Rural Affairs and the Environment
Good afternoon. The first item of business today is portfolio question time. In order to get as many members in as possible, I would be grateful for short and succinct questions and answers to match, please.
Air Pollution
The Scottish Government is working closely in partnership with local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and others to improve air quality in our cities. We recently consulted on a review of the local air quality management system, and I plan to announce the next steps shortly. Although I acknowledge that there are still some hotspots of poorer air quality in a number of urban areas, which are of concern, we have, as a society, been able to reduce nitrogen oxides pollution by 65 per cent since 1990 and have reduced particulates by 58 per cent and sulphur dioxide by 79 per cent.
Almost a year ago, the Cowgate, the Grassmarket, London Road, Gorgie Road and Inverleith Row, in my constituency, were added to Princes Street, George Street and the Royal Mile as areas that are officially above the safe limits for pollution. What message would the minister give to the City of Edinburgh Council about what it can do, and when can we expect to hear about the next steps to which he alluded in his answer?
Marco Biagi is absolutely right. The Government is constantly in contact with local authorities throughout Scotland and we have regular contact with the City of Edinburgh Council on a number of issues, including its five air quality management areas. The council has produced a comprehensive air quality action plan and is working to implement it with support from the Scottish Government and others. Annual progress reports indicate that progress is being made on implementing the plan. Examples include the use of hybrid buses and the redirecting of some routes to reduce air quality pressures. We will keep the member informed of progress on the action plan.
Deer Management
There is currently no planned review of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 in relation to deer management. However, the wild deer strategy, “Scotland’s Wild Deer: A National Approach”, which was launched in November 2008, is to undergo a five-year review to examine progress and ensure that the strategy remains relevant to the deer sector in Scotland.
Given the compelling evidence that has been gathered by the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee on deer management, will the minister review the uneven development of deer management plans, which are often discussed in private, against the undoubted pressure of deer densities that are adversely affecting the range of native woodlands and other biodiversity markers in an already fragile habitat?
This is an important issue, and we will be interested to hear the outcome of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee’s deliberations on deer management following its recent evidence sessions. The revised legislation and the Scottish Natural Heritage code of practice on deer management have not been in place for very long. It is important that SNH continues to promote good practice in deer management, to promote the deer code and to develop related best-practice guidance to support deer management groups. When the deer code is reviewed, there will be an opportunity to consider standards in deer management and whether the current arrangements are delivering sustainable deer management. SNH has a duty to monitor compliance with the deer code, and if it feels that the current deer code is ineffective, it may submit a revised or replacement code to the Scottish ministers for approval by the Scottish Parliament.
Flood Prevention (Hamilton and Surrounding Areas)
The Scottish Government has regular discussions with Scottish Water and its regulators about improvements to drainage infrastructure in the delivery of both the current investment programme for 2010 to 2015 and the one that is planned for 2015 to 2021.
I would like to make the minister aware of an on-going issue with flooding in the Chatelherault and Waterside Gardens area of Hamilton in my constituency. It is a long-term issue that I have pursued the council, Scottish Water and the feuars association to resolve. What action can the minister take to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of my constituents? What is his opinion on meetings that are being held between the council and Scottish Water, from which I have been deliberately excluded?
I thank Christina McKelvie for raising the issue. There has been an initial technical meeting, which Christina McKelvie was unable to attend, but there will be a public meeting to discuss the outcome of the studies, which will be arranged shortly, to which members of the public and elected representatives such as Christina McKelvie will be invited.
Last month, it was reported in the press that the Scottish National Party has diverted £800,000 from Scottish Water to the publicity budget for the Scottish independence white paper. Will the minister confirm to Parliament that that is true and tell us what impact that decision will have on Scottish Water doing its vital job in Hamilton and across Scotland?
Drew Smith will appreciate that I do not have portfolio responsibility for Scottish Water, so I am not aware of the background to his question. However, I am sure that we can write to him with the details of what funding has or has not been taken from Scottish Water. I genuinely have no knowledge of the issue.
Scottish Food and Drink (Primary Product)
It is, of course, important that we have the supply to meet the burgeoning demand in our food and drink sector and to take advantage of its opportunities. One of the products that are most in demand is our fantastic red meat, which has a reputation throughout the world for provenance and quality. To ensure that we can respond to the growing demand, I have asked Jim McLaren, the chair of Quality Meat Scotland, to establish a short-life industry group to examine what can be done to upscale the supply of primary beef production. We hope to have its recommendations in late spring.
That answer rather negates the need for my next question, but I will ask it anyway.
I urge our beef farmers in Scotland to produce for the fantastic export markets that are developing around the world. It would be unfortunate if we did not have the supply available to take advantage of those opportunities for Scotland’s economy and our food and drink industry.
World Forum on Natural Capital
More than 400 people from 35 countries attended the world forum on natural capital in Edinburgh on 21 and 22 November. The event brought together a wide range of interests. World-class speakers debated issues and concepts that affect us all and can help us understand the value of nature and the impact that our actions can have on the environment.
The minister and other members who might have received a number of emails on the subject will know that the concept of natural capital is not without its critics. However, I have read the helpful briefing that was provided by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which argues that, although nature should be priceless, that does not mean that it is valueless. What reassurance can the minister offer to those who are concerned about the commodification of market assets because they fear that it might lead to marketisation? What work are SNH and other Government agencies involved in to gauge the appropriateness of the natural capital approach?
I thank the member for raising those points in a constructive way. He is absolutely right that we want to provide an assurance to people that this approach does not undermine the protection of the environment. We certainly want to avoid putting a price on nature, as such, but we feel that valuing nature and the services that it provides to society in this way is not the same as placing a monetary figure on it. Natural capital is one of the ways in which we can tell whether our economic growth is truly sustainable.
Red Squirrel (Pox Virus)
Recent research by Dr Julian Chantrey, from the University of Liverpool, and his PhD student Tim Dale, which discovered that some red squirrels were resistant to the squirrel pox virus, was presented at a recent conference organised by the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. As yet, no comparable work has been carried out in Scotland to look at the presence of squirrel pox antibodies in red squirrel populations that have been exposed to virus.
Like the minister, I was interested to read the reports of red squirrels in Merseyside developing immunity to the squirrel pox virus. I encourage him to have the Government agencies work on the issue to see whether further research can be done in Scotland. At the same time, could he have some research conducted into the use of immuno-contraceptives as a means of controlling the grey squirrel population?
I recognise the member’s interest in the matter. It is clearly important to control the spread of grey squirrels into areas such as Tayside, which is the heartland of the red squirrel population. We will continue to take advice from Scottish Natural Heritage and others on the most appropriate methods of controlling the numbers.
Could the minister give us more details of the range of interventions to support and protect red squirrels, particularly in the south of Scotland, in light of the concerns about the situation on the Paxton house estate, where there are no longer any red squirrels, and the corridors of concern that go up into the northern parts of Scotland?
I recognise the member’s long-held interest in this issue. I have met her, other MSPs, John Home Robertson and others to discuss the problems that have arisen at Paxton house.
Zero Waste Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful (Meetings)
I met Iain Gulland, director of Zero Waste Scotland, most recently two weeks ago, at the opening of Dryden Aqua’s award-winning glass reprocessing plant. It is a fantastic company—and project—for Scotland, with international benefits. During our chat, we discussed what can be done to help the company to source recycled glass from households throughout Scotland.
I welcome the cabinet secretary’s statement with regard to proposed Scottish Government legislation to tackle fly-tipping and all other forms of antisocial behaviour that blight the Inverclyde area and other areas throughout Scotland. In the past five years, 19,000 fly-tipping incidents were reported in Inverclyde; 4,000 of them in the past year.
I am sure that we all share the member’s condemnation of those people in Scotland who think that it is acceptable behaviour to litter their communities and Scotland’s beautiful landscapes.
The Scottish Government has published draft regulations for a single-use bag levy, which mirrors Welsh regulations. Northern Ireland’s levy exempts hot food. The European Union recently announced proposals that are very focused on reducing plastic bag usage. What is the cabinet secretary’s view of arguments for increasing the exemption within the schedule to include paper bags that would be used for takeaway food?
We have a desire to listen to people’s views on these issues and on exemptions. However, there is widespread support for the general thrust of the legislation, which is to introduce a levy on single-use bags. Given that a range of benefits are being experienced by other countries that have similar bans in place, we should certainly follow suit in this country.
Wild Fisheries Management (Review)
I know that there is considerable interest, both in the chamber and outside it, in the future management arrangements for wild fisheries. I am committed to undertaking such a review and am currently considering the scope and remit of the review. I expect to make an announcement on the timing and scope of the review shortly.
I understand that a number of waters in Scotland are under community control but not under community ownership. Indeed, some have salmon rights that have been donated to a town or a club. I am particularly interested in the potential for community interests to conflict with the wider public interest and have written to the land reform review group about that.
I am happy to look at any constructive suggestions—the example of New Zealand has been given a number of times and I am aware that Canada has different arrangements that would be interesting for us to study. The first step is to identify the conservation needs of Scotland’s wild fishery and then to develop solutions that fit those needs.
There is a brief supplementary from Jamie McGrigor.
To aid the management of wild fisheries—particularly on the west coast, where runs have declined—and in the light of the news that recent sea-lice figures on some west coast farms are nine to 10 times higher than they should be—
I must hurry you.
Will the minister reconsider the decision not to monitor fish farms individually for sea lice?
I ask for a brief answer, please.
As the member will know from the debate on what is now the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2013, we undertook to look at the voluntary provision of sea-lice data and to monitor performance in practice and whether it is delivering the reputational driver that we want in order to drive down the number of sea-lice infections. I give the member a renewed undertaking that we will keep that under review. We have powers under the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 to impose a mandatory scheme if necessary, but we are not looking at that at this stage, because we feel that more time is needed to see how the new regime works in practice.
Justice and the Law Officers
Legal Highs (New Psychoactive Substances)
The classification of drugs is a reserved matter. However, I hosted a national event in April 2013 with representatives from the police, health services, local authorities and community and youth organisations to discuss the issue and agree on what can be done. We have already acted on a number of the proposals that emanated from that meeting. We will continue to work with partners across Scotland and the United Kingdom to learn more about the impact of the substances.
Given that recent research has highlighted that 47 people in Scotland have died from using so-called legal highs, what approach are the police and others taking to minimising their use among school-age children, especially in Lanarkshire? Much of the packaging is aimed at young people. In conjunction with the UK Government, will legislation be updated or reviewed?
One of the difficulties is the enormous challenge that the substances present, because they are not illegal if they are not explicitly sold for human consumption, and they are marketed in that way. We take substance misuse in schools seriously. I commend to the member the know the score free helpline and website. Those resources ensure that credible information on new drugs is available and help to challenge the myth that legal equals safe, which is one of the difficulties. That is why we do not use the term “legal highs” when possible; we prefer to describe them as new psychoactive substances.
Does the minister have any estimates of the extent of the use of legal highs in Scotland? We hear statistics that indicate that drug use is reducing, but are we absolutely confident that that does not just represent a switch from illegal drug use to so-called legal drug use?
That question is difficult to answer, because the figures are not recorded in the same way. We are in the business of gathering as much information as possible about the extent to which such substances are used. Their use is by no means widespread, but there is no doubt that they might seem more attractive in some areas and age groups, because people are equating being legal with being safe.
Cashback for Communities (Fife)
The Government’s hugely successful cashback for communities programme is having an enormous impact on young people and their communities across the length and breadth of Scotland. Since 2008, the cashback programme has invested and committed more than £74 million in our communities and has provided 1.1 million activities and opportunities for young people. Fife itself has benefited from more than £1.3 million in cashback investment and more than 55,000 activities and opportunities for its young people.
I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer, wherein he detailed the significant impact that the cashback for communities programme is making in Fife. Can he confirm the steps that are being taken to ensure that local communities in Fife are fully aware of the next tranche of funding—which I believe is some £24 million—with the deadline for applications being the end of this year?
On 23 October, it was announced that £24 million is to be invested through cashback over the next three years. The application pack has been available on the Government’s website since 1 November. We have received a large number of queries about funding and applications since the start of November.
Forced Marriage (Consultation on Criminalisation)
The United Kingdom Government’s timescale for a potential legislative consent motion on the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill did not allow for a public consultation. We are in regular discussion with key stakeholders on the issue and we were aware that there would be an opportunity to feed in views to the Justice Committee for its consideration of the LCM.
I thank the cabinet secretary for explaining the situation in relation to the LCM. However, he will know that Scottish Women’s Aid, Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid and Shakti Women’s Aid have concerns about proceeding to criminalise forced marriage.
I take clearly into account and understand the concerns of those organisations, which the member correctly mentioned. It is certainly the position of this Government and indeed of the UK Government that we require to legislate. It is necessary to deal with forced marriage in that way, given our agreement to the Istanbul convention. Some of the organisations that the member refers to disagree with that requirement, but that is certainly the legal advice here and south of the border, and indeed the position of the police and the Crown.
In order to strengthen the deterrent and tackle the culture surrounding forced marriage, has the cabinet secretary considered making the breach of a forced marriage protection order an aggravated offence? The Scottish Parliament took the deliberate decision back in 2011 not to criminalise forced marriage because the evidence that was received then—and again recently—suggested that that would deter individuals from coming forward rather than encourage them to do so.
A breach of the civil order is in fact a criminal offence. I am open to considering whether there would be merit or benefit in making that an aggravated offence, but breaching such an order would instigate criminal proceedings, as can be seen in relation to domestic violence, for example. I am happy to consider the issue and reflect on Margaret Mitchell’s point.
Policing (Dumfries and Galloway)
The divisional commander for Dumfries and Galloway last met with Scottish Government officials on 13 November, and the subject matter that was discussed was missing persons.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that response, but I am disappointed not to hear of any discussions taking place on an event that occurred last week, which was the closure—after 558 years of delivering local justice—of the sheriff and justice of the peace court in Kirkcudbright.
The Government and all partners involved in law enforcement encourage all members of the public to step forward in whatever capacity, whether it is to give evidence, act as a juror or appear in any other role.
Legal Highs (New Psychoactive Substances)
When an unknown substance is believed to contain a controlled drug it would be seized by the police for the purposes of securing evidence, identification, investigation and potential prosecution. It is, of course, the potential presence of a controlled substance that triggers the seizure, and the information and intelligence that are obtained are key in that respect.
I have heard that so-called legal highs—perhaps I should call them psychoactive substances—are sometimes cut with illegal drugs, but there does not seem to be any recording of seizures of legal highs, as the minister explained. Is Police Scotland aware of that problem? What can be done to ensure that drug dealers cannot entrap people into becoming addicted to illegal drugs by using those nefarious and duplicitous means?
I thank Kevin Stewart for amending his terminology. I advised him—this may also interest John Wilson—that about 10 per cent of the Scottish Police Authority’s current monthly case load relates to analysis of substances that are suspected of being new psychoactive substances. The rise in those submissions is due to improved forensic capability and to increased awareness about and availability of such products.
Crime Statistics (Publication)
I meet with Chief Constable Sir Stephen House on a regular basis to discuss important issues around keeping people safe in Scotland. Most recently, of course, I met the chief constable during the aftermath of the tragic incident at the Clutha bar in Glasgow on Friday. On Saturday, we were both at the Helen Street control centre and, on Sunday, we were at the service at Glasgow cathedral.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of the Auditor General for Scotland’s recent report on police reform and her comments that the information that is provided to the new Scottish Police Authority is more selective and less comprehensive than that which was previously presented to police boards. Is he also aware of the chief constable’s comments to the Public Audit Committee that publication of crime statistics is a matter for the Government and not for him, that that is a source of some frustration for him and that it is certainly not due to reticence on his part? Will the cabinet secretary ease that frustration and assure Parliament and the public that the information will be as comprehensive as it was previously?
Absolutely—I can give an assurance on that.
Firearm Offences
Our annual bulletin “Recorded Crimes and Offences Involving Firearms, Scotland, 2012-13” was published on 20 November. It showed that gun crime fell by 32 per cent in the year to March, which is down 71 per cent since 2006-07, and that gun crime is now at its lowest level for 33 years.
Does the cabinet secretary share my view that, because Police Scotland has specialist services available that might not have been available to regional forces, it is in a better position to deal with serious crimes such as firearms offences?
I absolutely accept that. We have seen the benefit of specialist services and of a single service at the recent tragedies in Glasgow and Shetland. When resources were called on, they were available nationally.
Police Station Closures (West Scotland)
The review of public-counter provision is a matter for Police Scotland, which has focused its review on front-counter provision, not on stations. The closure of counters that are not widely used aims to help deliver a more consistent and professional service to the public and to enable more officers to be deployed where the public tell us that they want them, which is in our communities.
The west of Scotland, if we include Glasgow, North Ayrshire and Inverclyde, is listed as one of the top five least peaceful areas in Scotland. If a community can put forward a compelling case for keeping a counter open, will the cabinet secretary take on board those views and listen to the opinions of local people?
The police have been doing that. Assistant Chief Constable Mawson commented today that the counter consultation had received contributions from 83 members of the public—out of a population of 5.3 million.
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