SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Europe, External Affairs and Culture
I have raised the manner in which I expect questions to be asked with all business managers, who I hope will have discussed the issue with members. In the interests of fairness to all members, and to allow for as many questions as possible to be asked, members should keep their questions brief and in the form of a question, rather than a statement. In addition, I do not expect multiple questions to be asked. Although I have no desire to do so, if necessary and should members fail to adhere to that advice, I may be forced to stop questioners. I also expect ministers to respond accordingly.
Malawi (Sustainable Development)
Briefly, to ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage sustainable development in Malawi. (S3O-4649)
A splendid example, Dr McKee.
As announced last Monday, the Scottish Government is funding 29 projects from the international development fund to continue our programme of support for sustainable development. The projects include programmes in education, health, civil society and economic development in Malawi. The new funding allocation means that we have met the annual commitment to allocate at least £3 million to the Malawi development programme, taking into account existing projects.
Are any of those projects concerned with the needs of disabled people in Malawi, whose needs are even greater than those of the average citizen there?
Equally perfect.
Several projects that received funding in our recent Malawi round will address specifically the needs of people with disabilities by enabling them to access educational, vocational and employment opportunities. Those include a project by the Global Concerns Trust that will provide carpentry and tailoring courses for adults with disability, and one by Malawi Tomorrow that promotes equality in education for blind and visually impaired children. All the details of the projects are on our website—those are only two of the projects that affect the sector.
Does the minister agree that Malawi should remain the focus of Government overseas aid and that, until we have evaluated our contribution in Malawi fully, it would be foolhardy to dilute that effort by spreading our limited resource funding? Does she agree that only after that evaluation should we perhaps apply the experience that is gained in Malawi to neighbouring sub-Saharan Africa countries?
There is general recognition of the special work that we are doing in Malawi. For the first time, an amount has been ring fenced for Malawi each year and we have focused the international development policy. As members know, we have a section for sub-Saharan Africa. Fourteen applications for that have been received and are being assessed. I will make announcements on that in due course, but I expect the applications to be focused and to take into account our experience in Malawi.
The minister has visited Holyrood secondary school in the south side of Glasgow in my constituency. What efforts will the Scottish Government make to encourage other schools in Scotland to follow the incredible example of Holyrood secondary on investment in sustainable development activities for Malawians, particularly young children who face big challenges in education?
That is an extremely important question. I was hugely impressed by Holyrood secondary school and would like to hear the outcome of the visit from the school. The Scotland Malawi Partnership does great work in Glasgow. Our team of officials in the Government also do a lot of great work to ensure that schools in Scotland and Malawi create links, which is extremely important. For example, one successful project in the present round has been run by Stenhouse primary school. That project can be used as a model of how to create co-operation agreements.
Traditional Arts and Scots Language
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support Scottish traditional arts and the Scots language. (S3O-4606)
Traditional arts and the Scots language are extremely important to the Government. We are undertaking an audit of current provision for the Scots language to establish what measures are in place to promote it and what opportunities exist to make further progress. I acknowledge that concerns have arisen following the Scottish Arts Council's recent decisions in its flexible funding allocations. I therefore welcome the council's extension of funding for Scots language organisations until October 2009 and its encouragement to three traditional arts groups to apply for further funding. I am considering how we can best ensure that our traditional arts can be supported in the longer term.
It hardly bears resemblance to the facts to say that there is support for Scottish traditional arts, because consideration does not pay the bills. A number of organisations in Scotland face financial crisis and an uncertain future. Will the minister ensure that adequate financial provision is made to ensure that those organisations are able to survive?
Since the flexible funding round, the Scottish Arts Council has announced a strategic fund of £300,000 to address the future of the affected organisations. So far, £80,000 of that money has been committed to supporting the Scots Language Resource Centre and Scottish Language Dictionaries for a further six months on completion of the current funding in April 2009. Further details of allocation will follow the Scottish Arts Council's discussions with the traditional music forum, and I will also hold discussions with the forum. The unsuccessful organisations have been invited to apply for up to £30,000 to address strategic issues.
In light of the multiple benefits of introducing the Scots language into the school curriculum—which have been reported by local education authorities, and include the improvement of children's English—and of the imaginative measures that some LEAs have taken to introduce the Scots language, would the minister encourage a formal mechanism or forum for the sharing of best practice in the area?
I am very impressed by the recent survey that Mr Wilson carried out across education authorities in Scotland. As I said, I await the results of the audit into the Scots language, which I expect next month. I have committed to holding a major seminar of interested persons and organisations in January; I hope that Mr Wilson will attend that, in light of the findings of his survey, and contribute to the on-going discussion.
As the minister knows, many traditional groups and others in the Scottish arts and culture sector are concerned about the possible cost of a merger between the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, and the impact that that could have on their funding. Can the minister give an estimate of what the overall transitional cost will be? Will she offer an assurance that that cost will not lead to cuts in funding to traditional arts and other grass-roots organisations?
As I said at committee recently, the transition cost for creative Scotland will be in the financial memorandum to the public services reform bill, which is due to come to Parliament and to the appropriate parliamentary committee. Out of respect for the Parliament, the cost will be discussed at that time and not before.
Piping
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of the importance of piping to Scotland's economy. (S3O-4651)
Piping is an extremely important part of our national identity. Its economic importance includes drawing many visitors to Scotland.
Is the minister aware that next year is the 65th anniversary of the College of Piping, which coincides with the year of homecoming? Is the Scottish Government aware of the significant influence that the college—which is the oldest piping educational establishment in Scotland—has had on piping in Scotland and abroad? Will the minister accept an offer to visit the College of Piping to learn more about its valuable work?
Yes, of course. I join Mr McMillan in congratulating the College of Piping on reaching a landmark anniversary. I have promised to visit the college during its anniversary year. The important contribution that the college has made to piping in Scotland—and the world—through the many ways in which it promotes and encourages piping is quite astounding. The college has maintained a high standard of piping education over the years, and I am sure that it will continue to do so for many years to come.
Policy and Spending Priorities<br />(European Union)
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is changing its policy and spending programme priorities in relation to the European Union in response to the economic impact of the global financial crisis. (S3O-4604)
As part of our six-point action plan in response to the global financial and economic situation, the Scottish Government will front-load spending on the 2007 to 2013 European structural funds programmes to provide a direct stimulus to the Scottish economy.
The minister will recall that at a meeting of the Parliament's European and External Relations Committee earlier this month, I and other members pressed her on the need for flexibility of our EU priorities and funding programmes to respond to any detrimental effects of the current global financial crisis on, for example, small and medium-sized enterprises and urban regeneration projects. Can Parliament expect to hear details of such flexibility in those areas soon?
Yes. As I have always stressed, our European priorities are set out in such a way that we expect them to be flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances.
Does the minister agree that the Scottish Government's approach to assisting economic recovery in Europe is far more constructive than that of the UK Government, which labels our neighbours as being somehow bankrupt or insolvent?
Absolutely. The Government believes Scotland to be a strong part of Europe and wishes to work with our European partners to best advantage for Europe and Scotland, which is always at the forefront of our minds.
Question 5 was not lodged.
Scottish Screen
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied by Scottish Screen when awarding grant assistance to feature film projects. (S3O-4588)
Scottish Screen uses four main criteria when assessing applications across all funding strands. They are: cultural impact; creative impact; the business case and ability to deliver; and market/audience interest. Specific information related to each funding strand can be found in the investment guidelines on the Scottish Screen website.
Was the minister able, during the recess, to catch the Scottish film "Stone of Destiny", which benefited from £300,000 of taxpayers' money? The film was derided by the critics, one of whom called it a national affront and said that it was
Sadly, I have not yet been able to see the film, although I look forward very much to seeing it because I have heard such excellent reports about it.
I can tell the Presiding Officer and members that I saw "Stone of Destiny" on the weekend that it opened, and my family and I loved it—[Interruption.] Surprisingly, yes. Does the minister think that new possibilities have opened up for Scottish Screen?
Absolutely. We have many talented people in Scotland at all levels of the film industry, from technicians all the way through to some of the finest actors and film makers in the world. When I look at some of the absolute gems that have been created in Scotland using Scottish-based artists, including that wonderful film "Stone of Destiny", I am sure that the future of the screen in Scotland is bright.
BBC Alba (Scottish Programmes in English)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to include Scottish programmes produced in English on BBC Alba, as highlighted in the final report of the Scottish Broadcasting Commission. (S3O-4584)
I congratulate BBC Alba on its success so far; with viewing figures released of more than 600,000 over its first week, it has exceeded the expectations of many. It is important that BBC Alba is able to build on that early success, establish its own identity and make progress by gaining access to other platforms.
When will the future prospects of BBC Alba be reviewed and how will they be determined?
It is important to remember that MG Alba's statutory remit is to commission and make programmes in Gaelic. To make English language programmes would be outside its statutory duties, so the introduction of English language programmes would cause some difficulties for MG Alba as a partner in BBC Alba. However, Ms Milne is right to raise the issue because the BBC trust would probably wish to assess the value and impact of the BBC Alba channel as it goes on. The BBC trust will do that, of course, in relation to BBC Alba moving to the Freeview platform. Over the years there will be many tests. We are working closely with the chair, board and staff of BBC Alba to ensure its continued success.
“Scoping and Mapping Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland”
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to implement the recommendations contained in the "Scoping and Mapping Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland" report. (S3O-4587)
Intangible culture heritage is a concept that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization promotes, which concerns a broad range of factors that communities and individuals recognise to be part of their cultural heritage. The "Scoping and Mapping Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland" report makes a number of recommendations about maintaining and promoting aspects of our nation's identity, cultural practices and living traditions. Museums Galleries Scotland, which the Scottish Government supports financially, commissioned the report and is pursuing the implementation of its recommendations with Napier University, which conducted the research that underpins the report.
What resources will the Scottish Government provide to ensure that the spread of ICH practice and knowledge creates business opportunities for Scotland?
Museums Galleries Scotland, which commissioned the ICH report, is acting as policy leader and having further discussions with Napier University. There has been no financial impact on the Scottish Government at this stage. I await with interest the findings of Museums Galleries Scotland and Napier University.
Dos the minister agree that, given that the school of Scottish studies at the University of Edinburgh collected many of our traditions in music and story before the folk revival, the scoping and mapping of intangible culture heritage must include the many festivals and storytelling events that have taken place since the folk revival? Will that material be collected and made accessible to people round the country?
That is an interesting point, and I will ensure that it is passed on to Museums Galleries Scotland and Napier University. I have often stated in the chamber that the Government is committed to the traditional arts and to recognition of them. I want very much to take on board those aspects in my discussions about how we preserve and promote our traditional arts. I have arranged cross-party meetings in the Parliament of representatives with an interest in this area. What Rob Gibson has raised will inform part of the discussion, which I look forward to very much.
Education and Lifelong Learning
For the benefit of members who have entered the chamber since question time resumed, I repeat that, as they will know from their business managers, I expect questions to be kept brief and to be in the form of a question rather than a statement. I also expect ministers to respond accordingly.
Teachers (Aberdeen)
To ask the Scottish Executive what negotiations it has had with Aberdeen City Council on teacher numbers. (S3O-4593)
Teacher employment is a matter for individual local authorities. We have had no negotiations on the subject with Aberdeen City Council. However, I understand that the council's budget monitoring board recently agreed to the recruitment of 59 additional teachers and a further five to provide maternity cover.
What reassurances can the minister give me on future teacher numbers in Aberdeen? With more than 60 posts lost already this year and more redundancies looming, the local branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland has suggested that teaching posts can be saved only at the expense of closing schools. With other local authorities also cutting teaching posts, what has happened to the Scottish National Party's pledge to maintain teacher numbers? Teacher employment was not a matter for local authorities before the election, so why is it now?
The member seems not to have listened to my reply. Just in the past week, Aberdeen City Council's monitoring board has agreed to the recruitment of 59 additional teachers and a further five to provide maternity cover. Clearly, as we all know, the council is in a difficult financial position, which it inherited. I congratulate it on the speed of its recovery. I think that it will come to realise, as it has done recently, that it will need extra teachers. Richard Baker will no doubt have seen an interesting press article in which a prominent trade union leader states that Aberdeen should have
School Meals
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any economies arising from co-operation between local authorities in the provision of school meals. (S3O-4635)
Provision of school meals is a matter for local authorities. However, the McClelland report urged the improved use of collaborative procurement activity in the public sector as a means of achieving value for money for the public purse and the sharing of expertise and best practice among public sector buyers.
Does the minister share my concern that some councils, such as Clackmannanshire Council in my constituency, which also provides school meals facilities for other councils, appear unaware of the potential opportunities for economies of scale and additional revenue that could be achieved through the free school meals initiative? Is he also concerned that some councils and council leaders seem unaware of the commitment that they freely entered into when they agreed to the free school meals initiative under the concordat? Is he concerned that they may be jeopardising this beneficial and popular policy?
As I said, I would certainly encourage local authorities to learn lessons from one another, which includes learning lessons from the free school meals pilot that we undertook during the past academic year. I am very encouraged by the response to the pilot initiative and by the overwhelming popularity that the initiative gained from local parents, teachers, headteachers and—not least—pupils themselves. I am very encouraged by the findings, which I suggest should be considered carefully by any local authority that wishes to object to the policy.
Hugh O'Donnell.
Thank you, Presiding Officer, but the minister has already answered the question that I was going to ask.
The minister will be aware of the evidence that was given to the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee yesterday by local authorities, 14 out of 24 of which said that they would have difficulty with the implementation of the policy. The Government says that the policy is fully funded, so who is wrong? Is it the Government or the local authorities?
I refer Murdo Fraser to the statement that was made by Pat Watters last week, in which he acknowledged and welcomed the fact that, within the financial settlement to which the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities agreed and signed up under the concordat, we have fully funded the introduction of free school meals for primary 1 to 3 pupils in 2010-11. To my mind, some local authorities are trying to open up discussions because they have been facing exceptional pressures during the past year from increases in energy costs and the like. That is nothing to do with the financial settlement in relation to free school meals. They are using this issue to raise their concern about those pressures and I believe that some of our colleagues on the Labour side of the chamber are also being rather mischievous in developing their arguments about that. No doubt we shall be coming back to engage with them on the issues.
Retraining
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to people who wish to retrain. (S3O-4624)
The Scottish Government is fully committed to the training and retraining of Scotland's people. We invest heavily in Scotland's lifelong learning system, providing individuals and businesses with access to a range of training to help to prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead.
The cabinet secretary will be aware that there is a current issue in the financial services sector, in which employment will contract across Scotland. Has any consideration been given to putting in place a proactive scheme to work alongside employers to identify opportunities in other areas of the economy so that if people have to move out of the financial services sector, they can move into another area seamlessly?
We have to monitor the jobs situation. I reassure the member and Parliament that, during the past month, I met the board of Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish funding council to make the precise point that we should look for creative and different ways to work cross-sectorally and with institutions such as universities and colleges to ensure that we maximise workers' full potential, whether they are in work, are seeking to retrain, or may have to seek alternative employment in the future depending on the jobs market.
School Meals (Funding)
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will renegotiate the concordat with local government to provide sufficient funding to fulfil its commitment to provide free school meals for all primary 1 to primary 3 pupils. (S3O-4616)
We do not need to renegotiate the concordat as the local government settlement already provides sufficient funding to fulfil the Scottish Government's progressive policy to provide free nutritious school meals for all P1 to P3 pupils. We estimate that that will cost about £30 million when rolled out fully for the academic year 2011-12, with the roll-out starting in August 2010. That was confirmed by the all-party Convention of Scottish Local Authorities leadership group on Friday 10 October and again by the full convention on Friday 24 October. Labour MSPs might want to block free nutritious school meals for our youngest, but the rest of Scotland wants to see their implementation.
I thank the minister for her reply and I also note the earlier answer of her ministerial colleague. On whether the policy is fully funded, will the minister respond to the evidence that the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee received this week from Falkirk Council, the City of Edinburgh Council and Aberdeen City Council—to name but three Scottish National Party-led or controlled councils? What exactly is wrong with the evidence of those councils, each of which has identified a problem with funding?
Unlike some members, I have read the written evidence that was presented to the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, and I think that the gross distortions that have been made by some people will come back to haunt them.
We have already heard that Pat Watters of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities said that the free school meals policy is fully funded. Does the cabinet secretary support the views of other members of COSLA who yesterday told the Local Government and Communities Committee that there is no need to renegotiate the concordat as a result of the policy, that any additional financial pressures on local government were external to the concordat, as they involved matters such as inflation in food and fuel prices, and that the free school meals policy is, indeed, fully funded?
Absolutely. Our job is to implement this progressive policy. I am pleased that COSLA is recommending that we move to the next stage, which is legislation. The legislation will remove the legal block to free school meals. We know that, in the previous session, the Labour Party refused to remove that block or, indeed, extend the policy. I hope that the Parliament can come together behind what is a commonsense, practical and popular policy that will improve the health of our youngest pupils.
Pupils for whom English is an Additional Language (Glasgow)
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it will provide to Glasgow City Council to support schools that have a substantial number of pupils who do not have English as a first language. (S3O-4613)
The Scottish Government is investing record levels of funding in local government—£34.9 billion over the period from 2008 to 2011. All education authorities have the flexibility to allocate the resources that are available to them to meet their local needs and priorities. That includes providing for pupils for whom English is an additional language.
The purpose behind my question relates to the unforeseen pressures that have emerged in my constituency as a result of the intake of more than 2,000 new residents from the Slovakian Roma community, due to recent changes in the European Union. That has resulted in major pressure for Annette Street primary school in particular.
I would be happy to meet Mr McAveety to discuss that situation. He will be well aware that Glasgow City Council recently reviewed its provision of English as an additional language service and found that it did not meet the needs of all its children. It is reorganising its staff, deploying them more efficiently and targeting them in areas in which the most need has been identified—Govanhill might well be in that category. I note that there have been significant increases in funding for some colleges in Glasgow. John Wheatley College, which is in the member's constituency, has received £36,000 in extra funding for the teaching of English as an additional language.
Question 6 has been withdrawn.
School Building Programme
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is still committed to matching the previous Administration's school building programme brick for brick. (S3O-4666)
Yes. Just last week, we signed off another major school building project in Inverclyde, which will see the construction of four new low-carbon schools. The project will benefit 2,500 pupils and the construction industry to the value of around £80 million. Since May 2007, the Government and authorities have committed a further £2 billion to the on-going school investment programme. We anticipate that, during the four-year parliamentary session, we will deliver or secure through a range of funding mechanisms around 250 schools, benefiting more than 100,000 pupils. That certainly matches the previous Administration's school building programme brick for brick.
It is the previous Administration's school building programme.
Order.
The minister will be aware of the problems that the school building programme in Edinburgh faces in the current economic downturn, especially in my constituency. Two secondary schools—Boroughmuir high school and James Gillespie's high school—need to be either moved or completely refurbished. With the Scottish Futures Trust currently little more than a glorified advice shop and with no scope for capital investment, what practical steps will the Scottish Government take to ensure that Edinburgh's school building programme remains on track and on time?
It is up to the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure that its programme proceeds. At the end of the day, each and every one of us must make choices. It is regrettable that in Edinburgh the Liberal Democrats chose to support trams rather than capital investment in school building, but it is for authorities to make choices based on local circumstances. The school investment programme is progressing and has not been halted. A range of funding mechanisms is being used, including the traditional procurement method of borrowing. It is important for the construction industry to know at this time that, over the next four years, there is £2 billion-worth of construction business in the school building programme from which it can benefit.
Schools (Edinburgh)
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with City of Edinburgh Council regarding investment in school infrastructure. (S3O-4595)
Ministers and Government officials have met council representatives on a number of occasions. Issues relating to school buildings have been discussed at those meetings.
Following on from that answer and the previous answer from the cabinet secretary, is the minister aware that, only yesterday, the City of Edinburgh Council announced that it faces a £20 million funding gap due to the credit crunch alone? Given that the council was already unable to fund major investment in schools such as Boroughmuir high school, in my constituency, James Gillespie's high school, to which Mike Pringle referred, and Portobello high school, what help does the Scottish Government intend to offer the council? If the Government's attitude is that school building has nothing to do with it and is a matter for the council, what comfort can it offer to parents of children in the schools that I have mentioned? Which of the 250 projects to which the cabinet secretary referred will happen in Edinburgh?
As they say in the other place, I refer to the answer that my colleague gave earlier. I reiterate that it is up to the City of Edinburgh Council to decide how it spends its money. Almost £3 billion, including an extra £115 million in 2008-09, is available to the 32 local authorities for investment in infrastructure, including schools. Like everyone else, we recognise the impact of the credit crunch but, in the end, decisions about school building rest with the City of Edinburgh Council. I am sure that the extra investment that has been provided and the money that will come from the Scottish Futures Trust will enable the City of Edinburgh Council, along with other councils, to continue investing in schools. As the cabinet secretary said, in the Government's first year, 11 capital projects, to the value of more than £1 billion, have been delivered in collaboration with local authorities. That is a very good start.
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