Parliamentary questions
Linda Fabiani
2,507 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what spending will be cut to realise the real terms reduction in spending in the Communities budget, as referred to in Table 0.02 of Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The departmentalspending limit for the Communities portfolio rises by 3% per annum in real termsover the spending review period. Table 0.2, on Total Managed Expenditure includes,in addition, Annually Managed Expenditure, mainly in relation to the SupportingPe…
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role Partnerships UK will have in improving co-ordination with the private sector in the capital investment plan, as referred to in Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Partnerships UK provides a permanent and sustainable centre of expertise on Public Private Partnerships and is involved with the Scottish Executive in developing and expanding its PPP programme.</p><p>The Scottish Executive is improving communication with the…
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is confident that the use of PPP and PFI in the procurement of public services is compatible with the aim of “managing public sector resources more effectively”, as referred to in Framework for Economic Development in Scotland and reiterated in Building a Better Scotl…
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Executive will consider whatever investment method represents the best approach given particular circumstances. A mixed economy approach is adopted in which conventional capital investment and Public Private Partnerships routes are available to all public…
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in the ethical approval of clinical procedures.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive requires NHS boards to have in place clinical governance arrangements to oversee all aspects of local decisions about clinical procedures.</p>
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether joint replacement treatments should be available to women under 60.
Answer · Andy Kerr: There is no age limit for joint replacement treatments. The treatment is available to all ages and both sexes on NHSScotland.</p>
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what provision there is for articular cartilage regeneration procedures in the NHS.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the question S2W-11186 answered on 15 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects autologous chondrocyte implantation to be approved as a standard clinical practice.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Autologous chondrocyte transplantation and articular cartilage regeneration are different descriptions for the same procedure. Autologous Chondrocyte transplantation is in its infancy and is currently being used in clinical trials. There is therefore no indic…
4 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report on its consideration of the recommendations of Equipped for Inclusion - Report of the Strategy Forum: Equipment and Adaptations and Audit Scotland’s report, Adapting to the Future - Management of community equipment and adaptations - A baseline report.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I am currently considering the recommendations of the Strategy Forum: Equipment and Adaptations and I will respond to that report shortly. The findings of the Audit Scotland report have been accepted and steps are being taken to implement the three recommenda…
4 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the implementation of recommendations contained in the Sensory Impairment Action Plan, launched in January 2004, relevant to people with visual impairment and how such progress is being monitored.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is working closely with Deafblind Scotland, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Scottish Council in Deafness in taking forward the recommendations within the Sensory Impairment Action Plan. Good progress is being made and…
4 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Eye Care Review, launched in March 2004, to report.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: It is anticipated that aninitial report will be available to ministers in spring 2005.</p>
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are currently waiting for orthopaedic surgery in the NHS Lanarkshire area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: On 30 June 2004, 2,347 residents of Lanarkshire NHS Board were waiting for hospital admission for orthopaedic surgery.</p>
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the median waiting times for appointments with an orthopaedic surgeon.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive has not set any targets for median waiting times. Our policy is to reduce waiting times for all patients, with particular priority being given to treating those patients who have experienced the longest waits. That is why we are committed to ens…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time (a) is currently and (b) was in each of the last three years for orthopaedic surgery in each NHS board area.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Centrally collected information on waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment is only available retrospectively. The median waiting times for orthopaedic surgery, by NHS board area of residence, for the years ended 30 June 2002, 2003 and 2004 are giv…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for a patient to receive an orthopaedic appointment in the NHS Lanarkshire area at the end of December 2003.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Provisional information indicates that in the year ended 31 December 2003, the median waiting time in NHS Lanarkshire for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant in the specialty of orthopaedics, following GP referral, was 184 days.</p><p>I refer the…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what target has been set for how long the completion of the treatment of orthopaedic patients should take in Lanarkshire.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The national maximum waiting time for orthopaedic surgery is nine months from the date a patient is placed on the in-patient/day case waiting list until the date of hospital admission. This guaranteed waiting time will be reduced to six months from the end of…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets are set by NHS Lanarkshire for waiting times for patients to secure an orthopaedic appointment.
Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS Lanarkshire is committed to ensuring that it meets the Executive’s target of a maximum waiting time of 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant, following referral by a General Medical/Dental Practitioner from 31 December 2005.</p><p…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what authority Reliance employees have to take into custody a prisoner who is unlawfully at large.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>None: This remains a matter for the police.</p>
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the public purse was in each of the last five years of the duties that will be taken over by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd under the contract for the provision of prisoner escort and court custody services.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>“I refer the member to the answer to S2W-11075 answered 19 October 2004. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament’s web…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what statutory authority Reliance employees have within the bounds of properties of the Scottish Court Service.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executiveof the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Prisoner Custody Officers employed by Reliance Custodial Services have statutory powers and duties as laid down in Section 104 of the Crimi…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many category A prisoners were released in error in each of the five years prior to the commencement of the contract for the provision of prisoner escort and court custody services.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The term “Category A” ceased to exist on 1 April 2002. The Scottish Prison Service had no Category A releases in error in the period 1 Apri…
30 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the public sector comparator used for the contract for the provision of prisoner escort and court custody services.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The Public Sector Comparator PSC) used in the value for money evaluation for the Prisoner Escorts and Court Custody project is given in th…
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional full-time police officers could be employed for #18 million per year.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The cost of employing a constable, including salary, pension, national insurance and equipment, ranges from £33,000 for a probationary constable to around £43,000 as constables progress up the salary scale. Based on these figures, the numbers of constables th…
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8442 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 June 2004, whether the tender documents are being withheld under section 7 or 13 of part 2 of Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>It is being held under both section 7 and 13. A copy of the code of practice can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http:/www.sc…
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prospective prison custody officers employed by Reliance have passed the training programme validated by the Scottish Prison Service.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The SPS has no record of howmany people have passed the Reliance prisoner custody officer training course whichis entirely a matter f…
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Reliance submitted the lowest bid in financial terms for the contract for the provision of prisoner escort services.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Yes.</p>
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7562 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 May 2004, what criteria it will use to determine whether there has been a fundamental breach of the contract.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>SPS interprets the contract in the light of legal advice and the relevant circumstances.</p>
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any police hours have been freed up so far as a result of the operation of the Reliance contract.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-10936 answered on 30 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions a…
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7558 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 May 2004, what the cost to the public purse would have been over the same period had the provision of prisoner escort services not been privatised.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>I refer the member to the question S2W-11075 answered on 19 October 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on t…
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why no performance summary for the Reliance contract has been published since June 2004.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Performance summaries are published after the relevant performance management processes have been concluded. The figures for July and Aug…
28 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the information required under section 2 of part 1 of Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information relating to the facts and analysis which provided the basis for consideration of the privatisation of prisoner escort services.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>I refer the member to the question S2W-11075 answered on 19 October 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on t…