Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is working with NHS boards, local authorities and the community and voluntary sector to implement Improving Maternal and Infant Nutrition: A Framework for Action, which was published in January 2011.

It is a framework for action which can be taken by NHS boards, local authorities and others to improve the nutrition of pregnant women, babies and young children. It is the first framework which looks at the nutrition of mothers before and during pregnancy, supports and promotes the benefits of breastfeeding and the importance of a healthy diet throughout early childhood.

Specific action points within the framework include work around antenatal education, postnatal breastfeeding support, accredited breastfeeding peer support and UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Accreditation.

We want to strengthen the contribution the NHS makes by improving access to NHS care during the antenatal period for those women least likely to consider breastfeeding and most in need of encouragement and support. That is why an underpinning quality indicator for the antenatal access HEAT target will seek to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates at 10 days and six weeks after birth in each NHS board deprivation quintile. The evidence is that the provision of encouragement and support to breastfeed in the antenatal period is an important influencing factor in the decision to breastfeed and consequently dependant on early access to high quality antenatal care.

NHS boards have been allocated £4,546,850 to support organisations, in the past two financial years to implement the framework, funding as detailed in the following table.

Note: *The funding in financial year 2011-12 was issued in October 2011 and therefore covers part of the financial year.

The use of this funding is being monitored at both local and national level, including action to encourage and support breastfeeding. We expect funding at a similar level to be made available to boards next financial year.

The Scottish Government strongly supports the work of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative and has therefore made a commitment to continue funding the role of the Professional Officer for Scotland for the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative for 2013-14. This provides dedicated support to Scottish NHS boards in gaining and maintaining Baby Friendly Accreditation, building on the good work already done by NHS boards.

The Scottish Government does not give specific advice to dentists regarding the use of thyroid collars. Dentists are expected to attend relevant training courses and source advice from the UK Health Protection Agency.

The costs of leasing and chartering these vessels are covered by confidentiality agreements between their owners and the ferry operators.

The following table sets out the overhaul costs of MV Hrossey, MV Hjaltland and MV Hamnavoe in each year since 2002.

Notes:

1. The twelve month information runs from July to June.

The information relates to costs arising from the annual overhaul period.

The Scottish Government has worked in partnership with NHS Health Scotland and built on the success of last years “Feedgood Factor” campaign. TV advertisements are being broadcast on all of the terrestrial commercial channels thereby ensuring that the whole of Scotland receives coverage. Indoor posters have been distributed to GP Practices, Pharmacies, Hospitals, Community Centres, Libraries and Day Care Centres for children under three. Outdoor sheets have been placed strategically in areas of multiple deprivation where it is known that women are less likely to consider breastfeeding. In addition, the Feedgood Factor website provides information on available breastfeeding support in local areas.

The following table sets out the maintenance costs of MV Hrossey, MV Hjaltland and MV Hamnavoe since 2002:-

Notes:

The twelve month information runs from July to June.

The information relates to vessel maintenance costs. It does not include any overhaul costs.

Serco Ltd emerged as the successful bidder for the 2012-18 Northern Isles ferry services contract. Their total price for the full period of the contract was £222,845,789, although the undiscounted price on a yearly basis comes to £243,015,553. Annually, this price is represented below, starting with Year 1, July 2012 to July 2013:

It should be noted, however, that these figures are subject to change and that the final outturn annual costs will not be known until the end of each contract year. This is due to the unpredictability of the effects of inflation, particularly with regard to fuel costs. The Year 6 figure reflects the fact that the final contract “year” covers only
nine months, from July 2017 to April 2018.

The following information covers the financial years to 2000-01 to 2010-11. Information for 2011-12 has not yet been finalised.

(a) Information on public investment up to financial year 2010-11 is available in the latest (2011) edition of Scottish Transport Statistics which is published by Transport Scotland and available at http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/strategy-and-research/publications-and-consultations/j205779-00.htm. Information on operating subsidies for the Northern Isles and Clyde and Hebrides ferry services is contained in the Table 9.13 “Shipping Services”. Capital investment information on Piers and Harbours for these networks is contained in Table 10.6 of the 2010 edition of “Scottish Transport Statistics” on the Scottish Government’s website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/12/17120002/158. Investment in Piers and Harbours for these networks in 2009-10 was £2.1m and in 2010-11 was £4.7 million.

The Scottish Government has also provided vessel grants and loans to Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd and Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd to procure new ferries as detailed below:

2000-01 - £3.8 million

2001-02 - £2.1 million

2002-03 - £7.5 million

2003-04 - £2.3 million

2004-05 - £6.4 million

2005-06 - £6.9 million

2006-07 - £8.9 million

2007-08 - £3.7 million

2008-09 - £3.5 million

2009-10 - £6.8 million

2010-11 - £6.8 million.

(b) The Royal Bank of Scotland purchased three vessels at a total cost of £98 million as part of a joint venture with Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd, NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd. The vessels were built between 2000 and 2002 and are currently leased to NorthLink Ferries Ltd.