In March, the Government adopted the 2012 action plan for alcohol, narcotics, doping and tobacco policy (ANDT). With this action plan, the Government intends to provide the conditions for government agencies and organisations to conduct long-term planning for their activities. Some of the key elements of the 2012 action plan are building up functioning national monitoring of the ANDT strategy that can also provide support to those working around the country, an initiative to reduce cannabis abuse and an initiative targeting children and young people.

• Measures targeting children and young people and reduced cannabis abuse prioritised in the Government's ANDT policy 2012

The Swedish Government is investing SEK 100 million in 2012 to develop care choice systems. As national coordinator, Roger Molin is tasked with stimulating development of the care choice scheme. A key part of the assignment entails looking into how the care choice scheme can be developed in open specialised medical care.

• National assignment to coordinate care choice scheme

This Bill presents proposals to clarify employers' responsibility for sick pay. A period of sick pay shall not begin unless the worker has completely returned to work and worked for at least one day since the employer last paid sick pay for one full period of sick pay. It is proposed that the legislation enter into force on 1 July 2012.

• Clarification of employer responsibility for sick pay

On 19-22 February, Minister for Health and Social Affairs Göran Hägglund led a delegation of Swedish companies and government agencies on a visit to New Delhi. A memorandum of understanding between Sweden and India in the area of health has been in place since 2009.

• Minister for Health and Social Affairs heads health delegation in India

Each year, there are approximately 3 000 deaths where healthcare injuries have been a contributory factor. During this electoral period, the Government is investing over SEK 2.5 billion in developing patient safety and reducing the number of healthcare injuries.

• The Government invests in patient safety

Sickness absence is decreasing and the sick leave process is increasingly characterised by early and active measures. The sickness insurance reform that the Government implemented during its previous term of office has been of major importance to the reduction in sickness absence. In an international perspective, sickness absence in Sweden is on a par with comparable countries. However, ambitious welfare systems require a certain amount of regular maintenance. Therefore, the Government proposes several improvements in sickness insurance in the Budget Bill for 2012.

• Improvements in sickness insurance for 2012

Housing construction has long been neglected in Sweden. For this reason the Swedish Government is now making housing policy a higher priority and taking several initiatives to stimulate and facilitate housing construction so that it reaches a sustainable level.

• Housing policy a higher priority for the Swedish Government

On 3 November 2011, the Swedish Government decided to establish a service centre to handle the administrative activities of government agencies. The aim is to increase the efficiency of state (central government) administration and to reduce costs. The initiative will open up a new competitive market to private actors who can become subcontractors to the service centre.

• Service centre to streamline administrative services