SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Supermarkets (Food Purchasing)
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it can take in respect of the food purchase practices of supermarkets. (S2O-7537)
The food purchase practices of supermarkets are commercial decisions for individual supermarkets. However, when I meet representatives of the main multiples, I make clear to them the importance of their labelling not only complying with European Union labelling regulations, but also being clear and unambiguous about country of origin; the high standards of animal health and quality of Scottish produce; and the importance of maintaining a sustainable food chain and good trading relationships with their suppliers.
I thank the minister for his answer. Can the Scottish Executive go further and label meat products in particular with the Scottish label, so that consumers are not confused?
As I made clear to Andrew Arbuckle, labelling must not only comply with EU regulations; it must be clear and unambiguous. I suspect that Mr Arbuckle is referring to a product that appeared on shelves recently. "Aberdeen Angus" was on the front of the label; on the back, however, rather smaller and less easily found print told the consumer that the product may also come from countries in South America, Europe and, in even smaller print, Scotland. That is a practice that we denigrate. Therefore, I stress that labelling must comply with EU regulations and it must also be unambiguous about the country in which the product was sourced.
Will the minister give some thought to the welfare standards under which our excellent Scottish beef is produced, given that those standards are substantially ahead of those of our main competitors in South America? Is there scope for introducing labelling about welfare standards so that people are aware, when they are making their purchasing decisions, of the conditions under which beef is produced for their plate?
There are two elements to that. As I said in my response to Andrew Arbuckle, I stress to the supermarkets and to their representatives the high standards of animal health and quality of Scottish produce, which Stewart Stevenson pointed out.
Rail Freight (Dumfries and Galloway)
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to build freight rail lines in Dumfries and Galloway. (S20-7565)
There are no plans to build new rail freight lines in Dumfries and Galloway.
I thank the minister for his answer. However, because of the huge surge in afforestation that occurred in Dumfries and Galloway in the 1980s, the timber harvest there is set to rise dramatically in the next 10 to 15 years. Will the minister explain how this crop will be transported without compromising the air quality of the region and how we can transport it and keep to our commitments under the Kyoto protocol without a rail freight line?
I understand the member's concerns about the possible increase in traffic. However, I can tell Rosemary Byrne that the Scottish planning assessment on future rail demand where the rail network falls short is under way, and proposals to bridge that gap will come forward. It is envisaged that the planning assessment will be complete before the end of this year. Its results will inform the national transport strategy, which, of course, we will bring to the Parliament next year.
I wonder whether the minister shares my view that the old military line between Stranraer and Cairnryan is one line whose restoration would merit serious consideration, particularly before the ferry terminal is moved up the loch. Does he accept that the real fear is that, if the rail link to the ferry terminal is broken, there may be less requirement for any rail link to Stranraer at all? Given that fear, will the minister consider the possibility of restoring that rail link? If not, will he guarantee the continuation of a railway link to Stranraer after the ferry terminal has moved out?
I am happy to consider the issues that Mr Fergusson raises, but I hope that he will accept that the requirement of the planning assessment that I mentioned a moment ago is to deal not with fears but with the reality of the situation and with what we can do for the future. That is the intention of the assessment, which, as I said, will be completed before the end of the year. It will then feed into the national transport strategy. It is appropriate to take the matter forward in that way.
Fuel Costs (Remote and Rural Areas)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to minimise the effects of rising fuel costs in remote and rural areas and what representations it is making to Her Majesty's Treasury about the level of fuel duty in these areas. (S2O-7545)
The Executive shares the concerns about the effects of rising fuel prices, including the effects on remote, rural and island communities. We have regular dialogue with Westminster ministers and we will continue to ensure that Scottish interests on the issue are fully understood by the United Kingdom Government.
The minister will appreciate that the price of everything that we need in the Highlands—from a tube of toothpaste to a bale of hay—is affected by the rise in fuel prices, which is hitting the far north hard. I applaud the minister's efforts, but will he go further and consider what innovation the Scottish Executive can make at its own hand to help those hard-hit communities?
Obviously, we are happy to examine any positive proposals. I cannot think of a single year since I came into the Government when we did not seek to emphasise the impact of fuel prices on our remote, rural and island communities. We are certainly keen to look at any innovation. I make it absolutely clear to the member that we understand the impact of the current increase, which is certainly more dramatic, and we would be happy to look at that, but we also want to encourage our colleagues in the Westminster Parliament to address the matter with the Government.
The minister will be aware that during the past days and weeks the Governments of Poland, Austria, France, Belgium and other countries have taken action either to cut fuel tax or to introduce other measures to address the horrendous impact that the level of fuel costs is having on their economies. The minister mentioned that there is a dialogue, but is it not a dialogue of the hard of hearing? Is it not time for the Scottish Executive to spell out, clearly and in public, that Gordon Brown's fuel tax is too high and that the impact of the differential extra cost on the rural and island communities in the Highlands is causing unfair damage to individuals and businesses?
I do not think that I need to repeat what I said in my reply to Jamie Stone. I am acutely aware of the impact of fuel prices on remote, rural and island communities. I do not think that it is a question of a dialogue with the deaf. As Fergus Ewing is well aware, we structure how we tax vehicles and fuel in a very different way from some of our European competitors. It is not simply a question of looking at fuel tax. We have made clear to the UK Government the impact that the recent increase has had and we will continue to do so. We must secure a situation that does not adversely impact on those communities.
A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass
To ask the Scottish Executive whether details of the costings, intended routes and impact assessments for the A68 Dalkeith northern bypass are up to date and accurate. (S2O-7547)
The route of the bypass was confirmed in 1993. The orders are made and there are no plans to revisit the matter. Revised estimates for the scheme are being prepared by the transport division's consultants, who are also reviewing the impact assessments.
I have to say that I am disappointed by that answer. Is the minister aware of how much concern there is in Dalkeith about the bypass and particularly about its impact on Dalkeith country park? Does he recognise the changes that have taken place in the transport network around Dalkeith? They include changes to the A1, the A7 northern upgrade and now the Waverley line. Why is there no requirement for new planning permission for the bypass? Will the minister confirm that the review that he mentioned will have a real impact on his decision on whether the bypass should be built, or will he do what his predecessor did about the M74 and ignore the statutory consultations?
I am surprised that the Greens are against the proposed bypass in Dalkeith, which would cut congestion in the town centre—I understand that that was the main reason for the project in the first place—and improve road safety and local air quality. If the Greens are against those objectives I differ from them markedly.
Will the minister accept that widespread concerns have been expressed about the potential environmental impact of the proposals? Will he address those concerns when he gives full consideration to the impact assessment?
I say to Lord James that the environmental assessment and the appraisal of the route options were undertaken under the Scottish traffic and environmental appraisal manual methodology prior to the 1992 public local inquiry. I am sure that he is pretty familiar with that. He may even have been the roads minister at the time—I could be wrong about that, but he was certainly part of that Administration. The appraisal satisfied all the requirements of the environmental assessment as set out by the prevailing standards and the assessment was undertaken in accordance with the appropriate design manual for roads and bridges that replaced the earlier methodology.
Free Personal Care (Policy Assessment)
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of its policy of free personal care for elderly people. (S2O-7558)
We recently began an assessment of the implementation and operation of the policy of free personal care and we will make its findings public in due course.
Despite the sniping from some Westminster politicians, will the Scottish Executive stand by its flagship policy of free personal care for the elderly, which is one of the most progressive and humane pieces of legislation that the Parliament has passed? Will the minister tell David Blunkett that his Department for Work and Pensions should not be harassing Scottish pensioners for the repayment of attendance allowance of up to £60.60 per week? The truth of the matter is that the legislation that the Scottish Parliament passed is saving David Blunkett's department millions of pounds every year.
We will maintain the policy of free personal care for which we are responsible and we will seek ways to improve its implementation. We will not tell the DWP how to do its job.
Will the minister inform us about the progress that has been made on recruitment into the ancillary services that are required to enable more elderly people to remain in their own homes rather than go into residential care, which is expensive?
We are investing in ensuring that care can be provided at home and I know that local authorities are doing the same. I hope that those investments will have the outcomes to which Mr Swinburne refers.
Criminal Justice Social Work<br />(Island Communities)
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the future delivery of criminal justice social work in island communities. (S2O-7566)
Mr Wallace will know, of course, that he has written to me to make representations on behalf of Orkney Islands Council. I recognise that there have been concerns among other island councils about the issue. I will formally respond to Mr Wallace shortly, but I can say that I have written to the conveners of the local authorities that could form a northern community justice authority, inviting them to reach a joint view on how best to proceed. I will then consider the best way forward.
I thank the minister for her reply and for her initiative with the conveners of the authorities. Will she praise the fact that in the three years from 2001-02 to 2003-04 Orkney Islands Council allocated 100 per cent of reports within two days, delivered 100 per cent of reports to courts on time and, with regard to probation orders, achieved 100 per cent compliance with the target of seeing new probations within one week? Does she agree that it is difficult to see how that can be improved upon by lumping Orkney Islands Council in with a huge north of Scotland community justice authority? Does she accept that there are special issues with regard to the island authorities, and that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Association of Directors of Social Work identify the need for separate authorities in island areas?
I recognise that progress in meeting the targets is good. However, Orkney Islands Council may have something to offer some of the other areas that have not achieved results of its standard. I recognise that there are particular issues in some of the islands around the fact that criminal justice social workers also perform other tasks, and that it would be difficult if, for example, they were transferred without proper arrangements being made. There are also concerns about funding. That is why it is important that we intend to discuss those matters in more detail.
Is the minister aware that I visited the social work department of Shetland Islands Council in the summer? While it is happy with the overarching strategy in the Management of Offenders etc (Scotland) Bill, it is a multifunctional social work department, as the minister recognised, and it is afraid of a financial squeeze. Can the minister assure me that the proposals will not lead to a reduction in service in Shetland Islands Council and other island councils?
I have no wish to see a reduction in service in any of the island authorities. It is important to recognise that other local authorities have islands in their areas, and I have to give due attention to those to ensure that the service there is appropriate. I have had discussions with COSLA, and we will continue to engage with it as we go through stage 2 of the Management of Offenders etc (Scotland) Bill. We will seek to ensure that services overall are improved, rather than anything else.
Question 7 is withdrawn.
NHS Argyll and Clyde
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor any proposals or decisions by NHS Argyll and Clyde in the period prior to its formal dissolution on 31 March 2006. (S2O-7501)
Any proposals for significant service change must be subject to full public consultation and, ultimately, ministerial approval. That applies to all national health service boards, including NHS Argyll and Clyde. I look to NHS Argyll and Clyde to ensure that NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Highland, as the successor boards, are fully sighted on any issues or proposals for service change in the run up to dissolution.
I thank the minister for his encouraging response, because he may be aware of growing disquiet that decisions are being taken by NHS Argyll and Clyde on a range of services with unseemly haste and, more worryingly, without consulting neighbouring health boards, local authorities and local communities. Will the minister send a strong signal that NHS Argyll and Clyde must not bulldoze proposals through in the period up to its formal dissolution, given the strong local view that the board is discredited?
I want to ensure that the board understands its responsibilities in relation to the continuation of high-quality, safe and sustainable local services. That must be done in a manner that includes the successor boards, and the community in relation to any substantial service changes. The member will be aware that I intervened in a previous situation in relation to the board's conduct with regard to paediatric services in Inverclyde. We cannot afford to have end-process consultation. Consultation on proposals must begin with the views of service users and local communities being taken on board.
Suicide Prevention
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is offered to organisations that help vulnerable people and those at risk of suicide. (S2O-7522)
Twelve million pounds has been allocated over the three years from 2003-06 under the Executive's choose life strategy to fund activities and organisations that support people who are at risk of suicide. We committed a further £8.4 million to continued suicide prevention action in 2006-08, and last week during international suicide prevention awareness week I increased that funding commitment by a further £250,000 over that period.
Given the recent statistics on suicide rates and the impact of suicide on all those who are affected, it is important that sufficient resources are given for training and development. Will the minister give an assurance that he will work closely with agencies and with local authority social work departments and schools in a genuine attempt to reduce the rate of suicide in Scotland and, more important, to give confidence back to many young people who may consider suicide a way of dealing with problems in their lives?
I am happy to give that assurance. The applied suicide intervention skills training that is provided under the choose life programme is internationally regarded as a model for providing that kind of support, both to those involved professionally with people at risk of suicide and to those such as school dinner staff, home helps and others who come into contact with people who may be vulnerable. We certainly want that work to continue.
Before First Minister's question time, members will wish to join me in welcoming Julio de España Moya, President of the Valencian Parliament, and a large delegation of his members. [Applause.]