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This week in Scottish politics

• The following sewell motion will be voted upon in the Scottish Parliament:
• *S3M-1044 Nicola Sturgeon: Health and Social Care Bill - UK Legislation—That the Parliament agrees that the relevant provisions of the UK Health and Social Care Bill, introduced in the House of Commons on 15 November 2007, which legislate in devolved areas in respect of provisions relating to the regulation of the healthcare professions should be considered by the UK Parliament.
• Supported by: Shona Robison*

• 2.15 pm Themed Question Time - Education and Lifelong Learning

• 2.15 pm Themed Question Time - Health and Wellbeing

• The Health & Sport Committee of the Parliament will take evidence on the Public Health etc (Scotland) Bill from:
• Molly Robertson, Bill Team Leader, Kirsty Finlay, Legal Directorate, Dr Sara Davies, Medical Adviser, and David Wallace, Air, Noise and Nuisance Team, Scottish Government; Ken Macintosh MSP; Kathy Banks, the Sunbed Association, Professor James Ferguson, the Photobiology Unit, University of Dundee, and John Sleith, Council Member, Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland.
• Please click here for further information.
• At its next meeting on 16 January, it is expected that the Committee will consider the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Bill.

• The Committee will consider the Scottish Government’s responses in relation to the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 (Modification) Order 2008 (SSI 2007/draft).

• Budget process 2008-09 (Stage 2) (in private): The Committee will consider a draft report on the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2008-09.
• At its next meeting on 15 January, it is expected that the Committee will consider a revised draft report on the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2008-09.

• The Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill had its Stage 1 debate in Parliament.
• During the debate Karen Whitefield and Hugh O’Donnell both referred to the BMA’s briefing on the Bill.
• The motion to agree to the general principles of the Bill was amended and agreed to as follows:
• That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill and, in so doing, calls for a statutory duty on Scottish Ministers to provide student support and provision made thereunder to be improved for existing and future students and further calls for more research into the barriers to accessing further and higher education to be undertaken.
• The SNP, Liberal Democrats and Independent MSPs supported the motion and it was opposed by the Labour and Conservative MSPs.
• Please click here to read the full debate.

• Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government how it intends to target resources and services for raising awareness of the effects of alcohol consumption among young people and for providing rehabilitation services for them. (S3O-1695)
• The Minister for Public Health (Shona Robison): The Scottish Government provides resources to alcohol and drug action teams, which make decisions on allocations to services, including rehabilitation services, based on local circumstances and identified need. The Scottish Government has run alcohol awareness-raising campaigns, including the first ever alcohol awareness week in October of this year, which was aimed at increasing understanding of units and the promotion of responsible drinking.
• Bill Kidd: I thank the minister for that answer. I am sure that everyone will agree that the first alcohol awareness week was a great success, and that changing people's attitudes to drinking is fundamental to tackling the growing problem—as was highlighted in this week's report from the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems group. Will the minister consider supporting an alcohol awareness week that is specifically targeted at young people.
• Shona Robison: Scotland's first ever alcohol awareness week was a truly groundbreaking initiative that received excellent media coverage. We are happy to consider targeting future campaigns at young people, but we also need to recognise that far too many Scots across all age groups drink far too much. We want a culture change in our relationship with alcohol in Scotland, and that is why we will bring forward a draft strategy for consultation in spring next year. That will be assisted by the £85 million boost in the budget over three years to help tackle alcohol misuse.
• Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): I wonder if the Minister for Public Health will join me in welcoming the fact that since the advertising arrangements were changed to prohibit the advertising of alcohol in a number of ways, the number of young people—and I mean very young people—who are not drinking has risen quite considerably, by some 12 per cent? Would she also consider following up on the motion that Bill Wilson lodged calling for further pilots and work in universities and colleges on the establishment of normative data, and for the promotion of that data, which encourages people to recognise that the majority of people do not abuse alcohol, rather than using the punitive approach that has been taken up until now.
• Shona Robison: I hear what Richard Simpson says. He makes the point that, particularly when we educate young people about substance misuse, we need to ensure that we make the point that the vast majority of young people do not behave in that manner and we need to reinforce good behaviour. However, we need to recognise that Scotland has a particularly unhealthy relationship with alcohol, which filters through to the behaviour of young people in the next generation. It is therefore the responsibility of us all to challenge the public about their drinking. Many people do not recognise that they have a problem. They think that it is someone else's problem and responsibility. We need to ensure that we change that culture and attitude so that the next generation grows up in a different Scotland that has a healthier relationship with alcohol.

• Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address inequalities in health. (S3O-1768)
• The Minister for Public Health (Shona Robison): "Better Health, Better Care" sets out the Scottish Government's key priority of tackling health inequality. We are already providing the keep well programme, which anticipates preventable ill health by strengthening and enhancing primary care services in the most deprived areas of Scotland. The ministerial task force on health inequalities, which I chair, is looking at the wider factors underlying health inequalities and will identify further measures and improvements when it reports in May next year.
• Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): Given the significant level of expenditure by local authorities on mental health, drug and alcohol treatment and care of the elderly to address health inequalities, when will the outcome agreements with councils be available for MSPs to scrutinise?
• Shona Robison: Single outcome agreements with individual local authorities will be developed over the coming few months. The important point to remember is that local authorities and health boards are jointly accountable for the delivery of many services in mental health and the other areas that Mary Scanlon mentioned, which is crucial. We will ensure that the services that are delivered on the ground are adequate to meet the needs and challenges of the 21^st century. For the first time, there are four health improvement, efficiency, access and treatment targets that are directly relevant to mental health services. That is a huge improvement on the previous position and will lead to continued improvement in mental health services on the ground across Scotland.
• Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): I draw the minister's attention to the level of health inequalities in Lanarkshire, which is second only to that in Glasgow. I seek an assurance that, when the options for the future of Monklands accident and emergency department are reviewed, the impact on inequalities will be a key deciding factor in how we go about reversing Labour's daft decision to close Monklands A and E.
• Shona Robison: One of the critical reasons for keeping the A and E department open at Monklands was that the department and the hospital serve a highly deprived area and communities. The member makes an important point. The impact on health inequalities will be a key consideration for the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing.

• Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government what the cost to the national health service was of VAT paid in connection with the employment of agency staff in the latest year for which figures are available. (S3O-1698)
• The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon): The Scottish Government does not hold centrally the cost of VAT paid in connection with the employment of agency staff.
• Ian McKee: I thank the cabinet secretary for her reply. Is she aware that the Scottish public sector VAT task force—an organisation that was established by NHS senior management—has established that a recent change in practice by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs means that health boards can no longer claim exemption from VAT on services that are provided by agency doctors and members of professions allied to medicine—an exemption that is granted on services that are provided by agency nurses? That could cost NHS Scotland over £1 million a year—money that could be spent on other services. Will the cabinet secretary take that up with the Chancellor of the Exchequer as a matter of urgency?
• Nicola Sturgeon: I thank Ian McKee for that question and note his interest in the issue. He is right to say that HMRC issued revised guidance in January 2007. The position is that NHS bodies are allowed to reclaim VAT on agency nursing and clerical staff under the contracting-out rules, but the recovery of VAT paid on other staff provided by agencies—such as other types of medical personnel, ancillary staff or people working in finance—is not allowed. That is, of course, a matter for HMRC. I am happy to write to that agency to ask about the rationale behind its policy, although I hope that the answer does not get lost in the post. I am also happy to take up the matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer