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Briefing Document No 12 - Page 4 of 6
Good News for the Poor? The Scottish Executive's First Social Justice Annual Report - Continued.
20. Increasing the proportion of working age people contributing to a non-state pension
Action : Stakeholder Pension Scheme, Individual Pension Accounts
Trend : Fairly constant since 1994/95
21. Increasing the proportion of older people able to live independently by doubling the proportion of older people receiving respite care at home and increasing home care opportunities
Action : £120m for local authorities to develp home care services
Trend : Trend data not yet available
22. Increasing the number of older people taking exercise and reducing the rates of mortality from coronary heart disease and the prevalence of respiratory disease
Action : Various, including Arbuthnott NHS funding changes to target resources in areas of deprivation
Trend : Steady improvement re heart disease
23. Reducing the fear of crime among older people
Action : Community Safety Partnerships, "Secured by Design" principles in new house building
Trend : Generally levels of worry are dropping
Every community matters
24. Reducing the gap in unemployment rates between the worst areas and the average rate for Scotland
Action : Action Teams for Jobs, Social Inclusion Partnerships
Trend : "Unemployment rates are falling throughout Scotland but the ratio between unemployment black spots and Scottish rates has remained fairly constant" (in fact the ratio of unemployment has been increasing slightly (from 2.09 in 1994 to 2.29 in 1999)
25. Reducing the incidence of drugs misuse in general and of injections and sharing of needles in particular
Action : Extra £100m on Drugs Action Plan (includes rehabilitation services, education, family support, alternatives to custody)
Trend : Significant increases in both categories through 1990s
26. Reducing crime rates in disadvantaged areas
Action : Social Inclusion Partnership approaches, Community Safety Strategy, extra spending on police
Trend : No specific data for disadvantaged areas; crime levels generally stable
27. Increasing the quality and variety of homes in our most disadvantaged communities
Action : New Housing Partnerships, free central heating for pensioners, council and housing association tenants, new housing legislation
Trend : Declining proportion live in flats; major move from public rented to owner occupied housing since 1981 (2/3 of Scots now own their own homes); decreases in overcrowding
28. Increasing the number of people from all communities taking part in voluntary activities
Action : Active Communities Initiative
Trend : No trend data available
29. Accelerating the number of households in disadvantaged areas with access to the Internet
Action : Digital Inclusion Unit, commitment to Universal Internet Access by 2005
Trend : Levels generally increasing, though only 14% of Scottish households have home internet access and there are wide variations by income
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