Dr Jean Turner

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency measures exist to cover the possibility of one or more of the major bus operators withdrawing from the national concessionary travel scheme.

Answer · Tavish Scott: As the scheme provides for compulsoryparticipation by all eligible bus operators the possibility of major bus operatorswithdrawing from the scheme is not an issue.</p>

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what methodology was applied and what agencies were involved in determining the budget for the operation of the national concessionary travel scheme in 2006-07.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The budget of £159 million forthe operation of the Scotland-wide free bus travel scheme for older and disabledpeople in 2006-07 was negotiated in agreement with the Confederation of PassengerTransport. The methodology applied in arriving at the budget involve…

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all categories of the population who are eligible for free bus travel will continue to be in 2007-08, in light of the identification by Audit Scotland of “higher than expected usage” of the national concessionary travel scheme in 2006-07.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive has no currentplans to amend the operation of the Scotland-wide free bus travel scheme for olderand disabled people in the way suggested, since its budget already allows for increasedusage.</p>

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any overspend on the national concessionary travel scheme in 2006-07 will have on the £163 million budget for the scheme in 2007-08.

Answer · Tavish Scott: As a capping mechanism has beenagreed as an integral part of the scheme for 2006-07 and 2007-08, it is not possiblefor the budget to be overspent in either year.</p>

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures will be taken to address any overspend in the budget for the national concessionary travel scheme as a result of the “higher than expected usage” identified by Audit Scotland.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Noting that Audit Scotland didnot identify “higher than expected usage”, a capping mechanism is in any case inplace, thus ensuring the budget cannot overspend.</p>

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the actual expenditure on the national concessionary travel scheme has been up to this point of the financial year.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Noting that bus operators donot all submit their claims in a timely fashion, the sum of actual payments madeto operators up to 17 October 2006 is £83,751,751.</p>

3 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure on the national concessionary travel scheme was projected to be at this point of the financial year.

Answer · Tavish Scott: A budget of £159 million hasbeen set for 2006-07. The process that operators follow to make claims againstthe scheme means that it is difficult to accurately profile projected paymentsthrough the year. Many bus operators do not claim in a timely and accuratef…

2 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28126 by Lewis Macdonald on 19 September 2006, what projects the nurse consultant for care homes will be involved in other than setting up a learning network for care home staff to focus on nutrition.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The learning network will beused to develop communities of practice covering a wide range of issues andtopics of which nutrition is one. The network which will be a combination of a webbased and face to face contact will allow practitioners to have easy and t…

2 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28126 by Lewis Macdonald on 19 September 2006, how much funding it has provided to support the appointment by the Care Commission of a nurse consultant for care homes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The grant awarded by ChiefNursing Officer to the Care Commission to employ the nurse consultant is£70,000 a year for a period of 2 years.</p>

2 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28126 by Lewis Macdonald on 19 September 2006, for how long it will provide funding to support the appointment by the Care Commission of a nurse consultant for care homes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Chief Nursing Officerprovided a grant to the Care Commission for a period of two years to fund theNurse Consultant Post for Older People in a Care Home Sector. The grant wasawarded to the Care Commission to employ 1 full time nurse consultant and 0.5part …

2 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it has provided to Pain Association Scotland and Pain Concern Scotland in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The following table sets outthe funding awarded to the Pain Association Scotland in each year since 1999:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=86 valign=bottom> <p>Year</p> </td> <td width=77 valign=top> <p align=…

2 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will implement the recommendation of the Health and Community Care Committee in Session 1 that comprehensive chronic pain services should be provided throughout Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The provision of services forall long term conditions, including chronic pain, is the responsibility of NHS boards,based on their assessment of local needs.</p><p>All NHS boards provideservices for chronic pain management.</p>

2 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will implement the recommendations contained in the report of Professor James McEwen on the provision of chronic pain services.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Responsibility forimplementing these recommendations rests primarily with NHS boards, based ontheir assessment of local needs. The Executive has encouraged implementation, takingaccount of the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Best Practice Statement on theman…

28 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28051 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 September 2006, what efforts are being made to ensure that the NHS benefits from medical innovations which have been developed by Scottish companies receiving public funding to support their research and development act…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the questionS2W-28050 answered on 6 October 2006.</p><p>The Deputy First Minister andHealth Minister met representatives of the life science industry on 5 October 2006. We arecurrently considering the proposals made by the industry repre…

27 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28051 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 September 2006, whether any funding has been set aside to assist companies which received public funding to support research and development for medical innovations to progress these innovations within the NHS.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28702 on 25 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

27 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28051 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 September 2006, how many medical innovations which have received public research and development funding support received further funding from the Executive to support them to be piloted within the NHS.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-27336 on 28 August 2006, which detailed the background to thefunding of these projects. No further funding has been allocated from the Executiveto support the piloting of commercial medical innovation. The pote…

20 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25667 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2006, whether a national contract will be established to allow NHS boards to provide postal testing kits for chlamydia through bulk and shared purchasing arranged by the Executive.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28501 on 27 September 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

20 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26509 by Mr Andy Kerr on 12 June 2006, whether there has been any progress in completing an estimate of the potential demand from NHS boards for postal testing kits for chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections.

Answer · Andy Kerr: An estimate of the potentialdemand from NHS boards for postal testing kits has now been completed and we areconsidering whether a national procurement contract would be appropriate.</p><p>Separately we have commissionedHealthy Respect to investigate potential…

30 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question SW2-27333 by Nicol Stephen on 28 August 2006, how much funding was given by (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise between 1999 and 2006 to help start up businesses that were headquartered in Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Details of the funding givenis an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands andIslands Enterprise.</p>

30 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27336 by Nicol Stephen on 28 August 2006, what efforts are being made to ensure that medical innovations which receive public funding are piloted by the NHS.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: It would not be appropriate orpossible for all medical innovations to be piloted in the NHS.</p><p>The responsibility for determiningthe means of progressing medical innovations therefore lies with those funding theinnovation. This applies equally to public a…

30 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27336 by Nicol Stephen on 28 August 2006, whether it has any plans to hold information centrally about the number of medical innovations being piloted by NHS boards following the investment of public money in the research and development of such inno…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has nocurrent plans to hold such information centrally.</p><p>However, the Executive recognisesthe benefits, from both a health and economic development perspective, in the uptakeof medical innovations in the NHS. I have agreed with the…

11 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies in receipt of research and development funding from the Executive have had their innovations piloted by NHS boards since 1999.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-27336 on 28 August. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…

11 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has given to research and development companies based in Scotland in respect of medical innovations since 1999.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Since 1 January 1999 the Scottish Executive has provided £9.7 million of funding to some 96 projects in68 research and development companies based in Scotland with respect tomedical innovations. This funding has come from the Executive’s SMART, SPUR,SPUR<sup>…

11 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many medical pilot schemes are currently being conducted by NHS boards.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

11 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26513 by Nicol Stephen on 27 June 2006, how much funding has been clawed back from foreign companies that were in receipt of regional selective assistance because they failed to meet the conditions attached to the funding concerning job targets or ta…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: In the period from 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2006, thetotal amount of RSA recovered from foreign companies was almost £44 million.The following table shows the amount by each accounting year and by localauthority area.</p><p>Recoveries from ForeignCompanies fr…

11 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was given to help to start up businesses that were headquartered in Scotland and which agencies provided the funding in each year between 1999 and 2005.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Funding to assist start upbusinesses is available from a range of sources, which can include the enterprisenetworks and local authorities, as well as private sources. Information on allsuch funding is not collected centrally. Details of the support available …

16 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has made in respect of future use of energy, particularly in respect of moving from oil as a source of energy for transport and from gas for homes and offices.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Projections on future supplyand consumption of energy are being developed for Volume 5 of the Scottish EnergyStudy which will be published later this year.</p>

16 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of increased oil prices has been on agricultural output and food costs and, in particular, in respect of costs of petroleum-based fertilisers and chemicals and fuel for agricultural machinery.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Agricultural output and foodcosts are affected by many factors and it is difficult to be precise about theimpact of increased oil prices. Between 2004 and 2005, the price of a barrel ofBrent crude oil increased by 42%. In 2005, fuel and oil costs borne by the…

16 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to monitor the impact of increasing energy costs on fuel costs for less well off and elderly people.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive plans to continueto use the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) to monitor fuel poverty in Scotland. Thisreport is produced annually and can be used to model the impact of fuel price rises.Modelling based on figures from the 2002 SHCS estimat…

16 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for future transport infrastructure, in light of the reducing oil supply.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The National Transport Strategy(NTS) consultation paper poses questions about a range of issues including how wemight build a sustainable transport system for Scotland. I look forward to consideringviews on the paper after the closing date for comments on 13 …