Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13115 on 29 May 2008. 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/wa.search.

The Scottish Government supports the provision of a second scan for women in the 20th week of pregnancy and we are working closely with the NHS, to ensure that this is delivered in those boards where it is not currently routine.

Question S3W-8959 related to the 140 day custody limit which operates in High Court cases.

The Scottish courts are able to establish whether custody limits are exceeded in cases where an application is submitted by the Crown to extend that time limit.

In terms of section 65 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 as amended, where there is a risk that the time limit will be exceeded, an accused may be admitted to bail by the Lord Advocate and liberated from custody, or arrangements made to bring the accused before the court in order that an application to extend the time limit beyond 140 days may be considered.

The Scottish Court Service only collects information on the number of those cases where the Crown has applied to the court to be able to retain the accused person in custody beyond 140 days. In 2007 the High Court granted 487 applications to extend the 140 day custody time limit in relation to an accused.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12936 on 21 May 2008. 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/wa.search.

Since May 2007, I have had meetings to discuss the future of the Crichton Campus with the Principal of the University of Glasgow, the Principal of the University of the West of Scotland, representatives of the University and College Union and the Chair and the Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council. I have also visited the campus and met with the academic partners, students, staff, representatives from the Crichton Carbon Centre and other local stakeholders and politicians.

On 20 August 2007, the Scottish Government announced a package of additional funding amounting to £1.5 million to support a new Academic Strategy, developed by the Scottish Funding Council, the Crichton academic partners and other stakeholder interests, to secure and enhance higher education provision at the Crichton Campus. The allocation of this funding to individual institutions is, however, a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. Legislation precludes ministers from involvement in these decisions.

The appointment of any external consultants to examine drama funding at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama would be an operational matter for the Scottish Funding Council. While the council is considering a review of drama provision, it has informed me that at this stage no consultants have been appointed for this purpose. Any subsequent decision to appoint consultants for this purpose would be entirely for the council.

Since May 2007, the Scottish Government has given a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies as a result of any changes it progresses.

Prior to this date the details requested should be obtained directly from individual organisations, as they relate to operational records.

Since May 2007, there has been regular discussion and communication between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council on a range of issues, including the funding of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

This information is not held centrally. However, data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that, for academic year 2005-06, 20% of teaching staff at Scottish higher education institutions were employed on a fixed-term basis.

Structured Deferred Sentences are primarily aimed at offenders with underlying problems such as drug or alcohol dependency, mental health or learning difficulties or who are unemployed.