Parliamentary questions
Brian Adam
1,580 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on charges for the disposal of industrial and commercial waste.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Disposal of industrial andcommercial waste in Scotland is carried out by private waste management companiesor local authorities. It is up to these bodies to ensure that their chargesreflect the economic and environmental costs of waste disposal. A landfill ta…
7 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will initiate a cross-cutting review of the effectiveness of current funding formulae in achieving social inclusion.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive is currentlyevaluating the effectiveness of early years policies, including the expenditureon specific programmes such as Sure Start and the Changing Children’s ServicesFund that have a strong social inclusion element.</p><p>More generally, the …
7 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made an impact assessment of additional funds allocated to tackle deprivation granted to local authorities, NHS boards and trusts and other bodies.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive keepsthe use of resources under review to ensure that money is used effectively.</p>
7 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when additional funding assigned to tackle deprivation was first allocated under each of the funding formulae that it uses to disburse funds and what targets were set to eliminate deprivation when such funding was allocated.
Answer · Margaret Curran: he network of 48 social inclusionpartnerships (SIPs) was launched in 1999.</p><p>The authorities selected toimplement pathfinders under the better neighbourhood services fund (BNSF) were announcedon 15 January 2001.</p><p>The answer given to questionS2W-3231 …
7 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring arrangements and targets are set in relation to any additional funds specifically allocated to tackle deprivation.
Answer · Margaret Curran: he main additional fundsspecifically allocated to tackle deprivation are social inclusion partnership(SIP) funds and better neighbourhoods services funds (BNSF).</p><p>In relation to the SIP fund,a Monitoring Framework has been in place since 1999, which requ…
7 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of funding under each funding formula that it uses to disburse funds is allocated to redress deprivation factors.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The main allocations offunding to local authorities and health boards do not allocate resourcesspecifically to tackle deprivation, although relative deprivation between areasis one of the factors used to construct the formulae.</p><p>However, there are severa…
1 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2044 by Hugh Henry on 8 September 2003, when the Scottish Law Commission will complete its review of the operation of the land register and whether it has any plans to amend the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Law Commissionexpects to publish its first discussion paper on the theoretical basis ofregistration of title in Scotland in January 2004. This will be followed by a seconddiscussion paper on more detailed and more practical issues. Depending on t…
22 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it will agree to the withdrawal from education by the Scottish Agricultural College at any or all of its campuses.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I would refer you to the answergiven to question S2O-424 on 18 September 2003. The Scottish Agricultural College(SAC) proposes to continue to provide sub-degree provision on a dispersed basisin Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire and in other parts of Scotland, subjec…
22 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a continuation of degree level courses at the Craibstone and Auchincruive campuses is possible under the latest proposals for restructuring of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).
Answer · Ross Finnie: The SAC will continue to provide degree level courses at Craibstone and Auchincruive for existing students and fornew students enrolling in October 2003. In the longer term the SAC have said they plan to provide degree courses at Edinburgh.</p>
22 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) to publish volume 2 of the Deloitte & Touche Phase 3 report on the Corporate Strategy Review of the college.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I understand that volume 2 of the Phase 3 report is available on request from the SAC’s Director of CorporateAffairs.</p>
16 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that a commitment to transparency on decision-making and procedures is applied by local authorities.
Answer · Andy Kerr: This is being achieved by statutorymeans and by changes to audit and reporting arrangements. </p><p>Section 1 of the Local Governmentin Scotland Act 2003 places all local authorities under a statutory duty to secureBest Value. Scottish ministers have issued g…
16 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1191 by Peter Peacock on 17 July 2003, what arrangements there are to ensure that local negotiations on revised disciplinary procedures do not leave any scope for misunderstanding and misapplication by education officials.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The clarity of local agreementsis a matter for local negotiators. The revised disciplinary framework agreed bythe Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers establishes a basic framework thatwill ensure that procedures are both fair and effective. It also co…
16 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1192 by Peter Peacock on 17 July 2003, when the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers will publish its precise methodology for monitoring local agreements on the revised disciplinary framework for teachers agreed on 27 February 2003.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The publication of the arrangementsfor monitoring local agreements is a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committeefor Teachers (SNCT). The agreement, <i>A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century</i>,recommends that the SNCT conducts a thorough review of t…
16 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1196 by Peter Peacock on 17 July 2003, how it monitors the application of disciplinary procedures by education authorities.
Answer · Peter Peacock: We do not monitor the application of teacher disciplinary procedures by education authorities. However, the ScottishNegotiating Committee for Teachers is able to offer advice to local negotiating committees if any issues arise in relation to disciplinary proc…
15 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to increase the uptake of the colorectal cancer screening pilot and whether this can be achieved using existing resources.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The second round of colorectalcancer screening in the pilot area of Fife, Grampian and Tayside will provide an opportunity tolook at a number of issues including initiatives aimed at increasing the screeninginvitation uptake. It is expected that any increases…
15 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the age range of patients eligible for the colorectal cancer screening programme.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-2628 today, which is available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
15 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the number of staff within the NHS who are able to perform colonoscopies.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-2628 today, which is available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
15 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether sufficient theatre and laboratory capacity and colonoscopy skills are available to allow the colorectal cancer screening programme to be rolled out throughout Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-2628 today, which is available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/searc…
15 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the colorectal cancer screening programme will be rolled out throughout Scotland and what funding will be required for the programme.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In line with <i>Cancer inScotland – Action for Change</i> and taking into account the findings of the <i>Evaluationof the UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot</i>, the Executive has re-affirmed itscommitment to introduce a national colorectal cancer screening…
15 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the colorectal cancer screening pilot and when the outcome of the pilot will be published.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The <i>Evaluation of the UK ColorectalCancer Screening Pilot</i> was released on 8 July 2003. Acopy of the report is available at <ahref="http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/publications/ColorectalCaScreenpilotEval2003.pdf">www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/publications…
29 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-1588, S2W-1589, S2W-1590, S2W-1591, S2W-1592 and S2W-1593 by Peter Peacock on 14 August 2003, whether the management of assistant principal teacher posts was considered in the weighting process for the job-si'ing exercise on promoted postholders in…
Answer · Peter Peacock: Yes. The management of allteaching and non-teaching staff was taken into consideration in the job sizingprocess.</p>
29 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-1588, S2W-1589, S2W-1590, S2W-1591, S2W-1592 and S2W-1593 by Peter Peacock on 14 August 2003, how many posts there are at each salary point for (a) promoted teachers, and (b) principal teachers of guidance, following the job-si'ing exercise on prom…
Answer · Peter Peacock: The information cannot beprovided in the format requested. To do so could raise data protection issuesby potentially revealing personal data to third parties without the consent of the persons concerned.</p><p>Thefollowing tables provide the number of posts o…
27 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times are for an assessment for low-vision aids in each NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested isnot available centrally. Information on waiting times for a first out-patientappointment with a consultant, following GP referral, is collected at specialtylevel only. The assessment for low-vision aids is undertaken in the special…
27 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any advice to NHS boards on the assessment for, and issuing of, low-vision aids to registered blind and partially sighted people.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No such advice has been issued.</p>
27 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government on the implications for voluntary sector employment opportunities for disabled people, including blind and partially-sighted people, of constraints caused by the three-year funding period under the Access to Work programm…
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of reserved issues, includingaccess to work. </p><p>The commitment to three-yearfunding programmes for voluntary sector organisations is a key principle of boththe Scottish and…
27 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of the introduction of free eye tests are for low-vision services.
Answer · Tom McCabe: None.</p>
27 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many training places are available for rehabilitation workers for blind and partially sighted people.
Answer · Euan Robson: The Guide Dogs for the BlindAssociation's School of Vision and Rehabilitation Studies in Glasgow offerstraining for rehabilitation workers in Scotland. Over the past 11 years in excess of 300 students havecompleted courses to qualify as rehabilitation workers…
27 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for a recognised funded qualification course for rehabilitation workers for blind and partially sighted people.
Answer · Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive is aware that the Diploma of Higher Education in Rehabilitation Studiesoffered at the Guide Dogs for the Blind School of Vision and RehabilitationStudies is at present on its final intake. The Social Work ServicesInspectorate have secon…
26 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Factor (a) VIII and (b) IX was used; what proportion of each product was synthetic, and how many patients were treated with each product, in each year from 1979 to 1989.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Details of the figures availableto the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) for issues of FactorsVIII and IX by SNBTS and the purchases of commercial products from 1979 to 1989are given in the following tables. Recombinant Factors VIII and IX w…
26 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the range of illnesses that qualify for free prescriptions to include schi'ophrenia.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is committedto reviewing NHS prescription charges for people with chronic health conditionsand young people in full-time education or training. The detailed remit of thereview is still under consideration and the consultation process has yet to …