The next item of business this morning is general questions. In order to call as many members as possible, I would prefer short and succinct questions, with answers to match, please.
Prisoners (Voting Rights)
The Scottish Government’s policy is that convicted prisoners should not be able to vote while they are in prison. As the member is aware, that is the approach that has been taken in the Scottish Independence Referendum (Franchise) Bill for the referendum on independence. The franchise for elections is currently reserved.
I am sorry that the cabinet secretary has chosen not to answer the question that I asked, which was about elections rather than the referendum. Having discussed the issue at length with the Deputy First Minister in the Referendum (Scotland) Bill Committee, I am still at a loss to know whether there is some principle by which the Scottish Government considers that the blanket prohibition on convicted prisoners voting is now legal under ECHR. Is there some principle that suggests that a referendum should be conducted in a fundamentally different way from elections?
No. We have made it quite clear that elections are currently reserved to the United Kingdom, and we seek to vary that. We recognise the Scoppola judgment in May 2012. Equally, we are aware that the Supreme Court is currently hearing two cases on whether European Union law gives convicted prisoners the right to vote in local, national and, indeed, European Parliament elections. We await the outcome with interest. Any future independent Parliament would require to comply with ECHR in terms of legislation and its interpretation. That will be a matter for a future Scottish Parliament.
Haddington Hospital
NHS Lothian is progressing the reprovision of the hospital, and Hub South East Scotland—a hubco—has been appointed as the development partner. Work is under way to determine the size of facility required for the current and future needs of the East Lothian population and for the services that are provided to the whole of Lothian. It is expected that the first stage of the business case—the initial agreement—will be completed in September 2013. It is anticipated that construction could start in 2015, with completion in 2017.
The new Haddington hospital has been disappearing from in front of our eyes for some years now. In 2007, it was promised that the new hospital would open in 2012. In 2008, the business case was promised in 2010. Since 2009-10, we have heard nothing of it except that it would be delivered through the non-profit-distributing programme. If the cabinet secretary is now telling us that the new hospital will be completed in 2017, what guarantee can he give to my constituents that the project will not be pushed to the back of the queue yet again?
I am absolutely committed to the timetable, and we will do everything that we possibly can to ensure that it is adhered to. We recognise the importance of the project to East Lothian’s health provision and local economy. It is very much our intention to adhere to the timetable that I have outlined this morning.
Employment (People with Mental Health Issues)
Our new mental health strategy commits us to publishing guidance that promotes the evidence base and good practice for what works in employability for those with mental illness. That work is under way and when published will encourage redesign in health systems and the wider employability system to refocus practice on more effective approaches and realise mental healthcare savings.
The current work is very welcome. However, 45 per cent of people on benefits in Scotland have a mental health problem and find the journey back into work very long and hard. Is it not better to pursue a positive policy of helping people to remain in work—I welcome what the cabinet secretary said on that issue—rather than allow their conditions to become chronic, severe and enduring? Will the Government commit to ensuring that that research is carried out, given that some companies have found that every £1 spent on workplace health promotion and wellbeing has generated nearly £10 of savings from reduced sickness absence and presenteeism?
I absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed by Mary Scanlon. People in work with mental health problems should be given every support, opportunity and facilitation to retain their employment while dealing with their illness. I am happy to meet Mary Scanlon—perhaps with Billy Watson, chair of the Scottish Association for Mental Health, who is chairing the sub-group on this matter—to discuss the way forward.
“Scottish Planning Policy” (Housing for Older People)
The draft “Scottish Planning Policy” is currently out for consultation until 23 July 2013. The subject policy on enabling the delivery of new homes proposes that plans should be informed by robust housing need and demand assessments and that those assessments should consider the needs of housing for older people. When a need is identified, planning authorities should prepare policies to support the delivery of appropriate housing and consider the allocation of specific sites.
Given the projected significant increase in the number of older people over the short and, particularly, medium term, has the minister any plans to review the process by which analysis should be carried out to do that forward planning for older people in our communities? In years to come, we will be looking not only at specialist housing, as the general numbers of older people will mean that some will need mainstream housing, so we need to rethink our approach. Given that the guidance was last reviewed in 2008, does the minister have any plans to look at the issue?
We are always looking at the issue of housing for older people. The housing need demand assessment makes it very clear that local authorities should consider it. The five-year supply is looked at initially, but local authorities should look 20 years ahead with regard to land for housing and the housing need for their areas. They should identify trends in people’s increasing longevity. We expect that any requirements for an increase in specialist housing needs will be identified through that process.
Funfair Licensing
Licensing is a local matter. It is for local licensing authorities to look at the facts of individual applications and make decisions in light of local priorities and circumstances. The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 makes it clear that any conditions attached to a licence shall be reasonable.
West Lothian Council is currently imposing conditions on funfair licences that are not covered by any act of law—namely, the erection of fencing around the entire funfair—and which make the fair uneconomic. The council is therefore causing the cancellation of several funfairs at local gala days in its area. What can the Parliament do to encourage councils not to impose unrealistic conditions and allow their constituents to enjoy all the fun of the fair?
It is right that local licensing authorities should protect their communities by ensuring that funfairs are operated safely and cause minimal nuisance. It is correct that such matters should be set and dealt with locally, but the approach should be proportionate and there should not be measures that are perhaps unnecessary.
General Practitioners (Rural Areas)
I am grateful to the member, NHS Highland, the Dewar group, the Royal College of General Practitioners and others for their invaluable advice on the key issue of recruiting GPs in remote and rural areas.
I thank the cabinet secretary for coming along to Ardnamurchan to visit the communities there—that was very useful. For the pilot that he mentions, a local doctor, Dr Gartshore, is working to create a much larger practice to replace a number of individual single-GP practices. Can the cabinet secretary give me any further information on the timescale for implementation of the new pilot project?
On the project, a team of eight doctors will work in two sub-teams, one based in Mallaig and the other in Acharacle. NHS Highland is working on the recruitment of suitable applicants to ensure the continuation of out-of-hours services as well as the full range of routine care and treatment. That is in addition to the investment that we are making in telecare services in remote and rural areas specifically and across the wider health service network.
The pilot is of course welcome, but will the cabinet secretary consider the policy of increased use of salaried GPs in remote, rural and island communities?
Absolutely. We are already considering whether there are areas where it would be more appropriate to provide an opportunity for salaried GPs, because it is particularly difficult to recruit GPs to independent practices. Clearly, every option has to be explored, because we need to ensure that our remote, rural and island communities are as comprehensively covered by GP primary care services as our urban communities are.
Police Scotland (Local Policing)
The new single police service provides an opportunity to adopt a national strategic approach while recognising local circumstances. At the heart of that is a focus on keeping people safe and meeting the priorities of local communities. That commitment is shaped and delivered through engagement with partners and local people and is subject to scrutiny by local representatives to ensure that Police Scotland adopts the right approach to address the priority issues in each local community.
I noted the cabinet secretary’s replies to Richard Lyle on the importance of local licensing. I want an assurance from him, if that is possible, that emphasis will be placed on continuing what was considered to be a successful policy in managing prostitution in the Lothian and Borders and Grampian regions, in comparison with the relative failure of zero tolerance in Strathclyde.
I think that everyone, certainly in the east of Scotland, is aware that there have been fewer deaths in relation to prostitution. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on particular recent matters, especially matters that are sub judice and have been dealt with. Suffice it to say that when the police obtain intelligence of criminality, whether that relates to trafficking, sexual exploitation, drugs, money laundering or other matters, it is important that the intelligence is acted on.
I advise the cabinet secretary and Margo MacDonald that the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing should be dealing with the impact of the single force on local policing after the recess, when members will be able to raise issues with the committee.
I welcome that—it is why the committee was established and it is quite appropriate.
Golf Tourism
The Scottish Government is determined to maximise tourism growth and draw more visitors to Scotland. Scottish Government public bodies are working closely with the golf tourism industry to support the work of the golf tourism development group.
The west of Scotland is well placed to capitalise on a boost in golf tourism, given its array of excellent golf facilities, including courses on Arran and in East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire, as well as the neighbouring world-class courses at Turnberry, Prestwick and Royal Troon.
Mr Maxwell made a strong point, in recognising the connection between international travel and connectivity through air links, to bring visitors to Scotland to appreciate the significant opportunities that are afforded by the range of golf courses in Scotland.
The cabinet secretary will be aware that the loss of flights between Prestwick and Gothenburg has had an adverse effect on golf tourism in the west of Scotland. He will also be aware of the commitment of the Minister for Transport and Veterans, Keith Brown, to bring forward soon a European Union-compatible successor scheme to route development funding. When will the successor scheme be put in place? When the scheme is in place, will he ensure that consideration is given to re-establishing the link between Scotland and Scandinavia through Prestwick, to support our golf tourism in the west of Scotland?
Work is under way on the preparation of the scheme to which Mr Scott referred. Priority is given to enhancing connectivity through air routes in and out of Scotland, and provision at Prestwick is important in that respect.
Before we come to the next item of business, members will wish to join me in welcoming to the gallery the Vice-President of the Senate and the first Vice-President of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Bolivia, Nélida Sifuentes and Lucio Marca Mamani. [Applause.]
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