SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Chemistry Teachers (Numbers)
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that there are adequate numbers of chemistry teachers in secondary schools. (S2O-7701)
As part of the commitment to increase teacher numbers to 53,000 by 2007, recruitment to chemistry postgraduate certificate in education courses this year has increased by 271 per cent compared with the figure for 2003.
The minister will be aware that his boss said in April in a reply to a parliamentary question that there was no evidence of any significant shortages of physics teachers or chemistry teachers. However, a recent survey by the Royal Society of Chemistry showed that more than one in five schools in Scotland has had to turn pupils away from studying chemistry as a result of a lack of teachers. Given the results of that survey and the importance of science subjects for the modern economy, is the minister happy that he is doing enough to ensure a supply of chemistry teachers?
I am well aware of that report, which I looked at closely before I became a minister. One interesting thing about being a minister is that ministers can get a bit of inside information about such things.
I have been a chemistry teacher and a teacher trainer and therefore have a keen interest in the matter. The minister knows that considerable work is being done on the curriculum for excellence and the assessment for learning programme. The latter is particularly important for teacher development in how subjects such as chemistry are taught and could well help to increase the number of students moving to degrees and on into teaching. Will he assure us of his continued support for the important work on how a subject is taught?
Sylvia Jackson is right to make the point that it is not only the numbers that are important. The quality of how the subject is taught is also important, and that is very much at the heart of the Executive's agenda for excellence.
Property (Pensions)
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to monitor the impact on house prices and the working age population in the Highlands and Islands and other parts of rural Scotland of the new pension tax legislation which will allow investors to include residential property in their personal pension portfolios from 6 April 2006. (S2O-7699)
The new pension rules that will be introduced from April 2006 are reserved to the United Kingdom Government. If there should be any evidence of the changes having a negative impact on the Scottish housing market—in the Highlands and Islands or anywhere else—the Executive will raise any concerns with the UK Government.
I hear the minister's answer, and I am grateful for it. However my question was really about the concrete steps that he might take to monitor the situation and whether he has considered fully the outcome, which could see more houses with low levels of occupancy, increased homelessness and reduced numbers of working people in rural Scotland.
Obviously, we will keep an eye on it. However, the regulatory impact assessment of the policy concluded that there is unlikely to be a significant inflow of pension capital into residential property. It proposed that the consequences of investing in self-invested personal pensions will mean that, for most people, residential property will not be an appropriate investment and that the impact of the changes is likely to be small.
Health Promotion (Children)
To ask the Scottish Executive how the proposed health promotion bill will specifically improve the health of children. (S2O-7714)
Ministers are currently discussing the scope of the health promotion and nutrition in schools bill and intend to consult on a range of options for legislation, all of which are directed specifically at improving the health of Scotland's children.
I am sure that the minister welcomes the Secretary of State for Education and Skills' belated recognition of the importance of nutritional standards in school meals.
Iain Smith makes some good points. Of course, the matter is wide and is not susceptible to a simple solution. We must deal with both the take-up of the food that is on offer, which must be attractive and interesting to children, and with dietary habits. Indeed, the issue is also linked to exercise.
School Nursing Service
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to develop and expand the school nursing service to achieve the standards set out in "A Scottish framework for nursing in schools". (S2O-7659)
National health service boards have made good progress in implementing the standards set out in "A Scottish framework for nursing in schools", in co-operation with education authorities, community health partnerships and a wide range of health and education professionals. NHS boards will be able to build on that in the future development of the service.
I am sure that the minister will agree that the school nursing service has an enormous contribution to make in improving the health and well-being of children and, indeed, communities.
We are very clear that we need to make further progress in this area. At the same time, it is important to say that the approach in Scotland is very much one in which the public health nurse is the professional in the school. We no longer have school nurses such as those of us who were at school some decades ago might remember and imagine.
I welcome the minister's comments about widening the role of school nurses to involve them in a public health role. That is extremely important.
It is a serious issue. I am not aware of any change in policy on the approach taken by nurses who work in schools. Their role is to operate within a wider team; it is no longer focused on inspection, as was once the case. That is the right direction of travel. At the same time, it is important that the whole public health team takes some responsibility for ensuring that no new public health threats arise on school premises.
Rowallan Castle
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for Rowallan castle. (S2O-7668)
Historic Scotland plans to provide regular access to the property next summer. The delicate nature of the surviving historic elements makes guided tours the best means of access for visitors. Tours were arranged this summer on a pilot basis and proved to be very popular, as did doors open day in early September.
As a participant in the Ayrshire doors open day at Rowallan castle, I enjoyed the wonderful, hitherto closed, castle. As the minister indicated, we have an opportunity to open the castle to my constituents in Kilmarnock and Loudoun and to people from beyond. However, that will require the castle owner and Historic Scotland to reach agreement on access facilities. Will she assure me that she will do all that she can to broker such an agreement, which will allow the public to share the history of the castle and the wonderful views from the castle across Ayrshire, and provide employment in my constituency?
I am very much aware that the castle provides a much needed tourism resource for east Ayrshire. In fact, it will become Historic Scotland's only staffed property in the area. I know that Historic Scotland is keen to work with owners to ensure that access is realisable. At the moment, there is a plan for a development comprising an hotel, a golf course and leisure facilities on the site. Historic Scotland wants to work in partnership with the estate managers to ensure that joint arrangements can be made so that the aspirations of both organisations can be complementary.
Historic Scotland (Planning Decisions)
To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average it takes Historic Scotland to reach a decision regarding a listed building where the local authority has granted planning consent and referred the matter to Historic Scotland. (S2O-7697)
Last year, Historic Scotland dealt with 98 per cent of those applications within 28 days.
The minister will be aware that North Ayrshire Council passed plans for the refurbishment of Nardini's cafe in Largs, which is a category B listed building, in February. Historic Scotland has had an application for consent before it for six months, and has been in consultation with the developers and the local authority for more than a year. To date, no decision has been made. Is she aware that there is the real prospect that if Historic Scotland continues to drag its feet, the project to upgrade and reopen Nardini's will collapse, and that up to 80 local jobs and an important part of Ayrshire's heritage will be lost? Is that kind of delay consistent with the Executive's enterprise agenda? Can she guarantee that she will examine the situation to see whether a conclusion of some sort might be reached in the foreseeable future?
As members will have understood, given my answer to Mr McFee's original question, it is unusual for Historic Scotland to take this long to deal with an application. However, the case is a complex one that involves the proposed demolition of a 200-year-old listed building to allow the work at Nardini's to go ahead. That obviously cannot be entered into lightly—all possible avenues must be explored before permission to demolish that listed building is granted. Historic Scotland is involved in consultation and discussion with the developers and the local authority. I am sure that there will be a resolution very soon.
I declare an interest: I live in a listed building.
I am pleased to announce that I do not have to declare an interest in that regard, as I no longer live in a listed building.
Scottish Borders Council (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met education officials at Scottish Borders Council and what issues were discussed. (S2O-7711)
Scottish Executive officials are in regular contact with their counterparts at Scottish Borders Council to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Is the minister aware of the deep concern of parents and local residents over the consultation on the future of Channelkirk Primary School in Oxton in my constituency? What powers does he have to ensure that Scottish Borders Council provides accurate information during that process? It has made an error in some papers, which state that the number of residents in Oxton is just over 100, whereas it is just over 500. When his officials next meet Scottish Borders Council officials, will he ensure that proper and accurate information is given to parents and the local community so that they can fight what I hope will be a successful campaign to secure the future of that excellent school?
Scottish Borders Council is consulting parents on the proposal that the pupils from Oxton might go to a new school in Lauder. That is a matter for the council. It would not be appropriate for ministers to comment on a particular school closure proposal, although it is important that the council sets out the arguments and takes account of views and, of course, that decisions are made based on accurate information. If there is an inaccuracy, it should come to light during the consultation period, given that one of the key purposes of the consultation is to enable parents to ask questions and seek clarification. I cannot comment further, as the consultation is on-going.
Is the minister aware that Channelkirk Primary School has 54 pupils, with 11 who are enrolled in the nursery and that, as Jeremy Purvis said, the local community numbers about 500? That is hardly unsustainable. If the school closes, it will set a new high level that is required for schools to stay open in the Scottish Borders and elsewhere. As Scottish Borders Council is not listening to the people of Oxton, will the minister meet with their representatives to discuss the matter?
I repeat that school closures are broadly a matter for local authorities, subject to exceptions, of which Christine Grahame is aware. Councils are the democratically elected bodies whose job is to consult parents and decide what is best in their local area. Legal remedies are available in certain circumstances and ministers can take final decisions, but only on a limited set of issues. The present matter is for the council and not for me.
Diabetes (Diagnosis)
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the release of figures stating that 148,000 people in Scotland suffer from diabetes and that up to 500,000 women in the United Kingdom may have diabetes without realising it, what measures are in place to offer diagnostic checks more widely. (S2O-7672)
We now have a strong focus on the importance of identifying diabetes at an early stage and the Executive supports a range of measures to prevent, diagnose and treat diabetes. That work is supported by the establishment of managed clinical networks in diabetes at local level throughout Scotland and by the incentives in the new general medical services contract. The national screening committee is undertaking a review of diabetes screening, which will help to determine what additional action may be required.
Will the minister consider a more creative approach to providing information to people who may suffer from diabetes and to those who need to undergo the diagnostic process? Will he build on the examples of good practice in Greater Glasgow NHS Board?
There are good examples throughout the country. Indeed, many of our high street pharmacies already deliver diabetes checks for those who walk through the door. Our framework shows how seriously we are taking the issue in Scotland. We lead the UK in our diabetes measures, but we are not resting on our laurels. We are trying to develop the approach that Professor Kerr's review supported, which is to break down traditional primary and secondary care boundaries. The managed clinical networks—which are very effective, as I have seen at first hand—are identifying risk, ensuring that the risk is categorised and ensuring that we get to those patients who need treatment the most.
Given the fact that diabetes can lead to circulation, sight, heart and kidney problems, as well as strokes, should not more emphasis be placed on early diagnosis to ensure early intervention for many problems?
The new contract that we have with our general practioners is delivering exactly that. The management of risk in our communities, through the GP contract and the quality outcomes framework, is doing exactly that. We are also leading the country on the issue through our managed clinical networks, which are identifying those who are most at risk and making interventions at a primary care level and outwith the secondary care sector. We are doing extremely well on the issue, although we are not complacent. We are keeping a close eye on the work of the national screening committee's review.
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