Chamber and committees

Bridging the Gap- Improving access to primary health care servicesfor disabled people - was commissioned and published by the Scottish ConsumerCouncil (SCC) on 16 March 2005. Consequently, there have been no discussions as yetwith SCC about this report or its recommendations. We would intend to progressthe report’s conclusions and recommendations in the context of an on-goingthree year project with the Disability Rights Commission, who are working withNHS Scotland to ensure services respond sensitively to the needs of disabledpeople.

It is for each serviceprovider to satisfy itself that its arrangements for service delivery areconsistent with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, andto use the tools, including the checklist in the Scottish Consumer Councilreport Bridging the Gap Improving access to primary healthcare services for disabledpeople, which it considers most appropriate. We are drawing the report to the attention of NHS boardsand primary care contractors who are responsible for the issues covered, andreminding them of their responsibility for ensuring that the services theyprovide comply with the letter and spirit of the Disability Discrimination Act.

I understand that the reportBridging the Gap: Improving access to primary health care services fordisabled people was published by the Scottish Consumer Council on 16 March 2005. Itwill be for each service provider to consider whether to use the check listtherein when considering what steps may be appropriate and reasonable inimproving access by disabled people to services provided.

It is for each serviceprovider to ensure that it is operating consistently with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the department is funding a three year project in which the DisabilityRights Commission will work with NHS Scotland to ensure that local services canrespond sensitively to the individual needs of people with a disability.

Information is not held centrally in the format requested.

The Executive has set aside up to £1 million to pilot the use of electronic monitoring services in these schemes which are designed to reduce offending on bail.

Almost all income from council house rents is reinvested in council housing.  The only alternative permitted use for rental income is a transfer to the General Fund and in 2003-04 only £1.7 million out of a total rental income of £838.5 million was used for this purpose.

All Right to Buy receipts are either re-invested in council housing stock or used to redeem housing debt. As of April 2004, it is for local authorities to determine what percentage of receipts is re-invested in their stock.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15325 on 12 April 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15323 on 12 April 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.