Chamber and committees

The Homecoming Scotland team are working in partnership with local authorities regarding Homecoming events. Some local authorities are proactively developing links with their twin towns in the context of their Homecoming activity however, the Scottish Executive has no role or locus in twinning arrangements and decisions rest with each local authority.

The Scottish Government''s broadband commitment currently extends to provision of basic broadband services (512Kbps), which is already available to over 99% of the population. The known demand in the so-called broadband not spots is being addressed through the Broadband Reach Project, due for completion at the end of May 2009.

Whilst the Scottish Government currently has no policy on provision of next-generation broadband, BT has already announced its plans to roll-out super-fast broadband to parts of Edinburgh and Glasgow from 2010. Government officials will continue to liaise closely with BT to encourage it to grow its investment in super-fast broadband across Scotland.

The Scottish Government intends to abolish prescription charges for everyone, no matter what condition they suffer from, on 1 April 2011. This will bring the position in Scotland into line with that in Wales where prescription charges were abolished in 2007 and also Northern Ireland where the intention is to abolish prescription charges in 2010. In April 2009, charges in Scotland were reduced for the second year in succession, benefitting all patients who require prescription medication. Year-on-year sales of Prescription Pre-payment Certificates more than doubled between 2007-08 and 2008-09 as a result of the reductions, providing even greater benefits for patients requiring regular medication.

The Scottish Government is working with South Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership to establish an employability group of stakeholders, from the public, third, and private sectors, which will include South Ayrshire Council. The group will aim to link closely with PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) activity in the area to ensure local residents benefit from a co-ordinated employability offer across the council area.

I wrote to the Leader of South Ayrshire Council on 23 April to express my concern about the Best Value audit report, and to urge that the council takes the necessary remedial action to address the shortcomings it highlighted. However, I have no immediate plans to meet with the council.

NHS pay is considered on a UK wide basis through the Pay Review Body process which makes recommendations for the consideration of UK ministers and ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are no immediate UK wide plans to introduce a £7 per hour minimum wage across the NHS. However, based on the current three year pay deal in place for Agenda for Change staff then from April 2011, it is unlikely that any pay point will be below £7 per hour.

There have been no recent discussions with COSLA regarding town-twinning. The Scottish Government has no role or locus in twinning arrangements and decisions rest with each local authority.

Decisions on the amount of resources allocated to the regeneration of town centres is a matter for local authorities in consultation with partners.

We announced on 30 April that a dedicated £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Fund was open for applications. This fund will complement efforts underway to support town centres across Scotland which are feeling the effects of the economic downturn. Bodies including local authorities, Community Planning Partnerships, Business Improvement Districts, Town Centre Managers, local Chambers of Commerce, businesses and third sector groups are eligible to apply.

The Scottish Government fully supports the aims of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to deliver increasing numbers of affordable homes across Scotland. We are working with them, and their members, and providing record levels of investment to the sector.

This is a matter for individual local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.