Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13110 on 27 May 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.

It is not possible to provide details on the actual time taken for graduates to repay as the majority of borrowers still have outstanding loans. However, a forecast of the average and median times to repay can be estimated using the student loan model. The model does not produce estimates on the precise number of days.

The model estimates that the average and median times to repay are approximately 13.1 years and 12.7 years respectively.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13110 on 27 May 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13110 on 27 May 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.

I met Mrs Elizabeth Buggins last month, along with Chris Rudge, in his new role as National Clinical Director for Transplantation in England. The meeting gave me an opportunity to express my commitment to the implementation for Scotland of all the recommendations in the taskforce''s first report.

In order to ensure good communications, we agreed that Mr Rudge would, in his new role, attend meeting of the Scottish Transplant Group, since I have asked that group to take responsibility for implementation of the recommendations in Scotland. We also agreed to strengthen Scottish representation on the Taskforce through the appointment of a clinician, and a consultant in accident and emergency medicine at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, has now been appointed.

I indicated my personal support for opting out, but also my recognition of the complex issues it raises and the need for a change of this sort to be supported by evidence of its effectiveness. Mrs Buggins suggested that, while the taskforce was due to produce an interim report in the summer, a slightly longer timetable might prove necessary in order to produce a more finished document. I expressed support for that approach.

I refer to the member to the answer to question S3W-12165 on 30 April 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 Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will continue to consider carefully the appropriate use of public transport for ministerial engagements based on the nature of her diary, the location of engagements and what business needs to be conducted while travelling.

The responsibility for clearing litter on trunk roads, with the exception of motorways and special roads, rests with the relevant local authority. Significant efforts are made to co-ordinate local authority litter operations with other works carried out by the Trunk Roads Authority.

Detailed rules for the suspension of officers below the rank of Assistant Chief Constable are set out in the Police (Conduct) (Scotland) Regulations 1996. Police boards and Scottish ministers have no role in the suspension of officers below the rank of Assistant Chief Constable.

Detailed rules for the suspension of Assistant Chief Constable ranks and above are set out in the Police (Conduct) (Senior Officers) (Scotland) Regulations 1999. The suspension of a senior officer is a matter for the relevant police authority but before any such suspension can take place, approval must be sought from Scottish ministers.

The Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) provides forensic science services, including DNA testing, to Scottish police forces. SPSA has allocated £24.4 million for forensic services in 2008-09 compared to £23.3 million in 2007-08. Information about how much of this budget is spent on DNA testing is not held centrally. SPSA does not normally charge police forces for forensic services. Details on how much police authorities and joint police boards spend on DNA testing prior to the establishment of SPSA on 1 April 2007 are not held centrally. The Scottish Government has no plans to change the funding mechanism for the police support services provided by SPSA.