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The activities of the Clyde Shipyards Task Force have already contributed to a substantial reduction in the original number of compulsory redundancies announced by BAE SYSTEMS, from 1,000 to nearer 500. The task force has also considered longer term issues relating to the company's strategy for the shipyards, the skills required to support this strategy, and the community regeneration and land use issues arising in the Scotstoun and Govan areas. The task force is currently preparing its draft report which will reflect these issues and its remit "to consider the immediate and longer term strategic issues facing the Clyde shipbuilding industry, particularly naval, and to identify the changes necessary to ensure a competitive industry to exploit future opportunities." The draft report and recommendations will be considered at the next meeting of the task force on 7 December.

A consultation exercise following the publication of the recent report by the consultants KPMG has now been completed. It will be for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and the Glasgow colleges, who commissioned the report, to consider the responses to the consultation exercise and the case for subsequent action. The Boards of Management at two separate groups of Glasgow colleges are currently exploring the possibility of merger. These groups comprise (a) Glasgow College of Building and Printing, Central College of Commerce and Glasgow College of Food Technology, and (b) Stow College and North Glasgow College.

An unsuccessful applicant can appeal to Eaga against the decision. The case will be reviewed by Eaga's Manager for Scotland who had no part in the original decision.

In October this year I made available an additional £7 million to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, to be used to support colleges which have shown a determination to take the necessary action to secure their long-term financial viability. Allocation of the £7 million to individual further education colleges is a matter for the council.

A consultation paper is being widely distributed to a range of interests, including planning authorities, regular users of the planning system, community councils, the Citizen Advice Bureau and equality groups. The Executive is also actively promoting full public participation by placing an easy read consultation paper and questionnaire in planning offices and public libraries, and on the internet. It is also proposed to hold seminars for special groups; ensure contact with appropriate organisations through the Scottish Civic Forum, and appoint consultants to assist in generating feedback from members of the public.

They will be made available to MSPs.

It will be for the Chief Medical Officer in England to announce arrangements for publication of the report. The Executive will then decide whether to adopt or adapt its good practice guidelines.

The Scottish Executive have no specific plans to target 12-year-olds with health promotion programmes beyond those already offered in health services throughout Scotland. 76% of children in this age group in Glasgow are registered with a general dental practitioner. Through targeting younger children from six years of age onwards and making payments to dentists for preventive treatments will reduce dental disease in 12-year-olds considerably. Research would suggest that programmes such as the enhanced capitation and preventive scheme recently introduced into NHS dental services this year, could reduce dental disease in 12-year-olds by up to 50%.

The information contained in the reply to question S1W-18237 on 8 October 2001 cannot be shown on a constituency basis.

I am currently considering the outcome of the consultation exercise and options for the way forward. I will be discussing the issues with my ministerial colleagues, and intend to make an announcement around the end of the year.An analysis of the responses to the consultation exercise will be published on the Executive website shortly.