Chamber and committees

No such analysis has been conducted. European law prohibits discrimination in favour of firms based on geographic location. Audit Scotland carried out a recent study of the PFI procurement of schools by Scottish councils on behalf of the Accounts Commission. The resulting report was published earlier this year and includes a commentary on the financial consequences of the first round of schools PFI contracts and on the tendering and appraisal processes for such schemes, including the need for objective appraisals. This report did not include any assessment of the wider impact of these projects on the Scottish economy.

Data on appointments of consultants for proposed PFI/PPP contracts is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details relating to how many of these consultants are involved in providing other services to the Executive are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. It is Scottish Executive policy that services should be acquired following competition wherever possible. Where the value of a consultancy contract is anticipated to be above the EC threshold, business is only awarded following a competition compliant with the EC Services Directive.Local authority contracts are a matter for the local authority concerned.

Figures showing the number of summary warrants granted by each sheriff court for Council Tax/Community Charge, during the periods requested, have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 23056).Figures for the number of poindings effected and warrant sales completed on a sheriffdom basis per calendar year during those periods are also available from the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 23057).The remaining information sought is not held by the courts.

There are no specific regulations addressing the appointment of consultants in respect of PFI/PPP projects and housing stock transfers. Directive 92/50/EEC (given effect in the UK by the Public Services Contracts Regulations 1993, SI 1993 No. 3228) establishes certain procedural rules which must be followed when awarding public service contracts. Also, the Local Government Act 1998 places certain requirements on local authorities in respect of the award of contracts.The Executive does not maintain central records of such contracts. Local authority contracts are a matter for the authority concerned. Records held by Audit Scotland are a matter for it, rather than the Executive.

The Scottish Executive is committed to addressing low pay in the context of the UK national negotiations on pay modernisation.

Eligibility for free school meals extends to pupils whose parents are in receipt of income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or support provided under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 or who are themselves in receipt of income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance. These arrangements ensure that help is targeted at children from the poorest families under clearly understood criteria. There are no current proposals to extend eligibility for free school meals.

The remit of the Expert Panel on School Meals was to provide costed recommendations and a fully developed implementation strategy to establish standards for the nutritional content of school meals; to improve the presentation of school meals to improve general take up, and to eliminate any stigma attached to taking free school meals.While outwith their remit, entitlement to free school meals was one of a number of additional issues considered by the panel. They took the view that the Scottish Executive should examine how families are informed about eligibility to free school meals and also the eligibility criteria to ensure that families and young people do not fall through a gap. They also took the view that the Scottish Executive should reassure themselves that the criteria for eligibility remain appropriate.The panel's interim report is currently the subject of consultation, with a deadline for responses of 11 October 2002. The panel will then consider responses before submitting a final report to ministers.

On the best available data, providing free school meals to a further 80,000 pupils would cost in the region of £25 million per annum assuming full take-up, but making no allowance for the costs of extended dining areas, additional staff or the improved provision recommended by the Expert Panel on School Meals.

There are no central records of state aid payments to individual companies. However we have been able to establish that in July 1997 Fullarton Computer Industries Limited's operation in Kilwinning was offered Regional Selective Assistance amounting to £600,000. The company did not meet the conditions necessary for full payment of grant but was paid £350,000 based on what was achieved.Support was also granted by Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire of £30,000 in July 1999, £3,361 in November 2001 and £22,110 in June 2002.No aid has been repaid, nor is there any remaining contractual obligations requiring repayment.

The current entitlement to free school meals ensures that help is targeted at children from the poorest families under clearly defined and understood criteria. Any extension of eligibility would have significant cost implications.We recently established an Expert Panel on School Meals with the remit to provide costed recommendations and a fully developed implementation strategy to establish standards for school meals; to improve the presentation of school meals; to improve general take-up, and to help eliminate any stigma attached to taking free school meals. We have welcomed the panel's recently submitted interim report and authorised the panel to proceed to full consultation on its findings. All issues relating to school meals will be considered by ministers when the expert panel's final report is received.