SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Environment and Rural Development
Global Warming
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address global warming. (S2O-4503)
Action that the Executive is taking to address global warming is detailed in our "Scottish Climate Change Programme", which is currently the subject of a formal review and public consultation.
Will the minister join me in acknowledging the contribution of Fife companies, such as Burntisland Fabrications Ltd, which is based in my constituency and is heavily involved in renewable energy, and paper maker Tullis Russell Group Ltd, which is based in Markinch in the constituency of my colleague Christine May but employs many of my constituents? Will he congratulate Tullis Russell on its initiative to combat global warming by the construction of a £73 million wood-burning combined heat and power station on the Markinch site? What support will the minister give such companies in future?
I have no hesitation in congratulating both companies on their excellent initiatives, which are in line with the Executive's strategy of increasing the amount of electricity that is generated from renewable sources. The recent consultation paper on our green jobs strategy placed particular emphasis on the need to encourage biomass energy, so it is encouraging to see the large number of jobs that the Tullis Russell project will create. I have no hesitation in congratulating both those companies and both constituency members, who no doubt played their part in ensuring that investment.
How would the minister respond to Professor David Bellamy's article on wind farms in the "Glencairn Gazette", which covers Moniaive and district? Professor Bellamy states:
I certainly do not want to get into a debate with David Bellamy, so I am glad that the quotation from the article has been read out by Alasdair Morgan, with whom I am much happier to debate.
Given the revelation that the UK Government is falling dramatically short of its self-imposed targets for reducing CO2 emissions, to what extent is the Scottish Executive responsible for—or, as the case may be—innocent of missing that target?
I think that we have done more than our equitable share towards reaching the UK target, but we are as concerned as the UK Government is that the target is not being met. That is part of the reason why we are undertaking the review of the Scottish climate change programme, although we undertook to review it this year when we set out the initial programme in 2000. It is important that we refine the programme to ensure that we make our due contribution to the UK's target of meeting the Kyoto targets.
The minister will be aware that yesterday Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy poured scorn on Tony Blair's ambition to lead the world on climate change. Does he agree with Charles Kennedy's comments that Tony Blair talks a "good game" but fails to deliver? If so, what does that say about the Labour-Lib Dem record in Scotland, where the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions has been only a third of that achieved by the UK as a whole?
I really do not know how often I have to ask Mark Ruskell not to use that very misleading statistic. He knows perfectly well that the baseline was 1990 and that, at that time, England had a whole host of coal-fired stations whereas Scotland did not. It is therefore not a surprise that England has achieved a greater reduction in greenhouse gas emissions than Scotland has. I find it disappointing that a party that seeks to make a serious contribution to the environmental debate—which I acknowledge—should continue to peddle a statistic that is not well founded. With regard to my leader's views on Mr Blair, those are obviously the opinions of my leader.
Water Meters
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have had a water meter installed. (S2O-4472)
That is an operational matter for Scottish Water, but it advises me that the current figure for the number of households with a water meter is 610.
That figure is disappointingly low. Does the minister agree that meters provide an excellent incentive for measuring and managing water usage and thereby conserving that resource? Will he challenge Scottish Water's unreasonable charging policy, which, because of high standing charges, effectively means that only people in council tax band H can make financial and environmental savings by having a meter?
I do not agree with Margaret Mitchell that the number of households with a water meter, which I indicated in my reply, is disappointing. It is entirely appropriate that we should link the water charges that individuals pay with their council tax liability, because that reflects the value of the property that they occupy. In that sense, the charges are appropriate, manageable and predictable. However, I agree that a case for metering can be made for non-domestic users, because their water usage, unlike that of private households, can be very varied. Indeed, meters have already been installed in many thousands of business premises and allow them to pay for their water as they use it. The critical issue is that household charges should be affordable.
Scottish Water (Development Constraints)
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken by Scottish Water to address development constraints created by lack of water and sewerage capacity. (S2O-4442)
Around £200 million in Scottish Water's current investment programme will provide benefits in addressing current development constraints. An additional £41 million has been allocated specifically to relieve such constraints in rural areas and for first-time connections and water quality improvements.
In a letter to me dated 22 November, the minister criticises local authorities for not raising the issue of development constraints as part of the quality and standards II programme. Does he accept that that position is disingenuous? After all, local authorities bought into Scottish Water's priorities, which the organisation then changed. Does he accept that more needs to be done before the implementation of Q and S III to relieve the pressure on many local authority areas and—certainly across my constituency—many individual settlements to allow the Government to achieve its principal objectives of economic growth and the development of affordable housing?
I certainly agree with the principle of seeking to promote economic growth and affordable housing. I should put the comments in my letter of 22 November to John Swinney into context, because I was acknowledging that no one—by which I mean Scottish Water as well as local authorities—had predicted the degree to which development constraints would become an active consideration in that programming period. Because of that recognition, we will address concerns about development constraints in preparing the investment programme for Q and S III. We are encouraging Scottish Water to work with local authorities and other local partners to address some short-term constraints that they will want to be tackled before Q and S III is implemented in two years' time.
Some of my constituents in the north-east, particularly in the southern part of Aberdeenshire, face major problems because, although they have had outline planning permission for a housing development, another development is taking place in their community and Scottish Water now says that the previous outline permission cannot go any further because of water constraints. That is an issue right up Deeside. We also have problems with water extraction from the River Dee for domestic and industrial use. Are there any means by which the minister can encourage Scottish Water to facilitate the development of water supplies and sewerage throughout Aberdeenshire? Does he have any comments about the Executive's role in providing a water catchment facility at the top of the Dee valley?
The problems to which David Davidson refers are not dissimilar to those that John Swinney mentioned. We recognise that such problems exist throughout Scotland and we recognise that action needs to be taken to tackle those problems. That is why we will seek to address issues of development constraint, which occur not only in one particular locality but throughout Scotland, when we make an announcement early in the new year on the priorities for the investment programme going forward.
Beef Cattle (Over-30-months Scheme)
To ask the Scottish Executive when the over-30-months scheme for beef cattle will be ended. (S2O-4423)
The Executive has agreed to begin a managed transition from the over-30-months rule to a testing regime. However, the rule will not be changed until a robust testing regime, which satisfies the Food Standards Agency, has been put in place and we have considered the outcome of a further public information and consultation exercise. The cessation of the over-30-months scheme and the format of any successor scheme will be discussed with key stakeholders during the next few months.
I welcome the minister's answer, but I suspect that many in the industry are looking for a more specific date. Can he tell us when export markets, which have been closed for a long time, will open as a consequence of ending the over-30-months scheme?
I hope to address the matter perhaps even before we get to the final stages of the approval of the testing scheme, but certainly when the scheme has been put in place and we know what we are talking about. At that point, I will not hesitate to take up with the relevant commissioner in Brussels the need to discuss how we unwind the date-based export scheme with a view to ensuring that, as soon as possible after we have lifted the over-30-months ban, we can proceed quickly to lift the export ban.
Waste Reduction (Packaging)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce packaging waste. (S2O-4502)
Under the packaging regulations, businesses with a turnover of £2 million that make or use more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year must recycle or recover a proportion of the packaging. In addition, we have just launched the innovation fund, which is run by the Waste and Resources Action Programme and is designed to help retailers to minimise waste from packaging and products.
Will the minister consider the serious challenges that face the elderly and infirm when they have to deal with the unnecessary packaging that we see in many retail outlets, especially at Christmas time?
I have great sympathy with the point that Paul Martin raises. Many of us are frustrated by what appears to be unnecessary packaging not only at Christmas time, but throughout the year. We discover that the retailers justify it on the ground that that is what the consumer wants. That seems to be a rather serious disjunction.
Nephrops (Total Allowable Catch)
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on achieving an improved nephrops total allowable catch for next year. (S2O-4459)
Initial proposals from the Commission are positive and suggest a potential increase of 12 per cent to 21,350 tonnes in the North sea—to reflect full availability of the 28 per cent increase that was conditionally agreed but only partially released in 2004—and an increase of 12 per cent to 12,700 tonnes in the west of Scotland. A final proposal on nephrops, which is linked to the wider management arrangements for cod, will be agreed at the December council.
I thank the minister for that encouraging answer. He will be aware of the importance of the nephrops fishery to my constituency and to the fishermen of Pittenweem. In last year's negotiations, 2,300 tonnes of nephrops quota were withheld pending the development of the management plan to minimise incidental cod mortality. The plan was submitted by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department in the summer. Has the Commission accepted that plan? Will the minister give an assurance that none of the 2005 quota will be withheld?
The member is right to say that we put the proposal to the Commission but, unfortunately, its consideration overran the appointment of Commissioner Borg. That was very unhelpful. We continue to make it clear that the management arrangements that we have proposed are sound and that they justify an increased take-up of the quota. We hope to emerge from the December council with agreement on the United Kingdom getting its full quota allocations and on whatever management measures on effort or bycatch might be required. If that is settled in December, it will be of great benefit to fishermen, especially those in Pittenweem.
Does the minister agree that, although a 12 per cent increase in the nephrops quota for the west coast is welcome, prawns are in even more plentiful supply? In the negotiations that he is shortly to undertake, there are two crucial aspects of a technical nature, on which I have written to him. First, there is camera evidence, which has been disregarded for west coast prawns, but which has been accepted for Fladden previously. Will he argue for the acceptance of that evidence? Secondly, does he agree that the so-called cod association formula is a misinterpretation, is misleading and should not play any part in informing the important negotiations?
On the latter point, the answer is no. When I met west of Scotland fishermen, which I think was two weeks ago, we discussed the report that had been prepared on the cod-associated bycatch. Although it is completely true to say that, at certain times, the cod bycatch is as low as 2.1 per cent—a level that would indicate that measures were not necessary—I regret to say that the report also refers to much more substantial cod bycatches. That cannot be ignored. One cannot simply pick and choose which parts of the scientific evidence to base one's arguments on. The cod bycatch remains a problem.
Core Path Network
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in planning the core path network in order to promote and provide access to the countryside and mountain areas throughout Scotland. (S2O-4495)
Good progress has been made and we expect the access provisions of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to come into force early next year. It will then be for local councils and national park authorities to draw up core path plans for their respective areas within the following three years.
The establishment of a core path network is a vital component in allowing access rights under the 2003 act, although such rights are not confined to that network. If we are serious about increasing and maintaining access to our countryside and mountain areas, it is important that we work in conjunction with our local authorities to ensure that the core path network delivers what is hoped for in the legislation. In the two years from next year, how much negotiation with local authorities will the minister have and when does he think that we will know what the core path network will look like?
Thus far, local authorities have been fully engaged in the work on the guidance on the preparation of the core path network and the implementation of the outdoor access code. We expect that work to continue. A total of £22 million over three years has been allocated to local authorities to support their work on access. We will continue to consult authorities on guidance and other matters that relate to the implementation of the core path network throughout Scotland.
Health and Community Care
Agenda for Change
To ask the Scottish Executive how agenda for change will assist front-line NHS services. (S2O-4525)
Agenda for change will provide better and fairer pay for staff, together with better personal and career development and wider access to training and progression opportunities. If national health service staff are better paid, trained and motivated, patients will benefit from better care that is delivered faster and to a higher quality.
Can the minister say anything about the outcome of the discussions that I believe were held yesterday between NHS officials and the trade unions? Some of the issues to be discussed, including concerns about changes to terms and conditions, were raised by Jim Devine of Unison in yesterday's edition of The Herald.
To provide context for members, I point out that agenda for change was negotiated over a five-year period, with the direct involvement of the health trade unions. The trade unions were aware of all aspects of the deal and accepted them before the deal was signed—indeed, their members voted in favour of agenda for change. I expect those who are involved in the process to honour the deal. However, I have become aware that what I describe as bedding-in issues have arisen. I have asked the Scottish pay reference and implementation group—or SPRIG, which is one of those terms that I am learning more about—to consider those bedding-in issues and report to me to offer views on how best to overcome them. At the heart of the programme is a good deal for the workforce and for patients and I intend it to be implemented in full.
Is it the case that, as with other health service pay deals, agenda for change will not be fully funded through the Scottish Executive's allocation to health board budgets?
Of course that is not the case. The Executive's funding for health boards has increased by 7.25 per cent in 2004-05, with an additional allocation of £70 million to assist with the changes, as well as additional resources for implementation costs. The agenda has been and will be funded by the Executive. We should look on the positive side: the programme will provide fairer pay for staff and better career development as well as being an agent for change and modernisation in the health service that will bring patients into the service, reduce waiting times and deliver a higher quality of care. I am certain that, along with the changes to contracts in the health service that we are negotiating, the programme will make a substantial change to the delivery of care in Scotland. Of course, it is being funded by the Executive.
The minister will agree that agenda for change will result in a direct increase in costs to health boards in Scotland of 5.5 per cent in the first year. He claims that the costs are fully covered, but the statistics and figures on the new burdens that the changes will produce in the next three years, along with the figures on the reduction in capacity through changes to junior doctors' and consultants' hours and those on the additional costs of the out-of-hours services, suggest otherwise. Is he sure about his projection that agenda for change is affordable? Will he give a commitment that, if the programme is not affordable, no health board will be forced to cut services because of a shortfall in funding?
The programme is the biggest change in human resources management in the health service since 1948—work on it has taken five years. To predict the cost to the Executive, we applied the West Lothian model for implementation to the Glasgow personnel profile model. That gave us the figures for the resources that we will put into the health boards—the £10.2 billion that we will spend on funding the health service by 2007-08. I am confident that the programme will be well delivered, not just managerially and by the workforce, but financially. I am clear that adequate resources are available to implement agenda for change and to deliver the change that we and the workforce seek. Of course, at the heart of the issue are the patients, who will get a better and more professional service and a highly motivated workforce. The health service will recruit and retain more people because of the big positive change in the working lives of the NHS staff involved in service delivery, whom we value greatly.
Care Assessments (Parental Input)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the principle that parents should have an input into the assessment of the health care of their children. (S2O-4521)
We support the general principle that parents should be involved in the assessment of their child's health care needs and in decisions about their health care. However, there are circumstances where that might not be appropriate.
Is the minister aware that some elderly carers are taking out legal guardianship or power of attorney because they do not think that their views on the health care of their children are being adequately taken into account in the implementation of the recommendations in the "The same as you?" report? What steps will she take to rectify the situation and ensure that their views are taken into account without their having to go through a legal process?
I would be interested to find out more about those cases. Obviously, I would be extremely concerned if that were the case. If the member could furnish me with further information about the problems, I would be happy to consider them in the context of the carers strategy.
Does the minister agree that some of the circumstances in which parental involvement might not be appropriate relate to the sexual health strategy and the issues on which, as she will know, we keenly await news from the Executive?
I am aware that, in relation to the forthcoming sexual health strategy, we will be examining such issues. It is hugely important to involve parents wherever possible. That is not always possible, but there will always be a presumption of information sharing whenever the welfare or well-being of a child is considered to be at risk.
Children's Services (Perth Royal Infirmary)
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop children's services at Perth royal infirmary. (S2O-4440)
NHS Tayside is responsible for planning and developing local health services. Ninewells hospital, Perth royal infirmary and Scotland's first ambulatory care and treatment centre at Stracathro together deliver a full range of specialist services for children. Recent developments in Perth and Kinross include the establishment of community paediatric nursing services and paediatric respiratory research facilities. NHS Tayside's acute balance of care project will integrate the full range of hospital services for adults and children across hospital sites. That is consistent with our aim of making sure that services are as local as possible and as specialised as necessary.
When listing the available services, the minister did not mention the fact that the 24-hour children's ward in Perth was cut this summer. That has caused some concern among my constituents in Perth and the surrounding area. For example, one parent contacted me with an horrendous tale about his teenage daughter who was taken to Perth in an emergency situation and had to wait for a paediatric nurse to be sent in a taxi from Ninewells hospital to provide treatment. Does the minister recognise that such arrangements pose dangers to youngsters in Perth? Will she take action to prevent the steady erosion of Perth royal infirmary's services?
If the member will furnish us with information regarding the case that he mentioned, we will investigate it. NHS Tayside estimates that the acute balance of care project will mean that at least 20,000 people a year will no longer have to travel from Perth and Kinross to Ninewells, which hardly represents centralisation. Pressure on Ninewells will be reduced and resources will be used in a better and more efficient way as a level of activity is generated that will secure Perth royal infirmary's future as an acute general hospital. That is excellent news for the people of Perth and Kinross and for the people of Tayside. I believe that NHS Tayside is to be congratulated on its vision and on the way in which it has worked with its partners and the people of Tayside in developing the acute balance of care project.
I welcome what the minister has said about the transfer of functions from Ninewells hospital to Perth royal infirmary, which will minimise travelling distances for my Perthshire constituents. However, does she accept that there is a general frustration in the community arising from the fact that, although the NHS can quickly remove services, it takes an awful lot longer to get services put back into areas, which is why there is a long wait for the implementation of the acute balance of care proposals? Is she prepared to consider ways of speeding up the process of transferring functions to Perth royal infirmary to realise the vision that she has set out and to minimise the travelling of my constituents? Will she also take particular interest in the concerns that I am hearing from my constituents about the implications of the out-of-hours service in extending travelling distances and in making accessing health care a great deal more inconvenient for members of the public?
That range of issues needs to be considered carefully in relation to implementation, which I am quite happy to discuss with the member.
Prescription Charges
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will complete its review of national health service prescription charges and publish its conclusions. (S2O-4499)
The review is expected to be completed by the end of 2005. The review is in two phases, the first of which began in early October with a literature research project. The purpose of the research is to provide an evidence base for the second phase of the review, which will comprise a full public consultation. We will consider the outcome of the consultation process and thereafter decide whether any changes should be made to the current prescription charge exemption arrangements.
The minister will be aware that the criteria for exempting people from prescription charges were agreed way back in 1968. Does he agree in principle that many more chronic conditions, such as asthma and multiple sclerosis, should be added to the approved list and that we should be taking action on the issue, in line with the partnership agreement?
As the previous Minister for Health and Community Care said, the partnership agreement states that we need to review prescription charges for people with chronic health conditions and young people in full-time education or training, which is what we are doing. The process for that is long and detailed. We want the conclusions to be correct, hence the timetable that I have outlined. I understand that there is a degree of frustration about the timetable, but we need to ensure that we make significant changes to prescription charging on an evidence base that provides the solution that the Executive seeks to its partnership agreement commitment.
Health Care (North of Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve health care in the north of Scotland. (S2O-4526)
We fully support NHS boards in the north of Scotland to deliver health care locally that meets the needs and improves the health of their people. Improvements in the north of Scotland include plans for a renal dialysis unit in Fort William; chemotherapy being delivered locally in Orkney and the Western Isles and being developed in Shetland; cataract surgery being delivered in Orkney; development of a cardiac rehabilitation centre; and a vastly improved accident and emergency service at Raigmore.
The minister has missed out the commitment on dental services, which has been particularly welcomed in Caithness.
The review is independent and I can only put the member's view to Professor Kerr, which I am happy to do. Having driven in the area when I drove to Wick to visit the hospital, I understand some of the community's concerns about transport.
The minister will probably be aware of the outrage that exists in Campbeltown at the actions of NHS Argyll and Clyde in shutting the assessment ward there without any consultation with the community or community involvement of any sort and before alternative provisions had been put in place to deal with patients who would normally use the assessment ward. Will the minister intervene and ask the health board to reverse that decision until proper consultation has been carried out, there is community involvement and proper community-based provision has been put in place to replace the facilities at the assessment ward?
On many occasions, I have extolled to health board chiefs and chairs the virtues of ensuring genuine consultation on such sensitive issues. To be blunt, tough decisions have to be made on the viability of services on clinical grounds, but I expect the issues to be discussed in the affected communities.
The minister will be aware of the west Highland health solutions group's excellent, cross-party, non-partisan work with regard to Oban hospital and Belford hospital in Fort William, which has provided a pilot interim solution. Does he agree that it would be extremely useful to meet the consultants who have given of their expertise and experience so that he can discuss the aim—which all parties support—of ensuring that rural general hospitals provide acute care 24/7 in places such as Oban and Fort William in my constituency and hear the consultants' ideas on training, recruitment, the importation of elective surgery and the not-always-beneficial influence of the royal colleges? Will he meet David Sedgewick and others for a fruitful, productive and positive discussion on those issues?
I am more than happy to meet those who provide solutions to some of the difficult issues that we have in the health service. The solutions group to which Fergus Ewing refers has done a sterling job and has brought to the surface issues around how rural general hospitals can work within the clinical governance arrangements that are necessary because of Scotland's demographics and the technological demands of our new health service. I praise the solutions group's work. It has done its communities a sterling service with the idea of developing a rural general hospital strategy. Professor David Kerr's work also plays into that. He has a work stream on rural provision of health care, into which some of the solutions group's work will feed.
Medical Training (Highlands and Islands)
To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has to the scheme for training medical personnel in rural areas that is being developed by the UHI Millennium Institute and NHS Western Isles. (S2O-4522)
We believe in local initiatives and welcome the joint scheme by NHS Western Isles and the UHI Millennium Institute to develop academic courses that are relevant to the particular needs of patients and staff in the Highlands and Islands. When approached, we will be happy to work with them to facilitate the work of the proposed institute of remote and rural medicine.
I, too, welcome the development. Does the minister envisage that it will lead to the creation of a faculty of remote and rural medicine, examples of which can be found in the midwestern states of the United States of America? If the Scottish Executive is serious about safeguarding medical services in rural areas, which have particular needs, it is vital that such a body has not only a training role, but an advocacy role.
Absolutely. A great innovation is being developed in the Western Isles: we are going to develop academic courses that are specific to the needs of remote and rural communities and remote and rural medicine, which is a specialism in its own right. I welcome that. It also allows us to consider how we can exchange information on that specialism with other parts of the world, such as America, which Rob Gibson mentioned, and exchange across continents good ideas about how to develop services in our remote and rural communities.
General Questions
Rail Electrification
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding rail electrification. (S2O-4489)
Improvements in rail journey times can be delivered by a combination of infrastructure improvements and modern diesel trains with considerably less expense and disruption than electrification involves.
The minister will be aware—as I told him just after 1 o'clock—that ScotRail intends to introduce diesel trains on the Edinburgh to North Berwick service. That means that no electric trains will run on the electrified North Berwick branch. Will he assure me that no subsequent moves will be made to de-electrify the branch? I am sure that the Executive does not want to preside over de-electrification as a way of progressing rail travel.
I was aware of the question that the member would ask and I thank him for the heads-up before he asked it. The deployment of diesel trains on the line is an operational matter for ScotRail, but the operation of diesel trains on the route does not imply no future use of the electric overheads.
European and External Relations
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will appoint a single minister to deal with European and external relations. (S2O-4433)
I am responsible for external relations, including co-ordination of European Union policy and contact with institutions, member states and regions of the EU. I confirm to the member that I am single.
I thank the minister for his reply and point out that I am not single, as can be witnessed.
It is a matter of some regret to me that the member is not single.
Does the minister agree that the biggest European and external relations challenge that faces us is ratification of the new constitution? Will he work with ministerial colleagues across portfolios to ensure that the constitution's clear benefits to the people of Scotland are known?
I assure the member that that is exactly what we in the Scottish Executive will do. Apart from all its other benefits, the new treaty recognises more than ever before the European regions with legislative power and proposes ways in which they will be more comprehensively involved in the business of the European Union. That is good for Scotland and for the Parliament's standing. We will pursue those benefits with vigour in the interests of the people of Scotland.
First, I will fill the minister with concern by saying that I agree almost totally with his response to Margaret Ewing.
I admire the Conservatives' consistency. They have never been much competition in the past and I do not see them as being much competition on this occasion.
Does the minister agree that important sections of the constitutional treaty would give increased power to sub-state national Parliaments in their say on European legislation? Will he kill the myth from the Tories and will he endorse the work of that noted member of the Scottish National Partly, Sir Neil MacCormick, by appealing to the SNP to come off the fence, stop being entangled in fisheries nets, come with us and fight for the constitution and its ratification?
Mr Raffan has succinctly summed up everything that is good about the treaty and has again shown his expert knowledge of the European Union. His is exactly the kind of voice that we need in Scotland to explain to people how great the benefits of European Union membership are.
Among Mr McCabe's many responsibilities, he has responsibility for efficient government. Will he say whether it is efficient for the Government to have failed to reply to a parliamentary question that I lodged on 12 October, which simply asked for the Government to set out which ministers are responsible for which parts of external affairs? Currently, six or seven ministers are responsible, depending on how the matter is considered.
The simple answer is that it is right and proper for ministers across the Executive to play a part in our external engagement with the wider world. That is what the people of Scotland would expect and that is exactly how we intend to serve them. I hesitate to suggest that it is possible that we have had difficulty in interpreting Mr Swinney's question, but I will check the position and get back to him as soon as I possibly can.
Criminal Justice Social Work (Glasgow)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the performance inspection report on criminal justice social work services in Glasgow. (S2O-4541)
The report identifies serious weaknesses in criminal justice social work services in Glasgow. Glasgow City Council has made a commitment to address those weaknesses and to engage with the Executive to improve the system of offender management.
I am pleased that the minister recognises the serious concerns that the report raises. Does the minister agree with the assessment that I recently heard from a professional in the field that, with local government receiving a decreasing share of public spending resources over the coming years, the problem will get worse before it gets better?
I remind Mr Harvie that the Scottish Executive provides 100 per cent funding for criminal justice social work and that we have substantially increased the amount of money that is available to carry out community service orders, for example. The report and people in Glasgow, from the discussions that I have had with them, do not see the matter as simply a money problem—it is about having effective services. In fact, the report highlights a number of areas in which a number of other tools could be used to work with offenders in the community and to aid their transition back into it. The issue is not as simple as Mr Harvie suggests. He might wish to read the report again and consider some of the other issues that are raised.
Police (Use of Weapons)
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with chief constables regarding the use of weapons by the police. (S2O-4422)
The Justice Department is in regular contact with chief constables on a wide range of issues, including the police use of firearms and less lethal alternatives such as Taser and baton rounds.
I agree that the use of firearms might occasionally be necessary to deal with armed criminals, but is the minister concerned about the frequent, visible presence of police armed with submachine-guns, wandering around public places such as airport terminals?
I seem to recall answering a previous question from Dennis Canavan, when he accused—"accused" is perhaps the wrong word. He suggested that we were trying to turn Scotland into a police state. I gave him an absolute assurance at that time that, of course, that was not the case. However, it is true that there are matters that should be decided by chief constables for operational policing purposes. I do not think that it is fair to describe situations in which that discretion has been used to have armed police officers to help to improve public safety in certain circumstances as wandering around with submachine-guns.
Edinburgh-Shotts-Glasgow Rail Line
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on enhancing rail services on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts line. (S2O-4481)
Members of the working group that is exploring improvements to services on that line are still considering issues arising from the feasibility study. I understand that the group also plans to meet First ScotRail to discuss the proposal.
I welcome the minister's response that the working group and First ScotRail are due to meet shortly. I encourage the minister to ensure that the Executive gives full encouragement to the project. Does the minister agree with my assessment that the project is a potential early win for the new franchise holder that will ensure that congestion in the east of Scotland is tackled through the enhanced use of one of the lesser-used railway lines in the east of Scotland?
I agree with the member's latter point. The modal shift in investment to rail transportation will bring benefit to business and the environment across the board in all areas where we are investing in new rolling stock and rail infrastructure. I am sure that the Minister for Transport will encourage the interested parties to get on with bringing those benefits to the people of Livingston and Shotts as soon as possible.
Proposed Christmas and New Year's Day Trading Bill (Consultation)
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the consultation on the proposed Christmas and new year's day trading in Scotland bill. (S2O-4488)
The Executive is reserving its position on the proposed bill until we have had the opportunity to consider the consultative response.
Is the minister aware that I have already received 186 positive responses to the consultation on my proposed bill and that only eight individuals have responded negatively? Does the minister agree that in the run-up to the festive season, when many shop workers work long and stressful hours, the best Christmas present they could have is a guaranteed holiday on Christmas day and new year's day in the future?
I am well aware of the pressures on retail staff throughout the year, particularly in the run-up to Christmas. I am quite sure that many would appreciate some time off after a hectic period that leads into another hectic period of sales.
I am not sure whether I should declare an interest as the only member of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers in the chamber this afternoon.
As I indicated, we are reserving our position. At this stage, I will not express a view one way or the other on whether we intend to support the legislation. However, I accept Mary Mulligan's proposition that, if the proposed bill were passed and stores were prevented from opening on Christmas day and new year's day, it would create a level playing field and prevent one store of a certain size from having an advantage over another. That is just a fact.
Schools (Budget Management)
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is being given to head teachers to help them to manage school budgets more effectively. (S2O-4496)
We are extending devolved school management to assist head teachers in managing their schools. All teachers, including head teachers, are required to undertake continuing professional development activities each year to develop appropriate new skills. Those could include support for devolved schools management.
The minister might be interested in a development at Queen Anne High School in my constituency, where a business manager and a pupil support manager have been appointed. Among other things, the appointments relieve the rector of responsibility for day-to-day management of the school budget, allowing him—or her, in other establishments—to concentrate on key educational matters. Does the minister agree that the model would be worth considering in other education authorities?
I would be happy to receive any details that Scott Barrie wants to provide, as the approach that he has described sounds interesting. It is precisely the sort of approach that is being made possible by the extra resources that the Executive is investing in Scottish education, especially by way of extra support staff to allow the release of management and teaching time. The development to which the member refers sounds like a good example of the flexibility that we want to offer schools by extending devolved school management, not just of cash but of the staffing structures that head teachers want to construct. I would be happy to hear more about the experience at Queen Anne High School and to share it with other schools in Scotland.
Does the minister agree that the principle of devolved school management is sound and that head teachers should be given the authority to exclude persistently violent and disruptive pupils, not only immediately from classes, where appropriate, but over a prolonged period, if necessary?
I know that Lord James Douglas-Hamilton tries to paint a picture of Scottish schools as being in total chaos, with kids slugging teachers every few seconds of the day, but I say with respect that that is not the case. I have made it clear that, wherever violent incidents take place, I will not sit in Edinburgh second-guessing what a head teacher must do. If they need to put a pupil out of the school, that is their decision and they should do so. Head teachers have my support in excluding pupils in the very difficult circumstances that occasionally arise.
Question 8 has been withdrawn.
Antisocial Behaviour (Private Housing)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to tackle antisocial behaviour in private housing. (S2O-4424)
We are committed to tackling antisocial behaviour wherever it occurs. Agencies were given new powers to deal with antisocial behaviour in the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004. Local authorities and police are required to prepare strategies to deal with problems throughout the local authority area, including antisocial behaviour in private housing. We have given funding to local authorities to improve services across all tenures. New measures in the 2004 act to tackle irresponsible private landlords will come into force in November 2005.
Does the minister share my concern that access to professional witnesses, which is often required to gain access to legal remedies, is often difficult and that, so far, councils do not seem to be willing—at least in my area—to allow community wardens to fulfil that role to give the independent corroboration of the difficulty that is often needed? Will the minister please encourage councils to use community wardens in that positive way?
We have provided the legal framework for tackling antisocial behaviour and the financial resources to allow local authorities to implement the legislation and to respond to antisocial behaviour. It then becomes a matter for local decision makers to determine exactly how they should best respond in their areas.
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