Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive has regular contacts with police forces about a range of matters, including funding, and the implications of the events of 11 September are still under review. However, some additional resources have already been made available as a result of measures taken.

Data from the Annual Labour Force Survey (Autumn 2000 - Summer 2001) show that the number of full-time workers employed in the agricultural industry is 51,000, which accounts for 89.5% of employment in agricultural industry. The number of part-time workers employed in agricultural industry is 6,000, which accounts for 10.5% of employment in agricultural industry.Figures for seasonal employment in agricultural industry are not held centrally. As percentages of the total work force in each category, the proportions working in agricultural industries are: full-time employment 2.8%; part-time employment 1.0%, and total employment 2.4%.

The Scottish Health Plan Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change and A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland make clear the Scottish Executive's commitment to promoting breastfeeding across Scotland. The Scottish Breastfeeding Group and the Health Education Board for Scotland are working to promote, support and sustain breastfeeding, including sponsoring the recent World's best baby food advert . The National Breastfeeding Adviser is working with NHS Boards to encourage and increase the incidence and duration of breastfeeding through, for example, the UNICEF Baby Friendly initiatives. A priority of the Health Improvement Fund is to support work to improve children's diet, which includes breastfeeding. In addition, breastfeeding initiatives are part of a number of Social Inclusion Partnership programmes.

No local authority has yet formally indicated that it wishes to take part in the proposed electoral pilot schemes. Guidance to councils about how to participate in the schemes will be issued early in the New Year. A number of councils have indicated informally their desire to use this provision.

Last year, around 1,100 patients from all parts of the United Kingdom received their treatment overseas under the long established EC reciprocal arrangements. Separate figures for Scotland are not available.

Since 1996 the Scottish Executive has awarded funding of over £10 million to more than 160 public CCTV systems throughout Scotland. There has been no national assessment of the effect of those systems on levels of street crime and I am not aware of any systems funded from this programme which are operating in West Renfrewshire. However, from 1 April 2001 we are introducing a new funding programme worth £12 million over the next three years which will include provision for CCTV. A proposal has been included within the Scottish Executive new research agenda for an evaluation of the new funding arrangements which will also include a review of the systems approved under the existing funding scheme.

The Scottish Executive recently bid for the Ryder Cup golf tournament and the event is to be held in Scotland in 2014. The Executive is presently assisting the Scottish Football Association with consideration of whether to bid for the European Nations Football Championships in 2008. Successful bids have been made by governing bodies/local authorities for the European Junior Swimming and Diving Competition in 2003, the European Cross Country Championships in 2003 and the World Bowls Championships in 2004. The Executive is also aware that a number of other bids have been made or are being considered, including a joint bid by the Scottish Rugby Union and the Irish Rugby Football Union for the Rugby World Cup in 2007.

Our National Health already sets out our commitment to developing services that are designed around patients, providing individuals and communities with access to the range of health services they need, when they need it. We will achieve this through a range of actions to modernise the delivery of services and change existing cultures. Good examples of this already exist in NHS Scotland; it is our intention to build on this good work and to share best practice to ensure that our services meet the needs of individuals and communities. These actions are not dependent on the new contract for consultant medical staff. However, negotiations between the UK Health Departments and the BMA are continuing and we are fully committed to agreeing a new contract which will provide a career and remuneration system that secures and rewards the full, long-term commitments of consultants to a patient centred NHS, in pursuit of better patient care.

The responsibility for assessing the needs of the local population and delivering the most appropriate configuration of maternity services to meet those needs lies with the individual NHS Boards.In conducting their reviews of maternity strategies, NHS bodies will take full account of the clear action points and recommendations in A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland as well as Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines and the views of health service staff, service users and local communities.

No specific guidance has been issued on this issue.