Chamber and committees

The report recommended a reduction in the number of control rooms, from the present eight to one, two or three. We issued the report for consultation on 8 July, and asked for responses by the end of August. We are currently considering the responses we have received and we will be making an announcement in due course. At this stage, no final decision has been taken on the recommendations in the report.

We are aware that those whoare considering studying in England from 2006 need to know what support towards tuitionfees will be available to them in order that they can make an informed choicein good time.

We are currently consideringa range of options and will make an announcement soon.

Priority for the use of thisfunding will be for regeneration activity that is directly linked to housing transferproposals which have secured a place on the Community Ownership Programme. Accessto the fund will be widened to include retention councils who have robustdelivery plans to achieve the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) for theirown stock, but who have significant areas of deprivation that have widerregeneration needs. Bids from these councils will be considered in 2005 when wesee their SHQS delivery plans. Detailed criteria will be issued in due course.

Last summerwe set up the Expert Group on Prostitution to examine the legal, policing,health and social justice issues surrounding prostitution in Scotland and to consider options for thefuture. The expert group will examine all aspects of prostitution in a phasedprogramme of work, starting with, in the first year, the issues surroundingstreet prostitution. This group is not primarily about exploitation of workersin the sex industry but its recommendations are likely to have an effect inthis area. More directly, section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 created a new offence oftrafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The provisions outlaw thepractice of trafficking people for use in the sex industry. In addition, we areproviding £283,222 to the Routes out of Prostitution Social Inclusion Partnershipin 2004-05.

The Health, Education andDevelopment Departments within the Scottish Executive all have an interest in thesupport and promotion of breastfeeding.

Within the Health Departmentthe Chief Scientists Office research fund, the Health Improvement Fund and theSection 16b voluntary sector funding stream, have all been considered asappropriate sources of funding.

Within the EducationDepartment the Sure Start Initiative and the Changing Children’s Services Fund havebeen considered as appropriate sources of funding. Within the DevelopmentDepartment Social Justice monies have alsobeen used in the support breastfeeding.

The following table contains information regarding funding the Scottish Executive has allocated specifically to support and promote breastfeeding in each year since May 1999, expressed also as a percentage of the total health budget in each year.

This table only contains information about funding specifically and solely for breastfeeding support and promotion. The Scottish Executive also fund initiatives where breastfeeding support and promotion forms part of a larger project, including the Starting Well Demonstration Project and the Scottish Healthy Choice Awards.

It is also important to note that no specific funding has been allocated to NHS boards to support breastfeeding. NHS boards are given an annual unified budget to meet the health care needs of their resident populations. It is for boards to determine, within the funds available, how to manage and deliver local health care services to meet these needs taking account of national and local priorities.

Year End	CSO 1 (£)	SBG 2 (£)	NBA 3 (£)	Other 4 (£)	Total (£)	Total Health Budget (£ billiion)	Percentage of Total Health Budget
2000		5000	32,000		37,000	4.941	0.0007
2001	20,836	5000	32,000		57,836	5.380	0.0011
2002	19,394	5000	32,000		56,394	6.197	0.0009
2003	19,225	5000	32,000		56,225	6.880	0.0008
2004	302,880p	5000	32,000	60,000	339,880	7.241	0.0046

^pprovisional

Notes:

1. This represents research funding allocated by the Chief Scientists Office (CSO) of the Scottish Executive.

2. This represents research funding allocated by the Scottish Executive for the work of the Scottish Breastfeeding Group.

3. This represents research funding allocated by  the Scottish Executive for the work of the National Breastfeeding Advisor.

4. This represents funding given to NHS Ayrshire and Arran for the development of peer support projects in areas of multiple disadvantage, though this was not funded by the Health Department and as such is not included in the total spend or percentage of total health budget.

This information is not heldcentrally.

The Scottish BreastfeedingGroup has been allocated £5,000 each year since 1999 to fund its work andoperation.

The Scottish Executive has allocated £32,000 each year since May 1999 to fund the work of theNational Breastfeeding Advisor.

No funding has beenallocated to NHS Health Scotland and its predecessor organisations specifically to promotebreastfeeding. It is for NHS Health Scotland to determine how it uses its funding, whilst takinginto account national priorities.

The following table shows the funds that NHS Health Scotland and its predecessor organisations have used for the promotion of breastfeeding in each year since year end 2000.

Year End	Organisation	Amount (£000)
2000	Health Education Board for Scotland	35
2001	Health Education Board for Scotland	195
2002	Health Education Board for Scotland	426
2003	Health Education Board for Scotland	70
2004	NHS Health Scotland	230