Chamber and committees

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been carrying out a number of asset management surveys in relation to the independent GP contractor estate within the boundaries of the board''s responsibilities. It is anticipated that these surveys will identify priority areas for investment subject to agreement with the board, GMS Steering Group and Community Health Partnership/Community Health and Care Partnerships.

The provision of new primary care premises is a matter for the GP practice and for the NHS board concerned, in the context of its overall priorities. The Scottish Government is in regular contact with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in respect of its overall infrastructure plans including primary care premises.

There are four GP Practices in the Newton Mearns area. These are Dr Quinn & Ptns, Mearns Medical Centre, 13 Maple Avenue, G77; Dr Haughney & Ptn, 257 Mearns Road, G77; Dr Arfan & Ptn, Crookfur Medical Practice, 3 Corrour Road, G77; Dr Tobias, 3 Elmwood Avenue, G77.

This information is not available centrally in the form requested. However, information about general practices in Scotland and on the number of patients which they serve is available on a website maintained by the Information and Statistics Division of NHS National Services Scotland and can be accessed at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/3793.html.

My officials have had no discussions with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde about the full job specification for car parking attendants employed by CP Plus Limited.

Car parking management is a matter for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that has a contract with CP Plus Ltd to provide car parking management services at the hospitals covered by the NHS board''s car parking policy. The contract sets out clearly the duties of the contractor in managing those car parks, including the car parking attendants, in line with the board''s car parking management policy.

The following small trunk road improvement schemes which have completed their statutory process will be held in readiness to be taken forward at the earliest possible opportunity:

A95 Lackgie Improvement

A702 Candymill Bend and Edmonstone Brae

A737 Head Street Roundabout.

The UK Government has reduced Scotland''s budget by £1.3 billion in 2011-12 - cuts of around £500 million to our resource budget and £800 million to our capital budget. As a result, we have had to take tough decisions, including a reduction in the Support for the Freight Industry budget. This has led to the closure of the Freight Facilities Grant scheme to applications for projects which will incur expenditure after 31 March 2011.

The scale of the total reduction in the Scottish Government budget for 2011-12 has required tough decisions to be taken about expenditure across government and careful consideration of pressures and priorities in all portfolios. Taking into account these pressures, we have considered all areas of expenditure, the scope for efficiencies and the contribution that spending programmes make to sustainable economic growth and the delivery of portfolio priorities. In order to reduce the level of spending across the Finance and Sustainable Growth portfolio, we have taken the following difficult decisions on Transport:

With a few notable exceptions such as the Forth Replacement Crossing, on capital spend we will prioritise existing projects over new. Expenditure on road improvements has been reduced. In 2010-11, the level three budget line for road improvements included preparation for major projects and this has been moved to capital works.

The spending to be reduced in this budget line includes deferring some of the work to further expand the Traffic Scotland infrastructure and the small trunk road improvement schemes which have completed their statutory process will be held in readiness to be taken forward at the earliest possible opportunity.

The level 3 budget line for the Forth and Tay Road Bridge Authorities has increased in order to meet contractual commitments and to allow essential maintenance works to take place. This will enable work to replace the viaduct bearings on the Forth Road Bridge to continue and work to protect the piers of the Tay Road Bridge from ship impact to get underway.

The scale of the total reduction in the Scottish Government budget for 2011-12 has required tough decisions to be taken about expenditure across government and careful consideration of pressures and priorities in all portfolios. Taking into account these pressures, we have considered all areas of expenditure, the scope for efficiencies and the contribution that spending programmes make to sustainable economic growth and the delivery of portfolio priorities. In order to reduce the level of spending across the Finance and Sustainable Growth portfolio, we have taken the following difficult decisions on transport:

With a few notable exceptions such as the Forth Replacement Crossing, on capital spend we will prioritise existing projects over new. Expenditure on maintenance of the motorway and trunks roads network, including Network Strengthening and Improvement has been reduced.

The Capital Maintenance budget available for trunk roads is the combined total for Network Strengthening and Improvement, which has been reduced, and structural repairs which has been increased. The total available funding has therefore been reduced from £71 million to £45 million. We will manage the decrease in funding by re-prioritising the structural maintenance programme and focus on maintaining the safety and condition of our trunk roads allowing essential road repair works to be carried out.