Seòmar agus comataidhean

Scotland's Population 2001: the Registrar General's Annual Review of Demographic Trends is published today. The format of the report has been changed from previous annual reports to bring out key trends and issues more clearly for a wider audience. A copy of the report is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. Number 24855), or from the General Register Office Scotland (GROS) website at: www.gro-scotland.gov.uk.

Information on local health care co-operatives is available on the SHOW website (www.show.scot.nhs.uk) and from NHS boards.

The Executive today published Closing the Opportunity Gap: Scottish Budget for 2003-2006, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

I can today announce that Sheriff Principal John McInnes QC has agreed to chair a project group examining the feasibility of a youth court covering Hamilton and Airdrie. The project group will include representatives from the lead agencies with an interest in the establishment of a youth court in this area. A copy of the remit and membership of the project group has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. The group has been asked to report by December.

The voluntary sector plays an important role in the delivery of public services. The Executive's review of its policies to promote the social economy, which was published on 27 January, sets out how the Executive and other public sector and independent agencies might help the sector to realise its potential in this area. This is underpinned by £6 million of new funding over the years 2003-04 to 2005-06. Copies of the report are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

I am happy to be able to make the Directions and Guidance for the next Scottish passenger rail franchise available to the Scottish Parliament today, in advance of delivering them to the SRA. A copy of my Directions and Guidance to the SRA for the next Scottish passenger rail franchise has today been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Scotland deserves a railway that is fit for the 21st century and we should not settle for anything less. The directions and guidance clearly set out the Executive's broad objectives for railways in Scotland.

Since the publication of Our National Health there has been a significant shift in the focus on developing a range of initiatives to support Patient Focus and Public Involvement. These policies are being developed to ensure that there is full and meaningful engagement of the public in service reconfiguration. Monitoring mechanisms for public involvement are being included in generic standards of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland and more specifically Audit Scotland has been asked to provide external monitoring of the implementation of the Greater Glasgow Acute Services Review and that could be replicated in other areas.

I received the consultants' reports yesterday. I have asked the consultants to make their report available today on their website at:www.cstcs.co.uk.I have also arranged for copies of the Executive Summary to be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.A series of public exhibitions is planned in August and September to allow the consultants to present their recommendations to the public within each of the corridors.The Executive will consider the recommendations carefully. I expect to be able to announce decisions on the way forward later this year, taking account of the consultants' recommendations and any subsequent comments we receive.

While I support the principle that such facilities should be in good condition, decisions on plans to upgrade them are matters for the local authorities who are responsible for their management.

Between 2000 and 2004 over £21 million will have been made available by the Scottish Executive to local authorities to take forward work on walking, cycling and safer streets projects. These resources can be used to implement measures which will encourage more children to walk to school. It is, however, for each local authority to decide how best to use its allocation having regard to local needs and priorities. In December 1999 the Executive published Guidance on How to Run Safer Routes to School. It contains practical guidance on how to encourage more children to walk, cycle or use public transport to school.