Chamber and committees

The Clyde Shipyards Task Force, which is considering the immediate and longer term strategic issues facing the Clyde shipbuilding industry, has established four sub-groups to progress the following areas of work:

• Strategy for the upper Clyde shipyards;
• Strategy for skills;
• Strategy for redundancy management; and
• Strategy for wider community management.

Work is well under way and the task force expects to report to ministers by December 2001.

I am aware of the potential impact on the Glasgow underground of the Commission's proposal for an EU Regulation on Public Service Requirements and the Award of Public Service Contracts in Passenger Transport by Rail, Road and Inland Waterways. I highlighted the Glasgow situation when I addressed the EU Transport Council in Luxembourg in June as part of the UK delegation. The draft regulation has a long way to go through the EU process and the Executive will ensure that Scotland's interests are reflected through the UK stance throughout these negotiations.

The inequalities most recently highlighted in this report are well-known, long-standing and unacceptable. The Executive is committed to tackling the legacy of health inequalities, and has put this and social justice at the heart of its agenda and its spending priorities. We are determined to tackle the root causes of ill health - poverty, poor housing, low self-esteem, and lack of educational and economic opportunity.The details of our approach are set out in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change, Social Justice: a Scotland where everyone matters and related publications available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

I have received Sir Anthony Campbell's report into the process of prosecution decision making in the case. I have been advised that Dr Jandoo has now completed his report concerning the liaison which took place between the authorities and the Chhokar family, although Dr Jandoo has still to submit his report.On 10 September, the Minister for Justice and I were requested by Mr Anwar of the Chhokar Family Justice Campaign to delay publication of both reports until at least 10 October due to the poor health of a family member. We are both of the view that this is the right thing to do. As a consequence, it is now our intention to publish both reports shortly after the October recess.

The appointment of Sally Kuenssberg as chairperson of the Yorkhill NHS Trust was announced on 27 July 2001.

The number of Occupational Therapists working in NHSScotland has increased by 216 WTE (24%) since 1996.An additional 61 funded student places for certain Professions Allied to Medicine groups including Occupational Therapists have been made available by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council from October 2001.

This was not, I understand, specifically part of the remit. But in considering how to take matters forward I would expect the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Glasgow colleges to take into account relevant experience from elsewhere.

The report was commissioned jointly by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Glasgow Colleges Group, not by the Scottish Executive. The report itself makes clear that the commission was to generate and evaluate strategic options for the provision of further education in Glasgow which will be both efficient and effective in meeting the needs of learners, and additionally, will be cost effective in the use of estates.

The funding of the Scottish further education sector, including any funding support for strategic change within the sector, is a matter for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council.

The Scottish Executive will set no such timetable. Any action stemming from this report will be for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Glasgow colleges.