Chamber and committees

The findings of the ScottishExecutive’s review of methadone in drug treatment will be published once we haveseen all reports and made our conclusions. I expect the findings to be presentedto Parliament by the end of June 2007.

The stock-taking exercise ofalcohol and drug action teams will report to ministers in May and we intend to publishfindings once we have considered them.

In September 2005, I commissionedPeter Bates, Chair of NHS Tayside, to undertake a confidential study to providea snapshot of “where we are now” in terms of delivering on the Executive’s drugsstrategy. It did not look at funding of drug treatment options. The findings of the exercise helped inform our thinking around the drugs element of the terms ofreference for the stock-taking exercise of alcohol and drug action teams which iscurrently underway.

Scottish Executive planning policynow requires all development applications to include transport assessment andimplementation proposals, a requirement which was based on substantial researchcarried out by the Scottish Executive in the period 2001-04, of which the TransportImpacts of Major Healthcare Developments report was a part.

The Scottish Executive expects each individual hospital to workin partnerships with local authorities and regional transport partnerships to encouragebetter public transport access to hospitals. We have provided health boards witha clear statement on environmental management policy, making it a mandatory requirementfor health boards to promote more sustainable travel choices through theimplementation of travel plans.

It is intended that theworking group will exist for one year commencing in April 2007. The workinggroup will consist of six local authority representatives, six community councilrepresentatives, the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC), the Societyof Local Authority Lawyers (SOLAR) and COSLA. The final working group membershipwill be published on the Scottish Executive website on its formation.

The baby changing/feedingroom for the public is available on a Saturday or Sunday in the same way thatit is available across weekdays (as it is open independently of the adjacentcrèche facility).  Visitor Services staff are available to advise visitors of the facility, and report that it is often used at weekends.

We have no current plans toreview this.

The facility is publicisedin pre-visit information in the “Welcome to the Scottish Parliament” publicityleaflet, that is distributed to over 5,000 community and tourist informationoutlets across Scotland, and via the visitor information page of the Parliament’s web site. In addition, the availability of baby changing/nursingmother facilities will shortly be advertised in the public toilets adjacent tothe main hall. Visitor Services staff are briefed on the Scottish Executive’s “Advicefor Employers” on the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 so that they canrespond appropriately to public enquiries. The team is familiar with thelocation of the baby changing/feeding facility and can advise visitors about itas required.

The analysis of the responsesto the Scottish Executive discussion paper What can we do to help Community Councilsfulfil their role? was published in December 2006 on the Scottish Executivewebsite along with the recommendations resulting from the review.

One of the tasks to be undertakenby the working group will be to develop a code of conduct for community councillors.The working group is expected to conclude its work by spring 2008.