Chamber and committees

Decisions on the use of these resources will be informed by the report of the Adult Literacy 2000 Team, which is expected shortly.

Informing Parliament of the Executive's proposals by means of a parliamentary question is a recognised and accepted process. The issue of the term and timing of local government elections is one on which we have already consulted in the response to McIntosh. These proposals will require primary legislation to be brought forward and this will provide a further opportunity for discussion.

The Scottish Executive remains committed to introducing a ban on tobacco advertising. The decision by the European Court of Justice means that we can no longer proceed, as proposed, to effect a ban through the introduction of Scottish Regulations under the European Communities Act 1972. Sensibly we can take only limited action in this area in isolation from the rest of the UK. We are in discussion with other UK Health Departments over the best means to effect a ban.It is anticipated that any domestic legislation would substantially cover the measures contained in the Directive 98/43/EC, including brand-stretching and point of sale advertising.

I have received the report of the short-life working group set up by the Chief Medical Officer and am considering its recommendations.

All student social workers, on Diploma in Social Work courses, receive training on the range and impact of physical, social, sexual and emotional neglect and abuse. This should enable qualified social workers to identify sexual abuse in adult survivors. The treatment of survivors of sexual abuse is complex and social workers require training at post-qualifying level to deal with it.

The Scottish Executive agrees that we need to do more to ensure that excluded young people have the opportunity to make a successful transition to adulthood.

We recognise the particular problems of poverty and disadvantage in Glasgow and are investing significant amounts to enable agencies and organisations to address these problems more effectively. Glasgow City Council received a special deprivation payment of £8.7 million in 2000-01 and can also expect to receive real terms grant increases in each of the next three years as a result of the extra £1.2 billion support for local government we announced in the Spending Review. We have committed £12.5 million to resource alternative provision for Glasgow's hostel dwellers, many of whom are excluded young people and Glasgow will benefit from the additional £100 million we have announced for tackling drug misuse. In addition the implementation of the recommendations of the Arbuthnott Report and the £90 million Better Neighbourhoods Fund, will ensure that service providers can access increased resources to tackle deprivation and social exclusion in areas of greatest need, including Glasgow.

The Learning Disability Review Report, launched on 11 May, estimated that there are around 120,000 people with learning disabilities in Scotland, but acknowledged that detailed information about them, and the services they receive, was inadequate.

The report recommends that local authorities and health boards should jointly draw up "partnership in practice" (PiP) agreements by June 2001 which will serve as the strategic planning document for meeting the needs of people with learning disabilities. A key component of these first PiP's should set out how local authorities and health boards will set up and maintain local registers.

Information on the numbers of children with special educational needs is published in the Scottish Executive School Census Statistical Bulletin which can be found on the Scottish Executive website.

Local authorities made a full commitment to Best Value in 1998 by the preparation of implementation plans for its incorporation. This justified the continuance of the moratorium on Compulsory Competitive Tendering by the then Minister for Local Government, Henry McLeish MP. The Scottish Executive has continued to work in partnership with local authorities and others to develop Best Value in local government.

This information is not held centrally. Details of drug treatments given in hospitals are not available centrally. Data collected centrally relates only to prescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors.

The Scottish Executive is working closely with Scottish Enterprise to strengthen Scotland's position as a world centre for leading edge biotechnology and pharmaceutical research. Between 1999 and 2004, as part of the biotechnology cluster action plan, Scottish Enterprise is due to inject £38 million into the continued development of this key sector. This promotional activity is taking a number of forms, including issuing regular e-bulletins to over 2,000 international contacts and use of the Biotechnology Scotland website, where 50% of visitors to the site are from overseas. Opportunities for networking and international partnership working are also being developed.

This work is supported by Scottish Trade International and its network of overseas offices, including its four Scottish Technology and Research Centres in the US. This provides a platform within priority markets for the promotion of Scottish research expertise and the development of strategic alliances. One such partnership agreement was signed in August between Scottish Enterprise and the Maryland Bioscience Alliance, with the support of the Scottish Executive and the State of Maryland. This alliance will help promote business and research collaborations with one of the premier life science centres in the United States.

In another recent development, a research agreement worth over £5 million, between the Japanese company Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Scottish Biomedical, will see the creation of a brand new research facility based at the West of Scotland Science Park.