The information requested is not held centrally. However, Drug and Alcohol Action Teams should have some information about service provision at a local level, which would be helpful.

I am satisfied that the responses are fully in accordance with the Scottish Executive Guidance on Parliamentary Questions. The Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) responds to parliamentary questions about operational and contractual matters because they are his specific responsibility under the agency's framework document. This approach applies to all executive agencies of the Scottish Executive and is in accordance with paragraphs 58-59 of the Scottish Executive's Guidance on Parliamentary Questions, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 24377). There were 623 questions answered by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service in the 12 months to 12 November 2002, an increase of almost four-fold on the previous 12 months. This delayed the average response time but the backlog has now been cleared. In accordance with the Scottish Executive Guidance, all of those answers sought to provide the information requested whenever this was available and where provision of that information was consistent with the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information.Ministers are ultimately accountable for executive agencies such as the SPS. I consider that through the agency framework documents, ministers take proper responsibility for agencies. If there is information that the member wants and considers has not been provided, I suggest she contacts the Chief Executive who will be pleased to assist her.

Home, community and residential alcohol detoxification services are available across Scotland. The Executive's Plan for Action on alcohol problems, which was published on 18 January, acknowledges the need to improve alcohol problems services and fill gaps in current provision, including detoxification, if this is appropriate. It requires local Alcohol Action Teams to assess needs in their areas and produce plans to address these by April 2003. The Executive issued a framework for support and treatment services in September to act as a guide for local plans.

Incidence rates of most types of cancer vary between areas of Scotland and are due to differences in exposures to the main risk factors for cancers: tobacco use, alcohol consumption and diet. Occupational, environmental and genetic factors also contribute to variations.ISD Online provides information on cancer incidence by NHS board for the five-year period 1994-98 and the 10 years 1989-98 at: www.nhsis.co.uk/isd/cancer/facts_figures/facts_figures.htm.Cancer Registration Statistics Scotland 1986-1995, which provides commentary on risk factors, is also available at: www.nhsis.co.uk/isd/Scottish_Health_Statistics/subject/Cancerregistra/index.htm.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

All prisoners who may be considered suitable for retoxification prior to release are afforded a comprehensive multi-disciplinary assessment while in custody, as outlined in the answer given to question S1W-28515.

When the 15 unified NHS boards were established in September 2001, our objective was not to achieve financial savings. Rather, the aim of the new boards is to secure the efficient, effective and accountable governance of local NHS systems, focusing on health outcomes and people's experience of the NHS. Moreover, it is about encouraging new attitudes towards how we plan and work together in a single NHS Scotland - replacing a market-driven mentality with a genuine partnership philosophy.A revised financial framework does, however, form an integral part of the new accountability and governance arrangements and the new performance management framework, which underpin the operation of the unified NHS boards. The aim of the new framework, as described in Rebuilding our National Health Service, is to develop a whole system approach to financial management, accountability and planning which maximises the return on additional investment, simplifying the way money flows in the local NHS system and allowing greater flexibility for financial planning over the longer term.

Yes. CoaguChek testing strips will be added to the Scottish Drug Tariff as soon as appropriate guidance for users has been finalised and issued to NHS prescribers and dispensing contractors.

The Executive is in dialogue with the British Medical Association in relation to the current concerns of doctors about the implications of Part 5 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

Fluoride is a chemical with many different uses. Because of this, products containing fluoride are controlled under many different regulatory schemes according to the purpose of the product. As an example of this fluoride can be found in products used by human beings as medicinal products, food supplements and cosmetic products. According to records held by the Medicines Control Agency there are 51 licensed medicines containing fluoride as an active substance and a further two which contain fluoride as an excipient.

The York Review (http://www0.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/summary.pdf) considered all relevant and robust research on fluoridation and concluded that water fluoridation reduces levels of decay and that, apart from an increase in dental fluorosis (mottling), there are no associated adverse effects on health.