Chamber and committees

There have beenno new non-departmental public bodies set up since May 2007. The VAT status ofa public body is set out in the VAT Act 1994 and is dependent on a bodies legalstatus. When setting up any body, the ability of that body to carry out itsfunctions to the best of their ability, and not VAT implications is theoverriding factor in deciding on its status. So there is no question of anypublic body losing their ability to reclaim VAT since May 2007 - nor is therevalue in reviewing their individual status.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6935 on 10 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6935 on 10 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-6935 on 10 December 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, thesearch facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I have asked JamesHynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response isas follows:

The funding made availablefor the provision of affordable housing in the Lothians parliamentary region eachyear since 2003-04 is set out in the following table.

2003-04 Outturn	2004-05 Outturn	2005-06 Outturn	2006-07 Outturn	2007-08 Budget
£23.975 million	£37.206 million	£43.063 million	£52.287 million	£50.64 million

 

This information coversboth West Lothian and City of Edinburgh Council areas; Musselburgh (but not the remainder of East Lothian Councilarea), and all of Midlothian Council area excluding Penicuik.

NHS Lothian has criticalcare capability on all three acute hospital sites – Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh,Western General Hospital and St John’s - to ensure safe, high-quality care for patientsreceiving acute care on these sites. I understand from the board that this capabilitywill continue to be required.

It is for each health board to plan and deliver services to meet the needsof its resident population.

St John’s plays a key role along with the Royal Infirmaryof Edinburgh and the Western General in providing safe, efficient and effectivehospital services for people living in the Lothians, including Edinburgh. St John’s providea wide range of services for the people of West Lothian and some regional servicesfor all of Lothian and South East Scotland, for example, treatment for burns andplastic surgery patients.

I understand from NHS Lothian that core services have been maintained at the hospital and that these havebeen strengthened through investment to modernise and improve services. In relationto regional services, ear, nose and throat (ENT) work has already transferred to St John’s from Edinburgh. The number of shortstay surgical cases being treated at St John’s has increased. Future plans for thehospital include more diagnostic endoscopy capacity and an increase in the numberof emergency medical patients using the modern, high-quality service at St John’s.

I understand from NHS Lothian that theatre and other capacity at St John’sis being used to treat additional patients in support of achieving and maintainingwaiting times standards set by the Scottish Government, including abolishing hiddenwaiting lists. The board also plans to further develop St John’s capacity to treatshort-stay surgical patients and thus further improve access to care and treatmentthrough shorter waiting times.

I further understand that the board is planning to move some services withinSt John’s to enable roof and windowrefurbishment to take place over the next three to five years.

Consultation about changes to services at St John’s Hospital last took place in 2004.

A number of service changes have been made since then. I understand that someof the changes consulted on have not yet been implemented. NHS Lothian have explainedthat the aim of these changes is to improve the clinical quality of services, reducewaiting times for planned treatment, and ensure equitable access to high technologycare.

NHS Lothian has also made clear that St John’s has a secure futurein providing acute service for patients in West Lothian and more widely acrossthe Lothian area.

Any proposal for majorservice changes at St John’s Hospital would have to be subject to full consultationwith the public and would require ministerial approval.

The Scottish Government isaware that public art has potential benefits in this area, and the ScottishArts Council (SAC) has funded a number of public art projects through NationalLottery funding that have been of considerable benefit to people andcommunities. SAC is currently developing a new Public Art Strategy for Scotland.