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Fluctuations in the number of business starts are heavily influenced by conditions in the broader economy. The Scottish Executive has established a Framework for Economic Development that highlights a range of policies to secure economic development. Growth picked up in the second quarter, while independent forecasters expect that growth will be above trend next year.

In addition, we have a number of measures aimed to help people setting up new businesses: improvements to the Scottish Enterprise Network through the establishment, from July, of a single brand Small Business Gateway offering an extremely important package of core measures that improve on the quality and consistency of public sector support for new and small businesses in the Scottish Enterprise area; work by Scottish Enterprise to review the Business Birth Rate Strategy to further encourage entrepreneurship and start-ups - including from non-traditional sources, like women and youth; and the continuation of local events under the Personal Enterprise Campaign, including shows in deprived areas. In addition new start-ups with growth potential also have access to support from the £12 million Business Growth Fund and our national mentoring scheme - Business Mentoring Scotland.

There are no plans to introduce such legislation.

No cost benefit analysis can be attempted in global terms to make the comparison between more recently introduced products which claim to be safer, against established products.

A cost benefit analysis or other economic analyses can only be done to compare two or more treatments for a given use. There are a number of units providing such analysis on behalf of the NHS, including units based within Scotland.In addition, publications such as the Scottish Medicines Resource Bulletin and its English and Welsh equivalents give advice to prescribers on choice of treatment, but are not full economic assessments of the subject.

The use of risperidone, olanzapine and quetiapine for the treatment of schizophrenia and other mental illness depends on the clinical judgement of the clinician concerned. It is for each health board to determine its prescribing policy on drugs, including risperidone, olanzapine and quetiapine, taking into account advice from local drug and therapeutic committees.

The Scottish Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places is in the process of being extensively disseminated to the membership of the Charter signatories: the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, the Scottish Tourism Forum, the British Hospitality Association and the Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association of Scotland. This process is due to be completed by January 2001.

Detailed arrangements for monitoring the impact of the Charter in co-operation with Charter signatories have still to be agreed. However, monitoring is likely to be through an exercise similar to the independent Survey of Smoking in Public Places which was published on 11 May. A copy is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

A copy of the Scottish Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places pack, which was distributed, will also be made available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Research is under way to find an effective vaccine against meningitis Group B. Candidate vaccines have been developed and the Department of Health has funded phase 2 trials of these vaccines via the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research. The department is also investigating Group B vaccines in collaboration with the Dutch national vaccine manufacturer.

Locate in Scotland (LiS) has identified the strengthening of a number of key clusters, which are crucial to the performance and development of the Scottish economy, as part of its strategic portfolio approach to inward investment. Biotechnology is one of the clusters to which LiS has been able to make a considerable contribution and it works closely with Scottish Enterprise's Biotechnology Cluster Team to maximise the opportunities available to Scotland in this sector within the £38 million Biotechnology Cluster Action Plan launched last year.

The Executive's commitment to the biotechnology sector has been further bolstered by the granting in August 2000 of planning permission for the creation of a biotechnology park at Gowkley Moss, Midlothian.

A recent addition to Scotland's biotechnology base has been made in the shape of the Japanese Kyorin Pharmaceutical Company's partnership with the Scottish Biomedical Foundation to develop compounds in the allergy and immunology field.

The Scottish Executive seeks to reduce any unnecessary bureaucratic burden affecting any company within Scotland.

The Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 specifically prevents Ministers from directly interfering in the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's funding of particular institutions or subject areas. The Scottish Executive's guidance to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council sets a broad policy framework and leaves the council appropriately free to exercise its discretion through its teaching and research funding streams.

Pharmacology is within the council's Science teaching funding subject group and Pharmacy is within the Other Health and Welfare teaching funding subject group. The Science teaching funding subject group is prioritised by Scottish Executive guidance, which means that there are restrictions on transfers of council-funded places for teaching out of this priority area into other subjects.

As for all other research funding subject areas, no specific priority is attached to Pharmacology and Pharmacy by the council.

We provided an overview of our empowering communities agenda in the Social Justice Action Note published in June (copies available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, Bib no. 6978). We are further developing this agenda through practical action to support those from Social Inclusion Partnerships and Working for Communities Pathfinders involved in regenerating disadvantaged areas. This will include: work to achieve greater clarity and awareness of roles and responsibilities of those within the partnerships; ensuring adequate support to enable those from the community to be equal partners; ensuring training opportunities, such as our national skills programme Working Together Learning Together, are explored and prioritised, and facilitating the sharing of good practice, for example through promoting networking arrangements.Looking beyond these practical actions to support those working in our communities, we intend to explore much wider-ranging opportunities that will enable local people to directly influence decisions which affect their neighbourhoods.