Chamber and committees

The Dementia Strategy will be developed by Scottish Government officials working in consultation with the Scottish Dementia Forum set up to offer multi-representative expert advice on driving the priority agenda forward. These experts include people with dementia.

It will build on the work already underway and planned on this important agenda and identify further opportunities for change and improvement.

The Terms of Reference for development of the Strategy are:

To develop actions and policies that respect and promote the rights and dignity of people with dementia, in accordance with the principles of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 by improving -

the early diagnosis and response to dementia, including post-diagnostic support and information for carers;

the quality of care, treatment and support, wherever this provided;

the training and knowledge of the workforce, including those in general health and social care settings such as accident and emergency and GP surgeries, and

the arrangements and resources which need to be in place to ensure effective delivery of the changes that are proposed.

The strategy will also focus on issues identified in the recent report by the Mental Welfare Commission and Care Commission Remember I''m Still Me which are not particular to dementia but give a significant benefit to those suffering from dementia.

A paper on the strategy will be available in September 2009. This will be issued to all interested stakeholders for their comments. The members of the Dementia Forum will also be involved in disseminating the paper and its messages widely to their networks and interests. The strategy will be prepared by Easter 2010.

The Scottish Government is committed to the effective marketing of Homecoming and the Homecoming theme runs through VisitScotland''s entire marketing campaign. Marketing started in 2007 targeted at 40 countries around the world, as well as the UK and Scottish market.

Ayrshire was the focal point for much of the Homecoming launch weekend activity, with Alloway playing host to Iconic Burns, a visual tribute to Robert Burns, attracting a capacity audience of 1,200 and the Homecoming Scotland Burns Supper, attended by local, national and international guests who have helped to keep the legacy of Burns alive. An extensive programme of activities and events across South Ayrshire - Burns Wha Hae - was also co-ordinated by the local authority over the opening weekend.

In addition to other successful Homecoming events like the Mauchline Plough Match and Mauchline Holy Fair, The Open Championship will be played at Turnberry next month. The Open is part of the Homecoming programme, and in addition to this a number of special activities will take place on Homecoming Day which has been created to attract more visitors to the course for the final day of practice. Continuing with golf, the Maclaurin Galleries in Ayr is hosting Whole in One, a major exhibition charting the history of The Open.

Many of the key Homecoming events taking place within Ayrshire this year are included in the printed Homecoming Events Guide. 400,000 copies of the current guide have been distributed across the UK, with an earlier international guide distributed around the world. Homecoming activity in Ayrshire is also promoted on the core Homecoming Scotland websites which, in the seven months from October 2008 to the end of April 2009, have attracted over one million user sessions.

In addition to funded events and partner events, each of the Ayrshire local authorities have local listings on pages within the homecomingscotland2009.com website, promoting more events and festivals, helping to attract visitors to Ayrshire.

Litter is a prominent element of the Scottish Government-funded Eco Schools Scotland programme, which involves over 3,300 schools and pre-school centres. In addition, we provided a further £115,000 to the organisation Keep Scotland Beautiful to raise the profile of the 2009 National Spring Clean campaign, which involved over 57,500 people, (over 43,000 of whom were children), nearly three times as many participants as last year, in 1,082 clean-up events.

Understanding environmental issues and sustainable development are key elements of the learning experiences and outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence.

The Scottish Government is also funding the eco schools programme, part of an international initiative, designed to encourage whole school action for the environment. Over 3,300 schools and pre-school centres are registered with the programme and Scotland now has 767 schools with Green Flag status.

The Scottish Government has published guidance for local authorities and schools on health promotion to support the implementation of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007. The guidance includes information on substance misuse, including the prevention and reduction of tobacco, alcohol and drug-related harm.

Section 2 - Safety of Pupils of Circular (Number 7 of 2003) the Safe School Travel Pack, provided by the Scottish School Board Association and endorsed by the then Scottish Executive, suggests ways in which school staff can assist in the operation of a safe and efficient transport service. This includes ensuring observance of a No Smoking policy on school buses (for example, by using supervisors or liaising with drivers), taking firm action against any pupil found smoking and reporting any driver observed smoking to his/her employer.

Scottish Executive Education Department Circular (Number 7 of 2003), which is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 29135), offers extensive guidance on all aspects of school transport, as does the more recent School Transport: Survey of Good Practice booklet issued in March 2007 which is also available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45729).

Curriculum for Excellence offers opportunities for schools to support the development of qualities of resilience and adaptability in young people so that they are able to make informed choices to enhance their own health and wellbeing. Guidance on the health and wellbeing element of Curriculum for Excellence was issued to all teachers in May. Schools should be planning to introduce approaches based on the guidance from August 2009 and to plan fully on the basis of the guidance from August 2010.

An expert steering group on substance misuse education in schools has been established, to produce advice, guidance and proposals aimed at helping schools and authorities to achieve improvements, in the context of Curriculum for Excellence and the concordat with local government.

Small and medium-sized businesses in North Ayrshire can obtain comprehensive help and advice, specifically addressing the challenges arising from the current economic downturn, from the Business Gateway via its website, telephone enquiry service and local advisors. Other measures we have put in place to help small businesses include; the Small Business Bonus Scheme which is helping tens of thousands of small business by removing or reducing business rates; extending the eligibility for small businesses to apply for Regional Selective assistance grants across the whole of Scotland, and launching BusinessClub Scotland to help Scottish businesses get maximum benefit from major events being held in Scotland. The alignment of local government, Skills Development Scotland and other public bodies with business has also contributed to attaining the goal of increased sustainable growth.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the Scottish diet and we have taken action to build on the excellent work in Scottish schools to provide and promote healthier food options by introducing new nutritional requirements for food and drink in schools.

The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 (the Act) requires local authorities to ensure that food and drink provided in Scottish schools comply with The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008. These regulations were introduced in primary schools in August 2008 and will be introduced in all secondary schools in August 2009. In September 2008 we published guidance to help those involved in providing food and drinks in schools to implement the regulations. More information on the Act and the regulations is available on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi/foodnutrition.

The Act also requires that all schools are health promoting and, within the school environment, children and young people learn about healthy eating and healthy living. In May 2007 we issued guidance for local authorities and schools to support them as they take this work forward. This guidance, along with the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes for Health and Wellbeing together with the accompanying principles and practice document ,which were published in April 2009, describes the expectations upon individuals, schools and local authorities for promoting the health and wellbeing of children and young people: www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/responsibilityofall/healthandwellbeing/index.asp.

Among other things, pupils will learn about all aspects of healthy eating, from creating healthy food options to understanding hygienic practices and develop an understanding of the relationship between food, health and wellbeing. They will also explore various issues regarding food, including sourcing and production and its environmental impact.

The Scottish Government remains committed to helping Scotland become a Fair Trade nation by channelling its support through the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, who receive funding of £60,000 a year for three years until 31 March 2010. We would also encourage local authorities to use fair trade products in schools where possible.

Under the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007, local authorities have a duty to have regard to guidance issued by Scottish ministers on the application of the principles of sustainable development when providing food or drink or catering services in schools. The guidance contains advice on various sustainable development issues, including fair trade and local sourcing, and how to pursue these various issues whilst staying within EU procurement law. The guidance is currently under review.

Neither the European Commission nor the UK Government has a funding stream dedicated to the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. No funding has, therefore, been received by the Scottish Government.

I previously advised that work on the review of the National Care Standards would begin during 2009-10 and that is still the intention. It is likely however that it will be later in 2009 before that happens. Consultation will be a part of the review.