Brian Adam

1 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the accountability of the Scottish Agricultural College.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not have any plans to review the accountability of the college.

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms exist for reviewing its criteria for gathering statistics at local and national levels across the range of its responsibilities.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1203 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its criteria are for gathering statistics at local and national levels across the range of its responsibilities.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The aim of the statistical service in Scotland is to provide relevant and reliable statistical information, analysis and advice to meet the needs of government, business and the people of Scotland. It is the assessment of these needs which informs the process…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor action taken by education authorities to protect promoted school staff from victimisation by their subordinates.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The victimisation of any member of teaching staff is a matter for the education authority as employer and we have no plans to monitor this issue.

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor breaches by education authorities in the spirit and practice of the revised disciplinary procedures for teachers agreed by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers on 27 February 2003.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The implementation of the new disciplinary arrangements for teachers are a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) which intends monitoring local agreements. No breaches in the procedures have been brought to the attention of the SNC…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor procedures used by education authorities in relation to disciplining, removing or transferring head teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Education authority disciplinary procedures apply to all teaching staff. The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers intends to monitor local agreements including those on discipline.

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which education authorities have not revised the details of their disciplinary procedures for teachers following the revised disciplinary framework agreed by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers on 27 February 2003.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Details of individual authority procedures are not held centrally. As part of its workplan for academic session 2003-04, the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers intends to monitor all local agreements.

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the application of the revised disciplinary framework for teachers agreed by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers on 27 February 2003.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers intends monitoring local agreements. The committee has yet to consider the precise methodology it will use in doing so.

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the revised disciplinary framework for teachers agreed by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers on 27 February 2003 is being uniformly applied by education authorities.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The implementation of the revised disciplinary framework for teachers is a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. The revised procedures set out a framework within which there are some elements for local negotiation.

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what post-marketing research is available on the efficacy of, and any adverse reactions to, ReFacto, a synthetic Factor VIII product.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals are currently completing post-marketing studies for ReFacto. As with all new medicines, the safety of ReFacto is also routinely monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Agency, the Committee on Safety of Medicines and by Europe…

25 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned any research into links between money problems and health problems in deprived communities.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1138 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search…

25 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund, either directly or indirectly, money advice outreach services within the NHS.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1138 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search…

25 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how money advice outreach services within the NHS might best be provided.

Answer · Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1138 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search…

25 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support money advice outreach services within the NHS.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive supports money advice outreach services within the NHS, particularly in areas of deprivation. Local authorities, social inclusion partnerships' and other non-statutory sources including the NHS and health boards provide financial suppor…

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-148 by Nicol Stephen on 2 June 2003, whether there are any concerns about implications for the completion date of the Aberdeen western peripheral route if Aberdeen City Council proceeds with an additional road crossing over the River Don.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-104 on 6 June 2003. No implications for the proposed completion date are envisaged. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which …

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-544 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 June 2003, what plans it has to ensure that people who wish to use local leisure facilities can do so without exposing themselves to any health risks and discomfort associated with passive smoking.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive proposes to begin a wide reaching public consultation later this year on how best to extend the provision of smoke-free areas in public places, including local leisure facilities.

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-542 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 June 2003, whether any ventilation system can reduce the risks of (a) heart disease, (b) lung disease other than cancer and (c) any other health problems associated with passive smoking.

Answer · Tom McCabe: It is not possible to give a definitive answer to this question because the health risks associated with passive smoking depend on such a wide range of different factors. However, the Scottish Executive does not endorse ventilation systems alone as being an e…

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-542 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 June 2003, what evidence it has to support its statement that the best ventilation systems can protect non-smokers from exposure to carcinogens.

Answer · Tom McCabe: As we made clear in the previous answer, the most effective protection from Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) is a completely smoke-free environment. The Scottish Executive does not endorse ventilation systems alone as offering complete protection against the…

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the capital funding bid from the Scottish Agricultural College submitted to its Environment and Rural Development Department on 15 January 2003 has been approved and, if so, which projects under the bid have been successful and what the capital allocation is to each project.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The college's approved capital grant allocation for 2003-04 is £1 million. Its provisional allocation for 2004-05 and 2005-06 is £1.1 million per annum. The college's capital expenditure plan for 2003-04 comprises: completion of the dairy centre at Crichton, …

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a maritime strategy.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has a clear maritime strategy reflecting our devolved responsibilities and certain reserved maritime and shipping issues that are the responsibility of the UK Government. The ports policy paper <I>Modern Ports: A UK Policy</I>, a copy o…

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the criteria for bus fuel duty rebate.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: While we have no immediate plans to review the criteria for Bus Service Operators Grant (formerly bus fuel duty rebate), we will bring forward options for change as necessary to ensure that public subsidy for bus services continues to be used effectively.

16 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils would be eligible for free school meals if the criteria for such meals were extended to include the children of parents who are on a new deal scheme or are in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax benefit and what the annual co…

Answer · Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on the number of additional children who would gain entitlement if the criteria for a free school meal were extended to include children of parents on a new deal scheme or in receipt of a disability living allo…

13 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review licensing fees for licensed premises.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Following the standing arrangement with COSLA to review liquor licensing fees every three years, it is our intention to begin the next such review in the autumn.

4 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact exposure to passive smoking has on the health of (a) children and (b) adults.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The <I>Report of The Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health</I> published in 1998 (ISBN 0-11-322124-X) included evidence on exposure to passive smoking. The committee concluded that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in (a) children causes seri…

2 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been admitted to hospital in each of the last five years as a result of (a) tobacco consumption, (b) obesity, (c) alcohol misuse and (d) misuse of illegal drugs.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The available information is shown in the following table. Tobacco consumption is not usually explicitly recorded on hospital discharge records, although it is recognised that a considerable number of diseases are precipitated by tobacco use. <P>Scottish Hosp…

2 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have died in each of the last five years as a result of (a) tobacco consumption, (b) obesity, (c) alcohol misuse and (d) misuse of illegal drugs.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to give precise figures on deaths resulting from tobacco use. However, it is estimated that each year more than 13,000 people in Scotland die from smoking-related diseases, including lung cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke.<P>Specifi…

30 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact signage advising the public about the smoking policy of a business has on any health risks associated with passive smoking.

Answer · Tom McCabe: External signage indicating the type of smoking policy in operation within the premises concerned enables customers to ascertain whether smoking restrictions are in place. This enables non-smokers to choose whether to expose themselves to the health risks and…

30 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact separating a room into smoking and non-smoking areas has on any health risks associated with passive smoking.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The effectiveness of designated non-smoking areas is dependent on a number of factors such as the lay-out of the premises concerned and airflow. However, while completely smoke-free are clearly the most effective way to reduce the health risks associated with…

30 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact mechanical ventilation systems have on any health risks associated with passive smoking.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Ventilation systems can improve the comfort and welfare of the public and employees. The best systems can, provided they are properly operated and maintained, protect non-smokers from exposure to carcinogens. However, without being able to guarantee that such…

30 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, or plans to take, to address the low levels of public awareness of any health risks of passive smoking, as referred to in Smoking Policies in Public Places - Survey of Public House and Restaurant Customers, prepared for ASH Scotland and the Health Education Board …

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is continuing to work with NHS Health Scotland on a communication strategy to raise public awareness of the risks associated with passive smoking. Passive smoking is being addressed in a broader tobacco control context which includes ac…