Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth
Council Tax Bands (Appeals Procedure)
Proposals to amend council tax bands are considered by the assessor for each area, and any appeals are heard by a valuation appeals committee when there is disagreement on the outcome. Assessors and appeals committees are rightly independent of the Scottish Government and must interpret the law in a way that is correct, fair and consistent. I would be concerned if individuals were not being treated fairly. Ministers remain of the view that the council tax system as a whole is unfair and that the best way in which to resolve that is to bring forward a fairer tax that is based on the ability to pay.
Lanarkshire Valuation Joint Board is refusing appeals in relation to wrong council tax banding based on an act that was implemented in 1993 and which states that appeals must be made prior to that date or within six months of a person moving into a property. Other valuation boards are not being so proscriptive. Will the minister write to the Lanarkshire board to request it to allow appeals that are outwith its rigid time limit?
Some boards are considering appeals that are outwith the time limit that Mr Lyle describes. I repeat that it is not for ministers to instruct local organisations. The issue would be for the courts and, if relevant, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. We expect the law to be interpreted appropriately and consistently throughout the country. Mr Lyle might want to direct further inquiries to the organisation that I have mentioned.
Electricity (Generation)
Based on published figures for 2010, Scotland’s electricity generation percentages were 30.6 per cent from nuclear, 29.5 per cent from coal and 19.1 per cent from renewables.
The electricity generation policy statement makes numerous references to Hunterston and suggests that its life as a nuclear plant could be extended by up to five years or that it could be a new contender for a carbon capture and storage plant. The minister might not be aware that, at a meeting of North Ayrshire Council on 5 March, Scottish National Party members voted against the Labour Party and removed Hunterston from the local development plan. There has been widespread opposition to a new coal-fired plant, including from the SNP constituency MSP, Kenny Gibson.
As I am the minister who will be required to deal with any such decision, it would be wholly inappropriate for me to make any comment on that matter. However, I can reassure the member with regard to the Hunterston nuclear power station. The position is crystal clear and is stated in paragraph 50 of the EGPS, which, as it happens, I have before me. That makes it absolutely clear that, if the office for nuclear regulation is
Question 3 was not lodged, for entirely understandable reasons. Question 4 has been withdrawn, for equally understandable reasons.
Industrial Operations (Permitted Hours)
Unless it is otherwise agreed by the planning authority, the commencement of operations at a time that is outside that specified in a planning condition or agreement is likely to constitute a breach of planning control.
Constituents are raising with me concerns about the operating practices of Lomond quarry in Leslie. I understand that Fife Council has received more than 900 complaints from residents about operating hours and blasting, yet the council is taking no action against the quarry even though it is persistently operating outwith its permitted hours.
I say to the member, as she would expect, that it is a matter for Fife Council to pursue enforcement action, and I understand that it is doing that. It is making contact with the company to ensure that it abides by the conditions to the planning permission, and the council will continue to pursue that. Ministers have no role to intervene in such circumstances.
The Daily Record recently exposed that the Henry Gillies dump near Pumpherston in West Lothian has been taking in contaminated waste from the Edinburgh tram project, outside the limits of its planning permission. I have heard and seen compelling evidence of alleged illegal activity by the contractor, Bilfinger Berger, but I have found it difficult to get responses on the matter from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, West Lothian Council and other authorities. Will the minister agree to meet me and community representatives as a matter of urgency to discuss this serious issue?
I am happy to receive further information and will consider what approach is most appropriate in the light of the information that I receive.
Jobs Market (Access for Women)
The Scottish Government is committed to helping everyone who wants to work to do so. Within our current powers, we are implementing an economic strategy for growth, targeting resources where they are needed most and working to better align all employability and skills services across Scotland.
The importance of childcare was recognised in our debate on the subject this morning. Another important issue is access to high-quality part-time employment. I am sure that the cabinet secretary will be aware of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report that was published this week, which discusses some of the barriers to such employment.
There is clearly a role for the Government to lead by example in relation to flexible working practices. It is important to enable individuals to access the labour market in a fashion that is consistent with other considerations in their lives. I assure Mr Park of the Government’s active participation in steps of that nature and of our willingness to continue to develop our employment practices to ensure that such issues are addressed.
Can the cabinet secretary give us details of the female modern apprenticeships that are being delivered? Does the Government have any plans to increase the number of such apprenticeships?
As Margaret Burgess might be aware, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of modern apprenticeships that are available to women. That number has gone up to approximately 45 per cent, which represents a significant increase. We remain open to ensuring that that level of participation continues to rise as part of the Government’s overall strategy for enabling more women to access the labour market and to find fulfilling employment opportunities.
Female Unemployment
The latest labour market statistics, which were published yesterday, show not only that Scotland’s female employment rate of 66.8 per cent is higher than the UK rate of 65.4 per cent but that it is the highest of any UK nation. Scotland also has the lowest female inactivity rate of all the UK countries, which is why both unemployment and employment are higher in Scotland than in the UK.
I thank the minister for his answer, but the female unemployment rate is still worrying.
I do not in any way question the significance of the unemployment figure for women, but we must look at the other side of the coin—the level of female employment in Scotland. As I said in my original answer, that rate is 66.8 per cent, whereas the UK rate is 65.4 per cent.
Enterprise Growth Fund
Six hundred and seven applications worth more than £50 million were received for the then £4 million enterprise growth fund. The fund was increased to £6 million in December last year.
It is clear that there was a huge demand, which resulted in the fund being oversubscribed, but does the minister think that lessons could be learned about the application process?
I am delighted that 64 organisations throughout Scotland were successful. That is a credit to them.
Council Tax Freeze (Aberdeen)
The average council tax saving for a household in Aberdeen over the five-year period of the council tax freeze up to and including 2012-13 is around £520.
I am sure that that £520 has been well received by hard-pressed Aberdonian families.
Yes, I do. The Scottish Government’s policy compares very well with what is happening in England, where the council tax has increased. That will continue to be the case, even under the United Kingdom Government’s deal with local government there. In fact, around 45 per cent of households in England will face higher household bills. Again, that shows that the Scottish Government’s approach in supporting household budgets has been right.
Public-private Partnership/Private Finance Initiative (Repayments)
The total unitary charge payments for 2012-13 in respect of public-private partnership/private finance initiative projects that are operational or have reached financial close are estimated to be £951 million. The Scottish Government funding in support of those payments impacts on the overall resource budget.
Recently, there have been calls to buy back PFI and PPP contracts. Is it feasible to buy them back? I very much doubt that it is. What would the overall cost of doing so be to the Scottish Government?
The overall cost of such an exercise would, of course, be the subject of negotiation between the Government and the relevant parties in any PFI/PPP project.
Question 11 was not lodged.
Scottish Natural Heritage (Guidance on Wind Farms)
On 13 March 2012, Scottish Natural Heritage published guidance on the siting and designing of small-scale wind turbines of between 15m and 50m in height; assessing the cumulative impacts of onshore wind energy developments; assessing connectivity with special protection areas; and assessing the impact of small-scale wind energy proposals on the natural heritage. The guidance documents are available on the SNH website.
Indeed, SNH did publish that guidance—and I am happy to take some credit as the publication appears to have been prompted entirely by the lodging of my question.
As a general rule, I am always happy to share credit liberally across the chamber—
If only the Liberals were here.
—with members from all parties, absent or present. I am slightly surprised, however, that the member wants to take credit for a measure that he does not seem to approve of.
How will the new guidance prevent a Klondike-like rush by developers in locations such as the north Pentlands? Will the minister ask SNH to host a workshop in the Parliament so that the guidance can be explained to simple souls like me?
I will certainly convey the member’s remarks to SNH. I am all for full engagement, meetings and working together with all parties to ensure that Scotland achieves her vast green energy potential for the benefit of the younger members of society, some of whom I note are watching these proceedings from the public gallery.
Youth Employment
I regularly meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss a wide range of issues. My most recent discussion on youth employment was on 8 March, with Angela Constance, Minister for Youth Employment.
I am sure that all members welcome the Government’s focus on youth employment. Clearly, the strategy will have to work on the ground on an area-by-area basis. If I can be parochial, I would like to ask how the strategy will affect North Lanarkshire, which has its own unemployment issues.
It is fair for the member to be parochial. After all, we have to consider various youth unemployment hotspots and how we target resources in that respect, and such issues form part of the discussions that we are having with local government and others. A range of actions focusing on youth employment are being taken, including the development of a variety of schemes in partnership with others, and we hope that our discussions with local government will soon reach a conclusion to the benefit of areas such as the one that Jamie Hepburn represents.
Local Development Plans
Since the commencement of the new development planning regime in February 2009, one local development plan has been adopted, three are going through the examination stage and will be adopted shortly, a further four are at the proposed plan stage and 15 are at the main issues report stage.
The minister will agree that the structured planning for the future that the new type of local plan development offers is an important step forward for local authorities in boosting their future prospects. Does he share my welcome for the fact that Aberdeen City Council has led the way by adopting its local development plan before any other local authority? Does he agree that its plan will help to cement the city’s place as a major driver for the Scottish economy in future years?
Yes, I do. I was delighted to visit Aberdeen City Council’s planning department to see the work that is going on, and I praise its effective approach in taking the plan forward, as it puts in place the foundations for development in a positive way. That good practice should be shared across the country so that all planning authorities ensure that their planning regime is fit for purpose in delivering the best possible performance to ensure that we contribute all that we can towards economic recovery.
Council Tax (Exemption Criteria)
Scottish ministers want to replace the unfair council tax with a fairer tax that is based on ability to pay.
When?
The member should ask a supplementary.
The minister might be aware that The Daily Telegraph recently reported that the Liberal Democrats in England are seeking powers to remove the council tax exemption for students. Given their record on student fees, such a blow to students from the Liberal Democrats would not surprise people. Can the minister confirm that the Scottish Government has no plans to remove the council tax exemption for students?
I provide the member with that assurance. Ministers of the Scottish Government want to extend, rather than scrap, such exemptions. It is a tale of two parties. The Scottish National Party in government has delivered free education while the Lib Dems have wrecked it where they are in power. The SNP Government freezes the council tax, whereas the Lib Dems have council tax increases.
They are not here.
Indeed. For the record, they are not in the chamber, but they are still responsible for those policies, which they are not willing to end. The continuation of that list of shame for the Liberal Democrats now includes the removal of the council tax exemption for students in England.
When does the Scottish Government plan to get rid of the council tax, as it pledged to do in its 2007 manifesto? Will it be before it implements its childcare commitments, before the referendum and before the Saltire prize is awarded? I am desperate to know.
The Scottish Government will, in line with our manifesto commitment, consult on the replacement system and deliver it in good time. Just as we have an excellent record of delivering on manifesto commitments, I am sure that we will enjoy a great result in the referendum and the subsequent elections to an independent Scottish Parliament.
Unemployment (Role for Housing Associations)
Housing associations play a vital role in their communities, contributing to not only the delivery and management of high-quality homes, but the regeneration of some of the most deprived areas of Scotland. The Scottish Government welcomes the aim of housing associations that wish to extend their housing role to work with other organisations to help to tackle unemployment in their communities. However, that is a decision for each individual organisation to make, taking into account their constitutional requirements and legal responsibilities.
Will the cabinet secretary join me in congratulating local housing associations such as Cassiltoun Housing Association in my constituency, which constantly strives to provide work and apprenticeships for local people in house building and construction? Most recently, it has taken over a local nursery that is based in Castlemilk stables, which will be run for the local community’s benefit by employees who are mainly from the local area.
I agree with Mr Dornan. That is yet another example of how housing organisations can develop their roles, the breadth of their responsibilities and their expertise to make a difference in the community and assist in providing services that enable people to return to employment, as well as carrying out their core function of providing high-quality local accommodation for citizens at an affordable price. I give every encouragement to housing associations to consider such a move but, as I said in my original answer, they have to make such decisions in the context of their responsibilities and their financial sustainability.
Community Planning
As minister, I am currently concluding the review of community planning. We have made particularly good progress. The review is co-chaired by Pat Watters, the president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. I can announce today that we have agreed a statement of ambition on how we can focus the community planning partners on a renewal of our ambitions. It will outline how we will integrate services in response to the Christie commission, and it will introduce a range of radical proposals that will ensure that mechanisms such as single outcome agreements are more effective.
I welcome the Government’s ambition to enhance community planning processes. What role does the minister see for community development trusts in those processes, and what steps is the Scottish Government taking to facilitate the establishment of such trusts?
Community development trusts play a key role in capacity building and in accessing public facilities for the benefit of the community, so they will be central to community planning and the forthcoming community empowerment and renewal bill.
Local Government Settlement 2012-13
I meet representatives of COSLA regularly. A wide range of issues has been discussed over the past year, including the 2012-13 local government finance settlement.
Will the cabinet secretary tell the Parliament whether he has been able to be open and transparent in his discussions with COSLA and acknowledge that 89 per cent of the cuts in the current budget—a total of £658 million—are being passed on to local government? The Scottish National Party Government’s record on local government has been one of hampering and undermining local councils’ ability to protect jobs and services in their communities.
I cannot understand why Mr Kelly feels the need to ask whether I have been open and transparent. I am always open and transparent in all my dealings with Parliament and local government. In the local government finance settlement, local government will get a larger share of the budget than it was getting when this Administration came into office, and that is a better record than the one that we inherited from the Administration that Mr Kelly supported.
Perth (City Status)
For once, Mr Fraser has asked a topical and relevant question, to which he may even get a sympathetic answer if he plays his cards right.
I thank the cabinet secretary for his response. If we may proceed on a note of consensus, I echo his expressions of thanks to the provost and the lord lieutenant, Mel Jameson.
I can certainly assure Mr Fraser on that point. The decision of Her Majesty the Queen has given Perth a tremendous platform to face the future, and it will enable the city to co-operate effectively with the six other cities in Scotland.
As a member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife and the former Westminster member of Parliament for Perth, and as a local Perthshire resident, I congratulate Perth on regaining city status. I am sure that the cabinet secretary, given his fitting tribute to Provost John Hulbert, will wish to acknowledge that the provost, who will retire at the council elections in May, has offered 17 years of sterling service to his constituents, the people of the Carse of Gowrie.
Annabelle Ewing’s comments are welcome. I have known Provost John Hulbert for many years, and he represents the Carse of Gowrie, which is part of my Perthshire North constituency. He has been a distinguished public servant and I am thrilled that such a positive decision has been taken during his term in office. He will be able to savour the decision in the remaining period of his very successful provostship of the city of Perth.
Oil Revenue
The latest Government expenditure and revenue Scotland figures show that, including a geographical share of North Sea revenues, Scotland remains in a stronger financial position than the United Kingdom as a whole. Last year, Scotland was in a relatively stronger position by £2.7 billion, which is equivalent to £510 per person.
Perhaps the cabinet secretary can explain to members why it is statistically more appropriate, and good practice, to allocate oil revenues on the basis of geography, rather than on a per capita basis, as some of our unionist colleagues insist on doing.
The GERS document is produced by civil servants and statisticians under a framework of authority that enables it to be judged as a national statistics publication. Its composition, formulation and analysis are undertaken entirely without the input of ministers, and we have no role in the process. The judgments in relation to GERS are arrived at on a professional basis by officials and civil servants, in their professional capacity. The points that Joan McAlpine raises, in essence, are consistent with the professionalism of those statisticians and officials.