Chamber and committees

Apart from travelling expenses, which have been paid to only one individual from the lists, no payments are made to the organisations or individuals listed in respect of their involvement in the various working groups and task forces.

Local authorities are free to bid to acquire Scottish Homes' stock.

After the report of the McFadden Commission was published on 9 May, we invited comments on the recommendations. This consultation will end on 30 September. In the meantime, the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) of the Cabinet Office has announced a review of the voluntary sector at a UK level. This may have relevance for Scotland. The consultation responses will therefore be considered alongside any recommendations from the PIU. We aim to publish a comprehensive response to the McFadden report as soon as possible thereafter. Any Bill that may follow this will have to take its place alongside other competing priorities in the legislative programme.

Officers and members from South Lanarkshire Council have met with representatives of the Immigration Service on a number of occasions in the last year to discuss safety, health and educational arrangements. Strathclyde Police and Lanarkshire Health Board and Primary Care Trust have also been represented at meetings. Social Work Services Inspectorate has been in correspondence and telephone discussions with the Immigration Service, Department of Health and South Lanarkshire Council about standards of care for children.

The Home Office Immigration Service is responsible for refugees and asylum seekers and such matters are reserved. The Scottish Prison Service has housed such individuals, mainly in Greenock Prison. However, with effect from 3 September the process began of transferring such individuals from prison to the newly opened Dungavel Immigration Facility for which the Home Office is responsible.

I have asked Graeme Munro, Director and Chief Executive of Historic Scotland, to answer. His response is as follows: "Historic Scotland has not been consulted as the planning authority, South Lanarkshire Council do not consider that Listed Building Consent is required for works being carried out at Dungavel House."

Further to the answer provided to question S1W-17545, I can confirm that the organisations of the 91 staff currently on secondment whose salary costs are met by the receiving organisation are as follows:Cairngorm Partnership Common Services Agency European Commission Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Lord President's OfficeLothian Health Meat Hygiene ServicePublic and Commercial Services Union Scottish Enterprise Scottish Archive Network Project Scottish Arts Council Scottish Chambers of Commerce Scottish Council Development and Industry Scottish Criminal Records Office Scottish Financial EnterpriseScottish Football Association Scottish Natural Heritage Scottish Parliament Scottish University for Industry Sportscotland Strathclyde University The Household of HRH The Prince of Wales West Lothian NHS Trust The Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Council Development and Industry and Scottish Financial Enterprise all pay a contribution towards the salary costs of the secondment with the balance met by the Scottish Executive.

Further to the answer provided to question S1W-17547, I can confirm that the following organisations had staff on loan from the Scottish Executive in the period May 1999 to July 2001: Audit ScotlandBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilCabinet OfficeDepartment of Trade and IndustryForeign and Commonwealth OfficeForestry CommissionHM TreasuryHome OfficeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsOffice of Fair TradingOFSTEDOFTELPrime Minister's Office, Downing StreetRoyal Botanical GardensScottish Court ServiceScottish Environment Protection AgencyScottish Criminal Cases Review CommissionScottish Funding Councils for Further and Higher Education

Further to the answer provided to question S1W-17545, I can confirm that the organisations of the 17 staff currently on secondment whose salary costs are being met by the Scottish Executive are as follows:European Commission Glasgow Employer Coalition Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Prince's Trust Volunteers Scotland Royal Society of Edinburgh Scottish Business in the Community Scottish Chambers of CommerceScottish Civic ForumScottish Council Development and IndustryScottish Council for Voluntary OrganisationsScottish Financial EnterpriseScottish PowerWestern Isles CouncilYoung Scot The Scottish Chambers of Commerce, the Scottish Council Development and Industry and Scottish Financial Enterprise all pay a contribution towards the salary costs of the secondment.

This is a matter for South Lanarkshire Council. Additional information is available in answers to questions S1W-17739 and S1W-17996.