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The resources required for the Central Heating Programme will come from the social justice budget, from the private sector investment produced by stock transfer and from the energy companies under their Energy Efficiency Commitment.

It was announced last month that, because of the progress made by local authorities in installing central heating in recent years, the Scottish Executive would consider how the central heating programme might be extended.

The funding of individual colleges of further education is a matter for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council. The funding of the further education sector in Scotland is kept under constant review by the council.

The Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Committee of the Parliament has also indicated its intention to inquire into the need for a long-term, comprehensive strategy for continuing post-compulsory education and training in Scotland, including considering the effectiveness and relevance of current funding mechanisms and levels in meeting Scotland's economic and social needs.

It would not be appropriate for ministers to be involved in such a local issue.

The funding of individual colleges of further education is a matter for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council. The council has been in detailed discussion with the college on the preparation of its financial recovery plan, which is now expected to be incorporated into the college's management action plan by the end of July 2001. Implementation will be a matter for agreement between the council and the college.

In Scotland, the introduction of neonatal hearing screening will be taken forward in two steps. The first involves the establishment of two pathfinder sites with screening beginning in these areas by April 2002 Thereafter, the screening programme will be rolled out across Scotland from April 2003.

A review of the implications of implementing a phased neonatal hearing screening programme was placed on the SHOW website on 27 June and is available on the SHOW website at www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

The International Adult Literacy Survey suggested that 23% of adults in Scotland may have low literacy and numeracy skills.On 2 July I published the Adult Literacy Team's report, Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland. I am now considering the report's 21 key recommendations.The Scottish Executive has already committed £22.5 million over the next three years to the task of raising literacy and numeracy levels. £18.5 million of this will be channelled through local authorities to community learning strategy learning partnerships to raise to around 80,000 the number of Scottish learners who will be assisted over the next three years.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16321.

We are currently discussing with local authority representatives school building needs in order to clarify the level of need for improvement, and establish strategic priorities for future funding.

Latest published figures in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1998-99 suggest that Scotland had a deficit of £4.9 billion, excluding North Sea revenues, in 1998-99. In the same year, the UK Government's fiscal position, excluding North Sea revenues, was broadly in balance.