SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Audit Scotland (Howat Review)
To ask the Scottish Executive what information Audit Scotland has been provided with in respect of the findings of the Howat review. (S2O-11343)
None.
That is a surprise. The Howat review was given the task of, among other things, identifying the programmes that do not match with the partnership agreement priorities or are not performing well. Mr McCabe refused to list what those programmes are in his written answer to me, which stated:
I will be delighted to tell Parliament the exact contents of the report when we publish it at the appropriate time. We have already explained that we are absolutely committed to publishing the report. It will be published along with other relevant data at the time of the spending review in 2007. That is the appropriate time for doing that.
Without disclosing what seems to be the most precious document the Scottish Executive has ever received, can the minister indicate whether the Howat review believed that any Scottish Executive programmes are, in principle, not performing as effectively as they should and are therefore worthy of being subject to a change in the financial arrangements that the Executive makes for them?
Mr Swinney is wrong in his description of the document. His description emanates from the fact that the Scottish National Party and other parties in the chamber have little with which to concern themselves. They are desperate to find a hook on which to hang their criticisms of the Executive. They criticise us for a brave decision to ask individuals from outwith the Government to examine the programmes of expenditure and to give their views on possible expenditure profiles. That is exactly what we have done and no one forced us to do that. [Interruption.]
This Parliament was set up with a commitment to power sharing and transparency in its budget process. How can the minister reconcile that with withholding information from Audit Scotland and from parliamentary committees until after the decisions have been taken?
I have already explained the position, which we could go over time and again. I repeat that we are absolutely committed to publishing the information and we will do so at the appropriate time.
Blue Badge Scheme
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its review of the blue badge scheme. (S2O-11373)
The Scottish Executive is currently consulting on two specific amendments to the regulations governing the blue badge scheme. The closing date for the consultation is 29 December. Responses to the consultation will be published by 4 February 2007. We will subsequently make appropriate amendments in a statutory instrument.
As the minister will be aware, I am consulting on a bill proposal to make all disabled parking bays legally enforceable and the proposal is already meeting with considerable support.
I welcome the initiative that Jackie Baillie has taken on an important issue of public concern, especially for those who are principally affected by such abuse. I am aware of the incidents that she mentioned in the City of Edinburgh Council area and the successful investigation that the council has had in recent days. That success is a tribute to all the officers who have been involved in sorting out the problem.
In a debate on this issue in 2004, the then Minister for Transport stated that local authorities had the necessary powers to prevent the misuse of disabled persons' parking bays. Will the minister clarify for the many people who are angered by that misuse whether that is still the case?
Local authorities have those powers and it is important that they use them in conjunction with other agencies. The incident involving the City of Edinburgh Council that Jackie Baillie mentioned is an example of agencies working together successfully to alleviate a particular problem. I hope that other local authorities will look at that success and assist those who are directly affected by the concerns that we all share to tackle this problem.
During the review, it has come to my attention that there might be an anomaly in respect of local authority operated vehicles that are attached to day care centres. Drivers of such vehicles experience difficulty accessing disabled parking facilities because their vehicle does not have the blue badge. Will the minister look into that and let me know how it will be resolved?
I am grateful to Karen Gillon for raising that issue. I was not aware of it and will be happy to look into it and see what measures can be brought in immediately to deal with that specific problem. I will write to her on that point.
Community Justice Authorities
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on community justice authorities. (S2O-11403)
The community justice authorities are making good progress towards taking up full responsibilities in April 2007. All chief officers are in post and the eight area plans for reducing reoffending for 2007-08 have been submitted for scrutiny by the national advisory body. The area planning process has involved the CJAs in working with a wide range of partner agencies to translate the national strategy for the management of offenders into local priorities for reducing reoffending.
I am grateful to the minister for her response. What action is the Executive taking to monitor the implementation of community justice authorities in line with the national strategic framework? Also, and in particular, how will the Executive ensure that CJAs consult local communities and take their views and needs into account?
It is important to recognise that one of the key reasons for setting up community justice authorities is to connect better the criminal justice system with how we deal with offenders in local communities. That is why so many different local bodies are involved with the community justice authorities. Karen Whitefield is right to make the point that account should be taken of local communities' views. That is why elected members play such a critical role in the process; they have the opportunity to consult communities.
Prison Population
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned about the predicted rise in the prison population. (S2O-11396)
We are reforming the way we manage offenders in prison and in the community to reduce the likelihood of reoffending. That means ensuring that our courts can deal appropriately with those who require to be held in custody either as punishment for their crimes or for reasons of public safety, but we also want to ensure that a robust range of community sentences and support services is in place to give individuals in custody the right opportunities for rehabilitation on their release.
The chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, Tony Cameron, indicated to the justice committees that as a result of the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Bill, the prison population is expected to rise to up to 1,100. Does the minister agree that it is now time to speed up the commitment to the programme for alternatives to custody? If Mr Cameron's figures are correct, they will cause serious concern. Given the Scottish Prison Service's other problems, such as overcrowding, does the minister agree that we need to ensure that we build our new prisons as swiftly as possible? The chief executive also said that it could take up to four years to build the new Low Moss prison, if it is given planning permission. Will the minister consider how that period of time could be shortened?
As Pauline McNeill will be aware, we have put in place several initiatives to ensure that we have additional facilities in the existing prison estate, including some quick-build facilities. It is true that the lead time for a new prison is normally four to six years and that there have been planning permission problems for the potential new site at Low Moss. It is important that the Scottish Prison Service ensures that the prison estate is fit for purpose. We also need to ensure that the right people—the people who require to be in prison—are the ones who go there, which means that our community sentences have to be robust. A wide range of community sentences is already available, but I am always open to the possibility that they can be improved.
Given that the minister appears to think that one of the solutions is the creation of more private prisons, is she conscious of the comments made by Professor Allyson Pollock about the cost of public-private partnership in the health service and the difficulties that might apply to the Scottish Prison Service? More important, given the recent report of the Scottish Consortium on Crime and Criminal Justice, is she appalled that it would appear that if Addiewell prison is built in the private sector, Scotland will have the highest percentage of prisoners in private prisons anywhere in the world? At a time when George Bush's United States of America and Arnold Schwarzenegger's California are rolling back and realising the folly of private prisons, is it not absurd that we should seek to be world leaders? Is it not time to recognise that prisons are too vital to leave to the vagaries of shareholders and that they must be a state responsibility?
Kenny MacAskill seems to be one man with many voices. He cannot have it both ways. We cannot say that we need to ensure that our prison estate is fit for purpose and that people who need to be locked up are locked up, and then say that we should not try to get the best value for the public purse.
Irrespective of any change in sentencing policy, does the minister recall the then Minister for Justice predicting in 1999-2000 that there would be a considerable fall in the prison population? He did not consider the cost of implementing the European convention on human rights and how that would affect future justice budgets. Does the minister have figures that show how much that flawed decision has cost us? Will she advise us how much it will cost us in the future?
I am always amazed at Phil Gallie's ability to bring the ECHR into any question.
Broadband
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the consultants' report referred to by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning in his answer to question S2O-11145 on 23 November 2006 regarding delivery of broadband access to those who are currently excluded from this technology. (S2O-11346)
Broadband access is of key importance to the Executive. We have already delivered broadband to every community and more than 99 per cent of households, placing us ahead of most other countries on coverage. Our reach report, which sets out the final gaps, has been received. We will outline its findings and our approach to addressing the issue shortly.
I thank the minister for his response and look forward to getting further details of the report. Does he understand my constituents' frustration at their continuing lack of access to broadband? Is he aware that some people who live no more than 9 miles from Perth are unable to make a broadband connection? One constituent so affected lives less than 3 miles from Perth. Those are hardly remote rural communities. Does the minister accept that, as a result of that problem, there are considerable barriers to the development of rural businesses? Can he indicate a timescale for resolving the problem?
I understand the frustrations of the 1 per cent of communities who have not been able to access broadband. Someone in that 1 per cent is 100 per cent unenabled. People in my constituency, in parts of Arran and elsewhere, have a similar experience.
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning will be aware of my long-term interest in this matter. I note that the announcement of the general proposals for providing access to the presently unserved areas will be made soon. It cannot come soon enough for the people I represent. I ask the minister for some indication of when we will know where the further roll-out of broadband will be supported by the Executive. Will he assure me that there will be sufficient funding to meet people's aspirations?
The programme will be funded. As I have said, we are currently finalising a clear methodology, which will use several criteria. The levels of unfulfilled demand, predictions for the areas with no coverage, business need, cost and the value-for-money implications of providing solutions will be taken into account, if indeed technical solutions are available. Not every problem that has been identified with us will necessarily have a technical solution.
Post Office Closures
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed the economic impact and reduction of amenity in communities arising from the closure of post offices. (S2O-11412)
The Scottish Executive has co-sponsored research commissioned by Postwatch Scotland that has assessed the economic and social importance of post offices. The Executive has also commissioned a study to find out what aspects of their local post office people most value. It has helpfully informed our contribution to discussions in the United Kingdom Government on the future of the post office network.
The minister will be aware that many people, in urban and rural areas, are concerned that they will lose the hubs of their communities with respect to the delivery of not just public services but private services. When the Executive consults on the Westminster proposals to change the funding formula for rural post offices, will it fully explore the issues with communities? Will the minister also ensure that the Executive lobbies Westminster so that no decision is made to change the formula until after the Parliament reconvenes following the election, when we will have a full opportunity to debate the proposals in the chamber?
I agree with part of that. Fundamentally, any solution for the sustainable future of rural or urban post offices needs to include community engagement. No decisions have yet been made by the UK Government. I do not wish to pre-empt whatever may be said elsewhere, but it has been clear for some time that there will need to be a national framework and continued public subsidy. Within those two parameters, community engagement is vital to ensure that people have a say in the future of their communities' development and that, where post offices play an important role in community development, there should be full consultation and engagement with communities.
I thank the minister for the Executive's continuing commitment to post offices, particularly those in smaller communities where they are usually combined with general stores. Does he agree that smaller communities such as Gartmore and Fintry in my constituency should be commended for their proactive role in setting up action groups that bring together the wider community and support from agencies, including the Post Office, to re-establish post office facilities?
That is exactly the sort of initiative that I was referring to when I responded to Mark Ruskell's question about the importance of community engagement. If we argue, as we all do, that a rural post office, or indeed an urban one, can be the hub of the community, it is important for the community to be engaged in the future development of that community hub. The Fintry initiative is an interesting example of how innovation will play an important role in the future of rural and urban post offices.