Chamber and committees

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3236 on 4 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

There is no separatecategorisation for concessionary cardholder companions in Transport Scotland’s concessionary claim process. Therefore it is not possibleto identify separately this element of concessionary travel. Projections are basedon total concessionary journey levels.

NHS boards have arole to ensure a care package is provided which offers appropriate medical careand support for every patient, including end of life services. As far as possible,they should ensure that the needs and wishes of the patient and their family aremet. The Scottish Government fully supports and endorses the principle of choiceand welcomes initiatives that increase and support the choices of patients. We haveindicated our support for the voluntary sector involvement in caring for patientswith life ending illnesses. The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care providesa unique forum for the development and implementation of palliative care strategyand good practice, a comprehensive communication network, and a source of expertadvice and guidance for practitioners, service managers, planners and policy managers.Many charities and voluntary organisations are active in this area including MarieCurie Cancer Care. Its work in NHS Tayside through the Delivering Choice Programmehas the potential to identify further opportunities specifically to support patientswho wish to die at home. We await with interest, the results of this programme, which is currently being piloted. However, the choicehas to be properly informed so that patients who opt to die at home do so in thefull understanding of the support they may need.

The third sectorprovides a unique contribution predominantly at the point of early engagementwith young people who are, or are not at risk of being not in education,employment or training.

We have askedlocal partnerships delivering our more choices, more chances agenda to worktowards better engagement of the third sector, and to make better use of allexisting resources so that employability provision joins up with widerprovision.

We recognisethere are barriers, for example around funding arrangements and engagement instrategic planning activity, to more effective engagement of the third sector.We are considering how we can tackle those barriers, both generally and withspecific reference to young people who need more choices and chances.

There is noseparate mechanism for local authorities to apply for specific funding. the Scottish Government provides general financial support for Scotland’s local authorities’ core services, including burialgrounds and crematoria, but it is the responsibility of each individual localauthority to allocate its total resources, including the locally collectedcouncil tax, on the basis of local needs and priorities.

In 2007-08, thecore local government funding provided by the Scottish Government will amountto over £8.7 billion.

This informationis not held centrally.

This informationis not held centrally.

This level ofdetail is not held centrally. However, from information to hand I can confirmthat in the region of 7% of the NHSScotland staff covered by Agenda for Changedo not match to existing job profiles and therefore require to fill out a jobanalysis questionnaire as part of the assimilation process.

This is not somethingon which work has been undertaken centrally. The Agenda for Change system was agreedin partnership at a UK level between NHS employers, trades unionsand professional organisations and the UKhealth departments. All sides recognise the benefits of the new system and it isfor NHS boards and staff-side representatives working in partnership locally toensure that the implementation process is as quick and efficient as possible withoutsacrificing the integrity of the system.

The maximum finefor those convicted of selling tobacco to underage customers shall not exceedlevel 4 on the standard scale which currently equates to £2,500.