Chamber and committees

The transformation funding, provided on a short term basis, has been allocated over a three year period between 2012-2015. The higher level of funding in the year 2013-2014 was intended to take into account the likely commencement of the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013.

The national strategy for Self Directed Support was launched on 23 November 2010. It sets out a 10 year vision which aims to give people more choice and control over their health and social care and support.

The publication of local self-directed support implementation plans is a local authority matter and is a decision to be made at a local level. Information regarding local implementation plans has been provided to the Scottish Government via the local authority Self-directed Support “stock take” questionnaire.

The SDS Programme Board has made a recommendation of 01 April 2014 as the target commencement date for the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. I have approved this as the target commencement date for the Act.

Local authorities have a duty under section 12A of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess a person’s social care needs. Following the commencement of the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 local authorities will be required to offer the four self-directed support options to anyone assessed as eligible for social care.

It is unclear how many people might lose either wholly or in part their eligibility for benefits as a result of the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

However there is enough data to allow us to estimate what the impact of moving from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments might be for the Blue Badge Parking Scheme and the National Concessionary Travel Scheme. These are set out in my letter of 22 February 2013 to the Convener of the Welfare Reform Committee. It is available at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_Welfare_Reform_Committee/papers_05032013.pdf.

Headcount numbers of GPs working in general practice in Scotland are routinely collected and are published annually at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/GPs-and-Other-Practice-Workforce/.

The published figures currently run from 1988 to 2012 inclusive and include the geographical breakdown of headcount by NHS Board and Community Health Partnership.

The Bill on integration of adult health and social care being introduced to parliament before summer, will ensure that statutory partners, both Health Boards and Local Authorities, jointly plan and design services based on the needs of the population. The Bill will ensure that statutory partners are held equally and jointly accountable for the effective delivery of adult health and social care services. Our approach will ensure a focus on person- centred care, which will be of particular benefit in deprived areas.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the Deep End group of practices that are situated in the most deprived areas of Scotland whilst delivery models for the future are being informed through pilot work in deprived areas, including the 17c Reducing Inequalities Pilot Programme and the Scottish Government sponsored Links Project.

The Welfare Reform (Consequential Amendments) Scotland Regulations 2013 and the Education (School Lunches) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2013 were laid before the Scottish Parliament on 25 February 2013. The Welfare Reform (Consequential Amendments) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2013 were laid before the Scottish Parliament on 27 February 2013.

This enables the regulations to come into force at the same time as the regulations for Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payments.

The passported benefits covered by the regulations are: Legal Aid, Court Fee Exemptions, Free School Lunches, Education Maintenance Allowance, Individual Learning Accounts, NHS Optical Vouchers, Free NHS Dental Treatment, NHS Patient Travel Costs, Blue Badge Parking, Concessionary Bus Travel and Student Loan Exemptions.

The Regulations relating to income based passported benefits are designed to allow claimants on the Universal Credit pathfinder scheme, which begins in the Greater Manchester area later this year, to be able to claim income based passported benefits in the situation that any such claimants move to Scotland. This will have no impact on people who currently qualify for passported benefits. The Regulations relating to disability related passported benefits maintain passporting arrangements in Scotland to the National Concessionary Travel Scheme (NCTS), the Blue Badge Parking Scheme and Exemption from Repayment for Student loans for Higher Education.

We expect the numbers of people who will be entitled to Personal Independence Payments will be fewer than those who received Disability Living Allowance, therefore, we are putting in place transitional protections for those people who may no longer be able to passport to the NCTS and the Blue Badge Scheme. Further information on the impacts of these new passporting arrangements is available in my letter of 22 February 2013 to the Convener of the Welfare Reform Committee. It is available at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_Welfare_Reform_Committee/papers_05032013.pdf.