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I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19202. The Scottish Executive is committed to encouraging applications for judicial appointments from groups which are under-represented on the judicial bench.

One of the initiatives announced as a part of the Executive's Digital Inclusion Strategy Connecting Scotland's People is specifically targeted at disadvantaged communities. We have launched a £3.5 million initiative to create two pilot "digital communities". 2000 households in each community will be provided with home-based access to the web; training; a community-based web portal with locally developed content; and activities to raise awareness of the benefits of getting online - increased access to education; jobs; shopping; entertainment; financial services; etc. Within these communities we aim to create a "critical mass" of web users - so increasing the benefits for each individual of getting online, raising skill levels, and creating a supportive environment.Within Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) areas in Scotland, the £1.5 million Digital Champions programme is providing a network of eight digital "champions". The Digital Champions are working to improve information communication technology (ICT) provision in SIP areas; initiating new ICT projects; spreading best practice on community access to the Internet and increasing the involvement of local people in the creation of Internet content. They are responsible for engaging local people in various initiatives and driving local activity forward. We are also working on a range of other initiatives as a part of the Digital Inclusion Strategy that will help to promote the benefits of the new technologies.

Training on Internet Crime, including action to tackle "grooming" by paedophiles on the Internet, is already provided by the Police Service and by the Crown Office and both organisations are working together to identify further training needs in this area. Responsibility for ensuring that adequate police resources and training are applied to these tasks is primarily an operational matter for Chief Constables, who are fully aware of the importance of effective action. In taking action, Chief Constables will be able to draw on the increased funding we have made available to forces generally.

The Executive is implementing and developing a number of initiatives to promote information and communications technology (ICT) skills in disadvantaged communities. These include:Learndirect Scotland to help and encourage individuals to take direct action to improve their own skills and employment prospects. The Learndirect Scotland helpline and website provides access to over 69,000 learning opportunities. The Scottish University for Industry (UfI) is also developing a network of Learndirect Scotland branded learning centres to enable easier access to ICT learning within communities - 202 Learndirect Scotland centres have been created so far, of which 101 are located in areas of social exclusion. Scottish UfI Ltd has a target to create 300 centres by March 2002.Individual Learning Accounts which provide discounts of up to 80% on certain basic ICT skills courses.Many Further Education colleges which provide outreach facilities in the heart of disadvantaged communities, with ICT and on-line learning being used extensively to help students and organisations develop a culture of digital technology use. IT courses represent 20% of all enrolments in further education. The Scottish Executive is committed to securing an increase of 40,000 college places by 2002, and a significant proportion of these places are being targeted at those who are socially excluded or from low income backgrounds. The Executive, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, has also launched £150,000 Uplift programme. Uplift is providing initial computer training for 60 to 70 people around the country who will in turn be able to pass on their skills to other members of their communities. Through the Executive's Digital Inclusion Strategy Connecting Scotland's People we are also examining the feasibility of a range of other initiatives to promote digital inclusion in disadvantaged communities - one of which is a volunteering scheme. This scheme would seek to identify and recruit IT literate volunteers to share basic PC and web skills with those new to the web, within their local communities.

Through the Executive's Digital Inclusion Strategy Connecting Scotland's People we are implementing and developing a number of initiatives to promote digital inclusion in disadvantaged communities. These include:The £1.5 million Digital Champions initiative. This is a network of eight digital champions, who have responsibility for working with local partners to improve ICT provision and initiating new ICT projects in Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) areas.The Digital Communities initiative which will expend some £3.5 million in tackling digital inclusion by creating pilot "digital communities" to connect homes to the Internet in two disadvantaged areas of Scotland. The objective is to demonstrate how the internet can increase peoples' opportunities and improve quality of life, and at the same time to inform our further efforts to close the digital divide. The two communities chosen will be announced in March 2002.Existing initiatives include:The National Grid for Learning Scotland web portal - which has developed a Guide to Getting Communities Connected. This provides anyone who wants to use the internet to benefit their community with a rich source of information, links and contacts to facilitate this.

Representations have been made specifically on the legislative requirements for Scotland. The Scottish Executive and the Crown Office have been consulted at all stages in the drafting of this Convention. This consultation is continuing.

The programming of criminal appeal work is a matter for the Lord Justice General. Ministers will consider carefully any representations which the Lord Justice General might make to them in this regard.

Information in the form requested is not readily available. At least one judge but not more than three judges are allocated to commercial business in any one week during term.

The Scottish Executive is committed to making the judicial appointments process a more transparent and fair system for all who are interested in becoming Judges or Sheriffs. The appointment process which took place during the summer was the first in which Court of Session vacancies were publicly advertised and candidates were interviewed by a selection panel. Advertisements for the Chair and lay members of the Judicial Appointments Board appeared in the press on 12 October 2001 and I expect the board to be in operation early next year. Part of the board's remit will be to consider ways of recruiting judges, sheriffs principal and sheriffs who are as representative as possible of the communities they serve, while always maintaining the principle of appointment on merit. I shall give guidance to the Board on the importance of attracting applications from groups which are currently under-represented on the judicial bench.

None. However, the Scottish Police Service is in regular contact with the National Hi-tech Crime Unit and Scottish forces have access to a team within the Unit dedicated to tackling computer related child abuse.