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There was no available published credit reference available for Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd, as the company had been operating in the UK for a relatively short period of time. Bovis Lend Lease who have responsibility for credit checks, therefore obtained Flour City International's published accounts, which included the following:Highlights of Financial Summary 1994-98Condensed Balance Sheet 1997-98Condensed Statement of Income 1997-98Condensed Statement of Cashflow 1996-98 The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that relevant papers will be obtained from Bovis Lend Lease in order to enable advice to be taken from the Parliament's legal office as to whether or not these can properly be put into the public domain. If there is no impediment to doing so, they will be will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in due course.

The information requested can be found in the Winter Maintenance Plans published by BEAR Scotland Ltd for the North East and North West Units, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. No's 18110 and 18114).

The Trunk Road Maintenance Contracts require all gritters to be calibrated to ensure that they disperse the necessary quantities of salt. The Performance Audit Group has carried out audits on BEAR's winter operations, including winter maintenance vehicles, and these audits have confirmed that their vehicles have been calibrated to disperse the required quantities of salt.

The number of personnel currently employed directly by BEAR Scotland Ltd, in relation to the operation of the trunk road maintenance contracts in the North East and North West Units, is 231.

The Executive expects to receive the Scottish Law Commission's report by the end of March. We will then consider whether any legislation is necessary in the light of the commission's recommendations.

The Standing Orders stipulate that an Official Report shall be provided for all meetings of the Parliament. The question and answer sessions held by the Holyrood Progress Group are not formal meetings of the Parliament and it would not be appropriate, therefore, for an Official Report to be published.A summary of these sessions is provided in the Progress Group's Newsletters, which are issued to all Members and are available on the web. The next Newsletter is due to be published in February. I am also advised by the Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group that it is the Group's intention to provide a live webcast of future events.

There have been no losses to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body as a result of "force majeure", following the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Limited.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is not party to sub-contracts let by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd and does not hold the information requested. This type of information is held by the official receiver.

As with all other trade package contractors taking occupation of the accommodation at the Holyrood site, Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd used the site address for business relating to the Holyrood Project.

Upon wind-up the two Scottish Transport Group pension fund schemes are liable to taxation which is payable to the Inland Revenue. As I announced in Parliament on 29 November agreement has been reached between the Scottish Executive and UK Government that up to £118 million of any sums remaining should now be paid out to members of the Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes by means of ex-gratia payments. These are sums, payable as a lump sum rather than as an addition to pensions, which members of the schemes would not have otherwise been due under the rules which govern the pension schemes. Scottish ministers will distribute the ex-gratia payments as soon as possible after the pension schemes' trustees have discharged their obligation to wind-up the pension schemes. There is no intention that any part of sums paid to the Inland Revenue or HM Treasury, or retained by Scottish ministers to be used in making ex-gratia payments, will be used for a contingency fund against potential legal action.