SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
National Economic Forum
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in establishing the national economic forum. (S3O-2024)
I am pleased to say that the first meeting of the national economic forum will take place on Wednesday 6 February in the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh.
I note that the first meeting of the national economic forum will be attended by about 120 participants. I am unconvinced—as are a few others, I am sure—that a body of that size, or even close to it, will be able effectively to influence the Council of Economic Advisers. Has the minister given further consideration to some of the models that exist in other places? It might be prudent to have organisations such as the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses and Scottish Engineering involved in a much smaller body to try to influence the policies of the Council of Economic Advisers. Will the Government consider that for the future?
The Council of Economic Advisers does not formulate policy; it provides Government with advice and counsel in relation to the formulation of policy, which remains the responsibility of ministers.
City of Edinburgh Swimming
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the work being done by City of Edinburgh swimming in the Edinburgh South parliamentary constituency to develop elite Scottish swimming and whether it will guarantee that this will not be adversely affected by the restructuring of sportscotland. (S3O-1965)
I am aware of the magnificent achievements of City of Edinburgh swimming in recent years. Many of its swimmers have performed with merit at the Olympic games, the Commonwealth games and European and world championships. Some of its members hold numerous British, Commonwealth, European and Scottish records and titles. Some club members have been identified to compete for the British team at the Olympic and Paralympic games in Beijing later this year.
The minister and his officials accepted at the Health and Sport Committee yesterday that no material changes had been made to the aims, objectives or outcomes on which SIS and sportscotland are expected to deliver. Therefore, does the minister accept that, to reassure those engaged in sport in Scotland that sportscotland and the SIS are required to continue developing grass-roots performance sports, the Government must stop spinning that sportscotland has been retained in name only?
The member is aware that what I said yesterday in the committee was that there was a difference between supporting the aims and objectives of the organisations that he lists—everyone in the chamber is signed up to those aims and objectives, because we all want to improve performance and increase the number of people who take part—and ensuring that we achieve them. Over the past few years, the organisation was missing virtually all the sport 21 targets.
Even if the net cost of the restructuring and relocation of sportscotland has supposedly been driven down to £3 million—through a series of calculations and assumptions by the minister that would rival the tax returns of Ken Dodd—does the minister accept that that cost should be met not from sportscotland's funds but from the Government's general funds, so that all grass-roots and elite sports development can be delivered, which is the intention of the Government's restructuring? Does he agree that the Government, not sportscotland, should meet the cost of relocation, rather than sportscotland and the sportspeople of Scotland?
The only diddy plans that were in place came from the previous Administration. Officials have worked extremely hard in the past few weeks to ascertain the cost, at today's prices, of the previous Administration's plans for the relocation of sportscotland. I am happy to tell members that the Labour and Liberal Democrat plans for sportscotland would have cost £15 million at today's prices. In the previous Administration's budgets, no money was identified to cover that cost.
Local Health Services
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local health services are developed. (S3O-1966)
The planning and provision of local health services are a matter for national health service boards and their community health partnerships. Each CHP has a service delivery plan based on an assessment of local need, including priorities for local service improvement.
It is estimated that 70 per cent of looked-after children require youth mental health services. Of the approximately 240 young people who access mental health services in the Borders, approximately 40 per cent are from outwith the health board's area. Social work departments of other local authorities provide money to cover the associated social work costs, but NHS Borders can access no additional resources to deal with the pressure on its services. What support can the Government give to local authorities such as NHS Borders in relation to the critically important issue of the development of mental health services for all young people, as well as for those who are most vulnerable?
I will come back to Jeremy Purvis in more detail on the specific issues to which he refers concerning NHS Borders, and Scottish Borders Council, too. On a more general basis, I agree with him absolutely on the importance of youth mental health services not only in the Borders, but throughout the country.
If the minister is committed to local services, why, as she has heard today, has West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service—well recognised locally and nationally for its groundbreaking work in alcohol, drug and tobacco services—had to issue redundancy notices to some of its staff, citing funding problems caused by the Scottish Government's changes in funding to local authorities, and the not-yet-allocated funding to the local health board? Why has the minister allowed that situation to develop?
Drug and alcohol services—both of which are very important, as I am sure every member in the chamber acknowledges—are matters for NHS boards. NHS boards, in the next financial year, will have record levels of investment from this Government. Mary Mulligan raises the issue—I accept that it is very real—of delays this year in advising NHS boards of their allocations, but I gently suggest to her that she should take up that matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, since it was his—and the United Kingdom Government's—decisions that led to the delay in the budget and the consequences of that.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that availability is an important component of local health services? If so, what are her plans to extend the hours of availability, not just for general practices but for community pharmacists?
I remind Ian McKee that when I launched the "Better Health, Better Care" action plan, I announced five pilot areas in which the concept of walk-in pharmacy services would be tested. I am sure that that concept will bring great benefits to patients, and it will be rolled out across the country in due course.
Lewis Chessmen
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister's statements on the Lewis chessmen are an expression of Government policy. (S3O-1995)
Yes, they are. The Scottish Government believes that it is absolutely unacceptable that only 11 Lewis chessmen rest at the national museum of Scotland while the other 82 remain in the British museum in London.
Has the minister thought through the implications of the U-turn from her previous position, when she refused to support Shetland's demand for the return of the St Ninian's Isle treasure from the national museum of Scotland? Can we assume that she now supports the removal from Scottish museums of the very large number of cultural artefacts from other countries, such as—to name but one—the tea service of the Emperor Napoleon that is in the national museum of Scotland? Will she, on reflection, abandon her new culture priority and concentrate on more urgent issues, such as the funding crisis at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama?
As I have said in the Parliament and as the Labour Government in London has said, such matters are for museums to consider, case by case. I will visit the British museum on Saturday morning and I will ask it to consider the case seriously. As far as the St Ninian's Isle treasure is concerned, I suggest that Mr Chisholm has a look at a map, because Shetland is part of Scotland.
In seeking the return of the chessmen to Scotland, will the minister consider the possibility of some pieces being exhibited permanently or temporarily on the Isle of Lewis? What impact might that have on the cultural and economic life of the islands?
The Government would want such a goal to be put into operation when the chessmen are returned to Scotland, because the exhibition of the Lewis chessmen in the islands would provide a significant cultural boost. I am sure that there would be an economic benefit. I hope that all members would like that to happen.
Houses in Multiple Occupation
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on issuing guidance to local authorities on houses in multiple occupation under the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006. (S3O-2019)
We are consulting on a revised Scottish planning policy 3, "Planning for Housing", which contains guidance on planning for houses in multiple occupation.
Is the minister aware of growing concern about the regulation and operation of HMOs in areas such as my area, the west end of Glasgow, where landlords are splitting bedrooms in two so that they can cram more people into properties and gain more profit? Has the minister been briefed on a meeting that took place during the passage of the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill, which was attended by planning and HMO officials and members of the Scottish Parliament from other parts of the country who share my concern? Will he consider the closer integration of planning law and HMO licensing and will he meet with interested parties, so that we can take the issue forward?
I share the member's concern. The splitting of rooms in HMOs creates problems. My colleague the Minister for Communities and Sport had a meeting on the issue, of which I was made aware. If there is value in a specific meeting with the member to pursue the issue, I will be happy to meet her.
Schools (Gifted and Talented Children)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that gifted and talented children are properly supported in all schools. (S3O-1987)
Responsibility for meeting the support needs of our pupils rests with local authorities. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, which came into force in November 2005, aims to ensure that the additional support needs of all children and young people, including gifted and talented children, are addressed. Our six national centres of excellence make specialist provision for gifted and talented children.
The minister will be aware of various initiatives in England and Wales, including the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth, which draws in particularly gifted and talented pupils from all parts of the country and all social backgrounds, to ensure that they can receive specialist teaching that is appropriate to their needs. Does the minister acknowledge that gifted children, especially from disadvantaged areas, could benefit from the introduction of similar initiatives in Scotland?
I think that in Scotland we take a different approach, rather than take children out of their environment. It is important that schools are seen to cater for the whole range of abilities. To ensure that that happens, for example through the curriculum for excellence, there are individualised learning plans, and we hope that we can provide the appropriate stretch and pace for every child through personalisation and choice. Teachers are supported through the Scottish needs assessment programme—the SNAP programme—which is based at the University of Glasgow, to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to enable them to provide an extra push for able and talented children.
I am delighted to say that His Excellency Jonathan Hunt, the New Zealand High Commissioner, joins us in the Presiding Officer's gallery. High Commissioner, I warmly welcome you to the Scottish Parliament. [Applause.]
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