Chamber and committees

The victims of drug misuse can range from individuals who misuse drugs, to their families and the wider community. Earlier this month I announced details of how the Executive's £100 million package of additional expenditure on drug misuse over the next three years will be targeted. We have a priority to develop services targeted at families of people who misuse, as well as to increase the numbers of specialist staff available to provide treatment, care and support for individuals and families. Guidelines are currently being drawn up for local authorities and other agencies which work with drug misusing parents. These guidelines are aimed at minimising the effects on children in such family circumstances.

I announced on 18 December that the pay recommendations of the DDRB were being accepted in full and without staging. The DDRB recommended an overall pay increase of 3.9% for salaried doctors and dentists and general medical and dental practitioners.To encourage the retention of general medical practitioners the DDRB has also recommended a 7% increase in seniority allowances, worth in the region of £500 for a GMP with 25 years service. This is in addition to the 3.9% increase in intended average net remuneration.The supplementary report from the DDRB which is being published today covers areas of GPs income aimed at meeting the expense of running their practices and any balancing recovery from debts owed by the profession. In its considerations of what provision to make for indirectly reimbursed practice expenses and the operation of the balancing correction the Review Body have recommended:

• provision for indirect expenses of £23,790 for each GP;
• a recovery of £248 per GP in accordance with normal rules, and

• a joint review by the BMA and Health Departments of the operation of the pay system This should look at handling the cumulative overpayment that has occurred in the system (£2,684 per GP), the operation of the balancing mechanism and forecasting of expenses in time for next year's round.

We have accepted DDRB's recommendation on the level of practice expenses.We share DDRB's concerns about the operation of the balancing mechanism, the setting of practice expenses and the management of the cumulative debt. We have agreed that the BMA and the Health Departments should put work in hand immediately to develop a review of these issues. That being the case, the balancing mechanism will be suspended pending the outcome of the review.The average GP will benefit by a further £248 above what the DDRB have recommended. In addition, in conjunction with the other Health Departments, we will consider constructively how to manage the cumulative debt of the profession (around £100 million) for the benefit of patients and the development of practices.The Gross Income of GPs will therefore increase to £80,300 per year, as shown in the following table, with effect from 1 April 2001:

	April 2000 (£)	April 2001 (£)
1. Intended Average Net Income (IANI) (includes 2001 seniority increase)	54,220	56,510
2. Expenses Provision	24,510	23,790
3. IANI plus Expenses (1+2)	78,730	80,300
4. Balancing recovery	(261)	(248) Suspended
5. Intended Average Gross Income (3 +4)	78,469	80,300

I refer the member to answer given to question S1W-9432 on 27 November 2000.

The Pay Review Body for Doctors and Dentists (DDRB) has recommended a general pay increase of 3.9% both for salaried doctors and dentists and for pay elements of fees for general medical and dental practitioners. The Pay Review Body has also recommended an increase of 7% in seniority payments to general medical practitioners from April.

The Pay Review Body for Nurses, Midwives, Health Visitors and the Professions Allied to Medicine (NPRB) has recommended a general pay increase of 3.7% for nurses, midwives, health visitors and the professions allied to medicine. In addition, the NPRB recommended that one discretionary point should be consolidated within pay ranges for F, G, H and I Grade nurses and Senior I, II, Superintendent/Head/Chief III and Chief IV Grade PAMs. The NPRB also endorsed an agreement reached on midwifery grading.

For the third year, pay increases for NHS staff are above inflation. The Scottish Executive firmly believes that an investment in staff is an investment in patient care. The successful delivery of the wide ranging service improvements set out in the Scottish Health Plan will largely be dependent upon these staff. We believe that pay for NHS staff must be fair and affordable, based on the contribution they make. I am therefore pleased to confirm that the Scottish Executive has decided to accept in full the recommendations of the DDRB and NPRB for 2001-02, with no staging.

These increases will be met from the allocations made to health boards for 2001-02 and which were announced on 21 September 2000.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-9432.

The doubling of funding for Councils of Voluntary Service will enable the Scottish Executive to support the network right across Scotland for the first time. The additional funding will enable local Councils for Voluntary Service to:

• increase their support for voluntary organisations in their local area;

• provide comprehensive advice to the voluntary sector on funding;
• work with Local Volunteer Development Agencies and others in the delivery of the Active Communities Initiative

• participate in the community planning process;
• contribute to the social justice agenda; and
• develop support for social economy activities.

There are clear community benefits to be gained by increasing the capacity of the voluntary sector infrastructure in this way.

I refer the member to the reference to the M74 in my statement on Transport Spending made to Parliament on 28 September.

The three Scottish water authorities are investing £1.8 billion in Scotland's water and sewerage networks over this and the next two years, to secure a better service for customers. We are also carrying out a quality and standards exercise which will identify the further measures needed to meet European and national legislative requirements.

Six different types of digital hearing aid are available to the NHS in Scotland as a result of central contracts negotiated by Scottish Healthcare Supplies. Whether an individual patient is prescribed a digital aid is a matter for decision at NHS Trust level based on clinical judgement and clinical priorities.

I refer to the answer given to question S1W-8282.