Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive is keen to ensure that small and medium-size companies are able to access sufficient finance to develop their activities.

Scottish Development Finance, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise, currently operates two specific schemes in partnership with the private sector - the Scottish Equity Partnership and the Scottish Technology Fund - aimed at providing venture capital support for new and expanding Scottish companies.

SDF maintains strong links with the financial sector and the Scottish Executive is currently working with SDF to consider ways in which additional venture capital support for SMEs might best be delivered. The establishment of Scottish Development Finance as an independent fund management business - due to take place in July - will allow SDF to attract additional investment into this important area.

Information on the total number of operations cancelled in Glasgow Hospitals in the last year is not available centrally.

Details of planned admissions to hospitals which are cancelled are published annually in the NHS in Scotland Annual Report and in the Scottish Health Statistics.

The Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland encourages all care agencies to promote mental health and engage actively in health promotion, including action to de-stigmatise mental illness.

The level of grant Glasgow City Council will receive from the Scottish Executive for 2001-02 has yet to be determined. I expect to announce the provisional local government settlement for that year in December. The assumption used by the council in its forward-looking strategy can only be speculative at this stage.

No action on such a definition is envisaged by the Executive in advance of the report of the Millan Committee which is reviewing mental health legislation.

The Scottish Executive is determined to improve both the range and quality of information provided to the business community, and to increase electronic access where appropriate. For example, we are currently working with Scottish Enterprise to improve the consistency and quality of support provided to small businesses in the SEn area, and this will include an enhanced web-based information system. I hope to announce details shortly.

A range of impacts from confusion to misunderstanding can apply. The role of carers, family and practitioners is key to helping the patient reduce this additional stress where it occurs. The aim of all concerned is to provide appropriate support and care to meet the assessed needs of individuals.

The content of vocational training for general practitioners (GPs) in the UK is a matter for the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP). The JCPTGP works in close collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to set high quality standards in the training of GPs. During their training vocational trainees will spend time learning about mental health. We would expect all GPs to keep up to date with current practice in a key clinical priority such as mental health as part of their Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

I refer Mr Kenneth Gibson to the answer I gave to question S1W-8052 on 29 June 2000.

The Scottish Further Education Funding Council has allocated almost £16 million to further education colleges for investment in capital works in 2000-01. It is for the colleges to decide on the details of capital investment programmes, according to their own assessment of needs and priorities.

In addition to this, I announced on 16 June that I would make available a further £10 million for colleges' capital expenditure this year, particularly to enhance physical access to buildings for students with special needs.