SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Ratho Adventure Centre
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support bids from Ratho adventure centre to stage international climbing events, including an event to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic games. (S2O-7603)
EventScotland is our national events organisation charged with delivering our major events strategy, which aims to make Scotland one of the world's foremost event destinations by 2015. Any bid to stage an international climbing event at Ratho adventure centre would be considered by EventScotland.
I thank the minister for her on-going interest in the future of this world-class facility. Will she confirm that the Scottish Executive is ready to give support to the City of Edinburgh Council's welcome plans to acquire the centre, given the important role that it might play in relation to not only climbing but other sports? Will she comment on the possibility of climbing being added as a Commonwealth games sport as part of the 2014 bid?
The Executive watches with interest the progress that the City of Edinburgh Council is making in its bid to acquire Ratho adventure centre and we are in close liaison with it. Any further comment from me would be premature at this time. However, I point out to the member that climbing is not an Olympic or Commonwealth games sport, so the likelihood of having it included in either of those major events is probably not good.
In any further talks that take place, will the minister bear in mind the fact that the Ratho adventure centre is a national resource of great significance? It is an unusual place with exceptional facilities.
I am well aware of the points that Lord James Douglas-Hamilton makes and have no problem with him reiterating them for the benefit of the chamber. In fact, it was just that set of circumstances that encouraged me, having been approached by Margaret Smith, to convene a meeting of all those with a possible interest in the centre almost a year ago, and I am watching the on-going talks with a great deal of interest.
I remind the minister that there is an excellent climbing centre at Kinlochleven, which was built on the site of the old aluminium smelter. I hope that the minister will consider the fact that it would be a good location for any international climbing events that might take place, either during the Olympic games or at some other time.
That was just inside the limits of the question.
I repeat that climbing will probably not be an event in the Olympic or Commonwealth games—I can say that with some confidence. However, EventScotland would be happy to discuss any bid by the Kinlochleven centre in relation to any event that might take place in the future. It is our intention that our major events strategy should cover the entire country, which is why I have been pleased to support events such as the UCI mountain-biking event that took place in Fort William a couple of weeks ago.
Scottish Economy (Oil Prices)
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government on the impact of high oil prices on the Scottish economy. (S2O-7583)
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a range of issues, including the impact of oil price increases.
I thank the minister for that detailed reply.
As Mr Neil knows, it was announced in the budget that, due to sustained volatility in the world oil market and the now significantly higher price of oil per barrel, the normal inflation-based increase in main duty rates would be postponed until 1 September. In July, the Treasury announced that that would not go ahead and the matter would be reviewed in the United Kingdom Government's pre-budget report, which will be published before the end of the year. Therefore, certain steps have been taken by the UK Government.
Given that the modelling exercise on the Scottish economy that was undertaken 30 years ago showed, as we now know from the report that Dr Gavin McCrone wrote for the Government of the day, that the potential windfall from taxes on petroleum revenue at about $20 a barrel was more or less eeksie-peeksie with or without independent sovereignty—and therefore taxation rights over oil—does the minister agree that it might make sense for a similar modelling exercise to be undertaken now, when the price is $67 a barrel, to show what options might be open to us?
I would far rather deal with the issues of today than with those of 30 years ago. The arguments were put and lost by the Scottish National Party back in the 1970s. There is a windfall to the Government as a result of the current high cost of a barrel of oil—everyone is aware of that. I envisage representations being made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on just such issues, and I hope that the Treasury and the chancellor will, ultimately, reach sensible decisions on those issues when further announcements are made.
Driving Tuition (Pass Plus Scheme)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the pass plus scheme and whether it plans to assist in the development and funding of this scheme throughout Scotland. (S2O-7598)
The Executive welcomes pass plus as a scheme that enables new drivers to gain additional experience and positive driving skills. The scheme is administered by the Driving Standards Agency, which chairs a board that promotes the scheme throughout Great Britain.
Recent responses from the councils in Mid Scotland and Fife show a patchy picture of uptake of the scheme. Some councils are enthusiastic supporters, whereas others are lukewarm about it. In the light of that situation, might the Executive implement a more co-ordinated approach throughout Scotland?
I would be happy to look into the points that Mr Arbuckle raises, but I do not believe that it is the responsibility of the Executive to tell Scottish local authorities what to do in that regard. It is important that they come to their own views on the appropriateness of the scheme in their areas.
Question 4 has not been lodged.
Hoardings
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take in respect of hoardings that are allegedly mobile which are placed without planning permission in off-road locations. (S2O-7582)
Under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, a planning authority may issue a discontinuance notice in respect of the use of a site for the display of an advertisement. That includes vehicles that are used exclusively or principally for displaying advertisements.
The hard fact is that the system does not seem to be working. Anyone who has travelled around Scotland recently will have noticed an increasing proliferation of such hoardings, many of which are placed there by large commercial organisations. If what the minister says is the case, local authorities are not taking advantage of their powers. Will the minister communicate with them to tell them that the hoardings are a menace that needs to be stopped?
I hope that Alasdair Morgan will do the same in his own area if there are issues with such hoardings. The matter should be addressed with local authorities, and I am happy to raise it in the on-going conversations that we have with them on the whole question of planning. The devil will be in the detail. Our planning commitments are to strengthen enforcement and to respond to local communities' concerns about the planning process. Therefore, I am happy to pursue the points that Alasdair Morgan has raised.
Will the minister tell us why previous transport ministers have not allowed signage on the A90 trunk road north and south of Stonehaven that could highlight facilities and attractions such as the harbour and the outdoor swimming pool, thereby assisting the local economy, while, at the same time, these unlicensed containers are scattered all around the area? Will the minister endeavour to have the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications review the situation?
Although I have an extremely good grasp of my own brief, I am not sure that I have a good grasp of the briefs of the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications and ex-transport ministers. I would prefer to respond to the member in writing, having been able to reflect on the points that he has made.
Is the minister aware of the cyclical event that takes place every four years, whereby fields sprout Conservative party hoardings and lamp posts sprout SNP hoardings? Notwithstanding the fact that fields are voting Conservative, lamp posts are voting SNP and people are voting Lib Dem, will the minister consider that aspect of the issue?
I always thought that the advertising industry took the view that advertising had to produce results; however, self-evidently, those hoardings have not produced the results that were expected of them. As responsible political parties, we make our case in any way that we can. The lamp posts may do one thing but I am sure that, when Labour makes its case to the electorate in Cathcart and elsewhere, the people will do another: they will respond not just by noticing the posters, but by voting Labour.
Question 6 has not been lodged.
Disclosure (Single-card System)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider basing the disclosure system on a single-card system whereby each person's card would remain valid for a given period and through any changes in the person's role. (S2O-7599)
A new vetting and barring system that is based on recommendations from Sir Michael Bichard is currently under consideration, including options for a facility for the on-going updating of information and for appropriate organisations to be able to check an individual's current status. That could mean that an individual's initial enhanced disclosure check to allow them to work with children or vulnerable adults would remain valid unless new information resulted in a change in their status. That would remove the need for multiple checks for different roles.
I am not quite sure whether the minister's answer was yes.
I was trying to make the point that the issue has United Kingdom implications. There are issues about information emerging from England, Wales and Northern Ireland that should also be available on the Scottish system. It is important that new information is made available to organisations; otherwise, children could be put at greater risk of harm. Therefore, although I do not rule out the issuing of a card such as the one that Donald Gorrie suggests, we must consider the system in the wider context, to try to get something that will avoid multiple applications being made. That is the key point.
I ask the minister again to consider having automatic, mandatory review of enhanced disclosure certificates every three years or so. Currently, if someone with such a certificate remained in situ for 10 years, the certificate would not be reviewed, although their circumstances may have changed and they may not be entitled to the certificate.
I remind Christine Grahame that we are in the middle stage of introducing more comprehensive regimes. On the introduction of the disclosures themselves, we have still to look at past disclosures and to implement that part of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003. As I tried to indicate, Sir Michael Bichard's recommendations must be brought on board to ensure that we have a workable system that does the trick across the board and is reasonably non-bureaucratic and effective in protecting children.
I am not unsympathetic to the idea of a single card, but I am anxious to know from the minister how offences that might be committed while a card is valid would be dealt with and how organisations could be made aware of such offences. Further, what steps is the Executive taking to help to clear the current backlog at Volunteer Development Scotland, where applications are sitting for up to six weeks at a time?
On the second point, I have had concerns about the central registered bodies' processing, but they are in fact on target to have processed applications within eight working days of receipt by the end of the month—I think that they are currently about a week behind that. It is perhaps worth saying that the number of applications received between 2004 and 2005 went up from 7,461 to 12,514, so there has been a major issue of disclosures. I ask members to bear with the Executive on the final stage of the process, because we must take on board the wider implications, which are being considered in the context of Sir Michael Bichard's recommendations.
Freight Facilities Grants (Highlands)
To ask the Scottish Executive how successful freight facilities grants are in the Highlands, in the light of the decision by Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc not to continue Safeway Ltd's practice of supplying stores throughout the Highlands by rail. (S2O-7626)
Freight facilities grants can be successful in the Highlands. As a result of the Safeway FFG contract, almost 5 million lorry miles were removed from Scotland's roads between 1999 and 2005. I am disappointed that, following its takeover of Safeway, Wm Morrison has decided to stop supplying its Highlands stores by rail.
The members' business debate yesterday dealt with congestion on the A9. What further incentives can be given to businesses such as Morrison's and Tesco to encourage them to transfer their loads from road to rail? I also bring to the minister's attention the fact that Morrison's withdrawal from the FFG contract could mean the loss of railway jobs in Inverness, particularly for the signalmen on the night shift.
Those are fair points. In the context of the debate on the A9, it is important that we make further progress on moving freight from road to rail, not just with the supermarket companies that Maureen Macmillan highlighted but with other business users who can see both the environmental and cost benefits of a modal shift in freight transport. The Executive is currently monitoring the situation in the Highlands and Islands and we are working with businesses there where we can. We are also considering a number of innovative ideas to achieve objectives that meet environmental and cost criteria.
Faculty of Advocates
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any problems in the recruitment and retention of lawyers by the Faculty of Advocates. (S2O-7600)
No. This is a matter entirely for the Faculty of Advocates, but we are not aware of any such problems.
I do not know whether the minister is aware that a number of advocates have recently refused to do work and that the dean of the Faculty of Advocates has backed that position. I think that the situation is a result of changes in how the Scottish Legal Aid Board allocates resources. If the situation continues, my concern is that we might find ourselves in the same situation as we have found ourselves with dentists who have gone private. We might find that advocates start to refuse to do criminal cases, which would clearly be a serious problem for the courts. I hope that the Executive will discuss and address the concerns within the Faculty of Advocates.
Mike Pringle's question raises a broader issue. There have been significant improvements since the introduction of the Bonomy reforms, but I know that those reforms have caused concern to some members of the Faculty of Advocates. Our main responsibility is to make the courts system more efficient and to try to ensure that public money is properly and effectively used. With the Bonomy reforms, we are seeing that happen.
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