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In accordance with the terms of their employment, special advisers are entitled to a severance payment in the event of termination of employment without notice. The amount of entitlement is currently calculated as follows:Advisers whose appointment is terminated within six months of appointment receive one month's salary regardless of age.Advisers under age 34 when appointment terminates receive three months salary.Advisers aged 34 on termination of appointment receive a severance payment at a rate half-way between three months' pay and the appropriate over 35 rate.Advisers aged 35 or over receive three months pay if appointment terminates during the first year of service and thereafter an extra one month's pay for each completed year of service after the first, subject to a maximum of six months' pay.

Under the terms of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995 as amended by the Civil Service (Amendment) Order in Council 1999, which is still in force, up to 12 special advisers can be appointed by the First Minister. There are no current plans to change that order.

The contract of employment for special advisers states that in certain circumstances Advisers should obtain the agreement of the Crown before accepting any offer of employment outside the civil service which would start within two years of leaving Crown employment. In common with other members of the public, there is nothing to prohibit former special advisers from applying for an appointment to a public body. All such appointments are made on merit after a fair, open and transparent process, which is subject to independent scrutiny.

We have put in place an independent committee, led by Sheriff Principal Nicholson, to carry out a fundamental review of Scotland's liquor licensing law and practice. The committee has received submissions on this issue. The committee is expected to report early in 2003 and we await its recommendations.

This information is not held centrally. We are aware that there are access problems to NHS dentistry in Highland and will be meeting the Primary Care Trust to discuss the situation.

I have no plans to make a statement on matters relating to the general management of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd.Scottish Executive officials kept in close touch with the company throughout the recent industrial dispute on the Clyde with the objective of ensuring that adequate lifeline ferry services were maintained. We also funded connecting bus services to help foot passengers use the sailings that the company continued to provide to Arran and Bute.

There have been significant improvements in pay, conditions and opportunities for teachers arising from the Agreement on a Teaching Profession for the 21^st Century, in addition to the positive benefits of joining a re-invigorated profession.Negotiations on a range of issues relating to pay and conditions are continuing through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). A proposal from the SNCT Working Group on Conditions of Service that all probationers would start on the probationer point on the pay scale (£16,644 as from August 2002, rising to £18,000 from August 2003) will be considered at the next meeting of the SNCT on 31 January.

It would be inappropriate for the Executive to provide information which would harm the frankness and candour of discussion and advice, including between the Scottish Executive and legal advisers.I can confirm that UK tax law applies on the wind-up of occupational pensions schemes, including the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes. The Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 applies. For tax purposes, beneficiaries will be responsible for reporting the receipt of the ex-gratia payments to the Inland Revenue in the normal manner. The tax payable on payments made to beneficiaries will depend on the personal tax circumstances of individuals.

There have been 255 applications from the relevant postcode area. 170 of these are eligible and are to receive their package of measures shortly. Another 46 applications are to be assessed. No applications for the Central Heating Programme are rejected on grounds of cost.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) is not a free-standing organisation, but is a forum through which the Scottish Executive, COSLA and the teacher organisations can reach collaborative decisions. There have been significant improvements in pay, conditions and opportunities for teachers arising from the Agreement on a Teaching Profession for the 21st Century.Negotiations on a range of issues relating to pay and conditions are continuing through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). Proposals from the SNCT Working Group on Conditions of Service relating to probationers will be considered at the next meeting of the SNCT on 31 January.