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It is an employer’s responsibility to train their staff. Employers must ensure that all staff have not only the appropriate skills and knowledge to carry out their role, but ensure that the knowledge and skills is continuously updated.

The National Care Standards clearly state that services must have a staff development strategy and effective training plans in place for all staff.

Staff working in care home services for adults are required to register with the Scottish Social Services Council. A condition of registration is that a person has, is or working towards, an appropriate qualification for the job they undertake.

It is an employer’s responsibility to train staff. Employers must ensure that all those working in their services have the appropriate skills and knowledge to carry out their role.

The National Care Standards clearly state that services must have policies and procedures in place which cover all legal requirements, including staffing and training. This includes having a staff development strategy and effective training plans in place for all staff.

The Scottish Government remains committed to eradicating fuel poverty in Scotland by 2016 as far as practicably possible. The number of people in fuel poverty at any given time is determined by income levels, energy prices and the energy efficiency of their homes. We have seen fuel price rises recently by Scottish Power that have clearly impacted on the number of people affected by fuel poverty.

Energy prices are dictated by markets and regulation of the energy companies is reserved to Westminster. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth has written to OfGEM seeking discussions with them and urging that they build on their Retail Market Review to deliver a radical simplification of tariff structures including considering possible compulsory tariffs for the fuel poor. OfGEM subsequently announced, on 22 June 2011, that it would press ahead with a radical overhaul of the retail energy market, including looking at sweeping away complex tariffs.

Employers are responsible for the training and continuous learning of their employees.

Bodies such as Skills for Care and Development, the sector skills council for the social services sector, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority amongst others, support employers in training their workforce.

There is guidance and tools available to all employers in the social services sector which supports the identification, level and quality of training required for their employees. This includes the SSSC Code of Practice, National Occupational Standards, Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and the Continuous Learning Framework.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-882 on 29 June 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Table 1 details how much has been spent on the NHS in Scotland, broken down by each NHS board area and special health boards:

Table 1: Total NHS Spend Since 1999-2000, Broken Down by NHS Board

Table 1 (continued)

Due to baseline adjustments and technical accounting changes, expenditure figures are not directly comparable with previous years.

Table 2 contains details of the spend on NHS maternity services in each board area in each year since 1999-2000:

Table 2: Total NHS Maternity Spend, Broken Down by NHS Board

Table 2 (continued)

NHS Argyll and Clyde was dissolved at the end of 2005-06 and responsibilities were transferred to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (previously NHS Greater Glasgow) and NHS Highland. This means that pre 2005-06 figures are not directly comparable with post 2005-06 for these two boards.

The precise information requested is not available.

Information about the number and whole time equivalent of midwives employed by contract type and NHS board is published by ISD annually at 30 September. The latest published information showing figures for 30 September 2007 to 30 September 2010 is available at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health%2DTopics/Workforce/Nursing%2Dand%2DMidwifery/Nursing_and_midwifery%202010.xls.

The number of midwives by contract type for the years 30 September 2003 to 30 September 2005 is available at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health%2DTopics/Workforce/Nursing%2Dand%2DMidwifery/list-of-historic-tables.asp.

Figures for 1999 to 2002 are not available. Figures for 2006 are not available due to the assimilation to Agenda for Change.

I understand from Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) that at the inspection of 30 March 2011, Ranaich House received “weak” grades across all quality themes. I further understand that SCSWIS has served two improvement notices on this service since this inspection and a further inspection took place on 13 June 2011. The inspection report is being finalised and SCSWIS will undertake the necessary steps to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of the residents.

I understand from Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland that it received nine complaints after 9 November 2010 broken down as follows:

I further understand that consideration of the three complaints marked as “in progress” is pended as a consequence of the ongoing police investigation.

Information about the number and whole time equivalent (full-time equivalent) of midwives employed by NHS board is published by ISD annually at 30 September. The latest published information showing figures for 30 September 2007 to 30 September 2010 is available at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health%2DTopics/Workforce/Nursing%2Dand%2DMidwifery/Nursing_and_midwifery%202010.xls.

Midwifery staff figures for the years 30 September 1999 to 30 September 2005 are available at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health%2DTopics/Workforce/Nursing%2Dand%2DMidwifery/list-of-historic-tables.asp.

Figures for 2006 are not available due to the assimilation to Agenda for Change.