Chamber and committees

Any consultation with general practitioners and the public about the establishment of geographically based community nursing services would be undertaken by individual NHS boards. NHS Lothian has confirmed that consultation via regular communication networks with all relevant interests was undertaken through Community Health Partnerships prior to these changes being introduced. A public information leaflet has also been produced and will be circulated to inform patients and their families of this change.

Issues around the delivery of Primary Care Services is a matter for NHS boards. We are aware that a number of representations from General Practitioners were received about the establishment of geographically based community nursing teams in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian and the correspondents were advised that their views were considered in the decisions made at both board and community health and care partnership level.

The impact of changes to community nursing teams would be monitored by individual NHS boards. NHS Lothian has also advised that a patient experience questionnaire is in the process of being piloted.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to sign up to the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection humane household product standard as this relates to domestic rather than industrial/professional use. However, as confirmed in S4W-01054, the Scottish Government does not use any cleaning product that has been tested on animals.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The average cost per prisoner place is recorded each year in the SPS Annual Report and Accounts. The accounts are available on SPS’s website www.sps.gov.uk. Separate details of average per capita cost of holding different categories of prisoner are not available. Female prisoners are accommodated in several prisons across Scotland.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Budgets for the next two years will be set by the Scottish Government later this year.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Excluding capital, headquarters and other central costs, the net expenditure for HMP and YOI Cornton Vale for the last five years was

Year £m

2006-07 10.4

2007-08 11.2

2008-09 11.3

2009-10 11.5

2010-11 11.4.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

Budgets for the next two years will be set by the Scottish Government later this year.

The Scottish Government recognises the value of the expressive arts and is committed to the actions detailed in the education and the arts, culture and creativity action plan, launched in September 2010. Expressive arts is one of eight curriculum areas within Curriculum for Excellence – these areas underpin all learning and teaching, with the expressive arts experiences and outcomes enabling all young people to develop skills and abilities in the areas of art and design, dance, drama as well as music. That said, any decisions on the closure of music departments in educational establishments are a matter for local authorities.

Additionally, the Scottish Government continues to fund the Youth Music Initiative (YMI), which is delivered through Creative Scotland, in partnership with local authorities, on behalf of the government. YMI supports more than 300 projects each year, covering all musical genres, age groups and teaching methods. We have invested £67.5 million in high quality music programmes via the YMI and we have committed a further £10 million for 2011-12.

Growth, Talent, Ambition, the Scottish Government’s creative industries strategy, which was published on March 21 2011, sets out how the public sector in Scotland is working to support the creative industries. It can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/21093900/0.

Public sector support for the creative industries is coordinated through the Scottish Creative Industries Partnership Coordination Group, which is chaired by Creative Scotland and includes COSLA, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland as members.