Chamber and committees

Transport authorities are responsible for making and administering concessionary travel schemes under section 94(4) of the Transport Act 1985. The powers within the act are discretionary and it is for individual authorities to determine what eligible categories will qualify under their concessionary travel scheme, and what level of concession should be given to groups, such as carers/companions.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30808 on 12 November 2002. 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/webapp/search_wa.

The information requested is not held centrally. Only certain patients with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are likely to benefit from treatment with beta interferon and patients' eligibility for this treatment depends on the clinical judgement of the specialist concerned.The UK-wide risk-sharing scheme for beta interferon and glatiramer acetate allows such treatments to be prescribed on the NHS to patients who meet criteria set out by the Association of British Neurologists (ABN). The guidance which explained the scheme, Health Department Letter (2002) 6, which is available from the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20653), estimated that the total number of patients in Scotland who fall within the ABN guidelines might be in the range 1,300 to 1,560. These figures do not take into account patients already receiving treatment with beta interferon or glatiramer acetate.

I refer the member to the answer I gave to S1W-30808 on 12 November 2002. 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/webapp/search_wa.The Executive is fully committed to the UK-wide risk-sharing scheme for which funding has been made available through NHS boards' aggregate financial allocations. NHS boards, in conjunction with their designated consultant neurologists with a special interest in multiple sclerosis, should establish suitable arrangements for dealing with and funding continuing treatment. The Scottish Executive Health Department is working closely with the MS Society, MS Trust and Association of British Neurologists to ensure that those patients who are eligible to participate in the scheme are informed accurately about these arrangements.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31799 on 11 December 2002. 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/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31799 on 11 December 2002. 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/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-31799 on 11 December 2002. 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/webapp/search_wa.

At present, local authorities receive a single capital allocation for borrowing consents relating to capital expenditure on all areas except their own housing stock. It is for each local authority to decide how much of the single capital allocation is spent for private housing sector purposes. For the current year, the forecast for local authorities' total expenditure for these purposes is approximately £45 million.

Of the sum of £215 million announced on 7 November, £170 million will be allocated to local authorities on the basis of up to £50 million in financial year 2003-04 and £60 million in each of the following two years. The method for allocation between authorities is currently the subject of consultation with COSLA and figures for each authority are therefore not yet available. These resources will be available for local authorities to provide grant assistance to owners of private sector housing and for other purposes related to the improvement of housing conditions in the private sector.The remaining sum of £45 million, which includes £10 million per year announced following the 2001 Spending Review, will be used by the Executive directly or through local authorities to take forward other priorities arising from the recommendations of the Housing Improvement Task Force and for related matters. I will take decisions on the allocation of the funding once I have had the opportunity to consider the recommendations of the task force. In the meantime, none of this funding has been earmarked.

No. The resources specifically earmarked to assist owner-occupiers affected by housing transfers are included elsewhere in the Social Justice budget. No final decisions about the allocation of the funding have been taken. These will be made in the context of individual transfer proposals.