SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
General Questions
Sea Lice (Emamectin Benzoate)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research from Chile, Canada, America and Norway showing that emamectin benzoate (SLICE) treatments to control sea lice on salmon are decreasingly effective, what actions it will take and what guidance is being considered. (S3O-6708)
I am aware of concerns here and in other salmon farming countries about the effectiveness of SLICE. We propose therefore to establish a group of experts, drawn from our salmon farming, pharmaceutical and scientific communities, to examine the range of factors that could contribute to the effectiveness of current treatment strategies and make recommendations on how effectiveness can be optimised.
I thank the minister for that assurance, but I would like two further assurances. Will she assure us that the Scottish Government will not pursue the line that the Norwegians are rumoured to be taking—sacrificing their wild salmon stocks on the altar of the commercialisation of fish farming?
A number of people in the industry have raised the issue of sea lice with us, which is why we are setting up the group. The group will work from the summer onwards and a ministerial working group on aquaculture will oversee it.
Protection of Vulnerable Groups <br />(Scotland) Act 2007 (Implementation)
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for implementation of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. (S3O-6729)
The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 is expected to go live in 2010. The exact date will be confirmed by the Scottish Government after the successful conclusion of contractual negotiations with our information technology provider. The date will be announced well in advance, to allow stakeholders adequate time to prepare.
What discussions has the minister had with voluntary organisations, Disclosure Scotland and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations about the change in disclosure policy by Disclosure Scotland? Does he acknowledge that groups find themselves in a contractual trap because disclosure checks have to be part of contracts, but groups are no longer entitled to receive them from Disclosure Scotland? Does he acknowledge the urgency of the situation? Will he consider bringing the 2007 act into force as soon as possible? Groups are deeply concerned about the effect on the services that they seek to deliver.
Officials had a constructive meeting with representatives of the voluntary and charitable sector on 22 April, at which they listened to concerns about entitlement to seek disclosure checks. With input from those officials, we intend to expedite a legislative amendment to address the concerns. We will work closely with Disclosure Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and others to improve guidance on eligibility. It was not a policy change but a misinterpretation of current legislation that resulted in some checks being undertaken at enhanced level rather than at basic level.
Clydesdale Befrienders had to threaten to withdraw services before they were given an entitlement to enhanced disclosure checks. Will such groups be covered?
I am afraid that I do not know the details of the case regarding Clydesdale Befrienders that the member raises but, as I said, we intend to address expeditiously the situation in which such groups have found themselves through no fault of their own.
Community Halls
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to local authorities to maintain and develop community halls in rural areas. (S3O-6679)
Our concordat with local authorities leaves them free to make their own decisions on spending priorities in the context of their single outcome agreements with the Scottish Government. In addition, the Scottish rural development programme can support community halls through rural development contracts and through the LEADER programme.
The cabinet secretary may be aware that South Lanarkshire Council has decided to close the Jubilee hall in Lesmahagow, in the South of Scotland region. A survey that I am conducting shows that that has caused extreme disappointment among the local community. Does the cabinet secretary agree that such halls represent more than simply local facilities and can play a role at the heart of their communities? Does he also agree that any decision to close or change the use of such halls should be taken with full transparency, consultation and accountability?
I agree with the member's comments. Our rural community facilities, especially halls, play a role as the hub of many of our communities and should be supported where that is possible. In this case, the decision is for South Lanarkshire Council, which I hope is taking into account the factors that the member raises. As I said in my original answer, support is available to communities who want to refurbish or improve their community facilities. I do not know whether community ownership is an option in this case; the community may wish to discuss that with South Lanarkshire Council.
Can the cabinet secretary tell the Parliament how many halls have received funding from the Scottish rural development programme and how many single outcome agreements with local authorities include support from the Scottish Government, through the historic concordat, to provide security for public halls in rural areas?
I can tell the member that £4 million this year and a further £2 million next year has been allocated to community facilities. Examples of community facilities that have benefited include Newlands primary school in Romanno Bridge, near Peebles, and the Garelochhead youth and community centre in Argyll. Those are just a couple of examples—many other worthwhile projects are receiving funding and we would welcome many more from the member's constituency or any other constituency in Scotland.
I thank the minister for the answers that he has given and welcome the funding that has been made available from the SRDP to the Coalburn Miners Welfare Institute in my constituency. Does he accept that well-resourced new community schools can provide enhanced access for communities in rural areas throughout Scotland? Will he encourage local authorities to ensure that, when they build new primary schools, they ensure that there is proper and adequate community access to them throughout the day and particularly in the evenings?
The member makes several important points. In recent years, we have seen the development of new community schools providing access to local communities for a variety of purposes. That is welcomed and is enhancing the quality of life in many communities, both urban and rural, in Scotland.
Transport Scotland
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change last met Transport Scotland. (S3O-6748)
Transport Scotland is part of the Scottish Government and meetings with ministers occur regularly in the normal course of business.
Is the minister aware that recently published research by the University of Glasgow and the University of Southampton shows that the electrification of the Glasgow to Edinburgh main line will reach capacity by 2022? The line provides huge added value to the Scottish economy through reduced travelling times between the two cities. What proposals is the minister considering to introduce high-speed ground transport between Glasgow and Edinburgh before capacity is overtaken?
The issue of capacity is complex. Part of our proposals involves the creation of four-line capacity from Winchburgh junction to the centre of Edinburgh, which will provide extra capacity. The opening of the Airdrie to Bathgate line will increase capacity between Glasgow and Edinburgh, taking the number of trains per hour to 13. We recognise the economic value of time, which the member mentions. We reckon that every minute off the Glasgow to Edinburgh journey time is worth £60 million. That is why we want to get journey times down from the current 52 minutes to around 35 minutes.
The minister will be aware of the concerns among residents of South Queensferry regarding some of the details of the new Forth crossing. Will he ensure that Transport Scotland's officials meet the residents—especially those who will be directly affected by the scheme—as early as possible? Will he also ensure that they are given full access to information on the design of the approach roads and issues such as the park-and-ride facility and the Echline plaza? Will he ensure that those residents have as much access as possible to the people who will make the decisions before the final decisions are made?
The member asks a range of questions. The key point is that Transport Scotland is engaging directly with many of the parties involved in South Queensferry, and that will continue. We want to ensure that, as we finalise the design of the approach roads prior to introducing the necessary consents that will take the project forward, we have addressed all the concerns. It is not our intention to proceed with the proposed park-and-ride facility on the south side as part of the overall programme.
Scottish Football Clubs <br />(English Premier League)
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economic implications for Glasgow and Scotland of any Scottish football clubs playing in the English Premier League. (S3O-6736)
The Scottish Government has not made any assessment of the economic implications of such a move. The issue is primarily one for the relevant football authorities, both domestic and international. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the situation.
I am somewhat surprised by the cabinet secretary's response. If an engineering company, an electronics company or a financial services company that wished to expand into an English market met with the same inactivity from the Government, we would question the motives behind the Government's inaction. Given the fact that both Celtic Football Club and Rangers Football Club have made it clear on several occasions that they believe that they have outgrown Scottish football and that, to expand further, they require to find a new marketplace, will the Government give a commitment to assist both those football institutions to expand into the English Premier League if that becomes a viable proposition?
Mr McMahon trivialises the support that the Government habitually gives to companies that are focusing on their development plans. He should know better than anyone the scale of the activity that is undertaken to support companies in their business development plans. To trivialise that support in the pathetic way in which he raises his question exposes Mr McMahon's real interests in the matter.
Road Network
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between ministers and local authorities regarding the condition of the road network. (S3O-6668)
The condition of Scotland's local roads network has been raised in general discussion between ministers and local authorities during the past year.
The minister will be aware that a report from Audit Scotland in 2004 estimated that, at that time, £1.5 billion needed to be spent by Scottish councils to eliminate their road maintenance backlogs—around half of A, B and unclassified roads were in need of repair. Given the scale of the problem, which has built up over many years, and the severe pressures on local authority budgets, it is clear that, in order for real progress to be made on repairing Scotland's roads network, additional resources are required. Will the minister therefore tell Parliament what action he has taken—or will take—to help councils address the poor state of our non-trunk roads?
The member will be aware of the substantial financial support that is being given to councils and in his area and in other parts of Scotland. In the current year, East Ayrshire is receiving £253 million, North Ayrshire is receiving £305 million and South Ayrshire is receiving £230 million. It is for councils to make decisions in relation to their spending priorities. I reiterate the point that we have a fruitful and helpful relationship with local councils, which is why my officials and I stand ready to talk to councils and develop solutions.
When will the first meeting of the Government and Highland Council transport working group take place?
A date is not yet set, although I have had face-to-face discussions with the leader of Highland Council, Michael Foxley. We are of one mind that it is important that the council, the Government and other interested bodies work together. I welcome that collaborative approach, which will depoliticise the situation and ensure that a proper course of action is determined by an objective assessment of needs and opportunities.
Violence Reduction Unit <br />(Injury Surveillance Pilot)
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the progress of the injury surveillance pilot at Glasgow royal infirmary that is being undertaken by the national violence reduction unit. (S3O-6694)
Stewart Maxwell has been a strong advocate of the benefits of using anonymised injury data collected in hospitals to inform local police action. That approach, based on groundbreaking work in Cardiff, is one that we fully support, and the Scottish Government has been working in partnership with the national violence reduction unit to introduce it more widely throughout Scotland.
When does the minister envisage the current pilot being completed and the results being made available? Can he provide me with his view on whether the scheme will be rolled out to other areas, particularly Glasgow and the West of Scotland, and what the timescale for such a rollout might be?
Yes, I can and yes, we will.
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding mechanism it will use for construction of the Aberdeen western peripheral route. (S3O-6711)
The funding mechanism for the Aberdeen western peripheral route has still to be determined.
We have been waiting for two years to hear what the funding mechanism will be. Contributions will be required from both local authorities at this time of frugility—to use the words of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. If the decision is to be made after the receipt of the planning inquiry report, how long after that will it be? Does the minister have an early view of the likelihood of the route being funded through the Scottish distant futures trust?
The member is perfectly correct to point to the planning system as being the next step in the progress of this project, which is of great importance to the north-east of Scotland. I note that the fact that the public-private partnership/private finance initiative approach to raising funds for projects has been discredited means that 100 projects in England are stalled because of an inability to raise funds.
Before we come to questions to the First Minister, I invite members to join me in welcoming the Spanish ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Carles Casajuana i Palet.
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