I have been advised by the Food Standards Agency that the EC Directive 2002/46/EC ensures a high level of protection for consumers as products on the market will comply with agreed safety levels and will bear adequate and appropriate labelling. Implementation of the directive will not immediately outlaw any products already on the UK market. The impact of the directive on the future continued availability of products will depend upon future developments on lists of permitted nutrients and on maximum limits. There are currently no specific limits in UK law on the level or range of vitamins and minerals contained in food supplements. Food supplements are regulated in other member states by differing national rules that may impede their free movement, create unequal conditions for competition and consumers. It is therefore necessary to adopt Community rules on those products marketed as foodstuffs.The directive deals only with the composition of vitamin and mineral supplements and will have no impact on the consumers of herbal remedies. Traditional herbal medicines are a reserved matter, dealt with by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), the UK Medicines Regulatory Authority.

Information on the number of specialist rheumatology nurses is not available centrally.Information on the number of consultant rheumatologists working in each NHS board area is available in tables B10 and B11 on the ISD website. The website address is:http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/NHSiS_resource/Workforce/workforce_statistics.htm.

On 2 December 2002, the Scottish Executive launched Choose Life: A National Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent Suicide in Scotland, which aims to tackle the rising rate of suicides in Scotland. It includes a particular focus on a range of vulnerable groups, including young people (especially young men), people with mental health problems, substance misusers and persons in prison. The strategy outlines clear objectives for concerted national and local action. The strategy and action plan are supported by a new investment of £12 million over three years, to be used to help promote improved, co-ordinated planning and the development and implementation of action by local agencies; to support local innovation and training and to encourage the development of interventions and services by local voluntary, community and self-help groups, and for work at national level and the establishment of a national implementation support team.The Scottish Executive also funds the Breathing Space telephone advice line for people, particularly but not exclusively young men, who suffer from low mood and might be at risk of suicide.

NHSScotland is expected to implement evidence-based guidelines and recommendations from bodies such as SIGN. As guidelines are an integral part of the development of condition-specific standards by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland, the board's assessment of compliance with these standards, and with its clinical governance or generic standards, ensures that procedures are in place locally to implement relevant evidence-based guidelines and recommendations. However, NHS boards are responsible for decisions about the level of resource to commit to this work.

There are no current plans to review this report. It remains a matter for each NHS board or trust to make their own assessment of need for such therapies and provide resources, as appropriate.

The Executive will work with NHS Scotland and professional bodies to ensure that the NHS will have the capacity to meet the additional demands which will be placed on it when the anticipated new Mental Health Act comes into effect. This includes increasing the capacity of psychiatric services to meet the demands associated with the proposed new procedures.

The National Waiting Times Centre was purchased by the Scottish Executive for NHSScotland in the course of the current financial year, and it is already making good progress towards the target of undertaking 5,000 procedures in its first full year of operation. As NHS boards had already agreed their financial plans for this year by the time of the purchase of the centre, they would have had to make reductions in other services if they had been required to pay for the extra activity at the centre. Consequently, no charges are being levied against NHS boards for their use of the centre in 2002-03.NHS boards are expected to build their costs for using the National Waiting Times Centre into their plans for future years.

The Executive does not measure unmet need. We collect statistics on the number of people in receipt of home care services and the number of hours provided.

Matters related to tax credits are reserved. Specific categories of tax credit recipients and their partners are passported to full help with NHS charges and receive a certificate advising them of this fact. The Executive has commissioned research into the efficiency and effect of the patient charging system on equity of access to treatment. The Executive has also collaborated with NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services (CFS), formerly known as the Fraud Investigation Unit, on publicity campaigns to inform the public of the categories of patient who are entitled to free NHS prescriptions, NHS optical vouchers, NHS sight tests and full or partial help with NHS dental treatment and to encourage those patients who fall within these categories to take up their entitlements. This collaboration will continue and the CFS has been tasked with taking forward independent initiatives to continue to clarify the position.

Authorities must demonstrate flexibility and good management of their free personal care resources alongside existing budgets for care for the elderly and delayed discharge. Anyone assessed as needing personal or nursing care will receive it.The Executive will be collecting data from local authorities on the uptake of free personal and nursing care on a quarterly basis.In respect of care in the community generally, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22126 on 8 February 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.