Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive is developing a strategy for stimulating wider provision of higher bandwidth services. We are focusing on the impact that could be made by aggregating public sector demand. It is too early to estimate associated procurement costs.

The Scottish Executive is examining different approaches to aggregating public sector procurements with the objective of extending availability of broadband services. Our thinking has been informed by extensive discussions with telcos, examination of experience in other countries and information from local authorities on current practices.We are currently identifying partners who might work together and geographies across which they might wish to work. We expect to publish a paper setting out our intentions later in the summer.

The Executive is giving urgent consideration to the Dumfries and Galloway Economic Recovery Plan which was presented to the First Minister on 18 April. Consideration of the plan needs to be taken forward in the context of the work already under way to plan for the recovery of the Scottish economy from the foot-and-mouth disease crisis. Clearly our response will depend upon the final extent and duration of the disease.

The information requested is given in table format - a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 13751).

Scottish Healthcare Supplies currently work closely with individual NHS Trusts to ensure that opportunities for standardisation and co-operative procurement of medical equipment are maximised.In spring 2000 Scottish Healthcare Supplies launched a major new initiative, the Strategic Alliance Partnership, in order to maximise benefits for economies of scale, rationalisation and standardisation.The Strategic Alliance Partnership aims to identify any commercial opportunity that will achieve savings for NHSScotland. Work will include the standardisation of items in use and rationalisation of the supplier base which should increase the negotiating position of NHSScotland. Launched last spring, this initiative is expected to deliver results within the next two years.Scottish Healthcare Supplies are central to the procurement of medical equipment from the £30 million additional capital made available earlier in 2000-01. They anticipate significant savings to the NHSScotland as a result of this centralised activity.Another example of co-operative purchasing is the recent central procurement initiative for linear accelerators and simulators. This resulted in a saving of around £1 million and an investment package of £5.8 million that benefited four of the five cancer centres. Further investments under the same procurement process are being planned.

The Scottish Executive discussed the concerns that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) had about the possibility of dioxins released from pyres being present in milk from some 60 dairy farms within 2 km of these pyres in the Infected Area. The FSA felt that it was necessary to issue information to these farmers about this slight risk if the farmers consumed their own milk exclusively. The FSA also made it clear that there was no risk to the public when milk from these farms was mixed with other milk.In addition to the discussions with the FSA the Scottish Executive also discussed these concerns with the Scottish Dairy Association and the National Farmers' Union of Scotland.

The Scottish Executive measures the success of its advertising campaigns in a number of ways. This can involve baseline research where items such as levels of awareness or behaviour can be measured. When a campaign is completed or throughout longer campaigns the research can be repeated and any shift noted.Some campaigns are set specific targets such as the recent flu immunisation campaign where the target percentage of uptake in the over 65 age group was exceeded. Campaigns that have a response mechanism such as a telephone help line are measured by the number of calls.At the end of each campaign and during the longer running campaigns; departments monitor systematically the evidence of research and other measurement methods to assess their effectiveness and to alter them as necessary, often setting new goals and targets for the advertising agencies involved.

It is not possible to give details of projected spend for campaigns over the next 12 months as budgets are not held centrally. Throughout any year campaigns can also arise unexpectedly in response to issues (such as the recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak). It is difficult to gauge levels of spend before detailed discussion takes place on the targets and goals of any campaign as these can dictate the scale of activity and spend. Similar discussions take place in relation to the timing of campaigns.

Current planning legislation makes provision in each Tree Preservation Order for a right of appeal to Scottish Ministers against refusals or conditional consents issued by planning authorities in respect of applications to fell trees affected by a Tree Preservation Order.

I do not intend to publish the names of farms classified as "dangerous contacts" in order to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the farms concerned.