Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer given to question S20-1188 on 29 January 2004which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search.

I am pleased to announcethat the report of the Summary Justice Review Committee will be publishedtoday.

I am most grateful to thechair and members of the Summary Justice Review Committee for their thoroughand detailed report. Before the Executive decides what action to take on the committee’srecommendations we will hold a period of open consultation - to obtain theviews of those organisations and individuals with an involvement or interest inthe criminal justice system. Views from members of the public will also bewelcomed.

We are today writing to allthe key stakeholders (including the justice committees) with copies of thereport, inviting their comments. I am also inviting comments from all thoseindividuals and groups who responded to the committee’s earlier requests forviews. The report will be available electronically on the Scottish Executive’s consultation website, and we are lodging copies in the Parliament’s referencecentre. Responses can be submitted by e-mail or post.

The UK policy of Modernising Medical Careers was agreed inFebruary 2003. It will create more effective training pathways, responsive tothe needs of the service, with standards of training independently guaranteed.It will enable better managed training programmes operating within the reducedworking hours now available for doctors.

I understand NationalServices Division has responded to the consultation proposals set out in TheFuture of Maternity Services in Glasgow.

Responses to representationsrefer to the “toolkit” of options provided under the Transport (Scotland)Act 2001 for local authorities to enhance the provision of bus services. This“toolkit” includes quality partnerships and quality contracts. Responses alsomake the point that, given these alternatives, the Executive is not persuadedthat re-regulation of bus services in Scotland is appropriate.

Strathclyde University is the only institution that offers teacher trainingin classics.

There will be no classicsteacher training places available in 2004-05. Strathclyde Universityhave suspended the course because there is very low demand for classicsteachers. It is the University’s intention to offer the course again in2005-06.

No. It is expected thatHigher Education Institutions run teacher training courses that reflect thedemand for specific subject specialists from education authorities.

The plan for action onalcohol problems, which was published in January 2002, sets out a range oflocal and national measures to reduce alcohol-related harm in Scotland. Itprovides a framework for action in the areas of culture change, prevention andeducation, the provision of support and treatment services and protection andcontrols. Since launching the plan, we have, amongst other things, introduced anational alcoholcommunications campaign to change cultures surrounding drinking and promote amore responsible approach to alcohol, and provided funding for NHSHealth Scotland and Alcohol Focus Scotland to raise awareness of alcoholproblems and undertake preventative activities. The partnership agreement commits the Executive to providing additional resources for treatment services incommunities across Scotland.

Greater Glasgow Alcohol Action Team submitted their three-yearalcohol action plan in March. Key action in the plan includes a major review andrepositioning of addiction treatment, care and homelessness services to improveopportunities for early intervention and ensure a whole system approach totreatment care.

Glasgow’s plan notes that reversing the upward trend inalcohol-related deaths requires a long-term approach and there needs to be astrong focus on education and prevention together with regeneration and measuresto tackle inequalities. There are a wide range of alcohol services and groupsrunning in Glasgow and three community alcohol projects working in the east end,Greater Easterhouse and Pollock. Other action in this area includes theintroduction of an arrest referral scheme to target offenders with alcoholproblems and route them into treatment services, the development of familysupport services, the provision of training for primary care teams, social carestaff and teachers, a review of school drug and alcohol education and thedevelopment of procedures to record alcohol-related incidents, and research toinform service developments and maximise opportunities for early intervention.

The plan is available at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/health/alcoholproblems/plans/glasgow.pdf.

It is for NHS boards toassess the relative risks and ensure the provision of a safe, effective andhigh quality maternity service balancing risk and taking cognisance of existinginfrastructures, demographics and support mechanisms on a local and regionalbasis. The EGAMS report is a consensus view to advise health boards.

The definition of level IIcand level III maternity units is consistent across both reports including theissue of access to adult intensive care. The risk section of the technicalreport also makes reference to the recommendation in the Confidential Enquiryinto Maternal Deaths (CEMD 2001) regarding on-site adult intensive care inthese units. The expert group agreed that “accessto” adult intensive care was sufficient to provide clinical safety withthe provision of the right risk management, transport and supportinfrastructures. However the optimum arrangement would be co-location of adultintensive care facilities.