Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-09345

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 25 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all overseas engagements carried out by Ministers and the costs of these visits in 2003-04.

The information requested isset out in the following table.

The cost given for each visitincludes all flight, accommodation and other expenses.

Engagements marked * were atzero cost to the Executive; the costs of members’ attendance at Committee of theRegions meetings are paid for by the Committee of the Regions.

Before any overseas engagementis approved, it must represent good value for the Executive and the taxpayer.

Overseas engagements carriedout by Scottish Executive Ministers during the Financial Year 2003-04

Date of Visit	End Date (if different)	Location	Event	Minister(s)	Cost of Minister’s Travel and Subsistence (£)
29/03/2004	30/03/2004	Belgium	Attended a Justice and Home Affairs Council and met with a number of Member State Interior Ministers.	Cathy Jamieson	589.7
22/03/2004	23/03/2004	Belgium	Attended an Agriculture and Fisheries Council.	Allan Wilson	872.9
22/03/2004	23/03/2004	France	Gave address to the Spring session of the CLRAE Chamber of Regions on the work of REGLEG.	Jack McConnell	1,450.72
19/03/2004	21/03/2004	Estonia	Attended the launch of the UK "Crossroads of Ideas" campaign.	Tavish Scott	1,154.66
20/02/2004	23/02/2004	China	Attended the 9th China International Education Exhibition. Also undertook a number of education and SDI related visits and meetings.	Lewis Macdonald	4,178.27
18/02/2004	19/02/2004	Belgium	Attended conference titled “Districts of Creativity meet @ Flanders” organised by the Flanders regional government. Led delegation comprising representatives of Scottish Enterprise and Scottish business.	Lewis Macdonald	428.7

17/02/2004	19/02/2004	France	Meeting with French Ministers Sarkozy, Plagnol and Lenoir; launch of Entente Cordiale; and SDI related meetings.	Jack McConnell	1,457.03

16/02/2004	19/20/2004	USA	Undertook a series of visits and meetings about the US criminal justice process and discussed the system with those managing and delivering the service.	Cathy Jamieson	5,635.20
11/02/2004	12/02/2004	Belgium	Attended a meeting of the Committee of the Regions.	Nicol Stephen	0.00*
01/02/2004	02/02/2004	Norway	Met Mr Sven Ludvigsen, the Norwegian Fisheries Minister to discuss finding alternative solutions to trade protection measures.	Allan Wilson	160
22/01/2004	23/01/2004	Portugal	Attended a conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe. Also discussed the future of structural funds with similar European sub-member state government, region and member state representatives.	Lewis Macdonald	943.4
19/01/2004	20/01/2004	Belgium	Launched the "New Europe" film series in Scotland House. Also met Viviane Reding EU Commissioner for Education and Culture, Paul Dujardin, Director of the Palais des Beaux-Arts, and Mr Jelle Bakker, Director of European Bureau for Less-Used Languages.	Frank McAveety	397.7
11/01/2004	17/01/2004	USA	Visited Boston, New York and Houston and undertook series of meetings, and visits across the electronics, life sciences, financial services and energy sectors;	Jim Wallace	5,276.25
Undertook a series of interviews and met a number of Scottish companies operating in the USA. Attended the inaugural Robert Burns Memorial Lecture at the United Nations with Secretary General Kofi Annan. Presented awards at the Scottish Space School graduation ceremony in Houston.
15/12/2003	18/12/2003	Belgium	Attended an Agriculture and Fisheries Council.	Ross Finnie	657
08/12/2003	09/12/2003	Belgium	Visited Scotland House, met some Scottish MEPs and visited UKRep. Also met with representatives of the accession countries based in Brussels.	Tavish Scott	553.77
30/11/2003	02/12/2003	Ireland	Visited the Dublin Docklands Development Corporation, the Irish Planning Appeals Board and a regeneration project. Attended a St Andrews Day reception onboard HMS Ocean and had dinner with Noel Ahern TD and Mary Coughlan TD.	Margaret Curran Mary Mulligan	697
26/11/2003	27/11/2003	Belgium	Attended an EU Competitiveness Council, met with Scottish MEPs and Commissioner Barnier.	Jim Wallace	430.3
26/11/2003	27/11/2003	Italy	Attended an Inter-Institutional conference organised as part of the Italian Presidency of the EU.	Tavish Scott	798
24/11/2003		Belgium	Attended the Committee of the Regions Constitutional Affairs Commission.	Nicol Stephen	0.00*
24/11/2003		Belgium	Attended a meeting with Commissioner Fischler and Ben Bradshaw, the UK Fisheries Minister.	Ross Finnie	438.4
24/11/2003	25/11/2003	Belgium	Attended an Education Council.	Peter Peacock	934.79
17/11/2003	18/11/2003	Belgium	Attended an Agriculture and Fisheries Council.	Ross Finnie	638.6
10/11/2003	12/11/2003	Austria	Attended the REGLEG Ministers-Presidents conference.	Jack McConnell	1,014.52
10/11/2003	11/11/2003	Belgium	Attended a Competitiveness Council. Also met a number of MEPs, John Grant the Head of UKRep, and representatives from the Commission. Also visited Scotland Europa, and took part in Remembrance day events in Ypres.	Andy Kerr	601.18
02/11/2003	03/11/2003	France	Attended a symposium on social affairs.	Margaret Curran	1,191.76
03/11/2003	04/11/2003	Netherlands/ Belgium	Attended a ceremony in The Hague ratifying the Hague Convention on Protection of Adults.	Hugh Henry	632.28
In Brussels met with Europol and Commission officials to discuss the EU Justice and Home Affairs agenda.
31/10/2003	03/11/2003	USA	Attended "dressed to Kilt" event as part of LA Fashion Week. Also undertook a series of visits and meetings to promote Scottish culture and film.	Frank McAveety	2,577.94
26/10/2003	27/10/2003	Luxembourg	Attended an Environment Council.	Ross Finnie	815
23/10/2003	24/10/2003	Belgium	Attended a meeting with Regional Environment Ministers and Commissioner Wallstrom.	Allan Wilson	438.6
19/10/2003	22/10/2003	Italy/Belgium	Attended Informal Council meeting on Regional Policy in Rome and held series of meetings in Brussels.	Jack McConnell	2,255.33
20/10/2003	22/10/2003	Italy	Represented the Executive at the Consistory to mark the Elevation of Archbishop Keith Patrick O’Brien to Cardinal.	Patricia Ferguson	1,470.03
20/10/2003	27/10/2003	Japan/ Malaysia/Singapore	Undertook a series of company meetings and visits regarding life sciences, nanotechnology, Higher Education, textiles, and techmedia. Also opened the SDI's new Singapore incubator for Scottish companies.	Jim Wallace	6,130.08
08/10/2003	09/10/2003	Belgium	Attended a Committee of the Regions meeting.	Nicol Stephen	0.00*
17/09/2003	19/09/2003	Germany	Attended a Ministerial meeting on the Bologna Process for Higher Education reform in Europe.	Lewis Macdonald	1,201.69
17/09/2003	21/09/2003	Spain	Undertook a series of promotion of Scotland events as part of the Executive’s co-operation agreement with Catalonia.	Jim Wallace, Frank McAveety	2,163.71
27/08/2003	30/08/2003	Morocco	Attended the World Congress on Youth.	Euan Robson	1,227.00
22/08/2003	29/08/2003	Netherlands	Attended the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law conference.	Colin Boyd	1,070.00
19/08/2003	21/08/2003	Sweden	Fact-finding visit to look at the Swedish integrated services for offenders.	Cathy Jamieson	1,205.20
09/08/2003	13/08/2003	USA	Attended the International Association of Prosecutors Annual Conference. Also visited Red Hook Community project, New York.	Elish Angiolini	4,318.67

13/07/2003	15/07/2003	Belgium	Met Commission President Romano Prodi, Commissioners Neil Kinnock and Margot Wallstrom, and Bart Somers, the Minister President of Flanders. Also met Sir Nigel Sheinwald, and attended a Committee of the Regions Constitution Committee.	Jack McConnell	417.4
07/07/2003	08/07/2003	Belgium	Attended conference on Cohesion and Constitution – the Roles and Responsibilities of the Regions.	Lewis Macdonald	535.7
02/07/2003	03/07/2003	Belgium	Attended a meeting of the Committee of the Regions.	Nicol Stephen	0.00*
24/06/2003	27/06/2003	USA	Attended the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC and opened Scottish Development International’s office in Boston.	Frank McAveety	2,862.20
15/06/2003	17/06/2003	Italy	Attended launch of European Code Against Cancer and International Symposium on Cancer care.	Malcolm Chisholm	1,251.54



11/06/2003	13/06/2003	Luxembourg	Attended an Agriculture, Fisheries Council, and also an Environment Council.	Ross Finnie	915
23/05/2003	26/05/2003	Belgium	Attended International Bar Association meeting.	Colin Boyd	789.41
24/04/2003		Belgium	Met with Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy.	Allan Wilson	524
11/04/2003	18/04/2003	Australia	Attended Commonwealth Law conference.	Colin Boyd	4,108.50
07/04/2003	08/04/2003	Luxembourg	Attended an Agriculture and Fisheries Council.	Ross Finnie	956.46
Total					68,365.59

Question reference: S2O-02811

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it is issuing regarding the prescription of risperidone and olan'apine to elderly people with dementia.

Question reference: S2W-08864

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 21 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that care workers and related staff are suitably vetted before being assigned to work with vulnerable elderly and disabled people.

Question reference: S2W-08871

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 21 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether current vetting procedures are sufficient for care workers who work in nursing homes and those who work in the patient's own home.

Question reference: S2W-08867

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 21 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the Care Commission's regulation of the quality of care offered in care homes.

Question reference: S2W-08873

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Euan Robson on 21 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a pay scale for professional care workers with pay levels rising dependent on experience and qualifications.

Question reference: S2W-08866

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 21 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it undertakes of the Care Commission's regulation of private care companies.

Ministers are responsible through a management statement and financial memorandum for setting the policy, planning and financial framework within which the Care Commission must operate, including objective and target setting. In carrying out its functions, and in accordance with the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001, the Care Commission makes no distinction between its regulation of services in the independent sector and those in the public sector. The management statement requires the Care Commission to have a corporate plan agreed with Scottish ministers setting out targets covering a three-year period. The commission is required to make the plan available to the public on request. The plan includes targets relating to key regulatory functions such as inspections and complaints. I meet the Care Commission twice a year to discuss progress, and my officials meet the senior management team on a regular basis to monitor its performance against agreed targets. A copy of the Care Commission’s annual report on its activities and accounts must be laid in Parliament. The plan for 2002-03 was laid on 16 December 2003.

Question reference: S2W-08865

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 21 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what national standards are in place to vet care workers and whether such standards are sufficient.

The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (the Care Commission) is already regulating a wide range of the services defined in Section 2 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (the Act), including care homes, support services (care at home and day care), housing support services and nurse agencies. Adult placements, some school care accommodation services and some independent health care services are not being regulated yet.

The Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002 (as amended) require providers of regulated services to employ only people who are fit to be employed, and make it an offence not to do so. These regulations also specify that a person who is not fit is one who is not physically and mentally fit for the purposes of the work to be undertaken; does not have the qualifications, skills and experience, or who is required to be registered with another body to perform the work but is not so registered. The Care Commission also expects providers to meet the associated National Care Standards. These standards expect providers to have in place safe recruitment practices which include taking up references, criminal record checks and cross reference to the registers of professional organisations. Care Commission inspections check that all of this is in place.

These arrangements, and the fact that people can complain either to the provider or to the Care Commission direct about the provision of a care service, together give the Care Commission the teeth it needs to take appropriate action, including ultimately cancelling registration.

Question reference: S2W-08870

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Euan Robson on 21 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements are in place to ensure that care workers have undertaken appropriate training.

In accordance with the regulations made under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (the act), care service providers are required only to employ people who are fit. Under the regulations, employees are not considered to be fit unless they have the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work that the person is to perform. The Code of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers sets out guidance on issues such as recruitment, training and development of staff. The National Care Standards also provide guidance on training for staff.

In terms of social care, the act also established the Scottish SocialServices Council (SSSC), its main purpose being to regulate the social service workforce and promote its education and training. Registration of the workforce will be carried out in phases and phase 1 commenced on 1 April 2003 with social workers being the first workers to register. The SSSC has published the qualifications criteria for the first two phases of registration and employers are already working to ensure that staff meet the qualifications criteria set. In recognition of the pressures on all sectors from regulation, the Executive has ensured that additional funding is available for staff training.

Question reference: S2W-08875

Asked by: Irene Oldfather, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 18 June 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that elderly people who are vulnerable through mental illness are assisted in making complaints about the quality of care they receive.

People using services regulated by the Care Commission are able to complain to the provider of the care service, who is required by law to have a procedure for dealing with complaints. They can also complain direct to the Care Commission, which has a complaints procedure approved by Scottish ministers. The National CareStandards that apply to care services for adults, such as those for care homes,include a standard about how to express views. It expects service users to beencouraged to express their views on any aspect of the care service, and, ifthey need help to raise concerns, to encourage and support them to use anindependent and confidential advocacy service that can act for them. The CareCommission expects providers to demonstrate how they are meeting this standard.

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