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We have no plans at present to do so. However, a range of measures to promote more effective public involvement in the planning system will be discussed in a consultation paper which has been issued this month.

The Scottish Executive is committed to developing long-term solutions to tackle the growing problem of diabetes in Scotland. We will publish the Scottish Diabetes Framework by the end of this year. Two key components of the Framework - clinical guidelines and clinical standards - were published on World Diabetes Day on 14 November.

The Child Health Support Group has been working hard to drive forward improvements in child health since the Minister for Health and Community Care announced its formation on 26 June last year. The group's work has included the publication, in May of this year, of a Template for Children's Health Services in Unified NHS Board Areas. It is also midway through a series of supportive visits to all health care systems in Scotland and on 27 February next year the group will be holding a conference which will bring together all those with an interest in children's health and children's health services in order to pass on the lessons learned.

Adoption can often be a complex process both for the child and the prospective adopter. To tackle this and other concerns, I established an adoption Policy Review earlier this year with the aim of modernising the system. The remit includes the recruitment, selection and assessment of prospective adopters. The first stage of the review is due to report to me by the end of November 2001.Draft National Care Standards for adoption services are currently available. Standards 24 to 37 cover the service adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents can expect. They include requirements for prompt and comprehensive responses and decisions, and for provision of specialist support from experienced social workers.

In my reply to Mr McNulty`s question (S1W-12613) answered on 22 December we undertook to report quarterly on the numbers of letters received by ministers and our performance in answering them. In the quarter April to June 2001, 3,607 letters were received for ministerial reply of which 64% received a reply within 17 working days, and 82% received a reply within 25 working days. This is an improvement on the first quarter of 2000 when 60% of letters received a reply within 17 working days and 79% received a reply within 25 working days.

I have invited local authorities to submit bids for PPP financial support by 14 December 2001. While I expect the level of support to be similar to that available in 1998, I will circulate further details to authorities following discussions with council leaders on 31 October 2001.

The current monitoring of the RSI target involves a three-stage assessment to be repeated annually. The stages are:

1. A bi-annual (spring and autumn) prevalence assessment of the numbers of rough sleepers across Scotland, to be measured as a "snapshot" figure for a typical week.

2. A bi-annual audit of direct access accommodation offered and available to rough sleepers. This work to be carried out alongside the prevalence assessment (above).

3. A qualitative assessment of how demand and supply factors work together in various localities across Scotland.

The first set of quantitative data was collected in one week in May. I am placing copies of the report on this exercise in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. no. 15838).In summary the report indicates that during the study week an average 64 people each night were reported as sleeping rough in Scotland. The average in Glasgow was 23, with 19 in Edinburgh and 22 across all of the other 26 participating local authorities. This assessment will be repeated in October and a full report, including a qualitative assessment of supply of and demand for services in key authorities, will be produced in March of 2002.

The Executive has released today a database on direct grants to voluntary organisations in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Copies are available from the Parliament's Reference Centre.

I have today written to the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee and I will lodge a copy of my letter with the Parliament's Reference Centre.I am grateful to all the staff at SQA and everybody throughout Scottish education for the hard work and commitment that have enabled us to secure effective delivery of certification. It is important that work continues on the completion of this year's diet, and in particular the conduct of the appeals process. The interim appointments of the Chair, some board members, the Chief Executive and some staff who accepted the challenge of secondment to the SQA in this vital period were due to expire at the end of this month. I am grateful to all of them for agreeing to continue their current roles with SQA for several more months to maintain the focus and stability which is needed. I am especially grateful to the interim Chief Executive, Bill Morton, who has agreed to delay his return to his career with Scottish Enterprise until November. Over that period an open competition will be conducted to appoint a permanent Chief Executive.The appointment of a permanent Chief Executive will be necessary irrespective of the future status of the SQA. The Executive has begun an internal review of the options for future status. To avoid unnecessary disruption to the continuing work of the SQA, I will progress this review swiftly and announce the outcome early in the Autumn.Alongside work on the future of the SQA, the Executive is committed to work on simplification of the National Qualifications Framework, building on the lessons of the first two years. The National Exams Co-ordinator is leading work on implementation of the actions already agreed to achieve that and the preparation of consultation on possible further changes; and this will be the main focus of the next phase of his work.

The Discipline Task Group is looking at current initiatives and will make recommendations in June on how present policies can be improved, and what else we can do to combat disruptive behaviour in schools.

Earlier this month I announced jointly with the Ministry of Defence the launch of a Scottish pilot under the Skill Force Initiative, which is aimed at reducing truancy and exclusion in schools.I announced in February that the Scottish Executive will continue to offer financial support to secure the operation of the Childline Anti-Bullying Helpline and I am also considering future funding of the Anti-bullying Network. I expect to make an announcement on this shortly