Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-15042

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 29 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA) aspiration to increase the structure gauge of the line between Kilmarnock and Glasgow to enable the passage of larger rail freight vehicles, the proposal to carry out gauge clearance works to enable the passage of Pendolino trains during West Coast main line diversions and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority's wish to increase the service between Kilmarnock and Glasgow from hourly to half-hourly and whether it will provide funding to enable the progression of the suspended SRA study into the reinstatement of a length of double track and other necessary works between Stewarton and Dunlop.

Question reference: S2W-15039

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 29 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will adopt and revive the Strategic Rail Authority's programme of incremental output statements in respect of a half-hourly service between Kilmarnock and Glasgow.

Question reference: S2W-15066

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 21 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between its Education Department and Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department to ensure that appropriate planning is in place for 2005-06 and beyond to plan placements for those undertaking teacher training in good time.

Question reference: S2W-15064

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14362 by Peter Peacock on 4 March 2005, what monitoring is in place to ensure that management of student placements is undertaken equitably across Scotland to the benefit of students, pupils and qualified staff.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) are currently undertaking an Aspect Review of Initial Teacher Education (ARITE) which focuses on the management of student placements across Scotland.

HMIE are also examining the quality and standard of student tuition offered by the Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) local authorities and their schools. Findings from the Review are expected to be published in July 2005.

In April this year, Scottish Executive Education Department will be asking local authorities and TEIs to submit reports on their roles within the Student Placement Scheme and how local authorities utilised the funding paid from the Executive in 2004-05.

Question reference: S2W-15065

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to ensure that those undertaking training as primary teachers are provided with teaching resources whilst on placement in order to plan and teach.

Question reference: S2W-15069

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 15 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the same definition of fistula in the treatment of patients on peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis applies across Scotland.

I refer to my answers to previousquestions S2W‑14204, S2W‑14205, S2W‑14206 on 3 March 2005 and tomy answer to S2W‑15071 on 14 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The NHS (Charges for Drugs andAppliances) (Scotland) Regulations do not include a definition of “fistula” or anyother medical term in the Regulations used to describe chronic conditions whichconfer exemption from prescription charges.

Applications for exemption fromcharges on medical grounds must be supported by the patient's doctor. Doctors reacha decision based on their medical knowledge and knowledge of individual patients.

Question reference: S2W-15071

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 14 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients receiving ongoing peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis are charged for any prescriptions for medication relating to their condition.

Question reference: S2W-14833

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take if NHS boards do not include decisions of the Scottish Medicines Consortium on new pharmaceutical products in their formulary lists.

Question reference: S2W-14832

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how decisions of the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) are monitored for implementation at NHS board level.

All NHS boards should take accountof the advice and evidence from the SMC and ensure that recommended medicines aremade available to meet clinical need. Where this does not happen it will be followedup proactively by the health department.

The SMC is developing improvedmethods for impact assessment for evaluating the effect of their advice on the prescribingof new medicines in primary and secondary care in Scotland.

In the case of unique drugs forspecific conditions which are approved by SMC, a national implementation plan isprepared which all NHS boards are required to follow. Local NHS boards will agreethe implementation plan for drugs where an alternative drug treatment already exists.

Question reference: S2W-14401

Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 9 March 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations are required when the removal of a school crossing patroller is proposed.

There is no statutory requirementfor consultation. Guidance for local authorities on school crossing patrols - School Crossing PatrolService: Guidelines, were produced by theLocal Authority Road Safety Officers Association and the Royal Society for the Preventionof Accidents, with funding from the UK Government. The Guidelines, which were publishedin 2003, include advice on the management of school crossing patrols; risk assessmentand management; criteria for the establishment of patrol sites, the review and disestablishmentof sites, and the selection, appointment and training of patrol operatives. A copyhas been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35391).