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The intention is that the second report of the Housing Improvement Task Force should be published by spring 2003.

The working group hopes to reach initial conclusions by the autumn with a view to consulting on proposals by the end of the year.

Local authorities already have powers under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to provide short-term refuges for children. The need for flexible forms of refuge provision is one issue which will be considered by the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused through Prostitution.

The recommendations are helping to inform the work of the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution. We are keeping in close contact with progress on the Social Exclusion Unit project and will consider which of the emerging conclusions are appropriate in the Scottish context.

The Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused through Prostitution consists of a number of officials from across the Executive and representatives from: Barnardo's Scotland; Aberlour Child Care Trust; ChildLine Scotland; the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland; Children's Panel Chairs' Group; Community Education Managers Scotland; Crown Office; Scottish Children's Reporter Administration; Child Protection Committees; The Big Step Social Inclusion Partnership, and the Association of Directors of Social Work. The initial work is being carried out in correspondence and meetings will be convened as required.

Information is not readily available in the form requested. In Glasgow Sheriff Court from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 a total of £893,454 was remitted to the exchequer in payment of fines. This will in part relate to fines imposed in previous years.

The Executive has recently completed a review of existing data and research on owner-occupied households who have relatively low incomes including the implications for housing quality. This is available on the Housing Improvement Task Force website. In addition, the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey will provide data on the condition of Scottish housing and the incomes and characteristics of the households within it including those whose homes are in need of repair and improvement.

The Scottish Executive is currently carrying out the field work for the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey. This survey will provide a comprehensive picture of the extent of disrepair in Scottish housing and an estimate of the cost of necessary repair and improvements. The survey will also provide data on the incomes of households including those whose homes are in need of repair and how much they spent on repair and maintenance in the previous year. The results from this survey are expected to be available from the middle of 2003.

Information is not readily available in the form requested. The amount of fines outstanding at Glasgow sheriff court or any sheriff court changes on a daily basis, as new fines are imposed and previously imposed fines are paid in whole or in part, or discharged by order of the court. Payments in one year can relate to fines imposed in previous years.At my request the Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service has provided the information in the following table on the total level of fines outstanding at Glasgow sheriff court at the end of the last five financial years:

Date	Total Amount for Fines/Compensation Orders Outstanding
31 March 1998	£2,022,454
31 March 1999	£2,081,363
31 March 2000	£1,912,528
31 March 2001	£2,070,162
31 March 2002	£1,879,208

The table includes compensation orders which remain outstanding at the end of the year.

The information requested is given in the following table.

Suicides, aged 35 and over, Scotland1
	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	20012
Male	310	325	388	356	375	364	373	382	378	395	406
Female	126	144	154	159	151	151	144	156	141	135	165

Notes:1. Includes deaths from an "injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted".2. Provisional.