SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
The first item of business this afternoon is question time. We will begin straight away.
Health Spending
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12446 by Susan Deacon on 6 March 2001, why expenditure in real terms per head of population by the Greater Glasgow Health Board at 31 March 2000 was less than at 31 March 1992. (S1O-3231)
The basis for calculating and reporting expenditure by health boards changed substantially in 1992-93. The figures are therefore not comparable—indeed, that was explained fully in the answer that I gave to question S1W-12446.
I thank the minister for that information, even if she did try to duck and dive a wee bit in her reply. However, the reality on the ground is somewhat different to the one that is touted by the minister.
Brevity, please.
That is three whole-time equivalent nurse posts.
Brevity please, Mr Gibson.
To take up a post elsewhere.
I spent two days this week in a whole range of NHS in Scotland facilities. Time and time again, staff and patients asked me why they do not hear more about the good things that are going on in the NHS. They also asked me why they do not hear more balanced debates about the NHS.
Workplace Standards
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will come into effect at the beginning of the new financial year which will contribute to fairness and equality at work. (S1O-3277)
The Scottish Executive is responsible for the implementation in Scotland of the European social fund community initiative—EQUAL—under which £20 million will be available over the next five years to promote new ways of combating discrimination and inequalities in the labour market.
I thank the minister for that reply. Will he outline the effect of the uprating on the national minimum wage in Scotland? What is being done to address the pay gap where such a gap is due to non-compliance by employers?
In Scotland, 110,000 people have directly benefited from the national minimum wage. On legislation on non-compliance, the Equal Pay Act 1970 is already in place and has made real headway. Under that act, women in particular have been able to claim their rights in many landmark cases.
In the name of equality, will the minister consider workplace bullying, which also concerns the European Union? Will the minister help to issue guidelines to workplaces? He will agree that workplace bullying causes endless stress and sometimes suicide. Bullies are always cowards and inadequates who make the lives of other workers a misery.
The Government and the Scottish Executive want to promote fairness and decency in the workplace. Legislation already exists to deal with the most extreme cases of harassment, health and safety issues and discrimination on grounds of sex or disability.
After all the talk about further regulation of business, I assume that the minister will agree that there are already 3,500 extra business regulations in the UK. Will he ensure and guarantee today that no additional burdens will be placed on Scottish business to disadvantage it against the rest of the UK and decrease the opportunity of creating employment?
I am happy to assure Mr Davidson that we will reduce red tape and increase protection for workers.
Urban Regeneration (Dundee)
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had recently with Dundee City Council relating to urban regeneration. (S1O-3241)
Which minister is to answer the question? Malcolm Chisholm? I am told that Margaret Curran will answer. I was wrongly informed.
That is quite all right.
I am not confusing the two of you.
Ministers and officials meet regularly with representatives of the council to discuss urban regeneration and other matters.
Is the minister aware that, in debates held in Executive and in Opposition time, the Parliament has debated fisheries or rural Scotland on eight different occasions? I have no complaint about that, but the Parliament has yet to have a single debate on the regeneration of Scottish cities, and I complain about that. Does the minister not recognise that that is a very poor return for the voters of urban Scotland, who overwhelmingly voted for the establishment of the Parliament? Will she use her influence in the Executive to ensure that when we return from the recess, the Parliament debates the future of Scotland's cities and of the people who live in them?
I am more than happy to give John McAllion the assurance for which he asks. I will use whatever influence I have in the Executive to pursue the issues of urban regeneration and the future of cities. The Executive's commitment to those matters is strong. The cities review is under way and the Minister for Social Justice intends to release a statement on urban regeneration in the autumn. I assure John McAllion that I take the issue of poverty and cities very seriously. I will pursue those matters with great energy in the Parliament.
I will ask a question about urban regeneration in Dundee. An integrated transport system is an important element of regeneration. Does the minister agree that the proposals for a new train hall at Dundee airport, with bus links to commerce and industry in the city centre, is the way forward for Dundee's transport system and is worthy of support by the Scottish Executive? I hope that the minister will give her support to the scheme when the feasibility study is brought forward.
I am sure that Shona Robison is well aware that I am not the Minister for Transport and Planning and I suggest that she refers that question to that minister.
Fireworks
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has cost police forces, the ambulance and fire services, the NHS and local authorities to deal with incidents arising from the use or misuse of fireworks over the last five years. (S1O-3247)
Information of the kind the member has asked for is not recorded, but the careless use of fireworks still causes too many injuries. The message to be driven home is that fireworks are explosives and must be handled accordingly.
I thank the minister for his reply. I mentioned various bodies that can be involved in fireworks incidents. Those include Scottish ambulance services, the Scottish NHS, Scottish fire departments, the Scottish police, Scottish local authorities and, indeed, the Scottish taxpayer.
Order. Order all round. There are to be no conversations, please, when a question is being asked. The question is, in any case, too long, so let us have the answer.
My final point, if I may, Presiding Officer, is that Guy Fawkes is part of English history. Why is he celebrated here in Scotland?
That was a lengthy and erudite question, although I think that Mr Young will find that the Explosives Act was passed in 1875, not 1876.
Homelessness
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in tackling homelessness. (S1O-3276)
Last week I welcomed the 7 per cent drop in homelessness applications for the quarter ended September 2000. That is the fourth quarter in a row that homelessness applications have fallen, when compared to the previous year. That is a clear indication that the actions which we have taken since coming into office, and the funding we have made available, are beginning to have a positive effect.
I hope that the minister will join me in welcoming the announcement that, in North Lanarkshire, homeless applications fell by 8 per cent in the period ending September 2000. However, does she agree that statistics are often open to interpretation and misinterpretation and that, for that reason, they are often not a good measure of homelessness?
Like Karen Whitefield, I welcome the news that North Lanarkshire's homelessness figures have dropped. It is one of 16 local authorities that have reported a decrease in the number of applications. The greatest decreases have been in Glasgow, Fife and Aberdeen.
Will the minister comment on the fact that, although the Executive insists on using quarterly comparators in an attempt to prove that homelessness is falling, its own statistical bulletin clearly shows that the number of homeless applications annually is rising? Will she answer the concern of Shelter Scotland, among others, that repeat applications, which make up 25 per cent of the homeless applications received, are not shown in the statistics, even though it is clear that the system is failing 25 per cent of people who apply as homeless?
The SNP never fails to disappoint. I would have hoped that it would welcome a drop in homelessness statistics in Scotland. If Linda Fabiani considers the four quarters taken together as a yearly accounting period, she will find that there has been a drop of some 2000 applications across Scotland. That is welcome, and it shows that the Executive is tackling the scourge of homelessness in Scotland and succeeding.
I will not disappoint the minister. We all welcome the reduction in homeless applications. However, will the minister acknowledge that the number of applications is still higher now than it was when Labour came to power?
I think that Keith Harding will recognise that the most dramatic increase in homelessness was under the Tories in the early 1990s. Undoubtedly, it has continued to increase. However, what Mr Harding has to realise is that this is not just about bricks and mortar, but about tackling poverty and disadvantage and the complex problems that people have. That takes time. We are putting measures in place and we can see indications that those measures are succeeding. Unfortunately, under the previous Tory Administration, there was never a drop.
Does the minister agree that one of the reasons for homelessness is that there is not enough rented accommodation available at a reasonable level of rent? Why is the Executive hell-bent on making a bad situation worse by forcing housing associations to sell off their housing stock? That may seem a good idea to sitting tenants, but it offers a very raw deal indeed for homeless people.
That is just nonsense. If Dennis Canavan looks around Scotland, he will see that the number of empty properties available is fairly significant. If he looks at the number of lets of property, he will see that it more than adequately covers the number of people reporting as homeless. The issue is not the availability of rented accommodation. It is widely accepted that the real issue is the complex underlying needs that lead people to become homeless in the first place. For example, they may suffer from alcohol addiction, drug addiction, family breakdown or mortgage repossession. The list is endless. I am disappointed that Mr Canavan did not appreciate that.
Further Education
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage more people to take up places in further education colleges. (S1O-3274)
On 19 March, Wendy Alexander announced a £19.5 million package of new support measures for further education students. The new measures will improve levels of support for thousands of further education students from autumn 2001, especially those from low-income families. The measures will, for the first time, create a level playing field for students on further education and higher education courses.
What steps is the Executive taking to help colleges to recruit and retain students in areas such as West Dunbartonshire, where the proportion of people with post-school qualifications is very low? Will the minister ask his colleague Wendy Alexander to do all that she can—along with the Scottish Further Education Funding Council—to secure the future development of Clydebank College, which plays a key role in extending access and meeting the learning needs of people in my constituency and the adjacent areas?
As far as the first part of Mr McNulty's question is concerned, £4 million per annum is now available within mainstream funding. The Scottish Further Education Funding Council recognises the extra costs that colleges bear in encouraging people from socially excluded groups to participate in lifelong learning. As for Clydebank College, I will be more than happy to convey the member's concerns to Wendy Alexander.
Will additional resources be made available to increase the number of places in further education as a result of the FE estates review, which is now completed? When does the minister hope to publish the results of that review, and details of its relationship to the number of places?
The issue is under consideration. I know that Mr Neil's Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee will discuss it. The answer will be determined by the outcome of the review, the date of publication of which will be determined by my colleague Wendy Alexander. I will play my full part in the discussions. Unfortunately, I cannot give Mr Neil the date of publication.
What increase has there been in the take-up of further education places since 1997? What effect has that had on unemployment figures?
Some years ago we set a target of an additional 40,000 further education places, which was to be achieved over a three-year period. I am happy to advise Mr Gallie that over the three-year period, student numbers rose by 3 per cent from the previous years, indicating that the FE sector is on course to achieve the Government's target.
Community Care
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any proposals to amend the referral system for care in the community placements. (S1O-3234)
Audit Scotland, on behalf of the Accounts Commission, prepared and published "Commissioning Community Care Services for Older People: Applying a Best Value Framework" in October 2000. That provides local authorities with a framework for commissioning services for older people based on the Accounts Commission's best-value performance management and planning audit. Audit Scotland has undertaken to follow up councils' progress in adopting the framework.
I am pleased to hear that progress is being followed up. I would like to see progress.
This is a complex issue, but clearly, best value, as I indicated in my answer, is the key to progress. There will be further developments with regard to best value, which the Minister for Finance and Local Government will announce in due course.
Why can patients who have been referred to supported accommodation and assured a place be detained in hospitals due to a lack of money in care management budgets? Can the minister confirm that such detentions are in breach of the right to liberty, as defined in article 5 of the European convention on human rights?
The drive to address the problem of delayed discharge is at the heart of our priorities. The increases for community care this year and the next two years are way beyond the rate of inflation, and are beyond anything that we have seen in the past two decades. We accept that there are still problems, but the last census of delayed discharges indicated an improvement, even though it was during the winter months. We look forward to further improvements as the new money feeds through in the course of this financial year.
Social Workers
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address any problems in social work caused by difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff due to stress levels within the profession, the profession's public image or any lack of resources within the profession. (S1O-3249)
The professionalism of social workers and their public image will be enhanced by provisions in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill, which is at stage 2 in this Parliament.
I thank the minister for that limited answer. Does he accept that the result of there not being enough social workers is that cases are unallocated, and that children in need, for example, can wait for anything from several months to one year for appropriate supervision and support? We are failing many of the most vulnerable children when they most need some help. What investment will the minister make in social work to allow statutory responsibilities to be adequately met?
That issue is a significant concern of the Executive. We discussed it in detail in the chamber yesterday. Additional resources have been invested in social work. Further resources will be invested in the coming years, over the period of the spending review. Recruitment problems are not consistent throughout Scotland. In the first instance, the issue is a matter for employers, local authorities and voluntary organisations, but the Executive will consider ways of supporting those organisations to try to overcome the problems, which are serious in some areas.
Does the minister agree that social work's poor public image has much to do with the fact that social work figures in the popular media only when a tragedy has occurred or high sickness levels are recorded in some social work departments? Does he join me in urging the Executive to emphasise the daily successes that social work achieves?
I agree with everything that Scott Barrie said. When problems arise and the system fails, the amount of pressure on the system, day in, day out, is underscored. Behind every negative headline lie hundreds, if not thousands, of examples of the social work profession preventing a tragedy. Day in, day out, social workers are threatened with physical violence. They are also subject to significant emotional strains.
Ferry Services
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries and whether the issue of the transfer of staff to NorthLink from P&O Scottish Ferries was discussed. (S1O-3252)
The Executive is working closely with NorthLink and P&O Scottish Ferries to ensure the smooth handover of the 2002 to 2007 subsidy contract for the northern isles passenger ferry services. That work includes regular meetings with both companies to discuss a range of issues. The Executive has no formal role as employer and it is for the two companies to consider staff transfer. We expect the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations to apply.
Does the minister join me in welcoming yesterday's announcement at Glasgow travel fair that NorthLink and Shetland Islands Tourism are forming a joint marketing partnership to market Shetland and Orkney? Does she accept the undoubted need for a seamless transfer from P&O to NorthLink, especially for existing staff? Will she give assurances about staff conditions? Will she ensure that new harbour facilities will be available, backed by Scottish Executive finance, as the ports must use reasonable endeavours to meet the challenging time scale?
I agree that yesterday's groundbreaking initiative between the new ferry company and the tourist boards in the island areas is important. The new ferry services that will begin in 2002 will bring major service improvements. The Executive is keen to ensure that those services are marketed effectively and that islanders and the tourism industry benefit. That is why we have been keen to invest £12 million in Scrabster harbour, as part of a £16 million package. We have also invested in Lerwick, for improved harbour facilities. We are considering improvements in Orkney and are discussing them with Orkney Islands Council. We have made a huge investment. We are keen to ensure a smooth handover, which is in the interests of ferry passengers and staff.
Health Boards (Capital Projects)
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that full business cases for capital projects submitted by health boards demonstrate value for money. (S1O-3233)
Value for money is shown by conducting an economic appraisal of the costs and benefits that are associated with a range of options for delivering improvements in services.
Does the minister share my concern that the Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust's wish to proceed with the full business case for the proposed secure unit at Stobhill hospital, despite the fact that that site is zoned for residential use—which is confirmed by correspondence that I have received—is a scandalous waste of public funds?
I recognise that Paul Martin has taken a keen interest in this issue and has corresponded in detail on it. I must reinforce the point that has been made in correspondence: that the Executive would for its part require any full business case to reflect all relevant considerations including, if appropriate, the position on planning consents. However, it is not for the Executive to comment on the details of an individual project at this stage of development. It is important that debate and dialogue continues at a local level on how best those changes can move forward.
On value for money, capital projects and capital receipts, will the minister confirm whether income that is generated from the sale of former hospital sites is fully incorporated in the health budget? If it is, how much of the money is incorporated; if not, where does the money go?
The income that is generated from such receipts is retained within the national health service. Individual cases differ in scale and substance. Full guidance is in place for the service and proposals are put to the Scottish Executive accordingly. In the Scottish health plan, we have identified that financial planning is an area where we must continually seek to improve and develop procedures so that decisions can be taken quickly and, as far as is possible, money can be returned to patient care at a national and local level.
Is the minister satisfied that in the disposal of hospital grounds, particularly in Edinburgh, the same meticulous attention has been paid to the need for value for money and a properly considered business plan for the dispersal of facilities and resources as there is for the development of new facilities?
As I said in my previous response, issues such as the management of assets and the disposal of property here in Edinburgh or in any other part of the country are of great concern to me. Such issues are considered carefully in local and national audit processes. As I said, robust systems and guidance are already in place for each part of the system across Scotland. We will continually consider how to improve them.
Does the minister share my concern that the Home Office is not willing to provide additional support to the NHS in Scotland, particularly in Glasgow, to assist asylum seekers who require health services?
I am sorry, Mr Sheridan. That is well wide of the question.
Will the minister tell me whether she agrees with that and, if not, whether she will make—
No, no, no. I am sorry. That is wide of the question; it is out of order.
Tenant Participation
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a statutory right to tenant participation. (S1O-3262)
I call Malcolm Chisholm to answer.
This is not mistaken identity, it is mistaken information.
I will not take it personally, Presiding Officer.
I thank the minister for her initial remarks. I am sure that they were kindly meant. [Laughter.]
Yes. As Mr Gorrie will know, the Housing (Scotland) Bill is making its way through Parliament. We intend to consider the comments that have been made. Our proposals have been strongly welcomed by tenants organisations, but we will work closely with the Social Justice Committee to take up the points that Mr Gorrie has raised.
Is the minister aware of widely varying approaches among local authorities to resourcing and supporting tenant participation? Can she clarify whether the bill will be accompanied by ministerial guidance to ensure that the strategies set out by local authorities and other management agencies under the new legislation will allow people to pursue those rights and that those strategies are delivered?
There is variation at the moment. In fact, many local authorities are good practitioners on tenants rights and participation. We have an opportunity in the bill to maximise that. We will issue guidance to ensure that there is a minimum standard to which everyone should adhere. The relevant sections in the bill mean that the future is bright for tenant participation, as it will be a requirement.
Post Offices
To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it is making to the maintenance of the post office network in Scotland. (S1O-3271)
The Post Office and postal services are reserved matters. However, the Scottish Executive recognises the importance of the availability of postal services, especially in rural and outlying urban areas. The Executive is engaged on a range of issues that may impact on postal services, including the 21st century government agenda and service provision in rural areas.
Is the minister aware that the post office network in Scotland has suffered a net loss of 60 post offices in the past 12 months—a 50 per cent increase on the figure for the previous year? Will the minister explain why the funding consequential of £3.5 million that was received by the Executive from the UK Treasury for post office pilot schemes has not been allocated for support of the post office network, with the exception of the £200,000 that was allocated to the post office element of the digital Highland project?
The digital Highland project is an element of the Government general practitioner pilot scheme that is being conducted in Scotland. The results of that and the other general practitioner schemes will be available to the whole post office network. The thrust of where the Scottish Executive is placing its resources relates to the undertaking that has been given by the post office network that all post offices will be linked to electronic information technology. We are trying to persuade the Post Office that that should take place everywhere in Scotland—in remote rural areas and in outlying urban areas. It would enable the Post Office to offer a much wider range of services and thus attract a much larger number of people to use its services.
I welcome the minister's commitment to ensuring that rural post offices remain open. Will the minister outline some of the assistance that is proposed, especially to rural areas, given that many rural post offices run in conjunction with small local businesses?
That is one of the issues that are included in our report on the provision of rural services, which indicated that that linkage with other services was not being considered to a sufficient extent. We are currently engaged in delivering the recommendations of that report and are in discussion with the Post Office to that effect.
We have repeatedly heard that the future of post offices will be secured partly through the delivery of Government services—be they local government, UK Government or Scottish Executive services—at post offices, especially in rural areas. Will the minister say which, if any, services he has in mind for delivery through those post offices?
That will ultimately be a matter for the Post Office. We are trying to persuade it that any access to information—whether in local government or social security services—that would make using post offices more attractive to citizens in remote communities is an essential part of increasing the footprint usage and therefore the viability of remote rural post offices.
Question 13 has been withdrawn.
Railways
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the Stirling-Alloa-Dunfermline rail link. (S1O-3264)
My department is in close contact with Clackmannanshire Council and Railtrack about progress with the project. I have called for an urgent report from the council on potential cost increases.
The minister will be well aware of the importance of that project to relieve the freight pressure on the Forth bridge, the east coast main line and the Fife circle. Can she confirm what the current gap in the financing of the project is? Can she cast any light on whether the increased gap is caused by Railtrack's tightening of the line and signal specifications or by deficiencies in the original report prepared by Clackmannanshire Council?
Until I have the urgent report that I have asked for, I will not be able to answer those questions in detail. That is why we need that urgent report. Members will recall that, in 1999, I deferred Clackmannanshire Council's application for further work, although we gave it clearance last year. I am very concerned about the potential cost increase in the project, but more background work is required to find out from all the parties involved exactly what the nature of those increases is before we can make statements about the future of the project. The gap is significant and we will need to consider the issue very carefully.
When she is reviewing the situation with her officials, will the minister ensure that she examines the figures that I have received, which show that the passenger element of the bid was wrong by a factor differing from £2.2 million to £9.9 million? Will she investigate what the official submission was and how on earth the bid could ever have been approved in the first place if those figures are indeed correct? Furthermore, will she agree to hold an urgent meeting involving Scott Barrie, Sylvia Jackson and me, and Clackmannanshire Council, Stirling Council and Railtrack, to review what appears to be a disastrous bid so that we can endeavour to resolve the problem in the interests of all our constituents?
It is fair to say that there has already been a meeting with some of the key players who would be involved in delivering the project. I take the matter very seriously and, in issuing the next public transport fund circular for information, I am certainly minded to ensure that the authorities provide us with more information than they have hitherto been required to provide. It is up to local authorities that are submitting bids to the Executive to ensure that the whole package is in place and has been properly and robustly evaluated. That is why I need an urgent report and why we cannot take the matter any further forward in the chamber today. Nevertheless, I am happy to talk to Richard Simpson and Scott Barrie about the matter.
Does the minister agree that that rail line has regional significance and that Clackmannanshire Council has put a tremendous amount of effort into trying to secure it? How much has this matter really got to do with Railtrack holding the Government to ransom over the £1.5 billion that will be allocated over the next few years to bail Railtrack out of the problems arising from the Hatfield derailment? Is not that the real reason for the costs escalating?
Just as I was not prepared to speculate to Labour back benchers, I am certainly not prepared to speculate to an SNP back bencher. I am just being consistent to all members in the chamber. We need to get the facts on this matter. It disturbs me greatly that there has been such a huge increase in costs and I am not prepared to lay blame without having the full facts in front of me and without being able to analyse the problems. We need to get more information. These issues have come to light very recently. Before members make speculations, we need to have the evidence in front of us.
Tourism
To ask the Scottish Executive what immediate assistance it plans to give museums, heritage centres and historic attractions whose visitor numbers have been affected by the drop in tourist numbers resulting from the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. (S1O-3251)
The package of measures announced by the Executive last week to support the tourism industry will recognise the importance of museums and other visitor attractions to the local economy.
I presume that that was an answer. I asked about immediate assistance. Many attractions open for the first time at Easter. This Easter, it will not be a normal opening for them, as there will be virtually no trade. Some attractions that try to remain open throughout the year, such as Kilmartin House in Argyll, have seen their visitor numbers decimated. I hope that Mr Morrison and his friend the Minister for Sport, the Arts and Culture will put their heads together to find some way of filling the hole in museum budgets that is about to be created. Those attractions are fragile and do not generate much cash. They may find themselves unable to continue.
As Mr Russell should know, many museums already benefit from rates relief because of the charitable status they enjoy. We have announced a package of £13 million, much of which is directed towards attracting visitors and restoring confidence in the Scottish tourism market. We will be targeting money within the United Kingdom and making a concerted effort in important overseas markets.
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