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As the NHS does not have a direct labour organisation which wouldbuild a hospital, Glasgow’s New Children’s Hospital will be built by the privatesector, irrespective of the funding route agreed. It is premature to comment onthe appropriate procurement route at this time as this will be determined throughan auditable business case process and be based on a value for money assessment.

While subjects such as healthor education fall within the general responsibility of the Scottish ministers,“day-to-day” responsibility often lies with bodies such as local authorities orhealth boards. In general, preparation of answers should be based on the assumptionthat it is not appropriate for ministers to answer for these bodies, unless the Executive has a role (e.g. in setting policy or in collecting statistics centrally).Where the Executive collects information centrally (e.g. number of hospital patients)it would be appropriate for the information to be provided in the answer. In manycases, such information will be in published form and will already be in the publicdomain or available on the Internet and a link will be provided in the answer.

The information requested canbe obtained on the Parliament website which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-32181 on 16 March 2007. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-32181 on 16 March 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-32181 on 16 March 2007. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-32181 on 16 March 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

This is a matter for Her Majesty’sRevenue and Customs to pursue with Glasgow Housing Association and we await theoutcome of their discussions. The Scottish Executive has made clear its interestin this matter to both parties.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

This is a matter for GlasgowHousing Association (GHA) as an independent housing association. GHA is a registeredcharity and is obliged to abide by charitable law. Such bodies are expected to seekand act on their own legal advice in relation to specific issues, and I understandthat GHA has done that in relation to the period of time it can allow owners torepay costs without jeopardising its charitable status.

Revised guidance on car parkcharging has issued this week to NHS boards in a Health Department Letter. The revisedguidance reflects both the findings from the report of the review of hospital carparking charges prepared by officials, in consultation with NHS boards, and theHealth Committee’s criticisms of the guidance introduced in 2004 but the guidingprinciples of the earlier guidance have been retained. In particular, the introductionof car park charging, or revision of existing arrangements, is a matter for NHSboards in light of local circumstances.

The car parking consultationidentified examples of good practice across NHSScotland and the intention of therevised guidance is to make these examples become the good practice of all NHS boardsand thereby improve the car parking experience for all staff, patients, carers andvisitors.

NHS boards are expected to complywith guidance issued by the Health Department in the form of Health Department Letters(HDLs). Boards which fail to comply with the car parking guidance or any other guidanceissued in the form of HDLs are accountable to the Chief Executive of NHS Scotland.