SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Vulnerable Children
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to protect vulnerable and at risk children. (S1O-5709)
Current measures include the Protection of Children (Scotland) Bill and the review of child protection, which will report shortly.
I thank the minister for her answer. Shortcomings in the Protection of Children (Scotland) Bill have been identified. In particular, the bill does not cover the voluntary sector. What steps can be taken to ensure that children who are subject to services that the voluntary sector provides have the safety and security that they deserve?
The member will be aware that earlier this week we launched a parental checklist that encourages parents to ask a series of questions before children and young people take part in clubs and organisations. Of course the vast majority of clubs and organisations are run well and have committed volunteers, but parents will want reassurance and it is important that the voluntary sector has child-protection policies in place. We will continue to consider the matter.
Is the minister aware that, in evidence to the justice committees yesterday, Jim Wallace declared that, according to the advisory committee report on secure accommodation, there was no evidence to suggest that there was a shortage of such accommodation, even across her portfolio? Given that, according to the minister's leaked documents, it is now clear that the 25 additional places have been filled, will she confirm that no vulnerable children are waiting for secure accommodation?
We made a clear announcement that we want to reconfigure the secure estate to take account of the needs of young people who are there for their own care and protection as well as the needs of those who are there because of offending behaviour. That is part of our policy. That is what we will continue to implement and I believe that it is the correct course of action.
Homelessness (Fife)
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Social Justice last met Fife Council to discuss homelessness. (S1O-5686)
I have not recently discussed homelessness with representatives of Fife Council.
I am disappointed to learn that. The number of homelessness applications in Fife has risen 49.2 per cent since Labour came to power more than five years ago, promising, in the words of Mr Blair, to end the scandal of homelessness. Is the minister satisfied with that record?
The Executive would expect there to be an increase in the number of applications as awareness of local authority homelessness services increases and as we work towards full implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. As we further extend the rights of homeless people, we expect there to be more pressure on the services. We are determined to tackle the root causes of homelessness, which is more than a housing problem, rather than carry out a simple statistical exercise.
Meningitis
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the risk of meningitis. (S1O-5668)
Immunisation, which provides effective protection against some forms of meningitis both for individuals and for society as a whole, is offered routinely as part of the childhood immunisation programme. Immunisation against meningitis C now covers everyone up to 25 years of age. The Executive also funds and will fund voluntary sector activity to raise awareness of meningitis and provide support for sufferers.
What is the Executive doing specifically to raise awareness of the fact, which the Meningitis Trust raised in a campaign this week, that adults, too, can get meningitis and that 25 per cent of meningitis cases last year were adults? Some 90 per cent of adults are not aware that they can get meningitis. At this time of freshers going to university and college, will the minister do what he can to raise awareness throughout Scotland?
I share the concern that Margaret Smith raised and indicate that we are concerned that the proportion of adults among those who suffer from meningitis has increased, although the number of adults with meningitis has decreased. I am happy to work with organisations on meningitis and campaign to ensure that public awareness is increased. I would welcome the member's views on how to progress with that.
I will follow on from the minister's first answer, in which he said that all students would be pulled into the scheme. How many students are inoculated against meningitis? Has the Government's programme been a success or a failure?
I said that the opportunity for immunisation was available to everyone up to the age of 25. I would consider David Davidson to be a mature student—perhaps we are not able to cover the age profile into which he fits. I do not have the statistics on the specific point that he raised in front of me, but I would be happy to write to him about that. We are working in partnership with agencies to ensure that adults are aware that the programme may apply to them and that they should consider taking up whatever immunisation is available to them.
National Waste Strategy
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the principles of the national waste strategy are adhered to by local authorities. (S1O-5688)
We will provide support to authorities from the strategic waste fund only for schemes that are in line with approved area waste plans. Those plans will only be approved if they have followed the principles in the national waste strategy. We also plan to take a power in the Local Government in Scotland Bill to allow ministers to set statutory targets and to require authorities to prepare integrated waste management plans to meet those targets.
I thank the minister for his answer. For his part, will he give a commitment not to overturn decisions by local planning authorities to reject large-scale waste management centres, such as those that are proposed for Killoch in East Ayrshire and Westfield in Fife, given that those proposals are not consistent with the principles of the national waste strategy?
It would be wholly inappropriate for me to give commitments in relation to planning matters, particularly as I have not been involved in those proposals. It will be important that those developments—or any similar developments—are shown to fit the best practical environmental option for dealing with waste, so that we may consider them in the context of the national waste strategy and determine whether they qualify for financial support.
Given the huge success of small-scale recycling projects, such as the new project in Golspie, Campbeltown Waste Watchers Ltd and the waste collections in central Scotland that are organised by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, what proportion of the Executive's funding is destined to support waste minimisation and small-scale recycling projects?
As Robin Harper is aware, the entire national waste strategy enshrines a hierarchy as its first principle, at the top of which is waste minimisation and reuse. We have not allocated specific sums, but it is quite clear that we can deliver that national waste strategy only as long as we address each element in that hierarchy.
Does the minister intend to give the Scottish Environment Protection Agency additional powers to ban landfilling of specific types of waste and to direct waste producers to dispose of their waste by a particular route or process?
I do not think that we have plans to give such powers or directions. There is no question but that we are looking at the regulations on landfill, as there is an issue to do with whether the proximity principle is being properly adhered to. We are consulting on that matter and I hope that the outcome will address some of the issues raised by John Scott.
I think that the minister said in reply to Adam Ingram's first question that the Executive means to require local authorities to adopt adequate and suitable waste management policies. Is he willing to require Midlothian Council to act on the planning permission that has already been granted to a company for what I am told is a proposed high-tech waste management scheme? In co-operation with the City of Edinburgh Council, that scheme might kills two birds with one stone: it would give Midlothian an adequate treatment centre and Edinburgh access to something other than the proposed landfill into which Midlothian would otherwise have to put its waste.
As a minister with some responsibility for wildlife, I am never keen to kill birds with stones.
Pay Gap
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent action it has taken to encourage closing the pay gap between men and women. (S1O-5662)
Last year, the Executive launched a major campaign—"Close the Gap"—to raise awareness about the pay gap between men and women. This year, through the EQUAL Community initiative, our development partnership secured nearly £500,000 of European money to help us to achieve that. On 24 September, I addressed a conference that was hosted jointly by the Scottish Executive and the Equal Opportunities Commission, which was aimed at alerting employers, trade unions and advocacy agencies to their rights and responsibilities in tackling the pay gap.
Does the minister agree that in spite of the introduction of equal pay legislation in 1970, women are still not able to fulfil their earnings potential and are under-represented in managerial positions in all levels of local government, the civil service and the private sector? What steps is the Executive taking to set targets to eliminate such iniquitous discrimination?
I totally accept the premise that legislation is not enough to tackle the pay gap between women and men. We recognise that women are not properly valued in the work force, in relation to both pay and opportunities. The Executive has strong targets for promoting women at all levels in the civil service. I will provide the member with the relevant details. I give the Parliament the categorical assurance that I will be happy to champion the rights of women in the Executive to ensure that they are properly valued.
Is the minister aware that, since Labour came to power, the pay gap between men and women in Scotland and men and women south of the border has widened? Will she tell us why the gap is widening and will she name one policy that will go some way to closing the gap?
It is most disappointing that when we are discussing gender issues and the promotion of women the Scottish National Party has again raised a constitutional issue. The fundamental approach to tackling pay inequality is to understand why such divisions exist within the work force and why there is a segregation in relation to work and the value of women's work. Obtaining such understanding will enable us to find the solutions to the pay gap problem. That is what the Executive will do and that is how we will narrow the gap between women and men.
Will the minister use the fact that significant numbers of women are the main or sole breadwinners in their families to promote pay audits?
Yes. Much of the Executive's work involves the promotion of pay audits. We have been talking to the public sector and the private sector to ensure that pay audits are promoted. We think that there is indirect discrimination against women, particularly those who are lone parents and who have such serious responsibilities. Through that process, we hope to increase significantly the earning power of women.
Spending Review 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is ensuring that all parts of Scotland benefit from the spending review 2002. (S1O-5697)
The spending review created a budget for all Scotland. In providing for the long term, its focus was on growth and opportunity for all Scotland's people.
The minister will be aware of the development of plans for a modern transport system in Aberdeen. The largest part of that integrated transport plan is the western peripheral route, which will provide a bypass for Aberdeen. The western peripheral route, together with proposals for the Aberdeen crossrail project and a park and ride system round the city, make up the main elements of the modern transport system. Will the minister clarify how the extra resources in the spending review might assist with that?
Elaine Thomson has been assiduous in lobbying transport ministers and finance ministers about the transport needs of Aberdeen. We acknowledge that much work needs to be done in Aberdeen.
I refer the minister to the announcement that the First Minister made on "Newsnight Scotland" two nights ago, in which he stated his intention soon to announce additional measures to tackle depopulation, which was highlighted in the census report on Monday. Have those additional measures already been costed and included in the spending review and, if so, under what budget do they appear?
Alex Neil is aware that the spending review has been greeted warmly by the business community in Scotland and by most sectors of the Scottish community, because it provides for growth and opportunity. The challenge of tackling population decline in Scotland is essentially about stimulating the economy. That is why we have taken so much care with the spending review and the Scottish budget to provide for new transport links, better education, better training and better skills development and to reduce the taxation burden on businesses. That will result in the growth of the Scottish population.
When the minister considers how he will distribute his largesse, will he consider the position of the health service in Grampian? Famously, it contributes 10 per cent of the activity of the entire health service in Scotland, but does so on only 9 per cent of the resources.
We have seen health spending grow dramatically in the Scottish budget—far more than would ever be possible under any policy of any other party in the chamber. Health spending will rise to more than £8 billion. In recent years, we have had reviews of the distribution of health cash through the Arbuthnott formula. Rural parts of Scotland in particular have benefited and Grampian has benefited from the growth in the available funds.
The minister—living in the Highlands as he does—will understand that I am much bothered by the fact that doctors and dentists are resigning from their posts in Caithness. Indeed, the accident and emergency service in Thurso is suspended at present. Does the minister agree that all agencies, including the Scottish Executive, must get together to work out the situation and bring it to a stop as soon as it is humanly possible?
Again, I am aware that my colleagues in the health department are conscious of the particular problems of recruiting staff in the Highlands. My colleagues will work with whomever necessary to find solutions to those problems. The health budget in the Highlands is growing by more than 7 per cent in the year in question. That provides new opportunities and more money is coming into the Highlands through the Arbuthnott formula changes, which will provide the flexibility to consider how those resources can be spent.
Mental Health (Scotland) Bill
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect the rights of children and adolescents under the Mental Health (Scotland) Bill. (S1O-5700)
Children or adolescents who might be subject to measures of compulsory care and treatment will be entitled to the same protections as the bill provides for other patients. Other specific provisions in the bill, for example, particular treatments and education, will bring additional safeguards and benefits for children.
Of the 30 children and adolescents who were admitted to hospital under section in 2001, 21 were placed in sometimes highly disturbed adult environments. Given the Millan committee recommendations that all children and adolescents should be treated in age-appropriate environments, and Bruce Millan's recent evidence to the Health and Community Care Committee that he would welcome a duty to that effect being placed on health boards and local authorities, why is such a duty not in the bill? Why does the Executive seem to be resisting the important recommendations of the Millan committee?
The Executive recognises the concerns about the inappropriate placing of children. That is why a national review is being carried out by the Scottish needs assessment programme to examine the organisation and housing of such children. However, the recommendation that a specific duty should be placed on the health service will not be accepted at the moment because we believe that that goes beyond the general duty of the Executive to support the national health service. We will continue to consider whether benefits can be drawn from such a duty.
Will the national review take account of the declining number of in-patient beds and the increase in the incidence of mental health problems in the under-16 age group, which means that more children and young people are treated in inappropriate adult psychiatric settings? Is there not a compelling argument for putting a duty on health boards to provide appropriate treatment facilities for children and young people? Otherwise, that practice will continue.
The argument cannot revolve around the number of beds alone. The question is about providing the appropriate treatment and support for each of those children. Given that the review is on-going, it is important that we listen to the findings of the review and respond to them appropriately.
Does the minister accept that one in 10 children under the age of 16 is said to suffer from a mental illness severe enough to affect their daily functioning? The World Health Organisation estimates that that figure will rise to one in five by 2020. Does the Executive accept that it is wholly inappropriate that any child or young person should be treated in an adult in-patient psychiatric setting?
As I said, it is essential that we provide the most appropriate setting for children, whether that is residential or supported within the community. The review will assist us in deciding how and where that should be provided. Once that has been done, we will take further decisions.
Housing Stock Transfer (Glasgow)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed Glasgow housing stock transfer will take place on 28 November 2002. (S1O-5701)
The Executive has always made it clear that the aim is for the transfer to be concluded by the end of the year. The transfer will deliver real and lasting change for the tenants of Glasgow.
I thank the minister for her rather evasive reply. Will she advise us whether the Scottish Executive intends to provide any additional funding to the Glasgow Housing Association to meet its targets? If so, how much will there be and from which budgets will the money come? Will she explain whether the delay in delivering the Glasgow transfer is the reason why tenants in Glasgow will have to wait two years longer than tenants elsewhere in Scotland for completion of the central heating programme, as outlined in the fuel poverty statement? Given that the date of transfer was a promise made to tenants that will now be broken, will she tell us what other promises will not be kept?
The Executive will, as ever, always honour the promises that it makes. I was most struck by the SNP's response to my answer to Mr Gibson's first question, because it goes to the heart of the confusion that exists among SNP members over whether they support the radical proposal for investment for tenants in Glasgow. Some of them seem to support it as Kenny Gibson has in the past and others, such as Sandra White, appear not to.
Before we go further, I remind members that the question is about the date of the transfer and not about the general policy.
Is the minister aware that there is concern that is growing into genuine anxiety that those deadlines will not be met? Can she give us a description of some of the tangible measures that she is taking to ensure that the deadline is met?
Is nagging a tangible measure?
In the minister's case, it most certainly is.
I do myself a disservice—that was an assertive intervention.
I note that the minister has still not given a firm date. She is now saying that the transfer will be concluded by the end of the year. She will recall that the scheme was first launched formally by Wendy Alexander in April 2000. Since then, the dates for ballots have changed constantly; in fact, the Glasgow housing stock transfer has had more political dates than Edwina Currie. Will the minister please admit that the privatisation of Glasgow council houses and the sell-off to the private sector is simply not working?
I have just been advised by my colleague Jim Wallace that I should tell Dorothy-Grace Elder that the housing stock transfer is indeed a major policy for the Scottish Executive. [Interruption.]
Order.
In addressing Dorothy-Grace Elder's serious comments, I would like to make a correction: Calum MacDonald was the first minister to pursue the policy. I reassure members that we are moving forward on the development of the proposal. We have strong financial interests and the package is about to go to funders. When the lead funder is appointed, we will move to transfer. That is imminent. It is in the very near future.
Community Schools
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making with the expansion of new community schools. (S1O-5714)
On 30 September, Cathy Jamieson, the Minister for Education and Young People, and Mary Mulligan, the Deputy Minister for Heath and Community Care, announced additional funding of £21.5 million in 2004-05, rising to £25.8 million in 2005-06, to support the roll-out of the community school approach to every school in Scotland.
Will the minister deal with the large number of complaints that I have received from parents in connection with the public-private partnership in Glasgow and the fact that that partnership has not been rolled out to the primary school sector? Will he ensure that we deliver community schools in Glasgow and assure me that the successful public-private partnership in Glasgow will be rolled out to other sectors in Glasgow, including primary schools and community schools?
On public-private partnerships, we announced more than £1 billion of new investment earlier this summer, which will ensure the building of new primary schools as well as secondary schools throughout Scotland. So far, Glasgow City Council—in contrast with other authorities—has chosen to focus only on its secondary schools. The same is true of the initiative that it has taken on new community schools.
Is the minister aware of the problems that are being experienced by amateur sports clubs in gaining access to community facilities in schools in the Falkirk area as a result of the prohibitive charges that are being levied by the private finance initiative company that built and owns the schools? Will the Executive ensure that community schools belong to and are accessible to communities, rather than follow Tony Blair's inane suggestion that people do not care who builds and owns schools?
I am—as all members are—concerned about making certain that there is community access to new PPP schools and, indeed, to every school that is built in Scotland. Too few schools in Scotland offer high-quality community access. Most—indeed, virtually all at the moment—that do are owned by local authorities. There are examples of lack of access that I would like to turn around. Community access being allowed is central to getting new investment right both in PPP schools and in schools that are built using traditional capital funding initiatives. We should ensure that there is an expansion of community access and that new schools have not only excellent traditional classroom facilities, but excellent drama, music and sporting facilities to which young people and local communities can obtain access.
Waverley Station
To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the discussions with the lead agency for the redevelopment of Waverley railway station have reached. (S1O-5703)
A steering group that is chaired by the Strategic Rail Authority and includes the Scottish Executive is overseeing the necessary preliminary work required to inform the final design of the station. Output from that work is expected in spring 2003.
The minister will know that a number of people are anxious to know the plan for Waverley station, given its strategic importance to transport in Scotland. Does the Executive have a timetable for the redevelopment of the station? Is it in a position to order that timetable? If it is not, who is?
Because of the station's strategic importance to the rail network, the lead agency on its redevelopment is the SRA, but the Executive has shown leadership recently by providing £1 million for the technical work that is necessary to develop the plans. In the real world, there must be a plan before we can progress. That work and 35 other pieces of technical investigation are now under way. I see no reason why, if we progress properly, Waverley cannot be redeveloped by 2008. There is no reason why we should not progress properly.
On this day of the establishment of Network Rail—the replacement for the failed Railtrack—will the minister give his commitment that he will, with that not-for-profit company, the Strategic Rail Authority and the UK Government, do everything in his power to keep the Waverley station project on track, on time and to the standard that people in Edinburgh and throughout the UK require of the development of the Government's aspirations for our railway network?
Sarah Boyack has a well-known interest in Waverley station, which is in her constituency. Her Westminster counterpart for Edinburgh Central has some interest in the matter, too. The subject has been important in my discussions with him recently.
Community Schools
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of new community schools. (S1O-5669)
The Scottish Executive is committed to rolling out the new community school approach to every school in Scotland by 2007.
Will the minister join me in welcoming the recent introduction of the community school approach at Petersburn Primary School in my constituency? Does he agree that community schools can play an important part in building social capital in Scotland's communities?
I am happy to welcome what has been done in North Lanarkshire. It is interesting to contrast Karen Whitefield's question with Paul Martin's earlier question. North Lanarkshire chose to focus the new community school approach exclusively on its primary schools and will roll out the programme to its secondary schools in the coming years.
I welcome the minister's comment. To ensure that new community schools work, will the minister establish realistic monitoring and evaluation that involves the stakeholders and the parents who use the schools, in order to ensure that money is spent on creating not only new schools, but new community schools?
Yes; that is one of our concerns. Full monitoring of the phase 1 projects will not be available until 2003, so we have worked hard to pull forward information from the early-stage monitoring to ensure that we have good access to quality information about the new community school initiatives that make the greatest difference. It is vital that parents and young people are involved in that.
Rural Post Offices
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to rural post offices to expand the public services that they offer. (S1O-5676)
Consignia, post offices and postal service matters are reserved, and direct support to post offices is a matter for the UK Government. The Scottish Executive is encouraging rural post offices to participate in its public internet access point initiative.
The minister will be aware of the performance and innovation unit report that said that some aspects of the programmes for rural post offices were the responsibility of the devolved Governments. Will the minister explain the delays in rolling out the "Your Guide" programme and in access to internet learning, which are causing considerable concern among sub-postmasters in rural areas throughout Scotland?
As the member knows, the Department of Trade and Industry published an evaluation report on the proof of concept pilot, but as the member said, no announcement has been made.
How can post offices be expected to compete on services such as the payment of tax credits when the credit transfer application form asks only for bank account details? Is not it time that those application forms also asked for post office payment details? Will the minister liaise with his colleagues south of the border to ensure that the post office option is given equal prominence to direct bank payments?
The short answer to the question is yes. I am happy to liaise with colleagues south of the border on those matters. As I said, we are committed to a high-quality, universal postal service that can compete and thrive in a world of technological change. We are investing massive sums of money—£270 million to sustain the rural network and £480 million to automate it—so it is very important that the Post Office give its customers and consumers the service that they want and that they can take full advantage of that service. It is not enough only to invest; we must ensure that the service to the consumer is of the required standard. I am happy to make representations to the DTI.
Will the minister do more than liaise? Will he have a quiet word with his friends in the United Kingdom Labour Government whose policies are decimating the incomes of our sub-postmasters, not only in rural sub-post offices, but in suburban and urban sub-post offices? Will he take a more proactive stance in ensuring that "Your Guide" is rolled out much more widely? As my colleague from the Mid Scotland and Fife constituency rightly said, we will otherwise see sub-post offices close and sub-postmasters thrown out of work.
I have been in touch with colleagues south of the border to discuss those very matters. I met Douglas Alexander and I propose to meet Stephen Timms. However, I did not discuss Mr Raffan's assertion that the incomes of sub-postmasters have depreciated under Labour. In fact, the decline in the closures of post offices that was instigated by the Tories has been halted by Labour. The Tories would not invest in the Post Office because they did not believe in it. The nationalists cannot invest in the Post Office because of the black hole in their fiscal finances. Only the Labour Government can and will invest in the future of the Post Office.
Question 13 is withdrawn.
Poverty (Glasgow)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to improve the disposable income of those households in Glasgow currently living in poverty. (S1O-5699)
Supplementary to UK-wide tax and benefit changes, a number of measures are already in place to improve the disposable income of low-income households in Glasgow. Those measures include: supporting older people with free personal and nursing care; free off-peak local travel for pensioners; tackling fuel poverty through the central heating programme and the warm deal; tackling financial exclusion by improving access to credit and other financial services through credit unions; and helping young people to stay on at school or college through educational maintenance allowances. All those measures will contribute to closing the opportunity gap for Glasgow's poorest citizens.
The level of poverty in Glasgow is shameful. I want to address child poverty in Scotland. I ask the minister to respond on a point that was made by the previous incumbent of his office, Jackie Baillie, on 15 November 2000. In reply to a question about how she measured poverty in Scotland, she said:
The member must ask a question.
That means that 27,624 more children are now living in poverty under the Executive. Is the minister ashamed of that? Will he apologise for failing those children?
The Executive recognises that more needs to be done to reduce child poverty; indeed, our spending plan commitments will make inroads into that problem. However, we will tackle the issue in partnership with the UK Government, which has a Prime Minister and a Chancellor of the Exchequer who are passionately committed to that aim. I point out that there have been steep falls in child poverty from 34 per cent in 1997 to 21 per cent in 2001. As I have said, we recognise that more needs to be done. Everything that the Executive has done indicates that it takes the situation seriously.
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