Chamber and committees

Issues linked to funding are on the agendas of most of the formal meetings that take place involving the Scottish Executive and Police Authority Conveners. The most recent written representation in connection with additional funding from an individual authority that we have identified from our records was received from the Clerk to the Grampian Joint Police Board in February 2002. In addition, representations relating to additional funding for specific purposes have been received from time to time from individual chief constables and also from the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland on behalf of all forces.

There are a range of tools and sanctions available to tackle anti-social behaviour ranging from mediation to the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and eviction. It is relevant bodies such as landlords, local authorities and the police, to determine, in the light of the nature of the problem and the particular circumstances of the case, the most effective response.

Our understanding is that the UK Government has given a commitment to work with Frank Field to improve the drafting of this bill and we are liasing closely with the UK Government. When a revised version of the bill is available, we will consider its implications for the Scottish Executive's devolved responsibilities.

The Scottish Executive's view is that this would depend on the particular circumstances involved.

The Scottish Executive has asked YouthLink to publicise this competition and they have already done so through an electronic mailshot to their members and the Community Education Managers of all local authorities. Details of the competition have been placed on the Youth Portal. The portal is Scotland's first national interactive youth website designed by young people for young people, which was launched by the First Minister on 16 May 2002. It is supported by the Executive as part of the OpenScotland.gov initiative.We have also encouraged the Scottish Youth Parliament to promote the competition and they have done so through their website and an electronic mail shot to all their members. In addition, the competition has been publicised by a press release from the Scotland Office, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website and the Independent newspaper and website.

All police authorities have indicated at some point, either formally or informally, that additional funding for extra officers would be beneficial to their communities.Since April 2000, additional special grant of £8.1 million per year has been allocated to forces to provide for the recruitment of extra officers. Funding for the police service in Scotland is at an all time high, as are police numbers. There are now 15,251 officers (as at 31 March 2002). There are in addition 5,535 whole time equivalent civilian support staff.To arrive at the distribution of Grant Aided Expenditure for 2002-03, forces were invited to submit detailed estimates of their needs for the current year assuming no change in the levels of service provided by the police. Budgets were submitted via the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and the funding settlement for 2002-03 enabled the bids to be met in full.

The Scottish Executive does not make specific budget allocations to local authorities to tackle anti-social behaviour. Relevant costs might be allocated to local authority general expenditure and attract revenue support grant or, in the case of local authority tenants, to the Housing Revenue Account.

I will send copies of key documents to the convenors of the European and Rural Development Committees as these become publicly available and will place copies in the Parliament's Reference Centre. I will also be happy to consider requests for further information from Parliament or the committees.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24790 on 3 May 2002.

The Scottish Executive provides up to 50% of the revenue costs required to administer Care and Repair and these resources must be used for this purpose. The remaining costs in relation to Care and Repair are met by local authorities, these are not ring-fenced.