Chamber and committees

I am aware of the study by the Council for Dance Education and Training.

As I said in my reply to you on 9 March, discretionary bursaries are a matter for local authorities and the Executive has no plans to change the current system.

I announced to Parliament on 13 April that Europa Building, in Glasgow's Argyle Street, has been chosen as the location for the Scottish University for Industry's headquarters. The company's staff of around 25 are expected to locate there at the end of May and the Scottish UfI will become operational in the autumn.

Good progress has been made since the publication of our progress report on development - The Shortest Route to Learning - last October - Mr Frank Pignatelli was appointed as Chief Executive in November; the company, Scottish UfI Ltd, was established in December; the four Executive Directors were appointed in December; the appointments process for the board began in March; and the call-centre operator was appointed earlier this month.

As I said during the Rural Affairs Committee meeting on 4 July, we have been in contact with the French authorities since learning that they had discovered low levels (below 1%) of GM presence in conventional maize seed imported into France. They confirmed on 30 June that they had found some GM seed in conventional maize seed, which has been sown in South West France. Three different modifications have been found in a number of varieties of forage maize imported into France by the company Golden Harvest. These are BT 176 and BT 11, and one further, as yet unidentified, modification. BT 176 is insect resistant and has Part C consent within the EU under Directive 90/220 for import, food and feed use, and for cultivation. BT 11 is insect resistant and has Part C consent for import and use in animal feed.

The French authorities have not yet confirmed which varieties of maize seed are involved, but have confirmed that sweetcorn varieties are not affected. We are seeking further information from France on the varieties concerned. However, as I also stated to the Rural Affairs Committee, it is very unlikely that they would be suitable for cultivation in Scottish conditions.

Responsibility for delivering the "Starting Well" demonstration project has been allocated to a team led by the Glasgow Healthy City Partnership. The team is currently making the necessary preparatory arrangements, with the aim of formally commencing the project in the next couple of months.

Decisions taken by officials in the Scottish Executive reflect the policies of all Scottish Ministers.

The hospitals contained in the table below offer treatment for puerperal psychosis. Those hospitals that would allow mothers and babies to stay together during treatment (subject to clinical determination, staffing and capacity) are indicated in column a:

Hospital	a
Huntlyburn House, Borders General	Yes
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary	Yes
Stirling Royal Infirmary	Yes
Royal Edinburgh	Yes
Rosslynlee, Midlothian
Herdmanflat, East Lothian	Yes
St John's, West Lothian	Yes
Royal Cornhill, Aberdeen	Yes
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary	Yes
Raigmore	Yes
Western Isles	Yes
Leverndale, Glasgow	Yes
Southern General, Glasgow	Yes
Parkhead, Glasgow	Yes
Stobhill, Glasgow	Yes
Gartnavel Royal, Glasgow
Vale of Leven, Alexandria
Royal Alexandra, Paisley
Ailsa, Ayr	Yes
Crosshouse, Kilmarnock	Yes

Due to the very low incidence of puerperal psychosis (limited to around two cases per 1,000) treatment is not always available on a local basis. Where a case is deemed to be too severe for treatment through the local inpatient psychiatric service, arrangements are made to transfer the patient to the nearest specialist unit.

Greater Glasgow Health Board has recently agreed with the Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust to establish a special five-bedded unit for mothers and babies. This development will be commissioned during 2001-02 and will result in a significantly enhanced service for mothers with puerperal psychosis within a safe and supportive environment for their babies.

On 19 June, I, along with a large number of my ministerial colleagues, took part in the Scottish Youth Summit 2000 organised by the Scottish Executive. This was the opening event of our Action Programme for Youth, announced in the Programme for Government document. We want young people on national policy issues that impact on their lives. The Summit enabled us, with the help of IT, to hear the views of over 1,200 young people on a wide range of subjects they had identified as relevant to them.Proceedings of the Summit will be published later this year. We will respond then to the key points raised by those who took part.

A Planning Advice Note Improving Town Centres was published in October 1999. This sets out ways in which local authorities, in partnership with others, can make town centres more attractive and accessible places and enhance their potential for commercial and business development. Funding is available from various sources to assist in this work.

A Review Group, which is chaired by Jackie Baillie, Deputy Minister for Communities, is considering the impact of charges for criminal records on the voluntary sector including registration costs. The group is meeting regularly and hopes to reach conclusions later this year.

Whilst the Scottish Parliament has legislative competence over bus policy, issues which affect the construction and operation of buses, such as vehicle standards, operator licensing and safety are reserved to the United Kingdom Government. The Scottish Executive has no plans to commission such a study.