Committee
Local Government and Regeneration Committee 02 April 2014
02 Apr 2014 · S4 · Local Government and Regeneration Committee
Item of business
Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Jill Mulholland (Transport Scotland)
Watch on SPTV
We have been working with the multi-agency group. We are considering having 10 top tips for blue badge holders to distil the information down. We have also had Scottish Government marketing colleagues working with us. We have case studies from blue badge holders, and we are considering a campaign nearer the time of the launch. We know that we have to distil the messages down, just as we have done for road safety. We have been successful in that regard, as the minister said.We have been considering what we used to call freebies but are now apparently called objects for change—everyday things such as badge holders with messages on them. We would have simple, straightforward messages that people can understand, rather than presenting the information in a large booklet. That would make it clear to people what the rules and responsibilities are. I repeat that we are considering how to distil the messages down.There is also a DVD about the impact of abuse of the scheme—it is perhaps already on YouTube. We are considering adding to the video the consequences of abuse of the scheme. It is a pretty hard-hitting DVD. It involves people talking about the effects that the abuse has on them on a daily basis. We can strengthen it, as I say, by adding some material about enforcement.On the badge itself, it already has an indicator. I think that Mr Catchlove mentioned that last week. Although the photograph is face down, the indicator in the back of the badge will immediately tell enforcement officers, if they have a smartphone or a hand-held device, what the circumstances of the badge holder are. If officers do not have the relevant hand-held equipment, they can phone their back office.Following last week’s evidence, we have been in contact with the police to see whether they can have direct access to that information as well. We are talking to the people who produce the badges, Northgate Systems, so that the police can gain access.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Kevin Stewart)
SNP
Good morning and welcome to the 10th meeting in 2014 of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee. Item 1 is an oral evidence session on the Disabled P...
The Minister for Transport and Veterans (Keith Brown)
To set the bill in context, the blue badge scheme is an important parking concession that enables improved mobility, and therefore accessibility, for disable...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you, minister. Mr Robertson, do you want to make any opening remarks?
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
SNP
I will be brief, as the minister has given a fairly full and comprehensive opening statement.I reiterate that the bill’s aim is to improve and support enforc...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you very much. You said that blue badges were being misused on a grand scale. Some members were taken aback last week by the evidence of Gordon Catchlo...
Dennis Robertson
SNP
The evidence and our consultation show that blue badge holders are concerned about misuse. Sometimes the misuse is fraudulent and sometimes it is third party...
The Convener
SNP
The clerks have already spotted that, Mr Robertson. You are dead right.Do you have any comment on that point, minister?
Keith Brown
The 52 per cent figure is the same as the percentage of blue badge holders who believe that they have experienced abuse of the system. It is obviously a very...
Stuart McMillan (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
My question is for Dennis Robertson. Are you aware of any marked difference in the level of misuse between urban and rural communities?
Dennis Robertson
SNP
I think that the situation for blue badge holders who are trying to gain access to parking spaces is the same in urban and rural communities. However, it is ...
Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Good morning, panel. What do you think is the solution for reducing and eliminating fraudulent misuse of blue badges, given that it has been claimed that bet...
Dennis Robertson
SNP
Raising awareness is probably one of the solutions and I think that the bill will assist by introducing enforcement powers. However, much of it is about educ...
Keith Brown
I agree that awareness raising among the public is essential in eliminating the abuse of blue badges. In addition, the teeth in some of the bill’s provisions...
The Convener
SNP
At last week’s meeting, it was suggested that blue badge holders should sign for the booklet and the badge and say that they have read, or will read, the boo...
Sharon Grant (Transport Scotland)
The application form requires the person to sign a declaration that they will read the booklet and abide by the scheme’s rules. At the point of applying for ...
Dennis Robertson
SNP
The convener made a valid point about trying to ensure that the information is accessible to everyone in a format that is readily understood. Perhaps we coul...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you. On what Ms Grant said, if I applied for a blue badge and signed a declaration that I would abide by what the booklet says, by the time that I got ...
Dennis Robertson
SNP
Absolutely.
The Convener
SNP
It could be helpful if that was done when the badge and the booklet were received. Could that be looked at? I see nodding. Grand.
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
Good morning. It has come across very clearly that there is widespread support for the bill. Nobody is jumping up and down and saying that it is a bad thing....
Keith Brown
Effecting that change is the whole purpose of the bill, and of previous reforms such as ensuring that the design of the blue badge is much less susceptible t...
Dennis Robertson
SNP
The purpose of the bill is to ensure that we widen the scope of the enforcement. At the moment, a parking attendant can look at a blue badge and say to the p...
Alex Rowley
Lab
Enforcement will be down to each local authority. A question was asked earlier about the difference between rural and urban communities. I assume that in aut...
Keith Brown
Yes. They still have the same powers as before. Of course, the bill extends those powers because it will create a new criminal act, which is not just misuse ...
Dennis Robertson
SNP
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Mawson stated at last week’s meeting that the police would enforce the scheme and that they are committed to doing that. The ...
Cameron Buchanan (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I declare an interest in that I am a blue badge holder. First, I agree about the booklet being too large. It comes out before people get the blue badge. It i...
Keith Brown
Yes, it is the same across Scotland. It happens to be different elsewhere. You are right to say that we should ensure that people are aware that things might...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
It should be kept simple. I wonder whether the piece of paper could state, “These rules only apply to Scotland.” It would not be necessary to say what all th...
Jill Mulholland (Transport Scotland)
We have been working with the multi-agency group. We are considering having 10 top tips for blue badge holders to distil the information down. We have also h...
Cameron Buchanan
Con
The photograph is virtually meaningless—it is not seen. When someone else is driving me, for instance, it is not their photograph that is displayed, but mine...