Chamber and committees

The Excellence Fund, as currently constituted, covers the three-year period which ends in March 2002. It funds a number of important initiatives which contribute to our overall objectives of raising standards in schools and promoting social inclusion. We are reviewing the scope and operation of the Excellence Fund and will fully involve CoSLA in that process. That review will include consideration of the measures which may be necessary to support beyond March 2002 those elements of the current Excellence Fund which may need to be continued and whether they are funded locally or nationally.

The joint "It Pays to Pay" Working Group on council tax collection, which we established, is preparing protocol guidance for local authorities which will promote uniformity of practice. The protocol will set down appropriate procedures to be adopted between local authorities and agents employed by them when recovering debt and instructing enforcement action. In addition, CoSLA is preparing best practice guidance for issue to local authorities.Poindings and warrant sales are, of course, to be abolished not later than 31 December 2002. The working group set up by the Deputy First Minister to identify a replacement for poinding and warrant sale is making good progress and is due to report to the Deputy First Minister in June. Any replacement which is brought into effect will be the subject of appropriate guidance.

Health boards are expected to respond to the health needs of people with developmental dyspraxia in their areas, based on their assessment of local needs. Services should be provided which reflect the individual needs of the patient.

We have no plans to change the procedure for the granting of a summary warrant.

It is considered that the practice of keeping reasons for prosecution decision making confidential is compatible with ECHR. The Convention does not give victims any general right to have cases prosecuted but the Article 8 right to respect for private life does militate against any step which risks putting private information about victims or unprosecuted accused persons into the public domain. The possibility that prosecution might well be necessary in some cases in order to protect inter alia the Article 8 interests of victims is, of course, a factor in decision making.

Student nurses receive funding support by way of a non-means tested bursary and other allowances where appropriate. Generally other students in higher education are eligible to apply for support in the form of paid tuition fees and a partly means tested repayable loan.The main difference, therefore, is that some higher education students may get less support for living costs than others because their level of funding is dependent on family and personal circumstances; and that living costs support is partly repayable. By contrast the student nurses receive the fixed rate of bursary (lower and higher dependent on age) and paid tuition fees irrespective of circumstances.Arrangements for student nurse financial support are currently being reviewed.

The details of the contracts for such schemes are matters between the education authority and the contractors concerned. In entering into a contract, it would be the responsibility of the local authority concerned to take into account the question of teacher access to the school buildings during holiday periods. I would expect them to do so.

The details of the contracts for such schemes are matters between the education authority and the contractors concerned. The parties to such a contract would take a number of factors into account where out of hours use of facilities is an issue, including the needs of the schools and the wider community.However, I support the principle that school premises and facilities generally should be accessible for community use. I propose to raise this with CoSLA to discuss ways in which access can be improved and encouraged.

The Scottish Executive funds Victim Support Scotland to provide practical and emotional support to all victims of crime, through specially trained volunteers.In addition, the Crown Office, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, social work departments, health boards and child welfare organisations in consultation with the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates are developing a code of practice which will include guidance on the provision of therapy before children give evidence. It will also assist in ensuring that the appropriate agencies provide the necessary help to those children who need it either before, or after, court proceedings.

The Scottish Executive has no plans to change the definition of rape. There is a sufficient range of sexual offences at common law, for all of which the maximum penalty on indictment in the High Court is life imprisonment.