Chamber and committees

The Scottish dietary targets were set in 1994. Their continuing relevance was confirmed in the White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland, published in February 1999 and endorsed by the Scottish Parliament the following September.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency's (SEPA's) operating arrangements are set out in a formal Management Statement agreed with the Scottish Executive. This records how SEPA is held to account, through a structure of planning, reporting and performance review, to the Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament. The Management Statement is due to be reviewed as part of a five-year review of SEPA by the Scottish Executive later this year or in 2001.SEPA reports annually on its activities, plans and performance through its Corporate Plan, Annual Report and audited accounts. These reports, which are published, are reviewed by, and agreed with, the Scottish Executive each year. SEPA is also committed to being accessible and responsive to stakeholders, to explaining the reasons for its work, and to publishing information on its activities and on the state of the environment. SEPA also publishes a quarterly magazine about its activities and operates a comprehensive website which receives over one million visits each year. Its board meetings are held in public.

To meet the Governor and staff, observe the regime and view the recently refurbished halls.

The Health Education Population Surveys, undertaken by the Health Education Board for Scotland, include information about the level of public awareness of health-related risk factors. The Board's 1997 Survey, published last year, indicated that the majority of the population were aware of the importance of healthy eating, with 83% of those interviewed having attempted to make changes to their diet in the past year.

The powers and responsibilities of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are kept under continual review to take account of new and proposed duties arising from European and domestic legislation. In accordance with normal arrangements for Non-Departmental Public Bodies, the Scottish Executive proposes to carry out a five-year review of SEPA either later this year or during 2001. The scope of this review, and whether it will extend specifically to SEPA's powers and responsibilities, has yet to be decided. The Scottish Executive is also considering how to take forward a review of the possible rationalisation of the regulatory mechanisms under which SEPA operates, in response to a recommendation by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.

The Health Education Board for Scotland, as the national agency for health education in Scotland, is at the forefront of the Scottish Executive's drive to improve Scotland's diet and to increase public awareness of the benefits to health of a balanced diet.

Healthy eating is a key component of the Board's high profile "Big 3" adult mass media campaign, targeting Scotland's three major killer diseases, coronary heart disease, cancer and stroke. Other Board initiatives, such as its work with Health Promoting and New Community Schools and its introduction of a Cyberschool, are providing effective mechanisms for the promotion of healthy eating specifically to children and young people. Increasing use of IT is being made by the Board to deliver health education messages to both the public and to professionals.National activity is complemented, at local level, by the wide range of innovative work being undertaken by health boards, NHS Trusts and primary care teams.

The national strategy for the distribution of traffic information to motorists and other travellers is carried out through the National Driver Information and Control System (NADICS) which provides 24 hour a day traffic monitoring of the busy parts of the trunk road network. This information is distributed to travellers via the network of roadside Variable Message Signs, through the NADICS website (www.nadics.org.uk) and through information given by national and local radio and the motoring organisations. Performance indicators are currently being developed and will be published in due course on the NADICS website.Although there is no national strategy for the distribution of weather information, the NADICS system is widely used to provide information to travellers when severe weather causes disruption to traffic.

A decision to select Aberdeen for the location of the Agency in Scotland has been made and was announced on 5 October. This decision was made after careful consideration of a wide range of factors including transport links, accessibility to Ministers, MSPs and the UK Agency, links to research and scientific interests and relocation costs.

Under the terms of the devolution settlement for railways announced on 31 March 1998, now incorporated in the UK Transport Bill introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise providing passenger rail services which begin and end in Scotland. They will reflect priorities for the provision of passenger rail services throughout Scotland. It would then be for the train operating company, in conjunction with Railtrack, to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure to meet the terms of the franchise.

Ensuring that manning levels in the Annan area are sufficient to maintain patient safety and safe and healthy working conditions for staff are operational matters for the Scottish Ambulance Service to decide.