Chamber and committees

The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) financial tables set out the funding available for each of the 30 European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development measures the programme draws on. These are grouped under eight broad headings in the Scottish Government budget. The different parts of the SRDP are funded through one or more of these budget lines.

In order to retain budget flexibility and in response to stakeholders'' views, the budget provision for Rural Priorities was not ring-fenced in total or within each budget line. Rural Priorities spending comes from budget headings which also fund other SRDP spending, for instance on Land Managers Options and on legacy payments for agreements entered into under the previous programme.

At the start of the SRDP, taking assumptions for the amount of spending on the other elements within the relevant budget headings, around £500 million was expected to be available for new commitments under Rural Priorities overall. The amount actually available for new commitments under Rural Priorities will depend on a number of factors, including the level of uptake for demand-led elements within the relevant budget headings, and any future policy changes.

Of the £500 million, the following sums fell within the budget headings for agri-environment, business development and forestry:

(a) Agri-Environment	£170 million
(b) Business Development	£ 90 million
(c) Forestry	£150 million

 

The following figures relate to the proportion of regional priorities under the given headings approved at the first four Rural Priorities assessment rounds, as a percentage of regional priorities considered.

(a) Agri-Environment	79%
(b) Business Development	71%
(c) Forestry	100%

 

The following figures relate to the spending approved for regional priorities under the given headings, at the first four Rural Priorities assessment rounds.

(a) Agri-Environment	£66.1 million
(b) Business Development	£32.9 million
(c) Forestry	£8.6 million

 

The following figures relate to the number of regional priorities under which funding has been applied for, presented to the first four assessment rounds under Rural Priorities.

(a) Agri-Environment	1,269
(b) Business Development	588
(c) Forestry	231

 

The most recent meeting between Scottish ministers and the European Commission to discuss this investigation was held on 12 December 2008.

Whilst there are currently no plans for any further such ministerial meetings, Scottish ministers will continue to engage with the Commission, both directly and indirectly as appropriate, to protect the support for lifeline ferry services to Scotland''s remote and island communities.

I am pleased to announce that today the Scottish Government is publishing its summary report on the responses to Strengthening for the Future: consultation on the reform of the Children''s Hearings system. The document is available on the Scottish Government website at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/childrens-hearings-bill.

Copies of the report have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47908).

We are grateful to everyone who responded to the Strengthening for the Future consultation. We have carefully listened to the responses and taken the time to adapt our policy to more closely address the concerns and issues raised.

A locally delivered, nationally supported children''s hearing system that provides streamlined and strengthened support for Scotland''s most vulnerable children is our aim. The key proposals which we are bringing forward are:

Panel Members will benefit from more consistent support and training in order to make the important decisions that can have such a positive effect on children''s lives.

A new body, the Scottish Children''s Hearings Tribunal, will be responsible for all functions associated with the Children''s Panel, including recruitment, selection and training of panel members. The Tribunal will be led by a president who will have the power to work with volunteers to exercise its key functions.

People who wish to volunteer to become panel members will continue to be recruited, selected, trained and sit on hearings on a local basis.

The Scottish Children''s Reporter Administration will continue to deliver the Children''s Reporters service.

The management and provision of Safeguarders will remain with local authorities.

The procedural changes proposed in the consultation, such as providing an option to speed up the process for establishing grounds where child is too young or incapable of understanding them, will be taken forward.

We intend to introduce the Children''s Hearing Bill to the Scottish Parliament in the autumn.

The timing of the conclusion of the European Commission''s investigation on support for ferry services in Scotland is a matter for the commission. However, I understand from recent discussions that the commission anticipates making a final decision on this investigation by September 2009.

No.

The NHS General Medical Services Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2004 provide that health boards shall require or authorise a GP practice to dispense prescribed items to a patient where the health board are satisfied that the patient will have serious difficulty in obtaining such items from a pharmacist.

Where a health board subsequently decides to approve the opening of a pharmacy in an area served by such a GP practice, they will require to consider the issue again, in line with these regulations. The regulations do not require that the practice must cease dispensing.

No estimate has been made by Scottish ministers of the cost of maintaining a national scheme for dealing with fallen stock. A variety of commercial disposal routes are available to farmers in most parts of Scotland, such as rendering or incineration, or collection by a knackery or hunt kennel. Farmers can also join the National Fallen Stock Company, which operates through existing collectors throughout mainland Scotland. Where a commercial collection service is not available, such as on most Scottish islands, flexibilities exist within the regulations to permit on farm disposal by burial or open burning.