Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11333 on 23 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.

Comments submitted to the Ministers'' Blog section of the National Conversation website have been pre-moderated since the launch of the website in August 2007.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11705 on 23 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11705 on 23 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.

Since June 2003, every Scottish local authority has had a duty to offer people with learning disabilities and other disabled and elderly people who meet local authority eligibility criteria for community care, the opportunity to receive self-directed support (direct payments). They can receive the practical help that they need to enable them to manage the care package day-to-day. The flexibility achieved is such that those with complex needs can also have self-directed support using the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 to safeguard their interests. The Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability has produced An easy guide to direct payments (2005) for people with learning disabilities which is available at http://www.scld.org.uk/library-publications/scld-publications.xhtml.

Minutes of the working group will be published on the Scottish Government website within three months of each meeting. It is intended that Scottish Government papers from the meetings will also be published.

To date, Scottish Government expenditure on the Working Group on Scotland without Nuclear Weapons has totalled £41.60.

Calculating the costs associated with officials making arrangements for the working group on Scotland is not possible, as relevant staff have undertaken such work alongside a range of other duties and the time spent on any given day on such work would have varied considerably.

The Working Group on Scotland Without Nuclear Weapons has been asked:

In the event of a decision to remove nuclear weapons from HM Naval Base Clyde, to examine the economic impact and to identify options for the development of alternative employment opportunities.

It will be for the working group to establish how consider the opportunities this offers, while remaining within the designated remit.

As set out in its remit, the working group will report regularly to ministers. It will do so via the Minister for Parliamentary Business, who chairs the group.

The list of members of the Working Group on Scotland without Nuclear Weapons is available on the Scottish Government website at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/swnw-working-group/membership.