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There are no currentplans to do so. The future economic and social research programme for transport,which includes road safety, is currently being developed and is expected to be finalisedby September.

The UK Governmenthas been conducting research into sleep-related road accidents for over 10 yearsand has published reports on a number of studies.

The Scottish Executiveis not aware of research undertaken by police in Leicester. We are, however, aware of the work of the Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre on aspects of driversleepiness and road traffic accidents.

The free personalcare policy was introduced to benefit people aged 65 and over, and the governmentis focusing its attention on addressing implementation issues arising from thispolicy. There are no current plans to extend this general provision to other caregroups. For people under the age of 65, two forms of support are provided. Nursingcare payments are available to care home residents who fully fund their care homecosts, and people who have dementia or any other degenerative illness who requirecare, and who live in their own homes, can claim Disability Living Allowance.

Yes, we are awareof the report and have noted its content.

The centralheating and Warm Deal programmes have already provided free central heating for83,000 homes and free insulation for 317,000 homes in Scotland. The majority of these free installations have benefited people over60 years of age.

A formal review of the Fuel Poverty Statement is not required until August 2010. The contractfor the delivery of current programmes runs till March 2008. I am open to suggestionsas to how the effectiveness of these programmes in combating fuel poverty can beimproved in future.

I am advised byOfgem that a consumer is not likely to incur additional costs in switching to asimilar dynamic teleswitching tariff offered by an alternative supplier.

The Scottish HealthCouncil was established as part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland but with itsown distinct identity. The Chief Executive of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland istherefore the accountable officer for the Scottish Health Council and is personallyanswerable to the Parliament for regularity, propriety and value for money in themanagement of the organisation. The council’s staff are responsible for complyingwith the requirements of NHS QIS systems of internal financial control and the board’sstanding financial instructions.

The Annual Reviewof the Scottish Health Council, which I will lead, also provides a mechanism forthe monitoring and review of expenditure.

Health projectsdo not receive funding from NHS Health Scotland for publicity or public information. Instead, projects receive supportfrom NHS Health Scotland staff such as expertise, literature andadvice regarding public relations.

Monitoring the effectivenessof NHS Health Scotland’s disbursements of funding is by way of theorganisation’s performance management system.

Internal processesto monitor effectiveness are driven by quarterly business plan delivery reviewswhich involve budget holders and other staff tasked with project delivery, and stafffrom policy and planning and finance. These reviews lead to the production of reportson business plan delivery for consideration and, where necessary, action by theCorporate Management Team, the Audit Committee and the board.

External processesto monitor effectiveness include periodic reviews with organisations receiving funding,and reviews by external and internal audit. The annual delivery plan is agreed withthe Scottish Executive. Overall organisational effectiveness is reviewed annuallyby the Scottish government, through the annual review process.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-962 on 20 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.