Chamber and committees

National Training (NTOs) are employer-led sectoral bodies which operate across the UK as the bridge between employers and those involved in the policy and provision of education and training. They attract funding from employers, government departments and other public sector and commercial sources. £0.5 million will be allocated to NTOs by the Scottish Executive in the financial year 2001-2002 to assist the further development of the network in Scotland, with a focus on promoting skills, employability and work-based learning at sectoral level.

Any changes in the Scottish Budget are for the Executive to propose and Parliament to agree.The operation of the Barnett formula is set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. This is available on HM Treasury's website, www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/news.html.

The full time equivalent number of permanent staff employed in the Core Departments, Agencies and Associated Departments of the Scottish Executive are shown in the table below. The figures include the Scottish Prison Service, which accounts for around one third of all staff.

The definition of the Executive has changed over the last 3 years, following movements of responsibilities - most notably the creation of the Scottish Parliament and the Scotland Office. The figures shown below have been backdated as far as possible for comparison purposes.

	May 1999	May 2000	February 2001
Number of Staff (FTE)	13290.8	13649.1	13708.3

Scottish Ministers are committed to ensuring that Scotland has an effective as well as a strong police service and a range of measures have been taken to free up the time of the police officers for front line duties. These include promoting the use of new technology, for example through initiatives such as the Integration of the Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems and the Scottish Police Information Strategy. We are also encouraging the use of support staff to take on duties that do not require the skills and powers of a police officer, and we are examining other ways. For example, we funded a pilot into delivering citations by post rather than by police officers, and are considering ways of extending this process throughout Scotland.

In May 1997 there were 5,236 Modern Apprentices in training: at January 2001 there were 16,924. In May 1997, 398 young people had completed their Modern Apprenticeship: at January 2001, 6,125 had completed their Modern Apprenticeship.

I announced in response to S1W-12934 that a copy of my first report to Parliament on SQA's progress towards Diet 2001 was sent to the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee on 31 January. A copy has also been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (bib number 11055).

Scottish Ministers are considering the basis for distribution and following the wind-up of the Scottish Transport Group we will be bringing forward proposals on distribution for the approval of the Scottish Parliament.

The GB Assisted Areas map (defining the areas in which Regional Selective Assistance can be given) was approved by the European Commission on 26 July 2000. This map comprised of amalgamations of 1991 local authority wards rather than development areas. A list of the 656 Scottish wards included in the map was published when the map was approved and is accessible on the Scottish Executive website (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/who/elld/_Forms/aawards.prn).

These 656 wards are of varying size and population coverage, but overall the Assisted Areas map covers 48% of the Scottish population.Data in respect of grant assistance offered in each individual 1991 ward is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, details (including Travel to Work Area locations) of individual offers of Regional Selective Assistance over £75,000 are, after the first instalment of grant has been paid, published quarterly in Labour Market Statistics which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Employment Policy is reserved to the UK Government. The New Deal for Disabled People is delivered in Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Executive and other Scottish organisations.The Scottish Executive has had no representations made from employers' organisations about the New Deal for Disabled People.

The information is detailed in the table.Percentage of Children in Specified Areas of the Income Distribution, Scotland 1996-97 and 1998-99

		Bottom Decile	Bottom Quartile	Below Median
1996-97	Before Housing Costs	16%	38%	62%
	After Housing Costs	11%	34%	62%
1998-99	Before Housing Costs	14%	33%	59%
	After Housing Costs	12%	31%	59%

Source: DSS Households Below Average Income.Notes:1 Income is net equivalised household income; equivalisation takes account of the number of individuals living in the household.2 Deciles, quartiles and medians are based on the GB distribution of income.3 Estimates are based on sample counts, and are therefore subject to sampling variability.4 Caution should be exercised in drawing conclusions about changes over time due to the small sample sizes in Scotland.5 Figures for the bottom decile should be treated with caution as the bottom decile of reported incomes cannot safely be construed as the bottom decile of living standards.