Railway Network (Access for Disabled People)
Through £41 million of access for all investment, 17 inaccessible stations across Scotland will have been made step free by April 2014, and I have recently recommended to the Secretary of State for Transport that we increase that number to 19 by adding Gleneagles and Milliken Park stations to the programme. That dedicated investment is complemented by Scottish Government support for other projects, such as improved access at Edinburgh Waverley and the construction of seven accessible stations to serve the Borders railway.
Last month, I wrote to Transport Scotland to make it aware of concerns that disabled and elderly commuters from Lochwinnoch are being prevented from using their local train station because of inadequate provision for disabled access. Transport Scotland replied confirming that it is aware of accessibility concerns at Lochwinnoch and that there might be an opportunity to enable step-free access for passengers through the Scottish stations fund. Will the minister outline details of the fund and confirm how stations and local groups can go about applying?
For station improvements, a local group or other promoter will be required to prepare a proposal that demonstrates the anticipated benefits of the scheme and any available source of third-party funding, whether that is a regional transport partnership or, in some cases, a private developer. Once a proposal is put together, the group should then discuss that with Transport Scotland officials. More information on the process to access the Scottish stations fund is available on Transport Scotland’s website. I should say that another opportunity exists in future tranches of the access for all fund, to which stations can bid.
Is the minister willing to revisit the issue of automated audio announcement hoods at Waverley station? As he knows, I have written to him previously about that and I am concerned that Waverley is not part of the current work up to 2015.
We have listened to representations from Kezia Dugdale and others on Waverley station, most notably in relation to access for taxis. If the member wants to write to me again to raise the issue, I will be happy to consider it once more.
Further to the answer to Kezia Dugdale and with reference to the Borders railway and the stations in my constituency, what measures are in place not just for disabled access but for those with visual impairment?
The seven new stations that I mentioned will comply with modern railway accessibility standards. There will be step-free access to all platforms from the station entrances. ScotRail will implement existing arrangements whereby, for example, wheelchair users are assisted on to trains by staff deploying a boarding ramp to bridge the gap between the train and platform, where that is necessary. Rolling stock tends to be of different heights in relation to the platform.
In December 2011, the minister accepted the case that had been made by me and others in the north-east that Dyce station should be included in the latest phase of the access for all programme. The minister will know that Dyce station is regionally significant and is used by around 580,000 passengers a year, yet is inaccessible to those with disabilities. Despite the minister’s promise that a detailed option study would be completed by spring 2012, Network Rail will say only that the issue is still under discussion. Will the minister give an update on the progress that is being made on the design of the scheme and reassure my constituents that the planned delivery date of the end of March 2014 will be achieved?
I am happy to confirm that Network Rail is progressing the plans for Dyce station. It is going through the same process as Dunblane, in my constituency, and Newton, Rosyth and Shotts stations. The work will be completed by April 2014.
Credit Unions
The Scottish Government recognises the valuable role that is played by credit unions in providing financial services and products, including affordable loans, to a wide range of customers. We will do all that we can to promote credit unions as an alternative to high-interest short-term lending, where that is appropriate.
We will of course be returning to this issue in Parliament this afternoon. Nevertheless, will the minister agree to meet me to discuss the creditor status of credit unions, given that they are very much at the end of the queue in bankruptcy cases?
I am happy to meet the member to discuss such matters. I am also delighted to note that today’s Daily Record, that campaigning newspaper for ordinary people in Scotland, has a 16-page pull-out containing very useful advice for those suffering the misery and despair of debt. If it is in order, Presiding Officer, I suggest that purchasing a copy of today’s Daily Record would be a very prudent investment.
Is the minister aware that East Kilbride Credit Union in my constituency has recently agreed to provide much-needed homes on the piece of land where it is building its new headquarters? Does he also agree that credit unions can be a hub of such innovative practice in their own communities?
I am aware of what the member has highlighted. The 110 credit unions that operate in Scotland have 250,000 members and truly provide a marvellous service. We in this chamber want to promote their excellent work and I am happy not only to endorse the work that is being carried out in Linda Fabiani’s East Kilbride constituency but to pay tribute to the work of credit unions elsewhere such as 1st Alliance (Ayrshire) Credit Union, which is working in partnership with local registered social landlords to deal with the problems that are going to arise when the United Kingdom welfare reforms hit home and ensure that those who will be hit hard by those reforms can get access to their services. Such work is truly excellent and I commend that example to other credit unions across the country.
I apologise for arriving in the chamber only just now, Presiding Officer.
Minister—your tuppence-worth, please.
Although Margo MacDonald did not ask me a question, I am happy to agree with her comments. One might also reflect on the fact that credit unions manage their financial affairs a lot more effectively than many banks we might want to think about.
Gaelic-medium Schools
The Scottish Government has made good progress in supporting local authorities to establish Gaelic-medium schools. When the current Administration came into government, there were two Gaelic schools in Scotland; by the end of this session of Parliament, we expect there to be eight such schools either established or planned.
The minister will know that although the Gaelic-medium school in Portree has been in the planning for a number of years now, it is not likely to begin until 2015-16 at the very earliest. Is he able to give any encouragement that a quicker timetable might be possible?
First of all, I point out to the member that the Scottish Government is prepared to make a significant investment in the project. For that reason, we will seek a firm reassurance from the council that it will go ahead and be delivered—as the member has suggested—as soon as possible, in line with parents’ clear expressed wishes.
Consumer Focus (Abolition)
A formal request for devolution of consumer powers was submitted in June last year with the support of, among others, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and Consumer Focus Scotland. In December, the UK Government confirmed that those powers, which are already devolved to Northern Ireland, would not be devolved to Scotland.
Does the minister share my disappointment about that grudging response and agree that it will have a detrimental effect on Scottish consumers, who are already suffering from the draconian decisions that the Westminster Government has taken? Does he agree that, if the UK Government is not willing to continue to provide a scheme such as Consumer Focus, it is incumbent on it to ensure that the Scottish Government is given the powers to do so, at least until March 2016, when we will have all the powers of an independent country?
Yes. We must ask ourselves whether it is fair to pass the powers to Northern Ireland but not to Scotland. What is the rationale for that? Just yesterday, an example of the importance of the powers was manifest when Richard Lochhead, I and consumer bodies discussed the higher charges for parcel deliveries to places in rural and island Scotland compared with those to urban conurbations. Those higher charges penalise consumers and small businesses, who rely on reasonable costs and fair parcel deliveries. Westminster has not dealt with that. Maybe we would do a better job.
Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee
I met the convener of the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee on 23 January 2013 and our discussion included the future work programme of SLARC. In line with the provisions of the legislation that created SLARC, I believe that there is no work to commission to SLARC at this time.
I have spoken to many councillors across the country who believe that SLARC has been rather ineffective in carrying out its duties. What is the view of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the issue?
I have discussed the matter with COSLA and it is content with our approach and my view. I have also written to the relevant committee in the Scottish Parliament to seek its views. Many people would call for the abolition of SLARC, not least the leader of the Labour group at COSLA. We value its role, but there is no work to be commissioned at this time.
The committee was set up under statute by this Parliament. Is it not unacceptable that, rather than the minister volunteering that information today, the committee members have all resigned due to their feeling that the minister was completely uninterested in their work? Given that the committee has done some good work in the past on council remuneration and arm’s-length external organisations, would it not have been more appropriate to do work on this far in advance of all three members feeling that they had no option but to resign?
There is no work to do. I have to ask the Parliament: what is the point of appointing people to a committee with no work to do? That does not seem to be an appropriate use of public funds. If we require SLARC’s advice in future, we will be happy to take it. Sometimes we will agree with its recommendations, such as on ALEO places, and sometimes we will disagree with its recommendations, such as on substantial pay increases to councillors, which we do not feel are appropriate at this time.
Green Deal
In order to ensure that the programmes achieve positive outcomes for Scottish households and the energy efficiency industry, Scottish ministers have engaged regularly over the past two years with UK Government ministers on the transition from the Great Britain-wide carbon emissions reduction target, which ran from 2008 to 2012; on the development of the new energy company obligation, which replaced CERT; and on the development of green deal, which is a GB-wide programme that provides a market-driven finance mechanism to support individuals and businesses to install wider energy efficiency measures in their properties.
Does the minister agree that the UK Government’s failure to ensure a smooth transition from CERT to green deal has resulted in unnecessary hardship for consumers and employees in the insulation industry? Is she aware that, in the recent past, 4,000 people have lost their jobs, including 230 in Scotland, and that approximately 30,000 insulation works have been cancelled? Will she urgently lobby the UK Government to get its act together and avoid continued bad news for employees and consumers alike?
We recognise that any change from one major programme to a new programme can impact on the delivery market. United Kingdom Government actions delayed from 1 October to 1 January the introduction of the energy company obligation, which replaces the carbon emissions reduction target scheme. I agree with the member that that will not have helped the situation and will have put additional pressure on the insulation industry.
Transport System (Integration)
Our transport vision is for an accessible Scotland with safe, integrated and reliable transport that supports sustainable economic growth.
The minister is aware that my constituency of Paisley is well served by rail links, the M8 motorway and an international airport. He may be aware that I have been working closely with partners on the development of a bus station for Scotland’s largest town. Will the minister confirm that such developments are in the best interests of the local economy? Will he come to Paisley to see and discuss our plans for Paisley’s bus station?
I will be delighted to go to Paisley to meet Mr Adam. The purpose of our transport system is to connect people to jobs, education services, recreation opportunities and various other places. Local authorities are well placed to understand the need for bus services in their area and to work with transport operators to develop interchanges between transport services and modes, as is happening in Paisley.
Given that plans for transport in Edinburgh are based on an integrated bus-tram network and that there is a need to move seamlessly from one to the other, how does it make any integrated transport sense for the Scottish Government to say that concessionary travel will apply to one and not to the other?
I refer Malcolm Chisholm to today’s editorial column in the Evening News, which is headed, “Leaders: ‘Trams decision is victory for common sense’”, and says:
Year of Natural Scotland
Please be brief, minister.
The year of natural Scotland got off to a great start with the great Edinburgh international cross-country and winter run on 5 January 2013. The programme for the year includes more than 40 flagship events and more than 500 partner events, which are happening the length and breadth of the country.
Briefly, please, Mr Beattie.
Does the minister agree that having themed years, such as the year of natural Scotland, the year of creative Scotland and the year of homecoming, brings greater interest to Scotland from the international tourism market?
Briefly, minister—“Yes,” perhaps?
Surprisingly enough, I agree with the member. The point that he raises is the reason why CNN voted Scotland the top country in the world to visit. Scotland—number 1.
Before we come to First Minister’s questions, members will wish to join me in welcoming to the gallery Ms Gordana Comic and Ms Vesna Kovac, Deputy Speakers from the Serbian National Assembly. [Applause.]