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The recommendation to strengthen strategic direction and investment planning through a senior, government wide, investment co-ordination and challenge function has been implemented. The recommendation to collect information on all projects and get explanations for cost, time and quality changes, and lessons learned and to report performance publicly is being implemented.

The Infrastructure Investment Group is actively considering how best to take forward the remaining two recommendations. These are that the Scottish Government should ensure robust procurement strategies and cost estimates have been developed prior to awarding funding to projects, and that it should take account of market conditions and construction inflation when developing its capital programme. The group is actively considering how to build on existing structures and processes, augmenting these as necessary to meet both recommendations.

The core Scottish Government has an internal target to reduce the amount of office waste going to landfill, by recycling 80% of its total waste by March 2011. The figures achieved in 2007-08 were:

17 per cent less waste produced than in the previous year;

76 per cent of waste was recycled, and

29 per cent increase in use of video conferencing.

The Scottish Government does not collate waste figures on a directorate basis. Agencies are not required to provide recycling figures to the Scottish Government.

There is no specific legislation that prohibits the use of a mobile phone either by a member of the public or by the police while riding a horse on the public highway.

The Scottish economy is, where possible, identified according to the geographical location of economic activity.

 

Prior to the retirement of Dr Reed, the responsibilities of the Director of Finance and Corporate Services post were combined with those of the Director of Business Improvement, as an interim measure. The Permanent Secretary has agreed with the current Chief Executive of Transport Scotland that the post of Finance Director should be separated from the remainder of Corporate Services. The post of Director of Business Improvement will become Director of Corporate Services and Business Improvement. Arrangements are being put in place to fill the Finance Director post.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21400 on 4 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.

The Outturn Report for 2007-08 can be found on the internet at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/10/Outturn2008.

The 2008-09 Outturn Report is scheduled to be published in October and will, like previous reports, be placed in the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre.

The Scottish Care Homes Census takes place in March each year. At March 2007, there were 24,242 residents in private care homes for older people. At March 2008, the most recent published census there were 24,120.

The information requested is being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available. A copy of the response will be available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number. 48176).

The distinction between nursing homes and residential care homes was removed in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. All services providing accommodation together with nursing, personal care or personal support are registered with the Care Commission as care homes. The arrangements for monitoring the quality of care in care homes through inspection and complaints investigation are an operational matter for the Care Commission.

As part of its commitment to ensuring good quality care, the Care Commission introduced in April 2008 a grading scheme for care services, including care homes. This was in response to what service users, their family and carers want, and was piloted in the 2007-08 inspection year. The grading system provides clear information to everyone about the quality of each care service across different aspects of that service.

Further information about how the commission inspects care homes and its grading system is available from its chief executive. Her contact details are:

Ms Jacquie Roberts

Chief Executive

Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care

Compass House

11 Riverside Drive

Dundee

DD1 4NY

Email: Jacquie.roberts@carecommission.com.

Phone: 01382 207100.

The distinction between nursing homes and residential care homes was removed in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (the Act). All services providing accommodation together with nursing, personal care or personal support are registered with the Care Commission as care homes.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of complaints made about care homes. The Act requires care service providers to have a complaints system and to investigate complaints made against their service. The Act also requires the Care Commission to have a complaints procedure and to investigate complaints about care services, including care homes.

Information about its complaints procedure, and data on complaints received, can be obtained from the Care Commission. Please contact the chief executive:

Ms Jacquie Roberts

Chief Executive

Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care

Compass House

11 Riverside Drive

DUNDEE

DD1 4NY

Email Jacquie.roberts@carecommission.com

Phone 01382207100.