Chamber and committees

Information on job losses isnot held centrally.

However, statistics on thenumber of people employed in manufacturing are contained in “ParliamentaryConstituency Economic Profiles”, copies of which can be found on:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ELLD/EI/00015648/page1382927761.aspx.

The following table showsthe level of employment in the construction industry, in Scotland,from spring 1997 to summer 2003.

	No. employed in Construction
	(000)
Spring 1997	169
Summer 1997	170
Autumn 1997	178
Winter 1997	182
Spring 1998	177
Summer 1998	189
Autumn 1998	188
Winter 1998	178
Spring 1999	182
Summer 1999	176
Autumn 1999	180
Winter 1999	188
Spring 2000	187
Summer 2000	189
Autumn 2000	182
Winter 2000	187
Spring 2001	185
Summer 2001	179
Autumn 2001	173
Winter 2001	174
Spring 2002	167
Summer 2002	168
Autumn 2002	168
Winter 2002	177
Spring 2003	180
Summer 2003	190

 

The following table showsthe level of economic inactivity in Scotland, from spring 1997 to summer 2003, which is thelatest quarter for which this information is available.

	Number of Economically Inactive People (000)
Spring 1997	715
Summer 1997	713
Autumn 1997	715
Winter 1997	697
Spring 1998	701
Summer 1998	710
Autumn 1998	687
Winter 1998	715
Spring 1999	718
Summer 1999	718
Autumn 1999	717
Winter 1999	692
Spring 2000	676
Summer 2000	673
Autumn 2000	666
Winter 2000	670
Spring 2001	674
Summer 2001	669
Autumn 2001	672
Winter 2001	688
Spring 2002	664
Summer 2002	668
Autumn 2002	661
Winter 2002	644
Spring 2003	653
Summer 2003	656

 

I refer the member to theanswers given to questions S1W-29052 on 9 September 2002 and S2W-2904 on 25 September 2003. These answers set out details ofall overseas visits carried out by Scottish Executive ministers from July 1999to March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available onthe Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

These ministerial visitsencompass a number where ministers have undertaken a range of engagements topromote Scotland including those where ministers would have met andsupported Scottish firms undertaking visits overseas to promote exportmarketing and sales.

This information is not heldcentrally.

he following table shows thenumber of women employed in science, engineering and technology industries ineach of the last 10 years, expressed also as a percentage of all workers inthose industries.

	Number of Women Employed	Percentage of All Workers
Year	(000)	%
1994	52	24.8%
1995	46	23.0%
1996	59	26.8%
1997	60	25.0%
1998	54	23.2%
1999	57	26.5%
2000	60	25.9%
2001	61	25.7%
2002	49	22.6%
2003	49	21.9%

No.

The following table showslevel of inactivity in Glasgow City, Edinburgh City and Dundee City in the last four years. Information prior to 1999 isnot available at local authority level.

	Glasgow	Edinburgh	Dundee
	Inactive	Inactive	Inactive
	(000)	(000)	(000)
1999	138	66	21
2000	118	57	22
2001	125	56	20
2002	123	57	22

The following table sets outthe pre-existing provision for carers and the total new resources allocated bythe Scottish Executive to local authorities this year and over the last fouryears under (i) the Carers Strategy and (ii) specifically to develop respiteservices. In addition, local government finance settlements for social careover the same period rose from £1.1 billion in 1999-2000 to £1.6 billion thisyear. These resources are just part of the total resources available to localauthorities. Councils make service planning decisions based on all availableresources and in the light of local needs and priorities.

Information on localauthorities’ expenditure on respite and other services to support carers is nowbeing collected centrally. Figures for 2002-03 will be available early nextyear. In addition, the Executive is working to develop outcome measures forcarers in order to provide a clearer picture of how carers are being supportedon the ground.

A great many voluntarysector organisations receive support both at a national and local level toprovide support for service users and their carers. Information on the totalresources available to such organisations is not held centrally.

Resources to LocalAuthorities to Support Carers (£ Million)

	Existing	New	New	New
		Carers Strategy	Respite	Cumulative
1999-2000	5.00			0.00
2000-01	5.00	5.00		5.00
2001-02	5.00	5.00	5.00	15.00
2002-03	5.00	5.00	6.00	26.00
2003-04	5.00	5.00	11.00	42.00

 

The levels of mileageallowances and all other travel and subsistence allowances for nurses and otherhealth care staff are negotiated nationally through the General WhitleyCouncil.

Discussions with stafforganisations have resulted in an agreement in principle that any decisionsabout arrangements for travel and subsistence should be taken following theestablishment of the new NHS staff council to be created in the wake of Agendafor Change, the new pay system for NHS staff. This is subject to the outcome of the staff ballot on Agenda for Change to be held by a number of stafforganisations next year.