Chamber and committees

The Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 provides for the removal of areas from the contaminated land register once the relevant local authorities (or in the case of special sites, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) are satisfied that appropriate remediation has been completed. Statutory guidance is required to support this and the Scottish Government intends to consult on this in 2016. As part of this consultation stakeholder views will be sought on the way contaminated land information is held.

The Scottish Government loan agreement with the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust (LAR) is for the delivery of long term affordable mid-market rented homes. LAR is expected to deliver up to 1,000 homes over five years. Decisions about the acquisition and letting of homes are for the board of LAR to make. The first homes expected to be available for rent within 2015-16.

The Scottish Government will support the Local Affordable Rented (LAR) Housing Trust with a £55 million loan. No limit has been set on the amount that LAR can draw down in 2015-16 from the financial transaction consequentials.

The Scottish Government loan agreement with the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust (LAR) is for the delivery of long term affordable mid-market rented homes. LAR is expected to deliver up to 1,000 homes over five years. Decisions about the acquisition and letting of homes are for the board of LAR to make. The first homes expected to be available for rent within 2015-16.

The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) is an independent expert advisory group which advises ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening. We are represented at the NSC meetings and are actively involved in all discussion the NSC has regarding group B streptococcus.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing services that can call at Reston and East Linton subject to the completion of the stations by the promoters and the granting of necessary track access rights, however, the date of December 2016 was not given as a confirmed date for the stations and the services commencing. Rather this was the earliest possible date based on the programme information available at that time.

On screening issues we are advised by the UK National Screening Committee (NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening.

The NSC reviewed the policy for group B streptococcus (GBS) in November 2012 considering all the available medical evidence regarding the risks and benefits of screening pregnant women. The committee recommended that a national screening programme for GBS should not be introduced.

The NSC is due to review the recommendation on antenatal screening for GBS in 2016 and we will give careful consideration to any recommendation the NSC makes at that point.

As there is currently no recommended test for group B streptococcus that would be suitable for routine antenatal screening no cost-benefit analysis has been carried out by the Scottish Government.

This money will provide an opportunity for GPs who are: on (or eligible to be on) the general medical council’s GP Register; on a NHS National Performers’ List; and who have previously worked in NHS general practice to safely return to general practice following a career break of at least two years or time spent working abroad.

Information on the reasons, nature and extent of any support being given to practices must remain confidential and is the responsibility of the contracting NHS board.

Scottish ministers would expect boards, as the responsible body for the provision of primary medical services for their areas, to work with and support practices to ensure that patients are not disadvantaged.