Chamber and committees

Monies recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 are distributed through the CashBack for Communities programme, which includes a range of partnerships with Scottish sporting, arts and business associations to provide diversionary activities for young people in Scottish communities.

CashBack funding has been granted to the Scottish Football Association (£2.5m), the Scottish Rugby Union (£1.4m), Scottish Sports Futures and BasketballScotland (£1.7m), the Sports Facilities Fund (£2m), Youthlink Scotland (£4), Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council for the Creative Identities Initiative (£1.2m). All recorded spending is done by Local Authority rather than parliamentary constituency.

Football activities in South and East Ayrshire include Street Football, Midnight Leagues, Soccer 1 and 2 and a School of Football for the South West region based in Cumnock at Cumnock Academy. Funding for Street football and Midnight leagues in Ayrshire was £27,400 for East Ayrshire and, £27,400 in South Ayrshire during 2008-10.  Total funding for Soccer One was £7,050 in East Ayrshire and £7,637.50 in South Ayrshire in 2008-09. The School of Football received £18,200 in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) in 2008-09 delivered free rugby sessions, street rugby and coaching programmes to primary and secondary young people in Ayrshire. £13,000 was invested in equipment and resources in East and South Ayrshire to help deliver the programmes. In 2009-10 £18,000 was invested again for equipment and resources for the programmes as well as a contribution for two development officers in East and South Ayrshire. The street rugby programme is now being expanded with the help of the development officers to include a pilot school of rugby in Cummnock Academy and Grange Academy (Kilmarnock).

Scottish Sports Futures is delivering basketball activities in East Ayrshire through their recently-expanded Jump2It programme. £10,000 has been spent in East Ayrshire. Basketball Scotland fund the West Regional Basketball Co-ordinator who operates in Ayrshire entirely through CashBack. £1100 was recently spent to include Ayrshire basketball teams in U14 competition and support the newly formed club develop a youth section.

The Sports Facilities fund was split over 26 projects throughout Scotland. The Caledonian Youth Club in South Ayrshire received £53,000 for construction of synthetic 5 a side pitch with portable goals and nets.

Scottish Arts Council through Creative Identities have spent £15,661.80 in South Ayrshire and £16,950 in East Ayrshire on a variety of projects from open access workshops to multi-media projects.

Youthlink Scotland have distributed £4m of CashBack funding so far. In East Ayrshire 11 projects have been awarded £79,083.05 and 18 projects in South Ayrshire have been awarded £80,014.61 over the first 3 rounds of Youthlink funding.

A further £2.5 million funding scheme for Youthlink Round 4 was announced on the 15 July 2010. The funding will be distributed throughout Scotland to successful applicants over two years. There will be three phases of applications for this strand of Youthlink, the first phase will close 27 August 2010, the second phase on the 28 January 2011 and the third phase on the 16 of September 2011.

In the last few months three new national projects have been launched; the Multisport project funding of £1.5m, £500k to YouthScotland to administer a grant project for uniformed and small organisations, and £1.6 million allocated to the Personal Social Development project.

We have had a variety of representations from dispensing GP practices, rural organisations and community groups in NHS Ayrshire and Arran with regard to the control of entry arrangements. Most recently, we have received a number of responses to our Review of the Control of Entry Arrangements consultation exercise, which ended in June 2010. Details can be found on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/318195.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The SPS has no current plans to review the terms of the contract for HMP Kilmarnock.

There is a mechanism for change which is specified in the contract which can be invoked to take account of changes in legislation or the requirements of the SPS or the Scottish Government.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Both contracts have been drawn up to deliver value for money and each contributes to the Scottish Government and Scottish Prison Services strategy to reduce re-offending. Each is contributing towards those goals albeit in different ways.

The Minister for Public Health and Sport met with NHS Ayrshire and Arran at their annual review on the 12 October 2009

In addition both Scottish Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with local authority and NHS Board colleagues to discuss matters of importance to local communities, including issues pertaining to health life expectancy and multiple deprivation.

South Ayrshire''s Single Outcome Agreement indentifies tackling health inequalities as a priority for the Community Planning Partnership and sets out a number of supporting actions including those which:

Encourage better diet, nutrition and physical health across all age groups.

Tackle health inequalities and improve well-being for children and young people.

Address health inequalities leading to enhanced employability.

Provision of appropriate interventions for people who are experiencing alcohol issues in order to promote recovery.

Scottish Government has had discussions with South Ayrshire Council about its Single Outcome Agreement which includes the outcome, We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society.

This agreement sets out a number of examples of partnership working activities in South Ayrshire between the council and the Health Board to tackle inequalities in their area.

The First Minister met Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Tavish Scott, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats on 1 June 2010. The meetings were arranged following the Secretary of State''s appointment to the new UK Coalition Government. The issues discussed included economic recovery, access to finance and the UK Government''s plans for fiscal consolidation. The First Minister was supported by appropriate Scottish Government officials while the Secretary of State was supported by appropriate UK Government officials.

The resurfacing works will commence on 12 July 2010 and are scheduled to last for 11 weeks.

Transport Scotland and their operating company for the A76 Amey, have had detailed discussions about the impact of the works with Mauchline Community Council, the Mauchline Elderly Forum, local businesses and bus operators. In addition public meetings have been held to inform residents. East and South Ayrshire Councils, Strathclyde Police, the emergency services, and elected members have also been consulted.