Chamber and committees

Procurementdecisions by local authorities are a matter for the individual authority concerned.Where an organisation is employed to assist with the preparation of a tender,it would not be normal practice for that organisation to be invited to submit abid, as there might be a real, or perceived, risk that such involvement could underminethe impartiality of the procurement process or distort competition. It isnormal procurement practice to avoid situations where conflicts of interest mayarise.

However, there may beexceptional or unusual circumstances which result in a contracting authorityseeking specialised input to a Specification from an organisation which issubsequently invited to tender. In such circumstances, there is an increasedonus on the contracting authority to ensure that any advice does not have suchan affect on the Specification as to favour any particular bidder or group ofbidders.

The National Waste Plan 2003sets out measures for the implementation of waste awareness campaignsthroughout Scotland. Each of the eleven area waste plans also includesproposals for improving awareness and attitudes to waste on a local level.

Progress is being made in anumber of ways. The Executive launched the waste element of its “Do a Little,Change a Lot” campaign in September 2002. To date this hasinvolved both television and press advertising and further initiatives are plannedthis year.

The Executive also providessupport to the Scottish Waste Awareness Group for the development of the “WasteAware Scotland” campaign. This is a national campaign with cross-sectoralsupport which is deliverable at a local level. Campaigns are either planned orbeing delivered in all 32 local authority areas.

The Scottish Executive’s “Do a Little, Change a Lot” waste campaign is delivered by Barkers Scotland Ltd,one of our roster advertising agencies.

The Executive is aware thatthe Scottish Waste Awareness Group bid successfully to Aberdeenshire Council todeliver “Waste Aware” campaigns in the Grampian area. This contract is a matterfor the local authorities concerned.

The Executive’s “Do aLittle, Change a Lot” waste campaign was developed by Barkers Scotland Ltd withinput from an advisory group including representatives from the Scottish Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Convention of Scottish LocalAuthorities, Scottish Waste Awareness Group, Recycling Advisory Group Scotlandand Friends of the Earth Scotland. A number of focus groups with members of thepublic across Scotland were also consulted.The “Waste Aware Scotland”campaign, which is run by the Scottish Waste Awareness Group, also has asteering group on which the Scottish Executive is represented. This campaign was developed inresponse to an extensive public attitudes survey in which over 9000 members of the public were interviewed. Further details are available at www.wascot.org.uk.

The Scottish Waste AwarenessGroup (SWAG) was closely involved in the development of the eleven area waste planswhich establish a framework for moving towards sustainable waste management in Scotland.The role of SWAG’s “Waste Aware Scotland” campaign is also outlined in theNational Waste Plan 2003.

SWAG has not been involvedin drawing up specifications for any Scottish Executive tender documents. Localauthority tender processes are a matter for the local authorities themselves.

Expenditure to date on thewaste element of the Executive’s “Do a Little, Change a Lot” campaignhas been approximately £500,000.

In addition the Executivehas provided £50,000 in each of 2002-03 and 2003-04 to the Scottish WasteAwareness Group (SWAG) for the development of “Waste Aware Scotland” campaignmaterials which are freely available for use at a local level. A further £900,000over three years will be made available to SWAG for core activities such asdevelopment of web-based information on recycling facilities across Scotland,newsletters and further development of national education and awareness materials.

Local roll-out of ‘WasteAware’ campaigns is being funded through grants to local authorities from theStrategic Waste Fund.

Deaths and serious injurieson Scotland's roads fell by 9.6% between 2000 and 2002. In 2000 3,893people were killed or seriously injured, in 2001 3,755 and in 2002 3,518, so atthe end of the three year period there were 375 fewer fatal or serious casualtiesthan at the beginning. These reductions in road accidents and casualtiesreflect the impact of a range of road safety measures, such as action toaddress driving with excessive speed or driving under the influence of alcoholor drugs, including advertising.

More must be done. We will continueto increase our efforts to improve road safety, but this evidence suggests thatthe combination of measures is having a significant impact in helping to cutdeaths and serious injuries on Scotland’s roads. It is not possible to definitely attributethe improvement in deaths and injuries to any individual measure.

We are committed toimproving patient services by supporting new ways of working that reflect bestpractice and offer innovative solutions to workforce issues including reducingthe reliance on agency staff.

NHS employers have beenasked to implement the recommendations made in the Audit Scotland ReportTemporary Measures (2000) and Planning Ward Nursing-Legacy or Design (2002) onthe use of bank and agency nurses. NHSTayside has shown the way by reducingtotal nurse bank and agency hours by over 60% in the period April 2001-December2003.

The Scottish Executive is committed to implementing nationally co-ordinated nurse bankarrangements to improve patient services and reduce expenditure on agencynursing. A project is currently underway to develop and cost options fordelivering on this commitment and will report in May 2004.

Ministers have a range ofpolicy objectives for the further education sector which support our overallcommitment to growing the economy and promoting a socially just society. Thesepolicy objectives are set out in the annual letter of strategic guidance to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council. It is for college boards ofmanagement to balance these policy objectives within the resources at theirdisposal in a way which best supports the needs of the communities they serve. Theletter for the current year of 2003-04, dated 20 December 2002, can be foundin the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 27458). The letterfor 2004-05 was issued on 12 January 2004 and a copy of this will also beplaced in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

There are no implicationsfor the number and range of further education colleges in plans for merging thefurther and higher education funding councils.