Questions · Ken Macintosh

5 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the organisation chosen to deliver the new national advocacy service contract for additional support needs was informed that it had been successful.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The new Additional Support Needs National Advocacy Service will be delivered by a partnership between Barnardo''s and the Scottish Child Law Centre. Barnardo''s, who submitted the application on behalf of the partners, were informed that the appl…

5 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were received to deliver the new national advocacy service contract for additional support needs.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish Ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedi…

5 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of the annual award is for the new national advocacy service contractor for additional support needs and how long this award has been made for.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish Ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedi…

5 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what transitional arrangements have been put in place to transfer the services provided by Independent Special Education Advice (Scotland) to the new national advocacy service contractor for additional support needs.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37290 on 18 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busine…

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has transitional arrangements in place to assist families in receipt of support from the advocacy service provided by Independent Special Education Advice (Scotland) for whom a tribunal has yet to be set or will be held after 14 November 2010.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37290 on 18 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busine…

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to assist families in receipt of support from the advocacy service provided by Independent Special Education Advice (Scotland) for whom a tribunal has yet to be set or will be held after 14 November 2010.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish Ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedi…

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used to award the contract for the additional support needs national advocacy service and whether this included having experience of representing parents or families at the Additional Support Needs Tribunal.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish Ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedi…

4 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who was on the panel that awarded the contract for the additional support needs national advocacy service.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 places a legal duty on Scottish Ministers to secure the provision of an advocacy service to be available on request and free of charge to support parents and young people in tribunal proceedi…

28 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any clinical or policy decision to reduce the availability of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards are responsible for providing NHS services in accordance with national and local priorities and in line with the health needs of the population. Decisions regarding the care of individual patients are a matter of professional judgement for the clin…

28 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors how often patients are able to access acupuncture treatment and the length of time between sessions.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information about NHS access to acupuncture treatment is not held centrally.

28 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the availability of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information about NHS availability of acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain is not held centrally.

28 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards offer acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information about NHS availability of acupuncture treatment is not held centrally.

28 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for patients with chronic pain.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The planning and provision of NHS services is a matter for NHS boards. NHS boards are expected to take account of the relevant evidence based advice and guidance in the delivery of NHS services. The treatment of individual patients is a matter of professional…

8 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on plans by Scottish Opera to move members of its orchestra from full-time employment to a 26-week contract.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Opera has a responsibility to look at ways to make best use of its resources. How this is achieved is a matter for Scottish Opera''s management and board, in full consultation with staff and unions. Protecting the world-class work of the company is a…

8 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers plan to meet members of the orchestra of Scottish Opera to hear their concerns regarding proposed changes to their contracts.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I understand the genuine concerns raised by the orchestra members during the consultation process on changes to their contracts. It is not, however, the role of ministers to intervene in the operational management of an independent company. I have made it cle…

8 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings ministers have had with the management of Scottish Opera to discuss proposals to put members of the orchestra on a part-time, 26-week contract.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I met with Scottish Opera as one of a series of meetings with National Companies and discussed their proposals on contract changes at that time.

3 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an assessment has been carried out on the effect of reducing the size of Strathclyde Police’s road policing unit.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Road policing in Strathclyde is an operational matter for Strathclyde Police so this information is not held centrally.

3 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers are aware of plans to reduce the number of officers in Strathclyde Police’s road policing unit and, if so, by how much.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Road policing in Strathclyde is an operational matter for Strathclyde Police so this information is not held centrally.

3 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers are employed in Strathclyde Police’s road policing unit.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Road policing in Strathclyde is an operational matter for Strathclyde Police so this information is not held centrally.

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 2009 Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) staff survey has been published, and if not, when it expects it will be.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Police Services Authority did not carry out a staff survey in 2009.

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedure for verifying fingerprint identifications requires the anonymity of the initial examiner to be maintained, following recent reforms within the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No anonymity is required for those carrying out fingerprint identifications. Fingerprint identifications are carried out using the Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation “ Verification (ACE-V) methodology and each identification is checked by two other qualified ex…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedure for verifying fingerprint identifications now requires a second or third check to be carried out by an examiner with more experience than the initial examiner, following recent reforms within the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Fingerprint identifications are carried out using the Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation “ Verification (ACE-V) methodology. No check is required by an examiner with more experience but each identification is checked by two other qualified experts.

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the fingerprint service now operates without a Verification Unit, following recent reforms within the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA).

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Following a Scientific Advisory Group (Managers) meeting in June 2010, there are now no verification units within the Scottish Police Services Authority.

6 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is monitoring the implementation of the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 (Sunbed) Regulations 2009.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35144 on 26 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business…

6 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it collects on the implementation of the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 (Sunbed) Regulations 2009.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Government does not routinely collect data on the Sunbed Regulations 2009. However, it is intended to survey local authorities on their enforcement of the regulations once these have been in force …

6 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any sunbed salons have closed as a result of the implementation of the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 (Sunbed) Regulations 2009.

Answer · Shona Robison: There is anecdotal evidence of a small number of unsupervised premises closing as a result of the new regulations, and of a number of health clubs no longer offering sunbed facilities to their members.

6 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fines have been issued against sunbed salons since the implementation of the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 (Sunbed) Regulations 2009.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally. Fixed penalty notices to sunbed premises are issued by local authority enforcement officers.

6 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many inspections of sunbed salons have taken place since the implementation of the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008 (Sunbed) Regulations 2009.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally. Inspection of sunbed premises are undertaken by local authority enforcement officers. However, it is intended to survey local authorities on their enforcement of the regulations once these have been in force fo…

23 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is evidence of NHS hospital car park charges having a disproportionate affect on lower-paid staff.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34801 on 5 July 2010. 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.u…

23 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is evidence of a significant disadvantage to NHS staff arising from car park charges.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34801 on 5 July 2010. 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.u…