Chamber and committees

The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 Act provides for B²rd na G idhlig to issue notices to Scottish public authorities requiring them to develop Gaelic Language Plans setting out how they will enable the use of Gaelic in connection with the exercise of their functions. Statutory notices to prepare Gaelic plans were issued to six Scottish public authorities in October 2006. The authorities were the Highland Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Argyll and Bute, the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The Scottish Government understands that four of these plans have been submitted to B²rd na G idhlig for approval under the terms of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. The b²rd expects to approve two of these plans very soon and will approve a further two Gaelic plans following further discussions with the authorities concerned. The remaining two Gaelic plans are expected to be submitted to the b²rd for approval later this year. B²rd na G idhlig will be issuing six statutory notices to a further six Scottish public authorities later this year inviting them to develop statutory Gaelic language plans.

The annual average cost of installing an oil fired heating system under the central heating programme, as notified by the managing agent, Scottish Gas, is shown in the following table:

Period	Average Cost (£)
2006-07	5,587
2007-08	5,816

Notes:

1. The figures provided include vat.

2. The figures are for properties with all appropriate insulation measures provided.

The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) had the following results for the combined years 2003-04 to 2005-06:

Scottish House Condition Survey 2003-04 to 2005-06: Person Aged 60 or Over in Household by Presence of Oil-Fired Central Heating

Local Authority	Person aged 60 or Over in Household				Total Households
	No		Yes
	Oil-Fired Central Heating	Not Oil-Fired Central Heating	Oil-Fired Central Heating	Not Oil-Fired Central Heating
Aberdeen	-	60,000	1,000	40,000	100,000
Aberdeenshire	13,000	52,000	8,000	26,000	99,000
Angus	3,000	26,000	2,000	20,000	50,000
Argyll and Bute	3,000	21,000	3,000	15,000	42,000
Clackmannanshire	-	13,000	-	8,000	22,000
Dumfries and Galloway	5,000	31,000	6,000	26,000	68,000
Dundee	-	42,000	-	23,000	65,000
East Ayrshire	-	32,000	1,000	20,000	53,000
East Dunbartonshire	-	26,000	-	17,000	43,000
East Lothian	1,000	23,000	1,000	16,000	40,000
East Renfrewshire	-	23,000	-	13,000	36,000
Edinburgh	-	148,000	-	62,000	210,000
Eilean Siar	3,000	4,000	3,000	3,000	13,000
Falkirk	-	40,000	1,000	26,000	67,000
Fife	3,000	85,000	-	69,000	157,000
Glasgow	-	171,000	1,000	103,000	275,000
Highland	17,000	43,000	8,000	31,000	99,000
Inverclyde	-	23,000	-	14,000	37,000
Midlothian	1,000	21,000	-	11,000	33,000
Moray	3,000	18,000	3,000	14,000	38,000
North Ayrshire	1,000	40,000	1,000	21,000	62,000
North Lanarkshire	-	95,000	-	45,000	140,000
Orkney	2,000	4,000	1,000	2,000	9,000
Perth and Kinross	4,000	33,000	2,000	24,000	63,000
Renfrewshire	-	48,000	1,000	28,000	78,000
Scottish Borders	3,000	27,000	4,000	17,000	51,000
Shetland	2,000	5,000	1,000	2,000	10,000
South Ayrshire	1,000	27,000	1,000	21,000	51,000
South Lanarkshire	3,000	82,000	4,000	45,000	133,000
Stirling	2,000	20,000	1,000	13,000	36,000
West Dunbartonshire	-	25,000	-	18,000	43,000
West Lothian	1,000	48,000	-	20,000	70,000
Scotland	71,000	1,356,000	54,000	813,000	2,293,000

Note: Estimate is less than 500.

The 95% confidence limits are shown in the next table. The SHCS is a sample survey and therefore all figures are estimates rather than precise counts. If a different sample had been taken at the same time, a slightly different estimate would have resulted. If 100 sample surveys were conducted, 95 of them would provide an estimate within the range given by the confidence intervals.

Scottish House Condition Survey 2003-04 to 2005-06: Person Aged 60 or Over in Household by Presence of Oil-Fired Central Heating - 95% Confidence Intervals

Local Authority	Person aged 60 or over in household
	No		Yes
	Oil-Fired Central Heating +/-	Not Oil-Fired Central Heating +/-	Oil-Fired Central Heating +/-	Not Oil-Fired Central Heating +/-
Aberdeen	1,000	6,000	1,000	6,000
Aberdeenshire	4,000	6,000	3,000	5,000
Angus	1,000	3,000	1,000	3,000
Argyll and Bute	1,000	3,000	1,000	3,000
Clackmannanshire	-	1,000	-	1,000
Dumfries and Galloway	2,000	4,000	2,000	4,000
Dundee	-	4,000	-	4,000
East Ayrshire	1,000	3,000	1,000	3,000
East Dunbartonshire	-	3,000	-	3,000
East Lothian	1,000	2,000	1,000	2,000
East Renfrewshire	-	2,000	-	2,000
Edinburgh	-	8,000	-	8,000
Eilean Siar	1,000	1,000	1,000	1,000
Falkirk	1,000	4,000	1,000	4,000
Fife	2,000	8,000	1,000	8,000
Glasgow	-	10,000	1,000	10,000
Highland	5,000	6,000	3,000	6,000
Inverclyde	-	2,000	-	2,000
Midlothian	1,000	2,000	-	2,000
Moray	1,000	2,000	1,000	2,000
North Ayrshire	1,000	4,000	1,000	4,000
North Lanarkshire	-	6,000	1,000	6,000
Orkney	-	1,000	-	-
Perth and Kinross	2,000	4,000	2,000	4,000
Renfrewshire	-	4,000	1,000	4,000
Scottish Borders	1,000	3,000	2,000	3,000
Shetland	-	1,000	-	1,000
South Ayrshire	1,000	3,000	1,000	3,000
South Lanarkshire	2,000	8,000	3,000	8,000
Stirling	1,000	2,000	-	2,000
West Dunbartonshire	-	3,000	-	3,000
West Lothian	1,000	4,000	1,000	4,000
Scotland	9,000	23,000	8,000	22,000

 

The responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in the area rests with NHS Western Isles.

To increase dental access NHS Western Isles are currently undertaking a property review of all board accommodation to link with the clinical strategy which is also under development. This will produce a vision for services for the population of Western Isles in the short-term. In the meantime, to increase dental access the board are looking urgently at the setting up of a number of temporary surgeries in Stornoway.

In addition, a number of financial measures are in place to recruit and retain dentists in the NHS, including a remote areas allowance.

We are also working to continue to increase the dental workforce in Scotland.

The Scottish Government will encourage the roll out of DAB digital radio to the Western Isles, although the further extension of such services is in the first place a commercial matter for operators.

The government will be involved with the UK Government in the Digital Radio Working Group established by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This group has been established to consider:

What conditions would need to be achieved before digital platforms could become the predominant means of delivering radio?

What are the current barriers to the growth of digital radio?

What are the possible remedies to those barriers?

The Scottish Government is contributing to the work of the group and will ensure that the interests of the Western Isles and other rural and island communities are considered. The group is due to report later in 2008.

I would also clarify that, in the Western Isles, digital radio will be available via digital television after the 2010 digital television switchover. It will not automatically be available on a DAB radio set at that date.

The priorities for distribution in Scotland by the Big Lottery Fund are set by Scottish ministers in policy directions made with the consent of the Secretary of State. The current directions, December 2006, identify promotion of community land ownership as one of the priorities to which Scottish devolved expenditure should be distributed.

There is no statutory clawback requirement on the disposal of Scottish Ministers' crofting estates to community organisations. The Scottish Public Finance Manual offers guidance on the considerations to be taken into account when Ministers exercise their discretion to dispose of such land. Details may be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/spfm/disposalassetsannex.

HIE Innse Gall has approved financial assistance towards the establishment of two Harris Tweed production facilities on Lewis including an element aimed at encouraging product promotion and marketing activity.

In addition, a Harris Tweed Industry Liaison Group was established in February 2008. This will seek to identify a range of issues and actions for the promotion, marketing and development of the sector.

We estimate Harris Tweed production capacity is 1.2 million metres (single width equivalent). A Harris Tweed Industry Liaison Group has recently been established to encourage producers, weavers, local government and government agencies work together to drive the industry forward. This group plans to research Harris Tweed weaver and loom numbers. The aim is to ensure production capacity is adequate encompassing weavers, training, looms and loomsheds.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Harris Tweed to the economy of the Outer Hebrides. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and HIE Innse Gall, have worked with the Harris Tweed industry over a considerable period of time to support its development, and will continue to do so.

HIE Innse Gall provides a range of support, including working with self-employed weavers on weaver training and assistance with capital costs of buildings and equipment.