It is currently a matter for individual NHS boards to commission directly with the independent adult hospices within their geographical area. Chief Executive Letter (CEL) 12 (2012) makes it clear that NHS boards should fund 50% of agreed running costs of independent adult hospices. More detail about the current planning arrangements is set out in CEL 12 (2012), http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_12.pdf.

From 1 April 2016 commissioning responsibility will transfer to the new health and social care partnerships. The Scottish Government has also committed to review hospice funding by the end of 2016 to look at addressing the disparity between children and adult hospices as part of implementation of the strategic framework for action on palliative and end of life care.

<>Unitary charges are finalised when a project reaches financial close; accordingly, it is not possible to set out a ‘before’ and ‘after’ unitary charge.

National Insurance policy is a reserved matter. The introduction of the single-tier pension through the Pension Act 2014 led to the abolition of the ‘contracted-out rebate’ by the UK Government. The abolition of the rebate will lead to increased costs for employers, including all public sector employers. The change takes effect from April 2016.

The UK Government made no adjustment to spending plans to recognise increased costs on public sector employers. As explained in Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2016-17, published in December 2015, financial settlements reflect the overarching challenges facing public bodies including a range of cost pressures. All public bodies are contributing towards our ability to live within the resources that are available to us.

The Scottish Government has transferred all of the £35.4 million budgeted to Independent Living Fund Scotland.

The fund budget for the Independent Living Fund (ILF) for 2016-17 is £47.2 million. The Scottish Government has initially set aside an additional £1.1 million for administration costs for 2016-17, however the final budget is still to be agreed between Scottish Government and ILF Scotland. The Scottish Government has also committed an additional £5 million to open the fund to new users.

All solid organ transplant services in Scotland are nationally commissioned by NHS Scotland’s National Services Division (NSD). Following publication of A Donation and Transplant Plan for Scotland 2013-2020, NSD undertook a comprehensive review of the potential future of solid organ transplantation in Scotland which included a health and social care resource impact analysis for all types of solid organ transplantation (including living kidney donation). The report entitled Commissioning Transplantation to 2020 was published in 2015 and can be viewed at the following link: http://www.nsd.scot.nhs.uk/%5C%5C/publications/servicereviews.html.

No data is available on how long it takes to become a living donor, broken down by NHS board. Assessment to become a living donor is tailored to individual needs and commitments and varies from person to person. The process usually takes at least three months. However it may take more or less time depending on factors such as the number of potential donors who come forward to be assessed for each recipient; the health of the potential donors and the type of tests they require; and the general health of the potential recipient. Information on the process involved in becoming a living donor is available on the Organ Donation Scotland website at the following link: https://www.organdonationscotland.org/sites/default/files/living_kidney_donation.pdf.

The Scottish Government HR official statistics publication of 16 March 2016 contains the most recent staffing position, showing that at 31 December 2015 there were 5,120 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees in Core Scottish Government directorates:

http://www.gov.scot/stats/bulletins/01203.

Our historic data shows that at 31 March 2007 there were 4,200 FTE employees in Core Scottish Government/Executive directorates.

The increase of 920 FTE is largely caused by the transfer of staff and functions into the Core Scottish Government in the following public bodies between 2007 and 2009:

Communities Scotland

Scottish Agricultural Science Agency

Scottish Building Standards Agency

Mental Health Tribunal

Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and Fisheries Research Services

Staffing numbers are also published via the Office for National Statistics quarterly public sector employment series. The Office for National Statistics website provides the last five years of historical information. The most recent publication is available at the following link:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/publicsectoremploymentreferencetable.

The Registered Social Landlord (RSL) Adaptations budget of £10 million has been fully allocated and, following the conclusion of a recent review of the planned adaptations expenditure of all RSLs, we are confident the £10 million will be drawn down in full. We will provide details of 2015-16 adaptations spend by RSLs to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre when this is available.

Revenues from Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) remain firmly on track and overall devolved tax revenues are expected to exceed the Scottish Government's forecast for 2015-16.

Residential LBTT revenues in the year to date remain broadly in line with expectations, allowing for the effects of forestalling which were excluded from the original forecast for 2015-16 of £235 million.