Chamber and committees

Arrangements for the funding of adult voluntary hospices remain as set out in Management Executive Letter (1994) 104. NHS boards are expected, taking account of local circumstances, to fund 50% of hospices' annual running costs. The Executive continuously monitors boards' performance against that target, and is currently in discussion with the adult voluntary hospices about issuing further advice designed to clarify the elements of hospices' running costs which would be eligible for 50% funding.

Reducing health inequalities is the overarching aim of public health improvement policy. We are seeking to make progress by addressing the upstream determinants of health, through demonstration projects, healthy living centres, the Health Improvement Fund and wider work on lifestyles and life circumstances. At the same time, through a combination of investment and reform, we are seeking to enhance healthcare services in Scotland. NHS funding, which is at record levels and rising, is now distributed in a way that recognises the influence of deprivation and remoteness on healthcare needs.Besides this generic programme, we are directing specific attention to cancer and implementing a comprehensive strategy Cancer in Scotland (backed by £60 million additional investment up until 2003-04) bringing together government, NHSScotland, and patients to secure better access and ensure more rapid diagnosis and treatment and improved services for people with cancer.

The decision on which type of hearing aid best meets the clinical need of individual patients is for the clinician in charge of their care.The Good Practice Guidance on Adult Hearing Aid Fitting Services issued by the Executive to NHSScotland in March last year recommends digital aids should be provided whenever clinical judgement indicates that they would provide benefit to the patient involved that would not be provided by other types of hearing aid. The guidance emphasises that the important issue is that of matching the features of the needs of the patient rather than whether these features are incorporated in digital, analogue or digitally programmable packages. There are currently 18 different types of digital hearing aid included within the wide range of hearing aids available on the central contracts arranged by Scottish Healthcare Supplies for the NHSScotland.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27551 today. The Executive currently has no such plans and believes that existing powers, combined with the proposals included in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, described in my previous answer, are sufficient to address the issue to which he refers and will monitor the effectiveness of these powers.

Generally, local authorities have a wide range of powers to deal with nuisance. Individuals and businesses are required to comply with the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which prohibits statutory nuisances that are prejudicial to health or a nuisance. Where a local authority becomes aware of a statutory nuisance, it can serve a notice on the relevant individual or business, requiring them to abate or cease the nuisance. The powers contained within the act apply to statutory nuisances from fixed premises, including land; the powers apply equally to dwellings used as homes, and dwellings used for both home and business purposes. Also, under section 19 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, local authorities, in consultation with the police, can apply to a sheriff for an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) to prohibit an individual over 16 from further anti-social behaviour that causes or is likely to cause alarm or distress. There may be circumstances where nuisance caused to residents by neighbours running a business from home would justify applying for an ASBO. In most cases, ASBOs should only be considered when all other preventative measures such as warnings and mediation have been tried.Further, the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill makes provision for an interim ASBO to take effect pending the outcome of the substantive application for an order. It is intended that the interim order will provide more immediate protection from anti-social behaviour.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26652 on 25 June 2002.

The Executive supports a wide range of activities across Scotland in pursuit of our social justice and regeneration objectives. Some examples include:

• The Better Neighbourhood Services Fund, providing £90 million over three years to improve the delivery of public services in Scotland's deprived areas and amongst deprived groups.
• Under the New Housing Partnership Programme, £200 million has been committed to development and regeneration programmes.
• £118 million has been made available through the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund over the two years ending in March 2004.

In relation to future policy, the Community Regeneration Statement, launched on 25 June, sets out the Executive's strategy for tackling deprivation in Scotland's disadvantaged areas.

Two separate working groups have been set up to look at the implications and implementation of the Working Time Regulations (WTRs) for NHSScotland. Both are making progress.The first group is a partnership working group established by the Scottish Partnership Forum. It is preparing joint guidance (including best practice) for NHSScotland to ensure compliance with the WTRs. It is currently gathering intelligence on the human resource implications, to create an action plan, which could serve as a national framework for implementation of the regulations across the Service.The Solutions Group - a Trust Chief Executive led group - is taking forward a national co-ordinated approach to the wider service implications of the regulations. It is identifying practical responses to the working time requirements to help implement projects of potential value as soon as possible. It is also promoting the up-take of good practice and raising awareness of the significance and requirements of the WTRs. The group have recently conducted a survey of trusts to obtain information on the impact of the regulations and the results of this are currently being analysed.

The recent Discipline Task Group report, Better Behaviour - Better Learning made 36 recommendations aimed at improving discipline in schools. These recommendations are currently being implemented by the Scottish Executive, local authorities and individual schools following the Joint Action Plan published in December 2001. During 2001-02, the Scottish Executive made available initial funding of £13 million to local authorities to assist with this implementation.

The Scottish Executive funds a number of initiatives aimed at, or impacting on, truancy including the Scottish Schools Ethos Network, the Anti Bullying Network, the Alternatives to Exclusion Programme, Support for Parents, Study Support and New Community Schools.In addition the Scottish Executive, local authorities and individual schools are currently implementing the 36 recommendations made in the recent Discipline Task Group (DTG) report, Better Behaviour - Better Learning.