Chamber and committees

The most recent information on the age profile of teachers in Scotland by (a) gender and (b) employment in primary and secondary education is for 1998 and is available from SPICe.

Based on the average number of staff employed during the year, the percentages of officers who left SPS in the financial year 1999-2000 are:

Retirement through age	1.2%
Ill health	0.5%
Other reasons	8.6%

The Scottish Prison Service ceased recruitment of prison officers in October 1999, and have decided that they will not resume until surplus staff remaining from recent closures have been fully absorbed, and any other opportunities for improved efficiency taken.

It is normal practice for staff leaving the Scottish Prison Service with outstanding TOIL to be reimbursed for these hours.

I understand that West of Scotland Water proposes to build a storm overflow at Kilbarchan to alleviate a long-standing problem of flooding after heavy rain. The proposed scheme has been examined by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) which is confident that it will result in an improvement in the quality of the Kilbarchan Burn. SEPA has granted a consent for the discharge subject to a condition requiring the sewage to be screened to prevent raw sewage solids entering the stream. The Scottish Executive therefore does not intend to order a review of this proposal.

I refer Mr Campbell to the oral answer given to Ms Dorothy-Grace Elder on Thursday 16 March (Official Report, column 788).

The Scottish Executive has no current plans to build new accommodation. Significant alterations to accommodation are taking place in St Andrew's House, which is being refurbished, and in the fit-out of a new leased building, the Europa Building, in Glasgow. A range of minor accommodation changes take place every year to match office layouts to Departmental requirements.

Option appraisals will also take place on the replacement of temporary accommodation in Stornoway which is approaching the end of it's useful life, and leases which are coming to an end in Perth.

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including potential job creation in Scotland arising from the A3XX project.

The Scottish Executive introduced a Safety and Statutory Standards Action Plan in December 1999. The Action Plan was agreed with the Health and Safety Executive. The Action Plan commits the Scottish Executive to the monitoring of compliance. Where there is cause for concern, the Department will carry out an investigation by calling for further information from the body and considering that alongside the body's Property Strategy and any other relevant documentation, e.g. their health and safety action plan. If the Scottish Executive's concerns cannot be satisfactorily addressed, then the Department and/or the NHS body may seek advice from HSE.

NHS in Scotland bodies will be asked shortly to provide details of the performance of their property as at April 2000. This will include compliance with statutory standards. Bodies will also be asked to identify the year on year targets they have agreed and included in their Property Strategies for 2000-2005 for improvements in the performance of their essential building area, including statutory standards.

Based on information provided by NHS Trusts and other NHS in Scotland bodies last year the percentage of essential building area fully compliant with safety and statutory standards has increased from 71% in 1997 to 77% in 1999.

Capital resources of over £45m are allocated to individual NHS Trusts on an annual basis for investment in their estate, including the need to carry out any backlog of safety and statutory works.

It is for individual NHS Trusts to determine local priorities and how they should be funded from the resources available.