Chamber and committees

Statutory responsibility for local libraries lies with local authorities. Each local authority is responsible for determining the level of resources allocated for the library service which they provide for the residents of their area. This includes the purchase of materials to address the needs of blind and partially sighted people.I understand that annual expenditure by local authorities on audio-visual material, such as talking books, has increased from £1 million to £1.6 million over the last 10 years.The Scottish Library and Information Council, which receives core funding from the Scottish Executive, issued guidance to local authorities on book selection policies two years ago and over 30% of local authorities now have a policy in place with all the other local authorities working to develop their policies. A book selection policy aims to deliver user-led services to meet the needs of communities. The policy should be based on a profile of the needs of the community, including the needs of blind and partially sighted people, and could allow for the provision of a wide range of book and non-book materials.

Policy on equality and disability are reserved matters. I understand that the Royal National Institute of the Blind have written to Ministers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to seek a £20 million UK-wide initiative aimed at increasing transcription services.

Comprehensive information for each NHS board is not held centrally. Following the launch of Smoking Kills in December 1998, £1million a year for three years (1999-2000 to 2001-02) was allocated to NHS boards for smoking cessation services and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This was in addition to the estimated £1 million a year already being spent by boards. Smoking cessation has also been identified as a priority for investment from the £26 million Health Improvement Fund (HIF). Information supplied by NHS boards about HIF expenditure indicates that over £750,000 was allocated in 2000-01 to smoking cessation initiatives.Figures are not available centrally for the work by NHS Board Health Promotion Departments to reduce the incidence of smoking through the promotion of healthier lifestyles. Initiatives include: taking part in national and local awareness campaigns; smoking cessation support groups, and mobile units which take the message about healthy lifestyles to the communities that will benefit most.

The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) is developing clinical standards for post-mortem and organ retention. These standards cover the whole hospital post-mortem process and will therefore apply to any hospital post-mortem examination carried out following an epilepsy-related death.

The Scottish Executive regards action to tackle smoking among young people, including students, as a key priority. A range of smoking prevention and cessation measures targeted at young people is being pursued by NHS boards and the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS). HEBS has also been specifically provided with £3.4 million over four years from the Health Improvement Fund to target young people. Activity includes setting up, in association with ASH Scotland, eight pilot smoking cessation schemes for young people. One of the pilots is based in a further education setting. To further improve our knowledge of what works in relation to young people, the Scottish Executive's Chief Scientist Office is funding an 18-month research project entitled An Exploration of Smoking Behaviour, Dependence and Attitudes Towards Cessation in the Mid to Late Teens. The study is based at the University of Edinburgh and will begin reporting towards the end of 2002.

Current estimates suggest that £18 million of funds from the 1994-99 European Structural Fund programmes were committed but were not claimed. This figure cannot be confirmed until these programmes are officially closed later this year.

Railway infrastructure projects may qualify for financial assistance from either the Scottish Executive's Public Transport Fund (PTF) or Integrated Transport Fund (ITF). Bids under the PTF would have to satisfy eligibility criteria and compete with other bids, and those under the ITF would have to be considered by the Scottish Executive as being of sufficient strategic importance.The Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive is looking at options for Glasgow Crossrail. However, the Scottish Executive has not been approached for funding a cross-city rail link.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25525.

Interim anti-social behaviour orders are intended to provide for more immediate protection than is possible under the full anti-social behaviour order application procedure. While anyone in breach of an interim order will face the sanctions of a full order, under section 22 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, interim orders are not intended to replace full anti-social behaviour orders. We do not, therefore, propose to link interim orders to security of tenure under section 35, subsections (1) to (3) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.