Chamber and committees

We have no plans to do so. Household income is used as a proxy for standard of living when measuring income poverty. This does not apply to those living in institutions, and therefore they cannot be included in any estimates of the incidence of income poverty.However, low income is only one of a number of factors which determine whether or not people are in poverty or socially excluded. The Social Justice Annual Report presents 29 milestones which describe different aspects of poverty and exclusion and many of these cover people who live outwith private households.

I assume that a "national public services trust" refers to the SNP's proposal in January 2001 for a Scottish Trust for Public Investment (STPI) - an alternative form of model for funding Public/Private Partnerships (PPP) projects. This is not under active consideration currently.The Executive is constantly reviewing evolving methods of PPP and will continue to examine different forms, to see if more efficient and successful forms of PPP can be developed.

The Scottish Executive makes appointments to all posts excluding the Senior Civil Service in accordance with the principles set out in the code and without further reference to the commissioners. The Scottish Executive has therefore not consulted the Civil Service Commissioners before making any particular appointments at this level.Approval of individual appointments by the commissioners is required for appointments to the Senior Civil Service (apart from appointments of less than 12 months).

Residents in Anderston have been considering a range of regeneration options for the estate, and are due to make a decision later this month. Proposals will then be developed to transfer the houses in the spring of 2003.Scottish Homes only owns 11 houses in Cumbernauld, five of which are vacant. These properties are in blocks which have structural problems. Options are currently being considered for the blocks which will include the 11 houses owned by Scottish Homes.There are no plans to transfer the houses in Govan, where a management contract is being arranged.

There is no single, generally accepted definition of "affordability" which can be used for calculations of this nature. The following tables, based on information collected for the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) in 1996, show the percentage of households, by tenure, spending more than a specified percentage of household income on housing costs.SHCS 1996 - Calculations Include Housing Benefit in Income and Housing Costs:

Tenure	Percentage of Households in Scotland Spending More than Specified Percentage of their Income on Housing Costs
	20%	25%	30%
Owner Occupied	19	11	7
Private Rented	51	42	34
Council Rented	59	42	28
Other Social Rented	70	52	38
All Households	36	25	17

SHCS 1996 - Calculations Exclude Housing Benefit from Income and Housing Costs:

Tenure	Percentage of Households in Scotland Spending more than Specified Percentage of their Income on Housing Costs
	20%	25%	30%
Owner occupied	19	11	7
Private rented	35	26	20
council rented	21	14	10
other social rented	27	19	13
All Households	21	13	9

Note: Calculations based on net incomes of head of household and any spouse or partner. Housing costs include mortgage repayments and expenditure on rent.

Resources will continue to be required to meet breakage costs, and it will not be clear until the point of transfer what these costs will be. It is therefore not possible to estimate the level of resources that may be freed up. In the year of transfer, Glasgow's resources will be used by the Scottish Executive to contribute towards the costs of "breakage" on Glasgow's existing debt. Thereafter, some of the resources will be used to fund demolition and the costs of additional new build housing. In the longer term there may be savings and any decisions on how these are allocated will depend on Scottish Executive priorities and will fall to cabinet.

As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-17687 on 25 September 2001, the operation of Dungavel Detention Centre is the responsibility of the Home Office. I understand that school-age children have been accommodated at the centre but this is subject to change on a daily basis. Education is being provided by the contractor operating the centre. As noted in the answer given to question S1W-24470 today, a meeting of relevant officials is to take place in May to ensure education issues are addressed.

As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-17687 on 25 September 2001, the operation of Dungavel Detention Centre is the responsibility of the Home Office. Discussions between the Scottish Executive, the Home Office and South Lanarkshire Council are, however, on-going in terms of education provision at the centre. In relation to this a meeting of relevant officials is to take place at the centre in May to ensure education issues are addressed.

Money lent by the board is intended to assist local authorities to meet long-term borrowing requirements. No distinction is made between borrowing for housing or any other legitimate purpose. The interest rates at which the Public Works Loan Board makes loans to local authorities vary according to the authority's loan quota entitlement, the type of loan requested (fixed or variable rate) and the method of repayment. The rates of interest will be agreed between the board and the local authority at the time of application. The schedule of current interest rates can be viewed on the board's website: www.pwlb.gov.uk.

The Scottish Executive instructed the Performance Audit Group to investigate concerns expressed by the new operating companies and also review the records of actions taken by the previous trunk road operators in regard to the clearing of litter from motorways.