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Rehabilitation Beds (Availability)
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many step-down beds were available in each health board area in Scotland in each year since 1990-91. [63683]
Mr. Galbraith:
There is no national classification of a step-down bed. Information on numbers of rehabilitation medicine beds in the seven years to 31 March 1997 is shown in Table 1. A more detailed bed classification system was introduced in 1997-98, and information on numbers of rehabilitation, convalescent and geriatric orthopaedic rehabilitation beds for the year ending 31 March 1998 is shown in Table 2.
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| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argyll and Clyde | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Ayrshire and Arran | -- | -- | -- | 17 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
| Borders | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Dumfries and Galloway | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Fife | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- |
| Forth Valley | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Grampian | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Greater Glasgow | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Highland | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 63 | 70 |
| Lanarkshire | 22 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Lothian | 62 | 62 | 65 | 65 | 71 | 83 | 76 |
| Orkney | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Shetland | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 |
| Tayside | 27 | 10 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Western Isles | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Scotland | 111 | 75 | 69 | 93 | 115 | 190 | 190 |
(10) Average available staffed beds. The figures shown are averages rounded to the nearest whole number. Totals may not always equate to the sum of individual Health Board figures.
(11) Differing methods of bed classification may exist between areas. For example, beds classified as rehabilitation medicine in one area may be classified under other specialties in another area. Comparisons should therefore be made with caution.
| All selected beds | Rehabilitation beds(14) | Geriatric orthopaedic rehabilitation beds(15) | Convalescent beds(16) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argyll and Clyde | 7 | -- | 7 | -- |
| Ayrshire and Arran | 21 | 21 | -- | -- |
| Borders | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 24 | -- | 24 | -- |
| Fife | 60 | 40 | 20 | -- |
| Forth Valley | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Grampian | 129 | 42 | 16 | 71 |
| Greater Glasgow | 168 | 144 | 24 | -- |
| Highland | 75 | 74 | -- | -- |
| Lanarkshire | 36 | 24 | 12 | -- |
| Lothian | 199 | 109 | 89 | -- |
| Orkney | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Shetland | 8 | 8 | -- | -- |
| Tayside | 28 | 28 | -- | -- |
| Western Isles | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Scotland | 754 | 490 | 191 | 71 |
(12) Average available staffed beds. The figures shown are averages rounded to the nearest whole number. Totals may not always equate to the sum of individual Health Board figures.
(13) Differing methods of bed classification may exist between areas. For example, bed classified as rehabilitation beds in one area may be classified under other specialties in another area. Comparisons should therefore be made with caution.
(14) Beds in specialty of Rehabilitation Medicine or in facilities designated as rehabilitation wards.
(15) Beds in facilities designated as geriatric orthopaedic rehabilitation units.
(16) Beds in facilities designated as convalescent units.
Local Government Finance
Mr. David Stewart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make an announcement about the Local government Finance Settlement for Scotland for 1999-2000. [64781]
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Mr. Dewar:
I expect to make my announcement shortly. Following the usual consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities over the proposals for the distribution of Aggregate External Finance (AEF), I intend to lay the necessary Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order in early February 1999 for approval by this House. I will ensure that the details of my proposals, which will be issued as a Circular to all Scottish local authorities, will be made available in the House Library at the same time as my announcement.
Mr. McAllion:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions he has reached on the Tay River Protection Order; and if he will make a statement. [64791]
Mr. Macdonald:
On 5 June the Government announced in the Edinburgh Gazette its intention to revoke the Tay Protection Order made under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 and invited comments. This followed concerns that access for public angling had been withdrawn in a number of areas.
Seven hundred and seventy-four responses were received. 766 supported retention of the Order. Eight advocated revocation. A full report on the operation of the Order has since been submitted on behalf of the new Protection Order Liaison Committee. A copy of that report, which has been endorsed by 18 groups associated with angling and riparian ownership in the area, will be placed in the Library.
My noble Friend Lord Sewel, the Minister with responsibility for Fisheries in Scotland, has considered the comments received and the contents of the report very carefully. He has noted with satisfaction that as a result of the efforts of the Committee the access lost has been reinstated and furthermore that 86 per cent. of the river and loch are now open to public access compared with the 81 per cent. promised at the time the Order was originally approved. My noble Friend also welcomes the steps announced to ensure the effectiveness of the future operation and monitoring of the Order.
In the light of the remedial action taken to improve and guarantee public access to angling and the generally enhanced arrangements for its operation, my noble Friend has decided that the Order should be retained. However, close monitoring will continue.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the BBC's Six o'clock News in Scotland; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement. [64455]
Mr. Galbraith:
To date my right hon. Friend has received two letters about the BBC's decision on the Six O'Clock News. The replies will make clear that the decision taken about the news programmes was one for the Governors of the BBC to make. They will also say that we welcome the promise of additional financial resources and new jobs in Scotland, which will lead to an increase in programmes produced in Scotland.
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Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he plans to take to limit increases in the abuse of heroin. [64315]
Mr. Galbraith:
The Government have already taken a number of measures to enhance our response to drug misuse, including heroin.
In October my hon. Friend the Minister for Home Affairs and Devolution and I announced an additional £5 million package of measures between now and March 2000. This included £2 million backing for new initiatives to cut drug crime, such as drug treatment and testing orders and more intensive probation; a £2 million boost to NHS drug treatment funding; a multi-agency blitz to reclaim communities in the grip of drug dealers; and the establishment of a new national drug prevention team to work with Drug Action Teams. Specifically on heroin, we have made £300,000 available to the Health Education Board for Scotland for new work to combat the threat to young people from cheap heroin.
In addition, we expect to issue an enhanced drug strategy framework for Scotland in the first part of 1999 and this will take account of the current concerns about increased heroin misuse.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide additional resources to fund a public awareness campaign on the dangers of heroin abuse. [64316]
Mr. Galbraith:
Additional resources of £300,000 have already been made available to the Health Education Board for Scotland for new work to combat the threat to young people from heroin. That work is now at an advanced stage and a decision will be taken shortly on how and when it can be taken forward.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of heroin abuse in the Lothian and Borders Police Board Area. [64312]
Mr. McLeish:
The Government's strategy for tackling drug misuse in Scotland focuses on the key areas of education, treatment and enforcement. Police operations like Operation Foil carried out recently by Lothian and Borders Police against heroin use are a vital contribution to the Government's overall drugs strategy.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the level of resources available to the police in the Lothian and Borders Police Board area to combat heroin abuse. [64317]
Mr. McLeish:
The level of resources deployed by the Lothian and Borders Police on drugs issues is an operational matter for the Chief Constable within the funding level set by the Police Board. During the period 1996-97 to 1998-99 Lothian and Borders Police GAE funding has increased by 9.2 per cent. This has enabled the Force to sustain high profile operations such as the recent highly successful Operation Foil directed against heroin use.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance has been made available to the courts on a consistent sentencing strategy for heroin users and dealers. [64313]
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Mr. McLeish:
It is not a function of my right hon. Friend to give guidance to the courts on sentencing. The Appeal Court gives guidance to other courts through its appeal decisions, and in disposing of appeals it has the power under Section 118 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 to pronounce an opinion on the sentence which is appropriate in any similar case. The courts can and do make use of a wide range of penalties provided for drugs offenders, depending on the varying circumstances of each case. Heroin is a Class A drug in terms of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and as such its possession and supply are subject to tough maximum penalties, including life imprisonment in the case of supply. In the case of drug traffickers there is a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years on conviction of a third offence.
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