S1W-2392 Tricia Marwick: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the operation of the communication department of Fife Council.

S1W-2393 Alex Neil: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2006 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 November, whether it will provide percentage staff turnover figures since April 1999 for Barlinnie Prison, Edinburgh Prison, Kilmarnock Prison, Perth Prison and Peterhead Prison.

S1W-2394 Alex Neil: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of each stage of the timetable for the construction and completion of the A77 upgrade from Fenwick to Malletsheugh.

S1W-2395 Alex Neil: To ask the Scottish Executive whether the A77 upgrade between Fenwick and Malletsheugh will proceed even if the PFI funding mechanism does not prove viable.

S1W-2396 Alex Neil: To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional cost to local authorities in Scotland will be if the Department of Trade and Industry’s proposals to charge Value Added Tax on services provided by home care workers are implemented.

S1W-2397 Mr Duncan Hamilton: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2019 by Donald Dewar on 29 October 1999, what recruiting methods were adopted to produce nominations and applications for the position of Justice of the Peace on the Island of Barra, what advertising took place in the local press and what local interest groups were invited to make nominations.

S1W-2398 Alex Johnstone: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about Her Majesty's Government’s approach to the French ban on British beef and, if so, what view it expressed.

S1W-2399 Alex Johnstone: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports Her Majesty's Government’s decision to allow a further investigation into traceability, testing, derived products, controls and labelling before taking legal action for the removal of the French ban on British beef.

S1W-2400 Alex Neil: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the net cost to Scottish business of a 0.25% increase in interest rates.

S1W-2401 George Lyon: To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in his previous post as Secretary, Scottish Office Development Department, the new Caledonian MacBrayne Chairman Harold Mills ever briefed Ministers on any aspect of the Campbeltown-Ballycastle ferry route and, if so, what the content of these briefings was.

S1W-2402 George Lyon: To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that the testing for Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) at all times achieves the highest standards of accuracy; what criteria must be met in order to have the ban lifted, and how many areas are near to meeting these criteria.

S1W-2403 George Lyon: To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1660 by John Home Robertson, whether it has received any representations from the fishing industry on the financial impact caused by the scallop fishing ban and whether it now has any plans to introduce a compensation scheme for scallop fishermen and businesses affected by the ban.

S1W-2404 Dr Winnie Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to ensure that Scottish banks or financial institutions will enforce EU measures on money laundering.

S1W-2405 Dr Winnie Ewing: To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government that it should request that the European Commission implements the obligation to review the tax structures of alcoholic drinks every two years so that Scotch whisky suffers no discrimination as opposed to wine and beer.