Chamber and committees

There are currently 10 organisations being considered for relocation. The table shows the number of posts under consideration in each of those organisations and the reason for inclusion in the review programme. The eleventh body, referred to in my previous answer, was the proposed Custodial Agency which the Minister for Justice has subsequently announced will not be brought in to being.

Organisation	Number of Posts	Review Trigger
Scottish Arts Council	100	Lease break
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland	100-110	New body
NHS Health Scotland	81	New body
NHS Education in Scotland	100	New body
sportscotland	133	Lease break
Mental Welfare Commission	50	Lease break
Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Councils	163	Lease break
Architecture and Design Scotland	8-10	Lease break and new body
Proposed National Transport Agency	TBC	New body
Registers of Scotland	1,030	Lease break
TOTAL	1,777

 

Our relocation policy aimsto ensure that government in Scotland is efficient and decentralised, bringing benefits tothe whole of Scotland by spreading public sector posts across the country.

There are currently around1,800 posts being considered for relocation under on-going reviews, and almostall of these are presently in Edinburgh.

(1) The allocation methodology is based on a formula composed of indicators that reflect the key client groups which are intended to benefit from the Supporting People programme and for which data of a sufficient quality is available. The formula is composed of four elements (a) the number of elderly people in thelocal authority area; (b) the number of people with disabilities; (c) the numberof homelessness allocations (averaged over a three year period), and (d) the degree of deprivation.

(a) The number of elderly people in the local authority area was calculated using the population of 65 years and over as at mid-year 2003. This contributed 30% toward the formula allocation.

(b) The number of people with disabilities was calculated using the number of people receiving Disability Living Allowance as at February 2004. This contributed 20% toward the formula allocation.

(c) The number of homelessness applications (averaged over a three year period) was calculated from the number of applications under the homelessness persons legislation by local authority using an average of the 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04. This contributed 30% toward the formula allocation.

(d) The degree of deprivation was calculated using the population in the worst 15% of data zones by the 2004 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. This contributed 20% toward the formula allocation.

(2) The formula distributes resources more fairly against relative need across Scotland. To help those authorities in the transition to the new arrangements the minister has set limits to the maximum reduction that any authority will face for each of the three year of this spending round with over £16 million of transitional support for those most affected by the redistribution formula.

(3) However, discussions with COSLA on the speed of redistribution are continuing. We expect to be able to make a new announcement in due course.

The data requested is held in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34277) named Supporting People allocations.

The formula distributes resources more fairly against relative need across Scotland. To help those authorities in the transition to the new arrangements the minister has set limits to the maximum reduction that any authority will face for each of the three year of this spending round with over £16 million of transitional support for those most affected by the redistribution formula.

However, discussions with COSLA on the speed of redistribution are continuing. We expect to be able to make a new announcement in due course.

From summer 2005 students from outside the European economic area (EEA) who graduate from Scottish institutions will be eligible for a two year visa extension, including the right to work without a work permit (overseas students and graduates from within the EEA are already able to work without a work permit). The new Relocation Advisory Service will be available to offer advice for those wishing to pursue the option of staying in Scotland.

Recruitment of overseas doctors and nurses in Scotland has historically been undertaken by NHSScotland boards who have developed their own recruitment arrangements.

The Executive is reviewing and exploring a range of methods which will access appropriate staff in an ethical and efficient manner. This will include maximising opportunities for those internationally qualified professionals who are already in Scotland and interested in pursuing a career in the NHSScotland.

Yes. I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-11153, on 1 November 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/wa.search.

In February 2004, the Scottish Further Education Funding Council commissioned the second mapping exercise of supply of and demand for further education in Scotland. A national report and 11 area reports, including one for Edinburgh and the Lothians, are due to be completed in spring 2005. The exercise will include analysis of economic, labour market and demographic predictors of need and will develop an analytical framework for examining all post-16 education and training in Scotland. It will build on the work of the first mapping exercise published in 2002 and will inform the council’s future strategic decisions about the allocation of funding to the FE sector.

I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-11153, on 1 November 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/wa.search.

No specific support is provided.