Brian Adam

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which rural towns in Tayside do not have an NHS dental service.

Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust.

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists in Grampian provide an emergency service and where these dentists are located.

Answer · Iain Gray: Dentists throughout Grampian who have patients registered with them under NHS capitation or continuing care arrangements are required to provide emergency cover to these patients under their NHS terms of service. Details of emergency dental services available…

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Grampian are waiting to register with an NHS dentist.

Answer · Iain Gray: Individual general dental practitioners who are independent businesses may hold lists of patients wishing to be treated in their practices but no lists are held centrally.

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which rural towns in Grampian are served only part-time by an NHS dentist.

Answer · Iain Gray: There is no definition of "part-time" in NHS general dental services. Since general dental practices are independent, privately owned businesses, the dentists themselves decide on the hours which will constitute their working week and on which patie…

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which rural towns in Grampian do not have an NHS dental service.

Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for Grampian Primary Care NHS Trust.

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to assist cereal farmers.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer Mr Adam to the answer I gave to question S1W-9187.

15 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to compensate the arable sector for the impact of the Sterling/Euro exchange rate which prevailed during 1999 before the deadline for European Commission applications in October 2000.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No decision has yet been taken on the latest available tranche of agrimoney compensation for the cereals sector, which, like all agrimoney payments can only be made on a UK basis. I will be discussing this matter further with other Agriculture Ministers befor…

4 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the review on the safety of the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty and whether it will publish the review and any plans for implementation of any of its recommendations.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has now received the safety review report. The immediate and short-term measures recommended have been accepted and will be progressed within the current financial year. The report was not commissioned for external publication.

4 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the pilot schemes for electronic tagging of offenders and whether it will provide details.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Following the recent publication of an independent evaluation of the pilot Restriction of Liberty Order schemes, The Scottish Executive will publish a consultation paper shortly on the electronic monitoring of offenders. Decisions on the future of the pilot s…

4 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the current procedures for monitoring the compliance of offenders taking part in the pilot schemes for electronic tagging.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The recently published independent research, <I>An Evaluation of Electronically Monitored Restriction of Liberty Orders</I>, by David Lobley and David Smith concluded that the electronic equipment used to monitor offenders' compliance with their orders had wo…

17 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any contact or correspondence with representatives of beekeepers about the implications of any possible GM contamination of pollen, honey-dew or honey and, if so, whether it will make the details of such contact available.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We have received a number of representations from the President of the Scottish Beekeepers Association about these issues. In our responses we have been able to give reassurance to beekeepers about the safety and the legality of any honey or honey products fo…

17 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether beekeepers can legally sell honey and pure pollen products where some of the pollen may have come from a GM trial crop.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Our legal advice is that any trace amounts of material derived from the trial crop which might be found in honey and honey products do not require a marketing consent. Under the terms of the relevant Directive, some dispersal of GM material beyond the trial s…

17 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out to determine the safety to honeybees and other pollinating insects of pollen from GM trial crops, who carried out any such research and whether it will make any such research available for peer review by the Scottish Beekeepers Association.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment takes account of existing research into this aspect of a proposal to release a genetically modified organism. This is one element of the process which it completes when undertaking its environmental impact…

17 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out into the possibility, extent and implications of GM contamination of pollen, honey-dew and honey, who conducted any such research and whether it will publish any such research.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive takes independent advice on any possible GM contamination of pollen, honey dew and honey from such bodies as the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment whose membership includes an acknowledged expert on Apis mellifera, the F…

4 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7951 by Sarah Boyack on 28 June 2000, when the review of road safety on the A90 will be completed; when the results will be published and when an action plan will be completed.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The report of the review of the road safety measures implemented as part of the A90 Balmedie to Tipperty 1996 Route Accident Reduction Plan is expected by the end of July. The report will be considered by the Road Network Management and Maintenance Division. …

30 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support and advice it will offer to health trusts in managing the consequences of a clinician being suspended from practising due to poor performance, as identified by clinical audit and governance procedures.

Answer · Susan Deacon: he report of a short-life working group on suspension of medical and dental staff, <I>Suspensions - a new perspective</I> was distributed to all Trusts and health boards in April 1999. The report details principles to help employers investigate allegations an…

30 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list, by health trust, details of any poor performance in clinical practice, as identified by clinical audit and governance procedures.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive will continue to encourage the development and open reporting of clinical performance indicators including the Clinical Outcome Indicators, national audits such as the Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality and regular reports from the Cl…

30 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is notified of any problems with individual's clinical practices, as identified by clinical audit and governance procedures.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive would not expect to be notified of individual clinical issues as these will be for the attention of local clinical governance systems with local action as appropriate. The Scottish Executive is developing quality assurance mechanisms to…

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Atlantic Telecom on the rollout of Atlantic e.com, the Wireless IP Local Loop System.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Atlantic Telecom announced the launch of Atlantic e-com, which uses WIPLL, in May 2000 in Glasgow. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Atlantic Telecom, although the detail of the e-com project is a matter for the commercial judgement of the com…

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty's Government on the regulation of, and equality of access to, new technology, with particular regard to the Wireless IP Local Loop System which is currently available in England.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including telecoms regulation. However, the roll out of the WIPLL system will be a commercial decision for individual telecoms companies.

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations on the provision of improved telecommunications using the Wireless IP Local Loop System.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Yes, The Scottish Executive has received one letter asking about non-provision of WIPLL in a location in rural Aberdeenshire.

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it will offer to any residents of sheltered housing who have lost, or are about to lose, their night-time warden cover.

Answer · Iain Gray: Decisions about the provision of night-time warden cover are for the relevant local authority. We are aware that many local authorities are introducing alternatives such as combined warden and community alarm services.

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any advice has been sought from it on the implications of the European Directive on Working Time for night-time wardens in sheltered housing.

Answer · Iain Gray: The European Directive on Working Time is regulated by the Department of Trade and Industry. It is a reserved matter for which the Scottish Executive has no general responsibility.

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations, and from whom, on the provision of night-time warden services in sheltered housing complexes.

Answer · Iain Gray: Yes, the Scottish Executive has received representations on the provision of night-time warden services from individuals in North and South Ayrshire and in Edinburgh.

26 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider Professor Robert Black's opinion on the legality of the collection of tolls on the Skye Bridge.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Professor Black's opinion appears to mirror the points of appeal that were rejected by the Appeal Court, the High Court of Justiciary in the stated cases of Smith, Miller, McMorrine and Robbie the Pict on 16 December 1999. The assignation statement complies w…

22 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to restrict the indications for prescribing interferon.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The prescribing of beta interferon depends on the clinical judgement of the specialist concerned, informed by advice and evidence regarding this treatment.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">At present local Drug and Therapeutic Committees provide advice to clinicians in thei…

21 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8099 by Ross Finnie on 20 June 2000, what was the specific scientific advice which it was given to allow the farm scale GM crop trial at Daviot to continue.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I referred to the specific scientific advice in my answer to question S1W-8099.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">I was advised that the scientific merit of the trial had not been compromised primarily because the contaminant in the control crop would not be treated with the…

21 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations it carried out and when to determine whether the control crop planted at Daviot might contain contaminated seed.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Information on the location of sites where the contaminated seed had been planted was requested from Advanta on 19 May. We understand that the complex distribution chain made it difficult for Advanta to provide this information readily. It was not until 9 Jun…

21 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when and from whom it discovered that the control seed for the farm scale trial at Daviot contained GM contaminated seed.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer to my answer to question S1W-8169.<P>Following enquiries, my officials received this information on 9 June from a representative of Aventis, the company undertaking the trial at Daviot.

21 Jun 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that honey dew, honey and pollen contaminated from GM crops do not appear in the food chain.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Our policy in relation to GM crops has always been to ensure human health and environmental safety. While it is not possible to give an absolute guarantee that very small amounts of GM material will not be present in honey products, the independent expert adv…