Chamber and committees

A copy of a table showing how much money has been spent on the maintenance and upgrade of trunk roads in each complete financial year since 2007, listed by road, has been placed on SPICE, BIB number 55187.

This issue remains under consideration and the final position will be confirmed in due course.

In 2012, the median gross weekly earnings for full time employees living in Fife was £499.30, compared with £498.30 for Scotland. Median gross weekly earnings (before deductions for Tax & National Insurance) of full-time employees on adult rates, is obtained from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). This is an Office of National Statistics (ONS) publication which replaces the New Earnings Survey (NES). It includes full time employed adults from whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The self-employed are excluded from this study.

Data is not available at parliamentary constituency level.

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees (residence based):

The Scottish Government works closely with local authorities, Transport Scotland, SEPA and other partners to ensure that the air quality objectives are achieved. The planning system has a key role to play in this process.

The third National Planning Framework Main Issues Report was published for consultation from 30 April to 23 July 2013. Its spatial strategy emphasises the importance of reducing emissions from the energy and transport sectors, and notes the continuing role of planning in providing environmental protection. NPF3 will be finalised by June 2014.

The national poverty figures from the households below average Income datasets cannot be broken down to local authority level in Scotland, meaning poverty figures for local authorities are not available.

Tax credit and benefit claimant data from HM Revenue and Customs can be used as proxy data for child poverty at a local authority level. This is defined as the "percentage of children in each local authority that live in families in receipt of out of work benefits or tax credits where their reported income is less than 60% of median income".

In 2009, 19.9% of children in Fife were classified as in poverty (compared with 19.0% for Scotland). In 2010, 19.4% of children were classified as living in poverty (compared with 18.6% for Scotland). Breakdowns into parliamentary constituency are not available. Data for earlier years is not available for Scotland.

Local authorities have statutory responsibilities for managing air quality in their areas under the Environment Act 1995 and associated regulations. These place clear expectations on local authorities to pursue air quality objectives. The Scottish Government provides practical and financial support to assist local authorities in undertaking these duties.

The Scottish Government places no separate expectation on community planning partnerships (CPPs) to reflect a local authority's air quality objectives in their single outcome agreements (SOAs). CPPs have developed their latest SOAs in accordance with guidance jointly published by the Scottish Government and COSLA in December 2012. It is for CPPs to establish the content of their SOAs, based on their understanding of local place and with partnership working at their heart. Their emphasis is towards themes on which integrated working can make a real difference to improving outcomes, preventing harm and reducing inequalities.

The Scottish Government works closely with local authorities, Transport Scotland, SEPA and other partners to ensure that air quality objectives are achieved. The planning system has a key role to play in this process.

The Scottish Government is currently reviewing the Local Air Quality Management system – a consultation concluded on 6 September 2013:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/06/5955/0.

Draft Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), which was published for consultation from 30 April to 23 July 2013, highlights the important role of the planning system in encouraging and approving development which protects and enhances natural resources including air. SPP will be finalised by June 2014.

The Scottish Government takes a national approach to tackling child poverty, with action at a local level being the responsibility of the local authority. We are working with local authorities, the NHS and others through the collective investment of £272 million in the Early Years Change Fund and over £125 million across government and our agencies to support young people towards and into work across Scotland.

Individual examples of nationally funded projects in Fife include the Communities and Families Fund project with the Ceres Nursery Trust, a group which delivers a nursery lunch club linking the morning and afternoon sessions; and Open Secret which provides art, play and talking therapy activities to children up to the age of eight and their families who have experienced a period of trauma including abuse. The Scottish Government continues to support the STV Appeal which has helped a number of charities throughout Scotland including specific projects in Fife such as the Save the Children Families and Schools Together initiative.

However, only with access to our own resources and the ability to join up policy across devolved and reserved areas, can we make the substantial difference we need to and tackle child poverty for good.

The three month consultation period was due to finish on 6 September 2013 but has been extended to 20 September 2013, following requests from stakeholders for further time. An analysis of responses will be undertaken and published on the Scottish Government website in due course.

The Scottish Government is aware of concerns about the use of electronic shock collars on dogs and other animals and will work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the industry to produce improved guidance on the proper use of these training aids. The misuse of shock collars or any other training aids in a way that causes unnecessary suffering would be an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.