Chamber and committees

The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) has allocated the £500,000 funding to assist with the implementation of the new condition of grant on human resource policies and management. This condition of grant covers the management of all staff, including contact research staff, and came into effect on 1 April 2002. The majority of the additional resources have been allocated to institutions to assist in their preparations for the introduction of the condition. Institutions can use these resources in any way to assist, develop and implement strategies and policies to bring about improvements in relation to the management of all staff, including contract research staff. The remaining funds are being used by the council to assist its own preparation for the introduction of the condition. In responding to the guidance received from the minister on 10 December 2002, SHEFC will work with Universities Scotland to report annually on the distribution of contract research staff in Scottish higher education institutions.

In the ministerial guidance to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) in December 2001, which applies to the year 2002-03, the council was asked to supply an annual report on the position with regard to information on contract research staff within higher education institutions in Scotland. The timing of that report is a matter to be agreed with SHEFC in the light of its advice on the best means of collecting this information.SHEFC is currently developing options for collecting this information and for monitoring progress which it intends to discuss with Universities Scotland. In doing so, it will draw on the report by the Institute for Employment Research on the career destinations of contract research staff in Scotland. This report was commissioned jointly with the ESRC, the Wellcome Trust, the Carnegie Trust and the Scottish Executive and was published in December 2001.

The Scottish Executive is participating in the review of the Blue Badge Scheme being conducted on behalf of all four UK administrations by the Department for Transport.This review covers all aspects of the scheme including enforcement.

Under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, roads authorities have a general duty to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic. This general duty is met by the local authority making Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) which can be introduced for a variety of reasons including the provision of parking bays for disabled people.It is a matter for individual authorities to decide how they enforce the correct use of parking bays for disabled people.

Statutory responsibility for local libraries lies with local authorities. Each local authority is responsible for determining the level of resources allocated for the library service which they provide for the residents of their area. This includes the purchase of materials to address the needs of blind and partially sighted people.I understand that annual expenditure by local authorities on audio-visual material, such as talking books, has increased from £1.0 million to £1.6 million over the last 10 years.The Scottish Library and Information Council, which receives core funding from the Scottish Executive, issued guidance to local authorities on book selection policies two years ago and over 30% of local authorities now have a policy in place with all the other local authorities working to develop their policies. A book selection policy aims to deliver user-led services to meet the needs of communities. The policy should be based on a profile of the needs of the community, including the needs of blind and partially sighted people, and could allow for the provision of a wide range of book and non-book materials.

The interpretation of statute is a legal matter which is ultimately for the courts. However, it is the Executive's view that the implementation of the Scottish secure tenancy (converting existing tenancies to Scottish secure tenancies) will not of itself affect any existing rent arrears.

Rent arrears management is a matter for individual housing associations and the question of recoverability of rent arrears in any case will depend very much on the facts and circumstances of that case.

The Health Technology Board for Scotland's Comment on the anti-TNF drugs etanercept and infliximab issued on 17 May. The comment can be accessed on the board's website:www.htbs.co.ukNHSScotland should take account of advice and evidence from the board and ensure that recommended drugs and treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

I am due to meet with COSLA again in the next month to talk about the spending review and the distribution of resources for all local authorities. This will be the forum to discuss such matters.

There are difficulties in identifying with certainty where illegal poisoning has taken place. The RSPB has, however, supplied the following statistics, based on information collated by them.

1997	4 (poisoned)
1998	4 (poisoned)
1999	1 (poisoned)
2000	4 (poisoned)
2001	10 (poisoned)