The Clyde Shipyards Task Force included Gordon Jackson MSP as chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Shipbuilding Group. The task force do not plan individual consultations in advance of publication of the report in the next few weeks.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Information about the background to planning cancer services was outlined in the answer given to question S1W-19750.The linear accelerator (and related radiotherapy equipment) modernisation programme has been, and continues to be, developed by the Scottish Executive Health Department in consultation with Cancer Centre Directors and relevant staff drawn from across Scotland.Three new linear accelerators are installed at the Gartnavel Hospital site, giving a total of eight now available. Two further (additional) linear accelerators are to be purchased and installed there during 2002.Beyond that, the plans for further replacement and additional radiotherapy equipment will continue to be brought forward via the modernisation programme and within the context of the business planning process for the development of Phase 2 of the new West of Scotland Regional Cancer Centre at Gartnavel.

Specialist services for all cancers continue to be provided by the Beatson Oncology Centre.

The West of Scotland Regional Cancer Advisory Group is chaired by Mr Tom Divers, Chief Executive NHS Greater Glasgow. The Regional Lead Clinician is Dr Harry Burns, Director of Public Health, NHS Greater Glasgow.There are more than 60 members drawn from across NHS Argyll and Clyde, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Greater Glasgow, NHS Lanarkshire, Managed Clinical Network leads, the voluntary sector, patient representation and representatives of regional services such as breast screening and cancer surveillance.There are three members from the Beatson Oncology Centre,Dr N Reed, Clinical DirectorProfessor J Cassidy, Academic OncologyMs C Hutchison, Consultant Nurse OncologistFull details of the membership of the North, South East and West of Scotland RCAGs will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.Guidance on the role, structure and function of Regional Cancer Advisory Groups is set out in NHS HDL (2001) 71 issued on 13 September 2001. This is available online at www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

Cancer is one of three clinical priorities for the Scottish Executive and for NHSScotland. The Executive is committed to year-on-year increases in the unified budget allocations made to NHS boards. From within these allocations, local NHS management are responsible for planning service provision to meet the needs of their resident populations, including provision for tertiary services from specialist centres such as the Beatson Oncology Centre. Greater Glasgow NHS Board was allocated an initial unified budget of more than £846 million for this year with indicative unified budget allocations of £907.9 million for 2002-03 and £982.3 million for 2003-04.In addition, an additional £40 million is being invested across Scotland over this and the next two years specifically for cancer services. Plans designed to secure improvements in these services, for example, through more rapid diagnosis and shorter waiting times, were announced on 6 November 2001. Of more than £10 million being invested this financial year, more than £5 million will secure improvements in Glasgow and the West of Scotland cancer services.Plans to build a new cancer centre in Glasgow are also being progressed, for which £44 million investment has also been set aside.Implementation/investment plans are available on www.scotland.gov.uk and www.show.scot.nhs.uk and copies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Telecommunications regulation is reserved to the UK government.However, we expect to be consulted by DTI on whether further action is needed, in the light of issues raised during the Atlantic Telecom situation, to ensure the regulatory framework meets the challenges of a competitive market.We have asked DTI to consider the potential to set up an "ABTA" type industry insurance scheme.

The Executive has decided in principle to establish a Scottish Human Rights Commission. No decision has yet been taken on the timetable or on the detailed structure and membership of such a body. I intend to put forward proposals on those issues for consultation during the course of this year. No decision has been taken on the location of a commission.The Executive is clear that a Scottish Human Rights Commission should not in any way cut across the remits of the existing statutory equality bodies. The detailed proposals for the establishment of the commission will be drawn up with that firmly in mind. However, we anticipate that a Scottish commission will want to work closely with these bodies on matters of mutual interest, and we envisage that the new body, once established, will wish to draw up a memorandum of understanding to facilitate this working relationship.

There are no plans to bring this funding further within the control of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. The Agency already issues guidance to institutions on the use of these funds. Individual institutions are better placed to assess the hardship needs of individual students, given the range of circumstances they may face and to issue funds quickly to those students judged most in need.

The Glasgow pilot Drug Court commenced sitting on 12 November 2001. So far it has imposed 10 Orders, an encouraging start and on course to meet the target of between 150 and 200 orders a year.