Chamber and committees

The information requested isnot available.

The following table detailsperformance against each of the indicators on improving Scotland’sskills base in each of the last two years.

Indicator	Description	2001	2002
1	Proportion of 16- to19-year-olds not in education, employment or training	15%	14%
21	Participation of 16- to 19-year-olds from low income families in school or further education	37%	37%
3	Graduates as a proportion of the workforce	18%	19%
4	Proportion of working age adults whose highest qualification is below SCQF 5	27%	25%
5	Proportion of 18- to 29-year-olds whose highest qualification is below SCQF level 6	34%	33%
6	Proportion of people in employment undertaking training	27%	28%

Notes:

1.Indicator 2 is calculated using three year’s combined data (i.e 1998-99 to2000-01 for the 2001 figure and 1999-2000 to 2001-02 for the 2002 figure) fromthe Family Resource Survey, in order to ensure sufficient sample size, andprojected figures on population and numbers in education for 2001-02.

Detailed descriptions of thedata used are as found in Life through Learning; Learning through Life: TheLifelong Learning Strategy for Scotland. However, Indicator 1 has beencalculated using four quarters of Labour Force Survey data (to February 2003)to ensure sufficient sample sizes. This is the format that will be used in theforthcoming 2003 Social Justice Annual Technical Report.

Indicator 2 is theproportion of 16- to 19-year-olds not in higher education living in privatehouseholds with gross income below £25,000 who are in school or furthereducation and has been constructed using Family Resource Survey data.

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues includingthe repayment threshold for student loans.

The information requestedis not held centrally.

Guidance on Consultation and Public Involvement in Service Change (Bib. number. 21063) has been operationalsince May 2002. This gives clarity on how those affected by a proposed change shouldbe informed and included in the consultation process. The Scottish ConsumerCouncil and Scottish Health Feedback have published a report which sets outcomments and reactions to the guidance. A copy of this is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib.  number. 29763). We expect the next versionof the guidance to issue in the near future.

The latest GDP figuresavailable for Scotland are presented in the Office of National Statistics regionalaccounts. This shows that in 2001 (the latest year available), Scottish GDP wasestimated to be £69.2 billion at current basic prices, resulting in an averageGDP per head of £13,660. The UK equivalent (excluding extra-regio activity) was £14,470.This implies that, for the same population in Scotland in 2001, the average GDPper head would need to have been £810 higher in order to reach the same levelas the UK average (note that this would, in turn, result in an increase in theactual average UK GDP/head).

The latest gross domestic productfigures available for Scotland are presented in the Office of National Statistics regionalaccounts. This shows that in 2001 (the latest year available), Scottish GDP wasestimated to be £69.2 billion at current basic prices, resulting in an averageGDP per economically active person (2001 June-Aug Labour Force Survey) of£27,500. The UK equivalent (excluding extra-regio activity) was£29,400. This implies that, for the same population and workforce in Scotlandin 2001, the average GDP per economically active person would need to have been£1,900 higher in order to reach the same level as the UK average (note thatthis would, in turn, result in an increase in the actual average UK GDP/economicallyactive person).

As stated in the answergiven to question S2W-2774, the Scottish Executive is committed to creating theconditions that will maximise our long-term sustainable growth and The WayForward: Framework for Economic Development in Scotland sets out theExecutive’s overall approach to this. Growth in our economy is measured by ourown national statistics quarterly gross domestic product data series and by theOffice of National Statistics Regional (ONS) accounts data. However, neitherthe ONS nor the Scottish Executive has any commitment to measure the process ofmaximisation.

Each question is consideredvery carefully with the aim of providing an answer that is helpful to themember asking the question. The Executive has been working closely with theProcedures Committee on monitoring Parliamentary questions and answers, and iswilling to engage further with the committee on this issue.

The delayed discharge actionplan we launched on 5 March last year set out a range of short- and long-termmeasures designed to reduce the number of people whose discharge from hospitalis delayed. Since then, this number has been substantially reduced.

In the current and each of the next two years we are backing the action plan with £30 million additionalinvestment for local authority and NHS board partnerships. Local joint action plansoutline targets for reductions in the number of delayed discharges in each partnershipby April 2004. We are monitoring progress centrally.