Seòmar agus comataidhean

We intend to publish a draft Scottish Planning Policy for full consultation in late spring 2005.

I have indicated to theConvener of the Park Authority that ministers will make additional fundsavailable to the extent that there are additional and previously unforeseenenforcement costs falling on the authority which cannot be contained within theapproved budget for 2005-06.

The procedures for introducingbyelaws (including statutory periods for different stages of the process) are setout in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, and in Sections 202 to 204 of the LocalGovernment (Scotland) Act 1973. The National Park Authority are proceedingwith the current policy consultation for byelaws covering activity on Loch Lomond,with a view to presenting draft byelaws for my consideration in the course ofthis calendar year. The current expectation is that revised byelaws would beintroduced early in 2006.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14118, on 28 February 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.

Local independent living support is funded by local authorities and there are no plans to develop a national network.

The current tolling order for Erskine Bridge will expire on 1 July 2006. Anyproposal to extend the tolling period, under powers in section 4(3) of the ErskineBridge Tolls Act 1968, would be effected by Statutory Instrument, subject to affirmative resolution in the Parliament.

Under the Executive’s Carers Strategy £10 million a year was made available across Scotland from April 2000 onwards, specifically to expand local services supporting unpaid carers. This investment was further enhanced in April 2001 when authorities were given additional resources for respite care, a key service for carers and the people they care for. This provided an additional £5 million in 2001-02, £6 million in 2002-03 and £11 million in 2003-04. These resources are being maintained in real terms over the period 2004-08, thereby securing this unprecedented growth in service provision for carers.

The resources are distributed to local authorities as part of the normal Grant Aided Expenditure distribution arrangements. The table adds together the resources made available through these arrangements to Argyll and Bute Council and West Dunbartonshire Council under the Strategy and to deliver additional respite. They are only a small component of the total resources that authorities have access to for the provision of social care; authorities’ expenditure over a wide range of services is also helping to benefit carers.

Local Authority	2000-01 (£000)	2001-02 (£000)	2002-03 (£000)	2003-04 (£000)	2004-05 (£000)
Argyll and Bute	204	307	324	425	430
West Dunbartonshire	183	278	296	392	423

 

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14090, on 28 February 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.

The Executive is in the process of ensuring that direct payments take up is evaluated through the Joint Performance Information and Assessment Framework. When further direct payments subgroups are set up, service users will be involved in reviewing how this system of monitoring is being implemented in practice.

The National Park Authority expects to launch its draft National Park Plan for consultation on 16 May 2005. Following consultation, the draft plan will be submitted to Scottish ministers for approval.