Chamber and committees

Information on the number of patients waiting for in-patient and day case tonsillectomy treatment is not available centrally. Information on the number of patients waiting for in-patient and day case treatment is collected at specialty level only.

On 30 June 2001, the numbers waiting for ENT inpatient or day case treatments of all kinds at the Vale of Leven Hospital and at the Royal Alexandra Hospital were 151 and 311 respectively.

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Ministry of Defence and its agencies on a range of issues, including defence research contracts. Figures for expenditure in Scotland from defence research contracts are not available.

Discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government are conducted on a confidential basis. No set deadline can be given for the release of any information arising from such confidential discussions. Under the Scottish Executive's Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information, information whose disclosure would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion, including internal opinion, advice, recommendation, consultation and deliberation is not released.

There is a comprehensive programme of exercises undertaken by MOD and civil agencies which are intended to test a range of scenarios. The largest scale exercise in Scotland in recent years took place at Faslane in November 1997. This involved over 7,500 participants over three days and postulated a fire leading to a radioactive leak from a submarine berthed at Faslane. A number of learning points emerged, as is the purpose of these exercises, and were referred to the appropriate organisations for follow-up action.

Draft guidance on the circumstances in which parents may choose to educate their children at home is being issued to interested parties for consultation shortly. The draft guidance will address a wide range of issues that were raised by education authorities and by home education organisations during initial consultation on the scope of the guidance. It will offer clarification of the legislative position and general advice on principles and procedures.

Specific arrangements in connection with exam results and appeals are a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and I will ask the Chair to write to you with a more detailed response to your query.

The SQA does not pass results directly to higher education institutions but via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Prior to the issue of this summer's exam results, UCAS notified the SQA of the results that it would require for onward transmission to higher education institutions. The SQA supplied results to UCAS for those candidates on 4 August, three days ahead of schedule.

The guidance on the circumstances in which children may choose to educate their children at home will be common to all education authorities. It will be issued under section 14 of the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000, which states that all authorities must have regard to any guidance issued under that section.

I understand that consideration of these matters within the Ministry of Defence is at a very early stage. My officials will be keeping in touch with developments.

The Scottish Executive is now in possession of the study undertaken by Inverclyde Council. The study confirms that the main cause of flooding at this location is due to upstream problems with local watercourses that are the responsibility of Inverclyde Council. It also confirms that there are no defects in the road drainage system.

Measures to relieve flooding in the area have been identified and the council has confirmed that when completed these measures should reduce the likelihood of any encroachment of floodwater onto the A8 trunk road at Blackstone Roundabout, Newark, Port Glasgow.

The Scottish Executive Health Department has observer status on the New Opportunities Fund's Scotland Healthy Living Centre Committee, which considers and makes decisions on applications from Scottish projects.