Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is currentlyconsidering how best to support those who aspire to home ownership, including thecosts of different measures. Decisions on the future funding of subsidised low-costhome ownership will be taken following the outcome of the spending review laterthis year.

The Sex Discrimination (PublicAuthorities) (Statutory Duties) (Scotland) Order 2007 places a specific duty onScottish ministers to set out priority areas for the advancement of gender equalityby public authorities in Scotland. In order to meet this duty, the Scottish Governmentis considering the process for formulating these priority areas. This process willinclude consulting all relevant stakeholders including the Convention of ScottishLocal Authorities, individual public authorities, voluntary sector, trade unionsand organisations for women and men. We will also work with the Equal OpportunitiesCommission and, from October 2007 the Commission for Equality and Human Rights,in consulting on and subsequently setting out Scottish ministers’ priority areasfor gender equality.

I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-623 on 14 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The budget review reportwill contribute to our strategic thinking around the spending review. It wouldbe inappropriate to comment on the detail or pre-empt any commitment ahead of spendingreview 2007.

The budget review reportwill contribute to our strategic thinking around the spending review. It wouldbe inappropriate to comment on the detail or pre-empt any commitment ahead of spendingreview 2007.

Since inception, the New Futures Fund (NFF) has aimed to develop new ways of working with those furthest from the labour market with a view to building successful aspects into mainstream services. Scottish Enterprise (SEn), which manages NFF, is now pursuing “mainstreaming” with a range of agencies, and is working with individual projects to explore alternative funding sources.

The needs of those furthest from the labour market remain a key issue for the Cabinet Delivery Group on Closing the Opportunity Gap, chaired by the Minister for Communities.

A reporter will consider any information placed before her or him and will decide its relevance, in land use planning terms, as a material consideration in the particular case. As a general rule though, land use planning relates to the “use” of land, rather than the “user” and any planning permission granted runs with the land and is not personal to the applicant.

The report is being published by the SCRA today. I am placing a copy in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33946).

Following the judgement of the Court of Appeal in England and Wales in the case of Cannings, ministers asked the SCRA to look at cases involving Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy and related infant deaths or conflicting medical evidence which might now be regarded as unreliable.

The SCRA examined 35 cases in detail. They were able to complete their examination of 32 cases. A further three cases might be affected by current court proceedings. The SCRA will return to these cases after those proceedings are concluded.

Although Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy was mentioned in some of the 32 cases, none was referred to a hearing solely because of a diagnosis of the condition. In all 32 completed cases, SCRA found that the grounds for referral were based on reliable evidence, and not solely on medical expert opinion that might be considered unreliable in the light of the Canningsjudgement.

In the light of the review, the Executive does not consider that any further work is required. I have however asked SCRA to send me its observations when the outcome of court proceedings in the three cases is known. SCRA will also contact ministers should any related concerns arise in the future.

The Scottish Executive meets Local Authority Supporting People lead officers on a monthly basis to discuss current and future issues. Local authorities are also represented on the review group that the Scottish Executive set up to review the programme and its future. They are also represented on the Supporting People Forum, representing a wider group of external stakeholders, which meets regularly. The Scottish Executive has also had discussions directly with COSLA itself on the programme’s future. I have held meetings with some individualcouncils in response to requests. I expect to be able to make announcements on theway forward shortly.

Decisions on future funding for Supporting People will be made shortly in the context of the wider Spending Review announcements.