Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-16655

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 25 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the length of time was of the service of the former head of its EU Office in Brussels, including the time in post to plan for, and set up, the office, until his early retirement.

Question reference: S2W-16436

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements have been made to the A96 in each of the last six years and what improvements are scheduled to be carried out in the future.

A significant number of projects have been undertaken to improve the A96 during the last six years and further improvements to the A96 are being prepared. These various improvements are listed in the following tables split between major construction works completed or under construction, road safety works completed, other construction works completed and future works planned.

Major Construction Works

Location

Completion Date

Newtongarry Climbing Lane

2004

Coachford realignment –

Under construction.

Completion programmed 2005

Future Major Construction Works

Location	Planned Start of Works
Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass	2006
Threapland junction improvement	2007
Delnies road improvement	2007

Road Safety Works

Measure	Location
Anti-skid surfacing	Inveramasay, Oyne Fork, Ardgilzean, Keith School, Tesco, Keith, Auchmill Road Aberdeen
Accident Investigation and Prevention improvements	Binhill, Whinbrae and Dramlachs climbing lanes
Signing and lining improvements	Cullernie, Broomhill.Old Rayne and Oyne Fork.
Junction bollard and verge marker improvements	Numerous locations over the last 6 years
Safety fence improvements and installation	Numerous locations over the last 6 years

Future Road Safety Works

Measure	Planned Start of Works
Improvements arising from A96 Route Accident Reduction Plan	Route Accident Reduction Plan study to start shortly

Other Construction Works

Location	Completion Date
Dummuies junction stacking lane	2000
Bucksburn Landscaping Improvement	2003
Rumbuch to Bogbain embankment stabilisation	2004
New roundabout and road realignment by TESCO at Elgin	2004
New roundabout and road realignment as a result of development at Smithton, Inverness	2004
Footway construction at Mosstodloch	2004

Question reference: S2W-16370

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new police recruits were from a (a) white and (b) non-white background in each of the last five years, broken down by police force, showing the year-on-year percentage change and the percentage of each year's intake represented by each group.

The available information is set out in the following tables.

1999-2000

	White	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 1998-99	Percentage of Total Recruits
	White	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 1998-99	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	26	-45.8%	0	-1	100%	0%
Dumfries and Galloway	21	-46.2%	1	1	95.5%	0.5%
Fife	40	-62.5%	1	1	97.6%	2.4%
Grampian	24	-71.8%	1	1	96%	4%
Lothian and Borders	62	-25.8%	2	0	96.9%	3.1%
Northern	23	-47.8%	0	-1	100%	0%
Strathclyde	250	-26.3%	7	3	97.3%	2.7%
Tayside	38	-48.6%	0	1	100%	0%
Total	484	-36.5%	12	3	97.6%	2.4%

2000-01

	White	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 1999-2000	Percentage of Total Recruits
	White	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 1999-2000	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	39	50%	0	0	100%	0%
Dumfries and Galloway	46	119%	0	-1	100%	0%
Fife	50	25%	0	-1	100%	0%
Grampian	115	379.2%	0	-1	100%	0%
Lothian and Borders	181	191.9%	8	6	95.8%	4.2%
Northern	43	86.9%	2	2	95.6%	4.4%
Strathclyde	493	97.2%	10	3	98%	2%
Tayside	65	71%	1	1	98.5%	1.5%
Total	1,032	113.2%	21	9	98%	2%

2001-02

	White	Percentage change over 2000-01	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 2000-01	Percentage of Total Recruits
	White	Percentage change over 2000-01	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 2000-01	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	16	-59%	0	0	100%	0%
Dumfries and Galloway	23	-50%	0	0	100%	0%
Fife	94	88%	0	0	100%	0%
Grampian	56	-51.3%	0	0	100%	0%
Lothian and Borders	154	14.9%	3	-5	98.1%	1.9%
Northern	45	4.7%	0	-10	100%	0%
Strathclyde	306	-37.9%	6	4	98.1%	1.9%
Tayside	67	3.1%	0	-1	100%	0%
Total	761	-26.3%	9	-12	98.8%	1.2%

2002-03

	White	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 2001-02	Percentage of Total Recruits
	White	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 2001-02	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	49	206.3%	0	0	100%	0%
Dumfries and Galloway	19	-17.4%	0	0	100%	0%
Fife	60	-36.2%	1	1	98.4%	1.6%
Grampian	67	19.6%	0	0	100%	0%
Lothian and Borders	128	-16.9%	3	0	97.7%	2.3%
Northern	30	-33.3%	0	0	100%	0%
Strathclyde	440	43.7%	6	0	98.7%	1.3%
Tayside	47	-29.8%	0	0	100%	0%
Total	840	10.4%	10	1	98.8%	1.2%

2003-04

	White	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 2002-03	Percentage of Total Recruits
	White	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Visible Ethnic	Change in Number of Recruits Over 2002-03	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	39	-20.4%	1	1	97.5%	2.5%
Dumfries and Galloway	23	+21%	1	1	95.6%	4.4%
Fife	83	38.3%	1	0	98.8%	1.2%
Grampian	125	86.6%	0	0	100%	0%
Lothian and Borders	198	54.7%	0	-3	100%	0%
Northern	31	3.3%	0	0	100%	0%
Strathclyde	406	-7.7%	9	3	97.8%	2.2%
Tayside	47	0%	2	2	95.9%	4.1%
Total	952	13.3%	14	4	98.6%	1.4%

Source: Annual Statistical Returns from forces to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Question reference: S2W-16371

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) white and (b) non-white police officers were employed by each police force in each of the last five years, showing the year-on-year percentage change and the percentage of the total number represented by each group.

The available information is set out in the following tables.

1999-2000

	White	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Percentage of Total Officers
	White	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	719	0.3%	2	0%	99.7%	0.3%
Dumfries and Galloway	450	3%	1	100%	99.8%	0.2%
Fife	834	-1.2%	3	50%	99.6%	0.4%
Grampian	1,211	-2.8%	4	33.3%	99.7%	0.3%
Lothian and Borders	2,573	-1.4%	11	83.3%	99.6%	0.4%
Northern	652	-1.1%	1	0%	99.9%	0.2%
Strathclyde	7,056	-0.58%	45	18.4%	99.4%	0.6%
Tayside	1,134	-1.1%	3	0%	99.8%	0.3%
Total	14,629	-0.9%	70	27.27%	99.5%	0.5%

2000-01

	White	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Percentage of Total Officers
	White	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	731	1.7%	2	0%	99.7%	0.3%
Dumfries and Galloway	477	6%	1	0%	99.8%	0.2%
Fife	848	1.7%	4	33.3%	99.5%	0.5%
Grampian	1,268	4.7%	5	25%	99.6%	0.4%
Lothian and Borders	2,652	3.1%	18	63.7%	99.3%	0.7%
Northern	665	2%	3	200%	99.6%	0.5%
Strathclyde	7,263	2.9%	55	22.2%	99.3%	0.8%
Tayside	1,154	1.8%	3	0%	99.7%	0.3%
Total	15,058	2.9%	91	30%	99.4%	0.6%

2001-02

	White	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Percentage of Total Officers
	White	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	717	-1.9%	2	0%	99.7%	0.3%
Dumfries and Galloway	481	0.8%	1	0%	99.8%	0.2%
Fife	909	7.2%	3	-25%	99.7%	0.3%
Grampian	1,253	-1.2%	5	0%	99.6%	0.4%
Lothian and Borders	2,679	1%	21	16.7%	99.2%	0.8%
Northern	681	2.4%	2	-33.3%	99.7%	0.3%
Strathclyde	7,272	0.1%	55	0%	99.3%	0.8%
Tayside	1,166	1%	4	33.3%	99.7%	0.3%
Total	15,158	0.7%	93	2.2%	99.4%	0.6%

2002-03

	White	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Percentage of Total Officers
	White	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	737	2.8%	2	0%	99.7%	0.3%
Dumfries and Galloway	480	-0.2%	1	0%	99.8%	0.2%
Fife	930	2.3%	4	33.3%	99.6%	0.4%
Grampian	1,281	2.2%	4	-20%	99.7%	0.3%
Lothian and Borders	2,691	0.5%	23	9.5%	99.2%	0.9%
Northern	689	1.2%	2	0%	99.7%	0.3%
Strathclyde	7,420	2%	56	1.8%	99.3%	0.8%
Tayside	1,162	-0.3%	5	25%	99.6%	0.4%
Total	15,390	1.5%	97	4.3%	99.4%	0.6%

2003-04

	White	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Percentage of Total Officers
	White	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Visible Ethnic	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	White	Visible Ethnic
Central	757	2.7%	3	50%	99.6%	0.4%
Dumfries and Galloway	488	1.7%	1	%	99.8%	0.2%
Fife	975	4.8%	4	%	99.6%	0.2%
Grampian	1,335	4.2%	3	-25%	99.9%	0.2%
Lothian and Borders	2,718	1%	30	30.4%	98.9%	1.1%
Northern	681	-1.2%	2	%	99.7%	0.3%
Strathclyde	7,372	-0.6%	58	3.6%	98.2%	1.8%
Tayside	1,151	-1%	5	%	99.6%	0.4%
Total	15,477	0.6%	106	9.3%	99.3%	0.7%

Source: Annual Statistical Returns from forces to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary. Figures are on a head count basis rather than whole-time equivalent.

Question reference: S2W-16373

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) male and (b) female police officers were employed by each police force in each of the last five years, showing the year-on-year percentage change and the percentage of the total number represented by each group.

The available information is set out in the follwoingtables .

1999-2000 (Headcount)

Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Female	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Percentage of Total Officers
Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Female	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Male	Female
Central	621	0.3%	100	0%	86.1%	13.8%
Dumfries and Galloway	367	-1.7%	84	10.5%	81.4%	18.6%
Fife	709	1.3%	128	0%	84.7%	15.3%
Grampian	1,006	3.3%	209	0%	82.8%	17.2%
Lothian and Borders	2,193	1.3%	391	-0.5%	84.8%	15.1%
Northern	566	2.1%	87	6.1%	86.7%	13.3%
Strathclyde	5,977	1.2%	1,124	3.9%	84.2%	15.8%
Tayside	935	2.3%	202	5.2%	82.2%	17.8%
Total	12,374	1.4%	2,325	2.7%	84.2%	15.8%

2000-01 (Headcount)

Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Female	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Percentage of Total Officers
Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Female	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Male	Female
Central	625	0.6%	108	8%	85.3%	14.7%
Dumfries and Galloway	383	4.4%	95	13.1%	80.1%	19.9%
Fife	713	0.6%	139	8.6%	83.7%	16.3%
Grampian	1,037	3.1%	236	12.9%	81.5%	18.5%
Lothian and Borders	2,226	1.5%	444	13.6%	83.4%	16.6%
Northern	561	-0.9%	107	23%	84%	16%
Strathclyde	6,067	1.5%	1,251	11.3%	82.9%	17.1%
Tayside	935	0%	222	9.9%	80.8%	19.2%
Total	12,547	1.4%	2,602	11.9%	82.8%	17.2%

2001-02 (Headcount)

Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Female	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Percentage of Total Officers
Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Female	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Male	Female
Central	612	-2.1%	107	-0.9%	85.1%	14.9%
Dumfries and Galloway	388	1.3%	94	-1.1%	80.5%	19.5%
Fife	753	5.6%	159	14.4%	82.6%	17.4%
Grampian	1,004	-3.2%	254	7.6%	79.8%	20.2%
Lothian and Borders	2,230	0.2%	470	5.9%	82.6%	17.4%
Northern	570	1.6%	113	5.6%	83.5%	16.5%
Strathclyde	6,025	-0.7%	1,302	4.1%	82.2%	17.4%
Tayside	931	-0.4%	239	7.7%	79.6	20.4%
Total	12,513	-0.3%	2,738	5.2%	82.1%	18%

2002-03 (Headcount)

Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Female	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Percentage of Total Officers
Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Female	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Male	Female
Central	614	0.3%	125	16.8%	83.1%	16.9%
Dumfries and Galloway	387	-0.3%	94	0%	80.5%	19.5%
Fife	763	1.3%	171	7.6%	81.7%	18.3%
Grampian	1,038	3.4%	247	-2.8%	80.8%	19.2%
Lothian and Borders	2,233	0.1%	481	2.3%	82.3%	17.7%
Northern	566	-0.1%	125	10.2%	81.9%	18.1%
Strathclyde	6,064	0.7%	1,412	8.5%	81.1%	18.9%
Tayside	925	-0.7%	242	1.3%	79.3%	20.7%
Total	12,590	0.6%	2,897	5.8%	81.3%	18.7%

2003-04 (Whole-time equivalent)

Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Female	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Percentage of Total Officers
Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Female	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Male	Female
Central	625.00	1.8%	134.6	14%	82.3%	17.7%
Dumfries and Galloway	390.00	0.9%	98.5	8.7%	79.8%	20.2%
Fife	790.00	3.7%	189.0	14.3%	80.7%	19.4%
Grampian	1,084.00	4.5%	254.3	10.3%	81%	19%
Lothian and Borders	2,274.98	2%	474	4.8%	82.8%	17.2%
Northern	552.75	-2.2%	130	6.7%	81%	19%
Strathclyde	6,048.00	-0.2%	1,382	1.3%	81%	18.6%
Tayside	920.33	-0.5%	236	0.6%	79.6%	20.4%
Total	12,685.06	0.8%	2,898	4.3%	81.4%	18.6%

2004-05 (Whole-time equivalent)

Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2003-04	Female	Percentage Change Over 2003-04	Percentage of Total Officers
Force	Male	Percentage Change Over 2003-04	Female	Percentage Change Over 2003-04	Male	Female
Central	667.60	6.8%	163.90	21.8%	80.3%	19.7%
Dumfries and Galloway	383.00	-1.8%	97.28	-1.2%	79.8%	20.3%
Fife	798.20	1%	197.89	4.4%	80.1%	19.9%
Grampian	1,091.77	0.7%	278.53	9.5%	79.7%	20.3%
Lothian and Borders	2,288.77	0.6%	514.47	8.8%	81.7%	18.4%
Northern	558.63	1.1%	143.55	10.4%	79.6%	20.4%
Strathclyde	6,098.47	0.8%	1,569.44	13.6%	79.6%	20.5%
Tayside	914.33	-0.7%	252.02	6.8%	78.4%	21.6%
Total	12,801	0.9%	3,217.08	11%	79.9%	20.1%

Source: Quarterly Strength Return.

Question reference: S2W-16372

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new police recruits were (a) male and (b) female in each of the last five years, broken down by police force, showing the year-on-year percentage change and the percentage of each year's intake represented by each group.

The available information is set out in the following table.

1999-2000

	Male	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Female	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Percentage of Total Recruits
	Male	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Female	Percentage Change Over 1998-99	Male	Female
Central	22	-26.7%	4	-20%	84.6%	15.4%
Dumfries and Galloway	13	-7.2%	9	50%	59.1%	40.9%
Fife	30	57.9%	11	37.5%	73.2%	26.8%
Grampian	17	-78.2%	8	-63.7%	68%	32%
Lothian and Borders	47	113.6%	17	70%	73.4%	26.6%
Northern	15	25%	8	-11.1%	65.2%	34.8%
Strathclyde	186	200%	71	144.8%	72.4%	27.6%
Tayside	21	-22.2%	17	13.3%	55.3%	44.7%
Total	351	33%	145	39.4%	70.8%	29.2%

2000-01

	Male	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Female	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Percentage of Total Recruits
	Male	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Female	Percentage Change Over 1999-2000	Male	Female
Central	29	31.8%	10	150%	74.4%	25.6%
Dumfries and Galloway	31	138.5%	15	66.7%	67.4%	32.6%
Fife	37	23.3%	13	18.2%	74%	26%
Grampian	81	376.5%	34	325%	70.4%	29.6%
Lothian and Borders	131	178.7%	58	241.2%	69.3%	30.7%
Northern	25	66.7%	20	150%	55.6%	44.4%
Strathclyde	340	82.8%	163	129.6%	67.6%	32.4%
Tayside	40	90.5%	26	52.9%	60.6%	39.4%
Total	714	103.4%	339	133.8%	67.8%	32.2%

2001-02

	Male	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Female	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Percentage of Total Recruits
	Male	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Female	Percentage Change Over 2000-01	Male	Female
Central	13	-55.2%	3	-70%	81.3%	18.8%
Dumfries and Galloway	20	-35.5%	3	-80%	87%	13%
Fife	70	89.2%	24	84.6%	74.5%	25.5%
Grampian	44	-45.7%	12	-64.7%	78.6%	21.4%
Lothian and Borders	115	-12.2%	42	-27.6%	73.3%	26.8%
Northern	37	48%	8	-60%	82.2%	17.8%
Strathclyde	217	-36.2%	95	-41.7%	69.6%	30.5%
Tayside	42	5%	25	-3.9%	62.7%	37.3%
Total	558	-21.9%	212	-37.5%	72.5%	27.5%

2002-03

	Male	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Female	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Percentage of Total Recruits
	Male	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Female	Percentage Change Over 2001-02	Male	Female
Central	32	146.2%	17	466.7	65.3%	34.7%
Dumfries and Galloway	16	-20%	3	0.%	84.2%	15.8%
Fife	41	-41.4%	20	-16.7%	67.2%	32.8%
Grampian	48	9.1%	19	58.3%	71.6%	28.4%
Lothian and Borders	96	-16.5%	35	-16.7%	73.3%	26.7%
Northern	16	-56.8%	14	75%	53.3%	46.7%
Strathclyde	299	37.8%	147	54.7%	67%	33%
Tayside	34	-19.1%	13	-48%	72.3%	27.7%
Total	582	4.3%	268	26.4%	68.5%	31.5%

2003-04

	Male	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Female	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Percentage of Total Recruits
	Male	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Female	Percentage Change Over 2002-03	Male	Female
Central	24	-25%	16	-5.9%	60.00%	40%
Dumfries and Galloway	15	-6.3%	9	200%	62.50%	37.5%
Fife	56	36.6%	28	40%	66.67%	33.3%
Grampian	85	77.1%	40	110.5%	68.00%	32%
Lothian and Borders	153	59.4%	45	28.6%	77.27%	22.7%
Northern	19	18.8%	12	-14.3%	61.29%	38.7%
Strathclyde	274	-8.4%	141	-4.1%	66.02%	34%
Tayside	34	0%	15	15.4%	69.39%	30.6%
Total	660	13.4%	306	14.2%	68.32%	31.7%

Source: Annual Statistical Returns from forces to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary.

Question reference: S2W-16598

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of Communities Scotland's funding has been allocated in each of the last three years for the purpose of (a) building and (b) conducting research and development into innovative and sustainable housing, shown also as a percentage of total Communities Scotland funding in each year.

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

Communities Scotland does not classify individual projects as innovative and/or sustainable, as the agency encourages the incorporation of sustainable design principles in all developments. This involves the measurement of the following indicators for all projects:

energy efficiency as measured by average performance SAP ratings

average energy (space and water heating) costs per annum (£)

average CO₂ emissions per annum (tonnes)

number of new units built on “brownfield” sites

existence of a verifiable sustainable development policy (for RSLs engaged in housing development)

space standards as per average resident capacity

the level of housing for varying needs barrier free compliance

the level of secured by design dwellings.

Therefore, Communities Scotland’s funding, allocated in each of the last three years for projects which incorporate sustainable features has been as follows:

Year	Expenditure (£ Million)	Percentage of Communities Scotland’s Capital Housing Investment Programme
2002-03	209	100%
2003-04	255	100%
2004-05*	294	100%

Note: *Estimate as accounts for 2004-05 yet to be finalised.

In addition, all social landlords have been advised to prepare Standard Delivery Plans by 29 April 2005 for meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015. Guidance on preparing these plans has been prepared by Communities Scotland. In these plans, landlords will require to show that they can meet their obligations to ensure their stock is properly repaired, managed and sustainable.

Communities Scotland will consider innovative proposals provided they meet value for money criteria and that any additional capital costs attributable to the innovative features provide accruing benefits. The level of grant approved by Communities Scotland for projects is based on a comprehensive and consistent assessment system designed to ensure that the public funding offered is the minimum necessary to enable each project to proceed while maintaining high standards of design, construction and sustainability.

With regard to research and development into innovative and sustainable design, Communities Scotland first published in March 2000 its Sustainable Development Policy which was supported by the Sustainable Housing Design Guide. This guide was intended as a reference source to assist all developers in preparing development briefs, specifications and options for improving the sustainability of housing. This guide has been regularly updated since that time, most recently in November 2004 when an internet-based version was commissioned:

www.official-documents.co.uk/document/deps/cs/shdg/index.html.

In the last three years, and complementing the Sustainable Housing Design Guide, Communities Scotland has recently been associated with two research studies. The first of these, funded by a Sustainable Development Action Grant from the Scottish Executive, deals with design for deconstruction. In the second study, Communities Scotland is working with Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to evaluate the economics and practicality of setting requirements for increasing the recycled content of building materials as a potential condition of funding in the procurement of social housing projects. Both studies have been funded by the Scottish Executive rather than Communities Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-16600

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent conditions are attached to public housing subsidy to help encourage sustainability and innovative design.

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

Communities Scotland through its unit approval funding process encourages the incorporation of sustainable design principles in all developments. This involves taking account of the following indicators for all projects:

energy efficiency as measured by average performance SAP ratings

average energy (space and water heating) costs per annum (£)

average CO₂ emissions per annum (tonnes)

number of new units built on “brownfield” sites

existence of a verifiable sustainable development policy (for registered social landlords engaged in housing development)

space standards as per average resident capacity

the level of housing for varying needs barrier free compliance

the level of secured by design dwellings.

Question reference: S2W-16597

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all telephone information lines and helplines that it funded in each of the last three years, giving information on the relevant organisations and showing the number of calls made each year and staff numbers and costs in each case.

Question reference: S2W-16440

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2005
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 May 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage share of (a) GDP and (b) employment levels was accounted for by the public sector in each of the last 10 years, showing the year-on-year and cumulative changes.

The industry breakdown of gross value added (GVA) presented in Table 1 is based on the Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities (SIC) system. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at basic prices is commonly referred to as GVA.

This time series provides the closest available approximation of the percentage shares of GDP accounted for by the public sector in Scotland, though it should be noted that the SIC system categorises output by industry and does not draw an explicit distinction between activities carried out in the public and private sectors. These estimates therefore include an element of private sector activity within education and health.

Table 1

Year	Public Admin, Education and Health GVA as % of total Scottish GVA
1992	21.7%
1993	21.5%
1994	20.9%
1995	20.8%
1996	20.5%
1997	20.2%
1998	20.1%
1999	20.7%
2000	21.3%
2001	21.7%
2002	21.9%

Source: Office for National Statistics, Regional Accounts.

Table 2 shows the proportion of total employment accounted for by employment in the public sector as well as the year on year and cumulative percentage point changes. These estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

ONS has acknowledged that the level of public sector employment recorded by the LFS is over-estimated. This overestimation is caused by the fact that the LFS is self-reported and some people mistakenly believe they work for the public sector when in fact they are employed by private organisations which are contracted to work in the public sector. Such misreporting can arise, for example, when catering staff working in hospitals believe they work in the public sector when they are in fact employed by a private sector catering business.

Analytical Services Division in Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department are developing a public sector employment series taken from administrative data. This series will give a more accurate reflection of the size if the public sector in Scotland. The series will be published for the first time in summer 2005.

Table 2

Public Sector Employment as a Proportion of Total Employment in Scotland

	Public Sector Employment Level	Public Sector as a proportion of Total Employment	Percentage Point Change
Change Year on Year	Cumulative change since 1995
Spring 1995	685,000	30.4%	N/A	N/A
Spring 1996	634,000	28.6%	-1.9 pp	-1.9 pp
Spring 1997	622,000	27.7%	-0.9 pp	-2.8 pp
Spring 1998	628,000	27.6%	0.0 pp	-2.8 pp
Spring 1999	608,000	27.0%	-0.7 pp	-3.5 pp
Spring 2000	638,000	27.9%	0.9 pp	-2.6 pp
Spring 2001	644,000	27.6%	-0.3 pp	-2.8 pp
Spring 2002	649,000	27.9%	0.3 pp	-2.6 pp
Spring 2003	657,000	27.6%	-0.2 pp	-2.8 pp
Spring 2004	668,000	27.9%	0.3 pp	-2.5 pp

Source: Labour Force Survey, Spring Quarters (March-May).

Notes:

Levels has been rounded to the nearest thousand.

Data are not seasonally adjusted.

pp – percentage point.

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