Chamber
Plenary, 02 Oct 2003
02 Oct 2003 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Antisocial Behaviour
That matter is being dealt with by our colleagues at Westminster. The problem that we have here is the fact that there are still people who feel that it is acceptable to buy alcohol for people who are under 18, thereby encouraging them to participate in drinking alcohol, which can lead to antisocial behaviour. We must also think about the location of off-licences. In my constituency, far too many off-licences are located in the centres of residential areas. We must bear that in mind when it comes to future planning applications.
The proposed antisocial behaviour bill will give us a chance to address parental responsibility, which is a major factor in the problem of antisocial behaviour. Parents must acknowledge their responsibility to be aware of their children's behaviour, but that does not always seem to be the case. Other mechanisms must also work alongside the bill to ensure that support is offered to parents who need help with, for example, parenting skills or substance misuse problems. Community schools have a part to play, as does partnership working between health departments and social services. However, legislation should be put in place for last-resort situations in which, despite full support being offered, parents refuse to take responsibility for the actions of their children.
I would also like the use of closed-circuit television cameras to be extended. There is no doubt that use of such systems acts as a deterrent to antisocial behaviour in some communities. That has been demonstrated in Rutherglen and Cambuslang, where cameras have been in place for some time and have produced excellent results. The main obstacle to continuing and expanding such facilities is usually financial. Although the Executive has provided finance for the establishment of new systems, revenue funding is always a barrier when it comes to maintaining and expanding those systems. Some thought must be given to that in the bill.
I welcome the proposals to support and protect the victims and witnesses of antisocial behaviour. I have heard at first hand in my constituency about the fear that is felt by those who are called as witnesses and the intimidation that they experience. Sometimes it is so severe that it has an adverse effect on their health. I welcome the proposal that greater use be made of professional witnesses in order to address that problem.
The minister recently visited my constituency to hear at first hand about some of the problems that are being experienced by the communities of Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Toryglen and King's Park—stories that I and my councillor colleagues hear all too regularly. I have consulted widely on the proposed bill, and my constituents welcome its aims.
There is no doubt that antisocial behaviour is on the increase, but it will be some time before the bill is fully effective—as I believe it will be. However, that does not mean that nothing is being done at the moment. We have heard about the role of community wardens; I welcome warmly the initiative in South Lanarkshire where 32 such wardens have been recruited. We welcomed some of them to Rutherglen recently. Although it is early days, the wardens are making themselves known in the community and I am sure that they will play a valuable role. Annabel Goldie seems to be unwilling to accept the concept of community wardens; however, I assure her that she is doing the people of Renfrewshire a disservice by discouraging any efforts that may help to address antisocial behaviour.
We have heard calls for more police and I welcome initiatives such as the proposed High Court reform bill, which will free up more police time. However, the issue is not only about policing. I warmly welcome the proposed antisocial behaviour bill's emphasis on partnership working, but with stronger punitive measures to be used when necessary. That is the way forward in addressing antisocial behaviour. The proposed bill offers us a real opportunity, which we must grasp with both hands if we are to tackle antisocial behaviour in our communities.
The proposed antisocial behaviour bill will give us a chance to address parental responsibility, which is a major factor in the problem of antisocial behaviour. Parents must acknowledge their responsibility to be aware of their children's behaviour, but that does not always seem to be the case. Other mechanisms must also work alongside the bill to ensure that support is offered to parents who need help with, for example, parenting skills or substance misuse problems. Community schools have a part to play, as does partnership working between health departments and social services. However, legislation should be put in place for last-resort situations in which, despite full support being offered, parents refuse to take responsibility for the actions of their children.
I would also like the use of closed-circuit television cameras to be extended. There is no doubt that use of such systems acts as a deterrent to antisocial behaviour in some communities. That has been demonstrated in Rutherglen and Cambuslang, where cameras have been in place for some time and have produced excellent results. The main obstacle to continuing and expanding such facilities is usually financial. Although the Executive has provided finance for the establishment of new systems, revenue funding is always a barrier when it comes to maintaining and expanding those systems. Some thought must be given to that in the bill.
I welcome the proposals to support and protect the victims and witnesses of antisocial behaviour. I have heard at first hand in my constituency about the fear that is felt by those who are called as witnesses and the intimidation that they experience. Sometimes it is so severe that it has an adverse effect on their health. I welcome the proposal that greater use be made of professional witnesses in order to address that problem.
The minister recently visited my constituency to hear at first hand about some of the problems that are being experienced by the communities of Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Toryglen and King's Park—stories that I and my councillor colleagues hear all too regularly. I have consulted widely on the proposed bill, and my constituents welcome its aims.
There is no doubt that antisocial behaviour is on the increase, but it will be some time before the bill is fully effective—as I believe it will be. However, that does not mean that nothing is being done at the moment. We have heard about the role of community wardens; I welcome warmly the initiative in South Lanarkshire where 32 such wardens have been recruited. We welcomed some of them to Rutherglen recently. Although it is early days, the wardens are making themselves known in the community and I am sure that they will play a valuable role. Annabel Goldie seems to be unwilling to accept the concept of community wardens; however, I assure her that she is doing the people of Renfrewshire a disservice by discouraging any efforts that may help to address antisocial behaviour.
We have heard calls for more police and I welcome initiatives such as the proposed High Court reform bill, which will free up more police time. However, the issue is not only about policing. I warmly welcome the proposed antisocial behaviour bill's emphasis on partnership working, but with stronger punitive measures to be used when necessary. That is the way forward in addressing antisocial behaviour. The proposed bill offers us a real opportunity, which we must grasp with both hands if we are to tackle antisocial behaviour in our communities.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The first item of business is a debate on antisocial behaviour, which will be concluded without any question being put.
The Minister for Communities (Ms Margaret Curran):
Lab
As the second session of the Scottish Parliament gets into its stride, it is highly appropriate that one of the first issues that we should debate is antisoc...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
Does the minister accept that the presentation of the issue in the Daily Record was unnecessarily populist and exaggerated the situation?
Ms Curran:
Lab
I do not accept that. The Daily Record responded to issues that its readers raised.Members may not agree with our proposals for dealing with antisocial behav...
John Scott (Ayr) (Con):
Con
I was delighted to welcome the minister to Ayr constituency during the summer. The minister says that the response to the consultation has not yet been produ...
Ms Curran:
Lab
I enjoyed my visit to John Scott's constituency. With all due respect to him, he raises two separate issues. The warden scheme was initiated last year and a ...
Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab):
Lab
There is an issue about off-licences selling alcohol, but does the minister recognise the problem for shop workers, who are often put under considerable pres...
Ms Curran:
Lab
That is a serious issue. I ask MSPs who support strongly the action by trade unions to stop the bullying of workers to support us as we try to stop bullying ...
Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Does the minister accept that we already have rigorous laws on the sale of liquor from licensed premises, which cover the retail of alcohol to under-age peop...
Ms Curran:
Lab
I offer to take Annabel Goldie to meet some of the people whom I met over the summer, and I will tell her why I think more action is needed. Those people and...
Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP):
SNP
Will the minister take an intervention?
Ms Curran:
Lab
I must move on, or I will run out of time.The second recurring theme is frustration with the time that can be taken to pursue actions through the courts or t...
Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Will the minister give way?
Ms Curran:
Lab
I really must move on—I apologise.I do not believe that it stigmatises the majority of young people if we deal effectively with the minority, any more than I...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I am interested in that point. Does the minister accept that, if secure accommodation is to serve as a penalty against people who breach antisocial behaviour...
Ms Curran:
Lab
The Executive has made its position clear. We are increasing the secure estate by a third, from 96 to 125 places, and we are increasing, through the intensiv...
Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
The minister has not mentioned anything about putting money into community centres. Will there be any money for those?
Ms Curran:
Lab
There are many details that I have not mentioned in my speech, which has been very general. I could spend a lot of time listing all our investments, but I wo...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
Will the minister give way?
Ms Curran:
Lab
No. Let me go on.Let me emphasise one key point. I believe that the consultation process and the bill that will follow will mark a significant step forward. ...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to debate at some length the problem of antisocial behaviour. There is no doubt that antisocial behaviour is the area of policy in ...
Johann Lamont:
Lab
Does the member agree that one reason why the old lady may be frightened of the young person is that she may have seen half a dozen other young people who we...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
That might or might not be the case, but I will come on to that point.In incidents such as the one that I have outlined, the behaviour is not always the thin...
Ms Curran:
Lab
Will the member tell us which recommendations in the consultation paper stigmatise young people? Can she not see the rest of the work that we are doing to ta...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I will come on to all those points, but I say that what runs the risk of stigmatising all young people is the rhetoric that the minister and her colleagues h...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member give way?
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
No, let me finish. I seem to have struck a raw nerve among those on the Executive benches.The important point that I want to make—some members would do well ...
The Minister for Justice (Cathy Jamieson):
Lab
In her speech, the Minister for Communities laid out clearly that we are talking about a ladder of interventions to divert young people from trouble in the f...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I accept that, but the points that I am making require to be emphasised because this is the first time that I have heard the minister articulate the idea in ...
Cathie Craigie:
Lab
Will the member give way?