Chamber and committees

I expect to receive the report of the feasibility study into broadband communications for Scottish schools by the end of September. The study is looking at a range of institutional, financial and technical matters involved in providing broadband communications links to Scottish schools.

No.

The Football Partnership did meet on the 24 March and a Scottish Executive News Release reporting the outcome of the meeting was issued that day. The News Release also provided details of how the paper containing the detailed proposals considered by the partnership could be obtained.

Following on from last year's planning cycle with the Drug Action Teams, seven out of the 22 specifically refer to volatile substance abuse in their corporate action plans.

Volatile substance abuse is seen as a high priority by the Executive, and we will be asking all 22 Drug Action Teams a specific VSA question on the year 2000 template, due to be issued in September. The returns in December will be analysed by Public Health Directorate, which will consider what further action is required to tackle VSA across Scotland.

According to the Scottish Drugs Forum's Directory of Specialist Helping Agencies, there are approximately 85 treatment services available in Scotland which address volatile substance abuse. The Scottish Executive does not directly fund any of these services, but it core-funds the Scottish Drugs Forum which maintains a close interest on volatile substance abuse through the Scottish Volatile Substance Use Working Group. The Executive also supports the work of the Drug Action Teams which, as a point of their remit, are expected to address volatile substance abuse at local level.

Generally, investment in information and communication technology is a matter for the private sector in line with regulatory and commercial considerations.

However, the Special Transitional Programme for the Highlands & Islands includes provision for limited support to ICT development, including infrastructure in remote areas, where the needs of the area cannot be met by commercial interests alone. The programme sets specific targets for all activities and the Programme Monitoring Committee is charged with ensuring that these are met.

Promoting ICT development is also embedded in the plans for the three Objective 2 areas in terms of business development and innovation, particularly focused on schemes of support for SME's. Support will also be available for the development of community ICT provisions. Direct costs of infrastructure development will not be met through the Objective 2 programmes.

The Scottish Objective 3 Operational Programme includes as a horizontal theme across all of its vertical priorities the promotion and development of the information society, particularly in the context of access to the labour market and information and communications technology skills in the workforce.

Under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, the provision and regulation of railway services, which includes rail safety, is a reserved matter. These are the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.I have received detailed briefings from ScotRail, Railtrack, Virgin Trains and Great North Eastern Railways outlining further safety measures the companies intend to introduce on the Scottish railway network.

Information relating to the Greater Glasgow Health Board area is as follows:-

(a)This information is not held centrally.

(b) & (c) At 30 September 1999, there were 624 registered midwives employed. Of those, 397 worked full time and 227 worked part time hours.

(d) & (e) This information is not held centrally.

No universities or colleges in Scotland offer degree courses in play work with children.

Information on the number of young people who left special schools in 1998-99 for the age groups requested is given below.

Age 16	493
Age 17	168
Age 18	216