Chamber and committees

The establishment of the Scottish Parliament has created an additional workload on the staff of the Executive. Around 170 additional members of staff have been recruited to assist with the general increase in workload including, but not specifically, written Parliamentary Questions.

The Special Deprivation Payment is being treated as a special allowance outwith Grant Aided Expenditure; the resources are not hypothecated and are intended to apply for one year only, pending the completion of a joint review with CoSLA of the account taken of deprivation and poverty within the local government finance distribution formula.

Information is not collected on "drop-out" rates for universities but non-completion rates have been complied and were published on 3^rd December 1999 for 1996-97 as part of a package of Performance Indicators. The figures below show the number of starters at each institution in 1996-97, those that are expected not to obtain a qualification and not to transfer to another HE institution, together with the related non-completion rate. A full copy of the Performance Indicators in Higher Education 1996-97, 1997-98 report is available through the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Comparable information about the further education sector is not available.

Full-time students starting first degree courses 1996-97 - Numbers projected not to obtain an award or to transfer to another higher education institution in the UK

Higher Education Institution	Number of starters	Neither obtain an award nor transfer
		Number	Per cent
Scotland
All Scottish Institutions	28,926	4,995	17
University of Aberdeen	1,991	389	20
University of Abertay Dundee	1,373	157	11
University of Dundee	1,401	191	14
		218	6
Edinburgh College of Art	349	32	9
University of Glasgow	3,286	428	13
Glasgow Caledonian University	4,035	1,214	30
Glasgow School of Art	351	35	10
Heriot-Watt University	1,076	179	17
Moray House Institute of Education (1)	372	47	13
Napier University	1,524	509	33
Northern College of Education	232	48	21
University of Paisley	1,539	456	30
Queen Margaret University College	839	128	15
The Robert Gordon University	1,358	249	18
Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama	109	12	11
Scottish College of Textiles	171	22	13
University of St Andrews	958	46	5
St Andrew's College of Education (1)	181	46	25
University of Stirling	1,190	149	13
University of Strathclyde	3,062	439	14

Source: Performance Indicators in higher education 1996-97, 1997-98

Notes:1. These institutions have subsequently merged with universities

The most recent data relate to men diagnosed between 1991 and 1993. The figures for survival from prostate cancer are as follows:

Year of Diagnosis	% Survival at 5 Years
1991	34.7
1992	33.2
1993	36.6

We have no plans to contribute funds towards the refurbishment of Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery. Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that there is adequate provision of facilities for recreational, sporting, cultural and social activities for their residents, and are therefore responsible for the costs of operating and maintaining the museums and galleries which they own. Local authority museums and galleries are supported through the general revenue support grant allocations made by the Scottish Executive.

The most recent year for which complete registration data for prostate cancer is available is 1996, during which 2,027 men were diagnosed as suffering from prostate cancer.

The details of the Public private partnership contract are matters for Glasgow City Council. The information requested is not held centrally.

I refer Mr Gibson to the answer to his question numbered S1W-3003.

Social Phobia is included in the main psychiatric diagnostic manuals, the ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV). Social Phobia is a mental illness that in its severest forms could result in almost complete social isolation.Health Boards and NHS Trusts are expected to develop services for the treatment of psychological disorders based on the assessment of needs. The services provided should typically integrate the contributions and resources of all relevant professionals (specialist clinics, GPs, mental health nurses, social workers etc) at all levels of expertise.No specific treatment guidelines have been issued by the Scottish Executive.

I expect that around 50% of the budget for the Warm Deal this year will be spent on local authority housing.