Executive unveils spending plans for next four years

The Scottish executive has announced its spending plans for
health and community care, writes Nicola
Barry.

The executive plans to spend £6.59 billion on health and
community care in 2002-03 rising to £8.58 billion by
2005-06.

For families, £40 million will be invested over the next
three years on integrated children’s services, and an
additional £110 million for early years intervention. The
executive says this will deliver an integrated package of support
from local authorities, voluntary organisations and health services
to at least 15,000 vulnerable children under five.

A 10-point action plan to tackle youth crime in Scotland,
pledging a further £33 million over the next three years, has
been announced. The action plan recognises the strength of the
existing youth justice system and identifies areas for further
improvement, namely combating persistent offenders and enhancing
community safety.

Key elements include a pilot of specialist children’s hearings
to fast-track persistent offenders under 16, a youth court
feasibility project and fast-tracking for persistent offenders aged
16 and 17.

But Pat Watters, president of the Convention of the Scottish
Local Authorities, said the spending plans “barely began to meet
the basic needs of local authorities”.