For NHS boards, the formula which is used to allocate funding for Hospital and Community Health Services and GP prescribing to boards takes into account the unavoidable excess costs associated with island locations. This ensures that the particular issues relating to delivery of services on the islands, including those arising from higher fuel costs, are fully recognised.

In relation to local government grant allocations, no allowance is being made for higher fuel costs however, islands authorities benefit from the Special Islands Needs Allowance, a supplement added to a local authority''s grant allocation to reflect additional costs of a local authority to service its island communities. There are six beneficiaries of this supplement and, in total, they receive an additional £21.6million in 2008-09.

The Scottish Government website contains information on the programme including a video of a householder who has benefited from a central heating installation.

The managing agent is responsible for raising awareness of the programme and undertakes a number of activities to achieve this aim such as the marketing/networking promotional week undertaken in the Western Isles in August 2008. The managing agent keeps in contact with organisations who have an interest in raising awareness of the programme such as Help the Aged, Age Concern and the Citizen Advice Bureau and provides them with information leaflets and advice. Additionally articles regularly appear in the national and local press such as the West Highland Free Press at the end of October.

EC regulations state that inspections shall in general be unannounced. There are provisions within these announcement rules that allow exceptionally up to 48 hours notice in instances where it is known, for example, to be difficult to gather stock or in remote island situations. Thereafter any request from a producer to postpone an inspection would be treated on a case-by-case basis. Postponement would be considered, for example, where there had been a sudden family bereavement, a serious disease outbreak or the producer was suddenly taken ill and no other responsible person was available.

The Scottish Government is working with the Care and Repair Forum on ways to support the Care and Repair movement to adapt to the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Statutory guidance on the act is expected to be issued in early 2009. However, it is for each local authority to decide how its Care and Repair project should operate, in cooperation with its local community and delivery partners.

Since the cap was introduced by the previous administration in January 2007, the managing agent has indicated that around 133 householders did not proceed with their central heating application, after being informed of their contribution.

It is likely that those who cancelled could have had a system installed without making a personal contribution if they had accepted an alternative system of a different fuel choice.

Each local authority will need to establish its criteria for giving assistance using powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 which are expected to come into force from early 2009. It will be for each authority to decide in what, if any, circumstances, grant will be available towards the cost of repairs and improvements. Statutory guidance will encourage local authorities to broaden the range of financial and non-financial assistance for those homeowners who need help to overcome barriers to meeting their responsibility to look after their property.

Subject to the approval of the Parliament, regulations setting out a simpler and fairer system of financial assistance for owners who need to make adaptations to their house to suit the needs of disabled occupants will come into force in April 2009.

When devising its criteria for giving assistance using powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, it will be for each local authority to decide whether it gives any grants for repairs and improvements and, if so, at what level. There will be no statutory minimum or maximum grant levels as with the current system. Statutory guidance will encourage local authorities to maximise the use of other options, such as suitable lending where this is appropriate.

Subject to the approval of the Parliament, regulations setting out a simpler and fairer system of financial assistance with house adaptations to suit the needs of a disabled person will come into force in April 2009. These regulations will prescribe a minimum grant level of 80% for essential adaptations, rising to 100% for people in receipt of specific income replacement benefits.

The response to the recent public consultation on the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service''s strategy for the next five years is now available on their website www.scotblood.co.uk. On 31 October 2008, printed copies were forwarded to each MSP and anyone wishing a printed copy should contact the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service directly.

To date, 17 applications which include new entrants elements have been submitted to the Rural Development Contracts “ Rural Priorities scheme.

Three of these cases were approved at the first assessment round in August, sharing over £150,000 in funding.

The remaining 14 new entrants applications include bids for a total of almost £900,000 in funding and will be considered at the October assessment round. The results of the funding round will be announced by the Cabinet Secretary in November.

Support for new entrants into farming is available under the Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

The new entrants measure, along with the rural priorities scheme as a whole, has been widely publicised by ministers and others, including industry bodies, and we will continue to take every suitable opportunity to ensure that the measure remains widely known.