- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 17 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23289 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2006, how many NHS boards have implemented Respect and Responsibility.
Answer
I expect all NHS boards to implementthe national strategy. The action plan which accompanies the strategy sets out whatneeds to be done and by whom, including a number of actions for NHS boards to takeforward.
Each board has identified anexecutive director who is responsible for sexual health and wellbeing and lead clinicianshave been appointed to drive forward the practical plan for action, which is partof the strategy.
The Executive has received interimand final clinical service plans from each NHS board. Local inter-agency sexualhealth strategies developed in partnership between NHS boards, local authorities,the voluntary sector and other key stakeholders have also been received. NHSboards will submit an annual report on progress against the actions outlined inthese plans. This will be reported to the National Sexual Health Advisory Committee(NSHAC), and the Executive will then publish an annual progress report, with thefirst one due in the summer of 2006. These annual reviews will be complemented bya more comprehensive five-yearly review, carried out by NSHAC.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 17 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23289 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2006, what methods of distribution have been undertaken by NHS boards which have decided to provide STI diagnostic kits.
Answer
This is a matter for the NHSboards. The information requested is not held centrally.
However, the national sexualhealth strategy, Respect and Responsibility, contains actions for the Scottish ExecutiveHealth Department to consider the potential of development and testing of STI diagnostictesting kits in rural and urban settings. It also tasks the department with consideringthe potential extension of the chlamydia postal testing kit in the light of theevaluation of the Healthy Respect initiative. Scottish Executive officials are activelypursuing these actions with key stakeholders and will report progress to the NationalSexual Health Advisory Committee.
It is our intention to ensurethat where boards do want to use postal testing kits they are made available ina cost effective way, through bulk and shared purchasing. The Executive is planningto provide a seminar for lead clinicians on the results of the Chlamydia PostalTesting Kit, to help them assess the suitability of the kits for their service provision.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 17 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what stage negotiations with trades unions have reached in respect of the Rule of 85 for current members of the Scottish local government pension scheme.
Answer
Discussions on the plan to removethe rule of 85 from the Local Government Pension scheme are continuing and the Executiveis considering options for a solution to this issue in Scotland. The draft Regulations proposed to implement the changeswill be published for consultation once discussions have concluded. However, the recent action initiated by UNISON to seeka Judicial Review of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s decision to removethe rule of 85 in England and Wales is likely to delaymatters. The recent decision by local government unions to take industrial actionthroughout the UK on 28 March does not undermine our commitment to securea negotiated solution.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 16 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take against any Scottish local authority found to be ignoring legal requirements to pay the statutory minimum wage.
Answer
The Executive does not have anypowers to take action against local authorities, or any other employer, found tobe ignoring legal requirements to pay the statutory minimum wage. The responsibilitylies with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on behalf of Department of Trade and Industry.HMRC is responsible for enforcing the National Minimum wage. In cases of an employer’srefusal or wilful neglect to pay National Minimum Wage, HMRC may serve an enforcementnotice.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase prescription and other National Health Service charges.
Answer
We shall today lay before the Parliament regulations (SI no. 2006/149) to increase prescription and other NationalHealth Service charges in Scotland from 1 April 2006. There will be a cash increase in the prescription chargeof 15 pence (2.3%) from £6.50 to £6.65 for each appliance or quantity of a drugdispensed.
The cost of a prescription pre-paymentcertificate will rise to £34.65 for a four month certificate and £95.30 for an annualcertificate. These offer savings for people who need more than five prescribed itemsin four months or 14 items in one year.
Prescription charges are expectedto raise some £45 million for NHSScotland in 2005-06.
Charges for elastic stockingsand tights, fabric supports and most wigs supplied through the hospital servicewill be increased similarly. The one exception is the charge applied in respectof the basic (modacrylic) wig, which currently stands at £53.90. This will be reducedto £6.65 from 1 April 2006.
This year we will be increasingthe prescription charge and other NHS charges by 2.3%. As in the previous six years,this is below the current rate of inflation.
NHS charges in England, Walesand Northern Ireland are a matter for those administrations.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 16 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what costs have been incurred in 2005-06 in the implementation of the regulation of the private security industry.
Answer
The project to implement regulationin Scotland has completed its planning and initiation stage. Thetotal cost of this initial work is £500,000 for the year 2005-06 and, under commonlaw powers, we intend to make a payment to the Security Industry Authority for thissum from current year funding.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23289 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 February 2006, how it will monitor the success of its additional investment of £4.5 million in respect of its sexual health strategy across Scotland.
Answer
The Executive will regularlyreview progress on the implementation of the strategy.
In addition, all NHS boardswill submit an annual report on progress against the actions outlined in both theirLocal Interagency Sexual Health Strategies and their Clinical Services Plans.These will be reported to the National Sexual Health Advisory Committee. the Executive will then produce an annual progress report. The first annualprogress report is scheduled for the summer.
The Executive willcomplement these annual reports with a comprehensive five year review.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2006
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Current Status:
Awaiting answer
To ask the Scottish Executive when it hopes to conclude negotiations with trades unions representing current members of the Scottish local government pension scheme in respect of the Rule of 85.
Answer
Awaiting answer
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by George Lyon on 2 March 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that its relocation decisions offer greater benefit to communities throughout Scotland.
Answer
To ensure relocationdecisions offer greater benefit to communities throughout Scotland we are currently working with localauthorities and enterprise companies to identify the local communities which wouldbenefit from the policy. This local information, which includes data on availableproperties and sites for development, along with relevant data such as recent joblosses and levels of public sector employment, will be used in future location reviews.
- Asked by: Margaret Jamieson, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 28 February 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to provide free test kits for sexually transmitted infections.
Answer
As set out in the national sexual health strategy
Respect and Responsibility the Scottish Executive Health Department is considering the possible extension of the Chlamydia postal testing kit which has been a feature of the Healthy Respect Initiative in Lothian, and the potential for the provision of STI diagnostic kits in rural and urban settings.
Ultimately, it would be for individual boards to decide on the provision of the kits in their areas. boards were provided with an additional £4.5 million to help implement the strategy. The Executive will ensure that where boards do want to use postal testing kits they are made available in a cost effective way, through bulk and shared purchasing arrangements.
