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Briefing Document No 12 - Page 3 of 6
Good News for the Poor? The Scottish Executive's First Social Justice Annual Report - Continued.
11. Improving the health of young people through reductions in smoking by 12-15 year olds, teenage pregnancies among 13-15 year olds and the rate of suicides among young people
Action : Various health promotion programmes (eg Healthy Respect), prioritising mental health in NHS
Trend : Teenage pregnancies more stable since mid 1990s, after steady increase; steady increase in suicides (esp male) since 1976 (overall doubling in that period; males trebling), though more stable in 1990s; female suicides now growing
12. No-one has to sleep rough
Action : Rough Sleepers Initiative, New Futures Fund
Trend : "No reliable data"
Every family matters
13. Reducing the proportion of unemployed working age people
Action : New Deal, Action Teams for Jobs in specific areas
Trend : Steady reduction since 1993 (currently half of mid 1980s level); long term unemployment now 48% lower than in 1997 (though marginal increase 1999-00)
14. Reducing the proportion of working age people with low incomes
Action : Minimum wage, Working Families Tax Credit, Individual Learning Accounts
Trend : Proportion of working age people in households below 60% of median income was 11% in 1979, now 19% (slight increase 1998/9 over 1997/8
15. Increasing the employment rates of groups, such as lone parents and ethnic minorities, that are relatively disadvantaged in the labour market
Action : New Deal (esp for the Disabled), new Tax Credits
Trend : Generally increasing slowly, esp for lone parents
16. Increasing the proportion of students from under-represented, disadvantaged groups and areas in higher education compared with the overall student population in higher education
Action : Increasing Access Funds, abolishing tuition fees
Trend : Some marginal improvement, but slight drop in proportion of mature home undergraduates from "low participation neighbourhoods"
17. Increasing the proportion of people with learning disabilities able to live at home or in a 'homely' environment
Action : Development of plans to close all long stay hospitals for people with learning difficulties by 2005, plus development of services to aid integration
Trend : Dramatic move since 1980 from long stay hospitals to residential care and day care
18. Improving the health of families by reducing smoking, alcohol misuse, poor diet and mortality rates from coronary heart disease
Action : Various initiatives, including Healthy Living Centres and Scottish Community Diet Project
Trend : Steady decline in smoking, now levelling off; heart disease deaths falling but still dramatic inequalities; "reliable long term data on alcohol misuse is not yet available"
Every older person matters
19. Reducing the proportion of older people with low incomes
Action : Minimum Income Guarantee, etc
Trend : Falling during the 1990s, but marginal increase in 1998/99 esp after housing costs
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