Not all of theinformation requested is held centrally.

(a)and (b):

Thelatest information available for Scotland is published in the Scottish Perinatal and InfantMortality and Morbidity Report (SPIMMR) 2005. This report is due to be updatedlater this year.

This2005 SPIMMR report is available via:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=mat_spimmer_2005.pdf&pContentDispositionType=inline.

Tables31 and 32a (pages 29-30) show the number and rates of singletons born in Scotland and detectedwith congenital anomalies (including figures for spina bifida) at birth or duringinfancy, 1995-2004. The figures included in these tables do not howeverinclude spina bifida pregnancies that were terminated.

Spina bifida is one of the conditions screened forduring pregnancy and if a termination is carried out for this reason it isrecorded on the Abortions Act data form. Table 32b (page 30) provides spinabifida rates per births and abortions. The total number of pregnancies used toderive the rates presented in table 32b are not included in the report.

Spina bifida pregnancies resulting in miscarriagewill not be included in these statistics.

(i):

Comparableinformation for the United Kingdom is not heldcentrally.

The NationalCongenital Anomaly System does however hold data for England and Wales. The estimated number of babies born in England and Wales during 2005 with spina bifida was 56. Thisequates to an incidence rate of 9 per 100,000 live births. This figure is notdirectly comparable with those presented above for Scotland as it does not include cases detected during infancy or terminations.

These figures arepublished on the Clinical and Health Outcomes Knowledge Base at:

http://www.nchod.nhs.uk/NCHOD/Compendium.nsf/f47084ec7cabf53b80256fcb0054ee1c/344eb1370e4ffd49652570d1001cb7fb!OpenDocument.

(ii) and (iii):

Comparableinformation for EU member states and the OECD nations is not held centrally. Weare not aware of a single source for this information.

The Executive’s objectiveis increased levels of microgeneration and we are committed to increasingfunding to help achieve this as part of our first spending review. Microgenerationhas the potential to provide a sustainable source of low carbon energy andreduce carbon dioxide emissions from buildings. It will be part of a coherentapproach to energy policy, recognising that promoting reduced energyconsumption and promoting low carbon technologies are key to achievingsustainable economic growth. I have started a dialogue with key stakeholders andthis will continue so as to ensure a clear and shared strategy and achievementof objectives.

The information requested is not held centrally.

However, a number of sources provide background data related to this request.

(a)

The incidence of multiple sclerosis, MS, (number of people newly diagnosed) in Scotland is not held centrally. However, national estimates based on a variety of sources are available on the Scottish Public Health Observatory (ScotPHO) website:

http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/home/Healthwell-beinganddisease/Multiplesclerosis/ms_keypoints.asp

This information is derived from statistics on primary care consultations collected as part of the Practice Team Information scheme (PTI), from hospital discharge data and from specific survey data. Due to the natural course of MS, both PTI and hospital discharge statistics represent significant underestimates of the true prevalence and incidence of the disease. However, survey data is believed to provide more reliable estimates.

(b)

Based on PTI data, the estimated number of patients contacting GP practices for multiple sclerosis in the financial year 2005-06 (the most recent year for which figures are available) was 5,300. This equates to a rate of 98 per 100,000.

It is important to note that this PTI estimate is based on only those patients who have consulted their general practice in the year. It is likely that many patients with MS would not consult their practice within a given year; care required by MS patients often being managed by hospital clinics. Thus, these estimates are likely to be a substantial underestimate of the true prevalence of the condition.

Hospital discharge data to calendar year 2006 (provisional) is available at:

http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/home/Healthwell-beinganddisease/Multiplesclerosis/ms_data/ms_secondarycare.asp

It should be noted that, as with PTI data, this information is likely to considerably underestimate true incidence because many people with MS will receive their care at out-patient clinics and so will not be included in these admissions data.

Information on outpatient clinic attendances for MS is not centrally available, as specific diagnoses are not recorded.

(i), (ii) and (iii)

Comparative information on MS for the United Kingdom, EU member states and OECD nations is not held centrally. A discussion of the difficulties associated with making international comparisons is made on the ScotPHO web site, but no specific data are presented.

http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/home/Healthwell-beinganddisease/Multiplesclerosis/ms_data/ms_international.asp

Please note the ScotPHO multiple sclerosis web pages are due to be updated later this year.

The informationrequested is not held centrally.

However,background information relating to this request is available from a number ofsources.

Dundee University:

The UK CysticFibrosis Database is developed and maintained from Dundee University. Information about the database isavailable from:

http://www.cystic-fibrosis.org.uk/background.htm

Personnel at Dundee University are also driving the collation ofcomparable figures for EU member states. The latest available information ondata collated for the member states is available from:

www.eurocarecf.eu

Personnel at Dundee University have contributed to Chapter 2 of therecently published 3rd edition of Cystic Fibrosis (Authors: D Geddes, MHodson, A Bush).  This chapter presents an overview of estimated birthprevalence for Scotland, UKand a number of EU member states and OECD nations. In summary:

Around 20-25babies are born with Cystic fibrosis in Scotland each year, which equates to abirth prevalence rate of just under 1 in 2,000 live births.

For the UnitedKingdom, the number of babies born each year is approximately ten times theScotland figure at 200-250. The birth prevalence rate in the UK as a whole isestimated to be slightly lower than that observed in Scotland at around 1 in2,400 live births.

Cystic fibrosisis a genetic condition and birth prevalence rates vary between ethnic groupswithin countries. For example, in the United States the birth prevalenceamongst the white population is estimated to be approximately 1 in 3,400 livebirths, compared with a birth prevalence for the non-white population of around1 in 12,000 live births.

InformationServices Division of the NHS (ISD Scotland):

It is likely thatpatients with Cystic fibrosis will have contact with healthcare services in anumber of healthcare settings including, GP practices or as inpatients or daycases in an acute, general hospital.

Acute HospitalDischarge Information:

The incidence andnumber of patients discharged from acute, general hospitals in Scotland with a diagnosis of Cystic fibrosis is shown in the followingtable. 

Incidence,Incidence Rate and Number of Cases of Cystic Fibrosis in Patients Discharged fromAcute, General Hospitals in Scotland, Scottish Residents¹ - YearEnding 31st March 2006

Incidence2  with diagnosis3 of cystic fibrosis	71
Incidence rate per 100,000 population4	1.39
Cases5 with diagnosis of cystic fibrosis	484

Source:ISD Scotland linked SMR01 database.

Notes:

1.Excludesresidents out with Scotland, of no fixed abode or unknown.

2.Incidence isdefined as a patient’s first ever discharge with the specified diagnosisscreened backwards through the patient’s discharge history for 10 years (1996).

3. Up to six diagnoses (oneprincipal and up to five secondary) are recorded on SRM01.  All six diagnoseshave been used to identify cystic fibrosis employing the InternationalClassification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD10) code E84.

4.Based on GRO(S) mid year population estimate for Scotland, 2005.

5. Patients discharged with diagnosisof cystic fibrosis (includes incident cases).

General PracticeInformation.

The incidence ofGP contacts with diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is not available centrallybecause numbers are too low to calculate meaningful, national estimates basedupon a sample of general practices from practice team information data.

There is no precise agreeddefinition of planning gain. Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning(Scotland) Act 1997 to be amended by section 23 of the Planning etc (Scotland)Act 2006 sets out the powers available to planning authorities to enter intoplanning obligations with a developer or landowner. Circular 12/96 on planning agreementsprovides further guidance on policy on the use of these powers to enter intoagreements to restrict or regulate the development of land. The Scottish Governmentis currently considering revision of the operation of planning obligations in Scotland.Any changes would be expected to be in place by 2009 and would take account of the views of relevant stakeholders.

A total of £37.7 million hasbeen spent since January 2003, when the decisions from the Central ScotlandTransport Corridors Studies were announced, on the online upgrade of the A80,which includes £24.5 million for constructing Auckenkilns Interchange. A totalof £64.4 million has been spent on the Edinburgh Tram project from 2002 to June2007.

The following table providesthe amount raised through the sale of council houses to sitting tenants underthe right to buy and rent to mortgage schemes, and through voluntary sales.

Total Value of Sales ofLocal Authority, New Town and Scottish Homes Stock

Sitting Tenant Right to Buy,Rent to Mortgage and Voluntary Sales

Year	Receipts (£ million)	Year	Receipts (£ million)
1979	7.5	1993	293.2
1980	46.6	1994	316.9
1981	84.3	1995	255.0
1982	123.0	1996	197.0
1983	169.3	1997	256.7
1984	166.3	1998	214.0
1985	153.9	1999	209.0
1986	150.5	2000	224.3
1987	199.7	2001	215.2
1988	326.8	2002	272.5
1989	408.9	2003	300.8
1990	363.4	2004	256.0
1991	289.1	2005	258.1
1992	331.7	2006	232.8

 

Source: Sales3 returnsprovided to the Scottish Executive by local authorities

Note: The table excludessales to sitting tenants who preserved their rights to buy their home followingthe transfer of stock to housing associations in Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgowand the Scottish Borders in 2003, and in Argyll and Bute and Eilean Siar in2006. The total value of these additional sales is £102 million.

The numbers of localauthority and housing association lettings are provided intable 1, along withtheir respective total normal letting stock at March of each year. The normalletting stock includes both vacant and occupied dwellings.

Consistent, centrally heldinformation is not available prior to 1999-2000. However lettings informationfor local authority dwellings is available from Housing Revenue Account (HRA)returns for the period 1984-85 to 1998-99. This information is provided intable 2.

Table 1: Local Authority andHousing Association Lettings and Letting Stock

Year	Local Authority Lettings		Housing Association Lettings
	Permanent Lettings Made	Normal Letting Stock	Permanent Lettings Made	Normal Letting Stock
1999-2000		544,345	18,397	128,908
2000-01		531,135	21,040	135,661
2001-02	53,187	509,656	22,427	137,335
2002-03	52,535	493,806	22,878	148,391
2003-04	39,136	368,171	30,544	245,726
2004-05	33,883	353,183	29,299	246,515
2005-06	31,894	343,877	28,346	245,229

Source: lettings and stock1returns provided by local authorities to the Scottish Executive, housingassociation data provided by Communities Scotland through the AnnualPerformance and Statistical Returns.

Notes:

1. Data is not available for local authoritylettings in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. Prior to 1999-2000, local authority lettingsdata was obtained from Housing Revenue Account returns to the ScottishExecutive Development Department: Housing 1. This return was discontinued after1999-2000 to be replaced with a new form (LETTINGS) collecting information from2001-02 onwards.

2. In 2003, large scale stock transfers of councilhousing to housing associations took place in Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgowand Scottish Borders. These are included in the housing association data from2003-04 onwards.

3. Lettings figures include estimates where datanot available.

Table 2: Local Authority Lettings,1984-85 to 1998-99

Year	Local Authority Lettings
1984-85	70,701
1985-86	69,688
1986-87	74,781
1987-88	77,217
1988-89	79,024
1989-90	74,842
1990-91	76,316
1991-92	70,612
1992-93	66,939
1993-94	65,344
1994-95	63,955
1995-96	63,113
1996-97	67,973
1997-98	67,918
1998-99	66,365

Source: Housing Revenue Account (HRA) returns by local authorities tothe Scottish Executive.

Note: figures includeestimates where incomplete information was provided.

This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water, and I have asked the Chief Executive to replydirectly to your enquiry.

The average total cost forconstructing a home for social rent in 2006-07 was £117,762.