SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Single Farm Payment (Deer Farming)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the advice from Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel that article 45 of European Community regulation 1782/2003 could be used in order to ensure that farmers in Scotland who were deer farming prior to 2002 can receive a single farm payment under new European Union support mechanisms. (S2O-9537)
In advance of my response, I apologise to the member for its slightly technical nature. In addition, I do not wish to be picky, but for the sake of accuracy, it is article 42(5), not article 45.
I could accuse the minister of hiding behind technicalities, but I would not do that. I appreciate that he is concerned that by opening up the question, he might be pursued by requests for support from previously unsupported sectors, such as the pig and poultry sectors. Is the minister aware that pig and poultry units tend to be parts of larger enterprises that almost certainly receive support through arable aid and other such mechanisms?
I am happy to do that. I expect that the member has exchanged correspondence with those in the deer farming industry. I have absolutely no wish to specifically exclude deer farmers from the single farm payment, but as the member rightly said, there are other unsupported sectors. Those extend beyond pig farming and include vegetable and fruit growers and other sectors that could benefit in theory. There are potentially serious ramifications for the allocation of the single farm payment.
Nursing and Residential Homes<br />(Primary Health Care Services)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that people who are placed temporarily in a nursing or residential home are still able to access primary health care services. (S2O-9570)
The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 make provision for residents of nursing and residential homes, including temporary residents, to be accepted on to general practitioner lists and thereby to have access to primary health care services. Residents who for any reason cannot identify a GP practice at a temporary address may be allocated to a local practice by the NHS board for that area.
I am pleased to hear the minister's answer. The background to my question is that one of my constituents was removed from hospital care and placed in a temporary residential unit—temporary is the operative word in this case. Unfortunately, while they were in that unit they needed podiatry and GP care, but the podiatry was not available at all and it took time to establish the GP service. Does the minister agree that that is unacceptable and that everyone, regardless of where they live, is entitled to primary health care services? Does he also agree that arrangements for such cases should be fully developed before an individual moves from a hospital into a residential situation?
I agree that people have an entitlement to access primary health care and it is a reasonable expectation that that would be organised. Clearly, the primary responsibility for registering with a GP lies with a patient. However, in recognition of the position of elderly and frail people, the national care standards for care homes, for example, require that care home staff will know residents' health care needs and will arrange to meet those needs in a way that best suits the residents. That will include, where necessary, arranging for registration with a GP, which in turn provides access to other primary care services. If a care home operator fails to carry out that requirement, the national care standards are there for everybody and clearly it is open to an individual to make a complaint either to the operator or, indeed, to the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, and such a complaint would be investigated.
Edinburgh Airport (Second Runway)
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic benefits there are in proposals for a second runway at Edinburgh airport. (S2O-9515)
Aviation makes a significant contribution to growing Scotland's economy. The route development fund in particular promotes a greater range of direct connections. Projections suggest that, in order to maximise the benefits, a second runway may become necessary between 2020 and 2030.
I thank the minister for his answer. I also find it slightly disconcerting that a back bencher is sitting in front of a minister.
I certainly accept the premise of Mr Pringle's argument that we need to consider the wider arguments and issues relating to aviation in Scotland, as we will do through the consultation on the national transport strategy. On every working day, there are 140 or more direct flights between Scotland and London's airports. We must consider whether there would be greater environmental benefit and improvements in journey times through promoting and encouraging, along with the United Kingdom Government, a fast rail link to the south. That issue is under active consideration. As Mr Pringle no doubt knows, Rod Eddington, the former boss of British Airways, was commissioned by the UK Government to consider that issue and others.
Businesspeople from Europe have spoken to me many times about the difficulty of travel between Glasgow's airports. The Scottish Executive has said that it has no plans to consider establishing single-mode public transport links between those airports. Will the minister at least consider the feasibility of single-mode public transport between Glasgow and Edinburgh airports?
I am not aware that there is a problem in travel between Glasgow's airports. If Ms Fabiani alludes to Glasgow airport and Glasgow Prestwick airport, there are rail links. While we can always look at improvements with the west of Scotland transport partnership and the First ScotRail franchise, there is significant co-ordination between those services at this time.
Jedburgh and Coldstream Cottage Hospitals
To ask the Scottish Executive how it considers that the proposed closure of Jedburgh and Coldstream cottage hospitals complies with the spirit of the Kerr report. (S2O-9579)
The "Delivering for Health" report has been accepted as the national framework for service change and it sets out a comprehensive strategy for health care in Scotland for the next 20 years. As I have said before, I expect any service change proposals that are developed by national health service boards to be in line with that report.
I refer the minister to the key messages in the Kerr report that underpin the recommendations. Three out of seven key messages contain the word "local":
The member has no need to advise me of the contents of the Kerr report or, indeed, of "Delivering for Health", which took on board many of the Kerr report's proposals as part of the Executive's strategy. I can go no further than to say that Borders NHS Board's report is now with me and that I will make a decision at the right time in the interests of the people of the Borders.
The minister will be aware that one of the consultation responses was from Euan Robson and me on behalf of our constituents, who are concerned that the board's proposals did not sufficiently include co-operation between the board and Scottish Borders Council's social work department for the provision of services not only in Jedburgh and Coldstream, but across the Borders. Will the minister give the commitment that one of his key considerations will be the fact that the board has not proposed close partnership working with Scottish Borders Council's social work department?
The member raised that dimension with me previously and I recognise that such partnership working is essential for the delivery of more localised health care. Indeed, that is the policy and strategy of our health service throughout Scotland. I have agreed to a meeting with Euan Robson and representatives of the Coldstream and Jedburgh action groups on the particular issue to which the member referred. I will bear in mind the member's point about the need for close liaison between the board and the local authority.
Elderly People (Dementia)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote good practice in caring for elderly people with dementia. (S2O-9572)
We published guidance in 2004 on the best means of delivering care and support for those with dementia and their carers, no matter the setting. When we published "Delivering for Health" last October, we committed to develop a standard for integrated care pathways for dementia services.
Is the minister aware that the experience of admission to hospital for elderly people with dementia is frightening and, indeed, can be dangerous? Is he also aware that elderly people suffer a significant number of accidents and falls in the hospital environment? Will the minister join me in calling for NHS boards across Scotland to put in place detailed and substantial plans to deal with hospital admission and stay? Will he look at good practice in other countries, which includes admitting elderly people with dementia to hospital only when absolutely necessary, using sitter services and consulting families regularly to ensure that elderly people with dementia are treated with dignity and respect in the hospital environment?
Many of the features of care to which Irene Oldfather refers are indeed the kind of things that we wish to encourage. We wish to develop those features where they are in place and, where they are not yet in place, we wish to ensure that we achieve them. The purpose of developing the integrated care pathway is precisely to ensure that all agencies, from primary care through social services, the voluntary sector to hospital services and, indeed, care homes, are aware of their particular roles, that users and their carers are consulted and that the agencies work in partnership with users and carers to deliver the most appropriate service.
Forth and Tay Road Bridges (Tolls)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to be able to announce the outcome of its examination of the economic, social and environmental impact and costs of retaining or removing tolls from the Forth and Tay road bridges, as recommended by the Parliament on 30 March 2006. (S2O-9543)
The proposals for that will be reported on as soon as possible.
We await them. Does the minister accept that the main reason for the necessity of its examination is that, in the Executive's tolled bridges review, the economic, social and environmental impacts were not fully examined? Does he accept that, if the case for the tolls to be removed, which I support, is to be evidenced, all those factors need to be taken fully into account?
I certainly accept that all those factors need to be taken into account, and they need to be factual. It is important that factual evidence supporting the concerns to which Scott Barrie refers is considered. I give him the assurance that it will be considered in the context of the study that we will undertake.
Does the minister agree that that exchange illustrates the sheep-like stupidity of Labour and the Liberal Democrats, who voted for a review of a review instead of voting to abolish the tolls on the Tay road bridge? As a gesture of good faith, will the minister advise the Forth Estuary Transport Authority and the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board that improvements by means of relocating the tollbooths on both bridges should cease until the review is concluded, thus saving millions of pounds?
I would be very happy to deal with the stupidity of the Scottish National Party, which of course has two different policy positions depending on which day it is. The SNP had one policy position before Christmas, according to which it was in favour of tolls; after Christmas, the SNP adopted a policy position that said that it was against tolls. Which is it?
What advances has the minister made in the preliminary work on a new crossing over the Forth?
As we announced on 1 March, we are taking forward the work that needs to be done in relation to the potential need for a second crossing. That includes an assessment of the technical requirements and the continuing assessment of the current condition of the Forth road bridge. I assure Mr Davidson that we will bring those matters back to the Parliament so that members can be kept up to date with an extremely important strategic issue for Scotland.
Question 7 has been withdrawn.
Supermarket Trading (Investigation)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is able to provide any further information about the Office of Fair Trading investigation into supermarket trading. (S2O-9589)
Following its month-long consultation on its proposed decision to refer the market for the supply of groceries by retailers in the United Kingdom to the Competition Commission, the OFT is considering the responses that it has received to that consultation. We expect the OFT to reach a final decision on whether to refer within the next month.
Is the minister aware that Kettle Produce Ltd, one of the biggest employers in north-east Fife, recently paid off 60 staff, largely because of the company's current untenable contractual situation with the retail multiples? Does the minister agree that the supermarket code of conduct is clearly failing and that the Executive has a responsibility to Scottish food producers across the board to achieve a fairer trading situation?
It is clearly very important that the trading environment is fair. On launching the proposed referral and consultation, John Fingleton, the chief executive of the OFT, pointed out:
Aberdeen Crossrail Project
To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress it is making on the Aberdeen crossrail project. (S2O-9544)
In line with our partnership commitment, we continue to support the development of the feasibility work for the Aberdeen crossrail scheme. My officials recently met the north-east Scotland transport partnership, which is responsible for delivery of the study, to discuss progress and the next steps. All the parties involved are committed to ensuring that the feasibility work is completed by the end of 2006.
Does the minister agree that the north-east would benefit hugely from the successful completion of the crossrail project in terms of both economic impact and the development of an improved and sustainable transport infrastructure? Given the welcome new investment that is coming to Scotland's rail network, does the minister agree that a final decision backing the scheme with a clear timetable should be a priority in the Executive's national transport strategy?
I have no doubt that NESTRANS and local members such as Richard Baker will want to make such a submission to the national transport strategy. Richard Baker will know that the strategic projects review provides the opportunity to consider carefully that kind of project against many others for which there will be competing demands.
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