SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I see that question 5, which was lodged by Mike Rumbles, has been withdrawn. There might well be a good reason for that, but many of us will be disappointed. Given this morning's announcement on the Cairngorms national park, we were looking forward to questioning the minister on the matter this afternoon. Is it possible for any other member to ask that question?
The member will not be surprised to hear that the answer is no, because the question has been withdrawn.
A9 (Dual Carriageway Status)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet representatives of local community groups campaigning for the upgrading to dual carriageway status of the A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness. (S1O-5856)
We will continue to discuss priorities for improving road safety on the A9 with the local councils, the police and other interested parties.
I thank the minister for his answer, although I am not quite sure whether it was a yes or a no. I dare say that we can pursue the matter.
No, I do not accept that, although I will consider carefully and in the usual way Murdo Fraser's request for a meeting. Our priority on the A9 is not to dual the entire stretch from Perth to Inverness because the volume of road traffic simply falls far short of the levels that would justify doing so. Instead, our priority on the A9 between Inverness and Perth is to identify areas where investment can address road safety issues, to make that investment and to improve the safety of the road for all those who use it.
I acknowledge the minister's comments about the volume of traffic on the A9. However, does he agree that the accident rate on the road is absolutely unacceptable? Furthermore, does he agree that part of the problem is the fact that, in my constituency alone, the road changes between single and dual carriageway six times within a distance of 50 miles? Given that, will the minister listen more sympathetically to many local organisations' pleas to improve dramatically that stretch of the road by upgrading it to dual carriageway status?
If Mr Swinney were to check the accident rates on the A9, he would find that they were very far from the extreme end of the range. In fact, the rates are very close to the average for trunk roads of its type in Scotland. Instead, what we need to do on the A9 is precisely what I set out in an announcement in Mr Swinney's constituency only a few months ago, which he was delighted to welcome. We made proposals to tackle a specific problem at a specific junction and put it to rights. At the Ballinluig junction, which Mr Swinney agreed had the most pressing case for investment on the A9, the road is dual carriageway.
Does the minister propose to tackle safety issues on parts of the A9 that cause most concern? Moreover, as drivers feel a great deal of frustration when they are stuck behind slow lorries, what are the minister's plans for encouraging more freight to travel by rail?
On the A9 and, indeed, throughout the Highlands we have already made significant investment in moving freight from road to rail. In fact, 1.5 million lorry miles a year have been removed from the Highlands through measures such as the freight facilities grant and the track access grant. We will continue to do that and to identify particular cases. For example, I mentioned Ballinluig just a moment ago; there is a clear need for investing in that stretch of dual carriageway, which includes a junction to Aberfeldy just before the settlement of Ballinluig itself. As I said, we will continue to identify where we should make such investments. However, we will do so in the context of the whole trunk road network.
Is the minister aware that there is cross-party concern about the A9? It is completely unacceptable that there continues to be such a high level of very serious accidents and fatalities on that road. If the same is true on other roads, then my goodness, we have a major problem.
It is precisely because we recognise that there are road safety issues on the A9 that in April, when I visited Ballinluig, I chaired the first meeting of the A9 road safety group. That group has continued to meet since then and brings together the local authorities, the police and other interested parties to identify places on that route where further investment will make a difference.
Secondary Education
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist secondary school pupils in fifth and sixth year to strike the correct balance between work and school. (S1O-5857)
It is clear that it is important to get the balance right between young peoples' work experience, the financial benefit they gain from working and their school achievement. The Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 currently allows young people under the age of 15 years to work for a maximum of 17 hours a week during term time and it allows those aged at least 15 years, but below the school-leaving age, to work up to 20 hours.
Is the minister aware of the recent study by Jim McKechnie of the University of Paisley that indicates that although a small amount of work can boost academic achievement, working more than 10 hours a week can bring down exam results? How will the Executive help students in the crucial fifth and sixth years to gain valuable experience of the world of work, while protecting them against overwork and exploitation?
That situation has been considered in the education and enterprise review that I chaired. It is an important area and we must get right the quality of work experience as well as the number of hours that can be worked.
Local Authorities (Direct Payment Services)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that local authorities involve service users in the setting up and maintenance of their direct payment services. (S1O-5855)
Revised guidance for direct payments issued to local authorities on 10 July 2002 makes clear the need to consult local users and representative organisations in establishing local schemes. We place particular importance on taking into account the views of 16 and 17-year-olds and older people who have previously been unable to access schemes. Many other aspects of disability are not fully covered, but we will take those into account. A copy of that guidance has been placed in the Scottish Parliament information centre.
It is intended that direct payments will give a choice of services to individuals who are in receipt of community care. Currently, local authorities have the power to make payments for community care services and from June 2003 that power will become a duty. However, current statistics show clearly that local authorities are not making the necessary changes to their services, which is resulting in service users not being given the opportunity to make and receive direct payments. Therefore, does the Scottish Executive have any plans to pilot in any local authority direct payment schemes to parents of disabled children before June 2003?
We prefer to work in partnership with local authorities to address deficiencies such as those the member has mentioned. I am happy to address those concerns and to report back to Parliament. However, we are facilitating the change from a local authority power to a duty to make payments from 2003. We want to work in partnership with local authorities and users to ensure the most effective use of resources.
Drugs Courts
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the progress of drugs courts. (S1O-5897)
The evaluation of the first six months of the pilot Glasgow drugs court was published on Monday 11 November. A further report is planned for early 2004, with a final report in 2005. A similar evaluation of the new drugs court in Fife will also be conducted.
As the minister knows, I have long been a supporter of halfway houses. Will he explain how the drugs courts will link with the new time-out centre?
The new time-out centre, which we hope will be ready by June 2003, will be a unit to which drugs courts can send women as part of the imposition of probation orders that include a condition of attendance. The hope is that the new time-out centre will divert from short-term sentences at Cornton Vale up to 530 receptions a year. The combination of day and residential facilities at the time-out centre will be highly beneficial to those who have drug problems.
Does the minister accept that drugs courts play a crucial role in reducing drug misuse? Will he explain why there is not therefore one in Grampian, where drug misuse has gone through the roof, as has drug-related crime. Only last night, an elderly couple in their nineties were robbed in their home for a small quantity of money. That was, no doubt, another drug-related crime. What measures is the minister taking over and above drugs courts, which Grampian does not have, to reduce such crime?
There are two parts to that question, the first of which is why there is not a drugs court in Aberdeen. We are testing an urban court in Glasgow. The only other drugs court in Europe is in Dublin, but it has had difficulties and has not proved to be highly effective. The initial evaluation of the drugs court in Glasgow demonstrates its effectiveness, but the numbers that are going through it are very low and we have identified a number of problems that we intend to address. The Fife drugs court is in a rural setting and we intend to test that. We will complete both those tests before we move on to Aberdeen.
Does the minister agree that, if we are to roll out drugs courts and DTTOs, we must provide more residential and non-residential programmes? It is absolutely ridiculous that for 55,000 addicts in Scotland there are currently only 120 residential beds exclusively for drug addicts.
The question of halfway houses for women that was raised by Sylvia Jackson also applies to men, and we will consider such provision in relation to men in the future. The whole concept of residential care is a difficult one, because such care is expensive and the outcomes are not always what we hope they will be. It is important that we have an integrated programme and the main thrust of the Government's action this year has been to encourage all the groups to work together in an integrated way. As Mr Raffan knows, we have published a document on that and we intend to ensure that such integrated work is implemented.
Question 5 has been withdrawn.
Road Safety (Children)
To ask the Scottish Executive what further funding it will provide for road safety initiatives for children. (S1O-5902)
I announced last week a second round of funding for child pedestrian training pilot schemes. A third round of funding will be awarded next year. Funding for that initiative totals £810,000 over five years, and a number of other initiatives are also in place.
I welcome that additional funding. Will the minister join me in congratulating North Lanarkshire Council on the innovative child pedestrian training scheme that it has been running with Netherton Primary School? Does he agree that such schemes should be rolled out not only in North Lanarkshire but throughout Scotland?
I visited Netherton Primary School only a couple of weeks ago and saw in practice the enthusiasm and commitment of staff and parents to ensuring that the scheme works. That initiative is part of a pilot scheme; additional entrants to that scheme in three other council areas were announced recently. The purpose of a pilot is clearly to test the effectiveness of the scheme in achieving improvements in the safety of children of that age. If the pilot is successful, we will certainly consider rolling it out further.
Is the minister aware of the experimental schemes in Aberdeenshire for rural and urban schools where variable speed limits have been introduced at school entry and leaving times? Is he doing anything to encourage other local authorities to examine those pilots and develop them in their own areas?
We have a set of schemes in place for cycling, walking and safer streets. There is funding for all local authorities and we encourage them to learn from one another's best practice. We expect some of that money to be used for improving safety at school gates. We are aware that certain areas of road safety relate to children who are particularly vulnerable. Children from low-income families who are starting primary school and children from all backgrounds who are moving from primary school to secondary school are particularly vulnerable and we welcome projects that successfully address such matters.
Local Authority Pension Funds
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and others about local authority pension funds. (S1O-5868)
Issues relating to local authority expenditure, including pensions, are considered as part of our regular discussions with COSLA.
As equity markets are falling, will the Scottish Executive fund fully any necessary increased contributions to council pension funds, or will that funding fall on hard-pressed council tax payers? Will that again result in more council services being cut?
Actuaries are currently going through the process and are not due to report on the 11 Scottish local government funds until next year. Evaluations of contributions that employers are expected to make take into account a number of national and local factors. As I said, we have on-going discussions with COSLA and those include the issue in question. Local authorities are accustomed to the process. They have regularly been involved in and understand such reviews and they understand the various factors that are taken into consideration. However, I am always happy to listen to our local authority colleagues in respect of such issues.
Education (Head Teachers)
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being introduced to encourage school head teachers to work together and share best practice. (S1O-5898)
We have commissioned Learning and Teaching Scotland to pilot heads together, which is an electronic community for Scottish head teachers that will give them access to support from colleagues and provide tools for the creation and sharing of new ideas.
I recognise that good practice exists, but will the minister tell me what steps are being taken to ensure that unnecessary competition between schools is reduced, especially competition such as that which some schools engage in to attract pupils? Reducing such competition would go some way toward addressing the issue of class sizes.
Over the past few weeks, the First Minister and I have made it clear in the chamber and elsewhere that we want every school in Scotland to be a centre of excellence. We want to ensure that head teachers have opportunities for flexibility in the curriculum and that they manage their budgets so that we can raise standards and attainment in every Scottish school.
Will the minister ask head teachers to work together with the university sector and highlight, for example, the work of the University of Strathclyde's modern languages department, which has to run remedial courses for new students to overcome some of their problems before they can engage in university education?
It is important that the whole education community looks not just at pupils' transition from school to university, but at the transition to the world of work, which Alex Neil takes a close interest in. We will continue to address such matters.
Education (Five-to-14 Curriculum)
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to review the contents of guidance on the five-to-14 curriculum. (S1O-5865)
Learning and Teaching Scotland is charged with providing independent advice to ministers about all matters that relate to the five-to-14 curriculum, and keeps the curriculum guidance under review.
I am sure that the minister is aware of the contents of a written answer that he provided to me yesterday on the five-to-14 curriculum. In the light of his answer, what is he asking Learning and Teaching Scotland to do urgently about the fact that, Scotland-wide, 48.8 per cent of young people do not reach the required level at secondary 2 in mathematics, 54 per cent do not do so in writing and 43 per cent do not do so in reading? Does he realise that an enormous problem is emerging?
We have already taken action on such issues. However, there is a problem that must be tackled. We have launched initiatives on literacy and numeracy, there is a school improvement framework and new legislation has been passed, which is one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the Parliament to try to ensure that learning in Scotland is focused on the needs of individual children. An improvement framework is therefore in place and local authorities, individual schools and teachers throughout Scotland are determined to deliver improvements and to improve on the figures that Mike Russell quoted. I also hope that there will be increasing involvement by parents and pupils. However, I agree with Mike Russell that some of the figures are simply unacceptable.
Does the minister accept that there are real concerns about the multiplicity of strands in five to 14 and the associated assessment and recording in the various areas of study? There is a worry that those demands can impact on the availability and flexibility of time for teaching and learning.
I agree with that. We are looking at ways to simplify in particular assessment in the five-to-14 framework. It is important that we press ahead with that as quickly as possible. A review group is currently considering the issue.
Hospital-acquired Infections
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle hospital-acquired infections. (S1O-5896)
I published the Scottish hospital-acquired infections action plan on 23 October. All NHS boards and trusts have been asked to take urgent action to carry forward its recommendations.
Will the minister comment further on whether the action plan will include training measures and on-site laundry facilities for staff who are concerned about being able to maintain their uniforms and keep them clean?
Both those issues are covered in the action plan. The report by Dr Watt, who is a consultant microbiologist, fed into the action plan, which drew not only on his report but on the major convention that we held in the summer, through which we made use of a lot of expertise from Scotland and further afield. Training has been flagged up as an early priority among the large number of actions and initiatives that have been proposed. We have put those initiatives in order, but training is certainly an early priority.
Does the minister relate the shortages in cleaners and cleaning materials, which affect even hospital theatres, to infection? That is exemplified by the experience of my own family. For my husband's eye operation on Saturday, he was openly told that he must rise three hours after leaving the operating theatre and come straight home to my tender loving care to escape the risk of infection. Is it not time that, in the interests of the safety of our people, we removed the job of cleaning from private contractors, whose interest is to make a profit? Is it not time to encourage some cleaning people to be whistleblowers?
Clean hospitals are clearly a major part of reducing hospital-acquired infections. We now have the first-ever national standards for cleaning, a report on which will be published at the beginning of next year.
Given the fact that 50 per cent more people die from hospital-acquired infection than die on our roads, and given the fact that the Executive has made a commitment to reduce road deaths by 40 per cent, will the minister give a similar commitment to reduce deaths from hospital-acquired infections?
I am absolutely committed to reducing both the number of deaths from, and the overall incidence of, hospital-acquired infection. Throughout the year, I have given that issue a high priority. Back in January, when there was a bad outbreak at a certain hospital, I commissioned the Watt report, which underlay a lot of the action plan. I am utterly committed to tackling such infection. A series of actions are necessary and are being taken, but we have tried to prioritise those actions. Health boards and trusts are focusing on the issue as they have never done in the past.
I welcome the minister's comments. Is he aware of the specific concerns of pregnant women about childbirth in district general hospitals? Can he give an assurance that any future strategy will take careful account of their views and needs?
That is another area of critical importance for infection control. I expect all the measures that we have recommended—especially the changes to what happens on the front line—to apply in the area of childbirth as much as, if not more than, in other areas. The action plan contains a raft of practical measures. Simple measures such as having sufficient hand-washing facilities and ensuring that good practice is followed in that regard are at the heart of the action plan.
Scottish Enterprise
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the smart, successful Scotland strategy through supporting the work of Scottish Enterprise. (S1O-5901)
Scottish Enterprise follows the strategic direction that was set by the Executive in "A Smart, Successful Scotland". It met an impressive 18 out of 21 output targets for 2001-02, as set out in its annual report. Impact on the economy is assessed using performance measures that were set out in March in the Executive's document "Measuring Scotland's Progress Towards a Smart Successful Scotland". We will report on progress next year.
I thank the minister for that response and welcome the remarks that he made last week at the "Science and the Parliament" event, where he recognised both the importance of science to the Scottish economy and the growing numbers of undergraduates in science and mathematics. Following recent announcements of funding for support and research through the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, how will he ensure that Scottish Enterprise works with higher education establishments to ensure the commercialisation of research in Scotland's universities?
We are ensuring that there is good co-operation between the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and Scottish Enterprise through common board members and the exchange of board papers between the two boards. The boards are clear about the importance of science. At the "Science and the Parliament" event, I said that we are good at recognising the importance of Scottish scientists of the past and that it is about time that we got better at recognising the importance of Scottish scientists of the present. Scotland's past was built on science and our future will be. Scottish Enterprise understands that.
The minister will be aware that one of the Government's key ambitions in "A Smart, Successful Scotland" is to grow businesses. I advise him that, yesterday, Alex Neil and I attended a meeting at Scottish Enterprise with representatives of a Scottish company with a prize-winning product that is receiving inquiries and orders from all over the world. The lacklustre response that those representatives received from Scottish Enterprise, when it was asked for assistance with funding, filled me with despair—no wonder entrepreneurs leave Scottish shores.
Ask a question.
Duncan McNeil will get a question if he stops trying to bully me.
Can we have the question now, please?
I am more interested in the answer. When I write to the minister with the details of that case—which I am sure is replicated elsewhere in Scotland—will he give the matter the attention that the Executive's well-funded agency did not?
It is impossible for me to comment on the particulars of a case that is not known to me. If Christine Grahame writes to me with those particulars, I shall investigate them, as I always do.
In 2001-02, Scottish Enterprise required £392 million to exist. In comparison, the English development agencies required a modest £1.14 billion in total. Why does Scottish Enterprise have such a voracious appetite for public money?
One of the reasons is that about 50 per cent of Scottish Enterprise's budget is spent on the skills and learning agenda, which is probably not the case for the agencies to which Miss Goldie referred. If Scottish Enterprise has a voracious appetite, that is because the Scottish people have a voracious appetite for improving their skills in order to improve their future.
Will the minister ask Scottish Enterprise to do everything possible to assist the 250 workers at Jones and Campbell Ltd's foundry in Larbert who face redundancy because of the proposed closure of the foundry, which is the biggest in Scotland? Further, will the Executive ensure that careful consideration is given to every possible alternative to closure, the provision of more job opportunities and the diversification of the local economy?
I am aware of the extremely unfortunate situation to which Mr Canavan referred. However, we have a powerful framework, with a track record of success, for providing the maximum possible support to those who lose their jobs, to help them to find alternative opportunities. For example, some 95 per cent of those who lost their jobs in Motorola at Easter Inch in Bathgate are now in work or full-time training, as are 90 per cent of those who lost their jobs at Longannet. I pay close attention to that framework and I believe that we have improved it over recent months. I can certainly give Mr Canavan an undertaking that I will ensure that that framework swings fully into action to the benefit of the workers whose case he raised.
Football Partnership
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the Scottish Football Association about funding for the football partnership. (S1O-5890)
David Taylor, the chief executive of the SFA, wrote to officials in the sports policy unit in June this year about the transfer of funds from the former Football Trust.
What level of monthly funding can the football partnership expect, given the fact that the Football Trust has been wound up? What lump sum would be due to the football partnership? Why is the football partnership not up and running?
It is disappointing that the football partnership is not up and running. However, it is mired in legal difficulties over the release of funds from the former Football Trust. I will not speculate about the amounts of money that could be involved because we do not know what they are. Once the legalities are sorted out, I will be able to answer that question. However, I have written twice to the chair of the Football Foundation in Scotland—the second letter was sent only this week—to try to remove those blockages. The matter is not directly in the Executive's hands, but we are trying to assist.
Credit Unions
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage the growth of the credit union and community banking movement. (S1O-5891)
We are working with our partners in the Scottish credit union partnership on implementing our action plan—"Unlocking the Potential: An Action Plan for the Credit Union Movement in Scotland"—for the credit union movement, which is supported by Executive funding of £1.5 million over three years. Communities Scotland is supporting communities to explore pilot community banking initiatives, building on the excellent work that is being undertaken in Wester Hailes. That exploratory work will continue with the Capital City Partnership and other social inclusion partnerships throughout Edinburgh, and with a consortium of housing associations in the north and east of Scotland.
Will the minister consider discussing with the major commercial banks the creation of a national system for the banks to lend money to approved credit unions? In turn, credit unions would lend the money on in small quantities to local people, on the basis that they have better information about who is or is not creditworthy.
We are involved in discussions with the banks across a range of issues related to financial inclusion. We will take any opportunity to maximise the potential of that relationship. I would be happy to discuss the detail of the measures that we are taking with Donald Gorrie, if he is interested.
Does the minister accept that, although credit unions are a very valuable part of our communities, there are practical difficulties in establishing them in rural areas? Can she explain what action the Executive is taking to assist volunteers for credit unions, such as the one in my constituency, to undertake the visits that are necessary to small villages that are spread out over a wide area?
We recognise that rural areas face particular problems on this and many other issues in my portfolio. I do my best to factor those problems into all our work.
The minister will recall the debate on credit unions that was held in March last year. During that debate, the then Minister for Social Justice outlined to us the differences that exist between regulation by the Financial Services Authority and regulation by the Registry of Friendly Societies. That is a reserved matter, but concern has been expressed that new credit unions are finding it difficult to become established under the Financial Services Authority. Have attempts been made to alleviate the problems that new credit unions are experiencing?
We are doing our best to alleviate any difficulties that credit unions face in the new context. We are funding a comprehensive, practical package of assistance to enable all credit unions to meet the requirements of the Financial Services Authority's regulatory framework. We are taking whatever action we can, although I am not complacent about that. We will take every opportunity to assist credit unions, because we recognise their importance in dealing with debt and poverty in Scotland.
School Buildings (Public-private Partnership Schemes)
To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefits are for local authorities of using PPP schemes in the construction of new school buildings. (S1O-5881)
Public-private partnerships provide an additional procurement option that enables local authorities significantly to improve their school estates.
Does the minister agree that the refusal of nationalist-controlled Angus Council to embrace PPP as a means of providing new schools and other public buildings has nothing to do with the provision of good public services and everything to do with the blinkered application of the SNP's left-wing policies?
I am pleased to see Conservative members supporting Executive policy. I want schools that are fit for the 21st century. I want every local authority in Scotland to ensure that it addresses the problems in its school estate, that it provides schools that are fit for the 21st century, and that pupils and teachers benefit from those schools.
Does the minister agree that it is important that any package for investment in schools—whether through PPP or other means—should include future provision for Catholic secondary schools? If so, given the consensus in the Catholic community in Dundee about the need to replace two schools with a new one that is fit for the 21st century, will she consider a further submission from Dundee City Council seeking an additional sum for investment in education in Dundee? That would ensure that Catholic schools would benefit from the programme of refurbishment and rebuilding.
The Executive has made it very clear that it values the provision of Catholic education. However, each local authority must reach conclusions about which strategy best meets the needs of pupils, parents, teachers and local communities. I await with interest Dundee City Council's proposals.
Is it the Executive's intention to require that the very highest environmental design standards are included in PPP projects for schools, given the advantages, both educational and environmental, that would accrue from such a policy?
We want to ensure that when authorities prepare their plans for the school estate strategies of the future, they take account of environmental considerations and of good building design and standards. To that end, we held a seminar earlier this week, which 30 of the 32 local authorities in Scotland attended and at which we heard a range of presentations and examples of good practice from around Europe.