Chamber and committees

Between 1999-2000 and 2001-02 the Scottish Executive provided £80 million to local authorities through the National Grid for Learning programme of the Excellence Fund. This money was intended to help them achieve a number of targets by 2002, including access to e-mail and to the Internet. The results of the 2001 School Census (available on the internet at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00168-00.asp) showed that 100% of secondary schools and 84% of primary schools had access to the internet, and that 68% of secondary school pupils and 16% of primary school pupils had individual e-mail addresses. The Executive made clear to education authorities in March 2001 that access to e-mail using, for instance, whole class e-mail addresses was acceptable for younger pupils, where authorities had concerns about child protection. The 2002 position will be known when the results of the 2002 School Census are published in the spring of 2003.

Between 1999-2000 and 2001-02 the Scottish Executive provided £80 million to local authorities through the National Grid for Learning programme of the Excellence Fund. This money was intended to help them achieve a number of targets for ICT in schools, including provision of modern computers and networking. The results of the 2001 School Census (available on the internet at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00168-00.asp) and the recently published results of the annual ICT survey (available on the internet at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00193-00.asp) give details of progress. The ICT survey indicated that, by February 2002, some 49% of secondary schools, 8% of primary schools and 13% of special schools in Scotland had broadband connections of 2Mbps or greater. In addition, 94% of secondary schools, 47% of primary schools and 39% of special schools have been internally networked for teaching purposes.As part of its broadband strategy, the Executive has developed the Pathfinder initiatives. Contracts to deliver broadband connections to all schools in the Highlands and Islands and in the South of Scotland (covering 8 of the 32 education authorities) are expected to be signed in 2003. A review of ICT infrastructure in every education authority is currently taking place as part of the considerations about ensuring schools outside the Pathfinder areas have access to broadband connections.

Between 1999-2000 and 2001-02 the Scottish Executive provided £80 million to local authorities through the National Grid for Learning programme of the Excellence Fund. This money was intended to help them achieve a number of targets by 2002, including pupil:modern computer ratios of 7.5:1 in primary schools and 5:1 in secondary schools. The results of the 2001 School Census (available on the internet at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00168-00.asp) showed that the target in secondary schools was achieved by 2001. At that time the ratio of pupils to modern computers in primary schools was 11:1. The position in 2002 will be known when the results of the 2002 School Census are published in spring 2003.The actual deployment of these computers within schools is a matter for local decision.

We are currently collecting information from Chessington, this has taken longer than anticipated. I shall write to the member as soon as the information becomes available and will also place a copy in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

The M8 motorway passes through the central area of Glasgow.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 implement Council Directive 85/337/EEC, as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC. These regulations, which came into force on 1 August 1999, replace The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1988. Guidance on the regulations is provided by Circular 15/1999.The changes that affect trunk roads comprise:i. Changes to the definition of project types for which an Environmental Statement is mandatory. As well as motorways and special roads, these now include the construction, realignment and/or widening of roads, which would be 10 kilometres or more in a continuous length, to provide four or more lanes.ii. The introduction of a screening process to determine whether an Environmental Statement shall be published for other trunk roads projects. Each project is assessed on a case-by-case basis against criteria defined within the regulations.Major trunk roads projects which do not require an Environmental Statement remain subject to environmental impact assessment in accordance with procedures set out in Volume 11 of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), published in 1993. Changes to the DMRB since 1993 have comprised revisions to the assessment of water quality and drainage (February 1998) and air quality (most recently in March 2000, to reflect changes to The Air Quality Strategy).

This information relates to decisions taken by the New Town Development Corporation and is not held by the Scottish Executive.

VisitScotland include retail figures in the Categories of Expenditure section in their annual Facts and Figures leaflet.

Glasgow, with its acknowledged strengths in the retail sector, is promoted as a tourism destination both by VisitScotland under its Vibrant Cities theme and by Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board.

VisitScotland estimate that retail spending attributable to tourism in Scotland generates £445 million from UK tourists and £180 million from visitors from overseas, a total of £625 million.