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-00302

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS trusts had incurred a financial deficit at the end of 2002-03 and what the deficit of each such trust was.

The following forecast positions have been received from the trusts in their March financial monitoring:

Trust	Forecast Overspend (£000)
Argyll and Clyde Acute	5,204
Lomond and Argyll Primary Care Trust	1,926
Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Primary Care Trust	4,106
Grampian Acute	5,199
Lanarkshire Acute	6,261

NHS Argyll and Clyde are working to develop financial plans, which ensure a return to financial balance while protecting patient services.The forecast overspend by Grampian and Lanarkshire Acute Trusts are brought forward figures and are in line with financial plans which demonstrate how these amounts will be repaid.

Question reference: S2W-00303

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been diagnosed as having an autistic spectrum disorder, broken down by NHS board area.

Question reference: S2W-00194

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of specialist training places in dermatology is being reviewed and, if so, whether any consideration is being given to increasing the number of such places to provide qualified candidates for any existing consultant vacancies and for any future consultant posts that may be needed over the next 10 years.

The numbers of higher specialist training posts (i.e. Specialist Registrars) in all specialties are regularly reviewed and adjusted. In 2000 there were 15.3 (whole-time equivalent) Specialist Registrars in dermatology; in 2002 there were 19.8. Decisions on the numbers required in training are informed by anticipated turnover, service need and local service developments. We are reviewing the arrangements for medical workforce planning so that decisions are better informed and taken in a proper context. The Scottish Executive has committed to 375 more junior doctors by 2004 and 600 more consultants by 2006.

Question reference: S2W-00211

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making single vaccines for mumps, measles and rubella available on the NHS as an alternative to the triple MMR vaccine.

Question reference: S2W-00205

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what protection and support will be given to any doctor accused of negligence who had been required to work excessive hours.

The New Deal is a contractual agreement between the trusts and junior doctors, designed to protect staff and patients. The Scottish Executive fully supports the New Deal, and our role is to encourage trusts to meet their contractual obligations.The Scottish Executive works in partnership with the BMA Scottish Junior Doctors Committee and NHS trust representatives on implementation of the New Deal.

Question reference: S2W-00059

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to recruit volunteers into the Scottish Ambulance Service and what standard of training such volunteers would require to be eligible for recruitment.

The Scottish Ambulance Service is targeting its efforts to recruit volunteers in the remote and rural areas of Scotland where the life saving interventions they can provide will bring the greatest benefit. They will be used to enhance the level of immediate care available until more qualified medical help can arrive. The ambulance service will conduct all necessary training, which is accredited to the Institute of Health Care Development "First on Scene" level.

Question reference: S2W-00195

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing core dermatology education for all medical and nursing undergraduates.

The responsibility for determining the educational requirements for all medical and nursing undergraduates rests with the General Medical Council (GMC) for medical undergraduates and the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nursing undergraduates.These professional bodies decide the standard of expertise to be maintained, in partnership with the higher education institutions, and their advice underpins the content of the courses.

Question reference: S2W-00196

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether education and training in dermatology that reflect the workload of GPs in respect of that condition is offered by the NHS.

Education and training in dermatology is currently offered by the NHS to GPs. At present, general practitioners are expected to identify their own personal learning needs to better provide the health needs of their patients and to seek training accordingly. Guidance and assistance is available to GPs from NHS Education for Scotland (NES) via the Postgraduate Directors of General Practice Education.

Question reference: S2W-00201

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the rise in cases of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

As a result of increases in the reported cases of measles, mumps and rubella in 2002 the Executive will continue to work with health professionals to reinforce the importance of vaccination, and the protection it provides to individuals and the population as a whole.Expert advice from around the world confirms that MMR remains the most effective way to protect children from these very serious, and potentially fatal, diseases.

Question reference: S2W-00064

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 3 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether appropriate guidelines and procedures are now in place to ensure early identification, assessment, diagnosis and access to early interventions for pre-school and primary school-age children with an autistic spectrum disorder.

Guidance on special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), is contained in the Manual of Good Practice for all staff and professionals involved with children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), Effective Provision for Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) and Circular 4/96: Children and Young People with SEN - Assessment and Recording and the framework document Moving Forward! Additional Support for Learning. In addition, proposals for changes to the current system for the assessment and recording of children with SEN were published for consultation in the draft Education (Additional Support for Learning) Bill on 17 January 2003. Copies of these documents are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.Since April 1999, the Executive's Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants programme has awarded a total of £12.7 million to voluntary organisations to pilot projects related to special educational needs, including ASD. For example, the National Autistic Society has produced a training pack for local authorities in developing good practice and is reviewing current training provision for ASD to develop a targeted national training framework while the Scottish Society for Autism is providing an ASD education advisory service.I also refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-62 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.