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All actions to increase franchise revenues will decrease the overall public subsidy requirement and increase capacity for funding franchise operations.

Yes. Performance is monitored across a number of discreet service groups including suburban, express, peak and off peak services.

The introduction of automatic ticket barriers at Waverley, Haymarket and QueenStreet stations is expected to increase revenues by around £1.5 million per year.

Service improvements from the new Franchise began with its launch on 17 October 2004. For example, early improvements include higher standards of cleaning of stations and trains, additional ticket inspectors to be in place by the beginning of December and improved customer communications.

Longer term improvements for passengers will be derived from a £40 million rolling programme of investment throughout the life of the Franchise. This includes £20 million scheduled for station upgrades, more than 90 extra customer liaison staff and the rolling out of CCTV on trains across Scotland.

First ScotRail is also required, by the terms of the franchise agreement, to deliver a 2% year-on-year improvement in train reliability over the term of the franchise.

The franchise agreement contains targets for punctuality, which divides the train fleet into eight service groups. There are targets for each of these groups, based on minutes lateness of trains. Information on lateness is gathered and reported on at least monthly.

The franchise agreement requires the operator to provide a punctual service by prescribing a maximum number of “minutes late” which is permitted during any four week period. Where the operator exceeds the permitted minutes late, a financial penalty may be imposed. Conversely, an incentive payment may be made if the operator does not exceed the permitted minutes late.

In addition, the minutes late target is to be tightened by 2% year-on-year throughout the life of the franchise.

The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) (now part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland) issued advice on the use of etanercept and infliximab on the following dates:

17 May 2002 - Comment on the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal Guidance number 35 on the use of etanercept for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

17 May 2002 - Comment on the NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance number 36 on the use of etanercept and infliximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

28 June 2002 - Comment on the NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance number40 on the use of infliximab for Crohn’s disease.

The comments can be accessed at www.nhshealthquality.org.

On 12 July 2004, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) issued advice to NHSScotland about the use of infliximab for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in patients who have severe axial symptoms, elevated serological markers of inflammatory activity and who have responded inadequately to conventional therapy. On the same date, the SMC also advised on the use of etanercept for the treatment of active and progressive psoriatic arthritis in adults. The SMC advice can be accessed at www.scottishmedicines.org.

In each case, the HTBS and the SMC advised that NHSScotland should take account of the advice and ensure that recommended drugs and treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

Communities Scotland will shortly issue a discussion paper outlining the Executive’s proposals for introducing a range of shared equity tenure models. This paper will set out principles for the practical operation of these models, including the apportionment of communal repair costs.

I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

Shared ownership enables people who cannot afford outright purchase to buy an equity stake in a property. Sharing owners must also make an occupancy payment to a Registered Social Landlord to obtain exclusive occupancy of that property.

Shared equity also enables people who cannot afford outright purchase to buy an equity stake in a property. Shared equity differs from shared ownership however because a shared equity owner would not make an occupancy payment to a Registered Social Landlord. A shared equity owner would be expected instead to maximise the use of their available funds towards the purchase of an equity stake in a property. They would therefore be expected to have a larger equity stake in a property than would be the case with shared ownership.

The new allocation methodology agreed following the review of police grant aided expenditure applies to police forces as a whole. Between 2004-05 and 2007-08, grant aided expenditure for Strathclyde Police will increase by around 15.5% (or£69 million) to £513 million. The allocation of these additional resourcesbetween Glasgow city centre and other parts of the force area is then a matter for the Chief Constable.

The new formula takes account of a range of pressures, including city centre policing. Between 2004-05 and 2007-08, grant aided expenditure for Strathclyde Police will increase by around 15.5%. However, the allocation of these resources between Glasgow and other parts of the Force area is a matter for the Chief Constable.