Plenary, 10 Dec 2009

Meeting date: Thursday, December 10, 2009

Official Report 673KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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General Questions

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Human Rights

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the potential impact on constitutional issues of Conservative party proposals to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998 in favour of a British bill of rights. (S3O-8807)

Robert Brown has a long-standing interest in human rights matters, and I fully understand the reason for his question. Repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 could have important constitutional implications in Scotland. The Scottish Government would expect to be consulted about the detail of any such future proposal by the United Kingdom Government.

I am grateful to the minister for his answer, but does he agree that Conservative proposals to water down the European convention on human rights are irresponsible and reprehensible? Does he further agree that human rights are a key foundation stone of our Scottish Parliament?

Will he explain why the Scottish National Party Government's international framework and international development strategy avoid committing Scotland to any human rights principles, and indeed fail to mention human rights at all? Is it wise for the SNP Government to take its lead from the Tories in that area? Will he raise the matter urgently with the newly responsible minister?

I refute entirely the second part of Robert Brown's questions.

Although human rights is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998, it is one in which the Scottish Government has a direct interest. The Government would oppose any proposals that did not adequately take account of Scotland's distinct legal system and identity or that undermined the effectiveness of where we are now.

I understand why Robert Brown raises the issue of the Conservatives' proposals, but from what we have seen so far we are totally unclear about what they mean. We do not know in what direction they are going. What we do know is that the Tories' track record in Scotland has been to act against the best interests of the people of Scotland on many occasions, and we can expect more of the same.

Question 2 has been withdrawn.

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Scottish Executive Relocations (Rural Areas)

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its posts have been relocated to rural areas since May 2007. (S3O-8797)

The Government will consider proposals to relocate posts based on the opportunity to deliver value for money and to ensure operational effectiveness for public administration. We will also consider the prospective relocations under the small units initiative.

When the Scottish Government announced its relocation policy in January 2008, the minister indicated that small unit relocations would continue and that particular weight would be given to communities deemed to be remote, rural or fragile, of which there are many in Scotland, including in the South of Scotland. I ask the minister again, how many posts have been relocated in the past two and a half years?

Elaine Murray shares my lively interest in the matter. That was the case when she was on the Finance Committee when it considered the matter in detail. The focus now has to be on legitimate rural needs and what we are doing to pull them forward. Essentially, we are organising asset management so that we know exactly what properties there are and where the potential is. We are also working with local authorities, the Scottish local authorities economic development group, community planning partnerships and the business organisations to ensure that there is a new localism and a pull towards local areas, and that we can make a compelling case for people to relocate to those areas.

For the third time, how many jobs? If the minister evades the question again, can we assume that it is none?

The issue here is one of positioning ourselves to move forward. We are in a recession, and the issue now is to ensure that we come through this period more competitive, in a much better position and much more able to create genuine localism. In terms of assets, working with local authorities and the business community, and energising community planning partnerships, the Government is positioning Scotland for that new beginning.

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Wick High School

To ask the Scottish Executive what further discussions it has had with the Highland Council regarding funding for a new Wick high school. (S3O-8819)

Subsequent to the announcement on 28 September that Wick high school would be one of the first 14 secondary schools to benefit from the new £1.25 billion school building programme, discussions have taken place between the council and the Scottish Futures Trust on how best to take the project forward.

The school is far from being fit for purpose and people in Wick have waited for a very long time. Will the minister undertake to keep a close personal eye on the situation and continue to liaise as closely as possible with Highland Council to ensure that the project is not kicked into the long grass and that we see positive progress towards the laying of the first brick?

I am happy to give that assurance. The member will be aware that the council is undertaking a feasibility study to ascertain whether a refurbishment or a rebuild would represent best value for money, and consultation with key stakeholders is continuing. The feasibility study is due to be completed in mid-January 2010, and matters will be taken forward as swiftly as possible thereafter.

As the project could become a benchmark for good practice, I ask the minister what range of options to pay for the transformation of Wick high school should be considered by Highland Council with the Scottish Futures Trust, whose mission is better-run procurement, in order to ensure early progress towards the urgent renewal of the school?

First, I congratulate Rob Gibson, Jamie Stone and everyone else who is involved in the campaign for Wick high school.

I refer to my previous answer. The feasibility study, which is continuing, will answer some of the questions, as will the continuing discussions with the Scottish Futures Trust. Ultimately, however, the decision is entirely a matter for Highland Council, which I understand is still at the stage of considering what work needs to be done at the school. For that reason, I am unable to comment further at present.

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Stroke Rehabilitation Services

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that rehabilitation services for stroke patients are adequate throughout Scotland. (S3O-8761)

The better heart disease and stroke care action plan has a particular emphasis on all aspects of rehabilitation following stroke. There are some excellent examples of stroke rehabilitation services, including some that use telehealth care. However, as we acknowledge in the action plan, access to specialist stroke rehabilitation outside hospital has been patchy. That is why we have made it clear that community health partnerships need to work with stroke managed clinical networks and rehabilitation co-ordinators to make such services available much more consistently throughout Scotland.

I agree, and I support that. Stroke patients in Highland acknowledge the excellent care and treatment at Raigmore hospital. Unfortunately, however, access to aftercare and rehabilitation is more difficult. In particular, access to physiotherapy, which is known to be hugely beneficial to stroke patients, appears to be limited to an initial number of sessions following discharge. Will the health secretary look into aftercare and rehabilitation services for stroke patients and ensure that adequate and appropriate physiotherapy services are provided?

I am sure that NHS Highland will be pleased with Mary Scanlon's comment about Raigmore hospital, which I had the pleasure of visiting earlier this week.

Mary Scanlon makes some valid and legitimate points. I recognise that there is work to be done. Work is continuing to make rehabilitation services for people who suffer stroke much more consistent throughout the country. The action plan that I mentioned requires NHS boards to ensure that early supported discharge and community rehabilitation teams are integrated and easily accessible. As Mary Scanlon will be aware, rehabilitation co-ordinators have been appointed in every NHS board, and specialist stroke rehabilitation services will be included in the redesign of rehabilitation services that the co-ordinators are carrying out. The intention of that work is to identify gaps in provision. That comment applies throughout Scotland, of course, but it is particularly relevant to the areas that Mary Scanlon mentioned.

What percentage of stroke patients who use rehabilitation services make a partial or full recovery?

I think that everybody recognises that the road to recovery following stroke is, in most cases, a long and hard one. Half of the people who survive a stroke will have some level of impairment as a result of it. Nevertheless, with the right support, some degree of recovery is usually possible for most people. It is thought that up to 80 per cent of people who survive a stroke are amenable to rehabilitation. That statistic and that potential underline Mary Scanlon's point and the importance of ensuring that rehabilitation services are available to people on a consistent basis.

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NHS Lanarkshire (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of NHS Lanarkshire. (S3O-8784)

I meet all national health service chairs regularly. The most recent meeting was on 23 November. The Minister for Public Health and Sport met NHS Lanarkshire on 20 October when she chaired the board's annual review.

I wonder whether, at the next meeting, the minister could discuss the state of our health centre in East Kilbride. I read with great concern our local newspaper, the East Kilbride News, which told us that our largest health centre, which caters for more than 50,000 patients, has been branded a safety hazard by staff and the public.

Before we get the usual misinformation about Westminster being a terrible thing, about the pre-budget report and about budgets, I remind the minister that the decision in effect to drop the renewal of the Hunter health centre was taken by the SNP in 2007. It was a decision by the minister and the minister alone. Will she reverse that decision?

I also wonder whether she would care to address the recent report by the Auditor General for Scotland, paragraph 54 of which tells us:

"the retention of three A&E departments in Lanarkshire has affected the level of resource that can be allocated to primary care".

Well, well, well. Andy Kerr must be one of the only people in Scotland—if not the only person—who still argues for the closure of the accident and emergency department at Monklands. No wonder Labour is still behind in the polls in Scotland. The Government was right to save the A and E departments at Monklands and Ayr, and the vast majority of people in Scotland back us in that decision.

The crux of the matter is that we saved those A and E departments while ensuring that, in the case of NHS Lanarkshire, it had increased capital budgets in order to invest in primary care services.

Read the report.

Andy Kerr says, "Read the report." Let me read out some of the primary care developments that are being delivered as we speak by NHS Lanarkshire—Caird house in Hamilton, Coatbridge dental and integrated resource centre, the learning disabilities assessment and treatment centre at Kirklands, and the Carluke health centre. Those are examples of real investment in primary care.

On Andy Kerr's important point about Hunter health centre in East Kilbride, I have seen the report in question and I was concerned to learn of the difficulties that had been experienced there as a result of the heavy rains. I have been assured by the NHS board that the necessary repairs have been made and that it will continue to monitor carefully the situation.

In conclusion, I am proud to be part of a Government that has safeguarded essential services in our hospitals while ensuring that we continue to invest in primary care—something that the previous Administration was unable to do.

Given the cabinet secretary's response, can she tell the people of the Monklands area when they can expect substantial investment in Monklands general hospital to ensure its long-term future, given all the promises that the SNP made before the election?

I thank Elaine Smith for her support for the Government's decision to save the accident and emergency unit at Monklands hospital. She is right to point to the issues around investment in the hospital. We expect an initial agreement in early 2010, which will develop options for what will be complex work with a significant capital value to upgrade the hospital to meet current standards. I am happy to keep Elaine Smith apprised of developments in that regard.

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Sustainable Development Commission Annual Review (Transport)

To ask the Scottish Government what conclusions it has drawn from the annual review of the Sustainable Development Commission Scotland as it relates to transport. (S3O-8843)

Sustainable development is at the heart of our commitment to sustainable economic growth. We welcome the Sustainable Development Commission's report and its positive assessment of much of the work that we are doing. We will consider carefully all its specific recommendations, including those on transport policy.

The commission refers to strategies to discourage driving, such as pricing and fuel taxes. Does the minister agree that in rural areas there will always be a greater proportion of unavoidable vehicle journeys? Is he therefore committed to ensuring that the measures that are adopted to discourage driving in urban areas do not adversely affect rural areas?

Yes. Much of Scotland is clearly rural in character; indeed, as the area that I represent is in the mainland council area with the highest proportion of people living in a rural setting, I certainly understand the member's point. We also understand the tension between trying to reduce the number of very short journeys that are undertaken in urban settings and appreciating the social and economic necessity of journeys that are undertaken in rural areas.

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M8 (Traffic Volume)

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-8422 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 November 2009, whether it will provide full details of all available traffic volume projections for the M8 motorway between the south side of the Kingston bridge and Glasgow airport, expressed in proportion to design capacity. (S3O-8779)

We do not hold the information requested as traffic forecasts are calculated on a specific project-by-project basis.

I thank the minister for his answer, although I have to say that I am very disappointed by it. All roads authorities should be monitoring traffic volumes against design capacity now and in the future.

Given that the stretch of road in question has the highest proportion of vehicles carrying manufactured goods for export of any stretch of road in Scotland, will he consider monitoring capacity issues on it—and, indeed, on all Scotland's trunk roads and motorways—and reporting the outcomes to Parliament?

We carry out very substantial monitoring of the road network. For example, I can tell the chamber that between junctions 23 and 24 on the M8, the afternoon westbound peak is 4,000 vehicles and the eastbound peak is 3,300. As I say, we certainly measure what goes on on our road network, but capacity is a different matter. As engineering knowledge develops, capacity changes. Instead of being able to supply instantaneously an answer for each part of our road network, we tend to consider such matters when we are required to do so.

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Orkney Islands Council (Funding)

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address the difference in the funding it provides to Orkney Islands Council when compared with that provided to the other two island councils. (S3O-8810)

The recent joint review with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities of the local government distribution methodology considered the issues and concluded that the current indicators of relative need were fair and reasonable and should be retained.

I thank the minister not only for his answer, but for stepping in at late notice.

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth's comment last week that

"there were no genuine anomalies"—[Official Report, 26 November 2009; c 21560.]

in the current council funding formula was greeted with incredulity in Orkney. Given the difference in the per head of population funding between Orkney and Shetland—and, more particularly, between Orkney and the Western Isles—the statement made little sense. Will the minister urge the cabinet secretary urgently to look again at this issue, not least in light of the cuts and efficiencies that Orkney Islands Council, like all other councils, is being required to make?

The joint review of local government distribution concluded that the existing needs-based indicators should be retained because they are reasonable and generally fair. I point out that all 32 local authorities were given the opportunity to identify genuine anomalies and that the director of finance of Orkney Islands Council was one of the local authority representatives on the review group. Councils working on a cross-party, cross-Scotland basis have agreed that the current system remains fit for purpose and suitable for all 32 councils.

I also point out that all councils with island communities receive additional provision through the special needs allowance. Under the current settlement, Orkney, for example, receives an additional £5.8 million each year and in 2009-10 and 2010-11 will receive a larger share of core revenue funding than either Shetland or the Western Isles. Finally, I remind Liam McArthur that the present distribution formula is the same one that we inherited from the previous Administration.

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Bus Services

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans in order to safeguard bus services across Scotland. (S3O-8775)

We are taking forward a number of initiatives with local government partners and bus operators to maintain and improve bus services, including quality partnerships, punctuality improvement partnerships and the appointment of a senior bus development adviser.

Does the minister agree that it is unacceptable that bus routes that provide many communities with their only convenient access to local services such as hospitals are being withdrawn? If he does agree with me, what specific action will his Government take to ensure that that practice does not continue?

I agree that we have an issue with a number of bus routes, which is one of the reasons why we have appointed the senior bus development adviser to help local councils to discharge their responsibilities in that regard. We are also promoting statutory bus partnerships; I welcome Glasgow City Council's progress on that. We will work with councils across Scotland to ensure that we have the best possible bus services everywhere.

That concludes general questions, but before we come to First Minister's questions, I know that members will want to join me in welcoming to the gallery the Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Bobby McDonagh, and the Cuban Ambassador, His Excellency René Mujica Cantelar.