SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Finance and Public Services and Communities
Planning (Community Involvement)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to involve communities in the planning system. (S2O-6712)
Our planning white paper will set out a range of reforms to ensure that local people have better opportunities to participate in the planning system.
The minister will be aware of my persistent lobbying for a qualified community right of appeal. Although I do not believe everything that I read in the press, I think that some reassurances are required. Will he make a commitment today to consider all the proposals to redress the imbalance between the rights of developers to challenge planning decisions and communities' lack of rights to do so? If the Executive is not going to support a qualified third-party right of appeal, will he consider removing, reducing or qualifying developers' rights of appeal?
We are giving full consideration to rights of appeal, with regard not only to third parties, but to how the system can operate more effectively and more fairly in relation to developers—Pauline McNeill is right that that is one aspect that we are examining. More generally, it is well known that there are disagreements in society and in the Parliament about the details of the most effective way in which to introduce more community participation into the planning system. However, we are determined to pursue that objective and to create better opportunities for local people to have a say. In many cases, local people feel alienated from the planning system and unable to have the input that they want.
The minister will be aware that I have resubmitted my bill on third-party rights of appeal, but is he also aware of the widespread anger in communities about the Executive's complete refusal to consider third-party rights of appeal? He has mentioned clarification, but he must clarify to the people whether he is willing to have third-party rights of appeal. Does he agree with me and others that the consultation process was essentially a sham to get rid of third-party rights of appeal and that the real—
Question.
I am asking whether the minister agrees with me. Does he agree that the Executive's real purpose is to centralise the planning process?
Sandra White should wait to see the whole package of reforms that we will bring forward in the near future before she makes sweeping statements that are based on selective quotations from allegedly leaked documents. She makes the charge that we have given no consideration to third-party rights of appeal. If I can exaggerate slightly, I have considered little else for the past seven months. We have given serious—and I mean serious—consideration to the issues and we have examined the underlying problems of the planning system. We want to ensure that we are governed by the principle of greater community involvement in the system.
In addition to the point that the minister kindly referred to, I raise an issue from the same angle as Pauline McNeill did. Does the minister accept that there could be a level playing field between developers and communities in a limited appeal process if we took account of the fact that councils are increasingly involved with developers in joint development and so are not a neutral referee, which is how their role was originally conceived in the planning legislation? The aspect of council involvement must be considered in a right of appeal.
I am not sure that I fully understood the details of what Donald Gorrie said, but we certainly want to involve communities at an early stage. In answer to the charge of centralisation, we also want to ensure that local authorities are at the centre of the planning system. Of course, we fully recognise the crucial role of local authorities in speaking for and being accountable to local communities. However, I think that people should wait until they can see the full range and detail of our planning reforms before making wide-ranging criticisms of them.
Scottish Executive Staff (Accountants)
To ask the Scottish Executive how many accountants it employs and what their annual cost is. (S2O-6642)
The Scottish Executive and its associated bodies employ accountants in a wide range of roles throughout the organisation. The Scottish Executive and its executive agencies employ 99 qualified accountants under the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies standard, at an average cost of £44,000 each. Forty-seven of those are employed in core departments and the remainder in agencies and the Crown Office.
On the basis of the minister's answer, the Executive is spending in the order of £4.4 million in employing 99 accountants. Why, therefore, is it spending an additional £2.5 million on hiring accountants at high rates of pay from firms such as Ernst & Young, which it paid £2 million in the most recent financial year? We do not want to get in a position where we rely more on people who do not understand public services, at the expense of those who are working in the public services and whom we should trust and rely on for their decisions.
That is a strange position for a party that alleges that it is open about the entire economy in Scotland. The Executive appoints consultants only where there is an ad hoc need for specific skills and where those skills are not available within the organisation. Very careful consideration is given to whether we appoint external consultants.
Nuclear Power (Planning Applications)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it envisages that the Parliament will be involved in consideration of any planning applications for new nuclear power stations. (S2O-6655)
The Scottish Executive's policy is clearly set out in its programme for government. We will not support new nuclear power stations in Scotland while radioactive waste management issues remain unresolved. In the event of an application coming forward, it would require the consent of Scottish ministers under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and the Parliament would be fully involved in the consideration of such an important matter.
Does the minister agree that the communities of Scotland and, indeed, the Scottish Parliament should have the ultimate say on whether new nuclear power stations are built in Scotland? Is it the case that he has attempted to grab new powers so that ministers can take those decisions and bypass the people of Scotland, who would not be allowed to object on the basis of need?
As the First Minister made clear this morning, we have powers to prevent nuclear power stations from being built in Scotland. I make it absolutely clear that none of the planning proposals that I or the Executive have been considering during the past few months will make any difference whatsoever to the arrangements for nuclear power stations. It is absolutely disgraceful that such an allegation has been made without one shred of evidence for it.
Relocation Policy (Highlands)
To ask the Scottish Executive which Highland locations are currently being considered for the relocation of its departments and agencies. (S2O-6685)
The Scottish Executive is currently working with local authorities and local enterprise companies including Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to identify suitable locations for the relocation of departments, agencies and sponsored public sector bodies. The list of potential locations will be published on the Scottish Executive website in June.
I look forward to the publication of that list. I draw the minister's attention to the possibilities arising from renewable power—a subject that will be of great interest to him in his constituency. As we develop nuclear, I mean, renewable power—[Laughter.] I say to my nationalist friends that that was not a Freudian slip. As we develop renewable power, we should try to maximise job relocation potential. I am thinking particularly of academic and research jobs. Working with the UHI Millennium Institute, Highland Council and others, we could consider relocating whole departments. In that way, we could have the academics and the brainpower on the sites where renewable energy is being developed.
Mr Stone makes a pertinent point on the connection between the development of renewable power and the potential for considering the various bodies—from industry and the public sector—that might be involved in the process. We will be happy to consider proposals. Another point worthy of note is that Highland Council has itself been a leading light in relocating posts within its area. It has already relocated harbour management to Lochinver. That is a good precedent that I can only encourage other bodies in the Highlands and Islands to follow.
Will the minister show his commitment to partnership working when relocating jobs from Edinburgh? Will he speak to the Minister for Health and Community Care about the review of NHS 24 call centres and will he consider setting up smaller call centres throughout the Highlands, given that many nurses have to leave their home areas to find a job?
I will be happy to discuss with health ministers the issues raised by Ms Scanlon. She raises important points on NHS 24 and she is of course aware that a review is in progress. I would not wish to mislead her, so I must say that I do not think that the review is considering location. However, I will be happy to take up the points that she makes with colleagues in the Scottish Executive Health Department.
Relocation Policy (Guidance)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is applying new guidance for the relocation of civil servants. (S2O-6680)
New guidance on the relocation review process was published in January 2005 for consultation. Responses are being considered and finalised guidance should be available in June. However, many of the principles in the guidance are already being applied. For example, reviews are now being published and they show that locations are being compared more consistently. That demonstrates an improvement in transparency and consistency in the review process.
Notwithstanding the interest of my colleague Mr Stone in his constituents, will the minister ensure that the new and welcome guidance on relocation is applied to senior civil servants and that their departments and agencies are considered for relocation to the Borders, in particular to Selkirk and Walkerburn in my constituency? Does he agree that, if the departments and agencies were relocated to those areas, their productivity, effectiveness and efficiency would be improved?
Mr Purvis was at the Finance Committee when the issue was scrutinised. He raises points about effectiveness and efficiency. The operational effectiveness and efficiency of government can generally be enhanced by relocation. He mentions particular areas and I commend him for his perseverance. However, while he was speaking, I heard Mr Robson, who is sitting to my left, quietly mention a couple of other places. The exciting aspect of the relocation policy is that there is no lack of choice.
In the new guidance that the minister will introduce on the relocation of civil servants, has he considered setting targets for areas of the country that have small numbers of civil servants? I am thinking in particular of Angus and Perth and Kinross, in my area. Will the Government focus on boosting the number of civil service organisations in those areas?
I will make two points. First, I hope that Mr Swinney will be pleased that the Scottish Executive is considering the strategic overview of relocation to ensure that socioeconomic factors, which are already a big part of the process, will be enshrined in decision making—I hope that that will enhance and augment the arguments that he makes for parts of his constituency. Secondly, the small-units aspect of the relocation policy will be of particular importance to the areas that he mentions. We encourage local enterprise companies and local authorities in his part of Scotland to suggest locations. We will be happy to consider those suggestions along with the suggestions from other areas that make similar cases.
Fresh Talent Initiative
To ask the Scottish Executive why there is a need for the fresh talent initiative, given that the level of inward immigration in 2003-04 was 27,000, three times the fresh talent target. (S2O-6636)
It is encouraging to see the registrar general's mid-year population estimates for 2004 showing an increase. However, there remain long-term demographic challenges. Taking the short-term view that is implied in Mr Gallie's question would do our people and economy a disservice. We will need a constant flow of fresh talent over the next decade if we are to succeed in our twin ambitions of reversing population decline and strengthening Scotland's position in the global economy.
The fresh talent initiative is based on concerns that the minister and others have expressed about Scotland's birth rate. However, our conception rate is extremely good. Does he agree that it might be practical to encourage mothers who are considering having abortions—12,000 of which are conducted every year in Scotland—instead to have those babies adopted?
It will come as no surprise to the chamber to learn that I have no intention of agreeing with those sentiments. A better idea would be for Phil Gallie and his colleagues to stop offering such ridiculous suggestions, accept the decision of the people of Scotland and just go away and allow our country to enjoy its new position in the world.
Given the chronic shortage of language teachers in Scotland, is the minister aware that a fully qualified Canadian French teacher was refused General Teaching Council for Scotland recognition because she had not spent enough time in a French-speaking country, even though she had a university degree in French, German and linguistics, a second degree in French translation and technical writing from a French-language campus, a Canadian bachelor of education qualification, for which she had studied in French, a teaching certificate and teaching experience, as well as a specialisation in teaching French as a second language, with the majority of tuition in French? Of course, all of that had been achieved in a country in which French has equal-language status. How can we attract fresh talent when the GTC displays that kind of attitude?
I understand the member's concerns. It is always useful if such cases are brought to us and I would appreciate it if he would write to us with further details. Clearly, I will take an interest in the matter and will ask the Minister for Education and Young People to do so as well. We will ensure that a comprehensive reply is forwarded to the member.
Civil Service Reform
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making on its plans for civil service reform. (S2O-6693)
We want the civil service in Scotland to be the exemplar of efficient and innovative government in the United Kingdom. Through our changing to deliver programme, we have made significant progress in relation to the way in which the Executive works with stakeholders and how it develops and delivers policy. We have made progress in all the specific areas of change listed in the First Minister's reply to Susan Deacon of 8 September 2004.
Does the minister share my concern about the continuing underrepresentation of women in the civil service, particularly in its senior ranks? Will he share with the chamber what measures are being undertaken within the changing to deliver programme to address that situation and to enhance the opportunities for career development and progression for women, particularly at the most senior levels? Will he even go so far as to agree with me that an increase in the number of women around the top table in the civil service might, in itself, have a positive impact on efforts to change the culture within the organisation?
I have no hesitation in agreeing that the increasing representation of women in all walks of life in Scotland has contributed significantly to our society. It is self-evident that an increasing number of female representatives in this chamber has changed the nature of our debate for the good. We stand in a positive position compared to other parts of the world, including our neighbours south of the border.
Education and Young People, Tourism, Culture and Sport
London Olympic Bid
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it and its agencies are committed to spending to promote London's bid for the 2012 Olympics. (S2O-6662)
Direct expenditure incurred by the Scottish Executive to promote the United Kingdom's bid for the 2012 Olympics to be held in London amounts to £653.71, with no further commitments planned. Sportscotland and EventScotland have jointly spent £36,075 and have committed, but not yet incurred, a further £17,365, excluding VAT and staff costs.
Is the minister aware of the conclusion of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee that the cost to Scotland, through lost lottery money, of holding the 2012 Olympics in London will be in the order of £70 million? Given that £65 million of applications for sports lottery funding have been turned down in the past three years, that represents a huge dent in expenditure on sport in Scotland in the period to come.
I am aware of the report to which Mr Neil refers. I say to him and to the Parliament that the amount of money that is spent on good causes in Scotland as a result of lottery funding is guaranteed until 2009 and consultations will take place shortly on where lottery money will go thereafter. I also say to Mr Neil that it is clear that sporting interests in Scotland back the bid and so does business. Last time there was a poll on the matter, we found that 71 per cent of Scots support the idea of the UK bid. Unfortunately for Mr Neil, less than 18 per cent of Scots decided to vote for his party last week. It is clear that Scotland backs the bid; it just does not back the Scottish National Party.
Does the minister agree that the 2012 Olympic bid would be stronger if it included rugby sevens as a proposed Olympic sport and Melrose as a proposed venue? Notwithstanding the fact that the bid, unfortunately, does not include those proposals, will the Executive give support to rugby sevens over and above the amount of money that the minister indicated in her answer to Mr Neil?
I would not want to indicate that our support for rugby sevens would be restricted to any one part of Scotland. We are keen to ensure that sports in Scotland are given the support that they need and we also want to ensure that they have the proper governance in place to allow them to go forward. Rugby sevens is one of the sports in which Scotland excels. I had the pleasure of watching our youth team compete in the Commonwealth games and although it was not particularly successful on that occasion it shows a great deal of potential for the future. We should applaud it and watch it with interest.
Sportswomen (Equality)
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are taken to guarantee that sportswomen receive funding, provision of sports facilities and respect equal to their male counterparts. (S2O-6696)
The Executive is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all people in Scotland. The announcement earlier this week of an award of £138,000 to the Scottish Football Association to help the continued growth of women's and girls' football is a clear demonstration of that commitment. In addition, the recent appointment of a women, girls and sport officer by sportscotland will lead to a comprehensive programme of positive action to encourage participation, leadership, performance and excellence among women and girls.
Will the minister join me in wishing the Scottish women's international football team every success in its game against Finland on 20 May? Women's football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. Also, will the minister emphasise the importance of the link between sport, exercise, diet and health and outline any further plans to promote female participation in sport?
Marlyn Glen is right to highlight women's and girls' football as one of the growing areas of sport in Scotland and the United Kingdom. The Parliament will want to join me in encouraging our women's team and wishing it well for its game against Finland.
Autistic Children (Schools)
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines exist to ensure that parents of autistic children have a choice in whether their children are educated in special educational needs units attached to mainstream schools or in stand-alone special educational needs schools. (S2O-6666)
The Executive issued guidance in April 2002 to help education authorities to review their policies for all children with special educational needs in the light of section 15 of the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Act 2000.
Will the minister accept that parents of the 40 autistic children—many of whom have complex conditions—who attend the stand-alone St Andrew's special school in Inverurie in Aberdeenshire should have the right to have their children educated in a stand-alone unit in future and should not be forced to send them to special needs units that are attached to mainstream schools? Will he encourage Aberdeenshire Council to follow the lead of councils such as Highland Council, Angus Council and Glasgow City Council in building new stand-alone special educational needs facilities in the interests of children with severe autism?
Such decisions are for Aberdeenshire Council to take, in consultation with parents. I understand that the council's consultation will close on 30 September, so parents have adequate opportunities to make their views known. Thereafter, the council will consider provision in the light of those views. It is not for ministers to intervene directly with local authorities in such circumstances.
Does the minister agree that a key part of Executive guidance is the requirement to review the progress of children with special educational needs who enter a mainstream setting, so that if that does not work, they have the opportunity to return to a special school? Does he share my concern that Aberdeenshire Council should take that fully into account and should reconsider proposals that are, understandably, causing parents anxiety?
The answer to the member's first question is yes—that is entirely the case. The policy's purpose is to address the individual child's needs, so continuing review by professional staff of the efficacy of education, whatever the setting, is important. That takes place all over the country. Peter Peacock and I recently visited a special school in Edinburgh, where we saw partnership working between a mainstream school and the special school. Children go to and fro or progress into the mainstream school when it is right for them to do so.
The minister mentioned the importance of the consultation process on St Andrew's School. Does he appreciate and accept that for consultation with parents to work and be effective, they must understand and have explained properly to them the options that are on the table from the local authority? If so, will he express concern about the vagueness and confusion about the exact options, which the parents find extremely distressing? Will he take the matter up with Aberdeenshire Council, so that it clarifies the options for the future of St Andrew's?
Our guidance to local authorities is that they should make their proposals very clear to parents and all who have an interest. The guidance has been published and is available. Local representatives must ensure that councils in such circumstances throughout the country abide by the guidance and make clear their proposals, how those proposals were developed and how they intend to consult. A clear display is needed of the options that are available in any circumstance.
Is the minister aware that there is an extremely impressive school for children with autism in Alloa that is performing an outstanding public service? Does he accept that, in the sensitive matter of weighing up the arguments on the best solution for a child who suffers from severe autism, the interests of the child should be paramount?
I agree entirely that the interests of the individual child must be paramount and I am aware of the school concerned. It might be of interest to Lord James to know that, during the year to March 2006, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education will carry out an inspection of educational provision for young people with autistic spectrum disorder throughout Scotland. I have no doubt that examples of good practice will be highlighted in that comprehensive inspection.
As autistic spectrum disorder is such a broad disorder and many parents have been forced to educate their children at home, does not the Executive feel that it needs to take the lead by setting up a full inquiry into education for autistic children in Scotland? Does not the Executive feel that it must try to fill the need for autistic-appropriate education—rather than autistic-friendly education, which is often what is provided in units attached to schools at the moment—and to train staff appropriately?
I hope that Rosemary Byrne will join me in welcoming HMIE's inspection, the purpose of which is to address the issues that she identifies. I hope that the inspection will draw out examples of best practice from which we can learn as we develop provision.
During the passage of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill, the Minister for Education and Young People made specific commitments to the Parliament that the needs of children with autism would be fully recognised and provided for by local authorities and that local authorities had the resources to ensure that that was the case. Is the minister satisfied that the policy is being implemented fully by every local authority in Scotland?
Yes. Somewhere among my papers, I have the details of the specific amounts that we have made available. We made considerable resources available to local authorities over a three-year period and we expect them to make best use of those resources during the preparatory period. Not only will the HMIE inspection of provision for autistic spectrum disorder reveal how such provision is developing, but continuing inspection and discussion with local authorities will help us to develop implementation and the code of practice on the matter that is to be laid before the Parliament soon.
Outdoor Education
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is addressing any decline in outdoor education caused by teachers' concerns about the increasing risk of insurance claims for accidents. (S2O-6676)
Schools in Scotland currently offer a wide variety of outdoor education opportunities to pupils. To enable us to drive forward progress and to improve that provision further, we have commissioned a development programme for outdoor education. Through a national development officer, we will map out current outdoor education provision and establish what barriers there are to outdoor education, including concerns around litigation and insurance claims, and how best we can overcome them.
That is partially encouraging, but the minister must acknowledge that, over the years, there has been a serious decline in the amount of outdoor education. Will he assure us that it is considered a high priority in the education system—up there with any other subject—because of the benefits that it provides? When will he be in a position to make positive proposals to help outdoor education as a result of the programme?
Outdoor education should have a high priority. In "a curriculum for excellence", we state our aspiration that our young people should become
Given the concerns expressed in at least one local education authority area that teachers do not have adequate insurance cover in the event of sports injuries to pupils, will the minister investigate the matter and consider issuing a circular to all local education authorities to clarify the situation and to ensure that all teachers have adequate insurance cover? Otherwise, there is a distinct danger that fewer and fewer teachers will volunteer their services for outdoor activities and school sports and that pupils could lose out on sports and other outdoor opportunities.
I agree with Mr Canavan that we want to avoid that. Work is being carried out to determine what the real barriers are. If Mr Canavan cares to write to me about the specific case to which he alludes, I will certainly investigate it, or look at it in any event. Discussion has been continuing at official level with representatives of the insurance industry. I hope to be able to engage in that in due course.
Does the minister agree that one of the greatest things that we could do for the well-being of this country is to provide every child with the opportunity to take part in outdoor physical education and sport every year? The minister mentioned barriers. He and I have been in correspondence about the swingeing costs of public liability insurance to private sector providers of outdoor sporting opportunities. Does he agree that, as the insurance companies have shown no sign of cutting their extortionate premiums, sportscotland should investigate the possibility of establishing a Scottish block policy to which every business could subscribe, thus obtaining cheaper insurance cover and, possibly, commission for sportscotland in the by-going?
The member is indeed in correspondence with me, and a reply to his most recent letter is being drawn up. The point on insurance is well made. I had the opportunity of holding a meeting with representatives of the insurance industry recently. We did not get to the specific point about outdoor education. They recognised that insurance premiums had risen in general terms, but they felt that some premiums had come down recently.
May I make the minister aware of an initiative in my constituency, at Broomhill sports club? The club is run by parents for the benefit of local kids, and is now reaching a capacity of 250. It uses outdoor facilities and the local school. Will the minister encourage such initiatives, notwithstanding the issues of insurance liability? Will he do all that he can to ensure that, where local parents take the initiative to get kids to take part in outdoor sporting activities, as far as possible facilities are made available, whether school or community facilities?
I regret that I am not aware of the specific initiative mentioned by Pauline McNeill. I will be happy to discuss with her exactly what parents are doing—of course, it is vital that we encourage parental participation. I am sure that local authorities would want to pursue with parents projects such as the one described by Pauline McNeill and to make facilities available for them. It would certainly be my wish for that to happen. I offer Pauline McNeill my congratulations, as the involvement of so many parents would seem to indicate a very worthwhile scheme.
Class Sizes
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on reducing class sizes. (S2O-6638)
Very good progress is being made. We are training the teachers needed to reduce class sizes and are on track for delivering our commitment in 2007.
I am sure that the minister is aware that in the past seven years the number of maths teachers has fallen by 18 per cent. That flies in the face of having better standards of literacy and numeracy, as there are also shortages of English teachers. Does the minister agree that the current policy for recruitment and retention is clearly not working and that it will be a struggle for the Executive to achieve all its ambitions in education by 2007? Does he agree that the Executive will probably not achieve them, given that primary class sizes are now increasing as well?
No, I do not agree with that, because it would paint an entirely false picture to suggest that class sizes are increasing. The figures show that there was a clear reduction in primary class sizes between 1997 and 2004. In primary 1 to primary 3, average class sizes are as low as 23.2 pupils. On our recruitment policies, this year the number of maths teachers we recruited increased by 85 per cent. In addition, we are recruiting teachers through external recruitment campaigns. All that is designed to ensure that we meet our targets by 2007. We are confident that we will do so, which will mean that primary class sizes, English class sizes and maths class sizes in secondary 1 and 2 will come down. That will ensure that we are embedding the literacy and numeracy skills that young people need as a foundation for the whole of the rest of their lives. We ought to celebrate the progress that we are making, not criticise it.
Previous
First Minister's Question TimeNext
Scotland's Veterans