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Plenary, 06 Oct 2005

Meeting date: Thursday, October 6, 2005

Official Report 780KB pdf

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Question Time

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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Finance and Public Services and Communities

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Working Time Directive (Public Services)

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that public services will not be adversely affected by implementation of the European working time directive and other negotiated reductions in staff contact time with the public. (S2O-7757)

Proposed amendments to the European working time directive are still under discussion and several aspects of the proposals are far from clear. It is not possible to predict how long it will take to reach a final agreement. However, I assure the member that ministerial colleagues and I are working closely with United Kingdom ministers and that we support their efforts to retain the flexibility of the opt-out. We also welcome the European Commission's proposals on clarifying on-call time and the timing of compensatory rest.

Does the minister concede that too often such workforce issues are becoming drivers of service change as opposed to the desire to meet the needs and wants of the public for service improvement? That is well illustrated by current proposals to centralise accident and emergency services in the national health service, which could lead to the loss of vital services such as those provided by the accident and emergency department at Ayr hospital. Why should short-term staff recruitment and retention problems shape the long-term structure of public services in such a way?

As I said in my initial response, ministerial colleagues and I are working closely with UK ministers and we support their efforts to retain the flexibility of the opt-out. On the member's point about Ayr hospital, the Commission's proposals on clarifying on-call time and the timing of compensatory rest might go some way towards meeting the concerns that he has raised.

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Glasgow Housing Association

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Housing Association is on target to improve the housing of its tenants, as promised in the stock transfer agreement. (S2O-7763)

In the past two years, Glasgow Housing Association has made significant progress in delivering better housing for its tenants. During that time, £160 million has been invested in tenants' homes throughout the city, which has produced benefits such as more than 10,000 homes with new central heating systems, more than 13,000 re-roofed properties, more than 8,000 homes with new kitchens and more than 3,000 homes with new bathrooms. A further £127 million is being invested in the current year, and the GHA is well on track to deliver better housing and stronger communities for its tenants.

I am sure that members welcome the £160 million that has been invested so far and the £127 million that is still to come, but is the minister satisfied that the GHA has put in place an appropriate level of estate management so that the refurbishment work that has been carried out can be maintained to a decent standard and the substantial investment is protected? Does the Executive monitor that vital aspect of the GHA's work?

Bill Butler makes an important point about estate management. Often, things that are external to people's houses can have the greatest impact on them and can be as important as the quality of the housing. Indeed, there has sometimes been a failure of investment in things that are external to homes. We know of communities that are in decline in which the houses are exactly the same kind of houses as there are in flourishing communities in other places. It is impossible to overstate the importance of estate management and dealing with the fabric of houses.

I am aware that the GHA understands and appreciates that. Indeed, it is to be applauded for the commitment and priority that it has given to the neighbourhood relations team, which absolutely understands that the quality of houses and people's living accommodation can be severely damaged if external things are not addressed. Obviously, as a result of the key role of tenants in community ownership, they have brought that matter to the attention of those who provide homes.

On Bill Butler's final point, Communities Scotland has an important role to play in regulating, monitoring and supporting all housing associations, a key part of which is understanding the important issues that have been described.

The minister will be aware that the GHA's second-stage transfer to local housing organisations is now in doubt, following the UK Government's agreement to the European Commission's ruling, which classifies social landlords as public bodies and means that tendering will now become Europe-wide. Will the minister confirm that that is, indeed, the situation? What will she do about it? Does the position not—as we have always said—leave the stock transfer in chaos?

It would be wonderful if Sandra White would come to Glasgow, at least on one occasion, and recognise the huge investment that is being made in its housing. It seems that, for as long as stock transfer has been referred to, her abiding campaign has been to make the people of Glasgow feel that it cannot and will not work. The evidence is that it can work and will work.

On her point about procurement, the fact is that it does not impact on second-stage transfer. The GHA has made it clear that it remains committed to second-stage transfer as a key way of ensuring the involvement of tenants—something that Sandra White and the Scottish National Party resisted even in relation to stock transfer. Clearly, it is a matter for the GHA to address. We are working closely with it and supporting it in considering the best way forward. The legal advice that was given before transfer was sound, and we are confident that second-stage transfer and the involvement of tenants—which is central to stock transfer and the transformation of Glasgow's housing—are still on track.

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Efficient Government Initiative

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all savings secured through its efficient government initiative will be invested in front-line services. (S2O-7786)

Yes. All the savings that have been realised through our efficient government programme will be reinvested in improving service delivery for the people of Scotland.

I am sure that the minister will have noticed that some sections of the media are devoting considerable space to Audit Scotland's response to the initiative. Does the minister have a view on how appropriate those responses are?

I am delighted with our engagement with Audit Scotland. In essence, the response has three characteristics, all of which I would expect in a response from a body with Audit Scotland's responsibilities: first, it was challenging; secondly, it was constructive; and thirdly, it was proportionate. Some Opposition politicians—mainly Scottish National Party and Conservative members—have decided to concentrate on the challenging rather than on the proportionate and the constructive aspects. However, recent election results show that the people of Scotland can see right through that approach and treat those members' response with the contempt that it deserves.

I take the opportunity to give a proportionate response to the minister's previous answer.

Can the minister explain why the Government has taken the view, through the top-slicing of budgets, that local authorities will not be able to redeploy the efficiencies that they make through the efficient government programme on front-line services such as schools or welfare provision, whereas other areas of government have been permitted to do so? Does he accept that that is inequitable and runs the risk of undermining the very front-line services that the efficient government initiative is designed to support?

I accept that, by the end of the present spending review period, local government will have received a 55 per cent increase in resources. I also accept and recognise that local government has a proud record of finding efficiencies. We know, from past performance, that top-slicing a certain proportion of those savings is entirely appropriate.

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Green Belt (St Andrews)

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the current green belt proposals for St Andrews. (S2O-7736)

Scottish Ministers approved the Fife structure plan in July 2002 with a modification that required the identification of a green belt around St Andrews and the boundaries to be defined in a local plan. Therefore, the exact definition of the green belt is a matter for Fife Council, as the planning authority.

Is the minister aware that the proposals for green belt that are outlined in Fife Council's current draft local plan fall far short of the green belt commitments that were outlined in the 2002 structure plan? Is he aware that, far from offering a belt to encircle the town, the redrawn proposals will encourage private development interests that could threaten the historic landscape setting of St Andrews? How might the situation be addressed by the Executive's new thinking on green belts generally?

As I said in my answer, the precise details of the green belt are for Fife Council, although there will be a local inquiry and the reporter will, no doubt, have a view as well.

As Ted Brocklebank acknowledged, our role is to lay out the policy. An important Scottish planning policy was issued in the summer, which clarified the key objectives for green belts and acknowledged and emphasised the role that green belts can play in protecting and giving access to open space within and around towns and cities.

I will highlight two features of that. First, the policy advocates a fundamental review of existing green belts, to ensure that they can accommodate growth over a 20-year period. In other words, we want a long-term view to be taken. Secondly, and crucially—this relates to our wider proposals for planning modernisation—the policy places a stronger emphasis on the development plan than was the case previously. It stresses that the establishment and review of the green belt should be carried out by local authorities through the development plan process. We have various new proposals for public involvement in that, which will mean that, in future, the public will have a stronger input into decisions about green belts.

I thank the minister for his useful reply to Mr Brocklebank. Does he agree that it is important for Fife Council to engage in full consultation with the local community in St Andrews on the future of the green belt? Does he agree that the green belt is there not as a barrier to appropriate development, but to ensure that any development is appropriate?

The word "appropriate" is fundamental here. The other issue that I emphasise is the need to take a long-term view. There has been a tendency for incremental encroachment on the green belt. We want planning to be long term, and the new Scottish planning policy emphasises that and ensures that that will be the case.

The minister spoke yesterday about the need to introduce a culture change in the planning system and to restore the faith of the general public in the structure planning process. Does he agree that the actions of Fife Council are undermining his planning reforms and that faith in the structure planning process? What action will he take against local authorities that break their development plans?

We have a whole set of new proposals on development plans in our planning white paper. We consider development planning to be at the heart of the system. The new public engagement around that is a key feature of our planning reforms. Our set of proposals will improve the existing situation. I cannot comment in detail on the proposals in Fife, particularly as they will be subject to a local inquiry. People will have a chance to express their views then.

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Transport Funding

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made sufficient budgetary provision to pay for the transport projects to which it is committed in principle and, if not, what discussions the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform has had with the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications in respect of which projects may not be supported. (S2O-7794)

The draft budget for 2006-07, which was published in September 2005, covers the period up to and including 2007-08. There is sufficient budgetary provision within those spending years to make a good start on the Executive's ambitious programme of major transport infrastructure projects. Beyond 2007-08—on the assumption of at least a level budget in real terms—there is budgetary cover to proceed with all the planned transport projects.

How can that be the case if we heard earlier today that the cost of the M74 project, which was estimated at £250 million four years ago, might now be double that; if we learned last week that the cost of the Edinburgh tramlines has risen, over a much shorter period, from £500 million to £714 million; and if the figures for the rail links from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports to the city centres have no proper estimates at this point? Does the minister agree that something has to give? Will the Executive hold a debate on the issue, given the substantial interest throughout Scotland in whether all the schemes will come to fruition?

For Mr Ewing's information, I repeat that the Executive's ambitious programme for major transport infrastructure has sufficient budgetary cover, as shown in the current budget documents. Beyond 2007-08, there is, as I have stated, an assumption of at least a level budget in real terms, and there is budgetary cover to proceed with all the planned transport projects.

Instead of worrying about the Executive's budget, it would be helpful if Mr Ewing addressed the budget that the Scottish National Party might wish to present. The SNP has failed to produce one budget in the six years of the Parliament, and it failed to produce one for the general election, despite chalking up spending commitments of more than £10 billion through its wish list for airport and rail links. I can assure Mr Ewing that we have the budgetary provision to cover our spending plans. It is time that he told us what his budgetary proposals are to cover his spending plans.

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Communities Scotland (Regeneration)

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by Communities Scotland in supporting designated regeneration areas. (S2O-7775)

Communities Scotland has been working with community planning partnerships, each of which has now developed a regeneration outcome agreement that will provide the basis for targeting the community regeneration fund and other resources. In the three years to 2008, the community regeneration fund will invest £318 million in deprived communities around Scotland.

I welcome that funding. The regeneration in my constituency, which is important to us, is based around a village, so although housing is important, it is by no means the only issue for the regeneration team; there are many valuable and interesting projects. Will the minister reassure me that support will be forthcoming to ensure that the projects are sustainable?

Obviously decisions about which projects will be supported are a matter for the community planning partnerships. I know that Fife will get more than £6 million for such projects in the spending period and that projects will focus on key matters such as employability, improving health and building stronger and safer communities. The precise spending priorities will very much be decided through the community planning arrangements, although obviously Johann Lamont and I take a great interest in the regeneration outcome agreements and ensure that they are effective in meeting the priorities that have been set. If Marilyn Livingstone has particular concerns about projects, I would be pleased to take them up.

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Central Heating Initiative

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to evaluate the success of its central heating initiative. (S2O-7792)

We are funding two major research projects to evaluate the impact of the central heating programme. The first is a long-term project that is being undertaken by the University of Edinburgh and TNS Social Research, which will examine the impact of the programme on the health of recipients. We expect that work to be completed towards the end of 2006. The second is an annual survey of households that have been included in each of the first three years of the programme. That research has shown that, in the first year of the programme, almost nine tenths of the people surveyed who were in fuel poverty were lifted out of it after inclusion in the programme.

Does the minister agree that greater flexibility needs to be built into the central heating programme and the warm deal, particularly for those who have partial central heating, such as an elderly constituent of mine who is in her 70s and has coal-fired heating that she can no longer use due to ill health? Does she also agree that flexibility for those under the age of 80 would greatly enhance the scheme and ensure that more older people in Scotland benefit from this important initiative?

Karen Whitefield will be aware that we are undertaking a review of the benefits of the central heating programme and the warm deal to examine how progress can be made. Final decisions have not yet been taken, so information from members throughout the chamber about the difficulties created by programmes with particular rules and regulations will be fed into the process.

I confirm that we propose to continue the programme at at least the same level as at present and will look to expand eligibility as far as possible within the available funding. I note Karen Whitefield's comments about flexibility and about partial and inefficient systems. As she knows, householders over 80 have benefited from such flexibility. We aim to expand the programme by offering upgrades and replacements of partial and inefficient systems for pensioners who are in receipt of pension credit.

We must always bear in mind the issue of fuel poverty, and we have asked the fuel poverty forum and others to advise us on the matter. Raising people out of fuel poverty must be central to the development of the programme in the future.

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Affordable Housing (Shared Equity Schemes)

To ask the Scottish Executive how its shared equity scheme will improve the availability of affordable housing across Scotland. (S2O-7745)

Within three years, we expect to fund 1,000 homestake houses a year across Scotland. That will make affordable housing available to many on low to modest incomes who aspire to home ownership. Homestake is a crucial part of our affordable housing investment programme, which will lead to the provision of more than 5,000 homes for low-cost home ownership and 16,500 homes for affordable rent over this and the next two years.

What, if any, consideration is being given to rural proofing the scheme and to the particular issues that may affect provision of affordable housing in the rural setting?

Homestake will benefit rural areas to a considerable extent. I note that 10 per cent of the units that are currently planned are in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. That will complement the money that already goes to investment in rural housing—£97 million, which is a record figure, is the rural share of the housing investment programme for this year.

In general terms, the share of the investment that is going into rural areas is increasing. Homestake will be particularly attractive to those in rural areas; it will help first-time buyers and others.

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Education and Young People, Tourism, Culture and Sport

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Olympic Games 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations it is making for the 2012 Olympic games. (S2O-7734)

We will continue to work with all relevant parties to ensure that the many potential benefits of the Olympic games are delivered in Scotland. The London 2012 nations and regions group will be re-established and Scotland's interests will be represented by Julia Bracewell, chair of sportscotland, and David Williams, chief executive of EventScotland. In addition, Scotland's co-ordination group will be reformed. I will make an announcement on its composition soon.

Will the minister repudiate the ill-informed comments of United Kingdom minister for sport, Richard Caborn, who announced recently that UK Sport will have

"sole responsibility for delivering of the Olympic medal success"?

One UK organisation will therefore be responsible for all UK athletes who have Olympic potential. Does the minister agree that Olympic success can best be achieved through a partnership in which the different nations of the UK are involved? Does she further agree that sportscotland and the Scottish Institute of Sport must be involved in the partnership and that they should therefore be allocated a fair share of resources so that Scottish athletes with Olympic potential can train in Scotland rather than have to move south of the border?

Our colleagues at Westminster will put in place whatever mechanisms they see fit for the athletes who will represent England and Wales. As far as our own athletes in Scotland are concerned, the arrangements that we have in place are that we will work through sportscotland and the Scottish Institute of Sport. Obviously, in terms of any additional help that can be given to us by UK Sport, we are happy to work in partnership on that.

Will the minister join me in congratulating the Scottish businesses that have already succeeded in entering the Olympic market, including the navyblue design group, which won the £500,000 tender to design the bid document and promotional literature, and Kirriemuir-based Hi-Fli Banners & Flags, which was involved in the production of the promotional and branding material for the bid? Will she provide assurances that the Executive will support Scottish businesses in strengthening the Scottish economy in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics?

Absolutely. As I think I have done before in the chamber, I congratulate the navyblue design group and Hi-Fli Banners & Flags on the work they have done in this regard. It is important to remember that it was not just winning those contracts that was important for those companies; the kudos and knock-on effect of their success won them other orders around the world.

We are very keen to work with all Scotland's businesses to make it possible for them to compete and to go for contracts that are related to the Olympic games in London. One of the purposes of Scotland's co-ordination group will be to make that process as simple as possible. We have discussed these matters with colleagues in Australia who were involved in the Sydney Olympics and we have learned some lessons from them. Obviously, we will put what we have learned into a Scottish context.

Has the minister considered discussing with the London 2012 nations and regions group how the procurement rules for companies can be designed to maximise the high environmental standards that many companies in Scotland offer—I am thinking in particular of Hi-Fli Banners & Flags, which the minister mentioned a moment ago—to ensure not only that the commercial opportunity the games offer is realised but that there is a lasting legacy of minimising damage to the environment?

Mr Swinney makes a good point: one of the very attractive aspects of Hi-Fli's success is exactly the point he makes. In a sense, the question works the other way round: a key requirement of bids was that all contracts should be as environmentally friendly as possible and of an environmentally appropriate standard. That will continue to be the case as we move forward with the Olympic plans. It means that companies such as Hi-Fli Banners & Flags, which provides a unique service, will have a good opportunity to compete with others on a level playing field.

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Gaelic

The Presiding Officers have agreed that John Farquhar Munro's question will be in English and Gaelic. The supplementary to his question, however, will be in Gaelic only. Members who wish to hear an interpretation in English should ensure that the channel on their console is switched to channel 1. The volume should be set to a comfortable minimum to reduce any possibility of interference.

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by local authorities in respect of promoting the Gaelic language. (S2O-7750)

A dh'fhaighneachd den Riaghaltas dè an t-adhartas a tha air a dhèanamh le ùghdarrasan ionadail a thaobh brosnachadh na ³Òྱ»å³ó±ô¾±²µ.

Local authorities continue to make good progress. In particular, Highland Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar are implementing Gaelic language plans that set out how they will promote and enable the use of Gaelic in their areas.

Tha mi uabhasach pròiseil gu bheil am ministear air a bhith cho moiteil air ³Òྱ»å³ó±ô¾±²µ a chuideachadh thairis air na bliadhnaichean a chaidh seachad. Tha mi an dòchas gum bi e a' cumail a' dol a phutadh ùghdarrasan ionadail agus buidhnean poblach a dhèanamh cinnteach gu bheil na planaichean aca airson ³Òྱ»å³ó±ô¾±²µ air an stèidheachadh ann an ùine goirid agus gu bheil iad a' brosnachadh ³Òྱ»å³ó±ô¾±²µ agus a cultair ann an dòigh a tha freagarrach agus comasach airson an cànan a dhìon anns na bliadhnaichean a tha romhainn.

I am pleased that the minister has been so supportive of Gaelic over the years. Will he continue to press local authorities and public bodies to ensure that their plans are established soon and that they encourage Gaelic language and culture appropriately, to protect the language in the years ahead?

I am grateful to John Farquhar Munro for his question, but I am even more grateful for the interpretation. I assure him that we will encourage local authorities and other public agencies to make rapid progress with their Gaelic language plans. We are at an exciting time in the life of Gaelic. The new powers that the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 gives us enable an acceleration of progress on the use of Gaelic. The act requires public agencies, local authorities and others to co-operate actively in that, and they will get our full encouragement to do so.

I hear the minister's answer about the promotion of Gaelic. Why did he rule out Welsh-style sabbatical courses for people to learn Gaelic and to improve the potential for people to teach Gaelic in our country? Since he ruled that out earlier this year, does he have any other bright ideas that might speed things up?

I seldom rule things out for ever. I have been given advice recently on how to encourage more people into Gaelic teaching, because it is a critical area in which we must make progress. We have made a huge amount of progress in Gaelic-medium education. It is one of the great success stories in education and in Gaelic in the past 15 years. I expect to publish a report in the near future that will argue for a range of new ways to encourage people into teaching. I rule nothing out if we are to make progress.

An aontaich am ministear gu bheil an cùrsa airson luchd-teagaisg a thrèanadh a tha Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh a' tairgsinn tro Colaiste a' Chaisteil ann an Leòdhas a' dèanamh feum dha-rìribh? An dèan am ministear a dhìcheall a dhèanamh cinnteach gun obraich a h-uile colaiste ann an Oilthigh na Gàidealtachd is nan Eilean—gu h-àraid Sabhal Mòr Ostaig—le Colaiste a' Chaisteil airson barrachd luchd-teagaisg a thrèanadh agus an ullachadh airson a dhol a theagasg?

Does the minister agree that the University of Strathclyde's teacher training course, which is offered through Lews Castle College, has been very useful? Will he make every effort to ensure that all colleges in the university of the Highlands and Islands—particularly Sabhal Mòr Ostaig—work with Lews Castle College to train more teachers?

Alasdair Morrison is right to say that the Strathclyde course that is being delivered through Lews Castle College is making an important contribution to the development of Gaelic generally, but particularly in relation to teaching. I share his aspiration that more colleges should participate in delivering that course. I have a particular aspiration, as does Alasdair Morrison, to see Sabhal Mòr Ostaig being more centrally involved in future.

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Olympic Games 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports calls for Scotland to have its own Olympic team at the 2012 games in London. (S2O-7782)

No. The International Olympic Committee decides on which Olympic committees it will recognise. There are significant benefits for Scottish athletes with the talent to reach the Great Britain squad. The Scottish Executive has no plans to explore the possibility of Scotland fielding its own team in the Olympics.

I ask the minister to ignore the petty nationalism that we heard during this morning's debate and to address some of the points that the SNP's spokespeople made. They want us to join countries such as Ireland and New Zealand in sending teams of around 50 to 150 athletes to the Olympic games. Does she agree that, rather than doing that, we should stick with the British system that allowed 24 Scots to go to the Athens Olympics and win four medals, while Ireland won only one medal and the might of New Zealand, which had a squad of 150, returned with none at all?

I am always happy to at least try to ignore petty nationalism but, unfortunately, it is sometimes a bit too in your face to be ignored.

Surely not.

Mr Swinney feigns surprise, but I am sure that it is only a feint.

Michael McMahon is correct to point out the disparities. The point is that athletes must be able to compete against their peers at a particular level, regardless of what country they come from. Our athletes make a significant contribution to the GB team and are happy to be considered in that way. As I pointed out this morning, a number of our athletes succeed in winning medals at various levels in the Olympics precisely because they are part of a team made up of others from the home nations. If we were to adopt the nationalists' idea, we would deprive people such as Shirley Robertson of the opportunity to win a gold medal. I do not think that any member would be in favour of that.

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Alternative Educational Opportunities

To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative educational opportunities, such as vocational skills, are being offered to non-academic schoolchildren. (S2O-7776)

Our reform programme is designed to increase choice and opportunity for all our pupils, whatever their abilities or potential. It includes the aim of widening vocational options considerably.

Is the minister aware that Dundee City Council's pre-apprenticeship programme was singled out as an example of good practice by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education in a recent report? Will he join me in congratulating Dundee City Council, Dundee College and the local schools and employers that have contributed to that success? Given that the number of applicants to the programme exceeded the number of places available, will the minister consider providing more resources to extend the programme so that more Dundee pupils can benefit? Will he also consider rolling out the programme elsewhere in Scotland?

I am happy to join Kate Maclean in congratulating Dundee City Council and all the partners she mentioned on the success of the pre-apprenticeship programme, which is helping young people to get experience in fields such as building work, care, cookery, motor vehicle maintenance and engineering. In particular, HMIE congratulated Dundee City Council on how it selected young people to go to vocational training, which was regarded to be a weakness in the rest of the education system. It identified that, by doing that correctly, Dundee was maintaining the stay-on rate of young people in those courses. We want to see more of that happening throughout Scotland. Rather than just offering academic routes to young people, we want to widen opportunities by providing them with an equally valid vocational option.

In relation to additional funding, following the school-college review that the Executive has undertaken over the past few years, we announced in the earlier part of this year that we have provided our colleges with more than £40 million-worth of additional resources to work more effectively with schools to do exactly the kinds of things that are being done in Dundee. I hope that not just Dundee, but other parts of Scotland, will benefit from that.

The minister will be aware that the HMIE report that was published last week found that poor procedures for selecting school pupils for college-based vocational programmes have led to high drop-out rates from those programmes. Does he agree that those findings give cause for concern? What action will he take to promote more effective use of vocational options and genuine parity of esteem between academic and vocational qualifications?

I covered some of those points in my answer to Kate Maclean's supplementary question. Lord James Douglas-Hamilton is correct to point out that the inspectors' report was critical of a number of aspects of past performance in education. We should remember that the report was retrospective rather than about the current prospect. That said, all the work that we did through the school-college review has taken care, or is taking care, of the points of criticism the inspectors raised—for example, selection.

The report is about strengthening partnership between colleges and local schools. A huge amount of work is being done on that and more resources are being deployed to allow it to happen. We expect all the points of action to be overtaken as a consequence. We genuinely want to see much greater parity of esteem between vocational and academic learning and we want to make it clear that people can move between those modes of learning at different stages of their school career to give them the skills and the rounded education that they require to be successful into the future.

Question 5 has been withdrawn.

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VisitScotland (City of Edinburgh)

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff employed by VisitScotland are solely dedicated to promoting the city of Edinburgh. (S2O-7795)

VisitScotland employs 68 members of staff to market Edinburgh as a world-class tourist destination and to deal with visitor bookings and inquiries. A further 12 VisitScotland staff are in support roles and an additional 12 people work in the Edinburgh convention bureau, which is the joint venture between VisitScotland and the City of Edinburgh Council that promotes business tourism in the city.

Edinburgh's competition is global, not local, and international destinations, not Scottish resorts, are the threat. Further, it is ingenious of the minister to refer to the convention centre, which is a separate matter. Amsterdam, which is a major competitor, employs 138 dedicated staff for the Amsterdam area tourist board. How can Edinburgh possibly compete if it is not adequately resourced?

If we look at outcomes rather than inputs in this debate, we will get the answer. Recent figures for the first eight months of the year show that accommodation occupancy levels in hotels and self-catering establishments in Edinburgh are up compared with the same period last year. All our indicators point to the fact that tourism in Edinburgh is booming. Further, last year, the Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board, in its previous guise, spent some £300,000 promoting Edinburgh. That figure increased this year to £2 million. Kenny MacAskill and I share an ambition for Edinburgh, but I also have an ambition for the rest of Scotland. The comparisons that he makes do not do Edinburgh's case much good.

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Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (Implementation)

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in advance of the implementation on 14 November 2005 of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to resolve any potential funding disputes between local authorities. (S2O-7781)

Scottish Executive officials are due to meet officials from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on 10 October 2005 to discuss a range of options for resolving potential disputes between local authorities.

I am pleased to hear that. Does the minister agree that, under the 2004 act, we are trying to reduce confrontation between families and local authorities over the additional support that is available to pupils? Does he support Glasgow City Council's publicly stated plans to withdraw, from 14 November, hundreds of thousands of pounds of funding from young people with additional support who live in Glasgow but attend schools in East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and elsewhere? Does he believe that such a move will benefit families whose children require additional support? Does he think that that is fair?

Ken Macintosh will be aware that, under section 23(3) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, ministers can determine the costs that an authority that provides education to a child who lives in another authority's area can recover from that home authority if the two authorities cannot reach agreement on the costs. It is rarely necessary to bring that provision into effect; it happened most recently in 1997. However, East Renfrewshire has referred for decision by ministers the dispute with Glasgow to which Mr Macintosh referred. Ministers will decide on that in the near future. In those circumstances, it would be inappropriate for ministers to comment on the precise nature of the dispute between the two authorities.