Chamber and committees

The Care Commission is required under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 to inspect each care service at least once a year or at least twice a year where the service includes the provision of overnight accommodation.

Within that legislative framework the Care Commission has developedan approach to regulation that takes account of risk. This includes:

The development of a pre-inspection return which incorporates a self-evaluationfor providers.

A phasing of consideration of a set of National Care Standards (for example the care standards for care homes for older people) over three to five years,rather than assessing compliance with all aspects of the standards every year.

A risk-based approach based on pre-inspection returns, previous inspectionsand other criteria. Based on that, providers will receive either a standard inspection, which will include assessment against all of the legal requirements and against the core standards identified for any inspection year; or a concise inspection, which will focus on the legal requirements of the act and associated regulations.

In relation to day-care services for children, the joint inspection arrangements with HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) have been further refined so that only one officer (either Care Commission or HMIE) inspects small services (i.e. services providing 10 or fewer places to children at any one time).

I recently met with representatives from energy supply companies and discussed, among other things, levels of disconnections of power supplies. My predecessor Margaret Curran had similar meetings early in 2004.

Disconnections for debt in Scotland have fallen sharply over the last year. In 2003, the total number was 756: for the first three quarters of 2004, the most recent period for which figures are currently available, it was 104.

I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-33868, on 17 February 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

In 2002-03, West Dunbartonshire also benefited through the Sports Facilities programme from an award of £177,326 for a fitness suite at St Columba’s High school in Clydebank. In 2003-04, West Dunbartonshire received £44,502 through the School Sport Co-ordinator programme and in 2004-05, £47,120 and £233,340 through the TOP programme and Active Schools respectively.

In addition to the funding from sportscotland, West Dunbartonshire has been allocated almost £2 million through the New Opportunities for PE and Sport in Schools (NOPES) programme.

Research on the first year of the central heating programme suggested that over 60% of participants were fuel poor before entering the programme, and that nearly 90% of those participants were lifted out of fuel poverty by the programme. However, fuel poverty is not a criterion for the current programme, and it would be difficult to change the scheme in its final year.

We are currently considering options for the future programme once the current programme ends in March 2006, and we will consult on proposals soon.

NHS Greater Glasgow recorded a surplus of £5 million in financial year 2003-04 and is currently forecasting a deficit of £4.6 million for 2004-05. The Executive, however, would expect the board to achieve financial balance by the year-end.

The median waiting time for in-patient and day case treatment in NHS Greater Glasgow during the year ending 30 September 2004 was 34 days.

NHS Greater Glasgow's waiting list shows that on 30 September 2004, 1,707 patients with a guarantee had waited more than six months for in-patient and day case treatment, a reduction of 2,414 (59%) on the previous year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13665, on 2 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

The Executive has established the Location/Relocation Working Group to take forward a number of initiatives associated with the location and relocation of fish farms, an issue which has been identified as a priority for action in the Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture. A sub-group has brought wildfish interests and fish farmers together at the local level to identify fish farms that could be relocated. A pilot exercise is currently underway to establish the best approach to facilitate relocation. Further details, including minutes of meetings can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://194.247.95.102/about/ERADFF/FFAME/00018364/page1323922298.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13665, on 2 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Parliamentary questions arenot requests for information within the meaning of the act and the handling ofsuch questions is, consequently, not affected by it.