Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has no plans to add to the scrutiny arrangements that already apply, including parliament’s role in the budget process and the significant amount of evidence it takes from third parties on the government’s spending proposals.

As in previous years, the Scottish Government has published a range of analytical information to assist the scrutiny process, including assessments of the equalities and carbon impacts of its spending plans.

Local authorities are responsible for setting their annual net revenue budgets as well as the amount of those budgets to be funded from the council tax. The latest information available to the Scottish Government provided by local authorities is in respect of 2011-12. Figures for 2012-15 will not be available until the relevant annual financial returns from local authorities’ have been submitted to the Scottish Government.

Local Government and NHS board financial cycles are the same, running from April to March, with both preparing annual accounts for this financial cycle and adhering to the Scottish Government’s overarching financial timetable. The three year Spending Review announced in September 2011 provides additional financial clarity to local authorities and NHS boards for the next three years which should facilitate effective partnership working.

The Scottish Government has not instructed an audit of community planning partnerships. Audit and scrutiny of public services is carried out independently of ministers, by Audit Scotland and relevant scrutiny bodies.

I have asked the Accounts Commission to lead a review of how external scrutiny of community planning partnerships is carried out, as set out in the answer to question S4W-03012 on 18 October 2011. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Statutory guidance on HMO licensing issued in August 2011 specified that there must be a carbon monoxide detector in the same room as any gas appliance in a licensed property.

Tenants of HMOs are further protected from the risks of carbon monoxide as landlords must provide evidence that all gas appliances have been subject to an annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

The Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care, chaired by me, will oversee the implementation of the Change Fund process nationally and will look for assurance that Partnerships are using the Fund to help rebalance care, support and service provision towards anticipatory care and preventative services that will support older people to stay in their own homes.

Change Plan templates completed by local Partnerships will be considered by the Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care, chaired me, before funds are released at the beginning of the 2012-13 financial year. The group will oversee the implementation of the Change Fund process nationally and will look for assurance that partnerships are delivering improved outcomes for older people.

Scottish Government guidance on the Reshaping Care Change Fund, when it issues to Partnerships later this year, will attach high priority to the development of anticipatory care and preventative measures, with a view to increasing the proportion of Change Fund monies to these areas in subsequent years. Partnerships will be asked to submit a template summarising their intentions with regard to expenditure of Change Fund monies.

Scottish Government guidance on the Reshaping Care Change Fund requires Partnership Change Plans to be prepared, agreed and signed off by NHS boards, local authorities and representatives of the third and independent sectors.

Guidance to be issued later this year for 2012-13 will also require partners to demonstrate how their actions have impacted on nationally available outcome measures and indicators, local improvement measures and Partnership resource use. Evidence from Partnerships of change in these measures will give the Ministerial Strategic Group the assurance it requires about allocation and expenditure of Change Fund monies.

Where Partnerships require support in implementing their Change Plans, the Scottish Government will offer support through the Joint Improvement Team.

Scottish Government guidance on the Reshaping Care Change Fund for 2012-13, to be issued later in 2011, will require partnerships to set out what constitutes support to carers locally so they can clearly demonstrate that at least 20% of their change fund is dedicated to supporting carers to continue to care for older people.