Chamber and committees

There is no national requirement for uniforms to be worn. That is a matter for head teachers, usually in negotiation with parents, parent representative bodies and pupils. However, the Executive believes that the positive effects of school uniform are such that it should be encouraged wherever possible by schools and authorities.

As the school uniform system operates in state schools in Scotland it is difficult to envisage any circumstances where it might infringe any rights under the ECHR.

I refer the Member to the answer I gave to Question number S1W-8312.

Discussions on transitional arrangements have taken place in two rounds of meetings between Scottish Executive officials and representatives of all seven schools. Ministers have been kept informed of these discussions.

The available information is set out below. This shows the number of pre-school education places occupied by eligible three year olds and funded by Scottish Executive grant in the private, public and voluntary sectors for the current school year. This is the first year of grant-funded places for three years olds. Comparable information for previous years is not available. All pre-school education places are part-time, a fully loaded place offering five sessions of education (each of around 21/2 hours) a week over the school year.

Type of Provision	1999-2000
Private*	9,022
Public	24,401
Voluntary	7,098

*Note: Includes independent schools, grant aided special schools, self-governing schools and childminders.

The available information is set out below. This shows number of pre-school education places occupied by eligible four year olds and funded by Scottish Executive grant in the private, public and voluntary sectors in respect of the academic years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000. Comparable information for 1996-97 is not available. All pre-school education places are part-time, a fully loaded place offering five sessions of education (each of around 21/2 hours) a week over the school year.

Type of Provision	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000
Private*	8,034	3,939	6,332
Public	47,616	50,334	48,282
Voluntary	3,724	2,778	3,217

* - Note: Includes independent schools, grant aided special schools, self-governing schools and childminders.

Four such groups have been established since 6 May 1999:National Cultural Strategy Focus Group (set up July 1999); Cultural Strategy to be published soon.Digital Scotland Task Force (set up October 1999); Report published on 22 May 2000.The Gaelic Organisations Task Force (set up December 1999). Due to report in late July 2000.Working Group on Sex Education (set up February 2000); Reported 16 June

The National Galleries of Scotland do not charge for admission to their permanent exhibitions. The Scottish Executive's financial plans for future years include provision for £2 million a year to enable the Board of Trustees of the National Museums of Scotland to abolish admission charges from April 2001.

By statute, admission to local authority museums and galleries is free of charge.

As part of the £50 million package announced following the report of the Independent Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance, it has been agreed that personal contribution to tuition fees be abolished from autumn this year. This is a year earlier than recommended by the committee. This will apply to Scottish (and EU) full-time students already in further and higher education in Scottish institutions and those who start their course this year. These students will continue on the support arrangements which apply to them this year until they complete their course. Those who first enter higher education from 2001 will access the new student support and graduate endowment package which will provide targeted help for those who most need it.

Patients requiring the extraction of wisdom teeth can be treated by a General Dental Practitioner, as an outpatient or as a day case/inpatient. Waiting times information for specific treatment carried out by General Dental Practitioners or at outpatient clinics is not available.The median waiting time for the extraction of wisdom teeth carried out as a day case/inpatient by health board area for 1997-98, 1998-99 and for the nine months to 31 December 1999 is provided in the table.NHS In Scotland: Median Waiting Time For Extraction Of Wisdom Teeth¹ By Health Board Area Of Residence For The Years 1997-98, 1998-99 And Nine Months To 31 December 1999^p

	Median Waiting Times (Days)
Health Board	1997-98	1998-99	Nine Months to 31 Dec 1999p
Argyll and Clyde	49	70	46
Ayrshire and Arran	94	166	100
Borders	56	63	30
Dumfries and Galloway	146	92	98
Fife	88	113	75
Forth Valley	60	105	56
Grampian	140	123	28
Greater Glasgow	49	56	37
Highland	77	130	70
Lanarkshire	81	74	61
Lothian	34	39	27
Orkney	16	37	19
Shetland	83	78	91
Tayside	56	61	37
Western Isles	77	56	-
Scotland	62	67	47

Source: ISD, Scotland

p Provisional

Notes:

1. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures (OPCS 4) codes F09.1 and F09.3.

No. I understand that the SFA Museum Trust is already aware of the alleged discovery at Callander.