Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-32112 on 12 March 2007. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Executive iscommitted to implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of theChild (UNCRC). The UNCRC is not directly enforceable but the Scottish Executivelooks to reflect its provisions wherever possible in the development of policy,practice and legislation.

There are a number ofrelevant examples in relation to UNCRC Article 12, which confers the right onchildren to express their views on matters affecting them and for those viewsto be given due consideration.

For example, sections 6 and17 of the Children (S) Act 1995 require agencies in taking decisions or actionsthat impact on children in need or at risk to have regard so far as practicableto the views of affected children, taking account of age and maturity. TheVulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 requires courts to ascertain the views ofchildren about the way in which they wish to give evidence as witnesses incourt proceedings.

We are consulting on thedraft Children’s Services (Scotland) Bill, section 3 of which deals with ascertaining,recording and considering children’s views. The consultation - accessible at  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/12/18140606/0- closes on 31 March 2007.

I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-32115 on 12 March 2007. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.In addition, we haveintroduced legislation that requires the involvement of young people, includinga requirement contained in the Statutory Guidance on Community Planning. Wehave also issued National Standards on Community Engagement and an AdviceNote on consulting with young people through the Community Planningprocess, including good practice and a list of contacts and resources. Thisnote can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/11/09140609/0.

The Scottish YouthParliament will receive £250,000 in 2007-08. The future level of funding isstill to be determined.

The Education Department.

Creation of a Scottish CivicForum was a Consultative Steering Group recommendation. It reflected the consensusview that the new Scottish Parliament should work in ways that were open and accessibleto all.

The potential role fulfilledby the forum has evolved since 1999. Since then the Parliament has developed anincreasing confidence in its own ability to engage directly with wider civic society.The Executive too has become better at encouraging public participation in decision-making,in line with our belief in fostering good citizenship and building a confident,democratic Scotland.

We remain firmly committed todeveloping our links with a wide range of civic organisations and to improving furtherour performance in consulting members of the public when we develop new policy initiativesand legislative proposals.

Fundamental to our vision isa recognition of the need not only to promote better public engagement with governmentbut also to encourage greater participation by individuals in wider society, forexample through volunteering and community involvement.

I have been working closely withministerial colleagues to ensure that the importance that this Executive attachesto civic participation and inclusiveness will set standards which can be carriedforward and built upon by future administrations.

All local authorities havereceived their full allocation, as indicated in the following table, with theexception of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway whoare all due to receive their second allocation during March 2007.

Local Authority	1st Allocation	2nd Allocation	Total Allocation
Aberdeen City Council	367,490.00	197,879.00	565,369.00
Aberdeenshire Council	412,674.00	222,209.00	634,883.00
Angus Council	208,585.00	112,315.00	320,900.00
Argyll and Bute Council	186,203.00	100,263.00	286,466.00
City of Edinburgh Council	777,201.00	418,493.00	1,195,694.00
Clackmannanshire Council	88,555.00	47,683.00	136,238.00
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	83,880.00	45,166.00	129,046.00
Dumfries and Galloway Council	291,858.00	157,155.00	449,013.00
Dundee City Council	296,407.66	159,604.00	456,011.66
East Ayrshire Council	227,874.00	122,701.00	350,575.00
East Dunbartonshire Council	193,165.00	104,012.00	297,177.00
East Lothian Council	160,218.00	86,271.00	246,489.00
East Renfrewshire Council	161,561.00	86,994.00	248,555.00
Falkirk Council	257,552.00	138,682.00	396,234.00
Fife Council	645,085.77	347,354.00	992,439.77
Glasgow City Council	1,270,656.00	684,199.00	1,954,855.00
Highland Council	436,795.00	235,197.00	671,992.00
Inverclyde Council	168,807.00	90,896.00	259,703.00
Midlothian Council	147,984.91	79,684.00	227,668.91
Moray Council	159,509.00	85,890.00	245,399.00
North Ayrshire Council	264,189.00	142,256.00	406,445.00
North Lanarkshire Council	604,200.00	325,339.00	929,539.00
Orkney Islands Council	57,574.00	31,001.00	88,575.00
Perth and Kinross Council	251,196.00	135,259.00	386,455.00
Renfrewshire Council	329,448.00	177,395.00	506,843.00
Scottish Borders Council	162,600.00	162,600.00	325,200.00
Shetland Island Council	75,166.00	40,474.00	115,640.00
South Ayrshire Council	211,414.00	113,838.00	325,252.00
South Lanarkshire Council	560,673.00	301,901.00	862,574.00
Stirling Council	164,033.00	88,326.00	252,359.00
West Dunbartonshire Council	195,714.00	105,384.00	301,098.00
West Lothian Council	282,952.00	152,359.00	435,311.00

 

The 14 NHS health boards in Scotlandhave received their allocations as indicated in the following table.

 

NHS Trust	Available Budget	Allocation 2005-06	Allocation 2006-07
Ayrshire and Arran	£235,000	Nil	£121,629
Borders	£109,000	£80,000
Dumfries and Galloway	£104,000	Nil	£104,000
Fife	£198,000	Nil	£90,000
Forth Valley	£161,000	£23,000	£36,000
Grampian	£398,000	£135,000	£263,000
Highland	£232,000	Nil	£109,000
Greater Glasgow	£1,034,000	£799,000	£235,000
Lanarkshire	£257,000	Nil	Nil
Lothian	£673,000	£110,000	£453,800
Shetland	£60,000	Nil	£14,200
Tayside	£410,000	£22,000	£388,000
Orkney	£58,000	Nil	Nil
Western Isles	£71,000	Nil	£40,200
Total	£4,000,000	£1,169,000	£1,854,829

 

In addition, the NationalWaiting Times Centre has received £106,000 giving a total spend for the NHS of£3,129,829 to 31 March 2007. The NHS will draw down their remaining funds during2007-08.

Scottish Water have receivedtheir full allocation of £1 million.

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

Vacancies which arise arefilled in a variety of ways, depending on the particular role or circumstances.In some cases, vacancies will be advertised and interviews conducted, whereasin other cases, the vacancy may be filled by other methods.

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

One hundred and twenty-seven.The SPS does not hold information on the rest of the question.

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

The work of the surplus managementgroup is to ensure that where staff surpluses arise the SPS maximise the bestvalue for money by moving staff quickly, efficiently and effectively and totreat those who are required to move consistently and fairly.