Europe, External Affairs and Culture
Tourism Promotion
Raising Scotland’s profile at home and abroad, including promoting the many and varied opportunities for visitors to come to Scotland, is something that my ministerial colleagues and I seek to do wherever possible. Indeed, my very first engagement in this portfolio was to host an event during last year’s Scotland week in Brussels promoting to key cultural figures in Europe the Edinburgh festivals and Scotland as a major tourism destination.
Although foreign visitors made 17 per cent of the total number of trips to Scotland in 2008, they accounted for 31 per cent of expenditure in the market. As good direct transport links are essential in growing that market, does the minister, like me, regret the loss of the only direct ferry route between mainland Europe and Scotland so soon after its relaunch? VisitScotland has said that it is continuing to work in partnership with operators to ensure optimum capacity utilisation and to exploit the promotional opportunities of new route launches. What exactly has been done over the past year to promote Scottish tourism in the Netherlands and Belgium and to bolster the new ferry operator’s chances of success?
Obviously, responsibility lies with Jim Mather for tourism and with Stewart Stevenson for transport, but I can say that there was a great deal of activity to promote the ferry service. During our visit to Europe in December, the First Minister and I were looking to promote opportunities with Governments on the continent to support the service, but it is regrettable—although, given market conditions, understandable—that there was only so much that we could do. We have been very vigilant with regard to opportunities and extremely dedicated in turning our attention to more direct links such as the very successful Inverness to Düsseldorf route to ensure that we have more connections with continental Europe.
Volcanic Ash (Compensation)
Scottish ministers and officials worked closely with the UK Government to monitor the volcanic ash crisis and to mitigate the impact on travellers. We encouraged all individuals and families to press for their full rights in respect of both cancelled travel arrangements and additional accommodation and living expenses.
As the minister might know, I have been contacted about this issue by several constituents, one of whom is due nearly £400 but has had his attempts to claim back his money stonewalled by KLM. Will the Scottish Government step in and try to assist Scottish citizens by pressing the UK Government to do what it can to help?
I understand that there are particular issues with KLM, which, in paying out only one day and one night’s worth of expenses even though some passengers experienced longer delays, has argued that European Union transport ministers are still discussing the issue of compensation resulting from the ash cloud. We have no knowledge of such discussions, but the compensation requirements are clear and the travellers’ complaints are being dealt with by the Air Transport Users Council. Although this is clearly a matter for the UK Government, I am sure that the Scottish Government can make representations through Stewart Stevenson and others, as it did throughout the whole volcanic ash cloud period, to ensure that, where appropriate, compensation is given to travellers who experienced difficulties at that time.
National Trust for Scotland
On 9 August 2010, George Reid published “Fit for Purpose: Report of the Strategic Review of the National Trust for Scotland”. The Scottish Government welcomes the report and hopes that it will be a catalyst for change to help the trust to modernise and equip itself to move forward in its important role. The recommendations, particularly those relating to the trust’s governance, will be considered by the members at next week’s annual general meeting.
I thank the minister for her update and I note the progress on George Reid’s report. One issue that has been raised is increasing the number of people who visit trust properties. Can we be assured that cross-ticketing between Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland will apply and will be widely advertised?
The NTS and Historic Scotland discuss the joint ticketing arrangement regularly. It is not without its challenges. It is clear that cross-ticketing is of great benefit to customers and visitors, but the concern of the NTS and Historic Scotland is that income is not lost to all the partners that are involved. The homecoming pass is being extended for three years and its sales are being limited to key channels such as tour operators and other travel traders, to allow us to test the market further and assess the financial impact for the partners. Joint ticketing is also in place at Fort George and Culloden battlefield and at Threave castle and Threave house and gardens. Work continues to consider the opportunities for more local cross-ticketing, but it is important to get the finances correct. We can expand and improve the offer to customers and grow visitor numbers, but we must also ensure a regular income stream, which is vital to support the preservation, conservation and promotion of historic sites.
As the minister knows, the National Trust for Scotland’s major role is to conserve the best of Scotland’s built heritage. Against that background, is it appropriate that the trust should use £5 million of its scarce financial resources to speculate on the development of warehouses in Bradford, Yorkshire?
That is probably a supplementary—just.
I have responsibility for many matters, and I am taking questions today on transport, tourism, volcanic ash and many other issues, but I must respect the National Trust for Scotland’s independence. Ted Brocklebank can give his view on whether the investment was appropriate. The trust must exercise stewardship and invest for the wellbeing and conservation of the properties that have been left in trust to it. Such a matter is for the trust. If Ted Brocklebank has concerns about that investment, he should approach the trust’s board and management.
Question 4 has been withdrawn.
Joint Ministerial Committee
The joint ministerial committee is scheduled to meet next on 18 October in its JMC Europe format. The meeting is expected to cover a range of issues that relate to business at the forthcoming Council of Ministers and to deal with wider co-ordination between the United Kingdom Government and devolved Administrations on European Union matters.
At the next meeting in October, will the minister raise the subject of the £185 million fossil fuel levy, which is important to Scotland? If that was returned, it could safeguard up to 20,000 jobs in Scotland.
We believe that the ability to apply the fossil fuel levy funding should be passed to the Scottish Government. We continually press for that. At the finance ministers’ quadrilateral meeting in July, John Swinney pursued the issue, which needs to be resolved. That money could be used as a key part of investment in Scotland’s infrastructure. I will pursue the subject with ministers at any opportunity that I have.
The minister knows of the extra MEP position that has been allocated to the United Kingdom, following the agreement of the Treaty of Lisbon. At the next JMC meeting, will she support the European and External Relations Committee’s view—I copied her into a letter on it—that, given the geographic, rural and other circumstances that Scottish MEPs face, there is a strong case for the additional UK MEP position to come to Scotland?
I would be pleased to do that. It is important to take a cross-party approach to the matter. Given Scotland’s geography and interests—particularly in key issues such as energy, fishing, growth areas and common agricultural policy reform—it is clear that an additional voice would be important. I am more than happy to support that case.
Music (Fife)
The Scottish Government supports the cultural sector through working with Creative Scotland, particularly through the youth music initiative, and Scotland’s national performing companies, and supporting the work of higher and further education institutions. In addition, the Scottish Government provides funding for local cultural services through the local government finance settlement.
Will the minister join me in recognising the launch of Scottish Power’s second powerful performance competition, which encourages young people to celebrate their traditional musical heritage and gives them the opportunity to perform at the Celtic Connections festival? Does she share my concern that the 25 per cent cut that has been made to music tuition in Fife schools, and the uncertainty that remains over the proposal for a further 25 per cent cut, will deeply damage the ability of young people, particularly those from poorer backgrounds, to develop their talent and to take part in exciting opportunities such as that competition?
The member will be aware that the Scottish budget is fixed. We want to grow Scotland’s income through fiscal responsibility but, until such time as we have those powers, we are reliant on the block grant from Westminster. Therefore, the cuts that are coming, which we think are too deep and too quick, will have an impact throughout the area. Fife’s cultural excellence, which was referred to the last time this issue was raised—by Marilyn Livingstone—is to be celebrated. Fife has invested greatly over the piece in music.
Architecture
Funding for architecture in the current financial year is more than £2.6 million, which includes support for initiatives on sustainable development, health care, school estates, regeneration and improving skills. We are driving forward change on the ground by way of policy initiatives to raise standards of design such as the designing streets initiative. Through the Scottish sustainable communities initiative and its related design workshops—the charrette series—we promote innovative sustainable development by way of practical exemplar schemes. Through partnership, we have helped to deliver the recent highly successful housing expo in Inverness, which attracted more than 30,000 visitors. Further, we promote high quality in Scottish architecture by providing annual support to the RIAS Doolan award for best building in Scotland.
I thank the minister for that detailed answer. Does she accept that the value of architecture to our economy and culture is often understated? Does she agree that we should, wherever possible, ensure fair representation of Scottish architectural practices in contributing to our built environment and in genuine place making?
Scotland has much to be proud of in its architecture. It is important for all members to celebrate and promote the architecture. I see that some Conservative members are pointing to the wonders of the Parliament building, which is a great advert for Scotland’s architecture and a renowned and great attraction for many visitors who come to Scotland. We promote and support projects that support high-quality buildings and places. Current examples of that include our support for the Saltire Society housing design awards, which I presented on Monday; the Scottish sustainable communities initiative; the housing expo, which I visited on 17 August; and the Doolan award, the ceremony for which I will speak at on 19 November.
Edinburgh Festivals (Marketing)
The Scottish Government is continually developing its marketing strategy to increase awareness of cultural activities, including the Edinburgh festivals. Alongside that, we have invested £750,000 over three years through the Edinburgh festivals expo fund for the strategic promotion of the festivals and their programmes. That has also supported the delivery of a joint festivals marketing plan.
To what extent are the Edinburgh festivals promoted through European cultural institutes and associations based in Scotland? Will the minister consider further promotion through that avenue?
That is an important point. Indeed, at the event in the summer that we held for the consular corps with Festivals Edinburgh, the Italians in particular talked about using their cultural institute to promote the cultural opportunities that we have on offer with the festivals. I was delighted to open the “Scotland and Rome” exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy this week with the Italian consulate general, celebrating some of the wonderful archives and paintings that we have. I recommend the exhibition at the RSA to those who have not seen it.
British Summer Time
I have not written to the UK Government but the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment wrote to the UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 8 September to express his concerns that the UK Government is giving consideration to proposals to introduce daylight saving measures.
Will the minister follow up and make representations on her part to the UK Government, given the concerns that my Central Scotland constituents have raised with me about the adverse impacts of such a change on road safety and the safety of children walking to school and about the damaging effects that a change would have on Scottish businesses, particularly those in the agriculture sector?
I am more than happy to do so, but I also point out that the proposal has arisen as a result of a private member’s bill by Rebecca Harris, who is a Conservative MP. The bill had its first reading in the UK Parliament in June. As much as the Scottish Government can make its representations, there are cases that can be made within the Conservative party to ensure that the member’s colleagues at Westminster are fully aware of the concerns, which I think are shared across the parties in Scotland, about the proposal.
Games Sector (Dundee)
The Government is committed to supporting the games industry in Scotland, including in Dundee. Support for the sector that has been introduced since 2007 includes our £3 million investment in the centre of excellence for games development education at the University of Abertay Dundee, which was announced in February 2009, and the creation of the digital media intellectual property fund, which is managed by Creative Scotland. In the past 14 months, that fund has invested £1.4 million in digital media companies.
The computer games industry is of substantial economic significance, particularly to Dundee, but it is currently facing hard times as witnessed by the recent difficulties faced by Realtime Worlds and Cohort Studios. Does the minister believe that the industry’s financial position would be far stronger if the UK Government had not withdrawn planned tax breaks for the industry—tax breaks that for years the Scottish National Party has called for?
I agree. The UK Government’s decision to withdraw tax breaks for the industry was retrograde and short-sighted, but I put on record my understanding that the games industry in Dundee is robust and has opportunities. I met a number of games companies in Dundee only a few weeks ago, and I know that the talent and opportunities in a fast-moving and innovative market are very important. We were pleased to provide support through our Creative Scotland innovation fund, helping companies through the recession, to a number of computer games companies in Dundee. One of them is working with Channel 4 to provide an innovative product.
Education and Lifelong Learning
Question 1 was not lodged.
“Education at a Glance 2010”
We have welcomed the OECD report, which shows that Scotland remains an attractive place for teachers to work. The report confirms what we already knew: Scottish teachers are hard working. The salaries and working conditions of teachers in Scotland remain highly competitive.
How will the results that have been published in “Education at a Glance 2010” be used to inform the Scottish Government’s development of education delivery, in the context of comparators with other nations that are listed in the report?
International comparisons are always useful. They help us to examine good practice elsewhere and to benchmark what we are endeavouring to do. For example, after 15 years’ experience teachers in lower secondary education in Scotland have the eighth highest salaries out of 28—their salaries are higher than those in Australia, England, Finland and New Zealand. Teacher salary per hour of net contact teaching is slightly below the OECD average, but the ratio of salary to gross domestic product per capita is above the OECD average.
Schools (Staffing)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Can the minister believe that I can help him out? My colleague Elizabeth Smith made freedom of information requests to our 32 local authorities and received 18 detailed responses, which indicated that in the year to the end of March 2010, 2,418 days were given over to trade union activity, at a cost of £364,000. Those are the figures for only 18 local authorities, so it is easy to assume that a significantly larger—
Now that we have the answer to the first question, can we have your next question, please?
Trade unions have an important role to play in protecting workers, but does the minister agree that in a time of severe financial pressure it might be thought that the millions of pounds that are being spent on union representatives’ days off could be spent on increasing the number of teachers or educational start-ups?
It is unfortunate that the Tories seem to be resorting to old-style union bashing. Like all employers, local authorities have a statutory duty to provide reasonable time off—paid and unpaid—for trade union activity. It is clear that there needs to be a balance between reasonable time off and disruption to classrooms, but no local authority has approached the Scottish Government on the issue.
Given the positive but significant changes that school staff are experiencing during the roll-out of the curriculum for excellence and the new national qualifications framework, does the minister agree that the Parliament should support our teaching unions throughout the period, including the provision of appropriate paid time off work for union officials?
I agree with Dr McKee and value highly the contribution that teacher trade unions make to wider education reform. With the curriculum for excellence well under way, it is important that we continue to engage with teacher organisations, both locally and nationally, to ensure successful implementation.
Rural Schools
The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, which was introduced by the Government and supported unanimously by Parliament, establishes a presumption against the closure of rural schools by ensuring that a decision by a local authority to consult on a closure proposal is only one of last resort.
The cabinet secretary may be aware of the campaign in the first session of the Scottish Parliament, which I supported, to save six rural primary schools in Argyll and Bute, such as the successful and popular Drumlemble primary school near Campbeltown, which I recently visited with Annabel Goldie and which, I am glad to say, is still thriving. Given the importance of rural primary schools in both providing good-quality, accessible education and helping to sustain fragile rural communities, what specific assurances can he give about the action that ministers will take to prevent the closure of threatened rural schools when local authorities are facing such challenging financial circumstances?
I have already answered that question—the Government introduced legislation specifically to tackle the activity to which the member refers. It establishes a presumption against the closure of rural schools by ensuring that a decision by a local authority to consult on a closure proposal is only one of last resort.
I find it difficult to understand the conundrum that the cabinet secretary is posing to Argyll and Bute Council. The council has announced that a substantial number of school closures are inevitable due to the squeeze that the Scottish Government is placing on its finances, but the cabinet secretary has just said that there is a presumption against closure of rural schools for any financial consideration. How will he advise Argyll and Bute Council to resolve the dilemma that the Government has imposed on it?
I will give a number of pieces of advice. The first, which is directed to the people of Scotland generally, is never to vote Labour again because of the mess that it makes of the public finances. These are not Scottish National Party financial reductions—they are a result of the absolute carnage that was wreaked on the public finances by a Labour Government. That Government proposed more than two thirds of the cuts that are now coming through from south of the border. [Interruption.] Facts are chiels that winna ding—the Labour Party does not like to hear the truth, but it will hear it from me. The reality is that two thirds of the proposals for financial restrictions that are coming from Westminster were proposed by Labour. The remaining third are coming courtesy of the Liberal Democrats, who have become convinced of the wisdom of Tory cutting. That has something to do with the fact that they got ministerial positions, too.
Colleges (Apprenticeships)
Decisions on the funding of individual colleges are a matter for the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council. Colleges are expected to prioritise their resources in a way that best meets the needs of local communities and businesses.
Following last week’s First Minister’s questions, it would seem that the answer is “none”.
I tell Mr Tolson that the first rule of politics is, “When in a hole, stop digging.” Mr Tavish Scott got himself into a considerable hole last week with a wholly nonsensical question.
I know that the minister is aware of the new jobs that have been created in the Dalzell steel works in Motherwell, which is in my area, and at Clydebridge in Cambuslang, which is represented by my colleague Sandra White. There are high hopes for growth in the renewables sector and a projected increase in the demand for strengthened tempered steel for wind turbines. Will the minister work with both companies, and with Skills Development Scotland, to ensure that appropriate support, including apprenticeships, is provided to assist future expansion in our steel industry?
Absolutely. We work very closely with private industry, Skills Development Scotland and many others to ensure that the maximum help is given in such circumstances. That is the hallmark of this Government—to take constructive action and to keep things moving. It will remain our hallmark not just for the rest of our first term, but as we go into our second in government.
I appreciate the minister’s answer to the initial question. I was lucky enough to be at the opening of the Whitlock centre at Carnegie College in Rosyth yesterday, where I saw at first hand the fantastic work that will be done there.
I thank Mr Park for that helpful question. It is absolutely true that although we have prioritised younger people, we must consider people who are in work and older people. When I was in the Western Isles recently, representations were made to me about the particular needs that exist there with regard to modern apprenticeships for older workers. We are working on that with the help of European money. We will continue to do so, and I will be happy to continue to engage with Mr Park on that issue.
Educational Achievement
Improving educational outcomes for every child and young person remains a top priority for this Government. The curriculum for excellence, the early years framework and getting it right for every child all provide a personalised and coherent package of learning and support that enables every child and young person to reach their potential, whatever their circumstances.
The minister should be aware that Save the Children recently published research that revealed that children from wealthier backgrounds performed 60 per cent better in exams than children from poorer backgrounds. The report said:
Can we get to the question, Mr Hume?
Does the minister therefore accept the findings of the Save the Children report, and that the Government’s education policy has failed to break the cycle of underachievement?
The attainment gap is not a new phenomenon. It has been highlighted in several reports from the senior chief inspector of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education, and it was central to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s report on Scottish education. The question is about not what school someone attends in Scotland but who they are. Socioeconomic background determines people’s ability to take advantage of educational opportunities.
I am sure that the minister will agree that inequalities have a long history and that they precede the formation of the Scottish Government in 2007. Will he remain committed—I hope that he will—to reducing class sizes in general, specifically in areas of deprivation, unlike our Labour opponents in councils, who have never been fully committed to lowering class sizes?
Yes, I can give Mr Gibson that commitment. He will be well aware that we have asked local authorities to target areas of deprivation through ensuring smaller class sizes and, for example, rolling out our free school meal initiative. All those initiatives are targeted on the fundamental premise that Mr Hume introduced: it is those from disadvantaged backgrounds who are not benefiting as they should from the Scottish education system. We aim to and are addressing those issues.
I hope that the Presiding Officer will indulge me briefly by allowing me to ask the Minister for Children and Early Years to join me in welcoming members of North Lanarkshire’s award-winning pipe band to the gallery today. They joined Lochgelly high school’s band in parading through Princes Street.
I am happy to add my congratulations to North Lanarkshire’s pipe band, and to North Lanarkshire Council and Glasgow City Council on the positive and constructive moves that they have made with the introduction of nurture groups. Those groups have been of significant benefit to the children whom they have assisted. The Government seeks to encourage nurture groups to address the economic disadvantage that we have been talking about today.
School Transport
The Scottish Government regularly reviews its guidance on school transport. In 2007 a new survey—“School Transport: Survey of Good Practice”—was issued, followed in 2009 by “Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020”, which included a number of commitments to improving the safety of children travelling to and from school. We have since commissioned the production of a practical toolkit on school transport safety that will set out what local authorities could and should be doing further to ensure and improve school transport safety.
I thank the cabinet secretary for his interesting reply. I realise that the work is still under way, but perhaps he can give some guidance on the importance that local authorities should place on the safety of young people who have to walk to school, particularly in rural areas, where roads can be unlit and the speed limit is often 60mph. How should those considerations be weighed against the application of the 2-mile and 3-mile walking distances?
There is statutory provision regarding free school transport. In Scotland, authorities have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to