Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30463 on 14 January 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Figures are presented related to financial years, in this case the year is 2009-10.

Five thousand, one hundred and thirty-eight heating system measures were installed between April and end November 2009. All were funded from the same budget. Some were applications transferred from the central heating programme because, as is always the case, it is not possible to complete all work applied for within the same financial year.

In order to avoid confusion, the figures are being presented where possible in terms of the fuel poverty programme budget, without disaggregating the measures by the source of the application, but where possible giving a break-down by local authority.

The Energy Assistance Package does much more than heating systems because it takes an holistic approach to fuel poverty. For instance, benefit checks that increase the household budget have an important impact on fuel poverty. By the end of November, Scottish Government had:

completed heating system upgrades or installations for 5,138 households;

installed insulation in a further 3,259 households;

given ï energy savings advice in 32,550 instances;

increased the income of over 553 older households by £921 a year on average, and

identified an average potential increase to annual income of £2,311 for 148 families who had a benefit check.

Of the 5,138 heating system measures delivered between April and end November 2009, 3,863 included mains gas boilers; 1,017 included electric storage heating systems, 186 included oil boilers; 29 included liquid petroleum gas (LPG) boilers; 22 included solid fuel boilers, two were connected to a district heating scheme, and one had an air source heat pump. Eighteen were repairs to central heating systems.

The fuel poverty programme spend up to the end of December 2009 was £20,290,773.

It was not thought necessary to agree with the forum the use of this term, which is intended to cover the considerable range of measures that are installed: mains gas boilers, electric storage heaters, oil boilers, LPG boilers, solid fuel boilers, air source heat pumps, connections to district heating networks, and, where appropriate, all or part of the ancillary distribution system of radiators and pipework, or repairs to central heating systems.

We are currently in the process of developing the new practical guide to social housing allocations and gathering practice examples for inclusion in the guide. We anticipate publishing the guide for consultation in spring this year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30392 on 13 January 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

There is no fixed timescale for the implementation of recommendations from the review. Additional funding from the Scottish Government to support the national co-ordinating body in the changeover and implementation of review findings is available for a period of two years.

The national co-ordinating body will be responsible for devising a suitable work plan to take forward the recommendations.

The success of the national co-ordinating body will be reviewed when that period is over, and the implementation of the Review of Care and Repair Projects is likely to be fundamental to this broader review.

The Scottish Government published Reviewing Care and Repair in Scotland 2009: Report of the findings of the review of Care and Repair on 17 August 2009. The review identified the development of a national policy statement as an important role for the national co-ordinating body.

Local authorities are responsible for developing schemes of assistance under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. The Scottish Government underlined the role of care and repair services in statutory guidance issued to support the implementation of that act. The national co-ordinating body will wish to consider how best to continue to promote the contribution of care and repair services to schemes of assistance.

It will also take a lead role in identifying and agreeing core services that all care and repair agencies should provide, and how these can be made available to users. The issue of a care and repair brand is linked to that of core services, and so the care and repair review also recommends that the national co-ordinating body act as steward of the brand on behalf of ministers.

The Care and Repair Working Group (CRWG) is no longer in existence. The group comprised of Scottish Government officials working with COSLA and the Care and Repair Forum Board. The decision was taken to disband CRWG as it was not considered representative of the range of stakeholders in the sector.

The review of care and repair arrangements, carried out as part of the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, decided instead to focus on enhancement of the role of the national coordinating body, the Care and Repair Forum.

The Scottish Government will continue to ensure that former CRWG members are involved in ongoing dialogue with members of the new board as required.