Chamber and committees

The UK Pesticides Residues Committee carries out monitoring of both home-produced and imported food (including imported seed which is used as part of other food products e.g. bread) for pesticide residues. I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that it is represented on the committee and provides input to the design of the monitoring programme. Some 4,000 food samples are analysed each year for a wide range of pesticides. The full results of monitoring by the Pesticides Residues Committee, both quarterly and annual reports, are available on its website.Imported seed which is not intended for eating, but for sowing, may purposefully be treated with pesticides for plant protection reasons.

We have not received any representations from the organisations mentioned about the report. The Scottish Executive is working with the UK Government to consider the report before deciding whether changes to the law or its administration are required. We consider the research which has already taken place to be adequate in informing further policy development.

The Scottish Executive was involved in the setting of the Policy Directions to the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) for the operation of the PE and Sport in Schools Programme in Scotland. The implementation of the programme within that policy framework is a matter for the NOF itself. Indicative allocations have been made to local authority areas and, in submitting proposals to the NOF for consideration, local authorities will have to demonstrate that they have consulted locally, including with voluntary sector interests.

Children and Young People's Grant Scheme is supporting 59 organisations in financial year 2002-03. Resources are fully committed assisting core HQ and project expenditure.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28616.

The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to arrange liability insurance cover for voluntary organisations to cover this type of activity.Volunteer Development Scotland, the national centre for excellence in volunteering, strongly recommends that organisations making use of volunteers obtain adequate insurance cover.

I fully recognise the important role of youth work in the social and personal development of young people and am grateful for the work and commitment of voluntary youth organisations in this important area.The Executive provides direct financial support to 31 national voluntary youth organisations as well as to YouthLink, the umbrella organisation for the voluntary youth work sector in Scotland.

£18.4 million has been allocated to promote healthy lifestyle choices amongst children and young people, including the promotion of sport and the provision of coaching and equipment. A number of voluntary youth organisations will benefit from the Quality of Life funding, but the exact allocation to these organisations is a matter for each local authority to decide.

Sportscotland is currently taking forward the Sport 21 review process to revise and update the strategy for sport in Scotland. In tandem with this, sportscotland will consult on the development of its strategy for distribution of the Lottery Sport Fund. The current process, due for completion by April 2003, will determine the need to retain existing and develop new programmes. It would therefore not be appropriate to establish new programmes before this process is concluded.

Scottish Executive funding is available:for activities that promote Scottish Executive objectives; to support capacity building within organisations on the basis of agreed outputs;to fund core management, administrative and relevant costs where an organisation has a continuing role in the delivery of particular policy objectives, andfor national generic infrastructure organisations and associated local networks to promote the growth and effectiveness of voluntary and community organisations.