Chamber and committees

There are no plans to alterthe requirements in the National Care Standards for the provision of en suitefacilities in all newly built adult care homes and the offer of single rooms inexisting care homes, to those who want them, by 2007. There is some flexibilityfor interpreting the standards for existing homes; in particular it can beagreed between the provider and the Care Commission to allow good quality roomsand en suite facilities in existing homes that do not meet the standards toremain in use.

The Executive has noevidence to suggest that any care home places will be lost as a result of therequirements in the standards.

Sections A17 to A19 and E10to E12 of the consultation paper accompanying the draft Water Services(Scotland) Bill summarise the Executive’s analysis of the expected impact oncustomers generally of licensed competition in the provision of retail waterand sewerage services to non-household customers.

Yes, it is consistent. Ministers set the strategicdirection for charges for the period 2002-06, setting the maximum level ofrevenue that can be collected and the principles that charges should beharmonised across Scotland and reflect the costs of provision. Scottish Waterand the Water Industry Commissioner in setting charges for individual customersact within this framework.

The Scottish Social ServicesCouncil is responsible for setting the qualifications criteria for registrationwith the council. Consultation on the criteria for workers in the adult caresector has just been completed and no decision has yet been made on what thecriteria will be. Their decision is expected by March 2004.

In October, the Executiveannounced an additional £9 million over the next three years for local authoritiesto invest in training. Ministers have made it clear that staff, who work inpartnership with local authorities, i.e. independent providers from thevoluntary and private sector, will benefit from this funding.

The Executive also providestraining grants under section 9 of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to promotean acceptable level of practice competence in areas of social work covered bythe voluntary sector. This enables voluntary organisations involved to provideor secure training for their paid staff and voluntary workers which would nototherwise be available to them.

Currently, the ScottishSocial Services Council is undertaking an investigation of all the key fundingstreams available for training in the social work sector and this will includethe voluntary sector.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4970. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.paliament.uk/webapp/search.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4970 on 12 January 2004.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.paliament.uk/webapp/search.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4970 on 12 January 2004.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.paliament.uk/webapp/search.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4970 on 12 January 2004.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.uk/webapp/search_wa.

Scottish Water has madeconsiderable effort to reduce the risk of cryptosporidium in the Glasgowdrinking water supply, including improving drainage; improving surface waterand area watercourses above the aqueduct which pose the greatest risk;installing kerbs and ramps to prevent surface water running off the road intoMugdock reservoir; cleaning outlets, drains, and culverts, and improving thedistribution network. Scottish Water is also having on-going discussions with Mugdock Country Park, ScottishNatural Heritage and local residents about drainage matters, as well ascontinuing work to deal with those watercourses and parts of the distributionnetwork identified as being lower risk.

Since planning permissionwas granted, Scottish Water has been working closely with the council tofinalise the conditions of the application. This has taken time because of thenumber of these conditions. Parallel to this, Scottish Water has beenprogressing land acquisition matters for the treatment works, including promotionof a compulsory purchase order (CPO).

Seventeen objections,including one statutory objection, to the CPO have been lodged with Scottish ministers.If the statutory objection is maintained, a public local inquiry must be heldto recommend whether ministers should, or should not, confirm the order.

No consultations between the Scottish Executive and Water Industry Commissioner were necessary asagreement on a scheme of charges was reached between Scottish Water and theWater Industry Commissioner.