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The Standards in Scotland’sSchools etc. Act 2000 requires education authorities to plan for and secureimprovement in school education. It places specific requirements on authoritiesto address Gaelic-medium education in their annual statements of improvementobjectives and annual progress reports. Many authorities have used theimprovement framework established by the 2000 act to embed their policiesaround Gaelic-medium education fully into their wider strategy for schooleducation.

However, I feel that thereis scope for many education authorities to improve further their planning ofGaelic-medium education. We are therefore taking action in three areas:

• education authorities will be issued with a clear reminder of their duty to address Gaelic-medium education in their annual statement of improvement objectives and annual progress reports, and our expectation that they will do so.
• local authorities will be asked to establish thresholds against which they will assess parental demand for Gaelic-medium within their area.
• Bòrd na Gàidhlig (the Gaelic language development agency) and the Management Review Group of local authorities will be invited to establish a joint sub-group to review the performance measurement against which Gaelic-medium education development is measured.

I am minded to invite Bòrdna Gàidhlig to offer advice to local education authorities on the developmentof Gaelic-medium policies and to give them a role in advising the Executive onthe sufficiency of such policies if that would be seen as helpful and plan toconsult on this issue as part of the consultation process around the proposedGaelic Language Bill.

I take the advancement ofGaelic-medium education very seriously. I will not hesitate to use their powerto issue statutory guidance under the terms of the Standards in Scotland’sSchools etc. Act 2000 if the further development of education authorityimprovement plans in relation to Gaelic-medium demonstrates that is needed.

No such guidelines are in place. Travel costs incurred by NHS boards are a matter for local management and NHS boards are expected to manage such costs in an efficient, effective and economical manner.

The National Standards for Youth Justice clarify the roles of, respectively, Youth Justice Services Teams and Youth Justice Strategy Groups, and their desired membership. Around the country many procurators fiscal have been invited to participate in the multi-agency strategy groups, which are run by local authorities. Those who have not yet attended reconstituted groups have been encouraged to approach the local chair.

I can announce that the Scottish ministers have granted consent on this proposal in terms of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Additionally, this consent carries deemed planning permission in terms of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

The road safety investigation report for the A9 North Kessock junction, in common with all such reports, may contain potentially sensitive information from the police and therefore it would not be appropriate to place it in the public domain. However, the Executive will place a copy of the recommendations, when they become available, in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27768).

The Executive has no plans to construct a bypass for Elgin. However, we are working with Moray Council to examine other solutions to improve traffic flow in the town.

Highland Council, as the Coast Protection Authority, has prepared a scheme to safeguard Wick harbour to ensure the on-going level of flood protection to the town. The council is presently taking forward the necessary statutory procedures to allow the work to proceed and await the return of tenders for the construction phase.

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited and consultants appointed by the Executive to progress the Interim Route Development Fund have been in discussions with a number of airlines regarding European routes from Inverness airport. Negotiations are continuing but no agreements have been reached to date.

The Executive has instructed BEAR Scotland Ltd to investigate and report on the safety of the North Kessock junction by the end of June 2003. This investigation has been commissioned to identify any short-term safety improvements, which includes consideration of a lower speed limit.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-75 today, in which I confirmed that BEAR Scotland Ltd has been commissioned to identify any short-term safety improvements at the North Kessock junction by the end of June 2003. 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.One of the planning conditions connected with a proposed housing development at North Kessock is that a Grade Separated junction is constructed. The Scottish Executive and Highland Council have agreed in principle to contribute financially towards this developer-led scheme.The Executive is in discussions with the developer and Highland Council to promote this scheme.