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The Public Health Institute for Scotland's Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report, published on 7 February 2002, recommended that resources for the systematic development of services for those with ASD should await completion of an audit of current service provision, expenditure and training by joint planning groups in each NHS board and local authority.

The Scottish Executive is aware of the findings of Professors Knapp and Jarbrink. It has not estimated the lifetime costs of people with autistic spectrum disorders, with or without associated learning disabilities.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The contract was awarded in November 1997. The prison was opened in March 1999.

The Scottish Executive do not believe that there is any discrepancy between the Care Development Group Report, the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 schedule 1 and the subsequent guidance CCD/4/2002 issued to councils on the implementation of the policy.The Care Development Group recommended that there should be sufficient flexibility in the definition and in turn application of personal care to ensure an individual's care needs can be properly met. "Assistance with the preparation of food" was therefore included in the definition to encompass those with severe physical and/or mental frailty who may need support for certain tasks. The Executive will continue to monitor the practical effect of the policy across all local authorities and keep the guidance under review.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:All major new legislation is reviewed to identify resource implications for the Scottish Court Service. The impact of increasing the financial thresholds in small claims and summary causes and the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Bill would not be expected to affect materially the level of business of the courthouse at Peebles.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:The Scottish Court Service is currently undertaking an audit of the Court estate to determine the scale and extent of work required throughout the Estate to ensure compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act. Additional resources have been provided to the Court Service to enable any reasonable and necessary adaptations to proceed. The information is not collected centrally in respect of District Courts as responsibility for this rests with the relevant local authority.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:Tain Sheriff Court has no facility to allow easy access for disabled persons. However Lochmaddy, Dingwall and Portree all have disabled access into the building and disabled toilet provisions. In addition Portree has a stair lift to gain access to the courtroom on the first floor.

I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:A number of rural courts have custody suites within the court building. Eleven rural sheriff courts do not have custody holding facilities within the court building. Nine of these (Duns, Fort William, Jedburgh, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Oban, Portree, Stonehaven and Wick) are adjacent to the local police station from which prisoners in custody can be taken into the court without using the public courthouse. In the case of Peebles and Rothesay prisoners are held in the police station which is located a short distance from the court.The Scottish Court Service is currently reviewing the custody accommodation across the court estate in consultation with the police to determine what, if any, improvements to that accommodation is required. No decisions have yet been taken on whether it will be necessary to provide such accommodation in locations other than Peebles.

The Executive has been aware of the issues relating to constraints on water and waste water infrastructure for some time. A number of meetings were held earlier this year with representatives of the house building industry, the then water authorities, representatives of local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Water Industry Commissioner, to explore the way forward.In the first instance, however, this is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I am aware that they have been undertaking a significant amount of work in past months following the meetings referred to, to review their whole investment programme. This work has been necessary to inform them better about the investment required to ease such constraints across Scotland, and about its prioritisation.When this work is completed, I understand that Scottish Water intend to arrange meetings with local authorities to discuss their findings.

The information requested is not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28957 today. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.