Chamber and committees

Local authorities'' funding has already been agreed as part of the concordat. Following agreement with COSLA, the Scottish Government will also be funding three test sites to consider how to improve the uptake of self-directed support by building on existing local authority infrastructure.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to the personalisation agenda, including the most radical aspect of personalisation, self-directed support.

Personalisation of services has been a component of public sector reform and is a key aspiration of the Changing Lives review of social work services. Personalisation is a theme that features in all the work being done by the five change programmes and the products to be produced by those groups over the next six months or so. This includes a supported self-evaluation guide being developed with SWIA and local authorities as well as a training toolkit being developed to support the notion of citizen leadership described by the Changing Lives User and Carer Forum.

In terms of self-directed support, a reference group is currently considering a draft strategy to radically increase the uptake of self-directed support in Scotland. A key part of this strategy will be running test sites in three local authorities to consider how well specific interventions improve uptake. This work builds on research conducted in June 2008 which demonstrated the flexibility, choice, control and independence that self-directed support is able to offer individuals. The Scottish Government will consider further guidance, explicit target setting or legislation if they prove necessary in the longer term.

The Scottish Government is committed to securing equal access to justice for disabled people. Through the multi-agency Justice Disability Steering Group we are working with key partners to ensure more effective engagement with disabled people. As part of this work the group is planning an event to be held next year that will involve disabled people in identifying how to improve the operation of the justice system in ways that promote better access and tackle discrimination.

We are supporting the Scottish Appropriate Adults Network in raising awareness and promoting consistency in the delivery of the Appropriate Adult Scheme across the country to better meet the needs of disabled people. We will also continue to facilitate the work of the multi-agency Witness Issues Group in monitoring, reporting and evaluating the impact of the Vulnerable Witness (Scotland) Act 2004 especially with regard to providing improved opportunities for all vulnerable witnesses, including disabled people, to give their best evidence.

Colleges receive block grants for teaching which are not split into funding for specific courses or assistance. For that block grant they are expected to deliver a set level of activity which is weighted to reflect the resource input required. Courses which are specifically designed for students with additional needs have the highest out of 18 weightings. In addition to this, activity for students who are not on a specialised course but who have additional support needs is also weighted to reflect the additional resource input. In 2008-09, the main teaching allocation totalled £392 million.

It is a condition of grant that any colleges claiming the additional weights that are allocated from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) must complete a Personal Learning Support Plan (PLSP). This is checked and reported on through the SFC''s audit process. The auditor also signs off the final claims for activity. The allocation of student support funds must meet the conditions of the SFC bursary policy and the use of the funds is audited.

The level of funding provided to support the children''s hearings system is as follows:

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
	£000	£000	£000	£000
SCRA Grant in Aid	20,945	22,570	24,556	25,307
Support for Hearings and Committees	288	803	564	173
Training (e.g. Running costs for the Four Children''s Hearings Training Units)	641	683	846	613
Legal Representation	97	135	152	126
Direct Funding to Local Authorities1	2,480	2,289	2,505	2,669
Total	=SUM(ABOVE) 24,451	=SUM(ABOVE) 26,480	=SUM(ABOVE) 28,623	=SUM(ABOVE) 28,888

 

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11
	£000	£000	£000	£000
SCRA Grant in Aid	24,966	25,995	30,733	28,155
Support for Hearings and Committees	328	770	770	770
Training (e.g. Running Costs for the Four Children''s Hearings Training Units)	1,076	900	900	900
Legal Representation	153	300	300	300
Direct Funding to Local Authorities	2,272	2,4482	Not Available3	Not Available
Total	=SUM(ABOVE) 28,795	=SUM(ABOVE) 31,923	=SUM(above) 32,703	=SUM(ABOVE) 30,125

Source: Provisional Outturn Budget Estimate (POBE 2008) returns.

Notes:

1. To meet accommodation and staff costs in support of children''s panels and Children''s Panel Advisory Committees; also the cost of local training events and expenses relating to attendance at hearings and training. Source: Local Government financial statistics.

2. These figures are not currently available, as finance return estimates are only available one year in advance. Future direct funding to local authorities in respect of the children''s hearings system will be allocated at the discretion of each local authority, in line with its local priorities and its single outcome agreement with the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government is investing record levels of funding in local government. Over the 2008-11 period, £34.9 billion will be invested; this is a 13.1% increase in funding.

2008-09: £11.2 billion

2009-10: £11.6 billion

2010-11: £12.0 billion.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17673 on 20 November 2008. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 requires local authorities to give effect to a supervision requirement made by a children''s panel. The act also places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in need by providing a range and level of services appropriate to their needs.

Resources have been allocated to local authorities and under the single outcome agreement, it is for the local authorities to agree their strategic priorities for the local area and express those priorities as outcomes to be delivered by the partners.

Under the Getting It Right For Every Child programme, agencies involved in a child''s care are being encouraged to come together at an early juncture to agree the child''s intervention plan, its resourcing and implementation, using a common language and approach. This approach will be strengthened under the new Early Years Framework, jointly developed with COSLA, where the importance of early identification of need and providing timely and appropriate support is recognised.

The Scottish Government can set the direction of policy and is giving local authorities and community planning partners the room they need to deliver services that meet varying local needs.

There are no plans to introduce legislation of this type.

Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, states that an employer shall, with certain exceptions, permit an employee who is a member of a children''s panel to take reasonable time off for the purpose of attending hearings. For many panel members this is already paid time off. Employers recognise that the skills and experience gained through being a panel member can be of benefit within the workplace. They also see this as a way of putting something back into the community.

It is one of the strengths of Scotland''s unique system of children''s hearings that the panel comprises of volunteers recruited from the local community. The contribution that those members make is valued very highly. The reform of the children''s hearings system is an opportunity to provide a more improved and consistent level of support.

The Scottish Government''s Health and Wellbeing Directorates are in the process of finalising a national uniform and dress code for NHSScotland.

The most appropriate measures to prevent the spread of infection is rapid diagnosis of patients, the use of personal protective equipment including disposable aprons and gloves, environmental cleaning and rigorous hand hygiene procedures.

All boards have infection prevention and control policy manuals which are based on Health Protection Scotland model policies. These policies include guidance on the use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene. Compliance with these policies is monitored through the Infection Prevention and Control Annual Audit Programme.

NHS laboratories test for Clostridium difficile. The study referred to by the member has only just been published. Its recommendations are being considered by Health Protection Scotland, alongside other evidence on appropriate testing methods. Subject to this consideration, a view will then be taken on whether the current guidance requires to be revised.