Chamber and committees

The guidance issued by the Executive to NHSScotland emphasises that the important point is to match the features of the hearing aid to the needs of the patient. The final report of the review of audiology services, commissioned to establish the extent to which these services (including hearing aid provision) need to be modernised and improved, is currently under consideration.

The information requested in part (a) is available in tables E16 / E17 of the ISD website.http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSiS_resource/Workforce/workforce_statistics.htmThe information requested in part (b) of the question is not held centrally.

Over the last three financial years, the Scottish Executive has spent the following on cancer research:

	1999-2000(£ million)	2000-01(£ million)	2001-02(£ million)
1. Direct funding - Research Projects	1.2	1.4	1.6
2. Indirect funding - to support research in NHS Scotland	6.21	7.1	7.7
3. Total	7.4	8.5	9.3

Note:1. Estimate; data for cancer research not recorded separately in 1999-2000. In addition, the Scottish Executive has spent £0.4 million per annum over the last three years on the Scottish Cancer Therapy Network. The network does not itself undertake research but provides data management support for clinical audit and clinical trials. Details on individual projects are available from the National Research Register, a copy of which is in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17404). The Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive Health Department has identified cancer as one of its research priorities. New management arrangements currently being introduced for research priorities will inform both the direction of research and the level of funding in this important area in future years.

We are committed to tackling discrimination and inequality and our Equality Strategy provides a framework for this. We are looking at how best to respond to the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities and are already taking action to tackle issues across a range of areas including education and health. We have made a number of commitments on LGBT issues. For example, Healthy Respect's work focuses on 12 key areas one of which is "promoting a culture of healthy respect for the lives and relationships of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people in Lothian".Current Scottish Executive initiatives aimed at tackling bullying within Scottish schools include the continued funding of the Scottish Anti-Bullying Network. This offers advice and information and facilitates teachers, parents and young people sharing ideas and experiences regarding how bullying should be tackled, including bullying which is motivated by racist, sexist or homophobic attitudes.We are also funding research looking at the needs of LGBT communities in Scotland and funding the development of mechanisms for effective consultation and engagement. These activities will inform our thinking on wider issues and help us to look at how we can address homophobia wherever it exists.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 today. 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.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 today. 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.

The Scottish Executive brought together an ad hoc steering group to advise on the deployment of our £500,000 funding for central support for the provision of money advice in Scotland.The group consisted of networks and organisations which have considerable knowledge of the sector and which are significant providers of money advice in Scotland: Money Advice Scotland (MAS); Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS); The Federation of Information and Advice Centres; Consumer Credit Counselling Service (Scotland), and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.The group met on one occasion to discuss and comment upon the findings of work carried out by external contractors regarding the scope and delivery methods of central support for money advice in Scotland. This meeting was minuted and members of the group received copies. There were subsequent discussions with individual members of the group.The group agreed that central support should focus on six priority areas:1. Training2. Secondary advice3. Specialist information4. Developing a common statistical framework5. Developing common standards6. Developing and implementing a common quality assurance frameworkOn the advice of the group and from the findings of the scoping study the Executive decided that this work should be taken forward jointly by MAS and CAS, building upon the work of the Scottish Money Advice Training and Development Forum. MAS and CAS are now implementing the first stages (1, 2, 3 and 4 above) of this work under the banner MATRICS - Money Advice Training, Resources, Information and Consultancy Services. MAS and CAS may work with other organisations where specialist knowledge is required. The Executive is considering how to make progress on stages 5 and 6. We have not yet decided which organisations will be involved.An advisory group will be established and chaired by the Executive to oversee the work of MATRICS. The group will include representatives of both the money advice sector and the wider advice sector.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 today. 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.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 today. 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.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32344 today. 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.