

I should declare an interest as a former employee of and shareholder in STV. In my time there, it made 1,000 hours of local programming a year. Will the minister ask what the figure is now? The Office of Communications is reviewing public service broadcasting in Scotland—

That is enough, thank you. The minister may respond.

I will respond to the questions that I can remember.

I am glad that Mr Whitton was as outraged as I was by comments that Mark Thompson made earlier this year. However, Mark Thompson's announcement of a potential rise in network broadcasting and commissioning is super. It shows that we were right to set up the Scottish Broadcasting Commission. In the light of what the BBC has said and STV's news programme announcement, we have given a push to broadcasting in Scotland.

The member talked about "Waterloo Road" being made in Manchester. I am sure that the Scottish Broadcasting Commission, with its breadth of experience, will look at that scenario, to ensure that what is called Scottish commissioning is Scottish commissioning. The commission's focus is on how the broadcasting industries in Scotland can be more successful. I am glad that a commission has been set up to investigate a hugely important creative industry. Everyone should welcome that, and I look forward to the commission's findings.

We are told that the commission will have a budget of around £500,000 a year in the current financial year and that, although members will be unpaid, the chairman will be paid at the rate of £387 a day. For approximately how many days will the commission sit? Is the period of evidence taking and deliberation likely to extend into the next financial year?

I make it plain that we have handed over no money—let alone £500,000—to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission. There is a provisional allocation to support the work of the new commission. That allocation is based on the funding for the previous Administration's Cultural Commission, which cost a bit more than £500,000. The money has not been handed over and the commission has not yet held its first meeting. It is for the commission to determine its remit and how it will go about its work; it is not for ministers to direct that. Part of the first meeting will be given over to a discussion of costs and how the commission will take evidence. As the responsible minister, I will then consider what the commission has decided. That is how the commission will be funded.

The daily rate for Blair Jenkins's pay is based on the pay of the chair of the previous Administration's Cultural Commission.