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As stated in the White Paper Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps, published in March 2002, there are no plans to review local authority boundaries or the number of councils in the foreseeable future. The Review of Scotland's Cities published on 9 January 2003 identified that the prospects for Inverness's future are better than ever before, the city having established itself as the principal administrative and service centre for the Highlands. The wider Highlands benefits by having access to an unrivalled set of services in the region and the city benefits by the local jobs and growth its Highland Capital status brings. There is a clear and strong interdependence between the wider Highlands and the City of Inverness. The Review of Scotland's Cities made clear that cities can only be successful as part of a successful city-region and emphasised the importance of all city and regional stakeholders working in partnership. Inverness and the wider Highlands has the great advantage of having no artificial administrative boundaries to impede the development of a cohesive city-region. In that context the Scottish Executive has very strongly welcomed the recent establishment by local stakeholders, including Highland Council, of a City Partnership to address the particular needs of Inverness and its relationship with the surrounding region.

I have asked Graeme Munro, Director and Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows:Most listed buildings already have a contemporary use and listed building consent is the process by which necessary changes to allow on-going use are managed. The process is managed primarily by local authorities, with advice as requested, from Historic Scotland. Difficulties arise when listed buildings go out of use. In such circumstances the Scottish ministers' Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas encourages local authorities to display the greatest possible flexibility in considering alterations necessary to ensure a continuing future in a new use. This includes conversion to contemporary domestic use. In the case of a scheduled monument it is usually expected that the monument will be conserved in the state in which it is found. Restoration for whatever use, be it domestic, commercial or interpretative is a major departure from this. In assessing any such major intervention, consideration is given to the impact of the proposals on those aspects of the monument which lend it significance. A monument may be so outstandingly important for the evidence it embodies that nothing should be done which might compromise the integrity of that evidence. A monument may also be a significant source of artistic or literary inspiration, or may have particular resonances at a national or local level in its ruined state. The production of a Conservation Plan should identify those aspects of a particular monument's significance which should be safeguarded. Restoration, for whatever function, is considered acceptable in cases where such an action is compatible with this significance.

I have asked Graeme Munro, Director and Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows:Of the 66 representations received about the future of Castle Tioram, 62 were in favour and four objected to the plans put forward by the current owners to redevelop the castle.

The time taken for Eaga to respond depends on the kind and number of enquiries and it is not practicable to set a general time limit. Eaga answer all telephone enquiries immediately. Letters are acknowledged as soon as possible after receipt and a full reply is generally issued within another 10 working days.

This information is not collected. Information collected by Eaga about the central heating programme can be found on their website at www.eaga.co.uk/grants/scotland. Information not shown is not collected regularly.

In their response to the Public Appointments (Scotland) Bill, the Education, Culture and Sport Committee asked Scottish ministers to review the roles and responsibilities of Historic Scotland. Ministers are actively considering this request and will respond to the committee in advance of the Stage 2 discussions on the bill.

The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS boards are given a unified budget to enable them to meet the health care needs of their resident populations. It is for each individual NHS board to decide the level of funding to allocate to meet the costs of prescribed drugs.

The information requested is not held centrally. Etanercept and infliximab are available on NHS prescription. However, their use depends on the clinical judgement of specialists experienced in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Data on drugs dispensed in hospitals is not held centrally. Centrally collected data relates to items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors.The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) has recently recommended etanercept and infliximab for use in certain circumstances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice and evidence from the HTBS and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

NHS boards should ensure that drugs or treatments recommended by the Health Technology Board for Scotland are made available to meet clinical need.