Scottish Parliament e-Brief, Issue 274

Rise in alcohol-related illness and death
More evidence is published today of the social cost of too many Scots drinking too much.

Figures published by the Information Statistics Division show that, over the last five years, alcohol-related deaths are increasing and that the numbers of patients treated in hospital with alcohol-related illnesses are also up.

The alcohol related health and mortality statistics show:

In 2004-05, there were 40,448 discharges from acute general hospitals with an alcohol-related diagnosis, a rate of 748 per 100,000 population. Over the last five years, the discharge rate has increased by 17% from 639 per 100,000 population in 2000-01.
Alcohol-related discharges were more common among males than females, with the 2004-05 male rate (1,121 per 100,000) being nearly three times that of females (407 per 100,000).
The specific alcohol-related conditions vary with age. For example, in the under 18s, 60% (667 discharges) of all such diagnoses in 2004-05 related to acute intoxification, while the equivalent figure for those aged 45 and over was 14% (3,600). Alcoholic liver disease accounted for only 0.4% of discharges (4 discharges) in under 18s, but 19% (4,804) in those aged 45 years and over.
There were a total of 2,052 alcohol related deaths in 2004. Over the last five years, the number of alcohol related deaths has risen 21%, from 1,694 to 2,052 people.
Male deaths exceeded those of females by approximately 3 to 1 (males 1,515, females 537).

The plan for action on alcohol has, among other things, led to:

£10m being made available to local Alcohol Action Teams during 2005-06 and a commitment to making these same sums available in 2006-07 to tackle alcohol problems. This is in addition to existing resources to tackle alcohol problems currently provided in NHS Board and local authority general allocations.
Agreement that Alcohol Action Teams be assessed in terms of their current contribution to the delivery of the Plan and ensuring that Best Value is being secured from our investment in them. The last such review took place in 1999 and since then both the resources and demands placed upon these teams have increased considerably.
Implementation of a support and treatment services framework for use by all who plan, commission and manage alcohol support and treatment services for people in the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors; and
Publication of a guide for parents to help them talk to their children about the dangers of alcohol.

WEDNESDAY begins with a Ministerial Statement on the Abolition of Priority Need.

Currently, everyone applying as homeless has the right to temporary accommodation and advice and assistance, but only those people assessed as being in "priority need" are currently eligible for permanent accommodation.

The Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 requires a Ministerial Statement this year on the abolition of this "priority need" system by 2012. By abolishing "priority need", all people who are unintentionally homeless will be entitled to a permanent home.

A consultation on the Executive's plans for this abolition ended in the autumn and, while the contents of any statement must first be given to the parliament, it is likely that the Minister will set out how this end is to be achieved.

This is followed by a Finance Committee debate on the Budget Process 2006-07.

This debate follows the publication of the Finance Committee's report on the Executive's Draft Budget. The Draft Budget sets out the Executive's spending plans for the £29 billion which comprises its budget for 2006-07. The Finance Committee is responsible for the overall scrutiny of the Budget and for co-ordinating responses from the Parliament's subject committees on the spending plans for their respective portfolios.

This year's report, published last week, contains detailed criticism of the Executive for the way in which it has dealt with its Efficient Government programme and its treatment of local government.

While the Committee was pleased with changes made to the budget process this year, it has highlighted a number of issues of concern on the budget itself, namely:

The Committee has made a number of recommendations for ways in which these concerns can be addressed including:

The next stage in the budget process will be for the Executive to bring forward its annual Budget Bill in January, which will legislate for spending in 2006-07.

The day concludes with a Member's Business debate on the Earthquake in Kashmir from Des McNulty (LAB).

THURSDAY morning begins with 2 debates from the Scottish Socialist Party on Blood Products and "Torture Flights" on Scottish Soil.

As is usual with opposition debates, no motion has yet been published. As always, however, the motions will be published in Section F of the Business Bulletin in due course and a full transcript of the debates will be available in the Official Report from 08:00 on Friday.

This is followed by General Question Time and First Minister’s Question Time.

The day (and indeed year) closes with a Member's Business debate entitled Gas Work Notification Scheme from Andrew Welsh (SNP).

Wednesday 21st December 2005
14:35 – 15:05	Ministerial Statement: Abolition of Priority Need
15:35 – 17:00	Finance Committee Debate: Budget Process 2006-07
17:00 – 17:30	Member’s Business: Earthquake in Kashmir (Des McNulty (LAB))

Thursday 22nd December 2005
09:15 – 10:30	Scottish Socialist Party Debate: Blood Products
10:30 – 11:40	Scottish Socialist Party Debate: "Torture Flights" on Scottish Soil
11:40 – 12:00	General Question Time
12:00 – 12:30	First Minister's Question Time
12:30 – 13:00	Member's Business: Gas Work Notification Scheme (Andrew Welsh (SNP))
14:15 – 14:55	Themed Question Time: * Education and Young People, Tourism, Culture and Sport; and * Finance and Public Services and Communities

Tuesday 20th December 2005
PM	European and External Relations	Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, Allan Wilson, gives evidence on proposals for a European Institute for Technology (EIT) and the implementation of Structural Funds programmes in Scotland.
	Health	Stage 2 of the Human Tissue (Scotland) Bill begins.
Wednesday 21st December 2005
AM	Communities	A host of witnesses give evidence on the Executive’s draft planning guidance on green belts.
	Education	The Committee considers the Joint Inspection of Children's Services and Inspection of Social Work Services (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2.
	Public Petitions	New Petitions cover subjects including the use of excessive packaging in supermarkets, information literacy as a key lifelong learning skill, breast cancer screening and upgrading existing local services prior to the development of new housing. The Committee will also return to the petitions on amending the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976, reviewing the system for dealing with and monitoring convicted child sex offenders and housing stock transfer.
	Environment and Rural Development	More witnesses give Stage 1 evidence on the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill.
	Justice 1	Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Professor Alice Brown, is among those giving Stage 1 evidence on the Scottish Commissioner for Human Rights Bill.