Margaret Jamieson

6 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will conclude its deliberations on NHS contracts and publish its Management of Change procedures for the NHS.

Answer · Susan Deacon: NHS pay is a fully devolved matter. The Scottish Executive, along with the other three Health Departments, is taking forward negotiations on <I>Agenda for Change - Modernising the NHS Pay System </I>on a UK basis.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">No definite timetable for c…

6 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of negotiations regarding pay scales to be applied to senior managers in the NHS.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The new arrangements for the pay of general and senior managers was published to the service on 2 May by a Management Executive Letter (MEL). In addition to bringing the pay of these managers under ministerial direction the new arrangements will ensure a more…

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students are expected to graduate as educational psychologists in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The information requested is not available. It is not possible to provide analysis at this level of disaggregation. Educational Psychology is a specialism that students might take up in their second, or more likely, their third year of study.

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for educational psychologists in each local authority.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally. The Executive will soon meet with the Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP) to review the supply and demand for educational psychologists to ensure that the appropriate balance is achieved.

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any improvements are needed in the length of time taken to set up Records of Needs across Scotland and what plans it has to bring about such improvements.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to my answer to question S1W-5748.

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the operation of Records of Needs to ensure similarity of provision across Scotland.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The new national Special Educational Needs Advisory Forum, chaired by Peter Peacock, Deputy Minister for Children and Education, will review all aspects of the Record of Needs process.

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Records of Needs per 100,000 population are in place in each local authority.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested is given in the table below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=546><TR><TD WIDTH="99%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4 HEIGHT=17><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica" SIZE=3><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Records of Needs Data collected by the School…

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Records of Needs are currently in place in each local authority.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested is given in the table below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=533><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=6 HEIGHT=17><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica" SIZE=3><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Number of pupils with a Record of Needs, by Education Aut…

30 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of opening a Record of Needs.

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

13 Mar 2000 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what steps are being taken to tackle heart disease, particularly amongst women, in Scotland.

Answer · Donald Dewar: In Scotland, we set up a Coronary Heart Disease Task Force in August 1998. Its remit includes equity of access to cardiac services, the assessment of Scottish needs, development of Managed Clinical Networks and a range of waiting list issues. Last year we all…

10 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidelines for planning authorities on the use of barbed and ra'or wire on the perimeters of buildings.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. <I>Planning Advice Note 46: Planning for Crime Prevention</I>, published in October 1994, gives advice to planning authorities on how crime prevention and community safety can be taken into account in planning, however, the advice does not address the spe…

10 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the effectiveness of current legislation affecting the use of barbed and ra'or wire.

Answer · Jim Wallace: As part of the legislation which we intend to bring forward to establish a right of access to land, there will be powers to enable local authorities to order the removal of obstructions such as barbed and razor wire erected to prevent the exercise of the new …

10 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of its evaluation of further flood prevention measures in Kilmarnock and Loudoun.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I am fully aware of the recent flooding in Kilmarnock and Loudoun and of the concerns of those affected. Scottish Executive officials have been consulted informally on East Ayrshire Council's proposed programme of works for reducing flood risk in its area and…

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposed amendments to planning legislation on telecommunications masts will allow local authorities to ban their erection in specific locations.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. The planning system exists to secure the efficient and effective development and use of land in the public interest. Refusal of planning permission or the imposition of conditions on planning permissions can be used to safeguard amenity and the environmen…

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposed amendments to planning legislation on telecommunications masts will require operators to submit full applications for mobile phone masts.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. The proposals I announced in the chamber on 27 October 1999 do not entail removing existing permitted development rights, but include a procedure whereby developers will be required to obtain the prior approval of the planning authority before exercising …

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposed amendments to planning legislation regarding telecommunications masts will be by primary legislation or by statutory instrument.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Amendments to planning legislation relating to telecommunications development would generally be made by statutory instrument.

8 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2113 by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000, what is the timescale within which it intends to bring forward amendments to planning legislation regarding telecommunications masts.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I intend to await the outcome of the Transport and the Environment Committee's inquiry into telecommunications before bringing forward amendments to planning legislation.

23 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out the legal position on the use of barbed and ra'or wire on the boundaries of residential properties.

Answer · Jim Wallace: There is no law which expressly governs the use of barbed wire or razor wire. Property owners have the right to take reasonable means to protect their property and prevent damage. This may include the building of walls and fences.<P>However, the owner or pers…

17 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new NHS self-insurance fund will have on staff and patients with claims against the National Health Service.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The primary purpose of the scheme is to enhance existing financial risk sharing arrangements and to improve risk management performance. The introduction from 1 April 2000 of the new financial risk sharing arrangements for clinical negligence awards and certa…

17 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations took place on the NHS self-insurance fund.

Answer · Susan Deacon: A cross-Service Review Group was convened to consider the need and potential for future risk pooling arrangements. Additionally, members of this Group consulted further with their respective Service representative Groups.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>The Servi…

17 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a separate NHS self-insurance fund for Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The new financial risk sharing arrangements due for implementation on 1 April 2000 will be for Scotland only.<P>Similar schemes are already operational in England and Wales and began on 1 April 1995 and 1 April 1996 respectively.

17 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the new self-insurance arrangements for the National Health Service.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The National Health Service in Scotland has been kept informed of the development and arrangements for the new financial risk-sharing scheme for clinical negligence and certain categories of non-clinical risk. The most recent was Management Executive Letter (…

4 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to extend the powers currently available to local authorities in respect of dangerous buildings to cover dangerous trees.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. The Building (Scotland) Act 1959, which deals with dangerous buildings, relates to the risks of buildings affecting the health and safety of people and is not suitable for dealing with more general safety concerns.

4 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the law in respect of dangerous trees.

Answer · Frank McAveety: No, as we are not aware of any problems with the existing legislation governing dangerous trees.

4 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the powers available to various bodies to deal with dangerous trees.

Answer · Frank McAveety: There are likely to be numerous enabling powers available to various bodies to deal with dangerous trees, dependent on the nature of the problem. These include Section 91 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 and Part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

27 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultation on proposals to amend the National Health Service Appeals System will include the Health and Community Care Committee and the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The scope of the consultation on changes to the National Health Service Discipline Committee system for family health service practitioners has still to be determined. In terms of the Tribunal and Enquiries Act 1971 it will of course include the Scottish Comm…

27 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consult on any proposals to amend the National Health Service Appeals System and, if so, when such consultation is expected to take place.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Full consultation with a wide range of interests will be undertaken before any changes are made to the National Health Service Discipline Committee system for family health service practitioners. I anticipate consultation will commence in June.

27 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to respond to the criticisms of the National Health Service Appeals System made in the Annual Report of the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I am aware of the concerns expressed by the Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals in its annual report for 1998-99 about the National Health Service Discipline Committee system for family health service practitioners. As the report acknowledges, an i…

2 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure the public health of the people of Shortlees, Kilmarnock, following the publication of the report by Bristol University human radiation effects group on 1 December 1999.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Primary responsibility for ensuring the public health of the people of Shortlees rests with Ayrshire &amp; Arran Health Board, who keep the matter under continuing review. The Bristol University study looked at the possibility that airborne environmental poll…

23 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to fund research into the causes of asthma and its care and what plans it has to lower the rising incidence of asthma.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Executive Health Department is currently funding two research projects on asthma treatment with a total value of nearly £0.6 million. Details of these studies are available from the National Research Register (…