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Plenary, 30 May 2002

30 May 2002 · S1 · Plenary

Item of business

Scottish Executive's Programme

Aitken, Bill Con Glasgow Watch on SPTV

This morning's statement was tangible evidence of the First Minister's declared intent to do less, but few will have any confidence that he will do it better.

The First Minister's offering was cold kail; a reheated, but lukewarm potpourri of stale reannouncements, restatements of what has gone before and what we knew might happen in the future. There is little, indeed nothing, that is new.

It is disappointing, when concerns about NHS provision are at an unprecedented level, that—apart from welcome measures on mental health—the First Minister had so little to say on health issues.

It is surprising, when the recent actions of the First Minister's colleague, Chancellor Gordon Brown, threaten to create massive problems for Scottish industry and business, that no measures are being suggested to mitigate that damage. Given that attitude, is it so surprising that social work is the only growth industry in Scotland?

It is astonishing, when the Executive's stance on youth crime is in disarray and total confusion, that Jack McConnell did not take the opportunity to clarify the position. These are difficult days for Scotland's parents. The message from the Executive is almost schizophrenic: on the one hand, parents can be sent to prison for moderately disciplining their children, on the other, they can be sent to prison for the misdeeds of their children.

What is the Executive's policy on youth crime? There are some good ideas, but they are Conservative ones. The Executive now enunciates the same ideas that the Conservatives proposed when the issue was first debated in Parliament six months ago. That is progress of a sort, but why did not the Executive support us then? There is a total lack of clarity. If the Executive is serious about tackling child crime, it should not remit the matter to committees or put proposals out for consultation or into some future Labour manifesto. The Executive should legislate now by amending the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, which is before the Justice 2 Committee, to include the proposed measures. It is manifest from the Executive's failure to legislate that, at the end of the day, nothing will happen.

There is also confusion about the proposed agricultural holdings bill. I hope that the Deputy First Minister will, in his summing up, make it clear whether it is intended to include a pre-emptive right to buy in that bill.

The main problems are with what has not been mentioned. There is nothing to improve public services or democracy. The lip service that has been paid by means of the proposed public appointments and public bodies bill demonstrates that, on that issue, the Executive is going nowhere. The response to David McLetchie's question made it clear that, as far as Labour is concerned, our public bodies will in future still be stuffed full of Labour quangonistas.

There is little for anyone in this morning's statement: there is nothing for the beleaguered countryside but more meddlesome legislation; nothing for the towns but continuing crime and social order problems; nothing for business or employment; nothing for the young, as education standards fall and the McCrone settlement seems to be unravelling; and nothing for the old, as health care provision comes under increasing stress. Although waiting lists are not growing, the figures that were given this morning do not offer encouragement. There is nothing to encourage or inspire or to provide the hope that Scottish devolution can make the difference that we all want it to make. This depressing groundhog-day debate has exposed the Executive as lacking in ambition to the point of complacency. To paraphrase the poet Gray, ambition certainly does not mock their useful toil.

Is it not ironic that an Executive in which the personnel changes with such frequent and monotonous regularity should seem so tired? Is it not time that the First Minister examined in detail his electoral programme? Is it not time that he told his ministers to produce plans and projects that might improve the life of Scotland's people and make a difference? If he and his ministers fail to do that, the devolution project could be jeopardised.

The legislation that has been proposed is inadequate for Scotland's requirements. The Executive is tired and should be replaced; indeed, it will be replaced next year.

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Plenary, 30 May 2002

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