Chamber and committees

The use by the police, including Special Branches, of covert human intelligence sources is governed in Scotland by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 (RIP(S)A) and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

Section 7(3) of RIP(S)A requires that any officer within a Scottish police force who grants an authorisation for the conduct or use of a covert human intelligence source must be satisfied that the authorisation is necessary for:

the purpose of preventing or detecting crime or of preventing disorder;

in the interests of public safety, or

for the purpose of protecting public health.

Section 28(3) of RIPA provides the following additional grounds:

in the interests of national security, or

in the interests of the economic well-being of the United Kingdom.

The collection and interpretation of intelligence by police Special Branches for these purposes plays an important part in ensuring the safety of communities across the United Kingdom and the Scottish Executive supports this work.

Under section 23 of RIPSA and section 65 of RIPA, any person who is aggrieved by any conduct to which the acts apply may complain to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal if they believe that the conduct took place in relation to them or their property in challengeable circumstances.

Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify their level of earnings or to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent initiative on every occasion. However, information on the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme will be collected through a questionnaire which the Relocation Advisory Service will issue to all successful applicants. A breakdown of the data collected through the questionnaires will be issued on a six monthly basis. We expect the first breakdown to be published in the next few months.

Individuals moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK and overseas do so under a variety of means and it is not possible to identify their level of earnings or to what extent they have been influenced by the Fresh Talent Initiative on every occasion. However, information on the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme will be collected through a questionnaire which the Relocation Advisory Service will issue to all successful applicants. A breakdown of the data collected through the questionnaires will be issued on a six monthly basis. We expect the first breakdown to be published in the next few months.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21755 on 18 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The amount of private sector grant approved for improvements for people with disabilities is shown in the following table. Data on actual spend are not broken down by type of work.

Amount of Approved Grant for Improvements for People with Disabilities: 2000-01 to 2004-05

	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
Owner-occupied	9,285,000	10,549,000	11,407,000	12,831,000	15,474,000
Private sector tenant	49,000	46,000	67,000	105,000	445,000

Source: IMP1B returns by local authorities to Scottish Executive Development Department Analytical Services Division (Housing Statistics).

Notes:

1. Prior to 2004-05, the category of “tenant” included a small number of housing association tenants.

2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

3. The figures shown represent amounts approved for work identified by local authorities specifically as improvements for disabled. They do not include grants for more general improvements which may include elements of benefit to people with disabilities, such as improved accessibility.

4. Figures from the Scottish Household Survey 2001 show that, 50% of households where a member has a limiting long-term illness or disability are owner-occupied, compared to 4% in the private rented sector.

The vital role of unpaid family carers as major care providers is well recognised by the Scottish Executive. Chief Medical Officer Letter CMO(2005)07 lays out current national policy on influenza vaccination for carers, requiring NHS boards to offer influenza vaccine to “people who are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill”.

In May 2005, the Scottish Executive, in association with the Association of Directors of Social Work, launched a framework for supporting front line social care staff. Improving Front Line Services: A Framework for Supporting Front Line Staff offers advice to employers on, among other things, promoting a safe and healthy workforce, including the benefits of illness prevention. The document is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/05/13124510/45114.

We do not consider there to be any barriers to eliminating poverty caused by the devolution settlement. We are committed, in partnership with the UK Government, to tackling poverty and deprivation throughout Scotland and, specifically, to eliminating child poverty by 2020.

Poverty is only partly about low income; it also encompasses a lack of opportunity, facing barriers to participating in social and economic life, and access to appropriate and affordable public services.

That is why, through our Closing the Opportunity Gap (CtOG) approach, we want to:

-prevent individuals and families from falling into poverty;

-provide routes out of poverty for individuals and families, and

-sustain individuals and families in a lifestyle free from poverty.

Through co-ordinated action across all of the Executive’s departments and agencies, and working with our partners, we are making good progress – although we recognise that there is much more still to do.

Over 210,000 children have been lifted from absolute poverty since 1997, reducing absolute child poverty from 33% to 15% – a reduction of 56%.

Over 110,000 children have been lifted from relative poverty since 1997, reducing relative child poverty from 33% to 25% – a reduction of 30%.

Over 190,000 pensioners have been lifted from absolute poverty since 1997, reducing absolute pensioner poverty from 30% to 8% – a reduction of 73%.

Over 100,000 pensioners have been lifted from relative poverty since 1997, reducing relative pensioner poverty from 30% to 18% – a reduction of 38%.

Over 220,000 working age adults have been lifted from absolute poverty since 1997, reducing absolute working age poverty from 20% to 13% – a reduction of a third.

Over 60,000 working age adults have been lifted from relative poverty since 1997, reducing relative working age poverty from 20% to 18% – a reduction of 10%.

We current have one of the highest employment rates in Europe (75%), as well as the highest employment rate since records began, and the lowest unemployment rate for a generation (3.2%).

The Scottish Executive recognises the challenges posed by an ageing population that local authorities and others involved in local policy and service delivery face. These local bodies are best placed to assess the needs of their communities, through engaging in the community planning process, when planning infrastructure and key services. The role of the Executive is to encourage and support Community Planning Partnerships in their improvement of service provision in rural areas, not to prescribe a single blueprint of what those services should be.

Specific capital allocations for medical equipment were not given for the years requested. Prior to 2002, NHS trusts had to bid for capital funding which was held centrally. 2002-03 saw a major change in the methodology for allocating the Health Department’s capital budget with the majority of the available budget allocated on the basis of the Arbuthnott formula adjusted for cross boundary patient flows and weighted for the provision of regional specialities. This means that NHS boards can prioritise their investment requirements within defined resources, including those on equipment, based on their local knowledge or the local needs of the local area how this money should be spent.

Following the publication of the Audit Scotland report Better Equipped to Care? – Follow Up Report on 26 February 2004 the Executive announced an additional £125 million over three years to support investment in new and replacement medical equipment.

Specific data on medical equipment expenditure is not collected separately but is included within the general equipment categories as per NHSScotland Accounting Manual guidance. For expenditure on capital equipment (in real terms), for the years stated I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16390 on  26 May 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

The information requested is not held by local authority area. Information on average waiting times is collated and presented as a national average. The average waiting time, which covers the whole of Scotland, is five months.