There are no secure places designed specifically for young people with a physical disability or who are have a clinical diagnosis of a mental health disorder. As part of the Executive's implementation of the 10-point youth crime action plan, I am currently examining options for the re-configuration of the secure estate.I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26764, Table 3 of which gives the number of male and female residents on 31 March in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Places are currently not segregated with the exception of the six bed unit for girls only which has operated in Kerelaw since 2001.

The information provided by the Scottish Court Service for the number of summary complaints dealt with at each of the courts requested is set out in the following table:Sheriff Court - Summary Criminal

	1990-2000	2000-01	2001-02	April-June2002
Summary Complaints Registered
Lochmaddy	89	99	87	17
Tain	557	497	618	157
Dingwall	513	435	471	129
Portree	50	90	77	18
Summary Complaints Concluded
Lochmaddy	98	90	84	15
Tain	542	485	585	151
Dingwall	441	464	462	113
Portree	58	73	83	18
Summary Trials Evidence Led
Lochmaddy	4	4	8	5
Tain	41	31	26	7
Dingwall	27	17	28	12
Portree	7	8	6	2

I have been advised by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service that no new sheriff courthouses have been built since May 1999, but a number have been extensively refurbished.

Ministers have no powers to direct that private solicitors undertake legal aid work; this is a commercial decision by solicitors. I understand that a legal aid practitioner in Peebles, which undertook 15 cases in 2000-01, has decided not to undertake new civil legal aid cases. There are, however, two firms of solicitors who provide civil legal aid in Galashiels and a further two firms in Selkirk.The provision of legal advice and representation in rural areas is a priority area for pilot work as part of the Review of Legal Information and Advice Provision in Scotland.

I have been advised by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service that it is not possible to provide a separate figure for refurbishment since some of the general maintenance expenditure on the court can include an element of refurbishment. The total spent on the maintenance and refurbishment of Jedburgh Sheriff Court in each of the last five years is set out in the following table. The expenditure in 2001-02 included a general redecoration of the court and provision of a new fire detection system.

Jedburgh Sheriff CourtMaintenance and Refurbishment Expenditure	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
	£3,800	£28,700	£18,739	£14,600	£161,985

Population projections for areas smaller than council areas are not available. The latest, 2000 based, population projections up to the year 2016 for council areas within Scotland is published by the Registrar General in Table 1 of the booklet Population Projections, Scotland (2000 based). A copy of the booklet is available in the Parliament's Information Centre. This publication predicts a consistently decreasing population size for the Borders after 2003.Information on population trends was considered by the Scottish Court Service when examining the case for renovating Peebles Courthouse, but it was concluded did not materially affect the viability of Peebles Sheriff Courthouse.

The Principal Reporter will refer to a children's hearing any child considered to be in need of compulsory measures of care. The decision is not influenced by availability of resources available to local authorities to implement disposals from a hearing. Children's hearings make decisions based on the best interests of the child.

The terms of the question do not reflect the procedures under the central heating programme, as administered by Eaga. An application does not qualify until after a surveyor has visited the home to verify that the terms and conditions of the programme are met.When eligibility is confirmed, Eaga pass the applicant's details to a heating company. Details are generally passed on in the order in which applicants are confirmed as eligible. The period between determining eligibility and giving the applicant's name to a heating company will vary between parts of Scotland and over the duration of the programme. There are no figures by local authority area. When the heating company is authorised to proceed, the central heating is normally installed within three months.

In the period 1 January to 1 July 2002 there were a total of 5,301 applications for the central heating programme, as administered by Eaga. Four thousand, six hundred and fifty-nine of those applicants, or 88% of the total, are eligible for the programme. In the same period Eaga completed 3,651 central heating installations, of which 400 related to applications submitted after 1 January 2002. The remaining 3,251 installations related to applications submitted in 2001. Eaga do not collect figures on a local authority basis.

The Scottish Executive has no plans to extend the scope of the existing rural (village shop) rate relief scheme to post offices in deprived urban areas. Post offices in deprived urban areas may be eligible for rate relief under the small business rate relief scheme announced by Andy Kerr on 11 December 2001.The level of discretionary rate relief granted by local authorities under the rural (village shop) scheme is entirely a matter for each local authority. Information on the level of discretionary rate relief granted specifically to post offices by each local authority is not held centrally.