Chamber and committees

The Executive has commissioned the Tenants Information Service to undertake a feasibility study into whether and how a statutory right to participate might be introduced in Scotland. The Tenants Information Service has been asked to consult with both tenant and landlord representatives. The study will report in June 2000 and will be taken into account as part of the preparation for the proposed Housing Bill.

I am giving careful consideration to the issues raised in your letter of 12 November, particularly in relation to the new butcher's licensing arrangements announced recently, and will respond shortly.

I replied to the member for Banff and Buchan on 31 March.

Early retirement schemes are not mandatory on member states, and I have no plans to implement a scheme in Scotland.

The numbers of Countryside Premium Scheme applications received by the Rural Affairs Department's Area Offices in each of the last three years is as follows:

Area Office	Applications Received
	1997	1998	1999
Argyll & Western Isles	60	81	74
Grampian	153	205	167
Highland	41	54	70
Northern & Northern Isles	101	124	74
Perth & Kinross/Angus	168	116	84
South Eastern	188	177	121
South Western	125	148	105
Southern	85	50	34

I responded to Mr Salmond's letter of 29 October 1999 on 15 March 2000. In my reply I apologised for the length of time it had taken to deal with this correspondence. And I take this opportunity to re-iterate that apology. Procedures for the handling of MSPs correspondence have been improved to prevent the occurrence of unwarranted delays.

The precise arrangements for INTERREG III Programmes have yet to be finalised with the European Commission. However, in the light of the general principle that European Structural Funds grants are additional to local beneficiaries, there seems no reason why Aberdeenshire Council cannot participate in INTERREG III if they choose to do so and make the necessary financial commitment to match funding.As regards additionality and match funding for local authorities, the UK will continue to meet the requirements of European Regulations.

Education authorities have a duty under section 1 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to secure the adequate and efficient provision of school education for their area, including special educational needs. In order to fulfil these duties, authorities must establish which children belonging to their area, who are two years of age or over but under school leaving age, have pronounced, specific or complex special educational needs which require continuing review. They must open and keep a Record of Needs for any such child who, following assessment, is found to have such needs. Once opened, authorities are required to review their decision to open and keep a Record and the information contained in it whenever they think it expedient to do so. As a matter of good practice, reviews should be carried out at least annually.

The Scottish Executive announced on 3 December that it would continue to accept and process applications for both schemes. There will however be a delay in granting approvals until the Scottish Rural Development Plan is approved by the European Commission. This is a temporary measure and the Executive remains committed to the aims of both schemes. The Scottish Executive will play its full part in the negotiations to achieve approval of the Scottish Plan.

There have been three rounds of Countryside Premium Scheme (CPS) applications (in 1997, 1998 and 1999). The data requested for these years is set out in the table below.

Year	Total applications received	Total applications approved	Category A* Applications	Category A* Applications Approved
1997	915	476	126	125**
1998	951	504	641	504
1999	726	326	692	326

* The top category (Category A) covers applications with four or five priority habitats.** In 1997 all valid Category A applications were approved.