Chamber and committees

In addition to this from 2007 and until 2010 annual assessments of congestion were also carried out on 44 specific sections of the trunk road and motorway network which included 3 routes in Aberdeen; the A96, A90 north and A90 south of A96. The sections of the trunk road assessed were those which experienced congestion or were thought likely to experience congestion. Sections of the network which were operating freely within current capacity were not specifically monitored. There have been no such specific annual assessments of congestion carried out on the trunk road and motorway network since 2010.

The congestion monitoring undertaken on the trunk road network in the Aberdeen area during 2007 - 2010 was one element used to track changes in congestion over the years on the trunk road network as a whole. It was not established as a direct assessment of congestion in Aberdeen itself.

The statistical bulletin Scottish Household Survey: Travel Diary 2011 summarises a range of annual transport statistics at a national level, including congestion. This is available at: http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/strategy-and-research/publications-and-consultations/j240090-00.htm.

Scottish Household Survey Statistics relating to congestion in local authorities are published biennially in the Scottish Household Survey: Local Area Analysis publication. The most recent edition covers 2009-10. This is available at:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/publications/shs-local-area-analysis-previous-editions.

The Scottish Government does not annually assess data on average travel times for commuting in Aberdeen. The statistical bulletin Scottish Household Survey: Travel Diary 2009-10 summarises a range of transport statistics at a national level, including journey times. This is available at:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/documents/reports/j205156/j205156.pdf

The Scottish Government is not involved in the setting of fares for local bus services and fare information is not held centrally. Statistics on fare trends nationally are published (Bus and Coach Statistics) but they are not broken down by local authority area and the Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of fares in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Statistics on bus fare trends nationally are published (Bus and Coach Statistics) but they are not broken down by local authority area and the Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of fares in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Over the last 5 years, the Scottish Government has sponsored the Energy Saving Trust Scotland (EST) to deliver a number of programmes to support domestic microgeneration, including managing the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre (ESSac) networks. SCARF run the north east ESSac, which provides expert, free and impartial advice on microgeneration, including solar photovoltaic (PV), in the Grampian and Tayside areas.

The EST has also managed a number of grant and loan schemes which provide financial support for a range of renewable technologies, including solar PV and solar hot water systems. Grant support was available through the Scottish Community & Households Renewable Initiative and subsequently Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants until 2011. This was replaced in 2011 by Energy Saving Scotland Home Renewables Loans, to comply with eligibility requirements for the Feed in Tariff and proposed requirements for the Renewable Heat Incentive.

In Aberdeen City, since 2007-08, 10 loans or grants totalling £33,336 have been paid or have a current live offer for solar PV installations and 24 loans or grant totalling £53,158 have been paid or have a current live offer for solar hot water installations. An annual breakdown is show in Table 1.

Table 1: Support for solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar hot water (SHW) installations in Aberdeen City for the financial years 2007-08 to 2012-13

In Aberdeenshire, since 2007-08, 39 loans or grants totalling £116,228 have been paid or have a current live offer for solar PV installations and 248 loans or grant totalling £471,085 have been paid or have a current live offer for solar hot water installations. An annual breakdown is show in Table 2

Table 2: Support for solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar hot water (SHW) installations in Aberdeenshire for the financial years 2007-08 to 2012-13

The Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011 (Commencement Order No.4) Order 2012 and the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 (Premiums) Regulations 2012 were laid before Parliament on 2 October 2012.

The Commencement Order brings section 32 of the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011 into force and clarifies that a non-permissible ‘premium’ payment is any fine, sum or pecuniary consideration, other than rent and a refundable deposit, and includes any service or administration fee or charge.

The regulations have been drafted to specify that any payments towards energy efficiency improvements under the UK Government’s Green Deal should not be considered a premium payment. This will be the only form of payment prescribed as a permissible premium. Subject to approval by the Scottish Parliament, the commencement order and regulations are expected to come into force on 30 November 2012.

The Scottish Government is taking forward work on FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) in a phased way. This approach is being taken in order that we are able to understand the scale of the problem in Scotland and to ensure that appropriate services will be in place for children who are diagnosed with the disorder.

Within that context, decisions on the provision of local healthcare services are the responsibility of local NHS boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment.

The Scottish Government recognises that there are gaps in the knowledge and awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) amongst health professionals in Scotland. We are addressing this situation by taking forward work on FASD in a phased way. This approach is being taken in order that we are able to understand the scale of the problem in Scotland and to ensure that appropriate services will be in place for children who are diagnosed with the disorder as awareness grows.

The Scottish Government is developing an action plan to prioritise a range of prevention and awareness raising strategies with the intention of reducing the number of alcohol exposed pregnancies and improve the outcomes for affected children.

The Scottish Government recognises that diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) can be complex and difficult, especially as children grow older and become adults. As part of the paediatric surveillance programme currently underway, all paediatricians were offered the opportunity to learn what FASD is, how to recognise the symptoms and diagnose the condition as well as use the surveillance programme. These training sessions were well attended and in addition to this, there has since been two training days at the ‘FASD Champions’ events.

Nevertheless, recognition of FASD is more difficult as patients age and the skills required to make a diagnosis of FASD in adulthood are less widespread. The highly specialised service available at Surrey and Borders NHS Foundation Trust is available to support more complex cases where diagnosis is less clear.

However, the neurobehavioral elements that contribute to a diagnosis of FASD can be assessed e.g. within psychology services, and appropriate interventions recommended, regardless of a diagnosis of FASD.

As part of the Scottish Government’s work on FASD, we are currently exploring a range of options around improving service provision within Scotland for people with FASD.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10626 on 8 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.