Chamber and committees

A wide range of actionsis required to deliver the homelessness legislation passed by the Scottish Parliamentand to meet the target to abolish the current legislative distinction between householdsassessed as having a priority need for accommodation and other homeless householdsby 2012. Ministers will consider the current situation later in the year in orderto assess progress and determine priorities. This consideration will be informedby discussion with stakeholders on annual outcome and progress reports submittedby local authorities; homelessness statistics, and other relevant information.

We will continue totake forward the implementation of Workforce Plus and More Choices, MoreChances to get more people into sustainable employment and more of our youngpeople into employment, education or training. In addition, we have already announceda number of additional measures which will enhance our efforts to tackle child poverty.These include trialling approaches to extend free school meals for P1 to P3 pupilsin selected schools, a new skills strategy by the end of the summer, developmentof a new early years strategy to ensure that all children have the best start inlife and the establishment of a Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities totackle the most significant inequalities in the health of the people of Scotland.

In March 2006,there were 325 residents with learning disabilities living in local authorityor NHS run care homes. Information is not held centrally on numbers in otherNHS-commissioned services.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-788 on 15 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The ScottishGovernment receives quarterly progress reports from the remaining six healthboards that have people with learning disabilities in long stay NHS beds.Officials undertake regular visits to health boards and local authorities toreview and confirm their programmes of closure in order to prevent furtherdelays.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-173 on 6 June 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.

In 2006 a totalof 6,723 adults with learning disabilities had a personal life plan. This isaround 29 per cent of all adults with learning disabilities known across Scotland. Information on these individual’s accommodation isnot held centrally.

This informationis not held centrally.

The Scottish Governmentis currently considering how best to support those who aspire to home ownership,but who are unable to become owner-occupiers with their own resources, and willlook at the Homestake shared equity scheme in that context.

This informationis not held centrally.