Contents
- Business Motion
- Economy
- Scottish Executive Question Time
- First Minister’s Question Time
- Scottish Executive Question Time
- Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
- Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill
- Volcanic Ash Cloud
- Decision Time
- Veterans (Criminal Justice System)
Scottish Executive Question Time
Europe, External Affairs and Culture
On-screen Smoking
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any proposed film or television productions that have been lost to Scotland due to the lack of derogation that would permit characters to be depicted smoking on screen. (S3O-10184)
The Scottish Government is not aware of any film or television productions that have been lost to Scotland specifically as a result of the smoking ban. Producers base their decisions to film in Scotland on a wide range of factors, including fiscal incentives and the availability of skilled crew and good locations.
England, Wales and Ireland have smoking bans, which I support, but they also have derogations that permit film-makers to depict characters smoking on screen. The lack of such a derogation in Scotland puts our film industry at a competitive disadvantage. For instance, two years ago, a project called “A Very British Sex Scandal”, which was set in the 1940s and 1950s, switched from Scotland to England because of the issue. British Academy of Film and Television Arts award-nominated productions, such as “Nowhere Boy”, “An Education” or “The Hurt Locker” could not have been made in Scotland for similar reasons. Will the minister meet industry representatives to discuss the issue?
I have had no representations on the issue. In Wales, legislation on smoking came into force on 2 April 2007. Following public consultation on draft regulations in 2006, the Welsh Assembly Government decided not to provide an exemption for performers, and it has advised that there is no hard evidence to indicate that the legislation prevents any productions from being made in Wales, which contradicts the member’s comments. However, if the member has any evidence or representations, I am happy to engage with him on that.
I am sure that the minister is aware that it is not actually compulsory or necessary to depict smoking—or to glamorise it—in film and TV productions. Is the minister also aware that, in last week’s episode of “Doctor Who”, a number of world war two Spitfires flew into space and attacked the Daleks’ mother ship? I believe that everyone knew that that was faked by the TV company, but we now find that Charlie Gordon believes that it really happened. Does the minister agree that, if it is possible to fake Spitfires in space—I am sorry to have spoiled Charlie Gordon’s illusions about that—it is not beyond the ingenuity of film and TV companies to fake smoking without forcing actors to inhale cancer-causing chemicals while they are at work?
Unfortunately, I missed the latest episode of “Doctor Who”, even though I am an avid fan.
There are, of course, different technological ways of using film inventively and creatively. Despite the smoking ban in Scotland, there are a variety of ways in which smoking can be shown where that is required by artistic integrity in reflecting, for example, 1950s Scotland, when more people smoked. Electric cigarettes can be used, for example, as is being done in Scottish Opera’s current production of “La Bohème”. Some ingenuity and respect are needed.
The important point is the success of the smoking ban: I acknowledge Stewart Maxwell’s personal involvement in ensuring that the ban happened. With cross-party support, we have managed to achieve a great improvement in health promotion. The point about not glamorising smoking was one of Stewart Maxwell’s more serious points.
Does the minister agree that a much more serious threat to Scottish film production is the introduction of the new United Kingdom film tax credit, which has had a serious impact on Scottish producers’ ability to mount co-productions with European partners? Will the Government—
No. I am sorry Mr Brocklebank, but that is not in order. That is not a supplementary to the question that was asked.
It is about a threat to Scottish film-makers that is far more important than the smoking ban, to be honest.
No, the question was about a derogation that would permit characters to be depicted smoking on screen.
Well, well.
North America Plan
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide an update on its North America plan. (S3O-10160)
My recent visit to the United States for Scotland week provided me with a valuable first-hand perspective on the opportunities for promoting Scotland in the US. I shall be reflecting on this with officials with a view to publishing a refreshed United States plan shortly. We are also working on a new plan for our engagement in Canada.
In light of the North America plan and the recent visits by ministers and others of our colleagues to the United States of America, has any research been done into the benefits that those visits have brought and, if so, and considering the high costs involved, what additional income have those visits generated?
The US is an important market for us in terms of business. Our Scotland week events included 20 business meetings that were conducted by all three ministers. Each year, we examine the feedback and research into the coverage that we receive in terms of publicising and promoting Scotland’s interests.
It is essential to ensure that we get value for money from the expenditure on Scotland week, and I assure the member that we have taken every step to ensure that that is the case.
Can the minister put a timescale on the refresh of the North America plan? Does she recall that she indicated to me in a letter that was sent on 28 January that the Government had reviewed its representation in North America and had extended the remit of the office not only to include Canada but to co-ordinate better the activity of various agencies, which at one point was the subject of a committee inquiry into the promotion of Scotland? Is the minister able to say what benefits those actions have brought about?
It is essential, as I said in my previous answer, that we ensure that we get value for money from all the operations that are funded by the Scottish Government, whether through Scottish Development International, the Scottish Government office in Washington or VisitScotland. During my time in the United States, I paid specific attention to those issues to see what progress is being made.
There are particular opportunities in Canada, due to personnel issues, and we are pursuing them.
On the member’s first point, about the timing of the publication of the refresh, I hope that she understands that I want to reflect on my visit. However, we published the south Asia development programme on 1 March and the India plan on 26 March. The Pakistan plan is due to be published before the summer recess, and the wider south Asia engagement plan and the US plan are due as well. By the summer recess, the European and External Relations Committee will have a range of plans to support our international strategy, on which the Government can be held to account.
Gaelic Education (Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
To ask the Scottish Government what implications the publication of “Ginealach Ùr na Gàidhlig: An Action Plan to increase the numbers of Gaelic speakers” will have for Gaelic education in Kilmarnock and Loudoun. (S3O-10228)
Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s action plan and our response were published last week. We expect that the effective implementation of the action plan will have important implications for Gaelic education in Kilmarnock and Loudon and throughout Scotland. We will be working closely with Bòrd na Gàidhlig to ensure that we bring improvements to the key areas of Gaelic early years education, Gaelic school education and Gaelic adult education.
I was particularly interested in the potential of having home visitors to encourage parents to enrol their children in Gaelic-medium education. I agree that that will be vital if the language is to grow in the years ahead.
Can the minister outline how that proposal is to be taken forward and what opportunity there will be for families in Kilmarnock and Loudon to participate?
The member is correct to identify the need to support the supply of teachers and people who can help to promote the Gaelic language. and the need to stimulate demand for use of Gaelic. I am in full agreement with the proposal that Gaelic education be promoted to parents.
I am encouraged by the work that is being done in East Ayrshire. I understand that there is a Gaelic parent and toddler group at Mount Carmel primary in Kilmarnock and Gaelic-medium provision at Onthank primary, with secondary provision at Grange academy. I also understand that the council offers adult learning opportunities but, of course, providing support for parents means that we have to have a greater emphasis on adult education, to enable them to learn Gaelic and use it with their children.
Scotland Week
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assess the benefits to Scotland of its engagement in Scotland week in North America. (S3O-10157)
I fear that we may have covered this ground already.
I will attempt to vary my answers. I am pleased that there is such interest in Scotland week from members.
The benefits of our promotional activities during Scotland week will be realised in various ways. Some are immediately obvious, such as the media coverage in the US and Canadian print and television media of events such as the Scotland run, the “Dressed to Kilt” event and the Harry Benson photographic exhibition, which brought Scotland to the attention of hundreds of thousands of people.
The benefits of our engagement with existing and potential investors in Scotland and with travel operators might become apparent only in the medium to longer term, as companies shape their future investment plans. We are confident that engaging with two of our largest international markets is absolutely the right thing for us to do.
I thank the minister for her full and varied reply. Does she share my concern that as part of that taxpayer-funded trip, her colleague sitting beside her—the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning—used a platform in the USA to set out the case for Scottish independence? Surely if the Scottish ministers are to use such trips for party-political purposes, those trips should be funded from the coffers of the Scottish National Party and not by the Scottish taxpayer.
It will come as no surprise to Murdo Fraser that Scottish independence is the policy of the Government; it would be highly unusual for a Government not to explain such a policy. However, there is an important point here. As Michael Russell said in his debate at Carnegie Mellon University, everyone recognises that the issue of constitutional debate is no longer about whether change is needed, but about what form that change should take. Even the Conservatives would agree that constitutional change is required; indeed, it is something that Murdo Fraser has advocated. Rather than leave our international colleagues in the dark, among the 80 events promoting Scotland it was appropriate to ensure that at at least one event we gave information about Scotland. I understand from Mr Russell that people asked very pointed and informed questions, and were very interested in ambitions for Scotland. I hope that the Conservatives would agree that we should be ambitious for Scotland when we travel abroad.
Will the minister outline in more detail the cultural benefits and connections that have been established following her recent visit to the USA and how those relationships will be moved forward beyond the trip?
Scotland week provided an excellent opportunity to promote Scotland’s unique culture and creativity. In New York, I attended engagements relating to the Harry Benson photographic exhibition, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama’s American foundation and the Clan Currie Society’s “Scotland’s Gifts” exhibition, and made a number of connections. I had an extremely productive meeting with an off-Broadway theatre producer about future cultural collaborations.
In Tennessee, I attended a musical showcase at which I had the opportunity to meet John Carter Cash, Laura McGhee and a number of senior figures in the music industry, who all expressed enthusiasm for working with Scotland. Regarding my ministerial colleagues, Mr Mather attended a special dedication service to commemorate Scottish connections to the Alamo, and Mr Russell visited the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School, where he learned about the benefits that arts can bring to the wider curriculum.
The Scottish diaspora in the United States is huge, and more people in the United States wear tweed than tartan. Tweed is an export that was originally sourced from the Borders. What support is the Scottish Government providing specifically to the Scottish Borders tweed industry in the United States that it does not provide to tweed from Harris?
I hope that the member appreciates that our job is to promote all aspects of fashion, design and textile production from Scotland. I was pleased that we were able to finance an event with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. This year we provided a merchandising store promoting Scottish fashion and textiles, and we had the elite of fashion students showcasing events on fabric—indeed I was proud to wear a Harris tweed jacket, designed by one of Scotland’s top designers, to the event.
Importantly, Scottish interior design was also showcased, and formed part of a competition. The Government will continue to use and promote Scottish fashion design and fabrics whether they are produced in the Borders or in Harris.
United States of America (Ministerial Visits)
To ask the Scottish Executive what has been achieved as a result of the recent ministerial visits to the United States of America. (S3O-10180)
As part of my varied answers to that question, in 2010, our most ambitious Scotland week programme to date saw ministers undertake more than 80 engagements in 10 cities across North America. All three ministers held important business meetings with existing and potential investors in Scotland. We forged important new relationships for Scotland at state and provincial level in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Ontario. Our business first message, which is about Scotland being an internationally competitive location, received media coverage on Fox, CBS and NBC and in major dailies in New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Pittsburgh, as well as in many local and specialist media outlets—all for less than half the budget the previous Administration spent on tartan week in 2007.
Although there may not have been a great deal of originality in this afternoon’s questions, at least they are topical. This is not the place to rebut assertions by the Government, but I reflect on the sense of déjà vu that I have had in listening to the minister’s “varied” responses, especially her response to Aileen Campbell’s question. Given that the Parliament has awaited the delivery and publication of the North America plan for three years, I ask the minister in all seriousness whether it would not be better for the Executive to reflect on and to put effort into that plan, to ensure that its activities in North America are co-ordinated with it, than to try to rewrite it as a result of a week-long visit.
That was a rather churlish question. I record my thanks to Patricia Ferguson and the previous Administration for producing a good North America plan, to which we are still operating and conducting our business. However, as the member recognises, it is important to refresh the plan. One of the key challenges that the previous Administration faced was to join up the work of Scottish Development International, VisitScotland and the Scottish Government. As Irene Oldfather indicated, that was the subject of an inquiry by a previous committee of the Parliament, so it is not a new challenge. It is more useful to see at first hand what the relationships are and what opportunities exist. We will build on the good work of the previous Administration, but it is important that we refresh that, extend our reach beyond the initial plan’s focus on diaspora issues and New York and Washington, and look for opportunities from coast to coast. There is much more that we can do, although we acknowledge the good work that has been done in the plan. I reassure Patricia Ferguson that the refreshed plan will be in place before the summer recess, but ask her to give me time to develop my thinking on what it should include.
Community Arts Initiatives
To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports community arts initiatives. (S3O-10190)
The Scottish Government regards community arts as important in providing participation, appreciation and enjoyment of arts and culture. The national performing companies and collections bodies that we fund are expected to provide outreach activities that engage communities. Our partnership with local government also promotes the benefits of community arts for improving quality of life and wellbeing in local communities.
I am sure that the minister wishes to recognise and celebrate the many community arts initiatives that are making a real difference in my constituency and across Scotland. Will she acknowledge the anxiety of some community arts groups that they may be disproportionately affected by local cuts in funding because they may not be seen as front-line services? What action will the Scottish Government take to identify the impact of local funding decisions on community arts initiatives? What action will the minister take, and what resources will she provide, if local community arts initiatives are suffering disproportionately?
The member’s question relates to the future position on public funding. We have concerns about the impact on Scotland of potential cuts by the Westminster Government. All of us, including local authorities, will have to face up to that.
I understand that the community planning team in the member’s constituency of Glasgow Pollok is developing a community arts strategy and that voluntary sector groups can access funding locally from a budget of £100,000. She makes an important point about the need for us to recognise how arts and community arts projects can help to stop offending, to address mental health issues and to improve self-esteem, and can help in a range of other areas. For precisely that reason, a few weeks ago we held a seminar with local authority partners to identify how culture, arts and community work can be mainstreamed and recognised as a vital part of support in the areas that the member has identified. I am more than happy to send the results of that seminar to the member.
BBC Alba
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the BBC trust regarding BBC Alba being made available on Freeview. (S3O-10185)
Since BBC Alba’s launch, Scottish ministers have made it clear that we believe that the service should be made available on Freeview. During 2010, I wrote to the BBC trust about the issue three times. I wrote to Sir Michael Lyons, the chair of the trust, following last week’s debate in the Parliament on the Gaelic action plan. In my letter, I informed him of the cross-party expression of disappointment by many MSPs about the BBC’s delay in taking a decision on Freeview access to BBC Alba.
I also wrote to Sir Michael Lyons on 16 February, following the unanimous vote in the Scottish Parliament on 11 February on the desirability of BBC Alba being available on Freeview. In addition, I responded to the trust’s consultation on Freeview access for BBC Alba on 15 January. That consultation response can be found on the Scottish Government website.
I share the minister’s disappointment and am glad that she has pointed out to the trust the political consensus that exists on the issue. It is important that we increase access to BBC Alba not only for Gaelic speakers, but for Gaelic learners. Will the minister work closely with the chairman of BBC Alba, Alasdair Morrison, and the Secretary of State for Scotland to ensure that a speedy and satisfactory conclusion is reached?
We have and will work collectively with members of other political parties, and certainly with BBC Alba, on presenting the case. The strength of that case is further supported by the cross-party support for it.
Education and Lifelong Learning
Children (Additional Support Needs)
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the adequacy of arrangements for placing children with additional support needs across local authority boundaries and for funding their needs. (S3O-10211)
The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009, which is scheduled to commence in August 2010, and section 23 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 will, respectively, allow children with additional support needs to be placed across local authority boundaries and allow for the recovery of the costs of providing such places. It is for individual local authorities to interpret the legislation and discharge their duties in line with it.
My question arose from a constituency case involving Glasgow City Council and South Lanarkshire Council. The parents of a disabled child have been unable to place the child across the border; to be precise, they have arrived in the middle of a confused situation on placing and funding that involves the two local authorities. I think that the minister will agree that the situation is not satisfactory.
The minister has told us when the 2009 act will commence, but what measures is the Government taking to safeguard the best interests of children who are caught in such situations, and what guidance—if any—is issued to local authorities on the matter? I think that he was anticipating that question when he referred to interpretation. How many request denials based on intercouncil disagreements have arisen across all the local authorities? What procedures have been put in place to address them? I think that I had around 18 when I was in the minister’s position.
As Mr Brown will appreciate, I cannot comment on individual cases, given that I have a statutory role in relation to disputes between local authorities and costs of out-of-area placements. However, it is important to emphasise that we are talking about one local authority: Glasgow City Council. I understand that that council’s policy was set after Lord Macphail’s judgment in 2007 that parents of children with co-ordinated support plans and, by implication, additional support needs could not make out-of-area placing requests. The council’s policy was that such requests would not be considered, as they were not legally competent. As Robert Brown will be aware, the 2009 amendment act addressed that issue directly to ensure that parents’ rights in that regard were restored in line with the original policy intentions of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. Given that Parliament has clearly expressed its will on the matter and that the 2009 act will commence at the start of the new school term in August, my view is that Glasgow City Council should review its policy as a matter of urgency. I encourage Glasgow MSPs to make representations to that effect to the council. We should bear in mind that the resource implications for the council are mitigated by its ability to recover the costs of additional support services from the child’s home authority under section 23 of the 1980 act.
Teacher Numbers
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains its policy to maintain teacher numbers at the levels prevailing in 2007, as proposed in the Scottish National Party manifesto. (S3O-10169)
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Scotland has the right number of teachers to meet the needs of our pupils and our class size objectives commensurate with the economic conditions prevailing and likely for the foreseeable future.
Under the heading “Specified set of commitments”, the concordat states:
“specific arrangements for local authorities to maintain teacher numbers in the face of falling school rolls will allow significant progress ... over the Spending Review period.”
We are still in the spending review period, so let me repeat the question: is it still Scottish Government policy that local authorities should maintain teacher numbers in this spending review period?
The member knows perfectly well that Labour’s recession—the mess that Labour has made of the economy, one might say—has created considerable pressures on local authorities. [Interruption.] I see that Dr Simpson finds that entertaining. The reality is that local authorities are meeting an enormous number of pressures, many of which are from Labour’s recession and some of which are from Labour’s obsession with private finance initiatives. Local authorities are trying to deliver to the best of their ability with the support of the Scottish Government.
There is good news. I am pleased to say that the number of teachers in Scotland’s schools in 2009 was 4.2 per cent higher in primary and 2 per cent higher in secondary than when Wendy Alexander was last a minister. I regard that as progress.
From his discussions with local authorities, can the cabinet secretary say whether there has been any improvement in the process of keeping accurate data on teacher numbers in our local authorities?
That is a much more intelligent question. The question of accurate statistics in education is a key one and I constantly pursue that holy grail so that we understand fully what is happening in Scotland’s schools and do not indulge in the type of playground politics that we have just had from Labour.
Will the cabinet secretary help me to reply to a constituent who is a retired teacher and who has written to me saying,
“I have received no written statement from the Scottish Government as to why my Teacher’s Pension has been ‘frozen’ for the period 2010-11 ... I hold no documentary evidence, over several years, that my pension may or will be ‘frozen’ because of pre-stated reasons, legally enforceable”?
Have teachers’ pensions been frozen for the financial year 2010-11?
Additionally, the Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning was due to reply to me in writing to a question that I asked in the chamber some weeks ago as to why the pension contributions of the chief executive of Skills Development Scotland had increased—
Order. The member really should relate his supplementary to the substantive question, which was about teacher numbers, but I fail to detect a link in his question.
Homophobic Bullying
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent homophobic bullying in schools. (S3O-10247)
Scotland’s schools must be inclusive, welcoming places, where everyone can work and learn irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Good relationships and positive behaviour in schools are fundamental to the delivery of the curriculum for excellence.
The Scottish Government has funded Learning and Teaching Scotland and LGBT Youth Scotland to develop a toolkit to provide schools and teachers with the confidence, skills and support to prevent homophobia and deal with homophobic incidents. Every secondary school in Scotland was issued a copy of “A Toolkit for Teachers—Dealing with Homophobia and Homophobic Bullying in Scottish Schools” in February 2009. We have also part-funded Stonewall Scotland to develop a DVD resource of the play “FIT”, which was launched in March 2010. The film complements the toolkit for teachers and can be used as a resource to explore issues to meet a range of experiences and outcomes in the third, fourth and senior phases of the curriculum for excellence.
Furthermore, the Government has developed national guidance on the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007, which make discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation unlawful in a number of areas, including learning settings.
The “FIT” DVD, which was produced by Stonewall Scotland and to which the minister referred in his answer, has now been distributed to local authorities throughout the country. The response from teachers and pupils who have seen it has been extremely positive. They see the film as being an excellent tool for tackling homophobic bullying.
Given that a recent Stonewall survey said that 41 per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pupils had experienced physical bullying and a frightening 17 per cent had had death threats, will the minister encourage local authorities to ensure as far as they can that the DVD is seen by as many people as possible in Scotland, particularly children?
I can confirm that Learning and Teaching Scotland has distributed a copy of the “FIT” DVD to every secondary school in the country. We will explore with Learning and Teaching Scotland how we might further highlight that resource, and my colleagues and I will continue to promote that excellent film at every opportunity. Respectme and the positive behaviour team are also aware of the DVD and respectme has highlighted the “FIT” DVD alongside other anti-bullying films and resources on its website.
Family Mediation and Couple Counselling
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in bringing together family mediation and couple counselling services across Scotland and the long-term strategy for delivery of these services. (S3O-10225)
We wish to encourage local family mediation and couple counselling services to work closely together and to merge if that is appropriate. However, they are independent, voluntary sector bodies and it is not for the Scottish Government to force through changes that may not suit local circumstances. I am aware that local services rely heavily on local authority funding and I am deeply concerned about reductions in such support in several areas. I am pleased to say that the Scottish Government has been able to maintain funding levels for 2010-11 for the two national bodies, Relationships Scotland and Scottish Marriage Care, and for 13 local family mediation services. That funding will total £1.786 million.
I welcome the news that Scotland is finally out of the recession and the recent Scottish Government announcements of additional funding to support the economy. Will the minister also consider increasing support for families through couple counselling, family mediation and child contact services, which are offered by organisations such as Counselling and Family Mediation Grampian, which has merged?
First, I am grateful for the member’s acknowledgement of the Scottish Government’s action to help to revitalise our economy.
We also welcome and fully support the excellent and necessary service that the organisations to which the member referred provide to families in difficulties. It is extremely disappointing that that is not recognised in some local authorities, which have reduced or removed their financial support for such local services.
I am well aware of the pressures in Grampian and we are examining ways in which we might be able to help. We are looking at the issues raised in Grampian and I hope that I will be able to write to Brian Adam soon with conclusions.
We are also aware that similar problems to those that Grampian faces have emerged in other parts of the country. We will open a dialogue with the sector to examine what role the Scottish Government can play in ensuring that important family mediation services continue to be available throughout the country.
Bullying
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to address bullying in schools. (S3O-10229)
The Scottish Government supports those who work directly with children and young people and with schools to prevent and tackle bullying effectively. In conjunction with the Scottish anti-bullying steering group, which the Scottish Government co-ordinates, we have recently consulted on a national approach to anti-bullying in Scotland.
We wholly fund respectme, Scotland’s anti-bullying service, with £339,500 per annum to 2011. Respectme provides advice, information, resources, support and training to develop, refresh and support implementation of anti-bullying policies and to build capacity to prevent and deal effectively with bullying. We also provide £160,000 per year until 2011 to support ChildLine Scotland in running a bullying helpline for children who are directly affected by bullying. The Scottish Government has issued guidance, “Safe and well”, which outlines that every school and education authority should have systems in place to support school staff in cases of bullying and harassment.
I thank the minister for his comprehensive answer. I have a constituency case that involves 12 individuals subjecting a fellow pupil to cyber-based bullying tactics, including the posting of unauthorised images and comments. The police say that it is a school matter and the school says that it is a police matter. What advice would the minister give and how does he suggest that families best protect their children from that type of bullying?
The member will appreciate that I cannot comment on a particular case, nor on the police’s decision whether to proceed to prosecution. I refer the member to the agencies that I mentioned in my first answer. We have a comprehensive plan in place, which builds on the United Kingdom Government’s plan to tackle cyber-bullying. It is not the technology that bullies people; it is individuals. The agencies that I have mentioned, the local authority and the school have to tackle the individuals involved. As I said, it is difficult for me to comment on a particular case, but I am more than happy to meet the member to discuss whether all that could have been done up to now by the agencies has been done and, if not, what we can do about that.
Arts Education
To ask the Scottish Government what importance it places on the arts in education. (S3O-10242)
The curriculum for excellence recognises the value of the expressive arts and culture in providing learners with opportunities to be creative and to develop skills in art and design, dance, drama and music. Ministers hosted a successful seminar on 15 December 2009 to explore opportunities for strengthened collaborative working across the education and culture sectors. We will bring forward an action plan that builds on the needs that were identified.
As I am sure the cabinet secretary knows, the much acclaimed Dance School of Scotland, which is based in Glasgow, is under threat because the lease on its residential accommodation is coming to an end and Glasgow City Council has not yet found an alternative. Indeed, it is having difficulty in doing so. Will he join me in recognising the tenacity and determination of current pupils, staff and parents in their fight to save this national centre of excellence? Will he arrange for his officials to meet them—and possibly me and other members who have been working on the matter—to discuss possible ways forward?
I am happy to assure the member that officials will meet her and her constituents to discuss the issue. As she knows, the decision is one for Glasgow City Council. Its consultation, which requested the views of all interested parties, closed on 26 February and a decision on the course of action has yet to be announced. I am aware that parents have lodged a petition with the Scottish Parliament. Of course, the Government and, to be fair, our predecessors have given strong support to centres of excellence as being the right way forward for specialist schools.
Following the end of central funding for cultural co-ordinators, can the minister tell me how many cultural co-ordinators are still in position? How many posts have been lost and what is the Government doing about it?
The funding for cultural co-ordinators was always a medium-term measure. It is no surprise, therefore, that local authorities will make their own decisions at a time of great and increasing financial pressure—pressure that has been caused, as I have pointed out, by decisions that were made by the Labour Government at Westminster and by previous Administrations in this place. It is clear, however, that the cultural imperatives that exist in Scotland need the support of local authorities and I encourage them to think strongly about how they support culture in their areas and within education.
Teacher Numbers
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address the decline in teacher numbers. (S3O-10176)
I am tempted to say that I refer the member to the answer that I gave some moments ago. I add that the employment of teachers is primarily a matter for local authorities. However, the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Scotland has the right number of teachers to meet the needs of our pupils.
I thank the cabinet secretary for reminding us in the answer that he gave some moments ago of the massive expansion of teacher numbers between 2002 and 2007. I remind him that, in each of the past three years, certainly in Edinburgh, the number of teachers has declined. Indeed, that has been the case in many local authorities throughout Scotland. Will he work hard to find a mechanism to protect school budgets as we face increasing financial difficulties, rather than just standing by and allowing local authorities to reduce teacher numbers and, in some cases, to plan compulsory redundancies?
I am committed to the highest quality of education in Scotland, and both Mr Chisholm and I know that the delivery of that comes from local authorities. We are doing everything that we can to support local authorities—with increased resources this year—so that they can meet their obligations. We expect them, as we expect everybody in the public sector, to be forceful and imaginative about how they deliver education.
However, if the member is suggesting to me that we should magic out of thin air £80 million to replace the teachers we have lost in the past two years, he will have to tell us where that money will come from. Perhaps he could square that with the way in which his party south of the border—and indeed the other parties in the United Kingdom—talk about swingeing cuts in Scotland. It does not add up from the member and it does not add up from any of those parties.
Free School Meals
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains its position that the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to provide free school lunches to all primary 1 to 3 pupils by August 2010 has been fully funded and whether it expects this pledge to be met. (S3O-10207)
The Scottish Government remains fully committed to providing free school meals to all primary 1 to 3 pupils. However, we recognise the need to be realistic in the current economic climate. We recently agreed jointly with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities that, by August 2010, councils will provide a nutritious free meal to all children in primary 1 to 3 in the schools that are in the most deprived communities in a council’s area, although some councils might implement an alternative targeting scheme of equal extent. Councils will also work to promote increased uptake of free school meals among those who are currently eligible.
I think that I thank the minister for his response. It is clear that only one of the 32 local authorities will deliver on the pledge. Ten councils say that they do not have the funding even to attempt to deliver it. Given that there is an additional £900 million in the Scottish budget this year—
No, there is not.
An additional £900 million is in the Scottish budget this year, but it is clear that the minister and the cabinet secretary are shifting the goalposts on the commitment by telling councils that they need only demonstrate progress or provide free school meals in deprived areas. Will the minister accept that, like the SNP’s discredited class sizes pledge, the free school meals policy was never going to be delivered in this parliamentary session?
Dr Simpson should be aware that the Administration has greatly extended free school meal entitlement, so that 147,000 children are now eligible for a free school lunch. That is a 42 per cent increase on the figure that we inherited from the previous Administration, and there is more to come.
As for Dr Simpson’s funding question, our concordat commitment was indeed fully funded. However, he will be aware of the £500 million cut to this year’s Scottish Government budget that the Labour Government at Westminster has imposed. A substantial part of that had to be borne by local authorities, so it was only fair for us to help to ease the burden on local government rather than insist on maintaining an agreement that was made before the United Kingdom Government’s financial meltdown.