Chamber and committees

The Executive has allocated over £108 million to the Scottish Ambulance Service this year. This represents a 7.4% increase on last year and reflects the Executive's support for the service's modernisation agenda, including the implementation of priority-based dispatch. Part of this allocation will be used to support the training of community first responders. These responders form an integral element of the service's faster response to emergency calls, in particular in remote and rural communities.Police and fire services personnel are trained in first aid so that they may provide assistance in medical emergencies they may come across when carrying out their duties. This will account for a small part of the training budget expended centrally and locally in support of these services.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Casework allocations (the in-prison part of the service) were made on the basis of prisoner throughput except for HM Prison Kilmarnock who were already contracted to provide this service and SPS therefore wished to avoid the taxpayer paying twice for the same service. Transitional Care allocations (the community part of the service) were assessed on the basis of prisoner throughput to different parts of Scotland. This second service is available to prisoners released from all of Scotland's prisons, including those held at HMP Kilmarnock.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The cost of the contract is currently just under £3 million per full year, and will run for an initial term until end March 2004.The contract offers assessment, care planning, 1:1 work, case review and pre-release planning within the prison to all prisoners with an identified drug, alcohol or volatile substance misuse problem, and post-release advocacy support for up to 12 weeks after liberation. At HMP Kilmarnock in-prison services are provided by Premier Prison Services staff, with Cranstoun involved in pre-release planning and post-release support.

There is no established time scale for the period between the award of an interim payment and the final settlement of a case, during which time more than one interim payment may be made. A variety of factors are taken into account when the quantum of compensation is assessed. The time between making an interim award and concluding a claim can vary from case to case, depending on individual circumstances.

It is for Scottish ministers to determine whether a case merits an award of compensation under the provisions set out in section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 or under the ex gratia scheme. Once that decision has been taken, an independent assessor is appointed to determine the quantum of compensation to be paid.

Regrettably there will be insufficient parliamentary time to bring forward the proposed bill during this Parliament. However, the Executive recognises the need to continue to improve animal welfare and, before the end of this Parliament, we intend to publish for consultation a draft bill setting out our intentions.

The Scottish Executive responded formally to Justice 2 Committee regarding petition P333 on 26 July 2001. This confirmed that the Scottish Executive do not accept the view expressed by the petitioner that the law regarding the celebration of marriage in Scotland is not compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Scottish Executive response pointed out that there is nothing to prevent a humanist or other ceremony supplementing the legal procedure undertaken by a registrar. In addition, the Scottish Executive undertook to review the position once the then proposed Marriage (Scotland) Bill had been enacted and operational for a suitable period. The new arrangements under the Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002 and associated regulations came fully into effect on 10 June 2002. These permit civil marriages to be carried out by registrars in places that are approved by Scottish local authorities. The Scottish Executive still intend, as was indicated in the response to PE333, to review matters once the 2002 act has been operational for a suitable period.

The Scottish Executive have no immediate plans to introduce legislation to allow celebrants of the Humanist Society to perform marriage ceremonies in Scotland. However, as stated in reply to petition PE 333 by Charles Douglas on behalf of the Humanist Society of Scotland, the Scottish Executive will review this position when the Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002 has been operational for a suitable period.

The Scottish Executive has no plans to carry out such an investigation.

I understand that the boards of management of each college have considered the reports on the due diligence process and have formally agreed to proceed with the merger. I also understand that the colleges have put in place the necessary robust arrangements by which the merger process can be taken forward.