Seòmar agus comataidhean

Copies of individual responses may be obtained in the usual way from the Scottish Executive unless individuals have asked that their reply remain confidential.

Under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, local authorities already have a duty to provide advice and assistance with a view to preparing a young person for when he or she is no longer looked after by a local authority. Local authorities are also required to advise, guide and assist a young person who was looked after at school leaving age or thereafter up to the age of 19 unless the local authority are satisfied that the young person's welfare does not require it. Local authority assistance, which may include assistance in kind or in cash, may continue until the young person is 21 years old.

The working party comprises the following people nominated by their respective statutory and voluntary organisations:

Association of Directors of Social Work	Monica Boyle
	David Heaney
	Fred McBride
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities	Steve Driscoll
	Anne Marie Stewart
Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum	Tam Baillie
	Vivienne Boyle
The Association of Careers Service Companies in Scotland	Mary Carson
	Jean Geddes
Who Cares? Scotland	Dierdre Watson
	Stephen McGinley
Scottish Council for Single Homeless	John Dickie

The working group will be chaired and supported by Scottish Executive officials.

We are making excellent progress. Under regulations made in April 1999, P1 classes with a single teacher may not have more than 30 pupils this academic year. Two schools have been granted temporary exemptions and we are holding an application from a third authority.From August 2000 this limit will apply to P2 and from August 2001 to P3. By 2001 we will have achieved our target of all children in P1-P3 being taught with a maximum ratio of 30 pupils to every teacher.

All estimated end year flexibility within the education, culture and sport budget has been allocated.

The Scottish Executive have no plans to publish the results of the review of education authority anti-bullying policies which was carried out in 1997. At the time of requesting information local authorities were advised that this information would not be made publicly available.

Bullying is a serious matter and must be addressed quickly and firmly. The Scottish Executive is funding the national Anti-Bullying Network to help schools across Scotland share good practice in tackling bullying. The Network is currently making a range of materials on anti-bullying strategies available to schools and is providing in-school training and a consultancy service to support individual schools in developing effective anti-bullying strategies. The in-school training provided by Network staff is tailored to suit the particular needs of the schools involved.

The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.

The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.

Reports published by HM Inspectors of Schools do not comment on nutritional standards of school meals as a matter of course. The school inspection process informs general consideration of healthy eating issues, particularly in the context of health and nutrition education.