Contents
- Scottish Parliament Thursday 17 January 2008
- Energy
- Question Time
- First Minister's Question Time
- Question Time
- Firearms
- Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill
- Presiding Officer's Ruling
- Decision Time
- Defence Aviation Repair Agency (Almondbank)
Question Time
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Burns Night
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to mark Burns night this year and how it intends to encourage the celebration of Burns night. (S3O-1951)
Burns night marks the end of Scotland's winter festival and will be celebrated across Scotland and around the world. The First Minister, cabinet secretaries and ministers will attend Burns events in Scotland and overseas during the coming days and will use those events to promote the year of homecoming in 2009.
I will celebrate Burns night in London. I will be promoting the best of what Scotland has to offer to visitors at a luxury Burns night at Harvey Nichols, which has been developed by VisitScotland and supported by the Scottish Government. On Sunday 27 January, I will be honoured to be back home to attend the Robert Burns annual tribute at the national portrait gallery in Edinburgh.
I am sure that the minister will find that there is a new sense of pride in Scotland's culture, which is rejuvenating our culture. Does she agree that Burns represents a figurehead for a wonderful, deep and rich literary tradition in Scotland, which is still alive and strong and should be encouraged?
Absolutely. Burns is a wonderful figurehead, is he not? It is interesting that a Burns supper that is to be held in Brussels promotes his internationalism. The supper is being held to celebrate the lives of Robert Burns and the national poet of Slovenia, France Prešeren.
We have a wonderful literary tradition in Scotland. Edinburgh is the city of literature and hosts the international book festival every year. I am delighted to have been invited to the aye write book festival in Glasgow in March. Members will be interested to know that on Burns day—25 January—an Edwin Morgan event will be held in Glasgow. It will be a 24-hour Morganathon—
What?
Morganathon. I am delighted to be taking part in it and perhaps other members will also take part.
To celebrate our literature—current and past—three literary events will take place in Brussels during Burns season as part of the Scottish writers series.
Will the minister join me in inviting all members to attend the Scottish Parliament's Burns supper, which will take place in the members' restaurant next Wednesday evening, at 6.30 pm for 7 pm? Tickets are £20.
I am sure that it will be a wonderful occasion. I understand that some people in the chamber will perform that evening.
We are always performing.
Thank you, Mr Swinney. I will be doing the immortal memory.
A77 (Symington and Bogend Toll)
I wish the Presiding Officer every success.
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between ministers and Transport Scotland regarding the proposed upgrade of the A77 at Symington and Bogend toll. (S3O-1871)
Transport Scotland is in regular contact with ministers on transport issues, including the proposed upgrading work at Symington and Bogend toll.
As the minister knows, the proposed scheme of improvements at Symington and Bogend toll—to a section of the A77 that has an horrendous safety record—was intended to commence in 2006 but has been pushed back for a number of reasons. The new proposed start date is 2010. The continuing delays on the project are of enormous concern to many of my constituents and to other people who regularly use the A77 between Kilmarnock and Monkton. Will the minister take the matter up with Transport Scotland, with a view to ensuring that everything possible is done to start the project at the earliest possible date, and to ensuring that if a local public inquiry is not required, work is commenced before the projected start date of 2010?
As the member knows, I visited the site of the difficulties with him some months ago to see for myself what is involved. The current state of affairs is that 16 letters of objection have been received, six of which are from statutory consultees. That raises the potential—but not the certainty—that there will be a public local inquiry. Should no public local inquiry be required, we are looking to bring forward construction by a year to 2009.
Glasgow City Council (Discussions)
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council. (S3O-1941)
The Scottish Government is in regular contact with Glasgow City Council on a wide range of issues.
Recently, in light of representations from the North Kelvin Residents Group, I have been in correspondence with Glasgow City Council on the problems with houses in multiple occupation in the area. The issue is whether the council's planning department is abiding by its quota of 5 per cent for HMOs in designated blocks. The council has made me aware that, even when a local authority refuses planning permission for an HMO, the council's licensing department has no power to turn down a licensing application on that basis but has to use a narrow set of criteria that bear no relation to the planning decision. Will the cabinet secretary review the relationship between local authority planning and licensing sections and how they operate with each other to provide an effectively managed and joined-up approach to the planning for and management of HMOs in their communities?
The issue, including the encouragement of more effective working practices and cohesion in the regulatory environment for local authority planning and licensing functions, is being examined as part of a consultation on Scottish planning policy 3, "Planning for Housing". We are aware of the potential problems that can arise where there is an imbalance of HMOs in a community. We are exploring the ways in which local authority planning and licensing functions can work together more effectively to control HMO concentrations. Obviously, the Government will welcome any input into the consultation that Mr Doris, Glasgow City Council, or any other interested party may wish to make.
Council Tax Freeze
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that its proposals to freeze council tax do not breach any legislation. (S3O-1912)
The council tax freeze proposal is entirely legal.
The cabinet secretary has made much of the historic concordat with councils and of the level of his trust in local authorities. If a local authority decides not to hold council tax at its 2007-08 level in the next financial year, will he confirm that it will not receive its share of the £70 million that the Government has allocated for the council tax freeze? Why will he not allocate the £70 million on the basis that he expects councils to freeze their council tax but gives locally accountable councils the freedom to decide whether to implement the freeze?
Of course the matter is one for the local authorities to determine. They will decide whether to accept the Government's proposition, for which resources have been put in place in the spending review, and which I hope the Parliament will support during its consideration of the Budget (Scotland) Bill. The resources are in place to enable the local authorities to freeze their council tax levels.
I have set out the allocation mechanism for the sum of £70 million, which will be used to compensate councils for freezing the council tax. The mechanism provides local authorities with compensation for the proportion of the £70 million that each council would have accounted for as a consequence of its share of the total council tax income that is raised in Scotland. We have put forward a fair funding mechanism. It is supported by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. In the forthcoming budget decisions that the Parliament and local authorities will make, I look forward to receiving a positive endorsement of the Government's invitation to the local authorities to freeze council tax.
Tourism (Highlands and Islands)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase tourism in the Highlands and Islands. (S3O-1955)
Tourism is a priority industry and Highlands and Islands Enterprise works closely alongside tourism businesses to achieve our shared ambition to increase tourism revenues by 50 per cent by 2015. Visitors to Scotland associate Scotland and our beautiful scenery almost exclusively with the Highlands and Islands. VisitScotland therefore features the breathtaking scenery of the Highlands and Islands in most, if not all, of its marketing. Many tourism businesses across the Highlands and Islands give their visitors such a wonderful experience that they want to return again and again. That is the most effective way to increase tourism in the Highlands and Islands.
Destination management is proving very successful worldwide in developing tourism, including in Kitzbühel, Austria, and the Whistler mountain range near Vancouver, Canada. Given that tourism is twice as valuable to the Highlands and Islands economy as it is to anywhere else in Scotland, what support is being made available for destination management organisations such as Destination Loch Ness to ensure that they can promote their areas successfully? Does the minister support Destination Loch Ness in its bid for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization world heritage status for Loch Ness?
In essence, we are supporting the widespread take-up of the destination management concept across Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. We have an on-going engagement with the industry through the tourism framework for change. Increasingly, the destination management concept is becoming the focus of VisitScotland. It is key to economic development and tourism in the Highlands and Islands. In addition, I have attended recent meetings with destination management groups. I brokered a meeting between the Scotch Whisky Association and destination management potential in Moray. Destination Loch Ness will get full support for its bid for the status that it requires.
If I may, I will take the minister's attention further north. Does the minister agree that Wick airport represents a fine facility that is perhaps not used as much as it might be? Does he further agree that increased use would boost tourism in the far north—and, indeed, in Orkney and Shetland, too—and that it would help to underpin the economic regeneration that is vital in view of the continuing decommissioning at Dounreay?
I accept that, but I also want to highlight every other transport opportunity to get north, including the road and rail network. I visited Wick in the summer. The tourism potential there is magical. I suspect that far too many people in Scotland, let alone the rest of the United Kingdom, never mind those in the rest of the living world, are unaware of the magic of the area.
I agree about the magic of Caithness.
I welcome the excellent new facilities at the Eden Court theatre and Culloden battlefield, both of which I visited last week. What is being done to ensure the continued increase in flights—and therefore tourists—into Inverness and the rest of the Highlands and Islands?
I recognise the Eden Court theatre and Culloden. Indeed, in the papers today, I note that Culloden is looking for descendants of those who fought at the battle of Culloden, to ask them to make the return journey to the battlefield.
I continue to press my transport colleagues to ensure that transport to the Highlands and Islands becomes increasingly affordable and available in order to get more people into the area.
Question 6 was not lodged.
Village Halls
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will provide to village halls during this session of the Parliament. (S3O-1873)
Funding for village halls will be available through the new £1.6 billion Scotland rural development programme for 2007 to 2013, once it has gained approval from the European Commission of course. In the meantime, we will commission research in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations to establish the current state of rural community facilities in general.
The minister will be aware of the growing concern among many churches and charitable and voluntary organisations that their exemption from water rates ends in 2010, as a result of changes to the principles that underpin water rate charges. What action is the Scottish Government taking to allay their concerns and to help them to avoid the difficulties that the new regulatory burden will impose?
As the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, I am paying close attention to the issue, which of course comes under the remit of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. The Government is considering the responses to the review of the charging regime, including on the element that will apply to small organisations, including village halls.
Before I put my question to the cabinet secretary, I assure Mike Rumbles that I moved seats not because I wanted to sit further away from him but because the microphone on my console is not working.
Will the cabinet secretary ensure that we sustain our rural village halls, which are the centre of communities, particularly for older people? Indeed, many MSPs use village halls when doing their constituency rounds.
I assure Christine Grahame that the Scottish Government is working flat out to sustain our rural communities. The SCVO is holding a conference in February on the future of village halls. I am looking forward to hearing the outcome of the deliberations then to see how the Government can further help to sustain our rural communities generally and village halls and facilities in particular.
Train Services (Europe)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the development of scheduled train services from Scotland to continental Europe via the recently improved Channel tunnel rail link. (S3O-1893)
We will continue to work with the Department for Transport to achieve the best solutions for services between Scotland and England with connections to mainland Europe through the Channel tunnel rail link.
I thank the minister for that answer, but of course I am interested in direct services from Scotland to the continent. The Eurostar trains that were intended for our daytime services via the Channel tunnel have been leased to the French, the new sleeper trains that were intended for our night services have been sold to the Canadians, and Eurostar has said that it has no plans for services north of London without a brand new high-speed rail line. In view of the fact that it has been about 12 years since Strathclyde Passenger Transport, under my chairmanship, unsuccessfully took court action against the United Kingdom Government on this matter, does the minister agree that it might be time to have a look at the First ScotRail franchise to see whether we can build ourselves some direct continental services for the future?
I know of Charlie Gordon's long-term engagement with this subject and I welcome his support for improving services from Scotland to other parts of Europe. However, the responsibility for cross-border services lies primarily with the Secretary of State for Scotland. We can and do give non-binding advice, and we are encouraging the secretary of state and the Westminster Government to examine what significant improvements can be made to ensure that Scotland has access to the Channel tunnel and improved connections across Europe.
Does the minister agree that decisions by John Prescott and the Labour Government have thus far prevented direct links from Scotland to Europe via the Channel tunnel? Will the Scottish Government continue to ensure that its welcome upgrades to the railway system in Scotland always take into account the potential for links to the wider European network and not just the UK network?
The member highlights the significant investments that we are making to improve the railway system in Scotland, thus addressing many of the difficulties that we have inherited. It is a shame that Charlie Gordon was not sufficiently persuasive when he talked to John Prescott, but I am certainly not going to overly criticise him for that.
Scottish Literature (Reclassification)
To ask the Scottish Executive what response the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture has had from the United States Congress to the concerns raised over the reclassification of Scottish literature as a subsection of English literature. (S3O-1947)
I am delighted to confirm to the chamber that, after reviewing submissions from several correspondents, including the National Library of Scotland, the British Library, Congressman Mike McIntyre and many individuals, the cataloguing policy and support office of the Library of Congress will rescind the decision made regarding Scottish literature, Scottish poetry, and similar headings. [Applause.]
The minister can tell by the applause that everyone is very pleased about that. We look forward to making sure that the patron saint of poets, Rabbie Burns, is celebrated not only in Scotland but across the United States as well, now that it has come to its senses.
Well, yes. I agree.
It was not really a question, so that is all you need to do.
Scottish Parliament Elections
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in negotiations with the United Kingdom Government over elections to the Scottish Parliament, in light of the parliamentary debate on the Gould report. (S3O-1939)
Perhaps I could lend Keith Brown some of the Benylin that I was taking last week as he seems to be losing his voice.
The First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister on the day of publication seeking early discussions. The First Minister is now due to meet Des Browne on 24 January. At that meeting, the First Minister will make it clear that the Parliament welcomes the Gould report, including the recommendations calling for the further devolution of executive and legislative powers to the Scottish Government and the Parliament for the administration of its own elections, and he will press for agreement to a timetable for the way ahead.
I thank the minister for his offer of Benylin.
I encourage the minister to continue the Government's efforts on behalf of the people of Scotland to deliver the Gould report's central and fundamental recommendation, which is to give back the control of our own elections to our own Parliament in Scotland. Will he also consider whether there should be a thorough review of the electronic counting system, which proved extremely expensive, unresponsive on the night and unwieldy and incapable of independent verification?
No one can be proud of the situation that unravelled as a result of the election counting systems on 3 May last year. Of course the Government will review all aspects of those elections. I think that we will receive some very helpful advice on that from the Local Government and Communities Committee, which is currently considering the issues under the able chairmanship of Duncan McNeil.
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