Chamber and committees

The most up-to-date information is available from the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey(SCHS) which showed an estimated 286,000 households (13%) to be in fuel poverty.Since 2002, the House Condition Survey methodology moved towards a continuous reportingmethod. The first data analyses are expected to be available by early 2006. Dataof comparable quality to the SHCS 2002 data are expected by late 2007.

The Executive is currently consultingkey stakeholders on the future of the Warm Deal and central heating programmes,including the possibility of widening eligibility. We will make an announcementon our proposals in due course.

The Abolition of Poindings andWarrant Sales Act 2001 never came into force as it was repealed by the Debt Arrangementand Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002, which came into force on 30 December 2002.

The Accountant in Bankruptcy(AiB) maintains the Register of Insolvencies in Scotland. Details of the numbersof bankruptcies awarded by Sheriffdoms by financial year are compiled by AiB andincluded in the annual report.

The table below gives the numberof bankruptcies for the financial years 2003-04 and 2004-05, and for the financialyear 2005-06 up to 31 October 2005.

Further information on bankruptciesis available in the Accountant in Bankruptcy’s Annual Report which is availableat www.aib.gov.uk.

Sheriffdom (Sheriff Court)	1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004	1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005	1 April 2005 to 31 October 2005
Tayside, Central and Fife
Alloa	35	38	21
Arbroath	43	42	20
Cupar	58	61	46
Dundee	162	182	314
Dunfermline	128	156	125
Falkirk	125	172	112
Forfar	31	36	14
Kirkcaldy	164	212	162
Perth	107	122	115
Stirling	50	41	45
Total awards for Sheriffdom	903	1062	974
South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
Airdrie	103	124	213
Ayr	89	85	67
Dumfries	51	37	39
Hamilton	232	215	204
Kirkcudbright	19	22	11
Lanark	39	41	33
Stranraer	15	22	20
Total awards for Sheriffdom	548	546	587
North Strathclyde
Campbeltown	7	9	6
Dumbarton	95	85	66
Dunoon	13	18	7
Greenock	49	44	40
Kilmarnock	158	133	103
Oban	22	13	8
Paisley	120	133	134
Rothesay	5	8	4
Total awards for Sheriffdom	469	443	368
Grampian, Highland and Islands
Aberdeen	202	254	178
Banff	19	21	9
Dingwall	25	12	20
Dornoch	5	7	4
Elgin	60	78	44
Fort William	13	19	18
Inverness	38	58	39
Kirkwall	10	4	12
Lerwick	12	9	5
Lochmaddy	2	4	5
Peterhead	68	70	43
Portree	4	9	3
Stonehaven	29	39	17
Stornoway	10	8	16
Tain	6	10	8
Wick	17	13	16
Total awards for Sheriffdom	520	615	437
Lothian and Borders
Duns	5	12	7
Edinburgh	262	243	231
Haddington	105	81	58
Jedburgh	28	29	21
Linlithgow	124	112	108
Peebles	6	10	2
Selkirk	17	19	26
Total awards for Sheriffdom	547	506	453
Glasgow	322	349	365
Total Awards	3,309	3,521	3,184
Court of Session (included in the total)	414	528	424

 

The Debt Arrangement Scheme cameinto force on 30 November 2004. Two money advisers were approved in 2004 for the purposesof the scheme and a further 35 this year so far. Details of approved money advisersbroken down by parliamentary constituency are not available.

The statutory Debt ArrangementScheme came into force on 30 November 2004. There have been 74 debt payment programmes approved,all in 2005. The scheme does not require a court application, and numbers are nottherefore available by sheriff court district.

The Executive expects to publishthe draft strategy in the spring of 2006.

I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-20067 on 7 November 2005, which applies to the primary curriculum also. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

There are no plans to make financialeducation compulsory within the curriculum.

The secondary school curriculumin Scotland is not prescribed by statute and delivery is a matterfor education authorities and schools. The Scottish Executive’s policy is to ensurethat guidance to education authorities and schools and the framework of nationalqualifications provide opportunities for teaching financial education.

Work on the implementation ofA Curriculum for Excellence will produce a framework for enabling all youngpeople to become responsible citizens, effective contributors, confident individualsand successful learners. We will ensure that cross-curricular issues such as citizenshipeducation, education for sustainable development, enterprise in education, creativityand financial education are reflected in new guidance across curricular areas.

No decision has been taken about the future of these two hospitals. As you know, NHS Borders has been reviewing in-patient facilities in the Borders area with a view to deciding how services should be delivered in future. The board’s overall strategy was discussed at the NHS Borders Annual Review on 10 October.

I understand that, having considered the outcome of the review, NHS Borders has selected preferred options, and these will be subject to a three month public consultation starting this month. The role of Jedburgh and Coldstream Cottage Hospitals in the future will form part of the consultation.

I expect NHS Borders to continue to engage closely with the local communities and their representatives over the course of the consultation.

Yes. Consultants have been commissioned to carry out research into the operation of the scheme and have already carried out a preliminary evaluation of its operation. Phase 2 of the evaluation will begin in October 2005 and last for about six months. An interim report is expected during November 2005, when a review of the scheme will begin.