Plenary, 23 Jun 2005

Meeting date: Thursday, June 23, 2005

Official Report 790KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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Finance and Public Services <br />and Communities

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Homestake Scheme

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in introducing the homestake shared equity scheme. (S2O-7272)

Communities Scotland is working with key partners on the details of how the scheme will operate. We plan to be able to award the first grants by the autumn and have so far identified 20 developments around Scotland where we intend to use the scheme.

I thank the minister for introducing the welcome initiative. The scheme will benefit young families who may not otherwise be able to afford their first home, especially residents of places such as East Renfrewshire, who want to stay in the community in which they were brought up but find that there is little public housing and that house prices are out of their reach. Given the benefits of the scheme, how soon will residents of East Renfrewshire be able to take advantage of it?

On a slightly different note, is the minister aware of the subtle but important differences between shared equity and shared ownership and the consequent lack of property rights for those with shared equity in retirement complexes, for example? Will he undertake to keep an eye on the matter, so that the problem experienced by elderly owners is not repeated for those who take advantage of the otherwise welcome homestake initiative?

I do not have detailed knowledge of the latter issue, although I know that it came up in relation to one of the Justice Department's bills. If Ken Macintosh writes to me about his outstanding concerns, I will take them up—I know that they apply to a small number of sheltered housing complexes. The distinctions about which he is worried will not apply to the mainstream shared equity homestake scheme that we are launching this year.

Many housing associations have already expressed an interest in the scheme. I know that there have been preliminary discussions with registered social landlords about two sites in Ken Macintosh's constituency. Given the issues that he has highlighted, I hope that there will be a successful outcome to those discussions. I have no reason to think that there will not be.

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Central Heating Programme

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to extend the central heating programme beyond March 2006 and whether it is consulting on options for extending the programme. (S2O-7280)

We plan to extend the central heating programme beyond March 2006 and will soon consult the fuel poverty forum and others on the options for the future programme.

The minister will be aware of the success of the scheme. Indeed, it surprises me that there is still a high demand from the over-60s for the initial scheme. In the consultation, will ministers give consideration to extending the provisions for pensioners with inadequate and obsolete central heating by reducing the age at which they are eligible for support to somewhere below 80?

I am aware of the scheme's popularity. Members from all parties have recognised the significant progress that has been made. We have provided free central heating installation, advice and other benefits to more than 51,000 households. We have two key tasks. Currently, we are considering the fuel poverty figures in the 2002 Scottish house condition survey, because we want not just to improve the general infrastructure of people's houses and the housing stock but to tackle the problem of fuel poverty. To that end, we are consulting across the board. I hope that MSPs will participate in the consultation.

The fuel poverty forum captures interests such as the power companies, Energy Action Scotland, Shelter, Age Concern, Help the Aged, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and a range of other organisations—I can provide the member with a full list. The forum will be able to consider not just the issues for over-60s and over-80s—we have extended the scope of the programme for over-80s—but how the scheme can be matched with our fuel poverty targets.

Will the minister consider the problems that face pensioners whose landlords have refused to allow them to take advantage of the excellent scheme? I register my strong support for Elaine Murray's point that there is a case for extending the scheme to cover pensioners who have obsolete and hopelessly inefficient old central heating systems in their houses.

When we extended the scheme to cover partial and inadequate central heating systems for the over-80s, we recognised the force of the argument that the member makes. At that stage, the decision was made that the over-80s were the priority group, but we can consider the issue further.

John Home Robertson and Dr Murray have raised the issue of the role of landlords in the past. We are continuing to look at the matter to establish the extent of the problem. We recognise that the problem might be partly hidden, as some people might not make an application for a new system because they think that it will be refused by their landlord. However, the extent to which landlords can resist improvements that tenants might wish to make is one of the smaller focuses of the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

I hope that the scheme's criteria will mean that the net will catch not only obsolete and inefficient systems but, as one of my constituents said, the obsolete and inefficient people who use the systems. The elderly gentleman and his wife had an efficient and workable coal system, but because of their level of disability they could not get the coal into the system to provide the heat. It would have been very helpful to them had they qualified for the scheme.

One of the fundamental aspects of the scheme is our recognition that vulnerable, elderly people are not necessarily in a strong position to negotiate with individual companies about the best system for them. That is why we tried to take away those difficulties through working with the Eaga Partnership Ltd. One of Eaga's responsibilities is to recognise the importance of speaking to people about using their systems efficiently.

On the specific point that Alasdair Morgan makes, one of my constituents has had a similar experience, in that, although they have an adequate system, they are no longer in a position to use it. We have to be more imaginative about how we support people in those circumstances. If they are not strong enough to carry in the coal, it might be that we should not put in a new central heating system but look at whether their levels of support are adequate. We recognise those challenges. The central heating programme is part of our support for elderly people; it should not be a substitute for the other bits of the system in which we work closely with individuals and families who need support in different ways.

What would the minister say to the pensioner who wrote to me this week to say that Eaga told them that it would cost £800 to remove their old system so that the new system could be put in? I thought that free systems were being installed. Surely that pensioner is not responsible for paying for the old system to be taken away.

I advise John Swinburne to write to me so that I can make sure that he gets an absolutely correct and adequate response. There has been correspondence about the whole area. The original programme worked well for people who had no heating systems; in those cases, it was straightforward to install a new system. As systems have required replacement, we have had to ensure that our advice and guidelines catch up. The current position is that, if the installation of the new system does not require the old system to be taken away, people are expected to pay for the removal of the old system. I am more than happy to look at the specific details of the case that John Swinburne referred to, because we are not in the business of having a system that creates greater distress for people.

As that case highlights, some of the details and implications of such a programme cannot possibly be evident when we initially devise it. Our commitment as we move towards 2006 is to ensure that the nitty-gritty issues that can cause a lot of grief to people are addressed through the programme.

The minister will acknowledge that the central heating programme is probably the most effective measure that the Executive has taken to reduce fuel poverty among older people. Like others, I ask her whether she will consider extending the programme to include replacing inefficient or partial systems for all pensioners, rather than just obsolete systems for the over-80s. Will she also consider including for the first time people with a disability whose condition is such that they would benefit from central heating?

As I said, we are consulting on how the next stage of the programme should be taken forward. At that level, nothing has been ruled out. A compelling case was made for the extension of the programme to the over-80s with partial or inefficient systems. That has to balanced against a reflection on the extent to which, as the programme develops, it still addresses issues around fuel poverty. I acknowledge Jackie Baillie's point about people with a disability. Indeed, a case can be made for a whole range of people. We will have to make a balanced judgment on the basis of not just what the representative fuel poverty forum says, but what the experiences of MSPs and others bring to the consultation.

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Local Authority Services (Equitable Provision)

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it will give to local authorities to ensure that all council house tenants receive an equitable provision of services for their council tax. (S2O-7265)

The Executive has no plans to issue such advice. Local authorities should, of course, strive to provide an appropriate level of service for all those who live within their areas, irrespective of tenure.

Is the minister aware that some council house tenants in Bothwell are not getting value for money for their council tax? Their properties have not been refurbished since 1997 and they have been told that they will have to wait until 2009 for their costly and inefficient storage heating systems to be replaced by central heating and for their antiquated kitchens to be upgraded.

Is the minister also aware that council tax payers in Falkirk and Kilmarnock are incensed by the waste of council funds that has resulted from Falkirk council spending £500,000 less than five years ago on the refurbishment of flats that are now being considered for demolition and from East Ayrshire Council spending almost £4 million 10 years ago on renovating 100 houses that it has now demolished? Does he agree that those council tax payers are not getting value for money and that the local authorities concerned should take steps to rectify such an unacceptable situation?

I remind members that this is question time, which means that there should be one question at a time.

I am surprised to find that Margaret Mitchell's assertions are predicated on a misunderstanding of local government finance. Indeed, that particularly surprises me, given that she used to be a local authority councillor. I have to say that the good residents of Bothwell who stay in the private sector would be even more incensed if they thought that their council tax contributions were being used to renovate local authority or public sector housing. That is not how we finance those matters in Scotland and it would be entirely wrong for us to take such an approach.

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United Kingdom Presidency of the European Union

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the forthcoming United Kingdom presidency of the European Union. (S2O-7281)

The promotion of the forthcoming UK EU presidency is being co-ordinated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Scottish Executive is working closely with it on that work.

I am sure that the minister agrees that the presidency provides an opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to raise particular issues. He will be aware that, on a number of occasions in the chamber, I have referred to the common agricultural policy, particularly with regard to a review of tobacco subsidies and the sugar regime. Will he assure us that, working with his Westminster colleagues, he will use the UK presidency to promote both better regulation and reform of the CAP, particularly in relation to tobacco subsidies, which I am sure he agrees are completely inconsistent with our healthy living agenda?

I confirm that the UK's priorities for its presidency are better regulation, sustainable development, Africa, climate change, counter-terrorism and the Doha development agenda. I am also happy to concur with the Prime Minister's sentiments that, in a modern Europe, it is simply inappropriate for the CAP to absorb 40 per cent of expenditure and that we have to modernise the EU if it is to remain relevant to the people of Europe.

Following on from that response, I wonder whether the minister agrees that promoting Scotland's interests in Europe would be a major factor in getting the Scottish people to identify with both the UK presidency and the principles of Europe. Does he agree that uncertainty is a major block to economic development? If so, does he accept that one benefit that the UK presidency could attain would be for the Prime Minister as president of the Council of the European Union to undertake to pull the constitution out of its current cold storage and either state clearly that the UK will not sign up to it or put the issue to the Scottish and British people in a referendum?

Minister, that question is at least a mile outside your boundaries, but you may answer what you can.

It is slightly outside my boundary, but I will do my best. I am sure that the Prime Minister will not mind if I answer some questions on his behalf this afternoon.

Strange as it might seem, I agree entirely with Phil Gallie's first assertion. It is very beneficial for people in Scotland when the country's interests are promoted in the EU. Indeed, the Scottish Executive is constantly engaged in that work, which is why the EU receives a far warmer reception in Scotland and why the opinions of the majority of Scottish people on the EU are miles away from those that Phil Gallie holds.

The Prime Minister has already made clear his position on the constitutional treaty. He has said that it is not appropriate for it to proceed and that there is a need for reflection about the way ahead. As the UK holds the presidency of the EU over the next six months, it will be at the forefront of ensuring that that reflection is appropriate and produces solutions that are in the best interests of the people of Scotland and, indeed, of the whole of the UK.

In light of the results of the referendums in the Netherlands and France, does the minister believe that we should use the UK presidency to attempt to bring Europe closer to the people of Scotland? Will he outline how he intends to do that? Does he agree that it is unacceptable that the Scottish Parliament, which, with its primary legislative powers, is one of the most powerful devolved Parliaments in Europe, has no direct say over the formulation of many EU policies that we are expected to transpose into Scottish legislation? That is one of the reasons why there is such a gulf between the people of Scotland and many European policies.

Here we stand, in one of the most powerful Parliaments in Europe—progress indeed. We really are making progress with the Scottish National Party. I am delighted to hear those sentiments being expressed. That is good news for people in Scotland. For once, the Scottish National Party acknowledges that Scotland is finding its place in the world and that the Parliament has real powers.

Every day of the year, Scottish ministers promote Scotland's interests in Europe. That is why we are so highly regarded; it is why we will play such an important part in facilitating the UK's presidency; and it is why more than 30 events—in which Scottish ministers will play an important part—will be held here in Scotland.

I assure the minister that I thoroughly agreed with Tony Blair this morning—I hope that that does not cause him to pass out. The Prime Minister said that he thought that Europe had to modernise. I could not agree more, but I would welcome an explanation from the minister of what he means by "better regulation".

The Prime Minister was looking particularly happy this morning—now I know why. He will be pleased that Margo MacDonald is backing him so strongly. When we speak about better regulation, we are talking about creating a flexible economy that does not constrain enterprise, that promotes opportunity for people in Scotland and that allows us to grow the economy and be an important part of the engine that drives the European economy.

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Public Sector Jobs (Relocation Policy)

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is ensuring that its relocation policy in respect of public sector jobs is managed effectively. (S2O-7256)

The relocation policy—and each of the location reviews that are undertaken—is now driven by one central support team to help to achieve better consistency and transparency. Improved guidance has also been published on the Executive's website to help to manage reviews effectively.

I welcome the fact that improvements in that area continue to take place. Does the minister agree that it is vital that each case is considered on its merits and that there may be occasions on which relocation is not the most appropriate road to go down? Can he confirm that the status quo is considered as an option during each review and, indeed, that the status quo might prevail, particularly when there is strong evidence that operational effectiveness and efficiency would be damaged by dispersal of the jobs and by the relocation of the agency?

I am happy to confirm that when we carry out a location review, we do so extremely objectively—the status quo is considered and the views of the staff and management of the organisation are taken on board. However, that is predicated against a strong policy wish of Scottish ministers to ensure that not only the central belt, including Edinburgh, but all of Scotland benefits as much as possible from the civil service jobs that come under the ambit of the Scottish Executive. I am sure that the member appreciates that. However, it is extremely important that we are objective and transparent and that, in our dealings with the Parliament and the committees of the Parliament as they hold us to account, we can demonstrate that that is the case.

The minister says that he wants all areas of Scotland to benefit. Does he consider it fair that no public sector jobs have been relocated to either Perth and Kinross or Angus? Does he agree that it is about time that those areas had their fair share too?

The world has not ended as of this afternoon; the programme continues and location reviews go on. A number of different possibilities are continually highlighted to Scottish ministers. That process of consideration will continue and, if the economic circumstances and the various other factors that are taken into account lead us to conclude that there is a requirement for jobs in the Perth and Kinross area, that will come into the equation.

Will the minister be a bit more specific than that? From parliamentary answers that I have received from his deputy, it is clear that no civil service jobs have come to my constituency as a result of the relocation programme. What reassurance are the minister's warm words when we want decisive action to provide each area with an opportunity to share in the administration of government in Scotland?

We all represent areas of Scotland with different characteristics. A series of criteria is considered when relocation reviews are undertaken; an area's economic circumstances, its rates of employment and a range of other circumstances are taken into account. As the programme rolls out, certain areas will receive a higher priority than others, particularly in the programme's earlier stages, but that is simply because those areas fit the criteria that have been laid down. As I said, the world has not ended this afternoon; the programme will continue and the Scottish ministers are serious about it. We will continue to look for every possibility to relocate civil service jobs and I hope that, as we do so, the effect of the policy will spread out over as wide an area of Scotland as possible.

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Education and Young People, <br />Tourism, Culture and Sport

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Out-of-hours Facilities

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on its 2003 partnership agreement commitment to develop access to out-of-hours activity and facilities for all children. (S2O-7255)

Scotland has a diverse and comprehensive programme of out-of-school-hours learning. We are actively supporting the provision of facilities and their use by children and young people through a network of study support co-ordinators. Furthermore, we fund the Scottish study support network to provide information and advice and to disseminate best practice throughout Scotland. The Scottish Executive has committed £34 million between 2003 and 2006 for study support and out-of-school-hours learning to provide a range of study-related and other physical, cultural development and health activities.

Is the minister aware of the worthwhile work that schools in the North Lanarkshire Council area are undertaking? That work includes revision schools and a programme to assist children's transition from primary school to secondary school, as well as sporting opportunities, including keep-fit classes that involve parents, teachers and the children. Will the Minister for Education and Young People show the Executive's support for those schemes by visiting some of the out-of-hours activities that go on in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth area?

I am aware of a number of the schemes that operate in North Lanarkshire and, indeed, South Lanarkshire. In particular, I have some experience of youth facilities and youth club provision in those two local authority areas. I am not intimately familiar with the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth provision to which Cathie Craigie referred, but I am sure that, given her kind invitation, the Minister for Education and Young People or I will visit at some stage, whether during the summer or later.

Has the minister considered examining international examples, such as those from France, which has a different shape to the school week? In Scotland, we send our children to full-time education for longer than most other countries but give them less physical education and language teaching. Has he considered looking at the approaches that are being pursued by some schools in Glasgow, where an afternoon a week is dedicated to other activities that are usually out of hours and which expand young people's range of experience? When he is thinking about the flexible curriculum, perhaps he could consider some of the international examples, such as those from France.

Fiona Hyslop makes an important point about the curriculum review, and there are opportunities within that review to do exactly as she suggests. We are investigating what happens in Europe and are considering European examples.

As I said, we fund the Scottish study support network, which provides information and advice and disseminates best practice. Therefore, the network will examine what is going on in Glasgow. I am sure that we will be able to share the good examples that exist throughout the country.

In the past, we have perhaps not been as good at sharing best practice as we should have been. The study support network offers us the opportunity to remedy that. It is indeed important to learn from what goes on elsewhere and to have the necessary flexibility to suit local needs. The curriculum review has an important role in our further consideration of those matters.

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Schools (Mainstreaming)

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the policy of placing children with special needs in mainstream schools. (S2O-7222)

Children should have the opportunity to be educated in mainstream schools where that is appropriate. We have no plans to change the law where the presumption in favour of mainstreaming is established.

Has the minister noted the comments made recently by Baroness Warnock on the idea that the policy of mainstreaming should now be revisited? Does he agree that, as people who support the principle behind mainstreaming, we should have the courage to examine how the policy is working in practice? Will he make a commitment to begin doing so?

I am aware of Baroness Warnock's comments as they have been reported. However, her report on the subject has not been published yet, and I look forward to seeing it. Her critique was principally about the system that operates in England, which is different to ours. Given that we have now radically reformed our system—the Parliament considered the matter last year—we have already addressed the issues that the Baroness has raised in relation to the English system. I understand that a report published earlier this week—or perhaps last week—by a committee of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body commended what has been happening in Scotland in comparison with what has been happening in England. Indeed, that report also commended what has been happening in Wales. We have made progress on the areas on which Baroness Warnock commented in relation to England.

On evaluation, an Audit Commission report on mainstreaming has already been published, and we have commissioned the Scottish centre for research in education to examine the mainstreaming policy. SCRE will report at the end of this year.

It is important that we do not allow something of a myth to develop around the mainstreaming policy. Special schools will still have an important role to play in Scottish education. There are now 32 more special schools than there were in the mid-1990s. The percentage of the school population who have moved from special schools to mainstream schools has changed only by 0.03 per cent, which is equivalent to one child for every nine schools in Scotland. There has not been some wholesale shift away from special education settings into mainstream schools. That said, it is right that children should get the opportunity, where that is appropriate for the individual child—individual judgments have to be made—and where there are safeguards for other children in the schools concerned.

That was certainly a full response to Tricia Marwick's question.

Will the minister acknowledge the experience of young people who have been integrated into mainstream education? In the vast majority of cases, mainstreaming has been a great success. The young people with whom I have come into contact and their families are very happy that they have the opportunity to be educated with their friends and peers. However, I believe that the Executive could do better by making further information available, not just to parents of children with special needs but to all parents. Will the Executive undertake to provide more detailed and valuable information?

I heartily agree that it is always important to empower people with respect to the provisions that are available to them—the laws, structures and policies that we have created are of little use unless people understand what has been made available to them. I agree that we need to continue to improve the supply of information to parents. The Executive now spends a lot of time working with groups of parents of young people with additional support needs, and I hope that one of the products of that work will be an improvement in the flow of information to young people.

I agree entirely with Cathie Craigie on her point about the success of mainstreaming for a lot of young people. In fact, it was in North Lanarkshire where I first met parents whose children had been put into a mainstream setting. The parents had felt great trepidation; nonetheless, they discovered that, as a consequence, rather than their child being stared at in the streets on a Saturday morning for being someone unusual or out of the ordinary, in the particular instance to which I refer, their child was greeted by friends from the mainstream school and made to feel part of the community in which they lived. That has to be a good thing for the children concerned and for the wider community.

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Schools (Foreign Language Teaching)

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the teaching of foreign languages in schools. (S2O-7205)

Since 2001, the Scottish Executive has provided education authorities with £18.5 million to support the implementation of the recommendations made in the ministerial action group on languages report, "Citizens of a Multilingual World".

I welcome the first steps that the Executive is taking in this area. I am sure that the minister will agree that foreign language skills are an important factor in Scotland's continuing economic development. Is he aware of recent Europe-wide research that shows that Scottish children learn fewer foreign languages, receive less language tuition and start to study foreign languages later than is the case for our European neighbours—with the exception of England and Wales, of course? Will he make a commitment to try to catch up with our European partners in this area in the longer term? Given the growing importance of China as a potential trading partner for Scotland, will he examine the opportunities for the teaching of Mandarin?

Iain Smith makes an important point about the recent research report, which I think was the Eurydice report on language teaching. He will of course recognise that part of the difficulty is the prevalence of English. That said, the Executive wishes to emphasise the importance of language teaching.

In 2002, we commissioned Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education to evaluate the impact of a language fund on the new five-to-14 guidelines. The main finding was that between primary 6 and secondary 3, more than 90 per cent of children and young people experience language teaching. We have some way to go, however. I commend to local authorities the foreign language assistants programme and the opportunities that the curriculum review provides to look again at language teaching.

Iain Smith makes an important point about trading in relation to the teaching of Mandarin. There is a strong provision of Mandarin teaching in a number of places in Edinburgh and at Hillhead High School in Glasgow. I will look at the point that he makes to determine what further provision might be made. Mandarin—and, indeed, Cantonese—are important business languages for the future.

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Children's Panel System

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the children's panel system. (S2O-7228)

Earlier this week, the Executive launched the consultation "getting it right for every child: Proposals for Action". The consultation includes a set of proposals that relate to both the hearings system and wider children's services.

I had not realised that the timing of my question would be so fortuitous, given the publication of the document.

I think that the minister was present in the chamber this morning when I raised with the Deputy First Minister the proposal in the document to break the link between the organisation of the children's panels and local authority boundaries. This morning, the Deputy First Minister gave an assurance that that would have no effect on the recruitment of panel members. Will the minister give the chamber further detail on the proposal?

I reiterate the Deputy First Minister's commitment. The Executive is trying to achieve greater flexibility in the mobility of panel members. Over successive years, we have held immensely successful recruitment programmes for panel members. We intend to continue to recruit panel members; indeed, we want to say how much we value their services and, in particular, the voluntary nature of what they do. Peter Peacock and I were able to say so at a recent reception at Edinburgh Castle.

There will be no diminution of our commitment to panel members. In that regard, we propose further efforts to improve training for panel members to help them to discharge their difficult duties in the best manner possible.

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School Meals

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the statistical report for 2005, which shows that the number of children who take school meals has fallen. (S2O-7275)

The clear intention of the Executive is to encourage a greater uptake of healthy school meals; any fluctuations therefore require examination. Any increase in the uptake of school meals is likely to be related to significant menu changes to meet the nutrient standards in "Hungry for Success: A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland". The decreases are more likely to happen in areas where authorities have very rapidly made challenging menu changes.

Does the minister believe, as I do, that schools and nurseries provide us with a captive audience, which enables us to influence young people's eating habits and increase their life chances? Does he also agree that the early years of a child's life have particular significance, and that resources should be targeted at younger people, of nursery and school age, to influence their choices in food, sport, dental health and so on? Will he acknowledge the joint work that is done with local authorities in ensuring a revolution in schools in the provision of free fruit, water and, in some cases, milk?

Pauline McNeill makes an important point. It is clear that the earlier one is able to have an impact on the attitudes, thinking and lifestyles of young people, the greater that impact on the rest of their lives will be. Clearly, early years education and early primary education are critical in influencing young people, not just in relation to their eating habits—although that is important—but in relation to how to brush their teeth properly, how to exercise properly, how to build self-esteem and a sense of well-being and so on.

Pauline McNeill is right to point to the need to focus attention on those early years. That is why the Executive has invested so heavily in the provision of free fruit for young people, which is now universally available for children in primary 1 and 2. That is also why chilled water is now much more widely available than it used to be—something like 94 per cent of children now have access to it. We also have breakfast clubs in some schools to ensure that young people get a good start to the day and are able to learn better as a consequence. There is a range of important issues. Although we have done all those things, the Executive does not have a closed mind about other things that we want to do to keep Scotland at the forefront of improving young people's health, partly through school meals but also through a range of other actions. I will be happy to discuss those matters further with Pauline McNeill.

I have a question, but first I wonder whether I would be allowed to welcome to the Scottish Parliament Juan Carlos Galvis from the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria de Alimentos, which is the trade union for the food and drinks industry in Colombia.

Can we have your question, please?

Of course you can.

The minister talked about other things that the Executive might do. Why does it not follow the example of Hull City Council, which introduced free healthy school meals for all primary school children in November? The council now finds that the number of school children who take free healthy meals has doubled to 60 per cent, with some schools reporting an uptake of 98 per cent.

The Parliament has debated universal free school meals on many occasions, and the Executive has made its position clear; indeed, the Parliament has also made its position clear. The essence of the argument is that I am well paid and I do not see why my children should get subsidised school meals, when we could do more to target resources in exactly the way that Pauline McNeill indicated earlier, to ensure that more young people in the greatest need get the benefits of the policy. We intend to maintain that position.

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Teacher Numbers

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on increasing teacher numbers. (S2O-7279)

Very good progress is being made. We have significantly increased recruitment to teacher training courses and we are on track to deliver our commitment of a teacher workforce of 53,000 in 2007.

I am pleased to hear of that progress. The minister will be aware that West Lothian Council has been successful in attracting new graduates, particularly from Northern Ireland—in fact, it attracted another 12 this week. However, we are anxious to ensure that new teachers are supported by experienced teachers. How does the Executive intend to support older teachers to stay in our schools—perhaps by working more flexible hours—so that they can offer the quality and experience that are so important for our students and to complement new teachers?

I am glad to hear of the progress that is being made in recruiting people from other parts of these islands. We recently heard from the General Teaching Council for Scotland that registration of teachers who were recruited from outwith Scotland has increased by almost 40 per cent in the recent past, including in our target groups of teachers of English, maths, physical education and other subjects. I am pleased that West Lothian is sharing in that progress.

Mary Mulligan's point about the support that is given to new teachers is important. In the past few years we have radically reformed the support that is available to new teachers in the probationer year. Indeed, Scotland is now regarded as leading the world in that respect. The system requires new teachers to have a smaller teaching workload in their first year, but it also requires proper mentoring and tutorial support from existing experienced members of staff to be built around new teachers. That approach has brought huge benefits to students who move into the teaching profession.

Another part of Mary Mulligan's question related to the opportunities that students have in schools. We have learned a lot from the changes that we have made to the probationer year and we are considering how to apply those lessons to the support that is given to students during their school placements.

Maureen Macmillan may ask a brief question.

What support is given to graduates in remoter areas to access postgraduate teacher training?

One of the great innovations of the recent past is the scheme that is run by the University of Aberdeen and Highland Council—partly in the area that Maureen Macmillan represents—for part-time distance learning postgraduate teacher education over a two-year period. The course allows people to stay at home and to undertake the training in a way that people could not do previously. The scheme is increasing the supply of teachers in remote and rural areas and we want to build on the idea considerably in the future.

That ends questions to ministers.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. As only two members wish to ask further supplementary questions to the final question, would it not be in order to have a slight extension of question time to allow us to ask them, especially given that there is such a shortage of speakers for the subsequent debate that the whips have been going round twisting party members' arms to participate?

The business managers and the Parliament have agreed to the timetable for the week. More than two members pressed their request-to-speak buttons during the question. The last time that I looked, I was in the chair.