Chamber and committees

When a medicine receives a UK marketing authorisation, either from the Medicines Control Agency or the European Medicines Evaluation Authority, it becomes prescribable on the NHS unless it is added to Schedule 10, or in certain circumstances, Schedule 11 to the NHS (General Medical Services)(Scotland) Regulations 1995, which regulate the terms on which doctors provide general medical services under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. Amendments to Schedules 10 and 11 are made by Statutory Instrument.

When a medicine receives a UK marketing authorisation, either from the Medicines Control Agency or the European Medicines Evaluation Authority, it becomes prescribable on the NHS unless it is added to Schedule 10, or in certain circumstances, Schedule 11 to the NHS (General Medical Services)(Scotland) Regulations 1995, which regulate the terms on which doctors provide general medical services under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. Amendments to Schedules 10 and 11 are made by Statutory Instrument.

Statutory responsibility for local libraries lies solely with local authorities. In Scotland, standards for public library services were introduced by COSLA in 1986 and revised in 1995. Under these standards the target for the lending of adult books is 280 items per thousand population, and for children's books 100 items per thousand population.

Greater Glasgow NHS Board received £13,583,000 for the purpose of writing off brought forward accumulated deficits at the following NHS Trusts:North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust £9,491,000South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust £4,092,000In addition, the board received £2,150,000 as a contribution towards the extra costs involved in managing winter pressures.

We have made clear that clinicians should be alert to those at higher risk of sudden death because of a significant family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. GPs should refer those patients to a cardiologist for investigation. Recent scientific evidence suggests that implantable defibrillators may help prevent sudden death in high risk patients, but these findings need to be confirmed. This new evidence has led the National Screening Committee, which advises the UK Health Departments on screening programmes, to commission further work. We will consider the committee's advice in due course.I gave a commitment in the members' debate on 14 November that we would investigate ways of increasing awareness of the condition within primary care. For those families in which a particularly serious form of the disease occurs, the Scottish Molecular Genetics Consortium is considering the possibility of including tests in its molecular genetics service.

The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1997 (the 1997 Order) specifies in Class 9 that, among other things, changes in the level of occupancy of a house between the following groups: a single person, people living together as a family and up to five residents living together, do not constitute development and do not, therefore, require planning permission. Class 9 of the 1997 Order does not, however, apply to flats.Beyond the specific provisions of Class 9 of the 1997 Order, it is for planning authorities to consider whether an application for planning permission is required for an increase in the level of occupancy. Determination as to whether an increase in the level of occupancy of a dwelling constitutes a material change of use amounting to development which requires planning permission depends on the impact of that increase on the amenity and environment of the surrounding area. Planning authorities may specify their policies in relation to multiple occupancy in their local plans.

The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to change the arrangements for planning consent in respect of houses in multiple occupation, but it will continue to keep the matter under review in the light of experience with the implementation of licensing under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000.

It is for higher education institutions themselves to determine the content of programmes they offer. Ministers have no powers of intervention. I understand that, where higher education institutions' programmes are intended to lead to recognition by a professional body, it is common practice for the institution to consult the body concerned about programme content. Regulation of the profession of architect is a reserved matter. The Architects Registration Board, the independent regulator for the profession in the UK, has a statutory duty to oversee the validation process for universities' architecture programmes as part of its regulatory duties.

It is for higher education (HE) institutions themselves to determine the content of programmes they offer. Ministers have no powers of intervention. Where HE institutions' programmes are intended to lead to recognition by a professional body, it is common practice for the institution to consult the body concerned about programme content. Regulation of the profession of architect is a reserved matter. The Architects Registration Board, the independent regulator for the profession in the UK, has a statutory duty to oversee the validation process for universities' architecture programmes as part of its regulatory duties.

The allocation of funds to individual higher education institutions is a matter for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC). Ministers are explicitly prevented from attaching conditions to the grant to SHEFC by reference to particular institutions or programmes of study, including curriculum content.