Parliamentary questions
Mr David Davidson
1,095 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce pilot schemes to allow greater prescribing of drugs and medicines by pharmacists.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A Project Board has been formed to take forward the planning of this initiative which I announced on 8 November 1999 in my speech to the National Symposium on "Pharmacy and the NHS in Scotland". Our intention is to have pilot schemes up and running by the end…
1 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to take control over the prices of non-pharmaceutical price regulation scheme branded medicines and branded generics sold to the NHS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This matter is reserved to the Department of Health. We are in touch with the Department of Health on a wide range of issues including the prices of non-pharmaceutical price regulation scheme branded medicines and branded generics sold to the NHS.
25 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future management of its treasury function and to detail the reporting structure of Ministers within it.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The finance function within the Scottish Executive is currently the subject of an internal review which is aimed at ensuring that, following devolution, it continues to provide appropriate financial advice and control effectively. In pursuing this objective I…
24 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those councils which have disputed their local government finance settlements for 2000-01 and whether it will detail its response to each.
Answer · Jack McConnell: As in previous years, the distribution of the 2000-01 local government finance settlement has been calculated on a basis agreed through collective consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. A number of councils have made representations t…
23 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to supply emergency hormonal contraception through pharmacies.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Hormonal emergency contraception is at present available through community pharmacies but only on prescription.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>The Medicines Control Agency is currently considering applications to re-classify hormonal emergency contraception from…
16 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it believes that it is necessary to change the board structure of trust ports such as Peterhead or Fraserburgh, given their track records in running their ports.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive recognises the important role and contribution of the harbours at Peterhead and Fraserburgh for the local economy in particular for the fishing industry. <I>Modernising Trust Ports, A Guide to Good Governance</I>, published in January 2…
16 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it has decided to accept all of the guidelines in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions publication Modernising Trust Ports: A Guide to Good Governance without examining whether they apply to Scottish trust ports, and in particular to Scottish fishery ports, and…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive was closely involved in developing the guidelines <I>Modernising Trust Ports: A Guide to Good Governance</I>. The guidance was drawn up following wide consultation with the trust sector and its representative bodies. The guidelines appl…
16 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it believes that directors of Scottish trust ports will be more accountable if they are appointed rather than elected as at present.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Most Trust Ports' Board members are appointed following nomination by the various interest groups represented on the Board rather than elected. There are Trust Ports where the majority of appointments to Boards are made through local elections but they will b…
2 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it has taken since July 1999 to increase visitor spending in Scotland during 2000.
Answer · Henry McLeish: We have prepared a new strategy for Scottish tourism, which was published today.
2 Feb 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it has planned for the years 2001 to 2004 to increase visitor spending in Scotland.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Our proposals are set out in the new strategy for Scottish tourism which was published today.
25 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3107 by Rhona Brankin on 22 December 1999, whether a meeting has been arranged to discuss the issue of community involvement in the ownership of football clubs and whether representatives from Aberdeen Football Club Supporters Association will be inv…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I have invited the football authorities in Scotland and the Scottish Federation of Football Supporters to let me have their views in writing by 11 February on the ideas discussed in the Co-operative Party's pamphlet <I>Mutualism - A Golden Goal?.</I> The issu…
25 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, pursuant to the published letter sent by Commissioner Fran' Fischler to Mr Ben Gill, President of the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales, it will take action under article 87(2)(b) of the Treaty of Rome to ask the European Commission for permission to aid the pig indust…
Answer · Ross Finnie: Given that BSE controls apply throughout the UK, it is almost certain that the EU would not approve measures for Scotland alone under article 87(2)(b) of the Treaty. The most significant BSE-related cost borne by the pig industry has been the prohibition of p…
14 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any constraints which limit the ability of the responsible Minister to investigate and intervene regarding the maintenance of standards in further education colleges.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The statutory duty to secure adequate and efficient provision of further education in Scotland is now principally exercised by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council on behalf of Ministers. When questions about standards in FE colleges arise, Minister…
12 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3178 by Henry McLeish on 23 December 1999, what its target percentage is for private funding in the higher and further education sectors and whether it has any plans to sell off to any consortia any interests the Executive holds in institutions activ…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Executive has no target percentage for private funding in the higher and further education sectors. As autonomous bodies, the institutions themselves are free to attract private funding as they wish. The Executive does not own higher and further education…
12 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3181 by Sarah Boyack on 23 December 1999, whether any specific representations have been made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the level of excise duty on heavy vehicles and its impact on the trading position of Scottish road haulage firm…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I have nothing to add to my answer of 23 December.
12 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken every measure available to it to prevent the collapse of the Scottish pig industry.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive recognises the serious difficulties presently facing the Scottish pig industry and the impact which this is having on employment both on farm and in the processing sector. It has taken a number of measures to strengthen the marketing po…
12 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the spring supplementary estimates will be placed before the Finance Committee and to what level the information will be given.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Spring Supplementary Order was laid on 21 January. As the Order affects the transitional year it must follow the Westminster format and will be similar to the Autumn Supplementary Order.
12 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was set aside for allocation to each health board to cope with any potential winter epidemic and whether that funding has proved to be sufficient in every case.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There has been record investment in the Health Service in Scotland this year. From £300 million extra allocated to health in Scotland, each health board received a substantial increase above inflation to meet the health care needs of their resident population…
12 Jan 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3177 by Susan Deacon on 23 December 1999, what steps, if any, the Executive intends to take to gather centrally statistics on the diagnosis of diseases such as asthma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and meningitis.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A number of steps are being taken to improve the central collection of data on disease diagnosis to assist national and local planning of health care, such as the establishment of a Scottish Diabetes Register.
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Secretary of State for Scotland with regard to the potential impact of his department's spending plans on the Executive's ability to deliver its spending plans this financial year and whether it has made any such representations for future years.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Secretary of State and the First Minister have discussed the Secretary of State's spending plans which will amount to around 0.04% of the total Scottish budget in 2000-01.
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with Her Majesty's Government whether the Scottish Consolidated Fund will be increased in order to ensure that its spending in areas such as health, education, housing and transport does not need to be reduced in the event of the cost of the Holyrood project incre…
Answer · Jack McConnell: No.
10 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will grant emegency financial aid to the Grampian University Hospitals Trust, in the light of the Trust's statement today indicating that it is currently underfunded and that it will not be able to fully fund the provision of services in the year 2000-01.
Answer · Susan Deacon: In the current financial year, the Scottish Executive has committed revenue funding for Hospital and Community Health Services of £392.78 million to Grampian, 4.25% more than last year's general allocation. My recent announcement of allocations for 2000-01 co…
10 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to ensure that Health Board funding is maintained in line with inflation in the health sector.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We are committed to substantially increase NHS spending in Scotland in real terms over the coming years as demonstrated by the additional investment of £1.8 billion made over this and the next two years. This is an average annual real terms increase of 3.7% o…
10 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, when it publishes its public consultation document on the budget, it will give the information in both cash and real terms.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I gave a firm commitment in my opening remarks to the Finance Committee on 14 December to publish figures in both cash and real terms.
10 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will in future ensure that all MSPs receive details of announcements on spending prior to them being released to the press.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Executive has routinely ensured that MSPs have access to the details of proposed changes to its spending plans before these are released to the press. This practice will continue.
9 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have asked for more funding for next year than they were initially allocated; how much these authorities have asked for, and what response has been given to each one.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Individual councils were notified of their allocations from the local government finance revenue settlement for 2000-01 on Wednesday 15 December. To date I am not aware of any councils having submitted formal requests for additional grant for next year.
9 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any rationing of drugs on the grounds of cost within the Scottish health service and, if so, which drugs come into this category.
Answer · Susan Deacon: No. Clinicians are expected to base their prescribing decisions on the clinical needs of patients taking into account available evidence of the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of drugs.
9 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive with regard to European Union Structured Fund support for fishing communities, how much will be available to each Scottish region and who will decide the final amounts allocated to each region.
Answer · John Home Robertson: No decisions have yet been taken on the allocation of structural funds for fishing communities across Scotland. Ministers will consider the distribution of funds as Structural plans are developed. Final decisions will only be taken once these plans have been …
9 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding a reduction in the cost to road hauliers of excise duty in order to assist Scottish firms' trading position.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive keeps in regular contact with Treasury on a range of reserved issues which affect Scottish interests.
9 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Food Standards Agency office in Aberdeen will open.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The aim is for the Food Standards Agency office in Aberdeen to be open in spring 2000 when the Agency will assume its full powers.