2. To ask the Scottish Government whether the participation of police officers makes a positive difference to road safety education in schools. (S4O-02403)

Police Scotland is committed to partnership working on road safety issues. It has established the trunk roads unit, supported by 14 divisional road traffic units, to ensure that there is national co-ordination of local delivery of roads policing.

Within Mr Macdonald’s area, it is for Chief Superintendent Mark McLaren, as the local commander, to work with local partners to shape and deliver road safety engagement. I understand that there has been direct engagement with pupils to support safety on the roads at Markethill primary school in Inverurie and at Fochabers school, and the police are working with Moray Housing Partnership in response to road safety concerns. In addition, Police Scotland is engaged in the safe drive, stay alive campaign, the A947 study group and the be a better biker courses, and it runs a number of car-seat clinics at a variety of locations across the area to provide better advice and guidance to parents.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that the principle of preventative spend should apply to road safety as well as to other areas and that police investment in road safety education is a good way in which to spend to save? If so, how will Police Scotland continue to do that work in regions such as the north-east, where the police have previously been active in road safety education? In particular, how will the police approach community planning in order to continue the good work that Grampian Police did as a community planning partner?

I do not think that it would be appropriate for me to comment for the police. If Mr Macdonald has a particular question, he will no doubt put it to Mr Murray, who is head of the road policing unit. However, it is appropriate to point out that road safety is taken very seriously not just by the police but by the Government. In addition, section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 places a statutory duty on local authorities to promote road safety, undertake studies of road accidents and take steps to both reduce and prevent accidents. As a former transport minister, Mr Macdonald will be aware of that, and doubtless he will have taken it on board as a former justice spokesman.

Under the 1988 act, primary responsibility lies with the local authority but, as I mentioned, the police are doing everything that they can to work with others because everybody has a responsibility to keep people safe on the roads. The statutory responsibility for education rests with the local authority, and the police have statutory duties as part of the powers of the office of constable. I am sure that, together, they will help to make Scotland’s roads safer still.

Road safety has, until now, involved a multi-agency partnership. Five core partners are defined in statute for the community planning process, the police being one of them. What does the future hold for community planning in the light of the chief constable’s reported view that Police Scotland is “not a solutions agency” but “a restraining agency”?

Having spoken to Steve House, I think that people should listen to what he says and not necessarily what he is reported or alleged to have said.

The position here goes back to the point that I made to Mr Macdonald. There is an issue. We face problems in a variety of areas. It is not the case that there are problems only in rural areas, but there are particular problems in rural areas of Aberdeenshire, Fife and the south-west of Scotland with young men, in particular, losing their lives. We have seen tragedies, and we have to educate those in schools and who go on the roads to avoid further needless deaths. That is a responsibility for each and every one of us.

The police have looked at this matter, and it is quite clear that the statutory duty rests with the local authorities—I know that from experience here in the city of Edinburgh, having been with the local authority, the education department and teachers and having been present when local police officers have come in. The issue is how we work together. Each has a particular role to play; we can and must make Scotland’s roads safer but we need to work together on the issue.

Equally, there are certain issues with regard to taking action on the roads over which only the police, through the office of constable, have powers and there are other issues under the Road Traffic Act 1988 for which, as transport ministers and justice ministers know, responsibility rests with the local authority.

Before I call Stewart Maxwell for question 3, I must tell members that I really want to make progress through the questions and would therefore very much appreciate brief questions and answers.