Chamber and committees

The day-to-day regulation of landfill sites rests with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Although the levels of tritium in the landfill leachate are of very low significance in terms of public health and safety, SEPA intends to continue monitoring the leachate at the approved landfill sites in Scotland. SEPA is also undertaking work to identify the source of the tritium in the leachate.

A steering group has been established by Scottish Enterprise. The remit of the group is to promote the opportunity to operate a direct ferry service from Scotland to the continent. The group will seek to co-ordinate efforts to attract a commercial ferry operator. Membership includes Scottish Enterprise, Fife Enterprise, Fife Council and the Scottish Tourist Board.

The Scottish Executive has considered the request from Perthshire Tourist Board for tourist signing from the M90 for the Heart of Scotland Visitor Centre. In accordance with the Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy the appropriate signing for a tourist information centre is the addition of the tourist "i" logo on the motorway direction signs. This has already been provided on the M90.

Since the European Commission announced its intention to take the UK and four other member states to the European Court in 1997 regarding VAT on tolls, there has been ongoing liaison with the UK Government to ensure that the UK defence fully reflects the situation in Scotland.

It is for the Health Board and not the Scottish Executive to plan services in Fife. I look to the Board to consult locally and to work with all its planning partners, including both NHS Trusts in Fife, when considering the options for acute services.

It is for the Health Board and not the Scottish Executive to plan services in Fife. I look to the Board to consult locally and to work with all its planning partners, including both NHS Trusts in Fife, when considering the options for acute services.

With reference to paragragh B3.30 it is envisaged that the UK Government will consult with the Scottish Executive on senior appointments to the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament, the European Court of Justice and the Court of Auditors.

As I indicated in the debate on Older People on 2 December we are already taking forward many of the recommendations of the Royal Commission, for example on the Care Commission, joint working, carers and direct payments. I will be chairing a Joint Future Group involving CoSLA and the NHS to look, among other things, at the balance between residential and home-based care and at charging for personal care delivered at home. The needs of older people, including those funding their own care, will be a key issue to address during the Spending Review next year.

The stores at Ratho and Glenrothes that hold meat and bone meal (MBM) derived from the rendering of bovine carcases processed under the Over Thirty Months Scheme (OTMS) are both full. There is a total of 13 sites across the UK holding OTMS MBM safely and securely pending destruction in accordance with EU rules.The procurement of additional units to store OTMS MBM is a matter for the Intervention Board. Currently MBM now produced in Scotland under the OTMS is transported south to a store at Barkston Heath in Lincolnshire, operated by Snowies of Stirling. Surplus tallow, the other main by-product of the rendering process, is stored in Merseyside.

The Executive received a total of 26 bids to the second Public Transport Fund competition with the level of bids exceeding the resources available by over two to one. It is in the nature of a competition that not all bids can be successful. I decided not to approve Clackmannanshire Council's £6.6 million bid as there are several issues relating to proposals to reopen the Stirling to Alloa railway line to passengers which require to be considered further. The Executive has not yet received an application for Freight Facilities Grant for the route. I have urged the Council to undertake further work on the economics of the project. I was sufficiently attracted to the aims of the project, however, to encourage the Council to resubmit its application, further developed, in the next round of the Public Transport Fund.