Chamber and committees

No recent representations have been made by the Scottish Government to the UK Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of ex-nurses for arthritis. NHS employees across the UK have access to an injuries benefits scheme. no

This is a matter for NHS boards. The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

As part of service modernisation, the five NHS wheelchair and seating centres are planning a pilot service development that will include a trial of new wheelchair equipment. The equipment that is being considered includes dual control switches for people who use power wheelchairs indoors, attendant controlled and indoor and outdoor power wheelchairs for defined groups of people. Those who might wish to participate in the pilot will be referred through the usual health and social care referral process for NHS wheelchair provision.

This pilot aims to identify the key parameters that will support equity of improved quality of service delivery across Scotland for both adult and children''s services beyond the life of the project. The pilot will begin later this year across the five centres.

The Scottish Government is working with industry, consumer and housing stakeholders to establish an industry-led national accreditation scheme for residential property managers. The scheme will be voluntary but membership will require adherence to high standards of service and an effective complaints system linked to robust and independent third party redress.

We intend the scheme to be applicable to the full range of residential property management and land maintenance services, including land-owning land maintenance companies (ownership LMCs). The scheme is being designed to maximise the benefits of membership, which in the case of ownership LMCs should include enhanced reputation and public image, clarity about standards and greater potential to attract business from developers that choose to use this land maintenance model. Home owners who are customers of accredited ownership LMCs will benefit particularly from the application of recognised standards and access to a complaints system and independent redress.

The provisional aim is to launch the scheme in summer 2010. The timing will be kept under review since it depends on a number of matters outwith the Scottish Government''s control.

A revised version of Planning Advice Note 65: Planning and Open Space was published in May 2008. The Scottish Government has no current plans for a further revision of the advice.

Planning Advice Note 65: Planning and Open Space (published in May 2008) provides examples of mechanisms and funding for the long-term maintenance of new open spaces. One example is councils or developers making arrangements with a suitable third party for long-term maintenance. The Planning Advice Note does not, however, promote one approach over another.

We plan to launch the consultation exercise on high hedges during the course of this year aiming for a publication date before the end of summer recess.

We will ensure that the consultation is thorough, effective and appropriate to the target audience.

I met with the Managing Director of the Greenbelt Group on 12 September 2007. My representatives attended a follow up meeting on 5 December 2007.

The minutes of both these meeting are available on the Scottish Government website.

I have agreed to meet with Paula Hoogerbrugge, a representative of the home owners residents'' groups and with Alex Middleton, the Managing Director of Greenbelt over the coming months.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24473 on 10 June 2009. 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.

Full and careful consideration has been given to the Office of Fair Trading''s report and recommendations, which are currently informing work on the development of an accreditation scheme for property managers.

Our formal response to the report was issued on 12 May 2009. The full response and accompanying press release are available for reference on the Scottish Government''s website, as well as from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 48313 and 48317 respectively):

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/quality/16193/PolicyandLegislation/oftresponse