Chamber and committees

The White Paper Modernisingthe Planning System sets out our proposals for increasing communityinvolvement in the planning system. We are currently considering responses tothe white paper as part of the preparation for the introduction of a PlanningBill later this parliamentary year.

I am pleased to announce that we will today publish our action plan on bail and remand, which is based on the Sentencing Commission’s recommendations.

Copies are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37528). The paper is also available online at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/09/26103133/31342.

The Executive’s position remainsas set out by Tavish Scott on 24 February 2005 during the member’s business debateon motion S2M-2384 (Official Report col. 14853).

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17896 answered on 10 August 2005.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/wa.search.

This information is not heldcentrally.

NHSEducation for Scotland (NES) collects information about pre-registrationnursing and midwifery students, on an annual basis, to determine the numbers ofstudents entering, and completing nursing training over a three year period orcohort. NES does not collect this information for individual years.

Theattrition rate in Scotland for pre-registration nursing and midwifery studentsis currently 22.9%. This is an average of the last three years cohorts, i.e.1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

We are working with the sevencontracted Higher Education Institutions who provide pre-registration nursingand midwifery programmes to ensure that the attrition rate reduces to anacceptable level.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17896 answered on 10 August 2005.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.wa.search.

The number of new nurses whohave completed their training in Scotland, and the number of new registrants on the Nursingand Midwifery Council register from 2000 to 2004 are indicated in the tablebelow.

Information on the number ofcompletions, and number of new registrants in 2004 is not available untilSeptember 2005.

Table 1. NumbersOf Nursing Completions And New Registrants, 2000-04

Year	Number of completions	Number of New Registrants
2000	1,481	1,909
2001	1,642	1,786
2002	1,652	2,238
2003	1,940	2,331

Source: NHSEducation for Scotland (Annual Statistical Supplement03/04).

NMCStatistical Supplement (Annual Statistical Supplement (Dec 04).

Local authorities currently havea statutory duty to provide a minimum of 412 and a half hours of pre-school educationper year for all eligible three and four-year-olds whose parents wish it, and fundingis provided to local authorities for this purpose through grant aided expenditure.The minimum number of hours that make up a part-time, pre-school education placewas set a number of years ago, prior to devolution, and has remained unchanged inrecent years. Local authorities can is they so decide, add to the minimum.

Ministers are keeping the provisionof free pre-school education in Scotland under review.

Patient safety is of paramount importance and junior doctors, or any other NHS staff, should not be working when they are overtired. No agreement has yet been reached in Europe to abolish the opt-out from the working time regulations (WTR). In reality there are practical difficulties about junior doctors using the opt-out.

The WTR are one of the reasons new arrangements for training junior doctors will be implemented from August under Modernising Medical Careers. This will create more effective and responsive training pathways which will use reduced time to train doctors more effectively. Already 97% of doctors in training currently work 56 hours a week or less. By 2009, all junior doctors should be working a maximum of 48 hours per week in line with the working time directive.

By developing young people's confidence, teamworking and other soft skills, Project Scotland compliments Executive programmes - such as Determined to Succeed, Skillseekers and Modern Apprenticeships - helping develop a skilled workforce with the attitudes to exploit the opportunities available.