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Primary Schools (Language Tuition)
7. Ms Squire: What proportion of primary schools in Scotland currently offer foreign language tuition. [28074]
Mr. Wilson: There are at present teachers qualified to teach modern languages in 74 per cent. of Scottish primary schools.
Ms Squire: Does the Minister agree that, in spite of that, the take-up of foreign languages by children and young people in Scotland has been very disappointing; that the development of fluency in two or more languages opens up tremendous opportunities, especially in employment; and that it seems that the best way to start is at primary school? What further action do the Government hope to take, especially in this year, when we hold the European presidency, to encourage greater foreign language development in Scotland?
Mr. Wilson: If I wanted to be complacent, I could simply say that we are already far ahead of the United Kingdom as a whole in that respect, and that we are continuing to expand the successful and praiseworthy modern languages in primary schools scheme. However, I entirely share my hon. Friend's analysis. I think that our proficiency in languages in Scotland--and, perhaps, in the rest of the United Kingdom as well--is a disgrace. For all the reasons that she states, there is an enormous amount to be done to improve our language competence. I believe that we could do much more through the education system, including, for instance, immersion in modern languages in the primary years. We should also ensure that within the curriculum there is no disadvantage to pupils who opt for modern languages. That is vital.
Mrs. Ray Michie: If the threat to primary schools in the highlands and islands area continues, there could soon be few primary schools left to teach another language, or anything else. Is the Minister aware that in Argyll and Bute 10 primary schools have now been earmarked for closure, in addition to the four that have already closed? Those schools certainly will not be able to teach another
language. How does he view that development, in the light of the funding that he recently announced for the Argyll and Bute education authority?
Mr. Wilson: As the hon. Lady is aware, I know Argyll and Bute reasonably well. I also know the local authority, and I think that it would maintain that its proposals were education led rather than finance led. Of course, the decisions are matters for the authority's judgment. It inherited an enormous number of small primary schools and, for reasons that the hon. Lady and I both regret, there is continued population movement away from some areas. Judgments then have to be made by the education authorities. I have nothing but empathy with small primary schools, but there remain judgments of balance on educational and financial grounds for education authorities to make.
Mr. Connarty: The Minister, I am sure, will accept that to advance something like primary education teaching in languages requires co-operation. He will no doubt have noted in The Times Educational Supplement of last week the concerns expressed by local authorities at the number of directives coming from his Department, which has been worrying them. He will recall that I handed him three sheets totalling 55 directives sent out by his Department to education authorities since May last year, and I hear that they are actually speeding up in January and February. Will he give the House an assurance that he will go back to his promise of co-operation with local education authorities to build the education they require, rather than allowing his civil servants to bombard them with directives, which cuts across their own plans in education?
Mr. Wilson: I assure my hon. Friend that the approach is one of partnership and consensus, as will be reflected later this week when the action group on standards in Scottish schools, which I chair, meets people from all the branches of education represented on it, so as to take forward important reforms. When I took my job, one of the first things I said was that there was unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy going into schools and taking up the time of teaching staff and head teachers. If I could be shown examples, I would end that. I must practise what I preach, and if my hon. Friend can show me unnecessary letters that have gone into schools, I shall ensure that the flow is reduced.
Miss McIntosh: Will the Minister agree to extend the Lingua programme to primary schools both in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom, and can he inform the House what the cost to the British taxpayer would be?
Mr. Wilson: On costs, I would be pleased to write to the hon. Lady. In principle I support the extension of language programmes in schools. That is the practical approach adopted in Scotland and I am always looking for ways of furthering it, and of taking advantage of European programmes that encourage it.
Local Government (Best Value Scheme)
8. Mr. Doran: How many local authorities have qualified to date under the best value scheme. [28075]
Mr. Dewar: All Scottish councils have demonstrated commitment to best value, although some are further
forward than others. Accordingly, I propose to retain the moratorium on compulsory competitive tendering for a further year. Five councils will be subject to conditions, including three that have accepted the need to retain competitive tendering. We put great emphasis on the importance of best value as a means of improving, with the co-operation of local government, the delivery of services to the public.
Mr. Doran: I thank my right hon. Friend for that announcement, which will be welcomed by local authorities throughout Scotland, especially my local authority in Aberdeen, which has led the way in the introduction of best value regimes. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the move away from the rigidities and inflexibilities of CCT, which he has confirmed today, will lead us into a new regime for local government finance, in which good housekeeping and best practice will be rewarded?
Mr. Dewar: That is certainly the intention, and it is the joint ambition of the local authority world and the Scottish Office. Plans have been laid out and objectives defined. The important thing is to deliver on both.
Mr. Ian Bruce: I am sure the right hon. Gentleman will acknowledge how difficult it is to do away with compulsory competitive tendering and bring in best value. Has he undertaken a comparison of the costs of local authorities in Scotland with those in the rest of the United Kingdom, especially as Scottish local authorities get 20 to 25 per cent. more funding than the rest of the country? Can he bring that figure down, to the benefit of the UK taxpayer?
Mr. Dewar: The hon. Gentleman, who I think has some Scottish antecedents, never misses the chance. His antecedents, I fear, are well buried, but the name is a clue. Simplistic comparisons of the kind in which he specialises are not always helpful. If he looks at the geography, social structure and environment in which many local authorities in Scotland operate, he will come across some of the explanations that he seeks.
Millennium Link
10. Mr. Canavan: What recent representations he has received about funding for the millennium link project to reunite the Forth and Clyde canal and the Union canal. [28077]
Mr. McLeish: The Government have received representations from hon. Members, elected members, local tourist boards and other interested organisations in support of the project. I shall arrange for detailed information to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Canavan: As independent consultants estimate that 4,000 permanent jobs and 1,500 jobs during the construction stage could be generated by the project, plus an annual injection of £55 million into the central Scotland economy, with additional benefits in terms of tourism, leisure and recreation, will my hon. Friend try to ensure that the project receives the full amount of £16.4 million requested from the European regional development fund, bearing it in mind that the total cost of
the millennium link is only about one tenth of that of the millennium white elephant being planned by the Dome Secretary at Greenwich?
Mr. McLeish: I shall ignore the opportunity to comment on the latter part of my hon. Friend's contribution. We share a concern for the project. The Scottish Office supports the project. A meeting is to be held on 24 February at which the two partnerships involved will come together, so there will be an opportunity for British Waterways and Scottish Enterprise to reinforce the case made by my hon. Friend. On Thursday my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I will be able to discuss the entire millennium link with canalside Members and we can go into much greater detail with them then.
Electronic Tagging
11. Mr. Browne: How the pilot programmes of electronic tagging will be monitored and evaluated. [28078]
Mr. McLeish: The pilot programmes of electronically monitored restriction of liberty orders will be the subject of two research projects. The first, taking place during the pilot projects, will focus on the implementation, use, impact and cost of the orders. The second will examine the long-term impact on reoffending rates.
Mr. Browne: I welcome the addition of restriction of liberty orders to the range of orders available for community-based disposals in the court, not least because they help to move the debate about law and order in Scotland on beyond the Tory obsession with gaols and longer prison sentences. Is it the Government's intention that RLOs will be used as a true alternative to prison sentences, and if so, how do the Government intend to get that view across to sentencers?
Mr. McLeish: My hon. Friend is right. RLOs will be an alternative to custody, but as with the English pilots, will not be exclusively so. That is part of the Government's programme to develop robust, tough alternatives to custody in the community. We have the community service order and the supervised attendance order, we will move on to drug treatment and testing orders, and now we have the restriction of liberty orders. As part of the co-operative exercise in implementing the RLOs, we will be having further discussions with all sections of the criminal justice system, and information will be provided to the courts, but ultimately it is for the sentencers to decide. Our task is to put before them a wide and comprehensive package from which they can choose appropriate, value-for-money and tough sentences in the community.
Mr. Wray: Given that the question deals with prisoners and crime, I wish to ask a specific question relating to two prisoners, T. C. Campbell and Joseph Steele. Will my hon. Friend answer a question regarding section 124 of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996? [Interruption.] I will ask my question if I am given a chance to speak.
Madam Speaker: Order. Hon. Members must let the hon. Gentleman put his question. It appears to relate to a
constituency case with which the Minister is probably not familiar at this stage, but the Minister is indicating that he will respond.
Mr. Wray: My hon. Friend the Minister is well aware of the case. Under section 124 of the 1996 Act, the former Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Forsyth, released the two prisoners more than a year ago. The criminal appeal court, however, made a different decision under section 17 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997. In view of new evidence, would my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland consider acting under section 124 of the 1996 Act?
Mr. McLeish: The changes in the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act were carefully drafted with the intention of achieving a balance between protecting witnesses and allowing a review when circumstances warrant it. We will study the judgments in the Campbell and Steele case, but it would be wrong to rush into decisions on the effectiveness of the new provisions. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will, however, consider any fresh petitions submitted to him.
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