Chamber and committees

We are aware of this product and understand that Alcohol Focus Scotland have lodged an official complaint about it under the Portman Group's Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks. The complaint will be looked at by an independent panel and we await the outcome of these considerations with interest.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-6565 on 6 March 2003, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/search.htm.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-6565 on 6 March 2003, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/search.htm.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34609 today. 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/search_wa.

The Scottish Executive has not received any representations about the proposed promoted posts structure for teachers in the Argyll and Bute Council area.

The Scottish Executive has not issued guidance to local authorities in relation to the implementation of new promoted post structures.The new promoted post structure is detailed in the agreement A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century which was negotiated on a tripartite basis with representatives from local authorities, teacher organisations and the Scottish Executive.The agreement provides local authorities with the flexibility to determine staffing structures which best suit their local requirements.

Voluntary proof of age was an integral part of the Scottish Executive funded Dialogue Youth and Young Scot smart card pilot project. Under the pilot, cards containing a digital photograph and verified date of birth were offered to all secondary school pupils in Angus, Glasgow, Argyll and Bute and Edinburgh. Take-up of the card was between 80 and 90% and the young people themselves requested that the proof of age element be maintained and accredited. A full roll-out of the card to all 32 local authority areas is now planned, resulting in some 375,000 cards being issued by the end of 2004. Accreditation for the card is being sought under the British Retail Consortium's Proof of Age Standard Scheme, the outcome of which is expected in the spring.

Reducing harmful drinking by children and young people is one of the key priorities of the Plan for Action on alcohol problems, published on 18 January 2002. The plan sets out a range of action in relation to school and community-based education. There is also action to ensure children affected by alcohol problems have access to appropriate services and new resources for parents to help them to discuss alcohol issues with their children. We are also continuing to provide support to Health Education Board for Scotland and Alcohol Focus Scotland to provide information and advice on the dangers of under-age and excessive drinking and undertake preventative activities with schools and youth and community groups.The Executive has made £3.3 million available through central budgets in this financial year to support local and national action to tackle alcohol problems. A breakdown of funding to tackle harmful drinking by children and young people is not available.

We have enhanced the strategic planning role of local authorities by giving them responsibility for producing local housing strategies which will lead to a better analysis of the need for the provision and improvement of social housing across Scotland. Delivery against those needs will be assisted by the development programme of Communities Scotland (including resources which may transfer, in due course, to local authorities), the New Housing Partnership and Community Ownership programme and the housing programmes of local authorities operating, from 2004-05, within the prudential framework for capital expenditure. We have also announced that all social housing providers will, in due course, be required to ensure that their housing meets the proposed Scottish Social Housing Standard. This standard will set out the minimum quality standard that social landlords should be expected to provide.

The second, and final, stage of the Policy and Financial Management Review of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has now been completed and I have placed copies of the steering group's report in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 26920). I have also written to the Convenors of the Education Culture and Sport Committee and the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee with copies of the report. The report has been posted on the Scottish Executive and SQA's websites. The report includes recommendations, some of which have already been implemented and many of which are currently in the process of implementation, and my officials will monitor progress to ensure that target dates are met.