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The Scottish Government and its partners remain committed and are on course to achieve the 2012 homelessness commitment. Current statistics show that 88% of applications are being accorded priority need by local authorities, representing steady progress towards the target. The next statistical bulletin is due to be published on 14 February 2012.

We plan to publish proposals soon for a Children’s Bill. The bill will form one element in a wider programme of measures to drive forward manifesto commitments around early years and early intervention, Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and updating the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. GIRFEC seeks to improve the well-being and life chances of all children and young people by providing a common framework, practice model and language to deliver a co-ordinated approach which is appropriate, proportionate and timely, and has the child at the centre.

Government officials are working directly with 17 Community Planning Partnerships to support implementation of Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), a person centred approach to services for children and young people. Good progress is being made in implementing the main elements of GIRFEC across Scotland, including the role of the Named Person. This has already been implemented in areas including Highland, Edinburgh, Fife, Angus and South Ayrshire. The GIRFEC Highland Pathfinder showed that, by having a Named Person, a child’s needs are identified at an earlier stage and, where necessary, the child receives extra support form different agencies much more quickly.

Specifically on volunteering opportunities, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Volunteering Programme aims to engage a diverse, inclusive and committed group of high calibre volunteers to work with the Organising Committee (OC) to ensure the delivery of a truly outstanding, athlete-centred and sport-focused games. The 2014 Organising Committee will be looking to attract volunteers from all walks of life, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation and from all locations. The details and timeline for the recruitment process will be posted on the 2014 Organising Committee website as we approach the games.

http://www.glasgow2014.com/the_games/getting_involved/public.aspx.

As well as the 15,000 volunteering opportunities on offer as a result of hosting the games, we are committed to creating a lasting volunteering legacy from the games, attracting new volunteers, enhancing the capacity of the volunteer pool and providing a range of volunteering opportunities across Scotland.

On 16 January 2011, EventTeam Scotland was launched. This is an online database which “matchmakes” event volunteers and event organisers to allow volunteers to link with events, gain experience, use existing skills, gain new skills and enjoy events. To date, we have had almost 1,000 volunteers registered on the site, some of whom are already gaining vital experience of volunteering at events. To find out more about Event Team Scotland please visit http://www.eventteamscotland.org.

Specifically on transport infrastructure, working with our transport partners, the Scottish Government has completed several sustainable transport schemes in and around Glasgow, to support the games, and is progressing other projects. These schemes, including the M74 extension which was completed below budget and was opened ahead of schedule on 28 June, the redevelopment of Dalmarnock Station and the Airdrie to Bathgate route will provide additional connections for those in the north of Glasgow. These projects will bring significant improvements to Glasgow’s already impressive transport infrastructure, opening up the city, including the north, to economic development opportunities that will leave a lasting legacy from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games for the whole of Scotland.

Specifically on investment in sport, we have made available £4 million over the next four years for communities to improve sports facilities in their area. Grants for projects with a value up to £100,000 will be available to community groups and sports clubs to upgrade and improve local facilities.

We have also committed £1.5 million per year up to 2015 to support local authorities develop their plans for the roll out of Community Sport Hubs which will specifically address the local needs and priorities for sport in the community in which they are located.

This will bring sport together at the local level for the first time giving them a home, allowing clubs to pool expertise and deliver more opportunities for people to take part in sport in a welcoming and safe environment.

In 2011-12, sportscotland will invest up to £1,053,702 in Glasgow City Council, with £902,500 allocated to Active Schools, and the remaining £151,202 directed towards community sport hub development.

The Scottish Government is committed to maximising the benefits to and creating a lasting legacy for the whole of Scotland from Glasgow hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games. These benefits cut across the four themes of Active, Flourishing, Connected and Sustainable as set out in our Scotland-wide games legacy plan a games legacy for Scotland. We continue to work with our wide range of partners, including local authorities, to ensure individuals, groups, communities and businesses across Scotland get every possible benefit from these Games and other major events coming to Scotland.

To reflect what is going on nationally and locally, we have developed a web portal http://www.gameslegacyscotland.org/ which showcases the programmes and range of support provided across legacy activities. The portal is the key focal point for information on legacy and how to get involved. The portal also points to the work by Glasgow City Council and its range of partners and agencies, to support the ambitions of Glasgow’s Legacy Framework including those for the north of Glasgow http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/AboutGlasgow/AGamesLegacyForGlasgow/.

Specifically on business opportunities, the Scottish Government continues to work with Scottish Enterprise and other business partners to use the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games to help build the capacity of Scottish businesses, including social enterprises, to bid for contracts, in order that they can compete better in local, national and international markets.

Scottish companies continue to benefit from winning contracts from major events, giving a much needed boost to the economy. One hundred and thirty-three contracts out of 171 contracts awarded through the 2014 business portal have been awarded to Scottish based companies with the promise of more to come. Of the contracts and subcontracts awarded to date, 69 have been awarded to companies based in Glasgow, 21 of which are based in the north west and 14 of which are based in the north east.

These contracts are helping people back into work and others into their first jobs. Key to our legacy aspirations is that the games act as a catalyst to support people moving into and towards employment through games-related job, volunteering and training opportunities. The Scottish Government is determined to ensure that the public sector across Scotland makes the best use of public funds and is promoting the use of community benefit clauses. Through this policy, 339 New Entrant Trainee (NET) employment places for the long-term unemployed or education leavers have already been secured in Glasgow across games projects. Of that, approximately 170 residents from the north east and north west areas of Glasgow have secured a (NET) place.