Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government last nominated or recommended a Scottish representative for the Board of Forestry Commissioners to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2009.

There are 4,943 hectares of native woodland approved for new planting in the next planting season through the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

There are 2,125 hectares of non native woodland approved for new planting in the next planting season through the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

NHS Lothian have set a target of 2015 for completion of the project but key dependencies include approval of an outline business case scheduled for November 2011, receiving outline planning consent for an integrated Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department for Clinical Neurosciences and successfully concluding a competitive dialogue procurement process with bidders prior to awarding the contract in 2012.

NHS Lothian’s previously approved proposal was for a new Royal Hospital for Sick Children only using predominantly public funding and delivered via the Frameworks Scotland delivery model. In the meantime the UK Government has applied 36.5% cut in capital budgets in real terms over the comprehensive spending review period. In order to deliver the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department for Clinical Neurosciences projects together, however, Scottish Government are supporting NHS Lothian to conclude a revenue financed solution using the Scottish Government’s non-profit distribution model.

The board will inform Scottish Government of the project’s key milestones in the business case due for submission in November 2011.

NHS Lothian is working with technical and financial advisors to develop an integrated design solution for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department for Clinical Neurosciences. This will inform an outline business case which is due for consideration in November 2011 and will include the estimated cost for the preferred option and form a basis for a competitive procurement to commence.

NHS Lothian previously sought Scottish Government approval for a new Royal Hospital for Sick Children using predominantly public funding. The project now being supported by the Scottish Government also incorporates the reprovision of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

The timescales for the delivery of the combined Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department for Clinical Neurosciences project need to take into account the development of an integrated design, planning approval for a revised project scope and completion of a competitive dialogue procurement with bidders in 2012 to support a non-profit distribution funding model. NHS Lothian will confirm the project’s key milestone dates within an outline business case due for submission to the Scottish Government in November 2011. All parties, NHS Lothian, Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust are working together to ensure that any delay is minimised.

NHS Lothian submitted an initial agreement for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in April 2006. The initial agreement for the Department of Clinical Neuroscience was submitted by NHS Lothian in June 2008.

Scottish Government approved the original outline business case for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children as a stand alone project in August 2008. Upon a review of the options available the capital cost of developing the preferred way forward at the Little France site was estimated to be £147.6 million excluding enabling works.

An outline business case for the Department of Clinical Neuroscience has not been submitted to Scottish Government for approval.

Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust officials have been working closely with NHS Lothian since November 2010 to help inform the strategic, financial, legal and procurement and governance aspects of the project.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to the delivery of the combined development of the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Edinburgh. With support and advice from Scottish Government Officials and the Scottish Futures Trust, NHS Lothian will take the project forward as quickly as possible.