Independence (National Health Service)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make a statement about the consequences for the NHS of a no vote and a yes vote in the referendum. (S4O-03451)
Yes, I would be very happy to make a statement on the future of the national health service in Scotland as early as possible next week, but as Mr Chisholm will know, that is subject to approval by the Parliamentary Bureau.
Will the cabinet secretary repudiate the disgraceful scares about NHS privatisation following a no vote, especially when the only evidence that he could produce last week at question time was a notional efficiency saving of 0.8 per cent of the English health budget, which even the Department of Health admits is highly problematic? Is he not ashamed to support ill-informed, politically motivated scaremongering about the NHS, especially when privatised services cost more public money, not less—[Interruption.]
Is there a question there, Mr Chisholm? Members should please let Mr Chisholm finish.
This is the final bit of my question—if Scottish National Party members have calmed down. Is he not ashamed when a 0.8 per cent efficiency saving, which will not materialise—
Question!
—is far less than the cabinet secretary himself spends on privatised services, or than the 3 per cent efficiency savings that he demands of health boards every year?
I think that Mr Chisholm is at the wrong end of the chamber. He should be over with the Tories. Let me tell him that the fundamental problem is the impact on public services of the cuts being made by the Conservative-led Administration in Westminster and passed down to the devolved Administrations.
There will be bigger cuts under independence.
Mr Chisholm!
He is guilty. That is a guilty conscience speaking, Presiding Officer.
“That is what the fundamental problem is here: we have a Westminster Government that believes in shrinking the state, which believes in doing less through the public realm, and passes less money down to us in order to be able to do it.”—[Record of Proceedings, National Assembly for Wales, 17 June 2014.]
That is a quote from the Labour health minister in Wales, Mark Drakeford, speaking in the Welsh Assembly on 17 June. Unlike Mr Chisholm, he has not sold his soul to the Tories.
Does the cabinet secretary share my deep concern about the adverse impact on Scotland’s budget that is likely to result from the cuts in public funding to the NHS in England as one consequence of the drive to privatise clinical services and introduce charging for NHS services and treatments south of the border? Does he also agree that that is why we need full control—
I think we have got the question.
—of Scotland’s finances, which only a yes vote can deliver?
We have got the question.
Absolutely—I am very concerned indeed. Everybody who cares about the health service in Scotland should be very concerned. As I said last week, the United Kingdom Government’s own assessment is that the impact of the English NHS reforms, including privatisation, could amount to a reduction in UK health spending of £1 billion a year over the next few years. Under the current funding system, which would stay under a no vote, if those moneys were to be removed from the health spend and otherwise used in another area that did not have Barnett consequentials, that could see Scotland lose out on up to £100 million every year on public services including health up until 2020. There is no doubt that a no vote could destroy the health service in Scotland.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (Gender Balance)
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the gender balance in science and maths in schools to increase the number of female students studying science, technology, engineering and maths at degree level. (S4O-03452)
When taken together, entries for the three main science higher subjects show strong interest in STEM learning from both genders. Added together, the total number of male entries for higher physics, chemistry and biology in 2013 was 14,056 and for females it was 13,026.
However, the Scottish Government is fully committed to creating opportunities for young women to undertake further study in STEM subjects and to progress to future careers.
A recent report from Education Scotland encouraged staff in secondary schools to recognise and act on gender imbalance in the science subjects, where necessary.
In a recent letter of guidance to the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning challenged colleges and universities to improve the gender balance across subjects. I support that aim. However, how can colleges and universities influence the gender balance in subjects such as chemistry, physics and engineering, when the imbalance is firmly rooted in schools, such that only 29 per cent of physics higher students are female?
Hanzala Malik has raised an important issue. I am sure that we all share an ambition to create maximum equality in the science sector. It is important to note that there is a specific issue to do with physics; 64 per cent of higher biology students in schools are female and the ratio is about 50:50 in chemistry. We are not complacent about that. The Wood commission considered the issue a great deal in the context of its comments on the role of science in our economy. A great deal is being done through promotion of positive role models for young women in our schools when it comes to taking science subjects, not least physics.
Police Scotland (Information Technology Systems)
To ask the Scottish Government what action the Cabinet Secretary for Justice is taking to address the reported delays in the development of a unified IT system for Police Scotland. (S4O-03453)
The formation of Police Scotland has created an environment in which a unified IT system can be implemented for the first time, allowing officers to work seamlessly across Scotland. Such large-scale integrated IT solutions could not be achieved under the previous legacy structural arrangements.
Detailed governance and oversight arrangements are in place for the project to ensure that its development and delivery are progressed in line with the project plan. I am confident that development of the i6 project is firmly on track and that when it has been completed it will assist significantly in the delivery of an improved service, as well as bringing sustainable efficiency benefits.
The lack of integration is constraining officers’ ability to function fully at regional and national levels, and the routine arming of police has led Jim Sillars to refer to Police Scotland as
"the crassest error any politician has ever made."
Does the cabinet secretary accept that the growing crisis of confidence in policing is not an operational matter?
I am surprised that John Pentland takes that approach, given that he and his party supported the establishment of Police Scotland. That was the right thing to do, because under the previous arrangements it was not possible to get agreement between constabularies and authorities about what IT system to use.
Detective Chief Constable Richardson has been doing an outstanding job. The issue is complicated and technical, but in order to improve the service for the safety of our citizens, we must ensure that there is a seamless link across the whole of Scotland.
John Pentland should recognise why he supported a single police service in Scotland. He should acknowledge the hard work that DCC Richardson is carrying out, assisted by many others, and he should recognise that savings will be delivered and the project completed.
Bus Investment Fund
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the latest round of funding from the bus investment fund. (S4O-03454)
Following the success of the bus investment fund last year, I am pleased to announce that the second round of funding has launched and is open to applications until the end of August. This year £3 million is available for projects over a two-year period. The approach will promote the continued improvement of bus services across Scotland. An announcement on winning bids for this year’s fund is expected to be made before the end of this calendar year.
A project that benefited from the first round of funding was the North Lanarkshire connector, but North Lanarkshire Council failed to ensure that the new service connected with Cumbernauld—the biggest town in its area—or Kilsyth, despite many local people reporting to me problems about accessing decent bus services. Does the minister agree that it is incumbent on North Lanarkshire Council to address that failure, and that the new funding round presents an opportunity for it to try to do so?
There is no question: the on-going funding presents an opportunity.
Jamie Hepburn knows that bus services in North Lanarkshire are primarily a matter for Strathclyde partnership for transport and the council. Last year, SPT supported 41 local bus services in North Lanarkshire, which carried 1.4 million passengers in total. As he said, in the first round of the bus investment fund SPT was successful in securing funding for the North Lanarkshire connector bus project. SPT will be happy to discuss with Jamie Hepburn, the council or other interested parties any concerns about bus services in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and how they might be improved. SPT is currently preparing bids for the second round of the fund, and we will consider any proposals carefully against the fund criteria and in light of the available budget and level of demand.
Childcare Costs
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the cost of childcare. (S4O-03455)
The Scottish Government is investing more than £280 million over two years to expand funded early learning and childcare from August 2014, to a minimum of 600 hours for three and four-year-olds and the most vulnerable or disadvantaged two-year-olds: 15 per cent this year rising to 27 per cent from August 2015. That represents an increase of almost half from the 412.5 hours we inherited in 2007, and it will deliver a saving to families equivalent to up to £707 per child per year, which will benefit about 121,000 three and four-year-olds this year.
In the long term, we have set out in “Scotland’s Future—Your Guide to an Independent Scotland” our ambitious plans to transform childcare, which would bring huge benefits to young children and their families.
Recent Scottish Parliament information centre research shows that families in the United Kingdom spend 27 per cent of their income on childcare, which is more than double the percentage of income that is spent on childcare in many small independent countries. What action will the Scottish Government take to remedy that in an independent Scotland?
I am pleased to confirm to Richard Lyle that we intend to do a great deal with the powers of independence to enhance children’s life chances and to help families. As set out on page 194 of “Scotland’s Future”, in our first budget we would provide 600 hours of childcare to approximately half of Scotland’s two-year-olds. By the end of the first parliamentary session, we would ensure that all three and four-year-olds and vulnerable two-year-olds would be entitled to 1,140 hours of childcare per year. By the end of the second parliamentary session, we would ensure that all children from the age of one to school age would be entitled to 1,140 hours of childcare per year.
Those proposals represent a transformation in childcare that would bring huge benefits to young children and their families. What a great prize to strive for following a yes vote, in contrast to the coalition’s welfare reform measures that will push an additional 100,000 children into poverty.
Older People (Support)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support older people who live alone. (S4O-03456)
More than 77,000 vulnerable older people in Scotland receive free personal care. Nearly 48,000 of those people receive their care at home. The Scottish Government also funds a number of projects, such as the Silver Line, which received funding of £210,000 in November 2013 and provides a free 24/7 helpline and befriending service for older people.
A key fear of many of my constituents, and of older people in general, is the prospect of being stuck in hospital once they have had treatment without access to the right care or rehabilitation services that they need to lead an independent and good-quality life at home.
On Tuesday the cabinet secretary said that he hoped to release £100 million during the next two or three years to reduce delayed discharges. Does he have the figures for what it costs the national health service to fund keeping older people in hospital as opposed to their being at home? Does he have a breakdown by NHS board of those figures? Do the figures equate to that £100 million?
Just to clarify, what I said was that if we are able to achieve our objectives of effectively eliminating delayed discharges, it would save the health service about £125 million a year and that money would then be available for reinvestment in other priorities. It would also produce better health outcomes for those who are subjected to delayed discharge.
The average cost across Scotland of keeping someone in an acute hospital for one week is of the order of £4,000. Keeping someone in a community hospital costs around £1,800 a week, in a nursing home it is £600 a week, and the average cost of home care is £300 a week.
Private Rented Sector (Reform)
To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce plans for reform of the private rented sector. (S4O-03457)
In May last year, the Scottish Government published its strategy for the private rented sector. As part of the strategy, I established a stakeholder group to examine the suitability and effectiveness of the private rented sector tenancy regime. The group reported in May and recommended that the current assured and short assured tenancies should be replaced by a new private tenancy. I accepted the recommendation and plan to consult on proposals for a new private tenancy this autumn. The consultation will also explore issues that relate to rent levels.
My 30,000 constituents who live in the PRS, as well as those who share streets and stairs with them, will be glad to hear of the proposals and the consultation. Does the minister envisage legislation coming out of the consultation in the current session of Parliament, or would that be for a subsequent session?
As I said, we intend to consult in the autumn. We are developing the detailed proposals for consultation, which will be based on the findings of the review group’s report. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, my intention is to introduce a bill in this parliamentary session.
Rural Schools (Safeguards)
To ask the Scottish Government how it will provide safeguards for rural schools. (S4O-03458)
The Government is committed to safeguarding rural schools, which is why we have strengthened the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 to establish more rigorous and specific requirements before a local authority may propose closing a rural school. We have also strengthened the requirements for all school closure proposals by requiring that those reach high standards of transparency and accuracy and by safeguarding schools from recurring closure consultations. Those changes were brought into force on 1 August.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that some local authorities still fail to recognise the educational value of smaller rural schools or to understand their socioeconomic importance and the key role that they play in maintaining rural communities?
Mike MacKenzie has raised the key issue. A rural school’s central purpose is undoubtedly educational, but it is a key facility in a community and it plays an important role in the economic and social life and development of the community. That is why the Government’s proposals and legislation insist that the issues be taken into account when closure is considered. It is not optional for local authorities to look at economic and social issues—it is compulsory that they do so, and no closure proposal can go ahead without their having proved the case on those issues.
Does the cabinet secretary have any plans for greater involvement of local communities? I understand his desire to involve local authorities, but local communities are vociferous about the issue, too.
I entirely agree with John Scott and I am grateful for his support on the matter on a number of occasions. It is extremely important that communities recognise that their school is an asset and that, if it were to disappear, that would diminish the way in which the community operates. I am glad that almost all communities that I know recognise that and argue strongly and effectively for local education.
Question 9, in the name of Neil Bibby, has not been lodged. I have an explanation.
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on the construction of the Aberdeen western peripheral route. (S4O-03460)
We are making good progress and remain on target to have construction completed by spring 2018. We announced the preferred bidder—Connect Roads—on 11 June 2014. On Monday, at a visit to see some of the advance works that are already under way, I confirmed that we have now entered into a pre-start contract with Connect Roads to allow it to get its preparatory works started ahead of the contract award, which is expected later this year.
I was pleased to join the minister in my constituency on Monday for that announcement. Can we have an assurance that the work will be accelerated where possible, as part of the commitment to provide decent infrastructure for the north-east, which previous Governments have failed to do?
I can give that assurance. As well as bringing forward preparatory works through the pre-start agreement, I am determined that we continue to look to deliver the benefits of the scheme—which will be about £6 billion over its lifetime—as early as possible. The project is vital for the north-east’s economy, and people in the north-east have waited far too long for it, with some having been campaigning for decades. This Government will deliver the scheme in partnership with our local authority partners.
The minister will be aware of the rapid rate of economic growth, particularly in the Dyce area around the airport and on Dyce Drive. When does the minister expect to come to a decision about timetabling of the priority work on the western peripheral route, particularly that which will connect Aberdeen airport to the surrounding roads?
As Lewis Macdonald knows, we have had discussions with the airport. We have said consistently that the issue will require discussions with the contract winner. We are now in the process of coming to financial close. During that process, we can have discussions with the contractor to see which parts of the project may be brought forward. Of course, top of the list would be the work around the airport and in the Dyce area.