Chamber and committees

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1001-01.htm

The following information on new council houses and New Supply Shared Equity properties built is for the five local authority areas that encompass the Highland and Islands Parliamentary constituencies. Information on the number of houses built is not held by calendar year or by Scottish parliamentary constituency.

Council Houses: There were no units completed in the Highland and Islands parliamentary constituencies in 2007-08. One unit was completed in Orkney in 2008-09 and there are no completions anticipated in 2009-10.

We anticipate that 30 units will complete in 2010-11 as a result of Orkney Council''s award from the first round of funding to kick start a new generation of local authority homes

New Supply Shared Equity: The following table shows actual completion figures for 2007-08 and 2008-09 and anticipated completions for 2009-10. Figures are not yet available for 2010-11.

New Supply Shared Equity	2007-08 Actual	2008-09 Actual	2009-10 Estimate
Highland	66	138	180
Orkney	0	0	0
Shetland	0	6	0
Western Isles	0	0	2
Argyll and Bute	39	20	40
Total	105	164	222

 

The Open Market Shared Equity pilot (OMSEP) started in The Highland Council area in 2008-09 and was introduced in Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles and Argyll and Bute in 2009-10. The Open Market Shared Equity Pilot allows eligible individuals to purchase a home from the open market and does not lead to a new property being built. The following table shows completed sales in each local authority area by financial year.

Open Market Shared Equity Pilot	Actual Sales 2008-09	Sales Target 2009-10
Highland	35	88
Orkney	0	5
Shetland	0	5
Western Isles	0	5
Argyll and Bute	0	17
Total	35	120

 

The actual sales figure in 2008-09 for Highland is an updated figure to that provided in the answer to question S3W-26078 on 17 August 2009. 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 data provided in this report are based on management information. The official statistics on the Affordable Housing Investment Programme, and on other housing statistics, do not provide the specific detail requested but can be found at the housing statistics for Scotland web pages at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/KeyInfo.

 

The following is the original answer (published on 28 September 2009); see below.

 

The following information on new council houses and New Supply Shared Equity properties built is for the five local authority areas that encompass the Highland and Islands parliamentary constituencies. Information on the number of houses built is not held by calendar year or by Scottish parliamentary constituency.

Council Houses: There were no units completed in the Highland and Islands parliamentary constituencies in 2007-08. One unit was completed in Orkney in 2008-09 and there are no completions anticipated in 2009-10.

We anticipate that 30 units will complete in 2010-11 as a result of Orkney Council''s award from the first round of funding to kick start a new generation of local authority homes

New Supply Shared Equity: The following table shows actual completion figures for 2007-08 and 2008-09 and anticipated completions for 2009-10. Figures are not yet available for 2010-11.

New Supply Shared Equity	2007-08 Actual	2008-09 Actual	2009-10 Estimate
Highland	66	138	180
Orkney	0	0	0
Shetland	0	6	0
Western Isles	0	0	2
Argyll and Bute	0	0	40
Total	66	144	222

 

The Open Market Shared Equity Pilot (OMSEP) started in The Highland Council area in 2008-09 and was introduced in Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles and Argyll and Bute in 2009-10. The Open Market Shared Equity Pilot allows eligible individuals to purchase a home from the open market and does not lead to a new property being built. The following table shows completed sales in each local authority area by financial year.

Open Market Shared Equity Pilot	Actual Sales 2008-09	Sales Target 2009-10
Highland	35	88
Orkney	0	5
Shetland	0	5
Western Isles	0	5
Argyll and Bute	0	17
Total	35	120

 

The actual sales figure in 2008-09 for Highland is an updated figure to that provided in the answer to question S3W-26078 on 17 August 2009. 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 data provided in this report are based on management information. The official statistics on the Affordable Housing Investment Programme, and on other housing statistics, do not provide the specific detail requested but can be found at the housing statistics for Scotland web pages at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/KeyInfo.

No decisions have yet been taken on the availability of the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot scheme beyond March 2010. Decisions on the scheme''s future in all areas of Scotland will be taken soon.

The Scottish Government supports first-time buyers through its Low Cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT). This currently offers three options for first-time buyers in the Highlands and Islands:

1. New Supply Shared Equity or shared ownership. Properties are built buy a Registered Social Landlord and offered for sale to first-time buyer

2. Open Market Shared Equity. Eligible first time buyers can purchase properties being sold on the open market with a grant from Scottish Government.

3. Rural Home Ownership Grants. Eligible individuals can apply for a grant to build their own home.

The following table provides details of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme for 2009-10 for the five local authority areas that encompass the Highland and Islands parliamentary constituencies. Information is not held by calendar year or by Scottish parliamentary constituency.

	2009-10 £ Million
Highland	32.125
Orkney	7.904
Shetland	3.800
Western Isles	6.675
Argyle and Bute	24.675
Total	75.179

 

Funding for Local Authorities in 2010-11 and 2011-12 has not yet been agreed.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0910-01.htm

This information is not held by either the Scottish Government or Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which deals with all operational matters relating to the connected communities project.

It is for each NHS board to ensure the national zero tolerance approach to non compliance with local hand hygiene policies by healthcare staff is being adopted; and where staff fail to comply that appropriate action is taken in accordance with each NHS board''s employee conduct policy.

The Scottish Government is funding a pilot project in NHS Tayside to determine how compliance could be improved more generally across the medical staff group.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21150 on 18 March 2009. 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 key Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) training programme for all NHS staff, new and established, is the Cleanliness Champions programme - a comprehensive national programme which provides staff with the knowledge and understanding of why it is important to follow certain principles and procedures in the healthcare environment; and to recognise infection risks and the action that is appropriate “ including hand hygiene. Cleanliness Champions act as role models for others to influence their behaviour in their workplace. To date, over 5,800 nurses have completed the programme.

Standard 5 of the recently revised NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Standards requires all NHS boards to develop an action plan to deliver on the national strategy for HAI education and training and to ensure that nationally and locally identified priority areas for HAI education are addressed. All NHS boards are assessed against these standards, both in terms of organisational structures and compliance with HAI policies.

The national HAI strategy on HAI education and training is itself contained in Delivery Area 2 of the Scottish Government''s three-year HAI Task Force Delivery Plan which sets out the 13 HAI-related education and training work packages that are being developed for the NHS over the period 2008-09 to 2010-11. NHS Education for Scotland (NES) lead on this section of the HAI Task Force Delivery Plan with input and assistance from key stakeholders including Health Protection Scotland, NHS QIS and Health Facilities Scotland. The link to the HAI Delivery Plan is:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/03/07110818/1.