Chamber and committees

The members of the implementation group are drawn from the power companies and Transco, CoSLA, Eaga, Scottish Homes, the SFHA, Age Concern, Help the Aged, Energy Action Scotland, the Energy Saving Trust and the Solid Fuel Association. The group's remit is to advise the Scottish Executive on how best to implement the central heating initiative and it will consider a range of issues under that heading. The first meeting was held on 24 October and a second is planned. I cannot yet say when the work will be completed.

If a local authority decides, after an assessment of need, that a person requires care and they decide that the care should be provided in another local authority's area, they retain responsibility for the costs of that person's care. The person is regarded as "ordinarily resident" in their area. These arrangements only apply where the decision to provide the care outside their own area is taken by or agreed with the local authority who has assessed the person's need.

The statutory basis for these arrangements is founded on section 86(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. There is no definition of "ordinarily resident" in the Act, but it is subject to interpretation by the courts. Scottish Executive Circular SWSG1/96, a copy of which has been placed in SPICe, sets out guidance derived from relevant legal proceedings.

The form referred to is at the Schedule to the Community Care Plans (Information) Directions 1997, which compares projected costs of residential care for older people in council homes and independent sector care homes. Local authorities are required to include the information from the form:

(a) in their Community Care Plans and

(b) annually at the council committee debating the community care budget.

Information on all medical grades working in the specialties of geriatrics and old age psychiatry as at 30 September 1999, which is the latest available, are shown in Table 1 below.

Details on projected requirements for staff other than at consultant grade is not held by the Executive and is a matter for individual boards and Trusts. The number of new consultants required to cover expected retirals and developments within the service for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 are shown in Table 2. This however should be taken as an indicator only, as the exact number of new consultants needed to deliver services cannot be predicted with accuracy because it is affected by individual decisions to retire.

The number of trainees who will become fully trained and will be awarded a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) for the years in question is given in Table 2, Annex B of NHS MEL (2000) 24, published on 28 April 2000. A copy of this is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 7379).Table 1 - Staff working in Geriatrics and Old Age Psychiatry employed in the NHS in Scotland by Grade

		Geriatrics	Old Age Psychiatry
Total		415	123
Consultant		93	43
Associate specialist		2	2
Staff		17	8
Specialist registrar		28	15
Senior registrar		2	1
Senior house officer		127	21
House officer		12	-
Hospital practitioner		12	9
GMP (Para. 94)		123	24

Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.

Notes:

1. Figures shown are Headcount at 30 September 1999.

2. Includes honorary appointments.

Table 2 - New Consultant Requirements in Geriatrics and Old Age Psychiatry in the NHS in Scotland

		1999-2000	2000-01
Geriatrics		1	1
Old Age Psychiatry		7	2

Notes:

1. Information supplied by individual health boards.

2. Figures shown are the number of retirements and the number of newly created posts expected from service developments outlined in individual Health Improvement Programmes and Trust Implementation Plans.

3. Funding for all new posts is a matter for health boards.

This is entirely a matter for the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland.

In our Social Justice strategy, we have set long-term targets of ensuring older people are financially secure and that increased numbers enjoy independent and healthy lives. We have just announced a £300 million package including a warm deal for all pensioners, a national concessionary travel scheme and a package of care support to deliver early progress towards these targets. In addition we are working closely with the UK Government which has responsibility for tax and benefits policies to improve the incomes of pensioners.

The Minister for Health will make a statement on 5 October regarding NHS responsibility for care in residential and nursing homes.

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

In a period of change, Scottish Prison Service Management remains committed to working with staff in the way that it has earned its Investors in People recognition. But the SPS faces competitive challenges requiring us to make significant changes in our working practices designed to improve our competitiveness and increase job security. Our current aim is to proceed without compulsory redundancies.

There is uncertainty over the future of Peterhead. Once a decision has been taken it will be conveyed as soon as possible to those directly involved. Our estates review is focussed on the need to improve the SPS estate and the SPS's competitive position, thereby improving the value for money the SPS provides to the taxpayer and is no reflection on the high standard of work undertaken by our staff.

The climate change levy does not come into effect until 1 April 2001. As a result of the levy an additional £3.2 million per year has been made available to the Scottish Budget from 2001-02.

The recruitment of markers is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. However, I understand from SQA that they are unaware of any probationary teacher having been used as a marker prior to the 2000 exam diet.