Chamber and committees

Responsibility for the operations of the Forth Road Bridge is a matter for the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA).

Local government pay is a matter for local government and the appropriate unions.

The Scottish Government is supportive of living wage commitments in the private and voluntary sectors. Our Public Sector Pay Policy for 2011-12 requires organisations covered by the policy to pay their employees a living wage of £7.15 per hour - the current living wage level proposed by the Scottish Living Wage Campaign. However, beyond the levels set by the National Minimum Wage, which is reserved to the UK Government, pay is a matter for organisations, their employees and trade unions.

The Scottish Government is supportive of living wage commitments in the private and voluntary sectors. Beyond the levels set by the National Minimum Wage, which is reserved to the UK Government, private sector pay is a matter for companies, their employees and Trade Unions.

The Scottish Government will monitor the implementation of the living wage in relation to those bodies covered by the Scottish Government Public Sector Pay Policy 2011-12 through its pay remit process. Pay across the rest of the public sector in Scotland is determined through separate processes outwith the Public Sector Pay Policy.

The pay of staff below Senior Civil Service level in the Scottish Government is determined within the parameters set by Public Sector Pay Policy. The Scottish Government''s Public Sector Pay Policy for 2011-12 requires employers covered by its provisions to introduce a Scottish living wage, currently set at £7.15 per hour. All full-time staff in the Scottish Government are currently paid above that rate. Any revision to the Scottish living wage set out in future Public Sector Pay Policy will be taken into account by the Scottish Government in determining minimum rates of pay.

The future of the Supporting Sustainability budget is dependent on the passage of the 2011-12 budget.

As I announced on 19 January 2011, we plan to spend £5 million in 2011-12 on the New Supply Shared Equity with Developers scheme. We also plan to spend up to £2 million on the Open Market Shared Equity scheme, which is demand-led. The open market scheme will be targeted at priority groups such as social renters to help free up social rented housing for those who need it most. In addition, further new funding will be made available for the New Supply Shared Equity scheme, the level of which will depend on the bids received under the planned £50 million competitive funding arrangement.

There will also be expenditure in 2011-12 on projects being funded through the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) schemes, which have been approved before or during 2010-11. The Scottish Government will be able to confirm the funding associated with these committed projects at the end of April 2011.

All homes provided under the National Housing Trust initiative (NHT) will be classed as private sector lets and will be available for rent at intermediate (mid-market) levels which makes them affordable to households on lower incomes, including those on housing benefit. That means that none of the NHT homes will be (a) offered for social rent through a Scottish secure tenancy or (b) made available for owner-occupiers. However, when the sale of homes is triggered between years five and 10 of the initiative, existing tenants will be given the option to buy their home before it is sold on the open market. Following exit from the initiative, homes could therefore be owner-occupied or available for continued letting.

The Scottish Government described its plans for maximising income in Scotland''s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12 and the supporting documentation.

This includes the proposal to use our powers to help increase resources in 2011-12 by increasing business rates paid by the largest retail properties, including supermarkets and out-of-town retail parks. We will seek parliamentary support for our proposal shortly.

In addition, we are maximising receipts from the sale of surplus land and buildings.