Chamber and committees

These issues are of prime concern to the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and Glasgow City Council.In terms of provision of quality modern office space, tenant demand in the city centre is strong, with the vacancy rate at 5% and a good level of enquiries. Currently available stock amounts to around 20,000 square metres in three buildings. A further 22,000 square metres will come on the market during this year.There has, as a result, been an increase in investor interest in the city. At Pacific Quay, one of the city's Strategic Sites, a developer has applied for planning permission for a speculative office development of 6,000 square metres while SE Glasgow has plans for 22,000 square metres of space at that location for digital media companies. On the north bank of the river, a developer has proposals to develop office accommodation on the former Daily Record site and is being encouraged to proceed by SE Glasgow and the City Council.

At the junction of George Street and High Street, SE Glasgow has applied for planning permission to develop, in partnership with the private sector, a business park of some 50,000 square metres of space aimed at technology, software and science-based companies.With regards to steps that are being taken to ensure the provision of trained service sector office staff, this provision is being met through various Scottish Executive training schemes.

As indicated in written evidence to the Social Inclusion Committee from the former Minister for Communities, Ms Wendy Alexander, (SP Paper 161, Session 1 (2000)) where a whole stock transfer proposal represents good value for money and is selected to proceed and where the local authority's housing debt exceeds the receipt raised from the disposal of the stock, assistance will be available as follows:The receipt would be used to repay part of the council's outstanding housing debt;

The cost of the premature repayment of debt (i.e. the breakage costs) would be met with resources provided by the Scottish Executive;The cost of servicing the remaining (i.e. residual) debt would also be met by resources provided by the Scottish Executive.The mechanisms for delivering on this commitment will be discussed with councils as part of the process of appraising applications for approval to transfer.

I refer to the answer to question S1W-13378. Until an application to transfer has been received from the council it is not possible to say what level of debt may remain outstanding, nor how long it might take to repay such debt.

The current Export Development Strategy for Scotland recognised the need to widen the base of exporting industries in Scotland. Within this objective, a number of priority sectors were identified and in all these, initiatives to help grow international business have been undertaken.The Scottish Executive is committed to building on this, creating the necessary environment for Scottish business to succeed in the global economy. We will publish a Global Connections Strategy later this year, to further develop the vision set out in A Smart, Successful Scotland, of how the Executive and the Enterprise Networks can work in partnership to support further growth in global markets.

I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13381.

We have no evidence to suggest that local authorities are failing to carry out their statutory duties to assist homeless young people. We have commissioned research from York University into how authorities discharge their responsibilities for throughcare and after care of 16 and 17 year olds formerly looked after by them. The results are expected to be available in September.

In 1998, guidance on the use of Donepezil Hydrochloride in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease produced by the Standing Medical Advisory Committee in England and endorsed by the National Medical Advisory Committee in Scotland, was issued to all Health Boards and NHS Trusts. This guidance recommends that treatment with Donepezil should be initiated and supervised only by a specialist experienced in the management of dementia.

On 19 January 2001, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published their Final Appraisal on the use of donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl) in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The Health Technology Board for Scotland is currently working on a process to comment on all Final Appraisals from NICE. Treatments for Alzheimer's disease will be the first topic to go through this process in the spring.As an interim measure, the Scottish Executive has asked Drugs and Therapeutics Committees to review any advice they may have provided to their clinicians on the use of these treatments in Alzheimer's disease, taking into account the NICE guidance.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-2599 on 30 November.

The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) recognises effective communication processes are essential to its work and is developing a communication strategy to ensure it has ongoing dialogue with interested groups. It is also forming a Communications Reference Group to advise its Board.HTBS will hold consultative seminars with health boards, Trusts and other groups in NHSScotland in spring 2001. Discussion at these seminars will identify preferred methods of disseminating HTBS advice.HTBS is actively building a communication network with interested groups, particularly patient groups, and individuals to support its consultation processes. In addition to an open and consultative process designed to ensure there is ongoing dialogue with interested groups, HTBS is also using its website to capture suggestions and encourage feedback, and conducting question and answer sessions with the public at the end of each of its Board meetings.All documents issued by HTBS are placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre and advice that flows from the assessments carried out by HTBS will also be available there.

The Scottish Executive does not forecast GDP growth rates. However, Scottish GDP growth strengthened in the most recent quarter and latest independent forecasts indicate growth in line with or above trend this year, with BSL and Cambridge Econometrics projecting that growth in Scotland will strengthen in 2001. The Scottish Executive is firmly focused on raising the long run sustainable growth rate of the Scottish economy by meeting the new international conditions for economic success - growing business, ensuring Scotland is globally connected, lifelong learning and skills development - through the framework provided by the Enterprise Strategy, A Smart, Successful Scotland.