Chamber and committees

Subsidy is currently available from Highlands and Islands Enterprise on a selective basis to satellite broadband users in the Highlands and Islands. The trial, along with similar smaller local enterprise company schemes in the south of Scotland, will be evaluated (over a number of business uses) to determine the overall applicability of this broadband delivery mechanism to businesses.

We are currently commissioning research to provide a "forward look" on the broadband market, and the impact of our broadband strategy in Scotland. This will include a projection of geographical coverage.

The Scottish Executive is not aware of a formal evaluation of compliance with the particular HTBS recommendations referred to. NHS boards are responsible under clinical governance arrangements for ensuring that appropriate treatments, including drug treatments recommended by HTBS, are available where clinically appropriate for patients resident in their areas. The Health Department has made clear that, if evidence emerges that a treatment recommended by HTBS is not made available other than for clinical reasons, that will be followed up proactively with the NHS board concerned.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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.

These are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. They contribute towards the training costs of modern apprenticeships: it is for them to set the level of contribution. I understand that Scottish Enterprise is currently reviewing its contributions policy: this will include a benchmarking exercise with England and Wales.

NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that patients residing in their area have access to clinically appropriate treatment, including new drug treatments such as the atypical antipsychotic drugs.On 25 July 2002, the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) issued a comment on the NICE Guidance on the use of atypical antipsychotics for schizophrenia. The guidance recommends that the newer (atypical) antipsychotics should be considered alongside the older, existing medicines as one of the options of first choice to treat people with newly diagnosed schizophrenia. NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice and evidence from the HTBS and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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.

SEPA's annual accounts provide figures for income and expenditure on regulation under the Radioactive Substances Act (RSA) 1993. Figures for the last three years are as follows:

	1999 - 2000	2000 - 2001	2001 - 2002
RSA expenditure	664,000	1,192,000	1,309,000
RSA Charging Scheme income	436,000	843,000	1,023,000

Expenditure which is not recovered through charging is funded from Grant-in-Aid (GIA) provided by the Executive. These figures cover all regulation under RSA, which includes storage and disposal of radioactive materials and waste, as well as environmental discharges. It is possible that there are some aspects of radioactive substances monitoring that are not included in the above figures if they are not related directly to regulation. These activities will be funded from GIA, but GIA is not ring-fenced for specific purposes.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32511 today. 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-32511 today. 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.