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Mr. Wilson: I am grateful to my hon. Friend and I identify with her comments on access which she made so cogently. That is a lesson to those who are responsible for the operation not only of Government buildings in Scotland, but of all places where public access is required.
It is a central part of our commitment to reduce class sizes in years one, two and three in primary schools and the money that has been saved from the assisted places scheme will go directly to the reduction of class sizes and is already going into early intervention in primary schools. That is a classic case of a Labour Government serving the many and not the few.
Mr. Welsh: Does the Minister agree that reducing class sizes to zero by closing schools is a major problem, especially in rural areas? As the Government's first reaction to the countryside rally at the weekend was to declare that they would have a prejudice against the closure of rural schools, will the Minister tell us whether that policy will apply in Scotland and will resources be made available to local authorities to enable that to happen?
Mr. Wilson: Such matters are for the judgment of local authorities. As I said recently, one local authority in Scotland--Perth and Kinross, which is run by the hon. Gentleman's party--charges £180 for children to have music tuition; my local authority in North Ayrshire charges nothing. One local authority in Scotland wants to charge £15 a night to stay in a school hostel; other local authorities charge nothing. Those matters are for the judgment of local authorities. The opportunism of the Scottish National party is, as ever, to attack other local authorities when they close small schools, but SNP authorities are quite good at doing that and I have had a lot of correspondence opposing cuts by SNP authorities.
Scottish Parliament (Freedom of Information)
5. Dr. Lynda Clark: If he will seek to ensure that the proposed freedom of information will apply to matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament?
The Minister for Home Affairs and Devolution, Scottish Office (Mr. Henry McLeish): Freedom of information about devolved matters will be determined by the Scottish Parliament.
Dr. Clark: I hope that the Minister will agree that there should be an early introduction of such legislation and that that will help to change the current secrecy of Departments. It may even help us to find out where the new Scottish Parliament will be.
Mr. McLeish: I agree with my hon. and learned Friend about the importance of freedom of information. It is absolutely right that the Scottish Parliament should decide what freedom of information arrangements are appropriate in the areas for which they have legislative competence. It is important to account for the comments in the White Paper that was published recently. It will be for the Scottish Parliament to determine the approach of the Scottish Executive and other Scottish public bodies to openness and freedom of information within devolved areas in which it is competent to enact primary legislation. It is important to emphasise that no post-war Government have done so much to involve people in the future Parliament that will serve this country. We have involved political parties and civic Scotland; that process will continue. Inclusivity should be the hallmark of the Parliament; everything that we have done so far reinforces that central concept. I am convinced that it is the best way forward. We want a Parliament to be proud of, in which all Scots can feel ownership.
Mr. Salmond: Does the Government's welcome commitment to freedom of information extend to releasing Scottish Office documents about Sean Connery? Does the Minister believe that it is acceptable that Mr. Connery--or anyone else--should be discriminated against because of his politics? Was any Scottish Office Minister involved in the disreputable briefing campaign against Mr. Connery?
The Chairman: Order. As far as I can see, that has nothing to do with the question.
Mr. Salmond: On a point of order, Mr. Maxton. My question was whether the Government's commitment to freedom of information would mean the release of information about Scottish Office documents. Anxiety not to discuss the matter should not extend to the Chair.
The Chairman: The question is about freedom of information legislation, not the disclosure of information. Moreover, I inform all hon. Members that the granting of knighthoods and honours is a matter for Her Majesty the Queen. It is a matter of royal prerogative, and is therefore not something that we can discuss.
Sir Robert Smith: The Minister said that the Scottish Parliament will be responsible for drawing up freedom of information rules and establishing scrutiny committees. Will he assure the Committee that no powers or executive functions will be transferred to the Scottish Executive until the Scottish Parliament has had time to establish the necessary methods of freedom of information and scrutiny to ensure that decisions taken by that Executive are properly accountable?
Mr. McLeish: I assure the hon. Gentleman that the Scottish Executive will be held fully accountable. With regard to the Scotland Bill, there will be a process of transition to the new Parliament in Edinburgh, which will be the subject of several orders. It is vital that we have a sensible transition and that when legislative competence and executive functions are located within the Holyrood Parliament, we have maximum openness and honesty in government. Freedom of information will be crucial in ensuring that we start off on the right foot.
Land Reform Proposals
6. Ms Roseanna Cunningham: What meetings he has had recently to discuss land reform proposals for Scotland.
Mr. Dewar: I have had discussions with my noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for agriculture, the environment and fisheries in Scotland about the first consultation paper issued recently by the land reform policy group, which he chairs.
Ms Cunningham: A recent parliamentary answer implied that it would cost £25 million extra to bring forward completion of the land register in Scotland to 2000. As there is broad cross-party agreement that land reform is vital, will he now consider introducing, to borrow a phrase from Wales, a bonfire of the quangos in Scotland to release some of the money that is essential to effect the process?
Mr. Dewar: I am grateful to the hon. Lady for drawing attention to a long-standing problem. I am not sure, however, that a bonfire of titles is quite how I would describe it. As she knows, the Scottish Law Commission has a long-awaited report, which I understand will appear this year. We shall closely and urgently examine its recommendations.
I hope that the hon. Lady will accept that the report of the land reform policy group is a considerable step forward. It has been widely welcomed; it raises several fundamental questions and invites a public response, which I hope will be forthcoming. In the meantime, however, the land unit that has been established for Highlands and Islands Enterprise provides a great deal of help and support for those interested in community and land ownership in the highlands.
Mr. Home Robertson: As the hereditary feudal superior of the barony of Eyemouth, I put it to my right hon. Friend that the Scottish feudal system is a ludicrous anachronism that is wide open to serious abuse, as has been demonstrated by the so-called raider of the lost titles in Lanarkshire and the north-east? Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government intend in the first session of the Scottish Parliament at last to abolish the feudal system?
Mr. Dewar: I assure my hon. Friend that I never regard him as a living anachronism--although occasionally as an irritation, and properly so in his constituents' interests. Of course, we are committed to reform--we have tried to expedite the necessary information and we shall act quickly, as time permits, after the appearance of the Law Commission report.
Mr. Godman: Does my right hon. Friend agree that any proposals for land reform must take account of the interests and traditional activities of climbers, walkers and anglers?
Mr. Dewar: That is a more broad issue, but I am sympathetic to my hon. Friend's point. Clearly, many people rightly feel strongly about access to the countryside--and I hope that progress will be made in that regard.
New Deal (Rural Areas)
7. Mrs. Ray Michie: What steps he is taking to overcome difficulties faced by new deal clients in rural areas.
Mr. Brian Wilson: We are determined to ensure that the new deal is delivered effectively in rural areas. Through the rural issues sub-group of the Secretary of State's new deal advisory task force for Scotland, we are already tackling a number of key issues including seasonality of work and transport costs.
Mrs. Michie: I thank the Minister. I hope that he truly understands that the main problem with the delivery of the new deal in rural areas is the lack of transport and the existence of seasonal jobs. Does he accept the recommendation of the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs that the new deal should take account of seasonal work patterns, and that all transport costs, under all the sections should be met?
Mr. Wilson: I am please to tell the hon. Lady that we have taken account of seasonality, which I discussed with the Select Committee when I appeared before it. There will be sufficient flexibility in the scheme to take account of seasonal employment. Someone who is employed habitually for part of the year, but who is unemployed, under the normal meaning of the word, in the long term over several years, will be able to join the new deal early without always meeting the six-month stipulation.
We are also considering transport costs. The £300 million that Scotland will receive under the new deal could be used flexibly to meet transport costs--the rural sub-group is considering that matter--and we have already received assurances from some transport operators that free or half-price transport will be provided. The question is very much alive, and it is being addressed.
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