Chamber and committees

Ministers are clearthat all costs for providing a service should be met, and that the third sectorshould not subsidise, or be expected to subsidise, public services.

We are committed toworking with the sector and local government to ensure all are aware of the consequencesof not providing for full cost recovery.

Local authoritiesare fully funded to provide services at local level and all organisations shouldbe paid the costs for delivering any given service.

Organisations shouldbe paid the full costs for providing a service, and we expect local authoritiesand third sector organisations to conduct suitable negotiations for service deliverythat take all costs into account.

As stated in responseto answer to question S3W-1134 on 26 June 2007 the Scottish Government will discuss these issues withstakeholders, taking account of information gathered from annual outcome and progressreports submitted by local authorities, homelessness statistics and other data sources.These will include the sources set out in the Statement on Abolition of PriorityNeed published in December 2005 under section 3 of the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2005.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

A wide range of actionsis required to meet the 2012 target and it is for each local authority to decidethe most effective methods of achieving the target in their area. Central Governmentfunding for homelessness services, housing supply and the wider range of servicesrequired to meet the target will be considered as part of the Spending Review process.

We are committed toensuring that the implementation of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 is carefully managed and that all sectors andusers are supported through the transition from the existing multiple disclosureregime to the new modern, streamlined, efficient and effective vetting and barringsystem. It is recognised that this is of particular relevance to the voluntary sectorespecially small, voluntary organisations. As implementation plans are developedand advanced, careful consideration will be given to specific and aggregate fundingrequired for this sector and we will keep the Scottish Parliament and stakeholdersinformed of progress and plans through regular reports.

The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 is intended to deliver a modern, streamlined,efficient and effective vetting and barring system. The legislation will come into force once all the constituent elementsare in place to ensure that that is what is delivered. This necessarily involvesthe development of processes and IT systems, a comprehensive programme of consultationand secondary legislation and guidance and training for users prior to the systemgoing live. A substantial implementationprogramme has already begun but it is too early in that process to be definitive about when the legislationwill come into force. We will keep the Scottish Parliament and stakeholders informedof progress and planned commencement dates through regular reports.

Local authoritiesare required to assess the extent and nature of housing need in their areas as partof their Local Housing Strategy and Development Planning processes. The government is currently conducting an exercisewhich is seeking to gain a consistent picture from local authorities of their assessmentsof affordable housing need for their areas, and the evidence which supports this.

A major piece of researchon housing need was conducted for the Scottish government by Professor Glen Bramleyand published in November 2006. This contains analysis of housing need by localauthority area, and at national level. Although the analysis does not examine projectedneed in each of the next four years, it contains projections for 2005, 2006, andat five year intervals thereafter. Further information can be found at:

http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/stellent/groups/public/documents/webpages/cs_016551.pdf.

The Government’s homelessnesstarget is to abolish priority need by 2012. I refer the member to answer to questionS3W-1134 on 26 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for whichcan be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

As part of its currentStrategic Spending Review, the government is considering future investment requirementsfor affordable housing. Figures relating to plans for affordable housing provisionin future years will not be known until the conclusion of the Spending Review laterthis year.