Chamber and committees

The potential savings identified by Sir John Egan in the Rethinking Construction report are a 20% reduction in accidents and defects, and a 10% reduction in capital costs and construction time. The report also highlights a potential 10% increase in productivity, turnover and profits for contractors.The Scottish Executive supports the principles of Rethinking Construction as a means of delivering best practice and improvements in the construction industry. Scottish Enterprise will lead a Rethinking Construction initiative in consultation with Communities Scotland and other stakeholders, using their established clusters approach. Central to this initiative is the creation of a Core Industry Group supported by a wider Rethinking Construction Panel.

The Scottish Executive supports the principles of Rethinking Construction as a means of delivering best practice and improvements in the construction industry. Scottish Enterprise have agreed to lead a Rethinking Construction initiative, in consultation with Communities Scotland and other stakeholders, using their established clusters approach. Central to this initiative will be the creation of a Core Industry Group supported by a wider Rethinking Construction Panel.My officials have kept in touch with developments in the rest of the UK, including the recent establishment of Rethinking Construction Centres. Should the Core Industry Group take the view that a Centre is an effective approach to progressing Rethinking Construction in Scotland, the Executive would consider the options.

The Scottish Executive does not currently have any plans to establish a new direct fund for voluntary sector organisations.However, the Executive is of course fully committed to assisting the voluntary sector. The Executive's direct support for the voluntary sector now stands at record levels and has increased year on year since 1998-99. We are also committed to modernising the funding framework for the voluntary sector and this is being considered as part of our on-going work on funding.

There is no statutory requirement on any party to erect signage on beaches advising of bathing water quality. However, under section 121(9) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 a local authority may place notices on beaches to advise the public as to any danger or health hazard connected with those waters. A local authority may also erect signs on beaches to advise members of the public of bathing water quality, at its own discretion. The Scottish Executive has not issued guidance on this matter.

Consideration is being given to funding a range of initiatives as part of the spending review, the outcome of which will be announced later this year.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27702.

The Executive recognises the valuable contribution made by voluntary sector organisations, including Local Councils on Alcohol, in providing services and in other action in the plan. The Executive is providing core funding of £175,000 in 2002-03 for Alcohol Focus Scotland, the national umbrella body for local councils. The provision of local services, however, is a matter for local funding bodies to determine, in the light of local needs and available resources.

All applications for training grants under section 9 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 for funding in the financial year 2003-04 are to be received by 30 September 2002. Alcohol Focus Scotland will be advised of the outcome by 31 December 2002.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27699.

We are providing new resources centrally to implement the Plan for Action's early priorities. This includes £1.5 million for a national alcohol problems communications strategy, increased funding to Alcohol Action Teams (AATs) of £1 million and £250,000 to develop a national alcohol information resource. AATs are currently examining how existing spending on alcohol problems can be redesigned to help implement the plan locally.