SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Skateboarding
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with sportscotland regarding support for skateboarding. (S1O-5516)
I have not had any direct discussions with sportscotland on skateboarding, although I discuss the matter with my youngest son quite frequently. I am pleased to note that skateboarding is regarded as a sport by the home sports councils, including sportscotland.
I note that the Minister for Finance and Public Services announced a doubling of funding for sport for young people and that he mentioned skateboarding in particular. In Forres, a group of young people have set up and manage their own skateboard park. They feel rebuffed that sportscotland does not seem to recognise their sport and claims that skateboarding does not have a governing body. The skateboarders dispute that. They are desperate to obtain funding for a shelter for their skateboard park. Will the minister advise how such grass-roots organisations can receive support funding without compromising how they organise and manage their skateboard parks?
Skateboarding does not have a governing body and therefore sportscotland does not support a governing body for skateboarding. However, it recognises skateboarding as a sport.
I share Maureen Macmillan's concern and welcome the minister's announcement of the funding route. However, I want to direct the minister's attention to planning issues to do with skateboarding. Many skateboard installations are moveable and are not subject to planning regulations. In many areas in Stirling, there is concern about the location of skateboard facilities. Such areas want them, but not necessarily right next to play parks, for example. I would be happy to forward more details in writing to the minister, but will she undertake to consider discussions with her colleagues about planning regulations in respect of skateboard parks?
An individual planning application is referred to the relevant local authority and it is up to the authority to decide whether a location is appropriate. However, if the member wants to put further details in writing about his particular concern, I will happily take up the matter with my social justice colleagues and find out whether particular planning issues are involved.
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to address the 36 per cent rise in chlamydia diagnosis in females in 2001. (S1O-5537)
The development of a national sexual health strategy for Scotland will build on the existing activity of the Health Education Board for Scotland, national health service boards and healthy respect—the Lothian-based national health demonstration project—to address the rise in sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia.
Will the minister ensure that information and advice that is given on chlamydia includes information and advice on potential infertility problems? Will she encourage young men to present for screening, given the low numbers of young men who have done so and the 50 per cent increase in diagnosis last year?
In one respect, young men in particular need to be targeted. Chlamydia is a disease that shows few symptoms and therefore people are not aware of it until they are offered testing. However, all the health people to whom I have spoken have said that they offer testing where possible and are particularly aware of the need to raise awareness among young men.
I was glad to hear the minister mention at last the sexual health strategy. When will it be published and when will it be implemented?
This summer, the Minister for Health and Community Care, Malcolm Chisholm, announced the formation of an expert group that will bring together a strategy on sexual health. I hope that it will report next summer. In the meantime, we will continue to work through the health boards and HEBS to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and the treatments that are available on the health service.
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce guidance for local authorities and NHS boards entering into any form of public-private partnership to ensure that charges levied by contractors are set at a level which takes account of social responsibility as well as solely commercial considerations. (S1O-5519)
Significant general guidance has been issued to public bodies that are involved in public-private partnerships. The specification of services to be provided in any individual PPP is a matter for the contracting authority.
Because he is glad that I am not going to mention the embarrassing leakage of money to the PPP at Edinburgh royal infirmary, the minister might be prepared to think again about the tightness of the guidance. For example, does he think it fair that the new Edinburgh royal infirmary has £10 a day parking fees, 50p a minute phone charges and £1.50 per hour charges for the television and internet? Does that sound like good value for PPP?
As I have indicated, those are matters for the specification of PPP contracts and are the responsibility of individual authorities. The issues that Margo MacDonald raises are not unique to PPP projects. They concern judgments that are made at a local level by the managers of the facilities in the interest of making best use of the resources that are available to them.
Many of the proposed PPPs for our schools are partial PPPs, in that they will affect only some schools in a given local authority area, thereby creating two categories of school—the majority, which will still be directly managed by the local authority, and the minority, which will be managed by the PPP. Against the background of falling school rolls across Scotland, we know that the PPP schools will be guaranteed investment and guaranteed against closure for the 25 or 30 years of their contracts. What similar guarantees are available to schools that are directly managed by local authorities, in particular those schools in deprived areas?
One of the features of PPP is that risk is transferred from the public sector to the private sector. In long-term schools projects, one of the things that is transferred is the risk that John McAllion mentioned. No school has a guarantee that it will remain open for a given period of time, because as we all know, populations move and shift over time, and that must be taken account of.
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in introducing the supporting people regime. (S1O-5550)
Supporting people is a new funding and policy framework for the provision of housing support services, and is due to be introduced from 1 April 2003. The Scottish Executive, together with local authorities and service providers, is making good progress in working towards the implementation date of 1 April.
Is the minister aware of the anxiety that is felt by residents in Crookfur Cottage Homes in my constituency at the prospect of the alarming rise in service charges that is being introduced by the home owner under the guise of supporting people? Is he aware of the threat—despite the huge extra resources that are going into free personal care—to close the nursing wing there? Will he assure me that he will do all that he can to monitor home owners or care providers who may use the change as an excuse to raise charges, reduce services or otherwise take advantage of the elderly residents who are in their trust?
From conversations with Kenneth Macintosh, I am aware of the excellent service that is provided at Crookfur. I know that he has campaigned to represent the interests of the residents. Some of the issues are nothing to do with supporting people. No existing user should lose as a result of the implementation of supporting people. I am advised that the proposed rent increases are due to the fact the Retail Trust wishes to restructure services.
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting homeless women who have experienced domestic abuse. (S1O-5547)
We will shortly introduce legislation to ensure that anyone who is assessed as homeless and who runs the risk of domestic abuse will be defined as having a priority need for accommodation and will therefore be entitled to permanent accommodation. That follows the homelessness task force's final report, which also recommended that local authorities review, in the context of their homelessness strategies, their provision of accommodation and support to people who have experienced domestic abuse.
The minister is aware of the excellent project in my constituency called space44, which she opened last week and which is run by two voluntary organisations in partnership, Streetwork and the Ark. Will the minister give a commitment to support work by the voluntary sector that provides places of safety for homeless women who have experienced domestic abuse and which gives them the space and support to rebuild their lives?
As Sarah Boyack said, I visited and launched the space44 project last week. I was most impressed by the quality of the work there and I pay tribute to the staff, who go over the odds in the service that they deliver. It is apparent that a number of women fall through the net and do not receive the services that we expect them to receive. I will happily guarantee that we will work with the voluntary sector to change that.
The minister will be aware that I have lodged a series of questions about the operation of the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001, which was originally a practical and worthy committee bill. The act protects cohabitees by extending the power of arrest so that it can be attached to common law interdicts. There will be a review later in the year to discover how many people have applied for such interdicts. When will the review be published and what publicity has there been to advise people of the act? It is my experience that people are not aware of the protection that the act could give them.
I take seriously the points that Christine Grahame raises. We have had conversations about the matter in the past. She will know that the matter is not completely within my ministerial responsibility, but I assure her that I will pursue the matter and will discuss it with her later.
Given that a report that was published last week claims that nearly 3,000 men have been victims of domestic abuse, what is the Scottish Executive doing to support homeless men who have experienced domestic abuse?
I am pleased that Mike Rumbles has raised that issue. I am aware of his recent comments in the press about the Scottish Executive's approach to the matter. To honour a commitment in the national strategy, we recently carried out and published research into the extent of the male experience of domestic abuse. We had to provide evidence of the number of male victims. The research demonstrated that there is no requirement for a new service for men, but that existing services should be more attuned to the needs of male victims. I am in the process of writing to the appropriate services to ensure that they take account of the needs that the report flagged up.
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce under-age drinking. (S1O-5549)
Reducing harmful drinking by children and young people is one of the key priorities in the Scottish Executive's plan for action on alcohol problems, which was published on 18 January 2002 and which sets out a range of measures in relation to school and community-based education. We also seek to ensure that children who are affected by alcohol problems have access to appropriate services. In addition, the Health Education Board for Scotland is developing new resources for parents to help them discuss such issues with their children.
According to the Executive's figures, 39 per cent of under-age drinkers who drank in the previous week took illegal drugs in the previous month, whereas only 1 per cent of non-drinkers took illegal drugs in the same period. Will the Executive recognise that alcohol is the main gateway into hard drugs for young people in Scotland? Given that in some courts in Scotland only 4 per cent of licensees who sell alcohol to children are prosecuted, compared with 100 per cent in other courts, will the minister urge the Lord Advocate to provide guidelines to ensure a measure of consistency on the matter?
I am aware of the link between alcohol and drug abuse, which is why the alcohol action teams, which I visited during the summer, are also drug action teams. Those teams work in local communities to resolve the problems that young people experience. I acknowledge the connection that the member draws attention to. The law is quite clear on the prosecution of licensees. I encourage those who are in that situation to use existing laws to ensure that we protect our young people.
What is the Executive doing to ensure that many more good activities are available to young people, so that they keep out of trouble? At the moment, in spite of good intentions and an overall budget, very little money is getting to front-line activities. Many youth clubs and organisations such as uniformed organisations are receiving less money than before.
The Executive takes seriously the need to offer other opportunities to young people, so that they do not get drawn into the alcohol and drugs scene. We are seeking to support a number of projects throughout Scotland and much good voluntary sector work is going into the provision of such opportunities. In Edinburgh, Donald Gorrie will be familiar with the developments at the Edinburgh City Youth Cafe. Other similar projects are happening elsewhere and we are eager to hear about such projects.
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is proposing to improve the protection of vulnerable children. (S1O-5540)
The Scottish Executive is continually considering ways to improve the protection of vulnerable children. The Protection of Children (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 6 September. The child protection review group, which is due to report to ministers very soon, will provide the basis for future developments in child protection.
As the minister is aware, I support any measures that are intended to afford our children added protection from unscrupulous adults. Will she assure me that the scope of the bill will include individuals whose names and activities might crop up subsequently—for example in a childcare inquiry, of which the minister has had some experience—but who are not the subject of a criminal investigation? Will she assure me that the bill will close the existing loophole?
I am happy to give such assurances to Scott Barrie. The member has indicated that I have served on a childcare inquiry in Edinburgh and he will be well aware of the inquiry in Fife. He will notice that section 6 of the bill makes provision for Scottish ministers to include in the list individuals who are named in relevant inquiries.
Does the minister agree that one way to protect vulnerable children would be to ensure that they are heard in our courts when decisions are made on their safety and future? Does she agree that the attitude of Lord Dawson, who said on record that he was
The member will be aware that the Executive takes listening to children and young people very seriously in all aspects of the work that it undertakes. Many organisations work to support children and young people and to ensure that their voices are heard. I would expect the idea that children and young people should be listened to to be taken account of in all proceedings that relate to children and young people.
Will the minister provide an assurance that criminal records checks and other checks will be sufficiently detailed and thorough to ensure that children will be protected properly?
I reassure the member that the reason for introducing the Protection of Children (Scotland) Bill is to plug a loophole whereby people who had been dismissed from a post or who had moved on from it because they posed a significant threat to children were able to obtain work somewhere else. I want that loophole to be closed and I believe that the Parliament will support such action.
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take to prevent local authorities from reducing the scope for parental choice in selecting schools in rural areas. (S1O-5517)
The powers of Scottish ministers to intervene directly in actions being taken by an education authority are limited, but generally the Scottish Executive recognises the importance of parental choice and the need to involve parents, pupils and the local community in any major changes.
Is the minister aware of the problem, which was exacerbated by the announcement made in this morning's financial statement, that the money that is being made available for the development of new schools is encouraging a trend towards the development of new schools in rural areas, thus fostering a policy of centralisation by local authorities? The consequence of the policy is that valuable local primary schools, such as Stracathro Primary School in Angus, are being put at threat. The consultation on the future of Stracathro has been launched in conjunction with the offer to construct a new school at Edzell and has consequently set parent against parent.
I am convinced that such decisions are best made locally. In general, local authorities will come to the wisest decisions about the future of their education provision.
Will the minister consider the request from the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities for the Executive to produce guidelines for rural school closures?
We keep that matter under review and there have been ministerial statements on that. Clearly, if there were to be developments that caused us concern, we would look again at the guidance. My view stands as I explained it in my previous answer. In general, we believe that those decisions are most appropriately made by the local education authority in close consultation with parents, pupils, teachers and the local community.
What specific extra funds is the minister giving to Angus Council to keep small 19th century rural schools, such as Stracathro, open if parents so choose?
Under the school buildings improvement fund, Angus Council was this year given £614, 000 of additional funding.
To ask the Scottish Executive how Highland NHS Board will ensure that the same level of accident and emergency services previously provided at Thurso hospital will be provided in the future. (S1O-5548)
Access to accident and emergency services that are safe and appropriate to local needs is important for any community.
I want to push the minister a bit further. I have received numerous representations about the service, which has—I hope—been discontinued only temporarily. There is a huge push locally to have that service restored to the same level that we enjoyed in the past. Not only the community of Thurso but a geographically large area of Sutherland relied on the service. Will the minister concede that it would be desirable to see the service restored as soon as possible?
I discussed the issue when I visited Caithness and Sutherland NHS services during the summer. I know that there was an issue with one of the general practices, which withdrew from the contract. That is how the circumstance arose. I also know that Highland Primary Care NHS Trust is working actively at present with the local health care co-operative, the GPs, the nurses and the ambulance service to see how a service can be restored. Obviously, the key issue is that any such service should be safe and appropriate.
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council concerning the provision of social work services in the city. (S1O-5535)
The chief social work inspector met officials in Glasgow on 21 February 2002 as part of his annual report visits. Officials from the community care division and other areas of the Executive have also been involved in discussions with Glasgow City Council on future requirements for health and social work services arising from the city's hostel closure and reprovisioning programme.
Is the minister aware of how the lack of social workers impinges on children's panel hearings, which by law require social work papers to be received three days before a hearing? In up to 50 per cent of hearings, there were no social work reports or the reports were not available until the actual meeting. Will the minister investigate and take action on the matter urgently because it is serious and represents a denial of children's rights?
I am aware of difficulties that have arisen in relation to the provision of social work reports and the attendance of social work staff at children's hearings. The matter was raised with me by chairs of the children's hearing system. It is—I hope—being addressed at the moment and will be further addressed as we try to ensure that we recruit and retain social work staff in future. I refer Sandra White to the announcement that the Minister for Finance and Public Services made this morning, in which he made it clear that we will continue to invest in those areas.
Does the minister agree that, although the problem is most acute in Glasgow, there are other problems throughout Scotland? As she said, this morning's announcement, plus the Executive's recruitment and retraining policy should go some way towards addressing that. Does the minister agree that we must start to promote a more positive image of the work of social workers, social work assistants and managers, who do work daily that we could not do? If we do otherwise, we will not get young people to join the profession.
In picking up on the points that Trish Godman raised, it is important that we acknowledge the valuable job that social workers and others who are involved in social care do day in, day out. This lunch time, I was at an event with Unison and the Workers Educational Association, where we launched a return-to-learn initiative, the first course of which will start in October. Eighty-eight courses will run as part of our overall action plan. A total of 12,000 people are likely to benefit from that initiative. We will produce in due course further proposals on recruitment and retention of staff.
Will the minister, further to her responses to Sandra White and Trish Godman, tell us a little more about what the Executive is talking about in relation to recruitment and retention of social work staff, when local authorities are competing with one another because of golden hellos?
I hope that the answer that I have just given indicates that we are committed to ensuring that existing social care and social work staff have the opportunities to get the qualifications that will help them to remain in their jobs. A group is working on proposals to create a new honours degree course in social work. As I outlined, the Minister for Finance and Public Services this morning announced additional investment in social work education and training. That is to be welcomed. Those developments will put us on the right path towards ensuring that we have a qualified, professional and confident social work and social care work force that is fit for the 21st century.
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish proposals for legislative change to tighten up the controls on the spreading of abattoir waste on agricultural land. (S1O-5551)
We intend late this autumn to issue a consultation paper on appropriate amendments to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. The key proposal in, or purpose of, the amendments will be to alter the burden of proof for an exempt activity. Those who intend to spread waste would have to demonstrate agricultural benefit before spreading.
Is the minister aware that, when abattoir waste and other substances have, under a waste exemption licence, been spread on fields in Polmont and Bo'ness, there have been spillages, animals in adjacent fields, nauseating smells and general public nuisance? It seems that local authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency can do nothing about it. Will the minister agree to publish the recommendations that SEPA made in the report on the matter two years ago?
I am conscious of what happened and of Cathy Peattie's interest in the subject. Several breaches appear to have occurred. There was a question about the use of the derogation, which is why we are trying to change the burden of proof. There were also clear breaches in the way in which the material was transported. We are in discussion with SEPA about the guidance on such matters. We hope to present that guidance.
The minister will remember that the original petition to the Parliament from Blairingone and Netherton raised health and environmental issues. Although the Executive is making progress on the environmental aspect, does the minister agree that it was unacceptable for the investigation team to release material to the contractor before it released it to Parliament? Does he also agree that the villagers' health concerns will be addressed only when the investigation team meets them face to face, as the Parliament's Transport and the Environment Committee did?
I acknowledge George Reid's interest in the matter. I am grateful to him and to Cathy Peattie for the way in which they have communicated with me.
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future development of seaports, harbours and jetties. (S1O-5505)
The ports policy paper "Modern Ports: A UK Policy", which was produced jointly by the Scottish Executive and the UK Government, provides a clear strategy for the future development of ports and harbours in Scotland.
Is the minister aware that this week's The Buchan Observer contains a worrying indication that the disastrous aggregates tax may result in the loss of nearly half Peterhead Bay Authority's business? Will he note that SNP councillors have been joined by a representative of the parties that make up the coalition Executive in expressing concern about the matter? The sole Liberal Democrat councillor in my constituency said:
I am aware of the issues relating to the Peterhead Bay Authority. I am also aware that the authority has a very ambitious investment project. I would not expect that to be delayed or put off by relatively marginal costs. It is for the authority to produce a commercial plan that takes into account the existing tax framework. Like other commercial harbours around the country, Peterhead bay is expected to produce its own surplus for investment. It is not our policy to invest public money in commercial harbours—that position will not change.
In the light of the successful timber-loading programme at Ardrishaig in Argyll, what action is the Scottish Executive taking to restore more piers throughout the Highlands and Islands? Such restoration would allow more timber to be carried by sea and prevent huge damage being caused to the Scottish road network.
Jamie McGrigor will be aware that we have a continuing programme for funding piers and harbours in the Highlands and Islands. They are supported differently to commercial harbours elsewhere in the country, because they provide lifeline services to local communities. We will continue to roll out our programme over the coming years.
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact its plans to prioritise mental health are having on the provision and delivery of services. (S1O-5553)
The regular reviews and reports of the mental health and well being support group show significant improvements in services, and the spread of good practice in many areas. However, a great deal remains to be done. We are in the process of giving renewed impetus to that important priority.
Given that the Scottish Executive has identified mental health as one of its three key priorities for the national health service, what assurance can the minister give that that stated priority will be reflected in delivery at local level? Will the minister comment on how work on mental health is being advanced across areas of ministerial responsibility in the Executive? Many mental health problems arise from people's experience and environment and can best be helped by, for example, providing real support for women who are fleeing violence, or by creating secure communities in which disorder and anti-social behaviour are addressed effectively.
Johann Lamont is absolutely right. We are taking a broader than ever view of mental health. One of the features of the new health improvement fund is that a considerable amount of money is being invested in mental health promotion. That initiative affects all parts of the Executive.
Notwithstanding the answer that the minister has just given, he should be aware of the countrywide understaffing that exists in mental health units. He should also be aware that there is a lack of staff training provision. What commitment will he give to bolster recruitment and training in our mental health services, bearing in mind the extra burdens that the proposed mental health bill will place on NHS staff?
Adam Ingram is right and I am conscious of the issue that he raised. The issue of clinical psychologists has previously come up at question time and we acted immediately to boost the numbers who are trained. There is a wider issue of involving more people in mental health care teams. I mentioned in my general answer the initiatives that are under way at present to boost mental health services, particularly in primary care. That is one of the areas about which we will say more quite soon.
In the most recent year, 30 youngsters aged under 16 were diagnosed as suffering from mental illness to the degree that they required to be held in secure forensic units. Given the complete absence of such units for youngsters in Scotland, at least 21 of them had to be held in adult accommodation, which was entirely unsuitable. What priority does the Executive attach to creating secure units in Scotland so that our youngsters can be looked after properly?
Child and adolescent mental health care more generally is an area in which there have been deficiencies. We have produced an interim report on the matter and a full report will come out very soon. Secure care is an important part of child and adolescent mental health and I accept that action is required on it.
I remind the minister of his fine words about the lack of eating disorder services within the national health service in Scotland. I presume that since I last spoke to him in the chamber he will have been made aware of the number of other units, albeit only day units, that have been withdrawn from the health service. Does he have any plans to provide new facilities?
The provision of eating disorder services is very much a matter for local NHS systems. We issued new guidance on such services a few months ago—when we issue guidance now we certainly monitor it and ensure that it is taken account of in our performance management. Local health systems are aware that progress has to be made in that area.
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to combat knife crime. (S1O-5513)
Successive legislation has introduced tighter and more specific controls to tackle the carrying of knives. The police have the power to stop and search anyone on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon and to arrest anyone who obstructs such a search. An attack with an offensive weapon is regarded under Scots law as a serious aggravation of assault and can lead to a sentence of life imprisonment on indictment in the High Court.
Is not it the case that within communities in Scotland the number of visible police officers is insufficient to deter knife crime and that that can be put right only by a substantial increase in the number of police officers in those communities?
I do not agree with Lord James Douglas-Hamilton. However, I acknowledge the acts that tightened the laws on knives, some of which were his responsibility in the most recent Conservative Government. There are record numbers of police officers today and we have guaranteed that we will continue to maintain front-line policing. We are improving the technology that is available to police in order to improve their front-line capacity.
I acknowledge the role of the police in the matter, but does the minister agree that we also have to tackle the strange belief in Scotland that the carrying of knives is acceptable?
I agree entirely with Duncan McNeil on that point. It seems to be the case, particularly in the west of Scotland, although it is also the case in other areas, that people believe that the carrying of knives is acceptable. For example Lothian and Borders police have just carried out a search under operation avalanche. Of the 1,000 people who were searched, 102 were carrying offensive weapons. That is a frightening figure, but it is an indication that the police are doing a good job.
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Spending Review 2002