Plenary, 15 Feb 2007

Meeting date: Thursday, February 15, 2007

Official Report 691KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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General Questions

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Business-University Links

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to promote links between business and universities. (S2O-12052)

Links between business and universities are a vital element of our economic development strategy. The Executive and its agencies are doing a great deal to strengthen those links. The knowledge transfer grant and the SEEKIT and SCORE programmes—the Scottish Executive expertise, knowledge and innovation transfer programme and the small and medium-sized enterprises collaborative research programme—have been specifically designed for that purpose. The new interface programme is specifically targeted at allowing business to access the expertise and experience in our universities.

I thank the minister for that response and welcome the contribution that he has outlined. Would he support further developments, particularly in major areas of economic regeneration? Businesses in such communities could link up with universities to promote the benefits of the knowledge economy in Scotland.

I would indeed. Such collaborations and developments are vital in growing our economy, which is of course the Scottish Executive's number 1 priority. As we discussed this morning, as manufacturing moves east to low-cost destinations, it is vital that we compete on our skills base, knowledge base and ability to innovate and invent. Our Scottish higher education institutions are world leaders in that regard. It is important that we use our knowledge and experience and commercialise research and turn it into jobs here in Scotland.

Would the minister say that businesses in Dumfries and Galloway benefit from courses such as the one on matters relating to tourism that is offered by the University of Glasgow at the Crichton campus?

I am sure that they do. As the member knows, we will debate the Crichton campus this evening. I understand that the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council is in discussions with partners on how best to deliver course content. I am sure that Mr Morgan would agree that the important thing for the south of Scotland is that there is a breadth of courses available for people to take advantage of.

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Hospital Procurement (Glasgow)

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the statement by Glasgow's new children's hospital clinical advisory group that "procurement of the adult and children's hospital as a joint PFI project was seen to be the most appropriate way forward". (S2O-12000)

Although we note the view of Glasgow's new children's hospital clinical advisory group, it is premature for us to comment as the appropriate procurement method will be determined through an auditable business case process based on value for money and affordability. The outline business case is scheduled to be submitted to the Health Department in early summer.

It should be appreciated that the redevelopment of the Southern general hospital site is one of the largest and most complex health care projects being delivered in the United Kingdom. It is crucial therefore that the service model is fully thought through and that appropriate infrastructure is put in place to support the chosen model of care. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde proposes to co-locate on the site paediatric, maternity and adult services and in doing so deliver the most appropriate configuration of health care services for the people of the greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

The minister will be aware that, throughout the consultation period, the people of Glasgow were continually assured that the hospital would not be financed privately. The minister's predecessor, Mr Chisholm, pledged £100 million to that end. Now we are being told that, without more money, the new hospital will have 25 per cent less land capacity, which will lead to a reduction in services. Does the minister support private finance for the project or have the people of Glasgow been seriously misled—yes or no?

I am unable to comment on that, because I do not have any of the documentation that would verify it. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has not yet produced the full business case. I look forward to receiving it and will of course take a decision based on it in terms of value for money and affordability. We are talking about one of the most complex health care projects in the United Kingdom.

Will the minister rule out private finance for the hospital?

I cannot rule out something that does not exist in the first instance. However, the hospital would not be built with the £10 billion black hole in the Scottish National Party's budget and the view that it continually adopts that puts patients after dogma.

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Small-scale Hydroelectric Power

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging the development of small-scale hydro power schemes. (S2O-12015)

Small-scale hydro developers gain extra income under renewables obligation schemes, which provide significant incentives and encourage new schemes. In November 2006, the forum for renewable energy development in Scotland agreed to establish a hydro sub-group to promote further development. The group will examine the potential for more hydro power in Scotland with a particular focus on support for small-scale hydro developments.

The minister will know that I have been corresponding with him about the delays that small-scale hydro developers face in obtaining section 36 consents. However, I raise another issue with him today.

The cost of the planning application process includes a non-returnable fee that is payable to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for the granting of a controlled activities licence. A developer of a small hydro proposal that generates 1.2MW has to pay an upfront, non-returnable fee of some £22,000 with no guarantee that the application will be successful. Does the minister accept that such fees put a barrier in the way of small-scale hydro developers, whom we should be encouraging if we are to meet our renewable energy targets?

I agree that an appropriate balance needs to be struck between protecting the environment—particularly the water environment—and promoting renewable energy development, including small-scale hydro schemes. As I understand it, the power sector was well represented in the early discussions on the charging scheme and, as a result, SEPA reduced the proposed charges for smaller schemes and increased the number of projects that could gain exemption from annual charges. Of course, the charges have to be offset against the additional income that accrues through the renewables obligation certificate mechanism.

We can certainly ask our colleagues in the Environment and Rural Affairs Department to consider whether the charging regime acts as a disincentive or a barrier to future small-scale hydro production.

Does the minister agree that another disincentive to the development of small-scale hydro schemes is the extremely tortuous planning process that they have to go through? On the assumption that the Government is sympathetic to small-scale hydro projects, can the minister suggest any way in which the planning process can be made more straightforward—without any relaxation of the necessary checks and balances—to try to ensure that we get more progress on an area of policy that has had little progress in recent years?

I accept much of what the member said, but not his final comment. There has been significant progress in renewable energy development as a whole in the current session of Parliament. However, I accept that the planning processes should be streamlined and made more conducive to future renewable energy development.

The issue is partly about the training of planners in the local authority planning system. We are reviewing Scottish planning policy 6 and the advice that we give local authority planners on future renewable energy development. It is hoped that the revised planning guidance will streamline the process, speed up applications and ensure that appropriate developments are undertaken—and inappropriate ones are disposed of—more speedily.

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Genetically Modified Potatoes

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ahead of the European Council of Ministers meeting to review the application for approval to plant BASF's genetically modified potato EH92-527-1 on a commercial scale in Europe. (S2O-11990)

The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment considers the GM variety that the member mentions to be as safe as the conventional variety. The Scottish Executive therefore agreed that the United Kingdom should vote in favour of the application.

I am interested in the minister's answer. We do not know in detail what she advised, particularly given the views in Scotland about the nature of our food and the image that could be projected if a GM crop is grown.

We believe that the environmental liability directive has to be transposed into Scottish law soon and that consultations on the separation distances between GM crops and conventional crops are still at the consideration stage. Does the minister agree that, short of Scotland being directly represented in Europe, we have to find a stronger argument to protect Scottish food? If we do not oppose crops of GM potatoes that produce industrial starch for paper making, more and more GM crops will come in and threaten the clean image of Scotland.

First, it would have been helpful if the member had listened and responded to my answer. The Scottish Executive agreed with the UK Government that it should vote in favour of the application. There were extensive discussions with ACRE. The application was not agreed to when it was first considered. The company was sent back to rework its information and was told that it could not use the potato as animal feed. A lot more information was presented and, when the application came back a year later, it was approved. We must be clear that it went through the correct processes.

On Rob Gibson's comment about future decisions, it would be premature to initiate a consultation. There are continuing discussions at the European level and the Scottish Executive is fully involved in debating the role of GM products.

The Executive's position on the matter is clear and I stated it in my first answer to Rob Gibson's question. He should go and do a bit of homework. This particular crop is not going to be grown in Scotland or the rest of the UK, but it has been agreed under EU procedures with our careful consideration after taking scientific advice.

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One Plus

To ask the Scottish Executive which employment, training and personal development services formerly provided by One Plus are now being provided by other agencies and which agencies are involved. (S2O-12012)

The situation is still developing, but information that has been received to date suggests that a large number of labour market trainees have been placed with new providers. A wide range of local authorities, local enterprise companies, colleges and child care and social care providers from both the public and private sectors have been involved in making alternative arrangements for trainees.

The Executive is in negotiations with alternative providers regarding the sustainable employment service. Similarly, negotiations to re-establish key parts of the wider advice and support services that were formerly provided by One Plus are at an advanced stage.

Is the minister aware that the services that existed under the One Plus banner were integrated, which meant that people who attended were offered other things that were connected, such as training, mentoring, child care and counselling, in a one-stop shop? That lifted a lot of the barriers to education. What will the minister do to ensure that such a cohesive approach is in place so that there is inclusion? Can he guarantee that the organisations that pick up the slack will not be overwhelmed by the influx of ex-One Plus trainees and workers to the detriment of the services that they already provide?

I am well aware of the integrated and co-ordinated services that One Plus provided in my constituency and other members' constituencies. As Rosie Kane says, it was important that those services were integrated in the way that they were. It was a devastating blow for the Scottish Executive as well as for the employees of One Plus when the organisation closed its doors, because we depended on it for the delivery of large parts of our social and child care policies.

As I said in my first answer, we have engaged vigorously with other providers to ensure that, wherever possible, services have been picked up by local authorities, social care organisations and others and that those services are integrated. Ministers remain in discussions on how best to take forward the successor organisation to One Plus to ensure that our social and child care policies are put into effect as efficiently as possible in the affected localities.

Will the minister join me in welcoming Amicus learning representatives to the chamber? Does he endorse the approach that Amicus and employers have developed to encourage lifelong learning among union members and workforces?

Indeed. I am a long-term supporter of workplace learning and the trade unions' role in encouraging such learning, so it gives me great pleasure to welcome the Amicus delegates to the chamber. [Applause.]

I pay tribute and give due credit to the work that all unions do in the workplace to promote lifelong learning—literacy and numeracy in particular—among their members and other employees, whose experience of conventional education might not have been the best. It is vital that such people are encouraged back into learning. In that context, trade unions can reach people whom other agencies often cannot reach. That is why we have given strong financial support to union learning representatives and workplace learning.

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Care of the Elderly (Orkney)

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the delivery of care services for elderly people in Orkney. (S2O-12019)

Orkney Islands Council has made a number of representations to the Executive. I met council representatives and Jim Wallace in December to discuss those issues. George Lyon met council representatives earlier this month.

I am sure that at our meeting on 20 December the minister got the full flavour of the challenges and difficulties that the council faces in the context of the islands' fast-rising elderly population. As a result of the meeting, the council agreed to consider seeking the assistance of the joint improvement team in establishing a managed care network. In return, the Executive agreed to consider a pilot project between the council and the Executive, as well as funding. The minister knows that the council's convener has subsequently written to indicate the council's willingness to find out whether the joint improvement team can help. Will the minister take this opportunity to announce that he will support that initiative? Will he also confirm that the Executive is considering the potential for a pilot project on the delivery of elderly care services, as well as the wider funding issue?

The meeting in December was constructive. I welcome the indication from Orkney Islands Council that it thinks that the joint improvement approach has potential and might help. I am pleased to report that officials have been able to work with the council and provide support in preparing a bid under the shared services approach, which is a significant step in the direction of greater joining up of the services that public agencies provide in Orkney. If the council wants to consider further measures, beyond that bid, it should work up proposals. Colleagues in local government are always receptive to innovative proposals and I am prepared to consider the potential for improving the delivery of services.

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Congestion (Aberdeen)

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce congestion in Aberdeen. (S2O-12035)

We are working with Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council to complete the Aberdeen western peripheral route, which will remove through traffic from the city. We will continue to work with the north-east Scotland transport partnership to improve transport infrastructure and tackle congestion.

The minister is aware that the Haudagain roundabout is a key pinchpoint for congestion in Aberdeen. Does he agree that progress must be made expeditiously on that issue? Can he confirm that action to address the issue by the Executive, NESTRANS and Aberdeen City Council will not be delayed until the completion of the western peripheral route?

I take Richard Baker's point about the Haudagain roundabout. Anyone who lives in the north-east or travels through the area, as I do, appreciates the roundabout's importance and the difficulties that motorists and heavy goods vehicles and the freight industry must contend with.

I assure Mr Baker that we are working closely with Aberdeen City Council on improvements and additions to the roundabout, which are tied to the redevelopment of Middlefield. The council has carried out a part 1 Scottish transport appraisal guidance assessment and a part 2 assessment is under way. Proposals that emerged from the part 1 STAG appraisal include a single-lane or lane-filter road connecting North Anderson Drive and Auchmill Road through Middlefield. Those proposals and other measures will continue to be considered.

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Crime Prevention (Scottish Prison Service)

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Prison Service is working with local communities to prevent crime. (S2O-12022)

The Scottish Prison Service works directly with local communities and partner agencies to prevent crime in a variety of ways, which include such initiatives as the prison me no way project and the routes out of prison project, which is an element of the choose life initiative. The SPS has been working closely with the new community justice authorities by contributing to the development of their area plans, and it has appointed four CJA liaison managers.

Will the minister commend the Prison Service staff who are working with the No-Way Trust and who were in my constituency two weeks ago, working with third-year pupils from Galashiels academy to show them the consequences of offending behaviour? Will she correct what I believe to be an error, which is that SPS staff have to volunteer and take holiday time to work with the trust in helping to prevent crime in our communities? Will she address that as a matter of urgency?

I am aware of the work of that project. In response to a question from John Home Robertson, who was impressed with the work that was undertaken at a school in his constituency, I have asked my officials to look further into the matter. I will report back to both members in due course.