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Responsibility for ensuring compliance for all buildings lies with the local authority. Where cases of non-compliance occur, the local authority will be in a position to serve a notice in order to address contraventions.

Information from energy performance certificates for new, non-domestic buildings is currently placed on the building standards register maintained by local authorities. We are endeavouring to identify an appropriate register for existing non-domestic buildings.

The EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive allows for certification based on the assessment of another representative apartment in the same block. This has been taken into account in developing software for the generation of energy performance certificates.

I have today written to the convener of the Finance Committee with an update of the actions that the Scottish Government has taken since we published our response to Professor Crerar’s review. The update sets out a number of actions that are under way. They will help to deliver a more proportionate system of scrutiny which gives more trust and responsibility to service delivery bodies to deliver and improve services but maintains the assurances that independent assessment of key services provides.

A copy of the letter has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib 45957).

This information is not held centrally.

Guidance for the provision of medicines for people in receipt of end of life care is included in HDL (2003) 18 http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2003_18.pdf which describes the costs which will be met by NHS boards.

Hospices in Scotland are independent organisations operating on a charitable basis. As such they receive funding from a range of sources including donations. With regard to adult hospices, the NHS in Scotland provides funding for up to 50% of agreed operating costs in accordance with guidance contained in HDL (2003) 18:

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2003_18.pdf.

The Children''s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) receive 12.5% of annual running costs from the NHS in Scotland and also receives grant funding through the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund.

NHS boards are responsible for the planning and provision of NHS services and work closely with a range of organisations, including hospices. Palliative care and end of life services are delivered through managed clinical networks and palliative care networks which seek to ensure integration of specialist and general care.

Good quality, accessible palliative and end-of-life care is fundamental to those living with and dying from any advanced, progressive or incurable disease, and for their carers. An action plan will be published this year which will ensure a consistent approach in the provision of these services across all NHS boards, reflecting best practice. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care have produced standards regarding care in the NHS and the independent sector. Monitoring of individual care plans takes place within the context of these standards, and other guidance produced by professional bodies and is a matter for NHS boards and those organisations providing palliative and end of life care.

The planning and provision of NHS services is a matter for NHS boards in accordance with the guidance contained in HDL (2003) 18:

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2003_18.pdf.

Information on funding levels is available directly from NHS boards.

I have agreed to provide £10 million to establish a new institute in Dundee led by Sir Philip Cohen. The institute will be called the Scottish Institute for Cell Signalling.

Funding for the institute will be provided by the Funding Council via the University of Dundee, while the Funding Council will work in partnership with Scottish Enterprise to maximise delivery of commercial outputs.

The institute will maximise the benefits to Scotland and add value to the existing public investment in life sciences. I look forward to visiting Dundee and meeting Sir Philip Cohen to discuss plans to take the Institute forward.