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There are a number of measures in place to ensure that prescribers have access to information about the safe and effective use of medicines. Importantly, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), the UK medicines regulatory authority, is responsible for the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines available on the UK market. The MCA, and its expert Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), continuously monitor the safety of medicines. Through the MCA/CSM, health care professionals are alerted to problems with medicines and provided with advice on the ways medicines can be used more safely. Further information can be found on the MCA's website www.mca.gov.uk.The British National Formulary (BNF), issued free to doctors and pharmacists, provides advice about the prescription of anti-depressants and analgesics. The BNF information reflects safety concerns and shifts in clinical practice. In addition, the product information for medicines, produced by the manufacturers and authorised by the Licensing Authority, includes relevant safety information.Anti-depressant and analgesic prescribing are areas regularly reviewed by NHS board/Primary Care Trust Prescribing Advisers, who receive monthly reports of prescribing data by GP practice. These reports are an important source of information for evaluating the use of medicines. Individual GPs and practices receive quarterly Scottish Prescribing Analysis (SPA) reports, which cover anti-depressants and analgesics. NHS boards and trusts also have access to Drug and Therapeutic Committee advice on the safe use of medicines.In relation to anti-depressant prescribing, Clinical Evidence, a compendium of best available evidence in health care, has been distributed to health care professionals throughout Scotland and includes guidance on the effectiveness of some drug treatments for depression. As with all medicines, the decision whether or not to prescribe a treatment for an individual patient depends on the clinical judgement of the doctor concerned, in consultation with the patient and bearing in mind the risks and benefits of the treatment.

The Scottish Executive is preparing a Framework for the Reduction of Suicide and Self-harm, to be published later this year, and has consulted widely on the draft version. The framework will cover the risk factors related to suicide, identify groups most at risk, and highlight appropriate actions at both national and local levels.

Young men will benefit from the National Programme for Improving the Mental Health and Wellbeing of the Scottish Population described in the answer to question S1W-29439 today. 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.In addition, the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) has a number of initiatives targeted directly at young men or which include them in their target group. For example, HEBS have identified young men (18 to 30 years) as the target group for Scottish Mental Health Week (SMHW) 2002 and have distributed appropriate resource materials aimed at this group to NHS boards for local dissemination. HEBS is also supporting 15 small projects aimed at young men across Scotland through its Scottish Mental Health Week Small Projects Award Scheme 2002 and is running a seminar during Scottish Mental Health Week called Men and Mental Health.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29439 today. 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.

We are currently in the process of reviewing the powers introduced in 1996 enabling the courts to impose aggravated sentences for offences committed while the offender was on bail. This review was announced in April 2000. To inform the review two research projects were planned. The first has been completed and the second is now under way. These will inform the later stages of the review which we aim to complete by the middle of 2003. While the research is under way it would be premature to draw any conclusions about the effectiveness of the new powers and what additional measures, if any, may be required.We have also noted the proposal in the UK Government's recently published white paper Justice for All to weight the court's discretion against granting bail to a defendant who has been charged with an imprisonable offence committed while on bail for another offence. We shall follow developments relating to that particular proposal with interest.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The prosecutor in Scotland already has an unrestricted right of appeal against the grant of bail to an accused person.

The Care Development Group has now disbanded. It met for the last time on 2 September 2001 to finalise its report, which was published on 14 September 2001.

As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-28252 today, the Scottish Executive Education Department is arranging discussion with representatives of local authorities about the applicability in Scotland of material issued recently by the Department for Education and Skills in England to supplement their guidance on the health and safety of pupils on educational visits. This material includes reference to risk assessment for school trips.

As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-28252 today, the Scottish Executive Education Department is arranging discussion with representatives of local authorities about the applicability in Scotland of material issued recently by the Department for Education and Skills in England to supplement their guidance on the health and safety of pupils on educational visits. This material includes reference to the appointment of educational visits co-ordinators in respect of school trips.