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According to the statistics, alcohol gave rise to 275,575 hospitalisation days, 187,951 accident and emergency attendances, 93,999 out-patient visits and 64,382 ambulance journeys. Moreover, 26 per cent of all crime recorded by the police in 2000 was alcohol related.
In that time, we have seen a 40 per cent increase in rape and attempted rape, a 26 per cent increase in fire-raising and vandalism and a 27 per cent increase in drug-related crimes.
The strategy for tackling antisocial behaviour was put out to consultation on 26 June. Ministers, with commendable nobility, gave up their summer recesses to race across Scotland visiting communities and discovering the novelty of listening, and of listening as they had never listened before, so we are told.
Before I close the meeting, I thank everybody who has been involved in a successful visit to Kirkcudbright. That includes all the Parliament staff, including the official report and everybody who has put together this visit and helped us with sound.
It might be interesting to dip in and out from time to time. The next item on the agenda is a visit by the Public Accounts Committee of the New South Wales Parliament.
The committee would be amazed by the difference that visits from members make locally. Such visits mean that Scotland is once again in the news and gets talked about.
In any one area, 10 or 12 people are visiting. We envisage a duty on NHS boards to involve the public in future, with the process of visits to be undertaken more extensively by patient and user groups, supported by the Scottish health council.
In particular, I refer members to paragraphs 90 to 96 of the report.The European and External Relations Committee has requested a response by Friday 26 January. Do members wish me to express any views in a letter to that committee?
We have asked boards to ensure that the waiting time is reduced to 26 weeks—that is the target that is in place and we want boards to make progress toward achieving it.