SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Transport
A9 (Improvements)
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in relation to major improvements to the A9; what sections of the road will be dualled; whether it considers that the provision of dualling will reduce the number of accidents resulting in death or serious injury, and when the design work in respect of dualling the section from Perth to Ballinluig will be completed. (S2O-10410)
The procurement procedure has commenced for the new junction at Ballinluig and tenders will be invited later this month. Design is being pressed forward on the remaining projects.
Does the minister agree that although many accidents result primarily from driver error, the Automobile Association has provided clear evidence that dual carriageways are twice as safe as single carriageways, which means that one benefit of dualling the A9 from Perth to Inverness would be fewer fatalities in Scotland?
As I said in my original answer, there is no doubt that the road improvements that are being carried out, whether they consist of dualling or the provision of unambiguous—I stress that word—overtaking opportunities through the use of three-lane sections of road, provide a safer road network. That is why we are progressing our work on the A9. We will continue to assess the arguments that are made in respect of that road in the strategic transport projects review.
For many years, I have raised with the minister the need for the A9 to be upgraded to dual carriageway status. In relation to the studies that are being done, what factors will determine the decision whether to proceed with dualling? In particular, will the road safety record on what we know is the deadliest road in Scotland be taken into account?
I can assure Mr Fraser and other members that the road safety record is a factor when it comes to investment decisions about the A9, just as it is with decisions about any of the roads on our trunk road network. The accident prevention work that we do across the network ensures that roads' safety records are considered regularly. One of the most important aspects of the strategic transport projects review is the comparative journey times that are created by public transport on the one hand and the road network on the other. We will continue that work to ensure that an objective assessment is made against the criteria that we will use.
The minister will know that the A9 runs north as well as south from Inverness and that there have been more fatalities on the northern part of the A9 than on the southern section. In addition, public transport on that route is extremely slow. Can the minister give any indication of improvements that might be made on the A9 between Inverness and Thurso?
Maureen Macmillan makes a fair point about the northern stretch of the A9 and about the fact that it takes significantly longer to travel by train between Inverness and Thurso than it does to go by bus or private car. That argument is being considered as part of the corridor study in the strategic transport projects review. I can certainly give the member a breakdown of past and present investments on the A9 north of Inverness, on which we hope to make further progress.
Question 2 was not lodged.
Business Start-ups (Support)
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving for starting up new businesses. (S2O-10463)
The Executive remains strongly committed to supporting more Scots to start up in business. In the Scottish Enterprise area, for example, support is available through the business gateway and involves access to information, advice and training. In some circumstances, financial assistance can be available, including the £1,000 start-up grant for young people aged 18 to 30.
The minister will be aware that unemployment is thankfully very low in my constituency and that the level of start-up businesses is high. He will also be aware of the redundancies over the summer at Selkirk Glass and Edinburgh Crystal—which has on-going difficulties—and at the cashmere firm Murray Allan of Innerleithen, many of whose staff I have spoken to over the summer.
I would be very pleased to work with all the agencies that are involved. Clearly, the lead responsibility on those issues lies with Scottish Enterprise. I would be happy to pass on to Scottish Enterprise the suggestions that Jeremy Purvis has made for improving the business start-up rate in parts of his constituency.
I am keen for the minister to tell me whether the Executive has, through the enterprise agencies, surveyed the founders of new VAT-registered businesses, including those that have not taken up the support of the agencies, to find out how attractive and effective the current measures are. If that has not happened, will he advise the agencies to carry out such a study?
Scottish Enterprise has certainly done a significant amount of work on the issue. As Jim Mather knows, the issue of business birth rates has been a major initiative for Scottish Enterprise. Progress has been made and some of the statistics reflect that. There has been a strong increase of 7 per cent in the number of new business accounts when compared to the corresponding quarter—quarter 2—last year. Those are positive figures.
Medical Top-up Fees (Student Numbers)
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the introduction of medical top-up fees has had on the number of English, Welsh and Northern Irish domiciled students starting medical degrees at Scottish universities in 2006-07. (S2O-10400)
The provisional acceptance figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service suggest that the number of students from the rest of the United Kingdom planning to start a medical degree in Scotland has dropped by 60 compared to this point last year. These places have been taken up by highly qualified Scots domiciled students among whom acceptances have risen by 60 compared to last year.
Does the minister have any information on the socioeconomic profile of those who make up the decrease of 60? How far has the additional charge for English, Welsh and Northern Irish students deterred students from the rest of the UK who come from low-income backgrounds from attending Scottish universities?
It would have been too much to expect Mr Ballard to admit that he was wrong when he opposed the measure. The figures demonstrate that we have succeeded in our objective of protecting opportunities for Scottish students. In 2005, the number of Scottish students who were accepted to study for a medical degree fell by 14 per cent, whereas this year acceptances rose by 12 per cent. That is evidence of our success in restoring cross-border equilibrium.
The minister will recall that the reason for introducing the huge increase in top-up fees for medical students was the need to tackle the problem of retaining doctors in Scotland. He says that there are 60 more Scotland-domiciled medical students in Scotland this year, but is he aware that in south-east Scotland only 296 anaesthetists will be in training next year, whereas 400 are in training this year? Does he acknowledge that those figures mean that 104 doctors who should be in Scotland might need to leave Scotland and go to England? Training doctors has always been a problem and the attempt to tackle the issue by increasing top-up fees as part of changes to the higher education system was fundamentally flawed.
I take it that the member admits that she, too, was wrong to oppose the measure.
Question 5 was not lodged.
Scottish Enterprise<br />(Modern Apprenticeships Programme)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers a reduction in Scottish Enterprise's modern apprenticeships programme for over-25s to be discriminatory on the ground of age. (S2O-10415)
Modern apprenticeships continue to be available to individuals of all ages. The enterprise network supports modern apprenticeships across all age groups and occupational sectors.
The minister's answer does not square with the briefings that I had from Scottish Enterprise this morning and in recent meetings with Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Scottish Enterprise Grampian. In order to balance the budget, something clearly had to go: it appears that the over-25s modern apprenticeships programme has been reduced. Does the minister agree that that reduction and the in-built discrimination in respect of the business development scheme, in which there is an age limit of 50, are detrimental to the Scottish economy? Does he agree that as we have an aging population we should more proactively encourage people into retraining, which is precisely what the over-25s modern apprenticeship is designed to do?
I agree with the member's latter point and will consider the matter that she raised about Scottish Enterprise. As always, the budget is finite and it is Scottish Enterprise's job to prioritise its activity, in order to reflect the importance that we place on the industries and companies that offer the greatest benefit and return to the Scottish economy. The member was correct to make that point. Scottish Enterprise's activity must also reflect the ministerial priority that we place on the younger age group, which is important.
The minister will be aware that we have corresponded on training matters, which have impacted badly on training provision in Ayrshire. What action has he taken to ensure that adequate funding will be in place for the financial year 2007-08 and thereafter to meet the full training needs of all those who are seeking a place on the modern apprenticeships scheme in Ayrshire and Scotland?
In May, my colleague the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning wrote to the chairman of Scottish Enterprise to inform him of an additional resource of £50 million that we had made available, which gives Scottish Enterprise a total resource budget of £550 million for the next financial year. It was made clear then that when Scottish Enterprise allocates its budget, it must have regard to the three themes of the smart, successful Scotland strategy, which include ensuring the best start for all young people, to whom I have just referred.
The minister said that money had to be targeted where it would be most effective, and Ms Watt pointed to the age limit on the business development grant. Should the conclusion be reached that money is more effectively targeted at young people and that people who are over a certain age do not represent an effective investment?
No. I do not agree with that general statement, as I think I have made clear. In conjunction with Scottish Enterprise, we are reviewing all our training provision—particularly training provision and programmes that are targeted at specific age groups—because we must ensure that it complies with the law when age discrimination law changes in October. In general terms, there are successful programmes that are targeted at specific age groups for specific purposes that we want to continue if they have proved to be successful.
Strategic Transport Projects Review<br />(Maybole Bypass)
To ask the Scottish Executive what priority will be given in the strategic transport projects review to proposals for a Maybole bypass. (S2O-10455)
A bypass for Maybole will be assessed against the contribution that it would make towards delivering the objectives that arise from the national transport strategy when it is considered as part of the strategic transport projects review.
The minister has met the bypass campaigners—in fact, he is the star of a little leaflet that is being distributed in Maybole—and will be well aware of the strength of the case for the bypass and the depth of feeling in the community, which has been created as a result of decades of fruitless pleading. The campaigners have only one question left: how much longer must we wait? Will the minister be kind enough to give them a straight answer to that question this afternoon?
It is always nice to be the star of a leaflet. That does not happen to me often—in fact, it has never happened. I take Mr Ingram's kind observations in that light.
M80 (Online Route)
To ask the Scottish Executive how the people of Cumbernauld will benefit from the decision to follow the online route for the new M80. (S2O-10458)
The M80 will improve journey times, reliability and road safety along the corridor. It will also benefit residents of Cumbernauld as a result of better access between local roads and the M80, reduced disruption from traffic diverting into the town to avoid incidents on the trunk road and reduced traffic noise.
The minister will be aware that a number of people in Cumbernauld are concerned that the new proposal will not adequately cope with future traffic on the M80—which will be considerable—and that it will cause environmental and pollution problems for neighbouring communities. What can the minister say to them to assuage their concerns?
I understand the points that have been made in relation to the traffic projections and the environmental and pollution problems. The public local inquiry, which was held in October 2005, considered those matters in some detail and I have no doubt that submissions and representations were made on those matters at that time. The public local inquiry's findings were made public earlier in the summer. We supported those findings and the project will now proceed.
The residents of my constituency feel that the measures that will be introduced to mitigate noise do not go far enough. Can the minister assure me that he will reconsider the proposals and consider increasing the height of bunding and fencing to 3m as the road passes through Cumbernauld from Condorrat to Castlecary? Can he also advise me how the proposals for the park-and-ride facility at Castlecary are progressing?
I am happy to write to Cathie Craigie on the park-and-ride facility that she mentions. I do not have the specific details of that contract with me today. I take her point about the noise impact. We would be happy to look into that, and I will share with her the technical advice that I receive on the matter.
Justice and Law Officers
Bail Supervision
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to extend bail supervision throughout Scotland. (S2O-10465)
All local authorities are provided with Executive funding for bail information and supervision schemes. In order to improve the way in which such schemes work, we will undertake a short review of those who do not currently provide a full bail supervision service. That will be completed by the end of the year.
The minister will agree that bail supervision could play an increasingly valid role in providing courts with a robust and cost-effective alternative to remand, as well as reducing overcrowding in our prisons. Will the minister consider increasing the use of bail supervision throughout Scotland, in particular for those who are accused of minor offences?
It is important that we have a range of options. In the interests of public safety, it is important that some people who have committed serious offences are remanded. However, we have increased the funding that is available to local authorities for the provision of bail information and supervision schemes from just over £300,000 in 1999—when the schemes were first piloted—to around £1.1 million in this financial year. It is important that we look at how those schemes are working.
In advance of next week's debate on the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Bill, will the minister tell us whether she is minded to ensure that people who breach bail are seen to be punished for breach of bail? She will recognise that there is widespread public concern about the current operation of the bail system.
It is important that anyone who is subject to bail conditions—whether the standard conditions or specific conditions that have been imposed by a court—recognises that they have been put in a position of trust by the court. They have a responsibility to stick to the conditions of the scheme. It is for the courts to decide what such conditions are and what would be an appropriate action to be taken if there was breach of bail. However, I am on record on several occasions as supporting strongly the notion that we cannot increase confidence in our justice system if people feel that they can break bail and flout the conditions of the court because nothing will happen to them. It is, nonetheless, for the court to make those decisions.
Quad Bikes (Legislation)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing legislation to control the use of quad bikes by minors. (S2O-10397)
The use of quad bikes on roads is illegal under existing road traffic legislation. Using a quad bike in an antisocial manner off-road is covered by powers under the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004.
I am sure that the minister agrees that quad bikes and mini-motorbikes are not toys and that they can be dangerous in the hands of minors. Existing legislation deals with the disruption and damage that are caused to communities by those vehicles, but will the minister assure me that he will put in place some kind of mandatory registration scheme under which safety guidance on the use of vehicles is not just given out at the point of sale—as it is on some occasions—but adhered to?
What Jean Turner proposes would be a matter for Westminster if it is to do with the sale of such goods or if it impacts on road traffic issues. However, I make the point that the use of such bikes on the roads is already illegal under existing United Kingdom legislation. There are powers to deal with those who use such bikes inappropriately and it would be a matter for the appropriate agencies to use those powers.
I put on the record my appreciation of Jean Turner's support for the amendment that I lodged during the passage of the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Bill on police powers to seize quad bikes. Her support was welcome.
Paul Martin makes a welcome suggestion about ensuring that parents are aware of the dangers of these machines. Parents certainly have a responsibility to ensure that their children are protected.
On the question of statistics, will the minister advise me how often antisocial behaviour orders have been used to deal with boy and girl-racers, who cause such distress in communities such as Hawick and Penicuik? If he does not have the figures today, will he provide them? I do not think that antisocial behaviour orders are being used sufficiently.
Of course, it would not just be ASBOs; the existing charge of breach of the peace could be used in those situations if the police believed that that was appropriate. I do not have the specific figures on ASBOs. If Christine Grahame wishes to write to me about the matter, I will look at that, but I know that, throughout Scotland, the new powers under the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 are being used effectively. I have spoken to police in Fife, who have been active in taking measures to protect the public, and also to police in Grampian. I am encouraged by what they are doing to protect those whom they serve.
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
To ask the Scottish Executive whether procurators fiscal covering the parliamentary Central Scotland region have the capacity to progress every antisocial behaviour order submitted to them by the police. (S2O-10399)
The police do not submit antisocial behaviour orders to the procurator fiscal. Antisocial behaviour orders are one of a range of penalties that are available to the judiciary in criminal courts when sentencing a person who has been convicted of a crime. Alternatively, an application can be made by a local authority for an antisocial behaviour order in the civil courts.
The police do not issue ASBOs lightly or indiscriminately. However, according to reports, thousands of ASBOs have been returned with the recommendation that no further action be taken, which makes a mockery of the process. Are the police and procurators fiscal on the same wavelength? Is enough money being put into the matter? It costs money to progress an ASBO—anything from £2,200 to more than £6,000. Are the fiscals' offices being leant upon because councils cannot afford to progress the ASBOs that are presented by the police? Is it any wonder that many young people treat ASBOs with contempt?
I am sorry that Mr Swinburne did not listen to my previous answer. The police do not submit antisocial behaviour orders to procurators fiscal. Antisocial behaviour orders are imposed by the judiciary after conviction in the criminal court. Alternatively, they are progressed in the civil courts by a local authority. They are not progressed by procurators fiscal. If Mr Swinburne wishes to focus on a particular issue that he thinks is the responsibility of procurators fiscal, I will be happy to respond to any correspondence on that. However, it is important to realise that procurators fiscal do not apply for antisocial behaviour orders in the court.
Strathclyde Police (Call Centres)
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is in place of the amount of time telephone callers wait to be answered, particularly at peak times, following Strathclyde police's introduction of call centres. (S2O-10445)
The public have a right to expect that their calls to the police will be answered quickly. As the member will be aware, call handling within Strathclyde police is an operational matter for the chief constable. In Strathclyde, the current average answer times are four seconds for 999 calls and 15 seconds for non-emergency calls.
I welcome the introduction of a call handling system in Strathclyde, provided that it can be operated efficiently. Some of the early signs are promising, but I and, I am sure, other members have had repeated complaints that, although telephone calls are answered, it can take a considerable time for the police to arrive. Bearing in mind that we have a new efficient system of recording calls, could the police be asked to record the time at which they attend incidents as part of the call monitoring system? That would give us an accurate indication of how quickly the police respond to calls, which is obviously a matter of concern to the general public.
During the introductory stages of the new call system, some teething problems arose in particular areas—I, too, have heard concerns about that. On the point that the member makes, it is important to realise that part of the reason for introducing the new system was to enable the volume of calls to be dealt with so that people could talk to someone rather than hang on at the end of the telephone not receiving a response. As Des McNulty acknowledged, the early signs on that are positive. Another aim was to ensure that the police could deal with demand at peak times so that people were available to deal with the most urgent calls.
Wildlife Crime
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of prosecutions for wildlife crime meets its targets. (S2O-10456)
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is Scotland's sole prosecution authority. The decision whether to prosecute is based on the facts and circumstances of each individual case—the COPFS does not have operational targets that relate to the number of prosecutions in respect of any category of crime, including wildlife crime.
The Executive will be aware of the pattern of raptor persecution by poisoning, nest destruction, egg removal and the use of spring traps and cage traps, which corresponds with the main distribution of game shooting in Scotland, both on grouse moors and where pheasants are released for shooting. Given the occasional conviction of estate workers, is the Solicitor General satisfied that there are sufficient police wildlife officers and specifically trained staff in the prosecution service to gather enough evidence to convict those who give the orders to conduct raptor persecution, who are not necessarily the people who carry it out?
I am aware that wildlife crime is an issue that the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland takes very seriously. One hundred police wildlife crime officers have now been established across Scotland, and training for all police officers on the range and armoury of legislation that the Scottish Parliament has made available in relation to wildlife and habitat crime is now being embarked upon. In addition, there are 22 specialist prosecutors in environmental and wildlife crime who deal specifically with such issues, and who are available to mark the decision-making process in Scotland and to provide advice to specialist officers.
Scottish Fingerprint Service (Non-numeric Fingerprint Standard)
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are of the introduction of the non-numeric fingerprint standard to the Scottish fingerprint service. (S2O-10429)
The new standard has operated in other jurisdictions for some time. Its introduction in Scotland follows careful planning and preparation. The standard will not directly alter the way in which marks are identified and verified. However, when evidence is presented in court, experts will now offer a fuller explanation of how they arrived at their conclusion, so that it can be more fully and easily understood. The introduction of the standard represents a key milestone in "The Scottish Fingerprint Service Action Plan for Excellence" and another step towards securing a world-class fingerprint service in Scotland.
I thank the minister for that very full answer. I had intended to go on to ask her what some of the other consequences would be.
Is there a question here, Ms Glen?
How big a part does the minister think the change to the standard will play in re-establishing confidence in the fingerprint service?
It is important that we do whatever we can to ensure that the public, and indeed those who use the service, have confidence in it. That is why we produced what I think is a comprehensive action plan, which I will have the opportunity to discuss further when I make an appearance at the Justice 1 Committee in the not-too-distant future. The standard is used elsewhere and it is internationally recognised. My objective is to ensure that everything that is done in the Scottish fingerprint service meets international standards and that we lead the way in the future.
Criminal Legal Aid (Scottish Islands)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a survey of the availability of criminal legal aid in the Scottish islands to enable any shortcomings to be identified and addressed. (S2O-10462)
We are concerned to ensure an adequate supply of criminal legal aid services throughout Scotland and we are keeping the position under review.
Before the summer recess, the minister gave me some very helpful replies in relation to civil legal aid. He will appreciate that, with criminal legal aid, the timescale is much more imminent. I have written to the minister very recently—he might not yet have seen the letter—about a particular constituent who had great difficulty accessing a solicitor in Orkney, and had to get one from Aberdeen, who, in the end, was not able to travel to Orkney for the case. Such situations arise, so would the minister be prepared to consider imaginative ways of addressing the problems of criminal legal aid in the same constructive manner as he did for civil legal aid?
I do not wish to pre-empt the next debate, but during it I hope to refer to an initiative that may well give some satisfaction to Jim Wallace and his constituents.
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