Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, February 25, 2016

Official Report 889KB pdf

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General Question Time

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Decommissioning Jobs (Dundee)

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on securing decommissioning jobs for Dundee. (S4O-05584)

I welcomed last week’s announcement from Forth Ports on its £10 million investment in the port of Dundee, which will put Dundee and the surrounding area in a strong position to maximise the economic and employment benefits that decommissioning—and indeed offshore wind—can deliver for Scotland.

The oil and gas strategy, which was published on 8 February, sets out how Scotland can play a leading role in the development of a global decommissioning market while recognising that all efforts must be taken to avoid premature cessation of production in the North Sea. With the latest industry estimates suggesting that around £50 billion will be spent on decommissioning in the North Sea over the next four decades, we must ensure that the decommissioning process is managed effectively and that the Scottish supply chain can capitalise on the value of those projects.

The announcement from Forth Ports was very welcome, as the cabinet secretary says. However, he will also have noted the comments from Charles Hammond, the chief executive of Forth Ports, saying that public investment is also needed. To that end, the First Minister told me last week that the city deal for Dundee is under discussion. Will the cabinet secretary give me an update on how his discussions with the United Kingdom Government on a city deal for Dundee are progressing?

The first part of the answer is that when the city deal develops, we will take forward discussions with the UK Government as we do for all such questions and as we did in relation to Glasgow and Aberdeen. We will continue those discussions as the details emerge.

Of course, a city deal that emerges will be part of the long-standing support that the Scottish Government has given to the city of Dundee through the substantial investment in the V and A at Dundee and the long-term commitment to the development of the waterfront. Indeed, I was delighted to read in media reports just the other day the update on progress on the waterfront developments and about the success of opening up the city’s much-transformed infrastructure to the wider public.

The Government will maintain strong support for the city of Dundee, as it has always done.

Question 2, from Alison McInnes, has been withdrawn for understandable reasons.

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Medical and Humanitarian Aid (Syria)

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing from its international development fund to assist with medical and humanitarian aid in Syria. (S4O-05586)

In October 2015, the Scottish Government provided £300,000 to support humanitarian assistance to refugees arriving in mainland Europe. The majority of our support went to the British Red Cross and Mercy Corps. A contribution was also given to two smaller Scottish-based charities—Edinburgh Direct Aid and Glasgow the Caring City. In January this year, we donated a further £75,000 to support the British Red Cross’s medical response in Lesbos.

In 2013, the Scottish Government also donated £200,000 through the Disasters Emergency Committee for humanitarian assistance to those who were most in need, both within Syria and in the refugee camps in neighbouring areas.

I thank the minister for that answer. I really wanted an update, so that is valued.

To what degree is it possible for the Scottish Government to identify—or has the Scottish Government already identified—Scottish charities that are able to work in Syria or in the wider middle east to help afflicted civilians within Syria now?

Also, what discussions have gone on with the United Kingdom Government about how the Scottish Government and the UK Government can work together on the issue?

I thank the member for bringing the issue to the chamber because often it can be forgotten, with everything else that is going on. We are in the fifth year of that conflict, with 4.6 million Syrian refugees and more than 10 million internally displaced people in Syria.

To give credit where credit is due, the UK Government’s response in terms of financial contributions and aid to the region is the second best in the world.

On identifying Scottish-based charities, a number of charities come to us with proposals. We have not had a proposal recently, but when we have potential funding to give, I am always open minded about proposals to help in that region because it is a disastrous humanitarian situation—a crisis—and we are more than willing to help. If proposals do come our way, I promise the member that they will be viewed sympathetically and with an open mind.

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Planning System Review (Consultation)

To ask the Scottish Government how many responses it received to its consultation on the comprehensive review of the planning system, which closed on 1 December 2015. (S4O-05587)

The independent planning review panel received 392 responses to its call for written evidence, all of which are available to view online.

One of the contributors to the consultation was the south west (Edinburgh) communities forum, which represents seven community councils in my constituency. It made a detailed 12-page submission with a number of innovative ideas ranging from a low-cost right of appeal to statutory compensation for communities from developers.

Given the level of interest in the issue, are there any other ways in which individuals and communities can engage in the independent review before the panel reports later this year?

The Scottish Government is currently hosting an online discussion forum on behalf of the independent panel. That will run until 29 February, and comments are welcome from any interested parties. The online discussion, in addition to the formal written and oral evidence, will be used to inform the review panel’s thinking.

I understand that the Edinburgh Association of Community Councils is giving oral evidence to the independent panel today.

Is the cabinet secretary aware that literally hundreds of my constituents are appalled at the decision of one Scottish Government reporter, against the unanimous view of the City of Edinburgh Council’s planning committee, to allow the demolition of a much-loved restaurant at Canonmills in order for it to be replaced by an unattractive building that blocks a beautiful vista of the Water of Leith?

Will the cabinet secretary do everything possible to reverse that decision? More generally, does not he think that it is time to abolish the developer’s right of appeal in circumstances in which a council planning committee has been unanimous in its decision?

On the latter point, that is a matter for review by the independent panel, which is reviewing those kinds of issues. I hope that the member will have submitted either written or oral evidence to that effect if that is what he would like to see happening.

As far as the reporter’s decision is concerned, it is not possible for me to reverse that decision.

I call Cameron Buchanan.

Sorry, Presiding Officer—my question has been answered.

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Orkney Islands Council (Meetings)

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet Orkney Islands Council and what issues will be discussed. (S4O-05588)

On Monday I, along with my ministerial colleague Derek Mackay, met the leader and chief executive of Orkney Islands Council as part of the latest island areas ministerial working group meeting. The Minister for Transport and Islands also met representatives of the council on Tuesday to discuss ferries issues.

Yesterday, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy delighted in telling members in the chamber that every council in Scotland had accepted his plan to remove £500 million from their budget.

Does the minister accept that that was achieved only by strong-arming councils with threats of penalties and sanctions, which one senior independent councillor in Orkney described as “reprehensible ... Bully boy tactics”?

Does he agree with the leader of Orkney Islands Council, Steven Heddle, that

“Local government is a separate tier of democracy and should be afforded the respect to carry forward their own decision making”

rather than being threatened with a fine of £1.7 million?

I take the view that it is certainly far better, when asking local government to take forward key priorities, such as a living wage for every social care worker, protecting the council tax freeze and maintaining the pupil teacher ratio, that we put money on the table to fund that, as we have done.

When we take into account the £250 million, the overall reduction in funding for local government is less than 1 per cent of total estimated expenditure. In light of the cuts that have been happening to the Scottish Government’s budget since 2010, which come in part from a coalition Government that Mr McArthur supported, I think that the deal for local government has been very good. It is challenging, but it is fair.

With regard to freezing council tax, I note that, before the freeze, council tax in Orkney Islands Council increased by 116 per cent in comparison with a Scottish average of 62 per cent. I think that the people of Orkney will probably therefore welcome Scottish Government action.

What actions has the Scottish Government taken to capitalise on Orkney’s successful use of renewable energy and what steps have been taken to decarbonise the base-load for Orkney?

The issue of the interconnector from Orkney to the rest of Scotland so that Orkney can export renewable energy has been the subject of some debate in the islands areas ministerial working group and there have been discussions about that vis-à-vis the islands deal. Just this week, I have had meetings with developers in Orkney to discuss how we might be able to respond to calls for a different approach to building standards in Orkney on the basis of the large amount of renewable energy that is being generated.

We are very supportive of the amazing work that has been done in Orkney, which is very much a leader in the field of renewable energy. That is something that the whole of Scotland should be proud of.

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Prostate Cancer (Treatment)

To ask the Scottish Government how many da Vinci surgical systems for the treatment of prostate cancer there are in Scotland. (S4O-05589)

There is currently one robot, which is located in Aberdeen royal infirmary, to provide robot-assisted surgery for prostate cancer. The Queen Elizabeth university hospital in Glasgow is finalising a robot-assisted prostatectomy service, which is expected to be in place by April. A £1 million capital contribution from the Scottish Government has been committed for each of those robots. NHS Lothian has also been offered £1 million in capital to support the introduction of a robot-assisted surgery service in south-east Scotland within the next two years.

A constituent from the Western Isles recently underwent surgery in Aberdeen for which the da Vinci robotic keyhole procedure was used. Three days after surgery for prostate cancer, he walked 2 miles, and he was off painkillers after four days. It is clear that the procedure has a transformative effect for patients. What plans does the cabinet secretary have to increase the numbers of da Vinci systems across Scotland to match the coverage in England and Wales?

I am pleased to hear about the patient’s experience that David Stewart highlighted. Boards are aware of the need to move away from providing open, radical prostatectomy and to work towards making minimally invasive radical prostatectomy the norm. The west of Scotland boards are developing their plans to introduce a robot in the summer of this year. As I said in my initial answer, NHS Lothian has been offered £1 million in capital to support the introduction of a robot-assisted surgery service in south-east Scotland within the next two years. Progress is being made, and I am happy to keep David Stewart updated on it.

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Clydesdale Bank Flotation (Economic Impact)

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the economic impact in Scotland of the recent flotation of the Clydesdale Bank. (S4O-05590)

Clydesdale Bank has an established presence in Scotland as a bank that services personal and business customers and as a substantial employer. We would expect it to continue to have a similar presence in Scotland following the recent flotation of shares on the stock market.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is important to have independent Scottish companies that are headquartered in Scotland, as that has a positive impact on the quality of jobs in the wider economy?

I agree with John Mason. When headquarters functions are located in Scotland, it is clear that the knock-on effects for the quality of employment in supporting organisations, professional services and the wider community create strong opportunities for other organisations in the Scottish market. It is particularly significant that Clydesdale Bank has been one of the companies that have a strong presence, principally in the city of Glasgow, but also in the city of Edinburgh. We look forward to working with Clydesdale Bank, as we always have done, to support it in ensuring that it makes a strong economic contribution to Scotland.

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Renewables Sector (Support)

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the renewables sector. (S4O-05591)

The Scottish Government provides a wide range of support for the renewables sector. That includes support for renewables projects and related technology development; a planning system that supports the transition to a low-carbon economy; and strong partnerships with industry, academia and the Scottish agencies, such as through the renewables industry advisory group.

Will the cabinet secretary provide an update on the Beatrice offshore wind farm project and how the tendering process is progressing? He will be aware that Burntisland Fabrications, which is based at the Fife renewables centre in my constituency, is looking to win a share of the contracts, which will be vital to employment in my constituency.

The Beatrice offshore wind farm project is a partnership between SSE Renewables, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Repsol. The project was consented by Marine Scotland in March 2014 and granted an investment contract by the United Kingdom Government in May 2014.

Mr Ewing and officials from the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have been working closely with Scottish offshore wind farm developers to ensure that the Scottish supply chain is used, and that has been the case in relation to the Beatrice project. There has been further dialogue with SSE about the use of the supply chain in Scotland and it has assured the Scottish Government that it is committed to providing opportunities for Scottish businesses to tender for such activity. It is, of course, essential that the tenders that are returned are competitive in order for them to be taken forward.

Any contracts that are awarded from Beatrice will depend on a positive final investment decision, which has yet to be taken.

How many of the 750 renewables jobs that the Scottish National Party promised to Dundee have been delivered?

The issue that we face in the renewables industry and in the development of the offshore sector is that the framework in which companies develop their propositions has taken longer to materialise, and changes in the United Kingdom Government’s arrangements for such things have made that more challenging. In addition, it is clear to anyone who looks dispassionately at the issue that investment by renewables companies has been more challenging to secure and more challenging for those companies to commit to because of the changing environment.

I assure Jenny Marra, who I know has questioned the Scottish Government on the issue before, that the pursuit of jobs in the renewables industry for the city of Dundee has been an absolute priority for the Government. It remains an absolute priority, as does other investment for Dundee, which has been formidable from the Government, as I said in an earlier answer. I expect further investment to be delivered for the city of Dundee into the bargain.

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Childhood Obesity

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle childhood obesity. (S4O-05592)

The Government is committed to tackling Scotland’s issue with obesity through our strategy “Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight”. We recognise that there is no simple solution and we are pursuing actions across a broad front. An example of our work to make it easier for children to be more active is that we have increased the number of children who do two hours or two periods of physical education—the percentage increased from less than 10 per cent in 2004-05 to 98 per cent in 2015. We have also improved what children eat with our provision of free school meals.

I welcome the minister’s answer, but it is disappointing that Fife and Tayside still have stubbornly high numbers of children who are at risk of obesity and are classed as overweight. The Scottish Government’s food commission has expressed support for a children’s food policy that takes a much more strategic approach to children’s diets. Does the minister agree that that approach is necessary if we are to achieve long-term cultural change?

I agree that we need to fund the child healthy weight intervention programme, and we will continue to fund it through the outcomes framework. That will provide greater local flexibility on decisions on how to maximise the value from the resource against clearly defined outcomes and with a focus on delivering strategic priorities such as reducing health inequalities.

Given that breastfed children are much less likely to present as obese, will the minister give an update on the Government’s strategy to support and promote breastfeeding?

I continue to take a keen interest in that. In fact, I will visit another breastfeeding initiative in the west of Scotland in the next few weeks. We are clearly making progress, albeit that it is slow, on persuading more women to start breastfeeding.

Before we move to the next item of business, members will wish to join me in welcoming to the gallery Mr Eitan Na’eh, who is Israel’s chargé-d’affaires in the UK. [Applause.]