Chamber and committees

The Executive provides £1.5 millionper annum to drugs action teams for support activities, some of which is usedto engage and assist local drug forums. We also provide funding to the ScottishDrugs Forum to provide a range of services to local drug forums and communitygroups, including capacity building training and project support.

The First Minister and I announced on 24 February 2005 that an independent review team, led by Owen Clarke CBE, would be set up to review the performance of NHS 24. Following an interim report published on 2 June this year, I have now received the team’s final report which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37601) and in the Publications section of the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/publications. I am very grateful to Owen Clarke and his colleagues for their hard work in producing this report on time.

I am pleased to note that the review team refers to the progress being made by NHS 24 and by its NHS partners. While NHS 24 and the NHS boards continue to face significant challenges in providing high quality, responsive services, particularly out of hours, I believe that the foundation has been laid for sustained performance improvement going forward. There is, however, no room for complacency as the review team’s recommendations make clear.

The review team has rightly drawn attention to the winter - and in particular the Christmas and New Year holiday periods when doctors’ surgeries are closed - as a period of major challenge. I am pleased to see that collaborative planning between NHS 24 and area NHS boards has started in good time this year and is moving ahead.

I will continue to monitor NHS 24’s performance and delivery closely, together with those of the area NHS boards. I will ensure that performance improvement plans and targets are adhered to. I want to concentrate now on helping NHS 24 and the area NHS boards make the further changes necessary to ensure a reliable, high quality, safe out of hours service for the people of Scotland.

Careers Scotland has a contractual obligation to provide the Scottish Executive with accurate data for the annual School Leaver Destination Report. This year Careers Scotland issued a contract for compilations of this year’s report. We understand that the contract requires the company undertaking the work to refer to Careers Scotland those school leavers who are unemployed or who need career planning support in order that they may receive appropriate expert advice.

We further understand that Career Scotland will provide appropriate instruction to support compilation of this year’s School Leaver Destination Report; additionally, the Executive will continue its practice of previous years by applying our own validation of the data in the report prior to its publication in December 2005.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18169 on 25 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliamentary website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18169 on 25 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliamentary website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The First Minister and I announced on 24 February 2005 that an independent review team, lead by Owen Clarke CBE, would be set up to review the performance of NHS 24. I have now received the team’s interim report which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 36630) and in the Publications section of the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/publications. I am very grateful to Owen Clarke and his colleagues for their efforts and for producing their interim report on time.

The interim report draws attention to the need to improve NHS 24 services by: reviewing risk assessment and management relating to call back and other factors affecting access times; further exploring possible solutions to quality and responsiveness of services in remote and rural areas, and more collaboration and co-operation between NHS bhoards and NHS 24 to ensure patients receive the high quality service they deserve. The interim report notes that a range of actions has been taken and is planned by NHS 24 in response to these recommendations. The Scottish Executive will assist in taking forward any actions that require our support.

I am also today announcing that I have appointed Mr George King as interim Chair following the decision last week of Christine Lenihan to step down. Mr King will help lead NHS 24 forward into the next phase of its development. A substantive chair appointment will be made as soon as possible.

I expect to see the review team’s final report by the end of September.

Decisions have still to be made on whether a bid should be mounted for Glasgow to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014. It is therefore too early to solicit the support of the other devolved administrations. However, the other devolved administrations and the UK Government are aware of the feasibility work being undertaken to consider whether a bid should be made through the regular meetings that take place at ministerial and official level on sport and major event issues.

Scottish Executive staff met Scottish Enterprise management as part of the normal process of discussion which takes place when a non-departmentalpublic body is preparing a pay remit for approval by Scottish ministers priorto pay negotiations. Subsequent to agreement of the remit, Scottish Enterprise havekept the Executive informed of continuing negotiations and of decisions theyhave taken. The Executive has not had meetings with staff or the unions.

I have taken everyopportunity to encourage both Scottish Enterprise management and the unions to negotiateas a means of resolving concerns about performance related pay.

Consultation with CareersScotland staff over their integration into Scottish Enterprise’s performancerelated pay system is a matter for Scottish Enterprise, as the employer. However,ministers have at all times encouraged a positive approach to consultation andnegotiation.

A Letter of Decision to all relevant parties has issued and a copy of that decision (and the Public Local Inquiry Report) has now been lodged in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, (Bib. number 35854). After full consideration, I have decided to confirm the Orders, and authorise that the scheme should now go ahead.