SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Renewable Energy (Targets)
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for its commitment in "A Partnership for a Better Scotland" to ensure that new homes and public buildings increasingly incorporate solar power or other renewable energy sources and what progress it has made towards achieving those targets. (S2O-853)
We intend to introduce requirements for renewable sources of energy in buildings as part of the first amendment to the reformed building regulations. That will follow the introduction of the new Scottish building standards system.
Does the Executive intend to make regulatory or financial provision for the use of solar and other renewable energy sources in supplying affordable housing, where there is likely to be pressure on capital costs, thereby underpinning its commitment to tackling fuel poverty, addressing climate change and promoting social justice?
The Executive will consider all the implications. As I said in reply to a recent question, we recognise that the technology and information around solar energy in particular have vastly improved in recent years, and we need to take that into account when considering proposals in this area. The Executive has made available £5 million of grants to encourage the involvement of communities and individuals in renewable energy projects, and we will keep that under review.
Animal Welfare
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in light of the sentence of John Walsh at Stranraer sheriff court. (S2O-862)
Sentencing is a matter for the court. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on individual cases.
As someone who shares my concerns on animal cruelty, will the minister ensure that steps are taken throughout the Executive to protect animals that are cruelly treated? Will that extend to those who use the current planning legislation—which ignores the views of animal welfare organisations, local authorities and local communities—to pave the way for puppy farms such as those at Waterside in my constituency?
It is worth remembering that dog-breeding establishments are licensed by local authorities, which have the power to issue licences after inspection; to conduct regular inspections to ensure that the licence conditions are being met; to revoke licences if those conditions are not being met; and to report cases of animals being ill treated to the procurator fiscal.
I hear what the minister says about the animal welfare bill. It is my understanding that my bill, the proposal for which I have lodged, will still be required because its provisions could not be dealt with under the Executive's proposed legislation. As I have obtained cross-party co-sponsorship for my proposed bill, which has obtained 30 signatures since it was lodged yesterday, as well as the active support of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other canine welfare organisations, will the minister confirm that the Executive will give my bill fair wind to end this miserable trade in an accelerated manner?
As with any member's bill, the Executive will look very closely at the proposals in the bill, together with what we intend to do on the matter. I reassure the member that we take the issue of animal welfare very seriously. We will consider including a section in our future bill on animal welfare to close the gap left by the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 and legislating on aspects of the sale of dogs from non-breeding establishments, such as the age at which puppies can be sold.
Planning (Right of Appeal)
To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation on widening the right of appeal in the planning system will commence. (S2O-835)
We intend to publish our consultation paper early in the new year.
Does the minister agree that the planning process is currently stacked in favour of the developer? Will she confirm that the central purpose of the consultation is to find an appropriate balance between the rights of developers to appeal decisions and the rights of those who are directly affected by planning applications to lodge appeals?
The Executive's intention in reviewing planning is to ensure that we have a level playing field, so I agree with Mike Rumbles about the need to ensure that the views of communities and individuals are heard and acted upon. However, we must balance that against any delays in the system and costs to the economy. That is why the consultation will be wide-ranging and will seek as many views as possible to improve the planning system.
Will the consultation cover the criteria for selecting the situations in which a wider right of appeal will apply?
Yes, it will cover those. We want as wide-ranging a consultation as possible, but we recognise that there may be issues around the application of the third-party right of appeal. In some situations it might be acceptable and in some it might not. We need to consider that issue in the consultation.
Does the minister accept that there are genuine concerns, in particular among the business community, about the complexity of the present planning system and about some of the consequences that would be associated with introducing an unfettered right of appeal? Does she accept that the objective of the consultation should be to ensure that decisions are made properly in the first place and that it should not focus purely on the right of appeal?
I can only repeat that, although we have received many representations from community groups and individuals who feel that their views have not been listened to, we also need to recognise the views of the business community and local authorities, who feel that introducing a third-party right of appeal could place further burdens on them. We need to establish a balance between those competing agendas.
The minister will be aware that I have proposed a member's bill on third-party rights of appeal. As the proposal has already been out to consultation, I would be happy to provide the minister with what I received back from that.
The Executive is taking forward the issue of a third-party right of appeal as part of a general review of the planning process. Those who are involved in planning tell us that that is the right way to go about it. We should not pick out one particular aspect, such as a third-party right of appeal. That is why the Executive will come up with the answer that will achieve the balance that is needed and to which I referred.
Barrier-free Transport
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for the provision of barrier-free transport in urban areas for those with mobility problems. (S2O-857)
The Executive strongly supports a range of initiatives to improve access to bus, rail and dial-a-ride services throughout Scotland. We support a wide range of initiatives that, for example, provide £0.5 million per year to support urban dial-a-ride services.
The minister will be aware of the work of the National Federation of Shopmobility UK, which provides access for people with mobility problems to our shopping centres and towns throughout Scotland. Shopmobility Highland was able to access the rural transport initiative fund to run a minibus to bring people in from the rural areas to the shopping centres but, apparently, there is no equivalent urban fund. Does the minister feel that the disabled in urban areas are catered for in the provision of access to our shopping centres?
As I said, we are investing £0.5 million per year for the next three years in similar urban initiatives, so that is happening. We have had discussions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and with the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers and the first pilot projects are due to commence early in 2004.
Does the minister share my view that it is unacceptable that, when my disabled constituents from Shotts travel by train from Glasgow, they must continue to west Lothian because the station at Shotts does not have an exit that is disabled accessible? Will he confirm what action the Scottish Executive will take to ensure that all public transport facilities are fully accessible for people with disabilities?
I agree that that is a major issue. Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 says that, from October next year, service providers will have to take reasonable steps to remove, alter, or provide means of avoiding physical features that make it
Dermatology Services
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting the provision of dermatology services. (S2O-832)
I look to NHS boards to assess local needs for dermatology services and to provide appropriate services to meet those needs. However, the Health Department's centre for change and innovation is working closely with boards, clinicians and patient representatives on the Scottish Council for Dermatology to support service redesign and improvement.
Is the minister aware of the difficulties that have been experienced in recruiting a consultant to fill a vacancy in the dermatology department at NHS Grampian, which already has fewer consultants and departments than other parts of NHS Scotland that cover similarly sized areas? Is the minister aware that a peer-group review of the department highlighted the urgent need for extra investment? Finally, is he aware of the wider concern across Scotland that dermatology is often seen as a poor relation when it comes to investment in health services?
I am aware of the issue in Aberdeen. I should point out that there has been an increase in dermatology consultants and, even more significantly, an increase in specialist registrars who will become tomorrow's consultants. The national waiting times unit has made a specific allocation of £100,000 to dermatology in Grampian.
Population Decline
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to measure the impact of the decline in Scotland's population. (S2O-843)
The Executive is considering the challenges that population decline poses for Scottish society and we are analysing the impact of the long-term demographic trends on public service delivery and the economy. That means that we are looking at the projections that the General Register Office for Scotland has made and their implications for service delivery to different age groups, the spatial impact of population change and what will happen to the skills base of the economy.
I am delighted to hear that the minister has read the explosive and worrying document that the Registrar General for Scotland issued earlier this year. The document states:
As per normal, the facts and the statistics are all astray. Most advanced economies in Europe suffer from population decline. The First Minister launched the fresh talent initiative, which welcomes and attracts to Scotland people of talent who come here to study or people of talent who want to relocate their families and businesses to Scotland. The fresh talent initiative is supported by the business community and by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses and many other organisations.
Given all the international evidence that points to a clear link between a low-tax, lightly regulated economy and a growing population—witness the examples of the United States of America, New Zealand and Singapore—will the minister outline what steps the Scottish Executive is taking to create a more business-friendly environment in Scotland?
In the environment that the Tories want to create, people who came to Scotland could not access health services because the Tories would have shut them all down; they could not access nursery places because the Tories would have closed them down; and they could not access proper education because the Tories would have closed that down. The £20 billion of cuts that the Tories said they would introduce as a result of their taxation policies would have no attraction for families who come to locate in Scotland or for students who come to study in Scotland. They would look around the horizon and see a Tory environment in which there were no public services for them and their families. That is not the way to attract new talent to Scotland.
Rather than dwell on the doom and gloom comments that Richard Lochhead makes on behalf of the SNP, about people flooding out of Scotland, I ask the minister to turn his attention to something rather more positive.
That is absolutely the point. The fresh talent initiative seeks to ensure that there is a one-stop shop for people who wish to come with their families to live in Scotland and for those who study in Scotland and wish to stay on in Scotland. That one-stop shop approach will operate throughout the public services and across devolved and reserved issues, such as visas and immigration. That will provide a benchmark for other nations to consider. They will see how Scotland is doing its job to ensure that we attract people from overseas.
The minister will realise that in remote areas in Scotland—including my constituency—we have huge problems getting health service professionals. He will also understand that the role played by immigrants from other countries has underpinned the health service in the past. Does he agree that targeting those people to work in rural areas would not only help to arrest the population decline, but would bring professionals to where they are needed in remote parts of Scotland?
First, I highlight the Executive's rural initiative policy and strategy, which reflects some of the population problems that Mr Stone mentions. Those problems clearly have an effect on sustainability issues within our communities.
Question 7 has been withdrawn.
Acute Health Services (West Highlands)
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that there is continued provision of acute health services in the west Highland area. (S2O-849)
Highland NHS Board and Argyll and Clyde NHS Board are co-operating on a review of health services in the west Highlands. When they have proposals for me to consider, I shall be happy to do so. In the meantime, it is a matter for the boards.
The minister will be aware that more than 2,500 people in Fort William and more than 1,000 in Oban turned out at public meetings recently to make clear their opposition to the idea that the west Highlands might become a consultant-free zone, which would result in patients having to travel hundreds of miles to either Glasgow or Inverness for emergency treatment. I ask the minister to make it clear to both health boards that such a proposal is unacceptable to him and to this Parliament. I also ask him to impress upon the boards the need for both hospitals to work together closely to come up with a joint solution to the clinical hurdles that face them.
As I said last week in the debate on maternity services in Glasgow, I have to wait for proposals to come in before I give a view on them. I understand the strong concerns in Oban, Fort William and the surrounding areas. However, at the same time, the vast majority of people accept that things cannot stay the same. I have spoken to the chairs of both NHS boards this week and they have assured me that they will take time to work with the communities on finding solutions. As is the case with changes in many parts of Scotland, we must have clinically safe services of the highest possible quality, but they must be locally accessible wherever possible. We must follow those two principles in dealing with the issue.
I commend George Lyon for the points that he made. What specific steps will the minister take to ensure that the Scottish Executive and the NHS boards understand the strength and depth of the local opposition to the proposals to downgrade west Highland hospitals? That opposition is based on a keen and pervasive awareness that downgrading the hospitals would be disastrous for the local economy.
As I said, this week I have spoken to the chairs of both boards, who are conscious of local decisions. They have assured me that no decisions will be made in the immediate future and that they will take time to work with communities on the issues. For example, the chair of Highland NHS Board assured me that an option that was proposed at the meeting in Fort William a couple of weeks ago will be evaluated fully.
The west Highland health project seems to be bent on downgrading the hospital services in Oban and Fort William. Does not the minister think that the people who live in those areas deserve an upgrade in hospital services rather than a downgrade?
As I said in my original answer, the purpose of the changes is, of course, to improve the quality and, crucially, the safety of care. The west Highland project did not come from either of the NHS boards involved, but from the remote and rural areas resource initiative, which commissioned work on the issue, based on the widespread recognition that the status quo was not an option. Some work has been done, but the boards accept that much more needs to be done.
Given that the problems that George Lyon and other members have outlined have a resonance beyond the Argyll and Clyde NHS Board area, will the minister send a strong signal to NHS boards that they must look beyond artificial boundaries that bear no relation to communities and that they must work together so that patients have access to high-quality, consultant-led services without having to travel enormous distances?
The west Highland project, which was the main issue in the original question, is a good example of health boards working across boundaries. In last week's debate on maternity services in Glasgow, I talked about the regional dimension of maternity services. The thrust and direction of health policy is towards more regional planning. The National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Bill, which the Health Committee is considering, will place a duty on boards to co-operate. That is a new feature of health policy.
Equine Passports
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the December deadline for horse owners applying for an equine passport. (S2O-821)
As Alex Fergusson knows, I announced on 21 November that the deadline for owners of horses and other equines to obtain passports for their animals has been extended from 31 December 2003 until 30 June 2004.
It is good to have an answer straight from the horse's mouth. [Laughter.] Sorry, but that opportunity was too good to miss.
Given that Alex Fergusson has had six days to prepare those opening lines, we might have hoped for better.
Scottish Opportunities Fund
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the establishment of a fully devolved Scottish opportunities fund accountable to the Parliament. (S2O-827)
Scottish ministers have a partnership commitment to establish a Scottish opportunities fund. We are presently in discussions with the United Kingdom Department for Culture, Media and Sport on how to ensure that we fulfil that commitment as part of the current review of the National Lottery.
Does the minister agree that a devolved fund would provide the opportunity for a more strategic use of those resources to meet Scottish priorities? Moreover, will he make a commitment today to push for a fully devolved fund that is accountable to the Parliament and not to accept anything less from the DCMS?
Yes.
I am very encouraged by the minister's reply. Will he also use his talents—
Oh!
Well, I want something. [Laughter.]
What Mr Gorrie has done requires the experience of a former Westminster parliamentarian. I can confirm that flattery will get him everywhere.
Transport Accessibility Audits
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for introducing transport accessibility audits. (S2O-854)
The Executive is fully committed to improving access to transport. We have set up the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, which is already active in urban and rural areas. We will carefully consider the UK social exclusion unit's proposals for transport accessibility audits when we develop our own accessible transport strategy.
Will the minister also consider setting up a working group to share best practice with the central local working group on accessibility planning in England and to promote full accessibility audits, including resource audits, action plans and monitoring for all future transport proposals?
I am pleased to confirm that we will closely co-operate with other parts of the UK and I also hope that we can learn from examples of good practice in other parts of Europe and the world. We want to do more in that area. Setting up the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland was an important initial step and it has been active in making representations to transport operators, bus and rail companies and local user groups that represent disabled people and others. The committee has also made representations on planning issues and on issues arising from the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 such as those that were mentioned earlier.
Domestic Abuse
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle the issue of domestic abuse. (S2O-833)
As the debate earlier demonstrated, the Executive is delivering a programme of prevention, protection and provision to address domestic abuse in Scotland, as recommended by the national strategy and national group.
The minister will be aware of figures released this week that highlight the particularly stark situation in Glasgow. They show that reported cases of domestic abuse rose by 10 per cent last year. Does she agree that serious consideration should be given to the implications of establishing a domestic abuse register?
This morning, we had a thorough and wide-ranging debate in which such a register was discussed. As we made clear, we will examine any proposal that we think will further tackle domestic abuse in Scotland. I am sure that Parliament is aware that there is a proposal in England and Wales to consider a register and we will examine it with great interest to see about its applicability in Scotland.
Elections (Turnout)
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures, in addition to postal ballots, it is considering to increase turnout at elections. (S2O-859)
The partnership agreement commits us to the reform of voting arrangements in order to increase participation, including investigation of electronic voting. The Local Governance (Scotland) Bill also includes a number of measures to renew local democracy. The recent Electoral Commission report on the May elections made a number of interesting recommendations about increasing turnout. Many of those are aimed at political parties, but we will deal with those that are aimed at the Executive.
Does the minister agree that, for people who have never voted, going to the polling station can be inhibiting, because they are not sure what to expect and what the process is? Is he prepared to explore ways of demystifying what goes on in polling stations, perhaps by taking senior pupils on a dry run, by using television to show exactly what lies behind the door marked "Polling place" and by explaining exactly what people have to do in the simple but important process of casting their vote?
I agree strongly with that point. In modern studies and citizenship classes up and down Scotland, some of those lessons are being learned through young people's engagement in voting. I also share the member's view that, if someone has not had experience of voting, later on in life they could feel inhibited from voting. I am more than happy to raise that point when considering any campaigns that the Executive seeks to support and in any work with the Electoral Commission. The member has commented on an interesting dimension of the subject.
I associate myself with Nora Radcliffe's remarks, but I take the minister back to the subject of e-voting. Is he aware that research by the Electoral Reform Society into the e-pilots that were conducted earlier this year in England concluded that e-voting—whether by telephone, internet, text or digital TV—does not significantly raise turnout? Will the minister give an assurance that, if Scotland is to be a pilot for the European elections, only postal voting will be offered and not a combination of postal and e-voting?
The recommendations from the Electoral Reform Society concern a situation elsewhere. We seek to support how people vote and to ensure accessibility to voting with a package of measures. The member may rest assured that we would seek to support measures that work. We should not be exclusive about our approaches and we should try to find whatever approach suits individuals. If we can make voting work for them, that is all well and good.
National Health Service (Dentists)
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in tackling the shortage of NHS dentists. (S2O-842)
On 20 November, I announced a wide-ranging consultation on the future of NHS dental services in Scotland. In addition, the Scottish Advisory Committee on the Dental Workforce is currently undertaking an assessment of the dental work force and will report its findings in spring 2004. That builds on the dental work force plans of 2000, which put in place an expansion of the dental work force.
I thank the minister for that answer and for the measures that he outlined last week. As he will be aware, some dentists in the Stirling constituency and in other parts of Scotland have withdrawn NHS treatment, in effect forcing patients to switch to private provision or—more worryingly, I think—not to be registered at all. Does the minister see an opportunity within the review of acute and other health care strategies for additional NHS dentistry provision in new or expanding primary care facilities, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas?
When I spoke about dentistry last week, I mentioned the fact that various aspects of the dental service—particularly the community dental service—are under pressure. We hope that, as a result of the consultation that we are undertaking, there will be an uplift both in professional satisfaction among dental professionals and, critically, in the satisfaction levels experienced by patients themselves. As we redesign and modernise the health service, it is important that there is not only an improvement in the conditions for professionals, but a marked improvement in conditions for the people who use the service.
Road Infrastructure (Funding)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding to local authorities for roads is adequate to maintain road infrastructure. (S2O-845)
Funding for local roads and bridges forms part of the general local government finance settlement. Across Scotland, councils are guaranteed a real-terms increase in revenue grant each year through to 2005-06. It is up to each council to decide its own spending priorities within that.
In 1994-95, when Jamie Stone was a Highland councillor, John Farquhar Munro was convener for roads and transport and Peter Peacock was convener of Highland Council, they all complained about the inadequacy of Conservative funding for roads at £34 million.
Hear, hear.
Now those three ex-Highland councillors are influential players and partners in the coalition agreement, so why has road and bridge maintenance funding now halved from £34 million under the Tories to £17 million under the Liberals and Labour?
Far be it from me to speak on behalf of such influential players and partners, but I can assure Mary Scanlon that the funding available to Highland Council, and indeed to all councils across Scotland, has never been higher. We are injecting more funding beyond current inflation levels. The average across Scotland is at least 8.5 per cent extra this year, at least 4.8 per cent extra next year and at least 3.9 per cent more in 2005-06.
Just read it out!
On 18 September 2003, Peter Peacock's reply stated:
Renewable Energy (Targets)
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3812 by Lewis Macdonald on 17 November 2003, on what basis it set the target that 18 per cent of electricity generated in Scotland will be from renewable sources by 2010. (S2O-841)
We have set ambitious targets on the basis of consultation with the industry and of our determination to tackle climate change and at the same time to capture for Scotland the economic benefits of renewable energy.
Will the minister clarify whether the 18 per cent target was set on the basis of sent-out megawatts or of the capacity of units that could be generated? If it is based on the latter, on what load factors has the Executive based its targets?
If Phil Gallie was able to predict what the power requirements of the power companies would be in seven days' time, he would be a very popular man, especially with the power companies. They might even give him his old job back. We have not attempted to predict that; we have attempted to predict where we think electricity generation requirements will go and to encourage electricity companies to apply to provide the necessary share of the capacity that is set out in our targets.
In his consultation on the use of biofuels, will the minister pay particular attention to the industry's concerns about the role of the regulator and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in encouraging operators to allow the Executive to meet its targets on such measures?
We want to encourage renewable generation from a wide range of sources, and I can tell Christine May that the forum for renewable energy development in Scotland, which I chair and which is concerned with achieving economic benefits, will consider biomass issues early next year.
That concludes question time. I will allow a slight pause as members leave the chamber.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Have you been formally notified of any boycott of question time by the Scottish Socialist Party? [Laughter.]
I will just let that drift into the pause, Mr McNulty.
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