Chamber and committees

It is not our intention that the liability of landowners in respect of those visiting their land should increase as a result of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill. Our present view is that the existing law in respect of Occupiers' Liability, in particular the Occupiers' Liability (Scotland) Act 1960, will still be appropriate to cover the position after the Bill is in force. However, we are giving further careful consideration to that aspect of the Bill in the light of the recent consultation exercise.

The Scottish Executive remains committed to introducing the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill to the Scottish Parliament at the earliest opportunity. Over 3,500 responses were received during the extended consultation period for the draft Bill and Draft Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Copies are available at the Parliament's Reference Centre and at the Executive's library at Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh.The First Minister will be making a statement to Parliament on the Legislative Programme for the forthcoming year.

No. However, I launched the "Fairness and Equality" Guidance Framework for the fire service in Scotland on 18 December 2000. Copies of the framework have been made available at every fire station in Scotland.

Since then the Scottish Fire Service Fairness and Diversity Forum have established a working group to develop an Action Plan for Scotland which will be adopted by all Scotland's Fire Brigades. The detail will become available in due course.

We are not aware of any court cases related to organ retention having been brought by parents against any NHS Trust in Scotland. We understand, however, that some claims are being considered.

By the end of June 2001, NHS Trusts had received 1,745 parental enquiries regarding retention of organs at post-mortem. We understand that in each case, the parents were given as much information as the Trust could supply.

Each NHS Trust has nominated a member of staff with a sound understanding of the sensitive issues involved to act as the initial contact point for parents and other relatives wishing to obtain information about organ retention. NHS Trusts are aware of the need to do whatever they can to provide parents with the information they are seeking.

Information is available centrally for 1975 only.

Centrally held obstetric information identifies six babies who were given intrauterine transfusions in 1975. It is not possible from available information to identify if these transfusions were due to rhesus incompatibility. However, it is understood that the majority of intrauterine transfusions performed in Scotland are due to rhesus.

The figures have been supplied by ISD Scotland.

No final decisions have been taken on the allocation of End Year Flexibility accruing from 2000-01 budgetary underspends to any Scottish Executive department/agency.

Since publication of the report on the first phase of the work of the independent Review Group on the Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem, six letters have been received from this group. A comprehensive reply has been sent which addresses the issues raised in the correspondence. There are no plans currently to meet the group.

The next statutory review of local authority electoral wards is scheduled to take place between 2006 and 2010. Any implications arising from that review will be considered at that time.