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NHS community pharmacy services to drug misusers - the dispensing of methadone and needle exchange - are subject to local contracting between community pharmacy contractors and their Primary Care Trust/Island Health Board. Issues of safety and security are primarily matters for the contractors concerned.

Table 5.2 in the 1999 edition of Scottish Transport Statistics indicates that as at 1 April 1998 there were 49,857 kilometres of non-trunk road network. The Scottish Executive has no information on the percentage to be repaired by local authorities during this financial year.

The last year where information is available is 1998-99 and the trend data over a fixed sample of trunk roads, which are surveyed every four years, showed a slight improvement from the previous year.

Condition trend data for the trunk road network is shown in table 5.5 of Scottish Transport Statistics No.18 1999 Edition. A copy of this document is held in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Similar data for the non-trunk road network is not held centrally.

The percentage of the trunk road network requiring to be repaired during this financial year, based on treatment type, is as follows:

1. Reconstruction 1.12%

2. Strengthening (overlay and inlay) 5.17%

3. Surface Dressing 14.02%

Many areas in Scotland have co-terminous boundaries already. The Scottish Executive has no plans at the present time to change the boundaries of local enterprise companies, tourist boards or local authorities. The current Review of the Enterprise Networks is considering how the roles and responsibilities of the various organisations involved in support for tourism can best implement "A New Strategy for Scottish Tourism".

The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested.

I refer the member to my answer to question S1W-7171.

The Scottish Executive does not at present have any plans to introduce screening for prostate cancer. The National Screening Committee, an expert group which advises all the UK Health Departments, has recommended, after very careful consideration of the available evidence, that a national screening programme using current Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing techniques should not be introduced at this time. The NSC does not believe there is sufficient evidence that screening reduces mortality. The committee is nonetheless actively reviewing the position as results of further planned research trials become available and is considering the possibility of a randomised controlled trial to produce more robust evidence of effectiveness.

The Scottish Executive is, however, aware of the threat to male health which prostate cancer can pose, and the guidance issued to the NHS explains that this recommendation does not exclude PSA testing of those presenting with symptoms, or who have a family history of the disease.

We are systematically reviewing all our activities to identify issues where there is a risk of ECHR challenge. This process has been underway since December 1998 and is continuing. Guidance on the ECHR has been published and widely circulated throughout the Scottish Executive, to local authorities and to other public authorities.

The Scottish Executive has regular meetings with the National Lottery Charities Board Scotland. In reaching decisions on funding of projects the board takes into account factors such as sustainability of projects and the need to plan ahead for when NLCB funding comes to an end.