Chamber and committees

The information requested is shown in the following table.

Year	Month	Country				UK
		England	N Ireland	Scotland	Wales
2007	April	55,121	4,572	27	2,817	62,537
	May	60,858	3,172	20	3,757	67,807
	June	72,970	3,350	40,049	3,948	120,317
	July	78,277	4,059	24	4,193	86,553
	August	90,480	1,245	31,644	4,643	128,012
	September	76,809	3,720	4,023	4,189	88,741
	October	90,419	6,248	23	5,180	101,870
	November	79,213	4,155	33,769	4,301	121,438
	December	50,994	3,796	1,878	2,702	59,370
2008	January	91,483	1,338	14,781	4,578	112,180
	February	96,667	1,181	13,499	4,647	115,994
	March	76,644	925	0	3,272	80,841
Total		919,935	37,761	139,737	48,227	1,145,660

Source: UK Transplant, as at 12 May 2008.

Notes:

New registrations for Scottish residents are only entered on to the NHS Organ Donor Register after their NHS number is matched with each individual. Currently there is a delay in this matching process, and this has led to the temporary under-reporting of Scottish registrations from mid-February 2008.

The figures are also subject to slight change, as the information is constantly updated.

Mileage rates payable by the Scottish Ambulance Service to volunteer drivers are set out in the following table.

Ambulance Car Service Mileage Rates (Pence per Mile) Cash and in Real Terms Using April 1997 as a Base and Retail Price Index (CBZW) Series

	Cash Rate			Real Terms Rate
	Up to	Over	RPI	Up to	Over
	1500cc	1500cc	(CBZW)	1500cc	1500cc
April 1997	29.0	35.0	150.8	29.0	35.0
April 1998	29.0	35.0	154.1	28.4	34.3
April 1999	29.0	35.0	156.9	27.9	33.6
April 2000	29.0	35.0	159.4	27.4	33.1
April 2001	30.5	36.9	162.9	28.2	34.2
April 2002	30.5	36.9	166.9	27.6	33.3
April 2003	30.5	36.9	171.8	26.8	32.4
April 2004	30.5	36.9	174.9	26.3	31.8
April 2005	30.5	36.9	179.0	25.7	31.1
April 2006	30.5	36.9	183.2	25.1	30.4
April 2007	30.5	36.9	190.0	24.2	29.3
April 2008	30.5	36.9	196.3	23.4	28.3

Note: *Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service

The Scottish Ambulance Service has recently reviewed the mileage allowance as part of its annual budget setting process and has no plans to increase the rate payable. However, the service was asked to look again at this matter, and have confirmed that they will now be reviewing the rates on a monthly basis to ensure that costs continue to be covered.

We understand that some other NHS boards may use volunteer drivers and are aware that they also indirectly support initiatives involving community transport schemes. Information on mileage rates paid are not held centrally.

This information is not held centrally in the form requested. At April 2008, there were 18 DEXA scanners in NHSScotland, and a further two will be commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in this financial year. Every NHS board has access to DEXA scanning.

NHS boards are expected to provide services for people with osteoporosis based on their assessment of local needs. We have drawn to NHS boards'' attention the results of an NHS Quality Improvement Scotland audit, published at the end of 2005, on the effectiveness of strategies for the secondary prevention of osteoporotic fracture in Scotland. The audit concluded that a fracture liaison service and direct access to assessment by DEXA scanning would allow patients who have sustained a fracture to be offered and receive appropriate therapies to prevent osteoporotic fractures in future.

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Total rent due for collection is not held centrally, however table 1 shows local authority rental income from housing between 1997-98 and 2006-07. Table 2 shows housing rent arrears at 31 December each year, except for 1997 (as at 30 September), and 2006-07 (as at 31 March).

Table 1 - Standard Rental Income from Houses (£ Million)

	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Scotland	1,071.1	1,090.9	1,086.0	1,092.8	1,089.2	1,077.6	838.5	842.5	849.7	837.3
Aberdeen City	43.1	50.0	48.4	49.8	51.1	52.2	52.5	54.8	57.2	59.4
Aberdeenshire	26.2	26.4	26.7	27.0	27.7	28.3	28.8	29.8	30.8	31.4
Angus	13.8	14.6	15.1	15.8	16.2	16.5	16.7	17.1	17.5	17.3
Argyll and Bute	13.3	13.6	13.2	13.4	13.8	14.1	14.1	13.5	13.3	n/a
Clackmannanshire	10.2	10.5	10.5	10.6	11.2	11.9	11.3	11.7	11.9	12.2
Dumfries and Galloway	24.5	23.9	23.9	23.8	39.5	24.7	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Dundee City	43.7	43.5	42.4	41.7	24.4	38.0	38.0	37.8	37.5	37.2
East Ayrshire	27.6	28.6	28.9	31.6	31.8	31.5	31.0	32.5	32.0	31.9
East Dunbartonshire	10.3	11.1	11.3	11.7	11.8	11.9	11.8	9.6	10.9	10.0
East Lothian	16.1	16.6	17.0	17.1	17.3	17.2	16.8	16.1	16.2	16.0
East Renfrewshire	6.7	7.0	7.3	7.5	7.6	7.5	7.5	7.6	7.6	7.4
Edinburgh, City of	75.2	72.8	70.2	67.8	65.2	64.7	63.0	63.1	61.9	63.2
Eilean Siar	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.1	4.2	4.3	4.2	4.3	4.5	n/a
Falkirk	34.9	35.7	36.1	39.2	39.7	41.1	40.7	40.4	40.2	40.0
Fife	66.2	67.2	68.5	69.7	70.0	71.7	72.0	73.8	74.8	74.9
Glasgow City	216.5	219.8	216.8	211.4	207.7	194.3	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Highland	39.6	40.2	39.8	39.5	38.4	37.9	37.6	37.8	37.7	37.7
Inverclyde	23.5	24.7	24.4	23.6	23.4	23.4	24.0	25.2	23.5	22.7
Midlothian	11.0	11.6	11.2	11.5	12.2	11.7	11.0	11.3	12.0	12.7
Moray	11.1	11.3	11.2	11.3	11.4	11.5	11.5	11.6	11.6	11.6
North Ayrshire	29.3	29.5	28.9	29.6	29.1	29.7	30.0	30.3	31.2	32.4
North Lanarkshire	86.8	89.1	91.6	92.8	93.4	93.9	94.5	94.6	95.6	96.1
Orkney Islands	1.8	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7
Perth and Kinross	15.3	15.9	16.0	16.2	16.6	16.2	16.7	16.5	17.4	17.6
Renfrewshire	38.9	39.9	39.9	41.3	39.5	37.3	35.6	35.6	37.3	37.7
Scottish Borders	13.0	12.9	12.5	12.8	12.7	12.1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Shetland Islands	4.4	4.8	5.1	5.1	5.1	5.2	5.2	5.0	5.0	5.0
South Ayrshire	19.0	19.0	19.0	19.4	20.0	20.2	20.0	20.0	20.0	20.3
South Lanarkshire	71.7	73.1	72.5	71.7	71.3	69.7	68.3	65.9	65.7	66.0
Stirling	15.6	14.7	14.8	14.9	14.8	14.6	14.2	14.7	14.3	14.3
West Dunbartonshire	26.7	26.7	26.3	26.8	27.6	27.3	26.6	27.5	27.7	27.9
West Lothian	31.2	30.7	30.8	32.3	32.4	35.3	33.1	32.8	32.6	32.8

Source: Housing Revenue Account returns to the Scottish Government.

Table 2 - Rent arrears (£ Million)

	September 1997	December 1998	December 1999	December 2000	December 2001	December 2002	December 2003	December 2004	December 2005	Mar ch2007
Scotland	40.3	50.5	54.8	60.4	55.2	57.3	38.0	31.9	41.5	41.1
Aberdeen City	1.4	1.9	2.1	2.4	2.2	2.4	2.5	2.6	6.8	7.1
Aberdeenshire	0.4	0.8	0.5	0.8	0.7	1.4	0.7	0.8	1.9	1.6
Angus	0.3	0.2	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	1.1
Argyll and Bute	0.2	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.4	n/a
Clackmannanshire	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.4	1.0	0.8	0.4	0.8	0.8
Dumfries and Galloway	0.6	0.9	0.9	0.5	1.0	1.2	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Dundee City	1.3	1.3	1.5	1.5	1.4	2.0	2.0	2.1	2.0	1.4
East Ayrshire	1.2	1.6	1.9	2.7	1.5	1.0	0.7	0.6	0.9	1.0
East Dunbartonshire	0.9	1.2	1.3	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.5	0.5	0.8
East Lothian	0.7	0.7	1.1	1.4	1.0	1.0	0.8	0.6	1.1	1.1
East Renfrewshire	0.3	0.5	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.2	0.3
Edinburgh, City of	2.2	2.6	2.2	2.4	2.2	2.6	2.9	3.2	3.0	2.9
Eilean Siar	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	n/a
Falkirk	1.3	1.4	1.5	2.1	2.0	2.0	1.6	1.4	1.0	1.5
Fife	2.5	3.0	3.4	3.7	3.9	2.7	2.6	3.3	3.3	2.6
Glasgow City	12.7	13.9	16.9	18.7	18.3	19.0	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Highland	1.1	1.1	1.4	1.8	1.7	1.9	1.1	1.3	2.3	2.9
Inverclyde	1.5	1.7	2.1	2.2	2.0	1.9	2.3	1.0	3.3	2.7
Midlothian	0.4	0.8	1.0	1.1	0.9	1.0	0.5	0.8	1.0	1.1
Moray	0.1	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.5	0.3
North Ayrshire	1.2	2.0	2.2	2.1	1.1	1.5	1.3	1.0	0.8	1.0
North Lanarkshire	2.2	2.2	2.1	2.0	1.7	1.8	4.9	1.6	1.6	1.4
Orkney Islands	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Perth and Kinross	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.5	0.3	0.6	0.8
Renfrewshire	1.5	1.7	1.9	2.1	1.7	1.3	2.5	1.9	2.2	2.1
Scottish Borders	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Shetland Islands	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.1
South Ayrshire	0.5	2.5	1.7	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.7
South Lanarkshire	1.5	2.3	1.5	2.5	2.1	2.1	1.9	2.0	2.1	2.2
Stirling	1.1	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.0	0.7
West Dunbartonshire	1.0	2.3	2.4	3.7	2.9	2.7	2.6	1.5	1.5	2.4
West Lothian	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.9	1.1	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.4

Source: Housing Revenue Account and Rent Arrears returns to the Scottish Government.

Notes:

- Figures exclude rental income and arrears from non-housing properties, such as hostels, lock ups, garages or shops.

- Total rent arrears are at 31 December each year, except for 1997 (30 September) and 2007 (31 March).

- Excludes technical arrears where the tenant has agreed with the council to pay their rent fortnightly in arrears.

- Figures may include arrears originating from previous years.

- Following housing stock transfer, Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow, Scottish Borders, Eilean Siar, Argyll and Bute and Inverclyde are excluded.

The following table details the numbers of incidents of violence and aggression towards Scottish Ambulance Service staff since 2004 when formal guidance issued to staff about the need to report such incidents.

	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
East Central	14	37	46	22	4
North East	18	39	28	44	8
North West	1	9	8	7	2
South East	26	50	37	16	4
South West	6	17	23	15	2
West Central	32	110	140	145	16
Other (including Special Operations Response Team)	1	4	21	4	0
Scotland	98	266	303	253	36

Note: Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The information requested on assaults on fire service personnel is given in Her Majesty''s Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland annual reports, published by the Scottish Executive in January 2004; December 2004; October 2005; December 2006; and November 2007. Copies of these reports are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 30472, 34686, 38132, 41202 and 44156). The inspectorate only began compiling figures for attacks on personnel part way through 2002-03, the first full reporting year was 2003-04.

This information is not held centrally.

The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level, and do not distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the occupation of the victim.

However, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4538 on 17 October 2007. 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/wa.search.

The source of the data in the table is Her Majesty''s Inspectorate of Constabulary''s annual statistical returns from police forces. I have been advised that following the reply to S3W-4538, Tayside police force submitted a revised figure of 155 assaults recorded in 2005-06, rather than the original figure of 15. The Inspectorate have also confirmed that the figure of 0 for Grampian in 2005-06 should be labelled unknown and that data for 2006-07 should no longer be considered to be provisional.

The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 overhauls the current under-age drinking offences and increases the associated maximum penalties from a £1,000 fine to a £5,000 fine, or a three month jail sentence, or both. The 2005 act also emphasises that licensed premises should operate on a no-proof no-sale basis - where licensees are in any doubt about a person''s age they should refuse the sale. The act also introduced mandatory training for all staff serving alcohol and a qualification for premises managers. Both these measures ensure that staff are fully aware of the law regarding sales to persons under 18.

The Scottish Government has also put in place regulations to allow the police to carry out test purchasing of alcohol, where police forces send under-18s into licensed premises to attempt to purchase alcohol. A failure of a test purchase can lead to prosecution and action by the licensing board to suspend or revoke a licence.

Local authorities have the power to make byelaws to prohibit drinking in designated public places under provisions contained in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, subject to confirmation by the Scottish ministers. To date, 31 local authorities across Scotland have byelaws in place, covering over 480 towns and villages, and the built up areas of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Information on the average response times for emergency call-outs is not held centrally. With the passing by Parliament of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the creation of a fire and rescue framework for Scotland, a new locally determined risk-assessed methodology for deploying fire authority resources was introduced; integrated risk management plans (IRMP).

Prior to the introduction of IRMP there were recommended standards of fire cover which originated from 1936 and were based on the characteristics of property and buildings in each area. The greater the density of buildings in an area, the greater the fire fighting resources that were provided. The effect of this was that, primarily, and for much of the time, fire service resources were targeted at protecting buildings (often unoccupied) rather than people. The previous recommended standards were also inflexible and didn''t allow for local discretion by fire and rescue boards to take account of local circumstances.

Until reporting year 2004-05, information on attendance times formed a performance monitoring measure recorded by Audit Scotland and is published on the Performance Information section of the Audit Scotland website, at the following web address:

http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/performance/fire/.