Parliamentary questions

Margaret Jamieson

534 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between its Education Department and Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department to ensure that appropriate planning is in place for 2005-06 and beyond to plan placements for those undertaking teacher training in good time.

Answer · Peter Peacock: No discussions have taken place between the two Government Departments regarding student placements. It is for the Teacher Education Institutions, local authorities and their schools to plan school placements for student teachers for 2005-06 and beyond. The E…

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to ensure that those undertaking training as primary teachers are provided with teaching resources whilst on placement in order to plan and teach.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It is for each of the Teacher Education Institutions, together with local authorities and their partner schools, to arrange and provide the appropriate teaching resources for students undertaking school placements in primary schools.

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14362 by Peter Peacock on 4 March 2005, what monitoring is in place to ensure that management of student placements is undertaken equitably across Scotland to the benefit of students, pupils and qualified staff.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) are currently undertaking an Aspect Review of Initial Teacher Education (ARITE) which focuses on the management of student placements across Scotland. HMIE are also examining the quality and standard of st…

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA) aspiration to increase the structure gauge of the line between Kilmarnock and Glasgow to enable the passage of larger rail freight vehicles, the proposal to carry out gauge clearance works to enable the passage of Pendolino trains …

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We will consider these proposals and other candidate projects in the Strategic Rail Authority’s enhancement programme following the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Executive proposed in the Railways Bill, currently before the UK Parliament.

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing an additional platform at each of Stewarton and Dunlop stations and reinstating double track on the single line between the two stations to enable capacity on the Kilmarnock to Glasgow service to be increased to half-hourly.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15039 on 29 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide funding to reactivate the Strategic Rail Authority's suspended study into the provision of a half-hourly service between Kilmarnock and Glasgow.

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will adopt and revive the Strategic Rail Authority's programme of incremental output statements in respect of a half-hourly service between Kilmarnock and Glasgow.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We will consider this and other candidate projects in the Strategic Rail Authority’s enhancement programme following the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Executive proposed in the Railways Bill and currently before the UK Parliament.

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take if NHS boards do not include decisions of the Scottish Medicines Consortium on new pharmaceutical products in their formulary lists.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answerto S2W-14832 on 10 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">…

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how decisions of the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) are monitored for implementation at NHS board level.

Answer · Andy Kerr: All NHS boards should take accountof the advice and evidence from the SMC and ensure that recommended medicines aremade available to meet clinical need. Where this does not happen it will be followedup proactively by the health department.The SMC is de…

11 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the removal of school crossing patrollers will have on its policy of Safer Routes to School.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: If a local authority’s assessment of a safer routes to school scheme included a school crossing patrol site as an essential element of the scheme, I would not expect the crossing patrol site to be removed unless suitable alternative arrangements were put in p…

11 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations are required when the removal of a school crossing patroller is proposed.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: There is no statutory requirementfor consultation. Guidance for local authorities on school crossing patrols - School Crossing PatrolService: Guidelines, were produced by theLocal Authority Road Safety Officers Association and the Royal Society for the…

11 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to determine whether a school crossing patroller is required for (a) primary and (b) secondary children to reach school safely.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Guidance for localauthorities on school crossing patrols - School Crossing Patrol Service: Guidelines,were produced by the Local AuthorityRoad Safety Officers Association and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents,with funding from the UK Go…

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to ensure that those undertaking training as primary teachers have the opportunity to benefit from placements across the primary sector during their training.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The current Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) stipulate that students on courses leading to a Primary Education Teaching Qualification must undertake blocks of school placement which covers all stages of Primary school education.ITE course…

7 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what updates to guidance on prescription charges have been made in the last 12 months.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Our last annual prescription charge guidance update circular (NHS HDL(2004)17) was issued in March 2004. It included guidance about prescription charges, regulation changes, prepayment certificates and publicity material in connection with prescription charge…

7 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients on peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis continue to be exempt from prescription charges.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There has been no change to the list of medical conditions which exempt patients from paying prescription charges.

7 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether prescription charges are made to renal patients who require dialysis access devices.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Dialysis access devices are only available through the hospital service and are therefore provided, free of charge, to patients who require them.

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the evidence to the Audit Committee on 25 January 2005 by the Head of the Health Department and Chief Executive of the NHS in Scotland, how continuing professional development will be measured for those consultants who have not accepted the new contract and what action will be…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The training needs of all NHS consultants, whether on the new contract or the old contract, are identified in their learning development plans and progressed through regular appraisal procedures. Changes are however planned to link in with the future revalida…

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the evidence to the Audit Committee on 25 January 2005 by the Head of the Health Department and Chief Executive of the NHS in Scotland, what the impact on patient services will be of backdating the General Medical Services contract.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There are no elements of the new General Medical Service (GMS) contract which require to be backdated.Specific parts of the new GMS contract, such as quality preparation and some Directed Enhanced Services were implemented from 1 April 2003. Full imple…

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the evidence to the Audit Committee on 25 January 2005 by the Head of the Health Department and Chief Executive of the NHS in Scotland, what the cost of backdating the General Medical Services contract will be in each NHS board area.

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the evidence to the Audit Committee on 25 January 2005 by the Head of the Health Department and Chief Executive of the NHS in Scotland, what the cost of backdating the new consultant contract was in each NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: We are currently working with colleagues in NHSScotland to provide the data requested. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and will arrange for a copy of my reply to be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

24 Jan 2005 · Written Question

Answer · Andy Kerr: Agreement to award arrears of pay to eligible consultants under the new consultant contract is conditional on each consultant agreeing a job plan with his or her manager. The job planning process allows managers to schedule all of a consultant’s weekly activi…

18 Jan 2005 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it is taking to reduce the number of spam emails received in the Parliament.

Answer · John Scott: In January 2004 SPCB agreed to endorse the recommendation that an email filtering policy be adopted by the Scottish Parliament. As a result of this policy an average of approximately 300,000 spam emails per month are being successfully filtered. The majorit…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its response to the Review of Treasure Trove Arrangements in Scotland will be published.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I am pleased to announce thatthe Executive’s final response, The Reform of Treasure Trove Arrangements inScotland 2004, will be published on 27 December 2004. Copies will beavailable in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 34702).

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with funeral directors’ and monumental masons’ organisations regarding the safety of cemetery memorials.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has not had any such discussions.

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, and similar national organisations, regarding the safety of cemetery memorials.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has not had any such discussions.

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA on the safety of cemetery memorials.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has had no such discussions.

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether there are any plans for separate Scottish guidelines on the safety of cemetery memorials.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has no information about plans to issue separate Scottish guidelines on the safety of cemetery memorials.

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Home Office's Burials and Cemeteries Advisory Group regarding guidelines on the safety of cemetery memorials.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has not any such discussions.

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking within its powers in respect of the implementation of the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on the safety of cemetery memorials.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Responsibility for the management, regulation and control of burial grounds rests with local authorities, which also have responsibility for taking reasonable precautions where there is a foreseeable risk to either persons at work or members of the public. Th…

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34111 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 March 2003, what the membership and remit is of the working group on the legislation governing burial and cremation.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details of the membership and remit of the working group are currently being finalised and will be announced shortly. The amended cremation regulations are now in place.