General Questions
Binge Drinking
The increase in home drinking in recent years has been driven by the availability of cheap alcohol that is sold in the off-trade—mainly in supermarkets. The introduction of minimum pricing will raise the price of the cheapest alcohol. Our proposed 50p per unit minimum price will have a significant impact on the alcohol that is sold in the off-trade.
In Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, the police are increasingly being called to attend at very violent incidents that arise from binge drinking in the home. Usually, the perpetrator has a history of antisocial behaviour that is known to the landlord. Will the cabinet secretary ask his colleague the Minister for Housing and Welfare to consult housing associations on how engagement with local police might be earlier and closer when such antisocial behaviour becomes apparent, to avoid its escalation into the troubling pattern of violence that is emerging?
The member raises a valid point. We have worked with housing associations and councils, in their role as landlords, to try to tackle the situation.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that the Alcohol Focus Scotland report that was published last week, which showed that alcohol-related harm costs Scotland £3.6 billion per year, indicates clearly that licensing boards should carefully consider implementing as standard the use of the powers that the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 gives them, such as those on overprovision? Does he agree that consideration should be given to strengthening the legislation to encourage local authorities to use such powers?
The latter point is primarily a matter for my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Justice. However, I agree with the general drift of the member’s questions. Many areas have overprovision, which contributes to the problems that are associated with alcohol.
Proposed Procurement Reform Bill (Sustainability)
Sustainability is at the heart of our public procurement reform programme. The bill will signal the important role that sustainable public procurement can play in supporting our economic recovery. It will call for a culture change in how public bodies procure goods and services, to deliver social, environmental and community benefits. The consultation paper on the bill proposes measures to support innovation, create jobs and ensure that procurement processes and systems are transparent, streamlined and business friendly.
When the bill was first mooted, it was primarily a sustainable procurement bill. Its scope has now expanded to adapt to circumstances. Will the Deputy First Minister provide further and clearer reassurance that the bill will serve effectively all three functions—the social, environmental and community functions—that she set out?
I hope that I can reassure Marco Biagi on that point; I know that he has a close interest in the issue, and I would be happy to meet him as work progresses to discuss his perspective in more detail.
What input have the relevant professions had in the formulation of the procurement pre-qualification questionnaire?
I am happy to write to Linda Fabiani with a detailed response on specific stakeholders, but I can assure her on the point about pre-qualification questionnaires, which are extremely important in the procurement process and in the decisions that we are about to take. In the process of reforming the procurement process that was begun by my predecessor, Alex Neil, it will be essential to hear the views of stakeholders, especially those whose livelihoods may depend on our getting that process right.
Immigration (Families)
Where the child of an immigrant family remains legitimately in Scotland after their parents or carers have been removed on grounds of immigration status, local authorities are required by parts I and II of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area who are in need, and to offer necessary support to their families. That can include a range of interventions, which include formally looking after a child if that is appropriate.
Can the minister confirm that children and young people in education are supported by their school in situations in which some members of their family are required to leave the country due to immigration status?
Yes. Local authorities have a responsibility in that area, but the Scottish Government works with them to ensure that such support is provided.
Business Start-ups (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley)
The Scottish Government’s central objective is to build sustainable economic growth. To that end, the small business bonus scheme assisted approximately 1,500 businesses throughout East Ayrshire last year, and the business gateway supported approximately 280 new start-ups.
The minister is right to highlight the positive effect that the small business bonus scheme is having. However, some difficulties remain in the crucial first year of establishing a business. Will the minister consider that further to see whether any additional help and advice could be offered that might allow more small businesses to get through that important first year?
Willie Coffey is right to point out that these difficult economic times make life hard for small businesses. That is why the small business bonus—which has helped some 85,000 businesses in Scotland with a maximum of £4,500 assistance per business per annum, which is £3,000 more than is available in England—has been of such massive help to small businesses throughout the country. In fact, as a former small business owner and manager, I cannot think of any policy that has done more to help small businesses since 1707.
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (Meetings)
The Deputy First Minister met Strathclyde partnership for transport on Monday to mark the refurbishment of Hillhead station as part of the subway modernisation programme to which the Scottish Government is contributing up to £246 million. They discussed subway modernisation and the artwork at Hillhead station.
Recently, both Holytown and Whitehill in Hamilton—two of the most isolated communities in my constituency—lost vital bus services. I understand that SPT has submitted to the minister a 10-point plan that attempts to improve the delivery of commercial bus services for the ordinary passenger and local communities. Among its recommendations, the document advocates that a statutory obligation be placed on bus companies to consult public transport authorities in advance of proposed service cuts, leading to proper engagement with elected members and communities to protect bus users in places such as Holytown and Whitehill. Does the minister agree that the current free-for-all in the market, which is adversely affecting most local communities, is no longer sustainable and that the SPT 10-point plan should be given serious consideration?
The SPT 10-point plan is being given serious consideration and is the subject of discussions within the bus service users and providers group, which we have established not just for that purpose but to look at bus issues generally. The member raises the issue of bus services being reduced in some localities. We have almost exactly the same, largely deregulated system of bus provision that we had under the previous Administration, and it is up to individual bus operators to decide which services to provide. If they are going to change services, there is an obligation on them to give notice to the traffic commissioner for Scotland. The member suggests that there should be a wider consultation before that happens, and that is being given active consideration.
Drug Misuse
Drug misuse is a complex issue that requires the close collaboration of health, education and justice policy. Since 2007, we have implemented a number of measures to tackle drug misuse. We have turned waiting times for drug treatment from as long as one year for an appointment to a maximum three-week wait to access treatment, and we are on target to deliver that by March 2013. We have increased funding to front-line drug treatment and recovery services by 20 per cent, to a total of £162 million. We have also developed a prevention and education programme that has resulted in the lowest level of reported drug use among young people in a decade.
The minister will be aware that, last year, there were 47 drug-related deaths in Ayrshire and Arran, which was an increase from 31 the year before and was one of the highest levels, by population, in any health board in Scotland. Heroin was implicated in 16 of those deaths, and methadone was implicated in 26 cases. In addition, the number of methadone prescriptions increased from 46,000 to 56,000 between 2008 and 2011. While in 2008-09 there were—
Can the member just get to the question, please?
Although I accept that methadone may have a place in drug rehabilitation, what further changes will the minister pursue to reverse that extremely concerning trend?
It is important to recognise that any drug-related death is a tragedy. We must take a range of measures to tackle effectively the scourge of drug misuse in our society, and it is important that all Government portfolios that have a role to play in the area work together constructively to ensure that that happens.
Atos Work Capability Assessments
The Scottish Government has regular contact with the UK Government on a range of welfare issues. Michael Matheson wrote to Lord Freud, the Minister for Welfare Reform, on 11 June highlighting concerns about assessments.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that the £206,703,507 that the Atos contract to administer assessments for personal independence payments in Scotland, northern England and the Isle of Man costs the taxpayer, could be better spent paying for 55,332 vulnerable people’s disability living allowance for a year—an average weekly payment of £71.84—and that that flawed Department for Work and Pensions contract—
I think that we have the question. I call the cabinet secretary.
—is a complete waste of money?
Kevin Stewart raises an extremely serious point. Every member of the Parliament will be aware of concerns such as those that he raises being communicated regularly by their constituents.
Broadcasting
Full details of the Government’s proposals for independence will be provided in the white paper to be published in November 2013.
I thank the culture secretary for her reply, although I had hoped that she would expand on the plans that the First Minister outlined at the broadcasting conference in Edinburgh last month, when he said that he intends to replace the BBC in Scotland with the equivalent of the Irish broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann, but potentially part funded by advertising.
I think that we have the question, Mr Macintosh.
With independence, the people of Scotland will be able to enjoy more home-grown content, including a Scottish national broadcaster that will build on the existing staff and assets of BBC Scotland, while enjoying the same programmes and channels as they do now.
Air Discount Scheme (Business Community)
David Stewart may be aware that I visited the Western Isles in July, when I announced the extension of the discount scheme to volunteers and employees of third sector organisations.
Will the minister reintroduce business to the scheme to ensure that we kick-start the economy in the north?
I have answered that question a number of times. We cannot do that, as the scheme, as described by the European Commission, is for “aid of a social character”. It does not apply to businesses. That is why we have extended it as I described. I say to David Stewart, who has raised the issue a number of times, that if he can put forward a legally based proposition in a budget, we will see whether he is serious about the matter or is just posturing politically.