Parliamentary questions
Ken Macintosh
1,334 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on establishing a judicial inquiry into the Shirley McKie case.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Preparatory workis underway and as soon as I am in a position to do so I will make a fullstatement to Parliament.</p>
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it will give to young women who are too old to take part in the vaccination programme against the human papilloma virus (HPV) but who wish to access the new HPV vaccine.
Answer · Shona Robison: The upper age limitfor the HPV vaccination is currently being considered by the Joint Committee onVaccination and Immunisation.</p>
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing a “catch-up” vaccination programme against the human papilloma virus (HPV) for older women to help prevent cervical cancer.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are currently awaitingadvice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the introductionof a catch up campaign against the HPV.</p><p>Further advice isexpected in October.</p>
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which age groups will initially be targeted to receive the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Governmentare committed to providing the HPV vaccine to girls aged 12 to 13, in line withadvice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and are workingwith the NHS on the practical and logistical issues around a nationwide vacci…
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations are being made to introduce a vaccination programme against the human papilloma virus (HPV) to help prevent cervical cancer.
Answer · Shona Robison: Responsibility forco-ordinating the implementation of routine childhood and adult vaccination programmesrests with NHS Health Protection Scotland (HPS). The Scottish Government continuesto set policy and agree strategy.</p><p>A steering group hasbeen set up b…
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to funding the Scottish Schools Digital Network.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Executiveremains committed to funding the Scottish Schools Digital Network, now known asGlow.</p>
21 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in establishing the Scottish Schools Digital Network.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Glow (formerlyScottish Schools Digital Network) programme will start offering live services toschools in the first term of the 2007-08 school year. Technical development is largelycomplete. During the first half of 2007 a series of pilots have been run, i…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Scotland have access to the same range of treatment and support as those in the rest of the United Kingdom.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-1097 on 22 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how health outcomes for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Scotland compare with outcomes in countries such as Denmark.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are aware thatsurvival rates in Denmark are considerably better than those in Scotland. Survival rates in Scotland are increasing however, andthe initiatives set out in the answer to question S3W-1096 on 25 June 2007 are expectedto lead to further improvem…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how health outcomes for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Scotland compare with outcomes in the rest of the United Kingdom.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are aware thatsurvival rates in the north-east of England are betterthan those in Scotland. The trend over the last few years in Scotland has been for survival rates to increase.</p>
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Scotland have access to the same range of treatment and support as those in the rest of Europe.
Answer · Shona Robison: We recognise thatnot all of those in Scotland with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy receiveoptimal care. The initiatives set out in the answer to S3W-1906 will helpprovide additional treatment and support to ensure that in the near future themanagement of these pe…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address the needs of individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Answer · Shona Robison: It has been with theneeds of those with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy<i> </i>(DMD) very much in mind thatthe Scottish Government has been encouraging the development of the Scottish MuscleNetwork (a national MCN) based at Yorkhill. The network aims to improve t…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to deliver its commitment to develop a Holocaust museum.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-1001 on 22 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
14 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will honour its commitment to support the development of a Holocaust museum in Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I can confirmthat this Government will honour the commitment of the previous administrationto support the development of a Holocaust museum in Scotland.</p><p>Funding hasrecently been available to East Renfrewshire Council to assist with thedevelopment of an …
13 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a significant gap between the number of teaching vacancies and the number of newly qualified teachers.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The aim of the ScottishExecutive’s annual teacher workforce planning exercise is to broadly match the supplyand demand for teachers. Vacancies occur throughout the academic year. In orderto make early progress on our early year and class size commitments I re…
13 Jun 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to help probationary teachers secure their first teaching posts.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-119 on 5 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…
29 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is of medically qualified academics to medical students, broken down by medical school.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p>
29 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many medical academics are employed by higher education institutions without a medical school.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p><p>In April 2006, Scottish ministersannounced new measures to refresh and sustain our supply of clinical academics.These include the creation of new pre-doctoral fellowships, with an emphasis onareas of short…
20 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in view of the forthcoming UK Discrimination Law Review Green Paper, it plans to make representations to Her Majesty's Government that it should consult on whether the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland should consider discrimination cases in education which are curr…
Answer · Robert Brown: I confirm that in view of theforthcoming UK Discrimination Law Review Green Paper, the Scottish Executive intendsto make representations to Her Majesty’s Government that it should consult on whetherthe Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland should co…
12 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of its departments operate 0870 phone lines.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information Systems andInformation Services Division manages telephony services used within the Scottish Executive. The division does not use any 0870 numbers in theprovision of telephony services.</p><p>Individual departments mayfrom time to time run public…
12 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on charging individuals who phone a service for which it is responsible.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information Systems andInformation Services Division (ISIS) manages telephony services used within the Scottish Executive. ISIS has adopted Ofcom recommendations on best practicein relation to Number Translation Services (NTS) which are often used fortelephon…
12 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the services for which it has responsibility that operate an 0870 number, also listing the telephone number.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information Systems andInformation Services Division manages telephony services used within the Scottish Executive. The division does not use any 0870 numbers in theprovision of telephony services.</p><p>Individual departments may fromtime to time run public…
12 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which of its services operate an 0870 number.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information Systems and InformationServices Division manages telephony services used within the Scottish Executive.The division does not use any 0870 numbers in the provision of telephony services.</p><p>Individual departments may fromtime to time run public …
12 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many 0870 numbers it operates.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information Systems and InformationServices Division manages telephony services used within the Scottish Executive.The division does not use any 0870 numbers in the provision of telephony services.</p><p>Individual departments may fromtime to time run public …
3 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on plans for the future of the National CJD Surveillance Unit, based in Edinburgh.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Secretary of State forHealth in England and the University of Edinburgh have an agreement ‎to continue funding theNational CJD Surveillance Unit (NCJDSU) until at least 31 ‎March 2010,with an option to extend for three years. The Scottish Exec…
14 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the attainment levels are of students domiciled in Scotland completing higher and further education, broken down by ethnic group.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Number of students domiciledin Scotland completing a higher education (HE) course in 2004-05,broken down by level of attainment and ethnic group.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=bottom> <p> </p> </td> <td …
14 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals domiciled in Scotland are undertaking studies at higher and further education level, broken down by ethnic group.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The numbers of individuals domiciledin Scotland that studied at higher or further education level inthe academic year 2004-05, broken down by ethnic group, are indicated in the followingtables.</p><p>Scottish Domiciled Students inUKHigher Education Institutio…
14 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many racist incidents have been reported in schools since 2002 (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not heldcentrally. Under the Race Relations Amendment (Act) 2000, local authorities musthave a Race Equality Policy in place. Local authorities must monitor and assessthe impact of their policies including the Race Equality Policy on minor…
14 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have undertaken specific training in dealing with racist incidents and addressing racial discrimination in the last five years.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not heldcentrally.</p><p>The four year BEd course forinitial teacher education contains modules on discrimination and inclusion. the Executive currently allocates £13.5 million per annum to assist localauthorities in providing relevant, hi…
14 Sep 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many exclusions from schools have been imposed for racist bullying since 2002.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Statistics specifically on thenumber of exclusions relating to racist bullying are not collected. However, statisticsare collected on the number of exclusions where race has been a motivating factor.These are available from:</p><p>2002-03</p><p><ahref="http:/…