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The Improving Regulation in Scotland unit can make the most telling contribution by ensuring that the Scottish Executive takes fully into account the need for all regulations to be proportionate and fit for purpose. With this aim, the unit has assisted Scottish Executive Departments in the development of over 70 regulations and the drafting of Regulatory Impact Assessments that have been produced for each. The most important evaluation of regulations and regulatory practices, so far as the IRIS Unit is concerned, is that done by businesses themselves. Over 170 enquiries and complaints have been referred to the Unit to date. Of these, 67 related to reserved matters, 40 to devolved matters and 65 did not refer to specific policy areas but rather to regulatory mechanisms and principles for attention by the Scottish Executive and the UK Government. The comments made to the Unit seldom refer to any individual regulation, but the areas which give rise to the greatest number of concerns are: that the development of policy should involve more consideration of the impact on business; and difficulties with employment regulations and trading standards and their application. These comments have been discussed with the departments responsible and progress on these and other issues will be pursued by the IRIS Unit.

Pro bono services provided by advocates and solicitors are primarily a matter for the legal profession itself. The content of law courses at Scottish universities is for the universities to determine, in consultation with the profession.

Pro bono legal services provided by solicitors and advocates are primarily an issue for the legal profession itself. Methods of improving access to civil justice more generally are being discussed by a broadly-based working group which I set up to consider how a community legal service might be developed for Scotland. I expect to receive its report at the end of October, and will consider the way forward once I have studied it.

Pro bono services provided by advocates and solicitors are primarily a matter for the legal profession itself, and information on the extent of such activity is not held centrally.

The Scottish Legal Aid Board has considered a wide range of applications for pilot projects under Part V of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986, and will be making an announcement on the successful projects soon.

Pro bono work by solicitors and advocates is first and foremost a matter for the legal profession.

I am awaiting the report of a broadly-based working group, including the Scottish Legal Aid Board among other organisations, which I set up to consider how a community legal service might be developed for Scotland. I expect that report at the end of October, and will consider the way forward once I have studied it.

The Scottish Executive set up an Advisory Group on Youth Crime and, following its report, accepted all the group's recommendations. Work has begun on implementing them. In particular, this includes the allocation of £20 million over three years, from April 2001, to local authorities for the development of community-based programmes to reduce offending by persistent young offenders. The Scottish Executive has consulted widely with key interests on the implementation of the report and will be circulating a strategic framework for local authority activities before the end of the year. Scottish ministers are also considering the terms of a feasibility study into pilot schemes to divert 16 and 17-year-old minor offenders away from the adult criminal justice system.

The level of unauthorised absence in both primary and secondary schools was stable between 1997-98 and 1999-2000.

It is too early to identify trends in exclusion as the annual survey of exclusions so far covers only two years. However, although the number of temporary exclusions increased slightly between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, the number of days lost has gone down as a result of a reduction in the average length of an exclusion. The number of removals from register has also increased slightly but nearly half of these have not resulted in any break in attendance.

The Discipline Task Group Report Better Behaviour - Better Learning makes recommendations which will assist local authorities in delivering year-on-year improvements in reducing exclusion and truancy. An action plan for implementation of the recommendations is being drawn up and I expect to publish it in a few weeks time.

The Scottish Executive, through Scottish Trade International (STI), is committed to helping all Scottish exporters. STI's activities have, over the past five years, been directed by "The International Challenge" Export Development Strategy for Scotland, with its focus on small- and medium-sized companies. During this period, the target of assisting 500 companies to export for the first time was exceeded by more than 20%. A network of 13 Export Partnerships, bringing together the Local Enterprise Company, local authorities and Chambers of Commerce, was also created across Scotland, to provide co-ordinated support to companies at a local level.

In 2000-01 alone, STI worked with over 1,100 companies in Scotland and as well as helping new exporters, also helped introduce existing exporters to 567 new markets. In addition, in the same year the Scottish Enterprise Network and Highlands & Islands Enterprise together engaged in around 2,500 export competitiveness projects.

The continuing need to ensure that companies in Scotland are able to realise the full benefits of trading in international markets is a key feature of the Global Connections Strategy launched today. This will provide a focus for future international economic development activity.