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I have chaired both meetings of the Joint Strategic Review held to date and have written to all members to propose that further meetings should be held over the autumn.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27669 on 8 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Energy Assistance Package (EAP) is delivered through a Scottish Government partnership with 10 primary delivery partners. These are: Energy Saving Trust; managing agent for stage 4 (currently Scottish Gas); Citizens Advice Direct; Pensions Service; Scottish Gas (CERT provider); Scottish Power (CERT provider); Scottish and Southern (CERT provider); EDF (Cert Provider); Eon (CERT provider), and nPower (CERT provider).

Energy Saving Trust manage the overall EAP programme and deliver energy efficiency advice through the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Network. Stage 2 is delivered through referrals by EST to the Pensions Service and Citizens Advice Direct. EST refer stage 3 work to CERT providers and stage 4 to the managing agent. It is a matter for CERT providers and the managing agent whether they carry out work themselves or subcontract to other companies; however we understand that a number of large and small companies are used. The Scottish Government believes that all work should be tendered in a fair and transparent way that complies with EU procurement guidance and supports small businesses to be able to compete for work.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27669 on 8 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum meets quarterly. The Minister for Housing and Communities has not met the forum as a collective group but has met with individual member organisations at a number of different events. For example, the minister addressed a stakeholder event on 27 February 2009, chaired by the chair of the forum on the subject of the Energy Assistance Package and CERT delivery was discussed at the CERT Strategy Steering Group, chaired by the minister, on 27 May 2009.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27669 on 8 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Scottish ministers have put in place governance arrangements with Energy Saving Trust for delivery of the Energy Assistance Package and Home Insulation Scheme. EST are responsible for delivering energy efficiency advice, managing the customer journey and referrals under EAP and share responsibility with other delivery partners for successful delivery of the package as a whole.

The terms and conditions under which the Energy Saving Trust is expected to operate in delivering the Home Insulation Scheme, and details of the service to be provided, are outlined in the grant offer letter issued by the Scottish Government.

Scottish ministers have asked the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum to monitor implementation of the Energy Assistance Package and Home Insulation Scheme.

The applications referred to in the answer to question S3W-26888 were all at different stages of the process, but we would expect most to follow through to successful installation of measures. A minority of applications will be found not to be eligible at survey, or the applicant will decide to withdraw their application before completion. Under previous programmes it usually took an average of around six months from application to successful implementation of measures, though in 2008-09 the average time taken to successfully process applications was reduced to an average of five months.

I refer the member to the answer to the answer to question S3W-27661 on 8 October 2009 which sets out how the total grant funding for the scheme is allocated. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

A minimum of £9.1 million of government funding will be available for those Home Insulation Scheme measures which need to be the subject of a procurement exercise. That exercise will also be how the bulk of additional contributions to the scheme over and above the government''s £15 million contribution are levered.

The Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) advert excludes VAT as required by OJEU procedures, which is why the figure included in the advert differs from that in the grant offer letter.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27676 on 8 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.