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Precisearrangements for membership of the regional business advisory boards will besubject to further consideration by Ministers. The principal objective will beto secure meaningful business involvement in the boards.

This has not yetbeen determined but such matters will be taken into account in due course.

Subject to marketavailability, we expect that rolling stock to provide the service will be inplace by spring 2009.

We expect thefranchisee to lease additional rolling stock allowing trains to be cascadedacross the First ScotRail franchise and a half hourly rail service betweenGlasgow and Kilmarnock to be provided. We will not therefore go through aprocurement process and as such no finance has been allocated.

We have no plansto purchase the rolling stock required for a half hourly rail service betweenGlasgow and Kilmarnock and have not therefore considered the cost of doing so. Aswith other rolling stock required to operate the ScotRail franchise, it isexpected that any additional rolling stock required for the extra servicesbetween Glasgow and Kilmarnock will be leased by the Franchisee.

We expect the franchiseeto lease additional rolling stock allowing trains to be cascaded across theFirst ScotRail franchise and a half-hourly rail service between Glasgow and Kilmarnock to be provided.

Two additionaltrains will be required to provide a half-hourly service.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-4234 on 11 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish coalmining industry makes a significant contribution to energy supplies, currentlysupplying around 25% of UK coal production. Our policy opposing newnuclear power stations in Scotland, the installation of flue gasdesulpherisation equipment at Longannet power station, and the futuredevelopment of clean coal technologies, are all factors expected to increasethe size of the potential market for Scottish coal production. We maintainregular contact with the sector and participate in the UK Coal Forum.

As was clearly set out inthe Independent Scrutiny Panel (ISP) terms of reference, the panel will need totake account of local circumstances and the views of individuals andcommunities affected by effectively engaging with local people, in liaison withthe Scottish Health Council. It is for the panel to determine how they willcarry out this task in light of its terms of reference. The ISP has not beencharged with undertaking formal public consultation.

AsI pointed out in my statement to Parliament on this matter on 6 June 2007, it isimportant to recognise that the original review of services proposals weresubject to extensive formal public consultation. That consultation highlightedthe overwhelming strength of public opinion against the proposals to close the accidentand emergency department at Ayr Hospital. In reversing these proposals - which were endorsedby the former Executive - the Government has charged the ISP with carefullyconsidering NHS Ayrshire and Arran's plans for retaining accident and emergency servicesat Ayr Hospital together with the supporting evidence; and to providea commentary on these.

WhenI made my statement to Parliament on 6 June, I also recognised that we must becareful not to set back or slow down the board’s service plans any more than isabsolutely necessary to fulfil the commitment on accident and emergency services.That is why we have agreed with the board that their proposals - having beenscrutinised and evaluated by the ISP - should be with me for a final decisionby the turn of the year.

This timescale will achievethe necessary balance between effective public engagement and independentscrutiny, and the need to move forward swiftly to minimise uncertainty and theimpact on service development.