Chamber and committees

The company's performance against agreed targets as set out in its annual report gives no grounds for concern.

Under the scheme announced on 15 November, it is for the Primary Care Trust to agree with the dental profession locally how best to target the available funding. One of the areas in which we have indicated we wish to see this funding used is to make practices more child-friendly.On 21 November, there was also an announcement about the introduction of a caries prevention scheme, including fissure sealing and preventative work, for six and seven-year-olds in Scotland.

I expect the report of Adoption Policy Review Group to address issues relating to post-adoption services. However, changes to the existing regulations that govern parental leave, including those for adoptive parents, is a reserved employment matter being taken forward by the UK Government. I would therefore not expect the review group to make recommendations on this.

The new Alternative Landing Ship Logistics contract was signed on 19 November by BAE SYSTEMS Marine for the Clyde yards. Whilst a substantial part of the work will be carried out at Govan, the increasingly integrated nature of the company's two Clyde yards and the increased flexibility and mobility of its workers will have positive benefit for workers at both Scotstoun and Govan. In addition, whilst all steel production will be carried out at Govan, all manufacturing work will be carried out at the manufacturing centre of Excellence at Scotstoun. In total, the contract will sustain up to 600 jobs on the Clyde and a further 200 among outside contractors when construction is at its peak. It will provide continuity in workload until construction of the Type 45 Destroyers gets under way. Taken together with the latter, it will provide a secure base of work for the Clydeside yards for some time to come.

The activities of the Clyde Shipyards Task Force have already contributed to a substantial reduction in the original number of compulsory redundancies announced by BAE SYSTEMS, from 1,000 to nearer 500. The task force has also considered longer term issues relating to the company's strategy for the shipyards, the skills required to support this strategy, and the community regeneration and land use issues arising in the Scotstoun and Govan areas. The task force is currently preparing its draft report which will reflect these issues and its remit "to consider the immediate and longer term strategic issues facing the Clyde shipbuilding industry, particularly naval, and to identify the changes necessary to ensure a competitive industry to exploit future opportunities." The draft report and recommendations will be considered at the next meeting of the task force on 7 December.

A consultation exercise following the publication of the recent report by the consultants KPMG has now been completed. It will be for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Glasgow colleges, who commissioned the report, to consider the responses to the consultation exercise and the case for subsequent action. The Boards of Management at two separate groups of Glasgow colleges are currently exploring the possibility of merger. These groups comprise (a) Glasgow College of Building and Printing, Central College of Commerce and Glasgow College of Food Technology, and (b) Stow College and North Glasgow College.

An unsuccessful applicant can appeal to Eaga against the decision. The case will be reviewed by Eaga's Manager for Scotland who had no part in the original decision.

In October this year I made available an additional £7 million to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, to be used to support colleges which have shown a determination to take the necessary action to secure their long-term financial viability. Allocation of the £7 million to individual further education colleges is a matter for the council.

A consultation paper is being widely distributed to a range of interests, including planning authorities, regular users of the planning system, community councils, the Citizen Advice Bureau and equality groups. The Executive is also actively promoting full public participation by placing an easy read consultation paper and questionnaire in planning offices and public libraries, and on the internet. It is also proposed to hold seminars for special groups; ensure contact with appropriate organisations through the Scottish Civic Forum, and appoint consultants to assist in generating feedback from members of the public.

They will be made available to MSPs.