Mr David Davidson

16 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that there is a sufficient number of dental graduates and whether any such plans include the provision of a new dental school.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The number of dentists working in Scotland has increased constantly over the last 30 years and by 300 in the last eight years, and we are committed to increasing numbers further. The Scottish Advisory Committee for the Dental Workforce (SACDW) advise on the m…

16 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the NHS treatments available from general dental practitioners.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Discussions are under way with the dental profession on extending the range of treatments which may be given by general dental practitioners under NHS general dental services to non-registered patients.

16 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been allocated to health boards covering remote and rural areas to ensure that people in these areas have access to general dental practitioners which is adequate and to the same standard as in the rest of the UK.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Treatment by general dental practitioners is funded from the NHS general dental services budget which is demand-led. The Executive is in discussion with the dental profession on improved support for dentists in rural areas. These will inform the way forward i…

16 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it will allocate to Grampian Health Board to ensure that the full complement of hospital dental consultants is recruited.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is investing record resources in NHSScotland and in Grampian. It is for NHS Grampian to determine how best to deploy these resources in accordance with their assessment of local needs and priorities and in the best interests of patients.

16 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the number of hospital dental consultants employed in (a) restorative dentistry, (b) oral and maxillofacial surgery and (c) orthodontics in the Grampian Health Board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Health Department does not make national recommendations on staffing levels as they would cut across local responsibilities and would undermine boards' and trusts' ability to provide a modern, flexible service matched to local needs. It…

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from universities regarding funding deficits.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive has not received any formal representation from Scottish universities regarding specific funding deficits. The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council is responsible for monitoring the financial health of the higher education institut…

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been granted in relief through the rates relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. since the first reported case of the disease.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The latest information available from councils indicates that £2,408,417 had been granted in rates relief for businesses affected by foot-and-mouth disease at 31 August 2001. It is currently estimated that around £4.1 million will be granted in total to affec…

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals against non-domestic rates assessments are currently outstanding and on what grounds they were lodged.

Answer · Angus MacKay: As at 30 June 2001 (the latest information available), there were 51,610 non-domestic properties with appeals arising from the 2000 Revaluation outstanding. The Scottish Executive holds no information on the grounds on which these appeals were lodged with the…

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) revenues it received from non-domestic rates in each of the years from 1996-97 to 2000-01 and (b) forecasts it has made of the revenues from such rates in each of the years (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The amounts of non-domestic rates collected by councils on behalf of the Scottish Executive for the years 1996-97 to 2000-01 are shown in the following table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=151><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Aria…

2 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from Her Majesty's Government regarding the amount of Scottish Block grant that will be available to it in 2002-03 following the deduction of the Scotland Office budget for that year.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The baselines for 2002-03 are set out in the Draft Budget Document I published on 20 September, and in the UK Estimates. Copies of this document are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. no. 16314).

28 Sep 2001 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what information was made available to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body that led it to decide that the Minister for Parliament should be granted an Edinburgh Accommodation Allowance under the Members' Allowances Scheme to either purchase or lease accommodation in Edinburgh.

Answer · David Steel: The Members' Allowances Scheme provides for members whose main residence falls within certain constituencies to be eligible for an allowance of <I>up to</I> £9,446 (based on actual expenditure incurred) to cover costs associated with the rent or purchase of a…

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the regulations relating to si'e, style and positioning of road signs for tourist attractions in order to address the expense involved for those who have to provide the current brown signs.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: There is no requirement for tourist attractions to erect tourist signs. Where signs are proposed they must meet the specification of the relevant legislation. The legislation and associated guidance relating to the size, style and positioning of all road sign…

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when final out-turn figures will be available of its spending in 2000-01.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The accounts for 2000-01 are currently being audited and, as set out in statute, will be laid before Parliament no later than 31 December 2001. End-year flexibility entitlement is agreed with the Treasury on the basis of estimated outturn.

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the progress of its involvement in the preliminary work being carried out on the Aberdeen western peripheral route and when it will make a decision on whether the project will be added to its road building programme.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The development of the proposed Aberdeen western peripheral is being taken forward by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils in the context of their planned Modern Transport System. As part of its support for that system, the Scottish Executive is extending…

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of agreed spending on Public/Private Partnership and Private Finance Initiative projects in each of the next five years, broken down by each of its departments and by local authority area.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The following tables set out the most recent figures available for estimated payments on Public/Private Partnerships and Private Finance Initiative projects for signed deals broken down sector by sector including local authorities. The annual public expenditu…

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of its inquiry into the effect of the application of the Arbuthnott formula and whether it will provide details of any data involved, broken down by health board.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I announced on 21 March the formation of a Standing Committee, under the chairmanship of Sir John Arbuthnott, to keep both the formula for the allocation of resources to NHSScotland and the information used to support the formula under review.<P ALIGN="JUSTIF…

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that there is no shortfall in its budget as a result of any increase in the cost of construction of the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The Draft Budget Document published on 20 September sets out how the Executive plans to fund increases in the costs of the Parliament up to 2003-04. The increase will be met from the Reserve.

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with HM Treasury Ministers on the Barnett formula since May 1999.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK government on a wide range of issues including the Barnett formula.

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions will be attached to any payment to write off the housing debt of Glasgow City Council.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: Where proposals represent value for money and proceed to transfer, the arrangements for dealing with any residual housing debt, are as follows:<UL><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><LI>the receipt from the transfer should be used to repay breakage costs associated with earl…

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17551 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 September 2001, whether it will give specific details of any representations it has made or plans to make to HM Treasury on the arrangements for the payment to it of the social security element of personal care.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive will continue to have constructive discussions with the UK Government on all issues which may impact on UK responsibilities.

14 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what definition of free personal care it is adopting.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In line with the recommendations of the Care Development Group, the Executive will adopt a definition of personal care which endorses that recommended by the Royal Commission and includes psychological support and counselling as follows:<U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">…

13 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Railtrack regarding single track rail lines in the north east of Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Railtrack on a wide range of issues.

12 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give a substantive answer to question S1W-15829 lodged on 18 May 2001.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Question S1W-15829 was answered on 26 September.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to contain the cost of the administration of devolved government services.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Expenditure on administering the Scottish Executive is subject to the same rigorous scrutiny and control as other areas of the budget. Details of the target to contain spending on the administration by the Scottish Executive relative to the total Scottish bud…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for sale and lease back schemes in respect of properties which it owns.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has no current plans for the sale and lease back of properties which it owns.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given per student place to each academic institution in the higher and further education sectors and what plans there are to review these figures.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The funding of individual higher education institutions and colleges of further education in Scotland is a matter for their respective funding councils. For 2001-02, grant-in-aid by the Scottish Executive to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEF…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many universities and further education colleges are in deficit and, in each case, by how much.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: This information is not held centrally. Issues of funding and financial health are a matter for institutions themselves and the Scottish Funding Councils for Further and Higher Education.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any requests it has received from local authorities for increased financial support in the current financial year.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The total local government settlement allocations for the current financial year have been allocated in full as part of the overall three-year settlements for 2001-02 to 2003-04. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development announced on 10 May additiona…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the priorities for spending within each of its departmental budgets and what consultation with outside bodies will take place during any such review process.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Spending priorities are kept under regular review. These are normally run within the cycle of UK spending reviews. To maximise the output from a fixed budget it is essential that priorities are regularly scrutinised to ensure that they both meet identified ne…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why only preselected invitees constitute the audience at its Budget Roadshows.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Invitees to these events were not preselected. <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">An open invitation was sent to various public, private and voluntary bodies in those areas. These organisations were asked to nominate representatives and recommend other local bodies which the…