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The information requested is shown in the following table:

Ìý

Ìý	June 2003	July 2003	Aug 2003	Sept 2003
Arrochar	23	35	36	30
Helensburgh	143	162	159	150
Vale of Leven	426	451	443	438

Ìý

Ìý	Oct 2003	Nov 2003	Dec 2003	Jan 2004
Arrochar	83	59	25	29
Helensburgh	144	134	120	156
Vale of Leven	449	459	469	498

Ìý

Ìý	Feb 2004	Mar 2004	Apr 2004	May 2004
Arrochar	18	15	21	76
Helensburgh	119	130	116	67
Vale of Leven	462	528	498	577

The Scottish Ambulance Service is a member of the NHS Argyll and Clyde Modernisation Board which has provided governance for the Clinical Strategy Review. Senior managers from the ambulance service’s South West Division have attended six meetings of the Modernisation Board, the first on 27 August 2003 and the most recent on 27 May 2004. NHS Argyll and Clyde was represented by a number of officials including the Chief Executive. The full minutes of the meetings are available on NHS Argyll and Clyde’s website.

The clinical strategy has also been discussed in other fora at which the ambulance service and NHS Argyll and Clyde have been represented.

The discussions have informed a better understanding of the possible implications for both services of the options emerging from the review.

The information requested is listed in the table below:

Ìý	June 2003	July 2003	Aug 2003	Sept 2003
Arrochar	17%	3%	11%	20%
Helensburgh	6%	10%	10%	5%
Vale of Leven	24%	31%	30%	27%

Ìý

Ìý	Oct 2003	Nov 2003	Dec 2003	Jan 2004
Arrochar	78%	66%	32%	28%
Helensburgh	19%	26%	30%	29%
Vale of Leven	44%	42%	39%	44%

Ìý

Ìý	Feb 2004	Mar 2004	Apr 2004	May 2004
Arrochar	56%	53%	29%	50%
Helensburgh	45%	35%	34%	43%
Vale of Leven	44%	47%	46%	54%

Each Scottish Ambulance Service divisional manager is a member of the service re-design committees operating in their areas. This provides for the ambulance service to be involved in the considerations of proposed services changes at an early stage. These arrangements are entirely compatible with the principles of partnership working within NHSScotland. The need for such early engagement is also emphasised in the department’s recently issued Health Department Letter (2004) 33 entitled Clarification of Finance (Revenue) Arrangements Relating to the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Irresponsible use of alcohol fuels anti-social behaviour. We are taking comprehensive action on anti-social use of alcohol through our plans for liquor licensing reform, which were published on 17 May; through the alcohol action plan and through the implementation of the Anti-social Behaviour Bill and the wider strategy in which it sits.

No decision has yet been taken. Reliance will have to satisfy the Scottish Prison Service that it is ready to provide a consistent satisfactory service as set out in the contract.

I understand that NHS Argyll and Clyde have engaged with over 4,000 local peoplesince October 2003 in order to listen to views about the development of health care services across the region.

I understand that this consultation process is scheduled to run from 14 June to17 September and I would encourage all local stakeholders to take part in thisimportant work.

Police numbers are an operational matter for Strathclyde Police.

The contract with Reliance Custodial Services is output based and, as such, the requirement is that the contractor ensures that staffing levels are appropriate at all times for the full range of duties covered by the contract.

When Reliance assumes full responsibility for prison escort and court custody services, the police will continue to have a presence, as part of their public security role.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

The Scottish Prison Service andthe company have agreed that the roll out should be rephased and the next phasewill not therefore commence on Monday 24 May. The Scottish Prison Service is currentlydiscussing a revised implementation programme with the company.

The cost of the consultants’contract will be met through NHS boards’ general allocations. Boards have receivedrecord funding in this spending round and the cost of the new contract will besubsumed within the very significant overall real-terms uplift received by boards.An additional £30 million was allocated to NHS boards in March 2004 in order tohelp meet the pressures relating to pay and service modernisation.

Implementation of the new GeneralMedical Services contract in Scotland is supported by a 33% increased investment inprimary care over three years to cover the costs of delivering the contract.