SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Child Protection
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to improve child protection. (S1O-6551)
Improving child protection and preventing abuse and neglect are key priorities for the Scottish Executive. In response to the recent child protection review, we are engaged in a three-year programme of sustained activity to reform child protection throughout Scotland, which will include the setting up of an expert team to oversee reforms.
Can the minister assure me that all the agencies that are involved in child protection are committed to effective joint working to ensure that there is no repeat of recent tragic incidents?
I assure Rhona Brankin that all the agencies were brought together at the recent child protection summit, which the First Minister and I held. At that summit, I made it clear that we will seek to ensure that any gaps in current provision are closed. We recognise that agencies must work together, although each has unique responsibilities. We will continue to pursue that joined-up agenda.
I appreciate that the minister might not at the moment be able to comment on the issue that I intend to raise. If that is the case, I would like her to write to me with an answer to my question.
There has already been some discussion of the future role of the child protection committees. I am keen that that role should be expanded to ensure that the committees have the status that they require to do their job effectively. I have committed myself to considering whether the committees should be placed on a statutory footing, but I am not aware of representations having been made in connection with the points that the member raised. However, I will look into the matter and write to him about it.
Will the minister ensure greater protection of children's right to pre-school education in the light of recent reports that nearly 9,000 three-year-olds are being denied that right?
Let me put the record straight: 9,000 children are not being denied pre-school education. The take-up rate for pre-school education is now 96 per cent for four-year-olds and 85 per cent for three-year-olds. It is simply not the case that 9,000 children are being denied that right and I want to put that very clearly on the record.
Pharmacy Services <br />(Office of Fair Trading Report)
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with stakeholders following the Office of Fair Trading report on pharmacy services. (S1O-6512)
The health department hosted a forum on 6 February at which representatives of key stakeholder groups exchanged views about the report.
Following those meetings, is the minister convinced that the provision of the national health service primary care prescription-dispensing service in the community is not a matter for competition law, and that access to pharmacy dispensing services must remain available in all communities, especially those in rural and suburban areas? Does he further agree that it is not in the public interest to reverse the planned service approach that was introduced in 1987 under the previous Conservative Government?
The department is still collating information, so it would be inappropriate for me to take a firm view. However, I said at a meeting of the Health and Community Care Committee on Tuesday afternoon that we are adapting our approach by looking at what we have already accepted in our report "The Right Medicine: A Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland". The Scottish Executive makes a decision on access to the lists and will take all those points into consideration before it arrives at a decision. It is to be hoped that that will happen sooner rather than later.
The deputy minister may be aware that one aspect of "The Right Medicine", which was the department's review of the care strategy of the pharmaceutical services, was about improving community pharmacy services. Is the deputy minister aware that community pharmacists, such as the 25 throughout the Scottish Borders, provide invaluable local knowledge and services? For instance, at Duns and Newtown St Boswells, pharmacists have recently extended their premises to include the privacy of a consulting room. Will the deputy minister confirm that the OFT proposals fly in the face of the minister's own strategy, and that they will be resisted accordingly?
I welcome the partnership approach that we have adopted with the pharmacy industry throughout Scotland. As part of our primary care modernisation, we have released funds to facilitate examples such as that which Christine Grahame mentioned. As I said, we are utterly committed to "The Right Medicine", and any assessment that we make of the OFT report will be predicated on what is contained in the principle agreement that we have adopted on partnership on this issue through "The Right Medicine".
Can the minister assure me that he will do everything in his power to ensure that the views of the 12,000 constituents of Glasgow Rutherglen who signed petitions against the OFT report will be taken on board; that he recognises the potentially detrimental effect on our growing elderly population if the community pharmacy set-up that exists ceases; and that the Executive will do what it feels is right in Scotland, irrespective of the outcome of the OFT report?
In line with what the First Minister said last Thursday, and also with the submission that I made to the Health and Community Care Committee on Tuesday, we are absolutely committed to the role that community pharmacies play in communities throughout Scotland. We believe that "The Right Medicine" is an appropriate assessment in understanding how best to take forward the process. As I said, it is important that we take note of the deliberations that were submitted to us. I hope that we will arrive at a decision, and I hope to respond to Janis Hughes and other members, sooner rather than later.
Dundee City Council (Public Sector Housing)
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Dundee City Council about proposals for investment in public sector housing. (S1O-6517)
There were extensive discussions with Dundee City Council leading to the successful transfer in December 2001 of nearly 1,500 council houses on the Ardler estate. That will result in 1,000 new houses being built. Discussions continue about progress on the comprehensive study that the council is currently undertaking of the condition of, and future options for, the rest of its housing stock.
Does the minister accept that the council and the Dundee Federation of Tenants Associations want to keep council housing in Dundee through the mechanism of arm's-length organisations, which are being pioneered by John Prescott in England? Does she also accept that they are unable to do so because the level of residual housing debt and the poor condition of the stock are such that Executive assistance with debt write-off is required—assistance that has been denied them unless they go for whole-stock transfer and they close down council housing? Why will the Executive empower tenants to do what the Executive wants, but not to do what the tenants want?
That really is quite wrong and misguided on two points. First, central Government answers the debt issue and clears the debt, not the Scottish Executive. Secondly, why would we propose a ballot of tenants if we were not prepared to hear what tenants have to say? John McAllion and I disagree fundamentally, because I say listen to all the tenants, not just to a small clique of them.
Can the minister confirm whether Dundee City Council will be entitled to apply for prudential borrowing—an question that was also asked by Dundee Federation of Tenants Associations? Does she acknowledge that the level of investment that is needed in Dundee, and the high rents, might bar the council from being able to take that route?
As I am sure many members are aware, I announced a major development in housing policy on 7 November, with the introduction of the prudential borrowing regime in relation to housing, to allow local authorities to examine strategies that they wish to develop. I have always made it clear—it is abundantly apparent to anyone who gives a cursory glance to housing in Scotland—that given the level of investment that is required, we need to consider other means to lever in investment in order to ensure that we drive up standards in housing. Part of my announcement in November was about housing standards, because we will not tolerate a situation in which standards are poor. We are considering a variety of strategies, including the prudential borrowing regime, but it might still be the case that local authorities will have to lever in extra investment.
Glasgow Airport Rail Link
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to advance plans for a Glasgow airport rail link. (S1O-6529)
We have recently received the consultants' final report on the provision of rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. That report is being considered and we will in due course make an announcement on the way forward.
I remind the minister that on several previous occasions feelings of frustration have been expressed about the on-going consultants' reports and recommendations. In light of the production of the final report, I invite him to commit to a time scale to show that the Executive remains committed to the construction of the Glasgow airport rail link. What time scales will be involved?
I have made it clear on a number of occasions that the Executive is committed to rail links to both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. As Mr Brown will know, the final stage of the consultants' work was to consider the short-listed options. It was only on Tuesday that my deputy, Lewis Macdonald, and I were presented with the consultants' full findings on that. Although it will take slightly more than 48 hours to decide the way forward, it will be only a matter of days or weeks before we make that decision.
The minister will be aware of the British Airports Authority's announcement about bringing forward plans to upgrade Glasgow and Edinburgh airports five years early. Will the minister assure us that the link to Glasgow airport and the crossrail scheme will coincide with the plan that BAA has just announced?
There is a real synergy between the potential for providing rail links and the potential for expansion at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. The development of that work involves a wide group of stakeholders and a steering group. As the BAA is very much part of that, it is aware of the work on the rail links. The answer to the member's question must be yes.
Will the minister confirm that a heavy rail link might not be the only option for Glasgow and that there might be merit in considering the alternative of a monorail link, which has far less expensive capital-cost implications and which would make land acquisition far simpler?
It would be hard to convince me that a light rail system provided solely as a link to the airport, or any of the other options that have been mooted, would work as stand-alone developments. I know that there has been talk about potential light rail options in Glasgow and, indeed, in Edinburgh and the potential of extending such developments out to the airports has been discussed. The consultants examined light rail options, but their shortlist of four consists of heavy rail options for both airports. On previous occasions, other members have indicated that there is an appetite to proceed on the issue as quickly as possible. Along with value for money, that is probably the overriding consideration.
Public Transport Spending
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its committed spending on public transport projects will be spent directly on public transport infrastructure and how much will be spent on public transport feasibility studies. (S1O-6537)
Of the sum of about £300 million that has been committed from the public transport fund and the integrated transport fund, about £274 million will be spent directly on public transport infrastructure, about £3 million will be spent on a range of public transport feasibility studies and nearly £23 million will be spent on preparatory work on various public transport projects.
January's ministerial announcement on the central Scotland transport corridor studies committed the Executive to reopening the Bathgate to Airdrie railway. Will the minister make a commitment that, rather than shifting responsibility for delivering that key project on to local authorities, the Executive will lead on its delivery, so that it does not end up being just another feasibility study of a feasibility study?
There has been some speculation in this week's press about what an engineering study is. An engineering study for a rail link that we are committed to opening is not a feasibility study—it represents stage 1 in the construction of the Airdrie to Bathgate rail link. Anyone who thinks that a railway can be built without first doing an engineering study has little idea of how a rail network operates.
Does the minister share my concern that, in spite of a significant and welcome investment in the public transport infrastructure at Lockerbie station, Virgin Trains intends to reduce the number of services that it operates from that station and has gone back on a commitment to provide an early-morning service to Glasgow and Edinburgh?
Order. That has nothing to do with feasibility studies.
It does, because a feasibility study was carried out.
Ooh.
Order. Bring your question to order.
I am asking the minister about public transport infrastructure investment and the feasibility studies that have previously been carried out in relation to providing an early-morning service between Lockerbie and Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the fact that Virgin Trains has now gone back on its commitment to provide that service, despite the Scottish Executive's welcome investment in the station.
Mr Mundell will be aware that the Scottish Executive does not have responsibility for cross-border links. We have said before that it is disappointing to see a reduction in services, although more reliability would be welcome. I am happy to accept Mr Mundell's endorsement for the Executive's investment in Lockerbie station.
I welcome the minister's endorsement of the reopening of the Bathgate to Airdrie line, which was the subject of some doubt among the nationalists in West Lothian. What will be the impact of the investment in public transport infrastructure, such as the expansion of the existing Bathgate to Airdrie line that was announced earlier this week by the minister's deputy, Lewis Macdonald?
The extension to the platform at Bathgate means that when the new rolling stock begins to arrive later in the year, rail users from Bathgate will have the advantage of far less overcrowding in the trains that they use; indeed, overcrowding should be eliminated.
Census 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has about the key statistics contained in the 2001 census. (S1O-6545)
Detailed results from the 2001 census were released by the Registrar General for Scotland in two reports on 13 February 2003.
I point the minister to a key statistic that will be of particular concern to him. Does he agree that it is concerning that more than 40 per cent of Dundee men of working age are regarded as long-term unemployed, which means that they have not worked since 1999 or earlier? That is the highest figure in Scotland.
It will come as no surprise to Shona Robison when I say that I do not agree. The Executive has taken a range of economic and industrial initiatives to address unemployment. The fact that unemployment in Scotland is below 100,000 for the first time in a generation should not be minimised.
Is the Deputy First Minister aware that in "Scotland's Census 2001: The Registrar General's Report to the Scottish Parliament" there are seven different categories of person set out on page 10? One category that does not appear to be included is potential asylum seekers who have not yet been processed. Can the Deputy First Minister help me out with that matter because, in essence, those people do not come under any of the categories that are included; for example, people who have "another usual address" on census day, or people who live
Order. We do not need to hear the list.
Could the Deputy First Minister assist me on that question, please?
No, with regret, I cannot. However, I will look into the matter and if I can help, I will.
Robert Burns
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the importance of the birthplace and artefacts of Robert Burns to the Ayrshire and Scotland economy and heritage. (S1O-6518)
The Scottish Executive has not carried out an assessment of the economic impact of Burns's birthplace and artefacts. However, I understand that an analysis of figures from Scottish Enterprise, Ayrshire and Arran Tourist Board and industry bodies was undertaken recently by the World Bank on behalf of BBC Radio Scotland. That produced a figure of £157 million as annual income that is generated for the Scottish economy through the celebration of Burns and his legacy.
I go along with the figures to which the minister referred. Does the minister accept that many of those earnings come from the central attraction of Burns's birthplace itself—the cottage—and the museum that stands alongside the cottage? Does he acknowledge that the museum is not perhaps up to the standards that we should expect? Manuscripts of Burns's writing and other artefacts are leaving the museum to come to Edinburgh; does the minister acknowledge that that is wrong and that it should not happen? For the sake of Ayrshire's economy and Burns's heritage, will the minister say what he could do to help the situation?
It is interesting that Phil Gallie, a representative of a party whose leader, Iain Duncan Smith, has advocated a 20 per cent cut in public expenditure, should be asking me to spend more. The Burns cottage museum is part of the Burns National Heritage Park, which has submitted an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which is being considered, for the upkeep and various other aspects of the museum.
Whatever happened to Allan Wilson's pledge some two years ago to put Burns at the heart of the Executive's efforts to boost cultural tourism? Does not the total lack of support from the Executive for the Burns museum in Alloway expose the hollowness of its rhetoric on this, as on so many other issues?
No it does not, because I have just outlined the resources that we are putting into Burns. We are putting in £300,000 to the projects that I mentioned and last year we put £100,000 into the Burns festival, which will play a major part in attracting people to Ayrshire. The Burns Heritage Trust is an independent organisation that is not funded directly by the Executive, which is why it has gone to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the funding that it believes it needs. It has raised about half of the money that it needs through other means. The idea that the trust is somehow being ignored is not the case; the trust is an independent organisation and we happen to be putting our money into other aspects of celebrating Burns and his legacy.
Does the minister think that VisitScotland is doing enough to promote Burns to tourists in Scotland and overseas?
The "Burns and a' that" festival that I mentioned is being taken forward with the assistance of VisitScotland. Could we do more? Yes, I suppose that we could always do more; that is what we are trying to do. VisitScotland is directly involved, as are local enterprise companies and Scottish Enterprise, in taking forward our marketing of Burns. I will continue to ensure that VisitScotland has an important input to that in the years ahead.
Dental Services (Caithness)
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £107,000 funding package for Highland NHS Board will help the provision of dental services in Caithness. (S1O-6522)
The £107,000 allocated to NHS Highland is to support improvements in primary care dental services. It is for the primary care trust in conjunction with the dental profession locally to agree how best to target the funding.
The minister will appreciate that, although £107,000 sounds like a lot, it does not fund an enormous number of dentists. As I have said in previous questions, many—perhaps thousands—of my constituents do not receive NHS dental services. Does the minister agree that, if we ignore the problem, we are merely storing up a bigger and much more expensive problem for the years to come?
I assure the member that we are in no way ignoring the problems that people who cannot access dental services locally face. We are totally committed to ensuring that, as far as is possible, people can find dentists who are accessible. For that reason, I have announced several measures—including access grants, golden hellos and support for practice improvements—that are aimed at ensuring that every person in Scotland who wishes to can access a dentist under the NHS.
The minister is aware of my concern about dentists who provide NHS services in remote rural areas. Will she examine the mechanisms that trigger support for dentists who provide NHS services in remote rural areas? We must ensure that those mechanisms do not in fact act against such dentists. Will she examine the remote and rural areas support package for those dentists to ensure that we can offer them further help?
I am grateful to Rhoda Grant for her contribution to the suggestions that have been made, such as to improve the amount that we pay dentists under the rural initiative. We intend to examine that. At present, rural dentists receive £1,500 to assist them in delivering their service. We will consider trying to increase that to ensure that people who provide such a service face no financial penalties.
Climate Change
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to combat climate change. (S1O-6528)
We work in partnership with the United Kingdom Government to deliver an equitable contribution to the UK's Kyoto target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to its domestic goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Our Scottish climate change programme sets out the policies and measures for devolved matters through which we can deliver our contribution. We are also taking action to adapt to the predicted impact of climate change. For example, capital resources for flood prevention and coast protection schemes are proposed to increase to £40 million over the next three years.
In targeting energy waste and unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions from poorly insulated buildings, will the Executive continue to extend the effective use of building standards regulations to improve new build and pursue vigorously ways of ensuing that existing buildings are progressively brought up to higher energy efficiency standards?
The member might be aware that the improved Scottish building standards, which the Executive introduced, set the highest standards for thermal insulation and energy efficiency in the UK. Those standards came into force last year and projections suggest that an energy saving of 25 per cent will be achieved for a typical new dwelling.
The use of renewable energy is important in relation to climate change. The minister said some time ago that the Executive was having discussions with the Ministry of Defence on the ministry's veto on wind farm development in Dumfries and Galloway. What were the results of those negotiations?
The Executive is consulting on many matters, including the impediments to the development of renewable energy policy, following our suggestion that we should set the more ambitious target of generating 40 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2020. We are in the closing stages of finalising that consultation, so it would be inappropriate to give details. I will respond shortly with a balanced answer about all the matters that have been raised.
In the stage 3 debate on the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Bill, the minister spoke of an ad hoc ministerial group that would examine and report on flooding. Has that group reported yet? If so, what were its conclusions? If it has not produced conclusions, when will it do so?
The ad hoc group, which my colleague the Deputy First Minister chaired, has concluded its work and will report shortly. It examined a wide range of issues that encompass the work of departments other than my department to ensure that we make a collective response that covers the various agencies that are required to tackle the implications of flooding.
Child Care
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in providing affordable child care. (S1O-6549)
Our child care strategy funding helps local authorities to secure affordable child care for pre-school and school-age children. We will increase those resources from the present £17 million to more than £40 million in 2005-06. New social justice child care funding of £20 million will also be available from next year to help people in deprived areas into work or training.
Will the minister join me in welcoming the progress that has been made in my constituency, where every parent who wishes access to after-school care for their child has such access? Have discussions taken place with, for example, new opportunities fund officials to ensure that the important progress that has been made in my area will be sustainable in future?
I welcome the improvements that have been made in Irene Oldfather's area. I know that North Ayrshire Council has worked hard on the issue and I would like to hear more about some of the innovative ideas that are being pursued. We have had discussions with new opportunities fund officials, who have decided to increase the flexibility of the fund's programmes, especially in relation to out-of-school care. All applicants can now apply for three-year funding, which should help to secure sustainability of provision.
Will the minister change the rules so that, on the day on which a child becomes three, they are entitled to free nursery education? Surely it should not be the case, as it is in the North Lanarkshire Council area, that poor parents have to pay £22.50 a week for their child to receive nursery education until the beginning of the new school term. Surely that defeats the purpose of getting people off welfare and into work.
Alex Neil has written to me on the subject and has raised the issue before. I responded to clarify the current rules and to set out the discretion that local authorities have in respect of charges. I also point out that the forthcoming changes in relation to the children's tax credit will make it easier for parents who are going out to work or back into training to claim additional financial support to assist with such costs. We are also pursuing other ways in which to support parents through the provision of child care in the home.
Child care costs have become an issue, even in the Parliament. Does the minister agree that we should ensure that those most in need are targeted and given help with child care costs? Surely that should be the minister's aim.
I am delighted that Lyndsay McIntosh is converted to what has been Executive policy for many years.
Cannabis Users (Prosecution)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the prosecution of cannabis users represents an effective use of police time and resources. (S1O-6530)
Procurators fiscal are responsible for the prosecution of crime in Scotland. The police have a clear duty to uphold the law in relation to illegal drugs, but the deployment of police resources to tackle drugs is entirely an operational matter for individual chief constables.
Does the minister agree that the most damaging illegal drug in Scotland is heroin? Heroin claims hundreds of young lives and is the root cause of the majority of crime in Scotland, yet the Executive's figures on the possession of illegal drugs show that, over the past four years, 78 per cent of convictions relate to cannabis and not to heroin. Is it not about time that we changed the law to remove cannabis from the equation and concentrated instead on heroin?
Press reports yesterday indicated the serious concerns about the medical problems that are caused by cannabis. The report said that, in cannabis users,
I agree with everything that the minister has said. People who smoke cannabis are 17 times more likely to suffer from throat cancer than are people who smoke cigarettes. This is not the time to take the steps that Mr Sheridan suggests, without further and extensive research.
I agree entirely.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (Deprived Areas)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables in deprived areas. (S1O-6541)
As part of the implementation of the Scottish diet action plan, wide-ranging initiatives are on-going at national and local level to improve access to and availability of fruit and vegetables in deprived communities. The Scottish community diet project has a specific remit to work with low-income communities to address the practical obstacles to healthy eating. On 19 February, we announced the introduction of nutritional standards for school meals and additional free fruit in school for all primary 1 and 2 children.
Is the minister aware of a recent study of a town in England that revealed that 90 per cent of households were within 0.5km of a shop selling crisps and Coca-Cola, whereas only 20 per cent were within 0.5km of a shop selling fruit or vegetables? What effort is the Scottish Executive making to increase the availability of healthy food in such areas? For example, has it considered schemes such as the one that is run by a local medical centre in Liverpool, in which pieces of fruit are sold at 10p because of the lack of local shops selling fresh fruit?
Access to fruit and vegetables and other healthy food is of great importance. That is why the Scottish community diet project initiatives are so important—I am sure that members know of and support those projects in their constituencies, for which funding has increased. The Scottish food and health co-ordinator is active in spreading information about the ways in which the problem can be dealt with and is working with manufacturers and retailers. That is fundamental to our healthy living campaign, which the First Minister launched in January, and it is another important way of increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables in Scotland.
Care Homes (New Entrants)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that care homes for elderly people do not refuse new entrants. (S1O-6554)
The Scottish Executive and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities have made an offer of almost £80 million to the independent care home sector to increase care home fees for older people from 1 April. The offer implements the recommendations of the national review group and has been accepted by the Church of Scotland and the Salvation Army, although we await a formal response from the private sector. Those significant extra resources will bring about a stable future for the care home sector and a choice of good-quality care home services for Scotland's older people.
Does the minister acknowledge that there is considerable concern about aspects of the care home sector? Although voluntary sector organisations have accepted the offer of £406 a week, the private care home sector has not. Will the minister give us an idea of when we can expect a conclusion to the on-going negotiations? Does he agree that, as press reports have said, the Executive has adopted a take-it-or-leave-it stance?
We made it clear that we wanted to adopt the principle to which all the participants in the national review group, which included representatives of the independent care home sector, signed up. The independent sector is currently consulting its members. It would not be appropriate to issue threats to withdraw new places that should be allocated. We have made a substantial offer—a 20 per cent increase for nursing care homes—and there has been a 30 per cent increase since we began considering the issue. That is a substantial contribution.
I have already raised with the minister the subject of the uncertainty about the future of Cockenzie House nursing home. Will he acknowledge the concerns of residents and their relatives—and of staff—that the future of the nursing home seems uncertain? Can he assure the chamber that public authorities have the powers and resources to intervene to ensure that the vital work of a nursing home is not interrupted and that patients who need care are admitted?
I acknowledge John Home Robertson's contribution on this matter. As the constituency member, he has pressed me on a number of occasions to ensure that we can assist in the process. The local authority provider is identifying the ways in which it can address the needs of Cockenzie House in particular. I recognise that any move from a residential or nursing care home is traumatic for individuals who live in that home. The local planning agreement between the health board and the local authority will try to address that issue. I know that the member has raised these issues before and I would be happy to meet him to discuss them if he feels that that would be appropriate.