Chamber and committees

Procurement of goods and services by the Scottish Executive is on the basis of value for money. However, we are committed to promoting and supporting fair and ethical trading where possible. For example, we are in discussion with our catering contractors regarding the possibility of them promoting fair trade brands such as tea and coffee. I have also asked my officials to consider whether there is any scope for the Scottish Executive to host a promotional event, giving fair trade suppliers the opportunity to publicise their products and activities.

The Executive encourages firms to improve their level of research and development through schemes such as LINK, Faraday Partnerships, TCS, SMART, SPUR and the EU Fifth Framework Programme. The Knowledge Economy Taskforce, chaired by myself, is also currently considering this area as part of its wider remit.

Ministers and officials in the Executive meet with the scientific community on a regular basis to discuss issues of interest including commercialisation. Along with officials from the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning and Rural Affairs Departments, I recently visited Glasgow University and the Roslin and Moredun Institutes where the discussions included the issue of commercialisation.

The scientific community is also represented among the membership of the Knowledge Economy Taskforce, chaired by myself and which is considering barriers to commercialisation as part of its wider remit.

Officials met recently with the Research Advisory Committee of the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals (COSHEP) and the Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research Institutes (SABRIs). Officials are also represented, along with Scottish Enterprise, COSHEP, the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) and the SABRIs, on the National Cluster Liaison Group.Along with COSHEP and SHEFC, the Executive is a founding member of Technology Ventures Scotland which seeks to promote and accelerate the commercialisation of science and technology in Scotland.

Scotland has 60 bathing waters identified under the Bathing Water Directive.

I have arranged for a copy of a map Bathing Waters Locations Scotland's 60 Identified Bathing Waters and the SEPA Report Scottish Bathing Waters 1999 Bathing Water Quality Results to be made available through the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.Both the map and the report provide the information you require.

Scottish Executive advice to local authorities is set out in Circular SWSG5/93 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (Choice of Accommodation) Directions 1993. The Directions are intended to ensure people have a genuine choice over where they receive residential care whether for respite or for permanent care.

No. The long negative prescription period of 20 years is not peculiar to summary warrants but also applies to decrees granted under the usual procedure.

No. The period of prescription in the case of Council Tax debts, as for certain civil debts, is 20 years. The Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, at Schedule 1, sets out which obligations prescribe after 5 years. Those obligations which do not come under that Schedule prescribe, in the main, after 20 years.

Spending on drug treatment by Health Boards is being boosted by £6 million over a three-year period, bringing annual spend to over £11 million. This represents a 20% rise on previous levels. This funding is distributed via individual Health Boards.Funding for services for drug and alcohol misusers is also provided via local authorities, which received an increase of £51.3 million for 1999-2000, over the previous year, for social work services. However, funding to Health Boards for the provision of services for alcohol misuse and to local authorities for either drug misuse or alcohol misuse treatment services are not earmarked.

In 1995, guidance about new drugs for Multiple Sclerosis and clinical advice from the Scottish Medical Advisory Committee was issued to all Health Boards. The guidance asked Health Boards, in consultation with other key interests, to develop and implement local arrangements to manage the entry of these drugs into the NHS.The guidance remains extant and its implementation is a matter for each Health Board.

Total fire service GAE is distributed each year in accordance with a distribution formula agreed by the Distribution Committee of the Working Party on Local Government Finance. The formula is based on 3 indicators; namely, standardised establishments, standardised establishments per station and pensions. Standardised establishments, the primary indicator, are calculated from the approved establishment of each brigade standardised in terms of firefighter equivalents by weighting numbers in each rank according to relative average salaries. Certain elements of the formula have recently been reviewed, but no proposals for a full review have to date been put to the Distribution Committee.