Chamber and committees

We are currently consideringwhether there is a role for Planning Aid for Scotland in our community engagement for the National Planning Framework 2.

No - we will makefunding decisions in Scotland based on our own needs and priorities.

Planning Aid for Scotland has already received increased funding for its workin facilitating community engagement in planning with £161,711 in 2005-06, £253,307 in 06-07 and up to £282,159 in the current financial year.

Future fundingfor Planning Aid for Scotland will be considered as part of this year’sSpending Review.

In financial year2006-7, the Scottish Government provided Planning Aid for Scotland with core funding of £120,047 and project funding of£133,260 - £253,307 in total.

In2006-07 the Department forCommunities and Local Government provided £1.7 millionfor Planning Aid in England. This funding for Planning Aid in England is not broken down into core andproject. The Welsh Assembly Government provided funding of £100,000 plusproject funding of £20,000 to Planning Aid Wales over the same period.

The financialmemorandum to the Planning Act set out estimated costs for planning authoritiesin implementing the act. Planning authorities will have a key role to play inensuring a greater degree of community engagement in both development planningand development management. This will also require, in addition to financialresources, a suitable level of skilled staff in the planning service. But therewill also be a role for developers, community groups and other stakeholders incontributing to a more participatory planning system. There are, however, nogeneral estimates of the resource implications of such contributions, whichwill vary greatly over time.

Details of the community engagement we will carry out in respect of the National Planning Framework 2 are contained in the Participation Statement, which is available on the National Planning Framework webpage (www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/planning/national-planning). This will be refreshed as and when new information is available and additional events arranged.

Planning Aid for Scotland already provides a national service of training and advicewith volunteers from across Scotland.

The case for a regionalnetwork of offices has never been put to the government. Should such a case be made,we would carefully consider the business plan to ensure that it afforded value formoney to the Scottish budget.

Developinga new drugs strategy and building consensus around that is a key priority forthe Scottish Government. We have not ruled out setting up a Drugs Commission inthe future, but we do not want to delay making progress on this important issueby setting up new structures. We have already discussed the main themes of ourdeveloping strategy with a wide range of experts, practitioners and serviceusers and over the coming months we will hold further discussions across thecountry.

I am not aware ofany such services, provided by these organisations, being considered for discontinuation.The services provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the voluntary sectorare matters for them to determine in conjunction with local community planning partners.

I am, however, awarethat the West Dunbartonshire Healthy Living Initiative (HLI) will not be seekingalternative sources of funding when Big Lottery Fund monies cease shortly. The HLI’score local initiatives that have been viewed as successful will be continuing withthe support of the Community Health Partnership and other partners.

Lead is not normallypresent in water leaving water treatment works but it can be dissolved from oldlead pipes that are sometimes present in older properties.  Non-compliance withthe lead standard therefore reflects the presence of lead plumbing in older propertiesrather than the quality of the water in the public supply. In order to reduce consumers’exposure to lead in drinking water and to bring the quality of drinking water atthe consumer’s tap into line with Scotland’s obligations under the Drinking WaterDirective (98/83/EC), Scottish Water has embarked on an extensive programme to installtreatment to minimise the uptake of lead from domestic plumbing in areas where theremay be high numbers of properties with old lead pipes. The figures published for2006 show an improved situation over those found in 2005 (1.20%) and the trend towardsfull compliance with the relevant lead standard in the Water Supply (Water Quality)(Scotland) Regulations 2001 is being closely monitored by the Drinking Water QualityRegulator for Scotland (DWQR).