Chamber and committees

<>The national Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times Database (DATWTD) gathers access information from specialist drug and alcohol treatment services to measure performance against the HEAT A11 Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times Target. The DATWTD is managed by NHS National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) and related data is published on a quarterly basis. Latest figures, published in December 2012, indicate that (for July – September 2012) 7,208 entries were recorded on the database for people starting alcohol treatment during the quarter. These figures can be viewed at: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/wtpilot/reports.htm.

This data provides an indication of numbers of people being treated for alcohol dependency as the purpose of the DATWTD is to gather information on access to treatment interventions as opposed to numbers of individuals in treatment.

There is not a Direct Enhanced Service (DES) for alcohol screening and brief interventions in Scotland. Alcohol Screening and Brief Interventions across Scotland are delivered across a range of settings.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12803 on 4 March 2013, which contains details of all the Alcohol Brief Interventions carried out between 2010 and 2012 by NHS board.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

From 2013 we will monitor the provision of structured education for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes through the Scottish Diabetes Survey.

Our Diabetes Action Plan, published in 2012, fully recognises the important role that structured education can play in supporting people with diabetes to self-manage their condition.

In implementing the Action Plan we have supported the appointment of a National Diabetes Education Lead at NHS Education Scotland. This led to the development of a review process for structured education: “Assessment of Patient Education in Scotland” and “Tools for Assessment of Patient Education in Scotland”. These resources are helping to ensure that structured Education across Scotland is consistent and quality assured.

The Scottish Diabetes Group has also given funding to NHS boards, Managed Clinical Networks to support the roll out of structured education. In 2011-12 this amounted to £154,450.

The following table shows the estimated numbers of households in Scotland affected by housing benefit changes which have been implemented by the United Kingdom Government to date and those which are scheduled to be implemented from April 2013.

Assessments of the possible impacts of these changes are published on the Scottish Government website at:

Impact of Housing Benefit Changes in Scotland

Housing Benefit Change	Implementation date	Estimated number of households affected1
Changes to local housing allowance rates for tenants in private rented sector. - Removing £15 excess. - Restriction to 4 bedroom rate. - Capping LHA rates by bedroom size. - Basing LHA rates on 30th percentile rent.	Phased in from 1 April 2011	55,000
Local housing allowance rate for single people without dependants aged 25 – 34 restricted to the rate for a room with shared facilities.	Phased in from 1 April 2011	4,400
Under occupation penalty for working age households in local authority or housing association housing. - penalty of 14% of rent for those assessed as under occupying by 1 room. - penalty of 25% of rent for those assessed as under occupying by 2 or more rooms.	From 1 April 2013	105,000
Overall cap on benefits, which will initially be implemented through a reduction in housing benefit.	To be phased in from 1 April 2013	4,600

Uprating local housing allowance rates by the lower of consumer price index or actual increase in the 30th percentile rate. April 2011 Restricting the uprating of local housing allowance rates to a maximum of 1% per year for two years from 2014-15. April 2014

79,0002

Uprating non-dependant deductions to reflect increases in rent since 2001-02.	April 2011	No estimate available.
Changes to non-dependant deduction rates under Universal Credit.	Phased in from autumn 2013.	No estimate available.

Notes:

1. Since some households may have been affected by more than one of the changes it is not possible to provide an estimate of the total number of households affected.

2. Figure shows the total number of households receiving local housing allowance at the latest available date. The effect on households will depend on whether private landlords continue to rent to households on housing benefit at LHA rates restricted in this way.

Over the period from 2010 to the present date, the Scottish Government has sought concessions to the UK Government’s housing benefit reforms on numerous occasions since DWP first announced its welfare reforms. These are that:

Responsibility for housing benefit be devolved to the Scottish Parliament

The proposal to reduce housing benefit for benefit recipients unemployed for twelve months or more be withdrawn

The regulations on under-occupation deductions be withdrawn

Under-occupation deductions should not apply where there is no alternative accommodation available

Under-occupation deductions apply only to benefit recipients with two or more spare bedrooms

Vulnerable tenants be safeguarded against direct payments

Working families, disabled people, foster carers and parents who shared responsibility for children be safeguarded from under occupation penalties

The flexibility afforded to the Northern Ireland Assembly on direct payments be extended to the Scottish Parliament

People living in supported exempt accommodation be exempt from the benefits cap

The UK Government increases its discretionary housing payments allocation to local authorities.

Over the same period, DWP withdrew the proposal to reduce housing benefit for benefit recipients unemployed for twelve months or more; and decided to maintain current arrangements for covering the housing costs of benefit recipients in supported exempt accommodation for the next one to two years.

In respect of direct payments, DWP has committed to provide budgeting support and make payment exceptions to a proportion of tenants. It has funded six direct payment demonstration projects to inform practice on direct payments. We are closely monitoring progress in this area.

Although DWP has increased the discretionary housing payment (DHPs) budget, this constitutes less than 4% of the overall cuts to housing benefit. In respect of under-occupation, DWP intends that local authorities prioritise DHPs to people living in substantially adapted accommodation and foster/kinship carers.

The Scottish Government and Scottish housing stakeholders continue to engage with DWP to seek to influence the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

This information is not held centrally. Each local authority will collect information relating to their specific circumstances.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12543 on 27 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12543 on 27 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12543 on 27 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Guide to Commissioners, published by the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance in 2010 to assist local authorities and NHS boards in the scoping of needs and procurement of advocacy services, is currently being reviewed. In addition following the national consultation exercise in 2012 which sought views on how to improve advocacy for children and young people more detailed guidance focussing on children’s advocacy is proposed. This will address some of the key issues which were highlighted through the consultation as being unique to children’s advocacy, including issues around consent, information sharing and the identification and management of conflicts of interest.

Guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services by public bodies in Scotland was published jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA in September 2010.

In each year since 2005-06, £13 million has been included in the overall funding for local authorities and £5 million has been included in NHSScotland funding to help in the implementation and delivery of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. This includes funding for the provision of advocacy services.

From 2010-11 additional annual recurring funding of £500,000 has also been provided for advocacy services.