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The curriculum inScotland is not based on statutory prescription. Itis for schools, in the light of the curriculum framework within which they operate,to determine how best they organise the syllabus.

However, I can confirmthat there are no plans to include intelligent design as part of the Curriculumfor Excellence review. There is no evidence from HM Inspectorate of Education tosuggest intelligent design is being taught in school science classes.

Interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts in the particular circumstances of the case inquestion. Following the recent public consultation, I expect to make an announcementafter the summer recess on our intentions in relation to the law on snaring.

I understand thatBritish Energy, the operator of Hunterston B, will make a decision on whether toextend the life of the facility in April next year. The Scottish Executive therefore,has no plans to conduct such an assessment.

Yes. Five bidsfor this service were received, and the contract was awarded to Essentia Groupin January 2007 following a rigorous evaluation of tenders. The nationalservice was launched on 12 February 2007.

Yes. A workinggroup has developed, and continues to monitor and improve, the 24-hour nationalfreephone gateway service, which offers the general public easy access to childprotection services in local agencies as part of the recently-concluded three-yearChild Protection Reform Programme. The working group includes representativesof all the key agencies involved in delivering child protection services (e.g.local authority social work departments, police and NHS24) as well as existingchild protection helplines such as ChildLine.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran have no plans to build a new hospital on Arran.

No such discussionshave yet taken place.

We have no plans tomake representations to Her Majesty’s Government on this issue.

The term “ScottishGovernment” can already be used to denote the Scottish Executive, which, in termsof Section 126 of the Scotland Act 1998, comprises the Scottish ministers andjunior ministers appointed under Section 49 of that act, as well as the administration’scivil servants. Indeed, it is often used informally, simply to promote understanding,as a readily understood description of what the Scottish Executive does.

Research into renewableenergy is carried out at a number of institutions in Scotland. The Intermediary Technology Institute for Energy is able to include renewableenergy in its research and development programmes, and renewable and other formsof clean energy will also be a focus of the proposed Energy Technologies Institutewhen it commissions research.

There are no specificproposals at present for a centre for renewable energy research at Hunterston.

We recognise the importance of the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service to remote and rural communities and willset out our proposals to sustain the service shortly.