³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

This is a matter for Perth and Kinross Council. However, I am aware that since 2007, the council have carried out measures to road drainage in connection with the Milnathort Flood Prevention Scheme, installed a telemetry system in Perth to improve the operational response of the Perth Flood Prevention Scheme in a flood event and has installed a stand-by generator at the pumping station in Weem to improve operational reliability of that Scheme. I understand the council is developing further measures with a view to publishing a flood prevention scheme at Milnathort in the summer and is also developing proposals for flood prevention schemes at Almondbank, Bankfoot, Birnam and Greenloaning.

The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) now provides a robust framework of schemes, the delivery of which will be considered in each spending review.

A timetable for undertaking work on dualling the A9 will be set in the context of overall affordability and our commitments to other STPR proposals.

NHS Tayside and its partner NHS boards are currently evaluating the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre project with a view to establishing future capacity requirements and developing options and recommendations for the way forward after the existing contract with Netcare (UK) Ltd ends in early 2010. The Scottish Government will consider future arrangements, including any investment requirements, in the light of this and of a final formal audit review which will take place during the summer in accordance with the terms of the contract.

The following table reports estimates on gas produced from Scottish fields in the North Sea, gas consumption in Scotland, and gas exports from Scotland.

GWh

	2005	2006	2007
Total UK production1	1,025,232	929,784	838,092
Sco % share of UK production2	58%	59%	60%
Scottish production	594,635	548,573	502,855

 

Scottish Consumption3		2005	2006	2007
	Domestic	35,329	34,342	34,469
	Industrial/Commercial	25,614	24,468	25,121
	Electricity Generation	9,367	10,309	11,182
	Scottish energy industry use4	49,972	47,242	44,648
Scottish Exports		474,352	432,211	387,435

Notes:

1. Data for UK Gas production are taken from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change publication, Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES) 2008.

2. The Scottish share of UK gas production is based on estimates from the Aberdeen University research paper by Professor Alex Kemp and Linda Stephen which shows a gradual increase from approximately 58% Scottish share in 2005 to just over 60% in 2007.

3. The Scottish consumption figures for Domestic, Commercial/Industrial and Electricity Generation are sourced from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change Energy Trends publication, annual December release.

4. Scottish energy industry use is estimated by applying the Scottish production percentage used for each year (see note 2) to the total UK energy industry use figure for that year. UK Energy Industry use data are sourced from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change publication, Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES) 2008.

The National Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Scheme has provided £3.2 million assistance to the food elements in malting projects.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22271 on 7 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

Farmers can apply for funding to support the provision of storage facilities for cereals, including malting barley, from the food processing, marketing and co-operation grant scheme and through rural priorities.

The only promotion or publicity campaign undertaken around MMR is the MMR: Never too late campaign, which was carried out by NHS Health Scotland in 2006. This consisted of posters and leaflets which were (and continue to be) supplied to local NHS boards should they wish to undertake local tailored campaign work on this issue. The main message of this campaign is that it is never too late to consider the MMR vaccination, and that those who have not had the vaccine at an earlier age, for what ever reason, can still receive it. The focus is therefore on making it clear that the MMR vaccine is available at any age, rather than to respond to any concerns around safety of the vaccine.

A total of 75,000 Leaflets and 10,000 posters were printed in March 2006 for this campaign, at a cost of £4,147.

NHS boards'' local delivery plans (LDPs) set out the delivery trajectories and risk management plans for each HEAT target, which are underpinned with financial and workforce plans. LDPs are agreed with NHS boards in advance of the financial year to which they relate. NHS boards and Scottish Government monitor, on an on-going basis, performance by comparing actual performance against the delivery trajectories for each target.

As the actual performance data becomes available they are published through the website of the Information Services Division (ISD) of NHS National Services Scotland and other websites including those of the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland.

NHS boards are held to account for their performance against HEAT targets at the Annual Reviews. Performance against HEAT targets is also reported in the NHSScotland Chief Executive''s Annual Report.

The higher rate of tuition fees for medicine was introduced by the then Scottish Executive as voted on and agreed by Parliament on 20 April 2005. They claimed there was a need to increase medical tuition fees to the same level as the new tuition fees in England to prevent a disproportionate number of students from England applying for places at Scottish Medical Schools.