SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Road Accidents
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are in place to reduce the number of road deaths and injuries. (S2O-7816)
The Scottish Executive commits funding annually to a dedicated programme of accident investigation and prevention works on trunk roads. Funding is also provided to local authorities and the Scottish road safety campaign for road safety initiatives.
Is the minister aware that deaths and injuries on our roads costs approximately £2 billion each year? The budget for the safety camera partnerships that were set up to deal with speeding and bad driving comes from the fines collected from such drivers. Although any shortfall in that funding has to be covered by local authorities, the police and the other partners in those partnerships—in other words, by money from local taxpayers—any surplus is taken down south to the Treasury.
Briefly, please.
Does the minister agree that that money would be much better used in preventing accidents in Scotland and should be retained by safety camera partnerships for that reason?
Our targets for reducing all road traffic deaths and serious injuries are exacting and tough—for example, we are committed to a 40 per cent reduction in such incidents by 2010. By 2004, the number of road deaths and injuries had been reduced by 37 per cent, so I grant that we still have some way to go.
Three transport ministers ago, I asked for two improvements to be made on the stretch of the A90 between the southern end of Aberdeenshire and the city of Aberdeen. First, I asked for visual safety to be improved and suggested that flashing lights could be used to warn drivers of fog, standing traffic, water, ice and so on. Secondly, I suggested that there should be grade-separated junctions at Laurencekirk and further up the road towards Portlethen. Will the new minister with responsibility for transport tell me what has happened to those two ideas?
I drove down the A90 this morning. Last night, I discussed that very issue, with particular reference to road safety mechanisms. I am happy to look into the specific circumstances of the two grade-separated junctions that the member suggested, but I cannot give him a precise answer today. I will write to David Davidson with the details, but it is important to acknowledge our investment in road safety in the trunk road network—which of course includes the route that Mr Davidson mentions—and in the local authority networks. We are tackling what are commonly agreed, across the political divide, to be serious issues. However, as I am sure Mr Davidson is aware, we do not have unlimited budgets and we have to make the right investments. We are spending £360 million on the trunk road network over the current three-year period to tackle the very problems that Mr Davidson highlights.
Will the minister join me in congratulating Angus Council on turning the A92 from one of Scotland's most notorious accident black spots into a superb and safe dual carriageway fit for the 21st century? There have, however, recently been accidents further up the A92. What assistance can the Scottish Executive give to ensure the completion of this safer road system as far as Montrose?
I am happy to praise any local authority initiatives that contribute to our overall objective of reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 2010. I would not avoid applauding any council that had brought in such measures. I will be happy to look into the particular issue that Mr Welsh raises and to respond to him.
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
To ask the Scottish Executive how many antisocial behaviour orders have been granted in the past six months. (S2O-7886)
Figures for ASBOs granted in Scotland are collated for financial years, so figures for the past six months are not available. The most recent figures show that 210 ASBOs were granted in Scotland during the financial year 2004-05. Those figures will be presented in a full report to be published later this year, which will explore the use of ASBOs in Scotland. Figures for the past six months will be available as part of the 2005-06 figures, which are due to be published in late 2006.
A family in my constituency are being hounded out of their home. A constituent intervened in a racist attack and since then, over the past 18 months, the family has been attacked every weekend. They can no longer get insurance for their front windows. An ASBO is now in place but the family and friends of the young thug involved are now attacking my constituents. Central Scotland police appear to be able to do absolutely nothing. What can we do, and what can the minister do, to help families such as my constituents?
The situation that Cathy Peattie describes is outrageous and unacceptable. No one should have to tolerate such behaviour.
Is the minister aware of the recent successful use of a dispersal order in Dingwall? The order has brought an end to a prolonged period of antisocial behaviour in part of the town.
I would certainly encourage partners in various parts of Scotland to work together. When we introduced the legislation, we were clear that there should be local partnerships and that decisions should be made locally. However, we were also clear—despite what many people told us—that the powers should be proportionate and appropriate. I am encouraged that positive results are being reported from throughout Scotland of local agencies using the powers to the benefit of local communities.
School Transport (Seat Belts)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the United Kingdom Government for legislation requiring seat belts to be provided on all school transport. (S2O-7854)
Legislation covering seat belts is consistent across the UK and is reserved. Existing legislation requires seat belts to be fitted to minibuses and coaches that are being used to carry children aged between three and 15 on organised school trips, including journeys between home and school.
Many local authorities also use double-decker buses to transport pupils. Clearly, the current legislation does not cover such buses. Many parents in my part of the world are extremely worried that school children are being transported along rural roads in double-decker buses, often in poor or wintry conditions.
I understand Nanette Milne's point. She will be aware that Executive guidance encourages local authorities to ensure that vehicles are appropriate—whether for urban or for rural use—and that children are encouraged to wear seat belts if they are provided.
Following the Scottish Consumer Council's recommendations on school transport earlier this year, will the minister tell me whether the unacceptable variations across Scotland have been addressed? Are full vehicle maintenance and reliability records checked before contracts are awarded? I am especially concerned about the age of some buses.
I will be happy to look into the specific circumstances that Elaine Smith raises in relation to a particular area, if she would care to furnish the department with information.
Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the Scottish local authorities remuneration committee. (S2O-7871)
The Scottish local authorities remuneration committee is founded on a statutory basis, independent of ministers. I understand that it is making significant progress on its current review and I look forward to receiving its report around the end of the year.
Timescales are very important and I welcome the commitment to a report by the end of the year. I was a member of the Kerley committee and, like the minister, I was in local government, so I know that he acknowledges the immense contribution that local government makes to communities. I hope that any final report will acknowledge that contribution.
A question please.
Any remuneration package must take cognisance of those important issues.
I can only agree with those sentiments. Obviously, we would wish always to acknowledge the enormous contribution that people make when they come forward to serve in public life. The whole purpose of establishing the remuneration committee was to better understand and better reward the contribution that people make. We look forward to hearing the recommendations and we will do our best to take account of them—while always considering the proper balance between the public interest and a proper recognition of the service given.
Question 5 was not lodged.
Schools (Class Sizes)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to monitor progress towards reaching its 2007 targets for maximum class sizes in primary and secondary schools. (S2O-7813)
Class sizes are predominantly determined by teacher numbers. Good progress is being made in training the teachers required to meet our 2007 class size commitments. Through the teacher workforce planning exercise we are able to monitor the number of teachers being trained and can take into account the number of teachers coming to Scotland. The targets are challenging, but we are determined to meet them.
Why was I told in a recent parliamentary written reply that the latest available figures for class sizes in secondary 1 and 2 for English and maths were for September 2003, which is more than two years ago, when there were around 8,000 such classes with more than 20 pupils? Are ministers so lacking in basic numeracy skills that they cannot count more regularly the number of pupils in a class, or are they too embarrassed to release more up-to-date figures because they might indicate that the targets are unlikely to be met by 2007?
The partnership agreement of 2003 set the targets to which Mr Canavan refers. It was therefore necessary to establish a baseline as of that year, which is why those figures were produced. It was always anticipated that there would be growth in the teacher recruitment numbers over time. As Mr Canavan will be well aware, it takes some time to get people through university, trained and in post as probationers. That process is well under way—substantial numbers are coming through—but the bulk of new teachers were always intended to be in place by 2006-07. That is happening, as we know from the figures that have been produced in the chamber on many occasions.
Does the minister acknowledge that if Scotland is to address its teacher retention and recruitment problems, particularly in the Executive's target subject areas of maths, English and Gaelic-medium education, it is essential that teachers are given appropriate training and support?
I accept that entirely. I am not quite sure what point Lord James Douglas-Hamilton is making, but considerable effort has gone into supporting new probationer teachers who are coming into post, to enable them to do their job satisfactorily. There has been considerable review of and improvement in initial training and post-graduate, follow-up training. I hope that that will satisfy Lord James about the progress that has been made.
Student teachers must get a training placement to enable them to get the experience they need. Meeting the targets—however difficult that will be for the Executive—requires more teachers. What guarantees can the minister give students that they will get placements? What work is he doing with schools to ensure that all schools co-operate to ensure that teachers are trained? Is he aware that some councils are causing difficulties in providing placements for student teachers?
I am grateful to Fiona Hyslop for her question, but I think that she has to get the issue in proportion. Some 3,000 new probationers came on stream this year—an increase of 700. It is a significant logistical task to get all those students placed. With the exception of Moray House school of education, where there were a few initial difficulties, everyone got placed in time. Five students at Moray House did not receive their observation week training in September and their follow-on school placements are being negotiated. We have every confidence that that will be resolved satisfactorily by the end of this period. However, it depends on co-operation with local authorities, as Fiona Hyslop said; considerable efforts are being made and additional resources are being put in.
Youth Football (First Aid)
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will provide to enable youth football coaches to obtain first aid training. (S2O-7889)
None specifically, but through the implementation of the action plan for youth football we are supporting measures to raise the standards of football coaching at all levels in Scotland.
Is the minister aware that the mandatory first aid certificates required regularly by the Scottish Youth Football Association are now subject to a £40 charge by the St Andrew's Ambulance Association? That might be a modest cost, but it is one of many that mount up for the voluntary sector. Given the importance of sport, which was touched on earlier, and given that we have a national health service, will the minister undertake to consider whether we can ensure that that modest cost is picked up by the NHS and, at the same time, allow additional support for coaches, not simply in first aid but in matters of drink, drugs and nutrition?
The Scottish Youth Football Association is committed to implementing best practice initiatives to ensure that young footballers are able to participate in a safe and well-managed competition. The SYFA has decided that the clubs that are affiliated to it have to have in attendance a coach at a certain level and, more important, a first aider at a certain level. At the moment, the SYFA is the only sporting body to have such a requirement but I imagine that, if Mr MacAskill's suggestion were implemented and adopted across the range of sports, the cost to the national health service would be bigger than the modest amounts that he has in mind in relation to the SYFA.
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