Chamber and committees

The standard is included in National Planning Policy Guideline 11: Sport; Physical Recreation and Open Space to illustrate how planning authorities can develop their own open space standards to take account of local circumstances. Councils are encouraged to develop their own standards, as part of an open space strategy, which should be reflected in development plans and taken into account when determining planning applications. A Planning Advice Note will be issued in the summer to assist authorities with preparing open space strategies and developing local standards.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Because the question was different from question S1W-24244 and required some investigation. The question was answered on 24 April 2002.

The Physical Activity Task Force is producing a draft strategy, which will be issued for consultation in June 2002. It will include recommendations for increasing physical activity amongst the whole of the Scottish population.National and local bodies including the Health Education Board for Scotland, sportscotland and NHS board health promotion departments and local authorities are also involved in promoting physical activity.

The number of patients waiting for hospital admission for in-patient and day-case treatment in the specialty of oral surgery, by NHS board of residence, on 31 December 1999 and 31 December 2000, is given in the following table.NHSScotland: Number of Patients Waiting for Hospital Admission for In-patient/Day-case Treatment in the Specialty of Oral Surgery¹ on 31 December 1999 and 31 December 2000. by NHS Board of Residence.

NHS Board	31 December 1999	31 December 2000
Argyll and Clyde	84	74
Ayrshire and Arran	256	223
Borders	74	57
Dumfries and Galloway	78	109
Fife	397	433
Forth Valley	262	152
Grampian	340	260
Greater Glasgow	224	195
Highland	90	46
Lanarkshire	173	162
Lothian	250	129
Orkney	16	9
Shetland	23	16
Tayside	109	100
Western Isles	1	2
Others/Not Known	7	9
Scotland	2,384	1,976

Source: ISD Scotland, SMR3.Note:1. Includes maxillofacial surgery.

ISD Scotland is currently completing the collection of vacancy data from across NHSScotland and carrying out the required quality assurance checks on it. Provisional Scotland-wide data for September 2001 will be available by July at the latest.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:£107,584 excluding VAT.

The Physical Activity Task Force is producing a draft strategy which will be issued for consultation soon. It will include recommendations dealing specifically with the physical activity needs of older adults.NHS board health promotion departments and local authorities are also involved at local level in promoting physical activity for older people.

The annual repayable grant will be made available only if the Glasgow Housing Association can demonstrate that this will be required to overcome any potential cash flow difficulties in the early years following the Glasgow housing transfer. Details of the terms of the grant scheme have still to be finalised.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited is contractually liable for any damage at HM Prison Kilmarnock arising from the provision of any of the services under the contract (which includes certain responsibilities during the transportation of prisoners to and from the prison).

I am aware that constructive discussions are taking place at local level to resolve the difficulties at Carbeth which prompted the committee's report. All of us who are keen to see a fair and amicable settlement to this issue will hope for a positive outcome to the current discussions. I would not, however, wish to intervene in private negotiations, nor would it be appropriate to do so. I expect within the next few weeks to announce conclusions on the committee's report and the subsequent consultation. It is already clear however that there would be substantial drawbacks to any attempt to legislate in this area. Some of these were recognised by the committee itself. Such legislation would be contrary to fundamental principles of Scots law, in particular that leased land under a short lease reverts to the landlord at expiry of the lease and that property built on leased land belongs to the landlord. Moreover, legislation could not be retrospective or applicable to hutters only, and its promotion might precipitate changes to the ownership and management of comparable estates in Scotland which would be profoundly damaging to the interests of hutters.