General Questions
RAF Kinloss (Economic Assistance)
The Scottish Government, its key agencies and other partners are already providing support to the community. We will live up to our responsibilities to the people of Moray and we are actively supporting the efforts of the Moray task force to develop an economic action plan for the area. The timescale and shape of the response are, of course, dependent on decisions by the United Kingdom Government. The UK Government and the Ministry of Defence cannot be allowed to make decisions and then walk away from the impact. We expect the UK Government to live up to its responsibilities.
Will the minister join me in congratulating the Moray task force on its tremendous efforts to date, and the Moray community generally, whose strength and resilience were exhibited in the outstanding rally in Lossiemouth last month? Does the minister share my view that, as well as fighting to keep the Nimrods at Kinloss and the Tornadoes at Lossiemouth, we need a three-point strategy—a Government job relocation to Moray; assisted area status; and diversification in the Moray economy by using European social funding to retrain redundant RAF personnel and to create new skills for Moray?
We must consider all those options. We must compare and contrast with what happens elsewhere, such as the way in which UK forces exit from Germany, which is a much more structured and lengthy process, and the way in which the US moves its military round its country in consultation with local communities. The key issue is that we are addressing the whole Moray economy, which is inextricably linked to the RAF. If we do not have a proper and full response to that, including a much better response from the UK Government, we will have a cascade of problems, as I still have in my constituency in Campbeltown, which the RAF left many years ago.
Strategic Transport Projects Review
We are making good progress with the priority STPR recommendations. The stage 3 parliamentary debate on the Forth Crossing Bill will be held on 15 December and, alongside that, the Edinburgh to Glasgow improvements programme is progressing well, with new services having been introduced on the Shotts line. On the Highland main line, the Scottish ministers have confirmed in the Scottish draft budget for 2011-12 that services operating between Inverness and the central belt will increase from nine to 11 trains per day.
As the minister will know, improvement works to the A77 around Ayr are essential to assist further proposed development to the south-east of the town. What progress is being made on those improvements, which are detailed in the final report of the strategic transport projects review, and, in particular, the dualling of the A77 around Ayr?
As Mr Scott will know, the projects to which he refers are part and parcel of the strategic transport projects review. A fundamental characteristic of the review was the recognition that, in every spending review period, the Government would set out what further activities it could take to progress the developments. As Mr Scott will know from reading the budget, we have given priority to the maintenance of the existing road and transport infrastructure, subject to a number of developments that we have announced as new projects, because of the significant reductions in capital expenditure that we have received.
The cabinet secretary will be aware that in Bonnybridge, in my constituency, there is strong support for the re-establishment of a train station in the town, but that is not included in the present transport projects review. The cabinet secretary might not be aware that there is considerable frustration in the town because Falkirk Council has been unwilling to make the strongest possible case for the station, on the basis that the project is not in the existing review document. If there is a strong case for such a station to be established, will there be an opportunity for it to be included in the transport project review list as something that could be considered for future funding?
I certainly acknowledge that when we have had the ability to expand access to rail services, such measures have been highly successful in all circumstances. In the short term, we look forward to the opening of the Airdrie to Bathgate line, which is one of the most significant rail public transport developments in Scotland in 100 years. There has been a tremendous response from the public to the expansion of rail capacity.
Higher Education (Student Places)
The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council has the responsibility to work with universities on the detail of the balance between funded and unfunded places. I have asked it to give universities as early an indication as possible of the planning assumptions that they should make for next year’s funding. Members of the funding council meet on 10 December, when they will discuss the implications of the draft budget announcement.
It is disgraceful that two weeks after the budget in which the cabinet secretary set the figures for universities, he cannot tell us what the implications for universities are. What are the implications not for next year’s students but for students the year after, whom the universities have said that they will not be able to admit as a result of the one-year deal that he is trying to do for next year?
I am unaware of the universities saying any such thing. Let me quote what they have said. In a news release on 17 November, the convener of Universities Scotland said:
Question 4 was not lodged.
Transport (Aberdeen and the North-east)
The Scottish Government is continuing to make record levels of investment in transport projects right across Scotland, including Aberdeen and the north-east. We remain committed to delivering the Aberdeen western peripheral route and the Balmedie project, and construction is under way on the £31.5 million A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch project. On rail, we remain committed to service enhancements between Aberdeen and Inverness.
Does the cabinet secretary share my view that the biggest danger to those projects, particularly the AWPR, is not the budget but the court case in the Court of Session? Can he advise us how robustly the Government will defend its position?
I assure Mr Adam that the Government will be extremely robust in defending its position in the court case. The Government’s decision on the AWPR is securely founded. I would wish to be able to make more progress on the project but, as I am sure that Mr Adam and other members will appreciate, the Government cannot do that when there is a live court case on the matter. I assure him that the Government will defend its position and the strength of its decision robustly.
Is money identified in the budget specifically to solve the problems of the Inveramsay bridge in Aberdeenshire, as the Scottish National Party promised?
The Government remains committed to resolving the serious issue of the Inveramsay bridge that the member for the area raised, which is the subject of focused attention by the transport minister. Progress on that will be set out when it can be undertaken.
Given that the court case is frustrating the development of the western peripheral route, is it not time for the Scottish Government to decide not to delay work on the Haudagain roundabout until after the completion of the WPR and to start work on that transport problem for Aberdeen before beginning work on the WPR?
I am pretty sure that Mr Baker accepts that there is an inextricable link between the improvements that are required at the Haudagain roundabout and the AWPR project.
Education Maintenance Allowance
In the draft budget statement on 17 November 2010, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced plans to protect the education maintenance allowance scheme for the remainder of this academic year and the next academic year. That is consistent with the Government’s commitment to support the least well-off students in Scotland and to open up opportunities for poorer families.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that response, which will be welcome news to young people across Scotland. What maintenance support will be available for those 16 to 19-year-olds who attend courses at education centres such as Dundee College in my constituency?
In addition to securing the education maintenance allowance—which, of course, has not happened south of the border—we are committed to ensuring that the level of support for students in the coming year remains consistent with this year’s level. That has been very difficult to achieve, but it has been achieved, and I welcome the support of, for example, the NUS for that. In addition, the number of places that are available in colleges and universities will be maintained, which is a considerable achievement, for which I pay tribute to the college principals and boards of governors and the universities.
I certainly welcome the retention of EMA, but many questions remain. Will it be kept in its current form? In Dundee, for example, the number of applications for EMA has fallen by almost 40 per cent since the first year of the present Government, as a result of changes such as the lowering of the parental income threshold and the scrapping of the £20 and £10 payments. Last year, NUS Scotland estimated that those changes would lead to more than 7,000 students in the 2007-08 intake dropping out of participation or attending classes less regularly.
Question, please.
Are there further plans to change the thresholds? Will the minister instruct local authorities to continue paying EMA after this month?
I reassure the member and the chamber that, as I have said, there are no planned changes to the EMA. The EMA programme overspent in 2009-10 and it was necessary to look at it extremely carefully. I made a commitment to review it in December this year. In the process of the budget discussions, I was very keen to defend the EMA, which I think is highly effective. I am glad to say that that has happened—student support is being maintained. These are exceptionally difficult times, but I know that the poorest in society need the most help. We are targeting them most effectively, which I remind the chamber is not something that others have chosen to do. The fact that we have made it a priority to support students will have an effect on education. [Interruption.] I hope that the member and all other members, including the one who is shouting, welcome that commitment, because it should be welcomed by the entire chamber.
Firefighters
In 2009-10, there were 5,027 firefighters in Scotland’s fire and rescue services. The responsibility for the assessment of the number of firefighters belongs to our local authority partners through their fire and rescue authority structures. They have tools at their disposal to enable the adoption of a risk-based approach to ensure that, even with reduced budgets, resources remain focused on the greatest need and therefore continue to deliver our desired outcome of a safer, stronger Scotland.
Does the minister agree that, in structuring our fire and rescue services, we must always ensure that we have in place the front-line firefighters whom the public need? What progress will be made through the publication of a new fire and rescue framework document in ensuring that there is a robust assessment of the number of firefighters required in local areas to ensure community safety?
There is a great deal of consensus in the chamber on the sentiments that the member has just expressed. It is essential that we protect front-line services. As a result, we are reviewing all aspects of the fire and rescue service to ensure that we continue to provide the front-line services that are so important to the public, but within the reduced budgets available. We should not consider closing fire stations or removing fire appliances until or unless we are clear that every possible saving has been made in all other areas. Work on finalising the priorities and objectives for a revised fire and rescue framework is related to discussions between national and local government and the fire and rescue service on the available options. However, given the framework’s statutory role, it is important that any new burdens are balanced and achievable and it would be inappropriate to place additional burdens on the service until a final decision on options has been agreed.
Water and Sewerage Charges (Exemptions)
Business Stream, which applies to Scottish Water on its customers’ behalf for exemption, is unable to provide an exact figure but has confirmed that, in this financial year, it has sent 141 exemption applications to Scottish Water. Business Stream ensures that the application is complete and delivers Scottish Water’s response to it.
In 2002, Maxwell and Kilmarnock United Free church received a letter of exemption from water and sewerage charges, which it still has. Despite that, Business Stream is hounding it for non-existent arrears. Apparently, when the organisation took over the scheme, the church was indeed, as the cabinet secretary touched on in his response, recorded as vacant not as exempt and it now tells me that Scottish Water is insisting on a new application. Will the cabinet secretary take the matter up with Scottish Water? After all, voluntary groups that can prove exemption should not lose out because of mistakes in administering the scheme.
I sympathise with the situation that Mr Coffey has set out and which has been the subject of correspondence between the member and Mr Stevenson, who is the relevant minister in dealing with such matters. I assure Mr Coffey that the issue has been taken up with Scottish Water—and indeed I will take it up again, given that the issue has been raised with me this morning. Work is going on between Business Stream and Scottish Water in the hope that applications supported by an exemption certificate from 2002 can in these circumstances be automatically accepted and, although that work has not been completed, I assure the member that I will fully examine the issues that he has highlighted and raise them with Scottish Water.
Children (Advocacy Services)
The new advocacy service for parents and young people who have made a reference to the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland has been accepting references since 14 November. Barnardo’s and the Scottish Child Law Centre, which are working in partnership to provide the new service, have received a number of enquiries and are already dealing with one case.
I am glad that the minister shares my sentiments about the importance of child advocacy. Given that importance, I hope that, when the take note project is up and running, it provides a comprehensive service but, given that the only job currently advertised is for one part-time worker and contains no requirement for court or legal experience, I am concerned that the new service is not being given the attention that it deserves and is at risk of a false start. Will the Scottish Government commit to an immediate investigation into the matter to reassure parents and children who may require child advocacy?
I hope that I can reassure Mr Pringle right here and now. Barnardo’s and the Scottish Child Law Centre already have experienced staff in place to provide an advocacy service. The recruitment exercise is to expand the number of staff available to the service to provide both lay and legal advocacy.
Previous
Economy