Chamber and committees

This information is publishedin tables 3 and 14 of the statistical bulletin Local authority housing incomeand expenditure 2004-05 to 2006-07. This is available online in the publicationssection of the housing statistics branch reference site:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/PubLAHousingIncomeExpend.

We propose to include a newentrants measure for farmers in the new Scotland rural development programme, which we hope to launchtowards the end of this year.

A 24-hour helpline for peoplein emotional crisis is already well established through Samaritans. The ScottishGovernment supports Samaritans’ work in Scotland through core grant funding. Inaddition Choose Life (the implementationteam for the government’s strategy on suicide prevention) have provided fundingto enable Samaritans to develop a co-coordinated approach to suicide interventionin branches in Scotland. This funding has included support to Samaritans to recruitand train more volunteers, with specific training in suicide intervention trainingskills, and support to pilot a phone texting service which will be reviewed in November2007.

There are no plans to introducea separate service to meet the same needs.

The government also supportsa number of other initiatives which provide support to people in crisis or experiencinglow mood or depression. This includes the free Breathing Space telephone adviceline (open 6pm to 2am nightly; currently piloting extended hours to 6am at weekends).

In emergency situations the emergencyservices can be contacted on 999 for assistance, 24 hours a day.

Through Choose Life, suicideprevention training is being rolled out across Scotland; over 11,500 individualsin community and public service settings have been trained in suicide interventionand risk management skills in the last three years.

Chartered Teacher alreadyoffers teachers substantial salary rewards in return for advanced learningwhich can lead to improved classroom practice. The scheme is currently beingreviewed to examine possible improvements. In the meantime universities reportincreasing interest in Chartered Teacher modules, in part as new generations ofteachers become eligible for entry.

We recognise the acute shortageof affordable homes that exists in many areas of Scotland and are committed to improvingthe supply and affordability of housing. We are developing a range of initiativesto achieve this objective and will be pursuing these over the coming months.

The information requested isgiven in the following table. The table also presents data on deaths from pulmonaryembolism as the overwhelming majority of these are likely to be the consequenceof venous thromboembolism.

Deaths in Hospital bySelected Cause, Scotland, 2003-05

Cause of Death	2003	2004	2005
All deaths in hospital	34,159	32,722	32,772
of which as a result of
(a) venous thromboembolism1	97	101	89
(b) pulmonary embolism2	327	268	276

Notes:

1. ICD 10 codes: I80, I82(excl. I82.0), O22.3, O22.9, O87.1, O87.9.

2. ICD 10 codes: I26, O88.2.

Where clinically possible, cliniciansare encouraged to prescribe generically. In2006, the cost of prescribed branded drugs for which a generic equivalent was usuallyavailable was £10,843,438. This figure does not include the cost of modified releasepreparations or antiepileptic drugs where generic substitution might not be clinicallyappropriate. In some instances, branded drugs will need to be dispensed where thegeneric equivalent is temporarily in short supply.

The cost shown relates to prescribeditems dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctorsand excludes medicines dispensed by hospitals and hospital-based clinics. The costgiven is that before the addition of any pharmacy fees and deduction of any drugmanufacturers discount and patient charges.

We recognise the acute shortageof affordable homes that exists in many communities, whether urban, rural or island,and are committed to improving the supply and affordability of housing through targetedinvestment and by removing barriers to provision. We are taking stock of the widerange of action needed to achieve this objective and in so doing will take fullaccount of the varying needs of different types of community.

Any proposal to build a new nuclearpower station in Scotland would require consent from Scottish ministers. Given our position on energy policy, our generating capacity,our multiplicity of energy sources and our strong alternative strategies, such anapplication would be unlikely to find favour with this administration.

The distribution of NationalLottery funds is a matter for the lottery distribution bodies: Scottish Arts Council,Scottish Screen, sportscotland, the Big Lottery Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund.The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive.The Department for Culture, Mediaand Sport (DCMS) maintains an electronic database of national lottery awards. Detailsof the total awarded to each country, each constituency area and each local authorityarea for each lottery good cause can be obtained through the DCMS website at http://www.lottery.culture.gov.uk/search.asp.

It is estimated that lotterydistributors in Scotland will lose approximately one year’s worth of income overthe period to 2012.

The previous Scottish Executivewrote to the UK Government asking that they look seriously at alternative fundingstreams to the National Lottery to fund the additional cost of the 2012 Olympics.Having reviewed the position, I would fully endorse this and will be working tovigorously pursue this.