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NHSScotland patients' health records are not held on the Internet and there are currently no plans to hold them there.

The Supply of Teachers report, Vol 1 - Jan 2001 details the background to the current position on the collection of information relevant to teacher supply and outlines planned improvements to current methods. Copies of this report have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. no. 10751). The report at paragraphs 16 and 18 provides the information that there are no training allowances of £6,000 available for those undertaking initial teacher education in Scotland. There is however a fee waiver for all Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students entering from an undergraduate course. There is a further concession that, despite previous postgraduate study, students undertaking a PGCE course in a priority subject will be assisted with their tuition fees, regardless of that study. In other circumstances candidates who have previously studied at postgraduate level or who qualified for a vocation e.g. doctor, dentist, architect, vet, with or without assistance from public funds, are excluded from receiving assistance.The need for financial incentives will be kept under review in light of the effect on recruitment to the profession of the introduction of the package agreed on teachers' conditions and pay.

We maintain extremely close contact with the UK Government on all EU issues of significance to Scotland, including the current debate on the future of Europe. These arrangements are underpinned by the Memorandum of Understanding and over-arching Concordat on the co-ordination of EU policy issues.

3,785 (92%) results of the independent appeals review were sent to schools on 16 March. The remaining cases have required additional evidence to be gathered, or, in some cases, have not yet been through the normal appeals process. Since 16 March all except six cases have been concluded.

An answer was given to question S1W-12125 on 31 January and question S1W-12126 was answered today.

It is for each health board to assess the health and healthcare needs for its population, taking into account the nature of existing services; and there are no specific plans to encourage other health boards to follow the Borders example. The Executive proposes, however, to produce in the course of this year a national sexual health strategy, which will provide a framework within which health boards and other interests can develop their sexual health services. More generally, the Executive is providing £3 million over three years for the Healthy Respect national health demonstration project to develop and share best practice in the promotion of sexual health, prevention of unwanted teenage pregnancies and reduction of sexually transmitted diseases. The Executive also expects the NHS at local level to work in partnership with local authorities and voluntary sector organisations to ensure that young people have access to appropriate sexual health support and services.

Scottish Ministers have responsibility for setting the financial targets that Trusts must meet, and for allocating resources to NHSScotland.Under section 15 of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000, the Chief Executive of a Trust, as the Accountable Officer, is answerable to Parliament for ensuring that the public funds for which they are responsible are properly managed and safeguarded.

As Our National Health: a plan for action, a plan for change indicates, the Scottish Executive already takes seriously the threat to public health posed by hepatitis C. The plan said that we will put more resources into tackling modern epidemics like HIV and hepatitis C and, as has already been announced, an additional £7 million is being made available over the next four years to health boards for this purpose.

The additional funding, totalling £7 million, will be allocated to health boards over the next four years. It will be for each health board to consider how best the new resources should be used, taking account of local needs.

The safety of medicines is a reserved matter. The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is responsible for monitoring the safety of medicines over the whole of the UK. From time to time it may direct that a specific medicine may not be prescribed, and such a direction would apply both to the NHS and private practitioners.It is open to a GP or hospital clinician to refer a patient for any alternative therapy, which might include the administration of medicines. The GP or hospital clinician would require to be satisfied of the value of the treatment, the competence of the practitioner and the safety of the medicine, and would remain responsible for the patient's medical care.