Parliamentary questions

Mary Mulligan

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

25 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to encourage people who are not presently in teaching posts, but who have relevant qualifications, to register as supply teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The recruitment of teachers to the supply pool is a matter for education authorities.Education authorities use a variety of approaches to manage supply cover and to attract qualified personnel to supply lists. The Scottish Executi…

16 Feb 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to assist local authorities to maintain an appropriate number of supply teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: We have given guidance on this to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. Student intakes to courses of initial teacher education in 1999-2000 took account of this guidance and the Funding Council will be taking similar action for intakes in 2000-01.

26 Jan 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are for public spending in health and education in the coming year.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Executive's priorities for health and education spending are fully reflected in the proposals set out in the Budget Bill, currently before Parliament.

12 Jan 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for the future provision of music lessons in schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Pupils should experience music as part of the Expressive Arts component of the 5-14 curriculum. How music is provided within the curriculum is a matter for local authorities.

19 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why some health boards will not permit the drug Rilu'ole to be prescribed and whether it is satisfied that sufficient research has been carried out to ensure its effectiveness.

Answer · Susan Deacon: It is for each Health Board to determine its prescribing policy on medicines, including Riluzole, taking into account the advice provided by their Drug and Therapeutic Committee.In 1996, Riluzole was granted a Marketing Authorisat…

19 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any research, and if so what, into how vitamins can be used to help alleviate the symptoms of motor neurone disease.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We are aware of 49 research projects on motor neurone disease (MND) which have been undertaken in the UK over the last seven years, some of which are ongoing. None of these consider vitamins as a possible alleviator of MND symptoms.<…

19 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making funding available to allow health boards to fund a clinical nurse specialist to support those diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Health boards are given an annual general revenue allocation. It is for boards to decide locally how best to deliver healthcare services to meet the healthcare needs of their resident population including services for those diagnosed with motor neurone diseas…

19 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that there is training available for GPs to allow early recognition of the symptoms of motor neurone disease and to support adequately patients throughout the course of their illness.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Motor neurone disease is difficult to diagnose in the early stages and usually requires referral to a consultant neurologist for investigation and management.Training in diagnostic skills is a fundamental part of medical undergraduate, postgraduate and con…

11 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it can provide on research into motor neurone disease.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We are aware of eight current research studies in Scotland into various aspects of motor neurone disease. Throughout the UK, there are 29 such studies which are ongoing.Details of these studies are available from the National Research Register, a copy of w…

10 Nov 1999 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it can provide on research into motor neurone disease.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We are aware of 8 current research studies in Scotland into various aspects of motor neurone disease. Throughout the UK, there are 29 such studies which are ongoing.Details of these studies are available from the National Research Register, a copy of whic…

6 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funds, if any, have been made available to Police Boards for capital projects such as provision of police cars in the financial year 1999-2000.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Capital allocations to Police Boards, for the current financial year, were announced on 25 March 1999 and shown in the table below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="36%" VALIGN="TOP">Force</TD><TD WIDT…

6 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be in a position to inform Police Boards whether they are to receive additional funding to cover the Millennium holiday period.

Answer · Jim Wallace: On Friday 8 October I announced that we are now able to provide the police in Scotland with a special grant of £4.7m to help meet the additional cost of policing over the Millennium holiday period. A supplementary estimate will be submitted to the Scottish Pa…

3 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on its key policy commitments and the target dates by which these will be implemented.

Answer · Donald Dewar: I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Executive is launching today the document Making It Work Together, which sets out how our agreement on policy as outlined in the Partnership for Scotland will be implemented and the timetable to which t…

19 Aug 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money was allocated in the last financial year to assist agencies tackling the issue of domestic violence or trying to support those affected by it.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: In the last financial year, 1998-99, Scottish Women's Aid was awarded central Government funding totalling almost £370,000. In the same year a start-up grant of £20,000 was awarded to CHANGE (Men Learning to End Violence Against Women).In 1998-99 Victim Su…

19 Aug 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the names of the people who make up the Scottish Partnership on Domestic Violence.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Partnership on Domestic Violence was established in November 1998. The current membership is shown below:-<DIR><DIR>Mrs Anne Smith QC - ChairmanCllr Margaret Smith - Aberdeen City CouncilMr…

19 Aug 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Partnership on Domestic Violence will announce further proposals.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Partnership on Domestic Violence is expected to submit a revised Workplan and Timetable to the Scottish Executive in October 1999.

22 Jun 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consider re-classifying the A801 as a trunk road, given its strategic importance to the economy of West Lothian, the Falkirk area, and the Central Belt of Scotland as a whole.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are currently no plans to extend the trunk road network. The severe pressures on the trunk road budget would mean, in any event, that trunking would be an empty gesture.