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I refer the member to the answer to question to S3W-31323 on 25 February 2010. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31346 on 24 February 2010. 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.

A single improvement and scrutiny body for social work and social care services, including child protection and the integration of children''s services, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) will be established from April 2011.

SCSWIS will analyse evidence and other information from inspections, registration, complaints, investigations and other professional intelligence and report on the quality of services, how risks can be minimised, problems addressed and continuous improvement achieved. On the basis of performance evidence SCSWIS will move away from cyclical scrutiny programmes towards shared, risk-based, proportionate programmes.

The creation of SCSWIS will build on the good work of existing scrutiny bodies for the sector and over time, will allow people who use services, their carers and the wider public to see and experience further significant improvement in the quality of their services.

A single improvement and scrutiny body for social work and social care services, including child protection and the integration of children''s services, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) will be established from April 2011. SCSWIS will focus on outcomes for service users to provide a comprehensive picture of how the needs of people using services are met - from service strategy and design, the assessment of need through to the quality of services provided to individuals.

SCSWIS will analyse evidence and other information from inspections, registration, complaints, investigations and other professional intelligence. From this analysis it will report on the quality of services, how risks can be minimised, problems addressed and continuous improvement achieved. SCSWIS will collaborate with other scrutiny bodies to understand and report how services could be improved to achieve better outcomes for individuals.

Year on year growth in dispensed medications between 1999-2000 and 2008-09 has ranged from 2.9% to 5%. We have seen no evidence thus far to suggest that growth will be out with this range in the specified years.

In determining a direct payment rate, local authorities take into account local conditions and workforce considerations. This inevitably leads to variation in direct payment rates across local authorities.

We do not collect this information centrally. In line with our guidance, it is for local authorities to determine the direct payment rate. This ensures that local authorities can take into account local conditions and workforce considerations.

Scottish Government''s National Guidance on Self-directed Support advises that direct payment packages should meet the cost of providing a service which is of an equivalent standard to that which the local authority would provide. This means that a direct payment package to purchase a service from a provider should take into account the range of hourly rates for day, night, weekend, bank and local holiday and emergency cover.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30968 on 4 February 2010. 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.

People who are exempt from paying prescription charges are eligible for the Minor Ailment Service. We estimate this to be approximately 2.9 million people.