Chamber and committees

The Health Directorate have lead responsibility for coordinating responses on a range of issues related to unintentional childhood injury and has established a pilot, through Information Services Division (ISD), to look at data that is collected from accident and emergency departments (A&E) in order to establish the main causes of accidents, although other parts of government have a responsibility for taking forward specific strands of work, for example in relation to road accidents.

The pilot is expected to report back later this autumn. Once this information is available the Scottish Government will consider the data available and whether further work may be necessary in collating and analysing accident data before taking targeted action in order to reduce the number of unintentional injury (if appropriate).

The number of hospital admissions, as a result of unintentional injury incurred in the home, for children aged 0-14, for year of discharge year ending 31 March, are shown in the following table:

Year	Number of Admissions
2005-06	3,573
2006-07	3,472
2007-08	3,148

Source: Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland. These statistics are based on data collected on discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (Scottish Morbidity Record 01, SMR01). Patient injury categories are identified in SMR01 by admission codes 32-35. Category 33 is used to describe injuries that occur in the home.

In responding to the 2009 Report Card, the Scottish Government considers development of a clear and robust evidence base on childhood injuries to be a priority. It has therefore commissioned and funded an unintentional injuries data collection pilot in order to assess the current level and quality of data collected. This pilot will help flag up perceived gaps in data collection. Further work may be necessary in collating and analysing accident data before taking targeted action in order to reduce the number of unintentional injuries in children.

We also published Good Places, Better Health: A New approach to the Environment and Health in Scotland in December 2008. This project is a collaboration led by health interests and ranging over policy interests across the Scottish Government as well as external stakeholders with an interest in unintentional injury and accident prevention, particularly among children.

The Scottish Government has not carried out any research into this matter.

The changes to the notification procedure in no way diminish the opportunity for the public or communities to be involved in the planning process. This administrative change was therefore not subject to consultation.

There are no appeal procedures in planning legislation which allow for communities to challenge decisions that have been made by planning authorities. However, objections and representations from consultees and the public are an essential part of the decision-making process on planning applications. It is for planning authorities to give due consideration to such views when reaching a decision on planning applications. Forthcoming changes to the planning system will provide the public with greater opportunities to influence proposals through pre-applications consultation and decision making through pre-determination hearings on larger scale developments. Changes will also involve more information being available on applications and on decisions and how they were reached.

Individuals can challenge planning decisions made by local authorities through the courts.

Figures supplied by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency suggest burning one tonne of coal would produce a range of between 2.5 to 2.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Coal used in power stations in Scotland comes from various geographical locations. Due to the differing composition and moisture content of coal types, it is not possible to provide a more precise figure.

Carbon Capture and Storage Technology (CCS) has the potential to reduce emissions from power stations by up to 90 per cent. The Scottish Government supports CCS as a critical new technology that would make a significant contribution towards carbon emission reductions.

Delivering Planning Reform was published on 28 October 2008. It contained a range of commitments across the public and private sectors to accelerate the pace of planning reform. This included commitments from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to more proportionate involvement in the planning process to focus on matters of genuine national interest. The intention to issue a revised Notification Direction and Circular was signalled in Delivering Planning Reform.

The British Geological Survey collect this data. The information is published at www.bgs.ac.uk/MineralsUK/minequar/coal/occ/home.html. Information for 2008 will be published shortly.

In the first instance it is for the local authority to decide if it has a financial interest in an opencast coal application and whether an application requires to be notified under Circular 3/2009.