Chamber and committees

No. This is a universal programme to ensure that all over 60s households in the private sector and all social rented tenants without central heating have access to a free central heating system, insulation and energy advice.

No.The funding available to Scottish Water during the current four year investment cycle is described in some detail in Water Quality and Standards Investment Priorities for Scotland's Water Authorities 2002-2006 (Bib. number 15676). The purpose of wastewater treatment works is to treat discharges of wastewater to a standard which will benefit the environment.Scottish Water's investment programme is already very substantial and is based upon the advice of a wide range of bodies including Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Water Industry Commission. It reflects a balance between our meeting environmental and public health considerations on the one hand, and the affordability of charges to customers on the other.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I shall ask Robert Crawford, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, to write to the member.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I shall ask Robert Crawford, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, to write to the member.

Closing the opportunity gap for Scotland's children is a key policy for the Executive. Through Sure Start Scotland we provide resources to give every child the best possible start in life. This supports joint-agency integrated service provision, which is often provided through children's centres. The Changing Children's Services Fund is a further source of resources to act as a catalyst for better integration of health, education, social work and voluntary sector services to improve outcomes for vulnerable and deprived children. All these resources are weighted heavily by local authority area to reflect deprivation levels.

Business advice and support for women is delivered by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The Scottish Executive acknowledge that these services should reflect the specific needs of current or potential women entrepreneurs. The need for a national centre for women's enterprise is currently under consideration.

We do not, as yet, have reliable data on the number of childcare places in Scotland. Our current monitoring arrangement (through the annual census of Children's Daycare and Pre-School Education Centres) provides data on numbers of children attending these services. However, the 2002 census data, which will be published on 10 September, will provide information on the number of places for the first time.Counting available places does not necessarily give a useful indication of whether needs are being met, for example breakfast club, after school and holiday provision will all be included as separate places, but each is satisfying a different requirement. Furthermore, one "place" may be used by more than one child, since many parents do not require formal childcare full-time. Our view is that although data on both numbers of children and places is required, we need to supplement that with updated research into parent's needs. From the 2001 Census of Children's Daycare and Pre-School Education Centres, we estimate that one-in-five of 0- to 14-year-olds in Scotland were attending pre-school or daycare provision in January 2001. This is broadly the same as the rate in England. We are also examining the scope for setting clearer targets for Childcare Partnerships. These might include specific increases in the level of provision across different types of childcare, which would help to identify the level and type of provision available and where the gaps are.Childcare provision is being expanded through Childcare Strategy funding. £16.75 million this year and next is being channelled through local authorities who, with their Childcare Partnerships, are expected to address and meet local childcare needs. In addition, the New Opportunities Fund current and third round childcare programmes (totalling £46.3 million) are designed to support both new and existing childcare projects.

The Management Statement issued by the Scottish Executive to Scottish Enterprise requires that they submit statements twice a year to the Executive showing performance against each of the key operating targets identified in their annual operating plan. In addition, on a quarterly basis, Scottish Enterprise prepares a statement of performance against operating plan targets for its board, which is copied to the Scottish Executive.

A feasibility study on establishing a national centre for women's enterprise was undertaken by the Paisley Enterprise Research Centre of the University of Paisley. The Executive is currently considering the report and will shortly announce arrangements for its publication.

The total provision for Learning Disabilities Change Fund is £16 million in 2003-04, recurring thereafter. The resources are being allocated through the general local government settlement distribution - separate allocations for each authority have not been published, but are included within the settlement total each authority receives.