Chamber and committees

Through its Digital Scotland initiative, the Scottish Executive is working towards pervasive and affordable access to the web for people of all ages in Scotland. We are committed to achieving universal access to the web by 2005.

Specific actions to ensure all people may take advantage of the opportunities that ICTs present are the Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL) programme and the learndirect scotland initiative. More detail is provided below.

The Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL) programme is funded by the New Opportunities Fund. CALL has been established to engage more adults in learning at a community level by developing support for ICT access to information and learning opportunities. Some £23 million has been earmarked for spending in Scotland. Among successful applicants for funding is Stirling Council for a project which aims to increase awareness and accessibility of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for older people, as well as enhance the quality of life of older people through the development of ICT skills.

In addition, anyone anywhere in Scotland can now get online access to learning, at home, at work, or at one of a growing network of learndirect scotland learning centres. learndirect scotland is promoting its lifelong learning services to people of all ages and the Executive is offering Individual Learning Accounts to anyone aged 18 or over to help pay for the learning they do. ILAs are available on a wide range of learning. Amongst other things, the maximum level of discount of 80%, may be used for many basic IT skills courses to help adults grasp and exploit the opportunities that new technology presents.

This is one of the recommendations of the Better Government for Older People Programme Steering Committee report, to which we will be responding in the New Year.

It is the Scottish Executive's intention to issue a consultation paper to all interested parties later this year outlining options for regulation of the private security industry in Scotland.

Advice on maintaining listed buildings of all categories and unlisted buildings within conservation areas in good repair is covered within the Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas, the document to which all planning authorities are directed by Scottish Office Development Department Circular No.13/1998 in their consideration of listed building consent and conservation area matters. More specific guidance can be found within the Historic Scotland publication, The Repair of Historic Buildings in Scotland (1995). Although the advice contained within it relates specifically to government buildings, a further book, The Care of Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments by Government Departments in Scotland, published by Historic Scotland and the Department of National Heritage, is also relevant.

There is no statutory requirement upon an owner to keep a building in good repair, whether it is listed or not. There are, however, powers under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 for planning authorities - and, in exceptional circumstances, Scottish Ministers - to take action where buildings have deteriorated to a point where there is real concern for their future. These powers provide for the carrying out of urgent preservation works and for compulsory acquisition.

The Social Justice Annual Report 2000, which was published on Monday (13 November), sets out what is being done to support our social justice targets and milestones for older people. This includes the installation of central heating for 70,000 pensioners, free off-peak bus travel and a £100 million community care package for older people.

The Executive will formally respond to the recommendations of the Better Government for Older People programme, including those made by the three Scottish Pilots, early in the New Year.

The Scottish Executive's Equality Strategy, which was launched on 6 November, includes proposals for ensuring that all communities, including ethnic minorities, disabled people and older people, are included in the policy making process. We will work with these communities to make our consultation and communication mechanisms more accessible.

This is one of the recommendations of the Better Government for Older People report referred to in the answer I gave to question S1W-10833. We will be responding to those recommendations in the New Year. However, work has already begun with the Joint Futures Group's recommendation that a new national planning and financial framework be established, starting with the needs of older people.

I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-10341.