Chamber and committees

Consignia, post offices and postal services are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including Postcomm's consultation.

The review of implementation is now complete. This has indicated substantial progress towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS). The following table shows the progress made on movement towards adoption of the recommended criteria for eligibility for NHS funded infertility treatment given in the EAGISS report.The eligibility criteria, as recommended in the EAGISS report, are as follows:

1. Infertility with an appropriate diagnosed cause of any duration, or
Unexplained infertility of at least three years in duration, and
2. Female partner aged less than 38 years at the time of treatment, and
3. Neither partner previously sterilised, and
4. No child living with the couple in their home, and
5. Less than three previous embryo transfers funded from any source.

NHS Board 1	Diagnosed infertility of any duration	Unexplained infertility of minimum duration of 3 years	Female partner aged less than 38 years2	Neither partner sterilised	No child in couple's home	Less than 3 previous embryo transfers funded from any source
Argyll and Clyde	Yes	Yes	No - WL 35 treatment 40	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ayrshire and Arran	Yes	No - 2 years	No -WL 37Treatment 39	Yes	No - neither partner to have children	Yes
Borders	Yes	No - 4 years	No - 40	Yes	No - neither partner to have children	Yes
Dumfries and Galloway	No - 18 months min	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fife	Yes	No - 4 years	No - 39	Yes	No - neither partner to have children	Yes
Forth Valley	Yes	No - 4 years	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Grampian	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Greater Glasgow	No - 1 year	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Highland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lanarkshire 3	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Lothian	No - 3 years	No - 4 years	Yes	Yes	No - neither partner to have children	Yes
Orkney	Yes	Yes	No - 40	Yes	Yes	Yes
Shetland	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tayside	Yes	No - 4 years	No - 40	Yes	No - neither partner to have children	Yes
Western Isles	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Notes:1. Yes indicates that a board has implemented the EAGISS recommendation. No indicates they have not, the current criteria applied by that board is listed in the table where they do not meet the EAGISS criteria.2. WL stands for waiting list and refers to the maximum age of the woman on joining the waiting list.3. The figures for Lanarkshire are unavailable.

The existing contract with the Royal Mail is due to terminate upon occupation of the new accommodation at Holyrood. The requirement for a mail screening and mail management/messenger service at Holyrood is currently being tendered and a contract is due to be awarded in November 2002.The following criteria were applied to the tendering process for the existing contract: 1. Ability to meet the Service Requirements, including:Screening off-siteSortingInternal distribution and collectionSorting of collected mail and distributionChargingMail Redirection ServiceMail RoomAdded Value Services2. Provision of Management Information3. Management and Staffing proposals4. Security Arrangements5. Contract Management Arrangements6. Proposed Timescales7. Price.

Political Activity Declaration forms have now been obtained for all 1,095 non-executive members of public bodies. The names of the 231 individuals who have declared political activity during the five-year period prior to their appointment is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20841).

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24454.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24454.

Consignia, post offices and postal services are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government, including the Scotland Office, on a wide range of issues, including restructuring proposals by Consignia.I am due to meet members of the Consignia Advisory Board for Scotland on 2 May. No approach for a meeting has been received from trade union representatives.Current permanent employees are expected to be given a choice of remaining in Consignia in another role or taking a voluntary redundancy package. Support will be provided to any Consignia employees becoming redundant through dedicated local response teams already in place under the Executive's PACE framework. This will ensure a rapid response in terms of retraining/upskilling and advice on employment opportunities. These workers will have early access to Training for Work and Jobcentre Plus programmes.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24454.

The Scottish Arts Council will determine how the additional £3.5 million funding will be allocated.

A major funding package worth £3.5 million for Scotland's theatre sector over this and the coming two years was announced by my colleague Mike Watson, on Monday 28 January. The Scottish Art Council, will determine the allocation and distribution of these resources, within the general objective of raising the quality of the production in the theatre sector in Scotland. Local authorities also have a vitally important role in the support of local theatres in their areas, according to their own strategic objectives.