Seòmar agus comataidhean

We work to high standards in relation to fair and open competition and incorporate diversity as an integral part of any promotion and recruitment process. Those involved in the selection processes, are made fully aware of the need to ensure diversity on each occasion.Targets have been set by Cabinet Office for all departments under the three headings - women, people with disabilities and people from ethnic minorities in senior grades. The Scottish Executive's targets are to have 30% of women, 3% of staff with disabilities and 1.7% of staff from ethnic minorities in the Senior Civil Service by 2005.

The number of civil servants currently on secondment to external organisations is 57. The duration of secondments will be part of a forthcoming interchange review. The nature of the receiving organisations and how long each secondment will last is as follows:Total Number of Outward Secondments: 57Nature of Organisations

Public Sector	13
Charity	12
European	11
Industry and Commerce	10
Scottish Enterprise	5
Academic	5
Trade Union	1

Duration of Secondments

0-1 year	1-2 years	2-3 years	3+years
10	31	10	6

Final bids for the digital communities initiative were received on 1 March 2002 and we expect to announce the two successful bids this month.

I have now received a draft of the social economy review undertaken by Mr Stephen Maxwell, Assistant Director of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. I shall be discussing Mr Maxwell's draft with him and will arrange for publication of the report for consultation in due course.

At its third meeting on 4 February 2002 the Housing Improvement Task Force agreed that the work of stage two, the formulation of policy recommendations to address the issues identified in the first stage report (to be published during March 2002), will be undertaken through three sub-groups considering:Owner occupiers resident in houses and flats that require improvement or repair;Individuals buying and selling property, andLandlords renting property in the private sector (and the interests of tenants who occupy these properties).Draft remits for each of the sub-groups are included in the papers for the 4 February meeting, which will be placed on the Scottish Executive website.The specific policy areas that the sub-group will look at in detail have yet to be decided. They will be agreed at each group's first meeting to take place from 19 March to 4 April. As with all other papers relating to the work of the task force, the papers for these meetings will be published on the website prior to each meeting.

The regulations providing for exemption from water and sewerage charges for small voluntary organisations will include a definition of income for the purposes of assessing eligibility for the scheme.

Yes.

The Executive published its response on 12 March.

The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to amend the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970 to allow Scottish local authorities to engage in new-build construction work. However, this issue was raised in the recent consultation on the Scottish Local Government Bill. The Executive will take time to consider the views of those who responded on this issue.

The tender for a feasibility study on establishing a national centre for women's enterprise was awarded to the Paisley Enterprise Research Centre, University of Paisley, on 22 February. The study will provide an assessment of the need for a women's enterprise centre in Scotland and the role it could best perform. The study is expected to be concluded by end May 2002.