SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Highlands (Young People)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage young people to live and work in the Highlands. (S2O-11594)
Our key strategies, which include determined to succeed, our targeted support for people in the not in education, employment or training group and our funding of thousands of modern apprenticeships, aim to maximise the opportunities that are available to young people throughout the region.
Does the minister acknowledge that a major barrier to young people staying in the Highlands is the lack of affordable housing, particularly in areas of high second-home ownership? Will he please outline what the Scottish Executive proposes to do to alleviate that problem in the Highlands and elsewhere in Scotland?
I largely agree with that prognosis. We must get the fundamentals right, which means creating economic and employment opportunities. The record-high employment rate in the region and the economic activity rate of about 83 per cent, which is higher than that for the rest of Scotland, constitute almost full employment. Allied to that, we must provide places for people to live if they are to work in the region.
It is highly appropriate that the minister who moved Scottish Natural Heritage's headquarters closer to the heritage that it is paid to monitor and protect is answering the question. Does he agree that the decision that Highlands and Islands Enterprise took five years ago to move 30 jobs from Inverness to Benbecula and the United Kingdom Government's decision to relocate 100 jobs from Whitehall to Stornoway have helped to convince the private sector to move jobs to places such as the Western Isles? Does he agree that the Scottish Executive's policy of relocation must remain in place and must continue to be pursued aggressively?
I agree. The Executive and I take pride in the decision that took Scottish Natural Heritage to Inverness. Our relocation policy represents a good example of how the public sector can influence employment patterns as well as social systems in rural areas such as the Highlands.
Recent ministerial answers show that more than 10 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds left Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross in 2000-01 and it is likely that such a number has left every year. The minister agreed that housing should be built, but surely the housing programme must be linked to a commitment to job dispersal to Caithness to stimulate the economy and to offer a choice for young people who wish to stay in the far north. What job dispersal can he offer the far north?
I have referred to steps that I and people in other departments have taken to disperse jobs. The Executive remains committed to job dispersal as a whole.
The minister will be aware that ferry services are particularly important if we want to keep young people on our islands. Is he aware of what has recently happened on the island of Gigha, where there was a much-publicised community buy-out? On several occasions, dairy farmers have been unable to get their milk off the island and to the creamery in Campbeltown because the ferry could not get into the harbour at Tayinloan because it was too silted up. Will he please ensure that something is done about that?
I will look out my spade. To take the issue seriously, I am not aware of those circumstances, but I will discuss what has happened with the Minister for Transport.
Police Powers (DNA Profiles)
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new powers to retain DNA will have on the detection of crime in communities. (S2O-11618)
Since 1 January, the police have been able to retain for up to three years the DNA profiles of those who have been accused of sexual or violent offences. The police have welcomed the new power, as DNA has proved to be a valuable tool in the fight against crime. In future, the police will have a better chance of quickly catching offenders who have been accused in the past, because they will be on the DNA database.
I have been a victim of crime on more than one occasion, as have many of my constituents. Can the minister reassure me that the new powers are entirely compatible with our obligations under the European convention on human rights?
The Parliament debated that matter. I am aware that there is a range of views on retaining DNA. We believe that the new powers are entirely compatible with the ECHR. Hugh Henry, who was then the Deputy Minister for Justice, said in the debate that we must recognise that people are considered to be innocent until it has been proven that they are guilty of committing a crime and are convicted in court. Nonetheless, we believe that the powers will be a useful tool in the fight against crime.
The minister is correct to say that the new proposals that the Parliament agreed and the police are implementing are welcome. People who have been charged with sexual offences are a potential danger and their DNA should be retained. However, does she agree that taking matters further and retaining for ever and a day the DNA of citizens who have simply co-operated with the police and done their duty as good citizens would undermine the trust that exists between our citizens and the state, and that doing so would represent a retrograde and detrimental step?
I appreciate that many people have concerns about that matter, but our current priority is to implement the new measures and to see them working effectively. Of course arguments can be made for extending the powers, but the matter would have to be debated in the Parliament.
Does the minister agree that DNA is simply an aid to detective work and policing and that it is not the be-all and end-all in detecting crime and bringing criminals to justice?
DNA is one tool among many tools—I hope that I made that clear in my initial answer. Bringing criminals to justice will continue to depend on police forces having the appropriate personnel at their disposal. We are doing our best to ensure that Scottish police forces have the appropriate personnel and resources at their disposal to fight crime.
Euan Robson is not present to ask question 3.
Police (Recruitment)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether police forces are required to follow its guidance on recruitment, contained in police circular 8/2003. (S2O-11662)
As the member will be aware from answers to parliamentary questions that she has lodged, issues relating to police recruitment are a matter for individual chief constables. The guidance in police circulars is provided to chief constables to advise them in their operational decision making. It is for chief constables alone to determine which individuals are or are not suitable for appointment to the police service.
The minister is correct to say that I have received answers to my parliamentary questions. However, I have a copy of a letter from her department to a constituent of mine that intimates that the guidance became regulations—I refer to the 2004 police regulations.
Ms Fabiani has lodged questions on the matter and there has been correspondence on it over a period of time. It is important to realise that I cannot comment on a case that is, I understand, the subject of employment tribunal proceedings. That said, I will give a general response. Revised guidelines have been issued to Scottish police forces that must be taken account of in recruitment procedures. However, other matters may have been taken into account when people have been recruited. It is, of course, up to chief constables to decide who the most appropriate individuals are to have in their force.
Edinburgh Trams
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on the business case for Edinburgh trams. (S2O-11597)
A decision is expected next month.
The minister will be aware of concerns about tram access to the Western general hospital before the bill was passed and concerns in recent weeks about the proposed feeder bus service. Will he give an assurance that he will consider the provision of properly integrated bus and tram services when he considers the business case? Crucially, will he ensure that the dedicated feeder bus service that Transport Initiatives Edinburgh promised NHS Lothian and the Parliament goes ahead fully?
I will be happy to consider the issues relating to the dedicated bus service that Margaret Smith mentions and to ensure that they are fully taken into account when the business case is assessed. Margaret Smith will be aware that accessibility is one of the issues that must be considered under the Scottish transport appraisal guidance when any business case is assessed. The integration of heavy rail services, the tram system and Edinburgh's excellent bus services will therefore be looked at in the final consideration of the business case, which, as I said, is expected to be decided on next month.
Does the minister realise that, with the exception of one Scottish National Party council member, the whole of the City of Edinburgh Council voted in support of the whole of the tram network, including the spur from Haymarket to Granton? Does he realise that local residents often contact me to ensure that that part of the network is developed, and does he realise that the development of the Granton waterfront heavily depends on that part of the tram network being built? Will he therefore ensure that funding is made available for the whole network, including the spur from Haymarket to Granton?
As Mr Chisholm knows, the current funding is for the first phase of the project. However, I understand what he has said about Granton and the later phases of the project. He also knows that further developer contributions would help that element of the project. Significant investment is already taking place in private sector housing and business opportunities by a number of organisations and companies, including Forth Ports plc, which I met recently met to discuss the matter.
Is the minister aware of the 17 November communication from the assessor of the Lothian Valuation Joint Board that said that rates relief has been agreed for businesses that will be affected by the construction of the proposed tram system, and that it has been estimated that that relief will cost £18 million? Does he agree that that figure does not appear in any of the costings or in the business case; that the cost would be borne by the Scottish taxpayer; and that, until now, the Executive, although it has been informed of the issue, has chosen to keep quiet about it? Does his predecessor's undertaking that the Executive's contribution to the scheme will not be increased still stand, or will there be hidden extra costs to the taxpayer, as was the case with the Parliament building?
Mr Ewing works himself up into righteous indignation on the tram project, as he does on all projects. It would be great if he concentrated on keeping to the positives. I notice that Mr Ewing, the Scottish National Party's transport spokesman, did not concentrate on that party's policy flip-flop on the issue: the SNP used to support the Edinburgh trams project, but it is now opposed to it. On every transport project, Mr Ewing tries to find some small issue so that he can say that the project is good or bad and so justify the SNP's policy of changing its mind. The only consistent thing about the SNP is that it changes its mind.
I welcome the progress that has been made on what will be an ambitious step forward for Edinburgh's transport infrastructure. I also welcome the minister's statement that further developments will take place. In that regard, I seek an assurance from him that he will continue to work with the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure that the city gets a third tramline to serve the south-east of the city in the future.
I hope that we can make further progress on this exciting project, not only for Edinburgh, but for the whole of Scotland. I give Susan Deacon the assurance that she seeks. One important aspect is to consider what is happening internationally, which some parties are keen to do. If we examine the Luas scheme in Dublin, we find that the project is now making an operational surplus and is transporting people throughout the city of Dublin. The scheme has achieved that by expanding and by levering in more developer contributions. That is an exciting possibility for our capital city, too.
Glasgow Housing Association (Commercial Properties)
To ask the Scottish Executive what knowledge it has of complaints that Glasgow Housing Association's acquisition of commercial properties in 2003 was in breach of competition law. (S2O-11655)
I am aware that a petition has been sent to the European Parliament alleging an infringement of European Community procurement law. At this stage, the Scottish Executive does not believe that there was any breach of EC competition law in the Glasgow stock transfer in respect of the commercial properties that are referred to in the petition. We will of course be happy to assist the Parliament and/or the European Commission in any inquiries.
The minister is aware of the petition, but is he also aware of correspondence from the European Commission to United Kingdom authorities regarding the transfer, to which as yet it has received no reply? Has the minister or the Scottish Executive entered into correspondence on the matter and, if so, what does that entail?
The Executive has received an administrative inquiry from the Commission about the GHA and has answered the Commission's questions. I repeat that, at this stage, we do not believe that there has been any breach of EC law in relation to the Glasgow stock transfer.
One Scotland (Website)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to include statistics on the Irish community in Scotland on the website of its one Scotland, many cultures campaign and what the reasons are for its position on the matter. (S2O-11633)
The one Scotland, many cultures website includes statistics on the Irish community in Scotland: there is a link to the "Analysis of Ethnicity in the 2001 Census: Summary Report" in the ethnicity data section, and there is a section on Irish migration in the section on the history of migration.
I want to make the minister aware that I and many others in the Irish community in Scotland are concerned that the Scottish Executive's claim on its one Scotland, many cultures website that the Pakistani community is the biggest ethnic minority in the country is factually inaccurate. We are also concerned that its recognition of only non-white ethnic minorities undermines the excellent aims of the campaign. Does the minister acknowledge that as 50,000 Irish-born people and 100,000 people who have an Irish parent live in Scotland and as the multigenerational Irish community in Scotland has almost 500,000 people, the continuing failure properly to acknowledge the existence and importance of the Irish community in the country prevents the development of a proper understanding of the problems of racism and sectarianism in Scotland?
I make it clear that racism is absolutely unacceptable, whomever it is directed at, including invisible minorities in Scotland, such as the Irish, the English or new communities arriving from the new European Union accession states. That is one of the key messages of the one Scotland campaign. Racism and discrimination are experienced by a number of different racial and ethnic groups in Scotland. The awareness campaign cannot attempt to address all those groups individually. However, although the campaign does not deal specifically with racism toward Irish people, the fundamental messages are the same. The key issue is to tackle the underlying attitudes and behaviours, whomever they are directed at and however they are manifested.
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