Chamber and committees

In Scotland, the Scottish Education Unit of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the National Training Organisation for the construction sector, is in the lead on promoting this study and career option. The Unit provides a single approach to promoting careers in the construction industry among school pupils in Scotland, with the emphasis on the 14-18 age group. The Unit undertakes two key strands of activity to promote civil engineering. It provides a range of activities, such as work shadowing and building competitions, to promote professional and management careers in the sector and, through the CITB Curriculum Centres Initiative, organises school-based projects, with links to FE colleges. At UK level, the Hawley Group Report, has recommended that the Engineering Council evolves into the Engineering and Technology Board, to meet the needs and aspirations of an increasingly diverse engineering community. Ownership of the process remains with the engineering community itself and the shape and remit of the new Board will be for them to decide.

The Executive is determined that vacant and derelict sites in Scotland should be brought back into use. Planning policy encourages the re-use of previously developed sites. We have not set a national target.We monitor and report annually on the extent of such land. The Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2000 was published on 27 March 2001. It shows that the level of derelict and vacant land in Scotland fell in 2000 to an all-time low of 11,683 hectares.

The Scottish Parliamentary Body currently employs 424 staff (figures as at 30.3.01). There are no plans to disperse any staff outwith Edinburgh.

Details of the consultation were announced on 14 February in reply to question S1W-13413.

The information requested is detailed in the following table:Graduates and diplomates from Higher Education Institutions in Scotland

	1995-96	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99	1999-00
All Graduates	37,412	37,525	40,881	38,783	42,286
No. Science Related	10,175	9,606	9,871	9,469	9,554
% Science Related*	27.2%	25.6%	24.1%	24.4%	22.6%

Source: HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency)* "Science Related" includes Engineering & Technology, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Maths & Computing

Latest data show that quarterly growth in Scotland is broadly in line with the UK, although year on year growth is slower. Independent forecasters (BSL and Cambridge Econometrics) suggest that growth in Scotland will be slightly below the UK this year. Short-term fluctuations aside, the central issue for policy is how Scotland's trend rate of growth can be increased. The critical element in stimulating sustainable economic growth is the enhancement of productivity throughout all Scottish enterprises. This is achieved through increasing both the quality and quantity of output per worker and through reducing costs. Improved productivity is the key source of international competitive advantage.This is recognised in the Executive's recent Framework for Economic Development in Scotland and the Enterprise Strategy - a Smart, Successful Scotland - which sets out the new international conditions for economic success - growing business, ensuring Scotland is globally connected, lifelong learning and skills development.

The latest information available is shown in the table, which should be read in conjunction with the notes following:

Renal Consultants by Health Board area at 30 September
	Headcount			WTE
	1997	1998	1999	1997	1998	1999
Scotland	17	21	29	15.9	19.2	26.5
Ayrshire & Arran	1	1	1	1.0	1.0	1.0
Fife	0	0	1	-	-	1.0
Grampian	1	1	2	1.0	1.0	1.6
Greater Glasgow	8	9	11	8.0	9.0	11.0
Lanarkshire	0	0	1	-	-	1.0
Lothian	4	7	9	2.9	5.2	6.8
Tayside	3	3	4	3.0	3.0	4.0

Note:1. Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland2. Latest information available is as at 30 September 1999. Data from the 2000 census will be available in the next few months.3. Figures given include honorary consultants.4. Health Board areas that did not have consultants working solely in the specialty of renal medicine in any of the years 1997, 1998 or 1999 are not shown.5. It should be noted that in addition to those consultants in the table above, there are also a large number of general physicians with a subspecialty interest in renal medicine working in all areas of Scotland. Subspecialty statistics are not collected centrally, so it is not possible to give an exact figure for these.

The information requested is not available centrally.

Year to year fluctuations in the numbers of "excess winter deaths", however defined, show a close relationship with the occurrence of major influenza outbreaks. Whilst the numbers of deaths where the underlying cause is recorded as being influenza is normally relatively low, even during a relatively severe outbreak, there is invariably a sizeable increase in the numbers of deaths from related causes, notably pneumonia and other respiratory conditions. This was the case during the winter of 1999-2000, and also to a slightly lesser extent during that of 1998-99. Though complete data for the winter of 2000-01 is not yet available, provisional figures suggest that the number of "excess winter deaths" will be in line with that normally observed during a winter when influenza activity is limited, such as 1997-98.

Over the last five financial years, the following local authorities notified the Scottish Executive, or previously the Scottish Office, that they were operating cash incentive schemes.

	1996/97	1997/98	1998/99	1999/2000	2000/01
West Lothian Council	√	√	√	√	√
Aberdeenshire Council	√	√	√	√
Highland Council	√		√	√
Argyll & Bute Council	√	√	√	√	√
Western Isles Council	√	√