Chamber and committees

The Draft Budget 2015-16 proposes that £33 million is allocated to the Scottish Welfare Fund. Following consideration by the joint COSLA/Scottish Government settlement and distribution group, the distribution methodology for 2015-16 will be the same as for 2014-15. The most recent Scottish Welfare Fund statistics contain a breakdown of funding which has been allocated to local authorities for 2014-15. This information is contained in table 25 of the publication which is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/swf/SWF30Jun2014

The funding allocation for administration of the Scottish Welfare Fund has not yet been decided. Following consideration by the joint COSLA/Scottish Government settlement and distribution group, the distribution methodology for 2015-16 will be the same as for 2014-15.

The Scottish Welfare Fund is part of a range of measures that are being taken by the Scottish Government to mitigate the adverse impacts of UK Government welfare reforms.

The most recent Scottish Welfare Fund statistics contain a breakdown of underspend by local authority for 2013-14. This information is contained in table 25 of the publication which is available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/swf/SWF30Jun2014

The Draft Budget 2015-16 on 9 October 2014 included increased support for welfare reform mitigation. In 2015-16 the Scottish Government, for the second year in a row, has budgeted for £35 million to fully mitigate the so-called bedroom tax. The breakdown by individual local authority is not yet available as it has still to be discussed and agreed with COSLA.

Equal pay audits are not required as part of the public sector equality duties. However, the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 require listed authorities with more than 150 employees to publish a statement on equal pay. The statement must specify the authority’s policy on equal pay among its employees and occupational segregation among its employees.

In 2012-13, 41 requests were made and 18 approved. In 2013-14, 73 requests were made and 67 approved. From 1 April 2014 to 30 September 2014, 80 requests were made and 80 were approved.

This data relates to the number of individual patient treatment requests approved for patients resident in the NHS Lothian board area and does not include requests approved for residents of other NHS board areas. Information on requests approved is held by NHS board residency.

In NHS Lothian board area and throughout Scotland there has been a significant increase in the approval rate of individual patient treatment requests in the transitional period ahead of a body of decisions by the Scottish Medicines Consortium under their new process. In 2011-12, the approval rate for individual patient treatment requests in Scotland was 66%. From 1 April 2014 to 30 September 2014, the approval rate of individual patient treatment requests in Scotland was 92%.

Data for 2014 is subject to further verification at the end of 2014-15.

The Scottish Government has not said that it would publish new guidance on access to medicines in May 2014. As part of implementation of policy changes to increase access to new medicines for patients in Scotland, the Scottish Government will continue to provide any appropriate guidance for NHSScotland as and when necessary.

The Scottish Government will continue to provide any appropriate guidance for NHSScotland as and when necessary.

No. Changes to access to medicines policy have already been introduced and hundreds more patients throughout Scotland are already accessing new treatments. These changes are being closely monitored to determine what further action may be required.