Apart from specific funding allocations, mental health services will be funded from an NHS board’s overall allocation.

The Executive issues an overall allocation to NHS boards within whichboards are expected to operate. Overall allocations are not made in relation tospecific service provision such as mental health services. It is a matter for NHSboards to distribute their allocations to these services.

The following table lists the specific mental health funding allocations made to NHS Argyll and Clyde since 1999.

Financial Year	£ Specific Allocation	Source
1999-2000	79,000	Mental Health Development Fund
2000-01	410,000	Mental Health Development Fund
2001-02	560,000	Mental Health and Wellbeing Development Fund
2002-03	NIL	N/A
2003-04	74,340*	Improve Mental Health Services
2004-05	300,000	Mental Health Doing Well Programme
2004-05	354,000*	Improve Mental Health Services
2003-06	450,000#	Centre for Change and Innovation’s Doing Well by People with Depression programme

Notes:

*Funds paid “through” NHS boards for joint action with local authorities.

#Total allocated throughout life of project (2003-06).

It is for Argyll and Clyde NHS Board to decide what their Clinical Strategy should consist of.

Executive policy is clear that any proposals for significant service change or closure must be subject to formal public consultation and ministerial approval.

The Executive considers that best practice is where service users and their carers are routinely involved in the assessment of their needs and with the development of an appropriate care plan and also where the range of interventions includes partner agencies and covers preventative measures, community and hospital based care.

Domestic abuse could be prosecuted under a variety of charges, such as assault. However, in the convictions data held centrally, such cases cannot be separately identified from other offenders convicted of these offences. The latest available statistics on incidents of domestic abuse were published in November 2003 in a statistical bulletin Domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland, 2002 (Bib. number 30075).  Table 13 in this bulletin provides figures for each police force area on the number of identified perpetrators of crimes or offences of domestic abuse cleared up by the police who were referred to the Procurator Fiscal.

The Executive considers that best practice is demonstrated where service users and their carers are involved in the assessment of needs and development of an appropriate care plan and where the range of interventions from preventative measures to community and hospital based care are available.

The Scottish Executive is taking action on a number of fronts: -

A Route Accident Reduction Plan study for the A82 from Tyndrum to Inverness has been completed and the recommendations are being considered for early action.

A Route Action Plan has been commissioned on the A82 which will seek to identify measures to improve road safety and reduce journey times on the route. The study will be carried out on the sections between Tarbet and Crianlarich and North Ballachullish and Fort William.

In the short-term we are committed to four structural maintenance schemes at Tarbet – Weavers Cottage, Weavers – Kenmore Wood, South of Inveruglas and South of Inverarnan giving a total investment of £3.1 million.

The first of the schemes, south of Inveruglus estimated at £800,000, is programmed to start on site in February 2005. The other schemes will start during the current three year programme but the timescales of the programme can be subject to change.

In addition, the annual accident analysis of the trunk road network is underway in order to identify and prioritise sites for investigation. The A82 is included in this exercise and any remedial action required will be carried out in 2005-06.

As you are aware I have arranged to meet with you on 16 December 2004 to discuss your concerns about road safety on the A82 and the measures which I have set out in more detail.

Children’s services becameeligible for direct payments in June 2003.  The number of parents of childrenwith disabilities receiving direct payments between June 2003 and the end ofMarch 2004 is given in the following table:

Direct Payments Clients Aged0-15 years by Local Authority, 2003-04 

Local Authority	Total Number of Clients 0-15 Years
Aberdeen City	10
Argyll and Bute	2
East Ayrshire	1
Highland	2
North Lanarkshire	2
Stirling	1
West Dunbartonshire	1
Scotland	19

Source: SEHD annual surveyof direct payments.

The information asked for is contained in the following table:

Number of Recipients of Direct Payments, year to 31 March

Local Authority	2002-03	2003-04
Aberdeen City	11	40
Aberdeenshire	11	19
Angus	30	32
Argyll and Bute	0	29
Clackmannanshire	18	23
Dumfries and Galloway	27	39
Dundee City	0	9
East Ayrshire	17	25
East Dunbartonshire	0	1
East Lothian	7	13
East Renfrewshire	0	2
Edinburgh, City of	89	120
Eilean Siar	5	4
Falkirk	0	19
Fife	120	190
Glasgow City	15	26
Highland	43	55
Inverclyde	0	0
Midlothian	0	4
Moray	7	17
North Ayrshire	0	19
North Lanarkshire	11	18
Orkney Islands	1	16
Perth and Kinross	19	20
Renfrewshire	3	7
Scottish Borders	50	87
Shetland Islands	0	4
South Ayrshire	31	32
South Lanarkshire	0	4
Stirling	0	8
West Dunbartonshire	0	13
West Lothian	19	17
Scotland	534	912

Source: SEHD annual survey of direct payments.

The information can also be found on the SE website:

Direct Payments Scotland 2004 (Table 8):

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00370-00.asp.

Direct Payments, 2003 (Table 1):

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00294-00.asp.

This information is not held centrally in the format requested.

Implementation is primarily a matter for local authorities, health boards and their planning partners, working in partnership with people with learning disabilities and their families.

It will be monitored through NHS Quality Improvement Scotland learning disability review visits, the NHS Performance Assessment Framework, and Community Care and learning disability statistical information collected and published by the Scottish Executive Analytical Services Division.

The Scottish Executive will respond to local authorities and their partners on new Partnership in Practice agreements being completed now for the years 2004-07. All agreements will be publicly available on the Scottish Executive website, with this feedback.