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The implementation of the new strand to the relocation policy will be taken forward in consultation with key public sector stakeholders.The Executive has written to bodies covered by the relocation policy requesting that they identify small units of work that could be successfully carried out in more remote areas, without compromising efficiency. Reviews will then be carried out on the most promising opportunities.More detailed aspects of how the scheme will operate have been discussed with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and COSLA. The Executive will shortly be writing to all local authorities and local enterprise companies to alert them to the details.

The Executive wrote to all Scottish local authorities and Local Enterprise Companies on 16 December 2002 drawing attention to the new list of bodies, announced on 11 December 2002, about to conduct location reviews.

A range of factors are considered in evaluating relocation reviews. These include costs, operational effectiveness, the position of staff and social, economic and environmental considerations.We will be providing further guidance on social and economic factors to make clear that there is a case for giving greater weight to factors such as unemployment and other indicators of deprivation in considering location reviews.

We are currently considering the report from the consultants commissioned by sportscotland to review their property portfolio as a whole. That will help inform our decision on the future location of sportscotland's headquarters which we expect to make by March.

I expect that the Scottish Arts Council's report on future location will be with ministers by the end of this financial year. A decision will be made as soon as possible thereafter.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32492 on 11 December 2002. 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/webapp/search_wa.

The National Liaison Group for Credit Unions is an independent body set up by the credit union movement to discuss issues of common interest and to harmonise lobbying strategies on government policy that may impact credit unions. The Scottish Executive does not consider it appropriate for us to seek representation on such a group.

The Executive has been working closely with the insurance industry and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) in recent months on the issue of flood cover. The Executive welcomes the statement from the ABI that its members will continue to provide flood insurance to homes and businesses on flood plains. The Executive looks forward to a positive and constructive relationship in the future so that affordable insurance remains widely available.

Treasury figures suggest that there were over 5.4 million basic bank accounts at the end of June 2002. This is an increase over the figure of 3.3 million at the end of 2000. However, an estimated 3.5 million adults in the UK still do not have a bank account. The Executive has regular discussions with the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers to explore what can be done to provide more appropriate and accessible products and to encourage a greater uptake of services, such as basic bank accounts.

The Scottish Executive has received no representations from credit unions on the proposed European directive on consumer credit.