Scottish Executive

Carers

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what investment it intends to make in providing training for carers over the period of the current spending review.

Shona Robison: We have identified funds totalling £1 million in 2008-09, £3 million in 2009-10 and £5 million in 2010-11 for the NHS to implement Carer Information Strategies in the recent budget, subject to parliamentary approval. These strategies will improve support for carers and must include measures to develop carer training.

Also, we have already announced funding totalling £280,000 for piloting of carer training, spread over 2007-08 to 2009-10.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding it intends to provide for the support and development of carer organisations over the period of the current spending review.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government will be providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The vast majority of the funding, including the funding for carers, will be provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments.

The joint Scottish Government and COSLA concordat includes a commitment for the Scottish Government and local government to work together to develop policy in areas where local government has a key interest, including additional resources for local carer centres.

In addition, the Scottish Government has identified resources rising to £5 million per year for the NHS to implement local Carer Information Strategies in the recent budget, subject to parliamentary approval. The new resources will enable NHS boards to identify carers and give them the information and training they need, working with local carer centres and extending their services.

Defence

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to publish the responses received to the First Minister’s letter to all states party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with regard to gaining observer status at their meetings.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the responses received to the First Minister’s letter to all states party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with regard to gaining observer status at their meetings.

Bruce Crawford: There are no plans to publish any responses received as this might prejudice free and frank discussion between governments.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the heads of government to whom the First Minister wrote regarding observer status for the Executive at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty meetings; how many replies have been received and from whom, and what the content has been of any such replies.

Bruce Crawford: The First Minister did not write to the heads of government of state parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty but to their London and Scotland based representations. Copies of all the letters issued have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. There are no plans to publish any responses received as this might prejudice free and frank discussion between governments.

Dentistry

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the prevention-based school dental service will be introduced in the most deprived areas.

Shona Robison: I launched Childsmile School, the school-based preventive dental service, on 3 December 2007 in Fife and it will expand to the Borders and Tayside with a view to rolling out across the rest of Scotland.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis deprivation will be measured for the introduction of the prevention-based school dental service.

Shona Robison: The school-based preventive dental service will be based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) which is the Scottish Government’s tool for identifying small area concentrations of multiple deprivation across all of Scotland.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will deliver the prevention-based school dental service promised in the SNP manifesto.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on plans to introduce a school-based dental service.

Shona Robison: I launched Childsmile School, the school-based preventive dental service on 3 December 2007 in Fife.

Education

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the ruling of the Court of Session delivered by Lord Macphail on 11 October 2007, whether it has issued guidance to local education authorities on how to deal with placing requests from parents of deaf children with additional support needs to have their children educated in schools outwith their own local authority area of residence.

Adam Ingram: We have not yet issued guidance to local education authorities as it is our clear understanding that this decision will now be appealed to the House of Lords.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will seek to ensure that parents of deaf children with additional support needs can continue to make placing requests to schools that they feel best meet the needs of their children, regardless of the location of such schools, following the ruling of the Court of Session on 11 October 2007 that such requests can be made only within a single local authority area.

Adam Ingram: We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that the parents of children with additional support needs are able to make placing requests to schools outwith their local authority area.

It is our clear understanding that this Court of Session decision will now be appealed to the House of Lords. If this is the case and the House of Lords upholds the decision we would aim to amend the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to enable parents of children with additional support needs to make placing requests to schools outwith their local authority area. Any proposed amendments would be consulted on and would require parliamentary approval.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it records the attainment of deaf pupils.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it publishes information on the attainment of deaf pupils.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it collects information on the attainment of deaf pupils.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government collects annual information on all pupils, including those with identified additional support needs. Data from the pupil census and other information from local authorities are matched with Scottish Qualifications Authority data. Where the base number of pupils is considered large enough, this information is published by reason for additional support. An example of this is in the attendance information http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publictions/2006/12/07132341/24.

However, in the case of attainment, where only those in exam cohorts are included, numbers have generally been considered too small to publish. We are currently reviewing this approach.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that deaf children should achieve the same level of educational attainment as their hearing peers.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government believes that all children should reach their full potential. The Additional Support for Learning Act provides a framework for this, as authorities have a duty to identify and meet the needs of all pupils with additional support needs, including those with a hearing impairment.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to improve the attainment of deaf pupils.

Adam Ingram: The recently published Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education report Achieving Success for Deaf Pupils contains advice and recommendations which will improve practice and help raise the attainment levels of deaf pupils.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local education authorities on the best methods for supporting and teaching deaf children in the school environment.

Adam Ingram: In February, the Scottish Government issued guidance to all local authorities on Appropriate Qualifications for Teachers of Children and Young Persons who are Hearing Impaired, Visually Impaired, or both Hearing and Visually Impaired. The recently published Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education report Achieving Success for Deaf Pupils contains advice and recommendations on the best methods for supporting and teaching deaf children in school.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek the advice of organisations representing the interests of deaf children, such as the National Deaf Children’s Society, when considering guidance to local education authorities on appropriate teaching practices for deaf pupils.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government works closely with such organisations and will continue to seek their advice when considering guidance to local authorities on appropriate teaching practices for deaf pupils.

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing a minimum qualification standard in British Sign Language proficiency for communication support workers supporting deaf children in schools.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a minimum qualification standard in British Sign Language proficiency for communication support workers supporting deaf children in schools.

Ferry Services

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in co-operation with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service.

Stewart Stevenson: At the British Irish Council in July 2007 agreement was reached to re-examine the case for the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service. In taking this forward, I have agreed with my counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive to commission jointly a STAG appraisal.

It is important at this stage that we take the time necessary to consider all of the options available for delivering a ferry service on this route. A fresh appraisal will also allow us to examine the economic viability of the route, and consider the costs and benefits associated with the proposed ferry service.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid to farmers and crofters by the (a) Executive and (b) UK Government as a result of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 and what proportion of this was compensation for (i) the culling of livestock and (ii) economic losses.

The Executive have supplied the following corrected answer:

Richard Lochhead: All costs were met by the UK Government. Based on the Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture, the total compensation payments made to Scottish farmers and crofters for animals culled during the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak was £189.713 million. No payments were made for economic losses.

Foster Care and Adoption

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the National Fostering and Kinship Care Strategy will be launched.

Adam Ingram: Getting it Right for Every Child in Kinship and Foster Care - the National Fostering and Kinship Care Strategy will be launched on 5 December 2007. Copies will be made available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44132) and at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/fosterkinshipcarestrategy.

The strategy is the first publication to be published jointly with COSLA following the concordat agreed last month, heralding a new relationship between national and local government in Scotland. This strategy will provide the framework for joint working between national and local government to deliver a child-centred approach to kinship and foster care, and to provide equitable support to all kinship and foster carers of looked after children to provide high-quality and nurturing care.

In tandem with the publication of Getting it Right for Every Child in Kinship and Foster Care, a draft set of regulations which revise and update the existing relevant regulations will be published for consultation. The consultation period will run from 5 December to 14 March 2008.

General Practitioners

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to prevent a GP based in Scotland from referring a patient to an NHS facility in England.

Shona Robison: No. A GP should, however, liaise with their NHS board about the appropriateness of such a referral.

The general rule covering the diagnosis and treatment of patients under the NHS in the UK is that services are either provided by, or commissioned by, a NHS body in whose area the patient lives. If an NHS Authority in England were to receive a referral from a GP based in Scotland, it would reach a decision whether or not to accept it. Any such referrals would be considered individually, on their merits, before a decision was reached. I would expect clinical considerations to be the key factors in making a decision. Any costs associated with accepting the referral would fall to be met by the relevant NHS board in Scotland.

The arrangements for contracts between NHS boards and general practitioners are set out in regulations. These provide that a board may seek an explanation from a general practitioner about any referral.

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to prevent a GP based in England from referring a patient to an NHS facility in Scotland.

Shona Robison: No. A GP should, however, liaise with their NHS authority about the appropriateness of such a referral.

The general rule covering the diagnosis and treatment of patients under the NHS in the UK is that services are either provided by, or commissioned by, a NHS body in whose area the patient lives. If an NHS board in Scotland were to receive a referral from a GP based in England, the board would reach a decision whether or not to accept it. Any such referrals would be considered individually, on their merits, before a decision was reached. I would expect clinical considerations to be the key factors in making a decision. Any costs associated with accepting the referral would fall to be met by the relevant NHS body in England.

Health

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when annual health and fitness checks will be introduced, as promised in the SNP manifesto.

Shona Robison: Our plans are to increase the range of nursing and other healthcare support available to school aged children and young people. A health care model targeted at deprived and other areas with high numbers of disadvantaged children will be developed in 2008. Individual health plans for school pupils are being considered as part of this work.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when health checks for people who reach the age of 40 will be introduced.

Shona Robison: We are currently examining how best to design these health checks to ensure the maximum benefits for patients, building on the success of the Keep Well programme. We will set out a timetable for their introduction once that work is completed.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how health checks for people who reach the age of 40 will be funded.

Shona Robison: Provision has been made in the Scottish Budget to take forward this Manifesto Commitment.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to expand primary health care in deprived areas.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what options are being considered to improve primary care services in deprived areas.

Shona Robison: We are committed to targeting resources to deprived areas for primary care services, through a range of measures including further development of the new GMS (GP) contract, the new pharmacy contract, dental access initiatives and a new school-based dental service in the most deprived areas.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish budget provided funding to increase the number of allied health professionals.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards receive an annual allocation of funds. Each board’s allocation will be increased in each year of the spending review period. It is for each NHS board to decide how best to utilise these funds to meet the health care needs of its resident population taking account of national and local priorities, including any need to increase the number of allied health professionals.

NHS board workforce plans published in April 2007 indicate that the overall number of qualified allied health professionals is projected to increase by 4.3% from 7,492 whole-time equivalents (WTE) in 2006 to 7,815 in 2009. The number of assistant allied health professionals is projected to increase by 5.2% from 1,473 to 1,549 WTE.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of planned expenditure on health improvement.

Shona Robison: Planned expenditure on health improvement set out in the Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 document is as follows

Justice

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to pay for criminal justice social work in 2007-08.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has allocated £88.6 million in total in 2007-08 to date, comprising an initial allocation of £86.0 million and further allocations to take forward a range of specific initiatives.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much ring-fenced funding will be allocated to pay for criminal justice social work in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Kenny MacAskill: £86.45 million in 2008-09 and each of the two subsequent years for criminal justice social work is included in the Local Government Finance settlement for 2008-09 as part of the total amount of funding that the Scottish Government pays to local authorities, via Community Justice Authorities, for the provision of criminal justice social work services. That money will continue to be ring-fenced in 2008-09, and there are no current plans to alter that position in 2009-10 or 2010-11.

Additional grant will be allocated over those years to cover pilot programmes and new initiatives.

All the funding made available will be ring-fenced to pay for criminal justice social work services, in accordance with Sections 27A and 27B of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and the Management of Offenders etc (Scotland) Act 2005.

Marine Environment

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for legislation on the marine historic environment.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has formally withdrawn from the UK Heritage Protection Bill and will be legislating in the Scottish Parliament, probably as part of a Scottish Marine Bill. We will continue to keep in touch with the UK Government so that the future legislation fits well with any provisions in the rest of the UK.

Mental Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it calculates the withdrawal of ring-fenced funding to support the development of mental health and wellbeing services will have on its aim of reducing the use of anti-depressants by 10% by 2009.

Shona Robison: I do not foresee any detrimental effect. We will continue to work in partnership with local government and NHS board partners to drive forward all our mental health priorities including reducing the defined daily dose of antidepressants.

That element of funding now to be included within the overall local government finance settlement will ensure continuity of approach and investment. It will continue to be the responsibility of each agency to work in partnership and to allocate funds from the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs, priorities and agreed targets including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and commitments.

Further details on the new arrangements can be found in the Scottish Budget Report and related Concordat with local government, copies are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 44076 and 44077 respectively).

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has abandoned the SNP manifesto commitment to ring-fence funding for mental heath services.

Shona Robison: We have freed up agencies to succeed and where we have removed ring fencing it is for positive reasons, for positive benefits and for early improvements for service users.

The substantial funding included within the Scottish Government Budget to 2010-11 will ensure continuity of approach and investment on mental health and other priorities by NHS boards, local authorities and other partners.

Funding now to be included within the overall local government finance settlement has been endorsed by both the Scottish ministers and by the COSLA Presidential Team following detailed negotiation and which all believe will lead, over time, to significant benefits for users of all local government services.

It remains the responsibility of each agency to work in partnership and to allocate funds from the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs, priorities and agreed targets including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and commitments.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish budget provide ring-fenced funding for mental health services, as promised in the SNP manifesto.

Shona Robison: The substantial funding included within the Scottish Government Budget to 2010-11 will ensure continuity of approach and investment on mental health and other priorities by NHS boards, local authorities and other partners.

Funding now to be included within the overall local government finance settlement has been endorsed by both the Scottish ministers and by the COSLA Presidential Team following detailed negotiation and which all believe will lead, over time, to significant benefits for users of all local government services.

It remains the responsibility of each agency to work in partnership and to allocate funds from the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs, priorities and agreed targets including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and commitments.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what increases there have been in revenue budgets for mental health services.

Shona Robison: Spend on mental health services will be drawn from the record funds allocated to NHS boards and local government. It is the responsibility of these agencies to work in partnership and to allocate funds from the total financial resources available to then on the basis of local needs, priorities and agreed targets including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and commitments.

Further details can be found in the Scottish Budget Report and related Concordat with local government copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 44076 and 44077 respectively).

Ministerial Code

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for enforcing the Scottish Ministerial Code if it is breached by cabinet secretaries or ministers.

Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Ministerial Code is the First Minister’s document and it sets out the standards of conduct which he expects of government ministers. The First Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a minister and the appropriate consequences in the event of a breach of those standards. Ministers will only remain in office for as long as they retain his confidence.

Modern Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the completion rates for modern apprenticeships have been in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) local enterprise company area and (b) modern apprenticeship framework.

Fiona Hyslop: Completion rates for modern apprenticeships broken down by local enterprise company and modern apprenticeship framework is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. This information is not held centrally.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary to question S3F-284 by Alex Salmond on 22 November 2007 (Official Report c. 3702) and statements by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 21 November 2007 on the number of modern apprenticeships and training places in Scotland moving towards 50,000 over the next three years (Official Report c. 3591 and 3612), whether it has set targets for the growth of such apprenticeships ahead of the establishment of Skills Development Scotland.

Fiona Hyslop: We will develop a range of meaningful targets with Skills Development Scotland to ensure that the government’s priorities are met.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary to question S3F-284 by Alex Salmond on 22 November 2007 (Official Report c. 3702) and statements by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 21 November 2007 on the number of modern apprenticeships and training places in Scotland moving towards 50,000 over the next three years (Official Report c. 3591 and 3612), what input Skills Development Scotland will have in meeting any targets set for the growth of such apprenticeships.

Fiona Hyslop: Skills Development Scotland will have operational responsibility for the delivery and management of the Modern Apprenticeship, Skillseeker programmes as well as other related training interventions.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary to question S3F-284 by Alex Salmond on 22 November 2007 (Official Report c. 3702) and statements by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 21 November 2007 on the number of modern apprenticeships and training places in Scotland moving towards 50,000 over the next three years (Official Report c. 3591 and 3612), how many such apprenticeships will be created in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary to question S3F-284 by Alex Salmond on 22 November 2007 (Official Report c. 3702) and statements by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 21 November 2007 on the number of modern apprenticeships and training places in Scotland moving towards 50,000 over the next three years (Official Report c. 3591 and 3612), how many training places will be created in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010.

Fiona Hyslop: We will not overburden Skills Development Scotland with volume based targets, as these in isolation can drive behaviour. Rather, we will work with them to ensure there is a progressive growth in apprenticeships and training, creating a better match between supply and demand.

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary to question S3F-284 by Alex Salmond on 22 November 2007 (Official Report c. 3702) and statements by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 21 November 2007 on the number of modern apprenticeships and training places in Scotland moving towards 50,000 over the next three years (Official Report c. 3591 and 3612), at what level on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework the training places will be accredited.

Fiona Hyslop: The level of accreditation for training programmes is a matter for the accrediting body and not for Scottish ministers.

There is pilot work underway with the Scottish Qualifications Authority to credit rate and level 10 modern apprenticeship frameworks. This pilot will help to establish a model for future activity.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde last advertised for staff for the Vale of Leven Hospital and what the nature was of the posts advertised.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally however, Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board have advised that they advertised four posts on 23 November 2007. The following table shows details of the posts advertised.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde last advertised for an anaesthetist for the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board have advised that they last advertised for an Anaesthetist post on 13 November 2007. The advert was in the British Medical Journal and has a closing date of 14 December 2007.

National Health Service

Christopher Harvie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what statistics or estimates are available on the cost to the NHS of dentures lost when patients are admitted to accident and emergency departments.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is given to future provision of medical teaching and training in decisions on health service redesign and the centralisation of services for major surgical procedures.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has carried out with the General Medical Council on the potential impact on future provision of medical teaching and training of decisions on health service redesign and the centralisation of services for major surgical procedures.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has carried out with individual medical schools on the potential impact on future provision of medical teaching and training of decisions on health service redesign and the centralisation of services for major surgical procedures.

Nicola Sturgeon: The key driver in any health service redesign is to improve the care and treatment available to patients. Before any decisions can be reached on any health service redesign and centralisation of services a number of important issues will be considered including the availability and skill mix of staff, benefits to patients, service issues etc. Input and consultation will also be undertaken with a number of key stakeholders including service managers, the General Medical Council, NHS Education for Scotland and union representatives.

Once the options for redesign have been considered or a decision has been made, further work will be undertaken with the regulatory and standard setting bodies to ensure that the doctors providing NHS services are trained in the competencies needed to undertake their role in the service. The General Medical Council are responsible for setting the standards for undergraduate medical students and the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board are responsible for postgraduate training and education.

Nursing

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding to double the number of school nurses has been provided for in the Scottish budget and, if so, to which budget grouping it has been allocated.

Shona Robison: Funding for the next three years is included within the Health Improvement and Health Inequalities budget to increase the range of nursing and other health care support available to school aged children and young people.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-5917, which received a holding answer on 15 November 2007.

Bruce Crawford: An answer to question S3W-5917 was provided on 4 December 2007.

Police

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much ring-fenced funding has been allocated to local authorities to pay for the police in 2007-08.

Kenny MacAskill: The police GAE figure for Scotland for 2007-08 is £1,077 million. The police grant is paid at the rate of 51% of expenditure up to a maximum of this figure and local authorities make up the balance.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its promised 50% increase in nursery provision can be delivered by child care workers.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is working closely with local authorities to deliver increased levels of pre-school entitlement, including consideration of associated staffing issues. Decisions about staff deployment in individual centres will be for employers.

Scottish Government Expenditure

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out on what impact the funding settlement in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 will have on the competitiveness of universities.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has assessed a range of information, including advice provided by the Scottish Funding Council and the Universities Scotland Spending Review bid.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, on the basis of the funding allocated for affordable housing in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 and current methods of funding registered social landlords, how many social rented houses will be built in (a) 2008-09 (b) 2009-10 (c) 2010-11.

Stewart Maxwell: In Firm Foundations: the future of housing in Scotland the Scottish Government outlined its proposals for getting better value for its expenditure on social housing by reforming the current methods of funding registered social landlords.

On the basis of the proposed reforms, the Scottish Government expects that the increased budget for affordable housing of £1.5 billion in 2008-11 will deliver more new affordable homes – including social rented houses and houses for low cost home ownership – than planned for 2005-08. Were it to persist with the unreformed methods of the previous administration, and to allocate the budget on the same basis, it estimates that the increased budget would deliver of the order of 18,500 such homes in 2008-11.

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provided funding in the Scottish budget to increase the number of physiotherapists.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards receive an annual allocation of funds. Each board’s allocation will be increased in each year of the spending review period. It is for each NHS board to decide how best to utilise these funds to meet the health care needs of its resident population taking account of national and local priorities, including any need to increase the number of physiotherapists.

Board workforce plans published in April 2007 have predicted that the overall number of qualified physiotherapists is projected to increase by almost 7% over the next three years from 2,138WTE to 2,286WTE.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to further implementation of the National Youth Work Strategy as a result of the strategic spending review.

Adam Ingram: As a result of the spending review, the funding available to support youth work and youth participation and engagement at national level totals £5.637 million for 2008-11 (£1.868 million/£1.868 million/£1.901 million per annum). This will be used to build on progress made during the Youth Work Strategy year of action and to support young people’s participation and engagement.

Additionally, in 2007-08, support for local youth work projects and partnerships was channelled through the youth work strategy’s Youth Opportunities Fund. For future years, this funding will be included within the overall local government finance settlement.

The following questions were given holding answers:

S3W-6578

S3W-6588

S3W-6589

S3W-6590

S3W-6591

S3W-6592

S3W-6615

S3W-6616

S3W-6620

S3W-6637

S3W-6654

S3W-6655

S3W-6656

S3W-6657

S3W-6658

S3W-6659

S3W-6660

S3W-6661

S3W-6662

S3W-6663

S3W-6664

S3W-6665

S3W-6686