Plenary,

Meeting date: Thursday, May 22, 2008

Official Report 748KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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General Questions

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Tenancy Deposit Scheme

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to introducing a mandatory tenancy deposit scheme in terms of its powers under part 4 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. (S3O-3409)

The Scottish Government is working with a number of organisations, including the National Union of Students Scotland, Shelter and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, which are members of a stakeholder group that was established to consider the need for a tenancy deposit scheme in Scotland. The group agreed that further work should be carried out to develop an evidence base on the scale of the problem before any decisions are taken. The outputs from tenant and landlord surveys will be available later this year and will also be taken in to account.

I am grateful for that reply, to which I listened carefully. Am I wrong in forming the impression from it, and from the minister's answer to a parliamentary question by my colleague Iain Smith in February, that he is going backwards rather than forwards on the principle of the scheme? He seems to be heading towards tinkering with current deposit management practice rather than introducing a proper scheme.

Is the minister aware that tenancy deposit protection schemes have been introduced successfully in England and Wales? Does he agree that it is unacceptable for Scotland to lag behind other parts of the United Kingdom on the provision of much needed and equitable protection for tenants and a level playing field in disputes over deposits? Does he agree that the case has long been made for the introduction of such a scheme and will he therefore instruct his officials and the stakeholder group that the issue for consideration is no longer whether a tenancy deposit scheme should be introduced, but when and how it should happen?

We should not pre-empt the work of the stakeholder group, which was established to consider the issue. Several issues have arisen from that group's work. It has asked for tenant and landlord surveys, which are being carried out. The comprehensive survey of tenants, which includes questions on tenants' experience of deposits, is being carried out by Tribal Consulting Ltd and George Street Research Ltd. We have designed the landlord survey with contractors at the University of Sheffield. The survey has been piloted and will be rolled out in the next few weeks.

It is relevant that, when such a scheme was proposed in amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill in 2005, the then Deputy Minister for Communities, Johann Lamont, made it clear in evidence to the Communities Committee that she did not want to introduce a scheme if the costs were found to be disproportionate to the scale of the problem in Scotland. I agree with that. It is right that we are analysing the situation properly. There are early indications from the various schemes in England—there is not a single national scheme—that some landlords may, by increasing rent levels, be passing on the costs of membership of the insurance-based schemes to their tenants. I am not sure that we want that to happen in Scotland. We must be cautious before we progress, but we are entirely open minded and are waiting for the results of the expert group, which is working to ensure that we reach a proper and considered response.

The previous Labour-led Executive made clear its intention to introduce a deposit scheme that would be up and running by the middle of 2008, but we are in the middle of 2008 and so far we have heard little from the Government on it. The minister mentioned costs. Does he agree that the issue is not simply about comparing the total amount of deposits that are withheld unfairly against the costs of the deposit protection scheme, because a scheme could reduce the fear and threat of unfair withholding of deposits, which would reduce tension between tenants and landlords?

Briefly, please, Ms Baker.

That reduction may be unquantifiable in simple cash terms, but does the minister agree that it would be a crucial benefit of a scheme?

I accept absolutely that the issue is not just about a straight cash comparison between the two amounts. However, I hope that Claire Baker will agree that we cannot proceed on the basis of anecdotal evidence and that we must have solid evidence. That is why the working group was established, why it is waiting for the research to be produced and why the tenant and landlord surveys are being carried out.

The deposit protection scheme is not the only protection that is under consideration. The landlord registration scheme had a 15 per cent approval rating in May 2007; by May 2008, its approval rating was 75 per cent. We are also working with landlords on a national voluntary accreditation scheme. We are making efforts to ensure that the private rented sector is fit for purpose, and that a quality scheme is in place to protect tenants and landlords. We are moving forward on that work, but it is right that we wait for proper evidence to be presented to the working group to allow it to make recommendations. That will allow us to move forwards on the basis of evidence.

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Violent Crime (Housing Estates)

To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the issue of violent crime in housing estates throughout Scotland has been tackled. (S3O-3408)

Tackling the deep-seated culture of violence that blights too many housing estates across Scotland will take time, but we are making good progress. Our on-going anti-violence campaign continues to focus police efforts on weapon carrying and alcohol misuse, and the initiative that I recently announced to tackle gang violence will work intensively with over 500 young men across Scotland. That is supported by our £7 million investment so far through the cashback scheme, which will provide young people from those communities with more positive opportunities and will complement the good work that is being delivered locally to make our communities safer and stronger.

Following reports in national newspapers on Tuesday, will the cabinet secretary assure us that swift action is being taken, and will be taken, to tackle incidents of violent crime whenever and wherever they occur?

John Wilson may take that as read. Our police will enforce the law. Violent behaviour is unacceptable, whether it is perpetrated in Scotland or in other jurisdictions, and we have to ensure that it is punished.

We also have to build on the measures that my predecessor quite correctly commenced: we have to tackle the roots of the culture of alcohol and violence. That culture has to be broken.

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Rural General Hospitals

To ask the Scottish Executive what services will be devolved to rural general hospitals. (S3O-3439)

The recommendations of the remote and rural steering group report, "Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare", set out the services that are expected—as a minimum—of rural general hospitals. Those services include improved diagnostics, emergency care, maternity services and the management of long-term conditions. Copies of the report have been placed in the Scottish Parliament information centre.

Is not it the case that many of those services have already been devolved? Indeed, many rural general hospitals offer more services than are laid out in the report. Will the cabinet secretary assure us that those services will be protected?

Does the cabinet secretary acknowledge that devolving services carries increased costs? Will she therefore ensure that rural health boards receive the funding that they require to advance their services and, indeed, to develop more services?

I point out to Rhoda Grant that the funding allocation to NHS boards already takes account of issues regarding the delivery of remote and rural health care. It is right that that is the case.

Not all that long ago, we seemed to be in a constant round of uncertainty over the future of rural general hospitals, many of which faced the threat of closure. Rhoda Grant is right to say that many services are now being provided in rural general hospitals. I emphasise that what is set out in the report should be regarded as a minimum. However, the report also considers how we can change the model of delivering health care in remote and rural communities, to ensure not only that the services are available now, but that they are sustainable. As a result, we now—for the first time in a long time—have real reason to be optimistic about the future of rural hospitals.

My question comes under the heading "management of long-term conditions". Will the cabinet secretary consider discussing with Highland NHS Board the return of renal dialysis services to east Sutherland, perhaps through the Lawson memorial hospital in Golspie? Those services used to be available and were very popular and successful. Now, some of my constituents have, three days a week, to rise at six in the morning and do not get back home until seven at night.

I am more than happy to raise that issue with NHS Highland and will report back to Jamie Stone. I have no doubt that he has already raised the point with NHS Highland. If he has not, I am sure that he will in the future.

As Jamie Stone knows, this Government believes in local delivery of health care wherever that is possible. Over the past year, I have seen many good examples of services such as dialysis and chemotherapy being provided locally, thus cutting the number of journeys that patients have had to make. I thoroughly endorse those examples and would encourage others wherever they are possible. For clinical reasons, local provision may not always be possible, but I certainly endorse the thrust of Jamie Stone's question.

I am glad that the cabinet secretary wants to see more than just the minimum services that are set out in the report on remote and rural health care issues.

The computed tomography scanner at Caithness general hospital is an example of such a service. Does the cabinet secretary expect more CT scanners to be available in remote hospitals? I ask because of the time that it can take patients to get to hospitals that have CT scanners. The golden hour was mentioned during the previous debate.

As I said in my initial answer, the report envisages improved diagnostic facilities in rural general hospitals. Clearly, that will mean provision of diagnostic equipment.

As I have travelled round some of our rural communities, I have been impressed by the increasing use of telemedicine, which can enable some diagnostic tests to be carried out remotely without the patient having to travel. Test results can be assessed remotely. That is a positive development that I would like to see gathering pace in the NHS. The issue is also at the heart of the report.

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Rural Post Offices

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the viability of rural post offices. (S3O-3413)

The Scottish Government recognises the valuable social and economic role of post offices, particularly in deprived and remote areas of Scotland. However, post offices and postal services are wholly reserved to the United Kingdom Government.

I have, however, encouraged members of the Scottish Parliament and local authorities to look very carefully at the proposals from Royal Mail to ensure that the interests of the public—especially vulnerable groups—have been taken properly into account. Since the announcement in May last year, I have continued to be in active discussion with Post Office Ltd to ensure that its restructuring programme promotes transparency and open discussion of the issues with key stakeholders. Only yesterday, I was in a meeting with senior management of Royal Mail Group to ensure that it is aware of potential business opportunities under the Scottish Government's agenda to streamline and improve public services.

I have also encouraged local authorities to consider opportunities to promote services alongside local post offices to aid their viability.

Of course I understand that post office provision is a Westminster matter.

Next week, my constituents will discover the extent of the closure programme across the north-east region. There is no doubt that many communities will see either the complete closure of their local post office or a significant reduction in the days and hours of opening. Does the minister agree that, especially in villages in rural areas, the demise of the post office can herald a further decline in the viability of community life? Will he therefore encourage and support any community that wishes to take over its post office and run it as part of a social enterprise, by ensuring that the community can apply for assistance via the Government's rural priorities scheme, which was announced last month, under the thriving rural communities strand?

Will he also—

Briefly please, Ms McInnes.

Will the cabinet secretary also commit to ensuring that Government directorates recognise the value of supporting the post office network by continuing to use and develop it as an important access point for services and as a useful route for disseminating information?

There was much in that question from Alison McInnes with which I can agree. I represent the North Tayside constituency, which is adjacent to the region that she represents, so I am acutely aware of the importance of post offices in rural areas. A number of community ventures in my constituency have been successful in taking over post office services, which has led to development of local services.

As I said in my original answer, I have been encouraging local authorities to work with local groups to encourage provision of services at local level. Clearly, opportunities exist for social enterprises to develop as part of the Government's wider agenda. That will include the launch of the Scottish investment fund for social enterprises, which will take place shortly.

I note what the cabinet secretary says about Westminster responsibilities. Will he however confirm that his Administration has the power to provide financial assistance to post offices, if it decides that it wishes to do so?

Mr Henry should have listened carefully to what I said, which was that

"post offices and postal services are wholly reserved to the United Kingdom Government."

As an Administration, we have been working constructively with local authorities and have been encouraging community organisations, through the Scottish investment fund, to regard opportunities to retain some services in local communities as part of an attempt and a venture to broaden the base of economic activity in our remote and rural communities. I am quite sure that Mr Henry would warmly support that.

That was very clever of Mr Henry, given that his question is on the next page of my script.

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New Prisons

To ask the Scottish Executive which three new prisons have been sanctioned by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and what funding method will be used to build each of those prisons. (S3O-3441)

Full details of the proposed prison development programme and sources of funding are available in the Scottish Government's infrastructure investment plan 2008. The Scottish Prison Service is taking forward plans to open three new prisons. HM Prison Bishopbriggs and HMP Grampian will be funded from the SPS capital budget. HMP Addiewell will be funded from the SPS resource budget.

I note that the cabinet secretary avoided saying which three new prisons were commissioned by him and the Administration that he represents. However, I heard him say in a television interview that he had commissioned three new prisons. In fact, HMP Addiewell was commissioned by the previous Administration, which also gave its agreement to the building of Low Moss. What the cabinet secretary has been saying to the public is wrong. I hope that today he will put on record the fact that he has not commissioned three new prisons.

I will put on record that the Government took the decision to stop HM Prison Bishopbriggs—which Mr Henry referred to as Low Moss—going down the privatisation road that was favoured by Mr Henry and his colleagues. Had we signed off the prison as a private institution, Scotland would have become the country with the largest percentage of prisoners in private prisons in the world, which would have been shameful.

We had to sign off HMP Addiewell because of the contract that the previous Administration had signed. As with so many other projects, a prison that could have been built for between £100 million and £200 million by standard procurement methods will, as Professor Pollock, Professor Coyle and others have testified, cost the Scottish taxpayer in excess of £1 billion. That money, which could have been used to tackle heroin addiction, will be used to lock up 700 people. Once again, the previous Administration has privatised a public asset, mortgaged our children's future and left our communities and taxpayers to pay the price. The shameful aspect of the matter is that it did so not only with prisons but with schools, hospitals and other fundamental public services.

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Enterprise Agencies (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next hold meetings with the enterprise agencies. (S3O-3371)

Scottish Government ministers and officials hold regular meetings with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth met Scottish Enterprise's board and senior management team on 12 May. I will meet Jack Perry of Scottish Enterprise later today. The next scheduled meeting between ministers and all three enterprise agencies will be held on 8 September, but it is likely that further meetings will take place over the summer.

Should responsibility for the central performance management unit, marketing and the fulfilment centre of business gateway rest with Scottish Enterprise or local authorities?

That is a matter for local authorities. However, we have joint and several responsibility for performance. Gavin Brown would do well to focus on the massive progress that has been made and on the credit that is due for the restructuring and streamlining of governance that has taken place. The new management structure will increase responsiveness to customers. That has produced a situation in which, according to The Scotsman on 2 May, 57.4 per cent of the business community credit the Government with doing a good or excellent job.

I assure the minister that more than 57.4 per cent of people in the Borders think that it is a bad idea to abolish Scottish Enterprise Borders. Last year the combined budget of Scottish Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway and SEB was £18 million, but it is estimated that the outturn in the coming year will be the equivalent of £5 million. Given that, will the Government publish a budget for the local enterprise function in the south of Scotland?

I encourage the member to engage positively at local level, as I have done in my role as a constituency MSP, to help local businesses to engage more in the public sector. There is a new atmosphere of which the member should take advantage.

Before we move to First Minister's question time, I am delighted to say that His Excellency Jean-Michel Veranneman De Watervliet, the Belgian ambassador to the United Kingdom, has joined us in the Presiding Officer's gallery today. Ambassador, you are most warmly welcome. [Applause.]