Chamber and committees

A number of boards have completedthe matching process for all staff who match national job profiles. However, notall of these staff have passed through the local consistency and national monitoringprocesses, which is required before assimilation to the new pay bands can take place.

A plan for 2006 has been drawnup and agreed in partnership, which health boards are committed to delivering. Basedon the plan it is anticipated that Agenda for Change will be introduced and operationalby the end of 2006, with all staff assimilated to the new pay bands by October 2006.

The Pay Modernisation Team, alongsidethe Scottish Executive Health Department, will monitor progress towards the planfor 2006, providing health boards with support and advice as necessary.

The Scottish Executive awardedFalkirk Council £450,000 from the Public Transport Fund to undertake a feasibilitystudy to improve rail services along the A80/M80 corridor, including opening a stationand park and ride site at Castlecary (now called Allandale). The study concludedin February 2006 and Transport Scotland is assessing the findings of the report.

Transport Scotland hasthe operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more informationif required.

In all cases, claims forcompensation are considered by the Scottish ministers following receipt ofapplications from individuals. If an application is accepted as a valid claim,the amount of compensation paid is determined by an independent assessor. Theassessment is based on a Memorandum prepared by the Justice Department,compiling information submitted by the applicant, other relevant papers andtaking account of comments from the applicant. In considering claims, theassessor applies principles analogous to those on which claims for damagesarising from civil wrongs are assessed. The assessor also has the power torecommend interim payments to applicants where they provide evidence ofimmediate need.

Under the statutory scheme the Scottish ministers have no power to varythe determination. In ex gratia claims the assessor's role is strictly toadvise ministers of the amount to be paid, but ministers have agreed previouslyto be bound by the assessor's recommendation.

Information on claims forcompensation prior to 1999 when Scottish ministers assumed responsibility for theoperation of the compensation schemes is not readily available and could onlybe obtained at disproportionate cost. The following table shows the number ofapplications at each stage in the process since 1999.

It is Executive policy notto disclose the amount of compensation paid to individual applicants withoutthe express permission of the applicant. Since 1999 the Executive has paid £1,456,067in compensation to successful applicants.

Estimated Stock of Dwellings by Tenure: 2004

Sources: Scottish ExecutiveDevelopment Department: Housing Statistics, Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister.

Note: Figures are provisional.

Owner Occupied Stock as a Percentageof all Dwelling Stock, by EU Member State, 2002

Sources: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Note:

1. 2001.

2. 1991.

3. 1998.

4. 1999.

5. 2000.

National planning policy generallyencourages the reuse of previously developed land in preference to greenfield development.More specifically, Scottish Planning Policy on Planning for Housing (SPP3) statesthat where brownfield land is available, planning authorities should normally directnew housing to such land in preference to greenfield sites. SPP3 and Planning Advice Note 74 also enable planningauthorities to seek a proportion of affordable housing within most housing developments,where there is evidence of a shortage of affordable housing.

Asfar as the Executive’s own housing investment is concerned, over the three years 2002-05 an average of 79% of newbuild development supported by Communities Scotland has been on brownfield land. The Executive is also providing funding specificallyto encourage the redevelopment of brownfield sites. £20 million is being made availableto local authorities over the period 2005-08 to help them tackle contaminated landissues. The Executive has also allocated £24 million for 2006-08 through the Vacantand Derelict Land Fund for the remediation of land in Glasgow, Dundee, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire – areas with the most significant levels of deprivationand vacant and derelict land.

In addition to the above, ourFebruary 2006 Regeneration Policy Statement, People and Place, outlines our commitmentto take a range of actions to tackle land issues which can sometimes inhibit regeneration.