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The sum of Scottish Departmental Expenditure Limits and Non-Domestic Rate Income, as a proportion of UK GDP, is set out in the table. Over the period, DEL + NDRI has grown by 15.5% in real terms.

	Scottish DEL + NDRI as a proportion of UK GDP %	UK GDP at market prices £ million	Scottish DEL + NDRI at market prices £ million
1994-95	2.03	677,594	13,730
1995-96	1.95	713,980	13,920
1996-97	1.87	756,058	14,168
1997-98	1.76	805,402	14,157
1998-99	1.73	851,654	14,704
1999-2000	1.74	891,583	15,510
2000-01	1.76	936,697	16,514
2001-02	1.81	984,117	17,797
2002-03	1.83	1,033,941	18,941
2003-04	1.84	1,086,283	20,023

* Figures for 2000-01 to 2003-04 are based on projections.Due to the conversion to resource accounting, the sum of DEL (Departmental Expenditure Limits) and NDRI (Non-Domestic Rate Income) is the most robust basis on which to make this comparison.

I understand that South Lanarkshire Council have lodged an appeal in relation to this decision. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment in the meantime.

A sub-group of the Health Department's Advisory Group on Infection is currently working up proposals for a national surveillance system for hospital-acquired infection, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The group is considering what standard criteria and definitions should be used by laboratories in Scotland, so that consistent and meaningful data are collected in the most effective way.

Preventing and controlling hospital-acquired infection (HAI), including infections attributable to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is a key priority for the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: a plan for action, a plan for change, published on 14 December, makes clear that every local healthcare system will be expected to combat HAI by achieving service standards to be established by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland on infection control, cleanliness, and other matters. To assist this process, the Advisory Group on Infection is developing, in consultation with the NHS in Scotland, recommendations for a system of surveillance of HAI. This will collect data to allow trends to be monitored and remedial action to be targeted effectively.As part of the drive to combat antimicrobial resistance, the Executive launched a national public education campaign in December 1999, which aimed to increase public awareness of the problem and to help health professionals reduce the prescribing of antibiotics where other approaches were available. The Executive also issued for consultation last August a three-year action plan for Scotland, which was linked to the UK Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy and set out a framework for minimising the development of antimicrobial resistance, including MRSA, and maintaining the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents in the treatment and prevention of microbial infections in humans and animals. Consultees included health boards and NHS Trusts. The implementation of the strategy and the action plan for Scotland is being overseen and reviewed by the Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy Steering Group, a multi-disciplinary group, which brings together experts from the fields of animal and human health as well as from the Executive. In line with commitments to keep the action plan under review, the plan is currently being updated and modified to take account of the results of the consultation and other developments.

These issues are of prime concern to the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and Glasgow City Council.In terms of provision of quality modern office space, tenant demand in the city centre is strong, with the vacancy rate at 5% and a good level of enquiries. Currently available stock amounts to around 20,000 square metres in three buildings. A further 22,000 square metres will come on the market during this year.There has, as a result, been an increase in investor interest in the city. At Pacific Quay, one of the city's Strategic Sites, a developer has applied for planning permission for a speculative office development of 6,000 square metres while SE Glasgow has plans for 22,000 square metres of space at that location for digital media companies. On the north bank of the river, a developer has proposals to develop office accommodation on the former Daily Record site and is being encouraged to proceed by SE Glasgow and the City Council.

At the junction of George Street and High Street, SE Glasgow has applied for planning permission to develop, in partnership with the private sector, a business park of some 50,000 square metres of space aimed at technology, software and science-based companies.With regards to steps that are being taken to ensure the provision of trained service sector office staff, this provision is being met through various Scottish Executive training schemes.

The provision of business space within the city of Glasgow is one of the key priorities of the City Council, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow (SEG) and the Glasgow Alliance, and a great deal of activity is being undertaken in this field.Current developments include:Proposals for developers to construct two advance factory units, one of 2,787 square metres and one of 4,645 square metres at Robroyston Business Park, to the north of the city. Proposals by developers for two speculative business units at Cardonald Park, one of 2,414 square metres the other of around 3,251 square metres.Discussions regarding the construction of a speculative unit extending to 929 square metres at the West of Scotland Science Park.The need to enhance the physical business infrastructure of the city has also been recognised by the Scottish Executive, which has recently allocated an additional £2 million to SEG specifically to support Glasgow's Strategic Business and Industrial Sites Programme.

I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-13381.

I refer to the answer to question S1W-13378. Until an application to transfer has been received from the council it is not possible to say what level of debt may remain outstanding, nor how long it might take to repay such debt.

As indicated in written evidence to the Social Inclusion Committee from the former Minister for Communities, Ms Wendy Alexander, (SP Paper 161, Session 1 (2000)) where a whole stock transfer proposal represents good value for money and is selected to proceed and where the local authority's housing debt exceeds the receipt raised from the disposal of the stock, assistance will be available as follows:The receipt would be used to repay part of the council's outstanding housing debt;

The cost of the premature repayment of debt (i.e. the breakage costs) would be met with resources provided by the Scottish Executive;The cost of servicing the remaining (i.e. residual) debt would also be met by resources provided by the Scottish Executive.The mechanisms for delivering on this commitment will be discussed with councils as part of the process of appraising applications for approval to transfer.

The current Export Development Strategy for Scotland recognised the need to widen the base of exporting industries in Scotland. Within this objective, a number of priority sectors were identified and in all these, initiatives to help grow international business have been undertaken.The Scottish Executive is committed to building on this, creating the necessary environment for Scottish business to succeed in the global economy. We will publish a Global Connections Strategy later this year, to further develop the vision set out in A Smart, Successful Scotland, of how the Executive and the Enterprise Networks can work in partnership to support further growth in global markets.