Good morning. The first item of business is general questions.
Teacher Recruitment (West Lothian)
To ask the Scottish Government what additional financial support it has provided to West Lothian Council to recruit additional teachers in line with the Government’s policy on class sizes. (S4O-04384)
The Scottish Government has provided a total of £51 million in the current financial year to maintain teacher numbers and pupil teacher ratios across Scotland. That is a central element of our priority to raise attainment and deliver the best outcomes for all our children. Maintaining teacher numbers will clearly have an impact on class sizes.
Of the sum referred to, £41 million has been released in the local government settlement, and West Lothian Council’s share of that is £1.604 million. The additional £10 million will be available when the teacher and pupil censuses are published in December and we have ascertained whether local authorities have met the teacher numbers commitment. West Lothian Council’s indicative share of the additional sum is £382,000.
I am surprised that the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning is not here to answer the question. West Lothian Council will have had its budget savaged by the Government to the tune of £89 million by 2016-17. To meet the cabinet secretary’s demand on teacher numbers the council needs 42 more teachers, but it has additional funding for a grand total of seven. Does the minister know what services the cabinet secretary suggests be cut in her constituency to meet those grossly underfunded demands?
As I have indicated, for West Lothian Council, which is what the question was about, £382,000 is the indicative share of the additional £10 million. I mentioned the £10 million because that was the figure that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities requested and the figure that was provided.
The member asks about hard choices and competitive budgets. Given the way in which the Scottish Government is protecting the share of money that goes to local government, it would be nice if, once in a while, the member asked a few questions about why the Scottish Government finds itself with declining budgets every year.
Question 2, in the name of Jim Hume, has not been lodged. The member has provided an explanation, but it is not acceptable.
European Commission (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the European Commission and what was discussed. (S4O-04386)
The Scottish Government meets the Commission regularly, including through our frequent attendance at the European Council. For example, Richard Lochhead met the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, at the 20 April agriculture and fisheries council meeting. Commissioner Hogan will be visiting Scotland in June.
On 19 May, I attended the culture and audiovisual council, where I led for the United Kingdom Government in preliminary discussion of the digital single market as it affects audiovisual markets and the Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Günther Oettinger, made a presentation on the digital single market strategy.
Next week, Roseanna Cunningham will participate in a panel discussion in Brussels on how to address unemployment in the European Union, alongside Marianne Thyssen, the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility; and Richard Lochhead will participate in a panel discussion next week alongside the Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, during green week 2015.
I welcome the leadership that the Scottish Government has shown on the transatlantic trade and investment partnership negotiations in calling for greater transparency within the negotiations and for a double lock to be enshrined in the TTIP agreement that will explicitly exempt the national health service. Can the cabinet secretary give an assurance that she will continue to make representations to the European Commission to ensure that the Scottish Government is not at the mercy of any future legal action if it decides to act to protect our national health service and other vital public services in Scotland?
Yes, and I acknowledge the member’s continuing interest in the issue. The Scottish Government will continue to press the case with the Commission and the UK Government for explicit protection for the NHS and other vital public services to be on the face of any TTIP agreement. We will also argue for the right of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament to regulate in the public interest without fear of legal action. Following European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström’s helpful response to the European and External Relations Committee’s report on TTIP, arrangements are being made for Scottish ministers to meet her to discuss TTIP and seek assurances on these important matters.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners’ Rights last met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. (S4O-04387)
Along with the Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training, I have written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions concerning the range of issues that span our portfolio areas. I look forward to receiving his reply and discussing some of those very important issues. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions formally.
Given the persistent refusals by the appropriate secretary of state and ministers to attend the Welfare Reform Committee during the term of the previous Westminster Government, when he meets his Westminster counterparts will the cabinet secretary press upon them the need for them to attend the Devolution (Further Powers) Committee to properly discuss benefits that are to be devolved to Scotland?
I am more than happy to do that. Respect is a two-way process: they require respect from us and we require respect from them. The issue that the member raises is one of the issues that we will be dealing with in terms of respect, and I am keen to ensure that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions adheres to the spirit of the recent settlement on devolution in terms of the transfer of welfare powers, as well as to the letter of what will become the law.
Road Safety (A92 in North East Fife)
To ask the Scottish Government what can be done to improve road safety on the A92 in North East Fife. (S4O-04388)
More than £24 million has been invested in the A92 since 2007 to ensure that it is well maintained and operates safely. Our operating company, BEAR Scotland, has completed a route accident reduction plan report covering the A92 between Halbeath and the Tay road bridge. The aim of that report was to develop a prioritised list of improvements to the A92, and those will enhance road safety. Many of the safety improvements that were identified in this report have already been delivered, and others are programmed for this financial year.
We continue to assess the safety performance of the A92, alongside other trunk road routes, on an annual basis, and look to improve the safety of the route to support anticipated traffic levels.
The minister will be aware that transport officials recently visited Freuchie, in my constituency, where there have been two fatalities in recent months, to witness traffic flow and behaviour. Although an options report for improvements to the road is to be published shortly, there is concern about the financial constraints that might impact on that report. Will the minister agree to meet me following the report’s publication to discuss it further?
Yes, of course. I am happy to meet the member, and I have other meetings arranged regarding concerns about this route. Following the publication of the report, I will be happy to review the road safety recommendations, including those at Freuchie. The Scottish Government will of course continue to take all appropriate action to maintain and safely operate the A92 corridor.
ScotRail (Club 50 Scheme)
To ask the Scottish Government what impact it expects replacing the ScotRail club 55 scheme with club 50 will have on the number of older travellers from the Highlands using services. (S4O-04389)
Club 55 has been withdrawn by ScotRail, and club 50 is a completely new scheme that is being introduced. Promotional fares are a commercial matter for the operator, and the Scottish Government does not specify or regulate such fares. Club 50 is open to all travellers of 50 and over, and it will offer substantially discounted off-peak rail travel on all routes and all days right across Scotland. By comparison, club 55 was available only at limited times during the year. We anticipate that club 50, together with a range of new ticket offers, such as advance purchase tickets from £5 between any two Scottish cities, will lead to an increase in the number of older travellers from all areas, including the Highlands, using ScotRail services. We recognise that there may be a few instances in which individuals who benefited under club 55 could be disadvantaged, and we have asked ScotRail to look at that issue. Although the club 55 name will no longer be used, in future ScotRail plans to offer similar discounted ticket offers indirectly to the club 55 audience.
Speaking on behalf of older travellers, I point out that, under the club 55 scheme, in the months for which the scheme ran, people could walk up, show proof of age and get on an off-peak train. Club 50 has annual membership fees, and all tickets have to be reserved in advance and online and are subject to availability. That seems to me to be a very different level of service that disadvantages long-distance travellers. We do not know what the figures were for the number of people who used the club 55 scheme. What has Abellio done to ask the travelling public whether the new scheme is better? It could impact on older travellers and result in their not using the railways at all.
I have made no judgments on the age of Rob Gibson and I do not define members of the public who are 50 or over as old.
I expect ScotRail to promote the new scheme, to get an understanding of usage and to reach the targets that we have set in the key performance indicators. Of course, there are penalties if ScotRail does not do that. I want ScotRail to use the information sensitively to ensure that, particularly during off-peak periods, we maximise the use of the increasingly popular railways and support those who are 50 and over to take advantage of the fantastic routes that we have. I will certainly share any information that I have on that with Rob Gibson and any other interested member.
Home Ownership
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to assist people who aspire to home ownership. (S4O-04390)
The Scottish Government has a number of initiatives in place to support people into home ownership. Those include support for people with lower incomes to buy houses through our low-cost initiative for first-time buyers—LIFT—schemes, which include £70 million for 2015-16 to help first-time buyers through the open market shared equity scheme. We are also providing help through the £305 million help-to-buy (Scotland) and small developers schemes and through initiatives such as our rural rent-to-buy pilot, which operates in the Highlands. We are also working with lenders and the industry, including Homes for Scotland, to consider the need for future support for home buyers and the housing market.
Given that the main help-to-buy scheme budget has been cut this year, is the minister surprised to discover that the scheme ran out of money a full seven weeks earlier than it did last year? Is it her intention to reduce the budget still further in years to come? Would it not simply be easier for the Scottish Government to decide that it does not support those who aspire to home ownership and give up altogether?
The Government assists people into home ownership. I have outlined exactly how we do that. The help-to-buy scheme has always been a demand-led and cash-limited scheme. The industry asked us for £225 million and, to date, we have provided £305 million. Initially, the industry reckoned that we would assist 4,500 people into home ownership through the scheme, and we estimate that, by the end of the scheme, we will have assisted 7,500 people. The Government supports home ownership and has a number of schemes available. We continue to work with industry.
The minister will be aware of the growing problem of people on interest-only mortgages being invited to pay them back by their mortgage provider, perhaps becoming homeless as a result if they have insufficient funds to repay those mortgages. Is the Government content with the schemes to support such people? Is anything further envisaged to help people who find themselves in that predicament?
The Government has already considered allowing the home owner support fund to take in cases involving interest-only mortgages when someone finds themselves in debt. We are already looking at that, and we will look at it further. We have taken that into account and we continue to monitor the situation and the number of people who might fall into it.
Emergency Eye Care (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding the provision of emergency eye care. (S4O-04391)
The planning and provision of services to local people are matters for local health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment.
I was recently contacted by a constituent, Mr Kenny Caffrey from Paisley, who regularly needs hospital eye care treatment. He raised concerns about the implications of recent changes to emergency eye care in the Clyde area and the inconvenience that they could cause him and other patients. I will write to the cabinet secretary on Mr Caffrey’s behalf.
How does the cabinet secretary think that we can improve emergency eye care using improvements in electronic referrals?
I will write to Neil Bibby about the particular issues that his constituent faces.
I am aware that in April Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board introduced a new short-notice ophthalmology appointments system across the Clyde area. Any patient who is experiencing an eye problem can attend their community optometrist or general practitioner, who can refer them to be seen by an ophthalmologist in a hospital setting, should that be felt necessary. I understand from the board that that system has already successfully been put in place across greater Glasgow and that it has resulted in a major reduction in waiting times and quicker access to treatment in Glasgow. It is hoped that it will offer the same benefits to patients in Clyde but, as I said, if Neil Bibby wants to write to me about the circumstances of the patient whom he mentioned, I will make sure that he gets a detailed reply.
Modern Apprenticeships (Deaf People)
To ask the Scottish Government how many deaf people have undertaken a modern apprenticeship in the last five years. (S4O-04392)
The information that Skills Development Scotland publishes is not broken down by disability. The member will be aware that information on individuals who take part in a modern apprenticeship is gathered on the basis of self-declaration, so it may be an underrepresentation of the true picture.
However, SDS is currently undertaking a data-matching exercise, which will provide an indication of the potential underreporting of disability and other health factors. That exercise, which is in its final stages, will provide a more accurate picture of disability participation in the programme.
In addition, the £500,000 funding for SDS that was announced in Parliament on 13 May will support the final development and delivery of an equalities action plan for MAs and will include specific improvement targets for disabled participation.
Presiding Officer, I apologise for my voice.
It was very attractive.
I thank the cabinet secretary for struggling through that answer.
I welcome the investigation that the cabinet secretary mentioned, but we know from the statistics that we have that the proportion of deaf school leavers who enter the jobs market is particularly low in comparison with the proportion of those from the hearing population who do so. Given that an apprenticeship represents one of the best ways of entering the jobs market, how does the Scottish Government plan to improve the deaf awareness of employers of apprentices and to increase the number of deaf apprentices?
A number of initiatives are in place to help with that. “A Template for Success” is an SDS initiative that is aimed at post-school transition for deaf young people. There are also careers information and guidance workshops that highlight apprenticeship opportunities through the Commonwealth apprenticeship initiative, which is dealt with through the hearing impairment unit at St Roch’s school in Glasgow and which is particularly targeted at deaf young people. In addition, there are equalities-funded programmes that are targeted at those with disabilities, who include deaf young people.
The member will be aware of the concerns that exist about the proposals from Westminster that could cap access to work provision, which would have a particular impact on deaf young people. We are talking to the Department for Work and Pensions about that.
There are other specific projects that are funded by the Scottish Government, including a Deaf Action project and a Deaf Connections project. There are projects that are specifically designed to get young deaf people into employment. The difficulty with the modern apprenticeship programme is that we leave it entirely up to young people to choose whether to declare that they have a disability, and I have spoken to young people who have told me that they would not and did not declare themselves as having a disability.
Housing Associations (Affordable Rents)
To ask the Scottish Government what recourse is available to tenants in the social rented sector who believe that their housing association rent cannot be considered an affordable rent. (S4O-04393)
Social landlords in Scotland have a responsibility to set rents and service charges in a way that balances the level and cost of services provided with affordability for tenants. Landlords also need to demonstrate transparency in how rents are calculated and have a legal duty under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 to consult tenants and registered tenant organisations about rent increases.
There is an additional problem for constituents of mine who are on housing benefit and who are seeking employment. When housing benefit is withdrawn, rents can be challenging to pay, which can be a disincentive to finding employment and can fuel in-work poverty. I encourage the Scottish Government to examine potential solutions to that significant problem.
If anyone in social sector housing is struggling to pay their rent, they should speak to their landlord as soon as possible. They might wish to seek free, independent advice.
The affordability of rents is important to the social rented sector and the Scottish Government. We certainly do not want there to be any disincentive to tenants going into work.
Before we move to the next item of business, members will wish to join me in welcoming to the gallery Mr Jan Peumans, the Speaker of the Flemish Parliament. [Applause.]