Chamber and committees

Slaughter under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme began at Brechin abattoir on 6 April and at Annan abattoir on 10 April, with slaughter at Kilmarnock abattoir projected to commence during the course of week ending 13 April.

In our Social Justice Strategy, we have set long term targets of ensuring older people are financially secure and that increased numbers enjoy independent and healthy lives.The first Social Justice Annual Report, which was published on 13 November 2000, sets out what is being done to support our social justice targets and milestones for older people. This includes a community care package of £300 million over 3 years, the installation of central heating for 70,000 pensioners and free off-peak bus travel.In addition we are working closely with the UK Government which is working through the tax and benefits system to improve the incomes of poorer pensioners.

A draft of the report of the National Nutritional Audit was received by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG) on 27 April 2000 and, in line with normal procedures for submission of a final report for a CRAG-funded project, was circulated for peer review during the first week of May.The final draft of the report was received by CRAG in August following feedback to the authors from the peer reviewers. The report was published on 18 December 2000.

The Independent Living Fund is funded by DSS and data relating to this matter is not held by the Scottish Executive.

As is standard in the aftermath of any such event, emergency plans will be reviewed to discover if there are any lessons to be learned.

The Scottish Executive does not need emergency powers to reopen roads previously closed by snow blockages. Roads are reopened in consultation with the police when it is considered safe to do so.

Throughout the emergency, the Executive worked closely with agencies such as Lothians and Borders Police, the Scottish Borders Council emergency planning team and Scottish Power in the areas worst affected to restore power as soon as possible. We will consider carefully the lessons and whether we need to conduct a review of the arrangements used. Responses to emergencies of this type are led locally.

Emergency planning across Europe and elsewhere reflects the particular threats, risks, hazards and possibility of occurrence relative to the country in question. We already have excellent emergency planning liaison with our European neighbours, including Sweden in particular, exchanging experience and expertise with them. Ownership of the electricity grid in Scotland lies in the hands of the electricity companies. Consideration of the procedures adopted in other countries for maintaining power supplies in adverse weather is clearly a matter for these utilities.

None. Throughout the emergency, Scottish Power kept Ministers fully informed about its strenuous efforts to reconnect customers who had lost power as a result of the recent appalling weather conditions which caused such severe damage to the electricity network in the Borders. The company has announced its intention to deal sympathetically with compensation claims from customers who were badly affected.

The A7 in Scotland north of Galashiels was de-trunked in 1996. The A7 south of Galashiels and the A68 have not been detrunked.Trunk roads are given priority for winter maintenance treatment. The de-trunked section of the A7 may therefore be expected to receive slightly lower priority than the trunked section.