SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
National Concessionary Travel Scheme (Extension)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the national concessionary travel scheme to include demand-responsive community transport schemes such as Dial-a-Journey in Forth valley, which is used by older and disabled people who are eligible for the scheme but cannot use scheduled services. (S3O-7024)
The Scotland-wide free bus travel scheme for older and disabled people already includes demand-responsive community transport services that are registered local services. The scheme has been the subject of a review since last July. The review is now complete and the resulting report and recommendations will be published this month.
Why are private bus operators trusted to operate concessionary transport schemes when community transport organisations are not? A number of disabled and older people throughout the country cannot access travel schemes. Will the minister please look again at the discrimination that those people face daily?
The member makes a perfectly fair point about the need to provide access to affordable public transport for people with a range of disabilities that prevent their having ready access to standard service buses. We provide substantial support for a wide range of demand-responsive transport, which comes in many shapes and sizes. Some forms fall within the present scheme, whereas others are outside it. We have commissioned additional work on the demands of the transport sector to which Cathy Peattie refers. That work will be available to us later.
What are the differences between the concessionary travel schemes north and south of the border? Does any reciprocity between them exist?
The scheme in England is operated locally. Unlike the Scottish scheme, it does not provide national coverage. It has been examined recently and several revisions to it have been made—for example, it now excludes, for the first time, bus services on which the majority of seats are booked. We are not minded to follow such a restriction on the successful scheme in Scotland.
Compulsory Redundancies (Public Sector)
To ask the Scottish Government which areas of the public sector are not covered by its commitment to avoid compulsory redundancies. (S3O-6976)
The scope and coverage of the Government's commitment to no compulsory redundancies are set out in a general agreement with the council of Scottish Government unions. The commitment applies over the current spending review period, up to and including 2010-11. It applies to permanent staff in the core Scottish Government, its associated departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies.
Given the scale of the wage bill relative to Government spending as a whole and given the significant squeeze that will come to the Scottish Government like all other parts of Government, is a policy of no compulsory redundancies sustainable in the medium term?
The policy is sustainable. It conditions the decisions that the Government must take about our approach to balancing the budget that we must present to Parliament.
I am interested in what the cabinet secretary said. He will know from Government figures that, although the number of public sector bodies has gone down from 199 to 162, the total number of people who are employed in core Government, its agencies and departments has risen from 186,670 in the third quarter of 2007 to 188,780. Will the Government reverse that growth trend?
As Mr Purvis will be aware, some of the increase is the result of our bringing into core Scottish Government some agencies that were outwith it. Since this Government came to office in 2007, there has been an increase of 0.2 per cent in the number of people who are employed in the public sector. That contrasts with an increase of 8.7 per cent in the period before that from 1999. The Government is stewarding the resources of Scotland effectively. As part of the simplification exercise, we are bringing more employment into core Scottish Government, where we can undertake those requirements effectively.
Question 3 was to have been asked by Margaret Mitchell but she does not appear to be in the chamber. Members are aware of my feelings on the subject. They will be made known to her.
Community Courts (Glasgow)
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice's decision not to proceed with plans for a pilot community court in the east end of Glasgow and the vote on motion S3M-4065 on 7 May 2009, what plans it has to implement fair, fast and flexible justice for the people of Glasgow. (S3O-6996)
Our plans for fair, fast and flexible justice will benefit all the people of Scotland.
As Kenny MacAskill will surely be aware, the decision to abandon the community court in the east end of Glasgow undermines his credibility in delivering that effective criminal justice system in Scotland. Will he explain why SNP parliamentarians at Westminster are demanding that the Government in that place respond to the will of Parliament whereas SNP Scottish Government ministers are dismissing arrogantly the will of the Scottish Parliament? When will Kenny MacAskill have some consistency on the matter? When will he answer to the will of the Scottish Parliament on the community court in Glasgow?
We have made it clear that this is the decision of the project board, which is made up not only of representatives of the Scottish Government justice division but of the Crown Office, Glasgow City Council and the Court Service. It was on the project board's advice that the Government took the decision. Ms Curran should recognise the record amounts of funding that we are putting in. Spending on community justice social work has increased from £36.5 million in 1999-2000 to £103.95 million in 2008-09. That is an increase of 185 per cent over 10 years. There is also an additional £2 million and other moneys. The money continues to rise.
Members may be aware of the figures that Strathclyde Police reported last week, which show a marked decline in crime on the south side of Glasgow. The figures include a 24 per cent reduction in violent crime in greater Pollock and a 52 per cent reduction in housebreaking in Pollokshields. Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is clear that increased community policing is having a beneficial effect across Scotland? In this as in all others, Government actions speak louder than the Opposition's empty rhetoric.
Absolutely. The Government is committed to a visible police presence. We now have record police numbers. In terms of the city of Glasgow, in addition to the Government's record on police numbers, I pay tribute to the respective chief constable and police board. Their actions have ensured not only the roll-out of the additional officers who we funded through the 1,000 additional officers commitment but that officers are deployed properly.
Pharmacy Applications
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to review the rules and procedures governing pharmacy applications. (S3O-7006)
The framework against which national health service boards consider pharmacy applications are provided for in the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995, which the Scottish Government intends to review. The process will begin prior to the summer through discussion and scoping work with stakeholders, with a view to a formal consultation being published in the autumn.
I thank the minister for the commitment on the consultation. As she may be aware, an appeal is pending on a pharmacy application in the Spittal area of my constituency. My constituents and I have concerns about conflicts of interest, given that the objectors include senior members of Community Pharmacy Scotland, which has representation on the appeal panel. Will the minister consider amending the rules to eradicate such conflicts of interest and introduce more fairness and transparency into the proceedings?
As the member will be aware, we lodged an amendment this week, which is designed as an interim measure to ensure that the public continues to be involved in pharmacy applications. As I said in my initial answer, if any further changes require to be considered as part of the review, we will do that, once we have consulted all stakeholders.
Does the minister acknowledge the importance to people in remote and rural areas of dispensing general practitioner practices? Does she take account of the effect on service provision when a practice loses its right to dispense? Can the dispensing doctor arrangements be amended to include the new services that community pharmacies provide? That would ensure that patients across Scotland have equal access to pharmacy and GP services.
Dispensing GP practices were designed to cover areas where patients would have serious difficulty obtaining their medicines. It is important to remember that the extra remuneration that dispensing GPs receive is intended to cover the delivery of that additional service, not to cross-subsidise general medical services provision; there should be no impact on the other GP services that are provided in the area. As I said in my answer to James Kelly, we will of course have an open review. I am sure that the member will wish to submit her comments as part of that process.
With the best will in the world, there is cross-subsidisation. Dispensing GPs are able to employ other people to provide pharmacy services, which means that surgeries are open for longer.
Well, yes. As I said earlier, in lodging the amendment we have ensured that the public continue to be involved in pharmacy applications. It was important to do that. Any further changes, including consultation with other stakeholders, are important. The fact is that we are taking forward the consultation. The views of key stakeholders form an important part of the process. I am sure that we will listen to their views and act accordingly. I am also sure that the member will wish to submit her comments as part of the process.
Forth Replacement Crossing<br />(Baseline Indicators)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland plans to quantify baseline noise and air quality indicators at individual residences that are affected by the proposed Forth replacement crossing. (S3O-7040)
Yes. By using a model that is verified by some actual measurements, baseline levels at individual properties in the vicinity of the scheme will be predicted. The results of the noise and air assessments will be reported in an environmental statement later in 2009.
The minister is aware of residents' concerns about the impact of the new crossing on noise levels and air quality at Linn Mill, Clufflats, Echline and Dundas Home Farm.
Order. Far too many conversations are taking place in the chamber.
I said in my original answer that the model will be verified by measurements on the ground. We shall use contour plots, with a base year of 2005, for nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter, which are key. In addition, we will provide contour plots for NO2 and PM10 to show the difference in pollutant concentration for 2017 and 2032 with and without the proposed scheme. That substantial piece of research should give a high degree of confidence that we understand and are able to mitigate any effects on individual properties.
Registered Sex Offenders
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to manage registered sex offenders. (S3O-7010)
Through the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill and the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill, we will introduce tougher court orders to impose new obligations on high-risk sex offenders; further strengthen the requirements for sex offenders who declare themselves, or claim to be, homeless; provide additional powers to the courts to impose extended sentences for offences where there is a significant sexual aspect to the offender's behaviour; and introduce new offences to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. We have also recently announced plans to pilot greater individual disclosure for parents who may have concern about an adult who has access to their child.
On 24 March, I submitted a question to the minister requesting information on how many of the 33 recommendations of the Justice 2 Sub-Committee would be implemented. Despite receiving a holding response on 14 April, I have yet to receive a response to that inquiry. Eight weeks on, will the minister respond to the question that I submitted?
I am happy to confirm to Mr Martin that a letter will shortly be on its way to him. As far as the Government is aware, 29 of the 33 recommendations have been delivered. By the time the letter reaches Mr Martin, we may have been able to increase the figure further. I assure him that the Government is delivering the recommendations of the sub-committee of which both he and I were members, because we recognise the requirement to ensure that our children are protected from those who would seek to exploit or abuse them.
Scottish Futures Trust
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons the Scottish Futures Trust has not put any projects out to tender. (S3O-7028)
We have already made clear that we are planning to announce the next part of our schools investment programme later this year. That will involve working with local authorities to take forward capital investment through the Scottish Futures Trust.
Anyone who has studied the matter knows that the Salmond-Swinney slump has already put 20,000 workers in the construction industry on to the dole queue. I know that SNP back benchers do not like to hear that, but the facts are the facts.
Mr Whitton seems to have missed the fact that the Government has presided over the commissioning of a range of construction projects around the country, including the M74 and the M80, which probably goes through his constituency—the member should open his eyes and look at what is in front of him. He should look at the statistics into the bargain. According to the most recent employment statistics for Scotland, construction employment has risen by 1 per cent. Perhaps that will put the member's gas at a peep.
Before we move to questions to the First Minister, I know that members will wish to join me in welcoming to the gallery the Speaker of the House of Assembly of the Parliament of South Australia, the hon Jack Snelling MP. Mr Speaker, you are most welcome. [Applause.]
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