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SUfI administers the Capital Modernisation Fund support for learning centre development on behalf of the Executive. Funding for the scheme, which closed to new applicants in October, ends on 31 March 2002. The Executive does not plan any further funding thereafter. SUfI does not own or operate the learning centres it has branded, but took a view on sustainability of the centres before they were granted learndirect scotland branded status. I have asked the funding distributors, concerned with the administration of the other funds, to write to you directly.

The Executive's intention is to move to a position where all staff in centres providing childcare and early education for pre-school children either hold an appropriate qualification, are seeking accreditation of skills and experience, or are pursuing on-the-job-training. The Scottish Social Services Council will be responsible for taking much of this forward in due course.In the meantime, from 1 April 2002, the Commission for the Regulation of Care will be expected to require that all managers should be qualified in childcare, teaching or social work and as a minimum, at least half of the staff in any one facility should be qualified in childcare. "Qualified in childcare" is defined as holding any one of the qualifications mentioned in Working With Children.Within this context, staffing structures are a matter for employers.

Childcare services will be registered by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. As part of the registration process, childcare providers will be required to obtain a criminal record check on all new employees under Part V of the Police Act 1997. This check will be carried out by Disclosure Scotland (part of the Scottish Criminal Record Office) which will aim to issue the certificates within 10 days of receipt of applications.

The duty on local authorities to provide assistance to a child, does not depend on the identity of the child. We do not expect the absence of official documentation to prove a child's identity, to affect the child's access to local authority assistance.

Scottish University for Industry administers the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) support for learning centre development on behalf of the Executive. There are no specific targets aimed at ensuring a diversity of organisations receive CMF. Individual applications are judged on their own merits in relation to the overall objectives of the scheme; these include geographic coverage, provision in socially excluded areas and addressing sectoral or other gaps. The scheme is promoted widely to a variety of organisations, including intermediaries, and all promotional literature makes it clear that any organisation is eligible to apply.The criteria for the selection of projects to be funded by the New Futures Fund are a matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise within the broad guidelines set out by the Scottish Executive. With regard to projects funded through the New Opportunities Fund and the National Lottery these are matters for the organisations concerned.

Scottish University for Industry (SUfI) administers the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) support for learning centre development on behalf of the Executive. SUfI has made known the criteria used for assessing CMF in a variety of ways, including through promotional literature for the scheme, their website, speeches at public events, direct contact with applicants and in response to written/telephone enquiries.The assessment of bids for funding from the New Futures Fund, New Opportunities Fund and the National Lottery Funds are operational matters for the bodies concerned.

Scottish University for Industry (SUfI) administers the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) support for learning centre development on behalf of the Executive. SUfI and New Opportunities Fund (who offer funding to meet revenue costs) share information on applicants who have been offered/are being considered for funding. In addition, CMF applicants are asked to provide details of all other project funding that has been applied for or approved, enabling SUfI to build an overall picture of the funding position for every project.I have asked the organisations responsible for approving funding for the New Futures Fund and The National Lottery to write to you directly.

The Scottish University for Industry administers the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) support for learning centre development on behalf of the Executive. CMF applicants who are unsuccessful are advised in writing and given specific reasons. The scheme, which closed to new applicants last October, ends on 31 March 2002 and all remaining unsuccessful applicants will be given feedback by mid-April.The New Futures Fund is managed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise and feedback to unsuccessful applicants is an operational matter for them. I understand, however, that feedback will be given on request.Decisions on funding from the New Opportunity Fund and the National Lottery Fund are a matter for these organisations. I have asked them to write to you directly.

The following table gives the number of firearms covered by certificates in Scotland and in Strathclyde on issue at 31 December 1999 and 31 December 2000. Figures for 2001 will not be published until autumn 2002. The information held is not broken down below force level.

Firearms on certificate	Ìý	1999	2000
Scotland	Possessed	62,421	58,862
	Authorised to be purchased/acquired	11,272	9,934
	Total	73,693	68,796
Strathclyde	Possessed	11,314	10,857
	Authorised to be purchased/acquired	1,937	1,513
	Total	13,251	12,370

Note: The recorded totals in the table, may include an element of double counting in that two or more individuals may each hold a certificate that allows them to possess the same firearm.

The number of planning applications referred to the Scottish ministers since 1 May 1999 totals 830. A breakdown by monthly receipt is given in the following table:Cases Notified to the Scottish Ministers since May 1999:

	1999	2000	2001	2002
January	-	15	19	12
February	-	34	28	25
March	-	25	27	-
April	-	31	32	-
May	8	34	25	-
June	22	35	25	-
July	26	40	18	-
August	25	22	19	-
September	25	24	17	-
October	29	22	23	-
November	16	20	19	-
December	25	31	32	-
Total	176	333	284	37