S1W-1891 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the submission by the Federation for Small Businesses made in September 1999 to the low pay commission on the effect of the national minimum wage on the small business sector in Scotland, it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government that the level of the minimum wage be set for a minimum of three years in advance and that the impact of compliance with new employment legislation be taken into consideration.

S1W-1892 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations there will be in relation to the Draft Dairy Products (Hygiene) (Scotland) Regulations (1999); what consideration it has given to the impact which these regulations will have on the Scottish farmhouse cheese makers industry; how many jobs in Scotland will be affected by these regulations, and how many of these jobs are located in rural Scotland.

S1W-1893 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive why it is seeking to introduce the Draft Dairy Products (Hygiene) (Scotland) Regulations (1999).

S1W-1894 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will release all documentation and correspondence relating to the consideration of whether to allow Highland Council to erect road signs in Gaelic and English.

S1W-1895 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive what instructions or guidance was given to officials by any current or former Minister regarding the implementation of the decision to allow Highland Council to erect road signs in Gaelic and English.

S1W-1896 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Highland Council regarding the decision to allow it to erect road signs in Gaelic and English.

S1W-1897 Dorothy-Grace Elder: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the creation of a secure unit at Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow.

S1W-1898 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive when the National Goose Forum’s final report will be published.

S1W-1899 Dennis Canavan: To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding which areas of Scotland will be eligible for Objective 2 European Structural Funding.

S1W-1900 Dennis Canavan: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the areas of Scotland which will be eligible for Objective 2 European Structural Funding.

S1W-1901 Mr Murray Tosh: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-664 on 20 August 1999, whether it will provide updated details on its projected expenditure on transport in the light of the statement on its expenditure plans made by the Minister for Finance on 6 October 1999.

S1W-1902 Mr Murray Tosh: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-668 on 26 August 1999, whether it will provide updated details on External Finance Limits for Water Authorities in the light of the statement on its expenditure made by the Minister for Finance on 6 October 1999.

S1W-1903 Dr Elaine Murray: To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed legislation on feudal reform will prevent individuals or companies buying up the titles of properties owned by other individuals and thereafter charging dues or evicting those individuals from their own homes.

S1W-1904 Dr Elaine Murray: To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote the use of Fair Trade products in its offices and premises.

S1W-1905 Scott Barrie: To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the proposals currently being discussed regarding the future of acute service provision for Fife, it would support the most senior position within Fife Health Board being made permanent.

S1W-1906 Brian Adam: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a safety campaign to highlight the danger of over-filling diesel tanks, given that diesel and oil spills on roads have led to a number of fatalities on roads in the North East this year.

S1W-1907 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive what attempts have been made to ensure that there is equality of opportunity in the provision of careers advice to children with special needs throughout Scotland, particularly in rural and island communities.

S1W-1908 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive whether the budget allocated to the careers service is paid directly from its central funds and what the level of funding was allocated to each careers partnership company throughout Scotland for each of the financial years since 1995.

S1W-1909 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive what is the current provision of career advisors is to work specifically with clients with special needs, broken down by local authority.

S1W-1910 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it is currently providing for the provision of career advisors for pupils with special needs and whether this funding is ring-fenced in any way.

S1W-1911 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive how many special needs clients received advice from career advisers in each local authority area in Scotland in each of the last five years.

S1W-1912 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the report or review by Deloitte & Touche on the Ossian project commissioned by the Scottish Tourist Board.

S1W-1913 Mr Murray Tosh: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to de-trunk any part of the A68.

S1W-1914 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for ensuring that every pupil with special needs receives the necessary level of assessment and what does this assessment entail.

S1W-1915 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for monitoring the success of achieving work placements for clients with special needs, and what formal liaison exists between local authorities and central government in this area.

S1W-1916 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number of (a) careers officers and (b) careers assistants, by local authority area and the number of these who have received training for dealing with young people with special needs.

S1W-1917 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive how many respite care facilities are available for (a) young people under sixteen years old and (b) people over sixteen years old with learning difficulties by local authority.

S1W-1918 Fergus Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive how many announcements it intends to make over the October recess, why in each case the announcements have not been made when the Parliament is in session, and whether, when Parliament resumes, there will be special provision made to allow Ministers to be questioned on those announcements.

S1W-1919 Johann Lamont: To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals are being made to the European Commission for Objective 2 coverage in Scotland under the new round of European Structural Funds.

S1W-1920 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government to ensure that current examination of potential monopoly practice in the dairy industry will consider Scotland as a distinct market and therefore investigate potential monopoly practice specifically in Scotland.

S1W-1921 Shona Robison: To ask the Scottish Executive whether arrangements are in place to tackle social exclusion by ensuring that those moving into employment are given the appropriate help in the transition from benefits to wages by letting people know that they may be entitled to housing and council tax benefit extensions.

S1W-1922 Shona Robison: To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take with regard to cancer beds closing in Ninewells Hospital Dundee and whether these closures are due to staff shortages.