Seòmar agus comataidhean

It is a matter for each local authority to ensure that the discretionary powers available to it under section 50 of the Children Act 1975 are used effectively and in accordance with both its statutory duties and also its local policies and priorities.

In addition to other relevant statutory powers and duties of local authorities, Section 50 of the Children Act 1975 provides a discretionary power to a local authority to make financial payments for the maintenance of a child to a person caring for the child. This person cannot be a parent or a foster carer.

The government''s current proposals are that associations set up development consortia and that this should be governed by a formal agreement. On page 25 of the consultation paper Investing in Affordable Housing: A Consultation it says; Consortium heads [or Lead Developers] will agree with the other consortium members what the nature of their contribution will be, how relations within the consortium will work and which organisation will eventually pay for, own and manage the new homes. They will also agree how to manage contracting and procurement in order to secure the most value from the process, and how completion and transfer of the new homes to the eventual owners and managers will work. Even when working with a Lead Developer there would still be a continuing role for smaller rural housing associations and the important contribution that their local expertise makes to development and procurement can be recognised and protected. It is also proposed to retain flexibility in funding arrangements and that associations could bid for funding without working with a Lead Developer, if they are pre-qualified. This could be another route through which smaller rural associations could continue to develop. We will look at responses to the consultation on this as well as all other points.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20837 on 6 March 2009. 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.

Scottish Government does not prescribe the actual rents a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) should charge, but for appraisal purposes we assume a benchmark rent in our grant calculation as we have a responsibility to ensure public money is used in the most efficient and effective fashion. This is a national benchmark and it is based on assessed affordability to a household with a single earner on the national minimum wage. Some RSLs choose to charge lower rents than others. Where an RSL chooses to charge actual rents below our benchmark assumption then it could have difficulty in raising the necessary private finance.

Details are as follows:

£ Million

	NHS Highland*		NHS Orkney		NHS Shetland		NHS Western Isles		NHS Grampian
	Initial Revenue Allocation	Real Terms	Initial Revenue Allocation	Real Terms	Initial Revenue Allocation	Real Terms	Initial Revenue Allocation	Real Terms	Initial Revenue Allocation	Real Terms
2004-05	239.2	270.6	22.4	25.3	26.7	30.2	42.2	47.7	481.7	545.0
2005-06	272.1	301.7	25.1	27.8	29.8	33.0	47.1	52.2	547.9	607.4
2006-07	419.6	452.9	26.9	29.0	31.8	34.3	50.3	54.3	583.5	629.8
2007-08	445.8	467.2	28.7	30.1	33.9	36.5	53.6	56.2	627.3	657.4
2008-09	459.6	466.5	29.7	30.1	34.9	35.4	55.2	56.0	646.3	656.0
2009-10	469.4	469.4	30.5	30.5	35.9	35.9	56.6	56.6	660.6	660.6

Note: *From 2006-07 NHS Highland''s allocation includes their increased responsibilities following the dissolution of NHS Argyll and Clyde.

Real Terms Figures are at 2009-10 Prices (£ Million)

	NHS Highland*		NHS Orkney		NHS Shetland		NHS Western Isles		NHS Grampian
	Capital Allocation	Real Terms	Capital Allocation	Real Terms	Capital Allocation	Real Terms	Capital Allocation	Real Terms	Capital Allocation	Real Terms
2004-05	8.4	9.5	0.5	0.6	0.5	0.6	1.2	1.4	17.6	19.9
2005-06	9.3	10.3	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.7	1.4	1.6	19.3	21.4
2006-07	15.5	16.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.8	1.6	1.7	23.2	25.0
2007-08	18.5	19.4	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	2.0	2.1	27.8	29.1
2008-09	18.6	18.9	0.9	0.9	1.0	1.0	1.9	1.9	29.3	297
2009-10	18.9	18.9	0.9	0.9	1.0	1.0	1.9	1.9	29.8	29.8

Notes:

*From 2006-07 NHS Highland''s allocation includes their increased responsibilities following the dissolution of NHS Argyll and Clyde.

Real Terms figures are at 2009-10 prices.

Capital charges are not levied on a hectarage basis, but on the value of assets shown on a department''s balance sheet. The charge is 3.5% of the average value over an accounting period. Capital charges for the national forest estate amounted to £23.4 million in 2007-08 and since the estate covers some 665,000 hectares we can calculate that the average cost per hectare was £35.

Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess the community care needs of people and decide, in the light of the assessment, whether they should arrange any services, and if so, which services. Since June 2003, local authorities have a duty to offer direct payments in lieu of council community care services to all eligible people. In light of recent concerns, I will be asking the Self-Directed Support Reference Group to review the operation of the legislation as part of their work on developing a Self-Directed Support National Strategy.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19845 on 5 February 2009. 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 letter agreeing that a number of the companies that were inspected by Russian veterinary inspectors could export was sent from Russia on 25 December 2008, allowing exports from 1 January 2009.

A fisheries memorandum with the Russian Federation was signed on the Scottish Government''s behalf by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 14 January 2009. This sets out the future terms of reference for the export of fish and fishery products between Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Russian Federation. A copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47406).