SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Schools (Catchment Areas)
To ask the Scottish Executive what rules are in place to allow the alteration of catchment areas for schools where more than one local authority is involved. (S3O-2682)
Any proposal to alter the catchment area of a school requires statutory consultation with parents and others. That applies whether only one, or more than one, authority is involved.
The minister will be aware of an on-going dispute between Glasgow City Council and East Renfrewshire Council over whether students who attend St Angela's primary school in Glasgow can continue to attend St Ninian's secondary school in East Renfrewshire, as they always have done. Depending on which local authority we speak to, catchment areas have been changed without consultation, or they have been reinterpreted but not changed. Either way, more than 20 pupils and their families are anxious, worried and having sleepless nights while the lawyers slug it out. Will the minister work with both local authorities to end the dispute and provide certainty and stability for parents and children who believe, as I do, that they have the right to go to the school that they were always going to attend, St Ninian's secondary?
I am aware of the specific issue in the St Ninian's catchment area. School admissions policies are a matter for local authorities and ministers have no role in them. It is not for ministers to adjudicate in such matters. Ministers might have a role if there is a formal proposal to change the school's catchment area, and the school concerned is more than 80 per cent full, which is the case at St Ninian's. It is not for ministers to advise, and parents can, of course, take legal advice if they wish.
Will the Scottish Government investigate why local authorities have been unable to deliver a better rate of satisfying school placement requests when the number of such requests has fallen?
School placements are a matter for local authorities. Parents have a right to appeal the authority's decision in the local appeals committee.
Association of Scottish Community Councils (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Association of Scottish Community Councils. (S3O-2669)
I met the president and secretary of the Association of Scottish Community Councils on 19 November 2007. Scottish Government officials last met representatives of the ASCC on 13 March 2008. The Scottish Government holds regular quarterly meetings with representatives of the ASCC and meets the entire executive council annually.
Page 45 of the Scottish National Party manifesto contains a proposal
As always, Mr Brown uses the most elaborate and excitable language to discuss commonsense provisions that we should consider objectively. The Government acknowledges—and I accept Mr Brown's remark on the point—that community councils are important because they gather together representative community opinion and they reflect the sense of community that exists in different parts of Scotland. Although the Government wishes to encourage the efficient administrative organisation of local arrangements, it will always be mindful of local communities' interests. That is why our actions in the past 10 months have given such prominence to supporting the development of the local sector in Scotland through the positive relationship that we have established with local authorities and the substantial increase in influence that local authorities have in local governance.
Water Charges
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reviewing water charges. (S3O-2698)
We have just consulted on the charging principles that we wish to see the Water Industry Commission for Scotland apply when determining caps for 2010 to 2014. An analysis of that consultation will be published in due course.
Having personally raised the issue in parliamentary questions and in a members' business debate in the previous parliamentary session, I again stress to the minister the potentially devastating effects on churches, voluntary organisations and village halls if their exemption from water charges is removed. Given that the problem affects around 2,600 halls and volunteer organisations throughout Scotland, will he ensure that the continuation of the exemption is a priority in any review of water charges?
I recognise the member's long-standing support for churches, charities and voluntary organisations throughout Scotland. He can be sure that we will take careful note of the substantial number of approaches that we have had on the subject and the many consultation responses that we have received. I am conscious that, in changing how we assess the responsibilities of business organisations under the water charging regime, we must not unduly and unreasonably disadvantage other very important organisations in our communities.
I was a member of the Transport and the Environment Committee that recommended that the exemption be applied. At that time, the exemption was argued for on the basis of the level of disruption that would be caused to churches, scout groups and other small organisations if they were suddenly exposed to significant increases in water charges. That situation has not changed. If the exemption were withdrawn now, such organisations would be faced with exactly the same situation—
I must press you for a question.
I hope that the Government will respond in a similar way by extending the exemption and making it permanent.
I am happy this week to agree with Des McNulty's analysis, which I think is pretty much spot on. A range of opportunities is available for dealing with the matter in the context of water charging, but members should be assured that the importance of the issue to organisations throughout Scotland is recognised by all political parties in the Parliament.
Is the minister aware that my constituent the Rev Jock Stein currently has an e-petition before the Parliament on that very issue? Can the minister assure me that, when the e-petition is considered, account will be taken of the representations that have been made not just by members on a cross-party basis within the Parliament but by members of the public and by all sectors?
I congratulate the Rev Jock Stein on his efforts on behalf of churches and others on the issue of exemption from water charges. We will certainly take account of information that comes from that source.
As the minister will know, voluntary sector groups are concerned about the onerous conditions that require to be met before water and sewerage charge relief can be obtained under the current exemption scheme. Can he assure me that, as well as considering whether the exemption should continue—I certainly believe that it should—the Government will reconsider the burdensome conditions that currently exclude many charities and other organisations from the scheme?
I am aware that the present scheme has a number of inconsistencies and unexpected side effects. For example, when organisations move, they lose their right to an exemption. Those and other similar matters will be considered in our response to the consultation.
Schools (Citizenship)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote citizenship in Scotland's schools. (S3O-2696)
One of the four key capacities of the curriculum for excellence is educating all our young people to be responsible citizens.
I welcome the work that is being done within the curriculum for excellence to teach citizenship issues such as equality, political awareness, social and environmental justice and fair trade. Does the minister agree that those positive developments in the curriculum would be jeopardised if we were to inflict on our pupils Lord Goldsmith's divisive proposal—championed by Gordon Brown—for the swearing of an oath of allegiance? Will that proposal not merely underline differences rather than celebrate diversity?
We will not introduce citizenship ceremonies for young people in Scotland. There is no support for such a ceremony among the vast majority of our parents and young people. I totally agree that the responsible citizenship capacity in the curriculum for excellence is the way that we should go. In terms of diversity, I had great pleasure in attending yesterday's graduation ceremony for new Scots who, instead of having to take an oath of allegiance, were congratulated on completing a Skillnet course that will help them to play their full role in Scotland. That is the way that we want to go.
Autistic Spectrum Disorder <br />(Specialist Schools)
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to increase the number of places at specialist schools for children with autistic spectrum disorder. (S3O-2703)
The placement of children with autistic spectrum disorder in special schools is a matter for local authorities in collaboration with parents. The priority is to tailor the educational provision to meet the needs of the individual child, whether in a mainstream setting or in a special school or in a mixture of both.
As the minister will be aware, the number of children with autistic spectrum disorder is rising so it is important that we ensure that such children can access appropriate education. Will he respond to concerns that the promised £10 million additional support fund has not been delivered? How can the Government guarantee that money that was intended for additional support needs will be spent on improving such provision?
The member may be interested to know that there are some 1,106 pupils with autistic spectrum disorder in around 12 special schools that specialise in meeting the needs of such children. As she indicated, the number of such children is increasing. She will be well aware of the historic concordat between the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities whereby all moneys that were previously ring fenced have been rolled up and made available for local authorities to spend on issues such as supporting children with additional support needs.
I thank the minister for attending the launch of the National Autistic Society's "I exist" campaign on 26 February.
I acknowledge the member's interest in the issue. Indeed, I welcomed the invitation to the launch of the "I exist" campaign, whose aims I endorse.
Does the minister accept that many parents struggle to have their children's condition recognised if it does not fit easily into one of the categories for additional needs requirements, such as ASD? Such issues arise even before parents reach the stage of making placing requests for special schools or additional support in mainstream schools. Will he ensure that the early years strategy provides clear support for parents groups—such as Borders additional needs group in my constituency—which provide support to parents at critical times such as when there is dubiety over the recognition of the child's specific disabilities and needs?
The member is correct to emphasise the need for early intervention. Work is needed in the early years to identify, recognise and assess such needs. I acknowledge that there is a gap at the moment in meeting the additional support needs of very young children. We need to fill that gap.
Magazine (Policies and Achievements)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to distribute a magazine outlining its key policies and achievements to households across Scotland and what the reasons are for its position on the matter. (S3O-2667)
The Scottish Government has no current plans to distribute a magazine outlining its key policies and achievements to households across Scotland, but such matters are kept under review. Should such a magazine of achievements and key policies be circulated, it would be a very lengthy document.
Naturally, I am immensely relieved by that answer. Given that we are among friends, I am sure that we can all agree that, policies introduced with Conservative support aside, such a magazine would, in any event, have been a singularly brief publication.
If we apply elsewhere the logic that Mr Carlaw has just deployed in relation to the use of local authority resources—I will return to that in a moment—we can look forward to the next election campaign in which Mr Carlaw is involved being entirely web based. I presume that the people of East Renfrewshire will not be subjected in any way to grubby pieces of paper being put through the door on Mr Carlaw's behalf.
Economic Development (Fife)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote economic development in Fife. (S3O-2710)
We place great importance on supporting and increasing economic development opportunities throughout Scotland, including in the kingdom of Fife. "The Government Economic Strategy" sets out how we will focus on creating a more successful country through increasing sustainable economic growth. The strategy sets out an approach to growth that is cohesive across all Scotland's regions.
As the cabinet secretary will be aware, all businesses in Fife are feeling seriously threatened by a variety of issues, such as the unplanned bridge closures, uncertainties about the changes to Scottish Enterprise and the effect of the move to city regions. What thoughts does he have on how we can reassure businesses in Fife? Will he acknowledge that there are massive problems for the confidence of such businesses? Will he agree to meet me and representatives of Fife Chamber of Commerce to discuss all those issues?
Of course I would be delighted to meet Helen Eadie and representatives of Fife Chamber of Commerce to discuss those issues. I can reassure them that the Government has taken the decision to establish a new replacement crossing on the River Forth. I suspect that the fact that the Government has taken swift and decisive action within six months of being in office to secure that crossing will build significant confidence in the community of Fife.
Local Government Funding
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the funding settlement for local government in 2008-09 will be sufficient to maintain services at current levels. (S3O-2718)
Record levels of funding together with additional flexibility for councils to allocate resources should, under the terms of our concordat, result in improved front-line services right across Scotland.
That is a fascinating answer. The minister said that record levels of funding should be sufficient to improve front-line services. In Scottish National Party-led Renfrewshire Council, we are seeing four libraries being closed, two nurseries being closed, school budgets being cut and at least 50 to 60 teaching posts being lost. That is a shameful record, given the current financial climate that Mr Swinney described. Does he endorse the actions of Renfrewshire Council?
I recognise that Renfrewshire Council has effective and dynamic leadership that has taken Renfrewshire forward constructively. Among the many strong budget decisions that the council has taken are the identification of £1 million to reduce class sizes, a £42 million programme of school modernisation, more than £2 million for recycling and waste management and money for care homes, carers, upgrading roads, tourism and a variety of other projects. I suggest that Mr Henry stops looking on the bleak side and starts examining the strength of investments that local authorities throughout Scotland have made.
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