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It is only possible to identifythe ethnic group of the head of household.

In Scotland in 2002-03to 2004-05, after housing costs, an estimated 94% of children living in householdsthat are in relative low income poverty, have a non-minority ethnic head of household.Before housing costs the figure is estimated to be 93%.

In Scotland in 2002-03to 2004-05, after housing costs, an estimated 24% of children with a non-minorityethnic head of household, live in households that are in relative low income poverty.Before housing costs the figure is estimated to be 21%.

Copies not posted out arebeing used by the Scottish Executive as part of its programme of communicationand discussion on regeneration in Scotland, as foreshadowed in the statement itself.

The roles andresponsibilities of the Communities portfolio have altered several times since1999 and the information requested is not readily available and could only beobtained at disproportionate cost.

No copies of the RegenerationPolicy Statement: People and Place and the Summary document are uncollected.Copies not posted out are being used by the Scottish Executive as part of itsprogramme of communication and discussion on regeneration in Scotland, asforeshadowed in the Statement itself.

Two thousand, one hundredand fifty-five copies of the Regeneration Policy Statement: People and Placeand the Summary document were posted to a wide range of organisations inthe public, private and voluntary sectors involved in regeneration in additionto distribution by hand to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on theday of publication. These include local authorities, the enterprise networks,academics and researchers, financial institutions, construction and other tradeorganisations, professional bodies and housing associations.

Three thousand, five hundredand five copies of the Regeneration Policy Statement: People and Placewere produced. Six thousand, one hundred and two copies of the Summary documentwere produced.

The total cost of producing,printing and distributing the Regeneration Policy Statement: People and Placeand the Summary document was £32,088.

Postage costs for thedistribution of the Regeneration Policy Statement: People and Place andthe Summary document were £2,744.

The Scottish Executive has noplans to commission an independent study into the determinants of child poverty.Extensive independent research already exists, such as the annual Joseph RowntreeFoundation/New Policy Institute report on Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusionin Scotland.

Poverty is a complex social issuethat has no simple remedy and the Executive considers research from many differentsources in determining how its policies can best tackle poverty in Scottish society.Our Closing the Opportunity Gap (CtOG) approach focuses the efforts of all Departmentson tackling poverty and is consistent with, and complementary to, the UK Government’starget for eradicating child poverty within a generation.

I am advisedby the Food Standards Agency that restrictions resulting from the Chernobyl incidentstill apply to sheep on a small number of restricted farms.

These farms are subject to statutorycontrols under the terms of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. In orderto ensure food safety, all sheep leaving restricted farms are live-monitored usingportable radiation monitors and any sheep exceeding the 1,000 Becquerel per kilogram(Bq/kg) control level is prohibited from entering the food chain.