Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 26 February 2014
26 Feb 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Justice
I am very grateful for that question. I hope that it is meant in the good faith in which it is received. We have a different approach to what is being delivered, and I promise to come on to that.
The rush to close the Dumfries control room a matter of weeks after a total absence of meaningful consultation and the subsequent closures in Stirling, Glenrothes and Aberdeen ahead of any effective information and communication technology strategy or new contracts to replace what is described as the very expensive Airwave provision all smack of crisis management that is driving towards an announcement of the great success of a £60 million saving for the public. In the meantime, the true cost to the police and, to an extent, the fire and rescue service in terms of front-line, public-facing services is denied. Where is the evidence of any true reform of control rooms in the past seven years? There has been no attempt to rationalise emergency services across boundaries. Shared control rooms for police, fire and ambulance services, or even—
The rush to close the Dumfries control room a matter of weeks after a total absence of meaningful consultation and the subsequent closures in Stirling, Glenrothes and Aberdeen ahead of any effective information and communication technology strategy or new contracts to replace what is described as the very expensive Airwave provision all smack of crisis management that is driving towards an announcement of the great success of a £60 million saving for the public. In the meantime, the true cost to the police and, to an extent, the fire and rescue service in terms of front-line, public-facing services is denied. Where is the evidence of any true reform of control rooms in the past seven years? There has been no attempt to rationalise emergency services across boundaries. Shared control rooms for police, fire and ambulance services, or even—
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-09133, in the name of Graeme Pearson, on justice. I call Graeme Pearson to speak to and move the motion.1...
Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to move the motion and speak in support of it. I note that the rather wordy amendment from the Government focuses on what w...
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I am happy to give way.
Mark McDonald
SNP
Like many other members, I have made representations about the service control centre that is based in my constituency. Given that the member backed the crea...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I am very grateful for that question. I hope that it is meant in the good faith in which it is received. We have a different approach to what is being delive...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I am happy to do so.
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
Is the member aware that, in 2004, the previous Labour-Liberal Executive moved from eight to three ambulance command-and-control centres? Was that wrong?
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I do not know whether that was wrong or right at the time; I am suggesting to the cabinet secretary that the past couple of years presented Scotland with a r...
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
I need to get you to wind up, Mr Pearson.
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I will.He committed to getting the bank to deliver services that are important to its customers. The cabinet secretary needs to focus on locally based servic...
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to respond to Graeme Pearson in this Labour debate.At a time when we are 11 months into the historic reform of our police and fire ...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
If the SPA and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are so engaged in community planning, how come there was no consultation with local communities before th...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
There are procedures that have been agreed by the unions and management on how consultation should be carried out, given the legal requirements on redundancy...
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Does the cabinet secretary not appreciate that Elaine Murray’s question, rather than being about consultation with staff regarding redundancy, which is clear...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
Those consultations and discussions are on-going. The whole purpose of community planning is that people get together in the same room. Indeed, that is why w...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
I will make some progress and then I will come back to the member.What is more, the SPA and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Board have designated board ...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
Would the cabinet secretary at least acknowledge that consultation normally means having the ability to have some impact on a decision before it is made, as ...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
The consultation is on-going and the police will discuss and debate the issue. At this point, however, I want to put on record that the police are most certa...
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
Does the cabinet secretary accept that the Wickerman festival has run very smoothly ever since it was first brought into being and before it had the so-calle...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
It has run smoothly but I think that the additional officers were welcome. I also remember meeting officers in the area when Annan was playing Rangers. I und...
Aileen McLeod (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
The cabinet secretary will be aware of concern in Dumfries about how members of staff can realistically benefit from any relocation opportunities that arise ...
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
The chief constable is making every effort to engage; indeed, when I met him last week, we discussed the matter. Discussions are on-going and everyone is hap...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The cabinet secretary is in his last 30 seconds.
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
Eleven months on, we have already successfully delivered the £42 million of savings that were identified for year 1. We can look forward to Scotland’s outsta...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I rise to support Graeme Pearson’s motion. I do so because of my own experience.When I was listening to the minister, I became slightly worried that he was g...