Chamber and committees

Scottish ministers may direct Scottish Water in the exercise of its functions using powers contained in section 56(3) of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act. I am aware of problems with odour at the new treatment works at Kirkcaldy. This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I understand work is in hand to identify and resolve the problem, including the installation of improved deodorising units by early October 2002.

Powers already exist in the Building (Scotland) Act 1959, the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. The power to advance well-being proposed in the Local Government in Scotland Bill may also be helpful to local authorities in this regard.

The power to advance well-being will enable a local authority to do anything it considers is likely to promote or improve the well-being of their area or persons in it, subject to certain safeguards. In respect of general building maintenance or litter control, a local authority may use the power if it considers that the proposed action is likely to promote or improve well-being.Local authorities already have powers in respect of building maintenance and litter. In respect of litter, the Scottish Executive has commissioned a review to consider whether the current legislation on litter and flytipping is effective and achieving its purpose, and whether it is being fully utilised by local authorities. The report of the review is due to be completed in late summer.

As the recent Audit Scotland Report on Hospital Cleaning shows the NHS has made progress but there is a continuing need to raise standards. The report made an initial examination of compliance with the new NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Standards for Cleaning Services. It concluded that significant work to implement the standards has taken place in many NHS trusts. Each trust has agreed an action plan to work towards full implementation of the standards.

Pay and conditions for all staff are a matter for institutions and employees' representatives. In our guidance letter of December 2001, the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council was commended for its role in promoting good practice in relation to contract research staff and was asked to work with Universities Scotland to ensure lessons from initiatives are followed up and good practice embedded.

Pay and conditions for research staff is a matter for institutions to decide in conjunction with employees and their representatives. An 8% increase in the funding allocated by the Executive for 2001-02 allowed the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) to increase the unit of core funding by 4%, the first real terms increase in core funding in almost two decades, providing more resources to help address such issues.

Fife Council recently served an interim interdict on those fishing cockles at Pettycur Bay to prevent them from harvesting the cockles, and I have been advised that the cocklers are no longer operating at Pettycur Bay. The Scottish Executive will consider conducting a cockle stock assessment.

Current research on the causes of ME covers a wide range of possible risk factors, including genetic, viral, neurological, psychological, and environmental factors. Details of current publicly funded research into ME is available from the National Research Register, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre, (Bib. number 17404).

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) is largely a response mode funder of research and this role is well known and advertised throughout the healthcare and academic community. Research proposals on ME or on any other health care issue are assessed on the basis of their scientific quality and potential relevance to the health of the Scottish people. Projects must be able to demonstrate "health gain" and potential to improve health care. Such assessments are made by expert peer group and committee review. Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss their research idea with CSO at an early stage, so that they can develop their proposals in a way that most directly addresses Scotland's public health and health services research needs. Comprehensive information and guidance on how to apply for a CSO research grant is available on the CSO website at:www.show.scot.nhs.uk/cso/.

Following the English Chief Medical Officer's working group's report on CFS/ME, published on 11 January this year, the Department of Health in England asked the Medical Research Council (MRC) to draw up a research strategy, taking account of the working group's findings, other recent expert reviews and the views of patients and carers. Once the MRC's work is complete and the future strategic direction of research is clear, the Executive will seek to play a full part in the implementation of that strategy. Until that strategy is available, it would not be a sensible use of limited research funds for the Executive to commission large-scale epidemiological studies. Good quality research proposals into other aspects of CFS/ME will, however, be considered by the Chief Scientist Office by the usual peer review process.