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I refer the member to the answer to  question S3W-17784 on 17 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17784 on 17 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17784 on 17 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

Decisions taken about the crewing arrangements for the air ambulance service are operational ones for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). As such, the information sought is a matter for them and is not held centrally.

The SAS have provided the Scottish Government with an assurance that every air ambulance mission is evaluated to ensure no adverse effects and all mission performance is monitored on an on-going basis. This issue was most recently discussed at public annual review of the SAS on 24 September 2008.

There is no requirement for match funding from individual local authorities to be available to allow housing associations to access the accelerated £100 million funding.

I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-15759 on 16 September, S3W-16452 on 26 September and S3W-17424 on 11 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

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I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17468 on 14 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

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This information is not collected by the Scottish Government.

The June 2007 Agricultural Census indicates that 470 registered crofts, or holdings containing crofts, had a total of 735 bulls on them. In the same year, the Crofters Commission provided a total of 121 hires. It is not known how many of the remaining bulls were owned by crofters. As at 13 November 2008, there are 17,885 crofts registered with the Crofters Commission.

There is no specific requirement to keep bulls indoors in the winter. However, the Welfare of Farm Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2000 state that animals not kept in buildings must, where necessary and possible, be given protection from adverse weather conditions, predators and risks to their health and, at all times, have access to a well-drained lying area. This applies to all farmed animals. Groups planning to acquire a bull will need to consider these regulations before proceeding.

The building of wintering facilities is an eligible operation within the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme. Only crofters, and others of like economic status, are eligible for the scheme and, although part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme, the application process for the scheme is non-competitive. Grants will be made subject to eligibility and other conditions of the scheme.

Future arrangements for providing assistance to mitigate the transport costs of bulls to and from remote areas are expected to extend to the costs associated with the overwintering of crofter-owned bulls on the mainland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17640 on 14 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .