Mrs Margaret Ewing

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether beta interferon will continue to be made available to multiple sclerosis patients in Scotland in the light of the announcement by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in England and Wales.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has made no announcement about Beta Interferon as its appraisal process is still running. NICE have sent their draft conclusions for comment in strict confidence to a number of interested parties, includin…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for any delays experienced by health boards in receiving the additional health service funding earmarked in the last UK Budget.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I announced on 2 May that an additional £60 million would be allocated to health boards (including the Scottish Ambulance Service and the Common Services Agency). Boards were asked to demonstrate how their share of the extra funds would bring real benefits to…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects each health board to receive any remaining additional funding earmarked by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the last UK Budget.

Answer · Susan Deacon: £173 million was added to this year's Scottish Health budget following the UK budget. In line with my statement to Parliament on 22 March, the Executive has sought to target this investment to areas of greatest need and in ways which will deliver significant …

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the additional funding for the National Health Service, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the last UK Budget, has been received by each health board in Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: £60 million of the additional money has been allocated to health boards. The table shows each board's allocation.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=413><TR><TD WIDTH="52%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Health Board</TD><TD WIDTH="48%" VALIGN="T…

28 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of collating, publishing and circulating the report of the Renewing Local Democracy Working Group.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The total cost of publishing and circulating the report of the Renewing Local Democracy Working Group was £31,624.

15 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many mortgage repossession orders were made in each court district in each quarter from 1994 to the latest available date.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Figures in relation to repossession of property by mortgage lenders have been collected by the courts since a revised system of collecting Civil Judicial Statistics was instituted on 1 January 1994. The figures for the number of mortgage repossession orders i…

13 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the total amounts paid to local authorities to promote coastal protection schemes in each of the last five years showing (a) the amount, (b) the local authority and (c) the name of the project.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In response to requests from local authorities, the amount of grant paid to authorities for coast protection schemes in each of the last five years is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JU…

13 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many coastal protection schemes have been submitted to The Scottish Office and to it in each of the last five years under the Coast Protection Act 1949.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The number of coast protection schemes submitted by local authorities, to the Scottish Office and Executive, for approval by Ministers in each of the last five years is as follows: -<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=205><TR><TD WIDTH="40%" VALIG…

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that working groups on advocacy for mental health users are independent and that service users are fully represented on and acknowledged by such groups.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive is taking active steps to ensure that advocacy services are independent and that users and carers are involved in all aspects of these services.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The good practice guide on advocacy, <I>Advocacy: A Guide to Good Practice</I>, wh…

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have submitted plans for advocacy for mental health service users and whether the provision of such a service will be mandatory.

Answer · Iain Gray: We have not invited local authorities to submit plans for advocacy services for mental health service users, and have no plans to do so. Eight local authorities in Scotland presently provide advocacy projects from funding provided under the Mental Illness Spe…

23 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council report into Moray College was completed and when it will be in the public domain.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Professor Sizer, Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council issued his report to the Board of Management at Moray College on 24&nbsp;February&nbsp;2000. The board has responded to the report and an agreed Action P…

16 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was allocated for each of the last three financial years for (a) research into autism and (b) the treatment of autism.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department is the main departmental funder of NHS related research. Although CSO commissions a small amount of work in specific priority areas, it more generally supports research undertake…

16 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated for each of the next three financial years for (a) research into autism and (b) the treatment of autism.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department is the main departmental funder of NHS-related research. Although CSO commissions a small amount of work in specific priority areas, it more generally supports research undertake…

5 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work it has undertaken in relation to the Millan Committee's review of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 and whether it will facilitate a debate on this subject following the publication of the committee's second consultation document.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Millan Committee is on target to report to Ministers this summer. In the Scottish Parliament debate over the Mental Health (Public Safety and Appeals) (Scotland) Act 1999, the Executive undertook to provide a quick response to any recommendations and give…

3 May 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to the funding application by the Relatives Association of Scotland and what commitment it will give for long-term funding.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Relatives Association of Scotland has applied for funding under Section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1967 and Section 16b of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. The association has already been informed that there is no scope to fund …

4 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5398 by Susan Deacon on 30 March 2000, when the consultation on the need or otherwise for controls over skin piercing will be completed and who it intends to consult on this issue.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The consultation timetable has not yet been set. The list of consultees has not yet been finalised but will include public health interests and local authorities. A consultation document, together with a timetable for consultation will be published in due cou…

4 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities it will have for the work of the Food Standards Agency; whether these responsibilities differ in any way from those set out in the Department of Health's letter of 29 March 2000 to MPs; whether it received a copy of that letter and, if so, what response was given.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Food Standards Agency will be fully accountable to the Scottish Parliament through Scottish Ministers. Scottish Ministers will also have overall responsibility for determining policy on food safety and standards issues that are devolved and for making Sco…

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5157 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 22 March 2000, how many children under the age of 18 have been assessed as suffering from Asperger's syndrome or high functioning autism and what specialist provision is available in each local authority area.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally. The majority of children with Asperger's syndrome or high functioning autism will be in mainstream schools with additional support.

22 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government highlighting any potential damage to the Scottish manufacturing sector and impact on Scottish jobs if parallel trading of goods outside the European economic area markets were to be legalised.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Intellectual property protection is a reserved matter. The UK Government has concluded that parallel imports are likely to take market share from existing imports rather than domestic manufacturers. However, discussions are continuing with our European partne…

21 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it estimates the implementation of the Climate Change Levy (CCL) will have on employment in Scotland in each of the next five years and whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government requesting that introduction of the CCL be delayed until such time as it can…

Answer · Henry McLeish: As a tax measure, the Climate Change Levy is a matter reserved to the UK Government. The levy is to be revenue neutral and is not expected to have an unfavourable overall impact on employment.

21 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission and Her Majesty's Treasury about the implications of reform of the Common Agricultural Policy for the future of whisky industry employment in Scotland, particularly in rural areas.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government and the European Commission on a wide range of issues including implications of reform of the Common Agricultural Policy for the future of whisky industry employment in Scotland. The Minister…

16 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a minimum age restriction on ear and body piercing, in line with restrictions on tattooing.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive intends to issue a consultation paper seeking views on the need or otherwise for controls over skin piercing in all its forms, including tattooing.

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have taken place under the Litter Act 1983 and what were the total amounts levied in fines as a result in each year since 1990.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Since April 1991, litter offences have been prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The number of prosecutions for litter offences under this and the previous Litter Act 1983, the number where a charge was proved, and the total amount of fines…

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage Scottish police forces to fine members of the public for riding bicycles on pavements.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans to give Scottish police forces the power to issue fixed penalties to those who cycle on pavements. The police may continue to report such offences to the Procurator Fiscal.

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under the age of 10, by local authority area, have been diagnosed with autism in each year since 1990.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what was the total expenditure, in real terms, in each financial year since 1989-90 broken down by local authority on the specialist training for teachers/auxiliary staff working with autistic children.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally.

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what kind of specialist provision exists in each local authority area for the education and social development of children under the age of 18 who have been diagnosed with autism.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: There is a wide spectrum of needs amongst children with autism and a range of educational provision is required to meet these needs. The majority of children with Asperger's syndrome or high functioning autism will be in mainstream schools. Most others will b…

3 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking and what funding it is providing to ensure the continuation of the Scottish Women's International Rugby Team, and whether it has made any representations to sportscotland and the National Lottery Commission to ensure the continuation of the team.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive does not provide direct funding for sport. Neither do we become involved in individual Lottery Sports Fund applications or intervene in decisions made by <B>sport</B>scotland.

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning intends to call the further, previously promised meeting with Highlands and Islands MSPs to discuss the future of oil fabrication yards in the region.

Answer · Henry McLeish: It has been my intention that the next meeting of Highlands &amp; Islands MSPs should be able to take a report of the recent meeting of the industry-wide Oil &amp; Gas Industry Support Group, which met recently in Edinburgh to discuss future demand for offsho…

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those appointed as members of the Highland and Islands Convention, specifying the position each member holds in the organisation they are representing.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The 35 member organisations of the reconstituted Convention of the Highlands and Islands were announced by the First Minister on 3 February. They have been invited to nominate senior members to represent their organisation and the Scottish Executive is curren…