General Questions
Cities (Community Rejuvenation)
We will publish the new national regeneration strategy in the next few months, which will set out a framework to help to improve the physical, economic and social wellbeing of communities throughout the country. It will clarify the roles of key players, including setting out the important role of local authorities in supporting the regeneration of our most disadvantaged communities in cities.
Given her background, the cabinet secretary will be aware of the situation faced by the community of Drumchapel in my consistency. After a long period of decline, there is a severe lack of amenity in an area that is already experiencing high multiple deprivation. Previous plans for regeneration have come to little, although local housing associations do the best that they can.
I would be more than delighted to visit Drumchapel with the member. Before becoming a member of the Scottish Parliament, I worked in Drumchapel. I know the area well, I have a great fondness for it and I know the challenges that it faces. There has been a lack of leadership on the part of the Labour-controlled Glasgow City Council in driving forward regeneration in areas such as Drumchapel. I would be happy to see what this Government could do to work with partners and the local member to move things forward.
Road Safety (Young Drivers)
We are addressing young driver safety through our commitments in Scotland’s road safety framework to 2020 and by taking forward the recommendations in “National Debate on Young Drivers’ Safety”, published by Transport Scotland in March 2011.
Road traffic accidents involving young drivers continue to blight the north-east and take a terrible toll. What progress has been made on developing an action plan to take forward the recommendations in “National Debate on Young Drivers’ Safety”? I ask the minister to comment on work relating to recommendation 6, which suggests that he should
Alison McInnes makes a good point about the number of accidents involving young drivers. However, some misconceptions surround road casualties. In 2010, road casualties in general in Scotland were at their lowest level in 60 years, and if we look at the number of drivers killed and seriously injured in the period to 2009, we see a 48 per cent reduction in the 16 to 24-year-old age group compared with a 47 per cent reduction for all other ages, so there has been substantial progress.
Does the minister support my campaign to introduce a graduated driving licence scheme to help to stop the carnage among young drivers, particularly on our rural roads? The minister may be aware that I am launching a DVD campaign tomorrow in Inverness. Every school in the Highlands and Islands will receive a copy of my road safety DVD. Will the minister send words of support to tomorrow’s official launch?
We are supportive of the aims of the campaign for a graduated driving licence. As the member knows, we have written to the Driving Standards Agency. I acknowledge the work that the member has done in that regard.
The drink-drive alcohol limit is 80mg per 100ml of blood in this country, which is almost unique in Europe, where it is mostly 50mg. The Parliament supports and has voted for a reduction in the limit to 50mg, which would save many young lives. Does the minister know why Westminster continues to block that life-saving reduction?
I think that the member has asked me to get into the mind of a minister at Westminster, which I prefer not to do. I do not know exactly the reasons for that block. I think that the member would acknowledge that it is not a straightforward change to make. However, he rightly said that the Parliament supports the reduction that he mentioned. We will continue to press the Westminster Government to achieve that.
National Health Service (Advocacy Services)
NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that advocacy is available to all who need it within their respective areas and that resources are matched to those needs. “Independent Advocacy: A Guide for Commissioners”, produced by the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, is available to assist boards in scoping needs and procuring advocacy services; also relevant is “Guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services by public bodies in Scotland”, which was published jointly by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in September 2010.
Given that information from the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance shows that Grampian is now the lowest spender on advocacy services in Scotland, will the cabinet secretary put pressure on NHS Grampian to meet its responsibilities in delivering effective advocacy services?
Kevin Stewart raises an important point. I repeat what I said in my previous answer: all NHS boards, including NHS Grampian, have a responsibility to meet the needs in their areas. I understand that expenditure on advocacy by NHS Grampian has increased since 2009-10—it was £131,000 then, but in this financial year it is £213,000. Those figures suggest that Grampian is going in the right direction. However, we will work with NHS boards, including Grampian, on the review of their advocacy plans. I will finish where I started: all NHS boards have a responsibility to meet local needs in this respect.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that an organisation that provides advocacy services should be independent of the organisation that it interacts with on behalf of an individual? Will she set out what the Scottish Government is doing to promote independent advocacy?
I agree with the principle underlying Jamie Hepburn’s question. The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 places a duty on health boards and local authorities to secure the provision of appropriate independent advocacy services for people with mental health problems and to take appropriate steps to ensure that such people have the opportunity to make use of those services. Obviously, those issues are important in the context of the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 as well. We take those issues very seriously and we will continue to work with NHS boards to ensure the adequacy and—to respond to Jamie Hepburn’s point—the independence of advocacy services.
The cabinet secretary may be aware of concerns expressed by advocacy organisations about the fact that the recently launched draft “Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2011-15” contained not one word about advocacy, in spite of the duty in the 2003 act to which the cabinet secretary referred a moment ago. Will she ensure that the final version of the strategy addresses the crucial issue of advocacy for mental health service users?
Yes, I am very happy to do that. I referred in my previous answer to the 2003 act—I cannot remember whether Malcolm Chisholm was a health minister when Parliament passed that act—which places very important statutory duties on health boards. Any omission in the draft strategy—I stress that it is a draft—is not intended to downplay those duties at all. I will take Malcolm Chisholm’s point on board and we will ensure that due consideration is given to that as the strategy progresses.
Disabled Students Allowance
The disabled students allowance is available to cover the cost of additional educational support related to a particular course of study, and assessments are carried out on that basis. The support is specific to the individual and tailored to their particular educational needs, whereas assessments for incapacity benefit or disability living allowance are more concerned with medical issues related to personal care or mobility.
Is the minister aware of the extra pressures that the extra assessment can put on disabled students, especially those with developmental disorders such as autism? Would she consider working with representative charities and support groups to find an alternative set of criteria?
I am aware of the particular challenges in engaging with young people with developmental disorders, whether Asperger’s or autism, and in ensuring that they get the right support at the right time. With regard to the assessments, I stress that there is nothing to fear: they are very much about the accredited assessor sitting down with the young person and agreeing what support they need while on their course to enable them to achieve their qualification. However, I am more than happy to contact universities and colleges to ensure that the assessments and processes are being presented in the right way. If there is anything that we can do in and around the process to make it more user friendly for young people, we will happily pursue that.
A9 (Berriedale Braes Improvements)
A geotechnical study of the A9 at Berriedale braes has recently been completed. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether realignment or a widening scheme could be constructed at that location. The study concluded that the ground conditions are reasonably favourable for both options and recommended that further ground investigation and a topographical survey be undertaken. The cost of the realignment option is estimated at £2.3 million.
Will the minister treat this road upgrade with the utmost urgency and thereby back the transformation of the economy of Caithness and north Sutherland? Will he seek partners such as the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and potential energy developers so as to deliver this £3 million—maximum—road scheme, which has been needed for many years? It appears to be Highland Council’s top priority should any slippage occur in the Scottish Government transport budget.
As I know the member is aware, there are substantial and competing pressures in prioritising road improvements throughout our trunk road network. However, he makes a constructive suggestion and we are happy to look at how we could, if possible, leverage in funding from other sources to move the project on. We will certainly do that.
Factors (Accountability)
The Scottish Government is making good progress towards implementation of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011. The act will require all factors, including those that provide land maintenance services, to be registered and to abide by a code of conduct. In addition, consumers will be able to approach a new tribunal, the home owner housing panel, if they are dissatisfied with the services that they receive. The draft code of conduct is out to public consultation and all key provisions in the act will be in place by October 2012.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that detailed answer. I bring to his attention the near-farcical situation in my constituency, where some residents have two factors doing the same work and charging residents through separate bills. What action can local people take to stop that practice?
Having referred to the code of conduct and approached the panel when it is established, they should make a complaint if the matter is not resolved by then. However, I believe that further legislation might be required in the area. We are actively looking at introducing legislation at a later stage to give people more power to switch companies or factors, because I believe that that competitive environment might be the best and most effective way of resolving many of these issues.
Social Rented Housing (Environmental Sustainability)
Sustainability labelling was introduced to building standards on 1 May. The principles are applicable to all new housing and build on the degree of sustainability that is already embedded in the building regulations. In providing grant subsidy to a programme of new-build social housing, we require high standards of energy efficiency—standards that will be achieved by compliance with current building regulations.
Given that the Scottish Government is investing record amounts in building new social rented housing, the opportunity should be taken to ensure that the investment also helps to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty in the long term. Will the minister provide an assurance that fuel efficiency is being prioritised in the Scottish Government’s house-building programme?
Absolutely. The member raises a valid issue. One of my first visits when I became Minister for Housing and Communities in the previous session was to the Lochside estate off the A76 in Dumfries. I met a tenant who had moved from an old two-bedroom flat to a new four-bedroom bungalow. Her gas bill went down from £40 a week to £36 a month as a result of the insulation and building standards of her new home. That is a typical example of the huge improvement in heating and insulation standards in new-build social housing throughout Scotland.
Same-sex Marriage
The consultation has not yet been completed and no decisions have been taken. However, as indicated in the foreword to the consultation, if the Scottish Government should decide to introduce a bill to Parliament, we will consult on the detail of any draft bill before it is formally introduced.
I entirely accept that the final decision will, of course, be made after the consultation. However, if the Government’s initial view continues to be that legislation should be brought forward, will the cabinet secretary confirm that there is no technical or legal barrier to introducing legislation next year, instead of delaying it until 2013? If Parliament and Government both want this done, surely it is best that it be done quickly.
I am sure that Patrick Harvie will understand that I am not going to be drawn too far into the post-consultation debate at this stage. It is right that we are having a consultation and that the Government listens to all the views that are put forward in that consultation.
I thank the cabinet secretary for what she has already said, but could she reassure people who are thinking of responding to the consultation that doing so is worth while and that the Government certainly has not made up its mind on how to proceed?
I have said many times before and I will say it again: this is a consultation. In the interests of honesty and transparency, the Government set out our initial view at the outset of the consultation. However, we also said that no final decision had been taken, and none will be taken until the consultation concludes and the responses to the consultation have been properly considered and analysed.
I am aware that, during the consultation, the cabinet secretary has met a wide range of representatives of Scotland’s religious faiths. Have they presented a diversity of opinion on the issue? I have a feeling that the media perception is that there is a particular view on their part, rather than a range of views.
I have not personally met representatives of every religious group that has submitted views to the consultation. However, among those who have submitted their views, there is a diversity of opinion. A few weeks ago, five of the groups that might be described as the smaller religious groups submitted a view that was in favour of legislation.
That ends general question time. I apologise to two members for the fact that we did not reach questions 9 and 10.
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