Contents
- Scottish Parliament Thursday 5 October 2000
- Fuel Duty
- Local Government
- Business Motion
- Question Time
- First Minister's Question Time
- Older People (Care)
- Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill
- Decision Time
- Multiple Sclerosis
Question Time
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Dumfries and Galloway Council (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport and the Environment next intends to meet representatives of Dumfries and Galloway Council. (S1O-2350)
I will meet representatives of Dumfries and Galloway Council tomorrow.
That is excellent news. Can the minister set out what it will take to convince her at that meeting that the future of Stranraer—the United Kingdom's second largest ferry port—and the economy of Dumfries and Galloway depend on upgrades to the A75? What evidence will convince her to change her plans and initiate urgently required improvements?
I hope that I will be able to please Mr Mundell with all my answers to his questions.
The key issue is that I need to talk to Dumfries and Galloway Council about a range of matters. As Mr Mundell suggests, the issue regarding the A75 and Stranraer is important. He may remember that last week I announced new resources for trunk roads and motorways investment for the next three years. I must now sit down and think about the best way of allocating those resources across the whole of Scotland.
I hope that the minister realises that she will have her work cut out at the meeting tomorrow. The feeling thus far at Dumfries and Galloway Council, whose leader is a member of the minister's party, is that the Executive has given it the runaround on transport matters. Will the minister be able to explain why the officials at last week's meeting with the council were under instructions not to answer any questions apart from those of the most technical nature, which led to the meeting being cut short?
I was keen for my officials to talk to people in Dumfries and Galloway so that they could set out the work that has been carried out on the route accident reduction plan. It would be highly inappropriate to expose officials to questions on issues for which I should be accountable to this Parliament. The answer that I gave to David Mundell's question indicates that I am considering issues such as the A75 in the context of the extra resources that we have to spend, which I announced in my statement on transport expenditure last week.
I thank the minister for acceding to my request that she meet members of Dumfries and Galloway Council tomorrow. The A75 will be one of the issues discussed at that meeting. Is the minister prepared to liaise with other ministers in the Scottish Executive on the broader issues relating to the A75? It is important not only as a transport route, but to the economy of the rural areas of Dumfries and Galloway and the whole of Scotland, as it brings in trade from Northern Ireland. Will the minister take a more holistic approach to this issue, bearing in mind the contribution that the A75 makes to Scotland as a whole?
I assure Elaine Murray that Henry McLeish and I meet regularly to discuss transport and economic development issues. The future of the A75 was one of the issues flagged up in the paper published by Henry McLeish on the strategy for economic development in Scotland.
Road Haulage
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to assist the road haulage industry. (S1O-2349)
Over the next few weeks, I plan to meet the main bodies that represent the Scottish road haulage industry, to ensure that we are fully aware of the industry's concerns and aspirations.
Given that the average age of a heavy goods vehicle driver in Scotland is 52 and that driver training has significant costs of more than £900, what measures are being taken and what financial resources are being allocated by the Executive to ensure that more drivers are trained and that Scottish drivers will be in the cabs of Scottish trucks?
That subject has not yet arisen under the transport brief. However, I am aware that there are many proposals under the new deal. If Mr MacAskill has any specific suggestions, I would be happy to read and respond to them.
One way of helping the industry in areas such as the one that I represent would be to reduce the rate of VAT on motor fuel. In her answer to a question of mine a few weeks ago, the minister indicated that she was having discussions with her Westminster colleagues on the subject. What point have those discussions reached?
I am happy to tell Mr Stone that those discussions are on-going.
Is the minister aware of the plight of thousands of freelance taxi and private hire drivers, who are suffering losses of £20 to £30 a week through Chancellor Gordon Brown's fuel tax increase? Does she have any plans to assist those drivers?
I am not sure that those questions come under the heading of road haulage. Does the minister want to answer them?
No.
Central Heating (Jobs)
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new jobs will be created as a result of its announcement on 19 September 2000 that free central heating will be installed for all pensioners and social tenants across Scotland. (S1O-2342)
I am pleased to announce that, in the first year of the programme, 1,500 jobs will be created. That figure will rise to 2,200 in the third, fourth and fifth years. That announcement is good news not just good for all tenants and pensioners, but for heating engineers as well. Some of the more imaginative Labour authorities are already increasing their number of modern apprenticeships to allow young people to train as heating engineers.
I welcome the minister's announcement, particularly in relation to young people. How much money does the minister expect the average pensioner or social tenant to save in a year as a result of the installation of central heating?
The programme has three parts: energy advice; insulation; and the installation of the central heating itself. We expect that the implementation of the programme will save the average pensioner £500 every year and will reduce their heating bills from an average £20 a week to £10 a week every year from now on.
I remind members with any supplementaries that the question is about jobs.
My question follows from the minister's previous answer. Will the minister confirm that, if the link between pensions and average earnings had not been broken, a pensioner couple would now have an extra £2,500 and a single pensioner £1,800, which would be enough to install their central heating now, next year and the year after?
I am sorry. That is wide of the question.
Does the minister have an estimate of the number of jobs that would be created in Glasgow if the programme were carried out as part of council investment rather than through stock transfer? On several occasions, she has said that stock transfer will create 3,000 jobs. How many jobs would be created if, instead of stock transfer, there were public investment in Glasgow City Council stock?
The difference between Mr Tommy Sheridan and us is that he wants us to spend just an additional £50 million a year, which would create a very small number of jobs and allow us to rehabilitate only 3,000 houses a year. The proposals that we support will allow us to rehabilitate all 90,000 houses within 10 years.
Scottish Arts Council (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Scottish Arts Council and what issues were discussed. (S1O-2365)
I last met members of the Scottish Arts Council on 14 August 2000 to discuss the national cultural strategy.
I am delighted to hear that. Has the minister visited the Richard DeMarco exhibition "The Road to Meikle Seggie"? Is he willing to suggest to the Scottish Arts Council that it conduct a feasibility study into storing and displaying Mr DeMarco's extensive collection of art from Scotland and the wider world?
I have not had the pleasure of visiting that exhibition. However, I am sure that the Scottish Arts Council will have heard what the member has said and will want to take it into consideration at its next meeting.
Did the minister's discussions with the Scottish Arts Council include any reference to industrial museums, which seem to have been rather neglected in the national cultural strategy document?
That is not the case. We did not have any suggestions about industrial museums at that stage, but it is a matter to which I am giving due consideration and on which I may be able to say something further in future
Inward Investment
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the proportion located in Glasgow of manufacturing jobs and investment being attracted to Scotland. (S1O-2374)
Our strong commitment to helping manufacturers on a wide variety of issues is outlined in "Created in Scotland: the way forward for Scottish Manufacturing in the 21st Century", which was published in March.
Locate in Scotland and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow work closely together to ensure that Glasgow is able to offer the sites, premises and skills necessary to attract inward investors. In the year to March 2000, more than 16.4 per cent of the planned jobs attracted to Scotland were attracted to Glasgow.
I thank the minister for his reply. Can he explain why Glasgow has attracted only 2.9 per cent of the manufacturing jobs created in Scotland through inward investment since his party came to power? What will he do to attract further manufacturing investment to Glasgow?
Part of the response that I gave indicated that Locate in Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and all the enterprise agencies will be working hard to achieve that in Glasgow. However, it is important to point out that 84 per cent of all employment in the city is in services. While we are attracting manufacturing to Glasgow and to Scotland, we must consider the current distribution of employment. For the record, in the past six years, Glasgow has had 230 offers of investment from regional selective assistance accepted. The value of offers is more than £70 million and the associated project costs are worth more than £400 million. That has helped to create or safeguard more than 13,500 jobs.
A great deal is being done. That was demonstrated this week, for example, by the £60 million private investment in a new science quarter in the city of Glasgow, bringing software engineering jobs and a whole host more. Positive developments are taking place, which, I hope, will be supported by everyone in the Parliament.
Does the minister agree that one feature that would have brought about important investment in Glasgow is the much-promised transfer of jobs in Executive departments to the city, which has not yet happened? Will he give an undertaking that it will happen in the foreseeable future?
I am probably not the minister to whom the member should have put that question, as I have moved my whole department from Edinburgh to the city of Glasgow. The industry department was in Glasgow and the enterprise and lifelong learning department has now moved there. That brings a substantial number of jobs to Glasgow, enriching the mix for young people who want to enter the civil service. That is only part of a programme that Jack McConnell is driving forward at a fairly formidable rate. All of Scotland should benefit from the decentralisation of jobs. That is what is happening under this Labour and Liberal Democrat Executive.
Diversion from Prosecution
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the evaluation of the 18 pilot diversion from prosecution schemes carried out by the social work research centre and on the decision to extend the scheme. (S1O-2336)
Following publication of the evaluation report by the social work research centre at the University of Stirling, I announced our future policy on diversion on 22 September. The schemes will be rolled out nationally and will target the groups that the research showed can benefit most.
I thank the minister for those details. As he will know, Cornton Vale prison is within the Stirling constituency. I have always been keen to support women in the attempt to reduce reoffending. Can the minister give details of the reduction in reoffending due to the pilots and of his plans for the future once the scheme is rolled out?
One of the purposes of diversions from prosecution is to reduce reoffending. The hope is that the cycle of offending can be broken by tackling some of the underlying problems that lead to people offending in the first place. One of the important things to emerge from the research was the identification of the target groups that would benefit most. I assure Sylvia Jackson that that includes female accused, as well as young accused between the ages of 16 and 17.
Now that the minister has decided to extend the scheme, will he give a guarantee that domestic abuse offenders, sex offenders and child abusers will no longer be considered appropriate referrals for the diversion from prosecution?
The refocusing of the schemes will reduce the small number of cases of domestic violence that have, in the past, been considered for diversion. It is important to stress that the procurator fiscal will retain the discretion to consider any case involving accused within the target groups, which include those with mental health problems and those misusing drugs and alcohol. The number of cases of domestic violence that were considered for diversion was already small and will be reduced further. There will be a discretion, as is part of the procurator fiscal's general remit, in special cases.
Road Tolls
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to repeal current road tolling legislation. (S1O-2341)
The Scottish Executive has no plans to repeal current road tolling legislation.
Given that the recent European Court of Justice ruling suggests that the Skye bridge tolls should be seen as a service charge, not a tax, is not it logical that the relevant sections of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, which offend the European Court of Justice ruling and which subject protesters to criminal proceedings, should be repealed? That is within the remit of this Parliament.
We have no plans to take that action.
Roads (A77)
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the introduction of the aggregates tax will have on the cost of the upgrading of the A77. (S1O-2362)
I am sorry. I missed that question.
The question asked was number 8.
It deals with the M77—I see that we have moved on. My apologies to Mr Scott.
The effect that the aggregates tax will have on the cost of the proposed extension of the M77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh is unknown. It will depend on the extent to which the contractor adopts the use of recycled aggregates.
Does the minister agree that the imposition of the aggregates tax is likely to cost jobs in Ayrshire and in the rest of Scotland? How many jobs does she estimate will be lost?
I do not agree. The construction of the road is likely to create local employment. Our view is that the aggregates tax will be taken on board when contractors bid for contracts. The issue of the A77 will be taken forward in the competitive tendering process, when contractors evaluate the best methods of constructing the road.
Tayside Contracts supplies approximately 60,000 tonnes of quarried material for road maintenance purposes. The tax will result in an additional cost of £96,000 to Perth and Kinross Council, Angus Council and Dundee City Council. Will the minister approach the chancellor—
Order. We are talking about the A77.
The issue is about aggregates tax.
I know, but the question is about the A77.
Oh, come on. That is outrageous.
Order. The aggregates tax is a reserved matter. The question is about the effect of the tax on the A77.
Children (Employment)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports any relaxation of the regulations covering the employment of children. (S1O-2376)
The Children (Protection at Work) (Scotland) Regulations 2000, which we laid in May, tightened up the existing regulations covering the employment of children.
I thank the minister for that and congratulate the Executive on having such a care for Scotland's children. To that end, will he advise his colleagues who are responsible for any of the purchases associated with the new Holyrood project that it is not enough to express a pious hope that materials for that building will not come from China or India and that it is absolutely imperative that strictures must appear in the procurement documents so that we do not have the exploitation of other people's children?
Order. I saw that one coming a mile away. The minister is not responsible for the Holyrood project.
I was going to point that out, Presiding Officer. I am glad that you have done so.
Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how soon incapable adults will benefit from the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. (S1O-2330)
The act will be implemented between April 2001 and April 2002. The new office of public guardian will open in April 2001. Parts 2 and 3 of the act, dealing with powers of attorney and the access to funds scheme, will come into force in April 2001. Draft codes of practice in relation to parts 2 and 3 were issued for consultation on 14 September and comments have been requested by 15 December.
As the minister knows, the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 has been widely welcomed by people who recognised the great need for a reform in the law. Can he advise me when the medical treatment code of practice will be issued for consultation? How will he ensure an adequate consultation period?
It is extremely disappointing that, while a member is asking a question on an important issue such as the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, members of the Opposition are bickering and cat-calling.
The act will be of substantial benefit to many people who have struggled for years without the support of the legislation. Mr Kerr is right to raise the question, because it has not been possible to publish the original code for consultation within the time scale that we envisaged. I assure him that the code will be published shortly and that we will ensure that there is a consultation period of at least three months in order to allow views to be properly heard.
Skye Bridge
I am almost surprised at the brevity of the responses given to members asking questions on the toll regime—
Just ask your question, please.
To elicit a more detailed response, I will do so.
11. To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of total Skye bridge toll income goes towards (a) repayment of debt; (b) interest charges on the capital cost of the project; (c) annual maintenance costs; (d) toll collection costs; (e) administration; and (f) profit. (S1O-2379)
The information requested relates to the concessionaire's private financial arrangements and is therefore not readily available. However, those figures can be calculated, in the main, by examining Skye Bridge Ltd's annual directors report and financial statements, which are publicly available at Companies House.
That was, again, a brief response. The minister will be aware that this weekend marks the fifth anniversary of the toll regime on the Skye bridge. Will she explain to the Parliament how a bridge that was originally estimated to cost less than £25 million will cost the bridge users and the Scottish Executive a minimum of £128 million by the end of the toll concession period?
I will certainly not answer for the decisions taken or the contracts signed to start the bridge off, which happened before the Labour Government was elected in 1997 and before this Parliament was established.
The Executive has fulfilled its commitment to freeze the tolls on the Skye bridge. We have never said that we would buy out the contract, which would involve a major amount of money. As we know from the DTZ Pieda Consulting report, which is available in the Scottish Parliament information centre, the benefits of our commitment to freeze the tolls and to ensure that people have cheaper access to the bridge are now being delivered and are being welcomed.
In view of the fact that the Executive has frozen the tolls, is it not time to stop date-stamping the books of concessionary tickets?
I am happy to say that we are currently considering that matter. I will report back to the Parliament when we have taken a decision on it.
If the minister is unable to tell us the percentage of the bridge income that goes on debt repayment, can she now tell us the total outstanding debt on the Skye bridge project, a question that was asked as far back as October 1999? Will she also comment on the National Audit Office report? It said:
"But we note the contract does not guarantee either that the bridge will be toll-free within the Department's 20 year target period, or that tolls will remain lower than their target level".
Is that acceptable? Exactly when will the Skye bridge be free of tolls?
The concessionaire indicated in its 1997 report that it expects the concession to end by 2013. The actual date depends on future traffic levels. I repeat that we have delivered a freeze on tolls, which means that the toll does not rise every year and impact on local communities. That is a delivered commitment, which this Parliament should welcome.
Bail (Breaches)
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers are available to procurators fiscal in relation to bail conditions when the grounds of bail are allegedly breached. (S1O-2377)
Where the police make procurators fiscal aware of an allegation that an accused has breached a condition of bail, two options are available. First, they may serve on the accused a complaint or indictment in terms of section 27(1)(a), 27(1)(b) or 27(7) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. In addition, or alternatively, they may make an application to the court to review the grant of bail in terms of section 31 of that act.
Does the Lord Advocate recognise the widespread public concern arising from cases in which those accused of offences while on bail do not appear immediately in court to have their bail reviewed? Will he agree to consider a further power for procurators to direct police officers to detain such people on the ground of reasonable suspicion as one way in which to bring them before the courts in the shortest possible time?
Although I understand Mr Macdonald's concern, section 28 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 gives police the power to arrest an accused who is on bail where the accused has broken, is breaking or is likely to break any condition imposed on his bail. That power can be exercised at the discretion of the constable. In addition, where sufficient admissible evidence comes to the attention of the procurator fiscal to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused has committed an offence on bail, the procurator may seek a warrant to apprehend.
I am sure that the Lord Advocate will be aware not only of the victims' outrage but of the fact that the police feel that they are fighting crime with one hand tied behind their back when they catch criminals only for the courts to release them to reoffend while awaiting trial. The Minister for Justice recently told me that, in 1997 and 1998, that occurred 1,300 times in north-east Scotland alone in cases involving robbery, house-breaking and drug offences.
A question, please.
What is even worse is when a criminal caught committing a crime when on bail is then given bail again, which undermines the delivery of justice. Will the Lord Advocate tell us how often that happens and what he is going to do about it?
One of the grounds for opposing bail is that the person is on bail already. When appropriate, the procurator fiscal will oppose the grant of bail. Whether an accused gets bail and the conditions in which he gets bail are matters for the court.
Regional Selective Assistance
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in processing regional selective assistance applications from rural areas. (S1O-2355)
All applications for regional selective assistance are processed as quickly as possible whatever the location of applicant companies. Following the agreement in July this year of the new assisted areas map, firms in rural areas such as the Borders are already benefiting from offers of regional selective assistance.
Does the minister agree that the recent announcement, reported locally, of an RSA grant of £1 million to Keltek in Kelso in my constituency, creating over 100 jobs, is very welcome? Does he also agree that RSA grants are appropriate for textiles firms?
It would be wrong for me to comment on individual applications before we have the final agreement of the company, but I know that Keltek has ambitious growth plans. The Executive is keen to help companies develop, not only in the electronics sector but in textiles and all other sectors. The proposals are good for the Borders and for the rest of Scotland.
Will the minister confirm that RSA is available to indigenous companies as well as to inward investors, and to companies that need to invest to protect existing jobs as well as to those that are investing to create new employment? Is the Executive taking any initiatives to dispel the perception that only inward investors qualify for RSA?
I will take an initiative now to help to dispel that view. I know that there is heated argument on this matter. The Executive wants inward investment but we also want to give priority to indigenous companies. The rules for RSA do not differentiate—indigenous companies apply and are successful in their applications. I agree that we need to get that message across and do more to encourage indigenous growth.
Agriculture (Regulatory Burdens)
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the recommendations made in the report "Review of the Regulatory Burden: IACS and Inspections in Scotland" have been implemented since its publication in January 2000. R (S1O-2363)
As Mr Fergusson is aware, we published an interim report in June 2000; a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament information centre. Further progress has since been made, and I am pleased to say that the current position is that, of the 23 recommendations in the original report, 14 have been completed or are in the process of being completed. We are well ahead in taking action to implement a further five. The Executive has accepted the remaining four, but we require the co-ordinated action of the European Commission and the United Kingdom Government.
I take it that the answer is that five of the proposals have been implemented. Is it not the case that, some eight months after his original announcement, the minister has been quick to grab the headlines but has lacked the technical back-up that is required to deliver the proposals? Does he agree that the headline-grabbing proposal—with a promised £6 million—to implement an electronic cattle-tagging scheme is technically, practically and financially impossible to deliver within his intended time scale?
No. That proposition is completely without foundation and Mr Fergusson knows it. Moreover, he was not listening: I said that 14 of the 23 recommendations have been implemented. Mr Fergusson knows that the working group that is dealing with the implementation of electronic data transfer has been making good progress and that initial technical problems—which were discovered after my initial announcement—are being resolved. I hope to make an announcement on the progress of EDT very shortly.
In the interests of cutting paperwork, will the minister consider scrapping the June and December returns, as the integrated administration and control system paperwork now makes them unnecessary?
As Mr Scott knows, we are taking steps to reduce paperwork—that was one of the recommendations that came out of the IACS working group. We have asked the group to continue its work, so that, as representatives of the industry, its members can work with the rural affairs department and the Executive to make changes smoothly. We are progressing towards amalgamating the forms. The matter is in hand.
Fife Council (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Fife Council and what issues were discussed. (S1O-2366)
My colleague Jack McConnell, the Minister for Finance, met the leader of the administration of Fife Council on 13 September. They discussed a range of issues relating to local government finance.
Does the minister share my concern about the projected £3.8 million overspend in Fife Council's education budget this year? Does he share my dismay that pupils, parents and teachers in Fife are having to pay for the administration's financial incompetence with cuts in secondary school budgets and the doubling of charges for musical instrument tuition?
I do not agree with Mr Harding's portrayal of Fife Council. It is for the council to determine its own priorities. Like councils across Scotland, Fife Council has welcomed the substantial increases in resources that are now available for local government. The increases match the figure that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities submitted to the Executive. Resources will increase by more than 10.5 per cent over the next three years.
Does the minister agree that the overspend that Mr Harding refers to is more or less a carry-over from last year's overspend? Fife Council is addressing the issue by redistributing money within its education budget. Cuts will not impact on pupils.
I am delighted to hear that from a local member who knows the situation much more accurately. It is for the local council to determine, within its budget, how best to deal with any situations that arise. It is good to hear that the council is addressing those matters. It will have the opportunity to do so over the next three years. For the benefit of those who are hard of hearing, I repeat that there will be substantial increases in local government spending over the next three years.
Education
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it intends to make in response to the report by HM inspectors of schools, "The Use of Information and Communications Technology in Learning and Teaching". (S1O-2329)
The Executive is providing resources and support to schools and teachers, and will encourage the implementation of the recommendations in the report.
Does the minister agree that, in addition to the welcome progress that is being made in making computers available in schools, one of the most important ways in which we can use ICT is through the development of flexible learning packages that permit individualised learning and reinforcement for pupils?
One of the advantages of modern technologies is that to a greater extent than ever before we can package and individualise learning, allowing learners to progress at a pace most suited to them. I fully support Des McNulty's point that that is a major benefit.
Do all schools have e-mail facilities? If not, when does the minister expect that to happen?
We are committed to ensuring that every child has an e-mail address. We are making steady progress; a large number of local authorities have implemented the scheme.
Will the minister detail the Executive's plans for community access to school ICT systems for lifelong learning purposes?
We are in the process of drawing together a range of sites, such as libraries and community centres, where people can access lifelong learning opportunities. We are preparing a comprehensive programme to ensure that access is available to all sectors of Scottish society.
National Farmers Union (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the National Farmers Union of Scotland and what issues were discussed. (S1O-2359)
I last met the National Farmers Union of Scotland on 26 September to discuss the new support mechanism for the less favoured areas.
Does the minister agree that one of the issues that should be discussed with the NFUS is that of health and safety on farms, particularly in relation to the practice of belly clipping animals before they go for slaughter? Does the minister agree that there are no reliable statistics on that because of the suspected underreporting of farm accidents?
I can assure Nora Radcliffe that, although we did not discuss the matter the last time I met the NFUS, it is an issue that we discuss regularly. If there is underreporting of incidents of which the Health and Safety Executive should be made aware, that is a cause for concern. The Executive and the NFUS agree that the practice of belly clipping is essential if we are to meet our standards on health and E coli. We are satisfied that, if the proper equipment is in place, that dangerous practice can be carried out with a degree of safety.
At the minister's meeting with the NFUS at which the hill farm support arrangements were discussed, did the NFUS express the concern of many farmers about what will happen to the new hill livestock compensatory allowance proposals after the three-year transitional scheme finishes and the safety net is removed? Will the minister give us some indication as to when the new proposals to be put to the European Commission are likely to be approved?
Officials from the Scottish Executive rural affairs department are returning from Brussels as we speak. I have not yet had a briefing on our current position on the matter. As Mr Johnstone will know, the European Union regrettably is not concerned about the particular circumstances of Scotland, which has 85 per cent of its land designated as less favoured areas. We need a scheme that takes account of our different circumstances. The European Union is concerned only that we move from a headage to a hectarage basis, without any consideration for the consequences. I make no apologies for attempting, at every stage, to persuade the European Union that that will not do. I share Mr Johnstone's concern that when the safety net is removed we might end up with a range of doubtful winners and very serious losers. The reason that I am pursuing the matter, keeping on at the European Union and being prepared to take it to the line, is to ensure that we have the maximum number of winners and very few losers, if any.
Railtrack (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met officials from Railtrack Scotland since the fire at Taynuilt railway station and, if so, what plans there are to regenerate the site. (S1O-2357)
I understand that Railtrack intends to hold discussions with Argyll and Bute Council on options for rebuilding Taynuilt station.
My constituents will be very pleased to hear that. I advise the minister that there is tremendous local support for the regeneration of the station. Will the minister do everything possible to ensure that a new building is constructed at Taynuilt railway station?
That is a matter for Railtrack. I hope that Railtrack will initiate improvements in passenger facilities at Taynuilt and that matters are taken in hand as soon as possible to ensure that those improvements are delivered speedily.
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