Chamber and committees

The Executive has introduced national initiatives to bring about improvement in these indicators of child and maternal health. These are implemented at local level by NHS boards and local authorities. Diet and lifestyle when pregnant is a significant factor in birthweight and smoking during the first trimester of pregnancy accounts for up to 25% of low birth weight births. A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland states that NHS boards should provide health promotion and education and advice to women of reproductive age, and should actively engage with social inclusion partnership initiatives to ensure a proactive, joint approach to improving the health of disadvantaged women. Pregnant women who smoke are a priority group for smoking cessation services, funded through the Health Improvement Fund. The national demonstration project Starting Well is developing new and innovative ways to support children's health from pre-conception onwards. Under the auspices of the national Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland launched in 2000, we have supported free distribution of toothbrushes and fluoride toothpaste to all children at the age of eight months, and targeted distribution of toothbrush and toothpaste at one- to three-year-olds in deprived areas. We have introduced incentives for dentists to provide preventive programmes to children, and to work in areas of deprivation. Responsibility for the provision of NHS dental services in an area rests with the relevant NHS board and Primary Care NHS Trust. The Executive funds the National Breastfeeding Adviser, supported by the Scottish Breastfeeding Group and the Health Education Board for Scotland to work with NHS boards to promote, support and sustain breastfeeding. Most NHS boards have now developed local strategies to support breastfeeding. Provisional figures indicate that there has been a small percentage decrease in the national proportion of women who smoke during pregnancy. In Renfrewshire figures have remained consistent over the last three years at 2% above the Scottish average. The proportion of low birthweight babies remains consistent at 2.6% of full-term deliveries and Renfrewshire is consistent with the national average. The proportion of women breastfeeding at birth and six to eight weeks later is slowly increasing. Renfrewshire currently is just under 5% below the national average. Figures on dental decay among children will not be available until 2003.

The annual average residence-based claimant count unemployment rates for Renfrewshire, from 1997-2001 and the latest monthly data for October 2002, are shown in the following table:

Date	Rate*
1997	6.4%
1998	6.0%
1999	5.4%
2000	4.6%
2001	4.1%
October-2002	4.0%

Note:*All the rates in the table will be subject to revisions in 2003. This is because they are dependent on information from mid-year population estimates and the Labour Force Survey. Revised mid-year population estimates will become available from analysis of the 2001 census and the Labour Force Survey will then be regrossed. This will give new estimates of economic activity.

The data source which the Executive uses to produce estimates of persons on low income in Scotland is the Department for Work and Pensions' Households Below Average Income analysis. The sample size is not large enough to allow analysis below Scotland level.

The proportion of older people in Renfrewshire who receive intensive home care is shown in the following table: Proportion of Renfrewshire Clients in Receipt of Intensive Home Care

Year	Clients aged 65+ Receiving an Intensive Service1 Per 1,000 Population aged 65+
1998	11.7
1999	11.6
2000	16.4
2001	17.9

Note:1. Intensive service defined as "more than 10 hours of home care per week".

Two of the New Community Schools pilot projects are located in Renfrewshire. One project covers Cochrane Castle Primary School, St David's Primary School and West Johnstone Family Centre. The other covers St Andrew's Academy, Castlehead High School, Craiglea Primary School, Ferguslie Primary School, Mossvale Primary School, St Fergus' Primary School and St James' Primary School.

The programmes to be supported under this package of funding are still being developed. Further announcements will be made shortly.

Anyone assessed as needing and receiving personal care in their own home will benefit from the removal of the local authority powers to charge for these services. Similarly, any person assessed as needing personal care as part of a care home package who would otherwise fund themselves will receive a payment of £145 per week towards their fees. Exact levels of demand cannot be forecast as this depends on an individual's needs and choices.The Spending Review 2002 settlement reflects the Care Development Group's costing assumptions for free personal care. These assumptions estimated an increase in demand from unmet need and a shift from informal to formal care of approximately 12% building up over the first two years of the policy to 2004-05. Within that framework identification of individuals in need of care is a matter for local authorities. The Scottish Executive has provided the necessary resources.

The information requested is given in Table 6 of the Scottish Executive statistical bulletin Recorded Crime in Scotland 2001, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20798).

Councils' expenditure on home care services is funded through the general local government settlement. We are hoping to conclude a local outcome agreement with Renfrewshire Council soon, to enable it to develop home care services further with specific resources from the increased local government settlement. Between 1997-98 and 2001-02, Renfrewshire Council's net expenditure on home care services increased by 25% to £7.3 million. The following table shows the number of clients in receipt of care at home from 1997. The figures show an upward trend from 2000.Renfrewshire Home Care Clients

Year	No. of clients	No. of clients over 65
1997	2,672	2,397
1998	2,762	2,448
1999	2,505	1,960
2000	2,453	1,982
2001	2,542	2,044

Source:SEHDH1Homecarereturnform.

Figures on all forms of pre-school education and daycare for children under five were collected for the first time in 2001. Prior to that, figures for daycare services were collected every three years, whilst figures for pre-school education were collected annually. This means it is not possible to give accurate estimates between 1996 and 2000.For 2001 and 2002, the numbers and percentage of children who were provided with these services in the Renfrewshire council area is given the in following table.

Year	Under-fives in Pre-school Education or Daycare	% of Under-fives
2001	4,140	39
2002	4,500	46