The University of York review, which was published in 2000, said that an increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis of aesthetic concern may occur in 12.5% of the population. There is no evidence of any other adverse effects on health, where fluoride is used at recommended doses. The Executive is consulting from a position of neutrality.

The Scottish Executive provides grant support to enable the British Fluoridation Society to continue to provide scientific advice to the Scottish Executive and to NHS Scotland on issues of fluoride. The amounts awarded in the last three years are £8,000 in both 2000-01 and 2001-02, and £10,000 in 2002-03.

The consultation document Towards Better Oral Health in Children, published on 24 September, seeks views on a range of possible measures to improve children's oral health, including fluoridation. Issues arising from the consultation will be given due consideration.

The consultation document Towards Better Oral Health in Children, published on 24 September, seeks views on a range of possible measures to improve children's oral health, including fluoridation. Questions relating to implementation of any particular option will be considered in the light of the consultation. Section 1 (4) of The Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985 provides that the increase of fluoride in the public water supply may be effected only by the addition of one or more of the following compounds of fluorine: hexafluorosilicic acid; disodium hexafluorosilicate. All products and processes used in the treatment of water are approved at either EU level or by the UK Committee on Products and Processes for Use in the Public Water Supply. Trace amounts of heavy metals are found in the naturally occurring minerals used in fluoride manufacture, but at the dilution used for drinking water supplies they should be present in virtually unmeasureable quantities. In terms of routinely applied UK water quality standards for acceptable levels of heavy metals and other chemicals they are insignificant. Very low levels of metals, silicon and radionuclides from mineral sources are often found naturally in non-fluoridated water

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30227 on 17 October 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.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30227. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The effect of any staff shortages on service provision is a matter for the Borders local authority which is required by statute to deploy resources to meet the social work needs of the people in its area. The Scottish Executive is actively addressing the staffing issue on a Scotland-wide basis. The wide range of our activities includes the National Recruitment and Awareness Campaign, which I launched on 22 October. This will target the areas where there is most difficulty. To inform this activity, local authorities are being asked by the Executive to detail the particular problems in their areas.

The comparison made is based on less complete information collected in 2000. The Scottish Executive is sponsoring a National Recruitment and Awareness Campaign which will target the areas where there is most difficulty. To inform this activity, local authorities are being asked by the Executive to detail the particular problems in their areas.

The latest Social Work Services Inspectorate Annual Report due to be published in November will provide information on staffing and vacancies at a local authority level.

Some research projects have linked sustained exposure to very high fluoride concentrations with bone disorders and fractures. Such outcomes have been detected in countries where fluoride is present in concentrations far above concentrations recommended for use in artificial fluoridation schemes. An expert scientific review, published in 2000, concluded that, aside from a possible increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis of aesthetic concern, there is no evidence of other adverse effects on health, where fluoride is used at recommended doses.