Chamber and committees

We have no plans to do so. Wherea landlord has conducted a ballot to establish whether its tenants wish a transferproposal to proceed, the Scottish Government will respect the choice made by thetenants at that ballot.

There is regular contactwith the UK Government at both ministerial and official level on a range of securityissues, including the security of sea ports.

The police, in partnershipwith the UK Border and Immigration Agency and HM Revenue and Customs, work withthe port operators to ensure that the security at sea ports in Scotland is appropriate to the local circumstances.

The sportscotlandNational Centre at Inverclyde has applied to be promoted in the official brochureof venues for training camps to be produced by the London Organising Committee.Decisions on training camps will be taken in early 2008.

The net assets ofNHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (the board) at 31 March 2007 are in the order of £900 million and this is expectedto be broadly similar in 2007-08. The board expects its revenue resource outturnto settle at circa £26 million underspend, approximately 1% of the resources available;breakeven is planned for 2007-08.

 

We have no suchplans.

 

I should explainthere is no fixed definition of a “public holiday” in Scotland but it is normally held to include both bank and local holidays. Bankholidays are set out in statute under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act1971 or appointed by Royal Proclamation and it follows that they are the sameacross Scotland. Local holidays are part of the richtradition of our cities and regions and the dates are for local authorities todetermine, working with their partners, and are not subject to statute.

 

 

SCOTTISHEXECUTIVE

The introduction ofcar parking charging, or revision of existing arrangements, is a matter for NHSboards in light of local circumstances. Car parking charging should not be introducedas a means of generating income but may be justified if the income generated isused by the board to cover any significant costs in providing parking facilities(e.g. capital charges, maintenance costs, administration costs, security costs,security lighting, CCTV); to cover the cost of providing new or improved parkingfacilities or making existing facilities more secure; or to better manage car parkingfacilities by discouraging unauthorised users (e.g. fly-parkers) but in so doing,measures taken to discourage unauthorised users must not be detrimental to the carparking arrangements for staff, patients, carers and visitors.

In all cases chargesshould reflect a reasonable balance between the perceived needs of staff, patientsand visitors, the general cost of car parking in the area, and the costs of maintainingcar parking facilities.

NHS boards must beable to demonstrate the level of income generated from car parking and how it hasbeen utilised. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that income from the charges imposed would be pooled acrossthe hospital sites and used exclusively to fund improvements to parking, transportand traffic management.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is to negotiatewith the public transport providers for new or extended services and provide publictransport information on-site, both paper based or electronic. It also intends toprovide information on sustainable transport options given and information on existingshuttle bus services currently in operation.

The introduction of the Car Parking policy by NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde NHS board will see the creation of 350 new jobs and the new income will be investedin ambitious environmentally friendly transport solutions to tempt more staff outof their cars including:

Interest free instalment plan to buy Strathclyde Passenger TransportZone Cards.

Develop managed staff car share schemes.

Introduction of expanded hospital pool-car scheme.

Develop inter-hospital staff shuttle bus service.

Interest free bike loans.

As I made clear in mystatement to Parliament yesterday, I will operate a presumption againstcentralisation of core services whenever NHS boards bring forward proposals forsignificant service changes.

That does not mean no changein any circumstances. However, it does mean that any proposals will have to berobust, that the alternatives will have to be properly considered, and that dueweight must be given to public opinion. To ensure this is the case, I have decidedthat all future significant service change proposals should be subject toindependent scrutiny.

I will make a furtherannouncement soon about the form of independent scrutiny that will apply to futureservice change proposals.

NHS boards are required to consultthe public on proposals for significant changes to services. It is for NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde to decide on the timing of consultation on any proposals for changeto the delivery of maternity services within the Clyde area. I have made clear thatI will introduce a process of independent scrutiny of boards’ proposals before theseare consulted on publicly. The scrutiny stage would review the range of optionsto be consulted on. I am currently considering how independent scrutiny will beundertaken and will make an announcement soon.