Plenary, 14 Sep 2006

Meeting date: Thursday, September 14, 2006

Official Report 753KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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General Questions

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Care Homes

To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on maintaining nutrition and hygiene standards in care homes. (S2O-10505)

The Scottish Executive places the highest importance on maintaining nutrition and hygiene standards in care homes. The national care standards for care homes specifically address the issues of nutrition, hygiene and infection control and are taken into account in the inspection and regulation of care homes by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care.

I acknowledge the progress that has been made. However, does the minister agree that an information campaign to heighten awareness of the importance of good hygiene and nutrition in nursing and residential homes would ensure that residents and their families know what standards to expect? Will he give me an assurance that he will work with the care commission to ensure that there is appropriate staff training in those areas and rigorous audit, so that our elderly people can receive and their families can be assured of the highest standards of care?

I completely accept the important points that Irene Oldfather makes. I am pleased to report that in recent months the care commission has worked in collaboration with NHS Education for Scotland to assist providers to understand their obligations in relation to care homes. Work has also been done with the Royal College of Nursing, which has a number of members working in the sector. Further such work is planned with providers.

I accept Irene Oldfather's point that it is important that residents and their families are aware of these matters and I will consider carefully whether there is anything that we ought to be doing, or encouraging the care commission to do, in that regard. The national care standards require that providers have a staff development strategy and effective annual training in place for all staff, which is the right way to proceed in that area.

What solution does the minister suggest to the problem of the pensioner in care who faces a bill of £1,174 per annum for heating and cooking her food?

Mr Swinburne will be aware that the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 does not relate to that directly, but the provisions of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 on personal and nursing care do. The 2002 act makes it clear that the hotel costs that residents face are legitimate. However, one of the things that any family will want to consider before making a decision about placement in a care home is the fees regime that is in place.

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A9 (Safety)

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on improving road safety on the A9 north of Perth. (S2O-10472)

A wide range of improvements are being progressed for the A9 north of Perth including: grade separation at Ballinluig and Bankfoot; a dual-carriageway extension at Crubenmore; provision of a three-lane section at Kincraig; junction improvements at Kindallachan and Inveralmond; an alignment improvement at Helmsdale; and overtaking opportunities at Moy, Slochd and Carrbridge. A number of safety-related studies are also under way.

I welcome the various measures that are being taken to improve safety. When in 2007 will work on site commence on the upgrades of the Bankfoot and Ballinluig junctions? What is the minister's response to my calls and the calls of, among others, the Confederation of British Industry Scotland and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry for consideration to be given—as part of the strategic projects review and the national transport strategy—to making the A9 into a dual carriageway to improve road safety?

I am happy to write to Mr Swinney in the next few days to give him the dates on which we expect work on the junctions at Bankfoot and Ballinluig to start.

I understand the points that have been made about the entire route, which is why the strategic projects review will provide an objective analysis of it. That is in addition to the current study of the route between Perth and Pitlochry. We will ensure that that work is done timeously so that appropriate decisions can be taken as quickly as possible on that important route between the capital of the Highlands and Perth.

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Cancer Costs Study (Executive Response)

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the cancer costs study carried out by Macmillan Cancer Support. (S2O-10489)

We recognise the additional anxieties and difficulties that are faced by people with serious illnesses such as cancer, and we take seriously the points that the report has made.

We have circulated guidance to national health service boards to ensure that patients are made aware of the two existing national schemes that allow for the reimbursement of travelling expenses for patients who are attending hospital for treatment and of escort expenses, where an escort is medically necessary. In 2004, we issued revised guidance to NHS boards that made it clear that they should make available sufficient car parking spaces and concessionary rates for patients who attend hospital regularly, for example for dialysis or radiotherapy.

I am pleased that the minister has issued guidance on the schemes that are in existence. As he may be aware, patients in Scotland who travel to hospital for cancer care endure an average of 37 trips and costs of £395 during the course of their treatment. Will he consider extending the current schemes to assist those patients?

In addition to the statutory position under those schemes, boards currently have discretion to consider on a case-by-case basis whether a patient should receive further reimbursement or travelling expenses. That is the right approach. It is important that boards are aware, and make patients aware, of the support that can be accessed. I am happy to consider any alternative suggestions for promoting the schemes that could improve eligible patients' access to them.

The minister mentioned guidance to NHS boards, but that is simply guidance. Does he agree that many hospitals have blatantly ignored it? Will the Executive introduce statutory powers to enforce its guidelines and thereby end the anomaly that exists and the disgraceful situation in which cancer patients have to pay parking and transport fees?

No.

I thank the minister for his willingness to discuss the matter and am sure that he will agree that there are many hidden costs for cancer patients. For families, there are not only the emotional costs, but the worry and cost that result from having to travel to hospital. Many day-care patients stay there for a long time—indeed, they can stay for the whole day—but finding parking close to hospitals can be impossible. People have other things on their mind than claiming expenses. Will the minister meet me and some of my colleagues to discuss the Macmillan campaign, which seeks to raise the profile of the issue?

As I said in response to Janis Hughes's question, I am certainly prepared to consider other ways of promoting the schemes. I do not accept Sandra White's point that hospitals are blatantly ignoring the guidance. I have no evidence that they are doing so. If such evidence exists, I want to know about it. [Interruption.]

I hear members making additional suggestions from sedentary positions. If those members have anything coherent to say, they should make the appropriate information available to me.

We want to ensure that hospitals and health boards throughout the country follow the guidance, but we must also recognise the reality. The ability of patients to park close to large general hospitals in urban areas in particular must be protected, and that is often best done by a charging scheme that will deter fly parkers and those who ought not to be there. However, I would be happy to discuss the matter further, as Cathie Craigie has requested, because we want to ensure that whatever schemes are in place, the interests of patients who require access to hospitals come first.

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Concessionary Bus Travel (Monitoring)

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring has been carried out of the implementation of the free concessionary bus travel scheme. (S2O-10507)

Transport Scotland carries out various forms of monitoring, ranging from monitoring of the number of cards that have been issued, their category of eligibility and the accuracy of the records that are held.

Is the minister aware of the concerns of my elderly constituents? When some of them have used their bus passes, they have been told that they must go to the end of the queue until paying passengers are seated. Does he agree that such behaviour and the charging of booking fees is unacceptable, especially as fares have been paid by the Scottish Executive? Will he take steps to ensure that such practice ceases immediately?

I would be happy to look into the cases that Karen Whitefield has mentioned and to ensure that Transport Scotland contacts her so that they are properly considered. It would certainly be unacceptable for elderly people with concessionary passes to be bumped to the end of the queue in the circumstances that Karen Whitefield has described. Of course, she will be aware of the difference between elderly passengers who have the card and other fare-paying passengers who have pre-booked seats, but I will certainly take up the matter and ensure that Transport Scotland looks into matters that are causing considerable and understandable concern.

I associate myself with Karen Whitefield's concerns and suspect that her constituents' problems are being replicated throughout Scotland.

Is the minister aware that there are still serious difficulties with people getting their bus passes in the first place? As recently as this week, I spoke to an 80-year-old constituent of mine who has still failed to get a concessionary bus pass after four attempts. On at least two occasions, her pass was returned with a picture of a man on it, despite the fact that she sent in her own picture. Will the minister take serious steps to ensure that the card agency that issues the cards does its job properly?

I would be happy to take up the case that Roseanna Cunningham has mentioned, which I hope she has brought to the attention of Transport Scotland. After question time, I will check whether she has done so. We have said time and time again that Transport Scotland is available to sort out problems. If she has raised the matter with it and the issue has not been solved, that is not good enough. I will check whether she has raised the matter with that body at all.

The elderly have widely applauded the implementation of the free concessionary bus travel scheme, but in Caithness, in my constituency, the necessary work has not been done to buses to make them easier for disabled people to access—in fact, many disabled people simply cannot access them. Therefore, they are missing out on this laudable scheme. Will the minister assure me that the issue will be looked into as a matter of urgency? [Interruption.]

Scottish National Party members are an excitable lot today. I hope that they support the scheme, although it is clear that there are questions about the SNP's support for any policy that would help the elderly.

I would be happy to consider the serious issues that Mr Stone has raised, which I can see are of no importance to the SNP whatever. We are discussing with the bus companies significant matters to do with bus design and disabled access, particularly in relation to coaches that go on longer journeys. We will continue that work and see that the bus operators provide the types of bus that are needed to provide a better service for the constituents whom Mr Stone represents.

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Renewable Energy (Support)

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is being given to the renewable energy sector. (S2O-10494)

Earlier this year, I announced more than £20 million of extra support for the development of renewable energy. We have also committed around £16 million to the Scottish community and householder renewables initiative, more than £3 million for the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney and £3 million to Talisman Energy for the development of the Beatrice offshore wind farm. That money is in addition to the significant support for renewable energy through the renewables obligation system.

The use of the Sigma sustainable energies fund for renewable energy projects in the east of Scotland to support the Pelamis marine energy project has brought great benefits to my constituency, which I welcome. The minister referred to support for other forms of renewable energy. Is he aware of the proposal by Tullis Russell Papermakers in Markinch, in my constituency, to replace its coal-fired power plant with a 100 per cent biomass fuel plant? Will he confirm that there is Executive support for biomass renewable energy projects? Will he agree to meet me to discuss the Tullis Russell proposal and perhaps accept an invitation to visit the plant?

Yes, I would be pleased to take up the invitation to visit the plant. I know that the Tullis Russell scheme is an ambitious one to replace its current means of energy production and convert to a biomass combined heat and power scheme. A significant funding gap currently exists, but the Executive is prepared to look at that and through either the £20 million fund that I mentioned or other means of support, such as regional selective assistance, we would like to work with the company to develop its proposals.

Christine May is right that the Sigma fund is important for the whole of the east of Scotland. The opportunity to get further direct venture capital investment through a combination of Scottish and Southern Energy investment and Scottish Executive investment is also significant.

What priority is being given and what resources is the minister devoting to the development of the biofuel industry in Scotland?

Scotland will be significant in biofuel in the future and Alex Johnstone will be aware that a significant plant is being developed in Scotland. I believe that over the next few years the proportion of biofuel that is part of mainstream fuel will increase: biofuel will become an element in the fuel that all cars will burn. That is a better future for the biofuel industry than having separate biofuel pumps. A big shift towards biofuel could take place if we can get the right tax regime and the right United Kingdom Government incentives to make it happen. I know that the UK Government and the Scottish Executive have been working on that together.

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Corporate Homicide

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to close a loophole in Scots law in respect of corporate homicide as highlighted by the Transco case. (S2O-10485)

The Scottish Executive remains committed to closing the gap in the law identified by the Transco case. A Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill has been introduced at Westminster, but we will continue to consider whether the law in Scotland needs further strengthening.

I have lodged a final proposal for a member's bill to introduce offences of culpable homicide by recklessness and culpable homicide by gross negligence. The proposal was lodged this morning and has gained support from 37 members of the Parliament across all political parties except the Conservatives, although I am sure that they will want to join in with everyone else shortly. The Executive's own legislative proposals will be a key factor in the progress of the bill. Therefore, will the minister agree to meet me to discuss how progress can best be made to ensure that the Transco loophole is closed once and for all?

I am aware that Karen Gillon's proposal has been lodged. I acknowledge her commitment in pursuing the matter vigorously in conjunction with the trade union movement on behalf of her constituents. A number of complex issues require to be resolved and I would be happy to meet her to discuss how we might make progress.

Does the minister not accept that culpable homicide and manslaughter are not simply different names north and south of the border but are fundamentally different in many ways? In those circumstances, while it may be better than nothing for the matter to be addressed through Westminster, it would be far better to support Ms Gillon. Will the minister not commit to supporting Ms Gillon's bill, particularly in the light of Ms Gillon's remark about the cross-party support for a specific Scottish act, which is long overdue, to deal with the matter?

I am sure that Mr MacAskill recognises the complexity of the law in this area and acknowledges that whatever legislation is passed—at Westminster or in the Scottish Parliament—must be fit for purpose and must be robust enough to withstand any possible future legal challenge. I have always made it clear that that is one of my aims. It would be wrong of us to suggest a course of action that would not deliver what it promised.

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Breastfeeding

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote breastfeeding, particularly in Grampian. (S2O-10538)

We work closely with NHS Health Scotland and national health service boards to support a range of activity to promote breastfeeding across Scotland.

Some 40 midwives and health visitors have completed United Nations Children's Fund—UNICEF—training in Grampian in the past year and are now key workers in promoting breastfeeding and supporting mothers. Aberdeen maternity hospital and Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin are working actively to achieve UNICEF baby-friendly status, which includes a range of training and education opportunities for staff and ensures consistent practice and a positive breastfeeding culture.

We all know that breastfed babies benefit throughout their lives. The benefits include fewer infections and a reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal problems and obesity. Does the minister share my concern that breastfeeding rates are declining, particularly in Aboyne? Will he ensure that NHS boards are given strong guidance to ensure that there is proper funding for the necessary early support for mothers to encourage them to continue breastfeeding, which would benefit everyone, including the NHS?

The overall picture in Scotland is that breastfeeding rates are increasing. We support that trend and will continue to do so.