Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive has spent£750,000 including VAT in 2005-06 on the advertising campaign to raise public awarenessabout the smoke-free legislation which will be introduced on 26 March 2006.

Since the inception of the RouteDevelopment Fund (RDF) by the Scottish Executive in November 2002, approximately60 offers have been made to airlines to commence new routes with 47 new routes commencedor planned to commence up to summer 2006. The remaining offers were not taken upfor reasons such as slot availability, aircraft availability and change of plans.

The Scottish Executive firstpublished a Biosecurity Code of Practice aimed at all livestock keepers in November2002. Since then additional biosecurity guidance has been developed in specificdocuments which have been published in the context of avian influenza. On 21 Februarythe Executive published a document drawing this information together. In additionto being published on the Scottish Executive website and being made available tostakeholder groups, it has also been sent to poultry‑keepers who have registeredon the new Poultry Register.

Following consideration of the support available for these students, I decided that, with effect from September 2005, the Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary Scheme should be amended to include a concession that will allow nursing and midwifery students to continue to receive support if they have to suspend their studies in certain circumstances. These circumstances can include where they have caring duties, long term illness or illness or other issues arising from pregnancy and childbirth.

This approach is consistent with the current arrangements in Scotland for all other undergraduates including allied health professions, medical and dental students. The Higher Education Institutions and the Students Awards Agency for Scotland have been notified of this change to the bursary scheme.

To date, the Executive has committed £14 million to Edinburgh City Council for the Braid Burn flood prevention scheme and £1.066 million to Perth and Kinross Council for schemes at Weem, Milnathort and Earnbank. We are aware of other schemes under preparation that are likely to begin construction during the next two years.

Enhanced standards of landscaping at locations on and around trunk routes in Aberdeen are being considered for inclusion in the specification details for the next generation of roads maintenance contracts.

Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

The Scottish Executive has indicated, in response to correspondence from the council, that it should not look to the Executive for a specific capital contribution to fund such a facility. Our response also made it clear to the council that it should address capital requirements within the context of their overall school estate management plan, utilising whatever funding streams and permissions we make available through prudential borrowing, Schools Fund and PPP funding.

Local authority pay claims as a result of the Single Status Pay agreement are a matter for local authorities. Discussions between the Executive and COSLA on a number of funding issues, including the impact of retrospective pay claims are continuing.

This information is not held centrally by the Executive. Local authority retrospective pay claims are a matter for the relevant local authorities themselves.

I met COSLA leaders on 23 January to discuss a number of funding issues for local authorities, including the cost implications of the Single Status Pay agreement and retrospective pay claims.

These discussions will continue, however, I have already made clear that the Single Status Pay agreement was a matter between local authorities and unions in which the Executive played no part and therefore it is for local authorities themselves to consider the implications of agreements that they have negotiated with other parties.