Seòmar agus comataidhean

The work to address the variation in implementation of certain aspects of health for all children 4 across Scotland continues. This includes NHS Highland. The Scottish Government Health Directorate will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

As stated in my previous answer, a date has not been specified. The NHS boards who have not yet introduced an orthoptist pre-school screening programme are working towards doing so, or towards introducing a programme supervised by an orthoptist or an optometrist.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates will issue a Chief Executive Letter (CEL) in late 2009 to reinforce the recommendations for implementation contained in Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland.

My previous answer to the question S3W-27821 on 28 September 2009, has been revised as there had been new supply shared equity completions in Argyll and Bute in 2007-08 and 2008-09. In 2007-08, there were 39 new supply shared equity properties completed. In 2008-09, there were 20 new supply shared equity properties completed. The letter sent to you on the 21 October 2009, noting the amendment, has been placed in the Scottish Parliament''s Information Centre (Bib. number 49491), and S3W-27821 will be changed on the official record.

New supply shared equity is one mechanism available to support first-time buyers. Housing completions in Orkney in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 reflect the strategic priorities of the local authority, as set out in its Local Housing Strategy. This saw investment targeted in alternative grants to support first-time buyers.

The Scottish Government committed to a one year temporary expansion of the Open Market Shared Equity Pilot scheme and this is being successfully delivered. We plan to carry out an independent evaluation of the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) shared equity schemes next year in order to inform the schemes'' long-term future. In the meantime, we are currently reviewing the relative balance of support for the LIFT schemes in the planning of the 2010-11 Affordable Housing Investment Programme.

The following table shows the number of unit approvals in a financial year for (a) new supply shared or shared ownership (b) open market shared equity and (c) rural home ownership grants in the Highlands and Islands since 1992-93.

Year	Shared Ownership/ Shared Equity	Rural Home Ownership Grant	Open Market Shared Equity
1992-93	179
1993-94	95
1994-95	83	37
1995-96	140	46
1996-97	38	39
1997-98	49	35
1998-99	55	33
1999-2000	26	39
2000-01	3	43
2001-02	4	45
2002-03	4	57
2003-04	79	68
2004-05	60	85
2005-061	199	74
2006-07	199	75
2007-082	207	59
2008-09	149	38	35
Total	1,565	773	35

Notes:

1. A shared equity mechanism (called Homestake) was introduced this year. The figures from this date onwards include both shared ownership and shared equity approvals.

2. The shared equity mechanism is renamed to New Supply Shared Equity as part of the Scottish Government''s Low Cost Initiative for first time buyers (LIFT).

The data in this table is from Housing Investment Division Management reports. The official statistics on the Affordable Housing Investment Programme, and on other housing statistics, can be found at the housing statistics for Scotland web pages at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/KeyInfo.

There were no sales under the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme in Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and Argyll and Bute in 2008-09 as these areas were not included in the pilot at that time.

Nearly £260 million of grant funding from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme has been invested in the four Local Authorities in the Highlands and Islands, namely Highland Council, Orkney Island Council, Shetland Islands Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar during the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2008. A breakdown of this investment is shown in the following table.

Year	Spend (£ million)
1999-2000	10.157
2000-01	11.037
2001-02	13.864
2002-03	15.815
2003-04	21.002
2004-05	27.388
2005-06	44.060
2006-07	58.300
2007-08	58.235
Total	259.858

 

Local authorities provide statistical returns to the Scottish Government on a quarterly basis. The returns from 2007-08 show that there were no council house completions.

The statistical returns for 2009-10, from local authorities, will provide details of projects where local authorities are building new homes without grant from Scottish Government. The returns received to date indicate that there have been no council house completions during 2009-10.

New council homes in the Highlands and Islands parliamentary constituencies, funded by the Scottish Government through the kick start initiative, are not due to complete until after 2009-10.

New supply shared equity is one mechanism available to support first-time buyers. Housing completions in the Western Isles in 2007-08 and 2008-09 reflect the strategic priorities of the local authority, as set out in its Local Housing Strategy. This saw investment targeted in alternative grants to support first-time buyers.