- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 29 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that small local companies in the Highlands and Islands are given the opportunity to tender and benefit from contracts awarded by the public sector.
Answer
The government is committed to ensuring that small and medium sized businesses have fair access to public sector contracts in Scotland. In support of this, in April I wrote to heads of procurement and chief executives throughout the Scottish public sector setting out my expectation that they take six simple steps,
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1265/0080942.pdf, to promote access to public sector contracts for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), social enterprises and third sector bodies.
In addition, companies can have free access to contract opportunities across the Scottish public sector through the Public Contracts Scotland website www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 29 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the proposed introduction of Administered Incentive Pricing will have on the (a) cost of flights from smaller airports, (b) cost of flights within the Highlands and Islands and (c) future viability of small airports.
Answer
Administered Incentive Pricing (AIP) for the use of spectrum by the aeronautical sector would provide airports with a significant cost that they would either have to absorb or pass on to users. For the Highlands and Islands this could translate into a potential requirement of additional funding support by the Scottish Government or increased costs to airlines and ultimately to passengers. This could threaten the viability of some air services. We will be considering Ofcom''s next consultation on the issue.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations of Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare: The Final Report of the Remote and Rural Workstream have been implemented and which are still to be implemented.
Answer
The Remote and Rural Implementation Group is responsible for monitoring implementation of
Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare. Six-monthly reports are published by the North of Scotland Regional Planning Group. The most recent report, dated June 2009, can be found at
www.nospg.nhsscotland.com.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce health checks for people aged over 40.
Answer
The Scottish Government is currently developing proposals for a programme of health checks for people when they reach 40 in association with NHS24. We will make a detailed announcement in due course.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are taken to establish whether young women already have the human papilloma virus (HPV) prior to the administration of the vaccine.
Answer
No such measures are taken. The age at which vaccination is recommend has been chosen on the basis that the vast majority of girls at that age will not yet have been exposed to the human papilloma virus.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that doctors and pharmacists review all prescriptions for people with dementia for antipsychotic drugs.
Answer
We will consider arrangements for the safe and appropriate prescribing of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia as part of the work to be taken forward to prepare a Dementia Strategy for Scotland.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what the duration of protection against cancer is following the administration to young women of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine.
Answer
In terms of Cervarix, the vaccine product used in Scotland, evidence from clinical trials has demonstrated that the vaccine provides protection against cervical infection and pre-cancer caused by oncogenic HPV types for at least six years. Protection is expected to last for much longer.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what age the women involved in the clinical trials of the papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine were.
Answer
The efficacy of Cervarix was assessed in two controlled, double-blind, randomised Phase II and III clinical trials that included a total of 19,778 women aged 15 to 25 years.
In addition, safety and immunogenicity were studied in younger age groups in two clinical trials performed in girls and adolescents aged 10 to 14 years.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how long the clinical trials were of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine.
Answer
Cervarix has been under development for many years. The final pre-licensing phase of large-scale clinical trials “ looking at the effectiveness and safety of the HPV vaccines “ started more than seven years ago.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that doctors and pharmacists work with care homes to ensure that legal documentation is completed and to give appropriate advice on disguising medicines.
Answer
We will consider this as part of the work to prepare a Dementia Strategy for Scotland.
