³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

We will publish a Scottish Executive statement on sustainable development soon. This document will include a list of the indicators we will adopt to monitor progress towards sustainable development.

I am able to announce the local authority housing capital allocations for 2002-03. These are set out in the following table.Capital Allocation Allocations 2002-03

Authority	±Ê°ù´Ç±è´Ç²õ±ð»å´¡±ô±ô´Ç³¦²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô²õ(£³¾)
Aberdeen City	5.293
Aberdeenshire	4.495
Angus	1.536
Argyll and Bute	1.607
Clackmannanshire	1.597
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	1.701
Dumfries and Galloway	2.125*
Dundee City	8.436
East Ayrshire	3.489
East Dunbartonshire	2.388
East Lothian	2.510
East Renfrewshire	0.964
City of Edinburgh	14.916
Falkirk	5.369
Fife	7.007
Glasgow City	22.000*
Highland	7.230
Inverclyde	3.965
Midlothian	2.122
Moray	1.848
North Ayrshire	2.953
North Lanarkshire	12.330
Orkney Islands	0.224
Perth and Kinross	2.108
Renfrewshire	8.565
Scottish Borders	0.400*
Shetland	1.000*
South Ayrshire	2.906
South Lanarkshire	5.858
Stirling	3.048
West Dunbartonshire	5.657
West Lothian	2.097
Scotland	147.744

Note:*. Reduced allocations due to expected housing stock transfer during 2002-03 (subject to tenant ballot). Supplementary allocations will be made available later in the year, to cover the period to the actual date of transfer.

Research funding for renewable energy is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Executive is committed to the promotion and development of renewable energy, covering a range of sizes and different technologies. This is currently done under the Scottish Clean Energy Demonstration Scheme, which has already funded a photo-voltaic project. We are currently considering other ways of supporting community renewable developments throughout Scotland.

We currently have no such plans.

We have no such plans.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The assessment criteria under which local authority bids for revenue support for school Public/Private Partnership projects are being considered are set out in Scottish Executive Education Department circular 8/2001, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre. The assessment process is concerned with the broad principles appropriate at the Outline Business Case stage.

I welcome this opportunity to confirm that UK ratification of the Kyoto Protocol was today announced in the House of Commons by Margaret Beckett. This confirms the UK commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and its continuing leading role in international efforts to tackle the threat of climate change. We are working in partnership with the UK Government and other devolved administrations to meet the Kyoto target and the action we are taking in Scotland is contained in the Scottish Climate Change Programme.

In my reply to Parliamentary Question S1O-04233 on 6 December, I confirmed that the Executive will provide additional funding to Scottish local authorities to assist them with costs arising from the new regulations on the disposal of fridges, freezers and other domestic appliances containing ozone depleting substances. I can now confirm that the Executive has allocated £1.69 million for 2001-02 to assist with these additional costs. This funding will be allocated to local authorities as set out in the following table:

Local Authority	Allocation
Aberdeen City	£69,697
Aberdeenshire	£74,962
Angus	£36,022
Argyll & Bute	£29,295
Clackmannanshire	£15,990
Dumfries & Galloway	£48,105
Dundee City	£47,085
East Ayrshire	£39,802
East Dunbartonshire	£36,547
East Lothian	£30,120
East Renfrewshire	£29,625
Edinburgh City	£149,602
Eilean Siar	£8,970
Falkirk	£47,617
Fife	£115,612
Glasgow City	£201,052
Highland	£68,827
Inverclyde	£27,915
Midlothian	£27,120
Moray	£28,027
North Ayrshire	£45,810
North Lanarkshire	£108,097
Orkney Islands	£6,427
Perth & Kinross	£44,085
Renfrewshire.	£58,387
Scottish Borders	£35,272
Shetland Islands	£7,402
South Ayrshire	£37,590
South Lanarkshire	£101,422
Stirling	£28,117
West Dunbartonshire	£31,215
West Lothian	£51,697

Distribution of the grant takes into account the estimated number of appliances arising in each local authority area as estimated in the Executive's reply to parliamentary question S1W-19533 on 13 November 2001, and is based on an amount of £30 per appliance. I intend that the grant will be payable to authorities under a new Financial Assistance Order which is due to come into force on 26 March 2002.

I am also aware that authorities will have to meet additional costs in 2002-03. I can therefore announce that the Executive will continue to provide additional assistance but, as for this year, I shall wish to review the costs to the authorities, bearing in mind developments in the storage and treatment market. In particular, I would expect the costs of storage and treatment to reduce substantially as treatment capacity expands and, I would hope, becomes available more locally, providing increased investment and employment opportunities. I shall announce the actual level of support for next year at a later date.

The energy efficiency requirements within building regulations have been reviewed and stringent new standards came into force on 4 March 2002.