Chamber
Plenary, 13 Sep 2007
13 Sep 2007 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Planning
I note the cabinet secretary's comments, including those on consensus. Although plenty of members now talk the talk on consensus, planning is a very good example of the previous Executive's record of walking the walk on consensus. I welcome the fact that, in building consensus, John Swinney has expressed support for the previous Executive's approach. By comparison, many in his party, including his business manager, wish to take a different approach.
The statement encourages us to recognise the power of effective planning in transforming our communities and of the critical role that participation by individuals and communities—not consultation, but participation—plays at an early stage in ensuring the right kind of strategic planning decisions. My questions are on resource issues, which I believe are critical to successful realisation of the aims that lie behind the national planning framework. First, will the cabinet secretary continue to consider capacity in the planning system? How do we make planning an attractive career? Are we looking actively at scholarships and incentives to encourage people to come into planning—a profession that gives individuals a powerful means of taking part in the transformation of communities?
Secondly, and importantly, will Mr Swinney acknowledge that real participation involves skilled facilitation at local level? Is he willing to support organisations such as Planning Aid for Scotland that have credible track records in facilitating such work? In the need to look for cuts across government spending, will he resist the temptation to cut funding to such organisations? Doing so may be seen as a soft option, but such skilled facilitators are critical to the delivery of an effective planning process in Scotland.
The statement encourages us to recognise the power of effective planning in transforming our communities and of the critical role that participation by individuals and communities—not consultation, but participation—plays at an early stage in ensuring the right kind of strategic planning decisions. My questions are on resource issues, which I believe are critical to successful realisation of the aims that lie behind the national planning framework. First, will the cabinet secretary continue to consider capacity in the planning system? How do we make planning an attractive career? Are we looking actively at scholarships and incentives to encourage people to come into planning—a profession that gives individuals a powerful means of taking part in the transformation of communities?
Secondly, and importantly, will Mr Swinney acknowledge that real participation involves skilled facilitation at local level? Is he willing to support organisations such as Planning Aid for Scotland that have credible track records in facilitating such work? In the need to look for cuts across government spending, will he resist the temptation to cut funding to such organisations? Doing so may be seen as a soft option, but such skilled facilitators are critical to the delivery of an effective planning process in Scotland.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan):
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by John Swinney, on national developments in planning. The cabinet secretary will take questions at the end of his s...
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth (John Swinney):
SNP
Today's statement honours the commitment to provide Parliament with the criteria that the Government will use in designating national developments in the nat...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
The cabinet secretary will take questions on the issues raised in his statement. I intend to move to the next item of business no later than 4.50 pm.
Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab):
Lab
In the spirit of civility, I thank Mr Swinney for advance sight of his statement.I welcome Mr Swinney's quotation from a report by the Finance Committee in t...
John Swinney:
SNP
Des McNulty is right—I quoted from a Finance Committee report that came before my own vigorous contribution to the committee's proceedings, most of which I s...
Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of his statement, and I congratulate him on his ingenuity in managing to link the national planning fra...
John Swinney:
SNP
The link between planning and independence is planning for independence, which is perhaps what is on the minds of some of us here.On Derek Brownlee's point a...
Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD):
LD
I share Mr Swinney's desire that any conversation of whatever variety—local or national—be conducted in a civil, intelligent and mature fashion. That does no...
John Swinney:
SNP
I thank Tavish Scott for a long question, which is what I used to ask him, although I will not apologise for that.Mr Scott said that the statement could have...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
From now on we should have short questions and, I hope, short answers, too.
Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I draw to the cabinet secretary's attention the controversial Caltongate development, which is planned at the heart of our historic capital city. Leading con...
John Swinney:
SNP
It is a pleasure to welcome Shirley-Anne Somerville to Parliament. I wish her well in serving the people of the Lothians.I cannot get involved in the debate ...
Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to ask the cabinet secretary about planning. Although I acknowledge the reasons for including major national strategic transport pr...
John Swinney:
SNP
Mary Mulligan raises a fair and substantial point. Compatibility between decisions that are taken in the national planning framework and the development of l...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I concur, as I think everyone would, with the view that we need local and national development, but that it must be sensitively handled. Even so, it will not...
John Swinney:
SNP
I cannot imagine that Christine Grahame needs to develop her consultation skills any further. She is very good at consulting.The participation of members of ...
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the substantial—in fact, more or less complete—continuity in carrying forward the previous Administration's policies on the national planning frame...
John Swinney:
SNP
I welcome Malcolm Chisholm's contribution, and I record the fact that a large part of the input into the legislation that Parliament decided on came during h...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
I had a few successes and many glorious defeats during the amendment stage of the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill. I will draw Mr Swinney's attention to one of ...
John Swinney:
SNP
I suppose that the statement will be welcomed in some quarters but not in others, but a direction of travel was established by the passage of the 2006 act, a...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I am not normally taken by the idea of describing the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth as a little Scotlander, but I will do so today in ...
John Swinney:
SNP
Where do I start with that?In the summer, I made a fascinating visit to the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. Scotland is leading the world in marine ...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD):
LD
I commend the previous Administration for developing the first national planning framework and welcome the new Administration's commitment to progressing the...
John Swinney:
SNP
I will certainly consider that point. I am keen to ensure that there are effective methods of local involvement.During my visits around the country in the su...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
If members keep their questions short, I will get everyone in.
Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab):
Lab
I note the cabinet secretary's comments, including those on consensus. Although plenty of members now talk the talk on consensus, planning is a very good exa...
John Swinney:
SNP
In an earlier response to Tavish Scott, I tried to be generous in what I said about Johann Lamont in order to encourage her. I am not sure that I succeeded.J...
Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Do the cabinet secretary and Scottish ministers accept the problem of underfunding in local authority planning services? If so, what will he and ministers do...
John Swinney:
SNP
Governments always have to wrestle with the question of resources. Predominantly, the issues that are involved relate to the effectiveness of local authority...