(S2O-11951) Railways

5. Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the use of rail for passenger and freight traffic. (S2O-11951)

The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott): We have recently published our rail policy document "Scotland's Railways" as part of the national transport strategy. The document examines the options for building on the improvements that we have already made to rail services to encourage more people to make the shift from private car to the train and to encourage many more businesses to shift from transporting goods by lorry to moving them by train.

Christine May: The minister may be familiar with some of the products of Diageo, which employs 800 people in my constituency, at Cameron Bridge and Leven. Is he aware that Diageo's recent proposal to consider the viability of reopening the Thornton to Methil rail link to bring goods into and export goods from its plants would result in a significant reduction in road miles and in congestion on the Forth road bridge? Will he ask his officials to brief him on the proposal and on how that might link into the reopening of the passenger line to Levenmouth?

Tavish Scott: I have some understanding of Diageo's products, but I will say no more than that.
I take seriously Christine May's point about the company's desire to move more products by rail. It would be welcome if it made that project happen and expanded the use of rail in place of lorry miles. I assure her that I will ask officials to examine the project closely to see whether our freight facilities grant mechanisms could provide assistance, if that is appropriate to the development of the project. We will examine closely what assistance we can provide.

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): As the minister will be aware, there are increasing levels of passenger and freight traffic on the Ayr to Glasgow line and of coal traffic on the line from Hunterston. What plans does he have for those lines in light of the passing of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill, given that GARL will remove freight traffic from the lines in Ayrshire?

Tavish Scott: I will be happy to provide John Scott with further detail on Transport Scotland's current plans for the area. On the development of the part of the rail network to which he referred, he is right to point out that significant advantages will flow from GARL. We hope that GARL will allow better optimisation of the rail track both for passengers and for freight. I will be happy to discuss that further with him.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): In the modern world, where much freight is multimodal, connecting rail freight and sea freight is a paramount part of the solution. Is the minister aware of discussions that are taking place to establish a highway of the sea linking Iceland, Shetland, Peterhead and Rosyth? What steps will he take to ensure that appropriate rail links are in place to maximise the benefits of such a development if it goes ahead?

Tavish Scott: Stewart Stevenson makes a good point. I believe that last Friday's highways of the sea conference in Kirkwall—which, unfortunately, I could not attend—was useful in developing some of the practicalities behind that project. He also makes a good point about the need to develop railheads at ports. The ports sector perhaps does not always get enough attention in general transport policy, given what we could achieve with our ports and given how important they are in developing the Scottish economy. We need to ensure that ports are used for business development, especially exports, by ensuring that they provide linkages to both the road and rail networks. I look forward to further development of the highway of the sea project not just for sea freight but potentially—dare I say it—for Arctic oil. One proposal that emerged from the earlier consideration was that Arctic oil could be transhipped in the northern isles, where there is a lot of expertise, as it has been done for the past 30 years or so.

(S2O-11478) Scottish Criminal Record Office Fingerprint Experts

2. Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that fingerprint experts at the Scottish Criminal Record Office will be treated in a fair manner when the organisation becomes part of the Scottish forensic science service in April 2007. (S2O-11478)

The Minister for Justice (Cathy Jamieson): We expect all public servants to be treated fairly. That is the responsibility of their managers and employers. In this case, the Scottish police services authority will be responsible for the Scottish fingerprint service from April 2007.

Mr Macintosh: Does the minister accept that it was her former Cabinet colleague, the previous Lord Advocate, who decided that four fingerprint officers should not be returned to the expert witness list? That decision, I may add, was taken publicly, at a meeting, with the four officers sitting behind the Lord Advocate but without their being given advance notice of the decision. Does she accept that the person whom she appointed as the interim chief executive of the new service has made it clear to six SCRO officers that they have no future in the service despite their long and unblemished record in the SCRO and the fact that their professionalism was upheld by successive inquiries? Does she believe that those Executive decisions have had no effect on the welfare or future well-being of the SCRO officers and that the Executive has no responsibility to ensure that fair play exists in public services?

Cathy Jamieson: It is important to clarify that the Executive works on the policy direction—it will ensure that the SPSA is set up properly and is able to take over the Scottish fingerprint service—but that it is for the Lord Advocate to decide who is used in the courts as an expert witness.

I have been at pains to stress—and I stress it again today—that there is a process that involves the employers, the trade unions and the individuals concerned. I do not believe that it would be right and proper to discuss the detail of that in the chamber while the negotiations are continuing. However, I stress the important point that everyone has employment rights that must be upheld. I expect that to happen whoever the employer is, and in this case I certainly expect the fingerprint service to look at that.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): There should be increased confidence in the future of the service now that Mr Mulhern is in charge of it. Does the minister agree that the challenges for the service include ensuring that future employees have the opportunity to learn from the experience of other bureaux; that employees have adequate management support in doing the job that they have to do; and that we do not return to the position in which members of staff are hung out to dry by wholly inadequate management?

Cathy Jamieson: I know that the member is familiar with "The Scottish Fingerprint Service Action Plan for Excellence". That plan will require a number of actions to be taken. It will ensure that the appropriate professional development is provided and that management systems are appropriate and fit for the job that people are required to do. I look forward with interest to any comments or recommendations that the committee that has been considering the issue will make in due course.

(S2O-11074) Road Fatalities

7. Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of road fatalities in rural Scotland in the past two years took place between sunset and sunrise. (S2O-11074)

The Minister for Transport (Tavish Scott): In 2004 and 2005, 166 fatalities out of a total of 418—that is, 40 per cent of deaths—due to accidents on non-built-up roads were reported as having occurred in darkness.

Stewart Stevenson: I thank the minister for his answer and for his comments in response to Gordon Jackson's question. Is he aware that the overwhelming majority of recent fatalities in the Grampian police area have occurred as a result of accidents at night and that the police said that driver skill—or lack of it—was a significant factor in all but one case? Will he therefore consider promoting more strongly, and giving financial support to, the pass plus scheme, which provides training on driving at night?

Tavish Scott: I acknowledge the points that Stewart Stevenson made. I am well aware of the circumstances and of the police analysis of the causes of the accidents that he mentioned. I will certainly look again at the pass plus scheme. The member knows that most of the resources that we channel into the area are channelled through Road Safety Scotland's programme, which is proven to have lasting benefits. However, I am happy to consider alternative or additional approaches that could demonstrably assist in the prevention of tragic accidents.