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The Scottish Government will commission a major piece of research for early 2010 to look at how The same as you? has improved the quality of life for people with learning disabilities and their families.

The Scottish Government collects annual statistical returns about the provision of services for people with learning disabilities. From 2008 this information will be collated through the eSAY project, which outlines a set of national data standards to ensure information is recorded and measured in the same way across Scotland. The Scottish Government is working with the partnership in practice network, which includes representatives from local authorities and health boards, to support the measurement and demonstration of outcomes at a local level through eSAY.

The Social Work Inspection Agency and Care Commission will also continue to have a role in evaluating the delivery of services and monitoring regulated care settings.

The same as you? implementation group will continue to work on identified priorities specific to people with learning disabilities. This will be complimented by work to develop an approach to Independent Living, with a focus on ensuring choice and control for all disabled people, enabling independence and inclusion.

Action has been taken on each of the 29 recommendations in The same as you? resulting in a significant shift in the balance of care from people living in institutional settings to community based support services. Annual returns have been submitted from all local authorities on implementation of the review, which demonstrate an increase in tenancies, personal life plans, local area coordination and alternative day opportunities. The 2007 return can be accessed on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/03/20154612/0.

The overall aim of the review was to ensure that people with learning disabilities are included in our communities and involved in decisions about their lives. It recognised that general community services should be accessible where possible with specialist services available as required.

We have provided £9.5 million of funding to date to housing associations in 2008-09 for medical adaptations. Total spend in 2008-09 for medical adaptations will be available during April 2009.

Discussions are currently being held with the existing health and social care bodies to help establish the relevant scrutiny bodies and decisions on their structure and functions have yet to be made.

The Accountability and Governance Action group was one of five groups set up last year. The final action group to report published its report on 13 January 2009. I expect to publish a composite response to the Accountability and Governance Action Group, and the other four action groups, shortly. This composite response from the Scottish Government will address the interconnected issues, addressed by all the action groups in their work.

The Scottish Government does not measure unmet need. It is for individual local authorities to identify and meet the eligible needs of people in their area within a reasonable timescale according to relevant welfare and housing legislation and guidance and to monitor their own performance.

It is for individual local authorities to identify and meet the eligible needs of people in their area within a reasonable timescale according to relevant welfare and housing legislation and guidance. If individual clients are unhappy about the timescale or any other aspect of the delivery of services or equipment, they can raise this through the local authority''s complaints procedures.

Council funded local support services exist in most parts of Scotland to help service users, including those with a learning disability, to receive the support they need to access self-directed support. Officials will be undertaking visits to local authorities in 2009 to identify particular local obstacles that are preventing a more radical increase in the uptake of self-directed support, which will include consideration of the support mechanisms available to those accessing self-directed support.

Guidance published by the Scottish Procurement Directorate in August 2008 made clear that councils should have a strategy for the commissioning/procurement of social care services which recognises the need to maintain quality and continuity and addresses the concerns of service users. The Scottish Government is continuing to work with local authorities to promote best practice in the consideration of self-directed support in the context of wider commissioning strategies. The Social Work Inspection Agency is also developing self-evaluation guidance on commissioning.