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The Scottish Government is working with the Care and Repair Forum on ways to support the Care and Repair movement to adapt to the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Statutory guidance on the act is expected to be issued in early 2009. However, it is for each local authority to decide how its Care and Repair project should operate, in cooperation with its local community and delivery partners.

Since the cap was introduced by the previous administration in January 2007, the managing agent has indicated that around 133 householders did not proceed with their central heating application, after being informed of their contribution.

It is likely that those who cancelled could have had a system installed without making a personal contribution if they had accepted an alternative system of a different fuel choice.

Each local authority will need to establish its criteria for giving assistance using powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 which are expected to come into force from early 2009. It will be for each authority to decide in what, if any, circumstances, grant will be available towards the cost of repairs and improvements. Statutory guidance will encourage local authorities to broaden the range of financial and non-financial assistance for those homeowners who need help to overcome barriers to meeting their responsibility to look after their property.

Subject to the approval of the Parliament, regulations setting out a simpler and fairer system of financial assistance for owners who need to make adaptations to their house to suit the needs of disabled occupants will come into force in April 2009.

When devising its criteria for giving assistance using powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, it will be for each local authority to decide whether it gives any grants for repairs and improvements and, if so, at what level. There will be no statutory minimum or maximum grant levels as with the current system. Statutory guidance will encourage local authorities to maximise the use of other options, such as suitable lending where this is appropriate.

Subject to the approval of the Parliament, regulations setting out a simpler and fairer system of financial assistance with house adaptations to suit the needs of a disabled person will come into force in April 2009. These regulations will prescribe a minimum grant level of 80% for essential adaptations, rising to 100% for people in receipt of specific income replacement benefits.

The response to the recent public consultation on the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service''s strategy for the next five years is now available on their website www.scotblood.co.uk. On 31 October 2008, printed copies were forwarded to each MSP and anyone wishing a printed copy should contact the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service directly.

Support for new entrants into farming is available under the Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

The new entrants measure, along with the rural priorities scheme as a whole, has been widely publicised by ministers and others, including industry bodies, and we will continue to take every suitable opportunity to ensure that the measure remains widely known.

The new entrants measure is one of a wide range of measures within the Scotland Rural Development Programme and we have flexibility to re-profile expenditure under the programme as it is taken forward. Funding across all these measures will be closely monitored by the Scottish Government along with industry stakeholders. If the new entrants measure became oversubscribed, it would therefore be open to us to reallocate spending in line with demand for that measure.

To date, 17 applications which include new entrants elements have been submitted to the Rural Development Contracts “ Rural Priorities scheme.

Three of these cases were approved at the first assessment round in August, sharing over £150,000 in funding.

The remaining 14 new entrants applications include bids for a total of almost £900,000 in funding and will be considered at the October assessment round. The results of the funding round will be announced by the Cabinet Secretary in November.

New entrants apply for this support as part of the Rural Development Contacts - Rural Priorities scheme under the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Applications are made online and applicants must first of all of all obtain a business reference number (BRN) and a government gateway password to be able to access the application system.

Rural priorities has a two stage application process. The first stage, statement of intent, requires applicants to provide an initial outline of their project/application, at which point they will be assigned a case officer who will provide them with feedback on how to take their project forward.

The second, proposal, stage requires applicants to provide more details about the business and how the funding will be used, along with supporting documentation such as a business plan and proof of status as a new entrant.

Full guidance about the scheme, including details of eligibility criteria and how to apply, can be found on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/srdp.

Funding for new entrants is available under the Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities scheme “ part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme. Under this scheme, there is a specific option aimed at helping young farmers who are starting a farming business for the first time to develop the business in the critical early stages. It provides interest rate relief of up to £27,397 on a commercial business development loan.

This may be used to fund, for example:

the purchase of equipment or machinery;

the construction or development of buildings and infrastructure, and

the provision of working capital.

This can be for the core agricultural business or for a diversification opportunity. The support cannot be used in relation to a loan for the purchase of land or livestock.

New entrants are also eligible to apply for many of the other options available under the rural priorities scheme, a number of which offer a 10% premium on grant levels for new entrants.

Full details on the rural priorities scheme, including funding for new entrants, can be found on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/srdp.