Chamber and committees

NHS workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually, as at 30 September. The number of staff in post for NHS Quality Improvement Scotland at 30 September 2009 was 275 head count (260.1 whole-time equivalent). Further information is available at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=Overall%20staff%202009_vt.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

The annual staffing costs for NHS Quality Improvement Scotland taken from the annual accounts for the period ending 31 March 2010 was £11.164 million.

The Scottish Government is committed to enhancing rehabilitation and re-ablement services for older adults, those with long-term conditions and those requiring assistance to return to work. The framework can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/adultrehabilitation

As part of the implementation of the Delivery Framework for Adult Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Co-ordinators have been appointed in each NHS board with a clear remit to identify gaps in service delivery, redesign services and work across agencies including social work, to ensure these gaps are addressed.

The specific purpose of these posts are to:

·        map existing rehabilitation services in health and social care;

·        re-design services with the support of the National Implementation Group ;

·        integrate health and social care rehabilitation services, and

·        promote case/ care management approaches in rehabilitation/enablement teams.

Rehabilitation Co-ordinators have an agenda for change pay banding of 8A (£36, 851 - £46,621).

The First Minister and the Sports Minister will each attend part of the 2010 Commonwealth Games as representatives of a competing nation and to support our athletes, explore economic opportunities in India and to prepare Scotland for the world stage in the lead up to Glasgow 2014. As the next host nation of the Commonwealth Games, Scotland has a close interest in the Delhi Games, not least in the Closing Ceremony where we will celebrate the formal handover from Delhi to Glasgow.

Ministers are attending the event as guests of the Commonwealth Games Federation and the organisers of the Delhi Games. The details of the programme and Ministerial support are still being finalised but we are working to ensure the best value for money. Numbers will be less than the delegation which attended the 2006 Melbourne Games.

NHS workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually, as at 30 September. The number of staff in post for NHS National Services Scotland at 30 September 2009 was 3,596 head count (3,256.7 whole-time equivalent). Further information is available at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=Overall%20staff%202009_vt.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

The staffing costs for NHS National Services Scotland taken from the annual accounts for the period ending 31 March 2010 was £129.453 million.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36331 on 27 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Our priority is to ensure that the Government Car Service is delivered in the most efficient and cost effective manner, offering the best deal to the taxpayer. The number of vehicles in the fleet, currently 24, is kept under review to ensure that it reflects the demands on the service. The typical vehicle now used has CO2 emissions that are 31% lower than the vehicles used by ministers under the previous administration. The vehicles combine low carbon emissions with the need to meet business requirements. Wherever possible public transport is utilised as an alternative to GCS.

The Working Group on Scotland Without Nuclear Weapons published its report in August 2009. The report can be accessed at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/swnw-working-group/Report.

The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as this is available. A copy of the response will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51704).

The Scottish Government is opposed to holding the proposed Alternative Vote referendum on the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament. The referendum and the Scottish Parliament elections will be held under different franchises and we are concerned that this may cause confusion around the eligibility to vote.

The franchise for the referendum and the Scottish Parliament elections is a matter for the UK Government.

The Scottish Government has given extensive responses to the contents of the Independent Budget Review, particularly in the parliamentary debate on 9 September 2010.

Until the comprehensive spending review reports on 20 October, we will not know what Scotland''s budget settlement for 2011-12 and the years beyond will be. Within four weeks of that we will present the draft budget, setting out our spending plans for the years ahead, taking into consideration the options in the Independent Budget Review''s report and the views of civic Scotland.