SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Education and Young People, Tourism, Culture and Sport
Colyn Evans
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the recommendations in respect of social work and related services of the joint Social Work Inspection Agency and Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary report on the Colyn Evans case. (S2O-8585)
I cannot begin to imagine the torment that must have been visited on the Dewar family by the loss of their daughter in such circumstances. We owe it to them to ensure that the lessons from any mistakes are learned and acted upon. The SWIA and HMIC report follows an earlier report by Fife Council and the police. Both reports conclude that, although mistakes were made, the escalation of Colyn Evans's behaviour to the point where he committed murder could not have been predicted.
The minister will appreciate that my constituents, the Dewar family, and the residents of Tayport are particularly concerned about the events that led to the death of Karen Dewar earlier this year. Does the minister agree that the joint SWIA and HMIC report identifies significant shortfalls in services that deal with children who exhibit inappropriate sexual behaviour? Secondly, does the minister agree that there is a major problem with people's transition from care to non-care services? In the case of Colyn Evans, there seems to have been a complete breakdown of support services at a time when he was at his most vulnerable because he was coming out of residential care and into the wider community. That probably led to the circumstances that, sadly, led to the death of my constituent.
I substantially agree with Iain Smith. The recommendations in the report concentrate on identification and risk assessment of, and planning for, young offenders, especially those with sexually aggressive behaviour. That is a particularly difficult area and there is a shortage of expertise on it throughout the country.
One of the greatest concerns about the case is that social workers failed to ensure that all the available information was placed before the children's hearing before Colyn Evans was discharged from supervision. The social workers' report appeared to understate any difficulties in relation to Colyn Evans's inappropriate sexual behaviour. Does the minister agree with the report's statement that professional staff should recognise their individual responsibilities for such matters? In the light of the catastrophic failures of judgment and action, is the minister concerned that no disciplinary action is being taken by Fife Council? If so, will the minister tell us what action he thinks the Executive should take so that, in the future, professional staff will be held to account for their failure to act in cases involving children and young people?
Tricia Marwick makes some clear and sensible points, which have also been made in a number of reports. The issues of people falling between different services and the failure to identify and pass on information are fairly commonplace issues that are at the heart of the Executive's programme to address the child protection programme in particular. The problem also exists in other areas such as additional support for learning, on which a bill was recently passed in the Parliament.
Does the minister agree that the implications of the Colyn Evans case go far beyond the county of Fife and that the parents will not be satisfied until there is a full public inquiry on all aspects of the case? After all, it is relevant not only to Fife but to Scotland as a whole.
There is no doubt that a number of issues arise from the case. Indeed, as I have indicated, the report's findings will have implications not only for the local authority in the immediate future, but for the police and the Scottish Executive. All those are helpfully laid out in the report. I have touched on the duties of the Lord Advocate, who, if he is minded to do so, can ask for a fatal accident inquiry to be carried out. However, the matter is entirely at his discretion and I do not wish to comment on it.
Education for Peace
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in encouraging education for peace in schools. (S2O-8595)
The current and planned approaches to the school curriculum aim to develop pupils with the capacity for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life. Many positive signs of progress, including a focus on citizenship and anti-discriminatory issues, are central to the Executive's new anti-bullying schools information resource pack, which was distributed to schools in Scotland in June 2005.
As the minister is aware, a year ago, I secured a members' business debate on this subject, during which his predecessor made very encouraging noises. As this is the season of peace and new year's resolutions, I invite the minister to make a resolution to do at least one more thing to promote education for peace in schools. Moreover, is he willing to meet me and peace educators in the new year?
I am more than happy to meet Chris Ballance and others on this matter if it is appropriate, and I suggest that he contacts my office in that regard.
Childhood Obesity
To ask the Scottish Executive what new or revised policies it is considering introducing in relation to initiatives in schools to address the issue of childhood obesity. (S2O-8578)
I am having a busy day today.
I am sure that the minister has seen the latest figures on obesity in children, which show that, unfortunately, those initiatives—although welcome—are not working. In the previous school year, more than a third of 12-year-olds were classified as overweight. Moreover, almost 20 per cent of those children were classified as obese and 11 per cent as severely obese.
A number of issues are involved in that. I agree with Carolyn Leckie that obesity is a growing—in several senses of the word—issue in all developed countries although it is greater among boys and there is a suggestion that it is declining slightly among girls.
Given that breast-fed children are less likely to become obese, will the minister consider encouraging schools to promote the benefits of breast feeding? That was done in Rosehall High School in Coatbridge as part of its healthy lifestyles initiative.
That probably goes a little beyond my remit as Deputy Minister for Education and Young People, but I am more than happy to talk to my colleagues in the Health Department to find out what part we can play in it. The passing of Elaine Smith's Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2005 was a significant step in that direction, which the Executive supports strongly.
Asylum Seekers (Child Welfare)
To ask the Scottish Executive what policy changes at United Kingdom level it would be satisfied would ensure that the sensitive and humane treatment of children is reflected in policies on the removal of failed asylum seeker families. (S2O-8596)
We have made clear on many occasions our commitment to work with the Home Office to help ensure that any removals involving asylum seeker families with children are handled sensitively and humanely. The improvements that will be made will benefit families throughout the UK. Discussions are positive and on-going. It would be wrong to comment on the detail of those discussions before they are concluded.
That is disappointing. Three months ago, we were told that a protocol was necessary to ensure the sensitive and humane treatment of children but that we would have to wait for the detail. Two months ago, we were told that meetings were taking place and constructive work was happening but that we would have to wait for the detail. One month ago, we were told that a protocol was not the appropriate way forward but that UK-level policy changes were imminent and we would not have to wait much longer. This is our last meeting before the Christmas recess; is there nothing concrete that the Executive feels that it ought to tell us?
I understand Mr Harvie's impatience on this important matter, but the end result is what counts. Discussions with the Home Office are progressing well. Senior officials met again on 16 December and it is clear that there are many areas of potential agreement. The whole exercise has had considerable benefits in getting the Home Office to understand the sensitivity of the issues, particularly in Scotland and on early morning removals. The Executive will continue to discuss and agree a way forward with the Home Office and we will report back to the Parliament as soon as we have anything positive to say.
Is the minister aware of the removal of the Hakobian family from Scotstoun in Glasgow and the events that led to eight-year-old Naipi being given his mother's medication and having to be rushed to Bedford general hospital, where he was put on a heart monitor? Does he agree that that is totally unacceptable and merits not only an investigation but the collection and collation of information on asylum seeker removals? Malcolm Chisholm said in answer to a question from Linda Fabiani:
Let me be clear: responsibility for asylum issues resides primarily with the United Kingdom Government and with the Home Office. It is to them that many of those questions should more properly be directed.
Young People (Football)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to give young people the opportunity to participate in football. (S2O-8569)
The 10-year youth football action plan will radically overhaul the structure and organisation of youth football, from recreational to elite levels. The Executive will invest more than £12 million in the implementation of the plan, which will increase the quality and quantity of coaches and youth development programmes in football generally. In addition, other programmes such as active schools will help to increase children's and young people's opportunities to participate in football and other sports.
I am pleased that some progress is being made. Earlier this year, the Enterprise and Culture Committee was told that the current level of training facilities and resources across Scotland are not of a sufficient scale for youth football development. Bearing in mind health concerns about high levels of childhood obesity, will the minister look to increase access by providing more local football facilities, which would improve not only general fitness and health but the prospects of Scottish football?
Mary Scanlon raises an interesting point that is very dear to my heart. However, it is important to see the issue in the context of the regional and national facilities programme that we put in place just over a year ago. This week, sportscotland announced that it would provide £2 million to improve sports facilities in Scotland, of which £1.19 million is dedicated to football-related facilities across the country. That gives us optimism that such facilities will be available in future. In Mrs Scanlon's own area, the Highland football academy, which is a joint venture between the local authority, Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, is a successful and worthwhile enterprise. The future of youth football is in very good hands.
Is the minister aware that the biggest barrier to many young people's participation in sport is not having access to good-quality local sports facilities, particularly in the field of football? Is she aware of the growing frustration at the lack of a physical process for building the new facilities under the national and regional facilities strategy? What action will she take to expedite such a process to make sure that the facilities are actually built? Given that funding was announced this week to support the Spartans community football academy, is she prepared to take on board the Enterprise and Culture Committee's recommendation and revisit the possibility of providing public money to help to establish football academies across the country?
There will be some football academies across the country, but it is not solely the role of the Government to make them happen. It is important to remember that it is not just the Executive that is involved in putting facilities in place; local authorities and other partners are involved too. We are monitoring progress on facilities to ensure that they proceed; it is certainly our intention that they should, because they are part of what supports our overall intentions for football and other sports.
Sport for Young People (Highlands)
To ask the Scottish Executive how young people in the Highlands are being encouraged to take part in sport. (S2O-8541)
The active schools programme is one of the ways in which the Executive wants young people to be able to participate in a range of sports in their own areas. As my colleague the Minister for Education and Young People said earlier, more than 600 active schools co-ordinators are in place across the country. We hope that that will lead to the kind of participation that I am sure everyone in the chamber would like to see.
Is the minister aware of concerns on the part of the Camanachd Association that physical education teachers are no longer trained in how to teach shinty, which means that shinty is not being mainstreamed, even in schools in the shinty heartlands? Is she aware that the Camanachd Association fears that that is having an impact on the long-term viability of shinty? I would be grateful if she would look into the situation.
I am certainly happy to look into the matter further on behalf of Mrs Macmillan, and also to speak with her further about the issue. It is important to recognise that, during the past year, there has been an announcement of an allocation of £100,000 to the Camanachd Association, which will allow it to employ development officers, who will link their work to the active schools programme. That money will also be used to develop further the association's coaching programme.
Finance and Public Services and Communities
Glasgow City Council (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Glasgow City Council and what issues were discussed. (S2O-8542)
Ministers and officials meet representatives of Glasgow City Council on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues. My last meeting with the leader of the council was on 30 November. The meeting was constructive and underlined the forward-looking agenda that Glasgow City Council is adopting.
Almost every league table and academic report that refers to Glasgow mentions the deprivation challenges that face the city. Does the minister think that the time has now come to carry out a radical overhaul of how the allocation of council funding is calculated, ensuring that, when funding is distributed throughout Scotland, deprivation is the main factor that is taken into account?
I have said on a number of occasions that I am more than willing to enter discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the distribution methodology. I have acknowledged, both publicly and to COSLA, that I do not think that some of the shortfalls that have been inherent since 1995—and, indeed, since before then—are being addressed in that methodology. However, agreement is required between ourselves and COSLA. I assure the member that I will do all that I can to bring our discussions to a fruitful conclusion and to seek agreement with COSLA on a different way ahead for the future.
When it comes to setting the council tax for Glasgow City Council, and for other local authorities around the country, for that matter, is the minister satisfied that councils will deliver only efficiency savings, as he would characterise them, or is there a danger that, because of the inadequacy of the local government settlement, councils will deliver the traditional, old-fashioned, contemptible cuts in budgets that we all used to condemn when the Conservatives were in power, but which now seem to be acceptable to new Labour?
The only old-fashioned and contemptible thing is the inference that was contained in that question from Mr Swinney. I assure members that I can see no prospect whatever of cuts. We have said on many occasions that the local government settlement that is in draft at the moment, and which will be confirmed in the new year, is enough not only to maintain but to improve services where local authorities think that that is appropriate. We are continuing a dialogue with COSLA with regard to local government funding, which I regard as productive. I look forward to that dialogue continuing in the future.
Equal Pay (Local Authorities)
To ask the Scottish Executive what further steps it will take to assist local authorities to meet their equal pay responsibilities towards women workers who have been underpaid over the last six years. (S2O-8576)
Responsibility for the pay and conditions of local government staff, including compliance with employment legislation, rests, of course, with local authorities themselves. I am due to meet representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in the new year to discuss local government funding issues generally.
Does the minister agree that it would be morally and politically wrong to have local authorities choose between maintaining or improving current jobs and services, increasing council tax or meeting their legal obligations to pay women workers what they are legally due? Does he agree that it is a cop-out for the Executive on the one hand to support equal pay but on the other hand not to provide the resources to deliver it at local authority level?
As the First Minister pointed out adequately earlier today, Mr Sheridan and his party advocate taking away local government's discretion over the levying of local taxes. He is again advocating taking away employers' discretion to decide locally terms and conditions and to negotiate them with their employees. We want that approach to continue. It would be entirely wrong if any employer negotiated a set of conditions with the people whom it employs and then failed to make adequate provision for those conditions.
Given that, as of March 2005, nearly £500 million in poll tax remains uncollected and that £761 million of council tax remains uncollected, does the minister agree that the real cop-out is by politicians who shed crocodile tears in the chamber about equal pay but who have engaged in persistent campaigns that have undermined resources for local government for the past decade? Does he agree that that income would have helped to meet the needs of women workers in relation to equal pay and would therefore have benefited the most needy section of the working class?
I certainly agree with the member that if Mr Sheridan had not engaged in the kind of rhetoric that encouraged people not to pay their obligations a good few years ago, local government would have had a considerable amount of additional resources available to it to ensure that the terms and conditions of the people whom it employs are adequate and modern. However, that was not—
Many of Mr McCabe's colleagues used to support non-payment, including Frank McAveety before his career got in the way.
Order, Mr Sheridan.
That will be a first.
Happy Christmas to Tom McCabe, too.
Mr Sheridan, please.
Young People (Local Authority Funding)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland's local authorities will benefit from the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement that local authorities are to receive £500,000 each over the next two years to fund activities for young people. (S2O-8519)
The Scottish Executive will receive £2.687 million in each of the next two years as a Barnett share of the funds allocated for youth services in England and Wales. We will decide in due course how those funds should be used.
It would be helpful to know exactly what the Executive intends and when "in due course" is likely to arrive. Could the money be used to establish real community funds in each council area to support community activities for young people for which, for whatever reason, lottery funding has not been sought?
"In due course" means just that. We in Scotland pride ourselves on the fact that we make the decisions on how our resources are allocated, not anyone else. The resources that come across to us are for discussion among Scottish ministers and we will apply them to the most important priorities in Scotland. Some people think that the resources should be applied to the local government settlement; others would like them to be applied in other directions. Of course it is only right that we look at the horizon in Scotland and decide what is the most appropriate and effective application of those resources.
Social Rented Housing<br />(Development Constraints)
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made to eliminate development constraints on plans for social rented housing. (S2O-8588)
Where development constraints are preventing the provision of an adequate housing supply, we are determined that they should be overcome. In relation to water and sewerage infrastructure, a huge increase of resources has been secured to overcome strategic constraints on all housing development.
I thank the minister for meeting me and members of the Orkney Housing Association to discuss a specific problem in Kirkwall occasioned by water and sewerage constraints, for the evident subsequent interest that he has taken in the matter and for his letter indicating the progress that has been made following further meetings with various stakeholders. Will he agree to keep an eye on the situation to ensure that that progress leads to a successful outcome?
I am pleased that there has been progress in the past couple of weeks in Orkney and I have no doubt that a satisfactory conclusion will be reached in that case. The Executive is conscious of the wider problems surrounding the issue, and that is why Scottish Water has been given the specific objective of providing sufficient strategic water and sewerage capacity to enable all anticipated new housing developments between 2006 and 2014 to be connected to the public networks. The funding mechanisms are being put in place to deliver that significant commitment, and the legal framework will take effect from April next year. On 3 October, Scottish Water was given directions on investing by the Executive.
I remind the minister that the main development constraint on plans for social rented housing in many parts of Scotland is the prohibitive and unaffordable cost of land. I remind him again of the concern that was expressed on all sides of the chamber about the urgent need for affordable rented housing in the debate on 28 September. Will he take the opportunity of the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill to provide for land to be made available for affordable rented housing, wherever it may be needed in Scotland?
We have already seen some progress with the publication of the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill on Wednesday, but I am mindful of the need to examine other suggestions, and Johann Lamont and I are actively considering what further options may be available to encourage the release of land for housing in general and for social rented housing in particular. We shall certainly consider all the options, and I hope that we will be able to make further proposals in the not-too-distant future.
Deprived Communities (Regeneration)
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase resources for the regeneration of the most deprived communities. (S2O-8532)
Regeneration is a key priority for the Executive. We are firmly committed to regenerating the most deprived communities. Our key programme, the community regeneration fund, is providing more than £318 million over the next three years to help to do that. For Scotland, that represents a 5 per cent increase on predecessor programmes over the previous three years. For Fife, the level of funding has nearly tripled, from just over £2.2 million over the period 2002-05 to £6.6 million over the period 2005-08. Future levels of funding for regeneration and the way in which they are targeted will be considered in the context of the next spending review.
Glasgow is acknowledged to be one of the most disadvantaged areas in Scotland—there is no doubt that it is—but will the minister say how she plans to ensure that former mining towns and villages, such as Ballingry, Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath, which are at the top of the list of deprivation of more than 200 electoral wards in Fife, are provided for in the context of delivery of those additional resources? Will she consider meeting me to discuss what can be done to improve provision for towns in the former mining communities?
The whole point of our regeneration policy is to focus on deprived communities. The index drives down into small groups, so the areas that Helen Eadie has identified will require and receive support. We understand the specific issues that affect the coalfields. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Coalfields Regeneration Trust initiatives in Helen Eadie's constituency, to which we are giving £3 million over the next two years to address the specific problems that affect coalfield areas. I emphasise that the complex issue of multiple deprivation and the geography of poverty must be addressed, and we are funding that fully.
Public Services (Access)
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to ensure access to public services for people whose first language is not English. (S2O-8534)
Key public bodies including the Executive, local authorities, health boards and the police have a specific duty under race relations legislation to ensure access to the information and services that they provide, and must set out their arrangements for compliance in their race equality schemes. Updated race equality schemes were published last month. We have written to local authorities and other public bodies asking them to develop or improve language plans for the communities that they serve. We are also working to double the number of British Sign Language interpreters in Scotland to ensure that BSL users can access public services. We shall in the new year publish research into provision and quality of translation, interpreting and communication support services across Scotland. That research will help development of policy in that area.
I thank the minister for that answer, particularly the detail on British Sign Language. The United Kingdom register of public service interpreters lists only 17 translators in Scotland. Can the minister say how many public authorities have access to services such as Language Line, which is a commercial telephone interpretation service? Given the importance of the issue, has the Executive considered drawing up and implementing a national translation and interpretation strategy to ensure that all public authorities have access to good-quality translation services?
The research that will be published early in the new year, which will consider how the support service is delivered throughout Scotland, will inform what we do next. We have emphasised to local authorities and public bodies their responsibility—they must have plans that identify local needs. Although we may later consider the gaps and how the Scottish Executive can provide support, the emphasis at this stage must be on local authorities and local bodies understanding local needs and taking responsibility for delivering services. However, I am keen to keep the issue under review and I am happy to give Marlyn Glen the specific information that she seeks about the quality of the service, and to explore further how imaginative and creative ways of addressing the issue can be taken on.
I know that the holidays are almost here, but there is too much chatter in the chamber. We should be listening to questions and answers.
Black and Minority Ethnic Community (Capacity Building)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to build capacity within the black and minority ethnic community. (S2O-8555)
We shall continue to support the work of the specialist minority ethnic voluntary sector in its twofold role of providing direct services to minority ethnic communities and working to challenge racism and encourage embedding of race equality into mainstream services. As part of that, we have created a £2 million race equality, integration and community support fund, which is open to minority ethnic and mainstream organisations from the voluntary and public sectors, and which will run from April 2006 for two years. We have already invited bids and we will announce which projects are to receive funding in early 2006.
That announcement is welcome, but will the minister consider how the money can be used at grass-roots level to build communities and the infrastructure that is needed? Will he also consider how to encourage the training of more black and ethnic minority workers in Scotland, particularly for community development work?
That is an important suggestion, which I heard when I attended the Equal Opportunities Committee recently. Particular initiatives are going on in relation to black and ethnic minority workers in social work and housing, but work is also needed in relation to community development. We will try to make progress on Cathy Peattie's suggestion.
Affordable Housing (Linlithgow)
To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it has made to ensure the availability of affordable housing in the Linlithgow constituency. (S2O-8552)
In the Linlithgow constituency, investment in the five years to March 2005 has been £7.6 million, which has provided more than 200 affordable homes. Communities Scotland is working with West Lothian Council and agreement has been reached that a joint procurement strategy will result in the provision of 348 new-build units in West Lothian in the next 18 months. Fourteen strategic sites that are in the ownership of the local authority have been identified in the constituency; they will potentially be available for affordable housing.
That sounds like good news, but I am still concerned—as are, I am sure, colleagues who represent the rest of the Lothians and Fife—that as people are forced out of the Edinburgh market to avoid high property prices, the property prices in Linlithgow and other areas are rising, which means that local people cannot afford to buy. That has forced more people to turn to local authorities, which are struggling to meet demand. Is it possible that my constituents could benefit from the homestake initiative that the minister launched this morning?
I acknowledge that the housing situation in West Lothian is changing—that was indicated in a report that was produced on Monday—and we are keeping up to date with it. In general terms, that outturn spend in West Lothian has already increased from £2.3 million in 2001 to £7.7 million in 2004-05, which is an increase of 230 per cent, which is a good base on which to build. I agree with Mary Mulligan that more needs to be done, including through the homestake initiative that was launched some time ago. However, I was pleased to visit a person in Edinburgh this morning who has benefited from the open market pilot for homestake in Edinburgh and West Lothian. West Lothian will benefit not just from the open market pilot but from the new build homestake that is taking place across Scotland and which is a significant and distinctive feature of our shared equity scheme.
Previous
Gas Work Notification SchemeNext
Business Motion