Chamber and committees

We have no plans to conduct a separate review, since the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) consultation will include a number of animal welfare bodies that are organised on a GB rather than English or Scottish basis and a number of specifically Scottish bodies, including the SSPCA. The outcome of the consultation is therefore likely to be as relevant to Scotland as to England and Wales. The Executive will be closely involved in the DEFRA review.

The sale, supply and safety of fireworks are consumer protection matters and, as such, are reserved. The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Fire Service fully support the DTI's annual Firework Safety Campaign. In 2001, the DTI's Firework Safety Toolkit was issued to fire brigades across Scotland. Brigades distributed the toolkit, including safety posters and leaflets, to schools. Additionally, brigades took further action which they considered essential to raise awareness of bonfire and firework safety issues in their local areas.

The project to extend the M77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh is being taken forward jointly with the Glasgow Southern Orbital and is on target for opening in early 2005. This is in line with the timetable set out following the Strategic Roads Review.

We are currently consulting with relevant interests and will determine shortly the appropriate means of implementing the directive in Scotland.

Planning is well in hand to set up the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (The Care Commission) with effect from 1 April. It will regulate all care services, including those in pre-five education. Following consultation we issued a plan to all local authorities in November 2001. This set out how a smooth and trouble free transition should take place. We are about to issue a leaflet to providers of services telling them more about these new arrangements.

This information is not held centrally.

The Guidance for Local Authorities issued in June 1991 under The Children Act 1989 sets out the current minimum staff:child ratios in early years settings. From 1 April 2002, the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care will take over responsibility for the regulation and inspection of early years settings including the setting of adult:child ratios. In both cases, subject to the required ratios, staffing of pre-school services is a matter for employers, whether local authorities or operators in the private or voluntary sector.

The Weeds Act 1959 does not confer any powers on local authorities to act in relation to ragwort. The Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department investigates all written complaints received about the presence of ragwort on land. The act places responsibility for control of certain weeds, including ragwort, on the occupier of the land and in the first instance, where livestock may be at risk, the Executive will advise the occupier to carry out control measures. Where necessary and as a last resort, powers are available under the act to give occupiers of land formal written notice requiring them to take action.

The Minister for Environment and Rural Development has specific responsibility for animal health and welfare.

Our National Health announced our intention to prepare a "Staff Governance Standard" and I launched this at the Scottish Partnership Conference on 25 January 2002. Under the Standard, NHS employees are entitled to be:well informed;appropriately trained;involved in decisions which affect them;treated fairly and consistently, andprovided with an improved and safe working environment.Amongst other policies and agreements, the Staff Governance Standard will be underpinned by the Education and Lifelong Learning Strategy "Learning Together", the Occupational Health and Safety Strategy "Towards a Safer Healthier Workplace" and by the best practice guidance on people management produced by the Scottish Partnership Forum, which represents all staff groups.Performance against the standard will be assessed by the Scottish Partnership Forum and local partnership forums and form an integral part of the new performance and accountability framework. Boards will be expected to demonstrate that they are exemplar employers. Employers' progress towards meeting the standard will also be informed through staff surveys, the first of which requires to be completed by the end of March 2002.