Common Housing Registers
To ask the Scottish Government what it does to support shared or common housing registers for local authorities, housing associations and housing co-operatives. (S4O-02857)
The Scottish Government has published a number of documents that provide advice on how to establish a common housing register. They are all available on the Government’s website. I can provide the member with directions to the relevant part of the website.
I have raised a number of issues about dwelling houses that are owned or are under the control of the Scottish Government. It has been suggested that there is no central database for those properties. Would the minister undertake to consider the opportunities for those properties to be made available to local authorities, housing associations and housing co-operatives, rather than having them disposed of on the open market or, worse, to property speculators?
I am willing to discuss the suggestions that the member has in that regard. I will arrange to meet the member, along with officials, to get the details of what is being proposed. We will then consider the proposal and get back to him.
Given that housing completions are at their lowest since 1947 and waiting lists are at 155,000, does the minister recognise that there is an issue with getting affordable housing in many of our communities? Will she agree to work with Labour on a national housing action plan to address those issues?
The Scottish Government has a vision for housing and a plan to increase the supply of affordable housing and housing in the rented housing market. We are already doing that. If the member wants to make any suggestions, we will certainly consider them. We have offered meetings in relation to the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which is currently going through the Parliament, and are willing to discuss housing issues that are raised with us. Certainly, however, we are doing all that we can to increase the supply of affordable housing in Scotland.
School Closures (Consultations)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to amend the statutory consultation period for school closure decisions by local authorities. (S4O-02858)
We have no such plans at this time. The changes to the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, which are being taken forward as part of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, implement a number of recommendations of the commission on the delivery of rural education. The commission considered the consultation process for school closure proposals as part of its remit and did not recommend a change to the statutory consultation period for local authorities.
The cabinet secretary might be aware that, later today, Aberdeen City Council will finally abandon the proposals to close Bramble Brae and Middleton Park schools. The decision to consult on those proposals was taken on 7 February 2013, meaning that the entire process has lasted just a week short of a full calendar year. It took six months from the decision to consult to the consultation actually beginning. Can the cabinet secretary consider the issue of timescales between decisions to consult and the commencement of consultations, because protracted delays lead to great uncertainty and anxiety for pupils, parents and communities?
I remember seeing at least the exterior of Bramble Brae primary school when the member was the by-election candidate in the constituency. It is a very good school, and I am glad about the decision that has been made. I also remember the Labour candidate in the by-election claiming that the delays were due to a failure of Education Scotland, which turned out not to be the case.
There is a strong argument to be made about ensuring that the process is timeous and respects parents. I have concerns that councillors who operate what one might call a pre-consultation consultation are perhaps doing that not to gain information or gather views but in order to soften up or wear down opposition to closure.
I hope that councils will be mindful that this is a difficult and stressful time for any community or group of parents. The legislation is designed to help and protect both sides and to create a level playing field for both sides. [Interruption.]
Mr Kelly seems to have views on this matter that he wants to give from a seated position. When the amendments to the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill come to the chamber, I hope that Mr Kelly—voluble as he now is about the matter—will support the measures that are designed to assist parents and local authorities.
101 Non-emergency Telephone Number
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the 101 non-emergency police telephone number. (S4O-02859)
That is a matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority. However, I understand that the number of calls to the 101 non-emergency number is steadily increasing, which has helped to make the police more accessible while reducing pressure on the 999 system. There are, on average, 280,000 non-emergency calls to the 101 number per month and around 46,000 emergency 999 calls per month.
The 101 non-emergency number replaces all local police station numbers with one easy-to-remember number that can be used to contact police anywhere in the country. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It can also be used to arrange for a police officer to visit a member of the public in their own home at a time that suits them.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that very informative answer. I am aware that the 101 number costs a flat rate of 15p wherever it is called from and for however long the call lasts, and I recognise that Police Scotland does not make any money from it. Nevertheless, I wonder whether consideration could be given, further down the line, perhaps with the cabinet secretary’s encouragement, to making the 101 number free to call. Many people rely on mobile phones these days and if they had no credit they would find it difficult to phone 101. That could keep people phoning 999 when doing so is not appropriate.
I understand the member’s point and I will feed that back to both the chief constable and the Scottish Police Authority.
The Police Scotland advice is clear: if people are in any doubt, they should use the 999 number. When a crime is in progress or somebody nearby is suspected of acting in a way that may endanger life and limb, people should not hesitate to use the 999 number, which, as Linda Fabiani said, is free to call.
The non-emergency 101 number is intended to allow people to contact their local police station or police officer to get advice, to make arrangements and to address non-emergency matters. As Linda Fabiani correctly points out, the number is charged at a flat rate of 15p from a land-line or mobile network, no matter what the time of day or how long the call lasts. In many instances, that will be cheaper than previous non-emergency numbers and cheaper than calling the local police station. However, I will happily feed back her suggestion to those who are responsible for the number.
Care-home Residents (Council Tax Exemption)
To ask the Scottish Government what powers local authorities have to exempt care home residents from council tax payments on their unoccupied properties. (S4O-02860)
Statutory responsibility for the implementation and administration of council tax, including eligibility for discounts or exemptions, lies with the relevant local authority. Ministers have no powers to intervene in individual cases.
An unoccupied dwelling can be exempt when the liable person was formerly resident there and has moved to receive personal care, whether in a hospital, a home or elsewhere. However, local authorities must take all circumstances into account in assessing any individual’s council tax liability and there may be some cases in which that exemption does not apply.
Is the minister aware that East Dunbartonshire Council is demanding council tax payments of up to 90 per cent from care home residents whose unoccupied properties are on the market for lease?
Thanks to the member’s information, I am now aware of those circumstances. However, as I said in my original answer, ministers have no power to intervene. I advise the member that there is an appeals process that can be followed and that any challenge to the decision of the local authority can be taken to the valuation appeals committee. I refer the member to that source.
Historic Scotland (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Historic Scotland and what issues were discussed. (S4O-02861)
I last met Historic Scotland officials on Monday 20 January, on the very top of the Forth rail bridge, as we marked the submission that week of the dossier supporting the nomination of the iconic Forth bridge as a world heritage site. The Forth bridge is renowned throughout the world, and I am sure that members across the chamber will want to express support for the nomination.
Given the concerns about the recent planning application at Culloden and yesterday’s call-in of the decision over New Lanark, both of which involve hugely important historic sites, does the cabinet secretary retain full confidence in the organisation and the statutory framework within which it operates? Furthermore, has she sought assurances from Historic Scotland that its procedures for investigating the potential impact of planning decisions are suitably robust? It is critical that we demonstrate that safeguards are in place if we are to secure world heritage site status for the Forth bridge.
I have confidence in Historic Scotland’s procedures; indeed, they are very robust. Every application is different; some, for example, relate to different types of sites.
On Culloden, I reassure the member that, for the first time, we have an inventory of battle sites. We are consulting on draft legislative proposals on planning. We will ensure that under the draft proposals, which are under consideration by the Minister for Local Government and Planning, planning authorities
“protect, conserve and, where appropriate, seek to enhance the key characteristics and special qualities of sites on the Inventory of Historic Battlefields.”
The Hyndford situation has been called in to ministers, so I am sure that the member will understand that I cannot discuss the matter at this time.
Private Rented Housing
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the quality and affordability of private rented housing. (S4O-02862)
All private landlords are required to ensure that homes that they let meet a statutory repairing standard throughout a tenancy. Tenants can apply to the Private Rented Housing Panel to force landlords to carry out repairs to meet the standard. The Housing (Scotland) Bill includes measures to improve the quality of private rented housing. Rents in the private sector are set at the market rate.
The Housing (Scotland) Bill includes welcome measures such as the regulation of letting agents, which may help to drive out some of the most exploitative practices in the industry. Is the minister aware of the many tenants who are landed with unfair and, in some cases, illegal fees and charges or with deposits rebranded as advance rent in order to get around the deposit protection scheme? Is the minister open to amendments to the bill to address some of those matters, as well as other issues, such as energy efficiency in the private rented sector, where the uptake of measures is not high, which increases the unaffordability of costs that people face in the sector?
The member will be aware that, next year, we will consult on energy measures in the private rented sector, so we are taking on board the energy efficiency issue.
We are aware of some of the issues that the member has raised about tenancy deposits, fees and premiums. We have clarified those matters. However, during the course of the Housing (Scotland) Bill, we are listening very carefully to stakeholders and members. I am open to listening to any suggestions on how to improve the situation for tenants.
There has been a huge growth in the number of people who own one buy-to-let property. What assurances will the minister give that the proposed regulations in the Housing (Scotland) Bill will ensure that single property landlords are regulated properly to protect individual tenants from unfair charges and poor standards?
All landlords are registered under the landlord registration scheme. The bill aims to ensure that tougher measures are put in place to enforce that. We have enforcement actions available and we want to make sure that those are used and strengthened.
We will have regulations on the registration of letting agents. There will be consultation on the whole sector, including landlords, letting agents and tenants, to produce a meaningful code of conduct. We will target landlords who are not meeting the standards that we want them to meet.
We are doing what we can. As I said, we have offered a meeting with members of the Opposition to discuss their concerns as the bill progresses. I hope to continue the discussion with the member then.
Question 7, in the name of Clare Adamson, has not been lodged. The member has provided an explanation.
Oil and Gas Revenues (Post-referendum Negotiations)
To ask the Scottish Government what role oil and gas revenues will play in any post-referendum negotiations with the United Kingdom Government. (S4O-02864)
With access to all the policy levers that independence would bring Scotland could, at last, create the fiscal incentives that would not only allow the industry to realise its potential and avoid the damaging taxation provisions previously made by successive United Kingdom Governments, but allow all Scotland’s people to benefit.
For decades our oil wealth has been squandered and, unlike in Norway and virtually every other oil-producing country, no oil fund was set up. That was a huge error, as politicians including Alistair Darling, David Steel and Neil Kinnock have indicated. As Denis Healey said, the UK has underplayed the value of Scotland’s oil.
I thank the minister for that full answer. I take it that he agrees with the former Scottish Office economists, the Cuthberts, who say that Scotland deserves billions of pounds in compensation for the way that oil revenue has been squandered since the 1970s. What steps can he take to recompense the Scots for that?
The answer lies in our hands on 18 September.
Since oil and gas production began in Scotland, the UK Government has raised approximately £180 billion in direct tax revenue from it. Adjusted for inflation, that is equivalent to approximately £300 billion in today’s prices. Those revenues have gone directly into the UK Exchequer, with successive Governments failing to invest the windfall for the long term.
To date, around 90 per cent of total oil and gas tax revenue has been generated in Scotland’s waters. Independence for Scotland will ensure that Scotland’s vast oil and gas reserves are efficiently and safely extracted for the benefit of the Scottish people. With more than half of oil and gas reserves by value still to be extracted, there is ample opportunity to invest Scotland’s oil wealth for future generations.
Will the minister’s consideration take into account the potential impact on future tax revenue of decommissioning costs?
Yes, it will. It will also be based on a policy that has been sadly absent in the UK: namely, stability and predictability. With three unheralded tax hikes in the past decade or more, as Sir Ian Wood said:
“fiscal instability has been a significant factor in basin under-performance.”
We rely on what Sir Ian Wood says, not what the Conservatives say.
Scotrail Franchise (Consultation)
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has had with trade unions since the publication of the ScotRail franchise draft invitation to tender. (S4O-02865)
Building on the extensive engagement prior to the publication of the draft invitation to tender—ITT—on 19 November 2013, officials from Transport Scotland were in discussions with the trade unions on 10 January this year, concluding discussions with the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen regarding apprenticeships, and on 20 and 21 January with the Scottish Trades Union Congress clarifying issues on staff uniforms.
Will the minister tell me why the Scottish Government felt that it was appropriate to ban the wearing of trade union badges and ties in the new ScotRail franchise, given the long tradition of that on our railways? Why were officials upholding that ban on trade union insignia up until a last-minute U-turn?
I think that the member is perhaps misinformed. The issue concerned the branding of the new franchise holder and ensuring that the ScotRail brand was maintained and made clear to future passengers. As soon as the issue was raised with the STUC talking to officials, we clarified the point.
We support trade union membership in the rail industry. I have met the trade unions involved in the industry more than any previous transport minister. We have had effective engagement on the ITT. I think that the unions would tell the member that it is probably the best deal that they have in a franchise throughout the UK and compared with previous Administrations. The one, fairly minor issue that the member raises was dealt with quickly to the satisfaction of the STUC. That is proper and constructive engagement.
Independence (Childcare)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of childcare provision in an independent Scotland. (S4O-02866)
In “Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland”, the Government set out its ambition to establish after independence a universal system of high-quality early learning and childcare for children from the age of one to when they start school. We have also published two papers on the Scottish Government website setting out our assessment of childcare provision in an independent Scotland.
To be clear, will the minister explain to women throughout Scotland why only a yes vote can secure such transformational change in childcare provision?
Independence will mean that we have access to tax and revenues generated by increased female participation in the workplace to fund childcare. It also means that we do not need to invest in immoral weapons of mass destruction or rely for further expansion on handbacks of our own money through consequentials. Only with independence do we have the chance to create the fairer and more equitable country that we seek.