Chamber and committees

All Strathclyde Police''s wildlife crime officers are trained in Wildlife Crime Investigation and receive continuous training throughout each year.

Communities Scotland''s £250,000 Scottish Business Improvement Training for Sub-postmasters (SBITS) programme, which closed in 2007, was aimed to increase the business skills of sub-postmasters in deprived urban and rural areas. The programme also helped to build capacity within Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise business advisers of the particular needs of this sector.

The capacity building provided through that programme will help the enterprise networks provide more tailored support to sub-postmasters/mistresses over the medium to long term.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10642 on 12 March 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

There has been no funding allocated to Scottish Enterprise in 2008, nor in the previous five years, to provide business development support specifically to sub-post office businesses.

Post Office locations are a matter for Post Office Ltd. The Royal Mail Group advise that every post office is treated equally regardless of its location.

The regulation of oil and gas exploration is a function reserved to the Secretary of State.

I understand that Scottish Natural Heritage were consulted on the Strategic Environmental Assessment for the wider 23rd Oil and Gas Licensing Round, and subsequently provided comments to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform as part of the consultation process.

The regulation of oil and gas exploration is a is a function reserved to the Secretary of State.

I understand from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform that an Appropriate Assessment was not undertaken for Block 17/7 before it was licensed in December 2005. The work programme for Block 17/7 was only to purchase existing seismic survey data. No offshore activities were proposed or undertaken under the licence and therefore no appropriate assessment was required.

The Department of Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform announced on 25 February 2008 that they are currently withholding all other blocks, including 17/3 in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation from the 25th Offshore Licensing Round.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9971 on 26 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The administrative process and procedures for the Disqualified from Working with Children List (DWCL) are rooted in the legislative requirements of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 and the associated Determination Regulations. A case management team deals with all administration associated with referrals to the Disqualified from Working with Children List (DWCL). This includes determining the competency of referrals and on whether or not an individual should be placed provisionally on the list. The team also supports the Determination Panels responsible for making listing decisions. All aspects of the administrative process are robust including consideration of risk.

Since January 2005, there have been 398 referrals to the Disqualified from Working with Children List. This comprises 162 court referrals and 236 referrals from organisations and regulatory bodies.