Plenary, 18 Sep 2008

Meeting date: Thursday, September 18, 2008

Official Report 709KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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General Questions

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Fuel Bills (Fife)

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the rise in energy costs will have on fuel bills in Fife. (S3O-4245)

We are concerned about the steep rise in fuel bills in Fife and elsewhere in Scotland during the past year. Using information from the Scottish house condition survey, Scottish households were estimated to have spent approximately £1,096 a year on domestic energy in April 2007. Assuming that household behaviour remains unchanged, the increase in domestic energy prices that has been observed during the past 18 months is estimated to have increased median annual household expenditure on domestic energy to £1,300 by September 2008. We expect that that trend will be repeated across Scotland, with some areas—particularly rural areas that are off the gas grid—feeling the effects of high fuel prices even more strongly.

The minister is also aware that 31,000 households in Fife are already fuel poor, and that a further 13,000 households will become fuel poor as a result of the recent 42 per cent hike in energy prices. Does the minister agree that the response of the United Kingdom Government to my constituents, who will have to choose between heating and eating this winter, is woefully inadequate?

We welcome the UK Government's initiative, as far as it goes. However, the package of measures that was announced could have gone much further and could have been much bolder in reducing the number of people who are suffering fuel poverty.

Like other members, I am sure, I am particularly disappointed that very little new UK Government money has been put into the schemes that have been announced. In fact, there are no Barnett consequentials for Scotland as a result of the announcement. I am particularly concerned that there is nothing in the measures that will have an immediate impact on fuel bills this winter. The UK Government had the opportunity to impact on the amount of money that individual fuel-poor households will have to pay during the coming winter. It decided to ignore that opportunity and instead to force the energy suppliers to supply extra carbon emissions reduction target money. That is welcome, but it would have been better if the UK Government had helped directly with fuel bills this winter.

The Scottish National Party is contributing to the difficulties that are facing many pensioners in the coming winter. The SNP decision to means test the central heating programme means that pensioners in my region are being denied the support that was available to them under the Labour Government, and they are facing a very cold winter. Will the Government look again at that decision, particularly in the context of rising energy costs, and ensure that Fife pensioners have a heating system that they can turn on this winter?

Of course, Claire Baker would say that, wouldn't she?

We are prioritising the three groups who are most at risk of fuel poverty during the coming winter: those who have never had central heating installed; those who have no working heating and are aged over 80; and those who are on the guaranteed element of pension credit. As the May announcement made clear, this is a temporary measure to allow space for the Scottish fuel poverty forum to make recommendations, and for us to implement them. It is not good enough to attack the Government in that way when the Labour Party has no proposals whatsoever for tackling the fuel poverty problem in Scotland. It is not fair, right or reasonable that people who are fuel poor are queuing behind people who are not. That is unacceptable, and we have dealt with it. The fuel poverty forum will make recommendations, which we look forward to implementing in order to tackle fuel poverty in Scotland, not to provide a replacement central heating system.

On the central heating programme in Fife, Claire Baker implied that pensioners in Fife are somehow getting a worse deal now than they were in the past. The fact is that last year, in 2007-08, which was the first year of the SNP Government, the number of central heating installations in Fife was more than 50 per cent higher than the average for the previous three years. This Government has provided free central heating for pensioners in Fife on a much greater scale than Claire Baker's Administration ever did.

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British Energy (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Executive when it next plans to meet representatives of British Energy. (S3O-4190)

The First Minister is currently arranging a meeting with Bill Coley, who is the chief executive of British Energy. British Energy is important for employment and jobs in Scotland and, although we disagree on the issue of new nuclear stations, the Scottish Government maintains good relations with the company.

Is the minister aware of the unprecedented recent passing, with cross-party support, by members of North Ayrshire Council of a motion in support of British Energy that recognised the importance of Hunterston not just to Scotland's energy needs but, as a leading employer of talented staff with exceptional skills and expertise, to the Ayrshire economy?

Given that nuclear meets 26 per cent of our daily electricity usage needs and that Scotland's future energy mix will demand, in addition to whatever benefits accrue from hydro and renewables, a nuclear component, will the minister separate the arguments about nuclear weapons and those about nuclear power, which have been luridly twinned, cast aside his blinkers and enter into meaningful discussions with British Energy about a future nuclear component?

I feel that I should congratulate the member on his hyperbole.

The issue is serious and we are treating it with the utmost seriousness. Our engagement with the energy industry is total. Hunterston could have its life extended until 2021 and, as today's Energy Ecosse makes clear, Scotland is leading the way on carbon capture and storage and other technologies. I encourage the member to read that publication and to enjoy some of its optimism about the potential that exists for us to boost Scotland's balance of payments through a new energy mix that allows us to export energy, technology, intellectual property rights and skills, to benefit from carbon trading and to win overseas investment that will be the making of this country.

I am sure that the minister agrees that the majority of people who are worried about nuclear power are concerned about the creation and disposal of nuclear waste. Labour's 2007 manifesto said:

"Scottish Labour will work to resolve how nuclear waste can be managed and disposed of safely."

I know that Labour's manifesto has apparently been torn up this week—

A question, please.

Are we any closer to the safe disposal of nuclear waste?

It is clear that that remains an outstanding problem. The issue is not just the cost of managing the waste, but the decommissioning costs, the running and maintenance costs, and the build costs. The decommissioning costs, which amount to many billions of pounds, are subject to constant inflation. We wish to avoid those costs falling on future generations. As I said, we want to create a climate in which we can make energy the key element of Scotland's economic recovery and resurgence by playing to the huge comparative advantage that we have in all the technologies that are available to us.

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Summary Justice Reforms <br />(Glasgow Bar Association)

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Glasgow Bar Association about the new summary justice reforms. (S3O-4238)

I met representatives of the Glasgow Bar Association on 5 May this year to discuss its position on the summary justice reforms. The association was also represented when I met deans of local faculties on 26 March, and at earlier meetings with officials to develop the proposed reforms of summary criminal legal assistance. Officials regularly meet colleagues from the Law Society of Scotland, the Crown Office and the Scottish Legal Aid Board to monitor the impact of those reforms, and I will meet members of that group in December to discuss its initial thoughts.

The Glasgow Bar Association's opinions on summary justice reform, which have unfortunately strayed into the press, have been quite a sensitive issue. Are those opinions similar to those of other bar associations throughout Scotland?

The Glasgow Bar Association is a valued member of the legal family. It is fair to say that its views on legal aid, in particular, are not necessarily similar to those that have been expressed by representatives of the criminal law committee of the Law Society of Scotland, which are not as extreme, even if they express some trepidation.

The Government acknowledges that the city of Glasgow faces particular pressures: Glasgow sheriff court is the busiest in Europe. Although the Glasgow Bar Association is a valued organisation, it must recognise that the summary justice reforms are about making Glasgow and Scotland as a whole safer. Although some difficulties have been experienced, the reforms represent the direction of travel to which the Government is committed, which was supported by the Parliament.

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Post Office Network Change Programme

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to monitor the impact of the Post Office network change programme. (S3O-4234)

Scottish Government ministers and officials maintain regular contact with the Royal Mail Group. Recently, that has involved constructive dialogue with Postcomm and the Royal Mail Group on the network change programme and other matters. Such open-ended engagement will continue.

Surveys that I have conducted among affected towns and communities in the south of Scotland show that there is overwhelming opposition to the closures. Does the minister agree that the present round of closures must be the last? What steps will he take to communicate that message to the UK Government and Post Office Ltd?

I certainly hope that it is the last round of closures. Neither the UK Government nor the Post Office has done anything to suggest that further closures are in the offing, but I cannot give a guarantee on that. We are communicating to the UK Government and Post Office Ltd the concerns and opposition to their action that have been expressed here in Scotland.

It is worth noting that, through the lead role that they play in community planning partnerships, councils have added considerable value to the debate about the role and possible future evolution of post offices. Their ability to bring detailed knowledge to bear means that we in Scotland can examine carefully the impact that the proposed closures would have on the lives of people and their communities. It is not just a question of looking narrowly at financial and statistical exercises that are based solely on maps.

Last year, the Government told the Parliament that it was willing to explore ways in which its local agencies could work with the Post Office to retain lifeline services for communities. How many of the post offices that were threatened with closure have been saved as a result of that exploration?

We must play a mature game to get the best possible results. We have made our submission to the independent review of the UK postal services market. We maintain a dialogue with the National Federation of SubPostmasters and, as I have said, with Postcomm and the Royal Mail Group. The plan is that, as the review crystallises, we will engage constructively to ensure that we manage the situation, with a view to obtaining the best possible ideas and options and the most fruitful engagement with other players, which will help to consolidate the position across Scotland.

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Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in reforming the structures and operation of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. (S3O-4253)

The implementation of the reforms to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise is largely complete. Both organisations are now focused on delivering their published business plans.

Will the minister provide clear guidance for the ill-informed and unhelpful rumour mongers who suggest that Highlands and Islands Enterprise is to be merged with Scottish Enterprise? Will he confirm that the unique role that HIE plays in developing and strengthening communities in the vast and diverse area that the organisation serves is set to continue?

I categorically deflate that misinformation and myth. With its strong emphasis on strengthening communities, HIE is specifically configured to provide a unique service in the Highlands. I do not see that changing. Anyone who has any doubts about that would be well advised to visit HIE and experience for themselves the esprit de corps and sense of focus that now exist in that organisation.

Does the minister accept that the capacity of HIE has been significantly reduced as a result of the restructuring? Negative impacts are being reported across the Highlands and Islands by community and voluntary organisations, particularly with regard to strengthening communities expenditure. Will he agree to restore HIE's budget in that field until he has carried out a full appraisal of the impacts that the budget changes might bring about?

I encourage the member to do what I am doing: get out more. He should talk to people on the ground—in particular, to members of communities and the third sector and to HIE and council staff. We have entered a positive new era that involves a reformed enterprise network, single outcome agreements and the brokering of cohesion between councils, the third sector and HIE. To help the member in his duties as a regional MSP, I am more than prepared to run an open book with him on what we are doing in Argyll and Bute and elsewhere in the Highlands and Islands to assist that process.

It is clear that HIE is subject to budget cuts and loss of local autonomy. I fear the impact of that as Dounreay is decommissioned and people worry about future employment. Will the minister undertake to keep the closest possible eye on the situation? Will he liaise with his UK counterparts? If, as I fear, HIE's problems impact on the work that we are doing to secure a bright economic future for the area, will he consider financial intervention?

I recognise the member's concerns, but they do not withstand scrutiny. I am keeping the closest possible eye on the situation. [Interruption.]

Order. There is too much noise in the chamber. Please keep it down.

I encourage the member to look at economic development as a complete system, in which the Government, local government, HIE and the third sector work in harness to achieve the best possible results. I offer to run an open book with the member on what we are doing and to provide him with further details of the session that we ran in late August in Wick in his constituency.

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House Building Firms (Economic Downturn)

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with house building firms affected by the economic downturn. (S3O-4271)

Scottish Government ministers and officials have had regular discussions with Homes for Scotland throughout the summer, including at meetings of the housing supply task force. In addition, representatives of a number of house builders attended the stakeholder event that the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism and I hosted on 28 August.

Maintaining the skills base in the house building industry in the next few years is a real issue. Although I welcome the Government's plans to bring forward £100 million for affordable housing, they will cause a real problem in future years, when there is the potential for a skills gap—after the extra spending next year, there will be a sudden drop of £150 million the following year, which will create a vacuum in funding for house building firms in Scotland. Given that the Scottish Government recognises the importance of the affordable house building programme, will it commit itself to providing additional funding of at least £50 million to fill the vacuum that it has created by bringing forward £100 million for affordable housing?

That is a difficult question to answer; I am not sure whether the £50 million to which the member refers is affected by the £800 million of cuts that the Liberal Democrats have proposed.

The housing supply task force has had a variety of discussions on current skills levels in the construction industry and those that are necessary to increase housing supply in the future. A sub-committee of the task force is examining the issue. I agree with Jim Tolson that the necessary skilled staff must be in place when the house building industry turns around and gets the opportunity to build more houses again, but I point out to him that earlier this year the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced an increase of 1,000—500 young people and 500 adults—in the number of modern apprenticeships in construction and engineering. That announcement was warmly welcomed.

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St Andrews Community Hospital and Health Centre

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that the new £27 million community hospital and health centre in St Andrews will not have accident and emergency provision. (S3O-4180)

The new St Andrews community hospital and health centre will contain a minor injuries service and primary care emergency services.

Is it not incredible that the new health centre that has been set up to serve the whole of north-east Fife will not have full accident and emergency provision? There are 40,000 potential patients in the area, including 8,000 students at the University of St Andrews, many of whom are involved in sports that can lead to broken limbs and other such injuries. Does it make sense that they should still have to travel to Dundee or Kirkcaldy for treatment when state-of-the-art treatment is supposed to be available in St Andrews?

The new community hospital and health centre in St Andrews will provide state-of-the-art facilities to enable a range of services to be provided to the community. There has never been accident and emergency provision in St Andrews. The new facility is designed to protect and build on existing services, and will ensure that the community receives a much-enhanced service. As the member knows, the Government has a proud record of protecting existing accident and emergency services that previous Governments had placed under threat.