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Competition policy is a reserved matter. Scottish Government officials have been in discussion with officials of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about this matter. The UK Government has made several representations to the European Commission about the importance of an open and competitive after-sales and repair market for motor vehicles and specifically has expressed concerns about access to information, particularly technical information, and parts for the independent aftermarket. The UK and other EU member states therefore expect that the European Commission will retain key elements from the existing Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation.

The Scottish Government has not made such an assessment. However, we are aware of a resurgence of interest worldwide in developing the Stirling engine for a diverse range of energy applications. The Scottish Government and the enterprise agencies would welcome investigation of the potential role of the Stirling engine in technologies which could help achieve our vision for a sustainable, low carbon society.

A person with moderate deuteranomalous trichromacy would be classified as having anomalous trichromacy under the eyesight standards determined by the Scottish ministers, in accordance with section 9 of the Police (Scotland) Regulations 2004. They would, therefore, be eligible for consideration of appointment to a police force and may be subject to an acceptable coping strategy.

The Scottish Government does not issue specific guidance to NHS boards on the issue. Advice for agencies providing services for people with respiratory problems would depend on specific circumstances.

The Scottish Government takes advice on the health effects of pollutants from the relevant agencies and the independent expert committees which have been established by the UK Governments for this purpose.

For these concerns, the relevant advisory committees include the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment and the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP).

The results of their various considerations of the health effects of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can be found on their respective websites. This includes a COMEAP report from 2004, Guidance on the Effects on Health of Indoor Air Pollutants.

The World Health Organization expects to publish guidelines for indoor air quality by the end of 2009 (http://www.euro.who.int/air/activities/20070510_2) and the Scottish Government will consider how to address its recommendations.

Social security benefits are a reserved matter for which the Department of Work and Pensions has responsibility. I understand that for claims between which there is a gap of less than 12 weeks there is a process called rapid reclaim in place which minimises the delays associated with a return to jobseeker''s allowance. Given the foregoing, there are no current plans to make the representations suggested.

The Scottish Government secures continuous improvement in the performance of functions by all public service organisations, including executive agencies and the Scottish Government itself using best value arrangements.

Continuous improvement seeks to balance quality and cost considerations, and is achieved with regard to economy, efficiency, effectiveness, the equal opportunities arrangements, and sustainable development.

The Scottish Government does not require executive agencies to gain certification to any formal quality management standard and therefore does not hold such data centrally. Such information could only be gathered at disproportionate cost.

Ensuring quality and continuous improvement across a broad range of activities is assured via accountable officer duties, one of which is to ensure that arrangements have been made to secure best value.

The Scottish Government was the first government department to gain recognition as an Investor in People (IIP), in its entirety, in 1997. The latest post recognition review in August 2007 confirmed Scottish Government status as an Investor in People for a further three years to August 2010.

Local authorities should continue to produce biennial reports until such time as section 70 of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, which repeals the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, is commenced.

The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 (the 2009 Act) requires the lead local authority for each local plan district to produce a Local Flood Risk Management Plan (LFRMP) for the purposes of supplementing the District Flood Risk Management Plan (DFRMP) that will be produced by (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) SEPA. The LFRMP provides an opportunity for lead local authorities to determine and report the priorities they identify for their local plan district, as well as set out how they would implement any measures they consider necessary to mitigate flood risk.

Between two and three years after finalising a LFRMP, the lead local authority must publish an interim report on the progress that has been made towards implementing the measures identified in the plan. A final report on progress towards implementation must be made between five and six years after the plan is finalised.

The deadline for finalising the first LFRMPs is six months after the first DFRMP is approved in December 2015 so the deadline for finalising the LFRMPs will be mid 2016. This means that local authorities will have to produce their first interim report between 2018 and 2019. In the meantime, local authorities should continue to produce biennial reports until such time as section 70 of the 2009 Act, which repeals the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961, is commenced.