Justice and the Law Officers
Police Call Handling
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on police call handing. (S4O-05204)
Her Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary in Scotland published its final report on call handling on 10 November. I have been assured by Police Scotland that a detailed action plan is currently being developed and will be presented to the Scottish Police Authority audit and risk committee for scrutiny later this month.
Significant steps are being taken to provide further assurance before any decision is made to proceed with the remaining phases of the change programme in Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee. An independent expert review will be commissioned by the SPA before decisions are made about proceeding with the remaining phases of the change programme. Police Scotland will establish a reference group of senior independent change and call-handling professionals, who will provide on-going oversight and advice as the restructure is progressed. In addition, later this month, HMICS will begin a programme of unannounced visits to call centres until the programme is completed, and its findings will be reported back to Police Scotland, the SPA and the Scottish Government.
I understand that Police Scotland was allocated an additional £1.4 million by the Scottish Government to enable it to better handle the challenges that it faced over call handling. Can the Cabinet Secretary please let us know what impact that additional funding was able to secure and what benefit it brought to police call-handling operations and procedures?
At the time of my statement to the Parliament on the interim report from HMICS on call handling, I made £1.4 million immediately available to Police Scotland, which has helped to support and accelerate the recruitment of staff to improve resilience within the call-handling system. Specifically, in the north, Police Scotland has recruited a further 16 staff between the centres in Aberdeen and Inverness on a temporary basis. In Dundee, a total of 12 successful candidates have been recruited permanently, with 10 starting next month, and an additional 38 staff are being recruited at the Bilston Glen and Govan service centres, where the numbers now stand at 383. The additional funds have supported Police Scotland to enhance information technology support at its call-handling centres in order to deal with any IT issues that may arise during the course of activity.
I welcome parts of the cabinet secretary’s answer, and I will be interested to know from him how many of the 16 additional staff whom he mentioned have been recruited to the control room and service centre in Aberdeen, what their length of contract is and how much of the £1.4 million has been devoted to that end.
Those are specific matters for Police Scotland, which is responsible for the recruitment of staff. Sixteen of those staff members have been recruited between Aberdeen and Inverness. I will ask Police Scotland to provide the member with an exact breakdown of the provision in the Aberdeen control room.
As the member will be aware from having raised the issue with me in the chamber on a number of occasions, we are seeking to ensure that there continues to be resilience in the way in which the call-handling centre in Aberdeen operates as the change process moves forward. As I have outlined to the member in the past, there are now significant safeguards in place before any further changes can occur to the call-handling system such as the moving of the Aberdeen call-handling system to Bilston Glen. Those measures have been put in place to ensure that there is a consistent approach in how Police Scotland handles the matter and that the public continue to receive a high-quality service from Police Scotland.
Can the cabinet secretary clarify how local intelligence that is reported through the 101 number and the centralised call service centres is communicated to local front-line police officers, such as the named ward officers who are allocated to council wards in the Forth Valley division? That new initiative represents an excellent example of local policing.
I am very familiar with the approach that is being taken in Forth Valley division, on which the new local commander is keen to see progress. Once intelligence is brought to the attention of 101, it is assessed in terms of its priority, then sent on to the local command area, where it is prioritised in the local system to determine how officers should respond to it. As Margaret Mitchell is aware, it is extremely important to ensure that information that is provided at the local level is provided in a timely way to allow the police to assess how to respond to matters. Work is going on in Police Scotland to ensure that that happens as effectively as possible.
Police Officers (Civilian Staff Roles)
To ask the Scottish Government how many uniformed officers have been deployed to roles previously filled by civilian staff since Police Scotland came into existence. (S4O-05205)
Deployment of officers and staff is a matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority, which are committed, wherever possible, to use officers and staff in roles that make the best use of their skills, training and powers.
The cabinet secretary will appreciate the concern of many people across the country about backfilling. Derek Penman, Her Majesty’s inspector of constabulary, said that the current push to maintain an extra 1,000 police officers is pointless unless they are performing operational roles. A recent investigation by the Sunday Herald claimed that fewer than half of Scotland’s 17,000 officers were actually operational.
Will the Scottish Government agree to publish proper police strength statistics, breaking down officers by operational role, so that we can have proper public information, parliamentary scrutiny and transparency?
On parliamentary scrutiny, Murdo Fraser may be aware that the Justice Committee has recently given attention to this issue. Deputy Chief Constable Neil Richardson gave evidence to the Justice Committee on 1 December, when he made it very clear that there is no policy of backfilling civilian posts with police officers. On occasions when Police Scotland is changing how it provides a particular service, it may move operational police officers into a role because they have the skills to undertake that responsibility. Additionally, on occasions when civilian staff are off on sick leave or training, operational police officers may be used to provide a particular service for that period.
As the deputy chief constable outlined, there is no policy of backfilling civilian staff posts with police officers. However, I am more than happy to give Murdo Fraser a breakdown of the percentage of police officers who cover particular areas. For example, 75 per cent of Police Scotland officers operate on local policing matters. The figures break down into other specialist fields, regional units and national units. If it would help Murdo Fraser to understand how Police Scotland breaks down the staff grouping of its police officers, I will be more than happy to write to him with the details.
DCC Richardson and Sir Stephen House before him reiterated that there is no policy on backfilling, but Unison and the Scottish Police Federation advised that it is happening regularly. We have had media reports of significant numbers of police officers not doing police duties. Does the cabinet secretary not agree that the SPA should measure and monitor regularly whether police officers are fulfilling police officer functions?
It is an operational matter for the chief constable to determine how he should configure his staff and how he wishes to use his staff and police officers to fulfil Police Scotland’s responsibilities.
Elaine Murray will be aware that the SPA is undertaking a piece of work that is looking at future demands on policing as a result of issues such as cybercrime and the ageing population. As I mentioned to the Justice Committee yesterday, I have no doubt that once that work is complete, the SPA and Police Scotland will look at how policing will be configured in the future, in order to meet the demands that are being placed upon the police service.
Cashback for Communities (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)
To ask the Scottish Government how many projects have been funded by the cashback for communities programme in Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley. (S4O-05206)
We are rightly proud of our unique cashback for communities programme, and we have published information by local authority area on the cashback website. That demonstrates that, to the end of March 2015, young people from South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire, which the member’s constituency spans, have directly benefited from over £1.95 million of cashback investment.
All cashback projects are required, under the terms of their grants, to focus activity in deprived areas and on disadvantaged young people. Funding for phase 3 of the programme is committed through to the end of March 2017 and phase 4 will commence in April 2017. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice has yet to make decisions on the next tranche of funding, but I can assure the member that it will build on the success of the cashback programme, targeting more deprived areas, reducing inequalities and obtaining maximum benefit for communities.
The minister has anticipated my follow-up question a little, but will he give more detail on the plans that the Scottish Government has to develop the fund further and to implement the recommendations of the evaluation report that was published in 2014? I am particularly concerned that any funding that is available is distributed in a fair and proportionate manner across the country, and I have concerns that my constituency is perhaps getting less than it should from cashback for communities.
I certainly note the member’s pitch for more funding for East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.
The recommendations in the evaluation report, which primarily deal with the process, are being implemented. As I stated in my initial response, I can reassure the member that we will build on the success of the cashback programme and we will target more deprived areas, reducing inequalities and obtaining maximum benefit.
For phase 3, which I mentioned, we have to have additional discussions with key partners such as YouthLink Scotland, Youth Scotland, the Prince’s Trust and Creative Scotland to finalise details, but I reassure the member that all cashback partners are required under the terms of their grant to focus activity on areas of deprivation and on disadvantaged young people. Cashback funding is rightly focused in communities that are hit by crime and antisocial behaviour. However, we have taken the view that it is also right that all 32 local authority areas in Scotland should benefit from those activities and facilities.
The member might be aware of a number of key projects in the two local authorities in question that are funded through partners. For example, there has been investment of almost £0.5 million through the Scottish Football Association, almost £460,000 through YouthLink, £291,000 through the Scottish Rugby Union and £211,000 through the link up project. There are significant areas of activity. We are working with local and national partners to deliver in East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire. I hope that that benefits young people in Mr Ingram’s constituency.
Question 4, in the name of Graeme Pearson, has been withdrawn, for entirely understandable reasons.
Police Scotland (People with Mental Health Issues)
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding how it deals with incidents involving people with mental health issues. (S4O-05208)
Over the past three years, the Scottish Government has engaged with a range of partner organisations, including Police Scotland, the national health service, social services and third sector organisations, to consider ways of improving how services respond to people who may have mental health problems and to people who present in distress. That has included several stakeholder engagement events, two of which were hosted by Police Scotland.
A mental health community triage pilot involving local policing and Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board was approved and implemented in January 2015. The new approach provides officers with direct access to mental health professionals, who help to support decision making to improve services to vulnerable members of our community. In August last year, a similar pilot was launched in Edinburgh city in conjunction with Lothian NHS Board.
I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer, but he did not provide information on the number of incidents that Police Scotland responds to that involve people with potential mental health problems. Has any assessment been carried out of the proportion of incidents that the police attend that involve a person with a potential mental health issue? Does the cabinet secretary agree that there is greater scope for health professionals to be more involved in Police Scotland responses?
I will check whether there is central information on the specific point that the member raises, but I can give him information on the impact of the project that we have been running in Glasgow. Over the course of a year, 234 incidents were attended in which the individual appeared to have mental health issues. In 225 cases, which is 96 per cent, the individual was found to be fit and well by a community psychiatric nurse and there was no need for further intervention. Some 86 per cent of the incidents were resolved by telephone consultation between a CPN and the individual concerned.
The evidence shows us the significant impact that it can have on police time and the individual affected, who may have a mental health issue or have been presenting in distress, when we ensure that they get the right support and assistance as and when required. I know from time that I spent with British Transport Police officers that they find that invaluable because of the assistance that it gives them, as there can be issues with vulnerable individuals around train stations and railway lines.
We want to build on that project. That is why it has now been rolled out into Edinburgh. We are also working with Police Scotland and other health boards on how we can roll it out into other divisions in Scotland to ensure that, if an individual has a mental health issue that is the primary issue, they get the effective support and assistance that they require at that point.
Knife Crime (West Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle knife crime in the West Scotland region. (S4O-05209)
We are working with various partners to tackle knife crime, including YouthLink Scotland, which supports local authorities to deliver the no knives, better lives programme. That programme encourages young people away from carrying knives and builds their capacity and potential to make positive life choices for themselves and their families.
Violent crime is at its lowest level for 41 years and, since 2006-07, crimes for handling offensive weapons, including knives, have fallen by 67 per cent nationally. The number of crimes of handling offensive weapons, which includes knife crimes, recorded in the seven local authorities that are wholly or partially within the West Scotland region has decreased by 73 per cent since 2006-07.
I welcome the progress that has been made so far in West Scotland. East Renfrewshire, for example, now has one of the lowest rates of recorded knife crime in Scotland, with an 82 per cent fall in recorded crimes of handling offensive weapons since 2006-07.
Does the minister agree about the importance of educating young people through initiatives such as the no knives, better lives programme, which he mentioned, to ensure that that welcome reduction in crime continues? Will he reassure me that there will be no let-up in tackling the scourge of knife crime?
Absolutely. On the latter point, I reassure the member that we will not let up our efforts to tackle knife crime.
We have consistently said that the best way to tackle violence is through education and prevention. Our £2.9 million no knives, better lives campaign has been a great success. The member referred to East Renfrewshire, which has had an 82 per cent fall. In North Ayrshire, the decrease has been even bigger at 85 per cent. The campaign has an opt-in national model of delivery that is flexible to suit local needs. To date, 11 new local authorities have expressed an interest in it, and six of them are now actively involved in delivering the programme.
Through the no knives, better lives campaign, we are reaching out to parents and practitioners as well as to young people to highlight the fact that carrying an offensive weapon is completely unacceptable, that it can have devastating consequences and that there is never an excuse for carrying a knife. We will continue to work tirelessly with all our partners to get that message across.
Given the fact that the Scottish Government’s data confirms a continuing reliance by judges on short and medium-term sentences for persons who are convicted of carrying offensive weapons and that that clearly has a deterrent effect, will the minister confirm that such sentences will continue to be available to judges for such crimes?
I am happy to confirm to Ms Goldie that those sentences will still be available. In the measures against short sentences, we are considering where it is appropriate to use an alternative to a short sentence—one that produces a more effective outcome in terms of reducing reoffending. However, violence and a serious risk to the public are clearly matters that would be taken into consideration.
Short-term Sentences (Consultation)
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the consultation on the presumption against short-term sentences. (S4O-05210)
The consultation on proposals to strengthen the presumption against short sentences closed on 16 December. We received 63 responses in total, and I record my thanks to everyone who took the time to submit their views on that important issue.
We are carefully considering those responses and will publish a formal analysis in the coming weeks. That analysis will inform our approach to strengthening the current presumption against short sentences, and I intend to set out our plans in due course.
The consultation forms part of our wider commitment to shifting the emphasis of penal policy from ineffective short sentences to a greater use of robust community sentences. That commitment is backed by an additional £4 million for community justice services in the 2016-17 draft Scottish budget.
The nub of the issue is that Governments must neither obstruct nor compromise the freedom of judges to impose a custodial sentence of any length where the judge considers that that is how best to serve the interests of justice and the victim. Will the cabinet secretary guarantee with the same welcome clarity as his colleague Mr Wheelhouse the continuing protection of that freedom?
A presumption is exactly that: it is a presumption. It will be open to sheriffs to determine these matters when the issue is laid before the court. That is the case with the presumption against short sentences of three months. If a sheriff at a particular point believes that a custodial sentence is the most appropriate action that should be taken, that action remains open to them. Any extension of that presumption would mean that sheriffs would continue to have the powers to choose to do so.
I reassure the member that a presumption is exactly that—it is nothing more than a presumption—and sheriffs will continue to have the powers to determine whether to send someone on a custodial sentence should they see fit to do so.
That concludes questions on the justice and the law officers portfolio. My apologies to those members I have not been able to call.
Rural Affairs, Food and Environment
NFU Scotland (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of NFU Scotland. (S4O-05214)
Representatives of the Scottish Government meet NFU Scotland regularly to discuss a wide variety of topics. The most recent meeting took place on Monday 21 December 2015.
Is the cabinet secretary aware that dog fouling on agricultural land, which affects the quality of crops and the health of animals, is a major issue for farmers and that the NFU Scotland’s pilot poster campaign in Dumbarton, the Pentlands and Motherwell, which illustrated by the use of fluorescent light the extent of dog dirt on agricultural land, has halved the incidence of dog fouling where the posters were displayed? However, does he agree that, ultimately, legislative change is required in the form of removing section 2(2) of the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003, which exempts agricultural land from the provisions of the act?
I appreciate that this is a serious issue for Scotland’s agricultural sector and I know that NFU Scotland and others issue regular warnings to dog owners to behave responsibly throughout the year.
I am not familiar with the initiative that Margaret Mitchell mentioned, and I would be interested in hearing more about it. With regard to the law, I would be happy to look into the issue that she raises and get back to her in writing, as I would be interested in learning more about the potential options to address the issue.
I have a supplementary question that relates to when the cabinet secretary last met NFU Scotland. Has he met it to talk about the impact of flooding? I am conscious that many farms have lost topsoil; the flooding has had a huge impact. Will he put in place special measures to ensure that our farmers are able to get off to a decent start in 2016?
I thank Sarah Boyack for raising that issue in the chamber. Like other members, I am sure, I have been staggered and amazed by some of the sights that I have seen on Scotland’s farmlands. Yesterday, as I drove from my home in Elgin to Parliament via Inverurie, Brechin and Perth, looking at the farmland on the way was an eye-opener as to the level of devastation across the country, including to farmland. I used the opportunity to visit Kincraig farm, just outside Brechin, where I met the Sims and viewed their fields, including their arable field, where spring barley will—hopefully—be sown in a few months. It looked like part of the river, which was jaw-dropping to see.
I am in discussion with NFU Scotland and I will initiate further discussions with the wider sector this week to understand both the scale of the impact on farmland and what measures we can take, if any, to mitigate the impact and to work with the farmers. I have given a commitment to have those discussions.
Is the Scottish Government able to look at the question of prioritising delayed common agricultural policy payments to those farmers who have been most badly affected by the flooding?
On the question of expediting applications for CAP payments from farmers who have been most affected by the flooding, I said following the spate of flooding—forgive the pun—just a few weeks ago that any farmers with specific issues because of flooding should contact their local offices and notify us of their predicament and we will see what we can do. I cannot make any guarantees, because every case will be different across the country, but I am conscious that that may be one option, so I ask farmers to contact their local offices.
Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 (Review)
To ask the Scottish Government what its current position is on a review of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002. (S4O-05215)
I announced on 26 December that the review of the act will be led by Lord Bonomy and will begin taking evidence at the beginning of February. The review will investigate the operation of the act to ascertain whether it is providing a sufficient level of protection for wild mammals while at the same time allowing the effective and humane control of mammals such as foxes, where necessary.
I thank the minister for her answer and welcome the Scottish Government’s review of the current law. I hope that the review will take evidence from Police Scotland on the difficulties on enforcing current legislation, particularly considering the role of hunt monitors and practices such as cubbing. Can she reassure us further on some of those points?
Lord Bonomy will decide how to carry out his review, but I am sure that Police Scotland evidence will be an important part of the process. Legislation must be enforceable to be effective and it will be for Lord Bonomy to take a view on whether the activities of hunt monitors are a factor in the enforceability of the legislation.
I understand that cubbing involves the hunting of fox cubs and therefore lies squarely in the scope of the review. I am sure that everyone who has an interest in the protection of wild mammals will want to engage with Lord Bonomy and I encourage them to do so.
Is the minister concerned about the evidence presented by the League Against Cruel Sports that suggests that fox hunting is still going on? What extra resources will the Scottish Government commit to ensure that current and future legislation in this area is effective and that we see a genuine end to a cruel and outdated practice?
As I said in my answer to Roderick Campbell, the review will look at whether the current legislation is providing the necessary level of protection for foxes and other wild mammals while allowing for the effective and humane control of those animals when it is required. That review will begin this month. Written evidence will be accepted from 1 February until the end of March. We in Scotland led the way in addressing animal welfare concerns with the 2002 legislation and we remain absolutely committed to ensuring the highest level of welfare for our wild mammals.
We did indeed lead the way with that legislation, as the minister rightly says, but given the minute number of investigations into breaches of the 2002 act that have resulted in a successful prosecution, what justification does she have for initiating the review in the first place?
As I said before, we have led the way in addressing animal welfare concerns, but we have to make sure that the current legislation is providing the necessary level of protection for foxes. Numerous concerns have been raised with us and we have to make sure that the 2002 act is delivering the necessary level of protection for our foxes and other wild animals.
European Commission (Agriculture and Rural Development)
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet the agricultural and rural development department of the European Commission. (S4O-05216)
The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the European Commission’s directorate general for agriculture and rural development on a wide range of issues. Indeed, I met it last month to discuss the impact of the Commission’s greening measures on Scottish agriculture.
I understand that the cabinet secretary met with his counterparts ahead of the discard ban, which prevents dead fish from being thrown back into the sea. Can he provide an update on any discussions he has had with the agricultural and rural development department of the European Commission about the discard ban and the possible delivery of increased fishing quotas?
Gil Paterson highlights the fact that new discard bans will come into force in Scotland’s waters in 2016. They will relate to the discarding of good-quality dead fish by throwing them overboard, which is a complete waste. For the first year, the ban will affect the demersal sector—the whitefish and shellfish sector—in Scotland.
The issue featured as part of the annual fisheries negotiations a few weeks ago, with regard to 2016 fishing opportunities. I recall that, a few years ago, I said to the European Commission that, for the discard bans to work, there has to be a reward for the fishermen to make it practically possible for them to fish all their quotas and that there must be an increase in their quotas to reflect the fact that there were discard bans in place. I am, therefore, pleased that that was part of the outcome of last month’s negotiations. For example, we managed to secure the proposed 30 per cent increase in North Sea haddock, and that was topped up by a further 17 per cent increase in quota to account for the discard bans. It is good that we are seeing a rise in fish quotas to take account of the fact that we now have discard bans in place in Scottish waters.
Can the cabinet secretary give us a brief update on the greening discussions and say whether there were any positive outcomes for us in Scotland?
I regret that, in my conversations with the European Commission about greening measures, we made little headway in persuading the European Commission to accept our equivalence schemes or to allow us to escape the straitjacket of the three-crop rule, which is affecting Scotland’s arable sector because it is inappropriate for Scotland. The European Commission attached conditions to the equivalence measures that have made them unattractive to Scottish farmers. Therefore, we have no option but to seek further changes later this year. We welcome the fact that the European Commission has agreed to review the greening measures in the common agricultural policy, and we will take full advantage of that opportunity to get them changed in Scotland’s favour.
Common Agricultural Policy Basic Payment
To ask the Scottish Government how many eligible crofters and farmers had not received any common agricultural policy basic payment by 6 January 2016. (S4O-05217)
Last week, I confirmed that the Scottish Government had issued basic payment and greening payment to around 3,500 farmers and crofters, totalling around £33 million of direct support. That first instalment equated to 75 per cent of farmers’ and crofters’ basic payment value, and 90 per cent of their greening value.
It remains our intention to pay the first instalment to the majority of farmers and crofters this month, with the final balance to be paid in April, and—of course—the rest of the first payments will be paid in February and March.
Does that mean that 80 per cent of Scotland’s farmers and crofters have yet to receive any CAP payments, which the Government promised they would get before Christmas, even though the Government has spent £178 million on a new computer system?
How many payment region reviews are still outstanding for Shetland alone? What are the implications for less favoured areas support scheme and ewe and beef scheme payments? Will they be late, too? Does the cabinet secretary understand that farmers and crofters from Shetland to Stranraer are fed up, annoyed and worried about their cash flow because of their need to pay feed bills in the flood-ridden winter that Scotland is enduring?
I very much appreciate the challenges that face crofters and people in the rest of the agriculture sector at the moment, but I know that Parliament is familiar with the complexity of the new common agricultural policy and with how we have, for good reasons, chosen to implement it in Scotland.
I said that we would begin to make payments to crofters and farmers in Scotland before the end of last year, and we have fulfilled that commitment. I accept that a fair number of farmers and crofters are still to receive their payments.
The £178 million business case that was cited by Tavish Scott relates to the whole futures programme. Most of it is for the information technology system that is designed to serve the common agricultural policy, which will deliver a huge amount of investment to the sector in the coming years and equates to 4 per cent of the payments that will go out the door to Scotland’s agricultural and rural sectors. The investment is necessary in order to get those payments out the door.
I am paying close attention to the impact on other payments. We have said all along that there might be an impact on other payments—they might be delayed for a few weeks—and that we would seek to minimise that as far as possible. With regard to the voluntary coupled support payments to beef and sheep farmers, we are aiming for roughly the same timescale as last year.
Farmers are suffering from adverse weather conditions and their crop yields will be affected. In answers to previous questions, the cabinet secretary said that he will see what he can do. Will he expand on what the options are, and say whether they include acceleration of CAP payments?
On the impact of flooding on agriculture, the first thing that we have to do is understand the scale of the impacts on Scottish farmland of the atrocious conditions of the past few weeks, and the consequences. That is what we are doing now and over the next few days.
However, as I have said to the farmers whom I have met, and will say to the official organisations in the next few days, there are issues with regard to how we will repair the flood damage, including regulatory issues. We need to consider how to make it easier for farmers to deal with the aftermath of flooding, which will involve discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Until we have had those discussions, it is difficult to say what options are available, but I have pledged that we will have those discussions in order to help.
Common Agricultural Policy Convergence Uplift Negotiations
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in the common agricultural policy convergence uplift negotiations with the United Kingdom Government. (S4O-05218)
Despite qualifying for the convergence uplift only as a result of Scotland’s low payment rate, the United Kingdom Government refused to pass on the full allocation to Scotland, which was a bitter blow to Scotland’s farmers and crofters.
The then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs promised to review the UK’s allocation of common agricultural policy funding in 2016. It is now 2016, and so I have today written to the current secretary of state urging her to set out the timetable for the review as a matter of the utmost urgency, and seeking an early discussion on its terms.
I very much welcome the news that the cabinet secretary is seeking to hold the UK Government to account for its previous promises. Has the Scottish Government estimated the financial loss to the Scottish economy from loss of those funds—which came to the UK only because of Scotland—and, if possible, of any multiplier effects that the funds would have had on our economy?
It is complete larceny that that money, which was sent to the UK Government because Scotland’s low payment rates allowed the UK Government to qualify for the uplift from the European Commission’s common agricultural funding, has been denied to Scotland’s farmers, crofters and rural communities. At the time, the payment was worth £190 million over the course of the current CAP. That is a substantial resource, given the number of questions that I have just received from members who are arguing for more investment in the agriculture sector. That money is Scotland’s money: it belongs to Scotland, but we got only a small percentage of it, whereas the whole £190 million should have come to Scotland. As Stewart Stevenson rightly said, that would have had a multiplier effect across our rural and food economies.
It is essential that the UK Government live up to its words and that it undertake the review immediately on a very short timescale, with a view to delivering Scotland’s money to Scotland’s farmers, crofters and rural communities.
Climate Change Obligations
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that its obligations under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 are being met. (S4O-05219)
We are ensuring that our obligations under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 are met through a range of actions. We have put in place a comprehensive package of measures to meet our world-leading emissions-reductions targets, and Scotland is now more than three quarters of the way towards achieving our 42 per cent emissions reduction target in 2020.
Our cabinet sub-committee on climate change underpins our commitment, and through our rural affairs, food and environment delivery board we are leading and co-ordinating action on climate change by our public sector partners, including on peatland restoration and forestry, in order to protect and conserve the environment.
The minister will understand that improving energy efficiency in homes is vital to tackling climate change and to reducing fuel poverty. It is therefore somewhat bewildering, in the light of the Paris climate change summit, that the Government is proposing to cut fuel poverty projects and energy efficiency projects by 13 per cent. What impact assessment was carried out on that budget proposal and its effect on meeting climate change targets and tackling fuel poverty?
Energy efficiency is a priority for the Scottish Government and has been designated as a national infrastructure priority in recognition of its importance. As we have set out before, the cornerstone of that policy will be Scotland’s energy efficiency programme, which will provide an offer of support to all buildings—domestic and non-domestic—in Scotland to improve their energy efficiency ratings over a 15-year to 20-year period. Improving the energy efficiency of our buildings is key to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, to tackling fuel poverty, to improving our energy security and to making our economy more competitive.
The detail of the energy efficiency programme still needs to be developed. We will be working with stakeholders over the next couple of years because we need to do further modelling and analysis so that we understand what is possible before we launch the new programme in 2017-18, once the powers that the Smith commission recommended are in place.
Allotment Sites
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages the development of new allotment sites. (S4O-05220)
The Scottish Government strongly supports the development of allotments for food growing and recognises the range of benefits that they bring to individuals and communities. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 places new duties on local authorities in respect of allotments, including a requirement to take steps to limit waiting lists and waiting times for those who are on such lists. We believe that the provisions will strongly encourage the development of new allotment sites and will, thereby, increase access to allotments for people throughout Scotland.
I have been approached by constituents in Cumbernauld who have said that demand for allotment sites is far outstripping supply. Funding was to be made available to local authorities for their new responsibilities under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, which the minister mentioned, for developing allotment sites. Can the minister say how much money the Government has made available to local authorities to increase the number of allotments in the Central Scotland region?
I thank Mark Griffin for his question and I appreciate the sentiments behind it. If he wants to write to me for further detailed information on that, I will be very happy to take that on board.
I apologise to the members whom I have been unable to call, but we have to move on to the next item of business.