Brian Adam

24 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of VisitScotland's new hubs will be for the future of the Aberdeen and Grampian Convention Bureau in its role of attracting business through conferences and exhibitions.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The new tourism network willneed to find a way of building on the strengths of the existing conventionbureaux, especially in the main cities, whilst finding synergies withVisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit. Exactly how that will be done will beconsidered c…

24 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of VisitScotland's new hubs will be for the future of local tourist information centres.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The tourist information centres play an important role in the provision of local information and adviceto visitors. It is too early to say if any changes will be made to the way in which the tourist information centre offices will work within the ne…

24 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of VisitScotland's new hubs will be for the future of area destination marketing.

Answer · Frank McAveety: Much work has still to bedone on the detail of the new tourism network, and how it will work, but areadestination marketing will be carried out by the tourism hubs which will makeup the new network.</p>

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in, and what the cost has been of, implementing the (a) new consultant contracts and (b) Agenda for Change, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The new consultant contract came into force on 1 April 2004.NHS boards are presently engaged in a job planning process with consultants which,it is envisaged, will be largely complete by the end of May 2004. The precise cost to boards of implementing the cont…

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current financial position is of each NHS trust and board in respect of (a) primary and (b) secondary health care.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Financial monitoring of NHS trusts and boards is carried out at an aggregate level by the Scottish Executive. Information is not held on the current financial position of each NHS trust and board in respect of primary and secondary health care.</p><p>As at Ap…

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected costs are of out-of-hours medical cover and what any projected shortfalls in funding of the service are that each NHS board will be required to meet.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: These figures will not be availableuntil NHS boards have completed their detailed plans for out-of-hours service provision.Boards have this work well in hand and are currently developing and refining theirmodelling. A key element in this work is determining t…

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the role of school science technicians and their pay and conditions within a national framework.

Answer · Euan Robson: The Executive has no plansto review the role or the pay and conditions of school science technicians. Theseare matters for local authorities as employers.</p>

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications for school science technicians are of implementation of the report by the Scottish Science Advisory Committee, Science Matters: making the right connections for Scotland.

Answer · Euan Robson: The Executive will respondto the Scottish Science Advisory Committee’s report, <i>Science Matters</i>, shortly.In the meantime, my officials will consider options for future continuingprofessional development opportunities for school science technicians.</p>

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enhance the role of school science technicians in the primary and secondary sectors.

Answer · Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-7107. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search">http://…

22 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the training needs of school science technicians.

Answer · Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-7106. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search">http:…

15 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage more tourists to visit the north east by increasing the availability of direct international flights to and from Aberdeen airport.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive, through itsInterim Route Development Fund, is actively promoting Aberdeen Airport. Itis engaging with airlines on potential new routes from Scotland,including Aberdeen, which could enhance business links and encouragein-bound tourism. In additi…

11 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what deaf awareness training is available for (a) NHS staff, (b) medical undergraduates and (c) nursing undergraduates.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As all training anddevelopment for employees is undertaken locally by each board or individual NHSemployer.</p><p>Boards’ audiology servicesshould have access to and provide appropriate means of communicating (e.g. BSL,lip speaking etc) for all patients with …

11 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in implementing the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in the NHS, particularly in relation to deaf and hard of hearing people.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Since the DisabilityDiscrimination Act was introduced in 1996, NHS boards have been activelyinvolved in ensuring that they develop and deliver services in ways which bestmeet the needs of all disabled people, including people who are deaf. As thefinal require…

8 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5590 by Hugh Henry on 27 January 2004, how much funding was allocated to each NHS board for drug treatment services in 1999-2000.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6805 on 23 March 2004. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/weba…

8 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5817 by Hugh Henry on 10 February 2004, how much funding was allocated for tackling drug misuse through social inclusion partnerships in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01, broken down by (i) local authority and (ii) NHS board area.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>No discrete funding for tacklingdrug misuse was allocated to SIPS in 1999-2000. Details of the allocations for tacklingdrug misuse funding for …

8 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5817 by Hugh Henry on 10 February 2004, what funding, under the drugs strand of the Changing Children's Services Fund, was spent on drug treatment or rehabilitation services or both in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The response given on the 10 February details the funding from the Changing Children’s Services Fund to support drug related work with young people and their families, which is allocated through local authorities. Few authorities are coterminous with NHS boar…

8 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5817 by Hugh Henry on 10 February 2004, how much funding has been allocated through grant aided expenditure to each NHS board for drug rehabilitation in each year since 1999.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Grant aided expenditure is used to support rehabilitation services provided by local authorities. Funding for NHS boards to support drug treatment services is allocated from the Health Department budget. Details of allocations to NHS boards for drug treatment…

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations in respect of the viability of skills training programmes for the fishing industry.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Skills training programmesare operated by Group Training Associations which are funded by Seafish. While Iam aware that Seafish has asked a consultant to look into aspects of the GroupTraining Association functions, I am not aware that the Executive has recei…

18 Feb 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of science centres will include the role of centres such as Satrosphere in Aberdeen.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This studycovers all five science centres in Scotland.</p>

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for trade union participation in health partnership fora at local and national level.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: At a national level, we haveestablished the Scottish Partnership Forum and the Human Resources Forum. Thisis a tripartite arrangement between the Scottish Executive Health Department, NHSScotlandemployers and trade unions/professional organisations. They are …

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for trade union recognition for representation and negotiation in the NHS and whether such criteria will be reviewed following the Agenda for Change process.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The criteria for trade unionrecognition are set out in the Employment Relations Act 1999 in Sections1,5,6,25 and Schedule 1 of the provisions of the Act.</p><p>For the purposes of nationalcollective bargaining in the NHS, the General Whitley Council (GWC) det…

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who has the authority to grant 'ero rating for council tax and water charges and what the criteria are for granting such rating.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Properties exempt fromcouncil tax and water charges, and categories of individual disregarded for thepurpose of calculating council tax and water charges, are set out in statute.</p><p>Properties that are whollyoccupied by qualifying students and those wholly…

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has made available to upgrade private water supplies to enable compliance with new EU regulations or connection to public water supplies; who is responsible for the disbursal of such funds, and how owners of private water supplies can apply for funds.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Currently, funding toupgrade private water supplies is available from a number of sources.<b> </b>HousingImprovement Grants can be awarded to households for a range of purposesincluding the upgrade of the water supply. Citizens wishing to apply for ahousing i…

6 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many private water supplies there are, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The figures are publishedannually in the report “Drinking Water Quality in Scotland”. Acopy of the latest report is available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre(Bib. number 31063).</p>

29 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Proof of Concept awards have been distributed; how much funding was allocated in each distribution round, and how many institutions or organisations received one or more awards in each year since 1999, broken down by institution and organisation level.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Proof of Concept Funding isprovided through Scottish Enterprise and the allocation of awards and fundingis an operational matter for them. Information detailing the number of projectsand amounts awarded is available on Scottish Enterprise’s web site at:</p><p…

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it now expects its Environment and Rural Affairs Department to publish its research organisation assessment exercise for 2003 and what action it will take in light of the exercise's recommendations.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The reports of theindividual research organisations are confidential, as are equivalent reportsfor other research organisations, although a summary of the outcomes andconclusions will be contained within the SEERAD Agricultural and Biological ResearchStrategy…

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Waste Awareness Group has bid successfully, or otherwise, for any contracts associated with the Executive's waste awareness campaign at a national or local level.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive’s “Do a Little, Change a Lot” waste campaign is delivered by Barkers Scotland Ltd,one of our roster advertising agencies.</p><p>The Executive is aware thatthe Scottish Waste Awareness Group bid successfully to Aberdeenshire Council tode…

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is appropriate for any organisation involved in drawing up tenders for Executive or local authority work also to be eligible for bidding for such work.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Procurementdecisions by local authorities are a matter for the individual authority concerned.Where an organisation is employed to assist with the preparation of a tender,it would not be normal practice for that organisation to be invited to submit abid, as t…

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Waste Awareness Group played in developing the Executive's policy on waste awareness and in drawing up the specifications for any tender documents for associated promotional work.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Waste AwarenessGroup (SWAG) was closely involved in the development of the eleven area waste planswhich establish a framework for moving towards sustainable waste management in Scotland.The role of SWAG’s “Waste Aware Scotland” campaign is also o…

19 Jan 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who its advisors were in respect of its waste awareness campaign.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive’s “Do aLittle, Change a Lot” waste campaign was developed by Barkers Scotland Ltd withinput from an advisory group including representatives from the Scottish Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Convention of Scottish LocalAuthori…