Child Poverty
I am extremely concerned about the estimate that an additional 100,000 children in Scotland will be living in poverty as a result of the United Kingdom Government’s welfare reforms. We believe that that will exacerbate health inequalities in Scotland.
The Government’s “Equally Well Review 2013” highlighted the fact that any increase in demand for national health service services arising from the health impact of the increased poverty caused by the UK Government’s welfare reforms and on-going austerity will mean additional costs. What scope will the Scottish Government have to redirect resources to mitigate those health impacts if Scotland’s budget continues to be cut by Westminster?
We have acted decisively within the limits of our existing powers to mitigate the harmful effects of Westminster’s welfare reforms, which will impact on the most vulnerable in our society and set progress back on tackling child poverty by at least 10 years. The ministerial task force on health inequalities was clear that the problem cannot be solved by a health solution alone. Health inequalities are caused by entrenched social and economic inequality. That is why we need the full powers of independence to create a different approach that supports the most vulnerable in our society.
Student Accommodation (Impact on Communities)
Local authorities have responsibility for planning the range of housing in their communities. The provision of new housing, such as student accommodation, is therefore a matter for local authorities to consider through the planning system and their local housing strategies, using the houses in multiple occupation licensing regime to manage overprovision as necessary.
I am aware that councils have responsibility in this area, but some areas in my constituency of Glasgow Kelvin are in real danger of losing age-old communities and of becoming what some people call student villages. Will the minister meet me and other interested parties, such as representatives of community councils, to discuss the issue?
I am aware that concerns have been raised about the pressure on some communities from relatively high numbers of houses in multiple occupation and the impact that they can have. I am therefore more than happy to meet the member to discuss the issue.
Fixed-odds Betting Terminals
While problem gambling levels are relatively low, affecting 0.7 per cent of the population, we recognise the serious impacts on those involved and their families.
The minister might be aware that many reformed gamblers have described fixed-odds betting terminals as the crack cocaine of gambling. The Greenock Telegraph recently reported that £77 million was gambled on the fixed-odds betting terminals in Inverclyde in a single year. With that in mind, and although I appreciate the fact that gambling is still a reserved matter, can the minister advise me of what actions are open to the Scottish Government to curtail the proliferation of those machines in our communities?
I am aware of the report in the Greenock Telegraph. As I indicated in my first response, our ability to address the issue is significantly restricted by the current constitutional arrangements. Although we can set conditions for premises, we are not permitted to intrude on reserved matters and therefore cannot, for example, regulate the number of betting machines in the shops. Nevertheless, we are keen to do what we can.
Software Engineering (Skills Support)
Skills Development Scotland will manage the £6.6 million digital skills funding under the governance of the digital Scotland business excellence partnership board. It is for the board, working with industry, to identify what the priorities are. However, the recently published skills investment plan identifies that there has been a 50 per cent increase in demand for software professionals over the past 10 years. I would expect, therefore, that when the proposals for the skills academies are finalised, enhancing software skills will be central to their plans. I would also expect targeted approaches for young people, particularly women, who are underrepresented in the sector.
I welcome very much what the minister has said. Attracting more youngsters, particularly females, into careers in software engineering is a priority and has my full support as a former software engineer. How will the fund be distributed? How might people in my constituency be able to take advantage of it directly?
I appreciate the member’s long-standing interest in the information and communications technology sector, how people can benefit from opportunities locally and how we can get more young people into a growing sector that is vital to the Scottish economy. On the skills academies, there will be two pilots: one in the Highlands and Islands and the other in lowland Scotland. Pending the outcome of those pilots, the plan is to have five locations for the skills academies where ICT companies are clustered. Willie Coffey will have an interest in that in relation to Ayrshire and his constituency.
Rail Freight
Transport Scotland is the national transport agency for Scotland. Scottish ministers meet transport officials regularly in the normal course of business, and rail freight is one of a number of topics that we discuss.
The minister will be aware that, in national planning framework 3, a number of ports and three specific rail freight facilities are identified as being important, or of some significance. However, the rail freight industry is concerned that there is not a level playing field and that ports are being given priority under NPF3. Will the minister confirm that the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland support the development of the Mossend railhead as a vital component of the transport sector and that ports are not being favoured over such rail freight facilities?
First, NPF3 is still going through the system, if you like. On the specific development at Mossend, there is a live planning application there, so I am not able to comment on it specifically. However, I can say that in general we are very supportive of rail freight, as I think we have demonstrated through freight facilities grants and other measures to ensure that rail freight has the best possible chance of taking traffic off our roads, which we have been successful in doing.
Cycle Infrastructure (Community Links Programme)
Sustrans, which is managing the process on our behalf, will make an announcement this Friday, 4 April, as previously stated, detailing successful applications.
I am sure that the minister will join me in praising all those staff in local authorities and in Sustrans who worked hard to get a record number of bids into the scheme. That, I believe, reflects the demand for better cycle infrastructure across all parts of Scotland. Will the minister ensure that all councils appreciate the benefits of applying for that matched funding, and will the Government commit to continuing the upwards trajectory of cycle funding for 2015-16, so that more communities can see improvements?
I share in giving praise to local authorities, those who have been involved in the bids and Sustrans, which undertakes the exercise for us. As Alison Johnstone rightly says, it has been extremely successful, with around £34 million worth of bids, although there is only £27 million of grant available, so choices will have to be made between bids that meet the criteria and those that were successful in other ways but did not meet the criteria. There will always have to be choices.
I am pleased to see that, in the context of climate change and active travel, the Scottish Government has included the national long-distance cycling and walking network in the draft national planning framework 3. Can the minister provide any details of funding allocated specifically to help to develop that project? I appreciate that there is a lot of funding to put together, but will he say whether the network will receive any additional funding due to its status as one of the 14 national developments? Are there any timescales for that?
I am happy to respond to Claudia Beamish, although I did not catch every detail of her question. She will be aware that we have doubled the amount of resource going into active travel and she will know about the statement that the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth made during the budget about health-related active travel support. There is a 40 per cent increase in 2014-15 in annual spend on cycling, so that gives some idea of the commitment that we have made. I am happy to respond in more detail to the member’s question in writing.
Question 7, in the name of Tavish Scott, has not been lodged and an explanation has been provided.
School Closures
The recent amendments to the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 have not yet been brought into force. However, we aim to do that as quickly as possible. There will need to be some transitional arrangements for closure proposals published before the new amendments come into force, and we will make those transitional arrangements clear. However, in general terms, closure proposals published before the new arrangements come into force will be subject to the existing processes and procedures set out in the 2010 act. Closure proposals published after the amendment come into force will be subject to the new arrangements.
The minister may be aware that there are on-going plans by Shetland Islands Council to close or limit the provision of secondary education—to limit Sandwick junior high school to secondary 1 and 2 years only, leaving secondary 3 and 4 pupils to attend Anderson high school. There are concerns, therefore, about the uncertainty over accommodation provision and course choices.
The member will appreciate that I cannot comment on a case that is currently under consideration by a local authority.
Bowel Screening Awareness
Bowel cancer screening was the second detect cancer early tumour-specific campaign. It follows on from the successful breast cancer social marketing campaign that was launched in September 2012. The activity was backed by extensive public relations, field and partnership activity.
It seems to me that the test is a very simple thing to do and it is surprising that not everybody does it. Statistics that I am aware of indicate that women are more likely to participate than men. Should we be doing something to ensure that men are more likely to complete the test?
As at October 2012, some 1.95 million people in Scotland had taken up the offer of screening since 2007, of which 896,724 were males. That has led to 1,692 bowel cancers being diagnosed in men through the screening programme. However, uptake by men is currently at 51.8 per cent while uptake by women is at 58 per cent. That is why the detect cancer early bowel screening programme carried out extensive research and tested a number of different campaign messages in order to ensure that the present campaign is weighted towards the male population.
If the questions and answers are brief, I will call question 10.
Asbestos in Workplaces
The cabinet secretary met Mr McMillan and Clydeside Action on Asbestos last year to discuss the proposal that the national health service recovers the costs of treating those with an asbestos-related disease. Since that meeting, we have paid close attention to the progress of the comparable bill that has been introduced in the Welsh Assembly. We are currently giving careful consideration to the proposal and we will outline the Scottish Government’s decision in due course.
As the member for Glasgow Anniesland, which has a large number of former shipyard workers and present engineering workers and their families, I have been approached regarding the current cost to the NHS of asbestos exposure. Does the minister agree that my colleague Stuart McMillan MSP’s current bill to recover expenses from employers or their insurers for having exposed workers, their families or the public to the risks of these horrendous diseases is a very welcome step?
Mr McMillan’s proposal is a very interesting one, which is worthy of consideration. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, in the meeting with Clydeside Action on Asbestos, made it clear that we would monitor the situation closely, particularly given that there is a legal challenge against the bill that passed through the Welsh Assembly. Once we have had that ruling, we will be in a position to make an informed decision about the most appropriate approach to be taken here in Scotland.