Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, January 20, 2011

Official Report 1152KB pdf

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Scottish Executive Question Time

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General Questions

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Roads Maintenance (Salt and Grit)

1. To ask the Scottish Executive how it is managing the supplies of salt and grit. (S3O-12703)

Through the Scottish salt group, Transport Scotland is monitoring the level of supplies across Scotland and providing support to local roads authorities from the strategic salt stock. The Scottish Government does not formally manage the supply of salt. It is for individual authorities to determine the supply that is needed to maintain their roads.

Although the recent severe weather has eased in recent days, Scottish Borders Council remains concerned that it may not receive the grit and salt that it has on order to see it through the rest of the winter. Can the minister confirm that the Scottish Government will do what it can to ensure that Scottish Borders Council receives those supplies and that there will be no intervention by the Scottish Government to ration supplies?

As I have already pointed out, it is not for the Government to determine supplies between councils and those from whom they order salt, but I can confirm that, as requested by Scottish Borders Council over the winter period so far, the Scottish Government has made 3,000 tonnes of salt available to the council, which has enough resilience to cover at least seven days. We were happy to help out; that is what the Scottish salt group was formed to do. The action has helped Scottish Borders Council. The request was made and it was met in full. I think that most of the delivery—around 100 lorry loads of salt—has been made to the council. We were happy to do that. It is worth mentioning that we have more salt in stock or on order now than we have used so far this winter, which means that we are in a better position than many authorities in other countries.

It is all very well having the salt and grit, but if there is no machinery to spread it around it is not much use. Recently, at a meeting in Glen Shee, I discovered that Aberdeenshire Council’s new machine to clear roads in the area broke down more or less when the starting button was pushed; the gearbox was described as finishing up in a million pieces. I was told that the only replacement gearbox was in Germany and had to shipped in, with considerable delay. I am not arguing that everything should be the same, but does the minister agree that there should be some standardisation in the equipment that is used across the country? As a matter of resilience, will he look at what local authorities buy and use?

It must be pointed out that it is for local authorities to make their own orders. Nigel Don is correct to say that increased resilience can be achieved if we work closely with councils. The discussions that we have following the current severe winter will indicate whether standardisation is the correct route to take. Presiding Officer, you will not be surprised to hear that I am no expert on gearboxes for gritters, but the Scottish Government has made the offer—which Aberdeenshire Council has taken up in some circumstances—to help the council when trunk road gritters are not being used for trunk roads. We will be happy to do that in future.

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Devolved Taxes and Charges (Forecasts)

2. To ask the Scottish Government how frequently the forecast income from devolved taxes and charges is monitored and how accurate published forecasts have been. (S3O-12695)

The Scottish Government regularly monitors forecast income from business rates and council tax and from charges that it sets, such as prescription charges. Every effort is made to ensure that any published forecasts are as accurate as possible, based on the data that are available when the forecast is made.

It was illuminating to find out that monitoring takes place “regularly”, without any further explanation of how frequent that might be. Would it not help the Government’s case for having access to greater fiscal powers if it were rather more transparent about the powers that it already has? Would it not be more useful to all of us if we had access to rather more frequent updates of forecast revenues? Can the cabinet secretary confirm the current position on the expected yield from non-domestic rates income for 2010-11, compared with the figure that was predicted in the draft budget?

I am surprised that Mr Brownlee believes that there is a requirement for more transparency—this Administration is very transparent with all the information that we have available to us. We regularly publish extensive financial information, which I know Mr Brownlee looks at carefully.

Every year, we publish an estimate of the non-domestic rates income that has been collected. Clearly, at different stages of the year, depending on the thousands of payments that individual companies make, it is difficult to provide a reliable estimate—and one that could not be misinterpreted. I fear to say to Mr Brownlee that information of this type can sometimes be misinterpreted and misconstrued by the forces of darkness—and we would not want that ever to happen with any such information.

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Chief Medical Officer (Annual Report 2009)

3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the annual report of the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland 2009, in particular regarding the promotion of a salutogenic asset-based approach to future health creation. (S3O-12692)

We are taking a range of actions to respond to the chief medical officer’s 2009 report, from action plans on tuberculosis and hepatitis C to the development of drug and alcohol partnerships.

With regard to promoting assets-based approaches to health creation, we are taking a number of actions with a range of partners, including through the eight equally well test sites, through support for the formation of an assets alliance, and by contributing to a European Union project on health assets.

I thank the cabinet secretary for that comprehensive response. The chief medical officer’s report cites many examples of the roles of healthy living centres in empowering communities and promoting health and wellbeing. Is the cabinet secretary aware of the difficulties that some HLCs are experiencing with funding, particularly in Partick, in relation to the work of the area’s community health and care partnership? Would it be possible for the cabinet secretary to contact Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board and Glasgow City Council regarding the issue? Can the cabinet secretary inform us exactly what powers and support can be given to HLCs in the future?

The member will be aware that the Scottish Government, in recognition of the important role that healthy living centres can play, provided more than £3 million of support for those centres by way of transition funding between 2008 and 2010. That was explicitly in recognition of the challenges that they faced moving from Big Lottery funding to sustainability.

We have always adhered to the principle that, in the longer term, funding decisions about healthy living centres properly lie with local agencies. We have encouraged local agencies to work closely with healthy living centres and to discuss their longer-term sustainability.

In relation to Partick in particular, the member will be interested to know two things. First, of the £3 million that I have mentioned, Partick received £130,000 in transitional funding. Secondly, I understand that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has recently confirmed that it is supporting the Partick centre financially up to the end of this financial year. That follows a meeting between the health board and the healthy living centre yesterday. A further meeting between the board and the centre is due to be held on 1 February to discuss options for 2011-12. That is positive news, and I know that Sandra White will wish to be kept updated on further progress.

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Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Support)

Question 4 is from Linda Fabiani.

I am sorry—there has been a mistake, Presiding Officer.

You are down to ask question 4.

Oh—I think it is the second time today that I have had to apologise to you, Presiding Officer. I must be coming down with something.

So question 4 is withdrawn, I think. I will therefore call question 5, from Peter Peacock.

No—I do have the question.

Right—Linda Fabiani, then.

4.

I will start all over again.

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports small and medium-sized enterprises. (S3O-12674)

The Scottish Government recognises the vital contribution that small and medium-sized enterprises make to our economy. We are firmly committed to maintaining a supportive business environment and to ensuring that appropriate measures are in place both to stimulate start-ups and to grow existing SMEs.

We have introduced a range of policies that will improve the business environment for SMEs, such as the small business bonus scheme, which reduces rates for tens of thousands of businesses; the transfer of business gateway to local authorities; investment in broadband; reducing unnecessary burdens on business; and making it easier for SMEs to access public sector contracts. We recently announced £6.6 million from the European structural funds programme to provide advice and support to small businesses and entrepreneurs and to help create more than 7,000 jobs.

I thank the minister for that very detailed answer. I acknowledge that the latest official statistics show that the number of businesses in Scotland has risen during the first three years of a Scottish National Party Government. Does the minister agree with the Scottish Trades Union Congress and the Federation of Small Businesses that the proposed supermarket levy is an appropriate measure—especially given supermarket profits—to help rebalance the relationship between out-of-town shopping centres and town-centre locations?

We can add to those organisations the Scottish Grocers Federation and the Scottish Licensed Trade Association. This is an opportunity for the supermarkets to align with the people of Scotland—their customers, who are suffering uncertainty in the jobs market, whose incomes are frozen and whose pensions are down, with VAT on fuel and other difficulties also to consider.

There is a growing opinion in this regard from business schools and thinkers, who are discussing the idea of businesses moving towards a concept of shared value, whereby they seek to reward not just their shareholders but their customers, their employees, their suppliers, their communities and, in the long term, the taxpayer. That redefinition of profit would allow the businesses that we are discussing to move forward and to do even better in the future.

Does Mr Mather recall John Swinney’s written answer to me of 7 October 2010, in which he confirmed that 129,773 small businesses qualified for the small business bonus in 2009-10, as compared with only 114,620 that are eligible today? How does he explain that to the 15,000 small businesses that no longer qualify for rates relief, following rates revaluation?

I always look to Labour to find the glass half full. Scotland is moving forward, and the support from the FSB has been absolutely fulsome. We will continue to move forward in conjunction with all the businesses of Scotland.

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UK Consumer Protection Bodies (Reform)

5. To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking and what progress is being made in examining the United Kingdom Government’s proposals for the reform of UK consumer protection bodies; what devolved implications there are for Scotland and its consumers, and when it will report its findings on the proposals. (S3O-12661)

Those are reserved matters, as the member will know. Although the UK Government proposals will have implications for Scotland, the policy detail is not yet fully defined. We invited key Scottish stakeholders to form a working group to consider how we might optimise future arrangements in Scotland and influence decisions in Whitehall. I expect the group’s report in February.

I am grateful to the minister with regard to that plan, and I am grateful for the work that he indicates is being done. I understand that the UK Government is entirely open to there being an outcome in Scotland that is different from that for the rest of the UK. I urge the minister to make early proposals to the UK Government to influence its forthcoming consultation on the future of Consumer Focus Scotland and to work with other parties across the Parliament to try to secure a consensus on the various options and build on the common ground that I believe will exist between members on the issue.

That was a constructive contribution from the member, and my answer is yes to all of that. I reinforce the message that we are maintaining close contact with the UK Government. We view this as an opportunity to create a model that provides a best solution for Scotland. The more voices that are involved in that, the better.

Will the minister take up with his UK counterparts the need for manufacturers to publish details of known faults with their products and for consumer organisations to take into account the variety of ways in which customers now choose to complain about products and services, notably via internet postings?

We are entering a new era, following the financial services crash, in which people are looking to manufacturers and all businesses to be much more aligned with customers and their wellbeing. I will make a point of doing as the member asks.

Question 6 is from Joe FitzPatrick.

It appears that Mr FitzPatrick is not in the chamber, which I think is very regrettable. I will therefore call question 7, from Ken Macintosh.

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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Change Fund)

7. To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are being held with carers and carers organisations to ensure their involvement in the planning and delivery of the change fund in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. (S3O-12652)

Guidance to local health, housing and social care partnerships on accessing the reshaping care change fund was issued on 23 December. The guidance asks all partnerships, including those in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, to submit local change plans to the Scottish Government by 28 February. It sets a clear expectation on partnerships to include carers and carers organisations, as well as other third and independent sector partners, in preparing and agreeing their change plans.

I am sure that the minister is aware of the anxiety among carers and carers organisations about the cuts that are proposed for local government. She will also be aware of the difference that access to the change fund would make to organisations and centres such as the one that is run by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers in East Renfrewshire.

It is essential that carers and carers organisations are involved in the reshaping of older people’s services, not just at operational level but at strategic level. What steps is the Government taking to ensure that such organisations are involved every step of the way, including in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde?

The Scottish Government has provided more funding for carers during the past four years than was provided previously. I hope that the member acknowledges that. We have provided support in a number of ways. For example, much of the carers information strategy money has gone directly to support local carers centres and carers organisations. That direct support to carers has been much appreciated by carers organisations.

I regularly meet carers organisations at national level and I made it clear to local partnerships that I wanted carers to be around the table at an early stage, while plans on the change fund were being drawn up. Carers organisations welcomed that, and I expect local partnerships to go forward on that basis.

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COSLA (Meetings)

8. To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities leadership. (S3O-12654)

I last met COSLA’s leadership last week.

I hope that when the cabinet secretary met COSLA last week he was able to make the strongest representation with regard to the agreement between the Scottish Government, COSLA and Scottish Enterprise on the funding of urban regeneration companies. The agreement should be honoured.

The collapse of the agreement has resulted in Riverside Inverclyde, my local URC, facing a 70 per cent cut, which threatens Inverclyde’s future economic prosperity. Will the cabinet secretary intervene to ensure that Inverclyde, which he has accepted is less resilient than other areas to the current public spending cuts, receives its due share of funding? Will he ensure that Riverside Inverclyde is allowed to continue its valuable regeneration work in my constituency?

I quite understand the issue that Mr McNeil raises. He does not need me to remind him that there are challenges in the public finances. There has been joint working between Scottish Enterprise and local government on all those questions and I am sure that discussions will continue. I assure Mr McNeil that the work of URCs is substantially supported by Government and contributes to the regeneration of many communities in our country.

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Supporters Direct (Meetings)

9. To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Supporters Direct. (S3O-12634)

My officials last met Supporters Direct Scotland on 2 July 2010.

The minister will be aware that a recent poll for Supporters Direct showed an overwhelming groundswell of support among fans for bigger, not smaller, leagues and for supporter representation in Scottish Football Association structures, both of which aspirations chime with the recommendations of the McLeish review. Given the debate on league reconstruction that is raging in Scottish football, can the minister inform the Parliament and football fans throughout Scotland of the Scottish Government’s position on those important matters?

I very much value the role that Supporters Direct Scotland has played during the past three years. I also very much support an enhanced role for supporters in football clubs.

On the proposals for league reconstruction, what is important is that the clubs come to a position that they can agree on, to take Scottish football forward. I am not sure whether the intervention of politicians in such matters would add anything to the debate.