Chamber and committees

Publicappointments to regulated bodies are made under the Code of Practice issued bythe Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland and are based on the principles first adopted by the Committee onStandards in Public Life. All appointments are therefore governed by theoverriding principle of selection based on merit and political activity playsno part in the process. Individuals selected will be those who havedemonstrated that they best match the skills, knowledge and personal qualitiesrequired for the appointment in question.

We alreadymonitor and publish information on those appointments who have declared apolitical interest and are keen to see interest from across the politicalspectrum in serving on public bodies.

Arts and BusinessScotland has received the following public funding between 2005-07.

2005-06	£115,000
2006-07	£486,000
2007-08	£504,000

 

I have askedAngiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

Her response isas follows:

Ninety-fiveregistered social landlords (RSLs) have not been inspected by CommunitiesScotland, although all but 19 of these were inspected by its predecessor,Scottish Homes. All RSLs are required to submit annual financial andperformance monitoring information to the regulator.

I have askedAngiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

Her response isas follows:

Communities Scotland inspects the housing and homelessness services oflocal authorities. From April 2002 to date, the agency has completed the inspectionof 17 local authorities. A further seven inspections are underway, includingtwo re-inspections.

I have askedAngiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

Her response isas follows:

Since April 2002Communities Scotland has inspected a total of 71 individual housingassociations and co-operatives.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

Her response is asfollows:

Since 2002, CommunitiesScotland has awarded C grades to 24 housing associations or co-operatives.

Funding of the 218Centre in Glasgow is provided through Section 27 of the SocialWork (Scotland) Act 1968 and paid to Glasgow City Councilas the commissioning authority. The allocations for each of the financial yearsis set out as follows:

Financial Year	£
2003-04	350,000
2004-05	1,694,500
2005-06	1,736,863
2006-07	1,736,863
2007-08	1,736,863

 

Appointments to theboards of local enterprise companies are operational matters for Scottish Enterpriseand Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

I shall ask the Chief Executives at each to write to you to set out their respective local enterprisecompany board appointments procedures.

NHS boards areexpected to provide such services and support from their general allocations.

I understand thatNHS Lanarkshire works closely with the Scottish Muscle Network to ensure thatthose suffering from muscular dystrophy, and their families, receive a co-ordinatedapproach to their care. Inter-agency working in this area is on-going and the boardis currently working with the network on the development of an integrated care pathway.

Specialistservices, including specialist physiotherapy services, for NHS Lanarkshireresidents are provided by Yorkhill Hospital during the paediatric stages and into the early teenage years. Knowingthat the transition from paediatric to adult services is an anxious time forpatients and their families, the board makes every effort to ensure that GPs,the district nursing service and other agencies involved link with the patient,their families and specialist services to prepare for this transition.Individual needs, including those of the carer, are assessed and reviewed toensure holistic care is provided and that on-going care is co-ordinated andresponsive to need.

NHS Lanarkshirebelieves that its commitment to the management of long-term conditions will ensurethe needs of people with muscular dystrophy and their carers are met.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

Communities Scotland has no plans to inspect Wishaw and District Housing Associationin the near future. The risk based approach to regulation and inspection which wasintroduced in 2006-07 means that cyclical inspections are no longer programmed.The association will be reviewed from time to time along with all other registeredsocial landlords, to monitor for any changes required to the level of regulatoryengagement.