Plenary, 25 Sep 2008

Meeting date: Thursday, September 25, 2008

Official Report 669KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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General Questions

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Sectarianism

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to eradicate sectarianism in Scotland. (S3O-4328)

From the outset of this Government, we have made it clear that there is no place in modern Scotland for the sectarian bigotry that has blighted the lives of so many of our people. This Government will continue to tackle sectarianism and believes very strongly that education and the promotion of constructive dialogue will deliver the sectarian-free Scotland that we all aspire to.

In a recent newspaper article, a source close to the First Minister said that the First Minister's

"commitment to and leadership in combating sectarianism is second to none."

In recent weeks, the Irish Government has asked questions about songs being sung by Rangers fans and the sports spokesman in the Northern Ireland Assembly has asked about songs sung by Celtic fans. Is it not now time for the First Minister to show his commitment and leadership, to take part in constructive dialogue, and to set a date for the next anti-sectarianism summit?

I hope that all members believe that, of all issues, sectarianism is one for which we should eschew any temptation to indulge in any element of partisan or party politics. From the outset, the First Minister has made absolutely clear his commitment to opposing sectarianism in all its forms. His commitment was exemplified when he hosted in Edinburgh castle what I believe was the first reception of its kind, to thank the people who have worked so hard—in churches, football clubs, voluntary organisations and elsewhere—to tackle sectarianism. I hope that it is not in doubt that all members in this chamber are wholly committed to such objectives. The Government is working in a huge range of ways to exemplify that commitment.

Will the minister confirm that there are many ways of tackling sectarianism? That was evident right from the start of the process, and right back at the original cross-party Government working group, on which I served. Will he confirm that it is a mistake to assume that, because one set of actions has been replaced by another, progress is not being made? Will he outline some of the events that have taken place beyond the Edinburgh castle event, to indicate to the chamber exactly what is being done to tackle this problem?

Roseanna Cunningham is absolutely correct. In September last year I met the faith liaison advisory group, which represents religious communities across Scotland. I also hosted an anti-sectarianism event in Dynamic Earth to recognise the innovative ways in which young children have used art to show that we are all the same underneath the skin and underneath the football shirt.

In October I met Action of Churches Together in Scotland, and in November I took part in Nil by Mouth's "Sectarian Stories" launch and gave the keynote address at the churches' anti-sectarianism event.

In February, Dr Paisley and Martin McGuinness joined the First Minister and me in participating in another event involving young people, to show a united front against sectarianism.

We have also launched the Scottish working group on religion and belief relations, and in July I met Sense over Sectarianism to agree formally a further funding package that will provide the partnership with £412,500 to continue the good work that it does to attack sectarianism in all its forms.

On the question of a summit, there is no doubt that all religious leaders and all leaders of football clubs have already expressed their commitment to the task. On every occasion at which I have spoken, I have congratulated the former First Minister on his efforts. I congratulate him again here today. That commitment is not in doubt, but we need to move on towards the implementation of the campaign—especially among the young people of Scotland.

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Renewable Energy

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made towards the target of generating 50 per cent of Scotland's electricity from renewables by 2020. (S3O-4353)

Excellent progress is being made. Since May last year, the Scottish Government has consented 14 large-scale renewable energy projects, representing 1.6GW of renewables capacity. As a result, we are on course to meet our interim target of generating 31 per cent of Scottish electricity from renewables by 2011. That target equates to around 5GW of installed capacity. Currently, the capacity of projects that are operating or that have consent is 5.5GW. Most of those consented projects will be operating by 2011, and there is still time for more to be consented and constructed before 2011. Those achievements, alongside our support for emerging technologies, mean that we are confident of reaching the 2020 target, which will require around 8GW of installed capacity from renewables.

I thank the minister for his encouraging reply. Does he think that the takeover of British Energy by the EDF Group and the United Kingdom Government's drive to build more nuclear power stations will have a negative impact on Scotland's reaching its renewables targets?

No. We have a range of measures in place to promote renewable energy in Scotland, which will not be affected by parallel developments elsewhere in the UK. The early indications are that EDF Energy wants to be involved in developing more renewable capacity in Scotland. The First Minister met EDF Energy's chief executive, Vincent de Rivaz, in June and spoke to him again yesterday. EDF Energy understands our antipathy to the building of new nuclear power stations, and we agree on other aspects of energy development in Scotland.

The meeting with the First Minister took place on 18 June. Interestingly, on 19 June, EDF Energy issued a press release announcing its desire to work in conjunction with EDF Energies Nouvelles

"to become a major player in the UK renewables market."

We welcome that and look forward to working with EDF Energy on renewables projects in Scotland.

According to the Scottish Government's energy policy document, Scotland today meets 16 per cent of its demand for electricity from renewable resources and the Government wants that figure to be 31 per cent by 2011. Can the minister explain how we are going to double the current figure within three years?

The member should consider the totality of the situation. Local government alone has 910MW of renewable energy projects consented and in the pipeline. Meanwhile, our consents team is considering 36 renewable energy project applications—26 wind projects, nine hydro projects and one wave project—that will, in total, produce 2.5GW. We are on the cusp of a rising curve, and I am confident that more people will respond to the signals that the Government is sending out.

I welcome the recent change to the renewables obligation to help marine energy. Does the minister agree that a rapid expansion of wave and tidal power will be necessary to reach the 50 per cent target? Does he accept that, for that to happen, support will have to be given to marine energy companies at an early stage, when they do not have large orders and are not profitable? He will know of Ocean Power Delivery, in my constituency, which I visited recently.

Briefly, please.

Will the minister do everything possible to assist that company and other companies, so that they can expand rapidly as Scotland requires them to do?

We are doing everything we can to develop that sector. We are sending out the right signals, not the least of which is the £10 million Saltire prize, which builds on the proposition that the member has just made. He would be wise also not to ignore the vast potential of offshore wind for Scotland. It is the blend of all the options that are covered in Scotland that gives us confidence that our renewables targets will be met.

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School Meals

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce legislation to extend entitlement to free school meals to all primary and secondary pupils whose parents or carers are in receipt of maximum child and working tax credit. (S3O-4300)

We intend to introduce legislation to extend entitlement to free school meals to all primary school and secondary school pupils whose parents or carers are in receipt of both maximum child tax credit and maximum working tax credit in spring 2009, to enable the concordat commitment for that to be delivered as planned in August 2009 in all schools in Scotland.

That is good news for children, but I understand that Dundee City Council will have great difficulty implementing any such extension because of the endless pressures that are being placed on local government budgets by the Scottish Government. Will the minister publish the cost to each local authority of implementing that SNP election promise? Is the Scottish Government prepared to fund local authorities fully to do it, or is the burden to be borne fully by local authorities? Can the minister name a local authority in Scotland that has informed her that it can pay the price, in full, of that so far uncosted promise?

So, the member welcomes our commitment—but. Local government has indicated that it wants to deliver the policy because, like the Scottish Government, it wants to support vulnerable families who are in need. Had the Labour Party—including Marlyn Glen's colleagues, Cathie Craigie and Karen Whitefield—supported the bill last year when it was going through Parliament, the legislation would have been delivered sooner rather than later. It is the SNP Government that is delivering it. Local government has agreed to extend the entitlement to free school meals in 2009. Vulnerable families will be supported by the SNP Government.

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Local Income Tax

To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to collect local income tax. (S3O-4296)

The consultation paper that we published in March proposed that the local income tax should be collected by HM Revenue and Customs. We are currently considering the responses to the consultation exercise, and it would be premature to anticipate the outcome of that consideration.

The Government's plans for the so-called local income tax should be well advanced by this stage. Experts tell us that collection of the local income tax will be complex and expensive. Local government is worried about resources, and the business community in my constituency has serious concerns about the additional burdens that will be placed on it. How are the cabinet secretary and the Government addressing those legitimate and serious concerns?

I take this opportunity to reassure Cathie Craigie and her constituents. The Government has taken pragmatic decisions about the way in which it intends to collect the local income tax. By ensuring that it is collected through HM Revenue and Customs, it simply adds another element to the collection of income tax that is already undertaken by every one of the businesses to which Cathie Craigie has referred.

In addition—this may not strike a concordant note with Conservative members—the Government has taken the view that to implement the local income tax efficiently and effectively, it is best if one rate is applied consistently across every local authority. That will increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of collection.

The council tax is an expensive tax to collect. We expect local income tax collection costs to be significantly lower than the collection costs for council tax, as we set out in the consultation document.

The cabinet secretary will be aware that, last year, some 6 per cent of the council tax that was billed in Scotland went uncollected. Does he agree that a local income tax is likely to lead to a much lower rate of non-payment, which is one reason why the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities supports it?

The statistics bear out what Mr Hepburn says. The rate of income tax collection is higher than the rate of council tax collection, and there is no reason why the collection of a local income tax would be different from the collection of national income tax. Mr Hepburn adds some substance to the debate on that question.

What information has the cabinet secretary received from HMRC to say that collection of the tax would be more cumbersome if local authorities had the power to set local rates than if there was a nationally set rate? Will he confirm that the Burt review—the last independent review of local government finance—found that the likely cost of collecting the tax at locally set rates was cheaper than the cost of collecting the council tax?

Mr Purvis is correct in his second point. I addressed the matter in my answer to Cathie Craigie's question.

The discussions with HM Revenue and Customs are on-going, but the Government expects that there would be additional costs—particularly for businesses—if there was local variation of the rate. That will be part of the consideration and discussion that the Government takes forward in advancing its policy agenda on the issue.

The cabinet secretary chose his words very carefully when he spoke about collection, but many of the consultation responses indicate that there would be a much higher rate of evasion and avoidance of the local income tax due to the smart work of accountants and others. How does he contest the point on collection rates when, although they may be higher, the money brought in will be lower?

Mr Kerr needs to go on a course about terminology and what he approves and does not approve of. We now have remarks about accountants to add to his other comments on the record in the past few days. Perhaps a tad of consistency from Mr Kerr would not go amiss, even in these days of political consensus.

I have already put on record, in response to Mr Hepburn's question, the fact that income tax has a higher rate of collection than the council tax. If Mr Kerr is casting doubt on the veracity and effectiveness of the income tax system, he casts some significant doubt on the ability of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, and by extension the United Kingdom Government, to fulfil their statutory duties to collect income tax. I do not think that that was one of the inadvertent messages that he wanted to put across.

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A96 and A90 (Dualling)

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to dual the A96 and A90. (S3O-4281)

The future transport needs of the north-east are being considered by the strategic transport projects review. Drafting of the STPR summary report is progressing well, and the Government will update Parliament on the emerging findings before the turn of the year.

Presiding Officer,

"We are all paying the price for the lack of investment in our roads network at the hands of the Labour/Liberal Government".

Those are not my words but those of the First Minister during the 2007 Holyrood elections. Alex Salmond pledged to local voters in Gordon that he would lead a step change to bring our beleaguered transport network into the 21st century, including the dualling of the A96 and A90.

I am informed by Transport Scotland that there are currently no plans to carry out any studies into the dualling of those roads—only into the projects put in place by the previous Executive. Has the First Minister gone back on his word to the voters of Gordon? If not, when will the SNP Government act to implement its election promises?

The voters of Gordon have a formidable champion in my colleague the First Minister. [Interruption.]

Order.

The member will be aware of discussions about each end and the middle of the A96. In the strategic transport projects review we are looking seriously at the interventions that we want to bring about. She should not talk down the outcome until she sees it.

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Alcohol Strategy

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers permitting the sale of alcohol at Murrayfield on the occasion of international rugby matches to be consistent with its alcohol strategy. (S3O-4282)

Yes. Our proposals are about tackling alcohol misuse. We are not anti-alcohol, and the core of our message has always been about sensible and responsible drinking.

We sought assurances that alcohol would be sold responsibly, and the Scottish Rugby Union has worked with the Scottish Government to ensure that that is the case. The trust put in Scottish rugby fans has been repaid by their good behaviour.

I agree with the last of the cabinet secretary's remarks, but will he explain why young people between the ages of 18 and 21 can now buy a drink at Murrayfield on the occasion of an international rugby match with his full blessing but, if he gets his way, will be banned from buying a few cans of lager from an off-licence to watch the game on the telly? [Interruption.]

Order.

If even the Federation of Student Nationalists can see that that is an illogical nonsense, why can the cabinet secretary not?

I am not going to prejudge the outcome of the consultation.

I was grateful to the member for Edinburgh Central, who welcomed the success of Murrayfield and pointed out its substantial contribution to the economy. We should bear in mind the concern that previously existed among communities there, because of the abuse of alcohol—carry-outs were frequently consumed in Roseburn park, as opposed to alcohol being consumed safely and sensibly within the stadium.

The difference between us is that whereas Mr McLetchie clearly has a fixed position, the Government is listening to the communities in Cupar, Armadale and Stenhousemuir who have benefited from a substantial reduction in antisocial behaviour brought about by the responsible actions that have been taken by the police, licensing boards and local communities.