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Economy
4. Mr. Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Scottish Executive concerning the current economic environment for businesses in Scotland. [126339]
The Minister of State, Scotland Office (Mr. Brian Wilson): My right hon. Friend has regular contact with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and with Scottish Executive Ministers to discuss a wide range of matters.
Mr. Morgan: Specifically in relation to the effect of the climate change levy on small businesses, the Government have set aside about £150 million to assist such firms. What specific steps has the Minister taken in Scotland to ensure that the take-up among small firms is a fair one and that such firms are aware of the existence of this money?
Mr. Wilson: It is clear from the wide range of correspondence that the climate change levy has engendered that there is a high level of awareness of it within business. I would welcome any suggestions from the hon. Gentleman or from any other quarter of what we could do more specifically in Scotland to ensure that awareness is heightened.
Mr. David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): I give a warm welcome to the Glasgow employment zone, which the Minister launched recently. How will the initiative benefit both business and employment in Glasgow?
Mr. Wilson: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments. The Glasgow employment zone is important. It is one of a few zones that have been designated throughout the United Kingdom that contain an increased battery of measures, greater flexibility and additional resources. They are designed to try to crack the tough core of long-term employment. The scheme fully involves employers, who have backed it enthusiastically. It is much
in the spirit of the new deal, where the maximum resources are provided and the maximum personal needs of the individual are met, to get them back into the labour market. The more that people know about what is available within the employment zone, the better. I pay tribute to the work that the Employment Service and others have done in putting it together.
Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine): In his discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is the Secretary of State making sure that the concerns that I heard at the royal highland show from both farmers and those in the food processing industry about the delay in getting into the euro and preparing for it are being fully reflected, together with the Scottish economy's dependence on agriculture and on trade with Europe?
Secondly, will the Minister ensure that the Chancellor is fully aware that the issue is not only a relationship with the euro, and that he should ignore the calls from the Conservative party to pay no heed to the relationship with the dollar? Dollar investment in the oil industry is crucial not only to the economy of the north-east of Scotland, but to the whole of Scotland and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Wilson: I am pleased to hear a Liberal Democrat acknowledge the dollar's importance--that is a major statement. The Government are committed to Britain entering the euro; we have set five tests and when they are met, we shall put the issue to the British people. That is the proper way in which to proceed. There is a world of difference between us and the Tories: we recognise the importance of the euro to Britain and vice versa. However, the timing and the conditions must be right--we shall not compromise on that.
Mr. Martin O'Neill (Ochil): When making representations to Brussels about adjustments to the assisted area map, will my hon. Friend take into account that the settlement previously offered for Clackmannanshire, which is part of my Ochil seat, contained an error tantamount to a slip of the pen, whereby the Sauchie-Carsebridge area was denied access to financial support, which could have serious implications for attracting new employment to the area? Will he ensure that that matter is drawn to the attention of Commission officials?
Mr. Wilson: We have done everything possible to secure the most effective conceivable result for Scotland on the basis of the population allocation and the rules set by the European Union. It simply is not possible to go around Scotland, the UK or any other EU member state cherry-picking every area that has investment potential or unemployment black spots; there has to be contiguity between the selected areas and their populations. Because of that difficulty, our original map was not accepted by Brussels. We have done our best to get the optimum result for Clackmannanshire and every other part of Scotland. I am afraid that that is the only reassurance I can give my hon. Friend.
Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire): How many times in the past six months has the Secretary of State met the Chancellor of the Exchequer? When he goes to such meetings, does he take with him the First Minister--to whom we all send warm good wishes for a
proper recovery--and, if so, who argues for what? What particular things does the Secretary of State argue for that the First Minister cannot argue for?
Mr. Wilson: I can assure the hon. Gentleman that meetings take place bilaterally, unilaterally, multilaterally, and every other way, so he can rest easy that there is a sufficiency of meetings with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The purpose of our meetings with the Chancellor and other ministerial colleagues is to ensure the best possible deal for Scotland--especially in those matters that account for 50 per cent. of all public expenditure in Scotland and are still funded from Whitehall Departments--and to ensure that the Scottish Parliament and Executive are properly funded for the other 50 per cent. of public expenditure in Scotland. In other words, our lives are committed to getting Scotland the best possible deal under a Labour Government.
Ms Rachel Squire (Dunfermline, West): Does my hon. Friend agree that the recent order for 22 Mega-3 rail freight wagons for Rosyth dockyard is an example of the Government's economic policies and defence diversification policies securing jobs in an area that was devastated by the previous Government? Does he also agree that the greatest risk to the economic regeneration of Rosyth and other parts of Scotland would be the return of a Tory Government and a Scottish National party-style divorce?
Mr. Wilson: I strongly agree with my hon. Friend. I pay tribute to her for the assiduous interest she has taken in this matter, which has yielded excellent results for her constituents, and for her general work in making Rosyth's future look brighter than it did a few years ago under the previous Administration. I can assure her that every job in Scotland is fought for: we fight to defend jobs and to create them. That the unemployment rate is now less than 5 per cent. for the first time since the mid-1970s provides a pretty reasonable testimony to our efforts.
NHS Policy Co-ordination
5. Mr. Ian Bruce (South Dorset): What role he is playing in co-ordinating NHS policies between the NHS in England and the NHS in Scotland. [126340]
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Dr. John Reid): I am a member of the joint ministerial committee on health, which enables best practice to be shared across the United Kingdom. I also ensure that there is effective liaison between UK Departments and the Scottish Executive.
Mr. Bruce: I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. May I bring a particular case to his attention? I had discussions with the agency in the NHS in England that is trying to achieve consistency in information technology and standards across the board, so that patients' records can be transferred between general practitioners and hospitals. The problem is that the NHS in Scotland is doing its own thing. Will the right hon. Gentleman look into that and into the auditing of doctors and nurses, to make sure that the medical services in
England and Scotland have access to each other's records, and that we do not have three separate services in Wales, England and Scotland?
Dr. Reid: The whole purpose of devolution is to allow more sensitivity and more efficient government in local areas. There are common purposes and objectives before the British Government and the Scottish Executive, and it is important that we come together to co-ordinate areas in which we gain strength from unity of purpose and practice, through the joint ministerial committee chaired by the Prime Minister. I do not know about the specific issue raised by the hon. Gentleman, which will be the responsibility of the Scottish Executive, but we have an extremely able and effective Scottish Health Minister in Susan Deacon. If the hon. Gentleman writes to me on the matter, I will raise it with the Scottish Health Minister, and I am sure that she will give it her attention.
ADVOCATE-GENERAL
The Advocate-General was asked--
Human Rights
26. Mr. Desmond Browne (Kilmarnock and Loudoun): If she has been consulted about the proposal to set up a commission for human rights in Scotland; and if she will make a statement. [126361]
The Advocate-General for Scotland (Dr. Lynda Clark): The Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice announced on 7 June that the Scottish Executive would publish a consultation paper in the autumn and that, following the consultation, a decision would be reached in due course, possibly next year. I will consider in due course whether to make formal representations in the consultation process.
Mr. Browne: The incorporation of the European convention on human rights into the domestic law of the United Kingdom may in the long term be the most significant and radical constitutional change that the Government have made. In the short term, however, the Scottish experience shows that although there have been a number of very important cases, a plethora of ill-founded and spurious cases has been taken before the courts on the basis of the convention. Does not that suggest that we should await the incorporation of the convention in October and let it settle down, before putting in place the institutions that we need to enforce it?
The Advocate-General: My hon. Friend makes an interesting point. Decisions about such sensitive matters should not be taken in haste. The consultation that the Scottish Executive is carrying out will no doubt have time to consider alternative models for scrutiny and enforcement of convention rights, taking into account, for example, existing constitutional arrangements, statutory bodies and the best use of limited financial resources.
Mr. Menzies Campbell (North-East Fife): But may we take it that the Advocate-General will press hard for the establishment of a commission to deal with human rights matters in Scotland, and in particular to ensure that that
commission extends to political parties? How else are we to ensure that the treasurer of the Scottish National party is not the subject of a motion of no confidence moved in his absence?
The Advocate-General: I am sure that the right hon. and learned Gentleman will press on behalf of his party for whatever policy he considers most appropriate. For my part, I will wait until I see the consultation paper, then I will make representations, if appropriate, taking into account the United Kingdom position.
27. Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): What recent advice she has given on the implications of the incorporation of the European convention on human rights into United Kingdom law on the number of cases brought before (a) the High Court and (b) the Court of Session; and if she will make a statement. [126362]
The Advocate-General for Scotland (Dr. Lynda Clark): The incorporation of convention rights into Scots law following devolution has resulted so far in about 700 devolution issues being raised under the Scotland Act 1998. To date, the vast majority have arisen in the context of criminal trials.
Miss McIntosh: I am grateful to the hon. and learned Lady for that answer. Has she given advice concerning the number of cases and the extra number of sittings that will be required? In England, it is estimated that the number of judicial review applications alone will double to 2,800, and that the number of sitting days in the High Court and Court of Appeal will lead to an annual increase in costs of £60 million. Has the hon. and learned Lady made a similar assessment of the costs in Scotland? How will she find the money to cover the additional costs?
The Advocate-General: The hon. Lady will remember that my role is to advise the UK Government. Obviously, the Scottish Executive have their own officers to advise them about such matters. I have certainly kept UK Government Departments well informed about the types and numbers of cases and some of the implications of experience in Scotland.
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