Chamber and committees

The Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland was asked by the Scottish Programme for Clinical Effectiveness in Reproductive Health to undertake a review of the clinical management of infertility services with a particular focus on establishing a model service specification for infertility care in Scotland. It has drawn on the guidelines published by the Royal College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians. The Expert Advisory Group has reported to the Chief Medical Officer in Scotland and the Clinical Resources and Audit Group. The report is currently being considered.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is statutorily responsible for setting guidelines and directions on all aspects of IVF, including the collection and disclosure of information. I am advised that for reasons of patient confidentiality information on IVF is available only to licensed IVF Centres and that in any case data on waiting times is not collected centrally.

The Rural Challenge Fund forms part of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund which is under examination by the Executive in the context of its policy objectives. Every effort will be made to provide information about the Challenge Fund as soon as possible.

Funding of registered Rural Partnerships is met from the Rural Strategic Support Fund, part of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. The conditions applicable to Rural Partnerships provide that grant support is for three years only, staged degressively to encourage an exit strategy by the organisation concerned. The Scottish Rural Partnership Fund as a whole is under examination by the Executive in the context of its policy objectives.

Current guidance on aggregates planning is set out in National Planning Policy Guideline 4: Land for Mineral Working. There are currently no plans to introduce a forecasting framework for the production of aggregates. At present, planning authorities should provide for an adequate and steady supply of aggregates, with a landbank in permitted reserves equivalent to at least 10 years' extraction at all times for an appropriate local market area. NPPG 4 also acknowledges that the use of secondary aggregate mineral and construction wastes is sound environmental practice and should be encouraged and facilitated wherever practicable. Research will be undertaken shortly to gather information on current recycling activity. This will inform consideration of the need for future targets.

I refer Mr Robson to my answer of 24 June to Mr Murray Tosh (south of Scotland).