The increases in grant support announced recently significantly exceed the predicted rate of inflation. It is for local authorities to manage their finances to take account of inflation and other factors just as other public bodies, and the Scottish Executive itself, has to do.

We will consider any new statutory duties and responsibilities, and whether they impose any additional financial burden on local government, as they arise.

Under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 grants, at a rate of 50%, are available to all councils for the construction of confirmed flood prevention schemes which meet specified cost-benefit criteria. It is a matter for the councils concerned whether to take forward flood prevention schemes for the White Cart.

The length and content of vocational training for general practitioners is a matter for the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP), which is a reserved body with a UK wide remit.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-11774.

The Executive will continue to work with relevant authorities, agencies (including the Glasgow Alliance) and other interests to address population decline in the area.

The SHBA's objections and representations will be taken fully into account in reaching a decision on the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan.

It is difficult to make detailed comparisons between SCDI service sector export figures and those collected by the Office for National Statistics on a UK basis, and there is also the considerable influence of the City of London to consider. However, it is generally acknowledged that there has been a weaker performance in tradeable services.

The Scottish Executive, through Scottish Trade International, is committed to helping Scottish exporters from all sectors to access new markets and compete effectively. The current Export Development Strategy for Scotland identifies a number of priority industries, two of which are from the service sector.According to SCDI's last annual survey, for 1998-99, Scottish service sector reached a record £2.357 billion, a 14.2% increase on the previous year. The 3.9% figure represented a slight increase as a percentage of the UK total. In the same survey, SCDI also reported that some 40% of exporters in this sector expected to see future growth.

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and should be addressed quickly and firmly whenever it arises. The Scottish Executive has issued a range of guidance to assist schools and local authorities to tackle it effectively. We are funding the national Anti-Bullying Network to help schools across Scotland share good practice in tackling bullying and provide training and consultancy services to support schools and local authorities in developing anti-bullying strategies. We also provide funding to Childline to secure the continued operation of their Bullying Helpline.

Publication of questions in the Business Bulletin is a matter for the Parliament.