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I am aware that there is a need for increased dialysis clinics, and provision of increased support services in the Borders.I am pleased to learn that the capacity to treat such patients in the Borders will increase from early October, and that a full Review of Renal Service in the Borders is about to take place. The review will report to Borders NHS Board in time to feed into the 2004-05 financial plan. An initial meeting is to take place in early October.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:Well defined support systems are in existence within the prison to identify and support those with mental health needs. This includes the assessment of all admissions by a Registered Mental Health Nurse and four sessions per week contracted psychiatric provision (supplemented by registrars). Extensive links exist with mental health teams in the community and locally a co-ordinated mental health referral/multidisciplinary team approach is in place.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The standard induction process of three days for convicted prisoners has continued to operate as normal. Additional nursing resource has been supplied in order that health care for the increased number of admissions can be more effectively provided. The increased pressures on Cornton Vale have been caused by increased numbers rising markedly above the available capacity of the establishment. SPS have announced the conversion of Darroch Hall at HM Prison Greenock to house women prisoners. This will ease overcrowding at Cornton Vale. This will be in addition to the creation of an open prison facility in the SPS houses adjacent to Cornton Vale which will also help to ease pressures.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:Cornton Vale makes available and is further developing a range of interventions/drugs programmes including health care and addictions assessment, information and awareness, detoxification and substitute prescribing, relapse prevention and pre- and post-release support. Mandatory drug testing allows the prison to monitor drug misuse and the effectiveness of interventions and to identify inmates who may need specialist support. The increased pressures on Cornton Vale have been caused by numbers rising markedly above the available capacity of the establishment. SPS have announced the conversion of Darroch Hall at HM Prison Greenock to house women prisoners. This will ease overcrowding at Cornton Vale.

The Scottish Executive and local authorities worked together to develop the guidance to ensure there was fair and consistent implementation across Scotland. Monitoring arrangements have been established to ensure this is achieved.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The information is given in the table:Number of Remand Prisoners in Penal Establishments, by Establishment (Provisional Figures)

Establishment	31 January 2002		31 March 2002		30 June 2002
	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent
Barlinnie	406	38.2	440	39.9	497	38.9
Aberdeen	68	6.4	41	3.7	89	7.0
Cornton Vale	54	5.1	60	5.4	64	5.0
Dumfries	18	1.7	26	2.4	30	2.3
Edinburgh	206	19.4	220	20.0	248	19.4
Greenock	94	8.8	90	8.2	112	8.8
Inverness	39	3.7	36	3.3	47	3.7
Perth	102	9.6	95	8.6	92	7.2
Polmont	1	0.1	14	1.3	23	1.8
Kilmarnock	75	7.1	80	7.3	77	6.0
Total	1,063	100	1,102	100	1,279	100

Post offices are a reserved issue. However, as part of a broad strategy aimed at providing support for communities in deprived urban areas Scottish ministers are currently considering ways in which post offices located in these areas might be assisted. If financial assistance is offered we will consider whether it could be used to fund improvements to deter violent and other crime. I hope to be able to advise you further on this in due course.

The 23 applicants concerned contacted Eaga by telephone and the information they gave led Eaga to believe that they were eligible for the central heating programme. However, applicants must sign a declaration attesting that they meet all the conditions for free central heating. Fifteen of the applicants did not return signed declarations and it must therefore be assumed that, on reflection, they found themselves to be ineligible. Three of the eight remaining applicants have had free central heating installed and the other five will soon do so.

The answer to question S1W-21782 gave information on the total number of applications received as at 31 December. Between 1 January and 2 August 2002, Eaga received a further 113 applications for the central heating programme from households in the Scottish Borders area. One hundred and five of these were subsequently found to be eligible for a grant.

The conclusions reached by the Central Heating Working Group were set out in the enclosure to a letter of 23 February 2001, from the then Minister for Social Justice to the Convenor of the Social Justice Committee. It was copied to all MSPs and copies were placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. It records that priority for free central heating will be given to (a) those aged over 75; (b) the elderly living alone, and (c) the disabled and the long-term ill. These cases are prioritised against other applications received at the same time.