Seòmar agus comataidhean

No such request has been received. The level and use of reserves is a matter for the council.

Western Isles Council was granted additional borrowing consent in 1991, in respect of significant losses incurred by investment in BCCI. I am not aware of any other council having been granted special borrowing consent in relation to a budget deficit.

No. It is for Scottish Borders Council to set a budget which is within its means. I understand that it has done so.

Scottish Borders Council has not submitted a formal application for special borrowing to reverse its budget deficit. Further, the council has now set its budget for 2002-03 and council tax bills have issued. The competence of any future request for special borrowing from the council would depend on the terms on which it was made.

The City of Edinburgh Council has been awarded additional capital consent of £1.8 million for the regeneration of the Gilmerton area of the city, following the collapse of housing over old limestone workings in late 2000. The support has been granted to the council to help it cope with an emergency situation that it could not reasonably have foreseen, and that was not of its making.

Local authorities are empowered to borrow for capital purposes, by virtue of the provisions in schedule 3 to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975. It is only where they require to borrow money for other than capital purposes (except in relation to any public utility undertaking), or to raise money outside the United Kingdom or in a foreign currency, that they require consent from Scottish ministers. No local authority has been awarded special borrowing consent in the last three financial years.

Waiting times for all services, including sleep apnoea, depend on clinical priority. The highest priority of patients referred to the Sleep Centre in Edinburgh, have their initial appointment within four to six weeks, while routine cases may at present wait 10 months for their initial assessment.There are 1,042 people on the waiting list for a first appointment at the Sleep Centre. The Scottish Executive is concerned about long waiting times and is determined that the NHS should reduce them.

Under the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, there is a requirement for every school to have available to it playing fields of an area related to the school roll. Town and country planning legislation provides certain safeguards in relation to proposals to develop playing fields, including school playing fields. National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 11: Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space sets out the planning policy framework that planning authorities should have regard to when considering proposals for the redevelopment of playing fields. Sportscotland must also be consulted on all planning applications and developments likely to prejudice or lead to the loss of playing fields. Planning authorities are required to notify the Scottish ministers where they are minded to grant planning permission for any proposal which would involve the loss of a playing field where sportscotland have advised against the proposal.

The finalised Scottish Borders Structure Plan is still under consideration by the Scottish ministers. However, an announcement on the plan will be made soon.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:It is SPS policy not to discuss matters of internal security in any prison establishment. Security matters, including supervision, are a matter for the operators of HMP Kilmarnock. SPS is satisfied with the performance of the establishment.