Chamber and committees

The work to address the variation in implementation of certain aspects of health for all children 4 across Scotland continues. This includes NHS Highland. The Scottish Government Health Directorate will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

A significant amount of guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding working with schools and parents on young people''s health. This includes guidance, which may not be primarily addressed to NHS boards but requires them to work in partnership with local authority children''s services and education authorities.

All guidance published by the Scottish Government is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent.

Scottish Government Officials are in contact with NHS Highland to monitor the situation and expect to receive an update from NHS Highland in the next few weeks.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in the Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

As stated in my previous answer, a date has not been specified. The NHS boards who have not yet introduced an orthoptist pre-school screening programme are working towards doing so, or towards introducing a programme supervised by an orthoptist or an optometrist.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

My previous answer to the question S3W-27821 on 28 September 2009, has been revised as there had been new supply shared equity completions in Argyll and Bute in 2007-08 and 2008-09. In 2007-08, there were 39 new supply shared equity properties completed. In 2008-09, there were 20 new supply shared equity properties completed. The letter sent to you on the 21 October 2009, noting the amendment, has been placed in the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib. number 49491), and S3W-27821 will be changed on the official record.

New supply shared equity is one mechanism available to support first-time buyers. Housing completions in the Western Isles in 2007-08 and 2008-09 reflect the strategic priorities of the local authority, as set out in its Local Housing Strategy. This saw investment targeted in alternative grants to support first-time buyers.

The following table shows the number of unit approvals in a financial year for (a) new supply shared or shared ownership (b) open market shared equity and (c) rural home ownership grants in the Highlands and Islands since 1992-93.

Year	Shared Ownership/ Shared Equity	Rural Home Ownership Grant	Open Market Shared Equity
1992-93	179
1993-94	95
1994-95	83	37
1995-96	140	46
1996-97	38	39
1997-98	49	35
1998-99	55	33
1999-2000	26	39
2000-01	3	43
2001-02	4	45
2002-03	4	57
2003-04	79	68
2004-05	60	85
2005-061	199	74
2006-07	199	75
2007-082	207	59
2008-09	149	38	35
Total	1,565	773	35

Notes:

1. A shared equity mechanism (called Homestake) was introduced this year. The figures from this date onwards include both shared ownership and shared equity approvals.

2. The shared equity mechanism is renamed to New Supply Shared Equity as part of the Scottish Government''s Low Cost Initiative for first time buyers (LIFT).

The data in this table is from Housing Investment Division Management reports. The official statistics on the Affordable Housing Investment Programme, and on other housing statistics, can be found at the housing statistics for Scotland web pages at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/KeyInfo.

There were no sales under the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme in Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and Argyll and Bute in 2008-09 as these areas were not included in the pilot at that time.

New supply shared equity is one mechanism available to support first-time buyers. Housing completions in Shetland in 2007-08 and 2009-10 reflect the strategic priorities of the local authority, as set out in its Local Housing Strategy. This saw investment targeted in alternative grants to support first-time buyers.

The Scottish Government committed to a one year temporary expansion of the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot scheme and this is being successfully delivered. We plan to carry out an independent evaluation of the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) shared equity schemes next year in order to inform the schemes'' long-term future. In the meantime, we are currently reviewing the relative balance of support for the LIFT schemes in the planning of the 2010-11 Affordable Housing Investment Programme.