Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of making information accessible to British Sign Language (BSL) users. We routinely provide BSL interpreters for meetings if BSL users will be present, and we consider providing BSL DVD translations of publications where appropriate, or if it is not appropriate, ensure that the relevant information is communicated to BSL users in a suitable way.

Sections 17 and 18 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 deal with the abandonment and ensuing repossession of properties under the Scottish secure tenancy. The information is not held centrally for local authority landlords; however, information on the number of abandonments following the start of evictions proceedings by local authorities is collected and is set out in the following table.

Eviction Actions Against Council Tenants: April 2002 to March 2008

Number of Cases Resulting in a Termination of the Tenancy through Abandonment or Eviction

	Abandonment	Eviction
Scotland	6,867	6,275
Aberdeen City	1,159	103
Aberdeenshire	40	254
Angus	0	71
Argyll and Bute	0	59
Clackmannanshire	33	36
Dumfries and Galloway	25	39
Dundee City	595	336
East Ayrshire	123	592
East Dunbartonshire	45	92
East Lothian	7	76
East Renfrewshire	13	51
Edinburgh, City of	1,552	170
Eilean Siar	2	4
Falkirk	261	480
Fife	133	470
Glasgow City	225	133
Highland	65	163
Inverclyde	13	42
Midlothian	4	122
Moray	6	59
North Ayrshire	44	297
North Lanarkshire	1,990	817
Orkney	0	4
Perth and Kinross	22	90
Renfrewshire	31	703
Scottish Borders	18	13
Shetland	4	8
South Ayrshire	217	197
South Lanarkshire	47	359
Stirling	82	110
West Dunbartonshire	57	39
West Lothian	54	286

Source: Evictions returns by local authorities to the Scottish Government: Communities Analytical Services (Housing Statistics).

Notes:

1. Figures may include estimates based on previous data due to outstanding returns.

2. Following housing stock transfers, figures for Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Scottish Borders are not included from 2003-04, Eilean Siar, Argyll and Bute and Inverclyde from 2007-08.

I have asked Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator, to provide information in respect of registered social landlords and this is provided in the following table.

Abandonments and Evictions in Registered Social Landlord tenancies, from 2004-05 to 2007-08*, by Local Authority Area

	Total Abandonments	Total Evictions1
Scotland	10,616	4,802
Aberdeen City	85	118
Aberdeenshire	53	74
Angus	70	48
Argyll and Bute	81	52
Clackmannanshire	87	64
Dumfries and Galloway	414	235
Dundee City	299	186
East Ayrshire	177	49
East Dunbartonshire	68	39
East Lothian	14	26
East Renfrewshire	44	28
Edinburgh, City of	467	365
Eilean Siar	17	7
Falkirk	135	90
Fife	268	170
Glasgow City	6,178	2,213
Highland	85	69
Inverclyde	43	45
Midlothian	37	25
Moray	11	24
North Ayrshire	97	75
North Lanarkshire	288	89
Orkney	4	4
Perth and Kinross	70	33
Renfrewshire	478	186
Scottish Borders	392	193
Shetland	2	3
South Ayrshire	12	9
South Lanarkshire	156	70
Stirling	16	18
West Dunbartonshire	244	87
West Lothian	224	108

Source: Scottish Housing Regulator Annual Performance and Statistical Returns (APSR).

Notes:

*This information was not collected prior to 2004-05.

1. Total evictions: number of eviction proceedings resulting in either abandonment or recovery of vacant possession. Abandonments during eviction proceedings are thus included in both columns of this table.

A contract was awarded to MPH Accessible Media on 26 March 2007 to translate parliamentary information into BSL. They have completed eight videos, since then, seven of which are on the Parliament website. The contractor is currently translating a further publication on engagement. 

The SPCB is committed to the provision of BSL in the Parliament. Routinely, the SPCB considers BSL for all new publications produced by the Parliament and has translated most of the public information leaflets into BSL. The new engagement publication for instance will be the next BSL video produced. BSL translations can also be provided for parliamentary business and public engagement on request.

Continuous efforts are made to enhance the accessibility of information in the Parliament including its website, publications and official documents which are regularly reviewed through the SPCB Disability Equality Scheme.

 

The Parliament has a webpage dedicated to BSL and is currently working towards enhancing the use of BSL on the website.

This is being carried out through the web development project where accessibility issues are being fully considered. BSL users will be properly consulted to identify areas where BSL translation would be most effective on the Parliament''s website.

Further improvements are being made to accessing BSL videos by embedding these on the Parliament website using Flash, and by providing access via other channels such as the Parliament''s YouTube channel.

If the Member would like further information on the provision of BSL within the Parliament, the SPCB''s Equality Team is happy to arrange a meeting to discuss the various arrangements in place.

The abandonment procedure for Scottish secure tenancies is set out in sections 17 and 18 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. Section 19 of that act provides that a tenant whose house has been repossessed in accordance with that procedure has a right of appeal to the court within six months of the repossession. Under section 21 of the act, a joint tenant has the right of recourse to the court within eight weeks after the date the landlord serves the notice bringing the abandoned tenant''s interest to an end.

A Detective Superintendent from Strathclyde Police has been involved in this matter since July 2008. In early September, following discussions with the Area Procurator Fiscal for Argyll and Clyde, the police were asked to examine the medical records of all patients involved and further assess the circumstances before a police investigation could be instructed. In late September 2008, officers from Strathclyde Police met with representatives of Kent Constabulary who had been involved in the investigation a similar outbreak at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The purpose of that meeting was to scope the extent of an investigation, access the specialist assistance and knowledge required to undertake such an investigation and to benefit from the experience gained by Kent officers.

The incident room was established at Dumbarton Police Office on 20 November 2008, following consultation with the Area Procurator Fiscal and after appropriate preparatory work had been scoped by senior detective officers.

The administration of elections in Scotland, including the provision of polling stations, is the responsibility of the individual Returning Officer within each local authority area. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, places a duty on all public authorities to promote equality and eliminate discrimination against those with disabilities while exercising their functions. Returning Officers should have regard to their duties under this legislation when considering access to the democratic process.

The Scottish Executive and the NHS in Scotland have a legal duty to undertake equality impact assessments of their existing and proposed policies and procedures under the race, disability and gender legislation to ensure fair and equal access. This requirement extends to ensuring health campaigns are inclusive of and accessible to disabled people.

A range of central resources and support, including an Equality Impact Assessment Toolkit has been provided. National guidance entitled Achieving Fair Access, published in July 2007, provides advice to the NHS in Scotland on removing barriers disabled people face in accessing health services and this includes advice on appropriate and accessible communication.

A new Equalities and Planning Directorate was established on 1 April 2008 within NHS Health Scotland to provide support for the NHS in Scotland and will build on the work already undertaken under the Fair for All framework.

NHS24 is currently developing a National Health Information and Support Service for Scotland, bringing together quality assured information from across the NHS and the voluntary sector and making this information accessible through telephone helpline, high street facilities and the web. This information will be developed in a range of formats to ensure it is accessible and appropriate for disabled people.

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places duties on education authorities to ensure that the additional support needs of all children and young people are addressed and that they have access to the same range of learning opportunities as other pupils. Education authorities are required to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all pupils and to tailor provision to meet their individual needs.

It is for education authorities to ensure that they have in place a range of suitably qualified staff with the appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding to undertake the teaching required of them and fully support the needs of all pupils with additional support needs.

Through the continuing professional development (CPD) framework, the Scottish Government fully expects all teachers to be able to recognise and know how to support pupils with additional support needs. Teachers should know where to go for specialist advice and support with regard to the educational provision for pupils to ensure that the appropriate assessments, interventions and strategies can be put in place. A national CPD team is also in place to support a network of local authority CPD co-ordinators to help share best practice. The team has particular expertise in additional support needs.

In addition, we are supporting the Scottish Teacher Education Committee (STEC) Action Plan “ Framework for Inclusion, a two year action plan to take forward inclusive education in initial teacher education and continuous professional development.

We will also soon publish The Autism Toolbox, an autism resource for Scottish local authorities and schools. This will draw on a range of practice experience, literature and research to support education authorities and school staff develop innovative and individualised approaches to teaching pupils with autism.